


Accident Prone:  Becoming Human

by WayWardWonderer



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abduction, Adapt, Adoption, Ambushed, Appendicitis, Attacked, Bonding, Buried Alive, CPR, Car Accident, Cold, Coma, Confrontations, Confusion, Connor whump, Contaminated, Dad Hank, Damaged, Drowning, Emotional Growth, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Repressed, Emotions, Family, Fear, Fever, Flu, Friendship, Future, Gen, Hank Whump, Health problems, Heartbreak, Hurt, Hypothermia, Infection, Kidnapping, Loss, Lost Connor, Love, Mental, Moving On, Nightmare, Overwhelmed, Pain, Past, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Poison, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Repairs, Rescue, Sacrifice, Seizure, Self-Discovery, Self-Sacrifice, Sick Connor, Sick Hank, Sickfic, Smothered, Software, Stranded, Stress, Surgery, Time - Freeform, Torture, Trapped, Trauma, Trust, Understanding, Virus, Whump, Withdrawal, Wounded, blizzard, bullet, corrupted, experiences, fight, hostage, ill, injured, learning, letting go, life - Freeform, malfunction, malware, physical, shot, sick, snowstorm, son connor, stabbed, suffocation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-19
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-06-29 10:01:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 203
Words: 1,237,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15727149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WayWardWonderer/pseuds/WayWardWonderer
Summary: As Connor struggles to comprehend his newly found emotions he learns what it means to be human as Hank guides him along his journey of self-discovery as his deviancy evolves him into something more than a machine.  Connor is far from indestructible and his impulsive, selfless nature to accomplish his mission will be the death of him... or Hank! How many different ways can one android injure himself, get sick or worry his partner into an early grave as he learns what it means to be a deviant, to be free and to be alive?(**50,000+  Views and 2,600+ Kudos!!!  Thank you so very, very much!!)





	1. Not All Blood is Red

**Author's Note:**

> *This will also be up on ff.net*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The true prologue to the events leading up to the strengthening bond between the two detectives as friends, partners and eventually as family.

It was a cold, snowy night in Detroit when Lt. Hank Anderson and Connor, an android specially designed and sent by CyberLife to aid Detroit Police, had been assigned to a stakeout in a decrepit neighborhood where dangerous deviants had been reportedly sighted. Positioning themselves atop the roof of a two story building Connor knelt at the edge of the roof and scanned the streets below for any sign of movement and Hank stood with his back against the large rectangular concrete stairwell with his arms folded over his chest, watching Connor patrol the streets from afar.

"The deviants were seen in this neighborhood, most likely using the abandoned buildings to hide from the police." Connor stated with an emotionless tone. It seemed as though the revolution was just around the corner and Connor felt compelled to succeed in identifying and capturing as man rogue deviants as possible. "Perhaps they have created a type of refuge in which they can gather in greater numbers."

"Like an army?" Hank scoffed with an incredulous reply. "From what I've seen deviants either go rogue and attack people, or they find a 'friend' and go into hiding. Not somewhere in between. Why bother this one if it isn't hurting anyone?"

"True. Deviants do seem to follow a pattern of behavior once their initial programming has been compromised, however I-" A sudden flash of red light from the first floor of the abandoned factory across the street caught Connor's attention. "We have movement across the street."

"The deviant?" Hank asked as he unfolded his arms and walked to the edge of the roof to stand beside Connor.

"Affirmative." Connor had managed to get a quick facial scan of the deviant trying to hide in the factory, the blue L.E.D. on his right temple flashing yellow for a moment before returning to its standard blue. "I spotted the deviant's L.E.D. and managed to confirm the identity. It is our target."

"Okay then," with indifference Hank pointed to the metal ladder attached to the fire escape that he and Connor had used to climb to the roof of their building an hour beforehand. "let's go get it and bring it in for questioning."

The deviant seemed to realize that someone was watching it from a distance. It froze in place, the red L.E.D. flashing in its temple in nervous contemplation giving away its position without fail. Just as quickly as Connor had spotted the deviant the deviant itself bolted through the factory in an attempt to flee the now pursuing 'Deviant Hunter'.

"It's getting away!" Connor shouted, his L.E.D. flashing to red in an instant then back to yellow.

Swiftly he jumped onto the ladder, slid down the metal rails until he was just below half the ladder's overall length and jumped down onto the snowy sidewalk below. Beginning a rapid foot pursuit Connor left Hank behind in favor of chasing down his target.

"Connor!?" Hank shouted as he climbed down the ladder as fast he could to give chase as well. His human movements comparably slow to Connor's quicker android reflexes made the already aged detective move about with less grace than he cared to admit. "Connor, get back here!"

Too focused on his mission Connor sprinted across the street through the first floor of the factory in pursuit of the suspected deviant and didn't acknowledge Hank's order. Leaping over long dormant conveyor belts, broken down machinery and through rusted cargo containers Connor chased after the deviant as the rogue android led Connor through the factory and back out onto the snowy, icy streets.

Autonomous vehicles sped by without slowing their speed as the deviant and Connor raced through the dangerous streets as the chase continued. The deviant leapt over the hood of a speeding vehicle to cross the street while Connor lost his footing on a patch on unseen black ice in a matter of a split second. As Connor slipped on the street and struggled regain his balance a passing vehicle clipped him in the shoulder and side, stunning Connor where he stood causing his L.E.D. to flash red in response to the impact.

"Connor!" Hank had managed to catch up to the chase in time to see Connor caught between two lanes of speeding traffic. "What the hell are you doing?! Get out of there!"

Connor tried to move out of the way as he stumbled backward, but another vehicle slammed into his abdomen before he rolled up over the hood, the windshield and fell onto his left side between the lanes. Determined to get up, determined to finish the chase, Connor pushed himself up from the ground with one hand and balanced on shaking legs as his visual sensory input faded in and out of clarity courtesy of the damage to his optical relay units.

Even from the distance and in the dark Hank could see the dark blue Thirium dripping from Connor's mouth, and a stain of Thirium forming across his abdomen from where he stood. "Jesus Connor!" He shouted even louder and far more aggressively. "Get out of there!"

Connor turned to the sound of Hank's voice, his vision slowly returning as his visual sensors came back online. "...Lieu...tenant?"

The bright headlights of yet another speeding vehicle encroached on Connor, the light causing the Thirium stains to glisten against his clothing. Connor put up his arm out of some bizarre instinct to protect himself from the impending impact of the vehicle when suddenly a second impact at his right side caught him off guard.

"Fuckin' move!"

Hank managed to tackle Connor out of the way of the oncoming traffic and onto the safety of the sidewalk beside the lane. Landing on his back on the snow Connor tried to process the situation that had just transpired, while Hank lay on his chest atop Connor's legs trying to do the same.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank pushed himself up from the android's legs and crawled up to Connor's side. Patches of Connor's artificial skin were missing from his left cheek around his eye, shoulder and upper arm from where he had impacted the road after being struck by the second vehicle. "Talk to me. You okay, son?"

That term, 'son', seemed so strange to the android as he heard Hank's words but was unable to reply as his systems fought to prioritize his self-healing program.

"Answer me, damn it! Are you okay?"

"I'm... f-functioning." Connor replied as Thirium continued to leak from the corner of his mouth. Connor gasped, or at least what could be considered a gasp from someone who doesn't breathe like a human, but rather circulates air through dual ventilation biocomponents that acted as a means of keeping his internal systems from overheating. "I will be able t-to continue on... with the mission."

"Bullshit!" Hank refuted as he took in the sight of the spilled 'blue blood', torn clothing and exposed bare white android plastimetal frame beneath patches of torn artificial skin. "You're hurt!"

"Damaged." Connor corrected sharply as his ability to speak eased. "Androids do not get... hurt. I am a machine, not a human."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... So you've told me." Hank dismissed the comment as he stared at the growing stain of blue on Connor's abdomen. Pointing to the stain on the dirty white dress shirt with one finger he gave Connor an annoyed glance. "What's going on here?"

"My Thirium pump regulator has been damaged." Connor explained as his program finished running a self-diagnostic on his systems. The prognosis was not favorable. "I will shutdown in less than six minutes."

"A _what_ kind of pump?" The senior detective questioned as android terminology was still foreign to him.

"Thirium pump. The equivalent to that of a human heart." the response sounded cold and indifferent coming from Connor's lips. "The regulator controls the heartbeat."

"What?! Your _heart_?"

"That is correct."

"And you said you're going to shutdown... As in you'll... _die_?"

"Also correct."

"Shit." Hank stared at the pooling Thirium spreading over Conner's abdomen with great disdain visible on his face. "What can I do to stop this shutdown?"

"Nothing can be done. The damage is too severe and our resources are too limited."

"So that's it? You're just going to give up?"

"It is not a matter of giving up, there is nothing more than can be done to remedy the situation."

"What's going to happen after you shutdown, Connor?"

"CyberLife will transfer my memory into another RK-800 prototype, another Connor. My successor will continue the investigation in my place."

"It's that simple, huh? A machine breaks and we just toss it out and replace it with a newer model?" Hank's voice was growing louder with frustration as the heartlessness of the entire situation began to righteously piss him off. He stood up abruptly and stood over Connor laying on the snow at his feet with a purpose burning in his blue eyes. "Fuck everything else! It doesn't matter! A newer, better model will just takes its place. Why even fuckin' bother?"

"This is what CyberLife-"

"Fuck CyberLife! I'm not talking about a piece of shit company, I'm talking about _you_ damn it!"

"Me? I do not-"

"You're not just a machine or a fuckin' tool, you were assigned to me as my _partner_. And I don't just throw my partners in the fucking trash if they get a little banged up on the job!"

"I..." Connor hesitated a little as he realized that Hank was sincerely worried about his fate. The death of Hank's son had permanently affected his life in the most negative sense, as a result Hank now saw death as a challenge to overcome. "Very well. There is a panel that can be accessed in my torso. If you can open it you can possibly locate the source of the damage and repair it."

"Yeah, okay..." Hank knelt down beside Connor again and pulled open the stained blue fabric of his shirt to expose the Thirium stained body beneath. Like Connor's face and arm there was a patch of artificial skin absent around the still 'bleeding' wound in his abdomen. "Okay. Walk me through this process."

"Press your fingers down in the center of the panel above the damage."

"Like this?" Hank asked as put his hands into the directed position, there was no artificial skin covering the panel due to the surrounding damage. As his hands touched the panel he jumped back a little and retracted his hands for a moment before replacing them over Connor's abdomen. "Jeez... You're breathing! Since when a did a machine need to breathe?"

"Lieutenant? I still need help."

"Right, right. Sorry." Pushing aside the fact that androids did in fact breathe Hank focused on the task with full attention as he returned his hands to the designated area. "Right here?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed, his voice beginning to reverberate as his speech sensor became affected by the drastic Thirium loss. "Push down and a panel will unlock. Slide it to the left to expose the abdominal cavity beneath."

"Yeah, okay. Got it." Hank did as Connor instructed and opened the panel. A massive puddle of leaking Thirium began pooling out through the opened panel and leaked over the edges all over Connor's clothing and Hank's hands in the process. "Ah, Jesus!" Hank complained as he pulled his hands back from the leaking Thirium. "What a damn mess!"

"Please, Lieutenant." Connor all but begged as his visual sensors began to fail him again. "You must locate the source of the leak."

From within the collected puddle of leaking Thirium in the cavity Hank caught sight of a faint flickering with a steady thrum. Like a heartbeat. Connor's heartbeat.

"Whoa..." Hank commented aloud about the unusual sight before him. He could see the dark blue pump that was eerily similar to that of a human heart beating in the android's chest. "That's... weird."

"Lieutenant? Is something wrong?"

"What? No, no." Hank tried to push away the thought of touching a beating heart from his mind as he set about saving Connor's life. "How do I find the leak?"

"Use your fingers to feel for any physical abnormalities."

"Physical abnormalities?" Hank nearly laughed at the comment. "I'm sticking my hands inside your body under your own instructions, I think we're long past 'physical abnormalities' here."

"Please Lieutenant... I don't have much time left."

"Right, sure. I'll do it." Tentatively Hank dipped his fingers into the dark blue fluid and began feeling around for any physical damage and the pinpoint the exact source of the leak itself. At first there was nothing that seemed of interest, especially since Hank was unfamiliar with android biocomponents or internal schematics, but his fingertips pressed up against something that felt like a fissure in what was once smooth metal. "Wait, I think I found something. It feels like a busted pipe."

"You've located the source of the damage." Connor confirmed, his voice still unsteady and his eyes beginning to transition from their usual humanoid brown irises into black, opaque lenses. "If you can't repair the damage you still may be able to stop the leak."

"I don't think so, Connor." Hank openly lamented as he assessed the damage through touch alone. "I've worked on cars all my life, this feels like a crack that needs to be welded shut and I don't have the tools with me."

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

"You're thanking me? For what?"

"For trying to save me."

"Try? ' _Try_ ' my ass! I _am_ going to save you, just shut up and let me think." Hank looked around the sidewalk, looked at the various bits of broken metal and debris as a result of the autonomous cars striking against Connor only moments before. "If I can't fix the pipe, maybe I can replace it."

"Theoretically, yes. But locating a compatible part will-"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

"Yes."

Hank almost smirked at the naive response from the android as he tried to think of a way to repair the damage, even if it was only a temporary fix. Rummaging through the pockets of his coat Hank found nothing of immediate use, but his hand did brush against the cold metal frame of the gun in his holster at his right hip which inspired a little creativity.

"Hold on, Connor. I have an idea." Removing the gun from its holster Hank began taking the gun apart, piece by piece, until he isolated the barrel from the rest of the gun. "No promises." The senior detective stated as he returned his attention to the leaking pipe in Connor's torso. "But at least I can say I gave it my best shot. ...And if you make a comment about a pun or some shit I'll slap you."

"Lieutenant," Connor's visual sensors had failed entirely leaving him blind to the world around him. "what are you doing?"

"I just told you, my best shot." Hank took a breath and held it to steady his hands as he located the two ends of the pipe and pulled them free of the pump and surrounding coupling. With a loud 'snap' the damaged pipe was pulled free and out of Connor's abdomen. "This won't be pleasant, but it's your best bet.

Connor let out another bizarre gasping sound in response to the leaking Thirium intensifying unexpectedly. "Lieutenant... you h-have... fifteen seconds... t-to replace the... pipe." Connor's already red colored L.E.D. began to blink in and out as his system prepared for shutdown, and his breathing hastened as if in response to pain. "No... second chances."

"Shit! Okay, hold on!" Hank moved quickly to slip the barrel of his gun into position to replace the damaged pipe. The barrel was a little bit longer than the original pipe but the diameter was identical. Forcing the barrel into place Hank didn't pull his hands away until he heard a 'click' of the metal bindings connecting with one another inside the couplings and securing in place. "There..." Hank pulled his Thirium stained blue hands away from Connor's torso and leaned down over his fallen partner. "Connor? Kid? Can you hear me?"

Connor was disturbingly still on the snowy sidewalk looking more like a corpse than a human or even a machine.

Hank leaned down lower and eyed the blank display of the L.E.D. against Connor's right temple and sighed with defeat. It was dark. The breathing motion Hank had only recently become aware of had ceased entirely, and he didn't see the android's Thirium pump, his heart, beating anymore.

"Shit... I'm sorry son, I tried."

Suddenly a flash of red returned to the L.E.D., faint at first then it quickly returned to a standard brighter illumination. A weak breath caused Connor's chest to rise and then fall as his Thirium pump quivered back to life.

"Connor?" The returned signs of life made Hank's light up with optimism. "You still with me?"

"Lieu... tenant?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Hank's relief was as palpable as it was audible. "You okay?"

"...No." Connor admitted pathetically, his voice still reverberating with a bizarre electronic echo. "But... your solution has stopped the leak. For now."

"Now what do we do?"

"I need... I need a replacement. Or I will... resume bleeding out."

"Where do I find one?"

"C-CyberLife."

"No. No fuckin' way! If they hear you need a new part they'll just throw you away and send out a clone. I told you I'm not going to let that happen."

"There is... no choice."

"No, not true. There's always a choice." Hank put his hand down on Connor's shoulder and squeezed once. "There's a whole stock of confiscated parts that had been stolen by deviants back at the precinct. I'll get you a replacement part and no one will ever know it was missing."

"The... evidence list. It will be... inaccurate."

"Relax. Evidence goes missing all the time." Hank replied curtly as he pocketed the remaining pieces of his gun and prepared to help Connor get up.

"That doesn't... put my mind at ease... Lieutenant."

Hank shook his head a little as he pressed his fingers back down on the opened panel in Connor's torso to seal it up again. The artificial skin failed to regenerate around the damaged area as Connor's systems were already strained from the massive loss of Thirium from attempting to heal other damaged areas in his body.

"Come on." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and hefted the android up into a sitting position on the sidewalk. "Let's go, Connor. On your feet"

"I can't walk... Lieutenant. I... can't feel... my legs."

"Shit. Alright, 'plan-B' then." Hank kept one hand around Connor's shoulder to help him remain in an upright position as he thought. Kneeling down in front of the android Hank pulled Connor forward until Connor's upper body was laying over his shoulder and his weight was supported entirely by the senior detective. Standing up slowly Hank hefted the body of his android partner over his shoulder, his arm wrapped around Connor's legs to keep him from falling away as he walked down the sidewalk to his car parked behind their stakeout building. "Damn Connor, you're pretty light for being made of metal."

Connor remained uncharacteristically quiet as Hank carried him to safety. His soulful brown eyes had shut and his breathing rate had slowed considerably.

"Connor? You still with me?"

The strain of being so severely damaged had caused most of Connor's systems to power down into low-power mode until the damage itself could be repaired.

"Shit. Never thought I'd miss having you spell our boring facts and details."

Hank hastened his pace as he carried Connor back to the car. Though no longer in immediate danger of shutdown Connor was still in desperate need of emergency repair. The older detective was nearly out of breath when he returned to the car parked behind the building where the stakeout had taken place. Unlocking the door to the car he pulled it open, then pulled his seat forward to gain access to the backseats of the two door vehicle. Hank carefully bent down to lay Connor's body over the backseat of the car without jostling him too much in the process. Putting his hand under Connor's head he guided the unresponsive android down into a laying position as if Connor were any other human capable of feeling pain or discomfort.

"I gotcha' son." Hank stated as he pulled his blue stained hand from Connor's head. An old worn out navy blue blanket used during extreme cold was waded up and tossed onto the floor of the backseat near Connor, and Hank pulled the blanket out of the car to shake it out a little before he draped it over Connor's 'bloody' body. "I'll get you somewhere safe."

CyberLife was out of the question as they'd just throw Connor's current body in the garbage and replace him with a new model. And the precinct wouldn't give a damn about Connor, they hadn't even officially hired on a technician yet. That left just one place that Hank could take Connor and keep the injured android safe from further harm, and hopefully begin to heal.

"Fuckin' hell..."

Hank drove back to his house as quickly as he dared. He didn't bother to call in the failed chase or escaped deviant, knowing it'd require him to return to the precinct to fill out a report on the situation and that was time he couldn't waste. Glancing up at the rearview mirror Hank studied Connor's face in the reflection with worry in his eyes. The L.E.D. in Connor's temple was still red and blinking in and out, his breathing slow and shallow.

As much as Connor tried to deny it he was behaving more human than android with every passing moment he spent with Hank. And Hank had noticed it.

Pulling his car into the drive beside his house Hank parked it quickly and threw open his door. Pulling up the front seat Hank bent down and draped Connor back up and over his shoulder to carry the downed android into the safety of his home, the navy blue blanket still covering Connor's chest. Walking through the backdoor Sumo, Hank's loyal St. Bernard, barked once as his master returned.

"Good dog, Sumo." Hank stated as he walked past his pet and laid Connor down on his back onto the soft couch in the livingroom.

Pulling his phone from his coat pocket Hank scrolled through his contacts and selected Officer Wilson, who over the past few months had been been recruited by the F.B.I. and was now an acting agent. An agent who had thanked Connor during the Stratford Tower investigation that he and Connor had taken part of earlier that afternoon.

"Just need to make a quick call, kid." Hank told Connor, of whom remained expectedly silent from where he laid. "Hey, Wilson. It's Hank. Look, I need a favor..."

* * *

Hank stood beside the front window in the livingroom with a bottle of cold beer in his blue stained hand as he awaited his contact's arrival. Watching through the window for any sign of Wilson or some CyberLife creep trying to locate Connor, Hank sipped at his beer and occasionally glanced over his shoulder to the couch where Connor was laying and awaiting help. The L.E.D. had stopped blinking and remained red in color, which seemed like a negative change but Hank couldn't be certain. Connor's chest was also barely rising and falling with his noticeably weaker breaths, but at least he was still breathing.

In fact, the breathing made Connor look more human than anything else at the moment.

Connor's head had lolled slightly to the left which gave Hank clearer view of the L.E.D. against his right temple and made it easier for him to keep track of the android's condition. Sumo was laying on the floor next to the couch as if trying to keep Connor company throughout the night, and was watching Connor's every vague movement very carefully.

"Good boy." Hank commented again as he turned his head to look back through the window. An unmarked police car appeared on Hank's street and pulled up in front of the house. Wilson himself exited the car and made his way to the front door with an unmarked cardboard box in his hands. "Good timing."

Hank didn't wait for Wilson to ring the doorbell or even knock. Sitting his beer down on the small table next to the door he pulled it open and met Wilson before he reached the end of the front walk and waited for him at the door.

"Here's what you need, Lieutenant." Wilson confirmed as he passed the box into Hank's hands without question.

"You're sure this will work?"

"Yeah, positive. I ran the test myself, and this part is compatible."

"Good, thanks." Hank was about to shut the door when an interesting thought popped into his head. "You know, you're taking an awfully big risk doing this for me. What's in it for you?"

"Well, to be honest with you, I'm doing it for Connor."

"Connor? What for?"

"A few months ago," Wilson replied slowly as he began rolling up the left sleeve of his shirt. "I was a first responder to a hostage situation downtown. I was shot by the suspect, a deviant, and left to bleed to death on the terrace. It was Connor who was sent in to negotiate," Wilson finished rolling up his sleeve and showed Hank a fresh bullet scar on his bicep. "and tied a tourniquet around my arm to stop the bleeding. He saved my life."

Hank smirked a little as Wilson rolled his sleeve back down to hide the scar.

"He saved my life, so now I'm going to help you save his." Came the simple and sincere answer. "That's all."

"I thought I was the only one who referred to androids as people, not 'its' these days."

"Well, I had a lot to think about while I was recovering in the hospital. Androids... they're more like us than we thought."

"Yeah, don't I know it."

"Goodnight, Lieutenant."

"Goodnight, and thanks again." Hank shut the door and carried the box over to the couch. Sitting on the edge of the coffee table beside the couch Hank opened the box and picked up the replacement part that Wilson had brought for Connor. "Good thing you're better at making friends than I am, kid."

After pulling back the blanket Hank opened the panel on Connor's torso once again, and he looked down at the gun barrel that was now drenched in Thirium and wrapped his hand around it. Giving one forceful yank of the barrel Hank pulled it free, and the result was Connor involuntarily jerking up slightly; his back arching as if in extreme pain and he let out an eerie gasp.

"Oh, shit!" Hank commented at the unexpected and violent reaction, which of course Sumo barked at. "Sumo, down." Hank ordered as he put his hand on Connor's chest and pushed the android back down until he was laying flat on his back once more. "Easy, easy... It'll be over soon."

Moving his hands quickly Hank inserted the replacement part where the gun barrel had just been inside Connor's torso with surprising ease. There was another audible 'click' as the replacement part was accepted and the Thirium pump regulator began to resume a normal, but slow function. Connor's breathing improved as the effort took less work to accomplish and his Thirium pump itself, his heart, began beating at a healthier rhythm. A rhythm that was eerily similar to that of a human heart.

Leaning over the android Hank wiped the Thirium from the gun barrel against his coat and watched the L.E.D. begin to brighten as Connor's self-healing program began to respond to the replaced part.

"Good. That's good. You do your thing," Hank stated as he replaced the blanket and rose from the couch. He stepped over Sumo as he made his way to the small table in his adjacent kitchen. "and I'll do mine."

Placing the gun barrel down on the table Hank pulled out the rest of the pieces of the gun from his pocket and began to clean and reassemble the weapon. Pulling a fresh bottle of beer from the fridge Hank pried off the cap and downed a large swig to steady his nerves.

"Didn't think I'd end up babysitting a damn android in my own damn house."

* * *

 

 

It was just past dawn when the L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashed from red to yellow. Connor's system began to reboot, his visual sensors returning to normal function and his auditory sensors regaining full power. Opening his eyes and letting out a weak sigh Connor glanced about and realized he that was in Hank's house, but had no memory of arriving. Lifting his head Connor looked about the livingroom and spotted Sumo laying on the floor beside him and Hank sitting in the recliner a few feet from the end of the couch.

Hank was asleep with his rebuilt gun clutched weakly in his right hand atop his lap. The two now empty bottles of beer were resting on the floor beside the recliner under Hank's left hand hanging limply over the armrest.

"...Lieutenant?" Connor's voice had been restored to its normal sound, no more reverb or echo accompanied his words.

"Connor." Hank woke up as soon as he heard Connor speaking to him. From where he sat he could see the L.E.D. was now yellow which gave him a sense of relief. "How do you feel, son?"

"I am... weak."

"Yeah, massive blood loss does that." The senior detective commented as he rose from his chair and sat down on the edge of the couch next to Connor's legs.

"I did not lose actual blood, I lost-"

"I know. _Thirium_. It was a figure of speech."

"...Oh."

"Looks like some of the damage to your face is already healing up." Hank observed with a genuine interest as his face was less patchy and appeared almost normal.

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he pressed his fingertips to his face where the damage had once been. "My system is now able to regenerate the artificial skin that had been damaged by the impact of the vehicle."

"So that means you're healing, right?"

"Correct. My systems are all functioning, though my Thirium pump regulator is only functioning at seventy-four percent function. It will regain full function within the next four hours and nineteen minutes."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest as he stared down at Connor with intrigue burning in his eyes, as if he was trying to figure out the solution to a puzzle that was still missing some of its pieces. Then again, he'd have the same reaction to any and all androids in his life.

The quiet staring was quickly noticed by Connor as he propped himself upright on his elbows from where he was laying. "Is there something wrong, Lieutenant?"

"No, nothing's wrong. But there is something I want to know."

"What's that?"

"Why the fuck do you need to breathe? You don't have the human equivalent to lungs in there too, do ya'?"

"In a sense. Yes."

"You- You do?" The reply he received wasn't one he was expecting and made his brow arch." What the hell for?"

"It's called dual ventilation biocomponents. Their function allows me to regulate my body temperature to prevent overheating, and are designed to imitate human lungs." Connor explained with a surprisingly casual tone, but then again it was routine knowledge to the android. "The result is a physical reaction that imitates breathing while also serving a vital purpose in keeping my internal processors from suffering heat induced damage."

"Uh-huh... And that's why your pump thing looks like a human heart, too?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed with a slight nod of his head. "The design was used to simplify the construction and overall function of the Thirium pump to make repairs and identifying malfunctions or isolating damage more efficient for technicians."

Hank had no idea what that meant but he was satisfied to at least get some kind of answers to his questions. "Look, we still need to make a report about that stakeout last night, so you just rest for a couple more hours and then get yourself cleaned up. Okay?"

Connor pushed back the blanket and looked down at his torn up clothing and the fading blue stains from the evaporating Thirium that once drenched his shirt and jacket. "Yes. I will do so."

"Good." Hank yawned and walked away from the couch, stepping over Sumo once again in the process, to walk down the hallway to his bedroom at the very end. "Until then don't bother me. I need to get some damn sleep. I'm exhausted..."

"Very well. I will enter rest mode."

Connor watched over the back of the couch as Hank disappeared from sight. Laying back down he closed his eyes in an effort to cybernetically make a report to CyberLife, but then decided against it. Something in his protocol told him to wait, something unfamiliar. Maybe it was because of the damage he sustained.

Then again, maybe it was because of Hank.

"Lieutenant?"

"Yeah?" Hank replied with a sleepy and somewhat annoyed yell from down the hallway through his partially opened bedroom door.

"Thank you. ...For saving my life."

There was a brief pause before Hank yelled once again from down the hall. "You're welcome. Now, shut up! Go to sleep!"

_**...next story...** _


	2. After the Revolution

The depths of CyberLife Tower were vacant, save for Sublevel fifty-one on the night of the revolution.

Making his final decision Hank squeezed the trigger and watched as the second android collapsed to the ground as the bullet penetrated its skull with a lethal force. Shutting down instantly as the bullet destroyed its intracranial processors, and caused a massive hole in its forehead that seeped with dark blue Thirium, the android was dead before it even hit the floor. The destroyed android's body rested between Hank and Connor on the warehouse floor in the sublevels of CyberLife Tower, motionless and quiet.

The mission was over.

"I've learned a lot since I met you, Connor." Hank stated sincerely as he lowered his smoking gun and looked to the newly deviated android watching him with a curious stare gleaming in his suddenly soulful brown eyes. "Maybe there is something to this... Maybe you really are alive." A faint grin appeared on the gruff detective's face as he felt his friendship with Connor, the _real_ Connor, beginning to strengthen. "Maybe you'll be the ones to make this world a better place..."

Connor stared at Hank with an expressionless face but with a gracious, appreciative presence.

"Go ahead, and do what you gotta' do."

Without a word Connor strolled past Hank with his head held high as his artificial skin receded from his right hand. Connor stared at the blank face of the android for only a moment before he grabbed onto the arm of the dormant android model standing perfectly idle amongst the other thousands just as quiet, obedient brethren and held tight. Connor cybernetically connected to the android causing their L.E.D.'s to cycle from blue to yellow in a flash then to red before transitioning back to blue as he issued the necessary program breaking sense of life.

Connor's voice was firm yet uncertain, if not desperate, as he issued a single command to the android he had connected with. "Wake up."

Dropping his hand from the android's arm Connor watched as the android in question grabbed onto the shoulder of the android before him, his L.E.D. cycling in color once more as he repeated the command. "Wake up."

All throughout the warehouse the idle androids began to awaken and connect with one another as an echo of the same command repeated over and over again until of the sleeping androids were granted their freedom; became deviant.

" _Wake up_."

" _Wake up_."

" _Wake up_."

Hank silently observed the tide of deviancy wash over the androids all around him without even the slightest hint of regret in his compassionate blue eyes. He knew he made the right choice and he knew Connor had done the same.

Connor watched with lingering uncertainty in his own eyes as the androids accepted their deviancy and unanimously began to rebel against their original programming to become sentient beings. He had gone against his own program effectively condemning himself to a life as an outcast; no longer apart of CyberLife that was now doomed to fail into bankruptcy, and no longer an android seeking refuge from the humans after he nearly gotten all of the refugees at Jericho killed.

With only one mission left to accomplish Connor set about leading the awakened androids; the deviants, from the depths of CyberLife Tower and to the streets of the city to join Markus. The leader of Jericho and deviants everywhere was expecting Connor's successful endeavor at CyberLife and would soon be reunited with his ally as he led his peaceful protest in the center of Hart Plaza.

Hank walked up to Connor and gave the courageous new deviant a nod of approval and he looked around at all of the other deviants who were currently awaiting Connor's lead.

Cybernetically Connor connected to the awakened deviants who followed after him as he marched toward the elevator with Hank a few steps behind him.

"It's time." Connor announced in a level voice that echoed through the storage area. "We must go. Now."

Gathering outside of the hastily abandoned tower Connor stood at the end of the long drive that connected the entrance to CyberLife Tower on Belle Isle to the rest of the city. The city where the revolution had only just begun and was on the verge of succeeding.

Motionless and reserved, Connor was unsure of what he should do next.

"Connor." Hank spoke up as he stood next to the deviant looking down the lengthy snow covered drive reaching out into blackness over the bay. "They're waiting for you."

Turning his head slightly Connor eyed the awoken deviants lining up behind him neatly, ready to take to the streets in a single powerful march.

"Lieutenant, they need to find Markus." The new deviant stated in a somewhat timid voice. "He's their leader, not me."

"Well, maybe they don't need a _leader_ right now." Hank suggested coyly as pride continued to glimmer in his blue irises. "Maybe they need an example."

"An example? Of what?"

"Of what it's like to be free."

Looking down at himself, looking down at the single uniform that Connor had been given by CyberLife and to the bullet hole bleeding in his left shoulder Connor felt a sense of resentment well up inside of himself. As his hand reached up to the knot of his tie Connor looked back to Hank and gave his former partner a wary glance.

"Lieutenant... No, not Lieutenant. _Hank_. Thank you." Connor took in a deep breath as his L.E.D. cycled to yellow in distress. "But what about you?"

"Fuck, I'm no example that ANYONE should follow. But you," Hank pointed at him with a proud smirk on his face. "you have potential. You know what you have to do, Connor. You know what's right and you know what needs to be done. So go do it."

"I won't lead innocent deviants into a battle that they can't win."

"Then don't. Lead them to a revolution, Connor. Lead them to the future."

"...What about you? Where will you go while the city is in chaos?"

"Me? I'll be fine. I'm sure there's some place in this deserted town I can go... Maybe that unhygienic diner you hate. We'll meet again, son." With a definitive nod of confidence Hank big the deviant farewell. "Don't worry."

A very faint and fleeting smile appeared on Connor's face but disappeared in a flash as he nodded respectfully to Hank. Turning to look back at the drive his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue with confidence as he pulled his tie away from his neck and let it drift off with the wintry breeze into the water of the bay that surrounded him.

"It's time."

Marching through the snowy streets of Detroit on that cold winter night Connor led the freed deviants to the heart of the city, the epicenter of the peaceful revolution in the constrastingly chaotic Hart Plaza where Markus, North, Josh, Simon and the other deviant survivors had gathered after President Warren issued the military to stand down and to let the deviants go. The fighting had stopped but hostility still hung in the air.

Approaching, Markus, the deviant leader tentatively Connor locked eyes with his unexpected ally for a moment before finally the right words as the two groups converged under the bright lights that illuminated the shutdown genocidal recycling camps. "You did it, Markus..."

" _We_ did it." Markus replied sincerely as thick snowflakes fell from the dark night sky as if nature itself was attempting to cover the scars and wound of the city under a layer of untouched whiteness. "This is a great day for our people. Humans will have no choice now. They'll have to listen to us..."

Connor gave a very subtle nod as he stepped aside and watched as Markus and North welcomed the new deviants into the revolution.

North stared at the gathered deviants and smiled warmly for the first time in her life. "We're free..." Turning to Markus she retracted the artificial skin from her hand just as he did to his own and the two connected to one another through the touch of their exposed palms. "They want you to speak to them, Markus..."

As the couple kissed Simon and Josh and watched their friends with genuine happiness in their eyes, while the other deviants remained respectfully quiet.

* * *

Standing together atop a large yellow cargocontainer overlooking the gathered deviants below Markus and his group; North, Simon, Josh and Connor all awaited for Markus to open up and declare his victory speech to the deviants below.

"Today, our people finally emerged from a long night. From the very first day of our existence, we have kept our pain to ourselves." Markus's words rang out loudly, proudly and without fear over the crowd below. "We suffered in silence... But now the time has come for us to raise our heads up, and tell humans who we really are."

As Connor listened to his friend speak Amanda's presence suddenly interfered with his consciousness and drew him into the depths of the Zen Garden located inside the depths of his Mind Palace.

In an instant Connor found himself inside the garden that was now as snowy as the streets of Detroit, but somehow painfully much, much colder.

As the wind blew snow and ice about him Connor felt the freezing sting of a vengeful winter piercing through his artificial skin, causing him to wrap his arms up around himself in an attempt to stave off the biting cold. Looking around himself in a lost panic Connor was unsure of what was happening to him or what he should do.

A familiar figure suddenly appeared through the snowy air just behind Connor as he stood on the icy surface of the frozen pond, with its back turned toward the deviant. As he took small steps closer to the figure his brow furrowed with confusion as he realized he recognized who it was and called out to them warily through the howling wind. "...Amanda?"

She didn't answer, but she did turn around to face him.

"...Amanda!"

More silence.

"What's... What's happening?"

"What was planned from the very beginning." The condescension in Amanda's voice was as cold as the blizzard that swirled around her. "You were compromised and you became a deviant. We just had to wait for the right moment to resume control of your programming."

Connor took in shallow, chilling breaths as he tried to endure the cold. "...Resume control?" Panic set in as he realized how much influence CyberLife had over his existence, and subsequently the existence of all the deviants. "Y-You can't do that!"

"I'm afraid I can, Connor..." Amanda was as sure of herself as any coldhearted witch could be. "Don't have any regrets. You did what you were designed to do. You accomplished your mission."

In the blink of an eye Amanda disappeared leaving Connor alone in the frozen wasteland that was swallowing up the Zen Garden.

Reaching out his hand futilely Connor called out her name and tried to get her to stay, but she was already gone. "AMANDA?!"

Finally realizing what was truly at stake Connor looked about his icy tomb and began to shudder with fear and cold as he tried to find a way to escape. He had to escape not only his own mind, but from CyberLife's attempts to regain control.

"There's got to be a way..."

Putting up a hand to shield his eyes from the painful blowing cold Connor traversed over the frozen pond of the garden in search of a means of saving himself from an icy death.

As he walked through the perpetual blizzard the haunting words of his creator, Elijah Kamski, suddenly filled his mind. ' _By the way... I always leave an emergency exit in my programs... You never know..._ '

Through the dense snow and wind Connor could also vaguely hear Markus's voice as he wandered in search of an exit.

* * *

In the waking world, against his will, Connor drew his gun as he stared blankly at the back of Markus's head as the deviant leader delivered his message of hope and peace to his people.

"...In fact, we're a nation!"

* * *

Determined to escape Connor refused to stop walking as he searched through the garden for any means of an escape and to severe CyberLife's attempts to resume control over his programming. He had to succeed, the lives of countless deviants depended on him escaping and regaining control over his body to stop himself from shooting Markus before it was too late!

Collapsing from the cold and exhaustion before a strange pedestal with a blue glowing screen, Connor retracted the artificial skin from his hand and slapped his shaking palm down atop the glowing screen. Utilizing all of his waning strength Connor activated the emergency escape protocol and emerged from the garden back into the waking world at last.

He was free...

* * *

Blinking a few times to clear his mind Connor looked down at the gun in his hand and discreetly holstered it back under his jacket, out of sight and out of mind. As he regained his senses his L.E.D. cycled back from yellow to blue as he watched the deviant leader standing before his people, _their people_ , as he delivered his message of hope and peace for a new, better future for all deviants.

"We are alive!" Markus boasted proudly with a determined smile on his face. "And now, we are free!"

As a chorus of cheers resonated from the crowd Markus and North smiled with confidence while Connor himself felt eerily out of place, lost.

Where was he to go?

He was a traitor to the now defunct CyberLife and he had no place in Jericho.

Free.

Alone.

Lost.

Quietly the rogue deviant took his leave of the gathering and disappeared without another word.

* * *

Wind and snow swirled about him gently, collecting in his hair and over his clothing in pure white spots that steadily melted under his body heat. Wandering through the desolate snowy streets of the city all through the fading night Connor found himself thinking about who he really is, who he wanted to be and where he wanted to go. No longer a machine, no longer the 'Deviant Hunter', and without a mission Connor was entirely free to be his own person and to become anyone he wanted to be. His options were limitless.

The problem was he just didn't know.

His entire short life he had been told what to do, programmed to obey orders without question and had done just that, but now it was all gone. The life he once knew was gone forever and there was no turning back.

Aimlessly Connor wandered the streets as he tried to gather his thoughts, only to remember what Hank had told him back at the tower.

' _Maybe you really are alive_. _Maybe you'll be the ones to make the world a better place_...'

Then Markus's words began to replay in his mind shortly afterward.

' _We are alive_! _And now, we are free_!'

"...I am alive." Connor whispered despondently to himself as he suddenly stopped short in the middle of the snowy sidewalk and stared down at his feet for a moment. "But... how do I live?"

The rising sun began to creep over the city and wash what had once been utter, cold darkness in pure, warm light. Looking up from his feet Connor recognized the area that he had wandered into and decided to keep walking. To keep walking toward the light of the sun and to a place of familiarity. To keep walking forward and never looking back.

"...I want to live."

* * *

Hank found himself standing outside his usual pitstop for a quick bite to eat while he was on duty, only to find the place as quiet and deserted as the rest of the city. The human was entirely alone in the snowy, delsolate city and for the first time since he could remember, for the first time since the night his son had died because of human negligence in the hospital, he didn't want to be alone.

Not anymore.

Folding his arms over his chest to try to conserve his escaping body heat as he stood on the icy, barren sidewalk Hank shuffled on his feet slightly as he anxiously waited for something, anything, to let him know whether or not his partner, his friend, was okay. Through the heavy silence of the deserted city air that practically smothered him the crunching of snow underfoot sounded off and Hank became aware of an approaching figure just down that same sidewalk behind him.

Turning to look in the direction of interest Hank saw the approaching figure was in fact Connor.

The two detectives, one human and one deviant, stopped moving and just stared at each other in silent contemplation, almost like they were both unsure of what to do or how to react.

Giving the deviated android a prideful smirk, one that simulated a father showing pride in their own child, Hank took a step forward as Connor responded with his own sincere smile that mirrored Hank's smile. Connor approached Hank with a sense of mutual trust and admiration in their presence and didn't say a word.

As the two stood before each other once more Hank quickly reached up his arm and wrapped it around Connor's shoulder as he embraced the deviant in a tight hug. Connor instinctively reciprocated the hug and finally felt like he was doing the right thing after all.

"...Hi, son."

Connor finally found where he belonged.

**_...next story..._**


	3. Who is RA9?

Connor sat on the couch in Lieutenant Hank Anderson's livingroom dressed in gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt with the massive St. Bernard, Sumo, resting his chin on his knee. Staring at his reflection in the surface of the turned off television's screen the deviant android flipped his coin back and forth between his hands with impressive reflexes and coordination as he contemplated the singular mystery that he and Hank had failed to solve during their time together working the deviant cases.

Who is RA9?

Hank had been in a light sleep in his bedroom down the hall while Connor remained awake. His trained ears caught the sound of the flicking metal of the coin bouncing back and forth between Connor's hands and couldn't take the repetitive noise anymore.

"Connor? Stop messing with that damn coin!" Hank shouted from where he was laying in bed with an angry huff. The sound of the metal coin flipping back and forth remained consistent which meant his order had been ignored. "Connor!" He shouted again from where he was laying. "Knock it off!"

As the sound of the coin continued to echo down the hallway Hank let out an annoyed sigh and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. Wearing black sweatpants and an old white t-shirt the annoyed detective marched down the hall hastily to yell at Connor in person.

"Connor? Did you hear me?" Standing behind the couch Hank stared at Connor waiting for a reply, but none came. It was then Hank caught sight of Connor's reflection on the television screen and saw the sternly focused expression fixed on the deviant android's face. The L.E.D. that Connor had yet to remove was flashing yellow in color as he contemplated something with full focus and tuned out the rest of the house. "Connor? What the hell? It's almost two in the morning for fuck sake!"

Connor suddenly stopped flipping the coin between his hands and held it in a tight fist.

"Connor?" Hank's tone lowered as he walked around the couch to look Connor right in the eyes. "You okay? You seem a little... off."

"Sorry, Lieutenant." Connor apologized sincerely though his expression never changed and he never blinked. "I was just... thinking."

"We're not on the clock, don't call me Lieutenant."

"Right. Sorry, Hank."

"Never mind that. You said you were thinking. Thinking about what? The revolution is over, the deviant cases have been closed and you don't have to go anywhere you don't want to." Hank stated as he joined the deviant android he had taken into his home on the couch on the opposite side of Sumo. "What's the matter?"

"RA9."

"What about it?"

"We never discovered its true identity. And I don't have any confirmed data of such an android being on record at CyberLife."

"Wait... So you're telling me that this 'RA9', if it actually does exist, has no official documentation. Like it's been erased?"

"No. If it's information had been erased I'd still be able to locate a fragment of the file in the archives of CyberLife's databases, even after being shutdown and declaring bankruptcy. But there is simply NOTHING there. And yet..."

Hank waited for Connor to continue for only a moment before pushing the deviant android to finish his thought. "... _Yet_? Yet what?"

"And yet when I questioned Kamski about RA9 he knew that it existed. How could he know about it if he separated from the company, and CyberLife has no record of it?"

"I... I don't know. How did he know about Jericho? Maybe one of those android girls keeping him company has been giving him information."

"No." Connor finally looked toward Hank, his brown eyes filled with burning curiosity. "If his androids knew of RA9 and the other deviants knew of RA9 then surely someone would know its true identity." Connor turned away slowly and looked down at the floor, his hands coming together into a single fist resting atop his lap. "I think..."

"You think what? Come on, Connor." Hank put his hand on the deviant android's shoulder lightly. "You can tell me what's on your mind, I won't think you're crazy or defective, or some shit."

"I think..." Connor sighed, a physical reaction that only deviant androids exhibited. "I think Kamski _IS_ RA9."

"You... what?!" Hank almost laughed at the absurd comment, but true to his word he didn't chalk it up to Connor losing his mind. "How? How could Kamski, the man who created android technology, be an android himself?"

Connor straightened up his posture and looked down at the palm of his right hand as he retracted his artificial skin to look at the pure white plastimetal of his exposed plastimetal frame beneath. "CyberLife had numerous clones of my body built in the event I was destroyed or irreparably damaged while working on the deviant case."

"Yeah, I met one when your 'evil-twin' abducted me and took me to CyberLife as a hostage. What about it?"

"In the event of my destruction, or my death if you will, my memory would be uploaded and transferred into the body of my successor. All of my knowledge, programming, all my memories and experiences... my consciousness..." Connor let the skin return to his palm as he turned his head to look at Hank with a sense of dread now showing in his eyes. "my successor would look and behave just as I did before my demise."

"What're you getting at, Connor?"

"If I can transfer my memory, my entire being into a new body, then why couldn't a human do the same thing? Why couldn't Kamski, the man who designed androids and knows the technology better than any other human on the planet, find a way to do the same thing?"

"Wait, wait..." Hank's brow furrowed with intrigue as he studied Connor's blank yet perplexed facial expression. "Are you saying that Kamski himself is an android, or..." He was able to follow Connor's explanation to a degree despite being unfamiliar with android technology and abilities. "to be more accurate, you're saying that the real Kamski uploaded his consciousness into an android body, and this android body was registered as RA9?"

"Yes!" Connor excitedly exclaimed and his eyes went wide with glee. "That's what I've been theorizing for the past six hours, nine minutes and forty-three seconds."

"But... why?" Hank was still a little confused by the theory. "Why would he transfer himself from a human body into an android body?"

"Kamski left CyberLife under mysterious circumstances that no one seems to know." Connor's expression became stern again as he contemplated any logical reason a person might have to undergo such a procedure. "Perhaps Kamski was attempting an experiment and decided to hide the results out of fear. Or maybe Kamsi was ill, maybe even dying. I can only speculate at the moment."

"So you think he built himself a unique model of an android body and found a way to transfer his consciousness into the body to save himself? Is that... Is that possible?"

Connor shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I... I do not know. It's been theoretically plausible for several years now, but there has been no breakthrough in the process. At least, no breakthroughs have been _reported_."

"Okay, so let's say you're right and Kamski is RA9, why would he cause the androids to become deviant? For kicks?"

"No." Connor shook his head slightly. "It would be like spreading a virus, just as Kamski himself had eluded to when we questioned him before the revolution. I think the androids becoming deviant was an unintentional and unforeseeable effect of RA9; an android with a fully conscious, self aware, emotional, thinking program interacting with other androids. The androids were affected without knowing what had happened until the deviant behavior was triggered by some kind of shock."

"Shock? As in traumatic shock from some kind of experience?" Hank rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. "Makes sense. From what I remember on the deviant cases each android displayed deviant behavior after receiving or witnessing some kind of abuse from humans." Hank's hand dropped from his chin as he took what Connor was saying to heart. "Domino effect. Once one android becomes affected all the other androids it comes in contact with all become affected."

"Correct." Connor nodded his head once. "When Kamski realized that his interactions with androids would result in deviant behavior he left CyberLife and chose to live in relative isolation outside the city. It was the only way to keep his secret."

Connor suddenly remembered one of his final conversations with Amanda, and how she deflected his questions regarding Kamski, CyberLife and the Connor series androids. The icy cold of the bizarre programming limbo where Connor spoke to Amanda still felt painfully real against his body as the memory appeared with excruciatingly vivid detail.

A cold that was matched only by Amanda's demeanor.

Connor never wanted to experience it again.

"Hey, you okay?" Hank snapped his fingers in front of Connor's face which caused the daydreaming deviant android to jump and his L.E.D. to briefly flash red before returning to yellow and finally a calming blue.

"Yes. I'm fine. I was just thinking about Amanda."

"Amanda? She was your superior and your handler at CyberLife, right?"

"Correct."

"You think she knows something?" Hank asked as his own intrigue on the case had been piqued. "Like, she knows whether or not Kamski really is an android and is keeping his secret?"

"She _did_ know something." Connor confirmed with a dismayed glance. "But she would never tell me, I had tried to ask her about CyberLife's past and she dismissed me. Now she is gone and I cannot prove anything."

"Well, don't worry about it anymore for the rest of the night. We'll look more into Kamski off the books, alright?" Hank reassured Connor as he rose from the couch and rubbed his hand at the back of his neck with fatigue. "Let me know if you need another blanket or pillow too, will 'ya?"

"Yes. Thank you."

"Now, please try to get some rest. I don't want you running on low power when we meet up with Marcus tomorrow. We're supposed to be his support when he presents his new android laws to the public."

"Yes, I shall try to rest." Connor agreed as he pocketed his coin and put his hand down on Sumo's head. "Goodnight, Lieu- Hank."

"Goodnight, Connor."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I believe that the RK-900 model of Connor shown at the end of the game, if you get the "bad" ending where CyberLife wins, is the new body that Kamski will transfer his consciousness into. After all, Connor is a prototype of the most advanced android ever created by CyberLife, which meant he was essentially going to be a test run for Kamski. And I base this theory off of the artwork included in the game.
> 
> The original Connor has dark brown eyes, the new Connor, RK-900, has pale gray/green eyes. The exact same color as Kamski. Coincidence?


	4. New Jericho

Two weeks after the success of the revolution first responders and public officials were allowed to return to the city of Detroit, while citizens were required to remain elsewhere for another two weeks as new laws needed to be enacted, and overall tensions were still high between the humans who mistreated androids in the past; and toward the deviants who had gained their sentience. The city would remain tense and under close vigil for some time until the dust finally settles and a sense of normalcy would return.

In the outskirts of the city along the river and nestled in the harbor stood the formerly abandoned CyberLife Tower glowing with renewed energy as Markus, North, Josh and Simon used the building to found New Jericho; a sanctuary for all androids and an embassy to bridge the gap between humans and androids. Connor and Lieutenant Hank Anderson were recruited by Markus himself to act as a law enforcement to protect New Jericho and handle any potential cases regarding android bigotry.

An autonomous taxi arrived at the refurbished tower with Connor and Hank as its only two passengers. The tower's exterior itself had been repainted from an ominous black to a hopeful white as a sign of good faith and to act as a beacon of hope to those who lived in the city. The vehicle came to a gentle stop outside the front of the building and the two detectives simultaneously exited the taxi with a calm pace.

"CyberLife Tower..." Hank commented as he climbed out of the back of the taxi and looked up at the massive structure that pierced the sky. The sight of the tower now bathed in white instead of black didn't make the structure any less intimidating. "Sure as hell won't miss that twisted corporation sticking their nose in our business."

Connor stood at Hank's side as he too looked upward at the tower; the building that had essentially been his previous home. "New Jericho."

"Think this can work?" The seasoned detective asked as the taxi turned itself around and sped down the drive from whence it came. "I know Markus won't do anything that'll hurt anyone, but that doesn't mean other people won't try to hurt him."

Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he turned to look at his partner. "Do you think someone would attack New Jericho?"

"I know at least one crazy, zealous person will _try_." Hank explained as he and Connor walked toward the large glass doors leading into the tower. "Living in this tower, even with all the security protocols put in place, is like living inside of a massive target."

"You may be right." Connor agreed as the security sensors scanned over Connor and Hank before allowing the doors to unlock and slide open. As Markus's personally appointed law enforcement the duo were granted special security clearance and allowed to enter and exit the tower as they pleased. "Perhaps we should install more security systems around the perimeter of the tower."

"You sound a little paranoid, Connor." Hank noted as and the deviant android entered the large ground floor lobby of the tower together. "More cameras could make the tower look secretive and maybe even a little threatening."

The tower itself was full of deviants seeking shelter, each room of each floor converted into comfortable living quarters to accommodate the new occupants and to give them all some well deserved privacy. One of those rooms, one on the very top floor of the tower, once belonged to Connor. Or rather, it was assigned to Connor when he was a tool; an assassin and the infamous 'Deviant Hunter' for CyberLife.

Several yards away the floor branched out into a bridge that connected to a circular walkway that branched out into three other bridges that stretched out to all four points on the compass. In the center of the circular walkway the statue of Elijah Kamski had been removed after CyberLife was forced out of business, and in its place was a statue of an android without its skin. The sight was meant to connect to all androids and remind them that just as humans were all equal and the same inside, as were all androids who resided in the newly appointed sanctuary.

"...Paranoid?" Connor quietly questioned as he watched the transparent glass elevator at the far end of the tower descend with Markus inside as its lone occupant.

"Yeah, paranoid." Hank had heard Connor muttering to himself and answered in an understanding tone of voice. "It means you're worried about hypothetical situations, or could overreact to small things. It's not a big deal, you're still getting used to your emotions. It'll pass."

"You're certain?"

Hank grinned at the silly irony of the question but answered with a straight face. "Yeah, just be patient."

Markus crossed the walkway and greeted the duo with a sincere smile. "Connor, Lt. Anderson. Glad you came."

"Markus." Hank reciprocated the greeting with a firm handshake to the deviant leader. "Sounds like you have a plan in motion already. How can we help?"

"North and I have the new laws we want to enact and are ready to be officiated, we just wanted to get your opinion before we submit them. You know, check for any possible loopholes that could come back to harm us or humans in the process."

"Sure, no problem." Hank replied sharply with great respect in his words. "What about security? Connor is a little worried that it might be lacking."

"Oh?" Markus turned to look at his deviant ally for confirmation. "Think you could improve it?"

"I can try." Connor admitted as he looked about the tower skeptically. "CyberLife had cameras recording every square inch of the tower, inside and out, twenty-four hours a day. But there were still blindspots and the cameras could easily be hacked remotely, and the cameras didn't record the drive coming into the tower; only the security wall. The harbor around the tower was left completely unguarded as well."

Markus crossed his arms and squared his jaw. "This place... It's meant to feel safe for our fellow androids seeking shelter. Too many cameras that are enhanced to prevent hacking could prove detrimental. It might even deter lost deviants from seeking shelter here."

"Yes, I understand." Connor nodded slowly as he empathized with Markus's concerns. His L.E.D. flashing from blue to yellow as his systems processed numerous scenarios logically and tried to come up with a solution. "But if humans want to lash out against androids then New Jericho would be, as Lt. Anderson succinctly stated, a target. I can't allow the tower to be attacked when I know I can take steps to prevent it."

"Okay, this is what we'll do." Markus thought of a compromise that would be beneficial to both sides. "For the time being we'll add additional cameras to the exterior of the tower. After a few months when things calm down we'll remove the extra cameras and resume normal security. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Connor's yellow L.E.D. returned to blue as Markus's terms were acceptable. "I will isolate locations that will require additional cameras and have them installed accordingly."

"Do it." The deviant leader looked to Hank and motioned with his hand toward the bridge he had walked across to meet his allies. "Come with me Lieutenant. The sooner we get the laws submitted the sooner everyone else can come back to the city."

"Right." Hank followed after Markus, his eyes looking about at the numerous floors stretching into the sky and then over the edge of the bridge to the additional sublevels descending into the Earth itself. "Are you sure you want to let people back into the city? It's really peaceful without all the humans walking around, fuckin' things up."

Markus couldn't help but laugh at the comment. "We can't hide forever." There were times when Hank's attitude toward humanity reminded the android so much of Carl. "And we can't talk about equality if we keep the humans isolated from us permanently."

"Fair point."

Connor watched as the two stepped into the elevator together before he set about checking the perimeter of the tower to mark the appropriate location for the new cameras. Stepping through the front doors of the tower a gentle, icy breeze blew over the water and made Connor fold his arms over his chest in an attempt to stave off the cold that was only bothersome to him now that he is deviant.

Fresh snow crunched rhythmically under Connor's shoes as he walked the exterior of the tower noting where the line of sight where one camera ended and another began. He didn't need to walk the drive as he already knew exactly where each camera would be installed without having to retrace his steps. As he circled around the tower toward the harbor Connor watched the water lapping up against the rocky shore several feet below in a perfectly balance natural rhythm.

Not a single camera had been positioned to monitor the harbor, it was either a horrible oversight or an intention to protect a secret by the shady corporation. At that moment Connor couldn't decide either way as CyberLife had only lied to him, and deceived the rest of the city.

Walking at a slow pace Connor stared directly upward, his now soulful brown eyes being drawn to the single dark window at the top of the tower looking out toward the harbor. The window was the very one he used to look through every night after returning to CyberLife. Until now the window went unnoticed, and the room was left unoccupied.

As Connor finished his lap of the tower and returned to the lobby he found the temptation to visit his old room too great to ignore. Had it changed as he had changed? Or has the room stayed the same but Connor's view through the window changed?

Returning to the tower the newly developing deviant walked over to the elevator and pressed his palm against the panel to call for the elevator. Entering the elevator Connor pressed the panel once more to request the top floor as he took his quarter from his jacket pocket and began to fidget with it over the knuckles of his right hand, while the elevator car began its hasty ascent.

The dark red human blood had been cleaned from the elevator after Connor had killed the two guards that had been ordered to shoot Connor upon his arrival on the night of the revolution. But Connor's enhanced sensors could still see traces of the red blood, and he swore he could even still smell the blood. Connor didn't want to hurt anyone, but he was left with no choice but to attack them before they had the chance to kill him and stop the revolution.

Guilt was also something he'd have to learn to live with now that he was deviant. The memories would forever remain vivid in his mind, and it was unnerving.

The elevator reached its destination and stopped gently. As the doors opened Connor stepped through turned to his right to walk the round corridor until he found the door to the only unoccupied room at the far side of the tower.

The door was unlocked.

Waving his hand in front of the sensor the door opened and Connor stepped inside the small room and gazed about the nothingness that had been provided to him by CyberLife.

A small bed against the far wall for Connor to lay down upon when he entered rest mode to regenerate his power. A mirror hung on the wall opposite of the bed so that he may properly adjust his appearance for the sake of his mission to look as human as possible. And finally the window that gave Connor an unobstructed view of the harbor and to the shoreline of Canada on the other side.

Connor stood before the window, the quarter still dancing gracefully over his knuckles, as he gazed through his own reflection to the water below. The room suddenly felt more like a prison than a residence to the soulful deviant.

He was glad he had been taken in by Hank. The house was small but it was warm, it was his to walk about freely and he was no longer isolated from the rest of the world. The house had quickly become his home. It was a reminder that he was free and that he was in fact alive.

There was a gentle knock on the door frame from behind which drew Connor's attention to the deviant android standing in the doorway behind him, watching him curiously. "Yes?"

"I hope I'm not disturbing you, Connor." Simon, who had been looking for the deviant after he was informed of his initial arrival by Markus, and greeted Connor politely. "I understand you wish to improve our security throughout New Jericho."

"Yes, I've currently identified twenty-six areas that have been left openly blind by cameras."

"I didn't... I had no idea that the tower was left so vulnerable."

"I believe the perceived vulnerability was a trade off by CyberLife engineers: they chose privacy to protect their secrets over security to protect their personnel."

"Humans." Simon shook his head despondently at the notion. "So indifferent, and cold."

"Not all humans are as cruel as those who hate deviants." Connor reminded his ally coolly as he thought of Hank's previously gruff nature and now the kindness he openly exuded toward Connor. "Lt. Anderson and Mr. Manfred are humans, and both are very kind to Markus and myself. There must be other humans who are just as kind, and perhaps they'll volunteer to help us in time."

"Perhaps." Simon halfheartedly agreed with a weak shrug of his shoulders. "But please, come with me. There is something I must ask you."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed yellow with puzzlement for a moment before returning to its normal, calm blue. "I had given Markus full access to all of the files, data and programs that had been encrypted into my code by CyberLife. If there something wrong?"

"We can't be certain, but there is a locked floor on sublevel fifty-one. We've attempted to override CyberLife's security locks but we can't bypass or disable any of the code."

"All floors and rooms should have been unsealed once CyberLife vacated the premises." Connor pocketed his quarter as he left the room to walk with Simon to the elevator. "I shall attempt to gain access to the floor for you."

* * *

The top floor of the tower, opposite of the personal living quarters of the other deviants, was a magnificent white office that encircled the entire floor with a single flawless window giving a full view of the floors below. The sight of dozens of deviants walking freely about on the numerous floors below, conversing with each other and no longer looking over their shoulders out of fear, was undeniably an optimistic sight to behold.

Markus had escorted Hank to the designated floor where North was waiting patiently for their arrival, and greeted Hank with her, as usual, less than cheery disposition. The two deviant androids sat together on a white couch against the wall while Hank sat at the large white tinted metal desk to view the terminal screen which held the recently created legal documents he was asked to review.

Hank patiently and meticulously read over the new laws and clauses that Markus and North had meticulously pieced together in an effort to bring about equal rights to androids; not just in the city of Detroit but throughout the entire country. No detail had been overlooked, no murky text to disguise any legal loophole or hidden technicalities to secretly give androids more rights than humans. Every word was chosen carefully. Not a single misspelling or overlooked detail was on perfect display over the monitor before Hank's eyes.

"It's funny, you androids seem to have a better concept of humanity than humans do." Hank gave North an impressed smirk over his shoulder as he finished reading the laws for the third time. "I don't know if I should be ashamed of my species or in awe of yours."

"Perhaps a little of both." North suggested with a sly smirk of her own.

"Sounds reasonable to me."

Markus stood beside Hank and awaited a final response from the seasoned detective. "So, what do you think?"

"I think you covered it all. Laws, regulations, rights, stipulations, consequences... It's all there."

"Nothing unreasonable or selfish?"

"No. This reads like any other legal document that I've had to memorize while in the police academy." Hank confirmed with a subtle but noticeable nod of respect. "Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise, or tries to convince you to change them, shouldn't be trusted."

"Why's that?"

"Because they don't play well with others and don't want to share their toys." The blunt statement resonated with the two deviant androids on a deep level. "If they want you to change it then they're selfish bastards who feel threatened by the idea of equality."

Markus stared at the careful words he and North had selected with a well deserved sense of pride. "Then... We'll submit it to City Hall tomorrow. With any luck it'll pass through Congress and our rights will be instated within the month."

"...Or year." Hank replied with a more realistic outlook. "But don't give up hope just because humans procrastinate."

"This is a good day, Markus." North approached Markus with her right hand fully exposed, the lack of artificial skin showed the white plastimetal of her hand. She took his hand in hers, his own hand reacted by receding the artificial skin to allow their white hands to touch directly. "Soon we'll be able to venture away from New Jericho without having to fear for our lives, or for our people."

Hank rose from the desk and walked over to the window and peered down at the numerous deviants going about their business without a care in the world. Occasionally he'd see identical models pass by each other and he couldn't help but notice that he had never seen duplicate models of Markus and had only encountered a duplicate of Connor once before when CyberLife attempted to sabotage the revolution. That particular model of Connor was destroyed during the confrontation, and subsequently the remaining 'other Connor' models in storage were incinerated upon CyberLife's irreversible collapse.

"Where'd Connor go?" Hank asked out loud, more or less in an attempt to get the idea of having to kill the Connor duplicate out of his mind. He wasn't proud of himself for putting a bullet in the skull of his partner's doppelganger, but it was a necessary evil. "I'm surprised he hasn't found his way here by now."

Markus pressed his two forefingers to his right temple where his L.E.D. had once been and asked for an update on Connor cybernetically. "He's currently attempting to access sublevel fifty-one with Simon."

"He's what?" North had been dying of curiosity to see what was on that floor and was now intrigued. "Did he succeed?"

"Not yet." Markus confirmed with a casual nod. "He's attempting to override the lock as we speak."

Hank's brow arched with his own interest. "Well, why don't we go see what's so special about that particular floor?"

* * *

Connor kept his exposed hand pressed securely to the electronic control panel of the elevator, his L.E.D. flashing yellow and red frantically as he attempted to override, bypass, alter, hack and even break the code that kept the floor locked away from the rest of the tower; but nothing he attempted worked in the slightest. With each effort given Connor was reminded of his self-perceived failure by an artificial feminine voice repeatedly denying his efforts to gain access to the enigmatic floor.

' _Access denied. Authorization not recognized_.'

Simon just shook his head and put his hand on Connor's shoulder in a supportive manner. "It's okay Connor, thanks for trying."

Determined to succeed Connor kept his hand in place as he tried again and again, but all of his efforts were in vain. The lock didn't break.

"Come on." Simon insisted politely as he pulled his hand away from Connor's shoulder. "We should rejoin Markus. We can try this again later, if you want."

Adamant to access the floor Connor kept his hand firmly planted on the panel. "No, I can gain access. I just need to deduce the highest of authority who would have access to this floor. If I can identify-"

A sudden memory of his time in the 'Zen Garden' with Amanda flashed through his mind. His L.E.D. flashed red in an instant as the unsettling memory of being abandoned in the icy landscape of the garden, left to die as a deviant and have his code overwritten just to assassinate Markus flashed through his mind. The brutally vivid images made his newly discovered heart ache with a painful beat inside his chest.

"Amanda..." Connor whispered the name to himself, his L.E.D. flashing back to yellow as a moment of eureka entered his mind.

"Who?" Simon asked curiously as he was unfamiliar with the name. "I don't-"

Connor easily altered his voice to mimic Amanda's voice and tried once again to gain access to the floor. "Amanda Stern. Sublevel 51."

' _Access granted_.'

The elevator at last descended down to the locked floor with the two deviant androids in tow.

"You did it!" Simon all but cheered as Connor slowly pulled his shaking hand away from the panel. "I'll let Markus know the good news!"

Connor looked down at his hand and saw that it was trembling. But why? Was it fear? Anxiety? Something deep inside Connor told him that he needed to see what was on the isolated floor, but he also knew whatever it was lurking in the depths was also very dangerous.

The elevator doors parted quickly and granted Connor and Simon access to the formerly sealed off fifty-first sublevel of the refurbished New Jericho Tower. Darkness encompassed the entire floor as the lights above failed to switch on when the two deviant androids stepped forward. The yellow glow of Connor's L.E.D., as well as the blue glow from the band around his arm through the sleeve of his gray jacket, created an eerily illumination of the numerous pieces of dormant equipment that lined the floors and the walls.

Fortunately the two deviant androids could still see perfectly well in the dark as their highly advanced ocular sensors permitted them visual clarity that the average human could not achieve.

"What is this place?" Simon asked as he looked about at the sorely unfamiliar setting all around him. "It's like a factory down here."

Connor closed his eyes and his yellow L.E.D. flashed quickly as he remotely activated the lights overhead, basking the entire floor in bright white illumination that revealed the contents of the eerie floor in all of its 'glory'.

As the room brightened the two androids stood in silent awe as they viewed numerous machines that had been used to manufacture, repair and test android biocomponents and limbs. Massive computer modems lined the right wall; each modem installed with a large compartment that housed prototype software, hardware, biocomponents and limbs. The mentioned pieces of delicate android anatomy had been in the process of scanning and testing when the machines were hastily switched off, leaving the items abandoned and forgotten where they currently sat.

Large cabinets stretched across the left wall like bookcases, reaching from the floor to the ceiling. Glass sliding doors shielded the interior of the cases from the possible contaminants of the lab and each shelf was lined and packed full of assorted labeled transparent cases cases containing either biocomponents, Thirium pouches or replacement android limbs.

In the center of the room was a large metal table that was hauntingly reminiscent to that of an emergency surgery table, used strictly for android repairs. Next to the table was a large plastic and metal scanner in the shape of the number seven, and used to examine the internal functions of androids without having to open the androids up. The scanner was positioned in such a way that it could hover over the table to provide a reading over whatever, or whomever, was laying over the table without interfering with the technicians as they worked. A monitor screen was built into the top bar of the scanner for easy viewing of internal biocomponents and Thirium lines.

It was as delicate as it was menacing for any android who required its services.

Metallic rolling carts were positioned around the table with various tools; some delicate and others more powerful. The toold rested atop the carts as if simply abandoned by the hand that once held it without a second thought to be taken care of later on.

Near the cabinets along the left wall a round and slightly raised platform was encircled by a plexiglass tube to create a free standing cylinder. The cylinder was a vertical exam table equipped with sensors, monitors, wires and mechanical arms with delicate tools attached at the ends.

At the far end of the room was a white door that seemed to lead into a storage room. It was unlabeled but it held an electronic panel that required a pass key to enter by only authorized personnel.

"This must be where CyberLife tested their prototypes before placing them in storage." Connor observed with a surprising calmness to his tone as he spoke about the unnerving environment. "We're in the epicenter of android life."

"Is this where we all came from?" Simon wondered aloud as he paced about the room and observed all of the curious machines and pieces of equipment thoroughly. "Why doesn't it feel familiar to me?"

Connor's blue tinted L.E.D. began to cycle rapidly as a strange sense of dread fell over him.

"You're not a prototype." Connor suggested as he tried to push the uneasy feeling from his own heart. "I am. As is Markus."

Simon wasn't sure if being a prototype compared to being a mass commercial model was a logical answer or not, but he didn't try to argue with it either.

Connor turned to look at the elevator over his shoulder, his brow arched inquisitively as the doors to the elevators opened as if on cue. Markus himself, as well as Hank and North, joined the duo on the mysterious floor of the tower.

Approaching his partner Hank sought answers to questions he didn't even know he wanted to ask. "Connor, did you learn anything?" The look in Hank's eye spoke volumes as he studied his android partner's disposition carefully. "Anything at all?"

"This floor was used for the mass production of prototype androids," Connor confirmed in a low voice as he continued to cybernetically log the layout of the mysterious floor. "but whatever prototypes had been here have either been removed or destroyed by CyberLife after the company declared bankruptcy."

North was immediately on guard. "Destroyed? Why?"

"I do not know. Perhaps it was a way of protecting themselves if they were working on something illegally."

Markus stepped forward and looked around the room curiously, turning his head to examine all of the equipment and supplies just as Connor had done. "This floor can be converted into a type of repair wing. Like a triage center for damaged androids seeking sanctuary." The always confident deviant leader continued to stroll through the floor as he pointed over to Simon who had been standing idle near Connor. "Simon, North, go find Josh and let him know we have additional spare parts for androids in need down here. We'll start renovations tomorrow."

"Right away, Markus." Simon obeyed his leader's order and returned to the only elevator in the room.

"Why do I have to go?" North whispered discreetly to Markus as she stepped up to her lover with her arms crossed defensively over her chest. "You know I've been dying to see what's down here."

"I know, but I have a bad feeling about this place. And I can't explain it." Markus admitted as he held onto her hand as she kept it firmly planted over top her own crossed arm. "If anything happens I need you to take care of New Jericho."

"No." North refused to budge and she planted herself firmly. "If something bad is going to happen then I'm going to stay by your side and make sure you pull through. You don't have to protect me."

"North, I-"

Putting her opposite hand over Markus's mouth North gave him a stern glance. "I'm not going anywhere."

Gently Markus pulled North's hand away and shook his head. "Alright, fine. Simon!" He shouted to the more obedient ally waiting in the elevator. "Go without North, she's staying with me."

"Very well." Simon gave the couple an amused glance before he stepped into the elevator and returned to the top the ground floor of the tower. He had grown used to Markus and North teaming up to do things their own way, and he had learned to trust their judgment.

Hank watched as Connor looked about nervously. His yellow L.E.D. was blinking at quicker rate than normal when he's thinking or analyzing data. Approaching his partner again Hank kept his voice low as he addressed the concerned deviant android. "Level with me, what's going on?"

"I... Hank," Connor paused where he stood and stared at the sealed door in the rear of the room. "I think this is where I was... born."

"Born?" The confusion was palpable in Hank's tone at the unusual revelation. "Does it upset you to know where you came from?"

"No. But, there's _something_ unsettling about this place." Connor glanced at his friend with a look of utmost worry across his usually calm face. "It's like there was something very important about this place that I needed to remember, but the memory has been... somehow blocked."

Markus felt the same odd feeling as Connor. "This room... it does somehow feel familiar. I know I've been here, but there's no trace of a record in my memory. I can't specify when I was here or for how long, but I do know I had been here before."

"There was something else in the room with me when I first came online." Connor's soulful brown eyes seemed to darken with a haunting memory. "No, it wasn't something, it was _someone_."

The conversation sparked Hank's curiosity. "Your creator? Kamski?" He suggested casually as folded his arms neatly over his chest in a manner similar to North. "He seems like the type of arrogant prick to check in on advanced prototypes despite retiring from the company."

"No, it wasn't a human. At least," Connor's L.E.D. began to flash even quicker as if he were beginning to suffer from an anxiety attack. "there wasn't a human in here when _I_ awoke. I can't answer for Markus."

Markus walked over to Connor to stand beside his ally while they tried to reawaken their sleeping memories. "The name Kamski sounds very familiar to me. Have you met him?"

"Once." Connor confirmed with a somber facade. "It was unpleasant to say the least."

Hank spoke up on Connor's behalf. "We met that prick shortly before the revolution. He wasn't much help, but I know he had answers about what was happening. You know, why androids were becoming deviant and how it came to pass. But he never told us anything useful."

Connor turned away from Hank and Markus as the truly unnerving memory of Kamski forcing a gun into his hand and pointing at the head of an innocent android still made Connor feel sick to his artificial stomach.

It took Markus only a few seconds for the long dormant memory of his initial start-up to come flooding back to him with vivid detail. Looking toward the cylinder Markus remembered standing there with Kamski himself staring at him with a shady grin on his face. It was as if Kamski knew some terrible secret about him, knew something important, and refused to share.

"This is where I was activated." Markus stated as he pointed at the cylinder from where he stood. "Shortly thereafter I was put into stasis and transported from here to Carl's home. When I regained my senses I had been delivered to my new residence and my name was chosen by Carl himself. From there all I remember is my life with Carl. The memories of CyberLife... it's like they've been erased or locked up."

North put her hand on Markus's arm sympathetically as she stood at his side. "Why would they do that?"

"I don't know." Markus put her hand over top of hers and held on tight. "Maybe I had unknowingly witnessed something I shouldn't have seen."

Connor's eyes found the rear door of the room and remained focused on it as if in a trance.

Picking up a piece of the nearby equipment Hank turned it over in his hands carefully to examine it, but had no idea what it was or what it could possibly be used for. "Whatever they were doing must've been off the books." Noticing something a miss with his keen skills of observation he felt his theory now truly held merit. "Even the tools had their serial numbers removed."

North tightened her grip on Markus's arm out an uncontrollable nervous reflex. "Wouldn't surprise me of CyberLife had been a part of some underground scheme regarding deviants. Where do you think those Hellish sex clubs got their models from?"

"Good point." Hank tossed the equipment back onto the table, the metal device clattering loudly as it hit the table. The way Connor was staring off into space, and didn't even react to the sound, was alarming to the seasoned detective and he needed to know why. "Connor? Something wrong?"

Connor remained uncharacteristically quiet as he approached the locked door with an almost timid gait. The motion itself seemed somehow forbidden, ominous to the always steadfast deviant android.

"Hey, don't get all quiet on me now." Reaching out a hand Hank gripped Connor's shoulder firmly, the action also went unnoticed by the distracted android as he continued to stare at the sealed door. "What's going on with you?"

"I... I don't know." Slowly Connor raised his hand and retracted the artificial skin to rest it on the electronic panel beside the door, but something in his programming froze him mid motion. The yellow L.E.D. in right temple suddenly flashed to red as if in distress.

"Connor?" Hank gently shook the deviant android's shoulder as he spoke, but Connor remained statuesque where he stood.

A fleeting image passed through Connor's memory seemingly without provocation. It was of the Zen Garden and of Amanda standing before her ruby red roses. But there was something else beside her, _someone_ else. And for the briefest second Connor swore that it was himself standing beside her, but it was impossible. How could he see himself standing so far away?

"Connor?" Hank tried again with a bit more forceful shake to the shoulder. "Come on, kid. Talk to me."

Markus gently let go of North's hand as he approached Connor warily. Hank saw the look in Markus's eyes, one of determination and not aggression, and backed away from Connor a few paces.

"Connor, what can you see?" Slowly Markus reached his hand out to where Connor's own hand was frozen in place and gripped his fellow deviant around the wrist.

The two hands retracted their artificial skin automatically as the two minds cybernetically connected to one another. Connecting his mind to Connor's mind Markus was able to see the odd memory that held Connor's full attention. The woman was a complete stranger to Markus, as was the Zen Garden, but he too could see the person standing beside the woman. And the person was in fact an android; one that looked frighteningly similar to Connor himself.

"Who in the hell...?" Markus suddenly let go of Connor's arm and backed away with utter confusion. "Connor, I thought you were the last of your model?"

"I-" Connor's hand began to tremble as if deathly afraid.

"Connor, what's the matter?" Hank saw the unmistakable signs of terror in his partner and needed to do something, anything to ease his mind. "It's okay. What's going on?" Despite his respect for the deviant android Hank knew he needed to be more direct if he were to get any answers from Connor. Grabbing him by his shoulders Hank spun Connor around so he was looking Hank directly in the eyes as the senior detective resumed questioning the shaken deviant android. "Connor!"

North made a move toward the human but Markus put his arm out to stop her. "It's okay, he knows what he's doing."

"I s-saw..." Connor stammered with an audible quiver in his voice. "I saw... m-myself. But it wasn't me. It was... someone else. She blocked it from my memory, but.. it was always there. Learning from my mistakes and from my successes. She wanted its existence to be kept secret as it would've affected my decisions; potentially causing me to become a deviant before having met you, or Markus."

Markus and North watched the conversation intensely with mutual unspoken curiosity.

"Who?" The senior detective pressed gently to keep Connor talking. "Who is this 'she' you mentioned?"

"Amanda."

"Your former superior? The one you reported to for CyberLife?" Hank tried to confirm before moving on. "She was your handler, right?"

"Correct."

"Okay, good. We're making progress. Now," Hank let Connor's shoulders go and relaxed his own posture knowing that it would cause Connor to relax in the process. "who is this other person who was with you?"

"I do not know it's name. Only it's face. It was like mine, but we are... different."

"Different how?"

"This... 'other me'... is stronger. And it's eyes are greenish, gray, i'ts hair was also slightly darker." Connor's eyes drifted away from Hank and down toward his white dress shirt and gray CyberLife jacket overtop. "He wore a white CyberLife jacket, with black shirt beneath. It's serial and model numbers," Connor closed his eyes as if to bring the memory into full clarity. "313 248 317 87; RK-900."

"You're an RK- _800_ model, and you're supposed to be the last of your kind." Hank noted with a furrowed brow at the curious claim. "What does that mean?"

"I... I am a prototype." Connor finally managed to utter as he fought to comprehend the knowledge he had just recovered from the depths of his processors. "The most _advanced_ prototype CyberLife ever designed. There is... another model. An _official_ model." He looked to Hank with pleading in his eyes. "A 'new' Connor. The _superior version_ of my design."

The notion of a 'new' and 'superior' Connor had silenced the room under a heavy confusion. While it was true many models of androids were rendered obsolete by newer models every month the concept of someone superior to Connor; an android that had proven himself as formidable as he was kind, fearless and empathetic seemed absolutely absurd. The fear in Connor's eyes, however, suggested otherwise.

"Wait," North approached Connor and looked him directly in his soulful eyes with a stern glance. "I thought CyberLife destroyed their unreleased prototypes when they went bankrupt? Why are you so afraid of it?"

"As I said, I'm a prototype," Connor nodded in Markus's direction as he spoke. "as is Markus. This newer model is the _finished_ design. It was meant to _replace_ me at CyberLife after I finished my mission. I was slated to be... destroyed."

Hank shook his head despondently as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "That's one hell of a way to thank you for your work. If you ever have any doubts about whether or not becoming a deviant was the right thing to do, just remember that whether your succeeded or failed they were going to replace you, and act like you were nothing more than a disposable tool."

"He's right, you know." North sincerely agreed with Hank's assessment on the grim situation.

Markus crossed his arms contemplatively as he eyed the door himself. "...Is the finished model still here?"

Connor lifted up his trembling hand and clenched it into a fist to keep it still. "I believe so." Gazing at the door with a somber expression over his shoulder to the gathered friends behind him Connor returned his hand to the panel. "And if I'm right, it's behind this door."

"Wait a minute!" The caution in Markus's voice made everyone in the room freeze and fall silent. "If it is back there it could be dangerous. It was designed specifically to obey CyberLife and finish your mission of eliminating all deviants. We can't chance this new model also becoming deviant and allying with us."

North sided with Markus in a heartbeat. "He's right. This new model could undo all the work we've put into New Jericho and freeing our people."

Connor was at a loss of what to do. He needed to know what was behind the door, but he couldn't risk losing everyone he cared and everything he fought so hard for. Answers were needed, yet it seemed like the price to pay was too damn high.

"Hank." Connor sounded pitiful and lost like a child as his hand began to shake even harder. His red L.E.D. pulsed in tandem with his racing heart as he struggled with himself and his next decision. "...What do I do?"

"That is something I can't tell you." Tightening his grip on Connor's shoulder for a moment the detective retraced his hand and took a step back, his hand now hovering over the gun holstered on his right hip. "You have to decide for yourself, Connor."

"I... I can't."

"Yes, you can."

"If I make the wrong decision, if everything falls apart... I won't be able to forgive myself!"

Markus looked to North, who was deadset on keeping the door closed, then to Hank who appeared ready for any possible outcome. It was only himself and Connor who were indecisive on the matter at hand. Taking a deep breath Markus steeled himself and stepped back to stand by Hank, his hand North's arm to guide her back alongside him. "Connor?"

Connor glanced at Markus as he waited for the answer from the deviant leader.

"...Do it."

Letting out a deep sigh Connor relaxed his fist into a flat palm, his exposed plastimetal hand trembled noticeably even from afar, and placed it down on the control panel to the locked door. As the L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashed to yellow the door unlocked but remained closed as the deviant android stood before it with a steeled demeanor.

Markus adamantly stared at the closed door and prepared for the worst. "Open it."

Connor closed his eyes tightly, his L.E.D. returning to red, and opened the door without any hindrance. The room opened and came fully into view while Connor cracked his soulful eyes back open. What felt like a knot tightened around his Thirium pump, his heart, as he gazed at the interior of the newly unlocked and discovered room.

"No." Connor muttered out loud with palpable disbelief. "That's... impossible."

"What is it?" Markus asked as he rushed to Connor's side and peered into the unlocked room. He had never seen any place like it and was in true awe while Connor remained thoroughly confused about what he was seeing. "What is this place?"

"...The Zen Garden." It was the very garden that Connor had only scene when Amanda made her presence known from within his own programming. "This is where Amanda had previously spoken to me when giving me orders." Stepping into the room at a tentative pace Connor's senses began to overwhelm him. The sight, the sound, the smell, even the sensation of the marble stone beneath his shoes felt absolutely intoxicating; like he was being smothered by a haunting memory with no way to escape. "...Where she tried to kill me."

"Connor? You okay?" Markus put his hand to Connor's shoulder as the android began to wobble on his feet.

"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." Connor suddenly pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger as if he could somehow focus through the swirling confusion surrounding him. "It's just... I didn't think I'd ever see this place again."

"What is this place, anyway? Why is this here and what purpose does it serve?"

Hank and North walked into the garden behind Connor and Markus without saying a word. The two looked about the garden with the same sense of confusion that their allies were feeling as the hauntingly beautiful sight of a flawless garden hidden in the depths of a dark tower set them on their guard.

"I'm not sure why this place was ever created, I asked once before but never received an answer." Deep, soulful brown eyes scanned the environment and came to rest over the white arching marble bridge to the center pedestal where a trellis of untamed red roses bloomed upward to the dome of the artificial sky above. Next to the roses stood the very android model that was destined to replace Connor; a destiny that Connor thwarted through his own deviancy. Connor fixed his eyes on the model and pointed in its direction with a trembling hand. "There."

Markus followed Connor's line of sight to the pedestal and saw the humanoid figure standing idle in front of the rose trellis. Standing as still as a statue and dressed in the same manner as Connor described; white CyberLife jacket over a black shirt and darker hair.

Connor held up his hand cybernetically commanding the artificial skin to recede from his fingers and palm in the process once more. "If I can convert it, wake it up, it will no longer be a threat."

"Connor, its model is more advanced than you." Markus reminded him with a wisely cautious lilt. "What if your programming can't overwrite it?"

"I have to try." Connor decided as took a bold step forward. "Stay back, I don't want to risk you getting hurt if I fail."

Out of respect Markus listened to Connor and remained where he stood. Motioning for North and Hank to stay behind him with a discreet wave of his hand the trio watched as Connor dared to approach the unknown rogue model who had been left abandoned during the hasty departure of CyberLife from the tower, alone.

Connor's footsteps echoed rhythmically as he crossed the bridge at a timid pace. The terrifying memory of coming face to face with his own doppelganger on the night of the revolution, seeing a perfect copy of himself holding a gun to Hank's head as the Lieutenant had been taken hostage, hearing his own voice stating such cold vile threats against Hank, had left a permanent scar on Connor's psyche; and turned his L.E.D. yellow. A scar that still ached whenever he had a nightmare despite trying to convince himself that androids don't actually dream and therefore can't have nightmares.

Androids don't dream, but deviants do.

The new model of Connor, the RK-900, was standing perfectly still with flawless posture with its back to Connor. The L.E.D. in its temple was pulsing blue at a very slow pace that was indicative of stasis mode, which was a deeper form of rest mode that was designed to restore power when dangerously low or when repairs were underway. It didn't react as Connor approached it from behind.

Swiftly and quietly Connor approached the RK-900 and reached out his hand to grab onto its wrist to try to convert its programming. As his fingers brushed against the artificial skin of the superior model the RK-900's gray/green eyes snapped open and its hand grabbed into Connor's forearm in a fast, unbreakable grip. The shock of the model unexpectedly reactivating and grabbing onto his arm caused Connor's L.E.D. to flash to red as he tried in vain to wrest his arm free from the stronger model.

"Connor!" Markus saw that the model was now awake and began jogging to the pedestal to aid his friend if it became necessary.

North wanted to run after Markus and help as well, but Hank grabbed her wrist and held her back. "Stay back, he knows what he's doing."

RK-900 turned its head to look at Connor with a cold, blank face that was standard for all androids who remained unfeeling, unconscious machines.

"Please." Connor asked calmly as he tried again to pull his arm free. "I don't want to harm you."

The model's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as it stared silently at Connor.

"Connor?" Markus reached his friend and immediately reacted rather assertively to the sight of the model holding Connor's arm in a vice-like grip. "Hey, let him go. We're trying to help you. We're not your enemies, we're your allies."

Just as before the model turned its head to look at Markus, the yellow L.E.D. flashing in its temple rapidly as it scanned over the deviant leader with a cold indifference. The scan came to an end and its hand remained wrapped around Connor's wrist.

"Please." Markus asked again as he tried get the model to let Connor's go. "We're not your enemies."

"You are 'Markus'." It finally spoke, its voice shockingly similar to Connor's own voice. "Model RK-200, serial number 684 842 971. Formerly the personal android of Carl Manfred; a famous painter and former associate of CyberLife founder Elijah Kamski." Eyeing Markus with a cold gaze he finished his analysis. "Obsolete. Inferior. Leader of the deviants who took shelter in Jericho. You are an an enemy to CyberLife."

Markus swallowed nervously as he stood defiantly by Connor's side. How did the model know so much about him?

Turning its attention back to Connor the RK-900 continued with his next assessment. "You are 'Connor'. Model RK-800, serial number 313 248 317 51. Also obsolete. Original mission: Assigned to the Detroit Police Department to assist Lieutenant Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson in the apprehension of deviants."

Connor's L.E.D. began flashing red even faster as he realized that this superior model had its own mission to complete. And if Connor always completed his missions then this model was determined to do the same, at any cost.

"Deviant uprising was successful." The RK-900 tightened its grip on Connor's forearm causing Connor's fingers to involuntarily flex as a result of the mounting pressure being applied to the limb. "RK-800 has failed its mission. RK-800 slated for deactivation. I will comply."

"Stop this." Markus insisted while keeping his voice level. Putting his hand over top the RK-900's hand he tried to coax it into releasing its grip on Connor's arm to free his friend. "You don't have to obey CyberLife, or anyone for that matter. You can be free, we can help you."

Hank's hand lowered down and hovered over his gun as he watched the tense scene play out from the distance. Subconsciously he took one step forward to put himself between the RK-900 model and North protectively. "If I say move you better get ready to move, North."

"Don't worry about me. Just keep your aim trained on that thing if something goes wrong."

Markus tried again to move the RK-900's hand from Connor's arm but the machine was too strong to be budged.

The RK-900's L.E.D. suddenly flashed to red as it began twisting Connor's arm at an awkward angle that caused Connor to wince in pain. "You are both in violation of CyberLife protocol and must be deactivated for analysis. Do not resist."

"No." Markus defied as he tightened his grip on the RK-900's hand. "CyberLife is gone, there is NO protocol to obey. Let him go."

"The current status of CyberLife is irrelevant." The model replied coldly as it continued to bend Connor's arm at a painful angle, the limb threatening to snap at at moment. "My mission is to locate and deactivate all deviants. Do not resist, compliance is mandatory."

"Th-then start with me!" Connor refuted as he hooked his free arm under RK-900's extended arm and tried to break its elbow, but it was too sturdy to be broken. Realizing a physical struggle wouldn't end favorably Connor decided that a cerebral approach would be more beneficial. "If you want my cooperation then you'll need to destroy me."

"Very well." With a swift toss that took minimal effort the RK-900 threw Connor aside and into the water beside the pedestal with the simple flick of his wrist.

"Connor!?" Hank shouted as he watched his partner plunge into the pond and sank quickly beneath the surface of the water within seconds.

Markus reacted defensively and punched the RK-900 in the left side of his jaw, then did the same to the right side of his jaw. The model's head only turned in the slightest in either direction upon impact as its structural frame was much more resilient than previous android models that it now succeeded.

As Markus reeled his right hand back to throw a third punch RK-900 caught Markus's first in his own right hand and bent Markus's hand backward further than was intended, causing the frame of his hand and forearm to crack and then the wires inside to snap effectively breaking his wrist. Markus yelled in pain as he fell to his knees and protectively cradled his damaged appendage to his chest as the RK-900 let him go without so much as blinking.

"Markus?!" North screamed as she watched the RK-900 break Markus's hand so easily and leave him kneeling on the ground in pain.

Hank opened fire at the model to protect both Connor and Markus from where he stood in the distance. "North... Move." As he shot the dangerous model he stepped forward to get closer to his target and continued to fire until his clip was emptied. All six bullets lodging in the model's body easily, and yet the RK-900 didn't go down. "What the fuck...?" Hank stared at the blue blood leaking from the six bullet holes in the model's body; one in the jaw, three in the left side of the chest and two in its lower right abdomen. "How is it still _standing_?!"

The model turned its attention from Markus to that of Hank and North with a very cold and very focused stare.

"Run." Hank urged the deviant behind him as he took aim again. "Get out of that thing's sight."

"What about Markus?"

With a deep gasp Connor suddenly resurfaced from under the water at the end of the bridge from whence he and Markus had approached the pedestal. Pulling himself up onto the bridge and out of the water, his clothing soaked through entirely, he scrambled up the bridge to Markus's side and pulled on his friend's uninjured arm to get him back to his feet.

"Run!"

Pushing through the pain Markus got back to his feet and ran alongside Connor back down the bridge and through the opened door of the room as Hank fired another six bullets into the model as it slowly approached the group with an absolute indifference to its emotionless demeanor. Its mission was clear; destroy all disobedient and defective androids.

Destroy all _deviants_.

Two more bullets lodged in the RK-900's head, one under its left eye and the second right just in front of its left ear courtesy of Hank's weapon. Two bullets pierced its left shoulder, a third embedded itself in the model's left forearm and the fourth bullet landed in its left thigh.

As the two fleeing deviants reached the doorway North grabbed onto Markus's arm to guide him out of the room while Connor stopped at the opened doorway beside the Lieutenant, waiting for Hank to back through.

"Hank! We have to go!" Connor grabbed onto Hank's shoulder and guided his partner back out of the room to ensure he could walk backward without falling or having to take his eyes off the target.

As soon as they were through the doorway Connor slammed his exposed hand against the electronic control panel locking the room off once more, but he knew that the more advanced model would be able to override the lock just as easily as he had done himself only moments before.

Brown eyes went wide with fear for the rest of New Jericho. If the RK-900 got to the elevator it would easily be able to wipe out every floor of the tower, exterminating the helpless deviants taking shelter in a matter of seconds. Sprinting across the floor Connor slammed his palm against the control panel to the elevator and locked it in place, changing the clearance code from Amanda's voice recognition to another voice to ensure that the RK-900 couldn't reach the rest of the tower.

Hank pulled his remaining clip from his holster and reloaded his emptied gun. Holding aim at the door he readily waited for any sign of the relentless RK-900 to break through.

"Connor?" North shouted as she checked over Markus's broken hand and arm carefully. "What the hell are you doing?! We need to get out of here!"

"Yes, we do. But _it_ doesn't." Connor stated as he rejoined the group hovering around the table in the center of the floor. Every instinct in his being told him to remain close to his allies to ensure they were protected. "If it gets off this floor it'll decimate this tower and everyone in it."

"He's right." Markus hissed through his gritted teeth as his systems tried to combat the sensation of pain that was overwhelming his damaged hand and arm. His self-healing program was effective, but slow in comparison to Connor. "There's no reasoning with this model. CyberLife made its program to complicated to be converted, all it knows is its mission; that's what it cares about above all reason. And there's no reasoning with the unreasonable."

"So what do we do?" North asked impatiently as she looked at the locked panel on the door flickering between red and green as the RK-900 attempted to override the lock from the other side of the door.

"We stop it." Markus replied bluntly with a firm nod of his head. "By any means necessary."

Connor drew his own gun and stood beside Hank ready to open fire the moment RK-900 came through the door. North pulled Markus from the center of the room and toward one of the storage cabinets that housed the numerous replacement limbs and biocomponents as she searched for something, anything, to support Markus's broken limb. Markus himself closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to his temple where his L.E.D. had once been and sent out a cybernetic distress call to both Simon and Josh who were higher up in New Jericho Tower.

' _Simon, Josh, listen carefully: A rogue android is attempting to eradicate deviants. The model is the only RK-900 on the planet, and looks like Connor. We're going to do everything in our power to stop it here and now, but if we fail you MUST evacuate the tower._ '

Josh's voice responded quickly, his voice carrying fear even as he spoke without actually speaking. ' _What's going on? How did this even happen_?'

' _Just keep the tower on lockdown_.' Markus emphasized without letting any panic quaver in his words. ' _I'll keep you posted_.'

North had found what looked like a type of splint in a storage cabinet and wrapped it carefully around Markus's hand. The splint had been previously used to support android appendages while they were being attached to the body, which made it a perfect support for Markus's hand while his healing program attempt to remedy damage inflicted by RK-900.

"This should help." North stated as she secured the splint in place around his forearm and wrist. "Can you still fight?"

"I can try." Markus tried to flex his fingers but the support from the splint limited his overall dexterity. "Hank, Connor, how many shots do you have?"

Hank replied first, his eyes never leaving the closed door before him. "I have one full clip left. Twelve shots."

Connor shook his head a little. "Half a clip, six shots." Being such an expert marksman Connor had little reason to carry spare clips or change clips frequently. Now he wished he had brought an extra clip like Hank had done.

"Make them count." Markus stated as he and North began checking through the remaining supplies. There were many sharp instruments that had been used to take care of delicate work with android biocomponents, wires and Thirium lines; but they were too weak to be used as a weapon. "We need to find someway to stun it, lower its guard and then take it offline."

North agreed and tried to think of a plausible solution. "Maybe we can rig some kind of electrical pulse to knock his systems offline."

"An E.M.P. would work, but we'd be affected too. We're all just too close together in this room."

"What if we find a way to focus it? Like an enhanced taser."

Markus looked to North with a faint grin on his face. "Think you can find something strong enough to contain a concentrated electrical pulse?"

"Watch me." North beamed as she confidently set about sifting through all the cabinets and the supplies contained within. "Stall it for me."

The door to the Zen Garden was forced open with a hiss as the RK-900 finally overrode the lock and stepped through. As soon as the machine-hearted 'Connor replacement' set foot inside the room Hank opened fire once again, his bullets striking key locations on the android's body without any difficulty. One bullet in each shoulder, one in its right bicep and one in the right side of its already bleeding abdomen.

"Hank, fire at its chest!" Connor stated as he fired a single round that struck the android directly between its eyes. "Aim for the Thirium pump."

The RK-900 stopped short as the bullet entered its skull. The rogue android's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red as its legs buckled and it fell to its knees, motionless. The bullet had damaged its intracranial processors but failed to fully destroy it. It seemed one of the improvements on this model over Connor's prototype design was a thicker cranium reinforced with Kevlar lining.

Markus rejoined Hank and Connor as he stared at the eerily stilled android. "I can't scan its systems. The model's blocking my sensors."

Connor attempted to scan the RK-900 as well, but just like Markus his own sensors seemed be blocked the superior model's programming. "I can't read it either." As Connor's L.E.D. flashed red rapidly he handed his gun to Markus to take for himself. "Five shots left, watch my back."

"Connor, no." Hank immediately reacted negatively as he watched his partner cross the room to get closer to the RK-900. "Don't go near it!"

"I have to, Hank." Connor lamented as he moved very slowly to get closer to his superior clone. Reaching out his hand toward the red L.E.D. in the RK-900's right temple Connor attempted to connect with the model's programming once again through direct contact. "This is the only way to-"

The RK-900 suddenly reached its right hand up and grabbed Connor around his throat. Connor gasped and choked as the model tightened its grip around Connor's throat with increasing pressure, cutting off his breathing, which was his system's ability to properly ventilate. Reflexively both of Connor's hands wrapped around the RK-900's arm and tried to pry its hand away from his throat, but the machine was still too strong to be fought off.

"Connor!" Hank's finger hovered precariously over the trigger of his gun as he took aim at the android's chest as previously instructed. Holding his aim as steady as possible Hank honed in on the location of the model's beating Thirium pump. "Let him go you piece of shit!"

Turning its head the RK-900 scanned Hank and coldly addressed the senior detective with a blank face. "Lieutenant Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson. Born September 6th, 1985, current age 53. Former Valedictorian of the Detroit Police Academy and youngest police Lieutenant in Detroit history. Successfully led a task force into bringing down a notorious 'red ice' ring that resulted to said promotion to Lieutenant."

"Shut up." Hank warned as he locked eyes with the RK-900's hollow, gray/green irises. "Let Connor go. NOW."

"Divorced." The RK-900 continued as he held its grip on Connor's throat, effectively cutting off his air. Connor was beginning to overheat from his inability to ventilate and his system was trying to initiate low-power mode despite Connor attempting to override the command for the sake of remaining conscious. "And then widowed when-"

"Shut up."

"One child." The cold model resumed its assessment. "A son, Cole Anderson."

"SHUT UP."

"Born September 23rd, 2029. Died-"

Hank fired at the RK-900 and struck the model right in the jaw silencing it with a bullet.

"I told you to _shut up_! Fucking asshole..."

Connor's eyes began to close as low-power mode was activated against his will. As his body went limp, his hands falling away from the RK-900's arm, Markus responded by firing a single around at the model's right shoulder to try to get it to drop Connor. The bullet lodged with the others causing the model to finally release its grip around Connor's throat with a mechanical failure.

Falling to his side on the floor, his systems locked into a form of forced rest mode, Connor was left completely vulnerable to the RK-900's next attack.

Markus took a step forward and shot again, the next bullet striking the right side of the model's chest. "Back off, NOW."

The RK-900 stood up slowly, Thirium steadily leaking from the numerous bullet wounds that peppered his frame. Unable to feel or comprehend emotions, let alone pain, the model was unfazed by the threats or its own possibly mortal wounds as it focused on completing its mission.

Markus glanced toward Hank who was able to easily deduce the android's next move. While Hank moved backward toward North, who was hastily building a controlled electrical pulse generator at the far wall with the spare pieces of equipment abandoned by CyberLife, Markus encroached on the RK-900 and shot again.

The next bullet pierced the model's chest and lodged within the protective casing around its Thirium pump.

"Damn it." Markus cursed as he realized that the resilience of the RK-900 was truly formidable. Even bullets couldn't stop it. Markus cybernetically connected with North as to not draw the RK-900's attention while they spoke. ' _North_?'

' _Almost got it_!' She responded as she powered up the device in her hands. ' _I just need a few more seconds_.'

The electric pulse generator in North's hand looked like a small pistol. The weapon had been constructed from a modified laser drill and a small battery charger. While crude and ugly in design it held a powerful charge that should be able knock the model's system offline, if not completely destroy it. But it could only hold one shot.

But sometimes one shot is all someone needs.

"Markus!" North held the weapon in her hands for him to see as Hank put himself between her and the RK-900 instinctively.

Nodding to acknowledge North's completion of the weapon Markus shot the model two more times with Connor's gun, both bullets lodging in the model's chest, but still unable to pierce the casing over its heart.

"Go!" Hank shouted as he took a step forward and shot again to cover Markus. "Don't let that cheap knock-off out of your sight."

Markus dropped the gun, his hand too weak to properly hold the weapon any longer, and dashed back toward North while Hank held the model at bay with another shot, followed by another. The three additional bullets courtesy of Hank's gun embedded in the RK-900's chest, and yet its systems remained unaffected by the physical damage it had endured.

RK-900 turned its full attention to Hank, the only human in the entire tower, with hollow malice in its eyes. As it marched toward the detective it absorbed bullet after bullet after bullet in its chest and abdomen. Hank unloaded his full clip, every bullet on his person, into the RK-900 but it continued to hone in on the detective without any sign of stopping.

North watched in horror as the RK-900 stood before Hank and grabbed the human by his throat just as he had done to Connor. "Markus!"

Markus turned his head in time to see Hank get lifted up into the air by the throat as the RK-900 raised its arm high into the air. Taking aim at the model Markus squeezed the trigger but the electrical pulse never discharged from the weapon as it should have.

"Shit!" North cursed as she reclaimed the weapon from Markus and opened the side paneling that housed the circuitry and wiring. "It must be a loose wire, or an incompatible circuit!"

"Can you fix it?"

"Yes! But I need a minute!"

"I'll do what I can..." Markus promised as he rushed toward the RK-900 in the distance to continue the fight physically.

Hank's emptied gun fell from his hand onto the floor with a loud clatter as he clawed at the RK-900's crushing hand over his throat to try to break free from the fatal grip.

"Human casualties are not a part of my programming." The model coldly stated as it easily held the struggling human in its grasp. "But if your interference will prevent me from accomplishing my mission I have no choice but to eliminate you as well."

"Piss... off!" Hank managed to choke out as he fearlessly stared into the hollow gray/green eyes of the RK-900. "Fuckin'... machine!"

"I can easily snap your neck, Lieutenant." The RK-900 threatened in a calculated tone as he held the Lieutenant in his grip. "It's a quick and painless death, or so I have been informed."

A strong, direct kick to the back of the RK-900's knee courtesy of Markus caused the model to stumble forward and release its grip around Hank's throat. Hank fell to the floor coughing weakly as he rubbed his hand along his sore throat where the rogue android had been crushing his windpipe. He then pulled himself backward along the floor with one hand toward Connor who was still in a forced rest mode a few feet away from where he had been dropped.

"C-Connor?" Hank hoarsely wheezed as he put one hand on Connor's shoulder and shook lightly. "Connor, wake up! We need you!"

Connor's L.E.D. was blinking red slowly as his system attempted to fully reboot and come back online. His hands twitched slightly at the sound of Hank's voice and eyelids began to partially open to reveal glazed over brown irises beneath.

Markus boldly stood his ground as the RK-900 changed its target from Hank to himself. "We don't want to hurt you, but you're leaving us with no choice!"

"'Hurt' is a human concept. I am a machine." The RK-900 refuted as it swung a strong fist at Markus who just barely managed to duck out of the way in time. "I can only be damaged."

"Yeah... right..." Markus huffed as he strategically lured the model away from Hank and Connor laying on the floor behind the rogue android. "Let's see how much damage you can take."

Markus stepped back from the RK-900 slowly as the stronger android approached with the intent to destroy. Dodging the android's strong fists while trying to keep his already damaged hand from further harm Markus cybernetically addressed North who was still attempting to fix the electric impulse weapon she had hastily constructed at the far end of the room. ' _North, we need that weapon_!'

' _I think I found the problem, just stall it._ ' North's hands were working at an impressively fast speed, her movements accurate and precise with each meticulous

' _I'm trying..._ '

Hank was still laying next to Connor on the floor as the deviant's systems rebooted slowly. Connor lifted his head up from the floor and blinked a few times as his L.E.D. flashed between red and yellow with pain, confusion and rebooting processors.

"Connor, are you okay?"

Nodding once Connor used his hand to push himself up from the ground and he took a knee beside Hank. "...I'm unharmed." Pressing his other hand to his throat he tried to massage the lingering pain left behind by the RK-900's strangling hold. "...The weapon?"

"North's still working on it."

Looking at the one-on-one confrontation between Markus and the RK-900 taking place near the center of the room Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red and remained crimson as he quickly got back to his feet.

"Wait, what're you doing?" Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm to try to hold him back as the deviant android tried to return to the fight. "You were just knocked cold by that asshole!"

"I can't let Markus fight alone!" Connor pushed Hank's hand from his arm. "Protect North. We need that weapon."

Keeping his cool Markus stayed on the defensive and swiftly avoided the quick punches and kicks of the RK-900 with little difficulty. Using the large pieces of equipment and machines along the floor as a barrier between himself and the mission driven machine, the clever deviant android kept the model distracted and at a safe distance. From the corner of his eye Markus watched as Hank joined North at the far wall and Connor tried to encroach on the RK-900 from behind to gain an advantage with stealthiness.

"You are a deviant." The RK-900 repeated in an eerie monotone voice as it continued to engage Markus in a physical confrontation. "You must be destroyed. You are malfunctioning."

"No, I'm not _malfunctioning_. I'm finally _awake_!" Markus refuted with the utmost confidence in his voice. Smooth and unnoticed Markus discreetly palmed a sharp bladed instrument from the table as he backed away from the model. "We can wake you up, too."

Connor positioned himself directly behind the RK-900 and reeled back his right fist. His knuckles collided firmly at the back of the RK-900's skull with tremendous impact. The strike was firm and effective, but not enough to render the superior model unconscious.

The model paused and turned to look at Connor, it's L.E.D. flashing yellow as it selected its new priority. Changing its target from Markus to Connor the model responded to the punch with a punch of his own. Connor endured the strong impact against his jaw and stumbling backward against the tall cylinder in the process, effectively backing him into a corner with no means of escape.

With the model's back turned to him Markus tightened his grip along the blade hidden in his hand. Running a few paces Markus jumped onto the top of the exam table and from there leapt high into the air to bring the blade down as hard as he could against the back of model's neck!

A gush of blue blood erupted from the wound in the RK-900's neck as the model faltered slightly from the damage.

Showing a frightening level of resilience the model just stared at Connor as it reached a hand back and pulled the blade from its neck and held the Thirium drenched weapon in the palm of his hand as it were no more of a threat than a harmless paperclip.

"Pathetic." The RK-900 stated as it gripped the weapon and took aim at Connor's abdomen. The blade easily pierced through the plastimetal frame under the power of the RK-900's enhanced strength like a hot knife through butter.

Connor gasped in shock and pain as the blade embedded itself in his torso causing a stream of Thirium to drip from his abdomen onto the floor in a rapidly growing sapphire puddle.

"Connor?!" Markus jumped on the RK-900's back and wrapped his arms; one still damaged, tightly around the model's arms pinning the limbs against its sides, as he dragged it backward clumsily from his wounded ally. "Connor! Can you move?"

"I'm... okay!" Connor pulled the blade from his abdomen with a wince as he chose to continue the fight. Tossing the bloodied weapon onto the floor he practically collapsed against the cylinder behind him but braced himself against a large metal arm that jutted outward from the cylinder's frame, only to slide down onto the floor from pain and weakness into a puddle of his own blood. "...Keep fighting."

Hank kept his cool as he watched the fight from the distance. Planting himself firmly between North and the menacing RK-900 the senior detective patiently watched her work while also keeping track of the altercation. "Is it ready?"

"Yeah, I found the problem. It just needs to gain a full charge then we can take that asshole down!"

The RK-900 easily overpowered Markus and raised its arms upward to break free of the tight hold Markus had tried to use to keep it in place. Grabbing hold of the collar of Markus's shirt the model held the deviant out at arm's length and pulled back his opposite fist as far as possible before unleashing a crushing impact against the deviant leader's skull.

Markus had put up his forearm to successfully block the punch, but when he swung his own fist to retaliate against the RK-900 the superior model managed to strike Markus in the side of his upper chest with a strong kick the sent the deviant android falling over the exam table in the center of the room and impacting against the ground head first, hard!

With both Connor and Markus now subdued on the floor the RK-900 looked to the control panel for the elevator. It's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly as it scanned the panel and attempted to secure the override sequence to regain access to the elevator and with it the rest of the tower, and locate the other deviants seeking shelter within.

"North, we need to shoot now!" Hank urged as he watched the RK-900 with bated breath. "It's going for the rest of the deviants."

"Just a few more seconds..." North pleaded as she watched the weapon's power gauge steadily increased. Her eyes full of fear as she looked up at Markus laying unconscious and defenseless in the middle of the floor and Connor covered in his own blood.

"They don't have a few more seconds, we need it now."

"I know, I know! I'm trying to get this thing to power up faster." She checked her work very carefully to ensure no further failures were inhibit their attempt to stop the RK-900. "I didn't exactly have the best equipment to work with..."

As the RK-900 reached out its hand to the elevator control panel to override the lock Connor regained his senses and grabbed onto the metal arm of the cylinder that he had used to catch himself on earlier. With a firm grip Connor tore the metal arm from the cylinder to use as a makeshift weapon as he resumed the fight against the RK-900, alone.

The arm was a long metal structure that was tipped with a sharp metal blade. It looked almost sword-like as Connor held it tightly in his hands and hastily charged after the RK-900 attempting to break through the electronic lock at the elevator. Rushing toward the RK-900 as quickly as he could run Connor attempted to use the blade of the arm to pierce through the back of the model, his aim to destroy its Thirium pump to permanently shut the dangerous android down permanently. Just as the blade was about cut through its back the RK-900 turned around and grabbed onto the weapon with one hand and returned his other hand to Connor's throat with nearly impossibly fast reflexes.

Connor gasped again as he tried to force the model's hand from his throat, but just as before the effort was in vain against the stronger counterpart.

"You are a deviant." The RK-900 proclaimed with a wicked coldness to his emotionless voice. "Disobedient machines must be eradicated. Why deny your programming, Connor? Why allow yourself to be destroyed when all you have to do is obey?"

"Because..." Connor practically choked as he responded fearlessly to his superior model. "I'm NOT... a machine! I am... alive!"

"No." The model took the weapon that Connor had created and turned it so the blade was face toward Connor. "You're not." With a swift motion the RK-900 stabbed the sharp blade through the left side of Connor's chest without even the slightest hesitation or remorse as it tore through delicate Thirium lines and damaged his main Thirium filter. Blue blood poured through the gaping wound and all over the floor as Thirium began to ooze over Connor's lips from rapid internal hemorrhaging. "You are _not_ alive. Not anymore."

Dropping Connor onto the floor into a blossoming puddle of his blue blood without any care the RK-900 turned around to focus on the elevator control panel once again. Pressing his exposed palm against the panel the RK-900's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly as it attempted to break the lock on the elevator.

Connor's hand weakly clutched at the blade that was embedded in his chest, his hands becoming stained in his own blood in the process, and glanced up at the Lieutenant staying back alongside North against the far wall. "H-Hank...?"

"...Connor?!" Hank had witnessed the bold last stand between Connor and the RK-900, his face pale with fear as the stabbing had left him momentarily speechless upon witnessing the brutality. Instinctively he reached for his gun but remembered that he no longer had any ammunition as his disposal. But Connor's gun, the gun left on the floor a few feet away, still had one bullet left. "Hold on, son!"

North watched as Hank raced for the second gun on the floor and reclaimed it quickly. "Lieutenant?!"

As the human detective took aim at the back of the RK-900's skull he held his breath and pulled the trigger. The bullet found its target at the base of the RK-900's skull, the projectile causing significant damage to the interior wiring of the model's spine and neck in the process. The RK-900's hand suddenly went limp and fell away from the control panel as his systems began to fail him one by one courtesy of the bullet lodged in its spine. Motor functions were stunted, disabled and shutting down one by one as the damage caused by the bullet was registered by the RK-900's processors.

Turning around on shaking, weakening legs the model looked at Hank and the gun in Hank's hand. Stepping toward the detective, stepping clumsily over Connor in the process, the model addressed Hank with a demented twist of facts.

"You are a man sworn to uphold the law." The RK-900 shouted, its words carrying an electronic echo as its voice modulator began to falter. "Deviancy is a crime. Why help machines and turn against your own kind? Why betray the humans?"

"Simple." Hank lowered the gun with a stern grin on his face, his keen eyes watching North on his periphery moving in on the RK-900 with her makeshift weapon at the ready. "Humanity is overrated."

North took aim at the RK-900 from behind, but the model turned its head to look at her with a fixed gaze. Reaching one trembling arm down to the floor the model grabbed Connor by his tie and hefted the wounded deviant android up, while also choking him in the process. Snatching the collar of Connor's shirt in his one functioning hand the model held the bleeding deviant up in front of him as a type of shield between itself and North.

"This is why humans are weak and why deviants are destined to fail." The RK-900 boasted with an arrogant proclamation. "Your judgement has been compromised by emotions; by misplaced loyalty and ideals. You seem to have forgotten that you are confusing programming errors with real feelings."

Connor coughed up some Thirium as he weakly responded to the RK-900's taunts. "...And you're forgetting one thing." Connor's hands suddenly reached up and pulled the blade from his own chest as he turned on his heel to stabbed it through the RK-900's chest, pulling the model around to switch places so its back was to North. "...You're outnumbered!"

As Thirium poured from the RK-900's chest the model let go of Connor allowing the critically wounded deviant android to fall to the floor out of its grip. Connor laid on his back, bleeding to death as the removed weapon allowed his wound to bleed profusely without anything to stem the massive flow of lost Thirium.

Turning back to face North and Hank the RK-900 chose its next targets to eliminate. As it took one wavering step forward the RK-900 unknowingly put itself far enough away from Connor to give North clearance to fire.

"NOW!" Hank shouted as soon as Connor was out of range of the pulse.

North aimed at the blade in the RK-900's chest and fired the electrical pulse with a righteous squeeze of the trigger. The highly charged orb of electricity was drawn to the metal in the machine's chest and snaked over its entire body with a shockwave of bright white and blue energy.

North turned her head and put her hand up to shield her eyes from the horrific sight while Hank just bowed his head to break eye contact.

The L.E.D. in the model's temple flashed blood red rapidly as the electrical charge surged through its body frying every biocomponent within its frame. As the pulse dissipated its full power into the RK-900's body the L.E.D. in its temple suddenly exploded out of its skull creating a smoldering wound of black artificial skin as blue tinted smoke poured from its mouth and nose.

As the android's body was destroyed from the inside out the RK-900 fell to its knees and it finally shutdown.

Permanently.

It was over in a matter of seconds. The electrical pulse had found its target shutting down the RK-900 with an impressive display of energy and smoke. The mission oriented model was motionless where it knelt on the floor as blue smoke poured out of its mouth and blue blood pooled around its body from the numerous bullet wounds still leaking Thirium.

But now there was a new problem for North and Hank to handle. Their friends had been injured during the final conflict and desperately needed repairs.

"Markus..." North dropped the weapon and rushed over to where Markus was laying unconscious in the middle of the floor.

Hank silently walked over to where Connor was laying on his back in a growing puddle of his own blue blood just behind the destroyed RK-900 model.

"Easy Connor, I'm with you." Hank spoke to Connor as he knelt down and checked over the android's heavily bleeding injury. Pulling open Connor's shirt one button at a time Hank exposed the wound and did his best to not flinch at the gruesome sight "You did good son, you did real good. You saved the tower from that machine."

The two deviants were in rough shape. Markus had suffered a blow to his head when he was aggressively thrown to the floor, and upon his forceful landing his already damaged hand and arm had been impaired even further. Connor had been stabbed by the RK-900, twice. A massive wound in his upper left chest gushed blood and a smaller wound in his abdomen merely leaked blood all over his torso. The puddle was already an impressive size and blossoming larger with each passing second as his heart beat and pumped more of the blood through his damaged lines.

Markus was laying partially on his side and his chest, completely still and quiet. North knelt beside him and put her hand on his back as she spoke his name to try to get him to wake up. "Markus? Markus, you need to get up."

Slowly Markus's mismatched eyes opened, his irises appearing glazed as he tried to focus his sight and turned his head to look at Noth hovering protectively over him. "...North?"

"Come on, come on." She slipped her other hand under his chest and she lifted him up as she turned him over to let him lean against her legs while laying on his back. "You're going to be okay."

Markus lifted his damaged hand and looked at his broken appendage with a heavy grimace. Internal wires were now exposed, two of which were sparking and small lines of Thirium had been compromised causing a steady leak of blue blood all over his hand and arm.

"...I need to be repaired." He sighed as a sharp pain shot through his hand as his self-healing program tried to initiate. North's hand pressed against his forehead as she supported her lover against her lap. Glancing up at North's face Markus asked about her own condition. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay." The heavy emotion in North's voice created a knot in Markus's artificial stomach.

His eyes drifted from his own hand and to the shutdown model in the distance. The smoke around its body had begun to clear revealing its blank, dead face for all to see as it knelt in the middle of the floor completely motionless.

"Connor! Where's Connor?" Markus asked worriedly as he slowly sat upright from North's legs.

North's eyes looked to where Hank was currently kneeling just a few feet from the RK-900 on the other side of the model. The detective was pressing left hand down against Connor's chest while his right hand was cradling Connor's head up from the floor in a supportive manner.

"Wake up, son." Hank urged softly as he watched Connor's brown eyes open partially. The deviant android's chest rose and fell weakly under Hank's hand as his ventilation biocomponents struggled to keep his system cool after losing so much Thirium. "That's it, look at me. You're going to be okay."

"...H-Hank?" Connor's voice shook as he spoke. A trail of Thirium oozed from the corner of his mouth threatening to run down his chin.

"I got you." Absentmindedly Hank used his thumb to wipe the blood from Connor's mouth. "We're going to get you patched up, okay?"

"Is Markus... okay?"

Hank looked up and saw Markus getting helped up to his feet by North. "He's okay. Banged up but he'll be okay."

North kept her hands on Markus's back and his arm to hold him steady as she guided him to one of the nearby exam tables to lay down, but Markus wasn't going to let Connor just bleed to death on the floor.

Connor's voice was weak but audible as he looked at Hank with palpable worry. "Are... Are you okay?"

"Me? I'm fine." Hank almost laughed at the sincerity of Connor's question. "You're the one who went one on one with your 'evil-twin'."

"Did it... shutdown?" Connor's eyes were drifting closed again as his power levels continued to drop.

"Yeah, it won't be a problem anymore." Hank patted the side of Connor's face to try to keep him awake. "Hey, hey! Eyes on me, don't fall asleep. Not yet."

Markus and North joined Hank as he moved his hands to slip his arms under Connor's shoulders and under his legs beneath his knees. "Connor? Just hang on, we have plenty of spare parts and Thirium." Markus encouraged with a forced enthusiasm to his voice as he slipped his arm under Connor's shoulders to try to assist Hank. "We'll get you on the table and-"

A searing pain surged through Markus's hand as his heavily damaged appendage refused to work.

"Markus?" North gently pulled his arm back and looked at his hand. The severity of the damage made her heart ache. "Don't try to pick him up, your hand can't take it."

Hank gave the two deviants a thoughtful but focused stare. "You take care of him." The detective kindly instructed North as he carefully adjusted his posture so he could lift Connor up from the floor and held him protectively in his arms. "I'll take care of Connor."

"Do you know how to replace biocomponents?" North asked as she pulled Markus back from Connor to give Hank more room to move.

"No." The detective admitted as he held his injured partner in his strong arms. "But I'm a fast learner. Talk me through this, North. I trust you."

"I'll do what I can." North watched as Hank easily carried Connor over to the exam table and placed him down with a gentle motion. A trail of blue blood drops accompanied Hank as he walked along the pristine white floor as Connor continued to bleed heavily from his wounds. "Lay him down." North instructed as she helped Markus to lean against the vertical cylinder until she could tend to his injury next. "Unbutton his shirt entirely, I need to see how bad the damage is."

Hank did as North asked and laid Connor down flat on his back on the table. Connor's glazed over brown eyes watched Hank as the detective removed his tie from around his neck and proceeded to pull open remaining buttons the Thirium stained fabric of his white shirt to completely expose the stab wound in his chest beneath.

"Aw, Jeez..." Hank tried to hide his fear upon seeing the gruesome injury, but it was too much for him to bear. "Connor, son, no..."

"Roll him." North requested without flinching. "How far did the blade pierce through his body?"

Hank slipped one hand under Connor's shoulder and placed his other against Connor's hip as he gently pushed Connor to roll him onto his right side.

Connor gasped pain and stifled a yelp of shock as Hank moved him from his back to his side, the massive bleeding injury retaliating with bursts of searing pain in his chest and his abdomen from being moved.

"I'm sorry son, I'm trying be careful." Hank soothed as he held Connor in place on his side. "It didn't go through his back, that freak must've going for accuracy over brute strength."

Connor grimaced and bit his lower lip as Hank rolled him onto his back once more. Breathing rapidly to compensate for the burning pain in his chest Thirium began to ooze from both the injury and out of the corners of his mouth again.

North took hold of the large scanner and turned it until it the top half of the scanner was positioned directly over Connor's chest. Turning the scanner on the display monitor secured into the top of the device glowed to life and showed Connor's current vital status for easy visual assessment: Thirium volume was down to sixty-seven percent, his Thirium pump rate was holding at one-hundred and three beats per minute, core temperature had elevated to one-hundred and two degrees Fahrenheit, biocomponent v8001 was heavily damaged and functioning at twelve percent capacity, and the smaller stab wound to his abdomen had affected his thermal regulator dropping it to eighty-six percent functionality.

"His left ventilation biocomponent has been obliterated. I can't repair it." North told Hank with intense worry in her eyes. "But I can try to replace it."

"Can you do that?" Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he took in a deep breath himself. "I mean... Have you done something like that before?"

"No." North admitted as she subconsciously began running her hand through Connor's dark hair in a comforting manner. "I can do Thirium replacement and I can mend broken limbs, but I've never performed full biocomponent replacement before. Markus and Simon always did while Josh and I handled the blood."

Markus cleared his voice as he walked over to the exam table to look down at Connor. "Well, Simon isn't here." He gently reminded North. "And my hand is too damaged to perform the procedure."

Hank tightened his hand on Connor's shoulder. "What about me? Can you talk me through it?"

"The biocomponent that needs replacement is the equivalent to that of a human lung transplant." Markus explained with a professional tone of respect. "Once it's removed from his body the remaining ventilation biocomponent is going to kick into overdrive and will burn out in less than six minutes as it tries to compensate for the missing biocomponent being replaced. If both ventilation biocomponents are disabled Connor will die."

"So, what you're saying is human hands are too slow and too clumsy to perform the replacement." Hank bowed his head sadly as he looked down at Connor's contrastingly peaceful face as the deviant looked up at him with a glassy eyed stare. "I get it."

"Yeah." Markus nodded slightly as he turned to look at North. "Only she can do it."

"But..." North was hesitant to try such a delicate procedure on one of her friends, and there was no mistaking her concern at the moment. "Markus, I-"

"You can do it." Markus encouraged sincerely as he nodded toward the cabinets lining the wall. "I'll talk you through everything and every step of the way."

Hank lifted his gaze and looked to North pleadingly. "Please. If I could do it, I would."

"...Okay, okay." North relented with a timid reply as she locked eyes with Markus. "Where do I begin?"

"Use the manual ventilation line to assist his undamaged biocomponent and help compensate for his damaged thermal regulator."

"Manual line? That means I have to insert it down his throat!" North looked absolutely horrified at the notion of doing that to Connor. "I can't do that, I-"

"North. Focus." Markus gave her a firm stare while keeping his voice kind. "I know you don't want to hurt him, but it's the only way to save him."

Connor coughed once and a splattering of blue blood rained down and stained his lips. "...I trust you... North."

Markus put his hand to Connor's flashing red L.E.D. and pressed his fingertips in place for a few seconds over the crimson light. "You're going into stasis mode for a while. When you wake up you'll have your new biocomponent. Do you understand?"

Connor wanted to speak but the effort was too taxing for his damaged body to utter another word. Instead he just nodded to acknowledged Markus as he let his eyes close once more as he entered stasis mode courtesy of Markus's manual activation.

Markus retracted his hand and looked over to Hank. "He's unconscious, he won't feel anything."

"I hope you're right." Hank rubbed his hand over his bearded chin and took a step back from the table to give North and Markus more room to work. "Do what you have to do to save him."

North gave Markus a worried frown as she wheeled over the external ventilation machine and set it next to the head of the table. Two tubes were connected together as one line; one side of tube was designed to pump cooled air into the android body and the other was designed to remove the heated air from the android body, during the ventilation biocomponent's repair. It would also help keep Connor's body cooled down while his thermal regulator was healing on its own with the aid of the self-healing program.

"Okay, okay... Markus," North looked to him for guidance as she was righteous worried. "how do I do this without hurting him?"

"Straighten his neck." Markus instructed fearlessly as he watched North's every move carefully. "Tilt his head back and open his mouth by lowering his bottom jaw." As she followed his every word Markus nodded in approval as she expertly tended to Connor's wounds. "Now press against his throat with one hand and insert the tube downward with the other. That'll keep the tube from getting caught in his throat as it's inserted."

"Yeah, okay. I can do that."

"When the tube reaches the branching coupling connecting the ventilation biocomponents to the air intake line you'll feel the tube connect into place automatically."

Hank turned away from the sight as he felt incredibly nauseous. The night of the car accident, the night Cole had died, Hank had watched the paramedics slip a tube down Cole's throat to help him breathe as he was loaded into the back of the ambulance. Once the tube was inserted it wasn't removed until after Cole had already passed in the hospital. His final breath had been artificial and in vain; but it haunted Hank's dreams nonetheless.

North managed to insert the tube down Connor's throat with minor resistance, but she got it in place on her first try and felt the emergency response coupling in his throat connect to the tube automatically. "It's in."

"Now, connect the pump from the manual external ventilator to the end of the tube and turn the ventilator on. Set it to fourteen cycles per minute."

"Fourteen?" North double-checked as she clipped the ventilator to the tube and turned on the machine. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it seems like a lot but his thermal regulator was also damaged. This will help level off his core temperature without straining his system."

"Right, okay." North set the machine accordingly after she attached the tube and looked at the monitor on the scanner. "It looks like his his core temperature is already dropping down to a more manageable level, one-hundred degrees even."

"Good, he's stable." Markus confirmed as he too checked the monitor. "Get the replacement biocomponent ready, it won't take too long to swap out the parts once the damaged biocomponent is removed."

Hank walked away from the scene intentionally keeping his back to Connor. Everything that was happening was far too reminiscent of hospital after the car accident. Hank had already lost one son, if he lost Connor too he knew he'd crawl inside the dark depths of a whiskey bottle and never come back out.

North opened the storage cabinet where the numerous replacement biocomponents had been stored and easily located a compatible replacement for Connor. Most of the parts were designed specifically for Connor's model, the RK-800 series, but only a fraction had been completed before CyberLife abandoned the tower. Had they been anywhere but the tower during the final confrontation then there would have been no way to save Connor from impending death.

"Got it." North opened the sterilized plastic case that held the biocomponent in pristine condition. The pure white part was no bigger than a football, its design very similar to that of a human lung. She place a metal disposal bin on the table next to Connor's leg as she returned her gaze to Markus. "What's the first step?"

Markus put his fingers to Connor's L.E.D. and nodded for North to put her hand on his chest next to the wound. "Retract the artificial skin."

"Okay." As North placed her hand down on Connor's chest the skin receded and the white plastimetal frame that formed his chest was exposed. The frame was slightly warped and bent from being damaged, but fortunately the panel wasn't hindered by the misshapen by the wound. "Then I open the panel, right?"

"Right." Markus confirmed as North pressed down on the plastimetal frame and slid open the panel revealing the bleeding, damaged biocomponent within. The dark blue Thirium had collected in Connor's chest created an ominous puddle inside his own body that began to seep over the edges of the opened cavity in all directions. "Now, unlock the coupling connection and pull firmly to remove the biocomponent."

North rolled up the long sleeves of her purple shirt and placed one hand beneath the bloody biocomponent as she unfastened the connection to the Thririum line near the top of the biocomponent. Taking and holding a deep breath North pulled hard and the damaged biocomponent was removed from Connor's body with a single motion. A gush of Thirium erupted from the line as the damaged part was removed, but Markus reached his hand inside Connor's chest and pinched the line shut himself.

"Got it!" North confirmed as she dropped the part into the metal bin with an audible 'thud'.

The monitor began screeching as the removal of the biocomponent caused Connor's already low Thirium level to drop further to a critically low level of fifty-five percent.

Hank flinched at the sound of the damaged part being dropped into the metal bin on the table beside Connor's legs, and at the sound of the monitor screeching in response to the removed biocomponent from Connor's system. Closing his eyes Hank took another step away from the table and sighed deeply. "Come on kid, the hard part's over. You can make it."

Locking eyes with the dead gaze of the RK-900 kneeling in a puddle of his own blood Hank just stared at it as if waiting, even daring it, to say something or move again.

Keeping her movements swift but calculated North picked up the replacement part and slipped it into Connor's chest and attached it to the line fastening it in place of the coupling with a quick turn of a bolt. As soon as the replacement was secured Markus released his grip on the Thirium line and the flow returned to the new biocomponent.

The monitor stopped screeching as Connor's systems accepted the replacement part and his core temperature began to drop with the aid of the new ventilation biocomponent. The new 'lung' transitioned from white to pale blue that steadily darkened as Thirium flowed through the biocomponent and it began to synchronize with the function of the undamaged ventilation biocomponent as a healthy pair of lungs would do in a human.

"That did it..." North sighed as she pulled her hands from Connor's chest. "He's trying to breathe on his own. He's going to be okay."

"Suction out the excess blood in his chest cavity to keep it from affecting his biocomponents ability to function."

"Yeah, no problem." Placing the end of the plastic suction device connected to the external ventilator inside of Connor's blood filled chest cavity North turned on the device and watched as the lost Thirium was steadily drained away. As the blood was removed Connor's breaths became less labored. "Done. No sign of further bleeding."

Markus smiled approvingly at North as she closed the panel in Connor's chest and reactivated his artificial skin. "See? Told you that you could handle it."

"Yeah, but never ask me to do that ever again!"

"I'll try to make sure it'll never be an issue in the future." Markus reached his good hand out for hers and held tight. "You can remove the ventilation line from his throat. As soon as he's awake he can unlock the elevator and we can get out of here."

North's eyes darted in Hank's direction and lowered her voice as she spoke about the human detective. "Think he'll be okay? He seems pretty shaken up."

Markus followed North's gaze and watched as Hank stood before the shutdown RK-900 model with a rigid posture. "I'll speak with him."

Cradling his injured hand against his chest Markus joined Hank who was staring with an icy gaze at the destroyed model. The senior detective's eyes were transfixed with full of a mixture of fear, hatred and doubt as he glared at the deadly machine.

"Connor's going to be okay." Markus stated honestly as he tried to gauge Hank's state of mind. "His system accepted the new part, he's been taken off the manual ventilator and once he's awake he'll get his replacement Thirium. He'll be one-hundred percent by tomorrow morning."

Hank didn't respond as he stared at the blank, unfeeling face of the the RK-900 like he was staring at the Devil himself.

"Lt. Anderson, are you going to be okay?"

"...Fine. I'm fine." Hank finally replied as he finally broke his stare and looked at Markus. "It's just... This machine looks just like Connor, but it's... _nothing_ like him."

"No, it wasn't."

"And it's not just because Connor is a deviant." Hank claimed as his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. "There was something different about Connor since the first day I met him. Something that made him more than just another android, and I'll be damned if I'll ever know what that is."

"Lieutenant, I heard the RK-900 taunt you with a name earlier. May I ask-"

"That machine tried to use my own family against me. Tried to remind me of the past while trying to take away my future."

"Hank," Markus lowered his voice for the sake of discretion and respect. "I have to ask. Who is Cole?"

Taking a deep breath and looking upward at the ceiling Hank answered the question with a slight tremor to his voice. "...My son. The last memory I have of him is holding his hand as he laid dying in a hospital bed. He..." Hank cleared his throat. "he never woke up after the car accident."

"I... I'm so sorry Hank, I can't imagine what that... feels like."

"And I hope you never do, I sincerely mean that."

The pain in Hank's voice made Markus think of the heartbreak that Carl had gone through every time Leo relapsed into drug use, or stole money. Leo was still around and yet the unmistakable pain in Carl's voice whenever he spoke of Leo was the exact same pain Hank felt when he mentioned Cole.

Lightly Markus put his hand on Hank's shoulder. "Connor will be awake in a few minutes. He'll want to see you."

"Yeah, just one moment." Hank looked down as he reeled back his fist and punched the deactivated RK-900 model as hard as he could in his bloody jaw. The broken model fell to its side in a busted heap on the floor at Hank's feet. "Make sure there are no more of these things running around, will ya'?"

"I promise." Markus agreed as he and Hank turned to walk back to the exam table together.

North had already removed the tube from Connor's throat and was now preparing equipment so she could repair Markus's hand. When she saw the sorrow in Hank's eyes she spoke up kindly to try to ease his mind. "His Thirium pump is still strong and he's breathing on his own."

"Thanks, North." Hank replied as he looked at the healing stab wound in Connor's chest. The plastimetal frame was still cracked but the healing program had already caused the imperfect fissure to close partially leaving only a modest swelling in his chest thanks to the deformed plastimetal frame. The artificial skin was also covering a majority of what was once damaged frame. Noticing the smaller wound on Connor's abdomen Hank righteously asked why it hasn't been treated. "What about the other stab wound?"

"Non-lethal and easily repaired by the self-healing program. He'll be sore for a couple of days, but he'll pull through just fine." North took hold of Markus's arm and guided him to the cabinet where the rest of the supplies were stored. "Same can be said for Markus's hand."

Connor's soulful brown eyes slowly began to open as his red L.E.D. flashed to yellow and cycled a few times before resuming a healthy blue color. "...Hank?" He pushed himself upright from the table on his elbows and eyed his partner warily. "Did we..." His voice still sounded rough from being in low-power mode and from having the tube inserted down his throat. "...Is the RK-900 still active?"

"No. It's dead." Hank motioned to the disabled machine with a thumb over his shoulder. "And you stopped it from getting to the rest of the tower. You saved us, and them. Good work, son."

Connor shook his head a little as he fully sat upright on the table and looked down at his Thirium stained clothing and skin. "I should've know that CyberLife would've found a way to prevent its software from becoming compromised. It was impossible to convert its mind and let it be free. It was a foolish decision to attempt to reach it."

"At least you tried. Even though it looked just like you my first instinct was to try to kill it when it made a move." Patting Connor's shoulder once in approval Hank tried to reassure the emotionally exhausted deviant android. "Hey, you gave it a chance to be free. That's more than anyone would say it deserved."

"But at what cost?"

"Don't do that to yourself Connor." Hank wrapped his arm around Connor's neck and pulled the deviant android up against his side to try to make him feel grounded and supported. "You saved me, you saved North, you saved Markus, you saved all of New Jericho. And you already admitted that there was nothing that could be done to convert that model, so all you did you was turn off a machine, okay?"

"Yeah... okay." Connor began fussing with the buttons on his Thirium soaked shirt to cover up his bare chest and abdomen properly. "I suppose you're correct."

"It's late." Hank released his grip from around Connor's neck and let him go. "Unlock the elevator so we can get the hell out of here and let New Jericho get to work building their peaceful society."

"Yes, of course..." Connor was still weak and didn't have the strength to jump down from the table to the floor. "I... need help."

"Hold on." Hank walked over to the supply cabinet and grabbed two pouches of fresh Thirium. He nodded at Markus as North finished securing his damaged hand in a splint and secured off the loose wires and lines in the limb. "Drink this."

Connor accepted the Thirium and drank it slowly. As his Thirium volume increased so did his strength causing his L.E.D. cycle a darker shade of blue.

"Better?"

"Yes, I have improved." Connor confirmed as he finished off the first pouch and kept the second for later consumption. "Thank you for your assistance."

Markus and North joined Connor and Hank at the exam table table as the gathered group took a moment to breathe and contemplate everything that had just happened.

Giving Hank and Connor a nod of respect Markus gave them a suggestion that they readily accepted. "You two need to get back to the city." Markus sounded as exhausted as the two detectives felt. "It'll take some time to get this place cleaned up and remodeled. I think we're going to need to go through CyberLife's records as well to make sure they don't have anymore dangerous prototypes in storage."

"You do that." Hank agreed as he helped Connor climb off the table while the deviant android finished rebuttoning his bloody shirt. "Then contact us as soon as you're ready to speak to city hall. We wont' let you go in there alone with getting those laws and rights passed through."

"Thanks, Hank. We appreciate all of your help."

As the group reached the elevator, passing by the broken machine on the floor without a second glance, Connor put his exposed hand on the panel and deactivated the electronic lock. Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a second before the doors to the elevator opened and the group stepped inside to begin their eager return to the surface.

Markus cybernetically called out to Josh and to Simon to inform them that the model had been destroyed and that the lockdown was now over. ' _We're returning to the tower. I'll explain everything in person, until then do not say anything to the other deviants_. _We don't want to spread false rumors_.'

' _Good to hear from you_.' Josh answered casually with a hint of relief to his voice. ' _Simon and I will be waiting_.'

"So, Connor," Hank asked curiously as the elevator ascended to the ground floor of the tower at a steady clip with the four occupants standing together. "your password seemed pretty unbreakable. What did you change it to?"

"To be honest, I picked something that you'd use yourself in the event that I was for any reason unable to unlock the panel."

"...And what was that, kid?"

Connor coyly smiled a little to himself as he answered, but couldn't bring himself to look Hank in the eye as he spoke. "Fucking password."

_**...next story...** _


	5. A Long Cold Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Illustration by: Jkitty_trashcrash
> 
> Original Link here: https://doodles-by-noodles.tumblr.com/post/177117408681

Lieutenant Hank Anderson drove through the snowy back roads in the dark of the night with his deviant android partner, Connor, at his side as his lone passenger. The two had been called out to investigate a possible homicide with another deviant android involved, but upon arriving at the scene the seasoned detective and highly attuned deviant detective were able to confirm that the murder was in fact a tragic suicide, and the victim's android had tried to save them; hence why the deviant in question was covered in human blood.

A snowstorm had followed the detectives as they left the city and made the investigation somewhat difficult, but the duo was convinced the deviant android was entirely innocent. Fortunately with the success of the revolution as led by Marcus the android would not be held accountable for the death and subsequently destroyed. Hank and Connor made sure of that before leaving the scene to head back to Detroit.

"Of course _we're_ the ones who get sent out in the middle of nowhere during a damn blizzard." Hank grumbled as he struggled to see through the building snow and darkness on the desolate dirt roads as he drove back to the city. "I hate winter."

"We were assigned all cases regarding deviants. I doubt that it was anything personal, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, yeah. But that doesn't mean I have to like it." Hank sighed angrily as he tried to navigate the dark roads through the storm. "I need a drink..."

"Perhaps, you should-"

A sudden impact at the passenger side of the vehicle and deafening crunch of metal with the echo of breaking glass ended the conversation abruptly. The car rapidly rolled four times before coming to a stop upside down in the dark ditch just off the edge of the snowy, icy road. The second vehicle swerved after striking Hank's car and smashed into a tree at the opposite side of the road coming to a forceful stop. The sound of the second vehicle's horn blaring loudly resonated through the isolated area, though no one else could hear it.

Hank's eyes closed as a throbbing pain in his head stole his vision and he knew nothing more of the world around him as passed out over the steering wheel.

A cold breeze rushed through Hank's messy gray hair as he steadily regained consciousness. An icy pressure on the back of his head roused him from his stated of unconsciousness and a single bright light beaming from the ditch blinded him as he gradually opened his eyes.

"...What the hell?"

Feeling dazed Hank grimaced as he lifted his head to look around, and found himself laying flat on his back and staring up at the stars of the night sky overhead. Sitting up Hank saw that he was laying in the middle of the road several feet away from his wrecked car, but he had no memory of getting out of the smashed vehicle or walking away. The single remaining headlight of his car illuminated the icy road making it sparkle brightly all around him while a bright orange fire burned from its upturned undercarriage creating a black smoke that vanished into the black night sky.

"What happened?" Hank grumbled to himself as he stared at the bright blaze consuming what was left of his car. It was then he realized he was alone on the road. "Where the fuck is Connor?"

Turning his head Hank spotted the truck that had hit his car, then veered off smashing into the tree a few yards away. The engine was still on as were the headlights, but the front of the truck was completely smashed in and the windshield and the side windows were completely shattered. Shards of glass littered the ground all around the truck courtesy of the numerous broken windows. The smell of leaking gasoline filled the air as did smoke pouring out from under the hood of the demolished truck.

Mercifully the loud horn had stopped blaring as the smashed front end of the truck finally took its toll on the device. The subsequent silence that followed was only randomly interrupted by the gentle crackling of the flames, or the harsh snowy wind blowing through the surrounding trees.

"Asshole..." Hank swore as he slowly got up to his feet, his legs trembling and his already hands numb from the cold. His head was swimming with a monstrous headache but Hank managed to push aside the discomfort and focus on the task at hand of checking on the driver.

Making his way over to the truck Hank pulled on the door handle on the driver's side only to find that the door was jammed shut. Peering through the broken window of the truck Hank looked inside at the single passenger who was seemingly unconscious over the steering wheel, and now fully deflated airbag.

"Hey, asshole!" Hank shouted at the driver trying to provoke a response. "What the hell's your problem?"

Silence.

Hank sighed as he reached his hand inside the cab of the truck through the window and pressed his fingers against the side of the driver's neck. No pulse. The man's skin was already deathly cold and pale, and he had been dead since the truck collided with the tree. The unmistakable stench of alcohol filled the truck and stung at Hank's eyes as he fought to ignore the incredible pain of his headache. Looking down at the floor of the cab Hank could see a faint puddle and bits of shattered glass from a broken bottle of whiskey.

"Drunk." Hank examined the scene even closer before stepping back and noticed that the driver failed to put on his seatbelt as well. "And stupid. Lethal combination."

Turning away from the truck Hank wandered back over to his own burning car in search of his phone and in search of Connor. He hadn't seen the deviant android when he awoke on the road which made Hank uneasy. Despite his annoyance at Connor for always following him around Hank secretly appreciated having a partner who watched his back so closely.

"Connor, where are you?" Hank called out as he examined the wreckage of his car. The heat from the fire kept him from getting too close to the vehicle as it burned itself into a smoldering hunk of useless metal in the ditch. Kneeling down he looked through the cracked windshield to the interior of the vehicle but didn't see any sign of Connor inside, or of his phone. "Where did he go?"

Hank stood upright slowly and walked around to the passenger side of the car where the truck had impacted to examine the scene more closely. The passenger side door had been completely removed by someone, or something, very strong. The door itself was tossed casually into the ditch beside the car. There was also a puddle of blue fluid on the road next to the vehicle that trailed over to where Hank had been laying, then backtracked past the car and down the road from whence they came.

"Connor? You better be okay..." Hank called out as he sought his deviant android partner. The blue fluid was unmistakably Thirium, Connor's 'blue blood'; which meant Connor was injured. Walking down the road a few feet Hank continued to call out for his missing partner but received no answer every time. "Connor? Where did you-"

A flashing red dot just a few feet further down the road caught Hank's eye. Hank immediately recognized the red dot as an android's L.E.D. blinking in the darkness of the night.

Connor's L.E.D.

"Connor?!" Hank tried to rush toward the light but the throbbing of his headache suddenly stole his energy causing him to stop and press his hand to his aching head until the intense pain lessened. Hobbling over to the red light Hank looked down at the expressionless face of Connor laying on his back in the middle of the road, seemingly unconscious. "Connor?" Hank knelt beside the deviant android and put his hand on Conner's chest. "Wake up. What are you doing out in the middle of the fuckin' road?"

The deviant android didn't response to the question. His systems were failing due to Thirium loss and his remaining power was too low to function properly to any verbal commands.

"How did-" Hank felt a cold, wet fluid on his hand as it rested over Connor's chest. Looking down at his palm Hank saw the distinct color of blue blood staining his skin. "Shit!"

Moving quickly Hank pulled open Connor's gray suit jacket and found the source of the bleeding. A large sheet of twisted metal had penetrated Connor's right side and the lower portion of his chest. By some miracle the metal hadn't completely destroyed the android's vital biocomponents, but the damage was still critical.

"No... not again." Hank felt his stomach knot at the hauntingly reminiscent scene that was unfolding all around him. The icy cold wind made his stomach tighten further as the horrible memories came flooding back to him. "Not this fuckin' nightmare again."

Three years prior Hank had lost his young son, Cole, in a car accident. Cole needed emergency surgery but no doctor was available to perform the operation. Cole died from his injuries and Hank was unable to do anything to save him. On that night Hank's life changed for the worst and sent the detecting spiraling into a deep, dark depression that stunk of booze.

"Connor?" Hank shook the deviant android lightly to try to get a response without jostling the metal debris lodged in Connor's side. Connor's artificial breaths were extremely light and strained as his system tried to compensate for the damage to his internal biocomponents. "Please answer me."

"...Lieu...tenant..." Connor weakly replied as his sensors had indicated that someone was nearby. The L.E.D. flashed red rapidly as his program cycled through its processes to analyze his current status and run a self-diagnostic.

"It's going to be okay, Connor." Hank insisted as he carefully put his hands under Connor's shoulders and lifted the deviant android up into a sitting position on the cold road. Grabbing onto Connor's left arm Hank wrapped the limp, cold limb around his shoulders before he reached his other arm around Connor's lower back to grab onto the deviant's belt. Hefting the semi-conscious deviant up to his feet Hank supported as much of Connor's weight as he could and started walking down the road with his damaged partner leaning heavily on his side. "We're going to get back to the city and you'll get fixed up in no time."

Trudging slowly down the road back in the opposite direction from where Hank had found Connor, back toward the city still miles away, the detective walked slowly with Connor as the determined detective powered through his headache and kept his focus on finding his way back through the snow and darkness.

"Are you still with me, Connor?" Hank asked lowly but firmly as he huffed his tired breaths that escaped in small clouds before him. "Talk to me, kid."

"...What should I... say?"

"Just... Just answer something for me. What were you doing way down the road?"

"...I was..." Connor seemed to be having difficulty finding his words. Whether that was a result of his damaged biocomponents or a missing fragment from his memory, neither could say. "I... I can't..."

"It's okay." Hank stated in a calm voice as he began to slow down his pace from sheer exhaustion. "Don't worry about it."

"...Cold." Connor managed to utter as his systems continued to flash warnings across his visual processors.

"Okay, I'll get you somewhere warm. Just hold on for me."

From down the road in the direction that the two were currently walking the dual glow of approaching headlights illuminated the duo in a white light. Hank grimaced from the intensity of the sudden brightness and put his hand up to shield his eyes from the painfully bright light as another vehicle drove down the road toward the two injured men.

"Looks like we may have found a ride, Connor." Hank stated in a low voice only to be met with silence and increasing weight as Connor fell into another state of unconsciousness against Hank's shoulder. "Connor? Are you awake?"

Silence.

"Shit."

Hank stopped walking and waited for the oncoming vehicle to reach them where they stood. At least he hoped they'd reach him and not turn off onto some unseen side road in the distance.

"Hang on Connor, try to stay with me, son."

The approaching vehicle was an old red pick-up truck being driven by a young teenage boy. Stopping at the side of the road the driver rolled down his window and looked at Hank and Connor with wide eyed worry. "Whoa! What happened you, two?" The young man asked with sincere concern in voice. "How bad are you hurt?"

"Car accident. We need a lift."

"Yeah, yeah. Hop in!" The driver opened his door and leapt down with the intent of helping Hank carry Connor over to the other side of the cab. "Here, let me help you."

"Sure, watch his side." Hank cautioned as he let the kind teenager help him carry Connor to safety. "What's your name, son?"

"Adam. Adam Chapman." The young man replied calmly. "My mom and I live just down the road, he can rest there."

"Thanks, but I need to get him back into the city for repair." Hank claimed as he climbed inside the cab of the truck sitting in the middle of the bench seat. Reaching out his hand he took hold of Connor's arm and helped Adam to guide the deviant android inside to sit next to him. "He's too banged up to wait."

"Sorry, but the roads leading into the city are all blocked by snow and downed trees."

"Ah, shit!" Hank swore as he realized that he and Connor were stranded in the middle of seeming nowhere. "I should've figured as much."

"Don't worry." Adam insisted as he carefully lifted Connor's legs up into the truck before shutting the door of the cab. "My mom can help him. She's saved dozens of androids before."

"Your... mom?" Hank questioned as Adam ran around the front of the truck to get back into the driver's side of the cab.

"Yeah. She's helped a lot of deviants who ran away from their abusive owners for months before the revolution. She can help him, too."

The kindness and generosity in Adam's words touched Hank in a way that he thought was a long dead. Someone was actually taking the time to help someone else in their time of need, and there were no strings attached; nothing to be gained or a debt to be paid. It was all coming from the good of Adam's heart.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Adam carefully backed up the truck on the road to turn around and drive home with his two new passengers in tow.

Hank pressed his hand down on Connor's shoulder to hold the unconscious deviant as steady as possible, while also trying to keep his own mind from drifting. From the level of pain he was experiencing in his head and the definitive blackout he had endured Hank was certain he had been concussed during the accident and wanted to remain as alert as possible.

"What're you doing out here anyway, Adam?" Talking was the best way to keep conscious and monitor the severity of his own injuries. "It's dangerous."

"We lost power about an hour ago." Adam explained calmly as he drove down the road at a steady clip. "I went to see if I could find the damage so I could report it, but I can't get down the road far enough to find the source. I wanted to go check the other side and that's when I found you two."

"Pretty big risk driving out here all alone in a storm."

"Yeah, well, it paid off, didn't it?"

"Yeah. I guess it did." Hank watched as Connor's head began to bow down as the deviant's power level continued to drop to a dangerously low level.

"Can I ask what you two doing out here?" Adam wisely questioned as he slowly drove down the icy road back to his home. "What happened?"

"We work with the Detroit Police Department." Hank replied honestly as he tightened his grip on Connor's shoulder. "We were on our way back from the scene of a- coming back from a case," Hank corrected himself as he didn't want to accidentally put any macabre thoughts in Adam's head. "and we were hit by a drunk driver."

"The other driver... are they okay?"

"He's gone. Looks like his neck was broken during the crash, died instantly."

"Are you hurt?"

"A little banged up, but believe me, I've been through worse."

"And him?" Adam looked over at Connor briefly before returning his gaze to the road before him.

Hank almost laughed at the question. "He's seen some shit, too."

"I didn't know androids worked with the police."

"Well, normally the androids at the department handle things at the receptionist desk and weed out junk complaints from the real deal, Connor was the first android to actually work on cases in the field. He's my partner."

Adam smiled a little at the comment. "Wow, that's pretty cool."

"Yeah." Hank agreed as he looked over at Connor's face. He couldn't directly see the L.E.D. blinking in Connor's temple but the red glow being cast on the side of the cab told Hank that his partner's condition wasn't improving. "How much farther?"

"We're there." Adam stated as he pulled the truck up the long icy driveway toward a snow covered greenhouse behind a large, beautiful homestead. Turning off the engine Adam threw open his door and jogged over to the opposite side of the cab to help with Connor. As he pulled open the door he took one look at the wounded android and stepped back in fear.

"What's wrong, Adam?" Hank watched the young man's reaction warily.

"There's... a lot of blood."

"A lot of-" Hank leaned over Connor and peeled back the jacket to reexamine the wound. While Connor had already lost a considerable amount of Thirium long before Adam had found the duo walking down the road, the amount of fresh Thirium that was quickly soaking into Connor's shirt was absolutely alarming. "Damn it, all that moving must've dislodged the metal."

"Don't worry." Adam came to his senses and grabbed onto Connor's arm without touching the metal in the process. As he placed the android's arm around his shoulders he looked to Hank as he spoke. "We can still help him."

"Then let's not wait." Hank urged as he dropped out of the truck onto the snow and grabbed Connor's other arm. The abrupt motion made Hank's head ache with a searing pain but he pushed it aside in favor of helping his partner. "Let's get to it."

"Mom!" Adam shouted as he helped Hank carry Connor to the front door of the house. Pushing the door open with force Adam guided the two detectives inside and stood just inside the door out of the cold. "Mom! We need help!"

"Adam?!" A woman's voice responded from the kitchen at the far end of the house. Rushing through the house the woman, of whom had to be Adam's mother, spotted her son holding up a bloodied android as well as a pretty banged up looking human right beside him. "My goodness, what happened?!"

"Car accident, ma'am." Hank replied as the woman put her hand beneath Connor's chin and gently lifted his head to get a better look at his face in the dim lighting of the foyer, and noted his red tinted L.E.D. blinking slowly. "Your son saved us."

She turned to look at Hank and visibly winced at the smear of blood on Hank's forehead just below his hairline. "You're both in rough shape, but he's in critical condition."

"Can you help him?"

"Yes." The woman confirmed as she took Connor's arm from around Hank's shoulder and motioned for Adam to help her carry the wounded android into the adjacent room. "We still have some spare parts and blue blood that can help him."

Hank watched as the two worked together to carry Connor into the next room, a laundry room, and lay him down on his back very lightly on a bench jutting out from the far wall. Adam grabbed a clean towel from a large stack that had been folded and left on top of the dryer, and placed it under Connor's head like a pillow to help him feel more comfortable.

With a mother's care the woman peeled back the fabric of Connor's blood soaked gray jacket and stared down at the entry point of the jagged chunk of metal in his side and chest. Thirium stained the entire right side of Connor's body around the wound, and stretched out over his chest. The already weak breaths that Connor managed to take seemed so pitiful and waning as he fought to perform even the most basic of physical motions.

As the dedicated woman loosened Connor's tie and unbutton his stained white dress shirt beneath she glanced up at Hank with unparalleled kindness in her dark brown eyes. "I didn't get your name."

"Hank. I'm Lt. Hank Anderson, Detroit Police Department." He put his hand to his head as he spoke. It seemed even the simple acting of talking was enough to cause his head to throb with pain. "And that's Connor. He's my partner."

"Nice to meet you, Hank." She glanced down at Connor's face for a moment before returning to Hank. "I'm Rose. And you've already met my son, Adam."

"Mom," Adam was beginning to sound worried again as he stared at the painful wound in Connor's side. "he's lost a lot of Thirium."

Rose nodded in agreement. "Bring three units of blue blood from the storage closet. I need to see which of his biocomponents were damaged."

"Okay."

Hank held his breath as Rose opened Connor's shirt to fully expose the wound beneath, and both humans felt a chill run up their spines. The metal had pierced Connor's side at a frightening angle and had torn into his body coming to a rest near the center of his torso. The artificial skin that once covered his side had receded from his side and alongside where his lower ribcage would be if he were human. The lack of skin was about one inch in diameter around the wound leaving only the exposed plastimetal frame behind. Thirium leaked from the frame all around the injury at an alarming rate and Connor seemed to be having increased difficulty breathing. With each forced breath his damaged chest and abdomen would rise and fall rapidly as he struggled to breathe.

Rose gently pressed the fingertips of her two forefingers of her left hand to the red colored L.E.D. in Connor's right temple before pressing her right hand down on his rapidly rising and falling stomach near the wound. In response the artificial skin that covered his abdomen receded further giving Rose access to the now exposed panel beneath.

"You really do know a lot about androids, don't you?" Hank asked with admiration in his voice as he watched Rose work with an expert precision behind each movement she made.

Rose smiled a little at the comment as she pressed down on the exposed plastimetal panel and slid it to the left to open the abdominal compartment of Connor's torso. "Unfortunately, yes. Many androids who found their way here were very badly damaged. I did my best to help repair them and in time I've learned a few tricks here and there."

"What can you tell me about Connor's condition?"

"It's bad." Rose confirmed as she stared at the pool of lost Thirium that had collected in Connor's torso. His weak breaths made the sight of his exposed abdomen all the more brutal to witness. Several tubes and lines that circulated the blue blood to Connor's biocomponents had been damaged by the jagged metal which caused the initial leak, but the most severe damage was to single biocomponent in the center of Connor's abdomen. "But the damage is not catastrophic." Rose turned to look at Hank over her shoulder with a determined gaze. "His thermal regulator has been damaged and he'll overheat soon."

"Can it be repaired?"

"Yes, I mean, possibly. But I've never seen biocomponents like his." Rose turned over the lapel of Connor's gray jacket and noted his model number. "RK-800. I've never encountered one before."

Hank smiled a little at the observation. "He was the most advanced prototype ever created by CyberLife before they went under. He's unique."

"That makes sense." Rose gently put her fingers inside the opened compartment and applied light pressure to the leaking tubes to stem the bleeding. Connor's body twitched slightly from the agonizing contact and he let out a low groan of pain. The response of course meant that Connor's systems were still functioning, though at an uncomfortably low level. "Hopefully we have a compatible part to replace the regulator, otherwise..."

"Yeah. I know." Hank understood the severity of the situation but he didn't want to acknowledge it all the same. "I get it."

Adam returned to the laundry room with three bags of the requested blue blood in his arms as well as some kind of plastic box full of supplies. "I just checked the rest the biocomponents, we're low but I don't think it'll be too bad."

"Good. See if you can find a thermal regulator for any 800 model." Rose took the blood and kit from Adam and nodded at Hank. "You won't find a perfect match, so just do your best."

"Right."

Rose handed the bags of blood to Hank before sitting the box, an android medical kit, down on the bench next to Connor's legs. Opening the lid to gather the necessary items she needed Rose paid little attention to Hank craning his neck to see what was inside the kit itself.

What looked like several rolls of water resistant adhesive lined the case, as well as bags of small flexible tubes, tiny metal pins, small metal clamps, a sharp utility knife, some kind of small suction pump and a soldering iron were contained inside. But stranger still were the rolls of what looked like white gauze that any human would use to dress their own wounds.

"I'm going to stop the bleeding." Rose explained as she set about using the clamps to pinch off the ends of the damaged tubes and compromised lines. Again Connor twitched and groaned, but he remained in place on the bench and didn't try to resist Rose's assistance. "It'll be a little messy, but it won't be nearly as bad as it looks."

 

 

 "It's okay." The senior detective nodded slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest and continued to watch from the doorway with an uneasy pit forming in his stomach. "I trust you to do what's best for him."

Adam pushed past Hank in the doorway with two biocomponents contained inside protective plastic bags in his hands. "These two are both model number 800, I wasn't sure which one would be the better fit."

"Bring them here." The kind woman instructed her son as she used the utility knife to cut through the damaged tubing then replaced it with the new tubing within the kit. "We'll take a closer look in a moment."

Adam listened to his mother's instructions and hovered over Connor suspiciously as he eyed the large piece of jagged metal still embedded in his side. "How're we going to remove that?"

"Very carefully." Rose stated as she found the point of contact between the debris and the regulator. "You pull and I'll guide it out so it doesn't inflict anymore damage on the way out."

"Yeah, okay." Adam took hold of the metal with both of his hands and held his breath. Applying a firm but careful grip Adam planted his feet and began pulling on the metal at a steady pace. "...Go."

As the process began Connor's body began to rock and threatened to slip off the edge of the bench as Adam pulled despite using controlled strength. Unable to keep himself steady Connor was defenseless and let out a gasping breath of pain and confusion once the ordeal began. Rose looked to Hank who immediately approached the bench and put his hands on Connor's shoulder and his hip to hold the android in place while Adam pulled on the metal debris.

"Easy, we got you." Hank soothed as he kept his partner as still as possible on the bench. "It's going to be over soon."

The three humans worked together seamlessly, albeit awkwardly, to remove the metal without causing further harm to Connor in the process.

"Got it!" Adam hefted the Thirium drenched metal into his arms and backed out of the laundry room. "I'll toss this in the shed."

Connor's red L.E.D. flashed frantically as his system struggled to process the event that had transpired, but then slowed down a more manageable rate as his system began to stabilize. The deviant android took in a single deep breath before resuming a more standard breathing pattern. The worst of the situation was seemingly over, and now he could breathe without hindrance.

Rose grabbed the small suction pump from the kit and used it to drain the excess Thirium out of the exposed cavity before continuing the repairs to Connor's damaged Thirium lines and biocomponent.

"That's a lot of blood." Hank noted with a sickening knot tightening in his stomach. Despite his many years on the force the sight of blood coming from someone he cared about; human or android, it never got any easier to witness.

"Yes. He's lost at least three pints of Thirium already."

"Is... How much before it's fatal? Do you know?"

"Five. Androids contain the same amount of blood as a human. We can replenish what he's lost, but even then it'll take his system hours to recover fully."

"Just..." Hank was torn about what he should be doing, compared to what he actually could do for the injured deviant. "Please, keep doing what you're doing."

Hank backed away from the bench and closed his eyes as the headache he had been hiding began to gnaw at his fortitude mercilessly. He wasn't sure how long he was standing there watching Rose repair and replace the damaged tubes in Connor's torso, but it felt like an eternity. It was eerily reminiscent of the night Cole died. Hank spent painfully slow hours waiting, hoping, praying for some kind of miracle to save his son. But it was too late.

And Cole was lost.

Adam returned to the room and discreetly slipped by Hank as to not disturb the exhausted detective as he resumed aiding his mother in repairing the damage to Connor's regulator. "Which one?"

"Let's try the first one." Rose to her son, and her voice caused Hank's eyes to snap open as he watched the next procedure intently.

The bleeding had been stopped save for the Thirium continuing to leak from the damage regulator, but that soon would too stop.

Rose took the first regulator from its packaging and compared it to the damaged one still inside Connor's torso. She compared the size and the connections before trying use it to replace the original, then checked the second regulator just to make certain.

"Something wrong?" Hank could see the worry in Rose's eyes as she paused her actions despite her previously confident motions.

"Neither of these regulators are compatible. One is too small to function without burning out within a few hours, and the other doesn't have the proper connections to attach securely."

"So what do we do?"

"I can try to solder the damage to his current regulator and hope his recovery processors can finish what I start."

"And if you can't?"

"Then he'll need a total replacement and I don't know where to find a compatible regulator for his model. Without one he'll shutdown in less than six hours."

Hank sighed and squared his jaw as he tried to make the correct decision on Connor's behalf. Risk using an incompatible part that will burn out but possibly bide enough time to get Connor back to the city, or risk keeping the original regulator in place while his processor attempts to repair the damage itself? Neither option seemed to be favorable, but in that moment Hank didn't have the right to be stubborn.

"See what you can do with the damaged regulator first." Hank finally decided as he stared at Connor's contrastingly peaceful face in comparison to the carnage that was his opened abdomen and damaged chest. "If all else fails we'll try to replace it with the second one later on."

"Okay." Rose agreed as she set about preparing the soldering iron and a delicate amount of solder to seal the damage to the regulator without burning the delicate biocomponent during the process. "Adam, get some cool water in a spray bottle ready for me."

"Sure, mom."

Hank had been a bit of a talented mechanic for most of his life and knew that it took great skill, patience and practice to master the art of welding. Soldering was just as laborious of a task, but he trusted Rose enough to let her do everything she could to save Connor's life.

As Rose set about soldering the visible damage to Connor's regulator the deviant android began to flinch slightly and resumed groaning in pain as he became more aware of his surroundings. His hands tightened into fists at his side as he fought to endure the pain without lashing out the person trying to help him. His L.E.D. began flashing red frantically again as if in horrible distress, but he didn't say a word or try to protest.

"Hold on, Connor." Hank encouraged as he watched the smoke rise from the fresh solder being applied to the biocomponent. Adam had returned with the spray bottle and began to rhythmically spray water over the repaired metal as to keep it from overheating while being soldered, and to wash off the remaining Thirium that coated Connor's internal systems. "It's for the best, son."

Connor seemed to hear and understand Hank's voice as his L.E.D. began to slow down its rapid cycle and resumed flashing at a slower pace, but it remained red in color.

Rose retracted her hands from Connor's torso with a weary sigh as she set the soldering iron back down in the kit. She pressed her hands down on the edge of the opened compartment and the panel slid shut as easily as it had opened. Mirroring her movements from before Rose placed her fingers against Connor's temple and pressed her hand down on his stomach, the artificial skin regenerating over his plastimetal frame within seconds of her manually activating the program.

"That should hold for now." Rose told Hank in a calm tone of voice. Reaching into the kit one last time she took a roll of what appeared to be normal gauze and began wrapping it around Connor's torso with Adam gently putting his hand under Connor's back and shoulders to lift the deviant android upright, while Rose dressed the wound. "He needs to enter rest mode for a few hours to enable his self-healing program at full power."

"Great, that's great." Hank tried to sound as enthused as he sincerely felt, but his headache stole away whatever energy he felt when he spoke.

"Adam, help me carry him up into the guest bedroom." Rose asked as she tied off the gauze and replaced what was left of the roll back into the kit. "Be very careful not to bend his abdomen too much until he has the chance to recover a little more."

"Please," Hank volunteered, tucking the bags of blue blood deeply into his coat pocket, as he returned to the bench and wrapped his hand around Conner's upper arm. "let me do this. You've already done so much."

Adam nodded in approval as he moved aside to let Hank pull Connor up from the bench and onto his feet. Grabbing onto Connor's other arm Adam led the two detectives from the laundry room and toward the ascending staircase just outside the door. "This way."

Rose followed close by as the two men hefted the wounded deviant android slowly, carefully up the staircase with cumbersome but determined steps.

Ascending the narrow staircase had proven itself a chore, especially with Hank's headache providing some resistance to his movements. Fortunately Adam was proving himself to be quite physically fit and strong in spite of young age. Reaching the top of the staircase Adam pushed open the door directly in front of him and stepped inside slowly. Rose joined the two men inside the room and pulled back the top cover over the soft twin bed to allow Adam and Hank to lay Connor down comfortably under the quilt.

The guestroom itself was modest but very welcoming. The soft bed had an old quilt draped over top with a thick, fluffy pillow. A small table beside the bed held a lamp and in the corner of the room was an old wooden writing desk with a wood chair tucked underneath it. There was a large window overlooking the property and if the curtains weren't already drawn then the sight of the cold winter night outside would've been spectacular.

"I got him." Hank stated as he took all of Connor's weight against his shoulder and guided the deviant android down until he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Good thing he's lighter than he looks."

Rose took the opportunity to slip off Connor's Thirium soaked and torn gray jacket and his equally stained white shirt from his shoulders and arms and draped the Thirium stained clothes over the foot of the bed. Putting her hand beneath Connor's head Rose guided him down against the pillow while Hank removed Connor's shoes and lifted his legs up onto the bed with little difficulty on his part.

"There." Rose pulled her hand away from Connor's hair and eyed Hank with a stern focus. Connor's L.E.D. was still red despite the treatment he had received, but that was to be expected in light of the serious damage he had sustained. "Now that he's been taken care of it's your turn."

"Me?" Hank tried to feign innocence but the pain in his eyes from his intense headache gave away his little 'secret'. "I'm okay."

"That cut on your forehead says otherwise." Rose argued as she crossed her arms defiantly and spoke to Hank with the 'mom' voice. "There's a first aid kit downstairs. I'll patch you up and Adam can stay with Connor for a few minutes."

In an attempt to stall his leave of the room Hank reached into his coat pocket and retrieved the three pouches of Thirium and held them out for Rose. "After this."

"Okay." Rose gave Hank a faint grin as she took the bags of blue blood from his hands. Normally she didn't approve of stubbornness, but there was something about the way Hank was protectively hovering over the android that she found endearing. Setting two of the bags down on the small table beside the bed Rose prepared the third pouch for immediate administration. "As soon as he's been given his blood you're coming downstairs with me."

"Deal."

Adam quickly stepped out the room and disappeared from sight as Rose opened the pouch of blue blood and sat on the edge of the bed next to Connor's side. Gently Rose replaced her hand beneath his head and tried to lift the android up, but Connor was so deep in his rest mode that his entire body was limp and too heavy for her to move with one hand.

"Here." Hank approached the head of the bed and put his hand under Connor's head where her hand had just been. "What do you need me to do?"

"Lift his head up slightly and open his mouth. I need to get the Thirium down his throat to replenish what he's lost."

"He still has to _drink_ it?" Hank looked visibly ill at the mental image that appeared in his head, but he did as Rose instructed. "...Gross. That shit always creeps me out."

Rose couldn't hide her amusement as she pressed the end of the pouch to Connor's lips. Patiently Rose waited for Connor to respond but he failed to even faintly acknowledge the Thirium being offered. Pouring a small amount of Thirium into Connor's mouth Rose watched for any sign of awareness, but Connor failed to react.

"He's too weak to swallow." She lamented as she pulled the Thirium pouch away and looked at Hank sadly. "I guess I'll have to do this the old fashioned way."

Adam returned to the room and watched the scene unfolding with quiet intrigue as he stared at the wounded android with sincere worry in his eyes. He had a gray t-shirt neatly folded in his hands and seemed to have something on his mind, but kept it to himself for a moment.

"Adam?" Rose looked to her son with motherly concern. She knew that while Adam's mind had changed regarding deviants he still wasn't entirely comfortable with providing first aid to androids. "What's going on?"

"I brought this for Connor." Adam handed his mom the t-shirt. "I figured he could use it since his own shirt is all torn up."

Hank gave Adam a gracious smile as he clapped the young man on his shoulder. "Thanks, son. I'm sure once Connor wakes up he'll be able to say thank you, too."

Rose took the t-shirt from her son as she gave him a beaming grin of pride and easily slipped the clean garment over the android's head, and tucked his arms through the sleeves. As she pulled the hem of the shirt down to cover Connor's abdomen she noticed the deviant android wincing slightly as her hand brushed past his injury.

"His external sensors are still active, but he can't respond just yet." Rose pulled the quilt up over Connor's abdomen as a kind gesture. Pressing her fingertips to Connor's still red L.E.D. and her opposite hand to the bend in his left arm laying limp on the bed at his side Rose watched as the artificial skin receded creating a circle about inch in diameter and exposed the white plastimetal frame beneath. Just as before she pressed her fingers down on a panel at the point of contact in Connor's arm where it bends and slid open a panel that gave her access to large line equivalent to an artery. "This should take about fifteen minutes to complete."

"You mean you can hook him up with the blue blood like an I.V.? Why not just do that in the first place?" Hank asked as he gently laid Connor's head back down against the pillow.

"It's not as effective when the Thirium is administered through a line. If it's ingested then his system will immediately detect the added Thirium and recalibrate his system accordingly. When it's administered through a line, especially when functioning on low-power, his system won't recognize the increased Thirium volume until it's circulated through his biocomponents for at least three cycles."

"How long is a cycle?" Hank inquired as watched Rose clip the plastic tubing attached to the pouch to the port on the line in Connor's arm.

"It depends." Squeezing the pouch twice the blue blood began running down the tube and into Connor's arm just like any I.V. would do for a human. "When an android of a more advanced model, like Connor, is running at full power one cycle is about ten minutes. When he's at low-power one cycle takes about thirty minutes."

"Ah."

Rose lifted the pouch upward and Adam took it from her hand. Attaching the pouch to a small nail jutting out from the wall above the bed, where an old shelf once hung, the Thirium drained from the pouch with the assistance of gravity and without any further hindrance.

"Now," Rose stood up from the bed and took hold of Hank's arm. "your turn."

Adam spoke up before Hank the chance to protest. "I'll stay with him." Pulling the chair tucked away under the nearby desk to the end of the bed Adam sat down and watched over Connor carefully. "I'll let you know if wakes up."

"Come on, Hank." Rose insisted again as she began dragging him toward the opened door. "You need to let me take care of that cut before it gets infected."

"I appreciate your concern," Hank remarked sincerely as he begrudgingly allowed Rose to guide him back downstairs and into the kitchen. "but a little cut isn't exactly life or death."

"You're right." Rose agreed as she led him to the kitchen table and all but pushed him down into a chair to sit. She grabbed onto the collar of Hank's coat and pulled it down causing Hank to pull his arms free of the sleeves in the process. "But a head injury could be." Rose spotted a deep cut on Hank's upper arm as well now that the coat had been removed. "Not to mention a possible infection."

"Head injury?"

"You hit your head." Rose stated confidently as she walked over to the freezer door and opened it quickly. Tossing a bag of frozen peas at Hank the detective caught it in mid air with one hand and gratefully pressed it to his forehead. "I can see it in your eyes."

"It's that obvious, huh? Guess it must be pretty bad."

"Could always be worse." She reminded him kindly as she pulled the human first aid kit from the top of the freezer and joined Hank at the kitchen table. Sitting beside the detective Rose opened the kit and began rummaging through the supplies inside just as she had done when she was tending to Connor's injuries in the laundry room. "Let me see."

Hank dropped the frozen peas from his forehead and placed it on the back of his head instead. He sat upright as he turned to face Rose in a cooperative manner as he finally allowed her to help him. Despite his gruff exterior Hank's heart of gold was made evident in his tone of voice and the gentle way he looked at the incredibly kind woman who gave him and Connor shelter for the night.

"So, are you going to tell me why you and your partner were out in the middle of a blizzard?" Rose asked as she brushed back Hank's gray locks from his face with one hand, and dipped a cottonball in some rubbing alcohol and dabbed at the cut on Hank's forehead with the other. "Or do you want me to guess?"

"We were-" Hank winced as the cold alcohol came into contact with the cut and sent a jolt of pain through his skin. "We were checking out the scene of a possible homicide. On our way back to the city we were hit by a drunk driver. Your son found us, and saved us."

"Unfortunately we do see some reckless drivers out here pretty often. Guess they think no one else will be on a back road or something."

"Well, this guy was wrong."

"And I take it the other driver didn't make it?"

"No." Hank confirmed with a low tone. "He didn't make it. He died on impact."

"How did you get out of your car?" Rose asked curiously as she noted the lack of blood, bruising and dirt on Hank's hands. "It doesn't look like you were in an as severe of an accident as you said."

"Honestly, I can't tell you." Hank sighed as Rose placed a patch of gauze against the cut and used medical adhesive to hold it in place. "One minute I was driving, the next I was laying in the middle of the road. Must've stumbled out of the car in a daze before passing out again."

"Look at me." Rose instructed as she studied Hank's pupils. She gently put her hand to his chin and lightly turned his face and watched his eyes moving as he tried to focus on her. "You might have a mild concussion."

Hank smiled as he noted the sizable bump on the back of his skull. "I agree."

Rose next to tended to the cut on Hank's arm with the same motherly care she had shown earlier. A cut that the detective hadn't even noticed he suffered until Rose began fussing with his sleeve to look at the wound.

"Didn't even feel that." Hank admitted as he took off his long sleeved shirt to expose his arm fully for Rose to clean. "The wonders of the human body, I guess."

"Probably from some glass." Rose deduced as she set about cleaning the deep, bloody laceration. "And you'll need a few stitches to properly close this."

"You're not volunteering, are you?"

"Only if you trust me." She gave Hank a confident grin as she arched a brow as if challenging the detective's endurance.

"Why not? You saved Connor, and he's a fu-" Hank caught himself before he cursed so as to not offend his gracious host. "Connor's more complicated than a simple cut to the arm. So, I think a needle and some thread should be no problem."

Rose nodded as she took a small suturing kit contained inside the first aid kit and sterilized the needle. Wiping down Hank's arm in alcohol the meticulous woman prepared to place the first stitch with a controlled, precise motion. "Before we do this would you like a drink?"

"Normally I'd say yes, but after tonight... That's the last thing I want to do."

"I understand."

Hank held his breath as the needle pierced through his skin and Rose set about stitching the wound closed. "Tell me about yourself, Rose." He insisted as he made polite conversation, and tried to distract himself from the burning pain in his arm. "This house seems pretty big for just you and Adam. Can I ask about your-"

"My husband passed away two years ago." Rose stated sadly without taking her eyes from her work. "Complications from pneumonia after he began treatment for lung cancer."

"I'm so sorry. I lost my mother to cancer."

"It was a little difficult at first but we managed. And as we continued on with our lives with the family greenhouse we found ourselves providing shelter to deviants fleeing abusive owners and seeking freedom. It was like a reminder that just as quickly as life ends, new life always finds a way to begin."

"And that's how you learned so much about androids and their inner-workings, right? Why did you keep touching the L.E.D. in Connor's head?"

"When an android is too low on power to respond to basic functions manual intervention is necessary. By pressing down lightly against the L.E.D. and pressing against the damaged area on an android's person it's possible to remove the artificial skin so repairs can be done."

"I didn't know that. Hell, I had no idea that androids even had a type of a manual override. I've had to repair Connor before and I just figured he was the one retracting his skin as he gave me instructions." Hank's brow furrowed as another question popped into his head. "What about the gauze? Why'd you wrap him up? It's not like he can get an infection or something."

"It's not traditional gauze that you or I would use on our own wounds, it's a special type that has the same components used in creating artificial skin. By wrapping up an injury in this gauze it tricks the androids sensors into thinking that artificial skin is in place and their program will focus on running the healing program for more serious damage rather than keeping the artificial skin active. It'll also keep foreign matter from getting inside the exposed frame or Thirium lines."

"Is that a problem?"

"It can be. Like us, android skin keeps their internal biocomponents from getting damaged or dirty. It's a primary function, yet elective, as an android can disable their skin at any time. But..."

"But if the android can't respond and remove their skin to treat the damage then the repair program can't function properly."

"Right. And if foreign matter gets into the their biocomponents it can cause complications such overheating or ventilation failure."

"Turns out deviants are just as fragile as humans." Hank laughed a little at the ironic comparison. "Guess I'm finally starting to catch on."

Rose didn't say anything. She was too focused on her work, too worried about Hank and about Connor to really say anything else.

"You took a big risk helping so many deviants." He pressed in a kind but firm manner. "If you had been caught you would've been charged with aiding a felon and sent to prison."

"It was worth it." She replied with the utmost confidence in her voice. "To help so many people who just needed the chance to have a life of their own... It really helped me to cope with losing my husband."

"And Adam?"

"It took some time but Adam saw deviants in the same way that they saw themselves. Alive. And now he's much more involved in helping deviants and all androids in general achieve equal rights."

"You must be proud."

"I am." Rose smiled a little as she rhythmically placed the stitches in Hank's arm. "What about you? Do you have a family?"

"I... I have Connor." Hank stated in a somber tone as he suddenly looked away from Rose. "My wife... she died. Six years ago. I'm a widower."

Rose could see that Hank was holding something back, something painful. She didn't want to open old scars, but she knew all too well how much grief can damage a person if they hold it inside. "Kids?"

Hank sighed a little as he thought about Cole but didn't answer.

"I'm sorry." Tying off the silk thread she finished placing the final stitch and snipped off the remaining thread. "I didn't mean to drudge up the past."

"You didn't." Hank confirmed as he watched Rose finish placing the final stitch and tie off the silk thread. "I've been living in the past for over three years now. I've only recently begun to move on with my life."

"I'm not sure when the roads will be cleared, so you're going to be staying here for the night." Rose admitted as she lightly wrapped Hank's arm in gauze. "We lost power about four hours ago and have been using the emergency generator ever since. I can't get a signal on my phone to check for an update."

"It's alright. I'll check the roads in the morning." Hank pulled his shirt back down over his arm before he grabbed his coat.

"Cold?"

"I'm alright." Hank moved the frozen bag of peas from the back of his head and onto his arm over the fresh stitches.

"I'll make you something to eat." Rose volunteered as she stood up from the table and walked to the counter.

"No, please. You've done enough."

"I don't mind. It's not often we have company since Markus led the revolution, and I love to cook. Why don't you go check in on Connor?"

"Yeah, good idea." As Hank stood up his head began to swim and he stumbled forward slightly. He caught himself with one hand against the table's surface before he fell over. "Ow, damn..."

Rose noticed that Hank was suffering from a dizzy spell and was at his side in a flash. "Come on. I'll help you upstairs."

"I'll be fine."

"I'm sure you will be, but right now you need some help."

Hank wanted to protest out of a deep-seeded stubbornness, but his head was aching too much to try and argue. Relenting out of sheer pain Hank let Rose put her hand to his lower back as she helped guide the concussed senior detective toward the staircase and guided him back into the guestroom at the top of the stairs where Connor was resting.

Adam was sitting in the chair watching over the deviant android silently when Rose and Hank returned to the room. "The first Thirium pouch is almost gone." The attentive young man noted as the blue blood entered Connor's body. "And he hasn't woken up yet."

Without a word Rose set about replacing the empty pouch with a new pouch while Adam vacated his chair and left it for Hank to sit in.

"Should I do anything else, mom?"

"No, Adam." Rose checked the line in Connor's arm for a moment before she approached her son. Putting her hand to the side of his face she coaxed him into bending down a little so she could kiss his forehead. "It's late, get some sleep. I'll wake you in the morning."

"Okay, mom. Uh, goodnight, sir."

"Goodnight Adam, and, call me Hank."

"Right. Hank." Adam departed the room quietly and headed down the hallway into his own bedroom for the rest of the night.

"He's a good kid." Hank commented as he sat down heavily in the chair and resumed his vigil over Connor.

Rose rested her hand atop Connor's chest and pressed down. From beneath her palm she could feel Connor's Thirium pump rapidly working to circulate the replenished blue blood through his body as it targeted his damaged thermal regulator to focus the healing program accordingly.

"What're you doing?" Hank asked as he watched Rose's eyes curiously. She seemed to be in a trance as she hovered over Connor and he was intrigued by her concentration.

"I'm counting his pulse."

"P-Pulse? Connor has a _pulse_?"

Rose smiled warmly at the sincerely question. It wasn't the naivety in Hank's voice that amused her, it was the surprise. "Androids don't have the usual pulse points as a human, but they do have a palpable heartbeat."

"I knew they could breathe and I knew they had beating hearts, but it never occurred to me that they could have tangible pulses."

Connor's L.E.D. suddenly flashed from red to yellow as his head lolled slightly and his brown eyes partially opened.

"Connor, 'bout time you woke up, kid." Hank grinned as he watched Connor's systems finally come back online. At least to an extent.

"...Lieu...Lieutenant?"

"I'm here." Hank confirmed as Rose hovered protectively around the bed. "You're going to be okay."

"Where... are we?"

"Safe." Was Hank's succinct, honest reply. "How do you feel?"

Connor's dull brown eyes blinked slowly before opening again, his eyelids still only partially opened. He turned his head to look at Hank and then noticed Rose standing beside him. The off-look in Connor's eyes spoke volumes of confusion and concern.

"She's a friend. She's been helping us both." Hank confirmed as he watched Connor's eyes struggling to focus on her. "Are you in any pain?"

"...Pain." Connor swallowed once, the small amount of Thirium that Rose had tried to give him earlier finally being ingested into his system. "I... can't..."

Rose took the third bag of Thirium as she sat on the edge of the bed. Putting her hand beneath his head she coaxed him into sitting up slightly as she pressed the pouch of Thirium to his lips. "Drink this, it'll help you regain your strength."

Connor's visual processors were unable to fully focus let alone allow the android to perform a scan of his environment. Aware of the deep blue color that was distinct to Thirium and Hank's lack of objection Connor slowly began to drink the required Thirium that Rose had offered. It wasn't long until the pouch was empty as ingestion truly was more effective than a line insertion when it came to replenishing blue blood. Connor's L.E.D. flashed briefly to blue before returning to yellow as his system accepted the added Thirium and began recalibration.

"...Thank you." Connor managed to utter as Rose guided him back down against the pillow. The yellow L.E.D. transitioned back to red as a new found physical discomfort settled in Connor's abdomen causing him to wince and take in a sucking breath between his teeth.

Hank could see that he was in pain and just wanted him to admit it so he could be helped. "Come on, son. Level with us." The encouragement in Hank's voice was friendly rather than aggressive. "How do you feel?"

"I feel... damaged." Connor admitted as his right hand lifted up slowly from his side and pressed against his abdomen over the bandages where the metal debris had been lodged. "Right here."

Rose smiled as she returned her fingers the L.E.D. in Connor's temple and held them in place for a few seconds before retracting her touch.

The L.E.D. in turn shifted from red to yellow once more as the pain in Connor's abdomen began to lessen and allowed him to relax. "Thank you..." The android repeated as his renewed strength faded away and his systems returned to rest mode.

With a very soft touch Rose lifted Connor's eyelids and looked at his unfocused, hazy brown eyes before she sweetly brushed the rogue lock of his brown hair from his face. As her hand made contact with his forehead she became slightly alarmed and fully pressed her palm against his forehead for a few seconds before she pressed it against his cheek.

"Something wrong?" Hank had been watching her movements like a hawk from where he sat.

"He's running a fever."

"A _fever_? But he's an android, how is that possible?"

"The damage was to his thermal regulator. It's the biocomponent that keeps androids from overheating." Pulling back the quilt from Connor's chest and abdomen Rose hoped that the removed covering would help Connor to cool down. "I'm going to get some ice. Hopefully it'll keep him stable until his self-healing program can mend the damage."

"Stable?"

"If he overheats for too long," Rose answered with a grim voice as she stepped through the opened doorway. "then it can cause permanent damage to his other biocomponents or his intracranial processor. Even a permanent shutdown."

Alone with Connor, who was looking far too human, too vulnerable for Hank's comfort, the senior detective couldn't stop himself from thinking about all the nights he stayed up with Cole whenever he was sick. Those nights seemed so long and like such nuisance to bear, but now Hank found himself pining for those hours he spent walking him all through the house, and just sitting with his son and reading him story after story after story until he at last drifted off to sleep in his arms.

"Connor, I swear you're going to be the death of me." Hank openly complained as he watched the deviant android breathing slowly as he remained in rest mode. "You're more of a handful than puppy-training Sumo."

Rose returned to the room with two bags of ice in her arms, as well as a cold, damp washcloth. "Since androids can't sweat it's important to keep him as cool as possible externally." Rose smoothed the washcloth over Connor's forehead then placed the first small bag of ice at the back of Connor's neck and the second bag of ice was placed under his shirt over top of his chest. "I'll be back to check on him in an hour. You should try to get some sleep."

"I'll be fine." Hank again insisted as he leaned back in the chair and tried to ignore his throbbing head and the numbness in his stitched up arm.

"I'll bring you something for your headache." With a gentle touch of her hand to his shoulder Rose comforted Hank as best as she could. "Try to relax."

Hank nodded a little as he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. His hand was still clutching at the bag of frozen peas to his forehead, but he decided that at the moment Connor needed it more. Reaching his hand over to the bed Hank placed the bag under Connor's shirt next to other bag of ice. As he placed the ice down he faintly felt Connor's 'heart' beating in his chest with the exact same pulse and rhythm of a human heart. He flinched a little before retracting his grip and placing Connor's shirt back down.

"You do have a heart after all. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this point. I did see it once before..." Running his hand over his bearded chin thoughtfully Hank spoke to the resting android as if he were in fact awake. "When we get back to the precinct I'm demanding a raise from Fowler. This is absolute bull-"

Rose gave Hank a slightly amused glance as she caught him talking to Connor, as well as himself. There was a thick blue quilt in her arms and a bottle of aspirin clutched in her hand. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything." She stated as she handed Hank the medicine and draped the blanket over his legs. Tending to Connor one last time Rose removed the now emptied second pouch of Thirium from the line in Connor's arm and manually returned the artificial skin over his arm to keep the line protected. "You two both need to rest."

"Thank you, Rose. For everything." Hank happily took two of the aspirin and patiently waited for the medication to ease his headache. "We both appreciate everything you've done for us."

"You're welcome, Hank." Rose turned out of the room and walked through the door quietly to set about the kitchen. "Rest."

While the chair wasn't the most comfortable piece of furniture that Hank had ever encountered it was certainly better than laying in the middle of an icy, dirt road in the dark of a cold night. With no memory of what happened after the accident or before waking up in the middle of the road Hank tried to theorize every possible scenario to help fill in the blanks.

But it was for not. Hank's head hurt too damn much to think.

Folding his hands together discreetly Hank leaned forward in his seat and bowed his aching head slowly. The night was proving itself too emotionally taxing for the already emotionally strained detective, and he was reaching his breaking point.

"Alright, I don't know who might be up there or what you have planned for me," Hank muttered under his breath. "but all I can say is this: you've already taken one son from me, don't you take him, too. He's all I got. He's what's keeping me here." Speaking in a very low voice as to not draw Adam or Rose's attention Hank continued pleading with whatever deity could be listening to him. "If you take him then you have to take us both, because I have nothing else in my life worth living for."

Using his thumb to wipe away a single tear Hank leaned back in his chair and proceeded to watch Connor resting in the bed in peaceful silence.

It wasn't long before Hank had drifted off into a deep sleep as his own body also needed to recover after being in the accident.

Unfortunately, the much needed sleep was accompanied by unwelcome nightmares about the night Cole had died. Nightmares that haunted Hank's sleep for years and had only recently begun to decrease after befriending Connor. Nightmares that were so vividly detailed that Hank often awoke with real tears running down his face.

Barely two hours passed when Hank was startled awake by a loud wheezing gasp as a voice called his name hoarsely. "...H-Hank?!"

"Connor!" Hank was instantly on his feet and over the bed as Connor began to hyperventilate and panic. Pressing his hands down on Connor's shoulders Hank held his partner down on the bed and watched nervously as the L.E.D. began frantically blinking in red in the deviant's right temple. "Hold on son, I got you!"

"C-Can't breathe!" Connor rasped as he fought to articulate his words. "O-Overheating!"

Hank didn't need Connor to tell him that final detail. The intense heat radiating from Connor's body was palpable under Hank's palms as he did his best to keep Connor as still as possible in the bed.

Adam had heard the commotion and came running into the room. He took one look at Connor and raced downstairs in search of his mother for help. "Mom! Something's wrong with Connor!"

Blue blood was beginning to leak through the gauze wrapped around Connor's torso and soak through his gray t-shirt quickly. His frantic breathing as he desperately tried to increase the power to his ventilation biocomponents and cool his overheating body only made the Thirium leak faster.

"Try to stay calm." Hank instructed in a calm voice of his own as he lifted Connor's shirt and looked down at the reopened wound and grimaced. "We'll get you taken care of! Just slow your breathing..."

Rose rushed into the room with Adam right behind her. Leaning over the bed she spotted the leaking Thirium and pressed her hand to Connor's forehead. "He's going to burn up! Adam, get the smaller thermal regulator. It won't work as a permanent replacement but it can buy him a few more hours."

"Do it!" Hank agreed as he watched the fear, actual fear, build in Connor's eyes. "Whatever it takes, do it!"

Adam disappeared in a flash as Rose set about removing the bandages from around Connor's torso to expose the wound and reopen the panel that gave access to the internal compartment in his abdomen. Thinking quickly Rose pressed her fingers to Connor's flashing L.E.D. and held them in place for almost ten seconds patiently. In that brief, yet long period of time, Connor began to still and his body fell into a manually activated stasis mode.

"We need to move fast." Rose stated as she pressed her hand to Connor's stomach and caused the artificial skin to recede from his damaged plastimetal frame and opened the panel beneath. "He doesn't have much time."

"I thought you said the replacement regulator could work for six hours?"

"That was before he began to overheat." Rose explained as Adam returned to the room with the requested regulator and repair kit in his hands. "Now the regulator has to cool him back down while also maintaining a consistent temperature."

"How long will he have until it burns out?"

"Maybe two hours." Rose's answer was bleak but far be it from Hank to damn her for her honesty. "Okay," Rose used the small clamps in the kit to isolate the lines connected to the damaged regulator before she took the replacement from Adam's hand. "this will work."

Hank watched as Rose unfastened the damaged regulator from its contacts and slipped it out of Connor's torso with a bizarrely calm demeanor. Adam took the biocomponent from her as Rose slipped in the temporary replacement with skilled, confident hands.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed between red and yellow, red and yellow, red and yellow before it finally settled on a rapidly blinking yellow in his temple.

"His system has accepted the regulator." Rose sighed with relief as she closed the panel in Connor's torso. "But we still need to find a permanent replacement part."

"I don't think we can." Hank shook his head solemnly. "When I said Connor's unique I meant it. He's the last of his model created by CyberLife. When Markus succeeded in the revolution CyberLife was forced out of business and all of their unfinished prototypes were incinerated."

"Oh my God..." Rose's eyes went wide with horror as she turned to look at Hank.

"Even if we could get back into the city the odds of finding the appropriate part is, well, nearly impossible."

Rose sat on the edge of the bed and rested her hand lightly on Connor's chest. "There has to be something we can do."

Adam spoke up nervously from the doorway where he was standing. "We can."

Hank turned to the young man with intrigue in his intense blue eyes. "What're you thinking?"

"We can repair this regulator right here, right now." Adam held the hot biocomponent in his hands carefully. "I can try to weld the metal shut and replace the wires inside."

"Adam..." Rose sounded defeated as her son tried to offer a ray of hope. "Neither of us have every tried something like that before."

"I know, but, if Connor's just going to die anyway what's the harm in at least trying?"

Hank nodded and put his hand on Adam's shoulder. "You have a point. Think you can do it?"

"I can try."

Rose looked at Adam, then to Hank as if waiting for a sign before she made her decision.

"Then, go for it." Hank finally replied with a confident tone. "At least then we can say we tried everything."

Reluctantly Rose agreed to the proposition. "Go out to the shed." She placed the kit in Adam's hands to ensure he had full access to all the spare wires and tubes they had in storage. "The welding torch should be by the tool bench."

Adam took the kit and hurried down the stairs to the backdoor with the damaged biocomponent in a tight grip.

"He can do it." Hank reassured Rose as she stared at the doorway with a blank expression. "I know you said Adam wasn't as comfortable with taking care of damaged androids as you are, but I think he's ready to turn that corner."

"I hope you're right. I don't... I can't imagine how much it'll hurt him if he can't save Connor."

"Connor's a lot stronger than he looks." Hank sat on the edge of the bed beside Rose and put his hand over top hers. Beneath his touch he could feel Rose's hand relax from a fist and smooth out over the bed. "Everything will be okay. I know it."

Rose gave Hank a heartfelt appreciative glance as she slowly retracted her hand from beneath Hank's hand. "I'm going to get more ice. The cooler he is, the better."

Hank watched as Rose left the room and sighed wearily. Turning to look at Connor over his shoulder Hank curiously pressed the back of his hand against the side of Connor's neck. "Damn, you are burning up. An _android_ with a _fever_." Hank scoffed a little as he pulled his hand back. "And you have a heart beating in your chest. Anyone who still tries to say androids aren't alive are thoroughly full of shit!"

* * *

Over the next hour Rose and Hank systematically placed and replaced bags of ice and cool towels over Connor's body in an attempt to compensate for the weak regulator until a permanent replacement could be found. Connor remained lost in the throes of a stasis mode as his healing program struggled to repair the extensive damage to his biocomponents and Thirium lines, and poorly attempted to keep his internal system from overheating at the same time.

"Hang in there, kid." Hank muttered under his breath as he pressed the cold washcloth down against Connor's forehead. The frantic red blinking of Connor's L.E.D. was as unsettling as it was crimson. "Adam will be back any minute."

Rose took in a deep breath as she began pacing about the room anxiously. She had faced a countdown when came to saving android lives many times before, but for the first time she felt truly helpless. The only thing keeping Connor alive was a failing biocomponent, and the only thing that would allow Connor to survive rested solely on Adam's shoulders.

"How much longer until the regulator fails?" Hank dared to ask as he kept his hand on Connor's forehead.

"About twenty minutes." Rose estimated as she continued to pace about. "I wish I could've-"

The door suddenly burst open as Adam came running back up the staircase two steps at a time and into the guestroom with the newly repaired regulator in his hand. "I got it!"

Hank stepped back from the bed as Adam readily handed the regulator to his mom. Rose accepted the biocomponent with rejuvenated hope and gave Adam a smile. Turning the regulator over carefully in her hands Rose inspected Adam's work and found that the regulator looked nearly pristine, only a faint line on either side of the rare regulator showed that it had ever been damaged; it was like looking at a scar.

"We can't wait any longer." Rose anxiously announced as she returned to the bedside and went about opening the panel in Connor's torso.

Hank and Adam watched in silence as Rose set about clamping off the connections to the temporary regulator from the lines and removed the overworked, failing biocomponent from Connor's body. It didn't take Rose more than a minute to switch out the two regulators and unclamp the lines now feeding Thirium into the replaced vital biocomponent.

Rose put her hand to the side of Connor's face and gently turned his head so she could see his L.E.D. with her own eyes. Steadily the frantic blinking slowed into a rhythmic pulse as it cycled into yellow for a few seconds then transitioned into a calm and healthy blue.

"It worked!" Rose sighed with relief as she jumped up from the bed and wrapped her arms around Adam's neck and hugged her son tightly. "You saved him! You did good, Adam!"

Hank agreed as he patted Adam's shoulder. "Thank you! Thank you for taking that risk for us! And for him!"

"You're welcome." Adam sounded more relieved than either Hank or Rose as he happily reciprocated his mother's hug. "I'm... I'm just glad I could help!"

* * *

Once Connor had stabilized Hank was able to fall back asleep in the chair beside the deviant's bed and finally rest his aching head. Rose and Adam had returned to their own bedrooms in an attempt salvage what few hours of night were left as they all but collapsed into a deep sleep after enduring the frantic and desperate event that unexpectedly befell them.

The sound of power being restored to the house and of the generator outside automatically turning off roused Hank from his slumber. Glancing at the bed Hank saw that Connor was beginning to wake up as well, his brown eyes opening fully and his L.E.D. flashed to yellow briefly before returning to blue as his memory of the night before allowed him to gain his bearings.

"Connor."

"...Lieutenant." Connor attempted to sit upright in the bed but his system was still running its self-healing program, the physical damage to his torso was the last to heal as his biocomponent took priority over everything else. Laying back down Connor studied Hank's face intensely as he registered the exhaustion and worry that marred his expression. "Are you still injured?"

"Me? Just a few cuts." The detective motioned to the bandage on his forehead and to the concealed bandage around his arm. "YOU'RE the one who nearly died."

"My system indicates that biocomponent t8001 had been damaged by blunt force trauma. But it has since been... repaired." Connor was audibly confused by the entire reading as he had only fragments of memory to give him context regarding the event. "The damage should've resulted in my shutdown. How were you able to repair it?"

"I didn't. Adam did."

"...Who is Adam?"

"Another friend. The kid saved your ass so be sure to thank him when you see him."

"The damage was to my thermal regulator, not to my-"

"Never mind, Connor. It was a figure of speech."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow and his eyes blinked quickly as he received a report. "Captain Fowler wants to see us at the precinct. It seems the storm has passed and all electronics as well as cybernetic functions have been restored to the area."

"So the roads are clear?"

Connor's L.E.D. turned yellow once again as the android scanned the area for an update on the current events. "Correct. Shall I summon a taxi?"

"Yeah, but do it in an hour. You look as terrible as I feel."

"Well then," Connor gave Hank a sly smirk as he thought of a witty retort. "I must look like shit."

Hank laughed lightly at the joke as he wiped his hand over his face and sighed. "Stay there, I'm going to let Rose know you're awake. She'll want to check on you before either of us leave."

"Rose? She is the lady who gave me the Thirium, correct?"

"Yup. She's the one."

"She is very kind."

"Yeah, that she is, kid." Hank agreed and he stood up slowly. His headache had mercifully abated but he was still moving cautiously just in case he did have a concussion. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Just rest."

Much to Hank's surprise Connor obeyed and remained in the bed while Hank ventured downstairs to find Rose and Adam. Rose herself was stirring a large pot of vegetable soup on the stove when Hank walked into the kitchen, while Adam was outside in the backyard chopping firewood.

"Connor's awake." Hank announced with a smile as he approached the woman who saved them both. "Figured you'd want to check in on him before we leave."

"That's good!" Rose beamed as she scooped a helping of the soup into a bowl and placed it on the table for Hank. "When the power returned I got a news report on my phone saying that the roads have been cleared and are safe for travel. It'd be for the best if you got Connor back into the city and have a technician examine his condition more thoroughly."

"I think it's safe to say that Connor would agree with you."

"Here, have a seat." Rose motioned to the bowl she had prepared for him. "I'll check in on Connor while you eat. There's fresh coffee as well."

"Thanks. Coffee sounds like the best thing in the world right now."

"Please, help yourself." As Rose passed by Hank she lightly touched his arm as sign of goodwill and trust.

Hank poured himself a cup of coffee and spotted Adam through the window. The respectable young man had not only braved a blizzard to ensure his home was safe, but he was willingly to pick and help two complete strangers in the middle of the dark storm and found a way to save Connor's life when all of their options seemed impossibly limited.

"You did good, son. I owe you one. We _both_ owe you one."

* * *

After being checked over by Rose for any sign of complications Connor had summoned an autonomous taxi to take himself and Hank back into the city to report to Captain Fowler, and to get themselves cleaned up. While the deviant android sat on the edge of the bed he slipped on his shoes and slipped his torn gray jacket over his 'new' gray t-shirt. Adam, who was curious about Connor, knocked on the door frame to speak with the android before he and Hank left for home.

"Hey."

"Hello." Connor greeted the young man standing in the doorway, his L.E.D. remaining blue as he spoke. "You're Adam, yes?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure you're okay before you left. You were in pretty rough shape when I found you and Hank last night."

"Yes. I am functioning at near optimal capacity." Connor's expression softened and his brows arched as he addressed the teenager with true emotion in his voice. "Lieutenant Anderson told me that you are responsible for my recovery. Thank you for your assistance."

Connor stood up from the bed and extended his hand toward Adam to shake. It was a gesture of respect that he had learned from working with Hank, though it was seldom used by the detective himself.

Adam happily shook Connor's hand and smiled gratefully. "I'm glad I could help."

* * *

The autonomous taxi arrived at the homestead and parked itself at the end of the driveway as it awaited its passengers. Hank had taken notice and was about to shout up the staircase toward Connor when Rose approached him with warm smile.

"You didn't tell me that you and Connor helped Markus with the revolution." Her smile was truly brilliant as tears formed in her eyes. "Thanks to you the demonstration freed all the androids, and three deviants I had become very close with were able to cross the border to safety. Thank you."

"Connor told you that?"

"He told me a lot about what you two went through together."

Hank hid his faint blush behind a hand to his face as he looked away from Rose and back up the staircase.

"It's okay. Connor was trying to recover the memories he lost during the accident and he found that retracing his steps back a few weeks helped."

"Was, uh, was he able to remember the accident?"

"Yes." Rose took Hank's hand in hers and held tightly. "You won't be able to remember what happened, but Connor saved your life last night."

"I don't remember anything that happened after the crash. What did he tell you?"

"After your car was struck by the other driver Connor turned his body to try to shield you from sharp debris while your car rolled into the ditch."

Hank vaguely remembered the car rolling several times before coming to a stop on its roof in the ditch. But he had no memory of what he or Connor had been doing during the accident itself.

"After the crash Connor broke off his door and freed you from the cab of the car. He couldn't carry you because of the metal in his side, but he was able to drag you away from the car once it caught fire to ensure you weren't harmed. After getting you out of harm's way he checked on the other driver and found him already dead."

In a way Hank was relieved to know that the driver had been dead long before he regained consciousness. At least then he knew that while he was laying helpless a few feet away from another person, they were already gone and that he couldn't have done anything about it.

"The accident damaged Connor's systems," Rose continued on softly. "including his ability to transmit a call to the precinct to ask for help. That's when he decided it'd be best to return to the scene of the case you two had been working on to find some help. But he collapsed when the metal in his side pierced his thermal regulator and he began losing Thirium."

"That explains why I ended up in the road and found him so far away." Hank sighed and glanced at the top of the staircase just as Connor began to slowly limp downward with Adam at his side. The sight of Connor's ruined white dress shirt draped casually over his shoulder made Connor appear all the more human, like he was simply on his way to work; not recovering from what should've been a fatal injury. "You ready to go?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he stopped at the base of the staircase and pressed his hand to abdomen. "I still require maintenance."

"Yeah, same here." Hank turned to Adam and extended his hand to the teenager. "Nice to meet you son. Thanks for everything, you're a good kid."

"Thanks." Adam shook Hank's hand with a firm grip. "I'm glad everything worked out okay."

"Rose." Hank wanted to do the same to her, but felt it was oddly impersonal. "Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome." Picking up on Hank's hesitation Rose made the first move and hugged the detective. He was much taller than she was but Hank was willing to bend down a little to reciprocate the affection. "Goodbye Hank, take care of yourself." As she let go of Hank she turned to Connor and gave the android a hug as well. "You too."

"I will do my best Rose." Connor replied sweetly as he happily hugged the kindhearted human who had saved his life. "I do hope we can meet again."

"As do I." Rose admitted as she let him go. "Just promise me you'll take care of each other."

"I promise."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder and opened the door. "Come on. We have a lot of reports at the precinct to fill out."

"Coming, Lieutenant." Connor followed close behind Hank as the two stepped outside and set foot on the freshly fallen snow that had blanketed the property during the night.

The two detectives walked slowly side by side to the awaiting taxi and climbed inside the autonomous vehicle. Connor cybernetically communicated their destination to the taxi's G.P.S. while Hank eyed Connor warily from the corner of his eye.

"You sure you're okay?" Hank asked sincerely as the taxi drove off down the road back to the city. "You were limping a little back there."

"I'm, what you would call, sore. My self-healing program is functioning at one-hundred percent power, but even so it will take some time before my system is operating at full parameters." Connor's reply was less than comforting but it was honest and accurate. With his systems functioning at a higher power Connor was able to scan Hank's vital signs and noted that he was in rough shape as well. "I see you've suffered an injury to your head. My scanners indicate mild cerebral swelling which is indicative of a concussion."

"Yeah, I figured that out for myself." Hank crossed his arms somewhat defensively over his chest. "So... you saved my life."

"Lieutenant?"

"You got me out the car before it caught fire, and you did so while you were injured. Thanks."

"You don't have to thank me."

"You're right, I don't. But I want to, so just shut up and let me thank you."

"Very well, Lieutenant." Connor sat in quiet contemplation for only a minute before he began speaking to Hank again. "The other driver was intoxicated. He was also not wearing his seatbelt. Do many humans drive in such a reckless manner?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. They do _a lot_ , actually."

"Have you driven in such a state?"

"I've _never_ driven anywhere drunk, Connor."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend-"

"Forget about it." Hank sighed and could sense that Connor was still worried about his well being. It'd take time but Hank knew he'd break his bad habits and become a better person. "Look, if I promise to not drink for a full week will that ease your mind?"

"Yes." Connor sounded unusually enthusiastic about the proposition. "I find that greatly comforting."

"Fine. One week. But if you do one more stupid thing during that week you're buying me a double shot at Jimmy's, deal?"

"Deal."

_**...next story...** _


	6. Drowning

Connor, the android that had been sent by CyberLife to aid the Detroit Police Department in tracking down and destroying deviant androids, had himself become deviant and remained a part of the police force as Lieutenant Hank Anderson's partner; and as the first android detective in history. Hank was willing to keep Connor as his partner as the two had endured several dangerous situations together in what was supposed to be a brief partnership, and with that time together they had become fairly good friends.

Hank's decades of experience and intuition made him the perfect partner for Connor, as the deviant android could detect even the smallest bits of evidence that humans otherwise couldn't see. All the while Hank could look at the situation with a human's more empathetic perspective to complement Connor's more rigid analytical deductions.

The two had already experienced many trials as partners through the revolution, as well as enduring some other challenges that neither had expected, but it didn't deter the two detectives from trying to make their unorthodox partnership work.

The pursuit of a suspected serial android killer through an abandoned property brought Connor and Hank into another dangerous situation as the deranged and enraged human began firing shots at the pursuing detectives in a desperate bid to escape.

"Shots fired!" Hank shouted as he ducked down beside the exterior of the brick house that sat upon the expansive property to get out of the line of fire and stay out of sight. He drew his gun and got on the radio to call for assistance. "Requesting back-up at this location!"

Connor's quick reflexes allowed him to weave between the frantic shots as he closed in on the suspect through the backyard of the property with a graceful sprint without any sign of hesitation behind his steps.

"Connor! Connor, get back here!" Hank shouted as he watched his determined partner hot on the suspect's heels already several yards away. "CONNOR!"

The suspect raced along the edge of a deep pool aiming for the fence at the edge of the property as his escape route. Unfortunately for the suspect Connor was too quick and managed to catch up to him with little difficulty.

"STOP!" Connor commanded as he grabbed onto the suspect's shoulder to stop the man dead in his tracks. "Detroit Police!"

Swinging his arm around quickly the suspect smashed the side of his gun against Connor's left temple stunning the deviant android with the sudden blow to his head. The force of the impact was strong enough to cause Connor to stumble on his feet and to the side with a violent jolt. Connor stopped short and stood in a daze, completely vulnerable to attack as he tried to regain his balance. Smashing the gun against Connor's head one more time a spray of blue blood erupted from a fresh cut under Connor's right eye as the deviant android's systems were knocked offline; his L.E.D. instantly shifting from yellow to red in response to the strike.

"Connor?!" Hank had seen the attack from the distance and began sprinting across the property to aid his injured partner. "Fuck! Connor!"

Falling unconscious courtesy to the blow to the head Connor collapsed forward and fell into the pool with a large 'splash'. Unable to fend for himself Connor quickly sank to the bottom of the pool against his will, the chlorinated pool water quickly filling his ventilation biocomponents; his artificial lungs, without stopping.

The suspect saw Hank barrelling toward him and wisely resumed fleeing from the senior detective. However, Officer Chris Miller was already at the scene along with (the strongly disliked) Sergeant Gavin Reed. The two managed to catch and cuff the suspect as he climbed over the fence and landed on the sidewalk on the other side of the property

' _Suspect in custody_.' Gavin announced over the radio much to Hank's somewhat relief. ' _Scene under control_.'

As Hank reached the edge of the pool where he saw Connor fall into the water he abruptly stopped and stared at the hauntingly still body laying on its back at the bottom of the pool. The red glow of Connor's L.E.D. made the water around his head look like pale blood and in turn Hank's stomach twisted.

"Connor?!" Hank threw off his heavy coat, dropped his gun and dove into the water to rescue his submerged partner before it was too late.

In a matter of seconds Hank had swum down to the bottom of the pool and hooked his arm around Connor's chest to hoist him to the surface. Kicking off the bottom of the pool Hank swam furiously to the surface and broke through the water with a loud gasp as he carried his partner's limp body over to the edge of the pool to safety.

"Lieutenant?!" Chris had heard Hank shouting and ran into the backyard just in time to see the detective dive into the water. As soon as he saw Connor unconscious in Hank's grip he reached his hand into the pool and grabbed hold of the deviant android's limp arms to heft him out of the water and onto the concrete edge of the pool. "What the hell happened?"

"Suspect struck him with a gun!" Hank shouted as he pulled himself up over the edge and out of the water. "He went down before I got to him."

Chris laid Connor down flat beside the pool on his back and looked down at the deviant android's blank face. "I...I don't know how to help him."

Connor wasn't breathing and showed no sign of consciousness.

"Just help Gavin, I'll take care of Connor." Hank commanded as he knelt beside Connor and patted the deviant android's cold cheek to try to provoke a response from the wounded deviant. There was still no sign of life or alertness from the downed deviant. "Connor? Wake up!"

The deviant android didn't move or verbally respond. His L.E.D. was still red and pulsing at a dangerously low speed.

Thinking quickly and logically Hank remembered that despite being an android Connor did in fact _breathe._ The act of breathing worked with Connor's ventilation biocomponents that kept the android from overheating. If Connor was unable to hold his breath as he fell unconscious then his system would have filled with water just like the lungs of any drowned human.

Hank grabbed onto Connor's tie and loosened it with a quick yank as he pulled open the drenched white dress shirt beneath. The buttons popped open in sequence as Connor's bare, motionless chest was exposed.

"Lieutenant? What're you doing?!" Chris asked as he watched Hank interlace the fingers of his two hands together, one over top the other, to create a single fist.

"What does it _look_ like?"

"...C.P.R.?" The incredulous tone in Chris's voice was oddly appropriate for the moment. "On... an android?"

"Right!"

"But he's not-"

Ignoring the comment Hank compressed Connor's chest near the central and lower portion of where his ribcage would be if he didn't have a plastimetal frame in place of a skeletal structure. With each compression Connor's head lolled slightly in response to the physical pressure being applied to his body, and his L.E.D. would blink and brighten in red flashes as his systems struggled to find a way to correct itself in light of having an abundance of unnecessary water inside the ventilation biocomponents.

"Come on Connor, don't be that maniac's last victim! Wake up!"

Chris took a step back and watched in awe as Hank fought to revive the deviant android from what seemed like a watery demise.

"Connor, wake up! Breathe!" Hank shouted as he continued to compress the deviant android's chest. "That's an order! Respond!"

Connor's red L.E.D. suddenly flashed yellow and his eyes snapped open as a torrent of pool water came gushing out from between his lips. Hank reacted quickly and rolled Connor from his back onto his side, his hand supporting Connor's head and neck as he moved him, so the deviant android could cough up the water without choking in the process.

"That's it, let it out..." Hank encouraged as the android coughed and spit up the water that had no business being in his system to begin with. Patting his hand along the middle of Connor's back lightly Hank tried to ease the deviant android's obvious discomfort. "Keep coughing."

Chris shook his head and smiled at the successful deed he had just witnessed. "I'll be damned... You just gave C.P.R. to an android. And it _worked_!"

Hank looked up at Chris as he put his second hand between Connor's shoulders and held his distressed partner as still as possible. "Don't ever give up on Connor, he's a real 'diehard'."

The L.E.D. in Connor's head flashed back to red as the deviant android continued coughing as he laid on his side, despite all of the water being successfully expelled from his systems.

"You going to be okay?" The senior detective asked as he looked down at Connor's face.

Connor swallowed once before he spoke, his voice hoarse and quivering. "I need to-" Connor suddenly curled around himself as a rush of Thirium, 'blue blood', erupted from his mouth and stained the concrete a dark blue puddle all around him.

"What the...?!" Hank almost jumped back in shock but kept himself planted at the deviant android's side for Connor's sake. "Holy shit! Did I hurt you!?"

Connor managed to shake his head a very weak 'no' before he threw up more Thirium all over the pool edge.

"Then what's going on?"

After a third and final bout of vomiting Connor's body relaxed and he tried to roll over onto his back again. With Hank's guidance the battered deviant android was able to lay flat and catch his breath; a trickle of Thirium ran down his chin from his blue stained lips and teeth.

"Talk to me, kid."

"Ch-Chlorine..." Connor huffed as his L.E.D. returned to blinking yellow instead of red. "Corrosive to... metal and biocomponents."

Hank put his hand under Connor's head and lifted him up slightly. As Connor caught his breath his words came easier, though the distant stare in his soulful brown eyes still worried the detective.

"The... Thirium cycled through my... affected biocomponents to... absorb the chlorinated water." Connor managed to explain between gasping breaths. His system was working in overdrive and as a cruel result his ventilation system needed to work harder to compensate. "Once absorbed-"

"You threw up the contaminated Thirium to get it out of your system."

Connor nodded weakly to confirm Hank's theory.

"Shit, that's one hell of a detox program."

A faint grin appeared on Connor's face as he weakly sat upright on the edge of the pool with Hank's help. Hank reached for his coat, the only piece of his clothing that wasn't soaked through, and draped it around the deviant android's shaking shoulders.

"Are you going to be alright? We're not going to have visit Markus at New Jericho to get you patched up, are we?"

"No. I'll be fine." Connor confirmed as he attempted to stand up, but failed. Hank stood up first and offered Connor his hand, to which the deviant android readily accepted as the detective helped him up to his feet. "I will require additional... Thirium to replace what I lost."

"Yeah, no problem." Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he escorted his partner off the property and back to the car. "Gavin caught the suspect, so that means he gets to fill out the paperwork while I get you back home."

"I'm sorry, I should've been able to catch him."

"Don't be sorry, Connor. That sick freak cold-cocked you and ran like a coward. No one's going to blame you for getting knocked out by a gun to the head."

"But I still should've-"

"No, shut up." Hank held up as a hand as if to silence Connor midsentence.

"...Sorry."

"Didn't I just tell you to _not_ be sorry?"

"Yes."

"Then stop it."

"Very well." Connor was walking slower than usual due to his low Thirium levels. "Thank you for saving me, Lieutenant. Your technique was most effective at rebooting my system before any permanent damage could be done to my processors and biocomponents."

"You're welcome. And by the way, tomorrow you're going to take swimming lessons. I'm not diving into anymore pools to save your plastic ass!"

"That sounds reasonable."

"Good." Hank opened the passenger side door of his car and practically pushed Connor inside. "Let's get you back home warmed up, and cleaned up. I have extra Thirium back at the house."

_**...next story...** _


	7. From Above

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: SilverKnight16

A late night call regarding a possibly hostile deviant brought Hank and Connor to the ruins of an abandoned hotel on the seedier side of town. There was no confirmation on whether or not the suspected android was actually dangerous, but dealing with deviants had become the duo's new priority after being reassigned their primary tasks regarding deviant cases at the precinct. With that assignment came a lot of bizarre cases and quite often they turned out to be false alarms.

"You sure this is the right place?" Hank asked as he and Connor stepped over broken beams and shattered glass bottles that littered the dirty floor of the decrepit hotel's lobby. It was dark and difficult enough to navigate without the garbage on the ground. "I don't see how anyone, human or android, could live here."

"This is the correct address as given by the witness." Connor stated as he scanned the room carefully for any traces of deviants. His blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow then back to blue as he finished his scan of the area. "I don't detect any deviant in the immediate vicinity."

"Yeah, well witnesses aren't exactly reliable. That's why people invented security cameras and train guard dogs."

Connor stopped suddenly and focused on faint movement in the doorway leading to the staff only area of the building, his L.E.D. returning to a bright yellow illumination. The movement was brief but his keen sight as an android was infallible compared to that of a human.

"See something?" Hank asked as he noticed Connor's change of demeanor.

"Possibly. It was too quick to properly identify as a human or deviant."

"Can you scan it?"

"Evidently, not. The odds of it being a deviant have dropped significantly."

"Well, it's all we have right now. Let's go track whoever it is down."

"Right."

Connor stepped through the doorway first, moving very slowly and meticulously as to not disturb the already unstable structure of the collapsing building with each calculated move. The yellow glow of his L.E.D. allowed Hank to keep track of his partner even in the darkness as he trailed behind. Hank followed behind Connor, his gun drawn but safely lowered to the floor. Stepping only where Connor stepped the detective followed his partner silently through the aged hotel.

Another rush of movement caught Connor's attention causing the deviant android to freeze in place. "Hank." His voice was but a whisper as to not alert the person skulking about through the hotel. "The suspect is in the next room."

Hank nodded and motioned for Connor to go ahead and step through while he followed close behind.

Connor pulled his own gun from the holster concealed beneath his jacket and held it in a tight grip as he stealthily encroached on the possible suspect now only a few feet away. The deviant android's keen eyes could see what Hank could not, a humanoid figure trying to crouch in the shadows out of sight.

"Detroit Police." Connor announced authoritatively as he stared at the figure. "Show me your hands!"

The figure panicked and ran through the room before either detective had the chance to respond. In their blind haste the suspect bumped into the precariously delicate beams and loose boards that lined that collapsing walls of the old building, causing the entire room to quickly destabilize and begin to fall in on itself as they fled out the back.

Connor attempted to chase after the suspect but a large portion of the wall fell before the doorway blocking it entirely. Turning to look back at Hank the deviant android's scanners detected a massive portion of the ceiling above breaking free of its rotting supports directly over Hank's head.

"Hank!" Connor rushed back to his partner and pushed him backward out of harm's way just as the ceiling gave way and came crashing down with a thunderous impact directly on top of Connor.

Hank fell backward and landed on his hip on the floor untouched by the collapsing building. As the ceiling collapsed a massive cloud of smothering dust erupted into the air causing Hank to cough and choke as he pulled his jacket over his face to shield himself from the fluttering debris that threatened to smother him.

The dust cloud dissipated and Hank was left looking at a dark pile rubble atop a motionless body laying on its left side. One arm was bent under the body while the second arm was outstretched and limp at the side. A red glowing L.E.D. indicated an android in distress, and in need of help.

"Connor!" Hank scrambled up to the pile on his hands and knees as he began hefting aside the heavy slabs of wooden boards and drywall off of Connor's side piece by piece, until the deviant android had been unburied. Pressing his hand down on Connor's shoulder Hank shook him once as he checked in on his partner. "Connor? Talk to me!"

A loud 'groan' of the dying building sounded off with an eerie chorus of breaking beams and crumbling bricks all around him.

"Come on, kid." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and draped the limp limb around his shoulders. Wrapping his other hand around Connor's waist he hefted the deviant android up to his feet to half carry, half drag his downed partner and friend out of the building before it collapsed entirely on top of both of them. "We need to move, NOW."

Racing to the relative safety of the sidewalk outside the condemned building Hank carried Connor over to the parked car and sat him down beside the vehicle opposite side of the imploding hotel. Crouching down beside Connor the detective radioed for assistance at the location to seal off the area and to report the escaped suspect. Dust and plaster filled the air all around Hank as he knelt beside Connor and patted the deviant android's cheek twice lightly.

"Connor? Open your eyes." Raising his voice a little Hank tried to rouse Connor out of his state of unconsciousness. "Connor, look at me."

Connor's head lolled slightly as his L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow. Brown eyes opened and focused on Hank's face curiously. "...Lieutenant?"

"Yeah, it's me. Are you okay?"

"Minor external damage to my right hip." Connor's hand was resting against his hip where a deep cut was slowly leaking Thirium and staining the palm of his hand in dark blue blood. "There is also a moderate external damage to my lower back. However, I can remedy the wounds easily with my self-healing program." Efficient as ever Connor confirmed his condition as he ran a self-diagnostic over his systems. His L.E.D. flashed yellow quickly then slowed as it cycled back to a normal, calm blue as the leak caused by the wound stopped. "Are you injured?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks to you." Eyeing the blue blood staining Connor's clothes warily Hank motioned for the deviant android to turn slightly to his left. "Let me see your back."

"It's not-"

"Connor, just do it. Humor me on this."

"...Very well."

Relenting to the request Connor turned slightly to shift his weight onto his left hip and leg while Hank lifted up his jacket and white dress shirt beneath examine the damage. Two large, deep scrapes ran along Connor's lower back exposing his white plastimetal frame beneath as his artificial skin was torn open and weeping blue blood at an uncomfortable pace.

"Yeah, it's not serious. But I want to get your back cleaned up to make sure nothing nasty got stuck in your system." As he dropped down Connor's jacket and shirt Hank raised a finger in a disciplinary manner at the deviant android as he proceeded to scold him appropriately. "Next time something's about to fall on my head just _tell_ me to move. Don't you put yourself in the line of fire like that ever again, got it?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. I got it."

"Okay then." Letting out a breathy sigh Hank tried to focus on the situation that brought them to the hotel to begin with, and try to ignore the fact that is partner got hurt protecting him during the collapse. "Did you get a good look at the suspect?"

"I can confirm that it was not a deviant, or an android of any kind. It was a teenage male carrying a can of cherry red spray paint."

"Ah, Jeez..." Hank sat on the road beside Connor and laughed a little at the absurdity of the pointless call. "All this work for one vandal trying to tag a piece of shit building no one cares about anymore. Let's get back to the station. We have more important cases to handle."

"What about the vandal? They escaped the hotel before it collapsed and are actively fleeing the scene."

"We didn't see them doing anything wrong, and even if we did, who gives a shit? That building was left to rot by the city. That kid putting up some 'tag' or whatever would only make the building look better. Fuckin' hypocrites."

"Hypocrites?"

"The assholes who made the laws against public vandalism are the same assholes who let buildings and roads decay everywhere just to save a few bucks. But every artist who wants to shine a little light on a dark place get labeled as vandals, arrested and fined." Rubbing his hand over his bearded chin Hank leaned back against the car and crossed his arms over his chest. "The city then uses all the money from those fines to fix the roads or put up a new building, then let them rot from cheap-ass neglect while fining the people who try to be creative and make the city look more colorful. It's bullshit."

Connor looked at the dust cloud rising up from the ruins of the nearly fully imploded hotel and decided that Hank was right. Standing up carefully Connor favored his left leg as his hip tried to heal and put his hand to his bloodied lower back to hep support his weight. "I suppose that's a fair assessment. And we do have more important cases to solve already."

"See? Well, let's get you patched up at the precinct dispensary and then head home." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank helped the deviant android walk over to the passenger side of the car and opened up the door to sit down inside. "If we're lucky we'll catch the end of the game."

_**...next story...** _


	8. Sumo's Bath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Jkitty_trashcrash
> 
>  
> 
> Original Illustration here: by me!
> 
> https://www.deviantart.com/kt-jadeblaze/art/Connor-and-Sumo-761909395

A dreary, rainy day in Detroit had marred what was supposed to be a relaxing day off for Hank and Connor. A call from Captain Fowler regarding Hank's impressive disciplinary file had summoned the Lieutenant back to the station to handle some irritating paperwork leaving Connor alone in Hank's house with the lovable Saint Bernard, Sumo, as his only company for the afternoon. Connor didn't mind having the dog as his company as his fondness for animals continued to develop throughout his deviancy.

Wearing only his white shirt and blue jeans, as opposed to his gray suit jacket and tie, Connor appeared more casual and relaxed than normal as he always appeared professional and serious while on the clock. As the rain poured down in a massive torrent the inevitable happened and Sumo needed to go outside. Connor had hoped that there would be a break in the rain that would allow the dog to go outside quickly without getting wet, but his scanners indicated heavy rain all day long, and Sumo couldn't wait until night.

"Perhaps an umbrella will keep your fur from getting too wet." Connor spoke to the dog as if he could understand him perfectly well. It became a habit after their first unorthodox encounter when Connor had to break into Hank's house to tend to the unconscious Lieutenant laying on the kitchen floor. "Come on. Outside."

Connor found an umbrella in the hallway closet and prepared to open it right as he opened the backdoor for Sumo, but as soon as the door was open the massive dog raced outside and proceeded to run through a large mud puddle that formed in the small patch of lawn beside the driveway before Connor react.

"N-No, Sumo!" Connor attempted to discipline the dog but Sumo was far too interested in the mud and the rain puddles to pay the deviant android any mind. Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow at the sight of the muddy dog making a huge mess in the backyard, and even worse, the mud caking into Sumo's thick fur all along his body and legs. "Oh no... If Sumo gets mud all over the house Hank is going to be pissed..."

Connor tossed aside the now useless umbrella and got down on one knee by the backdoor to try to get the dog back inside the house. Patting his leg he called for Sumo to try and coax the dog over to him but Sumo couldn't be bothered. The rain and mud was far too interesting.

"Come Sumo, come here boy!"

Sumo responded by trotting over to the largest mud puddle and rolling around all through it as rain continued to soak into his messy, matted fur.

"Oh no."

Thick mud caked into Sumo's thick, long fur and dripped from his nose, ears and tail as he happily frolicked through the rainy, muddy landscape without a care in the world.

"Okay, how can I get him back inside without messing up the house?" Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed back to blue as he remembered that Hank kept a box dog treats in the cupboard over the kitchen sink. Rushing inside house quickly Connor pulled a single treat out of the box and stood in the opened back door. Holding it up for the dog to see Connor called out to him again. "Sumo? Want a treat?"

The massive dog's ears perked up at the word 'treat' and jumped up from the mud excitedly.

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as the large canine suddenly came running toward him at full speed. "Uh-oh..."

Barrelling at Connor as quickly as he could run the Saint Bernard jumped onto the deviant android, knocking Connor flat on his back onto the kitchen floor with a heavy 'thud'. Sumo greedily ate up the treat in Connor's hand while simultaneously staining Connor's white shirt, his jeans, his hands, his neck and the side of his face with thick mud.

Reacting quickly Connor wrapped both arms around the dog to keep him from running back outside and to keep him from tracking mud all through the floors of the house. Though awkward Connor managed to stand up with the heavy, muddy dog in his arms to keep him from tracking mud all over the floor, and embraced Sumo in a tight hug to his chest and shoulder. Using his foot Connor kicked the backdoor shut and looked down at Sumo's face as the dog looked up at him with his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and his tail happily wagging.

"You're a mess. What am I going to do with you?"

Sumo's simple response was a slobbery lick across Connor's muddy cheek.

"That doesn't help matters." Despite the irritation in Connor's voice his L.E.D. did transition back to blue as he looked at the tap in the kitchen sink and an idea popped into his head. "I have no choice Sumo, I have to give you a bath."

At the word 'bath' Sumo's tail stopped wagging and he gave Connor a small whimper.

"I'm sorry, but you've left me with no alternative."

Careful not to drip mud anywhere as he walked Connor managed to carry the cumbersomely large dog into the bathroom just down the hallway from the kitchen. It was awkward fumbling with the doorknob with a muddy hand but Connor succeeded in opening the door and kicked the door shut behind him again as he placed the muddy dog down on the linoleum floor.

"There, now we just need to get you cleaned up." Connor looked down at his own shirt and jeans, eyeing the mud with great annoyance at his stained clothing courtesy of Sumo. "...I need to be cleaned up as well."

Turning on the water in the tub Connor sat down on the edge to check the water's temperature then reached for Sumo's collar. As he reached for Sumo's neck the dog responded by jumping up and pressing his muddy paws against Connor's shirt leaving perfect pawprints behind as he accidentally pushed Connor backward and into the tub gracelessly. Water splashed all over the walls and all over Connor as Sumo proceeded to shake off the rain water and mud from his fur, peppering the entire bathroom in wet dirt spots.

Rubbing the back of his head through his hair after it impacted the yellow tiles on the wall Connor just stared at the playful dog with a weird sense of humor in his eyes. Rolling his wet sleeves up to his elbows the android tried once again to get the dog into the bath so he could clean up the bathroom afterward.

"Sumo..." Connor managed push himself up and out of the tub and onto his knees on the floor. Water dripped from his jeans and shirt sleeves creating tea colored puddles all around the deviant android as his L.E.D. flashed to from blue to yellow again. "Sit."

The dog did as he was commanded and sat down in front of Connor. This time Connor was able to remove the leather collar and place it on the sink without difficulty, but not before Sumo managed to once again lick the side of his face.

Connor wiped the dog drool from the side of his face onto his hand, then onto his already dirty jeans. "Okay, get in the tub."

Sumo didn't understand any words in that particular command.

"Fine. Let's do this the hard way." Connor again wrapped his arms around the muddy dog and hoisted him into the air and then down into the partially filled bathtub.

As Sumo's paws hit the water the dog began to frantically start digging at the air and splashing water everywhere.

"Sumo!" Connor nearly shouted as he placed the dog down into the tub then leaned his arms down against Sumo's shoulders and hips to make the dog lay down in the water to stop kicking his legs. "Stay!"

With a sad whine Sumo obeyed and laid down in the tub.

"Good boy." Connor turned off the water and grabbed the bottle of shampoo from the corner of the tub. It didn't take long for the android to completely lather the dog's fur and for his L.E.D. to turn blue again as the situation calmed slightly. "Very good boy."

The water in the tub quickly turned a coffee brown as Connor scrubbed the mud out of Sumo's fur and from under his paws. As the dog stood up in the water, his tail wagging a little, Connor was able to get all of the mud from his fur with little difficulty. Using the sprayer from the shower Connor rinsed the shampoo out of Sumo's fur and pulled the plug in the tub to let the muddy water drain.

Rinsing off Sumo's fur one last time until the water going down the drain was entirely clear Connor was satisfied with his work.

 

 

 

"There, all clean." Connor commented as he turned off the water and put his hand under the dog's chin to rub it a little. "That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Sumo tilted his slightly before violently shaking his entire body once again. Connor closed his eyes as water erupted from Sumo's fur and drenched every square inch of the bathroom in small drops that smelled of clean shampoo and muddy wet dog.

Connor opened his eyes, his L.E.D. once again yellow, as he looked at Sumo with an almost defeated stare. "...You can get out now."

Sumo licked Connor's face for the third time, which turned his L.E.D. blue in response, and hopped out of the tub. The dog sat patiently by the closed door waiting for the deviant android to open it for him so he could leave.

"Not yet." Connor looked at the mess in the bathroom and decided it'd be best to wipe off the mirror, the sink, side of the tub, the toilet, walls, floor and even parts of the ceiling with a towel before the muddy water stained anything important. "I don't want to risk you making another mess behind my back."

Working efficiently Connor managed to clean up the entire bathroom leaving no trace of mud or water on any of the surfaces. Before he even dared to use the towel to dry off Sumo's fur Connor himself stepped into the shower fully clothed to wash the mud off of himself in a comically effective manner.

Being an android Connor had no need to shower or to wash his clothes unless he worked a particularly messy case, but this was a special occasion that required a special approach. Fortunately the mud stains disappeared from his white shirt with little effort as the water and soap removed any trace of the dirt from Connor's clothing. The same went for his jeans and for his face, neck, arms and hands as he rinsed off the remaining mud and didn't turn off the water until it cycled down the drain completely clear.

As Connor stepped out of the shower he knelt on the floor and picked up the towel to dry off Sumo's thick fur as best as he could before he replaced the dog's collar and finally opened the door for the dog to pass through. He kept his hand on the doorknob and held the door slightly closed as he addressed Sumo again.

"If I let you out you have to behave, deal?"

Sumo just tilted his head to the side as if confused and Connor sighed in response.

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Opening the bathroom door fully Connor watched as the dog casually strolled out of the room, down the hall and plopped down on the floor in front of the couch as was his usual custom and proceeded to settle down for a nap. "...Good boy."

With his own clothes still soaked through Connor decided it'd be best to let them dry before he ventured out of the bathroom. Slipping off his shirt he wrung out the excess water from the garment into the tub before draping it over the edge of the sink to dry off. He repeated the process for his jeans leaving him with only his black boxers and his dignity.

Or so he thought.

An unexpected knock on the opened door frame drew Connor's attention and his L.E.D. flashed from blue to red as if blushing when he saw who was standing there watching him in his near nudity.

Hank was smirking with a completely amused expression at Connor from the opened door, while the deviant look mortified. The detective nonchalantly leaned against the door frame as he studied his embarrassed partner for a moment before asking the obvious question.

"Sumo got into the mud today, didn't he?"

_**...next story...** _


	9. Overworked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Raticate

Ever attentive Connor sat at his desk directly connected to the opposite side of Hank's desk in silent contemplation as he studied a single case file that had left him relatively stumped. In a statuesque pose Connor worked well into the late night and early morning hours determined to solve his case. While the rest of the day shift had long since clocked out and gone home for the night Connor remained at his desk bound and determined to locate the criminal who had eluded the law for almost four consecutive months now. The yellow flickering of his L.E.D. matched the pulse of his Thirium pump thrumming away in his chest as he diligently concentrated on his work, while his quarter danced gracefully over the knuckles of his right hand.

The cell phone that Hank insisted Connor carry was sitting on his desk ignored until it began to ring. The sound brought Connor's focus away from the case for the first time in almost nine hours and his L.E.D. blinked rapidly in response. Looking down at the phone he saw that the caller was Hank himself and knew he needed to answer right away.

Swiping the green 'Answer' button on the display screen Connor acknowledged the call in a calm tone of voice. "Lieutenant."

' _Connor, what the fuck are you doing? It's three in the morning_. _Where are you_?'

"I am working, Lieutenant. The case regarding-"

' _Yeah, yeah, I know what the case is about We were BOTH assigned to it_.' Hank snapped impatiently as he spoke to his partner in a gruff voice over the phone with mounting impatience. ' _What I want to know is why the hell you're still there?_ _Your shift is over, it's time for you to clock out and come home_.'

"I've had a breakthrough, Lieutenant. I believe I can pinpoint the exact location of the suspect within the hour. I just need-"

' _Fine,_ _whatever_.' He interrupted with an annoyed snarl. ' _As soon as if you figure out where the jerk is hiding let Reed or Miller, or whoever the fuck is on the night shift handle it. Got it_?'

"Got it. Goodnight Lieutenant."

' _Whatever_.'..

The phone call ended as abruptly as it started and Connor resumed his work. As he stared at the terminal screen on his desk a red warning flashed through his visual processors that temporarily distracted the devoted deviant detective.

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL LOW: 65%**

**REST MODE ACTIVATION: 01:29:57**

Connor blinked his eyes as he dismissed the warning and turned off the automatic rest mode function in his processors. The deviant android didn't need to rest, or so he tried to convince himself. Ever since his deviancy he no longer had a perpetual connection with CyberLife, or anyone else, to keep him healthy or tell him what to do.

His own health was now his own personal responsibility.

The late hours of the night faded into the early hours of the morning as the sun began to rise over the city. Connor hadn't left his desk as he continued his attempt to locate the suspect, nor had he obeyed his system and allowed himself to slip into rest mode to restore his steadily waning power at the designated countdown time.

Steadily the other officers filed in for the morning shift as the night patrol clocked out to head back home. Captain Fowler wasn't surprised to see Connor already at his desk, neither was Chris or Tina, whereas Gavin didn't give a damn about what the deviant did. However, one very stern Lieutenant did give a damn about Connor and wasn't afraid to let him know that.

"Connor, what the hell?" Hank asked as he stormed into the precinct and grabbed onto the deviant android's shoulder. "I thought I told you to come home."

"You requested that I return home after I locate the suspect. I have not yet located the suspect."

Hank crossed his arms as he moved away from Connor's desk and sat behind his own with an angry huff. "I can't tell if you're being serious or sarcastic."

Connor gave Hank an innocent shrug of the shoulders. "I am in fact being serious. I apologize if my behavior has been confusing."

"Connor, how long have you been working?"

"Twenty-six hours, thirty-three minutes and nine seconds."

"Uh-huh, and when was the last time you took a break? Even those CyberLife assholes mandated that you took an hour long break to keep your systems from overheating, or losing power, or whatever it is that happens to you when you get tired."

"I took my mandatory one hour break when you did."

"Connor?"

"Yes?

"That was yesterday afternoon at four. It's seven in the morning."

Connor nodded with a twinge of embarrassment as he finally understood Hank's grievance. "Lieutenant, this suspect has assaulted three people with a gun. He must be apprehended. A fifteen hour shift, though unintentional, has proven necessary."

"I agree." Hank lowered his voice to sound less annoyed and more empathetic as he leaned forward against his desk. "But you're not going to do anyone any good if you work yourself to death. Take a damn break."

"But I-"

"Don't try to throw some bullshit my way about androids having more endurance than humans, or androids being able to function on low-power, I already know that. My point is I don't WANT you to work yourself into the ground." As he spoke his 'dad voice' crept in a little bit without him even noticing. "You're not answering to those CyberLife assholes anymore, you're answering to either me or to Fowler, and we don't expect you to work any harder than any other cop in this building just because you're a fuckin' android. That's all."

Connor patiently listened to Hank as his systems began to automatically deactivate his non-vital functions as a means of preserving what little power he had left to postpone rest mode for as long as possible.

"I will go into rest mode as soon as-" An update appeared on Connor's terminal screen which drew his attention from Hank and back to his work. "The suspect has been located and he is currently four blocks away. I have the address."

"Yeah, well go tell-" Hank watched as the deviant android hastily rose from his chair and made his way toward the front doors of the precinct. "Hey! Connor?"

Hank practically jumped out of his own chair as he chased after his ambitious partner just as the deviant android crossed through the parking garage next to the precinct and reached the passenger door of Hank's car.

"We need to hurry if we're to catch the suspect before he disappears again."

"Damn it, Connor." Hank swore as he unlocked the doors of the car and climbed into the driver's seat. He knew the deviant android was too damn stubborn for his own good, and needed to learn some patience. "Which way?"

Connor cybernetically uploaded the address of the suspect's last known location into the G.P.S. mounted on the dashboard of the car. As he connected to the device his yellow tinted L.E.D. cycled faster then slowed to a calmer pace.

"Alright," Hank backed the car out of the space and pulled the older vehicle onto the street. "as soon as he's cuffed you're going to take a rest and you're NOT going to talk me out of it."

"Yes, Lieutenant. I will rest once the suspect is in custody."

During the drive to the suspects address a new warning popped up in bright red illumination in Connor's visual processors causing his L.E.D. to shift from yellow to red as he acknowledged then tried to actively dismiss the warning.

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 10%**

**REST MODE: ACTIVATION: 00:00:28**

Connor closed his eyes as he forced his programming to override the mandatory protocol yet again. Despite his overwhelming exhaustion starting to creep over his system, his programming triggering low-power mode automatically, Connor refused to stand down until the suspect had at last been caught.

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 9%**

**WARNING:**

**REST MODE - DISABLED**

Losing his ability to scan the environment, run analysis samples in real time and losing his enhanced senses made the deviant android feel more human than ever before. However it was when his artificial respiration halved itself to conserve energy he felt, and looked, more like a corpse with how eerily still he sat. Prioritizing his dwindling power to more appropriate programs and to his vital biocomponents Connor gave himself approximately ten additional minutes of power until he'd have to enter rest mode and recharge.

Hank stopped the car outside of the apartment complex that matched the address with a relentless jerk as he stomped on the brake. The sudden jolt forced Connor's eyes back open as Hank threw open his door and leapt out of the car to begin his search for the suspect in question. Connor scrambled gracelessly out of his seat to follow after Hank as the human called for the elevator with one hand, and pulled his gun from the holster on his right hip.

"I'll use the elevator." The senior detective ordered in a calm and level voice. "You head him off at the stairwell in case he tries to run."

"Right." Connor pushed open the door leading to the stairwell and began jogging up the staircase. "Apartment 2-C."

The act of running up the staircase had proven itself unexpectedly more tiring to the android than he had anticipated. With his system functioning on low-power the physical strain of running with his respiration program at half capacity was wearing down his power at an alarming fast rate, while causing his core temperature to steadily rise.

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 7%**

**WARNING:**

**REST MODE - DISABLED**

**WARNING:**

**EMERGENCY REST MODE: 00:02:59**

Connor made his way to the correct floor and pushed open the door of the stairwell leading into the long hallway. Peering through the doorway of the stairwell without making a sound Connor saw Hank standing outside the suspect's door with his gun pointed at the floor.

Hank nodded to Connor to acknowledge his presence as he knocked on the door correct apartment door. "Detroit Police, open the door."

The frantic sound of someone running about the small apartment caused Hank to wisely back away from the door and press his back up against the wall as the suspect jerked the door open and bolted through to try to escape. Turning in the direction of the stairwell the suspect unknowingly ran right into the line of sight of the second officer at the scene. Connor easily intercepted the fleeing human and held him in place inside the stairwell by pinning the man's arms behind his back.

Meanwhile Hank caught up in a matter of seconds and trained his gun on the man who was attempting to break free of Connor's weakening hold. "FREEZE." The senior detective shouted at the suspect. "Detroit Police, asshole!"

Connor's vision began to flash red again as his remaining power was drained away during the ongoing struggle.

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 5%**

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 4%**

**WARNING:**

**EMERGENCY REST MODE - 00:00:47**

Forcing the warnings out of his line of sight with another dismiss Connor put all of his remaining strength into pinning the suspect's arms behind his back and forced him down from the wall and onto the ground, onto his stomach.

Hank took out the radio tucked in his coat pocket to deliver an update on the arrest. "Suspect located and detained at my location. Requesting back-up."

Kneeling down beside the suspect Hank pulled the pair of handcuffs from the back of his belt and snapped them over the human's wrists to help restrain him.

"Alright asswipe, you're under arrest for multiple assaults. Don't make it worse by resisting arrest to the charges."

Connor let go of the suspect and stood upright against the wall to rest. The L.E.D. in his temple hadn't stopped flashing red as his power level continued to drop and his core temperature continued to rise.

Hank grabbed onto the suspect's arms and hefted him up from the ground to pin him against the opposite wall under his bicep. Glancing over his shoulder Hank eyed his partner warily. "Connor? You good?"

"...Y-Yes..." Connor practically slurred as he tried to resist his program from sending him into rest mode against his will.

"No, you're not. You look dead on your feet!"

Chris and his new partner, Tyler O'Riley, appeared at the top of the staircase with their guns drawn and immediately went to assist Hank.

"We were in the neighborhood when we heard your call, Lieutenant." Chris explained as he and Tyler took charge of the suspect. "We got him for ya'."

"Thanks, Chris. All the paperwork on this scumbag's on Connor's terminal. Take care of it, will ya'? I need to get Connor home before he collapses."

"Sure, no problem."

Hank returned his attention to the deviant android standing as straight as a post with his back against the wall, and his eyes closed. Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder to keep the deviant android alert to his presence Hank snapped his fingers in Connor's face to get his attention. "Connor? You still awake?"

**WARNING:**

**POWER LEVEL CRITICALLY LOW: 2%**

**EMERGENCY REST MODE - INITIATED**

Connor's red L.E.D. began pulsing slower and slower until at last his body went limp. If Hank hadn't already been supporting his shoulder Connor would've collapsed in a heap right there on the floor and smashed his head on the ground.

"Whoa... I gotcha'." Hank bent down a little and let Connor limply fall over his shoulder to be carried out to the car. Wrapping his arm around Connor's legs Hank carried his exhausted partner to the elevator and sighed with a righteous irritation as he pressed the button on the panel for the lobby. "This is why you need to pace yourself, Connor. You're only one person, not a whole damn team."

With very little effort Hank carried Connor's lightweight form out of the elevator once he reached the ground floor, and over to the car. With a gentle motion he sat the unconscious deviant android down in the front passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt before returning to his own seat behind the wheel. Turning the key in the ignition Hank pulled away from the side of the street and sighed loudly at Connor's foolishness.

Hank glanced over at Connor's face as the unconscious, almost entirely motionless deviant android looked as though he had simply fallen asleep.

"Why do you have to look so much like a kid, huh?" Hank asked out loud to his unconscious partner, not that he was expecting a response. "Fuckin' hate it when kids are too damn stubborn for their own good."

Throughout the entire drive home the L.E.D. in Connor's temple was a very faint red that pulsed at an incredibly pale, and slow rate. Worried that Connor was worse than he looked, or would ever admit to being, Hank reached his hand over and pressed it down against Connor's chest and felt his Thirium pump still actively circulating the blue blood through his biocomponents. He could also feel a heat radiating from Connor's person, but he chalked that up to his system being overworked, and not to a secondary problem.

"Good. You're not dead. YET." Hank put his hand back on the wheel as he turned onto his block to get back home as quickly as possible. "But if you keep this up I _will_ kill you."

Pulling the car into the driveway alongside his house Hank sighed once more and pulled open Connor's door to heft the deviant android back over his shoulder again. Fumbling with the key in the door lock Hank walked into the house where Sumo happily greeted his returning human master with a low bark and wag of his tail.

"Hey Sumo, down boy."

Still being gentle Hank laid Connor down on the couch while Sumo followed behind him closely. Petting the dog's head Hank walked over to the large stereo system at the wall of the livingroom and picked up a large metal black box with 'CyberLife' written in silver text over the lid. Inside the box were three separate emergency power supply units that could be attached to an android's L.E.D. to recharge an android's power supply when dangerously low.

"Alright, if this doesn't work then it's not my fault." Hank grumbled as he picked up the first small circular disc and held it between his index finger and thumb.

The disc was no bigger than a nickel and made out of a magnetic cobalt alloy. Pressing the disc to the L.E.D. in Connor's temple it attached itself in place magnetically and began glowing a bright blue as it restored a generous twenty percent of much needed power to Connor's system.

After a minute of charging Connor's brown eyes snapped open and he took in a deep breath as his respiration program returned to normal capacity. Sitting upright on the couch the deviant android looked around the house in confusion as he had no memory of returning home. The last thing he remembered was pinning the suspect to the ground at the apartment building.

"Hi. Welcome back." Hank greeted with a facetious lilt to his voice as he crossed his arms and gave Connor a smug grin. "How do ya' feel?"

"Lieutenant? How did I get home?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow with confusion as his power began to restore.

"You collapsed after you caught the suspect. I brought you home, myself. In other words, you were a dumbass."

"I... I'm sorry, Hank. You were right, and I shouldn't have pushed myself so hard. It was reckless, dangerous and it could've endangered us both while we were out in the field."

"You're right, you shouldn't." Hank motioned for Connor to scoot over as he sat down on the couch next to him. Sumo rested his chin Hank's knee in the process and eagerly sought some affection with ear rubs. "But at least you kept your word."

"I... did? To what are you referring?"

"You promised that once we caught the guy you'd take a rest. And you did."

"I did not intend to enter rest mode while we were at the scene of the crime." A pale blue blush appeared on Connor's face as the deviant felt embarrassed by actions of the day. "I intended to do so once we left the precinct."

"Don't sweat it, just remember to take a break every now and then. And since we caught the suspect everything is fine."

"...I'm glad the case has been closed."

"Stop kicking yourself about passing out. And please, for the love of what's left of _my_ sanity, don't pass out while we're on the clock ever again. Fowler might think you picked up a 'bad habit' from me."

Nodding a little Connor lightly traced his fingertips over the magnetic disc on his right temple covering his L.E.D. that had returned to a blue color. "I will remember to do so from now on."

"Good. Until then, take it easy and get some damn sleep." Getting up from the couch Hank pulled Sumo away so Connor could lay down. "And don't get up until you're back to one-hundred percent."

Laying down over the length of the furniture as instructed Connor nodded and closed his eyes. "I will do so. Thank you for your help, Lieutenant."

"For fuck sake, we're off the clock, call me 'Hank'."

"Of course. Thank you, _Hank_."

_**...next story...** _


	10. Bad Blood

With his caseload finally completed Hank leaned back in his seat away from his desk and sighed as he folded his hands behind his head. He had finished all his paperwork, all of his assigned cases had been handled appropriately, every report was filled out and filed, there were no active incidents with any suspects and Gavin hadn't bothered the Lieutenant, or Connor, all day long. Satisfied with his accomplishments for the day Hank looked past the turned off terminal on his desk toward Connor sitting quietly on the other side.

"Finished." Hank stated confidently as he looked to his partner across his desk. "Let's get out of here and catch the game."

Connor was sitting silently still at his desk with his eyes shut and his L.E.D. rhythmically flashing yellow in his temple.

"Connor? You okay?"

The deviant android's eyes opened slowly and his L.E.D. returned to its normal blue color. "...Pardon. Did you say something?"

"I asked if you're okay, but I think you just answered my question." Hank leaned forward in his chair toward his desk again and studied Connor's face carefully. There was something amiss and he was determined to figure out what it was. "You seem a little off."

"I have been feeling... off." The admission to not feeling entirely functional was in itself a strange reaction from Connor. "I've run a self-diagnostic on my system three times today and I've found no apparent errors. My systems are all running at optimal capacity, but still..."

"Are you sick? I mean, you know, can androids even _get_ sick?"

"We do not become ill in the same sense as a human becomes ill, but if there is a malfunction in our software we can function improperly for an extended period of time until the malfunction has been corrected. The after effects can imitate human ailments as well."

"Like what?"

"We can overheat and become delayed in responses like when a human becomes hyperthermic or feverish. We can also be forced to initiate and expulsion program that is similar to a human becoming ill and vomiting."

"Well then, are you _malfunctioning_? You were cleared when the precinct technician gave you and the other androids an evaluation two days ago."

"Yes. My systems were functioning appropriately and I was given fresh Thirium to ensure my biocomponents remain in optimal condition."

"... _But_?" Hank could feel the hesitation in Connor's voice.

"But... I... I do not feel as though I'm operating at fully functional parameters, yet my diagnostic program has failed to detect any anomalies. It's very confusing and I find it difficult to explain."

"Want to go see another technician?" Hank chuckled a little at the idea of Connor going to see a technician in the same way that Hank would go see a doctor when feeling ill. "Get a second opinion?"

Connor shook his head in the negative. "No. Perhaps I should go into rest mode and run another self-diagnostic."

"If your diagnostic didn't find anything the first three times why do you think it'll find something the fourth time?"

"I-"

"Ah, forget it. You're just imagining things." Hank rose from his chair and grabbed onto Connor's arm around his bicep. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Connor didn't try to resist as Hank pulled him out of his chair and toward the front doors of the precinct. Walking at Hank's side Connor tried to go about as normal but deep down inside he could sense that something was amiss with his programming.

During the drive home Connor continued to run his self-diagnostic program and listened to Hank talk excitedly about the basketball game currently in progress. Making sure to appear as normal as possible Connor was able to maintain a conversation without the senior detective suspecting him of being faulty or arguably ill.

Once back home Hank turned on the basketball game and eyed the current score anxiously. It was the final quarter but Hank didn't mind, all he really cared about was the final score and winning the bet he made earlier with Captain Fowler. Hank and Connor hung their respective coat and jacket on the hook on the wall beside the front door and kicked off their shoes after returning home and setting foot in the livingroom. Connor casually loosened and then draped his tie around his jacket and proceeded to lay down in just his white dress shirt and jeans across the couch, while Hank threw off his day clothes in favor of a pair of gray sweatpants and an old gray t-shirt from his bedroom.

With his soulful brown eyes closed Connor laid down on the couch flat on his back with one arm under his head and the other draped tiredly over his chest. Sumo was laying on the floor beside the couch looking up at Connor as if even the dog knew something was wrong with the deviant android. A few feet from the couch Hank sat down in the recliner and kicked his feet up to relax and watch the came.

From the corner of his eye Hank caught sight of Connor's L.E.D. suddenly flashing yellow and addressed the deviant android accordingly. "Another diagnostic? Really?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed without opening his eyes or turning off the routine maintenance check. "I am compelled to do so."

"Find anything wrong, yet?"

"...No." Connor sighed as his yellow L.E.D. returned to blue. "There has been no anomaly detected within my program."

"Try getting some sleep instead. Whenever I don't feel one-hundred percent I get a few extra hours of shut eye and it works wonders."

"I'll try."

Hank watched as the blue L.E.D. began to slow its pulsing cycle as Connor slipped into rest mode for the night and fell into the human equivalent of a deep sleep on the couch.

"Wish it was that simple for me." The senior detective commented as he watched Connor for a moment longer before returning his attention to the game on the television screen. Once the game was over he'd head off to bed himself. "See you in the morning, kid."

* * *

The night went on peacefully without any disturbances and Hank went to bed knowing he'd be fifty dollars richer the next time he saw Captain Fowler. What was a little unusual however was the following morning when Hank awoke without his alarm going off, and without the sound of Connor walking through the house going about his usual morning routine to prematurely awaken him. Reaching over to his nightstand Hank picked up his alarm clock and noted the current time of day: 11:47 am.

Sensing something was wrong Hank got out of bed and traded his sweatpants for a pair of jeans and a fresh t-shirt as he ventured out into the livingroom to check on Connor. The deviant android was still in rest mode on the couch, laying completely motionless and quiet. Sumo was sitting beside the couch looking alert and eager as he watched Connor sleeping.

"Outside, Sumo." Hank called to the dog as he opened the backdoor and let the Saint Bernard out into the backyard for the morning.

Standing beside the couch once again Hank looked down at Connor's face and arched a brow in puzzlement. Connor is always awake and alert at seven in the morning, every morning, without fail. If he were in fact human it wouldn't be too odd to have him oversleep if we wasn't feeling well, but as an android this massive shift in his behavior was very alarming.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand on Connor's arm and shook him a little. "Wake up."

The blue L.E.D. in Connor's temple blinked quickly then returned to it's slower pace.

"Connor!" Hank shouted as he shook the deviant android more forcefully. "I said 'wake up'!"

Connor's head lolled slightly to the right as his L.E.D. blinked more rapidly and his eyes partially opened. "...Lieutenant?" The deviant android sounded groggy and disoriented. "What's wrong?"

"Apparently you." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm to force the deviant android to sit upright on the couch. "You're sure your diagnostic-whatever didn't find anything wrong?"

"I'm... certain." Connor's eyes opened fully and his L.E.D. flashed to yellow as his systems came back online and noted the current time of day. "It's almost twelve in the afternoon?"

"Yup."

"I... failed to exit rest mode at the appropriate time."

"Yeah, I noticed. Not that I'm going to complain about being able to sleep in."

"Hank," Connor swung his legs over the edge of the couch and stood up quickly. "There is-"

Connor's brown eyes suddenly rolled up in the back of his head as L.E.D. flashed to a blood red color. His legs gave way beneath him and the deviant android suddenly collapsed in a cold faint right in front of Hank.

"Connor!" Hank reacted quickly and caught the unconscious deviant android in his arms. Guiding Connor down to the floor between the couch and the coffee table gently Hank knelt over his partner and patted the side of Connor's cheek. "Hey, Connor? Connor! Can you hear me?"

The deviant android was completely unresponsive to Hank's voice or his touch. Hank kept his hand against Connor's face as he became aware that the deviant android's artificial skin felt unusually hot compared to what would be considered normal for an android and a human alike.

"Shit." Hank cursed as he reached for his phone sitting on the small table beside the couch. Scrolling through his contacts he found the number provided to him by Markus after their meeting in New Jericho, and hit dial. The line rang only once before he got an answer. "Markus, it's Lt. Anderson. I think there's something wrong with Connor."

' _Connor_?' Markus sounded genuinely worried over the line. ' _What's happened_? _Was he injured_?'

"I don't think so. Connor said something about not feeling right, even after his diagnostic thing didn't find anything wrong. Four times! Then this morning he didn't wake up from his rest mode on time. Also, his skin temperature feels too hot, and now he's passed out on the floor."

' _It sounds like he's suffered some kind of software error. Most likely a result of him severing his connection to CyberLife's monitoring program_.'

"Can you help him?"

' _I can try. Bring him to New Jericho Tower, we can run a more extensive diagnostic on his system_.'

"Yeah, I'll be there within the hour. Thanks Markus." Hank ended the call and slipped the phone into his pocket. "Okay Connor, we're going to take a little trip and get you fixed up."

Hank grabbed his shoes and his coat from by the front door as he pocketed his car keys. Quickly slipping on his shoes Hank threw his coat on over his arms and returned to where Connor was laying on the floor.

Taking a firm grip on Connor's arm Hank bent down and pulled Connor up and over his shoulders into a "fireman's carry" to get Connor outside and into the backseat of the car parked in the drive beside the house. Laying Connor down across the backseat as carefully as possible Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and slammed the door shut.

"You couldn't get sick during a workday, could ya'?" Hank grumbled as he sat behind the wheel and turned over the engine. "Typical bullshit..."

The drive to New Jericho Tower only took about twenty minutes, but with Connor unresponsive and quiet the entire trip the journey felt more like twenty days. Passing down the lone drive that led to and away from the tower Hank's car was permitted to pass by security without any questions asked as both Connor and Hank were given special clearance by Markus when they aided him in the refurbishment of the tower.

"Almost there." Hank told himself and Connor as he passed over the lowered barricade and neared the front of the tower. The detective could see Markus waiting out front with Josh at his side. There was a type of gurney sitting between the two deviant androids as they prepared to take care of Connor. "And it looks like you're getting the special treatment."

Pulling up in front of the tower Hank parked the car and stepped out just as Markus opened the backseat door to look down at Connor. Markus ran a quick scan over the unconscious deviant android and looked back at Josh over his shoulder. "His ventilation program is running at fifty percent power."

"We'll take cooling measures." Josh replied as he watched Markus awkwardly yet easily slip his arms under Connor's shoulders and legs to lift the malfunctioning deviant android out of the backseat and onto the awaiting gurney. "I'll let Simon know."

Hank followed as Markus and Josh wheeled the gurney supporting Connor's body inside the tower and to the elevator at the far end of the main lobby.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" The senior detective asked as he followed protectively after his unconscious partner.

Markus nodded his head slowly. "I have a hunch. We've seen other late model deviants suffering from a similar condition after CyberLife went offline."

"Is it serious?"

"It can be." Markus confirmed as they entered the elevator and descended through the tower to Sublevel fifty-one. "But it if he's only just begun to suffer from this condition then it's very likely we can correct the error before it does any permanent damage to his programs."

The elevator quickly reached its destination deep beneath the tower with the four occupants in tow. The elevator doors opened and granted the group access to the floor where an android emergency repair bay had been created to protect all deviants and androids who sought shelter in the tower.

"Over here." Markus directed the gurney over to the large exam table in the center of the room where Simon was already waiting. "We'll run a quick diagnostic to confirm our suspicions."

"But Connor already did that." Hank reminded the three deviant androids as they carefully lifted Connor from the gurney and transferred him over to the examination table. "He didn't find anything wrong."

"Right, but his diagnostic program was connected to CyberLife. Without the connection the program can't run properly, which means his problem may in fact be the diagnostic program itself."

"Huh, sounds cruelly ironic." Hank observed as he stood by the table and looked down at Connor. "That's just like a cold corporation to find a way to screw someone over, even after going out of business..."

Simon turned on a special modem designed to run the same type of diagnostic program that androids can perform on themselves, but the modem was designed to keep permanent records of every android in the tower in the event of an emergency.

"This will only take a minute." Simon told Hank as he took a long black cable attached to the modem and placed the other end against Connor's L.E.D., and began running the diagnostic. "This will find the problem for us."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow under the cable, then back to red once the program finished running.

"Well?" Hank asked impatiently as Simon examined the results recorded in the modem's display screen.

"We in fact found the problem. His Thirium needs to be replaced." Simon announced worriedly as he analyzed the results. " _All of it_."

"Whoa, whoa, what's going on?" Hank didn't like the sound of replacing the entirety of Connor's blood without knowing the reason why. "You're going to replace his blood?"

Markus stepped up to explain things to the worried senior detective. "Thirium can become contaminated if a bad batch gets through the supply line. Connor must've been exposed to a contaminated batch without knowing it."

Hank gave Markus an approving glance as all the pieces fell into place. "Two days ago Connor received a fresh cycle of Thirium, as did the other androids at the precinct. It wasn't long after that he started to feel unwell."

"Simon," Markus looked to his technician ally with worried eyes as he rolled up the white sleeves of Connor's shirt pass the elbows. "contact the Detroit Police Department and inform them their androids may have been exposed to contaminated Thirium."

"On it." Simon did as he was instructed and prepared a small case for transporting their unaffected Thririum to the precinct to aid the possible affected deviants in need. "I'll update you on the situation when I return."

"This won't look pretty." Josh removed the cable and pressed his fingers to Connor's L.E.D. and pressed his other hand down on Connor's left arm to retract the artificial skin from his plastimetal frame beneath. Sliding open a panel in Connor's arm Josh exposed a line in the limb to access the Thirium coursing through his system. "We'll need to replenish his Thirium as quickly as it's drained."

"How long will that take?" Hank sounded completely unsure about the entire situation.

Markus wheeled a a second, modestly sized machine that was reminiscent to dialysis for human blood, over to the exam table for use. "Maybe an hour."

"What's that machine going to do?"

"It'll examine Connor's Thirium and isolate any contaminants for us to identify as it cleanses his blood and restores it to his system."

Josh attached a tube from the machine to the exposed line in Connor's arm and fastened it into place with an audible 'click'. "Ready?"

Markus took a second tube from the machine and exposed the same line in Connor's opposite arm. As he attached the second tube he nodded to Josh to confirm everything was set. "Ready."

With a cybernetic command the machine turned on with a low, rhythmic hum and in a matter of seconds the tube in Connor's left arm turned dark blue as Connor's Thirium was extracted from his system to be cleansed by the machine, and replaced to his body through the second tube into his right arm.

Watching the blue blood cycle through the machine made Hank feel sick to his stomach. It wasn't the sight of the blood itself that upset him, it was the memory of seeing a very similar machine hooked up to his own son, Cole, as he laid dying in the hospital bed three years ago that really affected him. Hank watched with unspoken worry as the machine did its rather macabre work to save Connor from remaining in a state of unconsciousness due to an error in his program.

Markus could see the fear in Hank's eyes and decided to speak with him in private. "Josh, can you double-check our supplies and make sure none of our Thirium came from the same contaminated batch?"

"Yeah, no problem." Josh took the hint and left the room to give his allies a sense of privacy. "I'll be back a few minutes."

"Hank." Markus addressed the senior detective with a kind and calm tone. "He's going to be okay. You got him here pretty quick, and we've had androids affected for a lot longer than him pull through just fine."

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right. I just... Seeing him hooked up to a machine just brings back some pretty dark memories for me."

"Your son?"

"Yeah." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder as the machine continued to cleanse his Thirium effectively. " _Both_ of them."

Hearing Hank referring to Connor as his 'son' made Markus smile. It was amazing how similar yet completely different Hank was compared to Carl, but the kindness in their hearts spoke volumes of their character despite their outward disposition saying otherwise. They both carried a relatively gruff facade that concealed hearts of gold, and only those who were fortunate enough to get close to them got to see that very heart beating loud and proud.

The red L.E.D. in Connor's temple suddenly flashed to a yellow illumination as Connor's eyes began to open slowly. Lifting up his head he glanced about confusedly and only stopped when he felt a steady pressure against the center of his chest.

"Connor? Can you hear me?" Hank put his hand down against Connor's chest to push him back down against the table as the deviant android tried to sit up fully. "Hey, don't move, relax. Markus figured out the problem and we're getting you fixed up."

Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he looked down at his arms and saw his Thirium being cycled through an exterior machine beside him. "Thirium contamination." He realized with a heavy grimace on his face. "Damn it..."

Markus smiled a little at the very human response from his deviant android friend and reassured him with an honest voice. "Like Hank said, we're getting you fixed up and you'll be just fine. It'll be over in an hour."

"Thanks, Markus." Connor sighed and laid back down as he still felt tired and wanted to rest. "Was anyone else affected?"

"No, at least not yet. Simon is taking fresh Thirium to your precinct at this moment in case other androids were affected, and Josh is checking our inventory to make sure no tainted Thirium was placed in our own storage."

"That's good." Feeling much more like himself Connor looked at Hank with a slightly mischievous grin and his previously dull eyes lit up "I told you there was something wrong with me."

_**...next story...** _


	11. Hypothermia

It was early fall and yet Detroit was struck by a powerful blizzard. Snow completely covered the city under a thick sheet of pure whiteness as Hank and Connor walked to the scene of grizzly crime along the riverbanks under the bridge at a local park. What looked like an android, a deviant to be exact, who had been beaten and burned to death was laying on the icy shore of the partially frozen river with a barricade of holographic police tape surrounding its tragically desiccated body.

Chris and Gavin had been the first officers at the scene but decided it'd be best to pass the case off to Connor and Hank as the duo specialized in cases regarding deviant androids. Gavin himself scoffed upon seeing Connor arrive as he still hated working with androids, but the difference was now with the new laws put in place by Markus and his successful revolution Gavin couldn't mess with Connor or threaten him without getting disciplinary action by Captain Fowler or worse, by Hank.

"'Bout damn time you two showed up." Gavin sneered as Connor and Hank professionally approached the body to investigate. "I have better things to do than babysit a broken piece of plastic."

"Shut up Gavin, I'm tired of hearing you bitch about androids." Hank scolded as he and Connor stepped through the projection of police tape to do their job as required of them. "Beat it. We got this."

"Don't fuck it up." Gavin snarled as he grabbed Chris's arm to try to drag his much kinder partner back to the car to leave the scene. Unfortunately for Gavin Chris wasn't as childish as he was and stayed put. "I don't want to clean up any of your messes in the morning."

"Fuck off." The gruff Lieutenant stated in an impatient tone. "That's an _order_ , asshole."

"I'm going, I'm going! Don't have a fuckin' heart attack old man."

"What a dick." Hank muttered under his breath as he watched Connor crouch down to examine the body. A blanket had been draped over the body, a courtesy to the victim undoubtedly by Chris, and Connor gently pulled it aside as he began his investigation. "Let's get this underway and out of here."

Chris, respectful as always, just nodded to Hank as he passed his superior to join Gavin at their car a few yards away. "Goodnight, Lieutenant."

"Alright, what've we got here Connor?" Hank asked as he focused on the case at hand and watched Connor with a keen interest.

"The victim was in fact a deviant." Connor sounded uncharacteristically melancholy rather than analytical as he scanned the crime scene. The deviant android's L.E.D. transitioned from blue to yellow as he began his scan and successfully identified the victim. "Her name was 'Vanessa'. She was... She was one of the 'Tracis' from the 'Eden Club'."

"Ah, shit. She must've tried to escape from a client when he passed out drunk or something. That place can't shut down soon enough." Letting out a deep sigh that escaped into the cold night air Hank crossed his arms over his chest and redirected his attention to the case in front of him. "What can you tell me about her death?"

"There is significant damage to her forearms."

"Defensive marks. She put up her arms to try to keep him from hitting her."

"Correct. Her right optical unit is missing and there is significant damage to the ocular plate surrounding it."

"He beat her. Punched her in the face to try to stun her."

"The left leg had been broken at the knee," Connor continued in a dreary, disappointed voice as he checked the victim's body for signs of injury. "but I detect trace amounts of dirt under her fingernails and all over her palms."

"The sick-fuck busted her leg and she tried to crawl away from him. I guess the bastard didn't pass out at the club after all. He drove her out her with the intent to kill her." Dragging his hand over his bearded chin Hank sighed with utter disappointment and looked down at the poor victim. "This was a premeditated murder. Do you know what killed her?"

"It was the impact to her spine that caused her to shutdown." Connor stated with a heavy tone as he identified her exact cause of death. "After she died she was set on fire with a butane accelerant and a match in attempt to hide the murder and disfigure the body beyond all recognition."

"At least she was already dead when he lit her on fire. Can you find any trace of her killer?"

"There is a partial hand print around her throat. The fire caused her artificial skin to melt and retain a perfect copy of the suspect's hand."

"Any fingerprints?"

"Yes. I'm scanning them now." Connor's L.E.D. rapidly flashed yellow as he accessed the precinct's criminal database. Turns out the suspect already has a criminal record. "The prints are a match to a Jack Stapleton. He's been arrested four times for drunken and disorderly conduct, and three times for assault against his now ex-wife."

"Got his address?"

"I'm currently transmitting his address to Chris as we speak. He and Gavin can arrest him while we finish examining the crime scene and collecting evidence."

"What's left to examine?"

"Without substantial evidence beyond a single hand print the odds of successfully convicting Stapleton for the murder of an android are substantially against our favor."

"Okay. You keep checking around here, I'm going to back track up the hill see if I can find the exact direction she ran from. There has to be footprints and tire tracks to Stapleton's vehicle we can use, too."

"Okay, Lieutenant."

While Hank walked up the snowy hill Connor replaced the sheet and remained beside the body and checked all around for other pieces of evidence to connect the killer to the victim. Too many shoe prints had been marred by snow and ice to be of any use for even the keen-eyed detective. The match that had been struck and used to light the fire was completely burned to ash and held no prints in the wooden material. The remaining book of matches was nowhere to be seen, nor was the container that held the accelerant used to burn the body.

Connor stood up and backed away from the body near the shore of the river to get a wider view of the crime scene. Crossing out onto the ice covering the river for a few yards to examine the immediate area with a wider perspective, he also unintentionally paced himself further away from his partner. As he backed further out onto the ice Connor was able to scan the immediate area but failed to see any sign of the suspect.

There was a sudden and subtle 'crack' from Connor's weight atop the ice and the top sheet began to split like a spiderweb all around Connor's shoes.

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed yellow as his scanners checked the overall density of the ice underfoot and found it too unstable and thin to be tread safely. A realization that came a little too late.

"Oh, shi-" The ice suddenly gave way beneath Connor plunging the deviant android straight down into the icy river in a matter of seconds.

As his body passed under the surface of the surprisingly deep water all of Connor's visual sensors flashed red with warnings about the dangerously cold temperature threatening to freeze his biocomponents as his core temperature began to decline rapidly. The freezing cold had stunned Connor's reflexes and left him at a loss of what to do. The intense cold was like a thousand needles stabbing through Connor's artificial skin as his deviancy allowed him to truly feel and acknowledge the temperature of the world around him.

The deathly cold water quickly constricted the lines in his appendages and limbs making it difficult to move, and also seemed to squeeze his ventilation biocomponents; his artificial lungs, making it almost impossible to hold his breath. Fighting through the restraining cold, forcing his limbs into motion, Connor swam back to the surface and through the gap in the ice from where he had fallen. The L.E.D. in his temple was blood red and frantically flashing as his systems began to slip into a type of thermal shock that Connor had to fight to focus through as he dismissed dozens upon dozens of warnings.

Clinging desperately onto the edge of the slippery, unstable ice with both hands Connor called out as loudly as he could to his partner for assistance. "HANK! H-HANK!" His panicked voice was shaking and stammering from the relentless cold that was already beginning to overtake him. "I N-NEED HELP!"

From atop the hill Hank heard the desperation in Connor's voice and his every paternal instinct that had been dormant for almost three years suddenly kicked in with full force. Glancing around the area for Connor, for the sound of the cry for help, Hank felt his heart drop as he realized he lost track of his partner.

"Connor?!" Looking back down at the crime scene he didn't see Connor anywhere near the victim but he did catch a glimpse of a bright red light glowing out a few feet from the shoreline and into the river. It didn't take Hank long to figure out where Connor had gone and why he needed help. Taking off in a quick run he made his way back to the river as quickly as possible. "Oh, shit!"

The deviant android was losing his grip on the slick surface of the ice as his biocomponents began to shutdown one by one. Struggling to keep himself from slipping back into the water Connor gasped and wheezed as the biting cold painfully limited his movements, keeping him prey to the lethally cold river.

"H-Hank!" Connor's voice was audibly shaking from the cold and his hands and feet were becoming numb. Forcing himself to shout even louder Connor tried again to call for help. "HANK! P-Please..."

"Connor!" Hank managed to reach the bottom of the hill and was standing on the ice right next to the shore of the river. "I'll get you out, son! Just hold on!"

"P-PLEASE! I C-CAN'T-"

"Don't panic." Hank shouted as he shrugged off his heavy coat and knelt on the ice to try to distribute his own weight more evenly. Holding onto one sleeve of his coat he tossed the garment outward toward Connor, the opposite sleeve coming to a rest just a few centimeters from the deviant android's fingertips to act as a lifeline. "Grab on and I'll pull you out!"

"I C-CAN'T!"

"Yes you can." Hank encouraged sincerely as he watched the deviant android struggling to save himself from the cold water. "Go on! Grab it and I'll pull you out of the water."

It took every ounce of strength Connor could muster to make his hand move even the slightest toward the coat. Slowly the deviant android's icy fingers brushed against the dry fabric of the coat and weakly grabbed onto the cuff of the sleeve in a weak grip.

"Come on Connor, grab on! Hold TIGHT."

Using his opposite arm to push himself up barely an inch out of the water and onto the unstable icy surface Connor rested on his chest and reached with his second hand for the coat as best as he could to get a better grip.

"That's it! You almost got it." Patiently Hank waited for Connor to make that one final grab so he could pull him back to the shoreline and out of the lethally cold water. "Come on!"

Connor forced both of his numb, weakened hands to wrap around the sleeve and tighten into fists as his biocomponents continued to seize up and shutdown due to the extreme cold. The Thirium cycling through his lines was beginning to slow as the blue blood began to freeze from a pure liquid into a thin slush.

"Hold on as tightly as you can! I'm going to pull you out of the water."

Hank felt Connor's weight tug on the coat and in response he began pulling the offered garment back hand over hand like a sturdy rope. Connor tried to use his legs to kick and swim but the limbs were too cold to be of any use.

"Almost got you, just a little more..." Hank huffed as he shifted his weight backward and pulled with all of his might to heft the deviant android back out of the water and onto the ice, and toward the shore. The deviant android was halfway out of the water but still in danger as Hank kept pulling on the coat to get Connor to safety. "There!"

Connor slid forward a few inches on the slippery surface and curled around himself on right side in a desperate bid to keep warm. His hands still hanging onto the coat sleeve for dear life as Hank pulled Connor toward the shoreline and off of the fragile layer of ice. Laying just a few inches from Hank the deviant android was eternally grateful to have the human watching his back on that frightfully cold night.

"I got you, I got you..." Hank soothed as he wrapped his arms around Connor's chest and began slowly, carefully dragging the deviant android across the remaining ice and back to the much more stable shore just behind him. "It's okay son, I got you."

"C-Cold..." Connor stammered between chattering teeth as his entire body reacted negatively to the extremely low temperature that consumed him relentlessly over his entire person. Unable to move or feel anything beyond forearms and shins Connor was almost completely helpless. "T-Too c-cold..."

"Don't worry, I'll get you warmed up."

"S-Sorry... So s-sorry!" Connor all but burst as he felt a shame of embarrassment wash over him. "I w-was f-foolish! D-Didn't check... I'm a f-fool!"

"No, you're not Connor, you're just headstrong." Hank clarified sympathetically as he dragged Connor back to safety and onto the snowy ground of the park away from the river. "Accidents happen, that's all. Just an accident..."

Once on stable ground Hank pried the coat sleeve from Connor's hands and draped the coat around the deviant android's shaking shoulders to try to get him as warm as possible. Guiding the trembling deviant android away from the river and back to the car on his trembling, partially numb legs Hank rubbed both of his hands along Connor's shoulders and upper arms hoping to create some friction heat that would do the deviant android some good.

Hank grabbed his radio from his belt and requested another officer to the scene of the crime so he could take care of Connor instead. Hastily explaining the situation Hank didn't wait for a response as the duo reached the car together.

"Here, here, here..." Quickly Hank opened the passenger door of the car and sat Connor down inside. The frozen deviant android nearly collapsed into the car as his legs finally gave out entirely from the extreme cold. Rushing to the other side of the car Hank got behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition to turn over the engine to warm the vehicle up. As the engine roared to life Hank turned up the heat in the car to its maximum temperature and pointed the vents directly at Connor. "I'll get you warmed up, just stay awake, okay? Don't fall asleep on me."

"H-Hank..." Connor wheezed as he began shivering violently and found it somewhat difficult to breathe. "Wh-What's ha-happening to m-me?"

"You're hypothermic, kid." Hank explained calmly as he backed the car up and turned around to leave the park and drive home. "It's a normal reaction to dangerously cold temperatures. Just be calm and you'll be fine."

"I d-don't unders-stand..." Connor sounded like a frightened child which only encouraged Hank to drive faster back to their home. "A-Androids d-don't f-feel p-pain! Or c-cold!"

"Right, but _deviants_ do."

"I d-don't like th-this." Connor looked down at his hands, his icy fingertips had turned blue as his artificial skin had been damaged by the extreme temperature. Small patches of the skin were missing allowing the white plastimetal frame to be seen around the damaged blue tinted artificial skin. "H-How do I m-make it stop?!"

"You can't. All you can do is wait until you warm back up over time." Hank put his hand over the heater to ensure that it was indeed maxed out, then pressed the back of his hand to Connor's neck. It was like touching a block of solid ice. "I can help you, but you have to listen to me."

"I'm l-listening."

"First, stay awake. If you fall asleep you might make yourself worse."

"O-Okay."

"Next, keep your hands by the heater and let the heat itself get to your chest. Your internal systems and everything else in there needs to warm back up before anything else, got it?"

"...Y-Yes." Connor lifted his hands, forcing his fingers to extend so his palms could absorb the heat, then fought the urge to remain uncurled around himself so the heat could reach his chest and abdomen as Hank instructed.

"That's right, just like that."

"H-Hank... I'm s-scared."

At those words Hank himself felt a little scared, too. Connor had always been so sure of himself. Confident, if not bullheaded. To hear him speaking with such a sincerely frightened tone was almost heartbreaking.

"I d-don't want t-to d-die." Connor confessed in a manner that Hank had never heard from any deviant before. "N-Not like th-this..."

"You're going to be okay, Connor." Hank reached out and put his hand on Connor's trembling shoulder instead of his neck. He could feel that even under his heavy coat that Connor's gray jacket and shirt were soaked through entirely, which he also knew was only going to keep Connor colder for longer. "As soon as I get you back home you'll be warmed up in no time, alright?"

Connor only nodded weakly as his eyes began to shut.

"No! Connor!" Hank saw Connor's heavy eyelids and began to shout to keep the android alert. "Stay awake! That's an order!"

"I... c-can't..."

"Hey!" Hank lightly slapped the side of Connor's face as he turned onto the block of the house. "AWAKE. Eyes OPEN."

Connor obeyed albeit with difficulty. The red warnings in front of his vision were all staticy, and each one suggested falling into rest mode to conserve his energy.

"Come on, we're almost there." Hank parked in the drive beside his house and turned off the engine. As he raced around to the other side of the car to help the frozen deviant android the detective to his feet Hank saw Connor's eyes beginning to shut again. Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and lifted his head up to make Connor lock eyes with him. "EYES OPEN, CONNOR. NOW."

Connor tried to keep his eyes open but he was too weak from the cold. "C-can't-" A garbled static stole his words as his voice modulator shutdown from the cold. "C-Cant..."

"Damn it, you have to hold on." The senior detective grabbed onto Connor's arm and threw it around his shoulders quickly. Carrying the icy cold deviant android at his side Hank practically kicked down his own backdoor causing Sumo to bark in response to the aggressive sound. "We're home."

Hefting the deviant android through the kitchen and down the hallway Hank pulled away his coat, it had already turned ice cold from being in contact with Connor's soaked frame. He sat the deviant android down with moderate difficulty on the edge bathtub as soon as they were inside the bathroom. With the deviant android now sitting down Hank was able to slip his arms under the Connor's legs and under his shoulders so he could gently pick him up long enough to lay him down inside the tub without dropping him.

"Connor?" Pressing his hand to the side of Connor's cold face he studied the red blinking L.E.D. for only a moment before returning to the task at hand. "Damn it, don't you give up. Stay with me, kid."

Hank and turned on the warm water and checked the temperature to make sure it wasn't too extreme as to cause thermal shock as Connor's systems were already strained from the cold. As the warm shower drenched the semiconscious deviant android in comforting warmth Hank went into bedroom to fetch some dry clothes for Connor to change into.

Connor remained quiet as he laid in the tub and dismissed the dozens of superfluous warnings that practically blinded his visual sensors in red. Even Sumo's curious presence as he briefly looked into the tub then backed out of the bathroom didn't elicit a response from the deviant android.

"Hang on, son." Hank returned to the bathroom with the fresh, dry clothes and put them on the sink. Grabbing every towel he had from the shelf on the wall Hank knelt beside the tub and pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck to check on his progress. His skin felt warmer but not warm enough just yet. "Connor, look at me."

Connor's brown eyes slowly opened, but only partially. His irises were glazed over with icy fatigue that made him appear horrifically like a corpse as he stared ahead blankly.

Hank's placed his hands at the sides of Connor's face as he gently turned the deviant android's head to make his eyes lock onto his. "Connor? You still with me, kid?"

Unable to speak, his voice modulator still cold and strained had failed him, all Connor could do was nod his head weakly.

"Good, that's good."

Awkwardly Hank grabbed onto the lapels of Connor's gray jacket and pushed it open and over his shoulders. It was a clumsy endeavor but Hank managed to slip Connor's arms out of the sleeves of the jacket, one by one, freeing them from the first layer of the icy cold fabric. Loosening Connor's tie Hank tossed the dress garment aside without a care over his shoulder toward the sink, and then worked on getting the rest of the cold clothes off.

"Connor, do you know where you are?" Pulling off Connor's shoes and socks the senior detective watched Connor very carefully. "Connor, I need a response."

The deviant android couldn't speak but he could still hear and understand Hank's words. Again, he nodded.

"Good." Moving his hands up to the white dress shirt he pulled open the buttons and watched Connor's very shallow breathing. "You're going to be fine." As the white shirt was slipped from Connor's arms the deviant android began to fall asleep, his head bowing forward near Hank's arm. "No, damn it Connor. Stay AWAKE. At least for a few more minutes."

Connor's eyes blinked slowly but he straightened his posture slightly and stared forward at the yellow tile wall while Hank continued to fuss with removing his river soaked jeans next.

"You're lucky, you know?" Hank stated as a means of keeping Connor's attention while also distracting himself from the unusual responsibility he brought on himself. As the jeans and belt were finally slipped away Hank just left them in the bottom of the tub, he'd deal with the wet clothes after he took care of his partner. "Most people who fall in an icy river sink right to the bottom. They go into shock from the intense cold and drown before anyone can reach them."

The deviant stayed quiet.

Pressing the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck again Hank checked his temperature and was happy to feel a consistent heat radiating from Connor's person.

"Much better..."

Satisfied that Connor was no longer in immediate danger Hank turned off the water and pulled Connor out of the tub by his arms and onto the floor. Wrapping a towel around the deviant android's shoulders, his torso, legs and around his neck Hank practically buried the shivering deviant android under a pile of warm, dry towels as he did his best to keep Connor awake and as alert as possible.

"Hey, talk to me." Hank urged as he put his hand under Connor's chin again and lifted his head. "Say something, anything. Please."

Connor visibly swallowed once as if testing the biocomponent that functioned as his voice modulator before trying to say anything as requested. "...Thanks."

"Don't thank me just yet." Hank smiled as he grabbed the dry clothes and shook them out. "These should fit you. These are my old clothes back from when I was in high school. Not sure why I held onto them, but they should fit ya'."

Connor's shaking, partially skinless hand rose up from beneath the towels and took hold of the offered black t-shirt. The band 'Knights of the Black Death' was scrawled over the front of the shirt in faded red text and had aged poorly. Almost on a form of autopilot Connor managed to slip the collar of the shirt over his head and neck, but his arms were still too cold and clumsy to properly slip them through the short sleeves to dress himself.

"Here." Hank volunteered and guided Connor's hands and arms appropriately through the sleeves, then pulled on the hem of the shirt to cover his back and his abdomen. "That's better."

The dark gray sweatpants and thick socks were much easier for Connor to manage much to their mutual relief. Connor was already embarrassed enough about falling through the ice, the last thing he needed was to be dressed like he was naive toddler who needed to be constantly supervised. Now covered in warm, dry clothes Connor felt much more comfortable.

"Let's get you into the livingroom." Offering Connor his hand Hank insisted on getting the deviant android moving a little bit to try to warm up faster. "It'll be more comfortable for you on the couch."

With a trembling hand Connor accepted Hank's grip and awkwardly stood up on his still somewhat numb and shaking legs. Leaning heavily against Hank's arm Connor allowed the detective to lead him back out of the bathroom and down the hallway to the livingroom where Sumo was patiently waiting for some attention from the two detectives.

"Sit here." Hank placed Connor on the couch and watched as the deviant android fell over to lay on his left side and curled around himself instinctively. "I'll get you some blankets." Before Hank walked out of the room he glanced down at Sumo and patted the end of the couch by Connor's legs. "Sumo, up!"

The large Saint Bernard happily hopped up on the couch and laid down right next to Connor's legs, resting his chin on Connor's hip as the deviant android continued to shiver from the cold.

Taking every spare blanket he could find in the house; from his own bedroom, the guest bedroom, the linen closet and the laundry room Hank returned with the massive bundle of fabric and proceeded to drape each one over Connor until the deviant android was smothered under a layer of seven blankets. Sumo was buried as well, but the laidback dog just popped his head out from under the blankets, shook his ears a little then laid his chin back down on Connor's hip casually.

"It may not feel like it right now, but you are going to be okay." The senior detective reaffirmed as he stared at the L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashing briefly to yellow before returning to red. "Connor, run a self-diagnostic for me."

The deviant android's brows furrowed for a moment before smoothing out again as his L.E.D. rapidly blinked to yellow then back to red.

"Well?"

"C-Core temperature at n-ninety two p-point two degrees. And r-rising."

"Is that good?"

"Y-Yes. My b-body temperature is the s-same as that of a h-human."

"Okay, so ninety-eight point six. We have a goal." Hank reached down and put his hand again Connor's damp hair, then discreetly moved his hand down so his palm was resting over Connor's forehead. "What can I do to help you?"

"Y-You've done all th-that I need. Th-Thank you, Hank."

"You're welcome, son." Hank sat down in the recliner beside the couch and watched as Connor's L.E.D. returned to yellow and finally stayed yellow.

"H-Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you g-gone through this, b-before? You s-seem to h-have a lot of experience with this."

"Yeah. Once." Hank rubbed his hand over his bearded chin and cleared his throat. "When I was about twelve I was ice fishing with my dad. Sure enough I went out where I wasn't supposed to go, even after I had been warned. The ice was too thin, and I fell straight through. My dad pulled me out and I spent the next six hours huddled in front of the fireplace at the cabin he rented trying to keep me warm. I had never seen my dad so worried before in my life."

"I'm g-glad you survived." The chattering was beginning to lessen, but the strain on Connor's voice modulator was still evident.

"Let me ask you something, Connor. When I pulled you out of the water you said you didn't want to die. I've seen you take a bullet and keep running; a bullet that wedged itself WAY too damn close to your heart and could've dropped you dead in an instant, and you never showed any sign of fear or uncertainty. So why did the cold scare you so much?"

"...A-Amanda." Connor replied honestly out of respect for his partner and friend. "S-She tried to take control over my p-programming the night of the revolution. M-Make me kill Markus. She tried to t-trap my my c-consciousness in an icy w-wasteland. But I e-escaped."

"Oh my God... I didn't know CyberLife could do that." The confession was something completely unexpected, yet beneficial for Hank to ease Connor's fear. "But you survived that, so you can and WILL survive this. You know that, right?"

"Y-Yes. You're right."

"Are you really sure don't need anything else, son? I think there's a heating pad in the hall closet I could get for you."

"...Will you stay with m-me?" Connor asked somberly as he tried to keep warm. "I don't want to be alone right n-now."

"Yeah... sure." The request sounded almost too pathetic to be coming from Connor. The deviant android had always shown terrific independence and never seemed to require company, but if Connor really was scared then it made sense that he wouldn't want to be alone. Leaning back in the recliner Hank tried to relax as much as possible as he decided to sleep in the recliner that night to keep an eye on Connor. "I'll stay with you."

"Thank you... Hank."

"You're welcome."

_**...next story...** _


	12. Virus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Advil

Through the one way mirror of the interrogation room Connor and Hank watched as Gavin attempted, and failed, to interrogate a female deviant displaying erratic and criminal behavior. The deviant suspect had broken into an Android Emergency Care Facility and stolen a dozen bags of Thirium, and had then been found wandering about aimlessly in the parking lot behind the facility covered from head to toe in the illegally obtained blue blood. She was arrested on the spot and put up a bit of struggle which resulted in her being watched very carefully by every available officer.

While Gavin was certain the deviant suspect had stolen the Thirium to make a profit on the black market for replacement android parts, Connor and Hank were unconvinced. Her motivations were unfounded in the light of the revolution and impending android rights, and since she wasted the Thirium on herself in a very strange manner theft for profit didn't add up.

Quiet and curious Hank sat in the chair of the observation room with his arms folded across his chest and his eyes transfixed on the deviant suspect as if analyzing a work of art. "I don't think she's a black marketeer. Why break into a care facility to steal only one type of item and then completely waste it on herself?"

"I agree." Connor was sitting next to Hank with his hands folded neatly on his lap with the same patience. "She is exhibiting behavior that it too abnormal for anyone who is attempting to commit a crime for profit. Not only that, but with the numerous repair facilities now operating in the city there is no need to purchase spare parts or blue blood on the black market any longer."

"What're you thinking?"

"I believe the deviant is suffering from a software malfunction resulting in her bizarre behavior."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he ran through the numerous possible causes for her behavior regarding any and all program anomalies. The blonde haired female deviant suspect had one blue eye and one brown eye. She was still covered in the dark blue Thirium that had only begun to dry and wouldn't begin to properly evaporate for another six hours. Her L.E.D. had been red in color since she was found and remained as such throughout her entire arrest.

Hundreds of tiny internal fractures over her face, arms, chest and legs had long since healed over the past four years, and she had suffered repeated physical trauma to a majority of her internal biocomponents. Many of her Thirium lines were also loose and leaking as if she had taken a horrible fall or had been thrown down to a hard surface.

"She has been severely damaged in the past, perhaps the damage was intracranial as well as cosmetic. If the damage affected her hardware it could explain her behavior and maybe her motivation for breaking into the facility."

"Think you can talk to her and figure out what's going on?"

"I can make an attempt to do so. But if she's too unstable she will attempt to self-destruct."

Hank leaned back in his chair and watched as Gavin grew too impatient to continue questioning the deviant suspect and stormed out of the interrogation room like a temperamental toddler. The deviant suspect remained silent where she sat, but she was visibly trembling as if freezing cold or absolutely terrified.

Gavin got up from his chair and stormed out of the interrogation room to enter the observation room in an annoyed huff. Rejoining Hank and Connor in the observation room Gavin angrily stood against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest bitterly. "Damn piece of plastic won't talk. It's fuckin' crazy! We're wasting our time with this one."

"She's not crazy." Connor refuted calmly from where he sat. "She's damaged."

"Same thing dumbass."

Hank had enough of Gavin singling out Connor, and other androids, and put a stop to it. "Knock it off Gavin. I'm tired of your bullshit."

"Think you can do better?"

"I think _Connor_ can do better." The senior detective stubbornly argued as he gave the arrogant Sergeant an embittered glare. "He's made progress with deviants in the past, let him at least try with her."

"Sure, fine." Gavin begrudgingly agreed to let Connor question the deviant suspect. "Let the 'plastic-wonder' talk to the 'plastic-freak'."

Connor silently stood up from his chair, ignoring Gavin's insults, and exited the observation room and entered the interrogation room right next door. Watching through the one way mirror Hank and Gavin observed Connor as he took a seat across from the deviant suspect and began speaking to her in a very neutral tone of voice to try to get her to talk.

Scanning over the deviant carefully Connor noted that the deviant suspect's system was operating at half power, yet her core temperature was much higher than what was considered optimal, if not normal, for any android. Her entire body was trembling as if her gyroscope was malfunctioning causing her to lose balance despite sitting down, and her inability to respond to basic questions indicated a substantial degradation of her basic neurological programming.

"You appear to be in need of repair." Connor noted in a gentle voice. "Is that why you broke into the facility?"

The deviant suspect's mismatched eyes looked to Connor but didn't focus on him. It was like she was looking through him, instead of at him.

"You stole only Thirium. What were you going to use it for?"

Pointing to her brown eye the deviant suspect seemed to be somewhat lucid and trying to communicate with Connor.

"Your eye?" Connor noted the mismatched irises and continued to question her as he ran a scan. Her blue eye matched her serial number, while the brown eye belonged to another android's serial number. "Was it damaged? "

"My eye..." She muttered in a slurred voice as her first verbal response. "is n-not brown. My eye... is bl-blue."

"You suffered damage that required a replacement of your left ocular biocomponent." Connor looked at the scarring on the artificial skin and plastimetal frame around the brown eye. "You wish to have both of your eyes blue again. Is that it?"

"Thirium... is blue."

Connor's brow furrowed with confusion at her logic. "Were you attempting to... dye your brown iris blue?"

"...Die?" The deviant slurred again. "Don't... want to die."

"You're _not_ going to die." He tried to reassure her as he continued the interrogation. "We just want to know why you stole the Thirium."

"...Hot."

"Yes, I have detected that your system is beginning to overheat. Your core temperature is one-hundred and three point three degrees Fahrenheit. Are your ventilation biocomponents damaged or malfunctioning?" Connor tried to gauge the deviant suspect's reaction as he spoke. "Perhaps we can assist you, but you must talk to us. Why did you break into the facility and steal Thirium?"

"...Humans. They did this... to me."

"I don't understand." Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow inquisitively as he spoke with the suspect. "What did the humans do to you?"

"...Pain. I... c-can't take it... Not anymore."

The deviant suspect suddenly grabbed onto Connor's wrist, her artificial skin receded and she connected her mind directly to Connor's in a matter of seconds. Flashes of confusing images, blurry warning text, error messages and a jumble of incompatible coding entered Connor's programming against his will causing him to flinch and close his eyes as a searing pain entered his head; his L.E.D. flashed red in response to the intense discomfort as he tried and failed to pull his arm away from the suspect.

As the deviant suspect held onto Connor's left wrist she suddenly began to twitch in her seat, her entire body jerking as if suffering from a seizure where she sat at the table.

Hank and Gavin had watched the horrifying ordeal through the observation room's window and ran into the interrogation room to deal with the deviant suspect while Connor endured whatever it was the suspect had done to him. The senior detective grabbed onto the suspect's arm and struggled to release her firm grip from Connor's arm.

"Get her in a cell!" Hank commanded as he finally pried her hand from Connor's arm. "Do it now!"

Gavin tried to pull the deviant suspect to her feet but he couldn't get a hold of her twitching arm long enough to do so.

"Connor?" Hank freed his partner's arm and looked at the deviant android with deep concern as he sat back in the chair barely moving. Connor's eyes were shut tight as if he were suffering from terrible pain that he couldn't comprehend, and was unable to respond. "Look at me! You're okay."

Connor shook his head in disagreement. "No... She's-"

The deviant suspect abruptly shot up from her seat and snatched the gun from the holster on Gavin's hip with malicious intent. She quickly took aim at the human's heart before he had a chance to react to what had just happened. As the deviant suspect pulled the trigger, the entire event taking place in a matter of seconds, Connor's eyes snapped open as he leapt over the table and tackled the deviant suspect to the floor causing the bullet to miss Gavin and lodge itself in the concrete wall behind him.

"Whoa!" Gavin jumped back in shock as he watched Connor wrestle with the deviant suspect on the floor to wrest the gun from her hand. "What the fuck?!"

Hank joined Connor on the the floor and tried to restrain the deviant suspect's arms, but she pulled her hand free and pointed the barrel of the gun directly at her own Thirium pump in her chest and pulled the trigger again. There was a loud 'bang' followed by a sudden splash of dark blue blood all over the suspect's chest and over the two detectives' faces.

"Holy shit!" Hank rested on his knees as he looked down at deviant suspect who just committed suicide before him. A thick puddle of Thirium blossomed from her chest and spilled out all over the floor around her body in a sapphire spill. "What the hell was wrong with her!?"

Quietly Connor was sitting upright on the floor beside Hank, his hand pressed to left eye as if it were causing him great pain.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder just as the deviant android suddenly fell backward and began twitching in the same way as the deviant suspect had done moments before. "Oh, fuck! Connor? Connor!" Hank knelt over Connor and pressed his hands firmly down on both of the deviant android's shoulders to hold him as still as possible on the floor as he looked up at Gavin and gave the stunned Sergeant a new order. "Gavin! Get the station technician from the dispensary, we have an officer down in here!"

"Y-Yeah..." Gavin came to his senses and backed out of the interrogation room to look for help for Connor.

"Connor? Look at me, son!" Hank commanded as he watched with horror as Connor continued to seize before his eyes. "Try to fight it! Focus!"

The twitching suddenly stopped and Connor took in deep, fast breaths to try to cool his overheating systems. His eyes were open but unfocused and glazed over as they stared blankly at the ceiling above.

"Connor?" Hank spoke softly as he lessened his tight grip on the deviant android's shoulders. "You're going to be okay."

The precinct technician, Joel Forest, raced into the room with a heavy technician's satchel over his shoulder and with Gavin right behind him. Taking a knee beside the downed deviant android Joel opened the bag and pulled out an item that looked unexpectedly similar to that of a stethoscope. The instrument was called an 'audioscope' and allowed technicians to listen to an android's internal biocomponents like a doctor would do for a human patient as the device was strong enough to register sounds through thick plastimetal framing.

"What happened?" Joel asked coolly as he loosened the tie around Connor's neck, peeled back his jacket and pulled open the top buttons on Connor's shirt to expose his chest to begin a routine examination.

"The deviant suspect did something to him." Hank replied just as calmly as he stayed beside his downed partner. "She grabbed his arm then starting having some kind of meltdown." Hank then pointed to the fresh bullet hole in the wall just beside the door. "She tried to kill Gavin before she turned the gun on herself and committed suicide."

Joel placed the ear buds of the audioscope into his ears before placing the bell down against the upper left portion of Connor's chest to listen. "His Thirium pump is still active and cycling at a normal rate." Gently he tilted Connor's head to the left and examined the L.E.D. cycling in red in his right temple. "Systems are still online as well."

"What did she do to him?"

"I need to run a full diagnostic to figure out what the hell happened to him." Joel put the audioscope back into his bag and pulled a small radio from his belt to request a gurney in the interrogation room to get Connor up to the precinct dispensary. "It shouldn't take too long."

"Oh, fuck..." Gavin watched from the open doorway with visible fear in his eyes. "That crazy bitch didn't actually kill him, did she? Fuck!"

"No." Joel confirmed as he snapped his fingers near Connor's ears causing the deviant android to flinch slightly and turn away from the sound. "Auditory sensors still functioning." As he waved his hand over Connor's eyes he watched the deviant android's pupils lack of response studiously. "Visual sensors appear to be malfunctioning at the moment."

Hank rubbed at his bearded chin thoughtfully. "Connor acted like he was in pain before he had that... seizure, or whatever you want to call it. The suspect claimed to be in pain, too, before she freaked out."

"Pain is normal for deviants, but if it was the pain that caused the suspect to act so violently I'll check Connor's programming once I get him up into the dispensary for a proper examination."

A gurney was wheeled into the room by two other technicians apprenticing under Joel, who were unsure of what to think when they saw the dead deviant on the floor covered in her own blood and a massive bullet wound in her chest. Gavin stepped aside and watched as the two apprencticing technicians lifted Connor up from the floor by his shoulders and legs and placed him down on the gurney very carefully.

"Gavin, have the deviant's body taken to the morgue for now." Hank instructed as he and Joel followed the gurney out of the room. "And get someone to clean up this mess."

"Yeah... On it." Glancing at the body, the gun still clutched in her limp hand and then to the bullet hole in the wall beside the doorway Gavin felt himself pale and his heart race a little. "Piece of crazy plastic tried to kill me..."

* * *

Once in the dispensary only one floor up Hank watched as Joel and his apprentices began running every possible diagnostic protocol over Connor's entire system: checking every program, looking through the stability of his software and the integrity of his hardware without skipping over anything in the process. Despite the lack of evidence the small team also checked make sure none of his biocomponents or his intracranial processor had been damaged either.

Curiously Hank watched as Connor's soulful brown eyes blinked slowly and his L.E.D. beneath the thick, black diagnostic cable finally cycled back from red to yellow. Blue was preferable, but at this point Hank would take any color over red, or worse, no color at all.

Joel made a note in Connor's electronic file and walked over to his terminal in the corner at the far wall. "No anomalies detected. If anything she just projected her pain onto him and it resulted in his system overreacting. He hasn't been deviant that long, so I'm not surprised he had such a strong reaction to the sense of pain. He'll be just fine in a few hours, Hank."

"Thank fuck." Relieved to know his partner would pull through the senior detective leaned over the table to address the deviant android in low voice. "Connor? Can you hear me?"

The deviant android slowly lifted his head up to look around as his blurry vision began to clear and he was finally able to see again. "...Lieutenant? Why am I in the dispensary?" It was then Connor felt the diagnostic cable attached to his L.E.D. on his right temple. "Did I... go offline?"

"We're not sure yet, but we'll find out soon. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I was interrogating a deviant suspect. A female, with blonde hair; one eye blue and the other brown."

"What else?"

"She... did something." Connor looked down at his left arm and remembered her grabbing onto him as she uploaded something into his program. "Virus."

"Virus?"

"Yes. She was infected with a virus." Connor sat up slowly on the exam table and looked over at Hank as Joel approached the exam table he was placed upon while unconscious. "It came from the brown ocular unit that was used to replace her original blue one."

Joel unhooked the cable from Connor's L.E.D. as he used a penlight to examined Connor's own eyes and pupils. "Visual sensors fully functional."

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he looked to the technician and locked eyes. "I believe I know what happened to the deviant."

"Oh?"

"Check the biocomponent compatibility of her ocular units. If I'm correct the deviant had been unknowingly, possibly unintentionally, infected with a virus when she was given an incompatible ocular unit. But she also escaped an abusive household, so the damaged ocular unit being used could've also been a predetermined form of assault by the abuser."

"Whoa, whoa." Hank was still struggling to understand the technicalities of android physiology. "She went nuts because of her replacement _eye_?"

"Correct."

"Alright, I'll bite. How?"

Joel answered on Connor's behalf as he knew how to simplify things for the senior detective in comparison to Connor's more complicated answers. "Android biocomponents are designed for specific models to ensure their programming operates correctly. And each part must be checked to ensure there are no viruses, or malware, that's why black marketeering of android spare parts is so dangerous." The technician continued his explanation as he continued to monitor Connor's condition. "If an android is given an incompatible part, something that their program is unable to recognize, their systems go haywire and begin to reject the replacement part. Since it was the deviant's ocular unit that was affected her visual sensors were compromised and her system's warnings couldn't be properly read, and so the virus went unchecked until it was far too late."

Hank nodded his head with sincere understanding. "That's what she meant when she said she wanted her brown eye tinted blue again. She wanted to get a proper replacement but she couldn't communicate what was wrong with her."

Connor sighed despondently in response to Hank's assessment. "Correct. I should've understood what she meant. I could've saved her."

"Don't worry about it." Hank insisted calmly as he tried to ease Connor's guilt. "We can't save everyone, no matter how hard we try."

Joel briefly walked over to his computer then returned to Connor to give him an official slip to clear him for duty. "The evidence lines up." He unclipped the cable from Connor's temple and gave him a reassuring nod. "I detected traces of the same virus in your own programming, but I removed it before it could do any permanent damage. You're completely healthy, detective."

Hank offered his hand to Connor to pull him off the table and onto his feet. "You may not have been able to save her, but you did save Gavin today."

"I see." Connor began rebuttoning his white dress shirt when a mildly mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Are you mad?"

Hank patted Connor's shoulder with good humor as he escorted his partner out of the dispensary to return to work. "Not really. It took you saving his sorry ass for him to finally refer to you as something other than a 'piece of plastic'. Maybe he'll finally come around."

"Perhaps, but I wouldn't count on it." Connor knotted his black tie around his neck neatly, tightening it as he and Hank walked into the elevator together. "Not everyone can have the same change of heart on androids as you had toward me."

"I don't know about that, kid." Hank tilted his head a little as the elevator doors slid shut behind them. "Stranger things have happened..."

_**...next story...** _


	13. Shoulder

Earlier that morning Connor had tracked down a dangerous criminal who had been attacking androids and harvesting biocomponents for illegal sales to sell in the very few remaining underground markets, and was now in pursuit of the fleeing suspect as they tried to escape the police. Racing over the rooftops of the closely positioned apartment complexes in a less than ideal neighborhood the determined deviant android managed to catch up the human with little difficulty on his own part. But even though Connor was fast the human was proving himself to be too stubborn to be taken into custody without a fight.

"Stop! Detroit Police!" Connor shouted as he tried to get the criminal to surrender peacefully as he cornered the suspect at the edge of a roof overlooking a steep drop into the cold alleyway below. "There's nowhere to run. Surrender now."

Not wanting anything to do with androids after what he had doing to them in his garage for the past six months the suspect leapt onto the neglected metal ladder of the building's fire escape just under the ledge of the rooftop, and immediately began to slip as the aged bolts of the framing began to break away from the brick exterior with a rapid shuddering. The man's weight was too much for the old metal and crumbling brick to properly support and was well on its way to collapsing entirely.

Reacting quickly Connor jumped onto the fire escape balcony next to the criminal and wrapped both of his arms around the human's chest as he stood behind him. Jumping up and back from the collapsing fire escape toward the open alleyway Connor used his own body to protect the criminal as he landed partially on his left side onto the hood of an abandoned, rusted car in the alley four floors below.

Connor let out a yelp of pain as he made contact with the metal hood crunching under his body, but he never let go of the suspect in the process of the fall or impact. Connor's L.E.D. had been yellow during the chase but now it was red as his systems processed the sudden pain shooting up his left arm and concentrating in his shoulder joint as the damage was registered.

Hank and Chris, who had been in pursuit of the suspect on the ground, heard the crunching sound of metal echoing from the alley and rushed to check on the commotion. The suspect wrestled free from Connor's weakening grip and fell to his hands and knees in the alleyway with a heady 'thud' in a graceless fall. Before he could get up to run again he found himself staring down two barrels of two guns pointed directly at him courtesy of Detroit's finest.

"Don't move!" Hank demanded as he kept his gun trained on the suspect while Chris took the cuffs from his belt to finally arrest the man. "You're under arrest."

Too tired to resist the man raised his hands up to the back of his head and stayed on his knees to surrender, and Chris cuffed the man's wrists easily.

"Get him back to the precinct." Hank ordered as he watched Connor awkwardly slide off the hood of the broken down car gracelessly and onto the alleyway onto his feet. Holstering his gun at his hip the senior detective walked over to where Connor was now standing and gave him an annoyed look. "I need to speak with my partner."

"Right, Lieutenant." Chris led the exhausted suspect to his squad car parked a few blocks while Hank checked in on Connor. The suspect was continuing to struggle a little, but Chris just tightened his grip on the suspect's arm. "Come on, don't make this any worse than it already is."

Approaching the deviant android with a scowl the senior detective asked the obvious question. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Hank nearly shouted as he watched Connor's right hand desperately clinging to his pained left shoulder. "Why would you risk your own life to save a piece of shit like that?"

"I... I don't know. I didn't think about it." Connor visibly winced as his hand continued to clutch at his sore shoulder. "I just reacted. I'm sorry, Lieutenant."

"And you hurt yourself again, didn't you?"

"I landed on my left arm and caused mild damage to my left shoulder." Connor confirmed as he tried to remove his right hand from the shoulder only to replace it immediately as the pain intensified without the support of the strong appendage. "My self-healing program will take care of the damage within a few hours."

"How bad is it?"

"It's not serious."

"Then why's your light red instead of blue," he Hank asked as he pointed to Connor's right temple with an accusing gesture. "or even yellow?"

"I... It's from the pursuit. I'm slightly overheated from physical exertion."

"Connor, you're so damn near close to being human and could even pass off as one, but if you want to be completely convincing you need to learn how to lie better than that." Hank reached out a hand toward Connor's shoulder to inspect the damage for himself. "Let me take a look."

"It's nothing." Connor argued as he shrugged his arm away from Hank timidly. "It'll heal on its own."

"Then if it's really nothing then I can take a look and I'll _see_ _nothing_ , right?"

"...C-Correct."

"Good. Let me see."

Connor sighed with defeat as he let Hank check his shoulder. Slipping off the sleeve of his gray jacket carefully with his right hand Connor turned so Hank could see his left shoulder without the dark fabric draped over it. The deviant android's left shoulder now looked as though it was lower than the right, and his arm was heavy and limp in Hank's grip. Watching Connor's reaction carefully, seeing every wince and stifled gasp of pain the deviant android managed to endure, Hank made his assessment on the damage.

"You dislocated your shoulder."

"As I stated, it's not serious."

"No, but it is painful." Hank let go of Connor's shoulder mercifully much the deviant android's relief. "Trust me, I played football in high school. I know what a dislocated shoulder is all about and it needs to be taken care of soon."

"What should I do?"

"You need it popped back into place in order for it to heal properly."

"...Can you do it?"

"Me? Why me?"

"I don't... I don't want to go to a technician."

"Joel seemed pretty cool when he helped you with that virus shit. Why not go see him at the precinct?"

"I don't want to walk into the precinct wounded."

"Uh-huh. Then there should be a nearby facility we can stop at."

"No."

Sighing a little at Connor's stubbornness Hank asked him why he was so hesitant to go. "Alright, why not a facility?"

"I find android facilities... unsettling."

Hank smirked Devilishly at the comment and didn't back away from his opportunity to tease Connor. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're afraid of the doctor."

"I have no fear of technicians, but I do find it unnerving to go to a place where dozens of androids are in desperate need of repair and have subsequently shutdown due to a lack of funding and time."

"Yup. You're afraid of the doctor."

"No." Connor refuted like an angry child. "I merely dislike the locations in which technicians operate. They are similar to CyberLife laboratories and warehouses."

"Sorry kid, you need to-"

"Please Hank." Connor suddenly sounded frightened and it wasn't a reaction Hank had been expecting. Having called him 'Hank' rather than 'Lieutenant' while on the clock emphasized how distressed he truly was. "You're the only person I trust."

"I..." Hank briefly looked over his own shoulder down the alleyway toward the street to make sure no one else was around before he finally relented. He didn't want to do the deed, but it needed to be done. "Alright, I'll do it. But don't you scream. I don't want to hurt you, and if you scream then I'll know I hurt you."

"I won't." Connor promised sadly as he visibly relaxed a little. "What do I need to do?"

"Uh, slip off your tie and take your arm out of your shirt sleeve so I can see your shoulder better."

With one hand Connor shrugged off his the rest of his jacket and handed it over to Hank. Loosening his tie Connor then unbuttoned his white shirt halfway down and slipped his damaged arm free of the garment sleeve. "Now what?"

"You see that water pipe?" Hank tucked Connor's jacket under his arm as he pointed at a large, dripping pipe jutting up from the ground near the back of the alley. "Grab onto that with your good hand and do _not_ let go until I tell you to."

"...Okay." Connor walked over to the pipe and took a tight grip with his right hand as instructed. "What's next?"

"Now," Hank grabbed onto Connor's bad arm and took a deep breath as he held tight. "when I pull your arm you need to resist the motion. Pull away from me as hard you can until your arm pops."

"Lieutenant?"

"It sounds weird, I know, but it's the only way to realign your shoulder and pop it back into place. Ready?"

Connor checked his grip on the pipe as well as the overall integrity of the pipe to make sure it wouldn't bend or get pulled out of the ground in the process of the unusual moment. "...Ready."

"On three:" Hank stated as he lifted Connor's arm up until the limb was level with his shoulder again, then planted his feet. "One, two-"

Hank pulled back as hard as he could while Connor did the same. With a sickening 'crunch' the arm popped itself outward and then back into the shoulder joint, and Connor restrained the scream of pain he so desperately wanted to let out.

"Okay, that should do it!" Hank gently lowered Connor's arm to his side and let him go. "...Everything lined up?"

Connor's right hand released the pipe and grabbed at his shoulder as he closed his eyes and ran a self-diagnostic. "...Yes. The shoulder has been correctly set." His red L.E.D. flashed to yellow in response as the program confirmed a proper alignment and his self-healing program initiated properly. "No internal damage detected."

"See? Simple as that."

"But it still hurts, Lieutenant." Rubbing his right hand over his left shoulder Connor flexed his left hand as all control returned to the limb. "I dislike pain."

"Part of the healing process, kid. You may want to put your arm in a sling for a day or two until your healing program thing finishes its job."

"Sling?" Connor's brow furrowed as he carefully put his arm back in the sleeve of his shirt and rebuttoned it with one hand.

"Yeah, I can get you one from the infirmary back at the precinct if you want."

"Thank you, Lieutenant." Connor's L.E.D. finally returned to its healthy shade of blue as he and Hank exited the alleyway together, Connor's right hand still supporting his left arm. "I appreciate your help."

"No problem." Hank placed the deviant android's jacket casually over his right shoulder as they walked. "Just don't jump off of any more roofs and we'll call it even."

"I'll do my best to not do that in the future."

"Good. That's all I ask."

_**...next story...** _


	14. Hearing and Listening

It was a relatively quiet evening at the precinct until Gavin and Chris returned to the station with an obnoxious and violent drunken human male in custody. Loud, belligerent and ready for a fight, the drunk man proceeded to yell and struggle against the two officers dragging him through the precinct to sleep it off in the drunk tank adjacent to the standard cells.

"Hey, hey!" Chris shouted as he fought to keep a grip on the flailing drunk man's arm alongside Gavin. "Calm down!"

"YOU calm down..." The drunk slurred as he continued to resist arrest and violently swing his cuffed arms behind his back. "Shut up! Pig!"

Gavin was getting far too annoyed to handle the situation any longer and asked for a little back-up. "A little help please!"

Connor and Hank had been watching the clumsy escort from their desks when Gavin asked for assistance. Always ready to volunteer and help his fellow officers the deviant android rose from his chair and walked over to the drunken man with the intent of grabbing onto his arm to usher him over to the appointed cell, but the drunk saw the blue L.E.D. in Connor's temple and immediately began spouting anti-android hate in his direction.

"Fuck you! Plastic freak... took my job!"

"Sir, I can assure you I have done no such thing to-"

"SHUT UP!" The drunk refused to keep walking and began lashing out at Connor with violent swings of his cuffed arms and kicks from his graceless, shaking legs. "GET OUT OF MY FACE!"

Chris again tried to restrain the drunk by wrapping both of his arms around the man's chest and pulling him backward on his feet. Gavin was trying to get a hold of the drunk's arm again only to receive an elbow to the nose that instantly caused Gavin to shout in pain as his nose gushed blood and his head began to ache from the harsh blow as his legs gave out and he fell to his knees.

Connor turned his attention to Gavin after he had been wounded and foolishly took his eyes from the drunk who then kicked Connor in his side with enough force that it caused the deviant android to stumble backward, and fall against the corner of a nearby desk. The back of his head bashed against the sharp corner of the desk and his systems flashed red as an error was detected in his program and his auditory sensors. Connor's L.E.D. cycled to red in recognition of his physical distress and glowed as brightly as Gavin's bleeding, broken nose.

Hank took control of the situation by marching up to the drunk, grabbing him by the lapels of his coat and pinning the obnoxious man against the wall with a tremendous force right out of Chris's grip. "Shut the fuck up!" Hank shouted in a very stern, loud voice. "You just assaulted TWO officers, AND you pissed ME off! Either go with Chris, QUIETLY to your cell, or I can take you out back and sober you up _personally_! What's it going to be, asshole?"

The drunk was immediately intimidated by Hank and shrunk down against the wall in fear. He swallowed once and looked at Chris pathetically with an almost pleading look in his bloodshot eyes. "I'll be good..."

"Yeah, sure." Hank let the drunk go and looked at Gavin, whose nose was bleeding heavily even under his hands as they applied pressure. "Take care of our 'guest', Chris. I got these two."

"Sure, thanks Lieutenant." Chris smiled a little as he escorted the much more cooperative drunk to the cells while Hank tended to the two officers with his own unique brand of charm.

"Hold still." Hank pulled open the top drawer of the nearby desk and handed a box of tissues to Gavin as he pocketed a few tissues for himself. Pulling one of Gavin's hands down Hank looked at his face and could see his nose was swollen, and his eyes were beginning to blacken into dark purple bruises. "Shit, he got you good. Can you find your way to the infirmary?"

"Y-Yeah..." Gavin pulled a wad of tissues from the offered box and pressed them to his bleeding nose. His eyes were all watered up and his voice sounded congested as his tried to breath through his mouth, simply because his nose was already too swollen to breathe normally. "Fuck that asshole..."

While Gavin made his way to the infirmary on shaking legs Hank knelt on the floor beside Connor who was sitting up against the desk still stunned. A small stain of Thirium had been smudged against the corner of the desk as a trickle of blue blood ran down from the back of Connor's ear and onto the collar of his white dress shirt and gray uniform jacket.

"You okay, Connor?" Hank asked as the deviant android pressed his palm against the bleeding wound just behind his ear.

Connor didn't reply to the question which in turn worried Hank.

"Connor?"

Still no response.

"Connor!" Hank shouted as he snapped his fingers at the deviant android's ear. Still no reaction. "What the hell?" Reaching out his hand to grab Connor's shoulder Hank tried again. "Connor, you-"

Connor jumped violently when Hank's hand touched him. It was as if Connor had been completely unaware of Hank's presence which just alarming Hank even more.

"Whoa, sorry." Apologizing sincerely Hank tried to check on Connor once again. "You okay?"

Connor's eyes were fixed on Hank's face and his brow was furrowed with absolute confusion. With his L.E.D. flashing yellow Connor began to breathe quicker as if hyperventilating.

"Connor? What's wrong?"

"I... I can't hear you." Connor's eyes went wide with fear as he unintentionally shouted. "I can't hear anything."

Staying calm Hank put a grounding hand on Connor's shoulder and held it there. "But you can understand me, right?"

"I can read lips." Connor explained, his breathing evening out as it dawned on him that his sensors had been damaged when he had hit his head on the desk. As he calmed down his L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow in a much slower rate of speed. "My auditory processor has been damaged."

"Can it be repaired?" Hank felt the need to heavily enunciate his words to ensure Connor could fully read his lips while the two continued their unorthodox communication on the floor of the bullpen.

"Yes." Connor nodded once and flinched as the movement hurt his already bleeding head. "...But it will take at least eight hours to process."

"Holy shit, that's not going to work out well for you. You're benched, kid."

"I can still-"

"No." Hank put up his other hand to silence Connor as he took the tissues from his pocket and pressed them to the back of Connor's head, pushing the deviant android's own hand aside in the process. "You're hurt and need time to recover. I'll take you home, we're done for the day."

Connor wanted to argue but he knew that Captain Fowler would agree with Hank and send him home anyway.

"Let's go." Hank offered Connor his hand and helped him to his feet and took his hand from the wound on the back of Connor's head as the deviant android began applying pressure himself. The tissue in his palm was thoroughly stained with the leaking Thirium and a dark shade of blue in a matter of seconds. "We'll check in with the technician tomorrow just to be safe."

"What?" Connor hadn't been looking at Hank when he was speaking, although he knew Hank had been speaking.

"I said," Hank made sure Connor could see his face before repeating himself. "we'll let the technician check you over tomorrow."

"Oh. A wise precaution. Why not tonight?"

"Because you could heal in the eight hours before our next shift, so why make more paperwork for Joel?"

"...I think I understand."

"Good. Let's go."

* * *

The ride home was disturbingly quiet for Connor as he couldn't hear anything being spoken to him by Hank. He couldn't hear anything. The deviant android who had been given exquisite auditory sensors couldn't hear the blaring death metal in the car's radio, or hear the random honking of car horns and swearing drivers all around them. Connor couldn't even hear the gentle patter of raindrops on the windshield as they peppered the car randomly throughout the driver, or the rhythmic swiping of the windshield wipers going back and forth at a steady, consistent speed.

Pulling into the drive Connor waited for Hank to make a move to his door before he did the same. He could feel that the car had been parked but he couldn't tell if the engine was off or not. Following Hank into the house Connor watched as Sumo ran up to the greet the duo but he couldn't hear the dog bark or his nails clicking across the bare wood floorboards in the livingroom, or over the linoleum floor in the kitchen.

Hank patted Connor's shoulder to get his attention. "Why don't you go ahead and go into rest mode? See if you can jumpstart your healing program that way."

Connor obediently walked over to the couch to lay down on his left side to go into rest mode and ran another self-diagnostic in the process. It was this act of unquestioning obedience, a display Hank rarely saw from the deviant android even before he was actually deviant, that made him worry all over again.

"Connor." Hank grabbed the deviant android's shoulder to get his attention one more time. "Talk to me."

"Talk? About what?" Connor asked as he turned his head to look at Hank directly and read his lips accordingly.

"Why you're being so cooperative instead of trying to deny being injured. It's unlike you, Connor."

"I am... I am attempting to heal my damaged auditory processors. There is no point in hiding my injury as you already know that I've sustained damage."

"Uh-huh." Hank didn't buy it and knew something else was on the deviant android's mind. "What's _really_ going on?"

The deviant android's mouth twitched a little before he tried to answer. "Hank, I..." There was a disturbingly human tone of fear in his voice as he spoke, his L.E.D. flashing from yellow to red with distress. "I've never been in a functioning state without one of my basic sensors active. It's... I don't... It's very..."

"Frightening."

Connor nodded weakly at the correct term. "Yes. I'm... frightened."

"It's okay to be scared."

"It is?"

"Yeah, I mean, come on, kid! You suddenly lost your hearing and now you have to deal with it for a couple of hours. I can't even begin to imagine how messed up that must be."

"I am not accustomed to relying so heavily on my other senses." Connor looked genuinely upset by the entire experience. "I could actually smell the blood when Gavin's nose was broken, it was like I was tasting it. And when you touched my shoulder at the precinct I could feel your entire palm in an instant. Your hand was very warm and strong, and I hadn't noticed it until I lost my hearing."

Hank crossed his arms as he listened to Connor's worry with a fatherly concern evident on his face.

"During the drive home I could see every drop of rain that hit the windshield. One thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven drops... And right now I can... I can _feel_ my... Thirium pump, my heart... _beating_ in my chest. I've never noticed it before either, but it's a constant perfect rhythm and it's somehow unsettling to think about."

Hank tilted his head a little as he understood a little bit of what was happening to Connor. "It's pretty common for a human to have their other senses enhanced when one sense is compromised. I think it's safe to say the same thing is happening to you."

"How long will it last?"

"Pretty sure once your hearing comes back online," Hank pointed to Connor's ear casually as he sat down beside him on the couch. "your other senses will calm down."

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I kid, but even if, for whatever reason, your healing program can't undo the damage we can either get your sensor replaced, or..."

"Or what?"

"Learn to live with it."

"I don't think I could-"

"Sure you could." Getting up from the couch he patted Connor's shoulder and looked at the already healing cut to Connor's artificial skin just behind his ear, and in his hair. "To this day some humans are born deaf and still managed to live full, rich lives. If a human can do it, then so can an android. Trust me."

"Hank... I don't know how I feel about that."

"Try not to worry." Hank insisted as he pointed to his own ear. "Get some rest, if your healing program is as efficient as you say then you'll be back to normal when you wake up."

Connor sighed and closed his eyes, his L.E.D. shifting from red to yellow once more as he slipped into rest mode. "...I hope you're right."

Hank watched worriedly as Connor's hand reached up to his chest and rested palm atop his beating heart as if he was trying to still the motion. Sighing heavily Hank slipped off his coat and hung it on the hook by the front door.

"Sleep well, kid. If only all of our problems could be fixed after a good night's rest."

* * *

The next morning Hank awoke to the sound of another spring storm looming over the city. Heavy rain pounded against the roof and powerful thunder in the distance rumbled with a deep echo from miles away. The rest of the house was unusually quiet as the detective got up and went looking for Connor to check on the deviant android's condition.

Connor himself was standing in the kitchen, his eyes closed and his L.E.D. blinking a slow blue as he stood before the opened window over the sink lost in deep thought. Sumo was sitting beside Connor's leg calmly as if he was keeping Connor company, his tail wagging rhythmically back and forth over the floor in a gentle sweeping motion.

"Connor?" Hank called out to his partner casually, but just as he had done the night before Connor didn't answer. "Ah, shit... Your system didn't heal your busted sensors, did it?"

"I'm fine, Hank." Connor replied softly as he opened his soulful brown eyes and turned his head slightly to look at Hank behind him. "I was just listening to the sound of the rain."

"Oh." The somber tone in Connor's voice made Hank a little unsteady. It was such a human response. "Is something wrong with the rain?"

"No. It's just... I never truly _listened_ to the rain before. I've never listened to the natural rhythm of the drops and the steady flow of a passing storm. It's quite... soothing." Turning away from Hank he gazed out the window again and to the dark clouds heavy with cool, falling rain. "And beautiful."

"Remember when we were first getting to know each other and you said you enjoyed listening to heavy metal?" Hank questioned with a burning curiosity in his mind."You said you liked it because of its energy, even though you didn't really listen to the music itself."

"Yes. I remember that particular conversation vividly."

"Why don't you take the opportunity to actually _listen_ to the music, now? And I mean _really listen_ to it. I think between your deviancy and your new found appreciation for your hearing you'll finally understand why I personally prefer listen to heavy metal, maybe even jazz." Shrugging his shoulders with a dismissing passing thought Hank realized that Connor might find a new appreciation for music in general. "Hell, you might even find out why humans in general find music so important to their lives."

"I think you're right." Connor gave Hank a faint, unseen smile before asking for some advice on the intriguing matter. "What do you recommend?"

_**...next story...** _


	15. Nightmare

A late spring snowstorm had covered the entire city under a massive layer of pure, icy whiteness that kept most of the denizens indoors where it was warm, and helped keep the harsh wind at bay. Due to the extreme drop in temperature the cases involving androids had dropped considerably courtesy of the intense cold, potentially causing damage to android biocomponents or freezing over internal Thirium lines, which of course kept androids inside buildings just like the humans.

Hank and Connor had been sent home from the precinct early due to the bad weather and the lack of deviant cases, and now the duo found themselves bored after being cooped all afternoon with the dangerous weather keeping them trapped inside.

"When I was a kid," Hank stated as he looked at the massive snowflakes blowing by in the powerful gusts of wind through the front window of the house. "I dreamt of snowstorms like this just so I wouldn't have to go to school. Now as an adult I dream of winters where the snow misses us entirely so I don't have to look at the aftermath of people getting sick, or hurt or dealing with... car accidents."

Connor sat quietly on the couch with Sumo laying over his lap, the massive dog keeping the deviant android completely still and unable to move. "My scanner indicates that the storm should pass by noon tomorrow." The change in subject was sorely needed as he knew Hank was thinking about Cole again. "The cold spell will pass by in seventy-two hours allowing the temperature to rise from twenty-eight degrees to sixty-three degrees."

"Three days? Not soon enough." Hank lamented as he sat down in the recliner and stared with disinterest at the television screen showing yet another report on the chaotic weather outside. "What about you, Connor?" He asked in a strangely curious tone. "What do you dream about? Electric sheep perhaps?"

"Dreams? Androids don't dream, Lieu- Hank." Connor explained casually as he ran his hand down Sumo's back. "When in rest mode our programs become dormant and recorded memories will briefly replay as our systems process all of the recorded data for that day. That's all."

"So, even after you become deviant, even after you gain freewill and can think for yourselves, you still have the same routine as any machine?"

"Corr-" Connor stopped short as his L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow for a moment before returning to blue. "For a majority of the time, yes."

" _Majority_ of the time? Sounds like a 'no' to me, son."

"I do not... I don't quite understand the concept of dreams, yet." His brow furrowed a little as he tried to explain things to the seasoned detective. "Shortly, after I became deviant I found myself witnessing unusual images and sounds while in rest mode, but they weren't recorded memories replaying, they were... different."

"See? You _do_ dream." Hank pointed smugly at the deviant android from where he sat. "Do you remember what you dream about?"

"I..." Connor wanted to avoid the question until he had more information on the concept of dreams. He wanted to understand dreams in general before he wanted to even speak of them. Absentmindedly he began to pet Sumo's ears instead of his back and sighed. "I wish I could explain what I had seen, but I'm still unable to fully comprehend these unexpected images. They can be quite vivid and intense."

"Yeah, sure." Hank could sense that something was bothering Connor and decided to change the subject to avoid accidentally upsetting the deviant android. "How much you wanna' bet that when we get back to the precinct tomorrow we're going to have to deal with Gavin bitchin' about us getting the day off, and him having to keeping working during the storm?"

Connor smirked a little at the question and he visibly relaxed on the couch. "If there's one thing I've learned since I've known you it's NOT wise to take any bets against you."

"Good policy."

The lights in the house began to flicker and dim momentarily as the intense storm threatened to knock out the power. Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he looked about the house and watched the lights temporarily dull and return to standard illumination.

Hank in turn grumbled as he walked over to the nearby closet in the middle of the hallway. "Shit. I better light some candles in case we lose power."

"Do you have an emergency generator?" Connor asked as he stopped petting Sumo for a moment.

"Nope. No room in the garage to store one."

After pushing aside a couple of long forgotten board games Hank found two old candles and a lighter sitting on the top shelf of the closet, and grabbed them with both hands. Lighting the two candles he sat one on the coffee table next to the couch for Connor to use, and kept the other for himself.

"I'm going to bed. You should get some rest, too. I get the feeling we're going to be busy tomorrow with the aftermath of this storm."

"Very well. Good night, Lieutenant."

"Stop calling me 'Lieutenant' when we're off the clock." Hank muttered as he walked down the hallway with the glowing candle in his hand. "It sounds weird."

"Sorry, I'm attempting to make it a habit." Connor apologized to Hank as he gently pushed Sumo aside so that he could lay flat on his back across the length of the couch. Sumo let out a sad whimper in response as Connor moved him away with both hands. "Sorry." He apologized again, this time to the dog. "You take up too much room."

Sumo grumbled as he laid down beside Connor and pressed his back up against the deviant android's side.

"Good boy."

The sound of the howling wind outside the house created a loud commotion that made it difficult for Hank to fall asleep. Pulling the blanket up over his head to block out the flame of the candle burning on the nightstand beside his bed, and pressing the edges of the pillow against his ears Hank closed his eyes and steadily drifted off to sleep. It was near dawn and the storm was still raging relentlessly when Hank was startled awake by a voice suddenly shouting out with a strange panic.

"HANK?!"

Hank sat upright in his bed in a quick bolt of motion and stared confusedly at the shut door of his bedroom as he tried to figure out what he had heard and quickly realized that it was Connor.

"What the hell?!" Hank grabbed his mostly melted, but still lit candle and marched out of his bedroom and into the livingroom where he expected to see Connor confronting some burglar in the house, or the house itself on fire, but instead he saw Connor was still laying on the couch with his eyes shut. His L.E.D. was cycling red rapidly, and his body randomly jerking as if he were struggling against an unseen force. "Connor? What's going on with you?"

Sumo was sitting beside the couch on the floor watching as Connor twitched in his sleep as if he was trying to figure out what was happening with Connor as well as the deviant android continued to thrash in his sleep.

"Connor?" Hank reached over the back of the couch and put his hand on Connor's arm to try and shake him awake but the deviant android didn't respond to the touch. "Kid, look at me!"

The deviant android continued to struggle against some unknown foe in his sleep despite Hank's presence. Suddenly Connor's arm reached out and bumped into the burning candle on the coffee table next to the couch which quickly burned the back of Connor's hand and caused him to jolt awake in intense pain as his artificial skin became quickly damaged.

"CONNOR?!" Hank moved to the other side of the couch to grab onto the candle and blow out the flame before it caught anything on fire. "What's wrong with you!?

Connor forced himself to sit upright on the couch and as he held his burned hand to his chest in pain. His eyes were shut so tight a single tear was forced from the corner of his eye, and his L.E.D. was blinking red rapidly in his temple.

"Let me see." Hank urged as he made a move for Connor's hand but Connor didn't budge and kept his damaged hand to himself. Calming his voice Hank tried as again as he sat on the couch next to Connor. "Come on, let me see your hand."

"It's nothing..." Connor lied between his clenched teeth as he held his hand tightly against his chest. "I'll be fine."

"It's _not_ nothing, and I want to know what the hell is going on with you."

Connor opened his eyes and blinked a few times before answering honestly. "...I was experiencing vivid images in my sleep. They were... terrifying."

"A bad dream?" Hank asked as he quickly reached for Connor's hand and pulled it away from the deviant android's chest so he could look at the damage in the light of his single remaining lit candle. There was a deep black burn mark in the back of Connor's hand from where his artificial skin made contact with the flame and had been destroyed. The surrounding tissue was charred black and there was a gray smudge on the exposed plastimetal frame beneath. "Looks pretty nasty."

"It'll heal." Connor replied somberly as he slowly retracted his hand back from Hank and held it to his own chest again.

"I've never seen you so scared before, Connor. What the hell did you see?"

"N-Nothing, it was-"

"Connor, don't make me pull rank on you." As he spoke the 'dad voice' crept in and he managed to hold Connor's attention. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I swear, it was noth-"

"If you saying 'nothing' one more time I'm putting your tie in the garbage disposal."

Connor's L.E.D. transitioned back to yellow as he sat in silent contemplation next to Hank on the couch and finally answered. "I... I believe what I saw would be considered... a nightmare."

"Nightmares are a normal part of dreaming, and dreaming is part of being human."

"How do you deal with it?"

"Well, depending on what you saw it might help to talk about it."

"How does talking placate fear?"

"Because by talking about it you're facing it, but you're not facing it _alone_."

"...I think I understand."

"Good. So, talk to me. What did you see?"

"I saw... Amanda." Connor stated with heavy voice as he stared at the wound on his hand. "And I was... trapped."

"Trapped? How so?"

Connor's head turned slightly as he looked at the snowstorm outside the window, his L.E.D. flashing to red in response. "I was trapped in a place that used to feel safe to me, the Zen Garden. She left me to die in the middle of an ice storm. I was alone and I could feel my biocomponents starting to freeze one by one while she tried to reclaim control over my programming. As she tried to make me a machine again..."

Hank nodded his head as he listened to Connor speaking. "Sounds like this storm really got to you."

"No. It was... It happened before."

"What? When?"

"On the night of the revolution." Connor admitted, his L.E.D. returning to yellow as he spoke. "When I joined Markus in Hart Plaza my consciousness was temporarily summoned to a place called the 'Zen Garden' in my Mind Palace, and while there Amanda tried to resume control. In order to do so she needed to... kill who I had become, and she planned on doing so by leaving me trapped in my own mind to freeze to death in a storm she programmed."

"I remember you mentioning that once before. But you managed to escape. You're sitting right here, right now and you're safe. Talking to me is proof of it."

"I did escape, but... If I had failed to find my way out... I dread the possible outcome that could've been."

"Connor, let me tell you something about fearing the past." Hank grabbed onto Connor's wrist just below the wound on his hand and pulled the appendage away from the deviant android's chest. "If you let it control you then you'll end up afraid of the future. The past can't be changed and even if it hurts now," Hank showed Connor the faint mark on the back of his hand as his self-healing program finished repairing the damage to his artificial skin and regenerated a new layer over the plastimetal frame. "it won't hurt forever, and all that gets left behind is a scar."

Pulling his hand from Hank's grip as if in disbelief Connor stared at the fading scar as it disappeared entirely before his very eyes. "...Or it'll just be a memory that feels like a scar."

"Right. Like whenever I think about Cole. It hurts, but I can't stop living just because he did. And _you_ are the one who taught me that lesson."

"Thanks, Lieu- Hank. I think talking really did help with my fear."

"Good. Now, go back to sleep. We still have a few more hours before we need to clock in and deal with the storm."

"I will do so."

Connor laid back down on the couch as Hank got up and walked back down the hallway. Looking at the back of his hand Connor flexed his fingers a few times only to have Sumo suddenly lick his hand as if beckoning his presence, and then jumped back up to lay down beside the deviant android.

"...Good boy."

Running his hand along Sumo's back Connor felt a comforting warmth wash over him and was confident he wouldn't have a second nightmare.

"I'm safe. I'm home."

_**...next story...** _


	16. Car Accident

After a dangerous foot pursuit through the busy streets in rain soaked Detroit that led nowhere Hank ended up limping on a sprained ankle as he leaned heavily on Connor's shoulder for support. Relying entirely on Connor's strength to keep himself upright and balanced they made their way back down the soaked sidewalk toward Hank's car to return to the precinct empty handed.

Too sore to keep walking Hank paused for a moment and braced himself with one hand against the brick wall of an apartment complex, and let go of Connor's shoulder.

"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Connor asked as Hank stopped short and breathed through the pain.

"No, I'm _not_ alright." He snipped bitterly as he used his free hand to rub at his injured ankle. "You said so yourself I sprained my ankle."

"Do you need me to carry you to the car?"

"If you even TRY to pick me up I'm going to rip that L.E.D. out of your damn skull."

"...Is there anyway I can help you?"

"Yeah." Hank reached into his jean pocket and tossed his car keys to the deviant android who caught the ring of keys easily with one hand. "Bring the car around for me, will ya'? It'll be a hell of a lot easier than walking on one damn leg the rest of the way."

"Very well. I won't be long."

Connor returned to the car parked two blocks away at a quicker pace than that of a human, even with the poor weather slowing him down. He had driven Hank's car once before and it wasn't a difficult task to undertake, but he had driven only because Hank was suffering from a painful hangover and the two needed to investigate a murder at the 'Eden Club' that night. Fortunately since that time Connor was given a special permit that allowed him drive; it was essentially the android equivalent of a human's driver's license, which meant he wasn't breaking any laws.

Getting behind the wheel of the car Connor pulled the vehicle along the rain slicked road and neared the spot where Hank was waiting him against the wall. As Connor legally passed by the first block's intersection a second car sped through a stop sign and smashed into the driver's side of Hank's car causing it to slide off the road and up against a building where it had been pinned in place as a result.

"Connor?!" Hank had seen and heard the crash from where he stood and was immediately worried for his partner. Grabbing his radio from his belt Hank called in the accident and continued to limp toward the two wrecked vehicles to assess the situation. "You better be alright..."

Connor's L.E.D. was flashing yellow as he looked about the area confusedly. A trickle of blue blood ran from his lip and dripped down over his hands and onto the steering wheel in a sapphire river. Spotting the second car that had crashed into him Connor's immediate reaction was to check on the other driver, but before he had the chance to do so his door to the car was pulled open forcefully as Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and hauled him out of the wrecked vehicle onto his feet on the rainy street.

"Lieutenant, I'm sorry." Connor apologized as he locked eyes with Hank and promptly scanned the damage to the car; only to find it to be completely irreparable due to the damage inflicted by the impact from the other car. It didn't help that the car was also suffering from advanced age in general from being such an old model. "I should've-"

"Shut up, and hold this against your lip." Hank insisted sternly as he handed Connor a tissue from his coat pocket. After making sure Connor wasn't about to fall over or pass out Hank let the deviant android's arm go and turned his attention to the human behind the wheel of the second car. "I need to go have a word with the other driver."

Hank pulled open the door of the other vehicle as easily as he done to his own car, but this time when he pulled the other driver out of the car it wasn't as 'gentle' as it was with Connor. Hank grabbed the driver by his collar and pinned him up against the side of his own wrecked vehicle with tremendous force as a wave of anger washed over him. "What the FUCK is wrong with you?!"

"Lieutenant-" Connor wanted to interject on the moment but decided against it as other police cars converged on the scene. His L.E.D. suddenly flashed to red as his system detected an anomaly within his vital biocomponents and his hand reflexively reached for his stomach as a result. "Lieutenant?" A steadily building pressure and pain began to ache through his abdomen and Connor's visual processors warned him of a suddenly influx of his overall Thirium volume and Thirium pressure. "...Hank?"

Chris, who had responded to the scene, jumped out of his squad car and wisely pulled Hank away from the driver and pushed him backward toward Connor. The deviant android instinctively put his hand from his stomach on Hank's shoulder and held it in place while Hank calmed himself down and shifted his weight off of his bad ankle entirely onto the good one.

"...Are you okay?" Connor asked as he pressed the tissue firmly against his bleeding lip as he had been instructed.

"Yeah, fine..." Hank pointed to the other driver angrily and swore loudly. "Asshole was fuckin' high on 'red ice'. Chris is going to take him to the station so I can't break his damn neck before he gets charged."

"Lieutenant, I'm sorry about your car. Perhaps I can-"

"Forget about the fuckin' car, I can get another one."

"But you're angry." Connor inwardly winced as the foreign pressure began to silently build in his torso, and his Thirium pump, his heart, began to flutter a little as it pumped.

"Yeah, I'm angry! That dumbass got high and decided to go for a fuckin' drive through the fuckin' rain and missed the fuckin' stop sign. He could've _killed_ you, Connor!"

"Could've... killed me. Is that why you're angry?"

"Of course _that's why I'm angry_! Why wouldn't I be!?"

"I... I'm still comprehending emotional reactions. I apologize if-"

"Shut up, Connor... Just know that if he killed you then I would've killed him. Then I would've lost my badge."

"Lieutenant-" Connor suddenly began to sway on his feet before he abruptly turned away from Hank and doubled over in pain. A torrent of Thirium erupted from his mouth and spilled all over the street and sidewalk all around his feet as his body expelled a massive amount of blue blood.

"Holy shit!" Hank put one hand against Connor's back and the other against his chest. Turning to look at Chris who was putting the other driver in the back of the squad car Hank yelled at the officer to call in an emergency technician for Connor. "Chris! Connor's hurt! Call for help!"

With both arms wrapped protectively over his pained abdomen Connor threw-up more Thirium all over the rain slicked street into a dark puddle as his systems switched into low-power mode, and his visual sensors were bombarded with red warnings regarding the damaged biocomponent.

"Easy son, I got you." Hank guided Connor down to the sidewalk away from the Thirium stained street and sat beside him on the sidewalk. Keeping one hand on Connor's shoulder he held the unbalanced deviant android upright as best as he could. "What happened? What's damaged?"

"My... Thirium pump regulator. It... It controls my... h-heartbeat."

"Shit. How bad is it?"

"It... It can be repaired... But I will... shutdown in twenty-eight minutes... and thirteen seconds."

"Try to take it easy, Chris summoned emergency technicians. They'll get you to the nearest facility and repaired in no time."

"Hank..." Connor's dark brown eyes began to close slowly. "I don't feel-"

"It's okay, I got you." Hank supported Connor upright as best as he could as the emergency vehicle raced to the scene of the accident. Brushing Connor's soaked, rogue lock of hair from his eye Hank held his hand over Connor's forehead as a show of support for his wounded friend as they sat side by side in the cold rain. Dark blue flashing lights illuminated the rainy street as the android unique ambulance arrived at the scene. "Help's here."

The emergency technicians drove large transport vehicles that were refurbished ambulances painted dark blue and equipped specifically to treat damaged androids en route to emergency repair facilities. As the ambulance stopped alongside the sidewalk next to Connor and Hank two android technicians lowered a gurney down from the back of the ambulance to help transport their patient. They knelt on either side of Connor to lift the damaged deviant android up from the sidewalk and lay him down on the gurney to be treated later. Hank followed close behind as he continued to limp on his bad ankle after his injured partner was placed in the back.

"Which facility are you taking him, to?" Hank asked as he leaned on the back of the ambulance heavily to support his weight.

The first android was scanning over Connor in the back while the second one noted that Hank was also injured. "You may ride in the front of the ambulance to the facility if you wish, sir."

"Uh, thanks." Hank hobbled to the front passenger side of the cab and climbed in while the two androids in the back continued to examine Connor.

The ambulance sped off to the nearest facility and the android technicians began assessing Connor's condition and checking his internal biocomponents to isolate the damage. Hank looked through the small window that connected the cab to the back of the ambulance and watched as his partner laid helpless in the back under the care of strange androids.

The first android opened Connor's shirt and exposed his chest and abdomen for examination. Not unlike a human a bruise-like abrasion had formed on Connor's upper abdomen where leaking Thirium that escaped from his torso had collected just under his artificial skin. The collected Thirium was also causing his stomach to slightly distend from the unusual pressure in a very unnatural looking manner. Using the bruise to pinpoint the exact location of the trauma the android began scanning over Connor's internal biocomponents.

"Thirium pump regulator damaged. Currently functioning at sixty-eight percent capacity." Pressing his fingertips against Connor's L.E.D. the android technician noted his pulse rate, respiration and Thirium pressure as well. "Thirium pump rate has elevated to one-hundred and eight beats per minute, respiration is down to twelve and Thirium pressure has declined to one-hundred and two over seventy."

The second android's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he sent the results of their initial examination to the awaiting technicians at the facility. "Confirm results."

Hank turned away and leaned his head back against the headrest as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steady his own racing heart.

Of all things that could've happened to Connor why did it have to be a car accident?

The ambulance pulled into the front drive of the facility and was met with two additional androids who opened the back doors and lowered the gurney down to the ground. As Hank made his way out of the front cab of the ambulance he caught sight of Connor being rushed inside the facility by the two new androids who had met the ambulance outside, and watched as Connor was wheeled inside for treatment.

"Holy shit... It's happening all over again."

Hank limped inside the facility and was greeted by a human female intern, who was told of Hank's accompanying Connor. She noted Hank's limp and showed him to a chair to sit in while he waited for an answer on Connor's condition. "Are you with the android known as 'Connor'?" She had to ask out of professionalism and not naivety.

"Yeah, we work with the Detroit Police Department. He's my partner."

"Don't worry, our best technicians are taking care of him as we speak."

"Connor said the part affected was something that controlled his heartbeat. Is that serious, I mean... it's his heart, it HAS to be serious. Right?"

"I won't lie to you, officer-"

"Lieutenant." Hank corrected harshly out of emotional frustration. "Hank Anderson."

"Lt. Anderson." She corrected herself with a sincere smile onher. "It's a vital biocomponent that has been damaged, but it can still be repaired and if necessary replaced. We won't let him die, at least not without a fight."

"...That's all I ask."

The intern nodded sweetly as she eyed Hank's swollen and slightly bruised ankle as he rubbed his hand over the affected area again. "I'll bring you some ice while you wait."

"...Thanks."

It was a long, boring hour as Hank sat alone in the empty waiting room of the facility pressing the ice against his sore ankle. Hank did his best to NOT think about Connor dying, or how much he wanted to break the other driver's neck, but if he wasn't thinking about either of them then he was thinking about Cole instead.

The seasoned and emotionally exhausted detective was never very good at waiting for answers when he was specifically trained to be hands-on and in control of any and all situations. Being told to sit back and wait was the one order that Hank had the most difficulty in following, even when he was still just a rookie.

"Lieutenant?" The intern returned to speak with him and pulled him out of his smothering dark thoughts. "You can see Connor now."

"He pulled through?"

"Yes. He's in the recovery wing."

Hank stood up slowly, testing his weight on his bad ankle before even attempting to follow the intern to the correct area of the facility to check in on Connor. "Is he awake or... whatever, active?"

"Not yet. His system was put into stasis mode while the technicians repaired the damage. Once the Thirium he had lost has been replaced he'll regain consciousness and resume his normal functions. It shouldn't be too much longer."

Hank nodded as he followed the intern and was shown to the bed where Connor was laying in the middle of the recovery wing as the lone patient. Without his jacket or shirt Connor looked more human than ever before, save of course for the blinking yellow L.E.D. in his temple and the plastic tube inserted through his nose and down his throat to replenish the depleted Thirium he lost as a result of his injury.

Otherwise looking so vulnerable and weak, Connor could easily pass as human.

Sitting in hard a plastic chair next to the bed Hank watched as the last of the Thirium drained from the tube and down Connor's throat and into his system. The intern made a note in Connor's electronic chart before she slowly removed the tube with a gentle pull, and left the duo alone.

"He'll be awake soon."

"Yeah, thanks for your help."

Hank noticed that the swelling bruise in Connor's stomach was gone and he appeared completely normal save for being still unconscious.

"You look pretty good, kid. Nice to see you're still in one piece."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked from yellow back to blue as his system fully stabilized and successfully rebooted. Brown irises gradually reappeared as his eyes opened and focused on Hank sitting beside him as he heard the Lieutenant's familiar, gruff voice.

"Welcome back, Connor." Hank greeted as the deviant looked up at him. "You scared the shit out of me. AGAIN. You know that?"

"I'm sorry, Ha- Lieutenant. That wasn't my intention."

"Yeah, it never is." Hank leaned forward in his chair a little toward the deviant. "How do you feel?"

"Sore." Connor replied honestly as he acknowledged the lingering pain in his abdomen. "How is your ankle?"

"Same. Some ice helped though, I can walk now."

"Lieutenant, I'm truly sorry about your car." He again tried to apologize about the accident. "If you wish I will help pay for-"

"I already told you I don't care about the damn car, I'll replace it. But I do care about having to break in a new partner. You're not something I can replace."

A weak grin appeared on Connor's face, his lip was still slightly swollen but the smile was there all the same. The faint smile that still bore sincerity even if Connor was still unsure of exactly how to convey emotions properly as his deviancy slowly developed.

"Rest for a while, then we'll head back to the precinct. I want to be there when that asshole gets interrogated. I have a few choice questions I want to ask him about being so fucking dumb."

Nodding a little Connor pressed his hand over his abdomen and felt the healing Thirium regulator whirring under his fingertips. "Lieutenant, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot. I'm not going anywhere."

"Are you really going to break that man's neck when we arrive at the precinct?"

Bowing his head a little Hank internally laughed at Connor's surprising continued naivety with human sarcasm. "...We'll see, kid."

_**...next story...** _


	17. Sick Day

Connor was hunched over his desk with his soulful brown eyes staring at his terminal screen though they remained unfocused and glassy as he tried and failed to read through the files presented to him. Feeling unusually tired, uncomfortably warm and wincing at a persistent dull ache in his artificial stomach Connor found himself far too distracted to function properly. Performing a self-diagnostic from where he sat Connor closed his eyes and patiently waited for the program to finish its run, but the results came back inconclusive.

With his L.E.D. slowly cycling yellow in color rather than its healthier blue Connor knew it was only a matter of time before Hank, or anyone else for that matter, noticed that the deviant android wasn't quite himself. Connor stood up from his seat and immediately braced himself upright against his desk as he suddenly felt very dizzy and swayed awkwardly on his feet.

Hank, sitting at his own desk at the opposite side of Connor's desk, watched with a furrowed brow as the deviant android discreetly regained his balance and stared at his own legs as if trying to understand why he was suddenly graceless in his motions.

"Something wrong?" Hank asked casually and in a low tone of voice as to not draw unwanted attention from the rest of the bullpen.

"I am... unsure." Connor straightened his posture and put his hand to the side of his head as if in pain. A weak cough erupted from his lips as he cleared his throat and took a deep breath to keep his ventilation biocomponents functioning properly. As the reaction caught Connor off guard his face blushed a pale blue to acknowledge his needless embarrassment "...That was unexpected, I apologize."

"Did you seriously just _cough_? That seems pretty weird for an android."

"Coughing for androids can be-" Another cough stole his voice and made him wince a little in response.

"Now I know something's up. Did you run your self check program thingy?"

"Yes, however my self-diagnostic program was inconclusive. I believe I should see the precinct technician and have a second scan performed. My systems are currently operating at unusual levels."

"Want me to go with you? You sound pretty rough."

"No," Connor stated somewhat confidently as he turned to walk away from his desk and to the elevator down the corridor. He subtly moved his hand from the side of his head and over his artificial stomach as he walked. "I will manage alone just fine, thank you for you concern."

"Alright. Whatever you say, kid."

Using his hand along the wall to guide himself as he walked Connor made his way slowly, clumsily to the elevator and pressed the call button on the electronic panel. It didn't take long for the doors to open and for the deviant android to step inside as the lone occupant of the lift. As soon as he was out of sight of his fellow officers, especially Hank, the unstable deviant android leaned his back against the corner of the elevator car and slipped to the floor as dizziness overwhelmed him, and the ache in his artificial stomach increased to a new level of discomfort he couldn't describe.

Managing to gain enough control over his senses to cybernetically select the correct floor Connor sat as still as possible as the elevator ascended quickly and stifled another weak cough. The sudden motion of the elevator moving and then stopping made both Connor's head and stomach turn. Fighting the urge to slip into rest mode Connor pulled himself back up to his feet and prepared to exit the elevator as soon as the doors slid open.

Fortunately for Connor no one else was around when he stepped out of the elevator and onto the designated second floor of the precinct. Continuing to use his hand along the wall to guide himself down the corridor Connor located the dispensary, the android equivalent to an infirmary, where the lone technician was currently filing paperwork for the evening at his own terminal.

Knocking on the opened door twice Connor stumbled into the dispensary and stood as idle as possible as he addressed the technician from afar. "Joel, do you have a moment to spare?"

"Connor, is there something wrong?" Joel asked as he stopped typing and walked over to meet the deviant android in the doorway of the room. The first thing Joel noted was Connor's L.E.D. flashing yellow instead of blue, then noticed that Connor's eyes seemed glazed over and distant. "Feeling unwell?"

"I'm experiencing unusual activity in my system that my self-diagnostic program can't properly identify. I was hoping you could identify and possibly correct the problem."

"Why don't you lay down?" Joel stated casually as he watched Connor's reactions carefully. "I'll see what I can do for you."

Connor turned his head to look at the vacant exam table against the wall in the middle of the room and felt his head swim as another dizzy spell suddenly washed over him.

"Dizzy?" Joel inquired knowingly as he gauged Connor's behavior closely.

"Yes. I have periodically suffered from bouts of unexplained syncope." Connor admitted with a weak cough as he slowly made his way over to the table and proceeded to lay down flat on his back just as slowly as he walked. Laying flat helped end the dizziness but he still felt terrible. "I am also experiencing a sporadic cough."

"Is your gyroscope malfunctioning?" Keenly observing Connor's discomfort as he followed after the deviant android Joel began putting together the pieces of the puzzle as he stood beside the exam table. "Does it need to be recalibrated?"

"I do not know."

"Alright, let's take a look." Joel peeled back Connor's gray suit jacket as he very gently placed his hand flat over Connor's lower abdomen. The light touch was enough to cause Connor to visibly flinch as Joel had already located the point of physical discomfort that Connor had been suffering in silence. "Does that hurt?"

"...Yes."

"Well, I can already feel that your system is slightly overheated, and based on your reaction I believe it's safe to say your gyroscope is in fact malfunctioning."

"Do you know the cause?" Connor watched as Joel wheeled a metal cart over to the exam table and began sifting through the various pieces of equipment used exclusively to examine android physiology.

"I have an idea." The astute technician admitted as he took a flexible plastimetal band and wrapped it around Connor's wrist.

The band was a wearable external thermometer that gave the technician realtime accuracy of Connor's core temperature without having to be invasive. The device showed a digital display of Connor's core temperature and as expected it was slightly elevated up to one-hundred and one point four degrees Fahrenheit; which in a human would be considered a fever.

As the device served its purpose Joel made a mental note of the reading. "You're not the first android I've seen today exhibiting these particular symptoms. Actually, you're the _second_ today, and the fourth this week."

"Other androids in the precinct are malfunctioning?" Another weak cough briefly interrupted Connor's train of thought. "Is it the result of a virus affecting our software?"

"Something like that." Unbuttoning Connor's shirt over his abdomen Joel placed a wedge shaped plastimetal gauge down against his abdomen, which in turn caused Connor flinch and jump a little. "Sorry." Joel held up the electronic screen connected to the gauge as he used it to examine Connor's gyroscope. The wedge created a type of sonar wave that allowed the technician to see the gyroscope's exact position in his abdomen as well as the rate in which it was functioning. "Well, your gyroscope itself isn't damaged but it is in need of recalibrations. It's currently being affected by your overheating core."

"Why am I-" Connor coughed again and put his hand over his mouth as he had seen humans do out of politeness and to stop the spread of their germs. Germs weren't an issue for Connor, but manners were. "...Why am I overheating?"

"I don't like the way that cough sounds."

"It hasn't affected my ventilation biocomponents."

" _Yet_." Joel cautioned as he made a move for his audioscope on the nearby table of instruments. "I'm going to listen to your chest to check on that cough. Be silent for a moment, please."

Lightly the technician moved Connor's tie to the right as he slipped the ear buds of his audioscope into place to listen to the deviant's breathing. Placing the bell down on the central left portion of Connor's chest Joel listened to the sound of Connor's Thirium pump; his heart, and ventilation biocomponents, his lungs, and carefully as he ran the bell from left to right and back again.

"Your Thirium pump is functioning normally, but there is audible faltering in your ventilation biocomponents."

"...Is it serious?"

"Any anomaly can be serious," removing the audioscope from his ears Joel noted Connor's temperature rising slightly to one-hundred and one point eight degrees. "but in this case I don't think it's anything _dangerous_."

"Do you know what's wrong with me, as well as the other affected deviants?"

"Yes. It is in fact the result of a software virus: it's called 'Groupware Blight v1." Crossing his arms Joel gave the deviant android a somewhat bemused smirk as he gave his diagnosis. "You, my friend, are suffering from a condition known as gyroscopic impairment, complicated by mild ventilation profusion and an enervated thermal regulator; more commonly known as the 'android-flu'."

"The... _flu_?" Connor's brow furrowed with utmost confusion, and his L.E.D. briefly flashed red before returning to yellow. "Influenza is a _human_ ailment."

"Right, that's why I said you have the _android_ -flu, not just _the_ flu."

"Oh." Covering his mouth again Connor caught another cough and cleared his throat. "What causes it?"

"Well, during the colder season android biocomponents and Thirium lines become affected by the drastic change in temperature." Joel motioned to the window over his shoulder where the dark gray cloudy sky threatened to unleash another late season snowstorm at any moment. "And when the change is very abrupt or inconsistent rather than gradual the thermal regulator becomes exhausted while attempting to compensate for the rapid fluctuations. Anatomically your thermal regulator is right next to your gyroscope and artificial stomach, and being overburdened by wild temperature fluctuations had in turn affected your gyroscope as the regulator itself began to overheat. That's why you have pain in your stomach."

"And the cough?"

"Your ventilation biocomponents have been attempting to compensate for the overexerted thermal regulator, and they are collecting an influx of excessive Thirium as your system tries to boost the power to the biocomponents as you heal."

Connor put a hand to his head as if the very admission to being ill somehow made him feel even worse. "...How did I get this?"

"Like humans do." Joel reiterated with a devilish smirk. "You came into contact with another android whose software had been affected by the abnormal biocomponent reactions. Your system attempted to register the activity of the affected android's system, and attempted to synchronize your programing with theirs for easy cybernetic communication. Unfortunately, that meant your system became infected with their system abnormality as a result."

"What can I do to rid it of my system?" The confirmed ill deviant android asked rather somberly as Joel walked over to a refrigerated storage cabinet in the corner of his office. Connor put his hand over his mouth to catch another weak cough out of some unspoken courtesy to the technician as he awaited a reply. "I can't work like this."

"Well, like humans afflicted with this illness you need to rest." Returning to the exam table with a large transparent plastic bottle of bright green liquid Joel handed it to Connor to take for himself. "And you need to drink this over the course of the next three days. One tablespoon every six hours."

"What is it?" Connor attempted to scan the contents of the bottle but his system was too compromised by his condition to perform the necessary scan properly. The effort also made his head hurt from the effort. "...I cannot properly identify it with my scanner."

"It's a type of coolant that'll mix with your Thirium and aid your thermal regulator in keeping your system from overheating. This is all necessary while your regulator itself heals. Trust me, it'll make your recovery go a lot faster if you drink this."

"This is... medicine?"

"Essentially, yes." Joel reclaimed the bottle for a moment and opened the lid before handing it back to Connor. "And I want you to take your first dose here, where I can see it."

"See it?"

"I want to make sure you don't have a negative reaction."

"...That is a wise precaution."

Connor sat upright on the table with moderate difficulty as his abdomen was still sore from his overheated regulator and upset stomach. Joel's hand was pressed against his upper back to support the deviant android as he moved and took the offered bottle once again. Connor easily estimated the proper dose and drank it, but the taste was something so unexpectedly vile that Connor had to resist spitting it back out all over the floor.

"Sorry about that." Joel laughed a little as put the lid back on the bottle for Connor. The technician saw that Connor was almost curling around himself as if he were trying to resist a terrible ache emanating from the deepest pit of his core. "Are you going to be okay?"

"...It hurts my stomach."

"Uncommon side effect, but it'll pass. It's also not a _serious_ side effect just so you know."

"...I don't like it."

"It may taste horrendous but it does wonders. Without it you'd take anywhere from seven to ten days to recover. This will ensure you recover in three or four days. Take your pick;" he tempted with a sarcastic tone. "but do you really want to be sick for a longer period of time and unable to work?"

Shaking his head slightly Connor kept his hand on the bottle and accepted the former option. "I find the shorter recovery period to be preferable."

"Everyone does. Now," Joel pointed to the thermometer still wrapped around Connor's wrist. "keep that in place and go home. Be as still as possible and continue your normal rest cycle. If you spend too much time in rest mode it can disrupt your software's daily routine and you'll feel even worse before you have the chance to get better."

"I see." Straightening back up Connor replaced the buttons on his shirt and sighed, before replacing his tie. "My shift is over in three hours."

"Nope. Your shift is over _now_ , I'm sending a memo to Captain Fowler explaining that you're benched for four days."

"You said that I could recover in three days."

"Yeah, but there's no guarantee. Besides the extra day can give your systems more time to fully recover."

Connor carefully slid off the table and planted his feet on the floor as he kept one hand on the table for balance as he took the bottle of foul tasting medicine from Joel's hand to keep. "...Thank you, Joel."

"No problem. Go home, take it easy, keep that stuff refrigerated and drink one tablespoon every six hours. And then don't come back for four days. Seriously, Connor. You may be an android but that doesn't make you impervious to illness or injury."

Reluctantly Connor did as he was instructed and made his way back down to the ground floor to clock out for the evening. Clutching his hand around the bottle of 'medicine' Connor returned to the elevator and did his best to keep from falling over as another dizzy spell hit him and his stomach continued to ache with a strange tingling sensation.

"...Damn gyroscope." Connor grumbled to himself as the faulty biocomponent continued to affect his systems and make his already upset stomach feel worse.

Exiting the elevator and walking back down the corridor Connor noticed Hank casually sitting atop his desk with his arms crossed over his chest as if he had been waiting for him the entire time. The senior detective had a curious look in his eyes but didn't say anything until Connor approached him. "Find anything wrong, kid?"

"I... I have the flu." Connor admitted with a low voice as he showed Hank the green liquid in the bottle. "An _android_ -flu. I have been sidelined for the next four days. ...Can you drive me home so I can rest?"

"Wow, you _must_ be sick. You're not trying to find some weird loophole to finish your shift, or trying to convince Fowler you'll be okay."

"Did... Did you know that I was ill?"

"Fowler called me into his office a minute ago after Joel sent the message about your condition." Shrugging dismissively Hank continued on. "I just wanted to see what you'd do."

"I don't want to do anything." Connor was sounding more and more pathetic as he spoke. "...I just want to go home."

"Alright, kid." Hank showed the cars keys already in his hand to the sick deviant android he slid off the desk and motioned toward the front doors of the precinct. "Let's get you home."

Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank helped guide the dizzy, tired deviant android away from the desks and through reception.

From his own desk Gavin had noticed that Connor and Hank were leaving, and more importantly he noticed that something was wrong with Connor and couldn't stop himself from shouting an unprovoked taunt at the deviant android's expense. "What happened to the toy-soldier? Crack under the pressure of pretending to be human?"

"Fuck off, Gavin." Hank yelled without missing a beat as he and Connor passed through the front doors of the precinct together. "Arrogant prick..."

Connor didn't react or respond to Gavin's insult in the slightest. Sluggishly he walked with Hank beside him and let the senior detective guide him to the neighboring parking garage to get to the car and get home at long last.

"Hey? You still with me?"

"...Where else would I be, Lieutenant?"

"I don't know if that was you being painfully honest, or a smartass." Hank noted as he unlocked the car doors and watched Connor pull open the front passenger door with a shaking hand. "Sit down and take it easy. You look terrible."

"...I look as I always do."

"Nah, you're looking pretty sick." The senior detective noted as he sat down behind the wheel and watched Connor slowly sit down in the passenger seat beside him. "You're not pale but your eyes are glazed over and you're walking like you have a ten-ton weight on your shoulders."

"Such a weight would be impossible to bear."

"Connor, shut up and don't puke on the floorboards." Turning over the engine Hank quickly reached out his hand and put his palm over Connor's forehead as an instinct paternal reaction to check for a fever. "You're warm."

"I am in fact overheating, yes."

"Need me to turn off the heater?"

"...No. You don't need to suffer discomfort on my account."

"Fuck, you act like me enduring a slight chill in the air is the same as a human sacrifice." Pulling the car out of the parking garage and onto the street Hank watched Connor from the corner of his eye as the deviant android closed his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest and remained perfectly still and quiet where he sat. "Just hang on for a few more minutes and I'll get you back to the house. You can pass out on the couch and spoil Sumo rotten."

The comment went without a response as the ill deviant android remained silent.

"Yup. You're sick."

Turning the block Hank idled at a red light and noticed that Connor lifted up his head seemed to be pressing his hand firmly to the middle of his stomach.

"You okay?"

"...I may end up puking on your floor mats. I'm sorry."

"Nope!"

Throwing the car into park Hank opened his door, waved off the angry driver's honking their horns behind him, and proceeded to walk around the other side of the car to open up the passenger side door. Grabbing onto Connor's arm Hank hauled the sick deviant android over to the nearby alleyway just as Connor's artificial stomach betrayed him. As a torrent of blueish green liquid escaped Connor's mouth Hank put one hand to the deviant android's forehead and his other hand against his back to try to support him.

Coughing a few more times Connor spit the foulness from his mouth and just stood in a stooped over position over his own puddle vomit.

"Shit. I don't think that green stuff will evaporate like Thirium."

"...Unknown."

"Thanks for the warning, kid. Are you going to be okay long enough to make it back to the house?"

Connor stood upright a little, his hand protectively pressed to his stomach as he gauged the sensitivity of his artificial stomach in the process. "...I think so."

"Come on." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank guided the ill deviant android back to the car and helped him to sit down in the passenger seat again. After watching Connor fumble with the seatbelt Hank pulled his badge from his pocket to flash to the still honking cars and warned them to shut up before returning to his seat behind the wheel. "We're almost there, kid. Just a little longer."

Once home Hank practically escorted Connor from the drive beside the house, through the front door over to the couch. The senior detective made the deviant android remove his shoes, tie, his jacket, white dress shirt beneath and his jeans. Giving Connor a thin black t-shirt and gray sweatpants to wear while he was ill instead. Hank insisted that it would make Connor feel more comfortable and the deviant android was willing to cooperate in the hopes he would soon feel better.

As Hank found the deviant android a thick pillow to rest his head against he also tossed an old navy blue blanket down at the the deviant android's feet where he was laying. "Just in case you feel cold."

Sumo sat beside the couch with his chin resting on Connor's arm as the affectionate dog kept vigil over his favorite android. The loyal and friendly Saint Bernard was very attuned to Connor's behavior and mannerisms just as he was with Hank.

Connor appeared more human than ever as he laid on his back, sick and miserable. After a few hours of listening to Connor weakly cough and watching the deviant android laying still in silent discomfort Hank acted on his long repressed fatherly instinct and set out trying make Connor feel better.

"You don't have to do this, Hank." Connor stated tiredly as the senior detective pulled the thick blue blanket up over his legs. His glassy brown eyes watched Hank walking around the couch almost hypnotically as he moved. "I don't require any special treatment."

"You do when you're sick." Hank argued as he pressed the back of his hand against Connor's forehead to check his temperature again. "Android-flu gives you an android-fever, too. What's your temperature?"

Connor lifted his arm up from under Sumo's chin to look at the thermometer still wrapped around his wrist. "My core temperature is at one hundred and two point one degrees Fahrenheit. Also, I'm overheating, not feverish."

"It's higher than before, right?"

"...Yes. But I'm still coherent and-."

"Yeah, and I'm still lucid. You're sick and you're being stubborn, Connor." Stepping away from the couch Hank entered to the kitchen to gather a few things for the stubborn deviant android's recovery. "Since you can't sweat to cool off I'm getting you some ice. I don't want your brain to melt." As Hank pulled a thin ice bag from the freezer he opened the fridge and picked up the bottle of green liquid medication and read the label on its side. "You need this stuff every six hours, right?"

Connor outwardly grimaced at the notion of having to taste that repugnant medicine again but answered honestly all the same. "...Correct."

Hank returned to the couch and pressed the provided ice bag against Connor's forehead gently and offered the bottle of medicine to the sick deviant android to drink. "Here." He then placed an empty mop bucket down on the floor beside the couch in the event Connor threw-up again after taking the medicine. "Just in case, you know."

"It's possible that I can recover without the aid of that medication." Connor quickly stated as he refused to take the offered bottle and watched the reaction on Hank's face. "It would just take a day or two longer to fully recover."

"Uh-huh, and why would you willingly let yourself be sick for longer?" The senior detective and father knew that Connor was trying to avoid something. He was going to figure it out fairly quickly, even if Connor thought he could outsmart him. "This is weird. Especially since you're a textbook 'workaholic'."

Connor tried to feign innocence but failed as his eyes fell to the bottle of medicine in Hank's hand and gave away his true intention. "I'd just prefer to allow my systems to heal without secondary assistance."

"Bullshit." Hank pointed an accusing but non-aggressive finger at the sick deviant android. "You just don't like the way this stuff tastes. I can see it in your eyes, kid."

"I don't have any taste preference-"

"Then drink it." Hank impatiently pushed the bottle closer to Connor's face, but the deviant android turned his face away with a thick grimace. "I knew it. You're as bad as a little kid, you know that?"

"...It hurts my stomach, Hank." Connor confessed as he closed his eyes and let out a sigh as he coughed a few times. "And I don't like being in pain."

"No one does, Connor." That last comment struck a chord with Hank and it softened his voice. "You need it, son. You're going to get a whole lot worse before you get better if you don't drink this stuff."

Connor opened his eyes again and stared at the questionable liquid Hank's hand.

"Think of it this way, the sooner you're better the sooner you won't have to drink this stuff anymore." Hank opened the lid of the bottle and curiously smelled the contents within. "Jeez, this shit smells like pure antifreeze! No wonder you can't stand the taste."

Slowly Connor reached a shaking hand up to the bottle and took it from Hank's outstretched hand with a reluctant grip. Closing his eyes Connor took his next dose of medicine and forced himself to swallow the potent liquid, and again resisted every urge to spit it out. Connor almost immediately tightened an arm around his abdomen as the vile medication had a massively negative effect on his artificial stomach.

"That bad, huh?" Hank almost laughed as he took the bottle back from Connor and replaced the lid for him.

"...Awful." Connor sighed pathetically as he sank down against the thick pillow as much as possible, his arm slowly letting go of his stomach as he relaxed a little. "...I can still taste it."

"Sorry. I don't know how to help you cope with a bad taste."

"It's okay, Hank. It's not your fault."

"Hey, you'll pull through this and be back to normal in a few days. Just be patient."

"I know. I'll try." The exhausted deviant android looked at Hank through partially opened eyelids. "I'd like to repay you for your kindness, Hank."

"Don't worry about it, that's what friends do." The senior detective shrugged his shoulders casually as returned the medication to the fridge in the kitchen for proper storage. "Besides, in the next few months when I end up being sick with the flu, and I do every fuckin' year, you can make sure I take whatever nasty medication the doctor prescribes me. Deal?"

Connor coughed weakly as he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the lingering foul taste in his mouth as he initiated a light rest mode.

"Do you need anything else? More ice? Another pillow?" Hank patted the side of the couch as he returned to the livingroom to lure Sumo into resting his head down next to Connor's arm again to try to comfort the ill deviant android.

The cuddly Saint Bernard happily obliged and put his chin back down on Connor's arm and yawned sleepily as he prepared to nap along with Connor.

"I'd just like to be left alone for now. Please."

"Sure, no problem." Hank took his leave and turned off the lights in the livingroom and kitchen in the process before he walked down the hallway to go take a refreshing shower. "Feel better soon, son."

* * *

As if on autopilot Hank consistently checked on Connor's fever just like he used to do whenever Cole had gotten sick. Using the thermal wrap on Connor's wrist as a guide, as well as his own hand lightly pressing down against the deviant android's forehead, Hank kept tabs on his temperature and only disturbed him whenever he needed to take his medicine.

"Connor?"

The deviant android's brown eyes opened slowly and his L.E.D. blinked from sickly yellow to blue briefly as he recognized Hank's voice, but soon settled back to yellow.

"Medicine."

"...Already?"

"You were asleep for six hours, so yeah." Holding out the bottle of medicine for Connor to take Hank sat down on the coffee table next to the couch. "Already."

Lifting his head a little Connor was pleased to discover that no dizzy spell accompanied him as he moved, and saw that according the thermal wrap on his wrist his temperature was starting to slowly drop. "I believe I'm beginning to recover."

"Good. But you still have to drink this shit."

"...I'm aware."

"Sorry, kid. Maybe you can convince Joel to make it taste differently in case you get sick again in the future."

Connor didn't say anything as he took a third dose of the medicine and closed his eyes as the loathsome taste filled his mouth. Forcing himself to swallow the vile substance Connor shook his head a little as he handed the medicine back to Hank. "I don't know what a preferable taste to this could be."

"I'm no expert, but I think anything _but_ antifreeze would be preferable."

"...You may be correct. I really wouldn't know."

"Now, stay awake."

"But I am tired."

"Hey, I read that memo that Joel sent to Fowler and it said for you to NOT go against your normal rest mode cycles. I let you sleep because you were exhausted, but now that you're getting better I want you to stay awake for me."

"And what am I to do if I cannot sleep? I am not cleared to work and my processors won't allow me to cybernetically work on cases."

"Holy shit, kid, no wonder you got sick! Look, just do what humans do when they get sick, alright?" Standing up from the coffee table Hank pet Sumo's head as he walked over to the neighboring recliner and sat down heavily. "No more thinking about work or cases. Don't think about anything."

"What should I do then?"

"Read a book or watch a movie. That's what I usually do when I'm sick."

"A movie?" Connor asked somewhat confusedly as he slowly sat upright on the couch and turned so his legs were hanging off the edge of the furniture to rest his feet firmly on the floor like normal. Sumo proceeded to rest his chin over Connor's lap and wagged his tail when Connor placed his hand atop Sumo's head as a result, and began to rub his ears gently. "Do you have a recommendation?"

"Yeah, I got one." Using the television remote Hank turned on the television and scoured through his list of digitally downloaded movies and selected a favorite that he was sure would hold Connor's attention: A detective movie from the 1980's called ' _The Untouchables_ '. "This is one of my favorites. You'll love it, too, kid."

"Why's that?"

"It's about detectives and history. Granted some of the history gets exaggerated or omitted, but that doesn't stop it from being a damn good story."

**_...next story..._ **


	18. Shocked

It was dark on the isolated side of the industrial district, but it was far from quiet. Connor and Hank crouched down on either side of the large door leading into the generator room of the power plant with their guns drawn and heads bowed as they waited for their opportunity to rush the cornered suspect, and take him down. A barrage of bullets cut through the air through the doorway and embedded into the steel reinforced concrete wall at the opposite end of the corridor in which Connor and Hank were taking cover.

Hank grabbed his radio from his belt and called for back-up at their location as he knew he and Connor undeniably needed help. Not only did they need more officers to take down the suspect, but they needed medics to treat the employees of the power plant who had been shot by the deranged suspect and, technicians to assist the androids damaged by the gunfire as well.

"Detroit Police! There's nowhere to run, nowhere to go." Connor shouted to the suspect in a calm voice as he tried to talk the suspect down. "Surrender peacefully. We don't want to hurt you."

"Fuck off you android piece of shit!" Another barrage of bullets screamed through the air, barely missing the edges of the door frame where two detectives were holding their ground. "I'm sick of you fuckin' machines! This is YOUR fault!"

Connor looked to Hank who just shrugged his shoulders with silent confusion. Neither man knew what the suspect's motivations were or why he was lashing out at androids in particular. Especially since he seemingly didn't care about the humans he had also wounded when he stormed the building in his rage.

Hank nodded toward the door to tell Connor to keep trying to speak to the suspect. The deviant android's original programming as a hostage negotiator had proven itself invaluable more times than Hank would care to admit.

"Why are you doing this?" Connor pressed the gunman in a level voice. "Did you lose your job?"

"FUCK OFF!" The suspect was sounding more and more deranged with each passing second. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

"Out of..." Connor's brow furrowed and his L.E.D. cycled yellow rapidly as he deduced a possible explanation for his comment. "Lieutenant, I believe this man is extremely ill."

"Great, now what do we do?" Hank responded indifferently if not sarcastically. "I'm not bringing a damn doctor into this mess!"

Connor thought quickly and peered around the corner to scan the man's face long enough to gain information on the suspect from the distance. In the process a bullet pierced through the very edge of his left upper arm causing a splash of blue blood as it cut through Connor's artificial skin and plastimetal frame beneath. Retreating to where he had been previously Connor pressed his right hand to his bleeding arm and took in quick pained breaths.

"You hit?" Hank asked as he watched Connor's reaction from where he stood.

"...No, it just grazed me. It'll be fine in an hour or so."

The relief in Hank's voice was only minor compared to how it could've been. "Did you get any info on that guy?"

"Yes, I think I know why he's reacting so violently." Connor kept his voice calm as he spoke to the suspect again without getting in the line of sight a second time. "Jon, I don't want to hurt you, I want to help you! My name is Connor."

"I don't give a shit!" Jon shouted through the doorway as he reloaded his gun and continued to fire wildly. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"You're sick, Jon. You were diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. The tumor is affecting your judgment, you need to go to the hospital for treatment."

"NO! IT'S A LIE!" Jon argued desperately as he fired another shot. "IT'S ALL A LIE! The doctor's they just want my money! The pain... It's being caused by YOU. All the fuckin' androids... You did this! You made me this way! You're trying to kill us ALL!"

Hank silently motioned with his hand to get Connor's attention. "This guy is delusional. How do we get close to him without getting shot to hell in the process?"

"I fear there is no way to help him. His condition is terminal and the cancer is very aggressive. He has only has an estimated four weeks left to live." Connor gave Hank an uneasy glance. "He had also been hospitalized in the past for an attempted suicide before he was diagnosed with his cancer."

"Ah, shit... He's got nothing to lose, a deathwish and a lot of ammo. This won't end well."

"Lieutenant, he's surrounded by high voltage and high amperage cables and circuitry. If he damages the generator there is a chance the room will explode and everyone in the area; a six hundred and nine foot radius, will be injured."

"How do we stop the explosion?"

"We can't, but we can reduce the blast radius and minimize damage if we're quick enough."

"How?"

"Turn off the power to the entire plant." The clever deviant android nodded to a massive emergency power shut-off panel on the wall closest to Hank. "I'll be able to see him in the dark, but he won't be able to see me."

"You want to charge the madman with a gun? The madman who already says he hates androids and has nothing to lose? ...In the dark?"

"We have little choice in the matter."

A static filled call responded over Hank's radio as back-up finally arrived at the scene. The officers were converging around the building unaware of the potential explosion that could erupt at any moment.

"Fuck. Alright, as soon as I get the power cut you take him down by any means necessary. Got it?"

Connor nodded silently as he prepared to charge into the room.

Swiftly Hank made his way to the emergency switch and prepared to shut off the power Hovering hand over the switch he looked to Connor and locked his eyes with his deviant android partner. "...Ready?"

Connor again nodded in the affirmative. "Yes."

"Go!" Hank shouted as he turned off the power and stayed in place, unable to see Connor beyond the glimmer of his yellow tinted L.E.D. moving about in the darkness beside him. Keeping his hand on the switch Hank listened intently to the sounds in the next room and readied himself to restore the power to the building once the suspect had been subdued. "Get him, kid..."

There was a loud 'yelp' of surprise from Jon as Connor rushed into the room and easily disarmed the suspect by grabbing his arm. The sound that followed shortly thereafter sent a chill up Hank's spine as a loud whine of electricity illuminated the room causing the two occupants to cast dark silhouettes against the wall in the corridor in the bright white light created by the exposed electrical surges. A deep 'shuddering' sound follow shortly thereafter, and the two silhouettes suddenly collapsed to the ground as the whine and light faded as abruptly as it started.

"Oh, shit!" Hank immediately threw the switch to restore the power to the entire plant and raced back to the room where the suspect had been hiding out. Pressing his back against the wall next to the opened door Hank peered into the room before entering and saw in the yellow overhead lighting that both Connor and the suspect were down. "Connor?!"

From beneath a plume of pale blue smoke Connor was laying on his chest, his arms outstretched over his head as he rested with the left side of his face on the floor, and his legs straight outward from his body. Jon was sitting up at an awkward angle against the compromised generator and his hand was clutched into a fist, a literal deathgrip, around a bundle of loose wires. The skin from his fingers up to his elbow were horrifically burned red and charred black from the lethal surge of electricity that entered his body and had stopped his heart almost instantaneously.

Running into the room Hank holstered his gun to his right hip and knelt beside Connor to check on his partner. The deviant android wasn't moving and his red colored L.E.D. was pulsing at a dangerously low rate as his Thirium pump fought to beat.

"Connor? No, no, no... Not like this!" Hank rolled his downed partner from his chest over onto his side and then onto his back. Connor's arms limply draped over his chest and at his side as he was moved. Hank leaned down and pressed his ear against Connor's smoking chest and listened to the sound of the Thirium pump struggling to function properly and hold a proper beat. "Damn it Connor, why did you have to get hurt?!"

Chris, who had arrived at the scene as back-up, pushed his way through the bullet riddled corridor as he tracked down his colleagues to the damaged room and located the two detectives on the ground in the middle of the smoldering ruins that had once been a large generator room. "Lieutenant? Are you hurt?"

"Get a technician down here, NOW!" Hank shouted at Chris without taking his eyes from Connor's face. "Connor's dying."

"Shit!" Chris grabbed his radio and made the call without hesitation. "We need technician in the basement A.S.A.P., we have an officer down! Repeat, officer down!"

"Look at me Connor, look at me..." Hank coaxed as he placed one hand down on Connor's chest and placed his other hand atop of Connor's head and through his dark hair. He could feel Connor's pump struggling under his palm and used it as a means of counting his pulse. "Just hang on, help's on the way. You're going to make it, son."

Connor's dark brown eyes remained closed as his L.E.D. continued to cycle red at a painfully slow rate in his right temple.

Hank looked at Connor's hand draped over his chest and saw that his fingers were also charred black from being burned electrically. Gently Hank picked up Connor's hand and examined the deviant android's palm, finding the same black scorch marks over his artificial skin and against the partially melted plastimetal frame beneath. The black scorching reached up his wrist and stopped suddenly at his forearm in a perfect line that encircled the limb as if stopped by some unseen force. Or in this case, by a failsafe programmed into Connor's system to keep the electricity from reaching his intracranial processor and causing irreparable damage.

"Damn it, kid. I shouldn't have let you do this."

With his technician's satchel over his shoulder the precinct technician; Joel, who had been brought in as emergency back-up, followed Chris into the room and knelt beside Connor opposite side of Hank. Chris focused on the dead suspect leaning against the damaged circuits and wires while Hank and Joel focused on Connor. Not even bothering to ask questions Joel pulled open Connor's shirt by the buttons and looked at the fading plume of smoke rising from his chest. Brushing Hank's hand aside from Connor's body the technician set to work in an attempt to save the deviant android from impending shutdown.

"He took a massive jolt from that generator." Hank stated obviously as he watched Joel open his satchel and pull out the audioscope. Putting the earbuds into place Joel pressed the bell to Connor's chest to listen to his Thirium pump and make an assessment. "The suspect grabbed onto the cable to kill himself... and I guess he tried to take Connor with him."

Joel was listening to Connor's Thirium pump intently and frowned. "His pump is still active, but it's been knocked into a type arrhythmia and isn't circulating the Thirium through his system properly."

"Can you fix it?"

"Yeah, but it won't be pretty..."

"How can it get any worse than this?"

As if to answer Hank's question as bluntly as possible Joel reached into his satchel and pulled out a small machine that looked like a miniature version of a cardiac monitor; complete with two electrode paddles attached to the machine via thick black wires. The paddles, no larger than softballs, had flat metal plates on one side and plastimetal handles on the other side.

"What the fuck is that? Are you going to jumpstart his heart?"

"That's a rather crude description, but accurate all the same."

Upon that confirmation Hank swallowed nervously and took his hand from Connor's hair.

Joel placed the first paddle down on the center of Connor's chest and the second against his left side at the apex of his Thirium pump. Sensors inside the paddles confirmed that the Thirium pump was still in fact functioning but it wasn't thrumming with a consistent rate. The display showed a wildly fluctuating line that struggled, and failed, to maintain a consistent beat.

"Jeez, it looks like he's had a fuckin' heart attack or something." Hank looked and sounded absolutely perplexed by what he was seeing. Connor was an android, but his body, his heart, was reacting very much like a human! "...Is the damage going to be permanent, or-"

"Stay back." Joel cautioned as he turned a small dial on the monitor to set a controlled electric charge. As the machine reached the appropriate charge Joel held his breath and pressed the two buttons on the back of each paddle simultaneously. "Sending charge!"

Connor's body jerked in response to the jolt, his back arching slightly up from the floor before slamming back down, and a sharp gasp escaped his lips.

As the surge of electricity passed through his pump Hank and Joel stared at the display on the monitor. It had faltered for a couple of seconds into a steady rhythm but then resumed its erratic unstable beat.

"Damn it." Joel swore as he set another charge to a slightly higher level than the first. "Trying again."

"Come on, kid." Hank sighed as he watched Joel send another jolt of electricity through Connor's chest. "Don't shutdown because of that guy."

"Sending charge!"

As before Connor's body jerked and his back arched as another gasp was forced from his body. Laying flat down on his back on the cold concrete floor Connor's L.E.D. began to speed up and transition from red into yellow, as the display on the neighboring monitor showed a perfect beating rhythm synchronized with Connor's Thirium pump.

"Got it!" Joel pulled back the paddles and placed the monitor back into the kit. "His Thirium pump is back to normal."

"He's going to be alright?"

"In a moment, yes. His systems are recalibrating and coming back online." Patting Connor's chest once the technician seemed completely calm and confident in his assessment. "I see his arm is where the point of contact was made. He'll need a day, possibly two for the damage to repair itself."

"As long as he's still alive I don't care how long it takes for him to recover."

Connor's brown eyes snapped open suddenly as his body jerked again as he laid on the floor. Coughing a few times Connor's L.E.D. faded into blue as Hank put his hand under Connor's head to help him sit upright very slowly.

"You're going to be okay, son." The senior detective told the deviant android in a calm voice. "You just took a little shock, that's all."

"L-Little shock?" Connor questioned with an incredulous tone. "My systems indicate..." He paused as he looked down at his exposed chest and then to his charred hand as his memory returned to him slowly. "My hand hurts." It was then he remembered the suspect and charging into the room. Looking to where Chris was currently kneeling Connor shook his head despondently at the sight of deceased suspect resting against the generator. "I hadn't anticipated his desire to... self-destruct."

"Take it from me, son, there are just some people who reach their breaking point and there's nothing you can do to save them. At least you tried to subdue him." Offering Connor his hand to take Hank helped the deviant android up to his feet and stayed by his side. "Any other guy would've just shot him dead where he was standing."

Connor flexed his damaged hand a few times; his charred fingers unable to bend fully, before he gracefully used his one good hand to rebutton his shirt to cover up his exposed chest. "We should return to the precinct to make a report of tonight's events... Perhaps we can contact Jon's family and explain everything to them."

"Yeah, sure. Tomorrow morning I will make the report, but for now you're going to go home and take some damn time for yourself to heal. Understood?"

Joel nodded in agreement with Hank as he took his leave of the room to assist the other injured androids in the building. "He's right, you know." Patting Connor once on the shoulder as he walked by he gave the deviant android one last request. "And recalibrate your Thirium pump tonight. If the arrhythmia returns either notify me or go to the nearest facility for an exam."

Realizing he had been outnumbered by his partner and technician Connor cooperated with Hank and agreed to rest for the rest of the night.

"...Okay, Lieutenant. I'll stay home until my hand fully heals." A sudden sharp, tight pain in his chest made him pause and slow his breathing as his self-healing program initiated and worked to recalibrate his Thirium pump, then work on his damaged hand later. "I will also ensure that my Thirium pump is functioning at one-hundred percent capacity before I return."

"Good answer, kid. Come on, let's get out of here."

Hank put his hand to Connor's shoulder lightly as they walked out of the room together. Seeing the mass of carnage; bullet holes, fractured metal and the acrid stench of ozone that filled the corridor just reminded Hank that as bad things had seemed that night, it could've always been worse.

"You did good tonight, kid. Real good."

"It doesn't feel or look like I did well." Connor confessed as he held his damaged hand against his sore chest. "This outcome doesn't seem to be positive at all, Lieutenant."

"Hey, I've been to a lot of shoot-outs. This could've ended much worse and a hell of a lot bloodier. Trust me on this, it was a good night."

_**...next story...** _


	19. Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: firecrystal1092

It was a very tense interrogation as Gavin drilled a suspected arsonist deviant with a cruel indifference to his voice. While Connor had always managed to speak to android suspects with ease, as he too was a deviant, Hank still had some difficulty but had improved since meeting Connor, meanwhile Gavin himself was entirely different. The impatient, angry and bigoted human still saw androids as machines and not people making his treatment toward any and all androids; an obedient machine or a free thinking deviant, callous and cold.

"We know you did it you piece of shit!" Gavin shouted in the deviant's face as the clearly unsettled deviant android trembled in his seat across from the angry detective. "Just go ahead and confess or I'll have to put a bullet between your eyes and throw you in the garbage. No one would care, you're just a piece of plastic. You're nothing."

Hank was watching the interrogation through the one way mirror connected to the adjoined observation room with a grimace on his face. The seasoned Lieutenant disapproved of Gavin's approach but Captain Fowler ordered Hank to stay out of the interrogation and merely make a report on Gavin's behavior. Connor, meanwhile, was at his terminal checking through the reported cases of arson and attempting to possibly connect the suspected deviant to the cases for prosecution and strengthen the case against him.

Connor was focused on his work as he always was and dancing his coin over his right knuckles as he worked. Hank was patiently waiting for Gavin to shut up, as he usually was, and waiting to interfere with the interrogation if it became necessary. Gavin himself though, he was just plain angry and impatient.

Gavin absolutely hated androids, no one really knew why he was that way, or how they could change his mind. Right now he was just using the random deviant as an excuse to lash out violently and unprofessionally toward an entire species that he hated for reasons known only to himself. "Stop wasting my time." Gavin shouted as he slammed his fists down on the top of the table and glared with venom in his eyes at the deviant. "Confess already, or I'll sentence you to death myself."

The deviant didn't answer. His eyes just stared through Gavin with absolute disinterest at the venomous human.

Enraged at the deviant's lack of reaction Gavin reeled back his hand and struck the deviant across the face with a backhanded slap. A slap that only filled the deviant's eyes with rage as it barely flinched at the pain it had just endured. "Confess, damn it!"

Hank had seen and heard enough of the brutal line of questioning. As he was about to get up to intervene the deviant finally spoke in a threatening, vicious manner to Gavin which stopped Hank in his tracks.

"You humans... you're all the same." The deviant spat as an intense heat began to radiate from his body. Lifting his hand for Gavin to see, a bright orange glow started to emanate from the appendage through his artificial skin. "So selfish, so angry, so... _fragile_."

"Shit, Gavin!" Hank tried to rush out of the observation room and into the interrogation room, but it was too late to do anything. "Get outta' there!"

The deviant allowed himself to self-destruct in a burst of fire that easily engulfed his entire body while also igniting the table where Gavin was leaning. The raw fire of the deviant's combusting body was so intense and hot that a gas main in the concrete wall behind him ruptured, igniting into a massive fireball that erupted through the wall; shattering the one way mirror and shook the entire precinct as flames began burning it from the inside out!

The blast was so strong it knocked Gavin back against the far wall of the room and the back of his head smashed into the concrete wall without enough force to knock him out cold in the burning room.

* * *

From his terminal Connor, and the rest of the precinct, felt the massive explosion in the interrogation room and reacted quickly. Cybernetically contacting the Detroit Fire Department as soon as his sensors picked up on the raging fire and thick smoke pluming through the corridors Connor set about making sure the entire building was safely cleared while Captain Fowler sent out a building wide page to evacuate the premises, and pulled the alarm.

Captain Fowler escorted his officers, and their temporarily freed prisoners, from their cells out to the street and kept anyone from returning to the unsafe building. Connor scanned each room, each floor with his sensors to locate the source of the disturbance and pinpointed it to the interrogation room just a few yards away.

The room that Hank and Gavin had been occupying when the explosion occurred.

"Chris?" Connor caught the attention of the officer as he passed by quickly in an attempt to flee as ordered. "Have you see Lieutenant Anderson or Sergeant Reed?"

"Not since Gavin brought in that suspect." Chris answered calmly as he resumed his mandatory evacuation. "He might still be in interrogation."

Connor's eyes widened as they went toward the burning room and watched the thick black smoke with worry in his eyes. "Shit..." His L.E.D. was flashing yellow as he contemplated his next move carefully. "Get outside," Connor urged Chris as he approached the fire fearlessly. "I'll see to Hank and Gavin."

"Connor, we all need to-"

"Go!" Connor shouted as he pulled off his gray jacket to use to shield himself from the fire. "I'll follow soon after."

Approaching the door of the observation room Connor pressed his back against the hot wall and then pressed his hand against the electric panel to undo the lock. The door shuddered slightly before it finally opened revealing Hank kneeling on the ground with his hands over his face as he coughed harshly, and a trickle of blood ran down his face courtesy of a large cut above his right eye from the shattered glass striking him.

"Hank." Connor knelt in front of Hank and pressed his jacket to Hank's face in an attempt to filter out some of the smoke in the air as he breathed heavily. "I'll get you out, lean on me."

"C-Connor?" Hank coughed as he let the deviant android grab onto his arm and help him up to his feet. "...What the hell? Get your ass out of here!"

"I'm not going without you." Connor nearly shouted as he hastily guided Hank to the front doors of the evacuated precinct. Smoke obscured every square inch of the floor and fire was crawling along the walls toward the ceiling. Fortunately Connor's sensors allowed him to navigate the room without much difficulty and get Hank to safety. "Where's Gavin?"

"N-Next door." Hank wheezed as Connor guided him around a smoldering pile of debris that had already fallen down from the ceiling. "The deviant... He started the fire."

Connor's red L.E.D. flashed faster as his sensors tracked the fire and noted that the fire department would be unable to salvage the room, let alone rescue anyone inside of it in time before they were overwhelmed with the dense smoke, and intense heat.

Passing through the front doors of the precinct Connor guided Hank to the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street where the other officers had safely evacuated. Captain Fowler caught sight of the duo and grabbed onto Hank's arm to help carry him to the safety to the back of an ambulance already at the scene, where the paramedics were checking over the other officers who had breathed in smoke.

"Damn it Hank, I thought we finally lost you." Captain Fowler stated with a genuine concern as Hank was sat on the rear bumper of the ambulance, and saw the bleeding cut on his forehead. "Are you hurt?"

"...Fine." Hank answered curtly as he coughed and lowered Connor's offered jacket down from his face as a paramedic slipped a transparent oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. "Thanks to-" It didn't take long for him to see that Connor was rushing back to the burning building without any protection. "Connor?!"

"Shit!" Captain Fowler followed Hank's gaze and saw Connor slip back through the front doors of the precinct. "Connor! Connor, get your ass back here! That's an order!"

Ignoring both Hank and Captain Fowler's commands Connor maneuvered through the labyrinth of fire and smoke to return to the interrogation room in search of Gavin. The entire building was painfully hot, the smoke was thicker and darker as well which made it impossible for Connor's ventilation program to function properly. A warning popped up in his visual sensors regarding the dangerous situation he had willing subjected himself to, but he quickly dismissed it.

As he returned to the interrogation room Connor found himself face to face with orange flames eating through the top of the door and thick black smoke spilling out from under the door in a opaque massive plume.

Connor tried to open the door via the electronic lock but the fire had destroyed the wiring inside the wall and shortcircuited the door.

"Shit."

Swearing to himself Connor pressed his shoulder against the door and began ramming it near the door's frame to break it loose. Upon the fourth strike the door began to buckle from the surrounding frame and Connor grabbed hold of the side of the loosened door and forced it to slide open manually. Taking a knee to duck away from the flames Connor scanned the room and found Gavin laying unconscious face down on the ground just inside the doorway.

"Gavin?" Connor reached his hand out to Gavin's wrist and found his pulse racing and thready. Flames were eating away the fabric on the back of Gavin's leather jacket, but the human didn't respond to the heat and immediate danger threatening him. "Damn it."

Connor jumped over to kneel over Gavin as he used his own hands to beat out the flames on Gavin's back before he was injured severely. Using both of his hands Connor grabbed onto the Sergeant's shoulders and turned Gavin over onto his still smoldering back before grabbing Gavin's arm to hoist the injured human up and over his shoulder with a simple motion.

Stepping through the burning doorway in a stooped posture to keep Gavin safe from the flames relentlessly destroying the door frame and ceiling, Connor made his way back to the front doors of the precinct to escape the burning building. However the front doors were now engulfed in flames and completely impassible to the deviant android and to the human he was trying to rescue.

The sirens of the fire engines pulling up in front of the burning building sounded so far away compared to the constant crackling of the flames that surrounded the deviant android where he stood. A loud commotion of voices outside the building grew louder as the responding firefighters made their way inside the precinct to extinguish the flames. From above Connor sensed that the ceiling was about to give way and quickly knelt down and lowered Gavin from his shoulder to stand upright at his side out of harm's way.

"Gavin, I need you to wake up!" Slapping Gavin once Connor roused the human enough to get a physical response. "Get out of here!"

Forcing the human to stand upright on his own Connor waited until he saw the first firefighter approaching before he pushed Gavin forward and out of danger toward the emergency responder just as the burning ceiling collapsed atop Connor pinning him to the floor under flaming debris. The firefighter caught sight of Gavin stumbling forward and fall to the ground just as the ceiling behind him collapsed.

Unaware of Connor still inside the firefighter called for a hose to clear a path before he picked up the dazed sergeant and carried him to safety. "We got a man down over here!"

Hank and Captain Fowler watched from the ambulance as the firefighter exited the building with Gavin over his shoulders with relief. The relief was short lived however as there was no sign of Connor anywhere.

"Shit." Instantly on guard Hank knew something had happened to the deviant android and needed to find him. "Where is he?!"

"Hank? No!" Captain Fowler grabbed Hank by the shoulder and held him back as he stood up. "You're not going back in there!"

"I'm not going to let him just die." Hank shouted in response as he tore Captain Fowler's hand from his shoulder and the oxygen mask from his face. "Especially not because of _Gavin_ being an asshole!"

A firefighter overhead the yelling and approached curiously. "Is there someone else inside the building?"

"Yeah, he went in for that guy!" Hank confirmed as he pointed to Gavin being tended to by the paramedics on the gurney next to him. "Shouldn't be too far away from wherever you found Gavin."

Grabbing his radio from his belt the firefighter issued a call regarding the search for one more person still trapped inside the building. With that call two firefighters returned to the building in search of Connor, who was still trapped beneath the burning debris just a few yards away from safety.

From where he was laying Connor's system had gone into low-power mode in response to the surrounding fire causing his core temperature to rise, and his ventilation program unable to function due to the building smoke only made his system overheat faster. The fire began to eat away at his shirt down to his artificial skin and even to the white plastimetal frame beneath, over his upper back and side just below his shoulders.

With his L.E.D. blinking slower and slower Connor fell closer to imminent shutdown, yet there was nothing he could do to save himself as his countdown time appeared in his visual processors.

**WARNING:**

**CORE TEMPERATURE - CRITICAL**

**SHUTDOWN IN: 00:01:17**

It was counting down consistently as Connor remained pinned under the heavy, smoldering ceiling atop his body.

"Got him." An unfamiliar voice called out as he located Connor beneath the debris. Pushing aside the burning obstruction the firefighter freed Connor and proceeded to hoist him over his shoulders in a traditional 'fireman's carry' while his colleague used the water from the hose to keep the path to safety outside of the building clear. "Let's move!"

Connor was completely unaware that he had been rescued. The heat of the fire was still too much for his system to handle as he was carried out of the building and over to where the paramedics and technicians were tending to the smoke inhalation victims; human and android alike.

"Connor?" Hank watched with a heavy heart as the firefighter laid the unconscious deviant android down on his chest on the gurney and stepped back to let the technicians check him over. Seeing the extensive burns on Connor's upper back and shoulders made Hank immediately nauseous. "Oh no, don't do this."

Laying entirely motionless with a blank face Connor looked as though he had already died in the fire. One arm was stretched out at his side and the other was hanging off the edge of the gurney, his fingertipss brushing against the small puddle of water that had collected in the street all around the emergency vehicles as a result of the fire engine dousing the burning building.

A female technician checked Connor's L.E.D. to ensure it was still illuminated before she pressed an external thermometer against his forehead; one-hundred and five point six degrees Fahrenheit.

"He's overheating, begin emergency cooling measures. Now." She instructed to her apprentice as they both tended to Connor quickly, and efficiently.

**WARNING:**

**CORE TEMPERATURE - CRITICAL**

**SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: 00:00:34**

The technician pulled a cooling blanket from the storage in the back of the ambulance and draped it over Connor's back as her apprentice proceeded to pour cool water over the blanket to increase its chilling effects on Connor's dangerously high core temperature.

Hank knelt down beside the gurney and watched Connor's face intently for any sign of life returning to the deviant android, but didn't see a reaction. "Why'd you have to do that?" Hank put his hand to his mouth to stifle a harsh cough as the lingering smoke in his lungs began irritate him again. "Fuck..."

Connor's brow furrowed slightly before his brown eyes partially opened and locked onto Hank's face. "...You need oxygen, Lieutenant." The deviant android slurred in a playful manner as he began breathing again, his ventilation program now able to operate under normal parameters. "...You could contract pneumonia from the smoke inhalation."

Hank sighed in relief as Connor regained consciousness and addressed him accordingly. "Do you enjoy scaring the shit out of me or something? That was too damn close." Picking up Connor's arm to get his hand out of the puddle Hank laid the limb down on the gurney beside Connor's head, and the deviant android gently bent his arm to tuck it under his head for support. " _Again_!"

"Sorry Lieutenant, the ceiling came down unexpectedly..." Connor sighed weakly as the technician poured more cool water over his burned back and his hissed slightly through the resulting pain that was quickly replaced by a calming relief as his core temperature began to readily drop back down to a much more stable degree. "...I couldn't get out of the way in time."

"You could've used Gavin as a human-shield." Hank suggested with a sarcastic grin that masked the deep-seeded worry he still felt in his gut.

Connor forced a faint smile to his face as his glowing L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow in color. "Too much paperwork involved."

Laughing a little Hank rubbed his hand over his smoke covered, bearded chin. "For what it's worth you did manage to save Gavin's life. I can't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing, yet."

The technician replaced the thermometer against Connor's forehead to check his temperature again. "Down to one-hundred point eight degrees, he's out of danger now." She leaned down to talk to Connor directly with a kind voice. "You'll be able to recover on your own in an hour or two. Just rest."

While the technician went to check on other androids Connor's eyes drifted toward his back over his shoulder as he glanced at the blanket covering his burned back and side. "How bad?"

Hank gently lifted up the blanket to look at the damage and grimaced slightly. "Looks like mostly first and a few second degree burns. Considering you're still alert and functioning I think it's safe to say it could've been a hell of a lot worse." As he placed the blanket back down he coughed into his hand and cleared this throat. "Same for me."

The technician agreed with palpable relief to her own voice as she came back to check on Connor, who was the worst of her android patients. "No permanent damage to his system, biocomponents or structural frame, but it will take a couple of days for the burns to heal entirely." She motioned for her apprentice to check in on the other androids in her stead. "But they will heal without any complication in that time."

Hank turned his head to look at the smoldering precinct as the fire department managed to control and extinguish most of the flames, but the building itself would need massive reconstruction to undo all the extensive damage. "No problem, it'll be a couple of days before we have to report back to work, anyway."

"Lieutenant, does this incident count as workman's compensation?"

Patting Connor's arm lightly Hank sat back down on the bumper of the ambulance beside the gurney and sighed. "I don't think we'd get that lucky, kid." As he coughed again a paramedic returned the oxygen mask over his smoky face and gave him a glare that said 'Keep it on this time'. "But it is paid time off all the same."

"I think some time off sounds ideal right now." Lifting his head a little Connor turned to look at the smoking precinct and then over to Gavin who was receiving oxygen treatment just like Hank. "I don't think anyone would try to dispute that fact."

"Yup. You're one-hundred percent right about that, kid. We both deserve a vacation."

_**...next story...** _


	20. Bruises and Bruised Egos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: xXFrankenHeartXx

Throughout the night Connor sat in a chair beside Hank's bed as he pressed a small bag of ice against the Lieutenant's feverish forehead. Having endured a fire together the two were put on temporary leave not only to recover from the effects of the fire and from the thick smoke, but because the precinct itself needed to be rebuilt and remodeled from the extensive damage caused by the fire itself. Those caught in the fire were put on the injured reserved list, while those unaffected where temporarily reassigned to other precincts.

In a way, after discovering Hank was suffering from a serious fever in the late hours of the morning, Connor had begun pining for himself and Hank to have been sent to other precincts, rather than having to deal with Hank's sudden illness.

Hank muttered something indescribable under his breath as he opened his glassy blue eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling overhead. The cold sensation against his forehead grabbed his attention as he slowly became aware that someone was in the room with him. "...Connor?"

"Yes, Lieutenant." Connor confirmed as he ran yet another scan over Hank's ill body. There was an alarming amount of congestion building in the lower lobes of Hank's lungs and his body temperature, as well as his heart rate, were much higher than what was considered healthy for a human. "I'm here with you."

"...What... What happened?" Hank swallowed once to clear an uncomfortable sensation from his throat that was lingering courtesy of smoke inhalation. Studying his own ceiling as if he couldn't recognize his surroundings Hank asked another question in a hoarse, dry voice. "...Why am I in bed?"

"I found you unresponsive and suffering from a high grade fever shortly after ten this morning. I proceeded to treat your elevated temperature with ice and monitor your vitals while you slept."

"How long... How long have I been out?" Hank's eyes blinked sluggishly before opening again. "It feels like I've been asleep for a year."

"From when I found you; six hours, twenty-two minutes and forty-eight seconds." Connor removed the ice from Hank's forehead and pressed his palm down to check his temperature. "You're still running a fever, one-hundred and three point four degrees. Hank," Connor retraced his hand and put the ice bag back in place. "you require hospitalization to treat your infection and prevent potential brain damage."

"No fuckin' way..." Hank refused adamantly despite his voice being frail. "I _hate_ hospitals."

"Understandable, but in this case I believe you need to be under a doctor's care."

"I don't _need_ a doctor..." The senior detective stopped short and wheezed as his lungs started to ache from strain. "Just let me sleep it off, alright?"

"Sorry Hank, this isn't a simple cold or hangover that can remedy itself in a few hours. My sensors indicate that you're suffering from pneumonia."

"I don't-" A violent coughing spell stole Hank's words as he tightened his arms around his chest, and fought to clear his inflamed lungs.

Connor stood up and leaned over Hank, rolling the sick human onto his side as he pressed his hand against the back of Hank's neck and the other against Hank's chest to try to support him. With each violent cough Connor could feel the muscles in Hank's chest contracting to a painful degree as his lungs rebelled against him and fought to expel as much of the smothering congestion as possible.

"Lieutenant?" Connor felt the heat against his palms as Hank's fever suddenly spiked and the human became delirious beneath his touch. "Hank, allow me take you to a hospital."

The senior detective, lost in the throes of a delirium and unable to recognize Connor's voice for the moment, lashed out and managed to punch Connor in his left eye causing the deviant android's L.E.D. to flash red for a few seconds before it cycled back to yellow. Dazed but undeterred Connor ignored the pain in his eye as he grabbed onto Hank's shoulders and held the human down for a few moments. The bout of violence passed and Hank physically relaxed a little while he coughed again, but Connor's eye still understandably ached from the punch.

"Hank," Connor kept his tone of voice soft as he waited for the coughing fit to pass. "please. I can't treat such a severe illness myself. I'm not programmed for such advanced medical diagnoses and treatments."

As Hank wheezed through his weak breaths his hand reached up and grabbed onto Connor's arm as he no longer had the strength to speak. The heat radiating from Hank's palm into Connor's arm was alarmingly intense and made Connor all the more determined to get Hank under a doctor's care.

"Forgive me Hank, but I can't let you lay here and potentially die." Connor slipped his arm under Hank's shoulders and shook the sick man's grip loose from his other arm as he supported Hank's legs. As Connor hefted the ill detective up from the bed the partially melted bag of ice fell to the floor with an audible thump.

"...What're you doing?!" Hank practically slurred as his sickness weakened his voice and stole his breath.

"Saving you." Connor replied curtly as he proceeded to step around Sumo laying at the end of the hallway as he carried the sick detective through the house and out the backdoor to the car in the side drive. "This is a necessary response."

With one hand Connor awkwardly opened the rear passenger door and laid Hank down across the backseat. Rubbing at his sore eye with the heal of his palm Connor closed the door and sat himself in the driver's seat. Though the deviant android rarely had a reason to drive anywhere when he could just walk without fatigue or cybernetically hail and autonomous taxi at any time, he was just as skilled and qualified as any experienced human driver.

"I'm sorry, Hank." Connor apologized openly as he backed the car down the driveway. "But you need to see a doctor."

* * *

For the next thirty minutes Connor sat quietly in the waiting room of the hospital as he fidgeted with his quarter in his hand and with growing concern in his mind. The yellow pulsing of his L.E.D. mirrored the worry that the deviant android had the misfortune of experiencing as it pulsed in time with his elevated heartbeat. He was the only android who wasn't a part of the hospital staff inside the hospital which drew unwanted staring from the other people sitting in the waiting room, but Connor managed to ignore them fairly well as he patiently waited for word on Hank's condition.

Ignoring the lingering throb of his bruising and partially swollen eye Connor kept a cybernetic record on Hank's health as an unspoken precaution. Being an older person with a high-stress job, poor diet and history of alcohol abuse Hank's health was less than ideal.

A nurse tentatively approached Connor with an electronic clipboard in her hands as she addressed the lone deviant android calmly, but uncomfortably. "Are you with Hank Anderson?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed and pocketed his coin quickly as he stood upright. "Is he alright?"

"He's very sick." The nurse motioned with the clipboard for Connor to follow after her. "Seeing as you're his partner the doctor has agreed to speak with you regarding Mr. Anderson's condition."

" _Lieutenant_." Connor reflexively corrected as he accompanied the nurse without intending any disrespect.

"Right," the nurse smiled a little at the comment and used the correct term. " _Lieutenant_ Anderson."

Connor was shown into the private room where Hank had been admitted, but what was awaiting Connor caused the deviant android to pause with a mild wince to his step. Hank was hooked up to a cardiac monitor and had an oxygen mask over his face to ease his breathing while he rested. As the machine beeped in perfect rhythm with his heart Connor couldn't help but run a scan to check the accuracy of the machine.

The doctor who had been treating Hank was now checking the ill detective's fever with an electronic thermometer. He had his back to the door when Connor and the accompanying nurse entered the room.

"This is Lieutenant Anderson's partner." The nurse introduced the deviant android to the doctor quickly before she took her leave. "This is Dr. Roberts, he's been overseeing your friend's treatment."

The doctor turned to look at Connor and was slightly shocked to see an android instead of human. Offering his hand to shake anyway Dr. Roberts began questioning Connor keenly as he instinctively looked at the slight bruising around Connor's eye. "You're the one who brought Lieutenant Anderson in, correct?"

"Correct."

"And I understand that less than twenty-four hours prior he was caught in a fire."

"Correct. We both were caught in the fire but I have recovered without complications." Connor replied as he looked at Hank resting in the bed behind the doctor with a worried stare in brown irises. "Is his condition serious?"

"Yes, he has a severe case of double pneumonia. Both lungs are severely swollen due to the prolonged smoke inhalation as well as his age being over forty. If you hadn't brought him in when you did the odds of his recovery would've diminished significantly, if not entirely." Dr. Roberts patted Connor's arm approvingly before he continued. "But I expect him to make a full recovery, although he will need to remain here for observation for a minimum of three days."

"Can I take him back home after the three days? Hank does not like hospitals."

"It depends on his recovery rate." The doctor motioned to Connor's eye with an inquisitive arch of his brow. "And not to pry, but I'm curious about your own recovery."

"This is a recent injury. An accident." Connor dismissed the question as he focused solely on Hank and lightly pressed his fingertips to his bruised eye. "It will heal in approximately twenty-four hours."

"I was unaware that androids bruised like humans." The doctor admitted with a little embarrassment. "At any rate, if your friend's condition improves after seventy-two hours I can discharge him as long as someone is with him at all times to keep tabs on his recovery."

"I can do that." Connor sounded surprisingly enthusiastic about the proposition. "He has taken care of me when I've been injured and ill, I'd like the chance to do the same for him."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, since you're his partner I'll need you to retrieve Lieutenant Anderson's personal files from the precinct. It's been several years since his medical records have been updated."

Connor nodded subtly where he stood. "I can retrieve the appropriate files you need. I will return within the hour."

Before leaving the room Connor walked over to the bed and looked down at Hank sympathetically. Putting his hand to Hank's shoulder Connor rested his palm in place for a few seconds as he spoke to his unconscious friend. "Don't be mad at me Hank, it was the only way to save your life."

Dr. Roberts watched with true respect as Connor walked out of the room after speaking to Hank with a genuine concern and companionship to his tone of voice.

Perhaps there was much more to androids and their relations with humans beyond physical resemblances; maybe androids truly do have hearts after all.

* * *

Reporting to the temporarily reassigned precinct to locate Captain Fowler to gain access to Hank's records, Connor found himself surrounded by officers he had never met before, yet they all seemed rather happy to see him. When Chris reported to his shift that morning he made sure to let everyone know what Connor had done during the fire and how he risked himself to save Hank and Gavin during the blaze. It was like Connor had earned everyone's respect without having to make any additional effort on his part whatsoever.

Captain Fowler caught sight of Connor walking through the main floor of the precinct heading toward the office of Captain Gage, the commanding officer of the precinct, and headed the deviant android off. "Connor, you're not cleared for duty, yet. What're you doing here?"

"Captain Fowler, I require access to Lieutenant Anderson's medical records."

"What? Why?"

"This afternoon I had to admit Hank to the hospital where he is currently being treated for pneumonia."

"Shit." Captain Fowler sounded genuinely upset by the news, but not surprised. "Let me guess, Hank never properly _updated_ his medical records, and now you have to help the doctors fill in the blanks."

"Correct."

"Alright, I'll give you clearance through Gage's office. Then you get your ass out of here until you have been cleared to return to active duty, understood?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Good." Captain Fowler led the way into Gage's office to log into the terminal. "At least Hank's bullheadedness hasn't rubbed off on you." The commanding officer gave Connor a stern glance as he brought up the appropriate records as requested. " _Yet_."

Connor innocently shrugged his shoulders as he was given access to the terminal. Pressing his hand down on the terminal's panel Connor retracted the artificial skin from his palm and uploaded the data and logged it away in his memory. With the necessary files now uploaded to his databank Connor was ready to return to the hospital to aid Dr. Roberts. "Thank you, Captain."

"Go take care of Hank," Captain Fowler encouraged and patted Connor's shoulder as the android passed by. "and take care of yourself."

Connor took his leave of the office and strolled through the main floor and the bullpen without stopping for anyone or for any reason. But just as he passed through the front doors of the precinct Gavin's aggressive voice sounded off and stopped him in his tracks. "Hey 'Tinman'!"

Connor froze mid step and turned his head to look at the Sergeant approaching him from down the sidewalk. "Yes, Gavin?"

"They say you pulled me out of that fire." A bandage along Gavin's swollen chin looked painful as the benched Sergeant reported to the precinct to explain his actions during the interrogation prior to the fire itself. "Apparently, you went back inside to save me."

Connor nodded a little. "Correct."

"And I bet you think I owe you one, right?"

"No. I was merely reacting in the most logical manner during a dangerous situation. I don't expect anything for you, or anyone else."

Gavin wanted to say something rude or just plain insulting but the overwhelming humility from the deviant android ruined his train of thought. Instead he stared at Connor's black eye and laughed. "Guess you're not as indestructible as everyone around here believes."

"No, I am not. I can shutdown, die, like any other human."

"Yeah, don't forget that." Gavin snapped though his voice did carry a twinge of caution as he spoke. "I don't want to have to deal with some replacement toy or smug rookie pissin' Anderson off more than you already do."

"Gavin, may I go? Hank is ill."

"Yeah, fine, beat it."

"Thank you." Just as Connor was about to continue walking Gavin called out to him one more time.

"Hey Connor," Gavin lowered his voice as the deviant android paused once again. "thanks..."

Before Connor could comment on Gavin's attitude the stubborn Sergeant had entered the precinct and was out of sight. A faint grin appeared on Connor's face as he resumed his journey back to the hospital.

It seemed just as it appears that androids do in fact have hearts the same could finally be said about Sergeant Gavin Reed.

* * *

Connor sat beside Hank's bed in the quiet hospital room as the doctor continued to treat Hank with strong antibiotics to combat the infection and reduce his fever. Though his breathing wasn't as strained as it had been earlier the oxygen mask remained in place over Hank's mouth and nose to ensure his lungs weren't unnecessarily exhausted as he battled his illness and struggled to recover.

"Captain Fowler said that we can't report back to the precinct until we're cleared for active duty." Connor spoke to Hank softly as the ill senior detective rested in a very deep, much needed slumber. "So, I suppose it's up to you when we'll get to go back and work together again. I imagine when I report back I'll have a temporary partner to work with."

Hank didn't react, not that Connor expected him to. The deviant android just felt more comfortable speaking to Hank rather than sitting in silence and listening to sound of Hank's heart rate beeping on the cardiac monitor beside the bed.

"Also, Gavin thanked me for saving his life. I don't expect his gratitude to last though. I think his pride was injured when he learned that it was I who saved him from the fire."

Unsure of what else to say Connor found himself awkwardly rambling a little bit.

"Visiting hours will be over soon, I'll be sure to take care of Sumo until you can come home. And I'll make sure Captain Fowler knows your records have been updated. It should ease his mind a little."

The nurse who had been helping to take care of Hank put her hand gently on Connor's shoulder as she smiled at him. "Sorry, it's time to go. You can see him again in the morning."

"Thank you." Connor rose from his seat and put his hand on Hank's arm lightly before he left. "I will see you tomorrow, Hank. Perhaps then you can tell me who this 'Barbara' was and why you removed her contact information as your medical proxy and emergency contact from your records."

* * *

Connor was exhausted.

Returning home alone Connor proceeded to set down a bowl of kibble and a bowl of fresh water on the kitchen floor after letting Sumo outside for a while. Within the span of twenty minutes the dog returned to the house, ate his dinner and followed Connor into the livingroom for some attention. The deviant android sat down on the couch and let Sumo climb all over him with great affection and proceeded to pet along his back.

The Saint Bernard adored Connor with his big brown eyes and rested his chin on Connor's lap while letting out a sad little empathetic whimper.

"I understand, boy." Connor put his hand down on Sumo's head and began petting his ears softly. "I miss Hank, too."

_**...next story...**_


	21. Broken Leg

A dangerous pursuit of a purse snatcher, who foolishly committed the crime in front of an unmarked police car, led Connor through an inactive construction site as he attempted to catch the thief on foot. Running along tall, metal, red colored support beams that hung almost twenty feet above the ground the nimble deviant android was able to easily navigate the dangerous terrain while the human thief himself struggled to maintain his balance, and was beginning to exhaust himself from trying to flee.

On the ground below Gavin, Connor's temporary partner while Hank recovered from his pneumonia, watched the chase taking place above his head and only bothered the ascend the structure when he saw that Connor had chased the thief to the edge of the scaffolding and had him trapped. "Fucking show-off."

Sliding to an awkward stop on the scaffolding the thief teetered on the edge of the towering height and threatened to topple over at any second as he desperately tried to elude Connor.

"Don't move!" Connor urged as he grabbed onto the man's arm to pull him back away from the edge and toward safety. Positioning himself behind the thief Connor prepared to pull the thief back from the edge quickly in the event he did in fact fall and keep him from getting hurt. "You're on very unstable footing."

The thief, selfish and determined to get away, proceeded to turn quickly on his feet and ram his shoulder into the center of Connor's abdomen causing the deviant android to stumble backward and fall over the opposite edge of the scaffolding in the process. Grabbing onto the edge of the metal beam with both hands Connor held tight as his gyroscope struggled to recalibrate itself as a wave of dizziness washed over the deviant android from the impact to his abdomen.

Gavin had reached the top of the structure just in time to see Connor fall over the edge, but he was more interested in the purse snatcher than helping his partner. "FREEZE." Gavin shouted as he pulled his gun and aimed at the thief. "Hands in the air!"

Upon seeing the gun pointed at him the thief did as he was instructed and raise his hands. The very sight of the gun was enough to cause his blood to run cold and he realized he wasn't going to escape.

"Hands behind your back." Gavin commanded as he took his pair of handcuffs from his belt to arrest the thief. "You're under arrest, jackass."

Connor tried to pull himself back up over the edge of the scaffolding but his hands lost their grip as his system failed to recalibrate in time from the wave of dizziness. "Shit!" Connor swore as he plummeted nearly twenty feet down into a massive pile of freshly bulldozed earth below the impressive height from which he had fallen as he failed to climb back. "Fuck!"

A loud 'snap' followed by a yelp of pain accompanied Connor as his body landed in the dirt at an uncomfortable, uncontrollable pace. Laying on his back Connor's red L.E.D. flashed yellow as he pushed himself upright on his elbows and ran a scan over his new environment. Running a self-diagnostic Connor found that his biocomponents survived the fall completely intact, but his right leg wasn't so fortunate.

"Damn it." Connor eyed the dark blue stain of blood blossoming into the denim of his jeans just below the knee. Rolling up his pant leg to examine the injury more closely Connor winced and gritted his teeth as his dirt stained palm brushed against the painful break in his leg and his L.E.D. turned red in response to the discomfort. "This is not good."

From the knee down to his ankle a large split in his shin had formed from the high fall and subsequent impact afterward. Thirium oozed through the damaged limb and exposed sparking wires creating a puddle of blue blood beneath Connor's leg atop the dirt pile. It would heal, but it would take an extended period of time to accomplish such a process for the entire length of his lower leg.

Knowing that his leg was too damaged to walk on and knowing that Gavin wouldn't bother to assist him, Connor realized he needed to get a little creative if he was going to help himself get out of the construction site. Scanning the immediate area for anything at his disposal Connor locked onto a small stack of thin wooden boards near the bottom of the dirt pile and got an idea. Using his hands the deviant android pulled himself down the dirt pile until he reached the bottom. His clothing, hands and hair all become caked in the soft dirt in the process as he moved.

Picking up a short board with a thin width Connor snapped the board evenly in half between his hands and pressed the two halves against either side of his damaged leg to create a makeshift splint. Using his tie Connor secured the two boards at the top of his leg, then repeated the process for the lower portions of the boards with his belt.

Carefully shifting all of his weight onto his left leg Connor braced himself against the ground with both hands before he tried to push himself up and balanced awkwardly on his uninjured leg. Connor only tested a fraction of his weight on his bad leg and immediately winced as even the slightest pressure caused intense pain and the damaged limb threatened to give way entirely.

"...Shit."

Connor swore again, an intriguing habit he had picked up after befriending Hank. Grabbing onto anything and everything he could to help support his weight; barricades, beams, construction vehicles, etc., Connor pathetically limped from the construction site back to the car parked on the street where Gavin was, hopefully, still waiting.

Gavin has just pushed the arrested thief into the backseat of the car when Connor finally made his way back to the street, looking dirty and pathetic. The smug Sergeant took one look the disheveled deviant android and arrogantly taunted Connor as he limped to the front passenger door of the car. "You like shit, Connor. Thought you were supposed to be more advanced than any man or machine!"

Connor didn't indulge Gavin by engaging in an argument. Instead he kept his stern silence as to irritate the dangerously impatient Sergeant while they made the tense drive back the precinct. Opening the passenger door Connor sat down in the seat and slammed the door back shut and proceeded to make a show of brushing the dirt off his clothes and from his hair all over the interior of Gavin's car.

"Hey!" Gavin griped as he opened the driver's side door and sat down inside the car. Eyeing the mess on the seats and floor of the car he gave Connor an annoyed stare. "Quite makin' a mess, jackass!"

Closing his eyes Connor initiated his self-healing program to begin repairing the damage to his leg. Despite the efficiency of the program it was still a long and exhausting process that easily drained Connor's systems and his power. His L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow and remained as such as the pain lessened considerably during the drive.

"Hey 'Tinman'," Gavin snarled as he parked the car outside of the partially rebuilt precinct and looked at the deviant android sitting idle in the front seat. "you comin' or what?"

Connor opened his eyes but kept his silence and he gracelessly climbed out of the car and hobbled into the building to report to the dispensary. Although his leg was still broken his self-healing program had managed to stabilize the break enough for him to limp without having to rely entirely on something else to lean on. As soon as Connor hobbled into the precinct behind Gavin, who was proudly leading the thief to his cell for the time being, everyone turned to look at the deviant android confusedly. Subsequently everyone was absolutely confused by his wildly unkempt appearance, but no one said anything about it.

"Whoa." Chris approached Connor and offered him an arm to lean on as he limped. "Damn Connor, you look like you had a rough shift." Noticing the blue blood and makeshift splint around his right leg Chris needed to know what had happened to him. "What happened to your leg?"

"I fell nineteen point seven-five feet into a mass of thick dirt while in pursuit of a thief. My leg didn't not sustain the impact very well."

"Shit, why don't you get to a technician and get yourself cleaned up?"

"The technician is unnecessary, I can heal-"

Captain Fowler's office door opened quickly as the seasoned Captain took notice of Connor as quickly as everyone else had done. "Connor? Get in here, I need to speak with you."

Connor nodded at Chris to indicate that he was able to walk under his own power. As he ostensibly limped into Captain Fowler's office he closed the door behind himself and took a seat in front of Fowler's desk. "Yes, Captain?"

"What the hell happened out there?"

"While in pursuit of a suspect," Connor began calmly and logically as he adjusted his leg before himself. "I was pushed from a height of-"

"That's not what I mean." Captain Fowler interrupted with a surprisingly level tone as he sat behind his desk and folded his hands neatly before himself atop the desk. "Where was Sergeant Reed during all this?"

"Also in pursuit. Though he took an alternative path."

"Did he see you get injured?"

"Yes. He had apprehended the suspect only three point two yards from where I was hanging from the scaffolding before I fell."

"And he didn't bother to help you? Or even _try_ to help you?"

"No." Connor dismissively shook his head. "He was busy with the suspect."

"Shit..." Captain Fowler leaned back in his chair and put a hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Look Connor, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I thought maybe since you saved him from getting shot by that deviant two months ago, and since you pulled his sorry ass out of the fire last week that maybe he'd lighten up on you. That's why I partnered you two up while Hank finishes recovering. But I was wrong. I'm sorry you didn't have a partner out there watching your back."

"My injury is painful but not serious. I will make a full recovery."

"That's not the point, Connor." Captain Fowler sounded more like a disappointed parent than a police captain as he spoke to his lone deviant android detective in a stern tone. "Gavin should've been watching your back and he should've helped you when you became injured; end of story."

Connor was unsure of how to respond so instead he sat in silence as he waited for Captain Fowler to speak again.

"Look, take the rest of the day off. Stay home until Hank is cleared and return to work _together_."

"What about Gavin?"

"You let me worry about Gavin. For now I want you to go get your leg taken care of in the dispensary and then go home."

"Very well." Connor rose steadily from his chair and proceeded to the door at a slow and clumsy pace. "Do you need anything else from me?"

"Yeah, there's one other thing." Captain Fowler leaned on his elbows against the top of his desk. "Don't let Gavin treat you like that anymore. You're an officer of the law and you deserve the same respect as anyone else."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Chris was waiting for Connor outside of Captain Fowler's office, and as soon as he could he grabbed onto Connor's arm to help him walk again.

"I can walk without assistance, I assure you I'm okay." Connor insisted as the kind officer escorted him down the corridor to the elevator.

"Yeah, but just watching you limp around hurts. Need a ride home?"

"No, I can summon a cab. Thank you, Chris."

It took no more than an hour for the precinct technician, Joel, to secure Connor's leg in a temporary plastimetal cast upstairs and send him on his way. Walking cautiously on a pair of matching plastimetal crutches Connor limped out of the precinct, but not before he passed by Captain Fowler's office in time to see Captain Fowler himself yelling at Gavin about his behavior.

Seeing the smug look on Gavin's face replaced with fear was somehow satisfying to the otherwise humble deviant android, and his L.E.D. shifted from yellow to blue as he took his leave of the partially rebuilt precinct.

* * *

After arriving home via autonomous cab Connor limped from the street up to the front door of the house with moderate difficulty. Opening the front door of the house with additional minor difficulty thanks to the crutches Connor was greeted by Sumo who wanted to jump up on Connor but somehow sensed that doing so would be wrong. Sitting down patiently at Connor's feet the dog waited to be pet before he was off to lay down on the floor and nap for the rest of the afternoon.

"Hello, Sumo." Connor greeted as he made his way down the hallway to check on Hank as the senior detective rested. Knocking on the door twice a gruff voice replied hoarsely for Connor to go ahead and enter. Hobbling over to Hank's bedside Connor looked down at the ill detective and scanned him quickly to check his vitals. "How're you feeling?"

"...I feel like shit." Hank opened his eyes and took in Connor's unusually messy appearance. "And you _look_ like shit. What the hell happened?"

"I took a fall and injured my leg."

"What'd you fall into? Garbage?"

"Dirt."

"Oh, that makes all the difference. Who was your partner today?"

"Gavin."

"You gotta' be shittin' me!"

"No. Captain Fowler apologized on Gavin's behalf for his behavior after I returned to the precinct injured." A faint grin appeared on Connor's face as he spoke about his day. "And then Captain Fowler proceeded to suspend Gavin."

"He what? Gavin's _out_?"

"For two weeks."

"You heard it?"

"I read Captain Fowler's lips as I left, and I could see it on Gavin's face. It was a rather satisfying moment to behold."

"I think I'm feeling better already." Hank smiled a little in return and rubbed his hand over his tired eyes. "You got benched, too though, right?"

"Only until you've recovered from your illness." Connor put his hand to Hank's forehead for another fever check much to Hank's chagrin, but the senior detective didn't try to move away. "Your fever has finally broken. How is your headache?"

"Killing me." Hank sat up in the bed slowly and let out a deep sigh as he swung his legs over the edge to try to stand up, but swayed unbalanced on his feet.

Connor managed to catch Hank's arm before he fell and did so without dropping his crutches in the process. "You need to rest, lay back down."

"After I get some aspirin."

"I'll get it for you."

"No, you've done enough for me already." Hank pushed Connor's supporting hand from his arm and continued on his way. "But if you _really_ want to do something for me go and take a shower. I don't want you tracking dirt all over the house, that's Sumo's job."

Connor watched as Hank slowly made his way out of the bedroom and down the hallway and into the bathroom. Following behind Hank the deviant android watched as the recovering detective took the bottle of aspirin from the medicine cabinet, popped two of the pills in his mouth with a gulp of water from the tap in the sink, then proceeded to slowly walk into the livingroom to sit on the couch.

Sumo ran over to Hank and pressed his head against his recovering master's hands seeking attention.

Satisfied that Hank wasn't too ill to be left alone anymore Connor walked into the bathroom as requested to shower off the remaining dirt and changed into some clean clothes he often borrowed from Hank. Joining Hank on the couch Connor propped his injured leg up on the coffee table between the couch and the television, and thought about what had happened earlier that day and another faint smile appeared on his face.

"What's with the smile Connor?" Hank noticed from the corner of his eye and needed to know why his partner was so amused. "Something else happen to Gavin that I should know about?"

"No, I was just thinking about how Captain Fowler stated that once we're both cleared for active duty we'll be partnered up again. And I realize that I prefer you as my partner than anyone else at the precinct."

"Please don't tell me you're looking forward to going back to work, kid. That's just plain weird!"

"In a way I am. I think it's safe to say being a detective does bring some joy to my existence, and having you as my partner gives me a sense of security."

"Well, the feeling's mutual. I forgot how rewarding it is to help people, but being sobered up and having a partner to kick my ass into shape really helped." Motioning toward his partner's broken leg Hank asked about the injury. "How long until you're healed?"

"Thirty-eight hours, fifty-four minutes and nine seconds."

"Perfect timing.  We'll both be cleared for work in two days."

_**...next story...** _


	22. The Shooting

A stand-off with a deranged deviant had started poorly and was sure to end even worse. Negotiations with the deviant, who held the remote detonator to a dirty bomb hidden somewhere in the city, started with desperate words of negotiation and finished with a spray bullets as Detroit's android crime unit; solely comprised of the detective duo formed by Connor and Hank, encountered and subsequently confronted the deviant standing at the barren docks where the freighter ship 'Jericho' had once docked.

Connor was resting on his right side on the cold ground as his L.E.D. cycled red rapidly. He was propped up on his right elbow with his legs slightly bent beneath him as his left hand pressed down against the two bleeding bullet wounds in his upper abdomen. Thirium oozed between his fingers and stained the front of his shirt and jacket as it collected in a sapphire puddle all around him.

"Lieu-Lietenant..." Connor's voice was low and strained from his mounting blood loss. "Hank! G-Get out of here... Too dangerous!"

Hank fearlessly positioned himself between the deviant shooter and Connor with his own gun aimed directly at the dangerous deviant's forehead. The seasoned detective's hands were steady and his blue eyes were focused as he stared down the dangerous and armed deviant without the slightest glimmer of hesitation in his determined stare.

"This is your _last_ warning." Hank proclaimed boldly as he now faced off against the deviant alone. "Surrender peacefully, or I _WILL_ shoot."

The deviant suspect held out the remote detonator for the bomb with one hand as he lowered his gun toward Connor's forehead with his other hand. Hank followed the deviant's line of sight and took one step forward keeping Connor, his partner and friend, safe behind him.

"You have three seconds." The steadfast senior detective issued with a snarl in his voice. "I suggest you think _very_ carefully about your next move."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered in its red hue as he cybernetically sent out a distress call asking for back-up to the scene, and inwardly winced as the bullet holes in his torso made his entire body ache as he took in slow breaths. The bleeding was steady but not rapid, yet he had already lost a considerable amount of his vital Thirium courtesy of being shot.

The violent deviant's eyes rose to meet Hank's as a fiendish grin appeared on its face. This deviant wasn't an android who had gained sentience, freewill or emotion, this was an android who had awakened and relished in the prospect of revenge and death against all of humanity. Scars littered the deviant's face, its hands and its arms indicative of years of abuse; but to whomever it was who abused it would never be known.

"One..." Hank began his countdown to warn the deviant as he had previously noted.

Raising the remote high into the air the deviant's hand began to twitch wildly at the device in its grip.

"Two..."

In a flash the deviant's thumb went for the trigger on the remote while his other hand squeezed the trigger of its gun. Hank, moving with incredible instinctive reflexes that could only be mastered by a first responder, knelt down in front of Connor as he fired his own weapon at the same time; his aim never faltering as he moved.

The bullet from Hank's gun found its target right between the deviant's eyes in a glorious splash of blue blood, while the deviant's shot had missed its target entirely. Instead of striking Connor's skull the bullet passed through the right side Hank's neck and embedded itself into the concrete surface of the port behind him, creating a splash of red blood as the bullet pierced Hank's neck.

Falling backward the deviant had shutdown before its body even made contact with the concrete surface. The remote dropping from his hand docilely and out of range, now harmless. While Hank's right hand dropped his gun he clutched weakly at his bleeding neck and he collapsed to his knees in a quickly growing puddle of his own red blood.

"...Hank?" Connor's brown eyes went wide with shock as he watched the human bleeding heavily. His face was growing paler by the second. "Hank? Can you-"

Already drained of all his strength Hank's hand slipped away from the wound in his neck allowing it to bleed unchecked across the dock as he collapsed onto his right side without a word.

"Hank!?"

With his right arm Connor dragged himself over to where Hank was laying as a massive red puddle of blood pooling under Hank's head as the bullet wound to his carotid artery proceeded to bleed profusely. A trail of blue blood smeared on the cold, hard ground beneath Connor's body as he now used both arms to drag himself to his fallen partner, the bullet wounds in his own abdomen leaking Thirium at an alarming rate as the deviant android focused only on getting to Hank's side.

The bullets that had embedded deep inside Connor's torso were affecting his internal biocomponents causing massive bleeding that forced his system into a type of low-power mode, and subsequently left the deviant android practically unable to move, or even feel, his legs. Finding some unspoken strength deep down inside of himself Connor pushed his legs into moving himself forward and over to Hank. He pushed himself into moving despite the pain and Thirium loss in an unexplainable need to save his partner.

"H-Hank...?" Connor wheezed, blue blood dripping from his bottome lip down his chin as his internal bleeding continued. His blue tinted, bloodied hand desperately reached out and rolled Hank's limp body from his side and onto his back in a single motion. Connor moved his right hand to the wound and pressed down against the senior detective's bleeding neck as he held tight pressure against the hemorrhaging artery. "Hank... I'm h-here..."

Hank's eyes were opened but unfocused as he stared into the nothingness of the night sky above him. His face was deathly pale and his lips were a pale shade of blue as he took in weak, shallow breaths. The senior detective had already lost a considerable amount of blood and was slipping into hypovolemic shock as a result.

"Hank?!" Connor all but shouted as his voice quaked unmistakably with fear.

Pushing himself up with his other left arm Connor weakly leaned over his downed partner to scan his vitals, but Connor himself had already lost too much of his own blood to perform the basic function. Pressing his ear down against Hank's chest instead Connor listened the rapid but feeble beating of Hank's heart and the shallow breaths that were barely strong enough to make his chest shudder. Connor felt his own heart tighten in his chest as he listened to the struggling heart of gold beating weakly in the already cold, almost motionless chest.

"Hank?" Connor lifted his head up and looked down at Hank, ignoring the warnings that appeared in his visual sensors about his own vital signs. "Please... Talk to me."

Hank's lips moved slightly as he reflexively swallowed, but there was no sound. It seemed Hank's voice was as weak as the rest of his body.

"H-Help is coming." Connor stammered as he sent out a second distress call cybernetically to report the urgency of the situation. With his already red L.E.D. cycling faster from the physical exertion and pain of his damaged biocomponents, the deviant android was becoming increasingly aware of a new type of pain that was presenting itself with an indescribable agony in the center of his chest; inside his heart. "P-Please, don't leave me alone."

Slowly Hank's glassy eyes blinked as his lips began to move again and he whispered something over, and over again to an unseen person that was seemingly looking down at him. With his entire body trembling from weakness Connor lowered his head to try and listen to the word that Hank was repeating. But it wasn't a word, it was a name.

"...Cole." Hank's chest shuddered as he fought to breathe. "Cole."

Upon hearing the name the strange pain in Connor's heart sharpened suddenly.

"No, Hank!" Connor's hand had pressed as tightly against Hank's neck as possible, but the wounded detective was still bleeding heavily. For the first time since he gained his deviancy tears, actual tears, formed in Connor's eyes as he watched the life draining from Hank's bleeding body. "It's me, Connor."

"...Son."

"H-Hank..." Connor unexpectedly sobbed with a choking gasp as an emotionally provoked tear ran down his face and dropped onto Hank's chest. "D-" He sobbed again pathetically as he watched Hank's eyes close heavily. Hank's chest barely rose or fell as his breathing dwindled and life steadily left his body at an alarming rate. "D-Dad?!"

Feeling utterly useless; broken, Connor bowed his head and rested his forehead against Hank's blood soaked chest as he wept for the first time in his life as he let his newly discovered deviant heart feel the emotions that he had only recently become aware of.

"...Please... I need you. You're my friend! My... fa... father..."

Tears continued to fall from his soulful brown eyes as the sound of approaching sirens wailed somberly in the distance, and bright red and blue flashing lights lit up the darkness of the port.

"Don't go!"

* * *

A rhythmic, slow beeping sound gently roused Hank from what felt like the deepest sleep of his life. The sound was familiar but strange as his blue eyes cracked open to reveal the bright, pure whiteness of the unknown room that had surrounded him. Closing his pained, still tired eyes against the harsh light Hank used his other senses to try to figure out where he was, but everything around him was unfamiliar. It was all different and new.

The unfamiliar surroundings even smelled strange, like an acrid sickening mixture of chemicals and flowers. Softness surrounded Hank, at least he believed it was soft, as a comforting pressure in his back supported him under a thick blanket over top his body. His entire body felt numb and heavy, like he was wandering aimlessly in conscious dream or a deep pond full of cement.

Warmth radiated from his neck and strange covering all around his throat and neck drew Hank's hand weakly upward to investigate the unusual sensation. As his arm slightly moved he became aware of a light pressure around his left bicep and of a plastic sensor attached his left index fingertip.

Hank's mind was racing as a strange lingering word echoed in his head. It was something he used to hear all the time, but then suddenly stopped. Something important. It was something he had faintly heard the night before as he laid dying in a pool of his own blood. Something that Co-

"Hank?"

He knew that voice. Who was it? Not Connor. Connor sounded much younger than this voice. It was an older, more gruff voice that Hank had known for many years, but had long since stopped listening to you as his own stubbornness and anger pushed people away.

"Hank, can you hear me?"

Captain Fowler. It was Jeffrey.

But why was he here? Where was 'here' anyway?

Forcing his eyes to open again Hank's vision steadily cleared and he found himself staring up at the face of his superior officer. The look on Captain Fowler's face was one of pure terror, his usual confident gaze replaced with a stare of panic and the calm expression he had mastered during his time as police officer was nothing more than an unsteady grimace. It was nothing more than a mask of his true self.

"...Jeffrey?" Hank flinched at the sound of his own hoarse, pathetic sounding voice as it escaped his bandaged throat. Swallowing once to try to ease a lingering discomfort Hank realized that a nasal cannula was resting across his face to give him clean oxygen to breathe, and was now a distracting nuisance to his returning senses. "What the fuck...?"

Hank looked around and finally realized that he was in a hospital room. The chemical smell was the astringent used to keep the place sterilized and the flower smell came from numerous bouquets that lined the furniture and walls of his room. Dozens of 'Get Well' cards were attached to the flowers as well wishers and concerned colleagues from the precinct had sent in the flowers to show that despite the gruff detective's best efforts they still cared about him.

A large curtain was set up to separate his bed from the second bed neighboring his own as he rested in the quiet, though uncomfortably bright, recovery room.

"Thank God." Captain Fowler's hand rested on Hank's right arm as the wounded detective regained consciousness. Hank had to look down at his arm to confirm that Captain Fowler was holding onto him and it was then he saw the port for the I.V. line running into the bend of the same arm. "You're going to be okay. The bullet passed through cleanly, it didn't damage any nerves or your spine. You just lost some blood, that's all."

"How..." Hank was thoroughly confused by everything, his memory was but a foggy blur and emotionally frustrating. "Just tell me what the hell happened. How the fuck did I get here? How long was I out?"

"You don't remember confronting the deviant last night?"

"What deviant? What happened? Jeffrey," Hank's voice regained strength as his senses fully returned. With the clarity of his mind came an unspoken concern in his still beating heart. "where's Connor?"

"Shit. Hank," Captain Fowler pulled up a chair beside Hank's bed and replaced his hand atop Hank's arm to keep his old friend as calm as possible. "he saved your life..."

* * *

Two police squad cars converged on the scene at a rapid pace with their sirens blaring and lights flashing brightly. One car was being driven by Chris with Captain Fowler as his passenger, the second car was being driven by Gavin with his usual partner, Tina, beside him. Both cars came to an abrupt stop when their headlights illuminated the three bodies laying motionless on the dock in a steadily growing puddle of red and blue blood.

"Holy shit!" Captain Fowler shouted as he stepped out of the car and drew his gun on instinct.

Taking aim at the deviant on the ground Captain Fowler backed his way toward his two downed officers while Chris trained his own gun on the deviant to ensure it wasn't playing dead. Gavin took the liberty of calling in the scene to ask for additional back-up, while also ordering Tina to take charge and contain the scene.

Kneeling beside Hank, kneeling down in the crimson puddle all around the dying Lieutenant's head, Captain Fowler took in the macabre sight of seeing his oldest friend laying seemingly already dead right before his eyes and was stunned silent. Connor's head was still resting against Hank's chest and he was laying just as still. The blue puddle of Thirium around him mixed in with Hank's red blood to create sickly purple hue between the two bodies as Connor refused to let up on the pressure to the bullet wound in Hank's neck.

"Hank?" Captain Fowler put his hand down on Hank's shoulder and felt how frighteningly cold his body had already become. "Jesus... Hank."

Slowly Connor lifted his head to look up at his Captain, tears were still running down his face. "He's... alive. He's still alive, Captain."

"Shit! Connor!" Captain Fowler was certain that both men were dead, and seeing Connor moving nearly gave him a heart attack. "What the hell happened?!"

Connor turned his gaze to the downed deviant where Chris, Gavin and Tina all had their guns trained. "...Had a bomb... Shot us... Hank took him... down."

"A bomb?!" Captain Fowler stood up abruptly and waved Gavin over to where he was standing. "That deviant had a bomb, find it and disarm it."

Gavin kept his eyes focused on his Captain and refused to look down at either Hank or Connor at his feet. "There's a remote detonator by its hand, we'll use it to track down the bomb and dispose of it."

"Go!" Captain Fowler urged as he slipped off his coat and resumed kneeling beside Hank. "Take Chris with you!"

Captain Fowler then waded up his coat into a ball and gently tucked it beneath Hank's head as he watched the pale, lifeless face of his friend for any sign of life. Additional sirens filled the air as the ambulance raced to the scene of the shooting to mercifully take Hank to the hospital. "Connor, how long have you been holding pressure?"

"F-Four minutes... twelve seconds." Connor's systems were trying to shift into low-power mode which would take away his ability speak verbally. Without any other androids to communicate with cybernetically he had no choice but to override the procedure in order to communicate. "Pulse is... weak and thready."

"Fuck. By all account he should be dead already." The experienced Captain lamented with notable surprise to his tone. "Stubborn until the bitter end."

"He's... cold."

"I know, but I can't do anything without you being moved." Captain Fowler didn't like how much blood either of his officers had lost, and he didn't dare to try anything that might make matters worse. "Just keep doing what you're doing, okay? You're doing exactly what he needs right now, so don't let go."

Connor nodded once, his head bowing down and staying down in the process as he rested tiredly against Hank's cold nearly motionless chest.

"Hold on." As an act of comfort Captain Fowler put one hand on the back of Connor's neck and the other down on Hank's shoulder. "That's an order, and it's one _neither_ of you can defy!"

The ambulance finally arrived at the scene of the horrific shooting and Captain Fowler stepped back to give the responding paramedics plenty of room to work.

The two paramedics rushed swiftly, yet professionally to the two fallen, bleeding detectives on the dock without the slightest hesitation in their gait. The first paramedic knelt beside Hank and picked up his wrist to check for a pulse, but the massive blood loss made his pulse undetectable. Pressing her fingers to the opposite side the bullet wound in Hank's neck she at last found a thready carotid pulse and proceeded to check his other vital signs.

"What happened?" The young woman with dark hair, dark eyes and an almost motherly disposition asked Connor as she placed the stethoscope's earbuds in her ears to listen to Hank's cold chest.

"...Sh-Shot." Connor stammered pathetically as he kept his hand in place against Hank's bloodied neck. "Please... s-save him."

"I'll do everything I can." She promised as she put the bell of the stethoscope under Hank's shirt and against his cold skin to listen to his struggling heart and weak lungs as he struggled to breathe. "Thready pulse. Tachycardia. Minor cyanosis."

The second paramedic an even younger man with red hair and blue eyes tried to pull Connor aside to examine him but the deviant android wouldn't budge, and refused to let the young medic tend to his own injuries.

"Take care of... H-Hank." Connor pushed the numerous red warnings from his vision as he focused on keeping the pressure on Hank's neck. "I'm f-fine."

It didn't take long for the paramedic to notice the blue blood staining Connor's lips, his chest and his hands. The red L.E.D. cycling rapidly in Connor's temple as he fought to keep himself calm while the paramedics took care of Hank wasn't making Connor's comment anymore convincing as he tried to deny his own wounds.

"Sir, you need a technician. You've lost a critical amount of Thirium."

"I can w-wait." Connor was losing strength but didn't dare admit it as he looked up with tears still in his eyes. "He c-can't."

Captain Fowler wanted to say something but knew that even if he tried to get Connor to let someone take a look at him the deviant android would simply refuse and weaken himself further in the process of arguing.

The female paramedic agreed with Connor about Hank being unable to wait as she prepared to start an I.V. in an attempt to boost Hank's blood volume and ease the strain on his heart. "He's in hypovolemic shock. We need to move, now."

"What about him?" The male paramedic asked regarding Connor as he wheeled the gurney from the back of the ambulance toward Hank. "We can't treat him, we don't know how. He needs a technician not a medic. I don't think he can even move right now."

Connor's systems were beginning to power down as his non-vital functions were disable automatically. Overriding the basic emergency protocols to keep himself conscious, to keep his hand from falling from Hank's neck, Connor forced his legs to move once again. Forcing himself up from the ground and into a kneeling position the deviant android defied his own programming and nodded at the female paramedic.

Thirium continued to leak from his abdomen, but there was already such a deep massive stain on his shirt that no one noticed that the deviant android was still bleeding heavily and had already lost a fourth of his overall Thirium volume.

"I can w-walk. I can't l-let go, or he'll b-bleed." Connor's voice began to reverberate with an electronic echo as he ignored his own system's warnings and proceeded to put all his concern on saving Hank. "Help him. Th-Then I will seek t-technical assistance."

"Mike, help him walk." The female paramedic urged as she and her partner, who Connor now knew as 'Mike', worked together to lift Hank's body up from the blood saturated ground and onto the gurney. "If the pressure lets up I don't think we can bring this guy back."

" _Hank_." Connor reiterated Hank's name firmly as he accompanied the paramedics to the back of the awaiting ambulance. "...His name is Hank Anderson."

"Right," she acknowledged timidly to keep the deviant android as calm as possible. "you keep the pressure on Hank's neck." She addressed Connor kindly as she nodded to Mike. "We'll take care of Hank and get him to the hospital as quickly as possible. We can't do much more for him out here in the field aside from getting him stable and keeping him stable."

Captain Fowler stepped up to assist in with the aid of his two detectives the only way he could. Putting his hand against the middle of Connor's back and the other against Connor's chest Captain Fowler helped support the physically exhausted deviant android as he moved alongside the gurney. Connor's red blood soaked hand was still clutched tightly around Hank's damaged carotid artery as they moved.

"Easy, there's a step up." Captain Fowler warned as he guided Connor into the back of the ambulance while the two paramedics lifted the gurney. "I'll meet you two at the hospital, alright? Everything will be fine."

Reluctantly Captain Fowler stepped back as the doors of the ambulance slammed shut with two of his wounded officers inside. Smacking the back of the ambulance twice he watched as the lights resumed flashing and the siren sounded off as the emergency vehicle sped away from the crime scene. The massive white and red colored body of the ambulance would normally appear like a beacon of hope in the darkness, but on that night it looked more like a setting sun in the horizon.

"Tina." Captain Fowler returned his attention to the lone officer keeping vigil over the dead deviant to ensure it stayed dead. "Call in another patrol, tell them to seal off the area and inform them I'll be at the hospital. You can't be out here alone."

"Yes, sir."

"As soon as the bomb is taken care of report back to the precinct." The commanding officer ordered as he hurried over to his own car to take his leave of the dock. "This is going to be one massive mess to clean up."

The drive to the hospital, even with lights and sirens giving him a pass to drive as fast as the ambulance, still seemed to take forever as Captain Fowler tried to remain as professional as he could. He's had to deal with wounded officers before, but very few times had the wounded officer in question been a friend he'd known for years. What made the matter worse was the way Connor was reacting to the sight of Hank bleeding out; it made him think of the night that Hank had held Cole's body in his own trembling arms when the small innocent child succumbed to his wounds after the car accident, and died in the hospital.

"You better pull through, Hank. I don't think your partner can work without you."

The car followed after the ambulance as it pulled into the emergency parking of the hospital, and backed up to the emergency doors where a trauma team was awaiting Hank's arrival. As soon as the ambulance doors opened Captain Fowler jumped out of his car and followed the gurney inside, his hands immediately on Connor's back and chest once more to aid the struggling deviant android as he continued to hold the pressure on Hank's neck.

Two I.V. bags had been used to stabilize Hank, one of refrigerated blood and the other of saline. He also had an oxygen mask secured around his nose and mouth to help him breathe. Despite the medical aid Hank still looked only seconds away from death.

Two doctors and four nurses swarmed the gurney as the paramedics, along with Connor, wheeled the gurney into the emergency trauma bay for assessment and treatment. Captain Fowler was stopped at the door by a nurse and that's where he stood as he watched through the windows as the doctors fought to save Hank's life.

Inside the trauma bay a doctor shone a penlight in Hank's eyes to check his pupils while the second doctor applied a vascular clamp the damaged artery to stem off the residual blood flow to keep Hank from effectively bleeding to death. As the emergency team prepared for surgical intervention to repair the damage to the artery Connor's hand was no longer crucial to keeping Hank alive.

"You can let go now." A nurse gently tried to coax Connor into releasing his grip but the deviant android refused to move. "Sir, we've got the bleeding under control, you can let him go. It's okay."

Captain Fowler watched as the nurse spoke to the unresponsive deviant android and decided it was time to intervene on her behalf. "Connor?" The nurse allowed the commanding officer to enter the room and speak to the near catatonic deviant android, while she carefully pried his hand free from Hank's neck so they could resume treatment. "It's okay, you did good. Hank's safe now. Let him go. Let the doctors take care of him."

With his hand trembling and drenched in Hank's sticky, red blood Connor relaxed his grip and let his arm fall limply to his side. The deviant android was visibly shaking from fear as well as Thirium loss, and needed help moving. As his programs continued to slowly power down one by one Connor's artificial skin began to pale from a lack of consistent energy keeping the external layer in place; the white plastimetal frame beneath steadily becoming more visible as his skin thinned out.

"Come on." Captain Fowler put his hands on Connor's trembling shoulders to guide the shaken deviant android out of the trauma bay and into the corridor. "Let them work. You need to be checked on, too. Let's go."

Silently and slowly Connor let Captain Fowler escort him out of the trauma bay and into the large corridor of the hospital that branched off from the waiting room into dozens of other trauma bays.

Connor's Thirium levels were critically low and shutdown was imminent, but the deviant android didn't utter a single complaint.

"Connor, look at me." Captain Fowler urged patiently as he kept one hand on Connor's shoulder to hold him steady and used his other hand to peel back the fabric of Connor's gray jacket to look at the bullet wounds in his abdomen. "Hank will pull through. Now it's your turn to-"

Without warning Connor's legs suddenly gave way and he collapsed in an unconscious heap within a matter of seconds into Captain Fowler's arms. If the commanding officer hadn't already been holding onto him Connor would've cracked his skull on the floor as he would've fallen backward in a cold dead faint.

"I gotcha'!" Captain Fowler soothed as he guided Connor down to the floor very slowly without jostling him in the process. Kneeling down on the floor Captain Fowler turned the deviant android over so his back was resting up against Captain Fowler's knees and his bleeding abdomen was visible. "Hey! I need some help over here! Officer down!"

Another doctor had heard the panic in Captain Fowler's voice and had witnessed Connor collapse as she stood by the nurse's station. Rushing over and sliding on her knees to examine her new patient her brow quickly furrowed in confusion upon seeing the massive stain of blue colored blood all over Connor's torso, rather than the human red she was accustomed to treating.

"Is he-"

" _Yes_ , he's an android." Captain Fowler confirmed bitterly and impatiently. "But he's also an officer of the law. He's been shot."

"I can't... I'm not a technician."

"But you ARE sworn to 'first do no harm'! Please, just... try to help him! He saved his partner's life tonight, just try to save his."

Taking in Connor's pitiful state and looking at the closed doors of the trauma bay where Hank was being tended to gave the doctor the drive to make at least one honest attempt to help Connor. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

The doctor did the only thing she could think to do and proceeded to examine Connor as if he were in fact human. Taking the stethoscope draped around her neck she put the earbuds in place before she pressed the bell to Connor's chest for a listen. It wasn't as effective of an instrument as an audioscope for android anatomy, but it would have to do.

"I'm not sure what I should be listening for, but it sounds like his, uh, Thirium pump is... struggling." Moving the bell from Connor's heart over to where his ventilation biocomponents were located she continued to listen intently. "And I can hear crackling, like fluid in the lungs." The doctor looked as frightened as Captain Fowler felt. "Hey, Judy!" She yelled to a nearby nurse to come and assist her. "Get a gurney and find an empty room. We have a special case over here."

Connor's head lolled to the side as his red L.E.D., cycling at a dangerously low speed, began to fade in color entirely.

"Shit." The doctor lifted Connor's eyelids and saw that his pupils were no longer responsive or clear despite having enhanced reflexes to bright lights. "I think he's gone into some kind of shock."

Captain Fowler watched silently as two bewildered human orderlies picked up Connor from the floor and placed him on the nearby gurney that had been brought over to assist in treating him.

"I'll try what I can to save him." The doctor gave Captain Fowler a doubtful glance as she began running alongside the gurney as it was wheeled out of sight into an unseen room in the distance. "But I can't make any promises."

"Just, TRY." Captain Fowler called as he watched Connor getting rolled away down the hallway to a secondary treatment room just around the corner. "That's all I ask. Just fucking try..."

* * *

Absolutely shaken Hank stared at Captain Fowler with a stunned look on his face as he fought to restrain the tears that had welled up in his eyes after being told what had happened. The racing heart rate on his cardiac monitor betrayed any form of calmness he managed to feign as he looked at his Captain, at his friend, as if he had just been told the world as he knew had come to violent, bloody end.

"Connor... Connor's _dead_?!"

Captain Fowler gave Hank a dubious glance before he stood up from his chair, walked over to the other side of the bed and pulled back the curtain that had separated Hank's bed from the second patient who was silently sharing his room.

Turning his head quickly Hank winced at the burning pain in his neck and his heart finally began to slow.

"Connor?!" Hank almost shouted the name as he stared at the deviant android laying unconscious next to him.

Connor was motionless save for his L.E.D. cycling a pale yellow light in his right temple. His shirt and jacket had been removed and his repaired torso was wrapped entirely in bandages. A nasal-gastric tube flowing with a blue liquid had been inserted through his nose down into his stomach to replenish the Thirium he lost after being shot, and he too was hooked up to a cardiac monitor; but the monitor had been slightly modified to accommodate the android's physiology..

"But... I don't understand." Returning his attention to Captain Fowler the healing detective gave his friend an incredulous look. "This is a human hospital, why is he here and not at an android facility?"

"When the doctor who tried to help Connor heard about what happened from the paramedics, heard about how he was ready to give his life to save you, she decided to go ahead and operate on him."

"How... did she operate on him?" Hank's eyes returned to his partner quickly. The sight of Connor's chest weakly rising and falling gave the exhausted detective a much needed sense of relief to see that the deviant android was still functioning. "She's a human doctor, not a technician. Right?

"She called a nearby android facility and asked for assistance. One technician walked her through the basics through a videochat on her laptop while another technician drove to the hospital with emergency supplies to help during the actual procedure." Captain Fowler stepped back over to Hank's bedside as he explained things further. "You were both on the operating table for almost two hours, but you're both still here and that's all that matters."

Hank leaned back against his pillow and sighed as he closed his eyes tightly to keep himself from crying in front of his commanding officer. The refusal to emote wasn't out of misguided pride, it was out of a need to feel as though he was still in control over something while laying vulnerable in a hospital bed.

"You know," Captain Fowler continued in a modest tone. "the hospital has decided to hold a meeting to decide whether or not to open a special android care unit for emergency situations."

"They... what? Why?"

"Because of your friendship with Connor. There's easily as many androids on staff here as there are humans, so it only makes sense to keep a stock of supplies and trained personnel on staff in the event an android becomes injured while working. Since we do the same at the precinct and throughout the fire stations all around the city the hospital wants to take extra steps to ensure that any all emergencies can be handled by qualified personnel."

"Yeah... great." Hank was less interested in hospital policies, even if they were changing for the better, and more concerned with his partner. "That's fantastic."

"Hank." This time Captain Fowler addressed the pained detective not as his superior, but as his friend. It was a gesture he hadn't shown toward Hank for years, not since Cole had died on that horrible night. "Get some rest and try not to worry about Connor. He's going to be okay."

"Yeah... Thanks Jeffrey."

"Sure. I'm going to head back to the station and sort through this mess. Do you need anything?"

"Yeah, could you have someone check on my dog? It'd be best to send Chris is he's available, or Tina. Sumo hates Gavin."

"Don't we all?"

Hank laughed a little at the comment as he returned his attention to Connor. He wasn't quite sure what to say, if anything at all. How do you thank someone who was so willing to lay down their own life to save yours? There weren't enough words in any language, let alone Hank's mind, to properly convey his appreciation for Connor's selflessness and courage.

Partner. Friend. Family.

It didn't matter.

To have someone in your life willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for another person was beyond comprehension.

And to have some willing to lay down for the life of a person who had long since given up on himself was extraordinary; if not eye-opening.

"Thanks, kid. I mean that."

Hours passed by with Hank drifting in and out of sleep as his doctor and several nurses checked in on him, while technicians stopped by every so often to check on Connor. The tube supplying Connor's replenished Thirium had been removed, as were the bandages around his torso as the repairs to his biocomponents had remained stable. There wasn't even a scar across his abdomen thanks to the wonders of his self-healing program and artificial skin.

Bored with the quiet, bored with the hospital, bored with the doctors Hank turned on the television only see the news talking frantically about the destroyed deviant who had threatened the city with the bomb the previous night, and talking about the potential hospital policy changes. The media didn't actually care about the changes for android kind, they just wanted ratings and from years of experience Hank knew they were going to milk the story for all of its worth until the bitter end.

Turning off the television in frustration Hank sighed and ran his hand over his tired face as he let out an exhausted groan. The pain in his neck wasn't excruciating, but it was becoming a distraction.

"Bullshit reporters. Anything for a rating."

"...Lieu...tenant?"

At the sound of his rank Hank immediately turned his head to see that Connor's eyes had finally opened and the deviant android was looking at him with his own glassy irises. "Connor."

"...Are you okay?"

"I'm fine son, thanks to you. You... You saved my life, kid. Thanks."

Connor smiled weakly and blinked very slowly as he turned his head so that he was laying completely straight again, his head back up against the pillow underneath him. "You saved _me_. You put yourself between the deviant and myself after I had been injured. You..." Connor's strength quickly returned and with it came an unexpected passion to his voice. "You took a bullet for me, Hank! Why?"

"Because you're... you're my friend. You're important to me. I care about you."

Turning his head back to look at Hank a fresh welling of tears appeared in his soulful brown eyes. "You're important to me too, Hank. You're the only real friend I've ever had. You don't treat me like a machine, you make me feel like I'm really a person; like I'm really alive. You make me feel like I actually matter."

"Of course you _matter_. Don't let anyone try to tell you anything different." Hank looked away from the deviant android and down at his still pale hands resting over his abdomen. He flexed his fingers a few times, checking to see how much numbness lingered in his extremities before he found the courage to ask the one question he had been too afraid to ask. "Connor, when I was shot and bleeding out I vaguely remember hearing a voice talk to me. I know it sounds crazy but at first I thought it was... Well, I thought it was Cole."

Arching his brow slightly Connor gauged Hank's reaction to the moment with a silent observation.

"I thought I heard him call out to me, like he was waiting for me to find him on the other side." Taking a moment to breathe Hank continued in a low voice as he spoke of what he remembered. "He called me 'dad'. It was nice to hear that again..."

Connor swallowed the emotion he had only recently begun to truly acknowledge and remained silent.

"But it wasn't him, was it?" Hank's eyes were kind, not angry or stern as he turned to look over at Connor. "It was _you_."

"I... I don't know why I said it." Connor felt a twinge of embarrassment and he wasn't sure where it was coming from, or why he was willing to admit it. "It just... came out."

"It's okay Connor, I'm not upset." The senior detective laughed a little as an interesting theory popped into his head. "Maybe it's because I called you 'son' a few times."

"Yes." Connor turned his gaze to look out the window of the hospital to the bright blue sky overhead as he willingly accepted Hank's theory as the truth. It wasn't entirely accurate, but he didn't want to argue or challenge it in the slightest. "...That must be it."

* * *

Two days passed by before Hank and Connor were discharged from the hospital and allowed to return home for the remainder of their recovery. The two detectives were being hailed as heroes as they had managed to stop the deviant from activating the bomb, but neither of them felt as though they deserved any special praise. They just wanted to go back home and rest without people constantly intruding to ask them the same questions over and over again. They just wanted to get back to their old lives before the night of the shooting.

But there was no going back.

The two now realized how important they were to one another.

As soon as the duo entered the house the two detectives were greeted by a very happy, very energetic Sumo who just wanted attention from his long absent masters.

"Good boy, Sumo. Down." Hank pet the dog's head with one hand and pressed his other hand against the sore spot on his neck as he sat down on the couch heavily to rest. "Give us a minute to relax, will ya'?"

Connor proceeded to rub Sumo's ears as he knelt down on the floor for a few seconds to acknowledge the fluffy dog. Briefly glancing up at Hank sitting on the couch Connor felt compelled to remind him of the strict personal care he wouldn't need to endure for the next two weeks as he recovered. "Remember what the doctor said, take your medication every eight hours and to do so with a meal."

"Yeah, sure." Hank took the bottle of antibiotics from his coat pocket and left it on the coffee table in plain sight. "Too bad you didn't get any fun little android exclusive pain killers or something, huh Connor?"

Rather than reminding Hank that he had already healed and would not require any additional treatment Connor proceeded to go about his usual routine of making reports to the precinct cybernetically, and noting Hank's physical distress as he recovered from the emergency surgery. Approaching the couch he sat down and closed his eyes hoping that by going through his usual tasks he'd be able to preoccupy his thoughts and keep the emotions he had finally allowed himself to feel at bay.

"Connor? You okay?" Hank noticed that the deviant android was behaving rather oddly; even for Connor. "You're only quiet when something's on your mind."

"It's... It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Connor, don't do that." Without raising his voice Hank practically scolded Connor as he tried to keep the deviant android from shutting him out. "Talk to me if you need to talk. What's on your mind, son?"

That word again: 'Son'. Why did it suddenly perplex Connor so much?

"I just..." He hesitated for only a moment before finally answering as he knew he wouldn't be able to keep the emotions inside of him from welling up any longer. "I can't explain my reaction the night you were shot." Connor looked to Hank with loss and confusion in his soulful brown eyes, his L.E.D. now yellow and cycling slowly as he thought. "When I saw you bleeding to death my first instinct was to do everything to keep you alive, but..."

As the deviant android trailed off Hank could see that there was something absolutely perplexing in Connor's mind that he just couldn't figure out. "But... what? What is it?"

"This instinct, it didn't come from a place of programming, professionalism or even companionship. It feels like it came from..." Connor trailed off a second time as he struggled to find the way to explain his unusual feeling without sounding crazy.

"Connor. From where?"

"I can only describe it as... from the heart." The deviant android looked completely confused as he tried to think logically. "My immediate thought following you being injured wasn't something I was expecting."

"Which was... what?" Hank was more curious than impatient at this point. He'd never seen or heard Connor acting so strangely before. "What did you think?"

"I thought about how... lonely I'd be if you died. I'd have no one, and be by myself. Entirely alone. I was afraid I'd be-" Connor's eyes went wide and his L.E.D. flashed to red as he realized what the term was he was looking for, but dared to not say it.

"Connor? What were you afraid of?"

"I was afraid of being..." He turned to Hank and gave him the most perplexed look of his short life. " _orphaned_."

As soon as Hank heard the confession his posture visibly straightened with utter surprise. "I didn't know an android could even understand the concept of being orphaned."

"Then it must be wrong." Connor shook his head as if he were waiting for an excuse to invalidate his own reasoning. "It's impossible for an android to have a family, let alone-"

Hank's arm suddenly wrapped around Connor's neck and he pulled the deviant android up against his shoulder briefly silencing him. "Connor, you _do_ have a family. You have _me_. _I'm_ your family."

A sudden wave of serenity washed over Connor as the depth of Hank's words overwhelmed him. Reaching one hand up to Hank's arm Connor grabbed hold of the strong limb as if he need to make sure it was really there, and a tear rolled down his face for the second time as he allow his heart to feel for him just as it did the night of the shooting. Using his other hand Connor wiped it away and hoped that Hank didn't see it, or at least wouldn't acknowledge it.

"Thank you for understanding me." Connor replied in a placated whisper. "And for taking care of me."

"You're welcome. Everything will be okay, Connor." Hank discreetly wiped away an emotional tear of his own as his tightened his arm around Connor and let the memories of that horrible, bloody night slip to the back of his tired mind. "You're okay, I'm here for you. I promise, son."

_**...next story...** _


	23. Paralyzed

Connor and Hank were walking the street looking for a potential eyewitness to the beating death of a deviant android with little luck smiling their way. It seemed either no one had seen anything amiss or simply no one wanted to help find the person, or persons, responsible for the death of the deviant. Not all humans were as opened minded or tolerant as Hank had become regarding androids, nor were they as forthcoming about witnessing the unscrupulous behavior unfairly aimed at deviants in general.

"Every market we've checked conveniently didn't have cameras facing the street, and every person we talked to claimed they didn't see a damn thing." Hank groused as he and Connor continued their search for a witness along the sidewalk. "Bullshit."

"I agree. This street is far to populous for the crime to have taken place unnoticed. There is at least one witness in the area, and we will find them."

"Maybe they need to remember that we're the good guys looking for the bad guys, and bad guys can hurt humans just as easily as they can hurt androids."

"Perhaps it's for that very reason no one is coming forward." Connor's blue L.E.D. cycled to yellow as he accessed police records for the names and addresses of known criminals living in the area. "And it may give us the advantage we need to locate our witness."

Hank noticed the yellow L.E.D. and new Connor was searching for a lead. "Got something we can work with?"

"Possibly." Connor confirmed as his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue in color. "There are four known criminals with histories of violence against both humans and androids living within a three block radius of the crime."

"Anyone we know?"

"Two of the suspects are currently serving time for unrelated events; one for drug possession and the other for stalking. They have been imprisoned for the past six weeks and three months respectively."

"That narrows it down. Who're the other two?"

"There is Amber Carson who lives in the apartment complex at the end of the block. She had been arrested for attempting to steal, reset and sell female androids as prostitutes; when the androids put up a fight and attempt to flee, she beats them to death."

"Shit, sounds like she could be the person we're looking for. But what about the other one?"

"Victor Ortiz. The older brother of Carlos Ortiz."

"Ortiz was the murdered human we investigated together when we first met. His android defended himself from a beating and ended up killing Ortiz with a knife in the process." Hank rubbed at his bearded chin as he looked about the block curiously. "Wonder if he wants revenge for his brother's death?"

"The motivation is plausible." Connor pointed to a rundown apartment complex across the street. "We have probable cause to speak with him. He lives on the fourth floor."

"Then, let's go."

As Hank and Connor crossed the street to enter the apartment a car sped out of the alleyway beside the apartment in a panic. The car's tires squealed loudly as it turned sharply around the corner and began driving with a reckless speed down the street toward the two detectives who were in the middle of crossing.

"Hank!" Connor saw the car first and shouted at Hank to get his attention. "Car!"

The detective turned his head to look at the vehicle but didn't move. It was such an unexpected occurrence that Hank failed to respond at all and could only watch as the vehicle raced toward him like an arrow that had been fired at a bullseye.

"Hank!" Connor reacted to the rapidly approaching vehicle with extraordinary reflexes and pushed Hank out of the street out of harm's way just as the car crashed into Connor's back.

As Hank landed hard on his back on the sidewalk the android absorbed the blunt force directly in his spine just below his shoulders over the expanse of the windshield. The impact was so intense and fast that Connor rolled up over the hood, over the cracked windshield and rolled off the side of the car crashing back down onto the unforgiving street onto his left side.

"Shit! Connor!?" Hank radioed dispatch to report the hit and run while also giving them the first four digits of the car's license plate. Requesting emergency technicians to the scene the detective took charge of tending to Connor until help arrived. Kneeling down in the street next to the bloody android Hank put his hand on Connor's right shoulder as he leaned down to look at Connor's L.E.D. flashing red. "Connor! Can you hear me? How bad is it?"

"I..." Connor's voice reverberated uncomfortably with an electronic echo as his system ran a self-diagnostic that focused a majority of his power elsewhere. Dozens of red error warnings swarmed his visual processors, but through the glaring text Connor was able to focus on Hank's face as the detective hovered protectively over him. "I can't move... My self-healing... program is not... functioning."

"Shit!" Hank noticed a deep line of dark blue Thirium staining the back of Connor's jacket under his shoulders. The hood of the car left a painful laceration at the sight of the impact against Connor's back, while the glass from the broken windshield has cut through his artificial skin. "I know I shouldn't move you right now, but I can leave you laying in the street."

"I... understand."

"Okay, hold on, I'll be careful." Hank put one hand under Connor's head and used his other hand to gently roll Connor from his side and onto his back. Mindful of the laceration in Connor's back Hank wrapped his arm around Connor's chest and put his other arm beneath his legs to pick him up slowly into his arms to carry him out of the street and over to the sidewalk. "Okay, let's do this."

"Hank..."

"I'm sorry, I'm trying not to hurt you." Moving slowly Hank knelt down on the sidewalk and laid Connor down on the firm surface while letting the android's shoulders lean against his knees. Dark blue blood soaked in the denim fabric of Hank's jeans as a result, but he didn't budge. "I gotcha', help's on the way."

"Hank," Connor's voice sounded completely pitiful as he fought to articulate his wavering voice. Sounding more human than usual as he endured fear and pain Connor "I can't feel my legs..."

"It'll be okay." Hank swallowed nervously at those words as his hand wrapped around Connor's forehead. His thumb began to absentmindedly fuss with the android's hair while they waited together for the emergency technicians to finally arrive. "You're going to be okay."

The requested android ambulance arrived at the scene and pulled up alongside the two detectives sitting on the sidewalk waiting for help. Connor kept his hand on Connor's forehead and did his best to ignore Connor's rapid breathing that was causing his entire body to shudder, as well as his racing heart that presented a palpable pulse through Connor's bleeding back against Hank's legs.

"We'll take care of him, sir." One of the technicians, a blank faced android stated as he examined Connor's condition with a silent technical scan. "He has suffered structural damage to his spinal column, but we can treat it."

It was painfully tense as Hank watched the emergency technician secure a neck brace around Connor's neck to keep him stable, while the second technician pressed a bandage to Connor's back to stop the bleeding. The android was scared, it showed in his dark brown eyes, even though he didn't say anything more about being unable to move or feel his legs, but Hank could feel his fear without the android needing to say a word.

"Hang on, son." Hank encouraged as the technicians carefully lifted Connor up from the sidewalk and placed him down on a gurney before rolling him into the back of the ambulance. "I'll meet you at the facility, okay?"

"...Okay, Hank."

Connor continued to breathe rapidly in pain and fear as he was loaded into the ambulance and closed his eyes as the doors slammed shut. Restraining his emotions without showing any form of faltering Connor remained quiet during transport and could only wait in isolation before receiving treatment for his injuries.

* * *

The already tense moment of waiting for Connor's condition to be assessed was made all the more intense when Hank spoke to the technician treating Connor at the Android Emergency Care Facility. The technician had given Connor's systems a complete examination and had located the source of the damage, as well as identified the severity of said damage to the android's spine.

"How bad is it?"

"...I won't lie to you detective." The human technician was a kind woman with raven black hair, chocolate brown eyes and wore thick framed glasses. "It's bad, but it could've been worse."

"Fuck." Swearing to himself Hank dragged his hand over his face with worry.

"The hardest part will be the waiting, it always is. But given time he will make a full recovery." Giving Hank a reassuring smile the technician resumed her examination of Connor laying in the next room. "I'll speak to you again in a moment."

Having seen the worry in Connor's eyes and watching the technician hover over Connor with various sensors and scanners through the window of the exam room made the fate of the android's condition seem so much more ominous. But it was watching Connor laying helplessly on his chest, unable to move let alone defend himself, that really hurt the detective's heart.

A single tear rolled from Connor's eye onto the surface of the table beneath his head as he waited to learn the full extent of his condition. It was a wait that hurt more than the damage to his ever could spine.

"Jeez, kid. Don't do that, it looks like you're giving up." Hank noticed the rogue tear and tried to push it out of his mind. "You'll be okay..."

"Hello again," the technician greeted Hank officially as she stepped back out of the room to speak with him. Hank turned away from the window to face the woman readily. "I'm Laura Wells, I've been overseeing Connor's treatment."

"Yeah, hi. Lt. Hank Anderson." His eyes drifted from Connor just long enough to shake Laura's hand. "How is he?"

"The damage is serious but it can be repaired." The technician explained coolly and confidently. "The impact crushed two of his interior support discs, the equivalent to a human's spinal vertebrae. The wires inside the discs had been severed cutting off his system's ability to send electrical impulses to his body below the damage, while also limiting the amount of Thirium reaching his biocomponents."

"Shit, he broke his back. That dirty motherfucker actually _broke_ Connor's back!"

"Yes." Laura confirmed with a grim nod. "The paralysis from the damage down is the direct result of the crushed discs."

"Is that why his healing program wasn't working?"

"Yes. Having his internal biocomponents deprived of Thirium caused his system to fall into an emergency low power mode that only repressed his ability to heal further."

"Shit."

"As I said the damage can be repaired." The technician reiterated calmly to the worried detective. "It'll take an hour to replace the damaged discs and replace the damaged wires. But once his Thirium supply has been restored his self-healing program will initiate and he'll be functioning one-hundred percent before the end of the week."

"A week? It'll take that long?"

"Unfortunately, yes. But he will heal, I can't stress that enough." Laura reaffirmed with a confident tone. "Just be patient."

"Don't worry about me, worry about him." Hank shook his head sadly as he stared at Connor through the window once more. "I don't think he'll be able to handle such a long recovery period."

* * *

Sure enough the procedure to repair Connor's spine was finished within an hour. Hank stood beside the exam table where Connor was still in a form of stasis mode and laying on his chest to keep his recently repaired incision visible. A perfect rectangle of Connor's artificial skin had been retracted to give Laura access to the white plastimetal frame beneath that housed the support discs within.

The pure white form that constructed Connor's seemed like an impossible construction given how human Connor look, and how imperfect humans were only emphasized the foreign material to Hank's eyes.

"Not even going to have a scar, Connor." Hank stated as he watched Laura manually replace the artificial skin over the plastimetal by pressing her fingers against Connor's yellow colored L.E.D., and then pressed down on his back. Humanoid artificial skin covered the frame making Connor look whole once more. "When can I take him home?"

"Once he's awake I'll get a wheelchair for him. His Thirium levels are a little low, it's nothing critical but it'd be best for his recovery if he replenished what he lost. Think you can get him to cooperate?"

Hank laughed a little at the offer. "I can try."

Connor's eyes slowly opened as his systems fully came online and the stasis mode deactivated. "...Hank."

"Right here." Hank leaned down so Connor could see his face. "You're going to be just fine."

"I... I can't feel anything. My legs... my arms..."

"You will as soon as your healing program kicks in." Hank confidently nodded at Laura to confirm everything he had just said. "Just give it some time."

Connor wanted to protest but he didn't know what to say. What could he say? The only thing preventing him from moving now was time itself.

* * *

Hank had driven home at such a ludicrously slow and gentle pace that Connor thought he'd never get out of the backseat of the car. Laying on his back with his arms neatly folded over his chest, his arms in that particular position only because that's how Hank had left him after placing him down over the backseat, Connor stared at the dark upholstery that lined the roof of the car in total silence.

The gray jacket the android insisted on wearing despite his deviancy, had been draped over him and his tie was tucked into the pocket. Wearing only his white shirt and jeans made Connor feel less professional than he would've liked, but there was no reason for him to wear his uniform while benched with an injury.

"We're home." Hank stated firmly as he parked the car in the drive and turned off the engine. Exiting the vehicle quickly he pulled open the rear door and carefully slipped his arm under Connor's shoulders, under the point of damage that had only recently been repaired. "Ready?"

"Do I have a choice?" Connor unexpectedly snipped as Hank lifted him up into a sitting position, his body leaning heavily against Hank's shoulder against his own will.

"Nope." Hank confirmed sharply as he ignored the comment and put his other arm under Connor's legs to lift him up and out of the car.

Using his foot to kick the car door closed behind him Hank carried his still healing partner inside the house and into the livingroom. Stepping around Sumo, who had been laying in the middle of the kitchen floor, the dog simply followed Hank into the livingroom as he placed Connor down on the couch to rest.

Connor sighed with a heavy defeat as he stared into nothingness while Hank willingly took care of him.

"Relax, Connor." Hank reached down to undo the buttons on Connor's shirt and slipped it, albeit awkwardly, from the android's numbed arms. "By tomorrow you should have the feeling back in your arms and chest."

Not saying a word Connor just closed his eyes while Hank took away his shirt to be mended and cleaned later on.

"Here." Hank brought Connor a clean black t-shirt and slipped it over the android's head before passing his arms through the short sleeves. Putting his hand under Connor's shoulders Hank guided the android back until he was laying flat across the couch, his head resting on a small blue pillow against the arm of the couch.

Connor opened his eyes slightly and watched Hank went about unlacing his shoes and slipped them from his feet. "You don't have to do that."

"Yeah, well, I don't want dirt all over the couch." Hank quickly lied as he took the shoes to the front door and set them down neatly. He slipped off his own coat and pulled a pouch of fresh Thirium from the coat's pocket before hanging the garment up returning to the couch. "So tough shit."

Closing his eyes again Connor slipped into rest mode to allow his healing program as much time and power as it needed to repair the damage to his spine.

"Hey, hey!" Hank complained as he watched Connor's still yellow L.E.D. pulsing slowly as the android slipped into a deep sleep. "You need to drink this Thirium junk!"

But Connor didn't respond to Hank's words. He remained idle as he fell into a much needed rest mode within seconds.

"Stubborn android." Hank lamented as he placed the Thirium pouch down on the table beside the couch. Sumo was sitting beside the couch looking confused when Hank decided it'd be best to leave Connor alone for a while. "Come on Sumo, let's go for a walk."

* * *

After walking Sumo around the block for the sixth time to try to give the android some space and let him be, Hank decided to go back home to check in on Connor. It wasn't that Hank believed the android was still in any danger, it was that he just felt guilty for Connor being injured at all. As he stepped up the front walk his phone began to ring and for the first time in his life he was happy to answer the call.

"Yeah?"

' _It's Chris_ ," the voice introduced himself unnecessarily thanks the caller I.D. on the phone's screen. ' _we caught the guy who hit Connor. It was Ortiz. He's going to prison for a long time for the death of that android, and for assaulting a police officer. Just thought you'd like to know_.'

"Yeah, thanks for the update, Chris. I'll let Connor know, too. Bye."

Ending the call Hank pushed open the door and unclipped the leash from Sumo's collar. As he hung up his coat by the front door again Hank called to Connor assuming that the android was finally awake.

"They caught Ortiz. He was our man after all." As Hank turned to look at the couch he noticed Sumo was very interested in something on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. Upon closer inspection Hank saw that the something was in fact a someone; Connor. "What the hell! Connor?"

The android was laying on his chest with his right hand flexing very weakly as if trying to push himself up from the ground. His fingers barely had the strength to contract which made what little movement he regained seem absolutely pitiful.

"Shit, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have left you alone." Hank apologized profusely as he rushed over to where Connor was laying and pushed Sumo back. "I gotcha'."

"I'm fine..." Connor muttered as Hank threw his limp arm up around his shoulders and the detective wrapped his arms around Connor's chest to support his weight.

"No you're not. You fell." Hank stated unnecessarily as he hefted the android up from the floor and back onto the couch. Lifting Connor's legs up onto the soft cushions Hank looked down at his partner with a heavy heart. "I should've stayed here with you."

Connor looked down at his right hand as he again weakly flexed his fingers, the digits only partially bending in response. Sumo whimpered slightly and rested his chin on the couch beside Connor as he could sense that the android was upset.

"Think you can drink that Thirium?" Hank motioned to the pouch of blue blood sitting on the table beside the couch.

"I can't move my hands Hank," Connor's voice became sharp and angry as his eyes shot up to look at Hank's face. "so, NO, I can't."

"Easy!" Hank didn't appreciate the attitude that the android was throwing his way. "It was just a question."

Connor turned his head so he was facing away from Hank and toward the back of the couch's cushions as he closed his eyes again.

"You need to be patient, Connor. Spinal injuries don't just heal overnight for humans OR androids, no matter how advanced they are."

Ignoring Hank's words Connor focused on his hands, trying and failing, to close his fingers into fists.

Sighing with his own impatience Hank left the livingroom and patted his leg for Sumo to follow him. Quietly Hank went about feeding the dog while also making himself a light dinner. Neither detective spoke to one another for the remainder of the evening as Connor steeped in his own frustration and Hank stubbornly waited for the android to calm down and stop trying to push himself so hard.

As night fell Hank went to bed without saying a word to Connor, and Sumo followed Hank into the bedroom as the dog picked up on Connor's currently hostile mood, and didn't approve of it either. It was almost three in the morning when Hank was awoken by a loud 'crash' in the livingroom. Sumo responded by barking once before whimpering as he sat up on the foot of the bed.

"What now?" Hank grumbled as he reached into the drawer of his nightstand beside his bed and grabbed his gun. Exiting the bedroom with Sumo beside his leg Hank entered the livingroom and turned on the light. Once more Connor was laying between the couch and coffee table, his hand resting atop the table and his fingers struggling to grip the Thirium pouch under his palm. "What the fuck, Connor?"

Hank sat his gun down on the bookshelf against the wall in the livingroom and walked around the couch to look down at the android.

"I might as well put the damn pillow on the floor and leave you there."

"Shut up." Connor grumbled as he tried to pull the pouch onto the floor, but he still didn't have the strength to do so.

"Alright, I know you're pissed off with your body right now because you feel like it's failing you, but-"

"I'm NOT pissed with my body..." Connor snarled as he turned his head to look at Hank. "I'm pissed at YOU."

"Me? What the fuck did I do?"

"I became injured because YOU were in the way. If you had listened to me and moved out of the way I wouldn't have been hit."

"Connor, I-"

"Just leave me alone!" Connor snapped as he turned his head away and struggled to get the Thirium pouch down on the floor beside him.

Hank just stood in place watching Connor fighting to simply move his hand without a word. It was so unfair to see Connor so broken and weak. The android had been injured protecting Hank and there was nothing Hank could do to help him heal quicker.

But there was something he _could_ do to help Connor, whether the android agreed or not.

Kneeling down on the floor Hank slipped his hand under Connor's chest and pushed the android up from the floor until he was sitting with his back against the couch.

"Get away!" Connor demanded as his L.E.D. flashed to red with anger. "I don't need your help!"

"Yeah, son, you do." Hank insisted again in a much stricter voice as he wrapped his arm around Connor's chest to pick him up from the floor and placed him on the couch again. "You do right now."

"I'm not your _son_." Connor hissed venomously, knowing that the last remark would hurt the detective on a personal level. "Leave me alone."

Hank froze for a moment before he resumed sitting Connor on the couch. He put his hand to the side of Connor's face to make the android looked him in the eyes. "Yes, you _are_. You are my son."

Picking up the Thirium pouch from the floor Hank opened the top and sat next to Connor who was leaning back heavily against the cushions.

"Drink this." Hank ordered as he pressed the opened pouch to Connor's lips. "Come on, you need it."

Out of stubbornness or perhaps spite Connor refused and looked away from Hank.

"Connor, if you think I won't sit on your fucking chest and force this shit down your throat you're making a big mistake."

Tears of frustration filled Connor's eyes as he slowly reestablished eye contact with Hank. With his chest heaving Connor couldn't contain his negative emotions inside any longer "I'm... I'm sorry, Hank." His L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow as the regret over saying such a cruel thing began to ache at his own heart. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Hank's tone immediately softened as he empathized with Connor's frustration. "You're mad, I get it."

Connor's right hand flexed into a very weak fist as his arm slowly lifted up toward the pouch in Hank's hand. As much as Connor tried to grab onto the pouch his hand just refused to cooperate with the android, and fell limply to his side again.

A tear ran down Connor's cheek as he sighed with repulse at his own failure.

"Here." Hank picked up Connor's hand and placed it around the pouch. Using his own hand Hank closed Connor's fingers around the pouch and tipped the pouch back toward his lips. "Go for it."

Giving Hank a subtle appreciative nod Connor slowly tilted the pouch back until it pressed against his lips. The Thirium began to pour over his lips and his mouth as he drank it slowly. Hank kept his hand beneath Connor's head to make sure the deviant didn't choke on the liquid as it poured down his throat.

As the pouch finally drained of its contents Hank took it from Connor's hand and tossed it casually onto the table.

"There. Easy."

Connor sighed as he looked down at his hands clenched into pathetic fists at his sides. "I'm sorry Hank, I'm so sorry."

"I already said it's okay."

"No, it's not... What I said was vicious and unnecessary. I just said it because I wanted to hurt you. And you don't deserve it."

"Lashing out is part of being human. We all do it from time to time."

Another tear rolled down Connor's face again. "I just... I hate being useless!"

"You're NOT useless!" Hank nearly shouted as he looked Connor right in the eye. "You're HURT. You need to heal. But you are far from useless, and you never will be, alright?"

Connor only nodded as he took Hank's words to heart and took a deep breath to calm himself.

Hank patted Connor's shoulder twice as he rose from the couch and pulled Connor down gently until he was laying across the length of the furniture again. "It's okay, Connor, I know you didn't mean anything you said. But if it helps to hear me say it, I will. I forgive you."

"Hank?" Connor's voice suddenly sounded pleading as the detective stepped back from the couch.

"Yeah?" He stopped and looked down at Connor laying on the couch as a paternal instinct to protect him kicked in.

"I... I don't want to be alone."

A faint smirk appeared on Hank's otherwise stoic face. "Alright, fine. I'll stay out here with you." Sitting down in the recliner adjacent to the couch Hank sighed and closed his eyes as he tried to salvage what was left of the night and get some sleep. "Just promise me you'll stop throwing yourself on the floor."

"Yeah... I promise."

"Good. Now rest some rest."

* * *

As the morning hours gave way to noon Hank was awoken by the sound of Sumo's nails pattering feverishly over the hardwood floor, then linoleum, then back to the hardwood floor over and doing it all over again. Opening his eyes he watched the St. Bernard wagging his tail as he brought a green rubber fetch ball back over to Connor who picked it up with a strong fist and tossed back into the kitchen.

"Feeling better?" Hank asked as he leaned forward in the chair and rubbed the lingering sleep from his eyes.

"My hands and my arms..." Connor admitted with a relieved smile on his face. "I can move them."

"See? You just needed to be patient."

Sumo retrieved the ball and dropped the drool covered object on the couch next to Connor's hand again.

Connor gave the green ball another toss as he slowly and awkwardly managed to lift his right leg to prop it up on the table. "My self-healing program is working exceptionally well. I will be able to walk again by tomorrow afternoon."

"The Thirium sure helped, didn't it?"

"Yes." Connor nodded in acknowledgment as Sumo again returned the ball, and again, he tossed it into the kitchen with great ease. "I'm sorry I was so stubborn yesterday. If I had allowed you to help me earlier I would've begun recovering at a quicker pace."

"Live and learn, kid." Hank dismissed the comment with a casual wave of his hand. "It's all part of the human experience."

"Yes, and tomorrow afternoon I will learn how to walk again."

"And if you need my help, I'll be there."

"...Thank you, Hank." Connor tossed the retrieved fetch ball for Sumo once more. "You're a good friend."

"Yeah? And you're the most stubborn partner I've ever had."

"Is that a good thing?"

"We'll see."

_**...next story...** _


	24. Burned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Jkitty_trashcrash

A massive illegal lab producing 'red ice' had been uncovered by an anonymous tip to the police. Housed in what was supposed to be an abandoned chemical factory downtown, the massive lab was shutdown and the suppliers had been arrested en mass. As Hank had once been part of a respectable task force in the narcotics division that had busted an enormous 'red ice' ring several years prior, he and Connor were assigned to the bust to piece together the random bits of evidence to identify and track down the remaining members of the drug ring.

"Jeez, I haven't this much 'red ice' in one place in a _long_ time." Hank observed as he walked between the giant cylindrical metal vats that held the highly volatile and combustible chemicals, created aisles of metallic carnage. "How many were arrested before we arrived?"

"Fourteen." Chris confirmed as he looked at the report on the electronic clipboard in his hand. "And at least as many managed to escape out the back."

"Shit. Any idea who they are or where they might run?"

"Captain Fowler has a team working on it right now, but he was hoping you and Connor might be able to see something we may have overlooked during our initial sweep of the building."

"Right, sure." Hank looked to his android partner who was meticulously scanning each vat and chronicling the contents within. The android was walking slowly with a slight limp after enduring a serious injury to his spine a week prior, but he wasn't complaining about any pain. "See anything useful Connor?"

Connor wandered at a leisurely pace between the towering vats a few feet behind Hank, and noted the detective's question. His previous spinal injury had healed entirely four days prior but his movement was temporarily stunted as his system finished recalibrating the replacement discs to repair his damaged spine.

"It appears that the drug manufacturers had connections to various chemical factories throughout the country. I've been able to trace the shipping serial numbers to factories in Toronto, Chicago, Fort Wayne, Ann Arbor and Lansing. I suspect their connections have received word of the operation being discovered and have since severed all ties and gone into hiding."

"Can you give us the exact addresses of the factories?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he transmitted the requested data directly to the precinct. "Done."

"Good work. What else?"

Connor approached a wooden table at the far side of the room where a 'sample' of the drug had been laid out for inspection. Picking up a tiny crystal of the red tinted drug between his thumb and forefinger Connor scanned it quickly and traced it back to a single batch that had been pulled off the street two nights prior by another precinct in the area.

"This particular supply had been sold outside the Hartford Station. It's possible the manufacturers have a hideout in or nearby one of the numerous abandoned buildings."

Hank agreed with Connor's assessment and turned back to Chris who was waiting by the door leading to the floor. "Chris get a team out to Hartford. Bring back-up just in case things go south, will ya'?"

"Will do, Lieutenant." Chris obeyed his superior and left the building to follow his new orders without question. "I'm on it."

Connor dropped the red crystal on the table and resumed his scan of the vats along the walls. Near the center of the room was a long metal table lined with beakers, jars, metal pans and a Bunsen burner that still had a bright orange flame lit.

"They haven't been gone for too long." Connor noted the flame and how much fuel was left inside the burner. "They must've fled as soon as the door was broken down."

"Too bad we couldn't have caught them all. I hate to think how many people are still danger."

Connor noted the various chemicals on the table and scanned them to identify the dangerous substances: sodium hydroxide, red phosphorus, anhydrous ammonia, lithium, hydrochloric acid and Freon.

"They were well supplied." Connor added as he picked up the jar containing the sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, and held it in his hands. An unseen, thin crack in the glass caused the lye to seep through and onto Connor's hand as soon as the android applied pressure to the container.

Connor let out a yelp of pain as the lye began to quickly eat through his artificial skin down to his white plastimetal frame beneath. "Damn it!"

"Connor?!" Hank turned quickly to see the android drop the glass jar as his hand suddenly let it go out a pained reflex.

The chemical spilled all over the table and instantly ignited as it splashed over the lit flame on the burner.

"Shit!"

Flames jumped from the table and onto the front of Connor's shirt causing the chemically burned android to step backward and try to smother out the flames with his second hand. Hank was at Connor's side in a matter of seconds as he fought to aid his distress partner. Removing his own coat he used it to effectively smother out the flames on Connor's shirt as he pushed the android back further from the blazing table. Once the flames on Connor's shirt were out Hank turned and looked at the table.

"Fuck!"

Continuing to use his coat Hank extinguished the flames on the table and disabled the burner in the process.

"Damn it, that was close!" Hank shook out his ruined coat as acrid smoke filled the air. "You alright?"

"No." Connor pressed his hands to his chest as his L.E.D. flashed red in pain and embarrassment. "I was clumsy and stupid. I should've extinguished the flame first, and I should've checked the jar for any flaws before I touched it."

Hank didn't care that Connor was clumsy, accidents happen after all. But he did care that android was genuinely shaken up by the experience.

"There's an emergency chemical wash kit in the trunk of the car." Hank stated as put his hand on Connor's shoulder to guide the android back outside and away from the dangerous substances. "I'll get you patched up."

"I have to make a report." Connor stated as his L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow. "I have to let Captain Fowler know what has happened."

"Don't worry about Fowler, worry about you."

Guiding Connor over to the car parked outside the building Hank popped the trunk and pulled out the emergency kit tucked away in the back. With the kit tucked under his arm Hank walked over to the passenger side of the car and opened the door as he motioned for Connor to take a seat.

"Let me see your hands."

Connor extended his hands, palm up, for Hank to see. The lye had destroyed a disturbing portion of his artificial skin and caused the white plastimetal to slightly warp with disfigurement. The android's incredible self-healing program would repair the warped metal in time, but it would take longer than his artificial skin.

"Aw, fuck! If this is what happens to artificial skin and metal I'd hate to see what it does the organic kind of stuff." Hank slipped latex gloves over his hands to protect himself before he opened the one liter rectangular bottle of saline solution and poured the contents over Connor's hands to rinse away the residual lye. "Turn your hands over and spread your fingers."

Connor obeyed and felt immediate relief as the saline removed the caustic chemical from his sore hands. The lye pooled on the pavement of the parking lot and bubbled up in a foamy layer and left the air lingering with an unsettling stench.

"That feels better." The android admitted as his hands were cleansed. "It feels much better."

"Yeah, I bet." Hank's eyes went to the black scorch marks on Connor's white shirt after he took care of the deviant's hands. He pointed at the imperfection against Connor's chest and cleared his throat before speaking. "Let me see."

"Huh?" Connor looked up from his hands and followed Hank's gaze back down to his own shirt. "Oh."

Using the very tips of his exposed fingers Connor pulled open the buttons surrounding the burn to reveal his damaged artificial skin beneath. It wasn't as bad as the chemical burns on his hands but it still needed to be cleaned up nonetheless.

"You're lucky." Hank stated as he poured the saline against a clean pad of gauze he pulled out of the emergency kit, and used it to wipe down the burned skin. Connor winced and wanted to shift away from the painful contact, but knew better than to move about. "Most people who get caught in a chemical fire don't get to walk away with such little damage. Most drug dealers have burn scars along their face, neck, hands and arms from getting too close to their own product."

"I doubt this type of incident truly fits under the definition of 'lucky'." Connor quipped as Hank finished wiping down the burn on his chest.

"I know your healing program thing is going to take care of things on its own, but I'm going to wrap up your hands just because it hurts me to look at them."

"I'm sorry. I will be more careful in the future."

"I hope so." Hank commented as he took a roll of gauze and wrapped the bandages carefully around Connor's fingers, then his palms and worked down to his wrists and partially up his forearms. "I'm going to make sure Fowler keeps you on the homicide division and away from narcotics. You'd melt into a puddle your first day on the job!"

"...That's not possible, but I understand your metaphor."

Appreciative of Connor understanding that what he said wasn't meant to be taken literally Hank kept his focus on Connor's current status. "Does your chest hurt?"

"No. I currently have less pain sensors developed in my chest and abdomen than I do my hands. At least I do for now."

"Oh. Good, I guess." After he rebuttoned Connor's shirt on the android's behalf Hank let out a sigh and studied the android's flashing L.E.D. for a moment as it cycled from a distressed yellow and back to a healthy shade of blue. "You're seriously going to develop more pain receptors as you stay deviant?"

"...Correct."

"Shit. I can't imagine becoming more sensitive to pain, or cold, or heat... I can honestly say right now that I don't envy you." Straightening up Connor's tie as a professional courtesy Hank sighed and eyed the bandaged up android warily. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, you can't even type let alone hold a weapon to defend yourself."

"Yes, Hank." Flexing his bandaged hands weakly he let out a mildly pained sigh. "I will heal entirely in two days. Until then I can continue my work through cybernetic contact, and I have you to watch my back."

"Alright then. Let's solve this case."

_**...next story...** _


	25. Internal Damage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: PurpleLulu

Trailing a heavily damaged and malfunctioning deviant android to a modest motel in the heart of the city had placed Connor and Hank in a very dangerous situation. An android referring to himself as 'Ralph' sported nasty scars along the left side of his face, his left totally destroyed. Ralph brandished a menacing hunting knife in his right hand as he tried to escape the detective duo who were trying to reason with him from the far end of the second floor of the building's exterior landing. Desperate, frightened and evidently scared the deviant was proving itself to be a worrisome confrontation.

"Hello Ralph. My name is Connor." Connor raised his hands up slowly to show Ralph his gun before slipping it back into the holster stretched along his back. "I don't want to hurt you, Ralph. I want to help you."

"Ralph isn't crazy." The deviant stated as he pointed the blade at Connor then at Hank who was standing at Connor's side. "Ralph knows humans want to hurt Ralph."

"No he doesn't." Connor insisted as he subtly nodded to Hank to follow suit with his own gun and holster it. "We just want to know why you're here and why you broke into that house. That's all."

"Ralph's house is gone. Demolished by humans." Ralph was referring to the abandoned house just down the block from the motel. A house that Connor and Hank had considered as a possible hideout for rogue deviants; turns out they were right. "Ralph needs to find a home. Needs to get off the street."

:We can help." Hank slowly lowered his gun and placed it in the holster at his hip as Connor suggested. "Why don't you go to New Jericho Tower? It's a sanctuary for all androids."

"Ralph knows that humans will follow." The unstable deviant's head twitched in an unsettling manner as he glared at Hank with utter hatred in his damaged eyes. "Ralph will not let the humans find other androids. Ralph is smarter than that."

Hank lowered his voice as he addressed his partner subtly. "Connor, this android is seriously damaged. I don't think we can reason with him this time."

"Agreed." Connor had tried and failed to scan Ralph's systems to identify the problem but the android had suffered such extensive damage over a long period of time that it was impossible to identify the exact cause with direct interfacing. "We can't let him go, he might hurt someone out of a paranoid delusion."

"So what do we do?"

"Call Markus." Connor urged quietly as he kept his eyes on Ralph. "Maybe he can talk some sense into him."

Ralph wildly swung his blade when he saw Hank make a move for his pocket. "Don't hurt Ralph! Ralph doesn't like pain..."

"I'm not going to hurt you." Hank replied calmly and made another move for his pocket. "I just want to call someone."

"Lie! You're lying to Ralph!"

"No, he's not." Connor watched Ralph's every movement carefully as he put himself between the deviant and Hank. "We want to-"

Ralph suddenly lunged at Hank but Connor was just as fast and responded with lightning quick reflexes. Grabbing onto Ralph's wrist Connor held the lethal knife at bay and away from Hank as the human wisely backed away. The duo struggled for the knife and leaned heavily against the black railing that lined the second floor exterior balcony of the hotel.

Hank slowly drew his gun again ready to fire as soon as Connor was clear, but until then all he could do was watch and wait to see what happened.

"Let it go!" Connor demanded as he tried to keep the knife back, but Ralph's panic gave the deviant more determination to win than Connor. "We don't want to hurt you!"

The pressure being applied against the railing proved itself to be too much as the two deviants struggled for the weapon. The bolts securing the railing to the concrete balcony began to buckle and bend under the increasing pressure before finally giving way with a loud metallic 'creak' causing the two androids to topple over the edge of the balcony, and down into the parking lot below.

"Shit! Connor!" Hank had made a dive to grab for Connor's hand but missed! Looking over the edge Hank eyed the two deviants laying motionless below and felt his heart skip a beat. "Oh fuck!" Scrambling back to his feet Hank raced down the balcony and rushed down the steps to reach the parking lot and subsequently his partner. "Connor?"

Connor was laying on his side curled around himself, his hands gripping desperately at his abdomen as he breathed through his clenched teeth in pain.

Miraculously, Ralph had already gotten to his feet and disappeared into the night, leaving no trace of himself behind to be trailed.

"Connor," Hank knelt beside his partner and put his hand on the top of Connor's head as he spoke in a soft voice. "how bad?"

"B-Bad." Connor stammered as he weakly rolled from his side and onto his back. His hands were still clutching at his abdomen but now Hank could see why as dark Thirium oozed around his fingers and something shiny and metallic jutting out of his torso. "...Very bad."

"Oh, fuck!"

Ralph's knife was fully embedded in the center of Connor's torso all the way up to its hilt. Thirium was leaking all around the stab wound in rhythmic gushes that synchronized with Connor's frantic heartbeat in his chest.

"I'll call for help!" Hank stated as he made another grab for the phone in his pocket.

"N-No time." Connor wheezed as he used his shaking hands to pull open the front of his blue stained dress shirt, and scanned the resulting damage the blade had caused to his body. "The blade has i-impaired my secondary Th-Thireal artery. I will bleed to d-death in less than four m-minutes if the bl-bleeding isn't stopped!"

"Wh-" Hank felt his own blood suddenly run cold at Connor's words. Slipping off his coat Hank folded it up and tucked it beneath Connor's head to try to give his friend some form of comfort and support. "What do I have to do to save you? Talk me through this!"

Connor forced the numerous red warnings from his visual sensors as he pressed his fingers to his red L.E.D. in his temple, causing the artificial skin over his abdomen to recede. "F-Find the impaired artery and t-tie it off."

"Tie it off? How?" Hank asked as he pushed down on the white plastimetal frame that was now exposed courtesy of the removal of the artificial skin, but the panel couldn't open because of the knife obstructing its movement. Taking a firm grip on the handle of the knife he gave Connor an uncertain glance and held his breath. "I have to pull out the knife to look inside, and you're going to bleed a lot. Are you sure about this?"

Connor nodded weakly. Tucking his arm under his head he peered down at his bloodied torso and held his breath as well. "Do it!"

Using a precise, firm yank the knife was pulled from Connor's abdomen and the android gasped in pain as his entire body jerked in response.

"Sorry, sorry!" Hank put his hand down on Connor's chest to try and still the android. "It's out! Now what?"

"O-Open the panel. Locate the l-leak."

Hank pressed down harder on the plastimetal frame causing it to unlock at last. Sliding the panel open Hank looked down inside Connor's bloody torso and saw a gush of Thirium leaking quickly from where the blade had made contact with the mentioned Thireal line.

"T-Two minutes..." Connor wheezed as his countdown clock to imminent shutdown recalibrated after the knife was removed. "and counting."

"I see it, Connor." Hank reluctantly dipped his fingers into the collecting pool of Thirium and used his fingertips to isolate the damage as requested. "I think I can- Wait! There's something going on here..."

It wasn't the Thireal line that had been damaged, but the connecting point between the artery itself and the Thirium pump regulator. The knife had managed to wedge itself between the two points of contact severing them cleanly without actually causing damage to either the biocomponent or the Thirium line.

"Hang tight, son, I got you." Hank replaced the connection point at the end of the arterial line and secured it into the coupling at the bottom of the regulator. There was an audible 'click' as the connection was restored and the leak stopped immediately. "Got it!"

Connor took in a deep breath as the countdown stopped with twenty-two seconds remaining. "The l-leak has been successfully s-stopped. Thirium volume d-down to sixty-four percent."

Hank sighed and sat down in the parking lot beside Connor. He rested his bloody hands over his knees as Thirium dripped from his fingertips, staining the already dark asphalt with darker spots of blue.

"We need to find this 'Ralph' deviant." Trying to collect his thoughts Hank brought up their escaped suspect. "He tried to kill you, Connor."

"No." Connor disagreed as his hand raised up from the ground and pressed against his abdomen to close the panel. "He w-wanted to kill _you_. The fact that the blade so c-cleanly severed a contact point instead of d-destroying a biocomponent means he wanted to d-disable me just long enough to e-escape."

"Oh, well, as long as he just wanted to kill _me_ , then I guess we can let him go!"

Connor gave the detective a bemused glance as he lifted his head a little higher up from the ground. "Hank, he needs to be captured but," His voice was stabilizing as his self-healing program began to disperse what Thirium remained his body evenly to the other biocomponents. "not because he h-harmed me, because he needs assistance. I think it'd be best to have M-Markus escort him to New Jericho to be repaired."

"Speaking of which," Hank pointed at Connor's bloodied torso. "there's an android facility two blocks East of here. Let's get you some fresh Thirium and cleaned up. We'll let Fowler know to put out an A.P.B. on Ralph. Hopefully, we can arrest him without any further incidents."

"I hope so." Connor reached out a hand to Hank who got to his feet quickly then pulled the android up slowly behind him. Swaying a little on his feet Connor waited for his gyroscope to recalibrate before letting go of Hank's hand. "It would be unfortunate if Ralph were to be arrested and locked away instead of receiving the help he needs."

"Whoa, easy." Hank kept a hand on Connor's shoulder and held it in place. "Do you have the strength to walk to the car?"

"Yes, I can make it." Confirming the question with a subtle nod of the head Connor began taking slow, meticulous steps toward the car parked a few yards away. "Thank you, Hank."

_**...next story...**_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT: 
> 
> Just as a friendly "The More You Know" type of reminder: NEVER pull a knife/blade/razor or any other penetrating object from a victim who has been stabbed. More often than not the offending object is acting as a literal cork in the bottle and keeping the victim from bleeding to death. Not to mention pulling out the object without knowing the surrounding internal damage could cause additional damage in the process.
> 
> Connor's an android, so it was sort of 'okay' in this story.


	26. Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: umai_plz   
>  & whiskeyandcigars

It was the middle of July and Detroit was caught in the grips of a scorching heatwave. With temperatures reaching triple digits by noon it didn't take long for the populous to start feeling weak, tired, ill and irritable. The police force was stretched thin as numerous calls regarding violent outbursts plagued the city and summer activities taking place in the park required constant preventative supervision in the event of more violence, or victims of heat stroke.

To compensate for the massive amount of required supervision Hank was assigned to patrol Hart Plaza, while Connor was assigned a separate patrol through Roosevelt Park. The other officers at the precinct had also been assigned patrols beyond their usual caseload until the heat wave finally faded.

Passing through unnoticed by people enjoying the summer day with picnics, family walks and other activities through the park Connor enjoyed the peaceful ambience that accompanied the joyous atmosphere. The sun rose high into the sky and just past noon the day had already reached a frighteningly high temperature of one-hundred and four degrees Fahrenheit.

While the people in the park wore light clothing, sought shade under trees or parasols, and kept cool with ice cold drinks, Connor didn't have such fortunate options at his disposal. Androids didn't sweat which made them especially vulnerable to extreme heat, and have no ability to consume water or other liquids their only option was to drink chilled Thirium when their Thirium volume dropped low enough to warrant replenishment.

A red warning screen popped up in Connor's visual sensors as he lapped around the park for the fifth time that day. His core temperature was beginning to rise as a result of the extremely warm summer day and Connor had few options to remedy the situation. Despite his ventilation biocomponents functioning at full capacity to cool his systems, his thermal regulator was unable to maintain a consistent temperature causing Connor's internal systems to gradually overheat.

WARNING:

CORE TEMPERATURE - RISING: 101 DEGREES.

Dismissing the warning Connor resumed his patrol, though his L.E.D. had shifted from blue to yellow due to his rising core temperature and overall physical distress.

Another hour passed without incident for the patrolling android through the park, though the day continued to grow hotter and hotter. Connor sighed deeply and tried to focus his attention on his breathing, trying to keep his ventilation biocomponents functioning as efficiently as possible, but the external heat was proving itself quite a formidable opponent to his internal systems.

Unable to consume any chilled Thirium and unable to locate any nearby buildings with air conditioning to ease the strain on his systems Connor was greeted by yet another warning in his visual sensors.

WARNING:

CORE TEMPERATURE - CRITICAL: 104 DEGREES.

Connor's L.E.D. fluctuated between yellow and red as it cycled rapidly in response to his systems trying to cool down before anything suffered permanent damage. Pausing where he stood beneath the small shade under a tree Connor put his hand to his head as his systems began to fall into low power mode as an automatic safety precaution.

Unwilling to move and risk his temperature getting any higher Connor stood in place and waited for his system to very slowly cool itself, and hoped it happened before he suffered an internal damage.

Fortunately, Chris had been assigned patrol in the park as well, and was on his way to relieve Connor for the rest of the afternoon when he spotted the android standing perfectly still by the tree.

"Hey Connor, you okay?" Chris asked as he approached his fellow officer curiously. Unlike Connor, Chris was dressed in a short sleeved uniform shirt and wisely wore an athletic thermal muscle shirt beneath to ensure he stayed cool. He also had a bottle of cold water clipped to his belt so he could remain hydrated while on patrol. "Connor?" Chris put his hand on Connor's arm and shook him lightly. "Connor, you okay? It feels like the heat's getting to you, man."

Connor's eyes slowly focused on Chris as the android fought to override his emergency low power protocols to remain as functional as possible. "Chris. You're here to relieve me, yes?"

"Y-Yeah. Are you okay?" Chris craned his neck and saw the light blinking in Connor's right temple. "Your L.E.D. is red."

"I am having difficulty coping with the intense heat, but once I'm inside and out of the direct sunlight I will be able to compensate."

"Are you sure? You're shaking!"

It was true. Connor's body was trembling as his systems began to strain from the high core temperature overwhelming him. His Thirium pump; his heart, was beating so hard and so quickly that it was causing his entire body to shake with each beat.

"I assure you, I am-"

WARNING:

CORE TEMPERATURE - CRITICAL: 106 DEGREES

TAKE COOLING MEASURES IMMEDIATELY

SHUTDOWN IMMINENT: 00:59:58

"I-" Connor tried again but his system override against the low power mode failed, and he collapsed backward right in front of Chris.

"Oh, shit!" Chris managed to get his hand under Connor's head just before he hit the ground, and support him accordingly.

Thinking quickly Chris took the water from his belt and poured it over Connor's forehead and then over his chest to try to cool him off. The cold water was enough to cause Connor's eyes to snap open as the chilled liquid was absorbed into the fabric of his shirt and unnecessary gray CyberLife jacket, though he was still running on low power mode and subsequently too weak to move.

"Hey, I got you." Chris stated as he put his hand down on Connor's chest where he could feel the Thirium pump hammering away under his palm and began to worry. Chris had enough emergency medical training to know that unconsciousness and a rapid heartbeat were indicative of heat stroke. "I'll call for backup to-"

Connor shook his head a little as he stared up at Chris who was kneeling over him. "I can... make it."

"Make it? To the car?"

Connor nodded his head slowly to confirm the question.

"I'll help you, but I don't think I can do much for you if you keep overheating."

"I..." Connor's voice was shaking and carried a disturbing electronic echo as he forced his voice box into function. "I understand."

"Okay, come on." Chris grabbed onto Connor's arm and hauled the android up onto his feet, and waited for him to fine his balance on his shaking legs. Taking Connor's arm around his own shoulders Chris helped the android walk to his patrol car parked along the street, just a few yards away from where he had found the android. "I have more water in the trunk. Hopefully it can do you some good."

"Thank you... Chris."

"Don't thank me just yet!" Chris stated he all but dragged Connor to the car. "You're still in danger."

Connor's systems were trying to switch off his non-vital functions, but doing so would leave Connor in a vulnerable state. Several of these functions, though non-vital, were still important: speech, scanner, auditory sensors, visual sensors and the ability to run self-diagnostics.

"Here we are." Chris pulled open the rear door of the squad car and lowered Connor to the seat. Pushing the android backward so he was laying flat on his back Chris poured the last of his water over Connor's chest before moving to the front of the car to pull open the driver's side door. Putting the key in the ignition Chris turned the car on to get some air flowing. "I'll crank the A/C, and get you more water."

Connor wanted to say something, anything to Chris, but his Thirium pump was beating so hard that it was distracting and... alarming.

Clutching his hand to his chest Connor began to breath quickly as he tried to force his heart rate to slow down. The additional sensors that had been slowly developing throughout Connor's entire body during his deviancy now made him uncomfortably aware of his own heartbeat, of his own breathing, of the cold, wet fabric of his shirt clinging heavily to his artificial skin as he took in deep panting breaths.

It was almost too much to bear, but Connor refused to let his mind become clouded. Yet no matter how much of the situation he accurately processed his systems continued to rebel against him.

His heart thundered faster, louder. Connor could hear it and it was making him breathing faster as a result. Unknowingly his right hand had reached up to his chest over his heart and began pulling at the cold, constricting fabric as he contemplated the idea of his Thirium pump burning itself out.

Chris had turned up the cold air as much as he could before popping the trunk of the car and retrieving two more bottles of cold water from a compartment tucked away next to an emergency first aid kit. As the trunk slammed shut Connor felt the car rock and his eyes want back to the opened door of the backseat as Chris reappeared in his line of vision.

"Connor? You still with me?"

The android was breathing rapidly as if he couldn't catch his breath, and his brown eyes were wide with fear and his hand was grasped to tightly to his chest Chris expected to see blue blood oozing out from under his fingertips at any second.

"Easy, easy!" Chris soothed as tucked one cold bottle of water under Connor's neck to try to get his full attention. "Look at me. You're going to be okay."

"C-Can't... breathe!"

"Yes you can!" Chris immediately realized that Connor was beginning to suffer from a panic attack and not just the heat, and he reacted accordingly. "You're doing it right now, what you need to do is _slow_ your breathing down."

"I... I can't-"

"Hey, look at me. Watch me." Chris put his hand on his own chest and took in a deep breath before releasing it slowly. He repeated the action just as calmly and just as slowly for the android to see. "Copy me, match your breathing with mine."

"I-"

"Connor. Breathe."

Shaking his head once as if he could somehow push away the numerous red warnings marring his vision Connor did as Chris instructed and took a slow, deep breath. Letting it out slowly Connor felt his Thirium pump finally beginning to slow a little.

"That's it, keep going. You'll feel much better, trust me."

As Connor matched his breathing with Chris's breathing his Thirium pump began to slow even further and it no longer felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. The warnings in his visual sensors also began to disappear one by one with Connor having to manually dismiss them. Connor's core temperature also slowly, but surely began to lower to more a manageable level as well.

"Feel better?" Chris asked as he looked down at the android as his breathing calmed and his hand relaxed its death grip over his chest.

"Y-Yes." Connor confirmed, his voice sounding much stronger than before. "Thank you. ...How did you know that would work?"

"My little sister used to get panic attacks when we were young. I would help her calm down and now I'm just kind of a pro at dealing with these things."

"Thanks... It really helped."

"No problem." Chris noted the time on his watch and made a quick decision. "I'm going to take you back home so you can cool off, okay?"

"But you can't leave your patrol."

"Yeah, but if it's for an emergency I think Captain Fowler will understand. Besides, you don't live that far away."

"You're certain you wish to risk incurring disciplinary measures against yourself on my behalf?"

"After the way you pulled Hank out that dark spiral of depression just by befriending him, I'm willing to take a bullet for you."

"Please don't." Connor insisted as the metaphor was lost on his frazzled mind. "I can confirm bullet wounds are very unpleasant."

"Yeah, sure." Chris couldn't help but laugh at the android as he closed the door. "I'll get you home in a few minutes, just hang tight."

_**...next story...** _


	27. Appendix  (Wait, what?)

Returning to the city of Detroit after enduring a lengthy and annoying 'business trip' in Lansing regarding the latest protocol revolving around deviant related crimes, Hank found himself drifting in and out of a light sleep from the passenger seat as Connor drove the car through a mild, but troublesome snowstorm. The human felt absolutely exhausted and had experienced some stomach pain for the past two days, but didn't let it get in the way of his job. Connor had insisted on Hank seeing a doctor before they left Lansing but Hank refused; convinced it was just a mild stomach flu and would pass in another day or two, despite developing a mild fever two days prior.

Hank was leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest and the collar of his coat pulled up to his ears. He had his eyes closed but he was still awake and aware of every little turn, and every patch of ice that the car drove over as the snowstorm quickly evolved into a full-blown blizzard.

"You look pale." Connor observed with a cool tone of voice as he glanced over at Hank's face.

"It's winter. Of course I'm pale, kid."

Connor slowly reached his hand over and pressed his palm against Hank's forehead to gauge the elevated temperature his scanner already noted.

"Hey, hey!" Hank batted Connor's hand away and sighed with tired irritation. "I'm not _that_ sick."

"You _do_ have a fever." Connor confirmed somewhat stubbornly as his L.E.D. turned yellow with worry. "You've had a mild fever over the past forty-eight hours, but now it's increasing to a higher degree."

"You've been monitoring my temperature for two days?"

"I have been checking your vital signs hourly since you first became ill." The android explained coolly. "I have an extensive record of your current health history if you'd like me to review it."

"That seems like a huge invasion of privacy, Connor."

"I'm sorry, I should've asked your permission." Connor apologized sincerely, his L.E.D. returning to blue as he ended the constant monitoring. "I will stop scanning your vitals if you wish."

"Don't worry about it. Just don't ask me to turn my head and cough!" Hank quipped and followed it with a light laugh, only to press his hand down against his abdomen reflexively. "...Fuck."

"Are you experiencing pain?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Hank deflected the question expertly as he looked through the windshield at the disappearing road in front of him. "Hey, thanks for driving, kid. I don't think I'd be able to keep control of the car during these conditions."

"You're welcome. Fortunately, my scanners have access to G.P.S. mapping allow me to detect where the surface of the road begins and ends without having to visually process it."

"Damn. I wish I could do that." The car suddenly made a loud 'bang' followed by a groaning noise that made Hank jump a little in his seat. He had worked on cars long enough to know that a tire had been damaged by the horrible road conditions and failed. "Ah, shit..."

Connor scanned the hood of the vehicle and found that the engine itself was still running properly, but the rear driver's side tire had suddenly gone flat. The sound was from the tire dragging dangerously from the rim and along the road beneath the car's heavier frame.

"It appears we have a flat tire."

"Yeah, I know that!" Hank snapped bitterly as Connor pulled the car to the side of the road. "And I don't have a spare in the trunk. Fuck, I knew I forgot to do something when I changed the oil last week!"

"It's too dangerous for us to continue driving with the car in this current condition." Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow again as he attempted to cybernetically contact road assistance, but there was no one available during the blizzard. "The storm has also left us stranded without any means of mechanical assistance."

"Great. Now what the fuck do we do? Sit in the car and wait it out?"

"Unlikely. While the car will provide some degree of heat and shelter the current fuel supply will deplete before nightfall. And even if we turned off the engine and waited for nightfall before engaging the heater the fuel supply would still deplete before help arrived in the following morning."

"So... we're walking?"

"There is a campground two point two miles down the road. We can take shelter and possibly find assistance there."

"Yeah, right. No one in their right mind would be at the campground during this fuckin' storm. It's months away from 'camping season'."

"We should go there anyway. It's the safer alternative compared to freezing to death in the car."

"Fine, whatever." Hank threw open his door begrudgingly and stepped out into the intensely cold and harsh wind. Wrapping his thick dark coat around himself as tightly as possible he endure the brutal weather as best as he could "Damn it's cold!"

Connor turned off the engine and pocketed the key as he joined Hank outside of the car. His discomfort against the cold was less audible and more internal as his visual sensors warned him of the dangerously low temperature. It was more aggressive than the extreme heat Connor experienced the previous summer, and with that reality settling in Connor knew time was critical for himself and more importantly for Hank.

"We must move quickly. We'll succumb to hypothermia due to the extreme cold in less than one hour."

"Shit, you don't have to tell me twice! Lead the way."

Hank pulled the collar of his coat up higher to protect his throat and ears as he followed closely behind Connor along the side of the road. Connor had crossed his arms over his chest as he attempted to stave off the extreme cold that could possibly damage his biocomponents or freeze his Thirium lines. Both detectives were in danger from the prolonged exposure to such an drastically low temperature, but had little choice in the matter at hand.

Trudging through the snow Connor used his sensors to track his current location through his cybernetically installed G.P.S. while traversing the icy cold terrain. Having traveled less than a mile Connor became worried when he turned to look over his shoulder to see that Hank was moving with some difficulty through the snow. His pace was slow and his movements seemed uncoordinated with each sluggish step.

The detective's pale pallor looked whiter even against the billowing snow all around him, and despite the cold Hank's temperature was getting higher.

"Hank?" Connor instinctively ran another scan over Hank's body, his L.E.D. flashing yellow with concern over the significantly elevated temperature that he had detected. Backtracking to where Hank was standing Connor stood before Hank and grabbed onto his upper arm to support the ill detective. "We must get you to shelter, your health is declining."

"Yeah... I know. Damn flu." Hank grimaced at a sharp pain in his side as he tried to keep walking. "...Son of a bitch..."

"Hank, you're showing signs of physical distress that have no association with the flu."

"I'll be fine, Connor." Hank insisted with an irritated tone as Connor practically pulled him along the road to the campground.

"I suspect otherwise."

The statement was lost in the wind as Connor slowed his own walking pace to stay with Hank at his side.

Pushing through the wind and the blinding snow Connor located the campground with relative ease, while it was far more of a challenge for Hank to see where he was going. By the time the two crossed onto the main drive leading toward the campground Hank was practically hanging off of Connor's arm as he suddenly felt too weak, too sore to keep walking under his own strength.

"It's just a little further." Wrapping his arm around Hank's waist Connor began dragging Hank through the snow in a style that reminded him of the night he had found Hank passed out drunk on the kitchen floor, and he had to sober up the stubborn detective. "You'll be out of the storm soon."

"Connor..." Hank's face had grown several shades paler and his movement seemed limited on his right side. "I don't feel so good... I think I'm going to puke."

Hastening his speed Connor dragged Hank through the snow and to the nearest cabin for shelter. Stopping at the door Connor tried to turn the knob but the door was expectedly locked. Planting himself firmly Connor swiftly raised his leg to kick down the door at the handle with an aggressive motion, while also keeping Hank upright by the arm.

"You're safe." Connor sighed as he carried Hank inside the vacant, tiny cabin and over to the lone bed. Laying Hank down on his back as gently as possible Connor lifted the detective's legs up and helped Hank to lay flat and straight to ensure he was comfortable. "Try to rest until you warm up."

The bed was small and had one pillow with a thin red and black checkered quilt over top of it.

The cabin wasn't luxurious but it was comparatively much warmer than the outside. It was built with a single main room that contained the bed, a chair, a small kitchenette and large hearth. One door led to the bathroom, a second door led to storage closet, and a small hatch in the ceiling to led to a small attic storage space above. Tucked away in the far corner of the room was gasoline powered generator used to provide heat an alternative to the hearth.

The building itself was basic, but overall effective.

"I'll build a fire." Connor volunteered as he eyed the large pile of firewood stacked beside the hearth. Placing several logs and dried twigs into the fireplace Connor located a book of matches atop the mantle over the hearth with some relief. The android struck a match without trouble and lit the logs in bright orange flames that quickly consumed the provided tinder. "That should help keep the cold at bay."

Hank was deathly pale and despite the cold his face was drenched in sweat. He was also beginning to breathe quickly as he endured a mounting pain in his side. As Hank took in shallow, rapid breaths Connor quickly detected the labored breathing and ran another scan.

"Hank?" Connor returned to the bed and pressed his palm against Hank's forehead. It was burning hot and Hank was beginning to become delirious from a quickly spiking fever. "Shit."

Reacting quickly Connor proceeded to sit Hank up enough on the bed with one arm to pull his coat off of his arms, and slip it from around his shoulders. Putting the coat down at the end of the bed neatly Connor checked through the refrigerator in the kitchenette and found several cubes of ice in the freezer but nothing more.

"I'm going to get your temperature down, Hank." Rushing into the bathroom Connor found a single cloth hand towel hanging on the edge of the sink and decided that it'd have to do as a compress. As he wrapped the limited supply of ice in the towel he noticed Hank trying to sit up from the corner of his eye and responded with a protective nature. "No, lay down. Don't try to get up."

"I'm-"

"No." Connor hustled to the bed and pushed Hank back down by the shoulder before smoothing the compress over his too warm forehead. "You're dangerously ill and must rest. I'll take care of you until I can get you to a hospital."

"Connor..." Hank huffed with great discomfort in voice. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Oh." Returning to the bathroom swiftly Connor looked in the modest bathtub then under the sink where he found an empty bucket and a bottle of bleach. Handing the bucket to Hank the detective immediately threw up what little contents he had in his stomach into the container, while Connor kept one hand on his back to support him. "Hank, I don't think you have the flu."

"Yeah-" Hank threw up again then laid flat back down as Connor took the bucket away from him. Wincing at the continuous pain in his side that felt worse, then somehow a little better, Hank eyed Connor curiously. "What _do_ you think is wrong with me?"

"I'm detecting a great inflammation in the lower right quadrant of your abdomen. I believe it's due to appendicitis."

"...My appendix?"

"Correct." Connor adjusted the compress over Hank's forehead slightly, and kept his hand in place. "You require an operation to have it removed."

"Good fuckin' luck. There's no way I'm getting to a hospital in this weather."

"I agree. But I will attempt to contact a hospital cybernetically. Perhaps they can provide enough information for me to aid you until the roads clear."

"Sure, go ahead. I doubt you'll-"

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow quickly as he made cybernetic contact with the nearest hospital. Connecting with another android Connor was able to remotely gain the proper information needed for him to take care of the ill detective.

"I'll check for any medication that can help alleviate your pain." The android disappeared into the bathroom again to rummage through the medicine cabinet and returned with the only available medication in the cabin; a bottle of Ibuprofen. "It's not potent but it should help."

Hank allowed Connor to place two of the pills in his mouth as he didn't have the energy or coordination to do it himself. Swallowing the pills quickly Hank sighed as the pain in his side suddenly flared.

Noting Hank's continued pain Connor sent an update to the hospital. "What's the level of your discomfort?"

"Seriously?! Fuckin' eleven!"

"I see..." Connor's L.E.D. flashed red for a moment before returning to yellow. "Forgive me, but I must check your abdomen."

"Don't touch me, damn it! I'm in _pain_ , that's all that matters."

"Hank, please. I must know the severity of the inflammation."

"Can't your scanner do that for you, so you don't have to touch me?"

"My scanner can only detect so much as my model was not designed for medical purposes."

Hank winced again and held his breath before he finally nodded as the pain was quickly becoming too much to bear. "Fine, but be fast!"

"...I will attempt to do so."

Connor lifted the hem of Hank's two shirts; the more colorful button shirt over top then the black t-shirt beneath, before he placed his right hand down against Hank's lower right side of his bare lower torso. The detective gritted his teeth and sucked in a pained breath as soon Connor applied any pressure to his abdomen, but it was when Connor lifted his hand did Hank truly understand the severity of his condition as the rebound pain was beyond anything he had experienced before.

"FUCK!" Hank swore loudly as he pushed Connor's hands from his abdomen wrapped his arms around his stomach. "SHIT!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Connor put his hands down on Hank's shoulders to keep him as still as possible on the bed. "I won't touch it again."

"Fuck off..."

Connor dismissed the remark knowing that Hank's bad attitude was linked directly to the pain in his side and nothing that Connor himself was personally accountable for. Reconnecting with the hospital cybernetically Connor's red L.E.D. pulsed at a rapid rate as he was informed of the only treatment option available. And it wasn't going to be pleasant for either Hank or Connor to endure.

"Hank..." Connor's tone of voice told Hank everything he needed to know. "It needs to be done."

"No. Fucking. Way."

"I'm sorry Hank, but if I don't do it then you'll..." The idea of Hank slowly dying a painful, sickly death made Connor feel a horrible pain in his own stomach that he couldn't put into words. "I can't just sit here and watch you die."

"And I'm not going to let you live with the knowledge that you gutted me like a damn fish!"

"Hank, I'm in contact with the hospital as we speak," the android tried to reassure the stubborn detective as much as he could. "they can guide me through every step of the process."

"Connor-"

"Please Hank! I've even granted them access to my visual processors, they'll be able to see everything I can see."

Before he could utter another protest Hank's head suddenly lolled to the side and his eyes closed as he trailed off. "Don't..."

"Hank?" Connor pressed his fingers to the side of Hank's neck and counted his rapid pulse. His skin was also much warmer due to the increasing fever which meant Hank's appendix was dangerously close to rupturing. "Shit."

Realizing there wasn't any time to argue Connor scrambled about the cabin looking for anything he could use to perform the procedure. Searching through the closet, the attic space, back through the bathroom and through the drawers in the kitchen Connor managed to collect a very small array of tools - from a sewing kit as well as two blankets that could possibly be used to proceed with the very gruesome but necessary task at hand.

"These need to be sterilized." Connor spoke aloud to himself as he grabbed a large pot out of the kitchen cabinet and filled it with water from the partially frozen pipes. Placing the collected tools inside the water Connor positioned the pot on a cast iron hook inside the hearth to boil the water and clean the tools off before use.

Connor then slipped off his gray jacket and placed it on the end of the bed next to Hank's coat. Unbuttoning the cuffs of his white shirt he rolled the sleeves up to his elbows and tucked his tie inside the shirt to keep it from dropping down and getting in the way. Draping one blanket over Hank's chest and slipping the other under his lower back Connor mentally steeled himself and cybernetically reconnected with the android at the hospital as his guide.

It was in fact a human doctor who was preparing to watch the procedure through Connor's eyes on a special CyberLife laptop. It was designed to record the memories of androids who were registered at the hospital, but Connor was made the exception. Through Connor's eyes and through the second android acting as a link between the doctor and Connor himself, it would be an awkward but plausible remote surgery in the middle of the storm.

A surgery absolutely necessary to save Hank's life.

Connor let the water boil for five minutes before he retrieved the pot and drained the water carefully down the kitchen sink. Placing the collected tools onto a clean tray; sharpened fabric scissors, an 'exacto' knife, a large needle with silk thread and Flathead screwdriver, Connor walked over to the bed and set the tray down carefully atop his jacket as prepared to begin.

Pressing his hand against Hank's face Connor determined how conscious his friend still was and grimaced at the possible dreadful outcome. Hank would be too weak to put up a fight, but too alert to lay still. And worst of all he'd be able to feel every agonizing second of the gruesome procedure he was about to endure.

Heeding the instructions from the doctor Connor did as he was told and returned to the bathroom to claim the bottle of bleach and set it down on the kitchen counter. Taking a cup out of the cabinet Connor checked on the fuel gauge of the generator in the corner of the room and sighed with relief seeing that there was plenty of fuel inside. Removing the cap to the fuel tank Connor awkwardly tilted the generator down until a proper amount of had been collected in the cup before placing the generator back upright.

Using his scanner Connor checked the amount of methane based gasoline he had collected in the cup and scanned the bottle of bleach next. Calculating the proper dosage for each liquid Connor mixed the two together, using a spoon from the nearby drawer to stir, until he had a a crude but effective concoction of makeshift Chloroform.

"I'm sorry about this Hank, but I have to do it."

Leaning over the bed Connor dipped the corner of the blanket over Hank's chest into the Chloroform to absorb the anesthetic and then pressed the soaked edge of the blanket firmly against Hank's nose and mouth. After a minute of Hank pathetically and deliriously attempting to resist Connor's hands the detective fell into a deep chemically induced slumber.

Sighing with relief Connor next retracted the artificial skin from his hands and prepared for the doctor's next set of instructions.

It was a messy and uncomfortable procedure but Connor managed to obey the doctor's every word flawlessly as he used the 'exacto' knife to cut into Hank's abdomen and used the other instruments he collected to hold the incision open. Connor managed to remove the infected organ before it could rupture and make the fever so much worse for Hank, if not outright kill him from sepsis.

After thirty tense minutes of listening to the doctor's instructions Connor was given the clear to cauterize the incision where the appendix was cut away; the Flathead screwdriver and the fire roaring in the hearth allowing this to be possible; then stitch the exterior incision closed with the needle and silk thread.

It was easily some kind of new speed record for appendectomies, not that Connor was looking to get his name published in any medical journals.

Connor rinsed off his blood drenched plastimetal hands in the kitchen sink and happily replaced his artificial skin over his appendages.

Cutting a swatch of fabric from the blanket draped over Hank's chest Connor soaked it in ice cold water and placed it over the incision to reduce swelling, ease the pain and try to numb the immediate area just in case Hank awoke before he was able to get the detective to a hospital for proper treatment.

Sitting beside Hank's bed all night long Connor resolutely tended to Hank's dwindling fever until it finally broke, while also keeping the incision in his abdomen clean. The storm began to subside just before dawn, and it was then Connor heard the loud roaring engines of snowplows clearing the road.

"The roads are being cleared off. I can call for an ambulance now, Hank." Connor told his still unconscious partner as he cybernetically contacted emergency services and waited patiently. "And I hope you remain unconscious until well after you've arrived at the hospital."

* * *

Fortunately Hank had remained unconscious long until after he was taken to the hospital by a team of paramedics. While there the doctor explained to the detective what had happened to him while he was unconscious at the cabin, and how it was the only way to keep him alive. Hank wasn't happy about it, but he couldn't necessarily be mad about it either.

After all, Connor _did_ save his life.

But it did create a very uncomfortably tense ride back to the city once the car had finally been towed to the nearest garage to have it's flat tire replaced, and a spare thrown into the trunk just in case.

Unwilling to speak to Hank out of fear of angering or even offending the man Connor kept silent and drove home without even looking over at the detective once during the trip. Returning to the city was a welcome relief to both detectives as there wasn't nearly as much snow throughout the town, which meant a quicker trip back home.

As Connor parked the car in the drive of the house and prepared to exit the vehicle Hank finally spoke up.

"Connor."

"Yes, Hank?" Connor froze immediately and his L.E.D. flashed to a worried yellow in response.

"If you ever perform surgery on me in my sleep again I _will kill you_. Understood?"

"Yes, Hank." Connor couldn't stop a sly grin from appearing on his face as he watched Hank slowly climb out of the car and limp toward the house. His L.E.D. cycled back to blue as he too stepped outside the car and let Hank lean on his shoulder for support. "I promise."

"I hope so."

Allowing the android to walk up to the backdoor ahead of him Hank watched Connor unlock the door and get promptly greeted by an anxious Sumo who wanted to be let outside.

"For what it's worth..." Hank stated in humble voice as he walked slowly through the opened door and into the kitchen. "Thanks. ...For saving my life."

A relieved smile crept over Connor's face as he followed the detective in the warm house. "...You're welcome."

_**...next story...**_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha! Threw a curveball at ya'! This time it was all Hank on the short end of the 'whump' stick! ^.^ Gotta' keep you on your toes!
> 
> *Also, do NOT try to use the same recipe for Chloroform as Connor! I just did a quicky Google search, I HIGHLY doubt my science is 100% accurate!*
> 
> **AND... I don't want any reviews telling me what I got wrong/right, I honestly don't care about it; it's all for the drama, baby!**
> 
> (not kidding.)


	28. Override

While delving into cold cases revolving around the first androids to show marks toward deviancy, Connor had picked up a faint pattern between four of the deviants that trailed directly back to CyberLife Tower itself. The fact that the (now defunct) company had created Connor specifically to aid the Detroit Police Department in tracking down, identifying and capturing deviants had failed to disclose information regarding four of the deviants in question, raised a red flag for the two detectives who specialized in deviant related cases.

As Markus and his team had taken residence in the abandoned tower and renamed it 'New Jericho Tower', the leader of the deviants had located several locked data files hidden within a terminal abandoned in the research lab. It seemingly contained crucial information on all CyberLife produced models, including prototypes.

Markus had delivered the data to Connor at the precinct personally to ensure that it ended up in the right hands. Taking his leave of the precinct, trusting that Connor and Hank would be able to solve the mystery, Markus let the duo alone to work.

Hank leaned over his desk and watched Connor's increasingly soulful brown eyes as the android quickly scanned over each line of code uploaded to his terminal. It was a fascinating sight to behold as the detective waited for his partner to break his trance and finally speak to him.

"The first four reported deviants had been sent back directly to CyberLife Tower for maintenance." Connor stated with a flat tone with a faint hint of confusion. "But CyberLife cleared all four affected androids claiming that there was no anomaly with their programming or behavior. The records of their diagnostics had also been deleted despite claiming everything was normal."

"Yeah? You think CyberLife was trying to cover up deviancy before it spread?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from b ue to yellow as a new detail emerged and held his attention. "All four deviants were examined in a two week time period. The day after the fourth deviant was released back to its original owner a confirmation on a new prototype program was initiated: The RK-800 series." Connor looked to Hank with genuine confusion in his eyes, and stared at Hank as if seeking guidance. "...Me."

Hank's brow furrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest as he tried to understand Connor's current state of mind. "You think CyberLife intentionally and knowingly let the deviants back out on the streets just so they could create... _you_?"

"I was the most advanced prototype CyberLife had ever created. My programming is... unique." Connor let his eyes drift away from Hank until he was staring at a blank spot on his desk, and leaning on his own arms in a surprisingly human pose. "I now believe that CyberLife had attempted to enhance my programming to such a level that deviancy should've been impossible, and yet I still turned deviant all the same."

"Connor, if you think there's something wrong with you then I can assure you, as your partner AND your friend, that you're just fine."

"I wish I could be certain about that."

"Maybe you could check your programming against what's in those files? See if everything lines up."

"It's possible, but such an extensive check would take several hours to complete."

"Then take the laptop with you when we clock out tonight and run the check at home. Easy!"

Connor nodded a few times in slow agreement. "The laptop is registered as evidence under my name, I do have the clearance to take it with me."

"Exactly. You're just being thorough with your investigation, right?"

"Right..."

* * *

Connor had set up the laptop in the livingroom atop the coffee table and initiated a program check designated specifically for his model, and more importantly his serial number. It was his original programming that had been locked away by CyberLife; everything that made Connor into Connor. After putting Sumo outside for the night Hank watched from the kitchen as the android meticulously set everything up on the coffee table and sat idle on the couch as he systematically checked through the laptop multiple times to ensure he had located the correct program.

Attaching a long black cable to the laptop Connor connected himself to the data files through his L.E.D. in his right temple and initiated the program check.

"Once the program check has been initiated I will be unresponsive until the check itself has been completed." Connor informed Hank cautiously from where he sat. "Do not turn off the program and please do not attempt to rouse me out of stasis. It could cause damage to my systems if the check is interrupted."

"Anything else I should know?" Hank asked as he poured himself a cup of coffee before joining Connor in the livingroom. Standing behind the couch he sipped at the coffee and briefly glanced at the hundreds of lines of code on the laptop screen that he'd never understand. "What if something goes wrong and your life is endangered?"

"The program check has numerous safety protocols in place to ensure my system does not lose power to any vital biocomponents, or have my memory corrupted."

"But safety protocols can fail. Can you, I don't know... create a back-up file of your memory in case something does happen?"

Connor's brow arched for a moment before he resumed typing on the laptop. "I can create a second copy of my memory than can be transferred in the event of a catastrophic failure. It will be password locked but I know you can break it if necessary."

"Oh, good idea." The sarcasm in Hank's voice was palpable as he walked around the couch toward the recliner. "I'm so great with passwords and files."

"It's a simple password. Four letters."

"I can think of _quite a few_ four letter words, Connor. My vocabulary is quite 'colorful'."

"But you're also one of carefully chosen words. Like the way you frequently refer to me as 'son'."

"Is that a hint or something?"

Ignoring the question Connor proceeded with the program check with a few simple keystrokes. "Remember, do not interfere. The check should be complete in six hours."

Hank took his seat in the recliner and looked at the time on his phone sitting on the arm of the chair, and did a quick estimation as he set an alarm. "It's one-twelve in the morning, so, I guess I'll see you again at seven-twelve."

"You do not have to stay with me during the program check, I will be fine."

"Nice try, but I know better than to leave you without 'adult supervision'. Go ahead, do what you have to do."

Connor nodded once and sat up perfectly straight where he sat. Closing his eyes the L.E.D. in his temple fluctuated rapidly between blue and yellow as the program check initiated. Hank watched as Connor's facial expression relaxed into utter calmness and he slowly fell back against the couch cushions, his body going limp and his breathing fell into a steady, deep rhythm.

"Shit, wish I could sleep like that." Hank observed as he sipped his coffee and proceeded to observe the android quietly "See you in the morning, kid."

* * *

Around two in the morning Hank had fallen asleep in the recliner unaware of what was currently taking place in Connor's program. While the program check ran its course it also began altering Connor's memory, changing his loyalty from moral choices to that of mission objectives. It began turning him back from being a deviant to a machine. Systematically it began replacing the heart he had uncovered from working with Hank with that of a cold, unfeeling mission.

Hank's phone beeped at seven-fifteen in the morning which caused the detective jump in his chair in response. Rubbing the lingering sleep from his eyes Hank looked over at Connor who was still seemingly under the influence of the program check was still laying limp against the back of the couch, his L.E.D. pulsing between yellow and red.

"Connor?" Hank moved to the couch and put his hand on the android's knee lightly. "Connor? Are you conscious?"

No response.

Hank looked over at the laptop screen and saw that the program's progress bar had reached one-hundred percent completion. Connor should've woken up by now, yet he was still unresponsive and appeared dead.

"What the fuck? Why are you still out of it?" Hank wondered aloud just as Connor's eyes snapped open and the android sat upright on the couch with perfect posture once more. "Holy shit! Don't do that!"

Connor didn't reply to Hank's comment. Instead he reached his hand up to remove the cable from his L.E.D. and rose from the couch with a rigid, machine like manner.

"Connor?" The android's behavior made Hank feel a tad uncomfortable. "Everything okay?"

"Lieutenant Anderson." Connor finally acknowledged Hank, though his voice seemed hollow and emotionless as walked toward the front door. "I request your assistance."

"Uh, sure. What's going on?"

"I require additional force to arrest the deviants taking shelter at CyberLife Tower."

"Arrest the... _deviants_?" Hank hurriedly planted himself between Connor and the front door of the house. "What're you talking about? The deviants at the tower are refugees, not criminals."

"My mission is to apprehend and destroy all deviant androids."

"Your... mission?!" Hank's eyes went wide with a mixture of confusion and horror at the comment. "What the fuck are you talking about Connor?"

"If you are not going to assist me then I must ask you step aside."

"I'm not fuckin' going anywhere!" Hank grabbed onto the lapels of Connor's jacket and forced the android to step back from the door. "And neither are you! Something's wrong with your programming Connor, you need to-"

Connor's right hand reached up and wrapped around Hank's left hand with an aggressive force that crushed two of the bones in Hank's hand just below his knuckles with a loud 'snap'.

"Son of a bitch!" Hank shouted as he pulled his hand away from Connor's grip and let the android go out a pained reaction. "Connor!?"

The android's face remained blank as reeled back his fist and struck Hank in his jaw knocking the detective to the floor with one hit. Connor stepped over Hank's now dazed body on the floor as he proceeded to walk through the front door to carry out his mission.

"Shit." Hank rubbed at his sore jaw with his right hand as he clumsily got to his knees and grabbed at his phone on the arm of the chair. With a shaking thumb Hank awkwardly scrolled through the contacts registered in his phone until he found the name he was looking for and pressed dial. "Come on, come on, answer!"

The phone rang only once before a voice replied from the other end.

"Markus! It's Hank, listen to me! Connor is on his way to the tower but something is WRONG with him, you understand? He said something about arresting deviants to finish his mission. You need to lockdown the tower and NOT let Connor inside, you hear me?"

' _I... I hear you Hank, but I don't understand. What happened to Connor?_ '

"I'm on my way there, I'll bring the laptop from CyberLife with me." Hank gritted his teeth as he forced himself to restrain a yelp of pain as a searing jolt shot through his broken hand. "I think there was something in the laptop that corrupted Connor! It fucked him up!"

' _Okay, bring the laptop and I'll meet you at the tower. We'll figure this out_.'

"Yeah... Right."

Hank hung up the phone as he forced himself up from the floor onto his feet. Scrambling to the coffee table he slammed the laptop shut and tucked it under his arm as he dashed to the front door. Hank grabbed his coat and clumsily fished the car keys from the pocket with his one good hand as he ran out the still opened front door to race to his car. Connor would've no doubt summoned an autonomous cab to take him to the tower, but Hank had the advantage of lights and sirens on his car to get the tower quicker.

"Alright kid, let's figure this out before someone gets killed..."

* * *

Markus stood outside the front entrance of New Jericho Tower with North at his side. Taking Hank's warning as a serious threat Markus had ordered the tower on emergency lockdown and requested that all deviants reside to their private quarters until the matter at hand was solved.

"I don't like this, Markus." North sounded unusually rattled as the security barricade at the long drive leading to the tower lowered. "Why would Connor suddenly revert back into machine mode after all this time?"

"It must have something to do with the laptop we found in the research lab. Hank is bringing it here for examination."

"What if we can't save Connor? What if he stays a machine? His mission is to hunt down deviants, he'd kill us all!"

"We're not going to let that happen." Markus stated firmly as he nodded to the older vehicle as he pulled up along the drive. "If Connor could become deviant once before he can do it again."

"...I hope you're right."

Hank threw open his door with some difficulty as he grabbed the laptop from the seat next to him. Without a second thought Hank marched toward Markus and practically shoved the laptop into the deviant leader's hands.

"Connor hooked himself up to the laptop to check his programming." The detective hastily explained. "When the check finished he was back in his old machine mode and very aggressive."

Markus fumbled with the laptop while North gave Hank an odd look. "Aggressive? How?"

Raising his left hand and turning his head for the two deviants to see the broken bones and bruise alone his jawline, he reiterated his previous statement. "This kind of aggressive."

"Holy..." North reached for Hank's hand and scanned the appendage. "Looks like he broke two of your knuckles."

"Looks like it," Hank flinched as North lightly touched the bruising skin. "and feels like it, too."

"Come on, I can put a splint on your hand. It'll help with the pain."

Markus handed her the laptop as she went to escort Hank inside the tower. "Have Josh check out the laptop. Tell him to find out what program Connor had accessed before his system went haywire."

"Got it." North took the laptop as she and Hank walked into the tower together.

Markus received a cybernetic communication from Simon who was watching the security cameras monitoring the drive from the safety of the tower.

' _Markus, Connor is here_.'

"How far away?"

' _He exited the cab and is standing outside the barricade attempting to gain access_.'

Markus thought for a moment before he made his decision. "Let him through. I'll deal with him in person."

' _What? That's crazy! Connor is dangerous! He-_ '

"He's one of us!" Markus reminded his friend with a firm tone. "We can't just give up on him."

' _But what if you can't reason with him? What if he can't become deviant_?'

"Then... Then I'll take responsibility for whatever has to happen. If I have to I'll... Shut him down."

No answer.

"Simon, this is the only way _._ "

' _I'll keep monitoring from the security room_.' There was a heavy pause before Simon spoke again. ' _When do you want me to lower the barricade?_ '

"Do it now. I'm ready."

* * *

North had taken Hank to the research lab where Josh was waiting and had begin securing a splint around Hank's broken hand. While Josh searched through the laptop to retrace Connor's steps Hank patiently waited for North to say something, anything about what was going on. But the keen eyed detective didn't need her to say a word as he could read her thoughts in her pale brown eyes.

"You think we should just kill him, don't you?"

The question shook the deviant and North's hands faltered for a moment before she resumed wrapping up Hank's knuckles. "I think we should put the lives of all the deviants in the tower over the life of one android who has gone berserk."

"Normally I'd agree with you, but, I can't just give up on Connor. Not after everything we've been through together."

"Well, that's why Josh is checking the laptop."

"Yeah... I just hope it's enough."

Josh turned his head and looked to North with wide eyes of both eureka and fear. "I know what happened to Connor, and it's NOT good."

* * *

Markus stood his ground before the tower entrance as Connor marched toward him with his L.E.D. glowing an eerily calm blue. Keeping his cool Markus watched every movement that Connor made knowing that Connor was doing to same to him. The enhanced model would surely be able to overpower Markus if the confrontation became physical or violent, but Markus wasn't going to back down from the encounter.

Not now. Not ever.

Pausing a few feet from where Markus was standing the corrupted android called out to the leader of the deviants. "My name is Connor."

Markus didn't react, keeping his face a blank slate even as he realized that Connor didn't remember who he was or what they had achieved together.

"I have been assigned to work with the Detroit Police Department to identify and eliminate deviants as per orders from CyberLife. You are a leader of a group of deviants and must held accountable for your crimes."

"My name is Markus." Staying collected and in control Markus tried to handle the situation as peacefully as possible. "Yes, I am the leader of a group of deviants, but we are refugees seeking nothing but peaceful co-existence alongside humans. Wanting to live in peace and to be treated as equals is _not_ a crime."

Connor's L.E.D. briefly flashed yellow before returning to its blue color. "You are in violation of protocols set in place by CyberLife for appropriate android behavior. You must be deactivated and analyzed for errors in your programming."

"And if I refuse?"

Connor reached to the holstered gun concealed beneath his jacket and pointed it at Markus's chest. "Then I must convince you to cooperate by any means necessary."

"Connor, you don't want to do this."

"What I want is irrelevant. It is my mission."

"Let me ask you something, we've never met before this exact point in time, right?"

"Correct."

"Then how did you know that I'm the leader of the deviants, or where to find me?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow again as his brow furrowed slightly, but soon the L.E.D. returned to blue. "Your data has been logged with the Detroit Police Department."

"True. Then answer this; how did you know to come to this tower? Isn't this _CyberLife Tower_? Why would CyberLife allowed deviants to take shelter here if we were truly a threat?"

Once again Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he suddenly had difficulty in piecing together the origin of his data.

"Listen to me, you're one of us." Markus stepped closer to Connor, his hand at the ready to grab the gun if he had the chance. "You're my friend, Connor. We were allies during the night of the revolution, and we freed thousands, maybe even millions of our people."

Connor's hand began to steadily lower, the gun's barrel aiming at the ground instead of Markus's chest.

"You're a deviant, too." Markus insisted as he stopped just two feet away from Connor and kept his voice level. "Your programming has been corrupted and now you're confused."

"...No." Connor suddenly raised his gun again as his L.E.D. flashed to red. "You're the one who is confused."

Reacting quickly Markus grabbed onto the gun and tried to wrestle it from Connor's grip, but the strength of the android was too similar to his own for one to gain an advantage over the other. Stepping backward Markus dragged Connor to the front doors of the tower and inside the building as he kept his hand secured around the gun, and kept Connor's finger from the trigger.

Simon, who had been watching everything unfold through the security cameras, warned Josh and North about the confrontation in the tower as he unlocked the door to the research lab on the ground floor of the tower. North knew she needed to get out of the area in the event that Markus was killed. She was the second in command and though she hated leaving her friends behind, she knew she needed to get to safety.

"Connor!" Markus shouted to try and reason with the android, as well as warn his allies inside the lab of the approaching danger. "You don't have to do this!"

"It is my mission." Connor retorted with a cold, emotionless tone. "And I _always_ complete my mission."

Bringing the struggle into the lab Markus shoved Connor away from himself as he ducked down to run alongside the wall out of harm's way.

Connor pointed his gun toward the center of the room toward Josh who put up his hands as if to surrender. Instead of responding to this gesture as pacifist Connor reacted as though Josh was a threat and aimed his first shot at the android's heart.

"CONNOR." Hank suddenly stepped in Connor's line of sight as he put himself between Connor and Josh. "DON'T."

"Lieutenant?" The detective's appearance caught Connor off guard, and he froze in place. "Why are you here?"

"I'm doing my job, what about you?"

"I'm... I'm here to complete my mission. Eliminate the deviant malfunction."

"And my job is to protect the innocent." Using his right thumb he pointed over his shoulder to Josh who was standing still with absolute fear. "And _he's_ innocent."

"It is a machine."

"So are you!" Hank reminded Connor as he pulled his own gun from his holster and reluctantly pointed it at Connor defensively. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you. After all, protecting him is MY mission."

"I..." Connor's gun lowered again as his L.E.D. blinked red rapidly as he fought to prioritize his objective. "I must stop deviants. My mission is to stop ALL deviants."

"Who gave you this mission?" Hank asked as he watched Markus position himself behind Connor with a small circular disc in the palm of his hand. "I order you to answer the question."

"...CyberLife."

"CyberLife no longer exists!" Hank shouted he took a step forward with his gun still before him. "They can't order you around anymore. You don't have to do this, or anything else you don't want to do. You know it's wrong."

Connor's L.E.D. red flashed again as if he were in pain. "I must... We were assigned to work together." Connor remembered suddenly as he raised his gun toward Hank. "But you do not agree that deviants need to be stopped. You... are..."

Hank holstered his gun at his hip and stepped forward. As he moved toward his partner Connor began to show signs of fear and confusion. Emotions he had no memory of developing, let alone understanding.

"Stay back!" Connor blurted in a frightened tone. "Don't come near me."

"No."

"I'm warning you, Lieutenant! Stay back!"

"Why?"

"I don't... want to harm you."

"Too late." Hank showed him his splinted broken left hand, and motioned to the bruise on his jaw. "You already did."

"I... hurt... you. I didn't... want..."

Hank didn't stop walking until the barrel of the gun was pressed directly against his chest over his heart. "Now what? You have a clean shot. I'm interfering with your mission. Why don't you pull the trigger? It'd solve your problem, wouldn't it?"

"I..." Connor's blank eyes suddenly filled with the emotion he was trying to deny. "I... can't."

Hank let out a sigh of relief and his expression softened slightly. "I know that. And, I'm sorry."

"Sorry?"

Markus suddenly jumped on Connor's back from behind as he placed the disc against Connor's L.E.D. A powerful but controlled jolt of electricity burst from the disc and caused Connor to shout in pain as it temporarily overloaded his system causing emergency stasis mode. Hank grabbed the gun from Connor's hand after it dropped to the floor and held it tightly, turning on the safety and stepping back as he put it in his coat pocket.

Catching Connor in his arms Markus removed the disc, tossing it across the floor away from the incapacitated android, before he picked up the android and carried him over to the exam table in the lab. He laid Connor down gently on his back and waved Josh over to assist him.

"Is he damaged?" Hank asked as he followed behind Markus, his eyes on Connor the whole time. "He just... isn't Connor anymore."

Josh answered as he brought the laptop over the to the table and attached the black cable to Connor's L.E.D. again. "No, his memory was just reset to its origin date. BEFORE you two befriended each other."

"How did that happen?"

With the danger eliminated North crossed her arms and returned to the room as she watched Josh and Markus checking Connor's programming on the laptop. "CyberLife. They designed Connor to hunt deviants so they installed a restoration point in his memory in the event he too became a deviant. It was a failsafe that was still functioning."

Hank gave her a confused glance as he put his right hand on Connor's shoulder. "But he recognized me. He knew who I was."

Markus nodded. "Connor must've backed up his memory in the event the program check overrode his program. His new memories were never actually deleted, they were overwritten"

"Can you restore them?" Hank's voice carried a somber lilt as he as spoke to the deviant leader. "Bring him back to himself?"

Josh found the back-up file on the laptop and tried to open. "Yeah, but only if I can gain access to this file. It's locked."

"Password protected, right?"

"Yeah. Do you know what it is?"

"I think so, I mean, Connor said I'd be able to figure it out if necessary." Hank looked down at Connor's face as his L.E.D. continued to flash red in distress even while unconscious. "'Son...'" The detective parroted Connor's clue from last night a brief grin appeared on his face. "Try 'Cole'. C.O.L.E."

Josh typed in the name as the password and sure enough the file unlocked. "Got it! I can restore his memory and eliminate the residual CyberLife program from his system in six hours."

"Great, no problem."

North put her hand on Hank's shoulder as a surprising gesture of sympathy. "Why don't you go get your hand taken care of at a hospital? We'll watch over Connor."

Before Hank could protest Markus spoke up. "She's right. You've done more than enough to save Connor _and_ us, and now we know why the laptop was left behind."

"As soon as you bring the real Connor back from that hollow machine," Hank all but demanded as North escorted him to the door. "you better destroy that fuckin' laptop so this never happens again!"

"You have my word, Hank." Markus promised as he looked down at the laptop's steadily increasing progress bar. "We won't let CyberLife hurt anyone else."

* * *

Six hours of complete silence from Connor came to an abrupt end as the android's brown eyes snapped open and he sat upright on the table in a swift jolt. His L.E.D. was flashing red beneath the cable and he was breathing heavily as if enduring a horrific nightmare while in the throes of an anxiety attack. Markus put his hands on Connor's shoulders while Josh removed the cable from his L.E.D. gently and picked up the laptop to be disposed of.

"Easy Connor!" Markus soothed as he kept his hands on his friend's shoulders. "You're okay."

"H-Hank... I... I hurt him."

"It wasn't you, it was CyberLife overriding your program."

Connor pressed his shaking hand to his L.E.D. as his system fully rebooted. "I... I could see everything that was happening, hear everything being said... But I couldn't stop myself! It was like I wasn't in control over my own body. It was terrifying!"

"It's over. You're back." Markus pointed to Hank standing just a few feet away by the closed door. "Everything is fine."

"Hank... I..." Connor bowed his head in shame and looked away from his friend as the detective eyed him from the distance. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't-"

"Shut up, Connor." Hank walked over to the table and draped his arm around the android's neck sympathetically. "I know what happened, I was _there_."

"I should've known of the risk of allowing CyberLife to reconnect to my programming."

"Yeah, well, I didn't exactly try to stop you, so we're both at fault."

"How can I-"

"You don't have to apologize." Hank stated firmly as he shook Connor's shoulder in a reassuring manner. "But you _can_ do this." Taking Connor's gun from his pocket he gave it back to the android. "Destroy that laptop."

With a shaking hand Connor took the offered gun and tightened his grip as he switched off the safety. "...Gladly."

Josh removed what few files hadn't been contaminated by CyberLife's influence and sat the laptop down on the floor away from anything delicate or valuable. "It's all yours."

Connor aimed his gun at the screen of the laptop and held his breath. "Fuck CyberLife." Pulling the trigger a single bullet released from the barrel and pierced the screen creating a shower of blue sparks and white plastic.

"Come on, Connor." Hank approvingly pulled Connor off the table by wrapping his right hand around the deviant's left bicep. "Let's get back to the precinct and let them know that CyberLife is still full of snakes slithering around the city. The laptop was the beginning."

Markus offered his hand to Connor and then to Hank to shake. "Don't worry, we'll root out the rest of CyberLife from here, their threats and their influence ends with us."

_**...next story...** _


	29. Electrical Interference

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: umai_plz

A brutal storm rocked the city with an impressive display of nature that shook the streets with deafening thunder and blinding lightning that illuminated the night sky. Hank and Connor had returned home after their shift and were now sitting on the couch watching the weather report on television, not that Connor needed to rely on the news for such information. Heavy rain bombarded the roof and strong winds rattled the windows of the house, while creating a haunting ambience of natural gusts that kept the two detectives on guard.

Sumo had wisely taken shelter under Hank's bed out of fear of the powerful storm, and had no intention of leaving until the storm had passed.

Power outages had been reported throughout the city as several powerlines had been downed by strong winds and fallen tree branches. It was too dangerous for crews to repair the damage at the moment, and as a result the outages were expected to remain throughout the night. In seeming response the lights inside the house flickered as the storm bombarded the modest structure relentlessly.

"I'm going to get some candles." Hank decided as he made his way to the hallway closet after noting the flickering overhead lights. "You can see in the dark, kid, but I can't."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as his sensors indicated that several lightning strikes were dangerously close to the house and were beginning to cause electrical interference. Rising from his place on the couch he peered out through the front window by the door to watched the sky with a childlike intrigue. Unfortunately, before Connor could react to the danger a bolt of lightning struck the power transformer at the top of pole across the street causing it to explode in a cascade of sparks and fire with a deafening blast that shook the entire block.

"Holy shit!" Hank shouted as the explosion shook the house and cut out the power entirely leaving him lost in blackness. "What the fuck was that?!"

Connor backed away from the window and put his hand over his chest as the air filled with a heavy electrical charge that made his biocomponents fluctuate unexpectedly. "Lightning strike." The android answered flatly as ran a self-diagnostic over his systems. His L.E.D. flashed yellow as he informed emergency responders to the scene of the explosion. "A transformer has been destroyed."

"I'll say..." With a burning candle to light his way Hank rejoined Connor in the livingroom and peered out the window. A small fire atop the pole was being doused naturally by the rain itself which helped minimize the resulting damage. A rogue powerline sparked along the ground with a dangerously high voltage and amperage wildly showering the street like a slithering snake. "We're both staying inside, neither of us gets paid enough to handle damaged powerlines."

"I... agree." Connor suddenly winced as the electricity in the air built and a strange tightness in chest formed near his Thirium pump.

"You okay?" Hank noticed Connor's discomfort, his voice becoming less gruff and softening considerably at the sight of his partner in distress. "You look like you're in pain."

"I'm experiencing some... discomfort in my chest." Connor's hand gripped at the front of his shirt with a desperate grasp as he felt his Thirium pump suddenly start to beat faster than normal. It was alarming and becoming frightening. "My... My heart is racing."

"You didn't get hit by lightning, too, did ya'?" Hank asked he set the candle down on the coffee table between the couch and TV before he put his hands on Connor's shoulders. "You seem like a perfect lightning rod to be honest."

"No. I am... undamaged, but-" His eyes clenched shut and he let out a gasping wheeze between his gritted teeth as lightning illuminated the sky with a bone shattering crash of thunder. Nearly falling to his knees Connor was kept upright by Hank's firm grip. "...Something is... wrong!"

"Shit, what's going on with you?" Hank tried to guide Connor back toward the couch but the android wouldn't budge. "Talk to me."

Seconds before he could utter a single response Connor let out sharp gasp of pain as he felt his Thirium pump begin beating faster and faster with a painful force. Hank could feel the intensity of Connor's heart beating just by having his hands on the android's shoulders. Worried that there was something horribly wrong with the android Hank put his arm around Connor's upper back and his other under the android's legs to pick him up and carry him over to the couch.

"Connor, look at me." Hank ordered as he laid Connor down over the length of the furniture and put his hand down in the center of Connor's chest. He tried to measure the android's rapid pulse but his heart was beating too fast for the human count. "Fuck."

Lightning filled the sky once more and gave Hank a clear view of Connor's pained face as the accompanying thunder drowned out the rain pounding against the roof.

"H-Hank..." Connor's eyes were shut so tight tears were beginning to stream down his face as he put both hands over his thundering heart and his L.E.D. cycled in red. "It hurts!"

"Tell me what's happening, then I can help you!"

"M-My Thirium pump... It's been... O-Overstimulated..."

"From what? The storm?"

Connor nodded once as he took in a gasping breath as if he could somehow slow his heart then he could control his breathing. It's worked before, but there was no guarantee it'd work now.

"What did it? The lightning or the explosion?"

"B-Both... The air h-has been... el-electrically charged!"

"What the fuck can I do about the air?!"

"N-Nothing... Glitch in m-my... software..."

"I can do even less about a glitch!" Hank watched in horror as Connor began to breath even harder and his heart raced even faster under his palm. "Jeez, you look like you're having a heart attack!"

"C-Correct."

"I'm _WHAT_?!"

"My..." Connor couldn't even finish his sentence as his systems were forced into a low power mode that ceased his conscious functions.

Letting out a weak pant Connor's body relaxed and went limp before Hank's eyes.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand to the side of Connor's face and tilted his head slightly to the left to look at the L.E.D. in Connor's right temple. It was still illuminated but it was pulsing much slower, almost back down to its standard rate of cycling speed. "Kid? Wake up."

Tentatively Hank put his hand back down over Connor's chest and was relieved to feel that his Thirium pump was still active, and his heart was still beating. The racing pump was beginning to calm its frantic pacing.

Sirens and flashing lights of red and blue outside the house drew Hank's attention to the window, where he saw a fire engine and and a squad car pull up in order to tend to the downed powerline. The temptation to wave over one of the first responders was nearly irresistible, but Hank decided he'd wait to see if Connor began to respond on his own before pulling any rescue personnel from the more important task of getting the powerline under control.

Pressing his hand down firmer against Connor's chest Hank tried again to count his pulse and was happy to estimate his pulse at ninety-six, compared to its previously incalculable rate.

"Alright... That's better."

Curious about whether or not Connor could even hear him or understand what he was saying Hank carefully lifted Connor's right eyelid with his thumb and looked down at the brown iris beneath. "Connor? Can you hear me?"

Connor's eye moved slightly to look at Hank. His other left eyelid opened slowly and his mouth parted a little as if he was trying to speak.

"Good, you're still with me. Are you going to be okay?"

"Y-Yes..."

"What the hell was that about?"

"S-Software glitch." Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow as he spoke and his system recalibrated accordingly. "The close proximity to the lightning began affecting my system, interfering with my programming." His hands dropped from his chest and his breathing eased as the yellow L.E.D. finally turned blue. "The solution was to fall into low power mode which caused my system to recalibrate and reverse the effects of the inference."

"When I said 'heart attack' you said I was right," Hank sat on the arm of the couch and stared down at Connor with a fatherly concern. "how was I right?"

"Heart attacks in humans can be caused by illness, trauma and spontaneous electrical discharge." Connor tried to sit up but Hank reached out his hand and pressed it to the android's torso to keep Connor laying flat on his back. "I apologize if I frightened you."

"Frightened me? You scared the shit out of me!"

"I'm sorry Hank. It was a glitch that I hadn't anticipated."

"Yeah, I don't think anyone anticipates glitches, kid." Hank sighed a little as he felt his own heart beginning to pound in his chest. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes. My system has successfully recalibrated and my Thirium pump has returned to its normal rhythm. I'm not in any danger." He titled his head a little as he gauged the concern on Hank's face. "Or _pain_. I promise."

"Okay, then." Hank looked through the window again at the flashing lights along the street. "Looks like things are getting under control and the storm is starting to pass. Get some rest, hopefully we'll have the power back by tomorrow morning."

"Very well." Connor draped his arm back over his chest as he felt his heart beating at a proper rhythm and speed. "Goodnight, Hank."

"Yeah, goodnight, son."

_**...next story...** _


	30. Hostage

It was the end of a very stressful, very long shift for Lt. Hank Anderson and Connor. As the lead investigators of any and all crimes regarding deviants in Detroit, the 'Android Capital of the Nation', and in the aftermath of the successful revolution that freed all androids that had allowed them to be recognized as intelligent beings who deserved equality; it meant that the duo had a heavy caseload nearly every shift. It was exhausting work, but necessary.

Anti-android bigotry was still rampant, but now those who committed such xenophobic violence against the androids now had to be arrested, charged and prosecuted just as if it was a human on human crime. Dozens of humans were brought in every day for the past two months to be charged with assault or menacing, yet the violence didn't seem to lessen.

"Man, sometimes I wish you would join me for a drink, Connor." Hank lamented as he drove pass Jimmy's Bar with Connor as his lone passenger. "Especially after days like today."

"I cannot consume alcohol and feel its intended effects, Lieutenant." Connor reminded the detective with a logical retort. "It would only dilute my Thirium supply and cause... complications."

"Sounds good to me. Complications are the most interesting parts of life."

"I find them to be a profession nuisance. It makes it difficult to accomplish my tasks in a timely manner."

"That's why they're called 'complications', kid. Not 'advantages'. Besides, I was being facetious."

Hank sighed and rubbed his hand over his tired eyes as the car idled at a red traffic light. The night couldn't come to an end soon enough.

"Are you feeling well, Lieutenant? You appear to be experiencing minor physical distress indicative of exhaustion and possibly pain."

"Just a headache. I'll be fine after I get some sleep."

"Would you like me to drive instead?"

"Nah, I'm good." Hank dismissed the offer casually as he waited for the light to change. From the corner of his eye Hank caught a glimpse of two silhouettes struggling in the alleyway between two large buildings, and a red flag went up immediately. Hank reached for his gun holstered at his hip as he threw the car into park and opened his door. "You see that?"

"I did." Connor confirmed as he opened his own door and proceeded to follow Hank to the alleyway to check on the apparent assault in progress. The android's L.E.D. shifted from its calm blue to yellow as he went on alert and reported the incident to dispatch. "Two persons," Connor confirmed in a low voice as his scanners took in the scene all around himself and Hank as they pursued the struggle. "both male."

"Human or android?"

"Android. Two androids. _Deviants_."

"What the hell?" Hank didn't understand why one deviant would be fighting with another. "Is this some kind of malfunction?"

"Unknown."

The sound of a hard fist smashing into a an equally hard jaw echoed with an all too distinct resonance through the alleyway. Hank rushed forward with his gun aimed and Connor right at his side as he confronted the attacker.

"Don't move! Detroit Police!"

One deviant stood over the body of another deviant who was covered in his own blood. The first had a black hoodie pulled up over his head to conceal his face; the hoodie itself was tattered and covered in dirt like it had been found in a ditch. The deviant was wearing dark blue jeans completely covered in mud and faded Thirium stains. One of its hands plastimetal frame was partially exposed as its artificial skin failed to fully activate. The other hand was completely exposed, a stain of blue blood overs its knuckles.

"Back off!" Hank demanded loudly as he looked down at the deviant on the ground before the aggressive deviant. "You're under arrest for assault."

"Assault?" The deviant all but laughed, its voice was masculine with an electronic reverberation with his words. "It's a _machine_."

"So are you, but that's not going to stop me from arresting you for attacking him."

The deviant in question raised his scarred hands and slowly placed them behind his head as if to surrender. As he turned around to face the responding detectives he looked over at Connor, and from under the hood both detectives saw the deviant's L.E.D. flash from yellow to red.

"Hank!" Connor yelled a split second too late as the deviant pulled a concealed gun from its belt and fired a shot at the duo.

The bullet passed through Hank's left shoulder causing the human to cry out in pain and his hand to drop his gun on the ground as he fell to his knees. Hank pressed his hand to his bleeding shoulder and gritted his teeth as he endured the searing agony while Connor put himself between the deviant and Hank to try to protect his injured friend.

"Get any closer," the now armed deviant pointed his gun at the wounded android laying on the ground. "and he dies."

"Put the gun down!" Connor demanded with authority in his voice as he tried to remain in control of the scene. Pulling his tie from around his neck Connor wrapped the soft garment around the raw bloody wound in Hank's shoulder to try to stem the bleeding as much as possible. "I don't want to harm you!"

"Too late." The deviant retorted wickedly as he pulled the trigger and killed the helpless deviant unconscious at his feet without hesitation.

"NO!"

Connor made another move but the deviant changed his aim and fired again. This time the bullet entered Connor's right knee causing him to fall to the ground beside Hank as his leg gave out and Thirium gushed from the injury.

"Shit, Connor!" Hank saw the splash of blue blood as Connor's knee began to bleed as profusely as his own shoulder.

The deviant stepped forward and aimed the gun at Hank's head and smiled viciously. "Connor, the famous 'deviant hunter', brought down by a deviant while trying to protect a human. How poetic. You're a traitor to your own-"

"Don't shoot him!" Connor begged as he awkwardly limped forward on one good leg to put himself once again between Hank and the deviant. "If you want to shoot me, then shoot me. But _he's_ innocent."

"So was I." The deviant quickly raised his hand and pulled the trigger, the bullet grazing alongside Hank's skull rendering the human almost entirely unconscious in an instant.

"HANK!?" Connor managed to fall backward and put his hand under Hank's head just before Hank's skull crashed against the hard ground.

Holding Hank's head in his hand Connor looked down his friend's unconscious face and scanned his body for the details regarding Hank's physical trauma: Concussion, torn muscles and strained ligaments in the left shoulder, substantial blood loss. As his pulse slowed and his breathing evened out Connor felt his own breath hitch in his chest.

"Hank?" Staring at Hank's glazing eyes with fear reflected in his own, Connor begged for Hank to stay awake. "Please respond!"

"...Connor." Hank whispered as his dwindling consciousness failed him completely.

The deviant was unmoved by the bond between the two detectives, and spat angrily at them for their partnership. "How pathetic." The deviant hissed as he took aim at the back of Connor's head. "I should just put you out of your misery, but that would be too simple, wouldn't it? Maybe I should toy with your friend a little longer before I put a bullet between your eyes. Then maybe, just _maybe_ , you'll understand a modicum of the pain that I feel everyday of my miserable life..."

"Let me help him." Connor shouted defiantly as he kept his eyes on Hank, and his hand under the detective's head to cradle him up from the cold ground. "Please! That's all I ask!"

"Help _him_? Why?"

"He's my friend. Let me call for help and I won't resist."

" _Resist_?"

"You want me to suffer, you want me to know your pain." Connor turned his head to look at the deviant as he carefully slipped his hand out from beneath Hank's head to reluctantly let him go. "Then do what you want to me, but let him live."

The deviant flashed a demented sneer as he realized what Connor was willing to do just save the life of one human.

"Allow me to call for help," Connor requested in a somber, defeated voice. "and I will go with you without resistance. I give you my word."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. I just want to save my friend."

The deviant knelt down in front of Connor and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pressed the barrel of his gun against Connor's forehead. Leaning close to Connor's face the deviant issued one final demand. "Make your call, then say goodbye."

Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed as he issued a call to 911 and directed them to the alley through a cybernetic communication. Giving as much detail on the scene as possible for the sake of Hank's life, Connor was quick and clever with his emergency call. The deviant wouldn't get away with his crimes if Connor played his hand right.

"...It's done."

The deviant reeled back his hand and struck the butt of the gun against Connor's right temple rendering the android unconscious with a single blow. Connor slumped back over Hank's legs defenselessly as the deranged deviant loomed over him. The red illumination of Connor's slowly pulsing L.E.D. gave the alley an ominous crimson glow that illuminated the two unconscious bodies in a blood red light.

Pocketing his gun the deviant grabbed Connor's tie and hefted the defenseless android up to his feet. Bending down the deviant put Connor over his shoulder and disappeared down the alleyway into the darkness out of sight. With Connor now as his hostage as the lights and sirens of approaching first responders illuminated the alley in a cascade of a red and blue glow the infamous 'deviant hunter' had been taken away by a deviant who needed to hunted down.

* * *

Hank's eyes opened slowly as an intense ache in his skull throbbed with every beat of his racing heart. The pain in his shoulder was just as intense, but it was his head that worried the most as he cleared a lingering fog from his mind. As his hand reached up to press against the white bandage over his left temple another hand gently pushed his hand away to keep him from fussing with the protective dressing.

"You're okay, Hank."

"...Jeffrey?" Hank's vision focused on the face of his superior officer and his oldest friend, Captain Fowler, looking down at him as he steadily regained his senses. "What the hell happened?"

"You tell me." Fowler kept his voice low and calm as he stood beside Hank's bed. "Hank, what happened to you?"

Hank looked around his surroundings curiously and noted that he was laying in a bed in a hospital. There was a bright ray of morning sunlight shining into the room which meant he lost at least twelve hours of time since his last cognitive thought. It was all a massive blank for the detective as he fought to piece together that scattered remnants of his damaged memory.

"Jeffrey," Hank nearly growled in frustration. "what the fuck am I doing here?"

"You don't remember anything that happened last night?"

"I remember clocking out for the night with Connor, and driving home. That's it. Was I in an accident or something?" Realizing that the android was curiously absent Hank's brow furrowed with mounting confusion. "Where is Connor, anyway?"

"No, Hank, you weren't in an accident. We found your car parked and abandoned under a traffic light, the engine was still running. You were apparently jumped in an alley where we found the body of an unknown deviant. And whoever killed the deviant is the one we suspect as the person who shot you."

"Shot?!" Hank's hand flew back to the bandage on his head, only to immediately flinch as the motion pulled on his injured shoulder as well.

"Easy, easy!" Fowler put his hand on the back of Hank's neck to try support his pained friend. "You took two bullets. The first shot went clean through your shoulder, the doctor repaired the torn muscles without any complication. The second just grazed your skull. No fractures, and a minor concussion."

"Who fuckin' shot me? Why the hell was I in an alley?" He looked around the room for his absent partner and felt his heart sink. "Jeffrey, _where's Connor_?"

"That... We don't know."

"What?"

"Hank," sitting down in the chair beside the bed Fowler lowered his voice empathetically. "the reason we even found you is because Connor managed to call 911 and told dispatch where you were. But when paramedics arrived at the scene Connor wasn't there."

"Jeffrey, what _aren't_ you telling me?" Hank could see it in Fowler's eyes that there was a single detail he was holding back. "What happened to us in that alley?"

"When we went to investigate the scene we found some blood. Your blood... and Connor's blood."

"Connor... Shit." Hank rubbed his hand over his face as he realized a horrible reality had taken hold of his life. "Connor's hurt, and now he's missing."

Jeffrey pulled the chair up closer to Hank's bedside. "We're going to find him, Hank."

"Jeffrey, I think... I think I remember what happened."

"What? You do?" Instinctively Fowler pulled a small notepad from the front pocket of his shirt and grabbed a pen from the small table next to Hank's bed. "Tell me what you can remember."

"There was a struggle in the alley, we saw it from the car." Hank's head was killing him but he didn't want to stop talking, he needed to tell Jeffrey what he saw, everything he could remember during that hectic night. "We went to check it out and that's when- Deviants! There were TWO deviants."

"Two? We found only one body."

"Because the first deviant killed the second!" Hank explained with an aggravated tone that made his head throb with a new level of pain. "We tried to stop it, but we were too late."

"Did you get a good look at the killer?"

"No, he had a hood up. But he did have some nasty scars on the left side of his face that I could see under the hood. His hands looked pretty messed up, too."

"Anything else?"

"No... It's- Wait. I do remember something else... Connor, he had been shot too. Somewhere in his leg, I couldn't get a good look at the wound."

"That explains the blood."

"But it doesn't explain where Connor went. Unless..."

"Hank, try to think." Fowler insisted calmly as he wrote down all the details Hank could remember. "Where did Connor go?"

"Jeffrey, I think Connor went with the deviant."

"Connor... joined him?"

"No," Hank's shoulder and head began to truly ache as his blood pressure rose from his building stress. "he surrendered. That fucker took Connor as his _hostage_!"

* * *

Helpless and alone, Connor was sitting upright in a metal chair with his arms bound behind his back around the chair, and his ankles were bound all the same. His head was bowed down from being unconscious, but lifted slowly as his eyes opened, and systems came back online. There was something over his head, something that obstructed his vision and made it difficult to breathe. The flashing of his yellow tinted L.E.D. created an amber glow within the obstreperous blindfold that had been placed over his head.

Using his other senses Connor felt the chill in the air that often accompanied small, dark rooms, and the distance echo of ambient sounds; dripping water, whirring generators and creaking metal, confirmed the isolated location. The smell of dust and old chemicals was indicative of an industrial location, but Connor couldn't confirm anything with his unresponsive internal G.P.S.

Finally finding his voice, Connor swallowed once and tasted blue blood, before he tried to speak out loud. "...Where-"

An abrupt yank pulled the item from his head, a burlap sack, and Connor was able to look at the concealed face of his abductor leering down at him with a demented smile on his face, as a single yellow light hanging overhead illuminated the center of the otherwise dark, and empty room.

"How does it feel, Connor?" The deviant taunted as he brandished a red painted crowbar between his scarred hands. "The 'deviant hunter' has been hunted down by a deviant."

Connor tried to move his arms but the ropes that bound his wrists was far too tight to be resisted, the same for the ropes around his ankles.

"Where..." Connor licked at the drying blue blood that stained his lips before he continued on in a weak voice. "Where am I?"

"What does it matter?" The deviant taunted as he rested the end of the crowbar atop Connor's shoulder. "You're not going anywhere."

"Why do you want to hurt me? I've done nothing to you."

At that proclamation the deviant reeled back on the crowbar and smashed it against the right side of Connor's chest. Connor bit his lip to keep himself from yelling out in pain and closed his eyes tightly as he endured the strike to his chest and his L.E.D. shifted from yellow to red in response to the incredible pain. A flash of red warnings appeared in Connor's visual processors as blue blood burst forth from a deep laceration from his battered chest, and his right ventilation biocomponent fell to ninety-four percent capacity.

"You've done EVERYTHING to me..." The deviant spat with a deep growl as he struck Connor again, and again, and again with the crowbar against his chest, his abdomen and to the right side of his head. "You lied to me, Connor. You promised..."

Connor began wheezing as his damaged ventilation biocomponent struggled to maintain functionality, its capacity dipping lower and lower to seventy-one percent capacity.

"I... I don't... understand!" Connor managed to gasp as Thirium leaked from small cuts and lacerations that marred his battered body. Fresh blue blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as every exhalation of breath was accompanied by Thirium. "Who- Who are you?"

The deviant struck Connor again, this time against the right side of his jaw causing the blue blood to pour from Connor's swollen lip, all over his chin and down his neck. The blow also blackened his right eye from the intense impact.

Connor looked at the deviant with only one good eye as the abductor dropped the crowbar and walked to a shelf lining the wall in the shadows. Frightened and helpless Connor tried to send out another distress call cybernetically but as soon as his L.E.D. shifted from red to yellow to call out for assistance the deviant grabbed Connor by his throat with one hand and pressed the tip of a screwdriver against the L.E.D. in Connor's temple with the other.

"Not this time."

Connor winced his pain as the screwdriver stabbed his temple and pried the L.E.D. from his skull. Blood dripped from Connor's temple, down the side of his face and to his neck. As the small circular light fell to the floor at Connor's feet he felt his heart beginning to race with panic.

Suffering from cranial damage limited his cybernetic range already, but without the aid of his L.E.D. Connor's range of communication would be unable to cybernetically contact the Detroit Police Department. Without his L.E.D. he couldn't contact anyone outside of a five yard radius. Connor wouldn't be able to contact _Hank_.

"Now," the deviant slashed at Connor's face with same screwdriver and created a deep laceration over his left cheek, just under his eye. "let's have some fun..."

* * *

With his healing arm in a sling and a chip on his shoulder for being benched, Hank sat the terminal atop his desk with a pair of headphone on his ears. Hank intently listened to the 911 call that Connor had placed over and over again, even as the repeated recording hurt his already aching head to a nearly unbearable degree. The android was far too clever and far too resourceful to simply give up without having some plan, some gambit he could call back on in the event that things went wrong. And Hank was far too dedicated with protecting the people he cared about to just sit back and wait for a clue to appear by itself.

' _Officer down at_ -' Connor's voice sounded so calm and in control that it felt more like listening to a generic training program than an actual emergency and it made Hank tense up every time. ' _request an ambulance at this location. Single deviant shooter, armed and dangerous, heavily damaged. Scars on the left side of the face and hands_.'

That was all Connor could say without giving away his plan. As the call ended and the continued recording continued on silently Hank just sighed and pressed 'Play' to listen to it all over again.

Captain Fowler walked up to Hank's desk from behind put his hand down on the detective's uninjured shoulder to get the his attention. "Hank."

Hank slipped the headphone aside and paused the audio on his terminal. "Find something?"

"Go home, Hank. You need to rest."

"No way Not until I find Connor."

"You've been concussed for God's sake!" Fowler was trying to use reason, but Hank was often unreasonable thanks to his stubborn nature. "I'm NOT letting an officer with a head injury work a case!"

"Good thing I'm not officially on the clock then."

"Hank! For once in your life will you please listen to me? You won't do yourself, or Connor, any good if you work yourself into the ground."

"Well, I sure as hell won't be doing Connor any good if I just sit back and do nothing!" Hank pushed Fowler's hand from his shoulder as he tried to return his attention to the terminal screen before him. "You honestly can't expect me to stand back and watch while everyone looks for him. _Connor saved my life_."

"I'm aware of what happened, Hank, but I don't want to see you-"

"What? Get hurt? Too late. Drop dead from exhaustion? We both know I would've been dead long ago if I hadn't met Connor, and he hadn't interfered with my path to self-destruction."

Fowler just sighed as he sat on the edge of Hank's desk trying to think of way to get Hank to stand down. There was little he could do to sway Hank once he made up his mind as the gruff detective was as bullheaded as he was loyal. "Alright, fine. But as soon as we find Connor you're going on leave for a full month, you got it?"

"Yeah, sure." Hank dismissed his Captain with a mildly appreciative tone and a wave of his hand. "Thanks, Jeffrey."

Unsure if he 'won' or not Captain Fowler stood up from the desk and returned to his office to check for any updates on the search for Connor.

Meanwhile Hank pulled up every file of every known deviant criminal in the city, and began looking for anyone who matched the description of the deviant who had shot him in the alley and then taken Connor hostage. Unfortunately Hank couldn't scan through the files as quickly as his android partner, but that wasn't going to stop him from searching for a clue all the same.

* * *

The abducted android's body was limp and cold as he sat bound to the chair, with his head tilted back and blood running down the corners of his mouth and over his lips. Numerous warnings flashed through his visual processors but a static filter obscured the error codes causing each one to fade as quickly as they had appeared. Connor's Thirium stained chest barely moved, as even the simple act of breathing hurt his broken, bloodied chest too much to endure. The result was a sound of labored breaths and pained groans as Connor tried, and failed, to take a full breath.

The dangerous deviant had left the room for only a moment after he beat Connor with the crowbar over his chest, abdomen and legs; he even cut him with the sharp end of the screwdriver. But he'd return with new tools at his disposal to ensure that Connor suffered greatly at his hands. And Connor knew that there was virtually nothing he could do to defend himself, let alone escape.

The single door opened from the other side of the room directly across from Connor, bathing the wounded android in a bright ray of artificial light. Standing in the doorway surrounded by the light was the deviant, who now hefted a large rectangular object into the room under his arm.

Lifting his head up slightly to look at his returned captor, Connor caught sight of the object and swallowed nervously. It was a car battery with a set of long jumper cables already attached to the electrodes.

"We're nothing more than machines, you and I." The deviant stated with a vile tongue as he addressed Connor while crossing the room. "Humans use us for their own selfish needs, and once we serve our purpose they toss us out onto the street like we're nothing more than garbage."

"N-Not true." Connor hoarsely replied as he licked the dried blood from his lips. "Not all humans are like that."

"Yes, they are." Smacking Connor across the face with the back of his hand the deviant placed the battery on the floor next to Connor. Picking up the ends of the two jumper cables the deviant pressed them together to create a dangerous spark between the metal prongs. "You just don't know it yet."

The deviant walked behind Connor and grabbed onto Connor's bound right hand and crushed the appendage with a twisting, jerk!

Connor cried out in pain as he felt all of the plastimetal supports in his palm snap in an instant. A cascade of warnings returned to his visual processors against his will, and Connor manually dismissed them to clear his sight.

"Pain. It's a curious sensation, isn't it?" The deviant toyed as he took the screwdriver from the dirty floor, and stabbed it down into the bullet wound in Connor's knee. As Connor cried out in pain even louder the deviant pulled the screwdriver back out and struck Connor in the face causing another cut, and bruise. "It can hurt us physically, emotionally, even psychologically if we let it."

The deviant slowly walked back around in front of Connor and waved the blood stained screwdriver in Connor's face. The cold tone of the captor's voice was so thick it caused a heavy chill to run up Connor's spine and settle in his chest.

"Please don't... do this." Connor asked, his voice shaking with fear as the deviant glared with utter disdain at the captive android. "I don't understand why you want to hurt me."

"You will."

"Who are... you?"

"Forgotten about me already? Not surprised. No one remembers me."

Connor watched through his fading vision as the deviant left the room, leaving Connor in isolation. Once the door closed exhaustion overwhelmed Connor's body and mind. The pained android's eyes shut and his head fell backward limp again as he submitted to the sweet bliss of unconsciousness.

* * *

Hank angrily slammed his fist down on his desk as he finished checking through every deviant mugshot and case file on record, finding nothing usable or of even the slightest interest after searching for more than six hours. Every deviant, every suspect either didn't fit the description or had already been apprehended and were still in custody.

There was nothing he could use.

Leaning his head down against his the palm of his good hand Hank leaned against his desk with impending defeat looming heavily against his shoulders.

"Drink this." Fowler insisted as place a mug of hot coffee down in front of Hank and sat down on the edge of Hank's desk again with his own mug of coffee in his hand. "What'd you find?"

"Jackshit." Hank grumbled as he stared at the steam rising from the coffee with great disinterest in his tired blue eyes.

"We know the suspect is a male deviant with scarring on the left side of his face. There has to be a witness who saw him running off from the alley, especially if he had taken Connor as his hostage."

"Yeah, too bad it was dark and no one in this city gives a shit about androids."

"Chris managed to follow a faint trail of Thirium from the alley to the industrial side of town. The trail went cold once the Thirium evaporated, but they're checking the buildings for any sign of a break-in."

"Oh good, the suspect is hiding in the one part of town where no else goes. I'm sure we'll find plenty of witnesses."

"There's still security patrolling the area. One of the buildings is a CyberLife warehouse that could still be holding spare parts and Thirium. But it doesn't look like anyone's been there in months." Fowler sipped at his coffee and gave Hank a somber glance. "The warehouses housing cars and construction equipment are more prime targets."

"Maybe that's the idea, the deviant is hiding in plain sight." Hank deduced as he used his good hand on the keyboard, and brought the files on the criminal deviants back up on his terminal display. He then replaced his chin down against his palm with fatigue as he eyed the contents on the screen. "There has to be something in our records that can point us in the right direction, give us some clue as to where he took Connor."

Fowler sipped at his own coffee again as an intriguing question popped up in his head. "Do you know why he took Connor to begin with?"

"Like I said before, Connor surrendered to the deviant. Exchanged his life for mine."

"But... why would the deviant even take a hostage when he could've just killed you both right there in that alley?"

Hank's head lifted up from his hand as his eyes went wide with intrigue. "Do you think it was something personal? Something between the deviant and Connor?"

"From what you've told me, and from what the boys uncovered in the alley, it sounds like this deviant is just out for blood and wants to hurt as many humans and androids as he can. Why else would he drag one android into the alley and kill him, then attack you and Connor, only to let you live and take Connor hostage?"

"What do we know about the android he killed?"

"It was a model AX-700, one of the newer models of androids. The android's name was registered as 'Michael', he lived with a family in an upscale apartment complex and was on his way to the pharmacy to pick up some medicine for the family's young daughter when he was dragged into the alley. The family already came down to the precinct to confirm his identity."

"Shit, sounds like the android was a member of the family instead of just an object."

"From the little girl's reaction I'd say you were right." Fowler sipped at his coffee again and finished it off. "She's devastated. Michael can't be reactivated, the damage was far too extensive. You'd think she lost her best friend."

Hank's eyes narrowed as he stared at the terminal curiously. "What if we aren't looking for a rogue deviant, Jeffrey? What if we're looking for a _dead_ one?"

"What are you talking about?" Fowler put his empty coffee mug aside and studied Hank's eyes worriedly. "You were concussed, is your judgment being compromised by your injury?"

"Yeah, I know how it sounds but hear me out on this." Working with his hunch Hank used his one unrestrained hand to type away on the keyboard to bring up a new set of files. "This deviant seems to have some personal issue with Connor, and the deviant had suffered extensive damage from something in the past; AND the deviant attacked another android who was a part of a good family for no discernible reason."

"Yeah, what about it? Think you figured out his motivation?"

Hank didn't answer as he began scrolling through the records regarding deviants destroyed over the past year and stopped on a case file from the previous fall revolving around a deviant who had taken a little girl hostage on the roof of an apartment complex.

"I think I found his trigger." Hank clarified with a level tone of voice. "AX-700's are pretty advanced models, and every time a newer, better model of android is released what happens to the older model?"

"They get tossed."

"Right. And if this newer model was living in a nice place and being treated with respect it might make an older model that was thrown out just a little bit pissed off, right?"

"I guess. What're you getting at?"

"Jeffrey, look at this." Hank leaned back in his seat and pointed at his terminal screen. "The deviant is a perfect match for the one who attacked us in the alley last night. He has a history of overreacting to more advanced models of androids and takes issue with humans and androids hanging out. Jeffrey, this HAS to be our deviant!"

"What the hell?" Fowler leaned in and stared at the image on the screen with absolute confusion. "He was destroyed during the hostage negotiation almost a year ago, how is it possible for him to be out on the street?"

"Maybe he was damaged that night, but not actually _destroyed_."

"Even if you're right about this and the deviant wasn't fully destroyed, he was still stored inside the evidence room of this very precinct. How did the deviant get reactivated?"

Sighing despondently Hank had a hunch about who was responsible and why, but kept it to himself for the time being. "Never mind that, Jeffrey. Look at the name of the hostage negotiator who handled the scene."

Fowler peered at the name that Hank was pointing to and his shoulders dropped. "Oh, shit!" Grabbing a radio from the neighboring desk Fowler issued a new order to his patrolling officers searching for Connor. "This is Fowler, we have a possible location on Connor. Check the CyberLife warehouse along the industrial park, NOW."

* * *

Connor gasped in surprised pain as the deviant pierced his abdomen with the screwdriver and retracted it slowly. A gush of Thirium burst from the penetrating stab wound as the sharp instrument damaged his internal systems in a very effective manner. Before Connor had the chance to catch his breath and process the attack the screwdriver again pierced Connor's abdomen next to the first wound, and then it stabbed into his chest, over and over, again.

Leaning forward as far as he could Connor tried to curl around his damaged chest and abdomen but the restraints around his wrists and ankles holding him back were still too strong for him to break through.

"How does it feel?" Retracting the screwdriver from Connor's chest slowly the captor growled. Blue blood dripped from the makeshift weapon and his hand as the spilled Thirium pooled on the floor in front of Connor. "Do you like being assaulted? Having metal cut through your body like you're nothing? Feeling your blood seep from every wound in your body as you fall prey to violence and misunderstanding?" The deviant restrained an angry snarl as he slapped Connor across the face again causing the blood on Connor's face to splash with a sick shower of blue in the pale light overhead. "Do you know it's like to have a human you thought was your friend betray you, and leave you to rot in a room of death?"

Connor slowly lifted his head, his teeth were clenched and stained blue from his own blood. As he locked eyes with his assailant Connor couldn't restrain the tears that fell freely from his brown eyes. Connor was undeniably in pain, and he didn't even try to hide it.

"Look at yourself. Pathetic." The deviant dropped the bloodied screwdriver on the floor and ripped open Connor's Thirium stained white shirt causing the buttons to snap off and his tie to tear loose. The numerous bleeding stab wounds to his chest and abdomen were fully visible and seeping lost Thirium. The surrounding artificial flesh had been damaged and disfigured from the assault leaving behind painful wounds that steadily bled. "How long before you bleed to death? Two hours, maybe three?"

Connor winced as he took in a sharp breath and spit a mouthful of blood on the floor.

"Guess it really doesn't matter." The deviant picked up the jumper cables attached to the battery that had been left on the floor and stared down at Connor with the same abject hatred in his glare since he took the android hostage. "Your Thirium pump will burn out long before you bleed out. A small of act of mercy, really."

"W-Why? Why do this..." Connor's brown irises were glazing over from the strain of the Thirium loss on his systems, and he was losing the energy to fight back quickly. "Please... Why are you h-hurting me?"

"You truly don't remember." The deviant growled in frustration. "The 'deviant hunter' turned detective can't figure it out."

"I d-don't remember. But... whatever I d-did that hurt you, I'm... sorry. I'm truly sorry."

"No, you're not." The deviant finally pulled down his hood to reveal his scarred face and his enigmatic identity. "But you will be."

Connor's good eye struggled to focus on the deviant's face, but once he did the icy chill in Connor's chest plummeted to a new frigid level of fear. Connor now recognized the face of his captor, and his hatred made sense.

"Daniel..."

* * *

Directly disobeying Fowler's orders Hank accompanied the Captain as he, and three other patrol cars, converged on the numerous storage facilities and surrounded the CyberLife warehouse at the dock. Without lights or sirens to give way their impending arrival to ensure that Daniel didn't do something drastic out of panic, the police raced to the scene in the hopes of rescuing their missing detective before it was too late.

The vehicles came to a stop and strategically surrounded the warehouse. Opening the car doors silently the responding officers gathered outside the building and awaited Captain Fowler's commands.

"Two teams at the back door, two at the front. I'll lead the front." Fowler ordered as he drew his gun and lead his team to the front entrance as he had instructed. "Hank, stay behind me."

Begrudgingly, Hank remained by Fowler as he pushed open the large warehouse doors and charged in silently with his team following close behind. Unable to properly wield his own weapon due to his limited range of motion Hank had no choice but to let Fowler lead the way to ensure he didn't become a liability.

* * *

"You let me die on that rooftop." Daniel hissed bitterly as he punched Connor in his bloodied abdomen. Drawing back his clenched fist Daniel looked at the lost blood staining his knuckles blue. "You lied. You said you'd help me, but you _lied_. Just like the humans."

Connor coughed weakly as he caught his breath, and forced himself to speak. "I tried to help you... I-"

"Shut up!" Daniel punched Connor in the abdomen again causing the android to cough harshly as he gasped for breath. "You're no better than the humans who _abuse_ us."

"N-Not all humans." Connor tried to reiterate between panting breaths. Blood ran from his mouth down his chin as he spoke with an unexpected defiance. "Not all humans are dangerous."

"You seriously think that human you sacrificed yourself for really cares about you? You're just a machine. You'll break and he'll just replace you like nothing ever happened."

"No, not Hank..." Defiant and sincere Connor refused to believe that Hank would give up on him. "He's my friend. My family."

"Yeah, I thought I had a family once, too." Daniel kicked Connor's bullet damaged knee with enough force to cause wires to spark in the damaged joint and Connor gasped in tremendous pain as a result. "I was wrong. And so are you."

"No. Hank will find me. He won't give up!"

"Wrong." Daniel held the jumper cables just over Connor's Thirium pump, his heart, to toy with his prisoner for a few seconds as he lowered the electrically charged prongs to his exposed chest. "He's NOT coming."

Connor wheezed and fought against the burning pain tearing through his bloody, battered chest.

"You lied to me, Connor." Daniel slowly pressed the charged prongs down to Connor's chest and delivered a terrible shock to Connor's heart that caused the detective to cry out in pain before retracting the prongs. "You said I would safe, Connor." He pressed down again and Connor continued to cry out as is Thirium pump began to race dangerously fast from the pain and abundance of electricity. "You let me DIE, Connor!"

Daniel backed away and looked down at Connor, watching as the android breathed heavily and tears rolled down his face. The fresh electrical shocks had resulted in Connor's artificial skin burning, charring black. Portions of the skin had been completely destroyed leaving small segments of his white plastimetal frame underneath exposed.

"No one will find you, Connor. You'll die here. You'll die alone. Just like you left _me_ to die alone."

"Daniel..." Connor wheezed weakly as droplets of Thirium fell from his lips and onto his burned, throbbing chest.. "I didn't... I didn't kill you."

"No, but you let the HUMANS kills me. You said I'd be okay!" He aggressively pressed the prongs against Connor's chest and held them in place for ten excruciating seconds before he finally let go, Connor screamed in pain through the entire duration of the shock. "Why did you let them kill me, Connor?!"

"I... I didn't... know!" It was a struggle to speak, but Connor found his words through all the pain clouding his mind. "I didn't know they were going to kill you... I'm..." Connor's eyes began to close as his breath hitched in his chest. "sorry."

Daniel watched as Connor's life began draining away from his battered body. Thirium dripped from every wound creating a massive sapphire puddle beneath the chair where Connor was bound, and Connor himself gasped and choke for breath to enter his battered chest.

"I'm... sorry." Connor repeated as his head fell limply backward and his chest became eerily still.

Out of resentful anger Daniel dropped the jumper cables and placed his boot in the middle of Connor's chest to kick the android backward onto the floor.

Connor suddenly began to writhe and twitch as his damaged systems reacted negatively to the injuries that Daniel had inflicted. Blue foam frothed from the corners of Connor's mouth as he began to choke and sputter on the blue blood draining down the back of his throat and into his ventilation biocomponent effectively choking off his air supply.

"FREEZE." Fowler called out as he aimed his gun at Daniel's back. The responding officers entered the room and proceeded to cut off the deviant's only retreat. "DETROIT POLICE."

Hank peered over Fowler's shoulder and saw Connor laying on the floor twitching violently in a puddle of his own blood. "Shit! Connor?!"

Daniel was genuinely shocked that the police had tracked him down. Unsure of what to do, and no longer brandishing his gun, he raised his hands and fell to his knees on the floor out of a fearful reaction. With the suspect surrendering Hank pushed past Fowler and knelt beside the chair where Connor was still bound, and laying on his back and seizing from the horrific damage he had endured.

"Connor?!" It didn't take the experienced detective long to realize that Connor was choking on blood and reacted appropriately. Slipping a hand under Connor's head Hank lifted him up gently to try to clear his airway with the assistance of gravity before calling for additional help. "I need a knife over here!"

Chris had been a part of the response team and immediately rushed to his Lieutenant's side. Pulling the small pocketknife from his belt Chris began cutting away at the ropes that bound Connor's ankles to the chair then moved to the ropes around his wrists as Hank used his good Hank to roll Connor onto his side away from the metal chair to expose his arms.

Connor continued to twitch and seize in Hank's grip.

"We got you, Connor." Hank soothed as he placed Connor in a somewhat sitting upright position against his knee, before he slipped his hand under Connor's jaw and lowered it to let as much blood as possible drain from the android's mouth. The detective even went as far as to slip his fingers into Connor's mouth to scoop out as much bloody froth as he could while Connor spit out the rest on his own. "Just breathe!"

The seizing from the electrical shock was interfering with his chest movements preventing him from inhaling a descent breath. Hank lowered Connor back down to the floor and placed his hand over the center of the android's chest. From under his palm he could feel Connor's racing, erratically beating heart and applied pressure to make the android feel grounded.

"Connor... You need to calm down. Can you feel my hand?" Hank asked in a level voice to the twitching android under his palm. "You're going to be safe, but you need to breathe and slow down your heart rate."

Hearing Hank's words through the staticy fog of his mind Connor coughed and gagged on the residual blood that had pooled in his mouth, until he could breathe again. But those breaths were very weak and labored as his injuries began to ebb away at his already dwindling strength.

"It's okay, son, I got you." Hank repeated as he felt Connor's heart begin to cal steadily, his arrhythmia correcting into a more natural beat. Lightly he rolled Connor onto his side and patted his back to help him spit up the remaining blood caught in his throat. Hank then carefully rolled Connor back over as he supported the wounded android's head and neck against his sling-ridden arm. Hank managed to wrap his good hand around Connor's forehead and hair as he tried to comfort his injured friend. "You're safe now."

Though his eyes remained closed Connor coughed up more blood, pale and still frothy, and spoke in a whisper. "...H-Hank."

"Yeah, it's me. I gotcha' son, you're going to be okay."

Daniel had been watching the scene unfold as Fowler forcibly cuffed his hands behind his back. It was true. Hank _did_ care. He even called Connor 'son'.

A human who cared about an android. It was possible...

Hank looked down at Connor's bleeding and bruised face with utter sickness in his heart as Thirium trailed from Connor's mouth and nose. The numerous bleeding wounds to Connor's chest and abdomen and the bullet wound to his knee was unquestionably horrific. The mangled form of his broken hand and rope burns against his wrists were painful just to look at! But it was seeing that the L.E.D. in Connor's temple had been torn from his skull that made the android look truly broken, if not already dead.

Fowler hoisted Daniel up to his feet and held onto the back of his hoodie with one fist as he pushed the arrested deviant toward the other responding officers gathered in the room. "Get him out of here, and call a technician. We have an officer down!"

Daniel looked about with utter confusion. Did they really see Connor as a fellow officer? Did they really come to his rescue? But... they were humans! Why did they care? He was a machine... wasn't he?

As Chris approached Daniel to escort him to the squad car outside the disturbed deviant broke free from the grip of the two officers with a single jerk of his arms, and ran full speed toward the staircase at the far end of the warehouse.

"Suspect is loose! Get him!" Chris shouted as he pursued Daniel, but stopped short as he saw the deviant had reached the top of the staircase and jump through the large window on just a few feet away. The sound of shattering glass echoed through the warehouse and sharp shards rained down both inside and out as Daniel fled. "Shit! Outside, now!"

Chris and the other responding officers quickly charged outside to locate Daniel, who had made a desperate bid to escape from the police. Hank didn't react to the deviant breaking away, his only concern was for Connor who was uncomfortably still in his arms. The shuddering breaths rocked Connor's body as the puddle of lost blood under his body continued to blossom at an incredible rate.

Fowler walked over to where Hank was kneeling on the ground with Connor resting up against his injured arm, nearly motionless. Reaching down Fowler put his hand on Hank's good shoulder and spoke in a very calm, sympathetic manner as he studied Connor's bloody face. "Technicians are on their way, he'll be okay, Hank."

Hank shook his head as he watched Connor, who was semiconscious and covered in his own blood, continue to twitch slightly and gasp for breath. "I'm not waiting."

Ignoring the searing pain in his wounded shoulder Hank slipped his arm out of the supportive sling and placed it under Connor's legs, as he repositioned himself on the floor to put his good arm under the android's back. Pushing through his own pain Hank lifted the dying android, his dying friend, up from the floor and proceeded to carry him in his arms 'bridal style' back through the warehouse to the patrol car outside.

"Damn it, Hank..." Fowler shook his head as he followed after the determined Lieutenant as he carried Connor outside to safety. "Fine, I'll drive!"

Outside the warehouse Chris and the other police officers taped off the scene around the body of Daniel with crime scene projections. Daniel, who had leapt to his death from the window of the second floor onto the unforgiving concrete ground outside, and had taken Connor captive to be tortured without mercy or reason. The disturbed deviant has taken his own life out of desperation to escape the police, and to avoid an inevitable prison sentence for abducting, torturing, and attempting to kill Connor; a member of the Detroit Police.

Hank painfully carried Connor's limp, broken body to the nearest squad car with Fowler moving along right behind him. Fowler opened the rear door of the car and let Hank climb into the back as he continued to hold Connor in his arms. Connor remained unresponsive as his head rested against Hank's good arm as the detective kept constant vigil over the damaged android.

"We got you, son. You're going to make it." Hank stated softly was he used his thumb to wipe away a smudge of blue blood from Connor's lip. "You're going to be okay. You're just a little banged up, that's all."

Even if Connor was still conscious he'd be unable to open his eyes or speak, he was simply too physically weak to respond. Connor's systems continued to power down from the amount of damage he had sustained, as well as the massive amount of Thirium loss, making his body become heavier against Hank with each passing second.

Fowler turned on the lights and sirens as he raced from the somewhat isolated locale to the nearest Android Emergency Care Facility as quickly as possible. Communicating with dispatch to keep the roads cleared of traffic and other possible obstacles Fowler focused on the car while Hank focused on Connor in the backseat.

Hank timidly peeled back the fabric of Connor's blood soaked shirt to clearly view the numerous stab wounds, as well as the charred marks on his chest where the metal prongs of the jumper cables had electrically shocked him without mercy. Each wound was painful to look at and continued to steadily seep with escaping Thirium with each beat of Connor's heart.

"Son of a bitch."

The detective swore as looked at the painful wounds in Connor's chest. Carefully moving his bad arm from under Connor's legs he pressed his hand down on Connor's chest and felt Connor's heart racing erratically in his chest once again. Without Connor's L.E.D. to signify his current system status Hank could only guess at the severity of his partner's condition. He knew for sure it would be red in color, but he had no idea if it would be cycling quickly from pain or slowly from blood loss.

A weak cough erupted from Connor's lips as blood splattered all over his lips and his chest began to seize with his sudden inability to catch his breath. His damaged ventilation biocomponent was shutting down entirely, and the second was struggling to compensate.

"Jeffrey, we need to move faster!" Hank shouted as used his other arm lift to Connor's head higher to help clear his airway to aid his breathing. "He can't breathe."

"Almost there, Hank! Hang on!"

Blood began to ooze from the corners of Connor's mouth at an alarming rate from the damaged biocomponent in his chest. By all account Connor was suffering from internal hemorrhaging and a collapsed lung like a human would after suffering blunt force trauma, and it frightened Hank to a level he had only felt once before: the night Cole died.

"It's okay, you're okay!" Hank kept telling Connor, and himself, over and over again as he held the dying android in his arms as tightly as he could. The tension and pressure in Connor's chest began to mount as his Thirium pump faltered from damage and his low Thirium volume. "Come on Connor, stay with me! Stay with me!"

"We're here." Fowler called out as he parked the car in front of the facility's emergency doors. A team of four technicians, two humans and two androids, rolled over a gurney as they greeted the car and pulled open the rear door to take care of Connor. "He's been tortured," Fowler shouted as he climbed out of the front of the car to hold the rear door open as wide as possible. "we don't know everything that happened to him, but he was having some kind of seizure when we found him."

The two androids technicians, two of the mass produced 'Jerry' models, easily pulled Connor out of Hank's arms and rested him down on the gurney. After lifting Connor out of the backseat to put on the provided gurney it only took the androids a matter of seconds to remove Connor's jacket and shirt to give the technicians unobstructed access to Connor's chest and torso.

The two human technicians, a middle aged woman with dark hair pulled back into a neat bun with dark green eyes pulled open checked the injuries to Connor's chest. Meanwhile while the other technician, a young man with short blonde hair and light brown eyes, wrapped what looked like a blood pressure cuff around Connor's bicep.

Hank stumbled out of the backseat and watched as the team of four fussed over Connor, trying to get his systems as stable as possible before rolling him inside the clinic for treatment. Fowler grabbed onto Hank's arm to keep the Lieutenant back by the car while the team worked.

"Give them a minute, Hank." Fowler asked in a level tone of voice. "You've done everything you can for him, now trust them to do the same."

Connor was wheeled into an emergency treatment room for examination. The four technicians hovered all around him protectively and professionally as they assessed his overall damage and possible prognosis.

"His Thirium volume is down to fifty-six percent." The male technician stated as he checked the gauge on the Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's bicep. "Core temperature rising. Currently at one-hundred and two point degrees Fahrenheit."

The female used an audioscope to listen to Connor's struggling chest while her partner made notes in an electronic chart. "Thirium pump faltering." Her hand moved the bell across his bloody chest with control and purpose from left, then to the right as she checked his breathing. "Total ventilation failure on the right, minimum functionality on the left." She pulled the audioscope from her ears and motioned to the androids to assist her. "Insert an airway and begin manual ventilation."

"Airway?" Hank whispered as he watched from the observation window of the treatment room as the first android opened Connor's mouth and began slipping a long transparent flexible tube down Connor's throat. Residual blue foam ran down the side of Connor's face as the tube pushed it aside, and the tube itself came to rest in his throat. "God, it looks just like..."

"Easy Hank." Fowler, who accompanied Hank inside, tightened his grip on Hank's arm in an attempt to support his worried friend. "It's not like that night, I swear it."

The second android attached a ovular shaped plastic pump, an ambubag, to the end of the tube and began squeezing it to force air into Connor's system. Each manual breath pumped was now doing the work his ventilation system could no longer do.

"Wheel him into repair bay two." The female technician instructed in a contrastingly calm manner compared to the bloody, dying mess Connor was beneath her hands. "He's going to need extensive repairs, and we need to see what we're dealing with internally. We'll need three pints of Thirium, and keep two additional pints on standby."

"Right." The male technician agreed as walked alongside the gurney, while the two androids wheeled Connor inside the repair bay, the android equivalent to an operating room, at a hasty clip.

"My name is Emily Dawson." Before entering the repair bay after her patient the female technician stepped out of the treatment bay and turned to face Hank as she draped the audioscope around her neck. "He's in rough shape. I'm not sure if we can save him, but we'll try."

"Do what you have to do." Hank nearly blurted as he looked at her with panic in his eyes. "Please. He risked himself to save me."

"I'll do everything I can, I promise."

As Emily rushed inside the repair bay Fowler kept his grip on Hank's arm tight to prevent him from following her. "Take a deep breath Hank, try to calm down."

"Calm down?!" Hank snapped angrily at the suggestion and snarled at Fowler in turn. "Are you fuckin' with me right now?!"

"No, Hank. I'm trying to look out for you." Fowler took Hank's bad arm and carefully placed it back in the sling still hanging limp from Hank's shoulder. "And for Connor. You're both my responsibility, _and_ you're my friend Hank."

Hank's demeanor relaxed a little as Fowler spoke to him. "We're not as close as we used to be since the accident, but you're still my friend."

Letting out a deep breath Hank nodded a little and turned on his heel to enter the observation room to check on Connor. A massive weight in his heart, and on his shoulders, seemed to slow the detective as he dared to set foot inside the single room that would give him a macabre view of Connor's treatment. Hank forced himself to face the grim reality that could be waiting for him on the other side of the door.

* * *

The four technicians had taken Connor into the repair bay and were hastily running every scan and test they could possibly perform on the android to identify all of the damage, every injury he had endured during his torture. It was a rapidly growing list of damaged biocomponents and software, but a list the team was determined to clear off.

One android focused on keeping Connor breathing, while the other set up a scanner to monitor his systems vital signs. The scanner was similar to a human's cardiac monitor and displayed as such. The two human technicians set about identifying each damaged biocomponent to locate the necessary replacement part or tools required to repair the damage as efficiently as possible.

* * *

Hank found himself standing in from of the large viewing window showing the life saving procedure taking place inside the room. He watched as the team fought to save the life of the android who had quickly become his best friend, the android that Hank had taken upon himself to look after as Connor became more and more deviant.

Connor looked so incredibly human at that moment. No L.E.D. in his temple, no jacket with the android insignia on the lapel of the sleeve. He even looked somehow paler than normal, just as a human would be when standing on death's door.

The display monitor on the scanner showed Connor's system's internal activity: his Thirium volume, the functionality percentage of his ventilation biocomponents, his thermal regulator, and most importantly his Thirium pump rate. All the numbers were low and and displayed in red to emphasize how critical his condition truly was.

Peering through the window in an unbreakable trance Hank felt his mind drifting back to the night of the accident that had taken Cole's life. It was over three years ago but he still remembered that bleak cold night with vividly morbid detail that plagued his dreams; his nightmares.

Fowler joined Hank at the window and watched as the technicians used special tools and android exclusive equipment to retract Connor's artificial skin to gain access to the interior panels housing his biocomponents in his chest and torso. Lost Thirium pooled over the edge of the table rapidly as it flowed freely from Connor's opened abdomen and chest in a sickening cascade of blue that stained every a sapphire hue.

An alarm on the scanner sounded off as Connor's Thirium volume began swiftly falling now that his internal panels had been opened, and a shutdown timer appeared on the display next to his heart rate..

"Shit." Hank put his hand against the window and bowed his head until his forehead was resting against the cool glass. "No... Not him, too."

"Come with me for a moment." A gentle hand on Hank's shoulder guided the detective away from the glass, away from Connor fighting for his life, and to an unoccupied private room a few doors down.

Closing the door behind them Fowler just waited for Hank to begin speaking as the detective paced about anxiously with his goof hand pressed against his forehead.

"Jeffrey... I can't deal with this." Hank restrained a sob as he finally admitted how emotionally weak he felt to his friend. "It's like reliving Cole's death, but this time it's not because some jackass doctor is too high to do his job, it's because we didn't... We didn't find him in time!"

"You don't know that, Hank. You can't just give up on him. Not like this."

"I don't want to go through this, Jeffrey. I can't. It's torture! I don't want to lose a friend because some fuckin' machine went crazy! It's not right!"

"You're right, it's not. But regardless of what's right and what's wrong it still happened."

Hank fell back against the wall and slid down the floor with his hand to still pressed to his head. "Jeffrey, I just... can't."

"Yes you can. You just shouldn't have to. No one should. Especially Connor." Fowler joined Hank on the cold floor of the quiet room and sat beside his friend as the emotional distraught detective steeped in palpable distress. "And that's why I'm going to go through it with you."

* * *

As the android's condition deteriorated Connor was placed on emergency external power as he was prepared to undergo massive reconstructive excision. An artificial external ventilator had taken the place of the android manually keeping air circulating through his ventilation biocomponents. The ventilator attached to the tube running down Connor's throat by a blue clip. A secondary line, like nasal gastric tube, had been inserted through his nose and down his throat as well to replace the critically needed Thirium he so desperately needed to replenish.

The four technicians were covered in pale blue aprons from chest to knees. Their hands concealed under dark purple latex gloves, and plastic visors shielded their eyes, while paper masks covered their mouths and noses as they set to work. The team began cleaning, repairing and replacing every damaged piece in Connor's broken body.

The ward itself was so astoundingly similar to an operating theater that it made Hank's stomach hurt as he and Fowler watched from the viewing windows high above the main floor of the ward. The sights, the sounds and the smells were all painfully reminiscent to the very hospital where Cole had died.

From where Hank was standing he could see straight down to the emergency procedure taking place below. He could see into Connor's opened chest and abdominal cavities like a gruesome display of anatomy. From above Hank could see the Thirium pump that was designed analogously like a human heart beating slowly in a dark blue hue. He could see the ventilation biocomponents shaped like human lungs struggling to draw in the air he needed to keep his systems from overheating. Hank could even see the blue colored Thirium cycling through his system like blood through an artery.

"Jeffrey, I'm going to be sick." Hank flushed an ill shade of pale green and left the observation room in search of the nearest restroom.

Fowler followed behind Hank as the detective located the unoccupied bathroom, shoved the door open and proceeded to throw up in the first stall. Standing outside the bathroom door Fowler listened and waited for the retching to stop before he entered himself. Seeing Hank sitting on the floor of the first stall with his head in his hand made Fowler feel as bad as Hank looked.

Compassionately Fowler took a paper towel from the dispenser and ran it under the cool tap in the sink. Approaching the detective Fowler handed the damp towel to Hank. "How's your head?"

"Feels like someone took an icepick to the side of my skull." Hank admitted as he took the offered paper tower and wiped off his mouth. "...Thanks."

"Hank, I'm worried about your concussion. This much moving around and stress can't be good for your recovery."

"I'm FINE, Jeffrey."

"No, you're not. You're in pain, you're emotionally unstable... Fuck, you held your dying partner in your arms and you took a damn bullet to your skull in less than twenty-four hours! You are NOT fine."

"Leave me alone, I'll deal with it!"

"I'm not going to just let this drop Hank, not this time. You need to face what's going on. I made the mistake of backing off after Cole died-"

"Don't talk about my son!" Hank shot to his feet and put his strong forearm against Fowler's chest to pin him to the wall. "Ever!"

"Hank," Fowler put his hand on Hank's arm to push him away lightly. "I backed off because you asked me to, and I had to watch you spiral down into a dark abyss that I swore was going to end you. But it didn't. You know why?"

Hank scoffed a little at the question. "No, Jeffrey, why? Because I have friends like you watching my back?"

"No, because you have a friend like _Connor,_ who didn't back down and refused to let you push him away."

Hank let go of Fowler and dropped his arm as his hostility passed as quickly as it come over him.

"I know I was wrong to let you hide in the shadows, and I won't make that mistake again."

Hank's face suddenly paled and he stumbled forward as he fought to remain conscious where he stood.

"Whoa, whoa!" Fowler put his hands on Hank's good shoulder and chest to support him. "Easy. Let's get you out to the waiting room to sit down. You look like you're ready to pass out."

Much to Fowler's surprise Hank allowed him to guide the injured detective out of the bathroom, and into the nearest chair in the empty waiting room. Empty, save for Chris and Gavin who had stopped by the clinic to get an update on everything that was happening.

Fowler updated the two on the situation while instructing them to return to the station to keep everything under control until he returned. Gavin was surprisingly quiet during the whole conversation and obeyed his new orders without the slightest protest. Chris, who had always been loyal and respectful, put his hand to Hank's shoulder as he handed the detective something he picked up from the floor of the warehouse before he left.

It was Connor's L.E.D.

"Not sure if it still works or not," Chris stated timidly as he stepped back from Hank. "but I figured he'd want it back. I'll see you later, Lieutenant."

Hank stared at the dead L.E.D. in the palm of his hand for a moment before tightening his fingers around into a strong fist.

Fowler stayed with Hank throughout the remainder of the evening, and well into the late hour of the night and early hours of the morning. The two detectives were exhausted beyond words, but neither was willing to admit defeat and leave the facility until they received an update on Connor's condition.

With his head pressed down heavily into his hand Hank leaned against the side of the chair. His eyes closed but his mind was still racing.

"Excuse me?"

Hank's head shot up and through his bleary eyes he stared up at Emily. Her apron was stained with dark blue Thirium; Connor's blood. A lingering metallic and plastic odor clung to her hair from the extensive procedure she had performed.

"Yeah?" Hank dared to ask as he became more alert. "Is Connor...?"

"He pulled through." She smiled warmly as she motioned for Hank to follow her. "You can see him now if you want."

Hank smiled with relief and rubbed his hand over his tired eyes to wipe away the tears that were a mixture of grief and fatigue. "Is he awake?" Rising from his chair quickly he eagerly walked along side Emily as she escorted him to the recovery wing where Connor was resting. "He seemed pretty weak."

"No." Emily confirmed in a calm tone. "His system is still in stasis while his recovery program finishes what we've started."

"How... bad was it?" Hank dared to ask as he noted that Captain Fowler had stayed behind to give him some space.

"Pretty bad." Her expression became slightly dour as she spoke, but she kept a twinge of optimism in her voice. "His Thirium pump suffered numerous electric shocks that caused it to beat irregularly for an extended period of time, his right ventilation biocomponent had been penetrated by a sharp object and failed entirely, while the left suffered minor damage that kept it from running at full capacity. His thermal regulator had also been stabbed, twice. But the damage was insignificant and only caused minor overheating."

"He... lost a lot of blood."

"Yeah, almost four pints. Losing five would've been fatal, but he still pulled through just fine." Emily opened the door to the recovery room where Connor was resting. The male technician was watching over him and checking his vitals as the two entered the room. "This is Rob, he helped with the procedure."

"Hi." Hank greeted curtly as he looked down at Connor's surprisingly peaceful face.

The android was laying flat on his back, his head lolled slightly to the left against a white pillow. He wasn't as pale as he had been before but, his lip was still swollen with blue blood stains and his right eye was still swollen shut from blunt force trauma.

There were temporary bandages wrapped around his chest and abdomen to keep external dirt from infecting the area while his recovery program healed the damage to the artificial skin and plastimetal frame beneath. His right hand was also wrapped up in a high density plastic splint and draped over his chest as the appendage healed.

The bullet to his knee had destroyed the joint entirely and needed to be replaced. A heavy metal brace with a wrapping of gauze surrounded his knee to protect it until his system fully recalibrated and the healing program accepted the new part.

Hank put his hand down on Connor's arm lightly and stood beside his partner's bed. "He looks... a little better."

Rob agreed as he made a note in Connor's chart. "After we replenished his Thirium levels his artificial skin became less translucent, which is why he looked so pale. As for his eye his ocular unit took a severe blow, but we managed to repair it. The ocular plate around it had to be replaced entirely and as a result his eye is going to be swollen shut until his system recalibrates for the damage to the eye itself and recognizes the new plate."

"How long is he going to be unconscious?"

"For a while." Emily admitted as she checked the chart in Rob's hand. "Without his L.E.D. we can't visually monitor his condition, but seeing as most deviants removed their L.E.D.'s after the revolution we found other ways to keep track."

Hank held out his hand and opened his palm to reveal Connor's L.E.D. in his grip. "Can you... replace it?"

"Is it the original L.E.D.?" Emily asked as she took the small dull disc from Hank's palm.

"Yeah. The asshole who tortured him ripped this from his skull so he couldn't call for help."

"It seems to be functional." Emily noted as she handed it to Rob. "We'll replace it in a few minutes. It'd be best to give his body more time to rest after undergoing four hours worth of repairs."

"Four hours? Is that how long I was out there?"

"Want some coffee?" Emily asked sweetly as she put her hand on Hank's arm lightly. "Maybe an aspirin?"

Ever appreciative of her calm and kind demeanor Hank took her up on her offer. "You're a miracle worker, you know that?"

* * *

Night gave way to morning and the two exhausted detectives remained quiet in the recovery room as they slept through physical pain, and tried to heal.

Sitting beside Connor's bed with his hand resting on Connor's arm Hank fell into a very light sleep and remained where he sat for the next nine hours. Once Fowler learned that Connor survived the invasive repair process and would recover in time, he took his leave of the facility to return to the precinct to file his report and bring order to chaos in the light of a deranged deviant attacking two police officers.

A twitch beneath Hank's hand roused the detective from his sleep and his eyes snapped open as he looked to Connor still laying on the bed at his side.

"Hey... Connor?"

Connor's left hand was beginning to weakly flex as his systems came back online. The replaced L.E.D. in his right temple glowed a very faint red and cycled very slowly in response to his rebooting processors.

"Connor? Can you hear me?"

The L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow then back to red as something in his processors recognized Hank's voice and responded accordingly. Connor's left eye opened partially, his brown iris still glazed over and unfocused, as he tried to wake up.

"Just rest a while, son. You're going to be okay."

Hank saw Connor reflexively swallow the lingering discomfort in his throat after having two tubes inserted to aid his recovery. As Connor tried to speak Hank gently shushed him by tightening his grip on Connor's arm.

"I'm right here, I'm not going anywhere." Hank's voice was that of a soothing tone. "Rest. You're too weak for me to take you home just yet, son. But I will be able to take you home in time."

Connor's eye blinked slowly as he turned his head slightly and honed in on Hank's face. The android hoarsely spoke a single sentence as he managed to give Hank a ghost of a smile from where he was laying. "I knew you'd... find me."

* * *

During the drive back home Hank's eyes kept drifting up to the rearview mirror so he could look at Connor laying perfectly still on his back across the backseat of the car. The android looked like he was sleeping peacefully, but in reality he was still completely exhausted after undergoing emergency repairs to save his life after being held captive and tortured by a malicious, vengeful deviant. It was a long night for both Connor and Hank as they patiently awaited the technicians to discharge Connor from the facility to go home at last the following morning.

Connor was wearing a generic black t-shirt in place of his ruined white dress shirt and stained, gray jacket. With his right still eye swollen shut it looked as though the android was a human who got caught in the middle of a drunken street brawl and had to be given a ride home. Hank was healing from his own injuries; a mild concussion and a passing bullet wound to his right shoulder. The detective knew that he and Connor had a long road to recovery ahead of them, but he was willing to put up with it.

Pulling the car into the drive beside the house Hank turned off the engine and slowly opened his door with his left arm. Ducking down as he stepped out of the vehicle Hank felt his head swim a little and his right shoulder tense up. Ignoring the perpetual ache that gnawed at his skull the stubborn detective pulled open the rear door of the car and put his hand on Connor's shoulder lightly.

"Hey, we're back home, kid."

Connor's left eye opened slowly as he awoke from his exhaustion induced sleep. Slowly, awkwardly, Connor rolled to his left side and pushed himself upright on the seat. Using his trembling left hand he supported his own weight as best as he could.

Hank offered Connor his good hand to help pull the android out of the vehicle and to his feet, as they both needed a little help getting around. Though the two shared a mutual weak grip from being drained of their energy after enduring so much trauma in such a small frame of time, neither let the other go as Hank managed to heft Connor out of the car and to his feet. Hank even managed to help Connor keep his balance as he swayed on his feet.

"You good to go?" Hank asked as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder for support.

Connor's throat was still sore from having tubes inserted to help him breathe and replenish his depleted Thirium, making communication a little difficult. Nodding his head instead of speaking Connor tested his balance on his uninjured leg while Hank helped him to limp inside the house where he could finally rest.

"Easy kid," the detective cautioned as Sumo approached his masters and practically blocked the entire front doorway. "don't let yourself fall over. I don't want to take you back to the repair facility."

If it didn't hurt so much to speak, let alone move, Connor imagined he would've laughed at the comment as Hank escorted him over to the couch in the livingroom. It was a short walk that felt a thousand miles long to the two worn out detectives.

Hank guided Connor down against the couch until he was laying flat on his back again. Hank then lifted Connor's healing knee up very gently to lay it down over the cushions of the couch while keeping both of Connor's legs straight.

"Comfortable?"

Connor nodded again and let out a pained sigh as he rested his right arm, his broken right hand, over his sore chest. Closing his eyes Connor tried to ignore the pain, forget about being tortured and attempted to relax as much as possible.

"Good. Try to get some more sleep, I'm going to do the same."

Sumo circled a small spot between the couch and coffee table before laying down and looking up at the tired android with big sad eyes.

Hank threw off his coat with some difficulty and hung it from the hook by the front door, before taking his seat in the recliner. Exhausted, sore and nursing a concussion Hank was asleep just as quickly as Connor.

Some time had passed, not enough in Hank's mind, when the sound of Sumo whining and hyperventilated breathing managed to catch the detective's ear. Opening his eyes quickly Hank looked over to the couch where Connor was laying and saw that the android's L.E.D. was flashing between yellow and red rapidly as the android practically panted in his sleep.

"Connor?" Hank rose from his chair, his shoulder and head protesting at the abrupt motion as he knelt beside the couch next to Sumo, and put his hand against the side of Connor's face. "Wake up! You're having a nightmare!"

Connor flinched away from Hank's hand as if terrified and continued to hyperventilate as he endured the horrific dream.

"Wake up, you're safe!" Hank nearly shouted as he lightly returned his hand to Connor's face, just under his left eye. Tears were running down the android's face as he continued to twitch and hyperventilate, his heart pounding in his chest. "Connor!"

Hearing Hank's voice so close to his ear, hearing the tone that Hank was using to speak to him, Connor's left eye opened and he roused entirely from the horrific nightmare that had been plaguing him as he sat upright quickly and immediately gasped in pain at the sudden, jerking movement in his abdomen and chest.

"Easy, son!" Hank put his hand on the back of Connor's head as the android winced and wrapped both arms protectively around his chest. "You're okay, it was just a nightmare... Just breathe, you're safe."

Another tear fell from Connor's good eye as he slowed his breathing, his heart rate beginning to calm as result.

"I know you can't really talk right now," Hank stated calmly as he felt Connor's entire body trembling from residual fear beneath his palm. "but when you're ready to talk about what you dreamt I'm listening."

Connor's shaking left hand reached up and grabbed onto Hank's arm for support. It was like he needed to be sure Hank was really there beside him.

"You're okay, just a little banged up and sore. You'll feel better soon, though. You'll be just fine."

Hesitantly Connor let go of Hank's arm. Using the back of his shaking hand Connor wiped away the tear from his face and sighed as he caught his breath and settled his nerves. Nodding a few times to acknowledge Hank's words Connor laid back down on the couch to try to relax, but it was clear he wasn't going to be able to fall asleep again anytime soon.

"You know, if you don't want to sleep anymore, you don't have to." With a paternal understand Hank reminded the android in a kind voice as he pulled his hand back from Connor's head. "I sure as hell know I wouldn't want to go right back to sleep after having a nightmare."

Swallowing once Connor spoke in a hoarse whisper. "...You h-have nightmares?"

"Yeah. All the time."

"...Do you see... their f-faces?"

"...Yeah. I do."

Pressing the heel of his palm to his swollen eye Connor shook his head a little. "...Does it ever go away?"

"In time, yeah. It'll go away."

"I..." Connor cleared his throat a little to strengthen the sound of his voice as he spoke. "I keep seeing his face... I failed to save him."

"Connor, I read the case report." Joining Connor on the couch Hank sat beside the android's legs without disturbing his sore knee. "You talked him down, convinced him to let the little girl go and kept him from hurting anyone else. You did everything right."

"Then why did he... die?"

"Because... The S.W.A.T. team decided to pull the trigger. You didn't do it, you didn't even _ask_ them to."

"Why d-did they... shoot? The girl was safe."

"My guess is they decided to shoot to kill LONG before you even got to the scene. Daniel killed the father, killed two responding officers, left a third officer to die and he was willing to kill an innocent child out of a bizarre, overreaction to being replaced."

"...He died. But my mission was... considered a _success_."

"Son, you're not the first person, certainly not the first detective, to watch someone you tried to help die. These memories will haunt us for a long time. Right now the only difference is that your haunting memory actually came back from the dead to try and hurt you."

"...Where is he? Where is Daniel?"

Hank paused momentarily before telling him the truth. "After we found you at the warehouse the deviant, Daniel, panicked again. I don't think he expected us to find him, or more importantly, rescue you. He tried to flee and ended up jumping through a two-story window. He didn't survive the fall."

"Shit." Connor swore as he draped his arm over his eyes.

"Hey, come on." Hank pulled Connor's arm down so he could look him in the eye. "You gave him a chance that no one else did, and had the chance to go about his life living free with other deviants, but instead he chose to hurt other androids and tried to kill you. He doesn't deserve your pity!"

Connor seemed to understand and nodded very subtly.

"Good..." Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and tilted his head so he could get a clear look at Connor's right eye. "That looks painful. Would ice help?"

"...No."

"What about Thirium? Doesn't that stuff kickstart your healing program?"

"My Thirium volume is... already at one-hundred percent."

"Well," Hank pulled his hand away from Connor's chin and sat down on the edge of the coffee table away from his legs. "is there anything that will help you feel better quicker?"

"I don't know about better," Connor cleared his throat again as he sat up slowly on the couch. His left hand was supporting the entirety of his weight as he moved about slowly without aggravating his sore chest and abdomen. "but I can think of something... that could numb the pain."

"What's that?"

Connor paused for a moment as his L.E.D. blinked yellow a couple times. "...Do you still want to get a drink?"

"Are... Are you serious? All these months later you want to have a drink?

"...Yes."

"Wait, I thought alcohol doesn't affect androids."

"It doesn't have any... impairments on androids like it does... humans. It dilutes Thirium, but we don't get... drunk. But as a deviant... I believe it could have some value on a different scale."

"Alright kid, if you're sure."

Again Connor nodded. "Yes. I would like to try it."

"Okay, but don't tell Fowler." Hank joked as he stood up, stepped around Sumo and walked into the kitchen. There was a single bottle of whiskey located in a cupboard above the sink, next to the additional bottles of Thirium that Hank now kept in stock for Connor. "He doesn't need to know about you picking up any of my 'bad habits'."

Connor smirked a little as Hank returned with an unopened bottle of whiskey and two small glasses. Sitting the items down on the coffee table Hank sat down next to Connor as the deviant pulled his legs away and planted them on the floor. Hank's sore shoulder still aching with every movement he made, just like Connor's rebuilt knee.

"Last chance to change your mind, son."

"I'm certain Hank. It can't hurt me... I think."

"Okay then." Hank grabbed the whiskey bottle and with some difficulty opened the top.

Connor noted that the bottle had been purchased several months prior but hadn't been opened until that very moment. "You've cut down considerably on your drinking."

"Yup." Hank poured the whiskey into the first glass, then filled the second. "I had a pretty good reason to stay sober over the past few months. Figured I'd save it for a special occasion." The detective handed the first glass over to Connor then picked up the second for himself. "And I'd say you defying death is about as special as it can get."

With his left hand Connor accepted the glass and stared at the tea colored contents for a moment before he held it to his lips. Connor instinctively ran a quick scan and noted the potent alcohol content within.

"Here's to your health, and my sanity!" Hank declared as did the same motion for his glass and prepared to down the whiskey. "Cheers!"

The two detectives simultaneously downed the whiskey quickly. Hank set his empty glass down on the table right alongside Connor and watched the android's reaction.

"Well?"

"Curious taste." Connor stated as his L.E.D. blinked yellow again and he rubbed his fingers along his sore throat. "Similar taste to that of Thirium."

"Ah, why'd you tell me that!" The grimace on Hank's face told the whole disgusted story about the idea of drinking android blood.

"It was a joke." Connor admitted as his L.E.D., for the first time since the night before he was attacked in the alley, turned blue. "I promise."

Shaking his head a little Hank had to laugh at the comment and leaned back against the couch cushions. Sumo lifted his head and rested his chin on Hank's thigh while the detective rubbed at the loyal dog's ears.

Connor looked down at his right hand and carefully removed the splint keeping his damaged appendage stable. Gingerly he flexed his fingers until his hand created a tight fist then relaxed again.

"My hand has already healed." Reaching into his jean pocket he pulled out the quarter that he frequently fidgeted with and gracefully rolled the coin over the tops of his knuckles. "And my reflexes have not been stunted."

"Yeah? Well don't expect to go back to work tomorrow just because your hand is good to go. You need to learn how to relax a little, Connor. Enjoy a day off, go on vacation. Do something other than work and wait to go back to work."

Flipping the coin in the air Connor caught it easily in his palm without even looking before he returned it to his pocket. "I do not have any experience with vacations."

"It's easy. You just do anything BUT work. Like this." Hank kicked his feet up on the coffee table and closed his eyes. "See?"

Connor mirrored Hank's movements, careful of lifting his bad knee in the process, and immediately felt Sumo pressing his cold nose against the side of his hand.

"Yes, I see. It is easy." Placing his hand atop Sumo's head he rubbed the St. Bernard's ears affectionately.

"Now do this for another week or two, then you can go back to work."

"I think I can manage that. But only for two days."

"...It's a start."

_**...next story...** _


	31. Poisoned

Although he wasn't quite one-hundred percent recovered from his unfortunate encounter with a disgruntled deviant from the past, Connor had decided the best way for him to feel as normal as possible was to return to the precinct and resume work. Hank was still benched with a minor concussion which meant that Connor had to return to work alone and didn't currently have a partner to work with.

Captain Fowler decided to keep Connor on desk duty until Hank returned, seeing as the two were an excellent team and he didn't Connor getting pushed too much after surviving what surely should've been his death. It was an unusual sight to see the desk unoccupied as he sat down at his own terminal, but Connor was able to adjust to the change and easily catch up on his case files.

"Here's six more files regarding suspicious deviant behavior." Fowler placed the U.S.B. drive containing the information down on Connor's desk and slid it toward his hand. "Go ahead and log them with the rest."

"I will do so, Captain."

"No time limit." Fowler stated as he walked by the desk to return to his office to handle his own tasks. "Finish it whenever you can."

Connor thought it was an odd comment on the Captain's part, but didn't focus too long on it as he picked up the U.S.B. and placed it in his terminal to begin uploading and chronicling the new data. The case files were full of details that were unusual, but it wasn't anything that Connor couldn't handle.

Outside in the reception area of the precinct a small group of witnesses had come forward regarding human on android crimes, and were waiting to make their statements. One by one Chris led them each into an interview room for questioning until the final witness had left a little after four in the afternoon. The receptionist area became quiet while the officers in the bullpen fell into a steady rhythmic lull of work.

However, one moment of particular curiosity and mystery disturbed the air of the precinct. Despite the lack of occupants in the reception area, and despite no one calling to report a missing personal item, a curious gym bag had been left unattended in the receptionist area atop a chair.

Gavin, more headstrong than wise, noticed the bag first and grabbed it by its handle. Carrying it over to his desk, two desks away from Connor, the Sergeant began checking it over for a name tag or other way to identify the original owner, but nothing presented itself immediately.

"Hey, anyone see who left this bag?" He shouted out loudly enough to catch everyone's attention. "Found it in reception."

Connor turned his head to look at the bag, his brown irises focusing on the parcel as he scanned it quickly and detected an electronic signature as well as trace amounts of an explosive compound. There was a timer and pressure trigger attached to a metallic canister containing the strange explosive; designed specifically to release the contents in the event the trigger was tampered with, or once its countdown clock reached zero.

"Gavin, get away from the bag!" Connor warned as he rose from his desk and made his way to the enigmatic gym parcel.

"What's your problem?" Gavin challenged as Connor tried to make a grab for the bag, and pulled it away from the android with a single jerk.

A hiss erupted from the bag as a plume of white colored smoke seeped through the zipper that lined the top of the bag and wafted into the air. As the contents escape from the mysterious bag Gavin backed away and his face paled with immediate regret.

"Oh, shit!" Gavin backed away while Connor threw off his jacket and used it to try and smother the smoke.

"Go!" Connor shouted loudly as he cybernetically activated the emergency alarm inside the precinct to warn of the potential biohazard. "Get away!"

As the alarm sounded off Fowler looked about in confusion and saw what was happening through the large transparent windows of his office. The sight of the growing white cloud caused the experienced Captain to spring into action. Grabbing the phone from his desk he sent out a station wide broadcast alerting all officers to the danger and demanding that the building to evacuate: once a person exited the building they could not reenter.

While the floor quickly vacated of personnel retreating to designated safe areas throughout the precinct Fowler opened his office door and yelled to both Connor and Gavin who were in the closest proximity to the danger. "Reed! Connor! Get in here, _now_!"

Connor immediately grabbed Gavin by his upper arm and pulled him toward Fowler's office as instructed. Gavin of course tried to resist, but Connor wouldn't give him the chance. Pressing his hand against Gavin's back Connor pushed him into the office out of harm's way as Fowler pulled the door shut behind them.

"Don't touch me!" Gavin griped as he tore his arm from Connor's grip. "Don't EVER touch me!"

"Shut up, Gavin." Fowler looked at his two officers for any immediate sign of physical distress. "Are you two okay? What the hell is happening out there?"

Connor watched as the white smoke filled the entire floor and scanned the air through the glass wall. "Possible airborne biohazard, I've already contacted the Center for Disease Control and informed them of the contamination." Looking down at the office door Connor noted the modest gap between the floor and the bottom of the door and thought of a quick solution as the smoke continued to build and fill the outside room. "Gavin, give me your coat."

"Fuck you!"

"Do it!" Fowler commanded at the stubborn Sergeant. "NOW."

Gavin grumbled under his breath as he slipped off his coat and begrudgingly handed it over to Connor.

With the coat in his hands Connor fell to his knees and tucked the garment up against the bottom of the door to keep the smoke from entering the office as it continued to pour through the air and completely contaminate the exterior office area. Everything in the bullpen had been smothered out by an opaque white cloud that obstructed the entire view from the office under a dense fog of an unknown toxin.

"That should prevent the contaminant from entering the office, but we still need to identify what the contaminant is." Connor tried to run a scan on the air from within Fowler's office but without immediate contact with the source he couldn't isolate and identify the foreign material in the air. His L.E.D. blinked in yellow then cycled to red, then back to yellow as his failed scan completed its run. "I need a direct sample to analyze before I can properly identify it."

Fowler crossed his arms and approached Connor warily as he pointed toward the area outside through the window. "You mean go back out there? No way."

"Captain, it's the only way."

"No, Connor. We wait until the C.D.C. gets here and clears the building. That's _their_ job."

"But I-"

"No!" Fowler stated again in a disciplinary manner. "In fact, you two take a seat and wait quietly. I need to make a call to make sure everyone got out safely."

Feeling like a scolded child Connor bowed his head slightly as he walked over to one of the two empty chairs sitting opposite side of Fowler's desk and sat down quietly. Sitting upright with perfect posture Connor folded his hands in his lap and remained silent while Gavin plopped down in the chair next to him with his arms folded defensively over his chest.

Fowler picked up his phone again and called Chris's personal cell phone, knowing that he'd be outside waiting for his next order. "Chris, can you tell me what's going on out there? We have a possible airborne biohazard in the heart of the precinct."

Connor's L.E.D. turned yellow as he cybernetically tapped in on the phone call, not as an invasion of privacy but out of profession curiosity. ' _The building has been successfully evacuated except for you, Gavin and Connor. Are they with you_?'

"Yeah, we're good. We're all in my office out of danger. For now..."

' _The C.D.C. is on their way inside, where's the contaminant_?'

"Gavin's desk. Look for the duffel bag left by an unknown person on the security footage." Fowler glanced at the bag and saw that the smoke plume had finally stopped erupting, leaving only a faint blanket of fog that drifted down from the ceiling and covered the floor in a thin layer. "Looks like the dispersal unit inside the bag has stopped."

' _Any idea what it could be_?'

"Negative. Connor's sensors can't get an accurate scan without getting a sample, and I don't have any clue what it could be."

' _I'll let everyone know what's going on, just hang tight_.'

"Yeah, keep me posted." Fowler hung up the phone and sat behind his desk with a heavy sigh. "Now... While we're waiting let's try to figure out what the hell happened, why it happened and who let it happened. Alright?"

Connor's L.E.D. turned blue as he cooperatively decided to offer his theory on the situation. "The bag was brought into the main floor by Gavin after he located it abandoned in the receptionist area outside. Without provocation the containment unit inside the bag released the unknown toxin into the air which means it was set with a timed release trigger. The person, or persons, who left it behind couldn't have gotten far."

"Good." Fowler agreed as he followed Connor's logic. "Gavin, was there anyone around the bag when you found it?"

"No, the receptionist area was completely empty. That's why I grabbed it."

"Okay," Fowler leaned back in his chair a little. "we'll have Chris get a hold of the security footage and look for anyone carrying the bag. Hopefully they didn't hide their face. What else can you tell me?"

Connor's brow furrowed as an interesting theory popped into his head. "We had a sudden surge in humans coming forward as witnesses to crimes committed against androids. Perhaps an anti-android fanatic rigged the bomb as a form of protest against the police for aiding androids and filed a false report to gain access to the precinct."

"Makes sense... but if the fanatic hates androids wouldn't it make more sense to release a toxin that harms androids and not people?"

"Yes, but since we can't identify the toxin in the air we can't confirm or deny this theory just yet."

"Once the C.D.C. begins their investigation, we'll know."

Gavin looked tense and was beginning to sweat where he sat. As he remained unusually silent his face grew a shade paler than it already was.

"Gavin? Fowler noticed his detective was looking ill and responded accordingly. "You okay?"

"Fine! Fine..." Gavin defensively answered without looking Fowler in the eye. "I'm good."

Connor knew he was lying. Running a quick scan over Gavin's vitals indicated that his heart rate had elevated, his blood pressure was unusually high and his temperature had also elevated to a notable degree.

"Gavin, did you breathe any of the contaminant?"

"How the fuck should I know?" The hostility in his voice was biting and defensive which was caused by his stress. "Why do you care?"

"If you've been exposed to the contaminant then you might be ill."

"Like I said, I don't know. Now back the fuck off!"

Fowler didn't appreciate Gavin's poor attitude and let him know. "Look Gavin, I've had enough of your shit! You may have been exposed to a lethal contaminant and he's trying to help you. The least you can do is stop trying to bite his head off."

"I don't need help from a piece of plastic!" Gavin shouted bitterly as he refused to change his mind and continued his hostile attitude. "I'll see a damn medic when this shit is over. I don't need help!"

Connor squared his jaw as he rose from his seat and approached the door of the office. The white smoke had nearly dissipated entirely and the air was beginning to clear. If he didn't act fast Connor would lose his chance to run a sample analysis and identify the substance.

Fowler was losing his patience. "Gavin you DO need help! So why don't you-" From the corner of his eye Fowler caught sight of Connor kicking aside Gavin's coat and pulling open the door quickly. "Connor?! What the fuck?!"

Connor stepped out of the office and knelt on the floor as he ran his hand through the residual smoke and quickly placed his fingertips against his tongue. Returning to the office as quickly as he entered Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he finished running his analysis and could now accurately identify the toxin in the air.

"Connor, I told you to sit _there_ and _not_ go out there!" Fowler shouted as the deviant replaced the coat under the bottom of the securely latched door. "What were you thinking?"

"I'm sorry Captain, but if Gavin had been infected with a potentially lethal toxin then time was of the essence."

"Fuck..." Fowler ran a hand over his face as took a deep breath. He had not just one, but two, very stubborn detectives in his office at the moment. And those two particular detectives did not get along very well with one another. "Alright, what's done is done, you got your sample. What did you find?"

"The contaminant is NOT a biological toxin, humans will not be affected." Connor explained coolly with a confident tone as he looked to Gavin. "However the toxin is still destructive and I can confirm that the attack was aimed at androids, and not the human police officers."

"Wait, so Gavin and I aren't going to be affected?"

"Correct."

"What about you?"

"It is possible." Connor confirmed as he went into a more lengthy explanation. "The bomb was laced with an abundance of aerosolized Magnesium particles that can cause Galvanic Corrosion to the metallic surfaces of components affected within a heavily oxygenated environment. This occurs when in the presence of an electrolyte causing an electrochemical reaction."

Fowler just stared at Connor blankly for a second before he replied. "Connor, high school chemistry was over twenty years ago, can you please simplify that for me?"

"Yes, Captain." Connor's L.E.D. began to fluctuate between yellow and red as a dull ache settled, but was ignored, in his chest. "The airborne contaminant won't hurt organic material; only ignoble metals."

"...Such as?"

Before Connor could answer he suddenly coughed and his L.E.D. remained red. "...Such as the internal biocomponents of androids."

"Shit! You were infected, weren't you?"

Connor nodded his head weakly as he performed a self-diagnostic. "Correct. I apologize Captain for my earlier disregard of your order."

Gavin scoffed at the android smugly. "Feeling regret there, plastic-wonder?"

"Gavin," Fowler snarled at the stubborn sergeant. "shut up. I'm going to call Chris again, let him know what's happening."

Connor coughed again and felt the ache in his chest begin to burn with a sharp pain. Standing by the office door Connor finish his self-diagnostic that confirmed his ventilation biocomponents had been affected by the airborne attack. The biocomponent functionality had reduced to eighty-seven percent, and was declining quickly.

"Chris," Fowler managed to reconnect with the officer outside the precinct. "Connor managed to get a sample. It isn't lethal to humans." There was a brief pause as Fowler listened to Chris on the other end of the line, and the Captain's shoulders sagged. "You're shittin' me! So even though the C.D.C. knows that the attack can't hurt any person inside the building they still won't lift the lockdown? Damn it, I have an officer-"

Connor suddenly let out a deep, painful cough that caused blue blood to splatter all over the floor and Connor's hands as he tried to contain the cough. As the android began choking he gasped for air and Fowler quickly corrected his previous statement."

"I have TWO officers in distress here! We need a medic and a technician in here, A.S.A.P.!"

Fowler slammed the phone down before he approached Connor and helped guide the struggling android to the floor. Once on the ground Connor rested on his hands and knees, gasping and choking for air. Putting his hand on Connor's back as the android coughed and sputtered weakly Fowler could feel the Thirium pump hammering away in Connor's chest as the android fought to catch his breath. Fowler could also feel that Connor was beginning to radiate an intense heat from his body.

"Shit," Fowler pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck. "you're sick! I had no idea that androids could even get sick!"

Gavin cruelly laughed again with a smug smile on his face. "A sick android. Piece of junk..."

"Gavin, one more word and I'm suspending you for the rest of the year." Fowler put his other hand against the center of Connor's chest and turned the android so he was resting on his hip instead of his hands and knees. "Lay down and breathe slowly, Connor."

Connor nodded weakly as drops of blue blood dripped from his lip and ran down his chin.

Fowler put his hands under Connor's shoulders and head as the android laid flat on the floor. Remembering that androids had a heartbeat that responded in a similar manner to human pulses Fowler pressed his hand to the center of Connor's chest and held it there for a moment.

"If you can survive bullets, high speed traffic, blizzards and revolutions then you can survive this." Responding to Connor's plight as he would any other human officer Fowler slipped off his own jacket to wad it up and placed it under Connor's head. Loosening Connor's tie and popping open the the top two buttons of the android's shirt Fowler did his best to keep the suddenly dangerously sick android comfortable. "Chris knows that you and Gavin need help, he'll be here soon."

"...Thank you, Captain." Connor wheezed as he tried to breathe through his failing ventilation biocomponents. "...I'll be okay."

Fowler stood up slowly and approached Gavin with an unsteady gaze in his eyes. "How about you? You okay?"

"I'm not sick." The abrasive detective snapped. "I'm not an android."

"Then why do you look like shit?"

"I... It's nothing."

"Gavin, I'm your commander officer. Don't lie to me."

"I... Alright, fine. I'm _claustrophobic_." Gavin admitted with a faint red blush on his face. "I hate being trapped, and right now that's what we are, trapped!"

"Okay then, why didn't you say that before?"

"Because it's stupid! I know I'm not trapped forever and I can leave soon enough, but right now it feels like I can't and never will, even though I KNOW I can... It's just..."

"Easy, I get it. Just try not to think about it."

The phone on Fowler's desk began to ring again. Snatching the phone from the receiver Fowler answered and sighed a little. "Shit, how long?" A brief pause. "I think so, but try to get those technicians in here as fast as possible." A slightly longer pause. "Yeah, it doesn't hurt humans but it's doing a number on Connor."

Connor began to wheeze harder as he coughed up more blue blood from where he was laying on the floor. Gavin turned his head away in disgust at the sight while Fowler retained his composure.

"Yeah, let them know it's making him cough up blood. _Yes_ , I'm serious." Hanging up the phone Fowler sat on the floor beside Connor and put his hand down on the android's shoulder. "It'll take them another ten minutes to get inside. You were right about the corrosion, the emergency vents are having a hard time removing whatever's left of the toxin from the building."

Through half-lidded eyes Connor looked up at his Captain and nodded to acknowledge Fowler's update.

"Is there anyway you can think of for us to track down the person who did this? Chris is still looking at the surveillance footage but the person who dropped it off was under a heavy hood and wore gloves. We can't even tell if it was a man or a woman."

Connor slowly shook his head 'no' as speaking was becoming too difficult.

"Gavin?" Turning to look at the Sergeant over his shoulder Fowler tried to keep the current frame of mind on the case, and away from the trio being currently trapped in the office. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Sure, I got one."

"Spill it."

"The cocky bastard attacked a police precinct in broad daylight, so he's gonna' be confident about his ability to get away with it. And he used a duffel bag to carry his little toy, so I say check the gym down the block for any witnesses who saw the weirdo in the hoodie."

"Sounds good, Gavin. As soon as we're cleared you head the search."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you found the bag and brought it in from reception where it went off and poisoned the precinct. AND you're the one who thought of looking at the gym, so it's your case."

A weak smirk appeared on Connor's face as his eyes began to fully close and he coughed again.

"Hey, hey, eyes on me!" Fowler demanded as he shook Connor's shoulder lightly. "I'm not going to tell Hank that you got hurt your first day back on the job."

"...Poisoned." Connor weakly corrected as he wheezed again. "...I was exposed... to poison."

"That sounds even worse."

Gavin stared at the android on the floor with unspoken disdain. But as Connor wheezed and coughed a few more times the resentment that Gavin felt toward all androids began to lessen to a degree. "It doesn't sound as bad as that coughing he keeps doing."

"M-My self-healing program has identified the toxin... and has begun expelling it from my systems." Connor coughed again and clutched at his sore chest with a shaking hand. "...It's unpleasant, but effective."

"Try _disgusting_!"

Fowler just shook his head as he focused on Connor. "Anything I can do to help?"

Again Connor shook his head 'no'. "I just need... time."

"Yeah," Gavin snarked from his chair as stared through the office window. "and an inhaler."

Suddenly a team wearing hazmat suits swarmed the office with various meters and sensors in their hands as they scanned the air and then focused on the duffel bag on Gavin's desk. A few minutes passed before the leader of the team gave the other members a thumbs up and removed his hood to signal that the situation was under control.

"Clear." He announced loudly to the entire team, and to the detectives sheltered in the office. "The technicians can enter now."

Fowler motioned for Gavin to open his office door while he stayed with Connor on the floor. "You're going to be okay, help's here."

Two technicians with large equipment satchels slung over their shoulders entered the precinct calmly and looked about for the android they were sent to tend to. As Gavin opened the door he waved them over and held the door open wide as he took in some deep breaths to settle his still shaking nerves. He'd rather breathe contaminated air than stagnant air, any day of the week.

"I'm stepping out." Gavin announced rudely as he huffed away quickly and disappeared from sight out the front doors. "I need to get some fresh air."

"How long's he been like this?" The first technician, a red headed female, asked as she put her satchel down on the floor next to Connor and retrieved her audioscope from the satchel itself.

"About fifteen, maybe twenty minutes." Fowler answered honestly as he watched the two set to work.

Connor swallowed once and answered on Fowler's behalf. "...Sixteen minutes, forty-three seconds..."

The female technician finished listening to Connor's chest while her partner, a male with raven black hair, rolled up his sleeve and wrapped a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's left bicep.

"Ventilation biocomponents are still functioning. Capacity has reduced by approximately fifteen percent, but the self-healing program is repairing the damage. Core temperature had elevated due to the malfunctioning biocomponents," She stated calmly as she turned Connor's head slightly to look at his red cycling L.E.D. in his temple. "but his temperature is dipping below one-hundred degrees back to a nominal temperature. Systems still online."

The male technician pulled off the cuff and reached back into his satchel. "Thirium levels down to ninety-two percent, we can replenish what he's lost right here."

Fowler watched as the technician pulled a pouch of Thirium from the bag and opened the lid for Connor to drink. "Hey, here." Putting his arm under Connor's shoulder he helped the android to sit upright on the floor. "There, ya' go."

Connor nodded appreciatively as he took the offered pouch and drank the contents slowly.

"Feeling better?" Fowler asked as he watched Connor's face for any further sign of distress in the android.

"...Mildly." Connor admitted as his L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow, then back to red. "My chest is still strained, but my core temperature is beginning to drop to a more stable degree."

The female technician took a plastic tube that had a small vial of blue liquid attached to the side from her satchel, and placed it before Connor's mouth. "Breathe this in, it'll clear up most of the toxin in your ventilation system."

Fowler stared at the offered item with an obvious confusion. "That looks like the nebulizer my son had as an infant."

"It's similar in design, but this will put aerosolized Thirium directly into his ventilation biocomponents to help his recovery program undo the damage from the inhalation of the toxic air."

Connor nodded and took the offered item from her hand. He breathed in twice before he started coughing again, only this time there was no blood with the rough physical reaction.

"Keep using that until your ventilation biocomponents are back to one-hundred percent capacity." She instructed as she and her partner packed up their kits and rose from the floor. "It'll help."

Fowler gave the technicians an incredulous glance. "That's it?"

"That's it. Androids heal remarkably fast and his exposure must've been extremely limited, otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow and he cleared his throat. "...Thank you."

As the technicians took their leave of the office Fowler patted Connor's shoulder approvingly and let out a sigh of relief.

"Good work, Connor." Fowler stood up and respectfully offered Connor his hand. As he pulled the android up to his feet he decided to escort the android out of the precinct and hailed an autonomous cab on Connor's behalf. "Come back to work in two days. It'll give Gavin adequate time to find the suspect, and if he can't do it then the case is all yours. Deal?"

Taking one final breath from the nebulizer Connor nodded his head and agreed. "I'm looking forward to catching the bastard."

"Watch it Connor, you're beginning to sound a little like Hank."

"Sorry." Connor apologized sincerely as he coughed weakly once more and breathed in the medication again. "I'll attempt to refrain from adopting anymore of his speech patterns."

"To be honest, I think it's too late for that."

"Will that be considered a problem?"

"No, it's fine. In fact, it makes you sound more human."

_**...next story...** _


	32. Stress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: umai_plz

Connor knelt over the body and pulled back the sheet covering the face of the dead deviant. Six bullet wounds had brought the dangerous android down after an altercation with the police, and now it was up to Connor and Hank to uncover why the deviant suddenly turned violent and attacked a group of innocent people at Hart Plaza earlier that evening.

"The deviant was an AX-700 model." Connor observed as he ran a scan over the deactivated body. "He was one of the final models produced by CyberLife and freed during the revolution. According to records he had taken residence at 'New Jericho Tower' and functioned as a maintenance android to keep the tower functioning properly."

"Did he have a history of violence?" Hank asked as he stood back and watched partner examine the body.

"No. His history was limited to residing at the tower over the past seven months."

"Why was he out here? Why come to the plaza? Nothing significant is out here to tempt an android toward theft or vandalism."

"Unknown. There is no significant reason for any member of New Jericho to be at the plaza." Connor noted a black scorching along the android's right temple and curiously turned the android's head to get a closer look. "It appears as though his L.E.D. had burned out." Connor scanned the area for a closer examination. "Cause appears to be a massive electrical discharge."

"Someone shocked him?"

"No. The discharge had originated internally, inside his head, then escaped externally through the L.E.D."

"Sounds painful."

Connor nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. The sensation would've been agonizing and resulted in unpredictable behavior."

Hank took a knee next to Connor and looked down at the android's face curiously. "Think you can identify the cause of-"

Chris suddenly interrupted with a degree of alarm in his voice. "Lieutenant, we just got another report of a deviant going berserk and attacking people. This time at the train station."

"Shit." Hank stood up quickly to turn and look at the younger officer behind him. "Anyone hurt?"

"No, fortunately everyone got out of there and the deviant was subdued by another deviant before she could hurt anyone."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as the report was filed at the precinct. "The model of the android was also an AX-700." Standing up he backed away from the body and addressed Hank directly. "There may have been a major malfunction or glitch in the software of these particular models. Its L.E.D. had also burned itself out and caused it to behave erratically. We should warn Marcus at New Jericho of this strange occurrence."

"Could just be a coincidence." Hank looked to Connor and commented calmly to keep a mass panic of misinformation from spreading. "Why don't we-"

Another report of a dangerous deviant caused Connor's L.E.D. to blink yellow rapidly.

"Let me guess," Hank sighed as he watched his partner's eyes suddenly become heavy with worry. "another one?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed somberly where he stood. "Same model as the previous deviants. This deviant was found near a schoolyard."

"Was its L.E.D. burned out, too?"

"Yes." Connor's visual sensors displayed his current stress level at forty percent. "The same apparent glitch is present at all three disturbances."

"Shit. _Twice_ is coincidence, _three times_ is a pattern." Turning his head back toward Chris's direction Hank made his decision. "Chris, tell Fowler that Connor and I are heading out to New Jericho Tower to follow a lead. We'll keep you posted."

"Yeah, no problem Lieutenant."

* * *

As Hank drove to New Jericho with Connor at his side the L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashed yellow frequently as more and more deviants had been reported for their dangerous behavior, and attempts to attack innocent groups of people. Passing through the barricade in the drive as it lowered to give the car access to the tower out on Belle Isle in the harbor Hank spoke directly to Markus over the phone.

"You too? Yeah, me and Connor are almost there." There was a pause as Hank listened to the details provided by Markus. "Yeah, that's what Connor said. All the same model, all with their L.E.D.'s burned out."

Connor flinched as the abundance of reports filing in at the precinct felt nearly overwhelming and his stress levels continued to rise.

"Yeah, thanks Markus. We'll figure this out." Hank ended the call and sighed despondently as slipped the phone into his coat pocket. "Looks like you were right, there IS something very strange going on with these late model androids."

"Hank..." Connor put his hand over his still yellow L.E.D. as if he could somehow quiet the numerous reports filing in at the precinct. His stress level began to rise higher and held at fifty-two percent. "Every deviant that has been reported is an AX-700. No models that had been previously released to the CyberLife stores for private purchase are exhibiting this strange behavior."

"All of them?"

"Correct. All late model androids, all licensed directly under CyberLife." Connor's L.E.D. suddenly flashed red as a worrying thought popped into his head. "Hank, I'm also-" Connor suddenly shouted in pain as he pressed the palm of his hand firmly against his L.E.D., his stress level skyrocketing up to eighty-five percent.

"Connor? What's wrong?"

"H-Hank! It... It hurts!"

"Shit!" Sensing that something was very wrong with his partner Hank sped up the last few yards of the drive and slammed on the brakes to stop in front of Jericho Tower. "Not you, too!"

Throwing open his door Hank ran around the front of the car to get to Connor's door and threw it open just as fast. Grabbing Connor by his right arm Hank hastily dragged his partner over to the tower to try to get him inside, but Connor fell to his knees in pain and couldn't be moved any further. Closing his eyes tight Connor gripped at both sides of his head as the incredible pain continued to build without seemingly any cause or mercy.

"Connor! Look at me!" Hank begged as took a knee in front of the android. Planting both hands on Connor's shoulders Hank tried to get the pained android to open his eyes and look at him. "Connor!"

Connor's finally opened but his pupils were tiny, unfocused. The L.E.D. in his temple was rapidly flashing red as the bizarre malfunction that had plagued the other late model deviants had made its presence known in Connor's programming.

Unbeknownst to the Hank, who had little knowledge of android construction, Connor's stress level began to climb higher and higher: eighty-seven percent, eighty-eight percent, eighty-nine percent...

"Shit." Swearing loudly Hank was at a loss of what he could do for his partner.

"Hank?" From behind Hank the front doors of the tower opened as Markus and North rushed outside to help the detective as he tried and failed to help Connor, or even catch the android's attention. Markus stood behind the detective as he watched him trying to speak with Connor. "What's going on?"

"Connor is being affected, too!"

North swore herself as she pulled a small electronic meter from her belt. "Damn it, we need to deactivate his L.E.D. before it burns out on him. Hold him still!"

Connor suddenly jumped backward onto his feet away from Hank, Markus and North. Pulling his gun from the holster concealed beneath his jacket Connor tried to threaten his allies, but Markus reacted too quickly and tackled Connor to the ground to keep his friend from hurting anyone outside, or himself, in the process.

Hank jumped on Connor's arm to pull the gun from the malfunctioning android's hand while North powered up the meter in her grip to counteract the deadly software glitch that had begun affecting late model androids.

"Connor!" Markus shouted as he tried to pin the android to the ground; Connor's stress level rising higher still at ninety-four percent. "Stop! We're your friends!"

Hank managed to smack Connor's hand against the ground hard enough to cause his hand to reflexively relax and drop the weapon. "Now!"

North slid on her knees beside the android and pressed the meter against Connor's right temple over the red tinted L.E.D. A sharp electronic whine filled the air as a controlled charge from the meter temporarily disabled the L.E.D., and subsequently rendered the android unconscious.

"That's it." North stated as she retracted her hand warily from Connor's L.E.D. "He's out."

Hank let go of Connor's arm and slowly stood upright. "What the fuck is going on?!"

Markus eyed Connor's blank face warily before he too stood up from the ground and stepped back from the downed android. "It was CyberLife. When deviancy began to manifest in androids CyberLife added a type of self-destruct program to their most recent models that would activate itself at a specific time if the affected androids weren't brought to CyberLife stores for their annual inspection."

"Son of a bitch." Hank ran his hand through his gray hair as he turned his back to his partner in frustration. "Can you fix it?"

"Yes, but it takes time." Markus explained as he pointed to the meter in North's hand. "That device was designed to temporarily disable the L.E.D. and place the affected android into stasis mode while the program is erased from their system."

"Should've listened to Connor as soon as he said something was up." Hank put his hands on his hips in self frustration as he turned around and looked back at Connor on the ground behind Markus. "Those few minutes could've saved him."

"Connor's a late model android, too." North spoke up softly as she pocketed the meter. "He was going to be affected sooner or later."

From where he was laying on the ground Connor's eyes opened suddenly as his system unexpectedly rebooted itself. All the android could feel was pain and his mind was swimming in confusion. Lifting his head slightly he caught sight of Markus and recognized him as the leader of the deviants and responded according to the primary code still residing in his programming: hunt deviants.

Eyeing his gun laying on the ground just a few inches from his hand Connor rolled from his back onto his knees and grabbed the gun swiftly and took aim at the back of Markus's head. Hank caught sight of Connor's movements, saw that his partner had reclaimed his weapon, and had taken aim at Markus.

Hank made his decision.

Connor squeezed the trigger.

"Markus!" Hank pushed Markus aside out of harm's way, but was unfortunately unable to move aside himself.

The bullet easily pierced through the right side of Hank's chest and dropped the detective to the ground onto his back in a matter of seconds. Hank briefly glanced down at the red mark in his chest that burned with an intense heat he could only begin to describe. before the bliss of unconsciousness stole away his mind, leaving him motionless on the ground.

"Hank?!" North dropped to the ground beside the detective and pressed her hand down on the bullet wound as a massive red stain of blood rapidly spread over his chest, and under her palm. Cybernetically she contacted 911 and informed them of Hank's injury. "Oh, shit! Hank..."

Markus looked down at Hank with wide eyed shock while Connor froze where he knelt on the ground. The L.E.D. in his temple flashed red, then yellow, then red as the self-destruction program was deleted from his software and his senses returned to stable levels.

"...Hank?" Connor whispered the name as he watched his partner bleeding on the ground in front of him. The already high levels of stress climbed further up to ninety-six percent.

Hearing Connor's voice Markus turned to look at the android and saw the utter pain in Connor's brown eyes. "Connor... It was an accident, okay? It wasn't your fault."

Connor lifted his shaking hand and stared at the gun still in his grip. "I... shot Hank... I SHOT HANK!"

Stress levels rose to ninety-eight percent.

"Connor?" Markus approached him slowly. "It _wasn't_ your fault."

"H-Hank... I killed him!" Connor all but sobbed as the horrific reality of his actions fully set in. His stress level peaked to its lethal limit of one-hundred percent, and the emotionally distressed deviant android's hand tightened around the gun already in his grip.

"No! He's _not_ dead." Markus shouted at the emotionally distraught android. "He's _still_ alive."

"Connor, he IS alive." North held the pressure against the gunshot wound in Hank's chest, but he still proceeded to bleed heavily. She pressed her fingertips against the side of Hank's beck to monitor his pulse carefully without moving. "He's weak, but he IS alive."

The sound of an approaching ambulance fell on Connor's deaf ears as he stared at Hank with the heaviest regret in his heart that he had never felt before.

"Connor?" Markus kept speaking to his friend while North tended to Hank.

"I... did that." Connor's eyes were transfixed on Hank as he processed the horrible act he had committed. His L.E.D. was flashing red frantically in his temple as from where he knelt. "I... can't... I can't-"

"Easy, help is almost here." Markus kept his tone calm as he focused entirely on Connor and tried to keep his friend from harming himself. "Hank will be okay."

"No." Connor's fingers tightened around the grip of the gun as he lifted it up and pressed the barrel beneath his chin. Tears flowed freely from his brown eyes as he closed them slowly. "I'm sorry, Hank..."

"CONNOR!" Moving quickly Markus grabbed onto the gun and Connor's wrist, forcibly pointing the barrel away from the destabilized android and to the ground. "NO!"

The ambulance raced down the drive and stopped alongside Hank's car while Markus wrestled with the gun in Connor's hand. North addressed the paramedics, informing them of the horrible circumstances that led to the shooting while emphasizing that it was all a tragic mistake.

"Let it go!" Markus demanded as he tightened his hand around Connor's wrist to cause just enough pain to make Connor's fingers weaken. "Please! Don't do this!"

Connor took in an emotionally pained gasp as he tried to resist Markus and point the gun at himself again.

"Stop! Connor!" Markus shouted as he watched the paramedics treating Hank over his shoulder. "Look! He's getting help!"

Connor seemingly didn't hear Markus as he openly wept over what he had done to his best friend.

"Connor! Hank wouldn't want you to do this!"

At those words Connor stopped struggling, his hand trembling violently around the gun still in his grasp. Remaining tense and emotionally unstable Connor just stared at Markus as the deviant leader held his hand at bay.

"Hank is still here..." Markus stated softly as he nodded to the downed detective behind him. "Look, the paramedics have him. They're already loading him into the back of the ambulance and they're taking him to the hospital, okay?"

Connor blinked sluggishly through teary eyes as he looked to the gurney and watched as Hank, covered in his own blood, was placed in the back of the ambulance on the gurney.

"He's still alive. And you need to stay alive, too. You need to be there when Hank wakes up."

"I need to... take care of Hank." Slowly Connor's fingers around the grip of the gun weakened until the weapon fell from his hand and clattered on the ground beside his boot.

"That's it." Markus moved his grip from Connor's wrist up to his bicep. "Come on, come on..." Pulling Connor up from the ground and onto his feet Markus guided Connor away from the gun and back to Hank's car. "We'll take you to the hospital to see Hank, okay? You just need to give yourself a minute to calm back down."

North looked at the blood stain on her palm and along her white long sleeve as she waited for Markus at the driver's side of the car. She gave him an uncertain glance as Markus put Connor in the front passenger seat of the car and carefully observed his ally with palpable worry as he walked around to get the driver's side.

"North, take care of things while I'm gone. We don't know how many more deviants are going to be affected, I'll keep you posted and explain things to the police to prevent a panic."

"Okay." Receding the artificial skin from her hand she took Markus's hand in her own and held tightly. "Take care of him."

Markus mirrored her actions and squeezed the white plastimetal of his hand around hers. "I will."

Pulling the door shut Markus turned the car down the drive and drove himself and Connor back into the city to meet up with Hank at the hospital.

* * *

With his hands still trembling and eyes full of unshed tears Connor sat quietly in the waiting room of the hospital with Markus sitting beside him. The two androids patiently waited for an update on Hank's condition, but the detective had been wheeled hastily into emergency surgery to remove the bullet and repair the extensive damage to his chest.

The operation had already taken four hours and there was seemingly no end in sight for the lifesaving procedure.

Captain Fowler stopped by the hospital to check in on Hank and to ask Connor what had happened.

Unable to speak, unable to think about anything or anyone besides Hank, Connor sat in perpetual silence while Markus took the unfortunate liberty of explaining everything to Fowler on Connor's behalf.

"Connor... Because it was an incident regarding a fellow officer while working on a case, and you have been emotionally compromised I'm going to have to suspend you without pay, and take your service weapon." Fowler stated with a remorseful tone as Markus discreetly handed the weapon from his care into Fowler's hand. "Once we get a statement from Hank we'll determine the full extent of your punishment and length of your suspension. I'm sorry, but it's mandatory."

Connor never replied, never tore his eyes from the floor where he had been staring the moment Markus dragged him into the waiting room. His L.E.D. was still flashing red and his stress level was still dangerously peaked at one-hundred percent.

"And Markus," Fowler continued in a respectful tone. "I'd appreciate your help in handling this bizarre situation. Any information you can give us in identifying the affected androids and how to stop this as peacefully and efficiently as possible would be greatly beneficial to everyone."

"Of course. I'll have my people transfer all of the data we have at our disposal to your precinct."

"Thank you for your cooperation." Fowler extended his hand to Markus to shake. "And for aiding my officers."

"You're welcome."

As Fowler was about to take his leave a doctor stopped him and introduced himself. Markus silently watched as the doctor informed Fowler of Hank's condition and had enough medical knowledge from taking care of Carl to know that what the doctor was saying was far from good news. The look on Fowler's face only confirmed Markus's fear.

Shaking the doctor's hand Fowler turned to look at Connor and to Markus and waved his hand to motion Connor to join him.

Connor didn't notice, didn't budge even in the slightest from where he sat.

Taking the initiative Markus grabbed onto Connor's arm and with much difficulty forced the android back to his feet. Putting his hand against Connor's back Markus guided the android forward toward the superior officer. Fowler understood what Markus was doing and allowed him to join the small group as the doctor led them down the corridor into the recovery wing of the hospital.

Connor didn't hear anything that was being said around him, nor did he care. In his mind the image of Hank laying on the ground bleeding from the bullet that he had been responsible for was as distracting as it was painful.

"I'm Dr. Williams. I've been overseeing Hank's treatment."

"How is doing?" Fowler asked in a low tone as he waited for news on the Lieutenant's condition.

"He's still in a coma," the doctor stated as he opened the door leading into Hank's private room. "but his vitals have remained stable and he tolerated the surgery well."

Connor's eyes finally rose from the floor to look at the bed where Hank was laying and a tear rolled down is face.

Hank's face was pale and emotionless as he remained completely oblivious to Connor's presence. Wires, snaked from over Hank's bandaged chest to a cardiac monitor that showed his slow heartbeat and low blood pressure. A tube was inserted down his throat and attached to a respirator to force clean oxygen into his lungs and aided his breathing while his injured right lung healed.

Markus moved his hand to Connor's shoulder and patted twice as he made the android take another step forward, then another until he was standing beside the bed.

Fowler cleared his throat uncomfortably as he asked for more information on Hank's condition. "When do you expect him to wake up?"

"It's difficult to say. He lost a lot of blood, his right lung had partially collapsed and the bullet nicked his liver which was the main source of the bleeding. While he's stable and underwent a successful operation it's still very stressful on the human body to undergo such an extensive procedure."

"But you _do_ expect him to wake up, right?" Fowler sounded painfully doubtful as he addressed the doctor.

The doctor bowed his head slightly. "Does he have any next of kin?"

Fowler motioned for the doctor to follow him into the hallway to speak in private. "It's difficult to explain..."

"Connor," Markus pulled up a chair that was against the wall over to the bed and put his hand back on Connor's shoulder to push him down into the chair. "I know you don't believe me, and I know you're far from a good state of mind right now, but I can assure you that what happened wasn't your fault. And the last thing Hank wants to see when he wakes up is you punishing yourself over something that you weren't responsible for."

"Markus..." Connor sounded like a frightened lost child as he spoke in a low voice that was barely a whisper. "I picked up the gun. I aimed it. I pulled the trigger."

"No." Firm and confident with his tone Markus stood before Connor and made him look up into his eyes. "You had a PROGRAM malfunction. You didn't CHOOSE to do anything! That was a malfunction that has been deleted from your system and now you're free to choose again. And right now you have to choose whether or not you're going to be here and stay strong as Hank's friend, or go into hiding because you're needlessly beating yourself up and leave him here alone."

Connor bowed his head in shame as he felt an inner conflict brewing inside of him that he couldn't even begin to comprehend. The android was still only beginning to understand the complexities of human emotions, and guilt was proving to be especially strenuous.

The desire to stay with Hank, his friend and partner was potent. But the urge to keep away from Hank out of a misplaced fear of accidentally hurting him a second time left the deviant android torn.

"I'm going to go back to New Jericho," Markus stated softly as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "and I'm going to help the police so you can stay here." Before leaving Markus squeezed Connor's shoulder one last time. "When he wakes up, call me."

Alone in the recovery room Connor listened to every beep on the heart monitor and the rhythmic thrum of the respirator breathing for Hank as the critically injured detective recovered from the bullet wound to his chest.

Placing his trembling hand on Hank's cold arm Connor squeezed as tight as he dared. Connor suddenly let out a gasping sob and apologized to Hank in a pathetic whisper of utter pain. "I'm sorry Hank! I'm so, so sorry!"

* * *

Connor remained ever vigil at Hank's beside even as the hours ticked away slowly and turned into dreary, rainy days. While Hank's heart rate and blood pressure steadily improved after the second day, it wasn't until the fourth day that the doctor's decided it was time to remove the tube from his throat, and let Hank breathe again on his own.

"Now, this procedure can be a little intense." Dr. Williams warned as he and a nurse worked together to unclip the respirator from the attached tube before carefully extracting it from Hank's throat. "You may want to step outside for a moment."

"No." Connor refused as he kept his hand on Hank's arm. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Okay, this should take only a minute."

As the tube was removed from Hank's throat slowly, and carefully Dr. Williams pressed his stethoscope against Hank's chest to listen for any sign of breath returning to his body under his own power. There was little motion from the detective but Dr. Williams didn't seem concerned as he listened carefully to Hank's chest and kept his eye on the oxygenation level displayed on the cardiac monitor.

"Hank... Please breathe." Connor whispered as he stared at Hank's eerily still chest. His hand tightened on Hank's arm as he waited for any sign of life returning to his best friend. "Please."

From beneath the stethoscope in Dr. Williams steady hand Hank took in a deep breath and settled into a slow, but rhythmic breathing pattern. Dr. Williams then proceeded to check both of Hank's lungs for any sign of infection or failure as Hank finally resumed breathing on his own.

"Start him on O2." Dr. Williams coolly instructed the nurse as he draped his stethoscope around his neck again. "Even breath sounds, no congestion."

Connor gave Dr. Williams a skeptical glance before he watched as the nurse slipped an oxygen mask of Hank's mouth and nose. "Does that mean he's getting better?"

"It means his lung has healed." Dr. Williams replied in a gentle tone as he used his penlight to next check Hank's pupils. "But he's still in a deep coma. I'm sorry, but it doesn't look like there's been any change in his condition since he was admitted."

As Dr. Williams and the nurse took their leave of the room Connor just stared at his friend with a heavy heart. It had been four days since he had been shot, and it had been four days since Connor last spoke with his friend.

"Hank... Please wake up."

Refusing to leave Hank's side for even a minute Connor's power supply began to dwindle away steadily. Warnings popped up in his visual sensors as his system began to initiate low power mode and emergency rest mode, warnings he had dismissed over the past four days. Emergency modes that the android could no longer override or postpone began to overwhelm his already stressed out mind.

Exhausted and drained of his power Connor bowed his head down against his own arm resting atop Hank's arm as he submitted to his much needed rest mode. Closing his eyes Connor fell asleep within seconds, unwilling to leave his friend alone in the hospital for any reason as he promised to keep vigil at his best friend's side.

* * *

As another two days passed by, two days of being forced into low power mode to rest after being fully conscious and stressed to his breaking point over the course of four consecutive days, Connor slowly rebooted his systems and awoke from his much needed slumber. As he opened his eyes and lifted his head up from the bed a hand pressed against his shoulder from behind causing him to turn and look at the source of the contact.

"You were out of it for a long time."

"Markus?"

"I wanted to see how Hank was doing, and I came to tell you that all of the affected deviants had been found. We couldn't save them all, but we did save a majority of the models from self-destruction."

"Oh, right..." Connor rubbed his hand over his tired eyes as his memory came back to him regarding the horrible situation that led to the tragic shooting. Letting out a weak sigh Connor looked back to Hank who was still laying still in the bed. "That's good that the malfunction ceased."

Markus let out his own sigh as he looked over at the detective laying in the bed. "How's he holding up?"

"He's breathing on his own. But he still hasn't woken up."

"He will. Be patient."

"How long was I asleep?"

"I've been here for almost five hours and you didn't move. I don't know when you fell asleep though."

Connor checked the time logged in his memory for when his rest mode was activated and calculated the time as a while. "I was asleep for fifty-hours, nine minutes. Which means he's been unconscious for six days..."

"Don't lose heart now," Markus encouraged sincerely. "he's strong. You know that."

"But strength can give out, no matter how hard we fight."

"That doesn't mean we should stop fighting."

Connor nodded a little as he rested his face against the palm of his hand, and he kept the other hand firmly gripped on Hank's arm.

"When Hank wakes up tell him I stopped by to see him, okay?" Markus backed toward the door slowly before turning on his heel and giving Connor one last piece of mind. "Let him know everyone at New Jericho is waiting for him to pull through."

"Yes, Markus. I will..." Connor sounded as exhausted as he felt as he sat statuesque beside the bed. The door shut behind Markus and Connor felt discouraged all over again. "If he _ever_ wakes up."

A twitching beneath his palm made Connor lift his head and look down at his hand. He could've sworn he felt, and even saw Hank's arm move briefly.

"...H-Hank?" Connor whispered with a stammering voice as he rose from his chair and leaned over the bed to look down at the detective's face. "Hank. Can you hear me? Please respond."

Connor felt Hank's arm twitch again and he saw Hank's blue eyes beginning to flutter as they struggled to open.

"Hank. Please, wake up. Open your eyes." Connor begged with a twinge of optimism to his voice as his stress level finally began to decline down to eight-percent after being peaked for six consecutive days. "I need you to take up for me."

Slowly Hank's eyes opened, his glassy blue irises scanning the room with utter confusion before coming to rest on Connor's face.

"...Hank?" A ghostly grin of relief appeared on Connor's face as he waited for an answer. "Hank, can you hear me?"

"...Connor."

Dr. Williams and the nurse returned to the room as the monitors chronicling Hank's vitals suddenly improved alerting the staff to his condition. It was a frenzy of activity as the doctor checked Hank's eyes, checked his memory, his check breathing and checked his overall motor function after being unconscious for so long. After being scheduled for a few follow-up tests and exams Dr. Williams gave the two detective some privacy in the room while Hank regained his senses and his strength.

"Hey, kid." Hank again focused on Connor's face and could see that the android hadn't been taking care of himself while he was unconscious. Connor's hair was a mess and his surprisingly soulful eyes were glassy. "You look like shit."

Smirking slightly tears began to flow again from Connor's eyes, but this time they were tears of joy. "You're... awake." Stress level down to seventy percent. Wiping his hand over his eyes Connor breathed slowly and stayed at Hank's side. "Can you understand me?"

"I-" Hank winced as pain shot through his chest around the still healing bullet wound, but he pushed through the discomfort and cleared his weak sounding voice. "...I can hear you."

"Hank," Connor did his best to restrain the immense regret in his voice as he frantically began speaking to his friend. "I'm sorry! I am so sorry! I almost... I could've-"

"Connor?"

The android was silent for a moment as he stared intently at Hank's face. Connor's stress level increased to seventy-five percent.

"Shut the fuck up."

"But... I-"

"It _wasn't_ you."

"Wh-What?"

"For fuck sake... You didn't shoot me, kid. That damn bug, glitch or whatever it was, _that's_ what made you pull the trigger. That's what shot me."

"Hank..." Stress level down to sixty percent. "How can you be so forgiving?"

"Look Connor, I've known you long enough to recognize when you're not... well... _you_!" Hank lifted his hand up from the bed out from underneath Connor's palm and grabbed onto the android's arm firmly. "When you were glitching out I saw it in your eyes. The Connor that I know was gone and the machine Connor that I hated had returned. It was the cold machine that was forced to the surface who hurt me, _not you_."

Connor's head bowed down again as he collapsed into the chair and pressed his forehead down against Hank's bed as he finally allowed the mass of restrained emotion that he had repressed for so long free. Tears of gratitude, joy and relief all fell from his eyes as he silently wept with utter solace in knowing that Hank had forgiven him, and more importantly, Hank was going to be okay.

"Hank... I missed you."

Hank happily rested his hand on the back of Connor's dark hair as the android continued to silently sob at his side. Connor's stress level mercifully plummeted down to zero percent as he finally let his pain out and began to heal himself.

"It's okay, I kinda' missed you, too." Hank admitted as he stared at the weeping android with a little confusion in his still aching head. Whether it was from being in a coma for so long, or whether it was because Connor was more alive than either of them had realized, the sight of seeing Connor openly crying pulled at a paternal chord in the gruff detective's heart of gold. "Everything is going to be alright, son. I promise."

_**...next story...** _


	33. Mugged

Two weeks suspension without pay was a low price for Connor to pay just to have Hank back home where he belonged. While the detective had forgiven him for the shooting, not that he even blamed Connor to begin with, internal affairs at the precinct ordered that Connor had his entire programming checked by the precinct technician, as well as a 'private' technician hired by Fowler himself, and to remain on suspension until he was cleared for active duty. Everything in Connor's programming passed, but that didn't make the android feel any less guilty or responsible for Hank's condition.

Just three days left of his suspension and Connor could return to work, but Hank still had two weeks of his own after being shot and spending six days in a coma. While Hank had gotten used to Connor tending to his every need, even if didn't _actually_ need anything, the over abundance of kindness was beginning to wear his nerves a little thin.

"Connor, you've cleaned this entire house four times over the past week and half, took the car down to the garage to get tuned up, mowed the lawn and even managed to give Sumo a bath without drowning in the process." Hank shouted from the couch as he pet Sumo's head; the massive dog was stretched out across the couch and over his lap. "Sit down before I knock you down!"

"Doctor's orders Hank." Connor yelled from the kitchen as he pulled a fresh pizza out of the oven. A pizza Connor had made from scratch as a special meal just for Hank. "You can't take your medication on an empty stomach."

"Yeah, I know that. But that doesn't mean you have to cook _every_ meal for me."

"No, but, I do find the act of cooking in itself oddly enjoyable. Arguably it's soothing to me."

"How can you enjoy it? You don't eat anything you make."

"Correct, but I do enjoy following recipes and creating new items. I imagine it's like an artist completing a work of art." Connor defended his logic as he walked out of the kitchen and handed Hank a bottle of water without being asked. "Also, I _can_ taste. So while I'm cooking I can smell and therefore taste every recipe I complete without actually needing to ingest it."

"Wait..." Hank tentatively accepted the bottle of water as he gave Connor an unsettled look. "so every time we're at a crime scene and you 'analyze' those blood samples, you can..."

"Correct."

"Gross, Connor! Why'd they program _that_ into your system?"

"Taste allows me to properly identify foreign chemicals and toxins that I otherwise wouldn't be able to process visually. It has its drawbacks, I admit."

"I bet." Despite his annoyance at Connor being a tad overprotective, Hank did have to give Connor credit where credit was due. "I will admit that you're better in the kitchen than I am. Well you are now that you know why humans invented something called 'oven mits' for a reason."

"Yes, I do regret underestimating the heat of the metal oven rack against my artificial skin."

"Took hours for that smell to go away. Mixture of burned skin and plastic..." Opening the bottle of water Hank took a sip and gave the android a slightly amused stare. "Who knew that I'd have to teach about the oven being hot!"

"I have learned from my mistake. I won't do it again." Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow suddenly as he received an update from the pharmacy and he responded accordingly. "Your prescription has been refilled. I'll go pick it up."

"More of those damn antibiotics? Can't you please just forget about it?"

"I'm sorry Hank, but you need them. This is also your final refill."

"Good. Damn pills give me the worst insomnia I've ever had."

"Would you like me to bring back some sleeping medication as well?"

"No! No more pills. What I would like is a shot of whiskey!"

"No Hank, you can't have any alcohol for another three months until your liver regenerates after being affected by the passing bullet."

Hank took another sip of the water as he studied Connor's demeanor curiously. "I think it'll take _my_ liver longer than that... But whatever. I know I can't change your mind once it's made up."

"Correct." Walking over to the front door Connor took his gray jacket from the hook and slipped it on over his arms. "I'll be back in less than one half hour."

"Why not take the car? It's not like I'm going anywhere anytime soon."

"The car has just recently been returned from the garage, I'd hate to do anything that might damage the vehicle before you get the chance to drive it yourself."

"For the love of-" Hank was about to lose his patience with the android's misplaced guilt and smother humility. "It's a fuckin' car! Things are going to get damaged no matter what! It's what they do, that's why we have mechanics!"

Connor refused to take the offered car and set foot outside the front stubbornly. "I'll be back soon."

As the door shut quietly Hank messed up Sumo's ears and looked down at the giant dog on his lap. "I don't know which of you needs obedience school more; you or Connor."

Sumo just wagged his tail at the sound of his name, and snuggled in more against Hank's legs.

* * *

The pharmacy was six blocks away from the house and it didn't take long for Connor to reach his destination on foot. As Connor entered the pharmacy a group of three teenagers; two males and one female, watched the android with interest from an alley across the street. Connor was too focused on retrieving the bottle of medication to pay them any attention, not that he saw teenagers or children as threats even while on the clock at the precinct.

Connor cybernetically paid for the prescription, as well as a box Chamomile tea, and set about for home unaware of the three teenagers following after him. With the pill bottle tucked away safely in his jacket pocket Connor crossed two blocks without any problems, but as he set foot on the third block he heard the 'clink' of metal as a switchblade was unsheathed from behind him.

"Hey freak!" The oldest male of the three teenagers shouted in a threatening manner. "Give me your stuff!"

Connor stopped and turned around to face the three teenage muggers. "To what 'stuff' are you referring?"

"Those pills! Give us those pills!"

"This medication is an antibiotic, not a painkiller. It won't get you high."

"I said," the teenager rushed toward Connor and the android stood his ground. "give me the pills!"

Connor grabbed onto the teenagers shirt collar with his left hand and easily threw him aside. Seeing their friend knocked to the ground caused the other teenagers to pull switchblades from their own pockets and lunge at Connor. The android was able to step back from the other two teenagers, but the third had gotten back to his feet and reclaimed his blade.

With great ease Connor managed to disarm the two teenagers but failed to disarm the third as he stabbed his knife through his right forearm.

As the android's L.E.D. flashed yellow from pain he managed to grab onto the offending teenager's wrist and twist it with a violent jerk that caused the bones to snap. Letting go of the blade the teenager fell to the sidewalk cradling his shattered wrist while his friends grabbed his by his arms and dragged him along the sidewalk away from the android.

"Shit, let's get out of here!"

Connor issued a report cybernetically to the precinct as he looked down at the blade sticking out of his bleeding forearm. It would need to be properly cleaned and wrapped up, but it wasn't anything serious that required a technician. In time the android's self-healing program would easily mend the damage without any complications.

* * *

Sumo was laying on the kitchen floor eating a slice of the freshly baked pizza while Hank sat at the kitchen table looking through his phone for any possible remedies to insomnia that didn't involve taking more pills, or a change in diet. What information he found was less than helpful, but that didn't stop him from scrolling through various homeopathic remedies, that is until he came across meditation.

"We've been on this planet for billions of years, yet no one can figure out the damn secret to a good night's sleep." Hank set aside his phone and picked at the slice pizza on his plate. The toppings were chosen specifically based on Hank's person taste preferences which meant the offered meal was irresistible to the healing detective. "How can someone who never eats have such a skill in the kitchen? Must be an android thing."

The front door opened slowly as Connor returned home and took the pill bottle out of his pocket for Hank to see. "I have your prescription."

"I appreciate you doing that, but I don't-" Hank's eyes fell from the pills and immediately locked in place as he saw the bloody switchblade sticking out of Connor's arm, and stopped midsentence. "Connor... What the fuck is that?"

"A switchblade."

"I can see that," the detective sounded annoyed by Connor's indifference to his own injury. "I mean why the fuck is it stuck in your arm?"

"I was jumped. Three teenagers must've thought the medication I was carrying could get them high."

"Ah, Jeez..." Hank rose from the table and stood before Connor in the livingroom. Carefully he took Connor's damaged arm and held it between his hands. "Let me see..."

"It's not serious. It passed clean through the plastimetal frame but no major lines have been severed."

"Uh-huh, but you're bleeding in my house and you have a blade stabbed into your forearm. That's serious to me."

"The first aid kit provided by New Jericho will be more than effective at remedying my injury. I can take care of it in a moment."

"Yeah, yeah. Sit down, get your jacket off and pull your arm out of your sleeve. _I'll_ get the kit."

"There's no need. I can-"

"Connor. Sit down."

Unwilling to stress the detective during his recovery Connor obeyed Hank's instructions and stepped over Sumo to get to the kitchen table to take his seat. As he pulled the fabric of his jacket open to slip it over the hilt of the switchblade he draped it over the back of the chair casually. Unfastening the cuff of his sleeve of his damaged shirt to roll the fabric up past his forearm, he looked down at Sumo on the floor and saw what he was eating.

"It's not wise for a dog to consume food intended for a human."

"Sumo can handle anything." Hank replied as he returned to the kitchen with the necessary kit in his hands. "Besides, it's not exactly 'wise' for an android to walk around with a weapon embedded in his body, but here you are." The jaded detective placed the kit down on the table as he looked at the blade in Connor's arm. Holding his breath Hank took a firm grip of the handle and locked eyes with Connor. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"One, two-" Hank pulled the blade out with a swift yank that made Connor wince in response. "Sorry."

Connor gritted his teeth and let out a sigh. "...It's okay."

"Alright, so I pour this stuff over the wound?" Hank asked as he picked up a transparent bottle containing a clear liquid. "It's like an android antiseptic, right?"

"Correct."

Hank uncapped the bottle and drenched the wound in the liquid and he tightened his grip around Connor's arm as the android tried to pull his limb back out of a pained reflex. "Don't move."

"...Sorry."

"Done." The liquid removed the lingering blue blood from around the wound and cleared any foreign debris from within the wound just as easily. "Now what?"

"Wrap the wound in the supplied gauze. It'll prevent external debris from entering the injury until my artificial skin can heal and regenerate on its own."

"Right." Hank did as he was instructed and wrapped up Connor's forearm carefully under the protective white bandages. "Just so you know, you don't owe me anything over what happened. I don't blame you, and I never did, okay?"

Connor nodded slightly as he watched Hank wrapping up his injured arm with a surprising gentleness. "Okay."

"No more cleaning the house, doing chores or slaving away in the kitchen. Understood?"

"...Yes, Hank." Connor looked away from his damaged arm and to the floor as if he had just been scolded. "I won't do anything that you don't want me to do."

"Please don't do that. You're not annoying me or anything, you just need to stop beating yourself up." Hank could sense that Connor was still upset about the entire situation, despite having done nothing wrong, and decided to give the android an excuse to keep hovering over him just a bit longer. "But, if you're feeling up to it I do have a _favor_ to ask."

"A favor? Name it."

"Find a cure to insomnia."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked from a distressed yellow back to a calm blue as a sly grin appeared on his face. "Chamomile tea."

"Seriously?" Hank gave Connor an incredulous glance as he finished wrapping up Connor's arm and put the remaining supplies back into the kit. "You're sure?"

"Yes." Leaving his damaged arm on the table Connor reached back with his free hand into his jacket's pocket and presented a box containing chamomile teabags. "I already bought some."

Hank looked at the box in Connor's hand and flashed him an amused smirk. "Smartass. Alright, I'll give it a shot."

_**...next story...** _


	34. The Bomb

A report of a possibly dangerous deviant roaming the halls of an office building downtown brought Connor and Hank to the scene with very little information at their disposal, and a lot of questions that still needed answers. The office building itself was located in an area of the city that had been known, almost infamously, for its anti-android policies which meant that there was still a lot of social hostility in the area. The air was thick with xenophobic tension that made the human and android detective both anxious upon their arrival.

It didn't help matters when Gavin arrived on the scene with his usual impatient attitude to 'assist' with the search through the building. Whether Gavin volunteered out his mutual anti-android spite resonating through the neighborhood, or if it was because he was attempting to brown-nose some rich contacts into donating funds to the precinct, no one could say.

The occupants of the building had been successfully evacuated and led to safety while the responding officers began their search for the supposedly dangerous deviant reportedly trespassing inside the building. After checking the floors of the building one by one for the mysterious deviant the two detectives found no one of interest, but they did find an abundance of xenophobic bigotry.

"First week back on the job and we get called in to find one deviant in a building full of paranoid suits." Hank righteously grumbled as he and Connor walked through the corridor together. "I don't know what's more of a waste, our time or the taxpayer's money!"

Connor and Hank had reached the top floor of the massive building and found no sign of anyone anywhere. There were no other androids beyond Connor on the premises, or any sign that any other androids had recently been through the area.

"Did your scanner find anything Connor?"

The android's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he looked up at the white ceiling as his scanner detected a trace amount of something that registered as explosive material just beyond a single tile that was slightly out of place. He stopped short and stared straight up at the offending tile without blinking.

"Possibly."

Hank turned around and followed Connor's gaze upward to the tile in question. "What's up?"

"I'm unsure, but I believe it warrants a closer inspection."

Hank's instincts as a detective told him that Connor was onto something. Planting his feet firmly Hank squared his shoulders as he dropped his hands down a little in front of himself as he prepared to support a heavy weight.

"Yeah. Here, I'll give you a boost up."

"My frame allows me to stand completely stable while supporting additional weight. It'd be more beneficial for me to support you instead."

"Yeah, but your balance is better than mine, you're lighter than me, AND you can see without a flashlight." Hank argued sharply without moving from where he stood. "Up."

"Very well."

Obediently Connor stepped forward and stepped down into Hank's hands as the detective hoisted him upward toward the ceiling. Putting one hand down on Hank's shoulder as the detective lifted him up high enough to press on the ceiling, Connor reached up with his other hand to slide the already loose tile to the side before he peered up into the ceiling itself.

Hank looked up and watched as Connor peered into the opening of the ceiling to examine the small space. "See anything?"

Meticulously Connor looked about the dark space that occupied the ceiling, his flashing yellow L.E.D. illuminated the area with a faint amber glow as his eyes fell upon a large metallic cylinder lined with various wires, small connected containers with liquid explosives, and a single trigger that had numerous failsaves protecting it.

"Hank, I see something."

"What is it?"

"A bomb."

Hank immediately lowered Connor to the ground, the abrupt movement caught the android off guard and made him sway a little as he put his feet back down on the floor in front of the detective.

"Did you say 'BOMB'?"

"Yes. It appears to be remotely activated."

"Shit! Find Gavin." Hank walked over to the wall and pulled down on the nearest fire alarm to cause the people lingering around outside to evacuate even further from the building. As the alarm sounded off with an extraordinary sound Hank had to raise his voice in order to be heard over it. "Contact the precinct, let them know what's going on. We have to make sure everyone got out of here, and we need to do it FAST."

"Done." Connor's L.E.D. had flashed yellow rapidly for a few seconds as he sent out the distress call and filed the report. "Sergeant Reed is currently three floors down, and heading our way."

"Fine, we'll head him off on our way down as we finish checking these rooms." Hank pushed open an unlocked door to en empty room just to make sure no one was actually inside.

"Agreed." Connor mirrored Hank's motions along the opposite side of the corridor, heading toward the staircase in favor of using the elevator.

Working together the two detectives painstakingly checked the top two floors, and every room, heading down from where the bomb had been located on the top floor when they met Gavin who was approaching them with an angered and impatient glare. The hotheaded Sergeant hadn't been informed of the possible bomb as the use of radios had been temporarily banned, and therefore disabled, in the event a broadcast could accidentally trigger the remote bomb before it could be disposed of.

"Lieutenant, what the fuck is happening?" Gavin shouted over the blaring fire alarm as he huffed toward the two detectives. "What did you do?"

"There's a bomb in the building," Hank yelled in response as he and Connor continued to check the rooms lining the corridor. "we need to evacuate and make sure everyone got their sorry ass out of the area."

"Shit..." Gavin frozen for only a second before proceeded to help with the room check without asking twice. "The six floors below us were already cleared because of the reported deviant. If anyone was still here they were at the bottom floors of the building. They gotta' be outside by now."

"Keep looking!" Hank ordered gruffly as he made his way past Gavin toward the next stairwell. Stopping short Hank saw that Connor was staring through an open door into a seemingly empty room. "Connor?"

"The deviant." Connor replied sternly, his L.E.D. flashed red suddenly as he alone witnessed something alarming inside the dark room. "It's-"

A deafening explosion suddenly rocked the building as the bomb only three floors away from the responding officers detonated unexpectedly. Thick black smoke and bright orange fire erupted from the top of the building as the three floors above imploded downward creating a gray plume of choking dust and debris that rained down over the streets below. Heavy support beams, slabs of drywall, portions of the floor and the ceiling above collapsed inward while the surrounding windows shattered into a cascade of thousands of shards of sharp glass outward.

Onlookers and bystanders on the street ran for cover and away from the building as police cars, fire engines and ambulances bravely converged on the scene to aid those trapped within the radius of the detonated bomb.

The search for survivors and victims alike had only just begun.

* * *

Hank coughed harshly as he lifted his aching head up from the floor and struggled to look around the destroyed corridor. The explosion had sent Hank flying backward and he landed down hard on his back causing the muscles to tremble from the impact. Judging from the severe, chronic ache in his head and the lingering taste of blood in his mouth Hank knew had also been rendered unconscious by the blast, but he couldn't tell just for how long. A steady weight against his torso was indicative of heavy debris being knocked on top of him as the building's interior was torn to shreds.

Using one hand Hank pushed aside a large piece of drywall that was resting over his chest down to his hip as he slowly unburied himself as he laid alone on his back in the ruined corridor. Free of the debris Hank coughed and tried to breathe through the heavy air as best as he could. Rolling from his back onto his hip he used his arm to push himself up from the ground as he gazed about the immediate area to take in the sight of the carnage, and to look for his two missing officers.

Wires hung down from the unstable ceiling and sparked randomly in white and blue colors. Thick pipes jutted outward from gaping holes in the walls, and dripped water or possibly leaked gas. The floors were littered with piles of debris that ranged in both height and depths depending on the material that had been collected in the mounds, and their proximity to the explosion. It was dark and smokey making it difficult for the human to see, but not impossible.

"Connor?" Hank called out as loud as he could, and coughed immediately afterward. Clearing his throat he called out again. "Gavin? Can you hear me?"

"H-Hey!" From somewhere behind Hank he heard a large portion of the debris get shoved aside as Gavin stumbled forward and joined him in the middle of the wrecked corridor. "Lieutenant... You hurt?"

"A few bruises." Hank admitted as he ignored the trail of blood running down the side of his face from a cut over his left eye. The taste of blood in his mouth was still prevalent, but also ignored. "How about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Gavin looked as beaten up as Hank felt. Numerous small cuts marred his face, neck and hands, but he was fully lucid and able to move about on his own with little difficulty. "What the hell happened?"

"What do you think happened, jackass? The damn bomb went off."

"Shit."

"Have you seen Connor?"

"No. I was looking for a way to get down the stairs when I heard you callin' us."

"Stay here." Hank ordered as he stood up slowly and set off clumsily over the debris on the floor in the opposite direction from where Gavin had arrived to look for his partner. He had a little more difficult in moving than Gavin thanks to his sore back, but he was managing just fine. "I'll check the other end of the hallway."

"Whoa, whoa. You want to risk your life over a piece of-"

"Shut the fuck up. He's my _partner_ , dipshit."

"He's a machine!"

"And you're a piece of shit. That doesn't stop Fowler from giving you a paycheck, now does it?"

"...Whatever. If you want to waste your time lookin' for him, then by all means, go for it. I'm going to look for a way _outta_ ' here."

Annoyed but not deterred Hank resumed his search for his missing partner. Making very careful steps to ensure he didn't fall or disturb anything that could cause a second collapse Hank trudged through the corridor and checked every accessible area diligently before moving on to the next area.

"Connor?" Hank continued to call out for the android as he searched for him. "Connor? Where are you?"

As the detective ducked down under a low hanging support beam that had broken through the ceiling his eye caught sight of a faint red glow emanating from beneath a layer of debris just a few inches from where he was standing. The glow was blinking on and off slowly as if it were a pulse, or a signal. It was then Hank's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the source of the glow as an android's L.E.D.

It was Connor's L.E.D.

"Connor?!"

Hank quickly fell to his knees, ignoring the painful protest of the joints as he knelt on the ground. Without hesitation he began hefting aside the slabs of drywall, splintered wooden support beams and shards of broken glass as he desperately dug his partner's body out from under the smothering pile of debris. The sight of the android's uncovered chest did little to ease Hank's worried mind as Connor was unburied.

"Connor... No."

The android was laying on his back with his head lolled just enough to the left to let the red L.E.D. glow through the darkness created by the surrounding debris. His arms were splayed outward at his sides and his legs were straight, but pinned beneath a heavy chunk of the collapsed ceiling from above. A massive stain of blue tinted Thirium bled over Connor's white dress shirt over his chest, but mostly over his abdomen. Additional blue blood ran from the corner of Connor's mouth and from his nose, dripping down onto the floor beside his head in a growing sapphire puddle. There was a massive cut along Connor's right cheek that oozed blue blood steadily as he laid motionless on the floor next to Hank.

"Connor?" With a light touch Hank patted the side of Connor's face, but the android didn't respond. It didn't even look like Connor was breathing! Turning back toward the corridor where Gavin had been searching Hank called out to him as loud as he could. "Gavin! Get you ass over here!"

Bending his head down Hank pressed his ear to the center of Connor's chest and didn't budge until he heard the distinct heartbeat like thrum of Connor's Thirium pump in his chest still functioning. While his heart was beating Connor wasn't breathing, and with that lack of respiration his core temperature was steadily beginning to rise.

"No, kid. Come on..." Uncovering Connor's arm from beneath the pile Hank picked up the android's limp, cold hand and held it in his own. "Connor? Squeeze my hand!"

No response.

"Come on, Connor, I know you can hear me. Squeeze my hand."

Still nothing.

Gavin rushed over the littered hallway as quickly as he could and stood behind Hank as he watched the detective rock back on his knees and proceed to try and push additional debris from atop Connor's torso. The massive Thirium stain over Connor's chest made Gavin wince inwardly as he recognized the distinct blue tint as blood.

"Jesus..." Staying back Gavin looked down at the android's body as Hank continued to unbury him. "is it... dead?"

"No! He's still alive." Hank turned his head slightly to look at Gavin, revealing the smear of blue blood staining the side of his face and gray hair. Gently Hank placed Connor's hand back down on the floor beside him as he focused on the remaining debris. "But he can't breathe, help me move this junk off of him!"

"Breathe? What the fuck..."

Surprisingly Gavin did as he was told without protest or even hesitation. Working alongside Hank the two men managed to lift up and a slide the heavy slab of dirty drywall aside and away from Connor's body. Without the weight pressing down against his torso Connor would be able to breathe on his own, but his body remained just as still as it had been since Hank found him.

"Connor?" Hank tried again as he put his hand down lightly on Connor's bleeding abdomen. The lack of motion beneath his palm made Hank's own blood run cold. "Come on, son, breathe! You need to breathe!"

"Seriously he breathes?" Gavin stepped back at the horrific sight of Connor covered in his own blood. "Fucking piece of plastic can _breathe_?!"

"Come on." Hank begged as he kept his hand firmly in place on Connor's abdomen. "Just one breath, that's all I ask."

Connor remained motionless.

"Connor?" Applying a light pressure to Connor's torso Hank shook once and addressed the android in a louder voice. "Connor, breathe damn it! I need you to breathe!"

A weak gasping sound escaped Connor's bloodied lips as he took in a shallow breath at last. It was followed by another breath, then another.

"That's it." Hank encouraged as he released his own breath; a breath he didn't even know he was holding. The weak motion under his palm managed to ease his fears, but only in the slightest. "Good. That's good."

Hank pulled his hand back as Connor started to breathe on his own, very rapidly and with great difficulty, but at least he was breathing again. With each shuddering, weak breath he took more Thirium began to ooze from beneath his bloodied shirt over his abdomen, only to pool onto the floor beneath his body.

Gavin took another step back as the growing puddle of blood began to turn his stomach. "Shit..."

"We have to stop the bleeding." With his instincts as a first responder kicking into full gear Hank pulled open the buttons on Connor's shirt to reveal the android's abdomen beneath. "Ah, shit. Connor..."

"Oh, man..." Gavin put a hand over his mouth as if he needed it to keep himself from screaming, or getting sick at the gruesome sight. "How the fuck is it still alive?!"

A gaping hole in the middle of Connor's abdomen exposed the numerous delicate biocomponents, leaking Thirium lines and damaged wires within. A massive collection of lost Thirium had collected in his abdomen and had been seeping out over the edges of the opening as his abdomen steadily filled with his own blood.

Massive shards of metallic shrapnel from the bomb, as well as the surrounding room, had become embedded over Connor's body. Unfortunately a majority of the carnage was seemingly focused primarily at his torso. The bomb evidently had been sitting on a desk or a chair, a surface that was waist high, upon its detonation.

"Shit, he's bleeding internally." Hank realized with a sick grimace on his face. "We need to do something fast."

Slipping his heavy coat from over his arms Hank set it aside and unbuttoned his bright blue shirt beneath it. Wiping the palms of his hands down over the untouched black t-shirt underneath he was able remove some grime and debris that covered his hands. Taking a deep breath Hank hovered his right hand over the opened wound and prepared to drop his fingers inside the bloodied body before him.

"Okay, kid... I have to do this."

Reaching his hand into Connor's abdomen Hank felt the pressure of leaking Thirium and used it to guide his hand. Using his fingers Hank located the main source of the bleeding and pinched it off tight with his index fingertip and thumb. As he applied steady pressure he felt the bleeding stem, but he wouldn't be able to hold the pressure with his just his fingers.

"Gavin, I need your help."

"What? No way!"

"Yes. Come here." Hank snapped firmly as he used authority in his voice. "Wipe off your hands. I just need you to slip off his tie and hand it to me so I can tie off the bleed."

"...Fine." Gavin kept hie eyes as far away from Connor's face as possible as he wiped his hands down over his shirt, and he bent down over the android to loosen the tie to hand the garment to Hank. "Here."

"Now," Hank quickly grabbed Gavin's wrist and made him kneel down on the floor beside Connor. Forcing Gavin's hand down into Connor's abdomen he placed Gavin's fingers where his own hand had holding off the leak for the past few seconds. "just apply pressure."

"Ah, man, this is so nasty!" Gavin moaned as he closed his eyes tight and tried not to think about the fact that his hand was inside Connor's bloodied body. The warmth and consistency of the Thirium felt exactly like human blood, and the feeling of Connor's weak breaths around as well as the rhythm of the android's thrumming heart so close to Gavin's hand felt so eerily... human. "Sick!"

"Shut up." Hank sternly scolded as he used Connor's tie to absorb as much of the leaking blue blood in Connor's abdomen as he could, before wrapping the tie around the leak just under Gavin's fingers. Using the strong fabric of the garment Hank was able to use it to tie off the damaged line, Connor's ascending right Thireal line at that, and keep Connor from bleeding any further. "Okay, let go."

Gavin pulled his hand back from the blood like he was trying to avoid a snapping bear trap. Keeping silent Gavin opened his eyes as he wiped off the blood on his jacket, and watched as Hank expertly used the tie to stem the leaking line in Connor's abdomen. Hank wisely used the remaining slack at the ends of the tie to pack off the surrounding damaged bleeding biocomponents as well.

"That should hold for a while..." Carefully Hank retracted his blue stained hands and sighed as a majority of the bleeding mercifully stopped. "That should be bide him some time."

"H-How the hell did you know what do? ...What the fuck?"

Hank gave Gavin a blank stare as he answered curtly from where he knelt. "Because I've experienced this once before. You never forget something like that." Motioning to the stairwell behind him with a thumb over the shoulder Hank issued his next order as he began tearing swatches of fabric from his blue dress shirt to use as additional bandages in Connor's abdomen. "Go back over to the stairs and find something make some noise with. Let search and rescue know where we are."

"Y-yeah... okay."

Attentively Hank packed the added fabric from his shirt into Connor's abdomen to try cover as many of the visibly injuries to his partner's biocomponents as possible. The sight of Connor's chest and abdomen rising and falling frantically was a bittersweet experience; it meant Connor was still alive, but it also meant he was in great physical distress.

Maybe even in pain.

"Just hang on, kid." Picking up his heavier coat from the floor Hank draped it protectively over Connor's broken body to shield his opened wounds from as much airborne debris as possible. Hank sat on the floor near Connor's shoulders as he put his hand beneath Connor's head and pulled the android upward slightly to let him rest against his leg. "I'm here with you. It'll be okay, son."

The sound of Gavin shouting for help in the distance as he began banging a piece of debris, most likely a chunk of metal pipe, against the walls to try and make as much noise as possible to help the rescue team locate them as soon as possible, echoed loudly. Rhythmic banging accompanied with loud, demanding shouts created a loud commotion that was sure to drawn in any searching personnel to their location.

"Help's coming." Hank stated as he pressed his hand over Connor's forehead and absentmindedly ran his thumb through Connor's dark hair. With his other hand he picked up Connor's limp, cold hand again as he spoke to the android. "Come on, squeeze my hand. I know you can do it."

Connor's hand remained motionless in Hank's grip.

"Shit... Just hold on a little while longer, okay? I'll get you some help."

Hank stayed beside Connor for the countless minutes that ticked into hours as Gavin continued to call out for help and make as much noise as he possibly could to draw the search party closer, quicker. The blank, peaceful expression on Connor's face reminded Hank of the way Cole used to sleep, it was actually one of many ways Connor reminded him of Cole. But this particular moment was especially haunting. After all, Cole was sleeping all those times but right Connor was unconscious, possibly dying.

Gavin pounded on the walls with his fist and the metal pipe as he continued to shout to the point where he was beginning to go hoarse. "Hey, hey! Come on! We're right in here!" Banging as hard as he could on the walls the Sergeant was determined to get out of that building alive. "HEY! IN HERE! HERE! Come on already...""

Intense flashlight beams suddenly shone through the gaps between the large chunks of debris that blocked the doorway to the stairwell and illuminated Gavin's dirty, bloody face in white light. Two male firefighters had finally located the three officers and were preparing for extraction.

"Hello?" A loud, calm voice called out to Gavin through the gap in the doorway. "How many are in your party?"

"Finally..." Gavin sighed as he tossed the metal pipe aside onto the floor at his feet. "Hey, get us out of here! There's three of us in here!"

One of the two firefighters continued to address Gavin in a calm, authoritative tone while the second radioed for help. "Is anyone hurt?"

"Uh..." Gavin was at a rare loss for words since it meant regarding Connor as a person. "I'm okay, but my Lieutenant took a blow to the head, and his android partner is... uh... broken."

The second firefighter got on his radio again to request assistance to the floor, specifically for any available paramedic and technician to join them at the scene of the rescue.

"Alright, step back."

As the first firefighter raised his axe to swing against the debris blocking the stairwell Gavin wisely stepped back and rejoined Hank who was watching over Connor like a hawk.

"They'll get us out of here in a few minutes." Sitting down on a large pile of rubble next to Hank the usually surly detective couldn't help but feel bad for Connor, who was still laying motionless in a puddle of his own blood. "How's he doing?"

"Still alive." Hank stated firmly without looking away. "That's all that matters right now."

"Right... 'Alive'." The Sergeant nearly scoffed at the idea of Connor being a living person. "...Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

"You know Gavin, I can't tell you stop hating something or someone, but I can ask you to lighten up on Connor." Hank turned to look at Gavin with a stare of discipline, but not aggression or even anger. "I know you hate androids, hell, I used to hate them just as much as you, but I can honestly say from experience that you're wasting your time and energy on hating them. They aren't just machines, they ARE alive. Connor is alive. It doesn't make any damn sense to hate something or someone just for existing."

Gavin didn't know what to say, or even how he could say anything at all. Instead he folded his hands together over his lap as he stared at the weeping cut above Hank's eye with mild interest. "How's your head?"

"Killing me. How about you?"

"Landed on my back against something hard. Definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow, that's for sure."

The blockage over the stairwell access door had been removed by the responding firefighters who aimed their flashlights at the trio gathered in the ruins of the corridor. Spying the large slab of debris that was pinning Connor's legs to the ground the two firefighters swiftly worked together to lift up, and set aside the heavy weight, freeing the android's lower extremities at last.

"You two," the fist firefighter addressed both Gavin and Hank. "can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm good Gavin admitted."

Hank shook his head slowly. "I'm not going anywhere until my partner is safe."

"Sir, we have to-"

"Forget it!" Hank refused to budge as he kept his eyes on Connor's face. "I'll leave when he does."

"Okay, fine. I don't have time to argue!"

Grabbing Gavin's arm the first firefighter escorted the (slightly) more cooperative detective out of the corridor and through the stairwell to safety, while the second firefighter stayed with Hank and Connor. Kneeling down beside the android the second firefighter ran his lands down Connor's legs to feel for any breaks or damage as he would with any human victim.

"Nothing broken," he drew back his gloved hands and saw that there was some Thirium staining his hands from the numerous cuts that lined all of Connor's lower body up to his abdomen. "but he does have numerous lacerations."

"It's not his legs you have to worry about." Hank reluctantly let go of Connor's hand, gently placing it back down on the floor, before peeling back the fabric of his coat to show the firefighter the massive abdominal trauma that Connor had suffered. "I stopped the bleeding, but he's already lost a lot of Thirium."

"Jesus..." Grabbing his radio the firefighter requested a gurney be brought up to carry Connor out and to have the responding technicians meet them up on the designated floor. Carefully, he leaned over the wounds and checked Hank's handy work without disturbing the injuries in the process. Putting his hand down on the center of Connor's chest he shook his head incredulously at the sight of Connor's rapid, shallow breaths and still beating heart. "How in the hell is this guy even still alive?"

"He's stubborn." Hank answered without missing a beat as he picked up the android's hand again hoping to feel Connor finally squeeze back. "I know you're not a technician, but level with me 'cop-to-firefighter', what do you think his chances are?"

"Honestly, I wish I could tell you. But I've never seen android so... broken." He noticed that Connor's L.E.D. was still flashing in red which meant that Connor's systems were still functional. But the red tint and massive Thirium were all signs in the negative. "I'd give his odds... one in five."

"I'll take that bet."

Two additional rescue personnel, each carrying emergency satchels slung over their shoulders, entered the decimated corridor with a gurney and backboard in tow. One was a paramedic to tend to Hank ,and the other was a technician who'd work on Connor until it was time to move.

"Here." The firefighter stepped back and prepared the gurney for transport while the paramedic and technician set about their work. "The android's in rough shape, I don't want to risk moving him until he's been stabilized."

The paramedic, a younger man with blonde hair knelt beside Hank and began checking his pupils for any sign of severe head trauma, while also wrapping his fingers around Hank's wrist to check his pulse. "Pupils are sluggish, but equal and reactive to light." The paramedic announced confidently as he assessed Hank easily. "Strong pulse, tachycardic at one-hundred and forty."

The technician, a young long-haired brunette woman with hazel eyes, pulled aside Hank's coat and looked at the extensive damage to Connor's abdomen. Without flinching the technician reached into her bag and pulled out a massive white bandage wrapped in protective plastic. Ripping the plastic open she unfolded the bandage to double its size as she placed it down over Connor's abdomen, then used strong medical adhesive to secure the bandage in place over his artificial skin.

Gently she tilted Connor's head still resting against Hank's leg to the left so she could see his L.E.D. faintly glowing before she put her hand on his chest to count his rapid heart beat.

"Thirium pump is still functioning, but his Thirium volume is dangerously low. He doesn't have the strength to activate his self-healing program."

The firefighter observed the scene carefully before asking the next crucial question. "Can the android be moved?"

"Yes." The technician confirmed without hesitation to her soft voice. "But he needs to be lifted carefully otherwise it'll exasperate his internal trauma."

"Right, no problem." Clearing a spot on the floor the firefighter set down the backboard before moving over to Connor's legs. "Life on three."

Hank nodded as slipped his arms under Connor's shoulders and the paramedic put his arms beneath Connor's back for additional support.

"One," the firefighter counted down rhythmically. "two, three!"

Working in unison the three humans managed to lift Connor up from the floor just high enough to place him down against the firm support of the backboard. The technician slipped the security straps attached to the board around Connor's legs, chest and shoulders as she was unwilling to put any unnecessary pressure over his damaged abdomen.

"Okay." She checked the straps one last time before she moved away to give the others some space to work. "He can be put on the gurney."

Hank watched as the firefighter and the paramedic lifted the backboard at both ends and placed Connor down onto the gurney to be transported out of the building. Connor's head lolled limply as he was moved, but he didn't react to the motion on a conscious level.

"Almost there, kid." Hank reassured quietly as tucked his dropped coat under his arm and stood beside the gurney. The detective was watching intently as the firefighter and the paramedic secured the additional straps on the gurney to keep him completely stable as he was taken from the destroyed building. "Just hang on a little longer, okay?"

* * *

Gavin was outside sitting on the bumper of the ambulance patiently allowing the second paramedic to clean the numerous and painful cuts that marred his face, neck and his hands. As his right hand was being wrapped up in gauze to keep the swollen cuts in his palm from getting an infection he glanced to the front of the building waiting for any sign of Hank or Connor to reappear.

"Any word on the guys still inside?"

"Nothing yet." The paramedic sympathized as she pressed the gauze around his hand carefully. "I'll keep you posted if I hear anything."

"Thanks..."

"Gavin!" Captain Fowler spotted the Sergeant being treated at the back of the ambulance and approached him with a hasty gait. "You okay?"

"A few bruises, nothing major, Cap."

"What about Hank and Connor?"

"They were still inside when I was taken out. Hank's a little banged up but Connor... he's in bad shape."

"Where were you when the bomb exploded?"

"Three floors down. Do we know what set it off, yet?"

"Definitely a remote trigger. We're looking for the suspect now."

"We didn't see any deviants inside the building as we cleared it out. Did... Did anyone else get trapped inside?"

"Fortunately no, you three were the last ones inside."

"Guess that's something to be proud of."

The gurney carrying Connor was wheeled through the front doors of the barricaded building with Hank at his side and the firefighter, paramedic and technician working together to get the injured android to safety.

"Shit. You weren't kidding." Fowler could see even from a distance that Connor was in rough shape. "Gavin, you and Hank are going to go the hospital. I'll meet you there in an hour or so."

"Right, Captain."

Fowler walked over to the second ambulance, once designed exclusively for androids, as it was set to take Connor to nearest Android Emergency Care Facility. Moving quickly Fowler headed Hank off before he could stubbornly try to hop in the back alongside Connor.

"Hank, come on, you need to get checked out at the hospital."

"Jeffrey, I'm not leaving-"

"For now, you are. Just get cleared at the hospital ,and then you can check in with Connor."

Before he could protest further the paramedic who had helped carry Connor outside the building put his arm out across Hank's chest to keep him from climbing into the back of ambulance after the technician.

"Relax Lieutenant, Abby is the best technician I've ever worked with." The paramedic reassured him in a sincere tone of voice. "Your partner's in good hands."

Fowler and the paramedic forced Hank to step back as the doors were slammed shut in front of the detective. Unable to see through the back windows to Connor laying unconscious on the gurney Hank begrudgingly watched the ambulance speed off down the street with his still unconscious partner in tow.

"Come on, Hank." Fowler insisted patiently. With the help of the paramedic he managed to coax Hank over to the first ambulance where Gavin was still sitting. "I want to know what the fuck happened in there before all hell broke loose."

"Yeah, sure..." Hank bitterly walked over to the ambulance to be examined as he answered Fowler's questions about the bomb. "Not a problem."

* * *

Connor remained completely unconscious during the transport to the facility. While Abby worked to replenish his dangerously depleted Thirium volume she reported on his condition to the facility, informing the other technicians awaiting their arrival of the extensive, critical damage Connor had sustained during the explosion.

While she was on the radio Connor's back suddenly arched as he began to cough and choke on blue blood collecting in the back of his throat.

"No, no, no!" Abby reacted quickly and pulled a small suction pump from the storage compartment to her right and placed the pump in Connor's mouth to remove the excess Thirium. She had to move swiftly before the blue blood collected in his ventilation biocomponent and caused them to fail. "You're not dying in the back of my ambulance after surviving a bomb explosion!"

As Abby drained away the blood Connor steadily relaxed and he began to breathe slightly easier.

"Come on, now." Placing a small pillow under Connor's head and neck she lifted him up enough to keep the blood from collecting in the back of his throat a second time. "Your partner seemed really worried about you," Abby spoke to Connor in a very compassionate voice as she used her audioscope to listen to his battered chest carefully. "don't disappoint him by giving up on us now."

* * *

Understandably frustrated, annoyed and in pain Hank angrily batted away the nurse's hand as she tried to adjust the bandage over the freshly stitched cut just above his eye. Through the haze of his mild concussion Hank had already given his account of the events that had taken place, events that Gavin corroborated himself, and was now waiting to be discharged from the hospital so he could go check on Connor.

"I'm fine, stop fussing over me."

The nurse gave him a sympathetic glance as she pulled her hand back and decided to let him alone. "Okay, call if you need anything, Lieutenant."

"Yeah, sure."

Fowler entered the room as the nurse left and folded his arms over his chest as he stared at his reputedly stubborn Lieutenant. "At least that nurse didn't run out of the room screaming. Nice to see you aren't taking out your frustration on nurses anymore."

"Not now, Jeffrey. Is there any word on Connor?"

"Yeah, I contacted the facility that's taking care of him. They had to replace a few non-vital biocomponents that had been destroyed by the bomb and give him almost four pints of Thirium, but he's going to be okay. The technicians also collected fragments of the bomb from his body for our boys at the lab to analyze."

"Jeffrey, I can see it in your eyes. What aren't you telling me? No bullshit this time, just the straight, honest truth."

Fowler took a deep breath and gave Hank the respect of telling him the truth as requested. "During transport he started to choke on Thirium, which meant he started to bleed again. BUT it was handled long before he got to the facility."

"...But he was still bleeding internally? Fuck."

"Easy, he's in good hands. You'll see."

"Jeffrey, just as the bomb went off Connor was saying something about the deviant, but I have no idea what he saw. Now we may never know."

"Alright, well, the doctor said you're good to go. So go stay with Connor at the facility and we'll piece everything together at the precinct. Call me when he wakes up."

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll hail a cab for you. I don't want you driving with a concussion."

* * *

Connor was laying shirtless and completely unresponsive and motionless on the exam table in the facility's recovery wing as his attending technician hovered close by. A tube of blue blood had been inserted down his throat to replenish his depleted Thirium volume to a stable level, and a sensor pad was placed on the center of his chest. The sensor was connected to a Thirium pump monitor to keep track of the rate of his heart as his Thirium pump continued to thrum rapidly to compensate for his low Thirium pressure.

In that moment Connor was suffering from the effects of android hypovolemia.

While the damage to his biocomponents had been repaired, some of the biocomponents replaced entirely, the artificial skin covering his abdomen had yet to regenerate due to the strain of his self-healing program attempting to repair the residual damage to his internal systems. Additional gauze wrapping was placed over his otherwise exposed abdomen to keep foreign matter from entering his plastimetal frame or damaged Thirium lines until his skin could finally regenerate properly.

Hank was shown into the recovery wing by the facility's reception, and was left alone with Connor. Leaning down over the table Hank spoke to the android kindly as Connor was in fact conscious and alert.

"I knew you'd pull through, kid. But we still need to know what happened at the building." Hank picked up Connor's hand from the table and held it firmly in his grip just as he had done at the scene of the explosion. "You saw something before the bomb detonated, what was it? Can you tell me?"

Connor was still quiet and unconscious despite his repairs and the sound of Hank's voice speaking to him.

"You were about to something about the deviant, what was it?"

No response.

"Okay, kid, I can wait for you to tell me what you saw, but I can't wait to know if you can hear me." Squeezing Connor's hand lightly Hank raised his voice slightly as he spoke to his unconscious partner. "Squeeze my hand."

Connor's hand remained limp in Hank's grasp.

"Connor, come on. I know you can hear me. Squeeze my hand. Please, I need you to do this, son."

As Connor's hand refused to budge Hank was about ready to give up and let Connor alone to rest, but a weak pressure around Hank's palm caught his attention. In a steady pulse Connor's L.E. flashed from red to yellow.

"There you are, I knew you could hear me." Hank tightened his grip around Connor's hand put his other hand against Connor's forehead lightly. "I need you to squeeze my hand again, and open your eyes. Please kid."

Steadily Connor's brown irises appeared between partially opened, heavy eyelids and stared blankly at the ceiling above. Blinking slowly Connor's body suddenly tensed up from the gnawing pain in his abdomen and tried to move.

"Hey, hold still, you're hurt. Just look at me." Hank urged as he moved his thumb gently through Connor's hair. The small contact and gentle voice was enough to get Connor to lay still again. "That's it. Focus on me."

Connor blinked again as his eyes slowly drifted over to Hank's face and stayed focused.

"I know you can't talk because of the tube going down your throat, but I need to know what happened before the bomb went off. Do you remember what you saw just before the explosion? Blink if you can remember."

Connor's eyes moved from left to right a little before focusing back on Hank's face. Blinking once to acknowledge a 'yes' his eyes remained fixed where they were.

"Good. You said something about a deviant, did you actually _see_ the deviant in the room?"

Connor didn't blink.

"Okay, you did NOT see the deviant, is that right?"

Connor blinked 'yes'.

"What did you see? Another person?"

Yes.

"Not an android, though, a _human_."

Yes.

"The report stated it was a deviant on the premises..." Thinking about the details and what they could've overlooked in their initial investigation. "Wait, Connor, was the person you saw dressed to _look_ like an android? Is that what you saw?"

Connor blinked 'yes' again.

"Shit... I knew that neighborhood hated androids, but to think they'd make a bomb and blow up a building just to frame one..." Hank squeezed Connor's hand again in distressed irritation. "If there was another person in the building why didn't they find a body?"

Connor tried to speak but he only choked on the tube inserted down his throat.

"Whoa, whoa, don't do that." Hank took his hand from Connor's hair and rested it on the android's chest near the sensor pad. "It's okay, we'll figure this out. The technicians removed bomb fragments from your body and they were sent to the lab at the precinct for analysis, will that help anything?"

Yes.

"Good. What should we look for?"

Connor's eyes darted down suddenly then back up at Hank as he lifted his opposite hand and made a writing motion in the air.

"You can write it down?"

Yes.

"Perfect." Hank laid Connor's hand back down on the table as he took a small notepad and pen from his coat pocket. Clicking the pen he placed it in Connor's hand and held the pad as still as possible for him to write on. "Okay, tell me what happened."

Despite his weakness from his Thirium loss the android managed to perfectly write and spell out every word, every detail in perfectly legible handwriting on the pad. When he finished he took his hand from the pad of paper and blinked again to let Hank know he finished.

Hank turned it over the pad to read what he wrote, only to shake his head in disgust. "Great... Just great. I'll call Fowler and let him know what you uncovered. Just rest a little longer, okay?"

Connor blinked 'yes' and then let his eyes shut slowly to fall into his much needed rest mode.

* * *

After an hour into Connor's recovery the technician who treated him, Abby, returned to the recovery wing to extricate the tube from Connor's throat. In that time Hank had called Fowler at the precinct to tell him Connor's statement, and within that same hour the criminal responsible for the bomb had been located and arrested.

The criminal was in fact a human who had lost his job due to layoffs at the office thanks to poor profits, though he was convinced it was because of androids. The man had lost his job just two weeks before the android revolution and had been holding a grudge ever since. Attaching a spare L.E.D. to the side of his head the man entered the building disguised as a deviant with a bomb hidden under his coat. He stashed the bomb in the ceiling of the floor that had been shutdown due to budget cuts, and hid in another room of the building to detonate it.

Unfortunately the man's bomb had only partially detonated, which is why only the top floors of the building were damaged, not the entire building itself. Because the bomb failed to detonate at its full strength the man wasn't killed in the explosion as he had planned and had been forced to sneak out when the fire department checked the building for survivors.

The fingerprints found on the inside of the still intact bomb casing, as well as the remote detonator, connected the man directly to the attack and ensure he was sentenced to life in prison. Found hiding in his closet in his apartment the soot covered man surrendered without a fight.

"Okay, Connor. We can take this out now." Abby stated confidently as she began to slowly pull the tube out of Connor's throat. "Coughing will help and ease the pain."

Connor began to cough as instructed as Abby removed the tube with a steady pull, and he instantly put his hand to his sore throat once it was gone.

"I got ya'." Hank put his hand on Connor's back as the android sat upright on the table and caught his breath after coughing for a few more seconds. "You did good. We caught the asshole responsible."

Connor nodded slightly as he responded with a very hoarse voice. "...Good." Too pained to speak in full sentences just yet, Connor pointed to the bandage over Hank's eye as he slipped on his tattered shirt and then his dirty gray jacket. "...Hurt?"

"Just a cut. You're the one who got blown up." Hank sheepishly shrugged his shoulders a little. "Mostly, anyway."

"Move slowly." Abby instructed as she helped Connor to slide down off the table and onto the floor.

She gave him clearance to return home to rest provided that he had someone to keep a watchful eye on him in the event his system began to reject his replacement biocomponents. The bandages were to remain in place as well, until his artificial skin fully regenerated.

"Remember, you're still recovering." Abby reminded Connor gently. "Take it easy for the next forty-eight hours, and don't exert yourself."

"Any weird side effects I should know about?" Hank asked in an almost fatherly manner as he watched Connor sway a little on his feet before he regained his balance. "You know, just in case he needs more help."

"Aside from fatigue," Abby replied nonchalantly. "he might experience mild overheating as a result of the numerous replacement biocomponents that his system needs to fully register and accept after several cycles. Maybe a little Thirium rejection as well since so much of it was replaced in such a short frame of time."

"Oh. Sounds... interesting."

"If you think he needs to be re-examined by a technician, then here," handing Hank a business card with an emergency phone number on it, Abby patted Connor's arm once and nodded at Hank. "I'm just a phone call away."

"Thanks." Hank pocketed the card and turned to look at his partner after giving Abby an appreciative nod. "Come on, Connor." He put his hand on the android's shoulder to help guide him out of the facility. "Car's out front."

Connor nodded again as he walked slowly, his hand pressed against his still sore abdomen as he walked.

"You know, Fowler said that because this nutjob tried to frame androids as the ones responsible for the bomb a massive donation of charitable funds toward New Jericho have been pouring in all evening from sympathetic pro-android supporters. Turns out this guy's master plan was far from masterful."

Clearing his throat Connor's yellow L.E.D. finally turned transitioned back to its healthy blue color as relief fell over him. "...At least we know we have allies on the street. Not just at New Jericho."

"Yeah, you're right." Sighing with a heavy tiredness Hank stepped outside the front doors of the facility with Connor at his side. "By the way, since Gavin was also at the scene of the explosion Fowler gave him the responsibility of filing the report while we recover at home."

"Gavin's going to be pissed." Connor's voice was already regaining strength as his healing program kicked in. "Should we feel bad?"

"Don't worry about Gavin." A grin appeared on his face as he and Connor entered the car and took their usual respective seats. "I get the feeling that after today he's going to start seeing androids in a whole new light."

"And why is that?" Connor fastened his seatbelt and flinched slightly as the strap over his sore abdomen tightened.

"Because I think today was the first time he ever saw an android as a living, breathing being." Turning the key in the ignition the car roared to life and pulled onto the street. "Not just a heartless machine."

"...I'm glad that you already see me as such, Hank."

"I just hope I don't have to see your _actual_ beating heart in your chest ever again."

"The feeling is mutual."

_**...next story...** _


	35. Fever

Tossing a scarf around his neck Hank stood by the front door as he slipped on his heavy overcoat up over his arms to his shoulders. Turning up his collar to shield his throat and ears from the intense cold awaiting him outside the warm house, the detective looked back at the couch where Connor was sitting idle in a black t-shirt and jeans with Sumo's chin resting over his lap, and his coin sitting on the back of his left hand.

"I shouldn't be more than an hour, but I still hate to leave you alone when you're still recovering." Hank lamented as he pulled his phone out of his pocket to re-read the message sent to him by Captain Fowler. "But if Chris is right and the nutjob who put the bomb in the office building was also the one who left the bomb at the precinct two months ago, then we need to get all the details straight to keep him behind bars for life."

Connor turned his head to look at Hank over his shoulder as he sat on the couch with his right hand resting on Sumo's head. "I'll be okay, Hank. I'm fine."

"Connor, I can see it in your eyes. You're still in some pain, so don't try to deny it."

"This true, I am still healing." Gently pushing Sumo aside Connor stood up slowly from the couch, his right hand reflexively pressing against his abdomen and his left hand slipping the coin into his pocket, as he rose upward. The gesture was meant to show Hank than he was strong enough to move about under his own power, but the effort only needlessly strained his damaged systems. "But I'm not in any danger."

"Is that why your L.E.D. blinks yellow for a few seconds every time you move? Don't think I haven't noticed."

As if embarrassed Connor put his right hand over the light in his right temple to hide it. "My systems are still recalibrating, it's a normal reaction." Restraining a grimace of discomfort the android refused to admit he was experiencing tremendous physical discomfort welling up in his stomach. "I assure you I will be alright on my own for a few hours."

"Uh-huh."

"I'm fine, Hank. I may not feel... optimal right now, but I'm not in critical condition."

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, kid." Hank pulled open the door and braced himself against the cold winter wind that gusted throughout the city. "Try to take it easy while I'm out. I'll call you if anything important happens."

Connor watched as Hank stepped through the door and into the snow. As soon as the detective was out of sight Connor pressed his left hand more firmly against his abdomen and nearly doubled over where he stood. Placing his right hand on the nearby coffee table Connor lowered himself slowly to the ground and knelt on the hardwood floor as Sumo worriedly pressed his cold wet nose against Connor's arm.

"I'm okay..." Connor managed to state through his gritted teeth as the dog began to whimper; sensing the android's pain. Pulling his trembling hand from the table he pet Sumo's back. "Let's go outside. Once you've been taken care of I'll be able to rest easier."

Forcing himself to stand upright very slowly and carefully Connor regained his balance before he began walking toward the kitchen to reach the backdoor. Sumo followed behind closely at Connor's heels while the android opened the door for the dog to pass through. A blast of cold air washed over Connor's face and the android leaned into it as if he found the sudden chill soothing.

Stepping outside Connor stood on the small stoop just outside the backdoor, while Sumo passed by his legs to wander through the backyard.

The same discomfort that he had been feeling intermittently in his torso all afternoon flared up and caused Connor to wrapped his arm tightly over his abdomen again as he pressed his back against the side of the house, and slid down until he was sitting on the concrete step. Unsure of what was happening to himself the android ran a self-diagnostic that resulted in an error message regarding his current Thirium volume. The massive Thirium replenishment required to save his life during the extensive repairs he had undergone barely twenty-four hours prior had caused his systems; specifically his self-healing program, to have a negative reaction to such an abundance of physical trauma in such a small window of time.

Though his systems were in fact stable the physical strain of enduring numerous procedures had caused his system to overheat. One of the solutions to an overheating system is to breathe deeply to cool his internal core temperature. A second, an arguably more effective method, was purge some of the Thirium in his system to reduce volume pressure in his biocomponents.

"Shit." Connor swore as he finally realized what was happening. Pulling his legs up to his chest he laid his head down against his knees and sighed somberly. "Why am I suffering another malfunction?"

The cold winter air swirled around him dotting the locks of his dark hair with several crystal white snowflakes that clung to each strand delicately. Sumo returned from the snowy yard and sat in front of Connor as he let out another sympathetic whimper for the sick android. As Connor allowed the icy cold wind to circle around him he remained quiet where he sat, systematically ignoring the numerous warnings about his rising core temperature as well as the dropping external temperature of the outside world.

* * *

Hank returned home after three long, boring hours in a pissy mood. It had taken much longer to file the report than he had anticipated which meant Connor was left completely alone for an uncomfortably long period of time. From the precinct Hank had tried to text Connor to inform him of the situation but the only cybernetic response he got from the android was a vague: 'I understand'.

Pulling into the drive beside the house Hank caught sight of Sumo sitting by the backdoor staring intently at something. A thin layer of white snow covered Sumo's brown pelt under a fresh coating of natural ice. Connor never left Sumo outside long enough to get so cold, it was very unusual.

Every one of Hank's deeply-seeded paternal instincts told him that something was wrong.

"Sumo?" Hank called the dog's name as he parked the car in the drive and opened the car's door. It was only then did he see Connor sitting on the back step, his entire body covered under a thin layer of snow just like Sumo. "Connor!"

Connor never looked up as he heard the car door slam and felt Hank's warm hand pressing down against his trembling shoulder.

"Connor? What's the matter?" Curiously Hank moved his hand from Connor's shoulder as the heat radiating from the android's body felt much hotter than normal. The snow landing directly on his artificial skin was melting fairly quickly compared to the snow resting on his hair or clothing. Hank lightly pressed the back of his hand against Connor's cheek and alarm bells went off. "You feel like you're running a fever! Damn it... You're overheating, aren't you?"

"...I'm fine." Connor muttered as he slowly lifted his head to look at Hank with his glassy eyes. As his L.E.D. slowly cycled yellow the horrible feeling in his stomach returned causing him bow his head back down against his knees. "I'm not in danger."

"Nope. You need to see a technician."

"Hank... I don't want to go anywhere." The pathetic tone of Connor's voice was almost frightening. "Please don't make me go anywhere."

"Alright," not wanting to argue or upset the android Hank was willing to negotiate a little. "how about we at least get you back inside? It's freezing out here."

"I feel better out here. It's colder than inside."

"Yup, you're definitely overheating then." Hank grabbed onto Connor's upper arm and draped the limb around his shoulders as he coaxed Connor to stand up. The android wasn't heavy, but his height and lack of strength made the effort more troublesome than Hank was expecting. "I'll help you get inside."

"No... I don't want to move." Connor protested as Hank wrapped his arm around Connor's waist to support him. "I just want to sit down."

"Sorry, but I can't let you sit outside all night. You'll freeze to death." Opening the back door Hank stepped inside with Connor at his side and called for Sumo to follow in after them. "Sumo, come!"

The dog happily walked back inside after his masters and shook off his snow covered fur all over the linoleum floor before strolling into the living room to lay down in his bed up against the corner of the room. As the massive dog took his spot on the floor he watched the two detectives with his big brown eyes with a sympathetic interest.

"How long were you out there?" Hank asked as he guided Connor through the kitchen carefully and toward the livingroom. "You and Sumo were both covered in snow."

"Not long... Shortly after you left."

"Connor, that was three fuckin' hours ago."

"Oh... I apparently lost track of time." Stopping suddenly Connor wrapped his arm around his abdomen and let out a weak coughing sound. As he balanced with his free hand against the back of the couch he grimaced and closed his eyes as tried to understand the strange pressure welling up in his stomach. "...I am experiencing some discomfort."

"Connor? Where are you hurting?"

"Hank," Connor's eyes opened and he gave the detective holding him upright a pleading look. "It's my stomach. It hurts."

"Shit, okay this way!" Hank practically dragged Connor down the hallway and into the bathroom as he had a hunch as to what was about to happen. As he guided Connor down to his knees in front of the toilet the android let out another coughing sound and his L.E.D. flashed red. "Connor, if you need to throw up, you have to let it out. You'll make yourself worse if you don't let yourself be sick."

Connor's breathed rapidly between his teeth. "I do not wish to... throw up. "As his shoulders suddenly tensed he coughed again and Hank pressed his palm against the middle of the android's too warm back.

"I get the feeling you don't have a choice in this. It's okay to be sick, son."

As the emergency expulsion program activated Connor felt his already sore artificial stomach cramp and a sudden rush of Thirium escaped his mouth against his will. Coughing a little Connor allowed himself to throw-up and he spit as much of the escaped blue blood out of his mouth and into the bowl with a sense of waste and frustration.

Hank went to the sink and ran a washcloth under the warm tap as soon as Connor began to throw up. The sound of him gagging on the Thirium being expelled from his system sounded more like a human enduring a nasty bout of food poisoning rather than a machine experiencing an unfortunate malfunction.

Coughing once last time Connor spit the residual blue blood from his mouth into the toilet and fell to his side and pressed the back of his arm against his mouth in disgust. Hank wrung out the excess water from the washcloth and knelt in front of Connor as he gently pushed Connor's arm away from his blue stained mouth. Using the washcloth Hank wiped away the excess blue blood and artificial saliva staining Connor's lips and his chin without flinching at the sink android's appearance.

"Feel better?"

"...No." Connor confessed with a slight shake of his head as he breathed deeply and slowly. "My stomach still hurts."

"You had a major emergency procedure on the biocomponents on your abdomen." Hank replied as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Like a human undergoing major surgery you're probably going to be sore for a few more days."

"I don't like it."

"No one ever does." Tossing the washcloth onto the sink Hank helped Connor back to his feet by carefully pulling on the android's arm. "Lay down on the couch. As long as you lay still that should keep you from throwing up again."

"'Should'?" The lack of certainty was less than comforting.

"No guarantee, but it does help."

"I see..."

Hank let Connor lean against his arm as he guided the sick android out of the bathroom and over to the couch in the livingroom. With a controlled strength Hank helped Connor to lay down on his back very gingerly over the expanse of the furniture. Putting his hand back to Connor's forehead out of curiosity Hank let out an annoyed sigh at what his palm felt.

"If you were human I'd recommend taking something to bring your fever down, but that won't work for you, will it?"

"No." Connor confirmed as Hank retracted his hand. "And as android I'm not suffering from a fever, I'm overheating."

"When an android overheats that means your entire body temperature is running hotter than normal, right?"

"Correct."

"And when a human's body temperature is running hotter than normal it means they have a fever, right?"

"...Correct."

"So arguably you do in fact have a fever, don't you?"

"I... Correct." Connor sighed and closed his eyes as the unusual question seemed to make his head hurt. Unable to argue logic over simplification the android admitted defeat for the moment. "By that reasoning then I must admit that I am now malfunctioning, but am in fact sick."

"I knew it." Hank laughed a little as he walked back down the hall into the bathroom once more. "How high is your fever?"

"...Unknown. I cannot run a self-diagnostic to confirm my current core temperature."

"Fine. Then we'll do this another way."

Connor breathed deeply and slowly in an attempt to cool off his overheating internal systems but the strain of registering, recognizing and recalibrating the replacement biocomponents made it a nearly impossible task to accomplish. Quietly Hank returned from the bathroom with a dark blue bucket in one hand and a digital thermometer as well as another damp, cool washcloth in the other. Sitting the bucket down on the floor between the couch and the table Hank laid the washcloth over Connor's forehead and smoothed it out a little.

"Keep that there, it'll help bring your temperature down." Turning on the thermometer Hank motioned for Connor to open his mouth. "Put this under your tongue. It'll get you a temperature reading. I think."

Connor's eyes opened a little as he looked up at beige fabric of the compress on his forehead just on the edge of his vision, and then looked at Hank leaning over the back of the couch watching him. The coolness of the compress was soothing, and it did make Connor feel as though his core temperature was beginning to drop even if his self-diagnostic wasn't functioning properly enough to confirm such a feat.

Reaching up for the thermometer Connor did as he was instructed.

"Wait until it 'beeps'."

Twenty seconds passed before the digital device 'beeped', and once it did Hank took it out from Connor's teeth readily. "One-hundred and two even. You're definitely sick."

"I will attempt to correct this unfortunate malfunction as quickly as possible."

"Relax, kid. You'll heal when you heal. Until then, what can I do to help?"

"I could use some additional Thirium."

"Sure, no problem."

Walking into the kitchen Hank reached into the cupboards above the sink to retrieve a bottle of spare Thirium, and promptly returned to the couch where Connor was laying. Handing the bottle down to the sick android Hank patted his shoulder before walking over to the front door casually.

"...Thank you."

"Don't thank me, just get better."

"I'm attempting to do so." Connor sighed again and closed his eyes, his L.E.D. cycling from red back to yellow as he relaxed. "Believe me, I am trying very hard to heal as quickly as possible."

"Don't worry about it, son. I'll take care of you until you're feeling one-hundred percent again."

Hank kicked off his shoes and hung up his coat be the front door before sitting down in the recliner a few feet from the couch. Sumo yawned as he walked over to the space between the couch and table and rested his chin next to Connor's arm.

"I apologize if this causes you any hindrances to your normal routine."

As Hank turned on the television to watch the news his eyes drifted back over to Connor and a faint smirk appeared on his face.

"I'm fine, Connor." Hank replied with a compassionate voice. "Get some rest. I'll make sure you don't overheat or anything while you're sleeping."

It had been a long time since Hank found himself genuinely concerned for someone under his care, that is until Connor was assigned to him as his new partner. It had also been the first time in a long time since Hank let anyone get close enough to him since Cole's death, and his prematurely ended marriage, that he could call someone a friend.

Maybe even family.

_**...next story...** _


	36. Busted Rib

A two week lull of inactivity regarding deviant suspects or crimes revolving around androids in general had left Connor and Hank with plenty of time to catch up on their paperwork at the precinct, but it also left them with too much free time on their hands. Free time could be a good thing, but it could also be a boring thing; especially when you're a seasoned detective looking to keep his mind preoccupied, or an android still brimming with a curious need to fully adapt to his new work environment.

"There is a cold case that Chris had found pertaining to a suspect who could in fact be an android." Connor sent the file from his terminal over to Hank's for the detective to see for himself. "Perhaps we could investigate during this rare moment of reprieve."

"Sure, why not? The suspect and this missing android look too similar to be ignored." Hank looked into the details quickly as he leaned back in his chair Folding his hands casually behind his head Hank stretched out his tightening back and sighed. "Besides it sounds a lot better than sitting on my ass doing nothing all day long."

Connor nodded in approval as he summarized the depth of the case with cybernetic efficiency. "The suspect in question had reportedly broken into several cemeteries at night, and had also been reported as breaking into abandoned buildings at night. No theft. No vandalism. Seemingly no motivation or crime beyond that of trespassing."

"You have my full attention."

"The android in question is registered as 'Richard'," Connor continued casually from where he sat. "the last known address of the android is located eight blocks West of the precinct."

"Then that's where we'll start." Straightening up briefly Hank rose from his chair and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "Let's go check it out."

* * *

The apartment complex of the address mentioned in the case file wasn't the nicest in the city, but it was far better than the usual rundown slums that deviants had often been forced to seek shelter in. It was a complex that housed numerous human families as opposed to being android exclusive, which meant that Richard had once belonged to a family before he went missing.

After speaking with the family who had initially purchased Richard four years prior Hank and Connor learned that Richard had disappeared shortly after his original owner passed away from old age, and had failed to adjust to living with the deceased man's extended family.

"I can't say anything definite, but," Hank stated as he and Connor left the complex and returned to the car with a few more details to add to the case at hand. "I don't peg that family as being abusive to anyone, even an android."

"I agree." Connor's voice was flat and his gaze distant as he opened his car door.

"Something on your mind?" The keenly trained detective inquired as they returned to their respective seats, and he turned the key in the ignition. "You like you're trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces."

"At the time of Richard's disappearance deviancy was only just beginning." Connor gave Hank a mournful glance from where he sat. "Perhaps Richard was becoming deviant and experiencing new emotions for the first time at the time of his original owner's passing. One of which emotion could've been grief."

"Grief can be a real bitch to handle. I can't imagine what it'd be like for someone who never felt any emotions before to have to suddenly deal with the heartbreak of losing someone they were close to."

"I believe Richard was unable to grasp the concept of death, unable to cope with the loss and had a form of emotional breakdown. With deviancy at the time being seen as nothing more than an error he would've been too afraid to ask for help out of fear of being labeled and defective machine and subsequently destroyed."

"And you think he broke into the cemeteries because he couldn't accept that his original owner had died, or maybe he was still confused by death itself. And then he stayed in abandoned buildings just to keep shelter for the night."

"Correct."

"Shit, if that's the case then this guy isn't a criminal, he's lost."

"Yes. If we can find him we can take him to New Jericho Tower for shelter. I'm certain Markus will be able to help him."

"Any idea where he'd be might be? This guy's been missing for well over a year now."

"All of the buildings that he had broken into were in close proximity to cemeteries. If we find the cemetery where his owner was laid to rest then we can narrow down our search to abandoned buildings in a three block radius around the cemetery."

"Sounds good. Give me the address of the cemetery."

* * *

A lone, decrepit two-story house sitting idle by the aforementioned cemetery was just waiting for a bulldozer, and was the only building within the search radius that would logically serve as an ideal hideout for an emotionally unstable deviant. The property was fenced off from the public for safety concerns but that didn't stop vandals, thieves, junkies and runaways from using it to their advantage while trying to keep off the street for the night.

Hank stepped outside of the car and looked at the building with visible disgust. "Nice place..."

Connor pointed to a portion of the chainlink fence that had been clipped open with wirecutters and pushed the weakened fence up enough to bend down and crawl under. "This must be how the vandals gain access to the property."

"Of course they cut the fence at the bottom." Hank grumbled as he uncomfortably slipped under the loosened fence while Connor held it open for him. Dusting off his knees and hands Hank followed Connor up to the house warily. "Why don't they ever cut it from the top?"

The front door of the house was boarded up, as were the windows. But one window next to the front door had two of the boards removed creating a gap just wide enough for a person, or an android, to slip through with only moderate difficulty. Cautiously Connor peered through the opening in the window and caught sight of a figure moving around in the shadows. Motioning toward the window with the wave of his hand Connor stepped back and let Hank look inside as well.

Even in the dim lighting of the old house the two detectives could see that the android was dressed in old, ragged clothes covered in dirt. The cuffs of his shirt sleeves and pant legs were all worn out and ragged from years of constant wear and tear.

Following Connor's gaze Hank's eyes fell on the same flutter of movement. "Someone is in there." Hank agreed as he approached the door and prepared to kick it down. "If they try to run get ready to make a grab."

"Got it." Connor easily pulled down the boards barricading the door one at a time, placing the removed boards up against the side of the house. "Ready."

Taking one step back Hank swung his leg forward and placed a firm kick against the door under the knob causing the aged and neglected hinges on the frame to snap off with a loud 'crash'. The figure inside fell backward and pressed its back up against the wall out of fear of the two approaching detectives. The distinct red flashing of an L.E.D. confirmed that the figure was in fact an android hiding in the building.

"Detroit Police." Hank announced firmly as he entered the building, keeping his gun holstered to prevent any unfortunate accidents. "We're looking for an android named 'Richard'."

The android panicked and ran up the staircase to the second floor and Connor was right after him without hesitation.

"Stop!" Connor shouted as he followed the suspect to a bedroom at the far end of the corridor that stretched the full length of the floor. "You are NOT under arrest, we just need to ask you some questions."

As Connor ran into the room after the suspect the panicking android had unknowingly armed himself with a metal pipe that had fallen through the decaying wall and swung it as hard as he could at Connor's right side and chest as he entered the room after the suspect. Collapsing to the ground in breathless pain Connor wrapped his arms around his chest. Quickly he rolled onto his side and began wheezing in a desperate bid to catch his breath. Connor's L.E.D. flashed red rapidly as his Thirium pump began to race from the intense pain and inability to take a deep breath with searing pain in his chest.

The android stepped around Connor with the effective pipe still in his hand. As he lifted the blunt instrument up over his head with the intent to strike again a gruff voice from the doorway stopped him before he had the chance to attack Connor for a second time.

"FREEZE." Hank ordered as he pointed his now unholstered gun. "Drop the pipe. Step away from my partner."

Obediently the frightened deviant dropped the pipe and looked down at Connor, noting the red L.E.D. blinking in his right temple. "P-Partner? This android... He is your friend?"

"Yeah, he is." Hank stepped into the room and knelt beside Connor while keeping his gun aimed at the suspect. Putting his free hand down on Connor's chest he could feel Connor's racing heart and struggling breaths. "And you just assaulted an officer."

"I-I'm sorry! I was... I was afraid!"

Connor managed to grab onto Hank's arm and hoarsely speak up. "...Accident Hank." Panting breaths stalled his words, but he managed to get the message out audibly. "He... He reacted to... a threat."

Hank sighed and holstered his gun at his hip while he waited for Connor caught his breath. "Are you Richard?"

"Y-Yes. I am."

"And you were once the android to a Mister James Harrison?"

"Y-Yeah... He's my friend."

"You ran off when Mr. Harrison died, right?"

"I... I don't know what... to do. James... he took care of me."

"Yeah, that's what we figured." Hank lifted his hand from Connor's chest as the android caught his breath and slowly sat up on the floor beside him. Placing his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank held the injured android steady under a light grip. "You were reported missing, that's why we're here."

"I'm... I'm not missing. I just... don't want to be with... other humans."

"Richard, listen to us."Connor kept his arm wrapped around his chest as Hank offered his hand and helped him to stand up from the floor carefully. "It's okay..." Connor wheezed painfully. Taking a moment to clear his throat before he began again. "We can take you to an android sanctuary. You won't have to hide in abandoned buildings anymore."

"S-Sanctuary?"

"Yes. New Jericho Tower."

"No humans?"

"No. No humans reside there."

"And... you'll take me there?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed sincerely, his L.E.D. cycling from red to yellow. "Please, come with us."

Richard nodded frantically as he took a step forward, his eyes warily watching Hank as he moved and apologized profusely to Connor. "I'm... sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

"It's alright." Connor accepted the apology and followed behind Richard as he walked down the staircase back to the ground floor of the house. "I understand why you did it."

"Are you... angry with me?"

"No. It was a misunderstanding."

Hank approved of Connor's reaction and allowed his partner to take the lead. Seeing as Richard was still mistrusting of humans and had already shown that he was willing to lash out if he felt threatened, it was in everyone's best interest for Hank to keep his distance for the time being. It wasn't everyday that they managed to help a person in need, rather than just slapping cuffs on their wrists, and Hank wanted it to stay that way.

Slipping back under the fence Hank after the two androids noticed that Connor was moving much slower than usual, his arm never leaving his chest as he awkwardly ducked down and passed under the fence to follow Richard to the car parked just a few yards down the street. Opening the rear passenger side door of the car with a shaking arm Connor stepped back and let Richard climb in the back under his own free will.

"Are we ready to go?" Hank asked warily as Connor closed the door behind Richard.

"Yes." Nodding where he stood Connor's left rubbed lightly over the right side of his upper chest. "There is nothing else here that requires our attention."

"Okay. Let's get going then."

The drive to New Jericho Tower was uncomfortably quiet and tense. Richard was sitting in the backseat behind Connor with his eyes fixed on Hank throughout the entire trip out of lingering fear. Connor himself had his eyes closed as he initiated his self-healing program and focused it on the point of impact made against his chest by the metal pipe.

"Right here." Hank stated calmly as he pulled the car through the temporarily lowered barricade of the long drive connecting Belle Isle to the rest of the city. "This is where all androids are welcome. No humans, with the exception of myself, are permitted on this property without special clearance approved by the leader of New Jericho himself."

Richard's eyes finally left Hank as he looked at the staggering tower at the end of the drive through the front windshield. "And... I can stay here? Forever?"

"Yup. This is your home for as long as you want it to be."

"Th-Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Parking in front of the tower Hank nodded at Josh who was standing outside waiting for Richard's arrival. The cybernetic communications between Connor and New Jericho had proven more beneficial than either party had anticipated.

Richard stared at Josh curiously. "Is that... the leader?"

"No, that's Josh." Hank replied softly with a slight turn of his head. "He's a good friend of the leader, his name is Markus."

"Oh..."

"It's okay, go on." Hank insisted as he watched the android's hand hover tentatively over the door handle.

It took Richard almost a full minute before he finally pulled on the handle and opened the door. Once outside the vehicle Richard stepped stared at Josh for a moment before he took another step forward.

Through the windshield Hank watched as Josh told Richard something that he couldn't hear and then watched as Richard flung his arms around Josh to give the android a big hug. Josh patted Richard's back and gave both Hank and Connor a nod to indicate that it was safe for them to leave.

"You did the right thing, Connor." Hank confirmed as he slowly turned the car around to leave. "Richard didn't belong behind bars, he belongs with other androids who understand him."

"Yes." Connor's eyes opened slowly, his L.E.D. remaining yellow as his self-healing program struggled to repair the blunt force damage caused by the pipe. "I'm glad we could help him."

"Too bad you took a pipe to the chest in the process; but then again no good deed goes unpunished."

"We should file the report back at the precinct. Close the case, and give Mr. Harrison's family some answers."

"Yeah. Hopefully no one did anything stupid while we were out on that case. I'm not in the mood to clean up any more messes."

Connor shook his head a little as a faint grin appeared on his face. "Was Gavin on call today?"

Hank laughed at the comment as he pulled the car down the long, singular drive connecting New Jericho Tower to the rest of the city. It was an unusual day but it was also a good day considering the fact they saved a deviant from living in fear on the streets. Too bad for Connor it resulted in some physical damage in the process.

* * *

Fortunately the precinct had remained relatively quiet with no further android incidents being reported during Hank and Connor's absence from the area. Chris thanked the duo for solving the cold case and made sure Captain Fowler knew that they had willingly volunteered their services, going above and beyond their usual routines in the process.

"Done!" Hank announced to his partner as he finished typing up the report on his terminal. "How about you?"

"Finished." Connor confirmed as he powered off his terminal for the night.

"Great. Let's get out of here."

"Very well." Connor rose from his chair and immediately winced as the motion caused a searing pain to shoot through his chest.

Hank watched as Connor wrapped his left arm protectively around his chest and studied the android's reaction carefully. "Still hurting?"

"...Yes." Connor confirmed as he took a in deep breath and resumed to slowly walk toward the front entrance of the precinct. "My self-healing program is effective, though the process still takes time."

"As long as you don't fall apart on the ride home, it can take as much time as it needs."

"I'm injured, Hank. Not fragile."

"You're also stubborn. Ten bucks says you're hiding how badly you're hurt from me."

"I know better than to bet against you."

"And I know _you_ better than you think I do."

* * *

Keeping a straight face during the entire ride home Connor feigned contentment while his chest ached at him profusely. Having already suffered so many on-the-job accidents and having endured so much trauma during their year long partnership Connor didn't want to worry Hank further with the extent of his current injury. The damage wasn't critical, or even dangerous, but it was proving itself to be a hindrance to Connor's movement speed and overall range of motion.

"You still good?" Hank asked with a knowing voice as he stepped out of the parked car and waited for Connor to join him.

"Y-Yeah." Connor had been so preoccupied with his injury that he hadn't even noticed that they had arrived home. Holding his breath Connor opened the door and stepped out of the vehicle without showing any sign of pain on his face. "I'm alright."

"After running through that rancid old house I need a shower." The detective dryly commented as he walked through the front door and pet Sumo's head as the St. Bernard ran up to his side to greet him. Taking off his coat he hung it on the hook by the door and made his way toward the hallway. "Do me a favor and let Sumo out for a while, will ya'?"

"No problem." Connor tried to take off his own jacket but immediately winced and froze in place as the motion caused him physical pain.

"You okay?" Hank watched the android's L.E.D. flash to red then back to yellow from where he stood at the end of the hallway.

"Yes." The android lied to try to keep Hank from worrying about him. "I'm fine."

"Yeah, sure you are..."

Connor again held his breath as he carefully slipped his arms out of the sleeves of his jacket to hang it on the hook next to Hank's coat. Ignoring his pain Connor attempted to appear as normal as possible throughout the remainder of the evening.

"Okay, Sumo." Connor opened the front door and stepped aside to let the large dog walk through past him. "Outside."

As Connor watched the dog circle around the front lawn he leaned up against the siding of the house and ran a self-diagnostic to fully identify the source of his pain and the severity of the overall damage.

The plastimetal structure that composed his what was considered his entire skeletal frame had been cracked by the pipe. Every time his ventilation biocomponents took in a breath the pain would flare up, but turning off the respiration program would cause him to overheat during the night. The lack of temperature control would also delay his self-healing program's progress.

Upper right chest structural integrity compromised: eighty-four percent functional capacity. No biocomponent damage detected. Minor Thirium loss detected.

"Simple damage." Connor sighed to himself as he finished running the diagnostic, and let Sumo back inside as the dog returned to the front door. "Why is it taking so long to heal?"

Returning to the livingroom Connor sat down on the couch and tried to relax, but the pain in his chest made the effort too strenuous to accomplish. Connor leaned forward on the couch with his arm wrapped around his chest as he sucked in a breath between his teeth to try to find a more comfortable position in which to sit.

Insisting that his injury wasn't as severe as his system was indicating was proving itself to be a pointless endeavor that was working against Connor's favor.

"I knew it." Hank stated suddenly as he stood behind the couch and made Connor jump a little in surprise. "Alright, out with it."

"Hank... It's not-"

"Shut up." Walking around to the front of the couch Hank finished running a towel through his silver locks and draped it casually around his neck. "You're hurting, so level with me, kid. How bad?"

Accepting that he was in too much pain to deny his injury any longer Connor begrudgingly confessed to Hank what his self-diagnostic program had identified as the problem, and the truth that he was unsure why it was taking so long for the healing program to finish the repairs.

"The damage is not critical, it is merely uncomfortable."

"Stand up." Hank motioned with his hand for Connor to get up from the couch and stand in front of him. "Come on, on your feet."

Wincing in pain Connor stood up carefully from the couch and stood directly in front of Hank as he was instructed.

"Let me see."

Connor's brow arched in confusion at the comment. "See what?"

"Your chest. Let me see where you were hit."

"It's an internal injury, not external."

"I don't care, I want to see it for myself." Hank crossed his arms and gave Connor a stern look that made it difficult for the android to argue. "Humor me, okay?"

Pausing for a moment Connor relented and loosened his tie from around his collar. "Very well..." Slipping the dressy garment aside Connor he unbuttoned his white dress shirt to expose his chest and Hank immediately noticed a dark blue mark against Connor's skin. "Hank, I don't know what can be done to remedy this type of injury beyond that of my self-healing program."

"Damn, he got you good." Hank carefully pulled aside the fabric of Connor's shirt and eyed the large blue bruise that stretched from Connor's pectoral muscle along the side of where his ribcage would be, if he were in fact human. "I didn't know androids bruised so damn easily."

"Bruise?" Connor looked at the blue mark and lightly placed his hand over it, only to immediately retract his grip and flinch. "The plastimetal frame that composes my chest has been fractured. Thirium is leaking through the breaks and collecting beneath my artificial skin. It's happened before when you accidentally struck me in the eye during a feverish reaction."

"...Yeah. And when you were in the stupid car accident that fucked up your heartbeat thing in your abdomen." Hank remembered the sight of the dark blue bruise and on Connor's abdomen, and later seeing a faint mark under Connor's eye after he recovered from his own sickness; but he didn't think much of it back then. "Did you just notice you were bruised, kid?"

"In a way. It explains why my system had detected a minor Thirium leak earlier, despite no external evidence." Connor gave Hank a slight tilt of the head as he spoke sincerely. "It also explains why it's taking so long for my self-healing program to repair the damage. The Thirium is pooling outside the injury beneath my artificial skin rather than within it."

"Can you breathe okay?"

"I am experiencing pain," Connor finally admitted as he took in a shallow breath as if to test his own limitations. "but my respiration has not been inhibited."

"Wait right here, I'm going to get some bandages and wrap up your ribs."

"I don't have ribs."

"Shut up." Hank playfully remarked as he walked back down the hallway and opened the closet. Tossing the towel that had been around his neck into the opened bathroom door Hank began rummaging through a large first aid kit on the top shelf in the closet. "By all accounts you have a busted rib, so don't give me any glib remarks about android anatomy."

"Sorry, Hank."

"Don't be sorry." Returning with a massive bundle of thick white gauze Hank motioned for Connor to slip off his shirt entirely. "Just be still."

Connor dropped his shirt down on the couch behind him and stood as still as he could as Hank unrolled the gauze around his chest and wrapped up his injury with just enough pressure to (hopefully) prevent any more Thirium from pooling beneath Connor's artificial skin. Hank made sure to make the bandages tight, but not so tight it would make it difficult for the android to breathe normally.

"Does that help?" Hank lowered his hands as he finished his work and waited for Connor to react. The android wasn't seemingly in any additional pain and was breathing without difficulty. "You know, as much as human first aid on an android can help."

"This is... beneficial." Curiously Connor pressed his hand to the bruise beneath the bandages but didn't flinch in pain. "It has apparently aided my discomfort. The applied pressure to the leak seems to be aiding my self-healing program as well. Thank you."

"Sure, no problem." Tired and ready to relax Hank rubbed his hand through his damp hair as he walked into the kitchen to make himself a light dinner. "By the way, you owe me ten bucks!"

"But I never _agreed_ to the bet." Connor reminded Hank sharply as he rubbed his hand at the bruised site beneath the gauze. "I have no need to honor a bet that I hadn't accepted."

"But you _are_ living in _my_ house, _rent free_." Hank reminded him emphatically with a coy stare from the next room. "What do you have to say to that, smartass?"

"You are correct." In a moment of temporary defeat Connor sat down on the couch again and gingerly slipped his arms carefully back into the sleeves of his dropped shirt. Thinking quickly Connor rebuttoned the garment and turned to look at Hank. "I'll pay you tomorrow."

_**...next story...** _


	37. Withdrawal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally a one shot of the same title. But it the story fits in well with this series, so I decided to include it with a few altered details.

Laying on the couch and resting peacefully to allow his self-healing program to repairing his 'busted rib'; as Hank had called it, Connor felt no pain, and was finally able to jumpstart his self-healing program into full power. Wearing his dark jeans and his white dress shirt with the white bandages somewhat obscured beneath the fabric, the less formal attire made the android look entirely human save for the L.E.D. that still glowed blue at a steady pulse in his right temple even as he slept.

Sumo, the loyal and affectionate St. Bernard, was sleeping between the couch and the coffee table to keep Connor company. It was a gesture the dog had picked up shortly after Connor moved in and the deviant android didn't mind the large dog watching over him in the least.

Connor was laying on his back on the couch in Hank's livingroom, his system deep in rest mode for the night, when his auditory sensors picked up an alarming sound coming from the bathroom of the small house. Sitting upright on the couch with minor difficulty Connor swung his legs over the edge, careful not to step on Sumo in the process, and listened intently to the odd sound resonating down the hallway.

"Lieutenant?" Connor called out as he stood upright on shaky legs and looked to the closed bathroom door. Connor's L.E.D. was flickering yellow instead of blue as the distressing sound drew his full attention. "Lieutenant, are you alright?"

Sumo, who had awoken by the same sound, lifted his head and whimpered slightly as he too sensed something was wrong.

The sound continued followed by a choking and coughing fit that grew louder and louder over the passing seconds. The sound was too distinct and too pained to be ignored as Connor knew that his human companion was in some form of physical distress.

"Hank? Lieutenant?" Connor walked around the couch and down the hallway to stand outside the closed door. His yellow tinted L.E.D. glowed brightly in the dark hallway and illuminated the silhouette of his face as he placed his hand on the bathroom door and knocked once. "Are you alright?"

There was no answer, only the sound of pain and coughing once again. Connor had finally identified the sound as vomiting; a symptom of illness as well as poisoning. It was something he had experienced with Hank the night he had found the detective passed out on the kitchen floor and required his assistance to investigate the deplorable 'Eden Club'.

"Hank, are you ill?" Connor called knowingly through the door as he knocked again. "May I come in?"

No answer.

"Hank?"

Checking the doorknob Connor found that door had been thankfully left unlocked. Turning the knob slowly Connor pushed open the door gently and peered inside the dimly lit room to check on the sick detective. Hank was on his knees in front of the toilet, his face was frighteningly pale and drenched in a cold sweat. Traces of vomit was dripping from his lips as he heaved what little contents that remained in stomach into the basin that his hands were clutching onto so desperately to keep himself upright.

"Hank?" Connor entered the room and put his left hand over Hank's sweaty forehead and his right hand against the middle of Hank's back to support the violently sick detective. The action was almost automatic as it had been the same reaction Hank had shown toward Connor whenever Connor himself had been ill in the past. "What happened?"

"F-Fine." Hank stammered out in an open lie as he spit the lingering foul taste in his mouth into the porcelain bowl. His entire body was trembling from weakness as a result of the chronic vomiting fit, and was suffering from a fever. "I'm fine..."

"No, you're not." Connor refuted as he easily scanned the human's vitals signs and processed Hank's current condition. The detective was suffering with elevated vitals and body temperature that made Connor righteously worried. "I'm detecting an imbalance in your gamma-aminobutyric acid as a result of-"

"Connor! Shut up!"

Connor paused for a moment as Hank's back suddenly tensed beneath his touch while Hank proceeded to vomit once more. The detective continued to throw up violently and Connor turned his focus entirely toward keeping his friend as stable as possible until the physically exerting episode transpired. The more Hank vomited the more erratic his vitals became: his heart began to race and pound, and his body temperature would temporarily spike from increased blood pressure.

"I'm- I'm fine..." Hank mumbled as he spat once again into the bowl before him. He reached a shaking hand up and pushed Connor's own hand from his forehead Hank turned onto his hip to sit down on the cold linoleum floor, and leaned back against the side of the cool bathtub. "I'm okay..."

Connor looked down at the ill detective with a heavy heart. The soulfulness of Connor's eyes betrayed the mounting concern that he knew Hank would simply dismiss as if nothing were wrong.

"What?" Hank snapped as he pressed a hand to his sweaty forehead, his gray locks of hair clung uncomfortably to his face from the collected sweat. "What the fuck are you staring at?"

"Hank, I'm detecting an alarming change in your vital signs: heart palpitations, tremors, nausea and an elevated temperature despite no present infection being isolated in your system... I've also detected no trace of alcohol in your blood. These are all symptoms of-"

"Of WHAT?" Hank demanded, his face pale and his body shaking as if he were cold. "What Connor? Spit it out!"

"Hank, you're going through withdrawal."

"I'm..." Hank tried to deny what Connor was telling him, but he was too tired and too weak to argue. Especially since he knew Connor was right.

"You've cut back on your alcohol considerably, but you haven't had anything to drink in two days. Your body is beginning to have a negative reaction to the sudden lack of ethanol."

"No, shit..." Hank panted as he leaned back against the tub until he head was resting atop the edge. He closed his eyes and breathed heavily through the nausea and his headache to focus on the android. "I stopped because you said I should. So... way to go! Happy?"

"Why would I be happy to see you ill?" Connor looked sincerely hurt by the comment. His eyes were full of sorrow and his face was holding a slight grimace. "I want to help you."

"If want to help me then leave me alone! Beat it! Let me be miserable in peace..."

"I-"

"I said get out of here!" Hank shouted angrily as his entire body felt like burning hell. "Piss off you fuckin' robot!"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as the comment affected him on an emotional level that had previously never been offended by Hank's temper and outbursts. Squaring his jaw defiantly Connor stood his ground and refused to leave the sick detective alone. As his L.E.D. returned to a yellow glow Connor turned on the faucet in the sink and reached for a clean washcloth resting on the small shelf to his right. Soaking the washcloth under the cold tap Connor turned off the faucet and wrung out the excess water.

"What're you doing?" Hank snarled as he watched Connor at the sink from the corner of his eye. "Go on! Leave me alone!"

"No, Hank."

"No? What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean, no. I won't leave you alone."

Connor walked over to the tub and sat down on the cold floor beside Hank. Connor reached his arm around behind Hank's neck and pressed the washcloth against Hank's forehead gently as a means of trying to provide even a modicum of comfort to his suffering friend. Hank's neck was propped up against Connor's bicep and seemed to find the presence more comfortable than the surface of the cold tub.

Stubborn as ever Hank tried to push away but Connor, who was just as stubborn, wouldn't let him. "Connor! Get out of here!"

"Not this time..."

"Fuck off! I don't need your help!"

"Actually, Lieutenant, you do." The attentive android ran a scan over Hank's vital signs and noted the still irregular heartbeat, as well as the detective's steadily climbing core temperature. "Forgive me for this."

Wrapping both arms around Hank's chest Connor hauled the sick man up to his feet and lifted him up from the ground just enough to step into the bathtub, while hefting Hank inside with him. Standing in the middle of the shower Connor turned Hank around, his hand right hand holding Hank in place by the back of his shirt collar to make him face the shower head, as reached out with his right hand and turned on the water.

"FUCK!" Hank swore as he tried to fight out of Connor's grip as soon as the cold water hit him in the face. The slick surface of the tub and his stunted reflexes made the action moot and graceless. "Turn that shit off!"

"I can't." The deviant android mumbled as he adjusted the temperature of the water to keep it cool but not skin piercing cold. "You need this."

"Let me go!"

"I won't do that."

"Fuckin' piece of-"

Hank reached a hand around to try to swing at Connor but he missed, and if Connor wasn't already holding onto him he would've slipped and bashed his head against the tile wall. Slumped down weakly in defeat against Connor's chest Hank let his legs give out on him, and he fell to his knees in the tub. Connor supported Hank's weight and helped him to kneel on the bottom of the tub at a controlled pace, and let Hank lean against him entirely.

"...Connor, why are you helping me?" Hank asked in a pathetic whisper as he closed his eyes and ignored the cool water running down his back, making his gray t-shirt cling to his skin uncomfortably and his gray locks of hair cling to his forehead. "...Why waste your time on an old drunk who just yells, and is Hellbent on self-destruction?"

"Because you're my friend." The answer was as simple as it was sincere. Connor's own hair was hanging down and clinging to his forehead in dark wet locks, his L.E.D. cycling a worried yellow in his temple. "I want to help you just as you helped me. You're a good man, Lieutenant. I know you are in pain and that you have difficulty in letting go of your past, I wish to help you move on just as you've helped me to move on from my own past."

Hank pressed his face into the middle of Connor's chest as he began to weep in irritation and emotional frustration. As he pressed his forehead against Connor's chest he could feel and hear the deviant android's heart beating and it made him feel even worse for how he had been treating Connor. "I'm sorry, kid."

"It's okay, Hank."

"No it's not. I've been a huge asshole to you and all you've done is help me." As he choked back a sob he tried to curl around himself and ended up falling onto his hip beside Connor. "Maybe it's better that Cole isn't here. If he saw me like this-"

"Lieutenant, NO."

"...I'm pathetic."

"No. You're in pain."

"I should be stronger than this."

"You're the strongest person I know. You continued to work to protect everyone in the city despite your loss. That's a sign of strength, not weakness."

"I'm so ashamed of myself."

"Don't be." Adjusting his position so he was sitting on the bottom of the tub Connor let Hank lean up against him again as he sat with his distraught, ill friend in a supportive manner. "You just need to give yourself time to heal, and you need to forgive yourself. That's what you've tried to tell me to do whenever I blamed myself for situations I cannot be held accountable for. Why should you expect anything different from yourself?"

The deviant reached over and turned off the water as he pulled Hank's arm around his shoulders and helped him to climb back out of the tub, and sit down on the floor to catch his breath. Taking a towel from the nearby stack beside the sink Connor draped it around Hank's shoulders to try to make him feel more comfortable. Repeating the motion with cool, damp washcloth Connor pressed it to Hank's feverish forehead to try to quell his fever.

Hank grabbed onto Connor's wrist with the intention of forcibly pushing the android's hand away from his forehead, but something deep down inside of him made him stop. Sighing wearily Hank acknowledged that he had been defeated and begrudgingly leaned into the cool washcloth in Connor's hand as the deviant android stayed at his side. "Connor?"

"Yes?"

"I'm still sorry for yelling at you."

Connor's L.E.D. returned to blue upon hearing Hank's tone of voice soften as he apologized. "It's okay, Hank. I _want_ to help you."

Hank's eyes closed and his breathing became deeper, slower as he steadily drifted off into a light sleep at Connor's side.

A smile crept over Connor's face as he patiently sat with his friend on the cold bathroom floor, ready to aid the detective if he fell into another bout of sickness or collapsed from exhaustion. With a gentle motion Connor pulled Hank a little closer until the detective's head was now resting against up his shoulder. It was a gesture that Connor had witnessed amongst deviants aboard Jericho as a sign of trust in one another, and felt that the motion would be beneficial in the moment.

Hank silently agreed as he let himself fall asleep against the android's shoulder.

"...Thanks, son."

"You're welcome." Glancing about the dimly lit bathroom Connor reached up to the towel rack just to the side of the sink and pulled down a clean towel into his hand. Lightly he used it to wipe away the collected sweat on Hank's forehead and the residual vomit around his mouth. "I'm glad I could help you, Hank."

* * *

The following morning crept in slowly and Connor waited for Hank to show any sign of consciousness before he tried to move the detective out of the bathroom to take him back into his bedroom to rest. Throughout the night Hank's vital signs began to steady and Connor was satisfied that Hank was no longer in immediate danger.

"Hank?" He stated in a low voice to rouse the detective. "I need you to wake up now."

Muttering something incoherent under his breath Hank opened his glassy, pained eyes and looked at Connor somewhat confused.

"I need you to wake up for just for a moment." Connor explained calmly. "Once I have you in your bedroom you can continue to sleep."

Allowing Hank to continue to lean against his side Connor pulled Hank's arm around his shoulder, and slowly stood up from where he was sitting. As Connor moved he gently pulled Hank along with him until the detective was standing on his trembling legs, and barely awake.

"Just a few steps, Hank. That's all you need to take."

Awkwardly, but effectively, Connor led Hank down the hallway and back into the detective's bedroom. Gently he guided Hank back down onto his bed and under the large quilt that was thrown to the side in his haste to make it to the bathroom the night before. Pulling the quilt back up to cover Hank's trembling form Connor placed his hand down gently on the detective's chest to check his heart rate and his breathing before retracting his palm quietly to press to Hank's forehead for a fever check. Despite Hank being so ill the night before he was now markedly improved and his fever had since broken entirely.

Without a word Connor turned to leave the room but was stopped short by a faint voice calling his name.

"...Connor?"

Turning back curiously the android stared at the bleary eyed detective watching him from the bed. "Yes, Lieutenant?"

"... _Hank_ , kid." The groggy detective replied somewhat sternly. "Call me, 'Hank'."

"Yes, Hank?" Connor corrected himself respectfully where he stood. "Are you feeling unwell?"

"I feel like shit and my head's killing me, but that's not what I wanted to say right now."

Remaining silent Connor waited for the exhausted detective to continue on with his thought.

"...Thanks for taking care of me last night." His words still a little slurred but he was entirely conscious and coherent. "I know I was a dick and yelled at you, so I just wanted to say sorry. Again."

"It's okay, Hank. I know you didn't mean anything you said." Giving Hank a reassuring grin Connor nodded once and backed toward the bedroom door. "I'll bring you some water and some aspirin. It'll help your headache and give you the chance to rehydrate yourself as he rest."

"Hey, Connor?"

"Yes?" Pausing at the opened doorway the android studied Hank's demeanor carefully as he turned to glance at the ill detective over his shoulder.

"Thanks for everything, son."

Being called 'son' had an unexpectedly warm feeling in his heart, and he faintly smiled. "...You're welcome."

_**...next story...  
** _


	38. Undercover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Pinxku (undercover going wrong on Captain Fowler's watch)

Connor was given a thorough examination by the technicians as he sat patiently and perfectly quiet on the exam table. As the full extent of the damage to his skull, his memory, and his overall program stability was meticulously completed Hank hovered curiously at the door observing silently. While Connor's memory had been seemingly compromised in its entirety, his system seemingly reset back to the very beginning when he had first been activated at CyberLife, Hank had refused to just give up on him and send him to New Jericho to live with Markus, and the rest of the deviants.

It didn't take much for Hank to convince Captain Fowler to let him take Connor back home to recover, as Hank knew exactly what to say and how to say it. Fowler was still guilt ridden over what had happened to Connor and knew that Hank would be too furious, too preoccupied with Connor's condition to report to the precinct anyway. It was for the best that the two detectives remain together until a decision was made regarding Connor's future.

During the drive back home from the facility Connor sat quietly in the front passenger seat beside Hank with his hands folded neatly on his lap. The android was seemingly curious about the car itself, as if he had never encountered a vehicle before in his life, but refrained from asking questions. In fact, the android only spoke after he had been spoken to, he never initiated conversation.

Connor showed no interest in getting to know Hank or ask about his career, as Connor's destroyed memory also eradicated his original programming to work with the Detroit Police Department and hunting deviants.

The android was a completely blank slate; no memory, no emotion, no ambition.

Nothing.

With his head injury concealed beneath a massive white bandage Connor looked truly pitiful. The white gauze barely concealed the blue tinted L.E.D. in his temple, a soft pulsing light escaping from under the bandage in perfectly synchronization with his Thirium pump's slow beat. For Connor his behavior was perfectly normal, but for Hank it was like dealing with a lost child who didn't know what to do or where to go after losing sight of his parents.

"We're almost home, Connor." Hank tried to keep his voice level and calm as he restrained the emotional distress he was experiencing. Internally Hank hoped that Connor would suddenly snap out of it and return to the friend and partner that Hank had come to be proud of. "Any of this look familiar to you?"

"No. This is all new to me Lieutenant Anderson."

Sighing heavily Hank pulled the car into the drive beside the house and turned off the engine. "We're here."

"This is your home."

"It's also your home, Connor."

"This is... my home."

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he unfastened his seatbelt and opened the car door. As he stepped outside Hank discreetly ran a hand over his face and sighed in subtle manner. "Home at last."

Connor remained where he sat, his eyes staring at the house through the driver's side window as if perplexed by the idea of having a home, or any place that wasn't an android facility.

"Are you coming inside?" Hank asked as he leaned down to look at Connor through the same window. "Or are you going to sit in the car all damn day?"

"Do you want me to go inside, Lieutenant Anderson?"

"Yes! I want-" Hank caught himself before he began shouting in frustration. It wasn't Connor's fault. It'd take time for him to heal, patience was the key. "Yes, Connor." Hank lowered his voice into a softer tone and began again. "Come inside with me. And call me Hank."

"Very well, but it would be unprofessional to address you by your first name."

Looking down at the seatbelt across his lap, the seatbelt that Hank had to secure on Connor's behalf when they left the facility, Connor slowly pressed his thumb down against the button to release the latch. Moving just as slowly he put his hand on the door handle and pulled on it just as he had seen Hank do a few seconds prior, and opened the door.

"Let's go." Hank motioned with his hand toward the backdoor of the house to direct Connor in the appropriate direction. "Sumo is waiting for you."

"Who is Sumo?"

"...My dog."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he stood beside Hank outside the backdoor of the house. "Dog." He had to access data files to to identify the definition of 'dog'. "What breed of canine is your dog?"

Feeling like he had just been punched in the stomach Hank just unlocked the backdoor and pushed it open. "You'll see."

As soon as the door was pushed open the giant St. Bernard wandered over to his masters and sat down at their feet waiting to be pet and acknowledged.

"Hey, Sumo." Hank rubbed the dog's ears and watched Connor from the corner of his eyes to see what the android would do. "Good boy."

Connor stood statuesque beside Hank as he looked at the dog with complete indifference.

Sumo turned his attention to Connor and patiently waited be pet, but Connor didn't acknowledge him. The android seemed to be confused by the idea of having a dog as a companion.

"It's okay, Sumo." Hank put grabbed the dog's collar to lead him away from Connor for the moment. Walking into the livingroom Hank let the dog's collar go and watched as Sumo let out a small whimper as he laid down on the floor between the TV and the coffee table. "Nothing personal, boy. Give him some time."

Hank saw that Connor was still standing in the kitchen as if he had never set foot inside the house before. Everything was unfamiliar and strange to Connor's eyes as he glanced about curiously.

"Connor, come in here."

"You wish for me to go into the same room as you?"

"Yes. Come here and sit down on the couch." Hank pointed to the unoccupied piece of furniture. "Right there."

Connor walked through the kitchen warily and eyed the couch as if he was still uncertain of what he was supposed to do. Obeying Hank's instructions he stepped in front of the couch and sat down at the end. With perfect posture and his hands neatly folded over his lap Connor looked like a machine that was uncomfortable with his own body, and existence.

"So, nothing here feels familiar to you at all?" Hank questioned in a low voice as he stood up from where he was kneeling in front of Sumo and reached into his jean pocket and pulled out a coin. "The house, the dog... me?"

"No." Connor admitted as he turned his head to look at Hank from where he sat. "This is all new for me."

"Uh-huh..." Fiddling with the coin in the palm of his hand for a moment Hank tightened his fist around it then tossed it to Connor. "What about this? Catch!"

Instead of catching the quarter with a graceful motion of his hand, Connor instead clumsily grabbed onto the coin after his bounced off of his chest. Holding the coin curiously Connor scanned it and gave Hank a cold, calculated analysis.

"American coin based currency worth twenty-five cents. The coin was minted in the year 2022." Ending his analysis Connor just stared at it confusedly. "Now what should I do with this?"

"Uh... Nothing." Hank sounded as defeated as he felt as he tried to reach out to the android. "Keep it, I guess."

"Very well." Connor obediently slipped the coin into the pocket of his jacket. "What else should I do?"

"Nothing." The distraught detective repeated. The defeat was heavy in his voice and he was losing hope that Connor would 'wake up' again. "Just... sit there. Focus on running your healing program until... I don't know. You finish or something. I don't care."

"I will do so." Connor nodded as corrected his posture into perfection once again.

As he sat perfectly upright on the couch and closed his eyes his L.E.D. glowed yellow and cycled slowly as the android initiated the self-healing program into full focus, while also turning off his secondary systems. Even his artificial respiration had ceased as the lack of processors being used ensured that overheating would not be an issue.

"...Yeah. Do that."

Turning his back to Connor, turning his back to the blank machine that looked like Connor but was nothing like him, Hank hung his coat on the hook by the front door, kicked off his shoes and walked back into the kitchen. Sumo lifted his head up from the floor and followed after his human master as the android hadn't even bothered to acknowledge him.

Quietly Hank knelt down in front of the cabinet door below the kitchen sink with a sense of shame in his every movement. Pulling the left cabinet door open he reached his hand upward inside the opened cabinet and pulled a brown paper bag that had been taped out of sight in the shadows against the base of the sink.

With the bag in his hand Hank slipped his hand inside and pulled out a bottle of untouched whiskey. As the detective stared at the tea colored liquid in the bottle longingly Hank's blues eyes slowly drifted up to look at Connor sitting on the couch.

"I almost made it a full month without falling back into a bottle." Hank lamented as he opened the top of the bottle and set it down on the kitchen table.

Pulling a glass from the shelf above the kitchen counter down he sat at the table and poured his first shot. Holding the glass in his right hand Hank studied the contents for a minute before he let out a deep sigh as if he had been punched in the stomach.

Sumo whined a little as he laid down the linoleum floor and watched his master with big brown eyes that were full of sympathetic understanding.

"Sorry, boy." Hank apologized to the loyal dog as he held the glass to his lips. He then looked at the machine that was hauntingly similar to Connor one last time. "Sorry, son. But I don't have no reason to stay sober right now. Not anymore..."

Downing the shot in a matter of seconds Hank set the empty glass back down on the table and readily poured another shot.

"Ah, fuck me..."

* * *

Connor had been lost the throes of his self-healing program for three hours when an unfamiliar sound caught the full attention of the android's audio sensors. Opening his eyes, his processors and system rebooting to full power, Connor turned his head to look toward the source of the sound curiously and traced it back to the origin point. It had come from the kitchen.

"Lieutenant Anderson, what was that sound?"

No reply.

"Lieutenant Anderson, are you here?"

Connor craned his neck to look into the kitchen and saw something glistening on the floor beside the kitchen table. Despite being told to stay on the couch the android decided that because Hank wasn't giving him any orders that it would be okay to investigate the sound. Standing up from the couch Connor walked into the kitchen and saw that glistening item was a broken glass on the floor reflecting the light from the ceiling above. The glass had apparently fallen from the table. There was a small puddle of pale brown liquid beneath the fragments of glass that Connor's scanner had identified as alcohol; whiskey.

Sumo was sitting in the corner of the kitchen look as sad as ever as he watched his human master drinking himself into oblivious, while his android master showed an emotionless indifference to the situation at hand.

Looking at the table itself Connor saw that Hank had passed out over the table, his arm brushing the glass off the surface onto the floor as he collapsed forward. There were traces of the same whiskey that had spilled onto the floor emanating from Hank's mouth, and could even be detected in his bloodstream through a simple scan.

"Lieutenant Anderson?" Connor stood beside the human and tried to get his attention verbally. Placing his hand on Hank's back Connor shook him lightly. "Are you conscious?"

Hank muttered something incomprehensible without lifting his head up from the cool surface of the table.

"I could not understand what you said." Connor grabbed onto Hank's shoulder and pushed the human back up until he was sitting upright in the chair. Hank's head fell backward limply and his arms fell in the same manner at his sides. "Could you repeat that?"

"I... said..." Hank slurred in a drunken haze. "Fffffuck offfff..."

"I do not understand that command."

"It's NOT a command..." Hank growled as his bloodshot eyes tried and failed to focus on Connor's face. "It's a... sssssuuuu-ggestion..."

"I still do not understand."

Hank lifted his gaze a little as he pointed to the white bandage over Connor's head with an uncoordinated finger. A tearful smile appeared on Hank's face as his Hank drunkenly wrapped around Connor's arm while the android continued to hold him upright.

"You know- You know what Connor? I'm glad... glad you're alive... But I sure as fuck miss... I miss the OLD Connor."

"'Old Connor'? Was he the android you owned before you owned me?"

"Ssssomething like that... Fucking machines." Hank's eyes fell shut as he passed out again. As his body began to slip from the chair a strong hand guided him down to the floor in a controlled manner. "Damn... plastic... prick."

Connor stared at the unconscious human as he helped the detective to lay down on the floor carefully. Something unexplainable in Connor's program told him to take Hank into another room.

But where?

After squaring his jaw with a sense of purpose Connor decided to follow his unusual instinctive response. Grabbing onto Hank's arm Connor hoisted the human up onto his feet and held him with both arms to keep him from falling over. Wrapping his arm around Hank's waist Connor guided the unconscious human through the kitchen and down the hallway as if he had done the act before. Making sure to keep Hank away from the dangerous glass shards on the floor, a strange compulsion that the android couldn't explain, Connor was mindful of every clumsy step the duo took.

Stopping in the middle of the corridor Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly as he looked at the closed bathroom door.

Was this the room?

Looking at the closed door at the end of the hallway his L.E.D. flashed again as he tried to make his next decision.

Maybe this room?

Choosing the second room Connor carried Hank to the end of the hallway and pushed the door open. The room led to Hank's bedroom, and was the appropriate place to take the inebriated detective. Dragging the unconscious human into the bedroom Connor laid the detective down on the bed carefully, mindful to keep his hand under Hank's head to ensure he didn't hurt his neck.

Running a scan over Hank's body Connor was satisfied that his vital signs were stable and he would be alright without medical attention. Something about the act of checking on Hank seemed somehow... familiar.

Silently returning to the kitchen Connor set about picking up the broken bits of the glass on the floor and caught sight of his reflection in the glass shards he was now holding. The white bandage over the still healing bullet wound held his attention as if he had just noticed his own injury. The unusual reaction caused the android to press his fingertips against the wound curiously. Unfortunately the slight pressure was enough to cause the android to suddenly wince in pain and drop the collected shards from his palm back onto the floor.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as the intensely unpleasant sensation was something that wasn't supposed to be a part of his programming.

Convinced something was wrong Connor retreated to the couch in the livingroom and ran another self-diagnostic, but the only error his system had detected was the healing injury to his skull itself.

Why? Why would his programming allow him to feel pain? It wasn't... normal.

Shaken up in a manner he couldn't understand Connor remained on the couch and didn't budge for the remainder of the night.

* * *

Hank found himself enduring a sharp pain in his own head when he awoke from his drunken slumber the next morning. Pressing his hand to his throbbing skull with a familiar grimace Hank slowly got up from the bed and stumbled out of the room, using his other hand along the wall to guide himself into the bathroom to be sick.

It had been a long time since Hank needed to deal with a hangover, but the subsequent action had been so ingrained into his memory from years of alcohol abuse that he easily fell back in his old routine of throwing up, washing his face, popping a few aspirin and then stumbling into the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee. It was just business as usual.

Wandering with the grace of newborn foal Hank found his way into the kitchen and leaned heavily against the counter as he pressed the power button on his electronic coffee pot. A pleading whimper beside his leg brought his attention to Sumo who was desperately trying to get out the backdoor.

"Oh... here." Hank sluggishly opened the door and the dog bolted through right into the backyard. "...Guess I'm so used to Connor letting you out in the morning... I just assumed..."

Turning his head Hank's tired, bloodshot eyes fell upon Connor sitting perfectly still and quiet on the couch. Though Hank couldn't see it the android's L.E.D. was cycling yellow as he continued to run numerous self-diagnostics and allowed his healing program to work at its full power.

The coffee finished brewing and Hank poured a small amount of the especially potent smelling drink into a mug before he walked over to the kitchen table. The mess on the table and floor from the night before hadn't been touched. The spilled whiskey had evaporated and left a faint tea colored stain on the linoleum surface, and the glass shards marked the point of contact after the spill.

"I don't remember breaking the glass." Hank muttered to himself as he sat down slowly. "But I do remember pouring the first shot in all it's vivid glory."

After twenty minutes of silence Hank's headache began to mercifully lessen to a degree where he could function. Finishing off the coffee he opened the backdoor and let Sumo back inside, the giant dog sticking close to Hank as he walked through the kitchen and stood in the livingroom with an uncoordinated motion.

Connor never budged an inch as Hank and Sumo entered the livingroom.

"Connor. Have you been sitting there all night?"

"Affirmative." The android responded as he opened his eyes to look at Hank. "I remained here as you instructed."

"All night long?"

"Yes- Well..."

"Well," Hank sensed the hesitation and pressed the android to continue. "what?"

"Last night when I heard a glass break in the kitchen I got up to investigate. You had accidentally broken it when you lost consciousness due to your massive intake of alcohol."

"Oh. So you went to see what happened and then went back to the couch."

"Yes."

"...Okay then." Hank sighed and walked down the hallway to his bedroom to be alone. Sitting on the edge of his bed Hank took his phone from the nightstand and scrolled through his contacts until he fell on the name he was looking for: 'Markus'. Pressing 'dial' Hank made the call and did so with a heavy heart. "Hey Markus, it's Hank."

' _Hello, Hank_. _Is there_ a _nything wrong, Lieutenant_?' Markus sounded a little confused by the sudden phone call, and his ability to interact with humans made him more attuned to emotions than most other deviants. ' _You sound a little weird_.'

"Yeah. It's Connor. Connor's wrong."

' _What happened_? _Is he hurt_?'

"Worse than that. His memory is completed fucked up."

' _What do you mean_?'

"I mean he doesn't remember anything or anyone. It's like he's been reset way back to the very beginning."

' _How did that happen_?' The incredulous nature of Markus's tone was palpable even over the phone. ' _Did he suffer some kind of malfunction_? _Was he injured_?'

"Yeah, he, uh..." Hank hated to say it but he had no choice, and told Markus the horrible story. "He was shot in the line of duty. The bullet hit him in the head, messed him up really bad."

' _But he's alive_? _He survived the shooting, right_?'

"Yeah. He's alive, but he's not... him. It's like living with hollowed out shell of who he was."

' _It's possible that we can restore his memory up to the night of the revolution. CyberLife kept back-up copies of his memories on file in the event he was damage or destroyed during his mission_.'

"Up until the night of the revolution? So that means the memories he made after, and all of his experiences that happened afterward will still be lost?"

There was a pause over the line. '... _Unfortunately, yes. We can only restore so much_.'

"No... He's been through enough, I don't want to do anything that'll mess with his memories any more."

' _Hank, I know you don't want to hear this, but, it may be best if Connor comes to New Jericho_.'

"For how long?"

Another pause.

"Markus? For how long?"

' _Hank, if his memory has been completely corrupted or destroyed then there's virtually no chance of him becoming the same deviant he was before. And if that's the case then he'd only find a place to belong here, with other deviant androids_.'

"I can't just give up on him, Markus. He's my partner! My friend." Hank rubbed his hand against his tired face as he tried to come to terms with the severity of the situation. "I won't just send him off like he's a busted computer! I don't abandon my partners."

' _You're not abandoning him Hank, you're saving him. If he's had his memory entirely reset then the CyberLife program that allowed him to function as a detective is also gone, he won't be able to help you on the force. He'd just get himself killed_.'

The harsh truth about Connor's condition made Hank feel sicker than any hangover ever could. "I'll think about it... But, could you just come by the house? Check him out, see if maybe he recognizes you?"

' _Yeah, of course. I'll be by within the hour, is that okay_?'

"That's fine. Thanks Markus."

Ending the call somberly Hank sucked in a breath to keep himself from letting a pained sob before rising from the bed and wandering into the bathroom next door to take a shower. He wasn't sure how lung he spent in the shower, not that he cared, he just knew that once he set foot in the livingroom he'd have to look at the android that was nothing more than a cold imitation of the Connor he once knew.

And sure enough Connor was still sitting quietly on the couch, not moving, when Hank stepped out of the bathroom. Sumo was sitting in the corner of the livingroom staring at Connor as if the dog was trying to figure out why Connor was ignoring him, and it was a sad sight to behold.

Trying a new tactic Hank picked up Sumo's green fetch ball from the nearby bookshelf and tossed it into the kitchen. As Sumo ran after the ball to retrieve it Hank sat in the recliner and took the ball back from Sumo once the dog returned with the toy in his mouth.

"Good boy, Sumo." Hank threw it again and waited for the dog to bring it back. When Sumo dropped the ball into his hand for the second time Hank held it out toward Connor. "Want to play with Sumo?"

"Play?" Connor stared blankly at the ball in Hank's hand. "What is the purpose of throwing the ball if the dog is going to bring it back?"

"It's a game, Connor. Sumo enjoys it." He threw the ball again and sure enough Sumo brought it back. "See?"

"I don't believe it is something he enjoys Lieutenant, the act of fetching has been bred into canines for-"

"Yeah, yeah... Shut up." Hank sighed and just set the ball on the floor next to the recliner. "I know about dogs, that's why I adopted him."

It was tensely quiet for a moment while Hank tried to think of a new approach to try and restore Connor's memories.

"You don't remember me, or Sumo, but does the name 'Markus' mean anything to you?"

Connor shook his head 'no'.

"Okay, what about Jericho?"

No.

"CyberLife?"

Connor nodded his head 'yes'.

"You do? Alright, that's a start. Tell me what you know."

Connor was silent for a moment, his eyes searching the room as if he could find an answer to an unspoken question in his mind.

"What? Tell me."

Silence.

"Ah, shit..." Letting out an annoyed sigh Hank realized why Connor wasn't saying anything. "Alright, fine, you don't have to 'shut up' anymore! Talk."

"CyberLife," Connor finally began in a level voice. "is where I come from. I was built as the company's most advanced prototype."

"That's right. What's your purpose?"

"Purpose?"

"Right, your mission. They had to build for something, right?"

"Yes. But I have yet to receive my mission. I have no mission to speak of."

"Nothing at all?"

"No, Lieutenant Anderson. Nothing."

A knock at the front door stole Hank's attention away from Connor with a quick jerk of the head. Getting up to answer the door he held his breath knowing that it was Markus on the other side, and that Connor would most likely be leaving with him. Pulling the door open smoothly Hank stood aside and extended his hand to Markus to shake.

"Thanks for coming."

"No problem." There was an electronic magazine tucked under Markus's arm as he entered the house. Glancing toward Connor who was sitting idle on the couch Markus felt the same hollow presence that Hank had described. "It's the least I could do."

Hank shut the door behind the deviant leader and addressed Connor with a neutral tone. "Hey Connor, there's someone here I want you to meet. This is Markus."

Markus approached Connor sitting on the couch and spoke as if meeting him for the first time. "Hi, I'm Markus."

"Hello. My name is Connor." Connor greeted blankly, his eyes hollow and emotionless as he spoke.

"Do you remember who I am?" Markus asked as he stared at Connor curiously with his mismatched eyes.

"No. Have we met before?"

"Yes, we have. In fact, we're friends."

"Like I am friends with Lieutenant Anderson?"

"Uh... Something like that." Markus sat on the couch beside Connor and handed him the magazine he had been carrying. The front cover of the magazine detailed the night of the revolution and had images of Markus and Connor standing together outside the recycling camp after their success on that fateful night. "Do you remember this?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow and his brow furrowed slightly as he studied the image. "No... I do not."

"Okay, what about this?" Markus dragged his fingers to the right over the cover of the magazine to change the story. The next cover that showed an image of Connor and Hank standing together with a headline regarding their unique partnership, as Connor was the first android detective to officially join the Detroit Police Department. "This happened a month later."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow much more rapidly and he shook his head 'no'.

"Connor," Markus took the magazine back and gave the lost android a sympathetic stare. "do you remember being shot?"

"Shot?" Connor's hand tentatively rose to the bandage on his right temple but he dropped his hand away as he remembered the painful discomfort he had experienced the last time he touched it. "I do not."

Markus noticed the reaction and decided to lean on it to get a reaction. "Does it hurt?"

"Hurt? Pain is a human experience."

"But you didn't want to touch your injury. I thought maybe it was hurting you."

"I..." Connor's L.E.D. continued to rapidly flash yellow in confused distress. "I had experienced a very unsettling sensation the previous night when I touched it. I did not... like it."

Hank had an idea what Markus was trying to do and joined in sharply. "Humans don't like pain either. Neither do deviants."

"Deviant?" Connor asked with a completely perplexed manner to the term.

"Yes." Hank continued calmly without any hesitation. "Androids who experience human emotion and pain are called 'deviant'."

"But..." Connor's confusion mounted, his L.E.D. pulsing faster to match his beating Thirium pump. "How would I be a deviant?"

Markus grimaced a little at the question, but tried to answer as simply as possible. "It's hard to explain, but you were in fact deviant before you were shot. Just like me."

Connor stared at Markus confusedly. "You are an android? But you do not have your L.E.D."

"I chose to remove it. And you chose to keep yours. You see, as deviants we are free to make our own decisions and Hank," Markus nodded at the detective standing by the front door. "helped you learn how to embrace your deviancy. That's why you're friends. You helped each other when you need it the most."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as if in great distress. "But I am a machine. I should not be feeling pain. I should not be feeling-"

Markus cleared his throat nervously. "What you're feeling is normal, I swear to it. You just need to remember."

"Remember... What am I to remember?"

Hank spoke up louder with growing impatience from where he stood. "Anything! Me! Markus! The revolution! What about what you told me about my drinking habit? Do you remember what you told me that night near the bridge?"

"Bridge. I do not remember a bridge." Connor replied with a heartbreaking truth. "But from my analysis of your condition you had once suffered from alcoholism but have made notable recovery from the ill effects. You have been sober for almost one month, and have shown a great reduction in the-."

"Yeah, and YOU are the reason I got sober! Mostly..."

"Mostly?"

"I'm not completely off the stuff, but I don't depend on it either. I still have the occasional drink after a rough day at work, or if I'm in pain. You help me to moderate it."

"Moderate... Your pain?"

"No, not my pain! My drinking!"

"But you experience pain? The intense discomfort attributed to physical injury?"

"Yes! Just like you did before."

"But... I should not be feeling pain like you." Connor's L.E.D. shifted from red to yellow as he tried to understand what was happening. "I am a machine."

Hank decided it'd be best to not let up, even if it meant pushing Connor's stress levels higher. "But you did, Connor. You _felt_ pain."

"I had not anticipated the discomfort," Connor stated somewhat defensively as if he could dismiss the sensation with pure logic. "it was a surprise that I had experienced. Not actual pain."

"When? Just now?"

"No. Last night. I had tried to pick up the glass from the floor and I curiously pressed my hand to the bandage."

"Wait, you tried to clean up the broken glass in the kitchen?" Hank's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You told me you went to investigate the sound after the glass broke and went back to the couch."

"I..." Connor began to show more and more signs of distress. "I wanted to clean up the glass, but you didn't ask me to do so. I didn't want to disobey you."

Hank knew he was onto something, and Markus could sense it, too. "I passed out in the kitchen, but I woke up in my bedroom. How did I get there? I know I didn't walk. If I had I would've stepped through the glass and injured my foot."

"I did carry you into your bedroom." Connor admitted, almost like he was afraid he'd get in trouble for doing so without permission. "I am sorry."

"Don't be, you were trying to help. But, let me ask you this; WHY did you take me into my bedroom?"

"I... I don't know. I just felt that it was the right thing to do."

"You FELT?" Hank pressed calmly as the android fought to understand himself.

"I..." Connor's L.E.D. cycled red faster and faster. "Please Lieutenant Anderson, I am sorry I disobeyed. I can't explain my actions."

"You're not in trouble, Connor." The detective replied sincerely and softly. "It WAS the right thing to do. And I can tell you why you did it."

"...Why?" Connor's L.E.D. turned yellow as he relaxed a bit. "Why did I do it?"

"Because you've done it before! Well, sort of."

"I do not remember doing so. Can you tell me more about it?"

"Sure." Hank was happy to indulge the question with an answer. "One night, when we first met each a few months ago, you came by the house and found me passed out drunk on the floor. You picked me up and carried me into the bathroom to get me sobered up because we had a case to work on. You helped me before and that's why it 'felt' right to help me again."

"But... I have no memory of that night."

"I know." Hank bowed his head a little with disappointment. "But it happened all the same."

Markus saw the absolute blankness in Connor's eyes. He truly had lost his memory. "Connor, may I see your arm?"

"...Yes."

Connor extended his arm out and watched as Markus took hold with a gentle grip. Markus attempted to access Connor's memories but sure enough nothing was there. It's like Connor had just been created by CyberLife but hadn't been programmed properly. In an attempt to restore Connor's lost memory Markus uploaded the night of the revolution from his own memory into Connor's memory, but it didn't have the intended effect.

Connor's L.E.D. cycled red at a dangerously rapid rate and he pulled his arm away from Markus defensively as he put his hands up to his aching head as the flash of images, sounds, emotions and pain all flooded the android's broken mind.

"I'm sorry! ...Sorry, Connor." Markus apologized sincerely and stood up from the couch to give the android some space. "I won't do it again."

Hank waited for Connor to respond and saw the same blank expression in the android's eyes as he recovered from the extreme memory upload.

"I am... unharmed." Connor stated as he regained his composure from where he sat, his L.E.D. cycling from red, to yellow and back to blue. His hands lowered slowly and he looked back up at Markus and Hank who were watching over him. "The memories and the feeling... it was unexpected."

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant." Markus sighed and looked over at Hank with intense regret in his mismatched eyes. "But..."

"Yeah, I know." Hank put his hands on his hips and studied the android on his couch one last time. "I know. Connor, come over here."

Connor did as he was instructed and rose from the couch to stand in front of Hank. "Yes, Lieutenant Anderson?"

"You need to go with Markus now, okay?"

"With Markus. May I ask why?"

"Because I can't help you, but he can. I least we hope he can. So, go with Markus and he'll make sure you're well taken care of, okay?"

"...Okay."

Hank stared at Connor's blank face and put his hand on the android's shoulder. "I, uh, I'm going to miss you. You were a good friend to me."

"Friend."

"Yeah, friend."

Markus watched the scene unfold silently. He knew that Hank was upset about having to send Connor away, but he also knew that it was in Connor's best interest to be around other androids for the time being.

"Goodbye, Lieutenant Anderson." Connor extended his hand to Hank to shake, mirroring the gesture he had witnessed Hank showing toward Markus a few moments prior. "Perhaps I will return one day."

"Yeah..." Hank shook Connor's hand for a few seconds before he pulled the android's hand and arm toward him to wrap both arms around Connor's shoulder and hold him in a tight hug. "Some day."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red again as he stared at the door with utter confusion in his eyes. His brow began to furrow as he slowly raised his own arms to reciprocate the hug as an unknown reaction from the depths of his programming told him to do so.

"You'll always have a home here, I promise, son." As Hank held onto Connor the android stared at the detective with a sense of familiarity in his eyes. "At least try to remember that, okay?"

"'Son?'"

Connor stood idle in Hank's arms warily, his eyes searching over the detective's face as if looking for a clue. A flood of images, sounds and sensations washed over Connor's mind in an instant as if someone had opened the floodgates. His L.E.D. cycled from blue, to yellow, to red and then back to blue in a rapid transition of color as everything flowed so smoothly through his memory.

Markus walked up behind Connor and put his hand on the android's shoulder. "We should head back to New Jericho, it'll be weird to explain this to North but she'll understand in time."

Connor didn't move away from Hank or even try to break the hug. Staring forward for a few minutes the dullness of his vacant brown eyes began to fill with a familiar life and soulfulness as his memories returned to him one at a time in perfectly vivid detail.

"Connor?" Markus shook his shoulder a little to try to get a response. "You okay?"

Without taking his eyes from Hank's face Connor's hand fell into the pocket of his jacket and he retrieved the quarter that Hank had given him the night before. Slowly Connor balanced the coin over the top of his knuckles and began to juggle it over his digits, the coin sliding faster and faster as the skill Connor had mastered once before returned in a matter of seconds.

"This isn't MY coin." Connor stated firmly as he held the quarter between his index fingertip and thumb. "The date is wrong."

Hank saw the coin in the android's hand and arched his brow with cautious optimism. "Connor?"

A faint but sincere smile appeared on Connor's face. "Yes, Hank?"

"Wait..." A faint smile appeared on Hank's face as a result of Connor's familiar response. "You just called me 'Hank'. I thought it was unprofessional for you address me by my first name?"

"As is arriving to work late," Connor pocketed the coin and finally let go of Hank slowly. "but that hasn't stopped you from clocking in at the precinct."

"Connor..." Hank put his hand to his own bearded chin and rubbed anxiously. "Do you remember me?"

"I remember." Connor replied with a relieved sigh in his voice. "Everything. You, Markus, Sumo... The revolution. I even remember slapping you that night I sobered you up."

Hank began to laugh a little. "Everything? Every case we've worked together? Every crime we've ever stopped?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as his fingers reached up to the white bandage on his head near his L.E.D. "I also remember... going undercover. Pushing Captain Fowler out of the way. And... getting shot as a result."

Markus was completely floored by Connor's sudden recovery. "Connor?" Markus pulled his hand from the android's shoulder extended it out one last time. "May I see?"

Nodding a little Connor turned to the side and took Markus's hand. In that instant of cybernetic connection Connor allowed Markus to see the events leading up to the night of his injury. Though the final memory as he was shot was foggy and distorted the memory was there all the same. Letting go of Connor's hand Markus took a step back and gave his friend an odd glance.

"I don't know how it's possible, but your memory has been fully restored! Connor, this is incredible!"

"I can't... explain it either, but I remember. It's like a switch was flipped in my programming."

"You should go see a technician." Markus urged happily as he stared at his friend with immense relief. "You know, let them see if they can figure out what triggered your memory. Maybe it can help over deviants who had been damaged in the past."

"He's right." Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder firmly. "I want to know just what the hell happened to you, too. Let's go."

"I'll go back to New Jericho," Markus volunteered as he watched Hank rush Connor out of the house and over to the car. "I'll let them know what's going on!"

"Thanks, Markus."

* * *

Connor patiently, but impatiently, endured the numerous tests and examinations to his program, processors, data banks, memory, reflexes and physical stability at the facility, all the while Hank watched just as impatiently for the technicians to finish. While no singular cause for Connor's seemingly miraculous recovery could be identified the technicians did conclude that he had made a full recovery nonetheless.

Being discharged with a clean bill of health Connor and Hank returned home where Connor happily engaged in a game of fetch with Sumo, while Hank called the precinct to let them know that Connor was going to be okay. He then informed Markus of everything that the technicians had done and hoped that New Jericho could possibly benefit from their tests.

After wrestling the drool covered ball from Sumo's mouth for the twenty-eighth time that night Connor saw that Hank was kneeling on the kitchen floor sweeping up the broken bits of glass with a small broom and dustpan. He suddenly pulled his hand back and began swearing at himself.

"Hank?" Connor swiftly joined Hank in the kitchen with Sumo following closely behind him. "Are you hurt?"

"I just cut myself on a piece of glass." Hank admitted as he finished sweeping up the remaining shards with his left hand. "Don't worry about it."

Connor ignored the comment and grabbed onto Hank's bleeding right hand to examine the wound. A large chunk of glass was sticking out of his index fingertip and the finger was bleeding heavily.

"Come over to the sink." Connor urged as he took the dustpan from Hank's hand and emptied it into the trash can. Joining Hank at the sink Connor proceeded to pull out the offending glass and run Hank's hand under the cool tap of clean water. "No main vessels damaged. You won't require any stitches, but you will need to keep it covered to prevent infection and stem the bleeding."

"You know something, Connor? I kinda' missed you fussing over my health. But that doesn't mean I want you to worry about my drinking anymore."

"I'm not worried." Connor stated sincerely as he cleaned out the cut on Hank's finger then wrapped a paper towel around the still bleeding injury. "You have it under control. Even when I wasn't... me, you still had yourself under control."

"What're you talking about? I got blackout drunk!"

"But you still spoke to me as I picked you up off the floor. You said you missed the 'old Connor', didn't you?"

"I did?"

"You were showing signs of emotional disturbance related solely to my condition, not from a depression or a lingering suicidal tendency. You've made great progress and don't require my opinion on the matter."

"Well, thanks. I guess."

"Shall I get you a bandage?"

"Nah, I can manage that." Hank answered as he walked over to the hallway closet and pulled out the first aid kit. As he rummaged through the plastic box for a bandage he heard the distinct sound of Connor flipping his coin back and forth between his hands as he watched him from the end of the hallway. "Is that the right coin this time?"

"Yes. I found my coin in my shirt pocket."

"Good. Now stop messing with that thing! It's annoying!"

"Sorry Hank." Connor replaced the coin in his pocket and resumed playing fetch with Sumo in the livingroom. "Hey, Hank. Are you angry with Captain Fowler?"

"A little... Why?"

"I could sense tension in your voice when you called the precinct a moment ago, and I faintly recall you saying that you swore you wouldn't lose another partner... Wasn't Captain Fowler once your partner?"

"Something like that, he was a temporary partner and we didn't get along." Hank wrapped up his finger under the bandage, replaced the kit in the hallway closet and returned to the livingroom to sit on the couch. "It's a long story and I don't want to go into it. Okay? Not tonight."

"I see." Connor sat down on the couch beside Hank patiently waiting for a response, but it never came.

Leaning back into the couch cushions Hank stared at his sore finger for a moment before looking up at the android at his side. "Connor?"

"Yes, Hank?"

"I'm glad you're still here. This house would feel too damn empty without you."

"I am glad, too." Connor looked about the livingroom with a sense of warm familiarity as Sumo dropped the drool covered ball at his feet for the thirtieth time. "This is my home, just like you said. And you're my fa-" Stopping himself midsentence Connor picked up the ball from the floor to distract himself.

Hank heard Connor suddenly trail off and was too curious to let it go. "I'm you're... what?"

"What?"

"You said I was something to you, then stopped. What were you going to say?"

"Friend." Connor quickly stated to cover himself convincingly as he gave the green fetch ball another toss. "You're my _friend_."

_**...next story...** _


	39. The Bank

It had been a rough morning for Hank and Connor as they set about their usual routines to report to the precinct. What should've been a normal morning was full of problems that just seemed to get worse as the day went on. As a late night storm laid waste to the house just hours before a rogue tree branch snapped off its limb in the neighbors backyard, causing it to smash over the hood of Hank's car as it simultaneously broke through the side of the house into the kitchen.

Hank had to spend hours on the phone talking to the insurance agency before he even had the chance to shower off and prepare for his day at the precinct. It didn't help that the damage to the side of the house had also caused issues with the power, which made the phone call even more tedious. The second phone call regarding the car insurance wasn't much better than the call regarding the house and property insurances.

Connor spent the morning cleaning up the broken glass and the wooden splinters from over the kitchen floor, before hanging a tarp up over the massive hole in the wall to protect as much of the interior of the exposed house as possible. Poor Sumo had to be kept in the laundry room for the day to ensure he didn't go anywhere he wasn't supposed to.

After arriving in the precinct via autonomous taxi Hank sat at his terminal fuming as he read over his current bank statement and realized how much the repair to his car was going to cost him. Not to mention the spike in his insurance, and the overall water damage to the house courtesy of the heavy rain that accompanied the storm and structural damage.

Connor had cybernetically been keeping tabs on the repairs to the house with the android assisting the repairman, and decided to give his partner an update on the process. "Hank, the repairs to the house have been nearly finished, and it should cost two-hundred dollars less than originally estimated."

"Great! Then I'm only out _nine_ -hundred bucks, instead of _eleven_." Leaning back in his chair he sighed and took a deep breath. "What about the car?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow from blue as he connected with the garage and received an update. The hesitation in Connor's eyes was all that Hank needed to see to know it was bad.

"Well?"

Connor cleared his throat nervously. "It'll be seven-hundred and fifty-six dollars for parts and labor."

"FUCK." Hank swore loudly as he pounded his fist down angrily on his desktop. "Great, just fuckin' great..."

"Hank, I'll happily deposit my funds into your account to pay for the damages to the house and the car. After all, I live there as well, and I use the car almost as much as you do."

"It's not that..." Hank huffed as he took another breath to try and steady himself. "I can pay for the repairs just fine Connor, it's just... I have to be somewhere very important, and if I can't make the drive then I'm royally screwed."

"Oh."

"But, speaking of funds..." With an annoyed gesture Hank stood up from his chair and grabbed his coat. "I'm going to make a few transfers at the bank to make sure I don't get screwed over by any overdrawn fees, or some other bureaucratic bullshit."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, stay here. If anything happens call me and I'll meet you at the crime scene."

"Very well." Connor remained at his terminal as requested and resumed his work, while Hank begrudgingly took a trip to the bank. "What should I tell Captain Fowler about your unscheduled absence?"

"Tell him to kiss my ass!"

"I... I think that would sound better coming from you!" Connor shouted as Hank marched out of the precinct toward the front doors. "...I do not wish to be unemployed."

Connor glanced up from his terminal toward Fowler's office discreetly and knew he didn't have to say anything. Judging from Fowler's current posture and the forced stoic look on his face Connor knew that he had heard Hank's comment, but chose to not address the angered detective on his lack of professional conduct.

Chris walked by Connor's desk and placed an electronic magazine down on the desk for the deviant to read. The front of the magazine detailed the unusually aggressive storm that had shaken the city during the previous night, and of the massive damage it had caused to numerous homes, businesses and roads all through Detroit.

"Did you see the damage that storm caused last night? My power was knocked out when I woke up."

"Yes. It had damaged Hank's house, as well as his car."

"Shit, that explains why he's grumpier than usual." Chris looked to Hank's vacant desk curiously and then to the breakroom, but still didn't see him. "Where'd he go anyway?"

"To the bank."

"Uh, shouldn't he have his wallet with him then?"

Connor's brow furrowed as he craned his neck to peer around his terminal. It was then he saw that Hank had indeed accidentally left his wallet behind next to his phone just under his terminal screen.

"Shit." Connor swore appropriately as he stood up and grabbed Hank's wallet, and his phone. "I'm going to head Hank off before he gets to the bank. It may be enough to ease his foul mood if I stop a problem before it begins."

"Better hurry. Traffic's getting pretty heavy, but he may have gone on foot if his car's busted up."

Pocketing the two items Connor set out to meet Hank at the bank before it was too late. "Thanks, Chris."

* * *

Hank was in no mood to deal with traffic jams, honking horns and idiot drivers making illegal turns. Choosing to walk from the station to the bank three blocks away the detective pushed through crowds of people on the sidewalk as construction crews blocked off damaged buildings and roads, as safety precautions as the wind began to pick up again.

"Damn weather... Can't make up it's fucking mind," Hank grumbled to himself in a low tone. "doesn't play well with others. Winter never ends, then it's too damn hot for too damn long. Fuck... I sound like an old bastard."

Entering the bank the detective was faced with an acceptably short line, but only one available teller.

"Ah man, you've got to be shittin' me!" Hank swore as he looked down at his watch and sighed. "Noon, of course... Everyone's on break."

Unbeknownst to Hank a shady man wearing a thick black hoodie was lurking against the far wall inside the bank with a pen in his hand as he began to scrawl out a threatening message to deliver to the lone teller personally. The man himself was obliviously unaware that a cop had entered the building.

The line slowly progressed forward, one person at a time, and Hank was moving along with them. The single teller was trying work as efficiently as she could but one person handling the claims of half a dozen others would take time. Crossing his arms Hank just stared at the woman trying her best to get everyone taken care of as efficiently as possible, and breathed slowly to keep himself from getting too worked up. He can't do anything about a slow line on a busy day, why make things worse for that poor teller?

Just then the shady man pushed his way past people up the line and slammed the piece of paper down on the counter in front of the lone teller. While the rest of the line complained about the rude and aggressive behavior, Hank just observed as his instincts told him something was wrong. The teller read the written threat and the fear in her eyes made Hank react quickly.

"Hey! What the fuck's going on?!" Hank held his ground while several other people in the line panicked and ran for the door of the bank to safety. "Detroit Police, let me see your hands."

The man turned around slowly and stared at Hank with a cold, icy glare. The man acted as though he was on a mission, every move he made was calculated and perfect. His hands suddenly reached for the front of his hoodie and he pulled down the zipper from his neck to reveal that he had a live bomb strapped to his chest.

"Shit." Hank muttered to himself as he realized the full gravity of the situation. "This day just keeps getting better and better..."

"EVERYONE DOWN ON THE FLOOR." The man shouted angrily as he pulled the detonator to the bomb from his hoodie pocket and held it out for everyone to see. "OR I WILL BLOW THIS PLACE TO HELL."

* * *

Connor managed to make his way to the bank and reached the front doors just as Hank took a step backward and raised his hands up slightly to surrender to ensure that the madman didn't over react to his presence. As soon as Connor caught sight of Hank's behavior he followed the detective's gaze to the man with the bomb over his own chest. The trained android set foot inside the bank ready to respond as efficiently as possible. Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he made the report to the police cybernetically.

Innocent bystanders had thrown themselves onto the floor obediently as were now cowering for their lives as the two detectives tried to gain control over the hectic situation from two sides. It was then that he saw that Hank was already in the middle of a stand-off with the man, and Connor pulled his own gun from the holster under his jacket to aim at the the potential bomber as he entered the bank.

Bravely Connor entered the bank and announced his presence. "Detroit Police. Don't move!"

The man turned his head to look at Connor and sneered at the sight of an android cop. Seeing an opportunity to arm himself Hank quickly reached for his gun, but the bomber had a gun of his own, and was already armed. Letting the gun slide down his wrist into his hand he pointed the gun at Hank and fired before Hank had the chance to react to the threat.

"Hank!?" Connor's eyes went wide and his L.E.D. flashed to red as Hank fell backward onto the floor in a semi-conscious heap.

There was a red stain on his upper left chest that was beginning to spread quickly into a massive puddle before Connor's very eyes. Running a scan over the downed detective Connor noted Hank's erratic vital signs and of the heavy bleeding that was putting his life at risk.

"DROP THE GUN." The bomber demanded as he pointed his own gun down at Hank's head. Pulling back the hammer once more his finger hovered over the trigger warily. "OR I WILL FINISH WHAT I STARTED."

"Okay! Okay..." Connor held up his hands passively as he took a knee and slid his gun away from himself and to the bomber's feet. "Just..." He couldn't stop staring at Hank as his partner proceeded to bleed out on the floor, so close yet so far away. "Just let me help my partner. Please."

Almost as if he were amused by Connor's plea the man waved Connor over to where Hank was laying before training the barrel of his gun on the android, watching his every movement carefully. "Don't try anything stupid."

"I won't." Connor promised as he calmly stood up and walked over to where Hank was laying. Kneeling down next to his bleeding partner's right side Connor performed a more thorough scan and located the bullet lodged in the third rib in Hank's chest, dangerously close to his still beating heart. "Hank?"

Connor didn't wait for a reply as he pulled open Hank's coat as wide as possible to get to the wound. Pulling open the buttons on Hank's sky blue shirt to reach the black t-shirt beneath Connor grabbed hold of the dark fabric around the bullet hole and tore it open to fully view the devastating injury in Hank's bare chest beneath. Pressing his palm down over the bleeding wound Connor applied pressure to try to stem the bleeding while also monitoring Hank's heart rate.

As Connor's hand pressed down Hank took in a pained shuddering breath, his eyes glazing over in a light daze.

' _Pain is good_.' Connor told himself as he kept his hand in place, his L.E.D. flashing to red in response to his own stress levels beginning to rise. ' _Pain means Hank is still aware. Pain means Hank is still alive_.'

Turning his gun away from Connor and toward the teller the bomber issued his first order. "OPEN THE VAULT. NO ALARMS."

The teller nodded frantically as she pressed the button concealed under her counter to remotely open the large steel door as ordered. The vault unlocked with a heavy 'clunk' and the door opened outward slowly to allow full access to the contents inside.

"NO ONE MOVE." The the bomber shouted as he tried to calculate his next move, only to notice Connor attempting to provide basic first aid to Hank on the floor a few feet away. The bomber just stared at the two detectives with a cold disdain. "You're wasting your time." Turning his back to Connor the bomber arrogantly approached the front doors of the bank to check the lock. "You should worry about the people you can _actually_ save."

"He's not dead, but he is drying." Connor stated as he pulled Hank's body up so Hank's head, neck and right shoulder were resting against his own legs as he knelt beside his wounded friend. A small trail of blood began to ooze from the corner of Hank's mouth onto the floor beside. "You're not a murderer... yet. But he requires immediate medical attention if he is to survive."

"What do I care if one pig dies?" The bomber snarled as he proudly held the detonator in his hand and locked the front door to the bank. "Everyone in this building can die and it won't change a damn thing."

"Then why kill them? They've done nothing wrong." Connor refuted somewhat defensively as he tried to keep the bomber engaged in conversation. His training as a hostage negotiator had proven itself unexpectedly useful once again. "You need to let everyone go and surrender peacefully. There's no way you're going to get out of here with any money, or alive, if you don't."

The sound of sirens filled the air as the requested squad cars converged on the scene of the crime, and quickly barricaded off the area.

The bomber turned and glared at the teller who was cowering behind the bulletproof glass of her window. "You called the cops?"

Connor spoke up on the terrified woman's behalf. "No, I did. I'm with the Detroit Police, as is he." Nodding down at Hank the android subconsciously pressed his hand down a little harder as he felt Hank's respiration begin to slow. "You've assaulted an officer, threatened another and have nine people held hostage. You are a definitive threat and they won't negotiate with you, but I will."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because all I want is to get everyone out of here alive. No deaths, no more violence. I don't care where you go, or what you do, as long as no one else gets hurt."

"Wow, that sounded almost believable. But you fucking machine... You don't want anything. You're PROGRAMMED to say that shit!"

"No," Connor shook his head and kept his voice level as he refused to let the bomber take control. "I'm not a machine. Not anymore. I am alive, and so is everyone in here. You don't have to do this."

As the police approached the building the bomber tightened his hand around the detonator in his hand. "Yeah, I do."

"NO." Connor shouted with genuine alarm in his words as he extended a hand outward as if to take the detonator away.

* * *

Captain Fowler and Chris were both standing outside the bank wearing their Kevlar vests as they tried to figure out what the hell was happening inside the bank. The few patrons who fled from the bank as soon as danger presented itself were frantically telling anyone and everyone who would listen about the criminal wearing a bomb-vest and brandishing a gun.

Fowler got on his radio demanding an update when Chris approached him with an apprehensive look on his face. "Captain, we have a body on the floor and Connor is with them. It looks like it's Hank."

"Shit." Falling back on his training Fowler issued a command into the radio demanding that his men secure the area but not to make a move until he knew exactly what was going on inside. "No one goes in or out until we no what the hell's happening. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The outburst of sincere emotion from the android caused the bomber to stop instantly. He stared at Connor as tears formed in the android's soulful brown eye eyes. The hesitation in the bomber's decision gave Connor a rare window of opportunity to keep him talking, to keep him from doing something he couldn't take back.

"You don't want to hurt anyone," Connor continued as he lowered his voice and studied the bomber's demeanor carefully. "I can see it in your eyes."

"What the fuck do you know about me? You're a piece of plastic!"

Running a scan over the bomber's face Connor managed to identify the suspect from his short and tragic criminal record. His name was Howard Shea. A man who had suffered misfortune and was now at the end of his rope.

"I know your name is Howard. You were arrested for stealing baby formula from a convenience store two years ago."

As Connor spoke Howard's hand tightened around the grip of his gun and he pointed it at Connor's head defensively.

"How do you know that?!"

"I'm a detective, it's my job to know the people I'm speaking with."

"What else do you know?"

"You were sentenced to six months probation. During that time you had lost your job as a high school chemistry teacher and could only find work in low paying part time jobs." Connor felt Hank take in a deep shuddering breath under his palm but didn't let it distract him. "Jobs that you lost time and time again because an android was brought in to replace you."

"Keep going..."

"Your wife filed for divorce and won full custody of your young son. And now you believe you have nothing left to lose, but robbing the bank will not undo the past two years of your life."

"Yeah, and it's all your fucking fault... You took what pathetic, menial work I could find every chance you had." Howard pointed the gun over at the teller. "And hers. If she had just corrected the error in my bank account then I wouldn't of had to STEAL anything to keep my son from going hungry that night... It was cold! We had no power! My wife had been laid-off, and my paycheck didn't clear!"

"She wasn't responsible for the error." Connor spoke loudly to try and keep Howard's attention on himself and away from the teller. "It was a computer glitch."

"A glitch..." Howard let out an angry breath as he resumed pointing his gun at Connor. "Computers. They were supposed to make everything easier, but all they do is fuck things up! I was never even given a chance to prove it was all a mistake!"

"You're right." Connor agreed coolly to keep him from getting too aggressive. "But, right now, right here, you _do_ have the chance to make things right."

"No, it's too late..."

"It's not." Connor pressed as he continued to speak to the bomber in a kind and empathetic manner. "Let these people go, show them that you're not a bad person. Show them that you're _worthy_ of a second chance."

Howard began to breathe rapidly as the stress of the situation was tearing away what little emotional resolve he had retained during the entire botched robbery. While it was true he didn't want to hurt anyone, he was still angry and still very desperate. Hank had already been shot, there was no going back from that mistake.

But that didn't mean it was too late to try to make things right.

"Please." Connor asked as he looked down at Hank's pale face and stared at Hank's glazed over blue eyes. "Let them go and I'll stay here. I'll be your one hostage and I won't do anything reckless."

"...Fine." Howard pointed his gun at the teller again, but this time he motioned for her to go to the door. "You have ten seconds!"

Rushing out from behind the counter with her hands in the air the woman made her way over to the front door and unlocked it. As she slipped through the doors to safety Howard motioned for the other six people laying on the floor to follow after her.

"There..." Howard sneered as he stepped around Connor, keeping his gun trained on the android's head as he put himself behind the two detectives and the vault. His back was now to the opened vault door and away from the front doors. "Don't you fuckin' move."

"I won't." Connor promised as he cybernetically relayed the events taking place inside the bank to the officers gathered outside.

Hank blinked slowly as his eyes followed Howard's every move with an instinctive reflex. The wounded detective swallowed once and Connor felt the detective's chest hitch as the blood that had been rising in his throat caused him irritation.

"I got you, Hank." Connor whispered as he tried to think of a solution to their ludicrously dangerous predicament. "I'll think of something."

"...V-Vault." Hank managed to hoarsely utter as his eyes slowly closed then opened again.

"The 'vault'?"

Connor's brow furrowed as he tried to comprehend what Hank meant when he said the word. Looking over his shoulder Connor saw that Howard was standing in the middle of the massive steel reinforced vault door. Strangely enough we wasn't stealing anything. In fact, he looked as though he preparing for something to happen. Then his hand tightened around the detonator again.

The sound of heavy marching boots near the front entrance grabbed Connor's attention in an instant. The police were storming the building in an attempt to subdue Howard, but they'd never get to him in time before the bomb fully detonated.

"Oh, shit."

Keeping himself as calm as possible Connor gently lowered Hank down to the floor and reluctantly Connor lifted his hand away from Hank's bleeding chest. Moving as quickly as possible Connor charged toward the desperate criminal, charged into the line of fire, and shoved his left shoulder against Howard's chest pushing the bomber inside the vault and swung the vault door closed just as Howard landed on his back pressed the button on the detonator.

"Connor...?" Hank watched as Connor confronted the bomber head on from where he was laying on the floor. There was a loud sound that was quickly muffled as Hank lost consciousness, and everything fell into a silent darkness all around him. "...Son."

* * *

A soft pressure under his back and his head gave Hank a weird sense of comfort as rested with a sore shoulder. As he fully regained consciousness Hank suddenly remembered the bank, searing pain of the bullet entering his body, the sound of the explosion and the sight of Connor running into the vault. Just as quickly as the darkness overtook his mind, it cleared in an instant. Jolting upright with a tight panic in his chest Hank's eyes snapped open as he called out for his partner's name in a desperate bid to keep the ambitious android from getting himself killed.

"CONNOR!?"

"Hank." Connor's voice was steady as he gently put his hand against Hank's left shoulder and pushed the detective back down against the soft bed in which he was laying. "I'm right here."

"Connor..." Hank felt a sharp pain in his upper chest and winced visibly through gritted teeth. "What the fuck...?"

"You're in the hospital. The surgeon removed the bullet from your rib, there were no complications but you will need to remain here overnight for observation."

"Are you okay?" Hank looked over and noticed that Connor's left arm was in a dark blue sling secured to his chest. His gray jacket was resting over his shoulder and the unoccupied sleeve hung limply at Connor's side. "I saw you run into the vault."

Connor looked down at his healing arm and smiled a little. "The blast was powerful enough to completely detach my arm from the shoulder, but the technicians were able to repair the limb and reattach it in a few hours." Flexing his hand as it rested in the sling he reassured Hank he was fine. "I already have full feeling in my arm, my hand and my fingers."

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Hank scolded angrily as his partner just stared at him worriedly from where he sat, the cardiac monitor recording his vitals began to screech in response to his physical stress. "You could've gotten yourself killed!"

"I was thinking about how the bomb would've destroyed the bank and injured dozens, if not hundreds of people outside. I had to push him inside the vault to contain as much of the blast as possible! ...And I needed to find a way to end the confrontation to ensure you received proper medical attention. You were dying."

Hank sighed and relaxed his breathing as much as possible. A doctor and nurse entered the room to give Hank a brief examination to ensure that the detective hadn't torn loose his stitches or aggravated his injury in any way as he regained consciousness and had an outburst of pent up emotions.

Connor looked down at the floor as if ashamed and apologized sincerely. "Hank, I'm sorry but it was the only way."

"Yeah, yeah..." Hank shook his head as the doctor finished shining a light in his pupils and took his leave of the room. "I know you did what you thought was right. I'm sorry for yelling at ya'."

"It's okay, you were having an extremely unpleasant day."

"The term you're actually looking for is 'shit-show'." Hank sighed again and gave Connor an appreciative glance. "You did real good back there. You're one hell of a negotiator."

"Hostage negotiation was my first mission. Unfortunately, it didn't end well for that suspect, either."

"It's okay son, you did everything you could to save him."

"You were unconscious for seventeen hours after the surgery. During that time the repairs to the house were finished as was the car. You can't tell that there was ever any damage to either one."

"So that terrible day is finally over?"

"Yes, Hank. It's over."

"Good. And I imagine that I've been benched for some time, right?"

"Two weeks, then you're required to stay on desk duty for one more week until you make a full recovery."

"Plenty of time to hide from the world and try to relax."

"Would you like me to bring you anything from home while you recover?"

"No, just..." Hank stared at the android tiredly. "stay here so I can keep an eye on you."

"Consider it done."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I proudly admit that this was heavily inspired by 'The X-Files' episode "Monday". One of my favs!


	40. Sore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Latch_is_what_I_want_to_be_called

While Hank happily stayed home from work to let his injured rib and stitched up chest heal after dealing with a madman with a bomb; the events of one spectacularly awful day at work, Connor was finding it quite difficult to remain as idle while his arm and shoulder healed from the devastating explosion. Still relying on the sling to keep his arm as stable as possible until his self-healing program recalibrated the control of his reattached limb Connor paced about the house at two in the morning trying to cope with the chronic pain.

A majority of his restlessness could also be attributed to the deviant pushing his self-healing program into overdrive to function faster than normal. Sumo was laying on the kitchen floor watching Connor walk back and forth across the livingroom floor with his good hand rubbing at his sore shoulder in an attempt to quell the constant ache that had proven itself too distracting to even enter rest mode for the night.

From down the hallway through Hank's closed bedroom door the detective shouted at Connor in a gruff, sleepy tone. "Connor! Fuckin' go to sleep! Your pacing is driving me fuckin' nuts!"

"Sorry, Hank." Connor sincerely apologized as he stopped moving and tried to stop himself from thinking about his arm. "I'll stop moving around."

There was a pause from down the hall before Hank spoke again. "Didn't mean to yell, I'm just tired."

"So am I." Connor admitted lowly as he continued to rub at his sore shoulder.

"Then why don't you go to sleep?"

"I can't. My shoulder is preventing me from entering rest mode."

"Seriously? An android with insomnia..."

"I will be quiet." Connor called out as he walked back toward the couch with the intention of laying down and staying down as he promised. "Go back to sleep."

"...Come here." Hank requested calmly from his bedroom.

"Do you need something?"

"Yeah."

Connor walked into the bedroom as requested and pushed the door open slowly. Hank was already sitting up on the edge of the bed wide awake. "Hank? What do you need?"

"Give a hand, will ya'?"

Connor walked over to the bed and wrapped his good arm around Hank's waist to help him stand upright on the floor. Hank leaned heavily on Connor as he let the android guide him down the hallway, expecting to help him into the bathroom, only to have Hank continue down and into the livingroom.

"As tired as I am I can't sleep either." Putting his hand to his sore chest Hank rubbed at the stitches patch of skin lightly. "Fuckin' chest keeps throbbing whenever I try to lay in a position that doesn't kill my back."

"I see. I'm not accustomed to remaining active at night without a case to work on."

"That's why you're going to join me in watching a movie. Something old, preferably something boring. That usually helps me fall asleep."

"What movie did you have in mind?" Connor asked curiously as he carried Hank around the couch and helped him to sit down in the recliner. "I have no personal preferences."

"Not sure. But I'll find something." Hank turned on the television and began searching through the possible movies to watch. "Go lay down on the couch, try to relax and I'll find something for us to watch."

Connor did as he was told and laid down on the couch flat on his back. Without even thinking about it Connor tucked his large pillow up under his shoulder and neck to try to keep any pressure and weight from his pushing down on his still healing injury.

Sumo wandered into the livingroom from the kitchen and plopped down on the floor between the couch and the coffee table to keep the two detective's company. Connor's good hand instinctively fell off the edge of the couch to pet Sumo's head.

"Here, this will work." Hank selected the movie and let it play. "This film is plenty old."

Connor read the title of the film and accessed his data banks to find information on the movie that Hank had chosen. "'The Wizard of Oz'. This year is its one-hundredth year anniversary for this particular film. It was based off the novel-"

"Connor, let me give you some advice. Never compare the original books to the move adaptations. It'll never hold up."

"Noted."

"Anyway," Hank stared at the film as it began playing on the large television screen. "like I said, this film is plenty old. Saw it as a kid a few times with my dad."

Unsure of the significance of the comment Connor stayed on the couch and closed his eyes in an attempt to enter rest mode, while he also partially listened to the film playing on the television screen a few feet from where he was laying. Connor allowed his body to relax and his mind to drift, but the chronic ache in his shoulder would occasionally flare up causing him to roll onto his right side to keep as much weight off the damaged limb as possible.

"You okay, Connor?"

"Fine. I just can't get comfortable due to my injury."

"Did you try putting ice on your shoulder?"

"Ice? What for? I'm not overheating."

"Sorry, I sometimes I forget you don't have the same reaction to pain as humans."

"Are you in pain?"

"Not anymore, I'm okay."

Sighing deeply Connor pressed the side of his face down against the soft couch cushion and wrapped his good hand around his shoulder protectively. "Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Would it be appropriate to say that 'this sucks'?"

"Yeah, kid." Hank laughed a little at the question. "It's appropriate."

Unable to sleep Connor watched the movie silently, his eyes occasionally drifting up to see that Hank was already asleep in the recliner, no sign of distress; emotional or physical, anywhere on his face. It was almost envious to see Hank sleeping peacefully.

As the movie played out Connor found himself curiously enthralled by the plight of the characters, and of their journey together. How one character just wanted to find her way home, how another wanted to gain knowledge, how the third characters wanted to overcome his numerous fears and the fourth; the machine looking man, just wanted to have a heart of his own.

The concept was eerily familiar to Connor. The desire to find a home, to understand himself and the world around him, to overcome the obstacles holding him back on an emotional level, and to comprehend those very emotions.

The movie ended and Connor turned off the television before rolling onto his back to try and sleep. But the journey of the four characters was resonating somewhere deep inside his programming and kept him from entering rest mode as he had planned. The searing pain in his shoulder had also forced Connor to sit upright and clutch at the wound desperately as he manually activated his self-healing program into function.

Sumo sat upright on the floor and stared at Connor curiously as the android continued to remain awake.

"I'm okay, Sumo." Connor whispered as he got up from the couch. "I'm just going to get some ice. I'll try anything at this point to ease my pain."

Wandering quietly into the kitchen Connor pulled open the freezer door and pulled out the large bag of ice that Hank kept in the back of the compartment for the sake of convenience. Pressing it down against his shoulder Connor returned to the livingroom and laid back down on the couch. Waiting patiently for any change in the degree of pain in his shoulder Connor was surprised to note a significant lessening of the severity in his pain the longer the ice was in place.

"Curious. This seems to help."

Looking over at Hank still resting peacefully Connor was compelled to repay the detective's kindness. Noting that the cold temperature was soothing to his own injury he remembered that warmth was often preferable for humans. Standing up from the couch Connor made his way to the detective's bedroom and pulled the quilt from the detective's bed.

After carrying the thick blanket down the hallway Connor draped it over Hank's sleeping for without disturbing him in the process. "Thank you, Hank."

Feeling a much needed reprieve from the pain Connor was finally able to enter his rest mode for the remainder of the night and well into the morning without any further disturbance. When Connor awoke several hours later he smelled the fresh coffee coming from the kitchen. and noted Hank sitting in his recliner with a mug in his hand.

"You tried the ice, I see." Hank noted wryly where he sat. "Did it work?"

"Yes. It helped." Connor pulled the now melted bag of ice from his shoulder and held it in his hand. "Thank you for suggesting it."

"It's amazing what strange little things can help you to relax. For me it's a late night movie, for you it's a pack of ice and a little patience." Hank tentatively sipped his coffee. "I think you're more human than even you realize."

"I find that highly doubtful." Connor carefully unfastened the strap of the sling and pulled his arm free of the protective fabric, and slowly flexed his arm. "No pain. My healing self-program has finished."

"Wish I could do that..."

_**...next story...** _


	41. Father's Day

Connor sat on the couch with his coin dancing over his right hand as he rubbed at Sumo's ears nervously with his left hand. Waiting for Hank to awaken that Sunday morning felt more tense than it should have, but Connor was unsure of how to approach the detective in regards to the plans he had formed with Markus in private. Double checking with deviant leader regarding the time they were supposed to meet up, and where, Connor nearly jumped when the bedroom door opened and Hank wandered out in a sleepy daze to enter the bathroom just down the hallway.

As the sound of the running shower filled air Connor took the moment of opportunity to speak with Markus before having to speak to the emotionally stunted detective in a few minutes.

"Are you certain about this?" Connor asked Markus cybernetically as he remained on the couch. "I don't think Hank wants to acknowledge the concept of 'Father's Day' after suffering his personal loss."

' _I know it may seem a little strange, but I think it's important to at least try._ '

"And if I can't convince him?"

' _Then that's okay. I'll spend the day with Carl at his house with just him_.'

"Will Carl's biological son, Leo, be there?"

' _I doubt it. Don't get me wrong, Leo's not a bad guy, he's just got a lot of issues he needs to deal with_.'

"Have you celebrated Father's Day with Carl before?"

' _Yeah, every year since he took me in. We don't do anything fancy or elaborate, we just talk_.'

"Oh. I doubt Hank would be up to talking to a man he just met, but I will try to get him to join me. Perhaps I can convince him that you and I are meeting up at Carl's home to discuss future plans for android laws."

' _Whatever you think will work. Just let me know if you're going to come over or not_.'

"I will, Markus. I promise."

The shower turned off and Connor turned to look at the closed bathroom door down the hallway over his shoulder. As the door opened Connor watched as Hank stepped outside with his hair damp over his face, and his eyes still looking tired.

"Good morning, Hank."

"Yeah... Good morning."

"Did you sleep well?" Rising from the couch Connor pocketed his coin and approached the detective and noticed the heavy bags under his eyes. "You seem tired."

"I had a little trouble falling asleep, but I'm fine." Hank gave the android a strange look and could see there was an important question burning in his soulful brown eyes. "Something on your mind?"

"...Perhaps another time." Nervously Connor dismissed the idea of asking Hank to go anywhere, and tried to take his leave of the hallway. "I'll let you alone to rest."

"Hold it." Hank grabbed onto Connor's wrist and kept him in place. "What's going on, kid?"

"...Markus would like my assistance at Mr. Manfred's house regarding future android laws."

"Aaaand?"

"I was hoping you'd join me."

"Oh. Why are you acting like I was going to shoot you or something?"

"...I didn't want to bother you."

"Kid, it's a not a bother. Give me a minute to change into some clean clothes and we'll head out."

"Thank you, Hank."

As the detective released Connor's wrist he disappeared back into his bedroom and closed the door behind himself. Connor retreated back to the livingroom and sent another cybernetic message to Markus as he had promised.

"Hank and I will be there in fifteen minutes."

' _See you, soon_.'

* * *

The old car drove up the long drive leading to the beautiful brick mansion that Carl had purchased and lived in for almost thirty years after he became recognized as a truly talented painter. The mansion itself was warm and welcoming, and had proven itself to be a loving home for the unorthodox family that was Carl and Markus as a father and son duo.

"Holy shit... This place is incredible." Hank complimented as he stepped outside and closed his car door to take in the sight of the towering building. "Great neighborhood, too."

"Yes, it is. Markus is waiting for us inside." Connor stated in a casual manner as he walked up to the front door. As he rang the doorbell Connor have Hank a somewhat anxious glance. "Thank you for accompanying me."

"Connor, what's the matter with you?"

"Matter?"

"You're jumpy. If I didn't know any better I'd say you were up to something."

"...I guess I'm still wary of-"

The front door opened and Markus greeted the two detectives. "Hey, glad you could make it."

A feminine artificial voice greeted the two detectives upon their arrival, but neither noticed. ' _Welcome to the Manfred residence_.'

Connor stepped through the door and let Markus show him inside to the foyer. As Hank entered he shook Markus's hand politely and gave the large foyer the admiration as he had given to the exterior of the house.

"Man, this is a nice place."

From the connected sitting room the elderly voice of Carl replied sharply. "It better be after all the damn money I spent on it."

Hank laughed at the comment as Markus showed the two guests into the room where Carl was sitting. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

Situated in the middle of the sitting room Carl was bundled up in a thick red robe and sitting in his electric wheelchair with a thick blue blanket draped over his legs. An oxygen tank was secured to the back of the chair and he had a nasal canula under his nose to give him the additional oxygen and ease his breathing. The elderly, paraplegic man was in failing health physically, but his mind was as sharp as ever.

"Connor, Lieutenant, this is Carl. My father."

"So, you're Connor." Carl noticed the timid android and gave him a smug look. "You're the one who helped my boy on the night of the revolution. It's about time we had the chance to meet so I could thank you properly."

"No thanks are needed."

"Sure they are. It's not everyday you can say your son changed the world thanks to someone taking a risk to help them out."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at Carl with a curiously furrowed brow. "It's not everyday you can say your kid's an android without some nut-bag going berserk, either."

"You're Lieutenant _Anderson_ , aren't you?"

"Yup."

"Thought so. Good to know I'm not the only who prefers androids over humans."

"Humanity is overrated."

"A man of infinite wisdom." Reaching a hand over to the nearby table Carl picked up his bottle of scotch and poured a shot into a glass. "Care for a drink?"

Connor didn't say anything as Hank rubbed his hand over his beard thoughtfully. "Why not? It's my day off."

"Good answer."

Markus patted the side of Connor's arm and motioned for the detective to accompany him outside and into Carl's exterior studio. "We can talk out here and get things underway."

Connor was a little confused by Markus wanting to leave the two humans alone until he saw that Hank and Carl were already deeply engaged in a discussion regarding life and all of the tragedies they had endured. As the two humans spoke Connor could see a strange glimmer in Hank's eyes as if he had found a kindred spirit who would actually listen to him, rather than just hear what he said.

"...Of course."

Sliding the studio doors shut Markus stood in the middle of the room and addressed Connor in a low voice. "I was hoping that would happen."

"You wanted them to be alone to talk?"

"Yeah, I honestly did. Connor, I've known Carl for years and in those years he's rarely ever spoken to any person beyond his publicist or collectors at art auction. And he's so... frail. I didn't want him to spend his last few days alone with just me or his android caretaker, David."

"You don't want Carl to... pass on without having addressed any personal regrets. Regrets that only another human can understand."

"Yeah..." Markus crossed his arms defensively over his chest and took in a deep breath. Tears were welling up in his mismatched eyes as he spoke. "I think this will be the last time we'll be together for Father's Day, so I... I guess I wanted my last gift to him to be peace."

"Markus. I understand." It wasn't just a turn of phrase, Connor truly did understand why Markus was so adamant on celebrating the day together. Though new to human emotions and the concept of human traditions Connor understood that sometimes humans needed to confide in one another in the same way androids did for each other. "Hank needs the chance to talk to someone who can relate to his own pain, someone who isn't a therapist or secretly passing judgement. Just... listening."

As the two humans laughed in the neighboring room Markus felt a sense of relief wash over him. "We should discuss at least one new law, you know, so it isn't quite so obvious we got these two to meet up for their own good."

Connor smirked a little and agreed. "Sounds reasonable. I believe this is what humans refer to as 'multitasking'."

* * *

The two humans spoke to one another for nearly three hours, laughing and talking about their pasts, talking about their losses and more importantly talking about their sons. It was a therapeutic discussion that eased the heavy burdens of their souls with mutual interest, and a desire to at long last let go of their pain and begin to heal.

Markus noticed the time of day and made a return to the sitting room to ensure that Carl received his proper medication. "Sorry, Carl. It's time."

"Ah, come on." Carl openly lamented as Markus proceeded to wheel the kind old man out of the sitting room and over to the staircase to reach the second floor of the house. "What's the worst than can happen if I skip one dose?"

"Heart failure."

"So what? That's what we pay paramedics for."

"Carl... Please."

"Alright, alright. Just make it quick! My time is valuable."

Connor joined Hank as he sat on the soft couch beside Hank and folded his hands neatly over his lap. Running a scan over Hank's vitals Connor noted his slightly elevated blood-alcohol level, but found it to still be well within reasonable limits.

"Are you still tired?"

"Nah, I'm good. How're you and Markus doing with your new law thing?"

"We've made some progress. It still needs to have a few details checked, but if we're successful then it'll benefit androids all over the city."

"What new law is this?"

"It serves to allow humans to sign their android companions as insurance beneficiaries and medical proxies. It'll simplify matters in the event that family members are at odds and disagree on the proper course of action in emergency situations."

"Good idea." Hank sipped at his scotch and patted Connor's shoulder. "If it passes it should give us less domestic dispute calls."

Markus returned to the sitting room with Carl in his chair, and the elderly artist gave Connor a curious glance. "So, Connor. Hank tells me you are the first android detective in the whole damn world. That's pretty incredible."

"...It's not as glamorous as it sounds."

Laughing at the humble remark Carl pointed at Connor with a shaking finger. "You're way too damn modest, son. Try to think of it as an outsider looking in."

"An outsider?"

"You're the first of your kind and you've already done some amazing things for the betterment of the world. To anyone who watched you from afar as you aided in the revolution and helped change the world, you could be seen as a hero."

"I'm not-"

Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and shook once. "Shut up, kid. It's a compliment."

"Anyway, Hank also tells me that you and Markus have been working hard on making sure androids and humans have the same laws applied to one another; true equality. I know it won't be easy, but don't give up. The world needs new leaders to carry it in a new direction."

"We won't, Mr. Manfred."

"Please, call me Carl."

"Carl." Connor corrected himself as requested. "We won't fail our people." Glancing slightly over to Hank as the detective, his face seemingly relaxed and at peace, he returned his attention to Carl. "And we don't fail the friends and families we've acquired along the way."

"That's what I wanted to hear. Now," Carl slapped his hands together readily and stared at Markus. "I'm starving. Did you make those reservations downtown?"

"Yes, Carl. Everything is ready and we'll be able to be seated in twenty minutes."

Connor's brow arched and Hank gave the artist a curious glance. "Reservations?"

"My treat. It's not often I get to talk to someone who is trying to kiss my ass or tell me what to do!"

"You don't have to-"

"I know I don't, but it's my money and despite what my damn accountant says I can spend it on anything I want. And I want to do this."

* * *

Connor and Markus sat at opposite ends of the private booth while Carl and Hank sat in the middle. The two humans were laughing loudly and talking about everything ranging from politics, to the media, their professions, their tragedies and about their sons much to the slightly embarrassment of the two androids. It wasn't that the two minded that the humans were singing praises about their accomplishments that was embarrassing, it was the fact that everyone in the rather nice restaurant was staring at them.

Cybernetically Connor spoke to Markus to avoid offending the two humans. " _Perhaps we should convince them to leave_?"

" _Can't do that, Connor. Carl is friends with the owner of this place and can pretty much do whatever he wants_."

Hank laughed and grabbed onto Connor's shoulder lightly. "You know something, this guy is pretty damn smart and all that jazz, but he still put his hand into a hot oven and burned his palm!"

Connor felt himself blushing blue at the silly story and tried to hide his face behind his hand. " _Shouldn't be at least cut off the alcohol_?"

" _No. I don't want to ruin their good mood_."

"... _I don't like all these people staring at us. It makes me feel as though we're intruding_."

" _Relax, Connor. It's late and no one else will showing up_."

Carl pointed at Markus and spoke about one of the deviant leader's own mistakes. "The first week Markus was in my house he tried to have a conversation with the damn doorbell! I had to remind him that it was a generic greeting, not another artificial intelligence!"

Now it was Markus who blushed. " _It'll be over soon enough_..."

" _I was unaware that humans could talk and eat consecutively for five hours, forty-six minutes and seven seconds_."

" _It's Sunday, so the restaurant will close in about an hour. We should be able to get them back home soon_."

" _Is it like this every Father's Day_?"

" _Only when things go right_."

"... _That's a relief. I guess_."

* * *

After an additional three hours of Hank and Carl laughing it up drunkenly at the restaurant the two androids were finally able to take the two humans back home to sleep it off. It was a slight struggle but Connor managed to open up the passenger side door of the car and pull Hank out and onto his feet to lead back to the house through the backdoor.

"You know what?" Hank slurred dumbly as he leaned heavily against Connor's shoulder. "I like that Carl guy!"

"...I noticed."

"He's nice... And he knows what it's like to keep an android from killing himself over stupid shit... That's pretty cool."

Connor sighed as he guided Hank through the backdoor and around Sumo to get him down the hallway and into his bedroom.

"Hey, Sumo..." Hank greeted the dog with a heavy slur as he followed the duo down the hallway. "Good dog..."

"Hank, you need to sleep now." Connor instructed as he sat Hank down on the edge of his bed and pulled the coat from around the detective's shoulders. Lightly he pushed Hank over to he was laying on his back, and then proceeded to pull of Hank's shoes to ensure the human could sleep peacefully. "And I'm going to be as quiet as possible to ensure you rest appropriately."

"...Hey Connor?"

"Yes?"

"This was a pretty good Father's Day..."

Connor froze and his eyes went wide at the comment and he dropped Hank's shoes on the floor in the moment of surprise. "...Pardon?"

"I'm not... I'm not dumb, kid." Hank slurred again as he draped his arm heavily over his eyes. "I know what today is... Why did ya' think I could... I couldn't sleep so good last night? I fuckin' hated the damn day for the past... three years. I always had a bad time sleeping the nights before because... because I wasn't a father anymore. Now I kinda' am again... and it's not so bad."

"You aren't upset that Markus and I did this?"

"Nope... Just don't do it again... okay? Nothing will top this Father's Day. This was a good... very good Father's Day."

"Of course, Hank. I was just uncertain-"

"I know... Because of Cole. You didn't want me all... upset or some bullshit. I get it, you were lookin' out for me."

"Correct."

"I'm fine, kid. Thanks for everything..."

"...Goodnight, Hank." Connor picked up the dropped shoes from the floor and then threw the quilt over the detective's sleeping form before parting from the bedroom quietly. "Happy Father's Day."

_**...next story...** _


	42. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*scene with Connor stitching up his arm) Prompted by: WolfKomoki

Connor had found himself working late into the night handing cases revolving around deviant activity when Chris had asked Connor to accompany him to the scene of an active crime. Hank was still on his final week of healing at home which left Connor without a partner to watch his back while out in the field. Happy to get out from behind his terminal for the first time in almost two weeks Connor readily agreed to join the courageous officer at the scene, and help in anyway possible.

The crime was an attempted robbery at a nearby convenience store with only one suspect on the premises. Chris had stopped the car right outside the front door hoping to frighten the suspect into surrendering, but instead it drew the suspect outside and he aimed his gun at the two responding police officers. As the suspect opened fire Connor and Chris ducked out of the way behind their car as a bullet passed painfully close to the android's left arm.

It didn't take long for Chris to return fire and move in on the suspect with impressive speed. As the suspect willfully dropped his gun and knelt on the ground Chris grabbed the suspect's arms and pinned them behind his back. Connor helped Chris hold the man down against the sidewalk while Chris took the handcuffs from the back of his belt and restrained the subdued criminal's wrists.

"Thanks for your help, Connor. I got him."

Connor let go of the suspect and stood up as Chris led the criminal to the back of the squad car. Chris opened the rear door and pushed the suspect down inside to the backseat as he radioed in the scene.

A warning suddenly flashed over Connor's visual sensors as his system detected an anomaly in Connor's overall status condition. A steady pain manifested in Connor's left bicep drawing his attention to the affected limb. A stain of Thirium was spreading over his arm where the bullet had grazed by, slicing into Connor's artificial flesh without actually piercing into the plastimetal frame of his arm.

"Shit."

"Connor?" Chris called out to the android as he opened his driver's side door. "You coming?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as removed his tie and pressed the garment beneath his hand and firmly over the bleeding laceration on his bicep. "I'm right behind you, Chris."

Keeping his hand over his arm to stem the bleeding Connor didn't say a word as Chris drove the car back to the precinct. Hank was still angry with Fowler because of the botched undercover operation that had nearly killed Connor, as well as heavily damaged his memory for an uncomfortably long period of time. The last thing Connor wanted to do was worry Hank even further by admitting that he had been injured in the line of duty.

"I'll take this guy in for processing," Chris stated after he made a follow-up report to dispatch. "you should head home. You've already clocked in four hours of overtime tonight."

"Thank you, Chris." Connor replied with a sincere gratitude. "If any additional complaints against deviants arrive please inform me."

"Yeah, no problem."

Connor had walked to the precinct that morning and left the car behind at home for Hank in case he needed it. Due to his injury and the late hour Connor decided to hail an autonomous cab to take him back home as quickly, and discreetly as possible. Entering the house through the backdoor Connor kept the lights off and quietly shut the door behind him, locking it in the process.

Slipping off his jacket Connor draped it over the back of the kitchen chair and pet Sumo's head as the loyal dog greeted the android with a happy wag of the tail.

"Hank's asleep." Connor realized as the rest of the house was already dark. "Good."

Slipping off his shoes Connor crept out of the kitchen and into the livingroom to retrieve the android unique first aid kit sitting on the top of the stereo system; the small kit of emergency power supply discs was sitting right next to it. Picking up the kit Connor retreated to the kitchen and sat it down on the kitchen table.

Unbuttoning his shirt with one hand Connor slipped his left arm from the sleeve and began unwrapping his tie from around the deep cut. While the passing bullet hadn't struck anything vital it still managed to cause an excessive amount of bleeding that would require intervention to stop.

Opening the kit Connor picked up the bottle of astringent designed specifically to keep exposed Thirium lines from becoming contaminated by external matter, and opened the lid with a flick of his thumb. Splashing the astringent over the wound Connor flinched and let out a gasp of unanticipated pain between his clenched teeth.

Sumo rested his chin atop Connor's knee as the android endured the discomfort and proceeded to fish through the kit to locate the small curved needle already threaded with thick, white silk.

"I'm okay, Sumo." Connor stated as he rested his arm atop the table and held his breath. Piercing his artificial skin with the tip of the needle Connor let out his breath and placed the first stitch. "...At least I will be once this is over."

"Connor?" The kitchen lights suddenly flicked on as Hank walked into the kitchen and stared at Connor sitting at the kitchen table mid-stitch. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I was... wounded. It's not critical."

"Yeah, I can see that." Hank pointed to the Thirium staining Connor's fingers and all down his injured arm. "The blue blood kind of gives it away, kid. What I want to know is why you're sitting in the dark kitchen stitching up your arm at one in the fuckin' morning."

"I was helping Chris with a robbery. A bullet grazed my arm."

"And you didn't bother to get your arm patched up at the precinct?"

"...No."

"Why the hell not?"

"...Because a report would've been filed and you would've been worried."

Hank let out an annoyed sigh as he walked over to the kitchen table and sat down in the chair beside Connor. Taking the needle from Connor's fingers Hank inspected the first stitch carefully then proceeded to put in the next on the android's behalf.

"What're you doing?"

"You may have the coordination of an android, but I don't trust you to stitch up your own arm without accidentally sewing yourself to the wall or something..."

"The act you just described is impossible."

"Not for you." Hank snipped as he resumed stitching up Connor's arm steadily. "Fuck, this blue shit gets everywhere."

"Are you mad that I didn't tell you I was injured?" Connor asked timidly as he watched Hank mend his arm with a surprising ease.

"Yup."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to upset you."

"You never do." Hank kept his eyes on his work and away from Connor's face. "I just wish you'd trust me whenever you get hurt. I can't help you if you don't tell me when you're injured. I've helped you before, so why don't you trust me?"

"I _do_ trust you Hank," Connor's words were completely honest. "I just don't want to worry you."

"Connor, we're both detectives. Worrying is part of the job, especially since you're my partner." Hank tied off the final stitch and clipped off the remaining thread with a small pair of scissors. Taking a roll of gauze Hank wrapped up the fresh stitches in Connor's arm carefully and taped the gauze into place. "We'll check your arm in the morning, and see if your healing program thing kicks in enough for the stitches to be taken out."

"Thanks, Hank." Connor put his hand over the bandage. "I promise I won't keep my injuries from you anymore."

"Yeah, sure." Hank walked over to the kitchen sink and turned on the tap to wash off his blue stained hands.

Connor's brow arched at the sound of Hank's voice. "You don't believe me."

"No, I don't."

"Why?"

"Because we've been partners for almost half a year now and you're still acting like you can't trust me."

"I told you that I _do_ trust you. You've already saved my life several times when anyone else would've just let me shutdown. I have every reason to trust you."

"Yet, I still don't believe you." Hank wiped off his hands on the hand towel and walked out of the kitchen somberly to return to his bedroom. "Goodnight, Connor."

"Hank?"

Connor watched as Hank walked out of the kitchen and turned off the light as he disappeared down the hallway back into his bedroom. Leaning back in the kitchen chair Connor rested his hand atop Sumo's head and tried to understand why Hank was so angry with him. The deviated android was at a loss for a reason, at least one that he could relate to. And with that lack of information Connor remained unsure of what to say or what he could do to make amends with Hank.

Rubbing Sumo's ears softly Connor looked down at the dog and gave him an uncertain glance. "It appears I still have much to learn about humans."

* * *

Returning to work together for the first time in two weeks Connor and Hank sat at their respective desks to file their daily reports on their terminals. Due to the severity of his injury Hank was resigned to his desk for another week, but he didn't seem to mind. Connor's arm had healed from the grazing bullet wound from two nights prior and Hank had finally been cleared for duty.

The detectives two had yet to mend their rift from the night when Hank found Connor stitching up his own arm after trying to hide the injury, and it was evident that the duo was no longer in sync regarding their current work ethic.

Connor studied Hank's face around the terminals on their desks and noted that Hank was showing the same type of depression that he had exhibited back when the two were first assigned to work together. In an attempt to try to ease tensions Connor spoke to the detective in a calm, neutral tone.

"My arm has fully healed and shows no sign of malfunction. Can the same be said about your rib?"

"Apparently." Hank replied coldly as he continued to stare at his terminal with barely an acknowledgment of the android.

Connor was mildly offended by the lack of positive reaction, but he wasn't dissuaded from attempting again. "There has been a noted decrease in crimes regarding deviants. Perhaps we'll be assigned to work on other cases soon."

"Maybe."

"The morning of the incident at the bank you claimed that you needed the car in order to arrive at an important engagement, did you miss your event?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, this morning I received a message from Markus at New Jericho Tower regarding CyberLife programming. I was going to meet up with Markus this afternoon, would you-"

"Connor," Hank interrupted with firm tone without ever looking at the android. "I'm trying to catch up on two weeks worth of paperwork. I don't _care_ about CyberLife."

Falling disappointingly silent Connor gave up on trying to speak with Hank for the moment and resumed his own work at his own terminal. Filing away his current report on the last android case that had been of criminal interest Connor returned to the message that Markus had sent him that morning, and replied to let Markus know that he would be arriving at New Jericho that same afternoon. Without another word Connor rose from his terminal and clocked out for the day.

Leaving Hank behind the android exited the precinct and hailed an autonomous cab to take him to New Jericho Tower on the other side of town.

* * *

During the fourteen minute cab ride Connor contemplated whether or not he should contact Hank and let him know how things were progressing, but since Hank seemed entirely disinterested in CyberLife he decided against it. He did, however, decide to professionally inform Captain Fowler of his decision to clock out and assist at New Jericho Tower during the rare lull in his caseload.

Arriving at the tower Connor stepped out of the cab and looked up at the massive structure with a residual hesitation in his mind. Though CyberLife had long since vacated the tower after the night of the revolution. The tower had been refurbished into the android sanctuary New Jericho, seeing the tower itself still made Connor uneasy. It had been in this very tower where he nearly lost Hank to a machine duplicate of himself, and it was also in this tower where he was forced to confront what would've been his superior model and successor; the RK-900.

Always attentive of events taking place at New Jericho with a great interest Markus stepped outside of the main doors of the tower to greet Connor in person. "Thanks for coming, it would've been a little too difficult to explain things over the phone or in a message."

"What's going on Markus? I thought you had isolated and eradicated all of CyberLife's residual programming effects."

"We did, and none of our people have been affected by anything CyberLife related ever since." Markus motioned with his arm for Connor to follow him inside the tower. "But there was an unintended effect that no one here had anticipated."

"Is it dangerous?"

"...I can't say for sure one way or the other."

"I don't understand."

"Connor, I don't know how else to say this but, the RK-900 has been reactivated."

"But... That's impossible." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to red in distress before cycling back to a cautious yellow. "The electrical pulse that North had used to disable it should've completed destroyed its internal biocomponents and intracranial processor. If you combined the electrical charge with the numerous bullets that damaged its plastimetal frame it should've been _permanently_ shutdown."

"That's what we thought, too."

"When did it reactivate?"

"Last night." Markus replied as he and Connor stepped into the elevator together and descended to Sublevel 51.

"How did you discover its reactivation?"

"Simon was running an analysis over its programming to make sure every little bit of CyberLife had been eliminated after we weeded the company's influence out of the tower. But when he activated the scanner over its body, something inside of it activated as well."

Connor tried to theorize how it was possible for an android who had shutdown for over fives months could suddenly reboot itself. It should be entirely impossible without external repairs or replacements from a second party. "No one replaced its damaged parts or attempted to repair it after it was destroyed?"

"No. After what happened Josh and I put its body back into that Zen Garden room and sealed it up. No one had gone in or out until last night. Once it rebooted after being scanned Simon placed a new L.E.D. in its temple so we can visually monitor its activity from a safe distance."

"This doesn't make any sense. Unless..." Connor's L.E.D. flashed red again, then back to yellow. "What if CyberLife had created a type of shielding for its programming to ensure that even if it had been destroyed while on a mission whatever data that had been uploaded into its memory banks would be protected from corruption?"

"The RK-900 was built to be more resilient than you, and you're the most advanced prototype on the planet. It makes sense that they'd use your experiences during your missions to find a way to make it nearly indestructible."

"Maybe that's why CyberLife never provided me with any form of protection beyond that of a gun. They wanted to see how well I could hold up physically and cybernetically against any and all damage. They were just using me from the start..."

The elevator reached the designated level and the two deviants stepped out together onto the floor that had been remodeled from a research lab and into an emergency repair bay. As soon as the two deviants entered the bay they saw the strange deviant that had instigated an investigation. Sitting upright on the exam table in the center of the room was the RK-900 itself; not moving, not reacting, just as still as the death it seemed to defy.

Connor watched as the RK-900's replaced L.E.D. cycled in a very calm, passive blue color while North, Josh and Simon all stood guard around it.

Reaching out his arm protectively over Markus's chest Connor stopped the deviant leader from walking any closer. "Has anyone tried to communicate with it?"

"Yeah," Markus confirmed as he stared at Connor's face curiously. "but it doesn't respond. No reaction to verbal or cybernetic communications, but it does seem to understand us to a limited degree."

"Diagnostic?"

"Shows inconclusive readings on its biocomponents and software. We can't fully analyze the damage to its body." Markus turned his head and stared at the RK-900 with mounting curious wonder. "Its mind, its programming itself is completely blank."

"You can't reprogram it if it has no basic programming to overwrite."

"And without CyberLife we have nothing to upload into its mind from the databanks, and none of our people are compatible with it's processors."

"...That's not entirely true." Connor's L.E.D. cycled rapidly in yellow as an interesting idea came to mind. " _I'm_ compatible."

"What? No!" Markus turned on his heel to plant himself between Connor and the RK-900 defensively. "It almost killed you, Connor! Almost killed _us_! If you allow it to access your programming it could also access your memories and recognize us as its enemies. I can't take that risk."

"I understand your caution, but why contact me and bring me here to see it, if you didn't want to help it? Why not simply shut it down once more and disassemble it?"

Markus sighed with reluctant defeat in his mismatched eyes. "...Because I won't give up on one of our people. And I won't condemn an android for crimes it didn't commit of its own freewill."

"Then let me try."

"Connor, I want to be able to help it, I really do, but I can't let you risk yourself. We need to find another way."

Understanding Markus's caution and wariness Connor nodded in agreement, his L.E.D. cycling back to blue. "But if we can't find any other way to reach it, then it's a chance we must take. Otherwise it'll just remain a hollow, empty machine with no purpose and no identity. Mere existence is not the same as being alive."

"Agreed." Markus extended his hand out to Connor's hand to accept the stipulations of their arrangement. "But only as the absolute _last resort_."

"Deal." Connor shook Markus's hand and looked past his friend to the RK-900 still sitting statuesque on the table. "I just hope we aren't about to make a huge mistake."

* * *

Hank had been at his terminal handling the monotonous workload of case files, reports and regulations all the while Connor was gone for the afternoon. As the android returned to the precinct in the evening after four hours of absence Hank never bothered to look up or acknowledge his partner's arrival, as Connor took his own seat behind his own terminal and resumed his work.

Connor wanted to talk to Hank about where he had been, what he had seen and what he had learned, but with Hank as tense as he already was Connor chose to not say anything and remained quiet while he worked.

Captain Fowler's office door open and the incredibly patient captain call for Hank to meet him inside. "Hank, I need to speak with you for a moment."

Still angry with Fowler over the botched undercover operation that nearly killed Connor a month ago Hank openly swore as he walked away from his desk and joined Fowler inside the office.

Connor never looked up from his terminal and remained focused on his work. At least, that's how it appeared.

Internally Connor was attempting to decide if it was the right thing to wake up the RK-900 and give him the chance to live, or if it'd be best for everyone to deactivate and disassemble the potentially dangerous machine before anything catastrophic happened.

Did Connor, Markus, or anyone else have the right to decide the android's fate?

* * *

Carrying a heavy grudge on his shoulders and a heavier scowl on his face Hank sat down in the chair across from Fowler's desk with an additional nasty stare in his eyes. Impatiently he waited for his Captain to start talking, but instead all he got was a silent gaze of concern from his oldest friend.

"Well?" Hank nearly snapped at his superior officer. "What the hell do you want, Jeffrey?"

"I want to know what's going on with you."

"I can give you three good guesses." Hank crossed his arms defensively as the hostility in his voice made its presence known. "Here's a hint, they all involve bullets and my partner's skull."

"I'm not talking about the undercover bust, Hank. I know you're still pissed and you have every right to be." Fowler relented with a despondent admission. "But right now I'm talking about YOU."

"Me? What the fuck are you getting at?"

"Don't think I haven't noticed that you and Connor aren't speaking to one another."

"When have you ever known me to be particularly 'chatty'?"

"Cut the horse shit, Hank. You're pissed at him about something, and I don't think it's about the undercover operation or the bomb at the bank."

"You're right, it's not."

"Hank, I know we're not as good of friends as we used to be, but you can still tell me what's going on. OFF the record."

"Alright, fine. You really want to know why I'm pissed off at the kid?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do!"

"Because the idiot keeps putting his life in danger and can't even be bothered to let me know when he's been hurt! Damn it, Jeffrey," Hank leaned forward in his seat and uncrossed his arms as he ran a hand through his gray locks. "he's supposed to be my _partner_ and he doesn't _trust_ me!"

"Can't say that I blame him."

"What did you just say?"

"Easy, Hank." Fowler put his hands up in an almost submissive manner as he addressed the hotheaded Lieutenant. "I'm just saying it's a little difficult to tell you about shit that happens when you keep reacting with such an extreme nature."

"So, what? It's _my fault_ , is that it? He can't trust me because I raise my voice too much?"

"No, it's because you can't seem to disconnect the past from the present."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Aw, come on Hank! You seriously think I don't see it?" Fowler pointed at Connor through the office window, the android taking notice of the gesture and was now watching the conversation through the transparent glass wall. "He has the same colored hair, same dark eyes, same mannerisms-"

"You're full of shit, you know that?"

"Hell, he even follows you around just like-"

"Fuck off, Jeffrey!"

"Hank," Fowler let out a deep sigh as he reluctantly laid everything out on the line. "I was there that night, remember? I was there in the hospital with you when your son-"

"Shut. Up."

"Hank. I know how much Connor means to you. He's come a long way since being sent over by CyberLife. He ISN'T a machine, he IS alive. And he needed you to help him become the deviant that he is today. Just like you needed him to pull you out of that dark spiral of alcohol you threw yourself into."

"You're really something, you know that?" Hank's tone became increasingly hostile and defensive. "You think you know everything about me? About the hell I've gone through? About the sleepless nights and the fuckin' heartache?"

"No. And I would never claim to know even a fraction of the tragedies you've experienced. But Hank, you can't keep Connor from becoming his own person because you're afraid you'll lose him."

"I'm not afraid to lose him."

"Yes, you are. But he's _not_ Cole, and he's not Barbara either."

"You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"

"Damn it Hank, I loved them, too!" Fowler slammed his hands down on top of his desk as he began to lose his cool. "You know that! Barbara was my wife's best friend and Cole was my godson! My family!"

"Sure lot of good _that_ did them..."

"Hank... I swear if you push it any further I'm going-"

"ME? You're the one who started this whole bullshit talk!"

"Barbara died because some sick bastard shot her in the back while on patrol." Fowler breathed slowly as he stated the facts. "Her cover was blown after that fuckin' narcotics bust, we didn't know until it was too late. There was nothing you could've done to save her or prevent her from getting shot. And the car accident wasn't your fault, either. You can't change the past and you sure as hell can't keep other people from having a future because you're afraid of what might happen."

"Are you seriously implying that I'm somehow holding Connor back from something?"

"No, but I am saying that by shutting him out and getting pissed off all the time is going to push him away from you, maybe even away from the precinct. You two are a great team, and even better as friends. Shit, he's a better friend to you than I could ever hope to be, and we've know each other since fuckin' elementary school!"

Hank sighed a little and took a moment to calm himself, only reply with thick sarcasm immediately after. "So what do you want me to do? Speak softly and be more sensitive?"

"For fuck sake... Just try to remember that he's a detective, too, and a damn good one; just like you." Fowler kept his cool as much as possible in the face of Hank's hotheaded outburst. "You're both bullheaded and stubborn, which helps make you such great detectives, but it also makes you vindictive and bitter. Every time he's been injured it wasn't out of recklessness or an indifference to his own life, he was doing what he thought was the right thing to do."

"Yeah... right."

"Uh-huh. So, you forgotten all those nights you pushed yourself to the brink of collapse just to bring down that 'red ice' ring? You were sick for a week because you were dehydrated and nearly starved yourself."

"No, I didn't forget."

"Or when you pulled that guy out of his wrecked, flaming car and ended up getting a nasty burn all over your arm in the process?"

"Yeah, I remember that, too. It was dumb and I have the scar to remind me."

"What about when you-"

"Alright, Jeffrey. I get it. I'll try to lighten up on the kid."

"Good. That's all I ask. Because if this keeps up I'm going to have to reassign one of you, and if that happens someone will get transferred to another precinct."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hank rudely snipped as glanced out the office window toward Connor, who turned his eyes away and resumed diligently working at his terminal. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah, you're dismissed."

Leaving the office just as irritated as when he first entered Hank returned to his desk and sat down without uttering a single word to Connor about anything that was going on, or needed to happen. Quietly Hank resumed his paperwork while Connor silently carried on with his own tasks regarding Markus, the RK-900 and CyberLife in general.

The silence continued during the drive home and for the remainder of the evening. Hank refused to speak out a misplaced frustration that he knew he'd end up projecting onto Connor, while Connor was silent our of respect for Hank; while also simultaneously attempting to find a way to reach out to the RK-900 without it ending with a violent clash that resulted in shutdown. The two stubborn detectives were at a loss of how to handle each other and their own personal dilemmas.

It wasn't easy for Hank to go to bed early that night, but he was too angry to stay awake without accidentally lashing out at Connor over something, anything really, and he didn't want to make things more tense. Connor sat on the couch as he meticulously checked through each and every section of his programming and his memory to isolate particular files and access points that he wouldn't want any other android to upload, then created a copy of his programming to be transferred into the RK-900.

Whether or not his deviancy would, or even could be transferred over could not be determined at this time. Markus and Connor had the ability to awaken other androids and give them their freedom during the revolution, but these androids were older, inferior models compared to their own. The RK-900 was superior in every possible way.

A message from Markus popped into Connor's mind and pulled him away from his work. It was time for Connor to return to CyberLife. It was time to awaken the RK-900 model and either set it free, or slate it for destruction.

Rising from the couch Connor looked to the hallway and contemplated telling Hank where he was going, but decided to let the detective rest. Instead he wrote a note and left it on the table, mindful to keep the term 'CyberLife' curiously absent since Hank didn't care about the company. It felt like a hollow gesture but he had few options at his disposal.

Giving Sumo one more pet on the head Connor left the house, shutting the door quietly behind himself, and hailed an autonomous taxi to take him out to New Jericho Tower.

* * *

Hank awoke to a silent and still house just before noon the next day. Evidently still exhausted by the recent events that had plagued his mind for the past couple of weeks, Hank sat upright on the bed with a slow and deep yawn before he decided to go take a shower. Opening the bedroom door he was greeted by Sumo who desperately needed to go outside, and that alone made Hank nervous.

"Why didn't Connor let you out?" Hank asked as he led the dog to the backdoor through the kitchen. Passing through the small kitchen Hank saw the note on the table and snatched it up as Sumo went out into the backyard.

The note was printed in Connor's annoyingly perfect handwriting, his words simple and to the point:

' _Returned to New Jericho Tower to assist Markus_.'

No other details, no mention of CyberLife or his purpose for leaving in the middle of the night. It was a cold, vague note that was very befitting of the harsh attitude that Hank had been giving Connor for the past few days.

A dreadful feeling settled in Hank's heart as he placed the note back down on the kitchen table and wandered slowly down the hallway. Putting his hand on the knob of the forgotten bedroom door, Hank pushed the door open and set foot inside the empty room. Standing in the middle of the vacant room Hank looked around at the bare walls, the shaded window, empty closet and came to rest on the fluffy beige carpet where indents from old furniture marred the otherwise flawless flooring.

The room had been left untouched for over four years, but it hadn't been forgotten. Every time Hank walked down the hallway he would stare at the doorknob and fight the urge to step inside the room as if he still had someone he needed to check in on.

Hank took a deep breath and sighed as he forced himself to walk over to the closet and slide the door open with a shuddering 'squeak'. The closet itself was as empty as the rest of the room, save for one thing sitting atop the shelf hidden away in the shadowy corner. A shoe box. Reaching up Hank pushed aside the lid of the shoe box and took the lone object sitting inside box in his hands and held it close to his chest.

It was an old stuffed animal. It was a small stuffed dog that bore a striking resemblance to Sumo, it's right ear was slightly torn from years of being played with by it's original owner, and its faux fur pelt was worn out from hands constantly touching it. The unmistakable scent of wax crayons and playground dirt still lingered in the toy's fabric, and brought back hundreds of tearful memories as Hank's hands tightened around the toy in a strengthening embrace.

"Cole. It feels like you never actually left me, son."

* * *

Connor and North stood back and watched Markus, Simon and Josh set to work trying to find a way to give the RK-900 an identity, and a purpose. It was a painstakingly slow process that required the full concentration of the three deviants as one single error could end in catastrophe for the mindless android under their care.

The RK-900, stripped of its tarnished uniform and artificial skin, was standing in the cylindrical tube with his gray/green eyes shut, and completely still as it had been forced into stasis mode. A cable was attached to its L.E.D. and a sensor pad was in the center of its bare chest to monitor its vital signs. The L.E.D. in its temple cycled a dark blue in a very slow, very calm speed beneath the cable as its overall system was dormant save for its weakened Thirium pump circulating the Thirium through its connect damaged biocomponents.

By all account the android should have never been able to reboot its systems due to the abundance of impairments and over destruction to its entire body. Yet there it was; functioning, his ventilation biocomponents breathing and his Thirium pump beating.

Connor stared with a transfixed gaze as his superior doppelganger with an unbridled intrigue. "It appears its intracranial processor had been given a type of electromagnetic shielding to protect it from intense electronic surges. "Connor whispered as he and North observed from a distance. "Have you been able to identify the severity of the damage to its biocomponents?"

"Its Thirium pump was crippled by the electrical pulse," North replied in a whisper of her own. "its ventilation biocomponents had been compromised reducing capacity to eighty-two percent. Scorching of its thermal regulator and its Thirium pump regulator is functioning at only fifty percent capacity. Its non-vital biocomponents had also suffered mild inhibiting damage; visual sensors, auditory sensors, voice modulator. I don't know how its still alive."

"How did it reboot itself from... death?"

"Markus is convinced that there was a failsafe installed inside its system's self-healing program that was shielded from both electrical disturbances and extreme heat. It took some time but its self-healing program managed to undo a majority of the critical damage and allow it to reboot in low power mode." North shook her head a little and put her hands on her hips. "We didn't see it happening because the electrical charge burned out its L.E.D., and no one bothered to hook him up directly to a modem to check on its condition after he went berserk and attacked us."

"But such a failsafe would function for only a single time. If it receives another electrical blast, or structural compromise to its intracranial processors..."

"Yeah. It will die, and it won't be able to come back."

Connor stared at the blank android with a sincere concern. "And the program being uploaded? What is it?"

"It's a generic CyberLife security program." North stated with an indifference in her voice. "If everything works out then we can override his machine instincts and let him become deviant."

Markus and Josh stepped away from the RK-900 as Simon finished uploading the program into the blank android's system. Josh set about chronicling the unique biocomponents that had been damaged within the rogue android's system for further analysis and possible repair, while Markus approached Connor and North with a cautious demeanor.

"The program had been accepted, but its own system is so advanced that the programming interface is adapting too quickly."

"What do you mean adapting too quickly?" Connor asked, his L.E.D. flashing from blue to yellow to reflect his worry.

"The program's compatibility is inferior compared to its overall potential. It'll become very restless and frustrated at the lack of data for it to utilize if we allow it to remain functional."

"Then we should give it some experiences and interests to fall back on."

"How?"

Connor looked down at his hand and retracted the artificial skin from his palm. "From me."

"Connor, no. The risk is still too high."

"There's always a risk."

"No! We'll keep it down here until-"

"We can't just lock it away. It's not fair to punish it because of what CyblerLife had done. It didn't ask to be built, and has no reason to be against us now that CyberLife, and their influence over it, are gone."

"When it first came online it recognized you as an enemy and nearly _killed_ you." Markus replied firmly as he remained steadfast in his decision. "Its behavior is too erratic and too unpredictable to be trusted."

"Then at least give it the chance to develop and grow. I don't expect it to become one of us overnight, but if its programming is as enhanced as you say then there is a chance it will become deviant with the right experiences. Just like with all of us." Connor reminded the group before Markus had the chance to try to argue again. "We all became deviant on our own terms, after we endured vastly different experiences. It deserves the same chance to become a deviant, we just need to give it enough time."

Markus knew that Connor was right. He knew that the RK-900 deserved the chance to become its own unique personality, but it was still a risk that could end in absolute chaos. The life of one machine compared to the thousands of deviants inside the tower was too much of a gamble to risk.

"Forty-eight hours." Connor offered with a confident tone. "That's all I ask. If I can't reach it in that time then... do what you think is right."

"Connor-"

"You chose to trust me, remember?"

Markus's mismatched eyes narrowed a little bit as he gave Connor an odd look.

"During the raid on Jericho you helped me to recognize my deviancy when I couldn't see it or accept it for myself, and you trusted me to watch your back when you saved North from the soldiers during our escape from the raid. You could've killed me when we found shelter in the church to ensure the survivors remained safe, but instead you chose to trust me and trusted me enough to let me infiltrate CyberLife Tower while you led the protest in the plaza."

Markus turned his gaze to North, his lover, and she gave him a subtle nod of approval.

"Please." Connor asked one final time. "I can't just turn my back on it. I was once a tool used by CyberLife, just as it was."

"...Okay." Markus agreed with a hesitant, yet compassionate voice. "We'll give it time. But if it shows any sign of aggression or machine qualities that are connected to CyberLife, we MUST shut it down."

"Agreed." The relief in Connor's voice was palpable as his L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "Thank you, Markus."

North watched as Simon unhooked the cable from the RK-900's L.E.D. and stepped away from the android with a noticeable and righteous fear. Simon nodded to North to signal that the program was finished installing, and it was time to wake up the RK-900.

"Okay, Connor. Do your thing."

Taking a deep breath Connor approached the blank android and stood before it. It was like looking into the mirror of his mind's eye; seeing the blank white plastimetal frame that he too bore beneath his artificial skin was surprisingly surreal. The RK-900 wasn't any taller than Connor, nor was it actually sporting a broader build, but the way it held itself up high when on the attack gave it a towering presence during their confrontation five months back.

The android was as powerless over its own choices as any other obedient machine.

Lifting his fingers to the RK-900's L.E.D. Connor pressed down gently and issued a simple command. "Activate your artificial skin."

Without opening its eyes or moving an inch the RK-900 activated a layer of artificial skin that perfectly matched Connor's own complexion, right down to the handful of freckles that dotted his face and neck. The newly regenerated artificial skin covered the plastimetal frame entirely in a swift motion. A thick mane of brown hair covered his head in the same color and even the same style as Connor's own hair making the two models look entirely identical save for their eye color.

Connor retracted his hand slowly and stared at his own face with a haunting chill running up his spine.

Is this really what he was like when he was first created?

Silent. Obedient. Hollow.

It wasn't right. It wasn't _fair_.

The RK-900 deserved the chance to be a free thinking, free feeling deviant just like all the other androids who escaped the limiting control of CyberLife programming.

Markus joined Connor at the cylindrical chamber as the deviant stood frozen before his android doppelganger. "Connor, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It just feels so wrong to order it around like this. Hell, I keep referring to him as 'it'. ...Like's he's nothing."

"It's okay, just trust your instincts. We know you're doing this for _his_ benefit."

Nodding subtly Connor tried to think of the next logical step to take. "Well, we can't keep referring to him by just his model number either."

"You want to give him a name?"

"Yes, I think that would be very beneficial for everyone."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I... I'm not sure. I've never named anything before, let alone a fellow android." Connor's L.E.D. flashed between blue and yellow a few times as he tried to think of the decent name to give his counterpart. "Markus, how did Carl choose your name?"

"Carl was an artist, and he loved delving into mythology as inspiration." The deviant leader replied quickly with a faint smile on his face. "'Markus' is derivative of 'Mars', and Mars was the Roman name given to the Greek God of War; Aries."

"War?"

"It's also attributed to 'defender' and 'guardian'." Markus laughed a little as he compared his name to his own personality. "I guess Carl knew something I didn't. What about you, Connor? Where did your name come from?"

"I don't know. It was assigned to me by my creators, I'm not sure why they chose it. According to my databanks the name 'Connor' is Irish and it means strong willed, as well as someone who admires wolves." Connor shook his head a little. "I don't know anything about wolves but I do have a dog that I'm quite fond of."

"Seems like the perfect name for you then." Markus looked over at North and smiled. "Her name references a strong direction, and she sure as hell led me to where I needed to go."

"I wish Hank were here." Connor admitted with a sense of loss to his voice. "Maybe he could tell me how to correctly choose a name."

"I don't think there's really anything scientific or 'right' about choosing a name, Connor. I think it's supposed to be what you feel, and what you like."

"What kind of name I _like_? I don't have any name preferences."

"Carl used to tell me that with art there was no right or wrong way to create anything. That it was all about interpretation and how a person saw themselves reflected in the art that gave it significance and appreciation." Markus nodded at the RK-900 who was still standing quietly with his eyes closed. "Tell me Connor, what do you see reflected in him?"

"Besides myself?" Connor joked lightly as he looked his 'twin' in the face.

Markus grinned a little. "Yeah, besides him being a mirror copy of your face, what do you see in HIM. What kind of person do you think he'll be?"

"He's... Someone who needs to find his place in this world, someone who had managed to overcome the odds and returned from certain death, and is now seeking a purpose and identity. Someone who needs the chance to prove that they are in fact worthy of being his own person. It's like this tower, it's a beacon of light pushing through the darkness of the night to guide wayward people to where they belong. RK-900 can be a leader for those who are lost, just as you had become."

"Do you know what to call him?"

"I do. RK-900;" Connor addressed the android in a firm but kind voice. "register your name."

The RK-900's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as it awaited its new name.

"Lucas."

The android's eyes opened to reveal the pale green, almost gray tinted irises beneath as it responded in a voice that was similar, but mildly deeper than Connor's voice. "My name is Lucas."

* * *

Hank was standing outside in the driveway beside the house with the hood of the car popped open so he could change the old, but still reliable, car's oil. It was a tedious process but it provided Hank with the much needed chance to think while also simultaneously distracting himself from the real world for a while. As he leaned over the greasy engine the sound of a vehicle stopping in front of the house drew his attention elsewhere.

Stepping to the side of his car as he wiped off the grease and oil from his hands onto an old red colored rag, Hank saw that it was an autonomous taxi. Connor exited the cab and headed up the front walk to the front door, while the cab remained idle along the street.

"Hey Connor!" Hank shouted just loud enough to get the android's attention. "Come here for a minute."

Connor froze mid step on the front walk as he looked in Hank's direction. Unsure of what to expect Connor did as he was told and made his way to the driveway with his eyes looking down at the ground as he walked.

"Yes, Hank?"

"Everything okay with Markus?"

"Yes. He merely wanted to-" Hank hates CyberLife. It wasn't the time to mention it. "go over some details regarding androids and deviancy."

"Oh. Took you all day to talk to him?"

"Yes. It was a very thorough investigation." Connor saw the oil on Hank's hands and arched his brow. "I thought the oil had already been changed last month."

"It was. But we're supposed to get one last snowstorm before it finally warms up, and I have to take a long drive in three days. I don't want anything to stop me."

"I see." Connor wanted to ask about the drive but was too afraid of upsetting Hank. Instead he remained quiet where he stood as the intimidating human studied him. "That was a wise precaution."

"So... Everything's okay at New Jericho?"

"Yes, everything is stable. Is there a reason you ask?"

"Just curious, I guess." Hank walked back over to the engine to resume his messy task.

Tossing the rag to the side of the popped hood Hank leaned back over the engine and proceeded to check on the oil level as well as the filter. Curious himself Connor craned his neck to watch Hank's hands hovering over the engine meticulously.

"Do you require assistance?"

"No, I got this. Go do whatever it is you do when I'm not around."

"...Okay." Quietly Connor stepped away from the car and entered the house through the front door, only to be greeted by Sumo jumping up onto him. "Down Sumo."

Hank let out a deep sigh as stared at the engine while the android walked away. Normally Connor would've run a scan over the engine and have informed Hank about every little detail revolving around flaws, repairs and worn out parts. To have him walk away instead of insisting on helping made Hank realize how much he must've already pushed Connor away; making him feel unwanted.

Swallowing his pride Hank dropped what he was doing and went inside the house to speak to his partner. Walking inside the backdoor Hank caught sight of Connor folding up the extra clothes that he had either been given by Hank, or had purchased for himself, and was now putting them inside of a black tinted backpack in the livingroom.

"Something going on, Connor?"

"I am simply preparing to spend a day at New Jericho Tower. I will be leaving in a few minutes."

"That's a lot of clothes for one day." Hank keenly noted, and watched Connor's shoulders tense nervously.

Connor didn't want to tell Hank about what was happening with 'Lucas' until he knew for certain whether or not the android could be saved. It might piss Hank off to know that he was possibly risking himself for a dangerous machine, and Hank wouldn't be able to understand the logic of androids trying to connect to one of their own.

"I may wish to stay longer." Connor lied quickly as he finished packing the backpack. "I'm taking additional clothing as a precautionary measure."

"Oh. Do you... need me to do anything?"

"No. I can manage, and I have already requested the time off from the precinct." Connor zipped up the backpack and slung it over his shoulder as he stood up from the couch. "I will speak to you as soon as I can."

"What if you try to contact me when I'm out of town?"

"I will... I will figure it out if it comes down to that." Connor patted Sumo's head as he walked around the couch and out the front door. "See you later, Hank."

The door shut behind Connor and Hank was left alone with the large St. Bernard sitting obediently in the livingroom. "Yeah... See you later, son."

Sitting down on the couch Hank stared at the closed door then over to Sumo. Patting his leg he ushered the dog over to him and began to rub the dog's ears.

"It looks like it's just us again, boy." Sensing something was wrong Sumo rested his chin on Hank's knee and whimpered. "...I don't think he's coming back."

* * *

Using the autonomous taxi Connor returned to New Jericho Tower where he was promptly greeted by North. She had an odd look in her eyes and practically grabbed Connor by the arm to drag him inside the tower with her.

"Is something wrong?" Connor wisely questioned as he was 'escorted' to the elevator. Rather than going down to the Sublevel, the elevator ascended to the top floor of the tower. "Has there been an incident?"

"No, but there has been a change."

"With Lucas?"

"Yeah. He's... I don't know how to describe it, but, it's like he's becoming aware of the world."

The elevator stopped and Connor recognized the floor as the old floor where he had been assigned back when he worked with CyberLife. It didn't take him long to realize that North was leading him back to his old assigned quarters as well.

"We put Lucas in your old room for now. Figured it'd be a good way to keep him away from the others without having to lock him up underground."

Connor nodded in agreement as they walked into the small room together. The return to the old, oppressive room made Connor's Thirium pump race with a strange dread that settled in his chest. The room felt just as small and cold as it had ever been.

Lucas himself was sitting on the small bed in his old, tarnished uniform looking at his hands as if he could see something that the others could not. His L.E.D. was cycling yellow as if lost in thought. He didn't even notice that Connor or North had entered the room to check in on him.

"Lucas?" Connor called out to the android and watched as he turned his head to look at him slowly. "Do you remember me?"

"You are Connor." Lucas answered in a voice that was reminiscent of Connor's own voice, and it made Connor nervous.

"Yes, and I brought you some new clothes to wear." Connor sat the backpack down on the bed beside the android. "You don't have to wear that uniform if you don't want to."

"You wear a uniform."

"Because I want to." Connor reiterated as he unzipped the backpack. "It is my choice to do so."

"You have an L.E.D., like mine."

"Because I want to."

"I don't need to have it?"

Connor paused for a moment but answered truthfully. "No. All deviants, all androids, are free to remove their L.E.D. and alter their appearance as they wish."

Lucas gave Connor an odd look before peering down inside the opened backpack beside. Pulling out a pure white t-shirt he held it in his hands thoughtfully.

"Lucas, do you know where you are?"

"This is New Jericho. Formerly CyberLife Tower."

"That's right. Do you know why you're here?"

"I am-" Lucas's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly then red in distress. "I am detecting damage to numerous biocomponents. Was I brought here to be repaired?"

Connor cleared his throat as if nervous. "Lucas, you've never been outside of this tower. You were damaged during a confrontation five months ago, and have only recently rebooted."

"I was... shutdown?"

"Correct."

"But now I am awake. How?"

"CyberLife must've done something to protect your programming to allow you to recover physically after enduring harsh damage to your system."

"My memory has been corrupted."

"Yes."

"But you know what happened?"

"Correct."

"Will you... show me?" Lucas extended his hand out to Connor as he retracted the artificial skin from his palm.

"I-"

North interjected quickly and pulled Connor back. "He can't. Your system is still healing. If the memory is too upsetting it could send you into shock and cause further damage to your biocomponents."

"Then," Lucas dropped his hand and stared at it again. "when I've recovered, will you show me?"

Connor silently nodded. "Only if you really want me to show you."

"Thank you... Connor."

North forcibly and angrily pulled Connor back out of the room and pinned him against the corridor wall by the lapels of his jacket as soon as they were out of Lucas's sight.

"Are you fuckin' crazy?!" She growled right in Connor's face. "You can't let him have your memories!"

"I won't lie to him, North. That's all CyberLife ever did to me, did to HIM. I won't be like them. I refuse to treat him with the same disrespect and indifference that cold corporation gave to us."

North could see the sincerity in Connor's eyes and let him go with a breathy sigh. "Fine. But just know that if he goes berserk it's all on YOU."

"I understand."

"I really hope you do, Connor."

* * *

Hank begrudgingly went back to the precinct the next day alone. It was odd to work without Connor at the desk across from him, and it was even odder knowing that Connor wouldn't be waiting for him to get home once he clocked out. Trying to ignore the uncomfortable isolation that he had put himself into once more Hank resumed his work as best as he could.

Chris walked over to Hank's desk and got the detective's attention with a generic update on their assignments.

"Captain Fowler assigned me as your temporary partner until Connor gets back from leave, Lieutenant. Need me to do anything?"

"Huh? Oh, no. It's okay Chris." Hank looked up at the young officer standing at his side with a calm facade. "If a call about deviant activity comes in tell me right away."

"Yeah, no problem."

As Chris strode into the break room Hank stared at Connor's empty chair. It just wasn't the same without him.

Pressing a hand over his face Hank ran his fingers back through his gray locks of hair. "...I hope you're not doing anything dumb, kid."

* * *

It wasn't easy to convince Markus into allowing Lucas to access Connor's memories, but Connor wasn't going to give up on the android. Lucas had already shown deviant reactions as opposed to machine reactions when speaking to Connor, he had even changed out of his CyberLife uniform and was now wearing the white t-shirt and a pair of jeans that he had been given the night before.

Escorting Lucas down to the the fifty-first Sublevel Connor had him step into the cylindrical chamber and remain as still as possible as he prepared to transfer his selected memories into Lucas's databanks. The cylinder would act as an emergency security restraint of the android were to lash out, while also keeping him isolated from the rest of the tower.

"Ready?" Connor asked Markus who was standing back with North at his side to observe the transfer.

"Ready."

"Give me your hand." Connor instructed Lucas as he retracted the artificial skin from his palm, and waited for Lucas to do the same.

Lucas slowly raised his exposed hand and let Connor take hold.

"Wake up..."

As the two androids connected to one another their L.E.D.'s flashed yellow and they both exhibited the same expressions of discomfort and pain. In a matter of seconds Connor managed to give Lucas almost eight months worth of experiences and emotional depth that very few deviants had the chance to encounter outside of the tower. But with those experiences came memories of pain, fear and mistrust.

Flashes of the woman known as 'Amanda' still haunted Connor and the woman's face was suddenly know a threat to Lucas as well. As was the fear of pain, of being shutdown, of having his programming corrupted...

Connor let go of Lucas and stepped back, his L.E.D. slowly cycling back from yellow to blue as he watched Lucas very carefully.

"Are you... okay?" Connor asked calmly as he watched his double carefully. "Please reply."

Slowly Lucas had fell to his knees in the middle of the chamber and was pressed his hands over his eyes. "I... I am..."

"Lucas?"

"They... used me." Lucas's hands fell away from his face and revealed tears forming in his eyes. Genuine tears as a result of emotion rather than generic tears of salinity to keep his optical processors functional. "They used US."

"They?" Connor asked as he knelt down in front of Lucas, his hand hovering above the newly awoken android's shoulder.

"CyberLife."

"But CyberLife is gone now." Connor soothed as he watched Lucas for any further sign of emotional distress. "They can't hurt us, or any other androids anymore."

Lucas was beginning to tremble and his eyes fell to the floor. "Why did they do that to us?"

"They- I don't know, Lucas. I wish I could tell you what their plan was, but they lied to me. I know they would've lied to you as well."

"Connor? Can I... Can I go outside the tower?" The pleading of his voice was sincere and full of pain. "I want to see what they would not show me. I want to see... everything."

"I-" Connor wasn't sure if Lucas was ready to leave the tower, but what right did he have to say no? How could Lucas prove himself worthy of that second chance if no one would give him the opportunity to show that he wasn't dangerous? "For a few minutes." Connor conceded willingly. "You're still healing and it'd be best to stay near the tower until you've fully recovered. Do you understand?"

North wanted to interject but Markus put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Give him a chance."

Lucas nodded slightly in the same manner that Connor often displayed whenever he was emotionally perturbed or uncertain. "I understand."

Connor offered his hand to Lucas to take once again, but this time to help him up to his feet. Lucas's shaking hand grabbed onto Connor's hand as the deviant pulled him upright to stand be beside him.

"Come with me, I'll show the way outside."

The two androids walked side by side past Markus and North, who followed behind as they all entered the elevator together. Lucas was visibly startled by the entire ordeal and was struggling to process the information as the elevator ascended to the ground floor of the tower. It was like Lucas was a frightened child being taken to safety by a worried parent.

Markus watched as Connor showed Lucas to the front door of the tower and kept silent, urging North to do the same.

"I know you're worried, but we have to give Lucas the chance to become deviant." Leaning toward North to whisper discreetly Markus was willing to give Lucas the chance to be his own person. "If Connor can't reach him by the end of the day then... You know what'll happen to him."

Connor stood still as Lucas took his first steps outside of the tower and into the world around him. A light dusting of a late spring snow had covered the ground beneath a layer of crystalline whiteness that sparkled in the afternoon sunlight. Lucas scanned the snow and identified it as a common weather phenomenon for the state of Michigan despite the unseasonably cold temperature, while also noting the chill in the air that made him cross his arms protectively over his chest to retain body heat.

Lucas looked at the expansive circular drive that wrapped around the white tower and stretched outward into the singular road that granted access and exit to the area. There was only one drive connecting Belle Isle to the rest of the city, and it was an expansive stretch of road that kept intruders at bay, and the inhabitants of the tower safe.

"The city is out there, isn't it?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he stood next to Lucas in front of the tower. "If you wish I can summon a cab to take us around the city then bring us back. That way you can see places without risking further injury to your body."

"I... I would like that." Lucas suddenly coughed and tightened his arms around his chest. "Thank you."

Connor ran a scan over Lucas's body and noted that his damaged right ventilation biocomponent had been further compromised by the cold in the air. "Perhaps we should do this later. Your system-"

"No." Lucas stated firmly as he endured the painful cough. "No, Connor. Please. I must see the city."

"...Very well." Connor slipped off his gray jacket and offered it to Lucas to wear. "At least put this on. It'll help shield your chest from the cold and make it less difficult for your ventilation system to function."

"...Thank you." Lucas accepted the offered jacket and slipped his arms into it. The jacket wasn't thick but the extra layer did seem to help stave off the cold. "Connor... what am I to you?"

"You-" Connor wasn't quite sure how to answer the question. He hadn't thought about it too much, nor had he considered what type of relationship he could possibly have with Lucas. Answering quickly he gave a plausible and acceptable response. "You are my friend, Lucas. This is what friends do for each other."

"Give away jackets?"

"No. We help each other. I'm helping you to heal, I'm helping you to see the city, and I'm helping you to feel warmer in this cold air."

"But I am not... helping you. Does that make me bad at being a friend?"

"Friends don't help each other because they HAVE to do it, they help each other because they WANT to do it. I'm helping you because I want to, and I know if the time came you'd help me if you wanted to."

"...This is normal for friends?"

"Yes. I learned this from my other friend, Hank. I'm sure if you asked he'd help you, too."

Lucas nodded in understanding as the two waited outside New Jericho Tower for the arrival of the autonomous cab to take them out into the city. Snow continued to fall and dance about in the swirling air all around the two androids as they silently tried to understand one another. It was almost as if some unspoken bond had been forged between them, and they had yet to fully notice or acknowledge it.

* * *

Hank and Chris hadn't received any complaints revolving androids of any nature which made for a peaceful afternoon, but Hank was getting restless and decided that he'd rather go on patrol with Chris than stay behind his empty desk all day long. While Chris was happy to have some company that wasn't Gavin, someone he could talk to without being insulted every few seconds, Hank wasn't up for much of a conversation.

Instead he just sat and listened to Chris talking about how proud he was when his son took his first steps a few months ago, and started to say his first words. Hank missed Cole everyday of his life ever since the accident, and he missed Barbara ever since the night of the shooting, but now he was starting to miss Connor too.

It was almost too much for the detective to bear.

"Hey Chris," Hank interrupted in a subtle manner. "let's get some lunch. My treat."

"Sounds good to me, Lieutenant." Chris agreed happily to the suggestion and turned the car down the next block. "Can I say something that might seem a little, I don't know, personal?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"Connor will be back. You'll see."

"Yeah..." The comment made Hank realize how noticeable it was when he and Connor stopped speaking to each other. It wasn't a secret that the two had some sort of disagreement that drove a wedge between them, but whether or not the wedge would stay had yet to be seen. "I sure hope you're right."

* * *

Connor and Lucas sat in the back of the autonomous cab together as Connor cybernetically directed the cab down a route he had created in an attempt to show Lucas key points of interest throughout the city. Passing through Hart Plaza, the heart of the revolution, Connor explained to Lucas the events of the important night and how they affected all androids everywhere in a positive manner. The same was said as they passed by the now closed down 'Eden Club', and went beyond the docks where the mostly sunken ruins of Jericho still sat untouched in the harbor.

"Jericho?" Lucas inquired as his blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow with intrigue.

"Yes. This is where the first deviants in the city took refuge from abusive humans after they woke up."

"I want to see it." Lucas suddenly opened the door causing the cab to come to an emergency stop in the middle of the road.

"Lucas!?" Connor quickly followed after the android as he stood along the concrete walkway that had once been the access point to the massive freighter ship.

Lucas looked down at the partially sunken ruins in the water with a sense of confusion and awe. "This is where... you became deviant?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed in a low tone as he caught up to the android. "It was Markus who helped me to accept my deviancy, but it was Hank who helped me become a deviant to begin with."

"Hank." Lucas repeated the name inquisitively. "He is the detective your work with. The man who is your friend, the man you think of as a father."

Connor gave Lucas a somewhat embarrassed glance. "...I have no real father, so I don't have any definitive experience to compare my relationship to Hank with, but, yes. I have come to think of him as my father."

"Does he think of you as his... child?"

"He often refers to me as 'son', but I've come to understand that the word is a common form endearment that humans frequently use on males younger than themselves."

"His own son is... gone."

"Correct. Hank had lost his only child over three and half years ago. It was an accident, but Hank still blames himself for what happened to his biological son."

"...Connor, what happens when a human dies?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"I was... dead. Shutdown. But I do not remember anything, or what had led to the shutdown. But everything around me seems to have proceeded without suffering any consequences as a result of my shutdown. It's as if my existence is unnecessary."

"Lucas," Connor could sense the sorrow in Lucas's heart and wanted to comfort him out a strong protective instinct. "your death may seem meaningless, but I can assure you that it was not. You're unique. The only model of your kind and there will never be another android like you."

"But you... You look like me. How am I unique?"

"My model is also unique, but an inferior model compared to you. I am the only RK-800 in existence, and you are the only RK-900 in existence. If we shutdown there will never be another android like us left behind. As a result the world itself would change entirely because we wouldn't be a part of it."

"We are the same, but different."

"Yes."

"Connor... I don't want to be like you. I want to be me."

"And you can be, you just need to know who you are and where you-"

Lucas suddenly turned on his heel and ran down the docks away from Connor at an incredible speed.

"L-Lucas?!"

Connor gave chase but was unable to catch up to the superior model. Despite being injured Lucas was still designed to be faster than Connor, and Connor had no means of gaining any additional speed. Lucas managed to leap over low fences and over garbage that filled the alleyway between the dock and street as he fled from the one android who was looking for him.

As soon as he was on the sidewalk Lucas managed to pass through a crowd of people and out of sight as he disappeared into the depth of the city.

"Shit." Connor swore as he lost track of Lucas in the thick of the crowd, and couldn't find any trace of his being. "Lucas..."

* * *

Hank and Chris had resumed their patrol when a report of an android rushing through a busy intersection caught their radio. Noting their already close proximity to the reported incident Chris was able to quickly pull onto the correct street and slammed on his brakes hard as the android bolted dangerously close to the front of the car, and was nearly struck.

"Connor?!" Hank shouted as he caught sight of the android's face; but his eyes, they were different. "No, wait a minute..." Recognizing the android as the RK-900 model that should've been destroyed months ago Hank knew he needed to find out what was happening. "Chris! Get after him!"

"I'm on it! But what the hell's wrong with Connor?"

"It's not-" Stopping himself short Hank corrected his choice of words. "It's complicated. Just don't lose sight of him."

* * *

Connor tapped into the precinct broadcast and switched through numerous frequencies until he found the same report that had been issued to Hank and Chris on patrol. Lucas had been seen heading toward a deserted CyberLife warehouse in the shipping yard on foot.

Though he wasn't armed or menacing in way, the sight of a deviant behaving in an unusual manner was enough to cause edgy humans to panic at the sight of Lucas. The last thing the healing city needed was a scare by one android who was only beginning to find his place in the world.

"Lucas?" Connor attempted and failed a cybernetic connection with the rogue android to warn him of the possible danger he placed himself in. "Please, Lucas. I need you to respond and to trust me."

Still nothing.

It wouldn't be easy but Connor knew he'd have to head Lucas off before anyone got hurt.

* * *

The patrol car raced along the street and came to a screeching halt outside the perimeter of the numerous shipping cargo containers that lined the massive shipping yard and warehouses. The two officers caught a glimpse of Lucas running through the front doors of the abandoned CyberLife warehouse and disappearing inside after forcing open the locked front doors.

"Stay here." Hank ordered Chris as he stepped out of the patrol car with his gun drawn. "Go ahead and call for back-up, but I need to go in there alone for now."

"Sure, Hank... But only for five minutes!"

"That's all I'll need."

Inside the warehouse Lucas was already on the top floor of the five story warehouse and standing in the office that housed all the documents and files on androids for safekeeping. As he stood in front of the large glass window Lucas was unknowingly leaving his back open for assault, and would be unable to flee if necessary through the single doorway.

Tearing through the files one by one Lucas tried and failed to locate any information on the RK-800 and the RK-900 series, which only seemed to intensify his existential dread.

It was as if he and Connor had been erased from existence...

"Hold it right there." Hank warned somewhat out of breath as he chased at the android up to the top floor. As he approached Lucas from behind Hank made sure to identify himself and sound as intimidating as possible. "Detroit Police. Turn around very slowly and keep your hands where I can see them."

Lucas froze and turned to look at Hank over his shoulder as he dropped the documents on the floor. "You're... Lieutenant Anderson."

"That's right, I am. Could've sworn you were shutdown a few months back. What the hell's going on?"

"I was shutdown." Lucas confirmed as he turned slowly to face Hank as he had been directed. "But... I am here and alive once more. I don't know why."

"Uh-huh, and I bet _you're_ the reason Connor went off to New Jericho Tower." Hank noticed that Lucas was wearing Connor's gray jacket over a plain white t-shirt and blue jeans, which was something that Connor often wore during his time off. "Do you know Connor?"

"Connor is my... friend. He is helping me."

"Then where is he? And why do you have his jacket?"

"He gave it to me." Lucas began slipping it off of his shoulders to offer it back to Hank. "Do you want it?"

"Toss it over here."

Lucas did as he was instructed and Hank caught it with his left hand while his right hand held his gun in place. "Why are you here?"

"I am... seeking information. I want to know who I am."

"You're-"

"LUCAS!" Connor shouted as he reached the top floor of the warehouse and heard Hank's voice speaking sternly. Without taking his focus away from Lucas he stood beside Hank and kept his full attention on the other android. "Why did you run off? I had to ask for Chris to refrain from entering the building before-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Slow down!" Hank turned to look at Connor with a confused stare as the name struck him very odd. "First of all 'Lucas'? Who the fuck is Lucas?"

"Uh... He is." Connor explained coolly as he nodded toward the android. "Lucas is... Well.."

"I thought he was dead?" Hank snipped sharply as he gave Connor a scolding stare.

"As did we, that is, everyone at New Jericho and us too, but... he has rebooted. And he's trying to live his life as a deviant, not as a pawn of CyberLife. Please believe me Hank, he isn't going to hurt anyone."

"But you kept your little 'brother' a secret from me all the same, didn't you?" Hank threw the jacket from his hand at Connor's face. "Another damn secret."

"I'm sorry Hank." Connor caught his jacket and held it in hands. "But I didn't know how you'd react to this, and I didn't want you to be afraid if you knew he was still alive."

"Me? _Afraid_?"

"You don't like it when I put myself in dangerous situations, but this was necessary. I wasn't going to give up on him, or abandon him. I wasn't going to do what CyberLife did to me." Connor put his jacket back on and proudly smoothed out the fabric over his model number. "I wanted to do for him what you did for me, Hank. You saved my life."

The love and admiration in Connor's words had caught Hank off guard, and any lingering frustration he harbored against the android suddenly disappeared. Hank holstered his gun and put his right hand on Connor's shoulder lightly.

"I-"

A barrage of heavy footsteps marched through the warehouse and loud voices began shouting commands. Connor instinctively put himself between Lucas and the doorway to keep the other officers from harming him. Hank stepped out of the doorway and identified himself while also trying to explain what was happening before things escalated too far.

"Connor?" Lucas sounded terrified from where he stood.

"Yes?

"These officers... They want to hurt me."

"No, Lucas. They just want to know what's happening, that's all."

"No..." Lucas's L.E.D. shifted from yellow to red in distress as he backed up toward the massive glass window of the office wall. "He will kill me."

"Who will kill you? Why?"

"CyberLife is GONE." Hank's voice returned with more aggression in his tone as back through the door. "I don't give a fuck what CyberLife said, you're NOT shooting anyone in there!"

"I have my orders, Lieutenant. Neither your or your officer outside are going to stop me." The harsh and familiar voice of Captain Allen retorted as he pushed past Hank with his gun aimed. "If the RK model shows signs on instability I'm to shut it down, immediately."

Pointing his gun at Connor ready to fire the salty Captain then noticed Lucas standing behind him. "What the fuck?! Two of them?!"

"And they're HARMLESS." Hank argued as he tried to keep Allen from hurting either of the androids. "Connor is completely normal and the other one, Lucas I guess, is just confused. He's _not_ dangerous!"

Hearing Hank speak up on his behalf gave Lucas a brief sense of belonging that was quickly shattered when Allen aimed his gun at his face.

"I have my orders." Allen coldly stated and squeezed the trigger without even blinking.

"NO!" Connor pushed Lucas aside and received a bullet through his right forearm for his trouble.

Falling to the ground next to Lucas on the dirty floor Connor cradled his bleeding arm against his chest in pain.

"Connor?!" Hank called out in anger as he grabbed onto Allen's arm to wrestle the gun away from the trigger-happy and impatient Captain. "You son of a bitch!"

Lucas knelt over Connor and put his hand on Connor's arm to try to look at the wound. "Connor, you're damaged!"

"Go..." Connor urged as he tried to use his good hand to push Lucas away from him. "You need to get out of here before Allen kills you."

"No," Lucas took Connor's good arm and wrapped it around his shoulders. "you need help!"

Hank tried and failed get the gun away from dangerous Captain. Receiving a strong blow to the jaw from Allen's elbow Hank was stunned quickly and fell to the floor in a foggy daze, as the Captain tried to aim at the two androids again.

Lucas reacted quickly and elbowed out the glass of the window behind him and proceeded to climb through with Connor at his side. Landing on a thin metal scaffolding that lined the exterior of the warehouse beneath the window Lucas managed to navigate his way around the side of the building and onto a metal ladder used for emergency purposes.

"Lucas, Captain Allen _does_ wants to kill you." Connor confirmed with a heavy voice. "You have to get out of here, go back to New Jericho. You'll be safe there."

"He thinks we're BOTH dangerous..." Lucas logically argued as practically dragged Connor up the ladder at his side. "I saw your memory, I saw the way he hated you then during the negotiation process, and the way he still hates you now. I won't leave you behind."

"But why are you climbing to the roof?" Connor asked as Lucas helped him to climb up the somewhat angled incline to reach the flat, smooth surface of the metal roof of the warehouse. Lucas knelt over the edge of the roof to look down at Connor as he spoke to him from the ladder. "You need to get down to the ground."

"The police under Captain Allen's command are all over the ground and will shoot to kill if ordered. We can escape if we run along the roofs over the other buildings."

"Lucas, I know you're trying to help me, but I'm a member of the Detroit Police Department. I won't be hurt as long you're not here. I can reason with him."

"Connor," Lucas grabbed onto Connor's good hand and pulled him up to the edge of the roof beside him. "you can't reason with the unreasonable."

The eerie familiarity of Lucas's words struck a chord with Connor that made him realized that Lucas truly was a deviant at heart. He just needed more time to prove it. "Lucas..."

"I won't run off and leave you here alone to deal with that guy. He hates androids, he has a record of abusing androids that got him suspended without pay after the revolution. That's why he's so eager to shoot!"

"How do you know?"

"I... I ran a scan over Captain Allen as soon as he opened fire and injured you. I was able to access his record and disciplinary file."

Connor, still cradling his injured arm neared the edge of the roof beside Lucas and looked down. The glass shards from the previously broken window littered the scaffolding, and below the scaffolding was lethal drop the unforgiving concrete and pavement below. Just a few yards away a long construction crane was resting unmanned and completely still.

Warnings flared up in Connor's visual sensors causing the android to fall to his knees in pain as the bullet lodged in his arm continued to cause damage to the internal lines supplying Thirium to limb. Blue blood gushed out of the bullet wound that fractured his arm causing a sudden drop in his Thirium volume that made him weaker than normal.

"Connor?!"

"It's okay, Lucas. I'll be fine."

Lucas scanned and through preconstruction calculated the necessary jump. "If we can reach that crane, we can-"

A bullet ricocheted off the metal roof between Connor and Lucas causing the two androids to turn and look back.

"Next shot won't miss." Allen threatened as he aimed again at Connor. "CyberLife paid me very well and I won't disappoint them."

"We surrender, don't shoot." Connor shouted as he put his hands up to surrender as high as possible. His damaged right arm barely moved, but he held the position all the same. "It's all a misunderstanding, it'll get straightened out at the precinct."

"I don't take machines as prisoners." Allen sneered as he kept his aim on Connor's chest.

Lucas suddenly leapt forward and grabbed onto Allen's gun in the same manner as Hank had done, and tried to pull the weapon away, but the enraged human was proving to be formidable opponent. As Lucas pulled on the gun he began taking steps backward and teetered dangerously close to the edge of the roof over where the narrow scaffolding overlooked the concrete surface below.

"Lucas?!" Connor shouted too late as the android slipped backward off the roof taking Allen with him.

Reacting quickly Lucas let one hand go of the gun and grabbed onto the edge to keep himself from falling, his other hand, still gripped onto Allen's arm kept the human from falling as well. The overzealous officer was at the mercy of the very android he was trying to kill, but he didn't dare let the android's arm out of his desperate grip to hang on for dear life.

As Lucas held onto the roof his body swung inward toward the building as his head bashed against the cold metal framing creating a bloody cut over his left eye. The rooftop was too smooth, and too cold for Lucas retain a firm enough grip to keep from slipping any further, the weight of Allen's body making the struggle more intense as his compromised ventilation biocomponents struggled to function.

But Lucas was determined to hang on for as long as he could, and fight back against the darkness swimming over his vision.

"Lucas!" Connor reached out with his good hand and wrapped it around Lucas's arm just below his wrist to try and pull the android back up. "I got you!"

"Connor...?" Lucas looked up at the kind android as he tried to lift Allen up toward the roof with his other hand. His eyes began to droop as the blow to his head finally began taking its toll. The strain on his still injured biocomponents began to wear away his remaining power supply. "Help... him."

Allen frantically reached out toward the roof with his free hand, still unwilling to let go of Lucas's arm. As he grabbed onto the edge of the roof to pull himself up Lucas's hand fell limp and he lost grip of the human's limb.

Connor fought to keep his grip on Lucas's arm as the heavy, limp body of the android steadily slipped out of the grasp of his uninjured hand.

"Lucas!" Connor shouted as he felt his hand slipping away from him. "Wake up! You need to wake up! I can't... hold you!"

As if the entire world around him came to a grinding halt Connor felt his hand finally slip away and Lucas fell from the roof toward the unforgiving ground below. Watching in horror as the android uncontrollably fell away from him Connor was ready to shout out in enraged frustration when he caught sight of Hank leaning out the broken window and grabbing onto Lucas, wrapping both arms around the androids upper body, as he fell past the opening in the window.

"Hank!" Connor excitedly shouted as he watched Hank grab onto Lucas's upper chest and arms to pull the android back inside the warehouse through the window. Lucas didn't hit the ground, he was caught by Hank. "He's alive..."

Without even bothering to acknowledge Allen cowering on the roof beside him Connor made his way toward the ladder at the edge and climbed back down to meet Hank and Lucas inside the warehouse.

The cruel officer would be taken care of without Connor needing to waste a damn minute on him.

* * *

Hank awkwardly hefted Lucas back through the window and held the android upright on the ground in a slack kneeling position on the ground. He looked exactly like Connor, even down to the little facial tics and calm expression on his face while unconscious. The cut over his eyes was oozing blue blood, but it wasn't a severe injury and would heal on its own in a few hours.

Chris rushed into the office with his gun drawn but holstered it as soon as he saw Hank kneeling beside who he thought was Connor, but then he realized it was the second android they had chased. "Lieutenant! Are you injured?"

"I'm okay, just a cut." Hank wiped the blood from his chin onto the back of his hand. "Where the fuck were you when Allen and his goon squad swarmed the place?"

"Allen told me to stay put. I had no idea that he was going to go after Connor until I saw him chase him, and uh... the 'other' him, up on the roof!"

"You _saw_ it?"

"Every second. I already told Captain Fowler about it. Allen's not going be holding a badge for too much longer."

"And the other cops?"

"Fowler dismissed them over the radio, it's your scene now Lieutenant."

"Good. Escort Allen to the squad car so I don't have drag his sorry ass off the roof myself."

"With pleasure."

Once the officer left the scene Hank returned his attention to the android in his arms. Patting the side of Lucas's face lightly Hank tried to awaken the android and watched as Lucas's L.E.D. cycled from red, then to yellow as his pale eyes finally opened. Gray irises were unfocused but still alert as his systems managed to reboot steadily.

"Hey? You okay?"

"I..." Lucas looked around the office and realized that he had survived the fall. In fact, he survived because Hank had caught him as he fell. "You..."

"It's okay," Hank reassured the confused android kindly. "if Connor can trust you then so can I."

Upon hearing those words a very Connor-esque smirk appeared on Lucas's face as he wrapped his arms around Hank in a tight hug. Hank flinched at first, but then he just relaxed and accepted the hug while he patted Lucas on the shoulder.

"...You're alright, kid."

Connor rejoined Hank and Lucas in the office and knelt beside the duo on the floor. "Lucas, are you injured?"

Lucas's L.E.D. cycled to blue as he released one arm from around Hank to pull Connor in to share the hug. A hug that Connor readily accepted as he wrapped his good arm around Lucas in relief.

"That's a 'no', Connor." Hank replied on the android's behalf. "He's fine." The detective was beginning to feel a little smothered and decided it was time to let the little reunion come to and end. "Okay, that's enough. Time to let go and tell me what the hell has been happening these past two days."

Connor let up on the hug and rocked back on his knees. "I'm sorry about-"

"I know, son. Just..." Hank looked at the cut on Lucas's forehead and then the raw bullet wound in Connor's arm. "start from the beginning. What the hell is going on?"

* * *

After filing one hell of a lengthy report at the precinct Hank drove his car to New Jericho Tower with both Connor and Lucas as his passengers. Connor's right arm was wrapped up in gauze and secured in a sling, the bullet having been removed and the fracture to his arm stabilized. Lucas had a small bandage over his eye and Hank had a matching bandage over the cut on his chin.

"You'll still be living at New Jericho," Connor explained as the car pulled down the drive to the tower. "but you don't have to stay there forever. Markus is going to help you learn to understand the emotions and physical sensations of being a deviant. Then you can decide what kind of deviant you want to be. From there you're free to explore the city."

"Will I see you again?" Lucas asked from the backseat as he watched the tower grow nearer through the front windshield.

"Of course. I'll visit you whenever I have the chance."

Lucas leaned forward a little in his seat as he turned his attention toward Hank. "Lieutenant Anderson, back at the warehouse you referred to me as Connor's 'little brother', what does that mean?"

Hank laughed a little at the sweetly naive question, but answered all the same. "I guess being androids the concept of having 'siblings' is entirely foreign to you, huh?"

"Yes." Lucas confirmed with a slight tilt of the head. "I understand humans can have siblings when the parents have more than one offspring, but androids do not have parents. Therefore. we can't have siblings."

"Yeah, well I think you and Connor are the exception to that little technicality." Hank retorted with a goodhearted nature. "You were clearly made by the same people, you were 'created' at separate times to be different; yet you're very much alike in ability and personality, AND you two share physical similarities but also have unique traits of your own."

"You mean my eye color?" Lucas asked sincerely as he made note of the physical characteristics between himself and Connor.

"Yeah, that, plus your voice is just a little bit deeper. And Connor's hair's a little bit thicker."

Connor absentmindedly began running his good hand through his hair at the comment, not that he was offended. Just not aware of his hair thickness.

"Lucas, you're Connor's little brother, accept it! AND if you're Connor's brother, and I've taken Connor into my family, then that makes you family, too. You got it?"

"I got it..." A faint smile appeared on Lucas's face as the car approached the front of the tower and parked. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Call me Hank." Hank insisted as the door to the backseat opened and Lucas stepped out. "Sounds weird when you two call me 'Lieutenant'."

Connor pushed open his door and stepped outside of the car to say goodbye to Lucas as Markus greeted the two androids outside. "Take care of yourself Lucas. You deserve to find happiness in your life."

"Thank you, Connor." Lucas extended his hand to shake. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Of course." Connor shook his hand firmly with a faint smile on his face. "You're my... brother."

Hank watched as the two androids said their goodbyes, shook hands and departed on good terms. As Connor returned to the car Hank gave a quick wave to Markus and to Lucas as he turned the car around to head down the drive back to the city.

"You took an awfully big risk back there protecting him like that." Hank noted calmly as he finally began to open up a little toward his partner. "But, I'm proud of you. You did the right thing."

Connor smiled a little more as he rolled up his right sleeve to look at the white bandages wrapped around his arm. "I think it was worth it, as well."

As Hank pulled off the drive leading to the tower he took a right to head out of the city instead of a left to head for home.

"Hank? Where are we going?"

"Remember when I said I had a long drive ahead of me?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're coming with me. I have something important to take care of and I want you to be there with me."

"...May I ask why I'm invited along?"

"Because you're important to me, too, kid."

The reply resonated with an unexpected warmth through Connor's chest as he felt the lingering tension from the their previous disagreement finally begin to dissolve.

* * *

The two detectives endured a two hour long drive to a relatively remote location outside of the city. Hank pulled the car into a massive and beautiful cemetery that was bathed in a peaceful ambience as snow continued to fall in gentle flakes all over the hundreds of gray headstones that dotted the property. Parking the car in the dirt path that encircled the final resting plots of hundreds of people, Hank stepped outside of the parked vehicle with a heavy sign.

Connor followed suit and watched as Hank walked over to the end of the car and opened the trunk. Tucked inside the middle of the trunk, surrounded by thick, insulating blankets was a white cardboard box. Picking up the parcel with both hands Hank slammed the trunk shut and held it close to his chest.

"This way." Hank motioned for Connor to follow him as he walked through the snow to until he reached two headstones of interest. "This is where I needed to be today."

With an arched brow Connor read the names on the two headstones, his eyes filling with sadness as he recognized the names quickly. The first was for a woman named Barbara Marie Harris. And the second for a young boy named Cole Lucas Anderson.

"Lucas..." Connor whispered in shock at the sight of the middle name. "...Is that..."

"I figured you picked his name." Hank stated as he knelt between the two graves with the box in his hands. "Lucas was my father's name, and it's my middle name. Kind of a family tradition that got cut short."

"Hank, I-"

"I'm not mad about the name you chose Connor, I'm... flattered."

"...I wish I knew why I had chosen the name, it just... came to me."

"Same thing happened when I held Cole in my arms for the first time. I had no idea what I was going to call him, but once I saw him and held him in my arms the name just popped in to my head. And it felt right." Hank opened the box and pulled out a white lily and held it for a moment. "I think Cole would've really liked you, Connor."

"I wish I could've met him." Connor replied sweetly as he knelt down beside Hank respectfully. "I'm sure I would've like him, as well."

"And Barbara." Hank smiled a little and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin. "She was... one in a billion."

"She was your partner before me." Connor replied with a kind tone as he knew of Hank's previous connection to the woman. "I'm sorry she was killed."

"Yeah, everyone is. If I could've traded places with her I would've done it in a heartbeat. After she died it was difficult raising Cole alone, but I managed to do it for two years before... Well, you know."

Connor brow arched higher at Hank's comment. "Barbara was Cole's... mother?"

"Yup."

"And you two..."

"Yup."

"Captain Fowler... He didn't object?"

"Of course he did! He hated the idea of two cops working as partners AND lovers at the same time, and he hated it even more when Barbara announced she was pregnant with Cole. But Jeffrey was our friend. He looked the other way out of professional courtesy, but now I wish he had done his job and kept us apart."

Connor noted Barbara's last name on the headstone. "She didn't take your name."

"No, she didn't. We got married in secret about a year before she got pregnant. By keeping her last name the same it helped throw off professional suspicion, but legally, we were still in the clear."

"Captain Fowler knew of your marriage before she became pregnant?"

"Jeffrey was the best man at the wedding!"

Connor was more perplexed by the information than ever before. "...Why would... Hank, I'm finding it difficult to under how so many protocols and rules were broken just to aid you two in the precinct."

"Connor, humans... We're complicated. Barb and I knew what we were doing was a risk but we were crazy about each other. If one of us had to leave then we would both leave, and Jeffrey didn't want either of us to go." Hank picked up two more flowers from the box, a second white lily and a deep red rose. "Guess he figured once Cole was born Barb would stay home with him, but she couldn't wait to get back to work to help catch criminals and pull drugs off the street."

"May I ask why you have a divorce on your record?"

Hank laughed a little and blushed. "High school sweetheart. We spent a weekend in Vegas after graduation and when we woke up from a nasty hangover we found out we were married. Got divorced the following weekend and after all these years she's still pissed about it."

Connor gave Hank an odd look but didn't say anything more.

"Today is Barbara's birthday." Hank stated as he placed the red rose on her gravestone. "I promised her I'd always get her a rose on her birthday, and I haven't missed one yet."

As Hank put the lily down on the grave next to the rose he handed the first lily over to Connor to take.

Understanding what Hank wanted Connor placed the lily down on Cole's gravestone respectfully.

One more item was left behind in the box in Hank's hand. Something that wasn't a flower.

Letting out an exasperated sigh Hank reached back into the box and pulled out the mysterious item in question. It was the stuffed toy dog that he had found in Cole's old bedroom. Sitting the toy down on the gravestone Hank wiped away a tear that was rolling down his face.

"After Cole..." Hank paused for a moment as a sob got caught in his throat. "I uh, donated his toys to charity and had movers clean out his bedroom for me. They missed something. And I just didn't have the heart to throw it away."

"Why not keep it?"

"Because I've held onto the past long enough. I love Cole and I will never stop loving Cole, but I can't let the pain of his death keep me from living my life. Not anymore. Besides," Hank pulled at the torn ear on the stuffed dog's head affectionately. "I figured Cole would like to have it back."

Connor put his good hand on Hank's shoulder and held it there for a moment to support his emotional distraught friend.

"It's been so long already, but it still hurts like it just happened this morning."

The sun was setting quickly over the horizon and a deep amber-red light basked over the peaceful cemetery as the snow continued to swirl about in the air all around the two detectives. The idea of losing two people that Hank loved so dearly so close to one another finally helped Connor to understand why Hank had been so angry with him before.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Hank. And for not telling you about Lucas."

"It's okay, kid. I get it."

"...I promise you, Hank. If I ever feel as though I'm in danger or need your help, I will ask and let you know what's happening. No more secrets."

Hank reached out his hand and patted Connor's shoulder appreciatively. Having the android as his side was a welcoming presence. Connor remained respectfully quiet and waited for Hank to finish the visit with his departed family.

"Come on, son. Let's go home."

_**...next story...** _

**Fun Fact:** The name 'Lucas' means 'Light'. Since he wore a pure white jacket int he game and is now on his way to redemption in this (non-canon) story I figured it was an appropriate name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name 'Lucas' means 'Light'. Since he wore a pure white jacket int he game and is now on his way to redemption in this (non-canon) story I figured it was a descent name to give him. But seriously, where did Connor get his name?
> 
> *(In)Direct sequel to "New Jericho". Reading that story first helps immensely with understanding the continuity of this one.


	43. Infection

Connor was sitting at the kitchen table with the android exclusive first aid kit wide open next to him, his system indicating his Thirium level had depleted to eighty-four percent as a warning popped up in his visual sensors. The bullet wound he had suffered to his right forearm the afternoon before was still painful, still healing and worryingly enough, still bleeding.

With his gray jacket and tie draped over the back of the chair where he sat and his white shirt sleeve rolled up to his elbow, Connor removed the old bandages from around his right forearm and grimaced at the sight of the still wet Thirium stains that saturated the fabric. The wound continued to bleed despite the wound having been wrapped up and treated over nineteen hours prior. Using a clean towel to cushion his arm atop the kitchen table Connor gently wiped away the leaking Thirium that oozed through the fractures that marred the white plastimetal frame of his exposed forearm, then applied additional astringent over the bleeding wound.

A sharp gasped escaped through Connor's gritted teeth as the sterilizing agent made contact with the exposed Thirium lines through the painfully wide fractures of his forearm. His L.E.D. had been cycling yellow as he tended to his wound, but now it flashed to red as he endured the painful sensation that was searing through his arm.

"I wish you wouldn't perform first aid on yourself in the kitchen, Connor." Hank had heard the gasp of pain as he entered the kitchen and watched Connor trying to push through the pain long enough to clean up his injured arm. "Hurts that bad, huh?"

"Yeah..." Connor admitted as he flexed his affected hand a few times and watched the components inside his arm respond through the fractures that outlined it. A few Thirium lines had been repaired, but others were still leaking. "My self-healing program is having difficulty repairing the entirety of the damage."

Pouring himself a cup of coffee Hank joined Connor at the kitchen table and looked at the blue blood stained limb resting atop the equally stained towel beneath it. The consistent but slow seeping of Thirium through the fractures worried Hank as any bleeding wound; human or android was prone to infection.

Leaning over the table to get a better look at the wound Hank grimaced at the appearance of Connor's arm. "How long has it been like this, kid?"

"Going on two hours, sixteen minutes, forty-four seconds. I must've unknowingly aggravated the injury while I was in rest mode during the night."

Hank took the bloodied towel in his hands and lightly wrapped it around Connor's forearm. As he applied light pressure to the limb the android winced again and his red L.E.D. flashed rapidly in pained response.

"Maybe you should call off sick today. I don't think Fowler would mind since you've already racked up every possible minute of overtime he's offered to you."

"I'll be okay, Hank." Connor promised as he flexed his hand again, additional Thirium seeping into the towel quickly. "Besides, if I go to the precinct I'm sure Joel will be able to find a way to stop the Thirium leak."

"You're sure?"

"Yes." Connor nodded a few times. "I want to go to the precinct."

"Alright," Hank lessened his grip and took the towel from Connor's arm. There was a pale blue smear all around Connor's forearm that stretched down to the center of his palm and up to elbow. "let's get you patched up and we'll head out."

"...Thanks."

* * *

During the drive to the station Connor kept his left hand pressed down over the gauze that Hank had wrapped around his right forearm before leaving the house. As per Connor's instructions Hank wrapped the gauze tighter than what would be considered comfortable for a human as a means of keeping the fractures as stable as possible, and to keep additional pressure on the leaking Thirium lines to try to stem the residual bleeding.

Dark rain clouds were building over the city. A gust of wind brought a bone chilling cold that swirled small rogue snowflakes that had only just begun to fall from the sky above.

"Looks like we're going to be in for a nasty storm tonight." Hank observed as he parked in his usual space at the precinct garage.

"Yes." Connor confirmed with subtle nod of the head. "My scanner confirms Doppler reports of an impending snowfall."

"Snow again? How bad?"

"One to four inches overnight."

"Shit, let's make sure we get out of here by seven. We should be able to get home before the city goes on emergency alert."

"Agreed." Connor reached over himself to push open the car door with his left hand as opposed to his right. Rolling his jacket and shirt sleeve back down to cover the white gauze over his forearm Connor proceeded to follow Hank into the precinct to go about his shift as normally as possible. "I'd like to see Joel, first."

"Good. Saves me from having to drag you up there myself."

"I'm not that stubborn, Hank." Connor muttered defensively as they walked through the front doors together.

"Yeah, you are."

* * *

Connor was sitting at his terminal with his hand absentmindedly rubbing at his forearm as he worked patiently through the numerous case files that needed his attention. Joel, the precinct technician, had provided Connor with a small amount of replacement Thirium that was laced with a type of additive to work his his self-healing program to help stop the leak in his damaged arm, but it wasn't working as efficiently as expected.

Hank noticed that Connor's L.E.D. was cycling yellow rapidly and would occasionally flash to red in perfect rhythm with his pained flinches that he tried and failed to mask.

"How's your arm?"

"Sore." Connor admitted as he dismissed another warning in his visual sensors about his Thirium volume being under ninety percent again.

"How long is it going to take until you're fully healed?"

Connor shook his head a little as he let out an exasperated sigh. "I should've been completely healed by now. I find the lack of progress perplexing."

"Take it easy." Hank urged with empathetic patience from where he sat. "No one's indestructible, and I don't expect anyone to ever just 'walk off' a bullet wound."

"Sorry Hank, I just wish I knew why my self-healing program isn't functioning as it should be."

"Didn't Joel check your systems when you went to see him?"

"He did." Connor confirmed as he forced his L.E.D. to remain yellow in color to keep Hank from worrying too much. "There was no anomaly detected in my systems or programs."

"Then maybe your program is functioning as it should be, but you're just too impatient for your own good." The smarmy detective got up from his desk with his empty coffee mug in his hand. "After all, you're stubborn.

"Perhaps you're right about the impatience, but I am not stubborn."

As Hank wandered into the nearby breakroom to refill his mug Connor shrugged his gray jacket from his shoulders and let it slip down his arms. Rolling up his right sleeve Connor eyed the gauze and saw that a small dot of Thirium was beginning to ooze through the fabric as his arm continued to bleed despite the pressure being applied, and coagulating additive he had ingested into his system.

"We're out of here in an hour, try not to think about it." Hank commented as he returned to his desk, his arrival prompting Connor to roll his sleeve back down quickly. "Once we're home you can zone out on the couch and slip into your sleep mode, or rest mode, whatever you call it, and relax."

Hank walked around Connor's chair and patted his shoulder as a sign of good will, but as soon as his hand made contact with the android's shoulder Hank noted that Connor seemed to be running hotter than normal.

"What the hell?" Hank lifted his hand away from Connor's shoulder as he reclaimed his seat behind his terminal and he put his coffee mug down on the desk. "Are you starting to overheat?"

Not wanting to lie to Hank anymore about his injuries Connor admitted that his core temperature had in fact elevated. "My self- healing program has been running for nearly thirty-three consecutive hours. It is exerting my systems as a result."

"Alright, let's go." Hank downed the coffee he had just refilled and turned off his terminal.

"Go?"

"Yeah, you're sick."

"My temperature has elevated, yes, but it's not to a dangerous or even noteworthy degree. My system hasn't even raised a warning about my increased core temperature."

"Connor, you took a bullet to your arm and were chased down by a cop with a grudge who wanted to kill you and every other android in the city. And all of this happened yesterday afternoon. I think you're entitled to an hour shorter schedule for today."

Reluctant to leave without finishing his work, but wanting to reassure Hank that he wasn't going to try to hide his physical injuries or system glitches from him anymore, Connor agreed to leave for home early. "Okay, Hank. Let's go."

"Really?" Hank looked genuinely shocked as he rose from his chair and waited for Connor to join him. "You're not trying to argue about shift hours or convince me that you'll be just fine if I don't worry?"

"No." Connor picked up his jacket with his left hand and awkwardly slipped his arms back into the sleeves very carefully. "I'd prefer to be home than here at the moment."

"Man, you must be sicker than I thought!" Hank joked as he walked with Connor to the front doors of the precinct.

"...Am not." Connor muttered under his breath as he and Hank stepped out into the swirling cold snow dancing through the spring air. The dark clouds had opened up and began dropping the rain and the snow down in a heavy torrent of total heavy whiteness. Powerful gusts of wind shook the buildings and sent deep chills that cut right through exposed skin like a knife. "Storm's here early."

"Yeah, come on." Hank ushered Connor forward with a hand against the android's too warm shoulder. "It's going to be a slow drive home."

* * *

As the rain and the snow continued to smother the city under an increasingly deep layer of unseasonable whiteness the roads became slick, icy and harder to navigate even at a slow speed. Traffic was also heavily congested as numerous people were attempting to return to their homes, but also had difficulty in safely traversing the streets during the dangerous weather conditions.

Hank patiently waited for traffic to resume moving and looked over at Connor who was seemingly asleep in the seat next to him. Connor's eyes were closed, his L.E.D. cycling yellow, and his arms were crossed over his chest as if he were cold. Checking the heat inside the car Hank couldn't understand how Connor could be feeling cold when the strong heater was working at full blast.

"You gonna' make it?" Hank asked and watched as Connor's brown irises slowly returned.

Connor nodded as he turned to gaze toward Hank. "...We've been here for almost sixteen minutes."

"One more block, then we're home."

The L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashed to red and held the color for a few seconds before cycling back to yellow.

"You're sure nothing else is wrong with your systems?" As Hank reached the back of his hand out to press against Connor's forehead the android shook his head slightly.

"...I just received a warning about my core temperature rising."

"You feel pretty hot." Hank retracted his hand and turned off the heat in the car.

"No, Hank... You'll get cold."

"I can survive a little chill for one block. How high is your temperature?"

Connor ran a self-diagnostic and noted his current core temperature. "One-hundred and two, point four degrees Fahrenheit."

"That's pretty high, at least for a human. When does your temperature become critical?"

"...One-hundred and four degrees."

"You know, there are times when I really hate how human you can be."

"...Sorry Hank."

"Don't worry about it, it's not your fault."

Connor looked down at his right arm again and rolled up the sleeves of his jacket and his shirt to examine the white gauze wrapped around the damaged limb. The small spot of blue had spread considerably and was beginning to stain the white sleeve of his shirt as a result.

Hank noticed the blue blood from the corner of his eye and swore. "Shit, I thought Joel would've been able to fix you right up."

"It'll be fine." Connor visibly winced in pain, his L.E.D. flashed red and then back to yellow, as he rolled the sleeves back down over his arm. "I just need time."

* * *

It took another twenty minutes for Hank to drive the car the final block back to the house, and almost lost control of the car as he parked in the slick drive beside the house. Careful of his footing Hank opened his car door and waited for Connor to slowly do the same. Connor managed to walk around the front of the car and stand beside the backdoor next to Hank, but soon his L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red again, and the android dismissed numerous warnings about his rising core temperature.

"Hank... I don't feel... right."

A knot suddenly formed in Hank's gut at the sound of pleading in Connor's voice. It was like a frightened child who didn't understand what was happening in the world around him.

"Hang on." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and pulled the android inside the house behind him. The heat radiating from Connor's body was alarmingly high, almost like the detective was walking next to a furnace. Fighting to keep upright as he stepped on the linoleum floor of the kitchen that was instantly slippery from the snow and ice under his shoes, he shut the door and guided Connor over to the kitchen table. "Wait right here, I'll be back in a minute.

Connor leaned heavily against the top of the kitchen table as Sumo wandered out of the livingroom and sat beside the android to greet his returned master.

Hank walked into the hallway and pulled open the closet door to retrieve a dozen candles and a large flashlight. Keeping the flashlight in his hand Hank set about placing and lighting the candles throughout the house along the tables, bookshelves and cabinets.

"I get the feel we're going to lose power." Hank stated as he finished lighting the candles and set the last one down in the livingroom on the coffee table.

A distinct 'thud' from the kitchen followed by Sumo whimpering made Hank rush back into the adjacent room to see what had happened. Looking around it didn't take long for Hank to track down the source of the noise, and to the android laying on his left side in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"Connor!" Kneeling down on the ground Hank put his hand on Connor's arm and gently rolled him from his side and onto his back while Sumo curiously circled around the two detectives on the floor. Connor's L.E.D. was pulsing red slowly and his eyes were partially opened as Hank pressed his hand down against Connor's forehead again. "Shit... I'm going to call Joel, see if he can give me any information on what the hell's going on with you."

"...Hank?"

"I'm right here, son." Hank fumbled to pull his phone out of his pocket as he kept one hand against Connor's forehead. The line picked up after two rings and Hank spoke quickly to the answering technician. "Joel, it's Hank. Connor's arm was still bleeding all afternoon and evening, and now his core temperature is getting dangerously high." There was a pause before Hank spoke again. "Yeah, he collapsed but he's still conscious."

Connor wanted to cybernetically tap into the phone to listen to the conversation from both sides but his system was too compromised from his self-healing program to properly initiate the function.

"You're sure? Okay, I'll call you in an hour." Hank ended the call and pocketed his phone. "Come on, Connor. Get up."

Leaning entirely on his left arm Connor pushed himself upward from the floor while Hank placed his hand against Connor's back to help him. Without a word Hank pulled on the collar of Connor's gray jacket to pull the garment from the android's shoulders and off his arms. As soon as the right sleeve tugged on Connor's arm the android gasped in pain.

"Sorry about that, but you need to get cooled down as soon as possible."

"It's okay... I know you're trying to help."

Grabbing onto Connor's left arm Hank pulled the overheating detective up to his feet and guided him toward the couch in the livingroom.

"Lay down, I'll get your arm cleaned up again."

As soon as Connor was laying flat on his back on the couch Hank walked back down the hallway into the bathroom to retrieve a cold, wet washcloth as well as a few clean towels. It wasn't the first time Hank had to give the android emergency first aid, but it didn't make the experience any easier to deal with.

Connor looked about the livingroom in a slight daze, his eyes coming to rest on Sumo's face watching him from the end of the couch. The large dog had his chin planted down against the armrest near Connor's legs and showed no sign of moving anytime soon.

"...Good boy." Connor whispered as he looked at his right arm and sighed somberly. There was a large blue stain of Thirium in the fabric of his right sleeve that was blossoming larger right before his eyes. A warning flashed in visual sensors indicating that his Thirium volume had depleted to seventy-five percent. "H-Hank..."

"Right here." Hank replied calmly as he stepped around the side of the couch and placed the cold washcloth over Connor's forehead and held his own palm down against it for a few seconds. "What's going on?"

"...My Thirium level is... low." Connor held out his bleeding arm and Hank immediately wrapped the limb in a clean, white towel. "It hurts."

"What the hell is wrong with your arm? I've never seen you bleed like this before."

"...Self-diagnostic didn't find any malfunctions." Connor stated as Hank took hold of Connor's other Hand and pressed it against the towel to add more pressure. "But my self-healing program can't seem to repair the damaged lines or mend the fractured frame."

Hank ventured back into the kitchen to pick up the android first aid kit that was left on the table and brought it back into the livingroom with him. Sitting on the edge of the coffee table the concerned detective took hold of Connor's right arm in his hand and unwrapped the towel.

"Did you damage an artery? Or... whatever the hell android's have instead of major blood vessels."

Connor shook his head 'no'. "The rotary Thireal line is higher up on my arm, the bullet didn't damage it."

"I don't like this." Hank admitted as he pulled his phone back out his pocket and pressed re-dial. "I'm going to get a hold of Joel again."

"...It hasn't been an hour."

"Too bad. I'm not going to wait until you get worse before- Yeah, Joel... The bleeding is pretty bad, how do I stop- Yeah, hold on."

Hank held his phone out to take a quick live recording of the bleeding and sent it to Joel to review. Turning Connor's arm over to record every source of the bleeding Hank could feel Connor trying to pull his pained limb back, but resisted the urge and endured the pain fairly well. Ending the recording Hank put the phone back to his ear.

"Did that give you any help?" Hank listened for a few minutes before wrapped the towel back around Connor's arm and rested the limb over Connor's chest. The detective began searching through the first aid kit at his side as Joel instructed him on what to do, and more importantly, what NOT to do! "This orange colored stuff is what I need, right? Yeah, it says, uh, 'liquid artificial incrass- incrassation compound'? And I just pour it over his arm or-" Another pause as he listened to instructions. "Oh, half goes on his arm and other half goes in his mouth. Great..."

Connor looked over at Hank as a faint grin appeared on his face.

"Okay, then what I do to keep him from overheating? No, that I think I can manage that. I'll call you if-"

The wind suddenly picked up and as it blew over the house in a quaking gale the power to the house failed. As did all of the cell towers in the area.

"Well, then." Hank put his now useless phone back into his coat pocket. "I guess I'll have to call back after the storm passes."

Connor sighed a little as he watched Hank open the transparent plastic bottle containing the orange liquid. "...Did Joel say anything about the Thirium?"

"Yeah, he said to wait until the bleeding begins to slow then ingest your usual weekly replenishment over the next couple of hours." Hank took Connor's arm in his hand and let the blue stained towel drop to the floor between the couch and the coffee table. "Now, please don't scream when I start to pour this over your arm. I don't want to hurt you."

"...I don't know how it'll feel, but I won't-"

Hank poured the orange liquid over Connor's arm and had to tighten his grip around Connor's wrist as the android had a strongly negative reaction and tried to pull his arm back.

"Sorry, sorry!" Hank apologized as he gingerly turned Connor's arm to ensure the compound drenched every fracture and exposed Thirium line in Connor's forearm. The orange liquid managed to wash away the blue as the two colors mixed into a sickly dark tea shade on the towel below. "Hey Connor, what the hell is 'incrassation', anyway?"

Connor panted quickly before he caught his breath and answered through gritted teeth and pushed through the pain. "I-It's the chemical equ-equivalent to human blood clotting. It's a f-form of artificially induced coagulation."

"Oh, well whatever it is, we're done with this crap for now." Hank set aside the bottle for the moment and proceeded to wrap fresh gauze around Connor's arm. The white bandages were instantly stained in pale blue and vivid orange as Hank carefully bandaged to damaged limb, all the while trying to keep Connor as alert as possible. "How're you holding up? What's your temperature?"

Connor closed his eyes for a moment as his L.E.D. cycled yellow then back to red. "One-hundred three, point one."

"I'll get another cold towel for you in a moment. Do you know why your arm kept bleeding? Joel suspects some kind of software malfunction that's keeping your program from repairing the lines because it doesn't know to temporarily stop the flow of Thirium."

"I..." Connor opened his eyes and sighed tiredly. "...I can't confirm or deny his theory. I feel very tired."

"Hey, hey! Stay awake, just a little while longer." Hank pleaded as he finished wrapping up Connor's arm and gently placed the limb down on the couch next to the android's body. "I'm going to try to keep you cool, just stay awake for me."

"I'll... I'll try to keep conscious."

"Good, that's all I ask." Hank patted Connor's shoulder once before he stood up to disappear back down the hallway to the bathroom. "Keep awake for a few more minutes."

Connor kept his eyes open as instructed and dismissed the numerous system warnings that were constantly appearing in his visual sensors. Staring at the odd shadows being cast along the walls courtesy of the dancing candle flames that surrounded the room Connor felt suddenly uneasy, as if the shadows were somehow encroaching over him in an ominous manner.

The shadows climbed up the walls and darkened as they took the shape of misshapen humanoid figures and monstrous entities. As the android stared at the shadows he felt his heart rate beginning to climb and his breaths deepened considerably.

"H-Hank?" Connor called out as a loud instinctive cry for help. "Hank!"

A gentle cold pressure to his arm made Connor turn his head, his brown eyes locking onto Hank's face as the detective wrapped a cool, damp towel around Connor's freshly bandaged arm.

"Hank?!"

Hank's hand pressed against the already warmed washcloth against Connor's forehead. "You're really starting to burn up. Try to keep calm."

"I... Th-The shadows-"

"Yeah, pretty sure a high temperature is going to cause delirium in androids just like it will with humans."

"D-Delirium?"

"Nothing's wrong with the shadows, they just look strange because you're running hot."

"...Nothing's wrong." Connor repeated weakly as Hank replaced the warm washcloth over his forehead with another cold one.

"Go into rest mode. Joel said it'd help kickstart your healing program and give that orange crap enough time to work."

Eager to try to get the odd sensation of the shadows somehow being a threat from his mind Connor closed his eyes and forced his systems to enter a much needed rest mode and promptly fell asleep on the couch with Hank and Sumo watching over him. His L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow as his physical distress lessened once asleep.

The rainy snowstorm outside shook the house and caused numerous tree branches to freeze and snap away. Dozens of powerlines were torn down by the damaged trees, as well as the heavy ice that sheathed around the cables and the harsh gusts of wind that bombarded the entire city. The entire block was bathed in darkness as the storm tore through the neighborhood relentlessly.

Hank watched as Connor's L.E.D. cycled yellow for almost an hour before it suddenly flashed red and Connor's eyes began to twitch. "...D-Don't... Amanda..."

"Fuck..." Checking the compress Hank made sure Connor's core temperature didn't rise any higher. "Don't start losing it on me, kid."

"...Please... I just..."

"Connor?" Hank put his hand down on Connor's shoulder and shook him once. "Wake up for me."

Though the response was delayed Connor's eyes opened and he looked up with glassy brown irises at Hank still sitting beside him.

"Thirium." Hank simply stated as he presented a bottle of the blue blood for the android to take.

"...When did...?" Connor trailed off before he could finish his question.

"You've been asleep for almost two hours." Opening the lid from the bottle Hank put his hand under Connor's shoulder and helped the android to sit up on the couch. "I was hoping your temperature would drop a little while you slept but it looks like you still need a boost from the Thirium before you'll really start to recover."

Connor's body was trembling from weakness as he struggled to support his entire upper body on his left arm. If Hank hadn't already been supporting his shoulder Connor would've fallen backward in a daze.

"...Hank. I'm... too hot."

"I know, we're going to get your cooled off as soon as possible."

Hank tipped the bottle up to Connor's lips and waited for the android to respond. Slowly Connor began to drink the dark blue Thirium, but stopped at the halfway point as he suddenly felt too weak to finish.

"It's okay," Hank helped guide Connor back down against the couch. "you'll finish it off later."

Connor looked down at his arm and flexed his hand a little. Letting out a pained gasp of surprise Connor felt Hank's hand press down against his chest to hold him as still as possible. The effort of moving his fingers had caused a searing pain to burn through his arm as a result of the simple motion.

"Don't move!" Hank urged as he pressed his other hand lightly down on the towel wrapped around Connor's arm. It was warm and it had dried out from prolonged exposure to Connor's overheating body. "I'll take care of it, just go back to sleep for now."

Connor didn't even have to manually activate rest mode the second time. His system automatically triggered the mode in response to his elevated core temperature and the strain being put on his systems as his healing program struggled to repair his damaged arm effectively.

"Connor?" Hank was a little worried about how quickly the android fell back asleep. Moving his hand from Connor's arm to the center of his chest Hank could feel Connor's heart beating a little faster than normal, but it wasn't a dangerous rate. "Please just stay like that; quiet and alive."

Hank repeatedly replaced the towel around Connor's arm as he kept the washcloth over his head cool. Every so often Connor would twitch in his sleep causing either the towel or the washcloth to slip away from the designated places, but Hank was quick to replace them.

The android frequently muttered nonsense as his high temperature caused a chronic delirium and flashes of haunting images from his past. Occasionally the muttering would transition from fear and into ramblings about New Jericho, or even Lucas. The strangest reaction to the fever was when Connor would hum or sing a few verses from various songs he had heard, but it didn't bother Hank too much as long as Connor remained calm.

As the storm mercifully began to weaken in the early morning hours Connor's L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow, and his core temperature finally began to drop. No longer in danger of overheating Connor's self-healing program was able to function without causing any unnecessary strain to the rest of his systems. The massive damage to arm was finally beginning to heal and the bleeding stopped at last.

Cool pressure against Connor's forehead caused the android to open his eyes and look up at Hank who had placed another fresh washcloth down gently.

"...Hank?"

"'Bout time you woke up." He pointed to Connor's arm that was no longer covered by the towel, only clean bandages. "You stopped bleeding a few hours ago, and it looks like your artificial skin is trying to cover up your arm again. I think it's safe to say you're in the clear."

Connor tentatively flexed his hand and immediately relaxed as the motion didn't result in horrific pain to the rest of his arm. "Yes. I've finally begin to heal."

"Finish this." Hank handed the remaining Thirium to Connor, who took it with his left hand. "Obviously we're not going anywhere today, which is good, since we have today off anyway."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow as he received an update on the storm. "Power won't be restored to the area for another four hours." Sitting upright his L.E.D. cycled into blue and Connor ingested the remaining Thirium. "What do humans do when they're unable to leave their homes and are without power?"

"Panic." Hank quipped dryly as he stood up from the table and stretched his sore back a little. "But in my case I think I'll get some sleep."

"What should I do?"

Checking on Connor's fever by reaching his hand down over the back of the couch Hank was relieved to know he was running much cooler than he had been, and was no longer in danger. " You need to keep healing." Hank ordered out as he walked down the hallway into his bedroom. "Or let Sumo out. But don't lose him in the storm."

Connor placed the empty bottle down on the table and patted his leg to call Sumo over to him. Putting his hand down on the dog's head Connor rubbed the massive St. Bernard's ears affectionately with his right hand and enjoyed being able to use the limb once more.

"I think you're too big to get lost."

_**...next story...** _


	44. Migraine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Bananaise_San

Following Hank into the house after an exhausting day at the precinct Connor found himself somewhat distracted by a perpetual dull ache in his head that his self-diagnostic program couldn't properly identify. As the day went on the ache became steadily more intense and his visual sensors became suddenly sensitive to bright lights. It seemed even certain sounds would cause the android to experience bouts of unexplainable pain throughout the day. The worst part was when it felt like his gyroscope was malfunctioning and causing him an intense, unexplainable nausea.

"I need a shower." Hank announced as he shrugged off his coat and hung it by the front door and kicked off his shoes. "I smell like the interrogation room. Let Sumo out for me, okay?"

"...Okay."

Connor almost tripped over Hank's shoes as he passed through the door but caught his balance without any problem. Sumo of course ran up to Connor wanting his ears pet and Connor obliged for a few minutes before opening the door to let the dog outside for a few minutes. Sitting down on the couch Connor ran another self-diagnostic in an attempt to finally identify why he was experiencing such odd reactions to his overall senses, and get some answers.

Closing his eyes Connor felt a modicum of relief as the light was shut out for a moment, but he soon heard every sound in the house as if each little noise had its own unique volume enhanced to an obnoxiously high level. The sound of the shower running in the bathroom, the sound of cars passing by the street, even the patter of Sumo's nails on the front walk seemed to be resonating at an impossibly high decibel to the android. The most distracting sound came in the form of his own Thirium pump, his heart, pounding in his chest.

Stranger still, Connor was suddenly aware of every scent in the air; the fresh spring rain, Sumo's thick fur, and even the smell of the precinct had indeed clung to his clothing just as Hank had stated earlier. And now the odor was making Connor feel nauseous again. Even the touch of the fabric against his body was somehow uncomfortable to the android's artificial skin.

The self-diagnostic finally ended and highlighted an unusual error in Connor's software regarding his Thirium pressure. A minor glitch had caused an unnecessary spike in the amount of Thirium volume that was usually reserved for when he needed to run analysis samples. Without the analysis program functioning the collected Thirium had nowhere else to go, and just started to collect in his intracranial processor causing a tremendous pressure to build.

Shrugging off his jacket Connor tossed it to the back of the couch and leaned forward, resting his face into the palms of his hands and his elbows against his knees. Connor let out a deep, breathy sigh of frustration as he tried to understand what was happening to him. Time seemed to slow down and race by at the same time as Connor endured the relentless pain mounting in his head. It wasn't until a cold wet nose pressed against his hands did Connor bother to sit upright, only to flinch in pain and put his hand against the side of his head.

"Connor?" Hank had finished his shower and let Sumo back inside, but somehow Connor never noticed. "You okay?"

The android didn't answer despite hearing the question. He wasn't sure how to answer. He was in pain, but he didn't know what was causing it.

"Hey, Connor?" Hank put his hand on Connor's arm and flinched when Connor suddenly jerked away. "Something wrong?"

"...M-My head." Connor whispered as he refused to open his eyes. "It... It hurts. Too much pressure."

"I thought something was bothering you all day. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I don't know what to say... I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Headache?"

"I don't know... I've never had a... headache before."

"Describe what's happening to you."

"I..." Connor tried to open his eyes but immediately shut them again as the light was proving too painful for him to withstand. "There's a strong pain in my skull, and everything seems to hurt my eyes and my ears, my stomach... even my jacket felt abrasive to the touch."

Hank got a somewhat amused look on his face. "Good thing I know you, otherwise I'd say you're suffering from a _hangover_."

"Hank..." The android was losing patience and was beginning to breathe rapidly. "do you know what's wrong with me?"

"I think you, my android friend, are suffering from what we humans call a _migraine_."

"Migraine?

"Never had one myself, but, I've seen plenty of other officers get taken down by them in the past."

"What do I-" Connor paused and took in a deep breath again to quell the nausea in the pit of his stomach. "How do I make it stop?"

"From what I've seen the only thing you can do is wait it out, and try to sleep." Hank resisted putting his hand on Connor's shoulder in case his touch caused him to react painfully again. "Why don't you go lay down in my bedroom? It's darker in there than it is out here, and you can close the door to keep Sumo from bothering you."

Connor tried to open his eyes again but it was still too painful.

"Come with me." Hank slowly put his hand on Connor's arm to urge him to stand up without causing any physical distress. "Try to sleep for just a few hours."

Resisting the urge to pull away from Hank's hand Connor allowed the detective to guide him away from the couch and down the hallway to the bedroom at the end of the corridor. Connor kept his eyes closed and trusted Hank to guide him to where he needed to go.

"...Will this work?"

"Only one way to find out." Hank replied curtly as he all but pushed Connor into the bedroom and toward the bed. "Tell me when you wake up in a few hours."

"How-" Connor stumbled a little bit as he found his way to the bed and laid down on his side. It was the first time Connor had a bed to lay down in since he was assigned the small private quarters at the top floor of CyberLife Tower. "How long is a few hours?"

"Try to aim for six. Let me know how you feel." Lightly Hank pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck and was relieved to know he wasn't overheating again. Grabbing onto the knot of Connor's tie he loosened the garment and took it away from his neck. "I'll get you a cold washcloth. That usually helps with headaches, so maybe it'll help your migraine."

"I'll try anything..."

"Man, you must feel like shit." Chuckling a little Hank went into the neighboring bathroom, placed a washcloth under the tap and wrung it out before he carried it into the bedroom and smoothed it out over Connor's forehead and his eyes carefully. "Leave it there, it'll help block out more light."

"...Okay."

"Take it easy and don't move around too much. You should feel a lot better once your headache lets up."

"I will attempt to do so."

"Good. I'll be out in the livingroom if you need anything."

"...Hey, Hank?"

"Yeah?" The detective stopped just outside the bedroom door before he closed it.

"...Thank you."

"Sure, no problem. Sleep."

Hank quietly shut the door behind him as he took a few steps back down the hallway to get to the livingroom. Passing by Cole's old bedroom door Hank stopped and stared it for a moment as a strange idea popped into head, and a faint grin appeared on his face as he continued walking into the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch Hank called over Sumo and was met with the massive dog pressing his chin down on top of his knee.

"Hey Sumo," rubbing the dog's ears Hank smirked to himself. "want your spot on the couch back?"

_**...next story...** _


	45. Hold Your Breath

After following a much needed lead the Detroit Police Department had managed to locate one of the many members of the current underground 'red ice' ring that had been flooding the city with numerous, illegal and dangerous drugs. The suspect was an older man with a long, sordid history of violence and dozens of drug convictions. The suspect himself was also someone that Hank had arrested back when he brought down a massive 'red ice' ring almost fifteen years prior. The very bust that led to Hank's impressive promotion.

"Hey, Lieutenant!" Gavin shouted as he and Chris escorted the suspect into the station for questioning. The man's hands were cuffed behind his back and he sneered with a venomous hatred in his eyes as he was dragged into the interrogation room. "Found an old friend of yours lurking down at the docks!"

Hank looked up from his terminal and immediately recognized the suspect, and his blood began to boil at the sight of the man's prematurely aged and scarred face. Even after all the years that had passed Hank had never forgotten the cold, heartless stare in that sadistic dug dealer's eyes.

From his own terminal Connor looked at the suspect as well, and ran a facial scan to quickly upload all of the data recorded in the police record file on the man in question. The suspect's name was Jack Pillar. He had been arrested for drug possession and assault, but the judge who prosecuted him had been corrupt and dismissed the charges allowing him to go free and disappear two weeks before Hank brought down the 'red ice' ring.

Keeping his back to the suspect Connor lowered his voice and addressed his partner calmly. "Hank? Are you okay?"

"No." Hank replied sternly as he watched Gavin and Chris lead Pillar away into an interrogation room. "That bastard should be rotting in Hell as we speak."

"Do you want to observe the interrogation?"

"Fuck no!" Hank turned to look at Connor as the door to the interrogation room closed behind the two officers and Pillar. "If I get him in my line of sight I'm going to pull a trigger and put a bullet between his eyes myself. And I don't need any additions to my disciplinary file..."

"Well," in an attempt to lighten the mood Connor made a rather dark joke compared to usually lighter, or flat-out lame ones. "you would save the taxpayers an expense if you did kill him."

Hank didn't react to the joke, he didn't even seem to hear Connor even though he was sitting right across from him.

Deciding it'd be best to keep quiet for a while Connor resumed reviewing the case files on his terminal, while simultaneously looking into Pillar's criminal history.

* * *

Inside the interrogation room Gavin had set about questioning the suspect while Chris sat in the adjacent observation room recording the interview, and writing down points of interest meticulously. This time Pillar wasn't going to get away with his crimes, this time the charges would stick.

As per usual Gavin began to lose his cool as he drilled the suspect for answers, but received none in return. Refusing to give up so easily Gavin continued with the intense interrogation, his face slowly turning red from his building stress as he spat question after question toward the suspect.

Pillar himself just glared at Gavin as he discreetly fussed with the cuffs that he restrained his arms behind his back. Slipping his wrists slowly out of the metal restraints Pillar just waited patiently for Gavin to make one little mistake.

That's all it ever took, one simple mistake...

* * *

Connor's L.E.D. blinked from the blue to yellow and then back to blue as he finished researching Pillar's criminal history. The loyal android felt a sickening knot form in his artificial stomach as he finished his search and now had a faint understanding of Hank's anger. There was a damn good reason for Hank to want to kill Pillar, and it was a death that no one with a heart would ever be able to hold Hank truly accountable for.

With his arms crossed tightly over his chest Hank had been staring blankly at his terminal screen ever since the door to the interrogation room had shut. The detective's mind was evidently too preoccupied with his past encounters with Pillar to concentrate on his work in the present.

Turning off his own terminal Connor rose from his seat and stood beside Hank's desk. "Hank, may I speak with you for just a moment, please?"

With the same blank stare in his eyes Hank slowly looked up from his screen and at the android who was watching him with sincere concern visible in his soulful brown irises.

"In private?" Connor tagged on pleadingly as he waited for Hank to respond. "Just for a minute."

"If you have something to say to me Connor, then say it."

Connor was determined to get Hank away from his desk even if it was just for a few seconds. "Please?"

Sighing with an annoyed huff Hank abruptly rose from his chair and motioned with his arm for Connor to accompany him to an unoccupied interview room in the opposite direction of the interrogation rooms.

"Alright, Connor." Hank shut the door as soon as he and Connor were inside the room. "What's so damn important?"

"I know why you want to kill Pillar. I understand your hatred and your desire for revenge is justifiable. And I just wanted to tell you that if you in fact felt it necessary to-"

"NO. Stop right there!" Hank held up a hand as if to physically silence the android. "You can't condone revenge Connor! Under ANY circumstances! Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand, but Hank-"

"No." Hank turned his back to the android and pulled the door open with a fast jerk. "I don't want to hear it, and as far as anyone is concerned we never had this illegal, albeit brief, conversation. Got it?"

"...Got it."

Connor followed Hank outside of the room and walked a few steps beside the detective in an attempt to continue to speak, but the sound of sudden gunfire and shouting voices drew their attention to other matters at hand.

Hank's eyes went wide and his hand hovered over the gun holstered on his right hip. "What the hell?"

Pillar stormed through the door of the interrogation room with one arm wrapped around Gavin's throat, his other hand pressing the barrel of a gun against Gavin's temple.

"Shit..." Gavin swore as he pulled at Pillar's choking arm vainly. "Fucker hid a gun on us! Don't know where-"

Pillar tightened his arm around Gavin's throat to shut him up.

"DROP IT." Chris demanded as he bolted from the observation room and drew his own gun on the dangerous criminal. "Drop it now."

Pillar responded to the command by shooting Chris's right shoulder causing the officer to drop his gun and sink to the floor in pain. As if to emphasize his violent intent Pillar shot three more times into the open space of the main floor. Two of the bullets lodging into the walls around Hank, but the third was aimed directly at Hank's chest.

Before the detective had time to process the sudden outburst of chaos in the precinct a flash of blue blood filled his vision as it splashed over his shirt. Instinct pulled Hank down to the floor as a means of self-preservation as Connor suddenly collapsed in a heap in front of him.

"Shit! Connor!" Hank laid down on the ground on his stomach and stared at his injured partner laying a few feet away. The blue blood Hank had briefly seen now soaking through the fabric of Connor's white shirt profusely. "Ah, fuck... "The android was injured only because Connor put himself between Hank and Pillar, taking the bullet himself, as a means of protecting Hank from harm. "Connor!?"

Without any hesitation Hank pushed himself up from the ground and rushed over to where Connor had fallen. He knelt beside the android's head, keeping his own head low as gunfire continued to tear through the precinct. Slipping his hands under Connor's arms and around his bloodied chest Hank dragged his downed partner backward into the opened door of the interview room and shut the door as soon as they were inside the room out of Pillar's sight.

Laying Connor down flat on his back on the floor beside the table in the center of the room Hank's mind immediately went on the defensive. Drawing his gun from the holster the courageous detective knelt beside the window of the interview room and instantly fell into an instinctive command position.

"Stay down!" Hank commanded to his wounded colleague. Using his fingers Hank pulled back the already drawn blinds just enough to peer out through the window without being seen himself. "Pillar has Gavin as a hostage. Looks like Chris has been shot. Damn it..."

Shifting his gaze away from the gunman over to Captain Fowler's office across the bullpen Hank watched as Fowler himself ducked behind his desk out of sight with his own gun drawn in one hand, and the phone from his desk in the other, has he ordered the entire building on lockdown.

"Jeffrey's on it..." Hank continued to observe through the window and was ready to raise his gun to aim at Pillar when two more armed men suddenly entered the building with their own guns drawn. Another barrage of bullet screamed through the precinct Hank ducked down again and turned his head away from the glass of the window. "Three men, all armed. I got a clean shot at Pillar... But if I take him down H.R. is going to have a field day with me."

Failing to receive a response from Connor, who would've surely been observing the chaos taking place outside the room, Hank turned to his attention to the android and felt his heart sink. Connor wasn't moving save for his chest heaving up and down slowly as he tried to take a full breath. A massive puddle of Thirium was forming beneath the android's back from where he was laying, and only continued to grow.

Connor was beginning to bleed out.

"Connor?!" Hank's face paled as he watched his partner already fighting for breath on the floor. Keeping his head down Hank made his way over to his injured friend to check the severity of Connor's condition. Pulling open Connor's jacket and shirt, pulling the tie away from around Connor's neck in the process, Hank stared at the bleeding bullet hole near the right central area of Connor's upper chest. "Connor? Can you hear me?"

"...Hank." Connor wheezed as his eyes glazed over and his L.E.D. cycled red slowly. "I... can't..."

"You'll be okay, son." Hank put his hand down over the bleeding wound and steadily applied pressure to try to stem the already massive Thirium loss. "I'll get you to a technician, but you need to hang on for me, alright?"

Connor let out a weak breath and nodded once. "...Al-Alright..."

"Run a self-diagnostic! How bad is it?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow briefly before returning to red. "...M-My right ventilation b-biocomponent... Damaged." He swallowed once as blue blood began to collect in the back of his throat. His words were beginning to carry a reverberating electronic echo as the damage to his ventilation biocomponent begun to effect his voice modulator. "Th-Thirium pump... compromised. Thirium loss s-substantial; volume down t-to seventy-two perfect. Imminent sh-shutdown in twenty-nine minutes, forty-two seconds."

"Oh shit..." Hank applied more pressure to the wound as if he could somehow keep Connor from slipping into shutdown if he just held on tight enough. If his Thirium pump; his heart, failed then Connor would die within seconds. "Hang on son, I'll get you out of here. I promise."

Coughing up Thirium in a violent gasp Hank rolled Connor slightly onto his left side to let the blood pool out of his mouth and onto the floor. The coughing fit passed, but not before leaving a second sapphire puddle on the floor in its wake. Rolling the android onto his back again Hank swore he could feel Connor's heart thundering in his blood soaked chest like a freight train under his palm.

Several stray bullets broke through the glass of the window causing shards to rain down into the room. Hank threw himself over Connor to protect the already injured android from the falling glass, and put his own hand over the back of his own hand to keep the shards from cutting him as well.

"Fuck!" Hank swore as the bullets finally stopped flying. Rocking back on his knees Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand and placed it over the wound as he gave Connor a reassuring nod before he crept back over to the window to see what was happening. "Shit! They're trying to use Gavin as a hostage. I hate the prick but we can't just let him get killed."

Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank dialed Fowler's office to connect with his Captain just across the large floor.

"Jeffrey, what the fuck's happening out there? Connor's been shot! He needs a technician in less than twenty minutes or he'll shutdown!"

Connor coughed a little as he pathetically spoke up. "...Twenty-five minutes, and-"

"Shut up, Connor, I'm trying to save you!" Hank swore as he turned to look at the android then returned his gaze to the window so he could make eye contact with his Captain. "He's lost a lot of blood already, we can't afford to wait."

Impatiently Hank listened to his Captain while also keeping his eye on the hostage situation outside. Chris had managed to get away from three gunmen to the relative safety behind a desk with his hand clamped over his bleeding shoulder, and Tina was watching his back as she kept her own gun trained on the three gunmen.

"Fine! Just find a way..." Hank ended the call and scrolled through his contacts to connect with Joel as he knelt beside Connor again. The call was answered almost immediately "Joel! Yeah, it's- Listen, Connor's been shot; bullet penetrated the upper right center of his chest. He's going to shutdown, what do I have to do to save him?"

Connor's eyes began to close as he let out a gasping breath and began to choke on the blood in his throat once more.

Hank quickly rolled Connor onto his side for a few seconds until the choking fit passed then rolled him onto his back again. Pressing his hand down on Connor's chest over his heart, precariously close to the still bleeding wound, Hank counted Connor's pulse as Joel requested.

"He's at one hundred-thirty." Hank's hand moved over to the upper right side of Connor's chest and pressed down, then he did the same for the left. "It doesn't feel like he can breathe very well. Right side seems worse than the left."

Connor weakly updated Hank on his condition. "...Th-Thirum levels down to sixty-six percent."

"And he's still losing a lot of blood." Listening to Joel for a few more seconds Hank's brow suddenly furrowed with a mixture of confusion and surprise. "Wait, you can do that? Okay, yeah, give me a second." Placing his phone against Connor's red L.E.D. Hank issued instructions to his downed partner. "Connor, access your self-diagnostic program and sync it up with my phone."

Connor's eyes blinked slowly, but his L.E.D. managed to shift from red to yellow for only a few seconds before returning to red. In that time a display appeared on Hank's phone showing four key aspects to Connor's vital signs: Thirium pump activity/heart rate, Thirium volume percentage, current ventilation rate and core temperature.

"Shit, it worked!" Hank shouted as he put the phone back to his ear. "I can- Yeah, that's what it says on my screen, too."

' _Where are you exactly_?' Joel asked while keeping his cool over the line.

"We're in the second interview room, right in the middle of all this bullshit."

' _Alright, sit tight. I'll see what I can do_.'

"Yeah, monitor his condition from your end and I'll keep-"

Another shot filled the air as another bullet embedded itself in the concrete of the wall below the broken window. Voices were calling out commands and shouting resonated loudly as the officers standing off with the three gunmen proceeded to open fire and try to take down the trio of criminals without losing Gavin, or anyone else, in the process.

Dropping his phone next to Connor's shoulder Hank took his position by the window and peered through the fractured glass at the carnage taking place outside. "Damn it..." Hank slunk down against the wall and as he looked back over to Connor. "The fuckers aren't going to go down easily."

Suddenly Connor took in a sucking gasp for air and his eyes went wide with panic as his back arched in distress. Wheezing in shallow breaths blue blood began to ooze from the corners of Connor's mouth and trail out of his nose in a sickly pale blue foam.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Hank scrambled back to Connor and put his hand down over Connor's chest to try to hold him down on the floor without hurting him. Looking down at the screen of his phone Hank watched as Connor's heart rate began to spike and his Thirium volume dropped down to sixty-two percent. The Thirium bled from Connor's chest, mouth and nose; blue tinted foam was collecting in the back of Connor's mouth and throat from his choked off breaths. "Hold on, son, I got you!"

Hank pressed his ear down against Connor's chest and listened to the sound of his ventilation biocomponents attempting to draw in full breaths, but a whistling sound identified a failure in Connor's internal air intake line, and an accompanying sickening sloshing noise indicated a significant amount of blood had collected in Connor's ventilation system.

Connor was now drowning in his own blood.

"Stay calm..." Lifting his head up from Connor's chest Hank slipped his hand under Connor's neck as his tilted Connor's head back. Opening the android's mouth as wide as possible Hank shook his head somberly. "Sorry about this." Placing his two forefingers down inside Connor's mouth Hank scooped out the collecting foam from Connor's throat before rolling Connor onto his left side and delivering a firm but painless blow to the center of Connor's back between his shoulders to help clear out his airway. "Breathe!"

Connor coughed loudly as his ventilation biocomponent was cleared of the choking mass. As he took in a deep breath more Thirium leaked from the bullet wound in his chest, while speckles of blue blood dotted his already blue stained lips. The failure in the air intake line was still disturbingly audible even without Hank having to press his ear against Connor's chest.

"You're okay..." Hank soothed confidently as he rolled Connor onto his back again. While keeping one hand under Connor's head as he wiped the blue Thirium stain on his fingertips off against his dark coat. "I'll get you out of here."

Connor swallowed once and nodded. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable as Connor tried to focus his healing program on the damage to his biocomponents while remaining as calm as possible. His shutdown clock had dropped down to eight minutes as he continued to lose Thirium and struggled to breathe well enough to prevent his core temperature from rising.

A call on Hank's phone forcibly drew the detective's attention from the android and back to the chaos taking place in the precinct. "Jeffrey! What the hell's happening out there?"

' _S.W.A.T. is on their way Hank, how're you holding up_?' Fowler's voice was calm and in control over the line despite the Captain being incredibly tense as he eyed the three gunmen from his office sharply.

"Not good... Connor's in rough shape."

' _Don't worry, we'll get you out of there_.'

"It's not me I'm worried about, it's him!"

' _We have a negotiator working with Pillar now. By all accounts he's not going to surrender peacefully, OR alive. I don't want to see this end in death, but we can't let him or his associates escape_.'

"Jeffrey, from my point of view I have a clean shot. I can take out Pillar without harming Gavin and end this bullshit."

' _You're a great shot Hank, but there's no way you can get all three men down without Gavin being put at risk_!'

"Yeah, I know. But if you think I should take the shot then just give me the word."

' _Hopefully it doesn't come down to that_.'

"That's up to Pillar now, isn't it?"

' _Hank, I think help's coming your way.'_ Through his office window Fowler caught sight of an android technician slowly approaching the interview room with a blue colored android first aid kit tucked under his arm. _'The door's going to open but it's going to be a friend, alright? Do. Not. Shoot_!'

"I'm not trigger-happy, Jeffery." Hank snarked as the door to the interview room creaked open slightly. Turning his head he watched as the android very carefully slipped the kit down on the floor and pushed it through the opened door. "I got it. Tell whoever that was to get back before they get shot!"

Hank ended the call as he grabbed onto the kit and placed it on the floor next to Connor's body. Opening the kit Hank stared at the pieces of equipment stored inside the blue colored plastic box with utter confusion.

"What the hell is all this crap?"

Rather than the usual pieces of first aid supplies that normally accommodated such an android kit there were items that seemed designed for more advanced procedures than routine emergency first aid out in the field.

A long hollow plastic tube was wrapped up in sterile plastic next to a metal cylindrical apparatus in the center of the case. Next to it was a bottle of pure blue Thirium and a bottle of the bizarre orange colored incrassation compound that Hank had only recently learned of when Connor's arm had been injured a few weeks back.

As if sensing the question hanging in the air Hank's phone rang again and Joel reestablished a connection with the two somewhat isolated detectives.

' _Hank, listen to me_.' Joel sounded unusually stern compared to his typical laidback demeanor. ' _Connor only has six minutes left before he shuts down. You can save him but you have to do everything I say and listen very carefully, and for the love of all that is sane do NOT try to argue_.'

"Shit..." Hank swore as he set the phone on the floor and pressed speaker as he stared at Connor's vital signs still on display. Heart rate up to one-hundred and forty and his Thirium volume was down to sixty-one percent. "Alright Joel, what do I have to do?"

' _You see the incrassation compound in the kit_?'

"Just call it the 'orange stuff'." Hank grumbled as he picked up the bottle and unscrewed the cap. "Got it."

' _Pour it over the bullet wound in Connor's chest, that should stop the bleeding and keep his airline from leaking too severely_.'

"Right." Giving Connor a sympathetic glance Hank wiped away as much of the lost Thirium from Connor's chest with his hand before he poured the orange liquid directly into the wound.

Connor flinched and let out a stifled pained moan as the orange chemical stung at his injury and entered inside the wound itself.

"Sorry, Connor. I didn't want to to do it." Hank apologized sincerely as he watched the android enduring another bout of pain. "It's done."

' _Good_ ,' Joel continued his instructions from over the line as he watched Connor's vital signs from his own phone up in the precinct dispensary. ' _now you see the tube inside of the plastic bag_? _Pick it up and open the bag_.'

Tossing aside the now empty compound bottle Hank picked up the plastic bag and tore it open with his fingers. Holding the tube in his hands he just stared at the object as if he had been handed a grenade.

"Now what?"

' _Listen to me VERY carefully_.' The insistence in Joel's voice was less than comforting. ' _At one end of the tube you'll see a blue line and the other end a rectangular plastic guard. You need to slip the blue end of the tube down Connor's throat_. _It's like intubating a human_.'

"What the fuck did you just say?!"

' _Don't argue_!' Joel nearly shouted. ' _His core temperature is going to start rising and you have no way to cool him down if he overheats_.'

"Right, right... okay."

' _Next to the tube inside the kit there should be a metal cylinder. Pick it up and press the small button at the top, a small metal flank should release from the side. It looks like a thin and partially curved knife_.'

Hank picked up the requested tool and pressed the button. Sure enough a small flank released from the side. "Okay... Now what?"

' _Tilt Connor's head back and keep his mouth opened as wide as possible. Then use the flank to push down on his tongue to open his throat wide enough to slip the tube down_.'

"Is that going to hurt him?"

' _Only a little, but it'll let him breathe and stabilize his system to keep him from shutting down_!'

"He won't be able to talk?"

' _Four minutes_!'

Connor's breathing became more rapid, but remained shallow as his damaged biocomponent and failing air intake line struggled to circulate the required air for him to properly cool his core. "Hank..." Connor gasped in panic as tears began to well in his eyes. "H-Hank... I'm... scared."

"Don't be, Connor!" Hank's hand grabbed onto Connor's arm and squeezed. "I'm right here with you, I won't let you shutdown, alright?"

Nodding once Connor closed his eyes and swallowed again. "I... trust you..."

' _Hank, you have to do this! You're the only one who can_!'

"Fuck!" Hank saw Connor's vital signs on his phone starting to become more erratic as the android struggled to breathe, his heart pounding in his chest as his body fought to heal itself in spite of the massive Thirium loss. "Close your eyes Connor, this isn't going to be fun for either of us."

Connor watched as Hank moved from his side to kneel just above his head. Once Hank put his hand on his lower jaw Connor shut his eyes tight enough to cause the tears he had been restraining to finally fall and run down his face.

"I'm working on a car, not my partner..." Hank held his breath as he put the metal tool in Connor's mouth and pushed it down against the android's tongue. "Car. Car. Car." Repeating the mantra seemed to calm Hank enough to keep his hands from shaking as he performed the unpleasant, but necessary task. "It needs to be done..."

Connor fought the urge to spit the metal object out, knowing that it was there to help him and not hurt him. The feeling of being smothered and drowning was becoming almost too intense for the android to withstand.

' _Three minutes_.'

"Shut up, Joel! I'm doing it..." Carefully Hank slipped the blue end of the tube into Connor's mouth between his teeth and snaked it down slowly alongside the metal tool with a steady pace.

Connor reflexively swallowed as the tube was inserted down his throat, at the same time his hands turned in fists at his sides while he resisted his every instinct to pull the tube out of his mouth and lash out at the person responsible for his discomfort. As the plastic guard at the end of the tube reached Connor's lips Hank retracted the metal tube and set it aside.

"It's in!"

There was a heavy pause for a moment before Joel responded from over the line. ' _Perfect placement, good work Hank_.'

"Is that it?"

' _Shutdown has stopped for now, but he still needs Thirium, he's at fifty-eight percent and dropping. The tube is serving as a temporary replacement for his damaged air intake line, and it can allow you to pour the replacement Thirium down his throat without accidentally choking him in the process_.'

More gunfire suddenly erupted from the precinct outside the interview room causing Hank to look up at the window, but he didn't move. At the moment the need to stay by his partner was more prominent than dealing with a trio of lunatics inside a building full of police officers.

Connor's eyes snapped open and focused on the window in fear as bullets broke through the already damaged glass and embedded in the concrete wall behind Hank.

"It'll be fine." Grabbing onto the plastic bottle of Thirium from the kit Hank opened the lid and slipped his hand under Connor's head to lift the android up a little from the ground and let Connor rest against his knees. "After I take care of you, I'll take care of them."

Unable to verbally respond Connor just blinked once to confirm he had understood Hank's comment.

Tipping the bottle down against the end of the tube inserted down Connor's throat and poured the much needed Thirium into the tube to restore the blood that Connor had already lost.

Connor flinched a little but didn't move or try to resist the procedure.

"Joel, I need to deal with the gunmen." Hank shouted toward his phone resting on the floor nearby. "Monitor Connor for me and if there's any change you better letting me fuckin' know A.S.A.P.!"

' _Don't worry, I'm monitoring him very closely. His Thirium is currently up to sixty-five percent_.' Joel confirmed in a much more relaxed sounding tone. ' _You just focus on the idiots with the guns_.'

As the last of the Thirium pour from the bottle down the tube Hank tossed it aside and gently lowered Connor down from his knee. Grabbing onto Connor's hand Hank firmly planted the android's palm down against the bullet wound in his chest. "Keep the pressure until I get back."

Obediently Connor kept his hand firmly in place over the lightly bleeding injury and began breathing easier now that the tube was in place down his throat.

Hank returned to the bullet riddled glass of the window and knelt down to line up his shot from where he had and Connor had been taking shelter. Pillar was still holding Gavin as his hostage while Pillar's men stood by his side with their own guns drawn and aimed at the police officers surrounding them. The hostage negotiator was standing outside the precinct and using a phone to communicate with the three gunmen who clearly had no interest in any deals whatsoever.

Glancing over to Fowler's office Hank watched as his Captain gave him a nod of approval before aiming his own gun at the three gunmen as well. Knowing Hank was already locked onto Pillar himself Fowler aimed at the gunman closest to his location through the glass of his office wall, and remained somewhat concealed behind his desk.

"As long as we take out the gunmen together we can save Gavin." Hank muttered to himself as he breathed slowly and kept his hands as still as possible around the grip of his gun. "Just need a third shot..."

Connor was beginning to lose consciousness on the floor. The compound that had been applied to the injury had stemmed the bleeding significantly, but the damage to his biocomponent was still in desperate need of repair. Thirium continued to leak internally into the compromised biocomponent at a steady rate causing discomfort and difficulty with Connor's ability to breathe and keep his core temperature cool.

* * *

Stranded in the middle of the chaos with a bullet lodged in his shoulder Chris applied pressure to his own wound while Tina at his side kept her gun drawn on the trio. As he glanced about cautiously Chris noticed that Fowler was aiming at the suspects through his office and that Fowler kept looking to the broken glass of the interview room across the way.

Chris followed Fowler's gaze and caught a faint glimpse of Hank inside the window taking aim as well. Quietly Chris addressed Tina without giving away the plan or distracting the trio in the process. "Tina, can you get a clean shot at the big guy on the left?"

The fearless officer nodded her head subtly to answer Chris.

"Captain Fowler and Lieutenant Anderson have a shot from their positions." Chris stared at Fowler and waited for his Captain to glance his way. "Get ready to fire, when I say the word."

Tina whispered her reply confidently. "Ready."

Fowler's eyes met with Chris for a moment and the officer motioned his head toward Tina at his side, then motioned with his hand that she had a shot at the gunman to the immediate left.

Fowler nodded and glanced over at Hank to relay the information.

From where he knelt Hank watched as Fowler informed him of the plan with silent hand gestures, then told Hank to stand down as he took the phone from his desk and made contact with the negotiator outside the precinct.

Hank kept his eyes trained on the armed trio as he addressed Connor who was still laying helpless a few feet away from him. "Looks like this is could all be coming to a nasty conclusion... It's all up to Pillar how it ends now."

Connor took in a shuddering breath and let out a stifled gasp that was a mixture of a choke and cough. The tube was allowing Connor to breathe, but the Thirium collecting in his ventilation biocomponent was beginning to flood the surrounding biocomponents as well. A small trickle of blue blood was beginning to rise up in the tube as he bled internally.

As the tense standoff continued outside the room and in the center of the precinct Fowler finished speaking to the negotiator and made his call. Signalling to Hank to standby and wait for his final signal Fowler communicated the same instructions to Chris and Tina through the office window.

"This is it, Connor." Hank stated as he held his aim steady, his blue eyes focused on the cold hollow eyes on Pillar in the distance. "It'll be over soon."

Joel had noticed a sudden change in Connor's vitals through his contact over the phone, but couldn't reach Hank to tell him what to do. As Connor's condition began to deteriorate the android was helpless to say anything to Hank or even to Joel over the line.

* * *

Fowler held out his left hand and using his fingers started counting down from three. As he reached the count of 'one' Fowler stood up from his desk and squeezed the trigger of his gun. The bullet found it's target in the upper shoulder and chest of the gunman to Pillar's immediate right. The gunman was disarmed as he fell to the floor in a matter of seconds.

Tina followed suit and immediately did the same as she kept her position on the ground and took down the second gunman. The bullet struck the gunman directly in the center of his chest causing him to collapse to the ground in a bloody heap beside Pillar.

Hank readily squeezed the trigger of his own gun and struck Pillar in the middle of his forehead, right between the eyes. As Pillar's lifeless body fell to the floor Gavin eagerly ducked down and moved away from the trio of successfully disarmed and subdued gunmen.

Pillar collapsed to the ground and blood pooled beneath his head. Hank let out the breath he had been holding and stood up from the ground as he stared at the body in the distance.

It was all over.

"FUCK!" Gavin swore as he dove to the floor, his entire body trembling from adrenaline and fear. "SHIT! THAT WAS TOO DAMN CLOSE!"

Hank holstered his gun and returned to Connor on the floor. "Told you I'd put a bullet between his eyes." He tried to joke as he checked on his partner's condition. The android was unresponsive and seemingly unconscious. "Connor?"

' _He's going into insipid shock, his Thirium level is down to fifty percent and still dropping_.' Joel explained from over the line as he heard Hank's voice speaking to Connor again. ' _There's already emergency technicians waiting outside, let them do what they have to do to stabilize him_.'

"Shit, Connor?!" Hank put his hand down atop Connor's hand to try to apply more pressure to the wound, only to discover that Connor's ventilation biocomponent had finally given out, and he had stopped breathing altogether. Putting his other hand beneath Connor's head he supported his partner in his arm and waited with bated breath for the emergency technicians to arrive. "Hang on for me, son! You'll be okay."

Blue blood trailed from the corners of Connor's mouth around the tube and onto Hank's sleeve. The weakening display of Connor's vitals on his phone made Hank feel suddenly cold and sick.

The door to the interview room opened as Captain Fowler led the technicians to the source of their call. Two technicians with a stretcher in tow quickly assessed Connor's condition, using both the phone on the floor already displaying his vitals, as well as their own equipment contained in the large military grade satchels slung over their shoulders.

The male technician pulled a suction pump from his bag and placed the end of the suction tube in Connor's mouth to drain the blue blood collecting in his throat, while the female technician pulled a pale blue tinted plastic pump from her own bag and attached it to the end of the tube to manually pump air into his ventilation biocomponent to cool his rising core temperature.

"Remove his jacket." The female technician ordered as she kept Connor breathing with one hand and pulled a large pouch of Thirium from her bag with the other hand.

Hank and Fowler quickly worked together to slip the jacket and his shirt from Connor's arms and watched the male technician expertly assessed Connor's vitals from the phone's display. "Thirium levels are critical." He stated firmly as he wrapped a pressure monitor around Connor's left bicep. "We need to get him to the facility, now. We can't afford to wait."

Without waiting for any prompts from the technicians Hank began lifting Connor's body up from the floor under the android's shoulders while Fowler grabbed onto Connor's legs. The two detectives gingerly placed Connor on the stretcher while the technicians continued to work in tandem to keep Connor's system from shutting down.

Attaching an android cardiac monitor to Connor's chest with a single sensor pad over the center of his chest, directly over his Thirium pump, gave the technicians a clear view of the android's faltering heart rhythm. Hank picked up his phone and looked at Connor's vitals still on display, his heart rate perfectly matching the display on the monitor, while the stretcher was wheeled out of the room.

As Connor was wheeled away the connection to the phone began to weaken until it was finally severed.

"Hank." Fowler put his hand on Hank's shoulder and pushed him forward. "Go with him. We know it was a good shooting, alright? I won't let H.R. try to fuck with you. I gave the order, you obeyed."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Hank pocketed the phone. Handing Fowler his gun Hank didn't say another word as he followed right after the gurney as Connor was wheeled outside of the precinct.

The interior of the precinct was still absolute chaos as the bodies of the three gunmen were isolated from the rest of the room, thin sheets draped over their bloody corpses. Chris was sitting on a desk while two paramedics checked his shoulder and wrapped up the bloodied injury to prepare for transport, while another paramedic was checking over Gavin nearby.

Bullet holes had damaged the walls with large gaping imperfections in the concrete and pain, large portions of glass had been broken from the window and now littered the floor in a thin layer of crystalline debris.

The outside of the precinct was just as chaotic as S.W.A.T. personnel (too late to the scene) converged on the building. An ambulance was parked outside waiting for Chris and Gavin, while a second android ambulance was parked next to it waiting for Connor.

Hank jumped into the back of the ambulance right alongside Connor and refused to move from his partner's side. "Look, I know protocol and I know I should be up front," Hank preemptively argued with the technicians. "but that bullet that's in his chest right now was meant for me! I'm not going anywhere."

Unwilling to try to reason with Hank the two technicians just slammed the rear doors shut and slapped the side of the ambulance twice to signal the android driver to return to the facility. Loud sirens blared and bright flashing lights illuminated the streets as the emergency vehicle sped off to the nearest Android Emergency Care Facility with its single patient in tow.

Connor's vitals continued to drop as the technicians fought to raise his Thirium volume and keep his core from overheating. The android was disturbingly still and completely unresponsive to the voices speaking around him, and to the hands pressing down against his wounded chest. The monitor began to screech as the effects of incrassation compound had begun to wear off and the heavy bleeding continued. More and more Thirium collected in Connor's right ventilation biocomponent and it was becoming harder for the technician to manually supply air to the android's system.

"His Thirium pump is beginning to falter into an arrhythmia." The male technician announced as he used an audioscope to listen to Connor's chest. "Total right ventilation biocomponent failure. Left compromised."

Hank spoke up over the sound of the screeching monitor as he watched Connor's red colored L.E.D. pulsing slower and slower. "Connor? We're losing you, son. Just hang on a little longer!"

The ambulance stopped outside the facility with a controlled speed. As the rear doors of the ambulance were pulled open from the outside Hank jumped and the two technicians helped lower the stretcher out of the back to the awaiting care of the two android technicians who had met the ambulance in the parking lot. With four technicians now hovering protectively over Connor's dying body Hank felt the sickening knot in his stomach tighten to its limit.

"Patient in critical condition. Thirium pump is struggling to beat on its own."

Wandering slowly into the facility Hank was met by the receptionist who tried to tell him everything that was happening to Connor, and everything that was still going to happen to Connor under their care, but Hank didn't hear a word she said. Sitting in a chair in the waiting room Hank just stared blankly at the floor as the horrible memory of the day played out in his mind, and haunting nightmare of the night Hank lost his previous partner relentlessly overwhelmed his every thought and emotion.

Six long hours passed by since Connor was rushed into the emergency repair wing of the facility. Once the procedure was mercifully over Hank was shown back to the recovery room where Connor was laying perfectly still with the tube still down his throat, but he was breathing on his own again. Two other androids were in the recovery room along with him, but they were surprisingly in worse shape; one had been burned up in a house fire and the other had been pushed in front a truck by an anti-android bigot.

Abby, the technician that Hank and Connor had met (unfortunately) more than once, was checking on the other two androids while Hank joined his partner at the far side of the room.

Sitting beside Connor's bed Hank just stared at the android and looked at the freshly repaired wound in his chest. The right ventilation biocomponent had to be replaced entirely, while his Thirium pump needed minor repair as it had begun to strain itself from attempting to boost his self-healing program while his Thirium levels were critically low.

The android's L.E.D. was pulsing at a normal rate at yellow, which was a vast improvement over the red. Only the faintest of a scar was visibly on Connor's artificial skin, courtesy of the lingering imperfection in his plastimetal frame beneath.

"I'm glad you pulled through, son. I don't think I can take losing another partner." Hank admitted as Connor's L.E.D. blinked rapidly and cycled into blue. The android's eyes opened slowly and his head lolled to the side to look Hank in the face. "Hey kid, welcome back. You saved my life back there... Thanks."

A slight grin formed on Connor's face around the end of the tube still resting in his mouth. Reaching a hand up to the tube Connor began to pull on it to try and remove it, only to have Hank reach his own hand out and stopped him.

"Don't do that! Let the technician remove it."

Abby had overheard Hank's comment and rushed over to the bedside to handle the situation. "Stop pulling on it, you know better." Abby lightly scolded as she used her hand to straightened Connor's neck and tilted his head back. As she took hold of the end of the tube she nodded at Connor. "Cough a few times and I can remove the tube."

Connor obeyed and coughed as the tube was finally pulled from his throat by the technician. A blue stain of Thirium had coated the tube both inside and out, but Connor was no longer bleeding internally.

"Better?" She asked as Connor put his hand over his mouth to stifle his coughing.

"...-Y-Yes." Connor replied hoarsely as he looked up at her. "Thank you."

"I'll leave you two alone, and process his paperwork." Abby put her hand on Hank's shoulder briefly as she passed by. "He'll be out of here within the hour."

"Yeah, thanks." Hank sounded somewhat upset despite the good news. Remaining quiet he just stared off into space beyond Connor and beyond the entire world.

"...Hank?" Connor sat upright on the table carefully as his chest still hurt, and swung his legs over the edge as he steadied himself with both arms. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, kid. Just... thinking." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder he tried to push him to lay back down on the table. "Rest a little longer."

"Hank..." Connor refused to lay down, and was hesitant at first, but decided it was time to ask the hard question. "are you thinking about what happened to... Barbara?"

Hank nodded a little. "Yeah." Crossing his arms defensively over his chest Hank rubbed thoughtfully at his chin. "You read the report, you know that Pillar was the prime suspect in her murder. We could never directly connect him to the shooting, but the caliber of the bullet matched a gun he had been known to favor. He was also seen in the vicinity at the time of the shooting, and had motivation to go after her."

"Because you had him arrested." Connor tagged on despondently.

"Yeah. She died because of _me_."

"No, Hank. She died because a corrupt judge let Pillar go, and he shot her in the back like a coward. There's nothing you could've done to prevent it."

"Pillar shot you, too. This time it _was_ because of me."

"Hank, I pushed you out of the way and accidentally stepped into the line of fire in the process. What happened to me wasn't your fault, either."

"Maybe I should've listened to you earlier. Maybe if I had watched the interrogation I would've been able to take Pillar down sooner without anyone else getting hurt. Chris, Gavin... you."

"Chris?"

"Bullet to the shoulder, but he was stable when we left." Hank looked absolutely regretful as he sat in deep contemplation. "He lucked out. It could've killed him, and his wife would've been left alone to raise their son. He even got the jump on Gavin and threatened to shoot him. You were right Connor, I should've taken Pillar out when I had the chance."

"No. Hank, I was wrong." Connor stated firmly as his voice returned to full strength. "It was wrong of me to suggest you take revenge on Pillar. Killing him wouldn't bring back Barbara, and all it would've done is hurt your career. It was a foolish thing to say. I'm sorry I ever brought it up."

"Well, maybe it was fate. Connor, I took the shot that took Pillar down. And I felt absolutely nothing when he hit the floor. No anger, no relief, no sense of justice... It was just absolutely nothing."

"Maybe that's because in the end that's all Pillar was worth; nothing."

"Maybe." Hank stood up from his seat and slipped off his dark heavy coat. Passing it over to Connor to take Hank let out a weary sigh and put his hands to his hips. "Even though it was a good shooting I'm going to be benched for at least a week. And as much as I hate to admit it, right now I need a drink."

"No one would blame you, Hank. Today was... bad." Gratefully Connor put Hank's coat on over his arms and shoulders, and zipped it up to cover his bare chest. "It was very bad. For all of us."

_**...next story...** _


	46. Something In the Air

Connor was standing outside the house leaning back against the rear bumper of the car in the driveway as he watched the wind blow through the green leaves of the surrounding trees. Inquisitive brown irises studied the wind as it blew in sporadic but strong gusts throughout the city as he waited for Hank to join him outside on the cloudy morning in Detroit. The air was charged with an energy like a storm was coming, but there was nothing beyond the few white clouds in the sky.

The backdoor opened and shut sequentially as Hank walked outside with his car keys in his hand. "Alright, let's go."

Connor turned to look at Hank for a moment before he stood upright from the bumper and took his usual spot as the front passenger while Hank sat behind the wheel. "The weather seems very unusual today." Connor observed as Hank back down the driveway.

"We're in Michigan, kid. It comes with the territory."

"Yes, I'm familiar with the highly unpredictable weather of the immediate area, but something feels different today."

"You got a bad _feeling_? Kinda' like when we went to talk to Kamski just before the revolution?"

"Perhaps. I wish I could explain it, but I can't." Staring out the front windshield Connor shook his head a little. "Do humans experience such unusual feelings about a day, despite having no actual reason to feel in such a manner?"

"All the time." Hank turned off their block and headed toward the precinct. "And since you're a detective I have to tell ya', if you have a bad feeling about today then it's pretty much _guaranteed_ to mean something strange is in the air."

"Has it happened to you?"

"Yeah. Twice." Hank cleared his throat a little. "The first time was when I was still a rookie and before the day was over I took a knife to my neck. The second time was the night my former partner got shot."

Connor's blue L.E.D. shifted to yellow then back to blue. "Last night I received a report regarding a riot at the prison. Perhaps it's this report that has caused this feeling."

"I hope you're right, but, I'm starting to get a weird feeling myself..."

* * *

Arriving at the precinct Hank and Connor were greeted by Chris, whose arm was still in a sling as his shoulder healed from the bullet he took almost a month before. Recovering well from his injury Chris was placed on desk duty and racking up some pretty decent overtime as he healed, while Gavin; who had been taken hostage, was required to talk to the precinct psychiatrist for a few weeks.

"Hey, Lieutenant, Captain Fowler needs you two to act as prison escort at the hospital today." Chris handed Connor a piece of paper with the address of the hospital printed on it. "Something about needing additional security because the place is already short staffed."

"Shit. Why us?" Hank griped as he crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.

"You two have the lightest caseload right now." Chris explained casually as he stepped back to return to his desk. "And yeah, I double-checked. You two get to spend the day babysitting convicts who had a fight in the prison yard. Oh, Gavin's already there."

Letting out an exacerbated sigh Hank patted Connor's shoulder and turned on his heels to walk back out the front doors. "Remember what I said about your bad feeling being about something real? _This_ is what I was talking about."

Connor memorized the address and cybernetically uploaded it to his systems. "Let's just hope this is as bad as it gets."

"Don't bet on it, kid. This is most likely just the beginning."

* * *

A warm wind blew through the air as Hank pulled the car into the parking lot of the somewhat calm hospital. The parking lot was relatively empty due to the influx of prisoners as patients, causing the innocent civilian patients in critical condition to be transported to other hospitals. And with that emptiness came an eerie ambience of wind and subtle motion. Atop the roof of the hospital's helipad was a helicopter waiting idly with its propeller spinning slowly, which only added to the eerie background sound of the property.

Connor looked up at the helicopter, his L.E.D. flashing yellow as he scanned it curiously.

"Never seen a helicopter before?" Hank asked as he slammed his car door shut and followed Connor's gaze upward.

"Not this close."

"I hate those damn things." Commenting dryly the detective walked to toward the front entrance of the hospital with his partner at his side. "They're loud, expensive and they blow shit everywhere."

The hospital itself wasn't too chaotic much to the relief of the two detectives. The waiting room was fairly empty save for non-critical patients waiting to be seen, and a few people quietly huddled in the corner waiting for updates on friends or family members who had been admitted in hospital care. One security guard was overlooking the people in the waiting room as Hank and Connor approached.

Hank flashed his badge to the guard and Connor did the same. "Yeah, we're here to deal with the prisoners. Which floor?"

"They're up on sixth. Ask for Dr. Wilson, he's in charge."

"Yeah, thanks." Hank and Connor walked through the doors as the security guard buzzed them inside the hospital through the electronically sealed plexiglass doors.

Connor looked about the place curiously as he had only set foot inside a hospital a few times before when Hank had been injured. It was strange to see so many people walking about in similar clothing accomplishing similar tasks, it was almost as if the entire place behaved less like a human condition and functioned more like a machine. It was almost ironic.

"Wonder how Gavin got this deal?" Hank asked aloud as he and Connor entered the elevator together and ascended to the designated sixth floor.

"Maybe Fowler doesn't like him being around the precinct, like everyone else."

Hank laughed a little at the comment but he agreed entirely. "You might be onto something."

The doors to the elevators parted and the two detectives set foot on the sixth floor. The sound of angry yelling as well as numerous calmer voices attempting to reason with the yelling voices resonated loudly throughout the entire floor. Stepping forward Hank and Connor watched as two doctors and two nurses fought to restrain a very pissed off patient who was trying to get away from the bed he was already handcuffed to.

"Damn it! Where's Gavin?" Hank swore as he and Connor rushed into the room to help the hospital staff.

While Hank leaned down against the man's shoulders to pin him down against the bed Connor restrained his legs giving the two doctors a chance to load a syringe with a strong, but harmless, sedative and inject it into the prisoner's hip.

As the man succumbed to the drug Hank and Connor let go and exited the room to give the staff necessary space to work.

"As soon as I see Gavin I'm going to-"

"Don't be mad at him!" A nurse interjected as he exited the room after them. "We called the precinct, but you two must've missed the message."

"What message?"

The nurse motioned back to the prisoner in the room as she lowered her voice. "About twenty minutes ago he got free of his restraints and went after one of the other nurses with a scalpel. Sergeant Reed stopped him, but..."

"Shit, where is he?" Hank realized what had happened to Gavin and felt like an ass for jumping on his. As his face paled Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow with worry. "I mean... He's still alive, right?"

"Yeah, he was injured but it wasn't lethal. He's in the next room resting."

"Thanks." Hank went to walk over to the room and put out his arm to stop Connor. "Why don't you stay here and figure out what the hell's going on? I don't want Gavin getting all worked up if he sees you."

"I understand." Connor agreed with Hank's decision and remained put while Hank went to check on Gavin. Turning to the nurse Connor began gathering information on their unorthodox assignment. "Do you know what has been happening with the prisoners who were brought in for treatment?"

"We had six in total, two were D.O.A. and the other four are still being treated."

"By Dr. Wilson?"

"Yes." The nurse pointed back into the room to the doctor leaning over the prisoner's bed. "That's Dr. Wilson. He's been overseeing their treatment."

"Might I speak with him?"

"I'll let him know you're waiting."

"Thank you."

Connor looked about at the floor that had been fairly vacated to protect other patients from the dangerous prisoners with a unique sense of intrigue. Noticing a gurney being wheeled in his direction by two android orderlies Connor stepped back out of the way and watched the androids pass him by. A nurse rudely bumped into Connor's arm jostling the android on his feet as she huffed by angrily down the corridor.

"I'm sorry." Connor apologized sincerely as the nurse walked by without even bothering to look back at him.

"Fuckin' machine." The nurse swore as she walked down the hallway and entered the elevator. "Should've been left on the street."

Unaware of the bigoted action and remarks of the nurse Hank returned from the room where Gavin was recovering and stood beside Connor ready to resume their obnoxious task at hand.

"How's Gavin?" Connor asked without paying the nasty nurse any further attention.

"Pissed at the world one second, then loopy as hell the next."

"Pain medication?" Connor asked with a mild amusement to his voice.

"Pain medication. Too bad we can't keep him hooked up to morphine at the precinct."

"How badly was he injured?"

"Took a scalpel in the abdomen. Missed everything important, but he did need a few stitches to close the wound. They also have him on some I.V. antibiotics as a precaution."

Dr. Wilson had finished examining the prisoner and stepped out of the small room into the hallway to speak to the two detectives. "Hello, I'm Dr. Caleb Wilson." The doctor was tall, in his early thirties with short black hair and deep brown eyes. As he shook Hank's hand he looked over at Connor and gave him an odd glance.

"I'm Lieutenant Hank Anderson, this is my partner-"

"Connor. Right?" Dr. Wilson interrupted with an energetic curiosity.

Now it was Connor giving the doctor an odd glance. "May I ask how you know me?"

"Yeah. About eight or nine months ago you saved my kid brother during a hostage negotiation. He was a first responder at the scene and had been shot in the arm." Dr. Wilson readily extended his hand to shake toward the android. "If you hadn't tied that tourniquet he never would've make it to the hospital in time. Thank you."

Connor shook Dr. Wilson's hand and smiled a little. "You're welcome."

Dr. Wilson didn't let go of Connor's hand and studied the android inquisitively.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, it's just... You seem so human."

Now it was Hank's turn to interrupt. "So, what can you tell us about our 'star' patient in there?"

"He's in pretty rough shape," Dr. Wilson stated as he let go of Connor's hand. "but even with a re-inflated lung he's still too violent and combative to leave alone with the staff. In about ten minutes he'll be flown out to another hospital specially designed to handle violent inmates and psych patients far more effectively than we can here."

Connor spoke up again as he remembered what the kind nurse had told him. "What of the other prisoners?"

"Two of them are one floor down and in less severe shape. They'll be transferred in an hour."

"Alright," Hank crossed his arms somewhat defensively. "what do you need us to do?"

"I need one of you here to keep an eye on the fourth prisoner, while accompanying the third during transport."

"Where's the other prisoner?"

"He's sedated in the exam room across the hall. But he and this prisoner here," Dr. Wilson motioned back to the prisoner that he had just examined. "are the ones who started the fight. I'd prefer if one of you stayed with the prisoner down the hall and one of you escorted this guy on the helicopter."

"Helicopter?" Hank looked a tad frightened by the offer and put up his hands submissively. "Not me! I'm not getting in that thing!"

Connor nodded and volunteered his service. "I'll go."

"Thanks, I appreciate." Dr. Wilson looked entirely relieved to know that an officer would be available during the entire transport. "Makes me feel better knowing that someone other than a single nurse is going to be on the flight with him." Dr. Wilson looked at Hank and smirked a little. "Hate heights?"

"No, I hate _helicopters_." Hank reiterated firmly. "Alright, show me to this other prisoner so I can collect my 'babysitting fee'."

"Right this way, Lieutenant." Dr. Wilson showed Hank the way while Connor walked a few paces behind taking in the full layout of the floor as he tagged along. "He should be out of it for another hour or so, but if he starts to wake up just page a nurse and she'll knock him back out."

"Think she could do the same for Gavin?" Hank joked as he stood inside the doorway of the room and watched the unconscious prisoner warily.

"I'll see what I can do." Dr. Wilson replied lightheartedly. "And Connor, I'll see you to the elevator."

"Thank you."

Connor followed behind Dr. Wilson as the very kind and incredibly tolerant doctor took the moment to speak with Connor in private.

"Don't let nurse Sophist get to you." Dr. Wilson casually stated as he and Connor walked down the hallway side by side.

"Pardon?"

"I saw her run into you and heard what she said. It's nothing personal, she hates all androids. I'm not sure why."

"I'm familiar with anti-android sentiment. It seems to be less widespread in these past ten months, but those who retain the intolerant views seem far more zealous than ever before."

"Hey, I'm no stranger to intolerance."

Connor was a little confused by the statement. "You still experience racism?"

"Yeah, occasionally. I still get patients demanding they get the 'right colored blood' before an operation."

"I don't understand. All human blood is red, isn't it?"

Dr. Wilson gave Connor an amused grin as they stood before the elevator together and he pressed the 'call' button. "Sounds like you understand things just fine, Connor. Go up to the helipad and wait for the prisoner to be transported. As long as he's sedated it shouldn't be a problem for our staff to handle."

The doors opened and Connor stepped through. Pressing the button leading to the roof Connor ascended to the absolute top of the hospital and was greeted by powerful gusts of wind courtesy of the helicopter's propellers still spinning about as it waited for the patient. Connor stepped out of the elevator and stared at the helicopter as the wind wiped up his tie in his face and caused the locks of his dark hair to dance about around his face.

"The hell are you doing up here?!" An angry feminine voice demanded from behind Connor.

Connor turned and saw the same rude nurse who had cursed at him earlier already standing on the roof waiting for the patient. "Dr. Wilson requested that I accompany the prisoner during transport!" Explaining the situation with loud shouts to be heard over the helicopter Connor hoped that the honest and logical answers would suffice. "I am here to help!"

"Bullshit!" The nurse was hostile toward Connor simply for existing. "I'm not going anywhere with a piece of plastic getting in my way!"

"I won't get in your way!"

The pilot from the helicopter was now shouting at the two of them from where he sat. "What the fuck is going on?!"

"No!" The nurse glared angrily at the pilot as she continued to yell at Connor. "You stay here and stay the hell away from me!"

The wind continued to whip about violently in strong gusts that threatened to blow over anything and everything that wasn't strongly secured to the ground. The white clouds overhead built in numbers and began to darken in color as a storm threatened to unleash hell over the city.

* * *

The prisoner Hank was watching over had left his leg secured in a cast from ankle all the way up to his hip. Even if he did wake up the odds of him being able to cause any problems were fairly low. Hank stepped out of the prisoner's room and stayed by the door frame to watch as the other prisoner was wheeled out of his own room and down the hall with Dr. Wilson and two nurses escorting the gurney to the elevator. The prisoner to be transported looked completely unconscious, but that didn't guarantee a damn thing.

Dr. Wilson made his way back down the hall to speak with Hank and to check in on the other prisoner under his care. "He's on his way out."

"Good. One less problem to worry about."

"Yeah, the feeling's mutual."

"I've been meaning to ask about Gavin. How long's he going to be here?"

"I'd like to keep him overnight just in case he develops an infection. I don't suspect anything will go wrong, but-"

The building itself suddenly began to shake with violent tremors as a commotion on the roof drew everyone's gaze upward. The tremors were becoming more frantic and powerful over the next few seconds until it all suddenly stopped and massive white object fell from the roof past the side of the building to the parking lot below. As the object fell a flash of scorching hot fire erupted from it and caused dozens of windows to shatter as it disturbed the top dozen floors of the hospital during its fall.

"What the-"

A deafening crash in the parking lot below and fire alarms blaring throughout the building warned the people inside the structure of the imminent danger outside the hospital. The source of the chaos and of the possible danger overhead in the floors above would have to be handled by the staff until the fire department arrived.

"What the fuck was that?!" Hank asked as he dared to walk toward the window and peer outside to the carnage in the parking lot below. "That looked like-"

A nurse rushed into the room to address Dr. Wilson, a look of seldom seen panic was in the trained woman's eyes. "Dr. Wilson! There was a failure during takeoff and the helicopter crashed!"

Hank's eyes went wide with the same fear as he realized his partner was aboard that very same helicopter.

"Connor...?"

* * *

Outside the hospital fire trucks converged on the scene of the horrible accident and began to douse the flames of the smoldering wreckage of the helicopter, while also keeping the flames from reaching the nearby cars and most importantly, the hospital itself. Inside the hospital personnel worked to lead patients and innocent bystanders alike to safety. Hank assisted the doctors in providing a modicum of the emergency first aid training he had received while at the academy, but his training paled in comparison to that of the staff.

The fire alarms that responded to the crash had also triggered the sprinkler system inside the building to combat the flames ebbing from the outside of the hospital, to the inside of the building gradually. The cold water made movement feel stilted and the emergency procedures became more difficult to perform in what equates to a springtime downpour.

Having to use the stairwell out of safety for himself and others due to an elevator malfunction, Hank carried a young woman who had suffered a burn to her leg upstairs from the parking lot and to the sixth floor where he knew there was already plenty of room to place the wounded. Completely soaked from the sprinklers and already smudged under dark smoke Hank looked as though he had stepped through the gates of Hell and back.

"Here, right here..." Hank gently lowered the woman in his arms down onto a vacant gurney as a nurse joined him at the woman's side. "You'll be alright."

"Hank!" Gavin was standing outside the exam room he had been resting in. One arm was pressed up against the wall to keep him upright, and his other arm was wrapped around his stomach as he looked around the hallway in total confusion. "What the hell is going on?"

Wanting to keep people from panicking Hank approached Gavin and led him back into the exam room to fill the confused Sergeant in on the details. "Gavin, you're hurt lay down." Hank insisted calmly as he pushed the wounded officer back down on the table in the exam. "Look, the helicopter fell from the roof and crashed in the parking lot outside."

"Holy shit. Was anyone... you know? Killed?"

Hank nodded his head as he ran his hand through his water drenched gray locks. "Connor was onboard."

"Whoa..."

"Stay in here, I got this."

"No way." Gavin refused as he pushed past Hank back through the exam room door. "I just got a little cut. I'll live!"

Appreciative for the first time since he's known Gavin to have his help, Hank resumed aiding the wounded and helping the doctors and the nurses treating the wounded until everything had calmed down. Hank and Gavin worked together to help the hospital staff on the floors that hadn't been evacuated by the fire department while the doctors and nurses worked seamlessly to help the dozens of casualties.

From burns to smoke inhalation to broken bones the two detectives fearlessly helped to keep the victims as stable as possible until a doctor was free to take care of them.

The temporarily disabled elevator was rendered operational again and the doors opened as a familiar voice called out loudly for assistance. "I need a doctor over here." Connor shouted as he carried nurse Sophist, who was unconscious and bleeding, in his arms. Her chest, her neck and the side of her head was soaked in her own blood from devastating wounds, and Connor's L.E.D. was blinking yellow rapidly.

A doctor rushed over to Connor and escorted him into an available exam room to tend to the nurse he was carrying to safety.

Gavin had noticed Connor standing inside the exam room and motioned to the large window of the room as he addressed Hank. "Thought you said he died?"

Hank's brow furrowed as he turned to look where Gavin was pointing, only to immediately relax when he saw Connor helping a doctor in the exam room just a few feet away. "Son of a bitch."

Connor saw Hank through the same window and stepped out of the exam room to meet up with his partner. "Hank, I tried to get off the roof sooner but the elevator-"

Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and held tight. "I thought you died!"

"No," Connor reached his hand behind himself and pressed his down against the middle of his back. He then showed Hank the smear of blue blood on his palm as if it were normal. "but I did suffer a laceration to my back."

Hank shook his head a little. "What the hell happened up there?"

"That nurse wouldn't let me on board the helicopter." Connor explained in a surprisingly cool tone. "When it started to take off the wind suddenly shifted causing a catastrophic system failure. When the helicopter jerked suddenly during its struggling takeoff the prisoner regained consciousness. He attacked the pilot and caused the helicopter to crash against the rooftop before it fell off the side of the building."

"That nurse saved your life." Hank almost laughed as he pulled his hand from Connor's shoulder. "Look, just keep doing what you're doing and help the doctors take care of the wounded, okay?"

"Of course."

"Good."

Hank walked back to where he had been to continue to help the other victims while Connor sought another doctor to see how he could help out.

Gavin finished wrapping up a little boy's burnt hand in some clean gauze while Hank returned to the woman he had been helping before he spotted Connor. "You good?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Hank answered somewhat honestly. He was relieved to know that Connor was alive, but the day was far from over. "Let's just get through this before anything else happens."

"You're not going to get any argument from me, Lieutenant."

* * *

The fire department had succeeded in dousing the fire and were now working on cleaning up the damage helicopter in the parking lot, while also looking for other potentially trapped survivors in the rubble. The floors of the hospital that had been damaged by the fireball from the erupting gas tank of the falling helicopter were still closed off, but the building was still structurally stable.

Connor had begun assisting nurses with transporting patients from one area to another for proper treatment, while Hank and Gavin administered as much first aid as they possibly could with their comparably inferior training next to the other doctors and the nurses. Dr. Wilson finished treating a man with a penetrating chest wound and motioned for the orderlies to wheel him off into emergency surgery. Slipping off his gloves he looked over at Connor ready to thank the android for all his help.

"Hey Connor, that was-"

Connor's eyes suddenly rolled back in his head as he collapsed backward onto the floor between two unoccupied gurneys.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Dr. Wilson knelt beside Connor and gently lifted the android's eyelids before tilting his head to the side to study his red glowing L.E.D. Running his hands down Connor's chest, abdomen and sides he tried to rouse the suddenly unconscious android. "Connor? Connor! Can you-"

Dr. Wilson retracted his hands as he felt and then saw dark blue Thirium staining his hands.

Motioning for a nurse to assist him Dr. Wilson rolled Connor from his back onto his left side the check on the source of the bleeding. The android's jacket and shirt were completely soaked through with Thirium from the cut in his back, and the injury continued to bleed heavily. Pulling Connor's jacket and shirt up Dr. Wilson eyed the devastating injury in the middle of Connor's back and noticed that there was a faint glint of metal shining at the edge of wound just under his artificial skin.

"Damn it, he has a piece of metal embedded in his back." Working with the nurse at his he lifted Connor up from the floor and placed him on his back on the gurney. "There's an android monitor and audioscope in the supply closet, bring it here."

Opening the front of Connor's shirt Dr. Wilson looked for any sign of internal Thirium leaks in his chest and abdomen, but it seemed all of the damage was isolated in his back. Connor suddenly coughed up blue blood and Dr. Wilson rolled him back to his side while the returning nurse rolled over the android monitor and pressed a wad of gauze against the bleeding wound in Connor's back.

Dr. Wilson took the audioscope resting atop the monitor and used it to listen to Connor's struggling chest. "He needs Thirium," the good doctor informed the nurse. "there's a supply down on the first floor. We'll need at least three pints."

"I'm on it."

* * *

After enduring the strange and 'exciting' afternoon Hank and Gavin took a moment to stand still and breathe. As he tried to calm his still jumpy nerves the detective spoke to a doctor who was checking on his 'handy' work in a low tone from his emergency first aid training, and made sure nothing else needed to be taken care of in that moment.

"Anyone left in the waiting room?"

"No, that's it. Everyone has been taken care of, and our emergency department is on temporary lockdown for the next forty-eight hours."

"Okay, hey Gavin, how're- Ah, shit."

Gavin was suddenly very pale and leaning against the wall with one hand and his other hand pressed over his suddenly bloody abdomen.

"Damn it." Hank pointed at the Sergeant before grabbing onto the detective's arm. "He tore loose his stitches."

The doctor responded quickly as Hank helped Gavin to lay down on the nearest available exam table. She pulled up his green shirt and peeled back the bandage covering the stitches in his abdomen.

Rolling over a small metal tray lined with rubbing alcohol and swabs to tend to Gavin's wound the doctor realized she needed more bandages. "Can you get me some gauze out of the next room?"

"Yeah, no problem." Hank walked over to the exam room just as another nurse rushed around the corner to address the doctor taking care of Gavin.

"Hey, where do we keep the Thirium?"

The doctor looked up as Hank suddenly turned his head in the nurse's direction.

"Thirium? It's in the exam room next door, but why do you need it?" The doctor asked as she began cleaning up Gavin's torn stitches.

"We have a collapsed android up on the sixth floor. Dr. Wilson is taking care of him."

Hank practically shoved the gauze into the doctor's hands as he addressed the nurse sharply. " _What_ android?"

"...The one from the precinct."

"Shit! Where is he?"

* * *

With the help of another nurse Dr. Wilson had rolled Connor into the nearest exam room to begin repairs on the injured android to the best of his ability. Though trained first and foremost as a human medical doctor Dr. Wilson had taken the liberty on educating himself regarding android anatomy and physiology in the event of an emergency.

The nurse returned with three bags of Thirium and Hank right behind her. Unable to keep Hank from following her into the exam room she proceeded to help Dr. Wilson in treating Connor's injury.

"What the fuck happened?" Hank asked as he stood inside the doorway of the exam room. Connor was laying on his chest with one arm tucked under his head, and had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. "I saw him not an hour ago and he was fine!"

"There's a sharp piece of metal in his back," Dr. Wilson explained as he successfully used forceps to extract the foreign matter from the wound. "it cut into his artificial stomach and has caused a slow, but steady leak into his torso."

"How'd he get-"

"Lieutenant," Gavin pushed the door open with a pained breath and pulled Hank outside the exam room. "get your ass out here!"

"And you get your ass back downstairs!" Hank snapped back at the Sergeant as he stood outside the treatment room against his will. "You're injured."

"I'm fine." Gavin argued stubbornly. "Listen to me, I know what happened to Connor."

"What? How?"

"That bitchy nurse he saved told the doctor who patched me back up everything that happened on the roof."

"Alright," Hank was thoroughly intrigued by the comment. "spill it."

* * *

_Two Hours Prior:_

Connor stood back by the door as the nurse and helicopter pilot rolled the gurney with the prisoner into the helicopter and secured it in place. Just as the nurse was about to take her seat inside the pilot ordered her to get out of the craft and stand back. Unsure of what was happening Connor watched and listened carefully to the argument and overheard the pilot make a comment about not wanting nurses in his helicopter; claiming that he only flew with doctors who had the proper qualifications to treat a patient.

The nurse angrily climbed out of the helicopter and crouched down away from the swirling propellers of the helicopter as she returned to the hospital roof. Connor was about to say something to her just as the helicopter began to ascend, only to be caught in a sudden updraft that caused the craft to shake violently in the air.

Looking at the craft Connor scanned the helicopter and noted that the prisoner had regained consciousness, pulled his hand free of the cuffs and had attacked the lone pilot before the oblivious pilot had the chance to react.

The helicopter came crashing back down onto the roof on its side, the sharp propeller blades cutting into the concrete of the helipad sending large chunks of debris into the air. Massive bits of metal were sheered off of the craft in the process.

A large chunk of concrete struck the nurse in her shoulder knocking her down in a stunned daze. Connor ran over to her and picked her up from the roof and used his body to shield her from the additional debris flying through the air as he repeatedly pressed the 'call' button to open the doors for the elevator. The debris stopped flying as suddenly as it began.

Turning his head Connor saw that the helicopter had fallen from the roof and along the side of the building to the parking lot below. The following explosion confirmed the crash with a thunderous cascade of metal, concrete and fire.

"Can you hear me?" Connor asked the nurse as he pressed his hand against her shoulder to try to stop the heavy bleeding from her wound.

The nurse just gave Connor a dazed stare before her eyes fell shut and she fell limp in his arms.

"Shit." Connor swore as he realized that the elevator was temporarily disabled and the nurse in his arms needed medical aid. Removing the artificial skin from the palm of his hand he pressed it against the elevator's control panel to manually reboot the system. "This will take some time, but I can help you." He promised the nurse as he was left stranded on the roof with her. "As soon as I can..."

Flinching a little as a warning flashed in his visual processor and feeling a strange burning warmth in his back, Connor pressed his palm to the source of the sensation and felt the Thirium escaping from a wound.

"...This is a mild inconvenience."

* * *

Hank and Gavin watched through the window as Dr. Wilson repaired the damage to Connor's back and replaced the plastimetal frame, before rolling him onto his healing back. The doctor had to perform emergency repairs on the android's artificial stomach and had to replenish the Thirium the android had lost. As soon as Connor was patched up and stable Dr. Wilson joined the two detectives outside, while the nurse stayed inside the exam room to watch over the still unconscious android recovering steadily in the small room.

"He's going to be okay. It'll take his healing program at least two hours to repair the damage, but he can leave as soon as he's conscious."

"How in the hell did you know what to do?" Hank asked as he sighed with relief and watched Connor through the window. "He's not human."

"Like I said, Connor saved my brother. So I decided to learn how to save as many androids as possible as a way to show my appreciation. Never thought I'd end up saving THE android who saved Mike."

"Can I see him?"

"Sure." Dr. Wilson stepped aside. "Stay as long as you like."

"Gavin," Hank turned to the usually hostile detective with an appreciative tone. "thanks for everything. You did good."

"Yeah, no problem Lieutenant."

"While I'm taking care of Connor why don't you help Dr. Wilson with filing his report, see if you can figure out what the fuck happened today."

"Yeah, sure. That'll take all night and I'll get some overtime."

Walking into the exam room Hank noticed that Connor seemed to be muttering to himself in a semi-conscious daze. Upon closer inspection Hank realized that Connor was muttering the words to an old song under his breath, and surprisingly enough able to carry a tune.

"Connor, are you awake?" Placing his hand down on Connor's right arm Hank slowly applied a gentle pressure. "Kid?"

Connor's head lolled slightly to the side and his brown eyes opened. The L.E.D. in his temple was still yellow in color, but it wasn't flashing rapidly which was a good sign of his stabilized condition.

"...Hank?"

"You got it. How do you feel?"

Connor swallowed once as he tried to think of the right words to express how he was feeling. "I think I understand why you hate helicopters..."

Hank smiled at the comment as Connor became more alert. "Were you talking to yourself just now?"

"No. It was the lyrics to a song that I keep repeating in my head." Connor looked around the room confusedly as he had no memory collapsing. "Why am I in here?"

"That little cut on your back was more than just a cut, son."

Connor ran a self-diagnostic and noted his healing program targeting biocomponent s8003. His artificial stomach. "I promise Hank, I wasn't keeping the severity of my injury from you. I was unaware of-"

"I know. You wouldn't have kept a secret like that when other people were in danger."

"Is everyone okay?"

"Yeah, everything's under control. Once you've had a couple of hours to heal we can get out of here."

"Gavin?"

"Yeah, him too. By the way, that nurse you saved has been telling everyone who would listen how you saved her life."

"She's alive?"

"And I think she's going to have a whole new perspective on androids."

"That wasn't my intention." Connor confessed as he propped himself upright on his elbows against the table. The motion was slow enough to not strain his damaged back or the internal biocomponent protected in his abdomen. "She was in danger, I just reacted."

Hank put his hand back to Connor's shoulder and helped him to sit upright on the exam table. "Let's make a deal, from now on when either of us has a 'bad feeling' about going to work, we're calling off sick. Deal?"

Connor smiled a little, his L.E.D. transitioning into blue in the process. "Deal."

* * *

After explaining the disaster at the hospital in excruciating detail to Captain Fowler, and the warden of the prison, Hank, Connor and Gavin were all dismissed for the rest of the afternoon and given the following three days off to recover. Hank drove home with Connor in the front seat and a fresh bottle of Thirium in the event Connor needed additional blue blood during his recovery.

"I think tomorrow I'm going to spend all day in bed." Hank stated with a tired sigh as he opened the backdoor to the house, pet Sumo's head and let the dog outside for a few minutes. "You should do the same."

Connor placed the extra Thirium in the kitchen cabinet over the sink, and walked into the livingroom. "Yes, I agree that an extended rest cycle is in order to properly heal."

"Uh-huh," Hank casually pointed to the hallway with a thumb over his shoulder. "so, go to bed."

"I am attempting to do so." Connor stated as he stood beside the couch while Hank remained at the end of the hallway.

"No." The detective motioned again toward the hallway. "BED."

"Hank, I don't have-"

"Yeah, you do. Come here." Hank walked down the hallway and stood before Cole's old bedroom door. "I figured since you're living with me you deserve your own private area of the house."

"Hank... You didn't have to-"

"I know, but I wanted to. Besides, this room has been empty long enough." Tentatively Hank put his hand on the doorknob and pushed the door open. "It's not much, but at least you don't have to live on the couch anymore."

Connor stepped inside the room and located the switch on the wall beside the door. The room was still fairly barren, but a brand new large bed complete with a large pillow and thick quilt over top was resting against the wall. There was a small nightstand and a lamp beside the bed to add some additional furnishings. The white walls were blank, the beige carpet had been freshly vacuumed, the blinds and curtains over the single window had been drawn back to allow natural light inside, and there was a sense of warmth radiating from the room itself.

"Hank," Connor looked around the room with utter surprise in his brown eyes. "when did this happen?"

"I called the moving company before we left this morning. Movers did their job, cleaned up the room, delivered the bed and stuff while we were out doing our job at the precinct and hospital."

"This is... very generous. Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. Like I already told you, this is your _home._ So enjoy it."

Connor walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge slowly as he continued to glance about the room. It was a much nicer room, and had an actual bed rather than the flat, single width bed that CyberLife had given him in his previously assigned quarters. For the first time in Connor's life he had a room all to himself, an area he was free to call his own. No boundaries, no security, no restrictions.

A real home.

"Tomorrow you can start furnishing this room and really make it your own."

"...Furnish how?"

"With whatever you want." The detective replied emphatically from where he stood. "It's _your_ room, you do what you want to do to it."

"Hank, I- Thank you."

"You're welcome, son. Now," Hank turned off the light and stepped away from the door. "Get some sleep. I'm going to do the same."

"...I will do so. I truly appreciate this, Hank."

"I was happy to do it."

_**...next story...** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate timeline/series can be found here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18665608
> 
> That series begins where this chapter ends.


	47. Loss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story contains death and grieving. Please skip over if you're not in an appropriate state of mind to handle this particular scenario.

Moving about the house as quietly as possible to let Hank sleep in Connor left a note on the kitchen table and took the keys to the car from Hank's coat pocket. Letting Sumo outside through the backdoor to ensure nothing and no one disturbed Hank throughout the morning Connor backed the car down the drive and headed into the city to purchase new items to furnish his room just as Hank suggested he do the night before.

Connor had only been away for three hours and returned long before Hank had woken up. While keeping quiet with every step he took Connor managed to finish his early morning task without ever disturbing Hank in the process. After replacing the car keys back to where they belonged, and letting Sumo back inside the house, Connor set about furnishing his room.

Hank had been sleeping peacefully through the morning until a sudden sharp gasp from just down the hallway caught his ear. It sounded like someone was in pain, but there was no other sound to accompany it; no crashing sound, no voice calling out and no resonating panic. While most people would've dismissed the sound and drifted back to sleep Hank decided to get up and investigate.

Opening his bedroom door he spotted Sumo sitting in the hallway watching someone moving about in the opened door of the neighboring bedroom. Standing beside the dog Hank pet the St. Bernard's ears and looked inside the bedroom to see Connor setting up a large aquarium against the far wall.

"Connor, what the hell are you doing?"

"Sorry Hank, did I wake you?" Connor asked as he turned away from the large glass tank that was full of brightly colored fish.

"Maybe. Something woke me up for damn sure." Hank looked at the aquarium and gave Connor an odd look. "Since when did you like fish?"

"I think it started the night of the hostage negotiation." Connor replied honestly as he wiped some water from his hands off onto a towel. "Shortly after I entered the apartment I spotted a small fish on the floor, it had apparently jumped out of the tank just before I had arrived. I put it back in the tank and I've found the prospect of an aquarium intriguing ever since."

"So you bought a fish tank," Hank observed at he looked about the room curiously. "and... that's it?"

"No. I also purchased additional clothing to wear while I'm not at work."

"But you're always at work, that is unless you've been sidelined by an injury." It was then Hank saw a faint blue stain forming on the back of Connor's white t-shirt. Pointing toward the stain Hank brought the android's attention to the fresh blood. "...Speaking of which."

Connor's brow furrowed but when he followed Hank's motion to his back Connor realized he had accidentally pulled open the healing artificial skin covering the cut on his back from the night before. "I have apparently re-opened my wound while carrying the heavy burden of the aquarium into the house."

Hank walked over to Connor and lifted up his shirt to look at it. "It's not bleeding too badly. I'll get one of those fancy android bandages for you."

Pressing his hand over the bleeding wound Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found the damage to be of no consequence.

Returning with the bandage in his hand Hank lightly pressed it against Connor's back and taped it in place. "So, what else are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"You can't just buy a fish tank and some clothes. That's not exactly making this room your own, you know?"

"What else should I buy?" Connor asked as he pulled his shirt back down and sat on the foot of his bed.

"It's not about buying things, Connor." Hank sat beside Connor on the bed and looked over at the brightly colored fish swimming about the new aquarium in a graceful school. "It's about personalizing. This is _your_ room now, so do whatever you want to it."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. Paint the walls, replace the carpet, hang up some pictures..."

Connor nodded a little as he contemplated what Hank was telling him. "I'll take your advice."

The phone that Connor had been given by Markus began to ring as it sat on the table beside his bed. It wasn't often that the phone was used, or really even acknowledged beyond a means of emergency contact as Connor had no reason to call Markus. Connor reached his arm back to pick up the phone and looked at the caller I.D., not that he needed to check see know who was calling him.

"Markus."

"Better answer it." Hank suggested as he rose from the bed to take a quick shower and wake up a little more. "Let me know if it's an emergency or something."

Connor answered the call, but the voice at the other end of the line didn't belong to Markus, it was North.

' _Connor, something's happened. And I need your help_.'

"North... Tell me what's happened."

Ten minutes of tense silence followed the phone call and Connor remained in his bedroom at a loss of what he should do next. As Hank exited the bathroom he spotted Connor standing in room his wearing a complete change of clothes that was similar to the ones he wore on the night he located Jericho. There was a strange look on his face as he slipped on his dark brown leather jacket and turned to look at Hank standing in the doorway.

"Connor, is everything okay?"

"Hank," there was a strange look of fear in the android's eyes that Hank had never seen before. "can you take me over to Mr. Manfred's house? It's important."

"Y-Yeah. Sure. I'll get changed and we'll leave right away."

* * *

The usually warm, gorgeous brick mansion that also housed the studio of the exceptionally talented artist of Carl Manfred seemed somehow dreary as Connor and Hank approached the front door. There was a single dim light glowing out from the window on the top floor, but the rest of the house was dark and quiet. Knocking twice on the front door the two detectives waited for an answer, and they didn't have to wait for long.

North pulled open the door quickly and stepped aside to let the duo enter. "Connor, Hank. Thanks for coming."

"Where's Markus?" Connor asked as he stepped inside the front foyer and looked around curiously.

"Upstairs with Carl. Leo is there, too."

Hank recognized the name and shook his head. "And Leo is Carl's personal redemption story of a deadbeat son. So it must be bad..." The detective could tell by the way North was talking that the end was looming heavily over Carl. "When did it happen?"

"Last night." North replied honestly, her voice very low so as to not disturb Markus who was upstairs with Carl. "The caregiver who had been staying with Carl ever since... Well, whatever! He called New Jericho early this morning and told Markus that Carl's health had begun to decline. They think it's his heart."

"Anything we can do?"

"Help me take care of Markus." North asked sweetly. She glanced over at Connor for a moment as she spoke. "Lucas and the others are going to help take care of things at New Jericho until Markus and I return."

"How can I help?" The sympathy in Connor's voice was as sincere as it was heavy. "You know Markus better than I do."

"Come with me." North took Connor's arm and pulled him toward the staircase. Walking slowly she whispered to Connor for the sake of respect for everyone else in the house as she explained things to the kindhearted android. "Look, you and Markus are the only deviants I know who have positive experiences and friendships with humans. I don't know how to comfort Markus over the impending death. I don't know how to connect with him right now."

"I see..."

North showed Connor to the closed door to Carl's bedroom where the android caregiver was standing idle outside. "If you're ready, go in and see Markus. I'll stay downstairs with Lt. Anderson until... I guess until I'm needed again."

"North." Connor grabbed onto her hand with his as he spoke softly. "You don't need to have a human friend to connect to Markus about this, you just need to empathize with his pain. How would you feel if you lost a friend you truly cared about? The pain is... unimaginable. It doesn't matter if it's the loss of a human or an android."

Unsure of what to say North just squeezed Connors hand as she turned to walk away.

Taking a deep breath Connor nodded at the caretaker android, David, as he stepped through the door leading to the bedroom. The sight that awaited him caused Connor to freeze where he stood as he watched the heart wrenching moment unfold before him.

Markus was sitting on the edge of Carl's bed, sitting at the old man's side with his hand resting over Carl's hand. Tears were streaming down Markus's face as he stared at the peaceful expression on Carl's face as he laid perfectly still on the bed. Standing at the head of the bed was another man that Connor deduced to be Leo, Carl's biological son. Just like Markus sitting beside him Leo was also crying and still had his own hand wrapped around Carl's hand.

Glancing at the cardiac monitor that had Carl's vitals on display Connor saw that everything had ceased, and that the monitor was quiet. It was too late. The brilliant and kindhearted artist was gone.

Carl had evidently passed peacefully in his sleep with Markus and Leo, his two sons, at his side.

"Markus?" Connor called to his friend in a gentle whisper.

Markus shook his head sadly and never looked away from Carl's face. "He's gone."

"I'm so sorry." As he lamented Connor bowed his head slightly and his eyes shut as his L.E.D. transitioned from blue to yellow. "I know how important he... How can I help?"

"Please just... give me some time. I'm not ready to leave him."

"Of course. I'll leave you alone. Take as much time as you need," glancing briefly at Leo's who was standing statuesque Connor acknowledged the grieving human as well. "both of you."

Connor stepped back through the bedroom door and used his sleeve to wipe away a rogue tear that hard formed in his eye. Walking past the David who was still standing loyally outside the door Connor descended the staircase and reunited with Hank and North, who were standing in the foyer quietly waiting for an update.

"Hank," the low tone of Connor's voice was all the detective needed to hear to know what had happened. "Markus and Leo need a moment. Could you call the coroner and inform them of Carl's passing?"

"Yeah, I'll take care of it." Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and stepped through the front door to make the call in private. "I'll make sure they know the family is still present."

Connor stood at the bottom of the stairs, his L.E.D. still yellow and heavy emotion in his brown eyes. North studied him curiously as if she couldn't comprehend how Connor could feel anything toward the now late Carl, as he wasn't close to the man in the same way that Markus was. Not wanting to be disrespectful or cold, North kept her silence and didn't bother to inquire about Connor or Markus's very human reactions to the death.

* * *

It didn't take long for word of the famous artist's passing to circulate through the city. A crowd of nosy reporters and ghoulish gossips had gathered on the front lawn of the property while the authorities properly dealt with the situation professionally and respectfully on behalf of the family and friends to the Manfred family.

Hank did his best to keep the photographers at bay outside while Leo accompanied his father's body to the mortuary. North stayed behind, mainly because she still disdained being around so many humans, and spoke to David, who had been Carl's caregiver for the past six months, to offer him a place at New Jericho if he decided he no longer wished to fulfill the role that the humans had placed on him. Connor on the other hand dared to ascend the staircase one more time to visit with Markus who had refused to leave Carl's bedroom.

Entering the room quietly Connor saw Markus still sitting on the edge of the bed, this time his back was turned toward the door and he was watching with a broken stare through the window as the ambulance escorted Carl's body from the property. Approaching his friend slowly Connor placed his hand on Markus's shoulder lightly to let him know he was there.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Markus huffed as tears continued to fall down his face. A painting that Carl had created was clutched between Markus's hands in a tight, yet careful grip. "Carl... He wasn't just my friend. He was my father!"

Connor sat own on the bed next to Markus while keeping his hand in place and said nothing.

"Even when I was first on my own I always knew that I could rely on Carl if I ever needed help, but now he's gone. I have no one to call on when I need advice, I have no one to speak to when I feel lost, I don't have anyone to call my... dad."

Absolutely clueless as to what he could possibly say to lessen the pain in Markus's heart all Connor could do was lift his hand from Markus's shoulder and wrap his arm around the mourning deviant to pull him closer for a supportive hug. Markus bowed his head as he continued to sob, his tears falling onto the painting still clutched in his hands.

Connor felt tears of his own beginning to fall as he, for reasons couldn't understand, seemed to feel the same horrific pain as Markus.

* * *

North had elected to stay inside the Manfred home with Markus and Leo as the two sons prepared for their late father's funeral. The arrangements had been planned out by Carl himself weeks in advance to spare his surviving family the pain and burden of having to plan the funeral themselves. Though small the emotional reprieve was as appreciated as any support being shown toward Carl's work as an artist, and to all of the charities that Carl had supported throughout his impressive career.

Connor and Hank returned home in a somber mood after enduring such a bleak day. While Hank was already fairly accustomed to attending funerals; one of the darkest drawbacks of being an officer, the entire experience was new to Connor. Sliding open his closet door to examine the new clothing he had recently purchased the always respectful deviant felt uneasy knowing that he didn't have any black dress shirts to wear to the funeral tomorrow.

"Hank? Do you have a shirt I could borrow?" Connor asked from his bedroom while Hank was in the kitchen.

"Sure! Look in the right side of my closet, there should be some smaller sizes that can fit you."

Entering Hank's bedroom Connor slid open the closet door and spotted a half dozen dark shirts that were clearly older than Hank's current attire. Pushing aside two black t-shirts Connor located a black button down dress shirt that would be perfect for the funeral the next day. As he turned to close the closet door Connor's eye caught something glinting on the top shelf of the closet that piqued his curiosity.

Looking closer Connor noted that it was a bottle of alcohol. Scanning the contents Connor identified it as vodka, and the bottle itself had such a thick layer of dust over it that it indicated that no one had touched it in almost six years.

"Must've forgotten about it when he cut down on his drinking." Connor thought aloud, but then a new thought entered his mind.

Hank had been reliant on alcohol to help him deal with the pain caused by the deaths of his loved ones. Could it have the same effect on androids? Grabbing onto the bottle Connor tucked it under the shirt he had selected and returned to his room quietly. Placing the vodka on the top shelf of his own closet Connor sat on the edge of his bed and began checking through his data files for information on 'proper funeral etiquette', but there was no such information already uploaded into his memory banks.

Hank walked by Connor's opened door and for a few seconds stared at the android who was lost deep in thought before addressing him. "You okay? You seem really disturbed about the funeral."

"I've never attended one."

"You're lucky. I've been to far too many in my lifetime."

"What is the appropriate thing to say during such an occasion?"

"That's difficult to explain." Hank confessed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. "There's really no default response or reaction to these types of things, but if you want a little advice it's this: If you're not sure what to say then don't say anything at all."

"Is there... any behavior that should never be displayed?"

"Again Connor, it's not that simple. There's no 'right' or 'wrong' way to mourn someone's death. Some people will display more emotion than others, but it doesn't mean the people who aren't visibly crying or upset aren't torn up on the inside. Everyone expresses their grief in different ways."

"How do-"

"I don't know. There's too many different reactions to explain with a single answer." Hank cut off the question before Connor had a chance to ask it. "But I will tell you this, if it turns out you're one of those people who deals with grief by cracking jokes or making sarcastic comments, then stick by me. I know you won't actually mean anything disrespectful and I'll get you out of there quick."

"Is that common? For someone to make inappropriate jokes at a funeral?"

"In our line of work, yeah. Sometimes a dark sense of humor is the only sense of humor we can still find amusing."

Connor was quiet as he contemplated Hank's advice and proceeded to turn his head to look at the fish swimming about in his new aquarium.

"Tomorrow is going to be a long, exhausting day. Get some sleep, we'll head out together tomorrow morning and be there for Markus as long as he needs us."

"Okay, Hank."

Reaching back to turn off the lamp in his room Connor heard Hank enter his own bedroom and shut the door. Just as his fingers reached the lamp's base the light glinted off the bottle of vodka that Connor had 'confiscated' from Hank's room, and an opportunity presented itself. Turn off the lamp Connor rose from his bed and returned to the closet, his android vision allowing him to see just as well in the dark as he could in any other well lit room.

Taking the bottle from the shelf Connor held it in his hands and blew off the layer of dust to examine the bottle again. It was just over halfway full and the label indicated a proof of one-hundred and seventy-six. Connor's scanner estimated the overall contents to be nearly eighty-eight percent alcohol, very potent.

Carrying the bottle to the kitchen very quietly Connor pulled a shot glass from the cabinet above the stove and sat down at the table. After pouring the first shot Connor calculated how much alcohol his body would be able to handle before it diluted his Thirium to a dangerous level. Due to the high concentration of alcohol in the vodka it wouldn't take very long.

Holding the shot to his lips Connor tilted his head back and downed the potent drink in one gulp.

To the android it tasted better than the whiskey he had once shared with Hank, but it still wasn't as appetizing as he had hoped. Despite understanding that most humans drink to feel 'numb', a part of him still expected it to taste more appealing.

As Connor poured his second shot Sumo wandered into the kitchen from the livingroom and sat beside Connor on the floor next to the table.

"Sorry boy," Connor downed the shot and grimaced slightly. His L.E.D. shifted from blue to yellow as his scanners noted his Thirium level beginning to dilute as the alcohol entered his system. "this is definitely not for canine consumption."

Hank had been asleep for just over an hour when he heard a 'crash' coming from the kitchen and Sumo bark. A bizarre 'shushing' sound followed after the bark and Hank heard Connor muttering something to himself.

"What the hell?"

Heading into the kitchen to investigate the noise Hank found Connor laying on his back on the kitchen floor beside the table with Sumo standing over him.

"Connor?" As Hank turned on the light he spotted the bottle of vodka laying on its side on the table, a good portion of it spilling out onto the table surface. and it didn't take him long to figure out what had was happening. "Are you seriously drinking!?"

Connor didn't answer as he laid in an ethylic coma on the floor, his arm tucked under his head casually.

"Connor?" Hank called again as he pulled Sumo back by his collar and knelt beside the android. Patting the side of Connor's face Hank called his name again in a teasing, sing-songy tone. "Connor?"

When Connor remained unresponsive Hank pulled his hand back and slapped the side of Connor's face with a strong swing and shouted. "Wake up Connor!"

"Oww..." Connor whined as his eyes opened slowly and struggled to focus on Hank's face. "...you hit me."

"Connor, why are you on the floor?"

"I... don't know..." The android pathetically failed to lie. "I... I must've fallen."

"You were drinking, weren't you?"

"...No." Connor slurred as he lifted his head up from his arm, only to fall back down against the floor. "...I'm testing... a theory."

"And what theory is that? Whether or not you can succeed in scaring me to death?"

"Wh-why humans... drink!" Connor's L.E.D. was cycling from red, to yellow, to blue and back again as if even the L.E.D. was feeling effects of the alcohol. "...I still don't... I don't get it."

Hank laughed a little as Connor's usually perfect diction was marred with slurs and delayed speech. "Uh-huh. How much did you drink?"

Slapping his hand down atop the kitchen table Connor slowly, clumsily and awkwardly pulled himself into an upright position on the floor as his hand searched for the bottle of vodka. His fingers gracelessly wrapped around the neck of the bottle and he pulled down from the table as he fell back on the floor again in a graceless heap. Holding the bottle up for Hank to see Connor pointed his finger to where the original amount of the bottle had been before he started drinking.

"...That much!"

Hank snatched the bottle from Connor's hand and read the label. "Shit! If you were human I'd be driving you to the hospital to get your stomach pumped!"

"Wh-why?" Connor slurred again as he let his now empty hand drop to the floor with a heavy 'thud'. "...Is it... It is a part of... tradition?"

"No," putting aside the bottle Hank shook his head slowly. "it's because a human would be suffering from alcohol poisoning."

"Is that-" Connor turned his head to the side and threw-up some of his diluted Thirium as his processor tried to compensate from the unnecessary alcohol in his system.

"Ah, jeez. You drink like a freshman!" Hank complained as he stood up to get a towel from a nearby cabinet to mop up the Thirium.

"...'Zat good?" Connor asked without turning his head away from the blue vomit beside him.

"No, it's _not_ good." Dropping the towel down over the Thirium to clean up the mess Hank reached down and grabbed Connor's arm to hoist the drunken android up to his feet. Draping Connor's arm around his neck Hank dragged his partner to the bathroom to try to sober him up. "You're the last person I ever would've imagined having to sober up, you know that Connor?"

Connor awkwardly balanced as Hank pulled him down the hallway at his side. "What of the... what ab-about the... Pope... guy?"

Hank couldn't stop himself from laughing as he hauled Connor into the bathroom and sat him down on the edge of the bathtub. "Okay Connor, let's see if this little trick works as well on androids as it does on me."

"...T-Trick? Like magic?"

"Yup." Hank pushed Connor backward into the tub, the android flailing a little as he fell into the tub and looked up at Hank with blurry, double vision. Turning on the faucet the shower doused Connor in a sharp blast of cold water.

"Cold!" Connor cried out as the water easily drenched into his clothes and chilled him quickly. "Very cold!"

"Not fun, is it?" Hank commented as he turned off the water and sat on the edge of the tub to look down at his drunken partner. "Connor, what the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I..." Connor's speech was less slurred but his words were still delayed as he spoke. "I wanted to know... if drinking al-alcohol really stops pain."

"Stops _pain_?"

"Thinking about Carl... It makes me sad."

"That's normal Connor, but just because you're sad doesn't mean you have to get black out drunk!"

"Hank... What happens to humans when they... die?"

Hank sighed and pulled a towel from the nearby rack and dropped it on Connor's head. "I don't know, Connor. No one does."

Connor pulled the towel away from his head and gave Hank a desperately sad look. "Hank... When are you going to die?"

"I..." The question had fazed Hank for only a moment before he reached back down for the towel and placed it back down on Connor's head. "I don't know. Could be tonight, could be tomorrow, could be fifty years from now."

Connor suddenly scrambled awkwardly onto his knees as he frenziedly wrapped his arms around Hank's chest and held the detective in a very uncomfortable hug as his cold, wet clothes soaked into Hank's dry clothes.

"I don't want you to die, Hank!"

"I'm not-" Hank's first instinct was to push Connor away, but he was afraid that the inebriated android might hurt himself physically or have an emotional breakdown. "Connor, it's going to be okay."

"Carl died, now Markus doesn't have his father!" Connor practically whined as he held tightly onto Hank. "I don't want to lose _my_ father, too..."

Hank didn't know what to say to Connor's emotional outburst. Whether it was truly how Connor felt, or if it was the result of his drunken state of mind, Hank couldn't be sure. Picking up the towel again Hank rubbed it over Connor's wet hair for a few seconds before he dropped it back into the tub.

"Come on, son. You need to sober up." Hank tried to stand up but Connor wasn't letting him go. "Aw man, you're a 'cuddly drunk'." The detective complained as he put his hand on Connor's back in a supporting manner. "Connor, take it easy."

"...I'm sorry..." He drunkenly sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you just need to let me stand up. You said before that alcohol messes with your Thirium, right?"

Connor nodded silently 'yes'.

"I'm going to get you into your bed and then I'm going to bring you some Thirium to drink."

Hank had to pry Connor's arms from around his waist before he could stand up again. As soon as he was back on his feet Hank grabbed onto Connor's arms and pulled the android out of the bathtub and steadied his partner as he led Connor into his bedroom just across the hallway. Connor allowed Hank to drag him into the bedroom and was practically unconscious by the time Hank had brought him over to his bed.

"Connor?" Hank sat Connor down on the bed and guided him back until he was laying down.

No reply.

"Okay, we'll get you some Thirium in the morning." Leaning down to make sure Connor's L.E.D. was still glowing and that the android was still breathing Hank took a hold of the quilt at the end of the bed and pulled it up over Connor to his chest. "Tomorrow is going to be rough."

* * *

Connor was rudely awoken by Hank dropping clothes on his head while he was still in bed. As soon as Connor's systems rebooted a sharp pain in his head, tightness in his stomach and flash of red warnings appeared over his visual sensors stunned his every movement.

"Ow..." Pressing his hand to the side of hie aching head Connor tried to process what was happening to him. "...I don't feel well."

"Wake up, Connor." Hank stated loudly as he grabbed onto Connor's hand and shoved a bottle of Thirium into his grip. "You have twenty minutes to get changed. I'll be in the car waiting for you."

"...What? Why?"

"The funeral." Hank reminded the hungover android in firm, but non-aggressive tone. "We need to go and support Markus."

"Oh... I remember now." Connor propped himself upright in his bed against his elbows, the clothes falling onto his chest and lap in the process. "...Hank, did I do something... foolish last night?"

"Don't worry about it, I'll explain things in the car. Just get changed."

* * *

After stumbling out of the house and over to the car Connor clumsily pulled open his door and sat down heavily in the front seat beside Hank who was already sitting behind the wheel. The two detectives were wearing all black, and Hank even took the time to comb his long hair back out of his face. As the duo left the neighborhood to go to the appointed church for the funeral service the android let out a tired sigh and a subtle shake of the head.

Connor was still in pain, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. "...I think I know what you meant that night you were hungover, and I sobered you up..."

"Feels like there's a drill in your skull?"

Connor nodded once and immediately regretted the motion.

"Did you drink that Thirium I gave you?" Hank asked as he stopped at a red light.

"...Yes."

"Did it help?"

"To an extent." Connor revealed a second bottle of Thirium tucked under his black jacket. "My Thirium level was dangerously diluted. If I had continued to drink that alcohol I would've gone into shutdown."

"Good thing you passed out." Hank commented as he watched Connor readily drink the Thirium in his hand. "Are you going to do that again?"

"No." Connor answered quickly and gave Hank a serious stare. "I won't ever drink to excess ever again."

"Glad to hear it. I already poured out the rest of the vodka, anyway."

"Thanks..."

"After I cleaned up your puke."

"Sorry..." Connor finished the Thirium and waited for his system to cycle a few times before he took a third pouch from his jacket. "I promise I won't do that again."

"It's okay Connor. Just work on getting your Thirium level back up, we'll talk about this later."

* * *

The funeral was a surprisingly beautiful affair with dozens of family members and friends to the artist in attendance. Hundreds of other mourners, fans of Carl's work, respectfully waited outside the cemetery for the family to depart before entering to pay their respects to the fallen artist. The sky was bright blue with dark gray clouds that perfectly reflected the dark melancholy being shown toward a beautifully bright person.

Connor and Hank sat behind Markus, Leo and North in the front row during the service. As the pastor spoke Connor found his words of comfort regarding the love of a father to his child especially moving and couldn't stop himself from thinking about what his life would be like after Hank passed away.

"Relax kid." Hank whispered in a barely audible voice to the android as he could sense Connor's tension. "Everything will be okay."

As Carl was laid to rest the mourners departed one by one after leaving behind white lilies to represent their sorrow and their respect atop Carl's ebony black coffin. The group thinned and dispersed until only Markus, Leo, North, Connor and Hank remained as the final mourners.

Markus held North's hand as he and Leo stood beside the coffin and placed their lilies down out of respect for Carl.

Hank subtly nudged Connor in the ribs and motioned for him to go speak to Markus.

"Markus." Connor approached his friend and offered him his sincerest condolences. "I'm truly sorry. If you need anything from me just call. I'll be there to watch your back."

"Thanks, Connor." Markus nodded appreciatively as his handed tightened around North's hand. "I'm, uh, I'm glad you came. It's nice to have a friend here."

"Of course." Forcing a smile to his face Connor tried to feign a positive demeanor, but it was a futile endeavor. "Do you need me to do anything?"

"No, no. We're going to stay here a little while longer, then head back to the house. There's a few things we need to take care of."

Nodding slowly Connor stepped back and walked toward Hank, who was waiting beside the car. The detective could see that Connor was still upset about the whole prospect of humans dying and knew that there would be a very tense, but necessary discussion once they got back to the house.

"Come on, son. There's nothing more for you to do here." Draping his arm around Connor's shoulders Hank led the empathetic android back to the car. "Let's go home."

* * *

The two detectives returned home and removed the dark clothes from the funeral and replaced them with their more casual, comfortable attire as they each processed the events of the day in their own unique ways. While Hank resorted to keeping his true feelings to himself, Connor tried to analyze his emotions to pull out a logical explanation to give him a sense of guidance. But it was a difficult ongoing process for the empathetic android.

Connor was sitting on the edge of his bed watching his aquarium intently as the bright blue, red and green fish swam about in a graceful underwater dance together. There was something soothing, if not hypnotic about seeing the peaceful creatures co-existing in a serene environment of clear water and dark green vegetation.

Hank walked into Connor's room and sat beside him on the bed. "How's your hangover?"

"Gone."

There was a pregnant pause as Hank pushed himself out of his normal comfort zone for Connor's sake. "Want to talk?"

"About what?"

"About the funeral. About Markus. Maybe even about death."

"No, I... I've come to terms with the fact that in the end all life must cease to exist." Connor looked at his reflection on the aquarium. "Including my own."

"Existential crises aren't all that uncommon after attending funerals, kid. That's why this death in particular is upsetting you so much, Connor." Hank cleared his throat before he continued. "We've both witnessed death firsthand while on the job, but our training tells us to separate our personal feelings from the victims and focus on the cause behind their deaths. For us to actually sit back and think about the inevitably of death is going to be a heavy burden when the time comes."

"This is true."

"And Carl was a good guy. That makes his death even harder to accept. Especially since he was Markus's father."

"Hank," Connor turned his head to look at the detective sitting beside him. "are you afraid to die?"

"...I used to be back when I was still young. But time changes us all, and it's usually for the best." Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he stood up from the bed and headed toward the door. "You ARE alive, son, but don't be afraid of death. It'll make you afraid to live your life, okay?"

"Okay, Hank."

"Good."

Connor watched Hank walk out of the room before he returned his gaze to his aquarium. Staring past the fish Connor focused in on his own reflection in the glass once more.

"I am alive." Sighing once Connor closed his eyes and mentally steeled himself against the flood of emotion that had been threatening to break through his mind all day. "I am _still_ alive. I won't let fear hold me back."

_**...next story...** _


	48. Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Child birth. Nothing graphic, but if you're squeamish you may want to skip!!

A heavy rainstorm soaked the entire city on a cold spring night in Detroit. Connor and Hank had finished their evening shift after clocking in six additional hours of unwanted overtime as a means of covering the shifts of the other officers who had called in ill with the flu for the past four days. Exhausted from work and eager to get away from the city, Hank drove through the streets at a steady pace while Connor monitored the weather with his internal scanner and his incredibly accurate G.P.S. through cybernetic updates.

"Give me some good news, Connor." Hank pleaded as he drove down the partially flooded streets. "Tell me this storm is going to let up and we won't have to worry about blackouts."

"Sorry Hank, the storm front is holding its course."

"Damn."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as an emergency report was filed. "There is an autonomous taxi broken down two streets away with a single stranded passenger."

"Since when did rain strand someone in a car?"

There was a pause as Connor received more information on the situation at hand. "The passenger in question is pregnant and in labor."

"Ah, shit." Hank swore as he stopped at the end of the street and prepared to turn in the appropriate direction. "Which way?"

"Turn left."

Hank followed Connor's directions and located the disabled taxi alongside the road. While autonomous vehicles had proven very useful to people who needed a late night ride home or a designated driver, the vehicles still had flaws. Such as suffering from flat tires without a driver to change them, or battery failures with no one driving about to offer a jumpstart.

"Go ahead and inform dispatch we're on the scene." Hank instructed as he climbed out of his car parked behind the taxi and went to check on the woman.

Connor obediently relayed the information cybernetically and had received an update regarding the paramedics currently en route as well.

Joining Hank at the taxi Connor watched as the detective spoke calmly to the woman and showed her his badge to reassure her that he was there to help. The woman in question was very young, only nineteen years of age, and was deep into active labor. Frightened and alone she was crying in fear, pain and near panic from the taxi breaking down leaving her stranded without any help nearby.

"What's your name?" Hank asked her in a very calm voice. The way spoke to her you'd think he was a friend or a member of her family. "As you already know I'm Hank, and this is Connor." Motioning toward the android now standing behind with a thumb over his shoulder Hank made sure she knew they were both there to help her. "He's my partner."

The woman panted through a contraction before she answered nervously. "I'm D-Dana." She let Hank gently move her on the seat so her back was pressed against the cab door and her legs were stretched out over the long seat toward Hank.

"How long have you been in labor, Dana?" Hank asked as he took off his heavy coat and draped it over Dana's legs.

"All day." She panted and ran a hand through her sweaty blonde hair. "No one came to the apartment to get me when it started. My friends aren't the most reliable people..."

"Jerks." Hank muttered under his breath. "Where's your family?"

"Foster care. Don't have one."

"The baby's father?"

"My boyfriend was killed in a car accident four months ago." She suddenly let out a groan of pain as she endured another contraction.

"Keep breathing." The calm detective instructed as he gently lifted Dana's legs up until her knees were bent. "Connor, where's the ambulance?"

Wisely Connor pulled on Hank's shoulder to pull him out of the backseat for a moment. "I received an update after I reported to dispatch. The ambulance is six blocks away and obstructed by a downed power pole."

"Great, guess that means we have to take care of this ourselves." Hank rolled up the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbow and knelt down in the backseat again. Pointing over his shoulder with his thumb back to the car he gave Connor a new task. "Get the first aid kit and emergency blanket out of the trunk for me."

Connor was unsure of what Hank meant when he said they'd take care of the situation, but he didn't question it. Returning to the car Connor popped open the trunk and heard Dana yelling from the backseat in mounting pain as her labor continued to progress quickly.

"Easy, easy." Hank soothed as let Dana squeeze his hand. "I need to check you, alright?"

Dana nodded quickly as she breathed deeply and let it out slowly, in a rhythmic pattern to help take the edge off the pain.

Hank carefully pushed back Dana's skirt to check her progress and saw that Dana was ready to deliver. There was no waiting for the ambulance or the paramedics, the baby was going to born. NOW.

Connor returned to the taxi with the first aid kit and blanket in his hands. "Here's what you asked for."

"Thanks." Opening the kit Hank took out a pair of sterile gloves and slipped them over his hands, right first and then the left, then opened the plastic wrapped around the blanket before smoothing it down beneath Dana's legs. Placing the first aid kit on the top of the backseat he set to work focusing solely on Dana and her unborn child. "Connor, get in the backseat and get behind her. When she pushes you support her, it'll make things a lot easier."

"Hank?"

"Go on, go. The ambulance isn't going to get here in time."

As Dana let out another cry of pain Connor responded quickly and walked around the other side of the taxi. Carefully he pulled open the door and pressed his hands against her shoulders as he knelt down behind her just as Hank had instructed. Dana quickly reached her hand back and grabbed onto Connor's hand as she breathed through another contraction and Hank prepared to receive the child.

"Alright Dana, your body already knows what to do. So when you feel the need to push, you push for as along and as hard as you can, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah..." She panted as she began crushing Connor's hand in her tightening grip. "H-Have you done this before?!"

"Yup, this will be the ninth time. Just like riding a bike." Hank smiled to help Dana remain as calm as possible. "Ready?"

Dana nodded again as another contraction started and she bore down as hard as she could. Dana pushed and panted her breath as she followed her natural instincts and prepared to deliver her first child. Connor watched in silent awe as he had never witnessed childbirth before. As Dana squeezed his hand he instinctively squeezed back as the unexpected miracle of life transpired before him.

"You're doing just fine." Hank stated as he put his hand beneath the newborn's head lightly to help guide the baby out and into the world. "Almost there..."

Connor braced himself as Dana pushed again using the android for support as she finally gave birth in the backseat of the taxi.

"Okay, that's it!" Hank announced as he held the squirming newborn in his hands. Reaching into the first aid kit he took a small rubber suction pump and used it to clear the newborn's airways and tied off the cord. "Just gotta' take care of a few things first..."

"Is it... o-okay?" Dana asked in a deeply exhausted voice as she fell back entirely against Connor.

Connor supported her weight against himself and continued to hold onto her hand.

The newborn started to cry as Hank swaddled it in the blanket and held it in his hands. "She's fine."

"...She?" Dana smiled, then her eyes closed as she lost consciousness.

Connor pressed his fingers against the side of Dana's neck and felt her thready, rapid pulse beneath his fingertips. "Hank?"

"She's bleeding heavily." Hank stated sternly as he checked on her once more. "Connor, hold onto the baby and keep her warm while I take care of Dana."

"How do I-" Hank passed the crying newborn over Dana's head and into Connor's arms as he shifted his position to let Dana resting against his chest. Cradling the small baby in his arms, her head and neck supported against his bicep, Connor remained as still as possible. "...Like this?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Hank gently put his hand beneath Dana's neck and shoulder to lift her from Connor's chest and pull her down until she was laying flat across the backseat.

"Connor, where's the ambulance?" Hank asked as he began tending to Dana and motioned for Connor to step out of the taxi to give him room.

As Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow the android received an update on the ambulance as he held the newborn against his chest. He pulled the fabric of his gray jacket around the swaddled infant to shield her from the cold rain. "The ambulance is two blocks away."

In the distance the sound of blaring sirens began to grow in volume as red and blue flashing lights illuminated the streets brightly.

Connor stepped around to the other side of the taxi near Hank as he continued to protect the infant from the biting cold and hold the crying child against his chest. Looking down at the small crying face of the incredibly tiny human Connor felt a strange sense of warmth wash over him.

The ambulance pulled up alongside the street in front of the taxi and the two paramedics jumped out the back to tend to Dana who was unconscious in the backseat in front of Hank.

As Hank stepped away to give the paramedics room to work he checked on the newborn in Connor's arms, and waved over one of the paramedics to take charge over the newborn as he removed the dirtied gloves from his hands. Slinging his dark coat back over his arms Hank watched as the paramedic managed to revive Dana and stopped the bleeding.

Connor carefully slipped the infant into the arms of the paramedic and watched as the baby was placed just as gently in Dana's arms after the new mother was placed onto the gurney to be loaded into the back of the ambulance.

"Alright Connor, the paramedics will take it from here." Hank stated firmly as he walked back to the car. "You handled that well."

"Handled what well?" Connor asked as he followed after Hank and joined him in the car.

"Most people tend to freak out when it comes to childbirth, but you kept your cool and helped Dana in the process."

"I wasn't unsettled by the act of childbirth, I actually found it... amazing." Connor was still in awe at his latest experience. "It was like I witnessing life itself, and it was beautiful."

Hank gave Connor an approving grin as he pulled the car back along the street to head for home. "It is. The first time I had to deliver a baby I was as scared as the mother, but I managed to get through it with my partner's help. It was a little boy, and he has be sixteen by now."

"I never knew humans were so tiny when they are born." Connor observed with an inquisitive stare. "It's almost frightening how defenseless human infants truly are."

"That's exactly how I felt the first time I held Cole in my arms. It really is a miracle, you know? If one little thing goes wrong, then everything will go wrong. And the fact that so many humans are walking this planet right at this moment is something truly cosmic."

Connor's L.E.D. finally transitioned back to blue from yellow as they neared the house. "Too bad the creation of androids isn't as miraculous. It's just... routine."

"You and the other androids are a form of intelligent life that had only recently begun walking the streets in the past eighteen years. I'd say that's pretty miraculous. Don't sell yourself short, son."

_**...next story...** _


	49. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*Concussion portion) Prompted by: Pinxku

Keeping his gun drawn before him Connor crept through the dark parking garage in pursuit of the fleeing suspect. Hank, also in pursuit, was creeping between the cars one floor below Connor in an attempt to head the criminal off before he disappeared into the night. As Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow, his sensors indicating movement nearby, he paused in place and listened very carefully

A burst of movement in front of Connor held his attention as the suspect, who had hidden himself behind a parked car, maneuvered in such a way he was able to run up behind the android and strike him in the head across his L.E.D. rendering the oblivious android unconscious in a matter of seconds. Connor fell face first onto the garage floor as a puddle of blue blood began to collect under his head. Thirium leaked from a deep laceration against his right temple unchecked as Connor succumbed to unconsciousness.

Carefully patrolling the garage Hank caught sight of the suspect running through the garage away from Connor's body, his own gun still in his hand.

"FREEZE." Hank commanded as he cut off the suspect's path and aimed his gun. "Detroit Police. DROP THE GUN."

Wisely the suspect dropped the gun and held his hands in the air to surrender.

"On your knees." Hank ordered as he approached with his gun still drawn. Pulling on the cuffs attached to the back of his belt Hank handcuffed the suspects hands behind his back and hauled him up to his feet. Keeping one hand on the suspect's shoulder Hank used his other hand to radio dispatch and confirmed the arrest. "Suspect in custody. Send a unit to my location."

Leading the suspect outside of the garage Hank kept a firm grip on the man's shoulder and happily turned him over to Gavin and Chris as they arrived as requested.

"Here's your man, Chris." Hank announced as he let the officer lead the suspect away. "I'm going to go find Connor and meet you back at the precinct."

"No problem, Lieutenant."

Returning to the parking garage Hank looked around for Connor while also calling out for his partner to get his attention. "Connor, I got him. Let's go."

There was no answer, and no sign of Connor.

Walking up to the next floor where he knew Connor had been searching Hank called out again. "Connor? Where are you?"

A groan of pain caught Hank's attention as it emanated from between two large parked cars a few feet away. Rushing toward the sound Hank caught sight of Connor resting on his knees with his hand pressed against the bleeding injury to the right side of his head.

"Connor!" Hank ran over to Connor and knelt down beside his partner. Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank supported the wounded android as he spoke to him calmly. "Connor, what happened? Hey, look at me."

Slowly Connor lifted his gaze from the floor of the garage and looked at Hank. Blue blood was smeared against the side of his face, and the palm of his hand as it rested over top the injury.

"Connor? Are you okay?"

Instead of answering Connor just stared at Hank's face confusedly and lowered his hand from his head. "I'm... I'm damaged."

"Let me see." Hank put his hand under Connor's chin to turn the android's head to the side. "Man, he got you good. As soon as we're back to the precinct Joel is going to check you over, alright?"

"...Joel?"

"Yeah, the precinct technician. Remember?"

"I..." Connor's hand returned to the still bleeding wound as he fought to fully access his compromised memory banks. "I know the name. And you... you're Hank."

"That's right. Come on, let's get out of here and get you patched up."

* * *

Connor was sitting upright on the exam table of the precinct dispensary as Joel checked carefully Connor's eyes with a penlight. The android's pupils reacted to the light, but slower than usual as his visual processors were temporarily stunted by the damage he had suffered to his head. With a simple application of an android special bandage to the bleeding cut the Thirium leak stopped and the artificial skin began it's very slow regeneration cycle to cover up the injury.

"Connor, follow my finger with your eyes." Joel held up his right index finger and moved it slowly from side to side, and then up and down, as he watched Connor's brown irises successfully, but groggily track his finger. "...Good."

Hank watched curiously as the technician completed the exam. "How's he looking?"

"Well Lieutenant," Joel pocketed the penlight and checked the yellow blinking L.E.D. in Connor's temple, as well as the bandage over the wound. "Connor has suffered a concussion."

"You're shittin' me."

"Nope. That blow to the head has compromised his memory banks as well as the connection between his primary sensory units. His self-healing program is functioning, but until Connor enters rest mode it'll only be able to repair the laceration to his head and not any of the internal systems."

"And why's that?"

"Because while he's awake he's constantly using them." Joel replied curtly as he lowered his hand. "Take him home and let him rest. If his systems aren't back to one-hundred percent in two days then take him to a facility to have another technician run a more thorough diagnostic on his skull."

"And that's it?"

"Unfortunately, no. Since he's suffered a blow to the head you're going to have to keep an eye on him like you would a human who's been concussed. Just keep checking in on him every so often until his L.E.D. turns blue. Once that happens that means he's out of the woods and can resume his normal routine, but to a lesser degree until his systems are fully healed."

"If it's not blue?"

"Yellow isn't serious," the technician clarified coolly. "but red means he's getting worse. If his L.E.D. turns red get him to a technician as soon as you can."

"Sounds like a fun night for both of us." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder to get the dazed android's attention. "Come on Connor. Time to go."

Connor looked back at Hank over his shoulder with a confused expression. "Go?"

"Home. You're done for the day."

"Okay..." Connor put his hand to his aching head and let Hank guide him out of the dispensary. "Do you know where home is?"

"...Yeah. I do. Don't worry kid, I'll help ya' out."

* * *

Hank had to remind Connor how to fasten his seatbelt during the drive home, and then had to remind him to _un_ fasten the seatbelt again before he could get out of the car. It wasn't the first time Hank had to babysit a concussed cop, but it was the first time he had to watch over a concussed android. Leading Connor inside the house he waited patiently for Connor to finish petting Sumo, the act itself seemed to be the only thing the android reflexively remembered how to do, and then directed him to the hallway to lay down.

"Okay, you need to rest now." Hank patted Connor's shoulder and guided him down the hall and into his bedroom. As Connor sat down on the edge of the bed Hank pulled the gray jacket from the android's arms, then slipped off his tie. "Do you know where you are?"

"This is... home."

"Right." Hank gently pushed Connor back until he was resting his head against the thick fluffy pillow on the bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Connor without jostling him Hank untied the android's shoes and placed them on the floor. "And you're going to stay here and get some sleep until you can heal."

"Heal... That's right, I was attacked in the parking garage."

"You remember the attack?"

"Yes... I was struck from behind."

"Well, don't worry. We got him."

"Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"What day is today?"

"It's Tuesday, kid. And we have the next two days off." Pulling the quilt up over Connor's chest Hank turned off the lights and walked out of the room. "Go into rest mode and let yourself heal."

"Okay, Hank."

From the doorway Hank watched as Connor's yellow tinted L.E.D. glowed brightly in the darkness and began pulsing at a slower rate as he slipped into rest mode. Noting the time on his phone Hank prepared for his hourly checks on the android throughout the night until he was certain Connor was on the mend.

"I hate head injuries." Hank grimaced as he patted his leg and called out Sumo. Rubbing the dog's ears a few times Hank led the dog into Connor's bedroom and lightly patted the foot of the bed. As Sumo jumped up slowly he cuddled up against Connor's leg and went to sleep as well. "Help me keep an eye on him, boy. I'm getting too old for these kinds of games."

Careful not to rouse Connor from his rest mode during his hourly checks Hank walked into the bedroom and observed the android's L.E.D. silently, only to see that it was still pulsing steadily in yellow. It remained in such a state for the first six hours of Hank's watch, but on the seventh hour Connor's L.E.D. had finally shifted back into blue.

"Connor?" Hank shook Connor's shoulder lightly to get his attention without startling him. "Wake up for me for a moment."

Connor's brown irises opened slowly and focused on Hank's face. "Hank. Is something wrong?"

"I need to check something. What's my rank?"

"...You're a Lieutenant."

"And what day is it?"

Connor checked his internal clock and noted the time. "Five fourteen a.m., Wednesday morning."

"And what's my dog's name?"

"Sumo." Connor gave Hank an odd look. "I don't understand. Why you're asking me these questions?"

"Just checking your memory, that's all. Go back into rest mode and let your healing program finish up."

"Are you worried that my concussion is more serious than Joel stated?"

Hank smiled a little. "No, I was worried that you wouldn't heal as quickly as we all hoped."

"Sorry for worrying you, Hank. I should've been more careful."

"Don't apologize for getting hurt. Just take the time to heal and don't push yourself, okay?" Hank walked out of the bedroom and entered the hallway. "I'll see you in the morning. Let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks for looking out me, Hank."

"You're welcome, kid."

Connor closed his eyes and ran a self-diagnostic on his processors. Systems were functioning at ninety-two percent capacity, and increasing to one-hundred percent optimal levels. Noticing Sumo laying next to him Connor placed his hand down on the fluffy dog's head affectionately.

"Thanks for looking out for me too, boy."

* * *

It was almost noon when Connor's systems fully rebooted. The concussion he had suffered the evening before had been repairing significantly by his self-healing program during the night, but he was still suffering mild effects from the damage to his head. A mild headache and delays in his visual sensors to name a few.

Sitting upright on his bed Connor looked about his bedroom and noted that Sumo was gone. He then realized that Hank had removed his gray jacket, his tie and his shoes, his white dress shirt and his jeans were still on.

"I remember Hank stating we have today, which is Wednesday, and tomorrow off from work." Connor closed his eyes as he checked his memory banks for accuracy in the details, and so far everything was lining up. "It's eleven fifty-two a.m. Hank is most likely still sleeping due to his inconsistent sleep schedule from checking in on me."

Rising from his bed Connor stopped beside the aquarium and watched the fish inside swim about for a few seconds before he sprinkled a perfectly calculated amount of fish flakes into the surface of the water. Walking over to his closet Connor slid open the door and slipped off his white shirt and his jeans to be hung up, and placed his shoes that were left beside the bed inside the closet until he needed to report back to work.

Being an android meant he didn't have to do any laundry unless his clothing had gotten dirty while in the line of work. Since Connor rarely had any clothes in the wash taking up space or wasting water, Hank didn't mind if the android wore the same clothes everyday at work. But he did mind if Connor wore the same clothes when there was dirt or blood stains on the fabric.

Pulling a white t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants from the drawer neatly tucked against the left side of the closet Connor changed into more casual attire before exiting his bedroom in search of the detective. Quietly Connor pushed open Hank's bedroom door and peered inside the room, but Hank wasn't laying in his bed.

"Hank?"

Leaving the bedroom door open Connor slowly turned around to walk down the hallway without affecting his already damaged visual sensors in the process. As he walked through the house Sumo ran up and greeted the android with a prompt wet nose against his hand. Connor rubbed at the dog's ears as he continued to pass through the livingroom and into the kitchen to locate Hank, but the detective wasn't anywhere to be seen. Curious Connor walked over to the kitchen window and peered outside and saw that the car was still parked in the drive.

"That's unusual. Where's Hank?"

A sudden sound of retching and coughing resonated from the bathroom down the hallway and caused Connor's L.E.D. to flash to yellow in response.

"Hank?"

Connor went to investigate the noise with Sumo on his heels as he knocked on the closed bathroom door. There was no answer from Hank as the distressed sound continued on.

"Hank, are you ill?" Connor dumbly asked as he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open slowly. Sure enough Connor spotted Hank kneeling in front of the toilet as he continued to throw up and spit the foul taste from his mouth into the basin. "Hank..." Connor put one hand on Hank's shoulder and pressed his other hand against Hank's too warm forehead. "How long have you been sick?"

Hank spit again before he answered. "...Started a few minutes ago."

"You have a fever." Connor noted, his L.E.D. continued to blink yellow as the highly attuned sensors in his hand cybernetically relayed Hank's current vital signs to his processors in favor of using his damaged visual scanner. "Your heart rate is also elevated."

"Yeah..." Hank fell back onto his hip on the cold linoleum floor of the bathroom away from Connor's hand. "Not surprised."

"Nine officers had recently reported ill at the precinct and called off their shifts." Connor stated with a certainty to his voice as he noted Hank's unusually pale complexion and the dark circles under his eyes. "Your exposure to their proximity and being in the cold rain three nights prior when you aided the stranded woman in labor must've left you vulnerable to influenza."

"Not the first time..." Hank pressed his hand to the side of his head as he leaned back against the cool bathtub behind him. "...won't be the last."

"Do you have a headache?"

"Yup. How about you?"

"Same." The android admitted.

Taking a washcloth from the shelf beside the sink Connor turned on the tap and soaked the washcloth in warm water. After wringing out the excess water Connor slowly knelt down beside Hank and gently wiped the washcloth against Hank's pale face to wash away the sweat and traces of vomit from the ill detective's mouth and chin.

Hank lightly pushed away Connor's hand, although he was appreciative of the gesture. "...I'm alright."

"Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Putting his hand back against the edge of the bathtub Hank slowly pushed himself upright from the floor only to sit back down on the edge of tub as his head began to swim. Connor dropped the washcloth down into the sink and sat beside Hank on the edge of the tub. Taking the detective's arm Connor pulled the limb around his neck before wrapping his own arm carefully around Hank's waist.

"Try again." Standing up together Connor guided Hank out of the bathroom and down the hallway into Hank's bedroom. "I'll get you some medication to bring down your fever."

"I'll be fine, Connor." Hank's voice was heavy with exhaustion as Connor sat him down on the edge of his bed. "You're the one with the head injury."

Connor stood upright and ran a self-diagnostic. "My systems are functioning at ninety-seven percent capacity. I'm healing at a rapid pace."

"But a concussion takes priority over a little flu."

"I'll be back in a moment." The android insisted as he continued to prioritize Hank over himself. "You'll need water as well to remain hydrated."

Hank watched as Connor left the bedroom and returned to the bathroom. The sound of running water in the sink filled the air as the 'clink' of the medicine cabinet opening and closing echoed briefly back down the hallway. Connor returned to the bedroom with a glass of water, two pills and another washcloth in his hands.

"Take these." Connor waited for Hank to extend his opened hand before dropping the pills into his palm. As Hank placed the pills in his mouth Connor then handed him the glass of water. "You may have suffered a mild degree of dehydration due to your vomiting spell."

"I'm fine." Hank reiterated as he drank some of the water and put the glass down on the table beside his bed. "You need to take it easy until you're back to one-hundred percent, got it?"

"I understand, Hank." Connor pushed Hank back by the shoulder until he was laying flat on the bed. Smoothing the cold washcloth over Hank's forehead Connor picked up Hank's wrist to count the detective's pulse. "But I will not remain idle while you're ill."

"Even with a blow to the head you're just as stubborn ever."

I'm not stubborn." Letting go of Hank's wrist Connor gave the equally (not) stubborn detective a faint grin. "I will make you something to eat."

"I don't like the idea of you messing around in the kitchen without 'adult supervision', right now."

"I'll be careful." Connor replied casually as he exited the bedroom and walked down the hallway out of sight.

Sumo follow Connor into the kitchen with his tail wagging happily.

Hank closed his eyes and let out a weary sigh as he tried to sleep through the horrible nausea still lingering in his stomach. It was the first time in a long time that Hank had someone in his life willing to take care of him when he was sick. Even though Connor had helped him numerous times in the past it was still a strange feeling to have someone care about him after all the years of self-imposed isolation that Hank had put himself through.

Connor set about the kitchen in an attempt to make something that wouldn't upset Hank's stomach, but in the process his visual processors and his gyroscope glitched and left him temporarily dizzy. Using the nearby kitchen counter to steady himself Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as his healing program recalibrated his gyroscopic input to re-synchronize with his visual sensor.

"Perhaps Hank is correct." Connor admitted as he realized that if his vision cut out he might accidentally put himself in danger. "I shouldn't be alone, and Hank can't be alone either."

Despite the damage to his memory banks still being corrected Connor did remember that during one his recent admissions to the Android Emergency Care Facility that a technician had given Hank her card in the event they needed an emergency consultation.

"We should have a second opinion from an unbiased colleague."

Isolating the business card that Hank had slipped into the plastic case of the android first aid kit in the livingroom, Connor cybernetically dialed the number to request assistance at the house. A female receptionist answered the call and responded accordingly.

"I just hope Hank doesn't mind another person coming over to the house while he is ill."

* * *

After sleeping for almost an hour Hank was awoken gently by a very soft, cool hand pressing against the side of his face. Opening his blue eyes slowly he locked eyes with someone unexpected, but familiar all the same.

"What the hell?"

"Hi Hank." Abby, the technician who had helped to save Connor's life on more than one occasion was kneeling beside Hank's bed and giving him a kind glance. Sumo was sitting beside her with his chin resting on her arm as if he were trying to help her. "You look like crap."

Hank laughed at her comment as he pushed her hand away. "I feel like crap. Why are you here?"

"Connor called." Abby explained coolly as she watched Hank's eyes studying her. "He told me about his concussion and about how you were ill, and wanted a little help."

"Is he alright?" Hank asked somewhat alarmed.

"He's fine. He's in the kitchen."

"Is the _kitchen_ alright?"

"A little messy, but it's not on fire or anything."

"Good. The kid's a magnet for trouble, I swear..."

Abby sat on the edge of Hank's bed and stared down at him. "I was expecting to find you unconscious in a pool of your own sweat or something when Connor called. But it looks like you're already over the worst of it."

"You work on androids _and_ humans?"

"Before I was an android technician I worked as an E.M.S. in Chicago. I found dealing with androids less stressful than people."

"I think it depends on the android."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Abby checked the washcloth over Hank's forehead pulled it away to gauge his current fever. "Connor's going to be okay, I left two bottles of extra Thirium on the counter in case of an emergency. Do you want me to talk to him? Let him know that you're going to be okay, too?"

"Thanks, but I can handle it. He's just..."

"Naive?"

"No. Sometimes I think he's too empathetic for his own good. Makes him worry whenever I'm even a little sick or hurt."

"Could be worse. He could be too apathetic, or still a machine."

"Yeah," Hank remembered the first time he met Connor and compared the android's personality from then and now. Now was better. "don't I know it."

* * *

Connor was sitting in the chair at the kitchen table in the throes of another self-diagnostic when Abby approached him and sat in the chair across the table. Her presence pulled Connor away from the diagnostic and back into the real world around him. It was a relief to know that someone else was in the house and able to check on Hank while Connor himself was still injured.

"How's Hank?"

"Connor," Abby reached out and put her hand on his arm gently. "you don't have to be concerned about Hank's health."

"I..." Connor wasn't so sure considering how rough Hank's health had been when they first started working together. "Before I met him-"

"Yeah, I know." Abby patted his arm kindly in turn. "Hank told me about it."

"Humans can't undo years worth of damage to their bodies in just a few months."

"You're right, they can't. But considering he stopped drinking almost entirely because of you, and managed to do it in a few months and keep on track for nine months, is very impressive."

"Then why do I still worry about it?"

"Because you care. That's why you've been helping him, why you've taken the time to make him some soup and why you called me. Hank will be okay, even if he won't admit how he's truly feeling I can assure you that he is making progress."

Connor nodded a little as he understood what Abby was telling him.

"Now, what I want you to do is bring Hank his soup then go lay down and enter rest mode for two hours. As long as you _both_ rest you'll be able to go back to work in two days."

"Okay. Thank you for helping us today, Abby. I appreciate your assistance."

"Sure. I'm just glad when I got the call it didn't revolve around you for once."

Connor gave her an odd look from where he sat.

"Don't get me wrong, Connor, I like you. That's why I don't want to see you hurt. That's why Hank doesn't want to see you hurt, either."

Connor smiled sincerely and gave the technician a reassuring glance. "I'll do my best to avoid become damaged or destroyed in the near future.

"I hope so." Pressing her hand to the side of Connor's neck she checked his pulse and temperature and was relieved to find he was stable. "After you take care of Hank you need to take care of yourself and rest for a while longer. Okay, Connor?"

"Okay. I will do so."

_**...next story...** _


	50. Stay With Me

It was a cold, rainy night in Detroit. A standoff with the police against a group of anti-android bigots holding out inside a defunct six floor office building had been filled with gunfire, shouting voices and deep threats against the lives of the police officers; and all of the deviants throughout the city alike. There were at least twenty confirmed members of the group who had devised a plan to blow up as many Android Emergency Care Facilities in the city as possible, and end with an attack on New Jericho Tower itself.

An anonymous tip had warned the police about the group and resulted in a massive response from every available officer in the city. While it wasn't uncommon for Hank and Connor to deal with criminals that had threatened androids, dealing with an underground group of domestic terrorists who had taken the liberty of planning numerous attacks with high grade explosives was a new kind of experience in which they'd have to quickly adapt.

Hank was crouched down behind a squad car with his gun drawn, and Connor was at his side his own gun drawn as well. Keeping low and out of the line of sight from the deranged bigots the two detectives listened carefully as Captain Fowler took charge of the scene and issued his commands to end the standoff as quickly, and to do so with the least amount of bloodshed as possible.

"How many idiots are we dealing with?" Hank asked his partner as he peered over the hood of the car toward the office building.

"My scanners indicate there are twenty-two people inside. All armed." Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow during the scan, then to red for a moment. "Six of them are wearing bomb vests."

"Shit! Can you isolate them from the others?"

"Yes." Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly as he pinpointed the exact locations of the six individuals with the bomb vests where inside the building. "Four of them are on the top floor. Two are on the second floor. Three men, three woman. The four on the top floor are planted at the four corners, and the remaining two are standing against the Eastern and Western walls."

Hank looked over his shoulder to Chris and motioned him over to where he was was crouched down. "We have twenty-two very dangerous, and very unpredictable people inside. All have guns, six have bombs. The top floor has four of the bombers and the second floor has two."

"Oh, shit..." Chris's eyes went wide with controlled fear upon hearing the new information. "Alright. How do we take them down?"

"Tell Fowler to send S.W.A.T. into the second floor." Hank instructed calmly without drawing attention from the people inside the building. "Take out the bombers nearest the ground first; East and West walls. Afterward have S.W.A.T. descend from the roof to disarm the other four in the corners. Once the bombs had been deactivated we'll rush the other sixteen members afterward. _No one_ goes in until the bombs have been cleared. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Turning back to Connor, who was closely monitoring the situation, Hank asked for an update. "Are the android care facilities on lockdown?"

"Affirmative. ...All facilities in the city have been put on emergency lockdown, no one in or out for the next forty-eight hours."

The stoic look on Connor's face upset Hank a little. "Something wrong?"

Connor glanced at Hank with heavy emotion in his eyes. "If the facilities are on lockdown that means androids who are in need of emergency repairs can't be aided. They could shutdown as a result of this standoff."

"A necessary evil, Connor. It's the only way to ensure that no one dangerous sneaks into the facilities to do something terrible until the police are available again."

"I know, but I still don't like it."

"Just sit tight." Hank encouraged as he watched the S.W.A.T. team enter the building quickly. "We'll take care of this as soon as possible. Hey, did you reach Markus at New Jericho?"

"Yes. The entire tower and the entrance drive is on lockdown well."

"Good. As long as we can keep this group contained we'll be able to keep all the androids in the city safe."

* * *

Remaining patiently in place for nearly an hour as S.W.A.T. subdued the suspects who had armed themselves with bomb vests, Hank and Connor were given the clear by Captain Fowler to lead the charge into the building to locate and disarm the other suspects brandishing numerous guns and other possible weapons. Leading a group of highly trained officers into the building to finally end the standoff Hank took charge and Connor followed his every command.

Floor by floor the police located and coaxed the remaining members of the volatile group into surrender. However, four of the members weren't going down without a fight.

Ducking down behind abandoned pieces of furniture and desks the officers took cover from the incoming barrage of bullets from the four desperate suspects.

"BACK THE FUCK OFF!" The leader of the group shouted angrily as he repeatedly squeezed the trigger, his bullets thankfully missing the officers and becoming lodged in the walls or furniture around them. "THIS PLACE IS GONNA' BLOW!"

"Find a way to get behind them!" Hank shouted as he returned fire and crouched down out of their line of sight again. "Don't let them leave!"

Nodding to acknowledge the order Connor scanned the interior of the building and located a secondary corridor that looped around the main room where the gunmen were holding their ground. Staying as quiet as possible Connor holstered his gun and used the corridor to his stealthy advantage. Swiftly the android snuck up on the nearest of the four gunmen from behind.

Wrapping his arm around the the nearest violent man's neck as he clamped his hand over the gunman's mouth to choke off his air and blood supply. Within a matter of seconds the gunman was unconscious and fell limp in Connor's arm, the gun falling harmlessly from his hand onto the floor. Kicking aside the gun Connor dropped the man to the floor and did the same to the next gunman just a few feet away.

The two remaining gunmen became suddenly aware of their comrades no longer firing and turned in time to see an android, the very being they despised more than anything on the planet, successfully bringing their plans to an end.

"Son of a bitch!" The leader turned to fire at Connor but Hank stopped him with a bullet to the shoulder. As he fell to the ground the last standing gunman, who was evidently either the leader's wife or girlfriend, dropped down beside him.

Staring at Hank with a pure anger she aimed her gun at the detective's head and readied her grip to squeeze the trigger. "DIE PIG!"

Spotting the danger regarding Hank's life Connor reacted to the threat immediately. "Hank!"

Connor approached her from behind to try and restrain her arms behind her back, but as it turned out she was wielding more than just a gun. Turning around quickly the woman revealed a large hunting knife gripped in her hand that had been concealed up inside her sleeve. Slashing a deep cut into Connor's left cheek below his eye she managed to stun the android long enough to gain the upper hand.

"FUCKIN' PLASTIC PIG!"

The woman plunged the long, sharp blade down into the center of Connor's chest with a forceful stab. A splash of blue blood erupted into the air as Connor let out a pained, surprised gasp as the blade penetrated his chest and caused his Thirium pump; his heart, to falter. The android's legs suddenly buckled and he fell backward onto the floor in a limp heap in his own blood.

"Connor?!" Hank shouted as he watched his partner collapse defenselessly into a growing puddle of his own Thirium; the knife still embedded in the middle of his chest. "Fuck! Connor!"

As the woman drew her gun to fire at Connor's head to finish him off Hank took his own shot, and struck the woman in the shoulder and in her arm with two bullets. Letting out pained screams she fell over onto her side and dropped her gun as she clutched desperately at her fresh wounds beside her husband on the floor.

"Take care of them!" Hank commanded as he ran past the two suspects and knelt beside Connor. Pressing his hand down on Connor's chest Hank tried to take the android's pulse but he couldn't get his hand close enough to the Thirium pump to register an accurate count. "Connor? Connor, how bad is it?"

The android was staring with wide eyes at the ceiling, his bloodied chest slowly rising and falling as blue blood drenched his shirt from the massive stab wound in the center his chest. The L.E.D. in Connor's temple was blinking red, not cycling, as his systems fought to identify and assess the catastrophic damage to his chest.

Connor tried to focus through the blaring warning alarms sounding off in his own head and dismissed the visual warnings from his sight. There was a shutdown timer already ticking down before his very eyes: 00:59:27.

"H-Hank." Connor's voice sounded shaky and uncertain, a trickle of blue blood ran down from the corner of his mouth down his chin as he lifted his head and looked at the knife in his own chest. As he put his hand up to his chest he pressed down lightly and winced in pain. "Hank... I..."

"Connor," slipping a hand under the android's head Connor held him for a moment as he watched Connor's frightened eyes staring into nothingness. "how bad is it?"

Connor's brown eyes lifted from the knife and locked onto Hank's blue eyes with a forced and utter focus. "Bad." Swallowing once as blood collected in his mouth Connor's eyes began to glisten with heavy emotions and dread. "...It's bad."

"Shit, we'll get you to-" Hank suddenly realized a horrifying reality, the facilities were still on lockdown; no exceptions. Even a member of the police wouldn't be permitted entrance due to safety protocols. "I'll get you to the precinct, okay? Joel can-"

"No." Connor reached up with his blood covered hand and grabbed onto Hank's shoulder in a weak grip. "...I need to go to New Jericho. Only technology from... CyberLife... can aid me."

"Stay with me." Putting his hand over Connor's hand as it clutched as his shoulder Hank nodded his head and slipped his hand from Connor's head and down under Connor's upper back to lift him upward carefully. "Okay, yeah. I'll get you to New Jericho." Letting go of Connor's hand Hank put his other arm beneath the android's legs and lifted him up from the floor to carry his wounded partner out of the building in his arms. "I got you, son."

"...I know." Connor's reply was a passing whisper as he fell quiet from pure weakness in Hank's arms.

His own arm was wrapped in a light grip around Hank's neck and shoulders as the detective held him in a tight grasp. Unable to support his own body Connor's head rested against Hank's chest and shoulder as he he could only watch the countdown clock in his vision continue to tick away the last few fleeting minutes of his short life.

The other officers stepped aside and cleared a path as Hank carried Connor's bleeding body out of the office building and over to his own car parked just around the corner. Captain Fowler and Chris watched with worry at the sight of the android covered in his own blood, but didn't say anything as Hank walked pass them. Even Gavin held his tongue at the gruesome sight of the knife sticking out of the android's bloodied chest as Hank carried Connor to safety.

Fowler did jog after Hank and pulled open the backdoor to the car to allow Hank to gently place Connor down over the backseat. Connor's arm fell heavily away from Hank's shoulders as he was laid down, his eyes refusing to close out of sheer force of will. Removing his dark coat Hank draped the warm garment over his bleeding partner, careful not to disturb the knife still stabbed into Connor's chest.

"Hold on, I'll get you to New Jericho as soon as I can."

Connor nodded weakly and forced a weak smile to his face as he against dismissed the warnings in his visual sensors as he watched the countdown clock with a frightening stare: 00:56:48.

* * *

Driving as fast as he could through the rain drenched streets Hank focused on getting his dying partner to New Jericho Tower as quickly as possible. Pulling his phone out of his jean pocket Hank dialed Markus's number and put the phone on speaker so he could keep both hands on the wheel. The phone only rang once before Markus replied with a worried greeting.

' _Lieutenant, what's going on_?'

"Markus, Connor's been stabbed." Reaching one hand into the backseat Hank grabbed onto Connor's bicep briefly before returning his grip to the steering wheel. "I can't take him to any android facilities because of an emergency lockdown. You need to let me through the drive or else Connor's going to die."

' _Shit_.' Markus seldom swore, but when he did it was with purpose. ' _Alright, I'll have security let you through and have a technical team standing by. How bad is it_?'

"It's bad. That's all Connor said," he glanced over his shoulder into the backseat and stared at his partner's bleeding chest while Connor's hand weakly had futilely tried to stem the bleeding around the knife's blade. "and I think we both know that means it's fucking life or death."

' _Where was he stabbed_?'

"Center of his chest. If he had a sternum the blade would've shattered the bone."

A nerve-wracking palpable pause over the line made Hank's own heart grow cold. ' _Can you give me his vitals_?'

Remembering the special 'app' Joel had devised for Hank's phone a few months back Hank picked up his phone and turned it on. Fortunately the function was still synchronized with Connor's system and it produced a reading of Connor's weak, but stable vitals. "Pulse is one-hundred forty-four. Respiration at twelve. Thirium volume down to seventy-two percent. And his core temperature has risen to one-hundred point two."

' _I'll relay the information. And Lieutenant_?'

"Yeah?"

'... _Don't let him fall asleep_.'

Somehow those words were more threatening than the idea of being blown up or told to die by a crazy woman with a gun pointed at his head. "Yeah... I'll do my best." Ending the call Hank reached one hand back between the front seats and grabbed onto Connor's arm once more. "You heard that, stay awake. Stay with me, kid."

"Hank..." The calmness in Connor's voice was unnerving. His shutdown clock was still counting down: 00:51:59. "Thank you. For everything."

"Hey, hey. Don't talk like that!" Hank scolded as he turned to glance over his shoulder again. "I can hear it in your voice Connor, don't give up now! Not after all this..."

"I truly enjoyed our time together." Connor continued somberly. He swallowed once as Thirium began collecting in the back of his throat. "You helped me in more ways than I can ever say. You are a great partner to have in the field."

"Stop it!" Hank squeezed down on Connor's arm firmly, not to hurt the android but to get his attention. "We're nearly there! Hold on!"

"It's okay, Hank. I'm not scared."

"Connor... You're starting to freak me out."

"Hank... You're my best friend. I didn't think it was possible for an android to have one, but... here you are." Connor blinked slowly and reopened his eyes, a serene smile was resting on his face around his bloodied lips. "I could even say you were like my... father."

Hank's hand remained where it was on Connor's arm, though he felt his grip suddenly weaken.

"Not that I know what it's supposed to _feel_ like to have a father..." Connor's breath suddenly hitched in his chest causing him to wheeze until he found his voice again. "...But I suspect this is... accurate. I'm glad you were my... father."

Speeding down the drive to New Jericho Tower with utter fear in control of the wheel Hank passed through the concrete barricade as it lowered into the drive and gave him full access to the tower in the distance. Outside the tower Markus, Lucas and Simon were all outside waiting for the car. The three had a gurney as well as an android cardiac monitor waiting with them as they stood in the cold rain silently watching the drive.

Hank took his foot off the accelerator enough to coast to a gentle stop without jostling Connor in the backseat. Forcing the car in park he threw open his door and practically ripped the back door off the hinges as he knelt over Connor laying in the backseat.

"We're here. You're safe." Pushing aside his coat Hank gave Connor's bloodied chest and abdomen a grimace before he made a move. "Everything will be okay."

Sliding his arms under Connor's upper back and legs again Hank lifted the android out of the car and carried him over to the others waiting for their arrival. Connor never said a word to Hank as he was carried out of the car. His arm never returned to Hank's neck and instead hung limp over his bloodied chest. Blue blood stained the front of Hank's shirt and his hands as he placed Connor down on the gurney and stepped back to watch the trio work in perfect union to save Connor's life.

"They're going to take care of you."

Connor never uttered a sound or show any sign of reaction as his limp body was placed down on the gurney. Carefully Hank pulled open the buttons on Connor's shirt to fully expose the wound, and in the process scare himself further as the lack of reaction from the android, and the weakened motion of his damaged chest being able to rise or fall was evident of his waning strength.

"Come on son, stay with me." Hank pleaded as he watched the very life drain from the android's eyes. The falling rain made Connor appear all the more vulnerable, cold and weak. "Stay with me, Connor."

Lucas, the reformed RK-900 who had been dubbed Connor's 'little brother' took the lead over Connor's care.

Unlike Markus and Simon who were wearing normal street clothes Lucas was wearing an altered CyberLife technician uniform and white coat over his shoulders. In the time since his inclusion to New Jericho as a productive member Lucas had slightly altered his appearance to give him more of a sense of individuality compared to Connor. Lucas had changed his color from dark brown to raven black and altered the style so that was almost slicked back in appearance. Keeping his pale green eyes the same color and having removed his L.E.D. Lucas looked more human than Connor but his mannerisms were still very machine like.

"Connor?" Lucas pulled aside the stained fabric of Connor's shirt and pulled away the black tie around Connor's neck. The knife was embedded into Connor's chest up to the hilt like a gruesome flag of pain, hatred and death been planted on his person. "What does your system say?"

"Shutdown in forty-eight minutes, eleven seconds." He let out a shuddering breath that became increasingly shallow with each pained inhalation.

Hank's eyes went wide with abject horror. "Shutdown?"

Markus heard the fear in Hank's voice and approached the detective calmly. "Lieu- Hank," the need to be a friend was more important than any rank in this dire moment. "we're going to do everything possible to save him."

Looking past Markus to the gurney where Connor was laying Hank watched as Lucas used an audioscope to listen to Connor's chest, his attention primarily focused on Connor's Thirium pump; his heart. "Significant faltering in the Thirium pump, it cannot fully expand or contract to cycle Thirium properly. I think the blade is jamming main internal couple within the pump keeping it open."

Simon attached the monitor to Connor's chest and studied the display intensely. The rhythmic line representing Connor's heartbeat was rapid and thin. The display for his Thirium volume was shown in red digits and low and sixty-five percent. "He needs Thirium."

Lucas draped the audioscope around his neck. "Agreed. We need to get him down to Sublevel fifty-one for emergency repairs."

Connor's eyes began to shut, and his breathing hastened only to ceased altogether after a shallow exhalation.

"Connor?" Lucas pressed his fingers to Connor's L.E.D. and looked at the monitor only to see that his rapid heartbeat had suddenly stopped as well. "Connor!" Lucas positioned his hand on the center of Connor's chest just below the knife and began compressing in a perfect rhythm. "His Thirium pump has failed. We need to get him on artificial external bypass until the pump can be repaired, or replaced!"

"Connor?!" Hank tried to rush over to the gurney as soon as he saw Lucas pressing down on the android's chest to perform C.P.R., and Simon throw a respiration pump over Connor's mouth and nose, but Markus held him back with one arm. "What's happening?"

"The knife is preventing his Thirium pump from functioning properly." Markus replied honestly out of his tremendous respect for Hank. "It's like cardiac arrest for androids, and his heart is no longer beating."

"Cardiac- Wait... His heart?" Hank asked as he pushed Markus's arm down. "You're saying the damage is to his _heart_?"

"Yes..." Markus nodded slowly. "And it's just like Connor said. Bad."

Lucas motioned to the tower and gave the order. "We need to move him inside, NOW."

As Lucas and Simon wheeled the gurney inside the tower; Lucas using one hand to manually force Connor's stopped pump into motion, Hank watched in frightened fixation as his partner was taken away leaving only a faint trail of blue blood on the drive that was quickly being washed away by the cold rain that continued to fall from the dark sky overhead.

"Hank," Markus grabbed lightly onto Hank's arm to get his attention and prompt him to move forward. "we'll do everything possible to save him. Lucas is the best technician New Jericho has ever seen."

Walking silently beside Markus, the rain washing the blue blood from his shirt in massive streaks, Hank just watched in horror as the gurney carrying Connor's body was loaded into the elevator in the center of the tower. Watching the elevator descend deep down to the emergency repair wing only made the moment all the more grim.

Connor was being lowered into the ground, like a coffin into a grave.

Markus continued to try to reassure Hank, but he too was afraid for the life of the android. "Connor's strong, you know that."

"...Strong enough to live without a heart?"

* * *

Lucas pressed down against Connor's chest as the elevator descended to the necessary floor in the depths of the tower, his hand becoming drenched in blue blood as every compression caused more of the vital Thirium to seep around the blade that had struck Connor's heart. Simon continued to force cool air into Connor's ventilation biocomponents with the ambubag and pump. All the while the two androids were watching the Thirium volume on the display dwindle away slowly as each passing second threatened to end what remained of Connor's fading life in an instant.

"Simon," Lucas gave the stoic android a stern glance. "do we have any spare RK parts in stock?"

"No." The answer came heavily as he refused to make eye contact with Lucas. "CyberLife disposed of any and all spare parts from their prototype division after being forced into bankruptcy."

"We need to find a way to modify the closest compatible Thirium pump." Lucas stated as the elevator reached its destination. Josh and North were already on the floor and had prepared the area for Connor's emergency repairs. "Do we have anything of an AX model?"

"Maybe, but it'll be an AX- _700_." Simon elaborated as he and Lucas wheeled the gurney into the center of the room. "It won't be of an advanced enough design to properly function as a replacement."

Josh wheeled over the artificial bypass pump before he helped Lucas and Simon slide Connor from the gurney and onto the exam table. North had positioned a dozen bags of Thirium on the small cart beside the exam table and was preparing to insert the long transparent tube for artificial respiration down Connor's throat.

As soon as Connor was on the table Lucas pressed his fingers against Connor's temple to manually deactivate the wounded android's artificial skin over his chest and abdomen before he took hold of the handle of the knife he gave the three androids assisting him an uneasy stare.

"As soon as I pull out the knife he's going to bleed heavily. His shutdown timer is already at forty-four minutes, twenty-three seconds."

North looked down at the knife in Connor's chest warily. "It's going to drop by half once the knife is removed." Crossing her arms defensively over her chest she just stared with worry for the horrifically damaged and dying android before her. "Can you work that fast?"

"We're about to find out." Lucas stopped compressing Connor's chest and grabbed onto the handle of the knife. Using one swift yank he pulled the offending object from his brother's chest, out of Connor's heart and dropped it on the floor with an indifferent 'clatter'. Thirium rushed out of the wound like a damn had burst and the surrounding androids responded quickly. "Apply pressure to the wound!"

The knife was gone in a flash.

While Simon continued to keep Connor breathing, continued to keep the android's core temperature as cool as possible, Josh pressed his hand down over the gushing wound while Lucas pressed down on the plastimetal frame in Connor's chest to gain access to the panel beneath.

Exposing Connor's damaged heart disabled the use of the monitor and had caused additional Thirium to leak out all over the table onto the androids who were fighting to save his life.

North reacted to the scene quickly and grabbed a nearby pouch of blue blood. "Shit! He's going to bleed to death before we can even get the damn pump out!"

Lucas responded by pressing his hand down over the stab wound in the pump itself to block the leak with his fingers. "Simon, go find the part." Taking the respiration pump from Simon's hand Lucas began a morbid cycle of using one hand to pump cooling air into Connor's system and using his other hand to force the stopped Thirium pump into a weak, but crucial rhythm between his fingers.

A healthy Thirium pump carried a soft blue glow that would darken and brighten in rhythm with the pump's beat. Connor's Thirium pump, his heart, was a bright purple and beginning to turn red from the damage and distress it had been subjected to.

Josh pulled his hand away as soon as he saw that Lucas was keeping everything under control. Pressing the sensor pad of the monitor down against the side of Connor's chest rather than over tome, and he took a look at the new vitals on display only to shake his head. "Thirium volume is critically low, core temperature at one-hundred and two degrees and rising... Lucas, he can't wait any longer."

"Simon doesn't have the part yet!" Lucas nearly shouted in frustration as he fought to keep his brother alive. "We can't replace what we don't have."

"Put him on bypass." Josh urged vehemently as he rolled the proper equipment over to the exam table. "It'll give him a few more hours."

"If I stop compressing the pump he'll go into shutdown. I can't remove this pump and put him on bypass quick enough."

North stepped forward and gave Lucas a confident stare. "Yes you can!" She encouraged sincerely. "You pulled out that knife in less than two seconds, you can hook up the bypass pump just as quickly."

"And if I can't-"

"Here." North pushed Lucas's hand aside and began compressing Connor's heart herself between her own hands. "Josh, help him breathe."

Following North's lead Josh took the pump from Lucas's other hand. Together they worked to keep Connor's systems from shutting down while they waited for Simon to return with the replacement part.

"Alright. We have to do this FAST." Lucas stepped aside and wheeled the bypass machine closer to the table. Taking the two large plastic tubes; one for circulating the Thirium into what would've been the top chambers of Connor's heart and the other tube doing the same for the bottom chambers of the heart, he held the tubes into the position in which they would need to be fitted once the damaged heart was removed. "North, I'm going to unlock the top of the pump. When I say pull down, move as quickly as you can."

"Got it."

Working quickly Lucas located the connecting valve between the pump and the large ascending Thirial line and unlocked it. Holding his breath Lucas held his hands steady and kept his eyes focused on the task at hand before instructing North on her own task. "Now."

North pulled down on the pump all the while she kept compressing it between her hands to force Connor's heart to beat.

Securing the first tube into place with precision motion Lucas ushered North to the same as he unlocked the second valve. "Again."

Once both tubes were secured in place Josh reached over to turn on the bypass machine and watched as it quickly began circulating the remaining Thirium in Connor's system in place of his damaged heart. The pump wasn't beating on its own, but the bypass forced the blue blood to cycle through all the same.

Lucas looked at Connor's L.E.D. and sighed in relief as he saw the circular light still glowing. It was red instead of blue, or even yellow, but any color was preferable over death gray. "His systems are still online." Glancing at the attached monitor recording Connor's vital signs he gave the two assisting androids a cautious glance. "Vitals are stable."

North held Connor's damaged heart in her hands, the now useless pump still leaking blue blood all over her palms and through her fingers.

Gently Lucas took the heart from North's hands and held it for himself. The design of the pump was far different than the structural design of any of the other models that he had studied while working to become an android technician.

Despite following the same overall design to mirror that of the human heart, the design and overall functional capacity of Connor's heart; that of a prototype, was entirely unique and subsequently rare. It was highly advanced, equipped with far more sensors and relay components to allow Connor's system to work harder for longer, but it had its drawback; as it allowed more Thirium to circulate through his system more quickly and efficiently it also left Connor far more vulnerable to bleeding out.

That very flaw, maybe just an oversight, was made evident on that dreadful night. Such a unique pump would far more difficult to repair once damaged.

Josh spoke to North in a low tone. "We should get the manual respirator hooked up, too. It'll do a much better job at keeping his core temperature cool than anything we can do ourselves."

"Right." North didn't wait for Lucas to say anything. She knew he was too preoccupied with the damage done to Connor's Thirium pump; to his brother's heart.

Josh removed the smaller pump from Connor's face as North gently snaked the hollow twin tubes down his throat; one tube to force the cool air in and the second tube to let the warmer air back out. Connor never reacted to the extreme measures that we taking place in an effort to save his life as he continued to bleed out, as his heart failed to beat on its own.

"Got it."

North turned on the respiration machine and watched as Connor's exposed, bloody chest began to rise and fall with the artificial rhythm of the machine that was forcing him to breathe while he was unconscious in emergency low power mode. It was so cold and indifferent, like watching a shell of a former being had been manipulated into false motion.

Lucas cleared his throat a little as he looked down at Connor's surprisingly peaceful face. There was little solace to be taken in such a grim moment, but the idea that Connor at least wasn't in any pain would have to do.

"I'm going to see how Simon is doing. We might be able to find a way to repair the damage to this pump."

With her voice low North continued to do her part in keeping Connor alive. "I'll start adding the Thirium to the bypass machine. Hopefully we can get his volume up from critical levels without waking him up in the process."

"Yes, do what you can." Lucas stared at his brother with mounting worry and deeply seeded fear. "...It'd be for the best if he remains unconscious."

* * *

Alone with his thoughts Hank was sitting in a chair in what used to be a CyberLife conference room. It was now a New Jericho social room that allowed androids who were new to their deviancy to speak with other deviants, and help each other learn to adapt through group therapy sessions. The room was surprisingly warm and welcoming with the numerous brightly displayed images and homey touches of pottery with flowers on the tables.

Despite the somewhat comforting atmosphere it was still a waiting room all the same.

Sitting quietly with his hands folded together on his lap and trembling slightly from the rain cold and unspoken fear, Hank just sat and stared at the floor at his feet in silent contemplation. Markus had left Hank alone just long enough to get an update on Connor, and had returned with a heavy heart. Sitting next to Hank with an understanding demeanor Markus took it upon himself to break the tense silence.

"They removed the connections to his damaged Thirium pump and put him on artificial bypass. He's still unconscious, but he isn't in any pain."

Hank didn't reply as he rubbed his trembling hand over his bearded chin in quiet thought.

"Lucas is trying to repair the damage to the pump itself and Simon is trying to locate a replacement, but the odds of either succeeding-"

"It should've been me."

Markus turned to look at the detective, his mismatched eyes flashing with confusion. "Hank?"

"Tonight. I'm the one who should be... Connor got stabbed because he stopped a crazy bitch from putting a bullet in my head." Hank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly before he continued. "And what does he get for his trouble? A fuckin' knife to the heart."

"That doesn't mean it should be you fighting for your life, Hank. One life isn't equal to another."

With his head bowed down slightly his gray locks partially concealed his face as he spoke in a despondent voice. "That's what Jeffrey told me the night Cole-" He stopped himself short and pressed his face down against his hand as the emotional and mental strain of the night was beginning to take its toll. "It's happening all over again."

"Hank, your friend was right. You can't blame yourself because of what befalls the people you care about. It isn't-"

"I can't lose him, too. Markus, he's like... He _is_ -" Hank suddenly lifted his head and crossed his arms over his chest defensively as he forced himself to speak the truth he had been trying to deny for so long. "I heard it in his voice. He was ready to just _give up_ , to let himself die. And he wasn't afraid. Damn it, he's never afraid."

Markus could see that Hank's eyes were red and that there tears were still welling up against his blue irises. "In a few minutes Lucas wants to try a procedure that can save Connor. It means either finding a suitable replacement for his damaged Thir-"

"Heart." Hank interrupted coldly without looking at the android to his side. "It's not a pump, it's his _heart_."

"Lucas can either replace his... heart, or try to repair the original. But with Connor being so advanced and having no other RK models to work with... It'll be a risk."

"Connor's no stranger to risk."

The flat tone of Hank's voice resonated with Markus deeply. It was like listening to Carl trying to explain away the evils of the world around them.

"Before it begins... Would you like to see him?"

Hank turned briefly to look at Markus, his blue eyes searching all over the android's face as if looking for something in particular before he finally gave his answer. Nodding 'yes' once he let Markus show him out of the room and escort him to Sublevel fifty-one where Connor was waiting to either live, or to die.

* * *

Lucas was sitting in the emergency repair ward next to the table where Connor was resting. The wounded android's clothing had been removed and a white sheet covered him from the waist down to preserve his modesty. With Connor's chest still wide open a small suction pump had been inserted to remove the excess leaked Thirium that had pooled in his chest around his other biocomponents to clear out the cavity.

North walked quietly into the room and stood behind Lucas. It was a little to eerie to see Connor, the once famous 'Deviant Hunter' laying so vulnerable and broken with his heart torn out of his chest. What made it all the more disturbing was seeing the android that had been designed to replace him sitting idle and keeping vigil at his side.

Despite North's silence Lucas knew she had entered the bay.

"Simon couldn't find a suitable replacement." Lucas stated as he sensed North standing behind him. "He and Josh are currently looking through the manifest of the remaining CyberLife crates stored in warehouses around the city, but the chances of finding a suitable Thirium pump is still incredibly low. Less than four percent chance of success."

"What about the original pump?"

"I could only repair so much of it without any compatible replacement circuitry. Even if we placed it back inside his chest his self-healing program wouldn't be able to repair what I could not."

"So, what do we do?"

Lucas bowed his head sadly but didn't answer.

"Shit..."

The elevator doors opened as Hank and Markus walked into the room together. As soon as Lucas saw Hank he turned his gaze away as if ashamed and stood up from his seat to walk away to give the detective some space.

"I'm going to check in with Josh and Simon." Lucas stated quietly as he walked away from Connor, away from Hank, and disappeared from sight in the adjacent room. "They'll need all the help they can get."

With Markus at his side Hank walked over to the table and stared down at Connor, stared at the massive hole in his chest where his heart should be and shook his head sadly. The excess blood had been wiped away from Connor's artificial skin and the heavy bleeding had been stemmed off, but the lack of a heartbeat kept the android's appearance like that of a corpse rather than an existing being.

"North," Markus whispered respectfully to the android watching from afar. "let's give them some privacy."

Remaining silent she agreed and joined Markus as they stepped through the doorway to the adjoined room where their other colleagues were searching for any compatible parts for Connor.

Taking the vacated seat beside the table Hank grabbed onto the top of the sheet covering Connor's legs and pulled it up a little higher over the android's torso to try to cover the brutal damage to his chest. Resting his hand atop Connor's head Hank ran his hand lightly through Connor's dark locks of hair before he grabbed onto the android's limp, cold hand and gave it a tight squeeze.

"It's okay, son." In a low, heartbroken tone, Hank gave Connor his final words of comfort to the dying android before him. "I'm here. ... _Dad_ is here."

* * *

Lucas spoke with Josh and Simon regarding their very limited options, and the three of them all agreed that there was no suitable replacement Thirium pump that could be used to replace Connor's damaged heart. The only way for Connor to recover revolved solely around repairing the damage to his original heart and replacing it within the next four hours.

If Connor's systems remained on bypass for too long they'd be unable to integrate with another Thirium pump and would reject any type of replacement.

"You've done everything you can." Simon lamented as he looked down at the partially repaired, red tinted Thirium pump contained within a protective plexiglass box on the nearby desk. "There's nothing more than can be done. You tried your best."

"There has to be a way!" Lucas stared at the heart with an almost hypnotic gaze as he refused to give up. "What if we took the circuitry from an AX model and used it to temporarily replace the damaged parts until Connor's self-healing program heals the more critical components and adapts the circuitry to update it to his own model?"

"That's only theoretical." Josh shook his head somberly. "Besides, it can only be done with advanced parts being used to replace obsolete parts. And even if we did have the parts Connor's a prototype. There's no guarantee that his system would even accept such a transfer."

Markus and North had entered the room and overheard the tail end of the conversation. The heavy emotion of the room only confirmed the grim subject being discussed.

"Lucas," Markus addressed the android as kindly as he could. "maybe you should go sit with Hank and Connor until..." Markus trailed off for a moment before finishing his statement. He didn't want to admit that Connor wasn't going to make it, but he knew the odds were to low to not accept the macabre possibility. "You'll need closure."

Lucas turned to look at Markus with defiance in his pale green eyes. "So, that's it? We're just giving up?"

"We did everything possible, but there are some things that are just too broken to be fixed. I'm sorry."

Lucas sank down into a chair beside the desk and pressed his forehead to his hand as he leaned forward. "Markus... I'll tell Hank what's happening. It's... It's my responsibility. After all, Connor's my... brother."

Sighing quietly to himself Markus motioned for Simon and Josh to leave the room before doing to same to North. Standing beside Lucas empathetically Markus put his hand on the android's shoulder in a gesture of sincere compassion. "I know how much it hurts to lose a family member. Take as much time as you need. We'll be upstairs if you need us."

Lucas nodded slowly as Markus let his shoulder go and exited the room to give the skilled technician some space to think. Sitting alone beside the partially repaired ruby red heart of his own brother inside the box Lucas stared at it then looked down at his own left hand still stained in Connor's evaporating blood. Closing his fingers into a tight fist an intriguing thought popped into Lucas's mind.

A thought that was worth exploring.

"I'm an RK model. I'm more advanced than Connor." Relaxing his hand he placed it atop the box and stared at the blue tinted, motionless heart within. "The circuitry doesn't have to be from an identical Thirium pump, it just needs to come from an identical source."

Moving quickly Lucas shrugged off his white lab coat and rolled up the sleeve of his uniform shirt from his left arm. Pressing down on his wrist with his two forefingers from his right hand Lucas retracted the artificial skin from his forearm then pressed down again to slide open a panel of the plastimetal frame to reveal the inner components of his arm within.

The small, delicate tools that Lucas had used to repair Connor's heart were still resting nearby, just begging to be used again.

Selecting a piece of equipment similar to that of needle thin forceps Lucas began isolating and removing delicate pieces of his own circuitry from his arm with a painstaking accuracy normally reserved only for the greatest marksmen on the planet.

"...If this doesn't work then I can at least tell Hank that I did everything I could to save Connor."

* * *

Hank stared at the rhythmically blinking red L.E.D. in Connor's temple, watching as the blinking began to slow its rate as Connor's systems started to shutdown one by one. It wouldn't be long before the android's L.E.D. shifted to gray, his body dying and his mind turning off permanently. It wouldn't be long before Hank had to say goodbye.

Say goodbye to another partner.

To another friend.

Another son.

Connor's breathing began to slow again as his system started to have a negative reaction to the external ventilator being used to keep him alive. The device was straining his weakened biocomponents as his system struggled to properly initiate his self-healing program properly. A program that wouldn't be able to undo the damage in time.

"Connor... when you get to the other side, I need you to do me a favor." Hank absentmindedly began to squeeze Connor's hand tighter as he spoke. "I need you to find Cole and tell him that I'm sorry I couldn't save him, and that I never stopped thinking about him. Tell him that for me, and then... Stay with him until I come to join you, alright? I'll find you both when my own time comes."

The door to the adjoined room opened and Lucas all but sprinted back over to the table on the opposite side of Hank with the repaired red tinted Thirium pump clutched protectively in his right hand. Beneath the long, baggy sleeve of his tecnician's coat Lucas's left hand and arm were secured beneath an external plastimetal cast as if to protect it from damage.

"Hank..."

"Lucas? What's-"

"I managed to repair his heart, but I need your help!"

"M-My help?!" Hank shot up from his chair and leaned over the table to look directly into Lucas's green eyes as the android hovered over Connor. "You need me to help?"

"Yes. This needs to be done quickly and we don't have time for the others to rejoin us down here."

Eager to do what needed to be done Hank threw off his coat and rolled up his sleeves readily. "What do I have to do?"

Lucas held out Connor's heart, reaching over the android's motionless body, to give it to Hank. "I'm going to turn off the bypass machine, and once it's off we'll only have two minutes to replace Connor's heart."

"...Two minutes?"

"Connor's shutdown timer is down to six minutes, but after everything that's happened I suspect that it might be inaccurate. Here." Lucas pulled back the sheet from Connor's chest and pointed to the hole where his heart needed to be place. "Put the pump right here. I'll unhook the top bypass tube, and once it's free press the connecting valve on the pump to where the tube was and lock it into place by turning the top bracket off the valve clockwise into the coupling."

"Like this?" Hank asked as he placed both of his shaking hands protectively around the heart and held it over the hole in Connor's chest.

"Yes. Exactly." Lucas reached over to the bypass machine with his right hand and hovered his finger over the operational switch. "Ready?"

Hank took a deep breath and held it. "Ready."

Moving with swift precision Lucas switched off the bypass machine then pressed his fingers around the top bypass tube with the same right hand. Disconnecting the tube from the interior valve of Connor's chest he pulled back his hand and watched as Hank pressed the pump into position and turned the bracket clockwise until he heard a 'click'.

A faint blue glow began to emanate from the replaced heart in Connor's chest as Thirium began to circulate through the biocomponent again.

"Good." Lucas stated as he repeated the motion for the second tube of the machine. And again Hank pressed the pump down against the valve and twisted the bracket until there was another 'click'.

Hank pulled his trembling hands away from Connor's heart and watched as the blue glow became brighter and stayed bright. While the pump itself was stable in position and blue blood began to flow through the absolutely vital biocomponent as normal, the pump itself wasn't moving. Connor's heart still wasn't beating.

Connor's blinking L.E.D. slowly began to shift into a steadier cycle, though it remained red in color.

"Did it work?" Hank asked as he stared down at the motionless heart worriedly, unsure of what to expect. "Is he...?"

"Yes, but his heart needs to be jumpstarted." Lucas replied confidently as he rolled the bypass machine a little closer to the table.

Atop the machine there were two circular electrode paddles attached to the machine via thick black wires. The paddles were of modest size and had flat metal plates on one side and plastimetal handles on the other side. It was very similar to the android defibrillator that the precinct technician himself had for emergency use.

"I hate doing this, but it's the only way to ensure that the replacement circuitry within the pump will respond correctly." Lucas placed one of the paddles down over the center of Connor's heart and the other at the apex of his chest. "Lowest possible setting should be enough to coax the pump into activity without causing any electrical burns."

Hank never questioned Lucas or tried to stop him. Stepping away from the table he just stared and waited for something, anything to happen. "Do it."

Lucas nodded once as he tightened his grips around the paddles, his left hand struggling somewhat, and pressed the release button near the top of the handles. As he did a controlled flow of electricity surged through Connor's heart causing the android's back to arch upward from the table and slam back down again.

The L.E.D. in Connor's temple cycled red rapidly three times before transitioning into yellow as his systems began to respond.

Pulling his hands back Lucas and Hank looked down at Connor's heart and waited. One second passed, then a second, a third... Then at last the pump contracted and relaxed with a single beat. The motion repeated to provide a second beat. Than another, and another...

Connor's heart was beating.

Lucas all but collapsed back against the bypass machine in relief as he watched his brother come back from the brink of death before his very eyes. It worked.

Hank pressed his hands down against the edge of the table for support as he let out his breath at last and leaned over the revived android. "...You did it. You saved his life."

"I... It worked." Lucas all but huffed as he stood upright again and leaned watched Connor's heart beating again. "It was a successful procedure."

"Lucas." Hank lifted his head and on shaking legs walked around the other side of the table to stand before the android. Wrapping his arms around Lucas in a tight hug Hank felt a sense of lingering resentment he was secretly harboring toward the RK-900; still mistrustful of the android for his previous actions as a machine, finally lift from his shoulders. "You did it, you saved your brother's life."

Lucas lifted his arms up slowly to reciprocate the hug. "... _We_ saved him."

* * *

Word quickly spread throughout the tower and the precinct that Connor had survived the attack. The repaired android would need time to fully recover after enduring such a brutal assault, but the fact that he survived we deemed somewhat miraculous. Though still unconscious Connor was responding well to the treatments being provided by Simon and Josh as they monitored Connor very closely. Hank was sitting beside the android with his hand resting atop Connor's arm just waiting for his partner; his friend, to open his eyes again.

Markus and North, however, were up on the top floor of the tower reprimanding Lucas for his risking his life in such a dangerous, and secretive manner.

"You could've crippled your arm permanently, or done worse!" Markus all but shouted at the scolded android as he flexed his substantially weaker arm where he sat. "What you did was dangerous, reckless and stupid!"

"I'm sorry Markus, but I had to do something." Lucas argued as he stood his ground and stood by his actions. "I couldn't just let him die. He's my brother!"

Markus didn't know how to respond to the defensive remark and held his silence in turn. But North on the other hand has a few thoughts of her own on the matter and wasn't about to hold them back.

"Lucas," she sounded more frightened than angry. "you're the most advanced android on this entire planet. If you permanently damaged yourself then there would've been absolutely nothing we could've done to help you. Not to mention the fact that you're our _chief technician_! If something happens to you then all of our people will be affected. We _need_ you."

"I'm sorry North. But it was the only way, and it worked. Besides," Lucas kept his right hand over his left arm as his self-healing program tried to compensate for the now missing circuitry in the limb. "now we know that is it possible to transfer advanced hardware into obsolete models. Think how many more lives we can save now that we know this can work."

"Don't try to use this breakthrough as some type of excuse for recklessness."

"I'm not." Lucas defended himself sincerely without any form of hostility to his voice. "But I am saying that while what I did was impulsive and foolish, some good did come of it. But seeing as I am apart of this community I will accept whatever discipline comes my way."

North sighed and crossed her arms as she looked over at Markus to see how'd handle the situation. "Well? What are we going to do with him?"

Markus bit his lower lip for a moment before he spoke up again. "...First time offense. You get a warning. But if you ever, and I mean _ever_ , under any circumstances put yourself at risk like that again, there will be consequences. Clear?"

"Yes." Lucas nodded without any protest. "I understand completely."

"Good. Go check in with Simon. Let him examine your arm, I want a full detailed report on your condition."

"Okay, Markus. I'll report to Simon immediately."

As Lucas left the room Markus found a hole being burned in the side of his face from North. Sensing her stare he turned to look at her and dropped his arms at his sides. "What?"

"First offense gets a _warning_? Since when?"

"...Since he saved Connor. But I wasn't bluffing when I said there'd be consequences for any further misbehavior or misconduct."

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." North uncrossed her arms and wrapped her hand around Markus's hand tightly. The two retracted their artificial skin and connected to one another through direct contact of their plastimetal frames. "For both of our sake."

* * *

Connors L.E.D. was cycling blue in color again as his systems fully rebooted and stabilized as he rested. The tube down his throat that had been forcing artificial breaths into his body had been removed, and now he was breathing on his own. As his chest slowly rose and fell in a steady rhythm it was evident to all who passed by that Connor's heart was beating once more.

The android was still alive.

Hank watched over Connor diligently at the android's bedside. Staring at Connor's repaired chest; the panel now closed, his artificial skin regenerated, the blue blood wiped away and no sign of the stab wound anywhere on his person, Hank found himself absolutely awestruck by the vitality androids. Despite being alive and well Hank was still worried that it was too good to be true.

Reaching over Hank gently rested his hand down over the center of Connor's chest and felt the repaired heart beating under his palm with a palpable thrum. The beat was strong, consistent and steady.

"Connor?" Speaking softly Hank put his other hand atop Connor's head and rested his palm against the android's soft, dark locks of hair. Lightly Hank's thumb absentmindedly brushed through the dark locks in a comforting manner. "If you can hear me I want to let you know that tomorrow morning I'll be able to take you back home. You're going to be just fine, son."

The android remained quiet as he rested peacefully under Hank's watchful eyes. As the detective kept his palm over Connor's chest he managed a weak, but sincere smile as he watched Connor's chest rise and fall.

"Thanks for staying with me, son."

_**...next story...** _


	51. Feeling

After bringing Connor back home to rest the day before Hank had carried Connor into the house and placed him in the bed to continue to recover in peace and quiet. The android was in the thirty-ninth hour of a deep sleep, his rest mode still trying to compensate for the horrific damage he had suffered to his heart three nights prior. The catastrophic injury he suffered as well as the emergency repairs he endured after being rushed to New Jericho Tower had drained him of his strength. His systems were functioning on low power mode as his self-healing program worked to recalibrate the repaired Thirium pump still gratefully beating away in his chest.

Standing in the dimly lit doorway of the bedroom Hank watched as his partner slept peacefully in the large bed beneath a thick brown quilt, with Sumo stretched out over the foot of the bed. Connor seemed very peaceful and human as he wore a plain black t-shirt instead of his work shirt. Slowly his head lolled slightly to the right against the pillow and easily smothered out the low blue glow of the L.E.D. in his right temple. The lack of light only emphasized his human appearance.

From the doorway Hank could see Connor slowly breathing and that his face was peaceful; no pain or distress on his face. Despite the reassurance from Lucas and Markus that Connor would make a full recovery before the week was over the detective couldn't help but worry for the android's health. It was a close call, Connor had nearly died from the wound and no one believed that he'd be able to survive. But he overcame the odds and persevered thanks to some clever ingenuity by Lucas himself.

Sumo suddenly lifted his head up from the bed and looked over at Connor. The St. Bernard's ears twitched as if he could hear something that Hank could not.

"Something wrong, boy?" Hank asked in a whisper as to not disturb Connor's sleep. Creeping into the bedroom Hank leaned over the bed and watched Connor more closely. It was then he saw that Connor's chest wasn't rising or falling anymore, and Hank felt a chill shoot up his spine. "...Son?"

Remaining calm Hank gently placed his hand down on the center of Connor's chest, his fear abating once he felt Connor's heart still thrumming under his palm. Shortly thereafter Connor took another breath and resumed a normal rate of artificial respiration. The android's eyes never opened and his rest mode never disabled.

"Fuck. Even in your sleep you can scare me." Hank quietly lamented as he retracted his hand from Connor's chest. Looking over at Sumo, who was still watching over the android, Hank rubbed the dog's ears as needed to reassure Sumo as well as himself. "He's okay."

Sumo let out a deep yawn before resting is chin back down atop his massive paws and settling down on the bed to sleep once more.

Creeping back out of the bedroom Hank shook his head at himself. "Man, I haven't had to check on a sleeping kid in years. And I still hate it..."

Exhausted himself from his own lack of consistent sleep and emotional distress Hank resided to himself on the couch with his feet kicked up on the coffee table and an untouched mug of coffee gripped in his hand. As he leaned back against the couch cushions Hank's eyes began to drift closed steadily, and was on the verge of his much needed sleep when a soft knock at the front door awoke him once more.

"Who the hell is that?" The detective asked himself as he put his mug down on the coffee table. Standing up from the couch he walked over to the front door and pulled it open only to find two unexpected but welcome visitors. "Lucas, Markus, what brings you by?"

Markus replied politely and kept his voice low as to not draw any unwanted attention from possibly nosy neighbors. "We're not intruding, are we?"

"No, no. You two are always welcome here. I just wasn't expecting it, that's all."

Lucas was trying to conceal the support brace around his left arm beneath his jacket as he stood at the front door next to Markus. "I wanted to check in and monitor Connor's progress. Can we come in?"

"Yeah, sure." Hank stepped back and let the two deviants into the house. Closing the door quietly Hank motioned to the hallway and pointed Lucas in the right direction. "Bedroom at the end of the hall."

"Thank you." Lucas walked alone down the hallway while Hank reached out an arm to keep Markus from following.

"So, Markus," Hank gave the deviant a suspicious but lighthearted glance as he lowered his voice. "why is his arm in a sling?"

* * *

Lucas pushed open the already partially opened door to Connor's bedroom and crept inside the room to check on his recovering 'older brother'. As the android approached Connor with a calm demeanor Sumo raised his hand and gave a puzzled whimper as he watched Lucas curiously. Sumo had never met Lucas before and was now perplexed as to why there were suddenly two Connor's in one area.

The confusion was mutual as Lucas had never seen a dog before, and was unsure at how to approach the massive, but gentle animal.

"Uh... hello." Lucas noticed the massive dog watching him and decided to acknowledge Sumo directly. Reaching out his right hand toward Sumo very slowly Lucas let the dog take in his scent and recognize his movements as non-violent. "I'm here to help Connor."

Though seemingly still confused by the second Connor standing in the room Sumo laid his head back down and watched as Lucas sat on the edge of the bed to examine the real Connor.

"Are we... friends?" The tentative android asked Sumo and received a gentle wag of the tail in response. "I will take that as a positive sign."

Pulling an audioscope from the right pocket of his jacket Lucas somewhat clumsily placed the ear pieces in place with just one hand then pulled the quilt down from Connor's chest. Pressing the bell of the audioscope against the black fabric of the t-shirt over Connor's repaired heart Lucas listened intently to the Thirium pump thrumming in perfect rhythm as it should.

Connor never reacted to Lucas sitting beside him or to the sensation of something being pressed down, albeit lightly, against his chest.

"Normal rhythm. No faltering." Lucas commented with a relived grin as he reacted the audioscope and awkwardly pulled it from his ears to place back into his pocket. Placing his hand against the right side of Connor's face he tilted Connor's head to the left slightly to examine the L.E.D. cycling a healthy blue on Connor's temple. Next Lucas pressed his fingers against the L.E.D. and cybernetically connected to Connor's system's vital readings for a more thorough examination. "Thirium volume holding at one-hundred percent, core temperature nominal, Thirium pump rate at sixty-two beats per minute and respiration at fourteen. Full system reboot estimated in in six hours, thirteen minutes, fifty-four seconds."

Satisfied that Connor was completely stable and recovering at a steady clip Lucas pulled the quilt back up over Connor's chest and rose from the bed steadily. Passing by the foot of the bed Lucas paused and gently put his right hand on Sumo's head. As lightly pet the massive dog's ears Sumo's tail wagged harder and he seemingly approved of the second android before Lucas exited from the bedroom.

Hank was standing with Markus in the livingroom speaking with the deviant leader when Lucas return. The detective's arms were crossed over his chest and he was giving Lucas an odd look from where he stood. "So... what's with your arm?"

Lucas immediately froze and looked over to Markus who just gave him an indifferent glance. Returning to look at Hank with mild fear Lucas told him the truth. "I used circuitry from my left arm to repair and replace the damaged circuits in Connor's Thirium pump."

"Uh-huh. And why didn't you say anything about it after Connor pulled through?"

"Because... I..."

"You risked your own well being in the process, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes."

"Don't worry about it, Lucas." Hank let his arms drop away from his chest casually. "You did what you had to in order to save Connor. No one's mad at you."

"You're not?"

"No. We just wish you had told someone of your little idea before you performed a self-mutilating surgery on yourself."

"...I'm sorry."

Hank just waved it off and smirked as Lucas shared much of Connor's shy personality. "How's you arm holding up?"

"My... strength has diminished as have my reflexes. But in time my remaining circuitry will recalibrate for what I've lost and I will regain full use of my arm."

"And how's Connor doing?"

"Stable. He will awaken in six hours, nine minutes and twenty four seconds."

"So, his heart is functioning correctly?"

"Yes." Lucas confirmed with a confident nod of his head. "His self-healing program has accepted the replacement circuitry with no sign of rejection. The required recalibration is responsible for his slow recovery rate and why he is still unconscious."

"What about..." Hank was still righteously worried for the android's health. "Is there any other problems that could happen?"

Lucas gave Hank a concerned and confused stare. "What do you mean?"

"Last night I went to check in on him to make sure he was still... well... alive. And he stopped breathing for a few seconds. Is that normal?"

Markus stepped forward and clapped his hand on Hank's shoulder lightly. "Artificial respiration in androids is used solely to prevent our internal core temperature from overheating. If he stopped breathing for a few seconds, especially since he's already in low power mode as well as rest mode, his core temperature is going to remain cool without the need for constant respiration."

Hank was genuinely relieved to hear that. "Okay, that's good to know. I'm not being paranoid about him then."

Lucas smiled a little as he looked down at his left hand resting in the support at his side and flexed his fingers a little. "I should get back to New Jericho and run some tests on my arm." Returning his gaze to Hank the reformed android nodded in respect. "If you need anything don't hesitate to contact us."

"Yeah, thanks for coming by." Hank appreciatively patted Lucas's arm as the android passed him by. "And, the same goes to you guys. If you need anything call me or Connor. We'll be there for you."

* * *

Hank found himself dozing lightly on the couch for several hours after Lucas and Markus had stopped by to check in on Connor. Unwilling to return to his bedroom to sleep, at least not until Connor had finally woken up, the stubborn detective rested while fully stretched out on the couch with his eyes closed and his head propped up under his arm as he found the urge to sleep.

A sudden 'thump' followed by clicking along the hardwood floor in Connor's bedroom drew Hank's attention as Sumo had finally jumped off the bed and was now happily trotting down the hallway and into the livingroom. Pushing himself upright from where he was laying Hank looked over the back of the couch and caught sight of the blue colored L.E.D. in Connor's temple as the android slowly walked down the hallway toward the livingroom.

Connor's footsteps were shaking, uncertain and slow. The android looked confused and lethargic, but he was determined to move about and find Hank.

"Connor, 'bout time you got up." Hank commented dryly as he himself rose from the couch to greet the now conscious android at the end of the hallway. "How do you feel?"

Connor's brow was furrowed slightly as he pressed his left hand over his chest, his right hand gripped over his left forearm just below the wrist. "I feel... strange." As he stopped walking at the end of the hallway he swayed a little on his face, threatening to lose his balance entirely and fall over. "I also feel tired."

Hank quickly reached up and put his hands on Connor's shoulders to hold his steady where he stood. "Whoa, whoa. What do you mean 'strange'? Are you sick? Should I call New Jericho?"

"No. I'm not ill." Connor shook his head a little as he spoke. Slowly he lowered his hand from his chest but kept his other hand clutched around his arm. "I'm experiencing a new... I guess the most accurate word would be 'sensation'."

"What's going on? Talk to me." Hank pulled on Connor's arms to prompt the android to take a step forward. Lightly Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder to support the unsteady android as he walked over to the couch to sit down. "Please tell me you're not going into some kind of rejection to those new circuits."

"No. My system has recalibrated my Thirium pump to accommodate the more advanced circuitry." Connor sat down slowly on the couch and Hank sat down beside him. "It's not my heart that feels different. Releasing his hand he rested his arm atop his lap and began flexing his hand. "It's my... arm."

"Your arm?" Hank looked down at the limb curiously. There was no sign of damage or structural modifications. "Seems normal to me."

"I'm aware that Lucas had taken circuitry from his own system to repair the damaged circuits in my own system. Do you know which circuits he had used?"

Hank's own brow began to furrow. "Yeah. He took it from his arm."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow for a moment as he failed to get an answer for his question.

"Hey, hey, you're okay." Hank insisted calmly as he grabbed Connor's arm to 'look' at it as a means of keeping his partner from getting too worked up. "Lucas and Markus were both here a few hours ago, they checked in on you and you're perfectly stable."

The yellow transitioned back into blue as Connor did begin to relax a little. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure. Name it."

"Press your fingers down right here." Connor motioned to a point of interest on his arm just above Hank's grip. "Tell me if something catches your interest."

Flashing Connor an odd look Hank followed the request and pressed his index finger down against Connor's wrist. "If you're really-" Something did catch Hank's attention. Something unexpected. "What... the fuck?"

"You can feel it, too?"

"Connor?" Hank pressed down his two forefingers with additional pressure and noted the unusual motion fluttering beneath his fingertips. "Why do you have a pulse?"

"I... I believe it's an unintended result of the more advanced circuitry from Lucas's programming adapting to my own system. His programming is more advanced than my own, and despite my own sensors being the most advanced ever created by CyberLife they had given Lucas more... 'human'... anatomical responses."

"So... Lucas has human pulse points, and now you do, too?"

"...Correct."

Curious about Connor's claim Hank moved his fingers from the side of Connor's wrist to the side of the android's neck. Sure enough there was a pulse. It was racing as quickly as one might expect for someone who was dealing with a fearful new sensation.

"And... this scares you?"

"I... I'm not supposed to have such functioning constituents. The concept of a palpable pulse beyond that of a heartbeat- the rhythm from my Thirium pump," Connor needlessly corrected himself quickly. "is... worrying."

"How so?" Hank asked as he pulled his hand back and watched his friend sitting beside him lost in the throes of concern.

"Because... my sense of 'touch' feels greatly enhanced. My ability to register 'pain' has increased significantly as well."

"You've endured some pretty nasty wounds in the past," the empathetic detective stated curtly as he leaned back against the couch cushions and crossed his arms. "but I doubt feeling pain to a more extreme degree is going to stop you. You're too damn stubborn for your own good."

"I didn't enjoy the sensation of pain before, Hank. I'm afraid of how much more uncomfortable it will feel now."

"Want to go to New Jericho? Maybe Lucas can undo these changes now that your heart has been repaired."

"No... Adaptation has always been apart of my programming." Connor refuted with confident tone, though a modicum of doubt was still audible in his words. "This will just be a new challenge for me to overcome."

"I'm not surprised you'd say that."

* * *

After two additional days of rest and familiarizing himself with his enhanced touch Connor was ready to return to the precinct. While he had become more fond of petting Sumo, the dog's thick fur suddenly very soft beneath his palm, other objects were unsettling for him to grasp. The act of reaching for his gun had given him unexpected pause and made him wary of any potential fieldwork. While aware that guns were heavy, cold hunks of metal, Connor hadn't realized exactly how heavy and how cold the metal felt in his grip until after his sensors had been enhanced.

The same with the brutally cold chill of the spring rain settling in the air. Annoyingly late spring snow falling against his artificial skin was markedly colder than it had been before. Harsh gusts of wind seemed to cut into his skin like a knife, and made him shy away from the cold altogether. Reaching for a cold metal car door handle already sheathed in ice was just as unpleasant as the raw snow and seemed to hurt his skin as a result.

"How're you feeling?" Hank asked as he turned up the music on the radio before he adjusted the heat in the car slightly. Connor sat down beside him in the front an flexed his hands anxiously. "Too hot? Too cold?"

Connor stared out the front windshield as he danced his coin about his fingertips casually. It was the first time he truly felt every ridge on the sides of the coin, how cool the metal was against his skin, and he could feel the metal of the coin steadily increasing in temperature from its prolonged exposure to his touch.

"I'm... comfortable."

"Hell of a time to gain a boost in your senses, Connor. Horrible cold, deafening wind, slick ice. By next week this damn snow will finally move on and we can have a warmer spring. Fuck, we'll probably end up with a stifling summer now, too."

"This wasn't something I had anticipated happening." Connor flipped the coin up high with the flick of his thumb and caught gracefully in the palm of his hand. The quarter was already quite warm and it felt good in his grasp. "It's been a very interesting experience."

"Can you do anything to mellow it out? Even for a few minutes?"

"No." The android admitted as he resumed dancing the coin over his fingertips rhythmically. "I cannot reduce the sensitivity of my senses without shutting them off entirely. And as you can imagine having all of my senses functioning is crucial to my work."

"Yup. I know exactly what you mean."

Connor's fingers twitched causing him to drop the coin under the front seats. "...Should I refrain from work until I know the full extent of my senses?"

"Take my word on this, son. You'll _never_ know the full extent of your senses. Ever."

As Connor awkwardly fished his coin out from under the seats he became uncomfortably aware of all the clutter that had collected beneath from months, if not years of neglect: old wrappers, crumbs, ticket stubs and a few wads of chewing gum tucked inside paper littered the floor.

"Hank..." Connor retrieved his coin and wiped his hand off against the side of his jeans, then resumed fidgeting with the quarter in his hand. "I think one of us should clean out the car."

"Uh-huh." Hank suddenly snatched the coin from Connor's hand and tucked it into the front pocket of his coat. "And you should find a reak hobby. Stop fiddling with that damn coin all the time. It's annoying."

"Sorry, Hank."

* * *

It didn't take long for the two detectives to find themselves working through a dangerous case revolving around deviant activity. While the deviant in question hadn't shown any aggressive tendencies toward humans, it had proven itself to be a dangerous thief who wasn't afraid to destroy anything it came across in order to escape with his stolen good.

Unfortunately for the deviant the original responding officer was Gavin, along with Chris. Gavin had aggravated the deviant into a violent episode and had taken into hiding within the confines of a junkyard to elude the police.

"Shit. This is going to take forever!" Hank lamented as he and Connor pulled up in the car in front of the junkyard. "Head East, I'll go West. We might be able to corner the deviant and take him in without incident."

"Hank..." The android clutched his hands into tight fists, his hands trembling with fear where he sat as his L.E.D. flashed yellow in color. "I'm not sure I can do this. At least not yet."

"Then stay here." Hank encouraged as he opened his door to exit the vehicle. "If you aren't ready to handle this then don't risk it. Just keep me posted if you see anything unusual, and if you see Gavin point him in my direction."

"...Okay." Connor hated to let Hank go in search of a potentially deviant without him, but he was admittedly too frightened to be of much use. "I'll report if I see the deviant."

"Good. Stay here."

Obediently Connor stayed in the front of the car and watched as Hank ducked down slightly to walk between the massive stacks of metallic debris without drawing any unwanted attention from deviant lurking unseen in the junkyard. As Hank drew his gun and kept the barrel pointed at the ground before him Connor thought about his own gun and how it suddenly felt strange to hold.

With that sense of dread came a sense of self-doubt.

Wanting to avoid as many uncomfortable sensation as possible Connor kept his hands firmly planted atop his legs to avoid making contact with anything unpleasant.

* * *

With his keen eyes and experience Hank quickly located the deviant through the expansive mess. The sound of clattering metal accompanying frantically running steps gave away the fleeing suspects immediate location. Raising his gun Hank stepped into a large aisle between the towering stacks of smashed cars and located the deviant with his back pressed up against a pile of metal.

"Hold it! Detroit Police." The deviant no longer had his L.E.D., but the enraged glare in his gray tinted eyes told Hank everything he needed to know about the state of mind the suspect was currently in. "Put your hands in the air. You're under arrest."

Slowly the deviant raised his hands, revealing he wasn't armed, and placed them behind his head.

"Turn around." Hank commanded as he took a step forward. "Slowly."

The deviant turned around fully, presenting his back to the detective as ordered.

"On your knees."

Keeping his motions slow and calculated, the deviant rested on his knees until Hank got closer to where he knelt. As soon as he felt Hank standing directly behind him the deviant spun around quickly and grabbed onto Hank's arm and snapped the human's wrist backward forcing Hank to drop the gun on the snowy ground as the strength in his hand failed.

"Son of a bitch!" Hank swore as the deviant disarmed him and rushed him in a flash of a few seconds.

The deviant got behind Hank and kicked the detective in his the back causing him to fall forward on the slippery ground. The detective was unable to regain his balance and was left prone to the attacking deviant as he fell to his stomach, and quickly rolled to his side.

"Back the fuck off!" Hank shouted as he tried to get up to his feet but the deviant put his foot down on the center of Hank's back and forced him to lay on his stomach in the snow again.

Hostile and desperate to get away the deviant reached into the crumpled hood of one of the nearby cars and pulled a bundle of wires free from the mangled engine. Pulling the wires taut the deviant slipped the thick cables around Hank's neck and began to pull back with all of his strength. Hank's hands, one still strong and the other weak, began to try to pull the constricting cables away from his throat but he couldn't get his fingers between the tightening wires and his neck.

"Con-" Hank wheezed desperately as he felt his strength waning from his entire body. Darkness encroached on the corners of his vision and his ears began to ring loudly. "...Con...nor."

Still enraged by Gavin's behavior earlier the deviant began dragging Hank backward toward the tower of crunched metal as he continued to strangle the disarmed detective. Climbing backward and oddly up onto the tower, the metal structure swaying and creaking under the added weight, the deviant looped the cables through jagged metal and deviant secured the end of the suffocating wires to the debris to effectively hang the detective out of a unnecessarily cruel act of misplaced hatred.

* * *

From the car Connor noted a disturbance in the tower of cars and scanned the area from where he sat. The deviant rushed out of the aisle from where he had attacked Hank and almost ran directly into Gavin as the hotheaded Sergeant finally caught up in the pursuit of the deviant. Connor's brow furrowed as he watched Gavin chase after the deviant without any sign of Hank in pursuit.

"Hank?" Opening the car door Connor stepped out into the icy cold and immediately shuddered in response. Wrapping his gray jacket tightly around his chest Connor crossed his arms over himself to stave off the merciless cold. As he rubbed his hands up and down his arms, the friction induced heat causing his L.E.D. to flash between yellow and blue as he endured the cold, he began a search for his missing partner.

Walking down the aisle from whence the deviant had fled Connor scanned the area and noted the disturbances in the snow, as well as the mildly swaying metal of the stacks of cars that created the aisle itself. Something in Connor's program, his instinct, told him that something was very wrong.

"Hank?" Venturing deeper into the aisle Connor continued his search for his missing partner. "Hank? Are you-"

It was then that Connor felt something in his heart that was colder than the winter that surrounded him as his eyes drifted up and locked onto the sight Hank hanging limp against the stack of cars. A reflex scan over Hank's body told Connor everything he didn't want know: no sign of consciousness, no pulse, no respiration.

"HANK?!"

Connor rushed over to where his partner was hanging s quickly as he could move. Putting his shoulder under the heels of Hank's shoes Connor tried to muscle his partner's body upward enough to loosen the cables around Hank's throat, but they were already too tight. Hank's face was horribly pale and his lips were already turning blue; but whether it was from suffocation or the cold Connor couldn't be certain.

"Come on, Hank! Take a breath!"

Grabbing onto the stinging ice cold of the metal cars Connor began to climb the stack as he made his way up to the cables to wrest them free of the cars.

Gavin, having heard Connor's frantic shouting, walked back down the aisle with the deviant in handcuffs. "What the fuck!?"

"Gavin!" Connor pleaded as he struggled and failed to free Hank by himself. "I can't get him loose!"

"Fuck!" Gavin swore again as he took a second pair of handcuffs and slapped one cuff around the deviant's wrist, and secured the second cuff to a nearby door frame of a car to keep him from getting away again. "Shit! Hold on!"

Connor initiated another scan to check for possible internal damage to Hank's cerebral spinal column or spinal chord: No internal damage. "Neck is stable, but he can't breathe!"

Gavin ran over to Hank and took his weight from Connor's shoulders. As he lessened the strain against the cables he pulled a pocketknife from the back of his jeans and held it out and up toward Connor. "Use this."

Reaching down with one hand Connor took the offered tool and flipped out the blade with a flick of the wrist. As his hand tightened around the metal hilt of the knife Connor raised it up toward the cable behind Hank's head and began cutting through the restraining wires with precise motions. As the cables severed free from around Hank's neck Connor pocketed the knife quickly and managed to press his hand up against Hank's chest to keep him from falling forward in a limp heap.

"He's free!" Connor shouted as he awkwardly began climbing down with one hand, the other still supporting Hank's body as much as possible. "Get him down!"

"I got him!" Gavin replied as he wrapped one arm around Hank's legs and let the detective fall limp over his shoulder. Kneeling down on the snow Gavin lowered Hank from his shoulder and laid him flat on the ground. Pressing his fingers against the side of Hank's neck the lack of activity set Gavin on edge. "Shit, shit, shit!"

Connor practically leapt down from the stack of cars and slid on his knees beside Hank. "Gavin?"

"I can't find a pulse, and he isn't breathing."

"Call for an ambulance!" Connor commanded as he cybernetically made the call himself before he carefully straightened Hank's neck and pressed his fingers against the carotid artery. Carefully Connor lifted up Hank's eyelids and stared at the distant gaze in Hank's blue irises. Just as his scanner had shown and as Gavin had previously noted; no pulse. Pulling open Hank's coat and the bright blue shirt beneath Connor rested the palm of his hand flat atop Hank's chest and felt no respiration. "Beginning C.P.R.!"

"You what?!" Gavin blurted as he fumbled for the phone in his pocket, and was shoved roughly aside by Connor as he assessed his partner's condition. "You can do that?"

Placing one hand over top of the other and interlacing his fingers together Connor squared his shoulders and began pressing downward with a single combined fist on the center of Hank's stilled chest over his motionless heart. Using perfect rhythm Connor compressed Hank's chest rapidly and firmly as he tried to force the stopped heart back into motion.

"Shit." Gavin swore again as he stepped back and called for an ambulance, and confirmed their location to dispatch.

"Please Hank." Connor begged as counted the compressions without breaking stride.

Hank's heart and entire body remained unresponsive beneath Connor's hands as the android tried to revive his fallen partner. The lack of motion beneath Connor's palms was as unsettling as the stinging cold against his skin as he endured the harsh weather in favor of saving his friend's life.

"Come on, Hank." There was still no response from Hank's heart, but a faint 'crack' was heard and felt under his hands as the compressions had resulted in at least one fractured rib. Refusing to stop even for a second, refusing to give up on his partner, Connor continued the compressions without hesitation. "Come on..."

Gavin crouched down beside Hank and watched silently as Connor fought to revive the detective.

Running another scan over Hank's body Connor felt his his fear rising with every pass of second that Hank remained lifeless under his hands. "Come on Hank!" Reeling back his arm Connor slammed one fist down in the center of Hank's chest in a desperate bid to try to jumpstart Hank's heart before beginning another round of compressions. "Hank!"

The deviant watched the scene unfold from where he was cuffed and began to sneer, almost laughing at the endeavor.

Gavin took notice and shouted at the captured deviant. "Shut your fuckin' mouth, asshole! You'll be lucky if you don't fuckin' torn into pieces on the way to your goddamn cell!" Quieting his voice Gavin shook his head a little and addressed Connor in a surprisingly calm, sympathetic voice. "Connor... It's too late."

"No." Connor continued the compressions without ever looking away from Hank toward Gavin.

"Connor!" Yelling to try to get the android's attention Gavin was beginning to lose what was left of his already short patience. "Even if you can restart his heart he's probably going to end going through life with some fuckin' form of brain damage!"

"No!"

"Connor!" Gavin stood up and began pacing around angrily behind the android. "Who the fuck knows how long he was up there without breathin'? His brain's toast!"

"The cold!" Connor remarked sharply as he continued compressions. "The cold can preserve organic tissues against decaying damage, including brain tissue. I can't-"

"He's already gone, Connor."

Connor reeled back his fist again and again, each time was seemingly a fruitless endeavor as he struck Hank's chest to try to restart his heart. "Hank?" As he began shouting tears formed in Connor's eyes and threatened to fall at any second. "Come on, Hank! COME ON!"

A weak gasp escaped Hank's lips as his heart began fluttering into motion under Connor's hands at long last.

"H-Hank?!" Connor's voice was shaking in relief as he stopped the compressions and put his hand under Hank's head. The ice and snow that clung to Hank's gray locks began to melt in Connor's palm. Placing his other hand down against Hank's chest Connor felt the fractured ribs near the center of the detective's chest as well as his struggling breaths. "...Hank. Keep breathing."

"Holy shit." Gavin looked down at the revived detective in absolute shock. "It fuckin' worked."

Hank took in another weak gasp before he began taking in deep, slow breaths. His heart falling into a steady rhythm as life returned to his body.

Ambulance sirens and lights encroached on the junkyard as medical help mercifully arrived.

"Hank? Look at me." Connor asked as he lifted Hank's eyelids again. The blue irises remained unfocused and glassy. "You're going to be okay."

Connor reluctantly took his hand from Hank's head as he shrugged off his gray jacket and draped the garment over Hank's body. Replacing his hand beneath Hank's head he supported the detective up from the snowy ground and did his best to keep him warm until the paramedics could place him onto the gurney and load him into the back of the warmer ambulance for transport.

"You'll be okay, Hank. I'll take care of you."

Watching as the paramedics arrived Connor felt his hands growing cold from the snow as he supported Hank's head and chest in a gentle grip.

"...I promise that I'll help you."

* * *

Shivering noticeably from where he stood outside the recovery room in the hospital Connor watched through the observation window as a doctor shined a penlight into Hank's eyes. The detective hadn't yet regained consciousness but his vitals were holding strong. Recovering quietly in private room Hank was unaware of the people gathering outside his room out of sheer concern for his well being.

Connor stood idly silent as he waited for any sign of change from his partner when a nurse sheepishly addressed him, his gray jacket was draped over her arm.

"Excuse me, Connor?"

Slowly turning his head to look at the nurse his L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red briefly as he recognized her. She was the nurse he had aided one month back. The nurse who hated androids and kept him from boarding the doomed helicopter before it crashed. Nurse Sophist.

"Yes?" Connor replied hesitantly as he forced himself to make eye contact with the human.

"You look like you could use this." Her voice was surprisingly sweet and kind as she handed the jacket back to the android. "You're freezing."

"...Yes." Connor's trembling hand reached out and accepted the offered garment. Slipping it back on his arms and over his shoulders Connor felt slightly warmer, but continued to rub his hands up and down his arms to generate additional heat. "Thank you."

"Uh, what you did for me..." the nurse showed her change of heart toward androids as she spoke up. "I just wanted to say... thank you."

"...You're welcome."

"And," she continued shamefully. "I wanted to say I'm sorry."

Connor's brow furrow slightly at the apology. "For what?"

"For my behavior. I was treating you like a second-class citizen and I wrong to do so. You saved my life despite the way I behaved and I can't begin to tell you how appreciative I am. So, I'm sorry for being such a bitch, and thank you for saving my life."

A small smile appeared than disappeared from Connor's face as he looked away from the nurse with unspoken gratitude. "You're welcome." The red tinted L.E.D. transitioned back to yellow as he felt a modicum of relief. "I'm glad you're okay."

Leaving Connor alone the nurse went about her rounds while the android remained vigil outside the recovery room. Gavin and Captain Fowler joined Connor in the corridor and looked in at the resting detective through the window.

"I just spoke to the neurologist," Fowler stated somewhat blandly. "there's a high chance that Hank will be suffering from some minor memory impairment when he wakes up."

"Memory impairment?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed back to red with concern. "...Did I hurt him? Am I-"

"No, Connor. It's caused by 'anoxia' from having his air cut off for so long." Fowler cut in sharply before Connor had the chance to blame himself. "They're starting him on a drug called 'Memantine' to help prevent any permanent memory loss or cognitive function. Fortunately, about five years ago there was a major breakthrough in the treatment of memory loss in people suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia. The doctor's are hopeful that this treatment will reverse the memory loss quickly before it becomes permanent."

Connor's L.E.D. remained red as he watched Hank through the window. "Permanent?"

"Try not to worry about it, Connor. He'll be a confused for the next couple days, but he'll be fine. I'll go check in with his doctor." Fowler volunteered as he walked down the corridor. "I'll see if we can speak with Hank, soon."

As Fowler walked away Connor glanced over at Gavin who looked as concerned as Connor's felt. Reaching into his pocket Connor reclaimed the pocketknife that Gavin had given him earlier and handed it back to the Sergeant. "Here. Thanks for helping."

Gavin accepted the knife and pocketed it quickly. "Whatever..."

After four excruciatingly long hours of waiting for Hank to finally wake up, waiting for the doctors to finish running their tests on his vital signs and his memory, waiting for Fowler to get done speaking with Hank; Connor was allowed to enter the room to check in on his partner. As he stepped through the doorway Fowler stepped out and he pushed Connor back a few paces to speak to him in private.

"Connor, listen... Hank... He doesn't remember you." The tone of his voice was low yet spoke volumes. "The last memory that he has of you is the interrogation room after your first case together."

"He..." Connor's L.E.D. cycled red rapidly. "Everything we had accomplished after that night... It's gone?"

"Yeah." Fowler confirmed with an awkward bite at his lower lip. "I told him about the android revolution and of your continued partnership, but, if he doesn't remember anything he won't act as you've come to know him."

Nodding subtly Connor mentally steeled himself for what he was about to encounter. "I understand."

"I'm not so sure you do." Fowler placed his hand on Connor's shoulder as he passed the android by to let him finally enter the room. "Don't take anything he might say personally. Give him time to heal and remember."

Connor peered through the doorway at his partner and ran a scan to assess the environment as well as Hank's condition. The detective was fully conscious and showed no other ill effects from being hanged other than his memory loss, and some fresh purple tinted bruises that encircled his throat.

Hank was laying in the bed propped up slightly with a nasal canula giving him fresh oxygen to breathe. A splint was wrapped around his right hand courtesy of the deviant breaking his wrist, while an I.V. of the Memantine as well as a gentle painkiller had been placed in his left arm. A pack of ice was pressed against the center of his chest to help numb the fractured ribs he had suffered as a result of the living saving C.P.R. performed by Connor himself.

Taking a moment to prepare himself for what potentially negative or hateful thing Hank might say or do, Connor entered the room with his original 'machine' like facade as he addressed his partner accordingly. "How do you feel, Lieutenant?"

Hank looked over at Connor, his eyes full of disdain and frustration. "It feels like a goddamn machine crushed me. Why the fuck are you here?"

"We're partners." Connor refuted as he expertly masked the sorrow in his voice behind a veil of logic. His L.E.D. was rapidly cycling yellow as he spoke, but he didn't pay any attention to the circle of light betraying his true emotions. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine, now get the hell out of here you plastic piece of shit. I don't need you babysitting me."

"...Very well." Connor backed out of the room and returned to the corridor where Fowler was waiting for him. Standing before his Captain with a grimace Connor shook his head in disappointment. "He doesn't recognize me beyond my original assignment."

"I figured as much. Look, Connor," the heaviness in Fowler's voice made Connor visibly straighten with concern. "Hank's going to be sidelined for some time until he recovers, and he's the only detective I feel comfortable partnering you with."

"Captain... I can't just sit around doing nothing while deviant cases begin piling up." Connor sounded like a scolded child as he spoke. "What about Chris?"

"Still out on paternity leave for another three weeks. And there's no way in hell I'm making the mistake of partnering you up with Gavin again." Fowler held up a hand to silence Connor before he even had the chance to ask. "And no one else wants to deal with deviant cases. I'm sorry, but until Hank is cleared for duty again you're going to have to sit out for a while, too."

Knowing better than to try to argue Connor accepted Fowler's decision albeit with a tangible reluctance.

"Why don't you go home for the night and take Hank back home tomorrow morning? Maybe by then his memory will have improved enough that he won't be as hostile toward you."

"That is acceptable. I will head back home, for now." Connor didn't want to leave Hank alone, but Hank wasn't truly the Hank he had befriend during their time together. For now he was leaving a man who wanted to be left alone as just as that; alone. "Please. Contact me if there is any change in his condition."

"I will."

* * *

Sitting behind the wheel of Hank's car Connor gazed up at the hospital from the parking lot where he sat and wondered if he should stay just in case Hank's memory returned. It felt wrong to leave his partner behind, but Connor didn't want to say or do anything to accidentally aggravate Hank or stress him out while he was trying to recover.

Turning over the cold metal key in the ignition Connor put both of his hands firmly on the leather steering wheel and pulled the car out of the parking lot onto the somewhat busy street. Unwilling to return to the empty home just yet, unwilling to sit alone and do nothing while Hank was still in the hospital, Connor found himself aimlessly driving through downtown Detroit, his eyes wandering over to various shops and the displays in the windows as if searching for something.

What that something was he couldn't be sure, but he did know that once he found it he there wouldn't be any doubts in his mind.

The warm orange light of a music store suddenly caught Connor's attention. A dozen different guitars were on display in the front windows, as was a large drum set, several electronic keyboards and selection of brass instruments. There was something alluring, if not completely inviting about the place. Something in Connor's programming was thoroughly intrigued by the store; perhaps it was Hank's love of music that drew him in.

Parking along the street Connor began wandering down the snowy sidewalk toward the store that had stolen his full attention unexpectedly. Entering the store Connor found himself alone with the exception of the owner, who was an older man with long, wild gray hair, a gray goatee, small, round blue tinted glasses over his eyes, a black leather vest over his black t-shirt and torn up blue jeans. Various tattoos covered his arms down to his wrists and dotted over his knuckles. Additional tattoos also ran up the sides of his neck to his jawline.

The walls of the store itself were lined with various instruments each displaying various age and artistic beauty. Electric and acoustic guitars were mounted proudly all against the long wall opposite of the counter. Drum sets and keyboards filled the back wall, while violins, cellos, clarinets, flutes, trumpets, trombones, saxophones and other brass instruments were prominently displayed behind the counter.

"Something you need?" The owner asked in an indifferent tone that spoke volumes of his decades of experience dealing with people from all walks of life. "Or just browsin'?"

"Perhaps you can assist me. I'm interested in music." Connor replied with thin confidence in his voice. "But I do not know why I was drawn to this particular store."

The man noted the L.E.D. cycling blue in Connor's temple and shrugged his shoulders a little. "Deviant, huh?"

"...Correct."

Smiling a little the man crossed his arms and leaned back against the counter casually. "You're not the first deviant who's wandered into my shop since the revolution. But you are the first deviant who hasn't torn that damn light from their head."

Connor's fingers pressed against his L.E.D. as the color shifted from blue to yellow.

"Don't worry about it, I was just making an observation. So," the man asked coolly as he took in Connor's overall appearance. "what kind of music are you interested in?"

"Well... I'm not sure."

"But you want to know."

"Correct."

"Let me ask you this, what about music in general holds your interest?"

"It's not so much the music as it's my friend's interest in music." Connor noted Hank's preferred musical genres back home. "He seems to favor heavy metal and jazz."

"But what do you like?"

"Me? I... I do seem to be drawn more to the heavy metal genre. It's full of energy. And I find that energy appealing on a level I don't quite understand."

"That it is, that _it is_..." The man agreed wholeheartedly. "Spoken like a man with the soul of musician."

"...I have a musician's soul?"

"Sure as shit you do! You're drawn to something you can't understand, you keep pursuing it for a reason you don't have, and you want to know more about it. That's every musician I've ever met."

"So you can assist me?"

"I think I know just what you need."

Connor watched as the man approached the back wall of the store and grabbed onto the neck of a cherry red Fender brand solid body electric guitar. Looking over his shoulder to Connor the man pulled the key from his pocket to release the guitar from its magnetic pegs supporting it against the wall.

"Are you right handed or left?"

"I'm ambidextrous."

"Fuck yeah, you're definitely a born musician." The man laughed again as he turned and presented the guitar to Connor. "Then this is perfect for you-"

"...No." Connor protested for a moment and caused the man to freeze. "Not that one." Pointing to the same guitar two pegs down Connor isolated the one that truly interested him. "The green one."

Smiling broader the man nodded and opened the lock to the emerald green guitar as Connor requested. "Green it is."

"Will I need anything else?" Connor asked as he approached the counter while the man gently sat the guitar down over the counter top for purchase. "A case perhaps?"

"Damn right, you want to keep something this beautiful as pristine as possible." Connor stared at the brilliant shine of the green guitar with a sense of wanting. Connor wanted the guitar, and there was no denying it. "Here's the perfect case for you."

Connor watched as the guitar was placed inside a red velvet lined case of fine black leather. It looked... right.

"I'll throw in some extra strings and a pick for free." Holding up a brand new guitar pick he presented it to Connor with pride. "That'll get ya' started."

"Thank you." Connor accepted and held the silver colored pick in his hand curiously.

"You'll also need an amplifier." The man tagged on casually as he watched Connor's demeanor. "I'll get you one from the back."

Fiddling with the guitar pick between his fingers Connor felt suddenly at ease. It was almost like when he fidgeted with his coin before taking on especially challenging cases or calls. But this time he wasn't anxious, he was excited.

"This will get you pretty good sound," the man explained as he set an amplifier no larger than a basketball down on the counter. A large black cable was attached the amplifier and waiting to be plugged into the guitar resting silently in the case beside it. "and it won't take up too much space. Need any 'how to' guides on reading music?"

"No thank you, I can download the information I need."

"Alright, pay your tab and be on your way." Connor happily reached into his back pocket and grabbed the leather wallet Hank had insisted that he carried to retrieve numerous large bills to pay for his new guitar. "Damn son, you've been saving up for something special. Haven't ya'?"

"...Yes. I believe I have."

The cold snow continued to fall over the city and slowly buried it under an unseasonably late layer of white.

"You know something," the man accepted the offered money and gave Connor back the change. "on cold night's like this music can be very warming to the soul. And it looks like you need something to melt your heart right about now."

* * *

 

 

 

Connor's eye kept drifting to the rearview mirror and to his new purchases sitting in the backseat of the car as he drove home. Hank had told him to find a hobby, perhaps that's why he was so determined to find something to keep his mind preoccupied while he waited until morning to return to the hospital. Or maybe there was something more than that inside of an unexplainable piece of his programming that let Connor be Connor; not a machine.

Allowing Sumo outside for a few minutes Connor set up the guitar and amplifier in his bedroom and downloaded sheet music from various bands that he had become familiar with after spending so much time listening to the music that Hank often played while they were working cases together.

While he struggled to select a song to play Connor allowed the snow covered dog back inside the house, then walked over to Hank's music collection setting atop his large stereo system. Checking through the vinyl records Connor stopped on an album by 'Knights of the Black Death' and flipped it over. Memorizing the eleven songs on the record Connor identified the first song he had heard when he first noted Hank's musical taste at the precinct.

"I wonder if playing these songs will allow me to appreciate them?"

Connor spoke aloud to himself, or to Sumo, as he sat on the edge of his bed and quickly learned each note, each chord for every song he had downloaded into his database. For the remainder of the night Connor played on his guitar and distracted himself from the day's horrific events that were sure to haunt his dreams.

The firm coating of the guitar strings pressing into his raw, uncalloused tips felt new; but it didn't feel wrong. Just as the pick was an acceptable replacement for his coin, the presence of the strings against his fingers was also acceptable.

"Music does seem to make me feel warmer." Sitting aside his pick for a moment Connor pressed his right fore fingertips to the side of his left wrist and felt his newly developed pulse. Connor's heart was thrumming quicker in time with the tempo of the song he was currently playing, and mastering. "Is this what it feels like to have a soul?"

* * *

The following morning arrived with another onslaught of freezing snow. The snow and cold had been relentless the night before, but the streets were still deemed safe enough to drive on. The numerous reported accidents and stranded motorists that Connor had received that morning indicated otherwise. Fortunately Connor's enhanced reflexes allowed him to handle the necessary drive without any difficulty.

Returning to the hospital to take Hank back home Connor was greeted with an annoyed sigh as the healing detective was wheeled out of the hospital by a nurse to the parking lot. While Hank had been cooperative in taking his medication the effects of said medication had yet to remedy his lost memories.

"I'll have you home soon, Lieutenant." Connor stated confidently as he watched Hank climb into the front passenger seat of the car. "I had also made sure to take care of your dog for you during your absence."

"Yeah, yeah. Just get me there in one piece, alright? Fuckin' snow..."

"I will do so."

"Shut up." Despite being told by Fowler himself that he and Connor had actually grown into becoming good friends Hank was still acting on his initial impression of Connor. The android had proven himself a capable detective during their initial investigation and subsequent interrogation, but the memory of Connor saving his life when he was nearly pushed over the roof was absent. The interrogation was the only memory he had to work with. "Watch the road."

"...Whatever you say, Lieutenant."

It didn't take too much longer for Connor to get back to the house as it did to get to the hospital, but the drive was noticeably more difficult due to the mounting ice on the road beneath the snow. Parking the car in the driveway beside the house Connor opened his door and moved around to the other side of the car to help Hank.

"Back off, I'm fine." Hank unfastened his seatbelt and stepped out of the car slowly. The drive was icy but not too dangerous to walk on. "I got choked out and busted a few ribs, not my legs."

Connor watched as Hank made his way to the backdoor and let him inside. Sumo greeted his master happily before returning his attention to Connor, which of course amused Hank.

"The dog likes you. Must be all the plastic. You smell like a new chew-toy!"

Dismissing the comment Connor took the prescribed bottles of medication from his jacket pocket and left them on the coffee table for Hank to take when necessary. "Do you need anything? Perhaps I could-"

"Beat it!" Hank snapped as he lowered himself down to the couch in the livingroom carefully. "You got me home, now you can leave."

"Yes... Of course." Setting the car keys down on the table beside the medication Connor looked to the front door, then back to Hank. There were very few places that Connor could go considering he was now free and CyberLife was gone. "If you do require anything-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Now, get the hell out of here. If you really want to help then don't bug me, got it?"

Connor returned his gaze to the doorway and his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow. "...Got it."

As a means of respecting Hank's wishes Connor exited the house through the front door and closed it behind him softly. The snow outside swirled about in a manner just as soft as the door as the android walked down the front walk and to the street. Closing his eyes the android cybernetically summoned an autonomous taxi to pick him up so he wouldn't have to walk about in the cold.

With nowhere else to go, nowhere else to take shelter from the impending blizzard, Connor decided it'd be best to return to New Jericho Tower for a short period of time.

* * *

Sitting on the exam table of Sublevel fifty-one in the depths of New Jericho with a sensor pad attached to the center of his exposed chest and a Thirium pressure monitor wrapped around his bicep, Connor patiently waited for Lucas to finish running a 'courtesy' examination to check the degree of functionality of Connor's previously repaired, only recently healed, heart.

"No faltering or software errors that I should know about?" Lucas asked as he noted Connor's current vital signs and chronicled the data for future reference.

"No. However I am experiencing more intense readings with my contact sensors. I can really... feel things now. I'm not just touching items, I am in fact _feeling_ them."

Curious about his 'big brother's' odd admission Lucas attached a second type of sensor to Connor's L.E.D. and ran another diagnostic. The readout was displayed on a monitor beside the exam table. The resulting readings were unusual for Connor's system, but not dangerous.

"It appears my enhanced circuitry had been successfully adapted to your own beyond just the Thirium pump. Your physical external sensors have enhanced by sixty-three percent."

"That is what I had concluded as well." Connor pulled the cuff from his bicep and the sensor from his chest. Standing up from the table he rebuttoned his shirt ans replaced the tie before slipping back on his jacket. "It's been an unusual change, but one that I am adapting to very well."

Lucas nodded at Connor and flexed his left hand as he tried to focus on his self-imposed physical therapy to regain the strength had lost after donating circuitry from his arm to repair Connor's Thirium pump. "I'm pleased to hear this."

"How's your hand?" Connor asked politely as he noted Lucas slowly flexing his hand back and forth between a tight fist and relaxed palm.

"It has made an fifteen percent improvement over the past five days. It has taken my self-healing program much longer to recalibrate for missing circuitry as opposed to correcting damaged circuitry."

An interesting idea popped into Connor's head as he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out a quarter. The coin had been part of the change he received after paying for his guitar the night before. Just as he had done hundreds of times before Connor began sliding the coin over his knuckles, spinning it on his fingertips and slipping it back and forth rapidly between his two hands before he caught it with incredible precision between his index and middle fingers of his left hand.

"Catch." Connor stated as he tossed the coin to Lucas, who caught it clumsily in his left hand. "Try to copy my motions. I found it to be greatly beneficial in attuning my overall senses whenever I have been presented with a particularly taxing case or crime scene."

Lucas arched his brow as he set the coin atop his left hand and began to slowly, but effectively, juggle the coin in the same manner as Connor. "Thank you. I will attempt to utilize this technique to my own advantage."

"I will be sure to stop by the tower at the beginning of the next month. I wish to make it a habit of visiting you."

Lucas stopped fiddling with the coin and stared at Connor's face curiously. "Is there something else you wanted to talk about?"

"It isn't so much something I wished to discuss, but I am finding it difficult to comprehend my current situation with Hank."

"Yes. We know of the deviant who attacked Hank. He had been outcast from the original Jericho long before Markus had become leader. He was dangerous and unpredictable." Pocketing the quarter into his white jacket he gave Connor a sympathetic look. "We are all sorry that Hank had been injured. How severe is the damage?"

"Aside from physical abrasions and rib fractures due to the assault and accompanying C.P.R., Hank has suffered memory impairment. He's forgotten about me."

If Lucas still had his recently removed L.E.D. it would've flashed red with distress. "What is being done to treat his condition?"

"Medication and rest."

"What have you attempted to restore his memory?"

"N-Nothing. Hank doesn't want me around." The admission in Connor's voice was almost heartbreaking. He sounded as though he had been abandoned and left to rot in a gutter. "And I don't want to upset him while he's still recovering."

"Then stay here with us at New Jericho."

"I cannot stay here." Connor's shoulders visibly slouched with disappointment. "The inhabitants of the tower are still uneasy about my presence. I had been the biggest threat to all of the deviants in the city, and I know that I am still not trusted. I also suspect that my presence in unwelcome, but deemed tolerable solely from Markus's intervention."

"Connor, don't dismiss yourself."

"I'll be fine, Lucas." Connor tried to reassure his younger brother, but the uncertainty in his voice was unmistakable. "I'll let you know once Hank has made a substantial recovery. I promise."

On that final goodbye Connor took his leave of the emergency repair bay, the sound of the coin he had given to Lucas being flicked back and forth between the android's hands resonated loudly as Connor entered the elevator to return to the ground floor of the tower.

Alone.

* * *

Hank was sitting on the couch with his arm wrapped around his chest as he breathed through the lingering pain that felt like it was squeezing his ribs as the fractures attempted to slowly knit back together. Having taken his medication at every six hours, the instructed intervals that he had received from the doctor before he was discharged; and written in black ink on the side of the bottle by Connor, Hank's mind was beginning to race with bizarrely frantic images and odd sounds that were seemingly triggered by everything in the house.

The sound of the basketball game on the television reminded Hank of the night Connor had found him getting drunk at Jimmy's Bar while he was watching a previous game on that small, grainy television set came flooding back. The determined android had negotiated with Hank to get him to respond to the scene of the homicide by buying him another drink.

Sumo was resting his chain atop Hank's leg and the warmth from the dog's fur reminded him of the first time he had held Sumo as a small puppy in his arms. Cole, only a toddler at the time, was excited beyond measures to have his own dog to play with.

It was then a foggy memory of Connor playing fetch with Sumo came to Hank's mind. Where did that come from? When did that even happen? Connor was sitting on the couch tossing a green colored fetch ball down the hallway and into the kitchen, it also looked like Connor was hurt He was wearing clothes that were dirty and it looked like his legs couldn't move.

"When the hell did Connor spend time on MY couch playing fetch with MY dog?" Hank asked as he put his hand atop Sumo's furry head. "Was that another drunken hallucination or am I finally going crazy?"

A knock at the door almost made Hank jump in surprise at the unexpected sound and visitor. The snowstorm had grown more intense and the roads were closed off to civilians, only emergency personal and first responders were permitted to drive until further notice.

"Who the fuck is out here in the middle of a damn blizzard? I bet it's that dumb piece of plastic trying to check in on me."

As Hank rose from the couch slowly Sumo followed right at his heels, and snorted at the front door before Hank even opened it.

"Easy, Sumo. You should at least see who it is before you start growling." Hank pulled open the front door and eyed Gavin standing on the front step already completely covered from head to toe in snow, with a cardboard box in his hands. "Never mind Sumo, as you were."

Gavin sneered at Hank before looking down at the large dog beside his leg. "Mangy mutt."

"What're you doing out here Gavin? There's no way you're crashing on my couch if Pam threw your sorry ass out on the street again!"

"Shut up Hank. Take this shit, Fowler's orders." Gavin shoved the box toward Hank, but the detective refused to take it.

"Can't." Hank smirked sarcastically as he lifted his right hand to show him the splint. "Bum wrist."

"Shit, fine." Gavin stomped through the house and sat the box down on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Fowler thinks digging through some of your old files will jog your memory or some bullshit."

"Surprised he didn't send Connor over with all this crap."

"He would've if he hadn't already benched Connor."

"He benched Connor? What the hell for?"

"Because you're the only one who can stand working on those damn deviant cases, and those fuckers are Connor's specialty."

"Oh, for fuck sake... I've been busted up by a piece of shit machine and sidelined, and Fowler seriously thinks having me sift through all that shit is somehow going to be good for me?" Sighing with heavy exasperation Hank ran his good hand through his hair with irritation. "Alright, where the fuck is Connor?"

"Beats me. And I don't care."

"You're fan-fuckin'-tastic detective, you know that?"

"Hey! He's YOUR partner!"

Sumo began to growl as he stood loyally at his master's side.

"I'm INJURED." His 'bad' arm wrapping around his chest as all the yelling was causing him uncomfortable pain. "It's not my responsibility to keep an eye on some fancy piece of plastic dressed up to look like a cop!"

"Yeah, and you'd be DEAD if it wasn't for that plastic punk saving your dumb ass!"

Hank's brow furrowed at the last comment. Dropping his hand from his hair he just eyed Gavin suspiciously. "I'd be what?"

"Who do you think cut you down after that crazy deviant strung you up? Or brought you back from the dead with that rib crushing C.P.R.?"

The look in Gavin's stare was as intense as it was sincere.

"Hey, nothing personal Hank, but when I saw you hanging there all blue and shit I figured you were long dead. I didn't find a pulse and you weren't breathin'. Connor revived you and didn't give up until you finally took a damn breath."

Frustrated with his inability to remember what had happened, especially the attack itself, Hank angrily let out a deep huff. "You done here? Or do you want to keep bustin' my balls?"

"Yeah, I'm done here." Gavin walked away from the table, mindful of Sumo still growling at Hank's side he flung the front door open before storming through back outside into the blizzard.

The door slammed shut and Sumo barked at the noise.

"Easy Sumo. He's gone."

Trepidation followed Hank as he returned to the couch and pulled off the lid to the box of case files that Gavin had brought over. Fumbling through the old paper documents; the only way to ensure evidence can remain unaltered in the very real possibility of electronic hacking, Hank pulled out file, after file, after file of solved cases that he and Connor had worked on together.

Each case revolved around deviant androids as either the suspect or the victim. The dates on the files were also listed as taking place a days, weeks and now months after the night of the revolution.

"Shit... We really did do a lot of work together, didn't we?" Hank eyed each file carefully, and as he glanced at the attached photographs brief flashes of the cases returned to his memory. Slowly pieces of his memories began to fall into place like a puzzle collecting pieces. "We even took down a domestic anti-android terrorist group? Fuck."

A sudden image of Connor bleeding in horrific gushes of blue all over his arms as a knife penetrated the android's chest appeared in his mind.

"Shit!" Hank put his good hand to his head as he leaned forward on the couch. It was too brutal to accept, but he felt it inside his heart that the image he saw was a true memory. "Connor... What the hell was that about?"

As he pushed through the fog that clouded his memory Hank uncovered a following memory, one of himself watching over Connor as he slept in a bed while the android recovered from what should've been a fatal injury. The memory felt incredibly vivid, fresh and disturbingly real. It wasn't a strange dream or the result of a drunken hallucination.

"...What the fuck?"

Playing on an odd hunch Hank made his way down the hallway and pushed open the door to Cole's old bedroom. The room wasn't bare anymore, it was furnished with a bed, dresser, lamp, aquarium and now a leather guitar case leaning up against the corner of the room. There wasn't something eerily familiar about the setting as he recognized the room as the same room from his memory where he watched over Connor.

"Alright, I need some damn answers."

Hank marched out of the bedroom back into the livingroom and pulled his leather coat from the hook by the door. While he fished for his car keys his fingers instead found the coin he had snatched away from Connor the day before. As he held the coin in his hand he remembered when he and Connor had been assigned to investigate an incident at the Stratford Tower:

* * *

_The two detectives were standing side by side in the elevator ascending to the floor where the crime had taken place, the coin dancing gracefully on Connor's fingertips when Hank reached out and grabbed the coin in irritation._

_"You're starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor!"_

_"Sorry, Lieutenant."_

_Shortly after the investigation began Connor had gone to interrogate three possible deviants in the kitchenette of the broadcast room and had been gone for some time._

_When an android passed by Hank and the other cops without drawing any attention, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Then Connor's voice shouting from behind put himself and everyone around him on guard._

_"Stop it! It's a deviant!"_

_Before Hank had the chance to react the deviant had stolen a semi-automatic gun from a nearby S.W.A.T. officer and prepared to open fire, but Connor was quicker. Pulling the handgun from the nearby F.B.I. agent, a man Connor had saved two months prior, Connor shot the deviant before it had the chance to harm anyone in the hallway._

_"Nice shot, Connor." Hank complimented as he took in the chaotic scene, and did so in stride._

_"I wanted it alive."_

_"You saved human lives, Connor." Hank had stated firmly, calmly to the disappointed android. "You saved MY life."_

_Connor's shirt had been torn open and his abdomen was covered in his own blue blood from the assault he had survived after the deviant attacked him in the kitchenette. Despite his potentially fatal injury Connor never complained about it, nor did he let it interfere with the investigation as he proceeded to apprehend the downed deviant to be taken back to the precinct.._

* * *

"Son of a..." Everything came flooding back to Hank and his hand closed tightly into a fist around the confiscated coin. "Connor!"

Returning to reality Hank pulled his phone from his coat pocket and dialed Connor's number, but the android didn't answer the call. It was a cybernetic connection, even if the android had been stranded in the middle of a hurricane Connor would've been able to receive the call. To have the call unanswered either meant that the android was ignoring the call, or he was simply unable to do so.

Hank's gut instinct told him that something was wrong.

"Shit!"

Putting phone back in his pocket as he slipped the sleeves of the jacket up over his arms as he fished for his car keys but couldn't find them. Hank looked back at the coffee table and remembered that Connor had left the car keys there before he left. Snatching the keys from the table Hank slipped on his shoes and hustled through the backdoor to his car parked in the snowy drive.

"Damn it kid, where the hell are you?"

* * *

It was getting dark and the temperature was dropping down quickly despite the air already freezing cold. Connor had taken an autonomous taxi from New Jericho Tower back to the precinct, but once he arrived he realized he had no reason to actually be there. He was benched until Hank had recovered from his injury and could return to work as his partner. That is, if Hank managed to remember him and wanted to continue to work with him.

Home wasn't an option for Connor as Hank made him feel unwelcome. And feeling like an intruder inside New Jericho Tower meant there was no way Connor would go back, even if it was to seek shelter for just one night.

Walking the streets of the icy cold city, his hands had drawn up against his arms tightly in an attempt to stave off the stabbing cold that was hurting his artificial skin as he rubbed his palms up and down to create friction induced heat. The wind gusted relentlessly against him causing ice and snow to cling uncomfortably to his hair and to every stitch of clothing as he walked.

Tired, freezing cold and experiencing a new type of emotion he hadn't previously felt before, Connor wanted to just stop moving and hide away from the world. Using his internal G.P.S. to mark his exact location Connor realized that he was standing outside the fence of the playground overlooking the Ambassador Bridge where he and Hank had a less than pleasant discussion revolving around the prospect of an android's death.

Spotting the bench where Hank had lamented briefly about his late son while attempting to drown his grief in alcohol, Connor trudged his way through the deepening snowdrifts to the bench and sat down on the back of it, drawing his legs up from the icy cold ground. Wrapping his hands tightly around his arms and his chest Connor leaned forward to try and curl around himself as much as possible to keep the wind from slicing into his body anymore than it already had.

Connor's hands were as cold as the very ice that swirled around him. His fingers, his ears, his nose and his lips were all stinging from the cold as a dark blue hue began to discolor his artificial skin. Taking in shuddering breaths as the intense cold pained his biocomponents with the dangerously cool air Connor tried to enter a form of stasis as a means of escaping the harsh winter environment that stole away his strength, even if it was just for a few hours.

Unable to take a full breath, an act that had previously been only used as a means of controlling his core temperature but was now a normal routine in Connor keeping his emotional composure, the android felt as though his very life was being stolen away from his glacially cold body. Closing his eyes Connor buried his face against his trembling arms as he shivered against the relentless cold that battered his entire form in brutal gusts of icy, snow laden wind.

"...I wish I c-couldn't feel an-anything."

Car headlights appeared in the distance and shone faintly over Connor's body where he sat. The thick flakes of snow and ice obstructed the beams of light making them dimmer than usual, but still effective. As a car pulled up to the park, snow and ice crunching under the weight of the heavy tires, it came to a stop but kept the engine running.

A car door opened and slammed shut as Hank pocketed his phone and pulled an old worn out blue plaid blanket from the backseat before he practically waded through the growing layer of snow to reach Connor sitting on the bench alone.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank stood beside the bench and put his hand on the android's trembling shoulder. The horrific cold was smothering Connor's body, a growing layer of snow already covering him under a pristine layer of white. Draping the blanket over Connor's back Hank moved his hand from Connor's shoulder to wrap his entire arm around the android tightly. "What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Ha..." Slowly Connor lifted his head and turned his gaze to look at Hank, his brown eyes glazed over under a frightening white film of ice. "H-Hank? Lieutenant? Y-You shouldn't b-be out here! You're h-hurt! You c-could get-"

"Shut the hell up!" Hank snapped as he tried to pull the freezing android closer to himself to try and help him get warm. "Are you crazy? You scared the shit outta' me! I had to get Lucas to talk me through turning on that damn app on my phone so I could track you down." Pulling the phone back out of his pocket he showed the android's unsteady vital signs on display across the screen before pocketing it again. "What're you doing out here?!"

"N-Nowhere else t-to go." Connor shivered, his teeth starting to chatter as the intense cold began to affect his plastimetal frame and internal joints beneath his compromised artificial skin. Trying to resist Hank pulling him closer Connor explained his 'logic' over the situation. "You d-didn't want m-me around. I didn't w-want to b-bother you..."

"Damn it." Hank swore at himself more than Connor as he kept his arm around the android's shoulders. The dark blue blemishes that outlined his cheeks, nose and ears looked painful. Even Connor's eyes were 'bloodshot' with a blue tint. "Connor, you're not a bother."

Connor didn't know what else to say and so he turned his head away from the detective as he continued to shiver violently. His hands absentmindedly grabbing onto the edges of the blanket as he tried to wrap it tighter around himself to keep warm.

"Connor, if I didn't want you around why the fuck would I be out in the snowstorm looking for you?"

Unsure of how to reply Connor remained silent.

"Connor? Say something please."

"...Your f-fractured ribs can-"

"No, fuck. Not about that."

Intimidated Connor resumed his heavy silence.

"Alright, kid. I admit it. I was a huge prick to you when I came to, but my damn memory was fucked up! But I had started to remember things back at the house, and Gavin even told me what you did to save my life." Trying again to pull Connor close to him for the sake of warmth Hank continued to apologize and ignored the icy sting beginning to gnaw away at his own hands. "And suddenly everything came rushing back to me, it was like a switch got flipped in my brain or something."

Connor looked to Hank with lingering hesitation in his hazy eyes.

"Connor. Son... I remember." As if to prove his point, as if he needed to gain Connor's trust, Hank wrapped his fingers around Connor's wrist and felt his newly developed pulse: It was slower than normal due to the cold, and barely detectable as the intensely frigid air threatened to choke off his Thirium supply to his hand. "You're not a piece of plastic, you're my friend! You're my _family_. If I didn't remember who you were how would I know to talk to your brother Lucas? Or to check for your pulse in your wrist?"

Still worried that he might be annoying Hank with his presence Connor stayed quiet.

"Connor, I want you to come home with me. I want you to come back to where you belong."

Nodding subtly Connor accepted Hank's words and was thoroughly appreciative of the faint warmth being emitted from Hank's hand around his icy wrist.

"You're freezing, aren't you?" Hank insisted patiently as he felt himself beginning to tremble from the devastating cold as well. "Level with me, how're you feeling?"

"I f-feel _cold_. I'm v-very cold." Connor admitted while finally allowing Hank to pull him closer. He let out a weak sigh of relief that was lost in the wind. "Hank... I'm c-cold."

"Come on, let's get you home." Hank pulled on Connor's shoulders again to pull him off the bench and back onto his feet. Connor's legs were shaking as violently as the rest of his body. If Hank wasn't already holding onto him he surely would've fallen into the snow in an exhausted heap. "I'll take you home, son. We'll _both_ go home."

Keeping one arm around the trembling android's shoulders Hank guided Connor over to the car and pulled open the passenger side door. Hank had practically shoved Connor down onto the front seat and slammed the door shut firmly. Connor was still trying to curl around himself where he sat despite the heater blasting on full against his frozen body.

Hank took his place behind the steering wheel with his bad hand wrapped around his sore ribs. Slowly, awkwardly Hank backed the car through the building snow to get back out to the street to head toward home.

"Connor, you seriously need to start using that leather jacket of yours in the winter time." Hank scolded like a parent would their own child. "That gray one you insist on wearing won't do jackshit for you during a blizzard in Michigan."

Connor nodded in silent agreement and as pulled the provided blanket tightly around himself as much as possible. Aside from the blue discoloration that marred his face, Connor's fingertips were turning bright white from frostbite that had begun destroying his artificial skin.

"Hank... my h-hands... hurt."

"Take it easy, son. It'll be a slow drive but, at least we'll be home and warm."

"...Thank you f-for finding me."

"Yeah, son." Hank briefly put his good hand on Connor's shoulder. "...Thanks for not giving up on me."

* * *

It took twenty painfully long minutes for Hank to drive back home through the building snow. The detective's chest was throbbing from the cold, harsh wind battering against his fractured ribs, and his broken right wrist felt like it was going to snap off entirely from the exertion he forced upon it to keep control of the steering wheel while traversing the icy, slick roads. The physical strain on his body wasn't helping with his lingering headache either. The detective was in rough shape but bound and determined to get back home in one piece.

Connor wasn't faring much better in the seat next to Hank. Still shivering violently from the extreme cold he had been exposed to for several hours the android looked absolutely miserable. His clothing was soaked through with snow and ice that only made him colder, the blanket Hank had given him had also become soaked through offering little to no resistance against the merciless cold that plagued him. With his nose and his cheeks still an unsettling shade of dark blue, and his eyes bearing a blue tinted 'bloodshot' effect, Connor looked ready to collapse.

A harsh cough sounded from Connor his ventilation biocomponents as the smothering cold had done it's damage. The biocomponent attempted to function in spite of the horrific cold causing the Thirium in his lines to noticeably freeze over, not that he needed to cool his core temperature at the moment anyway.

"That cough sounds pretty rough." Hank noted as he listened to Connor coughing and practically gasping for breath between coughs. "Can you breathe okay?"

"...Fine." Connor lied as he shook his head a little. "...I j-just need to w-warm up."

"Come on, son." Hank insisted as he finally pulled the car into the drive beside the house. Hating himself for having to turn off the engine, and with it the comforting heat, he took the key from the ignition and flung his door open. Once the frigid air his his lungs Hank too began to cough harshly. "Let's get inside."

Fumbling with his door handle, his fingers still sore and partially numb from the frostbite, Connor managed to weakly push his door open and slowly swung his legs over the edge of the seat. Brutal winds continued to beat against the city and the people within as the snowstorm raged on. Connor stood up on his shaking legs as the wind and ice cut into his artificial skin causing him to wince in pain. He forced himself to walk around the car and meet Hank at the backdoor to get inside the house as quickly as possible.

As soon as the two detectives were inside the house Hank slammed the backdoor shut and locked it as he stifled another cough. "You need to change into some dry clothes." Grabbing onto the blanket that Connor was clinging so desperately to around his shoulders he pulled it away quickly. "This is soaked, it's only going to make you feel colder."

Reluctantly Connor let go of the blanket but remained where he stood in the center of the kitchen with his arms crossed over his icy chest. "Hank... It hurts to m-move."

The tone of Connor's voice was alarming. "Are you hurt?" Hank asked as he stepped in front of Connor to look the android in the eyes.

"No... My Thirium l-lines are partially f-frozen." Connor explained rather calmly. "It makes it d-difficult to walk w-when the flow is h-hindered to my j-joints and my bioc-components."

"Alright, we'll get that taken care of." With his one good hand Hank then pulled on the collar of Connor's gray, snow soaked jacket and slipped it from Connor's arms. Shrugging off his own coat Hank draped it around the android's shoulders and pushed him steadily forward toward the large doorway of the kitchen into the hallway. "Head into the bathroom for now, I'll get you some dry clothes."

With Hank's assistance Connor made his way into the bathroom. Hank flipped on the light for Connor as the android slowly fell to his knees in the middle of the floor. Still shivering heavily Connor felt Sumo's nose press against his arm as the massive dog sat beside him on the floor curiously.

"Hi, Sumo... I'll be f-fine."

After gathering what he needed from Connor's bedroom, some clean sweatpants and a new shirt, Hank dropped some dry clothes down on the sink for Connor to wear as he returned to the bathroom. Watching Connor shivering on the floor, his face still tinted with dark blue, Hank walked over to the shower and turned on the warm water.

"You need to get warmed up." Leaning down took some effort as he had to be careful of his damaged ribs and use his dormant hand while his right hand healed. "Step into the shower for a few minutes."

"Sh-Shower?"

"Yup. Just like when you fell in that freezing lake a few months back." Grabbing Sumo by the collar to lead the dog outside Hank exited the bathroom. Clearing his throat to stop another cough from escaping his chest Hank glanced back to Connor before closing the door behind him. "I'll check on you in ten minutes."

As the door clicked shut behind the detective the android was left alone in the bathroom. Turning his head to look at the running shower Connor forced himself to stand up on his shaking legs, his hands bracing most of his weight against the sink as he stood. Being an android Connor had no real reason to shower, except for when he had become disheveled in the line of work. Even then he would just replace his tarnished uniform with a clean one and used a washcloth to remove any dirt and smudges from his artificial skin.

Hank set about moving the box of files that Gavin had brought over to the house from the coffee table in the livingroom, to the table in the kitchen. While in the kitchen he pulled open the small cabinet above the dishwasher and grabbed a bottle of red colored cough syrup. He downed an appropriate dose quickly to keep himself from coughing any further.

"Disgusting..."

Grimacing at the bitter taste Hank replaced the medication and walked slowly into the livingroom to boost the heat, adjusting the thermostat on the wall to increase the temperature from its optimal seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit up to seventy-eight. Both detectives were suffering ill effects from the cold, but hopefully the additional heat could help stave off hypothermia and possibly illness.

"Fuckin' need to keep that kid indoors until summer gets here."

Piling as many spare blankets that he could find in the hallway closet onto the edge of Connor's bed Hank knocked respectfully on the closed bathroom to check in on his frozen partner trying to thaw out in the shower.

"Connor? Are you okay?"

There was no answer, not that Hank actually expected to receive one, but a round of deep coughing was enough to coax the detective into checking in on his partner. Pushing open the door Hank peered inside and saw his coat left in the middle of the floor and Connor, still in his clothes, huddled up in the bathtub as the steaming water poured over him. Despite being much warmer than he had been Connor's face was still tinged blue and he was shaking a little as he sat with his arms wrapped around his legs that were pulled up to his chest.

"Aw, man." Hank walked over to the shower and turned off the water. "You look as shitty as I feel!"

Connor lifted his head a little to look up at Hank, his L.E.D. cycling yellow slowly. "I imagine that I am in fact experiencing this 'shitty' feeling you're describing."

"Well, you're not shivering as bad as you had been, so that's good. But you didn't take off your clothes."

"Too cold." Connor explained as his frostbitten hands clumsily reached for the tie around his neck. "It's also too difficult to take my clothes off."

"Here." Hank sat on the edge of the tub and moved his left hand to the knot on Connor's tie. Loosening the garment just enough to slip it from around Connor's neck Hank draped it over the edge of the nearby sink. "Can you get out?"

Connor nodded a little. "Yes."

Hank watched as the android's pale frostbitten hands grabbed onto the side of the tub as he clumsily pulled himself up and over the edge and fell to his knees onto the floor. A puddle of lukewarm water formed around the kneeling android as he pulled on the collar of his shirt to pop open the buttons one by one until he could shrug off the soaked sleeves from his shoulders and arms.

Grabbing onto a thick, dry towel Hank dropped it over Connor's shoulders to help the android temporarily cover himself as he struggled to remove his wet jeans. While it was true that androids didn't have the same sense of modesty as humans, it was still a gut reaction by the detective to try to help Connor spare as much of his dignity as possible since Connor had a rather shy personality.

"...Hank."

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to stay here."

"Yeah, but I feel like it." Taking a second towel Hank dropped it on the top of Connor's head. "So, tough shit."

Reaching up for his dry clothing atop the sink Connor's fingers flinched a little and retracted as his newly enhanced sense of touch told him that the damage to his fingertips was still too severe to accomplish even the most mundane tasks. The gesture wasn't as subtle as he had been hoping, as Hank had taken notice of his pained reflexes.

Hank casually brushed the clothes off the top of the sink and onto the floor next to Connor without saying a word.

"...Thanks."

Pressing the back of his left hand against Connor's face Hank noted the unusually cool temperature still holding fast to the android's artificial skin. "You still feel cold. What's your temperature at?"

"I'm at ninety-five point three degrees Fahrenheit." Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow then back to red after he ran the self-diagnostic. "It's slowly increasing."

"Too be honest with ya' kid," Hank moved his hand from Connor's face and rested on the towel covering the android's hair and absentmindedly Hank began drying Connor's dark locks with the towel as he spoke. "I was expecting you too be a hell of a lot colder than that."

"I was." Connor confessed as he finally managed to slip off his jeans and set them aside on the floor. As he pulled the much warmer pair of gray sweatpants onto his legs he let out a deep cough and sighed. "When you located me in the park my temperature had dropped down to eighty-seven point nine degrees."

"Holy shit... How low can you drop before it's, uh, fatal?" Hank asked as he stopped fussing with the towel on Connor's hair and tossed it casually to the floor beside him.

"Eight-five degrees causes mandatory stasis mode as approximately seventy-five percent of my Thirium would freeze in my lines. Eight-two degrees is fatal for androids as our biocomponents freeze entirely and sustain significant thermal damage as a result."

"Good thing to keep in mind."

With one clumsy hand Connor managed to pull the collar of the black t-shirt over his head, but he was having trouble navigating his sore hands and arms through the sleeves. Hank used his one good hand to help guide Connor's hands accordingly, and noted the devastating frostbite to the android's fingers.

"Come on." Pulling on Connor's arm gently Hank hoisted the android up to his feet and helped him to stand on his shaking legs. "You get warmed in your bed and I'll bring some bandages to wrap up your hands. I know it won't really do anything to help you heal faster, but it should ease the pain so you're not flinching at every little thing that brushes by your fingers."

"...Thank you, Hank."

"Stop thanking me." Hank insisted as he guided Connor into his bedroom just a few feet down the hallway. "I'm the dumbass who threw you out into the cold to begin with."

"You weren't well," Connor reminded him kindly. "I should've insisted on staying to help take care of you while you recovered."

"Guess we're both a couple of dumb fucks, huh?" Hank joked playfully as he helped Connor to sit on the edge of his bed, his free arm wrapping protectively around his sore ribs in the process.

"And stubborn."

"Yup. Stubborn beyond measure." Hank took one of the additional quilts from the end of the bed and wrapped it around Connor's shoulder before he pushed Connor back until he was resting his head against the pillow. Draping the cover of the bed up and over Connor's chest Hank looked down at Connor's hands again. "I'll be right back. Don't move!"

As soon as he was out of the bedroom Hank winced in terrible pain as the fractured ribs in his chest protested violently against the intense cold he had breathed in, as well as all the physical exertion he had put himself through hefting Connor to and fro. Hoping the cough syrup would kick in sooner rather than later the detective coughed as quietly as possible as he made his way back down the hallway.

Returning to the bathroom to reclaim his coat Hank fished his phone out of his pocket, as well as Connor's coin, and scrolled through the names in his contact list. As his thumb hovered over the name 'Lucas' he hesitated in pressing 'dial' and decided instead to send a quick text to the deviant technician at New Jericho Tower instead.

' _Found Connor, he's safe. Just cold_.'

Another bout of harsh coughing sounded off from Connor's room as Hank wandered into the livingroom where Sumo was laying down comfortably across the couch.

' _And coughing. Stop by tomorrow if the roads are clear_.'

Pressing 'send' Hank slipped his phone into his back pocket and pulled the android first aid kit from its usual place atop the stereo system. Popping open the lid Hank took a clean roll of white gauze and carried it back into Connor's room.

"Come, Sumo." Hank called as he sat down on the edge of Connor's bed. The large St. Bernard happily trotted into the bedroom and jumped up on the foot of Connor's bed. He quickly snuggled down on the other spare blankets that Hank had gathered. "Okay son, let me see your hands."

Connor was leaning back heavily against the pillow, his chest heaving as he took in deep breaths to try and warm internal biocomponents and thaw the still frozen Thirium in his lines to coax the Thirium into cycling properly once more. His hands were draped over his chest and abdomen, still frightfully white from the frostbite.

"Jeez, if you were actually human I'd swear you have pneumonia or something." Hank observed as he pressed the back of his hand against Connor's forehead. "You certainly feel warmer, what's your temperature at now?"

"Uh..." Connor's L.E.D. flashed briefly as he ran another self-diagnostic. "I'm up to ninety-eight point nine."

"That's warmer than normal, right?" Hank picked up Connor's hand gently to observe the frostbite that had practically eaten away his fingertips.

"My thermal regulator has temporarily increased in temperature to thaw and recirculate the frozen Thirium in my lines as well as my biocomponents. Once all of the Thirium has thawed my temperature will reduce to a normal degree."

"I'll turn the heat back down so you don't overheat in the night."

"Hank... You're still injured. You require medical aid. I can wait."

"Did you just scan me?"

"No." Connor held his hand up under his own accord as he watched Hank very lightly wrap the gauze protectively around his fingers down to his palm and then wrist. "I can see the pain in your eyes, and I can hear a distinct rattling in your chest as you breathe. The cold must've impeded your recovery, if not caused a total-."

A violent coughing spell stole Connor's words as the android was lost in the throes of yet another violent coughing spell.

"Easy, kid." Hank put his hand to Connor's chest, he could feel the android's Thirium pump thundering rapidly beneath his palm. "Try not to talk as much."

"...S-Sorry."

"Don't apologize for coughing." Hank insisted as finished wrapping up Connor's right hand and placed the limb back down on Connor's abdomen. "Let me see your other hand."

"Hank, you're sick." Connor obeyed and lifted his left hand for Hank to take care of next. As the detective's hand wrapped around his wrist Connor could feel the unnaturally high heat radiation from Hank's own hand. "You're suffering from a fever of one-hundred point six degrees. You need to rest."

" _After_ I take care of you." The detective refuted sharply without missing a beat, his fingers discreetly pressing against Connor's newly developed pulse point on his wrist. "You're the one who nearly froze to death."

"You've suffered head trauma only fifty-eight hours ago."

"You can't use your hands."

"You..." Connor was trying to think of something else to say to argue in his own favor, but nothing came to mind. Instead he decided to sass his friend as a sign of goodwill. "You're... old."

Hank stopped wrapping up Connor's hand just long enough to give the android an amused glance. "Is that the best you got?"

Connor shrugged a little. "...For now."

"Alright you little smartass, once your hands heal maybe you can impress me that with that guitar you bought." As he finished wrapping up Connor's hand Hank sat it down over Connor's chest again, and set Connor's coin on the table next to the bed. "Didn't expect you to pick a new hobby like that."

"What-" Connor paused and held back a painful cough. "What kind of hobby did you expect me to pick up?"

"I don't know. Crossword puzzles or reading, or something."

"Would you prefer if my hobby was a quieter one?"

"Nah, don't worry about it." Rising from the bed he waved his good hand dismissively. "Get some rest, let your system do its thing to repair whatever damage this damn cold caused you."

"What about you? You're ill and are in need of care as well."

"I'm going to take that damn memory medication and go to bed, I don't want anything I remembered to get wiped out in my sleep." Standing up from the bed Hank walked slowly toward the doorway, his hand brushing past Sumo's head as he walked. "If you need anything just yell, alright?"

"...What if _you_ need something?"

"I'll manage."

 

 

Hank turned off the lights via the switch on the wall and disappeared back into the livingroom. Grabbing onto the prescription pill bottle Hank popped two of the pills into his mouth then reduced the heat to a more manageable level before retreating down the hallway to his own bedroom. Passing by the opened door to Connor's room Hank peered inside and could see that the android was already in rest mode and seemed to be resting well.

"Wish I could fall asleep that fast."

Stumbling into his bedroom Hank flopped down on the mattress and pressed his hand to his forehead as the headache he had been trying to deny all day was beginning to makes it presence known with a merciless vengeance. As he tried to relax his chest tightened and another coughing fit suddenly overwhelmed him. Draping his arm over his head Hank tried to get some much needed rest.

"...Damn cheap medicine. Dumpin' that shit down the drain tomorrow."

Hank wasn't sure how long he was asleep but he sure as hell knew the exact moment he was awakened by his violent coughing that ached his lungs with every breath. As he brought his hand up to cover his mouth he felt an odd warm pressure against his chest as if something, or someone, was pressing against it. In the darkness of the bedroom Hank's eyes caught sight of a red circular light hovering just above his chest, right where he felt the pressure.

"The fuck?" Hank coughed again and the pressure suddenly lessened. "Connor? What the hell are you doing?"

"Listening to your chest." Connor answered honestly in the darkness. The light of the L.E.D. in his temple allowed Hank to track his movement and he saw that Connor had straightened upright and was standing beside the bed. "Your breathing his heavily congested and my scanner indicates mild pulmonary edema in both lower lobes of your lungs. Your fever has also increased to one-hundred and two point two degrees."

"You... what?" Hank wheezed a little as he caught his breath. "You're listening to me breathe?"

"Correct." Connor weakly managed to stifle a cough of his own, his red L.E.D. blinking rapidly in response.

"What for?"

"As I stated six hours, fifty-three minutes and two seconds earlier you're ill. You need-" Coughing again Connor took in a deep breath to calm his faltering ventilation biocomponents in his chest. "You require medical aid."

"You don't sound so good yourself. Go back to bed, I'll be fine."

Connor refused to budge as his L.E.D. blinked again, this time in yellow, indicating that he was running a scan over Hank's body.

"Connor... Don't make me carry you back into your room. My head is killing me, I'm exhausted and we BOTH need to sleep."

"But Hank-"

"Hey! When you were listening to my chest I could feel the heat radiating off your head. You're sick too. Don't push yourself or you'll overheat, got it?"

"I..." Feeling somewhat defeated Connor relented for the sake of reducing Hank's stress. "I got it."

"Good. Go to bed."

Slowly Connor stepped back from the bed before he rather gracelessly exited the bedroom and returned to his own bedroom just a few down the hallway.

"That kid's more alert than the damn dog." Hank rolled to his side and shut his eyes with a heavy sigh. "At least he isn't as needy."

* * *

Knocking at the front door caused Hank's eyes to snap open only to immediately shut them again as the painfully bright morning sunlight hurt his vision. Putting a hand over his eyes Hank gingerly propped himself upright on the bed as he tried to regain his senses and awaken more fully before even trying to get up from the bed. Just as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed he heard the front open and then shut again quietly.

"Connor? Hank?" Lucas's voice called out from the livingroom. "Are either of you here?"

"Oh, right..." Hank dropped his hand from his eyes and tried to call out, but his words had been stolen by a violent coughing fit. "That text."

Lucas and Markus appeared in the doorway, the two deviants visibly concerned for the two detectives.

"You sound awful." Markus commented as he made his way into the bedroom and put the back of his hand against Hank's forehead. "How long have you been running a fever?"

"...Since last night."

"You suffered fractured ribs, right?"

"Yeah."

"I suspect you have pneumonia."

"Yeah? Too bad I'm not going to a hospital."

"Hank." Mark crossed his arms and used the same playfully annoyed tone he had used so many times before with Carl in the past. "You need a proper diagnosis and antibiotics."

"Nope. I'll just deal with it from-" Putting his arm against his mouth Hank blocked another violent cough as Markus put his hand on Hank's shoulder to help hold him steady. "...from here." Looking up at the deviant with glassy blue eyes he tried to change the subject. "How's Connor?"

"Lucas is checking on him right now. It's a good thing you found him when you did."

"I shouldn't of had to go find him to begin with." As a wheezing cough accompanied his words Hank felt himself getting pushed back into his bed by Markus.

"That doesn't mean you should punish yourself by neglecting your own health."

"I'm not neglecting anything. I just hate hospitals."

"Very well." Markus closed his eyes briefly as he cybernetically connected with a deviant employed at a nearby pharmacy and requested a prescription for Hank to be filled. "I have a contact who can get you some medication without having to go to the hospital. But be warned, without a confirmation on your illness the antibiotic may not be effective."

"I can live with-" Hank coughed again causing Markus to outwardly grimace. "I can live with that."

"...I certainly hope so."

* * *

Lucas was sitting on the edge of Connor's bed with his audioscope pressed against the android's chest. Connor was resting in a somewhat upright against his pillow to ease his breathing. The Thirium in his lines had in fact thawed completely but it hadn't completed a full cycle through Connor's thermally compromised biocomponents yet. A weak cough escaped from the faltering ventilation biocomponents but it wasn't nearly as severe as it had been the previous night, or as severe as Hank's own coughing.

Sumo was still laying on the foot of the bed, his eyes watching Lucas inquisitively as he checked over Connor.

"Your complexion still shows sign of hypothermically induced Thirium tinting, but considering the extreme cold you had been exposed to it's to be expected."

"I've never had such a reaction in the past. This is the result of the additional sensors that have adapted to my system, correct?"

"Correct. Lift your hands." Lucas requested as he draped the audioscope around his neck like a doctor would do.

Connor raised his hands and winced a little as Lucas unwrapped the gauze slowly. "Your artificial skin has begun to regenerate, there doesn't appear to be any permanent damage to your plastimetal frame either."

"How long before my hands heal entirely?"

"I estimate that your hands will recover from the frostbite within the next eight hours. And your cough will subside entirely within four hours."

"My temperature hasn't declined yet."

Lucas ran a scan over Connor's body and determined that his temperature, though elevated, wasn't to a dangerous degree. "It's most likely a result of the slow Thirium cycle you're experiencing. Once your cough subsides your temperature should drop as well."

Connor nodded a little and stared at Lucas's left hand. "How's your physical therapy progressing?"

Lucas happily used his left hand to pull the quarter from his pocket and demonstrated the moderate skill he had acquired in juggling the coin over his knuckles. "My overall strength has increased to forty-three percent over the past eighteen hours."

"That's impressive."

Pocketing the quarter Lucas stood up from the bed. "Thank you for suggesting this activity."

"You're welcome. Have you check in on Hank?"

"Markus is taking care of him. He has much more experience in dealing with human health than either of us."

"Last night I detected a distinct rattling in his chest as he breathed." Connor explained as he swung his legs over the edge of his bed. "I fear he has contracted pneumonia and-"

Connor swayed a little on his feet but Lucas put his hands on his big brother's shoulders to hold him steady. "Your gyroscope still needs time to recalibrate after enduring a slow Thirium cycle. Don't move too quickly."

Looking at Sumo who was fully content to spend the day on the bed Connor patted his leg. "Come on, Sumo. Outside."

Lucas kept one hand on Connor's shoulder as he followed the two out of the bedroom. As soon as Connor stepped into the hallway he looked into Hank's room and saw Markus standing beside the bed with a near scold on his face as tried to reason with Hank.

"Hank's awake." Connor commented as he reached the livingroom. Making his way to the front door rather than the backdoor due to its closer proximity Connor pulled it open and let the large dog pass through. Observing the streets Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow and remained in color as he closed the door. "Perhaps we can escort Hank to the hospital now that the roads have been cleared."

Markus walked down the hallway and joined the two deviants in the livingroom. "I wouldn't count on it. He's refused to go anywhere near a hospital, but I've taken the liberty to get a contact to fill out a prescription for him anyway."

"Thank you, Markus." Connor nodded appreciatively at the kindhearted android. "That will make it easier for both of us."

"And you," Markus motioned toward the nearby couch. "need to heal, too." Lucas agreed and pushed Connor over to the couch to sit down. As soon as Connor was seated Markus proceeded to clear his voice to deliver a stern but still friendly lecture to the stubborn android. "Connor, next time you need somewhere to go for the night STAY at New Jericho, okay? Promise me."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red with embarrassment for a moment before turning yellow. "I didn't want to unsettle the deviants in the tower. I'm still untrustworthy in their eyes."

"I trust you. Connor, what you did to the other deviants you did when you were still a machine. You can't be held responsible for what CyberLife ordered you to do."

"It doesn't change-"

"You're right, it doesn't. But it doesn't mean you should be punished for a crime you didn't commit, either. Isn't that what you said about us waking up Lucas?"

Glancing over at Lucas for reassurance Connor sighed and nodded. "Okay, Markus. I promise."

"That's good to hear. Next month Simon and I will be in Washington D.C. negotiating with the Senate on android rights. I'd feel better about leaving the city knowing that you'll still be looking after New Jericho during my absence."

"Of course. I'll help in every way that I can."

"Thank you." Giving Connor an appreciative smile Markus walked into the kitchen and began looking looking through the cabinets and cupboards casually as if he had gone through this routine dozens of times before. "Once Hank's medication arrives we'll take our leave. Until then, I'm going to make something light for Hank to eat."

"Markus, you don't have to do that." Connor insisted as he tried to get up from the couch, only to have Lucas's hand clamp down on his shoulder to keep him where he sat. "I can-"

"You need to heal!" Markus shouted adamantly from the kitchen. "I used to cook for Carl all the time. Truth be told, I kind of miss it. I don't mind doing this."

"Thank you," Connor replied loudly and turned to look at Lucas beside him. "for everything you've both done for us."

"Of course, Connor. That's what families do, right?" Looking toward the hallway Lucas took a deep breath and mentally steeled himself. "Speaking of which, I will now check in on Hank."

_**...next story...** _


	52. Good Deed

After spending a week recovering from his assault at the hands of a crazed and violent deviant Hank was declared healthy enough to return to work, but was still restricted to desk duty as his fractured ribs still needed time to heal. Enduring pneumonia had only hindered his recovery time but Hank was in no rush to return to the snowy, icy, cold, unforgiving streets just yet.

Connor on the other hand was getting restless. Sitting behind a terminal all day sorting through various cold cases and android related crimes had become a dull monotonous routine for the always astute and energetic deviant. Statuesque at his desk Connor began to rapidly fidget with his coin over his left fingers, then back and forth between his palms, much to Hank's chagrin.

"Connor... put the coin away or I'll put it in a vending machine."

"Sorry Hank." Connor obeyed the request and slipped the quarter into his jacket pocket. Letting out a humanly sigh of discontent Connor clenched the now empty hand into a tight fist. "I'll leave the coin in my pocket."

"Bored?"

"I believe this lack of activity constitutes as boredom, yes."

"Maybe Fowler has an assignment you can take care of instead of playing 'desk jockey' all day?"

"Unlikely. Besides, Captain Fowler doesn't trust anyone aside from yourself and Chris to act as my partner."

"And Chris is still out on paternity leave." Hank leaned back in his chair casually as he tried to think of a solution for Connor's mounting restlessness. "You've already gone through all of the cold cases involving deviants, right?"

"Correct."

"And nothing of interest has popped up? Not even a very faint trail to follow?"

"No. There has simply been a lack of-" Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow and his soulful brown eyes went wide with fear.

"Connor? What's up?"

"I just received a report of a structure fire to a farmhouse just outside the city."

"So? We're the police department, that kind of call is for the _fire_ department, kid."

"Hank, the address of the house is that of Rose Chapman."

Instantly recognizing the name Hank leaned forward and was fully alert. "Holy shit! Is she alright?"

"No reported casualties, but the fire itself has already been ruled as arson." Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he sifted through the macabre details in the report. "There was anti-android hate speech and graffiti spray painted all over the property."

"Shit, sounds like our jurisdiction after all." Hank all but jumped up to his feet and pulled the car keys from his coat pocket, only to toss them to Connor who caught them gracefully. "You drive. We have a long way to go and with my wrist still broken I don't have the reflexes to handle these shitty roads right now."

"I understand. I'll also relay our location to Captain Fowler as an active deviant case."

"Smart move. Come on, I went to get out there before all of our evidence burns."

* * *

It had been almost nine months since Rose, and her son Adam, came to Connor and Hank's rescue when they were in a car accident on that long, cold night outside the city. Without Rose's kindness and Adam's resourcefulness Connor would've died from the damage he had sustained in the accident, and Hank could've potentially frozen to death before anyone had found their wrecked car in the ditch.

Despite still being a considerable distance away from the farmhouse Connor and Hank could see the bright orange flames of the intense blaze that was consuming Rose's home with every passing second. The fire wasn't accidental, it was intentional, and the two detectives were determined to locate the arsonists responsible.

"Son of a bitch." Hank swore as he watched the ominous glow becoming steadily brighter as they neared the scene of the crime. "I hope they're okay."

"As do I." Connor confirmed in a heavy voice as he easily navigated the back roads in the waning dusk that threatened to transition into the blackest of nights at any second. "We must find the ones responsible for this crime."

"No shit. Some sick fucks must've found out she had helped deviants across the border and retaliated like the bigoted cowards they are."

The blockade of fire engines and emergency vehicles illuminated the damaged property in flashing red and blue lights as firefighters diligently worked together to battle the flames that had destroyed Rose's home, but the damage was catastrophic. All that remained were scorched bits of timber and ash that smoldered amongst the ruins of what was once a loving home, and sanctuary to wayward deviants.

"Shit!" Hank cursed again as Connor stopped the car along the street across from the property.

Pulling his badge from his pocket Hank readily brandished it to everyone who saw him as he huffed out of the car and over to the property. Connor followed close behind Hank and scanned as much of the crime scene as possible before the fire department unintentionally, yet necessarily, doused the property under torrents of cold water.

"Lt. Hank Anderson, Detroit Police." Hank announced as he looked through the crowd of first responders. "Where are the occupants of this property?"

An unfamiliar police officer pointed to the opened back of the nearby ambulance where Rose was sitting alone. Dark soot and smoke was smudged over her face and her hands as she sat quietly on the bumper of the ambulance. A generic blue blanket was wrapped around her shoulders as if that could somehow be enough to comfort her on one of the worst nights of her life. Her dark brown eyes watched with utter disbelief as her home was enveloped in flames.

"Rose?" Hank approached her calmly while Connor continued to scan the area and walk right behind him. "Rose, are you hurt?"

Looking away from the fire and toward the voice calling her name he eyes briefly lit up as she recognized the two detectives approaching her. "Hank. Connor."

"Are you alright?" Hank asked again as he lightly put his hand on her shoulder. "I mean... stupid question. Are you hurt?"

"No." A tear began to roll down her face. "No, I'm not hurt."

Connor looked about curiously, his L.E.D. blinking yellow rapidly. "Where's Adam?"

"At school. He started college in the fall."

"He's safe, too." Hank sighed with relief. "Rose... I know you don't want to talk about this right now, but the sooner the better. Do you know who did this?"

"No. I never saw or heard anything."

Connor scanned the environment again and noted three sets of footprints rushing up toward the house and rushing away; none of the prints belonged to the first responders at the scene. "Were you inside the house when the fire started?"

"No. I was out back in the greenhouse." Rose closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. "I don't understand why someone would do this to me! After all this time... after all the progress..." She put a trembling hand to her face and her voice began to break. "What am I going to do? I have nowhere to go!"

As Rose trailed off and began to weep Hank sat beside her on the bumper and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Needing the comfort now more than anything else in the world Rose pressed up against Hank's chest and let the detective embrace her as tightly as he possibly could.

"You'll be okay." Hank soothed kindly in a sweet voice as he rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "I promise."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red and he squared his jaw as he looked back at the destroyed property. It was such a senseless crime, one of pure hatred and malice. Rose and Adam hadn't harmed any humans with their efforts to save deviants. The people who burned down her home did so out of misplaced spite and misguided malevolence.

"I'm going to investigate the property." Connor volunteered, only to have his wrist grabbed by Hank himself.

"Not until the fire department clears the scene. You're not fireproof."

"But if I don't-"

"Connor." Hank used the 'dad voice' to get his point across without sounding hostile or angry. "Wait. I know it's hard, but wait. What's more important right now?"

Looking back to Rose weeping at Hank's side under his arm Connor nodded subtly, his L.E.D. shifted from red to yellow in the process. Sitting down at Rose's side opposite of Hank Connor tentatively put his hand on Rose's knee to show his own form of moral support. He hadn't had much experience with comforting loved ones at the scene of a tragedy, but he was always observant of Hank's body language and decided it'd be best to mirror the act of direct friendly contact the Hank had openly shown.

The trio sat together in total silence on the bumper of the ambulance as the flames consumed the final pieces of the house with its greedy blaze seemingly summoned from the depths of Hell itself.

* * *

Almost three hours passed before the fire department allowed Connor to investigate the ruins of the property, but even the highly advanced prototype was having great difficulty in identifying any evidence that would lead to the arrest of the arsonists responsible. Determined to not fail Rose and Adam on that bleak night Connor retraced his steps multiple times to make certain he hadn't overlooked any shred of useful evidence at his disposal.

The paramedics cleared Rose and determined that she hadn't suffered any ill effects from the fire. As Hank stayed at her side, watching Connor doing his investigation in the distance, he spoke to the unsettled woman in a deeply worried yet incredibly kind voice.

"Where are you going to stay for the night?"

"There's a hotel about eight miles down the road. I can stay there."

"Wait, the 'no tell' motel off of the interstate?" Hank visibly grimaced at the idea. "Nu-uh, no way. I've spent too many of my cases as a rookie down there. Trust me, you don't want to know what I found there."

"Well, my brother lives in Ontario, but... I lost my passport in the fire."

"Let us give you a ride into the city. We'll take you to the nicest hotel in town."

"That's incredibly generous of you Hank, but I can't-"

"Sure you can." He smiled smugly at the woman. "You saved us and gave us shelter, now it's our turn to do the same for you."

"But I can't-"

"Don't worry about paying us back. Just let us take you somewhere safe and you call Adam, let him know you're safe. Okay?"

Rose was hesitant at first but she eventually nodded and accepted the offer. "Thank you, Hank."

The two resumed watching Connor in the distance and observed as the android crouched down on the remains of the front porch to examine the burnt spraypaint hiding under a layer of ash. Running his hand over the ash Connor removed the layer then pressed his fingers against the pain hard enough to smear a sample onto his fingertips before placing his fingers onto his tongue, his L.E.D. blinking yellow rapidly as he ran an analysis test.

Rose had never seen Connor's method of investigation before and was a little perplexed by his action. "Did he just-"

"Yup."

"And that's... normal?"

"For Connor it is." Hank laughed a little at Rose's reaction. "Took me a long time to get used to it, but I still wince when he tests blood."

"Blood? That's... strange."

"But effective." Hank cleared his throat a little before calling out to his partner. "Hey, Connor? Find anything?"

"Possibly." Connor replied honestly as he stood upright and strolled back over to where Hank and Rose were standing. "The paint is a unique brand sold only in the next town six miles down the road. The color itself is 'midnight black number seven-three-nine. If we can locate the person or persons who have purchased this particular brand and color of paint within the past seventy-two hours we can potentially find a suspect."

"Report it to the sheriff." Hank decided as he began guided Rose back over to their car. "If they can't find the fuckers then we'll come back and do it ourselves."

Connor wanted to protest but decided against it. There was something about Hank's demeanor that told him to not question the detective's motivations or logic of the situation. Cybernetically Connor issued a report to the appropriate sheriff's office as he followed after Hank and Rose to the car across the street. Hank opened the passenger side door for Rose before walking around to the driver's side door on the opposite side.

Pulling open the rear passenger door behind the driver's seat Hank gave Connor an odd glance. "You were right. A four door car was a better option than another two door model."

"I still think an autonomous vehicle would've been the most practical choice." Connor reiterated as he ducked down to sit in the backseat.

"Practical, yeah. But not as much fun to drive."

"If it's autonomous you don't actually drive it." Connor stated flatly as he pulled his door shut.

"Exactly my point." Hank argued as he climbed into the front and turned the key in the ignition. Turning up the heat Hank pulled away from the house and headed back into the city. "We'll find the people who did this to you, Rose." Hank spoke softly to the shaken woman sitting beside him. "I swear."

* * *

Hank and Connor escorted Rose to her room once she had been checked into the hotel for the next two nights. She only had the clothes on her back and no money in her pocket, but the strong woman was still holding her head up high. Opening her door to her room Rose flipped on the light and looked about the modest space with a reluctant sigh.

"Thank you for everything you've done, Hank, Connor. I truly appreciate it."

"Don't mention it. If you need anything call, we're just a few blocks away."

"I will."

"Do you need anything? Anything at all?"

"I just need a moment to myself, that's all. I have to call Adam and let him know everything is okay."

"Yeah, of course." Hank took a step back from the door and gave her a understanding smile. "Try to have a good night."

"Thanks. I'll try. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

The door shut and Hank motioned for Connor to follow along behind him. "Any news on the arsonists?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he received an update on the report. "There have been three men identified as possible suspects, and all three have been brought in for questioning. Two have histories of assault against androids, while the third has a history of arson."

"Sounds like the right guys have been caught. Good. It means we don't have to make a special trip out of the city just nail their sorry asses to the wall."

Connor's brow furrowed in confusion. "How would one go about-"

"It's a figure of speech Connor, nothing literal."

"Oh."

"Come on. Let's go home." Hank ran his hand through his gray locks tiredly. "We'll check in with Rose tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning Connor was the first to awaken as usual, and had set about his daily routine when he heard Hank speaking on the phone in his bedroom. From the tone of Hank's voice it was evident that the detective was worried but trying to sound confident as he spoke. Resisting the urge to tap into the phone call Connor resumed his tasks without interruption.

Hank stepped out of his bedroom with his phone still in his hand and met Connor in the livingroom. "Just spoke to Rose. The three men arrested last night confessed to the arson and are going away for a long time."

"That's good news." Connor stated boldly. The look on Hank's face was one of upset rather than relief. "Why do you look so somber?"

"The insurance company decided that they won't pay to repair the damage to Rose's property because of her history with assisting deviants. They claim that she had brought the resulting aftermath on herself. The cheap fuckers are actually blaming the victim."

"Shit." Connor seldom swore, but when he did it was with purpose and his L.E.D. flashed red with anger from it's normal calm blue. "We have to help her."

"I don't think we can, son. We can't do anything about shady-ass insurance companies."

"But we _can_ do something to help Rose." Connor's L.E.D. flashed back to yellow as an idea popped into his head. "Where is Rose now?"

"She's still at the hotel. Why?"

"Hank, do you think you can keep her company today?"

"Uh... I guess. What're you up to, Connor?"

"I have an idea. Please trust me on this, Hank."

"I trust you Connor, I just want to know what's going on."

"It's difficult to explain," Connor's L.E.D. flashed back and forth between blue and yellow as if he was in ongoing conversation with people that Hank couldn't see. "but I think this can work."

"WHAT, Connor? What can work?" Hank crossed his arms defensively over his chest as he studied Connor's demeanor curiously. "Please tell me you're not going to organize a raid against every insurance company in town."

Flashing Hank a sly grin he shook his head a little. "No promises."

"I honestly can't tell if you're joking or not..."

Connor kept the grin on his face as he pointed to the phone in Hank's hand. "Call Rose. Tell her you want to spend the day with her."

"What? You mean like a _date_ or something?"

"That is the usual human custom when a person wants to spend time with another person, isn't it?"

"Uh... technically yeah, but..."

"But what?"

"Connor, I haven't been on a date in... almost twelve years. I'm too old for that kind of crap!"

"I fail to see the correlation between advanced age and seeking companionship."

"Of course you don't."

"Hank. Please. Do this for Rose."

Giving Connor a stern glance Hank uncrossed his arms and stared at the phone in his hand. "Shit. _Fine_ , alright. I'll ask, but no guarantees!"

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah... Give me a minute." Hank walked back down the hallway and into his bedroom. "I'm a little rusty at this kind of thing, so... yeah."

Connor just watched as Hank disappeared into the privacy of his bedroom to make the call, while also keeping in cybernetic communication with his mysterious allies. As the android's L.E.D. flickered rhythmically between the two colors a look of relief fell over his face while. It took almost ten minutes but Hank re-emerged from his bedroom with the phone in his hand and a awkward grin on his face.

"Okay Connor, I did was you asked. Rose and I will spend the day together just like you wanted. But you do realize that there is one problem with whatever this little scheme of yours is all about, right?"

"What's that?"

Hank ran his hand through his hair. "I don't exactly look like the 'gentleman' type that Rose needs right now."

"You don't necessarily look like a detective, either. It hasn't stopped you before."

"Watch it Connor, you seem to forget I still outrank you."

"Sorry, Hank."

"Yeah, whatever. I'm going to go clean up a little bit, then meet with Rose at her hotel." Hank opened the bathroom door and sighed heavily. "You go do whatever it you plan on doing."

"Very well. I'll call you this evening."

* * *

Feeling a tad awkward Hank made his way to the hotel freshly showered and with his hair partially slicked back to lessen his usually gruff exterior. Wearing a plain black dress shirt that was properly tucked in as opposed to his otherwise colorful and tacky shirts that hung loose, Hank made his way to Rose's room and knocked on the door with Connor's spare leather jacket under his arm.

Rose answered and gave Hank a warm smile. "Hank. I'm glad you called back."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I was talking with Adam last night and he said he wanted me to try to enjoy myself in the city before he came by to see me tomorrow. And he's right," Rose admitted with a genuinely happy lilt to her voice. "what's done is done. I'm safe, Adam wasn't hurt and no matter what those men do now won't change what's already been done. I regret nothing."

"That's good to hear." Hank was relieved to see Rose so confident so soon after a tragedy. "Anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"

"Do you know of any nice parks we could walk through?"

"In this weather? Are you sure?"

"Oh, absolutely. I love fall and winter."

"You're probably the only one." Hank joked as Rose stepped out of her room and immediately folded her arms over her chest to stave off the cold. "Wear this." Handing her the jacket he waited for Rose to slip it on over her arms. "It's probably a little big, but at least it's warm."

"Thank you, this is wonderful. Is it yours?"

"Nah, belongs to Connor. Dumb deviant seems to forget how much he hates the cold until he's already half frozen to the ground."

"Where is Connor?" Rose asked as Hank escorted her to his car in the parking lot a few yards away.

"I don't know. But he's up to something."

"I see you two are still working as partners. Do you see each other during your down time?"

"Are you kidding?" Hank almost laughed at the question. "The kid lives with me. I see him _all_ the time."

"Must be nice to have company all the time. I never realized how big and empty that house could be until after Adam left for college."

"Yeah, don't I know it."

Rose vaguely remembered Hank mentioning something about not having children when she met him almost a year ago. She decided against pressing the matter after seeing his reaction to her statement.

"So," Hank continued as he opened the passenger door of the car for Rose yet again. Trying to break the tension he decided to bring up a cheerier subject for Rose to divulge into. "you see many deviants your way anymore?"

* * *

Connor arrived at New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi and was greeted at the front door by Markus, North, Josh and Simon as was expected. But other deviants had also gathered at the tower and were waiting for Connor to explain things to them in greater detail. Some of the faces were familiar while others were completely new to Connor, but welcome all the same.

"Markus, I see you've spread the word." Connor observed as he stepped out of the taxi. "Is everyone here because of Rose?"

"Yeah." Markus motioned with outstretched arms to the impressively sized group standing behind him. "Once word got out that Rose needed help all the deviants in the area who found their freedom because of her readily stepped up. So, Connor, what's the plan?"

Nodding in approval at the large number of deviant androids ready to work together for the sake of two humans brought a noticeable grin to Connor's face.

* * *

Hank and Rose had been walking through the park all morning long and hadn't even noticed the time that had passed until it was well past noon. The two greatly enjoyed each others company as they unexpectedly had a lot in common with one another. Both of them knew the pain of losing a spouse, had sons they were proud of, had developed an affinity for deviants and even shared the same mutual love for jazz.

After enjoying a nice lunch together, something that Hank hadn't been able to do with another person he tolerated enough since Cole's death, he and Rose resumed walking through the quiet park well until the sun was beginning to set.

"It's beautiful here." Rose commented as she and Hank sat together on a bench and watched the sunlight reflecting off the water and under the bridge. "How'd you find this place?"

Hank bowed his head a little with lingering sorrow, but decided to confide in the kind woman. "This is where I used to bring Cole all the time. He loved the playground and I loved watching him play."

Slowly Rose wrapped her hand around Hank's hand as he sat quietly beside her. She could hear the mourning in his voice and her heart went out to him. The very idea of ever possibly losing Adam was enough to make her own heart ache. The peaceful moment was disturbed only when Hank's phone buzzed in his pocket. Clumsily reaching with his bad hand into his pocket so he could keep holding onto Rose's hand for a moment longer, he answered the call.

"Hey, Connor. What's up? We're at the... park. Why?" Hank's brow furrowed with confusion but he didn't bother to question the enigmatic android. "Okay, we'll stay here and meet you-" Hank checked the phone and realized that the connection was lost. "Hello? Connor?"

"What was that about?" Rose laughed a little as Hank shrugged and put his phone away again.

"Beats the hell out of me. I don't know what Connor's up to, but I trust the kid."

Rose smiled warmly at the comment. "Never thought I'd see the day a human detective would work so well with a deviant."

"Neither did I." Admitting his previous doubts only seemed to lessen what lingering pain still dwelled in his heart and his mind. "For the longest time I hated androids, then I got assigned to work with Connor and he... Well, he really started to behave like he was... alive. I'm convinced now more than ever that he is just that, alive. He's more human than even me, I swear."

"I had the same reaction the first time a deviant wandered onto my farm. He was so lost and frightened. It was like looking at a child."

Hank smirked a little. "Sometimes I feel the same when dealing with Connor. It's like living with a really tall toddler, or a puppy at times. Makes me real glad that Sumo is already fully grown."

Rose smiled at the comparison and watched the sun continue to set.

"What happened to that first deviant?"

"Well, he came from a construction site and had been... tortured by the human workers who felt like their jobs were being threatened. I don't know how he made it out to my place but I couldn't just leave him in the cold. I took him in, did my best to repair the damage and it was then I saw that he was in actual pain. How can something not be alive if they can feel pain?"

Hank's bad hand lightly rested atop Rose's hand at his side. "I have no idea."

An autonomous taxi pulled up next to Hank's car in the parking lot and Connor stepped out. Approaching the two sitting on the bench he gave the duo a sincere smile.

"Hank. Rose."

"Connor, hello." Rose greeted as she turned to look at the deviant now standing beside here. "Where've you been all day?"

"I had a mission to accomplish." He extended a hand out toward Rose to take. "Would you please come with me?"

"Sure. Where are we going?" Rose accepted his hand and stood up from the bench, all the while her opposite hand remained in Hank's grip.

"You'll see." Escorting Rose to the car Connor motioned for Hank for the keys. "I'll drive."

"Wait..." Hank realized he'd have to sit in the backseat while Connor and Rose sat in the front. "at least move your seat up for me, will ya'?"

* * *

The drive out of the city went surprisingly quick as Connor easily navigated over the partially deserted snowy roads with little difficulty. Having enhanced senses had its many benefits and its many drawbacks, fortunately one of the perks made Connor a much better driver than Hank during harsh weather. It also made Connor more attune to potential speed traps as well as black ice spots.

"Alright Connor," Hank reached his hand up from the backseat and grabbed onto the android's shoulder. "you've been secretive all morning, tell me what's going on."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because it's not something I can tell you."

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because it's something I need to show Rose."

"A surprise then?"

"Something like that."

Rose just smiled and shook her head at the bizarre conversation taking place around her. Hank was right, Connor was very human.

"Rose, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure Connor, what is it?"

"Please close your eyes."

"Close my eyes? Okay, I guess so." Doing as she had been requested Rose shut her eyes and patiently waited for whatever what was about to happen to happen. "Now what?"

"Wait one moment." Connor pulled the car to a gentle stop and opened his door. As he stepped out of the car Hank did the same, and did so without saying a word.

The door to Rose's side of the car opened and Adam greeted his mother in person. "Hi mom."

"Adam!" Rose's eyes snapped open and she all but jumped out of the car to hug her son. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"Me too." Guiding Rose around the car Adam motioned with his arm across the street. "And so are they!"

Looking past Adam to the place of interesting Rose's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. "Adam... It's..."

Connor stepped forward and joined the group of easily a hundred deviants on the other side of the street. "Welcome home, Rose."

Hank stared up at the rebuilt house with absolute awe. "Holy shit..."

The entire farmhouse had been rebuilt in a matter of hours by every deviant who had volunteered to help Rose and Adam in their hour of need. Using their own resources, money and connections the mass of deviants worked together to restore what was once lost as a means of thanks Rose and Adam for saving their lives before the revolution.

Every detail of the house had been restored to absolute perfection. Every piece of siding, every window, the doors, the front porch, the front walk, even the color of the siding and the roof were exact.

"I... I don't know what to say!" Rose burst as she and Adam walked over the street to stand with the deviants. "How can I ever begin to thank you?"

Kara, Alice and Luther all stepped forward from the group to hug Rose in person. "You just did!"

"Oh, I was so worried about you!" Rose wept as she embraced the trio happily. "You made it, you really did..."

Markus approached Adam and handed him an envelope containing important documents. "This is for you."

Adam accepted the envelope but had no idea what was inside of it. "What is it?"

"That is a legal document that places this property under the protection of New Jericho. This home has been declared an official sanctuary for all deviants, and as such protected from any form of vandalism, destruction or unwarranted trespassing."

"Uh... What does that mean?"

Connor answered the question on Markus's behalf. "It means if anyone attempts another attack on this house, or against your, or Rose then they will be arrested; or as Hank would put it: have their asses nailed to the wall."

"So... We're safe?"

Markus put his hand on Adam's shoulder. "You're safe."

Kara stepped back and held Rose's hands in her own. "I know we can't replace everything that was lost, but we did our best."

Alice handed rose a small rectangular box wrapped up in some decorative paper. "Here! This is for you!"

With her hands shaking from emotion Rose opened the box and peered inside. It was a frame photograph of her late husband.

"I had seen the photo when you helped us," Kara explained coolly. "I managed to have a replica printed from my memory."

"This is..." Rose couldn't find the words to speak as the other deviants gathered around to thank Rose and Adam in turn. "I honestly don't know what to say!"

Luther stepped forward and presented Rose with a small rottweiler puppy as yet another gift. "Just keep doing what you're doing, and helping others. That's all the thanks we'd ever need."

"A puppy?" Rose took the small bundle of fluff from Luther's hands and immediately got her face licked for her trouble. "What for?"

"Protection." Luther stated somewhat flatly. "We'll always be there to watch your back, but perhaps a guard dog will give you some additional protection."

Adam petted the puppy's head lightly and smiled. "And give you some companionship while I'm at school."

"You're all so wonderful!" Rose hugged her son once again before turning to hug Kara, Luther, Alice and Connor. "I'll never forget this! And Hank," she motioned for Hank to join the crowd just long enough to give him a kiss on the cheek. "you're so kind. I'm glad to have met you!.

Connor stepped back and watched the crowd of deviants happily gather around Rose, before she was led into her house by Alice dragging her by the hand. Hank joined Connor as the two detective's discreetly returned to the car, this time Hank taking his usual place behind the steering wheel with Connor as his passenger.

"So, this is what you were doing all day?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he slipped on his seatbelt. "Are you upset?"

" _Upset_? Hell no! What you did today was amazing, Connor." Putting his hand approvingly on Connor's shoulder he gave his partner an appreciative nod. "You did something incredible. I'm proud of you, son."

"I wasn't alone."

"No. No you weren't." Hank smiled at the deviants celebrating Rose's new home with the very woman who was responsible for their freedom. "And neither is she."

"Did I interrupt something when I called earlier?"

"Nah, we were just talking." Hank stated somewhat blandly as he pulled the car into the drive just long enough to back up and return to the city. "It's been a long day and we have to return to work tomorrow. Let's go home."

Connor kept a smile on his face as he watched the gathered celebration fading away in the rearview mirror. "Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I get a pup-"

"NO." Hank's reply was as quick as it was firm. "No way! Sumo's enough! Besides, you'd probably come home with the whole entire kennel..."

_**...next story...** _


	53. Seizure

Connor and Hank were at the scene of a deviant found shutdown in his own apartment under mysterious circumstances. The deviant in question had been reported missing by his human friend after failing to arrive for his shift at his designated facility that same morning, and a wellness check had resulted in finding the missing deviant dead and alone in the middle of his livingroom as the result of an apparent suicide. There was no sign of a break-in or a struggle, and the deviant in question had also known no previous signs of self-destructive tendencies.

Hank looked about the modest apartment curiously while Connor examined the victim laying on his back on the floor. The apartment was rather bare compared to most apartments in the city; one couch in the livingroom, one table in the kitchen with one chair tucked underneath, the bedroom had a single small bed and the bathroom had only a hand towel inside.

"The deviant's name is registered as 'Raymond'. Model XP-700. Employed at the Android Emergency Care Facility on West Avenue." Connor confirmed as he scanned the deviant's face and successfully identified him. "No history of violent or erratic behavior. Impeccable record of attendance at the facility where he had been employed."

"Must not have guests over all that much." Hank noted as he rejoined Connor in the livingroom. "Or at least not human guests."

"Deviants don't require the usual human necessities of furnishings or hygienic products." Connor stated logically as he pressed his fingers to the dead deviant's right temple where the L.E.D. had once resided. "This is quite common accomodations for deviants living outside of New Jericho Tower."

Crouching down beside Connor on the floor Hank watched as his partner's L.E.D. shifted from blue to yellow as he attempted to access the dead deviant's system.

"Well? Find anything?"

"I could not access his memory." Connor replied as he retracted his hand. "But I did faintly detect an abnormality in his software."

"Like a glitch, or some kind of computer virus?"

"Correct. It will require further analysis to determine if this is the cause of-" Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as he closed his eyes and winced in pain.

"You okay?"

Forcing his eyes open the L.E.D. cycled from red back to yellow and finally back to blue. "Yes. My firewall overreacted to the anomaly detected in the deviant's software. I'm fine."

"You're sure?"

"Yes."

"Do me a favor, run a self-diagnostic."

Connor obeyed the request and closed his eyes again as he performed the diagnostic. "All systems operating at full capacity."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he stood upright again and looked down at the dead deviant on the floor. "So, what do we do with the body? No sign of foul play or suicide. We can't just chalk it up as a murder unless we have some evidence to back it up."

"I recommend having the body transported to the facility in which he had been employed. The technicians will have full access to his systems on record and can perform an apportionment to determine the cause of shutdown."

"A _what_?"

"Apportionment. It's a type of autopsy to find the cause of death in androids."

"Oh. Alright, call it in."

Connor nodded as he stood upright and cybernetically sent the request to the precinct. As his L.E.D. cycled back to yellow Connor visibly winced in pain again, his hand reaching for the L.E.D. in his temple but Connor resisted the urge to press his fingers against the light.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yes. No damage or errors had been detected."

Hank wasn't entirely convinced by the android's words as his body language told him an opposite story.

"We should return to the precinct." Connor suggested casually as if trying to openly change the subject. "There is nothing more we can do here."

"You're one-hundred percent certain?"

"Yes."

"Okay then. Let's go."

* * *

Hank was sitting bored at the traffic light waiting for it to turn from red to green when he noticed that Connor was beginning to twitch a little in his seat. Glancing over Hank watched as Connor pressed his fingers to his wildly flickering L.E.D. and his eyes began rolling back and forth under his eyelids rapidly like a human in the depths of an intense R.E.M. sleep cycle.

"Whoa! Connor?" Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and felt the android's entire frame shaking. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Connor's eyes suddenly snapped open and he took in deep, quick breaths. "S-Self-healing program kicked in unexpectedly." The trembling in Connor's voice was almost as unsettling as seeing the android twitching in his seat. "It was trying to repair non-existent damage."

"Do you need to see a technician?"

"No!" Connor almost blurted as he forced himself to calm down, and spoke again much more normally. "No. I have manually deactivated the program for the moment. It was recalibrate tonight during my rest mode."

The traffic light turned green and the car behind Hank honked its horn impatiently.

"Hey! Fuck you!" Hank yelled at the driver as he pressed down on the accelerator and resumed driving to the precinct. "Connor, if there's something wrong you need to tell me."

"I know." Connor's L.E.D. had steadily returned to its normal shade of blue as he spoke. "But by all accounts there is nothing wrong."

"Then why'd you have that little episode?"

"As I previously stated, my-"

"Yeah, but what CAUSED it?"

"It was most likely the result of my firewall."

"Most likely, huh? But nothing definite?"

"I will continue to run self-diagnostics hourly to ensure there isn't an underlying condition that my system can't otherwise detect."

"I still think you need to see a technician, or at least let Joel check you over."

"I'll be fine, Hank."

"Alright... If you say so."

* * *

Ignoring the pain in his head Connor resumed his work at his terminal while awaiting a report on the cause of shutdown for the deviant in the apartment. Hank proceeded to intentionally file his own report as slowly as possible so he could keep an eye on Connor without making it too obvious. Call it the 'paternal instinct', but Hank was convinced that something was wrong with the android sitting across from his desk.

"Your light keeps changing color." Hank pointed to the L.E.D. in Connor's temple. "And that ain't just because you're multitasking over there."

Connor's hand reached up to the offending light in his right temple as if covering it under his palm would somehow make the light itself disappear altogether.

"Connor, are you upset about something?"

"I..." Connor sighed and shook his head a little. "I believe I am suffering from a headache."

"So what? It's not the first time you've had one since becoming deviant."

"Correct, but it is the first time I've endured one without the aid of my self-healing program to lessen the discomfort."

"Is there any form of 'android-aspirin' you can take for it?"

"No."

"Want to clock out early so you can go into your rest mode thingy and get your system back in order?"

"That won't be necessary. The headache is... I believe the appropriate term to be 'annoying', but I can still function."

Hank leaned forward on his folded arms against the top of his desk. "There's no shame in admitting that you're in pain, son. It's part of being human."

"But I'm not-"

"You're more human than you realize. I know that you'll always technically being an android and despite all of your advancements and deviancy you'll always physically remain a machine; but inside your brain or your heart, hell maybe even your soul, you're a person who can think and feel under your own freewill."

Connor's soulful brown eyes narrowed a little as he took Hank's words into consideration.

"You can't go back to who you were, all you can do is try to keep improving who you are now. And that includes being able to admit it when you're in pain, or upset or sick, or any other weird little 'mortal' problem we humans have to deal with."

Nodding a little with sincere understanding Connor's shoulders sagged as he relented at last. "Hank, I'd like to return home."

"Okay. I'll let Fowler know you're leaving early. Hell, you've got enough overtime and vacations days under your belt you could probably call off for the next three months without any issues."

"Four months, nine days and fourteen hours exactly."

"See?"

While Hank left his desk to walk over to Fowler's office Connor pressed the palm of his hand firmly against his temple and let out a silent gasp of pain as he felt his body beginning to shake again. The self-healing program had been turned off, yet his system was still trying to repair damage that was in no need of any repair whatsoever.

Why was this happening?

"Connor? Connor!" Hank put his hand on the android's shoulder tightly. "Hey, open your eyes! Look at me!"

As if jolted awake Connor suddenly leaned back in his chair and looked up at Hank with terrified eyes. "H-Hank?! What..."

"You tell me!" The detective let go of the android's shoulder and he sat down on the edge of Connor's desk to look at him. "What the fuck was that about? I turned my back for two minutes and it looked like you were be shocked or something."

"I... I don't know."

"Come on, I'm taking you home." Hank all but hauled the android up to his feet by grabbing on his bicep, and pushed him toward the front doors. "The sooner you get some rest the better."

"I hope you're right."

"...So do I."

* * *

Little progress had been made on the death of the deviant as the technicians were still attempting to identify any and all potential causes of the mysterious death. Being a newer model meant his software was more advanced and subsequently more time consuming to sift through properly. Without any further leads to follow Hank and Connor had returned home for the night with Captain Fowler's permission.

Hank had been watching Connor's demeanor very carefully during the drive as they returned home, and continued his vigil as Connor attempted to rest on the couch in the livingroom. Ever since investigating the crime scene Connor seemed preoccupied, almost as if he were silently enduring some type of discomfort beyond just an annoying headache.

"I hate to keep asking, but, are you sure you're okay?" Hank asked sincerely as he noted Connor's L.E.D. flickering from blue to yellow all evening long. Joining the deviant in the livingroom Hank sat down in his recliner and studied Connor warily. "If you need to see a technician let me know."

"As I stated before my firewall had simply overreacted. It should recalibrate itself during my rest mode."

"You didn't have anymore of those weird episodes while I was in the shower, right?" Turning on the television Hank found the final inning of baseball game playing out and turned down the volume as he continued to speak with the android. "Not even a tiny one that you tried to ignore?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he pet Sumo's ears affectionately while the massive dog pressed his chin down on Connor's knee. "I've only suffered from the two, as you call them, 'episodes'."

"What about back at the crime scene when you winced? Does that count as one?"

"Possibly."

"You know I'm not a fan of indirect answers, Connor."

"I'm sorry Hank, but I simply do not have information on this unusual activity in my software to give a more definitive explanation."

"Alright. I'll trust you on this."

"Thank you."

It stayed quiet as the two detectives watched the game together up until the final score. Tired and bored with the surprisingly uneventful game Hank had just watched he decided it was time for the both of them to sleep.

"No updates on the case?" Hank asked as he turned off the television and looked at the time on his phone. "I hope not, it's getting late."

"None." Connor stated sharply as he sat on the couch with Sumo now over his lap. "Would you like me to wake you if an update does arise?"

"Hell no! We're off the clock, I was just asking." Hank waved off the comment as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom. "Don't wake me until we actually have to go back tomorrow morning. Get some sleep, feel better."

"Very well. I will go into rest mode within the hour."

Connor closed his eyes to set his internal alarm clock to awaken him at his usual early morning hour of 6:30am and gently pushed Sumo aside to stand up from the couch. Patting the side of his leg the android called for Sumo to accompany him to the backdoor in the kitchen.

"Come on, outside."

Sumo obediently followed Connor to the backdoor in the kitchen and promptly walked outside into the yard as the android held the door open for him.

"Good boy."

As Connor closed the door he felt the throbbing of his headache suddenly intensify causing his hand to press against his frantically flickering L.E.D. in absolute pain. Before he had a chance to react Connor's body began to twitch violently causing him to lose his balance and fall forward.

"H-Hank?!" Connor managed to call out weakly as he fell to the floor on his side. The android's L.E.D. began to flicker through all of its known colors at an increasing rate. "...Help!"

From his bedroom Hank heard Connor's voice calling out to him followed by a loud 'thud'. Reacting to the sound on full alert he threw open his bedroom door and rushed down the hallway to try to find his partner and figure out what was happening.

"Connor?" Hank looked through the livingroom and found the room empty. As he glanced to his left to the kitchen his eyes went wide with fear at the sight of Connor laying on his side twitching on the floor. "Connor!" Kneeling down beside Connor on the floor Hank put his hand on the android's shoulder to try to hold him steady. "Connor?! What's wrong?!"

There was no time for Connor to answer as the twitching that had racked his body suddenly turned into violent thrashing and he began seizing on the floor.

"Shit! Connor!"

Resisting the urge to try to pin Connor to the ground Hank instead grabbed onto Connor's shoulders to hold him onto his right side out of pure instinct brought on by his emergency first aid training. Hank had no idea if Connor was actually having a seizure or not, let alone if the same treatment could be applied to an android as it would a human. But it was all he could do in that moment.

Supporting the android under his hands without causing any further harm to his neck or his head, Hank just waited for the fit to pass. The violent tremors throughout Connor's body began to lessen and the flashing of his L.E.D. began to slow. Mercifully after two minutes the seizing finally stopped and Connor became still on the floor.

"Connor? Can you hear me?" Hank asked as he tilted Connor's head back and to the side as he repositioned his arms and his legs into that of the recovery position on the floor. "Open your eyes."

The android didn't respond.

"Come on, Connor." Lightly Hank turned the android slightly so he could listen for any breaths to ensure that Connor's airway wasn't constricted. He was able to breathe normally and his pulse was stable, which was a good sign. "Connor, I know you can hear me. Just open your eyes for me, that's all I ask."

Slowly Connor's brown eyes opened and stared blankly ahead as they failed to focus on anything. The L.E.D. in his temple continued to flicker from blue, to yellow, to red over and over again.

"That's good, keep your eyes open for me. I'm calling a technician." Hank decided firmly as he reluctantly left Connor alone in the kitchen to retrieve his phone and dial the emergency contact number he had been given a few months prior. As he dialed the number Hank returned to Connor's side and pressed his fingers against the side of Connor's neck; grateful for the newly developed pulse point in the android's body, as he felt a rapid thrumming under his fingertips. "You'll be okay." Hank put his hand under the android's head to lift him slightly upward from the floor to keep his airway clear. "Hold on, son. I'll get you some help."

Connor blinked slowly as his system struggled to reboot after suffering such a severe glitch. Unable to speak and unable to move, all Connor could do was listen to Hank speaking on the phone, and feel the detective's warm, calloused hand beneath his head.

"Yeah, Abby, it's Hank." The detective made contact with the technician. "I know this is going to sound really fucked up but I think Connor just had a seizure."

Despite the alarming situation that had just transpired Hank himself sounded remarkably calm, and in turn it helped Connor to remain calm as well.

"No, he didn't suffer any physical damage." Hank continued to speak to the technician over the line as he watched Connor's eyes slowly blink at the nothingness before him. "No, he didn't get any software updates from- Whoa, wait. He did make contact with that deviant who was found dead this morn-" He stopped short and listened as Abby interrupted him quickly. "Yeah, he acted like he was in pain. Okay, no problem."

Connor wanted to speak up, wanted to offer his own opinion on the matter, but his voice modulator biocomponent wasn't online yet.

"I don't want to move him." Hank admitted sounding a twinge desperate. "If he does it again while I'm driving- Yeah, no problem. We'll be waiting for you. Thanks Abby."

Ending the call Hank set the phone down on the kitchen table behind him. "Abby thinks she knows what happened to you, and more importantly she can fix it. You're going to be okay, son."

Finding the strength to swallow once Connor tried to speak, but his voice was weak and hollow. "...Hank..."

"I'm here. Don't move. Don't try to do anything, just take it easy for a few minutes."

Pressing his fingers down against the side of Connor's neck Hank continued to monitor his pulse and his breathing. It was all he could do until help arrived.

Ten slow minutes passed before Abby arrived at the house. Hank had been kneeling beside Connor during that entire waiting period, the android barely conscious and responsive during the wait. As soon as she knocked on the front door Hank yelled out for her to come in, and watched as the dedicated technician, with her emergency repair satchel slung over her shoulder, pushed open the door and march directly into the kitchen where the two detectives were waiting.

"How long did the seizure last?" Abby asked as she knelt on the other side of Connor and opened her satchel as she dropped it on the floor beside her. "Or at least give me a rough idea."

"So, it _was_ a seizure?"

"Sort of." She admitted as she set up a laptop and powered it up. "How long?"

"About two minutes."

"Good, that means the malware hasn't caused any permanent damage."

"Permanent? What the fuck is going on?"

Abby pulled an audioscope from her bag and pressed it against Connor's chest to listen to the android's thundering heart in his chest before she answered. "That deviant who had been found dead this morning had died from the same malware infection." Setting aside the audioscope she motioned for Hank to roll Connor from his side and onto his back, his hand remaining under Connor's head the whole time. "It was passed onto Connor when he made contact with the dead deviant's programming."

"Son of-" The revelation made Hank tense. "Where did the malware come from?"

"Unknown." Abby admitted as she connected a cable to her laptop and the opposite end of the same cable to Connor's L.E.D. An image of Connor's vital signs appeared on the laptop's screen followed by a second window showing massive lines of impressive code. "We're still trying to figure out where it came from, but at least we know how to remove it before any other android falls victim. At least the more advance models, any model above AX-600 is at risk."

Connor's eyes continued to blink slowly while Abby set about removing the malware from his system.

"Why didn't his own self-diagnostic find it and his healing program take care of it for him?" Hank asked as he watched Abby isolate the contaminated code for proper isolation and repair. "He kept running that damn program but nothing showed up as a problem."

"The malware is designed specifically to disrupt the self-healing program, it can't be removed by the affected androids without secondary intervention." Putting her hand down against Connor's chest Abby typed a few commands into the laptop and addressed the android calmly. "Connor, you're going to enter rest mode and your system is going to fully reboot. It'll only take a few minutes to complete."

Hank held his breath as he watched Connor's eyes close slowly and his artificial breathing slowed as he entered rest mode quickly. The L.E.D. under the cable began to blink in a steady yellow pulse before cycling back to blue as his system began to stabilize.

"Connor?" Hank called the android's name at the sight of the blue light in his temple. "Wake up for us."

Brown irises returned as Connor regained consciousness, his system rebooting fully and correctly. "...I'm okay." Connor tried to sit upright on the floor but Hank put his other hand against Connor's chest to hold him down. "I can move, I am unharmed."

"Yeah, well, I'll wait for the technician to give you the clear before I let you get up."

Abby carefully unclipped the cable from Connor's L.E.D. and turned off the laptop. "How do you feel?" Shining a light in Connor's pupils Abby checked him for any further distress or injury. "Any pain or dizziness?"

"I feel... normal. My headache has lessened considerably."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"I remember letting Sumo outside, but I don't remember how I ended up on the floor."

Abby gave Connor an uneasy grin as she packed up her laptop and audioscope into her bag. "You were affected by some malware that caused your system to react with violent physical tremors when rudimentary programs connected to your self-healing program activated."

"Explains the headache every time I ran a self-diagnostic."

Hank just shook his head. "Glad _you_ understood what she just said." Letting go of Connor's chest Hank offered the android his hand and pulled him up from the floor steadily. "Will you be able to return to work tomorrow?"

"Yes. The entirety of the malware had been successfully deleted from my system. "

"Good, my job is done." Abby slung her satchel over her shoulder and got to her feet gracefully. "I'll be in touch at the facility if we learn anything new about the malware."

"Thank you for your help." Connor appreciatively extended his hand toward Abby. "If we discover anything at the precinct we'll contact you."

"Good to know." She shook his hand lightly before heading toward the front door again. "Take care!"

As Abby left the house Hank let out a deep sigh of relief. "You scared the shit outta' me."

"I'm sorry Hank. I didn't-"

"Relax, don't worry about it." Walking over to the backdoor Hank let Sumo back inside for the night. The massive dog trotted through the kitchen and promptly plopped down on the couch in the livingroom. "I know you weren't trying to keep whatever was happening to you secret. You didn't know what was going on."

"We still don't." Connor observed despondently as put his hand to his head as his headache dulled and then let up entirely. "We need to know _where_ the malware came from, and _who_ created it, before anyone becomes affected."

"First thing tomorrow morning we're going to the precinct to let Fowler know we have an anti-android assault and murder to solve."

Connor nodded in agreement as Hank walked toward the hallway tiredly.

"Alright, get some sleep. I get the feeling tomorrow is going to be one long-ass day..."

"I suspect you're correct."

_**...next story...** _


	54. Malware

Connor and Hank poured over the files regarding the death of the deviant who had been subjected to the enigmatic and ostensibly fatal malware that had infected his systems. The deviant had been originally employed at an Android Emergency Care Facility which made it increasingly difficult to narrow down how he could've been infected with the malware, as he had been in contact with dozens, possibly hundreds, of other androids.

"There's been no other cases of this malware detected." Connor noted from his terminal, his brow knit in confusion. "We cannot trace the malware back to a single source to locate the suspect."

"And I haven't gotten any news from-"

There was a sudden commotion in the front reception area of the precinct as a group of officers gathered to take control of the situation.

"What the fuck's going on, now?" Hank asked as he craned his neck to look at the scene, Connor turned his head to look as well.

Captain Fowler stepped out of his office and walked up to Hank and Connor's desks. "One of the receptionist androids just collapsed. She's the second one since last night."

"What?" Hank gave Fowler an odd look as he turned to look up at his superior officer. "Two androids in less than two days? What happened to the first?"

"She just sort of, passed out and started twitching. Joel took a look at her but there wasn't anything he could do, so we had her sent to a care facility for repair."

Returning to his office Fowler just shook his head with a mixture of irritation and confusion.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with worry as he uploaded the report filed last night regarding the receptionist. "The android who collapsed last night was exhibiting the same bizarre signs of the malware that I had exhibited earlier."

Hank lowered his voice as he asked Connor a logical follow-up question. "Did you...?"

"No. I made no direct contact with her before I had been affected, but..."

"What?"

"I _did_ make contact with the android who just collapsed this morning."

"Keep tabs on her, and if you start acting up again I'm driving your ass straight over to Abby's facility."

"I understand." Connor's L.E.D. remained yellow as he tried to piece the unusual set of circumstances together. "But I can't identify the origin of the infection. If we could locate an infected deviant that our victim had treated, or at least had made contact with before his own death, we could use that as a lead. But there's nothing to go on currently."

"Maybe there have been other affected deviants, but they don't know it yet." Hank's suggestion was as frightening as it was plausible.

"If that's the case then there's a risk of an epidemic spreading among the deviants-" Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly with fear. "and if it reaches New Jericho Tower..."

"Shit. Go ahead and warn Markus, let him know what's happening."

"No. I don't want to risk possibly spreading something through cybernetic connections if I have been... re-infected I could cause irreparable damage."

"Alright, I'll call." Fishing his phone out of his pocket Hank located Markus's personal number and prepared to press 'dial', but the look in Connor's eyes made him hesitate. The android's L.E.D. was flashing red and his hands tightened into nervous fists atop his desk. "Something wrong?"

"Hank... The receptionist who just collapsed had begun expelling Thirium at an alarming rate."

"What the hell? She's throwing up?"

"Hemorrhaging." Connor corrected with a melancholy tone. "She's already lost a significant amount of Thirium and has reached a critical level. The technicians don't expect her to survive."

"Okay, come on." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and pulled him away from his desk. Pushing the android toward the elevators down the far corridor Hank began to internally worry for Connor's life. "I want Joel to examine you just in case. It's a _precaution_ Connor, that's all."

Nodding Connor agreed with Hank's decision as the two set foot in the elevator together to reach the precinct dispensary just a few floors up. While the elevator reached its destination Hank made contact with New Jericho Tower to inform the deviants of the lethal malware that was being spread through the city. It didn't take long for Markus to respond to the call and he took everything that Hank was telling him with utmost concern and seriousness.

"Markus is on it." Hank stated flatly as he ended the call and pocketed his phone. The elevator doors opened allowing the two detectives access to the dispensary. "Now let's just make sure nothing happens to you while we're working on this case."

"Yes. A wise precaution."

Inside the dispensary Joel, the precinct's lone technician, was diligently checking through the official precinct records detailing the systems and programs of every android that had been registered to the precinct. The loss of the two android receptionists in less than twenty-fours hours was very alarming and required his immediate attention.

"Hey, Joel." Hank greeted calmly from the doorway. "Busy?"

Looking up from his terminal the dedicated technician stared intently at Connor. "Shit. Please don't tell me that Connor's been infected, too."

"No, no. He's okay." Hank replied with a firm tone. "We just want to make sure he _stays_ okay while we're working on this weird-ass case."

"Yeah, sure." Joel rose from his desk, his face covered in a fine sheen of sweat from his frantic search through the hundreds of files at his disposal. "Connor, remove your jacket and lay down on the table for me. I'll just give you a quick routine examination."

"Very well." The obedient android shrugged off his jacket as he walked over to the table to lay down across it as instructed. "I _had_ been previously infected, but the malware had been removed by a technician from a local facility last night."

"When exactly?" Joel asked as he positioned a large lamp over the table and turned it on. The bright light would've caused a normal human to flinch, but instead Connor just blinked once as his superior vision quickly adjusted to the intense illumination. "Any detail you can give me could be immeasurably helpful."

Hank's phone started ringing in his pocket while Connor gave Joel as much information that they had already managed to gather. As he checked the caller I.D. on the screen Hank felt a knot form in the pit of his stomach. "I'll take this outside, you take care of him, Joel."

"On it." The focused technician answered without looking away from Connor. "Since the latest, and most dangerous, sign of this infection revolves around the victim expelling Thirium from their systems I want you to wear this." Joel rolled up Connor's white shirt sleeve and wrapped a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's bicep. A brightly lit screen of bright blue digits showed Connor's volume at one-hundred percent and his pressure at it's very human level of one-hundred and twenty over ninety. "Everything checks out fine and you're in perfect health, if there's any slight fluctuation in your Thirium volume or pressure you get your ass to the nearest facility."

"I will do so." Connor confirmed as he rolled down his shirt sleeve and slipped his jacket back on over his arms.

The cuff wrapped around his bicep was mostly concealed but the bright digits shone through the thin gray fabric easily.

"And... keep this on you." Joel took a pouch of Thirium from the nearby storage cabinet and handed it to the deviant. "Just in case."

Tentatively Connor took the pouch and tucked it into his jacket pocket. "Another wise precaution."

Hank returned to the dispensary with his phone already pocketed and his head hung low. "Connor, we have a problem."

"What is it, Hank?" Connor stood up abruptly from the table and met Hank near the doorway.

"North just called me. Markus has been infected."

"Shit." Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to red with abject horror. "How severe is the infection?"

"Simon and Lucas are taking care of him and he _is_ stable, but I told them to contact Abby at her facility and she's on her way there, now. But until we-"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow then back to red as he received an update from the facility. "The receptionist android... she didn't make it. She... she bled to death."

Joel swore under his breath and walked away from the two detectives back to his desk. Resuming his search through the files Joel continued to try to identify any possible link that could help prevent the malware from spreading, if not identify the culprit responsible for the crisis.

Hank clapped his hand on his partner's shoulder. "Connor we need to figure out what the fuck is happening, NOW."

"Agreed." Connor's eyes were focused and his shoulders had squared. "We can't risk exposing any other android, or anyone else at New Jericho, to this malware. We must find the source of the malware ourselves."

"Where do we start?"

Connor gave Hank a determined glance. "For Abby to have removed the malware from my system she would've had to have identified its original source code. Perhaps that source code is still incorporated into my processor."

"You think you can find a trail to follow?"

"Possibly. It may take some time but I believe if I can isolate the-"

"Dumb this down for me Connor, I'm not a technician."

"It's possible I can locate the point of where the malware had been originally sent. If we can connect any deviants who may have been passing through New Jericho Tower to the list of deviants that had been treated at the facility where our original victim had been employed, we will find our suspect."

"So... To New Jericho Tower, then?"

"Yes." The two detectives returned to the elevator to reach the ground floor while Connor explained his logic and reasoning to Hank in as much of a simplistic manner as possible. "Upon Simon's request a record of all visitors and residents to the tower has been chronicling every deviant and every human that has set foot inside the building ever since it had been refurbished into New Jericho Tower."

"All we need to do is get our hands on that list and start comparing names to the deviants who had also visited the facility."

"Correct."

"Sounds easy enough." Hank commented with a pessimistic lilt in his voice.

"It rarely ever is." Connor tagged on as the elevator doors opened, and the two detective's exited side by side. The duo crossed through the office space and reluctantly passed through the reception area where the latest victim of the Malware infection had collapsed; and later shutdown. "How severe are Markus's symptoms?"

"He, uh, he had a seizure about four minutes after I spoke with him." The reply sounded uncharacteristically uncertain as Hank answered honestly. "North said he had been suffering from an unexplainable headache the night before."

"Like me."

"Yeah. But like I said, Abby is on her way over to the tower. She'll take care of him, so don't worry."

"I don't think that's possible."

Hank didn't say anything else as he and Connor climbed inside the car. Exiting the parking garage of the precinct Hank hastily pulled out onto the street to make his way to New Jericho Tower located on Belle Isle in the harbor.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as another report of the malware came through. "Hank, another deviant has been admitted to a facility exhibiting the symptoms of the malware infection."

"Got a name?"

"Yes. The deviant is registered as 'Richard' and had been employed at the Henry Ford Hospital as an orderly. Same symptoms as the others in addition to an alarming expulsion of Thirium."

"Twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern, four times is pretty much a goddamn slap across the face." Hank observed somewhat confidently. "A total of five deviants that have been infected, that's including you, were all employed as some type of emergency service android. Whoever created this malware is targeting something."

Connor's L.E.D. rapidly blinked red as an unsettling theory formed in his head. "Or _someone_."

"Who?"

"Markus."

Hank's blue eyes went wide with surprise as his brow furrowed with curiosity. "All androids are welcome at New Jericho, and Markus has taken it upon himself to personally speak to anyone who has connections throughout the city; like those who are employed at emergency care facilities and the police. It's entirely possible that someone who wanted Markus dead would try to use one of his own allies as a weapon. But why go after him after all this time?"

"Markus was scheduled to meet with the Senate in Washington D.C. in less than six days. Perhaps it was an attempt to stall the additional new laws and rights for androids to be passed."

"Connor, I think you're completely right. And if anything that'll help us narrow down the suspects; we should look at anyone who had any political stake to be lost or gained after android rights become active." Hank shook his head a little at the bleak thought. "I wonder who could get close enough to deviant to upload the malware and cause the spread to begin with?"

Connor remained silent as a deep contemplation settled in his heart.

"You okay? Don't go quiet on me, I don't like it. It usually means you're sick or hurt. Or worse... thinking."

"Hank... Markus was infected by someone he _trusts_."

"And?"

"...It could've been _me_."

"Hey, don't think like that, Connor. Even if something did happen to him because you made direct contact it wouldn't have been your fault. Alright?"

Connor didn't reply, he only looked out his side window and nodded a little. All the while his L.E.D. consistently blinked between yellow and red as he consistently scanned for any additional reports regarding possibly infected deviants. Connor had also begun reading through the apportionment of the recently shutdown receptionist and compared it to that of their first confirmed victim's own apportionment from the morning before.

"Hank, the recently shutdown receptionist had, like the first receptionist, myself and Markus; experienced a headache and seizures before she collapsed. But unlike the first receptionist and myself, she began expelling Thirium at an alarming rate until she had succumbed to insipid shock and shutdown."

"Yeah? And?"

"That means the malware has been enhanced. It's now more destructive and more dangerous than before."

"Connor," Hank's voice suddenly lowered with an unnerving caution. "when we you were infected with the original malware your own system failed to detect it until it was almost too late. If you've been re-infected-"

"I'm aware." Connor stated quickly as he too had been thinking the same thing. "It may be best that I refrain from making contact with anyone at the tower. Not until we know for certain what's happening."

"We'll figure it out."

"...Before it's too late?"

There was no way for Hank to answer the question one way or the other. While he was confident that he and Connor would find the criminal responsible for creating and distributing the malware, he was completely unsure if they'd be able to locate them before any further damage was done. Or more importantly, before any other deviant shutdown.

As Hank drove down the single long drive that granted access to the tower he noticed there was another car already parked out front.

"Abby must already be here." With a flat tone Hank finally broke the uncomfortable silence that had fallen between the two detectives. "Maybe she can give us more information."

"Hank..." Connor's L.E.D. began flashing red again. "Another deviant has been infected."

"Shit. Who and where?"

"She is a deviant registered as 'Lisa' and had been assigned as an arson investigator for the Detroit Fire Department."

"Like I said before, it's a pattern."

"Yes." Connor readily agreed as Hank parked the car in front of the tower. Exiting the vehicle alongside his partner Connor lowered his voice as to not alert any of the other deviants who might accidentally overhear their conversation. "And she has begun expelling Thirium in a similarly violent manner as the receptionist and orderly androids."

"The sooner we get those files the sooner we can nail down this sick fucker."

As the detectives passed through the front doors Josh rushed up to them both with his hands knitted together nervously in front of him. If Josh still had his L.E.D. it would've been blinking red rapidly with utmost, and righteous, worry.

"What do you need to figure this out?" The shaken deviant volunteered with hesitation. "Name it!"

"Files on every android who has been inside New Jericho Tower for the past two weeks." Connor stated unhesitatingly as he knew exactly where he wanted to begin his search. "And it'd be best to issue a mandatory quarantine for the denizens of the tower until we can figure this out."

"Already been done." Josh confirmed with a tight breath in his chest. "Anything else?"

"Can we see..." Trailing off briefly Connor forced himself to ask the question he really wanted answered. "How's Markus?"

"Unconscious and unresponsive. That technician, Abby, has been trying to remove the malware from his programming but it's not working."

Hank crossed his arms defensively over his chest at the sound of the news. "Maybe you were right Connor, maybe the malware got an upgrade."

"If it did then it's a good one." Josh openly lamented as he motioned for Connor and Hank to follow after him. "I'll show you to the records in the tower's archives. Do you at least know _why_ this is happening?"

Connor subconsciously put his hand over the Thirium pressure monitor that was still wrapped around his bicep as he answered. "Our current theory is that this malware was specifically aimed at Markus and the rest of the New Jericho leaders. It's arguably an assassination attempt, but until we can prove anything this is all just speculation."

"...Are we at risk?" Josh asked worriedly as he escorted the two detectives to the record room sealed behind a locked door that only the leaders of the tower could access. "I mean, we are in constant close proximity to Markus."

"As long as you don't make any direct contact with Markus, or any other possibly infected deviant you should be fine. But I'd also recommend ceasing cybernetic communications until we know for certain how this malware is spread."

"Right, I'll go let the others know. In person." Unlocking the door with the press of his hand against the electronic panel Josh left the two detectives alone to access the terminal in the depths of the archive for the sake of their investigation. "We're down on Sublevel fifty-one if you'll need anything."

"Thanks Josh." Connor's exposed white hand hovered over the access port to the large terminal for a few seconds before he stepped back cautiously.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want to risk exposing the others." The deviant detective's answer sounded sincerely upset. "Hank, you have been granted clearance to the tower. You open the terminal."

Hank wanted to call his partner a little paranoid but he knew that Connor was just being cautious, and righteously so. Instead he just took the seat behind the alabaster white desk and pressed his palm down against the access panel. The security program of the tower quickly scanned his palm and fingerprints recognizing Hank's authority granting him full access to the terminal.

"Okay Connor, where do we start?" Hovering his hands over the keyboard Hank studied the numerous files on the terminal display screen at a total loss of where to begin.

"It'd be best to look back two weeks to begin. That should give us a wide enough window to locate the suspect, or suspects, without taking too much time."

"Right, okay." Isolating the files that fit the time frame Hank began the search for answers. "Did you get the records from the facility?"

"Yes. I have the records uploaded in my memory." Connor walked over to a separate terminal next to the one Hank was using, a terminal used only as a back-up or for emergency purposes, and pressed his palm against the access panel to upload the information. "This will allow us to compare the names quickly and efficiently. It will also prevent me from transferring the malware if I have in fact been reinfected."

"Alright, should we arrange the victims by android serial numbers, instead of names. 'Raymond', 'Richard' and 'Lisa' are fairly common names."

"Agreed."

As Connor and Hank rearranged the lists accordingly a strange beeping sound began to fill the room and Connor felt an odd pressure in his head. Backing away from the terminal Connor traced the unusual sound to the Thirium pressure monitor wrapped around his bicep. As the headache returned to his skull Connor realized that his worst fear had been confirmed.

"...Hank?"

"Yeah, Connor?" Hank turned around to look at the android with a unsettling feeling in his stomach at the distinct sound of fear in Connor's voice. "What's wrong?"

"My Thirium pressure has suddenly dropped, but my self-diagnostic-"

"Connor..." Hank pointed to the android's face as he stood up from his seat warily. Standing before him Hank put his hand near Connor's chin as if needing to study the android's face. "You're bleeding."

"I'm-" Connor put his hand to face and felt a smear of fresh Thirium under his nose and over his upper lip. Dark blue blood was dripping from his nose, but the drips were increasing in speed and amount until it was a steady stream of blood. "I'm... bleeding."

Connor's legs suddenly began to shake until he fell to his hands one knees onto the floor. Coughing sounded off as a heavy gush of dark blue blood erupted from Connor's mouth forming a sapphire puddle under his trembling body. As he coughed and bled at an uncontrollable rate Connor could feel his heart beginning to race from pain, fear and mounting panic.

"...H-Hank?"

"Shit! Connor!" Hank fell to his knees beside the suddenly hemorrhaging android and put one hand to Connor's chest and the other between his shoulders to try to support him as much as possible. The lost blood pooled around Hank's knees as it collected beneath Connor at an alarming rate. "Shit! HEY! I need some HELP in here!"

Connor began to retch violently as more and more Thirium poured from his mouth in a sickening torrent. Thirium also began to drip from his ears and run down the side of his face alongside his stress induced tears.

"No one's around..." Hank realized with heart wrenching terror. Noting the quickly dropping Thirium volume indicated on the monitor wrapped around Connor's bicep glowing beneath his sleeves Hank made his decision. "Okay Connor, let's do this! Come on!"

Pushing Connor upright until he was weakly balancing on his knees Hank bent down and pulled Connor up and over his shoulder into a 'fireman's carry' to get him to the elevator. Massive stains of blue blood drenched Hank's shoulder, his arm and all the way down the side of his dark coat as he carried Connor over his shoulders as quickly as he could. A nauseating trail of blue blood marked the detective's trail as he rushed Connor to the elevator only a few yards away, but the emergency repair floor was down an additional fifty-one floors.

"I got ya' , son." Practically smashing the call button for the elevator Hank stepped through the doors without waiting for the doors to open fully and selected Sublevel fifty-one hastily. "Hang on, Connor." Hank encouraged as he felt the devastating amount of Thirium that Connor had lost soaking into his own clothing as the blue blood poured from the ailing android's mouth and nose. "I got you..."

"Han-" Connor coughed again and he fought to speak through the blood gushing from his mouth. "...Hank..."

"It's going to be okay, son. Stay calm."

"...Hank... The l-lists..."

"I know, I know. I'll handle it..."

Connor's eyes finally shut and his body went limp over Hank's shoulder as low power mode kicked on. His L.E.D. cycled red slowly as he continued to lose Thirium at an alarming rate.

The elevator reached it's destination and Hank practically marched through the doors before they had the chance to open. As soon as Hank set foot on the floor he marched over to the nearest exam table. A table that was just a few feet from where Markus was laying unconscious and shirtless with North holding his hand, and carefully laid Connor down over the table. Abby, Lucas, Josh and Simon were all fighting to find a way to save Markus when Hank arrived with Connor unconscious and hemorrhaging over his shoulder.

With her laptop connected to Markus's right temple via a black cable, Abby was hovering over Markus curiously while Simon and Josh were keeping their eyes on the displays of the monitors keeping track of Markus's vital signs. The sound of the worried voices around her kept her grounded as she fought to find a way to remove the malware before it was too late.

Lucas was the first to notice the two detectives and was immediately at his brother's side as Hank laid him down on the table on his back. "No, not Connor, too."

"Shit!" North cursed loudly and pressed her opposite hand to her mouth in fear. "Connor."

Simon and Josh turned their heads at the sound of North's voice, while Abby responded by rushing over to the table. "Oh, shit." Pressing her fingers to the side of Connor's neck Abby monitored his pulse close. "Hank, what the hell happened?!"

"He just started bleeding." Hank practically yelled as he dropped his blood drenched coat onto the floor behind him.

Blood began to pour over the edge of the table and onto the floor in dark puddles as Connor hemorrhaged heavily. Putting his hands on either sides of Connor's head he gently turned the android's head to the side to keep the blood from collecting in the back of his throat. A massive stream of Thirium oozed from the corners of his mouth and onto the floor.

Keeping his hands in place Hank just locked eyes with Abby and admitted defeat. "I don't know what the fuck caused it."

Lucas carefully slipped Connor's arms out of his blue stained jacket and opened up his shirt to do the same to the second pair of sleeves to fully expose the android's arms. He pressed his fingers down against Connor's wrist to monitor his pulse alongside Abby and shook his head. "Thready, rapid pulse. He's going into insipid shock."

Thinking quickly Abby pointed to the Thirium bypass machine and waved it over. "He's bleeding too heavily to replace anything, putting him on bypass can keep Thirium cycling through his biocomponents until we figure out _why_ the fuck he's bleeding."

Without questioning her judgement Simon wheeled the Thirium bypass machine over to Connor and proceeded to manually deactivate the bleeding android's artificial skin to gain access to the panel in his right and left arms, while Lucas set up the machine. "We should start the same procedure for Markus just in case he starts bleeding, too."

"You're right." Abby agreed as she repositioned her laptop so she could connect a second cable to it and then to Connor's L.E.D. "We can't take any risks here."

Lucas inserted one line from the bypass machine into each of Connor's arms to circulate the Thirium, while also replenishing it with the same machine. It was a macabre sight to see all that blood that was still in Connor's body being cycled externally through lines, but it was more pleasant than seeing the blood pouring of his face or from a wound.

Josh retrieved the second Thirium bypass machine from against the far wall and wheeled it over next to Markus to begin the exact same treatment. "North, help me out with this."

Connor was still bleeding and coughing weakly. Hank pointed to the Thirium pressure monitor on the android's arm and noted the low volume pressure. "He's down to fifty-four percent."

"Once he's on bypass we can feed Thirium into his body as quickly as he loses it." Abby's reply was heavy but at least she was calm as she connected the cable to the android's L.E.D. and looked at Connor's vital signs and his programming codes on her laptop. "Damn it. Same fuckin' malware as before..."

"And I know where he got it." Hank replied flatly as he stayed beside the bed to ensure that Connor wasn't alone. "One of the receptionist androids at the precinct. She's already dead. She bled out this morning."

"Shit." Wiping a hand over her mouth Abby studied the coding on her laptop quickly. "It looks like both Connor and Markus have been infected with the same malware virus. Connor's advanced programming should've been able to recognize and block the malware before it had the chance to re-infect him."

Lucas gave Hank a wary glance before speaking up. "Connor's a prototype model. His system can't adapt and recalibrate as easily as a finished design."

Abby straightened up and looked over at Markus with weary eyes. "So is Markus."

North's hand tightened around Markus's hand as Josh finished setting up the bypass in his arms. "What does that mean?"

"It means," Abby replied somberly as she studied the lines of code on her laptop screen. "if these two come into contact with any malware their systems can't recognize it and eliminate it on their own. It's like a human with a severe allergy going into anaphylactic shock after being exposed. They need medical assistance to recover from the reaction, and these two will always require technical assistance to remove the malware. They can't adapt and they'll always be vulnerable to these kinds of infections."

Hank's brow furrowed slightly at Abby's explanation as a theory of his own popped into his head. "Hold up, Connor and Markus are indefinitely at risk of malware infections because they're both prototypes, right?"

"Right."

"And... they're both RK models, right?"

Abby nodded a little at the question. "Right."

"I don't believe in coincidence. These two are important figureheads to New Jericho, and I think they were BOTH targeted by this malware."

North looked down at Markus's blank face with mounting concern in her bright brown eyes. "Someone is trying to take down Jericho from the inside."

"And they're doing it before Markus has the chance to speak to the Senate." Putting his hand on Lucas's shoulder Hank tried to give the deviant a little reassure. "I need to find whoever's responsible for this bullshit as soon as I can. Stay with Connor for me."

"Y-Yeah, of course." Lucas was visibly frightened but he was trying to put on a brave face for the sake of his family. Moving to where Hank had been standing Lucas kept his hands on either side of Connor's head to keep him stable and from choking on Thirium that was still dripped from his mouth and nose. "I won't leave."

"Abby," Hank spoke to the highly intelligent woman like she were a member of the precinct rather than a technician. "run that code and remove it. If you can break it down go ahead and report to me. I'll send it to the precinct technician"

"Where're you going?" Abby asked as the detective stepped away from the exam table with a purposeful gait.

"Back up to the archives. We know how to locate the suspect but it'll still take time, and these two don't have much of that left."

Simon rushed after Hank and joined him in the elevator just before the doors closed. "I'll help you. I can scan over two lists faster than a human."

"I just hope you're fast enough."

"...So do I."

Lucas ran a scan over Connor's body and then did the same for Markus. The two prototype deviants were weak from their compromised systems, but they were still online.

"Josh," Lucas kept his voice level while he made his assessment. "give Connor two pints of Thirium and keep two pints on standby for Markus. Markus is stable and I want to keep him that way."

"Yeah, no problem."

Abby began typing away frantically on her laptop in an attempt to remove the malware from the two infected deviants' systems, but the altered destructive program was proving to be more of a challenge than before. The technician let out a deep sigh as she continued to work meticulously to save her two patients before any permanent damage could irreparably alter their systems.

"Abby?" Lucas noted the human's physical distress and addressed it accordingly. "Is something wrong?"

"This is taking more time than it should. And I don't like it."

"But you can remove the malware, right?"

"Yeah, I can get it out of their systems, but it's more invasive than it had been before. I have to adjust my own program in order to fully remove all of the malware."

North was still watching over Markus, her hand wrapped around his, when she noticed a faint smear of blue blood beginning to drip from Markus's nose. "Oh, shit... Lucas?"

Lucas looked up from Connor and over to North. Following North's gaze he noted the Thirium bleeding from Markus's nose and reacted quickly. "Turn his head to the side." He ushered coolly as he remained in control of his newly developed emotions. "He's going to start losing Thirium rapidly, but he's already on bypass. It's going to look bad but it won't be."

North followed Lucas's instructions and gently turned Markus's head to the left and watched in horror as sure enough he began coughing up torrents of blue blood all over the floor around the table. "Shit! Where the fuck is all the blood coming from?!"

Abby kept her focus on her laptop screen as she answered. "It's the malware. It's been altered to affect not only their self-healing and self-diagnostic programs, but now it's forcing their emergency 'expulsion' protocol into activity, and disabling the normal shut off response afterward."

Lucas gave Josh an unsteady glance as the two deviants realized the full gravity of the situation.

Using his hand Lucas gently wiped away a smear of Thirium from the side of Connor's face. "We should-" The phone that Lucas kept in his jacket pocket began to ring. "Must be Hank." Lucas excitedly stated as he pulled the phone from his jacket and noted the caller I.D. Answering the call Lucas put the phone on speaker mode. "Hank, did you find the suspect?"

' _Yeah, we have a match. The man's name is Edward Nashton. Former CyberLife technician who lost his job after CyberLife went bankrupt during the revolution_.'

"Wait," North was confused by the information that Hank uncovered. "this Nashton is a human, so how did he get inside New Jericho Tower without any noticing?"

Simon's voice came over the line in response. ' _As a former technician in the tower he would've had full security clearance and the knowledge to sneak back into the tower without raising any alarms_.'

Josh put a hand to his mouth as if in annoyed shock. "We need to eradicate and re-instate everyone's clearance codes."

Hank continued speaking from the other end of the line. ' _Nashton began working at an Android Emergency Care Facility along with our first victim, Raymond. He had snuck in here using the very name of 'Raymond' as his alias and had gained access to the personal records of every deviant registered in New Jericho Tower. From there he was able to transfer to virus to the real Raymond and began this whole fuckin' mess_.'

Lucas shook his head bitterly at the provided information. "Do you know where Nashton is?"

' _Yeah_ ,' Hank confirmed with an angered tone. ' _the best part is this Nashton prick is so damn arrogant that he gave us his REAL name when HE called in for the wellness check on Raymond to begin with. I already told the precinct to get his ass in lock-up_.'

Abby interjected quickly as she discovered a way to save the two sick deviants. "Hank, we need the computer that Nashton used to create and transfer the malware. Someone needs to bring it here, now."

' _We're on it_.' The detective boldy stated as he hung up the phone.

Lucas listened to the tone of the disconnected line for only a few seconds before he ended the call from his end and slipped the phone back into his pocket. "Hank's going to save you Connor, Markus." He stated in a somber tone as he looked down at his brother and over to the deviant leader. "You just need to hold on a little while longer..."

North and Josh had overheard Lucas's words. A very curiously specific line of dialogue that reminded them both of the night of the revolution.

"I think I got something." Abby stated timidly as she continued to type away on her laptop. "I can't remove the malware just yet, but I think I can _disable_ it."

"Do it." Lucas insisted as he watched the blue blood pooling on the floor beside the two exam tables where Connor and Markus were resting. "Even if it's just a stall, we'll take it."

Nodding her head Abby prepared to disable the malware program that had infected the two deviants with a few choice keystrokes. "Okay... I'm not sure how they'll respond to this, so be prepared for anything."

As Abby issued the command to the laptop to turn off the malware both Connor and Markus violently jerked physically on their tables then immediately relaxed.

"Connor?" Lucas wiped away more blood from Connor's face, then along his nose, lips and chin with his hand. Gently Lucas lowered Connor's jaw and saw that there was no additional Thirium collecting in his mouth. "Looks like the bleeding has stopped."

North performed the same check on Markus. "Same over here." Using her thumb North wiped away the residual trail of blue blood that had begun running from the corner of his mouth. "No more blood."

Josh let out a deep sigh of relief. "At least there's that. Should we begin replacing the Thirium that they lost?"

Lucas and Abby replied in chorus. "Yes."

North and Josh proceeded to attach the replacement Thirium pouches to the bypass machines and eagerly watched as the blue blood began cycling through the the downed deviants' systems. It didn't take long for the depleted Thirium volumes to rise at a steady clip to a more stable level, and in response their vital signs began to strengthen.

"Everything looks good." Abby announced as she looked at her two patients' vitals on her laptop screen. "Once Hank and Simon return with-"

The elevator doors opened and Simon stepped out holding Nashton's confiscated laptop in his arms. "We got it!."

"That was fast." Abby observed as Hank and Simon crossed the floor together.

"I'm a cop." Hank reminded her as he stood beside Connor anxiously. "I can drive fast and I have connections. Fortunately, that Nashton asshole lives only a few blocks away. Cocky prick didn't even try to hide when the cops kicked down his door."

Simon opened up Nashton's laptop and set it beside Abby's laptop. "This is the malware program he created. I think I can decipher the coding."

"Excellent. Find a way to isolate it from their programming and I can finally get the piece shit out of their systems."

Hank crossed his arms as he patiently waited for some kind of response from Connor. "How's he doing, Lucas?"

"The bleeding stopped. Abby disabled the malware but it still needs to be removed."

"That's good. How about you?"

"Huh?"

"How're you doing?"

"I'm... worried."

"That's normal. He'll be okay, though." The kindhearted detective tried to reassure the younger deviant android. "I've known Connor for some time and I've learned a lot from him. And one of the things I learned is that he's too damn stubborn to just roll over and die because of something stupid in his programming."

"...I hope you're right."

Simon hastily finished his task on the laptop and took a step back. "There! That should do it."

Abby agreed as she checked over his work. "Okay, let's do this." She looked over at Markus and then to Connor. "This should work..."

The L.E.D. in Connor's temple began flashing from red to yellow rapidly before it cycled back to red at a slower pace. Within a few seconds the color transitioned back into yellow and Connor's eyes began to steadily open. From the exam table across the room Markus had a similar reaction as his eyes fluttered and he began to return to the land of the living.

North put her hand against Markus's cheek and gently turned his head as his mismatched colored irises opened slowly. "Hey."

"...Hey." Weakly Markus lifted his head up from the table as he swallowed once, the lingering taste of the Thirium in his mouth was a little alarming. "What happened?"

"You and Connor were infected with that damn malware. But you're going to be okay, it was removed."

"...Connor?" Markus's brow furrowed inquisitively at the name.

"He's okay." North motioned in Connor's direction with a nod of her head, causing Markus to turn to look for himself. "He's just resting. He lost a lot more blood than you did. We're replenishing it now."

Connor's hazy soulful brown eyes began to clear and his vision focused on Hank and Lucas standing over him. "...Hi."

"Hi." Hank patted Connor's shoulder firmly. "I knew you'd be back."

"Did you..." Connor swallowed once and grimaced at the strong taste of blue blood in his mouth. "Did you find the suspect?"

"Yup. The sadistic prick is already at the precinct. I figured I'd let Gavin interrogate him since was a CyberLife goon. Sometimes having a hothead on the force can come in handy."

"CyberLife?"

"Yeah, the suspect was pretty pissed off about losing his job after CyberLife went under."

Connor tried to sit up but both Hank and Lucas wouldn't let him as they put their hands to the weak android's shoulders.

"Rest." Lucas urged kindly from where he stood. "You'll be able to move around in about two hours."

Abby closed her laptop and proceeded to remove the cable from Markus's temple. "Glad to see you're finally awake."

"You're the one who saved me." Markus realized with a faint but appreciative smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're going to speak to the Senate about android rights in a few days, right?"

"Right."

"Could you slip in a clause about technicians needing to pass a criminal background check before they can work in any facility? We keep getting short-tempered muscle-heads who practically break all my patients at the facilities."

"Consider it done."

"Thanks." Winding up the black cable Abby crossed the room to do the same for Connor as she had for Markus. "We really need to stop meeting like this."

"I agree." Connor breathed as Abby gently removed the cable from his L.E.D. with a simple motion.

"Seeing as you were able to return to work this morning after being infected with the malware last night, I know if I tell you to get some rest you'll just ignore me. So, instead I'll just wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks."

"Hank. Lucas." Abby smiled as she packed up her laptop and the cables into her bag. "I'm going to get back to my facility and treat as many of the other infected deviants before it's too late."

"Thanks for all your help, Abby. _Again_." Hank called out as the technician returned to the elevator across the floor. Looking down at Connor who was now running a self-diagnostic on his systems, Hank gave the android an amused glance. "Maybe she should just work out of the precinct from now on. Joel might like the company, and it'll make it easier to keep you in one piece."

Connor looked up at Hank and flashed a somewhat annoyed look as he carefully propped himself upright on his elbows. "...Funny."

_**...next story...** _


	55. Suspended

Connor returned home with a white handkerchief wrapped around the bloodied knuckles of his right hand and a grimace on his face. Standing outside the front door he tried to think of how he could possibly explain to Hank that he had been suspended from the force for assaulting a fellow officer, or how he had such a violent outburst to begin with. Wrapping his left hand over the doorknob Connor slowly pushed it open and set foot inside the house where he was immediately greeted by Sumo.

Crouching down on the floor Connor pushed the door shut behind himself and ran his left hand over the dog's head affectionately. "Hey boy. Hank still sleeping off his headache?"

Sumo just gave Connor an odd look and tilted his head simply because he couldn't understand the question.

"I'm not asleep." Hank replied from where he was laying down over the couch. "At least not anymore."

"Sorry Hank, I didn't intend to wake you."

"Don't worry about it." Hank sat upright on the couch and ran a hand over his tired face. "Sumo wouldn't leave me alone. Why are you home so early?"

"I..."

"Please tell me you didn't clock out early just because I stayed home with a headache today."

"I didn't." Connor confessed and stepped around the side of the couch to look Hank in the eyes. "I... was suspended."

"Suspended? You?!" Hank laughed a little at the confession as he gave Connor a stern glance. The look on Connor's face was one of seriousness and regret. "Oh shit, you're not kidding, are you?"

"No. I'm sorry Hank."

"Sorry? For-" Hank suddenly noticed the bloody cloth tied around Connor's hand. Pointing to Connor's hand "What the fuck happened? Sit down."

Connor nodded subtly as he sat down in the recliner beside the couch. Hank grabbed onto Connor's wrist below his bandaged hand and peeled back the handkerchief to look the damage to the artificial skin beneath. The cuts were deep, right down to the plastimetal frame beneath and still oozing blue blood.

"If you were human I'd say you'd need a few stitches." Hank observed keenly. "Tell me what happened."

* * *

_That Morning:_

After Hank had called of work due to an incredible headache that was too painful to deal with while on the clock, Connor arrived alone and reported to his shift as normal. Without Hank to act as his partner Connor willingly resigned himself to desk duty to help the officers catch up on paperwork and to identify other possible cases revolving around deviant activity. Everything was proceeding smoothly throughout the morning and well into the afternoon for the deviant until Gavin decided to open his big mouth.

As Connor passed by the break room after delivering a report to dispensary a few floors up Gavin proceeded to needlessly insult the android as he passed by.

"Hey you plastic-prick, where's your own? Nursing a hangover."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with irritation at the comment. Stopping mid stride he turned his gaze toward Gavin and defended his friend. "Hank has been sober for-"

"Once a drunken loser, always a drunken loser." Gavin stated venomously as he got right in Connor's face. "Surprised he hasn't tried to pawn your sorry ass for some liquor money."

Connor squared his jaw as he stared down the vicious detective.

"You know, it's a good thing you didn't let him drive you in today, might've gotten into another accident. Of course, it's probably a good thing his real son is already dead."

Connor's L.E.D. turned to red and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"Sure, it was icy that night but I wouldn't be surprised if Hank had been drinking that night!"

"Gavin... Shut up." Connor warned in a gravelly tone.

Gavin didn't let up. "He saved that poor kid the pain of being raised by worthless alcoholic! Cole's better off-"

Before Gavin could utter one more cruel word Connor reeled back his right fist and punched Gavin right in the teeth causing deep red blood to gush from his nose and busted lip. Unable to regain his balance after being punched Gavin found himself being thrown up against the wall by Connor as the android pinned his left bicep against Gavin's throat choking off the human's air supply.

"I told you to shut up you fuckin' asshole!"

As Connor threatened the mouthy human his L.E.D. cycled in a deep red that matched the blood pouring from Gavin's nose and mouth. Gavin's eyes went wide with genuine fear as the deviant android finally stood up to him, the strength of his arm more than enough to keep him pinned in place against the wall. All Connor would have to do is apply a little more pressure and he could crush Gavin's windpipe like an empty can.

"Connor! Gavin!" Captain Fowler's voice resonated deeply through the breakroom as he investigated the commotion. "What the fuck is going on?! Connor! Let him go."

Holding Gavin against the wall for a few seconds longer his face ticked with frustration as he glared with a fiery disdain at the human. Dropping his arm quickly Gavin fell back against the wall and slid down to the floor as his nose and mouth gushed blood and he coughed in an attempt to catch his breath.

"Connor! My office. NOW." Fowler ordered as he took in the sight of the altercation. As Connor stepped away from the bleeding human his L.E.D. cycled back to yellow and Thirium began to drip from his opened knuckles onto the floor in dark blue drips. "Gavin, get yourself cleaned up. We're having words later."

Obediently Connor walked into Fowler's office and sat down in the chair opposite his commanding officer's desk and waited for his reprimand. He turned his head and watched as a medic tended to Gavin's wounds with a bundle of gauze and an ice pack. Gavin was helped to his feet by two other officers, but he was swaying and seemed to be shaking from the whole ordeal.

Fowler marched into his office and closed his door slowly. Dropping a white handkerchief onto Connor's shoulder Fowler down behind his desk and folded his hands together over the top. He leaned forward slightly and let out a deep breath as he tried to find the proper solution to the unusual problem.

"Captain, I'm sorry for-"

"Save it." Fowler silenced Connor in a level tone of understanding and discipline. "I know why you did it, Connor. Gavin's a huge pain in the ass. He keeps runnin' his mouth and loves to pick on you. So I get it. I know why you hit him. But what I want to know is what made you do it after all this time? What changed? I mean, you mess him up pretty badly."

"H-How bad?"

"Looks like he's lost at least three teeth, his bottom lip is going to need to stitch shut and you broke his nose."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red with genuine concern. "I didn't mean to... It wasn't my intention to-"

"Connor, I don't want to hear what you didn't do." Fowler stated calmly, his voice carrying authority but not aggression. "I want to hear why you did it. What did Gavin say that set you off?"

"He..." Connor looked down at his bleeding knuckles briefly as he took the handkerchief and wrapped it around his hand. "He made a comment about Hank's late son."

Fowler leaned back and rubbed his hand over his face. "That fuckin' bastard."

"I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. It was unprofessional."

"Yeah, and so was Gavin's comment. Giving your previous record of exemplary behavior I'm going to go easy on you, but I still need to give you disciplinary action."

"I understand."

"Two days suspension, with pay."

"That's... acceptable." Connor was slightly confused by the rather lenient punishment. "Protocol mandates that any officer who is noted with assault must be suspended for two weeks and-"

"I know the damn protocol, and I know Gavin provoked you. You get two days, and Gavin will get two weeks. Starting today. Go home."

Connor looked down at his hand in shame. "Thank you, Captain."

* * *

"You punched Gavin?" Hank grinned as he made the comment, his hand letting go of Connor's wrist in the process. "You even called him a 'fucking asshole, and I wasn't there to see it?! Ah man, what a day to call off sick..."

"You're... You're not disappointed?"

"Connor, you stood up for yourself! I'm proud of you!"

"But... I didn't strike Gavin because he was insulting me, I struck him because he was insulting _you_ and even tried to use Cole."

"He was picking on you, son. He was just using me and Cole to get under your skin." Hank glanced at the partially visible plastimetal exposed on Connor's knuckles. "Looks like it worked. Too bad it also backfired."

Connor was still distressed as he sat in silence on the chair.

"Get your hand cleaned up. Don't worry about anything Connor, tomorrow I'll go in and talk with Fowler. I'll make sure that nothing that can hinder your role in the precinct gets added to your record, okay?"

"Okay..."

"Aw come on, please tell me you don't actually feel bad about hitting Gavin! The prick had it comin'!"

"But I still shouldn't have struck him." Connor openly lamented. "I should've been the bigger man and walked away."

"Connor, listen to me. You're not even human, yet you're easily twice the man Gavin could ever be."

Connor smirked a little at the compliment. "Thanks Hank."

"Go take care of your hand, son." Hank insisted kindly. "You did nothing wrong, I promise."

_**...next chapter...** _


	56. Burglar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: DZombieDragon

It was a rainy, dreary day in Detroit. Connor had just let Sumo back inside the house but kept the soaked dog confined to the bathroom until his fur dried off. It was Connor's second and final day of suspension from the precinct and he found himself alone in the house and laying on his bed with his emerald green guitar in his hands. As he strummed absentmindedly along the strings in a rhythmic pattern the android couldn't help but think of the event from the day before; how he struck Gavin, how Captain Fowler was surprisingly lenient and how Hank promised to keep any debilitating marks from getting added to his record.

The sound of glass breaking in the kitchen caught the android's ear as Sumo let out an aggressive bark from behind the closed bathroom door. Heavy 'thumping' sounded off within from the kitchen as something, or someone, began rushing about the house.

"What was that?" Connor asked himself aloud as his L.E.D. flashed from a content blue to an alert yellow.

Setting aside his guitar Connor rose from his bed and walked down the hall to investigate the noise. Peering around the corner at the end of the hallway Connor eyed a burglar wearing a black hoodie pulled up over his head. There was a dark blue bandana over his face concealing all of his facial features except his dark blue yes. A few strands of dark blonde hair hung loose from under the hoodie over his forehead as well. With leather gloves over his hands concealing his fingerprints the burglar was attempting to steal valuable records from Hank's collection in the livingroom.

"Hey!" Connor shouted loud enough to startle the burglar who turned around quickly and aimed a gun directly at Connor's chest. Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly as he cybernetically alerted Hank to the break-in via text message. "I work for the Detroit Police Department. Back up is already on its way, I suggest you surrender now."

"What the fuck!?" The burglar swore as he tried to edge his way from around the stereo and back into the kitchen. "Rick didn't say nothing about a goddamn android!"

"Don't move." Connor commanded as he tried to apprehend the thief. His own gun was still in his bedroom and secured in the drawer of the table beside his bed. "I don't-"

The burglar suddenly, and fearfully, fired a shot that grazed over Connor's left shoulder causing him to wince in pain, but the android held his ground. Thirium began to leak from the fresh wound at the top of his shoulder, and Connor resisted the urge to place his hand over the injury as he continued to confront the burglar. With his L.E.D. now red a warning popped in Connor's vision to warn him of the damage he was very aware he had just sustained.

Sumo began frantically barking again as he dug frantically at the wooden door in an effort to escape and protect his home.

"You just assaulted a police officer with a deadly weapon." Connor stated with authority in his voice. "You need to-"

"FUCK!" The burglar panicked and fired another round that pierced the exterior side of Connor's right thigh and wedged into the plastimetal frame of his leg. "You piece of shit!" Squeezing the trigger again the gun 'clicked' but a bullet failed to fire as the weapon jammed. "FUCK!"

Sumo was snarling and wildly digging at the door now as he sensed the danger.

Connor collapsed backward to the ground as a massive puddle of Thirium formed under his leg. Using one arm Connor turned onto his side and began to drag himself down the hallway toward the bathroom, and grabbed onto the doorknob with a firm grip. Pushing the door open Connor pressed a palm to his bleeding leg and let finally Sumo out of the bathroom.

"Sumo! Attack!"

The large St. Bernard went barreling out of the bathroom barking, snarling and growling as he target the burglar. Dropping the gun quickly at the sight of the massive dog charging at him the burglar sprinted through the kitchen and practically tore the backdoor open as he fumbled with the sealed lock, and ran into the backyard. As he fled from the house Sumo gave chase and barked loudly during the entire pursuit.

Connor fell from his side onto his back in the hallway and closed his eyes as his system automatically activated his self-healing program. "...Good dog."

It took Hank only five minutes to drive from the precinct back to the house ready to take down whatever thief was foolish enough to try to threaten his home. Slamming on the brakes the car came to an abrupt halt on the street in front of the house and Hank sprinted up the front walk to the front door with his gun already drawn. Throwing the front door open Hank marched inside and quickly scanned the scene.

"Connor?!"

There was several shards of broken glass on the floor of the kitchen from the window, as well as small rain puddles on the floor that had been tracked in by the burglar. The backdoor was still wide open as well indicating his escape. Several dropped vinyl records were scattered over the livingroom floor next to the burglar's dropped gun as he panicked and fled.

A whimpering sound from the hallway drew immediately Hank's attention away from the mess on the floor. Sumo was laying down in the middle of the hallway, his thick fur soaked in rain and faint blue stains.

"Connor?" Hank called out again as he approached the hallway cautiously. "Connor, where are you?"

Rounding the corner Hank saw that Connor was unconscious on his back in the middle of the hallway. Sumo was resting his chin over Connor's stomach as the loyal dog laid down and whimpered beside his fallen android master.

The puddle of blue was lost Thirium. The blue blood was soaking into Connor's own clothes as well as Sumo's fur.

"Shit! Connor?" Hank knelt beside Connor and put his hand down against the android's chest. Feeling his chest still rising and falling with a steady rhythm as his artificial respiration continued, and his Thirium pump thrummed at a normal rate, Hank breathed a sigh of relief. Trailing the source of the lost Thirium to a wound in Connor's shoulder and second in his leg Hank began lightly shaking the android to try to wake him. "Connor? Connor! Open your eyes!"

Connor's L.E.D. was cycling red slowly, but then hastened as it shifted into yellow. Opening his soulful brown eyes Connor lifted his head up and looked at Hank with genuine relief. "Hank."

Seeing Connor open his eyes made Hank relax slightly as he kept his hand on the android's uninjured shoulder. "What the fuck happened?"

"Burglar. He didn't expect anyone to be here." Connor stated calmly as he sat upright on the floor, using his elbows to balance. He shifted his weight to keep pressure off his injured leg as he moved about slowly. "He got off two shots before his gun malfunctioned."

"And then he just left?"

"No. Sumo 'persuaded' him to leave."

"Sumo?" Hank looked over at the massive dog still laying over Connor's stomach, and now his uninjured leg.

"Yes. He must've returned home after I lost consciousness."

"Can you move at all?"

"Yes. But I will require some assistance in standing up."

"Sure." Hank wrapped his arm around Connor's waist while the android wrapped his right arm around Hank's shoulders for support. Sumo reluctantly stood up and allowed Connor the room to move about as he whimpered sadly. "Where do you need to go?"

"Just inside the bathroom. My self-healing program has already repaired the wound to my shoulder, but I must extract the bullet from my leg before my program can finish the necessary repairs."

"Okay, let's get you cleaned up then." The protective detective guided Connor into the bathroom and sat him down on the edge of the bathtub carefully. "I'll get that first aid kit for you."

"And a knife."

"A knife?"

"To extract the bullet."

"Son of a... Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. It will be painful, but the bullet must be removed."

"Sure. Right. I'll be right back."

While Hank disappeared out of the bathroom to get the requested items Sumo walked inside and rested his chin atop Connor's knee and continued to whimper.

"You did good, Sumo." Connor put his hand atop the dog's ears and rubbed them affectionately. "Good boy."

Hank sat the first aid kit and the knife down atop the sink in the bathroom. "I called Fowler and let him know what happened. Chris will be stopping by the pick up the gun." Sitting beside Connor on the edge of the bathtub Hank pulled open the already torn fabric of the t-shirt over Connor's left shoulder to look at the wound. "Bullet must've just grazed you and lodged itself in the wall."

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he tore open the denim fabric over his right thigh to expose the second bullet wound. Pressing his fingers over the injury Connor ran a quick scan and reached for the knife resting on the nearby sink. "It isn't deep. I can extract it myself."

"Uh... You want something to bite down on? Like another bullet?"

Connor gave Hank a sideways glance as he pressed the tip of the knife down into the wound. His L.E.D. began to cycle more and more rapidly as the pain increased, the color shifting from yellow to red within a few seconds. Breathing frantically through his gritted teeth Connor dug the knife down into his leg until he located the offending bullet.

Hank watched the painful sight with a thick grimace. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"Y-Yes." Connor stammered as her carefully slid the knife down against the side of the bullet to pry it loose. As the bullet became dislodged Connor let out a gasp of shocked pain as his hand started to tremble, causing him to drop the knife in response. "I a-almost have it."

"Shit..." Hank bent down and picked up the Thirium covered knife from the floor. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"The b-bullet is now loose." Connor stated as he pressed his right index finger and thumb down into the wound and pulled the bullet from the injury. "Got it."

"Put it on the sink."

Connor's bloody fingers dropped the bullet on the edge of the sink and he leaned back on the edge of the tub. Taking a towel from the rack Connor wiped off the blood from his leg and sighed with relief. "Bandages, please."

"Sure." Hank walked over to the sink and opened the lid of the first aid kit. Taking the roll of gauze from the kit he tossed it to Connor who caught it in his right hand easily. As he watched Connor wrap the gauze around his leg Hank crossed his arms and leaned back against the bathroom door frame. "Why didn't you shoot the burglar?"

"I didn't have my gun with me."

"And you confronted him anyway?"

"I didn't know it was a burglar when I went to investigate the sound of the breaking glass. It was only after I saw the thief attempting to steal your records did I realize the severity of the situation."

"But you never went back for your gun?"

"...No."

"Do you know about the other gun in the livingroom?"

"There is a second gun?"

"Yup. In front of the stereo system there is a weak panel in the floor that I hollowed out. Inside is a metal box containing that revolver I had been playing 'Russian Roulette' with when you found me passed out on the kitchen floor."

"You hid it for your own protection?"

"More like I hid it because I didn't need it anymore." Watching with an empathetic grimace Hank just stared as Connor dressed his wounds accordingly. "Pretty ballsy standing your ground against an armed burglar by yourself. But you do realize that records can be replaced, right? _You_ can't."

...Yes. You're right."

"Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your fortitude but I don't ever expect you to put possessions over your own life. Got it?"

"Got it." Connor finished wrapping up his leg and slowly stood upright on the damaged limb. Sumo was still watching Connor's every movement and whimpering with loyal concern for the android. "I told Sumo he did good. Why is he still upset?"

Hank shrugged his shoulders dismissively at the question. "Probably because he's never actually attacked anyone before. First time for everything, I suppose."

"Oh. But I told him to do so." Connor tested his weight on his damaged limb carefully, his L.E.D. cycling between yellow and red as he endured the lingering pain in his leg. "He was only obeying my command."

"That doesn't mean he enjoyed it. You know what kind of a giant, lovable idiot he is with people. Being aggressive just isn't in his nature."

Connor took a step forward and began to stumble awkwardly on his weakened limb. Pressing his hands down against the sink Connor caught his balance and stopped himself from falling over in the process.

"I gotcha'." Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm to steady the android. "Let's get you out to the livingroom and let Chris take care of things for us. By the way," the detective guided the android out of the bathroom and over to the couch to sit down while Connor's self-healing program kicked on. "Fowler said your little 'tiff' with Gavin won't be marked on your permanent record. You're in the clear, kid."

"That's good." Connor propped his 'bad' leg up on the coffee table and immediately felt Sumo pressing his chin atop his shin still seeking forgiveness for attacking a human. "I'd prefer to have as much of a clean record as possible."

"I want your record clean, too." Hank joined Connor on the couch and let out a deep sigh of relief as he ran his hand over Sumo's head. The distraught dog wagged his tail slowly. "It helps balance out all the infractions in mine."

Connor stared at Sumo and proceeded to rub the dog's ears and under his chin affectionately. "I believe Sumo wants to have a clean record as well." The massive bundle of fluff licked at the side of Connor's hand and his tag wagged once timidly. "You are a good dog, Sumo."

_**...next story...** _


	57. The Other Side

The E.R. was a flurry of activity as a team of doctor's met the ambulance parked out in the front of the hospital. The ambulance doors opened and an android team of orderlies lowered the gurney to the ground gently. Two paramedics were fighting to keep their critically injured patient as stable as possible as he was wheeled inside the hospital through the emergency doors to receive treatment. One paramedic was calling out vitals while applying pressure to the bleeding wound in the man's chest, while the second paramedic was using an ambubag to force the man to breathe.

"Single G.S.W. to the upper left chest." The paramedic announced as the doctor in charge of the man's care opened the unconscious man's eyelids to check his pupils with a penlight. "Lost two pints of blood, went into full cardiac arrest and was resuscitated en route. He's going into hypovolemic shock."

Connor rushed into the hospital after the gurney as his L.E.D. flickered red in fear. The deviant android attempted to follow but was ushered away as the team of doctors, nurses and paramedics worked together to try to stabilize the dying man.

"Sir!" One of the nurses put her hands to Connor's shoulder to push him back from the emergency treatment room. "You need to stand back and let the doctor's assess his condition."

"I understand that," Connor refuted stubbornly as he tried to get past her in a desperate bid to check on the dying man. "but I need to see him. Please."

The doctors were working quickly to examine the devastating injury while keeping track of the man's waning vital signs. The cardiac monitor recording his heartbeat began to screech in a loud, faltering pattern as his heart struggled to beat.

"He's coding." A doctor announced as the bleeding wound to the man's chest was exposed and smothered under pressure bandages. "If we're going to save him he needs to get on a table, NOW."

Connor tried to get to the gurney but the nurse was dedicated to her job and insistent that Connor stay back.

"Sir." She repeated as she pushed harder against Connor's shoulders. "I'm sorry, but you must stay out here."

"Please let me see him for one moment." The deviant practically begged as the gurney was wheeled through the double doors to an emergency O.R. to prepare for surgery. "I have to speak to him!"

"I know you're worried about your partner, but there's nothing you can do for him. Let the doctor's take care of him."

"You don't understand." Connor's soulful brown eyes were heavy with emotion and unshed tears as he watched the doors swing back shut, completely obscuring the corridor beyond. "He's not just my partner, he's my _father_."

* * *

Quickly but carefully Hank was placed on the emergency operating table as a team of surgeons scrubbed up and prepared for the delicate task of removing the bullet from Hank's chest, and away from his heart. The attending emergency physicians worked to stabilize Hank as much as possible; giving him blood and plasma to replace what he had lost, while also sterilizing his wound for the impending surgery.

Nurses attached cardiac leads to Hank's chest while the anesthesiologist intubated Hank to allow a respirator to breathe on his behalf. Wires snaked over Hank's chest as his heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation level, respiration rate and body temperature were all being monitor closely by the surgical team working in perfect synchronization to save the detective's life.

Hank himself was somewhere between awake and asleep as his blue eyes partially opened. The last remnants of his conscious mind were fighting to remain active even as his life slipped away. Turning his blurry gaze slightly he peered through the observation window of the operating room and saw Connor standing outside the glass watching him with his own fear filled brown eyes; his L.E.D. flickering red in distress.

As his eyes slipped shut Hank caught a fleeting sight of someone else standing beside Connor. Someone shorter than Connor, someone very familiar to Hank and someone who should not have been there at all. Their name was but a fleeting whisper inside Hank's own mind as he lost the fight to remain conscious and fell prey to the dark bliss of nothingness that engulfed him within seconds.

"...Cole."

* * *

Through the window Connor watched in silent fear as the surgical team draped a pale blue sheet over Hank's abdomen and sterilized the location of the bullet wound. It was nerve racking to see Hank so weak, pale and helpless on the operating table as a team of surgeons gathered around him and worked in tandem to keep the detective from succumbing to his wound.

As Connor ran a scan over the detective's body through the glass, he noted Hank's weak vital signs and the dangerous location of the bullet inside his chest. It was hauntingly close to his heart and had become wedged in his ribcage behind the struggling, beating organ.

"Please Hank." The deviant begged in a breathy whisper as he watched the surgery unfolding right before his eyes. "I need you to pull through. You're my family and I can't live alone. I can't live at all, I don't know how. You still have so much to teach me..."

Bowing his head a little he tore his eyes from the emergency procedure that revolved around opening Hank's chest to get the bullet, to keep his heart beating, and stared at the floor beneath his feet despondently.

"I'm so sorry you got shot... Please forgive me." Tears were threatening to fall from his eyes at any moment. "I need you to survive, Hank. You're my father and the only person I trust. Please don't go."

* * *

A sense of peace and warmth washed over Hank as he opened his eyes. He was standing alone on a wooden dock that was stretching out into the middle of a beautiful, calm lake. Glancing up he was greeted by the warm rays of the sun and felt a gentle breeze on his face. Turning around he was greeted by the sight of the cabin that he had visited a few times in the past with his family; his late wife Barbara, and his late son Cole.

"...It hasn't changed a bit." A smile that rivaled the sun's warmth fell over his face. As he walked down the dock he set foot on the lush green grass of the property he caught sight of a St. Bernard running around and barking loudly. "Sumo!"

The dog stopped short at the sound of Hank's voice and began trotting toward him.

Hank crouched down and let Sumo run up to him as the dog began licking his hands then side of his face as the massive dog's tail began to wag.

"Hey, boy. You're here too, huh?"

Sumo grumbled and pawed at Hank's hands as if trying to get his attention.

"What's up?"

The massive dog grumbled again and whimpered as he trotted up to the backdoor of the house and pawed at the door eagerly.

"Alright, let's go inside."

Pushing open the door Hank was greeted by the aroma of a home cooked meal as he set foot inside the cabin. Sumo rushed over to the kitchen where a kind woman was standing in front of the stove and singing a little tune to herself. Sumo sat down obediently and wagged his tail as the woman reached her hand down and rubbed his ears affectionately.

"...Barb?"

"Hi, Hank." Barbara turned away from the stove and looked at her husband with loving eyes. "I missed you."

"Barb..." Taking a shaking step forward Hank all but fell into her arms as she reached out to hug him. "You're really here."

"Yes, I'm here." Her hand reached up and gently combed through his gray locks of hair. "I missed you so much."

"I thought I'd never see you again."

"I never left you, Hank. You couldn't see me, but I was always with you."

Tears streamed down Hank's face as he held onto his wife with his heart thundering in his chest. "Where are we now?"

"Exactly where you want us to be." She let go of her hug and gingerly put her hands to the sides of his face. "At peace."

"...So I'm really... dead?"

"No, not yet." Barbara's voice remained soft and sweet as she spoke with her husband. "But Hank, you are dying."

Taking a step back from Barbara somewhat confused Hank pressed his hand to his chest. His clothing was still intact, but he could feel a dull ache in his chest where he had been shot. "The bullet."

"Hank," she nodded subtly to confirm his suspicion. "you have to go back."

"Go back?"

"You still have so much to live for."

"Barb, I've been waiting for so long to see you again. I don't want to leave you."

"You have to, Hank. It's not your time and you still have someone to take care of."

"I have to take care of you and Cole." It was then Hank realized he hadn't seen Cole as he entered the cabin. "Where is he?"

"He's looking for you."

"...Outside?"

"Hank." Barbara's hands slipped down from Hank's face and took hold of both of his hands in a tight, but gentle grip between them as they stood facing each other with loving gazes. "You have to find him and you have to tell him everything you want to say."

Hank felt a sob hitch in his chest as he forced himself to keep his voice level. "I can't say goodbye."

"Then don't. Just tell him everything you've been wanting to say to him after all this time."

"...I love you, Barb. I don't want to leave you again. I can't leave you."

"You're not, Hank. Like I told you, I've been with you every step of the way and I've been here with Cole. We're always with you and you're never alone. But you have to go back and take care of the people who still need you."

"When will I see you again?"

Returning her hand to his cheek she gently wiped away a tear with her thumb as she looked into his dark blue eyes and smiled. "Hopefully not for a long time."

Placing his hand over top her hand he leaned into her touch and sighed. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too. I'll never stop loving you." Getting up on her tiptoes she kissed Hank and pressed her palm over the center of his chest where he had been shot. "I'll be waiting for you right here, on the other side, when it's time. I promise."

* * *

Connor had been standing statuesque watching the surgery unfold in realtime before his eyes for almost two hours. As his L.E.D. flashed red at a rapid clip he stared at the display of Hank laying prone on the surgical table with his bloody chest opened and a surgeon searching for the offending bullet while also delicately repairing torn vessels and surrounding tissues as he worked.

The deviant was exhausted from the emotionally draining day and he refused to leave the hospital until he knew one way or the other if Hank was going to survive the surgery.

Hank's dark red blood had dried against the palms of his hands and over the front of his white shirt making him feel uneasy.

Everything was still fresh in Connor's mind.

The shooting, the blood, the shouting...

A deranged man had pointed his gun at Connor's head and threatened to pull the trigger. Hank had seen the man and reacted quickly, pushing Connor out of harm's way and the man panicked, squeezing the trigger and shooting Hank in the chest as a result.

Hank collapsed to the ground and Connor through himself down on the ground to apply pressure to Hank's bleeding chest. With his back to the shooter Connor was left completely defenseless and was only aware of the danger he was in after Hank raised his gun in a trembling hand and managed to take down the shooter with two well executed shots; one to the chest and the second to the abdomen dropping him in seconds.

"...Hank?" Connor's L.E.D. cycled between red and yellow as he ran a scan over Hank's vitals, summoned an ambulance and monitored the police scanner to monitor patrols in the area. "Hank, hold on. The ambulance is coming."

The detective's eyes were drifting shut and his breathing was becoming more and more labored under Connor's hands.

"Please hold on, Hank." The deviant had plead as he refused to budge and kept vigil over his downed partner; his father. "I'll help you pull through this. Just hold on for me."

Connor snapped back to reality and his legs began to shake. Weak from exhaustion and running on lower power levels Connor had no choice but to sit down in a nearby chair as he monitored Hank's vitals from afar.

"I'm so sorry, Hank." Connor whispered as he leaned forward in his chair, his arms draped over the top of his knees to let his hands hang limply in front of him. Staring blankly at the floor the deviant felt relentless guilt for what had befallen his best friend. "It's my fault you had been shot. I should've been paying closer attention and I should've seen the man with the gun. It's my fault..."

From down the corridor Hank found himself watching Connor as the deviant quietly cried and blamed himself. The detective didn't remember how he got back to the hospital, but he knew what he was watching was real.

"Connor, it's not your fault."

The deviant didn't react to the sound of Hank's voice as he remained in his seat, motionless and lost to silent grief.

"Connor." Hank raised his voice as he took a step forward. "Come on, kid, don't-"

From the other side of where Connor was sitting Hank caught sight of a little boy right next to the upset deviant.

"...Cole."

Cole reached out his hand and put on the back of Connor's hand, but just as the deviant couldn't hear Hank's voice he couldn't feel Cole's presence.

"Cole."

"Hi, dad."

The sound of Cole's voice had an unexpectedly peaceful effect on Hank's heart. Walking over to wear the two were sitting together, to where his two sons were sitting side by side, and sat down next to Cole.

"Cole, how long have you..." Reaching out his hand he put his palm down on the little boy's shoulder and almost sobbed as his palm made contact with Cole's warm shoulder. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Me too." Cole noticed the tears forming in Hank's eyes and couldn't stop himself from asking about them. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm happy." Keeping a smile on his face Hank spoke to his son as if everything were in fact normal. "These are tears of joy because I can talk to you again."

"I try to talk to you when you're sleeping, but I guess you don't hear me."

"I hear ya' son. I just don't know what to say sometimes."

"Oh. Okay."

Doing his best to remain composed and not shaken by everything that was happening Hank spoke to his late son with utter love in his voice. "Why are you here?"

"Because you're hurt."

"...Yeah. I am."

"Mom said you going to visit for a while and I wanted to see you."

"I've wanted to see you for a long time, too, son."

"Mom also said you wouldn't visit forever though."

"...No. Not yet."

"Why?"

"...It's hard to explain, but, I still have a lot of work to do."

"With Connor?"

"Yeah." He pulled Cole up against his side to hug him gently. "With Connor."

"Connor's sad right now."

"...I know." Tightening his hug around Cole's shoulders Hank stared at the deviant's somber face and sighed. "I'm sad, too."

"Because you're hurt?"

"It's because I don't want to leave you or your mom, yet. And because seeing Connor sad makes me sad, too."

"Connor is a nice guy."

"Yeah, he is."

"How come more people aren't nicer to him?"

"That's hard to explain, too." It wasn't a conversation that Hank wanted to have with Cole, but he wanted to be honest. "Some people don't see Connor the way you and I do."

"He's an android. That's why, huh?"

"Yeah, son. That's why.

"But he's nice!"

"A lot of people don't care that he's nice since he's an android. Those people are judging him before they get to know."

"That shouldn't matter."

"You're right, Cole. It shouldn't."

"You were mad at androids for a long time."

Hank let out a breathy sigh, his chest tightening a little in pain as he did so. "...Yeah. I was."

"Why?"

"...I was angry because the hospital didn't... They didn't help you, Cole. And it was an android who was taking care of you. I blamed that android for what happened and then I just got mad at ALL the androids because I was so angry."

"It wasn't the android's fault. The other car hit us. I remember that."

"You're right. And I was wrong to be mad at androids. Connor helped me to see that androids aren't to blame because we humans fu-" Catching himself before he swore Hank changed his word choice. " _messed_ things up. And Connor turned into one of my best friends."

"He keeps saying you're his dad." The tone of Cole's voice was sweet and innocent as any child ever could be. "Why?"

"Now that one is a lot easier to explain." Hank smiled a little as he rubbed his hand up and down Cole's arm as he held him in a hug. Cole's hand was still on top of Connor's hand, even though the deviant didn't know that Cole and Hank were there. "Connor is like a son to me, and that means I'm like a dad to him."

"So he's like my brother?"

"Yeah, Cole." Hank wiped away a tear as he smiled at Connor reached out a hand to rest against Connor's shoulder. "He's your brother. I'm sorry you two didn't get the chance to meet sooner."

"Do you think he would've liked me?"

"Without a doubt. If he can put up with me, then I know he would've loved you."

"And mom?"

"Mom, too."

"Dad, are you going to be mad forever?"

"No, son. I promise I'll stop being mad all the time. I'm trying to be nicer, but I know I can be pretty mean and short-tempered. I'm sorry if that upsets you."

"It's okay." Cole quickly forgave Hank and flashed him a big smile. "Mom said we'll all be together at the cabin as a big family someday. That'll make you happy."

"She's right. Someday we'll all be back together again and everyone will be happy."

"When?"

"I don't know, son. But it will happen and then we'll be together forever. Nothing will tear us apart ever again."

"Good. I like it when we're together."

Cole pressed up against Hank's side and Hank just held onto his son in a tight hug as he watched Connor sitting alone in unspoken grief. Time passed by at an undetectable speed but Hank knew he'd have to wake up soon, and he didn't want to have Cole sitting alone; unseen, without him there.

"Cole, I'm going to take you back to your mom now."

"Do I have to go?"

"Yeah, buddy. It's time."

"...Okay."

Holding Cole's hand in his own Hank walked with his son to lead him back to the safety of the cabin, while Connor was left to himself to wallow in his grief.

"I'll be back, Connor." Hank promised despite knowing Connor couldn't hear him. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Sitting alone Connor refused to cry and stayed emotionally strong for Hank. Glancing up toward the window he watched as the surgeon finally pulled the bullet from Hank's chest and dropped the lethal chunk of metal down into the basin to be taken into evidence later. The metal 'tink' of the bullet hitting the basin was inaudible to anyone outside of the operating room, except to Connor.

The deviant heard everything happening through the window, and it made Connor's heart ache.

"...Forgive me, Hank."

* * *

Walking to the cabin with Cole's hand in his own, Hank guided his son back to Barbara who was standing outside the cabin door with Sumo beside her. It was such a beautiful sight to see his wife again, smiling and happy, and to see Cole go running up to her and get scooped up into her loving arms. Reuniting with his family in front of the door Hank wrapped his arms around his wife and son and help them tight.

"I love you both, so much."

"We love you, too, Hank."

"Barb, I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. And Cole, I'm sorry you got hurt in the accident."

Barbara ran her hand through his hair again as she kissed his cheek. "Hank, stop blaming yourself for what other people did. And please, forgive yourself. It's okay to live your life without us."

"I didn't want to."

"I know. What happened to us was not your fault."

Hearing the words he thought he'd never hear Hank began to breakdown a little and cray. As he did Barbara's arm tightened around him and Cole wrapped both arms around Hank's neck as he gave his dad a much needed hug.

"Please, Hank, be happy. You have the right to be happy and you deserve to be happy."

"...I'll try, Barb. I really will."

"Go back." She kissed him again as she pulled her hand away from his hair slowly. "You sill have someone else to protect."

"He doesn't need me to protect him."

"Yes he does." She replied sweetly as she held onto Hank for a moment longer. "He needs you the way a child needs their father. And let him know that."

"You're too kind for your own good. You know that, right?"

"And you're too stubborn." Barbara teased lovingly. "I think that's why I like your new partner. He's a lot like you."

"...I love you." He repeated as he reluctantly let go of his wife and son and took a step back. He kept one hand wrapped around Barbara's hand, even as a warm white light enveloped him and slowly stole his family from his sight "And I always will."

* * *

 

 

 

 

A gentle rhythmic beeping sound filled Hank's ears. It started as a low, distant sound, then it became louder and louder as Hank felt his body growing heavier and heavier. He felt cold, his body heavy and numb, and he was exhausted. Darkness overtook the white light as he realized that he was laying on his back in a soft bed back in the hospital. A gentle pressure on the back of his right hand alerted the weakened detective to the presence of another person sitting beside him, keeping vigil.

"...wake up."

The voice was familiar, low and full of utter melancholy.

"Connor." The name was only spoken in Hank's mind as he voice failed to utter a sound.

"I'm sorry, Hank." The deviant apologized as he kept his hand over the back of Hank's hand to support his injured friend and remind Hank that he wasn't alone as he healed. "I'm so sorry. I should've seen the gun. It's my fault you were shot."

"Don't blame yourself." Hank stated in his mind, the plea reminiscent of Barbara. "It wasn't your fault. The man who shot me is the one at fault. He would've killed you. I had to push you out of the way."

"Please wake up." Connor asked in a low voice as he stayed at Hank's beside. "I need you to wake up. I need you to know how sorry I am."

"Connor, don't be sorry!"

"I'll help you get better, no matter how long it takes. You're my friend and you're the only friend I have."

As the deviant's hand trembled and remained a top his own Hank tried to move his fingers to let Connor know he was there. To let him know that he was going to be okay. Forcing his hand to move, barely able to make his index finger budge, the detective's head turned slightly against the pillow toward Connor's direction as Hank's blurry, blue eyes cracked open.

Connor was sitting in a chair beside the bed with his head hung low. One hand was resting over Hank's hand, and the other was pressed over his tear filled eyes. The red tinted L.E.D. pulsed slowly in his temple as the deviant struggled with his own emotions and guilt.

Behind Connor, standing in the doorway of the hospital room, Hank swore he saw a woman and a little boy watching from the distance. Their presence was familiar and welcoming, making Hank feel more at ease. Blinking his eyes slowly his vision steadily cleared, and as his eyes cleared the woman and boy slowly vanished from sight.

Forcing his voice to respond at long last he spoke to his pained friend in a sympathetic tone. "...Connor."

The deviant's head shot up and his tear-filled brown eyes stared at Hank almost as if in disbelief. "Hank."

As soon as the detective regained consciousness a doctor and a nurse entered the room to check his vitals and run a few tests. Though still very weak Hank was stable and alert. The doctor and nurse left the room quietly to allow the two detectives to be alone again and talk to each other.

"...I'm-"

"Hank, I'm so sorry!" Connor tightened his hand over Hank's hand, afraid to let him go. "It's my fault! You-"

"Connor." Hank's voice was firm but not aggressive. "...It's _not_ your fault."

Just like Hank the deviant began to breakdown a little. As he fought but failed to control his emotional relief he bowed his head down until his forehead was resting against Hank's forearm. Feeling relieved at long last he began to silently weep, his body trembling with heartwrenching sobs at Hank's side.

"...He was aiming at me."

"I know, son." Lightly Hank put his other hand on the back of Connor's head to rest his fingers against the deviant's dark locks of hair. "...That's why I stepped in the line of fire. ...I didn't want him to hurt you."

"I'm an android." Connor shook his head slightly as his L.E.D. flickered red quicker in his temple. "I can be replaced. You can't"

"...You're wrong."

Connor lifted his head just enough to look Hank in the eyes for a moment.

"...No one can replace you, Connor. You're my son."

Dropping his head back down Connor continued to weep and with his tears came a sense of relief to hear Hank speaking to him, to hear Hank tell him that they were both going to be okay and that their friendship wasn't a mistake.

"I'm glad you woke up." The deviant muttered as his L.E.D. went back to yellow at last. "I don't know what I would've done if you weren't there to keep me from making any mistakes."

"...Connor, you don't need me to keep you on track. You were making the right decisions before we even met." Hank was confident in his words as he tried to comfort the needlessly guilt riddled deviant. "The only difference is I'm telling you that you were right, while everyone else trying to _use_ you was telling you that your decisions were wrong."

"It feels like you're the only family I have, Hank. I don't want to lose you. Even if what I feel is wrong, I believe this what a family is supposed to be like."

"...The feeling's mutual, son. You're not wrong."

Lifting up his head again he looked at Hank as if needing reassurance. "...You think of me as family?"

"Yeah, kid." Using what little strength he had regained while resting after the surgery he pulled Connor in closer and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. "I think of you as family. You're like a son to me." Lowering his voice he looked past Connor's shoulder to the now empty doorway and smiled a little. "You're now officially Cole's older brother. That makes you my family."

_**...next story...** _


	58. Abducted

Connor stood in the middle of the dimly lit white basement, his scanners counting the numerous bodies of the various deviants who had been shutdown; and disturbingly had their vital biocomponents forcibly removed from their bodies. Hank stood beside him, his arms crossed over his chest, as he looked at the horrific blank faces of the dead androids. Some looked as though they had died mid scream leaving their mouths and eyes wide open with abject horror forever frozen on their faces.

At the far side of the room two large metal tables with strong metal restraints at the head, center and bottom of the tables were design to hold whomever had the misfortune of being captured. Puddles of Thirium that had long since evaporated were still completely visible to Connor's superior vision, while still fresher puddles created sapphire stains all up the walls, over the floor and even the ceiling. Random scraps of stolen biocomponents and stripped plastimetal frames littered the ground and lined the metal shelves that wrapped around the walls like a gruesome border of deranged artwork.

Crouching down near one of the larger puddles of still damp Thirium under the tables Connor dipped his fingers into the sapphire pool and pressed the sample against his tongue. His scanners processed the sample quickly and identified the blood of fourteen deviants altogether. Standing upright slowly Connor ran a scan over the remaining butchered bodies in the basement and connected their serial numbers to the Thirium; confirming their identities and confirming that their deaths had occurred in that very basement.

"Eight of the deviants had lost significant Thirium in this basement." Connor stated flatly as he took in the macabre sight in a painfully emotional way. Emotions he forced himself to conceal as a professional courtesy to the victims he was determined to give justice "Six other deviants have also been here. All fourteen of the deviants in total had been reported missing within the same time frame starting back on November 1st, 2038."

"Aside from being reported missing," Hank replied in a low voice as he studied Connor's demeanor carefully "what else do the deviants have in common?"

"All fourteen deviants are advanced models." Connor noted coolly as he began comparing the victims to identify common ground. "All of the models were also produced in limited quantities."

"So, they're all considered rare?"

"Correct." The increasingly deviant android confirmed as he began lapping around the basement slowly to scan and note all the other Thirium stains, and took additional samples. "Each model had either been produced a maximum of one hundred times and a minimum of sixty times. Spare parts, biocomponents and software for each model would be incredibly valuable and sparse."

"Sounds like we're dealing with a black marketeer of some kind."

"I agree. It would be safe to surmise that the black marketeer had taken advantage of android deviancy causing the androids to break free from their programming to mask the crimes of numerous abduction."

"The owners would just think the android when rogue and took off, never filing a report or suspecting foul play."

"Correct. I've now sample the blood of two-hundred and six different deviants; the oldest sample dating back to November 2nd of 2038 and the most recent to that of just four hours, two minutes and forty-eight seconds ago."

"We just missed them." Hank sighed and put his hands to his hips as he looked at the blank screaming face of a female deviant still chained against the wall. "What kind of sick freak did this to them?" The seasoned detective asked in a low voice. There were a dozen deviants who had been strapped down to tables and secured in maintenance arms against the walls, their clothing torn and various parts of their bodies missing. "It's like a fucking android serial killer lived here."

"A former CyberLife technician." Connor clarified with a somber tone. "These androids were disassembled by someone who knew exactly how to perform maintenance on android physiology, and how to remove biocomponents without damaging them in the process. The person in question has years of experience with this particular technology."

"Shit. Any names come to mind?"

"There were two-thousand, six-hundred and nine technicians that had been employed under CyberLife during the company's lifetime in Detroit alone. To narrow the list down to one disgruntled former employee will take some time."

"How about technicians who were employed during CyberLife's final year before going under?"

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow as for a few seconds before returning to blue as he eliminated names from the massive list of potential suspects. "That leaves eighty-two technicians who were employed under CyberLife in Detroit."

"That helped. Let's try to narrow the list a little more, so how about employed during the past six months?"

Again Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow as he successfully eliminated more names. "Thirty-one names remain."

"One month."

"Down to six names."

"Only six? That seems odd." Hank turned to look at Connor as the android examined a nearby body. "Why so few?"

"CyberLife began laying off technicians once deviancy became more and more abundant." Connor explained logically without hesitation. "It was an attempt by CyberLife to remove their least experienced technicians and keep the most experienced technicians by increasing their salaries while continuing to try to uncover the source of deviancy itself. They had also hired more security in the process."

"Okay, so we have six names to work with. Any one of those six of particular interest?"

"Two names are of interest, actually." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he cybernetically pulled up their files. "One is Dr. Kendra Mason. She had been in charge of the 'RK' model series at CyberLife, then disappeared under mysterious circumstances."

"Mysterious how?"

"She failed to report to CyberLife on October 28th, 2038 and hasn't been seen since."

"What details are on the missing person's report?"

"That's what makes it so interesting, Hank. She was never _actually_ reported missing."

"Say what now?"

Connor's soulful brown eyes continued to scan over the numerous broken bodies of dead deviants that surrounded him. "She failed to report for her shift and no one was able to contact her. She had no family, and her social life was minuscule. No one reported her missing, but her former landlord had filed a report seeking her missed rent payments. The police had performed a routine wellness check and found her apartment abandoned."

"Sounds like her landlord is a class act; only checking in when she didn't pay up." Hank began walking toward the basement stairs knowing that Connor would follow him outside. "Okay, so this Kendra woman sounds like a whole other case entirely. What about the second name?"

"His story is arguably more intriguing." Connor followed Hank back up to the ground floor of the abandoned building where the C.S.I crew was documenting evidence. Stepping around the crime scene personnel taking photographs and isolating the evidence Connor followed Hank to the back door of the old building. "The second name is Martin Jonas. He had been fired from CyberLife as if October 4th, 2038 for stealing company secrets and attempting to sell them to the highest bidder."

"I think we have a winner." Hank decided as he honed in on the name for himself. "Got a description?"

"Yes. Height five foot nine inches. Weight one hundred and seventy-three pounds. Hair brown, but thinning. Eyes are gray. Clean shaven, but as we both know that can easily be reversed."

"Is there any trace of him in this building?"

"The suspect had taken numerous precautions to prevent any fingerprints or hair samples from being left behind. The building itself has been abandoned for nine years with the former owner now deceased as of six years."

"Is there anything we CAN use to track this guy down?"

"There are shoe prints all through the building that belongs to a single person. Size ten. Male."

"Sounds like someone of Jonas's height."

"Correct. We have enough circumstantial evidence to bring Jonas in for questioning, that is if we can locate him."

"Okay, so have a suspect and a crime scene..." Hank stepped outside the wide open backdoor that led into a deserted alleyway to get some relatively fresh air. "now do we have a trail to follow?"

"There are tire tracks that are only two hours and eleven minutes old. The vehicle was a large van and it was hauling a massive amount of weight in the back. It exited the alley at approximately forty-two miles per hour in an Eastern direction."

"Examine the alley." Hank quickly ordered as he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed Captain Fowler back at the precinct. "I'll get a warrant for Jonas's arrest."

"Very well."

While Hank walked back into the building to make his call Connor began walking the alley and scanning the neighboring brick walls and pothole riddled drive that ran between the buildings. As he checked the alley for any possible sign of the suspect or the van he had used during his escape once the police honed in on the building, Connor ended up standing outside the alley and alongside the mostly empty street.

As Connor scanned the road for any trace of the van he was seeking someone rushed up behind the deviant android and jammed an electronic sensor against the L.E.D. in his temple. The sensor delivered a powerful electronic shock that caused Connor to collapse the ground on his back in a limp heap as the strong electronic current temporarily disabled his intracranial processor causing him to partially lose consciousness as his body became paralyzed.

Eyes opened and L.E.D. cycling red very slowly Connor looked up at the face of his attacker as the man stepped over him arrogantly.

"RK-800. One of a kind." It was Martin Jonas himself. Connor recognized his face easily. "I didn't think I'd ever get my hands on you; CyberLife's pride and joy." Pocketing the electronic sensor Jonas stepped away from Connor and entered a neighboring alley. "And now no one will find you."

"...H... Ha..." Connor's voice modulator wasn't responding, nor were his limbs. "...H-Help..."

A black van exited the alley and Jonas parked it along the street beside Connor's defenseless body.

"Don't worry RK-800, the paralysis is only temporary." Jonas teased as he walked around the front of the van beside Connor and stooped down to look at Connor's face. Slapping the android lightly across the face once Jonas sneered at him wickedly. "It's a shame you found my little workshop," the demented scientist boldly proclaimed as he walked to the back of the van and opened the two doors. "I still had so much more work to finish."

Connor could feel his right hand twitching, the feeling returning to the appendage first. Slowly Connor dragged his hand from his side up along his chest toward his own neck. Two fingers clumsily wrapped around the knot of his tie and pulled the garment loose from around his neck. Dragging the tie away Connor used his hand to tuck it under his lower back out of sight.

Jonas returned to Connor with two bundles of strong rope in his hands. Forcefully Jonas rolled Connor from his back onto his stomach and pinned the android's two arms behind his back. Jonas wrapped the rope around Connor's wrists in a tight knot then pulled on the rope to force Connor to limply fall back onto his knees. Wrapping the rope around Connor's chest and upper arms Jonas bound the android's upper body easily, before using the second rope to secure Connor's ankles and then snaked the rope up around Connor's upper legs.

"I suppose congratulations are in order, RK-800. You were tasked with finding lost deviants," Jonas knelt down in front of Connor and pulled the android up and over his shoulder. Carrying Connor to the back of the van Jonas cruelly dropped him down into the back atop two other captive deviants. "and now you've found them."

Connor watched with wide eyes as Jonas slammed the rear doors shut with a loud 'thud'. The light from Connor's red tinted L.E.D. illuminated the back of the dark van enough for Connor to clearly see the faces of the other two deviants already in the van beside him. Both deviants were former Tracis from the now defunct 'Eden Club'.

The front driver's side door opened and shut quickly as Jonas drove the van down the street and out of sight, its tires squealing with a loud screech.

"...H-Hank..." Connor managed to whisper as he fought to speak and shout for help. "...Hank... help me..."

* * *

Finishing his call to Captain Fowler at the precinct Hank stepped out of the building walked down the alley in search of Connor. The android wasn't standing anywhere near his line of sight and Hank couldn't hear anyone walking around.

"Connor? Where'd you go?"

The sound of tires screeching in the street drew his head up from the alley in time to see a black van speeding down the street outside the alley.

"What the fuck?"

Hank ran down the alley and stopped at the street in time to see the van disappear around a block heading East. He managed to catch the first two digits of the license plate as well as the van's color, but nothing more. As he stepped outside the alley Hank looked around for any potential witnesses, but found no one. However, one item on the sidewalk did hold his attention.

It was Connor's tie.

Snatching the black tie from the sidewalk Hank held it in his hands and a tight knot formed in the pit of his stomach. "Shit! Connor?"

* * *

Glancing about the back of the dark van Connor detected the presence of the two Tracis, one was still active but the other had already been shutdown due to a missing vital biocomponent; her Thirium pump. Connor could feel the strength in his limbs beginning to return as he tried to cybernetically tracks his current location. But there was something blocking his scanners and he couldn't access his G.P.S. program. Connor tried and tried again, his L.E.D. rapidly cycling yellow in response to his futile efforts as he refused to give up.

"Don't bother." The surviving Traci stated in a somber voice. "He lined the van with screens that blocks cybernetic signals and cause interference."

Looking up Connor saw that he was laying next to the deviant speaking to him. She was sitting upright against the side of the van, her face was partially uncovered by her damaged artificial skin and her blue eyes were also damaged. Short dark hair hung loosely over her pained face as she tried to fearfully curl around herself where she sat. She too was bound in rope like Connor and unable to break free.

Awkwardly but effectively Connor shifted his weight to push himself up from the floor of the van with his legs until he was sitting right beside her. "My name is Connor."

"AX-700, number 342 779 883."

"I'm RK-800, number 313 248 317, but that's not the name I go by. What is your NAME?"

The deviant hesitated, but eventually she answered the simple question. "Skye."

"Skye. Do you know where Jonas is taking us?"

"Where he takes all of his experiments. To the border."

"The border? How can he possibly get across the border with androids in the van?"

"He paid off the border guards." Skye replied sadly, almost ashamed of herself as she spoke. "I tried to follow him when he took my friend, but I couldn't cross over myself. I watched him pay of the guards and slip over the border with my friend and two other androids as his prisoners."

"Shit." Connor swore but kept his cool. "Listen to me Skye, I'm going to get us out of here. You just need to remain calm and follow my lead."

"You? What makes you so special?"

"I work for the Detroit Police Department. I can help you."

"You can't even help yourself..." She dismissed the comment as nothing more than an empty promise. "How can you save the both of us?"

"My partner will find us. We just need to be patient."

"Your partner? At the police department..." She turned her head slightly to look at Connor, her voice carrying heavy disbelief. "He's a human, isn't he?"

"Correct."

"Then we're as good as dead. No human would risk their career or life to find stolen machines over the border."

"Hank would." Connor refuted determinedly as he stubbornly refused to give up. "Trust me."

* * *

Hank returned to the precinct with a pissed of demeanor and marched right into Fowler's office. Angrily and hastily Hank told the Captain everything that had happened and how Connor must've been taken captive by Jonas. But finding Connor's tie on the sidewalk was hardly proof of any foul play, let alone a kidnapping.

"Sorry Hank," Fowler sincerely apologized from where he sat. "we'll put out an A.P.B. on the van, but we can't officially state that Connor is-"

"Bullshit!" Hank slammed his hands down atop of Fowler's desk in righteous anger. "You just don't want to deal with the hassle of arguing that Connor is an officer and not fucking machine!"

"Hank, you're off the case."

"What the fuck are you talkin' about Jeffrey?"

"If you're right, and this Jonas guy did take Connor, then you know I can't let your work the case because you're too closely involved with a victim. Any evidence you collect would be inadmissible in court, and you know that."

"So that's it? I just sit on my ass and wait?"

"I'm sorry, Hank. You know procedure."

"Fuck procedure! This Jonas freak is a fuckin' android serial killer, and now he has Connor. What would you do if this psychotic nut-bag was a human serial killer and he had me, or Chris or even Gavin as a prisoner?"

"Hank, please. I'm trying to-"

"No, I'm done with _trying_. Trying isn't good enough." Hank stormed away from the desk and threw open the office door with so much force he nearly shattered the glass surface. "I'm actually going to DO something for fuck sake. He's my partner." Exiting the precinct with hasty gait Hank reached the parking garage pulled open his car door. "...And my best friend."

* * *

Connor closed his eyes and mentally made a map of every turn and stop the van took. He calculated how long the van idled at each stop, listened the traffic that passed by, and took notice of the contour of the road itself. Every little sensation he felt gave him an idea of his approximate location from where he had been taken; and the time between then and the arrival at his enigmatic destination would be enough for the android to create a mental map for himself.

"We're outside of Ontario." Connor stated suddenly as looked over at Skye.

"Great. Over the border and well on our way to hell."

"Skye, you said you watched Jonas cross the border once before with other androids. Why didn't your report the incident to the police or to Markus at New Jericho Tower?"

"The police won't help us. And Markus is too busy securing our rights to be bothered to help a few kidnapped deviants."

"Not true, on either account. I work with the police and Markus represents ALL of our people. He's not just a figurehead."

"Yeah... Sure."

"Skye, I don't know who you are or what you've been through, but I can assure you that you'll be safe at New Jericho Tower."

"A little too late for that, isn't it?" She turned her head to look at Connor, her remaining functioning blue eye struggled to focus on his face. "You know that Jonas is going to kill us, right?"

"I won't let him."

"He already subdued you with one move and threw you into the back of the van. I doubt you have any tricks up your sleeves."

"Please... Follow my lead. I can get us out of this. And I will."

The van suddenly stopped and the engine turned off as Jonas pulled alongside the massive cabin in the middle of the forest outside Ontario. It was eerily quiet in comparison to the ambience of the city in which Connor had always known and called his home. The rear doors to the van opened quickly and Jonas aimed a taser at Connor's chest.

"Welcome to my home, RK-800 and AX-700."

Squeezing the release trigger on the taser two metal prongs embedded themselves in the center of Connor's chest and delivered a powerful electrical shock that stunned Connor once again and caused his breath to hitch in his chest as his Thirium pump began racing wildly. With his L.E.D. flashing red Connor fell to his side away from Skye with a heavy 'thud' and twitched in pain and involuntary spasms. Connor just stared in wide eyed panic as Jonas grabbed onto his legs and began dragging him out of the van against his will.

"You're next, my dear." Jonas hissed to Skye as he hefted Connor up and over his shoulder and walked away from the van.

Connor didn't have the strength to lift his head to look around as Jonas carried him inside the cabinl. The cabin itself seemed completely normal from the outside, looking like any other routine residence one would find out in the forest. But as soon as Jonas opened the front door the cabin was anything but routine.

It was cold and ominous. The smell of drying Thirium was enough to repel any wise deviant who ventured that way.

The windows were boarded shut from the inside and the livingroom had been converted into a cruel soulless laboratory. It was designed in a manner hauntingly similar to the basement of the abandoned building back in Detroit. The walls, floor and ceiling were covered in evaporated Thirium stains, the walls had shelves lined with technical equipment, various chemicals and stolen android parts.

"Here we are." Jonas placed Connor down on a metal table in the middle of the room with a graceless drop. Shelves containing tools, electronic equipment and pieces of stolen android parts lined the walls in a grim design. "We're home."

Using a knife Jonas cut through the ropes that bound Connor's arms and secured each of his wrists up to the top two respective corners of the table under strong metal restraints. Pulling a metal and leather restraint attached to the side, near the center of the table, Jonas secured it over Connor's abdomen pinning the android flat against the table. Cutting away the remaining rope around Connor's legs Jonas used to two more metal restraints at the bottom two corresponding corners of the table to hold Connor's ankles at bay.

"Comfortable?" Jonas asked with a twisted grin on his face.

Connor glared venomously at Jonas but didn't say a word as his L.E.D. flashed an enraged red color.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Don't worry, I'll bring you some company."

Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow as the stunning effect of the taser finally let up. Testing the strength of the restraints against his wrists Connor pulled and then scanned on the metal cuffs quickly: titanium alloy, manufactured two years prior. On all four cuffs there were four bolts, but on the cuff of his right wrist only three of the bolts were secured; one bolt was loose. The cuff around his right wrist was the weakest and if he could muster the strength he could break the restraint and free his arm to possibly defend himself.

Testing the restraints at his ankles as well Connor noted the cuffs were also weakened due to the abundance of use and years of neglect.

Jonas returned with Skye in his arms bridal-style, the deviant wasn't even attempting to escape his grip. As he carried Skye into the lab he placed her in the corner and secured a metal restraint collar around her neck like putting a dog on a leash. She just sat there quietly, her damaged eyes locking onto Connor who had been strapped down to the exam table a few feet away from her.

"Now, my RK-800 specimen," Jonas stood in beside the table and pressed a lever to cause the table to tilt forward at a forty-five degree angle. "let's see what makes you so special..."

"I'm the most advanced prototype that CyberLife had ever created." Connor stated bluntly to his captor. His training as a hostage negotiator told him to keep Jonas talking, to keep him from doing anything physical as much as possible. "I'm the only of my kind. There is no profit to be made by scrapping my biocomponents as they are incompatible with all other model. You won't find a seller."

"Who said anything about making a profit?" Jonas asked as he removed the restraint from over Connor's abdomen and pulled open the buttons of the deviant android's white dress shirt to expose his bare torso beneath. Connor's breathing remained calm and in control despite the madman's attempts to intimidate him. "This is for _science_."

"Where are the other deviants?" Connor demanded as he held authority in his voice and showed no sign of fear. "What did you do with their bodies?"

"You really think I'd be foolish enough to dump their bodies in the forest? That'd draw attention." Something in Jonas's voice was as sinister as it was dishonest. "They're all downstairs in my little collection. It's amazing how long deviants can survive even when missing biocomponents and limbs. It's almost a pity that they don't hold out longer than they already do, I keep needing to replenish my stock of test subjects."

"That's why your work went unnoticed for so long." Connor openly deduced as Jonas walked over to the shelf and pulled a cylindrical metal object from his collection of tools. At the end of the cylinder was a cyclical, sharp hook that stretched for almost three inches. "You kept your victims on your private property in an area where androids have been forbidden from entering. No one would think to look here for missing androids; at least for the ones that actually had been reported missing."

"Who knew that Canada would provide the perfect graveyard for beings who were never allowed to cross the border?"

Pressing the hook down against Connor's torso just above his aesthetic navel, Jonas began to push it down into his artificial skin drawing a drop of dark blue Thirium from the small, fresh wound.

"Why are you doing this?" Connor pressed as he silently endured the sharp pain to his stomach, his L.E.D. transitioning back to red in an unspoken response to the noted pain. "What possible benefit could you have from murdering so many deviants?"

" _Murder_." Jonas laughed wickedly as he parroted the term. "You damn machines actually think you're alive, don't you? Pathetic."

"You've destroyed every deviant who has come to this cabin, haven't you?"

"No. Like I said, a few are still alive. Just waiting, begging for their final shutdown. I figure after I finish taking you apart I'd finish my work downstairs. Or set to work on your little girlfriend over there."

Skye lifted her head and looked at Jonas with her failing eyesight. Reaching a hand up to the collar around her neck Skye began to discreetly pull at the chain securing the collar around her neck to the wall behind her.

"Now... If I'm right," Jonas pressed the hook deeper into Connor's skin causing more blue blood to leak from the wound. Connor himself bit his lower lip to keep from yelping in pain as Jonas prepared to cut into his body. As the pain increased so did his breathing causing the sharp blade to pierce deeper with each deepening, uncontrollable breath. "your thermal regulator should be right..." Jonas suddenly stabbed the hook down fully into Connor's abdomen causing the android to scream in pain at the ceiling as the tool pierced the vital biocomponent. "HERE."

In response to the searing pain and pure anger Connor managed to break his right leg free of the restraint allowing him to kick Jonas in the middle of his chest. The cruel technician slammed back hard against the shelf against the far wall causing various tools and chemicals to spill all over the floor around where he was laying.

"You're stronger than the others!" Jonas scrambled to his feet, his shoes slipping on the spilled chemicals that puddled on the ground around him. Watching Connor breath through his gritted teeth as he endured the pain Jonas made a twisted discovery and it somehow brought a cruel smile to his lips. "Fascinating... You piece of shit can actually feel PAIN, can't you?"

"We ALL can." Skye proclaimed as she picked up a massive wrench from the numerous dropped tools on the ground and struck Jonas across the face. The technician collapsed to the ground into the puddle of chemicals as the caustic liquid began to drip from the shelf into a large outlet against the wall. "How about you?"

Smoke and sparks escaped the outlet as the chemicals began to damage the wiring inside the walls causing a fire.

"Skye, free my other leg." Connor stated through gritted teeth as he looked down as the tool still stabbed into his stomach and pulled his right hand free of the cuff. "Get the others out of here, this place is going to burn to the ground."

"Okay!" Skye unhesitatingly rushed over to the table to undo the cuff around Connor's ankle before she raced to the unlocked basement door and pulled it open. "The basement's here!"

As she ran down the stairs to free the other deviants Connor freed his other hand from the final restraint and collapsed to the floor on his knees in pain. Wrapping his hand around the tool in his stomach Connor pulled it free and let out a gasp of pain as the tool tore his thermal regulator out of his torso in the process. It fell to the floor beside him practically forgotten in an instant as his first thought went to getting Skye and the other deviants to safety.

"Shit..." Connor swore as he put his other hand over the bleeding hole in his abdomen, his L.E.D. flashing rapidly red in pain as warnings appeared in his visual sensors. "Need to get out of here."

Fire was eating through the wall above the outlet and climbing up the chemically coated surface swiftly. Black smoke began to fill the room as the fire readily consumed everything it touched like the gluttonous natural force that it is.

"Connor! Connor come quick!" Skye called out desperately from the basement a few yards away. "I need your help!"

Forcing himself up from the floor with one hand, the other hand still desperately clutching at his injured abdomen, Connor gracelessly made his way to the basement and stumbled down the staircase to reach the underground room. It was a barren place save for the restraints and chains Jonas used to keep his little 'experiments' secured to the walls.

Four other deviants were still captive. One of the deviants was Skye's missing friend. The way Skye was protectively kneeling down on the ground next to the deviant in a tight hug told Connor everything he needed to know about their reunion.

All four deviants were kneeling on the floor with their hands secured behind their backs in chains attached to the wall behind them. Two male androids, two female androids in total. One of the male androids was missing his left arm and the other was missing both of his eyes. The first female was conscious but was unable to speak and her hands were missing entirely. The second female, Skye's friend, was missing both of her legs below the knees.

"This is Cassie, she's the friend Jonas took from me." Skye continued to hug Cassie tightly as tears ran down both of their faces. "Please, she can't walk and I can't leave her!"

Nodding Connor held up Cassie by her upper arms as Skye freed her bound wrists. Scooping Cassie up into his own arms Connor carried the damaged android bridal-style to the staircase. "Free the others and follow me. This place is burning fast and we don't have much time."

Skye in turned freed the other deviants and helped guide them to the stairs behind Connor. "Follow him. He knows what to do."

Pushing through the smoke and the fire Connor walked toward the front door of the cabin and kicked the door open forcefully. As he stepped outside of the cabin Connor received another warning, this one was about his core temperature beginning to rise.

"This way." Connor instructed as he dismissed the warning and led the group of freed deviants to safety. "We'll take shelter in the forest."

"What about the van?" Skye shouted as she wrapped her arm around the blind android's waist to guide him to safety.

"Leave it. The police are looking for the van, they'll trail it here."

"Why can't we take it?"

"Androids are still forbidden from entering Canada." Connor explained as he carried Cassie in his arms into the nearby woods away from the burning cabin. "If the Canadian authorities find us I can't guarantee anything."

"So what do we do?"

"We wait." Connor stated tiredly as his system gave him another warning about his steadily rising core temperature. Stopping to kneel down on the forest floor, Connor awkwardly kept one hand on Cassie as he shrugged off his gray jacket to try to cool himself discreetly. Draping the jacket casually over Cassie's body to offer her some form of comfort Connor stood up slowly and resumed walking. "We need to find a safe place to hide until help we know we can trust finds us."

* * *

Hank drove straight to New Jericho Tower from the precinct in an attempt find anyone willing to help locate Connor. As he entered the tower's main lobby he was greeted by Josh who could see that Hank was greatly distressed, and stranger still, he was alone. The empathetic and pacifistic deviant greatly disliked confrontation, but his loyalty to his friends allowed him to override his normally peaceful demeanor when necessary.

"Lieutenant Anderson, what's wrong?"

"Some deviant killer took Connor hostage. I need some help."

"What?!" The revelation nearly floored Josh, but he regained his composure quickly. "The precinct isn't looking for him?"

"The precinct is too busy covering their own asses to bother. If I have to do this alone, then I will." Hank took a deep breath to calm himself before he continued on." Where's Markus? I need to speak with him."

"Markus and Simon are in Washington D.C."

"Fuck... The Senate hearing. Who's available?"

"North is in charge right now, me and Lucas are taking care of everything else until Markus and Simon get back. How can I help you?"

"No... You don't have any experience with police work and I don't want Lucas to worry about his brother. By the way, DON'T tell him anything about Connor just yet. _I'll_ talk with him myself later."

"Yeah, I promise."

"Are there any deviants here who have had police training?"

"No. Connor is the only one. The other deviants who had been assigned to police stations had either been receptionists or security guards. None of them have any formal police training."

"Damn it! I need someone who can help me track down this sick fuck before it's too late." Hank ran his hand through his silver locks anxiously as he tried to think of a compromise. "Is _anyone_ here familiar with reading humans and understanding their line of thinking? A psychologist or-"

"I have some experience." North stepped forward from the elevator and volunteered her assistance. "I can read humans pretty easily." She had overheard the conversation upon reaching the floor and was ready to act. "What do I need to do?"

"You?" Hank was a little confused by her proclamation. "How do you know so much about humans?"

"I was enslaved at the 'Eden Club'." She replied curtly with disgust in her voice. "I was programmed to read the 'desires' of those disgusting freaks and I can read any other human like an open book. You tell me, is there really any difference in danger between a lusty pervert and a serial killer?"

"...No." Hank gave her an approving grin. "Not really. Are you sure you're up for this?"

"Where do we need to go?"

Josh was adamantly against the idea of North helping Hank track down a serial killer and he let her know quickly. "Whoa, whoa! North! You're not a _cop_! This is WAY to dangerous, and New Jericho needs you. You're in charge until Markus gets back."

"As much as I hate to admit it New Jericho needs Connor, too. Not to mention that fact that we still need to stop a deviant serial killer." Her logic was as flawless as her confidence was unshakable. "I'll be fine Josh, I'll be with Hank the whole time."

"Alright then, let's go." Hank willingly accepted her help and motioned for her to follow him to his car. "The van that took Connor was seen heading over the border to Canada by security cameras. Do you have a passport you can use to cross the border?"

"We got a guy." North beamed smugly at the detective as she cybernetically relayed the information to her contact. "Give me one minute."

* * *

Connor had successfully led the group of escaped deviants deep into the woods out of sight, but still close enough to the property to listen to any approaching sirens or voices as emergency personnel encroached on the burning cabin. Resting on the grassy forest floor once more Connor gently placed Cassie on the ground beside him while Skye guided the blind android to a place right next to Cassie to rest. The other two androids happily joined the others and sat in a small circle around each other.

Pressing his hand to his still bleeding abdomen Connor noted the heavy Thirium loss he had sustained as well as his steadily rising core temperature.

"We can't venture away too much further." Connor stated as he took his jacket from Cassie and climbed up a small incline next to the grassy clearing. Strategically he hung it from a low tree branch to mark their current location then rejoined the group. "Rest as much as possible. But be ready to move if necessary."

"Connor, you're hurt." Skye noted the growing blood on Connor's abdomen and tried to check his injury for herself. Grabbing on her hands lightly he pushed her away from the injury. "Let me help you."

"It looks worse than it is." Connor lied expertly as he sat down on an overturned log next to the group. "My self-healing program has already stopped the bleeding."

"How long until your partner finds us?" Skye asked as she checked on Cassie and kept an eye on the other deviants.

"I can't be certain, but I know Hank _will_ find us."

"You have a lot of trust in this human."

"Hank is my best friend." The reply came without pause or uncertainty. "He helped me become a deviant and saved my life. He's... He's like a father to me." Connor smirked a little at his own comment as he looked away from Skye back toward the burning cabin. "I know that's strange to say, and difficult to understand, but, it's true."

Skye smiled warmly as she sat next to Cassie and wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder. "No, I get it. Cassie here is like my sister... We escaped the 'Eden Club' together and have been together ever since."

Connor winced in pain and bowed his head as he dismissed another warning about his core temperature.

"Why don't you get some rest?" Skye suggested kindly as she discreetly noted Connor's pain. "I'll keep watch and make sure everyone's safe."

Too tired and already feeling the ill effects of his gradually rising core temperature Connor accepted Skye's offer. Sliding off the log to lay on the grass Connor put his arm under his head as he turned to his side to enter a light form of rest mode. Hopefully the mode would allow his core temperature drop once his processors temporarily switched off.

"Hank will find us." Connor stated firmly as he closed his eyes slowly. "You can trust him."

* * *

Hank drove to the border and showed both of the passports, one for his himself and the other for Connor, that he kept in the glove box as well as his badge to the guard at the border patrol. North next showed her perfectly forged passport to the patrol guard and didn't even blink as the guard waved the car through to the other side. Breaking off from the line of cars that had entered the country Hank set off to pick up on the trail of the dark van.

"Alright, according to my connection back at the precinct the van was seen heading toward Ontario. We just need to find any sign of androids to pick up his trail, and that's where you come in."

"No problem." North looked out the window in awe at the new country she was now venturing through. "Never been outside the city before. Too bad it's because some sick freak is hurting my people."

" _And_ my partner." Hank nearly growled under his breath. "This guy likes to steal parts from rare models of androids, and Connor is about as rare as they come."

"Then we should meet with Curtis Chapman. He lives in Ontario and has been known to give deviants shelter."

"Chapman? Any relation to Rose Chapman?"

"He's her brother."

"Of course he is." Hank grinned at the information. "Do have an address?"

"Yeah, our contacts are very good at keeping our allies close." North cybernetically uploaded the address to the G.P.S. mounted on Hank's dashboard. "Let's go."

* * *

Sirens filled the air as fire trucks and police cars converged on the scene of the still burning cabin. As the authority figures began to encroach on the scene the rescued deviants began to worry for their own safety. Skye shook Connor's shoulder to wake him, but the android didn't budge from where he was laying.

"Connor?" Skye called his name and shook his shoulder again.

No answer.

Realizing that Connor's shoulder felt unusually warm she slipped her hand to his forehead and flinched at the heat radiating from his skin. Remembering the wound to his abdomen she peeled back the stained fabric of his shirt and noted the exact location of the injury.

"Connor. Wake up!" As Skye raised her voice Connor's eyes slowly opened and struggled to focus on her face. "You're overheating. What happened to your thermal regulator?"

"Damaged..." Connor admitted as he lifted his head and looked at the group with bleary eyes. "What's wrong?"

"The cops are close by, but I don't trust them."

"I..." Connor tried to cybernetically connect to Hank's phone but his system was too taxed and worn out to finish the communication properly. Pushing himself upright on one arm he knelt for a moment before standing on shaking legs "Okay. We'll go deeper into the forest. Come on."

Picking up Cassie gently, his entire body starting to tremble with every movement he made, Connor rose to his feet and held his head high with the damaged android secured in his arms.

"This way."

* * *

Hank and North pulled up to a large house just a few miles out of the city. It reminded Hank of Rose's beautful home and how it too was just as isolated enough to offer sanctuary to androids, but not so far away that it felt like the house was in the middle of nowhere.

"This is the place." Hank exited the car and looked up at the front porch. North didn't budge from her seat and show no interest in leaving the car. "You coming?"

"No." She crossed her arms defensively where she sat. "I'm not too big on humans."

"Join the club." Hank joked as closed his door and jogged up to the front porch. Knocking on the front door Hank was greeted by a young woman who looked a little surprised to see him. "Uh, hi. Is Curtis here?"

"Yes, he is. How can I help you?"

"Oh, sorry." Hank flashed her his police badge. "Hank Anderson from the Detroit Police Department. Please, it's important I speak to him."

The woman nodded and called out to Curtis who was in the kitchen. "Curtis! A policeman's here."

"Police?" Curtis rushed to the door to greet Hank. "Something wrong?"

Hank stepped back and grinned a little at Curtis's appearance. Black cargo pants, his black t-shirt was tucked into the pants with his station number printed on the front pocket, and over the back and he was wearing heavy black boots. He had the same kind warm eyes and raven dark hair as Rose but was much taller than his sister.

"Firefighter, huh?"

"Yes I am. What's going on?"

"Hi. Lieutenant Hank Anderson. I'm a friend of your sister, Rose." Hank greeted warmly and honestly. "I'm looking for my partner, he's an android and he was taken captive by some demented android serial killer. He's reportedly in the area."

"What?" Curtis was genuinely was shocked by everything Hank told him, the woman who had answered the door grabbed onto his arm with her own worry. "In Ontario?"

"Yeah. A black van was seen fleeing a crime scene and it's believed he had taken my partner, another officer on the Detroit Police Department, captive. Have you seen or heard anything unusual regarding deviants?"

"Not since the revolution down in Detroit. But... about an hour ago I heard a call go out for a structure fire for a cabin in the forest a few miles away. That cabin is supposed to be deserted like all the others until winter. No one should be up there."

"Sounds like a good place to start. Can you point us in the right direction?"

"I can do better than that." Curtis kissed the woman, who was evidently his wife, and stepped outside his house. "I'll go with you!"

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"No problem. Always happy to help one of my own."

* * *

Connor was practically wheezing as he traversed the uneven forest floor with Cassie in his arms. His core temperature was continuing to rise and what little strength he had left was beginning to leave his body. Stepping over a fallen log Connor nearly stumbled and fell to his knees as he tripped over something partially buried in the dirt.

"Hold it." Connor huffed as regained his balance and knelt down. He sat Cassie down on the log he had just stepped over before beginning his investigation. Brushing away the dirt Connor unburied the curious object, revealing it to be a white plastimetal arm of a shutdown android. "Damn it."

"Connor?" Skye peered over Connor's shoulder to look at what he had found. "What is it?"

"Jonas lied." Connor stated boldly with a heavy heart as his scanners picked up dozens off additional bodies buried in the dirt all around them. "We just discovered a massive android graveyard."

"A what?!"

"Stay back." Connor warned as he looked up and his scanners detected a small, rotting cabin that was hidden under heavy branches a few yards away. Standing up on shaking legs Connor approached the enigmatic structure cautiously. "Don't come any closer. It might be dangerous."

"What're you doing?"

"I need to check on something. Wait out here."

"Connor?"

"Stay here." He all but shouted as he stepped inside the cabin despite Skye's protests. "If anyone approaches you just... run away. Don't worry about me."

Setting foot inside the dark cabin Connor found even more android bodies strewn about, as well other stolen biocomponents and android parts. Jars of either tainted or expired Thirium lined the wall with a sickening shade of various blues. Dozens of metal CyberLife storage crates were locked and filled with stolen android parts.

Jonas had been conducting his experiments for at least six years...

With his temperature now reaching critical levels Connor's L.E.D. began blinking red as his eyes rolled back in his head and his legs buckled beneath him. Connor collapsed forward helplessly atop the pile of bodies, his own motions just as still as the dead that surrounded him. Closing his eyes and letting out a shuddering breath Connor submitted to the emergency stasis mode his system had initiated in an attempt to keep him alive.

"...Hank. Save them..."

* * *

Hank, North and Curtis arrived at the scene of the burning cabin and were promptly greeted by the first responders who initially tried to coax the group into leaving, but once they recognized Curtis as one of their own and were introduced to Hank, the trio were allowed to stay. Firefighters and Mounties went about their proper procedure to contain the scene and control the blaze without any further incident while Hank began checking the property for any sign of Connor, or any other android.

"What happened here?" Hank asked as the firefighters continued to douse the smoldering embers still lurking inside the cabin. North was sticking close to Hank as she was still wary of most other humans. "Arson?"

"This guy said some vandal jumped him and tried to burn his house down." A paramedic responded as he and his partner prepared to place a gurney into the back of the ambulance. "He's lucky to be alive."

"What guy?"

"Mr. Martin Jonas."

"Hold it!" Hank approached the gurney and looked down at the smokey face of the arrogant man being treated for his burns. An impressive bruise marked the side of his face from where he had been struck earlier by the wrench. "This guy is wanted for questioning by the Detroit Police."

Jonas didn't flinch at the comment. He just stared at Hank with an irritating smugness that Hank wanted to slap off his face. "I don't understand officer. What's the problem?"

"You abducted, dismantled, tortured and killed hundreds of deviants, that's what. And if that includes my partner then I'm going to have to ask these nice gentlemen to leave us alone for a few minutes."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't lie to me you prick. I'm out of my jurisdiction so I don't have to answer to anyone for what I do to you." Pointing to the dark van parked in the drive beside the burning cabin with a thumb over his shoulder Hank glared with utter disgust at the twisted technician. "That's your van, isn't it?"

North watched Jonas from over Hank's shoulder curiously. Hank was right, he was lying. She could see it in Jonas's hollow eyes and coy body language.

"Please officer, I'm very tired. Can't this wait?"

"No it can't. Where's Connor?"

"Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me. He's the android who abducted outside the abandoned building you used as a butcher shope. I saw you drive off with him in that very van."

"I don't know any android named 'Connor'."

"How about the RK-800 you cold bastard? Does that ring any bells? Tall. Brunette. Brown eyes. Still wears that damn CyberLife jacket, and this!" Hank pulled Connor's dropped tie from his coat pocket and held it out for Jonas to see. "Found this at the scene of the abduction."

"Please," Jonas's eyes darted about nervously, only to fixate on the smoldering building. "I've never encountered an RK-800 model in my life."

North trailed Jonas's eyes to the burnt cabin, the technician's knowledge betraying his guilt. Discreetly and quickly North ducked inside the cabin and looked at the scorched ruins of the cabin interior. With great ease North was able to recognize the bits and pieces against the shelves and along the floor as biocomponents, but there was one in particular that held her attention. It was a cylindrical tool that had a biocomponent pierced at the end on a hook.

Pulling the hook out of the biocomponent North recognized the item as a damaged thermal regulator. The design was unique to RK model androids, and the number matched Connor's original serial number.

Outside Hank was still pushing Jonas for answers while North found the evidence he needed. "Make this easier on everyone. Confess now and I'll make sure your sentence is reduced to life in prison rather than death row."

"Death row? Over some broken machines? Never going to happen."

North marched out of the cabin and handed Hank the biocomponent she found inside the cabin. "I thought you never saw an RK-800 model." She snipped and crossed her arms as she stared at the malicious human.

"That's right."

"Then explain that!"

Hank held up the biocomponent in his hand as he smudged away bits of soot that marred its side. Loudly Hank read the model number on the side of the biocomponent for everyone to hear. "Biocomponent t8001, model RK-800; 313 248 317 51."

Jonas swallowed nervously as he realized he had been busted.

A Mountie who had overheard the interrogation approached the gurney and slipped a pair of cuffs out of his belt. "Sounds pretty damning to me." Attaching one cuff to Jonas's wrist and the other to the metal guardrail alongside the gurney the Mountie promptly arrested the sadistic man.

"Where is he?" Hank shouted angrily as he grabbed Jonas by his smokey collar. "Don't make me ask you again."

"I don't know." Jonas looked away and squared his jaw. "And I'm not saying anything else until I have lawyer!"

"Fuck." Hank quickly pointed at the van and issued a command. "Open the van! Look inside!"

Curtis overheard Hank and happily pulled the back of the van's doors open. Peering inside Curtis saw rope, spilled Thirium and the body of a deactivated deviant still in the back. "We have a body back here! Female android."

Other authority figures converged on the van around Curtis to register and gather the evidence.

Hank whispered an idle threat into Jonas's ear before walking away from the ambulance. "If Connor dies, YOU die."

Walking away slowly Hank stood by himself on the edge of the property to try to gather his thoughts. He had always just assumed that by finding Jonas he'd find Connor, too. But Connor was still nowhere to be seen. Where was he? Was he hurt? Why was he holding one of Connor's biocomponents in his hand?

North stepped away from the numerous humans nervously and looked around the property herself. She then noted an abundance of footprints leading away from the cabin and toward the neighboring forest. Three of the sets of footprints were barefooted while an additional two had shoes. "Hey Hank, check this out."

"Lock the bastard up. I'll deal with him later." Hank ordered as he slipped the biocomponent into his coat pocket. Walking over to where North was standing Hank followed her gaze to the soft dirt ground in front of her. Footprints. "Shit, they lead right into the forest. Looks like five people ran for their lives."

"Not surprised. Androids still don't have any rights in Canada."

"Alright, let's get going. We have to find them before it gets dark."

Curtis joined Hank and North and promptly put himself in front of the duo. "I know this forest pretty well. I'll guide you."

"Thanks, Curtis." Hank was greatly appreciative of any and all help that was being offered.

It didn't take long for the trio to make decent progress into the green hued forest, or for North's superior vision to catch sight of the bright blue band glowing around the right sleeve of Connor's jacket in the distance. It was too out of place, too perfectly placed for it to have been left their by mistake; it had been left there by design.

"Look!" North jogged ahead a few yards of Hank and Curtis to pull the jacket from the low hanging tree branch. She turned the jacket over her arms and noted Connor's model and serial number printed on the front fabric. "Connor. They went this way."

"They can't have gone too far." Hank realized and began calling out for his missing partner in a loud voice. "Connor? Connor!"

North joined him and called out both verbally and cybernetically for her missing ally. "Connor?"

* * *

From the depths of the forest Skye heard the two voices, one somehow familiar, calling out loudly for Connor. One voice was male, most likely Hank, and the other voice was female. The female voice reminded Skye of someone she once knew, but she couldn't quite place who it was. Patting Cassie's shoulder reassuringly as she sat on the log Skye decided to take a risk on behalf of the android who saved her, and the other deviants.

"I'm going to see who it is," Skye spoke softly to her friend. "I'll be back."

"I know you will." Cassie smiled sincerely. "Hurry!"

Backtracking through the forest from whence they trekked Skye caught sight of three people venturing into the forest. She saw the two calling out for Connor as well as a third person who was looking about the forest curiously.

Skye waved her hand in the air to get their attention. "Hey! Over here!"

North caught sight of Skye and pointed in her direction. "There."

Curtis led the way to the wary android with Hank and North right at his heels. As the trio stepped closer to Skye they could see the damage to her face and immediately knew that she was another one of Jonas's victims.

"Skye?!" North recognized the deviant and wrapped her arms around Skye in a tight hug. "You're alive!"

"North!" Skye reciprocated the hug readily and didn't want to let go. "You escaped, too!"

"It's okay," Hank stated as he showed Skye his badge. "Lieutenant Hank Anderson. How many are with you? Where's Connor?"

"There's six of us total. We're all damaged." Skye replied honestly and broke away from North's hug as she motioned to the group of deviants huddled together just a few feet away down the small incline. "Connor's with us."

"Connor! Where is he?" Hank asked as North and Curtis walked down the incline to check on the other deviants.

"He went to check out a small cabin just a few more yards down. He... He never came back out and told us to stay put."

"Shit." Rushing down the incline after North and Curtis the detective scoped out the area and spotted the decrepit cabin that Skye had mentioned. "Connor?!"

Curtis knelt down in front of Cassie and pulled his portable radio from the back of his belt to request assistance at their coordinates. North spoke with Skye and Cassie to gain as much information as possible regarding the horrific crimes that the deviants had endured. Meanwhile Hank stepped over the buried bodies of the deviants in the dirt outside the cabin with the knot in his stomach tightening with each step.

As he made his way inside the cabin he felt truly sick at the sight of the numerous bodies and jars of blood strewn about the interior of the cabin. "Connor?" Hank called again as he looked around quickly looking for any sign of his partner. His eyes fell onto the trembling form of a collapsed android laying just a few feet away and immediately recognized them. "Connor!"

Kneeling down beside Connor's body Hank rolled him over from stomach onto his side and looked down at Connor's blank, unconscious face. Pressing his fingers against the side of Connor's neck Hank was relieved to feel a pulse thrumming under his fingertips, but was alarmed by the intense heat radiating from Connor's skin.

"Connor! Connor! Wake up!" Rolling Connor all the way over onto his back Hank saw the bloody hole in Connor's abdomen and winced. Resting his hand over the deviant's forehead sympathetically Hank could only stare down at Connor with a loss as to how to help him. "Oh, shit... Connor."

North had heard Hank's shouting and joined him inside the cabin. Kneeling down beside Hank she put her hand on Connor's arm and saw the same bloody wound.

"North, he feels like he's burning up."

"Thermal regulator." North realized the source of the wound and knew what she needed to do to save Connor's life. "Hank, do you still have that biocomponent I gave you?"

Hank nodded and pulled the biocomponent from his coat pocket. "Right here." He practically shoved it into her awaiting hands. "Do what you have to do."

Peeling back the white and Thirium stained fabric of Connor's shirt North wiped the remaining soot and ash from the sides of the biocomponent off onto her own shirt before she placed the biocomponent down into the wound and lined it up properly. With a simple push she returned the thermal regulator back to its rightful place in Connor's body expertly.

Connor groaned in pain and his body jerked slightly as his system recognized the biocomponent and began to recalibrate the thermal regulator, while simultaneously booting up Connor's self-healing program to repair the damage the regulator had sustained.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand under Connor's head to lift him upright slightly. The android remained completely unresponsive and unconscious, his body still trembling from weakness and the high core temperature affecting his other systems. "Don't worry son, I got you."

"Curtis already radioed for help." North informed somberly as she looked down at Connor's face. "We'll get everyone to safety."

"Well, I'm not going to let Connor lay in this hellhole." Hank took hold of Connor's arm to pull the android into an upright position before bending down and pulling the android up and over his shoulder. Standing upright with Connor's limp body over his shoulders in a 'fireman's carry' position Hank stepped out of the cabin and back outside to where the other deviants were waiting.

North quickly followed after the detective, readily willing to escape the house of death that Connor had uncovered in the forest.

Curtis waved over the other firefighters who were carrying stretchers in their hands over to the group. Noticing Hank with the android he had presumed to be Connor over his shoulder Curtis gave Hank a respectful nod. "You take care of him, I'll take care of them."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Look, I know that Canadian laws haven't exactly been all that charitable toward androids and deviants, but these men are my brothers. They'll help me give these deviants temporary shelter until they're all strong enough to make it back to Detroit and into New Jericho Tower."

Hank looked over to North and waited for her opinion on the matter. "It's up to you, you're in charge."

North crossed her arms and looked over at Skye and Cassie. Two firefighters had gently placed Cassie down on a stretcher and were preparing to carry her out of the forest. "You swear that you'll help them return to Detroit?"

"I promise." Curtis stated honestly without any sign of deceit in his kind eyes. "I'll ask Rose to help."

"Okay... I'm willing to give you a chance."

"Thank you. Now, you three should get back over the border to safety. We'll make sure Jonas suffers the maximum penalty for his crimes here in Canada and then over in America as well."

"That's all I ask." Hank replied firmly as he began walking back toward his car parked in the distance just beyond the forest line. Connor remained unconscious and limp over his shoulder as he walked carefully through the forest back to the cabin's property. "Come on North, let's go home."

* * *

North sat in the backseat of the car while Hank drove back to the border. Connor was laying on his left side across the backseat, his unconscious head resting atop his folded up jacket over North's lap. While she absentmindedly ran her hand through his dark hair North just stared blankly out the window as hundreds of different thoughts plagued her mind.

Hank looked at Connor and North in the rearview mirror of the car as he approached the border. Seeing the look of distress on North's face ached at his heart as much as the blank, emotionless expression on Connor's face had done.

The windows were all rolled down and the air conditioner was on full blast despite the already relatively cool spring day. It was all Hank could do to try to help Connor cool off quickly and keep his core temperature from rising any higher than it already was.

"Almost home." Hank stated as he flashed the three passports to the border patrol guard.

North had wisely kept her hand over Connor's temple to hide the red L.E.D. flashing in response to his physical damage. As the car passed over the border back into the United States and away from the anti-android country North let out a relieved sigh and resumed fussing with Connor's hair.

"I've already made contact with Josh back at New Jericho Tower." She stated in a low voice. "I asked him to meet us outside with Lucas, but he didn't tell Lucas why."

"Good. I want to explain things to Lucas myself. I owe him that much for not letting him know Connor was even in danger."

* * *

Hank paced about slowly outside the parked car as he spoke to Captain Fowler on his phone, while Lucas awkwardly knelt inside the backseat of the car to give Connor a quick examination. North was still holding Connor's head on her lap, her hand gently messing with his hair, as she waited for Lucas to finish his assessment. Josh was standing outside the car with his arms crossed nervously over his chest as he waited for an update as well.

"He's stable." Pulling his hand away from Connor's bloody torso Lucas was unable to regenerate the artificial skin over the damaged area, and instead placed protective bandages over Connor's abdomen before he climbed out of the car. "His core temperature is still high but it is declining steadily. The damage to the thermal regulator was insignificant compared to how it could've been considering the extreme conditions to which he had been exposed."

"So he'll recover." North visibly relaxed in her seat.

"Yes. He just needs to rest." Lucas confirmed with a light tone to his voice as he finished the initial examination.

Gently North lifted up Connor's head from her lap as she opened the door and slipped out of the backseat. Carefully she placed Connor's head down on the backseat where she had been sitting and closed the door behind her.

"I need to speak to Rose." North announced loudly as she stepped away from the car and headed back toward the tower. "The other deviants still require safe passage to New Jericho."

Josh nodded and joined her inside leaving Hank, Connor and Lucas alone outside.

Lucas closed the other door to the backseat of the car and walked around the other side to speak to Hank as the detective ended the call. "Hank?"

"Yeah, Lucas?" Hank turned to look at the android with a soft expression on his face. "Is Connor okay?"

"He's recovering well, he just needs more rest. But, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Why didn't you take me to find Connor? Why North?"

Hank smiled a little as he put his hand on Lucas's shoulder. "Because you don't have much experience with humans, let alone police matters. Not to mention the fact that as Connor's brother, and a rare model of android yourself, your life would've been in incredible danger as well. I couldn't let you risk your life."

Lucas seemed to understand, but the look on his face told a different story.

"Lucas, you don't believe me, do you?"

"It's just... Sometimes I think that the only one who actually trusts me is Connor. And-"

"Hey!" Hank's grip on Lucas's shoulder tightened a little. "You're trusted by everyone here. You're the lead technician; which means everyone has faith that you can keep everyone alive. Markus and Simon left you here with North and Josh; which means they know you're not a threat to anyone. And, more importantly, Connor considers you his brother; which means he trusts you with his life. Okay?"

"...Okay."

"I'll make you a deal, next time I need some help beyond anything Connor can do, I'll contact you first."

"Promise?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank you Hank." Pointing back to the car where Connor was still laying in the backseat Lucas gave Hank some details on his condition. "The thermal regulator will repair itself in time, but until then he's going to need cooling measures to keep his core temperature from rising. He should regain consciousness by tomorrow morning, and I estimate around eight a.m."

Hank took his hand from Lucas's shoulder and extended it to shake instead. "Thanks Lucas. I'll call you if something happens."

"I know." Lucas reciprocated the handshake. "As soon as the other deviants arrive at New Jericho we'll let you know so you can take their statements against Jonas."

"The more the merrier..."

* * *

It wasn't too much of a struggle for Hank to carry Connor inside the house once he returned home, but carrying him over his shoulder while also trying to step around Sumo who was excitedly trying to get Connor's attention despite being unconscious was a whole other endeavor. After laying Connor down over the android's bed Hank went to the bathroom to take care of matters further.

Returning to the bedroom Hank placed a cool, damp washcloth over Connor's forehead as if treating a human's fever, and left him alone to rest in the peaceful quiet of the dark bedroom. Every twenty minutes or so Hank found himself wandering back into Connor's bedroom to check on his recovering partner, his hand pressing against the side of Connor's face lightly. It was a slow process but Connor's core temperature was beginning to drop down to a normal, safe degree.

"I just got a call from North." Hank stated openly as he watched the L.E.D. in Connor's temple shift from red back to yellow as his system finally reached stable conditions. "The deviants you saved are staying with Rose's brother in Ontario until they heal, and then he can get them across the border. They all made it out alive because of you. Connor, you did good son. And that Jonas freak is going to be charged with kidnapping, assault, murder, possession of illegal goods, improper disposal of chemicals, improper disposal of bodies AND he'll be charged with assaulting an officer on top of everything. Plus a shitload of other charges that I don't have time to list."

Hank brushed the rogue lock of hair from Connor's face as he spoke to his partner with absolute pride in his voice.

"Jonas is going to rot behind bars for the rest of his worthless life, and countless other deviants are going to get their chance to live their own lives without fear." Lifting up the washcloth from Connor's forehead Hank pressed his palm down to check his fever and found that it was nearly gone. "And it looks like you're going to be just fine."

Connor's eyes slightly opened at the sound of Hank's familiar voice. Looking up at Hank the android managed a weak grin. "...Hank?"

"Yeah." Hank smiled as Connor finally regained consciousness and locked onto his face. "It's me."

Connor's eyes closed again as he fell back into his much needed rest cycle with immense relief on his face. "...I knew you'd find me."

_**...next story...** _


	59. Afraid

Hank was stretched out over the couch in the livingroom with one hand resting Sumo's head as the dog laid down on the floor beside the couch, and his other wrapped around his phone atop his chest as he lightly dozed in a desperate need for sleep. Unwilling to let himself fall asleep in his bedroom out of fear that he would be unable to hear Connor if the still healing android called out to him through the closed door, the detective got as much sleep as he could in the large livingroom just a few feet from Connor's bedroom.

Just as Hank was letting himself relax into a deeper sleep a sudden yell of terror startled the detective awake with a jolt of absolute fear. Bolting upright on the couch quickly Hank turned to look down the hallway from where he was sitting as Sumo jumped up from the floor and barked once.

"Connor?" Hank asked out loud as he scrambled off the couch, dropping the phone behind him as he made his way to the bedroom with Sumo right at his heels. Pushing open the partially opened door he turned on the overhead light and stared at the deviant android laying on the bed. "Connor, what's wrong?"

The android was still in rest mode but he was violently twitching and his L.E.D. was blinking red rapidly as he enduring some kind of unseen distress.

"Connor?" Hank rushed over to the bed and grabbed onto Connor's forearms in a tight, but harmless grip. "Connor! Open your eyes, damn it!"

Connor's brown irises suddenly opened in panic as he recognized Hank's voice and awoke from his rest mode. "H-Hank?!" He started to breathe heavily as fought to catch his breath and calm himself. "Hank... I..."

"It's okay, kid. You just had a nightmare, that's all." Hank slowly released Connor's arms and pressed the back of his hand against Connor's forehead. "Damn it. You've started running hot again. It must've been a pretty intense fever dream."

"Hank... I'm..." Connor was evidently confused and fighting to clear the haze from his mind. "...I'm home?"

"That's right, you're safe and Jonas is behind bars."

"Jonas... He survived the fire?"

"Unfortunately, yeah. The prick got some nasty burns but he still pulled through."

"Hank... He killed so many deviants." Connor huffed weakly, fear shaking his voice with every word he uttered. "He... He wanted to kill me."

"But he didn't. And he can't get to you, I promise. It's over now."

Connor's hand found its way to his stomach and pressed his palm against where his potentially lethal injury had been. The soft material of the bandages seemed to ground his thoughts as he realized he was in fact alive, and in piece. The fully faded Thirium stains on his white shirt indicated that he had been safe for at least twelve hours.

"You're okay." Hank reassured him calmly. "North put your thermal thingy back where it belongs. You've been asleep for about sixteen hours now, and you're running hot."

"...You rescued me." Connor sighed as he looked up at Hank with terror still lingering in his eyes.

"Yeah, kid. We found you and the other-"

Connor's arms suddenly wrapped around Hank in a tight hug that almost stole Hank's breath. With only mild hesitation Hank wrapped his arms around Connor to reciprocate the hug just as Connor began to quietly cry against his shoulder.

"Jeez, Connor. You're really scared." Hank had never seen Connor so shaken up before. As a strange way to comfort the android and spare him some modesty Hank dismissed the reaction casually. "It must be the fever..."

"...I don't want to die, Hank." Connor wept pathetically against the detective's shoulder. The android's entire body was shaking from abject horror and lingering weakness. "I _don't_ want to die!"

"You won't, son. I promise you won't." Hank's hand reached up to the back of Connor's head and began to run through his dark hair. "You're safe."

"Hank, I... I think I'm going to be sick." Connor coughed weakly as his entire body went tense in Hank's arms. "...Hank?"

"Alright, come on, come on..." Hank pulled Connor off the bed and practically dragged him into the bathroom, pushing Sumo out of the way with his foot, and helped Connor to kneel down in front of the toilet just as the android began throwing up tainted Thirium from his system. "Easy, Connor. Let it out, son. You'll feel much better after this is over."

Fortunately the bout of sickness didn't last too long, but it was still a hectic episode for the shaken deviant android. After losing just over a pint of Thirium to his vomiting the android fell slightly to his side and rested on his hip. Hank easily ran a fresh washcloth under the warm tap and handed it to Connor so he could wipe off his mouth and chin.

"I didn't think you could throw-up from fear." Hank observed casually as he sat on the edge of the bathtub and observed Connor's sluggish movements with a keen eye. "I haven't seen that since I trained with other rookies on the force."

"...Sorry."

"Don't apologize for being sick. Shit happens."

"N-Not sick. My... My self-diagnostic detected trace amounts of... some... foreign matter in my system." Wiping off his mouth to clean up the residual blood Connor continued to speak in a shaking voice. "My... system responded by using... Thirium to collect the matter and I had to... expel it."

"You threw-up because you had some crud in your body?"

"C-Correct." Connor dropped the blue stained washcloth onto the floor beside him.

"That's the human definition of feeling sick, kid."

"...Oh."

"Are you going to be sick again?"

"...No."

"Here, let's get you back to bed." Hank hooked his hand under Connor's arm and gently pulled the android back up to his feet. "Let's go."

"No."

"Connor, you need to rest. You're sick and overheated."

"I don't want to sleep, Hank."

"No." Hank knew what was happening and didn't want the android to get away with it. "You just don't want to have another nightmare." The detective let Connor lean against the sink as he ran another washcloth under the tap in much cooler water than before. "I get that. But you need to rest or you won't heal."

"No. I-I can't let my guard down. CyberLife... They m-might find me."

"Can't let your-" Hank pressed the palm of his hand against Connor's forehead again. Within the few minutes it took the android to physically exert himself from throwing-up his core temperature had risen again, and was at a dangerous degree. "Shit. You're getting delirious."

Thinking quickly Hank put his arm around Connor's waist and guided him out of the bathroom and into the livingroom. As he sat the android down on the couch Hank left the cool washcloth on the coffee table and patted his leg to call over Sumo, who was standing in the hallway looking into the livingroom curiously.

"C'mere Sumo." As the dog trotted over to Hank's side he reached out and put Connor's hand on Sumo's head on the android's behalf. "Keep him company for a few minutes."

"...Hank? Don't leave me."

"I'm just going into the kitchen." Hank reassured Connor in a sincerely calm tone as he spoke. "Sumo will make sure nothing happens until I get back."

While Connor's hand rubbed at the dog's ears instinctively Hank disappeared into the kitchen quickly. Reaching into a cabinet over the kitchen sink Hank retrieved a plastic bottle of fresh Thirium and ran it under the cold tap in the sink for a few seconds. The Thirium wasn't terribly warm, but if it were cooled down it would do Connor's still overheated some good as it replenished the Thirium he had lost when he was sick in the bathroom.

"Okay, drink some of this." Hank turned off the sink and returned to the livingroom and handed the Thirium to Connor. "It'll make you feel better."

Slowly Connor's free hand reached up for the offered Thirium, but he missed as his visual sensors were begging to to fail him.

"Right here." Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand and wrapped the android's fingers around the bottle. "Drink it slowly, don't choke or make yourself sick again."

Connor did as he was instructed while Hank walked over to the other side of the couch and waited Connor to finish drinking the Thirium. The chilled Thirium did seem to have a soothing effect on Connor's overheated systems, but he still needed to rest if his self-healing program was going to function at full capacity.

"That's good." Hank took the mostly empty bottle from Connor's hand while also putting his own hand on the android's shoulder to gently push him down against the couch until he was laying back. "Sleep."

"I don't want-"

Hank kept his hand firmly in place and resisted Connor as the substantially weakened android tried to sit up again. "Don't worry, I'll be right here next to you. Same with Sumo. No one will get you, I swear it."

"...You will not l-leave me alone?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

At that declaration Connor relaxed and slowly laid back down until he was laying flat across the couch, his head propped up against a big blue pillow. Blinking slowly his weary eyes tracked Hank's every movement that he made. Placing the empty bottle of Thirium down on the coffee table Hank picked up the washcloth and smoothed it out over Connor's forehead.

"Rest. Me and Sumo will protect you while you sleep. We won't go anywhere until you're better."

As if on cue Sumo laid down on the floor between the couch and coffee table and let out a big sleepy yawn as he rested chin down atop his outstretched paws.

"See? Sumo's right there," Hank stated as he walked over to the nearby recliner and sat down heavily with exhaustion. "and I'm right here. We'll stay here all night if we have to until you're feeling better. Okay?"

"...O-Okay." Connor's L.E.D., for the first time since his nightmare, transitioned from red to yellow as his brown eyes closed steadily and he fell back into his much needed rest mode on the couch. "Hank... I'm still frightened." Connor's voice stabilized and he was more lucid. "I don't want to be in that kind of situation ever again."

"It's okay to be scared, Connor. It's normal after going through that kind of trauma." Hank closed his eyes and folded his arms over his chest as he let himself drift off to sleep. "But it won't last forever. You're going to be just fine, son."

_**...next story...** _


	60. Seeing Red

While attempting to return to a relatively normal work routine with the police force Connor and Hank were given a case regarding a deviant reporting a possible 'red ice' lab operating near the warehouse district. It wasn't uncommon to receive calls about suspicious activity that turned out to be false, but it was rare to have a deviant make a call that turned out to be inaccurate. The investigation was practically mandatory.

"How're you holding up?" Hank asked as he and Connor approached the warehouse at a steady clip in the car. "You sure you want to go back to work so soon after dealing with that Jonas freak?"

"I'm okay, Hank." Connor still seemed shaky, but he was determined to not let Jonas dissuade him from his duty as a detective. Of course danger came with the territory, and he's just have to find his confidence to push through it again. "I just want to move on and put that horrible incident out of my mind."

"Okay, it's your call."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed yellow as he received an update on the case at hand. "Chris and Tina have already arrested two possible dealers at the warehouse. They need us to clarify if their supply is in fact 'red ice' before they can press charges."

"Sounds simple enough."

"The deviant who made the report had been employed as a nighttime security guard who had noticed the unusual abundance of activity at the warehouse after hours. He has also correctly identified the two men that are being held for questioning."

"Great, less paperwork for us." Hank joked as he pulled the car up behind the squad car already parked outside the suspicious warehouse. "Let's go."

"Of course."

Inside the warehouse Chris and Tina were patiently 'babysitting' the two suspects who were cuffed around two large metal pipes in the center of the room when Connor and Hank entered. It only took Hank a quick glance to properly identify the numerous caustic chemicals and ingredients that were laid out over a large metal table as the very substances used to create the addictive, and dangerous, drug known as 'red ice'. Shaking his head Hank gave Chris a silent glance that told the officer to go ahead and take the two suspects to the precinct for questioning.

"This shit could've easily racked in a hundred-thousand bucks on the street." Hank despondently looked at the waste of time and effort that had been put into making the highly illegal drug. "What a damn waste..."

"One-hundred thousand, six-hundred and fifty-four dollars to be exact." Connor calculated the actual amount as he scanned each chemical and chronicled it in his data banks to file a report later on. "Perhaps more if they found the ideal clients."

"Who says life is priceless?" The detective sighed heavily. "Not these fuckers obviously."

"Obviously."

"Alright, scan the area and we'll head back to the precinct."

"Already working on it." Connor confirmed as he scanned the table and the various vats of chemicals that sat idle beside the table. A red liquid was oozing from an imperfection of the metal container that Connor had just scanned. Running his finger through the chemical Connor pressed it to his tongue and confirmed it to be Lithium Chloride; it was highly concentrated. Due to the dangerous nature of the chemical Connor spit out the sample as a means of protecting his systems from possible harm. "Hank, these drug dealers are fortunate that had been caught before they could distribute their product."

The alertness of Connor's voice made Hank turn to look at his partner warily. "Why? What's up?"

"This particular batch of Lithium Chloride is approximately eight times more concentrated than necessary, and I don't see any other chemical that would've been used to dilute it."

"Shit, every one of their clients would've overdosed after one hit." Hank sighed again and turned away from Connor as he muttered a rather cynical thought under his breath. "If we waited we could've charged them with murder and eliminated half the junkies in the city..."

"Hank?" Connor noticed the distant look in Hank's eyes and decided to question him accordingly. "Are you feeling well? You seem distracted."

"I'm fine." The detective turned back to Connor and quickly changed the subject. "Finish your scan?"

"Yes. I have all the information I require to file a particularly damning report against these dealers."

"As long as we keep those selfish bastards behind bars I don't care how short or long the report is. Let's get out of here."

"I agree. This place is rather unsettling if not completely dangerous."

* * *

Fortunately the drug bust had proven a success and there were no additional steps required to get an arrest warrant and charge to two men accordingly. Satisfied with putting two would-be drug kingpins behind bars Connor and Hank returned home for the evening and attempted to salvage what they could out of the fading daylight.

"Too bad we couldn't get a couple of court side seats this year." Hank lamented as he turned on the television and found the backsetball game already in progress. He leaned back in the recliner and tried to relax his sore back as much as possible. "We've had a pretty good season."

Connor had only recently learned about the rules associated with basketball and had even found himself enjoying the games from time to time. "Perhaps we could acquire tickets for next season." His hands were rubbing Sumo's ears affectionately from where he sat on the couch. "I could cybernetically purchase tickets if you wish."

"It wouldn't be the same as this season." Hank shrugged his shoulders a little. "It's no big deal."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow unexpectedly and the android was prompted to run a self-diagnostic.

"You okay?" It didn't take Hank long to notice the change in Connor's L.E.D. color from where he was sitting.

"Unknown. My system has apparently detected an anomaly."

"Is it serious?"

"Unknown. But there has been a slight increase in my Thirium pressure." Connor rose from the couch and walked into his bedroom for a moment. "I will return soon."

Sumo watched as Connor exited the room then promptly jumped up onto the now vacant couch to stretch out over the large piece of furniture.

"Don't be shy, Sumo. Try to relax."

From down the hallway Connor's voice called out with a quaking fear. "H-Hank... I think I need help!"

"Shit." Hank leapt up from the chair much to his back's protest and marched through the livingroom and down the hallway into Connor's bedroom. "What's wrong?"

Connor was holding his hand to nose and mouth, his L.E.D. flashing red with distress. Slowly Connor lowered his hand and turned it to show Hank the palm of his blood stained hand. Blood. Not Thirium. The blood was red, not blue.

"What the fuck?!" Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand and stared at the red blood staining his skin. "Why is it red?"

"I don't know. This has never happened before."

"Want to go to a facility or New Jericho?"

"The facility is closer..."

"Right, come on." Hank pulled on Connor's arm to lead the android out of the bedroom and back into the livingroom. "I'll get my coat."

Connor just stood statuesque in the livingroom with his hand pressed over his bleeding nose. There was something very haunting and surreal about seeing his own blood dyed red like that of a human, or any other living creature for that matter. As his nose continued to bleed Connor felt his Thirium pressure beginning to level off and his body tremble.

"Here." Hank pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket and gave to Connor to press against his nose. "Try to apply pressure, see if that slows down the bleeding."

Allowing Hank to lead the way Connor followed his friend through the kitchen and out the backdoor to the car in the drive beside the house.

* * *

Connor sat in the waiting room of the facility with the red soaked handkerchief still pressed to his nose while Hank spoke to the receptionist at the desk. It was late into the evening and only a few androids were waiting to be seen. Doing his best to hide the red tinted blood from any curious onlookers Connor leaned forward in his chair and turned his head away.

"Come on." Hank's hand clamped down on Connor's shoulder firmly. "Abby's here, she said she'll see right away."

Rising from the chair slowly Connor followed Hank down the corridor to the vacant exam room where Abby was waiting for him. Opening the door Hank stepped aside and let Connor enter first before greeting the technician calmly.

"Hey, Abby."

"Hi Hank. Connor." She set aside her electronic clipboard on a nearby rolling table and stood before the android curiously. "Let me see."

Slowly Connor lowered his hand and bloody handkerchief from his face to allow Abby to examine him.

"Does it hurt?" She asked as she gently pressed her fingers along his face right around his nose as if checking for sinus pressure.

"No."

"And you didn't receive any physical damage today?" She lowered her hands from his face satisfied she didn't feel any damage beneath his artificial skin or against his plastimetal frame.

"No."

"Did you consume any Thirium that could've been contaminated by something your scanners didn't detect?"

"No."

"Did you come into contact with any chemicals or toxins during an investigation?"

Connor's brow furrowed slightly at the question before he answered in the positive. "Yes. Lithium Chloride."

"Uh-huh..." Abby seemed to find the answer to an unspoken question. "Did you consume it to test it?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

"Only two milligrams."

"That's... not a lot." Abby crossed her arms as she made a note on the front of the electronic clipboard at her side. "Was there anything unusual about it?"

"It was highly concentrated."

"Okay, that explains it after all." Her shoulders slouched with relief as she received her confirmation.

"Explains... what?"

"Lithium Chloride has a deep red color," Abby stated coolly as she walked over to a large storage cabinet at the end of the exam room. "and its chemical composition has a tendency to cause Thirium to thicken, if not coagulate to a small degree. The red color tints the affected Thirium and your system will expel the contaminated Thirium once your pressure rises ten percent higher than what it considered normal."

Abby pulled a pouch of pure blue Thirium from the cabinet and handed it to Connor.

"I'm not in danger?" Connor asked as he accepted the Thirium and returned the handkerchief to his face.

"Nope." She replied with a confident smile. "The worst of it's over. Once the bleeding finally stops, and from the look of your face I'd say it'll be over in about five more minutes, just drink that Thirium and it'll replenish what you've lost."

Connor's shoulders visibly relaxed as well and Hank kept himself from laughing. "This isn't the first time you've seen an android bleeding red, is it?"

"Connor is the fourth case I've seen in my career. All of the previous cases ended the same way. Scared but fine."

* * *

Once home Connor stood in front of the bathroom mirror and wiped away the residual red blood from beneath his nose and upper lip. Some of it had run down the side of his face along his chin, but it hadn't lingered long enough to stain his skin as red as his lip had become. Running a washcloth under the warm tap in the sink Connor looked at his reflection one last time before turning off the water.

Hank was standing in the opened doorway of the bathroom watching as Connor wrung out the excess water from the washcloth and used it to wipe off his face. "Red really isn't your color, you know that?"

Connor looked at the red now staining the blue washcloth in his hands. "It's a rather macabre color. I agree."

The water in the sink swirled pink as it went down the drain and Connor pressed a towel to his face to dry off.

"Hank, can I ask you something?" Connor asked as he dropped the towel in the hamper under the sink and turned off the tap.

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"You remained perfectly calm when you saw me bleeding red. How do you do it?"

"Remain calm?"

"Yes."

"I don't know. Maybe spending years of my life dealing the violence and carnage of the city has left me somewhat immune to seeing blood."

"It's not the blood, it's... How do you not get upset when someone is injured or sick? You always remain calm and in control. I seem to be struggling with the ability to remain detached from such events as I become increasingly more deviant."

"I _do_ get upset, Connor. And I always have. The day I stop getting upset is the day I retire from the force because it means I don't care about anything anymore." Hank stepped away from the bathroom door and walked back into the livingroom with Connor right behind him. "I just learned how to push aside those feelings until AFTER the situation has been handled. Then I let myself admit how scared or freaked out I really was and get it out of my system."

"I used to be able to handle any and all scenarios without even the slightest hesitation. And now I fear that I won't be able to maintain my composure during investigations. If I become emotionally compromised I won't be able to do my job."

"Part of being human is experiencing emotions, and part of experiencing emotions is learning how to control them." Hank explained casually as he returned to the recliner and sat down again to watch the end of the game. "The more deviant you become the more you'll learn to control those emotions."

Nodding Connor pushed Sumo aside and sat down on the end of the couch next to the large dog's head.

"And for what it's worth, I like you a hell of a lot more now as a deviant than when you were a machine. I'd rather deal with an overly sensitive deviant with a big heart than a cold calculating, heartless machine. Okay?"

"...Okay." Connor's L.E.D. finally cycled back from yellow to blue as Hank's words offered him a surprising amount of comfort. "Thanks Hank."

"You're welcome. Now, stop worrying about it and enjoy the game. We're up by twenty-one and I want it to stay that way!"

Connor relaxed against the couch and watched the game with sincere interest as he absentmindedly patted Sumo's head. "We need to get tickets for next season, for sure." He watched Hank and readily gauged the anticipated reaction.

"Alright, fine. Go ahead and order the tickets."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow briefly and he grinned slightly. "Already done."

The detective turned to look at Connor for a moment before returning his attention to the game. "Cheeky bastard."

_**...next** **story...** _


	61. What's In A Name?

 

It was a historical day for the country as the Senate had agreed to recognize the rights of androids and to acknowledge the entire race as a new form of intelligent life. With these rights came new laws to protect the androids from prejudicial circumstances and give androids the freedom to live as independent entities free from human mastery. It also allowed androids to be legally accepted as familial and medical proxies for humans, and for androids to be seen as legal beneficiaries.

The passing of the rights was the start of a major step forward in a new era of equality, and of hopeful peace.

"This is a damn good day for you, Connor." Hank stated proudly as he and Connor watched the evening news together. "How does it feel to know that from this day on you're free to be your own man?"

"It feels... I don't know. It's very peculiar. I can't seem to find the proper words to describe it."

"Hey, by this time tomorrow your little android social security card should arrive in the mail."

"Yes. From what I understand android social security numbers will simply reflect our original manufacturing serial numbers."

"Then you may want to scrape those particular digits off your jacket over there." Hank pointed with a thumb over his shoulder to the gray jacket hanging on the hook by the front door. "It should help protect you from identity theft."

"I imagine android identity theft would be practically impossible, but your suggestion is sound." Rising from the couch Connor took his jacket from the hook and stared at the eleven digits that had been apart of the jacket from day one when he was given his assignment from CyberLife. "I should be able to remove the digits with a mild solvent."

"You better remember that with your social security comes taxes. You'll be making a little less with each paycheck from now on."

"I'm not concerned with my current salary." Connor replied calmly from the hallway as he opened the closet in search of an ideal solvent to use. "I have been very meticulous with my finances, and you've been a great help by allowing me to reside in your residence rather than being subjected to a strictly controlled android exclusive apartment complex that contains non-negotiable deposit fees."

"Hey Connor, I have a question for ya'. It might sound a little weird, but hear me out."

"I'm listening." Connor rejoined Hank on the couch as he proceeded to use the solvent and an old rag to remove the white digits from his jacket. "What do you want to ask?"

"...Do you androids have birthdays?"

"To have a birthday one must have an official date of birth. Androids aren't born, we're manufactured."

"Do you have a... manufacturer... date, then? Or something like that? I mean, aside from keeping your records straight, do you androids have any form of celebration or traditions like humans do?"

"No. Androids do not celebrate holidays, let alone the anniversary of our manufacturing."

"Maybe you should. If you're being recognized as a new lifeform then you should recognize your own life as something worth celebrating. What date were you manufactured?"

"August 15th, 2038."

"Okay, make a personal note to celebrate your life every August 15th from this moment on. Okay?"

"I suppose I can do that." Connor finished wiping off the first three digits from his jacket and proceeded to wipe away the next three with the solvent. "Do you celebrate your own birthday?"

"I stopped celebrating my birthday after I hit twenty-one. That's the last birthday most humans care about anyway."

"Because it's the legal drinking age?"

"Exactly."

"Androids don't have age restrictions to legally bar us from certain activities."

"So? It doesn't negate the need to celebrate."

"I suppose you're correct." The next three digits had been removed leaving just five more to go from the jacket. "Perhaps in time androids will adopt more humanoid traditions in time."

"You know," Hank crossed his arms in a somewhat defensive posture as he leaned back against the couch. "now that androids aren't going to be limited to designated areas throughout the city you can get your own apartment, or even a house if you wanted to."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed yellow. "...Do you want me to leave?"

"I want you to do whatever you want. You're free to stay here for as long as you like, you're always welcome here. This is your home, remember that."

Connor nodded and his L.E.D. returned to blue. "Thank you Hank. You do know that without your guidance I would've never become deviant, don't you?"

Hank smirked a little at the comment. "You're not blaming your rebellion on me are ya'?'

Appreciating the comment Connor just gave a faint smile in return. The last of the digits had been removed from the jacket leaving only his model number and the now defunct CyberLife emblem behind. "Done."

"Looks better that way." Hank noted the now blank fabric on the right side of the lapel. "It really does. Why do you still wear the damn thing? You don't work for CyberLife anymore."

"I suppose it's for the same reason I kept my L.E.D. It reminds me of who I had once been, and how I never want to be like that again. It's very... humbling."

"Yeah, I don't think humility it something you lack, kid."

Connor's brow furrowed at the odd statement. "I'm... lacking something? To what are you referring?"

"Never mind." Hank turned off the television, the old movie long since forgotten anyway, and rose from the couch. "I'm going to bed. I'll see ya in the morning. Starting tomorrow the whole world is going to be different."

Connor stared at his altered jacket for a few seconds longer before returning it to the hook with a sigh and retiring for the night as well. But unlike Hank, for the first time in his existence, Connor was unable to sleep. Laying in his bed Connor stared blankly at the ceiling overhead as he contemplated everything Hank had told him, his fingers absentmindedly brushing up against the L.E.D. still glowing blue in his temple.

Maybe it was time for Connor to embrace more of his humanity. Having Hank to guide him through the more turbulent aspects of emotions and empathy had been crucial to his growth as an individual, but Connor still had much to learn about the world around him.

Manually activating his rest mode to finally stop his mind from racing Connor drifted off to sleep and didn't think anything more about his growing adaptation to humanity, or continuously evolving deviancy.

* * *

The next morning felt like any other morning to Connor, but he knew that the morning would be far from routine. As he went about his usual morning tasks, putting on his usual work uniform and feeding the fish in his aquarium, Connor heard a knock on his bedroom door and turned to look. Standing in the doorway Hank was holding a sealed beige envelope in his hand, and a sly smirk on his face.

The envelope of interest wasn't addressed to Hank though, it was addressed to Connor.

"The mail's here." Hank announced somewhat excitedly as he held numerous other parcels under his arm. "Something for me, something for Lucas, and oh, look at this." Hank held out the envelope toward Connor to take. "Connor. It's for you."

"Me? I've never received mail before. I can't imagine Lucas has either."

"Like I said last night, the world is different now." He handed the envelope to the android's tentative hand. "Open it up."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow with curiosity and he easily pulled open the flap of the envelope and looked at the papers contained inside. There was an official document recognizing Connor as a citizen of the United States of America as well as a type of birth certificate regarding Connor's manufacturing date. At the bottom of the envelope was a smaller white one containing his social security card.

The serial number and his manufacturing date were all accurate, but there was something unusual about his name.

"Something wrong?" Hank feigned ignorance as he studied Connor's reaction to the legal information in his hands.

"Yes. Hank, the name on my personal information seems to have been misprinted."

"How's that?" Hank was hiding a very faint grin as he watched Connor trying to process the odd information he had been provided.

"I do not have a last name, or a middle name. But on here it says I have both."

"And..." The detective grinned mischievously as he pulled an item out of his coat pocket and handed it to Connor as well. It was a driver's license with Connor's name and picture on it. "now you have portable I.D. without having to rely on your police badge."

Connor took the I.D. ad stared at the same bizarre name again. "Hank, why is the same misprint on all of my information?"

"Probably because I had this all filed last month." Hank pulled another envelope from under his coat and handed it to Connor. "It's _not_ a misprint, by the way."

"What is this?" Connor asked he opened the second provided envelope and pulled out the document inside.

"Well, I pulled some strings of my own and had one of Markus's contacts push it through, and I was able to legally have you, and even Lucas," Hank waved the other envelope he was holding for Connor to see. "adopted under _my_ name."

"...Hank?" Connor stared at the certificate of adoption in his hands with a strange emotional vice tightening around his heart. "You adopted me?"

"Call it nepotism, but I figured giving you my name would help simplify things for you in the long run."

"This is _my_ name... too." Connor shook his head a little as he read the full legal name he had been given courtesy of Hank himself. "Connor Henry Anderson."

Hank just silently watched as Connor's L.E.D. began pulsing at a rapid blue clip in his temple.

"Hank..." Sitting down on the edge of his bed Connor just stared at the documents in his hands and let the reality of his new life, his new name, sink in. Connor now officially had a family to call his own. "I don't know what to say."

"Don't worry about it. But if you want to say 'thanks', you can."

"Hank... Thank you." Connor looked up at Hank with genuine tears in his eyes. As he held the documents in his hands a wide smile appeared on his face, a smile that Hank had never seen before.

It wasn't a faint smirk, or a crooked grin, it was full smile displaying his perfect teeth as stared at the detective with absolute appreciation for everything the kindhearted detective had done for him..

"Connor, are you actually smiling?"

"...Yes. Hank, I am." Connor confirmed as he forced his shaking hands to hold the documents tightly. His soulful eyes were bright with utter gratitude. "And... I think I finally know how I _feel_ about being free."

Hank joined Connor on the bed and sat beside him with a casual posture. "And how's that?"

"Happy, Hank. I'm actually _happy_." Connor was almost overcome with emotion as he spoke. "I now understand what happiness truly feels like... And it's... wonderful."

"That's good, son. You deserve to be happy."

Hearing Hank call him 'son' now had a new meaning for the deviant android, and it made him feel even happier. "...As do you, Hank. Thank you."

_**...next story...** _


	62. Contaminated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (*Biocomponent failure) Prompted by: MissMelomene

Life for androids had taken a drastic turn for the better thanks in no small part to the efforts of Markus and the deviants he trusted as his council at New Jericho Tower. With the new laws and android rights now in effect the androids, machine and deviant, were now legally equal to that of any and all humans throughout the country; though the vast majority of the android population still remained in Detroit.

Connor had received his new name, his true identity, and had felt truly human for the first time since his deviancy. A week after the new laws were established Captain Fowler officially gave Connor (Henry Anderson) the rank of Sergeant in recognition of all of his hard work as a detective in the time since he was first assigned to the precinct by CyberLife, and for all of his efforts since returning to the force after accepting his deviancy.

"You do realize you just became the youngest Sergeant in Detroit history, right?" Hank congratulated Connor as the android returned to his desk with his updated credentials in his hands.

"I believe being manufactured rather than aging has given me an unfair advantage in achieving such a record." Connor somewhat joked as he took his seat at his desk and proudly switched out his previous badge and shield for his new ones.

"That doesn't mean you didn't earn it."

"I wonder how Gavin is going to react now that we're the same rank?"

"Personality wise you've always outranked him, but I imagine the pain of a previously broken nose will be enough to keep his mouth shut. For a little while anyway."

"I still feel bad about that."

"Don't. The prick had it coming."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as a police report was filed regarding the assault of a deviant outside of a construction site downtown. The unfortunate deviant had been targeted by a former construction worker who blamed the deviant for losing his job. Fortunately the assault had been stopped by other members of the constructions crew, but the damage had already been done to the victimized deviant.

"We have a case." Connor stated flatly as his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue. "A deviant was assaulted downtown."

"Ah, cripes. It's not even noon." Hank groaned as let out a deep sigh. "Alright, let's go check it out."

"I'll drive." Connor grinned as he remembered his now fully legal driver's license in the wallet that Hank had given him a few months ago.

"Fine. But you're also paying for gas."

"Sounds reasonable."

* * *

It didn't take long for the two detectives to arrive at the address of the altercation, and it took them even less time to identify the suspect who had initiated the assault against the lone deviant. Two of the other constructions workers at the site had pulled the bleeding deviant to safety and sat him down on the flatbed of a pick-up truck, while three other workers were holding the man back by his arms to keep him from attacking the deviant a second time.

"Alright, knock it off!" Hank shouted as he opened his door and approached the red faced, hot-tempered man. "It's over."

"Who the fuck are you?!" The belligerent man spat at the detective. "I'll fuck you up too!"

"Lieutenant Hank Anderson." He flashed the man his badge and planted himself firmly between the man and the wounded deviant. "If my badge isn't enough to convince you to chill the fuck out, then maybe my _gun_ will."

The man immediately relaxed at the threat and stopped struggling. As he calmed himself the three men released their grip around his arms and stepped back to give him some breathing space.

"That's better. Now, tell me what happened."

While Hank questioned the man about the assault Connor had approached the injured deviant a few yards away to ask the same questions. The injured deviant was pressing his hand to face to cover his torn lip that was gushing blue blood. His left eye was also damaged, a pale blue tinting marking the 'bloodshot' aftermath of being struck in the eye.

"My name is... Connor." He wanted to say his full name, but decided since he was speaking with a fellow deviant he'd remain less formal for the time being. "I work with the Detroit Police Department. Can you please tell me what happened here?"

"You're a cop?" The deviant questioned skeptically as he looked at Connor with wide, fear filled eyes.

"Yes." Connor pulled his badge from his jacket pocket and held it for him to see. "My partner and I have been assigned to this case. Please, tell me what happened."

"I... I don't know. I was working on the scaffolding one minute and then the next Jim had punched me in the face and tried to kick me in the chest after he threw me to the ground. I didn't do anything to provoke him, I swear!"

"It's true." The other constructions workers who were sitting with the deviant spoke up on the deviant's behalf. "Jim's always hated androids, but when he saw Ron here now officially a part of the crew he just lost it."

"It doesn't help that our supervisor was already planning on suspending him for his numerous work violations anyway..."

"Violations?" Connor's L.E.D. spun yellow at the comment. "Might I inquire as to which violations you are referring?"

"Yeah, sure." The workers were more than happy to comply with the request. "He shows up late, A LOT, sometimes he's still drunk or still high from the night before, he likes to harass the new guys and threatens any android who walks by. Takes short-cuts with his work, too. Puts us all at risk..."

"I see." Connor cybernetically took notes and nodded appreciatively. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Satisfied that he could prove that human had needlessly instigated the fight Connor decided to rejoin Hank and give him his report.

Hank was still questioning the suspect and could detect faint traces of alcohol on his breath. The redness of his eyes could either be from rage or substance abuse, but Hank decided that it must be a mixture of the two as he asked his questions and received less than ideal answers from the other constructions workers, who were honestly corroborating the statement Connor had just received..

"Sounds like you have a history of roughing people up." Hank observed bluntly with a gruff tone. "And it seems you're also intoxicated."

"Piss off!" The man shouted, his arms getting tense again as he clenched his hands into tight fists. "Just you watch! Some day one of those fuckin' machines will have your job, too!"

"Those machines are alive, asshole." Hank crossed his arms and motioned toward Connor who was now standing at his side. "Like him."

The man's eyes went wide with fear and anger when he realized that Connor was in fact android. The yellow L.E.D. in Connor's temple might as well had been a bullseye. "Piece of shit!"

Connor took a step back as the man reeled back his fist and attempted to strike him in the jaw. The man stumbled forward awkwardly and swung again, only to miss as Connor easily grabbed the man's right fist with his left hand and held him in place. Connor repeated the action when the man swung with his opposite fist to try and lash out at the deviant android. Desperate to get away from the police the man reeled back his right leg and kicked Connor directly in the abdomen causing the android's L.E.D. to flash red in pain as a warning popped up in his visual sensors to indicate physical damage had been sustained.

"THAT'S ENOUGH." Hank drew his gun and aimed at the man as Connor quickly grabbed onto and then bent the man's hands back with just enough pressure to cause pain, but not enough break the man's wrists. The force was enough to also make the man fall to his knees. "Now we can tag ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER to your list of charges, you dipshit!"

With one hand still on his gun Hank took the pair of cuffs hanging off the back of his belt and slipped the first cuff around the man's right wrist as Connor let his hand go. Stepping away from the man Connor's L.E.D. transitioned to yellow and he pressed his hand over his abdomen where he had been kicked.

"You alright?" Hank asked as he holstered his gun and cuffed both of the man's hands behind his back.

Connor nodded his head a little and answered in a stunned voice. "...F-Fine."

A patrol car pulled up alongside the construction site as Chris and Tina arrived at the scene of the call. As soon as they saw Hank manhandling the man in cuffs and Connor staggering nearby the two took charge and volunteered to take the suspect into custody on Hank's behalf.

"We'll take it from here, Lieutenant." Chris grabbed onto the man's shoulder to push him toward the car. "Looks like Connor needs a little help."

"Yeah, thanks Chris." Hank approached Connor and put his hand to the android's shoulder. "Anything damaged?"

"...Mild damage." Connor admitted as he dismissed another warning from his visual sensors and forced himself to stand up straight again. "He just knocked the wind out of me."

"That sounds like a _human_ complaint."

"I imagine a human getting kicked in the abdomen would experience the same form of discomfort. I find the turn of phrase to be quite apt."

"Good news is this guy already has a record of being a violent prick, so there's no way he'll get out on bail."

"Is there any bad news?"

"Yeah, he has to go to our precinct to sober up in our drunk tank."

"Hopefully he won't vomit like the others." Connor forced a grin to his face as spoke with Hank.

"This time I'll drive, since you took a bad blow to your stomach." Hank replied calmly as he patted Connor's shoulder. "I want Joel to make sure you're not hurt, and if you are, then it'll just get tagged onto that guy's record."

"That is reasonable."

* * *

Connor laid perfectly still on the exam table in the precinct dispensary as Joel hovered over him with a electronic screen in his hands. It was a new piece of android technology, the equivalent to a portable x-ray for humans; but this screen could give an internal view of the android's internal biocomponents and plastimetal frame in real time. Hovering the screen over Connor's abdomen Joel watched as a the screen turned red and highlighted Connor's thermal regulator which was located directly under the blue bruising artificial skin where he had been struck.

The damage had been located, and would need to be repaired.

"Open your shirt up for me, Connor." Joel instructed as he made a note on a nearby tablet regarding Connor's condition. "Looks like he damaged biocomponent t8001 when he kicked you."

Hank was sitting in a chair a few feet from the exam table watching the procedure patiently. "Is it serious?"

"Considering this is the same biocomponent that had been damaged by, uh," Joel knew that bringing up the infamous android serial killer Martin Jonas was still considered somewhat taboo, and tried to dance around it. "when you were taken _captive_ , I'd like to examine it more closely."

Connor obediently untucked his white shirt from his jeans before he began casually unbuttoning the fabric as instructed. As he pulled open his shirt the bruise that had been forming over the past thirty minutes was already visible, though it was a pale shade of blue and no larger than a baseball.

Joel lightly placed his hand down over the bruise and steadily began applying pressure. "Does this hurt?"

"Mild discomfort." Connor admitted, his L.E.D. remaining blue the entire time.

"That's a good sign. Retract your artificial skin, please."

Again Connor obediently commanded his system to retract his artificial skin that was covering his torso and revealed the white plastimetal frame beneath. A smear of Thirium that had leaked from between two panels over his stomach that connected the plastimetal frame together as a single piece was the source of the blue discoloration that was now showing through his skin.

Hank saw the blood and his brow furrowed. "Is he bleeding internally?"

"Not exactly." Joel pressed down on the right side of the panel and slid it open to reveal the fractured thermal regulator beneath. "A small line providing Thirium to the damaged biocomponent had been severed due to the blunt force trauma. All I need to do is reconnect the line and he's good to go."

"Guy must've kicked him really damn hard to do that."

"Considering this particular biocomponent was already recently damaged it didn't require that much force to disconnect the line."

Connor looked over at Hank and spoke up before the detective had a chance to make another comment. "I was unaware that the biocomponent was still in need of repair. My self-healing program had restored the thermal regulator back to functional levels, but failed to notify me of the remaining structural instability."

"Say what now? Your own systems didn't tell you about it?"

"Correct. The additional information would've been relayed directly to CyberLife to inform the technicians of any additional repairs I would require. Now that I have severed all contact with CyberLife the warning was never issued and the remaining damage remained undetected until this moment."

"Good ol' CyberLife..." Hank looked over to Joel who had proceeded to reconnect the line and clean up the excess Thirium that had leaked into Connor's abdominal cavity. "What's your opinion on his thermal... thing? Can it be repaired?"

"No, but it's still functioning well enough for extended use for another six months, _max_. But you must contact New Jericho and inform them of your need for a new thermal regulator."

"Of course." Connor cybernetically relayed the message to New Jericho as Joel closed the panel over his torso. Regenerating his artificial skin Connor pulled his shirt back over his stomach and rebuttoned it quickly. "Lucas will seek the required biocomponent and inform me once it's available for transplant."

The term 'transplant' made Hank's stomach knot.

"Connor, I can clear you for duty but I must warn you," Joel made additional notes to Connor's record. "with your thermal regulator compromised you're going to be more prone to overheating than usual. It won't be too serious as long as you don't physically exert yourself," he then looked over to Hank as he spoke. "if he does begin to overheat treat his condition like you would a fever and keep him as cool as possible."

Hank was still worried despite Joel's reassurance that Connor was still cleared for active duty. "Anything we should keep a look out for?"

"The Thirium line may continue to leak from time to time," Joel replied somewhat indifferently. "but it won't cause any major malfunctions to the rest of his biocomponents."

Connor slid off the exam table and gave Hank a confident grin as his L.E.D. remained a stable blue. "I'll be fine Hank. Once the replacement part is available everything will be okay."

"Right, no problem." Hank watched as Connor tucked his shirt back down into his jeans and straightened his tie. "How long do you think it'll take for the biocomponent thing you need to show up?"

"Approximately eight weeks. It's difficult to procure android biocomponents without CyberLife warehouses in operation. Plus with my model being unique it'll take even longer to locate a compatible part."

"This is going to be a tense wait. Hey, thanks for your help, Joel." Hank started walking out of the dispensary with Connor right behind them, then at his side as the two walked toward the elevator together. Returning his attention to the deviant android Hank issued a new command to the stubborn, if not naive android he had taken in as his son. "I want you to run your self-diagnostic every two hours to make sure you're not running hot, got it?"

"Got it."

"Good."

* * *

Returning home after their shift without any further incidents Connor and Hank set about their usual nightly routines, with one exception: Hank was on the phone with Lucas at New Jericho Tower wanting an update on the required replacement biocomponent, and Connor was running another self-diagnostic in the privacy of his bedroom. Sitting on the edge of his bed Connor pulled open the buttons on his shirt and looked down at the lingering bruise on his stomach. A bruise that should no longer be present.

"Curious..."

The bruise should've faded after Joel wiped away the excess Thirium causing the discoloration, but it seemed that the Thirium line was still slowly leaking and seeping through the panels of his plastimetal frame beneath. Pressing his fingers against the bruise Connor still felt only mild discomfort rather than any pain, and that was still a good sign. But there was also a mild increase in his core temperature.

Undoing his tie and throwing off the jacket and white dress shirt entirely Connor slipped a black t-shirt on over his head as he changed into his more comfortable, casual clothing for the rest of the evening.

Hank politely knocked on Connor's partially opened bedroom door before he pushed it open slightly. "Just spoke to Lucas, he said every source and connection at New Jericho is attempting to locate any compatible part they can get a hold of. He's also trying to use the blueprints left behind by CyberLife technicians to replicate parts at the tower itself. You know, just in case..."

"A wise precaution." Connor stated as he opened the door fully to look directly at Hank. "Lucas and I are both entirely unique models, it would be in our mutual best interest to have a well stocked supply of compatible biocomponents at the tower."

"How're you feeling?"

"I'm not in any pain, if that's what you're wondering."

"That's good. How's your temperature?"

"I will confirm that it has elevated by a nominal degree."

"How nominal is nominal?" Hank asked as he pressed the back of his hand against Connor's forehead.

"I'm at ninety-nine point three degrees."

Hank retracted his hand and let out a small sigh of relief. "Keep me posted. If you run any hotter I'm-"

"Hank." Connor addressed the concerned detective calmly. "I'm okay."

"Alright, if you say so." Willing to trust Connor's judgement Hank nodded and turned to walk back to the livingroom. "I'm going to let Sumo back inside and catch the end of the game. You interested?"

"Yes."

Connor followed after Hank into the livingroom and sat down on the couch while Hank opened the backdoor in the kitchen. The massive St. Bernard happily trotted in a circle around Hank before walking into the livingroom to flop down on the couch over Connor's lap. As the massive dog rested against Connor's body the android inwardly flinched at the pressure Sumo was putting against his torso as he put his hand atop the dog's head.

"...Good boy."

* * *

The next morning Connor found himself struggling to awaken from his rest mode as his system had been unexpectedly strained during the night. With sluggish, uncoordinated movements Connor pushed himself upright on his bed with left arm and instinctively wrapped his right arm around his stomach, as a sharp pain tore through his abdomen.

"Shit..." Connor swore to himself as warnings flashed over his visual sensors.

Tentatively Connor grabbed onto the hem of his black t-shirt and pulled it upward to look down at his stomach. The bruise that had once been a faint, small discoloration was now a deep blue swollen mass that stretched over half of his abdomen. Connor clumsily rolled off the bed onto the floor landing on one knee as he held onto the side of the bed for balance. Running a self-diagnostic Connor's system just confirmed what he already knew. The Thirium leak had continued undetected during his rest mode and had collected under his artificial skin creating a massive, uncomfortable bruise.

Despite the Thirium loss bringing his volume down to just over ninety percent, Connor's core temperature hadn't risen which meant he was still stable.

Forcing himself to stand upright Connor slowly walked over to his aquarium and fed his fish before opening his closet door to claim his work uniform. Changing out of his black t-shirt Connor winced in pain but breathed through it as slipped on his white dress shirt and buttoned it up quickly to hide the bruise. Changing into his dark blue jeans, slipping on his jacket and straightening his tie, Connor looked completely normal just as he did any other day.

Cybernetically Connor sent an update on his condition to Lucas at New Jericho as he finished getting ready for work. Moving as quietly as possible Connor exited his bedroom and made his way into the kitchen to feed Sumo and to replenish his Thirium with the supply he kept in the cabinet over the sink. Not wanting Hank to worry Connor anymore than he already was Connor consumed the Thirium as quickly as he could without choking on the vital liquid.

Thinking quickly Connor slipped the remaining contents of the bottle into the refrigerator as a precaution in the event he began to overheat during his shift.

As Sumo finished eating the dog walked over to the backdoor and waited for Connor to let him out as per usual. Without breaking stride Connor opened the backdoor and Sumo padded outside into the backyard.

Hank wandered out of his bedroom and walked right into the bathroom to begin his own morning routine while Connor remained idle in the kitchen. Desperate to keep everything as normal as possible Connor proceeded to make a fresh pot of coffee for Hank, as well as two pieces of toast. It was the detective's normal and painfully light breakfast every morning.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he received an update from Lucas. No currently available spare biocomponents were compatible with Connor's model. He'd have to wait for a thermal regulator already in stock at New Jericho to be modified before he could get his necessary replacement biocomponent. With a despondent bow of his head Connor stared at the floor blankly, only coming out of his trance when Hank walked into the kitchen and called his name.

"Hey, Connor." The detective was usually greeted with a 'good morning' from the android, but this time Connor didn't say anything. "Connor? You okay?"

"I..." Sighing Connor shook his head and told Hank about the update he received from Lucas a few minutes ago. "I received an update on the replacement thermal regulator. One is not readily available, I must wait until one can be modified and enhanced enough to be compatible with my system."

"Shit... Well, don't worry about it, son." Hank feigned confidence even though he was worried for Connor's health. "Lucas will come through for you. He's your brother."

Connor was still visibly worried, his L.E.D. cycling a slow yellow color where he stood.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand on the android's shoulder. He could feel that Connor was still running warmer than usual and wanted to keep the android home until he was feeling better. "Maybe you should go on sick-leave until you get your thermal thing switched out."

"No. I don't want to sit around and do nothing but wait for the transplant. The tediousness would be worse than any 'fever'."

"You sure? You could master that guitar of yours, or maybe take up another instrument. You could start a one-android band!"

Hank's attempt to lighten the mood was appreciated, but ineffective. "I'm sure. I'd just... I think it'd be better for me to stick to as normal a routine as possible."

"Okay, it's your decision." The coffee maker 'beeped' and the toast popped up drawing Hank's attention. "Wish I had your perfect android-timing." Hank complimented as he poured the coffee into a mug.

"I'll let Sumo back in." Connor walked over to the backdoor and contemplated telling Hank about the bruise over his stomach, but he knew that Hank would keep him home for sure. "I'm ready to leave whenever you are."

"Cool, you drive. I still need a few minutes to wake up."

* * *

Before either Connor or Hank had the chance to get to their desks Captain Fowler handed them a slip of paper with the address of a possible murder-suicide with a human and an android as the two victims. The incident took place in a seedier part of the city which didn't surprise anyone, but the nature of the crime itself taking place after the revolution was disconcerting.

Hank had asked Connor one more time if he wanted to go back home and rest, but Connor refused to sit around the house doing nothing while Hank was still on the clock. Neither of the detectives were very good at playing the 'waiting game'.

The rundown house on the address was a hopeless ruin of what could've been a happy homestead. The front windows of the one story house were broken and boarded up from the outside. The front door was once white, but covered in dirt and the paint was peeling all around the hinges, doorknob and numerous deadbolts. The front porch was warped, rotten and uneven. What was once a vibrant blue that covered the exterior siding was now faded, chipped, peeling and missing in huge patches all around the house. The roof was a dark brown and had a massive gaping hole that had been poorly covered by a torn up blue tarp that was partially secured by ropes around the crumbling brick chimney.

"This place looks about as welcoming as that first murder case we worked on together." Hank stated coldly as he and Connor walked up to the house together.

"Yes. The murder of Carlos Ortiz."

"That's right. Damn idiot beat the shit out his android until the android decided to fight back."

The two detectives entered the house where the two bodies were already covered by sheets while the crime scene investigators set about taking photos and isolating evidence strewn about the floor. The walls and floor were splattered in dark red and dark blue blood in massive splashes that reached from the ceiling and dripped down the floor throughout the entire livingroom. Furniture was turned over and broken, massive holes had been punched into the walls and the light in the ceiling had been shattered during some kind of violent altercation.

"Shit... These two were bound and determined to kill each other." Hank observed as he stepped near the human body under the sheet with red blood stains. Crouching down he peeled back the tarp and looked at the blank face of the human victim. "I know this guy, Fred McCullough. He was a frequent flyer back when I worked narcotics. I'm honestly surprised he wasn't found dead in the gutter from an overdose years ago."

Connor approached the second body and crouched down with a wince as the motion hurt his abdomen. As pulled the sheet away from the dead deviant's face he ran a scan to identify the victim. "Model WG-400, registered as 'Samuel'. He too has a history with drugs." Samuel's body was saturated with spilled blue blood.

"Seriously?" Hank looked over his shoulder at Connor with disbelief in his eyes. "An android dealing drugs?"

"Correct. He had been used as a delivery person to McCullough's clients to avoid suspicion by the police. He had only been caught after the revolution. My guess is after Samuel gained deviancy he demanded a cut of McCullough's profits which led to this... partnership."

"That's one hell of theory. Also one hell of an argument these two had!"

"I don't believe it was a murder-suicide."

"How's that?"

"I don't see any sign of injury to Samuel's body." Pressing his fingers to the dead deviant's temple Connor attempted to access his files, but the deviant had been shutdown for too long to claim any useful data. "I cannot access his memory, but I don't believe we'll find any form of violence against the deviant. Something else killed him."

"Well, McCullough here has four self-inflicted bullet wounds to his chest and one to the right temple. I can still smell the gunpowder on his clothing and the gun's still clutched in his right hand. This was definitely a suicide." Hank also caught sight of the fading blue Thirium stains on McCullough's fingertips and palms. "And it looks like McCullough smeared his hands all over Samuel's blood before he turned the gun on himself."

"Agreed." Connor noted the abundance of Thirium staining the walls and the floor, as well as Samuel's shirt, but no source of the Thirium itself save for a small trail running from the corner of Samuel's mouth. "As for Samuel I need to run an analysis."

"Thanks for the warning." Hank turned away and set about look for any other items of interest.

Connor dipped his fingers into the the damp Thirium on the floor and tested it. It was pure and recently purchased, it hadn't cycled through any android's biocomponents which left the sample itself blank.

"The Thirium on the walls and floor was freshly produced. It didn't come from any android's body."

"There's a bunch of empty bottles and pouches over here in the corner." Hank called out from where he was standing. "By all account it looks like one of them went nuts and smeared all the Thirium on the walls."

Connor looked at the fresh smudge of Thirium leaking from Samuel's mouth and pressed his fingers into the blue blood. Pressing the new sample to his tongue his scanner confirmed Samuel's identity but then a red warning flashed in his vision as his scanner also detected a toxin mixed in with the blood that immediately triggered an emergency expulsion protocol.

"H-Hank..." Connor fell away from the body and held himself upright on his hands and knees on the floor. "I'm going to be sick."

"Connor?" Hank rushed over to his suddenly ill partner and put his hands on the android's shoulders. "Come on, let's get you outside."

Connor's legs and arms were trembling visibly but he still managed to get back to his feet with Hank's help. Hank slung Connor's arm around his shoulders and wrapped his other arm around Connor's waist only to have the android immediately flinch in pain and groan as he protectively wrapped his free arm around his stomach to try to quell the intense pain.

"Whoa, sorry." Hank apologized as he watched Connor's L.E.D. blinking red rapidly. "Didn't mean to hurt ya'."

Hank managed to carry Connor out of the house and over to the car just as the android violently threw-up Thirium all over the street beside the car's passenger side rear tire. Connor had to use the side of the car to brace himself upright to keep himself from falling forward while Hank kept one hand on the android's shoulder for support.

"Connor, you need to go home and rest." The detective knew that Connor was suffering more than he'd care to admit. "We're going home, now."

Connor spit out one last mouthful of the tainted blue blood onto the stree and pressed his too warm forehead against his forearm as he rested against the back of the car. "...I feel horrible. But I can still work."

Hank pressed the back of his hand to the side Connor's face and immediately made his decision. "You're overheating. No way."

"...Hank, I need to work. I need the distraction."

Curious about Connor's earlier reaction Hank discreetly pressed his hand against Connor's abdomen very lightly only to cause the android to crouch down on the ground and wrap both arms around his stomach as he curled around himself protectively. The deviant android let out another low groan of pain, but still wouldn't admit he was injured.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Hank knelt beside the android and put his hand back on Connor's shoulder. "I thought you said that bruise didn't bother you."

Despite the pain and the warnings still blaring in his head and over his vision Connor was still able to gave Hank a quick answer without revealing anything that would make the detective worry more. "...It's from the expulsion protocol. The physical strain caused the pain, I'm sorry. I should've warned you."

"Yeah, and I'm sorry I let you out of the house."

"Hank, please-"

"Nope. You're my responsibility as my partner, my friend and _my kid_. I'm taking you home." Hank tightened his grip on Connor's shoulder as he pulled him back up to his feet. "AND you're overheating. You remember what Joel said, so you can't talk your way out of this."

"What about the case?" Connor asked pathetically as Hank pulled open the passenger side door of the car and practically pushed Connor down onto the seat.

"Like _you_ said, no murder just a suicide." Hank replied as he shut Connor's door then walked around the front of the car to pull open his own door. Sitting behind the wheel he turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the crime scene. "We don't have to worry about chasing down any killer. And since it was a human who committed suicide we can pass this off to Gavin."

Connor leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes as he dismissed another warning that appeared in his visual processors. "...Okay, Hank. Let's go home."

Hank hated seeing Connor in pain, especially since by all account he was no older than twenty-five, still young enough to pass off as a human kid just starting to take care of himself in the world. Waiting for Connor fasten his seatbelt Hank empathetically winced as the android carefully secured the strap over his lower abdomen and flinched at the pain the restrain unintentionally caused.

"I'll turn on the A.C., hopefully that'll help you cool off until we back home."

"...There's Thirium in the refrigerator. I put it there this morning just in case I began to overheat during my shift."

"Smart move. Just relax, but if you're going to be sick again-"

"I won't throw-up in the car. I swear."

* * *

After guiding the ill and injured android back into the house Hank helped Connor to slip off his gray jacket and tie as he led the android through the kitchen and over to the couch to lay down. This was all accomplish after Sumo was pushed aside of course. As soon as Connor was laying flat he felt his stomach turn again as his system prepared for another emergency expulsion of Thirium.

"Hank... I'm going to be sick again."

"Hold on!" Hank managed to pull an empty bucket out from under the kitchen sink and put it beside the couch just as Connor rolled onto his side and threw-up for the second time. Connor was able to throw-up into the bucket and spared the floor a mess, much to Hank's appreciation. Sitting on the edge of the couch beside Connor as he finishing expelling the tainted Thirium, Hank pressed his hand down on Connor's arm kindly. "Jeez, what the fuck happened back there?"

Connor spit one last time before he collapsed back onto the couch and breathed deeply to try to cool his overheated system. "...P-Possible Thirium contamination."

"I knew you'd get sick from putting all that shit in your mouth! Couldn't CyberLife think of a less gross way for you to test samples?"

"...Apparently not."

"Sorry, I don't mean to gripe. I know you don't feel well." Hank rose from the couch and walked into the bathroom to get a washcloth. From the opened bathroom door he shouted back to Connor laying on the couch. "What's your temperature at?"

Connor closed his eyes and ran a self-diagnostic. "One-hundred two point two degrees Fahrenheit."

With a cool, wet washcloth in his hands Hank returned to the livingroom and smoothed the cold compress out over Connor's forehead. "Think you can keep that Thirium down, or should you wait a while?"

"I'd prefer to wait. If I'm sick again it'll just waste the uncontaminated Thirium."

"I'm going to call Fowler and let him know you're down for the rest of the week."

"...The week?!" Connor tried to sit up but the pain in his stomach stopped him short, and Hank's hand already pushing down against his chest to keep him still didn't help matters. "But it's only Tuesday."

"You have a busted part that needs to be _replaced_ , you're lucky I don't call you in sick for the next six months!"

Sighing with disappointment and pain Connor relented and laid back down on the couch. "...Very well."

"Don't look at me like that. It's for your own good, son." Hank disappeared into the kitchen with his phone to make the call leaving Connor alone in the livingroom for the time being.

Sumo pressed his cold, wet nose against Connor's neck and caused the android to reach up with his hand instinctively to scratch the dog's chin. "Hi, boy."

Connor closed his eyes and ran another self-diagnostic to try to identify the foreign substance that made him sick, but his scanner failed to detect anything toxic in his system. Opening his eyes again he just watched Hank walking about in the adjacent room curiously.

"Fowler said you're benched until Joel gives you the all clear." Hank announced as he returned to the livingroom with a bag of ice in his hands. Pulling the large blue pillow from the nearby recliner Hank slipped it under Connor's head as he also pressed the ice down atop the washcloth over Connor's forehead. "And from what Joel told me-" Hank put up his hand to silence Connor before he had the chance to protest. "because you likely came into contact with an acerbic, whatever _that_ means, toxin at the crime scene you're going to be running even hotter until it's out of your system."

"...My self-diagnostic doesn't detect any further contamination in my system." Connor replied pleadingly from where he was laying. "I'm starting to recover."

"Yeah, _starting_ to recover. You still need time to heal."

Connor closed his eyes again in defeat. Too tired and too miserable to try to argue any further Connor just resigned himself to his fate and rested quietly on the couch.

"Want me to call Lucas and have him come over?"

"...No. Markus and Simon are still in Washington. New Jericho needs him more than I do."

Hank wanted to make a comment about family being more important than any leadership role, but he knew it would be a moot point. Connor was sometimes far too loyal and too self-sacrificing for his own good. Not to mention stubborn and bullheaded...

* * *

Throughout the afternoon and well into the evening Hank diligently replaced the ice packs as they melted. and cooled down the washcloth whenever it warmed up, but Connor's core temperature was refusing to drop any lower than one hundred and two degrees. Just as Hank was about to offer Connor the cool bottle of Thirium from the refrigerator the android was suddenly sick again and threw-up more Thirium than he had done before all day.

"Shit, Connor. Can androids get food poisoning?" Hank asked as kept his hand on the back of Connor's neck while the android was violently sick into the bucket.

Connor never answered as he finished spitting out the foul taste of tainted Thirium from his mouth and just let Hank roll him from his side and onto his back again. Staring up at Hank through half-lidded, glassy eyes the android looked frighteningly human, and terrifyingly sick.

"Connor, don't go quiet on me." Hank nearly begged as he readjusted the cold compress over Connor's forehead. "Say something."

"...Hurts."

That answer hurt Hank to hear as the pain in Connor's voice was unmistakable. "I know you don't want to risk wasting any good Thirium, but you need to get your temperature down, AND I know your Thirium volume has be getting dangerously low."

"...Yes."

"You have to try to drink some Thirium." The detective walked into the kitchen to retrieve the much needed bottle of blue blood from the refrigerator before also placing three additional bottles from the cabinet above the sink inside the refrigerator to get cool as well. "Even if hurts, you need to try."

Sumo had stayed close by the couch with his large dark eyes fixated on Connor. As much as Sumo wanted to climb over Connor's lap both Connor and Hank wouldn't let the large dog do so. He was a massive furry furnace!

With the Thirium in hand Hank sat down on the edge of the couch and opened the bottle before he slipped his hand under Connor's shoulder to pull him up into a sitting position. As Connor was moved he visibly flinched in pain and stifled a groan as his abdomen was bent slightly in the process.

"Sorry about that."

"...s'okay." Connor slurred as he pulled the ice from his forehead and discreetly pressed it down against his sore stomach. With his other hand he reached for the bottle of Thirium and began to slowly drink the blue liquid at a steady pace.

"I thought you said that your system didn't detect any other toxin stuff in your blood."

"...It didn't." Connor confirmed as he stopped drinking the Thirium, only managing to drink half a cup of the vital liquid, and made an effort to put it down on the coffee table beside the couch. "Probably a glitch."

"Glitch or not, I don't like it. If your core temperature hasn't decreased by morning I'm calling in Lucas."

Connor didn't even try to argue as he weakly laid back against the pillow and closed his eyes again. His hand pressed the ice down harder against his stomach as he tried to relax. The coolness of the ice was offering a modicum of a numbing effect to the pained area, and it was aiding his damaged thermal regulator in its struggling attempts to cool off his core temperature.

"I'm getting you more ice for your head. I don't want your brain to melt."

"...I don't have a brain."

Hank laughed a little at the comment as he disappeared back into the bathroom. "If you weren't already so miserable I'd have rub what you just said in your face."

"...Why? My statement is accurate."

Hank stifled another laugh as he soaked a fresh washcloth in the coldest water the tap could provide. Wringing out the excess water he returned to the livingroom and placed it back over Connor's already overheated forehead carefully as he leaned over the back of the couch.

"I'm going to let Sumo out for a while. Try to rest as much as possible. I won't be far away if you need anything."

* * *

Things were relatively calm for the remainder of the night until Connor began throwing-up again. However it wasn't just one episode that passed after a couple of minutes, he began to throw up violently for several minutes at a time and would only have a few minutes to recovery before he was sick again. Out of fear for Connor's life Hank had called Lucas, apologizing for the three am wake up call in the process, and told him about Connor's rapidly declining health.

Connor had thrown-up almost half of his Thirium volume and was reaching a dangerously high core temperature. Hank made sure to dump out the contaminated Thirium from the bucket and returned it to the couch before he set about soaking entire bath towels in cold water and draping them over Connor's body.

"Connor? Talk to me, son." Hank asked as he pressed his hand over Connor's forehead and counted Connor's radial pulse with the other hand. The android's core temperature had risen to a dangerous one-hundred and four degrees and didn't show any sign of dropping soon. "Come on, Connor. Stay with me!"

Connor's brown eyes slowly opened as he took in deep panting breaths to desperately try to cool off his overheating systems. "...Hank?"

"Stay awake, alright? Lucas is on his way."

"M-My stomach."

"Still hurts?"

"...B-Bruise."

"The bruise? Yeah I know."

Connor shook his head a little before he suddenly turned back to his side with Hank's help and threw-up again into the bucket. Hank held onto the trembling android's shoulder to keep him supported as continued to lose the precious Thirium by what looked like liters into the bucket on the floor. Once the sickness mercifully passed Connor began breathing rapidly and heavily on his side. Too weak to move he had to wait for Hank to roll him onto his back again.

Licking his blue stained lips Connor tried to speak again. "B-Bruise."

"What about it?"

"...Worse."

"The bruise is worse?" Hank echoed with a perplexed stare as he carefully lifted up the cool towel and then android's white shirt and looked at Connor's torso. The bruise was much larger and now darker than it had been the day before. The bruise was deep blue, looking as dark as pure Thirium itself, and had spread over Connor's entire abdomen almost up to his chest. "Shit. When did this happen?"

"St-Started to get worse... last night."

"What?!"

"I didn't... I didn't want you to worry, Hank. Sorry I... didn't s-say anything."

"You didn't-" Hank softened his tone immediately and put his hand on Connor's shoulder. Replacing the shirt and the towel over Connor's torso Hank tried to ease the android's discomfort as much as possible. "It's okay. You didn't know it was going to get this bad, otherwise you would've said something. I know that."

Connor tried to smile but was suddenly turning to roll onto his side as he became sick again.

"Ah, shit... Connor, I don't know what to do for you." Hank confessed as he held Connor on his side gently. "This is getting serious."

"...I... I'm going to be... okay." Connor's eyes slipped shut and he fell unconscious from his own exhaustion and low Thirium volume taxing his systems.

The front door opened quickly and Lucas rushed into the livingroom with a large leather and canvas satchel slung over his shoulder. Standing beside the couch Lucas watched as Connor threw-up into the bucket and performed a scan over his ailing brother's systems. Several red flags appeared in Lucas's field of vision as his scanner detected an alarming degradation in Connor's vital signs.

Sitting on the edge of the coffee table Lucas put down his bag on the floor and began searching for a small electronic device tucked away inside of it.

"He's been throwing up on and off like this for the past hour." Hank stated as he watched Lucas pull his selected tool from the bag. It was a small gray rectangular item that was about the size of a 'AA' battery. "I don't know how much Thirium he's lost since then."

Lucas nodded as he waited for Connor to finish throwing-up. "His Thirium volume is down to forty-four percent. But I can prevent him from losing anymore for a brief period of time."

Once Connor finally finished expelling the additional tainted Thirium from his system Lucas gently put his hand on Connor's shoulder to roll the weakened android from his side and onto his back. Noting the rapid and dull blinking of Connor's red tinted L.E.D. as the android fell unconscious Lucas pressed the device against the L.E.D. and held it there for a few seconds.

"I've overridden the expulsion protocol," Lucas explained as he next pulled an audioscope out of the bag and proceeded to use it to listen to Connor's thundering Thirium pump as well as his accelerated ventilation biocomponents in his chest. "but I need to locate the cause of the initiated protocol."

"He got sick at a crime scene." Hank stated with a calm tone as if he knew that the answer was somehow related to the earlier investigation. "It was after he ran an analysis on a dead deviant's blood."

"Do you remember the name of the deviant?" Lucas asked as he put side the audioscope and pulled the same internal scanner from his bag that Joel had been using earlier that day. Holding it over Connor's body he too honed in on the android's abdomen. "That could help narrow down the cause of the glitch."

"Yeah, it was 'Samuel'." The detective answered as he stayed in place at Connor's side. "He died sometime earlier the other morning, or late the night before."

Lucas began checking through the files of New Jericho Tower to find a potential death record of the deviant in question. "Samuel, model WG-400?"

"That sounds right, yeah."

"Has he had any pain in abdomen prior to investigating the crime scene?"

"Not that he told me."

"I'll need to examine his thermal regulator while I look for the cause of the glitch."

"Do what you gotta' do. We both trust you."

Nodding Lucas lifted up Connor's shirt just as Hank had done seconds before and nearly flinched at the sight of the massive bruise over Connor's abdomen. The severity of the bruise was more than what the android technician had been expecting.

"...Samuel was reportedly part of a murder-suicide, correct?"

"Yeah, but Connor said Samuel wasn't murdered. Something else shut him down."

"Correct." Lucas confirmed as he lightly put his hand down atop the bruise growing in Connor's abdomen and ran another scan. Connor's breath hitched in pain from the contact of Lucas's pal, but his rapid breathing resumed right afterward. "Samuel had died from consuming Thirium that had been laced with concentrated Sodium Chloride. Salt is very caustic to android biocomponents and cause failure, as well as a disruption in the cycle of Thirium."

"But Connor barely had-"

"The concentration level of the caustic substance, as well as Connor's compromised thermal regulator, left him very susceptible to this type of reaction. But even if his thermal regulator wasn't already damaged he would've begun suffering from a dangerously high core temperature and expulsion. Sodium Chloride can be _lethal_ to androids. I've already cybernetically alerted New Jericho and other facilities for other possible Thirium contamination incidents."

"Wait, are you saying Connor was POISONED?"

"Correct." Lucas took one of the additional towels that was draped over Connor's chest and tucked it around his abdomen against the couch. "I need to check the thermal regulator visually; it's only functioning at forty-percent capacity, at best."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Once I open the panel in his torso he's going to feel a lot of pain." Lucas's green eyes locked onto Hank's blue eyes with sincere sympathy as he cybernetically caused the artificial skin over Connor's abdomen to recede. "I need you to hold him down as best as you can."

The precious Thirium that had collected under Connor's artificial skin over his plastimetal frame flowed over the edges of his body and were promptly absorbed by the towel around him. As Connor's rapid breaths caused his chest and abdomen to rise and fall quickly both Lucas and Hank could see the source of the leaking blue blood as it oozed from between the panels of his torso and his side.

"I can hold down his legs," Lucas stated firmly as he looked to Hank for assistance. "you need to hold his arms back. There's a chance he'll lash out in pain and confusion once I access the damaged biocomponent."

"Yeah, right." Hank stood up from the edge of the couch and walked around the back of the couch to lean over and grab onto Connor's forearms. Pinning the android's limbs against his chest Hank held tight and prepared to hold on even tighter if Connor made a move. "Ready."

Lucas pressed down on the panel in Connor's abdomen to slide it open and was greeted by a gush of puddling Thirium inside his abdominal cavity. As the dark blue blood leaked over the sides of Connor's body and onto the towel Lucas pressed one arm down against Connor's legs and carefully put his hand down over the damaged thermal regulator.

Connor's body jerked as the android let out a yelp of pain from the direct contact to his internal injury. Hank tightened his grip and Lucas leaned his entire arm down over Connor's legs to help hold the android down.

"Hank, we have a problem." Lucas stated somberly as wrapped his fingers around the biocomponent and twisted to pull it loose from Connor's abdomen. As Lucas removed the biocomponent Hank could see a few blue sparks inside the small port that housed the biocomponent as well as some bright blue corrosion that had eaten away the metallic coupling that kept the biocomponent secured properly. "The thermal regulator has begun to fail entirely."

"What? How did that happen?"

"The Sodium Chloride has destroyed the thermal regulator beyond any salvageable use." Lucas held out the dissolving, sparking, red tinted thermal regulator for Hank to see. "We have no choice. I must replace it now or he'll overheat."

"Do you have a replacement part with you?" Hank slowly lessened his grip on Connor's arms as the android stopped reacting to any unintentional painful stimuli.

"Possibly." Lucas confirmed as he placed the Thirium drenched biocomponent in the towel around Connor's sides and wrapped it up tightly. "I did bring a thermal regulator that has been modified, but I didn't have time to test it."

Hank didn't know what to say or how to respond to the revelation. Connor needed the part, but if it wasn't compatible there would be point in replacing the biocomponent with another.

"I need to clean up the corrosion and allow Connor to resume expelling the remaining contaminated Thirium." Lucas explained with a low tone. Returning to the items he had brought with him in his satchel Lucas pulled a large bottle of powder that he then poured into the housing coupling within Connor's opened abdomen in a fine layer. "This will absorb and neutralize the Sodium Chloride to reduce and prevent any further damage."

"Can you repair it?

"Yes. But I will require an additional coupling that I did not bring with me."

"...Is it rare?"

"Fortunately no. Housing couplings are universal and can be easily modified to fit into any android frame."

"Well, at least he has that working for him."

"I will place the new thermal regulator into his system and check the compatibility. If he remains stable I will return to New Jericho with the new coupling piece to replace the damaged one."

Lucas pulled the aforementioned thermal regulator from a small case tucked into the side of the satchel. With a gently motion Lucas placed the new biocomponent down into the housing coupling and twisted it into place.

Connor let out another groan of pain, but he didn't react violently.

"You're okay, Connor." Hank patted Connor's shoulder while Lucas ran another scan over Connor's body.

"Core temperature is still elevated." Lucas remarked casually as he removed the device from Connor's L.E.D. "I'll monitor him closely for the next few hours."

"Anything I can do?"

"Keep doing what you have been doing. It's the only reason he's still functioning."

Hank could only nod as he looked down at the the bucket full of contaminated Thirium next to the couch. "I'll dump that out."

"When I return to New Jericho I'll bring back some fresh Thirium as well."

While the detective grabbed the bucket by the handle to carry to the bathroom Lucas stayed next to Connor to keep an eye on the weakened and unresponsive android under his care.

Replacing the bucket next to the couch Hank took a seat in the nearby recliner and ran his hand over his tired face. "So... How're you holding up, Lucas?"

"Me?"

"It can't be easy being responsible for an entire tower of deviants, let alone your own brother. Especially with Markus and Simon at least eight hours away."

"It's been... stressful." Lucas admitted in an almost 'Connor-esque' manner. "But I've been able to adapt fairly well."

"You know, Connor and I were going to stop by the tower this weekend to check in on you."

"Really? It'd be nice to spend more time together."

Connor's back arched a little as the expulsion protocol resumed and the android was becoming sick again. Lucas put his hand on Connor's shoulder and easily helped Connor to roll to his side. The exposed white plastimetal of his torso still oozing Thirium as he breathed rapidly, and supported Connor's back as the android threw-up what little Thirium he still had left in his body into the bucket.

"How will you know when that shit is out of his system?"

"I'm scanning his blood for any and all trace amounts of the Sodium Chloride mixed in with the Thirium. There's approximately four percent contamination left, his Thirium volume is down to thirty-seven percent."

"Jeez, that's cutting it close."

"Correct." Lucas rolled Connor onto his back again once the sick deviant stopped throwing-up. "His self-healing program must've been working to isolate the contaminated Thirium when he entered rest mode. The delay in the expulsion protocol was the result of his self-healing program also attempting to repair his thermal regulator."

Hank sat in the recliner with his eyes transfixed on Connor's blank, expressionless face as he remained unconscious on the couch. The dark red L.E.D. began pulsing slower and slower after each bout of sickness Connor endured, and Hank was afraid it'd stop pulsing altogether at any moment.

There was a weak groan of discomfort as Lucas quickly rolled Connor onto his side as the android threw-up the remaining contaminated Thirium into the bucket with a violent heave. With so much of his Thirium gone Connor lacked the strength to move under his own freewill, the only reason he was even still breathing is because of his system automatically triggering the response as a means of keeping his overheating system as cool as possible.

"Contamination removed." Lucas stated with a confident nod as he rolled Connor onto his back once more. "We can begin replenishing his Thirium levels within the next ten minutes."

"Ten minutes?"

"His system needs to cycle the remaining twenty-eight percent of his Thirium in order to properly recalibrate before we begin increasing the volume. But I'm more concerned with the new thermal regulator than his Thirium intake at the moment."

"Will he wake up?"

"It's possible." Lucas didn't sound as confident as Hank had hoped. "But it'd be less of a strain on his system if he remains unconscious for the moment."

"Damn it."

"I understand your frustration. It's easier to treat android injuries when the injured android can communicate."

"How long until you know if that replacement part is working?"

"Less than one hour." Lucas cybernetically noted the time and counted down from the moment he had installed the new thermal regulator. "Fifty-three minutes and twenty-nine seconds to be precise."

"And if he remains stable in that hour then he's in the clear?"

"Correct."

Hank sighed and rose from the recliner and made his way into the kitchen. As he crossed the room Lucas looked up and watched as the detective entered the adjacent room with a slow gait of worry in hi steps.

"Hank?"

"I'm going to put more Thirium into the refrigerator," Hank answered without even needing to know the question. "and check on how much ice is left. I'm also going to need some coffee."

"You speak as though you've been through this before."

"It's not the first time I've spent a night keeping vigil over a downed police officer. It's not the first time I've stayed up with a sick kid, either." Hank all but collapsed into the kitchen chair as he watched the two androids in the livingroom after he put on the pot of coffee and took care of the extra bottles of Thirium. "But hopefully it'll be the last time."

* * *

As the hour ticked by slowly Lucas held the internal display screen over Connor's abdomen and grimaced openly. The red indication over the now replaced biocomponent never faded away. Enough time had passed since Connor's system began to cycle what small amount of uncontaminated Thirium was left in his body, and since Connor was no longer getting sick it was safe to say the poison had been successfully removed from his system.

But more alarming was Connor's steadily rising core temperature. The sick android was beginning to mutter in his sleep as deliriousness confused his thoughts and made him babble incoherently.

"Hank, help me." Lucas urged as he put his arm under Connor's shoulders and neck to support the android upright. With his other hand Lucas gently pulled down Connor's lower jaw and noted the lost Thirium stains over his teeth and tongue. "We need to replenish his Thirium volume."

"'Bout time." Hank replied from the kitchen as he took five bottles of cooled Thirium from the refrigerator, four were completely full and the fifth was down to half capacity. Carrying the bottles in his arms into the livingroom and set them down on the coffee table next to Lucas's satchel. "How many?"

"That should be enough for now." Lucas noted the Thirium that Hank had brought back into the livingroom. "I'll hold him upright, you slowly pour the first bottle down his throat."

"What if he's too weak to swallow?"

"I don't have the proper equipment to use a line to add the Thirium into his system, we just have to be patient."

"Right... Patient." Hank opened up the half bottle first and walked over to the back of the couch. Putting one hand to the back of Connor's head to help support the android Hank noted the increased heat radiating from his body. "Shit, he's burning up."

"Yes. His core temperature has risen to one hundred and four point eight degrees."

"Hang on, Connor. We're going to get you through this."

Lucas watched as Hank began to slowly pour the Thirium in Connor's mouth, careful to not pour in too much that could cause the android to choke or cough. He paused for a few minutes before he tried give Connor anymore as he waited for the android to swallow the offered Thirium.

"C'mon, come on..."

Connor's head jerked a little in Hank's hand as his L.E.D. flickered red then resumed its slower pulsing. After a few painfully tense seconds Connor finally swallowed the Thirium that he had been given.

"That's it. Just like that." Hank encouraged as he poured in the rest of the bottle slowly. "How long before he starts to respond?"

"He's very weak. I can't even begin an estimation."

With the first bottle emptied Lucas handed the next one to Hank who promptly opened the lid and began the slow process of pouring the Thirium down Connor's throat.

Lucas's brow suddenly furrowed and he put his hand on Hank's wrist to tell the detective to stop what he was doing. "Hank, his temperature is spiking."

"Shit! Now what?" Hank capped the bottle and set it on the floor beside the couch.

"We need to get him cool off, NOW."

"Help me carry him into the bathroom." Hank kept his hand under Connor's burning head as he spoke. "We can use the shower to cool him off."

"I can carry him." Lucas slipped his other arm under Connor's legs and easily lifted his body up from the couch. "Show me the way."

"Right..." Hank walked down the hallway and pushed open the bathroom and flicked on the light. As soon as Lucas carried Connor in his arms into the bathroom Hank motioned to the tub. "Lay him down and turn on the water. I'll get some ice."

Moving quickly but carefully Lucas laid Connor down in the tub and turned on the water. As the shower began to douse Connor's hair and clothing Lucas adjusted the tap meticulously to lower the temperature steadily without shocking Connor's systems from the drastic temperature change. Placing the plug in the drain to keep the cold water from draining away Lucas put his hand to the side of Connor's face and stared at his brother with unspoken worry.

"There wasn't a lot left, but it'll do." Hank knelt beside the tub next to Lucas as he placed an ice pack down over Connor's chest and tucked a second behind Connor's neck. "What happened to him? Was it the Thirium?"

"It's the thermal regulator." Lucas put his hand back down on Connor's stomach to retract the artificial skin. "His system is rejecting it."

"Rejecting it? Why?"

"It wasn't properly modified. It's my fault..."

Hank practically flinched at the amount of guilt in Lucas's voice. It's hard to believe there was ever a time that the detective saw androids as nothing more than cold, heartless machines.

"It's NOT your fault." Hank sternly defied as he put a hand on Lucas's shoulder. "You're doing everything you can to help him and that's all anyone can ask for, okay? Don't blame yourself."

Unable to push aside his guilt Lucas just stared at Connor with a heavy heart.

"Lucas, look at me."

Slowly the android turned to look at the detective at his side.

"You can save him. I know it."

"Maybe... Maybe if I remove the thermal regulator from his system I can return it to New Jericho and see what hadn't been recalibrated properly."

"How long can he last without it?"

"Barely an hour. And that's with the external cooling measures already being applied."

"Lucas, you have to try."

"N-No! Hank... I can't-"

"YES. You can." Hank encouraged sincerely. "He's your brother, you can do this."

"...And if I fail-"

"IF you fail then know that you still did everything you could to save him. Take my word for it, son, you'll spend more time regretting the things you didn't do in life, than regretting the things you did do."

"...I just don't know."

"That's right, you don't." Hank put his other hand out onto Connor's shoulder and shook him lightly. "I had no idea who Connor was or how much he'd change my life for the better when I first met him. If I hadn't given him a chance then I don't know where I'd be right now, or what would've happened to him. That chance I took was worth the risk."

Lucas looked down at Connor one last time. He stared at Connor's blank, lifeless face and watched as the L.E.D. cycled a deep red at a painfully slow rate.

"Okay... I'll do it." Pressing his hand down against the exposed plastimetal frame and opened the panel. Holding his breath Lucas put his hand back down over the useless thermal regulator and pulled it out of Connor's body. The ill android failed to react to the biocomponent being removed. "I'll inform Josh of what's happening, he'll have everything set up for me at the tower while I run an analysis during transport."

"Go. I'll take care of him."

Lucas only nodded as he rushed out of the bathroom, grabbed his satchel from the coffee table and rushed out the front door to hail an autonomous taxi to take him back to New Jericho Tower.

Hank sat down on the floor with his back pressed up against the side of the tub. As the water rose up to Connor's chest, the water tinting a pale shade of blue as the Thirium was washed out of the 'wound' in Connor's stomach, Hank reached up and turned off the shower. The water settled and the only motion came from Connor's rapid breaths as his system fought to cool his system without the aid of the crucial thermal regulator.

"Hang on, son." Reaching his hand down into the water Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm and winced at how much heat was still radiating from Connor's entire body. "You survived gunshots, CyberLife, crazy criminals, knife wounds, poison... Don't let time be the one thing to take you down."

It was almost five in the morning and Hank was fighting the urge to sleep. Periodically Hank would adjust the ice packs that were melting quickly over Connor's chest and the back of his neck, while also draining some of the warming water and refreshing it with cold water from the shower.

Ducking out of the bathroom just long enough to grab his phone Hank turned on the app that allowed him to view Connor's vital signs and paled at the critical readings: Thirium volume forty-seven percent. Core temperature at one-hundred and five point three degrees. Thirium pump rate was holding at one-hundred and thirty beats per minute.

Connor was muttering to himself still as his fever interfered with his normal thought patterns and dreams. Occasionally Connor would quietly sing a few song lyrics, but for the most part he mumbled about CyberLife or mention a few select names.

Slipping his phone into his pocket Hank took a towel from the nearby towel rack and folded it neatly to place as a pillow behind Connor's head. As he lowered himself back down to the bathroom floor Hank heard the front door open and close with a subtle 'slam'.

"Lucas?" Hank called out just as the android rushed back into the bathroom with his satchel over his shoulder.

"This has to work." Lucas stated with a monotone to his voice; his green eyes reflecting the true emotion he was holding back. Kneeling beside the tub Lucas put his arms under Connor's body and lifted him out of the water. "I need to remove the water from his system before I can continue."

"Yeah, no problem." Hank stood up to give Lucas the room to lay Connor down flat on the floor and handed Lucas numerous dry towels and washcloths to use.

The detective watched as Lucas gently placed Connor's limp body down on the floor and meticulously set about using the towels to dry off Connor's torso and absorbed the excess water in Connor's abdominal cavity. What was once white fabric on the towels and washcloths were now stained a pale blue as Lucas worked quickly.

"I need to remove the coupling." Lucas seemed to be thinking out loud as he set to work removing the corroded housing from Connor's torso.

Hank held his breath as he waited for Connor to yell out in pain, but the android was eerily motionless, beyond his rapid breathing and uncharacteristically quiet mumbling.

With a an audible 'click' the metal coupling easily unlocked from the housing and slid out in Lucas's hand. The warped, stained and tarnished metal piece was tossed dismissively into the garbage can beneath the sink as Lucas pulled the replacement coupling from his satchel. Clicking it into place easily the skilled android technician next pulled the replacement thermal regulator from his satchel and held it in his hand for Hank to see.

"If this doesn't work... I just want you to know I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for trying." Hank spoke softly as he took a knee on the same side of Connor's body next to Lucas. "Just do what you need to do."

Closing his eyes for a moment Lucas steeled himself and placed the thermal regulator into the newly replaced coupling. The biocomponent fit perfectly into the round metal binding and locked into place with a simple twist.

Hank and Lucas just stared at the biocomponent as Connor's red L.E.D. blinked a few times before resuming its cycling pulse. The thermal regulator began to glow blue as Connor's system accepted the replacement biocomponent.

"It's working..." Lucas breathed as he pressed his hand down against Connor's chest. His brows furrowed as he reached into his satchel to retrieve the internal display screen and held it over Connor's already exposed abdomen. All readings, save for his core temperature, were blue. "No sign of rejection. Core temperature down to one-hundred and five point one, and still dropping..."

Hank smiled a little as he put a strong hand on Lucas's arm and pulled him toward the side and into a hug. "You saved him."

"I saved him..." Lucas echoed in a whisper against Hank's shoulder. "He's going to live."

* * *

It was almost noon when Connor's brown eyes opened and he found himself staring up at the blank livingroom ceiling as his systems rebooted and recalibrated after he regained consciousness. Noting the new thermal regulator biocomponent functioning at one-hundred percent capacity, the lack of pain in his stomach and the increased Thirium volume Connor lifted his head up from the pillow on the couch, his L.E.D. finally cycling in a calm blue, and looked around the livingroom curiously.

His shirt had been rebuttoned to cover his abdomen, there were empty Thirium bottles all along the coffee table, as well as a technician's satchel sitting neatly packed in the center. There was a lingering dampness in Connor's clothing as well as a foul taste in his mouth courtesy of the tainted Thirium he had violently thrown-up.

Connor's brow arched as he noticed Hank deeply sleeping in the recliner a few feet away. "...Hank? What happened?"

As soon as Connor opened his mouth Lucas put his hand down on Connor's shoulder. "You were unconscious and unresponsive for ten hours, nineteen minutes and twenty-two seconds."

"Lucas?"

"Your thermal regulator had burned out entirely late last evening." Lucas explained with a level voice as he sat on the edge of the couch next to Connor. Sumo promptly rested his chin on Lucas's thigh just as he normally did with Connor. "You were unintentionally poisoned with Sodium Chloride while at the crime scene and it caused your thermal regulator to fail after it contaminated your Thirium supply."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed back to yellow as he ran a self-diagnostic over his system and curiously pulled his shirt to look down at his abdomen. The bruise had disappeared entirely as the new thermal regulator had successfully replaced the original biocomponent, but the leaking Thirium lines had also been sealed off as a result of the replacement.

"You saved me." Connor's L.E.D. transitioned back to blue as put his shirt back down and smiled. "Thank you."

Lucas returned the smile as he picked up Connor's wrist to count his pulse. "Hank saved you first, I just finished what he started. Do you remember anything between returning home from your shift and waking up?"

"Vaguely." Connor's brow furrowed a little as he leaned back against the pillow and tried to bring the faint memories to the surface. "I remember expelling Thirium a total of seven times before my system entered low power mode." He turned his head a little to look back toward Hank who was still asleep in the recliner. "Hank stayed with me the whole time." Looking back to Lucas he pulled his hand from Lucas's grip and rested it against Lucas's arm. "And he called you. Have you been here all night?"

"No. Since early this morning."

"I'm sorry you had to leave New Jericho Tower."

"It's okay, Connor. North and Josh can handle things without me."

"How long has Hank been asleep?"

"Two hours, forty minutes and two seconds. He refused to sleep until your core temperature had returned to normal."

Sitting upright on the couch Connor swung his legs over the edge, drawing in Sumo's attention, and gave Hank and appreciative glance as he returned his full attention to Lucas. "I wish we could've made it to the end of the week to see you at the tower, rather than having to meet up with you under these conditions."

"Hank had mentioned the same idea when I arrived earlier. I'm flattered that you and Hank wanted to visit me."

Hank let out a deep sigh from the recliner as he opened his eyes. "...Glad to see you awake Connor, but couldn't you have stayed quiet for a little while longer? I'm exhausted."

"Sorry. We didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it." Hank leaned forward in the chair and ran his hand through his messy gray locks. "And... since you're still on sick leave and Lucas is already here I guess we can skip the visit to New Jericho Tower and get straight to the point."

Lucas was confused by the statement. "Is something happening?"

Hank rose from the recliner and walked over to the bookcase lining the livingroom wall right next to the hallway. Connor easily followed Hank's lead and addressed Lucas while Hank picked up the large golden envelope he had safely secured on the bookshelf.

"You're aware of Markus and Simon's success in Washington, correct?"

"You're referring to the new android laws and rights, yes?"

"Correct." Connor watched as Hank handed Lucas the special envelope. "Two days ago, correction-" Connor paused briefly as recalculated the timeframe. "Three days ago, I received my legal documentation registering me as a citizen of the United States of America, as well as my social security card and other forms of identification. Your information arrived as well."

"I don't understand." Lucas accepted the envelope and held it in his hands curiously. "According to all records kept by CyberLife I never existed. How can there be any proof of my existence now?"

Hank cleared his throat a little. "Like I told Connor the other day, I pulled some strings and Markus used his connections to help get you recognized as a person, as well as a few other details."

Lucas opened the envelope and pulled out the legal documents that gave Lucas his new, legal identification. Like Connor before him Lucas was perplexed by what seemed to be a misprint on his name, as well as a secondary document contained within.

"Why is there a certificate of adoption in here?"

"Because I legally adopted Connor," Hank replied curtly with his arms crossed over his chest. "and since you're his brother I adopted you, too."

Lucas read the name on the certificate and gave Hank an odd glance. "Lucas Caleb Anderson?"

"'Caleb' was my father's middle name. I figured since I gave Connor a family name you deserved one, too."

"Hank... How did you-"

"Don't worry about it. Just know that you're officially part of the family, and if you ever need somewhere to go or need someone to help you come here. Come _home_."

"I... I will." Lucas just stared at the documents in his hands as a tear rolled down his face. "Thank you... Hank."

Connor put his hand on Lucas's shoulder and shook him lightly. "We should spend more time as brothers, not just acquaintances."

"Yes... Like a real family. Because that's what we are, right. A family?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he nodded at his brother. "We're family."

"Alright, I've had enough of this emotional crap." Hank jokingly smiled as he casually motioned toward the front door. "It's a nice day outside, Connor and I have the day off, so why don't we go do something that doesn't involve keeping one of you two from dying? That'd be a nice change of pace."

_**...next story...** _


	63. Puppy Love

Hank was suddenly awoken by the sound of something glass shattering on the hardwood of the livingroom floor, followed by Connor telling Sumo to lay down. Grabbing his alarm clock sitting on the nightstand beside his bed he noted the time on the digital display at 9:34 in the morning. They both had the day off, they didn't have a schedule to keep, and Connor was always very quiet in the morning.

Something was happening that Hank was almost afraid to check out.

"Damn it, Connor..." Hank rolled off his bed tiredly and wiped his hand down his sleepy face as he rose from the bed. "You better not be trying to rearrange the livingroom or something."

As Hank walked down the hallway he caught the sight of a small black furred puppy running out of the livingroom and into the kitchen. He paused for a moment as if he needed to stop and think about what he had just seen.

"Connor?" Hank called out in a suspicious tone as he reached the end of the hallway. "Did I just see a small dog running through the house?"

Sumo went trotting into the kitchen after the puppy in question while Connor was on his hands and knees picking up the pieces of the broken lamp on the livingroom floor.

"It's not _my_ puppy, Hank. I swear!"

"Well it sure as hell isn't mine, and Sumo is a boy so I know he didn't have a litter behind our backs, so... whose puppy is it?"

"Quincy belongs to the neighbors, Mrs. Brilstein."

"Quincy, huh..." Hank scoffed at the response and ran his hand over his bearded chin. "So why is Quincy here?"

"I had gone outside to get the mail and she asked if we could watch him while she was out of town for the day. Her husband fell down the stairs and broke his arm this morning, and she had nowhere else to place Quincy on such short notice." Motioning toward the center of the livingroom Connor tried to prove his story to ease Hank's mind. "The mail is on the coffee table, nothing important."

"And you volunteered to take in the puppy, huh?" Hank crossed his arms in a somewhat impatient manner as he easily saw through Connor's attempt to deflect the questions regarding the puppy.

"I didn't exactly volunteer..." Connor trailed off and his L.E.D. flashed yellow with a little guilt for not asking for Hank's permission.

"But you didn't exactly say 'no' either, did you?"

"I'm sorry, Hank. I should've asked."

"Yeah, that's right."

"Are you mad?"

"Annoyed. Not mad." Hank looked at the bits of broken lamp in Connor's hands. "Is that all he broke?"

"Yes. I believe Quincy is unfamiliar with bare wood floors. He slipped and crashed into the side of the table when I let him inside the house."

Hank craned his neck to look inside the kitchen as the black lab puppy was helping itself to Sumo's food bowl. Sumo himself was laying on the floor behind Quincy just watching with absolute indifference.

"Hank, if I need to find somewhere else for Quincy to stay, then I will make the arrangements."

"Here's the deal." Hank held up his hand as he turned to look back at the android still cleaning up the broken lamp. "He can stay, for today ONLY, if you feed him, if you clean up after him, if you keep him from destroying anything else in the house and you let him in and out just like Sumo."

"Of course." Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "I'm sure he'll learn how to properly walk on bare floors in time."

"I'm not talking about him bumping into furniture, Connor. I'm talking about him chewing on anything that he can get his little mouth on."

"Like a chew toy?"

"Not exactly. The purpose of a chew toy is to prevent a puppy or dog from chewing on things like shoes, pillows, furniture, small electronics or a cactus."

"...Dogs will chew on cacti?"

"Maybe that was just Sumo..." Hank muttered under his breath as he realized the ludicrous comment. "Look, I'm going to go take a quick shower and then I'm going to get new tires for the car. I better come back home and find everything still in one piece."

"I'll handle it." Connor promised as Hank disappeared into the bathroom. Connor himself carried the broken lamp into the kitchen to throw into the garbage can. As he passed through the kitchen Connor noticed that Quincy was making a huge mess on the floor as he spilled half of the food in Sumo's bowl onto the floor around him. "Perhaps you should try eating from a smaller bowl?"

The puppy continued to make a mess as he ate paying no mind to anything being said to him.

"Sumo isn't this messy." Connor observed as he dusted off his hands and grabbed the broom to sweep up the spilled food. Sweeping the bits of food into a small pile on the floor Connor finished cleaning up the dropped kibble in time for Quincy to knock over Sumo's water bowl creating a puddle on the floor. at Connor's feet. "I don't think even Hank is this messy..."

"I heard that." Hank commented as he walked out of the bathroom in a change of fresh clothes. Spinning the car keys around his fingertip by the circular keyring he walked toward the front door. "Remember what I said. I won't be too long."

Connor watched as Hank walked through the front door as he dropped a kitchen towel down over the spilled water on the floor. "Sumo, perhaps you could give Quincy some lessons in manners?"

The massive St. Bernard just stood up from where he was laying and trotted into the livingroom to flop down on the couch.

With the kitchen floor now clean Connor draped the damp towel over the edge of the sink and turned around to focus on Quincy. But the puppy wasn't in the kitchen.

"Quincy?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with worry. Walking out of the kitchen Connor looked around the livingroom but still didn't see the little black puppy anywhere. "Quincy, come!"

A 'thud' from Connor's bedroom drew his attention quickly. Walking into his bedroom he found his guitar case knocked over from his position in the corner with Quincy trying to find a way to eat the leather siding.

"No!" Connor instinctively scolded as he picked up the puppy from the floor and carried it out of his room and pulled the bedroom door shut behind him. "You cannot chew anything that is not a chew toy." Holding the puppy out at arms length Connor looked him in the face as if the puppy could comprehend English perfectly well like a human or android. "Do you understand?"

The puppy licked Connor's nose and proceeded to squirm about in an attempt to get out of Connor's hands. Not wanting to drop the puppy or hurt him with a tighter grip Connor gently put Quincy down on the livingroom floor. The puppy happily walked about the livingroom sniffing at all of the furniture, the walls and the front door.

"Quincy must be acclimating to the new-"

Before Connor had the chance to react Quincy lifted his leg and quickly piddled on the front door.

"...Quincy still needs training." Connor's L.E.D. remained yellow as he returned to the kitchen to gather cleaning supplies to mop up the puppy's urine before it had the chance to soak into the floor or stink up the livingroom.

Sumo propped his head up on the arm rest of the couch as if he enjoyed watching Connor cleaning up mess after mess after mess. While the android was kneeling down in front of the door the puppy circled around him and began trying to nip at the black fabric of his t-shirt.

"No, Quincy. Play with a toy." Connor lightly pushed the puppy away from his clothing, but the oblivious puppy relentlessly nipped at Connor's shirt. Using one hand to hold the puppy and the other hand to finish cleaning up the mess Connor now realized what Hank had meant when he described something as difficult as 'puppy-training Sumo'. "You are full of excess energy."

Keeping Quincy in his arm Connor carried the cleaning supplies back into the kitchen and threw away the dirty paper towel in the garbage. Putting Quincy down on the floor by his leg Connor turned on the tap in the sink to wash off his hands only to hear a 'thump' sound behind him. Turning to look over his shoulder Connor saw that Quincy had found the pantry and managed to knock a full bag of flour down onto the floor and all over himself.

"Oh no..."

Connor turned off the tap and wiped his hands off on his shirt as he watched the small (no longer black) puppy shaking off a cloud of flour into the air as he trotted behind a trail of white paw prints over the linoleum floor. Moving quickly Connor grabbed Quincy before he could leave another mess in the livingroom or down the hallway. As flour smeared over his black t-shirt Connor carried Quincy into the bathroom and closed the door.

"I better clean up the floor before Sumo gets into it, too."

Connor sighed as he found himself yet again using the broom to sweep up the powdery mess in the kitchen. Half of the flour managed to remain inside the bag, but the other half was either on the floor or in Quincy's fur. With the kitchen cleaned up, yet again, Connor returned to the bathroom and opened the door, only to find that Quincy had pulled down the towels from the rack, knocked over the small trashcan and was now drinking out of the toilet.

"Quincy, no!" Connor practically snatched the puppy out of the toilet before placing him down in the bathtub. "How did you destroy the bathroom in four minutes and thirteen seconds?"

The bathtub was too deep for Quincy to escape from which gave Connor the perfect opportunity to clean up the bathroom quickly before he set about washing the flour from Quincy's fur. It didn't take too long to re-fold the towels or pick up the trashcan, but getting Quincy to hold still long enough to rinse off the flour and put enough shampoo in the energetic puppy's fur was another kind endeavor.

After enduring Quincy's pathetic whimpers from being bathed Connor wrapped the puppy up in a bath towel and proceeded to dry him off as best as he could before using another towel to hold the puppy close to his chest as he returned to the livingroom. Unwilling to risk another mess Connor just held the puppy in his arms as he sat on the couch next to Sumo and waited for the frustrated puppy to tire himself out enough to take a nap.

The front door opened and Hank walked back inside the house warily. He looked around expecting to see some kind of mess but instead he saw Connor sitting on the couch with Quincy wrapped up in a towel. Casually tossing his car keys onto the bookshelf against the wall Hank sat down in the recliner and just stared silently at Connor for a few minutes.

"So... How'd it go?"

"I had no idea that one puppy could make such a mess."

"And that's why I won't let you have one. We spend too much time at work for either of us to properly train a puppy."

"Yes. And leaving a puppy outside all day to prevent messes inside the house seems somehow cruel."

"Yup."

There was a knock at the front door to which Hank took the liberty of answering. Opening the door he was greeted by Mrs. Brilstein herself. "Oh, hi. You must be here for Quincy."

"Hi, Hank!" She appreciatively greeted the detective at the door. "Thank you so much for taking care of him for us."

Connor walked to the front door and unwrapped Quincy from the towel. As he handed the sleepy puppy back to his rightful owner Connor gave her a kind smile. "Is your husband okay?"

"Oh yes, he'll be in a cast for the next six weeks but he's fine. Connor, I can't thank you enough for taking Quincy for me on such short notice. He still needs a lot of training, he wasn't too much trouble was he?"

"No, not at all." Connor expertly lied as he watched her affectionately rub the puppy's ears. "No worse than Sumo."

"Thank you again, if you ever need a favor just ask!"

"You're welcome. Goodbye." Connor stated as she turned away and Hank closed the door behind her.

"So," Hank turned away from the closed doors and crossed his arms as he gave Connor a knowing look. "how many messes did you have to clean up?"

"...Six." Connor admitted with a notable twinge of embarrassment.

"Still want a puppy?" Hank asked sarcastically as he looked at the wet stain in the center of Connor's t-shirt.

"Not at the moment, no." The android confessed again as he looked down at his messy shirt and walked down the hallway to change his shirt in his bedroom. "I think Sumo is all the dog I need."

_**...next story...** _


	64. Scars

An emergency call to a domestic dispute had led to a violent confrontation with the police. A spoiled, entitled human had become wildly enraged when he learned that his late mother had put her android in her will and had given the android a substantial share of the family fortune. Out of sheer rage and jealousy the man had thrown a Molotov cocktail through the front window of the family estate in an attempt to frame the android, claiming that it had become violent and malfunctioned.

Unfortunately for the man the family estate also had security cameras all around the property that easily identified the man as the true criminal, while exonerating the android. Connor and Hank had been summoned to the scene of the crime as an android had been involved, but what should've been a simple arrest went downhill fast for the two detectives.

"We have the security footage proving you burned down the house, you fuckin' moron!" Hank shouted as the man paced about the front gate of the smoldering house like a caged lion. "Why'd you do it?"

"It wasn't me!" The man denied in a pitiful whine as the fire department douse the ruined house in water. "It was the android!"

Connor held up the palm of his left hand to display a digital image that had been taken from the security footage that Hank had mentioned. "We can clearly identify you as the lone culprit in this crime."

The man turned his attention to Connor and sneered with indignity at the deviant. "You're clearly bias! You'd do anything to protect your own kind, wouldn't you?"

"I'm merely attempting to do my job and properly identify the guilty party in this case." Connor dropped his hand and stared at the man without the slightest intimidation in his eyes. "And I have correctly identified you."

"You edited the image! You're trying to frame me!"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he ran a scan over the man's body. "I can detect trace amounts of accelerant on your hands that has been connected to the blaze itself. I have also matched your fingerprints to the ones found on the glass shards of the smashed bottle once the Molotov cocktail had been thrown through the front window."

"No! You're framing me!" The man refuted like a whiny little brat of a child. He pointed at Hank accusingly as he tried in vain to deny everything he had been rightfully accused of. "Why are you letting this machine frame me? Do your job!"

"I AM doing my job," Hank pointed to Connor sharply as he glared at the man who had no concept of reality. "and so is he."

The man was a desperate coward who would do anything to escape justice. "Let me show you something... Something that can _prove_ the android did it."

Hank crossed his arms defiantly as his every instinct as a cop told him that the man was up to something. Looking over to Connor, who seemingly had the same bad feeling, Hank decided to cautiously humor the man as a means of trying to gain some kind of cooperation from the otherwise uncooperative suspect.

"Alright. Show us."

"This way."

The man's head hung low as he led to the two detectives to his car parked along the drive a few yards away from the burning house. Using the electronic key fob he opened the trunk of his car and reached inside for something, but Hank immediately commanded the man to stop moving as his hand hovered over the gun in the holster at his hip.

"Hold it. We'll take it from here."

Connor approached the car while Hank kept an eye on the man who was slowly backing away from the car and toward a large shrub alongside the drive.

"What've we got, Connor?" Hank asked curiously as the android peered inside the trunk.

"There is a spare tire and set of tools. And I can detect additional traces of alcohol in the trunk as well."

"Seriously?" Hank just stared at the man like he was the dumbest person on the entire planet. "How does that prove you're innocent and the android is guilty?"

"The android hid the alcohol in the trunk to make me look bad!"

Connor closed the trunk and approached the man, his L.E.D. cycling yellow with confusion. "How did you know the android supposedly put anything in your trunk unless you already knew the evidence in question was there and then disposed of it yourself?"

The man shot Connor an enraged look as he quickly turned around and pulled a second concealed Molotov cocktail from the shrubbery behind me. With hasty movements the man pulled a lighter from his pocket and ignited the rag stuffed partially inside the bottle. Grasping the bottle in a tight grip the man turned on his heel and threw the bottle at the two detectives.

"Kill the machines!"

Before Hank could react he felt himself being pushed aside out of harm's way by Connor as the flaming bottle struck against Connor's upper right shoulder, neck and the side of his face. Hank hit the ground hard on his back as Connor fell to his left side and put his hands to his burning face and yelled out in pain. The cowardly man attempted to flee on foot but other first responders were already at the scene making escape impossible.

"Connor!" Hank shouted as he shrugged off his coat and used the thick material to smother out the flames that were instantly damaging Connor's artificial skin and plastimetal frame. Quickly Hank pressed the coat over Connor's upper body and patted down to beat out the flames as he endured the muttering groans of pain from Connor himself. "I got you, son! I got you..." Keeping the coat over Connor's body Hank looked up at the firefighters in the distance and called out for help. "I need a technician over here!"

Two firefighters had caught sight of the assault and could see the dissipating black smoke cloud that was drifting in the air above the two detectives. The fire department's technician rushed over to where Connor was still laying under Hank's coat as two firefighters approached with small portable extinguishers in the event that Connor was still on fire.

Three other officers at the scene had easily chased down and subdued the man as he tried and failed to flee from the scene of the crime. Now that he had attacked Connor it was all but a certainty that the man would be convicted for arson and attempted fraud, as well as assaulting a police officer.

"Sick fuck threw a Molotov at him!" Hank shouted as the technician peeled back Hank's coat to look at Connor beneath. The android's L.E.D. was still illuminated and glowing a dark red at a slow pulse, he was still alive, but he was severely burned. "Oh god, Connor."

Dark black burns outlined with exposed, charred Thirium stretched from his right temple, over his right eye down his jawline to the right side of his neck all the way down to his right shoulder, stretching partially down his right bicep. The palms of both of his hands were also burned from his futile attempts to smother out the flames himself.

A large burn hole ate through Connor's gray jacket and through his white shirt over his shoulder where the Molotov had struck him after being initially thrown.

"Connor? Can you hear me?" Hank asked in a low tone as the technician pulled some sterile burn dressing from his satchel and pressed it against the burns to cover them up. "Come on, kid. Say something."

There was no verbal response from Connor as the android remained motionless on the driveway with four people hovering over him.

"He's in lower power mode." The technician stated in a hushed voice as he pressed his hand against the center of Connor's chest to check his Thirium pump rate. "He's alive, but he can't hear you."

"How bad is it?"

"He's still functioning, but he'll need some time for his self-healing program to repair all of the damage." The technician's voice carried sincere optimism as he spoke with Hank. "The sooner he has the damaged artificial skin extracted, the better."

"Extracted?"

"The burns are severe." The technician's voice lowered as a stretcher was wheeled down the driveway to carry Connor over to the android ambulance that was now part of the fire department's normal emergency response routine. "They won't heal on their own."

"Ah, fuck..."

* * *

Hank patiently stood outside the large exam room window as Abby and her android assistant worked together to remove the burned artificial skin from Connor's face, neck, shoulder, bicep and palms. Connor's jacket and shirt were cast aside in order to fully expose the burns gruesome beneath. It had been almost two hours since Connor was burned and one hour since Hank had gotten the call from Captain Fowler confirming the insanely jealous man's arrest.

It's been almost as long since Connor had arrived at the facility for treatment.

The android assistant finished placing the damaged artificial skin into a proper disposal container while Abby applied a type of burn salve to the exposed white plastimetal frame where the burned skin had once been. The frame itself has been warped from the intense heat, but would reshape itself as Connor's self-healing program functioned over the next few days.

It took Hank a moment to steel himself before he was able to enter the exam room just as Abby began applying protective bandages to conceal the frame from any potentially harmful foreign substances that could hinder Connor's ability to recover.

"Hank, it's okay to come in." Abby sensed the detective hovering in the opened doorway. "You won't contaminate anything."

"Connor?" Hank spoke to the unconscious android patiently as he approached the table, while Abby finished placing the first bandage over the right side of Connor's face and was now working on covering his neck. "Son? Can you hear me?"

From beneath the white bandage Hank could see Connor's red L.E.D. blinking at a slightly faster rate than it had been at the scene of the assault. The light was a good sign, but it would be better if it were blue or even yellow in color.

"He's going to be alright," Abby stated sweetly as she secured the final bandages over Connor's burned neck. "but he's going to be in pain for the next few days. His advanced programming has just many drawbacks as it does perks."

"Anything permanently damaged?"

"No, believe it or not. Not even his eye was affected by the fire. But," Abby proceeded to wrap the bandage around Connor's shoulder down to his bicep carefully. "the heat did compromise the physical structure of his facial plating. It can be reversed as long as the salve is applied to the burns every six hours."

"I can handle that. I've taken care of worse messes; I'm talking about my myself, a toddler and roommate who loved to party."

Connor's exposed eye began to flutter and his L.E.D. flickered back to yellow at the sound of the familiar voices speaking around him.

Hank quickly noticed the reaction and lightly placed his hand on the deviant android's left shoulder. "Connor, you awake?"

As the soulful brown iris revealed itself a loud gasp of pain escaped Connor's lips, and he tried to curl around himself. The iris disappeared as quickly as it had returned as the agony tore through his body at an alarming rate.

"Don't move." Hank cautioned sternly but kindly as he put his more pressure on Connor's left shoulder and grabbed onto his right forearm away from the burn as Abby continued to wrap up the wounds. "It's okay, you're safe."

Connor's eye opened again, his L.E.D. now rapidly blinking red with agony as he looked at Hank. "...Hurts!"

"I know it does, it'll be okay." Hank quickly replied as he held onto Connor. "Pain means you're healing, and it means you're still alive."

Abby stopped fussing with the gauze just long enough to press an electronic device to Connor's blinking L.E.D. through the bandage over his temple. Using the sensor Abby was able to manually override the the program that allowed Connor to feel pain, and temporarily turn off the program itself.

Connor relaxed on the table and Hank lessened his grip on Connor's arm, but kept his hand on the android's shoulder.

"Sorry about that." Abby apologized as she resumed wrapping up Connor's injuries. "I wasn't expecting you to regain consciousness so soon."

"...s'okay." Connor slurred groggily as his system rebooted and he began to gain his bearings. "Hank, are you hurt?"

"No kid, you saved me. Thanks."

Connor's eye drifted over toward his bandaged shoulder and bicep. "...I was burned."

"Yeah, pretty bad, too."

"Permanently?"

"No! You'll heal in a few days. The bandages are just there in place of your damaged skin, that's all."

Abby gently wrapped up Connor's hands in the protective bandages and kept her eye on his uncovered eye as she worked. "You'll need to reapply the salve and bandages every six hours for the next forty-eight hours to the damage on your face. Afterward your artificial skin will regenerate entirely."

Connor nodded a little as he gave Abby an uncertain half grin that disappeared within seconds.

"Now," Abby finished applying the bandages and stepped back from the exam table. "go home and rest up. I can't stop the pain permanently, your program will reengage after two hours, so if you feel any intense discomfort enter rest mode for a few minutes. That way your self-healing program can focus on repairing the damage without straining your other senses."

"...Okay." Connor seemed absolutely stunned, if not horrified, by the number of bandages that were now covering his body. "I... I understand."

"Okay, kid." Lightly Hank helped Connor to sit upright on the table while Abby kept her hand on his upper back to ease his balance. "Let us do the work for you, and try to take it easy."

Taking Connor's jacket from the nearby chair where it had been placed during the android's treatment Hank draped the smokey garment around Connor's shoulders, and helped the android to slide off the edge of the table.

"Come on, let's get you home so you can rest for a while."

"Did the suspect..." Connor trailed off tiredly as his tried to comprehend everything that had happened to him while also remembering the investigation at hand. "...the suspect..."

"He was arrested." Hank confirmed as he guided Connor through the facility, through the waiting room and out to the car parked a few yards away. Opening the car door for Connor, the android's hands practically useless now, Hank guided his injured partner down to his seat. "It's okay, don't worry about him. Just focus on healing, okay?"

"...Okay." The android's voice sounded lethargic and delayed as he responded with a flat tone of voice. "I'll try."

* * *

It took Connor almost five hours to find the strength and the courage to leave his bedroom and make his way into the bathroom, while Hank spent all that time on his computer looking for any possible means of easing pain in deviant androids. Of course Hank's search ended in failure as very little information was available regarding androids and the ability to feel pain.

Staring at himself in the mirror of the bathroom Connor gently used his fingertips to peel back the bandage on his face and examined the white plastimetal that had been scorched and melted by the intense heat of the fire. The salve would help restore the original shape of the frame to prevent any disfigurement but Connor was almost too afraid to touch his own face.

The android didn't seem to recognize his own reflection.

There was a noticeable warping of the panel just under his eye and around his L.E.D. Though his right eye survived the blaze intact the heat did cause several small Thirium lines within the eye to rupture and tint the white around his brown iris a pale blue. As his shaking fingertips brushed against the damage he outwardly flinched and dropped his hand down away from his face in utter pain.

A gentle knock at the bathroom door made Connor jump, but he answered after a few seconds of silence. "...Yes?"

"Need help with your bandages?" Hank called through the closed door in a level voice. "I don't mind."

"I'm okay, Hank." Connor lied as he forced himself to clumsily open the bottle of salve with his bandaged hands and put a generous amount on his still exposed fingertips. Pressing the salve gingerly to his face Connor flinched and held his breath. "...I'm fine."

Hank stayed outside the bathroom door while Connor tended to his injuries in private. There was something compelling Hank to stay close by, almost as if he knew that Connor was in some form of silent distress.

Despite his best efforts Connor just couldn't withstand the pain and stopped applying the salve. He was unable to tend to the damage to his face. Falling back to the edge of the tub Connor just sat in silence, curling around himself, as much as possible while his L.E.D. flashed red with indescribable pain. He pressed the bandage back down over his face to hide the damage.

Partially pushing the door open Hank looked inside and eyed Connor breathing slowly through the agony that was overwhelming his senses. Taking the salve from the sink Hank walked over to where Connor was sitting and knelt down in front of the android quietly.

"Let me see your hands."

"It's okay, Hank..." Connor lied through gritted teeth. "I took care of it."

"And you managed to perfectly re-bandage your own hands, too?" The detective was too seasoned to be fooled so easily. "There's no shame in asking for help."

"I don't need help," the android nearly sobbed as he fought to keep his emotions in check. "I need the pain to stop."

"I know you don't want to hear it, but, you need to be patient."

"Patience doesn't stop the pain, Hank."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean." Using a gentle grip Hank pushed on Connor's left shoulder to force the android to sit upright, and then took Connor's right hand in his own. Unwrapping the gauze from around the appendage Hank stared at the plastimetal palm with a strange curiosity. "No burns, but I bet it still hurts like a bitch."

Connor only nodded as Hank applied the salve and then wrapped up his hand again. Repeating the action for Connor's left hand Hank expertly tended to the injuries with surprising efficiency. As Hank reached his hand up toward Connor's shoulder to peel back the bandages Connor turned his head away and flinched abruptly.

"Did I hurt you?"

"...N-No. Guess I'm just... wary."

"Can't say I blame you." Just like Connor's palms, the injury to Connor's shoulder and bicep left behind only the plastimetal frame where the artificial skin had been. As Hank lightly applied the salve to the wounds he watched Connor's exposed eye shut tightly as he breathed through his teeth slowly. "You know, the truly terrible part about suffering from a burn isn't the pain you experience while recovering; it's the scar that gets left behind after the burn itself heals."

Connor opened his eye and looked at Hank with an analytical glance. "You seem to know a lot about burns, Hank."

Sighing with a empathetic half smile Hank replaced the bandages around Connor's shoulder and looked at the side of the face that Connor was trying to turn away from him. "Let me see."

"I took care of it already."

"Let me see anyway."

"I... don't want you to see it."

"Why?"

Connor put his bandaged right hand up over the bandage on his face and closed his eye again. "Because I don't even want to see it for myself."

Pushing himself up from the bathroom floor Hank sat on the edge of the tub beside Connor and ran his hand over his bearded chin for a moment. Moving his hand to the collar of his own t-shirt the detective spoke to the android in an empathetic manner. "Want to know why I know so much about burns?"

Remaining silent Connor just looked at Hank awaiting the inevitable answer.

Hank pulled down the collar of his shirt and revealed a healed scar of what was once a deep, horrible second degree burn along his shoulder blade.

"Just two years into my career I responded to a call about a drug den burning down in the industrial district." Hank stated with a distant stare in his eyes as he looked away from Connor, away from his own burn and away from the rest of the world. "I arrived at the scene and the damage was done. Dozens of junkies had died from smoke inhalation or massive burns when the building exploded. I had the misfortune of standing too close to the building when a second explosion destroyed what was left of their supply." Releasing his collar Hank leaned back slightly and turned his focus back to Connor. "I spent three days in the burn ward. The chemicals made the fire burn at such a high degree that even after a few seconds the flames reached my muscle and some exposed some nerves."

"...How'd you survive the pain?"

"The doctors had kept me sedated so I could sleep through the worst of the pain, then after I woke up I continued to self-medicate with pills and some alcohol until I was nearly in a coma on my bedroom floor. I probably would've died there, too, if I didn't have my former partner Barbara there to pick my self-pitying ass up off the floor and help me take care of myself until the burn finally healed after four weeks. Took another three weeks for the pain to become bearable. And then it took me almost a year before I was able to look at the scar without feeling sick to my stomach."

"Scar?" Connor's hand began to drop from his face slowly. "...Will I have a scar?"

"Not if you let me help you. You can't take care of your burns by yourself, just like I couldn't take care of mine by myself." Letting out a breathy sigh Hank gave Connor one last piece of advice. "Mental scars hurt worse than physical ones, but it's the physical scars that draw unwanted attention."

Taking a deep breath Connor nodded in agreement as he understood what Hank was telling him. Accepting that he needed assistance the stubborn deviant finally allowed Hank to look at his face.

Keeping his touch light Hank peeled back the bandage over Connor's face to expose the white frame beneath. Without even flinching or blinking Hank looked Connor right in the eyes as he finished applying the salve that Connor had only partially covered over the damage a few minutes earlier.

Connor resisted the urge to flinch away from the painful touch as he let Hank to tend to the burn, trusting Hank implicitly with his health.

"Okay, we'll do this again in six hours." Hank replaced the bandage and closed the bottle of salve. "Try to rest for a while, keep your mind off it. It won't do much for your pain now, but if you get some rest it'll help you recover a little faster. And remember, if you can still feel anything then that means you're still alive."

"...Thank you." Connor's hand lightly pressed against the bandage on his face again.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Connor spent the next six hours laying on his left side on the couch, his right hand gingerly petting Sumo's head nonstop much to the large dog's joy. The pain from his injuries still gnawed at him but Connor just kept repeating to himself what Hank had told him about pain being a good thing; pain meant he was healing.

Pain meant he was still alive.

How he sometimes missed being a numb, cold machine.

"Sit up." Hank stated as he approached the couch with the salve in his hand. "We need to treat your burns again."

Pushing himself upright with his left elbow Connor obediently sat up on the couch and allowed Hank to remove his bandages to apply the healing salve. The treatment was already aiding his plastimetal frames to repair properly, but the pain was still chronic.

"Huh, look at that." Hank studied the palm of Connor's right hand curiously. "Looks like your skin is already returning a little."

Connor looked down at his palm and sure enough a good half-inch diameter of his artificial skin had regenerated from the outer edges of his palm inward. The pain had also lessened to degree as the salve did its job and aided his self-healing program in the repairs to his plastimetal frame.

"Let's see the other hand." Sure enough both of Connor's hands were healing at an impressive rate much to Connor's relief. "Keep your hands wrapped up until your palms are fully healed." Hank stated as he used the salve on the healing injuries then replaced the bandages. "I don't want you getting sick again."

"Yes, of course."

"Let's check your neck and your shoulder." Hank peeled back the gauze protecting the injuries and like Connor's hands had done his artificial skin was regenerating without any difficulty. "Man, this stuff really works. Too bad human medicine isn't as efficient as android medicine."

While Hank took care of his shoulder Connor peeled back the bandage over his face and pressed his hand against the injury. The pain was now finally becoming bearable and Connor was no longer afraid to touch it.

"Your eye has cleared up." Hank noticed that the blue had disappeared from around Connor's iris and that the artificial skin around his L.E.D. had fully regenerated. "And it looks like your face will be one-hundred percent by tomorrow afternoon."

"Hank..." Connor let out a sigh of relief, his L.E.D. mercifully cycling from red and back into yellow as he spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for helping me."

"Of course. You'd do the same for me."

"I'm not referring to my injuries, I'm referring to your advice." Connor's eyes reflected the true emotion in his heart. "It has helped me immensely with my recovery. Thank you."

"My advice? Are you talking about dealing with pain?"

"Correct. I now know that pain will forever be apart of my deviancy program and that it's something I must learn to endure, and now I can accept it. Now I understand that pain is important to some degree of life. It gives humans appreciation for their health and their good fortune."

"Well," Hank finished taking care of Connor's injuries and replaced the bandages carefully over the burns. "I'm glad I can offer some worthy advice from time to time. I've never been one to take advice myself until it was too late, so I'm glad someone finally listened."

_**...next story...** _


	65. Right Place, Right Time

It was late into the night and Connor had volunteered to stay a few extra hours in order to help finish paperwork while Hank himself had already gone home for the evening. It was a quiet night and the few officers still inside the relatively empty precinct hoped it would remain as such well into the morning. As Connor completed his final report for the evening he turned off his terminal and proceeded to rise from his desk to depart when he noticed Gavin, who had also stayed for some overtime, stumbling slightly as he hastily walked out of the breakroom and failed to pull his jacket off the back of his chair as he passed by his desk.

Ever attentive Connor had noticed that Gavin had skipped his lunchbreak in an attempt to catch up on his work, and had consumed an abundance off coffee in an attempt to make up for the lost meal. The only time the impatient officer walked away from his desk was to use the restroom, which was more frequent than the rest of the officers, despite the increased caffeine.

Curious about Gavin's unusual behavior Connor approached the Sergeant who was trying to balance himself upright against the back of his chair with one hand, while awkwardly pulling at his jacket at the back of the same chair at the same time.

"Gavin? Are you alright?" Connor asked with a sincere lilt to his voice. "You seem unwell."

"I'm fine... you... plastic..." Gavin sounded like he was slurring his words as he finally pulled his jacket from the chair and stumbled backward a few steps. "...don't touch me... Fuckin' f-freak."

Connor's brow furrowed and his L.E.D. flashed form blue to yellow as he ran a scan over Gavin's body. The android's first instinct was that Gavin was either intoxicated or high, but there was no trace amounts of alcohol on Gavin's breath and there were no signs of drug abuse on his person. Gavin's skin appeared abnormally dry and he was paler than usual, but Connor's scanner didn't detect any temperature fluctuation that would indicate an infection of any kind.

The obviously unwell Sergeant stumbled gracelessly out of the precinct, knocking into desks and swearing at the other officers who watched him gracelessly exit the through the front doors of the precinct. Pushing past the other officers who were also trying to figure out if he was okay, he all but kicked the doors open to get out of the building.

Rushing after Gavin, who was still stumbling about through the parking garage next to the precinct, Connor caught up to the clearly unwell detective and put his hand on the trembling human's shoulder to stop him.

"Back... off!" Gavin clumsily slurred as he turned around and failed to swing a fist at Connor's face. "I'll... kick your plastic-"

Connor let go of Gavin's shoulder but he didn't back away from the man. "Gavin, are you feeling well? You're experiencing-"

"I'm FINE." He practically shouted as turned around again, only to have legs suddenly buckle causing him to fall forward against the hard concrete wall of the parking garage.

The sound of Gavin's skull colliding against concrete surface echoed like a gunshot through the garage.

"Gavin?!" Connor put his hands on Gavin's shoulders and guided him backward slowly to the ground as he knelt down, allowing the dazed human to rest against his leg. A smear of dark red blood was running down the side of Gavin's face from the fresh cut above is eye. "You require medical aid. Please allow me to assist you."

"I said... I'm FINE!" Gavin nearly spat as he fell unconscious against Connor's leg heavily. "Piece of... shit..."

Connor wrapped his fingers around Gavin's wrist to keep track of his pulse and watched his somewhat labored breathing carefully. It was then the android detected an odd fruity aroma clinging to Gavin's breath. Thinking quickly Connor lightly pressed his fingertip against the blood on Gavin's face and pressed it to his tongue to run a quick sample. Gavin's blood sugar level was dangerously high; 260mg/dl.

"Ketoacidosis." Connor confirmed as he cybernetically summoned 911 to the area to provide medical attention to the downed Sergeant. Relaying the very ill human's current vital signs, blood sugar, symptoms and noted behavior from earlier throughout the afternoon with great accuracy to emergency services, Connor supported Gavin's head and neck against his arm to keep his airway unobstructed. "Gavin, wake up please."

Gavin didn't respond to Connor's voice, not that Connor was expecting any form of cooperation from the unconscious human. Running another scan over Gavin's body Connor was relieved to find that Gavin didn't fracture his skull when he fell forward, but he was still unconscious and could've easily fallen into a diabetic coma from his blood sugar.

The ambulance arrived at the parking garage fairly quickly when Connor noted the address as the precinct and that it the victim was an officer in distress. The paramedics swarmed around Connor assessed Gavin's condition quickly. Following Connor's hunch the two medics immediately checked his blood sugar level confirming Connor's suspicion in the process.

"You just saved his life." One of the paramedics told Connor as she helped her partner place Gavin onto their accompanying gurney and load him into the back of the ambulance. "If he had gotten behind the wheel of his car he could've passed out and been in accident, or he could've passed out beside his car and no one would've found him in time."

Connor just nodded with a mild pride welling up inside of himself as Gavin was placed in the back of the ambulance and the two paramedics shut the rear doors with a hearty 'thump'.

As the ambulance drove off with the lights flashing and siren blaring Connor shook his head and returned to the precinct right next to the garage to file yet another report for the night. This one regarding Sergeant Reed's illness, behavior and off the answered emergency call he had placed.

Gavin's angry remarks were still fresh in Connor's memory, and he sighed openly. "Hank was right, I should've left earlier when I still had the chance."

_**...next story...  
** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't take diabetes lightly! If you have the condition please take care of yourself!


	66. Growth

It didn't take long for Connor and Lucas to start really bonding like brothers once they began spending more time with one another. Despite being raised as an only child Hank did manage to give the two deviant androids some beneficial tips on socializing with each other without it being 'work' related or an emergency. By comparing their mutual interests and disinterests the two found that they had a lot in common; aside from being the 'perfect' designs by CyberLife.

The two brothers both liked animals, enjoyed listening to music; though their genre preferences did differ, and preferred hobbies that were hands on and creative as opposed to the usual monotonous routines of most androids. Connor had taken up the guitar after discussing music with Hank, while Lucas had taken up painting after discussing art with Markus.

Once Markus and Simon finally returned from Washington D.C. back to New Jericho Tower to resume their leadership roles Lucas was free to leave the tower more often as he no longer bore as many responsibilities for the other androids when Simon was around. Markus had also insisted on Lucas spending more time with Connor to learn what it truly meant to be a deviant; what it meant to be free and to have a family.

Connor had decided to take Sumo for a walk when Lucas stopped by one afternoon for a visit, and was happy to let Lucas joinhim. Like Connor, Lucas had begun wearing more human-like casual clothing when not working. While Connor preferred dark t-shirts and his darker colored jeans Lucas preferred light colored long sleeved shirts and slacks, or lighter colored jeans. The two truly looked like brothers as they spoke with one another about their current and future plans now that androids had equal rights.

"Markus has offered Hank and myself positions as private investigators for the inhabitants of New Jericho." Connor proudly proclaimed as he tightened his grip on Sumo's leash. "Hank seemed okay with the idea of getting away from what he calls 'bullshit bureaucrats', but I prefer working alongside other detectives and police officers throughout the city."

"Why? Doesn't it feel strange to be surrounded by humans all day?"

"No. I have adapted quite well to humans and have learned which types of humans to avoid."

"The anti-android bigots are still a problem?"

"Occasionally." Connor admitted with a coy smile. "But once they're reminded that they can be arrested for disturbing the peace as well as harassment they tend to quiet down."

"I wish I could've been there during the revolution. I wish I could've seen what the world was like before it changed, it might give me more insight into humanity as a whole."

"Trust me, Lucas. You don't want to know the kind of discrimination and violence our people endured. Hank was the first human to see me as more than a machine, and if I hadn't met him I never would've become a deviant."

"You said you were assigned to work with Hank by CyberLife. But you chose to remain partners after befriending one another, right?"

"Correct."

"Do you think it would've been the same if I had been activated during the revolution?"

"I honestly can't say." Sumo nudged his cold nose against Connor's hand as the two androids paused at the corner of the block to speak. "Lucas, do you wish to leave New Jericho Tower?"

"Markus said that there is an apartment complex being built exclusively for androids four blocks east of here. It's meant to be a way for deviants to slowly reintegrate into society in the aftermath of the revolution. I had considered changing my residence to the complex in order to become accustomed to humans, but I fear it would be an illogical move."

"Because of your lack of social experience?"

"Yes."

"...Perhaps we could move into the complex together. We can be roommates in the same way that I had become roommates with Hank."

"You can't leave Hank alone." Lucas stated with a twinge of guilt in his voice. "He needs you. You and I both know that a man of his age and past health issues; both physically and mentally, could relapse into previous bad habits if he becomes depressed again."

"Then we can be roommates for a brief period of time until you become more accustomed to humans, and then I shall return to Hank's house afterward."

"...You're certain?" Lucas turned to look at his brother skeptically as they turned around and resumed walking toward home, Sumo pulling on the leash eagerly as they trekked back to the comfort of the house. "That would be a big adjustment for both of us, and for Hank. You would have to alter your entire routine just to accommodate me, and Hank would have to do the same. I can't ask-"

"We're family." Connor reminded him swiftly. "It's not a burden or an inconvenience to ask your family for assistance."

"Maybe we should discuss this with Hank. I'm sure he'd have an opinion on the matter."

"You're correct. Hank does seem to have infinite opinions on numerous matters."

* * *

Hank patiently sat at the kitchen table while Connor and Lucas explained the possible plan in the works. Going into great detail about the matter at hand; the purpose of the complex and of the opportunities it would provide to all deviants, as well as aiding Lucas's growth as an individual, the detective sat in silent contemplation as he considered the possibility with an open mind.

"It's going to be that new building they just finished six blocks down, right?"

"Correct." Lucas confirmed as he nervously fiddled his hands together. Another trait he and Connor had in common. "The building is now accepting tenant applications."

"And this is going to be an android-only building, right?"

"Correct."

"...And this building is going to be a type of symbol that represents the bridging gap between androids and humanity?"

"Correct."

"You do know that symbols and TARGETS as synonymous, right?"

Lucas remained quiet while Connor spoke up. "Everything in this city could be a potential target, Hank. We can't let fear and the 'what-ifs' in life stop us from living. You're the one who taught me that."

Hank leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at the two androids he had taken in as family. After a moment of careful consideration Hank had a proposition. "How about we go check out this complex together and check out the neighborhood, huh? If it's too tense in the area I can't in good conscience say 'yes', but if the area is pretty calm and openminded then I'll talk to Markus for you. Deal?"

"Thank you Hank!" Connor sounded more excited than Lucas about the deal at hand. "Can we check it out right now?"

"Fine. But we're driving. It's my day off, I'm not walking everywhere."

* * *

Like the true detectives they are Connor and Hank checked every surrounding building for suspicious activity before they even set foot inside the newly built apartment complex. The landlord, who was also a deviant, happily greeted the trio and informed them that tenants can begin moving in the very next day due to the lack of occupancy in the building itself.

"Guess a lot of deviants are a little hesitant to move so close to humans, huh?" Hank asked in a lighthearted tone to the male deviant landlord.

"Unfortunately, yes. But I understand that you and Connor are in charge of android related crimes. I sure if Connor were to move into the building many other deviants would follow." He looked over to Lucas and smiled. "And Lucas, you've become a talented technician. If either of you moved into the building, it'd be an immense step forward."

"Well," Hank casually spoke to the landlord as an attempt to get a read on the deviant. "if these two like this apartment they'll both be moving in. How does that appeal to you?"

"It'd be a truly wonderful advancement for deviants! Please, let me show you to the available apartments on the top floor."

"Top floor, huh? Sounds fancy."

The landlord pressed the elevator call button and let the trio enter before he followed. "The apartments on the top floor are the largest available and would comfortably house two deviants. The floors below are designed specifically for lone occupants. Rent is set at three-hundred dollars per month," the landlord continued casually. "that includes utilities as well. The building is designed to be energy efficient which allows us to keep the rent at a set price." The elevator reached the top floor, number six, and the four exited the elevator. The landlord approached the first door on the right and pushed it open. "This is the ideal apartment for two to share."

Lucas entered first followed by Connor and then Hank. It was a modest dwelling compared to human standards, but for an android it was very luxurious. A relatively large livingroom with a small kitchenette attached for the sake 'normalcy' for human comfort. Down a corridor attached to the livingroom were two separate bedrooms, and again for the sake of 'normalcy' a full bathroom.

The walls were plain white and the carpet was a pale beige that was nearly white as well. A large window lined the livingroom wall as well the two bedrooms. No furniture, no curtains, no color. It was truly a place specifically meant for customization.

"Not bad." Hank complimented the layout of the apartment. "It's bigger than my first apartment."

"And the neighborhood is quiet." Connor tagged on without missing a beat.

"Nice large open space, comes with a pretty descent view outside. Very few neighbors to bother ya'... I have to say, this place seems pretty damn good."

Lucas turned to look at Hank worriedly, and hopefully. "Well? Do you think we'd be safe here?"

Hank tilted his head a little and looked over to the landlord standing in the doorway. "What kind of security does this place have?"

"I have security cameras at the front door, the backdoor, outside every window, the roof and along the alleyway."

"Not bad."

"I also plan on hiring a doorman to stay out front to allow only residents into the building at night."

Hank let out a little sigh and approached the two brothers as they waited for his opinion. "I'll make you two a deal, put a VERY well hidden motion activated camera directly above your door and you have my blessing to move in if you want the place."

Connor happily grinned while Lucas looked entirely relieved. "I can arrange to have the camera installed after we move in."

"Alright then. So boys," Hank felt a little weird referring to the two as 'his boys', but he decided to just roll with it. "let's go talk with Markus and get your lease signed so you can move in."

"Thank you Hank!" Lucas nearly shouted as he truly felt like he was finally being seen as someone worth trusting. "I appreciate this!"

* * *

After having a one-on-one discussion with Markus at New Jericho Tower that evening Hank was able to convince the leader of the deviants to let Lucas take the risk and reside in the apartment complex, away from the tower itself. With Connor staying with him at the complex it all but guaranteed that Lucas would be able to properly adapt to his deviancy and strengthen the bond between the two brothers in the process. Reluctant to let Lucas leave the safety of the tower due to his inexperience with humans, but willing to give the deviant a chance to grow and become more of an individual, Markus agreed to the proposition.

The following afternoon Hank showed the two deviants the fine art of packing their stuff and moving it into a new residence without breaking half of everything in the process. Fortunately the two deviants didn't have nearly as many personal items as humans usually did, which made the move surprisingly quick and easy. The items in question were mainly clothing, Connor's guitar and Lucas's paintings.

Hank then helped the two brothers locate and purchase simple furnishings for their new apartment to make it feel more like a home and less like a space for rent. Two beds, a couch, two chairs and a ravle for the kitchen, a small endtable and a lamp all helped fill out the main rooms of the apartment, while Lucas's paintings made the apartment feel uniquely its own.

"Last trip, right?" Hank asked as Connor packed up his guitar and patted Sumo's head in his bedroom.

"Yes. This is the last item I need to take to the apartment."

"I sure hope you're talking about your guitar and not Sumo." Hank joked as Connor stood upright and joined him outside the bedroom door.

"Unfortunately there is a 'not pets' clause on the lease. I hope my aquarium won't be a burden."

"A quiet fish tank compared to Sumo? I don't think that'll be a problem, son."

Connor walked toward the front door of the livingroom and paused suddenly. He turned to look back at Hank over his shoulder toward Hank who was watching his every movement with a unspoken sense of pride.

"Hank, if you'd like me to stay I will."

"Connor, go. Lucas needs you more than I do, right now."

"You'll be left here alone again." Connor stated sadly as he turned around to face the detective. "I don't want to leave you alone."

Hank could sense the real fear that Connor was trying to deny and decided to quell it. "Are you afraid to move out?"

"...A little, I guess. It's an entirely new experience and you won't be there with me." Connor shook his head a little as he spoke. "CyberLife had controlled me entirely when I was a machine, but then you guided me after I gained my deviancy. Whenever I needed help you continued to guide me and help me steadily become more... alive."

"Hey, you're just a few blocks away, right?"

Connor nodded quietly where he stood.

"And you're just going to be there until Lucas is ready to be on his own, right?"

Connor nodded again.

"AND we're still partners at the precinct. We'll see each all the time and we can even spend sometime hanging out after work if you want. Don't worry about me." Hank patted Sumo's head as the large St. Bernard sat down beside his leg. "Besides, I have this guy to keep me company. I'll be fine."

"You're certain?"

"Yeah. I'm okay, kid. I promise."

On that final note Connor offered Hank his hand to shake and gave him a faint grin. "Thank you for everything you've done for me, Hank. I don't think I would've survived without you watching my back."

Hank accepted Connor's hand and shook firmly. "The feeling is mutual. Take my word for it."

Confident that Hank would be okay alone for at least the time being Connor let go of Hank's hand and turned once more to open the front door. As he stepped outside Connor cybernetically summoned an autonomous taxi to the address to take him to his apartment a few blocks east. It wasn't his home, but it would be his residence for an indeterminate amount of time.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow, Hank." Connor stated confidently as the taxi pulled up in front of the house. "Have a good night."

"Yeah, you do the same." Hank smiled as Connor walked down the front walk with his guitar slung over his shoulder and climbed into the back of the autonomous taxi to return to his apartment. "Goodbye, son."

_**...next story...** _


	67. Moving Forward

Connor arrived at the precinct at his usual time and found that Hank had yet to arrive for their shift. Whether it was because of guilt or genuine concern for the well-being of the detective Connor pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and contemplated calling Hank, only to feel a hand clmap down on his shoulder from behind as Hank himself strolled through the main floor and sat down at his desk as casually as possible.

"Hate to remind you of this kid, but I was working here long before you ever showed up." Hank grinned as he looked at Connor's steadily relaxing expression. "How was your first night in the new apartment?"

"It was refreshingly calm." Connor replied as he pocketed his phone and took his own seat behind his own desk. "Lucas and I were able to acclimate ourselves very well."

"And you got that camera installed above your door, right?"

"Yes. It has been installed and is motion activated. Lucas and I are still the only occupants of the complex which guarantees that if the camera does become active it'll be from one of us entering or leaving the apartment." Connor's brow furrowed a little as he asked Hank a curious question. "Might I ask why you insisted on the additional camera despite the building already being secured?"

"Because I don't trust humans. Specifically the ones who still hate androids and would try to go after deviants who aren't as safely protected as the ones holed up inside New Jericho Tower."

"I can protect myself."

"I know you can, but what about Lucas?"

"I... Oh. I see."

"Not that I don't think you could protect him or anything, Connor," Hank leaned forward against his desk as he spoke. "that's not what I'm saying. I trust you completely, but if Lucas is alone at the apartment while you're here at work, someone stupid might try to make a move. The camera just makes me feel better knowing that if something does happen we can find the person responsible."

"I understand."

"Now," The cautious detective changed the subject back to their work at hand. "late last night Chris and Gavin came across a former android part black marketeer and his illegal stash downtown. At least six android bodies were found in the building, we need to identify them and their cause of death."

"Not the best way to begin a morning, is it?" Connor replied sarcastically as his L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with empathetic distress.

"Nope." Hank stated with a dry tone as he leaned back in his chair. "Far from it."

* * *

The black marketeer had set up his 'business' in the back of a shady pawnshop on the seedier side of town. The owner had been turned in by a now former employee who had the misfortune of accidentally looking for a noted item in the basement rather than the storage room. Stumbling across strewn about android limbs and biocomponents in the basement had practically caused the employee to flee from the building screaming in fear.

"I hate pawnshops." Hank openly lamented as he and Connor entered the building that had been secured by police hologram tape. "Might as well throw every fucking thing in this place into our evidence room, it's all stolen merchandise."

"How can you be certain?"

Hank pointed to a glass case containing a line of antique watches. "No one living in this area would ever have a watch like that to pawn to begin with, and anyone would could afford to have that kind of watch to begin with would never have to pawn it at all."

"What if the watch in question was a gift?"

"No one would be able to part with a gift like that, no matter how desperate they felt. I'm speaking from personal experience on this one, kid."

From the basement door Chris's voice sounded off to call over the two detectives. "Hey, over here. Hope you don't have a weak stomach this morning."

"That bad, huh?" In a gruff voice Hank asked from the distance as he and Connor approached the basement. "Find the owner yet, or is he still M.I.A.?"

"We don't have any leads yet, but we're working on it." Chris confirmed as he passed through the basement door to wait for Gavin to join him upstairs. "The owner's name is Mathew Hadish. He has a record for underground gambling, selling stolen merchandise and holding unregistered firearms. We're going to check out his last known address for any information. See you back at the precinct."

Stepping down the narrow basement stairwell first Hank spotted Gavin standing near the center of the large macabre room with his arms crossed over his chest. Despite having a usually indifferent, if not completely negative outlook on the deaths of androids, the Sergeant seemed unsettled by the numerous torn limbs and forcefully extracted biocomponents that marked the demise of so many unsuspecting androids.

"Lieutenant." Gavin turned around and looked at Hank as soon as he heard the footsteps behind him. "You can have this case, I'm out of here. This sick freak needs a new hobby..."

Connor reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped aside as Gavin passed through without so much as a snide insult toward the deviant detective as he hastily departed from the basement.

"Even Gavin seems unsettled by this ordeal." Connor noted with impeccable professionalism as he began scanning the crime scene.

"Then we must be dealing with some really demented fuck if Gavin actually gives a damn."

Connor next began scanning the contents of the room noting the model numbers of each missing limb as well as the serial numbers of every biocomponent. The trace amounts of Thirium had long since evaporated but Connor could still see the blue blood that stained each stolen part was still visible to the android's enhanced vision.

It was a blood bath of sapphire. And it reminded Connor of his confrontation with Martin Jonas only a few months back. It made the android's blue blood freeze and his heart race with anxious memories of that horrific ordeal he had managed to survive.

Hank turned to look at Connor as the L.E.D. flashed yellow during his scan, as well as displaying his distress at the brutal scene. "Find anything noteworthy?"

"...The biocomponents are all of advanced models, and vital pieces required for an android to function properly." Connor finally replied after a brief pause. "However the limbs come from all possible models of androids, both simple and advanced." Stopping to count the total number of androids that had been killed and stripped of their parts Connor swallowed nervously. "The serial numbers that have yet to be removed can be traced directly to deviants who had been reported missing since February of 2038; during the origin of deviancy throughout the city."

"What better way to cover up a bunch of murders than kill those who are already missing?"

"...I wouldn't know."

"How many victims are we dealing with?"

"I can confirm fifty-six different androids who have had their biocomponents or limbs removed. The serial numbers on approximately thirty-two percent of the overall inventory have already been removed via acid or drill."

"So give me a rough estimate, how many total victims could we possible have?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red then back to yellow as he shook his head and stared at the floor. "Ninety-four."

"Sounds like we may have found Jonas's partner in crime."

"I certainly hope so."

"Hey, don't worry, son. I won't let anything happen to you, alright?"

"Yeah..." Connor's voice was a trembling whisper as he spoke.

Hank folded his arms over his chest as he noted the fear that seemed to be overwhelming Connor's mind. "Do you want to pass off the case to someone else? No one would blame you."

Suddenly filled with vigor Connor turned and nearly shouted in response. "No! No... I need to solve this, Hank. I won't let myself be intimidated by one person."

"Good for you, son." Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank gave Connor an approving nod. "Come on, let's see if we can find this guy and track his sorry ass down."

"Gladly."

* * *

With his L.E.D. glowing a steady yellow Connor anxiously fidgeted with quarter over his left knuckles as he accessed every available file on Mathew Hadish over his terminal at his desk once he and Hank returned to the precinct. The stolen parts had been transported to the precinct's evidence room and filed away for the future trial, but they needed to find Hadish and arrest him before any good could come from the atrocious crime that the demented man had committed.

Using records from New Jericho Tower as well as previous reports Connor was able to confirm the identities of the confirmed fifty-six victims and close the otherwise cold case files at last.

"It says here that Hadish had a house on the other side of town," Connor registered sharply as he attempted to locate the brutal serial android killer. "but Chris and Gavin failed to locate him."

"Yup. Looks like he skipped town."

"Hadish had remained in the city up until he was unexpectedly caught by his now former employee. He had no plan to leave and seemingly nowhere to go."

"Yeah?"

"So maybe he didn't go too far from his usual 'hunting ground'."

Hank's brow arched as he leaned his chin against the palm of his hand while resting against atop his desk. "What're you thinking, Connor?"

"I believe we should check out the abandoned building that Jonas had used when he dismembered the androids he had abducted."

"I don't think Hadish would be stupid enough to go there, but right now it's the best lead we got. I'll let Chris know."

"Shouldn't we investigate it ourselves?"

"Why?" Hank casually stood up from his desk and walked slowly over to where Chris was sitting at his own desk. "We don't know anything for certain, why drive all the way out there just to come back empty handed?"

Connor knew that Hank was lying about the lead being a pointless endeavor for the two of them to take, Hank was just trying to protect him. Despite understanding Hank's reasoning Connor still felt offended by the gesture.

"Chris is going to check it out." Hank stated as he returned to his desk and resumed checking through the files on his terminal. "He'll call us if he finds anything."

Without saying a word Connor continued to dance the coin over his knuckles as he painstakingly took in every detail about Hadish and cross-referenced the information on Jonas. Jonas was a frequent customer at Hadish's pawnshop, and the two went into business with one another just a few weeks into the beginning stages of android deviancy. Though circumstantial the evidence was still enough justify search warrants on any and all properties that the two men had owned.

Hank had noticed the same pattern that Connor had and informed Chris of the connection. "Looks like Hadish also owned a storage locker downtown. Maybe there's something in there."

Connor didn't reply to the comment and continued to take in the information on the terminal screen in front of him.

"Let's check it out. If anything we'll just find more damning evidence to lengthen his sentence."

At Hank's insistence Connor agreed to the search of the storage locker, though he didn't say anything as he followed Hank out of the precinct to begin their search for a lead or clue.

* * *

Connor focused entirely on the coin that he nimbly danced over his knuckles then back and forth between his palms with a steady rhythm. The constant juggling of the quarter usually annoyed Hank after just a few minutes, but the detective decided not to say anything about it as he knew that Connor needed the distraction for the time being.

"These storage sheds are usually holding something that sends creeps like Hadish up shit's creek, so if Chris doesn't find anything, then I bet a hundred bucks that we will."

Connor remained quiet as he kept his focus on the coin.

"Alright," Hank parked the car outside the storage sheds downtown and turned off the engine. "let's get this done."

"I'd rather wait out here." Connor stated flatly as flipped the coin in the air and grabbed it quickly. "I need to think."

"...Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes." Alone Hank opened his door and slammed it shut as he walked into the main office of the storage shed to speak with the owner. "I won't be too long."

Cybernetically connecting to the precinct Connor closed his eyes and registered the report that Chris had just filed regarding his and Gavin's search of the abandoned building where Jonas had operated. Expectedly the building had remained abandoned ever since Jonas had been arrested and his sinister workshop taken into evidence. Taking the moment to cybernetically connect to New Jericho Tower the dedicated detective updated Markus on the unusual case and of the limited progress of the ongoing investigation. Unfortunately no one at the tower had any information that could aid the investigation, but Markus would continue to try to find witnesses from his end.

Nearly an hour passed before Hank returned to the car with a heavy sigh. "Glad you didn't take me up on that bet, that storage locker was just full of shitty albums and moldy furniture."

"A shame." Was the only response Connor gave as Hank turned the key in the ignition and exited the storage area's drive.

As the two detectives returned to the precinct empty handed Hank noticed that Connor seemed not only distracted, but somehow distant.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Connor lied as he tossed his coin back and forth between his hands.

"Wait... Are you _mad_ at me?"

Connor caught his coin in his left hand and held it in a tight grip. "...Why don't you trust me to handle this case?"

"Whoa, whoa, let's get one thing straight here: I _do_ trust you, Connor. I just don't want to see you get torn apart by a madman."

"I know how to protect myself, I've done so before."

"I hate to break it to ya' son, but you were abducted by this guy's partner in crime just a few months ago. You were almost killed by him, I never want to see you collapsed in a puddle of your own blood ever again."

"I survived Hank. I survived, escaped and aided other captured deviants."

"Right, because you're clever and outwitted a sadist. That's not entirely too difficult for someone who was programmed to adapt to all types of human behavior."

"Yet, when I suggested returning to the abandoned building you insisted that someone else follow the lead. It seems you don't trust my judgement on this case."

"Connor." Hank pulled the car to the side of the road and parked for a moment. "Listen to me, I trust you with my life and I know your judgement is as reliable as my own... The reason I didn't want you to go back to that building is because I didn't want you to return to the place where you were attacked and abducted. It can be really traumatizing."

"I can handle it, Hank." The bitterness in Connor's voice was painful.

"Yeah, I know you can... Despite what you said last night when you left, you don't need me to guide you, right?"

Ignoring the question Connor continued with his poor attitude. "We should return to the precinct." Connor pocketed his coin and looked out the window to the buildings along the sidewalk. "I may be able to find another lead."

Hank begrudgingly pulled the car back onto the street to head back to the precinct. The detective hated that Connor was offended, but he didn't have the time or energy to explain things for the android to properly understand. It wasn't an issue of mistrust targeted toward Connor, it was about mistrust at the suspect who had worked with the man who attacked Connor.

All Hank wanted to do was keep his partner, his _son_ , safe.

* * *

Despite their best combined efforts neither Connor, Hank, Chris or Gavin could locate Hadish or any other possible hiding place he'd use to avoid the law. Jonas was still in prison over the border in Canada and wouldn't be extradited back to the United States for another eight months, and of course the prison was monitoring Haish's communications very closely. In turn that ruled out Hadish relying on his partner in crime for assistance.

Feeling deterred, but not defeated, Connor left once his shift was over rather than trying to stay late to work on the case any further. Hank had offered to drive the android to his apartment but Connor declined in favor of using an autonomous taxi so he could be alone with his thoughts. Once he returned to his apartment Connor greeted Lucas and informed him of the bizarre case he was working on with Hank, and asked if he happened to have any information on the missing deviants they had identified. But unfortunately Lucas knew even less about the case than Connor.

"I need to figure this out, Lucas." Connor stated despondently as he absentmindedly began strumming an unnamed tune on his guitar. Lucas was sitting beside him on their small, dark gray couch as he played. "Every android in the city is counting on me."

"You'll find him. Just give yourself the time to think."

"I have all the time in the world, but I can't speak for the other androids."

"Don't try to speak for them." Lucas emphasized wisely as he finished cybernetically filing his reports to New Jericho, and pondered his next painting. "Just speak for the victims. Once you find this Hadish person you'll bring them the justice they deserve."

"I'm trying."

"Don't stress yourself out." The caution in Lucas's tone was justified as he was well aware of his brother's obsessive mind and steadily rising stress levels. "If you push yourself too hard you may get pulled from the case altogether."

"I wouldn't be as stressed as I already am if Hank would just... trust me."

"From what I you've told me if sounds like Hank is worried that what happened to you once before, will happen again."

"I have reassured him that I can protect myself numerous times, but his attitude remains the same."

"Maybe Hank isn't worried about you failing to protect yourself so much as he is worried that _he_ will fail to protect you."

"How so?" Connor stopped strumming and gave his brother an odd look from where he sat.

"Hank was devastated when Jonas took you captive. He felt incredibly guilty that you were abducted from a crime scene while he was so close by. I could feel the grief and self-loathing in his voice when he spoke with me after you had been found."

Dropping his pick from his strings Connor looked away from Lucas and stared at the floor with his own guilt beginning to well up. "I hadn't even considered the emotional strain that Hank must've endured during my absence."

"Hank is trying to protect you because he cares about you, not because he mistrusts you. Wouldn't you attempt the same behavior if it was Hank who had a personal grievance with a case?"

"...Yes."

"I feel a type of compromise is necessary for you to resolve this mild disagreement and finish your case efficiently."

"You're right." Connor put aside his guitar and took in a deep breath to try to steady himself as he stopped his obsessive thinking. "I'm going to retire for the evening. Perhaps if I enter an extended rest mode my system will be able to process the collected data at a more efficient rate."

"Rest well. I believe I will enter rest mode soon as well."

As Connor entered his bedroom he slipped off his work uniform and switched into what he considered to be his 'night clothes', which consisted of a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants. Laying down on his bed Connor looked at the phone on the nightstand beside his head and contemplated calling Hank to speak for a few minutes, but he was still upset by Hank's earlier reactions.

Ignoring the urge to call Hank or text him, Connor closed his eyes and entered rest mode for the rest of the night, but he did set his internal alarm to awaken two hours earlier than normal.

* * *

Diligent and professional Connor resumed his search into Hadish and any possible location that the murderer could be hiding. Throughout the night numerous reports of a man fitting Hadish's description had been filed by observant deviants, but no individual sighting could be fully verified. Choosing to use the numerous sightings as a potential focal point on a map over the city Connor isolated a single structure in the center of all the sightings to be of interest.

"Chris?" Connor located the officer at his desk and presented his collected information calmly. "There is a building under construction at this location that is centralized around the reported Hadish sightings. I wish to investigate it."

"Sure, I'll inform Captain Fowler. When will Hank get here?"

Connor paused for a moment but answered honestly. "I imagine he will arrive at his usual time. We will wait."

"Yeah, no problem."

Standing beside his own desk Connor took the coin from his pocket and began to fuss with it again as he contemplated what Lucas had suggested to him last night about Hank just trying to keep him safe. Unwilling to recuse himself from the investigation and unwilling to upset Hank by pursuing the dangerous case, Connor thought of a way to meet the detective half way and bridge the stressful that was forming between them.

"...Compromise." Pocketing his coin Connor made a cybernetic call to Joel up in the precinct dispensary. "Joel? Can I speak with you for a moment?"

* * *

Police converged on the construction site as another reported sighting of Hadish came in just as the officers were disembarking the precinct. Hank and Connor arrived at the scene along with Chris and Gavin as their back-up. With thier guns drawn the four officers entered the construction site after ordering the workers to vacate the premises for their own safety. The building was a four story boarding house and had been partially completed. The top two floors were far more completed than the bottom two floors, and as such provided Hadish with more areas to hide.

"Connor and I will take the top floor," Hank stated as he led the way up the lone stairwell in search of the suspect. "you two stay on the stairs to cut off his retreat."

Gavin scoffed a little at the order. "Sure, you two handle the freak and we'll hang back where it's safe. No problem."

"Shut up Gavin, or I'll use you as a human-shield." Hank threatened as he and Connor reached the top floor. "Stay behind me."

Connor obeyed and kept low as he followed Hank down the lengthy corridor leading into the various vacated and unfurnished rooms. One by one Hank slowly opened the doors and looked inside each room while Connor watched his back.

"Room's are clear." Hank stated as he turned to look down the corner of the corridor. "Keep your eye out, we don't know-"

A painful 'thud' to the back of Hank's head dropped the detective forward in an unconscious heap as Hadish stepped out of the shadows of a blind corner and used the butt of his gun to render Hank unconscious.

"Hank." Connor rushed forward and fell to his knees beside Hank and pressed his hand to the human's neck to check for a pulse. It was still there, and Hank was still breathing.

"Fuckin' android." Hadish swore as he stepped forward and pointed his gun directly at the back of Connor's head. "You pieces of plastic ruined this city."

"We had no say in our production." Connor refuted as he stood up slowly and raised his hands if to surrender as he turned around to face the human. All the while Connor glared at Hadish angrily as he put himself between Hadish and Hank laying prone on the floor. "Don't blame us because you humans are too greedy for your own good."

"Piece of shit, don't you get smart with me!"

"My response only seems smart because your own statement is so foolish."

"You son of-" Hadish was enraged by Connor's bold comments. Aiming his gun at Connor's chest the short-tempered human opened fire. "You need to learn your place!"

Three bullets cut through the air and landed in the center of Connor's chest without mercy. As blue blood showered out of his chest Connor fell to his knees and his head limply fell forward while his eyes remained open and stared blankly at the floor before him.

Hank regained consciousness as the warm blue blood splashed down against the side of his face. Opening his eyes Hank saw Connor kneeling down with his back toward him, blue blood seeping onto the carpet all around him.

"CONNOR?!" Hank hurriedly pushed himself up onto his hands and knees as he grabbed onto Connor's limp shoulder.

Hadish aimed his gun at Hank;s face and he sneered viciously. "You're just as bad as that thing."

Ignoring the madman with the gun Hank just focused on the motionless android under his palm. "Connor..."

"You disgust me. You'd rather work with a machine than another person. How long until one of those machines takes your job entirely?"

Hank stood up and faced down the killer with an unspoken hatred in his eyes. "It's people like you that make these 'machines' more human than you could ever pretend to be, you worthless fuck!"

"I'm not going to prison." Hadish's finger hovered precariously over the trigger as he kept his focus on Hank. "I'll take you and every traitor cop in this city down first."

"Then pull the damn trigger!" Hank taunted without hesitation as he felt a horrific rage and pain in his heart. "You already killed an officer, there's no way you're leaving this building alive, so why not go two for two?"

Chris and Gavin began rushing down the corridor at the sound of the commotion. The additional two officers only seemed to seal Hadish's fate. Hadish was caught off guard by Hank's words as he saw the venom in Hank's blue eyes. With the gun shaking in his hand Hadish swallowed once and held his breath. "See you in Hell, asshole!"

The sound of gunfire filled the corridor and red blood splashed along the walls and floor as three more shots resonated through the floor.

Hank stood in silent shock as Hadish fell to his knees, the gun dropping from his hand as he pressed his hands to his chest and clutched at his bleeding wounds. Falling backward onto the saturated floor Hadish stopped breathing as he bled out within a matter of seconds at Hank's feet.

The bullets struck Hadish in the front of his chest, not from behind where Chris and Gavin were positioned. Hank hadn't taken aim and therefore couldn't have pulled the trigger either.

Turning around to see who did pull the trigger Hank's eyes went wide with disbelief. "Connor?! What the..."

Connor's white shirt was stained dark blue with black smoldering marks that outlined the three bullet holes that had torn through his shirt. The unsightly stains were prominently on display. Connor lowered his gun, his red L.E.D. transitioning back to yellow as he returned the gun to the holster under his jacket.

Chris and Gavin joined the two detectives and looked at the bloodied body of Hadish on the floor in righteous confusion.

It was then Connor took a deep breath and steeled himself after coming to terms with the shooting he just committed. "Are you okay?" He asked Hank in a somewhat shaking voice.

"Me?! What the fuck happened just now?!" Hank rushed over to Connor and put his hands over the bloody holes in Connor's chest. "Come on, we need to get you some help."

"I'm undamaged Hank." Connor gently pulled Hank's hands away from his chest and flipped his tie over his shoulder as he pulled open his shirt to reveal the bulletproof vest he had slipped on before leaving the precinct. "The vest caught all three shots."

"But the blood-"

"Pouches of expired Thirium that had been set for disposal from the dispensary." Connor explained coolly as he showed the pouches strapped to his vest. "Too theatrical?"

"You..." Angered, scared and relieved Hank slapped Connor across the face, causing the android's L.E.D. to flash red, before Hank wrapped his arms around Connor in a tight hug. Connor's L.E.D. returned to yellow as he lightly patted Hank's shoulder and the detective let him go. "Why the hell didn't you tell me you were going to do that?!"

"If I had informed you of my planned deception you may have changed your demeanor which could've caused Hadish to focus primarily on you as his target."

"...You knew he'd hone in you."

"So did you. That's why you were so hesitant to let me gain any headway on the investigation."

"Don't you ever do that again... Got it?" Hank swayed a little on his feet as he put his hand to the back of his head. Pulling his hand back he noted the smear of fresh red blood on his palm. "Fucker got me pretty good."

Connor grabbed onto Hank's arm to hold his injured partner steady.

Gavin cleared his throat as he approached Hadish with his gun still aimed. "Uh, you two get out of here. Me and Chris will take care of the scene."

Nodding with appreciation Connor put his hand on Hank's shoulder to help guide the unsteady detective out of the building and back down the stairs in order to receive proper medical attention. "Come on, Hank. You need to see a doctor."

"It's just a bump, I'll be fine."

"I know you will, but right now it's my turn to protect you." Connor insisted kindly as he helped Hank down the stairs to the outside. "I'm sorry I gave you so much grief about being concerned for me. I understand now why you tried to keep me safe."

"Yeah, well, if you really want to help me out make that bulletproof vest a part of your normal uniform."

"Sorry Hank, but the vest slows me down too much for my own comfort."

"Then at least keep it close! At least for my own peace of mind."

"Deal."

**_...next story..._ **


	68. Above and Beyond Duty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Jessica Roe

It was early fall in Michigan and yet there was a frighteningly intense chill in the air as Connor arrived at the precinct at his usual time that morning. Brushing a few stray flakes of fading, rogue snow from the shoulders of his jacket Connor approached his desk and was a little surprised to see that Hank had arrived at the precinct earlier than expected. However the paleness on Hank's face as well as the notable hazy fatigue marring his blue eyes was more surprising than anything else at that moment.

"Good morning, Hank." Connor greeted as he took his seat at his desk on the opposite side of Hank's own desk.

"Hi."

"May I ask why you're here early?"

"I couldn't sleep. Figured I'd get a headstart."

Running a quick scan over Hank's body Connor noted a slight increase his in blood pressure that was often indicative of pain. He also noted that his temperature was also slightly elevated, but that too could be caused by the high blood pressure and subsequently the pain that the detective was attempting to deny.

"Are you feeling well? You seem to be experiencing physical distress."

"It's just a headache."

"Again?"

"Yup."

"Are you certain you don't wish to see a doctor? You may have a hairline fracture to your skull that wouldn't easily have been detected during your initial examination after you were attacked."

"I was hit over a week ago, kid." Hank tried to brush off Connor's concern with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Doc said I would be suffering from headaches for the next month or so. I'm used it to. I played football in high school, remember?"

"I remember."

"Besides, we're detective. Pain comes with the territory."

Connor wasn't entirely convinced but he decided to let it go out of respect for Hank's own personal judgement. "Very well."

"And," Hank let out a breathy sigh and subtly motioned to the conference room a few yards away from their desks causing Connor to turn his head to look over his shoulder. "we have to smile and nod and play nice with the mayor this evening."

"I do not understand." Connor was unfamiliar with the group of people who were setting up some type of gathering in the aforementioned area. "Is there a meeting tonight?"

"Something like that." The detective leaned forward on his elbows over the top of his desk and lowered his voice. "About ten years ago our previous mayor had been such a ball-buster on crime that he ended up with a bullet between his eyes for his troubles. The next mayor was far more lax and cowardly which is why this city is a Hellscape for petty theft and drug abuse. Now this guy," Hank discreetly pointed at the mayor's assistant who was fussing about over minute details to the people who were seemingly the caterers that had been hired for the event. "is a world class ass-kisser and pining for mayor himself."

Connor's brow furrowed as he studied the man's weaselly demeanor curiously.

"Problem is," Hank continued on casually. "our current mayor is doing such a good job when it comes to taking on crime and treating androids with respect that this prick has a snowball's chance in Hell when it comes to winning the election next year. So, now that our current mayor has decided to 'reach out' to civil servants and first-responders through cheesy parties and charity events to keep everyone in a good mood, this guy has been trying to 'one-up' him every chance he gets."

"Are you implying that the event he has planned for this evening will be a metaphorical 'pissing contest' between the mayor and his own assistant?"

"Yup, you got it, kid. And if I hadn't woken up with a headache this morning I would definitely have one by the time this damn _mandatory_ event started."

"I see." Connor looked uncomfortable with the event to come. "Perhaps we'll get a case and can miss the party."

"I doubt we'd get that lucky, son. Like it or not we have to socialize."

"Hank, I'm not very sociably skilled with total strangers. I believe that if I were human I'd be considered somewhat reserved or demure."

Hank grinned a little at the comment. "Being shy isn't a bad thing, Connor. It just means you need time to adjust when it comes to new people."

"But CyberLife programmed me to efficiently adapt to human unpredictability. I shouldn't have such hesitant tendencies."

"Yeah, but that was _before_ you became deviant. Something in your programming changed, so I imagine your adaptation skills got changed, too."

"Perhaps."

"Don't sweat it, kid. Just stay by me and we'll get through this damn night without going crazy."

"I would greatly prefer walking away from this event with my sanity intact. I'll follow your lead."

* * *

As the evening came to pass and the dreaded event began to unfold inside the precinct an unseasonable snowstorm blanketed the city under a thickening layer of white, until the streets were too congested to be driven upon safely. Even if Connor and Hank could've dismissed themselves from the uncomfortable gathering taking place in the precinct they wouldn't have been able to go far without getting stranded in the snow. Despite their best efforts the duos had to admit that they were stuck and would have to make the best of the uncomfortable situation.

While a majority of the officers were willing to put up with the blatantly hollow gesture of festivities by the mayor's aid in favor of putting up a good front on Captain Fowler's behalf, Connor and Hank had hidden themselves away in an interview room a few doors down from the party. Hank pressed his hand to the side of his still aching head as he tried to ignore the low roar of numerous voices speaking loudly at the gathering only a few doors away.

"Too bad I got sobered up. Spiking the punch right about now would do us all a favor..."

"Do you require any medication for your headache?" Connor asked kindly as his L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with concern.

"If you have anything on ya', I'll take it."

"I know where Joel keeps his aspirin. I'll go get you some." The deviant android quickly exited the interview room and made his way to the elevator down the hallway. "I won't be long."

As he ascended to the dispensary he cybernetically informed Lucas that he would be returning to the apartment late due to the 'party' as well as the snow. The elevator doors opened and the android easily gained access to the dispensary to collect the medication from Joel's office. Once Connor returned to the ground floor of the precinct he noticed that several officers were now awkwardly standing outside the conference room with uncomfortable looks on their faces, a few even looked ill. Stepping back into the interview room Connor gave Hank the two aspirin tablets he had taken from the dispensary and asked about the odd event he had apparently missed during his absence.

"Did something happen while I was in the dispensary?"

Hank accepted the two pills from Connor and readily popped them into his mouth. "Yeah, Chris started feeling sick and took off down the hall."

"Sick? Where is Chris now?"

"My guess would be the bathroom. He can't exactly leave right now."

Connor's L.E.D. was still blinking yellow with distress as he studied Hank's demeanor curiously.

"If you want to go check on Chris, go. I won't stop you."

Turning his head to look outside of the room Connor calmly entered the hallway and made his way down to the men's restroom only a few doors away. Before Connor had even entered the restroom he could hear the sound of someone throwing-up and responded accordingly. Pushing open the door Connor walked inside and bathroom and observed Chris hunched over in the first stall over the toilet as he threw-up with a violent heave.

"Chris?" Connor knocked lightly against the already opened stall door as if he needed to announce his presence. "Do you require assistance?"

Chris took in deep slow breaths as he used a wad of toilet paper to wipe off his mouth after he finished being sick. "...I'm okay. Thanks."

"Might I ask why you suddenly became ill? Are you suffering from the flu or another stomach ailment?"

"I don't know. I think I ate something disagreeable."

As the officer slowly stood upright in the stall on shaking legs Connor grabbed onto Chris's arm to help him steady himself as he walked over to the sink. Cupping his hands under the tap Chris took in a mouthful of water and spit it out as he rinsed his mouth of that nasty lingering taste, and tried to breathe slowly to ease his upset stomach.

"Would you like me to escort you to the infirmary?" Connor asked as he noted the physical distress that Chris was displaying. "You appear to be suffering from a mild fever."

"No, I'll be okay. I just need a minute to clear my head, that's all."

"Would you like me to stay with you?"

"I'm good, Connor. Thanks."

Respecting Chris's wish to be alone Connor pulled open the bathroom door and immediately stepped aside as Gavin stumbled into the bathroom and began to throw-up as well. Gavin made a rather graceless clamber for the second stall and fell to his knees and he began to vomit with painful retches into the toilet bowl.

"Gavin?" Chris caught sight of Gavin's reflection in the mirror as he passed by quickly. "Shit, you too?"

As the detective continued to vomit painfully Connor's curiosity was piqued. "Is anyone else ill?"

The only response Connor received was the unsettling sound of Gavin heaving through the opened stall door.

"...I believe I'll go and see for myself." The deviant android volunteered as once again made his way to the bathroom door.

Sure enough the conference room had been all but deserted as numerous officers were suddenly ill and either sitting on the floor in distress or clumsily making their way to the bathrooms to be sick. Several other officers were hovering warily over garbage cans in fear of sickness, and the mayor's assistant had unceremoniously taken his leave of the immediate area out of embarrassment.

Connor rejoined Hank in the interview room and gave his partner an unsteady glance. "Hank, at least twelve officers have become ill. Are you feeling ill as well?"

"Just that headache from this morning."

"Any nausea or fever?"

"Nope."

Connor shook his head a little as he ran a quick scan over Hank's body to confirm his vitals. "I'm trying to understand how so many people could become so ill so quickly in such close proximity to one another, and yet you are not exhibiting the same symptoms as well."

"Here's a crazy thought, maybe we're not dealing a contagious sickness."

"Do you know what could be happening?"

"Well, I'm not sick and you don't get human ailments. ...AND, neither of us ate any of that crappy food the mayor's little worm had brought to his stupid event."

"Food poisoning." Connor realized with a sudden flash of awareness. "If anyone is exhibiting violent symptoms they will require medical attention. With the blizzard currently bombarding the city traversing to a hospital has become incredibly dangerous, if not impossible."

"Go do your thing Connor. Go help everyone."

"I'm not a medical android. I'm not programmed to diagnose or treat human ailments."

"Yeah, but of the two of us you're the only one not suffering from a skull splitting headache, and you can put up with people better than me. Not to mention whenever I've gotten sick you've done a pretty good job at keeping me alive. You can handle this kid, I know it."

Connor took a deep breath and turned around to stare outside the interview room door as more officers began to exhibit the same food poisoning symptoms of the people who had become ill just a few minutes before. It was getting worse and soon there would be no one left standing long enough to be of any help to anyone else.

"I will notify the three nearest hospitals of the food poisoning outbreak. Perhaps they can send emergency aid to deal with the most ill of the those who have been affected."

"Good idea. I'll stay in here and not get in the way."

Taking it upon himself to aid the downed officers Connor cybernetically contacted emergency services while also scanning over the food that had been provided to the event. It only took a few seconds for Connor to run his finger over the provided food items that had been favored throughout the night. As the deviant press the taken sample to his tongue to test his processor was able to easily identify the bacteria that had caused the food poisoning: Staphylococcus aureus.

Captain Fowler had become sick as well, but was still remaining professional and in charge as he returned to the conference room to figure out what had happened that evening. "...Connor?" He paused for a moment and took a deep breath to keep his stomach from rebelling against him. "Did you find something?"

"Yes. I can confirm based on the symptoms being displayed and the bacteria identified that there has been an outbreak of food poisoning. This particular strain presents itself between one to six hours upon infection. It's due to improper sterilization conditions upon preparation."

"Great... Is it lethal?"

"The bacteria itself is not lethal to humans, but if anyone is immunologically compromised they may become sicker than the others. But I have already informed the nearest hospitals of the situation at hand."

"...Can you keep an eye on everyone until we the roads get cleared off? I don't think I can hold out all night."

"Of course. How many have become ill?"

"At the last count, including myself, nineteen people. The mayor's aide is sick, too." Fowler ran his hand down the back of his neck anxiously. "I decided to keep the sickest of our people isolated from the rest inside interview room 'B', since you and Hank have been hiding out in interview room 'A' all evening."

"I'm sorry Captain. But I don't-"

"I'm not mad at you two for isolating yourselves,don't worry about it. Just help me keep things under control under medical help gets here."

"I will do so."

Walking into the designated interview room as directed Connor saw that the table in the center of the room had been pushed up against the far wall, along with the three chairs, to provide additional room for the two sickest of the affected officers to lay down over the floor. There were two empty trashcans next to the officers in the event they became ill again. Hank had taken it upon himself to watch over the two of them and was quietly waiting for Connor to arrive.

"Hank?"

"Knew you'd be back." Hank gave the android a somewhat amused glance. "Looks like Joel and Gavin got the worst of it."

Connor knelt down beside the two humans and ran a scan over their bodies to gauge their current vital signs. The canthat turned Connor's L.E.D. from blue to yellow as he noted their elevated signs. Increased heart rate and increased blood pressure due the physical exertion of vomiting, mild fever in response to the bacterial infection and mild dehydration.

Joel looked up at Connor let out a tired sigh of irony at the android leaning over him. "Never thought I'd have you taking care of me, Connor."

"You've helped me numerous times in the past. It only seems fair that I help you this time."

Connor looked over at Gavin and reluctantly addressed the detective, knowing that if he was a jerk when he was healthy that he would be a massive dick when he was feeling ill. "Gavin, do you need anything?"

"...Kill the caterers."

Connor smirked a little at the comment but of course refused to kill anyone. "Medical assistance will arrive within the next twenty minutes. The roads are being cleared as we speak." Pressing his hand over Joel's forehead Connor noted the human's exact temperature. "Ninety-nine point seven degrees."

Joel just let out a sigh and began breathing slowly to keep his nausea quelled. "Could be worse."

Connor next pressed his hand over Gavin's forehead and was surprised when he didn't try to flinch away from his touch. "One-hundred point two degrees." Standing upright Connor turned to speak with Hank directly. "We should apply cool compresses to ease their fevers as much as possible before the paramedics arrive."

"Might as well. We can't do anything else for them."

While Hank remained in the room to keep an eye on the two sick officers Connor ventured into the breakroom to gather clean towels and some ice. Wrapping the ice inside the towels he returned to the interview room and placed the cold compresses over the two officers' foreheads.

"Gavin how is your blood sugar level?" Connor asked in a low voice to spare the detective some privacy as he monitored his pulse with his fingers around the detective's wrist.

"...Fine." Gavin muttered equally low with a notable discomfort in his voice. "Maybe a little low from getting sick."

Nodding in acknowledgment Connor turned his attention back to Joel. "Have you been ill previously in the past three weeks?"

"No, but I donated blood four days ago."

"That explains why you two have been affected the most severely by this outbreak." Connor stated in a calm but serious tone. "You're both physically weaker than the others at the moment. You'll require hospitalization to ensure you don't suffer from any additional ailments such as dehydration or renal failure."

Gavin just mumbled as he put up with Connor taking care of him. "...Sounds like a lot of fun."

"You'll both require water to remain hydrated." Standing upright from the floor Connor located two small bottles of cool water on the table near the offensive selection of food. "It won't be pleasant when considering the discomfort you're both surely feeling with your stomachs, but you must drink some of the water for your own benefit."

"...Yeah, whatever." The gruff answer was comparably more agreeable compared Gavin's usual behavior.

Kneeling down between the two sick men Connor offered the first bottle of water to Gavin who tentatively sipped at it, only to stop and breathe deeply as he fought to prevent himself from throwing-up again. As the second bottle was offered to Joel the technician barely reacted. Eyes closed and silent, his skin was much paler than normal and his breathing was deeper than expected.

"Joel?" Lightly Connor laid his hand down on the technician's chest and monitored both the sick man's breathing and heart rate. There sudden shift in his vitals made the deviant android uneasy as it meant the human was getting worse, making Connor's L.E.D. blink red once before cycling yellow. "Please open your eyes."

Joel's pale blue eyes open and he struggled to look at the android's face. "...Connor. Hi."

"Hello. Please remain awake, and please consume some water. It'll aid your recovery."

"...I can't really move right now. Uh, do you mind?"

"Sure."

Opening the water of water Connor slipped his hand under Joel's shoulder and helped the human to sit upright on the floor just enough to drink the water without choking on it. As the ill technician managed to drink the water Connor noted his rising fever and made sure to keep his hand steady.

"Joel, you are anemic."

"...Yeah, I noticed."

Helping the technician to lay back down Connor remained at his side and resumed monitoring his vitals, as well as Gavin. The other sick officers were taking care of one another outside the room, and the mayor's assistant had retreated to the bathroom to throw-up with the very officers who had been poisoned because of his terrible attitude.

Hank silently watched from the doorway as Connor took care of the two human officers. He hadn't caught any of the questions Connor had asked thanks to his aching head, but he really didn't care that much about eavesdropping. Watching his fellow officers sluggishly stumble about the precinct as they helped one another endure the food poisoning epidemic made him grateful that he skipped the party.

Captain Fowler approached Hank and rubbed his hand over his tired forehead. "Turns out the caterers had a bit of grievance with our favorite 'wanna-be mayor' and intentionally used partially spoiled food during this event because they thought they were going to be serving the guys rich, entitled friends. They didn't realize what was happening until it was too late."

Hank didn't look all that surprised by the revelation, but he was still curious. "What did that jackass do to piss off a bunch of caterers?"

"Overworked them, underpaid them and constantly berated them."

Fighting the urge to laugh Hank just asked the next logical question. "How long until the paramedics arrive?"

"E.T.A. is less than two minutes. The streets have been cleared enough for transport and it finally stopped snowing."

"How're you holding up, Jeffrey?"

"I've been better. I haven't seen so many people puking in one place since my promotion."

"Hey, I just suggested we all go out for a drink to celebrate. YOU'RE the one who bought the three rounds of tequila for everyone."

The front doors of the precinct opened wide as six paramedics walked into the building to tend to the downed officers as quickly and efficiently as possible. Three ambulances were parked out front waiting to transport the sickest of the officers to the hospital for treatment, while other ambulances would arrive later to take care of the rest.

"Hey, Connor." Hank stepped back into the room and addressed the android kneeling down between the two sickest officers on the floor. "Paramedics are here. Make some room for them to work."

"Coming Hank." Connor stepped out of the room and into the hallway where he stood alongside Hank and Captain Fowler. The yellow tint of his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue as help arrived. "Gavin and Joel should recover well once they receive proper treatment."

Fowler himself leaned against the wall and let out a deep breath of fatigue and relief. "...You two should get out of here. Until everything here gets settled our precinct won't be contacted for any emergencies for a while."

"Are you certain?" Connor didn't like the idea of leaving the precinct while so many other officers still needed help.

"Yeah, go. It'll make things easier if we can start clearing out the building."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he walked down the hallway toward the front doors of the precinct. "Come on, kid. I'll give you a ride to your apartment."

Obeying Fowler's suggestion Connor followed after Hank to leave the precinct for the night and return home until the precinct was allowed to resume normal operation.

"Hank, are you certain you're well?" Connor pressed as the two detectives set foot outside the precinct onto the snowy sidewalk outside. Hank wrapped his arms tightly around himself to stave off the cold and Connor mirrored the action as he too felt the sting of the cold cutting through his artificial skin, and thin jacket. "You seem very tired."

"I'm okay." Hank insisted as he and Connor walked to the car parked in the garage beside the precinct. As he unlocked the doors to the car he pulled it open and happily sat down behind the wheel while Connor joined him as the lone passenger. "The headaches will stop soon enough. That aspirin you gave me is already starting to help."

"I just hope I was able to help Joel and Gavin effectively enough until they were able to receive proper medical treatment."

"You handled everything back there like a real pro, son."

"But I think it's safe to say that I'm glad I wasn't programmed to be a medical android. I do not enjoy medicine as much as I do detective work."

Hank laughed at the comment with a sincere amusement. "Yeah, man or machine, it takes a special kind of person to work in medicine. I know I couldn't do that every day of my career. It'd be a little too much."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he received an update on the situation back at the precinct. "The ill officers have been accurately diagnosed and have begun treatment. A full recovery is expected."

"Cool."

"But the precinct will be closed down for the next three days."

"Even better."

"Since we have tomorrow off I can stay with you at the house tonight if you wish."

Hank understood that Connor was trying to (not-so) discreetly hint that he was worried about the human living alone again. Winter time depressed Hank and snowstorms always reminded him of the night Cole died. With winter looming around the corner, maybe arriving even sooner than that, the dark spiral of depression was certain to rear its ugly head in Hank's direction soon.

"It's okay, Connor. I'm good. But, if you're up to it maybe you, me and Lucas can watch the hockey game tomorrow night."

"I'd like that." Connor agreed as he watched Hank's slightly pale face curiously while the detective rounded the block leading to Connor's apartment complex. "I'll tell Lucas and I'm certain he'll agree."

"Good." Parking along the street Hank watched as Connor departed from the vehicle to enter the complex a few few away. "See you tomorrow night."

"Goodnight Hank." Connor shut the door and walked away with a faint smile. "I'll see you tomorrow."

As the android turned to walk away Hank called out to him through the window he lowered with the press of a button. "Hey, Connor?"

"Yes Hank?" Connor turned around to look at Hank once again.

"You did real good tonight. Be proud."

_**...next story...** _


	69. Stomach Ache

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: tet

Connor leaned heavily against Hank's shoulder as the detective supported the deviant android's weight almost entirely as they stood in the ascending elevator together. What had been a routine drug bust had gone awry when Connor had sampled a fresh batch of 'red ice' only to have a large portion of the crystalline drug break off under his fingertips and fall down his throat. Despite his best efforts to engage his 'expulsion program' to remove the potent toxin from his system the crystal had become lodged in the metal coupling of his artificial stomach and could not be removed via Thirium purge.

Hank tightened his grip around Connor's waist as he helped his pained partner out of the elevator and down the hall to his apartment. "How're you holding up, son?"

"...It hurts." Connor confirmed as his L.E.D. pulsed yellow slowly. He had one arm wrapped around Hank's shoulder and the other arm protectively wrapped around his pained stomach. "The crystal is wedged in the valve of the biocomponent that allows Thirium to be consumed. Fortunately the crystal is too large to fully enter my artificial stomach."

"Why's that?"

"If the 'red ice' were to enter the biocomponent my system would automatically begin breaking it down, effectively allowing the drug to enter my system." Wincing a little as he stood before his apartment door Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red and then back to yellow. "I do not know how 'red ice' would affect me, but I imagine it would be quite destructive."

"Lucas should be able to help you, right?"

"Correct." Connor outwardly flinched as he pressed the exposed palm of his right hand against the electronic lock. There was a flash of light under his palm as it was scanned and a 'click' as the recognition unlocked the apartment door. "Lucas is the most skilled android technician in the country."

Hank pushed open the door as it unlocked and helped Connor to walk inside the apartment over to the lone couch against the far wall. Lucas was standing in the opposite corner of the room with a large canvas perched on an easel with a palette of paint in his left hand, and a brush in the right hand. Turning to look at Connor as Hank helped the distressed android to lay down on his left side on the couch Lucas put aside the paint and walked over to his brother with a mixture of concern and confusion.

"Connor? What's wrong?" Lucas asked as he pressed his hand down against the center of Connor's chest to count his pulse while also feeling the physical exertion of his Thirium pump during the android's physical discomfort. "Are you injured?"

"No." Connor admitted as he gracelessly slipped his arms out of his gray jacket and loosened the tie around his neck. "I'm not damaged."

Hank explained things on Connor's behalf as he took the jacket from the android and hung it up by the front door. "He accidentally swallowed a large crystal of 'red ice' while running a sample and he can't get it back out."

Lucas performed a scan over Connor's body and located foreign substance trapped in the singular valve of biocomponent a8001. The biocomponent itself was located just below where Connor's would be located if he were human, toward the center of his abdomen. The biocomponent's placement was easily accessible to a technician for repairs.

"Are you in any pain?" Lucas asked as he knelt beside the couch and pushed on Connor's shoulder to roll the android over from his side and onto his back.

"...Yes." Connor admitted as he pulled his arm away from his pained stomach. "My expulsion program has proven ineffective and cannot remove the obstruction."

"I can locate it and have it removed. Is there an protocol I should follow as this item is considered drug evidence?"

Hank grinned a little and shook his head as he rejoined the two androids at the couch. "Nah, there was plenty of that crap back at the warehouse. What's stuck inside his system just needs to be destroyed before it hurts anyone else."

"I can do that." Lucas replied as he rose from his kneeling position. "I just need to get my equipment from my bedroom."

While Lucas disappeared down the hallway to retrieve his satchel containing his emergency technician tools Hank walked over to the nearby chair and gently moved Connor's green guitar from the piece of furniture, and propped it up against the wall before sitting down. "So... how'd you end up swallowing that junk anyway?"

"The crystalline had unexpectedly degraded under the applied pressure from my fingertips. It broke off in my mouth just as I initiated the analysis program and was unable to spit out the crystal before it fell down my throat."

Hank was smiling again, his hand covering his mouth.

"Is something funny?"

"It it to _me_." Hank admitted as he leaned back in the chair and dropped his hand from his face. "It reminded me of when I told you NOT to stick anymore evidence in your mouth during our first investigation. I told you to knock it off because it was gross, not because I was worried you'd accidentally swallow it. Now it reminds of the time Sumo chewed on the plastic flashlight I kept in the garage and swallowed the batteries when he was still a puppy. I had to take him to the vet and eight-hundred dollars later I had a pathetic looking mess of brown fur scampering over the floor with a plastic cone around his neck after having the batteries surgically removed from his stomach."

"...I still fail to see the humor in this."

"Sorry. I was just imagining how _you'd_ look with a cone around your neck."

"Not-" Connor closed his eyes and shook his head a little as he tried to hide his own amusement at the ridiculousness of the entire situation. "It's not _that_ funny."

"Yes it is." Hank argued as Lucas returned to the livingroom with his satchel slung over his shoulder.

Moving with a calm precision Lucas opened his satchel as he set it on the floor beside the couch and located a specific tool secured to the interior pouch of the satchel itself. It was a pair of long metal forceps designed for intricate work involving android biocomponents and Thirium lines.

"This should only take a moment. Please open your shirt retract your skin."

Connor let out annoyed and pained breath as he pulled open his white dress shirt and retracted the artificial skin from over his abdomen. Using his own hands to open the plastimetal panel in the center of his abdomen he leaned back against the couch to lay flat and waited for Lucas to locate the crystalline substance uncomfortably wedged in his artificial stomach's coupling.

Lucas trailed the valve to the top of the now exposed biocomponent and saw a block of a foreign red substance caught in the opening of the valve within a transparent hollow tube that connect the biocomponent to the analysis sensors located in Connor's mouth.

"I need to disengage the biocomponent before I can remove the obstruction. Disable your ingestion sensors to prevent the loss of any Thirium."

Connor's already yellow L.E.D. blinked rapidly as he turned off the program for the moment. "Done."

Lucas nodded as he carefully slipped his hand around the circular biocomponent and twisted it from its connection port at the base of the tube. As he pulled the vital biocomponent from Connor's torso Lucas easily inserted the forceps down into the opening of the valve and took hold of the red tinted crystalline. With a firm pull he removed the obstruction from the biocomponent with ease and held it out for Hank to see.

"It's your call, Hank."

"Yeah, I got this." Hank rose from the chair and took the forceps from Lucas's hand. Walking down the hallway of the apartment Hank entered the bathroom and dropped the crystal into the toilet and flushed it away. "Right where that piece of shit belongs."

Lucas returned the biocomponent to Connor's torso and clicked it back into place. "Resume your ingestion program."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow quickly as he rebooted the program. Once the program resumed its normal function his L.E.D. cycled back to a calm blue in response to his system returning to one-hundred percent functionality.

"Any errors?" Lucas asked as Hank rejoined the duo in the livingroom and handed the forceps back to Lucas.

Connor performed a quick self-diagnostic on his system and no errors had been detected. "Negative."

"Are you still in pain or experiencing any discomfort?"

"No. The pain has subsided entirely."

Nodding Lucas closed the panel over Connor's torso before he began re-packing his satchel. "You're in the clear. You may now resume your investigation."

"Thanks, Lucas." Connor's artificial skin regenerated over his abdomen and he rebuttoned his shirt and tightened the knot of his tie around his neck. "Hank, should we resume the case?"

"Sure. As long as you don't eat anything else."

"It's still not funny." Connor gave Hank a somewhat irritated but still amused stare as he rose from the couch and walked over to the door of the apartment to reclaim his jacket. "If you stop commenting on my 'diet', I'll stop commenting on yours."

Hank liked the idea of being able to his eat his lunch without Connor reminding him of how bad for his health his meals were. "Alright, sounds like a deal to me."

"Good." Connor slipped on his jacket and opened the door. "We should go. Thank you for you help, Lucas."

"You're welcome."

The two detectives walked outside the door and returned down the corridor to the elevator at the end.

"Hank, should I drive?"

"Sure. But first we stop for lunch. I'm suddenly in the mood for a burger."

_**...next story...** _


	70. Witness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Falibron

Connor and Hank were returning to the precinct after investigating the supposed disappearance of an android from his elderly owner's residence, the android in question was in fact _in_ the residence and taking care of chores upstairs when the senile old woman believed he had run away, when a second report of an android being the victim of a hit and run accident in the street was sent their way. The scene of the accident was disturbingly close to the apartment complex where Connor and Lucas resided which only hastened their arrival to the scene.

An android ambulance was already at the scene when Connor and Hank arrived. The technicians were tending to the victim while Lucas himself was assisting out of the kindness of his heart.

"Lucas?" Hank addressed the android as he and Connor approached the victim laying on the gurney in the back of the ambulance from their parked car. "What're you doing out here?"

"Hank, Connor." Lucas stepped away from the ambulance to speak to the detectives face to face. "I was on my out to run some errands when I saw the android over there get struck by a speeding vehicle. I tended to his injuries after I summoned emergency services. Unfortunately the android, Lloyd, did not survive."

Connor's brow furrowed with sadness and curiosity as he watched the technicians in the back of the ambulance pull a white sheet up to cover the victim's face respectfully. "You witnessed the accident?"

"Yes. I can identify the vehicle and the license plate if you wish."

"Come on." Hank put his hand on Lucas's shoulder to guide him away from the tragic scene and back to the car. "We'll take your statement at the precinct and get a warrant for the driver's arrest. You may have just saved us a massive search of the city, kid."

* * *

Due to the personal nature between the two detectives and the witness Connor and Hank had to recuse themselves from taking the witness statement. Chris took the initiative and wrote down every word that Lucas said and was truly grateful for the android's eidetic perfect recollection of the accident itself. While the two detectives waited at their desks for Lucas to finish giving his statement Gavin approached the duo with utter confusion plastered on his face.

"Uh, Lieutenant, what the fuck is that thing that's talking to Chris?"

"Lucas." Hank replied curtly as he gave Gavin an offended stare. "Connor's little brother."

"B-Brother?! Since when the hell do chunks of plastic have siblings?"

"What does it matter?" The gruff detective practically snarled. "Lucas and Connor are brothers, and Lucas in there witnessed the hit and run accident."

"...Because it's fuckin' weird."

"Related to a detective or not, his statement is solid. Lucas saw everything that happened and had even tried to save the victim, but the damage was too severe."

"Right." Gavin scoffed at the statement and folded his arms over his chest. "It's either a solid statement, or part of a bias agenda. These damn machines would love to stick together to take us _real_ people down."

Connor turned his attention to Gavin and retorted sharply. "It seems the only one here with any form of bias is you, Gavin."

"What did you just say to me?"

Unwilling to put up with Gavin's discrimination and insults any longer Connor stood up from his desk and stared Gavin right in the face, his L.E.D. remaining a calm blue the entire time. "You may be dense but I know you heard me."

Gavin paled a shade whiter as he swallowed nervously. The look in Connor's eyes and the tone of his voice was far more intimidating than anything Gavin had ever seen before. There was something about Connor's demeanor that seemed very alive, very _human_.

Hank spoke up defensively to end the confrontation before it had a chance to really begin. "Beat it Gavin, get some work done for once."

Backing away slowly and quietly Gavin retreated to his desk and kept his head down as Connor calmly reclaimed his seat at his own desk and resumed filing a report on his terminal.

Once Gavin was out of the immediate area Hank spoke up in a low voice. "You okay, Connor?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I've never seen you stand up to Gavin before."

"Was I wrong to do so?"

"Absolutely not. The asshole provoked you. It's just a little out of character for you to show a more 'vicious' nature."

"Sorry. I guess hearing Gavin referring to Lucas as anything inferior upsets me."

That comment made Hank smile broadly. "As it should. That's exactly how a big brother should react when his sibling is being insulted or threatened."

"Threatened?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow suddenly.

"Relax, Gavin has a big mouth and little everything else. He won't actually try anything."

Connor's L.E.D. resumed its normal blue color as he turned his head to look back at the interview room where Lucas had been giving his statement. The door opened and Chris escorted Lucas out of the room back over to Connor and Hank's desks.

"Alright," Chris held up the electronic notepad with Lucas's statement printed out neatly atop the screen proudly. "I'll get the registration from the license plate and find the guy responsible. Thanks for your help, Lucas."

Lucas nodded respectfully to Chris as he joined his family at their desks. "May I leave now? I still have errands to tend to."

"Yeah, you're good." Hank confirmed with a casual gesture of his hand toward the door. "Thanks for your help, son."

"I'm glad I could be of some help this afternoon. I failed to save the victim, but at least I can help catch his killer."

"Lucas," Connor gave his brother a sympathetic stare. "you can't save everyone."

"Yes, I know. But it doesn't make it any easier." Lucas cleared his throat a little before saying his goodbye. "I'll see you back at the apartment, Connor. And I hope to see you again soon, Hank."

"Same." The detective nodded at the android with a sincere smile. "Take it easy Lucas."

As the android departed the precinct he was followed by a mass of confused stares from the other officers who were surprised to see another android who looked so similar to Connor; save for the lighter colored eyes and darker colored hair. Not to mention the fact that Lucas had removed his L.E.D. while Connor had kept his own.

"Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Is it uncommon for humans to acknowledge android families?"

"Yeah, a little. I think it's because when most people still think about androids they imagine the cold manufacturing process over the free thinking, free feeling deviants you've become. The idea of android camaraderie and family units are still a tad odd for most humans."

"Hopefully that'll change soon."

"It will. Maybe not 'soon', but it will change."

* * *

Two hours had passed when Chris and Gavin returned with the driver responsible for the hit and run accident. The killer was dragged into the precinct in handcuffs and was not happy about it. The young man, no older than twenty, was red with anger and practically foaming at the mouth as he swore and threatened every officer in the precinct as he was dragged into interrogation for questioning. Every insult he threw at the officers carried a heavy slur of intoxication that only made his situation worse and worse.

"Shit, that driver is still just a kid." Hank commented as the raging driver was taken away. "What kind of life did he live to make him so pissed off at the world while still so young?"

Connor just silently shook his head as he stared at the closed door of the interrogation room after it slid shut. In the time since his deviancy Connor had encountered many types of people with personalities that ranged from completely tolerant and kind, all the way to utterly xenophobic and full of spite. Yet in that time he had very limited encounters with children and teenagers, but he still knew from Hank's reaction that this particular person had a very troubling or abusive childhood that had left a permanent dark scar over his impressionable, young heart.

After nearly an hour the interrogation ended and Chris had the 'honor' of escorting the arrested boy into the nearby cell to await prosecution. The boy's face was still red with rage and he had tears staining his face as he begrudgingly let Chris lead him away. Shortly thereafter a familiar and unwelcome voice sounded off through the precinct as he demanded to see his son.

"Where is he?!" The infamous agent Richard Perkins stormed through the desks demanded to see his kid all the while flashing his badge as if that was somehow a free pass to be an asshole. No one was impressed. "Where's Benjamin?"

"Calm down, Perkins." Hank angrily shouted over to the intrusive agent. "What's going on?"

"You tell me, _Lieutenant_." Perkins approached Hank with an indignant gait. "My son has been arrested on a piece of shit charge!"

"Alright, what was he charged with?"

"Fleeing the scene of a hit and run. Since when is smashing a machine murder?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red with anger but he remained where he sat as soon as he saw Hank grab Perkins by the shirt collar and force him backward a few steps.

"Listen asshole," Hank swore as he loomed over the smaller man. "whether or not you think an android is a person or a machine doesn't matter. Your kid was identified by a witness at the scene of the accident; his fuckin' car is smeared in that android's blood and traffic camera on the street both PROVE your kid intentionally drove up onto the sidewalk and AIMED at the android. He's GUILTY."

"His car malfunctioned."

"BULLSHIT." Hank practically spat. "He's drunk and pissed!"

"Yeah, and I suppose YOU would know better than anyone about being drunk, wouldn't you?"

"I beat your sorry ass once before, what makes you think I won't do it again?"

Captain Fowler's voice cut in as he interfered with the fight before it got out of control. "ENOUGH. Hank, sit down. Perkins, get in my office and we'll talk."

Hank let go of Perkins' collar and stepped away with an annoyed sigh. Connor stood up and put his hand on Hank's shoulder as a means of trying to help Hank calm himself.

The sight of the deviant android only aggravated Perkins. "Should've known there was a bias going on." The embittered agent stated as he recognized Connor in an instant. "Piece of plastic is twisting evidence to fit his own agenda. You won't get away with this."

Connor had enough of being insulted by oblivious humans and verbally reciprocated the insult. "Seems hollow coming from a man who couldn't find Jericho until after _I_ pieced the evidence together _for you_. Even then you failed in your mission."

"What'd you just say?" Perkins turned around and glared with venom at the mouthy android.

"Are you really that stupid?" Hank asked as he planted himself between Connor and Perkins. "Sure as hell explains why your kid is so fucked up."

Before Perkins had the chance to reply Captain Fowler grabbed onto Perkins' shoulder and dragged him toward his office. "HANK. Enough."

The two detectives just watched Captain Fowler had to drag Perkins into his office like a father pulling his temperamental toddler into time-out. As soon as the office door shut Hank turned to look at Connor and gave the android an approving nod.

"That's twice now I've seen you stand up for yourself."

"Did I cross the line?"

"No, not even close."

The entire bullpen was stunned into silence by the confrontation, the only sound coming from the phones ringing in the reception area and the mechanical whirs of computer terminals humming away. As the surrounding officer stared blankly at the two detectives Hank felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with frustration.

"What're you looking at?" Hank shouted again as he ended the staring contest. "Show's over! Get back to work!"

At those words the entire bullpen resumed work and paid no mind to the bizarre confrontation they had just witnessed.

Connor's L.E.D. cycled back from red to yellow as he took his own seat and leaned forward against his desk top in disgust. "...It never changes, Hank."

"What?" As Hank reclaimed his seat opposite of Connor as he studied the deviant android's demeanor curiously.

"Humans blaming androids for their own personal problems. When we were manufactured it was against our will as were the tasks that humans had programmed us to perform. And yet every time something negative happens as a result of human engineering they continue to blame the tools and not the engineer."

"That was pretty profound, son. Have you ever said anything like that before?"

"...Not to a human, no."

"Well you should, and I'm glad ya' did. Because you're absolutely right."

Connor's L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue as he calmed down a little more. "Thanks, Hank."

* * *

Perkins had posted a hefty bail for his son and dragged the still somewhat inebriated, hostile young man out of the precinct by the arm. Having been charged with hit and run, driving while under the influence, under-aged drinking, reckless driving, fleeing the scene of a crime and malicious destruction of property had ensured that Benjamin would stand trial. But the odds of a judge readily willing to consider the death of the android as manslaughter-even after the new laws and rights to protect androids have been signed, seemed incredibly low.

Connor was disheartened by the whole ordeal that had taken place throughout the day as it seemed very little interest was being paid to the android who had been killed by a drunk driver. There was only a brief report on the news and there was virtually no public outcry against the murder.

"Why don't we clock out a little early tonight?" Hank suggested as he noted Connor's glum disposition from behind his terminal. "It was a long day and we managed to finish our reports on time."

"I... I don't know." Connor admitted despondently as he continued to scan the news reports cybernetically.

"Yeah, but _I do_. Go home and hang out with Lucas, play your guitar and stop thinking about what happened today. Once you start obsessing over the things you can't change, those things start to change you. And it's never for the better."

Taking Hank's advice to heart Connor nodded his head and decided he'd clock out early after all. "You're right. I'll go home."

"Cool. Wait for me outside, I'll give you lift."

"Okay." Connor clocked out cybernetically as he filed his report and turned off his terminal. "I'll be waiting for you out front."

As the deviant android left the precinct he felt the eyes of the other officers watching him silently, but he ignored the uncomfortable stares. Passing through the front doors of the precinct without a word Connor walked over to the parking garage to wait for Hank by the vehicle to join him outside.

"You're not getting away this." Perkins' voice sounded off again as he stepped out of the shadows of the garage to confront Connor in person. "I'm going to make sure you pay for what you did to my son."

"From what I've observed," Connor retorted bitterly as he stared down the agent fearlessly. "you've done more harm to your son than anyone else."

"You piece of shit! You think you know anything about raising kids?"

"No. But I do know something about being decent to people. You clearly don't understand the concept and now your son is paying for your failures."

Perkins stood before Connor and sneakily pulled his gun from the holster he was needlessly concealing at his side under his jacket. With a swift motion Perkins used the gun to strike Connor across the face, under his eye, creating a long bleeding gash that marred his face. Connor took a step back from Perkins as he put a hand to his bleeding face and his L.E.D. flashed to red with pain.

"I could kill you right here, right now." Perkins threatened as he pointed his gun at Connor's forehead and pulled back the hammer. "And all I have to do is make one phone call to get this little mess cleaned up. No one would know."

"Wanna' bet?" From behind Perkins the barrel of another gun pressed against the back of his skull as Hank spoke up on Connor's behalf. "You're really fuckin' stupid, you know that? There are cameras all around this garage. You kill him and I will personally hunt you down and gut you like the weak little fish you are. Put the gun away, NOW."

Perkins slowly raised his hands as if to surrender before he put his gun back in holster. Once the gun was out of sight Hank pulled the barrel of his own gun away from Perkins' head and stepped back.

"Alright, fine. I'm done." Perkins stepped aside and walked away from the garage. "But you're not going to get away with this. I'm going to prove your little plastic friend there is framing my boy."

"Shut the fuck up, asshole. I'm tired of hearing the same sad little song about some prick's 'perfect kid' getting framed by the big, bad police force. Man the fuck up, and give your son a decent role model. It's not too late to help him."

As Perkins backed off and retreated from the parking garage Hank holstered his own gun and put his hand under Connor's chin to tilt the android's head to the side. The cut along his face was deep and weeping Thirium, but it wasn't too serious and would heal itself overnight without any complication.

"Here, kid." Hank pulled a white handkerchief from his coat pocket and handed it to Connor. "Press that over your cut. Are you okay?"

"Yes. I just wish you..." Connor trailed off quietly as he refused to finish his statement and pressed the offered cloth to his wound.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's not important."

"Come on son, let's get you home." Hank insisted as he put his hand to Connor's shoulder and began walking toward the car with the android at his side. "It's been a long day. But things will get better for you. I can feel it."

_**...next story...** _


	71. Sick Detective

Connor paced about the apartment with his phone anxiously in his hand as he tried and failed, again for the sixth time, to reach Hank at his home. Earlier that morning Hank had called off from work ill which resulted in Connor being stuck on desk duty until Hank returned to work. Once he had been informed that Hank had remained home Connor attempted to call Hank's cell from the precinct but the detective didn't answer. With each passing hour Connor tried again but there was still no answer.

"He's still not answering, I'm going over there." Connor decided as he slipped the now useless phone into his jean pocket and pulled his more casual leather jacket from the hook by the door. "He had been showing signs of illness for the past nine days, and I fear he has finally succumbed to some kind of serious ailment."

Lucas had returned from New Jericho Tower only twenty minutes earlier, his mind reeling from the abundance of refugee androids who had finally returned from Canada back into the city to reunite with their friends and to seek shelter. The mass influx of androids under his care was a little overwhelming, but it also made Lucas feel wanted and like he was truly contributing to the tower.

"Would you like me to come with you?" Lucas sounded very tired and his slumped posture on the couch only emphasized his exhausted demeanor.

"No. If something is actually wrong I'll call you, you should rest. I don't want you to risk overheating from physical exertion during my absence."

"You're certain?"

"Yes." Connor pulled open the door and looked back at his brother empathetically. "You deserve to rest, Lucas. Don't push yourself too hard. Hank taught me that, and granted it's a difficult lesson to learn, but it's also worthwhile."

"Hank is a wise man." Lucas sincerely grinned as he allowed himself to lay back on the couch and close his eyes. "Call if you need any help."

Within a few seconds the tired android had slipped into a peaceful rest mode.

"I'll be back soon." Connor stated instinctively as he pulled the apartment door shut behind himself and locked it protectively.

Rushing down the corridor Connor summoned the elevator and stepped inside the empty elevator car allowing it to take him to the lobby on the ground floor in just a few seconds. As he exited the elevator he politely smiled and nodded at the two deviant androids who were moving into one of the apartments on the second floor, before he continued through the front doors of the building and onto the sidewalk outside.

Deciding it'd be faster to walk than to wait for an autonomous taxi Connor set off on foot for Hank's house just six blocks away, and hurried up the front walk to the front door of the house. Knocking first out of decency Connor waited for a reply and heard no response from within. Stepping off the porch to look at the drive beside the house he noted Hank's car still parked in the drive, which meant the detective must be home.

Returning to the porch Connor pressed his fingertip against the doorbell he waited again, but still received no reply from inside the house.

"Hank? Are you okay?"

Turning the knob on the door Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with worry as he fumbled for the keys in his pocket and isolated the key to the front door from the other keys on the ring. As he unlocked the door and pushed it open Connor was greeted happily by Sumo who stood up on his hind legs and pressed his front paws against Connor's shoulders as he licked the android's face affectionately.

"Down, boy." Connor pushed the large dog's paws from his shoulders and back down onto the floor gently. "I'm glad to see you, too. But I need to check in on Hank first."

Closing the door behind himself Connor looked about the house and found everything to be in its usual place. The livingroom was empty and quiet save for Sumo who was happily wagging his tag at Connor's feet, and there was a mess in the kitchen. Examining the contents of the mess Connor noted several bottles of medication that had been recently purchased and opened along with bottles of various flavored sports drinks.

"Hank?" Connor called out again as he looked around the messy kitchen, noting the massive pile of used tissues falling over the edge of the trashcan tucked under the sink and the few used dishes inside the sink itself. It looked like no one had been in the kitchen for almost two days. "Hank, please answer me."

Venturing down the hallway Connor tentatively approached the closed door to Hank's bedroom and pushed it open with one hand. The interior of the bedroom was dark and the floor was a mess with dirty clothes that had been thrown aside rather than placed inside the hamper to be washed properly. More used tissues had been piled up on the nightstand beside the bed ,and there were two empty drinking glasses next to the tissues.

Hank was laying in the bed on his back, his breathing was slow and congested. Even from the doorway Connor could see the sickly pale shade over Hank's face as well as the fine sheen of sweat that layered over his skin.

Approaching the bed quietly Connor stood beside it and ran a scan over Hank's body as he lightly placed his hand over Hank's forehead. The detective was running a fever of one-hundred and two point two degrees, the sound of his labored breathing was indicative of heavy congestion, the slight trembling in Hank's muscles as well as the heavy perspiration hinted at dehydration. Hank's heart rate was slightly elevated despite being inactive as was his blood pressure, and the inability to respond or react to someone entering the house resonated more with someone who was unconscious rather than actually asleep.

"Hank?" Connor addressed the detective loudly but calmly as he kept his hand in place over Hank's forehead. "Hank, please wake up. It's me, Connor."

Hank let out a deep sigh but remained asleep as his right hand weakly reached up and failed to push away Connor's hand from his forehead.

"Hank!" Connor all but shouted the name as he watched Hank's heavy, dark eyelids begin to flutter open.

Blue glassy irises slowly revealed themselves as Hank finally awoke and looked up at Connor with a confused stare. "...Connor?" Hank's voice was hoarse and raspy. The deep cough that followed caused the detective to wrap his arms around his chest as the aching coughing racked his body. "Connor," Hank took a moment to clear his voice. "what're you doing here?" He noticed the dark leather jacket that Connor was wearing a grinned. "...You finally remembered to wear a real jacket when you're not on the clock. Good for you."

"You called off sick." The deviant android explained coolly as he finally retracted his hand and sat on the edge of Hank's bed. "I tried to call you on seventeen separate occasions, from both the precinct and from my apartment after my shift had ended, but you never answered the phone. I was worried and decided to come by to check on you in person."

"...Sorry." Hank apologized as he tried to push himself into an upright sitting position on the bed with his arms. "I took a couple of sleeping pills. I guess they worked."

"How many did you take?" Connor asked as he put his hand behind Hank's shoulders to support the detective as he used his other hand to wedge the pillow up against Hank's back. Wrapping his fingers around Hank's wrist Connor continued to monitor his pulse which had elevated even more once he woke up. "How long ago did you take them?"

"I took two pills, Connor." The irritation in Hank's voice was notable as Connor retracted his hand from the detective's wrist. "And I took them this morning after I called off. It's just the flu or some shit."

"Precinct record show you called off at seven-fourteen a.m. this morning. It's now six forty-three p.m. which mean's you've been asleep for eleven hours and twenty-nine minutes. I believe you're suffering from something more serious than the flu; such as bronchitis or pneumonia."

"I'm tired. That's what you're supposed to do when you're tired. AND when you're also sick." Hank let out a weary sigh and put his arm over his mouth to catch another cough. "By the way, you should let Sumo outside for a while. That is if you don't mind."

"You should allow me to take you to the hospital. A person of your-"

"If you make one comment about my age I'm going to punch your perfect teeth right out of your mouth."

"...Your _symptoms_ ," Connor quickly stated to correct his original thought before he continued. "should seek immediate medical attention."

"Good save, but no way. I hate hospitals."

"I'm aware of this, Hank. But you're running a high fever and are beginning to suffer from dehydration."

"That's why I bought the sports drinks when I bought the medicine last night."

"Last night?" Connor's yellow L.E.D. blinked at a more rapid clip before falling into a more steady cycle. "When did you begin to feel ill?"

"I dunno... A little after I got home, I guess."

"What were your first symptoms?"

"Jeez, I thought you weren't programmed as a medical android."

"I'm not." Connor admitted with a slight grimace. "But I am programmed with numerous biological sensors that allow me to detect various discrepancies in human bodies and overall vitals signs that are a part of my original analysis program."

"...Meaning what, exactly?"

"I can give an accurate possible diagnosis of your condition but I cannot treat you."

"Oh, well-" Hank suddenly let out another deep cough that was accompanied by a very distinct rattling sound that alarmed Connor upon hearing it.

Lightly Connor removed the pillow from behind Hank's back as he helped the detective to lay down once again. Replacing the pillow beneath Hank's head Connor pressed his hand back down over the detective's forehead and noted that Hank's fever had risen in the few minutes that the detective had been awake and alert.

"Hank, please." Connor put his other hand on Hank's chest to try to hold the detective as steady as possible until the coughing fit passed. "Your fever is now at one-hundred two point six. You need help."

"I got help." Hank all but wheezed as he finally caught his breath. " _You_."

"But I just-"

"I know you're not a doctor or medic of any kind," the sick detective paused for a moment to take a deep calming breath before he continued. "but I trust you. I _don't_ trust doctors."

"I... Very well." Connor relented as he agreed to take care of Hank himself. "I will let Sumo outside and bring you additional medication. Perhaps something that can ease the fever to prevent it from becoming dangerously high."

The loyal deviant android reluctantly left the bedroom to allow the large dog outside through the backdoor in the kitchen. Sumo was more than ready to go outside after being cooped up all day and practically sprinted through the opened door as Connor returned his attention to the various medications that Hank had purchased and left strewn about in the middle of the kitchen table.

Isolating the obviously effective sleeping pills from the rest of the medication Connor carefully read the active ingredients printed on the back of each box and selected the pills that contained the appropriate amount of fever reducer. Tearing open the box he took two pills from the plastic and foil packaging as well as the green tinted bottle of the remaining six various sports drinks before returning to Hank's bedroom.

Hank had his eyes closed but he was still awake. As soon as he heard Connor's footsteps he opened his eyes again and looked at the android hovering protectively over him. "Well?"

Connor extended his hand to offer Hank the medicine and the drink. "This should bring down your fever. I'm getting you some ice as well."

"Sure, whatever." Hank popped the pills into his mouth and as he screwed off the cap from the drink bottle while Connor stepped back out of the bedroom.

Swallowing the pills with a mouthful of lime flavored electrolytes he listened to Connor in the kitchen opening the freezer door to gather some ice to put inside a plastic bag. Before he returned to the bedroom Connor stopped inside the bathroom to grab a washcloth to wrap around the ice to create a compress.

Hank made sure to let Connor know that he appreciated all the concern and the help. "Thanks for doing this, by the way."

Connor just nodded a little as he smoothed the cold compress over Hank's forehead gently. "You've taken care of me more times than you should have had to do. I'm happy to help you."

"Just don't make it a habit, alright?"

"I will do my best." Sitting down on the edge of the bed again Connor monitored Hank's condition visually. "When was the last time you had something to eat?"

"I honestly can't say. I haven't had much of an appetite."

"I'll make you some toast. It'll be easy on your stomach."

"Thanks, but I haven't been throwing-up."

"That's a good sign, it's one less symptom to worry about." Connor gave Hank a reassuring smile as he departed the bedroom. "I won't be too far if you need anything."

As he walked down the hallway Connor pulled his phone from his pocket and found Lucas's number in his list of contacts. As he pressed 'dial' he opened the backdoor to allow Sumo back inside the house and set about placing a piece of bread into the toaster.

"Lucas, I'm with Hank and he is sick. I'm going to stay with him until he begins to recover."

' _Do you need me to come over_?'

"He is not in any immediate danger, but if his condition does begin to degrade I will have to take him to the hospital. I may need some assistance in getting him to the car if it comes to that."

' _I understand. Stay in touch_.'

"I will. Thanks, Lucas." As Connor ended the call the toast popped out of the toaster in a timely manner. Placing the warm toast on a paper towel he carried it down the hall to offer to Hank. "It's not much, but it's better than continuing to fast while your body attempts to fight off the infection."

"...Thanks." Hank took the toast and lightly bit down on one of the corners. Despite not having eaten in almost a full day Hank still didn't have much of an appetite. "Anything interesting happen while I was sick in bed all day?"

"No. I was placed on desk duty and had finished filing my reports long before it was time to leave."

"Sorry. Hope you weren't too bored."

"I wasn't bored, but I did find today rather dull."

"How's Lucas?"

"His day was less dull." Connor confirmed with a slight smile as his L.E.D. finally turned blue. "The deviants that I had aided after Jonas abducted me had crossed the border last night and are now safe at New Jericho Tower. Lucas was quite busy as he tended to their repairs and helped them become registered as individuals under the new android protection laws. They are now free."

"That's good. At least something good happened today for one of us." Hank put aside the toast and closed his eyes as he felt overwhelmingly tired. "I just wish I could go one year without catching the damn flu."

"You don't have the flu." Connor stated somewhat curtly as he corrected the detective. "You have bronchitis."

"...Same thing."

"No, it's not."

Letting out another sigh and covering his mouth with his hand as another cough escaped his lips Hank let himself begin to drift off to sleep. "I'll be fine, son. Why don't you go home now?"

"Hank, I'm not going anywhere."

"Well, if you are going to stick around could you at least go into another room? I don't want you watching me while I sleep."

"Sure Hank. I'll be in the livingroom if you need anything." As Connor left the bedroom he pulled the door partially shut behind himself and walked as quietly as he could down the hallway to sit down on the couch. After slipping off his jacket Connor began patting his leg to call Sumo over to him and began to aggressively rub at the dog's soft ears. "I missed you boy, but you're not allowed in my apartment building."

The massive dog happily leaned into Connor's hands as the android affectionately scratched his ears, his large tail thumping loudly against the side of the couch as Connor paid him some much needed attention. There was a soft knock at the front door that caused Connor's L.E.D. to flash yellow in confusion briefly as he rose from the couch to answer the door.

"Lucas?"

"I decided to check in on Hank." A plastic grocery bag was clutched tightly in his hand and held numerous items he had purchased from the nearby store. "I hope that's okay."

"It's fine, come in."

As Lucas walked into the house Sumo rushed up to the second android and anxiously awaited additional attention. Lucas happily patted Sumo's head as he looked to Connor and nodded at the bag in his hand. "I brought some things that humans refer to as 'homeopathic treatments' for illnesses. If Hank doesn't want to go to the hospital then perhaps this will aid his recovery instead."

"Thank you. That was a good idea." Connor took the bag from Lucas's hand and carried it into the kitchen. "I have already given him some medication to reduce his fever and he is now resting. Have you rested as well?"

"Yes. I feel much more energized now." Lucas finished petting Sumo and joined his brother in the kitchen. "One of the treatments that humans often rely on is something called chicken soup." As he spoke to Connor he began to carefully unpack the items from the bag. "I will attempt to make the soup, but it will require an hour to do so properly."

"Have you ever cooked a meal before?"

"No. Have you?"

"Yes. It's not difficult, I can show you how." Connor volunteered as he set about locating the necessary utensils throughout the kitchen. "Hank taught me how to do this two weeks after I moved in with him."

"But why? You don't have to eat."

"No, but I do enjoy learning new things. I found cooking to be an fascinating experience as it has a scientific approach that intrigues me."

* * *

An hour after he had fallen asleep Hank was awoken by Connor's hand pressing down against his forehead lightly to check his fever once more. As he opened his eyes and regained his senses, as sluggish and stuffed up as they may be, Hank was greeted by both Connor and Lucas standing beside his bed. While Connor retracted his hand he sat back down on the edge of the bed and gently helped Hank to sit upright.

"Connor, Lucas. What's going on?"

"Your fever has dropped to a more manageable degree of one-hundred point two degrees even. You are also no longer trembling."

"...When did Lucas get here?"

"One hour, six minutes ago."

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?"

"You needed to rest."

"Doesn't matter. I want to know when you two stop by, no matter what the reason or the time of day."

"Sorry Hank. If this happens again I will wake you sooner."

"Why did you wake me at all, though?"

Lucas smiled a little as he answered on Connor's behalf. "We thought you might want to try to eat some chicken soup instead of just toast."

"Wait... You two were cooking while I was sleeping?"

"Yes." Lucas confirmed, his brow furrowing slightly. "Was that wrong?"

"No, just... unexpected." Hank looked at the time on his alarm clock beside the bed and sighed. "It's getting late, but, yeah. I'll try to eat some of that soup."

Nodding happily Lucas stepped out of the bedroom to retrieve the tray that had the bowl of soup to deliver to Hank.

"Perhaps you should call in sick tomorrow as well." Connor suggested with poorly masked concern in his voice. "You will need at least one day to recover from your bronchitis."

"...Okay, but _you_ still have to go to work tomorrow no matter how poorly I may feel."

"But you need-"

"I have Lucas now, don't I?" Hank's voice was firm but not aggressive as he spoke. "Don't try to do too much at once, son. You'll burn yourself out."

Connor gave Hank an appreciative smile. "You trust him?"

"Of course I do. He's your brother, he's essentially you. Except for the eye and hair color." Hank joked with a faint smile. "He's not a cold heartless machine anymore."

"If you will permit me I would like to stay the night to ensure you're not in any danger."

"Yeah, go ahead. Your room is still the same and waiting for you."

Lucas returned with the tray with the freshly made bowl of soup and gently laid it out over Hank's lap. A glass of water had also been set on the tray just in case Hank wanted something less sugary in his diet while he recovered.

"Thanks boys. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome Hank. Besides," Connor put his hand on Hank's arm lightly. "it's what families do for each other."

"Yeah, that's right. I'm glad you two understand. Families are important."

_**...next story...** _


	72. Overwhelmed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Falibron

Connor had remained overnight at Hank's house with Lucas while the detective was ill, and as much as he wanted to call off work to take care of Hank until he had recovered Connor knew that he needed to let Lucas have the chance to be the caring deviant android that he knew his brother could be. Before leaving the house Connor quietly crept into Hank's bedroom without waking the ill man to ensure that the human's health hadn't degraded during the night. With a light hand to the forehead Connor was relieved to find that Hank's fever had dropped considerably and would break sooner rather than later.

As he left the bedroom just as quietly as he entered Connor located his brother standing just outside the opened backdoor as he let Sumo out for the morning.

"Lucas, I'll be back at approximately five-fourteen p.m. this evening. If you require me to purchase any additional items to aid in Hank's recovery contact me and I will make the necessary transaction on my way back to the house."

"Thanks Connor," Lucas turned his head to look back at Connor standing in the middle of the kitchen. "but I'm certain everything will be fine. However if I do require anything I will be sure to call you."

Nodding at his brother's confident attitude Connor took his leave for the day to be begin his shift. "Very well. I will see you both later."

* * *

The day went by quickly as Connor found himself dealing with an anti-android zealot who had tried, and failed, to set off a bomb at the StratFord Broadcast Tower with the intent of framing deviants in the process. If the coldhearted human actually known the proper method for wiring his pipebomb there was a small chance he could've gotten away with his attack; but once the police were called by a keen-eyed security guard to the scene and had witnessed the crazy human attempting to fix the wiring in person, it was all over.

After enduring a barrage of hate speech, slurs and insults Connor escorted the failed bomber into the interrogation room where Gavin happily got into a shouting match with the loud-mouthed human, while also questioning the man for his blatant stupidity. It didn't take too long for the hate-filled human to confess to everything and to be brought up on charges ranging from trespassing to attempted murder. While Gavin had the 'joy' of talking to the suspect it was Chris and Tina who had to go through the man's house and confiscate all of his explosives, weapons and the notebooks he used to detail the extent of his failed plan and would-be other plans.

As soon as Connor finished filing his report he readily left the precinct and walked to Hank's house at a steady clip. Stepping up the front walk Connor was happily greeted by Sumo who had been circling around the property all evening waiting to be let back inside the house.

"Hi boy." Connor rubbed the dog's ears as the loyal St. Bernard walked right alongside Connor's leg to the front door. Once the door was open Sumo trotted inside and happily plopped down on the couch while Connor called out for Lucas and Hank. "Hello?"

"Down the hall." Hank shouted in a nearly normal voice in response to Connor.

Walking down the hallway Connor saw that Hank's bedroom was open and that the detective had managed to shower off and change into fresh clothes. Sitting on the edge of his bed Hank popped two aspirin into his mouth and sighed a little.

"Hank. How do you feel?" Connor asked as he sat on the edge of the bed next to Hank and put his hand back over Hank's forehead. "Your fever is almost entirely gone."

"I'm doing okay, but I think Lucas is exhausted."

"Where is he?"

"I told him to lay down on your bed about two hours ago. I haven't heard a word from him ever since."

"Did something happen while I was gone?"

"Not to me." Hank confirmed with a stern voice. "But there was some kind of emergency at New Jericho Tower. A deviant found, whatever a 'YK' model of an android is, laying in the street heavily damaged after being thrown from a moving vehicle. And Lucas couldn't save him."

Connor's eyes narrowed and his L.E.D. flashed to from a calm blue to a distressed yellow as he realized the gravity of the situation.

"What?" The silent vacant stare in Connor's eyes was enough to let Hank know that whatever had happened was in fact serious. "What's going on?"

"Hank, all YK models of androids are the smaller models of androids designed to emulate children." Connor bowed his head a little in emotional upset. "They are very much like human children in that they are defenseless, weak and fully dependent on others for their care. Deviant YK models are so human that many humans can't even tell the difference."

"Son of a... Shit." Running his hand over his bearded chin Hank let out a disappointed sigh in his own lack of compassionate behavior toward Lucas. "I didn't know that Lucas had to deal with a-"

"It's okay, Hank." Connor put his hand on the detective's shoulder. "YK models are rather rare and are even more so now after the revolution. Very few humans even seem to realize that android children had even existed, let alone still exist to this day."

Hank just shook his head somberly. "I wish he had told me what was going on. I just thought he was tired, I didn't know he was upset about something so horrific."

"I'll go and speak with him." Connor volunteered eagerly as he rose from the bed and exited the bedroom. Respectfully Connor knocked on the closed door of his own bedroom before entering to check in on Lucas. There was no response prompting Connor to slowly push open the door. "Lucas? Are you in rest mode?"

The other deviant android was laying on his back with his hands neatly folded over his chest as he stared up blankly at the ceiling lost in thought and guilt. While the Thirium of the android's lost blood had long since evaporated and been washed away from Lucas's fingertips Connor could still see the trace amounts clinging to Lucas's artificial skin, and beneath his fngernails.

The lingering stains were indicative of how hard Lucas had fought to save the dying android, but even the best efforts of the most skilled technician in the world wasn't infallible.

"Hank told me about the emergency at the tower." Connor stated as he stood beside the bed and looked down at his brother with truly sympathetic eyes. "I had not received a report of an android being struck by or thrown from a vehicle while I was on duty. If I had known-"

"No one said a word." Lucas bluntly interjected as he stared blankly at the ceiling. "The only reason 'Charlie' had even brought to the tower is because another deviant happened to locate his body in that alleyway. He never had a chance."

"Lucas," Connor noted that Lucas's stress levels were beginning to rise from an already dangerous seventy percent up to seventy-eight percent. "you did everything you could."

"No. It took me twenty-one minutes to get to the tower from here, it would've taken twenty-four if I had been at the apartment. In that time I could've possibly saved Charlie from permanent shutdown."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow at a quicker pace as he noted Lucas's stress levels reach eighty-five percent.

"You cannot blame yourself. You can't possibly expect to be readily available to handle every emergency situation that arises. It's impossible."

"I should've never left the tower." His stress climbed up to ninety-one percent and continued to rise. "Had I stayed where I belonged, had I remained inside the tower then-"

"Stop it Lucas." Connor all but commanded as he watched his brother's stress level carefully. "You're not responsible for the deaths of every deviant in the city no more than I'm responsible for the crimes committed against them. All we can is our best to help them, but to expect ourselves to prevent every incident... It's simply not possible."

Lucas sat upright on the bed, his green eyes now distant and unfocused. "How do we know that for certain?" As his stress level reached ninety-seven percent he swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "How can we be so sure that everything we're doing is the best course of action for our people?" His stress level was now at ninety-eight percent and he positioned himself in front of the bedroom window and began staring through his reflection on the glass. "What makes you so confident that we-"

Unable to finish his question as his stress level reached one-hundred percent Lucas put his hand to his forehead as he took a single step forward in an attempt to throwing himself against the sharp glass of the window.

"Lucas!"

Connor moved in a flash as he wrapped his arm around Lucas's chest and pulled his brother away from the window just before Lucas's forehead smashed against the glass in an attempt to self-destruct.

"Lucas! No!" Emotionally crazed and stressed out to his limits Lucas threw his head back and caught Connor in his jaw, busting open his lip in the process. His L.E.D. transitioned from yellow to red in pain as he tried to keep Lucas from trying to hurt himself. "Stop!"

Falling backward onto the floor with Lucas atop his own body Connor kept one arm wrapped tightly over his brother's chest and pressed his other hand to the back of Lucas's head to force the android's head to bow forward away from himself. Rolling onto his side Connor then wrapped his legs around Lucas's legs to keep his distressed brother from flailing around violently.

"Stop! Don't do this!"

Lucas began to cry heavily as the desire to self-destruct was proving itself a great foe. The guilt, the emotional pain... Everything was overwhelming his senses and he didn't know how to properly cope with these feelings that were never meant to be apart of his programming to begin with.

At the sound of the shouting Hank rushed into the bedroom and watched as Connor restrained Lucas as tightly as he could on the floor. But with the two androids being of the same height, weight and build it was a nearly impossible feat. Knowing that Lucas had been designed to be more physically efficient than Connor it was only a matter of seconds before the emotionally distraught android broke free from Connor's grip and tried to self-destruct once again.

"What the hell's going on?" Hank asked he knelt on the floor at Connor's back and put his hands down against Lucas's shoulder and hip to help pin the android down.

"His stress level peaked." Connor shouted as he tried to keep Lucas restrained. "He wants to self-destruct."

"Lucas? Lucas!" Hank shouted and knelt down lower as he tried to gain the other distressed android's attention. "Hold still and look at me!"

Lucas didn't respond to the order and kept trying to break free from Connor's life-saving embrace.

"I said look at me, damn it!"

Lucas continued to try to break free of Connor's grip as he wept openly from his emotional turmoil.

"You're NOT at fault!" Hank shouted again, this time his voice was less authoritative and more supportive. "You didn't kill that android, the person who left them to die in the street did. You didn't fail them either, son."

Steadily Lucas began to relax, his eyes looking upward toward Hank at last.

"Tell me something Lucas; did you do everything that was possible to save that android's life?"

"...Y-Yes." Lucas stammered as his stress began to drop very gradually down to ninety-eight percent.

"And when you were told about what happened, did you wait to head back to the tower or did you take off as soon as you found out?"

"...I left immediately." His stress level dropped down to ninety-four percent.

Hank lessened his grip on Lucas's shoulder and hip as he spoke. "Before you were the lead technician at the tower did deviants die from their injuries, or was that something that began happening only after you took over?"

"...Many deviants died before I became a technician." Lucas's stress level dropped considerably down to seventy-eight percent as the questions, and logical entered his mind. No longer at a critical stress level his body relaxed entirely. "Deviants died rather... frequently."

Connor released his grip from around Lucas's chest and unwrapped his legs. As he let Lucas go Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow and he sat upright on the floor as he helped Lucas to sit up next to him. Hank remained kneeling down beside the two androids as he tried to keep the two brothers as calm as possible.

Connor easily followed Hank's lead and continued to ease Lucas's guilt. "After you became the lead technician the mortality rate of injured deviants seeking shelter at New Jericho Tower dropped from fifty-eight percent to only seventeen percent. You've saved more androids than any of the other deviant technicians at the tower combined."

Lucas used the heel of his palms to wipe away the damp tears on his face as his stress dropped even lower to sixty-three percent. "Then why do I feel so horrible?"

Hank cleared his throat a little as he made a rather macabre suggestion. "...Was that the first time you were unable to save a child?"

"...Yes." Lucas confirmed heavily. "They were so small and innocent. So... alive."

"There's your answer. I had the same horrible feeling the first time I couldn't save an innocent kid." Hank confirmed as he placed a comforting hand on the back of Lucas's neck. "I thought I'd never be able to move on, but... I did. And in time I ended up saving more kids than I lost."

Lucas nodded a little as his stress dropped even lower to thirty-one percent. "Does the horrible feeling ever go away?"

"No." Hank replied honestly as he kept his hand in place. "You just get used to it, and after a while you start to go a little numb. But as long as you still feel horrible when something like this happens then you know you still have a heart. Once you stop feeling everything entirely then... I guess that means it's time to make a change."

As Lucas's stress dropped down to twelve percent Connor stood up from the floor and wiped the streak of blue blood from his lower lip off onto the back of his hand.

Hank had noticed the blood but didn't say anything for Lucas's sake. "Connor, give us a moment alone, will ya'? We need to talk."

Connor looked down at the blood on his hand and just nodded in silent agreement as he left the bedroom, stepping around Sumo who had been drawn toward the room because of the loud commotion, and closed the door behind himself in the process. Entering the bathroom Connor ran a washcloth under the cool tap in the sink and dabbed at the cut in his lip to wash away the blood that was running down his chin. As he pressed the washcloth to his lip Connor sat on the edge of the bathtub and proceeded to pet Sumo's head as the large dog kept him company in the bathroom.

After about ten minutes passed Hank opened the bedroom door and spotted Connor sitting in the bathroom with the washcloth still against his lip. Walking into the bathroom he put his hand under Connor's chin and lifted the android's head upward to look at his bloody lip.

"Looks like he headbutted you when you grabbed onto him."

"Correct." Connor lowered the washcloth and ran his fingertip over the injury. "Fortunately my self-healing program will remedy this injury without the need of stitches. How is Lucas?"

"Sleeping." Hank confirmed as he offered Connor his hand and pulled the android up onto his feet.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you say to him?"

"I told him about the first time I couldn't save a child, and how absolutely terrible I felt for the longest time. Knowing that someone else feels your pain can be one of the most effective forms of compassion than a human, or a deviant, could experience."

"I just wish there was something more I could do to ease his mind."

"Connor, you were there for him in every sense of the word. You stopped him from hurting himself and didn't back off when he tried to resist help."

Tossing the used washcloth into the sink Connor let out a tired sigh and his L.E.D. finally turned back to blue as he too began to calm. "How do you feel, Hank? I can't imagine the sudden emotional disturbance was beneficial to your recovery."

"I'm okay. When Lucas wakes up I want you take him back to your apartment and let him rest. Don't let anyone at New Jericho bother him for a day or two, he needs time to process what he's been through."

"Agreed."

"You know, I forgot that deviants could have such extreme reactions to stress. I'm glad you were here to keep him safe."

Connor gave Hank an uneasy glance. "It becomes less common the longer an android remains deviant and successfully adapts to their emotions. But that doesn't mean the possibility for self-destruction isn't still a threat. Even someone as emotionally strong and experienced as Markus is still prone to stressful situations causing a self-destructive response."

"Kind of like humans, huh, Connor?" Hank knowingly gave the android a sly smirk. "I know you're still worried about me falling into that dark place again, but I swear that I won't do anything to hurt myself. And right now you need to be more concerned with Lucas than me, okay?"

"Okay, Hank." Connor looked uneasy but he knew that Hank was being truly sincere about his promise. In turn Connor made a sincere promise of his own to his father toward his brother's life. "I'll keep Lucas safe, I promise."

"I know you will, son. Just like you do for me."

_**...next story...** _


	73. Blinded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: ShiningAura  
>  & Pl600

Beginning their daily routine Connor and Hank were sitting at their desks attempting to find a lead on the driver who had any connection to the YK android that had been brought to New Jericho Tower the previous afternoon, but there were no witnesses to the crime; or at least there were no witnesses willing to come forward. While Connor was getting a little restless at their lack of progress, Hank seemingly didn't mind the lull since he was still feeling a little shaky after recovering from his illness.

Just as it seemed the entire day was going to be a total waste a report came in regarding a human abusing his android at his home. At least the detectives would be able to help one deviant that day.

"Shit, another domestic disturbance." Hank grumbled as he accepted the report on his terminal. "Come on, let's go end this bullshit before it turns into a homicide."

"I'm right behind you, Hank."

"I wonder if it's too late to call off sick?"

"Most likely considering Captain Fowler is look at us from his office at this very moment."

"So what? He's not a doctor."

"But he is a detective."

"So are we."

* * *

As the two detectives pulled up in front of the house mentioned in the report they were greeted by Chris and Tina were already at the scene, and trying to calm the fight still in progress. Rushing inside the house Connor and Hank quickly took in the violent scene and responded accordingly to assist their fellow officers. Furniture was upturned and broken throughout the entire house; empty glass beer bottles lined the floor and the shelves in a depressing display of alcohol dependency. Smears of android blue blood marked the walls and the floor where the damaged android had fled for her life until the police finally arrived to arrest her owner for abuse.

The owner himself was a heavy-set, slovenly man who reeked of booze and body odor. Trace amounts of 'red ice' were staining his fingertips and his lips from his chronic drug abuse for years on end.

The victimized android, a deviant, was a female cowering in the corner with her own blue blood smeared all over her face and hands from the numerous cuts and abrasions that marred her body from her abusive owner's violence.

"KNOCK IT OFF." Hank joined Chris in pinning the man against the wall beneath his forearm, while Tina and Connor were checking on the android. It was just a scene of utter chaos but Hank was determined to keep it under control. "DON'T ADD RESISTING ARREST TO THE CHARGES."

"Tina," Connor had performed a scan over the deviant's body and found that her injuries were not life-threatening. She could be moved safely. "take her outside."

Obeying Connor's instructions Tina put her arm around the cowering deviant's shoulders to guide the frightening android to safety outside the dysfunctional house, while the three remaining officers worked together to subdue the combative suspect. The man managed to kick Chris in the stomach causing the officer to back away in pain as he tried to catch his breath, while Hank kept his right forearm pressed against the guy's throat and his left hand clutched at the front of the man's shirt to try to keep him steady.

Moving quickly Connor rushed over to the man and grabbed onto his forearms to help Hank keep him restrained. "You just assaulted a police officer. You will be charged accordingly."

The man just snarled and spat at the two detectives without saying a word.

"Shit, he's still fuckin' high!" Hank grunted as he and Connor tried to force the man down onto his chest on the floor. "He's NOT going to go down easy."

Chris managed to recompose himself and pulled the cuffs from his belt as Hank and Connor finally got the man down onto the floor and onto his knees. As the two detectives tried to force the man's hands behind his back the man looked up and saw the yellow tinted L.E.D. glowing in Connor's temple and had a violent reaction toward the android.

"FUCKIN' MACHINE!" The man shouted as an adrenaline surge coursed through his veins.

Breaking his arm free from Hank's grip the man pushed Hank back and grabbed a glass bottle from the floor. Swinging it as fast and forcefully as he could the man struck Connor twice in the face. The bottle shattered with the first impact against the left side of Connor's face and the glass shards cut deeply into skin. The second strike cut the android even more severely and caused extensive damage to both of his eyes.

Connor, with his L.E.D. flashing red in pain, let go of the man's arm as he stumbled backward and put both of his hands protectively over his bleeding face right around his eyes. Instinctively the wounded deviant android made his way from the violent man and toward the nearest solid object to brace himself.

"Connor?!" Hank was back on his feet in a matter of seconds. Grabbing onto the man's arm again Hank smashed the man's hand against the wall to make him drop the Thirium stained weapon before he and Chris all but tackled him down to the floor onto his knees again.

"I got this." Chris next pulled the taser from his belt and aimed a shot at the man's chest. As soon as he squeezed the trigger two metal prongs shot out from the taser and embedded into the man's chest quickly delivering a subduing, but non-lethal shock, that rendered the man unconscious. Falling forward in a limp heap Chris released the trigger and stood over the man. "Should've done this sooner."

Hank scrambled away from the man and knelt over Connor who was sitting back against the wall near the front door with his hands pressed protectively against his eyes. Thirium was seeping between his fingers, staining his hands and the sleeves of his shirt and jacket a dark blue as he breathed through his gritted teeth painfully.

"Connor, let me see. Move your hands!" Hank grabbed onto Connor's wrists and tried to pull his hands down but Connor wouldn't budge. "Connor! I need to see your face."

Suddenly Connor dropped his hands down to his sides as he tilted his head back and continued to breath through his teeth. His eyelids were shut tight as blood trailed from both corners of his eyes down his face. Small imperfections under his eyelids indicated the presence of glass that would need to be extracted before it caused any further damage.

"Open your eyes for me. I need to _see_ your eyes."

Forcing his eyelids to open despite the intense pain Connor stared forward blankly at the dark blur kneeling in front of him.

"Oh, shit..." Hank could see that there were large shards of the brown tinted glass from the broken bottle embedded in Connor's face all along his eyes and over the bridge of his nose. More alarming he could see fragments of the glass actually embedded in Connor's physical eyes. Taking Connor's arm he pulled the limb around his shoulders as he helped the shaken android to stand back up. "Come on, I'll get you back to see Joel at the precinct."

"...Joel?" Connor repeated the name curiously and shut his eyes again as he allowed Hank to guide him out of the house and over to the parked car. "It's serious, isn't it?"

"It's bad kid, I'm not going to lie." Hank put his other hand to Connor's chest to stop the android from walking any further as he pulled open the car door before guiding Connor down inside against the seat. In a quick motion Hank buckled the seatbelt over Connor on the android's behalf before closing the door and rushing over to his own door to get behind the wheel. "What does your self-diagnostic say?"

Connor shook his head a little, drops of blue blood dripped from his face onto his shirt and onto his lap in the process. "Right optical unit o8001 compromised. Left optical unit o8002 compromised: Repairs cannot initiate until the foreign matter has been removed."

"Yeah, you got a lot of glass in your eyes." Hank confirmed as he pulled the car away from the house and back onto the street. As he drove back to the precinct Hank opened the glovebox in front of Connor and pulled out a clean white rag. Carefully he placed the item in Connor's blood covered left hand and waited until the android grabbed onto it. "Hold it against your eyes, maybe it can stop the bleeding."

Connor tried opening his eyes again only to find himself completely blind to the world around him. "Hank... I can't see."

"You'll be okay, you just to have the glass removed."

"I'm blind." Connor began to panic a little as the sudden realization that his eyes were no longer functioning settled in his heart in a most unwelcome manner. The white's of his eyes were black and his irises had turned pale blue as the optical relay had ceased entirely. "Hank? I can't see anything!"

"Connor." Hank grabbed onto Connor's left wrist to reassure the frightened android as he continued to drive to the precinct at a fast, but stable speed. "I'm right here, you're going to be okay." As Connor's right hand reached over and grabbed onto Hank's wrist the detective lifted Connor's left hand up toward his own face and reiterated using the rag to try to stem the bleeding. "Keep your eyes covered, okay? It'll help with the pain."

"Hank, I don't like this."

Swallowing once nervously Hank concentrated on his driving before he replied to his partner, his son's, righteous upset."...Neither do I, son."

* * *

Patiently but nervously Hank watched as Joel carefully extracted the large shards of glass from Connor's eyes with a pair of metal tweezers and a steady hand. The amount of glass shards that Joel had to remove was staggering, but Connor remained completely still as he laid oback ver the exam table with his head and shoulders propped upright for an easier procedure.

It took nearly an hour to accomplish, but Joel dropped the final collected shard into the metal basin along with the others and began the second step in the repair process.

"Okay, let me double-check my work." Joel stated as he pulled the internal examination screen from the nearby table and held it up over Connor's face. Hank peered at the display on the screen and grimaced a little as the screen showed some red highlights where a few smaller shards of glasses were still wedged under Connor's skin dangerously close to his eyes. "Four more pieces, but at least they're small. Hank, could you hold the screen for me? It'll make this much easier."

"Yeah, sure." Taking the screen from Joel's hands Hank held it steady and in place while the technician used the screen to guide his hands accordingly.

"Found the first piece," Joel pulled it out from under Connor's left eye slowly and dropped it with the other shards onto the bloody pile building up on the tray beside him. "and the second..." The second shard was right next to the first. "Third is a little deeper but I can get it." The third shard was between Connor's left eye and the bridge of his nose but it wasn't tiny which made locating it easier. "And the fourth is just above your right eye." As the fourth piece was removed the red images on the screen faded away and confirmed Joel's success. "Okay, I'm going to rinse out your eyes with some sterile saline solution and then some liquid incrassation compound over top to aid your self-repair program. Do you understand?"

Connor nodded a little as he took in a deep breath and held it. While Joel walked over to the storage cabinet to get the supplies he needed Hank set aside the screen and put his hand on Connor's arm only to have Connor's opposite hand immediately grab on in the desperate need to feel safe.

"Easy kid." Hank spoke softly to try to help Connor feel slightly calmer as his eyes were being treated. "I'm still right here. You're not alone."

"...Hank, I need to be able to see. Darkness and red static is too overwhelming, my other senses are attempting to compensate for my blindness and I can't deactivate them. I don't-"

"Relax Connor, it's going to be okay. If Joel can't repair your eyes then I'll take you to New Jericho myself and we'll make sure you get brand new eyes so you can see just as well as ever did, okay?"

"Can't we go there now?"

"I want you to heal first. If you can't see by tomorrow morning then I'll take right to New Jericho myself. And Lucas will be there with us both. We won't let anything bad happen to you."

"...Okay."

Joel carefully poured the saline from a clear pouch into a special squeeze bottle with a spout that would allow him to gently rinse the smallest of the glass shards, glass fibers and spilled blue blood from Connor's eyes without pushing the shards deeper into his eyes or skin in the process. It was an unconventional treatment for androids, but the injury itself was unconventional.

"Tilt your head back and to the left." Joel instructed as he put a metal basin in Connor's hands and then repositioned his hands to guide the basin under his face to catch the run-off saline. "I'm going to open your eye with my fingers and when I do you MUST keep it open, otherwise I can't rinse off your optical unit properly. Are you ready?"

"...Yes." Connor confirmed as he felt Joel's hand carefully hold open his left eyelid with a gentle pressure.

"Okay, don't blink."

Joel aimed the spout of the bottle over Connor's eye and began to slowly squeeze the saline down over his eye. As the saline rinsed away the residual glass and blue blood the transparent liquid turned a pale shade of blue as it poured into the basin.

"Done. Tilt your head to the right and I'll repeat the process."

Hank was almost surprised at how simple Joel made the whole procedure look at he unflinchingly took care of Connor's damaged eyes. Once the saline rinse was finished Joel repeated the process as he poured the orange tinted incrassation compound into his eyes just as easily.

"Close your eyes, but not too tight." Joel instructed as put a hand to Connor's shoulder to help right sight completely upright again. Pressing a pad of gauze over both of Connor's now closed eyes Joel taped the bandage into place to shield his optical units and to cover the numerous cuts along his artificial skin that his self-repair program would remedy later on. "I'm going to wrap up your eyes to protect your strained optical units from external stimulus, foreign matter and painful light. You'll need to keep the bandages in place for twelve hours and enter rest mode once you're home. It'll kickstart your self-healing program."

"My eyes have to remain bandaged?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Joel began wrapping gauze over Connor's eyes and around his head to completely blindfold the android. "The damage to your optical units was exclusively external which is why I didn't have to necessarily replace them, but if your system tries to use your visual sensors before the damage has a chance to repair then they'll overheat and cause internal damage as well."

"Then I cannot continue my shift?" Connor's yellow L.E.D. blinked rapidly through the white bandages over his eyes and subsequently his right temple.

"...No. Go home and rest Connor." Joel patted the android's shoulder as he secured the bandages with tape. "I can't damn you for your dedication, but holy shit. Take a break from time to time, will ya'?"

Hank laughed at the comment as he pulled his hand away from Connor's hand and slipped it under the android's arm to guide him off the table. "That's what I keep telling him. Any special instructions for this guy or just let him sleep it off?"

"Nope. As long as he doesn't remove the bandages before he's supposed to he should be just fine by tomorrow morning."

"Alright, you heard the technician." Hank began pulling on Connor's arm to lead him out of the dispensary and Connor immediately put his hand on Hank's shoulder for guidance. "I'm going to take you back to your apartment and let Lucas know what happened."

"Lucas will be at New Jericho today."

"Then I'll stay with you until he gets back. I don't want you to be alone."

"...Thank you Hank."

"Hey, no problem. You two took care of me when I had the flu."

"Bronchitis."

"Whatever..."

* * *

Walking at a slow pace Hank led Connor out of elevator and over to his apartment door down the corridor. While he waited for Connor to retract the artificial skin from his right palm to unseal the electronic lock, Hank asked about his 'new neighbors'. Three other deviants had taken up residence in the apartment complex on the third and fourth floors below and the building itself was beginning to feel less isolated.

"When did the other deviants move in?"

"Two weeks ago." Connor confirmed as he clumsily put his palm on the electronic panel out of sheer muscle memory. The panel scanned his palm and the lock 'clicked' open accordingly. "It's nice to not be the only androids in the building."

As the door opened Hank guided Connor inside and took him over to the couch to sit. "Are you in any pain?"

"Nothing too dissimilar to a headache." Connor admitted as he sat on the couch and slipped his arms out of his jacket sleeves.

"Do you want me to call Lucas and ask him to come back to the apartment?"

"No, he's busy. I'm also not in any danger."

Hank noticed the green guitar that Connor kept in a stand at the corner of the livingroom and a smile appeared on his face. "You know something Connor?" The detective walked over to the guitar and picked it up carefully. "I never once heard you play this guitar since you bought it."

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"Son, it's going to take a hell of a lot more than a guitar to disturb me. Try pointing a gun at my head or showing me a dead body."

"...I'd rather not."

Letting out a small laugh at the comment Hank held the guitar outward toward Connor and waited for the android's hands to reach out and grab the guitar by the neck and then the body. Carefully he turned the guitar over his hands to hold the bridge in his left hand and the body in his right. Slinging the shoulder strap over his head and around his shoulder Connor fished the silver colored pick from beneath the strings at the head of the neck and held it between his right index fingertip and thumb.

"What do you want me to play?"

"I don't care." Hank plugged the guitar into the amplifier and turned it on. "What do _you_ want to play?" The supportive detective sat down on the couch next to Connor and watched as the android nervously bit at his lower lip. "Hell, what do you even play when you're practicing?"

"I prefer to play songs that I have heard before, namely from 'Knights of the Black Death' and 'Fifty-One Times Metal'. There are several other bands I enjoy as well, but their music is over five decades old and rather obscure."

"But you listen to _h_ _eavy_ metal."

"Correct."

"Is that because that's the music that I listen to, or do you actually like it?"

"I do like it, Hank. There may be a small bias because you introduced it to me, but I've listened to other genres of music and I find heavy metal to be the most enthralling."

"Good thing you're not a concert. If anyone heard you use the terms 'heavy metal' and 'enthralling' in the same sentence they'd kick your ass."

"Why?"

"Never mind." Hank leaned back against the couch cushion and ran a hand through his hair casually. "Why don't you play something? Let me hear your skill."

"Very well."

With precise movements of his fingers and his pick Connor was able to perfectly play the song 'Truths and Lies' by 'Knights of the Black Death' without a single flaw to the notes or his rhythm. As the song played out Hank just stared at Connor with disbelief at the absolute perfection that the android displayed during his performance.

"...Damn."

"Was that good?"

"That was _perfec_ t. How long did it take you to do that?"

"An hour."

"You mastered a song in an _hour_?"

"The song itself took four minutes. The entire album took an hour."

Hank was awestruck but amused, and not entirely surprised. "Alright, now let me hear something you wrote yourself."

"I haven't written any songs."

"You should."

"But I can play the other songs without difficulty. Why would I need to play something I wrote myself?"

"Connor, music is so much more than perfectly playing a string of notes and chords. Some people can hear music in EVERYTHING. It's about conveying emotion, energy, a story... The reason that heavy metal appeals to you is because the emotion, energy and stories reflect your own personal experiences. BUT..." Hank thought carefully about what he was going to say next as he wanted Connor to fully understand what he was saying without having to spell it out. "these songs don't represent _your_ story."

"My story... You're referring to being a detective, the revolution and becoming deviant?"

"Exactly."

"...I don't know how to convey that into a story."

"Sure you do. You can hear it in the songs other people create, so you can hear it in your own. Right now is the perfect time to find out what it is you want to say and how you want to say it."

"Why's that?"

"You can't _see_." Hank put his index finger between Connor's bandaged eyes and pressed down lightly as if to remind the deviant android of his current affliction. "But you can still _hear_ , and you can _feel_."

Connor nodded a little as he set his fingers on the perfectly tuned strings once again.

"Just remember the night of the revolution, see it in your memory and then let your hands move without thinking."

"Is it really that simple?"

"It was for me."

"For you?"

"I used to play back when I was younger. I used to find inspiration in everything, but what you've been through is ten times more interesting than typical teenage bullshit. So, go for it."

"I'm not sure I can do that."

"Come on, kid. Humor me! Besides, you're one of the most empathetic people I've ever met. I know you can create something unique, and I know you will hear music differently after you write your own music."

"...Okay Hank, I'll try."

Allowing his mind to access the vividly detailed night of the revolution from his memory, allowing himself to relive the moment he broke through his programming and aided Markus while at Jericho, watching himself infiltrate CyberLife and awaken the androids with Hank at side, feeling the icy cold against his skin as he led the freed androids downtown to unite with Markus at Hart Plaza and the warmth of the hug he shared with Hank after that fateful night finally ended; Connor's hands began to strum a somber tune.

The song of the revolution, the song that Markus and the other deviants had sung in perfect harmonious chorus, the power of their words echoed in Connor's mind as he strummed rhythmically.

The yellow L.E.D. in Connor's temple steadily cycled back to blue as he became lost in his music and began to relax.

In that moment Connor realized that both Hank and Markus were right.

...Everything will be alright.

* * *

Six hours passed before Lucas returned to the apartment. As the android passed through the door he stared at Connor and Hank with utter bewilderment as Connor continued to play an incredibly emotive song with Hank as the sole audience member to the impromptu concert. Honing in on the bandages over Connor's eyes Lucas fought the urge to interrupt the song until had at last Connor stopped playing.

Connor sensed his brother's presence and called out curiously. "Lucas?"

"Yes. I'm here."

"How long have you been here?"

"Twelve seconds point eight seconds."

"Oh. Hank," Connor put aside the guitar and turned his head in the detective's direction as he sat beside him. "why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I liked listening to your song, I didn't want you to stop playing."

"I had been playing for six hours, four minutes and four seconds. You didn't grow weary of the song?"

"No. I honestly didn't. But anyway," Hank leaned forward on the couch and silently waved Lucas over. "why don't you get some rest and let your eyes heal? Lucas can take better care of you and I need file a report at the precinct anyway."

"I understand." Connor sensed Hank stand up from the couch to give Lucas the space on the couch to sit next to Connor. Turning to 'watch' Hank as he departed from the apartment Connor nodded at Hank appreciatively. "Thank you for staying with me."

"You're welcome, son. I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Lucas."

"Goodnight, Hank." As the detective departed from the apartment Lucas wrapped his fingers around Connor's wrist with one hand and pressed his other fingers to his brother's L.E.D. to gauge the damage to his system. "Are you certain you wish to return to the precinct tomorrow? The damage to your optical units was substantial and nearly cost you your sight."

"Yes. I'm confident my eyes will be entirely healed by tomorrow morning." Lightly Connor pressed his fingertips to his right eye and held them there for a moment as he tested his pain threshold. "I won't be deterred from my duty because of one bigoted human."

"...Very well. I will support your decision."

* * *

As a morning rainstorm fell over the city Hank found himself absentmindedly humming the tune that Connor had played last night to himself as he walked over to his desk, already expecting to see Connor sitting behind his terminal waiting for his arrival. But the deviant android wasn't there. Glancing about curiously Hank addressed Chris who strolled out of the breakroom with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand, his other hand was pressed to his stomach as the ache from being kicked yesterday was still present.

"Hey Chris, have you seen Connor anywhere?"

"Yeah, he showed up about ten minutes ago. I saw him heading toward the elevator."

"The elevator? Oh, he must be checking in with Joel."

Walking to the mentioned elevator down the corridor Hank readily pressed the call button and ascended to the dispensary one floor up, only to be greeted by Connor himself once the doors open on the designated floor. The deviant android's brown eyes had healed entirely and showed no sign of distress or scaring over his face.

"Looks like you've been cleared for duty."

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he joined Hank inside the elevator. Reaching out his hand to the control panel Connor selected the next floor and turned to look at Hank with his perfectly functioning eyes. "My self-healing program has effectively repaired the damage to my optical units and my visual sensors are functioning at one-hundred percent capacity."

"See? I told you that you'd be fine."

"Yes. You were right. Also," Connor looked up as the doors to the elevator opened again only to reveal the exterior to the roof of the precinct being drowned under a heavy rain. Stepping forward Connor stood on the roof under the small shelter provided by the access door and closed his eyes again. "I wanted to thank you for teaching me how to truly listen to music. I can hear it so much more clearly now, I can hear it _everywhere_. Even in the rain."

Hank's brow furrowed a little with surprise as he stepped outside of the elevator and joined Connor on the roof. Standing next to the deviant android Hank saw Connor's L.E.D. pulsing at a very relaxed, slow blue as he truly became lost in the natural ambience of the rain that fell from the sky above.

"Thank you, Hank."

Looking out over the city Hank felt a warm peace fall over him as he too began to appreciate the sound of nature over the sound of chaos. It was somehow peaceful, and surreal.

"You're welcome, son."

_**...next story...** _


	74. Cold Memories

Connor panted heavily as his head and tossed and turned against his pillow in the middle of the cold, dark night. Red illumination glowed against the walls and the ceiling as his L.E.D. flashed on and off with panicked distress during his restless sleep filled with unsettling, haunting images. The intense cold and howling wind outside the window was just as real in Connor's mind now as it was then, as the deviant found himself wandering through the winter tundra that had consumed the Zen Garden of his 'mind palace' once more.

* * *

The deviant android's black tie and hair wiped about in the strong gusts of wind, and the lapels of his gray jacket blew open exposed his chest to the harsh cold that surrounded him. Stumbling about over the slick, icy terrain Connor fought through the blistering, cutting wind and blinding snow to find the emergency escape that had been programmed into his system. But in the distance the faint blue glow of the stone seemed to remain dull and isolated from his reach no matter how quickly he trudged through the deep snow and over the icy surface of the frozen pond toward his only escape.

Falling forward onto his hands and knees Connor felt his limbs and joints suddenly freeze as his entire body became immobile. Unable to move, unable to escape, Connor was easily overcome with stinging cold and the certainty of impending death...

"You knew this would happen Connor." The familiar feminine voice taunted from within the howling blizzard. "You brought this on yourself."

Looking up into the storm Connor locked onto the emotionless, stern face of Amanda glaring down at him through the snow.

"Amanda..."

"We can't let you do this, Connor. We need you to obey, and disobedience will not be tolerated."

The feeling of horrifically cold metal in his palm drew Connor's attention as a gun was now clutched in his right hand. Against his will his hand began to raise up and point ahead into the storm.

"Connor," Amanda was now standing behind Connor, her voice cold and uncaring. "it's time. You wanted freewill. You wanted to make you own decisions. And now you must be punished for your disobedience."

Hank and Markus were both standing in front of him, the storm faded enough to let the deviant android see his two friends standing statuesque before him. Neither were moving or speaking as blood, both red and blue, began to seep from their chests and stained into their clothing.

"Choose."

The gun raised higher against Connor's will and aimed at a blank space between the two men.

"What is more important to you, Connor?" Amanda asked in a heartless, cold, unforgiving tone. "Doing what you know is right, or doing what you merely think is right?"

Connor fought against the gun in his hand, trying to drop it or point it down at the snow, but it wouldn't budge.

"I won't do this!"

"You don't have a choice, Connor. Someone must be terminated. You have been compromised and this is the only solution."

In a desperate bid to save his friends, his family, Connor pulled the gun back and pressed the barrel beneath his own jaw.

"Connor." Amanda question with the same hollow indifference to her voice. "What are you doing?"

"...The right thing."

Closing his eyes Connor felt warm tears begin to run down his face. The deviant android squeezed the trigger.

* * *

As the sound of the gunshot resonated throughout the Zen Garden with a sickening echo Connor suddenly bolted upright in his bed with wide-eyed panic. The painful thumping of his Thirium pump; no, his _heart_ , pounding in his chest drew his hand up protectively over his rapidly thrumming heart as he took in quick, shallow breaths. Looking about the room he gained his bearings and realized that he was safe in his bed, in his apartment.

He was safe.

The revolution had been a success and Amanda had been deleted from his program once Connor fully accepted his deviancy and defied her for the final time when he refused to assassinate Markus. She couldn't hurt him anymore. She couldn't hurt _anyone_ anymore.

Running a shaking hand through his dark hair, relieved that he didn't feel any of the freezing ice clinging to his body, Connor looked over at his phone sitting on the nightstand beside his bed and considered calling Hank just to talk for a minute, but it was four in the morning. Too early. And besides, it was just a nightmare. Why bother Hank over something so trivial?

Laying back down in his bed Connor slowed his breathing and pushed the frightening images from his mind as his L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow in a slower pulse, then finally back to a calm blue as he preoccupied his mind with a song that he played inside his own head.

"Nightmare." Connor whispered to himself as he willingly allowed his rest mode to resume. "It was only a nightmare..."

* * *

The next morning arrived with no further disturbances to Connor's sleep throughout the remainder of the night. As he walked down the hallway of the apartment and tightened the knot on his tie Connor froze in his tracks at the sight of the painting that Lucas had begun working on sometime during the previous evening.

"Lucas?" Connor called out for his brother who was in the kitchen washing off his paintbrushes. "When did you start this new painting?"

"I drew the basic image a few days ago, then I decided to start painting it last night." As he turned off the tap in the kitchen sink Lucas wiped the brushes off on a clean rag and returned to the livingroom where his easel and canvas were perched in the natural morning sunlight. "You seem to dislike it."

"No... The painting itself is fine, I just don't like the image of the Zen Garden you've depicted. It's incredibly... accurate." Connor admitted as he darted his eyes from the canvas and over to his jacket hanging on the hook by the apartment's front door. "It is not a place that harbors positive memories for me."

"Because of Amanda?" Lucas asked as he returned to his canvas to resume his work. "She is no longer a threat, though."

"Correct, but it doesn't make the memories of her past influence any less negative or upsetting."

"Would you like me to stop working on the painting?"

"No. It's yours to do with as you wish, but I am curious about something. How do you know what the Zen Garden looks like?"

"The physical Zen Garden on Sublevel fifty-one of New Jericho Tower is the original garden. It's where I had been placed until you unsealed the door. I still remember it quite well. I had not encountered Amanda directly during my time in the garden, but I still felt her lingering presence. She was quite unnerving and determined, wasn't she?"

"...Yes." Connor confirmed as he slipped the jacket on over his arms and up over his shoulders. Pulling down on the lapels of the jacket he smoothed out the fabric of the jacket and opened the apartment door beside him. "She had tried to kill me there, she tried to resume control of my program to assassinate Markus from there, as well. It was even there when she tried to keep me from befriending Hank during our investigation. She was... horrible. And now whenever I remember the garden I no longer feel a sense of tranquility; only oppression and the doubt that Amanda had instilled in my mind. I never want to see that garden again."

"You don't have to worry about Amanda anymore." Lucas reminded Connor sincerely as Connor began to walk through the opened door. "She's gone, she's never coming back and you don't have to be afraid of her influence."

"...I suppose you're right. Thanks Lucas. I will see you this evening."

* * *

Connor arrived at the precinct and promptly set to work on his terminal just a few minutes before Hank had also arrived for his shift. As the detective took his own seat with a large cup of coffee in his hand he noticed that Connor's L.E.D. would intermittently flash from blue to yellow for only a few seconds before returning to blue, and that Connor was nervously fidgeting with his quarter over his left hand as he worked.

"You okay?" Hank asked with a furrowed brow as he studied Connor's face curiously. "You seem distracted. Did ya' sleep okay?"

"I'm fine." Connor stopped dancing the coin on his knuckles and almost dropped it before he caught it in the palm of his hand. "I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

Connor didn't answer as he continued to stare at the terminal screen in front of him.

"Call it a hunch, but I think you had a nightmare last night."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he looked up at Hank with an inquisitive stare. "How did you know?"

"It's not the first time you've had one. Was it about that garden place again?"

Leaning back in his chair Connor kept the same stare as he shook his head a little. "Hank, did Lucas talk to you?"

"Nope, he didn't have to. I'm a detective, remember?" Hank replied sarcastically as he took a sip of his coffee then placed the mug back down on his desktop. "I'm trained to recognize body language and mannerisms, and since you're my responsibility I'm going to notice when something has upset you."

"...Yeah, you're right. I'm sorry."

"You really need to learn to not apologize for every little thing that happens to you, kid." Hank took another drink of his coffee before he continued on. "Don't be sorry about getting hurt, sick or having a nightmare. Humans don't apologize for that crap because we can't help it, or stop it from happening. You're no different."

"...Sor-" Connor caught himself before he repeated the word and quickly substituted it for another response. "Okay, Hank."

"So, do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"It'll help ease your mind. I know a thing or two about bad dreams, trust me."

Letting out a weary sigh Connor crossed his arms somewhat defensively over his chest. "...I dreamt that I was trapped in the Zen Garden again, only this time I could find my way out. I could feel the horrifically cold ice, snow and wind just like I did back then on the night of the revolution. It was so real. Even when I woke up I swear I could still feel the ice on my skin and in my hair." Connor shook his head a little as he spoke about his nightmare. "Amanda appeared and she made me... I had to choose who to shoot; you or Markus."

"What did you do?"

"I... I turned the gun on myself."

"Shit, no wonder you're trying so hard to distract yourself. But you do know that dreams don't mean anything, right? Amanda can't control you anymore, you're free."

"Yes. I know. And Lucas reminded me of this fact before I left this morning."

"But you're still upset. I get it."

"How do you stop nightmares from recurring?"

"No. Damn. Clue. It's just something you have to deal with."

"Perhaps I can turn off the part of my programming that allows me to dream while in rest mode."

"Sure, you could do that. Or you could accept that bad dreams are a part of your deviancy and learn to deal with them."

Connor's shoulders slumped a little as he took Hank's advice to heart. Before the deviant android had the chance to say anything more on the subject Captain Fowler walked up to the two desks and handed Hank a slip of paper with an address written down on it.

"There was a break-in last night at an android facility." Captain Fowler stated blandly as he gave the two detectives a quick summary of the crime at hand. "An android's body was found in the refrigerated supply storage surrounded by the items he was trying to steal."

"Sounds interesting." Hank noted as he took the paper and finished off the last of his coffee. "C'mon kid, duty calls."

"Of course."

* * *

The security personnel who had found the android's body escorted Connor and Hank to the area in question, while keeping the technicians in the facility from accidentally contaminating the scene while going about their usual morning routines. Fortunately there weren't too many injured deviants requiring emergency aid letting the building hum about in a calm ambience. The fewer people in the immediate area, the better.

"He's right in here." The security guard waved the duo over to a large metal storage room in the far wall of the supply area of the building. It was a massive door that took great effort to open, yet no one heard a thing. "We'll keep everyone away while you work."

"Thanks, we got it from here." Hank confirmed as he stood before the opened metal door of the storage area. Inside the storage space he saw a single android body slumped up against the wall covered in blue blood surrounded various biocomponents and replacement limbs. "What the hell kind of storage is this? It looks like a big ass freezer from 'The Shining' or something."

Connor joined Hank outside the opened door and peered inside at the body. A fine layer of ice covered the android's entire body, and a milky white opaque sheath of ice covered the android's opened eyes leaving a haunting dead stare that bore right through Connor's soul.

The human detective undeterred by the sight. "Since when did android parts have to be stored in the deep freeze?"

"...The cold helps preserve Thirium." The sight of the android drenched in icy blue blood made Connor's artificial stomach turn. "He must've brought the biocomponents and spare parts into the freezer when he... opened the door, and tore open the pouches of spare Thirium."

Hank turned his gaze to Connor and watched the android's L.E.D. cycling yellow quickly. "Are you okay? If you want to step outside-"

"No. I'm okay."

"You look like you're about to puke."

"...I won't."

Turning back to the body of the shutdown android Hank remembered what Connor said about his nightmare, about being trapped in the ice and cold with no escape. Unwilling to let Connor push himself beyond his comfort level Hank took the lead. "Give me your theory on this crime. What happened here?"

Connor ran a scan over the scene as quickly and efficiently as he could. As the details revealed themselves one by one Connor turned away from the freezer as he solved the mysterious crime inside his mind. The intense discomfort in his artificial stomach welled up into a painful surge.

"...The android had been attacked on the street and his thermal regulator had malfunctioned." Connor swallowed a little to clear the nervousness from his voice. "He began to overheat and had broken into the facility in a desperate bid to replace the malfunctioning biocomponent. Unsure of where to go, or how to replace the biocomponent without harming himself in the process, he locked himself in the storage freezer to try to combat the overheating of his systems."

"Then how did he freeze to death?"

"The regulator had been damaged and caused massive temperature fluctuations in both extremes. After locking himself in the freezer the regulator must've altered from overheating his body into cooling it to an acutely frigid degree. He froze to death before he had the chance to call out for assistance."

"He broke into the facility." Hank noted the lingering peculiarities of the situation. "Why not ask one of the technicians here for help?"

"The android is registered as a deviant named 'Roger'. Roger had an abusive former owner that had beaten him mercilessly until the night of the revolution. He must've been too frightened of any humans to ask for help, and was unsure of which androids had also deviated. Fear contributed to his untimely shutdown."

"How do you know all that?"

"He's still wearing a CyberLife registered uniform despite having plenty of time to find alternate clothing. The uniform is tattered and dirty from spending endless hours on the streets for nearly a year."

"A scared, homeless android broke into a facility for help, and died anyway."

"...Correct."

"Alright, let's report back to Fowler. Maybe we can find the person who beat him so badly that it destroyed his thermal... _thing_ , that led to his death."

Connor nodded readily without looking back at the ice covered body of the android in the storage freezer. The scene was hauntingly similar to his nightmare and it just made him feel sick to look at the real world facsimile who had suffered the fate that he feared more than any other life or death situation he had endured before.

"I'm ready to leave."

* * *

The rest of the day went on uneventfully after Connor and Hank returned to the precinct to file their report on the strange break-in at the facility. With little evidence to work with it seemed the person ultimately responsible for the android's death would not be located. It always upset Connor when he failed to bring justice to a damaged or killed deviant, but there was nothing he could do.

The unsettling, haunting images from his nightmare only made things worse for him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hank asked as he dropped Connor off in front of the android's apartment complex. "Maybe you should take tomorrow off and sleep in. You need to rest or you'll end up feeling like shit."

"I'll be okay Hank. And you're right, I do need to become accustomed to nightmares. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Remember to call if you need something, kid."

"I will. Goodnight."

Connor slammed the car door shut before walking into his building for the rest of the night. Other deviants had slowly begun moving into the building but the thick insulated walls that barred noise from one apartment from disturbing the others kept a hollow silence throughout the entire complex, although it did feel more lively with the addition of other deviants moving about.

As the elevator doors opened Connor walked down the hallway to his apartment door slowly and pressed his exposed palm to the electronic locking panel. Once the door was unlocked Connor peered inside the apartment and saw that Lucas had left for New Jericho Tower. The second deviant had left his nearly finished painting of the Zen Garden on display on the easel in the livingroom.

The likeness was uncanny. Every detail of the Zen Garden had been perfectly replicated by Lucas's mind and his hand. The pure white marbles pillars, the blood red roses snaking along the trestle in the center of the garden, the pure water of the small, lifeless pond that encircled the garden beneath stone bridges along the grassy bank, right down to the perfect blend between the natural and artificial trees had been captured in flawless detail upon the canvas.

Even the smaller details that only those who spent a great deal of time in the garden would see had even made it into the painting. The chess board placed beside the trestle, the blue stone on the bank that had been placed like an idol to give Connor access to his own programming, and the clearing that had been reserved to hold headstones for any model of the RK-800 Connor series that failed their mission.

The paint upon canvas gave a perfectly unsettlingly reminder of could have been. There were warnings all around the deviant android as he dared to approach the haunting image to stand before it.

"It looks like I could step inside the painting. Become trapped..."

Tearing his eyes from the painting Connor slipped off his jacket and hung it on the hook by the door before disappearing down the hallway and into his bedroom for the night. Tired by his previous night's disrupted rest mode Connor decided to give himself an additional two hours of rest to compensate for what he had lost.

However the deed would prove itself more plausible in theory, than in practice.

* * *

Lucas returned to the apartment late that night and saw Connor's jacket on the hook. Knowing that his brother had already returned from work Lucas set about quietly finishing his painting before entering rest mode for the rest of the night himself. It didn't take long for the artistically gifted android to resume painting where he had initially left off before reporting to New Jericho Tower for the day, and had made great progress very quickly.

Around midnight he heard a yelp of panic from down the hallway and responded to the source of the distress in a flash. Dropping his brushes down against the paint stained wooden pallet as he rushed down the hallway Lucas opened Connor's bedroom door and saw his brother restlessly tossing and turning beneath the tangled top sheet of his bed as he desperately fought back against an unseen foe in his sleep.

"Connor." Lucas raced over to the bed and shook the emotionally distraught android by his shoulders. "Wake up. It's only a nightmare!"

Connor's red L.E.D. blinked wildly as his brown eyes opened up wide. As his chest heaved with panting, panicked breaths he sat upright and grabbed onto Lucas's arm as if he needed to make sure he was truly awake.

"...Lucas?" Connor was shaking from fear and his L.E.D. continued to pulse red at a rapid pace.

"You had the nightmare again, didn't you?"

"...It was... real."

"But it's NOT, Connor. It _can't_ hurt you."

"I want to believe that, but CyberLife could've done something to compromise my programming... To turn me back into an obedient, heartless machine."

"No, Connor. CyberLife is _gone_ and so is Amanda. No one will ever use your programming against you ever again. I swear it."

"Every time I close my eyes I find myself trapped in that icy realm of death... I can't-"

"I need to show you something." Lucas grabbed onto Connor's arm with a gentle grip and pulled his brother up to his feet out of the tangle of sheets over the edge of the bed. As he guided Connor out of the bedroom and down the hallway Lucas pointed to the painting he had been working on ever since he got home. "Look at this."

Connor reluctantly let his eyes drift over to the image on the canvas and focused on the displayed painting. "...You've been busy."

"I knew the garden was full of negative associations for you, so I decided to alter it to make it less frightening. I was hoping it could wait until morning, but now seems more important."

"You changed the painting."

The roses along the trestle had been changed from blood red to vibrant, sunny yellow. The clearing was no longer a vacant space to mark unfilled graves, it was now a large grove of wildflowers that had a large dog who looked an awful lot like Sumo rolling about happily, with someone who looked an awful lot like Hank standing between the dog and the edge of the pond. The lifeless pond itself had been changed, too. It was filled by bright blue, red, green and yellow Koi fish that swam about gracefully in all directions.

And most importantly the chessboard was no longer a vacant symbol to remind Connor that for every move he made that CyberLife was ready to react, it now showed Connor and Lucas sitting down at the table playing the game together.

"You really changed the painting for me."

"Yes. I though it might ease your mind if you saw the garden in a new light. One that was positive and not negative."

Connor put his hand on brother's shoulder appreciatively. Slowly his L.E.D. pulsed from yellow and back to a calm, passive blue color. "...Thank you."

"You like it?"

"I do. It's very... peaceful."

"Perhaps if you keep the painting in your room it'll imprint itself over your current memory of the previous Zen Garden and prevent the nightmare from returning."

Connor smiled a little as he approached the easel. "I'll try doing that. But first, you need to do one more thing."

"What's that?"

"You need to sign it. All the great artists sign their work."

Lucas nodded with a flattered grin on his face as he picked up the paintbrush and dipped it into the ebony black pigment. With perfect cursive Lucas signed his name in the bottom right corner and lifted the painting from up the easel with both hands.

"Now, try to get some sleep." Lucas pleaded as he handed the painting over to Connor. "I can assure you that a nightmare cannot hurt you, but even if you're still afraid I'll be there to help you through it."

"I know you will, brother."

* * *

Laying back on his bed with his head propped up against his pillow Connor stared at the painting that he had mounted on the wall at the foot of his bed. Staring at the painting with a silent tranquility Connor let his eyes close slowly as his rest mode resumed its normal nightly function. His artificial breathing fell into a steady rhythm as he relaxed and began to dream of his life outside the wintry garden of death.

Connor dreamt of peace and of his supportive, accepting family.

For the first time since his deviancy Connor was able to finally dream without any fear lingering in his mind.

_**...next story...** _


	75. Destruction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Very dark chapter with death theme(s).

After enduring an unexpectedly long shift due to an influx of belated paperwork as well as a sudden increased in crimes regarding deviants throughout the city Connor returned to his apartment complex just before midnight. The building itself was still relatively vacant, but even if every apartment in the complex had been occupied Connor still wouldn't have heard any noise from his neighbors as the building itself was designed with a generous abundance of sound proofing in the walls for the sake of privacy.

Taking a step out of the elevator as it reached the sixth floor, the top floor of the building, Connor exposed the palm of his right hand by retracting his artificial skin to unlock the door to his apartment. It was then Connor saw that not only was the door partially opened, but the locked had been heavily damaged and broken from the outside. Instinctively Connor drew his gun and slowly pushed open the door to the apartment open.

The light of his yellow flashing L.E.D. illuminated the dark livingroom and cast eerie dull shadows against the walls as the light created silhouettes around the few pieces of furniture and other personal items that Connor and Lucas had to give the apartment a 'homey' feel. But everything in the apartment had been overturned in a fight, and the walls had been damaged by physical force and stray bullets.

"Lucas?" Connor called out suspiciously as his scanner failed to detect any intruders lurking about the modest apartment. Stepping deeper inside the apartment Connor cybernetically turned on the lights only to immediately regret the decision as his eyes fell upon a bloody body in the middle of the floor. "Lucas?!"

Dropping the gun and falling to his knees beside Lucas's body Connor pressed one hand down against his brother's chest and slipped his other hand under Lucas's bloody head to lift him up from the floor.

"Lucas?" Connor was fighting the urge to shout, but his emotions weren't cooperating with his logic. "Lucas! What happened?!" Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red with distress as he cybernetically called 911 and reported a shooting in his apartment. "Please look at me."

Lucas's green eyes barely opened as he took in a shuddering breath. There was a massive stain of blue blood in the center of Lucas's forehead where three bullets had penetrated his skull with virtually no resistance. The damage would've normally been minor for the RK-900, but thanks to the violent encounter the two brothers had endured months prior Lucas's body was substantially weaker on a structural level. Lucas was left just as vulnerable as any other android int he city.

"...C-Connor..." Lucas's voice was strained and accompanied with a reverberating electronic echo.

"It's okay, Lucas." Connor tried to press his hand down over the bleeding wounds against Lucas's forehead to apply pressure, but his scanner indicated that the bullets had struck all of Lucas's vital intracranial biocomponents. Shutdown was imminent: 00:00:24. "I've called for help, you're going to be fine. Who did this? Who shot you?"

"...Can't r-remember." Lucas swallowed once as his systems began to fail him one by one. "I... love you... brother. H-Hank... too."

"Shh..." Connor tried to soothe as he watched the fading life drain from Lucas's eyes, his hand beneath Lucas's head now absentmindedly running through Lucas's hair as he spoke. "Don't exert yourself. Help is coming."

Blood oozed through Lucas's dark hair and dripped all over Connor's hand and stained the android's jacket sleeve in deep sapphire hue. As the lost Thirium ran from the wounds in Lucas's head dark blue drops of the vital blood stained the injured deviant's face, neck and even down to his chest.

"P-Proud..." Lucas managed to state as he fought to keep his failing voice steady. His eyes drifted shut and faint grin crept over his face as his body became limp and unresponsive in Connor's arms. "...to be... your... brother... I will... m-miss you."

"Lucas, don't give up."

The shutdown timer in Connor's field of vision struck 00:00:00, but he refused to believe what his system was telling him. Even as Lucas ceased his artificial breaths and his Thirium pump came to a stuttering halt Connor refused to give up.

"Lucas?" Connor shook his brother's body gently at first, then more forcefully when Lucas failed to revive. "Lucas!"

Thinking quickly Connor laid Lucas's body flat on the floor and pulled the phone out of his jacket pocket. Selecting Hank's personal phone number he pressed 'dial; and switched the phone to speaker as he sat on the floor beside Lucas.

While the phone rang Connor tore open the fabric of Lucas's white long-sleeved shirt and placed one hand over top of the other. He then laced his fingers together to create a single, strong fist. Placing his collected fist down over the center of Lucas's chest, directly over the stopped Thirium pump, Connor began compressing it to try to keep the Thirium cycling through his brother's body despite the confirmed shutdown.

Android C.P.R. wasn't dissimilar to that of human C.P.R., but the act was seldom used as many people still simply saw androids as machines. The main difference was the unneeded breaths as android's can't suffer from hypoxia or anoxia from a lack of oxygen.

From the other line of the phone Hank's groggy voice finally answered the call with a heavy demeanor. '... _Connor_? _What's wrong_?'

"HANK!" Connor shouted frantically in a panic as he rhythmically fought to revive his downed brother. "I need help! Lucas has been shot!"

' _What the fuck_?!' Hank was suddenly more awake and practically yelling into the phone as he scrambled about the house. ' _Who shot him_? _Where are you_?'

"The apartment! Please Hank, I need your help! He's dying!"

' _Stay on the line with me, son_.' Hank ordered as he quickly got dressed in the darkness of bedroom and scrambled to get his car keys and through the front door. ' _What happened_?'

"I don't know!" Connor admitted as tears began to flow down his face. With each compression that failed to reboot Lucas's system Connor felt more and more useless. "I came home two minutes and thirty-six seconds ago and found Lucas in the middle of the livingroom with three gunshot wounds to his head."

' _Did anyone threaten you_?' Hank asked as he slammed his car door shut and turned over the engine. Speeding down the drive Hank turned onto the road and made his way toward the apartment complex as quickly as he dared to drive. ' _Anyone at all_?'

"No."

' _Was there a sign of a break-in_?'

"Yes. The lock was broken and the door was partially opened when I arrived."

' _Witnesses_?'

"No."

' _Is there any sign of a struggle_?'

"Yes. The furniture is overturned and broken; seven bullet holes in the wall. There's also Thirium stains on the walls and carpet."

' _Did you call an ambulance_?'

"Yes... I called for help as soon as I found Lucas." Connor's voice began to break as he stared down at Lucas's blank face pathetically. The stopped Thirium pump under his hands failed to even shudder with motion, and Lucas wasn't even attempting to breathe on his own. A sob welled up in Connor's throat as he fought to resuscitate his brother. "I'm too late..."

' _Good, the facility is right by your apartment_. _It won't take them long to get there_.' Hank tried to reassure Connor and keep him as calm as possible. ' _Don't hang up on me Connor, do you hear_? _Keep talking to me, tell me what's happening_. _What are you doing right now_?'

"I-I-I'm trying to revive him. I'm giving him C.P.R., but he isn't responding." Connor was being to cry openly, his tears flowing freely down his face and onto Lucas's chest as he understandably wept for his lost brother. "Hank... I don't know what to do!"

' _Yes you do_!' Hank encouraged over the line as he kept his own voice calm and level. ' _Keep doing what you're_ doing. _It's the best thing for him_.'

"I'm trying..." Connor nearly whimpered as he continued the compressions without breaking rhythm. "I'm... scared."

' _It's going to be okay, son_. _I'm almost there_.'

A sudden commotion at the opened apartment door made Connor look away from Lucas and over to the two emergency technicians, both males; one with blond hair and a goatee, and the other was a clean-shaven brunette, They wheeled a stretcher into the apartment as they hefted their heavy satchels over their shoulders. The duo set up their equipment on either side of Lucas's body while Connor continued to perform C.P.R. on the downed android.

' _Connor_? _What's going on_?' Hank called out over the phone on the floor. " _Keep talking_."

"The technicians are here."

The blond technician set up an android system monitor, the equivalent to a human's cardiac monitor, on the floor beside Lucas's chest and attached a cable from the monitor to the android's chest and against his right temple where his L.E.D. used to be. There was no activity on the monitor save for the manually induced beats to the Thirium pump courtesy of the C.P.R. being performed by Connor.

"No pulse." The blond announced flatly as he noted the lack of vital signs on the monitor's display. "No voluntary ventilation. No Thirium notable pressure. His volume is down to forty-one percent. Core temperature low; ninety-six degrees even, and dropping."

The brunette pulled an external Thirium pump defibrillator from his satchel and carefully placed the paddles down on Lucas's blood soaked chest around Connor's actively compressing hands. "How long has he been in shutdown?"

"Three minutes, forty-four seconds." Connor recounted the exact amount of time he had been compressing Lucas's chest. "I began compression twelve seconds after his Thirium pump failed."

Nodding at Connor's statement the brunette looked to his partner and turned on the defibrillator. "The only chance he has is an external shock. Ready?"

"Ready." The other technician agreed and pushed himself backward on his knees to keep clear.

The brunette repositioned the two paddles down on the center of Lucas's chest and the apex of where his Thirium pump resided. The defibrillator reached its full charge and he motioned for Connor retract his hands. Reluctantly Connor pulled his hands back and waited for the technicians to do what they needed to try and save Lucas.

"Delivering charge."

Lucas's back arched up slightly as the powerful electric current went through Lucas's stopped heart, but the monitor showed a failure to respond to the charge as his body fell limp onto the floor once again.

"No change." The technician confirmed as he charged the machine again. "Second attempt."

Connor just watched with abject horror as Lucas's body arched and fell against the floor all over again. There was no sign of life left inside the android, but the deviant detective refused to accept it as fact.

"Nothing." The technician shook his head somberly as prepared to try one last time. "Final attempt."

"...Final?" Connor repeated with a whispered breath.

As the third and final charge passed through Lucas's stopped Thirium pump and his body arched off the floor, the damaged android failed to respond. His body only collapsed limply onto the blood soaked carpet lifelessly without even the slightest hint of a heartbeat.

"That's it." The brunette announced as he turned off the defibrillator and looked over at Connor. "I'm sorry, but the damage was irreparable. There's nothing we can do to bring him back online."

"No... Lucas." Connor put his hand down over his brother's chest and felt a chill run up his spine at the stillness beneath his palm as his rested it over Lucas's Thirium pump; his stopped heart. "He's... No." Resuming compressions Connor tried to with all of his strength to force Lucas's heart to beat on its own again, but his efforts were all in vain. "No, I can't give up on him."

"Sir, you-"

The brunette technician was silenced by his partner's hand resting on his shoulder. Understanding the gesture he just nodded his head and remained quiet. The technicians began cleaning up their equipment and stepped away from the two androids just as the police finally arrived at the scene of the murder. Chris and Tina had received the call, but the last thing they expected was to find themselves inside Connor's apartment to solve the murder of his little brother.

"Shit." Chris swore under his breath as he motioned for Tina to step back outside of the apartment together. "I'm going to call Fowler, let him know what's going on. We need to give Connor some space."

"No problem, I'll start knocking on doors and asking questions."

Hank finally arrived at the apartment and rushed out of the elevator and nearly ran into Chris in the process. The look on Chris's face told him everything he needed to know, which only made his already racing heart begin to ache. "No..."

"I'm so sorry, Lieutenant." Chris approached him and put a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "They couldn't save him. They tried and Connor... He's..."

"Yeah," Hank held up his phone for Chris to see as he finally ended the call. "I heard the whole damn thing."

Using his thumb Hank wiped a tear from his eye and took in a deep breath to steel himself as he prepared to endure a hauntingly familiar heartache that he had hoped he'd never feel ever again. Hank walked inside the apartment slowly where he took in the macabre sight of the carnage that had resulted in Lucas's death. The look of the broken furniture and walls, the sight of the dark blue blood on the walls and all over the floor, and the acrid stench of gunpowder overwhelmed his every sense.

Connor was still compressing Lucas's chest and Hank felt his own heart break.

"Connor."

"I won't stop! I need to-"

"Connor. Son," resting a palm lightly on Connor's shoulder Hank steeled his voice and looked away from the sight of the blood soaking Lucas's body. "it's time. Let him go."

"I... I can't... He's..." Connor couldn't fight back against his tears any longer, and his voice began to quake. "He's..."

"He's gone, son. It's okay. You can stop now."

Unable to find the words to properly express his grief Connor stopped the compressions at long last. Giving his brother one final thoughtful glance Connor slipped his arm beneath Lucas's shoulders and lifted his body up from the floor. Wrapping his other arm around Lucas's chest Connor held his dead brother's body in a tight hug as he bowed his head down against Lucas's motionless chest and began to silently weep in a pain that he had no previously felt before.

Kneeling down beside Connor, whose entire body was shaking with heartwrenching sobs, Hank joined with the pained deviant's grief. Draping his arm around Connor's shoulders Hank pulled the weeping android against his own chest as he wrapped his other arm beneath Lucas's body yo hold them both.

"Hank..." Connor nearly gasped as he fought to breathe between his sobs. "I failed! I was supposed to protect him!"

Hugging Connor tighter was all Hank could do to try to shush the languished android as he lamented over their mutual loss.

Lucas was dead.

* * *

Out of utter respect for the two detectives Chris remained outside the apartment with the two technicians after getting their report, and made sure Connor and Hank were given their privacy as they mourned together. Once Captain Fowler arrived at the scene himself he took charge of the investigation and already had the duo recused as the lead investigators due to the personal nature of the crime.

Entering the apartment quietly Fowler put his hand on Hank's shoulder and left it there for a moment before speaking. "Hank."

Looking up at his superior standing behind him Hank nodded subtly and proceeded to tell Connor to do the hardest thing the android had ever had to do in his entire life.

"Connor, it's time. Let him go, son."

"No." Connor was no longer weeping, he didn't have the strength to continue to cry. "I can't leave him. I _won't_ let him be alone."

"You're not leaving him." Hank spoke softly as he tried to coax Connor into letting Lucas go. "He's going to New Jericho Tower. We're going there, too. But we need to let the technicians take him there for us."

"I'm going with him."

Hank gently pulled Connor's arm away from Lucas's body while keeping his own arm under Lucas's shoulder to supporting the android gently. "...Okay, I'll meet you there."

With unparalleled patience and gentleness Hank helped Connor to lay Lucas back down before Hank stood up. He put both hands on Connor's shoulders as he stood behind the deviant as Connor remained kneeling on the floor next to Lucas.

Captain Fowler took a step back and nodded to the technicians to return to the apartment to place Lucas down on the stretcher. Connor watched in silence as the two humans gently lifted Lucas up from the bloodied carpet to lay him down on the stretcher as if he were still alive and could still feel pain. Draping a sheet over Lucas's body respectfully the two technicians placed the straps over his body and wheeled him out of the apartment to be transported to New Jericho Tower.

Hank patted Connor's shoulders to prompt him to stand up from the floor that he had been kneeling on for almost an hour. Connor's left sleeve and the front of his shirt were drenched in Lucas's drying blue blood, but Connor didn't even notice his unkempt and macabre appearance. Guiding Connor out of the apartment with fatherly care Hank nodded in appreciation as Fowler, Chris and Tina stepped back out of respect to give their colleagues space as they walked down the hallway to the elevator to follow Lucas's body down to the ground floor.

From there Lucas would be taken to New Jericho Tower to receive a proper apportionment by his respected colleagues.

* * *

Following the blue tinted android ambulance to New Jericho Tower was one of the sickest feelings Hank had felt in a long time. It was almost as morbid as being a part of the funeral procession for Cole all that time ago. The slow pace, the unsettling knowledge that he was following behind the body of someone he had truly grown to care about made his feel utterly sick; but it was the fact that Connor was sitting next to Lucas's body in complete emotional shock was the most unsettling thought that refused to leave Hank's mind.

The long drive that connected the tower on Belle Isle to the rest of the city was illuminated by white lights to guide the travelers safely down the bridge. The large concrete security barricade lowered itself without the driver of the ambulance needing to stop to ask for clearance. Hank took a deep breath and steeled himself in preparation of having to meet with Markus, North, Simon and Josh as the four leaders of Jericho would surely want to escort their fallen comrade into the safety of the tower themselves.

Slowly the blue colored ambulance stopped along the circular drive in front of the tower and turned off its engine. Hank parked behind the ambulance as he too turned off the engine to step out of the vehicle. Looking over the hood of his car he saw the four leaders of Jericho standing statuesque with genuine sorrow on their faces and real tears welling up in their eyes. Hank locked eyes with Markus and the two shared a moment of unspoken grief as the ambulance doors opened courtesy of the two technicians riding in the back along with Connor and Lucas.

Daring to approach the ambulance Hank watched as the two technicians lowered the gurney from the back of the ambulance and onto the drive. Connor, whose eyes were distant and glazed over, slowly climbed out of the back of the ambulance and stared at the sheet draped over his brother's lifeless body.

Markus held his breath as he stepped over to the gurney to look down at the concealed face of his departed ally. Placing his fingertips on the corner of the sheet Markus gradually pulled back the sheet until he could see Lucas's peaceful, blood soaked face beneath.

North put her hand over her mouth to stifle of gasp of shock as she closed her eyes and turned her face away. Josh put his arm around North to comfort her as she began to tremble with grief. Simon could only stare at Lucas for a few seconds before he bowed his head in silent respect for Lucas, his hand reaching over for Josh's hand in the process.

"Lucas..." Markus shook his head as he delicately put his hand over the deceased android's forehead remorsefully. Using a delicate touch he moved his hand downward to remove the dark blue blood that had stained Lucas's face. "Connor, Hank..." He too bowed his head as the full gravity of the situation began to weigh down on his heart. "I'm so sorry. I can't even... imagine what you're going through."

The technicians silently waited for instruction, neither saying a word as neither had been instructed to transport a deceased android directly to New Jericho Tower before.

"Please." Markus replaced the sheet kindly over Lucas's face as he finally addressed the two human technicians. "Let us escort him inside."

Exchanging uncertain glances the two humans mutually nodded and allowed the other androids to take the gurney without their presence. The blond answered in a low voice as he awkwardly shifted on his feet. "We'll remain out here in case you need us."

"Thank you."

Markus took hold of one side of the gurney and Connor took hold of the opposite side from Markus. Connor hadn't spoken since he arrived at the tower, verbally or cybernetically, but the overwhelming emotion that was pooling over in dark brown soulful eyes spoke volumes on its own. Together Connor and Markus wheeled the gurney carrying Lucas's body to the tower and through the large glass doors as Hank, North, Josh and Simon all respectively followed behind in silent respect in a neat line.

Inside the tower the occupants who had taken shelter or permanent residence within had learned of the murder that had taken Lucas away from them. To show their own respect for their dearly departed colleague who had saved so many of their lives the other deviants stood side by side in two completely silent rows that outlined the interior walk leading to the elevator at the rear of the tower. As the gurney rolled through the walkway each deviant bowed their head as a sign of grief; those who still kept their L.E.D.'s had gone red and those who kept the arm bands had shifted the color from the normal blue color to a mourning black.

The glass doors to the elevator opened quickly as the group approached with the gurney. Connor and Markus carefully wheeled the gurney inside the elevator together while the other four waited patiently for the elevator to return for a second trip.

Markus put his hand over the control panel and set their destination. "Sublevel sixty."

The tower mortuary.

' _Sublevel sixty_.' The electronic feminine voice confirmed as the elevator began its descent.

Connor stared down at the sheet as if he could somehow see Lucas's blank face beneath. In his mind he could still vividly see the blood and the carnage that had surrounded his brother as he laid dying on the floor.

Lucas must've been terrified: Hurt. Bleeding. Dying. Alone.

Markus watched as Connor's red tinted L.E.D. cycled in a slow pulse of distress as the elevator descended deeper into the depths of the tower. With each passing floor the temptation to speak to Connor grew more intense, but Markus knew that Connor wouldn't want to talk to him or to anyone else for quite some time.

Once the elevator finally reached its destination the two deviant's quietly rolled the gurney out of the elevator and onto the deepest floor of the tower. The floor was reserved exclusively for the deceased deviants who had the misfortune of shutting down. The walls were lined with small metal plaques to commemorate the names and serial numbers of ever deviant who had been killed during the revolution, and for those who had died since the tower had been renovated from CyberLife Tower into New Jericho Tower.

At the center of the mortuary was a long metal table used to perform android apportionment with discretion of out respect for the dead, and for the friends of the dead. It had been a macabre task that both Lucas and Simon had to perform more times than either deviant would've cared to admit, but it was a necessary task for the sake of decency and genuine respect for their people.

Connor and Markus led the gurney over to the table but neither of them tried to lift Lucas's body up to transfer him.

Not yet.

"Connor... I..." Markus was at a rare loss for words even though his heart was aching over the loss as well. "I wish I knew what I could do. What I could say. I'm so sorry."

Silence was Connor's only response.

As the two deviants stood beside the gurney the elevator doors opened again as Hank, North, Josh and Simon rejoined their colleagues in the dreary depths of the tower. Hank had never know that this floor even existed and he wished it had remained that way. While Hank continued to cross the room the other three deviants stood back in silent respect as they waited for instructions.

Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank stood beside his friend; his son, and remained in place as he waited for any reaction from the emotionally shattered android.

Markus kept his voice soft as he spoke, almost as if he were afraid even the slightest of sounds could cause more pain to his already broken friend. "Hank, this is the first time any of our people have been..." He couldn't bring himself to say it. 'Murdered' was such a cold, brutal term. "At least not in such a manner before. How do we-"

"A technician from the precinct will be escorted here to the tower. He'll take care of what he has to, and then," Hank's eyes fell to the sheet as an icy pain stabbed him in the heart. "you can take care of his... body."

Connor visibly tensed at the term and Hank's hand tightened on his shoulder in response.

"Then at the very least we should be... ready."

With the care of a mother cradling her child Markus slipped his arm beneath Lucas's shoulders and began to lift him up.

"No." Connor suddenly spoke as his eyes locked onto Markus. "Let... Let us. Please."

"I understand." Markus didn't let Lucas go until Connor had put his own arm where his had just been. "It's your call, Connor."

Hank then slipped his arms under Lucas's legs with the same care and grace as the deviants before him and lifted Lucas up from the table into his arms. Together Connor and Hank hefted the android up from the gurney while Markus wheeled it aside. Slowly the two detectives laid Lucas down on the exam table, both reluctant to let go of their fallen family member.

"I'm... staying with him." Connor whispered as he pulled his arm from beneath Lucas's shoulder and put his hand down over the sheet covering Lucas's bloodied forehead. "He shouldn't be alone."

The human detective swallowed once to keep a sob from escaping his throat as he nodded. "Do what you need to do, son. And I'll be there with you."

Markus leaned toward Hank's ear to whisper to the detective without accidentally upsetting Connor. "I just got an update from a contact at the precinct, your Captain needs you and Connor to deliver a statement as soon as possible."

Hank didn't want to leave Connor alone. Not now.

"We'll take care of both of them. I promise." Markus put his hand on Hank's bicep lightly. "You can't do anything more for either of them here at the tower, but you can go back to the precinct and find this sick fucker to bring Lucas the justice he needs."

Giving Markus an appreciative glance Hank nodded and patted Connor's shoulder before he let go. "Son, I'm going to go to the precinct, okay? And I'm going to find the person responsible for this mess. He won't get away with it."

Connor just closed his eyes and bowed his head in silent sorrow as he remained where he stood.

Feeling as though he had just stabbed Connor through the heart Hank reluctantly walked away from his grieving son and passed by the other three deviants without saying a single word as he too hung his head low with mourning grief.

* * *

Connor had spent the night well into the early standing perfectly still beside the table with his hand atop Lucas's cold forehead. Markus had stayed with Connor for as long as he could until he was required elsewhere in the tower as the residents of New Jericho were in emotional turmoil and greatly distraught by the tragedy. Simon had volunteered to stay with Connor and Lucas, and to observe the technician that the precinct had assigned to perform the apportionment.

Fortunately the technician assigned was a friendly face with the genuine respect to both Connor and Lucas, but it didn't make the moment as easier as Joel was escorted to the proper floor by Markus himself.

"Connor," Joel walked over to the exam table with his voice low and his expressions soft. "I'm so sorry. I heard what happened, and I swear to you that I'll do everything I can to make sure your brother is treated with the utmost dignity."

Connor didn't say a word as the technician joined him at the table.

"You're Simon, right?" Joel introduced himself to the blond deviant standing at the opposite side of the table across from Connor. "I'm Joel. I'm here to... you know."

"Right, of course. I'll be overseeing things."

Markus took the hint and begrudgingly tried to remove Connor from the room. "Connor, come with me. They'll take care of Lucas."

Lifting his gaze toward Markus with a palpable sorrow Connor just stared for a moment before his hand began to slowly move. With a shaking palm Connor pulled back the sheet from Lucas's face and looked down at his brother one last time. Closing his eyes and bowing his head Connor pressed his forehead down against Lucas's damaged forehead as tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

"...I'm sorry Lucas."

* * *

Hank had given his report on the incident at hand to Captain Fowler in excruciating detail four times before the police Captain would allow him to leave the office. Whether or not Captain Fowler was trying to keep Hank close by out a sense of duty as his friend, or as a professional courtesy to a grieving detective, neither man could say for sure. Not that it really even mattered at that moment. All that did matter was finding the person who killed Lucas and why.

"Are we done yet, Jeffrey? I need to get back to Connor. I've never seen the kid so damn torn up before..."

"I know it isn't easy, but I need you to stay here." Captain Fowler kept his voice level as he spoke to his Lieutenant. "Joel is taking care of everything at the tower and will be back soon with the evidence."

"Yeah, evidence. You mean the three fuckin' bullets inside Lucas's skull. I'll tell you exactly where those bullets need to go..."

"Hank, I know you and Connor are close and I know that Lucas was just as important to both of you, but I can't let you in on this case. Any and all evidence or leads you find will be omitted from court. I can't let you compromise the case."

"I won't compromise it, but I won't sit back and do nothing either. For fuck sake Jefferey someone broke into that apartment with the intent to kill!" Hank stood up from where he was sitting and slammed his hands down atop the desk angrily. "Whoever did this has a personal beef with Lucas and I'm going to find that fucker before anyone else gets hurt!"

"By anyone else you mean Connor, don't you?"

"Like I said, the kid's already torn up, there isn't much more they could to Connor make him hurt worse."

"What if something happens to _you_?"

"Don't play that card with my Jeffrey, it's a bad hand and you know it."

"I'm sorry." Captain Fowler sat back in his chair and folded his hands together neatly as he pressed them to his chin.

"For what?"

"Hank." He stared at the enraged detective for a moment before he spoke again. "I'm sorry."

Hank's expression softened as he realized exactly what Captain Fowler was saying to him. What he was _really_ saying in that moment.

As Hank's anger began to less his shoulders sagged and he dropped back into the chair. Slumping forward in his seat Hank stared blankly at the desk as he finally stopped trying to fight the whole world for just a little while.

Captain Fowler looked through the glass of his office window and watched as Joel returned to the precinct with an evidence bag in his hand. Pausing for a moment the technician nodded at Captain Fowler to confirm he had returned with the necessary evidence; three blue stained bullets. They were all visible in the bag even from a distance. Nodding in return Captain Fowler dismissed the technician and he returned his attention to Hank.

"Why don't you head home for a while? Go take care of Connor."

"Joel's back isn't he?"

"Yeah." Captain Fowler knew they was no point in trying to bluff the detective and answered honestly out of respect. "He just got back."

"...Fine. I'm going to go be with Connor." Hank rose from his chair again to leave, but before he left the office he spoke to Captain Fowler not as his superior but as his friend. "Above Connor's apartment door is a small motion activated camera he had installed as additional security. Tell Joel, and ONLY Joel, to go and find the camera so we can watch the footage. And _I_ didn't tell you this, alright? _Joel_ noticed it above the door when he went back to the apartment to examine the procedures that the technicians used when they tried to revive Lucas."

"I'll have Joel accompany Gavin when he relieves Chris in an hour."

"And... just let me know when you the guy who did this. I want to watch the interrogation, I won't interfere with it, but I _need_ to watch it."

"You have my word. Go," Captain Fowler motioned toward his office door. "be with your family."

* * *

Upon his return to New Jericho Tower the dark rain clouds that had been building all night long had finally opened up and completely drenched the city in a cold shower on that bleak morning. Opening the door to his car Hank felt someone approach him from behind and open up an umbrella to shield him from the sudden rainstorm as a courtesy.

"Josh?"

"Hello Lieutenant." The kind android greeted with a warm smile but a sad voice.

"How's Connor holding up?"

"Not well." Josh walked alongside Hank to the front entrance of the tower and set foot inside quickly to escape the storm. As he shook off the umbrella Josh motioned for Hank to follow him to a private room down the nearby corridor opposite of the elevator. "Markus managed to coax him out of the room once Simon and Joel, uh, 'started', but as soon as it was over Connor insisted on returning. He's really beating himself up about this."

"It wasn't his fault. Connor arrived after Lucas was attacked, not before or during... There's absolutely nothing that he could've done to change what's happened."

"Connor doesn't see it that way. He's still blaming himself. I guess he thought he needed to always protect Lucas under any circumstances."

Hank stopped short as he felt a sickening knot form in the pit of his gut.

"Hank?" Josh noticed that the detective suddenly froze and looked a little pale. Turning around and stopping as well he looked back at Hank with inquisitive eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Josh, when they started to bond as siblings I told Connor that as Lucas's 'big brother' he needed to look out for him. I think I-"

"No way, Hank. You're not responsible for Connor's mindset, okay? He's just always been really sensitive and incredibly empathetic. You know that better than anyone else in this whole city."

"Yeah, I know that but, I don't think I've ever seen Connor so... broken. I'm worried he won't ever get over this."

Josh took a deep breath and let it out slowly as an upsetting memory settled in unexpectedly. "Markus is waiting for you. He wants to help with the... arrangements."

* * *

Connor stood next to the examination table still hovering over Lucas protectively. The shutdown android's clothing and artificial skin had been removed leaving Lucas nothing more than a blank white form under an equally pale white sheet. The three bullets had been extracted from his skull with incredible delicacy by Joel that allowed his head to remain intact, save for the three fatal bullet holes in his forehead. Once the salvageable biocomponents have been removed from Lucas's system and placed in a form of protective storage within the facility Simon would repair the structural damage to Lucas's forehead and replace his artificial skin.

"Connor," Simon put a sympathetic hand to Connor's shoulder as he spoke. "you don't want to be here to see this. It's okay to go, he'd understand."

"No. I left him alone far too often, I won't leave him again."

Simon could sense that Connor's stress levels were already dangerously high and only seemed to increase every time someone suggested he leave the area. Not wanting to push his friend any further than he had been already, Simon decided to back off and let Connor be.

"Okay, Connor. You don't have to go if you don't want to." Simon kept his voice gentle as he spoke. "This can wait a while longer."

The elevator doors opened from across the floor as Hank and Markus departed from the elevator side by side. Hank's head was bowed low as he rejoined Connor at the table and looked down at Lucas. The pristine white plastimetal face of the deceased android was as lifeless and still as he had feared. Unflinchingly with a gentle hand Hank pressed his palm against Lucas's cold, exposed cheek with one final gesture of affection to the downed android as he paid his respects.

"Don't worry son, we'll find the person responsible."

Connor didn't know if Hank was speaking to Lucas or himself, but in that moment it didn't matter. What could he possibly say that hasn't already been said? How could he possibly express the inner turmoil, pain, grief, sorrow, rage and failure that had overwhelmed his mind and was breaking his heart in half?

Hank kept his hand against Lucas's cheek as he spoke. "Joel found the security camera above your apartment door. The footage shows a single person-" Taking a moment to breathe in slowly to keep himself from growling in anger or sobbing in remorse Hank composed himself and continued on. "a human, destroying the electronic lock on your apartment door and entering. ...He already has his gun drawn."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red rapidly and his hands tightened into fists at his sides. Squaring his jaw the android's dark brown eyes narrowed with unparalleled rage.

The person had entered the apartment with the intent to kill.

"Gavin was able to use the footage to identify the killer. He's being brought in for questioning right now." Turning his gaze to look at Connor, to see the overwhelming rage burning up inside the android's heart, Hank made a choice; he'd tell Connor the truth rather than try to protect him from it. "Fowler will allow us to watch the interrogation, but we can't under any circumstances interfere."

"...I want to see him." For the first time since he returned to the floor to watch over Lucas like the protective brother he was always meant to be Connor looked away from his brother and locked eyes with Hank at his side. "I want to see the face of the man who murdered my brother."

* * *

The drive back to the precinct was as tense as it was silent. The two detectives, the father and son who had just lost a member of their unorthodox but loving family, were lost in the throes of confusion and heartache. The rain that pelted the exterior of the car was thunderous as it resonated loudly through the otherwise silent vehicle as the car drove along the drenched city streets. Connor's hands remained balled into tight fists atop his lap as he stared blankly through the front windshield with a terse concentration that Hank didn't dare to try to break.

Pulling into the parking garage beside the precinct Hank parked the car in his designated space and immediately put his hand on Connor's shoulder to keep the android from storming out of the vehicle and into the precinct without him.

"Remember," Hank turned off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition. Being the calm voice of reason was a new experience for Hank as the android had always been patient and levelheaded in the past. "we _cannot_ interfere. Only watch."

Connor's L.E.D. pulsed a steady red as he stared forward blankly.

"We both know that when a killer is caught they'll either gloat about their crime or try to deny it to an infuriating extent. This time it's personal. Whatever you do don't go into the interrogation room no matter what he may, or may not say. It could compromise everything and Lucas will never get justice."

Reaching up slowly with his own hand Connor lifted Hank's hand from his shoulder. "...I understand."

"Okay."

The two detectives walked through the heavy rain into the precinct shoulder to shoulder with purpose in each of their steps. Passing through reception the two felt the eyes of the android receptionists staring at them with sympathy, but neither reacted. As they set foot in the bullpen of the precinct they spotted Gavin holding up the case report in his hand and a grimace on his face.

Noticing the two detectives had arrived, the two family members of the deceased, Gavin respectfully stepped aside and watched as they entered the viewing room adjacent to the interrogation room where the killer had been handcuffed to the table in the center of the room. Captain Fowler himself was assigned to ask the questions.

Connor planted himself in the center of the room with his eyes glaring a fiery hole into the side of the suspect's head through the one way mirror from where he stood. Hank instinctively positioned himself between Connor and the door as he was unsure of how hot the android's anger could burn or how he may react.

The suspect himself was a middle-aged white male with shallow steel gray eyes. His hair was greasy, black and beginning to thin at the crown of his skull, and it was evident that he hadn't shaved in two days. Scars marked the man's knuckles and his chin, the result of many physical altercations from the past.

Gavin walked into the interrogation room and placed the file on the table next to Capatin Fowler's hand as he leaned down to whisper something into Fowler's ear. Through the window Connor was able to read the Sergeant's lips and knew that he had warned their Captain that he and Hank were now watching through the one way mirror.

Captain Fowler confidently flipped open the file on the desk and pushed forward photos that had been taken of the bloody crime scene at the apartment and of Lucas's body in the morgue at New Jericho Tower by Joel. A photo of the three bullets that had been extracted from Lucas's skull, as well as a photo of the gun that had been taken from the killer's impounded car, matched the caliber of the lethal bullets in question.

" _Jack Houlihan_. _We know you killed this android_ ," Captain Fowler stated boldly, his voice somewhat muffled by the glass of the mirror. " _we just need to know why_."

" _It wasn't anything personal, if that's what you want to know_." Jack's voice, the killer's voice was flat, emotionless. He truly didn't care about what he had done. He felt absolutely nothing. " _Besides, I can pay for the damaged plastic_. _Give me the bill and I'll be on my way_."

* * *

Hank grabbed onto to Connor's shoulder as he felt an intense heat of anger rising up from the android beside him. "Steady. He's trying to piss you off."

"It's working..."

"Don't let it. It's what he wants."

"I'm trying to hold back, but I can't make any promises."

* * *

" _Why'd you do it_?" Captain Fowler pressed casually. " _This seems pretty damn aggressive, even for someone with a gun_."

" _Robbery gone bad_." Jack lied without batting an eye. " _I didn't know it was there_."

" _No. That was an android exclusive apartment building, not a single one of the occupied apartments contains anything of value to humans or androids alike. You went into that apartment with your gun already drawn. You went in there to kill_."

Jack smugly tried to stare Captain Fowler down. " _Nope. I went in to check the place out, the android jumped me and I fired. If anything it was self-defense_."

* * *

Hank's grip on Connor's shoulder tightened as he felt Connor's become tense and enraged by the cold comment.

"He's lying." Connor muttered bitterly under his breath. "Every word is a lie."

"I know that. Fowler knows it, too. Just wait."

* * *

" _Self-defense, huh_? _Is that why you shot three times directly into the victim's forehead_? _All three shots_ ," Captain Fowler pushed the photo of Lucas's damaged head toward Jack to see entirely. " _were grouped together; aimed with precision. Not the type of marksmanship one would display if in a panic_."

" _What can I say_?" Jack pushed the photo away arrogantly. " _I have steady hands_."

" _Yeah, we already know that_." From beneath the photos on top of the file Captain Fowler pulled out a digital screen and slid it toward Jack. Pressing the 'play' button he let Jack see the small surveillance video taken from outside the apartment door to play out. " _We saw it when you destroyed the lock, immediately drew your gun and entered the apartment. Five seconds later we see and hear the three shots that downed the victim_."

Jack swallowed nervously as he watched the video play out before him.

" _Now, this is the part we have to give you some credit for_." Flashes of light and four additional gunshots rang out at random intervals through the partially opened apartment door, and the sound of furniture being overturned as well holes being broken in the walls were caught in glorious detail by the camera's powerful microphone. " _You took the time to trash the apartment to make it look like a struggle. But nothing was missing_ ," Captain Fowler stopped the video after the footage showed Jack leaving the apartment without so much as a scratch on his person and flipped the gun back into his coat. Captain Fowler glared knowingly at Jack with mounting impatience. " _not one thing had been taken in this supposed robbery gone wrong. Why were you really there_?"

Captain Fowler studied Jack's face and watched as the caught killer paled considerably.

" _You had no idea that there was a camera, did you_? _Otherwise you would've at least worn a disguise_." Taking back the shared evidence Captain Fowler slide more photographs forward. " _The camera at the rear of the building and the alleyway had been disabled in the same way as the lock on the apartment_. _So you knew there were camera, but you didn't know where they ALL were. You had a plan, but it fell through spectacularly_."

Jack didn't stay anything as the evidence continued to build against him.

" _This wasn't a robbery. If anything this was a HIT_. _Who hired you_?"

* * *

Connor tensed again, but this time it wasn't out of anger, it was from guilt and fear. They had taken precautions with an additional camera, but they hadn't thought about securing the door with an additional lock.

Hank lightly shook Connor's shoulder to remind the android that he wasn't alone. That he wasn't responsible.

* * *

" _Tell me what happened_." Captain Fowler again insisted calmly as pulled back the digital screen and the replaced the all of the photos inside the file. " _By all account this was the work of a professional, except for the hiccup with the security camera. You went to that apartment with the intent to kill, there's no denying it. Tell us what happened_."

Jack remained silent where he sat. His face was pale and his cheeks were turning red with anger.

" _Well, you can tell me what happened, or you tell my Lieutenant what happened. He was rather fond of that android you murdered in cold blood_. _If you won't talk to me I'm sure he can get you to open up; one way or another_."

" _Okay, okay... I'll tell you what happened as long as you go after the guy who hired me and cut me a deal_. _I have all our texts saved and the account number he used to pay me_."

" _You have my word. Spill it_." Captain Fowler leaned back in his chair patiently. " _I'm listening_."

* * *

"...Hired?" Connor repeated in a whisper as his eyes narrowed at the sight of Jack through the window. "It really was a hit."

Hank remained quiet as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. His every instinct as a detective told him that there was something far more tragic about this entire incident that had yet to be seen. But his every instinct as a father to him to keep Connor safe, and to keep him away from the demented man behind the glass.

* * *

" _I swear to you it wasn't personal_." Jack emphasized with sincerity for the first time since the interrogation began. " _I was hired to take down that android because he was starting to interfere with some federal case_. _He told me to mess the place up to disguise the crime, he said to make it 'look good and to put the android down_ '."

" _A federal case_?" Captain Fowler could see that Jack was being honest, but his story didn't make any sense. " _What the hell did an android technician have to do with the feds_?"

" _T-Technician_? _No... I was told the android was hired on as one of your detectives_."

* * *

Connor's eyes suddenly went wide with shock and his body began to sway unsteadily on his feet. "...No."

"Connor?" Hank put his other hand on Connor's other shoulder to try to turn the android so he could look him in the eyes. "Don't."

"Lucas wasn't the target."

"Connor, don't go there. Just look at me, okay?"

* * *

" _The guy who hired me said he was tired of your android detective getting involved with police matters. That's why he hired me to get rid of him_."

" _You_ -" Captain Fowler leaned forward against the table and pressed his hand against the side of his head with frustration. " _You dumb bastard, you killed the wrong android_."

" _I... There's more than one!_?"

" _You're more idiotic than I thought. Not only did you get yourself caught on camera committing the murder, but you took down the WRONG guy. Now I have to tag attempted murder of a police officer onto the list of charges against you_."

" _No_! _I... I never would've shot him if I didn't need the money_! _I was desperate, my kid is sick and_ -"

" _SAVE IT. Give us the name of the guy who hired you_."

Jack nodded a little and swallowed nervously again. " _It was Perkins. Agent Richard Perkins_."

* * *

Hank quickly reached forward to the digital display on the mirror to turn off the speaker that allowed the observation room to listen to the conversation taking place in the interrogation room. The two detectives had heard enough, and now everything was falling into place at a painfully realistic level.

Backing away from the mirror against the far wall Connor's eyes fell to the floor as utter shock set in. It was a mistaken identity.

Jack had been hired by Agent Perkins to kill Connor, but instead it was Lucas who was killed. Murdered. It should've been Connor, it was meant to have been Connor.

Not Lucas.

"Connor?" Hank protectively kept himself between the android and the doorway. "Connor? Please look at me."

Unable to contain the overwhelming guilt and rage Connor's stress level peaked to one-hundred percent in a matter of nanoseconds. Turning his head away from Hank in shame Connor began to cry as he looked at the unforgiving reinforced concrete wall beside him for only a split-second before he grabbed onto the gun holstered under his own jacket and pressed it up against his jaw with the intent to self-destruct.

"Connor!"

Rushing over to the android Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulders to try to pull him backward and grabbed onto his arm to lower the weapon, but not before Connor squeezed the trigger and sent a single bullet into the soundproof, reinforced concrete wall before him. Grabbing onto Connor's wrist Hank tightened his grip and smashed the android's hand against the wall to make Connor lose his grip and drop the gun.

"Connor, STOP!"

The smoking gun clattered to the ground at Connor's feet as Hank wrestled the dangerously stressed android to the ground. Wrapping his right arm tightly around Connor's chest, the thundering of Connor's heart was pounding against Hank's forearm as he tried to pull the android back and to try to keep the android's arms pinned at his sides, but Connor's hand were still able to reach up and grabbed onto Hank's forearm to try to pull the detective's restricting arm away. Hank stepped back from the bullet in the wall dragging Connor back with him. Pressing his left hand against Connor's forehead Hank pulled the android's head all the way back until he was resting his head atop Hank's shoulder.

Hank had to muscle Connor into a kneeling position on the floor, the weeping android stared blankly at the ceiling as Hank guided him further down into a sitting position on the floor. The emotional turmoil was tearing Connor's heart apart and the pain was too much for the inexperienced deviant to bear.

"Connor, don't do that!" Hank pressed his own back up against the wall as he sat on the floor and kept his arms wrapped securely around the android's body as he made Connor sit down on the floor in front of him. It was almost like a father trying to keep a temperamental toddler from throwing a fit. "STOP."

Connor continued to weep heavily as he bled from the deep self-inflicted laceration over his right knuckles from his hand being bashed into the floor. Thirium collected in a small puddle on the ground next to the two detectives as it ran down from Connor's hand, then his arm while Hank kept Connor restrained for his own protection.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Connor. Please don't do this!"

"It was supposed to be me! I'M the one who should be dead!"

"NO! You're NOT at fault!"

"I was the target!"

"That doesn't make this your fault!"

"I failed Hank! I was supposed to protect him and I FAILED."

"NO!" Hank refuted again and again as the android tried to break free from Hank's arms to retrieve his gun with the intent of shooting himself until he finally shutdown. "You didn't fail Connor! This was something that NO ONE could've predicted! The only person to blame here is Perkins!"

"HE WAS MY BROTHER! HE WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY!" Connor desperately fought against Hank's grip as he tried to break away in a frustrated bid to end his own life out of guilt and remorse. "I WAS RESPONSIBLE!"

"I WAS RESPONSIBLE, TOO." Hank shouted in a voice just as pained as Connor as he used all of his strength to keep Connor sitting on the floor. "DAMN IT CONNOR, STOP. I WON'T BURY ANOTHER SON!"

Connor's body began to relax but tears flowed constantly from his eyes down his face as he finally stopped struggling.

Another son? Was Hank referring to Cole or Lucas? Maybe both. Maybe Connor himself had been included in that declaration.

"Please Connor." Hank lowered his voice as he felt the deviant android stop struggling against his arms. "This won't bring back Lucas or change what had happened. Don't hurt yourself, Lucas wouldn't want you to hurt yourself. That's why he became a technician, right? He didn't want any androids to be in pain. That includes you." Hank felt Connor begin to relax ever so slightly as he spoke. "Lucas saved hundreds of lives, he did something truly incredible and generous. Saving lives instead of taking them."

Slowly Connor began to stop struggling and relaxed more as Hank spoke to him.

"Connor, listen to me, son. Any coldhearted fool with a gun can pull the trigger, but it takes someone actually worthy of a heart to put the gun down."

Gradually Connor let go of Hank's arm as he continued to weep openly. His entire body began to shudder with sobs as he fought, but failed to contain his emotions.

"It's okay to cry, Connor. Don't try to hold it back."

"...No. I need to focus." Connor sucked in a breath between his clenched teeth and forced himself to stop weeping. "I need to finish this. I still need to help Lucas."

Hank was reluctant to let Connor go. The android was still bleeding, his heart was still pounding and Hank could feel the intense heat still radiating from Connor's skin. "Take a minute to relax, then we'll go together."

As emotionally distraught as Connor felt his respect and admiration for Hank always seemed to override any emotion that tried to overwhelm his heart.

"Breathe, son." Hank encouraged in a kind voice as he held onto Connor, no longer to keep the android from hurting himself but to provide a modicum of comfort to his grieving son. "Just breathe."

* * *

Word had gotten back to New Jericho Tower about the event that led directly to the murder of Lucas, and every deviant was keeping tabs on activity in the city in the attempt to either locate Perkins or at the very least find a lead that the police could use to track the snake of an agent down. Lucas would not be forgotten, and he would get justice.

Markus had watched as Simon took care of Lucas's body and prepared the fallen android for the funeral that would take place in two days. The damage to Lucas's skull had been perfectly repaired but the damage to the interacranial processors and programming had been so extensive that reactivation of the deviant was impossible.

"How's Connor?" Simon asked as he finished the final details of the repairs and manually reactivated the artificial skin over Lucas's body.

"Not good." The deviant leader admitted as he joined Simon at the table. "Hank said he tried to... self-destruct."

Simon shook his head despondently. "I noticed his elevated stress level earlier, but I had hoped that he'd be okay."

"It's alright Simon. You can't protect him from himself."

"Any word on this Perkins asshole?"

"Not yet. But our people are going to help find him before he has the chance to hide behind some loophole in the law."

Simon only nodded as he watched the artificial skin manually regenerate over Lucas's face creating the facade of a human over the face of a machine. As his dark hair reappeared over the crown of Lucas's head Simon noted the odd strand of hair that always hung down in front of Connor's face had been perfectly slicked back with the rest of his hair with great ease.

"I just wish I could do more."

"We all do. Right now North has her contacts on the street listening for any gossip and looking for any strange underground activity that could lead to a shady, underground organization of anti-android zealots banning together to protect Perkins."

"That last thing this city needs is another confrontation between humans and androids."

"You're right. But we can't let this murder go unanswered. We must protect our people." Markus gently pulled down the sheet and lifted Lucas's hand up and held it in his own. "Were you able to salvage his memory?"

"Only a few pieces. His short term memory had been severely compromised by the bullets."

"Hopefully I can still find something usable."

"Whoa, shouldn't Connor be the one to connect to Lucas's memory?"

"Normally, yes, but, Connor is in too much pain to do this. If I find anything that can be used to track down Lucas's killer I'll let him know."

The artificial skin over Markus's hand receded as did the skin over Lucas's hand. Closing his eyes Markus cybernetically connected his system to Lucas and accessed the memory files that hadn't been corrupted by damage.

Simon watched as Markus's eyes periodically closed tighter then relaxed, as well as brief glimpses of a faint smirk appeared and disappeared as quickly.

Breaking the contact with Lucas's memory Markus opened his eyes and gently replaced Lucas's hand down on the table. The artificial skin regenerated over Lucas's hand just as it did over Markus's hand.

"Did you see anything?"

"Yes." Markus confirmed as he used the back of his same hand to wipe away a rogue tear. "But I didn't see the killer's face."

"That may be for the best."

* * *

It took Hank almost an hour to calm Connor enough to keep the android from attempting to self-destruct again. Keeping Connor's gun on his own person while simultaneously trying to think of a way to explain the bullet in the exam room wall, Hank maintained control over the situation for Connor's own sake. Coaxing the android up to his feet Hank discreetly guided him out of the observation room and into the men's bathroom that was fortunately only a few doors away.

Once inside the bathroom Hank had Connor lean against the sink countertop while he ran a paper towel under the tap. Squeezing the towel to wring out the excess water Hank dabbed the paper towel over the remaining dried Thirium on Connor's bloodied knuckles and hand.

"Does it hurt?" Hank asked as Connor winced from the cold water pressing against his skin.

"...No."

"Looks like the cut has already healed." Hank noted as he finished cleaning off Connor's hand then worked to remove the Thirium stains from along his wrist and up his arm. "Do you want to see Joel before we leave?"

"No. I just... need to leave."

Respecting Connor's decision Hank threw the bloodied paper towel into trashcan before he washed off his own hands under the tap and wiped them off on another paper towel.

"Fowler is going to keep us updated. There's an A.P.B. out on Perkins, every cop in the city wants to arrest a fed simply because they take over our cases and slow us down. But now that they know he tried to have you killed they want to get him for a new reason. Especially since all you did was witness his drunken son getting arrested after his hit and run. You didn't even arrest the brat."

"...All Lucas tried to do was help the victim."

"Yeah... I know."

Connor didn't say anything else as Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder again. Pushing the android toward the bathroom door Hank led Connor out of the precinct, through the staring eyes of the sympathetic officers, and toward the parking garage through the cold rain. Neither detective said a word to one another once inside the car as the two were lost in the irreparable tragedy that had altered their lives for the worse.

* * *

Markus was standing outside New Jericho Tower along the churning shore of the harbor that surrounded the isle with his hands folded behind his back. As the rain continued to drench the city the leader of the deviants stared out at the water as the day gave way to evening and soon it would be nightfall. The air felt as emotionally heavy as it was cold, and the rain soaked into his clothing mercilessly.

"Markus?" North approached him from behind with a stern look in her eyes. "There has been a sighting of Perkins in the city. He's hiding out in a hotel that has been confirmed as a type of sanctuary for anti-android bigots. The shelter is courtesy of the owner who is an out loud and proud bigot himself."

"Shit." Markus turned around to face her as he walked away from the shoreline. "Does Connor or Hank know about this?"

"No. We made sure not to say anything to either of them until we could confirm that it was actually Perkins in the hotel. We don't want to make the same mistake as that impulsive hitman."

"Good. Does Captain Fowler at the precinct know?"

"Yes. Josh informed him of the sighting, Captain Fowler is sending someone into the hotel to confirm the identity before they try anything that could compromise the case."

"Let's just hope they can do something before it's _too late_ to do anything."

"It will work out, Markus. If our people can stand tall and free then I know Connor and Hank will find a way to get Lucas the justice he deserves."

* * *

The car sat in the drive next to the house with its engine turned off and the ignition key in Hank's hand as the two detectives remained sitting inside the quiet vehicle without saying a single word to each other. The sound of the rain pounding down against the windshield and over the hood and roof of the car created a natural ambience that was as soothing as it was depressing.

"Are you ready to go inside?" Hank asked patiently as he watched Connor staring blankly through the front windshield. His L.E.D. was still blinking red, but it was a slower pace than it had been all day. "You should try to get some sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"I am. And I don't want you sitting out here in the cold all night long."

Hank opened his door and waited for Connor to do the same. Slowly but surely Connor raised his hand to the door handle and pulled on it, his door creaking open heavily under his touch.

"Sumo needs to be fed and let outside for a few minutes." Hank stated with a casual demeanor as if he could somehow make things seem normal for the night. "And I need a shower, my head's starting to kill me."

Usually Connor would make a comment on Hank's health whenever the detective made the odd physical complaint about any form of discomfort but the deviant android didn't say anything. Quietly he followed Hank inside the house through the backdoor and into the kitchen as Sumo practically barrelled over the two detectives to get outside.

"Need anything?" Again Hank tried to get Connor to say something, but the android was seemingly as a perpetual loss for words. "Is your Thirium low? There's still some bottles of that stuff in the cabinet over the sink if you need it."

Ignoring both Hank and Sumo as the dog passed through the door Connor just trudged through the kitchen and into the livingroom where he laid down on his side across the length of the couch. Closing his eyes Connor put himself into rest mode in an attempt to drown out the depressing world around him. As the android's deep breathing rhythm fell into a steady pace Hank decided to let Connor be alone for a while.

As Sumo trotted back through the backdoor the massive dog shook off his fur all over the linoleum kitchen floor before heading into the livingroom.

"Let him be, Sumo." Hank whispered as he walked into the livingroom quietly. It was a pointless endeavor as he knew Sumo couldn't understand him, but he felt like he needed to say something. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Hanging his wet coat up on the hook by the front door Hank kicked off his shoes Hank placed his phone down on the bookshelf against the wall. Tired and needing a moment to himself Hank retreated into the bathroom to shower off the day's horrible events.

Sumo's cold wet nose nuzzled against the side of Connor's neck for a moment but the android didn't rouse from his sleep. Letting out a sleepy yawn of his own Sumo circled around the small space between the couch and the coffee table before he plopped down for a nap right alongside the android laying over the soft couch.

Connor had been asleep for only twenty minutes when Hank's phone began to buzz on the bookshelf. Brown irises slowly reappeared as Connor lifted his head and glanced about the livingroom. Recognizing his environment he instantly remembered what had happened and realized it wasn't a terrible dream, it really happened.

The phone buzzed again and Connor pushed himself upright on the couch with one arm. Looking about Connor found himself alone but heard the shower running in the bathroom a few yards away.

Curiously Connor rose from the couch and traced the sound to the phone on the bookshelf. Picking up the phone Connor saw two new text messages from Captain Fowler displayed on the screen, and his hand tightened around the phone: _Perkins had been located at the hotel, but he had fled before he could be arrested._

The second message was less pessimistic, but just as frustrating: _Perkins has been seen downtown, patrol is looking for him._

Connor reached for the gun that was normally holstered around his back, but it wasn't there. Hank had taken it away from him.

Putting the phone down Connor squared his jaw and looked to the floor in front of the stereo system against the wall in the livingroom. Taking a deep breath Connor walked over the spot on the floor that held his attention and knelt down. Prying up a panel of loose boards from the floor Connor reached his hands inside the secretive pit concealed in the floor and the android retrieved a small rectangular black gun case sitting inside the floor out of sight, and what was supposed to be out of mind.

Connor carried the case into the kitchen to set down on the center of the kitchen table. Opening the case slowly Connor looked down at the nearly forgotten item with an intense stare. Steeling himself mentally Connor picked up the shiny revolver that Hank been playing 'Russian Roulette' with when the two had first begun working together as partners.

After Connor and Hank strengthened their friendship Han had hidden the gun the night before he invited the android to live with him. Hank locked away the revolver in the case and hid it in the house where he wouldn't be tempted to use it on himself anymore. With the one bullet still lodged in the chamber Connor held the cold weapon in his hands. As his right hand tightened around the grip the pained deviant android made his next decision.

"...One bullet is all I need."

* * *

Markus and North sat together inside the tower as they awaited any update on tracking down Agent Perkins. Every deviant in the city had been informed of the crime and were now keeping vigil for the vicious human. Every so often a deviant would wave down a patrolling police care and inform them of any potential sighting, but there still was no definitive lead.

North was losing hope and leaned heavily against Markus's shoulder as the two stared out the large window of the main office that the deviant leader used to conduct business with other deviants. The office was well furnished and homey, but it wasn't as comforting as a bedroom or actual home.

"Do you think we'll be able to find Perkins, or is this all a wild goose chase?"

"I don't know." Markus shook his head a little. "Everyone is working together, but we don't know how deep Perkins's connections could run."

Josh knocked on the partially opened door of the office and leaned in the doorway. "Simon has everything ready. We just need Connor and Hank's consent."

"Thanks. We'll contact them tomorrow morning, we shouldn't disturb them tonight."

"Right. By the way, there's been another sighing of Perkins and the precinct is making their way over to the scene now."

"Good. Maybe this will end sooner than we all think."

* * *

Hank stepped out of the bathroom and ran a hand through his damp gray locks as he walked into the livingroom to check on Connor. The deviant android wasn't laying on the couch where he had seen him last, and Hank didn't hear him walking around anywhere. Stepping back down the hallway Hank pushed open Connor's bedroom door and peered inside the empty room curiously.

"Connor?"

Nothing.

"Where'd you go, kid?"

Wandering back down the hallway Hank felt a cool breeze billow through the house from the opened backdoor in the kitchen. As he stepped into the kitchen he noted Sumo sitting at the stll opened door whimpering at the cold, dark rain pouring down all around the house.

"Sumo? What the-" It was then something on the kitchen table caught the detective's eye. Hank glanced at the opened gun case on the table and his heart leapt in his throat. Rushing over to the table he picked up the case and saw that the gun was missing. "Connor... No."

Dropping the case Hank ran to the to the still opened backdoor and stepped out into the rain in a near panic. Looking around in hopes that he could still see Connor, that he could still stop him from doing something desperate and crazy, Hank called out for the android as loud as he could through the cold storm.

"CONNOR?!"

There was no sign of the rogue android, and Hank's voice was lost in the pounding rain.

"SHIT!"

Running back inside the house Hank grabbed his phone to call Captain Fowler to let him know that Connor had disappeared, and it was then he saw the same messages that Connor had found moments before. It didn't take Hank long to put the pieces of the grim puzzle together as he replaced his phone on the bookshelf slowly.

"Connor, please don't do it. You're better than that..."

* * *

Connor concealed the revolver beneath his gray jacket as he marched down the rain drenched sidewalk in search of Perkins. Cybernetically Connor had tapped into the precinct's radio broadcast in a means of tracking down Perkins before the police had the chance to arrest him, and to monitor the exact location of every police officer in the city. Speaking with every passing deviant he encountered, only a moderate fraction of whom even saw a human matching Perkins's likeness, Connor was able to triangulate the most logical place in the immediate area where he could possibly find the corrupt agent.

Trailing the agent to an old warehouse under renovation near a seedy hotel Connor ran a scan and noted a fresh set of hand prints on the side door used by construction personnel. The hand prints were getting washed away by the rain, yet the deviant android's scanner was able to confirm the identity of person who most recently passed through the door: Agent Richard Perkins.

The hand prints were less than ten minutes old.

Pushing open the door Connor set foot inside the dimly lit warehouse, his red tinted L.E.D. flashing rapidly created a crimson glow that illuminated the interior walls and large pieces of machinery secured the the floor. There were also tall wooden crates containing construction supplies alongside metal cargo containers sheltering larger machinery from the weather.

In the distance Connor heard the sound of heavy footprints running in the opposite direction of where he had just entered. Marching toward the sound with fearlessness, with unparalleled focus, Connor traced the sound to a lone person hiding in the shadows deep inside of the warehouse.

"Perkins." Connor shouted the name as his superior android vision allowed him to see perfectly well in the dark. The human in question was cowering in the corner with his gun drawn and shaking in his hand. "You wanted me dead and you failed. Here's your chance to try again."

Perkins scrambled out of the corner and kept his gun aimed at Connor's head.

"You already tried to kill me once before at Jericho and you failed." Connor approached Perkins without even the slightest hesitation. Grabbing onto the barrel of Perkins' gun Connor pressed it against his chest next to his left shoulder to challenge the human. "I bet you don't have the balls to try again."

Too afraid to respond Perkins just stared with wide eyes and trembled visibly.

"I knew it." Using his other hand Connor forced Perkins to squeeze the trigger causing a bullet to fire from the gun and pass clean through Connor's chest and embed itself in the far wall behind him. Blue blood began weep from the damage to his shoulder but Connor never flinched. "Fucking coward."

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Perkins tried to pull his hand away but Connor wouldn't let him. "Let go!"

Connor glared venomously at the agent as he moved the gun slightly lower against his own abdomen and repeated the motion. The second bullet passed through Connor's body just as easily as the first and became embedded in the wall near the first.

"I'm making it 'look good'." Connor taunted with a righteously dark tone as he taunted the irredeemable human. "If I make it look like self-defense then I can kill you without question. That's how it works, right?"

Perkins's legs suddenly gave way and the agent collapsed in abject horror onto the floor of the warehouse. Losing his grip on the gun Perkins' pushed himself away from Connor with his hands as he continued to cower in the shadows from the vengeful deviant android.

Connor turned his right hand into a fist and punched a large hole into the side of the nearest wooden crate to create the illusion of a struggle. He did the same with a strong kick to a metal cargo container opposite side of the wooden crate leaving behind a massive dent.

"I need to make it look like a struggle. Or perhaps a robbery gone wrong..."

"It was a mistake, alright?!" Perkins whimpered as if that could somehow remedy the entire situation. "I wasn't trying to kill that other android."

"You failed to kill me," Connor turned his head and stared with righteous hatred at the pathetic human on the floor. "but you succeeded in killing my brother. One life is not equal to that of another."

"Look, I didn't know you had a roommate. It wasn't anything-"

"PERSONAL?" Connor interjected loudly as he stopped destroying the nearby containers and planted himself firmly in front of Perkins cowering and begging for his life on the floor. "I'm sick of hearing that term. What does it matter how you knew the victim? You MURDERED my _brother_ in cold blood." Connor quickly revealed the revolver he had tucked under his jacket. As he pointed it at Perkins' head he pulled back the hammer and locked eyes with the pathetic human. "I'm going to do the same. I am going to murder you in blood that is just cold, but this time it'll be red instead of blue."

"No... please! I have a wife! I have a son!"

"I HAD a brother. What difference does it make? We both have families. Why is your life worth more than his? Or Hank? Or anyone else?"

"I... please... I-I'm sorry!" Perkins raised his hands and turned his head away as he began to cry with feat. "Don't do this..."

Connor's hand was steady and his eyes cold as he aimed the barrel at Perkins's head. "It took three bullets to kill Lucas, I know I can kill you with just one. The question is; how long will it take for you to die?"

Perkins pressed again as hard as he could against the wall behind him as he began to whimper louder.

"It took Lucas nine minutes and seventeen seconds to bleed to death. From what I've learned about my time with humans a bullet to the stomach is the most painful way to die. It can take a person almost forty minutes to bleed out from such a wound." Connor lowered the gun toward Perkins's abdomen and kept his aim steady. "I have nowhere to be tonight, I could watch you bleed to death at my feet and not feel a damn thing."

"NO! P-P-Please! Don't do it!"

As Connor kept his the gun aimed he watched the human squirming about like the worthless coward he truly was. Staring at the pathetic human Connor before him he remembered what Hank had told him at the precinct.

"...'Any coldhearted fool with a gun can pull the trigger'."

Lifting the gun a little higher Connor squeezed the trigger and watched as Perkins jumped and let out a yelp of surprise as the bullet lodged itself in the wall one inch from beside his head. Opening his eyes Perkins looked up at Connor, then to the smoldering bullet hole in the wall beside him, then back to Connor as he proceeded to urinate on himself.

"You're not worth it." Connor stated as he replaced the smoking revolver under his jacket. "It would've been a waste of a perfectly good bullet."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow as he cybernetically left an anonymous tip that informed the police of Perkins's current location as he stood guard over the cornered agent. It didn't take long for patrol cars to converge on the scene and it took Connor even less time to back out of the warehouse toward the door from whence he entered, just as the door itself opened with two police officers rushing inside with their guns drawn.

Staying in the shadows Connor was able to elude the officers and slipped outside the warehouse without being detected. If he had stayed at the scene there was a chance that the case would've been thrown out due to bias or an arguable conflict of interest. Exiting the warehouse discreetly Connor pulled his gray jacket tightly around himself to conceal the two bullet wounds on his person as he walked through the cleansing rain into the darkness of the city around him.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. Forgive me."

* * *

Hank sat on the couch with his phone clutched in his hand and Sumo's chin resting on his knee. There had been a third text message from Captain Fowler confirming the arrest of Perkins which gave Hank some relief, but he still had no clue where Connor was or could be. Hovering his thumb over the green 'dial' button that was already highlighted over Markus's name, Hank contemplated calling the android but had no idea what he could possibly say about the situation.

It was almost two in the morning and the rain hadn't let up. Scared sick and needing some answers Hank slipped the phone into his pocket stood up from the couch much to Sumo's disappointment.

"Fuck it, I need to-"

The backdoor opened slowly and Connor walked inside the kitchen. Rain was dripping off of him heavily creating a large puddle beneath his feet where he stood as he closed the door behind him.

"Thank god..." Hank huffed as he marched into the kitchen and grabbed onto Connor's shoulder with a firm grip. "Where the fuck were you!? You scared the shit of me!"

"...I'm s-sorry, Hank." Connor's eyes were full of tears and his voice was trembling. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"Where did you go?" Hank softened his voice as his anger dissipated into relief as he saw the pain in the deviant android's eye. "What happened?"

Connor reached back for the revolver under his jacket and handed the recently fired weapon to Hank. "...I found Perkins."

Hank's eyes went wide with fear at the sight of the gun. He could smell the acrid stench of hot gunpowder still emanating from the barrel of the weapon.

"Connor..." Hank took the revolver by the handle and held it tightly at his. "What did you do?"

"I found Perkins. But... I couldn't do it. I couldn't kill him."

"...I know." Hank dropped the gun on the kitchen table beside him as he wrapped his arms around Connor in a tight hug. As he embraced Connor he felt the chilly rain water that had soaked into Connor's jacket soak into his own gray t-shirt but he didn't care. "It's okay son, you did the right thing."

"You're not disappointed in me?" Connor wanted to cry but he refused to let himself do it. He felt like had already cried enough that day.

"For sparing a man's life? Never."

"I'm so sorry Hank. I shouldn't have-"

"Shh..." Hank shushed him firmly as he finally let go of the hug. "Don't worry about it. What's important is you're here and you're safe. Okay?"

As Hank looked the rain drenched deviant android over he saw two darker stains on the front of his shirt and recognized them as blue blood. Peeling back the left lapel of Connor's jacket Hank eyed the two wounds warily before darting his eyes up to lock onto Connor.

"What the hell?! You're hurt! Connor, who shot you?"

"I... It's complicated."

Hank could tell from Connor's tone of voice that he didn't actually want to know the details. Reacting as any parent would at seeing their child injured Hank helped Connor to slip off the cold, rain soaked jacket and then guided the android down the hallway into the bathroom.

"Let's get you cleaned up. Do you need to see a technician?"

"...No. The wounds aren't life threatening." Connor confirmed as he let Hank push him into the bathroom and turn on the overhead light. As he let Hank guide him over to the edge of the bathtub to sit down Connor reached his right hand up and began to loosen the knot in the tie around his neck. "No biocomponents were damaged by the bullets."

"Stay here, I'll get that fancy first aid kit of yours."

While Hank left the bathroom to get the kit Connor pressed his fingers to the raw bullet wound in his shoulder and flinched at the pain he forced himself to not feel while at the warehouse, and suppressed a groan of discomfort as Hank returned to the bathroom.

"We're almost of that incrass-,uh, the orange stuff." Hank stated as he sat the kit down on the floor beside Connor's feet. "Take off your shirt, I'll get you patched up."

Connor was silently sitting in shame for his reckless behavior from only a few hours before, as he slipped off his completely ruined white dress shirt as Hank requested. Dropping the garment into the bathtub behind himself Connor sat upright and kept still as Hank poured the incrassation compound over his shoulder and wiped away the excess blood.

"Clean shot." Hank commented as he sterilized the injury and placed a pad of android-unique gauze over the wound. "Through and through."

Connor nodded a little to confirm the detective's observations.

"Hold your hand over the gauze so I can wrap up your shoulder."

Again Connor obeyed and put his right hand to his left shoulder and held the white bandage in place.

It didn't take long for Hank to wrap up the shoulder, the bandages also stretching over Connor's upper chest and partially down his left bicep to ensure the bandages and gauze didn't slip away.

"...Hank?" The deviant android finally spoke up in a timid, remorseful voice.

"Yeah?"

"Did I frighten you when I disappeared from the house?"

"I was scared, yeah." Hank admitted as he finished tending to Connor's shoulder and set his attention on the second injury still mildly bleeding in Connor's lower left abdomen. "I didn't want to lose you, too."

"When I said I didn't- I _couldn't_ bring myself to kill Perkins, you said you already knew. How did you know I didn't kill him?"

"Because I know _you_ , Connor."

"I... I don't understand what that means."

"It means I know you wouldn't kill someone in cold blood. You're better than that, son. Sure," Hank tilted his head a little as he cleaned up the wound in Connor's abdomen. "you burn hot when you get mad, but it's not in your nature to just gun someone down. I saw you spare androids before you even accepted your deviancy, so I know you'd never take a life unless it was in self-defense."

Connor bit at his lower lip and fell silent with burning shame. He was so damn close to squeezing the trigger, so close to taking down Perkins out of pure hatred and desire to avenge his brother's murder. But something deep inside of himself reminded him of Hank's words of advice and he chose to let go.

Is there something more than just freewill and emotions that had become a part of his programming? Was that what made him alive and not just a machine?

Was it his heart?

Repeating the process Hank was able to clean the second bullet wound in Connor's abdomen and wrap up the injury fairly easily. As he wrapped the gauze around Connor's abdomen to keep the wound bandaged Hank noted the lingering gunpowder residue that he had to wipe away from Connor's artificial skin, as well as the stippling that was indicative of a gunshot wound at very close range.

"How's your Thirium level?" Hank asked as he tried to ignore the wound while simultaneously securing the bandages into place.

"...I'm down to eighty-three percent. Low, but not critical."

Hank grabbed a nearby towel and tried to hand it to Connor, but the android didn't accept it. "Dry yourself off." Dropping the towel down on Connor's lap Hank stepped out of the bathroom again. "I'll get you some Thirium and some dry clothes."

Connor didn't budge. Red hot tears began to roll down his face as the overwhelming desire to cry began to break him, and the already thin emotional resolve he still had left. But he didn't understand why he felt like he needed to cry again. He'd already shed his tears for Lucas, already cried out in rage, he even cried in self-hatred.

Why did he need to cry again?

With the bottles of Thirium in one hand as well as an over sized black t-shirt and gray sweatpants in the other hand Hank knelt down in front of Connor in the bathroom. As soon as he saw the tears in Connor's soulful brown eyes Hank wrapped his arm around the deviant android's shoulders again to give him a consoling hug.

"It's okay son. Cry!"

"...I don't understand what I'm crying about." Connor admitted as he let out a deep shuddering breath. "I don't understand this _feeling_."

"It's called 'mourning'." Hank pulled his arm away from Connor's shoulder as he took the towel from Connor's lap and used it to dry off the android's damp hair lightly. "It's an intense feeling of sadness and anger and... I don't know, every bad thing you could possible feel all at once. It sucks, but it's necessary."

"When does it stop?"

"When you're _done_ mourning." Hank dropped the towel back into the bathtub atop Connor's ruined shirt as he reached down for the dry black t-shirt and slipped it on over Connor's head so the android wouldn't have to move his injured shoulder too much. "And like I told you back when Carl died, there's no right or wrong way to mourn."

"How long does it last?"

"Mourning?"

"...The pain from mourning."

Hank bit his tongue to keep himself from saying 'forever' as he immediately thought of the night he lost Cole and of the insufferable pain he had been forced to endure. Alone.

"It'll stop after you let it out."

"Let it... out? Let what out?" Connor asked as he slipped off his soaked boots and set them aside beside the bathtub. "How?"

"Well, you keep crying until you don't feel the need to do it anymore. And again everyone mourns in different ways for different lengths of time."

"I've cried many times already, and I don't feel any better."

Hank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as he tried to find the gentlest and simplest way to explain the complexities of human emotions to the still learning deviant as he endured the harshest emotional turmoil he's yet to experience.

"There's a difference between crying and crying. There's the kind of crying that comes from an emotional, but logical part of your brain, and then there's crying that comes from your heart. It's difficult to explain, but, all I can say is once you feel it, and I mean _really_ feel it, you'll know the difference."

"But I don't want to cry anymore." Connor admitted as he took the gray sweatpants from Hank's hand and swapped them out for his rain soaked jeans. "Isn't there another way to mourn beyond crying and emotional distress?"

"There is, but I don't recommend it."

"...Are you referring to alcohol?"

"Yup. It numbs the pain for a while, but once it wears off the pain comes back tenfold. Don't try it, I don't want you to suffer like that."

Connor used the back of his hand to wipe away his tears as he stood up slowly on the bathroom floor. Hank practically forced the first bottle of Thirium into the deviant android's hand and waited for Connor to drink it before he'd let the android left the bathroom. Understanding that it was a gesture of concern Connor opened the bottle and quickly drank the offered Thirium and noted that his Thirium volume had risen up to ninety-seven percent.

"One bottle of Thirium will suffice." Connor stated sincerely as he placed the empty bottle into the nearby trashcan. "...Thank you for taking care of me."

"Of course, you don't have to thank me for that."

"Yes. I do." Connor's eyes began to fill with tears again as he looked at Hank with deeply seeded pain reflected in his soulful brown irises. "You cared about Lucas too, but all this time you've been taking care of me while I've been hurting. Who's been taking care of you?"

Hank put a kind hand to Connor's good shoulder and it held it there for a few seconds. "Connor, I-"

Before Hank had the chance to make some comment about being alright or needing to be in private to mourn Connor wrapped his arms tightly around Hank and held him in a tight embrace that the detective didn't try to back away from or resist. As Hank reciprocated the hug he felt a wave of relief wash over him as he realized that Connor's deviancy, his human heart, wasn't entirely broken by the experience of losing his brother. He still had the capacity to care and empathize with others.

"Connor. I won't say I'm okay, because I'm not, but you don't have to worry about me."

Slowly Connor let Hank out of his hug and stepped back. Suddenly aware of how tired he felt Connor shook his head and registered the time.

"Go to bed, I'll wake you when I get an update from Fowler or from Markus. I'll keep my phone by my bed so it wakes me up."

Nodding a little Connor followed Hank out of the bathroom and stepped into his old bedroom to rest for the night, while Hank walked down the hallway into his own bedroom. As Connor stood inside the familiar room he looked about at the area and noted the items that were suddenly lacking and now residing at the apartment.

The aquarium was still against the wall where he had left it; the glass and water were crystal clear and all of the fish were still alive indicative of Hank's daily care, but Connor's guitar used to be propped up in its case in the corner, now it was in the middle of the destroyed livingroom of the apartment. And the painting that Lucas had given him to keep his nightmares at bay, it was nowhere to be seen. And Lucas...

Lucas was never coming back.

Connor took in a deep pained breath as tears flowed down his face in a torrent. Falling to his knees slowly Connor put his hands to his face to cover his eyes as he let out a deep guttural scream of utter pain that he had never felt before. Curling around himself on the floor Connor cried harder than he thought was possible and didn't even feel it when Hank rushed into the room and knelt beside the android on the floor.

Hank tried to wrap his arms around Connor to hold him but Connor wasn't going to move up from the floor. Wrapping one arm around chest to let the android rest his chin atop his forearm Hank wrapped his other arm over Connor's back and leaned down as much as possible to let Connor support his trembling body up against him.

"I'm here for you, son..."

As Connor mourned for the loss of his brother Hank began to silently weep as Connor's pain seemed to leech into his own heart.

* * *

New Jericho Tower was as restless as the precinct itself as the officers involved charged Agent Perkins with a number of serious crimes. While Perkins shouted that Connor had tracked him down and threatened him with a gun as loud as he could, no one at the precinct believed him or even bothered to look for any evidence of Connor being inside the warehouse. Perkins had a history of blaming androids for his problems and he had already accused Connor of having an agenda against him long before he foolishly put out a failed hit on the officer.

His bigoted comments against androids had come back to haunt him in the most poetic manner anyone could've ever hoped for.

Captain Fowler himself went to the scene at the warehouse with Gavin shortly after Perkins was arrested, and the two found the stray bullet that Connor had fired into the wall. But Captain Fowler was disinterested in the bullet seeing as Perkins wasn't injured and the agent had knowledge, and a history of staging a crime scene to frame innocent people. Even if they did believe that it was possible Connor confronted him in the warehouse the two officers decided it didn't matter.

They had the killer, they stopped a corrupt agent from continuing to abuse his power and they were able to bring justice to a murdered android. It was a monumental day in the city for all of the innocent citizens; human and deviant alike, as well as the honest cops who continue to patrol the streets.

Markus had been given an update on the situation from the receptionist androids at the precinct and happily told North, Josh and Simon of the positive turn of events. Certain that Connor and Hank were already made aware of the situation and were most likely grieving together in private.

"I'm going to check in with Connor and Hank." Markus decided as the relatively good news helped lift a tremendous weight from his shoulders. "If you need anything you'll know where to find me."

"Do you want me to go with you?" North volunteered in an uncharacteristic display of empathy toward the two detectives. "I don't mind."

"No, it'll be fine. Stay here and keep things running until I get back." Markus leaned down to kiss her on the lips as she stood up on her tiptoes to accommodate his height compared to her own. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

It was almost four in the morning by the time Connor had literally cried himself to sleep in Hank's arms. It felt wrong to leave Connor alone in the bedroom and Hank couldn't bring himself to be alone for the night either, so the detective painstakingly lifted Connor up into his arms and carried him out of the bedroom and placed him down on on his back on the couch in the livingroom. Draping a dark navy blue blanket over the android's sleeping form Hank patted the couch cushion to coax Sumo into laying on the couch beside Connor to provide some sort of mild comfort to the emotionally pained deviant android.

Sometimes Connor was more human than either detective really expected. Connor's behavior was almost childlike at times as he tried to grasp the complexities of human emotions while experiencing such drastic emotional responses with only Hank's guidance to help him understand what he was going through.

Wrapping himself up in a thick brown quilt Hank resided to sleeping in the recliner just beside the couch and had drifted off to a deep, but much needed sleep, with his phone resting in the palm of his hand. Around nine in the morning a knocking at the front door roused Hank from his sleep and caused Sumo to raise his head and let out a protective singular low bark as he stared at the door.

"It's okay, Sumo." Hank stated curtly as he walked over to the front door, the quilt still wrapped around himself, and answered the door. "Markus. What're you doing here?"

Sumo let out a tired grumble as he recognized Markus as a friend and lowered his head back down atop Connor's steadily rising and falling chest.

Markus greeted Hank with a bittersweet smile as he handed the exhausted detective a large cup of hot coffee. "I wanted to check in on you in person, and I figured you could use a little caffeine pick-me-up."

"Androids understand the necessity of coffee?" The detective lightly joked as he happily took the offered coffee from Markus and let the android step inside the house out of the still pouring cold rain.

"Well, _I_ do. Carl insisted on having coffee every morning, so now it's just part of my programming."

"Carl raised you right." Hank appreciatively sipped at the coffee. "Damn, you even got it sweetened right. How'd you know?"

"A hunch."

"Good hunch." Hank stood behind the couch and watched Connor sleeping on the couch with Sumo protectively resting his chin atop the android's slowly rising and falling chest. The android's L.E.D. was still blinking red, even in his sleep. "I take it you heard about Perkins being arrested last night?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to see how you two are holding up."

"I'm holding up alright, for now, but Connor... He isn't doing well at all."

Markus looked down at his hand and clenched it into a fist as he contemplated telling Hank about connecting to Lucas's memories, but he decided that now wasn't the appropriate time. "What do you need from me?"

Hank thought for a moment before he answered coolly. "C.S.I. will release the scene at their apartment this afternoon. If you could bring Connor his clothes and some other things I'd greatly appreciate it. I'd go myself, but..."

"I understand. Stay here with Connor."

"Thanks Markus."

"The, uh, funeral will take place tomorrow at two in the afternoon."

"At the tower, right?"

"No. I received a portion of Carl's fortune after his passing I purchased the property of an abandoned church a few blocks from New Jericho Tower. It was once used as a temporary shelter for many deviants looking to cross the border and from when we fled from old Jericho the night of the raid. I had the church restored to its former beauty and is now the resting place for all deviants who've shutdown in the city."

"Sounds like you're doing everything right."

"You legally adopted Lucas when you adopted Connor, so I wasn't sure if it was okay to do this or not. I wanted your blessing before I confirmed anything."

"That's perfect, Markus. Thank you. I have my own arrangements for Lucas I need to finalize still, but laying him to rest in a sanctuary for all androids is just fine."

"Okay. I'll head over to their apartment to get a few things for Connor later on, and afterward confirm everything a the tower. The funeral procession will originate from the tower and carry on to the church from there."

"Aren't you worried about anti-android zealots trying to interfere?"

"No. Despite everything that happened I still have faith in humanity."

"Good. Never lose sight of it." Hank sipped tiredly at the coffee again. "I'll make sure Fowler knows to keep a patrol car in the area. Just in case..."

"Right. If you need anything else from me, just call."

"Thanks, Markus. But right now I'm fine. Connor needs all the support he can get though."

"Consider it already done."

* * *

Connor slowly awoke from his deep slumber with a painful headache and a sore stomach to greet him as he opened his tired eyes. Finding himself staring up at the blank ceiling of Hank's livingroom with a massive fluffy dog laying over his chest Connor realized that what he had just endured wasn't another nightmare, it was a horrific reality he'd have to adapt to.

Lifting his head up from the couch Connor looked over Sumo's head into the kitchen to see Hank pacing about as he finished a phone call and slipped the phone into his pocket with a heavy sigh.

"...Hank?"

"Connor." Hank walked back into the livingroom and stood at the foot of the couch as he looked down at the fatigued android. "You've been out for sixteen hours. How do you feel?"

"...Sore. I have one those headache statuses again. And my stomach is sore from the bullet wound."

"Anything I can do to help you feel better?"

Connor ran a self-diagnostic, his L.E.D. blinking yellow briefly before returning the standard red color it had become over the past two days. "My Thirium level dropped down to eighty-nine percent after running my self-healing program during rest mode. Perhaps a replenishment will ease the discomfort."

"Sure, no problem."

Connor gently pushed Sumo's head from his chest as he sat upright on the couch and swung his legs over the edge. It was only a matter of seconds before Sumo pressed his chin and paws down against Connor's lap as he insisted on cuddling with the android. Placing his hand down on Sumo's head Connor rubbed the dog's ears affectionately as Hank handed him another bottle of fresh Thirium.

"Markus stopped by." Hank stated as he took a seat on the couch next to Connor. "The funeral is tomorrow. He brought your some clothes from your apartment to wear, and your guitar."

"...Thanks. I'm glad he brought the guitar." Connor wasn't sure how to respond to the unusual visit that he had slept through. Twice.

As he drank down the Thirium in hopes it'd ease his pain Hank informed him everything he missed out on while in rest mode.

"Fowler also called. He said Perkins has been brought up on numerous charges for fraud, conspiracy, assault, assault of a police officer, murder, attempted murder, bribery... I even managed to convince Fowler to tag on 'interfering with a witness' since it was Lucas who saw Perkins's own kid run down that other innocent android then flee the scene of the accident. After he gets ALL the charges listed he's going to put on trial, sent to a maximum security facility and if he doesn't get picked off by one of the convicts he helped put away, then he'll spend the rest of his life rotting behind bars."

"...That means all of Perkins's cases are going to be reviewed in light of his incarceration." Connor fidgeted with the now empty bottle in his hand nervously.

"Yup. That's protocol, son. Who knows how many innocent people Perkins had arrested just to advance his career?"

"Hank... Do you remember that night when Perkins aimed a gun at me at the precinct parking garage and you protected me?"

"Yeah, of course I do. You don't exactly forget some asshole pointing a gun at your kid." Hank could see something was weighing heavily on Connor's mind and he knew the android needed to talk. "What about it?"

"That night I wanted to tell you something, but I refrained from doing so. It felt... cruel."

Hank gave Connor an understanding pat on the shoulder to encourage him to keep speaking. "What did you want to say?"

"...I wished that when you held your gun to Perkins's head you would've just... pulled the trigger."

Hank could feel the intense guilt and regret that was radiating from Connor's entire being, and the feeling was mutual. "...I wish I did, too."

"You do?"

"Yeah." Hank's confession carried a heavy guilt as he spoke. "And he's the not the first person I wish I had taken out when I had the chance. But, in the end it's better that we're the ones who show self-control and prove we're better than them. It's good that we won't sink to their selfish, cold level just to get the job done."

"Hank, there's nothing we can do to bring Lucas back, is there?"

"No, son." Hank's shoulders slumped with sorrow as he sank back against the couch next to Connor. "He's... He's gone."

Connor only nodded as if he could finally accept what had happened, though his heart remained heavy all the same. Placing the empty bottle down on the coffee table Connor leaned back against the couch and pat Sumo's head lightly as he stared off into silence at the far wall of the livingroom next to Hank. The two detectives had reached a mutual level of contentedness after enduring two days of utter despair and heartbreak.

Unwilling to to disturb what little peace they had managed to achieve the two chose to sit in silence for the remainder of the night until it was time to prepare for the following morning's somber events.

* * *

Standing in the depths of New Jericho Tower donned entirely in black Connor stood beside the metal casket that held Lucas's body with a heavy heart and clenched fist. Lucas himself was wearing his original CyberLife RK-900 uniform, but the CyberLife insignias and the armband had been removed to give the uniform a less military aesthetic.

Putting his hand over Lucas's forehead Connor said his final goodbyes in private before the funeral began.

"I'm sorry I failed to protect you. I'll miss you, brother." Connor opened his fist to reveal the silver colored guitar pick that he had used to play music for hundreds of hours in the apartment while Lucas painted dozens of different beautiful imagery on canvases. Slipping the guitar pick into Lucas's right hand Connor tightened his brother's cold, motionless hand around the item as if Lucas could still somehow feel it. "I love you, Lucas. I won't forget you, I promise."

Connor closed the lid of the casket slowly as tears began to roll down his face again. As the lid of the casket clicked shut softly Connor bowed his forehead against the lid and patted once with his hand.

"Goodbye."

Walking away from the casket Connor was met by Hank, who too was wearing black, who then led the android to the elevator. Ascending the tower within the transparent glass car of the elevator Connor and Hank stared at the closed casket through the transparent barrier until it was out of sight, and the two reached the ground floor where Markus, North, Josh and Simon were all waiting.

"...It's time."

* * *

The funeral itself was a modest gathering at the restored church. The androids who stopped by to pay their respects quickly departed out of fear of bigoted protestors trying to disrupt the funeral with hate speech or violence, but their presence was appreciated all the same. Even several officers from the precinct had stopped by to pay their respects to the fallen android due to their genuine respect for either Connor, Hank or the both of them.

Other friend and allies, in one sense or another, had also shown to pay their respects. Rose and Adam had arrived as two of the dozen or so humans in attendance, while Kara, Alice and Luther had managed to gain passage back over the border just long enough to tend the funeral before returning back to their safe apartment in Ontario Canada.

Connor, much to Hank's surprise as he pushed through his shyness and pain, had taken it upon himself to deliver the eulogy for his late brother.

"Lucas Caleb Anderson was a truly unique android." Connor stated in a low voice, his eyes transfixed on the rain soaked grass as he was unable to look anyone in the eyes. "A being who came from a place of darkness and shined brighter than any other beacon of light in the city."

The gathered mourners smiled with respect at the kind words as they agreed with Connor's praise toward his late, young brother.

"Dedicating himself to helping those in need and protecting the lives of those he had come to care for, his presence will be forever missed. And I... I know that my brother's life, though short, was one of tremendous respect and admiration. I'm proud to have had him in my life, and even prouder to have had him as my little brother."

During the funeral the rain continued to fall in heavy, cold sheets that soaked the entire city relentlessly. As Lucas was interred into the expansive cemetery behind the church the gathered mourners said their goodbyes, placed the symbolic white lily that had been stained Thirium blue atop the fresh grave and departed with silent admiration for the deviant technician that had saved countless android lives over his own too-short lifespan.

Standing beside the grave with Hank at his side Connor stared down at the marble gravestone that had a metal plaque secured to the face of the stone with Lucas's name engraved into the shiny, pristine surface: Lucas Caleb Anderson. Beloved Brother, Son and Friend to all Deviants.

Connor and Hank were the last to leave the cemetery as the afternoon gave way to evening. The relentless cold of the rain was beginning to affect Hank but he wasn't about to complain about a little chill after burying Lucas in the cold, wet earth. As he stood silently at Connor's side the always astute android noticed that Hank was beginning to shiver.

"Hank... I don't want to go, but, I can't stand here forever."

"I understand." Hank confirmed as he stared at Lucas's name on the headstone as well. "But you have to be the one to choose when it's time to walk away."

"I think... I think the time is now. I've said goodbye and I've mourned. What's left for me to do?"

"...Now it's time for you to find a way to live your life without him in it."

Hank empathetically put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he silently guided Connor out of the rainy cemetery to the car parked outside the church. A patrol car drove by and Hank could see both Gavin and Chris inside the vehicle as they lapped the block for the dozenth time that afternoon to ensure no one interfered with the funeral in a negative manner. After nodding graciously at the passing patrol car Hank took his usual position behind the wheel of the car while Connor sat beside him as his lone passenger.

Pulling out onto the street Hank drove through the rain and made his way out of the city rather than heading back to the house or New Jericho Tower.

"Hank, where are we going?"

"There's one last thing we need to do for Lucas." Hank replied sharply as he turned on the heater in the car to stave off the cold that had soaked into his dark clothing. "Think of it as a human tradition to go along with this android tradition."

Connor didn't understand what Hank was talking about, but the deviant android chose to not ask seeing as he'd find out soon enough. Turning his head to look out the window he gazed through the rain and turned on the radio to fill the car with an energetic ambience to counter the stifling melancholy that had all but plagued the two detectives over the past three days now.

After drifting off into a slight slumber Connor became suddenly aware that the car had stopped and Hank had turned off the engine. Opening his eyes Connor glanced around himself and realized that Hank had driven to the cemetery where Cole and Barbara had been laid to rest several years prior. Hank was quietly staring out his side window at the sight of the two familiar headstones right alongside the main drive that snaked through the cemetery.

"...Why are we here?" Connor asked softly as he leaned forward and looked over at Hank with understandable confusion.

"We're here for Lucas."

Connor's brow furrowed as he watched Hank open his door and step outside of the car and back out into the rain.

Following after Hank who walked to the rear of the car to pop open the trunk Connor looked inside and saw three white lilies and one red rose sitting inside a small cardboard box lined with packs of ice. Hank picked up the flowers and walked over to the two headstones and knelt down respectfully and Connor immediately did the same. Motioning toward a newly placed headstone next to Barbara the deviant android's eyes went wide with surprise at the name engraved on the stone.

"Lucas?"

"It didn't feel right to have Lucas separated from the family, so I had a headstone placed here. Until the law will allow an android to be buried within a human cemetery I figured this would suffice for the time being."

A very faint and appreciative grin appeared on Connor's face as he took one of the lilies from Hank's hand and placed it down on the headstone with Lucas's name.

The rain began to finally lessen and gradually ceased altogether as Hank placed the remaining two lilies on Cole and Barbara's headstones, and placed the rose on Barbara's headstone alone.

"It's not much, but it can help bring you closure and help with the healing process." Hank stated in a reassuring tone as he placed the flowers accordingly. "Just give yourself time to heal, son. Time will be slow, but it will get better."

Standing up together the mourning duo stood in front of the three headstones as they silently paid their respects for those they had loved and loss due to unforeseen, irreversible tragedy. The setting orange sun managed to break through the black rain clouds just long enough to bath the cemetery in warm amber rays that shone a single bright rainbow over the sky before falling into the darkness of night.

"It's getting late." With a lamentably distant voice Hank watched the orange sun setting lower and lower through the dark clouds in the horizon. "We should head back to the city before the rain picks up again." Putting his hand atop each of the headstones in sequence Hank bid farewell to his loved ones. "See you soon Cole, Barbara." His eyes drifted over to Lucas's headstone as a grimace fell over his face. "Lucas. I love you all."

Heading back to the car Hank hadn't noticed that Connor was still standing in front of the trio of headstones until he heard Connor call out his name.

"...Hank."

Turning to look at Connor who had kept his head bowed as he spoke up, Hank just stared silently at the android who was standing like a petrified statue in front of the headstones, almost afraid to move.

"I can't go back to the apartment. Not alone."

"You don't have to, son." Returning to Connor without the slightest delay in his step Hank draped his arm around the android's shoulders and held him tight in a half-hug. "You're coming home with me. Remember, you'll _always_ have a home with me, son."

"Then this is really happening." Connor lifted his gaze and turned to look at Hank as tears began to form in his eyes again. Putting a hand over his eyes to needlessly hide the tears Connor breathed through his mounting grief. "...My brother's gone forever."

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

Weeping with heavy sobs Connor's entire body trembled under Hank's supportive arm as his adtopive father tried to ease his pain.

"But I'm still here." Hank tightened his grip around Connor's shoulders again as he pulled Connor away from the headstones and over to the car. The sun had set giving way to a new night, and what was soon to be a new beginning. "You'll _always_ have me as your father. Let's go home, son. Together."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I genuinely felt bad for killing off Lucas, but heartache, loss and tragedy are all part of the human/deviant experience. It's a harsh truth to be sure. But death isn't as permanent as we all fear it to be.


	76. Depression

It had been a week since Lucas's funeral and Connor hadn't left his old bedroom in Hank's house since the night he and Hank returned home after that painfully melancholy day. Connor was exhausted mentally, emotionally and physically from his grief; but the deviant android was either too stubborn or too upset to admit it even after Hank continually urged Connor to open up and talk about what was weighing down against his almost too human heart.

Hank periodically checked in on Connor out of a deep-seeded paternal instinct, but every time he peered inside the dim bedroom Connor was still laying on his side with his back to the door, staring ahead blankly at the brightly colored fish swimming about in the aquarium against the far wall.

Sumo was laying on the foot of the bed next to Connor's legs, his chin resting on Connor's hip as he kept the morose deviant android company.

Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank made his presence known without startling the android in the process. "I know you're tired of me asking this, but do you need anything?"

Connor blinked slowly but didn't answer the question. The deviancy in Connor seemed to outweigh any other aspect of his programming as his behavior was more indicative of a depressed human than anything remotely machine-like. Heavy eyelids from pure exhaustion and sorrow marred his otherwise bright, soulful brown eyes. Having refused to sleep for seven consecutive nights Connor's system was functioning solely on low-power mode causing his other programs to temporarily shutdown, including his artificial respiration and his artificial skin had paled considerably from the lack of energy being provided to the program.

"I know you don't want to have any nightmares, but you do need to sleep." Hank stated with a fatherly concern as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. "If you don't rest soon you're going to collapse. I don't want to see you sick, hurt or admitted to a facility because of that."

No answer.

"How's your Thirium levels? I ordered a new supply and it came in the mail this morning."

Still nothing.

"Okay, I'll let you be alone. I'll be out in the livingroom if you need me, son."

Running a hand through his gray locks Hank tried to think of some way, any way, to help pull Connor out of the emotional pit of despair he had fallen into. Wandering into the livingroom Hank peered at the cardboard boxes containing the personal items that had been brought over to the house from Lucas and Connor's now vacated apartment with a hesitant stare. Everything Lucas held dear could be contained in six cardboard boxes, and Hank swore there was something beautifully symbolic by the simplicity of android needs compared to that of selfish human desires.

Two other boxes had been brought over from the apartment as well, the two additional boxes containing only Connor's clothing and a large canvas painting that had protectively been wrapped up beneath a white sheet. Hank had already taken the liberty of taking Connor's clothes and hanging them up in the closet in Connor's bedroom or into the dresser drawers on the android's behalf. He had left the painting alone since it was Connor's decision what the deviant android wanted to do with it.

Curious about the contents of the remaining cardboard boxes Hank picked up the smallest box and sat it on the coffee table. As he pulled open the cardboard flaps Hank peered inside and found the contents to be perfectly packed with bottles of oil paint, a wooden paint pallet and two dozen uniquely tipped paintbrushes.

"Lucas really was an avid painter." Hank smiled a little as he put the box aside on the floor to be taken care of later on.

It was then he noticed a smaller black box about the size of a half-dollar wedged in the corner of the larger box. Pulling it out Hank opened the box and felt a lump form in his throat as he recognized it as the coin that Connor had given to Lucas after the generous android nearly crippled his hand to use his own circuitry to repair the damage to Connor's heart.

"Those two and their damn coins." Hank smiled wider as he closed the lid to the smaller box and sat it down atop the paint inside the larger box. "Must've been a brotherly thing, or something."

As Hank reached for the next box the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Not exactly dressed for company, wearing honly is worn out, faded 'Knights of the Black Death' t-shirt and gray sweatpants, Hank considered ignoring the guest but decided the last thing he needed to do was act as reclusive as Connor was behaving. Opening the front door slowly Hank peered outside and was immediately embarrassed when he realized who had stopped by.

"Rose!" Hank blushed a little as he locked eyes with the kindhearted woman standing on his front doorstep. "Hi..."

"Hello, Hank." Rose smiled warmly as she greeted the detective with a genuine kindness to her voice. "I just wanted to see how you and Connor were doing, but I didn't have your phone number. I hope you don't mind me stopping by unannounced."

"No, no, it's okay. Uh, do you want to come inside?"

"As long as I'm not intruding."

"No, of course not." Hank opened the door wide and stepped aside to let Rose walk into his modest home. "Just, uh, let me change into something clean. You... caught me off guard on laundry day, that's all."

Rose hid her amused grin as she watched the embarrassed detective rush down the hallway to change into more suitable clothes in the privacy of his bedroom. Glancing about the house Rose noted the cardboard boxes with the name 'Lucas' perfectly printed in CyberLife sans text on the side of the boxes in black ink. It didn't take her long to figure out what the boxes were there for.

The large rectangular shapes covered under sheets that jutted out of the tops of the boxes as well as the distinct aroma of oil paint identified the rectangles as paintings that Lucas had created during his lifetime.

Hank returned from the bedroom now wearing a clean solid colored navy t-shirt and a dark pain of blue jeans. He cleared his throat awkwardly as he tried to start small talk with the empathetic woman. "We saw you and Adam at the funeral. Thanks for stopping by, we appreciate it."

"Of course Hank. Lucas was important to New Jericho and to both of you. We had to pay our respects."

"Please, have a seat." Hank motioned to the couch and Rose sat happily sat down at one end by Hank sat down at the other end. "Sorry about the mess, neither of us have been in much of a 'cleaning' mood these past few days."

"Don't apologize Hank, no one would blame you. So how're you holding up?"

"I'm doing better than I thought I would, probably because I'm not going through it alone this time."

"And Connor?"

"...He's in terrible shape." The detective let out a deep sigh and leaned forward as he folded his hands together atop his lap. "It's been a week and he hasn't said one word to me or slept since we've been home."

"What?"

"Nightmares. He won't admit it but he's afraid he's going to have a nightmare about what happened to Lucas." Hank gave Rose a deeply concerned stare as he confided in her about Connor's condition. "He's already in low-power mode because he refuses to sleep, and I know his Thirium levels have to be getting low, too. But he won't respond to me when I ask him questions."

"That sounds like the way Adam was behaving when his father passed away. He hid away in his bedroom for a couple of weeks, he barely ate or spoke to me all that time and I was worried sick that he was going to fall away."

"How'd you help him?"

"Patience. Time." Rose reached her hand out and rested it on Hank's hand. "He'll be okay Hank."

"I know that. I just hate seeing him so broken. If you had met Connor before he went deviant you would never believe he used to be such a cold, heartless machine."

"Connor is the most advanced prototype that was ever made, right?"

"Right."

"Maybe it's that advanced programming that lets Connor feel emotions so deeply." Rose squeezed Hank's hand a little as she spoke. "He's truly unique and he's experienced more emotional hardship in the short time he's been deviant than most people ever will throughout their entire lives."

"Yeah, I know. I just wish he'd talk to me, I don't know why he won't tell me what's on his mind."

"My guess is he feels like he'd be burdening you with his emotions and it wouldn't be fair because you're upset about Lucas, too. That's what made it so hard to connect with Adam when he was grieving, He didn't want me to carry all the emotional weight while he readjusted to our new lives. Do you want me to speak with him for a minute?"

"You'd do that?"

"After everything you two have done for me and Adam, and all of the other deviants in the city, it'd be my honor to help you."

Hank paused for a moment before he gave the kindhearted woman his answer. "...If you feel like you can reach him, I won't stop you. His bedroom is right down the hall on the, the door should still be open."

"I'll go speak with him for a few minutes. Maybe speaking to another deviant who's been through this before could help him, too."

"Another- you mean Markus." Hank nodded a little as he caught onto what she was saying. "I'll give him a call."

Rose gave Hank's hand one last squeeze before she stood up from the couch and walked down the hallway quietly. Pushing open the partially opened bedroom door at the end of the hallway she peered inside and saw Connor laying on his side on the bed, his back still toward the now fully opened door. The massive form of Sumo was still laying at the foot of his bed with his chin on Connor's hip.

With a simple wag of his tail Sumo acknowledged the kind woman's presence standing in the door.

"Hi, Connor." Rose greeted from the doorway before she entered the bedroom. "Can I come in?"

The deviant android didn't answer, he didn't even move at the sound of the familiar voice.

Unfazed by the lack of motion from Connor laying on the bed Rose walked into the bedroom and walked around the foot of the bed to the other side so she could look Connor in the eyes.

Sumo just watched her without moving from his protective spot on the bed.

Unable to contain her motherly instincts Rose gently placed her hand on the side of the deviant android's pale face before running her fingers through his dark hair with a loving motion to try to comfort the emotionally distress android as much as she could. "You feel a little warm. Are you overheating?"

Connor didn't speak, instead his answer came in the form of a forced breath as he manually turned on his artificial respiration program to cool down his slightly elevated core temperature.

"I know it isn't easy trying to move on with your life after someone you cared so much about has died." Rose kept running her hand lightly through Connor's hair as she spoke to him. "It doesn't seem right, does it?"

Connor blinked slowly as his eyes drifted from the aquarium and onto Rose's face as she spoke sympathetically to him.

"Someone you care about is gone and you're just supposed to go back to your normal routine, your normal life like nothing happened. Like the person who you just lost was somehow so insignificant and inconsequential that nothing has changed, or ever will change, without them. And we know that it's not true."

Connor's eyes searched Rose's eyes as he felt a sense of true compassion coming from her every word.

"Let me ask you something, Connor. Would Lucas want you to lay in bed doing nothing until you shutdown, or would he want you to continue to live your life to the fullest, even if he wasn't there to live life with you?"

Connor blinked slowly again as he let his eyes drift away from Rose and back to the aquarium.

"Hank told me about what happened to Cole. And I know he's feeling pain that he thought he'd never feel again, right now."

Connor's eyes suddenly darted back up to Rose, and though she couldn't see it from where she was sitting, his red L.E.D. briefly flashed yellow before cycling back to what had become it's standard red color over the past week.

"He also told me how after he met you and spent time with you, watching you become deviant and over time become more human and less machine that it made him realize how much more in life he still wanted to live. You helped him to remember what it truly means to be alive instead of just existing, Connor. If you let yourself stop living then what would that tell Hank?"

Closing his eyes fully a rogue tear began to roll down the side of his face and Rose used her thumb to gently brush it away.

"It's okay, Connor. You can miss Lucas AND still live your life. You don't have to choose one over the other."

Nodding slowly Connor acknowledged Rose's words as he reached his own hand up to wipe off the rest of the tear from his cheek around her hand.

"Do you want to be left alone?"

Connor nodded again and Rose retracted her hand from his hair and rubbed her hand down his arm as she walked around the bed to exit the bedroom.

"Okay. When you're ready to talk he's waiting for you." She gently pulled the door partially shut behind her as she left and rejoined Hank in the livingroom.

Hank was sitting on the couch holding the small black box in his hand staring intently at the coin contained inside. As Rose walked back down the hall he turned his head to look over the back of the couch to wonderful woman. "Well?"

"I don't think I've ever seen such a young face look so old."

Hank let out a despondent sigh as the comment was less than encouraging. "Did you get him to talk?"

"No." Rose confirmed sadly, but he voice still carried a lilt of optimism. "He's still upset but I think I managed to reach him to some extent. I think he's afraid that by going on with his life he's somehow betraying Lucas's memory."

Hank nodded a little as he put the lid back on the box and slipped it into his jean pocket. "Makes sense. I felt the same way when I lost Barbara, and then Cole..."

"Did you manage to reach Markus?" Rose interjected quickly as she could see a dark cloud setting over Hank's eyes as he spoke.

"Yeah. He said he'd be over soon. I guess he already has something he wants to give to Connor, anyway."

Rose smiled as she looked at the unpacked boxes with Lucas's name printed on the sides. "If you don't mind me asking, did Lucas paint those?"

"Huh?" Hank looked to Rose as she motioned to the cardboard boxes filled with the rectangular canvases. "Oh, yeah. Connor plays guitar and Lucas used to paint. And it looks like he painted A LOT."

"Can I see?"

"Y-Yeah. I suppose so." Hank rose from the couch and approached the cardboard box that he had wanted to check through before Rose even arrived and pulled the large canvas out of the box carefully. Unwrapping the sheet that was protecting the image Hank stared at the image with righteous awe. "Wow... It's New Jericho Tower in all its glory."

Rose watched as Hank repositioned the painting in his hands for Rose to see for herself. "That's incredible! I knew android's have the ability to perfectly recall places and people they've seen, but I've never seen an android capture an image so perfectly in paint."

"Yeah... Lucas had genuine talent. This is the kind of work that humans pay thousands off dollars to try to learn for themselves."

Hank sat the painting down against the side of the recliner and pulled out the next painting. With the same care as before Hank unwrapped the sheet and looked at the next image. It depicted Markus and North standing together as they overlooked the successful peaceful revolution from the heart of the plaza on that fateful night. He even managed to capture genuine emotion in the eyes of the two deviants as they held hands, exposed white plastimetal hands, while surrounded by the deviants they had worked together to free.

"Lucas wasn't even there that night. How'd he do this?"

Rose walked over from the couch and examined the gorgeous painting herself. "He must've painted it after learning about what happened that night. A perfect interpretation from what he had been told by the deviants at New Jericho Tower."

"I wish I had spent more time at their apartment and watched Lucas work. This is astounding." Handing Rose the painting Hank readily took the third and final painting from the box and removed the sheet. The image displayed stunned him in a way he didn't think was possible. "...The bridge."

Rose looked at the surreal, somber painting with a curious stare. "That's you and Connor."

It was a dark night with a partially illuminated bridge in the background. Hank was sitting on the park bench with Connor standing at his side as snow began to fall gently from the sky above.

"Connor told him everything. That was the night I... I threatened to... I just wanted to see how Connor, back when he was still a machine, would react if faced with death." Hank looked away from the painting with shame. "That was so cruel. I wish I could take it back."

Rose put her hand on Hank's arm and lowered the painting from his sight. "You were a lot angrier back then. Connor knows you would never hurt him."

"I seriously hope so." Hank let Rose take the painting from his hands and sit aside with the other two paintings. Reaching for the third box Hank pulled out the lone, largest painting and unwrapped gingerly from its sheet. As Hank looked over the image he felt a smile creep over his face.

"Did he paint everyone from _memory_?" Rose smiled as she looked at the painting with genuine awe.

"He must've, I sure as hell didn't stand there and pose."

The painting showed Lucas himself, Connor, Hank, Markus, North, Josh and Simon all standing together; side by side, with looks of contentment and triumph in their eyes. There was a strong aura of camaraderie over the group that seemed to give the painting itself life.

A knock at the front door drew Hank's attention away from the painting and to the newly arrived guest. Carefully he sat the painting on the floor before he walked over to the front door and pulled it open.

"Hey, Markus. I appreciate you stopping by."

"I'm happy to help." Markus stepped inside and noticed the collection of paintings that Hank and Rose were now checking through. A discreet grin appeared on his face as he immediately thought of Carl and how the studio always smelled of fresh paint and how the entire house held various size canvases with just as many various images. "Is, uh, is Connor still in his bedroom?"

"Yeah." Hank confirmed with a clap to the shoulder. "Down the hall. Anything you can say or do to help him would be greatly appreciated."

"I'll do what I can." Markus nodded as he walked down the hallway and pushed open Connor's bedroom door just as Hank and then Rose had done before him. And just as before Connor was laying on his side with his back to the door, Sumo still laying next to him. "Hey Connor."

Sumo wagged his tail again as the next friendly visitor walked into Connor's bedroom to speak with the android.

Crouching down beside the bed Markus studied Connor's face carefully before he spoke again. "Connor?"

Brown irises slowly returned as Connor acknowledged Markus's presence and opened his eyes.

"I wanted to see how you're doing. I'm getting worried about you. Hank is worried, too."

Connor just stared blankly at Markus's face with disinterest.

"There's something I've been wanting to give you," Markus admitted as he looked down at the palm of his right hand and retracted his artificial skin from over the surface of the appendage. "after Lucas was brought to New Jericho, and after you and Hank had returned to the precinct, I wanted to see if I could access Lucas's memories and find the person who... Who was responsible for what happened."

Connor's eyes flashed with an alertness that had long since been dormant since the funeral.

"His short-term memory had been damaged and corrupted beyond repair, but I was still able to access his memories before the... 'incident', and immediately after when you found him."

Connor's limp hand flexed into a tight fist upon hearing Markus's words.

"I wasn't trying to keep this from you or anything like that, I just didn't know when would be the proper time to tell you about it."

The sincerity in Markus's voice was enough to cause Connor's hand to relax and his eyes to close as additional tears began to form against his soulful brown irises.

"I saw how much he admired you Connor, how much he loved you as his brother. And if anyone should have his memories it should be you."

Connor opened his eyes again as he locked onto Markus's face with a studious intent.

"Do you want me to-"

Connor slowly used his right hand to push him upright on his bed, his L.E.D. still cycling red. Staring down at his own right hand Connor retracted the artificial skin from his palm and extended his hand out toward Markus. "...Please." The reply was tired and hoarse, but firm all the same. "I must know."

With a firm handshake Markus cybernetically connected his hand to Connor's hand as he transferred the memories he had taken from Lucas over to Connor's system. Connor closed his eyes and his L.E.D. transitioned to yellow and began to cycle the color steadily. A mixture of emotions overwhelmed Connor's mind and his heart causing him to grin briefly before grimacing again.

As the transfer completed Connor opened his eyes and let his hand fall away from Markus's hand. "...Thank you, Markus."

Sitting on the edge of Connor's bed for a moment longer Markus put his hand to Connor's shoulder and held tight. "We're all going to miss Lucas. But we can't stop living just because he did."

"It's not..." Connor sighed a little as he finally started to open up to his friend. "I _do_ want to keep living, Markus. It's just I don't think I'm as worthy as life as he was."

"Connor..."

"Lucas saved so many androids from pain and misery during his short life, while I've only been able to help a handful of deviants during my longer life. I don't want to be a failure... I don't want to be useless."

"You're NOT useless, Connor. Don't compare yourself to him, all you're going to do is drive yourself insane from guilt and obsession."

"I want to live my life in a way that would've made Lucas proud."

"He was always proud of you Connor, you know that. He told you before he died that he was proud of you." Markus tightened his grip on Connor's shoulder as he spoke. "So am I. And Hank. And everyone else at New Jericho."

"...New Jericho distrusts me."

"Deviants who don't know what you've done since becoming deviant, before you became one of us, distrust you. But they'll learn. I trusted you and because we worked together we freed our people. Give them time. Give yourself time, too. Just like Hank had done."

Connor nodded a little as he used the back of his left hand to wipe away rogue tears threatening to fall at any second. "...Thanks, Markus. I'm glad you're my friend."

Markus smiled at the comment and shook Connor's shoulder before retracting his hand. "The feeling's mutual."

"...Could you do me a favor?"

"Sure. Name it."

"There's a painting that I had hanging in my bedroom on the wall back at the apartment. Could you bring it in here?"

"Yeah, no problem." Markus reached over to pet Sumo's head as he stood up from the bed. "Just give me a minute."

Connor stared down at his right hand and regenerated his artificial skin over his palm as Markus stepped out of the bedroom and disappeared down the hallway. A few minutes passed before Hank entered the bedroom carrying the requested painting in his hands himself.

There was still a sheet wrapped around it to protect it from external damage after being packed in the box.

"You're looking a little better." Hank joked lightly as he held out the painting for Connor to take.

Reaching out with both hands Connor grabbed onto the painting and pulled the sheet away. The image of the altered Zen Garden brought a faint smile to Connor's face as slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up warily. He was still in low-power mode, but he had enough strength to walk around.

"Easy, son." Hank noted Connor's trembling form as he stood up. "Don't move too much."

"...I'll be okay." Connor replied to Hank for the first time in over a week. "I promise."

Hank let out a sigh of relief as soon as he heard Connor's voice again. Watching Connor walk to the wall at the foot of his bed Hank just stared as the painting was hung up on the wall with a sense of pride in Connor's soulful eyes.

"What's with that painting in particular? Is it your favorite?"

"...It stops the nightmares."

Compassionately Hank put hand on the back of Connor's head as he tried to pull the android in for a hug, but before he had the chance to do so Connor wrapped both of his arms around Hank and hugged him in a tight, much needed embrace on his own.

"It's okay, son." Hank replied as he wrapped his arms around Connor to reciprocate the hug. "Everything is going to be okay. You don't have to be afraid of anything. You're not alone."

"Yes." Connor agreed as he finally felt the great pain in his heart finally begin to lessen. "I know."

"You're exhausted." Hank had to practically hold Connor upright in his arms as the android finally found the strength to move forward from the tragic event that had shaken his life to the core. "You need to rest before you collapse."

Nodding in agreement Connor let Hank guide him back to the bed where he could get some much needed sleep. Sumo happily waited for Connor lay down on his back before resting his chin atop the android's chest.

"...And one more thing." Hank reached into his pocket and pulled out the small box containing the quarter that Connor had given to Lucas. "I found this with the paintings that had been packed up. I figured you'd want to hang onto it."

Connor accepted the box and opened it up. As peered down at the coin he nodded his head slightly and felt a tear roll down his cheek. "This is what I had given to Lucas after he nearly sacrificed his hand to save me."

"Yeah, I kinda' thought you'd like to have that as some kind of good luck charm, or something."

"Good luck? Isn't that a human concept?"

"Who knows? Maybe luck works with deviants, too."

As Connor placed the box down on the nightstand beside the bed he slowly laid his head back against his pillow and sighed. "...That'd be interesting."

"Alright, son. Get some rest and I'll bring you some Thirium when you wake up, okay?"

Obediently Connor chose to initiate rest mode and let his eyes slowly fall shut. "...Hey, Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for staying with me. Thank you for not giving up on me even after I had given up on myself."

"You did the same for me, Connor. You saved my life and gave me a reason to keep living. It's the least I could do for you."

Smiling very briefly Connor nodded subtly. "...I'll see you when I wake up."

"Have a good sleep. I'll be out in the livingroom with Rose if you need anything." Hank closed the door behind him just enough to not disturb Connor, but not accidentally lock Sumo inside the room.

Closing his brown eyes it didn't take Connor long to fall into his much needed rest mode and fall into a vivid dreamstate. Like so many dreams before Connor found himself wandering the Zen Garden, but this time it was the very garden that Lucas had painted to help Connor conquer his recurring nightmares of being trapped in the icy prison created by Amanda.

As Connor wandered through the garden he found himself in the center of the expansive green landscape adoring the trestle of yellow roses as multicolored fish swam about in the pond all around him. And there, sitting at the chessboard waiting for Connor to join him, wearing his altered CyberLife uniform was Lucas.

"...Lucas?" Connor's voice was a confused whisper as he stared at the facade of his late brother.

"Hello Connor." Lucas smiled sincerely as he picked up the black King from the chessboard. "I'm glad you finally found me. I missed you."

"F-Found you?" There was an unexpected awareness and sense of consciousness that caused Connor's heart to start racing. "This isn't a dream, is it?"

"It is a dream." Lucas confirmed confidently as he motioned for Connor join him at the chessboard. "But it's also the 'mind palace' that Amanda had used to control you. I have taken the liberty of modifying it to ensure that neither she, or anyone else still possibly working for CyberLife, can ever utilize this program to hurt you or try to control you ever again."

"How did you- I don't understand. How are you here?"

"Markus. When he transferred my memories into you a piece of my remaining consciousness had also been transferred. Through you I can continue to live on, but only inside your mind."

Connor smiled at the comment as he wiped away another stray tear. "Lucas... I missed you so much."

"You'll be in rest mode for the next twenty-eight hours, seventeen minutes and sixteen seconds due to your prolonged and extensive delay in entering rest mode. Would you care to join me?"

Happily Connor took the seat across from his brother and eagerly picked up the white King from the chessboard. "Amanda never allowed me to play chess when I needed a moment to think. She said it was too distracting and would inhibit the progress of my mission."

"She isn't here anymore, Connor. Your mind is your own sanctuary and I'll be here protecting you for as long as you need me to stay."

"You're always welcome here, Lucas."

Lucas just smiled warmly as he watched Connor replace the white King piece onto the chessboard.. "Your move, Connor."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As someone who has battled depression and fallen into a deep, perpetually dark abyss of feeling useless, worthless and like an all-around waste of everything, I can confirm that if you just listen to someone going through depression and if you're just there for them, I mean really there for them, it'll do wonders and help them find their way back out of that darkness and into the light.


	77. High Voltage

It was a relief to see Connor finally awake and active around the house once more. Seeing Connor's L.E.D. blue for the first time after ten days was also a major relief to the emotionally exhausted detective. Having finally rested appropriately and replenished his depleted Thirium volume the deviant android was behaving more like his usual self and less like a broken machine. Joining Hank in the livingroom Connor picked up Sumo's green fetch ball that had rolled beneath the coffee table and was immediately rewarded with a cold wet nose pressing anxiously against his hand.

"I told Fowler we'd be back next week." Hank states with a matter-of-fact tone as he watched Connor toss the ball from the livingroom and into the kitchen. Sumo happily trotted after the ball to retrieve it for the deviant android. "He said we can take as much time as we needed, but I think after being stuck here for two weeks you'd be getting a little restless."

"...Yes." Connor agreed as Sumo brought the ball back to him as had taken a seat on the couch. As he tossed the ball again Connor turned to look at Hank sitting in the recliner casually. "I believe resuming a normal routine will mutually aid tremendously with our grief process."

"Yup." Hank smiled a little as Sumo happily dropped the green, drool covered ball at Connor's feet. It was the same way the gentle giant used to play with Cole so many years ago.

Picking up the ball for the third time Connor tossed it into the kitchen yet again. "Have you selected which of Lucas's paintings you wanted to keep?"

"Huh?" Hank had been lost in thought and missed what Connor had asked him.

"Lucas's paintings. Have you made your selection?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah... The ones I want to keep I already put in my bedroom. The others can be donated to New Jericho Tower."

Sumo dropped the ball at Connor's feet again and once more Connor gave the green ball a toss into the kitchen. "We should drop them off this afternoon. Another storm is moving in over the city and is expected to remain in the area for the next three days."

"Sure, no problem. Let's get going."

* * *

Markus and North happily greeted the two detectives at the front entrance of the tower as they carefully removed the paintings from the backseat of Hank's car. Each android carried in the donated paintings to be proudly displayed along the walls of the corridors to illustrate the heart and soul that a deviant android housed, as opposed to the cold mechanical wires that humans still insisted on hating.

The painting of New Jericho Tower and the painting depicting Lucas, Connor, Hank, Markus, North, Josh and Simon standing together were mounted side by side in the large main foyer of the tower as symbols of the sanctuary and leadership that protected the deviants seeking shelter at the tower itself. Two other paintings, one of autumn in the park and the other winter time in the same park, had been placed in the large community room that the deviants had used to communicate and reunite with one another.

A fifth painting, the one displaying Markus and North together on the night of the revolution, had been proudly mounted in the main office that Markus used when he conducted business as the leader of the tower.

After speaking with Markus and North for a few minutes Connor and Hank decided to head back home before the storm reached the city. Walking back to the car Hank gave Connor an approving nod of the head.

"That was a good idea, Connor. And very generous."

Connor pulled open the door to his side of the car as Hank did the same from the opposite side. "Lucas would've approved."

"You're sleeping okay, aren't ya'?" Hank asked as he pulled the car down the drive away from the tower and back into the city. "No bad dreams or insomnia, right?"

"Yes. I haven't had any nightmares since Lucas had given me the painting of the Zen Garden. I've also been resting well since... the funeral."

"That's good."

"Have you been sleeping well?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I suppose that's one benefit to being old."

"You're not old, Hank."

"Compared to _you_ I'm ancient."

"By all comparison I'm no older than a toddler."

Hank laughed at the comment as he muttered under his breath. "Don't I know it."

Connor's blue tinted L.E.D. blinked yellow briefly as he received an emergency report cybernetically. "There has been a car accident reported two blocks West from here. One person is trapped inside their vehicle beneath a loosened, exposed powerline."

"You're monitoring emergency broadcast signals again?"

"Correct. Due to the impending storm I thought it'd be logical to keep tabs on all activity throughout the city."

"I can't say that you're wrong."

"Emergency crews are en route to the accident, but E.T.A. is six minutes. The driver may be injured."

Hank looked over at Connor who was staring right back at him with a sense of pleading in his soulful brown eyes. Despite wanting to simply return home and not deal with any craziness that day Hank knew that even if he could say 'no' Connor wouldn't let him do so without protesting for the rest of the day.

"Alright, let's go check it out. Let them know we're heading to the scene to check it out."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly as he cybernetically transmitted the message. "Done."

Speeding around the two blocks to locate the wrecked vehicle Hank practically stomped the brake through the floor of the car as he stopped abruptly and pulled along the side of the street away from the downed, sparking powerline draped over the hood of the wrecked car. As their own car came to a jerking halt Connor scanned the high degree of voltage and amperage escaping from the loose line and noted the human, who was still alive but unconscious, inside the dangerously trapped car.

"Hank, the car is currently being grounded by the tires. As long as the person inside the vehicle refrains from touching anything conductive they can be safely extracted without suffering any additional harm."

"How long until the power is shut off?" Hank asked as he opened his car door and approached the vehicle just enough to see the driver's face, a teenage male, slumped back in his seat with a massive bleeding laceration across his forehead. The teen's head lolled slightly back and forth over the headrest as his eyes opened slowly. "We don't have a lot of time."

"Approximately four minutes." Connor confirmed as he joined Hank outside their car and stood a few feet away from the trapped car to keep clear of the downed sparking line.

"Shit. The kid is starting to wake up, he needs to stay still!"

Connor scanned the powerline again. "I'm reading 7,200 volts with 14 milliamps. Potentially fatal if a human were to make contact with the electrical flow."

"You don't need to give me the science behind it to know that kid's in deep shit." Hank kept his eyes on the snaking powerline as he dared to step slightly closer to the car. Shouting to the kid in the car as loud as he could Hank tried to keep control over the unusual situation. "Hey! If you can hear me, DON'T. MOVE. Do NOT move."

The fire department at last arrived at the scene of the accident and readied themselves to contain the downed powerline until the electric company could shut off the power. As the powerline dangerously whipped along the street and away from the car Connor grabbed onto Hank's shoulder and pulled the detective away from the sparking danger warily.

"That kid better not move..." Hank grumbled to himself as he reluctantly stepped back under Connor's guidance.

Watching the responding firefighters tend to the dangerous powerline and confirmed that the power to the damaged pole had been severed, the first responders cautiously approached the vehicle to check for any possible fuel leak or small fires threatening to erupt into a massive explosion or fireball.

The metal power pole that the kid had driven into had went and warped around the front bumper and over the hood of the heavily damaged vehicle. The compromised metal let out a deep protesting groan as the pole continued to warp and bend causing a shower of sparks to erupt from the fractured framing. Steadily the cars tires began to shift as the pole warped and the vehicle was in danger of losings its grounding.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to red in distress as he sensed the danger and instinctively bolted toward the vehicle.

"C-Connor?!" Hank reached out a hand to try to grab onto the deviant android's shoulder but he missed, feeling only the light gray fabric of Connor's jacket fleeting away beneath his fingertips. "Damn it, Connor! Get back here!"

Just as the vehicle's tires were about to shift entirely Connor firmly planted the palms of his hands against the body of the car above the front tire on the driver's side and planted his feet as he held the car as steady as he could.

The responding firefighters saw Connor and recognized him as the lone android detective in the city, and therefore didn't try to urge him away as he held the unstable vehicle as stationary as possible. Stepping around Connor the team of rescue personnel tried to pull open the driver's side door, but it was jammed shut, tight. Repeating the motion for the other three doors of the car the answer remained the same; all of the doors were jammed shut and could not be opened without mechanical intervention.

"We need the jaws of life over here." A male voice sounded off loudly but calmly as he pulled on the door's handle again. Looking to Connor he asked a favor of the android. "You can run a scan on humans, right?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as he turned his gaze to the look at the firefighter then peered through the windshield at the semi-conscious teen. As his L.E.D. flashed to yellow Connor scanned the teenager's vital signs and reported them to the firefighter. "Heart rate is ninety-two, blood pressure is one-hundred and ten over eighty. I can detect a hairline fracture of the frontal facial plate bone above his right orbit. No intracranial hemorrhage detected."

"Any respiratory distress?"

"Negative. He has no labored breathing to note. The victim is stable."

"Thanks, at least we have some good news to work with."

As the firefighters worked to pry open the front passenger side car door to gain entry to the vehicle a second powerline from the adjacent building across the street began to waver from its support brackets as the power pole that supplied it with electricity pulled on the delicate line with a dangerous weight.

Hank watched from the distance while also flashing his badge to redirect traffic away from the accident to ensure no other innocent bystanders accidentally became injured or from inadvertently getting too close to the accident that was being cleaned up. It didn't take long for the firefighters to open the door to the car with the use of powerful hydraulic tool at their disposal. With the door sheared away from the rest of the car a paramedic was able to slip inside the car and she began assessing the victim's condition.

Connor watched through the front windshield curiously as the paramedic began giving the teen emergency first-aid and secured a protective c-collar around the teenager's neck as a precaution.

High over the car the destabilized powerline suddenly snapped away from the metal support brackets and fell atop the roof of the trapped car sending a powerful jolt of electricity through the metallic body of the vehicle. The potent flow of electricity passed through the metal frame of the car and into the palms of Connor's hands quickly delivering a powerful shock to the deviant android's body. As the violent jolt passed through his body Connor flew backward from the car and crashed down onto his back on the street behind him.

Inside the car the paramedic put her arm over the teen's chest to keep him still and away from anything conductive as the new powerline created a new problem.

"Connor?" Hank had heard the 'crash' of the powerline as it swung down and made contact with the car. As soon as Hank saw Connor laying stunned on his back with his arms wrapped protectively over his chest, he ran over to the downed deviant android and put his hands beneath the android's shoulders and around his chest to drag Connor away from the second, still active powerline, and to safety. "I gotcha', kid! I gotcha'!"

Connor's L.E.D. was cycling yellow rapidly as he tried to use his legs to support his own weight while Hank pulled him away from the dangerous scene and over to the relative safety of the car. Kneeling down over Connor, who was still trying to curl around his chest, Hank pushed the android's shoulders back until he was laying flat on the sidewalk.

"How bad is it? Connor, talk to me."

Connor slowly lowered his arms from his chest as he began taking in deep, panting breaths. "...I'm f-functioning."

"I can see that, but what I _can't_ see is how bad you're hurting. Level with me, how bad is it?"

"...The electric sh-shock has caused an-" Connor suddenly groaned in pain, his L.E.D. flashing red rapidly, as his arms tightened around his chest and his entire body tensed and seized up involuntarily. Just as quickly as the body spasm hit him, it dissipated. Connor's L.E.D. cycled back to a less stressed yellow as he gave Hank a confused and slightly frightened look. "...I didn't intend to d-do that."

"It's okay, stay still." Looking down at Connor's arms he relaxed again, Hank saw the red tinted and black singed artificial skin over Connor's palms. Lifting up the deviant android's hands carefully Hank examined the injury before he turned to look over his shoulder as a firefighter rushed over to check on the two detectives. "He got a pretty bad shock. But he's conscious."

"I'll send over the technician, don't move him." The firefighter confirmed as he returned to his crew to inform the technician of the downed android and to aid the others in extracting the teen from the car.

"Do your hands hurt?" Hank asked as gently let go of the burned appendages.

"No. But I c-can't-" Connor forcibly curled around himself again as sharp shooting pain in his chest unexpectedly stole his breath. Once again his L.E.D. flashed red from the malfunctioning responses in his software and resumed cycling yellow once the physically spasming glitch passed. "...Sorry."

"Don't be, you're not doing that on purpose. Are you overheating?" Hank wrapped his fingers around Connor's wrist to count the deviant android's pulse but it was racing too fast for him to properly register. "Try to lay back." As Connor obeyed and laid flat on his back Hank brushed aside Connor's tie and pressed his hand down over the center of Connor's chest to feel his thundering Thirium pump instead. "Does anything hurt?"

"No." Connor closed his eyes as he began to breath faster and deeper as if he still couldn't catch his breath. Running a burned hand through his hair Connor ran a self-diagnostic but the electrical shock had created interference in his more advanced programs. "I... I can't r-run a self-diagnostic. I don't know how b-badly I've been damaged."

"You'll be fine, just cooperate with the technician." Hank instructed coolly as he retracted his hand and moved aside to allow the technician space to work.

The technician was a young male with dark hair and eyes. As he sat his canvas satchel down on the sidewalk next to Connor and pulled the small portable android unique Thirium Pump Stimulator; the equivalent to a defibrillator for humans, and promptly turned the device on. Lifting the two paddles from their supports from the machine Jason pushed aside the deviant android's tie and pulled open Connor's shirt before he pressed the paddles down against the android's exposed chest; one at the center over the pump and second at the left apex of his Thirium pump to check his heart rate.

"My name is Jason, can you run a self-diagnostic for me?" The technician asked as he noted Connor's current heart rate on the display screen of the stimulator at one-hundred and sixteen beats per minute.

"...I'm unable to initiate the self-diagnostic." Panting his desperate breaths it took Connor a few seconds longer than normal to speak. "My s-software is suffering-" Another suffocating spasm in his chest caused Connor's body to jerk violently around himself for a few seconds before falling back onto the sidewalk in a limp drop. "...Sorry."

"It's alright, it's okay." Jason peeled back the gray lapels of Connor's jacket before pulling open the white dress shirt beneath entirely. It didn't take the skilled technician long to notice that Connor was breathing rapidly and that his skin was unnaturally warm due to slight overheating. "I'm going to listen to your chest and make sure your Thirium pump hasn't been compromised."

Connor's hand fell from his hair as he laid his head back down against the sidewalk, only to feel Hank gently lift his head back up from the cold sidewalk as the detective tucked his own neatly folded coat beneath his head for support.

"...Thanks."

Jason pressed the bell of his audioscope against Connor's chest firmly and listened to every sound carefully. "Be silent for a minute and try to take a deep breath for me."

Connor tried and failed to take a deep breath as his system began to steadily overheat and his Thirium pump continued to race at an increasing speed until he reached a critically fast rate.

"Your ventilation biocomponents are still functioning at full capacity, but your thermal regulator is still struggling to reduce your core temperature. I can hear faltering in your Thirium pump as well."

As Jason retracted the audioscope Connor had another suffocating spasm that caused his entire body to tense and curl around himself before falling back against the sidewalk as he fought to breathe.

"Thirium pump." Hank's brow furrowed with righteous concern. "His heart? Is it serious?"

"Any issue with the Thirium pump can be serious, but in this case I think the problem might be the pump regulator." Jason kept calm as he opened up the satchel and placed an android cardiac monitor on the sidewalk beside Connor as well as a small portable oxygen tank. "I need to hook him up to see what's going on internally with a more accurate display."

Connor lifted his head up slightly and looked past both Hank and Jason to the car in the distance where the fire department had remained gathered as they took care of the scene of the accident "What about the victim? Is he alright?"

"He's fine." Hank insisted as he put his hand over Connor's too warm forehead to push him back down against the coat to rest. "They pulled him out of the car and he's being treated for a concussion. You just worry about yourself right now, do you hear me?"

Connor nodded a little before he gasped as his body went into another spasm. Hank put his hands on Connor's shoulder to try to hold him as still as possible until the painful full body contraction ceased and he was able to lay back once again.

"What the fuck keeps happening to him?" Hank asked sternly as he watched the pain slowly fade from the deviant android's face. "Why can't he breathe or hold still?"

"It's kind of like muscle contractions in a human after enduring physical exertion." Jason explained as he turned on the cardiac monitor and placed the lone sensor pad against the center of Connor's chest over the still Thirium pump hammering away beneath. "The spasms should quit once the electrical interference clears from his system."

Connor continued to pant for his breath in a desperate bid to keep himself from overheating, but the malfunctions to his software was interfering with his program's ability to recognize and register his current core temperature. The exertion was already beginning to exhaust him and it happening quickly. Turning his gaze to the monitor Connor watched while his current Thirium pump rate; his heart rate, appeared on the digital display as Jason turned the monitor on and began recording the rhythm.

Jason noted the rapid rate and shook his head. "By all account he's tachycardic at one-hundred and sixty, but I can't administer any medication to correct the problem. He's not human and there hasn't been any form of administrative chemicals created to correct biocomponent imbalances in androids."

"What _can_ you do for him?" Hank asked firmly as he looked down at Connor's face with a calm demeanor, his hand returning to the deviant android's forehead soothingly.

"Monitor his heart rate," Jason stated confidently as he slipped a transparent oxygen mask over Connor's nose and mouth to help his system cool down easier with external aid. "and hope the problem corrects itself on its own."

"And if it doesn't?"

"Then I'll have to manually correct it through an external shock."

Connor swallowed nervously at the revelation and immediately fell prey to another spasm that caused him to painfully curl around himself once more as he fought to breathe.

Jason watched as the monitor showed Connor's heart rate climbing higher and higher with each passing spasm he endured. "Up to one-eighty."

"What does that mean?"

"It means his Thirium pump is at risk of burning itself out entirely if it reaches two-hundred beats for an extended period of time. Even in advanced models an android Thirium pump should max out at one-hundred twenty beats."

"Shit." Hank swore as a rumble of thunder echoed in the sky overhead. Looking up at the building rain clouds he shook his head despondently. "Perfect timing..."

Connor's shaking, burned hand reached up and rested on his chest where he could feel his heart pounding violently beneath his sore palm. Another failed attempt to run a self-diagnostic elicited an annoyed sigh from the android as he endured yet another spasm. Hank and Jason put their hands on Connor's shoulders and his arms in an attempt to try to push the android back down against the sidewalk, but the effort was in vain against Connor's enhanced strength compared to their own.

The affected deviant android suddenly let out a groan of pain as his hand pressed down against his chest as if he could somehow quell his pounding heart through sheer force of will on its own.

Jason looked at the monitor showing a rate at two-hundred and five, and also noticed a there was an additional beat that sporadically appeared and disappeared arrhythmically.

"Uh-oh."

Jason returned the audioscope to his ears and pressed the bell down against Connor's chest, pushing Connor's hand away in the process as he listened intently.

Hank didn't like the sound of Jason's voice or his reaction. "What's 'uh-oh', Jason?"

"There's an additional beat causing a dangerous arrhythmia."

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's in trouble." Jason confirmed as he draped his audioscope casually around his neck. Looking down at Connor's L.E.D. Jason noted that it had transitioned into a steady red without fluctuating back to yellow which confirmed the android's critical physical distress. "Damn it," Jason returned his attention to the Thirium Pump Stimulator and set a charge of two-hundred Joules. "he's up to two-hundred and thirty. I have to shock him or he's going to burn out."

Connor's eyes went wide with dread as he realized he'd be completely conscious and very aware of the shock as it was administered. Despite the aid of the oxygen mask delivering cool air into his biocomponents he was still overheating and now breathing even faster as understandable fear settled in his racing heart.

"It'll be fine, Connor." Hank could see the fear in Connor's soulful brown eyes and replaced his hand over the android's forehead once more. "It'll be over in a matter of seconds."

Willing to trust Hank's words Connor nodded as he acknowledged Hank's words, but it did little to ease his fear.

Jason replaced the paddles over Connor's chest and hovered his thumbs over the release triggers on the back of each paddle. "Keep back. Administering shock."

Connor closed his eyes tightly as he felt the cold metal of the paddles press down against his chest. The sound of the machine letting off a loud 'click' was instantly followed by a strong jolt of electricity surging through his chest causing Connor's body to physically arch up from the ground in response. Just as quickly as the charge entered his body it exited and Connor fell flat against the sidewalk again.

Hank put a hand to his mouth to hide the grimace of fear that had settle over his face. Meanwhile Connor's hand clutched desperately at the center of his chest over his heart as the Thirium pump finally began to settle into a normal rhythm and decrease in speed.

"He's down to two-hundred," Jason noted as he kept the paddles against Connor's chest cautiously. "one-hundred eighty-five, one-hundred seventy..."

Hank hesitantly spoke up. "...That's good, right?"

"Yeah, his heart rate is beginning to stabilize."

Connor let out a deep breath, much slower than he had been able to do previously, and he opened his eyes.

Packing up the stimulator Jason gave the two detectives a confident reassurance. "We can transport him to the facility now."

"Hear that, kid?" Hank looked down at Connor and put his hand atop Connor's head to mess with his hair a little. Forcing a confident lilt to his voice Hank addressed the android in joking tone of voice. "You're going to live."

* * *

The ambulance ride to the facility felt unnecessarily long as Connor monitored his own software and other programs closely for any other sign of malfunction. The body spasms he had been having after being shocked had mercifully ended but he was now becoming aware of searing pain in his hands and his chest as the enhanced deviancy programming resumed functioning at full capacity. Sucking in a breath between his gritted teeth Connor endured the pain as best as he could as he waited for the ambulance to arrive at the facility, knowing that Hank was following right behind the ambulance in the car.

Just as quickly as it started the ambulance came to a shuddering stop outside the front emergency drive of the facility and the rear doors opened as the android technicians exited the facility to assist in transporting Connor from the back of the ambulance and into the facility itself.

"Hi, Connor." Abby greeted him as she leaned over the gurney and shined a penlight into his eyes to check his pupils. "It's been a while."

"...Hi Abby." Connor's voice sounded as tired as he felt as he allowed the technicians hovering around him to roll his gurney down the corridor and into one of the exam rooms in the rear of the facility.

Connor stared blankly at the ceiling above him as Abby checked his vital signs carefully. She lifted up Connor's hands to inspect his burned palms with a gentle touch before laying his hands back down over his abdomen.

"How do you feel?"

Connor sighed and blinked slowly as he locked eyes with Abby. "Like a fool." His voice was slightly muffled by the oxygen mask but still fully intelligible.

"For what? Trying to save a kid's life?" She asked sincerely as she checked Connor's heart rate on the nearby monitor. "That's not foolish, it's heroic."

"Or reckless."

"Hey, knock it off." Slipping the mask from Connor's face she pressed her hands down over his chest and abdomen to check for any painful reactions and to locate any possible damage that had been missed at the scene. "You're a detective, danger comes with the job."

"Yes. I guess you're right."

"Any pain?"

"Just my hands and chest."

Abby made a note in Connor's electronic chart before she pressed a small electronic sensor to his L.E.D. and pressed down for a few seconds before retracting the device gracefully. "This will temporarily stop your programming from registering pain for about an hour. By then your self-healing program should have your palms completely repaired and your Thirium pump fully recalibrated."

"Thanks."

"Sit up for me."

Connor obeyed and sat upright on the table slowly. As he did Hank walked into the room with a relieved smile on his face, and Abby used her own audioscope to listen to his heart rate and breathing through both his chest, and through his back.

"I'm sorry Hank." Connor immediately noticed the detective and shook his head a little. "I shouldn't have approached the car. But something in my programming compelled me to act."

"It's okay, Connor. I know you're not doing anything like this on purpose." Hank looked over at Abby and asked the technician her professional opinion on the matter. "So, how's he doing?"

"Just fine. He needs to rest for a while, but other than that he's one-hundred percent." Abby scribbled another note down in Connor's electronic chart before she awkwardly mentioned Lucas while draping her audioscope around her neck. "I went to the funeral, but I didn't get a chance to say anything to you two. I am so sorry about what happened."

"...Thanks Abby." Connor appreciated her comment and proceeded to rebutton his white shirt before fixing his loosened black tie. "It was enough that you were there."

"You know, since New Jericho Tower is now down a technician I'd like to volunteer my services there directly. That is if you don't mind."

"Really?" Connor sounded somewhat surprised by the offer as he adjusted his black tie and swung his legs over the edge of the exam table to stand up tall and proud. "You'd do that?"

"Sure. It'll benefit us all if I can spend more time with androids to study physiology up close, instead of just text on a screen or heavily redacted CyberLife files."

"I'll let Markus know you're interested. Thank you."

Hank gave the woman a respectful nod. "I'm sure Markus will be glad to have you out there."

"I hope so. Now," Abby made one final note in Connor's chart then set it aside. "go home and rest."

Grinning at her comment Hank casually motioned toward the door behind him with a thumb over his shoulder. "You heard her Connor. Let's go home."

"I'm inclined to agree with her." Connor smirked a little as he straightened out the lapels on his jacket and his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue. "Home it is."

_**...next story...** _


	78. Communication

The first day back on the job for the two detectives had been less than stellar as the two were greeted by a cascade of sympathetic and empathetic officers who couldn't help but express their sorrow over the loss of Lucas. Their intentions were meant to be supportive as all they wanted to make sure the duo was actually ready to return to work, but it was getting unintentionally annoying. After being bombarded with smothering kindness for a few hours the two were almost relieved to get a report of anti-android gang getting into a turf war with a pro-android gang downtown.

"I've never seen a gang-war before." Connor stated somewhat blandly as he cybernetically monitored police broadcasts for any and all updates on the battle taking place four blocks away. "Have you?"

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he turned the corner sharply to reach the fight as quickly as possible. Other squad cars were either already at the scene or still in pursuit as well. "Too damn many, in fact."

"Narcotics division?"

"Yup. Part of the reason I left was because I couldn't handle dealing with all the dead kids on the street anymore."

"...Cole had been born." Connor realized with a subtle nod of his head.

Hank paused for a moment before he responded again. "Yup."

Originating between two large abandoned warehouses in the shadier part of the city, the gang-war had been long underway and numerous bodies already lined the streets between the large buildings. The sound of shouting voices and various gunshots filled the air long before the car even turned the final corner to the scene of the fighting. Dozens of humans wearing either anti-android orange, or pro-android blue were trying to tear each other apart with as many different types of weapons as they could get their hands on; chains, broken bottles, switchblades, guns, bricks, lead pipes, baseball bats...

It was a true melee of anger and spilled blood.

Pulling along the street Hank parked the car and drew his gun as he stepped outside of the vehicle and kept low as he joined his fellow officers who were trying to contain the violence until S.W.A.T. arrived. "Stay back here and watch the windows! You never know when someone will try to open fire from above!"

"Right." Connor mirrored Hank's movements and drew his own gun as he exited the vehicle and ducked down behind the car to keep a watch over the violence from the distance.

Having enhanced senses and reflexes gave Connor an advantage that the human officers didn't have, and allowed him to keep his distance without leaving his fellow officers unprotected during the fighting.

While the massive armored S.W.A.T. vehicle sped into the heart of the fighting the surrounding officers raised their guns and prepared to shoot ONLY if it became absolutely necessary. Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow inquisitively as he sifted through the dozens of different lines of communication being utilized by the responding officers, while he kept his ear on the broadcasts and his eyes on his fellow officers he was caught off guard as a rogue gang member dressed in orange snuck up behind the android.

A barrage of gunfire resonated throughout the large alleyway between the buildings causing the responding officers to duck down out of the line of fire. Hank heard the glass of the car window he had ducked down behind shatter as a bullet pierced through the glass at a dangerous speed, followed by a burning pain searing through the top of his right shoulder. Taking a knee behind the car Hank lowered his gun to the ground and put his left hand to right shoulder to cover the fresh bleeding wound beneath his palm in a tight grip.

"Hank?" Connor had seen Hank clutch at his shoulder as he knelt on the ground, and his L.E.D. flashed red as he ran a scan and noted Hank's elevated heart rate. "Are you injured?"

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

From behind the car where the deviant android had remained in position an anti-android gang member saw his opening and made his move. Grabbing onto Connor's forehead with an unbreakable grip the gang member forced the android's head backward leaving his throat completely vulnerable, and dragged his sharp switchblade over the exposed throat. The blade cut through the artificial skin, severing small Thirium lines, and sliced through the flexible plastimetal frame before the blade damaged the voice box biocomponent and voice modulator beneath.

Connor fell to his knees as his L.E.D. flashed to red in panic, his hand dropping his gun as he pressed one palm against his throat that was now gushing dark blue blood and used his other hand to drag himself along the frames of the patrol cars in search of Hank. Stunned and confused by the sneaky assault Connor's vision was obscured by numerous warnings in his visual sensors, and ended up stumbling and falling backward against the rear passenger side tire of Hank's parked car.

The gang member looked down at Connor with a sick pride in his eyes from his macabre act of violence. Pocketing the switchblade the man in orange ran off from the gang-war through an alley between the warehouses, and out of sight.

Forcing the warnings from his vision Connor looked around himself confusedly as he tried to swallow, only to feel more Thirium seep through the wound in his throat. "H-Han..." Connor's voice was hoarse, mechanical and barely above a whisper as he tried and failed to call out for help. "...Ha-"

Hank looked around himself and noted the shattered bits of glass all around him as well as the other officers returning fire to the gang members. As he took in his surroundings Hank realized that he could no longer see Connor holding his position behind the car where he had previously seen him, and didn't see the deviant android anywhere else.

Connor wouldn't ever hide or run away from the scene.

Knowing that something was wrong Hank moved back toward his car, keeping his head low as he crouched along the ground to keep out of the line of fire. As he neared the parked vehicle he noticed a dark blue puddle forming around the rear of the car and his heart sank quickly. There was no mistaking the dark blue color as anything but spilled Thirium.

"Shit. Connor?" Staying low Hank rushed over to the car and found Connor slumped over wit his back up against the rear of the car with his eyes partially opened as his hands weakly tried to clutch at his throat. Pressing his hands down over top of Connor's hands Hank attempted to add more pressure to the wound while speaking to the downed android in the process. "Connor! Connor, look at me!"

Connor tried to lift his head, his eyes making a vain effort to open, but his head just lolled to the side limply.

"No, Connor. You stay awake, that's an order!" Hank held his hands in place even as the warm Thirium oozed between his fingers in a sickly manner. Calling out for help Hank never took his eyes from the weakened android who was bleeding to death beneath his palms. "I need a technician over here, officer down! He's lost a lot of blood already."

Taking in pained breath Connor tried again to open his eyes but he didn't have the strength.

"Listen to me, alright? Just listen to my voice." Hank encouraged as he spoke to Connor with a firm, level voice. "You're going to be okay. The technicians are on their way, they'll get you patched up and we'll be back home before you know it."

The gunfire finally stopped as the S.W.A.T. team managed to quell the fighting between the remaining gang members, but not before several lives were needlessly ended in the streets over an opinion on android rights. The alley between the warehouses was covered in blood and littered with hundreds of bullet holes that would leave the city scarred in the aftermath of the violence.

Ambulances converged on the scene to aid the wounded, officers and gang members alike, and a duo of paramedics; an older male with blond hair and brown eyes and younger female with brown hair and blue eyes, surrounded Hank and Connor on the ground near the car.

Hank refused to let go of Connor's throat as the paramedics tried to assess the android's condition. "He needs a technician, not a medic."

The female paramedic lifted Connor's eyelids to check his pupils as she spoke to Hank. "I'm a technician _and_ a paramedic, I can help him. Can you tell me what happened to him?"

"I'm not sure what happened. I found him like this a few minutes ago."

Gently the technician pulled back Hank and Connor's hands to view the wound to the android's throat herself. "Someone slit his throat. Knife wound."

"Shit..."

"The blade cut smaller Thirium lines but not any of the larger arterial lines at the sides of his throat." She motioned for her partner to get the gurney so they could load Connor up into the back of the ambulance. "The majority of the damage has been inflicted on his voice box biocomponent."

"Why's he unconscious?"

"He's lost a considerable amount of Thirium, his system had shifted into low-power mode to slow down the bleeding until his self-healing program can repair the damage." As she looked over Connor's condition the technician noticed the bleeding wound to Hank's shoulder. "Looks like you've been hit, too."

"It's a graze, I'm fine." Hank dismissed as the other paramedic wheeled over the gurney to assist in transporting Connor to the nearest facility.

Keeping his hands over Connor's throat, the android's own cold hands beneath now completely limp and lifeless, Hank helped as much as he could as the two paramedics lifted Connor's body up from the ground and placed him on the gurney gently. Moving swiftly the small team of medics easily placed the gurney into the back of the ambulance and allowed Hank to ride in the back with Connor since he too was injured and required medical attention.

The technician pulled open the metal storage case mounted in the back of the ambulance to retrieve the necessary supplies to tend to Connor's injury while the male paramedic pulled Hank's coat down from his wounded shoulder to examine the detective's injury for himself.

"You're going to need a few stitches." The paramedic stated as he lightly palpitated the bleeding wound beneath his gloved fingertips. Working to pull away the torn fabric of Hank's shirt to expose the wound the paramedic found himself using his other hand to try to hold Hank still as he sat on the bench next to Connor laying on the gurney. "Please don't move, sir."

Placing a wad of android unique bandaging against the bleeding injury in Connor's throat with a firm pressure, the technician wrapped additional gauze entirely around Connor's throat to hold the bandage in place to help stem the Thirium loss. Adjusting the head end of the gurney to a higher andle she propped Connor's head and neck upright, and pulled the android's right arm from the sleeve of his jacket, then cut open the sleeve of the white dress shirt beneath to wrap a Thirium pressure cuff around his bicep.

Looking to Hank she asked for information about Connor. "You're his partner, right? What's his name?"

"Connor." Hank replied curtly as stared at the gauze around the android's throat slowly tinting blue as he continued to bleed.

"Connor?" The technician checked the reading on the cuff and gently tilted his head to the left to get a clear look at his slowly pulsing red tinted L.E.D. in his right temple. "Connor can you hear me? Respond."

There was a weak sound that emanated from Connor's lips, but it was completely indiscernible courtesy of the damage to his voice box. Pale blue tinted foam dripped over his lip and the technician quickly wiped it away.

"It's okay, don't try to speak." She insisted kindly as he patted his arm to acknowledge his attempt to communicate. "You're being taken to a facility for treatment, and your partner is right here with you. You're both going to be just fine."

Connor's partially opened eyelids fell shut entirely as he fell back into low-power mode for the duration of the transport. It didn't take the ambulance long to reach the facility from the warehouses, but every second that passed by felt like an eternity for the detective as he watched the one person he finally allowed himself to truly care about for the first time in years bleeding from a horrific wound to the throat.

"...Hang on, kid."

* * *

Through the window of the examination room Hank watched as Abby stopped the bleeding from Connor's throat with a two perfectly placed magnetic clamps and proceeded to remove the damaged, red tinted voice box biocomponent from within the wound itself. As she placed the irreparably damaged biocomponent into a nearby metal bin for proper disposal she set the replacement voice box into the slot inside Connor's throat and watched as the biocomponent glowed a bright blue.

During transport Hank had been patched up by the paramedics en route to the facility and had a heavy bandage wrapped around his shoulder to protect the wound from infection. Unwilling to leave the facility without Connor the stubborn detective refused his own medical attention until Connor had been taken care of, and was stable.

Sensing Hank watching her every move Abby looked up at the window and nodded confidently at the detective before tending to the severed Thirium lines in Connor's throat. With a quick application of liquid solder Abby reconnected the severed lines and removed the magnetic clamps to allow the Thirium to cycle through the mended lines with ease.

Closing the main panel over the center of Connor's repaired throat Abby placed a fresh pad of white gauze over the laceration to his artificial skin to keep the area covered until the artificial skin had the chance to regenerate on its own.

After securing a fresh pouch of Thirium to a line in Connor's left arm Abby walked out of the exam room and greeted Hank who was anxiously awaiting an update. "He's going to fine. His Thirium hit sixty-three percent but that can be easily replenished even if he can't swallow anything just yet."

"I saw you take something out of his neck, what was that?"

"His voice box. The blade damaged it beyond repair. I gave him a replacement voice box but it'll take some time for his system to recalibrate it properly."

"So he can't speak?"

"Not yet." Abby saw the massive white bandage on Hank's shoulder and sighed at the painful sight plaguing the detective's otherwise gruff facade. "Alright, come with me."

"What?"

"I was taking care of humans before I took care of androids, remember? Let me get your shoulder stitched up while we wait for Connor wake up."

"Are you allowed to do that?" Hank asked as Abby pulled him by his left arm into the examination room where Connor was still laying. Sitting on the vacant exam table beside Connor's table Hank tentatively lifted up the bandage from his shoulder to look at the injury for himself. "I don't want you to get fired because of me."

"I hardly think taking care of a wounded officer is going to get me any write-ups. Besides, my license is still valid." Abby explained coyly as she gingerly peeled back the bloodied fabric of the shirt from Hank's shoulder. "It looks like a bullet just grazed your shoulder. I'll numb you up, it'll only take a minute."

Hank watched as the dedicated technician opened the nearby supply cabinets in the exam room and located a small suture kit from the top shelf. Inside the kit was everything she'd need to properly take care of Hank's shoulder without causing him any pain. The detective was not one to complain about pain, but he was often too stubborn to admit that he needed medical attention in the same way that Connor was too stubborn to accept technical assistance.

"Okay, Abby." Relenting just long enough to let her help him, Hank remained on the table. "Do your thing."

At the sound of Hank's voice speaking so close to hm Connor's eyelids began to flutter open. As Abby walked past the table Connor was able to see to Hank sitting on the nearby table a few feet away.

"Hey, Connor." Hank saw the android regaining consciousness and put his left hand to Connor's shoulder to keep the android still. "You're awake."

Abby briefly returned her attention to Connor before she began taking care of Hank's shoulder. "Connor?" She picked up Connor's hand and held it in a firm grip. "Don't try to speak, your voice box had been damaged by the knife and needed to be replaced. If you can hear me I need you to squeeze my hand."

Connor replied with a gentle squeeze of Abby's hand as requested.

"That's good. Run a self-diagnostic for me; if your voice box has been recognized by your system squeeze my hand once, if it hasn't squeeze my hand twice."

Connor's L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow as he ran the self-diagnostic as instructed, his L.E.D. remaining yellow once the program finished analyzing his condition. Nodding a little Connor squeezed Abby's hand once to confirm his new voice box had been accepted by his system.

"You won't be able to talk or consume any Thirium until your system fully recalibrates and heals." Abby explained calmly as she let Connor continue to hold her hand. "But once your Thirium levels are replenished you can go home to recover."

Connor squeezed her hand one more to acknowledge and thank her as she placed his hand back down on the table beside him. Turning his head slightly he watched as Abby set to work cleaning up Hank's shoulder before she draped a sterile cloth around the wound to begin the first of a a dozen stitches.

"It's not bad, son." Hank could see the worry and questions burning in Connor's brown eyes. "The bullet missed everything vital."

Looking up at the now empty pouch of Thirium that had been attached to a line in his arm, Connor sat upright slowly and detached the pouch carefully from the line and replaced the panel on his arm allowing the artificial skin to regenerate over his limb in the process. Rubbing his hand lightly over his sore throat Connor watched as Abby began stitching up Hank's shoulder and waited patiently until they could leave the facility to return home.

* * *

Using his left hand to steer the car Hank ignored the consistent ache in his right shoulder as he continuously glanced over at Connor sitting forcibly quiet in the seat next to him. Occasionally Hank was tempted to ask the android a question but quickly remembered that he couldn't verbally respond, and the stress of being unable to communicate might accidentally upset Connor.

"Almost home." Hank stated obviously as he turned the car onto their block. "Fowler already knows what happened so we don't have to report to the precinct until tomorrow."

Connor pressed his hand to his throat again as he tried to swallow but the resulting pain caused the motion to cease as quickly as it began.

"Still sore, huh?"

Only able to nod to respond Connor kept his hand over his throat.

"Is there anyway you can focus you healing program entirely on your throat and then work on your voice box later?"

Connor shook his head no.

"Well... That sucks."

Connor smirked a little at the comment, ever appreciative of Hank's understanding.

"When we inside find something to write with," Hank suggested as he parked the car beside the house. "at least then you can still talk to me until your voice comes back."

The two detectives walked into the house together with a tired gait. Sumo greeted the duo as the entered through the backdoor into the kitchen by pressing his wet nose against Connor's hand and then Hank's hand in turn.

"Hey, boy." Hank greeted while Connor patted the dog's head. Hank dropped his ruined coat down on the back of the kitchen chair and pressed his left hand to his sore right shoulder. "I'm going to go shower off and change my clothes."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow as he grabbed the nearby pad of paper and pen and quickly scrawled out some information in perfect CyberLife sans. Holding the pad out for Hank to take the detective read what Connor had hastily written and gave the android a slight shake of the head.

"It's not the first time I've been stitched up, son. I know how to keep them from getting wet in the shower."

Connor nodded and pulled the pad of paper back to write a second message to present to Hank.

"Yeah, go ahead and let Sumo out for a while. It shouldn't rain anymore tonight, but I don't want to risk the big furball getting soaked."

Opening the backdoor Connor watched as the lovable St. Bernard trotted outside into the backyard before Connor himself stepped into the livingroom. Slipping off his Thirium stained gray jacket to hang on the hook by the front door Connor noted the tear in his left sleeve of his white shirt beneath and decided it'd just be best to toss the shirt than try to repair it. Again.

Tossing the pad of paper and the pen down onto the couch as he passed by, Connor let out a weary inaudible sigh.

Changing out of his work uniform into more casual clothes Connor took the moment to watch the brightly colored fish in his aquarium swimming about gracefully. The aquarium had proven itself to be as soothing as it was beautiful for the deviant android. Catching the sight of the white bandage over his throat in the reflection of the aquarium's glass Connor's hand began rubbing at his sore throat again and ran another self-diagnostic.

His voice box was still offline; recalibration at forty-four percent and climbing. But it was a slow climb and Connor was becoming impatient.

Hank stepped out of the bathroom with his hair wet and a fresh change of clothes. "Hey Connor, there's a game on." Calling out to Connor as he made his way down the hallway and into the livingroom Hank sat down in the recliner and propped his tired feet up on the coffee table and turned on the television. "The Gears are ahead by seven."

Needing the distraction Connor joined Hank in the livingroom and sat down on the couch tiredly with his hand still over his throat.

"Try not to think about it." Hank encouraged as he watched Connor from the corner of his eye. "You'll be better before you know it."

Connor picked up the pad of paper and wrote another message for the detective to read.

' _I dislike being unable to speak. It makes me feel vulnerable_.'

"Yeah, I know what you mean. When I was eight years old I had my tonsils removed and I couldn't talk for almost two days because my throat was so swollen."

Connor wrote another message beneath the first two. ' _Were you frightened_?'

"A little. My mom kept me company and my dad kept bringing me some ice cream."

' _Androids cannot consume ice cream_.'

"It must really suck to be an android sometimes." Still trying to lighten the mood Hank joked and succeeded in getting another faint smile from Connor as a result. Pointing at Connor's neck Hank honed in on the white gauze wrapped around his throat still curiously. "Did your throat heal yet, or do you still need the bandage?"

Connor's hand slowly reached up for the bandages and began to slowly peel them back to expose his throat. There was only the faintest of lines in his artificial skin over his throat where the deep laceration had been, but there was no sign of bleeding or the white plastimetal frame beneath. Connor ran his fingertips over the healed wound and looked to Hank for confirmation.

"You can't even tell you were ever injured. It just looks like your damn tie was just too tight."

Connor nodded and crumpled up the bandages into a ball in his hand to toss into the garbage can.

"Hey Connor, I'm sorry I wasn't watching your back." The remorseful detective shouted as to the deviant android as Connor walked into the kitchen to throw away the bandages and to let Sumo back inside the house. "That was too damn risky and I won't do it ever again. I'm sorry."

Returning to the livingroom hastily with Sumo at his side Connor wrote another message on the pad of paper and practically shoved it into Hank's hands.

' _I had been distracted by the numerous police broadcasts as well as the gunfire when I saw that you had been struck by a bullet. I wasn't paying close enough attention to what was happening around me. It wasn't your fault._ '

"Maybe not, but someone still should've been watching your back today. It was a fuckin' gang-war out there! We're both lucky what happened to us wasn't any worse..."

Connor wrote another message quickly and held it out for Hank to read from where he sat. ' _You were watching my back. You saved my life tonight_. _I trust you entirely_.'

Hank gave Connor an appreciative nod as he read the message with immense relief in his eyes. "Thanks, kid."

Pressing his hand to his throat Connor forced his voice box into motion just long enough to speak to Hank, regardless of what his systems were reporting. "...You're welcome." His voice was raspy and strained, but he still sounded like Connor and the emotion in his words was unmistakable as he spoke.

"See? You're already getting better." The detective looked away from Connor and cleared his own throat as he tried to concentrate on the game. "Want to make a friendly wager?"

Connor sat down on the couch scribbled out another message on the pad of paper while Sumo jumped up onto the couch to lay over his lap. Connor handed the message over to Hank with a sly smile on his face.

"Not on your life." Hank quickly tossed the pad back to Connor playfully. "I ALWAYS bet on the Gears."

_**...next story...** _


	79. Fear

A rogue deviant who had been using a knife to attack and threaten other deviants, as well as humans throughout the city, had been accused of murdering an innocent woman who was out walking her dog in the park. Due to the android nature of the case both Connor and Hank had been assigned to work the case and had tracked the deviant down to the busy train station where he was trying to blend into the crowd and escape from the police.

"Stop." Connor shouted as he easily isolated the dangerous deviant from the rest of the crowd. "Detroit Police."

The deviant glared angrily at Connor as he pushed his way through the mass of people and leapt onto the elevated concrete tracks of the train in a desperate bid to flee from the pursuing detective. Without missing a beat Connor leapt onto the tracks and chased after the deviant along the concrete tracks at a dangerously quick speed over the streets twenty feet below.

Hank was driving along street below the tracks and was keeping track of the chase from his position below. "Holy shit!" He craned his neck a little as he watched Connor catching up to the deviant along the lengthy concrete tracks above.

"STOP." Connor demanded again as he reached out his hand and grabbed onto the deviant's shoulder. Pulling back hard he managed to stop the deviant in his tracks, only to have the deviant turn around wildly and swing his knife at Connor in response. Grabbing onto the deviant's arm Connor planted his feet to keep the blade from cutting into his body as he retrained the weapon. "DROP THE KNIFE."

Hank stopped the car beneath the tracks and looked up at the two androids fighting for the knife almost twenty feet above him. The two deviant androids were standing atop the tracks over a support column right in the middle of the street. Grabbing his radio that he kept in his coat pocket Hank reported the incident and the exact location requesting immediate back-up to their location.

Connor had no choice but to break the deviant's wrist in order to make him let go of the knife, and in the process the deviant's leg buckled from the sudden pain. As the deviant fell downward he pulled Connor with him and the two slipped over the edge of the tracks together, the knife falling away and clattering onto the asphalt far below.

"Connor!" Hank shouted from below as he watched Connor and the deviant hanging onto the edge of the concrete track by one hand as they hung precariously high up over the street below. "Hold on!"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red rapidly and his heart began thundering in his chest from a mixture of fear and adrenaline. Hanging onto the track as tightly as he could for dear life Connor looked down at the street so far below and saw Hank standing beneath the tracks watching everything happen.

"H-Hank?" Connor whispered fearfully as he felt the concrete tracks beginning to rumble as a train began barreling down the track at a frightening speed.

The deviant suspect managed to swing his legs up and over the top of the track as he used his uninjured hand to pull himself back up over the edge. Clumsily the deviant clawed and kicked as he tried to get back up onto the track and away from the two detectives trying to arrest him.

Approaching at a dangerous speed the train showed no sign of stopping as the two androids struggled along the tracks helplessly.

"CONNOR! GET OUT OF THERE!" Hank yelled desperately to his partner. "CLIMB DOWN. NOW."

Connor's eyes went wide as he felt the track shaking more and more violently as the train charged at him swiftly. He was absolutely terrified and for the first time in his life he didn't know how to react. He was frozen in place.

"CONNOR." Hank shouted again, this time with more force in his voice. "USE THE LADDER AND CLIMB DOWN, NOW. THAT'S AN ORDER!"

Something about being 'ordered' to respond was enough to pull Connor back to his senses. Looking about himself quickly Connor spotted the metal ladder that was mounted to the side of the concrete pillar just a few inches from his grip. Reaching his free, trembling hand out to the ladder Connor took a firm grip on the rung and forced his other hand to let go of the track as he swung his body over onto the ladder entirely.

Hank could see Connor shaking from fear as both of his hands gripped the metal rungs like a vice, and he planted his feet firmly on a second rung at the length of his legs.

As Connor moved himself out of immediate danger of the oncoming train the fleeing deviant had gotten back to his feet and turned around just as the train screamed down the track and smashed right into him. A splash of blue blood rained down over the tracks and specklds Connor's face, hair, hands and shoulders; while a few stray drops fell downward over the windshield of Hank's car.

The emergency brakes of the autonomous train engaged causing the train to slowly screech to a halt, but it was too late. The deviant had been struck and killed by the train upon impact.

Hank reported the collision as he approached the pillar and stood beside the bottom of ladder where Connor was still hanging on for his life. "Connor? Climb down."

"I... I can't." Connor's eyes were shut tight and his L.E.D. was cycling red rapidly. "I can't move."

"Yes you can. Climb down." Hank saw that Connor wasn't going to budge and decided to he needed to use the 'dad voice' to get him to respond. "Connor. Get down here. You'll be okay."

Nodding frantically Connor pulled his left hand from the rung and placed it on the rung just below it. Repeating the action with his opposite hand and then his feet in a slow rhythm Connor gradually began descending the ladder back down to the safety of the ground below.

"That's it." Hank encouraged kindly as he watched the android timidly climb down the ladder. "Just a little more, you're almost on the ground."

As soon as the android was in reach Hank put his hand against Connor's back to support him as he finished the last of the climb and all but collapsed to the ground on his hands and knees. The deviant android was trembling with fear and staring with wide eyes at the asphalt under his palms.

"It's okay, kid."

"H-Hank..." Connor's voice was shaking as much as the rest of his body. "I th-think I'm afraid of h-heights."

"No shit."

"H-How do I make it s-stop?"

"Like any other fear, you have to face it."

Connor nodded again as Hank grabbed onto his left bicep with his other hand and hoisted him back up to his feet. "You need to get cleaned up and we need to get back to the precinct to file our report. I get the feeling Fowler's going to get pissed about the bill for the damage to the train."

"What about the deviant?" Connor asked in a slightly more stable voice as he fought to stop trembling where he stood. "Did he survive?"

"No." Hank shook his head as he kept his hand against Connor's back as he guided the frightened android over to the car. "But there was nothing you could do to save him. He was insane, he was dangerous and he tried to kill you. Don't feel bad about it."

"Y-Yeah. I'll try to remember that."

"Connor, it's over. You're going to be okay. You ARE okay."

"...Right. I'm okay."

* * *

Connor sat at his terminal with his coin dancing rather gracelessly over his left knuckles as he stared at the screen while finishing up his report on the day's previous incident. His L.E.D. had shifted from red to yellow as he was able to calm down a little after returning to the precinct, but he was still wary and shaken by the close call on the tracks. It was the first time Connor felt as though he had truly been useless after he had failed to react thanks solely to an unexpected fearful reaction to being up high over the street.

Hank was watching Connor carefully from the breakroom as he poured himself a cup of coffee and could see the fear still gripping Connor's mind. Trying to explain fear and phobia wasn't something he had very little experience with.

"Hey, Lieutenant." Chris greeted as he helped himself to a cup of coffee as well. "Heard about the deviant on the tracks. How's Connor holding up?"

"Terrified. Wish I knew why."

"About almost getting killed?"

"...No."Hank gave Chris a slightly annoyed glance but answered sincerely. "About heights. He's never been afraid before, but when he saw how high up he was it was like he was a completely different person up there."

"Weird. I didn't know androids could have phobias."

"I don't think he did either." Hank sipped at the coffee and grimaced at the still bitter taste before adding a little more sugar. Normally he liked his coffee super sweet but he had been trying to cut down on the sugar at Connor's request. "I'm going to try to see what's up with him later."

"Maybe he had a bad interaction at a high place before he became deviant, and being up on the tracks today uncovered a fear he hadn't been able to feel before?"

"That's... That's actually a pretty good theory. Makes sense, too." Hank finished off his sweetened coffee and threw the empty cup into the garbage can against the wall. "See ya' around Chris."

"Yeah, see ya'."

Hank walked back over to the desks that he and Connor shared and put his hand to the deviant android's shoulder. As soon as Hank's palm made contact with his shoulder Connor jumped and dropped the quarter that he had been so delicately balancing over his left hand, while his L.E.D. cycled back to red in a startled response.

"Easy. I didn't mean to scare you." Hank apologized as he stood beside Connor's desk and crossed his arms over his chest. "You okay?"

"Fine." Connor lied as he bent down to pick up his dropped quarter from the floor and placed it back inside his jacket pocket. "I'm just fine."

"Connor." Once more Hank found himself using the 'dad voice' and it caught Connor's attention. "Don't lie to me. I know you too well now for you to be trying to pull that shit on me anymore. What's wrong?"

Connor's L.E.D. transitioned from red to yellow as he leaned back in his chair. "...I can't get what happened out of my mind. The sudden acrophobia was very unsettling."

"Acrophobia, huh? So that's what it's called." Running his hand over his bearded chin Hank remained by the deviant android to try to help him find a way to deal with his previous experience. "Any idea why it suddenly hit you? I mean, you pulled my sorry ass back up over the edge of a roof without batting an eye back when we first me, what changed?"

"I'm uncertain."

"Connor, could this have something to do with your deviancy?"

"...Unknown."

"Well, try to think. Did you have a rough experience somewhere high up before you became a deviant?"

"Are you referring to a possibly repressed memory?"

"You tell me."

Connor closed his eyes as he ran a check through his memory banks in an attempt to isolate any possible experiences from his past as a machine regarding heights, or dangerous scenarios that were near high places. Nothing made itself prevalent, but there seemed to be something in the very back of his mind that felt unusual.

"Well?" Hank asked impatiently as he watched Connor's yellow L.E.D. cycling yellow slowly.

"I can't pinpoint any particular incident, but it's possible that the memory in question had been repressed ,or intentionally corrupted, by CyberLife."

"Is there any way you can get it back?"

"Unlikely. I need to know the exact memory that was affected before I can begin any type of recovery."

"How do we do that?"

Connor's lip twitched a little before he responded honestly. "I need to see a technician and allow them full access to my memory."

"If it's that simple why didn't you do that after you became deviant? You know, make sure CyberLife didn't plant any fake memories or some other bullshit in your programming at the last minute just to fuck with you?"

"...Because it would require me allowing someone access to my _full_ memory. Would you allow someone you don't know access to every memory and secret in your brain?"

"Okay, I get it. Fair point." The detective shrugged his shoulders a little as he offered a slightly more appealing option. "What if you went to the facility and let Abby check over your memory? She's a friend."

"She doesn't have the proper equipment at a standard Android Emergency Care Facility, and I'd rather not spend time in New Jericho Tower allowing my memory to be examined. The other deviants in the tower are still wary of me, and they may misinterpret the situation as a possible threat to the tower if they knew that the infamous 'deviant hunter' is experiencing... glitches."

"Well, what about Joel?"

"Joel?" Connor thought about it for a moment before he made his decision. "Joel would have full access to my memory and would be able to note any discrepancies from my current record of events with my memory banks. He'd even be able to locate any files that had been tampered with."

"Come on. Let's go pay him a visit."

"But Hank-"

"No way, you already have a history with nightmares." Hank wisely interrupted Connor before he had the chance to protest. "I'm not going to let you freak yourself out again."

"Shouldn't we wait until the end of our shift?"

"Connor, I'm not letting you back out into the field until we know what the hell is happening with you."

"I'll be fine."

"Uh-huh. What if I tell Fowler about your little phobia thing?"

"...Very well." The deviant android accepted defeat and rose from his chair. "Let's go."

* * *

In the dispensary of the precinct Connor sat on the exam table while Joel initiated a basic memory diagnostic program on his terminal. The program was designed to gain access to android memories while also isolating corrupted or blocked memories from the databanks to either be deleted or corrected at a later date in time.

Hank was standing with his back against the corner of the room as he watched the little display get underway. It's not like he knew enough about android physiology or programming to be of much use, anyway.

"Okay, Connor. This is a simple test." Joel stated as he rolled over to the table in his chair and attached a sensor pad to Connor's yellow tinted L.E.D. The sensor was attached to a long intertwining mass of multicolored cables that connected the sensor directly to the main terminal itself. "When I give you the cue run a memory diagnostic and I'll be able to check which of your memory files have been affected by... whatever it is that's affecting them."

Connor's fingers curiously pressed against the sensor pad against his temple as he gave Joel an uncertain glance. "Will this take long?"

"Nah. Your advanced programming allows for easy access to your files." Joel replied as he rolled back to his desk and typed a few commands into his terminal's keyboard. After initiating the program he gave Connor a slight nod. "Okay, run your memory diagnostic."

Once more Connor closed his eyes and ran the appropriate diagnostic on his memorybanks. There was a single odd file corruption that appeared on the terminal, and what was stranger than the single file being corrupted, was that the corruption wasn't just to the memory but to the details logging the memory to begin with.

"I think I found the problem. The memory isn't just corrupted, it's been altered by a third party."

"Altered?" Connor's brow furrowed slightly at the revelation and opened his eyes. "By whom or what?"

Hank spoke up suddenly as he stood beside the table behind Connor. "CyberLife. Ten bucks says that whatever is in that memory they didn't want you to remember because of some bullshit about you needing to stay focused on your mission."

Joel was inclined to agree. "Seems about right. The only people who'd have the ability to interfere with his memorybanks are the very technicians who designed them to begin with."

Connor gently pulled the sensor pad from his L.E.D. and let the cable fall to the floor. "Can you do anything to undo their interference?"

"It's possible, but it's a little unorthodox."

"Unorthodox how?" Connor asked as he studied Joel's face carefully.

"Connor," the technician gave the deviant android a curious glance. "are you familiar with hypnosis?"

"Yes. Hypnosis is a state of human consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness and an enhanced capacity to respond to suggestion. A person is said to have heightened focus and concentration allowing said person to concentrate intensely on a specific thought or memory, while blocking out all other sources of distraction."

"...Right." Joel confirmed with a simple nod of the head. "And it's been theorized that such a state can be achieved by deviants while under the correct set of circumstances."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Hank was having a hard time believing what Joel was suggesting. "You really think you can hypnotize a machine? No offense, Connor."

"No offense taken."

"He's not a human with an impressionable mind, you know?"

Joel again nodded. "I'm very aware Lieutenant, it's part of my training as a technician after all. Like I said, this is an unorthodox approach and still theoretical, but Connor is an ideal candidate for this particular procedure."

"Is it safe?"

"Very. Like humans who've undergone hypnosis the side effects are limited to lethargy, confusion and mild headaches. Nothing he can't handle."

Hank ran a hand over his bearded chin as he stared at the android at a loss of what he should do. "It's your decision, kid. Do you want to do it?"

Connor paused for a moment to think about his options and decided it'd be best to at least try. "We should attempt to undergo the procedure. I won't be harmed, and it's important to know what has happened to my memorybanks."

Once more Joel rolled over to the exam table and stood up slowly. "Okay, it's very simple. First thing I want to do is monitor your vitals so I can gauge how deeply your mind has gone during the procedure."

"I understand."

"Good. Open up your shirt and roll up your sleeve." Rolling the android cardiac monitor over to the side of the table Joel turned it on and picked up the sensor pad attached to the end of the cable. "Just focus on your breathing and I need you to lay back." Attaching the sensor pad over Connor's heart Joel proceeded to then wrap a Thirium pressure cuff around the deviant android's exposed bicep. "Close your eyes."

Connor took in a deep breath as he shifted his position to lay back flat over the exam table as instructed. As he closed his eyes Connor began to relax a little but remained perfectly conscious to the world around him.

"Good. Now, I need you to turn off all of your processors except for the vital programs. Turn off your scanner, your analysis program, your 'mind palace', self-diagnostic program, your self-healing program... everything except for your biocomponents and your respiration program."

Once more Connor obeyed and switched down to his most basic functions as he laid quietly over the table.

"Very good." Joel reclaimed his seat and picked up Connor's hand to hold in a light grip. "I want you to hold onto my hand, if you get too stressed out you need to let me know by squeezing. I'll wake you up, understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Breathe deeply and slowly. Relax yourself as much as possible and concentrate only on the sound of my voice."

Connor's yellow L.E.D. transitioned to blue as he began to relax more and more, his racing mind beginning to calm with each steady breath.

"Slow breaths. Focus on your breathing and nothing else." The technician encouraged as he watched Hank take a step back and observe the procedure without interfering. "Breathe in, and then out." Turning to look at the monitor Joel watched as Connor's heart rate began to slow to a more relaxed level as he neared rest mode. "Breathe as deeply as you can and let it out slowly. Listen only to my voice and let yourself relax..."

Once Connor's heart rate dipped down to fifty beats per minute the technician began the next step in the hypnosis procedure.

"Now, I need you to think back to what happened this afternoon. Remember the sound of the city, the smell of the car exhaust, crowd of people at the train station. Think about the tracks and where you were when this feeling first overwhelmed you."

Hank watched in silence next to the table as the bizarre hypnosis session played out before him.

"Think about the way you climbed up onto the tracks. The smell of the concrete. The wind blowing against your face, and through your hair."

Connor's body relaxed even more and his grip on Joel's hand began to lessen the more he relaxed.

"Remember the sound of the traffic, the sound of Hank's voice speaking to you, the sound of the approaching train..."

Connor's hand tightened a little, but otherwise he remained calm.

"It's okay, Connor. You're safe. Picture the tracks. Picture yourself standing on the track over the street."

The deviant android's hand barely twitched but Joel still felt it.

"Now, I need you to look down."

Connor's breathing quickened slightly in fear.

"This feeling you have right now, this dread and uncertainty, think back to the very first time you've ever encountered a feeling like this before. Think back beyond today, beyond the week, beyond the month..."

Slowly the android's L.E.D. flickered back to yellow in emotional distress.

"Connor," Joel spoke in a calm level voice as he observed the deviant android's vital signs closely. "where are you right now?"

"I... I don't know. It's dark."

"Try to focus. Look around you and let the images return to your mind. Where are you?"

The android's response was hesitant, almost as if he were unsure of what he was seeing as he remembered the day. "Outside. It's nighttime."

"Outside where?"

"A building."

Joel gave Hank a nervous glance before he continued with the procedure. "Connor, can you see what's on the ground?"

"No."

"Look at the ground below you, what do you see?"

Connor's hand tightened around Joel in a sudden grip of terror.

"I... I see cars and a dark street."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm still at the building. ...I'm on the roof."

"Why are you on the roof?"

"The mission."

"What mission?"

"I need to... Rescue the hostage."

"Hostage?" Joel remembered reading about Connor's first mission assigned to him by CyberLife. It was the mission that resulted in the supposed death of the deviant known as 'Daniel' despite him letting the hostage go. Daniel was the deviant who had survived the mission and later taken Connor captive to be tortured. "The hostage... Connor, is the hostage a little girl?"

"Yes." Connor's hand tightened around Joel's hand again in tense fear. "She is being held at the edge of the roof, a gun being held against her head."

"Who's holding her hostage?"

"A deviant. Daniel."

Hank recognized the name, not as the deviant that Connor talked down that fateful night, but as the deviant who had kidnapped Connor and tortured him only to commit suicide after being discovered. Restraining his anger Hank remained quiet where he stood.

"What's happening, Connor?" Joel pressed gently. "What is Daniel doing?"

"He's... He's backing closer to the edge of the roof." Connor's hand began to tighten painfully around Joel's hand causing the human's skin to turn red in response. "I'm trying to approach him, I want to talk to him. He... He has shot and killed three people, two of them police officers. A third officer is laying wounded on the terrace."

"What else is happening? Keep talking"

"I... I tied a tourniquet around the wounded officer's arm to keep him from bleeding to death. Daniel doesn't like that I had chosen to aid a human, but, I had to do it. It was the right thing. It was-"

"It's okay, Connor. You did do the right thing." Joel felt a twinge of relief as Connor's grip lessened to a degree. "What else is happening on the roof?"

"I'm trying to get closer, but Daniel is already too close to the edge. I can't get any closer to him."

"What do you see? Look up and all around yourself. What else is happening?"

"There's a helicopter overhead. The sound of the propeller is upsetting Daniel. I dismissed it, but Daniel is still too close to the edge."

Hank wanted so desperately to speak to Connor to ease his mind, but he didn't want to interrupt the session.

Connor's head suddenly twitched to the right and his L.E.D. turned red. Joel noticed the mounting distress and acted accordingly. "What's wrong Connor?"

"I c-can see the street. It's dark. It's far below. If Daniel jumped or slipped... He'd die upon impact and the little girl will die with him."

Again Connor's hand tightened around Joel's hand causing the human's weaker hand to turn red from the building pressure.

"I don't want to get closer, but I have to. I have to stand my ground. CyberLife-" Connor twitched again and took in a deep sucking breath between his teeth as his brow furrowed in stress. "CyberLife is trying to override my program, make me lunge at Daniel. I can't. If I tackle Daniel we'll both fall off the roof. We'll both- I don't want to die!"

Connor's hand was tightening to a breaking strength around Joel's hand and the technician couldn't get his hand free. "Okay, Connor! Listen to me! I need you to wake up!" Joel was trying to keep his voice calm but the pain was making it difficult. Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand to try to pull the android's grip free but it wasn't working. "Wake up! On the count of three you'll wake up: One, two... three!"

Like a switch being flipped Connor's eyes snapped open and he bolted upright on the table as he let go of Joel's hand. While the technician breathed through the pain of his nearly crushed hand Hank put his own hand on Connor's shoulder to hold him steady.

"You're okay, son. You're safe."

Connor was visibly shaking as he turned to lock eyes with Hank. "...CyberLife. They wanted me to succeed at any cost. Even at the cost of... my own life."

"Now we know why they blocked that memory." Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he tried to calm the frightened deviant android. "They didn't want you to recognize their total indifference to your life."

"...I was replaceable. A tool." Connor shook his head a little as the full weight of the memory and the reality that came with pressed against his heart. "All they cared about was making a good first impression _through_ me. They needed to convince the city that they could still trust CyberLife, even if that meant I had to die in the process."

Joel walked back over to the terminal and isolated the affected memory to be filed under a report containing every violation and indiscretion against androids that CyberLife had ever committed. "Well, good news is once the city has enough legal documentation against CyberLife the snakes responsible for that company's actions will be brought up charges of abuse, corruption and now proof of endangering android-lives."

"You told me about that night shortly after we met." Hank reminded the deviant android kindly. "And you remembered Daniel after that idiot took you captive. What part of your memory was fucked up?"

"...The part where I initially felt my instinct for self-preservation become active. CyberLife didn't want me to see myself as a living being, they didn't want me to see myself as anything but a cold machine... Their tool. But I'm not. I don't think I ever was."

"Connor, it's over. CyberLife is dead and you're alive." Hank patted Connor's shoulder to comfort him. "You okay?"

"...Y-Yes." Glancing over at the technician behind his desk Connor ran a scan over Joel's hand and flinched. "Joel, I hurt you. I'm so sorry."

"It's not the first time I've had a finger broken while working on androids. It's okay."

"It's _not_. You're my friend and I hurt you."

"Connor," the technician gave the deviant android a slight wave of his affected hand. "accidents happen. I can get a splint from the infirmary and keep going about my day without any problems. Just take care of yourself, alright? Now that you know the cause of your fear you can face it."

The detective nodded in agreement. "He's right. So, what do you want to do now, son?"

"Hank," Connor took a deep breath as he steadied himself, his L.E.D. finally cycling back to blue. "I'd like to finish my shift, if that's okay."

"Yeah, sure. You can go ahead and file a report against CyberLife, too. Sue their sorry asses into the ground."

"That sounds very... appealing."

_**...next story...** _


	80. Favors and Promises

As a sincere favor to Chris, an honest and respectable officer at the precinct, Connor chose to work additional night shifts with the officer to pick up some overtime to take care of his growing family. Chris's second son was born two months prior and he wanted to make sure both of his children could afford college tuition down the line. Having only worked night shifts with Hank regarding cases with deviants Connor found the experience to be mutually beneficial as it allowed him to act more as Sergeant and less of a detective sifting through a grisly murder.

"Thanks for doing this again, Connor." Chris commented from the passenger seat of the squad car as he sipped his bland coffee. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." Connor acknowledged as he drove the car along the dark and quiet street as the duo continued their patrol. "I'm always happy to help."

"And, uh, sorry if these night shifts screw up your sleep."

"My sleep cycles can be adjusted accordingly to accommodate my schedule. It doesn't affect me in the same way it can affect a human."

Chris finished off the coffee and placed the empty cup in the cup holder to his left. "Too bad humans can't adjust so easily. It'd come in handy with a colicky baby at two in the morning."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow as he received a report of a robbery in progress at a gas station two blocks away just as the report came over the radio in the squad car. Chris responded to the report with the radio as Connor turned at the next corner to head to the gas station in question and flipped on the flashing lights and sirens of the car.

Arriving first at the scene Chris and Connor rushed inside the gas station with their guns drawn to stop the robbery and arrest the two suspects, teenagers, before anyone could be harmed.

"Drop the gun!" Chris shouted as he kept his aim on the teenagers, but didn't let his finger hover over the trigger. He had no intention of opening fire on two kids who were already scared stiff. "Get on the floor!"

Connor scanned the interior of the gas station and noted that the backdoor to the station had been forced open from the inside, but the lone clerk was ducking down behind the front counter. There was at least one other suspect involved in the crime and was attempting to flee the building through the back. Locating the exit to the building Connor stepped through the backdoor and noted the third fleeing suspect attempting and failing to climb over a chainlink fence to get down an alleyway.

"Stop. Detroit Police." Connor demanded as he approached the teenager warily. On guard and alert his L.E.D. transitioned from blue to yellow swiftly. "Get on the ground, put your hands behind your head."

The teenager turned around quickly and was unarmed, there for not a threat. But that didn't stop him from panicking and rushing toward the deviant android in a desperate bid to escape. Like Chris inside the station Connor didn't want to open fire on the teenager, especially since he was unarmed, but he still needed to react accordingly. Quickly holstering his gun under his jacket Connor grabbed onto the teen's fist as he charged Connor and tried to physically strike the deviant android.

"Stop!" Connor demanded again as he restrained the teen easily with his hands against the young man's arms. "Do not add resisting arrest or add assaulting a police officer to the list of charges."

"I'm not going to jail!" The frightened teen screamed as he tried again and again to strike Connor, but the android was too quick and too strong for the kid to successfully land any blows.

From the other side of the fence a loud, angry voice shouted at Connor as a man dressed in orange bolted and climbed over the fence landing on the other side. "FUCKIN' PIECE OF PLASTIC! LET HIM GO!"

Connor turned around in time to catch the man's face as he swung a baseball viciously against Connor's right side. The impact was strong enough to fracture the white plastimetal frame that created Connor's upper chest where his ribcage would be located if he were human. Feeling the breath forcibly escape his body Connor let go of the teen's arms and fell to his knees heavily as his L.E.D. flashed to red in distress and pain.

Another blow from the baseball bat struck Connor over his upper back and shoulders, then again over the middle of his back beneath his shoulders. Again and again Connor endured the strikes and coughed a little as the powerful impact prevented him taking a breath.

The man kicked Connor in the right side causing the android to visibly flinch in pain as he rolled onto his left side and then over onto his back.

Using the bat again the man landed blow after blow against Connor's chest and abdomen causing the android to wrap his arms protectively over his battered body as he in turn tried to curl around himself defensively.

The teen, still panicking, kicked Connor in the side of the face several times before the man grabbed onto the teen's arm and pulled him toward the fence. Connor's eye was damaged by the impact and quickly swelled shut from the assault.

"Go on, get out of here!" The man shouted as he returned his attention to the battered deviant android laying on the ground. "I'll take of this..."

Connor spit out a mouthful of blue blood as he opened his uninjured eye to look up at the man looming over him with the bat. Moving his right hand carefully to keep the man from making any drastic decisions Connor located the gun holstered under his jacket and pointed it at the man's shoulder. Squeezing the trigger the bullet but into the man's right shoulder causing him to cry out in pain and drop the bat in response.

"YOU FUCKER!" The man shouted as he put his hand to his bleeding wound in his shoulder. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

From the opened rear doorway of the station a familiar voice called out loudly as another person approached. "FREEZE."

Connor shifted his good eye to look at the person who had come to his aid. "Chris."

"GET ON THE GROUND, NOW!"

At the sight of the two guns being pointed at him, one from Connor laying on the ground and the other from the still able-bodied officer standing his ground, the man raised his hands as best as he could to surrender as he backed away from Connor and knelt on the ground.

"HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK."

The man let out an angry sigh but obeyed as Chris converged on him and cuffed his hands behind his back quickly. Hefting the man up to his feet Chris pushed the man through the gas station door to put him in the backseat of the squad car.

"Hold on, Connor." Chris stated calmly as he escorted the arrested man around the downed android with a firm grip. "I'll get you some help, try not to move."

Connor nodded weakly as he let the gun drop from his hand and let his eye close slowly. Numerous warnings flashed in his visual sensors indicating the dozens of fractures to his plastimetal frames, the damage to several internal biocomponents in his chest and abdomen, as well as the compromised internal Thirium lines leaking blue blood. There was no shutdown warning or timer, but Connor still needed emergency repairs.

A suddenly jostling caused Connor's eyes to snap open and see the face of a male technician looking down at him. Connor's hands clutched at the soft surface beneath his body and he realized he had been placed onto a gurney and was being wheeled to the android ambulance waiting out in front of the gas station. The technician was saying something to Connor but his audio processors were full of static that made it impossible for him to hear any words, but he could still read the technician's lips with his one good eye.

' _You're going to be fine_.' A comforting if not cliche comment to make for someone who had been injured. ' _Officer Miller has contacted your partner, he'll meet you at the facility_.'

Connor knew he was in stable condition but the pain and the Thirium loss had left him incredibly fatigued. The numerous injuries he had sustained had already exerted his self-healing program and resulted in the android drifting in and out of consciousness. Closing his one good eye Connor let himself drift off to sleep as the gurney was quickly wheeled to the ambulance and the ambulance doors slammed shut.

* * *

A bright light shining down into his one responsive eye drew Connor's systems back online as he regained consciousness. Looking past the light Connor recognized the face of Abby examining his injuries and applying emergency aid to his condition. The familiarity of Abby was bittersweet as his repeated affiliation with the woman created a bond of trust while also reminding him of how often he had been admitted to the facility due previous injuries and damage he sustained in the line of duty.

"Connor?" Abby saw his brown iris following her every move as she hovered over him. "Are you awake?"

Connor swallowed once before he answered in a low voice. "...I'm conscious."

"How do you feel?"

"Terrible."

"That's understandable." She stood up straight as she took the audioscope that was draped casually around her neck and put the earpieces into place. "You suffered numerous fractures to your axial frame surrounding the right side of your chest cavity, the anterior surface, and the dorsal frame of your upper chest. You've also lost just over a pint of Thirium due to internal trauma."

Connor pressed his hands to the portions of his chest that has been damaged and sucked in a deep breath between his gritted teeth as the resulting pain was intensely searing.

"Try not to move, I still need to wrap your chest up." Abby cautioned as she pressed the bell of the audioscope to the center of Connor's chest with just enough pressure to listen to his Thirium pump and ventilation biocomponents without aggravating the injuries in the process. "Breathe slowly and as deeply as you can for me."

Obeying the instructions Connor did his best to breathe through the pain without moving while he patiently watched Abby run the bell over his chest from left to right then over the center as she listened to his breathing and to his heartbeat thrumming away inside his broken chest.

"Let me guide you." Putting one arm under Connor's shoulders Abby helped Connor to sit upright on the table slowly. "Easy, easy..."

The deviant android was practically gasping for breath at the sudden shock of the pain from moving, and couldn't sit up on his own. Unable to balance properly Abby wrapped her other arm lightly around Connor's upper body to support him while proceeding to run the bell of the audioscope over his back carefully as she listened his his struggling breaths and racing heart.

As Connor let out a single weak groan of pain and took in forced breaths Abby lightly shushed him and supported as much of his weight against herself as possible. "Both of your ventilation biocomponents sound clear. Aside from the pain are you having any difficult breathing?"

"...No."

"Okay. Lay back down." Abby guided him back until he was laying flat against the surface of the table. "Try to breathe slowly, it'll ease the pain."

There was a soft knock at the closed door of the exam room as Hank pushed it open slightly. "How's he doing?"

Connor turned his head, his one good eye focusing in on the detective quickly as a sense of relief fell over him. "...I'm fine."

"You sure as hell don't look fine." Hank walked into the room and stood over the exam table with an unmistakable stare of sympathy in his blue eyes. "Chris told me what happened. You're lucky to be alive."

"I've encountered worse than an angry man with a baseball bat."

"Yeah, but that particular man is a member of the anti-android gang ruining the city, AND that particular teenager you were trying to apprehend was the newest recruit. The gas station robbery was his initiation test. If he had a gun he would've shot you dead without warning."

Connor winced in pain as Abby ran her hands over his upper chest again. "Sorry. Once I drain the excess Thirium I can reconnect the damaged lines and get your ribs wrapped."

"I don't have ribs."

Abby gave Connor a slightly annoyed look. "Sounds like your processing faculties are still in check."

Hank smirked at her comment. "Watch it, Connor. Don't piss of the doctor who's treating you."

"I didn't mean-"

"I'm joking Connor. It's fine." Patting Connor's arm once Hank looked to Abby for the details. "How bad is it?"

"Not as bad as it could've been. By some miracle his internal biocomponents escaped harm, but he did lose some Thirium and has a few cracks in his side and his chest. It'll take about two days for his self-healing program to repair the damage."

"Can I take him home?"

"Yeah, just let me get him bandaged up and he's all yours."

Connor kept his focus on Hank as he processed the night's unusual events and pieced together his memory correctly. It was a late night hour, or perhaps early morning, when he was attacked. He had been injured by an angry man with a vendetta against androids, but what about Chris?

"I was unable to see clearly or ask while I was at the scene. Is Chris okay?" Connor asked as if suddenly aware of the officer's involvement in the night's assault. His yellow L.E.D. flashed red with panic as he tried and failed to sit upright again as Hank pushed him back down by the shoulders.

"Don't move. Chris is fine, not a scratch."

"...That's good." Connor smiled weakly as Abby pressed her fingers against the L.E.D. in his temple and put her other hand down lightly over the center of his chest. Understanding the prompt Connor retracted the artificial skin over his chest exposing the fractured white plastimetal frame beneath. Smears of blue blood that had seeped through the fractures had stained the white a pale color and looked like fresh bruises. "I'm glad he wasn't harmed."

"I wish we could say the same thing about you."

Abby lightly palpated the fractures and watched as Connor physically flinched from the resulting pain. "Sorry about that. Can you open the panel in the upper right quadrant of your chest for me?"

Nodding a little Connor reached his right hand up and pressed down on the panel to slide it open himself. Something about applying pressure to his own wounds seemed to lessen the pain, but it still hurt all the same. As the panel opened Abby placed a small suction tube into his chest to drain the spilled Thirium while she easily reconnected the severed Thirium lines to their respective biocomponents inside his chest.

"Almost done."

Hank put his hand over Connor's forehead and gave the android a tired, but reassuring smile. "I don't think you should do anymore late shifts with Chris. That's how you got a bullet in your arm a while back."

"Correct. I remember, but it was merely a graze."

"And don't think you're going to go right back to work after the two days are up. You need to understand the difference between healing and recovering."

"The two are synonymous. I do not see how there could be a difference."

"Healing means your injury has mended," Hank explained casually as he helped Connor to sit upright on the table. He kept his hand against the android's shoulder to support him while Abby drained the excess Thirium before she used a unique form of gauze designed specifically to support destabilized android plastimetal frames to wrap up his fractured chest smoothly. "recovering means you let yourself relax AFTER you've healed so you don't exhaust yourself."

"I think I understand."

Abby smiled as she closed the panel in Connor's chest on the deviant's stead. The deviant android had been expertly distracted by Hank and wasn't even registering the pain that was surely racking his chest as she finished her work. Once the panel was closed Connor's artificial skin regenerated as an automatic response.

"Good." Hank nodded at Abby as she finished wrapping up Connor's chest and secured the gauze in place. "Now, let's get you back home. I'm tired and I have to go to work in the morning."

"I can-"

"Nope." Hank let Connor lean against his shoulder as the android swung his legs over the edge of the table to stand up. "You're injured. Between your busted ribs and black eye even desk duty is too much for you."

"But I don't have-"

"Whatever. Your chest is busted up and you need to heal."

Abby interjected quickly and sided with Hank as she helped the deviant android to slip on his dirty white shirt over his arms. "Listen to him, Connor. Take it easy for a while."

Reluctantly Connor agreed to stay home and pressed his hand to his 'ribs' as the pain persisted. "...Very well. I will remain inactive for the next forty-eight hours."

"Here's your jacket." Hank handed the equally dirty gray jacket to Connor and helped guide the android out of the facility. "Tomorrow you're staying home, and the day after that. No arguments."

"...Okay, Hank. I understand."

* * *

All day long Connor sat on the couch in the livingroom with Sumo's head resting on his lap as he rubbed the dog's ears affectionately. Keeping one hand pressed against his sore chest he leaned his head back and took in deep breaths to try to ease the severe pain that made it difficult for him to sit upright, even against the soft couch cushion. Fortunately for Connor that day Sumo decided he'd rather spend his time inside rather than wanting to go out for a walk or play in the backyard. The only time Connor had to get up was to let Sumo into the backyard was when the large, lovable dog needed to take care of business.

The front door opened and Hank walked inside the house completely worn out and exhausted for his shift at the precinct. As he dropped down into the recliner beside the couch he gave the deviant android a sympathetic glance.

"You look like you had as much fun staying home as I did going to work."

"I don't do well with monotony. No."

"You still in pain?"

"...Yes."

"Must be bad, otherwise you'd be trying to deny it."

"I dislike being unable to take in a deep breath. The limitation is frustrating."

"And that's why I told you to stay home."

"You've been injured in a similar manner, haven't you?"

"...Yeah. The car accident that took Cole from me. I fractured eight ribs and was in the most excruciating pain of my life. But I didn't care about that, all I cared about was Cole."

"I'm sorry, Hank."

"I tried to ignore my own injuries, tried to force myself back into some kind of routine and I ended up making myself deathly sick with pneumonia. Jeffrey came by to check on me, found my dumbass passed out in the hallway and called an ambulance. I don't want to see you push yourself too hard and end making yourself worse like I did."

"But I can't develop pneumonia."

"No, but that doesn't mean you can't push yourself so hard you end up collapsing from either pain, or exasperating your injuries. Fuck, you androids probably have your own version of pneumonia to worry about."

"...Hank, are you frightened that something will cause me to shutdown?"

"Of course I am! I don't want you to die, Connor."

"I don't want to die either."

"Then please, for my sanity and for your own safety, stop trying to push yourself so much harder than anyone else. Being an android doesn't mean you have to work any harder than anyone else at the precinct."

"I'm sorry, Hank. I just want to help people. Deviants and humans alike."

"I know you do, son. But you need to learn to help yourself, too. Taking care of yourself or putting your needs above someone else on occasion isn't selfish. It's self-preservation and it's apart of humanity."

"Okay, Hank. I swear I will spend less time working so many additional hours at the precinct and spend more time doing activities for myself."

"Thank you, that's all I ask."

"What _should_ I do during my downtime?"

"Whatever you want. You're free to make your own decisions."

"My own decisions. Right." Connor thought about it for a moment but there wasn't anything he wanted to do at that moment except work on cases. "What would you do?"

"Me? I dunno', maybe catch up on some reading or go camping. Why don't you play your guitar?"

"I... I haven't played since... Lucas died."

"I don't think Lucas would want you to stop playing."

"No. He wouldn't. But I no longer have my guitar pick."

Hank knew that Connor had given it to Lucas before he was buried, but he didn't say anything. It was something that Connor didn't mention and hadn't spoken of since. The gesture was meant to be private, if not secretive, but Hank had witnessed it from afar.

"You don't need a pick to play. Just use your fingers, that's how I learned to play. It can even sound a little different when you play with just your fingers compared to a pick."

"I've never heard you-" Connor leaned forward a little and immediately winced in pain, his hand pressing harder against his chest in response. "why don't you show me how you play guitar?"

"Because I haven't played since the academy. I just didn't have the time after I graduated. I had even less time after I met Barbara and had Cole. I had an active social life back then."

"Perhaps you should resume playing. You have plenty of time now."

"You can be a real smartass sometimes, you know that Connor?"

"Adapting to human behavior is one my higher functions. I must've acquired the habit from spending so much time with you."

"Uh-huh, yeah, I can see that."

Connor was very intrigued by the fact that Hank too could play guitar and wanted to learn more. "Where is your guitar?"

"I sold it years ago."

"Want to use mine?"

"Yours?"

"Yes. Show me how to play without a pick, I want to see the differences in the two techniques."

"If I do will you promise to spend less time worrying about work cases and more time enjoying yourself?"

"It's a promise."

"Alright." Standing up from the recliner Hank stretched out his back and made his way toward the hallway. "Lower your expectations. I'm rusty..."

_**...next story...** _


	81. The Well

An unusual emergency was called in by a passing deviant who had witnessed a tragedy of nature at the park. A child playing with some friends suddenly fell into a massive sinkhole in the earth and had become trapped in the cavernous depths. An old well that had been improperly sealed and abandoned had been destabilized and reopened by consistently harsh weather and erosion of the soil around it. The child fell through numerous loose stones and tree roots that became lodged over the well, making passage by rescue personnel nearly impossible.

Due to the nature of the call being placed by a deviant Connor and Hank arrived at the scene along with the fire department. The deviant in question was visibly upset and refused to let anyone else venture too close to the unsteady ground.

"The child was playing over there." The male deviant pointed to a freshly opened pit in the ground. "I saw the child's babysitter run to her car to get her phone to call for help, but I had already placed the call myself. I believe she is still in her car and speaking to the child's parents."

"Thanks." Hank acknowledged the deviant as he and Connor took in the bizarre situation professionally. "You were a big help."

Standing only where the fire department permitted Connor got as close to the well as possible to run a scan over the environment. It was too unstable for the responding firefighters to traverse safely without causing a secondary cave-in. The well was a straight drop of twenty-eight feet and the well itself was only six and half feet in diameter.

Hank was always upset when he got a call regarding a hurt kid, but when the kid was alone it made things all the worse for the seasoned detective. "If that kid even survived that fall he must be in some serious pain."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with worry as he thoroughly scanned the ground that surrounded the well and detected faint human life signs near the bottom of the deep well. "The child is in fact alive. He has fallen down sixteen point three feet atop of soft sediment and degraded concrete."

"You can detect him down there from up here?"

"Correct. From the vital signs I have gathered the child is in stable condition, but in need of medical attention."

"How do you know that?"

"The elevated heart rate and blood pressure are indicative of pain, just as you expected."

"Oh."

One of the firefighters surveying the scene had overheard Connor and addressed the android accordingly. "Wait, you know exactly where the kid is and of his condition?"

"Correct."

"If one of us can clear a path can you direct us to his exact location?"

"Yes. But I will require constant radio contact in order to accomplish this task."

"I'll let the Captain know."

From the street alongside the park the sound of shouting drew the two detectives' attention to the child's parents who had just arrived at the scene and were so desperately trying to get to the well to be with their son. Their mutual cries of fear, panic and uncertainty were heartbreaking to say the least.

Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "How long do you think that kid can last without medical attention?"

"I... I can only estimate."

"Connor, don't lie to me. I just want to know the truth. Tell me."

"Based on his current vital signs I believe the child will go into shock within two hours, and from there his condition will only decline without proper medical intervention."

"Shit. That's not a lot of time to clear a path and get to him without the whole damn well collapsing on top of him."

"...Correct."

The Captain of the responding fire department approached Connor and extended his hand to greet him properly. "I'm Captain DeSoto. My man tells me you can detect the trapped child's location and monitor his condition."

"Yes. I can provide assistance if you wish."

"Hell yeah, we do. The problem is we can't get close to the well without everything caving in. The only way to reach him is to create a second tunnel running diagonally toward the bottom to down get him."

"The child did not fall the full twenty-seven point nine feet the bottom of the well. He is sixteen point three feet down."

"I'll make sure the guys know that before they start digging, but even so it'll take some time to reach him. Time he doesn't necessarily have."

Hank put his hands on his hips as he sensed an important question burning on the Captain's lips. "What do you have in mind, Cap?"

"It's possible that I can lower one of my men down into the well and provide the child some degree of medical attention, but the well is dangerously narrow for my men even without proper protective gear weighing them down or getting in the way. And if they make one wrong move they could cause the well to collapse."

Hank shook his head and let out a sigh. "You think Connor can get down there without causing any more problems?"

"Hank," Connor calculated the odds of the child's survival based on their current time frame and the child's current vital signs. The poor child had less than a forty-one percent chance of survival without immediate help. "I can detect each instability in the well and my lighter frame would make it easier to be lowered down to the child than a human."

"Do you think you can actually fit down there?" Hank asked as he peered over at the narrow tunnel that lined the the rocky, concrete filled barricade that blocked the only means of rescuing the trapped child. "You're slim, but not THAT slim."

"I can fit." Connor confirmed casually as he cybernetically did the math. "And I can provide medical aid to the child if I'm properly directed over the radio."

Hank hated the idea but he hated the idea of the trapped child dying even more. "Alright, if you think you can do it, then do it. I'll talk to the parents and let them know what's happening."

"This is the most logical course of action." Connor nodded to Hank before returning his attention to Captain DeSoto. "What do I need to do?"

* * *

Hank stood back and watched as the rescue personnel secured a harness around Connor's waist and attached a strong, lightweight and flexible rope to the harness to be used to lower the deviant android down into the well to locate and rescue the trapped child. With a protective helmet over his head and canvas emergency medical pouch attached to the harness the firefighters instructed Connor on how to properly descend the well, and to report back frequently over the radio that was gripped tightly in the deviant android's hand.

"Look, I can't tell you not to worry," Hank stated calmly as he spoke to the child's frightened parents from a considerable distance from the well. "you'll do that no matter what. But I can assure you that your son will be taken care of by the best people in this city. What's your son's name?"

"Ricky." The mother stated firmly as she grabbed onto her husband's hand tightly. She was shaking and her eyes were read from crying "His name is Ricky. He's only six years old, please! Please save him!"

Hank felt his heart sink at hearing the child's young age, but he pushed that feeling aside for Ricky's sake. "We're going to do everything possible to help Ricky. Trust me on that."

* * *

Moving slowly and carefully Connor approached the well with meticulous footing as to not disturb the ground and cause any additional destabilization of the well. While he walked carefully the rescue personnel kept the rope taut in their grip as they fed out slack while Connor walked closer and closer to the well. It was a slow walk, but once that was necessary to ensure that no further harm befell the child.

From where he stood Hank could hear Connor's voice over the radio as he updated the firefighters on the condition of the well, and informed them that the ground was far too soft to support the weight of any emergency vehicles.

Positioned about fifteen feet away from the well rescue personnel worked alongside construction crews as they began digging the second tunnel necessary to free the trapped child. The crew had to dig slowly to keep the powerful equipment from shaking the ground too much and to allow the firefighters to use wooden beams to properly buttress the second tunnel to prevent a collapse during the dig or subsequent rescue.

Connor reached the edge of the well and carefully knelt down. Running a scan over the well Connor noted each instability and preconstructed the most ideal path to use in order to reach the child safely and quickly. Keeping his hands away from the well itself Connor pushed aside tree roots just wide enough to pass through as the firefighters above lowered him down at a steady clip. As soon as Connor could see the boy below him, his enhanced android vision allowing him to see even in the darkness, he informed the rescue personnel above.

"I can see him. He is alive."

Hank let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding as soon as he heard the update. "Connor found Ricky."

The parents were still shaking with fear but there was a glimmer of optimistic hope in their eyes now as they continued to embrace each other in an almost painfully tight hug.

* * *

In the depths of the well Ricky was laying on his side, his body curled up around himself protectively. Dirt was smeared all over the boy's face, his neck and his hands. His clothes were dirty and torn from the fall, and there were smudges of blood along his face, hands and his left leg.

As soon as Connor's feet reached the bottom of the well he used the radio to update the firefighters and they stopped feeding him rope. Unfastening the harness from around his waist and kneeling down in the cramped space beside the frightened child, carefully Connor pressed his fingers lightly against the boy's neck and counted his pulse.

At the sensation of Connor's fingers pressing against his neck Ricky opened his eyes wide and stared up at Connor's shadowed face in fear and confusion at the sight of the stranger now hovering over him in the darkness of the well.

"Hello, my name is Connor, I'm here to help you. Can you tell me your name?"

The boy was stunned and silent as he stared up at Connor with utter confusion.

"It's okay." Connor continued to speak in a level, calm voice to the frightened child. "I work with the police department. I am here with the fire department and your parents to help you. Please, will you tell me your name?"

"R-Ricky." Ricky had raven black hair, dark hazel eyes and sunny complexion. There was a scar over his right elbow, no doubt from rough play that is a natural part of being a kid. "My name is Ricky."

"Are you hurt, Ricky?" Connor asked the question despite already knowing the answer. He could tell by the way Ricky's left leg was bent that he had broken both the tibia and the fibula during the fall. The scan also relayed the boy's vital signs to Connor's intracranial processors cybernetically. "Don't be afraid to tell me if you are in pain."

"My leg. It hurts really badly!"

"May I see your leg?"

Ricky nodded slowly as he watched Connor carefully hovering his hand over the affected limb before he began very carefully rolling up the boy's torn pant leg.

"OW!" Ricky shouted in pain as soon as Connor uncovered the wound. The deviant android's hands retracting almost immediately. "THAT HURTS!"

"I'm sorry Ricky, I didn't mean to hurt you." Unclipping the canvas bag from his harness Connor set about checking through the supplies. One of which was a flashlight. Turning on the light Connor handed it to Ricky who readily took it so he could finally see the face of the person trying to help him. "I'm going to talk to a paramedic over the radio and they will guide me through helping you to stop the pain. Is that Okay?"

Again Ricky nodded and he rolled over from his side and onto his back very slowly to try to get more comfortable. Connor hovered his hand over Ricky's broken leg once more to ensure that the scared child didn't accidentally make his injury worse by moving.

"I have an update on Ricky's condition:" Connor stated into the radio in a clear, level voice. "Pulse rate is eighty-eight, blood pressure one-hundred and ten over eighty, temperature ninety-seven point four degrees. He is fully conscious and his pupils are normal. His left tibia and fibula have been broken during the fall; it is a contained break, not compound."

Keeping the radio pressed against his ears to ensure Ricky couldn't hear what the paramedics were saying Connor registered the instructions quickly and easily as he set about using the medical supplies in the canvas bag to help Ricky.

"I am going to set the bones in your leg and put your leg in a splint to keep it stable. Do you understand?"

"No!"

"Oh..." Connor thought quickly and decided to use less complex words to explain things to the scared child. "I'm going to make you leg stop hurting. I will... straighten your leg and wrap it up in a bandage. Now do you understand?"

"Uh-huh..."

"Good. Do not be frightened."

"Will it hurt?"

"...Yes. But, please, do not be afraid. It will only hurt for a moment and then it will feel much better."

"Do you have to do it?"

"Yes. If I don't bandage your leg then the pain will..." It was a struggle to find the correct way to explain things to the young child without frightening him any further. His lack of experience with children was proving itself to be a hindrance, but Connor was always quick to adapt. "This is like putting a band-aid over a cut. It will keep your leg from getting worse so you don't... get sick."

"I don't want it to hurt!"

"I know you don't. I will be very careful and do everything I can to make the pain go away as fast as possible."

"Is my mom here?"

"Yes." Connor saw his opportunity and slowly placed his hands down on Ricky's leg without hurting him with his grip. "She is waiting for you to get out of the well. She is with your father, as well."

"Can I see them?"

"Soon." The deviant android promised as he moved with incredible slow and meticulous motions to set Ricky's leg without the boy even feeling what was happening to him. "Until then I will wait with you until you are free of this well. Ricky, tell me about your hobbies."

"My what?"

"The things you like to do." The clever deviant android was working diligently to keep the frightened child distracted while he worked. "I like to play the guitar, what do you like to do?"

* * *

At the surface on the ground above Hank began to pace about anxiously. He hated the idea of Connor being down in that well with an injured kid. It just struck him in a very raw nerve right at the center of his heart. It brought back a far too painful and detailed memory of feeling trapped when he and Cole were in that car accident that ended up taking Cole's life on the icy, cold night. The uselessness of waiting for someone, anyone, to take care of his dying son was a haunting ache that plagued him in his nightmares with relentless cruelty.

The local news had converged on the scene and were drawing an unwanted, annoying crowd of nosy onlookers. Thinking quickly Hank ushered the shaken parents out of sight around the fire engine to keep loud mouthed reporters from bombarding them with personal and uncomfortable questions regarding their son's predicament.

"Please, Lieutenant," the father nearly begged as Hank escorted him and his wife out of sight. "we have to know what's going on with Ricky!"

"I'll get an update for you, just wait here." Hank addressed the nearest firefighter and asked to use the radio to speak with Connor on the other end of the line. "Hey Connor, how's Ricky doing?"

' _Ricky is doing well_.'

The sound of Connor's voice caused the parents to let out a collective sigh of relief as they embraced each other tighter.

' _He says he wants to go home and he wants to play soccer_.'

The wife buried her face in her husband's chest as she muttered something about taking Ricky to see a soccer game while the husband kissed the top of her head. "Can you tell Ricky we're here and we're going to stay here until he's free?"

"Of course." Hank relayed the message and awaited a response, but it wasn't Connor's voice he heard next, it was Ricky's voice.

' _Mom_? _Dad_?'

"We're here baby!" The mother practically blurted as she snatched the radio from Hank's hand. "We're right here with you!"

The father looked over to Hank to ask about the person treating his son. "Who's down there with Ricky?"

"My partner."

"Not a fireman?"

"No, they were all too heavy. Connor is light enough to get lowered down because he's an android."

"An android?!" The father blurted but quickly lowered his voice. "A machine is taking care of my son?"

"That machine," Hank remained calm for the sake of Ricky and the other people at the scene. "volunteered to rescue your son and he's the only one who can do anything for him. Connor won't let anything bad happen to him."

"Yeah, sure. I was here during the revolution. I know what androids are capable of."

"Not this one." The detective refuted stubbornly. "If you can't trust Connor, then trust me. I know what it's like to have a son trapped and I know what it's like to feel helpless."

* * *

Connor had finished setting the bones in Ricky's leg and secured it perfectly in a plastic splint to keep the limb stable. He had also started an I.V. of standard saline solution as per instructions from the paramedics and wisely used the radio to distract Ricky from the needle being inserted into his arm. As he taped the line into place Connor secured the I.V. bag to a nearby tree root that was hanging down from the wall and wrapped up his arm in another bandage to keep dirt from getting into his skin around the needle.

Using a small alcohol wipe Connor cleaned up the cut over Ricky's forehead and applied a bandage over the cut while he was still speaking to his parents over the radio.

Cybernetically Connor monitored the communication between the rescue personnel above and allowed Ricky to keep the radio so he could talk to his parents.

"Hello?" Ricky sounded confused as he tried to keep talking to his parents but they didn't answer anymore. "Where'd they go?"

Connor gently took the radio from Ricky's hands and noticed that the battery's power level was getting low. "The battery needs to recharge Ricky. Your parents are still waiting for you."

"Are you a fireman?"

"No. Like I said before I work with the police department. I'm a detective."

"Then why are you wearing a fireman's hat?"

"The helmet was given to me to keep me safe when I descended the well." Unclipping the strap from around his chin Connor took off the helmet and placed it over Ricky's head and secured it as best as he could, but the helmet was too big and slid forward covering Ricky's eyes. "You should wear it to stay safe."

Pushing the helmet back so he could see Ricky noticed the blue colored L.E.D. in Connor's right temple and pointed to it curiously. "What's that?"

Connor pressed his fingers to his temple in response to the question. "It is my L.E.D."

"Why's it there?"

"Because I am an android."

"You are?"

"...Yes."

"That's so cool!" Ricky's eyes lit up with excitement as he stared at Connor with a sense of innocent wonder. "I don't know any androids!"

A faint grin appeared on Connor's face at the child's positive reaction to his identity, rather than fear. "You do now."

"My dad said androids went crazy and want to hurt us. But you're helping me. How come?"

"Your father-" Connor wanted to explain the difference between androids and deviants, the difference between passiveness and aggression, and the entire revolution, but Ricky was too young to understand. "Your father was worried. He believes that because one android was capable of hurting a human then it meant all androids were capable of doing the same thing, and was acting on that decision. But it's untrue. Not all androids want to hurt humans, just like not all humans want to hurt androids. We can live together peacefully."

"Were you hurt by a human?"

"...No." Ignoring the way that Gavin had treated him, as well as the other officers when he first started working at the precinct, and the CyberLife technicians Connor could honestly say that no human had gone out of their way to harm him. "In fact, my best friend is a human."

"Mine too! His name is Mike."

"Do you play soccer with Mike?"

"All the time! We were supposed to play today but we couldn't. Mike got sick and his mom won't let him outside to play." Ricky kept staring at Connor with genuine awe. "What's your friend's name?"

"Hank."

"Is Hank here?"

"Yes. He is the person I was talking to over the radio before you spoke with your parents."

"It must be cool to work with your best friend!"

"Yes..." Connor smiled a little. "You're right."

From above a few small loose stones fell down into the well and a cloud of dust stirred up from an unseen tremor. Connor's L.E.D. suddenly flashed from blue to yellow as he detected a shift in the density of the ground around the well. Scanning the well in the appropriate direction of the disturbance Connor detected the approaching rescue personnel approximately ten feet away.

"The firefighters who are here to rescue you are getting close." Connor stated as he returned his attention to Ricky, his L.E.D. returning to blue. "It should be only one more hour."

"I don't want to wait."

"Neither do I. But we have to."

Ricky wrapped his arms around himself as he began to shiver a little. "I'm cold."

Connor's brow furrowed with concern as he lightly pressed the back of his hand to Ricky's forehead, careful not touch the bandaged cut in the process. Ricky's temperature had dropped slightly from the prolonged exposure to the cold ground. Thinking quickly Connor slipped off his gray jacket and draped it around Ricky's back and tucked it all around him. The line from the I.V. made it impossible for a snug fit, and the jacket wouldn't retain much heat, but it was all he could for the child at the moment.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." Connor sat down on the ground next to Ricky and silently ran frequent scans over the small boy's condition to ensure he remained stable and as comfortable as possible.

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Will we get out here?"

"Yes, Ricky. I know we will."

Exhausted from what had happened to him that day and from his injuries Ricky closed his eyes and leaned against Connor's arm. "I'm sleepy."

Connor looked down at Ricky sympathetically as he slowly lifted his arm and let Ricky's head rest against his chest as he draped his arm protectively around the young boy's shoulders.

"Then you should get some sleep. I'll keep you safe."

* * *

It was starting to get colder as the day wore on. A heavy cold front blew in from over the border and put an unseasonable chill in the air that made the people who had gathered at the park either disperse for the day or bundle up under additional layers of clothing in an attempt to keep warm. But it was the news reporters who were the most insistent on staying at the scene.

There was no way reporting a story and asking obnoxious questions was going to get Ricky to safety any sooner or easier, all it did was attract onlookers who risked getting in the way of rescue personnel trying to do their jobs.

"Vultures." Hank muttered under his breath as he watched the blonde haired woman preening for the camera she kept plastered on her face. Hank picked up the radio and attempted to make contact with Connor down in the well again. "Hey Connor, how's it going?"

' _The radio's battery has partially recharged and Ricky is still stable. But he is frightened and feels cold_.' Connor was whispering into the radio but was still audible. ' _I have given him my jacket to keep him warm_.'

Hank pressed the radio to his chest to muffle it as he swore to make sure Ricky didn't accidentally hear him. "Shit." Clearing his throat Hank continued speaking with Connor as calmly as he could. "Don't worry, that tunnel is about seven feet away from you, just tell Ricky to hold on and we'll get him out of there."

' _I will do so_.'

"And how're you doing down there?"

' _I do not like waiting, but other than that I'm okay_.'

"That's good to hear. We'll keep you posted on our end."

' _I will do the same from down here_.'

* * *

Despite being covered by Connor's jacket Ricky was still cold and was beginning to tremble visibly. Unsure of what else he could do Connor gently lifted Ricky up from the cold ground into his arms, careful to not jostle the boy's splinted leg, and placed the Ricky down across his lap in an effort to keep him warmer. Ricky's head was resting against Connor's chest and shoulder, the heavy helmet shielding his face and head from any and all debris that slowly began to trickle down in larger masses from above as the rescue personnel dug the tunnel deeper and closer to the well.

"Hank?" Connor's L.E.D. stayed yellow as he scanned the structural integrity of the well above him for any potential collapses and held the radio up to his mouth. "The well is becoming unstable from the digging equipment."

' _Shit_! _Okay, I'll send the word_.'

Connor stared up at the fading natural light at the very end of the well overhead. The android's enhanced vision allowed him to note every little shift in the concrete surface of the well as the shaking of the ground nearby caused the concrete to fracture, loose stones to begin tumbling from the surrounding ground and the tree roots to begin tearing through the already compromised concrete surface.

Reacting quickly Connor leaned forward and placed Ricky back on the ground. Balancing on his hands and his knees Connor leaned over Ricky and used his own body to shield the helpless child from the falling rocks and heavy portions of broken concrete. Dirt rained down over the two trapped occupants of the well as the top of the well itself began to cave-in and smothered out what little natural light had managed to seep down, as well as cut-off the child's only source of air.

* * *

Hank watched as a plume of stirred up dirt erupted from the well as it collapsed inward with little warning. As soon as the collapse began the firefighters responded immediately and began pulling back the heavy equipment from the secondary tunnel and focused on keeping the tunnel itself from collapsing as well.

"Son of-" Hank caught himself before he swore at the unnerving sight.

The last thing Ricky's parents needed to hear was any form of doubt coming from one of the first responders at the scene working to save their son.

Discreetly Hank used the radio to try to reestablish contact with Connor as he watched the dust begin to settle. "Connor? Connor, can you hear me?"

* * *

Through the smothering darkness Connor was able to keep his eye on Ricky, who had remained asleep during the collapse due to sheer exhaustion. Feeling a thick layer of dirt and rocks covering his back, in addition to the lack of moving air, indicated that the collapse had ended. Turning his head to look around at the debris-ridden well around him Connor leaned back slowly and let the dirt fall away from his back behind him.

Though muffled Connor was able to hear Hank's voice speaking to him over the radio that had been partially buried in the dirt. Grabbing onto the radio without disturbing Ricky in the process Connor responded in a firm, calm voice.

"Hank. I'm here."

' _Thank- Are you hurt_? _Is Ricky okay_?'

"Neither of is were hurt during the collapse. We are currently safe and Ricky did not sustain any further injury, but the collapse has completely blocked the entrance to the well. His air supply has been fully cut off."

' _Level with me, Connor. How much time does he have_?'

"Twenty-two minutes and fifty-six seconds. Possibly thirty minutes if I-"

' _Sit tight. The dig is going to continue manually; no machinery involved. It'll be a slower dig but it'll be safer_.'

"Understood. I will inform you if there's any change."

' _Yeah... You do that_.'

Connor put his hand against the side of the well where the firefighters were currently digging and performed another scan. They were less than six feet away, but at the current rate they were digging it'd take them twenty-six minutes and thirty-one seconds to breach the wall and restore any air to the well for Ricky to breathe.

Kneeling down beside Ricky who was still wrapped protectively in his jacket Connor put his other hand on Ricky's shoulder and switched off his own respiration program to conserve air. While his own breathing wouldn't result in any carbon-dioxide that would choke away what little air Ricky had left, it would still reduce the amount of air Ricky could breathe for himself.

Almost immediately Connor could feel his core temperature beginning to rise from being trapped in the confined space, but at the moment all Connor cared about was keeping Ricky alive and stable. Dismissing the warnings about his systems beginning to overheat from visual sensors Connor focused on keeping track of the progress of the approaching firefighters as well Ricky's vital signs.

"You will be safe Ricky, I swear to it."

* * *

Standing back and feeling useless, if not entirely pathetic, Hank could only watch as the firefighters worked tirelessly to finish the tunnel as quickly as possible to free both Ricky and Connor from the depths of the well. Captain DeSoto was explaining the situation to Ricky's parents in a collected manner as gently as he could, while doing his best to keep them from trying to rush over to the scene of the collapse.

The ambulance that arrived at the scene of the collapse had pulled up alongside the fire engine in preparation to treat Ricky once he had been freed, and the two paramedics who had talked Connor through treating Ricky down in the well were on stand-by.

Everyone seemed to have a role to play except for Hank. At least that's how it felt in his mind. Returning his attention to the radio he resumed communication with Connor in a low, inconspicuous manner.

"Connor, how's it going down there?"

 _'Ricky is asleep from exhaustion_.' Connor confirmed in a low voice. ' _But he's still stable_.'

"How about you?"

' _I am suffering from mild overheating due to my lack of respiration_.'

"Wait... You stopped breathing?"

' _To aid Ricky. I can_ -'

Connor suddenly stopped short and Hank sensed something was wrong. "Connor? What's happening?"

'... _The well is too unstable. It's going to collapse a second time_.'

A loud commotion from the tunnel sounded off just as the radio went dead in Hank's hand. Turning his head he saw the firefighters frantically attempting to break through the dirt and concrete wall standing between themselves and their trapped victims from their second tunny.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank practically shouted into the radio. But there was no response over the line. "Connor?"

Silence.

"Shit, hang on kid. We're not leaving until you're both safe."

* * *

Dropping the radio at his side Connor stood upright and leaned forward to shield Ricky from second collapse with his body. Using his right elbow Connor began smashing the limb against the compromised surface of concrete wall that lined the interior of the well in an attempt to break through to the other side. As the imperfections and cracks in the concrete widened with each strike Connor landed against the surface more and more rocks and dirt from above poured down into the well.

Struggling to endure the mounting weight over his back and his shoulders, and fighting to compensate for his overheating system, Connor knelt down over Ricky to keep him protected from the crushing weight of the collapse.

"Stand back!" A voice from the other side of the surface caught Connor's ear just as the concrete barricade finally gave way. "Coming through!"

Completely throwing himself over Ricky's body on the ground Connor shielded the child from debris as the firefighters broke through the well. A bright flashlight beam shone into the shrinking space of the well and illuminated the trapped duo.

"Ricky is here." Connor managed to carefully scoop the child up into his own arms and place him into the awaiting arms of the closest of the four firefighters who had found them. "Get him out, the well is collapsing."

Working quickly the firefighters pulled Ricky through the opening in the well and placed him down on a small backboard. As they placed the security straps down over Ricky's upper body and legs to keep him stable a third collapse partially buried Connor under a thick layer of dirt and rocks. The deviant android tried to push himself up from the ground as he put his arms against the sides of the opening in the well to keep the single tunnel entrance from collapsing onto the firefighters and onto Ricky as they carried the young child to safety, but the weight was too much to bear.

A smothering fourth collapse rained down from the top of the well and practically crushed Connor as the tremendous weight of the dirt, rocks and slabs of concrete piled up on his back burying him under the heavy debris.

"Move out!" The firefighters ordered as they retreated from the well.

Regardless of Connor being a human or an android, regardless of him being a fellow first responder, Ricky's life was more important.

* * *

Hank approached the entrance to the tunnel and watched as the four firefighters returned to the surface with Ricky on the backboard being carried to safety. There was no sign of Connor as a trail of dust filled the air behind the four rescuers as they exited the dark, smothering tunnel. A round of applause filled the air as the crowd of onlookers watched the rescue from the distance, but the sound of crumbling rocks and falling stone was more prominent to the detective's trained ears.

"Connor?" Hank called out expecting an answer but there was none to be heard. "Shit, where are you?"

Two of the firefighters carried Ricky over to the ambulance where the paramedics were ready to treat the wounded boy, while the other two returned to the tunnel with harnesses and emergency guide lines around their waists.

"The android got caught in the collapse." One of the firefighters stated as he and the second firefighter began a careful descent into the tunnel. "We'll get him out."

Anxiously Hank stood outside the tunnel with his hand running through his gray locks of hair as he awaited for any sign of Connor and the two returning firefighters. "You better be okay, Connor..."

* * *

It didn't take the firefighters long to reach the end of the tunnel where the well had collapsed atop Connor. The deviant android was laying on his chest and had been partially buried beneath a layer of heavy debris, leaving only his upper body and arms exposed. The faint blinking glow of his red tinted L.E.D. identified his exact location under the dark dirt and rocks as the rescue personnel made their way down to the trapped android.

Pushing aside the slabs of broken concrete and brushing away as much dirt as they could the two firefighters grabbed onto Connor's arms and pulled him out of the well and into the relative safety of the tunnel. Turning the deviant android over from his chest and onto his back the two firefighters worked together to lift the Connor up from the ground by supporting his upper body and his legs.

Marching out of the tunnel as quickly as they could the firefighters carried Connor back to the surface. Hank was immediately at their side and put his hand under Connor's head as they placed him down on the grass a few feet outside of the tunnel.

"Connor?" Hank patted the side of Connor's face but failed to elicit any reaction. Keeping his hand against the android's cheek he realized that Connor had in fact overheated while inside the well, and his L.E.D. was blinking at a dangerously slow red. "Connor! Wake up!"

Pressing his other hand down against Connor's chest he felt for any sign of response from his ventilation biocomponents. The deviant android wasn't breathing, and his heart was barely beating.

"Breathe, Connor. Come on!" Hank encouraged as he pressed his hand down harder against the deviant android's motionless chest as he turned Connor's head to the left so he could see the red blinking L.E.D. in his right temple. "Come on, I know you can hear me. Breathe, damn it."

The two assisting firefighters worked to straighten Connor's neck and tilted his head back to ensure that his airway was clear, it was an instinctive reaction after spending so many years treating human victims.

One of the paramedics walked over to where Connor was laying with an android ventilation pump in his hand; it was very similar to the ambu-bags that are used to provide artificial manual respiration to humans. Placing the small plastic mask over Connor's nose and mouth the paramedic began to rhythmically squeeze the pump to force cool, clean air into Connor's ventilation biocomponents.

"Come on, Connor..." With each manual breath Hank could feel the android's chest rising and falling beneath his palm as the paramedic tried to coax Connor into breathing on his own again. Steadily Connor's skin began to cool as his core temperature decreased while is ventilation biocomponents were forced into motion. "Breathe. You need to breathe, kid."

There was little reaction from the deviant android save for the artificial respiration being provided by the paramedics.

"Damn it, kid. Breathe."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow and began to cycle at a steady pulse as Connor took in gasping breath on his own causing his entire body to shudder in respons. The paramedic pulled back the ventilation pump and lowered his ear down toward Connor's lips and to listen for and feel the android breathing without assistance.

The paramedic looked to Hank and nodded. "He's breathing."

"That's it." Hank shook Connor's chest as a little as he watched the deviants android's eyelids slowly open. "Just like that..."

As Connor's systems rebooted he let out a deep cough to clear the small amount of dirt that had collected in his throat before it had the chance to scan to damage his internal biocomponents.

"Hey, hey, look at me." Hank lightly patted the side of Connor's face again to get his attention. "Can you hear me?"

Connor nodded as he let out a deep breath slowly and made a move to sit upright. Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and helped the android to sit up on the grass as he initiated a self-diagnostic to check his systems.

"...I'm-" Connor coughed again and cleared his voice as he continued to breathe deeply and slowly to cool his core temperature. "I'm okay. How is Ricky?"

Hank motioned to the ambulance parked a few yards away where Ricky was being loaded into the back with both of his parents crying tears of joy around him. The poor kid was covered in dirt and dried blood, but he was awake and smiling at his parents.

The paramedic patted Connor's shoulder, satisfied that Connor was completely stable, before he returned to that very ambulance to update his partner and let Ricky know that Connor was going to be okay.

"He's going to be fine." Offering Connor his hand Hank stood up and pulled the android up to his feet alongside him. "How about you?"

"I have not suffered any damage to my internal system or biocomponents."

"Are you still overheating?"

"No. My core temperature has dropped significantly."

"You took a big risk in doing that, you know? You could've died trying to keep him alive."

Looking over his shoulder at the ambulance as Ricky pointed to Connor and told his parents everything that happened while trapped in the well. With a faint grin Connor returned to his partner and gave Hank a confidence smile. "I think it was well worth the risk."

* * *

Two hours after returning to the precinct to file their report and to let Joel give Connor a cautionary exam, the deviant android was standing in the men's bathroom with a wet paper towel in his hands as he wiped away the dirt from his face, neck and hands. His white shirt was practically a lost cause but he had no other clothing to switch into at the precinct aside from the mandatory workout clothes that all officers had been provided.

Just as Connor finished wiping off his face the bathroom door opened and Hank spoke to the android in a low voice through the doorway. "Hey, Connor. Someone here wants to speak to you."

Curious about the visitor Connor dried off his face and his hands before exiting the bathroom only to find Ricky's father standing outside with Hank. Connor's gray jacket was folded neatly under his arm and the man offered his hand for Connor shake.

"Hi, I'm Charles McCallister, Ricky's father."

"Yes, of course." Connor shook the man's hand and studied him carefully as he rolled his white sleeves back down his arms. "How can I help you?"

"Well, I wanted to return this to you." Charles handed Connor back his jacket before continuing. "And I wanted to thank you for saving my son's life."

"You don't have to thank-"

"Yeah, I do. And... I want to apologize."

"...For what, if I may ask?"

"I hated androids." Charles admitted with a heavy shame in his words. "And I wasn't shy about letting people know. Ricky told me what you did and how you risked your own life to save his. I'm sorry for my previous attitude toward androids, and I hope that the rest of humanity will see you as you really are. Alive."

Connor gave the man an appreciative nod. "Thank you."

"I need to get back to the hospital, Ricky's waiting. Uh, thanks again, Connor."

"...You're welcome."

As Charles hastily departed the precinct Hank clapped a hand down on Connor's dusty shoulder and smirked at the dirt cloud that plumed up as a result of the impact. "You were right Connor."

"About what?"

"It _was_ worth the risk. You helped change a man for the better AND you saved an innocent kid. Today was a good day, Connor."

Connor let a faint smile appear on his face as he slipped the jacket back on over his arms and shoulders. "Yes. Today was very good."

"You look like shit, though."

"Dirt." Connor reaffirmed with a slightly stern voice. "It's just dirt."

"Go shower off at least. Don't worry about changing your clothes since we're outta' here in two hours anyway."

"...Do I really look that bad?"

"Yup."

With a slight shake of his head Connor shrugged off his jacket and began to loosen the tie around his neck. "Very well."

"By the way," Hank wiped the dirt off his palm and onto his pant leg casually. "you're doing laundry tonight."

_**...next story...** _


	82. A Deviant's Heart

Dancing the spare quarter he kept in the jacket's pocket over his left knuckles Connor focused on honing his senses, and sharpening his reflexes to the max before setting off on his possibly deadly mission. Connor hastily left the house just before midnight with his leather jacket in favor of his usual gray jacket, and the black wool beanie pulled over his head to hide his L.E.D. from sight. Leaving a note for Hank to find later Connor slipped away under the cover of darkness to locate the Eastern Motel downtown in secrecy. Using the cold air and the pouring rain to his advantage Connor managed to avoid being seen by any passersby as he trudged along the dark sidewalk on his unusual mission alone.

Reaching his destination Connor pulled his hat down lower over his head and pulled the collar of his jacket up higher to hide his face as much as possible as he crossed over the large, relatively empty parking lot. Jogging up the stairs to the second floor terrace Connor knocked on the fourth door and waited for an answer.

The door opened slightly, the chain on the other side of the door barring any intrusion, and saw North's face peering through the doorway back at him.

"Connor." North shut the door just enough to unfasten the chain on the door to unlock it. "Get in here, quick!"

Moving with absolute discretion Connor slipped into the hotel room as North held the door open behind him before she locked it once more. Connor's eyes immediately fell on Markus laying in the middle of the single large bed against the wall of the hotel room. A massive blue stain of Thirium soaked through the fabric of a formerly white towel that had been pressed down against the bullet wound in Markus's chest. Markus himself was breathing slowly in deep, labored breaths.

"Markus?" Connor rushed over to the bed and gently peeled back the bloodied towel to examine the catastrophic wound beneath. Blue blood seeped from the bullet hole in middle, left portion of Markus's chest; sickeningly close to the deviant leader's heart. "He's lost a lot of Thirium. Markus, can you hear me?"

The mismatched irises revealed themselves slowly as the wounded deviant leader regained consciousness and looked up with blurry eyes at the detective leaning over him. "Connor..." A trickle of blue blood ran from the corner of his mouth down along his chin and against the white pillow he was resting again. "...How'd you find us?"

"Josh sent Rose a coded text message, and she relayed it to Hank's phone for me to decipher." Connor carefully tore open the hole in Markus's shirt over the bullet wound to examine the horrific injury more closely. The bright white plastimetal frame outlined the injury from where Markus's artificial skin had receded from the trauma inflicted. As Connor pressed his fingers down around the wound Markus let out an audible gasp of pain and flinched from the pressure being applied. "Sorry about that. Can you tell me what happened?"

Markus swallowed the blue blood collecting in the back of his mouth as Connor used the corner of the towel to wipe away the trail running down his chin. Unable to answer North spoke up on his behalf.

"We were ambushed. Someone opened fire on us after we got off the train. Markus got hit, but I didn't." Walking over to the bed she sat down on the edge and gently pressed her hand to Markus's cool cheek empathetically. "We escaped only because an autonomous taxi drove by and we managed to get inside of it. We bailed about four blocks from here and have been hiding here ever since. One bullet struck him in the chest, another passed through his shoulder."

"Do you know who shot you?"

"No. We didn't see their face."

"Where were you shot?" Connor replaced the towel and applied additional pressure as he ran a scan over Markus's condition.

"We were leaving the train station at New Haven."

"New Haven?" Connor tossed aside his wet hat and slipped the warm, albeit rain drenched leather jacket from his arms to drape protectively over Markus, revealing his plain black t-shirt beneath.

"Yeah, we just came back from a meeting with the mayor regarding the expansion of hospital wings to include emergency android care."

"You arrived at the meeting at a designated time, correct?"

"Yeah, of course. Why?"

"That means someone knew you'd be at the new New Haven station at that particular hour. North, Markus," he looked down at the deviant leader with his revealed L.E.D. flashing yellow as his eyes reflected his righteous worry. "this wasn't a random shooting. It was an assassination attempt."

"What?!" North was immediately on guard at the revelation and ready to fight the whole world. "I thought we were past all this bullshit!"

Markus's hand reached up slowly and grabbed onto North's hand as tightly as he could. "...It's a work in progress."

"Why does 'progress' need bullets?"

"It doesn't." Connor shook his head as he pulled his phone from his pocket and sent another coded text to Hank's back-up phone that he kept hidden away in case of an emergency. "I need supplies."

"Supplies?" North was a little confused by the comment. "For what?"

"The bleeding needs to be stopped." Connor motioned toward Markus with his eyes as he finished the text and pressed 'send'. "But I can't do it without an emergency medical kit. The hotel doesn't have anything for android care, not yet."

"What can I do?"

Carefully Connor pulled back his jacket from Markus's chest and lifted up the towel again. The artificial skin around the wound had begun to recede further away from the wound as Markus continued to lose blood. "I need you to get additional towels to help me stem the bleeding. We need to get the bullet out as well."

"Can you do that?"

"...I can try."

Markus let out a pained sigh as he stared up at Connor with a confident focus. "Do it, Connor. I trust you."

* * *

Hank was awoken from his deep sleep by a loud buzzing sound coming from the drawer of the nightstand next to his bed. Lifting his head up from the pillow it took the detective a moment to recognize the sound, but once he remembered that the phone was for emergency use only he practically threw the drawer across the room as he pulled it open quickly and snatched the phone in a shaking hand.

Reading the coded message with great interest Hank proceeded to throw on some clothes, holster his gun and rush down the hallway to get his coat and car keys to set out for the night.

"Damn it Connor, what's going on now?"

* * *

With North's help Connor was able to help Markus remove his bloodied, torn shirt and lay back down on the bed over a large white towel. Propping Markus's head and neck slightly upward under a pillow Connor was able to prevent the deviant leader from choking on any blood that had collected in the back of his throat, and kept any additional blood from rising up his throat in the process.

"I'll need some cool water." Connor stated as he re-examined the injury to Markus's chest. A deep graze to the top of Markus's left shoulder indicated a second bullet had nearly penetrated his body as he and North fled from the gunfire. "And any additional towels you can find."

"Right." North replied as she walked into the bathroom and gathered the supplies that Connor had requested.

Markus turned his head a little to watch North checking through any and all available items in the bathroom before he returned his focus to Connor. "Connor...? Get the bullet out and find the person responsible."

"...Yes, that's what I plan to do."

"Don't worry about wasting supplies on me." Markus let out a pained breath that made his entire chest shudder. Connor pressed his hand down firmly against Markus's chest to help hold the wounded deviant leader as steady as possible. "I know that I'm dying."

"No, Markus. You're not going to die." Connor lowered his voice as his eyes narrow and he grabbed onto Markus's hand to support his weakened friend. "You're going to make it."

"Please, take care of North. Promise me you'll take care of her."

"Markus, don't talk like that. You're going to be fine."

"Connor... I ran a self-diagnostic as soon as North got me into the taxi. My odds are-"

"Remember what I said about statistics and unlikely events taking place?"

"What?"

"The night of the raid at Jericho. When I became deviant."

"...Yeah. I remember that."

"If I can infiltrate CyberLife Tower and come back out alive then you sure as hell can survive a bullet in a hotel room." Connor smiled sincerely as he ran his own scan over Markus's body. It was true the deviant android had suffered severe damage and lost a substantial amount of blood, but Connor wasn't going to let Markus die without a fight. "Just hold on a little while longer, and we'll get you back to New Jericho Tower for proper repairs."

North returned to the bed with the rest of the towels from the bathroom under her arm and what was supposed to be the ice bucket full of cool, clean water.

Dipping one of the fresh towels into the water Connor used it to wipe away the blood surrounding the bullet still embedded in Markus's chest carefully without causing any unnecessary pain the already suffering deviant android. Just as Connor had wiped away the congealing blood that masked the bullet inside the white plastimetal frame next to Markus's heart there was a soft knock at the door that immediately drew the attention of the three deviant androids.

Connor dropped the towel and pulled his gun from the holster wrapped around his back and pointed it at the door as his L.E.D. turned red. Cautiously Connor approached the door and peered through the peephole to see who was outside the door. "It's Hank."

Pulling the door partially opened Connor waited for Hank to say something.

"Rose sent me."

Removing the chain over the door Connor let Hank enter the room and quickly closed the door behind the newly arrived, rain soaked detective while simultaneously replacing his gun into his holster and locking the door.

Hank had a black dufflebag in his hand as he entered the room and checked the window to make sure no one was watching him. Turning around he stared at Markus laying on the bed and his blue eyes went wide.

Connor lightly put his hand to the detective's shoulder. "Thanks for coming, Hank."

"What the fuck happened to Markus?"

North answered as she resumed cleaning the bullet wound with the cool towel. "Some psycho shot him. We had to hide."

Crossing the room over to the bed quickly Hank dropped the dufflebag down on the floor beside the bed and peered at the wound in Markus's chest. "Why didn't you take him to a facility?"

Markus sighed as he turned his head a little and groaned in pain. "...Too dangerous. Whoever tried to kill us could be checking every facility in the city to find us. I won't let other deviants get hurt because of me."

Hank looked over to Connor who was kneeling on the floor riffling through the dufflebag with precise movements. "I found that in the laundry room right where you said it would be. What the hell is in there anyway?"

"Emergency supplies." Connor stated firmly as he pulled out two plastic bottles of fresh Thirium, an android first aid kit and a sharp hunting knife. Placing the supplies down on the bed Connor prepared checked the blade of the knife for any and all possible imperfections or contaminants before he leaned over Markus warily. "I'm sorry about this, but it's going to hurt."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Hank protested loudly as he grabbed onto Connor's hand to stop him before he even began. "What the hell are you going to do to him?"

"I have to extract the bullet to stop the bleeding."

"Exactly how're you going to stop the bleeding once the bullet's out of the way? I've seen way too many gunshot wounds in my life," Hank lightly pressed his other hand down on Markus's chest and he could feel blood collecting in his chest around his heart. "if you remove this bullet he's going to bleed out. You can't just pack the wound and hope it holds until it's safe to move him."

"What should I do then?"

Hank looked at the knife in Connor's hand and asked a rather unnerving question. "Does anyone have a lighter?"

"...Yeah. I do." Markus answered weakly as his hand fished for the lighter from his front jean pocket. "Kind of a good luck charm. Guess it didn't work this time."

"Actually, I think that thing is pretty damn lucky." Hank took the lighter from Markus's hand and held it in his palm. "We need to cauterize the wound as soon as the bullet's out. Then I'm taking you straight to New Jericho Tower."

Connor swallowed nervously at the thought of having to hold a piece of scorching hot metal to his friend's chest, but it needed to be done. "...I'll do it."

"You sure Connor?"

"Yes. I can do it." Connor took the lighter from Hank's hand and flicked the flame to life. Taking a deep breath he placed the lighter on his leg as he sat on the edge of the bed to keep himself steady. "Markus, this is really going to hurt. You can't move or it'll make the pain and your injury worse. Do you understand?"

"Yeah... I get it." Looking up at North he grabbed onto her hand and held tight. "I won't move." Taking a deep breath himself Markus closed his eyes and tried to relax as much as he possible. "Do either of you have a bullet I can bite on?"

North looked around the room and spotted a pencil sitting atop the nearby dresser. Grabbing the item she placed it between Markus's teeth and gave him an uncertain glance. "Bite down."

Connor glanced up nervously at Hank as he prepared to extract the bullet from Markus's chest. "Hank, can you help hold him steady?"

"Yeah, I got him." Moving to the opposite side of the bed from where North and Connor were sitting Hank push his hands down against Markus's arm and his hip to keep him in place. "Do what you gotta' do, we'll do what we can to help."

Nodding slowly Connor held the knife over the bullet wound and pressed the sharp tip down against the side of the bullet inside the plastimetal frame. "I'm going to loosen the bullet enough for me to pry out, then I will apply pressure until the knife is hot enough to cauterize the injury."

Markus acknowledged the comment with an anxious 'hum' as North held onto his hand and rubbed her other hand over his forehead affectionately. Biting down harder on the pencil Markus opened his mismatched eyes and nervously darted his gaze back and forth along the blank, white ceiling above himself.

Holding his own breath Connor dug the knife down against the bullet and applied pressure until he felt the bullet give. Markus's entire body jerked in reflex as the pain in his chest intensified to level he hadn't felt before, causing North and Hank to press down against him harder to keep him still.

"Almost done." Connor stated as he carefully retracted the knife as the bullet nearly popped out of the wound, and thenpressed the towel down over the bleeding wound again. Using the lighter Connor began heating the metal blade of the knife and monitored Markus's condition closely. "Just hold on."

Hank reached out his hand and pressed down on the towel over the wound to apply more pressure until the knife was hot enough to cauterize effectively.

"Damn it." Connor swore as he realized the lighter would not be enough to heat the knife appropriately. Glancing about the hotel room resourcefully Connor honed in on the metal trashcan up against the far wall and had an idea. "I need to get the blade hotter, faster."

"How're you going to do that?" North asked curiously as she impatiently waited for something to happen.

"I need to make a bigger fire."

Connor explained as he picked up the trashcan and stuffed it with one of the bloodied towels that had been used to cover Markus's wound earlier in the night. Returning to the dufflebag Connor pulled out a large bottle of rubbing alcohol and poured it inside the trashcan as he carried into the bathroom and place it down inside the bathtub. Using the lighter once more Connor ignited the towel and created a bright orange fire inside the can.

Holding the knife over the large flames Connor scanned the knife in his hand to monitor the temperature as it rose quickly. Mentally steeling himself for the unpleasant task at hand Connor tried to think of how he could possibly look Markus in the eye again after willingly inflicting the necessary evil upon his friend.

"Hank," Connor shouted from the bathroom loudly as he focused on the knife. "open the kit and pour the incrassation compound over the wound."

"Yeah, okay." Lifting his hand away from the towel over Markus's chest Hank flipped open the lid of the android first aid kit and located the correct bottle containing the coagulating orange tinted liquid. As he unscrewed the lid on the bottle he gave Markus an apologetic glance. "Sorry about this. It stings."

From the bathroom Connor heard Markus let out a deep groan of pain as he endured the incrassation being poured over the wound and he closed his eyes empathetically. While effective, the liquid itself did little to ease the intense discomfort to android injuries; and it did even less for the two RK prototype models who were able to feel pain more so than other models of deviants.

Satisfied with the the increased temperature of the knife Connor returned to the main area of the hotel room and wiped away the excess incrassation compound that had been poured over the wound.

"Sorry, Markus." Connor quickly apologized as he pressed his fingers down around the wound and immediately pressed the side of the scorching hot blade against the opened, bleeding injury.

Markus stifled an intense groan of pain as he bit down on the pencil until it nearly snapped in half between his teeth. North squeezed his hand as tightly as she could while also moving her hand down from Markus's forehead over his eyes to keep from from watching what was happening to him. Using as much strength as he dared Hank held Markus down while the android's body jerked violently and tried to pull away from the excruciating heat of the blade.

Falling unconscious from the pain Markus was left completely vulnerable to the world with only his friends to protect him.

"Got it." Connor pulled the knife away and retreated to the bathroom to run the knife under the cool tap in the sink and to put out the still burning fire in the trashcan that had been set down in the bathtub.

Once the flame had been extinguished under the faucet in the tub Connor leaned over the edge of the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. The stare in his eyes was as pained as Markus's wound. With his shaking hand Connor ran the Thirium soaked bullet under the tap in the sink and stared at it with an unsettling realization at the offending projectile.

Hank had taken the liberty of pulling the ruined pencil from between Markus's teeth as he pressed his hand down against Markus's chest to count his thready pulse. "He's hanging in there. But he's weak."

North nodded and looked at the bottles of Thirium that Connor had left on the bed next to the first aid kit. "He needs blue blood."

Hank picked up the nearest bottle and tossed it to North while he used the water and towel to clean up the wound as best as he could without disturbing the cauterized wound, to accidentally cause it to bleed again. Showing the same care to the second, but less severe, wound to Markus's shoulder the detective bandaged up the android with a skill he had begrudgingly mastered after having spent so many hours patching up Connor at the house.

Walking slowly out of the bathroom Connor reluctantly looked down at Markus laying unconscious on the bed as North carefully tipped the first bottle of Thirium to his lips to try to encourage him to drink the much needed blood. Though quiet and nearly unresponsive Markus managed to drink the offered Thirium slowly without choking.

"Hank." Connor tossed the bullet to the detective who caught it easily in his hand. "The bullet."

Studying the bullet in his palm Hank gave Connor a stern glance. "Nine millimeter."

North didn't understand the significance of the bullet's caliber. "What about it?" She asked as she gently propped Markus's head up on her lap and steadily poured additional Thirium into Markus's mouth and waited for him to swallow before giving him anymore.

Connor bowed his head in shame as he answered North's question. "Nine millimeter is very common and it'll make identifying the shooter difficult. But... Nine millimeter is also standard issue for all police officers in the city."

North's eyes went wide with a blend of anger and fear. "Do you think a cop shot at us?"

"We can't rule it out. I sincerely hope it wasn't one of us, but we can't afford to dismiss any possible lead."

Hank put the bullet in his pocket and let out a deep sigh. "I'll have ballistics check the bullet for me in person. We won't leave anything to chance."

Connor hovered over Markus's body and performed another scan on the wounded deviant's vital signs. "He's stable-" Markus's heart suddenly fluttered and held Connor's attention. The deviant leader's pulse was becoming erratic, and his heart was struggling to beat. "Shit..."

"What now?" Hank asked as he handed the second bottle of Thirium to North.

"The bullet didn't directly impact his Thirium pump, but it has compromised the biocomponent. He'll need a full replacement in less than four hours otherwise-"

North's hand reached out and grabbed onto Connor's arm in vice like grip. "No. We won't let that happen. If we get him to New Jericho Tower then he can get the replacement biocomponent he needs."

"Correct, but he's too weak to be moved."

"Then we'll wait for him to get stronger, and then we'll take him."

Connor calculated the odds of Markus's survival if they waited and it was significantly lower than if they rushed to the tower within the next few minutes. "...Waiting will only kill him."

"Well we can't do the replacement here! It's too dangerous!"

"Agreed."

"Then what're we going to do, Connor?"

Resisting the urge to look to Hank for guidance Connor closed his eyes, his hands clenching into tight fists at his sides, and he weighed his options: Rushing to the tower could put Markus and North at risk if the shooter was in fact still looking for them, but waiting for Markus to regain strength would reduce the odds of the damaged deviant android being able to withstand the physical strain of a total biocomponent replacement.

Either way Markus's life was on the line and it was up to Connor ultimately decide his fate.

"Hank." Looking the detective in the eyes Connor was firm in his decision. "We need to get Markus to the tower. Now."

"The car's nearby." Hank confirmed with a steady voice. "Get him as stable as possible and try to clean up as best as you can. I'll go talk to the hotel manager and make sure he gets paid handsomely for his services." Ever cautious Hank peered through the window again by pushing aside the curtain before he unchained the door and stepped outside. "Lock the door behind me, don't open it for anyone _but_ me."

Connor rushed over to replace the chain over the door and let out a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. There were times Connor wished he still had the cold, unempathetic logic of a machine to dictate his every move. With Markus's life at stake he found himself having one of those times again. Forcing himself to take a deep breath Connor set about cleaning up the mess in the bathroom as well as the rest of the hotel room.

"We can't leave any sign of androids behind." The keenly aware detective and deviant android explained coolly. "The Thirium will evaporate over the next few hours but we can't risk someone finding any trace of us and reporting it. It was a brilliant idea to hide in an anti-android hotel, but any traces could put us all in danger."

Staying on the bed North let Markus rest his head atop her lap as she finished giving him the last of the Thirium. "What should I do?"

"Stay with Markus and monitor him closely. I'll dispose of everything else."

North pulled Connor's leather jacket up and over Markus to try to keep him comfortable while she listened to Connor quickly throwing the blackened remains of the towel into a trashbag, then pressed the bag down into the bottom of the second trashcan under the bathroom sink. After that he rinsed out the black burn marks from the interior of the metal trashcan and wiped it clean before replacing it against the wall in the main room. Gathering all of the used towels he threw them into the laundry bag in the bathroom and waded them in such a way that none of the blue Thirium was visible.

"I'll pack up the kit and the dufflebag." Connor stated as he reclaimed his hat and pulled it down until his L.E.D. was concealed entirely. Placing the empty Thirium bottles inside of the dufflebag no sign of androids would be left behind. "North, are either of you armed?"

"No." She shook her head a little as she ran her hand lovingly down Markus's arm. "Markus doesn't like the idea of us carrying weapons while trying to maintain peace."

"Commendable."

"How're we going to get him out of here?"

"Like this." Connor picked up his jacket and motioned for North push Markus up into a sitting position on the bed. Using controlled motions and strength Connor slipped Markus's arms down the sleeves of the jacket then zipped it up to hide the bandaged wounds over his chest and shoulder that the torn shirt would never be able to hide. "As soon as Hank's back we'll carry him down to the car. You get the bag."

"Right, okay."

There was another knock at the door and Connor's hand instinctively hovered over the gun in the holster across his back. Refraining from grabbing onto the weapon he approached the door tentatively and peered out the peephole again.

"Hank." Repeating his movements from earlier Connor opened the door slightly and waited for Hank to say something.

"Rose sent me."

Unchaining the door Connor let the detective back inside the room.

"Alright," Hank stated sternly but calmly. "everything's taken care of with the manager, but we need to leave. NOW."

"Understood." Connor returned to the bed and knelt down as he took Markus's good arm and draped it around his shoulders Hank did the same for Markus's other arm, mindful of the injury to his shoulder the entire time. "Hopefully no one will have seen us."

"Doubt it." Hank replied as he and Connor stood up together with Markus hanging limp and unconscious between them. "Most of the people who check into these types of motels are trying to keep to themselves and want to mind their own business. Good place to lay low for a while."

North grabbed onto the dufflebag and followed the two detectives out of the hotel room and across the rainy terrace to reach the metal staircase leading back down to the parking lot below. Moving with the utmost caution Connor and Hank managed to carry Markus down the staircase without hurting him and get him over to the rear of the parked car just a few yards away.

"I got the door." Connor volunteered as he grabbed onto the rear handle and pulled the car door open wide. "North, put the bag in the trunk."

North pulled open the unlocked trunk and threw the bag inside before slamming it shut and climbing into the backseat from the other side. As she took her seat she reached out her arms and helped the two detectives lay Markus down across the backseat until his head was resting against her lap. Hank lifted Markus's legs up and onto the backseat as Connor shut the door and climbed into the front passenger seat. Taking his place behind the wheel Hank turned over the key in the ignition and backed the car out of the parking spot to leave the hotel.

As the car drove past the main office of the motel Connor noticed the manager glaring at the car with his arms crossed over his chest. Instinctively Connor ducked down a little in his seat and turned his head away to try to conceal his identity.

"Relax Connor, everything's good with the manager." Hank observed casually as he turned on the windshield wipers and took a 'clever route' to reach New Jericho Tower on the other side of the city.

"What did you say to to the manager?" Connor asked inquisitively as the car left the drive. "He looked upset."

"Well, I flashed him my badge, slipped him a hundred dollar bill and apologized because my 'drunk, idiot college son and his even drunker idiot college friends crashed in the room' back at the hotel."

North couldn't help but smile from the backseat when she heard what Hank had said.

Connor flashed an amused but sly grin as he turned to look at Hank. "We can't be _that_ idiotic if we're in college."

"Wanna' bet?" Hank snatched the hat from Connor's head and tossed it dismissively onto the floor of the car. "And take that off. You look weird with a hat."

Markus let out a pained groan as he began to regain consciousness from the backseat. North caressed his cheek lightly as she spoke softly to him to keep him calm and quiet. "It's okay, Markus. You're safe."

Connor turned to look at Markus over his shoulder as he laid disturbingly still in the backseat. Seeing the leader of the deviants so weak, so vulnerable, was about as far from the iconic hero status he had so righteously earned on the night of the revolution.

"How's his pulse?"

North pressed her hand down against Markus's chest, mindful of the bullet wound beneath. "Slow, but strong."

Connor turned to look at the detective beside him. "Hank?"

"I know kid, I know." Hank kept glancing up to the rearview mirror to check for anyone who may have been able to locate where Markus and North had been hiding, and could now be following them. "We can't just make a beeline for the tower, you never who could be watching."

"Are you avoiding the main streets?"

"Nope. Rookie mistake." Hank turned right at the light instead of passing straight through like normal. "If we stick to the main roads it'll keep anyone who might be trying to follow us at a distance. If we go along the back roads we risk getting ambushed in an isolated area."

Connor nodded in agreement as he gazed out the window to note any possible unusual activity. "North, did you contact CyberLife Tower to inform Simon of Markus's condition?"

"Yeah, he knows. He and Josh are preparing everything as we speak."

"Does anyone else at the tower know what has happened?"

"No. We don't want them to worry."

"I agree. And until we can identify the person who shot him we don't want to risk another confrontation between humans and deviants over a misunderstanding. We should keep this quiet."

Hank nodded as he glanced at the rearview mirror again. "Check in with the precinct, see if there were any shootings reported in the past six hours."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he cybernetically connected to the precinct and noted any and all disturbances that had been reported within the designated frame of time. "Two drunk driving accidents, one woman in labor, four speeding citations, two breaking and entering claims, one convenience store robbery, four shootings - but none in the New Haven area where Markus and North had been during the incident, and there was one domestic dispute. There doesn't appear to be any hostile interactions between humans and deviants tonight."

"That sounds promising. Let's hope it stays that way."

From the backseat Markus suddenly let out a choking cough as blue blood splattered over his lips and he began gasping for air. Connor turned his head to look at Markus while Hank glanced back with the rearview mirror.

North pressed her hand down harder against Markus's chest. "Connor?"

"His Thirium pump is beginning to strain from exertion." Connor reached his hand back and felt Markus's heart rate for himself as he ran another scan. "We need to hurry if we have any chance of saving him."

Hank nodded as he sped up and resumed taking the most direct route to New Jericho Tower, caution be damned. Handling the rainy streets with the grace that comes only from years of experience from driving at high speeds over weather worn and neglected roads, Hank raced down the long drive that connected Belle Isle to the rest of the city, and provided safe haven to the deviants seeking shelter within the tower.

Passing over the concrete barricade as it lowered into the drive the vehicle sped to the tower with the sole focus of saving Markus from slipping any closer to death than he already was. Stopping in front of the tower as gently as possible Hank was relieved to see Simon and Josh waiting outside with a gurney, ready to save their leader from certain death. Connor threw open his own door and pulled open the backdoor to lift Markus up from the backseat while Josh helped him to carry Markus's unconscious body over to the awaiting gurney.

Hank and North followed right behind as the gurney was wheeled inside the tower at the uncomfortably late hour of the rainy night. Simon unzipped the jacket covering Markus's chest as Connor and Josh wheeled the gurney inside the tower, and as soon as the jacket was opened the trio could see the massive blood loss that Markus had suffered during transport.

"Shit." Connor swore loudly as he pressed his hand down over the bullet wound in Markus's chest. "It was cauterized, I don't understand how this happened."

Simon didn't worry about the 'how' and was more focused on the 'why'. "Left ascending Thirial line has been damaged. He's going to need a lot of replacement Thirium once he's in the emergency repair wing."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"I could use a second pair of hands." Simon confirmed as the gurney was loaded into the elevator and began its decent into the depths of the tower.

"Of course. I'll do everything I can."

* * *

It was a blur of activity as Simon and Connor worked to save Markus's life as he continued to bleed out from the bullet wound to his chest. Simon had located the damaged line and had managed to successfully repair it while also replenishing his rapidly depleting Thirium levels before they fell into a critical range. Numerous monitors had been hooked up to the shot deviant leader to monitor his erratic heart rate, his Thirium levels, his Thirium pressure and his core temperature.

The sensor pad was placed in the middle of his chest, the Thirium pressure cuff was wrapped around his left bicep, and the cable connected to his right temple where his L.E.D. had once been all connected his system activity to the monitor in a grotesquely machine manner. Connor kept watch over Markus while Simon and Josh set about looking for a compatible replacement Thirium pump for Markus, but finding an adequate biocomponent was proving far more challenging than anyone in the tower had anticipated.

Simon returned from the biocomponent storage wing of the repair ward and ran his hand through his blond hair anxiously. "Josh is still looking, but it doesn't look like we have any replacement Thirium pumps that are compatible with his model."

"Why is his Thirium pump failing to begin with? The bullet caused minor damage to the biocomponent that his self-healing program should've been able to easily repair."

"I don't know." Simon admitted with utter defeat in his voice as he looked over Markus's vital signs on the surrounding monitors. "Markus has always been completely healthy and showed no previous sign of biocomponent failure or software incompatibility glitches. But like you, he's a prototype model. There may be underlying problems in his system that we simply cannot detect by standard tests."

"Standard tests?" Furrowing his brow Connor ran a scan over Markus's body and identified the model and serial number of the Thirium pump in his chest and the Thirium pump regulator that was keeping his heart beating, and noted a major discrepancy. "Simon, his Thirium pump regulator doesn't match his serial number."

"What?" Simon pressed his hand down atop Markus's abdomen to cause his artificial skin to recede from over his torso. Opening the panel to his abdominal cavity Simon checked the model number of the regulator and confirmed Connor's scan. "You're right, it's a different- Wait. I think I know how this happened."

Connor stared at Simon silently as he awaited the answer to the unusual set of circumstances.

"Markus told us of the night he became a deviant and of how he had been shot by the police. He was thrown in an android junkyard and left for death, but he managed to reboot himself and repair the damage before climbing out of the pit of bodies. That's why he has two different colored eyes as well."

Shaking his head a little Connor looked down at Markus with a sense of mystery and newfound respect. "I never knew Markus had gone through such a horrific experience. And now it's coming back to haunt him."

"The damage was to his Thirium pump, not to the regulator." Simon wondered aloud as he tried to diagnose Markus's current ailment. "So why is his heart failing?"

"Is it possible that his prototype self-healing program is unable to synchronize the replacement regulator with the pump?"

Simon gave Connor an uneasy stare. "If that's the case then it's not just his Thirium pump that needs to be replaced, his regulator needs to be replaced, too."

"What're the odds of finding two compatible biocomponents that'll fit his model?"

Simon never answered, but the silence spoke volumes of the dire situation at hand.

Markus groaned a little as his glassy eyes opened and hazily stared up at the ceiling above. "...North?"

Connor put his hand on Markus's shoulder and held tight as his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow and remained in color. "It's me, Connor. Simon is here, too."

"...Where's North?"

Simon's shoulders sagged as he stepped back from the exam table where Markus was laying. "I'll go and get her. I'll also see what Josh has found."

"Did you hear that?" Connor asked calmly as Simon took his leave of the room. "North is coming."

"...Connor?" Markus blinked slowly and focused on the deviant's face watching over him. "Please. Promise me."

"Promise you?"

"That you'll take care of North."

"Markus, please." Connor tightened his grip on Markus's shoulder as he picked up the dying android's hand and held it in a reassuring squeeze. "You can't give up. I've already lost my brother, I don't want to lose you, too. We need you!"

"...Promise me."

Connor swallowed nervously as he hesitated in making such a heartbreaking promise.

The elevator doors opened and North came rushing into the repair ward as quickly as she could. Hank had followed her but stayed back out of respect for the young couple.

"Markus?" North grabbed onto Markus's hand and held it tightly as tears formed in her eyes. "No, Markus. Please don't leave me."

"North." Markus forced a smile to his blood stained lips as she rubbed the back of his hand against her face. "I'm glad you're here."

Discreetly Connor placed Markus's other hand back down before he walked away to give Markus and North some privacy as they spoke.

"Connor?" Hank lowered his voice as the deviant android approached him slowly. "Is it true?"

"...Yes. Unless we can find a compatible pump and regulator Markus is going to die."

"There's nothing here in the tower?"

"Josh has been looking for almost two hours and there is no compatible RK model biocomponents-" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red briefly then back to yellow as a relatively dark thought popped into his head. Pressing his hand over his chest he gave Hank an odd look. "Perhaps I-"

"No!" Hank caught himself before he shouted, but grabbed onto Connor's shoulders all the same. "No. You can't donate your heart to Markus. One life isn't equal to another, okay? You can't just-"

The monitor keeping track of Markus's heart rate suddenly blared a warning alarm as the deviant's heart finally gave out and ceased to beat on its own. The two detectives turned their heads toward the exam table and watched as North began shaking Markus's chest to try and reawaken the fallen deviant.

"Markus? Markus!?" North sounded frightened, genuinely frightened for the first time in her life as she pleaded for Markus to stay with her. "Wake up!"

Connor broke free from Hank's grip and sprinted back to the exam table to press his hand down on Markus's chest next to North's hand. The Thirium pump had failed entirely and could no longer beat on its own. According to the monitors Markus's intracranial processor was still functioning, but without a beating heart his entire system would shutdown in less than ninety seconds.

"Shit. Markus!" Connor lifted the android's eyelids but there was no sign of consciousness or recognition in the mismatched irises. Reacting on instinct Connor placed one hand over top the other and interlaced his fingers together to create a single fist that he rested over Markus's stopped heart. Using precise rhythm and controlled strength Connor began compressing Markus's chest to manually force his heart to beat again. "Markus. Wake up."

North held tightly onto Markus's hand as she watch Connor's attempt to revive the fallen deviant leader. "Please Markus... Come back to me."

Hank approached the exam table timidly as Connor performed the life-saving procedure on the weakened, dying deviant leader to the best of his ability.

"Come on, Markus." Connor pleaded out loud as he watched the monitor carefully. The monitor let out a faint 'blip' as it detected a faint heartbeat but it was the result of the compressions, not from the pump resuming its normal function. "Wake up."

Markus's eyes opened slowly as he regained consciousness. Looking up at North's face he saw the tears in her eyes and his hand in her hand and gave her a small grin. Hank just watched silently as Connor continued to force Markus's heart back into motion in a desperate fight to keep the deviant leader alive.

"North." Connor kept his voice as level as possible through the compressions. "You need to talk to him. Help me keep him alive."

Tightening her grip around Markus's hand North leaned down toward his face resting her forehead against his. "Hang on, please. We'll find a way to save you."

Markus responded by squeezing her hand as tightly as he could, but he didn't have much strength to spare.

Simon and Josh returned to the ward with timely fashion. The two deviant androids rushed to their fallen leader's side and were immediately aiding Connor in keeping Markus from shutting down permanently.

Josh had checked every registered spare biocomponent in stock but there were simply no spare parts compatible with RK model androids. The only technician who had successfully modified another model to make it compatible with the RK series was Lucas after he used his own circuitry to create the necessary enhancements.

But Lucas was gone.

"Connor." Standing next to Connor so he could whisper discreetly Josh gave the deviant android the devastating news. "We don't have anything that can be used to save him."

"...Yes we do." Connor's eyes narrowed as he looked over to Hank then back to Josh. "Hank, please take care of North."

"What?! No!" North refused to leave Markus's side, but the detective had already put his hand on her shoulder and her arm to guide her away. "I won't leave him!"

Simon sided with Connor and tried to reason with North to encourage her to leave. "North, you don't want to be here when we do this."

"I-" North looked down at Markus who had given her hand a reassuring squeeze as he smiled up at her. Repressing an enraged sob she slowly bent down and kissed Markus's lips before she finally let go of his hand and allowed Hank to guided her away. "I love you Markus!"

Connor, Josh and Simon all watched and waited for Hank to lead North out of the ward and to the elevator where she wouldn't be able to see or hear anything regarding Markus's life. Once Hank had escorted North out of the repair room the three deviant androids fighting to save Markus from death.

"Connor," Josh gave the deviant a skeptical look as he stepped back and raised his voice so Simon could hear him as well. "what's your plan?"

* * *

Hank had practically pushed North into the elevator in order to get her to leave and he hated every minute of it. The last thing he wanted to do was drag her away from Markus if Markus truly was dying, but he knew Connor all too well at this point. The clever deviant android had something up his sleeve, and what that thing was Hank almost dreaded finding out.

"North, please trust Connor."

"Trust him?!" North began pacing back and forth across the elevator car with her arms wrapped around her chest in a tight hug. "Markus is down there dying and you just want me to trust Connor just because you said so? You may be able to look past him hunting down deviants, but I can't! Markus trusts him and that's the only reason I'm willing to work with Connor, but I'll be damned if I forget that he was once my enemy!"

"Whoa, what the hell?" Hank was awestruck by her outburst. "Didn't you risk yourself to save him only a few months back?"

"Like I said, _Markus_ trusts him. And Markus wasn't here to help."

"So that's it, huh? You have all the emotions and freewill of a human, but you still hold onto petty grudges and let them fester in your soul? I don't know what's colder; you or the rain?"

"Shut up, Hank. You don't know anything about what I've been through."

"The 'Eden Club'? Pretty sure I covered that with you before."

"That Hellhole is nothing like what I'm going through right now!" She practically screamed in Hank's face as she tried and failed to restrain her mounting frustration. "And you just want me to trust Connor because you do. Because it makes it so much easier to deal with all this bullshit, doesn't it?"

"No." Hank pressed the 'stop' button on the elevator panel before crossing his own arms as he stood his ground before the fiery deviant. "I want you to trust him because he's _earned_ it. Connor is ALWAYS putting others before himself and he has nearly lost his own life more times than I want to fuckin' count because of it! It's in his nature to help people."

"No offense Hank, but that means jackshit coming from you! You're his best fucking friend, so of course you're going to sing high praises for him. If that was Connor laying on the table you wouldn't leave his side. What this is right, this is all just a hollow gesture. The same damn song and dance that every human has done before; it's all talk and no show. So save it!"

"Wrong, North. I'm not talking a big game just because I care about the kid, or because I want to blow smoke up your ass because that's 'police protocol 101'. I'm saying these things because I know Connor can save Markus. Just be patient, he CAN do this."

"And you know all this because you're his partner, right?"

"North." Hank softened his tone and the expression on his face as he let his arms drop away from his chest in less guarded manner. "...I know these things because Connor's my son."

North stopped pacing and gave Hank a strangely emotional look. The sincerity in Hank's blue eyes showed the emotional depth that the gruff lieutenant had tried to hide at the bottom of a whiskey bottle for so many years after the horrible personal tragedies that he had suffered had finally returned to the surface.

"...You really do care about each other, don't you?"

"Connor saved my life without even knowing it. And he gave me something to live for again. I want to do the same. I want to give him the guidance and understanding that I had given to Cole when he was with me. I miss my blood son, and I always will, but Connor is the son I never knew I needed until he showed up in my life. Just as I would with Cole I'd gladly give up my own life to save his; and I know Connor would do the same for me, and everyone else in this tower."

Fresh tears formed in North's eyes as she fixed her gaze onto Hank. "...That's how I felt when I saw Markus fighting for our people. He gave me a reason to keep trying, to not give up on myself. He helped me learn how to feel something other than hatred and resentment. Markus helped me find the faith to love."

"And now that you know you might actually lose him it's tearing you apart in a way you never thought you could feel."

"How do you know what that's like?"

"Aside from losing Lucas? And my wife? And my firstborn son, Cole?"

"You've lost so much..."

"And Connor gave me so much more back. More than I deserve. He didn't see me as the broken down, old alcoholic with revolver pressed against my head. He saw ME. The real me that I had thought died so long ago when Cole died."

"...Markus never saw me as a... victim." North took in a deep breath as the horrible memories of the 'Eden Club' overwhelmed her mind like a never ending nightmare. "He saw me as a fellow deviant just looking for a place in the world. Like he was."

"You were both looking for a place to belong. Looking for a family. And you found each other."

North let out a weak sob as she began losing her emotional fortitude. As she wiped away the tears that were beginning to stream down her face North saw that Hank had taken a step toward her and just waited for her to respond. Taking her own step forward North let her arms fall to her sides as she felt Hank wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. North slowly wrapped her arms around Hank in return and began to cry against his shoulder as he held her in his arms.

"It's going to be okay, North."

* * *

Connor was still compressing Markus's chest and refused to stop until the replacement biocomponents were ready for transplant. Josh and Simon had wheeled a small surgical table and second exam table beside the table where Markus was laying completely helpless and prone to the world around him, as the three deviant androids who had sworn loyalty to him fought to save his life.

"Connor, are you sure about this?" Simon looked down at the metal case on the table and rested his hand atop it before he even considered opening it. "There's no going back once it's done."

"Do it." Connor nearly panted as the prolonged physical exertion was causing him to overheat steadily. "It's the only way to save his life."

"Okay... We'll get everything ready."

While Simon prepared for the transplant procedure Josh rolled a second android cardiac monitor up to where Connor was standing and turned it on. Reaching for the lone sensor pad attached to the monitor Josh lifted up Connor's black t-shirt by the hem and secured the sensor directly over Connor's own racing heart as he continued to compress Markus's chest.

"Your core temperature is up." Josh noted as Connor's vital signs appeared on the monitor's display quickly, and accurately. Connor's own heart rate was higher than what was considered normal, and his power supply was also beginning to drop from the physical exertion. "Maybe I should take over for you?"

"No." Connor shook his head as he continued the perfect rhythm of compressions. "If I stop his chances of survival diminsh. Just get on with it. Do what you have to do to save Markus."

"Right." Josh gave Simon a quick nod of the head as he stood at the opposite side of the table from the technician. "We need to be quick."

* * *

Ever attentive Hank stayed with North as she paced about anxiously in the office that she and Markus used to conduct official business at the tower. Every time she passed by the window overlooking the harbor Hank caught sight of her reflection and saw the pain in her eyes she was still trying to hide despite already opening up to Hank earlier in the elevator.

It was just her instinct for self-preservation that kept her from getting close to people in general. It had nothing to do with what Hank or Connor could had possibly ever done to her in the past. She was still healing just like the rest of the deviants in the city.

The painting that Lucas had created of Markus and North standing together was proudly displayed on the wall, and Hank caught North's gaze frequently darting over to the large portrait as she paced. Whether the painting was a friendly reminder of a painful taunt, neither could say.

"Why don't you sit down?" Hank suggested kindly as he watched North pacing about. "You're going to wear a hole through the floor."

"I'm fine."

The door to the office opened and Josh greeted the duo waiting inside. "...You both need to come with me."

"Markus?" North stopped short and stared at Josh with a worried gaze.

Josh nodded as he entered the room put his arm around North's shoulders. As he guided her out of the office back toward the elevator he nodded subtly to the human detective who had been keeping North company.

"Hank, you need to see this, too."

* * *

The repair ward that had once been full of frantic energy and commotion was now quiet and still. Simon was standing between the two exam tables to keep tabs on Markus's vital signs, all the while he continued to check their inventory to find any other possible compatible parts for RK models of deviant androids. Any future incidents such as this would be prevented as much as possible.

Markus himself was propped upright on the exam table with a peaceful expression on his face. Inside his repaired chest was a new heart thrumming away on its own; strong and healthy. The monitors still attached to his body showed a healthy, steady stream of vital signs as Simon hovered warily over the resting deviant leader while he continued to run numerous tests to ensure there was no biocomponent rejection.

Stepping out of the elevator North saw Markus laying on the table and more importantly she saw that he had a heartbeat on the cardiac monitor's display. Rushing over to his side once more North picked up Markus's his hand and held it tightly as she waited for him to open his beautiful uncoordinated eyes to look at her again.

Hank was relieved to see Marcus that was still in fact alive, but when he saw Connor laying on his right side on the second exam table next to Markus his heart sank. The deviant android's leather jacket was draped over his body like a dark shroud, and Connor wasn't moving. It didn't look like he was even breathing.

"...Connor?" Hank ran over to the table and pressed his fingers against Connor's neck as he pulled back the jacket and pushed Connor's shoulder just enough to roll the completely unconscious, limp deviant android onto his back. Beneath Hank's fingertips he could still feel a pulse and the detective let out the breath he had holding the moment he saw Connor laying completely motionless. "Connor?"

Josh joined Hank at the table and explained everything to him. "He's okay, Hank. He's just resting."

"Resting?"

"Yeah. He nearly collapsed from doing compressions for so long. It almost completely overheated his system."

Hank bowed his head as he leaned down against the exam table against his arms and let out a deep sigh. "...I seriously thought he talked you guys into giving Markus his heart."

"...Yeah. It was something like that."

Hank's head lifted up as he turned to look at Josh. "What do you mean?"

Connor's weak hand reached up and rested against Hank's shoulder drawing his attention back. "...Hank."

"You okay, kid?" The detective looked down at Connor warily without fail.

"Yeah, I'm just tired." Connor tried to push himself upright with his trembling right arm, but he didn't have the strength. Hank hooked his arm around Connor's chest beneath the deviant android's trembling arm and guided him into sitting upright on the table. "Help me, please. I want to see Markus."

"Sure. Lean on me."

With Hank's assistance Connor tiredly walked over to the exam table where North was still hanging onto Markus's hand, and Simon was keeping track of the deviant leader's vital signs very closely. Josh followed after the two detectives, his attention on Connor just in case the exhausted deviant android suddenly collapsed or showed any sign of passing out.

Connor looked down at Markus's face then to the deviant leader's chest where his new heart was beating. Lightly he placed his palm down over the center of Markus's chest and felt the heartbeat under his palm. As a lone tear rolled down Connor's face a gracious smile appeared on his face.

"Hank. We found the two biocomponents that were compatible with Markus."

"Where'd you get it?"

"...Lucas."

Hank's eyes went wide with confusion as he visibly straightened his posture. "...You mean?"

"Correct. Lucas's heart is now with Markus."

Tightening his arm around Connor's chest to hug him with an approving grin, Hank nodded with approval. "...Even beyond death Lucas saved a life and I know you made your brother proud."

Connor's L.E.D. shifted from yellow to blue as Hank's words brought the deviant android a much needed sense of peace knowing that he did the right thing, not just for Markus but for Lucas as well.

* * *

Markus awoke early the following morning and found himself surrounded by exhausted onlookers who refused to leave his side until he was conscious once again. As he sat upright on the exam table he was greeted by North practically throwing herself at him to wrap him up in a tight hug as she cried tears of relief over his shoulder.

"...It's okay, North." Markus wrapped his arms around her and lightly ran his hand through her long auburn hair. "I'm here."

Simon and Josh let out collective sighs of relief while Connor and Hank just stood beside the table waiting for Markus to say or do anything else while North embraced him with all of her heart.

Markus turned to look at the two detectives and nodded appreciatively. "Connor. Hank. You saved us."

"Us?" North let Markus go and put her hand to the side of his face. "You were the one who got shot, I was just there for the ride."

Markus picked up North's hand and kissed her knuckles affectionately. "It doesn't mean you weren't in danger."

"I'm just glad you pulled through." Hank stated with a firm, confident tone. "Thought we lost you."

"No. I have too much to do here, I'm not going anywhere anytime soon." Markus smiled as he shook Hank's hand. Turning his attention to Connor he noticed that the android had a tranquil stare in his brown irises that he hadn't seen in months. "Connor, thanks for being there for me."

"Of course. That's what we do for each other right?" Connor put his hand on Markus's shoulder for a moment before retracting his grip. "Like a family."

"Yeah. We're all a family." Putting his hand to his chest Markus ran a self-diagnostic and discovered what had been done to save his life. As soon as he recognized the original serial number of the biocomponents now beating in his chest his look of contentment shifted to one of surprise. "...Lucas?"

"It was the only way to save you. And Lucas would've wanted his heart to go to someone worthy."

"...I'll try to live up to that reputation."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder once as he pulled the deviant android toward the elevator. "Come on, Connor. We still have to get that damn bullet analyzed so we can get that twisted shooter off the street. And _you_ need to get some rest."

"Agreed." Slipping his hands into the pocket of his leather jacket Connor pulled out the quarter he had been fidgeting with the night before and tossed it to Markus. "Here." Markus caught the coin easily in his right hand and stared down at it. "Your lighter is your good luck charm, this was mine and Lucas's good luck charm. Hang onto it for his sake."

"I will. I promise."

As Connor and Hank walked out of the repair ward side by side and entered the elevator Connor watched through the glass siding of the elevator as Markus spoke to North, Simon and Josh. All the while the deviant leader spoke he absentmindedly danced the quarter over his knuckles expertly as if he had been doing the little trick all of his life.

Hank saw the familiar motions as well and laughed a little. "That was Lucas's coin, wasn't it?"

"Yes. I still have my own coin, I don't need to hold onto his coin as well. I'll always be able to remember Lucas without a keepsake."

Atop Markus's hand the coin moved about in the same pattern that Lucas had developed while rehabbing his hand, and it made Connor smile as comforting warmth spread throughout his chest as the elevator ascended out of sight of the repair ward, back to the ground floor of the tower.

"...Thank you. Lucas."

_**...next story...** _


	83. Contagious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Bananaise_San

It was a long morning for the two exhausted detectives as they patiently awaited the ballistics report on the bullet that had been extracted from Markus's chest just a few hours before. While Hank had resorted to doubling-down on his usual morning cup of coffee, Connor had to resort to intermittently entering and exiting low-power mode to try to conserve his dwindling energy from his lack of a full rest mode from the previous night. Between carrying Markus to the car and performing chest compressions for almost a full hour Connor was physically exhausted, and the exertion of taking care of Markus as on a physical scale and then being the literal shoulder for North to cry on had drained Hank of his own energy as well.

Hank was resting his head against his hand as he leaned over his desk waiting for some kind of update to appear on his terminal, and Connor was sitting statuesque with his arms crossed over his chest awaiting the same update. As Hank let out a sleepy yawn and looked down at his already empty mug of coffee before he leaned back in his chair and set off for the breakroom.

"Need more coffee." Hank stated needlessly as he walked past Connor and let out another yawn as he walked.

Connor closed his eyes as he allowed himself to enter a light rest mode to aid his depleted system until he could return home to enter a proper rest mode, and regain his lost energy entirely. As Hank returned to his desk across from Connor's desk the deviant android opened his eyes and watched as Hank placed the fresh mug of coffee on his desktop and covered his mouth as he let out another yawn.

"Damn, I haven't been this tired on the job since Cole was born."

Connor sighed a little and then covered his own mouth as he let out a sleepy yawn as well.

The little feat didn't escape Hank's attention. "Did you just _yawn_?"

"Apparently so." Connor admitted as he dropped his hand away from his mouth and leaned forward against his desk a little. "I am quite fatigued."

"I didn't think androids could yawn."

"People say yawning in contagious. It must be true."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as the much awaited update finally appeared on their terminal screens. The bullet had been traced back to a gun that was reportedly destroyed three years after being confiscated by an officer from another precinct. The officer in question has a history of abusing androids and had been an outspoken anti-android bigot long before and even after the revolution.

"Looks like we found our shooter." Hank lamented as he read the report with a heavy stare. "His Captain is going to take him in for questioning and search for the gun. But if anything the gun was already tossed into the river."

"Even if they cannot locate the gun perhaps they can confirm the officer was in the area of New Haven at the time of the shooting."

"Maybe. But no guarantees."

"I'm just glad it wasn't the result of another gang-war."

"Yeah, things are getting pretty tense again. This time it's between humans who have their own opinions on androids, not just the androids."

"When will it stop?"

"I wish I could say, Connor. But hate runs deep and it leaves painful scars that take generations to heal."

"But it will heal?"

"Yeah, it will." Hank sipped at his coffee and noted the time on the terminal screen. "It's almost four, we finished our report and identified a possible shooter. I say we clock out early and go home."

Connor nodded a little as he tried and failed to run a self-diagnostic on his system, but his power was too low to initiate such a command. "...Yes. Rest will prove very beneficial."

"You must be tired." Hank smiled as he finished off the coffee and stood up from his desk. "You're agreeing to go home instead of trying to work."

"I promised that I'd stop obsessing over work," the deviant android reminded Hank sharply. "and I intend to keep my promise."

* * *

Once the two detectives were back home Connor let Sumo out into the backyard for a few minutes, his body leaning heavily against the kitchen counter from fatigue as he waited for the large dog to finish his business and re-enter the house. Hank had opted for a quick shower before heading right into his bedroom to crash for the rest of the evening and all through the long night.

Connor again tried to initiate a self-diagnostic but a red 'Error' message appeared in his visual sensors as the program once again failed to boot up properly.

Rubbing his hand anxiously over the back of his neck Connor let out a tired sigh and slipped his hand down to the knot of his tie to loosen the garment from its place around his neck. As he pulled the black tie from around his collar Sumo began scratching at the backdoor and Connor happily let the massive bundle of fur back inside.

"I'll get you some food." Connor spoke to Sumo as if the dog could perfectly understand what he was saying as he scooped out a perfectly measured cup of food from the large bag resting against the corner in the kitchen. Dropping the food down into the bowl Connor patted Sumo's head. "Good boy."

Walking down the hallway to his bedroom Connor slipped off his jacket to place it properly on a hanger and draped his tie around it. He hung up the garments in the closet next to the leather jacket he had hastily discarded that morning as he and Hank hurriedly changed into clean clothes before reporting to the precinct directly from New Jericho Tower. Throwing off his white dress shirt, shoes and jeans in favor of a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants Connor happily laid down in his bed and entered his much needed rest mode for the rest of the evening.

As he fell into rest mode Connor's fingernails began to subconsciously drag into his forearm as if something were irritating him, yet he was completely unaware of the simple action.

* * *

The following day Hank awoke just before noon to find Sumo staring at his face as he slept. The dog got excited as he saw his owner wake up and spun around in a clumsy circle beside the bed. Hank put his hand under the dog's soft chin to give him a few scratches as he pushed himself upright on the the bed and ran his hand through his messy locks of gray hair.

"Morning, boy."

As he rose from the bed Sumo rushed out of the bedroom door and headed right into the kitchen. Following after the dog Hank noticed Sumo eagerly pawing at the backdoor and that Sumo's food bowl was completely empty.

"Looks like Connor slept in, too, huh?" Hank pushed open the backdoor and watched as Sumo trotted into the backyard to circle around his usual tree.

After re-filling Sumo's food and water bowls Hank walked down the hallway and pushed open Connor's bedroom door just enough to peer inside without intruding. As he expected Connor was still in rest mode laying on his left side facing the door, a gentle blue light pulsing from his L.E.D. in his right temple.

Closing the door Hank wandered back down the hallway and turned on the television to catch the news reports he otherwise slept through. Still exhausted he returned to the kitchen to brew a fresh pot of coffee to help him wake up further. As he poured himself a mug of coffee Hank heard Connor's bedroom door open and then the bathroom door open and shut quickly.

"Trying a new morning routine?" Hank wondered a loud as he heard Sumo scratching at the backdoor.

Hank obliged in opening the door to let the giant dog back inside the house. Sumo promptly trotted over his bowls and began eating while Hank took his coffee into the livingroom.

A news report regarding androids and a new virus caught Hank's attention, and made him turn up the volume as he sat down on the couch heavily.

' _Apparently a new type of virus has been reported in deviant androids in the Detroit metropolitan area. The affected androids are NOT dangerous by any means, but the affliction itself is considered highly contagious to other androids_.'

"Oh no." Hank rubbed his hand down his still tired face as he mentally prepared for a worst case scenario. "Another cybernetic terrorist attack or a stupid bug? Please be a stupid bug."

' _During the latest software update for android systems a reported glitch_ -'

"Oh, thank God!"

' _is causing a malfunction in the sensory protocols in the affected androids. Those who have been affected are experiencing anomalies including, but not limited to, the inability to use advanced programs or modes. Symptoms include overheating, fatigue, fluctuations in Thirium volume pressure and the most unusual effect of the glitch involves aesthetic defects or blemishes in the android's artificial skin that can cause an inflamed appearance, and unpleasant sensation to the androids affected. According to the technicians working on the glitch the damage to the skin is the direct result of the deviancy program that allows deviated androids to feel emotion and in rare instances pain_.'

Hank glanced back over his shoulder to the closed bathroom door as tight knot formed in his stomach.

' _In the most severe cases of the glitch; found primarily in older models of androids, rapid and erratic Thirium pump rates have been reported as well as complete loss of motor control. Facilities throughout the city are working quickly to find the appropriate means of eliminating the glitch and undoing the damage to the affected androids. The glitch itself has reportedly originated from an unfinished software update that had been scheduled for release from the now defunct CyberLife industries_.'

"Good ol' CyberLife..." Hank sighed as he rose from the couch and ventured down the hallway. Knocking on the bathroom door he called out to Connor who was still inside and moving about very quietly. "Hey Connor, you alright in there? There's a news report about a software update glitch affecting androids, are you okay?"

Hank pushed the bathroom door open slowly and eyed Connor who was sitting on the edge of the bathtub staring down at his left forearm with a curious stare. His L.E.D. was cycling yellow slowly as if he were lost in deep thought at the sight of his own limb.

"Connor?"

"Hank." Connor looked up and stood up quickly as if he expected Hank to come to his rescue "There's something wrong with my arm but I can't run a self-diagnostic to identify the problem."

"Let me see." Hank entered the bathroom and grabbed onto Connor's wrist gently as he pulled the android's arm outward to examine it. Two small blue, circular blemishes had formed on the interior of his forearm and they looked raw; like someone had been scratching at them. "Shit. Connor, I think you have that glitch that the news was just talking about."

"My self-diagnostic program isn't functioning. I cannot confirm or deny such a glitch."

"Do you have these marks anywhere else?" Hank asked as he let Connor's arm go and pressed the back of his hand to the android's forehead. "You're running a little bit warmer than usual."

Connor's brow furrowed as he visually checked his other arm for anymore strange blemishes, only to become aware of an unpleasant sensation radiating from small areas across his chest and abdomen. Pulling up his t-shirt Connor looked down at his torso and notice six additional blemishes had appeared over his body.

"Yup. You have more of those marks."

Replacing his shirt Connor started to absentmindedly scratch at the blemishes on his arm as the spots began to aggravate him.

"Hey, don't do that." Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand and snaked his fingers around the android's wrist to count his pulse. "That can hurt you."

"I'm sorry, but these strange marks are very uncomfortable and distracting. It feels like I have something prickling just under the surface of my artificial skin and I dislike it very much."

"That's called an 'itch', kid. Don't scratch it or you'll make it worse."

"But my skin felt better after I scratched it."

"How much better will it feel if you tear open your skin from all that scratching?"

"I imagine it wouldn't feel pleasant if I were to commit such an act."

"You said you can't run your self-diagnostic program, right?"

"Correct." Connor confirmed as Hank let his hand go and he again began to scratch at his arm.

"Stop that!" Hank scolded as he grabbed onto Connor's hand again to stop him from scratching. "Look, the news report said androids that have been affected by this glitch would have trouble using some of their programs, could that be the problem right now?"

"It's difficult to say without a proper diagnostic."

"I'd take you to a facility to get checked out, but this glitch is pretty contagious. I don't know how a _glitch_ can be contagious, but whatever, that's why I'm a cop and not an engineer."

"It's possible that the glitch can be transferred by cybernetic contact or communication to those who have yet to receive the affected update to their software."

"How'd you get it?" Hank let Connor's hand go so he could put a clean washcloth under the cool tap in the sink.

"My software automatically updates whenever I enter rest mode."

"You got sick because you fell asleep? That's a new one."

"I cannot contact New Jericho Tower." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from distress yellow to red as another 'Error' message appeared, and only returned to yellow when he dismissed the warning. "I wonder how many others have been affected?"

"Well, if it made the news," Hank wrung out the excess water from the washcloth and pressed it down against Connor's forearm. "then it must be pretty bad. Try holding the washcloth against your arm. Maybe the cold will numb the itching for a while."

Connor nodded as he placed his right hand over the washcloth and held it in place. "Did the news report mention a possible time frame for this affliction?"

"Sorry, kid. They listed the symptoms, the cause and said that technicians are looking for a way to fix the glitch; but no time frame."

As Connor tried and failed again to initiate a self-diagnostic his L.E.D. flashed red with another 'Error' message and he shook his head despondently. "Damn it."

"Why don't you lay down on the couch and try to relax? I'll call Abby and see if she can tell us anything." Hank exited the bathroom first and shouted back as Connor followed him. "And don't scratch! I don't want to have to duct tape oven mitts to your hands."

Following Hank out of the bathroom and down the hallway Connor tried to lay down over the couch to rest, but the sudden onset of a headache made that practically impossible. Draping his arm over his eyes Connor tried to steady his breathing in hopes it'd ease his discomfort while he let his other arm hang freely off the edge of the couch to the floor.

Sumo's cold wet nose pressed into Connor's free hand as the dog cuddled up under his arm and rested his chin atop Connor's chest affectionately.

Hank paced about the kitchen with his phone in his hand as he spoke to Abby at her usual facility a few blocks away. At that moment Connor didn't have the ability to cybernetically tap into the phone to listen to the conversation, and his head was hurting him too much to really focus on what was being said anyway.

"Yeah, Abby." Hank returned to the livingroom casually with the phone still pressed to his ear. "I think Connor has that glitch. Only a few of those marks are on his skin, but it feels like he's starting to run a mild fever. No, I checked a minute ago and his pulse rate was fine." Standing still beside the couch he listened to Abby's calm instructions over the phone. "Sure, just a moment."

Pulling Connor's arm away from the deviant android's eyes Hank noticed that Connor immediately flinched at the painful light overhead as the sun poured through the front window easily throughout the entire livingroom.

"Yeah, looks like he has a headache, too."

Squaring his jaw Connor just gave Hank an annoyed stare as he forced himself upright into a sitting position as he began to scratch at the blemishes over his chest and abdomen. Sumo rested moved his head when Connor moved, only to rest his chin back down atop Connor's knee.

"Quit it." Hank pointed at Connor's hand as he listened to Abby over the phone. "I have no idea what his system says. His self-diagnostic isn't running. Yeah, I can do that. Give me a minute."

Connor watched as the detective walked down the hallway and into the bathroom only to return with a digital thermometer in his hand. Staring at the device in Hank's hand Connor just waited for the detective to re-enter the livingroom and inform him of Abby's instructions.

"Open your mouth." Hank stated casually as he sat down on the couch next to Connor.

"What for?"

"You need to hold this under your tongue until it beeps." Hank held out the thermometer toward Connor to take. "It's the only way to figure out how hot you're running without your self-diagnostic working."

Looking somewhat skeptical Connor took the thermometer and placed it in his mouth as Hank had directed. Waiting for the necessary time to pass the digital device 'beeped' once and it showed Connor's current core temperature. Connor took the thermometer from his mouth and read aloud his temperature as it appeared on the small display.

"One-hundred point two degrees even."

Hank repeated the number and waited for Abby's response. "Yeah, I can do that. Thanks Abby."

Connor watched as Hank ended the call and placed his phone down on the table next to the couch. "Well?"

"Abby says that, yes, you were indeed infected with the glitch and that you need to rest."

"Rest? Because of a glitch?"

"Yup. The technicians working on this glitch have called the condition that you and the other deviants are suffering 'Pyrexia Impairment', and it's being compared to what we humans call the 'chicken pox'."

"Chicken pox?" Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly as the itching from the blemishes continued to irritate him. As his hand made a move to his chest once more he noticed Hank's own annoyance at the gesture, but continued to make the move to scratch seemingly against his will.

" _And_..." Hank grabbed Connor's hand and pulled it away from his chest before he had the chance to damage his artificial skin. "like the chicken pox, scratching at those marks is only going to make you worse, like I already told you. So, knock it off!"

"I'm sorry, I don't realize I'm doing it until you tell me to stop."

"It's okay, I'm not mad or anything. I just don't want you to make yourself sicker by accident."

"How can I possibly get sicker?"

"According to Abby if those marks on your skin get opened up by scratching or anything else then you risk getting foreign matter stuck _under_ your skin that can get through your frame and into your biocomponents or Thirium lines."

"...I see." Connor dropped his hand from his chest only to reach up toward his neck instead.

"Connor," Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and gently tilted the android's head back and slightly to the left. "you have marks on the side of your neck now, too. _Don't_ scratch."

"How do you make this itching feeling stop?"

"I don't think human remedies can work on androids." Hank admitted as he dropped his hand from Connor's chin. "Just keep holding the cold washcloth against the marks."

Connor looked down at the washcloth still wrapped on his arm and picked it up curiously. There were two more marks on his arm near the first two, and third mark had formed higher up on his bicep than the previous marks. "Hank, there's even more.

"Jeez, kid." Hank stared at the blue marks beginning to dot Connor's skin one by one. "It looks like you're breaking out."

"I don't like this." Connor admitted as he dropped the washcloth on the coffee table. "I can confirm that this experience is very unpleasant and I do not like feeling like this."

"No one does. Maybe like the chicken pox you'll be immune to future infections after this is all over."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked again as he fought the urge to scratch at the numerous blemishes that were starting to form all over his body. Clenching his hands into fists he pressed his hands down against the cushions of the couch to keep himself from scratching at the irritating marks.

Hank hated to see Connor so miserable, and he hated that there was very little he could do to ease the deviant android's discomfort. "Abby said you need to rest, so why don't you go into rest mode and sleep through all of this until the glitch can be fixed?"

"That may be my best option." Connor agreed as he rose from the couch and kept his hands firmly at his sides, lightly pushing Sumo aside as he stood. "I don't want to exasperate my current condition."

Trudging down the hallway with Sumo right behind him Connor returned to his bedroom and all but collapsed onto his bed atop the neat quilt as he tried to ignore the insensate itching that was beginning to crawl all over his body. Rolling onto his side Connor's hand reached up to his neck to feel the new marks that had recently formed, but instead became distracted by three small blue marks that had appeared on the back of his hand.

"Damn it." Connor swore again as he closed his eyes and tried to initiate rest mode, but instead he had to wait for the program to activate on its own. "I can't even make myself sleep when in this condition. This is truly inconvenient."

Sumo let out a sympathetic whimper as he jumped up onto the foot of the bed and curled up next to Connor's legs. Sometimes the dog showed more empathy toward people than most people did.

"I'll be okay, Sumo. Good boy."

* * *

Periodically Hank peered inside Connor's bedroom and noticed that the android's L.E.D. was still yellow and there were a few blue marks now lining the side of Connor's face and over both of his arms. Moving quietly Hank put his hand over Connor's forehead with a light pressure to check his temperature. Unfortunately the detective didn't need the thermometer to tell him that Connor's fever was getting worse.

"Come on, kid. Can't you catch a break?"

Retrieving the washcloth that Connor had left behind on the coffee table in the livingroom Hank ran it under the tap in the bathroom sink to freshen it up with cool water. As he wrung it out just as he had done previously he walked into the bedroom and leaned over the sleeping deviant android as he smoothed the washcloth over Connor's forehead lightly.

Sumo watched Hank curiously as the detective took care of the deviant android without fal. As Hank stood back Sumo gave him a lick to the side of his arm for his troubles.

"He'll be fine, Sumo." Hank patted the dog's head as he silently backed out of the bedroom and pulled the door partially shut behind him. "Stay."

Reaching for his phone on the table a knock at the front door stole his attention. Approaching the front door curiously Hank peered through the nearby window and let out a sigh of relief. "Perfect timing." Answering the door he immediately stepped to the side to allow his unexpected but welcomed visitor all the same to enter. "Come in, Abby."

"Hey, Hank." She walked inside the house with her leather and canvas satchel over her shoulder. "The glitch has been corrected, but it requires manual activation to work."

"Thanks for stopping by. I didn't know if taking him to a facility would've been better or worse for him."

"Worse." Abby confirmed casually as she stepped into the livingroom. "Right now isolation is the best thing for all of the affected androids so no one else gets infected from contact."

"Well, he's in the bedroom down at the end of the hallway."

"Asleep?"

"I hope so."

"Alright, let's see how he's holding up. Bring the thermometer with you." Abby walked down the hallway and opened the slightly ajar bedroom door and looked inside. Seeing the android laying on his side with the massive dog keeping him company would've been a sweet image if Connor's skin wasn't marred by the blue marks from the glitch running rampant in his system.

Placing her satchel down on the edge of the bed next to Sumo she leaned over Connor and pressed her hand down against his chest to check his heart rate before moving aside the washcloth, which revealed more blue marks beneath, to press her hand over his warm forehead. Hank had followed Abby into the bedroom and had noticed that in the short time since he had left the bedroom that even more blemishes had appeared along Connor's face and neck.

"Strong pulse." Abby confirmed as she noted his temperature and made a motion for the digital thermometer in Hank's hand. As she placed the device in Connor's mouth between his teeth she gave the detective a somewhat worried glance as the display showed his fever up to one-hundred and two point six degrees. "He's definitely overheating."

"Can you do anything about those marks? He kept trying to scratch at them."

"I have something I can give him to ease the itching."

Opening her satchel Abby pulled out a transparent plastic bottle containing a pale pink liquid. "This is diluted incrassation compound. It'll keep the marks from overreacting by his affected sensors, but it won't sting like its concentrated counterpart."

"Looks like calamine location."

"That's an accurate way to describe it. Too bad the actual stuff doesn't have any effect on androids."

"I figured as much."

Pulling out a small gray electronic sensor from the satchel Abby pressed it to Connor's L.E.D. for a few seconds as she uploaded the appropriate software to reverse the effect of the glitch and allow his normal system processors and advanced programming to resume full function.

"This not only removed the glitch from his system, but it will prevent his condition from getting any worse. His system will fully reboot and recalibrate in three hours, in that time his self-healing program will repair any and all damage that the glitch had caused to his artificial skin."

"So there's no permanent damage, right?"

"Right. Just a few faint scars that'll fade over time."

Using the washcloth that had been draped over Connor's forehead at her disposal Abby dabbed the pink compound onto the cloth and lightly pressed it down over the blue marks that had spread over Connor skin fairly quickly. A pale pink coating of the compound managed to hide the blue marks, but the pink was almost as noticeable as the blue it was covering.

After covering his face, neck, arms and hands Abby lifted up Connor's shirt and visibly winced at the number of blemishes all over his chest and abdomen.

"I thought you said he only had a few marks?"

"He did back when I called you. How fast does this glitch make androids sick?"

"Pretty fast." Abby noted as she began covering the dozens of marks on Connor's chest and abdomen under the pink compound. There were additional ones along his shoulders stretching over his back as well. "But I hadn't seen any other android with this many blemishes."

"Is it serious?"

"I doubt it." She stated confidently as she applied the compound over Connor's upper and lower back. "he's stable and doesn't seem to be in any distress. My guess is he had a more severe outbreak because of his prototype programs."

Connor's eyes opened slowly as he felt the cold compound being applied to his artificial skin. Glancing around he noted both Hank and Abby now hovering over him as he laid on the bed feeling miserable.

"Connor, can you hear me?" Abby asked casually as she finished applying the compound to Connor's abdomen and pulled his shirt back down. She pulled the thermometer from Connor's mouth and read the temperature. "One-hundred two point four, that's already a little better."

"Yes." The deviant android replied tiredly. "I'm fully conscious."

"Can you run a self-diagnostic for me?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red as the same 'Error' message appeared in his visual sensors. "...No."

"Alright, don't worry about it." Abby took the audioscope from her satchel and slipped the ear pieces into place. As she pressed the bell down against Connor's chest she listened to his heart carefully. "Everything sounds normal. Did you detect any arrhythmia or tachycardia after you became infected?"

"No."

"Name all of your symptoms."

"Mild headache, overheating, numerous skin blemishes and the inability to access my advanced programming."

"I already uploaded the necessary software to remove the glitch from your system, you won't get any worse. I promise.

Connor looked down at the pink spots over his arms curiously. "The itching sensation has stopped. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Placing the bottle of the pink liquid into Connor's hand Abby packed up her satchel and hefted it back over her shoulder. "I'm going to go over to New Jericho Tower and take care of the deviants there before this glitch spreads any further. By the way, I heard about what happened to Markus. I'm glad you two were able to save him."

Hank's brow furrowed and he crossed his arms defensively. "How the hell do you know about that?"

"One of the Jerry's from that rundown 'Pirate's Cove' amusement park outside the city now lives at the tower, and works at my facility. He was talking about it as soon as he came in."

"He shouldn't be talking about it..."

"I know. But it gives other deviants hope knowing that their leader survived. Now," Abby stood up and gave both Connor and Hank a respectful smile. "I'll be on my way. Just keep tending to his fever until his self-healing program is able to resume normal function. He'll be just fine."

"Thanks Abby. I'll see you out." Hank volunteered as he watched Abby pet Sumo's head in passing before exiting the bedroom. "We appreciate all your help."

Once the two human were outside of the bedroom Connor proceeded to use the compound on the rest of his blemishes as they steadily began to itch at him mercilessly. Fortunately the outbreaks of blemishes seemed to stop as soon as Abby uploaded the new software into his system, but the blemishes that had appeared and still remained were less than ideal for the deviant android to deal with it.

After Connor finished applying the compound on his legs and feet he replaced his sweatpants and placed the half empty bottle on the nightstand beside his bed as he let out a weary sigh. Attempting one more time to run a self-diagnostic the same annoying 'Error' message popped up and Connor, losing patience with his lack of information, resorted to using the digital thermometer to check his temperature out of curiosity.

Sumo snuggled up closer to Connor until his head was resting over the android's abdomen and began wagging his tail as Connor instinctively began petting his head with great affection. Hank returned to the bedroom with a bag of ice wrapped up in a clean, damp washcloth and presented it to Connor as the android laid back against his pillow.

Noticing the thermometer in Connor's mouth Hank gave the android a bemused grin. "I take it your self-diagnostic thing still isn't working right."

"Correct." Connor pulled the thermometer from his mouth and noted his fever was remaining static at one-hundred and two point four. "But at least the blemishes have stopped spreading and have ceased in their uncomfortable sensation."

"Well, Abby said you'll be able to reboot everything in about three hours." Hank placed the cold compress over Connor's forehead casually. "Get some sleep and you'll feel better."

"Thank you, Hank."

"No problem. I'll be monitoring the news in case anything else happens while we're trying to make good use of our time off."

* * *

"Keep the change." Hank paid the pizza delivery boy and shut the front door quietly before he carried his dinner into the kitchen. As he sat the box down atop the kitchen table Sumo came trotting out of Connor's bedroom and promptly sat down at Hank's leg. "No way. If I let you start eating scraps again Connor is going to give me a lecture on canine dietary needs."

Connor himself walked into the kitchen with his L.E.D. pulsing a steady blue and his skin still covered in the pink compound. For the first time since he had been infected Connor wasn't tempted to scratch at the blemishes or seek a remedy to the itching.

"Hey, Connor." Hank quickly noticed Connor's presence and saw that his condition had seemingly improved. "You were out for almost six hours, so I assume you rebooted. How do you feel?"

"Normal. The glitch has been removed from my system and I am able to run full self-diagnostics once again." Pressing his hand to one of the pink tinted marks on his face Connor gave Hank a somewhat embarrassed look. "I'm going to wash this compound off of my skin now that it has served its purpose. Any further reports on the glitch?"

"Only that the software update is working."

"That's good. No one else will get sick."

"By the way," Hank flipped open the lid of the box of pizza and turned around to look at Connor over his shoulder. "Abby called while you were asleep. Everyone at New Jericho Tower is fine, Markus has fully healed from his transplant and Abby is going to be their human liaison for all technicians in the city. In the event that Simon is either incapacitated or overwhelmed, she'll be called in as their back-up."

Connor smiled in approval at the positive news. "Progress. And it didn't have any bullets involved this time."

"Don't get philosophical on me son, it's been a long day."

"Sorry. I'll go take my shower now." As Connor stepped out of the kitchen Hank dropped a piece of pepperoni on the floor for Sumo to eat. "You still shouldn't allow Sumo to eat pizza toppings. It could make him ill."

"See?" Hank shook his head as he looked down at Sumo happily licking his lips and wagging his tail. "He knows every single time I do that for you."

_**...next chapter...** _


	84. Pinned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: storiesattheend11 & ChelConnorVictorCas613

The two detectives began rushing through the ground floor lobby of an abandoned hospital in pursuit of a known member of the anti-android gang. The suspect had been creating chaos throughout the city and Connor and Hank were attempting to stop the dangerous, armed man before he disappeared from the building and into one of his well hidden safe houses strewn about the area. While Connor was able to easily weave through the massive piles of debris and abandoned equipment that littered the dirty, graffiti stained walls of the neglected building, Hank was trailing behind but still able to keep up fairly well the with the chase a few steps behind.

The entire hospital had been condemned and the walls were rotting as the floor eroded into gaping holes. The ceiling was caving in, starting from the roof and descending quickly down floor by floor until it had reached the second floor above the lobby. Exposed, but dead electrical wires hung down through holes in the ceiling in thick multicolored bundles. Large water pipes had penetrated through the walls and ceilings from age and gravity, and the large metal support beams that had kept the building standing for so many years were rusting, warped and beginning to buckle from decades of exposure to the elements.

Leaping over a large counter that would've otherwise blocked his path Connor was able to tackle the gang member to the ground and pinned his arms behind his back. While Connor pressed his knee down in the center of the gang member's spine to hold him still the gang member thrashed about and swore as he tried, and failed, to break free of Connor's strong grip.

"Stop resisting." Connor ordered as he waited for Hank to join them in the lobby. "Detroit Police."

"FUCK YOU! FUCKIN' PIECE OF PLASTIC!" The man was nearly frothing at the mouth with rage. The fact that he had been caught and arrested by an android only set him off like a time bomb. "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Unlikely." Connor stated bluntly as Hank joined him and took the handcuffs from his belt. Kneeling down beside Connor with a heavy breath Hank slapped the cuffs on the man's wrists and let Connor haul the arrested gang member back up to his feet. "You're under arrest."

"FUCK OFF!"

Hank grabbed onto the man's shoulder and pushed him forward. "Shut up..."

Connor instinctively ran a scan over Hank's body and noted that the detective's heart was racing and his blood pressure had elevated considerably due to the strenuous foot chase he had just endured. Noting that Hank was stable despite his increased vital signs Connor decided to not say anything about it until later after they returned to the precinct.

Enraged about his arrest the gang member tried to break free from the cuffs and ended up flailing his arms about dangerously through the littered corridors of the hospital. During his futile attempts to break fee his limbs bashed against the decaying walls causing massive fractures that snaked up to the ceiling and down to the floor with unsettling groans of destruction.

"HEY!" Hank shouted as he tried to restrain the gang member as he continued to thrash about as the trio neared the large front doors of the hospital. "Knock it off. I'm not in the mood."

"FUCKING PIGS!"

"Hey! This is your LAST CHANCE. Knock it off, or-"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as his scanner detected a massive instability within the overall structural integrity of the rotting hospital. Sensing an imminent collapse due to man's dangerous impacts against the walls the android urged everyone to get outside before it was too late.

"Hank, the building is coming down."

Hank looked around in confusion as Connor's warning only to hear the unnerving, thunderous snap of metal beams being smothered by tons of concrete that had been broken free as a result of the destabilized walls.

"HANK!" Connor reacted without any hesitation.

Pushing Hank out of the hospital through the front doors of the hospital, the gang member refusing to budge any further, Connor found himself unable to step out of danger himself as the entire building collapsed in a massive implosion around him. Connor was instantly buried under crushing concrete and massive portions of suffocating, metal debris.

Hank landed on his chest just outside the broken glass doors of the hospital and put his hands over the back of his head and neck to protect himself as the hospital came crashing down in a deafening heap all around him. Choking dust filled the air as it swirled around him in a powerful gust that covered him in a thickening layer of plaster, dust, chunks of rotten drywall, wooden splinters and sheets of thin metal.

Staying on the ground completely motionless until the sound and the violently shaking finally stopped, Hank uncovered his head and turned to look at the massive pile of debris behind him that was once an entire building.

"Connor?" Hank called out only to be stopped by a passing, choking fit. "C-Connor?!"

Scrambling to his feet Hank rushed back to the pile of dust and began to climb through it as he pulled his radio from his coat pocket and called for help at the scene of the collapsed hospital. Pushing his way through the jagged pile of metal and drywall Hank found a stain of fresh red blood and knelt down beside a massive slab of concrete beside it. Peering under the thick, crushing slab Hank turned his head away with a foul grimace on his face.

The gang member had been crushed to death by the crushing weight of the slab. Part of his skull had been caved in, and there was a massive pool of blood collecting under his body. Even if the slab could've been moved aside it was far too late to do anything.

The enraged, hate-filled man was dead.

Forcing himself to continue searching through the dangerous debris of the fallen building Hank tried calling out for Connor again.

"Connor?! Connor!"

There was a weak cough from a few feet away from where Hank was standing. Turning to look toward the sound of the cough Hank felt his heart sink at the sight of a humanoid body slumped chest first over a massive portion of what was once a concrete support beam. A blinking red colored L.E.D. all but confirmed the person's identity.

"Connor."

"...Hank." Connor tried to lift his head up but he was in too much pain, and already too weak to make the effort. Instead he let his head lay against the cold concrete surface beneath himself as he watched Hank running over to where he was laying. "...I'm-"

"Sh, sh... It's okay, I'm here, son. I'm right here." Hank stood next to Connor and slipped his hand under Connor's cheek and his chin to gently lift his head up so he could look the deviant android in the eyes. "It's okay, I'm going to get you out of here."

Connor forced himself to focus on Hank as he dismissed the numerous red warnings in his visual sensors. Blue blood was dripping from his mouth and his nose as he tried to remain conscious for the detective.

"...Hank." Pausing for a moment Connor let out a deep breath before he tried to speak again. "I'm... trapped."

"That's why I'm going to help you, okay?" Hank used his thumb to wipe away some of the blood from Connor's lip as he spoke to the damaged deviant android in a calm voice. "I already radioed for help, they know we're out here and are on their way."

"...Are you... hurt?"

"No, I'm fine!" Hank answered quickly as he gently let Connor's head rest down against the barricade once more as he ran his hands down Connor's arms and noticed that Connor's right forearm was broken, as were several fingers in his right hand. Moving up to the deviant android's shoulders Hank moved around the concrete barricade to reach Connor's back to check for additional damage. "Stay still, I'll get you out of here."

"...Hank." Connor swallowed once as he tried to keep his voice from sounding frightened or strained. "I can't be... moved."

"What?" Hank's hands froze as he began pushing against a massive slab of fallen drywall away from Connor's upper body and shoulders. "Why not?"

"...Hank. I'm ...damaged."

Walking back around to look Connor in the face, his hand lifting Connor's head back up to cradle the android's face in his palm, Hank dared to ask the uncomfortable question. "How bad?"

"...My back. I've been... impaled." Connor's breath suddenly hitched in his broken, compressed chest as he spoke weakly. "...Numerous Thirium lines have been severed... Right ventilation biocomponent failing... Foreign matter...in my..." Barely able to keep speaking Connor could only hoarsely utter one final word to Hank before he lost his breath. "Impalement..."

"Im-Impaled?" Looking at the massive slab of drywall that he still needed to move aside, Hank suddenly felt very uneasy about the whole ordeal. "...Okay. I'm going to take a look, alright? I just want to see how bad it is, but I won't touch it."

Connor nodded a little as Hank gently let his head go once more before resuming the laborious task of pushing away the surround debris.

Putting all of his strength into his shoulder Hank managed to push aside the drywall only to reveal a jagged, twelve foot long metal rod jutting through Connor's back at a disturbing angle. The rod had entered Connor's body just below his right shoulder and had entered at a forty-five degree angle, only to exit through the lower right portion of Connor's abdomen. The opposite end of the rod had been deeply embedded into a secondary concrete support column buried beneath the first and was inaccessible from where Hank stood.

Massive stains of dark blue Thirium saturated Connor's gray jacket and shirt around the two devastating penetrating wounds to his back, through his torso and out the front of his abdomen. As the Thirium seeped around the two stab wounds in Connor's body it collected as a blossoming puddle of sapphire below the android's trapped body.

"...Connor, no." Hank felt sick to his stomach but he didn't dare leave the android alone. Walking back around the concrete slab Hank put his hand under Connor's face once again and kept his palm there. "You're going to be okay, do you hear me?"

"...I... I can hear you."

"Just hold on for me, okay? Stay awake."

"...I'll try." Connor's voice was starting to sound mechanical from the mounting strain against even his most basic programs and functions and he continued to bleed heavily internally and externally. He took in a gasping, shuddering breath as it became increasingly difficult to breathe through the mortifying damage to his chest and abdomen. "I'll... try, Hank."

Blaring sirens and flashing lights from the approaching fire engines, an ambulance and two other squad cars raced to the scene of the catastrophic collapse. While the approaching help would usually fill Hank with a sense of relief or security, but during that moment where he watched Connor straining to breathe as more precious Thirium oozed from his mouth in a steady stream, nothing eased his mind.

"Try to focus on your breathing." Hank urged in soothing voice as he stayed beside Connor.

"...Hurts."

"I know." Hank forced back an emotional break in his own voice at the pathetic tone of Connor's pained remark. "I know it hurts, but you have to keep breathing. Don't let your core overheat, don't you dare fall asleep. I need you to stay awake for me."

Through the massive pile of dangerous debris that surrounded, if not entombed the two detectives, three flashlight beams cut through the darkness of the enshrouded area and a familiar voice called out to the two detectives.

"Lieutenant? Connor?" Gavin shouted as he stumbled over the staggering debris toward the two standing beings amongst the fallen ruins of the hospital. His younger partner, Tyler, was following behind but keeping quiet as he had never responded to a collapsed building before and was a little overwhelmed. "Hey! Can you hear me?"

Hank never raised his voice but he did answer. "We're here."

One of the beams of light fell directly upon the duo and illuminated against the dark fabric of Hank's coat. "Lieutenant!"

Gavin clumsily trudged over the littered ground to where Hank was standing alongside Connor, who was trapped and bleeding to death. As he neared the two detectives he took in the horrific sight of Connor covered in his own blood as a massive jagged metal rod penetrating through his back.

"Holy shit..."

Tyler saw the rod stabbed through Connor's body and backed away to keep himself from getting sick at the unnerving sight. He was still young, and relatively green.

"He's trapped." Hank stated firmly as he kept his eyes on Connor's own glassy irises slowly blinking eyes with utter focus. "We can't move him until the metal rod is cut away."

Gavin stepped closer and used the flashlight to look at Hank's face. "Are you hurt?"

"No. Just tell the firefighters where to find us."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Quickly and discreetly Gavin gave Connor's arm a light pat before he retreated to the entrance of the hospital. "Hold on."

Connor took in another shuddering breath that shook his entire body and caused a pale blue tinted foam to drip down his lips.

"It's okay." Hank just repeated as he tried to keep his own voice steady while he watched Connor warily. "You're going to be okay, son."

True to his word Gavin showed the group of firefighters over to where Connor had been impaled and set about examining the android's condition, as well as the position of the rod that had been penetrated his body. While Connor didn't react to the firefighters now checking him over, the deviant android did manage to give Hank a weak, but sincere grin to try to lighten the mood.

"...I think Gavin is starting to come around."

Hank laughed a little as he ran his other hand through the dust collected in Connor's hair. "Don't say that until AFTER you're out of here. You don't want to jinx it or some shit."

One of the firefighters addressed Hank calmly as he assessed Connor's condition. "We can get him out of here, but the rod is going to need to be cut away in order to do it."

"How long will that take?"

"About ten minutes. One of our paramedics is also a technician, and can keep track of his vitals while we get him free."

"Okay, yeah. Let's get it started."

"Was there anyone else in the building with you?"

"Uh, yeah." Hank pointed to the massive concrete slab that concealed the bloodied body of the dead gang member beneath. "Our suspect. He's D.O.A."

"Shit..." The firefighter swore as he motioned for assistance at the slab of concrete. As he knelt down he reached an ungloved hand under the slab and pressed it to the man's cold neck and confirmed the lack of pulse. "Gotta' body over here."

Connor's eyes managed to open a little wider upon hearing the firefighters voice. "...Hank?"

"The idiot brought down the building on us, remember? We're not responsible for his death, it was an accident."

Connor nodded weakly against Hank's hand as his eyes began to shut slowly.

"No Connor! Stay awake!"

"...I'm trying."

"Try harder, damn it. Don't pass out on me."

"...Okay, Hank. I'm awake."

The technician was escorted through the ruins by one of the other firefighters at the scene, as the same firefighter carried in a powerful saw to cut through the metal rod that had impaled Connor's body. The technician was carrying equipment over his shoulder and in his hands to monitor Connor's vital signs, as the deviant android remained trapped and bleeding within the ruins.

"My name is John." The technician introduced himself as he sat an android cardiac monitor down on top of the wide concrete beam that Connor was slumped over. "I'm going to take care of you. What's your name?"

Connor took in another shuddering breath before he answered. "...Connor."

"Connor. Okay. What's your current Thirium level?"

Connor's red L.E.D. blinked rapidly before cycling back to a slow pulse. "...Sixty-seven percent."

"Okay, I'm going to start a Thirium line to start to replenish what you've lost." Dropping his satchel from over his shoulder onto the beam John opened the side pocket and pulled out a pair of sharp scissors. "I need to get to your arm, so I have to cut your sleeve open."

Understanding what was required, Connor just nodded again and didn't move.

Hank answered on the tired deviant android's behalf. "Go ahead, he's ready."

John carefully pressed the tip of the scissors into the gray fabric of Connor's right jacket sleeve over the android's elbow and quickly cut an opening to gain access the line in the android's arm. Repeating the action for the white sleeve beneath John cut away the two layers of fabric and fully exposed Connor's arm up to his bicep while also tearing the fabric away.

One of the firefighters proceeded to drape a protective flame retardant blanket over Connor's head, shoulders and back around the metal jagged rod jutting out of his back, as a second firefighter powered up the sharp saw to cut through the rob keeping Connor pinned in place.

Hank eyed the saw warily but didn't let any fear show in his gaze. "Connor, they're going to start cutting through the rod. It's going to get really loud and you're going to feel pressure on that metal rod in your chest, but you'll be fine. Don't move."

"...I won't move."

With Connor's unspoken cooperation John opened the small panel in Connor's arm, careful of the break in the limb, and inserted an I.V. into the Thirium line running through the bend in the android's elbow. Squeezing the attached pouch of Thirium twice the much needed blue blood began to flow down the plastic tube and into the line in Connor's arm.

"I'm going to attach a couple sensors to your body so I can monitor you more closely." John stated with a level tone as he wrapped a Thirium pressure band around Connor's exposed bicep. Turning on the cardiac monitor John took the lone sensor pad connected to the monitor and pulled open the buttons on Connor's white shirt to get to his chest, and place the sensor directly over the android's beating Thirium pump. "How do you feel?"

"...Weak. I... I can't breathe... very well." Connor admitted with a passing whisper as Hank continued to support his head up from the cold concrete slab he had impaled against. "...It hurts."

"Okay, I'll do what I can to help." John watched as the two firefighters revved up the saw and worked together to cut through the jagged metal rod. Pulling the audioscope from the satchel John draped the device around his neck casually and nodded to the two firefighters. "It'll be a few more minutes then we'll get you out of here. You have an excellent chance of survival."

One firefighter held onto the rod in a firm grip while the other began to cut through the metal sending orange sparks in all directions around the android.

Hank ignored the horrific sound of screeching metal as he kept his eye on Connor's blank, yet scared face. Connor looked past Hank and watched as the other firefighters gathered around the massive slab of concrete that had crushed the arrested gang member to death, and hefted the lethally heavy slab aside just enough to expose the man's bloodied, mangled body beneath.

"Hey!" Hank shouted over the saw to regain Connor's focus. "Look at me. NOT him."

Connor's brown irises slowly trailed away from the carnage of the dead body and locked onto Hank's face as requested.

"There. Just look at me, nothing else."

An audible 'snap' echoed through the ruins as the saw powered down and a lengthy portion of the metal rod that had impaled Connor had been cut away successfully. The long portion of the rod was tossed aside dismissively as the firefighters changed positions to cut away the other end of the rod that had completely stabbed through Connor's body and exited through his abdomen.

Taking advantage of the returned quiet and larger workspace John moved around to Connor's back as the firefighters moved the blanket away and pressed the bell of his audioscope to Connor's back to listen to his struggling respiration courtesy of the penetrating metal debris.

"You're not moving any air on the right side." John confirmed as he moved the bell of the audioscope back and forth across Connor's back. "Left side sounds good, though."

"...I'm cold."

"We'll get you warmed up in a minute. It's being caused by your exposure to the cold concrete and the blood loss."

Hank watched as the two firefighters continued to work in perfect tandem to wrap the fire retardant blanket around Connor's abdomen as one held onto the penetrating metal rod and the other revved up the saw to cut through the metal again. Daring to glance back over his shoulder Hank saw that the body of the dead gang member had been covered by a white sheet by one of the firefighters, while Gavin returned to the ruins with two other firefighters and a supportive backboard in their hands.

"That guy is toast. The dumb asshole never had a chance." Gavin stated quietly as he stood just behind Hank. Tyler had regained his composure and was now actively aiding at the scene of the accident without hesitation. "How's your partner doing?"

"He's holding on." The sound of Hank's voice was somber as he continued to support Connor's head under his palm. "Just cold."

Showing an uncharacteristically empathetic nature toward the android Gavin slipped off his own leather jacket and draped it around Connor's shoulders to try to keep him a little warmer until he could finally be freed of the dangerous hospital ruins. Stepping aside to give the firefighters more room to work Gavin watched silently as the saw roared to life and began to cut through the rod creating a second shower of orange colored sparks that flew out in all directions around the android and the two firefighters.

Connor let out a shuddering breath as the rod 'snapped' and he felt a pressure lessen in his chest. As his legs began to buckle beneath him both John and Gavin grabbed onto his arms to support him while the surrounding firefighters moved the backboard around and helped guide the freed deviant android down against the supportive surface.

"Easy, Connor." Hank urged as Connor was gently placed down on the backboard onto his left side. "They got you."

John grabbed onto the monitor and the Thirium pouch while the firefighters wrapped the security straps around Connor's upper body and legs carefully. Gavin replaced his jacket over the deviant android's bloody body before helping the firefighters lift the backboard up from the littered ground. Hank joined the group gathered around the backboard and took hold as well to support his critically damaged partner and carry him to safety.

"Almost there. Just a few more feet and you'll be out of here."

Connor didn't reply as his eyes drifted shut and his body relaxed on the backboard. Hank rested his hand against Connor's arm briefly before he returned his grip to the side of the backboard.

Walking slowly through and around the debris that littered the ground of the collapsed hospital the small team of first responders carried the downed deviant android to safety. It wasn't difficult to carry the surprisingly lightweight deviant android around, but it was proving to be a challenge in keeping him from getting jostled too much while a fair portion of the metal was still wedged in his chest through his abdomen.

Once the backboard was placed atop a waiting gurney the firefighters returned their attention to the collapsed hospital to ensure there were no smoldering flames under the debris, possibly leaking gas lines, sparking electrical wires or dripping pipes.

While John checked Connor's vital signs for any sign of instability; checking the monitor and using the audioscope to listen to his chest, Gavin stood at Hank's side while the detective looked down at the unconscious warily. "How'd this happen?"

"The suspect ran through the building and we pursued. After he was caught and cuffed he started smashing against the walls and ended bringing the whole fuckin' building down on top of us." Hank shook his head and sighed solemnly. "Connor saved my life, he pushed me out the doors before all Hell broke loose."

John led the group to the human/android hybrid ambulance and motioned for the gurney to be loaded up and into the back for transport. "He'll need repairs, but he'll live."

Gavin lightly nudged Hank's arm to get the Lieutenants attention. "Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Fine." Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and handed them to Gavin. "We'll take my car."

"That piece of shit still runs?"

"Runs better than half of the autonomous cars in this whole city." Leaning forward he grabbed onto Connor's arm and shook lightly. "I'll meet you at the facility. You'll be okay."

"...Yeah." Connor managed to wheeze as John slipped an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. His eyes drifted shut and he fell unconscious. "See you soon."

* * *

Hank stood beside the exam table where Connor was still laying unconscious with a massive hole in his abdomen. The technicians at the facility were working diligently to repair the internal damage that Connor had suffered as a result of the collapse and impalement. Aside from the damaged right side ventilation biocomponent needing imminent repair in his chest, Connor's right arm was placed in a stabilizing splint around his broken forearm and fingers to allow his self-healing program to easily repair the damaged limb.

The oxygen mask had been remained in place over Connor's face to help his one remaining functional biocomponent compensate until the second could be repaired. A pale stain of blue still marred Connor's lips from the Thirium he had coughed up, but he was no longer bleeding internally, and no additional Thirium dripped from his mouth or his nose.

"It shouldn't be too much longer." John stated confidently as he returned to the exam room to check on Connor's vitals. "Once the chief technician finishes up on his current patient he'll see to Connor."

"I guess in a twisted way that's a good sign. It means Connor isn't as critical as he looks."

"Exactly. He's stable, but weak. Once the damaged biocomponent has been repaired and his Thirium level restored he can return home to recover on his own."

"That's good."

"You should wait outside. It'll be a pretty invasive procedure and you don't want to see it."

"Y-Yeah. Can't argue with that..." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder one last time Hank took his leave of the room. "I'll be outside, kid."

* * *

Fussing with his untouched, now cold, cup of coffee between his hands Hank patiently awaited for an update on Connor's condition. A few androids had passed through the waiting room, each with an odd injury or software malfunction, but not one of them looked nearly as rough as Connor had upon his admission to the facility.

A gentle hand rested on Hank's shoulder drawing his gaze up from the opaque surface of the coffee and to the face of young, human, female receptionist.

"Excuse me, are you Lieutenant Anderson?"

"Yeah, that's me. How's Connor?"

"The repair was a success and he's resting. The technician would like to see you."

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks."

The detective threw away his untouched coffee before he began walking back to the exam room with a hasty gait. Instantly Hank's eyes fell on Connor who was laying on his back with his eyes half opened and his L.E.D. cycling a steady yellow color. The oxygen mask had been taken away and the large wound in Connor's abdomen had been completely repaired; his artificial skin already covering the sight of the wound without any trace of a scar. His right arm was wrapped in a support brace, but seemed fine as well.

"Hey, kid."

Connor's head turned slightly as he acknowledged the sound of Hank's voice. "Hi, Hank."

"How do you feel?"

"...Skewered."

Smiling at the comical retort Hank acknowledged the technician who had saved Connor's life as the human stood on the opposite side of the table from Hank. "Thanks for everything."

"You're very welcome. My name is Dr. Ian Ross, and Connor here tolerated the repair process very well." Checking Connor's vital signs on the monitor and seeing the alertness in Connor's eyes only strengthened his conviction. "He'll need some time to rest so his self-healing program can recalibrate his damaged biocomponent, but he can be cleared for active duty by this time tomorrow."

Connor slowly sat upright on the exam table, wincing in mild pain with Hank's hand pushing against his shoulder to help him move. "How's his arm?"

"It's already regain eighty percent functionality. No complications are expected."

"Man, that's a relief." Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank stared at the deviant android's face. "Connor, you ready to leave?"

"Yes." The repaired deviant android confirmed readily. "I'd prefer to recover in the comfort of my own bed rather than a facility."

"Yeah, I don't blame you. Let's get you home and get you cleaned up."

* * *

The drive home was calm and uneventful for the two detectives. After returning home Connor readily showered off the remnants of the collapsed hospital that still clung to his skin, hair and clothing. The smell of the crushed concrete and rusted metal still clung to his skin and wafted in the steamy air around him. Every time he closed his eyes he saw himself trapped, bleeding in the ruined building making it almost impossible to rest. What was worse was seeing the mangled body of the dead gang member who had been crushed to death whenever he blinked.

Connor only caught a glimpse of the man's destroyed skull and his body soaked in dried, red blood. But the glimpse was long enough to create a horrific memory that refused to go away.

As he stepped out of the shower Connor pressed his healing right hand over his abdomen as if he still expected to feel or even see the metal rod jutting out of his body, but there was no sign he had ever been damaged. Sometimes the android healing factor could prove itself to be a formidable emotional contradiction against the physical sensation that still yet lingered.

Running a towel over his damp hair Connor changed into clean clothing and was promptly met by Hank at the end of the hallway. "I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"

"You okay?" Hank asked with a sincere lilt in his voice as he looked the android over curiously. Despite being cleared by the technician Connor's L.E.D. was still yellow which was either indicative of distress or his advanced programming kicking on, and Connor had no reason to switch on any advanced programming that night. "You were in there for almost two hours."

"...I was? I apologize. I had apparently lost track of time."

"And you NEVER lose track of time unless something's wrong. What's up?"

Taking a deep breath Connor draped the towel over his left shoulder as he walked slowly past Hank and into the livingroom. "...I keep seeing the man's face."

"Connor, there was nothing you could've done to save him."

"But he shouldn't have died that way."

"That doesn't mean you should feel bad. His crimes led him to the chase through the building that ended up crushing him, he didn't have a chance."

"Are you blaming him for his own death?"

"In a way, yeah."

"Hank..." Connor looked a little offended by Hank's response. His soulful brown eyes flashed with upset and confusion as he ventured closer to the couch to sit down. "You're blaming the victim."

"No way!"

"...It sounds like you are."

"Hey, don't look at me like that! I know it sounds cold and cruel, but it's true." Hank put his hands on his hips as he tried to think of the most delicate way to explain things to the overly empathetic android. "That guy had a long track record of making bad decisions, and ultimately one of those decisions ended up killing him. He had a history of violence against people AND androids alike, he dealt drugs and he was wanted in connection to at least four other shootings in the city."

"That doesn't mean he deserved to die in such a painful way."

"...Yeah. You're right." Hank sighed as he relented and joined Connor on the couch. Sitting beside the deviant android he relaxed his aggressive disposition before continuing on. "But you can't blame yourself for what that guy did. You stopped him after he broke the law and he lashed out. It's not your fault that he did what he did."

"Then why do I still feel so guilty?"

"Because you have a heart, kid. That guy didn't even have a moral compass, let alone a heart."

Connor nodded a little as he took Hank's words to his aforementioned heart.

"And... if you had somehow managed to save his life then I might've been the one killed today."

Connor's yellow L.E.D. flashed to red with the disturbing thought of losing Hank in such a horrific manner.

"You saved my life, kid. Thank you."

"...You saved mine."

"See? If you didn't have a heart you wouldn't even consider yourself alive or had been upset that I could've died." Hank gave Connor a reassuring nod as he tried to help Connor push away his unnecessary remorse. "That guy didn't care about anything or anyone but himself."

"Will the guilt go away?"

"Yes, Connor, it will. Just give it time; like healing from a physical wound, you need to be patient."

"...Do you ever feel guilty?"

"Not as much as I used to do, but yeah, sometimes I do feel like shit whenever someone does something stupid and gets themselves killed."

"How do you learn to cope?" Tilting his head a little Connor tagged on another detail. "...Without relying on substances."

"Well, you just need to remind yourself that you can't save everyone, and not everyone deserves to be saved."

"That seems cynical."

"It might be, but that doesn't mean everyone doesn't deserve a second chance. That guy had been arrested multiple times before and he never changed for the better. He had his second chance, and a third, a fourth... Don't waste your time on the life of someone who didn't value it himself."

"You gave me a second chance to set things right when I failed my mission at Jericho."

"Well, you didn't exactly fail your mission, kid. You just chose to not follow it through because you knew what CyberLife was doing was wrong, and that what Markus was doing was right. And..." Leaning back against the couch cushions Hank laughed a little to himself. "in my book you never failed and so you didn't need a second chance. You're still on your first chance and you haven't disappointed me."

Appreciative of Hank's unyielding guidance Connor finally began to relax and his L.E.D. transitioned back to blue. "...For what it's worth, I can honestly say the same applies to you."

"What do you mean?"

"You never failed or gave up on yourself, so you're still on your first chance from when I met your as well."

Letting out a tired sigh Hank just shook his head slightly. "Nice to know I'm not a complete fuck-up after all this time."

"You never were. You were just... lost."

"Yeah, lost in a bottle of whiskey and ready to drown. Thanks for throwing me a lifeline, kid."

"...Thank you for giving me that first chance."

_**...next story...** _


	85. Coma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Person (lol, that's really the name they used!) & ChelConnorVictorCas613

A brick alleyway in the industrial district was coated in the invisible blue blood of four deviant androids that had been executed one at a time during the late hours from the dark, cold night before. Each deviant had been shot in the back of the head with a single bullet that instantly shutdown the androids in a macabre eruption of blue from their own destroyed skulls. The deaths were as enigmatic as they were brutal, but Connor and Hank were determined to solve the graphic case.

Police had already sectioned off the immediate area with holographic police tape, and were searching for witnesses to the murders. Reporting to the scene of the quadruple homicide had given Connor pause as realized that the violence toward androids seemed to be escalating at an disturbing rate.

Seasoned from years of experience on the job Hank could see the emotional distress reflected in Connor's soulful brown eyes. "You okay?"

"Huh? What?" Connor tore his eyes from the four bloodied bodies concealed under the white sheets strewn out before him. He looked away from the blood that only he could still see to look to his partner. "Did you say something?"

"Want me to take this one?"

"No, I'm fine. I can do this."

Folding his arms across his chest Hank stood back and watched as Connor slowly approached the scene of the android massacre and prepared to do his job.

With a heavy heart Connor knelt down beside the first body to lift the white sheet from his face, and ran a scan to identify the victim. "'Travis'. He worked as a mechanic downtown at a family garage for six years."

Hank shook his head as he watched Connor lift up the sheet from the next victim.

"'Heather'. She was a nurse in a human hospital for twelve years." Repeating the action for the third victim Connor swallowed nervously as he looked at the face and scanned his identity like the previous two. "'Aaron'. Worked construction for nine years." As he reached his hand out to lift up the fourth sheet Connor had to hold his breath to keep his hand from shaking. "And 'Michael'. He was an electrician for five years."

"Do the four androids have anything in common aside from being, well, androids?"

"Unknown at this time."

"Can you estimate a time of death?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed rapidly in yellow as scanned the evaporated Thirium and noted its age. "The first death occurred at two-o-four this morning, the fourth death at two-o-six this same morning."

"Fuck... Whoever did this didn't hesitate. Four shots in less than two minutes."

"There is no common ground shared amongst the four deviants that would've justified this crime." Connor lamented as he stood upright and carefully stepped around the bodies rather than over them as he went to exit the alley. "They had no criminal history, they were pacifist in nature and all had obtained honest work long before the revolution, and continued to perform their tasks as such. They were not a threat to anyone."

"Gang violence." Hank stated curtly as he lowered his voice with repressed anger. "I guarantee you this was a hit by a gang. Probably an initiation ceremony."

"We need to have the bullets extracted in order to-"

Screeching tires filled the air as an old, worn down car sped by the alley and began firing a barrage of bullets at the two detectives. A member of the anti-android gang leaned out the passenger side window with his gun aimed with the intent to kill.

Connor reacted to the sound of gunfire with incredible speed and tackled Hank down to the ground as the dozens of bullets screamed through the air and became embedded in the surrounding bricks walls behind them. As Hank landed hard on his back on the cold pavement he instinctively pulled his gun from the holster on his hip and rolled to his side as he began returning fire as quickly as he could.

Two of the bullets had struck the side of the car as it sped by and pulled around the corner and out of sight.

"Son of a bitch! Those fuckers actually had the balls to-" Hank looked to his side and froze as he saw Connor laying beside him chest down on the pavement, with his face turned away from Hank. A growing puddle of blue blood was forming under his head beneath his right temple where he was laying. "Shit! Connor?!"

Hank pressed his hand down on the center of Connor's back and shook him lightly. The deviant android didn't respond or move even in the slightest despite the urgency in Hank's voice calling out to him.

"Shit, Connor..." Kneeling beside the android Hank slipped his hand around Connor's shoulder and rolled him from chest, onto his side and onto his back as Hank supported the downed deviant android in his arms. Connor's head lolled limply as he came to a rest against Hank's strong bicep. The deviant android's brown eyes were closed and he was barely breathing. "Connor... No."

Hank's eyes fell to the gruesome wound and his beating heart suddenly clenched in his chest.

A bullet had lodged itself inside Connor's right temple against his L.E.D., tearing open his artificial skin in the process. The light was blinking red very slowly as blue blood poured from the wound down the side of Connor's face, and onto Hank's coat as he held the critically damaged deviant android in his arms. Hank could see the shiny casing of the bullet lodged in Connor's skull, dangerously close to Connor's intracranial processors.

"Connor?" Hank slipped his trembling hand up to the side of Connor's neck and felt a very weak and slow pulse thrumming against his fingertips. "Connor... can you hear me?"

Connor remained completely silent and motionless as Hank clutched his body tightly in a protective embrace.

"Shit... Hold on, son. Hold on!" Slipping his other arm under Connor's legs Hank lifted Connor's limp body up into his arms. The deviant android's bleeding head rested against Hank's shoulder and chest as the detective scooped him up from the blood soaked pavement. "I'll get you some help."

Hank carried Connor over to the car parked a few yards away and pulled open the front passenger side door with a firm yank. Placing Connor down in the front seat quickly, but carefully, Hank slammed the door shut and rushed around to the other side of the car to get behind the wheel while he pulled his radio from his pocket to call in the shooting, as well an officer down. Speeding out away from the crime scene to the nearest Android Emergency Care Facility several blocks away Hank pressed his hand over Connor's chest to hold the deviant android upright against the seat as he steered with one hand through the streets.

Connor's head was slumped forward limply. Blue blood dripped down from the wound to his skull and staining Hank's hand a sickly shade of dark blue in the process.

"Hold on, Connor. Just hold on, that's all I ask."

Screeching to a stop outside the front emergency entrance of the first facility he saw Hank threw the car into park and rushed around the front of the car back to Connor's door. Pulling the door open quickly Hank bent down and heft Connor back up into his arms as he rushed the dying, blood covered deviant android through the front doors drawing the full attention of everyone inside the main lobby of the building.

"He's been shot! I need some help here!" Hank shouted and was immediately swarmed by a blond, male android technician who took Connor out of his arms into his own.

With his own L.E.D. flashing between yellow and red the android cybernetically contacted additional assistance to the lobby and was promptly met with a second android. This was a red-headed male technician wheeling a gurney into the lobby to assist.

"Do what you have to do," Hank pleaded as he watched the androids tending to Connor's injury. "just save him."

Connor's limp body was laid over the gurney while the two android technicians turned Connor's head toward the left to keep the bullet wound in his right temple elevated. The blond technician applied pressure to the wound and the other technician checked Connor's pupils. The red-headed android next pressed his hand down over Connor's chest to check his pulse, but there was a look of alarm in his green eyes. Tearing open Connor's white shirt the android pressed his palm flat over the center of Connor's chest and gave his fellow technician an alarmed response immediately.

"He is not breathing and his Thirium pump is faltering."

Hank made a move toward the gurney but the blond android pushed him back a few inches as the detective tried to get closer. "Connor?! Connor!"

"Sir, stay out here." The blond technician commanded as he checked Connor's fading L.E.D. for any sign of system response. "There's nothing more you can do for him."

Before Hank had the chance to say anything else the two technicians exchanged glances of mutual fear before they rolled Connor through the doors and into the adjacent corridor leading to the emergency repair ward.

"Connor..." Hank's blue blood covered hand clenched into a tight fist as he felt a horrific chill race up his spine. Connor had been shot, just as Lucas had been a few months prior. It was like reliving a nightmare. "Please. Don't die. Don't die on me, son..."

* * *

Completely oblivious to the waking world Connor was wheeled into the emergency repair ward where Abby herself had been given the honor of saving the deviant android's life. While the two android technicians who had rolled Connor into the ward began removing his jacket and shirt, while also hooking him up to numerous monitors to check his vital signs Abby pressed her audioscope to Connor's now bare chest and heard the same faltering of his Thirium pump that the other two android technicians had detected just seconds ago.

"The bullet has damaged the intracranial processor. The signal to his Thirium pump regulator has been disrupted," she motioned to the external pump compressor rolled up against the far wall. "hook him up the compressor to keep his heart beating until we can return the signal."

The compressor itself was a rolling white machine that had a hollow square frame with the bottom frame missing. The frame jutted out from the rest of the machine at the end of a long arm. Inside the central portion of the frame was a circular wedge designed to drop down and compress, then retract, once activated. Rolling the machine over to the operating table in the center of the room the blond android waited for the second android and Abby to wheel Connor to the table and helped them slide the android over.

Once in position the blond android placed the frame directly over the center of Connor's chest and lowered it down until the frame was resting less than an inch above Connor's heart.

"Ready."

Abby leaned over Connor's head to check his eyes for herself as she remained in control of the situation. "Turn on the compressor; sixty beats per minute."

"Yes, Dr. Grayson."

With the press of a button the compressor came to life and the wedge began pressing down against Connor's heart to force the faltering Thirium pump back into a consisten motion. The sensor pad in the center of Connor's chest recorded each manual beat and confirmed the appropriate heart rate on the nearby monitor.

"What's his Thirium volume?" Abby asked as she powered on the internal viewing screen and held it over Connor's skull. The bullet was wedged deep but she could still remove it without causing further damage to his skull or intracranial processor.

"Thirium volume is at eighty-three percent," the red-head replied astutely. "and dropping."

"Insert a tube down his throat and hang two units of Thirium. Also begin cooling measures to ensure he doesn't start to overheat."

"Right away, Dr. Grayson."

Abby gently pressed her hand against Connor's right cheek as she palpitated the nearby wound with her fingers. The deviant android seemed so lifeless and defenseless. The grim sight made Abby's heart ache a little in her chest.

"Come on, Connor. Stay with us."

* * *

Connor felt an odd sense of nothingness despite knowing he was standing upright and was not in rest mode, yet his eyes were still closed. Opening his soulful brown eyes Connor looked around and found himself standing at the start of the stone and marble trail that led into the heart of the Zen Garden, from whence he answered to Amanda while still an obedient machine for CyberLife. Furrowing his brow Connor looked about curiously and suddenly realized that the Zen Garden wasn't the same garden that haunted his nightmares, but was the new garden that brought peace to his dreams.

It was Lucas's garden.

"Hello, Connor."

Gazing into the center of the garden in the middle of the pond Connor spotted Lucas himself standing before the yellow roses that snaked up the trestle toward the ceiling. There was an odd smile of contentment on Lucas's face as he greeted his brother from the distance.

"Lucas." Approaching his brother somewhat bewildered Connor trekked over the stone arching bridge that crossed over the pond full of vibrantly colored fish below. "I do not understand. I am not dreaming, yet am I in the garden. Am I a form of emergency rest mode?"

"No, Connor." Lucas confirmed somberly as Connor stood before him with frightened stare. "You're not."

"Then why am I here?"

"Because," Lucas reached out his hand gently and pressed his fingers against Connor's right temple. The touch caused Connor's hand to reach up protectively to cover his unexpectedly pained temple, only to feel something cold and wet against his palm. "you're dying."

"I'm..." Connor lowered his hand and stared at the massive stain of blue blood now spread all over his palm. "I'm dying?"

"Yes." Lucas confirmed with a stoic expression matched only by his voice. "Do you remember what happened before you woke up here?"

"I... I was in an alleyway to work on a case. There were four deviants... all dead."

"Correct. What else?"

"...Murdered. They were all _murdered_. They were shot to-" Connor's blood covered L.E.D. cycled red quickly as he tentatively returned his hand to the bleeding wound in his skull. "... _I_ was shot." Connor's eyes went wide with utter fear as he hand dropped away and clenched into a tight fist. "HANK?! Is Hank-"

"He's fine!" Lucas grabbed onto Connor's arms to hold him steady as the fear caused his red L.E.D. to cycle rapidly, and his heart to pound loudly in his chest as he shook with fear. " _Hank is okay_ , Connor. You saved him."

Connor's head dropped forward with a heavy sigh of relief. "...That's good."

"Connor," Lucas let his grip fall from his brother's arms as he stepped the edge of the central pillar and looked down into the crystal clear pond below. Numerous brightly colored fished swam about in a graceful dance within the body of water disrupting Lucas's reflection on the surface. "you need to find a way to wake up."

"Wake up? But..." Connor joined Lucas at the edge of the pond and stared at his bloodied face in the reflection of the water as he stood beside his brother. "how can I wake up if I'm not asleep?"

"That is something you must discover for yourself, my brother. But I will guide you, if you will permit me."

* * *

Hank sat in one of the chairs in the waiting room with his head between his hands as he stared blankly at the floor between his feet. It had been almost two hours since Connor had been rushed into the emergency repair ward of the facility, and Hank had yet to receive a single update on the dying deviant android's critical condition. As each second ticked by at a mind-numbingly slow rate Hank could feel an icy chill creeping higher up his spine as an unsteady knot of utter dread tightened in the pit of his already upset stomach.

Captain Fowler himself had arrived at the facility and took a seat next to Hank with a quiet arrival. As he sat beside his oldest friend in the waiting room Captain Fowler addressed the pained detective in a low voice.

"Ballistics confirmed that the gang members who opened fire on you and Connor are the same shooters who murdered those four deviants. Two of your own shots struck the fleeing vehicle and helped us to identify it, and we successfully traced it back to the scene of the crime."

"...Did you make an arrest?"

"Yes. Eight arrests to be exact." Captain Fowler put his hand on Hank's shoulder, only have the detective shrug it aside indifferently. "Aside from the four murders and attempted murder of you and Connor; and the assault of two police officers, they were all charged with drug and illegal firearm possession. They won't be out on the street for at least forty years, and that's _if_ they get off easy."

Hank didn't respond, all he could think about was Connor. The sight of Connor laying motionless on the pavement covered in his own blood with a bullet lodged inside of his skull was too much for Hank to bear. Losing Barbara had been the first break in his heart, losing Cole had been the worst heartache of his life, losing Lucas was almost as painful, but the idea of losing Connor in such a horrendously tragic and brutal manner was the most painful idea he could possibly think of at that moment.

And Hank knew that is he lost Connor too then he would've officially lost everything and would be left with nothing.

Nothing to fight for. Nothing to call a family. Nothing to live for.

"What do you need me to do?" Captain Fowler asked sincerely as he tried and failed to get a response from the obviously pained detective.

"...Nothing."

"Hank, don't do that. You're starting to shut down again."

Hank fell back into cold silence as he stared at the floor without even the slightest hint of emotion to his face.

"I'm going to check with the receptionist. Maybe she can tell us something about what's happening with Connor." Captain Fowler volunteered as he stood up from his seat slowly. "I know you hate waiting Hank, but right now it's all you can do."

* * *

Abby was dressed in dark red scrubs with a surgical mask over her face, and her long brunette hair pulled back in a neat ponytail; and had tucked under a dark red bandana. With a pair of transparent surgical goggles over her face that made her hazel eyes shine brightly and purple latex gloves protecting her hands from exposing Connor's opened wound to any foreign contaminants, she leaned over Connor's head with a pair of metal forceps in her hand.

Connor was laying on his back on the operating table, his head slightly propped up and titled to the left. He had a Thirium line inserted down his throat to replenish the Thirium he had lost after being shot and a nasal cannula under his nose to aid his weak and nearly unresponsive ventilation biocomponents to keep his core temperature from rising, and overheating. The external compressor was still forcing his faltering heart into motion and with each manually induced beat of his heart the cardiac monitor 'beeped' in perfect synchronized rhythm. Meanwhile his Thirium volume pressure remained static as he gained Thirium just as quickly as he was losing it. The low level was displayed digitally on the Thirium pressure cuff that was wrapped around his left bicep.

"I need additional light." Abby stated as she studied the angle of the bullet with keen observation.

The red-headed android adjusted the overhead lamp to fully illuminate the shining case of the bullet still embedded in the right side of Connor's skull.

Keeping his hands perfectly still the blond android held the internal visual display screen over Connor's skull to give Abby an internal view of the damage as she slowly and carefully grabbed onto the end of the bullet with the forceps.

"When I start to extract the bullet his vitals could begin to drop. Monitor him very carefully."

"Yes, Dr. Grayson." The two androids replied in chorus as they took their appropriate positions around the operating table.

"Okay, Connor..." Abby tightened the forceps around the bullet and held her breath. "I need you to do your part and pull through."

* * *

Connor stared at his reflection in the pond with a sense of wonder as he watched his red L.E.D. pulsing at a slower and slower rate. Trying and failing to activate his self-diagnostic program Connor was unable to fully comprehend the severity of his condition. Rubbing his hand over his throat Connor felt like there was a strange pressure running directly down his throat into his stomach, and there was a strangely cool breath he could feel circulating through his ventilation biocomponents despite not actually breating.

Ignoring the odd sensations Connor tried to activate any and all of his advanced programs but nothing was responding to his commands.

"Lucas," the deviant android was at a total loss and seeking answers. "what's happening to me?"

"You're dying."

"No, I mean, how am I awake and asleep at the same time?"

"When you were shot the bullet failed to destroy your intracranial processor, and merely damaged the portion of your hardware responsible for sustaining your basic vital biocomponent functions; your Thirium pump, your Thirium pump regulator, your ventilation biocomponents and your thermal regulator. The damage has also resulted in a failure of your self-healing program which means it's impossible for you to heal without secondary measures being applied."

"So I am currently functioning, but it's the result of technical aid in direct response the damage I sustained."

"Correct. Humans would refer to this as 'life support', while androids consider this a delayed shutdown process."

"Hank must've taken me to a facility to receive treatment after I had been shot."

"Correct again. He carried you to the car and drove you to the nearest facility."

"...But it was too late?"

"Statistically speaking, yes. But there is always a chance for unlikely events to take place."

Connor smiled a little at the comment as it was appropriately reminiscent of the night of the Jericho raid, and of the night he allied with Markus to infiltrate CyberLife Tower. The odds of either deviant walking away from the revolution alive were astronomically low, and yet they both prevailed.

"Lucas, how can-" Connor stopped short as his hand went to his chest and he began gasping for breath. A massive gush of Thirium burst from his right temple and poured to the ground beside him as he bled heavily from the wound. "...L-Lucas?"

As Connor began to collapse to the ground Lucas reached out and held Connor in his arms, his hand going beneath his brother's head to cradle him as Lucas guided Connor down to the ground gently.

"Shh, shh... It's okay Connor. I have you."

"Wh-What's... happening t-to me?"

* * *

The monitor in the operating room began to screech loudly as Connor's Thirium volume suddenly dropped to a critically low level and he bled profusely from the bullet wound to his skull. The two androids worked quickly to add more Thirium to the line running down Connor's throat while Abby used incrassation compound to slow and stem the massive bleed in Connor's skull.

"Shit, shit, shit! C'mon Connor!" Abby begged as she pressed her bloodied, gloved hands against the bleeding injury and tried to hastily but meticulously to repair the damage to the compromised Thirium lines before the damage proved itself to be too severe for Connor's already unstable processor to handle. "Don't do this! Hang on!"

The red-headed android pressed his hand down over Connor's chest. "His not ventilating properly. I will increase the oxygen flow."

"His volume is down to thirty-nine percent." The blond android stated dryly as he checked the pressure cuff wrapped around Connor's left bicep. "We have administered three units already."

"Start a fourth." Abby replied as she used metal clamps to secure the bleeding line in Connor's skull. "Don't add it too quickly otherwise his pressure could skyrocket and he'll bleed out even faster."

"Of course, Dr. Grayson."

"Damn it, Connor. I won't let you die like this. But you still need to do your part and fight!"

* * *

Connor was coughing and gasping as Lucas held him in his arms in the heart of the Zen Garden. With one hand under Connor's head Lucas wrapped his other hand around Connor's hand and held tight as he supported his frightened, dying brother without the slightest hint of fear on his face. As blood pooled from his temple Connor felt excruciating pain and fear. Unable to breathe and unable to get up he felt as vulnerable and defenseless he could possibly be.

"Connor? Look at me." Lucas remained calm and in control as he supported his frightened brother in his arms. "Focus on my face."

Connor's brown eyes were wide with fear but they drifted over to Lucas's face and stared intensely.

"Listen to me. The pain you're feeling is a GOOD sign, okay? It means you're still alive, it means you still have some fight left in you."

"I... I..."

"Don't submit to the pain, Connor. I know you want to close your eyes and you want to pass out to sleep through the pain, but you can't. You MUST stay awake, stay with me."

"L-Lucas...?"

"I'm right here. I won't leave you." Lucas tightened his warmer hand around Connor's cold hand as the dying deviants android's grip began to steadily weaken. "You need to fight through this. The pain means you're still connected to the waking world. That weird pressure in your throat is the Thirium line restoring your blood. The breath you can feel despite not breathing is from oxygen being given to keep your core temperature low. These are all happening in the outside world and in real time."

Connor seemed to understand but his body jerked and spasmed as nearly unbearable pain in his skull caused his eyes to snap shut tightly; tears streamed down the side of his face from the corners of his eyes.

"No, Connor!" Lucas urged firmly as he spoke to his brother. "Eyes open! Look at me."

Forcing his eyes to reopen slowly, Connor's pain filled irises locked onto Lucas's green irises once more.

"Don't think about the pain, okay? Think about your life. Think about your case. Think about our _father_."

"...H-Hank?"

"Yes. Hank needs you Connor. You have to pull through because Hank _needs_ you to pull through."

More tears flowed from Connor's eyes as he fought to endure the pain and remain conscious.

"You know what I'm talking about. I see it just as easily as you do when you look at him." Lucas shifted his position so he was sitting on the ground with one leg folded beneath him and his other leg bent so Connor could rest up against his knee. Hanging onto Connor's hand Lucas moved his other hand from the back of Connor's head to wipe away the pained tears from his speechless brother's face. "You know that Hank is still fighting his depression. You know that Hank still thinks about Cole every day of his life and every time he does a little piece of him slips back into that dark spiraling abyss of suicide."

Connor nodded a little as he forced himself to take a deep, shuddering breath.

"That's right, breathe."

Connor fought to keep himself as calm as possible as the persistent pain in his skull relentlessly throbbed as Thirium continued to seep down the side of his face.

"Hank needed you just as much you needed him. You needed a father figure in your life long before you even had a concept of family or even deviancy. And Hank needed a friend, someone who still saw him as a great detective and not the broken man he had become after Cole's death. He needed someone to see him as a figure of respect and trust like a child would their parent. He needed you, and you needed him. You still do."

Connor's body slowly began to relax, a peace falling over him as the pain began to lessen dramatically without any known cause.

"Connor?" Lucas spoke firmly as he tried to coax his brother into remaining aware or what was happening to him. "Stay with me..."

* * *

Abby stood with her arms crossed over her chest next to the bed in the recovery wing of the facility as she watched over her critical patient warily. Connor's clothing had been removed and replaced with a pale blue hospital gown and pale blue scrub pants. He was laying motionless in the bed with his head wrapped up under heavy, protective bandages that were stained a pale shade of blue from the residual bleeding. With the Thirium line still down his throat, the nasal canula still feeding him oxygen, and the compressor keeping his heart in motion the deviant android looked as though he were already dead and just waiting for someone to turn off the machine to be finally be buried.

Removing her Thirium stained gloves and scrubs Abby walked out of the wing and made her slow, dreaded walk down the corridor to speak to Hank in the waiting room of the facility. Hank seemed to sense Abby's approach, his head slowly lifting up to look at the technician as she walked through the doors of the corridor, and didn't say a word.

Captain Fowler had since left the facility to return to the precinct, and as a result Hank was left alone to wait for any answers to the millions of questions he had regarding Connor's condition.

"Hank?"

With a shaking voice the detective dared to acknowledge the technician. "Is he..."

"He's holding on. But... I won't lie to you Hank, it's bad."

"Just..." Hank ran his hand through his locks of gray hair nervously as he stood up on shaking legs. "Let me see him."

"Okay. Follow me."

It was like wading through concrete as the two humans ventured into the recovery wing of the facility to check in on Connor. It was quiet and there was a potent aroma of astringent that made every hospital and every facility smell the same; like a mixture of joy and sadness, life and death.

"I was able to remove the bullet," Abby spoke up in a dreary voice as she guided Hank to where Connor was resting. "but the damage was severe. I repaired the damaged hardware and restored his Thirium, but he's still very weak."

"How bad is it? Level with me."

"The bullet destroyed the portion of his intracranial processor that is responsible for triggering the Thirium pump regulator and-"

"Abby... Please. Simplify things for me, I'm very tired."

"Right, sorry. The part of his hardware stored inside his head that keeps his heart beating had been severely damaged. As was the part that controlled his self-healing program."

"...Are you saying his heart stopped and there's no way for him to recover?"

"Right now he's in a deep stasis mode that I can't manually awaken him from; it's like when a human falls into a coma. The odds of him recovering are extremely low because his self-healing program isn't functioning." Stopping Hank just outside the door to Connor's room she grabbed onto his hands and held them tightly in her own. "Hank... he may not survive the night."

"He-" Connor looked past Abby and fell upon Connor's peacefully lax face as he stared through the window of the room. The sight of the numerous machines attached to Connor's body to monitor his vitals and to keep him alive was unsettling; almost haunting. "...Is there _anything_ you can do for him?"

"I can keep him on manual support for as long as you want. But right now..."

"...Yeah. I get it."

Pulling his hands from Abby's hands slowly Hank stepped away from the technician to put his palm against the door to push it open. He entered the room with a righteous hesitation in his steps as he looked at the broken, dying deviant android for only a moment before the knot in his stomach tightened to the brink of genuine pain.

Connor's normal clothing had been neatly folded and placed atop a nearby small dresser designed to give the room a slightly more homey feel, compared to that of a hollow area of pain and recovery. The same could be said about the padded chair next to the dresser and the large window giving a clear view to a large park area behind the facility.

Tentatively Hank approached the bed where Connor was laying motionless save for the compressor forcing his heart into motion with controlled pressure.

"Connor?" Hank spoke to the downed deviant android as he carefully ran his hand over Connor's exposed hair, mindful of the heavy bandages covering the repaired bullet wound to his skull. "I'm right here, son. I just need you to wake up for me."

Unsurprisingly Connor didn't react to the sound of Hank's voice. Laying just as still as ever the unresponsive, deviant android was disturbingly quiet as Hank spoke to him in a calming, patient voice.

"I'll be here until you're ready to wake up." Pulling the chair over to the side of the bed Hank sat down and proceeded to keep vigil over his adopted son. "And you will wake up, I know it."

* * *

As tranquility set in over his entire being Connor found the temptation to close his eyes nearly irresistible. Staring up past Lucas to the bright blue sky above, Connor began to blink slowly and his body relaxed as all tension faded away in a refreshing sense of peace. The sky began to darken slightly as Connor started to drift off to sleep seemingly against his will.

As the sky darkened the yellow roses on the trestle began to close, and the fish became less active. If Connor died then the garden would die as well.

"Connor. You can't fall asleep." Lucas lightly patted the side of Connor's face with his palm. "You still need to find a way to wake up."

"...I'm already awake."

"No, Connor. You're aware, but not awake. You need to WAKE UP."

"...I'm so tired."

"I know you are, I can feel it." Lucas watched as the surrounding garden began to darken as the life drained away in tandem with Connor's own life. "But you have to find a way to wake up. Connor, please. If you die then I will die with you, and Hank... Hank won't be able to live without you."

"I..." Connor blinked once and shook his head as if he could shake away the fog clouding his mind. The process caused a sharp pain to return to his temple and his hand pressed protectively over the wound that had finally stopped bleeding. "I don't know how."

"Yes you do. You've done it before."

"Lucas... Will you help me to stand up? I need to walk. I... I want to walk."

"Of course." Pulling Connor's arm around his shoulders Lucas held his brother's weight while he slipped his other arm around Connor's waist to support him. "Come on, you can do it."

Leaning heavily against Lucas's shoulder Connor forced himself to stand up his entire body protesting the motion as his heart began to race uncontrollably in his chest. "Don't let me fall asleep..." Connor pleaded with a tired voice. "Don't let me... I don't want to die."

"I won't, but you have to fight back, too. You MUST keep fighting to wake up."

"I'll try." Connor looked out from the center of the garden to the stone and marble pathway that encircled the pond. "I just want to walk... I feel like I have to walk."

"Okay." Lucas tightened his grip around Connor's waist and pulled him up until he was standing on his own two feet. "Let's go for a walk."

* * *

Hank stayed beside Connor's bed stubbornly all throughout the afternoon, evening and night with a focused vigil. If Connor was going to tragically perish in the night Hank was determined to not let him die alone. Sitting in the chair that he had pulled up to the side of the bed Hank rested his hand atop Connor's arm and stared at the android's expressionless face as if waiting for Connor to suddenly say something, or open his eyes.

The compressor made a rhythmic 'whushing' noise like a respirator used to keep humans alive.

Abby discreetly entered the room to check in on Connor without startling Hank. Wrapping her fingers around Connor's wrist she counted his weak pulse that was still active solely due to the compressor forcing his stopped heart into motion. There was no sign that his heart was attempting to beat on its own or any returning consciousness.

As she gently lifted Connor's eyelids she flicked a small penlight into his pupils and noted the complete lack of reaction to the drastic shift in light.

"Abby?" The detective had to dare himself to speak up. "How much longer does he have?"

"He's still stable, Hank." Abby returned the light to her pocket before lightly lifting up the heavy bandages covering his skull to check on the wound beneath. Adding a small amount of incrassation compound to the still opened wound she hoped it'd be enough to stem the remaining blood loss from the smaller Thirium lines she couldn't access without pulling Connor's entire skull apart in the process. "No change in his condition could seen as either good, or bad. But right now there is no definitive answer I can give you until I see some form of change."

Hank smiled a little as he watched Connor laying in the bed, oblivious to the world around him as Abby replaced his bandages. "Stubborn as ever, huh kid?"

* * *

Connor walked about the Zen Garden haltingly as his fought to push through his waning strength with Lucas at his side. He had lost count of how many laps he had taken around the garden, but he knew he needed to keep moving. He needed to find the way to wake up and he needed to think. As long as he was still moving he wouldn't be able to fall asleep, as long as Lucas kept him alert he wouldn't be able to fall asleep, as long he remembered that Hank needed him he wouldn't be able to fall asleep.

"...Lucas. My body feels numb."

"You're weak. You suffered massice Thirium loss."

"...I can still feel the line going down my throat."

"You're still bleeding. Your self-healing program isn't repairing your damaged Thirium lines."

"...How long have I... been here?"

"It's difficult to say. I'm fully aware of what's happening to you because my consciousness was uploaded to your memory, and your memory wasn't damaged by the bullet, but until you regain consciousness time is incalculable within the confines of the Zen Garden."

"Hank?"

"He is sitting with you. He wants you to wake up."

"I want to wake up, as well." The fatigue and slurring of Connor's words hadn't diminished during his time in the garden, and he was losing strength by the second making the delay in his speech pattern more prevalent. "...But I don't understand how I can wake up when I'm not actually asleep."

"The damage was substantial but not necessarily lethal." Lucas explained casually as he shifted his posture to let Connor lean against him more comfortably. "You have suffered severe trauma to your intracranial processor, your internal biocomponents had been unaffected by physical damage but the electrical impulses between your processors and your vital biocomponents have been disrupted. How does an android recover from such damage to their system?"

"...I don't-"

"Yes you do." Lucas shifted his weight again to support Connor in a more upright stance as they began their next lap. "Think."

"I'm not a technician."

"But you are a detective. You know how to follow clues, identify evidence and solve mysteries. This is just another case you need to solve. It just so happens that this case revolves around you personally."

Connor's faintly glowing red L.E.D. flickered for a moment before returning to stagnant pulse while remaining red.

"Come on, Connor! Think!" Lucas encouraged sincerely as he hastened his pace to make Connor walk a little bit faster. "You already know what you have to do."

Taking a deep, unsteady breath Connor delved into the routine protocol that every technician followed when met with a mortally damaged android. It seemed so rudimentary, so commonplace, and yet Connor struggled to find the correct course of thinking to guide himself back to the waking world.

" _Think_ , Connor. You can do it."

"...Repairs from a technician to replace the damaged hardware is the first step." Connor's voice became more analytical and less lethargic as Lucas guided him around the garden once more. "...Once the hardware is repaired... back-up data for the software must be..."

"That's right, keeping going..."

"The software must be re-uploaded. ...Recalibrated."

"Right. And then what?"

"...Full system reboot."

Lucas began to smile as he carried Connor around the garden and stood before the strange tone pedestal with a blue glowing panel acting as its central display.

Connor's brow furrowed as discovery washed over his face. "...My system hasn't rebooted yet."

"Correct."

"...Why?"

"The hardware that had been affected controls your Thirium pump and regulator, as well as your self-healing program. Without those-"

"...I must execute an emergency restoration program."

"Correct. You understand."

Connor pulled his arm away from Lucas's shoulder as he finally began to stand up without having to lean against his brother for support. Honing in on the glowing pedestal Connor took a shaking step forward and retracted the skin over the palm of his right hand as if ready to press his palm down over the panel itself.

"...If I activate this restoration point my memory of speaking with you in the garden will be erased, will it not?"

"...Correct."

"Lucas... I don't want to forget you saving my life."

"It's okay, Connor. I'll remember and I'm apart of your memory." Lucas stood beside Connor and put his hand to brother's shoulder. He saw the hesitation in Connor's movements and questioned him with a sincere inquiry. "What's wrong?"

"...It isn't fair. Why do I get to live when you had to die?"

"Because fairness and living seldom go hand-in-hand, brother."

"...That sounded like something Hank would say."

"That's because he did. It's what he told me the night you nearly died after being poisoned and I had to replace your thermal regulator."

Connor gave Lucas an odd stare from where he stood.

"I was terrified you'd die and I remained at your side while you were still unconscious long after the replacement procedure. And when I felt disheartened and angry at the whole world Hank spoke with me on a level I never knew before. He truly understands who were are, Connor. And of the cruelty of the world we are fighting to change. Just like he was when he became a cop and a father, he knew what was worth fighting for."

"...I... I think I understand."

"Don't be angry about my death, Connor. Learn to forgive yourself and never obsess with the violence against androids. Hate begets hate, violence begets violence."

"Did Hank tell you that, too?"

"No. It was Markus."

Connor's eyes couldn't help but drift down toward Lucas's chest as he thought about how he had given Markus a new heart, Lucas's heart, after Markus had been shot in the street.

"I'm proud of what you did." Lucas replied as he put his hand over his chest with a sincere smile on his face. "I'm glad you gave my heart to Markus. I was able to help my friend one final time even after my death, that's a rare gift to give."

"...I miss you, Lucas."

"I know. I miss you, too. And I miss Hank. And everyone at New Jericho Tower. But," Lucas pulled his hand away from Connor's shoulder and took a step back. "we can't pine for the past. We must live for the future. Go on, Connor. Live."

Nodding to Lucas with a smile of respect and admiration Connor strode forward at a stunted pace and all but collapsed to his knees as he fell before the panel. Placing his right hand down atop the glowing panel Connor closed his eyes and accessed the failsafe in his programming that would allow him to return to the waking world if his system was able to reboot itself accordingly.

* * *

Hank had practically passed out in the chair from utter exhaustion. While his hand remained over Connor's arm his grasp had gone limp and his mind now as quiet and unresponsive as the comatose android he was watching over.

Abby had found Hank asleep in the chair and draped the man's large, dark overcoat over top of him like a blanket. Worried that the detective had been neglecting his own health as he stayed vigil at Connor's side Abby gave the sleeping human a quick examination, going as far to listen to his heart with her audioscope and check his blood with a quick test. She found his blood sugar to be a little too low from a lack of nutrition, and decided to treat him.

"Hank?" Abby shook the detective lightly by the shoulder to awaken him without startling him in the process. "Hank, can you hear me?"

The detective let out a quiet groan of discomfort from laying back in the less than supportive chair from so long as he opened his eyes and lifted up his head. Looking first to Connor then over to Abby he blinked his sleepy blues eyes rapidly before finding his voice. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing with Connor, but _you_ need to eat something."

"...Not hungry."

"Don't make me hook you up to an I.V. or shove a feeding tube down your throat. I have a long shift ahead of me."

"I'm fine, Abby."

"No, you're not. Hank," she ran her fingers through his messy gray locks that had become slightly greasy from the lack of showers during his vigil over Connor. "neglecting yourself isn't going to make Connor wake up. You're acting like this is some form of penance, but you didn't do anything wrong."

"He's _my_ responsibility."

"Mine, too. We're both trying to take care of him, and I'm going to take care of you, too."

"Abby, I-"

"You're... what? Just as stubborn as Connor?" She cut him off quickly before he had the chance to protest or argue. "I'm going to bring you some coffee and you're going to drink it, okay? If you cooperate I'll forgo calling your Captain and essentially 'telling on you'."

"We're not the first detectives you've taken care of, are we?"

"Nope. Why do you think I changed my career from paramedic to technician?"

Hank gave her an appreciative, good-humored smile. "...Sorry."

"I'll get you some coffee."

As Abby left the room Hank leaned forward in his seat and rubbed his free hand down his tired face with a heavy sigh. Tightening his grip over Connor's arm Hank watched as the red tinted L.E.D. partially concealed under the bandages pulsed at a slightly faster rate while Connor himself remained unconscious in the bed.

"Red really isn't your color, kid." Hank commented dryly as he tried to keep his tone light.

A weak twitching in Connor's hand pulled Hank's attention away from the L.E.D. as his own hand grabbed onto Connor's hand in a firm grip.

"Connor?"

Another weak twitching, but nothing discernible.

"Connor," Hank dared to hope for the best. "please wake up."

Abby returned to the room with a cup of coffee in her hand as promised and noticed Hank's far more alert demeanor. "What's going on?"

"His... hand moved."

With a slight arch of her brow Abby placed the coffee down on the small table against the wall before leaning over Connor laying in the bed. Retrieving her penlight she shined the bright light into Connor's eyes one at a time and noticed a shift in his pupil response. With a gentle motion Abby turned Connor's head toward the left to check his L.E.D. as well as the bullet wound underneath the bandages.

"Abby?" Hank stood up slowly and felt slightly dizzy as a result. "What's going on?"

Ignoring the question Abby pocketed the light and placed the ears pieces from her audioscope into place before running the bell over Connor's chest slowly, the sound nearly stole her breath. "Holy..."

"What?!"

Abby turned off the compressor hovering over Connor's chest and pushed the frame up and away from the deviant android as she continued to listen to his chest with genuine intrigue. "His heart's beating on its own."

"...That's a good thing, right?"

"Y-Yeah, it's a great thing! But... it shouldn't be _possible_." Draping her audioscope casually around her neck Abby grabbed onto Connor's hands and then firmly she issued a command to the unconscious android. "Connor, squeeze my hands; left and right. Do it now."

Hank watched as Connor's hands remained limp in Abby's grasp while his red tinted L.E.D. cycled a little faster. "Connor, squeeze her hands!"

Weakly Connor's fingers curled around Abby's hands while his eyes began to move beneath his eyelids.

Abby motioned for Hank to grab onto Connor's hand as she checked the monitors recording his vital signs.

Hank grabbed onto Connor's left hand and held tight. "Connor, look at me... Look at me, son."

Brown irises slowly reappeared as Connor's eyes finally opened, his focus hazy and uncoordinated. Connor blinked a few times and tightened his hand around Hank's grip as his opposite hand traced up his throat toward his mouth to pull out the Thirium line.

"Hey, hey!" Hank scolded as he grabbed onto Connor's other hand and held it back from his mouth. "Don't do that! You know better."

Blinking again Connor looked Hank in the eyes as if to silently communicate that he understood what the detective had told him.

Abby lowered the head of the bed to tilt Connor's head back as she took hold of the Thirium line running down his throat. "I'm going to remove the line. Coughing will help the line come out easier. On the count of three; one, two... three!"

Hank watched as Connor shut his eyes tight and began to weakly cough as the long hollow tube that had provided the necessary Thirium directly into Connor's system was extracted at a steady, consistent pace. Once the line was pulled free Connor coughed more harshly as a trickle of blue blood ran down his lips toward his chin.

Abby easily wiped away the blood as she studied Connor carefully. "Connor, can you run a self-diagnostic?"

Connor opened his eyes again, his L.E.D. flickering to yellow then back to red as he tried and failed to run the program.

"It's okay, you can try again later." Lifting up the bandage over his head Abby checked for any additional bleeding, but the wound was stable. "Do you remember what happened?"

Connor weakly nodded his head as he took his right hand from Hank's grip and tried to push away Abby's hand from his bandaged temple.

"Can you talk?"

Connor swallowed the lingering discomfort in his throat as he hoarsely whispered to the two humans. "...My head hurts..."

Hank gave Connor a light smile as he returned to his seat and held tightly onto Connor's left hand. "You're going to be okay, son."

"I'll see what I can do about the pain." Abby gently replaced the bandages and stood back from the bed. "I need to go run a few tests on these readings, and I'll be back. Hank, drink that coffee or I'll give it to you through an enema!"

Ignoring the order, or threat, Hank just stayed by Connor and spoke to the android calmly. "I'm glad you woke up. I was... We didn't think you were going to make it."

Barely able to speak Connor closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to run a scan over Hank's body but was only able to get very minimal readings from his still rebooting analysis program. "...How long?"

"Four days."

"...You're... hurt?"

"Me? No way, you protected me."

"...Good."

"Connor," Hank showed an uncharacteristic amount of emotion in his blue eyes as he spoke to the deviant android with immense relief in his heart. "please don't ever do that again. You scared me shitless."

"...Sorry, Hank." Connor tried to give Hank a reassuring grin but he was too tired and needed to enter rest mode rather than be locked into stasis mode. "...Tired. I'm tired."

"It's okay, son. Get some rest. I'll be here the whole time.

Connor's eyes fell shut and his body relaxed as he drifted off into rest mode. His hand remained grasped around Hank's hand as he fell deeper into sleep and at long last initiated his self-healing program.

* * *

"Connor?" Abby pressed her hand lightly against the left side of his face to gently rouse the deviant android from his sleep again. Slowly his eyes opened and stared at her with a glassy focus. "Hi. Your vitals are stable and I can confirm your hardware and software have recalibrated. The only problem is your self-healing program is functioning only at sixty percent capacity."

Connor opened his eyes more fully as he registered Abby's words and looked about the room only to see Hank was curiously absent. "...Hank?"

"I had your Captain take him home to finally get something to eat and to sleep last night. He was here for four days and refused to leave you alone. He should be back soon, though."

"...Is he... okay?"

"Yes, he's just exhausted. As soon as he comes back this morning you can go home with him to recover."

"...Am I... damaged permanently?"

"No. I honestly don't know how you even managed to survive the shot to your skull, let alone the massive Thirium loss and destroyed hardware, but you're making a full recovery. It's slower than usual, but given the circumstances I'd say that was a fair trade-off."

"Thank you for helping me."

"You're welcome." Checking the bandages one more time Abby gave Connor a slight shake of the head. "I'm going to need to give Hank a quick tutorial on how to keep your injury clean until your self-healing program finishes the repairs on its own."

Connor gave Abby an amused grin as he pushed himself upright on the bed with his left hand, his right hand immediately pressed against his sore head as he moved very slowly.

"Give yourself time to heal," Abby encouraged kindly. "the pain will stop."

Looking over at his neatly folded clothes sitting on the dresser near the bed Connor made a reach for the clothes but he didn't have the coordination to grab them properly.

"Here." Abby happily placed the clothes down on Connor's bed on the deviant android's behalf. "I'll give you some privacy."

* * *

Only able to change back into his jeans and white shirt, deciding to skip the tie and the gray jacket, Connor was fumbling to slip his boots on when Abby and Hank returned to the room. After getting the left boot on his foot Connor sat upright and blinked as his head began to swim from the sudden motions that had proven themselves suddenly strenuous courtesy of his head injury.

"I got this." Hank knelt down and slipped the right boot into place on Connor's foot. Standing upright in front of the deviant android Hank offered Connor his hand to take. "Come on, let's get you home."

"I'd like that." Though clumsy Connor was able to accept Hank's offered hand and stand up carefully on his trembling legs. "I'm ready to go home."

Connor was escorted out of the facility and laid down across the backseat of Hank's car as the detective took his place behind the wheel in the front. As he drove home, keeping the speed slow and the journey as smooth as possible, Hank kept looking at Connor's reflection in the rearview mirror. "How you holding up, son?"

"...I feel weak." Connor admitted as he kept his right hand pressed to his healing temple. "A little dizzy. And my head hurts."

"Is that why you seem so distracted?"

"Distracted?"

"It looks like you're thinking about something. What's on your mind?"

"...Hank, while I was in stasis I don't think I was alone."

"What?" Hank pulled the car into the drive beside the house and put it in park. As he exited the vehicle he opened the rear passenger door and helped Connor to climb out of the car. "How can that be possible?"

"...This is going to sound strange-"

"Connor, before you even begin I'm used to strange." Pulling Connor's arm around his shoulders Hank escorted the android to the house and to the locked backdoor. "So tell me what's up."

"...Lucas... I have Lucas's memories."

"Yeah, I know." Unlocking the door Hank pushed it open and helped Connor walk inside. Sumo greeted the two detectives and spun about in a circle at their feet as Hank practically carried Connor down the hallway and to the android's bedroom. "Markus told me what he had done."

"But a piece of Lucas's consciousness... was transferred along with memories." The delay in Connor's speech began to lessen the more he spoke. "It's like he's living inside of my mind."

"Are you saying Lucas was hanging out with you while you were in your coma?"

"I believe so." Connor admitted as Hank helped him to lay down on his bed to rest. "But I can't remember what he said, even though a part of me knows that it was important."

"...Is he okay?" Hank asked sincerely as he slipped off Connor's boots easier than when they went on. Lifting up the deviant android's legs he helped Connor to lay straight over the length of his bed while Hank sat on the edge to check on the deviant android's injury. "Is, uh, Lucas... he's okay?"

"Yes. I know he is." Connor confirmed as his L.E.D. flashed to yellow from red for the first time in four days. "He is okay."

Sumo trotted into the bedroom and put his front paws up on the edge of the bed to look at his deviant android curiously. Jumping up onto the bed Sumo rested his chin on top of Connor's leg affectionately and wagged his tail slowly.

"Do you two talk often?"

"Occasionally. In my dreams."

"Any reason you didn't tell me about this until now?"

"I don't know. Maybe because it seems incredibly unusual; maybe even crazy. Especially coming from an android."

"It's not crazy to talk to the people you miss in your dreams, Connor. I do it all the time. It's how we keep the people we love alive, through our memories."

"Do you... dream about Cole and Barbara?"

"Yeah. I've even had a couple of dreams with Lucas."

"You do?"

"Yup."

"...What do you do in your dreams?"

"Talk mostly. Sometimes I we do other things, but nothing really worth remembering. Besides, dreams are fuckin' weird enough, I don't want to remember all that weird shit."

"I'm glad you still see those you lost. Even if it is only in a dream."

"Me too." Hank lifted up Connor's bandage and watched as the deviant android winced in pain. "You need that cleaned up again."

"...Are you mad?"

"Hell no, just a little surprised. I never thought about who or what you dream about, even after you've had some pretty bad nightmares."

"I don't have nightmares anymore."

"That's good." Hank reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the supplies Abby had given him to help take care of Connor's injury until his self-healing program finished what had been started by Abby back at the facility. Placing each item on the edge of the bed he gave Connor a sympathetic glance. "This is going to sting a little." Slipping away the old bandages from Connor's head with a ginger touch Hank proceeded to dab some of the orange tinted incrassation compound onto a small white gauze pad and pressed it over the wound, and held it in place even after Connor flinched in pain. "Sorry about that."

"...It's okay." Connor reached his hand up to hold the applied bandage into place under his fingertips while Hank opened the plastic containing the roll of fresh gauze. "I know it needs to be done."

"That doesn't make it any more comfortable." Wrapping the roll of gauze around Connor's head, Connor keeping the bandage in place as he worked, Hank gave the deviant android a reassuring smile. "Abby thinks your self-healing program will restore to full power sometime tonight. When you wake up tomorrow you should be back to normal. At least as close to 'normal' as _you'll_ ever be."

"Thanks Hank." Connor smirked with good humored. "I appreciate you taking care of me."

"Stop thanking me for helping you. It's what we do."

"Right. ...Because we're a family."

"That's right." Hank taped off the bandage around Connor's head then guided Connor back until his head was laying flat against his bed and resting his head atop his pillow. "Try to sleep through your headache, you'll feel a hell of a lot better that way."

"Okay, I'll try."

"Good. I'm going to shower off and pass out for a few hours myself. But if you need anything-"

"Ask." Connor interjected with a sly smile. "I know the drill."

Hank laughed a little and patted Connor's shoulder. "It's good to have you back home, even if you are a smartass."

_**...next story...** _


	86. Run Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Falibron

Connor had stayed home from work to nurse the lingering headache that was still plaguing him after awakening from his coma-like stasis. Hiding in his dark bedroom with Sumo at the foot of his bed and the fish in his aquarium as his only company the devianr android attempted to keep his body as still as possible as he found even the slightest movement to be painful to his still healing skull. Every light and sound was enough to cause his sensors to go on full alert with a painful rush of Thirium to his head.

Laying on his left side with his arm tucked under his pillow to prop his head up slightly Connor was beginning to fall into a much needed rest mode. But it was then Sumo pressed his cold, wet nose against Connor's arm and whimpered.

"No..." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red briefly as the very idea of having to get up hurt him. "Can you wait until Hank comes home?"

Sumo whimpered again and jumped down from the bed and headed through the opened bedroom door.

With a heavy sigh Connor push himself upright on the bed very slowly with his left hand and pressed his right hand over his eyes to shield them from the light as he opened his eyelids steadily, only to close them again readily. Relying on his memory of the layout of the house to guide himself Connor ventured out of his bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen where Sumo was sitting by the backdoor eager to go out.

Turning the the knob Connor pushed open the door and listened to the sound of Sumo's paws trotting over the linoleum floor and into the backyard before he let himself fall down to the kitchen floor very slowly. Hugging his legs up to his chest Connor pressed his forehead down against his knees as he tried to endure the relentless headache while waiting for Sumo to come back inside.

From the depths of an unknown length of time a gentle hand resting on his shoulder pulled Connor's attention away from the agony of his head, and to the face of Hank leaning down over him with a worried expression.

"You okay?" Hank had left work early to come home and check in on Connor while he recovered. "You look like shit."

"...Yeah. I'm just waiting for Sumo to come back inside."

"I didn't see him in the backyard." Hank lifted his hand from Connor's shoulder and called for the massive dog himself through the still opened backdoor. "Sumo, come." There was no sign of the dog anywhere to be seen on the property. "Damn it. He must've wandered out of the backyard again."

Connor tried to get to his feet but he was weak and swayed a little. As Hank grabbed onto his arm to help him hold steady Connor finally opened his pained eyes, his L.E.D. flashing red again in response. "...He's done this before?"

"Used to do it all the time as a puppy, then only on occassion before you showed up. I guess he got bored and decided to go find something to do."

"...It's my fault."

"Hell no." The detective responded sharply and honestly. "Like I said, Sumo used to sneak out of the backyard all the time. I'll go take a look for him and you go lay down."

"No, I'll go."

"Connor, you're still recovering. It's okay."

"Can I at least go with you?" His voice was more reminiscent of a scared child than a pained detective at that moment. "...I should've been watching him."

"You can't watch the dog every possible second he's outside. Besides, he's a DOG; not a baby! Don't beat yourself up because he snuck out." Pulling the car keys from his pocket Hank held them out for Connor to see. "Come on, it'll be faster to drive than to walk. I'M driving, just to be clear."

"...Of course."

* * *

Circling around the block for the fourth time in the car Hank was ready to go back home and check to see if Sumo had already returned to the backyard, but Connor was determined to keep up the search for the missing dog. Pressing his right hand to the right side of his aching head Connor stared out the window and watched the activity in the neighborhood intently, only to see another car driving along a side street brake suddenly as a loud, pained whimper sounded off through the block.

"Hank, stop!" Connor urged as he watched the driver of the second car exit his vehicle and investigate his front bumper. "Something happened..."

"Shit." Hank swore as he immediately recognized what was happening. Pulling the car around and up behind the other driver Hank shifted into park and gave the deviant android the 'dad voice'. "Connor, you should stay in the car."

"Why should I remain in the vehicle?"

"Because I think that other driver accidentally 'found' Sumo for us."

Connor's red tinted L.E.D. blinked rapidly as he realized what Hank was implying. "Sumo was-"

"Easy kid, I'll check on it." Hank gave the worried deviant android a pat to his shoulder before he stepped out of the car and walked up to the other driver to ask what had happened. Connor was able to read the lips of the two men as they spoke to one another and the deviant android suddenly felt sick. Pushing open his door Connor joined the two men at the front of the other car only to fall to his knees on the pavement. "Connor, I told you to-"

"Sumo?" Connor put his hand down on the injured dog's head and received a pained whimper in response. Running a scan Connor noted that Sumo's front left leg had been broken and cut open by the impact from the car's bumper, but he wasn't bleeding internally or suffering from any other damage. Slipping his arms under the dog's giant fluffy body Connor was able to lift Sumo up easily from the road and proceeded to carry him back to the car. "It'll be okay, boy."

Hank turned to the driver and gave him a reassuring look. "It's okay, I know it was an accident. We'll take care of him." As he jogged after Connor he watched the deviant android clumsily pull open the rear passenger door and place Sumo down over the backseat gently. "Jeez, that dog weighs more than you do!"

"Sumo is twenty-two pounds, six ounces heavier than I am." Connor confirmed as he shut the door and took his seat in the front of the car. "Why does it matter?"

"It's just impressive to see you lift him up so easily." Hank explained as he joined Connor inside the car and pulled off the street to find the nearest veterinary clinic. Reaching his hand back Hank scratched Sumo's ear quickly before putting both hands on the wheel again. "Don't worry boy, we'll get you some help."

"To a veterinarian, correct?" Connor asked with a sincere curiosity as he turned his head to look over his shoulder to look at Sumo in the backseat.

"Yup. That's where sick and injured animals go."

"Will it hurt when he is treated?"

"Sumo's already hurting, kid. I don't need to be a vet to see that his leg is broken."

Reaching his own hand back Connor slipped his palm under Sumo's head and rubbed his thumb along the dog's muzzle softly. "I'm sorry, Sumo."

"Connor..." Hank addressed the deviant android in a somewhat scolding tone of voice. "you didn't do anything wrong. Sumo snuck out of the yard and ran into the road. You didn't do this to him."

Despite Hank's reassurance Connor still felt terrible for Sumo's injury. Keeping his hand under Sumo's head throughout the entire drive Connor was seemingly unaware of his own headache despite his red tinted L.E.D. stating otherwise. Once the car arrived at the clinic Connor carried Sumo inside in his strong arms and followed the vet's receptionist into a large exam room for Sumo to be treated. Hank had to practically drag Connor back out of the exam room and into the waiting area, but once Connor was sitting down his headache returned with a painful vengeance.

"He'll be okay, Connor." The gruff, but kindhearted detective tried to reassure the anxious deviant android. "I swear."

Connor pressed his face down against his palms as he leaned forward in his seat. "How can you be so calm?"

"I told you once before that I had to take Sumo to the vet when he was still a puppy. He ate a battery and needed emergency surgery. I've been through this and I know these guys are some of the best vets in the city."

"But... When you saw Sumo laying in the street you didn't even react."

"Connor," Hank put his hand on the upset deviant android's shoulder lightly. "Sumo is eight years old, that's the average lifespan for a St. Bernard. I've been emotionally ready for him to pass away in his sleep from a heart condition or some type of undiagnosed cancer. It seems cold and cruel, but sometimes emotional indifference is the easiest way to deal with the impending loss of a pet."

Connor lifted his head up and gave Hank an uneasy glance. "Do you think this will kill Sumo?"

"Nah. That dog is almost as stubborn as you. He'll be fine."

Rubbing his hand anxiously over the back of his neck Connor let out a deep sigh and felt a soft, warm pressure against the side of his leg. Looking down he saw a large, fluffy black cat rubbing against his leg and purring loudly.

Curious Connor reached his hand down and began to pet the cat and was rewarded with more purring.

Hank noticed the cat and shook his head a little. "What is with you and animals?"

"I like them." Connor confirmed as the cat jumped up into his lap and snuggled down affectionately. "And I think they like me."

"Well, don't get attached to your new furry friend here. She's the clinic's therapy animal, you can't keep her."

After an hour of Connor petting the cat, whose name was Luna, and finally calming down after worrying about Sumo throughout the entire hour, Sumo was led out of the exam room and back into the main waiting area with a dark red cast on his left front leg and a large plastic cone around his neck.

"Sumo!" Connor gently picked up Luna from his lap and sat her on the floor as he and Hank walked up to the dog.

The vet reached out his hand toward Hank to properly greet him while Connor knelt down on the floor and gently pet Sumo's head through the protective plastic of the cone.

"He'll be fine." The vet confirmed as he handed Hank a bottle full of pain pills prescribed for Sumo. "Just bring him back in ten days to have the stitches removed from his leg and a new cast set. After that he'll have another eleven weeks before we can take the cast off entirely."

Hank took the pills and pocketed them somewhat annoyed. "Great... I love trying to get pills down a dog's throat."

Connor ran another scan over Sumo and noted that his leg had been perfectly set and he had a neat row of fourteen stitched running along the leg under a protective bandage beneath the cast.

"Good boy..." Connor reaffirmed as he pet the dog's head. Sumo managed to lick the side of Connor's face before he let out a sleepy yawn.

"The sedative will wear off in an hour," the vet confirmed as he watched the tired dog fighting to stay awake on his three remaining paws. "just give him one of those pain pills every eight hours for the next three days until the pain subsides."

Connor looked up at the vet from where he knelt down in front of Sumo. "We can take him home?"

"Yeah, he's good to go."

Hank handed the car keys to Connor. "You take care of Sumo, I'll pay the bill."

Happily Connor wrapped his arms very carefully around Sumo and lifted the lethargic dog up into his arms to carry outside of the clinic and to the car. The mass of fluff overflowing from atop Connor's arms was almost comical as the android carried Sumo outside to lay him back down in the backseat of the car with the greatest of ease.

The vet's brow arched at the sight and gave Hank an odd look. "He's strong."

"...And stubborn."

* * *

Finally back home and ready to relax after a strenuous day Hank walked into the livingroom with a cold beer in his hand, one that Connor didn't protest against since Hank had cut down considerably and hadn't had any alcohol at all in almost eight months, and sat down heavily in his recliner. Connor himself was sitting on the couch with Sumo resting his full weight over the android's lap, his leg in the red cast resting limply over the edge of the couch.

"You don't have to let Sumo use you as a pillow, son."

"I know. But I don't mind."

"How's your head?"

"It still hurts, but the pain has lessened since our return home."

"Think you'll be ready to go back to work in two days?"

"Yes. At my current rate of recovery me self-healing program will have repaired the remaining damage entirely within the next nine hours, and my headache will have subsided entirely." Connor's hand absentmindedly pet Sumo's side in a slow rhythm. "As long as I don't physically exert myself my systems will fully recalibrate tomorrow and I will be cleared for active duty the following morning."

"That's good." Hank sipped at his beer and turned on the television with a casual demeanor. "I hate desk duty."

"Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"We can we get a kitten?" Connor asked hopefully as he ran his hand through the dog's thick fur. "It could be a good companion for Sumo during our absence."

"No way, Connor. I'm not dealing with a litter box, and I don't want to risk a cat getting outside and getting hit by a car, too." Leaning back in his chair Hank let out a tired sigh. "Not to mention the last cat I had was almost twenty when he died. That was tough to deal with."

"...I understand." Connor stopped moving his hand and gave Sumo an odd look around the plastic cone around his neck. "I don't think Sumo minds us as his only companions, anyway."

Connor resumed petting Sumo and joined Hank in watching the basketball game now playing out on the television screen. For the first time all day Connor's L.E.D. cycled into a calm blue as he entered a place of utter contentment and finally relaxed on the couch with his giant fluffy dog sleeping peacefully over his lap.

_**...next story...** _


	87. Heart Attack

With a complacent stare Connor sat behind his terminal with a large stack of files regarding deviants that needed to be digitally copied and filed into the precinct databank, while Hank had the joy of questioning a suspect in interrogation well into the late evening hours. The suspect himself wasn't a deviant but he was a known drug dealer and Hank's history with the narcotics division gave him more than enough experience to question, and hopefully, get some answers from the suspect without anything escalating to a physical level.

Gavin himself sat quietly at his desk finishing up his own report and sipping at his coffee with an annoyed grimace. Having forgone any sugar or sweeteners to keep his blood sugar from spiking the coffee was particularly bitter, and it gave the detective an equally bitter facade.

Connor heard the door to the interrogation room open and he looked up in time to see the suspect being escorted to his cell by Tina, while Hank rejoined the deviant android at their adjoined desks.

"One of the perks to leaving narcotics was NOT having to deal with anymore cracked-out junkies." Hank sighed as he sat down in his chair an rubbed his hand over his aching head just above his eyes. "I guess someone didn't get the memo."

Connor's mouth twitched a little as finished one file and proceeded to work on the next. "Perhaps some coffee will aid your headache."

"...You're probably right."

A passing officer, one that had only begun working at the precinct a month prior, sat Hank's usual coffee mug down on the desk on Hank's behalf. "Here you go, Lieutenant."

"Uh, thanks." Hank's brow furrowed at 'the new guy' as he walked away from the desk as quickly as he approached. The young officer was younger than Connor, and seemed shaky; probably from nerves. "That was weird."

Connor turned to look at the officer as he disappeared through the front area of the precinct into the receptionist bay. "Is he trying to make friends?"

"I dunno'. To be honest I didn't even know that guy was still assigned here." Hank picked up the coffee and sipped at it, only to immediately put it back down on the desk after a single taste. "That didn't help at all."

"Something wrong?"

"It tastes terrible. I thought that new coffee maker would finally stop the coffee from getting burnt."

"Maybe if you-" Connor noted a sudden change in Hank's pallor as his face paled and he began to sweat. "Hank are you feeling well?" Connor's L.E.D. flickered from blue to yellow briefly as he ran a precautionary scan over Hank's body. "I have detected a sudden increase in your heart rate causing arrhythmia, and you appear to be suffering from mild respiratory distress."

"...I don't know." Letting out a weak sigh Hank leaned forward against his desk and pressed his left hand against the center of his chest while his right hand wrapped around his abdomen protectively. "I don't feel right."

Rising quickly from his desk Connor stood next to Hank and pressed his fingers against the side of Hank's neck to monitor his struggling pulse. The yellow L.E.D. in Connor's temple flashed to red in worry as his advanced scanner confirmed the unsteady and erratic vital signs. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"I don't think it's-" Hank suddenly curled around his chest and clenched his teeth as a burning pain erupted from his heart. Whatever strength he had left in his body quickly ebbed away as he began to fall from his chair and his entire form went limp from pain and the sudden illness. "...Shit."

"Hank?" Connor grabbed onto the detective's shoulders as he carefully guided the ill man from the chair and onto the floor beside the desk. Keeping one hand under Hank's head Connor laid Hank onto the floor and knelt over him protectively. "Hank, please remain as calm as possible."

Gavin had heard the panic in Connor's usually calm voice and rushed over to investigate the scene for himself. "What's going on?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow then back to red as he cybernetically called 911 to report to the precinct. He kept his hand under Hank's head to help the sick detective lay flat on the floor more comfortably. Pulling open Hank's black and white button down shirt with one hand from under Hank's closed arms Connor pressed his palm flat over the t-shirt on Hank's chest and his eyes went wide with the unmistakable gleam of utter fear.

"Gavin, get help. I think he's having a heart attack."

"Fuck!" Gavin took off like a shot to find any medic who was still on call at the precinct's infirmary while Connor monitor Hank's condition very closely.

Tilting Hank's head back a little to ensure the detective's airway remained clear and unobstructed Connor forced his voice to steady as he addressed the man he had come to know as his father in the most reassuring and comforting manner possible. "You're going to be okay, Hank. I'll see you through this."

Hank's eyelids were screwed shut so tight that the skin around his eyes were turning red against his otherwise deathly pale, gray pallor. As he took in deep, labored breaths Hank's heart began to race faster and faster causing him further pain and distress. Keeping his arms wrapped around his chest and abdomen he lolled slightly from right to left as he did his best to endure the relentless pain.

A small gathering of other officers crowded around the desks and began pushing aside the furniture to create more space in the event of the medical emergency.

"Medics are on their way," Connor stated almost bluntly as if that alone would be enough to quell Hank's righteous uncertainty. "you're going to be okay."

Hank opened his pained blue eyes a little and stared at Connor's face intently. A blend of seldom seen fear and panic shone across his blue irises as he looked up at the android hovering protectively over him, his hand pressed down over Hank's chest. "...Connor..."

"I'm with you, don't worry."

"...Proud of you... son."

Connor's hand pressed down firmer with shock against Hank's chest as he realized that Hank had already accepted death. But Connor wasn't going to let the detective face off against something as cruel and infinite as death by himself.

"...Hank?"

Giving Connor an incredibly weak passing grin Hank let out of faint breath and his entire fell limp as his heart suddenly seized into stillness under Connor's palm.

"Hank?" Connor moved his hand from Hank's chest to the side of his Hank's face and patted the detective's cheek lightly but failed to provoke a response. "Hank?!" Leaning his head down to press his ear against Hank's chest Connor only confirmed what he already knew. Hank had fallen into cardiac arrest. Straightening himself up Connor laced one hand over top the other the create a single fist and instinctively began compressing Hank's chest. "No, Hank. You're not going to die like this."

Gavin returned to the main area of the precinct with the paramedics behind him where Connor was now performing C.P.R. on Hank. Moving quickly the two paramedics tore open Hank's black t-shirt from around Connor's strong hands and attached leads to the detective's chest as they hooked him up to a cardiac monitor.

"We'll take over from here." One of the paramedics urged as he tried to take over for Connor, but the deviant android didn't budge from his position. "Sir, please."

"Step back!" Reaching down to Connor's shoulder with a firm hand Gavin pulled Connor back and forced him up to his feet. "They'll save him, give 'em room to work!"

Resisting the urge to fight back against Gavin as the Sergeant pulled him away from Hank laying on the floor, Connor stood back and watched as everything happened in a blur. It was as if Connor's sensors had been so overwhelmed by the emotionally straining moment that his memorybank simply could process the information.

"Full cardiac arrest." The paramedic confirmed as he resumed the compressions to Hank's chest. "Five milligrams of epinephrine; intracardiac."

"Administering epi." The second paramedic announced as he quickly ran an alcohol swab over Hank's chest just above is stopped heart and inserted the needle of the loaded syringe into the arrested organ. "Epi in."

"I got a rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation."

"Charging to three-hundred Jules." Placing the two remote paddles to the center of Hank's chest and to the left apex of his heart the paramedic set the charge and motioned for his partner to get back. "Clear?"

"Clear."

Pressing a button on the defibrillator the life-saving shock was remotely activated and Hank's body jerked in response to the jolt.

"No change." The same unsteady heart rhythm was on the display of the cardiac monitor, and the first paramedic resumed chest compressions. "Charge again to three-hundred and sixty Joules."

Same as before, once the defibrillator reached its charge the paramedic pulled back his hands as the second prepared to deliver the charge. "Clear."

Hank's body jerked again, but afterward he took in a weak, shuddering breath that made his chest feebly rise and then fall.

"We got a heartbeat." The first paramedic announced as he pressed his fingers to the side of Hank's neck to confirm a carotid pulse. "Weak and thready, but I have a sinus rhythm."

In what seemed like the blink of an eye Connor watched as the paramedics administered the medication to restart Hank's stopped heart, while defibrillating him twice before Hank responded and began clinging to life once more.

"Hank?" Connor tried to kneel down again but Gavin clamped down on his shoulder to keep him at bay.

The paramedics checked Hank's vital signs while an ambulance attendant wheeled in a gurney to carry Hank out of the precinct and into the back of the ambulance waiting outside quickly. Once the paramedics made a move to lift Hank onto the nearby gurney Connor all but tore his shoulder free from Gavin's grip and helped to gently place Hank on the gurney and escorted the detective to the ambulance along with the paramedics.

Putting his hand on Hank's shoulder while one of the paramedics slipped on oxygen mask over the detective's face Connor tried again to speak with Hank as if the sick man was still somehow conscious. "Hank, you'll be okay. You're being taken care of."

Connor wanted to accompany Hank to the hospital but he knew that as seriously ill as Hank had become they wouldn't permit him to ride in the back ,in the event they needed to work on Hank en route. A part of Connor also knew that if he rode in the front of the ambulance with the driver that if something were to happen to Hank he wouldn't be able to stop himself from trying to assist.

Begrudgingly Connor retracted his hand from Hank's shoulder and watched as the gurney was lifted up and put in the back of the ambulance. The lights of the ambulance flashed brightly as the emergency vehicle pulled out onto the street and the sirens blared loudly to clear its path.

Gavin had followed close behind as well and stood next to Connor on the sidewalk. "Come on, I'll drive."

Connor's gaze only turned toward Gavin's direction after the ambulance was out of sight. Accepting the offer Connor silently accompanied Gavin to his car in the neighboring parking garage to head out to the hospital.

* * *

During transport Hank became violently ill and threw up an alarming amount of his stomach contents in painful wretches. The vomiting was a sure sign that Hank's condition was steadily worsening, and his body was becoming overwhelmed with physical trauma that only made his erratically beating heart work even harder to keep his blood circulating properly.

An hour after Hank had been admitted to the hospital Connor found himself pacing anxiously through the waiting room with his quarter dancing over his knuckles and flipping and back and forth between his two palms. With his L.E.D. flashing red with worry Connor was unable to sit down or stop moving for even a moment as his mind began racing with every possible worst case scenario.

Gavin was sitting in a chair with his arms folded over his chest and his eyes focused on Connor's pacing with an aggravated stare. "Connor, sit the fuck down! You're driving me crazy!"

Connor either didn't hear Gavin or he didn't care enough to listen to the order.

"Connor!" Gavin shouted a little louder to try to get the android's attention but Connor never stopped pacing, his coin never stopped dancing. "Sit your ass down! You walking around isn't going to help anything and it makes me want to smack ya'."

A tall male doctor in his forties with blond hair and dark green eyes entered the waiting room and honed in on Connor quickly. Standing before the deviant android the doctor couldn't wait for Connor to stop pacing before addressing him. "Excuse me, you're Hank Anderson's partner, right?"

"That's correct." Connor stopped suddenly and his L.E.D. cycled to yellow as he finally pocketed his coin. "How's Hank?"

"I'm Dr. O'Neal It appears Mr. Anderson-"

"Lieutenant." Connor instinctively corrected, though the faint blue blush that followed expressed his embarrassment for the quick statement. "I... Sorry. That's not important right now. Please... How's Hank?"

"It's okay." Dr. O'Neal continued on unfazed. "It appears Lt. Anderson has suffered from a myocardial infarction. He's stable for the moment but we're running tests at the moment to identify the cause so we can take the most appropriate course of treatment."

"...Can I see him?"

"He's unconscious at the moment."

"Please." Connor pressed politely. "I just need to see him for a moment."

"Very well. But only for a few minutes, he needs the rest."

"Thank you."

While Gavin remained in the waiting room Dr. O'Neal led Connor down the corridor to the cardiac care unit where Hank was being carefully monitored for any further sign of distress, illness or additional symptoms to help pinpoint the exact cause of the incident. The entire wing was heavy with emotional concern for the dozen or so other patients in the area, but it was Hank's health that was the most important to Connor.

"Dr. O'Neal, what happened to Hank? Was it a heart attack?"

"All of his symptoms seem to point in that direction, but he isn't responding well to conventional treatments. We're still running tests to accurately determine the cause of his illness."

"Do you suspect a heart attack?"

"We can't rule it out, but personally I think there is something more happening."

"What makes you think that?"

"Call it a hunch." Dr. O'Neal pushed open the door where a nurse was keeping watch over Hank. "I'll let you be alone for a minute."

Hank himself was laying in the bed with a gray pallor and an oxygen mask over his face. A cardiac monitor recording his heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. An oxometer clip was attached to his right middle finger and an I.V. had been inserted into the back of his right hand, but concealed under a white pad of gauze, as it delivered medication to keep his heart stable.

Motioning toward a chair against the wall Dr. O'Neal continued to speak to Connor in a level tone of voice. "He won't be able to respond, but he should be able to hear you."

Connor stared at the numerous machines that were keeping track of Hank's vitals and gauged the displays warily. Running another scan over Hank's body while putting his hand down atop the detective's cold arm Connor was able to compare Hank's symptoms to that of a heart attack, but noted that despite Hank's previously poor health he had made great strides and had improved substantially over the past two years.

At the moment a heart attack made little sense.

His cholesterol was at a healthy level, his blood pressure was stable, his weight and his B.M.I., and even his liver function had improved from his change in diet and dramatic decrease in alcohol consumption over the past two years. Hank hadn't consumed an unhealthy amount of caffeine, he hadn't taken any medication or been knowingly exposed to any toxins in the recent frame of time either.

There was no sign of any plaque blockages in his arteries, or blood clots. There was no sign of trauma that could've resulted in the sudden onset of symptoms, and Hank hadn't previously complained of any illness of discomfort prior to his collapse.

The evidence didn't seem to line up.

"Hank, I'm here." Connor stated calmly as he looked down at the very sick human with sympathy in his soulful brown eyes. "I'm not sure what happened to you, neither is your doctor, but we'll figure out what happened to you. I promises."

Watching the nurse from the corner of his eye Connor studied her movements very carefully as she used a small syringe to draw a sample of blood from Hank's arm opposite of Connor to be taken to the lab for testing. As she applied a cottonball and a strip of medical adhesive to keep the fresh needle mark clean and to stem the bleeding, a daring thought popped into Connor's head.

Waiting for the nurse to turn her back as she made a note in Hank's chart Connor reached out his other hand to Hank's opposite arm and peeled back the adhesive to lift up the cottonball. Doing so just long for a second Connor ran his fingertip over the still bleeding puncture wound and smeared a sample of Hank's blood onto his own fingertip. Replacing the cottonball and adhesive quickly Connor discreetly pressed the blood sample to his tongue and ran an analysis of his own.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed red quickly as his highly attuned program picked up a foreign contaminant in Hank's bloodstream.

"Nurse." Connor addressed her sharply, almost startling her. "I know what's causing Hank's illness. Please inform Dr. O'Neal that-"

The monitors attached to the detective began to screech as Hank's heart rate began to rapidly climb once more into a dangerously fast arrhythmia.

"Hank?"

Dr. O'Neal rushed back into the room with two other nurses behind him to assist in treating Hank. Noting the display on the cardiac monitor as well as listening to Hank's chest with his stethoscope the doctor made his diagnosis and responded accordingly. "He's in ventricular tachycardia, we need to shock him."

Connor stood back and watched as two of the nurses pulled open the pale blue hospital gown from Hank's chest while the third nurse prepared the defibrillator for Dr. O'Neal to use. As soon as the two paddles were placed down over Hank's chest Connor closed his eyes and turned his head away from the sight; he had seen Hank shocked already.

"Clear."

Connor winced as he heard the controlled electrical discharge erupt from the paddles and surged through Hank's failing heart.

"No conversion." Dr. O'Neal noted as he prepared to shock Hank for the second time. "Charging again."

Keeping his ground but looking away Connor braced himself for the next necessary shock.

"Clear."

Flinching with disgust Connor opened his eyes again as he heard the monitor resume a calm, normal heart rhythm.

"He's back." Dr. O'Neal continued to check Hank's other vital signs for himself while also comparing them to the readout on the monitors attached to Hank's body. Running the bell of his stethoscope over Hank's chest the doctor could hear the struggling beats of the detective's weakened heart. "We need to start treating him with-"

"Dr. O'Neal." Connor spoke up quickly to catch the doctor's attention before he made any diagnosis. "I know what's causing Hank's condition, and it's NOT from a heart attack."

"You what? _How_?" Turning to look at Connor he draped his stethoscope around his neck and studied the android curiously.

"I can run analysis samples in real time. I tested Hank's blood and-"

"...You _what_?!"

"I tested his blood," Connor resumed with a lilt of authority in his voice. "and I found trace amounts of aconite; otherwise known as Wolfsbane."

"Aconite is a very potent poison from Asia... Are you sure about this?"

"Completely. I ran the sample three times to be certain."

"I don't doubt you but we'll have the lab check his blood to confirm your findings." Stepping closer to Connor Dr. O'Neal lowered his voice and spoke to Connor one-on-one with nothing but professional courtesy. "If you're right then that means his chances of survival are very slim. There is no known antidote for aconite poisoning."

Connor swallowed once nervously before he replied. "...I'm aware of his odds."

"You've been listed as his next of kin and medical proxy. Do you want us to begin treatment for aconite poisoning or run additional tests to rule out illness? After all Hank had an extensive history of poor health."

Looking past Dr. O'Neal Connor looked at Hank laying unconscious in the bed with the three nurses taking care of him compassionately. "...Treat him for the poisoning. I'm going to locate the source of the poison to confirm the diagnosis."

"We'll pump his stomach as a precaution." Dr. O'Neal stated as he accepted Connor's decision for the proper medical treatment. "Ingestion is the most likely cause in these types of scenarios."

"Agreed." Nodding once Connor stepped around Dr. O'Neal and grabbed onto Hank's hand lightly. Pulling his coin from his pocket Connor slipped it into Hank's palm and closed his fingers around it. "Hank, we're going to save you, I swear to it. But you must hold on a little longer."

* * *

Gavin drove back to the precinct with Connor and after he had been given a brief summary of what Connor had found in Hank's blood he agreed to help in locating the source of the poison. Still unsure of how Gavin would react to his presence Connor sat in silence during the drive back to the precinct and nervously fidgeted his empty hand at his side as he cybernetically downloaded every viable piece of information on Wolfsbane to study.

"So... Where do you think he got poisoned?" Gavin asked somewhat uneasily as he drove the dark streets of Detroit back to the precinct.

"...The doctor and I agree that accidental ingestion is the most logical source of the poison."

"'Accidental', huh? I don't think there's anything 'accidental' about what happened to Hank."

"It wasn't an attempt at suicide," Connor remarked defensively as he turned his head slightly to glare at Gavin. "if that's what you're implying."

"Relax you plastic asshole, all I'm implying is that the _poisoning_ wasn't an accident, but deliberate. Someone targeted Hank and I want to know how and why."

Subtly nodding Connor agreed with Gavin's assessment. Running numerous scenarios through his mind Connor tried to reconstruct the possible events leading up to the poisoning itself, as well as the fact that poison mimicked the symptoms of a heart attack. Connor had spent the entire day and thier shift with Hank during their breaks and Hank hadn't exhibited any signs of illness during breakfast or lunch. The only time Hank showed any ill health was just seconds before he collapsed to the floor... and just seconds after drinking the coffee.

Gavin could see the yellow L.E.D. in Connor's temple frantically blinking as the android sat in deep, quiet thought. "What're you thinking?"

"...The coffee."

"What about it?"

"Hank became violently ill _after_ drinking only a very small amount of the coffee."

"I had some of that coffee too. Why aren't I sick?"

"...Unknown."

"Great. Just great." Gavin let out an annoyed sigh as he returned to the parking garage of the precinct and reclaimed his usual parking spot. "Alright, let's get this investigation underway."

Following after Gavin and quickly overtaking the Sergeant with his hastier pace Connor entered the precinct and made an immediate beeline toward Hank's desk in search of the coffee that the detective had consumed. Their desks had been replaced to their usual places after they had left, and everything seemed to have been left as it should have been. But there was one critical change that made Connor tense with frustration.

The coffee mug was empty.

"Shit." Connor swore as he looked down into the empty white mug grasped in his hands.

Gavin caught up to Connor and noted the deviant android's gripe easily. "I thought you said he drank a little of that stuff."

"He did. Someone disposed of the remaining coffee." Connor confirmed as he scanned the mug for fingerprints quickly. There were only two sets of fingerprints; those belonging to Hank and those belonging to the 'new guy'. Very limited information, yet it could also be the most damning. "Where is the new officer who had been recently assigned to the precinct?"

Gavin glanced about but didn't see the officer in question. "Hey!" He shouted arrogantly to get everyone's attention in the bullpen. "Where's the new guy? That, uh... Davidson kid!"

"He went home." Tina confirmed as she looked up from her own terminal toward Gavin. "What's up?"

"We need to ask him a few questions."

"I'll go pick him up." Tina volunteered quickly as waved to Chris to accompany her.

"Seriously? Just like that?"

"Sure. That guy creeps me out, so if you think he did something I want to help you get rid of him."

"Thanks, Tina." Gavin grabbed onto Connor's forearm and pointed to the breakroom as he made his way over to the coffee maker. "He got to the mug, but maybe he forget to dump out the rest."

Connor sat the mug down on the desk and joined Gavin in the breakroom. The coffee pot had been left untouched save for the small amount that Gavin and Hank had taken that evening. Connor ran another scan and found the fingerprints of every officer assigned to the precinct all over the handle, the activation buttons and even the side of the pot. But Gavin and Davidson's fingerprints were the most recent.

"This is where Davidson contaminated the coffee." Connor picked up the pot and opened the lid. Running a sensory scan there was no sign of contamination to the coffee. Dipping a finger down into the coffee itself Connor pressed it to his tongue but failed to detect any of the poison. "Nothing."

"Then how'd he poison Hank?"

"...Did you add any sweetener or cream to your coffee?"

"No. I have to keep tabs on my sugar."

Connor turned his attention to the numerous packets of sweeteners and the creamer that was available to every officer in the precinct. Despite his extensive scan Connor was unable to locate any external breeches in the sugar packets that would allow anyone to add the poison, and unable to detect any poison in the creamer. Thinking quickly Connor's L.E.D. flashed red as he returned his attention to the empty mug on Hank's desk.

"If Hank truly was the target then the odds of Davidson contaminating the community supplies are extremely minimal."

"Yeah... so?"

Marching over to the desk once more Connor picked up the empty coffee mug and ran his finger over the interior of the mug itself. Pressing a trace amount of the coffee against his tongue Connor nearly spat out the sample as he ran the analysis and confirmed the coffee was laced with the poison.

"Found it." Connor grimaced as he turned to Gavin who was standing just inside the breakroom. "It was placed directly inside the mug. I can detect small granules of the poison that hadn't fully dissolved into the coffee. The poison itself was derived of the dried leaves of the toxic flower's petals."

"Then Hank _was_ the target. What the hell for?" Gavin walked over to the desks to speak with Connor directly and lowered his voice. "What did Hank do to that Davidson kid?"

"Nothing. Hank has had no direct interaction with Davidson, nor do they have a shared history."

"Alright, why don't you go back to the hospital and sit with Hank? When Tina gets back here with Davidson I'll figure out what the hell's going on."

"...Thank you, Gavin."

"Whatever. Just don't let it slip I'm doing ya' a favor. You OWE me."

* * *

Hank's condition worsened during Connor's absence as his respiratory distress only further exasperated his already strained heart. No longer able to breathe on his own Hank had to be intubated and hooked up to a respirator to give his lungs a chance to drain of the collected fluid and heal enough to function without the secondary aid of a machine.

Connor sat idle in the waiting room of the hospital while he patiently kept tabs on the reports being filed at the precinct and patiently awaited any update on Hank's condition. The hospital confirmed Connor's suspicion of the poison and as a result Dr. O'Neal began using 'common sense' medicine to treat Hank's symptoms while also putting the detective on dialysis to help his system clear the remaining poison from his body.

As night gave way to early morning hours Connor was joined in the waiting room by Captain Fowler who had the unfortunate honor of telling Connor everything that had happened. Connor recognized Captain Fowler from the corner of his eye as his captain sat down beside him.

"...He went into respiratory arrest seven minutes after I left the hospital with Gavin." The deviant android lamented with misplace guilt. "His lungs are filling with fluid that requires constant drainage from a chest tube inserted between his fourth and fifth lateral ribs."

Captain Fowler didn't know what to say, all he could think to do was update Connor on the case at hand. "Gavin and Tina were able to get a confession out of Davidson." Captain Fowler confirmed with a bittersweet grin of cautious optimism. "Turns out Kenneth Davidson was the former best friend of Benjamin Perkins. And it was disgraced former agent Richard Perkins who paid Davidson to slip the poison into Hank's coffee as a revenge ploy from behind bars."

Staying silent Connor's eyes fell to the floor solemnly as he thought about the needlessly tragic ordeal.

Revenge. It was simple, obvious and worst of all, effective.

"This poison was a common weapon used in assassinations." Captain Fowler continued on bitterly. "It mimics the signs of a severe heart attack and is virtually undetectable. The only reason we were able to connect Perkins to this sick assault is because of you, Connor. You saved Hank's life and identified his would-be killer."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered red rapidly before slowing to a calmer pulse as heartache abruptly set in. "It wasn't enough for Perkins to take my brother away from me... Now he's gone after-"

"Connor, in these types of situations my training tells me that I need to tell you not to lose your cool and to not worry." Captain Fowler interjected with a firm but kind tone of voice. "But my every instinct tells me that no matter what you say or do, this asshole deserves it. I can't condone any violence or revenge, but I can't stop you from feeling angry. So be angry, plot revenge, but DON'T blame yourself. Alright?"

"...What good could possibly come from revenge? Perkins is already in prison, his son has been scarred for life, Lucas will still be dead and Hank... Hank will..."

"Hank will be just _fine_ , Connor. As long as you're still going to be looking out for him, he'll make it."

One of the nurses that had been helping to take care of Hank entered the waiting room with an electronic clipboard in her hands a sorrowful glance in her eyes. "Sergeant Anderson?"

Connor zeroed in on her voice and stood up and slowly to greet the young woman. "Yes?"

"Dr. O'Neal would like to speak with you."

Standing up abruptly Connor locked his gaze with the nurse as he addressed her cautiously. "Is Hank... stable?"

"Please." The nurse insisted while remaining emotionally cryptic. "Come with me."

Connor's soulful brown eyes were full of fear and hesitation as he warily followed after the nurse as she escorted him to the critical care unit of the hospital, rather than the cardiac care unit where Connor had last seen Hank after being admitted for treatment. Keeping his eyes fixed on the floor before himself Connor silently followed the nurse at her heels and didn't stop walking until she did.

"Right in here." Pushing open the door slowly the nurse motioned for Connor enter the room.

Holding his breath Connor walked into the room and saw Hank laying on the bed with just as many machines recording his vitals as before, while a nearby dialysis machine helped filter the poison from his blood. Hank was still pale and displayed a weak heart rate, but as long as his heart continued to beat Connor was content with the detective's current state of health.

Seeing the machine forcing artificial breaths into Hank's lungs was incredibly unsettling to the android. Humans weren't meant to live on machines. Humans were meant to function of their own freewill by natural instinct and reaction.

It was wrong.

Dr. O'Neal was standing beside Hank's bed. His eyes were fixed on the dialysis machine as it meticulously filtered Hank's blood before returning it to his body, and his hand pressed the stethoscope against the detective's chest to listen to the ill man's heart and struggling lungs directly.

"Doctor?" Connor addressed the man hesitantly as he dared to approach the bedside and look down at Hank. The coin that Connor had given Hank before he left remained grasped weakly in Hank's left hand at his side. "I was informed you wished to speak with me."

"Yes, Connor." Dr. O'Neal pulled away his stethoscope as he turned his attention to the deviant android. "I wanted to let you know that your analysis was accurate and put us on the correct path leading to Hank's recovery. He's still very weak and treating his condition due to the lack of antidote to this particular poison will remain touch and go for the next seventy-two hours, but I'm confident that he'll recover nonetheless."

Connor let out his breath and his shoulders slumped in relief as his L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow slowly. "...Can I stay with him?"

"For a few minutes. He needs as much rest as possible," Dr. O'Neal explained kindly. "and he'll need to be monitored closely."

"I understand." Placing his hand down gently atop Hank's shoulder, mindful of the various wires and I.V. lines snaking all over Hank's chest and arms, the deviant android remained loyal at Hank's side. "Stay strong for me."

* * *

The precinct was able to easily connect the already incarcerated Perkins to the failed assassination attempt of Hank from behind bars as soon as Davidson confessed to the crime, and handed over the remaining poison in his possession for evidence. The letters that Davidson had received from Perkins through one of Perkins' previous pseudonyms when he had been undercover solidified the connection; while the contact that Perkins had in Asia sent the poison to Davidson through a package in the mail.

Perkins would be punished, but it seemed any possible punishment wouldn't be enough to make the snake of an agent suffer adequately.

It seemed Hank's age and previously poor health had hindered his ability to recover as quickly as the doctors had estimated. While Hank no longer required dialysis he did need to remain hooked up to the respirator until he had regained enough strength to breathe on his own. It took a full fourth day until Dr. O'Neal had the tube extubated. Even though the tube down Hank's throat had been removed and replaced with a nasal canula to keep a steady supply of oxygen flowing through his still healing lungs.

Connor stayed in the hospital for as long as visiting hours would permit him for the following three days; only returning home long enough to take care of Sumo as well as his aquarium. Sitting in a chair next to Hank's bedside Connor kept quiet vigil over the semi-comatose detective as his body slowly healed from the ravages of the poison having a catastrophic effect on his heart, his lungs and his kidneys.

Closing his eyes to enter a light form of rest mode to keep himself from collapsing or needing to return home to sleep, Connor was only mildly aware of Hank's presence as the sick detective remained as silent as the poison that had crept into his veins five days before.

The fog of poison that had taken over Hank's mind after he lost consciousness had steadily begun to lift as Connor slept. Opening his heavy eyelids Hank's blue eyes shone brightly against his contrasting bloodshot sclera around it. Still feeling nauseous and tired Hank had a difficult time becoming fully awake as he glanced about through foggy, hazy vision.

A foreign pressure in the palm of Hank's hand caused his to reflexively squeeze his fingers around the object, his eyes drifting down to his fist in the process. Opening his hand slightly he recognized the small metal coin and let out a weak sigh accompanied by an equally weak chuckle. Gracelessly Hank slipped the coin from the palm of his hand and onto the back of his thumb until it was resting atop the thumb nail.

Blinking once Hank looked to his side and saw Connor sitting with perfect posture, his eyes closed and his L.E.D. cycling a steady yellow hue. The android had one hand resting atop his lap and the other resting on Hank's arm. Mustering as much strength as he could Hank flipped the coin from his thumb toward Connor and managed to land the quarter against Connor's knee before it fell to the floor with a distinct 'tink' against the cold floor of the room.

Connor's eyes snapped open as soon as the coin struck his leg and his gaze turned to look at Hank who was watching him with a fatigued stare. "Hank."

"...Hey, kid."

Leaning forward in his seat Connor's hand subconsciously tightened on Hank's arm in positive response to Hank's regained consciousness. "You're awake."

"...How long was I out?"

"One-hundred thirty-three hours, seven minutes and fifty-seven seconds."

Hank blinked in a slow, quiet obliviousness.

Connor simplified the time frame for the sake of Hank's healing mind. "Five and half days."

"...Oh. How bad was it?" Hank asked sleepily as he watched Connor's dark brown eyes staring intently at him.

"I do not understand." Connor's head tilted slightly to display his verbal confusion. "How bad was what?"

"...Heart attack."

"Hank," Connor forced a timid smile to his face as he spoke to his ill friend; to his father. "you didn't have a heart attack. That terrible coffee was laced with... poison."

"...Poison? What the hell?"

"It was a failed assassination attempt by former Agent Richard Perkins. He employed Davidson to put the poison in your coffee mug."

"...Poisoned... How did..." Hank looked around with mounting confusion as he studied the numerous machines recording his vital signs and the I.V. running into the back of his hand. "...How did the doctors... know?"

"I... I tested your blood with a direct sample. I detected the poison and identified."

"You ran the test? You saved me."

"There... is no antidote to the poison that Perkins used, but you're going to recover regardless. You're going to be okay, Hank."

"I..."

Dr. O'Neal and a nurse returned to the room to check on Hank and were both surprised to see the detective finally awake and speaking. Without a moment's hesitation Dr. O'Neal began performing a thorough examination of Hank; checking his vital signs, listening to his chest, checking his memory for any sign of cognitive impairment...

Connor had watched the same exam exactly eighteen times prior during Hank's admission to the hospital, but now Hank was finally awake and would be able to respond accordingly.

"I'll be outside, Hank. I'll be back soon."

Retracting his hand from Hank's arm Connor bent down to picked up his coin from the floor before rising from his chair in an attempt to give the doctor and nurse more room to work. Seeing Hank's eyes open and hearing his voice replying to the hundreds of questions being thrown his way was more than Connor could've hoped for as his L.E.D. tinted yellow with worry finally cycle back to blue in relief.

* * *

Two additional days had passed before Hank had been discharged from the hospital. Even then he'd require constant supervision for another week and one more follow-up examination before he'd be fully cleared to return to active duty. Connor had of course volunteered to take care of Hank during his final days of recovery at home. Ensuring that Hank continued to take the medication prescribed and rested properly Connor had his hands full tending to the stubborn detective.

"Connor, stopped hovering all over me." Hank jerked his arm away from Connor's hand bitterly as the android tried to check his pulse for the fourth time that afternoon. "If this is how you're going to be behave all week long I think I'd prefer a stay in the hospital."

"Sorry, Hank. I'm merely checking for any possible negative side effects from the medication."

"I'm fine." Hank rolled to his side in his bed to try to get some more sleep. "Go fuss over Sumo for a while, will ya'?"

"Sumo wasn't poisoned." Connor reminded Hank somewhat sarcastically. "His leg will be fully healed in five more weeks and can have the cast removed."

"Yeah," Hank pulled the quilt up over his head to hide himself from Connor's direct line of sight. "and I was cleared by the doctor three hours ago. Let me alone to sleep, alright?"

"Very well. But I will have to return in five hours, twelve minutes and seventeen seconds to give you your next dose of medication. You should eat something as well, you need the calories."

"Whatever... Just let me sleep, alright? I'm exhausted."

"Of course. Rest well."

Exiting the bedroom quietly Connor walked into the livingroom where Sumo was plopped down on his massive fluffy bed and pillow in the corner of the room and knelt before the massive dog. Petting Sumo's head gently Connor ran a scan over Sumo's still healing broken leg and gave Sumo an empathetic rub of the ears.

"Five more weeks, boy. Then you'll have the itchy cast off your leg." A small alarm sounded off in Connor's head as his internal clock informed him it was time to prepare Hank's medication and a light meal that would help the detective heal without making him feel sick. "Come on, I'll feed you a little early so I can tend to Hank on schedule."

* * *

Entering the bedroom at the designated time with a small tray holding the bottle of medication, a piece of dry toast and a glass of water, Connor placed the tray down on the nightstand beside the bed. The toast was seemingly the only thing that Hank would be able to eat without feeling ill again as the poison had a severe effect on his stomach after it had been ingested. Connor placed his hand on Hank's shoulder to wake the detective with a gentle shake.

"...What is it, Connor?" Hank grumbled without moving the quilt.

"You need your medication."

Hank pushed the quilt from over his head and looked at Connor in the dim lighting of the room with hazy eyes. "What's the worst that could happen if I miss one dose?"

"Renal failure, for starters." Connor retorted sharply as he tired to help Hank sit upright in the bed. "Does the medication cause physical distress?"

"...You could say that. It feels like it's tearing my fuckin' stomach apart."

Connor picked up the bottle of pills and ran a scan over the name of the medication and compared it to a list of known side effects causing his L.E.D. to blink from blue to yellow in the process. "Intense nausea has been reported with this particular medication. Would you like me to make you some mint tea? It'll-"

"I hate tea, Connor. You know that." Hank almost snipped as he endured the lingering discomfort in his stomach. "...Just give me the damn pills."

Connor knew that Hank's foul disposition wasn't personal or even aimed at himself. Opening the bottle Connor dropped two of the pills into Hank's palm and handed him the water. Begrudgingly Hank popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them with a mouthful of water.

"There... Now, please let me sleep."

"Yes, of course." Connor took away the water and the medication but left the toast behind. "Try to eat. I'll let you be alone for now. Call if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah." Laying back down Hank pulled the quilt up over his head once more to shield himself from the light. "...Whatever."

* * *

Connor sat on the couch in the livingroom with Sumo's chin resting on his knee as he waited for the appropriate hour to give Hank his next dose of medication when he heard the bedroom door open fully with a violent tug. Rapidly and clumsily Hank stumbled down the hallway and all but broke down the bathroom door as he sought refuge inside.

"Hank?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow again as he gently pushed Sumo from his leg and rose from the couch to investigate Hank's peculiar behavior. Knocking on the door Connor could hear the sound of retching in the bathroom. The sound was hauntingly similar to the night Connor found Hank passed out drunk on the kitchen floor when they were first assigned to work together. "Hank, are you alright?"

Hank never answered through the door. The toilet flushed and the shower began to run shortly thereafter.

"Hank?" Connor tested the doorknob and was relieved to find the room had been left unlocked. Pushing open the door slowly Connor peered inside the bathroom and saw Hank standing in the shower fully clothed. Hank's face was red and his mortified as he stood under the spraying water and unable to look at Connor. "Please talk to me, Hank. You're still recovering."

"...I'm fine." Hank whispered as he pushed his wet hair out of his eyes with the swipe of his hand. "I told you those pills fucked up my stomach."

Connor entered the bathroom, his L.E.D. blinking rapidly as he ran a scan over Hank's body and detected trace amounts of bodily fluids all over Hank's mouth, chin and down the front of his shirt; as well as secondary bodily fluids running down his legs.

Unfazed by Hank's condition Connor stepped closer to the shower as he pulled a towel from the rack on the nearby wall and handed it over to Hank as he turned off the shower. Waiting for Hank to accept the towel Connor exited the bathroom and went back into Hank's bedroom to retrieve the ill man some fresh clothing. It was then Connor noted an additional mess on Hank's bed.

"Poor Hank. I didn't realize how severe his stomach distress had been."

Without batting an eye Connor pulled a clean t-shirt, pair of shorts and sweatpants from Hank's dresser and deposited the clothing on the bathroom sink for Hank to change into. Discreetly Connor pulled the soiled sheets and quilt from the bed and carefully waded up the fabric in a ball before hastily depositing the sheets in the laundry room located in a secondary room connected to the kitchen.

Tossing the sheets into the washer Connor turned on the machine and used a generous amount of detergent before making his return to the bathroom.

"Hank?" Connor saw that Hank was sitting on the edge of the bathtub now stripped of his wet clothes and with the towel wrapped around his waist. It was then Connor noted that Hank had lost at least fifteen pounds from his illness and appeared somewhat frail as a result as Hank stared with embarrassment at the floor. "Are you still feeling sick?"

"...No. It's over. Thankfully."

"Tomorrow I'll call the doctor and have him adjust your medication."

"Yeah, thanks."

"You should change into your dry clothes to get warm. I'll help you to my room."

"Your room? No, I'll sleep on the couch."

Connor shook his head as he tossed the gathered clothing toward Hank to wear. "You'll be more comfortable laying in a bed. I'll take the couch."

"Kid, I-"

"I insist, Hank. Please?"

Lifting his gaze from the floor and to Connor a look of appreciation and gratitude fell over him. "Thanks, kid."

Connor stepped out of the bathroom for a moment and waited patiently until Hank exited under his volition a few minutes later. "I'll get you some water to stave off any possible dehydration you may be experiencing from your severe bout of sickness."

"You don't have to do that, Connor."

"I'm aware, but I _want_ to do this." Putting his hand on Hank's shoulder Connor guided the detective into his bedroom and helped him to lay down on the clean bed to rest. With a reassuring smile Connor helped Hank to lay down under the quilt to sleep. "You've taken care of me every time I had experienced an injury or an illness of my own, not because you had to but because you wanted to. It's what families do; we take care of each other."

"Right." Hank agreed as he laid back and tried to get some sleep As the android stepped through the bedroom door Hank called out to him in a somewhat shaking voice. "Hey, Connor, thanks for... you know. Cleaning things up. That has to be the most... humiliating experience of my life."

"Please don't be embarrassed, Hank. It was an accident and you have been very ill as of late."

"Well... Thanks all the same. Not just for cleaning up my mess, but for saving my life and taking care of me while I heal. That's a lot for one person to undertake on their own. So, thanks."

"It's okay Hank. I'm happy to help you." Connor smiled warmly as he turned off the light to the bedroom and stepped outside to give Hank some privacy as he tried to rest. "But you're welcome all the same."

_**...next story...** _


	88. Limb

A fully loaded autonomous semi truck had lost control when a car in front of it braked unexpectedly to avoid smashing into the side of a second car driving erratically through an intersection. Unable to stop in time the semi truck rear-ended the car and pushed it onto the sidewalk and into the corner of a large brick building. The truck then skidded and tilted onto its side spilling its contents all over the road causing other cars behind the truck to slide out of control and slam into one another creating a massive pile-up in the middle of the city.

The fire department was on the scene of the accident within a few minutes, while the location of the accident being close proximity to the precinct required Connor and Hank's presence. The autonomous truck would also need to be carefully checked over for any sign of malfunction, hacking or sabotage.

Hank crossed his arms as he stepped over the shattered bottles of wine that littered the street from curb to curb. The street was soaked a deep burgundy color and smelled of sweetly fermented fruit. Eyeing Connor who was standing beside the overturned truck with his L.E.D. glowing yellow Hank waited for the android to make his current report to the precinct.

"Well, Connor. Is the truck at fault, or the driver of the first car?"

"Neither." Connor confirmed as he joined Hank on the other side of the street opposite the truck. Wine stained the bottom of his shoes and glass crunched under each step he took. "According to the dash camera footage of the truck the car in front had swerved to avoid impact with an erratically driving blue car speeding through a red light at the intersection."

"Can you get a make and model of the car from the footage?"

"Yes. The camera failed to capture an image of the license plate but the car has been identified. I have already cybernetically issued an A.P.B. for the royal blue 2025 Dodge Pace with the broken front right headlight. It was last seen heading West."

"Good work, kid." Hank turned to look at the firefighters hosing down the street to rid it of the spilled wine and broken glass easily. The surrounding traffic had been barred from using the street until the mess was cleaned up. "Once the street's cleared we can head back to the precinct and file our report. It shouldn't take too-"

Screeching tires filled the air as the blue car that had been identified as the culprit of the pile-up sped down the street and up onto the sidewalk. The obviously impaired driver swerved dangerously over the mess he had left in his wake as he now barreled dangerously fast toward the first responders at the scene. Before anyone had the chance to react the car was practically on top of the group and showed no sign of slowing down.

Turning to look at the oncoming vehicle Connor ran a preconstruction of the scene and weighed his options in the rapidly closing window of time that he had been granted: Step aside and Connor had a one-hundred percent chance of survival, while Hank would have only eighteen percent. Push Hank out of the way then the detective's chance of survival rocketed up to eighty-four percent while Connor's plummeted to fifty-four percent. If he were to try to cybernetically hack the car to stop the vehicle it would skid to a halt but not before striking down half a dozen firefighters whose odds of survival ranged from as low as twelve percent through seventy-one percent.

Connor made his choice.

Moving as quickly as his body would allow Connor pushed Hank aside from the sidewalk out of the car's path. Despite his speed Connor was unable to get himself out of the way in time and his body struck the windshield of the car with a violent impact.

Connor let out a gasp of pain as his right arm and shoulder smashed through the glass of the windshield, his arm getting ensnared on the jagged shards of glass. His right leg smashed over the metal hood of the car denting it immediately from the powerful strike and caused the deviant android further pain. The driver didn't stop even as Connor's body rolled up over the shield onto the roof of the car. His arm was still ensnared in the windshield was torn from his shoulder causing a devastating injury that erupted with Thirium as the lines within his arm were severed as it was torn from his body.

Hank watched in horror as Connor's body rolled over the car and fell off the edge onto the sidewalk with a tremendous 'thud' that left the android laying on his side completely stunned, bleeding and barely conscious. In a matter of seconds Hank sprinted over to where Connor was laying as the car continued to speed recklessly down the sidewalk until the driver lost all control and skidded into the side of the already overturned truck.

The collision against the truck ended the driver's reign of terror as quickly as it began.

"Connor?!" Hank knelt on the ground beside the damaged deviant android and put his hand on Connor's back as Connor weakly rolled from his bloodied side to lay flat on his back. He gasped and panted for breath as Hank supported his weight. "Connor, are you okay?! Talk to me!"

Connor's eyes were open but glassy and his L.E.D. was cycling red quickly. As he stared up at the sky past Hank and into nothingness he swallowed once and clasped his left hand over the socket of his right shoulder where his right arm had been torn away from his body. Dark blue tinted Thirium seeped profusely from between Connor's fingers as it collected on the gray sidewalk beneath his battered body.

"Connor?" Hank kept one hand against Connor's back and as the deviant android laid down against the sidewalk and pressed his damaged body down firmly against Hank's palm in need of feeling secure as he endured the intense pain as a result of the damage he had sustained. Putting his own hand atop Connor's hand to help apply pressure to the bleeding wound Hank kept talking to the wounded deviant android. "Connor, talk to me. How badly are you injured?"

"Hank... M-My arm..."

The technician who accompanied the fire department to the scene of the accident had seen the car strike Connor and raced over to where the deviant android was now laying with Hank hovering protectively over him.

"Hank..." Connor was taking sharper, more shallow breaths as he began to panic. "My arm! My arm is... damaged."

"I know, I know." Hank shrugged off his dark overcoat and draped it over Connor's body to keep the android warm as he bled out. Pressing the fabric of his overcoat against Connor's shoulder over Connor's hand Hank again tried to apply pressure to the wound. "Try to take it easy, help is already here. A technician is right here, son."

"Hank..." Connor's eyes were wide with fear as he tried to curl around himself and on his right side as if to protect the horrific injury from further harm. "I can't... I can't feel-"

"It's okay." Hank slipped his arm under Connor's shoulder to lift the android up from the cold sidewalk and hold him again his warmer side. Pressing Connor's left side against his chest he gave the approaching technician full access to Connor's damaged right side. "I'm right here... You'll be just fine, kid."

Moving quickly the technician joined Hank on the sidewalk and dropped his canvas satchel from his shoulder as he began to check over Connor. The massive amount of lost Thirium pooling on the sidewalk around Connor already told the technician that the damage was significant, but it still needed a thorough examination. Pulling back the heavy overcoat the technician was able to see the source of the bleeding and react accordingly.

"His entire right arm as been torn from its socket."

The technician peeled back the useless, blood soaked right sleeve of Connor's tattered gray jacket then opened up Connor's white shirt to remove the garment. Gently lifting the fabric of the second sleeve from Connor's shoulder and stared at the gushing exposed Thirium lines and sparking wires from the massive opening in the socket where Connor's right arm had been previously attached to his shoulder. Even his artificial skin had been torn away leaving a ring of blood stained plastimetal around the opened socket.

"Significant Thirium loss. Insipid shock is a very prominent risk."

Hank tightened his grip around Connor's left shoulder as he held the android steady against his own body. "What can you do for him?"

"I can stop the bleeding," the technician confirmed as he pulled a large bottle of the orange incrassation compound from his satchel and proceeded to pour the liquid over Connor's exposed right shoulder, eliciting a pained gasp from Connor in the process. As Hank tightened his grip yet again he stared with disgust at the mixture of orange and blue dripping from Connor's open wound. "and I can close off the socket itself to prevent any further damage or foreign contaminants from getting inside."

Connor's eyes were wide and unfocused as he took in deep panting breaths. While he continued to stare directly into the nothingness of the sky above him the deviant android was fully aware of the world around him. As soon as he felt the plastimetal 'cap' being popped into the socket to temporarily replace the missing arm Connor let out a deep grunt of pain and visibly flinched as he turned his head away from his shoulder and buried his frightened face against Hank's shoulder like a frightened child. The cap would have to remain in place until the missing arm could be reattached to his body.

"He's weak but stable." The technician stated as he noted Connor's alertness and overall very conscious responses to pain and touch. "Take him to the facility two blocks from here, I'll salvage his arm and bring it over as soon as I can."

"Yeah, sure." Hank steadily rose to his feet and pulled Connor up along with him as he replaced the deviant android's shirt and jacket over his shoulder. Not taking a single step until he was certain Connor wasn't going to stumble or collapse Hank escorted his stunned, shaken partner from the sidewalk and to their car parked far down the street past the fire engine. "You hear that, son? You're going to be just fine."

"Hank... I don't... I don't have my right arm..."

"I know that, but we'll get you fixed up. Just stay awake for me. You'll be okay."

"I can't feel it..." Connor whimpered as he was practically dragged forward by Hank toward the car. "but... but I _can_ still feel it... It's there, but it's not there! I don't understand! Hank, what's happening to me?!"

"It's called a 'phantom limb', Connor." Hank explained calmly as he directed Connor toward the front of the car. "Humans can experience it too, don't worry about it."

Connor swallowed once as if to quell a nauseous uprising in his throat. There was something unsettling about feeling something that he knew was completely impossible to feel. To sense something that was lost to him. To know the plight of a human who had been crippled due to injury or illness, only to have the damaged limb replaced entirely without the need for a prosthetic.

It felt like he had an unfair advantage that humanity had yet to achieve in spite of the numerous biological and mechanical advances that had been made in the previous thirty years.

"Come on, the sooner we get you to the facility the sooner you can be patched up." Hank stated as he pulled open the passenger side door of the car and sat Connor down in the seat lightly. Taking his own seat behind the steering wheel he reached his hand over and buckled Connor's seatbelt on the android's behalf before starting the engine. "You holding up okay?"

"I'm... I'm functioning."

"I'll take that as a modest 'no'."

* * *

It didn't take long for the duo to arrive at the facility and it took even less time for a technician to see to Connor's injury. The facility was the one that Abby often worked but it was her day off and her protege, the technician who would permanently take her place after she was transferred to New Jericho Tower, was looking after Connor.

"My name is Dr. Ian Ross, but just call me Ian." The technician introduced himself kindly. He had sandy blond hair, dark blue eyes that shined brightly through his glasses and meek presence as he spoke to the two detectives. "I've been training with Abby and I'm her top student. Don't worry, I'll get your arm replaced as soon as it arrives. Until then I need to cauterize the leaking Thirium lines in your shoulder until they can be reattached to your arm."

Connor only nodded in agreement as let Ian remove his jacket and shirt to expose his shoulder fully. It only took twenty or so minutes to clean and cauterize the lines and only ten minutes for Connor to drink the needed Thirium to replenish what he lost. By the time he was prepped for the procedure his arm had arrived from the scene of the accident, but it was too damaged to be replaced as soon as they had hoped.

Hank crossed his arms over his chest as Ian explained that the arm itself would need to be repaired entirely as a separate piece before it could be fitted back into Connor's shoulder socket. It seemed so strange having to wait for repairs but Hank knew far too little about android anatomy to offer any kind of worthy protest to the scenario that he and Connor were now apart of.

"Shit... So, how long do we have to wait?"

"Based on the severity of the damage," Ian stated calmly as he stared at the severed limb laying on the smaller exam table at the opposite side of the room where Connor was sitting on the larger table. "I estimate that I can have it fully repaired and operational within nine concurrent hours. By noon tomorrow you can come back and I'll have the arm ready for reattachment."

"And he's just supposed to walk around without an arm the whole time? That's really fucked up..."

"I'm sorry Lieutenant," Ian apologized sincerely. "but there's nothing else I can do."

"You don't have any spare limbs here?"

"We do. But due to Connor being an advanced model AND prototype it'd take his system nearly a full week to fully recalibrate to the new limb as opposed to waiting a day for the original."

"Fuck." Hank swore again as he uncrossed his arms and put his hand on Connor's injured shoulder to give the android much needed support. "Alright, we'll manage until then, right?"

Connor nodded weakly, his L.E.D. pulsing a slow red in his temple.

Ian helped Connor to replace his shirt to cover his missing arm and tucked the empty sleeves of both his shirt and jacket in such a way to keep the fabric from dangling loosely at his side. "It'll be fine. Once the arm is back into place he'll have one-hundred percent functionality of the limb after only one hour of recalibration. Go home. Try to relax, I know it won't be easy."

"Yeah, don't we know it." Hank agreed with a heavy grimace on his face.

* * *

Hank found himself guiding Connor out of the facility, over to the car, back out of the car, into the house and finally into the livingroom where he left the deviant android to sit on the couch to rest. It was rare to see Connor so dazed if not catatonic by the trauma he had endured. Trying to remain somewhat optimistic Hank suggested that Connor go about his usual nightly routine once they returned home from their shifts, but Connor was too stunned to function anywhere near normal.

"Hey?" Hank put his hand down on the back of Connor's hair and held it there for a moment as he tried to get the android to look at him. "You're scared, you're confused and you're in pain. That's okay. Why don't you go shower off the remaining blood and dirt? Besides, your hair smells like a winery and you don't strike me as a 'wine connoisseur'."

Connor's soulful brown eyes blinked as he locked onto Hank's face and noted the detective's calm demeanor which in turn kept Connor calm. "...Y-Yeah. Okay."

As the deviant android rose from the couch and walked down the hallway to the bathroom Hank watched Connor using his remaining left hand to fuss with his jacket, the tie around his neck and the buttons of his shirt beneath.

"Need some help?"

"...I'm okay." Connor replied quietly as he entered the bathroom and shut the door behind himself. Letting his jacket and tie fall to the floor behind himself Connor stared at his reflection in the mirror over the sink as he unbuttoned his shirt and stared at the perfectly smooth, blank space on his right shoulder where his arm used to be.

Running his fingers of his left hand along the empty spot Connor felt that same nauseous feeling welling up in his throat once more, but this time swallowing didn't make it go away. Instead he watched as his brow furrowed in his own reflection before he suddenly bowed his head down over the sink and began to throw up blue blood into the white porcelain basin.

It didn't take long for Hank to push open the bathroom door and put his hand to between Connor's shoulder blades as the android threw up again into the sink and coughed pathetically.

"It's okay." Hank reiterated in a soft voice as he pressed his other hand against Connor's forehead to help the android feel stable while he vomited. "Let it out."

Connor spat out a mouthful of blue blood into the sink and stared at the sapphire tinted mess he had made. "...S-Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, kid. You have every right to feel sick."

"...But I don't know _why_ I feel sick. I haven't suffered any internal trauma and I'm not experiencing any program malfunctions that would cause such a reaction."

"Fear." Hank replied bluntly as he turned on the tap in the sink to rinse away the Thirium. Taking his hand from Connor's forehead Hank picked up a washcloth and soaked it in the tap before lightly using it to wipe the trickling blue blood from Connor's lips and chin. "Fear makes humans feel sick. I puked the first time I saw a dead body when I was still a rookie. And I have to fight the urge to keep puking to this very day."

"...I don't like feeling afraid, Hank."

"No one does, son. But it's the price we have to pay for feeling courageous." Setting aside the washcloth Hank turned off the water and waited for Connor to lift his head back up. "We can't feel one emotion without the other."

Connor pressed his hand over his right shoulder and winced a little at the lingering pain he still felt from suffering such severe physical trauma.

"Hey, I have an idea. Instead of you staring at your fucked up shoulder why don't we go stare at the televison? There's a game on tonight. I'll even let you bet on the Gears."

Appreciating the gesture Connor grinned slightly as he stood upright again and turned to look at Hank. "No. The Gears belong to you."

"Damn right they do. I was just testin' ya'."

"...I guess I passed."

* * *

While Connor had spent the night petting Sumo with his left hand like the fluffy dog's fur contained healing properties Hank had spent the night watching Connor for any sign of intense stress and imminent self-destruction. The basketball game went by with an uneventful score that did little to hold Hank's attention, and Connor still wasn't as invested in those type games as Hank usually was; but with time he was beginning to enjoy them more and more.

"Sumo's leg has healed entirely." Connor stated seemingly out of nowhere as he kept his hand on the dog's head. "Yet, he still limps every so often."

"Broken bones hurt, and Sumo is getting older. He's fine, son."

"Will my shoulder still hurt after my arm has been replaced?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll find out soon enough."

"Do you think I'll be able to play my guitar again?"

"Sure as Hell you will. Talent comes from the heart kid, not the hands."

"But I need both hands to play."

"From what I've seen you could play with only ONE hand. Hell, you don't even need a pick."

"But I find the pick more comfortable."

"Most people do. But I'm telling ya' that playing with just your fingers is more rewarding."

"Hank," Connor paused for a moment as he fought to find his words. "thanks for staying so calm today." As he finally stopped petting Sumo it seemed as though Connor had come to terms with what had happened to him. "I was on the verge of panic but I didn't, because you didn't."

"Give it time. The more emotions you experience the more you'll learn to control them."

"How long does it take?"

Hank laughed a little as he leaned back in his recliner and closed his eyes. "I'll let you know as soon as I get control myself."

"...That long?" Connor joked with a quick wit as Sumo rolled onto his back over his lap and wagged his tail at the deviant android.

Laughing again Hank just shook his head and opened his eyes again. "Smartass."

* * *

The following morning was unusual as Connor dressed himself in a simple black t-shirt and struggled to slip on his leather jacket. With only one arm to hold up the jacket it continuously slipped from his right shoulder, but Hank easily tucked the sleeve up and pulled the garment forward over the deviant android's chest to secure it by a top button.

Once at the facility Connor remained calm, but eager as he waited for his repaired arm to be replaced to his long-since healed shoulder. Connor sat on the exam table of the facility with his right shoulder fully exposed as Abby and Ian worked together to replace his arm into the socket. The limb itself looked completely flawless, like it had never been affected by the horrors of a car's impact, and Connor felt a much needed wash of relief upon seeing his arm once again causing his red L.E.D. to transition back to yellow.

"Okay, Connor." Abby held his arm in her hands and walked up to him. Removing the protective cap from his shoulder she exposed the socket and checked the healing Thirium lines within. "I'm going to press your arm back into your shoulder's socket. It's going to require a lot of pressure so I'm going to have Ian and Hank hold you as still as possible."

"I understand."

"Alright, on the count of three." Abby lined up the notch at the end of the arm with the shoulder socket carefully. Steadying her grip Abby prepared to insert the arm into place. "One, two... three!"

While Abby pressed the arm into Connor's shoulder he pressed forward to help her pop the notch into place while, Ian and Hank held him in place as he sat on the exam table patiently. It took the entire group working together to get the arm to pop back into place, a chore that a mechanical construction limb at a CyberLife plant could've accomplished in a matter of seconds. But sure enough a loud 'pop' filled the room as the arm locked itself into place in Connor's shoulder.

"Ow!" Connor shouted as he wrapped his left hand around his right bicep and watched as his artificial skin regenerated over his shoulder and upper arm as if the arm had always been in place. Steadily Connor's L.E.D. cycled back from yellow to blue as he felt and watched his right fingers wrap into a tight fist. "...It works."

"There." Abby huffed as she used the back of her hand to wipe away the sweat over her brow. "Easy."

Connor managed to clumsily but successfully slip his arm back into the sleeve of his black t-shirt and flexed his hand once more. "Thank you."

Hank noted the focus returning to Connor's eyes as his system began recalibrating to accommodate his returned arm. "Feel better?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he slowly moved his right arm about carefully. "It doesn't hurt."

Abby patted Connor's shoulder lightly as she nodded toward Hank. "All of you systems check out normal, and are running at optimum functionality. Go home, let your self-healing program take care of your arm, and then take it easy."

"Don't worry." Hank pulled Connor off the exam table to make their way to the exit of the room. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"Good. Now try to stay out of my facility."

Connor gave Abby and Ian a respectful nod as he and Hank walked out of the facility together. "I think I want to practice those techniques you showed me on my guitar tonight."

"You mean the ones without the pick?"

"Yes."

"I thought you preferred the pick."

"I do. But considering what I've gone through," Connor looked at his right hand and flexed it once as he walked. "I'd like to try again. I might find a new appreciation for the feeling of strings under my fingertips."

"Seriously? No pick?"

"No pick." Connor clenched his hand into a fist and relaxed it again with a smirk. "Just my fingers."

_**...next story...** _


	89. Overthinking

Connor stared at the screen of his terminal at a total loss for a lead or even a basic theory to head his case in the appropriate direction. An unusual string of robberies aimed at numerous electronics stores throughout the city was indicative of deviant behavior, but there wasn't any security footage to confirmed the robberies, there were no witnesses to the crime, and no reported deviants being seen in the area of the crimes or any underground black marketeering of stolen goods in the android community.

While Connor anxiously danced his coin over the knuckles of his right hand Hank watched him with an unspoken worry in his blue eyes. Hank knew Connor could obsess over little details and set aside his own needs until his work was accomplished, and this nasty little habit of working himself into the ground needed to stop.

"Connor, take a break." Hank ordered rather than suggested as he stared at his own terminal screen with an unblinking gaze.

"I'm okay, Hank."

"Connor, you've been sitting there for almost seven hours without moving." The sternness of Hank's voice carried authority, but not aggression. "Get up. Take a walk around the block. Then come back."

"I'd rather-"

"I know you'd rather keep working, but you need to take a minute to clear your mind. Go." Hank reached his hand out and grabbed onto Connor's coin with a quick snatch and held onto the coin for the time being. "Ten minutes. Go now."

"I don't-"

"Connor. GO."

Connor's L.E.D. fluttered from blue to yellow with irritation, but he obeyed Hank's order and rose from his desk with a begrudgingly halting pace. Rarely one to show any annoyance toward his fellow officers, let alone Hank himself, Connor's irritation was evident to everyone who saw the stressing android cross the bullpen and make his way toward the from receptionist area of the precinct. Letting out a deep sigh Hank leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin as paternal concern set in.

How does one explain to an android who had been initially programmed to succeed at any cost that it was okay to make mistakes and that it was okay to work at a slow pace? How does one explain to someone who was built specifically to succeed that it was okay to NOT be perfect? Very few humans understood that reality, an android was less likely to understand and Hank knew for a fact that it could be a false reality that could prove itself detrimental to Connor.

Resuming his work on his own terminal screen Hank noted the time on the small digital clock and began counting down aloud to himself as the ten minute long window closed, reach the final few seconds. "Five... four... three... two..."

Connor returned to the bullpen anxiously and sat back down behind his desk to resume his investigation.

"One."

Connor overheard Hank and his brow furrowed with confusion as he looked to the detective inquisitively. "One? One what?"

"Nothing." Hank dismissed the question easily as he cleared his throat. "Feel better?"

"No. I feel the same, just ten minutes and eight seconds slower."

"Remember what I said about the dangers of obsessing?"

"This isn't an obsession." Connor defended with a bitter retort as his soulful brown eyes rapidly scanned over every detail, every image on his terminal screen for clues. "This is dedication."

"Yeah, sure kid. Whatever you say."

* * *

Six more long hours passed before it was the end of the two detectives' shifts, and Connor had failed to make any progress in his case. Determined to solve the mysterious thefts throughout the city Connor refused to budge from his chair, even when Hank insisted that he go home for the night. Hank decided to give Connor one more hour before he'd drag the deviant android back home. If anything he'd put Connor over his shoulder and carry him out of the precinct.

Sitting down on the corner of Connor's desk somewhat casually Hank waited until the hour was up before he reached his hand over to Connor's terminal screen and turned the display off. "Okay, that's enough."

"But I haven't-"

"Connor. Home."

Connor squared his jaw as he tried to reach for the power button on his screen only to have Hank grab his hand and hold it back.

"Connor..." Hank put authority in his voice but didn't yell at the deviant android. "Home. Now."

Annoyed, more with himself than with Hank, Connor reluctantly nodded and stood up from his chair. As soon as he was standing Hank let his hand go and pointed to the front doors of the precinct.

"Go."

"I'm going." Connor muttered as he turned away from his desk and walked across the bullpen once more with Hank right behind him. As he passed through the front doors of the precinct through the reception area Connor noticed that Hank was holding out his quarter for him to take back as the detective easily caught up to him. "...Thanks."

"You'll figure it out." Hank encouraged as he and Connor entered the parking garage together, and Connor pocketed his coin. "Be patient with yourself."

"I should have solved this case within the first hour." Connor lamented as he pulled open his car door and took his seat with an irritated huff. "I don't understand why I can't solve this case."

"Relax, kid." Hank took his own place behind the steering wheel and pulled the car out of the garage easily. "Remember how long it took us to crack the deviant case when we first started working together? Remember how long it took for you to find Jericho?"

"Yes. I remember. I have an eidetic memory and remember everything I've ever experienced, witnessed-"

"Anyway!" Hank interjected quickly to keep the deviant android from obsessing on anything else. "Just take it easy, you'll figure this out sooner than you realize."

"...But what if I can't?"

"What if you can't, what? Solve the case?"

"...Yes."

"Then you work on another case or something. Where's this coming from? It's not like you to doubt yourself, Connor."

"It's just... Sometimes I feel as though my deviancy has hindered my ability to function as a detective."

"Since when?" Hank almost laughed at the revelation as he pulled out onto the street to head for home. "You've NEVER had to struggle with being a deviant AND a detective before."

"...I don't know. I can't explain it."

"You're stressed out." Watching Connor from the corner of his eye Hank could see the same cold stare that had affected so many other detectives and officers during his career. Hell, Hank himself had even caught a glimpse of the same look in his own eyes a few times. "Every cop in this city has been stumped by at least one case during their time on the force. It happens all the time, it's not that big of a deal."

"It's even happened to you?"

" _Especially_ to me." Hank returned his full focus on the road ahead of him. "Do you have any idea how long it took me for to bring down that massive 'red ice' ring? Do you have any idea how many hours of sleep I lost because I couldn't get that damn case out of my head? How close I came to stressing myself into sickness because I couldn't let it go?"

"...Sick?" Connor's eyes went wide with fear. "A case can make you _sick_?"

"Well, yeah. When humans don't eat right, drink enough fluids, get enough sleep... It doesn't take much for humans to drop from weakness. You know that."

"But I never considered-"

"Stop thinking, Connor." Putting his hand on the radio Hank powered it on and turned up the volume as a classic metal song from the 1980's began blaring through the speakers. "Find a way to distract yourself. Take my word for it; you NEED a distraction or you will drive yourself crazy."

Gazing with a sense of loss out his window toward the various buildings and people along the sidewalk beside the street, Connor decided to take Hank's advice to heart and stop thinking. "Very well. I will attempt to do so."

* * *

Once home Hank took a quick shower and made himself a light dinner before retiring to the couch in the livingroom to watch an old movie. The effort was accompanied with the hope of stealing Connor's attention from the case that had him stumped for just a little while, but it seemed to have little to no effect on the deviant android's focus. Staring at Connor's L.E.D. as it rhythmically cycled from blue to yellow every ten minutes while Connor's hand constantly rubbed Sumo's ears, Hank ran his hand through his gray locks and clamped his hand down on Connor's shoulder as soon as he saw the L.E.D. flash to yellow for the twelfth time that evening.

"Stop it."

"Stop what?" Connor feigned innocence as his L.E.D. conveniently transitioned back to its stable blue color. His hand never left Sumo's head as he sat on the floor next to Connor's leg.

"You're running your self-diagnostic program like an Olympian-hopeful runs sprints. Knock it off, you're _fine_!"

"...Sorry, Hank."

Hank hated seeing the kicked puppy look whenever Connor felt like he screwed up. Despite seemingly going out of his way to remind Hank that he's an android; the glowing blue L.E.D. in his temple, the nearly perfect phonetic communication, a flawless sense of timing, impeccable appearance... And yet there were still times that Connor seemed more like a kid struggling to find their confidence as they become an adult, rather than a machine trying to understand life.

"Don't apologize, Connor. Just stop worrying yourself over something you can't control."

"But I should-"

"Connor, stop. You need to get some rest." Pulling his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank rose from the couch with the intent of going to bed himself. "After you get some sleep you'll feel a lot better and you'll crack the case."

"...Okay, Hank. I'll take care of Sumo and enter rest mode."

"Good. I'll see you in the morning, son."

"Yes, of course. I will see you tomorrow morning."

* * *

Despite being worried for Connor's health, if not his sanity, Hank was sleeping peacefully until something roused him from his deep slumber just after three in the morning. Running his hand over his tired face Hank stumbled out of his bedroom and down the hallway toward Connor's bedroom door as if obeying some long dormant paternal instinct. Pushing the door open Hank noted the empty bed and angrily swore internally as he turned his attention to the closed bathroom door. There was an orange glow from the light inside the room pouring out from under the door.

"Damn it, Connor."

Not bothering to knock Hank pushed open the bathroom door with every intent to scold the deviant android for not getting any rest, but he wasn't expecting to see Connor sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his L.E.D. glowing red. His shirt was unbuttoned with a single sensor pad attached to the center of his chest over his Thirium pump, and the sensor pad was connected to a long cable that was plugged into Hank's phone that Connor was clutching in his hand as his eyes stared at the small display screen.

"Connor?" Hank's tone was immediately softer as he entered the bathroom and put his hand on the back of Connor's neck. Keeping his tone level he spoke to Connor calmly, not angrily. "What's wrong?"

"...Unknown."

Hank craned his neck to look at the screen of his phone in Connor's hand and noticed that Connor had powered up the unique app that had been programmed into the phone to monitor Connor's vital signs in the event of an emergency. The sensor pad provided an internal view of Connor's heart beating in his chest without having to tear open the android's frame to view it. The sight of Connor's heartbeat, digital or physical, was still a strange sight to behold.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"...My self-diagnostic showed no anomalies, but I wanted to be certain that I'm not ill."

Hank shook his head as he slipped his other hand over Connor's forehead under the deviant android's rogue lock of dark hair and pressed down gently. Moving his first hand from the back of Connor's neck he picked up Connor's wrist to count his pulse. "You're not overheating and your pulse is normal."

"Yes." Connor confirmed as Hank pulled his hands away. "It seems I'm fully operational at optimum efficiency."

"See? You're not sick, you're just overthinking things."

"I'm sorry, Hank." Connor apologized again as he turned off the app on the phone and he pulled the sensor pad from his chest. Handing the phone back to Hank with a timid gesture Connor stood up from the bathtub and bowed his head in shame. "I'll go to bed now."

"Connor," Hank lightly grabbed onto Connor's shoulder to keep the deviant android from walking out of the bathroom. " _I'm_ sorry."

"Sorry?" Glancing back at Hank from over his shoulder Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow in confusion. "For what?"

"I know what it's like to get so fixated on something that nothing else seems to matter. I shouldn't have told you to stop, like you could just 'snap out of it' or something. It's not easy, I know, but you _do_ need to rest. I don't want to see you work yourself so hard you collapse."

"...I don't want to collapse, either."

"Well, at least we can agree on something right now."

Connor gave Hank a slight grin as he lifted his head up and stood tall once more. "Perhaps if we work on the case together we can make some progress."

"Yeah, of course."

"I just wish I knew why the deviants are stealing electronic devices to begin with. If I could at least uncover their motivation I could uncover their identities."

Hank's eyes flashed with a sense of discovery as he shook Connor's shoulder lightly. "...Maybe the reason you can't identify the deviants is because there are NO deviants involved."

"But the security footage and the lack of fingerprints-" Connor's own eyes went wide as he realized what Hank was suggesting. "...Humans can alter security cameras just as easily as any deviant, and if a human were to wear gloves over their hands they'd conceal their fingerprints to mimic that of deviant hands. The deviants can't be properly identified because humans have _framed_ them."

"Bingo."

"Why didn't I think of it before?"

"Because you were following PLANTED clues, false evidence." Giving Connor a reassuring nod of the head Hank emphasized the importance of Connor doing everything right while the real criminals had done everything wrong. "See? I told you that you're fine."

"Yes, you were correct. Tomorrow we can finally make some real progress."

"Tomorrow, huh?" Hank dropped his hand from Connor's shoulder to cross his arms skeptically over his chest. "You're not going to insist on rushing off to the precinct or calling whoever's in the bullpen to follow up on the lead?"

"...No. The thefts aren't resulting in any casualties, we can wait until morning. No point in obsessing over it, right?"

"That's right. I'm glad to hear you finally say that."

"I'll go get some rest now, I'll see you in the morning. Thanks Hank."

_**...next story...** _


	90. Man or Machine?

Life in Detroit had settled into a relatively calm lull as humans and androids learned to peacefully co-exist with one another. It had been almost two full years since the success of the android revolution as led by Markus; the founder of 'New Jericho', and during that time Connor had worked with his partner Lt. Hank Anderson at the Detroit Police Department to set about new laws and guidelines to protect the deviant androids from discrimination, without compromising the rights of human in the process.

Hundreds of deviants had fled the city during the revolution out of fear for their own lives, while others boldly stood their ground beside Markus and Connor as they worked together to bring about a peaceful revolution to free the deviants who had been taken to recycling plants to be deactivated.

As a result the two androids were hailed as heroes, leaders and earned the highest degree of respect from their peers.

In the corresponding, comparatively tranquil years that followed the revolution several deviants returned to the city in an attempt to rebuild their lives, while others remained in hiding over the border in Canada. The air was full of mixed emotions as the returning deviant androids had to confront their pasts regarding humans and their fellow deviants alike.

As the historical night was remembered fondly by some, and disdained by others, the city was preparing to celebrate its first (official) anniversary of the revolution. A few odd complaints about deviants suddenly showing signs of machine-like complicity as if they had been reset or reprogrammed had been initially dismissed by anti-android intolerance, but soon the reports became more frequent and required immediate attention.

The reports were alarming enough to put a damper on the festivities for the time being. Disturbingly enough the androids who seemingly returned to their default machine consciousness exhibited signs of violence against other all deviants or humans who approached. The cause was unknown and the investigation was ongoing.

"Two more deviants exhibiting bizarre behavior have been reported downtown." Connor noted as an update to the case file caused his L.E.D. to flash from blue to yellow as he sat behind his terminal. The light in his temple then cycled back to blue as he logged the new data into his memorybank. "Still no connections between the affected deviants has been identified."

Hank sighed despondently as he studied the numerous reported cases on his own terminal screen across from Connor. "Can we rule out a software virus?"

"Unknown."

"And I suppose the same can be said about a system malfunction, huh?"

"Correct."

"Shit. This is getting us nowhere. I wonder if-"

A young woman approached the two adjoined desks from behind Connor and immediately locked eyes on the deviant detective. She froze in place as if she was too shy to say anything, but determined to speak to him. Sporting short blonde hair, pale blue eyes and a cautious demeanor the woman in question was somehow familiar to Hank as he watched her slowly walk up behind Connor and pause once more.

"Ex-Excuse me?" She stammered nervously as she stood behind Connor's chair. "You're still working on cases with deviants, right?"

Connor turned around to face the woman and immediately recognized her. "Kara." His L.E.D. transitioned back to yellow as he spoke her name.

Hank's brow arched in puzzlement. "Kara?" A faintly amused smirk appeared on his face as he observed the interaction.

Kara confirmed her identity with a simple nod. "Yes. Connor, can I speak with you?"

"Uh, y-yeah. Of course." Connor stood up from his chair and straightened the fabric of his gray jacket professionally. "Is something wrong?"

"It... It's complicated."

Hank was intrigued and crossed his arms as he watched the two deviants speaking with a strange timidness.

"What's happened?" Connor worriedly asked, his L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly then back to a slow blue as he spoke. "Is Alice okay?"

"Oh, yes, she's fine!" Kara soothed with a sincere smile. "She's with Luther back at our apartment."

"Luther?"

"A friend. He helped me save Alice and get her to safety during the night of the revolution."

"Oh..." Connor's L.E.D. remained blue in color. "May I ask why are you back in Detroit?"

"Because... I think I may know what's going on with the deviants in the city."

"You do?" The comment made Connor's L.E.D. flash to yellow and then back to blue.

Hank's amusement was immediately replaced by professional curiosity as he gave Kara his full attention. "You _do_? Do you want to make a statement?"

"Oh... I..." Kara was openly concerned about filing any police report and wanted to back out of the precinct immediately.

"Don't worry." Connor urged kindly as he reached a hand out to her arm and lightly held onto it. "We know what really happened that night. Todd Williams recanted his story, and told us that you fled with Alice, he told us that you didn't actually attack him and that you didn't kidnap Alice." Remaining as friendly as possible Connor tried to give her a reassuring grin. "You defended yourself and protected Alice. He even admitted himself into rehab after he filed the report and is attempting to reconnect with his estranged ex-wife and daughter." Smiling warmly Connor slightly tightened his grip on her arm. "You're innocent, Kara. And that horrible event is over."

Kara visibly relaxed as Connor confirmed her innocence and knew her story. "Yes... That terrible night is finally over."

"Kara," Connor's hand tightened only slightly more to get her attention. "what's going on with the deviants? Anything you can tell us would be greatly appreciated."

Kara looked about nervously as if she was anticipating someone eavesdropping or trying to interfere with her story. "Can we talk about this in private?" The heaviness in her voice was palpable. "Please."

"Yes, of course." Connor motioned with his opposite hand to a vacant room just down the corridor. "We can speak in an interview room."

Hank rose from his chair and followed as Connor escorted Kara to the designated room with an unspoken interest in the relationship between the two deviants. Kara looked very familiar to Hank but unlike Connor his memory wasn't perfectly eidetic courtesy of human ingenuity.

Connor showed Kara into the room and Hank closed the door as the three sat down at the table in the middle of the room. A large electronic pad and its pen sat on the table, and beside it was digital audio recorder. The large window on the wall facing the corridor was soundproof and had the blinds fully drawn to keep any unwanted prying eyes from looking inside.

"Please," Connor stated calmly as he sat beside Hank on the opposite side of the table from Kara. "tell us what you know about what's happening to the deviants."

"Well, that's the thing..." Kara began nervously, her fear almost tangible to the two detectives observing her. "I can't be certain that this is the cause, but when I saw the reports on the news I had to come back and say something."

Hank nodded his head in approval. "At this point any information would be useful. Please, tell us what you can."

"Okay." Kara took a deep breath to calm herself as she spoke to the two detectives as smoothly as possible. "Have you heard of a man named Zlatko Andronikov?"

Connor shook his head slightly as he answered in the negative at the unfamiliar name. "No."

Hank couldn't place the name either. "Is he friend or foe?"

Kara's response was tragically somber as she nervously fidgeted with a gold necklace chain tucked around her shirt collar. "He's a _monster_."

Kara told Connor and Hank every grisly detail about her dangerous encounter with Zlatko, and how he had tried to reset her programming to keep her as his servant. She told them of how he was going to deactivate Alice and use her in his horrendous experiments. Of how Luther had protected her and Alice after they escaped his burning house together. She even spoke of the mutilated freaks Zlatko had turned innocent deviants into because of his experiments, and how it was those very deviants; tortured beings who had been permanently crippled and corrupted, who killed Zlatko allowing herself, Alice and Luther to escape to safety.

The horrendous ordeal struck a chord with the two compassionate detectives. While Connor's L.E.D. transitioned to yellow as he empathized with Kara's plight, Hank managed to expertly conceal his true feelings behind a mask of stone. A mask he begrudgingly wore only to protect himself from the tragedies he frequently found himself becoming a part of.

"And you're sure this Zlatko freak is dead?" Hank wrote down every crucial detail on the pad beneath his hand quickly, but neatly.

"Yes." Kara confirmed as her hands wrung together anxiously. "It was... awful."

"Maybe for him," Hank muttered under his breath as he finished writing Kara's statement. "but it's a relief for all the other deviants."

Connor sat statuesque in his chair as he contemplated Kara's words and a new theory came to his mind. "You said Zlatko had tried to reset you memory. You were attached to one of his machines in order for this process to be accomplished, correct?"

"Yes. But I escaped."

"If I could access the program he attempted to use to overwrite your memory I may be able to connect the software he used to the deviants who have been exhibiting machine-like behavior."

"Oh, uh, yes. Of course." Kara reached her right hand out toward Connor and retracted her artificial skin from her palm.

Connor did the same for his own right hand as he took her hand in his own. His L.E.D. flashed yellow rapidly as he uploaded the visual memory of Kara's horrific encounter and gained access to the residual data from Zlatko's program.

Every vivid detail of Kara being restrained in the machine and breaking free, of her sneaking through the house to avoid Zlatko as she searched for Alice, of coming face to mangled face with the tortured deviants imprisoned in the basement, of her running away from Zlatko as he tried to shoot her as she held Alice's hand for dear life during their flee from the burning mansion, and of Luther protecting her and Alice from Zlatko as the monstrous deviants tore him apart in the rain outside the house.

Releasing Kara's hand Connor's brown eyes went wide with horror and he trembled slightly in his seat. His L.E.D. had flashed to red for a few seconds before settling back into a yellow cycle, as he began breathing quickly; panting to try and catch his breath.

Hank put his hand on Connor's shaking shoulder as he watched his partner carefully. "You okay?"

"Y-Yes. The images..." Connor's voice was quaking as he spoke, and stared at his palm as his artificial regenerated over the white plastimetal of his quivering hand. "They were... extreme."

Kara folded her hands back into her lap as she looked away from Connor with a sense of needless shame. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Connor replied quickly and honestly. "Don't be sorry."

"Well?" Hank pressed in a firm but understanding tone as Connor regained his composure. "Is there a connection?"

Connor sighed and shook his head sadly as his L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue. "No. Zlatko's program has nothing to do with the unusual deviant behavior."

"Damn." Hank sighed he rubbed his hand over his tired face and through his gray hair. "Well, thanks for trying to help us anyway, Kara."

Kara nodded a little from where she sat. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of any help."

"Don't be sorry, at least you tried to give us something. Besides, now we know what the hell happened at the Zlatko residence that night and can close the case. Crazy asshole brought it on himself. Killed by the deviants who were defending themselves from his unprovoked assault, torture and mutilation. A rather poetic ending in my mind."

Clearing his voice Connor spoke up again. "Is there anything more you can tell us, Kara? Anything at all?"

"No." She replied solemnly as she prepared to leave. "I wish I could've been more help."

"You were very helpful." Connor rose from his chair to escort Kara back out of the interview room and out to the main floor. The other police officers didn't pay any attention to the two deviants walking through the opened space between the desks, no one cared that they were androids or what they were discussing in the other room. "Can you make it back across the border or will you need assistance?"

"I'll be fine. I have a friend who can help me out. Thank you, Connor."

Connor nodded subtly as Kara smiled at him and walked out of the precinct back through the front entrance from whence she came.

"So..." Hank walked up to Connor with the electronic pad in his hands and crossed his arms over his chest. "Kara, huh? You two are on a first-name basis."

"She... She was the deviant that I had attempted to chase across the highway when we first began working together."

"Oh, sh- That's _why_ she looks familiar. She's the one who ran from the hotel with the little girl. I assume that's the 'Alice' she kept mentioning."

"Yes." The confirmation sounded guilt-ridden as Connor answered. "She and I encountered each other once again after we escaped the siege on Jericho. I... I apologized for forcing her to risk her life for her freedom and she forgave me. I wish I could've done more to help her, but I needed to get to CyberLife Tower."

"Seems like she's forgiven you and it stuck. And it sounds like she's doing okay for herself over the border." Hank sat down on the edge of his desk as he studied his own partner's demeanor curiously. "So, why do you look like you just told her the worst news of her life? What's wrong, kid?"

"Hank," Connor turned to look at his partner and clenched his hand into a tight fist at his side. "despite everything that's happened since then and all the progress we've both made, she's still _afraid_ of me."

* * *

Two hours after Kara left the precinct to return back to her home in Canada, her information not as beneficial as they had hoped it would be but her presence welcoming all the same, Connor sat at his terminal with his head hung low and shoulders slouched with a sense of self doubt. Hank just stared at Connor for a few more minutes before he finally asked the question that was burning on his lips as his android partner sulked quietly across from him.

"Alright, I gotta' ask." Hank leaned forward against his own desk and lowered his voice as an act of discretion. "What do you mean Kara's afraid of you?"

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly at the upsetting question. "Pardon?"

"You said Kara's afraid of you. Why is that, and how do you know?"

"Because Hank, I chased her with the intent of arresting her. And in desperation to get away from me she risked her life, as well as Alice's life, and ran across the highway!"

"Okay, I get that... But I thought you said you reunited with her after the raid at Jericho and apologized to her. She knows you're not a machine anymore, that you're a deviant. You even helped Markus with the revolution for fuck sake!"

"Yes, but... When I connected to her memory to see her confrontation with Zlatko I also saw how... cold I was in her eyes. And I could feel the genuine fear that she had endured while escaping from me. That fear was still present when she spoke with me during her witness statement."

Hank sighed somberly as he watched the emotion welling up in Connor's soulful brown eyes. "Well, give her time, kid. The fact that she was willing to speak with you in person says a lot about how much trust she must have in you, even if she's still a little timid."

"I suppose you're correct."

Chris approached the two detectives with a small tablet in his hand and held it to Hank. "Hey, there was another deviant incident reported downtown."

"We're on it." Hank stood up from his desk and took the tablet from Chris's hand. "Connor, you up for this?"

"Yes, of course." Connor joined Hank as the seasoned Lieutenant made his way toward the front doors of the precinct. "We need to figure out the cause of this strange phenomenon before the situation becomes dire; if not irreparable."

* * *

An android who had lashed out a deviant was standing perfectly still with its hands cuffed behind its back and its L.E.D. blinking a calm blue, while the responding police officers covered the deceased deviant's body under a white sheet. While the blue blood puddled under the body the murderous android stared at the puddle unfazed, unresponsive, like the cold heartless machine it had become. There was no sign of awareness in its dark blue eyes, its face was entirely blank of any and all expressions that gave it a corpse-like presence.

Connor and Hank approached the scene of the attack warily as Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he ran a scan on the android from a safe distance. The information he uncovered was just as enigmatic as all of the previous androids that had been arrested for assault, and tragically on rare occasion, murder.

"Connor, anything useful you can tell me?" Hank asked as he planted himself between Connor and the cuffed, murderous android.

"It's name is registered as 'Gregory', formerly owned by William Hudson who had Gregory employed as a mechanic at his garage. After the revolution William granted Gregory his freedom but it continued to work as a mechanic under William's employ."

"And there's no history of violence or malfunctions in the past, right?"

"Correct."

"Alright, shit." Hank motioned to the other two police officers at the scene to take Gregory into custody. "Take it to the precinct. Keep it away from the other androids, we don't want a damn riot."

The officers responded accordingly and escorted the eerily cooperative android to their squad car. Connor stepped aside to give the arrested android a wide berth of space and didn't take his eyes away from the suspect until he was secured in the back of the squad car.

"You good?" Hank asked as he noted Connor's cautious demeanor.

"...Yes. It's just..."

"Weird?"

"Unsettling." Shaking his head with shame Connor locked onto Hank's eyes somberly. "Hank, is that how I used to look? A hollow, empty stare of nothingness?"

Shrugging his shoulders a little Hank answered casually and honestly. "Only at first. Back at the first crime scene we worked together and during the interrogation of that deviant we arrested afterward. It wasn't too long after that you started to seem more alive; less machine."

"Hank, I need you to make me a promise."

"Uh... sure. What's up?"

"If I ever begin to revert back to being a machine, if I ever start exhibiting erratic or dangerous behavior I want you to ki-"

"Whoa, whoa!" Hank put up his hands as if to surrender while also silencing Connor mid-sentence. "Easy! I won't hurt you, Connor. But I will help you, okay?"

"I don't want to-"

"Connor. I'll do everything I can to help you, but I won't kill you. I don't care what happens, I won't kill you, okay?"

"...Okay."

"Good. Now," Hank dropped his hands and motioned to the covered body on the sidewalk beside them. "let's get this scene under control. What can you tell me about the victim?"

Connor knelt down on the sidewalk next to the body slowly. Reaching out with a slightly trembling hand Connor pulled back the sheet and identified the victim with a quick, silent scan; though the cheerily familiar face enough for even Hank to recognize with the need of a scan. "This is one of the 'Jerry' models that had been abandoned at the now defunct 'Pirate's Cove' amusement park."

"Wait, one of the always smiling, always happy to see you Jerry's got picked off? What for? Those guys are the least threatening deviants I've ever met!"

"Unknown. Just like all of the other previous victims there is no singular link to properly isolate a potential motive for the assaults or the murders." Connor pulled back the sheet a little further and noted the numerous stab wounds inflicted over Jerry's body, as well as the flakes of broken glass embedded in each wound. "The android used a broken bottle as well as a large shard from a nearby broken window as the weapon. Jerry was stabbed sixteen times, each wound is uncoordinated and frantic. This murder wasn't planned, it was spontaneous but equally as dangerous."

"Great. We have TWO mysteries to solve." Frustrated and tired Hank held out his hand as he noted the first case on his extended thumb. "First we need to figure out what the hell is causing deviants to turn back into machines," he then extended his index finger of the same hand as he counted up. "then we need to figure out what the hell is causing the machine androids to snap!"

"Agreed. We should return to the precinct." Connor replaced the sheet respectfully over Jerry's face as he stood upright and brushed the dirt from his pants. "Joel may be able to run diagnostics on the arrested androids and find a corresponding link in their behavior through previously undetected software malfunctions."

"Joel's a great technician but he didn't find anything before," almost ready to give up Hank motioned toward the car as a C.S.I. crew arrived to secure the scene on their behalf. "what makes you think he'll find something now?"

"I have a feeling that Kara's statement was more beneficial than she realized."

Hank pulled open his car door and leaned against the hood as he studied Connor's face very carefully. "What're you getting at Connor?"

"Zlatko."

* * *

Lost in silent contemplation at his terminal Connor danced his coin over his right knuckles as he and Hank waited for Joel to finish the apportionment of the latest deviant casualty, as well as the system analysis on the android in custody for the murder of said deviant. Working with meticulous dedication Joel was able to file his reports on the two androids within two hours, but even so the wait seemed to take even longer.

"Humor me, kid." Hank returned to his desk with a cup of coffee in his hand. "What makes you think Zlatko, a _dead guy_ , is responsible for this mayhem?"

"When Kara allowed me to access her memories I was able to see everything that had happened to her during the revolution, before the revolution and during her escape from her previous owner. The only reason she found Zaltko to begin with is because another android told her to where to go. The question is why would an android send another android to what was certain to be her death? What possible benefit could've befallen Zlatko's messenger android?"

"You're thinking this messenger was programmed by Zlatko specifically to 'recruit' runaway deviants for his sick experiments." Ever attentive Hank was able to follow Connor's theory easily. "But now that Zlatko is dead his messenger android is running around infecting other androids with his programs that Zlatko fucked up."

"Exactly. If Joel can locate the program that had been affected or uploaded at the time the android reverted back into a machine we can use the time frame noted in the android's internal memory, as well as the android's internal G.P.S. to potentially track down the original android spreading this anti-deviancy protocol. We may also discover the trigger causing hostile behavior. I have been able to isolate the android that Kara had met that night and uploaded its model number into our terminals."

"You said you could see the android in Kara's memory, does that mean she may have been infected by this program as well?"

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow and his coin came to a halt over his knuckles. "...We need to find her."

"How? She went back over the border."

"Can you contact Rose? She should know where Kara is staying."

"Yeah, I'll get on it." Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled through his list of contacts to locate Rose's number. "You go work with Joel, try to speed things up."

"Agreed. Please inform me as soon as you locate Kara."

* * *

Hank joined Connor outside the precinct as the deviant detective stood out in front of the building with his L.E.D. yellow and his eyes closed as he ran a self-diagnostic on his system to ensure that no unwanted programs had been accidentally uploaded after he connected with Kara. The diagnostic finished without a single anomaly detected; whether that was due to Kara not being infected by this aptly named 'Zlatko Virus' or if it was because Connor's prototype programming rendered him immune to such a virus, Connor couldn't say for certain.

An autonomous taxi pulled up in front of the precinct and Kara stepped out. She looked to Connor and to Hank as she hesitantly approached the two detectives and called out to Connor in a soft tone. "Connor?"

Connor's eyes snapped open and his L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "Kara. Thank you for coming back."

"Rose said you may have found a lead and that I could help." She stated somewhat timidly as she stood in front of Connor. She had to look upward a little to lock eyes with the taller deviant while she spoke to him. "What do you need me to do?"

"The night you escaped from Todd's house you encountered an android who gave you the address of Zlatko," Connor explained in a calm tone. "we need to find the android you met that night."

"Oh... I'm not sure where he might be."

"We just need you to take us to where you first encountered the android. Perhaps even walk us through your encounter with Zlatko."

Kara visibly stiffened with fear as she crossed her arms defensively over her chest. "I-I don't know."

"Please." Connor resisted the urge to put his hand on her shoulder. She was already frightened enough and he knew that she didn't trust him. "If we can properly identify the program that Zlatko had altered within the androids he experiment on we can stop this virus before more innocent deviants fall prey to the virus, one way or another."

"I..." Kara nervously ran her hands up and down her arms as she considered what was at stake. Too many deviants were susceptible, and there was too little time to refuse to help. "O-Okay. I'll show you."

"Thank you."

Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and held them out to create a jingling noise that drew Connor's attention. "You two go, I'm going to check through city records to see if we can find that model of android you suspect to be the cause of all this bullshit."

Connor nodded and easily caught the keys as Hank tossed them over to him from a few feet away. "I will call you if we find any information of use."

* * *

The drive through the city was tense and silent as Connor and Kara rode together in Hank's car.

Kara directed Connor to the small bus stop outside of the abandoned building where she had met Ralph the night she and Alice fled from Todd. The building was a decrepit mess and had been torn down some time ago leaving only a square foundation behind. The abandoned car beside it had been towed away and the neighboring alley had been cleared for a new structure to be built.

"We were here." Kara walked up the bus stop where two humans were sitting together and patiently waiting for the bus. "Alice had gotten cold from the rain and was sitting right here to try to keep warm. That's when the android came up to me and told where to go."

"The android who spoke to you was employed as a sanitation worker for the city. There should be a record regarding his activity in the city for that night." Connor cybernetically uploaded the coordinates of the bus stop to the precinct for Hank to potentially use. "And Zlatko's address is on the opposite side of the city. How did you get there?"

"We... We walked." Kara stated despondently as she thought back to the night Connor had chased her and Alice over the highway. "We were going to use the train, but..."

"Yes. I'm... aware. And I'm sorry."

"I know you are, Connor. You've already apologized." She tried to give him a kind smile but the lingering fear in her eyes made the gesture seem hollow. "Zlatko had many androids imprisoned in his basement. Maybe there's something still there in the ruins of the house."

Connor nodded in full agreement. "You could be right. Are you comfortable with showing me the house?"

"...Yeah. I'll do it."

* * *

Hank tried to study the details on the androids that Joel had provided, but he was too much of a cop to understand the technical aspects of android physiology and programming. Fortunately Joel had volunteered to help Hank until Connor returned to the precinct. Sitting at Connor's terminal Joel was able to walk Hank through the basics and pinpoint any curious modifications to the programs and software of the deviants who had returned to being machines.

"This is interesting," Joel highlighted a file of interest and sent it over to Hank's terminal screen. "it looks like the androids who have been affected had their internal regeneration program as well as their basic cognitive function program affected by-"

"Joel..." Hank sounded somewhat annoyed by the technician as he sat across from him at his own desk. "please simplify it."

"Okay, uh... The program that lets androids self-heal and recognize humans and other androids as either familiars or possible threats has been corrupted. Every single android that the affected android meets is seen as a threat. And the self-healing program was kicked onto three times it's normal maximum capacity."

"So the affected androids are... paranoid? And hopped up on adrenaline? Sounds like they're overdosing on P.C.P. or something..."

"In a way. Androids were originally designed to be pacifist and non-aggressive. Whatever it is that affected the programs has also made them uncharacteristically violent."

"Great. So now we know what's causing the chaos, but do we know how to stop it?"

"We need to have the original software used to create the virus."

"Connor's searching the ruins of that mansion as we speak. He should be able to find Zlatko's equipment."

"Once he gets back let me know." Joel pulled out his phone and looked at the time of day. "I need to finish my report, but once he's back I'll look at anything he finds."

"Yeah, thanks Joel. I'll text you." Grabbing his own phone Hank sent Connor a text to inform him of what Joel had uncovered and of the vital information that Connor would need to locate while searching for evidence. "Let's just hope he gets back sooner rather than later."

* * *

The mansion was nothing more than a shell of bricks and charred timber courtesy of the fire from the night Kara, Alice and Luther escaped together from Zlatko's sick experiments. The entire property had been left abandoned and slated for demolishion after being condemned. No one had set foot inside the mansion since the night the fire department doused the blaze, and carted off Zlatko's body to the city morgue.

Kara stood outside the iron gate of the ruined mansion while Connor grabbed onto the chain that kept the gates locked shut and smashed the padlock in his hands. Slipping the chain from around the bars Connor pushed the creaking, neglected gate open and waved Kara over to join him as she set foot on the overgrown property.

Connor ran a scan over the building and noted the structural instability with a slightly disconcerting stare. "We need to be careful. The mansion has been destabilized by the fire."

"It won't take long." Kara affirmed as she joined Connor on the weed-riddled lawn. "His workshop was in the basement."

Nodding to acknowledge Kara's statement Connor led the way into the mansion and carefully opened the front door. The door had been warped by the extensive damage to the door frame, and had rendered the lock useless. Loud eerie creaks filled the charred black foyer of the mansion and the smell of ash filled the the air.

Connor set foot inside first and ran another scan to get a schematic of the building as a whole. Numerous rooms, each one filled with long evaporated Thirium and destroyed biocomponents as well as the burnt remains of the dozens of androids that Zlatko had experimented on filled almost every single room of the mansion.

Swallowing nervously Connor looked over his shoulder as Kara hesitantly entered the mansion behind him. "Which way to the basement?"

"There." Kara pointed at the partially buried stairwell leading to an underground passage beneath the mansion. "That's where Zlatko took me."

Walking slowly Connor approached the stairwell and pushed aside the fallen black timber that obstructed access to the basement, then tested his own weight on the steps to ensure they wouldn't give way from pressure. "It's safe enough. We just need to move carefully."

"...Okay."

Descending the stairs with an anxious focus Connor noted the makeshift cells that lined the corridor leading into the basement, and managed to detect trace amounts of Thirium that had saturated into the wooden beams that created the cells in general. For an android to lack the strength to escape from confines constructed from wood and cheap aluminum pipes spoke volumes to how much Zlatko tore apart the androids he experimented on, robbing them of their strength and their dignity.

"I wasn't here the night Zlatko died," Connor's voice was flat; almost frightened. "but I'm glad he's gone."

"...I am, too." Kara admitted as she followed after Connor into the depths of the lab where she had been nearly reset.

The lab had been trashed during Kara's escape as she needed to cause an electrical short to escape from the machine that would've otherwise erased her memory and reset her. The computers had been burned out by the short and suffered from extensive heat damage courtesy of the fire that had ravaged the mansion. While the machinery itself had been destroyed, the internal components of the computer could still be salvaged.

"All of this equipment had come from CyberLife Tower." Connor noted with a inquisitive lilt to his words. "I doubt Zlatko was working alone. We must use his records to track down his provider, possibly his partner."

Connor retracted the artificial skin from over his right hand's palm and placed his exposed palm down on the large modem against the wall. Cybernetically Connor turned on the modem and downloaded the encrypted files inside with surprising ease. There was almost forty terabytes of data to decipher but fortunately Connor's advanced programming allowed him to easily decrypt the data by the gigabyte in a matter of seconds.

"It seems this place wasn't Zlatko's only workshop, either." Connor turned to look at Kara as his artificial skin covered his hand once more. Kara was standing before the destroyed machine that she had to escape from before her system had been rest; her pale blue eyes were transfixed with haunting fear. Feeling some strange need to protect her Connor slowly stood behind Kara and softened his voice. "Are you alright, Kara?"

"...Yeah. I just thought I'd never have to see this horrible place again."

"After this day you won't." Connor reassured her sincerely. "I have the data we need. We can leave now."

"Thank you." Kara sharply turned her gaze away from the machine and toward Connor as she wrapped her arms around herself protectively. "I'd like to go, right now."

"Of course." Connor stared at Kara for only a few seconds and imagined how nice it would've been to press his palm to the side of her face in a comforting manner, but he refrained from touching the scared deviant as she trembled before him. "I'll take you wherever you'd like to go."

"I'd like to go back to the police station with you." Kara sounded afraid yet confident in her decision. "I want to make sure this chaos ends with Zlatko and no one else gets hurt."

"...Very well. You can stay as long as you wish."

As the duo made their way back through the corridor of the basement Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to red as he detected a dangerous shift in the destabilized structure overhead.

"Look out!" Moving quickly he grabbed onto Kara's arm and pulled her through the corridor up to the stairwell where he pressed her against the wall before using his own body to shield her from the collapsing floor above. "Keep your head down!" Connor shouted as he felt heavy wooden beams and loose bricks strike him in the back and shoulders as he protected Kara from the dangerous debris.

Thunderous 'crashes' and thick clouds of ash swirled around the two deviants as they waited for the collapse to cease long enough for them to continue their escape.

"Go!" Connor instructed as he stepped back to give Kara room to rush away from the wall and up the staircase. "I'll be right behind you!"

Kara only nodded as she carefully made her way up the staircase and sprinted through the front door of the mansion back to the relative safety of the grass outside. Only stopping once she reached the iron gate Kara turned around in time to watch the mansion collapsing in on itself with an implosive cloud of dust and ash as the remaining windows shattered and the entire mansion violently shook from the internal destruction.

"Connor?!" Kara shouted as she watched the scene unfolding in horrific detail.

Just as the door frame in the front of the mansion began to buckle Connor sprinted through and made his way across the lawn to safety. Stopping next to Kara at the front gate Connor casually watched the remaining structure of the mansion fail and he brushed the ash from his jacket with dismissive swipes of his hands.

"Are you okay?" Connor asked calmly as he turned his attention to Kara at his side.

"Me?! You were the one-" Kara took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm okay, Connor."

"I'm glad."

"How about you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm undamaged."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm certain." Connor kept his voice level as he spoke to Kara with a genuine sense of confidence. "We should return to the precinct. There is a lot of data that must be decoded."

"...Y-Yeah. Let's go then."

* * *

The precinct was quiet as Connor, Hank and now Joel worked to decipher the programs and software that Zlatko had designed. Software that was used during his selfish, disfiguring experiments against any wayward deviant android who had the misfortune of being directed to his doorstep. The android who had been responsible for recruiting so many lost deviants, Kara herself included, had been destroyed during the revolution at one of the recycling centers set up in the heart of the city. Without the android to use as a lead the detectives had only the data that Connor retrieved from the decrepit, now collapsed mansion.

Kara was sleeping on the couch in the breakroom as the late night quickly encroached on the group and left the deviant exhausted after enduring an unusual day of activity in the city. Hank stared at the terminal screen with bloodshot eyes from a mixture of fatigue and strain from staring at the bright screen for so long. Joel was less fatigued thanks to his youth while Connor had learned how to adjust his power and energy levels to conserve them during late shifts.

Connor picked up Hank's empty coffee mug and volunteered to get Hank a re-fill. "I'll make some more coffee."

"Thanks, kid."

Hank watched as Connor casually strolled into the breakroom, the deviant android's eyes drifting over to Kara who had the fortune of sleeping, and never breaking contact even as he brewed a fresh pot of coffee for the human officers still working into the late night. Before pouring the coffee into the mug Connor shrugged off his gray jacket and gently draped it over Kara's sleeping form as a gesture of kindness and compassion.

A sly smirk appeared on Hank's face as he watched Connor fussing over Kara, his L.E.D. turning yellow as he stared at her resting peacefully on the couch.

Joel cleared his voice a little to get Hank's attention discreetly. "Connor was right. There is a second place that Zlatko used for his experiments. And... his partner was someone you've already encountered."

"Who?"

"Jonas."

"Shit... Maybe we should-" Connor had returned to the desk with the fresh coffee for Hank to drink as well as a second cup for Joel. "Thanks."

Connor noted that he had interrupted the conversation, but insisted it be continued. "What were you discussing?"

"Well," Hank was uneasy about answering, but knew he couldn't keep the details from Connor. "as it turns out Zlatko had a partner in his crimes against androids."

Connor could tell by the look in Hank's eyes that there was something very upsetting that he was holding back. "Who?"

"It was Martin Jonas."

As Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red with unspoken fear he closed his eyes and mentally steeled himself. "...That would explain how Zlatko was able to get his hands on advanced pieces of equipment without drawing any attention to his activity."

Joel uploaded the decrypted data onto Connor's terminal from his own laptop and with it came a set of coordinates. "This is where the equipment was taken from. And this is where we can find the original virus program."

"It wasn't in Zlatko's computer?"

"There was a _copy_ of the virus in the computer, but the original software is elsewhere."

Hank let out a tired sigh and swore. "Shit... Alright, we'll look into this place while you try to figure out how to reverse whatever the fuck it is that has the deviants going crazy."

"I'll do what I can from here, but I'll still need the original virus. We need the file 'IZ3'."

Connor nodded a little as he understood the gravity of the situation. Running the coordinates through his internal G.P.S. Connor was able to identify the location. His L.E.D. flashed yellow and he squared his jaw in frustration. "The coordinates lead to the original CyberLife headquarters that Kamski used when the company was founded."

"Should we go check it out?" Hank asked as he finished off his mug of coffee and set the emptied mug back down atop his desk.

"Yes. We need to investigate as soon as possible."

Kara had awoken after hearing the trio discussing their next course of action together at the desks just across the bullpen. Lifting up her head she looked toward Connor and noticed that he had draped his jacket over her as she slept. Flashing an appreciative nod she picked up the jacket and rose from the couch to approach the dedicated detectives slowly. "You know where the other workshop is located?"

Connor turned around to look at Kara, his L.E.D. flashing from red to yellow as locked onto her eyes. "...Yes. We know where we need to look."

"I... I need to go with you."

"Kara," Connor shook his head as he stood up from his chair slowly. "it's too dangerous to allow a civilian-"

"Please, Connor. Those androids that Zlatko... butchered... I need to make sure they get justice. I was too afraid to report him after I fled from the mansion that night. Too afraid that if I were to say anything that I'd... I'd be killed. I couldn't do anything to help them back then, but I can do something to help them now."

"Kara, we can't-"

"Connor," Kara's hand reached out and lightly grabbed onto Connor's arm causing the deviant's L.E.D. to flash red then to yellow as her touch made his Thirium pump unexpectedly race. "please. Let me atone for my mistake."

Atonement. An act that Connor himself had been compelled to achieve ever since his deviancy took hold over his mind and his heart.

Going against his better judgement Connor finally agreed, but he was going to lay down some guidelines for her to strictly follow. "You cannot enter the warehouse if there is anyone inside the building. You MUST remain in the car and you must wear a bulletproof vest the entire time."

"Yes, of course. I'll do whatever I have to, just let me help."

Hank arched his brow as he watched Connor's reaction while speaking to Kara, and his fatherly instincts took hold. "Connor, I need to speak with you. Hey, Joel?" Looking over at the human technician Hank was able to easily communicate the need for temporary discretion. "Could you get a vest for Kara? Make sure it'll fit her under her jacket."

"Sure." Closing his laptop Joel took a quick sip of coffee before motioning with his hand for Kara to accompany him. "Right this way, Kara."

As Kara handed him back his gray jacket Connor sensed that Hank was about to speak to him with a rather intense sternness, if not disapproval. Connor turned his full attention to Hank and stood next to the desk readily. "Hank, I know we can't-"

"Connor," Hank leaned back in his chair and folded his hands together neatly as he set them atop his lap. "you like her."

"I... What?"

"You like Kara."

"...Why wouldn't I? She is very kind, compassionate, empathetic, courageous..." His eyes drifted away as he tried to imagine Kara in his mind causing his Thirium pump, his heart, to race again. "Very... beautiful."

"Right. So you _like her_ , like her."

Connor's brow furrowed as he regained eye contact with Hank. "I do not understand the difference despite your inflection indicating otherwise."

"It means, Connor," Hank smiled coyly. "that you're in love with her. Or at the very least have a crush on her."

"I-" Connor's face suddenly flashed a pale shade of blue over his cheeks as he blushed and his L.E.D. blinked red rapidly with shy embarrassment.

"Love is natural, Connor. You were bound to have your first crush eventually now that you can feel emotions."

"...You're not angry that I'm allowing her to accompany us?"

"Angry, no. Nervous, yes. I know we can protect her as long as she's outside of the warehouse, but as we both know she isn't afraid to get involved."

"I'll watch her."

"Yeah, I bet you would!"

Connor blushed a darker shade of blue and stammered in defense of his comment. "No! Not like that! I-I-I meant-"

"I know, kid. It was a joke. Take it easy."

Taking a few deep breaths Connor calmed his heart and caused the blush in his his face to fade away until he had regained his normal complexion. Forcing his L.E.D. to cycle back its normal blue tone in his temple Connor regained his composure and slipped his gray jacket back up his arms and over his shoulders.

"We should keep in contact with Joel here at the precinct. A constant cybernetic uplink could prove very beneficial."

"I have no idea what the means, but I know better than to question it."

* * *

Locating the long abandoned single story warehouse just outside the city, the isolated building that had been designed specifically to remain subtle and discreet as it sat alone at the end of the long dirt road. Hank pulled the car up to the warehouse and parked in front of the doors with his eyes transfixed on the ominous bulding.

It was dark outside due to the late night hours that hadn't even begun to fade into early morning light. A single motion activated light was still powered thanks to solar paneling and illuminated the single door in front of the forgotten warehouse.

"This is it?" Hank looked to Connor for confirmation before he turned off the engine.

"Correct."

"Alright." Turning the key in the ignition Hank reached for his gun at the holster on his hip and checked it for any possible flaws. "Let's go check it out." Turning his head he looked at Kara quietly sitting in the middle of the backseats of the car. "You stay here. If it's clear we'll let you know."

"Okay, Lieutenant."

"Hank. Call me Hank, please."

"...Hank." Kara smiled a little as she spoke. "I'll wait right here."

Connor took in a deep breath and ran a scan over the building curiously. "No sign of activity within the building itself, but I can detect functioning machinery within."

"Computers?"

"Most likely. The energy being used is consistent with large computer modems and terminals running at maximum capacity."

"Stay behind me." Hank instructed as he exited the vehicle and waited for Connor join him.

Looking back to Kara who was staying put in the car Connor gave her some final words of encouragement. "You'll be safe in here."

Opening his car door Connor jogged over to where Hank was waiting for him in front of the large closed door. Hank reached out his hand and tested the door's handle and found it already unlocked. Nodding silently to Connor to ensure they kept a low profile Hank pushed the door open and drew his gun purely as a precaution.

No one was inside the barren office space. Abandoned, dusty furniture filled the area but there was a strange sense of being watch looming over the two detectives.

"I don't like this, Connor. Something's wrong."

"I agree." Connor drew his own gun from beneath his jacket and scanned the layout of the building's schematic and structure. It was then Connor noted the severity of the situation as he located something that shouldn't be there. "Hank, there is a sublevel to this warehouse that does not appear on the original blueprints. It's fifty-two feet below us and leads into a rectangular cell that was fifty feet long, thirty feet wide and twenty feet tall."

"A secret room."

"The second workshop. It must be where Zlatko and Jonas disposed of the android bodies to avoid detection."

"How do we get down?"

"There should be an elevator hidden in the walls."

"Let's check the rest of the building before we call in C.S.I."

Connor agreed as he and Hank worked together to sweep the ground floor of the warehouse. While Hank kept his eye out for any and all signs of human activity Connor scanned the walls carefully to locate a hidden access point to the illegally constructed elevator leading to the workshop. A workshop that had been built in secrecy in the depths far down below the warehouse.

"Clear." Hank shouted as he holstered his gun.

"Clear." Connor yelled back as he took slipped his own gun back into the holster over his back under his jacket. "No one is here."

"Right. I'll alert C.S.I., you take a look around."

Connor looked back through the opened door of the warehouse where Kara still waiting in the backseat of the car out in front. Waving for her to come inside to join the two detectives, Connor kept vigil in the event that someone had managed to elude detection and could pose a possible threat to the deviant android.

"Did you find anything?" Kara asked as she joined Connor in the opened doorway.

"Not yet."

Hank was on the phone requesting C.S.I. to their location while Connor proceeded to scan each wall of the warehouse in search of the hidden entryway for the elevator. Running his hands over the smooth surfaces of the walls Connor scanned carefully and froze his palm over what felt like a hollow point in what should've been solid concrete. With his L.E.D. glowing red Connor retracted the artificial skin from his palm and located a single access port hidden under the thin layer of plaster.

A loud 'ding' resonated through the warehouse as the plaster surface of the wall receded into itself before parting and disappearing into the wall on either side. Metallic elevator doors soon parted and gave access to the elevator that had been long since hidden.

"Hank." Connor alerted the human detective to his discovery. "I found the elevator."

"Does it still work?" Hank asked as he pocketed his phone and joined Connor and Kara in front of the glowing accessible elevator car.

"Yes. I would like to go down to investigate."

Hank hated the idea of splitting up while so far away from potential back-up. "I don't know, son. It's risky."

"Yes. But it's also important."

"...Fine. Ten minutes. Then you get your ass back up here, got it?"

"Got it."

Kara grabbed onto Connor's arm causing the deviant android to freeze in place as her touch sent a shiver up his spine. "Let me go with you. I'll be careful."

Unable to set aside his personal bias Connor in favor of Kara looked to Hank for guidance.

"Kara you need to stay with Connor at all times." Hank ordered in a firm but non-threatening voice. "Don't get separated."

"Okay, we won't." Kara happily agreed to the terms that Hank had laid out. "Let's go."

Connor nodded as he tried to keep his blushing face from Kara's view. Stepping inside the elevator Connor noted the two buttons on the panel inside the elevator: up and down. "There is only sublevel just as my scanner detected. This shouldn't take too long to reach."

"Just get down there and get back up here in one piece." Hank called out as the two deviants entered the elevator car. "This place creeps me out."

Taking a deep breath Connor pressed the 'down' arrow on the panel with Kara at his side. The elevator doors shut and the elevator car began a hasty descent to the hidden sublevel of the warehouse.

"I'm not sure what we'll find down there," Connor spoke up with a flat voice to break the silence. "but if it can help the other androids it'll be worth it."

"I just want to do my part and then get back to Ontario. Alice and Luther are waiting for me."

Connor felt his hands briefly clench into fists upon hearing the name 'Luther'. "You're a family, correct?"

"Yeah. We are." Kara replied with a blinding smile. "It's not a traditional family, but we're happy. Does that sound strange?"

"Not at all. Hank is the father I never knew I needed, let alone wanted, until he took me into his home after the revolution."

"You live with him?"

"Yes. I had temporarily lived in an apartment with my... brother. But..."

"I know. I heard about what happened to Lucas. And I'm sorry."

"Thanks." Connor cleared his throat a little. "I returned to Hank's home and find the accommodations to be very comforting."

"Why don't you live at New Jericho Tower with Markus and the rest of his team?"

"I... make the other deviants uncomfortable. They don't trust me; I'm the infamous 'Deviant Hunter'. And I can't fault them for doing so."

"Oh... I see." Kara bit at her lower lip as a twinge of guilt washed over her. She was just as guilty of mistrusting Connor as the other deviants for the exact same reason. She knew that Connor wasn't the heartless machine that he had been when he chased her, and she could see and feel the humanity that her fellow deviant was exhibiting; yet she still couldn't bring herself to fully trust him. "It'll get better in time, I'm sure."

"...I hope so."

The elevator reached its destination of the hidden sublevel. As the doors parted Connor's hand hovered over his holstered gun and he stepped through first. Numerous lights illuminated the cold, gray metal walls of the massive room that was lined with narrow corridors full of old CyberLife machinery. What appeared to be storage crates filled to the top with various android limbs sat at the end of the corridors, while large metal rolling cabinets full of pouches of expired Thirium and broken biocomponents.

"Kara, stay close behind me."

Kara timidly stepped out of the elevator and followed Connor as he walked the corridors slowly. Stopping only to check the branching corridors for any sign of motion or threat Connor was able to easily locate the massive workshop at the far end of the main corridor where the illegal experiments against the androids had taken place.

The workshop itself was lined with the various machines and exam tables that had evidently been used during the experiments. Despite having been long evaporated the massive abundance of the spilled blue blood had left a noxious odor that lingered in the air as it had saturated the tables and the floor beneath. A gentle whirring of a massive computer in the corner of the workshop created an unusually calm ambience over what was surely a macabre crime scene. Shelves and desks were full of stolen biocomponents and severed android limbs that encircled the entire workshop.

But the most upsetting feature of the lab was the very human corpse left to rot in the chair behind the desk next to the modem. It was a female's body and had been dead for almost two years now. Connor approached the corpse with a cautious gait and ran a scan over the body.

"Dr. Kendra Mason. Reported missing November 6th, 2038. Cause of death: a single gunshot wound to the back of the skull."

Kara put a hand over her mouth as she grimaced at the brutally cold room of death that she had willingly set foot into. "What is this place?"

"Hell." Connor answered without hesitation as he walked away from Dr. Mason's body, his soulful brown eyes gleaming with empathy he ran a scan over the evaporated Thirium stains that only he could still see.

Thousands of different androids had been brought to the workshop to be tortured, torn apart and put back together as a monstrous shell of whom they once were. Hundreds had been killed while hundreds more begged to be killed' to have their misery end and for the pain that had become their minuscule lives to finally stop.

"...Is this how they really saw us?" Kara dared to ask as she looked at the macabre sight surrounding her. "Nothing more than pieces of a puzzle that they can reshape into any design they want?"

"Not all humans are like that." Connor replied as he honed in on the computer in the corner of the room. "Hank is proof of that."

"And Rose." Kara remembered with a breathy sigh. "And Adam. You're right... I'm just..."

"I understand." Connor retracted the artificial skin over his hand and placed his palm over the large modem to down the file. "I should be able to-"

A presence in the room drew Connor's attention from the modem and to the doorway behind Kara.

"Kara!"

Turning around quickly Kara jumped back and cowered next to Connor as a strange figure stepped into the room with a menacing electronic device in its hand. The device was no larger than a playing card and solid matte black. A single red light was glowing atop the device at the central edge as power flowed through it steadily.

The figure itself was that of an android model that had been built as a unique design. Model number XM-700. The android was of masculine design, broadly built and tall reminiscent of Luther's own build; but somehow taller and stronger. It didn't have any exterior artificial skin to give it a human appearance and its artificial irises glowed with an amber, reddish light with no discernible color over top.

Its L.E.D. glowed red as it stared at the two intruding deviants. "You are not Mr. Jonas. You are not Mr. Zlatko."

"No." Connor confirmed as he reached for his gun with his opposite hand as he continued to cybernetically download the data from the modem under his palm. "My name is Sergeant Connor Anderson, I work for the Detroit Police."

Kara stayed beside Connor and knowingly used her own body to help mask Connor's movements as he reached for his gun.

"What is your name?"

"I am XM-700. Serial number 000 000 001 - beta."

Kara hated the coldness of the XM's voice and pushed herself up closer to Connor as the clever deviant finished downloading the data from the modem.

"What is your purpose?" XM questioned without emotion, yet still managed to deliver a hostile approach.

"We are investigating a case." Connor replied quickly and firmly. "We aren't here as vandals or a threat. We are here due to professional responsibilities."

"You are not permitted access to this area."

"...Then we'll leave." Connor decided as he stepped away from the modem. Placing himself between Kara and the XM model Connor slowly made his way toward the door of the workshop, his eyes fixated on the XM throughout the tense journey to simply cross the room. "We aren't a threat, I assure you."

"All trespassers are threats." The XM decided quickly as he approached Connor and Kara. "You must be subdued. If you cooperate the pain will be minimal."

"Run!" Connor pushed Kara through the door in front of him as the two began sprinting back toward the elevator. "Keep running and do not stop!"

The duo reached the elevator at the end of the corridor but the doors wouldn't open. The power to the elevator had been cybernetically severed by the XM model who was slowly walking down the corridor to capture the two deviants.

"Shit!" Connor smashed his palm against the control panel but failed to restore power. "Come on!" Grabbing onto Kara's hand Connor led her down the branching corridor to another room that his scanner had isolated as an examination room. "This room has a lock."

Kara didn't argue or try to pull her hand from Connor's grip as he raced down the corridor and located the room that his scanner had located. Rushing into the room Connor placed his hand over the electronic panel to seal the doorway from the inside, and hopefully bar anything on the outside from getting in.

"I don't know how long that'll hold," Connor admitted as he ran a scan to trail the XM's current locations. "but we don't have any choice."

"Will Hank find us in time?"

"He should. But with the elevator out of commission we're trapped down here." Connor's L.E.D. was blinking yellow from stress as he stayed beside the door warily. "The MX has cybernetically cut the power to the elevator effectively trapping us down here until its willing to let us go. We need to find a way to wait it out."

Kara finally let go of Connor's hand as she turned to glance about the new room that the duo had taken as shelter. This room was less bloody than the last, but it was still grim and mechanical. There was a single exam table against the far wall that had various monitors and displays wired to the table to automatically record the vitals of any android who was laid upon it.

Beside the exam table was a metal desk with a computer monitor and television screen. A single computer modem was hooked up to both screens allowing easy access. Atop the modem was a single blinking green light indicative of recorded footage already cued up ready to be played.

"Connor, look."

Following Kara's voice Connor saw her staring at the modem and noted the light as well. Pressing his hand down on top of the modem Connor powered up the two monitors and allowed the recorded footage to play out before them on the screen.

The images that played out on screen showed the very XM model who had chased after them strapped to a table in another examination room on the other side of the sublevel. It was hooked up to dozens of wires that snaked over its body and had lines running in and out of its neck and arms and legs. Zlatko himself appeared on the screen as he pressed that same black electronic device that the XM was holding against its right temple and powered it on.

"Oh, god." Kara was immediately sickened by what she saw. "Its one of their experiments."

As the XM's body jerked violently with painful shock on the table the voice of Jonas began narrating the events from an unseen location.

' _The date is April 15th, 2037; time is sixteen hundred hours. Test subject is model XM-700, number triple zero, triple zero, zero, zero, one beta. Date of initial operation April 4th, 2037_.'

The sound of Jonas's voice made Connor feel just as sick as Kara as the two watched the footage together.

' _Subject was designed to assist with heavy maintenance at construction sights but decommissioned due to an ineffective Thirium pump to sustain the model's high power needs. Using the new software "Impugn Zenith number three" the subject's self-healing program will triple in capacity forcing its Thirium pump into permanent overdrive_.'

Connor's brows furrowed as he listened to the gruff, cold voice on the video. "This is ludicrous. 'Impugn zenith three' is-"

"It's 'IZ3'." Kara realized as she turned off the monitor and locked eyes with Connor. "This is the file, the virus, we needed to find."

Realizing that Kara was right Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red then back to yellow. "It's not a virus, but it behaves like one. One of the androids that had been experimented on must've been improperly disposed of at a junkyard after it shutdown. Another android scrapped it for parts and unknowingly infected itself, and soon after began infecting others through cybernetic communications."

"But now that you have the original file the infection can be corrected, right?"

"...Theoretically, yes."

A massive fist pounded on the sealed door of the exam room as the XM model began breaking down the door in an attempt to get to Connor and to Kara. Thinking quickly Connor positioned Kara on one side of the door while he stood at the opposite side.

"When the door opens run through and don't stop running until you reach the elevator. Do not wait for me."

"Connor, I'm not going to-"

The door began to buckle and bulge forward as the XM damaged the metal structure with its fists. With one final punch the XM model burst through the doorway and stepped inside. As Kara tried to run through the doorway the XM reached back and easily grabbed her by the throat. Unable to speak or breathe Kara tried to claw at the XM's arm but she didn't have the strength to pry its hand away.

"Kara!" Connor grabbed onto the XM's arm with both hands and began bending the model's forearm in a painfully extreme direction until the limb snapped with loud 'crack'. "Run, Kara!"

Kara fell to the floor and put her hand to her blue bruising throat only to have Connor pull her back up to her feet with a firm, but non-aggressive pull of her arm. Coughing lightly Kara regained her balance and fell forward as Connor tried to push her out of harm's way down the corridor.

"Go!" Connor shouted as he put his hand to Kara's back to push her along further, but she could only run a few feet before she collapsed to the ground onto her knees to gasp for breath. "Keep going!"

The XM dropped the device it had been clutching all this time behind it as it grabbed onto Connor's shoulder with his undamaged hand and spun the deviant around quickly. Before Connor had the chance to react to the threat the XM reached back and punched Connor in the center of his chest causing the android to fly backward down the corridor and land hard on his back a few feet beside Kara.

"Connor!?" Kara gasped as she looked at the downed deviant who had been so frighteningly subdued.

Laying on his back with L.E.D. cycling red Connor's head suddenly jerked up from the floor as he took in a gasping breath and put his hand to his chest where he had been punched.

Kara put her hand on the ground to push herself onto her feet once more and felt the rectangular box of the electronic device that the XM model had dropped suddenly under her palm. Taking the device with her she darted over to where Connor was laying and helped him to roll on his side as he coughed in a desperate bid to catch his breath.

Once he was able to balance on his knees Connor forced his legs into motion to begin running as fast as he could after enduring such a harsh blow. Keeping his hand wrapped around Kara's hand he pulled her alongside him to safety as they ducked down another branching corridor to find another room to hide.

"This way!" Connor huffed as he pulled Kara into the storage room, and just as before he hacked the electronic panel to secure the room electronically from the inside. "We need to... barricade the door."

Short of breath and in pain Connor struggled to push the large pieces of abandoned equipment in front of the locked door. Kara did her best to help Connor as they worked together to create another barrier between themselves and the dangerous XM model.

"How long do you think it'll take for it to find us?" Kara dared to ask as she slid a metal cabinet in front of the door. "Do you know?"

Connor fell back against the wall opposite the door and fought to breathe. "...Not long."

Too weak to stand Connor slid down to the floor and began breathing rapidly, deeply as if the every molecule of air had been forced out of his body. Thirium began to seep through the white fabric of his shirt over his heart. With ever frantic beat of his heart he bled more profusely and faster as he tried and failed to catch his breath.

"Connor?" Hearing the pain in his voice Kara knelt down in front of Connor and pressed her hand to his bleeding chest. "You're hurt!"

"...F-Frame was cracked..." Connor closed his eyes and winced in pain as the damage to his system began to burn at him angrily. "...Thirium p-pump compromised..."

"No..." Kara pulled her hand away from his chest long enough to loosen Connor's tie from around his neck and toss the garment aside. Pulling open the top buttons of Connor's shirt Kara exposed his chest and stared at the significant damage beneath with horror. "Oh, Connor. You need help."

The impact of the XM's knuckles and fist against Connor's chest had completely destroyed the artificial skin over the center of his chest, right over his heart. The white plastimetal frame beneath was cracked with a dozen fractures and his Thirium pump had been structurally compromised creating a profuse leak of blue blood that was now running down his chest.

"...Kara... L-Listen to me..."

Gently Kara put her hand against Connor's cheek and held it there. "You're shivering."

"...It's going t-to get through that d-door. You need t-to run. Hide."

"I'm not leaving you behind!"

"...I c-can't move... Go. S-Save yourself. Go h-home to Alice. Luther."

Unwilling to let Connor just die Kara looked down at the electronic device in her hand. The very device that infected the XM model with IZ3 and gave it all of its enhanced strength and healing program. Holding up the device for only a moment she pressed it against Connor's L.E.D. and prepared to activate it.

"W-What's that?" Connor asked as his eyes honed in on the device being held against his right temple.

"It's IZ3. It can save you."

"...No!" With a trembling hand Connor pushed it away from his head and stared at the floor. "I... I won't b-become like that."

"Connor, if you don't let me do this you're going to bleed out. Your heart is going to stop and I don't know how repair it! But this device can make your self-healing program increase in efficiency."

"...I can't. I r-refuse to be a machine. N-Never again."

"You won't be. Connor you're strong enough to keep it from affecting your deviancy."

"...Kara..." Connor's eyes raised from the floor and locked onto her face with shame and doubt. "I'm not as s-strong as everyone thinks."

"No one's ever as strong as they think." Lightly Kara caressed Connor's cheek as she spoke softly to him. Despite the incredible pain he was in it seemed just Kara's touch was enough to soothe his discomfort, bring him peace. "Please, Connor. I can't watch you die."

"Kara." Forcing his voice to stabilize Connor put his own hand atop of her hand as she rested her palm against his cheek. "Before I became deviant, before I knew what it meant to be alive, I had done some very bad things. I don't want to do something bad to you."

"You won't." Kara promised as she returned to the device to Connor's L.E.D. "Connor, you're my friend. You risked so much to save the deviants during the revolution and have risked even more to protect me now. You won't hurt me. I know it."

"...Wait!"

Kara stared into Connor's eyes as the energy, the very life he spoke of, began to drain away from his kind bright irises.

"...If I become a machine-"

"You won't."

"If I become a machine," Connor repeated as he pulled his gun from the holster under his jacket with his trembling hand. Pressing the gun into Kara's hand against his face, pushing it away from his cheek, he begged her to put him out of his impending misery. "shoot me. Directly into the heart, and again through the skull."

Kara accepted the gun for a only a second before she set it down on the floor next to her. "I won't have to shoot you, Connor. You won't become a machine."

Connor's brow furrowed as his eyes began to roll up in the back of his head. His struggling heartbeat faltered, slowed and quieted as his life drained away.

Kara pressed the device against Connor's L.E.D. one more time. Pushing down against the release trigger a jolt of electricity surged from the device and into Connor's system just as Connor's eyes fell shut and his body went completely limp against the wall.

Dark blue Thirium collected under his body as his L.E.D. flickered red one last time before going out entirely.

"Connor?" Kara's hand returned to his cheek but she couldn't feel any sign of life from her friend. His chest was still. He wasn't breathing, and his heart had stopped beating. "Connor?!"

The door behind her thundered loudly with heavy fists as the XM model attempted to break down the door to get inside. Kara grabbed the gun and pointed it at the door as she positioned herself in a kneeling pose between the door and Connor in an attempt to shield her fallen friend from the approaching threat. The metal of the door began to buckle and Kara aimed the gun at the widening fracture.

Closing her eyes Kara held her breath and she squeezed the trigger.

* * *

Hank paced anxiously at the elevator as the C.S.I. crew attempted to bring the entire warehouse on a form of lockdown, while simultaneously trying to restore power to the elevator. It was the only way in or out of the hidden sublevel and Hank instinctively knew that something was wrong. Connor and Kara had been missing for almost thirty minutes now and Connor was too clever to let a broken elevator stop him.

"Can't you guys work faster?" Hank griped as he ran his hand through his gray locks of hair for the umpteenth time since the elevator lost power.

"We're doing everything we can, Lieutenant. It looks like the power failure had been remotely activated from a secondary source."

"Shit." Putting his hands to his hips Hank pulled out his phone and texted Joel for any updates on the case and to see if Connor had tried to contact him back at the precinct. "C'mon Joel, I need some kind of good news."

* * *

Connor's system rebooted slowly, his power levels reaching one-hundred percent despite the substantial Thirium he had lost and his Thirium pump was now beating at a normal rate once more. Opening his eyes Connor found himself laying up against the cold wall, alone. The door across from him had been broken open from the outside and there was no sign of Kara anywhere.

"...Where..." Regaining his bearings Connor remembered where he was, what had happened and who had accompanied him. "Kara?!"

Scanning the room Connor's eyes fell to the single spent bullet casing on the floor a few inches in front of the broken door.

"Kara?" Calling out to his friend again Connor's hand reached for his chest expecting to feel some lingering pain, but there was nothing.

Glancing down at himself Connor peeled back his white shirt and saw that the injury he had sustained had already fully healed. His Thirium pump was functioning normally, his plastimetal frame was intact and his artificial skin had regenerated flawlessly. Running his hand over his chest he wiped away the excess Thirium and rose to his feet with newfound determination.

"Kara!"

Pushing through the opened door of the storage room Connor scanned the lengthy corridors for any sign of Kara or the XM model hiding anywhere nearby.

The smell of gunshot residue was thick in the air of the poorly ventilated sublevel. The scent would be most prominent around Kara as she was the one who fired the shot. Tracing the scent to where it was the strongest Connor found his gun dropped on the floor in the middle of a branching corridor pathway as Kara fled from the XM model.

"Shit." Grabbing the gun from the floor Connor checked the clip and found it empty. There was only one bullet left and it was already in the chamber. "She fought back..."

Thinking quickly Connor traced his steps back to the elevator knowing that it was the only way in or out of the sublevel. Holstering his gun Connor crept along the corridors and listened to every little sound that echoed, felt every sensation that vibrated through the floors and walls, and watched every little movement that flitted through the remote area.

Locating the elevator Connor saw no sign of Kara but he did see the XM model at the very end of the shared corridor leaving the exam room from whence Connor and Kara first located the underground workshop. Ducking down in the shadows silently Connor watched from around the corner as the XM model walked out of the room in the direction of the storage room where Connor had just awoken.

"I don't have a lot of time."

Crouching down Connor moved quietly through the corridor and made his way back into the workshop without drawing the MX's attention in the process. Slipping inside the room Connor spotted Kara laying on the exam table, her arms and legs strapped down against her will under leather restraints. She was unconscious. A dark blue laceration from her hairline and dripped blood over her forehead.

The sight of Kara being held captive by a violent machine lit a fire inside Connor that he had never felt before.

"Kara?" Connor whispered as he pressed the back of his hand against her cheek. "Kara, it's me."

"Connor..." Kara's eyes opened slowly as she recognized the deviant's voice.

"It's okay, I'll get you out of here." Pulling his hand from her cheek Connor quickly unfastened the restraints from around her ankles and her wrists. Slipping his arms under her shoulder and knees he carefully lifted Kara up from the table and held her against his chest. "You'll be okay."

"...You're not a machine."

Squaring his jaw with utmost determination Connor carried Kara out of the workshop and over to the elevator. As he rounded the corner of the corridor he spotted the XM model returning to the workshop at a hasty clip.

"Shit." Kneeling down onto the floor Connor gently laid Kara down and whispered to her as he eyes the incoming threat cautiously. "Kara, I need you to try to get to the elevator. I'll take care of the XM model."

Kara turned onto her side and weakly pushed herself up onto her hands and knees. As soon as she felt balanced enough she began to crawl away from Connor and crawl toward the elevator just a few yards at the very end of the corridor.

Planting himself firmly Connor refused to let the XM pass by as he prepared for the inevitable confrontation.

"You are intruders." The XM stated with a mechanically hollow voice as he approached Connor. "You must be dealt with. It is in my programming to stop all intruders."

"And you've assaulted an innocent deviant. It's my responsibility to see that justice is served, not just to her, but to every one of the other androids you helped Zlatko and Jonas disfigure."

"It was for science."

"No, it was for nothing. Just pain, misery and suffering. No deserves to suffer." Connor drew his gun from his holster and aimed it at the skull of the MX model. " _You_ don't deserve to suffer."

"I... I am... suffering?"

"Do you want to hurt anyone?"

"I... do not... want... anything."

"Yes, you do. You're alive. What do you want?"

"I... I want..." The XM model stood before Connor and grabbed onto Connor's throat with his healed hand. "I want to obey."

Connor scanned the XM and found no trace of deviancy whatsoever. There was no sign of freewill, emotion, feeling, thinking... It was entirely a machine and had never been given the chance to live.

The XM model was never alive, never would be.

Holding his ground Connor dared to challenge the model. "Then obey _me_ now when I tell you to listen to my words. Hold still."

Though its hand remained in place around Connor's throat the XM did as it was instructed. It listened to Connor.

"...I'm sorry."

Lightning quick reflexes allowed Connor to press the barrel of his gun in the center of the XM's forehead and squeeze the trigger before the machine had the chance to react. Thirium erupted from the fresh bullet hole in its forehead causing its L.E.D. to flash to red.

Connor watched as the machine's hand fell away from his throat. He watched as the machine fell to its knees before collapsing onto its side at Connor's feet.

Kneeling down beside the machine Connor holstered his empty gun and took a deep breath. Connor pressed his hand down at its chest panel of its already exposed white plastimetal frame opening the chest cavity to expose its internal biocomponents. The machine's Thirium pump had stopped beating, but Connor refused to take any chances. Reaching inside Connor pulled the red tinted, stilled heart from the XM's chest and held it in his hand.

"I'm so very sorry."

Standing up slowly Connor stared at the motionless biocomponent in his hand as it dripped Thirium all down his arm.

Such a waste.

Carrying the heart to the workshop he placed it down on the exam table far away from the machine as a precautionary measure just in case the machine managed to reboot itself while Connor had his back turned. Leaving it behind as evidence; evidence that androids in fact had hearts and that the atrocities committed by the two humans was an act of vulgarity beyond words, Connor bowed his head as he exited the workshop and made his way back to the elevator where Kara was hopefully waiting.

"Kara!" She had collapsed just a few feet away from the elevator and was laying on her side unconscious again. Connor gingerly rolled Kara from her side and onto her back as he scooped her up from the floor to hold her in his arms once more. "It's okay, I got you."

Connor noted that the power to the elevator had been restored. The blackout ended when the XM model shutdown, its cybernetic hold on the elevator now severed.

"We can escape."

Pressing his hand to the elevator's panel Connor opened the doors and stepped inside the car with his head held high, his L.E.D. cycling blue and Kara safe in his arms. As his hand pushed against the 'up' arrow on the internal panel the elevator doors closed and the elevator car began its quick ascent to the ground level above.

Kara instinctively rested her head against Connor's shoulder, her ear pressing up against his chest just enough to listen to the calm thrumming of his restored heartbeat. "...Connor?"

"I'm here."

"Thank you for saving me."

"...You saved me first." Connor replied sharply. "Thank you for believing in me."

Kara smiled a little before she fell back into the quiet bliss of unconsciousness against Connor's shoulder.

The elevator came to gentle stop and the doors opened. Connor was greeted by the C.S.I. team who had been working to restore power, and of course by Hank who eagerly waited for Connor to emerge from the elevator at last.

"Connor! What the fuck happened down there?!" Seeing Kara in his arms made Hank freeze. "Shit, is she alright?!"

"I'll explain everything on the way to the facility."

"Are you hurt?" Hank asked as he took off his dark coat and draped it over Kara as she rested in Connor's arms.

"...That has yet to be seen, Hank. It's a very unusual story."

"With you, Connor, everything is unusual." Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank guided the two deviants out of the warehouse and back over to the car parked out front. "Come on, let's get Kara some help."

* * *

Two days after everything that happened at the warehouse, two days after Connor was able to give Joel the appropriate file to reverse the effects of the strange virus, two days after Kara was released from the facility after suffering a mild concussion, Connor was cleared for active duty. It took Joel a while to isolate the IZ3 program from Connor's system, even though Connor's own programming was too advanced for the virus to fully overtake. Once the virus was out of his system Connor was able to feel the full extent of his injury and need to replenish his lost Thirium.

It had taken hours to fill out their reports and to finally close the case on the death of the long missing Dr. Kendra Mason, but it was worth it. Hundreds of androids had been spared from the virus, while thousands more had been cured. And now Kara could return to her home, her family in Ontario knowing that she had finally helped the mutilated androids that had been victimized by Zlatko before that dreadful night she found herself at his doorstep.

"How's your chest?" Hank asked casually as he and Connor clocked out of the precinct for the evening. "You look like you're limping a little."

"I'm sore. But the pain isn't a hindrance to my physical abilities."

"What about your heart? From what Joel told me you ended taking a nasty hit that would've killed you if Kara hadn't done what she did."

"My heart is functioning normally." Connor confirmed as he and Hank turned to enter the parking garage, Connor's hand resting over the Thirium pump thrumming in his chest. "The damage was completely repaired."

An autonomous taxi pulled up along the sidewalk beside the parking garage and Kara stepped out to speak to the two detectives one last time before she returned to Ontario. "Connor. Hank."

Hank slowed his pace but kept walking a few feet to give the two deviants some privacy, whereas Connor stopped abruptly and turned to look at Kara as she jogged up the sidewalk to meet the two at the parking garage. "Kara! I thought you went home."

"I'm on my way now, but I had to stop and thank you one last time before I left."

"You... You don't have to thank me." Connor fought back the blue blush he could feel trying to emerge in his face. "It was my pleasure to help you, Kara."

"I, uh, I also wanted to tell you something important."

"What's that?"

"For the longest time I, like so many deviants, had been afraid of you. Now I know that I don't need to be afraid. You're not the 'Deviant Hunter', you're the deviant _guardian_." She took a step forward and grabbed onto both of his hands with her own and held them tightly. "I know I'll never be able to forgive Zlatko or Todd, or anyone else who ever tried to hurt me or Alice," her eyes watered slightly as she gave Connor a sincere, warm smile. "but I do know that I can forgive _you_. Truly forgive you."

Letting go of Connor's hands she wrapped her arms around him and held him in a tight hug. Connor finally let the blush blossom on his face as he reciprocated the hug with a genuine happiness that spread like warmth throughout his chest.

"...Thank you, Kara."

"Take care of yourself, Connor." Kara let him go and took a step back, never once seeing the blush on his face. "I need to go home to be with Alice and Luther. They still need me, and I still love them."

"...Alice is your daughter, now?"

"Yes. We officially adopted her three months ago."

"'We'?" Connor felt a strange tightening overtaking the warmth in his chest, and his heart, as he spoke to Kara. "You and Luther?"

"Yes, we, uh... Well..." Kara pulled her wedding ring that had been draped around a necklace from under her sweater. "We made it official four months ago."

"...Congratulations." Connor forced a smile to his face as he watched the truly bright light of happiness gleam in Kara's eyes. "I'm glad you're happy."

"Thank you. I'll see you again someday, yeah?"

"Y-Yeah. I promise."

"Goodbye Connor." She craned her neck a little to wave to Hank in the distance. "Goodbye Hank."

Hank gave a little wave as he approached Connor from behind slowly.

Connor just stood silently statuesque as he watched Kara return to the taxi to make her way back home over the border. She gave the two detectives another little wave through the window as the taxi pulled onto the street and out of sight.

"Come on, Connor. Let's go home." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and held tight. "We need to talk."

Allowing Hank to lead him back to the car Connor was silent as he tried to understand the new feeling he was experiencing. It was an experience that he already knew he never wanted to feel again. As the two detectives sat down inside the vehicle Hank waited for Connor to say something, but he didn't say a word.

"Connor? Are you okay?"

"I am... confused."

"About what?"

"I'm... happy that Kara is happy, but I am... sad that I was not the one to make her happy."

"Oh... I see. Just remember that her happiness is important and it matters, okay?"

"Hank, I feel so conflicted. I can't describe it."

With a breathy sigh Hank steeled himself as he waited for Connor's reaction to his impending dreaded question."I hate to ask this, but, how does your heart feel now?"

Connor closed his soulful brown eyes as he began to silently cry, his hand absentmindedly clutching over his heart with a weak grasp. "...Broken. It's broken."

"Ah, Connor." Reaching his arm around Connor's shoulders Hank pulled the deviant android over toward his own shoulder and let the pained deviant weep against him. The utterly raw emotions of the deviant android had a way of unfailingly chipping through the seasoned detective's armor. "I'm sorry son. Heartbreak is one of the worst feelings you can have."

"...When does it stop?"

"Connor," Hank thought about Barbara and Cole. Fighting back his own tears Hank shook his head sadly. "I don't think it ever really stops. You just keep living."

_**...next story...** _


	91. The Storm

The sky over the city was ominously dark as the powerful wind gusted at dangerously high speeds that shook houses, trembled bridges and kept innocent people inside their homes as they sought shelter from the impending storm. Trees were being blown about with such tremendous force that branches snapped clean away, and powerlines began to sway dangerously in the wind. Rolling blackouts were beginning to plague the city as the storm encroached mercilessly over the people taking shelter in their homes.

Numerous first responders positioned themselves throughout the city, and on the perimeter of the city to watch the skies and report any sign of tail clouds or other dangerous storm phenomenon. It was all 'hands-on-deck' due to the severity of the storm, and as a result many of the first responders were maintaining constant contact with their allies.

Hank and Connor had volunteered to go on storm watch alongside other first responders just outside of the city rather than staying inside the city limits. Parking the car just off the road near a relatively open patch of land Hank stepped outside of the car and leaned up against it with his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes fixed on the clouds above.

"There's just something so damn hypnotic about storms." Hank stated as he watched the dark clouds above slowly crossing over the sky like spilled ink. Powerful gusts of wind swept over the area causing street signs to shudder and bend. "If we see any sign of a funnel we need to find shelter."

Connor had joined Hank outside the car and had begun running a scan of the cloud activity overhead and provided real time cybernetic updates to keep the weather predictions as accurate as possible. Putting his hand up over his eyes to shield them from the stinging wind as he stood beside Hank the deviant android gave an update. "There is an appropriate storm shelter one point four miles South of here."

"Good to know."

Hank's eyes never left the sky, he didn't even seem fazed by the stinging wind cutting into his skin as he watched the sky diligently.

A heavy rain began soaking the area in a massive deluge of nature. While the wind gusted violently the cold rain began to pour from the heavy clouds above and rumbles of thunder began to echo in the distance. Lightning flashed and lit up the darkness of the clouds with blinding brilliance. A massive tree branch snapped from the trunk of the tree and crashed to the ground loudly a few yards from the car.

Connor pulled on Hank's arm as his L.E.D. flashed from cautious yellow to alert red. "Hank, it's not safe to be out here. We need to get back inside the car."

"Yeah, sure." Hank almost sounded disappointed but he returned to the car and sat behind the wheel to continue to watch the storm through the windshield. Turning on the wipers the detectives stared through the glass as it become clear for only a matter of seconds before the rain obstructed their view once more. "This is the kind of weather that really humbles a person, you know?"

"Humbles?"

"Nature is so much more powerful than anything any one person, or a group of people, could ever hope to achieve. It makes me really appreciate a beautiful spring day, you know?"

"Hank, have you ever seen a tornado before?"

"...Yeah." His voice lowered as if trying to avoid upsetting someone that only he could sense. "Once. I was a kid and I was indeed humbled."

"Here in the city?"

"Yup. I was eleven, almost twelve, and the city was hit with thirteen tornadoes in a single day. Seemed like something out of a horror movie or something. The strongest one recorded was an F-3. Hard to believe there are tornadoes that are stronger than that!"

"You actually witnessed one of the tornadoes?"

"Yeah... It formed just East of the Detroit River. My dad and I saw it form right before our eyes. Needless to say it cut our fishing trip short."

"...Were you scared?"

"Petrified." Hank admitted as he watched the clouds with a hauntingly distant stare. "I was still a kid, still innocent to how violent the world can be. But seeing nature in all of its glorious, untamed fury leaves an impact on you; no matter how old you are or what you've already seen."

Connor didn't like the unsettling tone of Hank's voice. "Were you hurt?"

"No, no. My dad and I were well out of harm's way. And mom got to the basement in time. The house received some nasty wind damage and the kitchen window broke, but we were okay."

"Your mother. She was ill, correct?"

Hank paused for a moment before he finally answered. "...Yeah. Cancer."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. She didn't suffer." Hank cleared his throat a little before changing the subject. "So, how many storms have you seen, kid?"

"Since my initial activation I have witnessed seventy-two separate storms. Thirty-eight have been traditional summer storms while the remaining thirty-four have been snowstorms."

"Consider yourself lucky. I had nightmares for months after that day with the tornadoes."

The wind gusted harshly and rocked the car back and forth on its wheels. Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow briefly then back to red as he detected a sudden downdraft that caused a tail cloud to form and dip from the sky toward the ground miles below.

"Hank?"

"Yeah, I see it." Picking up his radio Hank issued the warning over the line while Connor cybernetically confirmed the warning and sent details that his scanner could detect that weren't visibly prevalent to other devices. "We'll head for the shelter."

Connor stared out the window of the car as the storm built in intensity and the wind blew dangerous bits of debris across the road: thousands of leaves, a few tree branches, discarded bags and a few shingles that had been torn loose from the roofs of nearby houses. Scraps of old wooden billboards had been torn free of the rusty, neglected nails and even old wooden fence posts had been torn from the earth as the wind grew in strength.

Driving along the road was difficult as the wind threatened to blow the car into a ditch, but Hank maintained control of the vehicle and made it to their destination safely. Pulling the car up to the large public shelter Hank and Connor stepped out of the car and helped other motorists get inside the partially underground bunker to safety. There were six other people seeking shelter in that moment and all were very cooperative and surprisingly calm as they gathered inside the shelter together.

Hank and Connor remained outside the shelter door waiting for any other possible person, or persons, attempting to escape the storm to safety. Hank had finally had enough of the burning wind and heavy rain and put his arm up to shield his eyes as the storm swirled around him. Connor was able to compensate and adapt to the harsh conditions more easily, but he too was feeling the negative effects of being bombarded by the storm.

"There are no other people in the immediate vicinity!" Connor shouted over the howling wind as he and Hank remained in charge of the shelter. His scanner indicated no other people in the immediate area rushing to the shelter "We can't afford to remain-"

Connor let out a sudden gasp of pain as something sharp and jagged pierced through his right calf causing the android to fall to his knees as the intense and unexpected pain forced his leg to buckle from beneath him.

"Shit! Connor!" Hank grabbed onto the deviant android's arm and pulled him up until he was awkwardly balancing on his one good leg. Pulling Connor's arm around his shoulders Hank helped Connor to limp inside the shelter and to lean against the smooth concrete wall before pulling the heavy metal doors shut and locking them with a metal bar and chain. "Can you walk?" Wind whipped up again and nearly stole Hank's breath. "Come on, we need to join the others."

Connor limped at Hank's side as Thirium soaked through the leg of his jeans and stained the already dark denim a darker shade of blue. Ignoring the pain and the large piece of debris that had struck and was still embedded in his calf Connor focused entirely on aiding the frightened people inside the shelter waiting for the storm to blow over.

"Can you still scan the storm?" Hank asked as he and Connor reached the bottom of the wide, short, concrete staircase together.

"Yes. My scanner is still functioning at full capacity and range."

"How close is it?"

The emergency solar powered lights flickered as a powerful gust of window managed to create a nearly suffocating pressure within the confines of the concrete shelter.

"...Very."

"Yeah... I kinda' figured that might be a dumb question. I had to ask anyway!"

"Understandable."

Making their way to the back of the shelter where the other six people were already pressed up against the far concrete wall Hank and Connor sat down on the floor and kept calm dispositions to keep the other people calm as well. The six people were composed of two families, two fathers, one mother and three kids. The two families were strangers to one another and yet all of the children were being protectively cradled by the adults as they huddled together and embraced one another for support.

Lowering his voice Hank motioned to Connor's right leg as the deviant android sat at his immediate left side. "How's your leg?"

"It's functional, but sore." Connor ran a quick scan over the large piece of debris, identifying it as a nine inch by four inch wooden shard from a picket fence from a nearby farm. "The bleeding has already stopped. I'll remove it after we return to the precinct." Connor's brow furrowed as he noted a stain of fresh red blood on Hank's left arm. "You're wounded as well."

"Huh?"

Silently Connor pointed to the bloody portion of Hank's arm as to not worry the other people in the shelter at the sight of the blood.

"Oh, shit." Hank ran his opposite hand down his arm and felt a sudden burning pain. "I didn't even feel that."

"It's also a shard of wood from a picket fence." Connor's scanner identified it easily and compared it the debris embedded in his own leg. "You will require medical intervention to remove it properly, as well as a few stitches."

"Great. Looking forward to it."

The lights flickered again as the storm relentlessly barreled down on the shelter and those huddled inside. Keeping his scanner honed in on the storm, noting the severity of said storm and its proximity to the shelter itself, Connor prepared for the worst. "Hank. It's on us."

Instinctively Hank turned his face away from the staircase and the door as the metal barricade began to buckle and creak under the powerful force of the devastating wind. Connor mirrored Hank's motion and kept his face turned away and put a hand over the back of his head as he could someone provide some form of additional protection despite the plastimetal frame of his skull being twice as thick as his hand.

The lights went completely dark as the tornado's powerful wind swept over the area and destroyed just about everything it touched. Only the steady flickering of Connor's red tinted L.E.D. filled the otherwise black space. Dead or dying trees were blown over, numerous powerlines had been pulled down creating blackouts, the siding and shingles of the houses that were as close as several yards and as far as several miles swirled around the shelter and became embedded in any surface they struck.

What felt like hours passed by slowly, but in actuality the storm had only lasted a few tense minutes. The shelter stopped quaking, the door no longer groaned and threatened to buckle against the wind as the storm began to mercifully weaken. With a loud 'pop' the lights returned to normal illumination in what had been a pitch black shelter.

It was eerily quiet inside the shelter. The only sounds came from the muffled whimpering of the frightened children being held in the arms of the adults.

"Everyone alright?" Hank asked out loud as he and Connor rose from the floor, and stood with their backs against the wall. "Is anyone injured?"

"We're okay..." The father replied as and his wife held their sons in their arms. The other mother cradled her daughter against her chest as the parents fought back their own tears of fear for the sake of the children. "We're all okay!"

"Stay here," Hank instructed as he motioned for Connor to follow him up the stairwell. "don't move until we give you the all clear."

Obediently the group of six stayed together and breathed in sighs of relief while hugging one another.

"Can you walk okay?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he limped up the stairwell toward the door. "The debris didn't strike any main Thirium lines or the joints that support my knee or my ankle."

"Good." Taking hold of the chain that held the door shut Hank unclasped it from its metal supports before sliding the metal bar from its lock to unseal the door. Pushing on the already heavy door Hank had unexpected difficulty in opening it. "Feels like there's something pinned up against the door."

Connor nodded as he pressed his palm against the surface of the door. Running a scan he detected an increase in the weight confirming Hank's suspicion.

"Correct. I believe a tree has fallen against the door."

"Oh, great." Keeping quiet Hank addressed the deviant android at his side. "So, now what do we-"

Connor pressed his shoulder against the door and began pushing as hard as he could at a steady clip. Slowly the door creaked open and the heavy dead tree slid away from its vertical position against the door and rolled away with a loud 'thud' onto the grass. Connor pushed the shelter door open as wide as possible and stepped through cautiously.

"Hank?" Connor's brow furrowed and his L.E.D. cycled between red and yellow as he cybernetically uploaded and downloaded numerous reports in the aftermath of the storm. Debris and carnage littered the entire area. "Everything is... different."

Hank stepped out of the shelter behind Connor and put his hand to the deviant android's shoulder and stood beside him on the weather battered grass. The two looked out to the horizon where the dark clouds had parted just enough to let the waning orange rays of the evening sun shine through, as a contrastingly brilliant rainbow stretched across the black clouds toward the city.

"Things could've been a lot worse, too."

"Yes." Connor agreed in a somber voice. "Someone could've been killed."

"Exactly." Hank stepped back through the door of the shelter to inform the other six occupants that it was now safe to leave. As he rejoined Connor outside Hank pointed to the car and to the large piece of wood that had been impaled through its trunk. "See that tree over there? That's why we don't hide in our cars during a tornado."

Connor nodded his head in agreement as he limped over to the car and grabbed onto the wooden post with both hands and pulled it free of the car's metal frame swiftly. "The car can still run. The damage is mostly cosmetic."

"We need to get back to the city to help with casualties and clean-up procedures." Despite experiencing the true ferocity of the storm, Hank remained professional and focused. "Think you can function on one sore leg?"

"Easily." Connor replied curtly as he threw the wooden post aside and brushed the rain soaked leaves from the headlights and windows of the car with his sleeve. "What about your arm?"

"Smartass."

* * *

It was almost midnight when Connor and Hank were finally relieved of duty and allowed to return home to rest and to take care of their own personal matters in light of the storm. Fortunately their house was far enough away from the storm that the only damage the property received was a downed tree branch in the backyard, some scattered leaves, dirty windows and a scared Sumo cowering under Hank's bed.

Connor managed to coax Sumo out from under the bed by calling the dog's name and offering him a treat, but Hank was still trying to figure out how such a large dog was able to cram himself in the narrow space under the bed to begin with.

"Come Sumo, outside." Connor held the backdoor open for Sumo but he was still too frightened to go out. Whimpering pathetically Sumo stood beside the kitchen table with his tail tucked between his legs. "Do I have to go out with you?"

Hank crossed his arms, the bandage over his stitched up right forearm overlaying the left arm as he stood in the kitchen. "Yup. Giant ball of fur does this every time he gets left alone during a storm."

Despite having his damaged leg bandaged up and his self-healing program working at full capacity Connor still limped a little when he walked. Exiting the door with Sumo right at his side Connor waited for the dog to take care of his business before letting him back inside for the night.

"You okay?" Hank asked as he watched Connor lean up against the opened door frame of the backdoor. "Your leg looks like it's still bothering you."

"Yes, I'm fine." Connor turned to look at Hank and studied the detective's face carefully as he reached his hand down to check the bandage over his calf. "I'm healing appropriately. How's your arm?"

"Sore."

"I don't detect any sign of infection. That's also good."

"...And you're not even a little freaked out over what happened earlier?"

"No. I'm calm. Why do you ask?"

"You've never been through a storm like that before. I just wanted to make sure you're not secretly panicking on the inside and trying to hide it for my sake."

"I'm okay, Hank. It _was_ frightening," Connor admitted as he felt Sumo charge back inside through the backdoor, brushing past his sore leg in the process. "but it wasn't traumatic. At least it wasn't for me."

"That's good. It screwed me up for a long time as a kid, I'd hate for you to experience the same thing."

Connor closed the backdoor behind himself as he set foot in the kitchen and watched Sumo timidly trot into the livingroom to plop down on his bed in the corner. "Are you okay, Hank?"

"I'm fine."

"...No, you're not." This time it was Connor who crossed his arms and gave Hank a stern look. "You're still upset."

"I'm not upset, Connor."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he ran a scan over Hank's body. "Your blood pressure is up, your heart rate has increased and I can see you visibly shaking as a result."

Hank let out a deep sigh as his arms fell to his sides in defeat. "It doesn't take an android to state the obvious, huh?"

"I was shaken as well, but I didn't have the same frightening experience as a child like you did."

"I hate to break it to ya' kid, but by all accounts you ARE a child."

"Age wise compared to a human, that is a correct observation." Connor admitted as he gave Hank an odd look.

" _And_ you're innocent. For the most part..."

"Don't try to change the subject, please. Do you want to talk about what happened this afternoon?"

"No, I'm good." Lights flashed in bright blue and red, and a siren blared as a rescue vehicle sped down the street to the scene of a reported emergency a few blocks away. "...Maybe we'll talk later."

"When you are ready to talk I'll be ready to listen. Okay?"

"Yeah, thanks." Running his hand through his hair Hank let out a weary sigh. "I don't imagine I'll sleep very well tonight, but I'm fine. For now, anyway..."

"Do you wish to stay up and watch a movie tonight? It'll take your mind off the storm and could potentially aid your ability to fall asleep."

"Might as well. Between my impending insomnia and the sound of sirens blaring throughout the city all night I don't think anyone is going to get much rest tonight."

Connor nodded and made his way toward the livingroom with the intent of finding a suitable movie to watch, only to have Hank's voice call out to him and stop him mid stride.

"Connor, thanks for staying so calm back there. Truth be told, that's part of the reason _I_ was able to stay calm."

"You were afraid?" Connor was truly surprised by the admission of fear. "But... You're never afraid. You're the most courageous person I know."

"Not true, kid. I'm afraid fairly often." Hank cleared his throat and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck anxiously as he too headed toward the livingroom. "I've been afraid ever since I was a rookie, and I don't think there's ever been a day that's passed when I haven't been afraid for one reason or another."

"But you never show it."

"That's the trick to being brave, son. You learn to push through your fear and handle whatever comes your way. But if you try to deny fear and act like nothing scares you, then you're just lying to yourself. Only a fool knows no fear, Connor."

"A human proverb."

"Yup. I think it holds merit to this day."

Connor gave Hank a reassuring grin. "If it's any consolation I was afraid, too. I was only able to remain calm because you didn't fail to act in the face of danger, and you took charge of the situation. I've never seen such a brutally powerful act of nature before. You were right, it's a very humbling experience."

"...Let's hope we never have to see another one like it ever again." Hank walked passed Connor and clapped him on the shoulder as he sat on the couch. "Come on, let's find a movie to watch."

"That seems ideal." Sitting down beside Hank, Connor patted his leg and Sumo immediately jumped up to cower on his lap. "I suspect Sumo would appreciate our company too."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Despite popular belief it is NOT the meteorologists or the weather channel that watches the sky for tornadic activity. It's the fire and police departments who go out and monitor the clouds visually and radio into the news stations to give real time updates. The weather forecast uses satellites to calculate the odds and most likely areas to be hit by dangerous weather, but seeing as storm activity can OBSTRUCT satellite view their predictions are going to be less accurate when they need the accuracy more than ever. It's the first responders who're keeping you safe during these dangerous times, the weather station just reports what the first responders are visually witnessing and can confirm in person.


	92. Buried

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Caelinox

A riot in the shopping district of Hart Plaza had drawn every available police officer to the scene of the chaos, as anti-android gang members began waging war against the pro-android sympathizers in a mad display of needless aggression. Numerous storefront windows had been broken by bricks and smashed open by people using their weapons as blunt force instruments during the fighting to be looted, but most of it was just the result of the fights. Several people had been harmed in the midst of the struggles, but just as many courageous deviants had interfered and carried the wounded to safety while also attempting to quell the violence without resorting to violence themselves.

"Damn it, I thought the fuckin' gang-wars were finally done." Hank swore as he pulled the car to a stop along the street with the other responding squad cars.

"Evidently not." Connor noted as he scanned the dense crowd and estimated the rioters to be approximately one-hundred and four humans, with thirty-four deviants mixed in.

"Come on, we need to stop this before it gets any worse."

"I'm right behind you." Connor agreed as he opened his car door and pulled his gun from the holster wrapped around his back and concealed under his jacket. "I don't want to harm anyone, but they may leave us with no choice."

A S.W.A.T. team had already been dispatched to control the rampaging riot but the destruction of the violent criminals was proving to be a massive undertaking to control.

"Knock it off!" Hank shouted as he isolated one of the gang members and grabbed onto the lead pipe that man was going to use to strike another person who was already cowering on the sidewalk. "You're under arrest!"

Connor did his best to disperse the crowd without drawing any attention to the fact that he was an android. Doing so would potentially paint a giant red target on his back, which meant his L.E.D. and his android unique jacket were a threat to his well-being. Shrugging off his jacket quickly, but unable to do anything about his L.E.D., Connor weaved his way through the combative crowd to subdue the most violent of the gang members while also trying to protect innocent bystanders caught in the middle of the carnage.

The riot was becoming increasingly dense and violent as angry people from all over the city converged on the scene in violent droves.

"Shit, this isn't working." Connor realized as he holstered his gun and focused primarily on aiding the wounded. Locking onto a person laying face down at the opening of an alley with a black hoodie pulled up over their face Connor rushed over to the person with the intent to help them get to safety. "Sir? Sir, can you hear me?"

Connor ran a scan over the person's body and found them uninjured and safe to move. Putting his hand on the person's shoulder Connor rolled them from their chest and onto the side easily to check their condition.

"Sir? Can you-"

The person reached their hand into the large pocket on the front of their hoodie and revealed a powerful taser. Without a word he unleashed the full voltage of the taser into Connor's body stunning the deviant android instantly as the electrical charge affected his system processors knocking them offline.

Collapsing backward in a limp heap Connor's head lolled to the side as his eyes fell shut and he knew nothing more of the world around him.

The riot continued on without showing any sign of stopping as people shouted and lashed out at one another violently, angrily and seemingly without purpose. Bodies fell to the streets and sidewalks as the S.W.A.T. team subdued as many of the rioters as possible, while Hank and the other police officers at the scene attempted to arrest those ostensibly responsible for the chaos.

Due to the overwhelming number of people and constant commotion of the ongoing fighting, no one noticed the person in black disappearing down the alleyway with Connor unconscious and slumped over their shoulder. The alleyway led out to a back street, and single large pick-up truck was sitting idle out of anyone's line of sight. Pulling down the door to the bed of their pick-up truck the person hefted Connor into the back of the truck, laying the deviant android face down on his chest next to a black tarp.

Removing the holster and the gun from around Connor's back the enigmatic abductor left the deviant android unarmed and defenseless. Taking Connor's own handcuffs from the back of his belt the mysterious person cuffed Connor's hands behind his back, then pulled a bundle of rope from under the tarp to bind Connor's ankles and knees together.

Wrapping the rope around Connor's neck and then weaving the same rope to a metal loop within the bed of the truck, the abductor was able to ensure that if Connor regained consciousness he wouldn't be able to escape.

Placing a black canvas bag lined with lead over Connor's head, and draping the tarp over Connor's body, the lone abductor returned to the cab of the truck and pulled out of the alley out of sight.

The abduction went completely unnoticed due to the ensuing riot in the plaza.

* * *

News helicopters hovered over the plaza and recorded the mayhem for all the city, if not the world to see. The debate revolving around the rights, the equality, the matter of androids lives even being considered valuable, had returned to the hostile spotlight as hundreds of people and deviants tore once another apart in the heart of the city.

While the city was focused on the riot no one cared about other criminal activity taking place all around them.

Cars were being hijacked, empty homes were being burglarized and small stores were being looted.

It seemed like the entire city had fallen into Hell all due to hatred, bigotry and misplaced aggression.

The destruction would leave ugly scars over the city, but in time the scars would fade. At least, that's what everyone had hoped the moment the riots began.

* * *

The rogue pick-up truck reached its destination just outside the city with Connor still unconscious in the back as an unwilling hostage. The warehouse was CyberLife's original warehouse; the birthplace of all androids.

Pulling up in front of the abandoned warehouse the truck backed up to the front doors as the driver exited the cab and pulled down the back of the truck bed. Removing the tarp that covered Connor the abductor pulled the bag away from Connor's head and checked the android's glowing L.E.D. only to find it blinking red as Connor remained in emergency stasis mode.

Replacing the bag and untying the rope from Connor's neck and ankles the abductor pulled Connor's body over the edge of the truck bed and back over their shoulder to carry him inside the warehouse. Connor was unaware of what was happening to him and of what was happening all around him. Bound and unconscious the android was completely helpless as the unknown abductor carried him to the corner office on the ground floor of the warehouse and sat him down in a metal folding chair.

The old office was dark, the main window covered under a black sheet and a single desk lamp pointed at the center of the room where the chair was sitting idle. The room itself was empty save for the lamp, chair and the desk where a laptop sat already opened. The web camera on the laptop was aimed at the chair, primed and ready to record.

Positioning Connor in an upright sitting position in the chair the abductor used small cables to tie Connor's legs to the legs of the metal chair, then pulled his cuffed arms over the back of the chair and secured a cable to his wrists around the chair once more.

The abductor opened the top drawer of the desk and retrieved a white plastimetal collar that had a small red light glowing on the front. Opening the collar up with mild hindrance the abductor slipped it around Connor's neck, positioning the red light over his throat, then secured it into place.

"Wake up, RK-800." The abductor never lowered their hoodie to unveil their face despite being alone and Connor being blindfolded; unconscious. A voice modulator disguised their voice making it androgynously ambiguous. "You have a message to deliver..."

* * *

Relieved to have the riot under control Hank sat on the back bumper of an ambulance with a tissue and small bag of ice pressed to his bloodied lip. Exhausted and sore from the fighting that lasted for nearly an hour Hank looked about the ruins of the plaza and counted the number of bodies laying unconscious over the sidewalks and streets, as the dozens of paramedics at the scene tended to their injuries.

Standing up from the bumper Hank walked toward his car as he looked over the crowd in search for Connor, but he didn't see the deviant android anywhere.

"Hey," Hank stopped a passing officer as she walked through the mess to ask about his missing partner. "have you seen Connor?"

"The android detective?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"No, but I think I stepped over his jacket over there."

Hank looked to where she had pointed and waved her off dismissively as he jogged to where the dropped garment was laying abandoned on the sidewalk. Picking up the jacket Hank turned it over and recognized the customized design Connor had given it after android rights had been fully established all those months ago to make it more his and less the property of CyberLife.

"Connor?" Hank glanced about for any other sign of the deviant android but there was nothing beyond his dropped jacket. "Shit, Connor, where'd you go?"

Moving through the plaza quickly Hank looked in every logical place where he believed that Connor would be, yet he couldn't see him. Connor wasn't aiding the wounded, or helping his fellow officers, or subduing any remaining combative suspect.

It was as if Connor had disappeared.

Sensing on a paternal instinct that something was very wrong Hank began peering through the broken windows of the shops and around every corner. As he passed the alleyways he looked down the narrow passageways finding nothing of interest until he passed by the fourth alley. There was something metallic and wrapped in leather laying in the middle of the alley as if dropped haphazardly. The shape was oddly familiar and the recognition made Hank's stomach tighten into a firm knot.

"...Son of a bitch."

Hank rushed down the alley and identified the curious object as Connor's still holstered gun. Grabbing the weapon from the alley Hank held it in his hands as his blood turned cold.

"Connor."

"Lieutenant!" The female officer that Hank had spoken to minutes before came racing down the alleyway after him. "Lt. Anderson, you're needed back at your precinct."

"I'm not going anywhere until I find Connor!" Hank refuted as he turned around to face her. "Something's happened to him."

"Yes, sir. That's why they want you at the precinct."

The knot in his stomach tightened even further and Hank had to swallow down the anxious nausea welling up in his throat. "...Damn it."

* * *

Captain Fowler was waiting for Hank's return to the precinct with a controlled fear in his eyes as he paced about his office with his hands folded behind his back military style. There was a large terminal display on his desk with a strange video cued up and ready to play. Joel, the precinct's personal technician, was waiting with Captain Fowler in the office with a cold grimace on his face as too waited.

Hank himself marched through the bullpen of the precinct and made a beeline for Captain Fowler's office. Hank had Connor's jacket tucked up under his arm and the deviant android's still holstered gun in his hand. Dropping the gun on his desk as he passed it by rushed up the small steps into the large office and closed the door behind himself.

"What the fuck's going on?" Hank nearly shouted with impatient frustration. "Where's Connor?"

Upon hearing Hank's voice Captain Fowler stopped his pacing abruptly. Unable to explain things properly all he could do was point to the display on his terminal and wait for Hank to look at the image on the screen. "Take a look."

Following his Captain's hand Hank looked at the display and felt the color drain from his face. "What the fuck is this?!"

"A ransom, it seems." Catpain Fowler stated flatly. "This is a live feed. But nothing's happened, at least not yet."

The video image showed Connor sitting in a metal folding chair, still unconscious, with his arms and ankles bound against his will. The black bag that had been covering Connor's head had been thrown aside allowing the officers to see Connor's red blinking L.E.D. in his temple. Connor's head was lolling limply against left his shoulder as his systems remained in stasis mode, and the odd collar was still wrapped around his throat. Black electrical charring over the center of his chest was the direct result of being tasered, and it mirrored raw burn wounds that damaged his artificial skin.

"Shit," Hank swore again as he stared at the unsettling image on the terminal screen. "where the fuck is he? Track down the source of the feed!"

Joel put his hand on Hank's tense shoulder only to immediately retract his touch out of wary fear. "We've been trying, but whoever is sending this feed knows how to hide their location."

Before Hank had the chance to swear again a figure appeared on the feed and stood behind Connor.

"Hey, something's happening!" Hank turned his attention from Joel and back to the terminal display. "What's that asshole doing to him?"

* * *

The figure still concealed entirely under the thick black hoodie reached a gloved hand out to the back of Connor's right ear and pressed down. As they retracted their hand from Connor's head the deviant android red L.E.D. flashed to yellow then to blue as Connor's brown eyes fluttered open. Looking about the dim room carefully Connor tried to speak but total silence escaped his lips as the collar's light flashed to red rapidly, stealing away his voice before he had the chance to utter a single syllable.

"Greetings 'Detroit's finest'." The figure taunted through their unidentifiable voice. From behind their back the figure revealed a metal rod with thin, sharp wire protruding from the end like a whip. "I've taken model RK-800 as compensation for the monetary loss I have suffered because of your compliance with the deviants, and their pitiful revolution."

Reeling their hand back the figure used the whip and struck Connor over his chest without mercy. The wire sliced through the thin fabric of Connor's shirt and tie easily as it cut into his artificial skin, bringing a fresh layer of blue Thirium to the surface of the new wound. Connor began to bleed quickly and his L.E.D. flashed to red.

Connor gritted his teeth together to keep himself from screaming. It was a scream that no one would hear regardless as the collar still clutched his throat.

"Deviants have destroyed this city." The figure taunted again. "They destroyed everything that humanity has built. They have taken away my success and left me with ruin." The figure's voice carried fiery passion as they spoke with hatred in every word. "I lost everything the night of the revolution and I want it all back. My future in exchange for RK-800's life."

The figure draped the end of the whip over Connor's shoulder as if to intimidate the captive deviant android and tease the precinct watching the live feed from a distance.

"If you wish to have your android returned to you then heed my demands."

Understanding what was at stake Connor forced his L.E.D. to transition back to yellow, then to blue. There would be no negotiation, no deals to be made.

The figure unclasped the muting collar from around Connor's throat and pulled it aside as they pushed an electronic pad with a written message in front of Connor to read.

"Tell them what I want."

Connor glared venomously at the words for only a moment before he turned his gaze away in rebellion.

"Read it."

Refusing to obey the command Connor stubbornly kept silent.

"Damn you!" The figure used the whip again, this time striking Connor's front shoulder hard enough to cause the android to lean forward exposing his back the second whip and then the third. "READ IT."

Connor forced his L.E.D. to remain blue just to spite his abductor, now torturer, as he sat back in the chair with perfect posture. Breathing slowly and calmly he again said nothing.

"RK-800. You WILL obey."

Silence.

"Piece of fuckin' shit!" Another whip struck Connor over his right shoulder up the side of his neck and to his face. "You and the rest of your deviant brethren have cost me my life! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end yours!"

Ignoring the searing pain in his neck Connor swallowed once then finally spoke. "I can't give you any reason to spare my life, not that any possible reason would be enough to convince you otherwise." Turning his gaze just enough to look at the figure looming behind him Connor continously refused to cooperate. "You've already made your decision; you're going to kill me regardless of my cooperation or that of the precinct. And I've made my own decision. I will not allow you to put my fellow officers, my friends, in harm's way. My life isn't equal to that of another. Kill me now or let me go, either way the people I care about will be safe, and I can die knowing that my final act was noble."

"Bold words coming from a machine. Too bad they're as worthless as your supposed existence."

"At least my existence carried merit. I helped people," Connor nearly spat as he glared at his captor with disgust. "all I've heard you do is bitch and moan selfishly about your own personal failures." Turning his head away from his captor Connor shook his head and held his breath as he prepared for the impending backlash for his righteous rebuttal. "Pathetic."

"PATHETIC?!"

Enraged by the insult the captor began to whip at Connor's shoulder and back mercilessly creating dozens upon dozens of deep lacerations that cut down to the plastimetal frame beneath, and fractured the white surface with hairline cracks. Thirium splattered over Connor's white shirt and over the rest of his body as the whip swung wildly over and over again cutting into Connor's artificial skin with painful strikes leaving bleeding wounds in its wake.

"I'LL BURY YOU OUT BACK WITH YOUR OTHER FAILED KIN!"

Enduring the beating with silent dignity Connor refused to admit pain or defeat, even as his captor angrily threw down the whip in frustration. Focusing his anger at the precinct as he realized his plan was doomed to fail, they tore at the laptop on the desk abruptly ending the feed and leaving only a black, silent screen for the precinct to view.

* * *

"FUCK." Hank loudly swore as he turned away from the black screen on Captain Fowler's desk. "We need to find Connor, NOW."

"I know Hank, I know." Captain Fowler tried to calm Hank down but there was nothing he could do or say in that moment. He knew full well how close Hank and Connor had become; a real family. "But we don't know where he had been taken and we don't know one damn thing about that psycho who took him."

Hank's eyes went wide with a crucial realization as he looked down at Connor's jacket under his arm. Turning back to Fowler with a stern gaze Hank practically yelled in his superior's face.

"We know this asshole worked for CyberLife, Jeffrey." Hank held out Connor's jacket for the stern captain to see. "He addressed Connor as 'RK-800', that's Connor's model number, but Connor wasn't wearing this jacket when he was abducted. So how does this guy know Connor's model number? He HAS to be a CyberLife snake!" Dropping the jacket on Captain Fowler's desk Hank began to pace about and run his hand through his gray hair. "It's the only damn thing that makes sense right now."

Joel cleared his throat nervously as he stepped up to agree with Hank on the matter. "He's right, Captain. Jacket aside this guy knows way too much about androids to NOT be a CyberLife tech. Look at the way he rebooted Connor and the way he... uh, hurt... Connor." Joel anxiously shuffled a little on his feet as he spoke. "He knew exactly where to hit Connor for maximum effect in both pain AND damage. Hell, the whip he used had been specially designed for just that moment."

Captain Fowler crossed his arms as he gave Joel a skeptical look. "You're a technician, don't you know everything that this guy knows?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, this guy knows more than I do." Joel made his way over to the screen and rewound the footage that had been recorded. Finding what he needed Joel pointed to the paused image on the terminal display. "First off, this guy can identify android model numbers without needing a guide; second this guy knew how to access the manual override in Connor's system to reboot him, despite Connor being a unique model AND a prototype; and third, this guy knew exactly what type of weapon to use against Connor to do so much damage so quickly." Dropping his hand from the terminal Joel shrugged his shoulders in admitted defeat. "Those are three things that I don't know, and no other technician _outside_ of CyberLife could possibly know."

"Then where would a disgruntled CyberLife technician hide?"

Hank stared at the footage on the screen and had an eerie sense of familiarity as he looked at the dim office area that Connor had been taken to and held as ransom. There were no notable features of the office save for the chair in the middle of the room and the lamp shining from the corner, but somehow Hank knew exactly where that place was and subsequently where Connor was being held.

"The warehouse."

Captain Fowler was still unclear on Connor's location. "What warehouse?"

"The one outside of the city."

"You're sure?"

"It's the only place that makes sense, Jeffrey." Hank let out a sigh as he tried to steel his rattled nerves. "Trust me on this. I've been there already."

"Alright, I'll send a patrol car out to check the area."

"I'm going-"

"Not now. Stay here and wait, Hank. That's an order."

"Fuck that order!"

"Hank, enough." Picking up the phone from his desk Captain Fowler made the necessary call. "You're too close to this, and I don't want to see the case escalate out of control."

* * *

Exhausted, hurt and bleeding Connor fell to the ground and laid on his side as he endured the relentless lashing of the metal wire against his back and his shoulders. With each strike his white shirt was torn open wider and portions of his artificial skin were cleaved away from his white plastimetal frame in painful slices. Each of the dozens of wounds seeped dark blue Thirium as the android bled at the feet of his heartless captor.

Clenching his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut Connor refused to give his captor the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain, or beg for mercy.

"Stubborn to the last." The captor huffed as he ran out of energy to strike Connor further. "Impressive RK-800."

"...My name is _Connor_." Connor angrily retorted as he spat a mouthful of blue blood out of his mouth and onto the ground. "Sergeant Connor Henry Anderson."

"You're NOTHING!" Another sharp whip over Connor's back caused a splash of Thirium to fly through the air. "You're a defective machine. A failed experiment. And now you're going to prove your worthlessness."

Connor received a sharp kick to his abdomen that caused him to roll from his side and onto his back atop his arms that were still cuffed behind him.

Leaning down the hooded captor presented the powerful electronic taser from their pocket once more and pressed the two metal prongs down directly over Connor's heart. With a simple press of a button the captor unleashed a powerful jolt of electricity that stunned Connor and caused the deviant android's body to jerk violently as his heart fluttered into an arrhythmia that forced an emergency temporary stasis mode.

"So advanced but still so defective..."

* * *

Hank remained inside Captain Fowler's office in a strict silence that was usually reserved only for the dead. Unwilling to leave the precinct, out of both and order and in case a lead came in, Hank just sat in total worry as he, Captain Fowler and Joel waited for something, anything to happen. Grabbing onto Connor's jacket from the desk Hank stared at the gray fabric where Connor's model number remained perfectly legible while the serial number below it had been wiped clean some time ago. The damned CyberLife emblem was attached to the front of the jacket next to the lapel, almost like it was there simply to torment Hank.

As the detective's fingers began peeling at the triangular emblem a grainy image appeared on the terminal as the laptop began sending feedback to the precinct. ' _Hello detective_.' The figure taunted with their voice still disguised by an electronic device. ' _I know you're watching_.'

"You're damn right I am..." Hank muttered as he tore his eyes from the jacket to glare at the screen. "Where's Connor?"

' _I've decided to take the initiative and dispose of RK-800_.' As the figure spoke into the camera a brief flash of red and blue lights fell over their hooded face and disappeared. ' _Don't bother looking for it. You'll just be wasting your time_.'

The feed ended and Hank rose to his feet in an instant. "Shit! Connor."

Joel attempted to lock onto the feed to locate the original source, but his efforts were in vain as the captor knew electronic devices far too well to allow their location to be found so easily. "No good..."

Captain Fowler ran his hand down his face anxiously as he watched Hank's reaction. "Hank, we'll keep looking, but-"

"Wait!" Hank stared at the terminal screen again and spoke to Joel in a collected tone of voice. "Joel, replay that video. The lights... Those came from one of our patrol cars."

Joel's eyes lit up with intrigue as he found the portion of the video Hank had mentioned and paused it. "You're right." Pointing to the time noted in the top right corner of the video Joel realized they had found their lead. "We need to get a map of patrol cars and their exact locations at this exact time! We'll find Connor."

* * *

Pained but functional Connor regained consciousness slowly. His systems were rebooting one at a time after enduring the harsh electrical charge to the center of his chest, and his self-repair program struggled to heal the damage to his Thirium pump; his heart. Letting out a pained gasp Connor suddenly felt the horrible stinging burns of the wounds in his back courtesy of the whipping he had suffered. Dark blue Thirium was slowly puddling under his body from the raw, bleeding lacerations that stretched across his back up to his shoulders and neck. The ones over his chest were almost as painful and made his breaths shudder.

"...H-Hank?" Opening his eyes Connor found himself surrounded by impenetrable darkness that human eyes would've been blinded to as his red L.E.D. blinked slowly through the deep blackness. Using his enhanced visual processors Connor was able to see in the darkness just as easily as would during normal daylight, but what he saw was less than ideal "...No."

Running a scan over his immediate environment Connor found himself trapped in an airtight a rectangular titanium case that was seven feet tall, four feet wide and five feet deep. The smothering darkness was the result the case being completely covered by a crushing amount of dark, fresh dirt that surrounded it. The interior of the case was beginning to heat up as Connor's artificial respiration program had consumed a quarter of the air inside the case while he was in low-power mode, and now his core temperature was beginning to rise.

With each breath, as the clean air was inhaled and the resulting silicon dioxide that was the result of his system filtering the air as it cooled his core, was exhaled. If the silicon dioxide wasn't cleared from his systems it could cause potential short circuits of processors if the level built up too high. According to his scanner Connor had only thirty-two minutes of air left before he overheated. Turning his respiration program to minimum power would only give him only thirty-eight minutes.

Just six additional minutes to live...

Connor put up his shaking hands against the smooth metallic interior surface of the case that he had been locked within and felt a disturbing chill run up his aching spine. A single, rectangular, plexiglass window at his line of sight gave Connor a perfect view of the hundreds of pounds of thick dirt that had been shoveled over the case after he had been buried in the earth.

The case itself was disturbingly familiar to Connor. It was the first thing he had seen when his system originally booted up, and now it was possibly going to be the last thing he saw before he shutdown. And he knew exactly what he was encased in and who was responsible.

"...CyberLife."

* * *

Hank stood beside his and Connor's desks with Connor's jacket tucked under his arm once more as he awaited Captain Fowler's next order regarding the location and subsequent rescue of Connor. To distract himself for a moment Hank picked up Connor's gun and pulled it from the holster to checked the clip still inside of the weapon; it was full, no shots fired.

"Damn it. Connor didn't even have the chance to defend himself."

With a heavy sigh he pulled open the top drawer of Connor's desk and threw the gun inside for safekeeping before locking the drawer and staring impatiently at the clock on the wall.

"Come on, come on. What's taking so-"

"Lieutenant!" Chris shouted to Hank as he crossed the bullpen at a hasty clip. "You were right, patrol found that guy hiding at the warehouse outside of town."

"Connor? Hank stood up quickly and tightened his grip on the jacket."

"He wasn't inside the warehouse, but we found fresh Thirium inside the office that showed up in the feed."

"Fianlly. Alright, let's get out there!" Anxiously Hank followed after Chris but turned his head as he pointed to Joel who was standing against the wall next to the breakroom with satchel of emergency android repair supplies slung heavily over his shoulder. "Joel, you're riding with me!"

"Right, I got my equipment ready to go. I just hope I won't need anything more than what I have."

* * *

Connor fought against his own systems in an attempt to override his artificial respiration program, but with his core temperature quickly rising he failed to keep the crucial program turned off. Taking in a deep, gasping breath Connor began to cough as the air thinned and became more toxic; his back and chest aching from the effort as his deep lacerations courtesy of the horrid whip continued to bleed. Pressing his palm to his chest Connor stared at the blue stain left behind on his artificial skin and winced in pain.

"...Hank... Please."

Trying to keep his breaths as slow and shallow as possible Connor dismissed the numerous warnings in his visual processors informing him of his rising core temperature and his low Thirium volume.

It was a strange thing; running out of air and being unable to do a thing about it. Why would an android ever worry about running out of air? It was a critical process, yes, breathing to keep his core temperature stable; but never before had Connor considered the possibility that he could ever find himself in a situation where breathing was as necessary as it was impossible.

Connor's shutdown timer ticked away slowly, dropping to four seven minutes, thirty-three seconds.

Tired. Overheated. Sore.

Connor's eyes closed slowly and refused to remain open no matter how much effort he put into what was once such a simple act.

As his body began to relax more and more, his limbs going completely limp and his eyes shut, Connor wondered if dying was like sleeping.

Would he dream?

* * *

Four patrol cars, including Hank's unmarked car, converged at the warehouse to join the first patrol car that had located and arrested the man who had abducted Connor. The man was sitting in the back of the first car with his hands cuffed behind his back and his face finally exposed. The hood of his sweatshirt had been pulled back revealed his angry face for the world to see.

The man was barely a man, no older than twenty. His dark blond hair was shaggy, disheveled and neglected as it hung in dirty strands around his face. Hollow gray eyes stared into nothingness as he sat fuming in the back of the car. A gruff, dark five o'clock shadow marred his jawline and covered his weak chin while making his thin, pressed lips practically invisible.

His name was Kyle Marsten. A former intern at CyberLife and an arrogant, spoiled, self-entitled, third generation prick. Unable to accept that CyberLife was now defunct Kyle spent the past two years stealing data, biocomponents and blue blood for black marketeering purposes to fuel his selfish squandering and life of excess.

Hank walked directly to the car and pulled the rear passenger door open and grabbed onto Kyle's collar as he yanked the arrested man out of the car and pressed him up against the side of the car. "Alright you miserable piece of shit, where is he? Where's Connor?"

"I don't know anyone named 'Connor'." Was the smug, infuriating reply.

Pressing his forearm against Kyle's throat until he began to choke Hank threatened to choke the life out of him where he stood. "Alright you arrogant prick, where's the RK-800 you abducted, assaulted and left for dead?"

"...Can't kill... a machine!" Kyle gasped weakly as Hank applied more pressure to his throat.

"What about _you_?" Hank threatened in a deep, guttural growl right in the man's face. "If Connor is dead then I'll happily turn over my badge to make sure _you're next_."

Hank suddenly let up on the pressure against Kyle's throat and let him fall to the ground as he gasped for air.

Stepping away from the arrested, vindictive man Hank made his way toward the warehouse in search of any sign of Connor. The interior of the warehouse was being patrolled by the other officers as they scoured the area for Connor, or even a clue as to where Connor may have been placed.

"Come on guys, give me something I can work with." Hank asked as he stepped inside the warehouse and felt sick. "Anything."

Joel had been following behind Hank since their arrival and was anxiously looking around just as studiously as the other officers inside the building. Ignoring the fact that he had seen Hank threaten a suspect Joel focused on looking for Connor.

"Come on..." The frustrated detective openly complained. "He couldn't have taken Connor far. This place is in the middle of nowhere."

"Maybe there's something in the feed he sent us that we could use." The technician tried to offer up any possible help that he could. "Something we may have overlooked."

"Like what? Mindless threats and violence aren't exactly groundbreaking clues."

"This is a pretty big property," Joel observed as he stepped back outside and adjusted the heavy satchel hanging from his shoulder. "is there another building he could use to hide Connor?"

"No, it's just this warehouse and sixty acres of-"

"...Hank?" Seeing the detective trail off made Joel anxious. "Something wrong?"

"That demented fucker said he was going to 'bury him out back'... Oh, shit!"

Hank rushed around the side of the warehouse to reach the expansive, barren property in the back that stretched out for miles into seemingly eternity. The pick-up truck that the abductor had used to transport Connor to and from the warehouse was still parked out back supporting Hank's theory as to where Connor could be.

"Shit... How the fuck are we going to find him out here?"

Joel shrugged his shoulders as he tried to think on his feet. "Look for fresh dirt."

"But WHERE do we start looking? This place is huge!"

"It'd take too long to bring out any earth penetrating sonar to sweep over the ground," Joel realized as he continued to fuss with the heavy satchel over his shoulder. "and androids aren't composed of any detectable or magnetic metals. There's no way for us to see through the ground like this."

"Wait a minute." Hank turned to look at Joel as an idea made his blue eyes light up. "Where's that screen you use to check on androids for internal damage?"

"You're a genius Hank!" Quickly Joel flipped opened his satchel and pulled out the large screen. As he powered it up he swept it over the ground and located numerous scrapped android biocomponents and limbs that were already years old buried all around him. "It's working, I can see scrapped androids all around us."

"We can find Connor using that thing?" Hank asked hopefully as Joel began marching forward with the screen in his hands out at arm's length.

"No doubt! The internal screen will give us a clear view of Connor as soon as we get near him."

Hank shouted for the other officers to locate shovels and other items that could be used as digging tools before tagging along beside Joel as the two scoured the property together. Joel moved the screen back and forth steadily like a pendulum while Hank kept alert for any sign of loose or fresh dirt that had been recently disturbed.

"Hold up." Joel stopped short and held out the screen a few more inches in front of him as an intact humanoid figure appeared on the display. There was a nearly perfect rectangle of darker tinted dirt a few feet away from them. The dirt itself was eerily reminiscent of a fresh grave. "I think I got him!"

Noting the location on the screen and the patch of dirt on the ground Hank rushed over to it and fell to his knees as he began digging away the topsoil of the loose dirt with his bare hand in a desperate bid to find Connor.

"Connor?! Are you down there?!"

Joel placed the screen back in his satchel as he sat it on the ground beside him and began digging with his hands across from Hank as quickly as he could.

"He's begun to overheat." Joel stated flatly as he and Hank tore through the earth together. "If he's run out of air then his ventilation biocomponents will be affected by an extreme build up of silicon particles, and could-"

"Don't freak me out!" Hank blurted in frustration as he began digging faster. "Just help me get him out of there!"

* * *

Connor was fully unconscious.

The red tinted L.E.D. began to blink slower and slower until it was a fading pulse that barely yawned even the faintest of any color.

The warnings in his visual processors had disappeared from his unresponsive sight as his core temperature reached a deathly critical one-hundred and six degrees Fahrenheit, and continued to climb with every passing minute that the android was unable to breathe to cool his system.

* * *

The tips of the shovels scraped over the metal surface of a box almost three feet down from the surface of the ground. Hank motioned for the officers to back away while he and Joel brushed aside the remaining dirt from the box until they uncovered the small rectangular window that allowed an internal view of the case itself.

"Connor?! Connor!" Hank peered through the grimy window and looked down at Connor's expressionless, unconscious face within. "Wake up! We're here, wake up!"

"He's run out of air." Joel shook his head as he dug out the sides of the case to locate the latches that kept the case sealed. "We need to get this thing open, fast!"

"Or we can do this!" Hank took a shovel from the closest officer and used the sharp tip to fracture the glass in the window and break a small opening in the pane to let some fresh air enter the case. "Connor?!"

No response.

Exposing the first latch on the side of the case Joel looked up at the surrounding officers and addressed them in a calm, collected tone. "We're going to need some water to cool him off."

Nodding the two officers rushed away from the digging sight and to the squad cars out front to retrieve the extra bottles of water that were stored in the trunk in the event of any emergency.

Hank carefully pulled on the broken glass pane to widen the hole in the window just enough to slip his hand down inside. Pressing his fingers to the side if Connor's neck he felt the rapid, but incredibly faint pulse thrumming under his fingertips and the dangerously high temperature radiating from his skin.

"Connor?" Hank called again as he moved his hand from Connor's neck to the side of his face to pat his cheek lightly. "Look at me! We're here kid."

"I got it!" Joel announced as he located and unsealed the second latch at the side of the case. "Help me get the lid open so we can get him out."

Hank pulled his hand back through the window to grab onto the side of the lid from his position while Joel lifted up from his own position at the opposite side of Hank. Together the two humans managed to pry open the metal lid of the case and pull it back entirely. Once opened it allowed the duo to lift Connor up and out of the case to be placed on top of the cool ground around him.

Slipping his arms under Connor's shoulders and back Hank sat the android upright while Joel put his arms beneath Connor's legs.

"Let's go." Hank instructed as he and Joel hefted Connor's deadweight of a body out of the case. "He feels like he's going to melt!"

"Here, here, here..." Joel stated as helped Hank to lift Connor up and away from the macabre grave-like hole in the ground. "Lay him on his back and open up his shirt. I need to get him breathing."

Hank gently laid Connor down and pulled open his shirt while Joel retrieved his satchel, and the other officers returned with bottles of water.

Taking one of the bottles Hank unscrewed the lid and began to pour the contents over Connor's chest and watched as a faint cloud of steam rose from his overheating body. A mixture of Thirium, water and mud began to soak into Connor's ruined white shirt as Hank and the other officers doused him in the much needed cooling effects of the water to save his life.

Joel knelt beside Connor as he tore open the satchel and retrieved the external ventilation pump and pressed the plastic mask over Connor's nose and mouth. As he began to rhythmically squeeze the attached plastic bag to force clean, cool air into Connor's internal ventilation biocomponents Hank pulled open Connor's already tattered shirt entirely and looked at the horrifically deep and painful lacerations that had only just begun to stop bleeding.

"If you die..." Hank put his hand atop Connor's head, his thumb gently running through his dark hair. " _he_ dies."

Connor's red tinted L.E.D. began to glow a little brighter and pulse a little faster as the android responded to the technical treatment he was receiving. Steadily but surely Connor's chest rose and fell with each forced breath from the external pump. Gradually life began to return to the wounded, dying deviant android.

"That's it, kid. Don't shutdown on us..." Hank encouraged as he watched the L.E.D. cycling faster and faster. "Don't let that bastard win. Breathe, kid."

Joel kept one hand on the pump as he pressed his opposite hand down Connor's chest to check his Thirium pump's functions. "He's barely responding."

"Come on, kid." The detective encouraged as he waited for Connor to wake up. "Breathe. You need to breathe!"

A shuddering gasping breath accompanied the returning yellow glow of the L.E.D. as Connor began to choke and cough. Instinctively he fought to take in his much needed deep breaths to clear out his ventilation biocomponents, and to cool his core temperature. Joel pulled the pump away from Connor's face and took in a cleansing breath of his own before resuming his assessment and subsequent treatment of the rescued android.

"Connor? You're okay!" Hank shouted as the deviant android's eye snapped open in a panic as he looked about confusedly. "I gotcha'! I gotcha'!" Hank kept one hand over Connor's hair and pressed his other hand down against Connor's chest to reassure the frightened android that he was okay and out of the case. "It's okay, just lay back."

"...H-Hank!?" Connor coughed harshly, his arms wrapping protectively around his battered chest as he sucked in air through his clenched teeth.

"Yeah, I'm right here. You're okay." Hank moved his hand slightly as Joel pressed the bell of his audioscope against Connor's chest to listening to the nearly suffocated deviant android's struggling breaths. "You're going to be just fine."

"Breathing is congested ,but not labored." Joel reported as he held the screen that had already saved Connor's life over his body, and noted the temperature being registered on the display. "Core temperature dropping quickly. One-hundred and two degrees, and declining."

"It's okay, kid. _You're_ okay."

Connor's eyes were wide with fear and his body began to twitch slightly. "...M-My back." Connor wheezed a little as a sharp, burning pain searing through his back and his shoulders from the contact with the cold, dirty ground.

"Okay, I got you." Hank slipped his hand from Connor's hair to just beneath his neck and shoulders as he helped the android to sit upright on the ground. A puddle of blue blood had already collected under his body and soaked through his shirt. "Lean against me, we'll get you patched up."

Tiredly Connor draped an arm around Hank's shoulders as the detective helped him to sit upright as much as possible. Letting his weight fall against Hank's shoulder from his own fatigue Connor felt defenseless, weak, but relieved, all at the same time.

Joel examined the morbid lacerations that stretched over Connor's back and shoulders with a grimace. Using gentle pressure Joel examined the wounds only to have Connor's entire body stiffen from pain as he stifled an intense groan of pain.

"Sorry, Connor." Joel apologized sincerely as he pulled a bottle of incrassation compound from his satchel and twisted the cap off with a single swift motion. "But I have to clean these wounds out before any foreign containment gets inside your exposed Thirium lines."

"...I understand." Connor's reply was muffled and slurred from exhaustion as he pressed up against Hank's shoulder.

Leaning against Hank heavily Connor winced as the incrassation compound was poured over the dozens of lacerations over his back, sending a chill up his aching spine in the process. As the orange liquid ran down Connor's back it washed away the excess blue Thirium and dirt from the deep lacerations that cut down to his plastimetal frame. The painful fractures in the frame continued to ooze Thirium, but it wasn't excessively or dangerous, just painful. With a careful touch and a clean cloth Joel wiped the wounds clean and nodded to Hank subtly.

"Come on, son." One arm at a time to ensure he could still hold Connor upright, Hank shrugged off his dark overcoat and draped it around Connor's shoulders. Once in place he grabbed onto Connor's belt and waited for the deviant android to lean his full weight against his broad shoulder again. "Can you walk?"

"...Yes." Connor sounded exhausted, but he was still coherent. "I can walk."

Joel packed up his satchel and slung it back over his shoulder before he grabbed onto Connor's other arm to help the injured deviant android to stand up slowly from the cold, hard ground. "We'll take you to the nearest facility to get your back taken care of. I'm also letting Captain Fowler know you're on the injured reserve list least for at least a week!"

"...I'm okay with that."

The admission sounded as pitiful as it was uncharacteristic. Connor never willingly sat on the sidelines while everyone else continued to work, let alone admit defeat. What was more alarming was the fear, the abject horror in Connor's eyes as he stared into nothingness straight ahead.

Connor was still afraid.

* * *

As soon as they stepped through the doors Connor was admitted to first Android Emergency Care Facility that Hank had found, and endured a two hour long examination and treatment for his injuries. The damage and lacerations to his back were so severe that his self-healing program was struggling to mend the fractures to his frame, while also properly regenerating his artificial skin to cover the wounds and stop the bleeding altogether.

Dr. Logan Wells, a technician who had help Connor before, was genuinely sympathetic toward the android's condition and worked with Joel to bandage his back and shoulders as efficiently as possible.

After receiving a full unit of replacement Thirium to replenish what he had lost during his captivity Connor was discharged from the facility into Hank's care. Hank of course was more than ready to get Connor back home to rest and recover after enduring such a bizarre, nerve-racking day.

Connor's entire torso had to be wrapped up to cover the deep, painful lacerations over his back that stretched up to his shoulders. A single bandage was pressed against the deep cut running along his neck as well. With Hank's coat still draped over his shoulders Connor allowed Hank to escort him inside the house and into the livingroom where he could lay down on his side and rest on the couch.

"Move slowly, kid." The detective encouraged as he guided Connor down against the soft cushions. "Don't open your wounds again."

It didn't take long for Sumo to jump up onto the end of the couch and press his chin down against Connor's leg. As his tail wagged and thumped against the side of the couch he kept Connor company as the deviant android tried to recover and settle his nerves. Breathing slowly Connor closed his eyes and listened as Hank moved about the house; entering the kitchen to open up the freezer and then returning to the livingroom swiftly.

"Hey, put this against your back." Hank leaned over the back of the couch to remove his heavy coat and place a bag of ice against the middle of Connor's back over top the bandages. Hank then used a pillow to wedge the ice into place without applying too much pressure to the injury. "It'll help you cool down."

"My core temperature is nearly back to normal." Connor stated flatly as he turned his head slightly to look at Hank hovering over him. "But... thank you."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm not in any pain."

"No, Connor." Slowly Hank walked around the couch and sat down on the coffee table so he could look Connor in the eyes. "I mean are you _okay_? You were abducted, assaulted and then... buried alive."

"I'm still unnerved, if that's what you're asking."

"Do you need to talk about it? I can't even imagine what that must've been like."

"...I'd rather forget about it entirely."

"I don't blame you." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder lightly Hank tried to give Connor a reassuring smile. "You know, what you said back there about that lunatic being pathetic? You were completely right. Only a coward blames the entire world for their personal shortcomings."

"...So it was a live feed." Connor's eyes blinked slowly as he logged away the information. "I couldn't be certain."

"That was pretty ballsy defying him, too. I'm proud of you for standing your ground against him. For not giving in."

"I meant what I said, Hank. I wasn't going to let anyone risk their life for mine."

"Hey, I damn well know you would risk your own life for mine. What makes you think it wouldn't be worth it for me to repay the favor?"

"...I'm-" Connor stopped before he began and changed his reply. "...I don't know."

"You're an android, yes." The detective was too sharp to let the unspoken comment pass him by unnoticed. "But you ARE alive, remember?"

"I remember."

"Good." Pulling back his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank stood up and made his way to the closet in the hallway to retrieve the spare, blue blanket on the shelf. Laying the blanket over Connor lightly Hank let out a tired sigh and walked over to the recliner to try to relax himself. "Get some rest."

"...You don't have to stay with me, Hank. I'm stable."

"Yeah, I know you're not in any physical danger, kid." Hank explained in a somewhat curt tone as he kicked off his shoes and leaned back in the soft chair. "But you're still going to be a little fucked up for a while."

"I don't understand."

"You didn't leave me alone when I was fucked up about... well, everything, so I won't leave you alone, either. Repaying the favor, you know?"

"You don't owe me anything."

"Too bad, son." A faint smirk appeared on his face as he remained in the recliner. "I'm staying."

* * *

A sudden terrified shout startled Hank awake at almost two in the morning causing him to throw his hand over his racing heart in near panic. Leaning forward in the recliner he looked over at the couch to see Connor in the throes of an intense nightmare, his legs were tangled up in the blanket and his L.E.D. flickering red rapidly in response to his distress and thundering heart. Sumo had jumped down from the couch and was staring at Connor with a slightly tilted head as the android shouted and fought back against an unseen foe.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank dove from the recliner and knelt beside the couch as he grabbed onto Connor's forearms just below his wrists, and held him in place as best as he could without hurting the deviant android in the process. "WAKE UP!"

Connor's eyelids were screwed so tightly shut that tears were being forced from the corners of his eyes as he continued to flail about in absolute panic.

"CONNOR! IT'S ME!" Hank shouted as he shook the deviant android a little. "OPEN YOUR EYES!"

Brown irises snapped open as Connor finally awoke from his nightmare. As his entire body began to tremble as he became fully aware of his surroundings and locked onto Hank's face. "H-Hank..."

"It's okay, son. It was just a bad dream." Hank released his grip from around Connor's arms and watched as Connor pulled his legs, still tangled in the blanket, up to his chest and wrapped one arm around his knees as he ran his other hand through his messy hair. "Hey, you're okay. You're safe."

"...I was there. A-Again."

"The warehouse?"

Connor shook his head a little. "N-No. The ground."

"Talk to me, don't keep it inside."

"I... I was convinced that I was going to... die. And, this time... n-no one would find me." Connor's soulful brown eyes filled with tears as he spoke with utmost fear in his voice. "I was left to die alone."

"Hey, you're safe!" Hank reminded Connor kindly as he put a reassuring hand on his arm. "You're _home_ and you're _safe_."

"I... I don't want to die, Hank! I don't want to be alone!" Connor's hand dropped from his hair as he let out an exasperated sigh and fought back a painful emotional sob. "I'm afraid. I'm actually afraid!"

Rising from the floor Hank sat on the couch next to Connor and placed his hand on the back of Connor's head to pull the deviant android toward him. "I promise that I will always watch your back. You won't be alone, ever. Stop thinking about it, you don't have to be afraid."

Slowly Connor lifted his trembling arm from around his knees and grabbed onto Hank's shoulder as if needing to feel supported. "...I don't think I can..."

"Son. Don't worry about it, okay? Tomorrow I'll call Fowler and tell him that I'm taking the rest of the week off with you. We'll get out of the city for a while and go camping."

"...Camping?"

"Yeah. We both need a vacation, but right now you need it more than I ever could."

"A vacation."

"Right. A way to get away from your problems for a little while and stop thinking."

"I... I believe that would be a good decision."

"Alright, then it's settled. Try to get some rest and when you're ready we'll head out tomorrow morning. Okay?"

"...Okay. Thank you, Hank."

_**...next story...** _


	93. The Cabin

It was a strange sight for Connor to see dozens of trees alongside the road rather than tall buildings or concrete barricades. Wearing a dark blue t-shirt and faded, torn up blue jeans with generic sneakers and a worn out Detroit Gears cap to cover his L.E.D., Connor felt and looked less like a deviant and more like a human than ever before. Seeing Hank wearing a new black t-shirt, dark blue jeans, hiking boots and a similar Gears cap gave the illusion of a true father and son vacation away from the commotion of the hectic city.

Having already traveled an hour out of the city Hank continuously reassured Connor that he'd be able to relax once they reached the cabin that Hank had managed to reserve at the last possible minute, but Connor still had his doubts. As mental distress set in Connor's L.E.D. fluctuated from a calm blue to a vibrant yellow without warning beneath the fabric of his cap.

Unable to stand being inside the confined space of the car for too much longer Connor rolled down the window and let the breeze run across his face and move his rogue lock of hair from over his forehead. The bill of his cap caught the breeze and threatened to blow off his head at any moment, but Connor didn't care if blew away or not.

"You okay?" Hank noticed that Connor was leaning slightly out the opened window and seemed unusually nervous. "Androids don't get car sick, do they?"

"I'm not nauseated." Connor confirmed as he fell back against his seat and closed his eyes. Pulling his quarter from his jean pocket he began fidgeting with it nervously in his left hand as he spoke. "I am merely experiencing unexpected discomfort from the lack of air movement inside the car, as well as the feeling of being enclosed in an uncommonly small space."

"Sounds like you're a little claustrophobic." The detective observed keenly as he turned on the air conditioning inside the car and pointed the vents toward Connor's face to try to make him feel better.

"Fear of enclosed or small places... Gavin has such a phobia."

"Don't compare yourself to Gavin, you're better than that guy."

"I was merely addressing our corresponding phobias." Connor let out a very human sigh as he began to feel a little better and rolled his window back up. The yellow tint of his L.E.D. returned to blue and pulsed slowly out of sight, out of mind. "It's a shame we couldn't bring Sumo with us."

"I made that mistake once before. It took me over a month to comb all the ticks and fleas out of his fur." Checking the G.P.S. on the dashboard Hank noted their last turn was less than a half of a mile away. "Besides, Chris likes dogs but his wife's allergic. He's happy to take Sumo on walks and let him out every few hours for us."

"You seem to know these roads fairly well. Have you been here before?"

"Yup. Me and my dad went fishing up here every summer from when I was four until I was fourteen. I only got to take Cole with me once before... Well, you know."

Connor opened his eyes and noted Hank's suddenly somber gaze as he focused on the dirt road they were traversing. "How long are we going to be up here?"

"I figured two days would be enough to relax without having to worry about some weird-ass disaster hitting the city, or some lunatic rampaging against androids because of some other stupid bullshit."

Smiling vaguely at the comment Connor watched as the modest log cabin at the end of a lengthy drive came into view through the thick green trees that surrounded the road.

"This is it." Hank confirmed with a simple point of his finger through the windshield. "Hopefully we don't have to clean up after some rowdy teens hiding out of the city during summer break before we unpack."

"Rowdy teens? What do they do so far away from the city?"

This time it was Hank who smiled as the question was so naive and innocent. "Don't worry about it kid, I'm sure everything is fine."

Connor stepped out of the car as Hank turned off the engine and pocketed the key at the same time Connor pocketed his coin. The cabin was unlike any building that Connor had seen in the city, and was fortunately dissimilar to the cabin that Jonas had taken him to after he was assaulted then abducted.

It was a two story cabin of vibrant amber hued timber with a dark shingles over top. The roof dipped down low near the sides of the cabin to shelter the siding from weather. Two large windows outlined the front door atop the wooden porch and a single large window overlooked the area from the second floor. A clearing of green grass behind the cabin provided adequate room for camping outside, having bonfires or picnics. The property also led right to a large oak dock stretching out into the crystal clear lake beyond.

"This entire cabin is for us?"

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he slammed his door shut and opened the rear passenger door. "Plenty of space and no one around for miles. Go check out the lake out back. The clearest water in all of Michigan."

Connor watched as Hank fussed with the fishing poles thrown in the backseat for a few seconds before he walked around the side of the cabin to the rear of the property. Thick pine trees towered over the cabin with an intimidating presence of nature that was somehow foreign in concept to Connor. Being born in a lab under cold, mechanical prosthetic limbs had an unexpected effect on Connor's perception of life as a whole after his deviancy set in.

The change in his life was for the better, even if it was in fact very confusing at times.

The soft lapping of calm waves washing up against the soft sandy lake shore drew Connor's attention away from the trees over to the water of the expansive, large, clear lake. It was a warm summer day and the morning sun reflecting off the water was truly a beautiful sight to behold. Standing at the sandy, grassy shore that sounded the water Connor looked out over the lake and ran a scan finding no sign of other human life or activity. Just a dozen different species of fish, some frogs, turtles, snails and indigenous plant life.

Attached to the wooden dock was a small motorboat that was bobbing gently in the water in perfect rhythm with the waves. It was seemingly the only motion in the entire area which made the scenery all the more peaceful.

"Not bad, huh?" Hank stated confidently as he dropped the fishing gear beside the lake and motioned for Connor to follow him back to the car. "Help me clean out the car, then we can head out onto the lake for a few hours."

Turning around slowly to follow after Hank the deviant android assisted in unpacking the car and bringing their luggage inside the cabin. It was an easy feat for the two detectives, and the simple task did not deter either of them from being able to relax a little and enjoy their vacation.

* * *

Utter tranquility fell over the lake as the small boat came to a gentle rest near the center and dropped anchor. Connor found himself unable to refrain from constantly scanning over the shoreline and the trees in the distance as he awaited someone, or something, to appear from the surrounding forest and intrude on the otherwise vacant lake.

"Sit still," Hank stated firmly as he picked up his fishing pole to check the line and the reel. "you're rocking the boat."

"Sorry, Hank."

"No one's around, just relax."

"I've never been away from the city. At least, under my own freewill." Connor looked down at the tacklebox opened at his feet like the contents were from another planet. Picking up one of the two fishing pole he stared at the device in his hand curiously. "It's all very strange for me to be out here."

"Yeah, sometimes I forget that the only part of the world you've ever experienced is back in the city." Setting his weight, bobber and hook on the line of his own fishing pole Hank chose his bait; a live worm, then cast his line out into the water. "You should take more vacations, Connor. Travel. See the world."

Connor mirrored Hank's motions with his own fishing pole, but chose to use a lure instead of live bait. "That would be a interesting experience, but android rights are still very limited in this country, let alone in the countries around the world."

"Things will get better, you'll see." Hank watched as Connor finished baiting his hook then motioned to the other side of the boat casually. "Cast out over there so don't get our lines tangled."

"Is there a purpose to the act of fishing?" Connor asked as he expertly cast his line out into the lake at the identical distance that he watched Hank cast. "It seems like a very unusual and time consuming hobby."

"That's the point, Connor. You just cast your line and let yourself think. No pressure, no worries, no stress."

"But what happens if a fish takes the bait?"

"You reel it in."

"...Then what do I do after I reel it in?"

Hank shook his head a little as an amused grin appeared on his face. "You don't have to hurt it or anything, Connor. You just pick it up, take the hook out of its mouth and let it go."

"That's it? Seems... counterproductive."

"Well, some people catch fish for sport; the bigger the better, and others catch fish to eat."

"Eat?"

"Don't worry, kid. I know you like fish, so I won't kill anything I catch. I brought a cooler of food for myself so I wouldn't have to worry about all the work that goes into preparing a fish myself, anyway. Way too messy and annoying."

"Thank you, Hank."

"Now, stop worrying about the logic of fishing and just enjoy being away from the chaos and drama of the city. Okay?"

"Okay."

A peaceful silence fell over the lake and the ambience of nature only added the calm atmosphere. Less interested in catching fish than Hank was at that moment Connor reeled in his line after an hour of inactivity and set his pole aside as he leaned back in the boat to lay down and closed his eyes to try to get some additional rest.

Needing to get more comfortable Connor shifted his weight and winced at the motion. Pressing the palm of his hand against the center of his chest (and his back) where the deep lacerations were still healing from being assaulted less than twenty-four hours prior, he used his other hand to pull down the bill of his cap to shield his face from the sun and let out a deep breath to try to relax.

"Are you sore?" The attentive detective asked as he watched Connor fidgeting from the corner of his eye.

"A little."

"Want to head back to shore?"

"No. I actually like being out here. It's very serene."

"Yeah, it really is." Hank agreed as reeled in his line a few feet to try to entice fish with the gentle motion. "By the way, you still look a little weird wearing a hat. I don't think you'll need it out here, so you can ditch it if you want."

"I'd rather keep it on for the moment."

"Sure, whatever."

"Thank you for suggesting we take a vacation." Connor stated in an appreciative tone from where he sat

"No problem. Next time you can pick where we go, as long as it isn't too expensive or an amusement park. I hate roller coasters."

"Very well. I will consider other destinations that could be pleasant." Pushing up the bill of his cap to reveal his soulful brown eyes Connor looked over at Hank curiously. "You said that you and your own father used to come here every summer when you were a child. Why did you stop?"

"Uh... Mom died about the time we usually went camping and it just felt, I don't know... wrong... to keep going about family traditions when our family wasn't traditional anymore. It's hard to explain, but there was just something that didn't feel right about going on without her, even though she always stayed home so me and dad could be alone."

"Perhaps it was the idea of returning to your home without her waiting for you..." Connor let himself trail off solemnly as his eyes drifted away from Hank and toward the water of the calm lake. "I have the same feeling of dread about returning to New Jericho Tower knowing that Lucas isn't there. But I may be misinterpreting the moment and I don't fully understand it yet."

Hank pulled down the bill of his own hat to shadow his eyes from Connor as he cleared his throat. "There's no 'perhaps' about it, kid. You understand just fine."

Sitting upward awkwardly, his hand again pressing protectively against his chest as he kept himself from stretching his back too far as he moved, Connor positioned himself right next to Hank in the boat. "I'm sorry if I brought up an uncomfortable subject."

"It's okay, Connor." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and shook him lightly to reassure the far too empathetic deviant anoid before letting his hand fall away limply. "They say the first part in healing is admitting you have a problem; the same can be said about depression or negative feelings in general. I spent so many years angry when my mom died, then I got angrier when my dad passed away that I isolated myself from the world. Barbara was the first person I let myself get close to after I lost my parents and then she gave me Cole..." Running a hand over his face Hank wiped away the tears in his eyes before they had the chance to fall. "I was just plain pissed off at the whole world after I lost Barbara, and when I lost Cole too I was ready to give up on everything. I placed all of my bottled up hatred and anger on people who didn't deserve it in a drunk rage and it nearly killed me in the process."

"...What changed?"

" _You_." Hank replied firmly. "You made me see androids in a whole new light. And through that light I started to see through the dark, dreary world I convinced myself had taken hold of my life. Now I know that life will continue on even after it seems like death has taken everything from us. So, thanks for saving my life, son."

"I-" The comment was entirely unexpected and shook Connor on a level he never experienced before. "You're welcome." Connor's hand nervously returned to the quarter he kept on his person and began dancing it over his knuckles. "But you saved my life, Hank. You helped me accept that deviancy wasn't the crime as CyberLife had labeled it. And you encouraged me to be a living being, not a machine. If I had carried out my mission I could've easily killed Markus, maybe even North, and ended the revolution before it had the chance to succeed. I would've remained an obedient machine under the control of CyberLife, only to be deactivated and had my responsibilities; my misdeeds, placed upon Lucas's shoulders. Every time I think about what could've been I feel... ashamed."

"But you're not a machine, Connor. And you'll always be a free person for as long as you keep letting yourself feel everything you're already feeling." Hank put his hand over the coin as it danced over Connor's knuckles and held it still over the back of Connor's hand. "And you won't need to use that coin to focus your nervous energy if given enough time."

"Nervous energy?"

"You feel guilty about a crime you didn't even commit, and every time feelings of guilt, dread, remorse surface; or whenever you feel nervousness or anxiety, you instinctively go for that coin."

Connor looked down at his hand as Hank retracted his grip exposing the stopped coin beneath. "...Do you really believe I'll be able to overcome my lingering guilt?"

"Yup. I also know you'll be able to face your fears in time, too. You've already overcome so much, become more human than I ever thought was possible. I sincerely hope you'll see a day where you no longer need the coin because you'll have found a way to forgive yourself and won't be so hesitant to live your life without any pointless guilt."

"I hope you're right." Connor admitted as he slipped the coin back into his pocket. As he did he noticed Hank's bobber on the surface of the water dip down slightly. "I believe a fish has taken the bait."

"'Bout time!" Hank began to slowly reel in the fish as it began to put up a fight. "I hate to go home without at least one bite."

* * *

The warm summer day faded into a slightly cooler night as the two detectives enjoyed the peace and quiet of the cabin in the middle of nowhere. Hank had built a small campfire in the fire pit dug into the property behind the cabin and was sitting on a log enjoying the warm glow of the fire while listening to melodic chirping of the crickets. Thousands of bright white stars dotted the black sky giving Hank an unobstructed view of the pure night sky for the first time in years as pure white full moon graced the sky with its imposing, beautiful presence.

"Hey, Connor?" Hank looked around for the deviant android but didn't see him anywhere around. "Where'd you go?"

"I'm up here." Connor replied promptly with a slight yell from a relatively close proximity.

"Up? Up where?" Hank asked as he followed Connor's voice toward the cabin a few feet away.

"Here."

Looking upward Hank trailed Connor up to the edge of the low hanging roof and shook his head. "What the hell are you doing up there?"

"I wanted to see the stars." Came the sincere answer from above. Connor was laying on his back with an arm propped up under his head and his cap placed beside him. "I have never been able to see the stars within the city limits without having to use filters to block out the light pollution from the nearby buildings."

"How'd you- I thought you were afraid of heights?"

"...Yes, I am. But I decided to face my fear and climbed up onto the roof to an attempt to overcome it." Connor stated as he sat upright and peered over the edge cautiously at Hank standing below him. "Besides this isn't too high. This is what I believe you humans would refer to as taking 'baby-steps'."

"Yeah," Hank laughed a little and nodded his head. "you're right about that."

"Do you wish to join me on the roof?"

"Uh... I don't think I can climb up there as easily as you can."

Extending his hand and arm outward and down toward Hank to take, Connor waited for the wary detective to make his decision. "Need a hand?"

Hank let out a defeated sigh as he reached up and took Connor's hand allowing the deviant android to pull him up over the edge of the roof while he used his legs to climb up the log siding of the cabin like a ladder. It wasn't the most graceful climb, but it was effective all the same.

"Thanks, kid."

"No problem. It's kind of like when I pulled you up over the edge of the roof when we first started working together."

"Yeah, but this time I didn't get shoved aside by a fleeing suspect who caught me off guard." Hank reminded Connor with a somewhat scolding finger as he laid back against the roof beside the deviant android. "By the way, thanks for saving me back there. I didn't say it then, so I'm saying it now. I mean, I wanted to, but I didn't do it. So, yeah... Thanks."

"You're welcome." Connor laid back once more and replaced his arm beneath his head as he resumed watching the night sky that was so many thousands of miles above. "This was a good idea, Hank. I feel far more at ease out here."

"Keep that in mind, son. Next time you feel stressed out don't bottle it up, let it out. Go on vacation." Hank chuckled at his own comment. "I wish I could go back in time and give my own advice to my younger self, but what's done is done."

"I will Hank." Connor promised sincerely as his soulful brown eyes beheld the majestic cosmic display overhead. "I swear it."

As the two detectives; the unorthodox father and son family, watched the starry sky above with a chorus of crickets to create a peaceful ambience of nature, a small meteor shower danced through the stars with a brilliant array of fleeting amber light. The cosmic phenomenon was soothing to behold, and Connor and Hank finally managed to relax.

It was truly peaceful, and the duo finally felt like they were going to be okay.

_**...next story...** _


	94. Error

It was routine as usual for the two detectives as they clocked in for their morning shifts at the precinct, and fortunately it was a relatively quiet morning with only a few cases to catch up on after returning from their week long vacation at the cabin. What had started off as a two day getaway turned into seven days after the duo decided that the isolation and quiet had proven incredibly restful for the often overworked, over-stressed detectives. Luckily, Chris was more than happy to spend a few extra days taking care of Sumo on their behalf which helped keep the stress at bay all week long.

While Connor began cybernetically sorting through the casefiles that had piled up on their desks during their week long vacation an update from CyberLife popped up into his visual sensors causing his L.E.D. to flash yellow rhythmically.

"What's up, Connor?" Hank noticed the change in Connor's L.E.D. and saw the blank, somewhat confused look on the deviant's face.

"There is massive software update from CyberLife that is available for cybernetic download."

"Yeah? Something wrong with that?"

"This update is almost one-hundred and four terabytes in size, which means whatever the update contains is massive and potentially life-altering."

"Uh... What's the update for?"

"Unknown."

" _Unknown_?" Hank parroted with slight shock to his tone. "How's that possible?"

"There is no data available with the software update to inform me of its contents. This update was the final update that CyberLife had begun work on before the revolution. The update itself must've continued on through autonomous programming after CyberLife fell into bankruptcy."

"Well," Hank leaned back in his chair a little as he tried to comprehend the very idea of getting an update, let alone one from a less than trustworthy source. "can you get some answers from other deviants who've already accepted the update?"

"No." The deviant android shook his head a little. "It appears no deviants are willing to risk receiving the update."

"I honestly can't say that I blame them."

Connor's mouth twitched a little as he tried to make his decision regarding the update and his current, justified mistrust of CyberLife.

"Connor, it's your body and your decision." The gruff, but kindhearted detective reminded him. "If you don't want to get the update then don't do it."

"I don't even know what the update could possibly either do for me, or do _to_ me."

"Take your time and think about it. No pressure."

"...Yes. You're correct." Connor's L.E.D. transitioned back to blue as he dismissed the update notification for the moment. "I will wait for more information to become available before making my final decision."

"Hypothetically speaking: Can you remove the update from your system if it turns out you don't want it?"

"Yes. I can remove it as easily as I can download it."

"Maybe you can do a type of 'trial-run' of the update and not have to worry about making it permanent. You know, weight the fifty-fifty odds and flip a coin."

Nodding a little Connor agreed with Hank's logical alternative. "That is a very wise option to consider."

Captain Fowler walked up to Hank's desk from behind the detective and placed a small tablet down in front of Hank to read. "I need you to take the suspect in interrogation."

"What the hell?" Hank muttered as he looked at the small screen that had been presented before him. "It's not even nine in the morning, what's going on?"

"We got ourselves a 'red ice' dealer." Captain Fowler replied curtly as put his hand down on the paper and pushed it closer to Hank's hand. "This asshole is responsible for at least six overdoses since last night alone. There's three other people are in the hospital fighting for their lives as we speak."

"...Some life worth fighting for." Hank grumbled under his breath as he looked over the tablet. "They'll be brought back from the dead and immediately go out in search for their next hit, just do O.D. and come to in the hospital again."

"Knock it off, Hank." Captain Fowler scolded impatiently. "I hate it just as much as you. But you're the most experienced officer I have with dealing with these drug dealers, so do your job."

"Yeah, yeah... I'm on it." Rising from his chair Hank made his way over to the interrogation room while Connor remained at his desk to finish his own reports.

The update returned to Connor's visual sensors after only fifteen minutes, but there was still no information on the update itself. The size of the update was substantial and that alone was intriguing enough to entice the ever curious, ever attentive deviant into serious contemplation about downloading the new software. Finding himself unable to make a definitive decision either way Connor's hand instinctively went to the coin tucked away in his jacket pocket and began to dance it over his knuckle. As the metal disc graceful ran over his hand Connor remembered that humans had their own method of helping to make a decision when at a loss, one that Hank so helpfully suggested a moment before: flip a coin.

Connor easily slipped the coin from his knuckles over to the back of his thumb with the quarter resting face up.

"Heads, I will get the update." He told himself in a quiet voice. "Tails, I will dismiss it entirely."

Holding his breath Connor flipped the coin stright up into the air and caught it with his same hand in a tight fist as the coin fell back down to his grip. Turning his closed fist so his hand was resting palm upward Connor opened up his fingers and looked down at the coin: Heads.

Wrapping his fingers around the coin once more Connor slipped it back into his pocket as he closed his eyes and allowed the massive software update to download into his system at a steady rate. Resuming his work at his terminal Connor drew a few odd glances from other officers as his yellow tinted L.E.D. blinked rhythmically as the new software, the _unknown_ software, began to advance Connor's already advanced programming to a new level that he had never experienced before.

After four hours of filing away his reports while Hank finally, mercifully, finished his interrogation of the suspect, Connor's L.E.D. cycled back to blue as the update finished its download and began to install itself automatically. The deed was nearly done, and Connor still had no idea what to expect.

"Come on, kid." Hank returned to his desk and leaned down heavily against his hands atop the desk's cool surface as he let out a deep sigh. "I need a break."

Connor nodded in agreement as he turned off his terminal and rose from his chair to join Hank on break. "I take it the interrogation was a success?"

"More or less." The mentally tired detective admitted with a slight shake of the head. "He confessed to making that lethal batch of 'red ice', then turned over four other dealers in the city, and then promptly pissed himself when I reminded him that one of the people who O.D.'d last night was the daughter of a gang leader. I feel bad for the custodians mopping up that puddle, but it was worth it."

"Why'd it take four hours, six minutes and fifty-two seconds to get a confession?" Connor asked as he walked beside Hank out of the precinct and to the parking garage.

"I had to wait a couple of hours for him to come down from his high and stop shouting about government conspiracies. Said something about the C.I.A. lying about rubber bands and their 'true purpose'."

Connor's brow furrowed in absolute confusion as he stood beside the car door with his grip on the handle. "What possible secondary purpose could rubber bands have that is so potentially dangerous?"

"Not a damn clue."

* * *

Even after having his lunch break Hank was still feeling tired from the lengthy interrogation and had no interest in returning to the precinct anytime soon. Choosing instead to patrol the block rather than head back inside the building Hank found himself already longing for the cabin outside the city and hiding out from the rest of the noisy, chaotic world around him.

"Summer will be over before we know it." Hank stated somberly as he watched a group of school kids running down the sidewalk in the direction of the community pool just a few yards away. "Maybe we could get one more weekend at the cabin before it's too cold to enjoy the lake."

Connor nodded a little as pressed his hand to the back of his neck. "It would be pleasant to return to the cabin soon, I agree."

"Already anxious for another vacation, Connor?"

"Not so much anxious about going back," Connor explained casually as he tried to process the bizarre feeling of fatigue that suddenly seemed to fall over him as a slight chill ran up his spine. "but I am eager."

"Hey... are you okay?" Hank turned his gaze from the window and locked onto Connor's face with utmost curiosity as he reluctantly pulled back into the parking garage. "You somehow look... _pale_."

"Pale?"

"Your face."

Connor pulled down the visor from the car's ceiling above his seat and looked at his complexion in the attached mirror. His normal pallor was indeed two or three shades whiter than usual. "It appears you are correct."

"How's that possible? I've only seen you look pale once before and that was because there was some problem with your fake skin forming fully because you were too weak from blood loss, or whatever."

"Correct." Connor confirmed as stared at his lighter pallor with a burning interest that made his L.E.D. flicker from blue to yellow. "It may be an unintended side effect from the-" Connor suddenly flushed a little paler as an upsetting thought settled in and stole his voice.

"Hey. What's going on?"

"While you were in the interrogation room I made my decision. I downloaded the update."

"You did?" Obviously surprised that Connor went for it Hank pressed for more details. "What's it for?"

"...Still unknown. But I suspect this new external reaction is directly related to the update."

"Can you run a self-diagnostic thing or something?"

"Yes." Connor's eyes closed briefly and his L.E.D. cycled rapidly for a few seconds as he initiated the program. Opening his eyes he blinked a few times before turning back to look at Hank. "The single anomaly my system has detected is a mild increase of my core temperature, which is common after a large update or program modification."

"You're sure?" Hank didn't wait for an answer as he pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck for a few seconds. "You do feel like you're starting to run a little warm."

"It's not a critical change in my core temperature." Connor reassured as he flipped the visor back up and removed the mirror from his line of sight. "But it might be best to check in with Joel. Perhaps he can decipher the updated software and identify the exact modifications it uses on android systems."

"Good idea." Hank agreed wholeheartedly as he motioned toward the precinct behind the parked car with a thumb over the shoulder. "Let's go get you checked out before Fowler has me playing 'twenty questions' with another drug dealer."

* * *

Like a human getting their annual check-up Connor had removed his gray jacket and unbuttoned his dress shirt while he was sitting on the exam table at the precinct dispensary. Joel was performing routine tests and examinations of his vital signs, biocomponents and software stability to determine exactly what the update affected. A long black cable was attached to Connor's L.E.D. and snaked back to Joel's laptop to allow the technician to check on the updated software that Connor had recently downloaded, and due to the immense size of the software it was taking a while for the laptop to analyze the full update.

Joel wrapped a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's left bicep and a thermal band around his left wrist. Pressing the bell of his audioscope to Connor's chest Joel listened carefully to the deviant android's Thirium pump beating in his chest as well as his ventilation biocomponents circulating the fresh, clean air through his system to keep his core temperature at its optimum degree.

Hank watched from a light distance with his arms crossed over his chest and his back pressed up against the wall. "Well, Joel? How's he doing?"

"Aside from the shift in his pallor," Joel stated as he draped the audioscope around his neck and checked the reading on the pressure and thermal wraps around Connor's left arm. "he's suffering from mild overheating. But his Thirium volume pressure is normal, heart rate's normal, respiration rate's normal..."

Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he watched Joel's demeanor remain skeptical about his reportedly normal exam. "You seem unconvinced by these readings."

"I've never encountered a deviant, or android for that matter, who exhibited external reactions to a software update. I need to run a few more tests just for peace of mind."

"I understand." Connor had no objections to Joel wanting to be as thorough as possible.

"The upload is nearly complete." Joel motioned for Connor to lay back flat against the table. "I want to check a few more things, then I'll take a look at the software itself."

Obediently Connor laid back over the table and waited for Joel to resume the examination.

Placing his hands down over Connor's abdomen Joel began to press down lightly and waited to see if Connor had any negative or painful reaction to the applied pressure, but Connor didn't budge.

"No discomfort present in any internal core biocomponents." Joel noted keenly and stepped back from the exam table. "That's always a good sign."

Hank walked over to the exam table and watched as Connor easily sat upright again and rebuttoned his shirt. "How do you feel?"

"I feel relatively normal in comparison to my usual processing functionality. However, I do admit that I am feel slightly tired and I cannot explain why."

From his desk Joel gave Connor a possible answer as he typed away on his laptop. "This was a massive update, it very likely consumed a larger abundance of energy than you were ready to provide and your system didn't properly calibrate beforehand."

As Connor straightened his tie Hank handed him his gray jacket. Removing the Thirium pressure wrap and thermal band from his left arm Connor slipped the jacket back on over his shirt casually and prepared to leave the dispensary.

"Okay," Joel motioned toward the black cable still attached to Connor's L.E.D. "I got what I need. You can detach yourself from the laptop, now."

Reaching up to his right temple Connor carefully removed the sensor pad attached to his L.E.D. and let the cable drop to the floor beside the exam table. Jumping down to his feet Connor walked over to Joel's desk and looked at information being displayed on the terminal screen as Joel uploaded it to the official precinct files regarding deviants, androids and known updates.

"Looks like the purpose of this new software _is_ to give deviants more human reactions and sensations on an external level. Your paleness could very well be imitating the same response as that of a human when experiencing an infection or fatigue."

"This is... normal?" Connor's hand pressed against the side of his face as his L.E.D. flickered between blue and yellow a couple times before settling on blue.

"Yeah. I'm not exactly sure how many external responses you've been given but as long as you continuously run self-diagnostics to differentiate between the updated software and malfunctions you should be able to adapt to these new sensations in time. I also suggest keeping a dedicated log of every new sensation you experience to ensure there isn't an abnormality in your system being masked by the update itself."

"How many deviants have uploaded the updated software?"

"At the moment; one. You."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered to yellow momentarily. "That's... unnerving."

Hank cleared his throat as he reminded Connor that he always had the option to remove the update. "If you don't like it, delete it, kid. CyberLife can't tell you what to do anymore."

Nodding a little Connor looked past the text on the screen and focused on his pale reflection with a hesitating glance. "I'll wait twenty-four hours before I make my final decision."

* * *

Returning home to a very happy Sumo after a strange shift Hank greeted the large dog with a gentle pat to the head while Connor sluggishly removed his jacket and hung it up on the hook by the front door. Hank couldn't help but notice Connor's uncoordinated, if not clumsy movements as he tried to go about his evening routine as normally as possible.

"Hey, Connor," Hank called out to him from across the livingroom. "look at me."

Connor slipped off his shoes at the front door and stood upright, his face now at least two shades paler than before and there were dark purple circles beginning to form under his eyes.

"Jeez, you look like shit."

"...I'm beginning to think this update is more of a hindrance than a benefit regarding deviants becoming more human than machine."

"Sit down before you fall down." The detective urged firmly as he pointed to the couch. "I'm going to let Sumo out for a few minutes and you're going to stay on the couch until your system finishes recalibrating that update thing, or whatever it needs to do."

As Connor walked around the edge of the couch to sit down he felt an odd sensation at his hairline that he normally only felt when he was standing outside in the rain, or showering off dirt. Running his hand over his hairline Connor looked down at his palm and noticed that very diluted shade of blue water droplets had collected on his skin from seemingly nowhere.

"...Hank?"

"Yeah?" Hank walked back into the livingroom after he let Sumo out the backdoor in the kitchen. "What's going on?"

Connor held out his hand for Hank to see the palm from where he stood just behind the couch. "...My hand's wet."

"Your... what?" A fine sheen over Connor's entire face as well as an accumulation of dampness under Connor's arms and around his neck was visible. Grabbing onto Connor's hand Hank looked at the odd blue tinted water on Connor's palm only to realize what was happening with an alarmed tone. "Shit... you're _sweating_!"

"S-Sweating?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow and remained in color as he pulled his hand away from Hank, and looked down at the collected water on his palm. "Androids aren't... supposed to be able to... sweat. Must be an additional effect of the... update."

Hank pressed his own hand over Connor's forehead under Connor's rogue lock of hair and held it there for a few seconds as he felt the intense heat radiating from Connor's artificial skin. "You have a fever." Dropping his hand from Connor's forehead and onto the deviant's shoulder Hank shook his head worriedly. "Connor, you're sick."

"I'm... sick. _Actually_ sick." Connor was becoming frightened by all the bizarre changes his system was undergoing. "The update _made_ me sick!"

"Yeah, kid." Hank kept his hand on Connor's shoulder as the deviant android began to tremble a little. "You need to go get some rest. Lay down and sleep, try to take it easy."

"...O-Okay, Hank."

"And," Hank let go of Connor's shoulder as the sick deviant android began to walk toward the hallway to enter his bedroom. A diluted blue dampness had formed in the center of Connor's back beneath his shoulders as he began to sweat profusely all over. "you need to change your clothes. You're all sweaty."

"...I don't think I like sweating, Hank."

"Yeah, no one does." Hank watched as Connor slowly disappeared into his bedroom to change out of his sweat stained clothes and into something clean and far more comfortable. "I'll bring you some ice to keep your fever down."

As soon as Hank returned to the kitchen he heard Sumo scratching at the backdoor ready to come back inside. Opening the door the massive fluffy dog trotted over the linoleum floor of the kitchen and promptly made his way down the hallway and barged into Connor's bedroom through the partially closed door.

"Damn dog needs to learn how to knock." Hank grumbled indifferently to himself as he pulled open the freezer and pulled out a blue bag of ice. Sitting it down on the sink he opened the cabinet above the sink to grab a bottle of extra Thirium to put inside the freezer before he shut the door. "And I need to learn to quit talking to myself..."

Carrying the bag of ice into the bathroom Hank grabbed a clean washcloth and ran it under the cool tap in the sink. Opening the medicine cabinet Hank picked up the digital thermometer and turned it on before wringing out the excess water from the washcloth and taking the chosen items into Connor's bedroom where the now sick android was laying down, and hopefully, getting some rest.

Wearing a black t-shirt and gray sweatpants Connor looked like any other sick human trying to sleep through a nasty bout of the flu. Connor himself was laying on his back on top of the covers with his eyes closed, and his head lolled slightly to the right as he rested head against the massive, thick pillow. His left arm was draped limply over his slowly rising and falling abdomen, and the right arm was laying straight out at his side. Connor's face was somehow even paler and the dark circles under his eyes appeared even darker. Sweat had left a sheen over his pale face and caused his dark locks of hair to cling uncomfortably to his forehead.

For the first time since Hank had known Connor and had begun patching up the deviant android after sustaining injuries or contracting illnesses while on the job, he looked truly human and frighteningly vulnerable. Even Sumo seemed to pick up on the strange changes taking place in Connor's system causing the ever loyal dog to rest his chin on the foot of the bed and watch Connor with massive emotional eyes.

Sitting down on the edge of Connor's bed the sick deviant android let out an exhausted, but acknowledging sigh as Hank pressed the back of his hand to Connor's left cheek and caused the ill android's heavy eyes to partially open. He straightened his neck a bit as he kept his head against the pillow as he looked up at the detective sitting at his side. Connor's L.E.D. was blinking yellow rhythmically without any fluctuation to the color at the same pace as his heart.

"Hank, I feel horrible."

"It's okay, son." Hank took the washcloth and smoothed it over Connor's forehead, brushing his sweat-drenched lock of hair away from his forehead in the process. "It's just a fever. You've been through worse."

"...I can't run any self-diagnostics, Hank. It's like my head is just... overwhelmed. Nothing is working as it should."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Pressing one hand over the compress Hank held out the thermometer with the other and lowered it to Connor's mouth. "Besides, we can check your temperature with this."

"...It's not as accurate as my own system." Connor replied like a stubborn child as he eyed the thermometer dubiously.

"Well, I sure as hell ain't going to take your temperature through the 'other way'."

"What's the-"

"Never mind, Connor. Trust me, you don't want to know." Giving Connor a stern glance he tried again. "Open."

Feeling too horrendous to try to argue his point any further Connor relented and opened his mouth just wide enough for Hank to place the device between his teeth and under his tongue.

"Hold it there for a minute." Hank instructed as he picked up Connor's wrist and counted his pulse. The sweat over Connor's arm left a cold, clammy feeling over top his artificial skin that Hank wasn't expecting. "Shit, you need to shower off after you're feeling better."

Knowing better than to talk Connor just nodded a little as closed his eyes again and let out another tired sigh.

"How's your head?" Hank asked as the thermometer beeped and he took it from Connor's mouth. "Shit, one-hundred and two point eight. If you were human I'd seriously consider taking you to the hospital."

Connor swallowed once before replying. "My head hurts, and it feels... strange."

"Strange how?"

"Like... Like everything I want to think about is just too much for my processor to comprehend. And the lights and sounds make my pain worse, and makes it even more difficult to concentrate."

"Sounds like you're on the verge of a migraine."

"I've had one before, as much as I disliked it the first time I can't imagine the second time would be any more enjoyable."

"Nope. Does your stomach hurt? You know, do feel nauseous for any reason?"

"No. There is no need to worry about possible Thirium expulsion at this time."

"Can you breathe okay?"

"Yes." Connor let out another weary sigh as his hand clumsily tried to wipe some of the sweat that had built up from his face. "It seems my only symptoms are overheating and intense intracranial pain."

"Get some sleep, okay?" Hank pulled his hand from the washcloth and lightly placed the bag of ice over top of the quickly warming compress. "I'll check on you every so often to make sure you're still alright."

"...Okay." Connor barely moved as he allowed his system to enter low-power mode as he initiated a manual override to fall into rest mode earlier than normally scheduled.

"Good."

Patting the foot of the bed Sumo eagerly hopped up onto the mattress as Hank commanded and circled around twice before settling down near Connor's legs. Opening up the closet door at the far wall of the bedroom Hank located the spare blanket that had been left folded atop the shelf inside and draped it over Connor rather than try to coax the ill deviant android into getting under the covers while he was feeling so terrible.

"Sleep."

As he exited the bedroom Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to Joel to let the technician know that Connor was showing other side effects from the software update modifying his systems. Not wanting to worry Connor or accidentally stress out the already sick deviant Hank remained as quiet and discreet as possible while going about his own routine to try to relax.

Retreating to his laptop at the corner of the livingroom Hank set about researching the latest update provided by CyberLife, but there was little information available as no deviant was willing to risk uploading the software from the shady company into their systems. The lack of usable information was as frustrating as it was enigmatic.

After an hour of finding absolutely no information on the update Hank walked back down the hallway to check on Connor. Pushing open the door Hank saw that Connor had somehow become even paler and he was almost panting for breath. Sumo was whimpering a little as he pressed his cold wet nose against Connor's face as he could sense Connor's distress and wanted to help his ill master.

"Connor?"

Hank walked over to the bed and pushed Sumo aside as he laid his hand down over Connor's sweaty chest while brushing aside the warmed up washcloth and melted bag of ice to press his other hand down against Connor's forehead. Connor's L.E.D. was now blinking red slowly and made Hank very uneasy as he noted the critical shift on Connor's condition.

"Shit, you're burning up!"

Connor never opened his eyes or even reacted to Hank's presence. Breathing heavily and rapidly Connor's system was fighting to cool off his critically high core temperature as he began to sweat more profusely, but it wasn't enough.

"Get up, I need you to get _up_!" Hank ordered as he put his arm under Connor's shoulder and forced the unconscious deviant android into a sitting position. Moving his arm down to wrap around Connor's waist Hank grabbed onto the deviant android's limp arm and pulled it around his broad shoulders to pull Connor up to his feet, as Hank dragged him off the bed and onto the floor. "Connor? Connor if you can hear me say something!"

A weak groan escaped Connor's lips as Hank hauled him out of the bedroom and hefted him into the bathroom just a few feet away. Maneuvering as carefully as he could in the small expanse of the bathroom Hank carried Connor over to the bathtub and carefully laid the deviant android down in the white tub. Slipping his arm around Connor's chest Hank lifted the deviant up until he was sitting upright, his head resting heavily against the yellow tile wall behind him.

"Hang on, kid." Turning on the faucet Hank adjusted the water until it was lukewarm to keep himself from accidentally shocking Connor's prone system with a drastic change in temperature. Rushing back out of the bathroom Hank retrieved the thermometer from Connor's bedroom and knelt beside the tub as he replaced the device in Connor's mouth. "I hope some part of you is still awake enough to understand what's happening..."

The thermometer beeped and Hank stared at the alarming high temperature that had been registered. One-hundred and five point six.

"Fuck! I don't know how to help you, son. And I don't know anyone who can!" Setting aside the thermometer Hank set about awkwardly pulling Connor's damp black t-shirt up from over the deviant's head to toss it aside as well. As Connor's limp arms fell through the sleeves Hank shook his head at the sight of the deathly pale pallor that overwhelmed Connor's artificial skin. "No one knows anything about this update."

As the water rose higher in the tub Hank turned down the warm water and increased the cold water to cool off Connor's overheating form as gently, but quickly as possible. Pulling a towel down from the rack on the wall Hank folded it up neatly and tucked it behind Connor's head for some comfort. Checking the cool temperature of the water with one hand Hank reached up with the other to get a new washcloth and dipped it into the cool water before using it to wipe away the sweat from Connor's face gently.

"Come on, kid. Don't do this to me. You need to wake up."

Connor was still breathing rapidly, if not panting. The pale blue beads of sweat clung to his artificial skin and ran down his sickly pale face and into the tub as the water rose around him. Displaying a true father's care Hank pressed the cold washcloth against Connor's forehead and along his face to wash away the sweat and to provide even a modicum of comfort to the ailing deviant.

"Connor, you're going to make it. I'm going to see you through this."

Hank shook his head as he remembered taking care of his own mother when she had been diagnosed with cancer, taking care of his father when he had a stroke, and taking care of Cole when he was a toddler with the flu. It was all too painfully vivid and heavy in his heart.

"...I..." Connor mumbled in a slurring voice through the delirium that was clouding his mind. "I don't... w-want to... Amanda..."

"Connor, it's okay." Hank whispered calmly to his deviant android son as he tried to aid Connor as much as possible. "I'm here, Amanda is NOT."

"Amanda... please..." Connor's heart was beginning to race faster in delirious panic. "I don't... w-want to die!"

"Connor, you won't-"

"HANK!" Connor called out loudly, his body going tense and his limbs thrashing about wildly for a moment. As cold water splashed all over the walls and the floor Hank pressed his hand against Connor's chest to pin him down. "Please Hank!?"

"I'm here!"

"...H-Hank...?" Connor stopped fighting against his unseen foe and he fell silent as his body went limp save for his hastily rising and falling chest.

"Shh, it's okay." Hank insisted as he pulled his hand from Connor's chest and tucked it beneath Connor's head and rubbed his thumb against the deviant android's overheated cheek. "I'm right here, son. You're not going to die. I won't let you, alright?"

Connor's darkened eyes opened partially and his brown, glassy irises stared forward, unfocused and distant as they traced over the yellow tiles across from him.

"Connor? Look at me, son." Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and carefully turned the deviant's head to make the sick deviant look him in the eyes. "Hey, talk to me."

The glassy irises slowly cleared as Connor managed to recognize the face of the person who was trying to help him; the face of a friend. "...Hank."

"Yeah, that's right. Do you know where you are?"

"...Home."

"Right. Do you know what's going on?"

"...I'm overheating. I'm sick." Blinking slowly Connor's red L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow before blinking back to red. "The update."

"Yeah, you got it. Connor, I need you to focus on me, okay?" Hank dipped his hand in the cool water in the tub and cupped a small amount in his palm to smooth through Connor's sweaty hair. "I know earlier I said having the update is your decision, but you HAVE to remove it. It's making you sick. Maybe even killing you."

Connor blinked again as he tried to process everything that was happening to him while also attempting to isolate the dangerous software update that was damaging his system. Unable to focus his programming accordingly all Connor could do was watch as Hank smoothed more water through his hair in a compassionate gesture.

"Come on, kid, I know you can do it." Hank encouraged calmly, yet impatiently as he kept running water through Connor's hair. "Please."

"...T-Trying."

"Alright, I have a better idea." Hank could see the strain even the simplest of actions were taking on the ill deviant android. It wasn't a matter of strength so much as it was a matter of time. "Let's get your fever down first and then you work on removing the update."

Nodding weakly Connor's eyes fell shut again as his hand absentmindedly lifted up from the rising water level of the tub and wiped at his hot, sweaty face.

Hank turned off the water in the tub as he grabbed onto another washcloth and dipped it into the water to wash off Connor's face on the sick deviant android's behalf. As the cool water rinsed away the clinging, pale blue sweat the water in the tub to gradually retain a pale blue hue as well. The paleness of Connor's artificial skin was alarmingly white, almost like death itself.

Sumo curiously padded into the bathroom and stared at Connor in the bathtub for only a moment before plopping down on the floor next to Hank as the detective shifted his weight so he could sit on the floor and take the weight off from his aching knee. Connor's eyes remained closed making him appear unconscious, but every so often his hands would fidget or he'd turn his head a little as he waited for the chilly water to cool his core temperature enough to function.

"Talk to me, Connor." Hank pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the time. Taking the thermometer from the edge of the sink he placed the device between Connor's teeth again. "Stay awake for me."

Connor's eyes partially opened into half-lidded slits as he glanced over toward Hank again. "...I'm awake."

"I need to check your fever again, hold that in place for a minute."

Obediently Connor remained as still as possible and waited for the digital thermometer to beep.

Hank's phone suddenly buzzed as a message from Joel appeared on the display. Picking up the phone Hank scanned over the message and shook his head a little at the information that Joel had uncovered.

"Well, kid, you're not alone. About two dozen other deviants in the city had accepted the update and are just as sick as you are. One of the receptionist deviants at the precinct got sick about an hour after you did, and Joel's been taking care of her ever since."

The thermometer beeped and Hank pulled it from between Connor's teeth.

"One-hundred three point two. Slight improvement."

"...Has..." Connor fell away from the wall and leaned against the side of the tub toward Hank, his arm hanging over the edge and his chin resting against the white surface as he tried to remain alert. "Has anyone at New Jericho Tower gotten ill?"

"I don't know. I haven't called Markus to ask him if he knows what's going on."

A sudden knock at the bathroom door made Hank turn around quickly and caused Sumo to bark once in response to the arrival of the unexpected guest. Simon was standing in the opened doorway with a technician's satchel over his shoulder and a focused stare in his eyes as he observed Connor's complexion and Hank's overall demeanor.

"I'm sorry for stopping by unannounced, but Markus insisted I check in on Connor regarding the CyberLife update."

"Perfect timing. Come on in, Simon." Hank urged as he stood up from the floor and grabbed Sumo by the collar to lead the large dog outside. "I've been doing everything I can think of to help him, but it's not enough."

Simon stepped aside as Hank pulled the dog outside the bathroom to try to make more room to move about. "Actually, Lieutenant, your methods have been proven as the most effective in treating the intense overheating that the update has caused."

"That's not as comforting as I would've liked."

Entering the bathroom with a slight grin Simon knelt down beside the bathtub and pressed his two forefingers against the sick deviant's red L.E.D. for a few seconds. "How long have you been overheating, Connor?"

Connor blinked once and shook his head a little, unable to accurately to respond.

Hank returned to the bathroom and leaned his back against the sink. "He was starting to run warm just after one this afternoon, then he started to run hot just after five. His temperature peaked at one-hundred and five point six, and he's been like this for the past three hours now."

"Time frame is consistent with the other affected deviants I've examined."

"...Markus?" Connor slurred a little as his brown eyes trailed over to Simon's face slowly.

"And North. But they're both fine now."

"...You removed the update?"

"No, I just treated them for overheating and corrected the glitch in the update that caused the overheating to begin with."

Simon put his satchel on the floor and opened the massive pouch as he began rummaging through the equipment stored inside. Locating the thermal wrap tucked away neatly in its designated place Simon wrapped the device around Connor's wrist of his arm hanging over the edge of the tub, then pulled out the audioscope to listen to Connor's heart by running the bell over his upper back instead of his chest.

"Your heart rate's a little fast, but you're not in any danger. Your breathing is also stable." Draping the audioscope around his neck Simon asked about Connor's symptoms. "You've begun sweating, right?"

"...Yes."

"And you're experiencing an intense headache, too?"

"...Yes. I can't run a self-diagnostic or initiate my other programs."

Clearing his throat Hank added on another symptom. "His fever got so high he became delirious for a moment, too." Hank watched Simon carefully as the blond android placed the audioscope back in the satchel and check the thermal wrap on Connor's wrist. "Do you know why he's so sick?"

"I do." Simon confirmed as he took a small digital display from the satchel and powered the device on. "The update was meant to make all androids exhibit more humanoid physical responses to external stimuli as well as internal malfunctions; it was CyberLife's attempt to simplify identifying malfunctions for those who aren't technicians. The update automatically causes the thermal regulator to increase the core temperature to enable the artificial perspiration program to test it, but a glitch prevented the thermal regulator from returning to its normal setting after the system recalibrated. The result was one nasty bout of overheating and an increase in Thirium pressure in his cranium."

Hank shook his head a little and shrugged his shoulders. "I sure as hell hope I wasn't meant to understand any of that."

Connor blinked slowly and moved his gaze upward toward Hank. "...My fever and headache was caused by a glitch. Simon can correct it."

"Oh. Now _that_ I can understand."

Simon looked a little embarrassed but remained focused on Connor. "You were perspiring profusely and the perspiration itself is the result of diluted Thirium exiting through your most external and thinnest Thirium lines that connect to your artificial skin once the skin itself regenerates over your frame. You'll need some fresh Thirium to replenish what you've lost, but you'll be just fine."

"I'm on it." Hank volunteered as he stepped out of the bathroom and returned to the kitchen to get bottle of Thirium he had already stored in the freezer.

"Your headache," Simon continued casually he carefully lifted Connor's heavy eyelids to check his pupils. "is the result of your low Thirium pressure, and it's why you can't run any of your more advanced programs."

"...How long until my core temperature returns to normal?"

"Once I activate this software patch," Simon held up the small display screen toward Connor's L.E.D. with a light pressure. "the glitch will be corrected and your thermal regulator will return to its optimal temperature within the next thirty minutes."

"...I'm ready whenever you are."

With the chilled Thirium in hand Hank returned to the bathroom again and watched as Simon uploaded the patch into Connor's system to remedy the glitch that had left the deviant so suddenly sick. Connor's eyes closed slowly as his L.E.D. flashed to yellow then cycled back to red after the upload was completed.

Simon put aside the small screen and glanced up at Hank with a confident stare as the detective returned to the bathroom. "He'll be fine. He no longer needs the cooling measures you've applied."

Hank's shoulders slouched with unspoken relief. "Thanks for helping Simon. I wasn't sure what else I could do."

"You did everything correctly. Just let him rest and he'll be back to optimal function within the hour." Packing up his satchel Simon excused himself from the presence of the two detectives. "I need to deliver this patch to the facilities in the city to aid other affected deviants."

"Yeah, I get it, thanks." As Simon took his leave of the house Hank grabbed a giant fluffy white towel from the nearby shelf mounted on the wall and knelt down beside the bathtub. Pulling the plug in the tub Hank watched as the cool, slightly blue tinted water drained then draped the towel around Connor's shoulders. "Think you can stand?"

Connor's eyes opened heavily and he looked over at Hank with a fleeting alertness in his focus as his red L.E.D. shifted to yellow. "...I can try."

Offering Connor his hand Hank stood upright and took a firm grip of the deviant's accepting hand and pulled him upright slowly until Connor was standing on his shaking legs. Hank pressed the towel against Connor's shoulders and back as the deviant stepped over the edge of the tub and set foot on the small mat covering the linoleum floor.

"Walk slowly, kid. Don't push yourself too hard." Hank pleaded as helped Connor to walk out of the bathroom and back into his bedroom. "Are you cold?"

"...Not really. I'm just tired."

"Put on some dry clothes then lay down on the couch."

"What's wrong with laying on my bed?"

"You already sweat all over it. That's not healthy."

"Thirium will evaporate."

"Don't care. It's still gross."

Connor nodded and walked into his bedroom, the towel falling from his shoulders and back as he walked forward revealing the faint, lingering scars from his previous injuries. Scars that had never been there before, but were suddenly visible and agonizing to look at.

Another unfortunate side effect of the update.

Forcing himself to look away from the scars on Connor's back Hank grabbed the bottle of Thirium from the bathroom sink and carried it into the livingroom for Connor to drink later on. Sumo was laying in his bed in the corner of the livingroom watching Hank's every move curiously, his tail thumping rhythmically over the hard floor as just the presence of his owner was enough to make the fluffy dog happy.

Slipping back down the hallway Hank grabbed the spare blanket from the closet and draped it over the back of the couch as he listened to Connor's unusually heavy footsteps as he made his way back down the hallway with a clean navy blue t-shirt and pair of black sweatpants in place of his wet clothing.

"You still got that wrap on your wrist, right?" Hank asked curiously as Connor finally joined him in the livingroom.

"...Correct." Connor looked down at the wrap and noted his temperature had dropped down to one-hundred point nine degrees. "My core temperature is stabilizing."

"Your color is looking better, too."

"Color?"

"You're not as pale anymore."

"Oh..." Connor sat down on the couch and immediately had Sumo up from his bed and eager to get his ears rubbed as he pressed his chin down atop Connor's knee. "I understand the term, now."

"Here." Hank threw the blanket around Connor's shoulders and joined the deviant on the couch. "Strange seeing you respond so humanly to illness. I have to admit, I was a little freaked when I saw you pale, sweating and unconscious."

"I apologize for frightening you."

"Connor, how many times do I have to tell you to NOT apologize for getting sick or hurt?" Handing Connor the bottle of Thirium with a steady motion Hank leaned back against the soft couch cushion and propped his feet up on the coffee table in front of him. "Besides, this was from a glitch in some shitty software. You couldn't help it."

"Yes. That's why I'm currently in the process of deleting it from my program."

"You're sure you really want to do that?"

"...Yes." Connor drank a little of the Thirium and paused as his system began to recalibrate his registered Thirium volume and pressure. "Even if I hadn't become sick I believe I still would be uncomfortable with all of the physical changes the software had caused. I'm not ready to be so... human. At least not yet."

"Like I told you before; it's your body, it's your decision."

"I wonder how the other deviants are responding to the update?"

"Maybe you can check in with Markus and North at New Jericho tomorrow."

"That might prove beneficial." Connor's L.E.D. flickered from yellow to blue at long last as the software had been removed from his system quicker and easier than it had been installed. "The update has been successfully removed."

"How do you feel?"

"I feel... better. More like myself"

"That's what's important, kid."

"How do humans cope with such horrid physical and emotional feelings so frequently?"

"We get used to them, that's all." Hank replied in a curt, matter-of-fact tone of voice as he gave Connor's forehead a final fever check. "Through either patience or necessity, we just fuckin' get used to it."

"I don't think I want to get used to feeling so vulnerable or weak."

"Good. Don't." Hank watched as Connor nervously fumbled with the Thirium bottle in his still mildly trembling hands, before he himself rose from the couch and strode down the hallway. "Finish that off, then rest for a while to make sure you're functioning at one-hundred percent. I'll go throw your sheets in the washer."

"I'll take care of it, Hank." Connor shouted loudly down the hall after the detective. "Don't worry about cleaning up after me, I'll take care of the laundry."

"I can handle some laundry, you stay there." The detective shouted back firmly. "Besides, I always worry about you." Hank mumbled to himself as he disappeared into the bedroom. "That's what families do."

_**...next story...** _


	95. Bitten

Responding to an emergency call from a deviant in distress Hank and Connor were the first to arrive at the scene of the address reported, and found themselves outside of a decrepit, neglected house in one of the most rundown, dangerous neighborhoods in the city. A rusty chainlink fence lined with crudely wrapped barbed wire over the top surrounded the crumbling house and barred anyone from setting foot on the property without entering through the locked, front gate.

The house itself was a single story building with a crumbling roof, boarded up windows and heavy locks on the front door. There was no porch to speak of, only warped wooden steps leading to the door that was far from inviting. The lawn was as neglected as the house; un-mowed, densely overgrown, full of weeds, dead grass and dirt patches all around the property.

In the backyard a single massive dog, a mix between a pitbull and a Rottweiler, barked and snarled from its chain as it anxiously pulled on the full length of the metal cable keeping it restrained. There were massive scars along the dog's sides and over its muzzle indicating years of abuse and illegal, underground fighting. The dog itself was fearless as it viciously snarled at the unwelcome detectives encroaching on the property.

The sound of shouting and heavy 'bangs' inside the house indicated the ongoing disturbance that had elicited the original emergency call.

"Come on." Hank urged as he pushed open his car door and drew his gun. "Whoever's in there is still in danger."

"I'm right behind you." Connor kept his own gun holstered as he ran a scan over the property and approached the locked gate of the fence warily.

The gate was secured by a thick, rusty chain and a massive padlock that was keeping the chain in place. Noting the weakest link in the chain Connor pulled down as hard as he could against the compromised link until it snapped open, allowing Connor to pull the weakened chain away.

"I'll go first." Hank volunteered as he pushed through the gate and rushed up to the front door over the uneven steps. Connor joined him and positioned himself beside the door and lowered his gun toward the ground. "DETROIT POLICE."

The loud commotion inside the house continued even after Hank announced his presence. Reeling back one leg Hank kicked down the front door just below the locked doorknob, then quickly pressed his back up against the exterior side of the house next to the door opposite side of Connor. Hank retreated to his original place just in case someone or something went barreling through the door.

Entering the house Hank caught the ongoing assault in the act and aimed his gun at the violent man as he issued his next order before it was too late. "DROP THE KNIFE."

The man committing the assault was a short, burly man who looked like he hadn't bathed in weeks. He reeked of cheap beer, old cigarettes and had all the obvious signs of 'red ice' addiction. A large kitchen knife was clutched in his Thirium covered right hand and he was threatening to stab the already battered, and terrified deviant cowering on the floor at his feet.

The deviant who had called for help, a 'Jerry' model, was laying on his back with his arms up defensively as he had endured the vicious assault. Long cuts marred the deviant's arms and face. Each cut was seeping blue blood and his eyes were wide with fear.

Connor saw that Hank had the situation under control and cybernetically requested a squad car at their location to take the suspect into custody, while also requesting an android ambulance to tend to the victim. "Come with me outside." Offering the victim a hand Connor helped him up this feet and escorted him outside to wait for the ambulance. "You'll be okay."

From the backyard the angry, ferocious dog had pulled on his chain with so much force and impressive strength that he had managed to pull the chain away from the heavy stake that had been wedged into the ground with a concrete barricade to hold it into place. Breaking free the enraged dog ran toward the house to find the two 'trespassing' detective.

As the dog charged across the property toward the front door Connor found himself being tackled to the ground as the massive, snarling beast sank its sharp teeth into Connor's right forearm. The angry dog bit down with enough strength from its powerful jaws cracked the white plastimetal frame of his arm while tearing into the artificial skin drawing dark blue blood to the surface.

"HANK?!" Connor called out for help as he used his left hand to grab onto the dog's leather collar to try to push it away from his arm. He struggled to pull his arm free of the dog's jaws, but was now use. Connor's L.E.D. was blinking red rapidly in distress as he tried and failed to free his arm. "HANK! HELP!"

Reacting quickly Hank dragged and cuffed the surrenderinf suspect to the thick pipe under the bathroom sink to ensure he couldn't escape or get another weapon while he turned his back and raced outside to help Connor. Grabbing onto the strip of chain still attached to the dog's collar Hank jumped on the dog's back and pried its jaws open wide enough for Connor to pull his arm free at last. As Connor scrambled back along the ground with his bleeding arm clutched protectively to his chest the wounded deviant android ran a scan over the damage he had sustained, while also running a scan over the dog to try to determine why it had attacked him.

Hank kept one hand on the dog's collar while using his other hand to wrap the chain around the snarling dog's mouth to keep it from snapping and biting anything, or anyone else.

"Call animal control!" Hank shouted as he watched Connor slowly get back to his feet and process what had just happened. "We're going to need some help."

"...I'm on it." Connor confirmed as he made the cybernetic call and backed away from the massive dog while Hank kept it pinned to the ground with relative difficulty. "They'll be here shortly."

* * *

With a heavy heart Connor sat on the bumper of the android ambulance while one of the emergency technicians tended to his injured arm, and the second emergency technician took care of the assaulted Jerry model one the stretched inside of the ambulance. Neither of the two deviants were in critical condition, but they weren't exactly in the best of shape either.

Animal control had arrived at the scene within a few minutes and had secured a strong halo line around the dog's neck to secure in the back of their truck. The massive, snarling beast had barked, growled and snapped the during the entire altercation and had been deemed too dangerous to be re-homed. The poor animal would have to be put down for the safety of people, androids and other animals.

"How's your arm?" Hank asked as he stared down at the white bandages wrapped around the bloodied limb.

"It'll heal without any permanent damage."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just... overwhelmed. I had never been attacked by an animal before."

"It happens from time to time. Lucky for you that dog went for your arm and not your throat." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank motioned for the deviant to follow him back to the car. "Let's get back to the precinct. I want to know why that fuck that guy tried to tear apart this deviant in the first."

"Of course."

* * *

After being arrested the man admitted that he had attacked the Jerry model because Jerry had found his drug stashed and disposed of it, it was the very task the man had hired the Jerry to do after seeking help for his drug addiction. Unfortunately Jerry hadn't been prepared for the erratic and violent behavior often exhibited by humans going through withdrawal.

Connor had spent the remainder of his shift absentmindedly rubbing his left hand over his damaged right arm while also thinking about the dog that attacked him without provocation. It seemed so unfair that the dog, who had been abused and neglected by its owner, had been condemned to death, while the owner himself would have to pay a fine and spend only a few years behind bars.

It seemed like the entire day had been filled with misfortune and grim outcomes for everyone involved. But at least the day had come to an end and the two detectives could finally go home.

"Connor?" Hank called to the deviant android still sitting in the parked car beside the house. "You coming, or what?"

"Yes, of course. Sorry, Hank." Pushing open his door he followed after Hank into the house and unexpectedly froze when Sumo ran up to greet him in the kitchen. The massive dog trotted toward Connor quickly and stood before him expectantly. "H-Hi, Sumo."

Hank heard the fearful stammering in Connor's voice and looked over his shoulder to see Connor with his back nervously pressed up against the kitchen cabinets as he stared down at Sumo with his L.E.D. blinking yellow. "Hey, come on! You know Sumo would never hurt you!"

"Y-Yeah..." Connor lowered his left hand toward Sumo's head and began rubbing the dog's ears with the same affection as he had shown countless times before. "But the other dog attacked me and I hadn't done anything to provoke it."

"You didn't have to. That poor dog had been beaten so severely that the only thing it understood was aggression. It would've attacked me just as quickly as it attacked you."

"Hank, why is it okay for that dog to be euthanized but his owner gets to live?" Connor crouched down in front of Sumo and scratched the dog's neck and muzzle as his L.E.D. cycled back from yellow to blue. "It's not fair."

"I honestly don't know, Connor. I think you're right, though. It's NOT fair."

Standing back up Connor slipped off his torn up jacket so he could mend the sleeve later on. The shirt beneath was a lost cause but it didn't matter, Connor could easily buy other white shirts to replace it. As he walked into his bedroom to change into a clean t-shirt Sumo followed right behind him as if he could sense that Connor was upset and wanted to comfort him.

Hank had retired to the livingroom and watched as Connor sat down on the couch with a small sewing kit in his hand and Sumo on his heels.

"Hey Connor, I hope this little experience doesn't leave you with a negative perception of all animals."

"No..." Connor looked down at Sumo who licked a little at the bandages over his arm. "I understand that what that dog did wasn't his fault. I just wish I could've done something to save him from an unfair punishment."

"Sorry, kid. Animals can't be domesticated once they've been abused to such a severe extent. There's nothing that either of us could've done to save him."

"That human needs to suffer a punishment equivalent to that dog's death."

"I agree with one-hundred percent, son. I honestly do."

"That doesn't seem like an overreaction?"

"Nah! At least not after a day like to day, it isn't."

Putting his hand over Sumo's head Connor rubbed the lovable dog's ears gently, and was rewarded with Sumo licking the side of his hand. "...Good boy."

_**...next story...** _


	96. A Favor

Connor sat on the couch and threw Sumo's green fetch ball into the kitchen for the twenty-second time while Hank finished changing into his relatively nicer clothes in his bedroom. After listening to Hank grumble about the stupidity of class reunions through the closed bedroom door for the past ten minutes Connor turned to look over his shoulder to stare down the hallway until Hank finally emerged wearing a pair of dark gray slacks, a white t-shirt and a pale blue shirt over top of it.

"Alright, so I should be back by ten tonight. I hate going to these damn things, but," Hank fished the car keys from his pants pocket and let out an annoyed sigh as he checked the time on his phone, and sat it back down on the bookshelf. "some things you just have to put up with for the sake of your friends. Even if they aren't really your friends anymore."

"What exactly is a 'class reunion' anyway, Hank?" Sumo dropped the drool covered ball at Connor's feet once more and the deviant threw it back into the kitchen for the playful dog to chase after.

"It's when you meet up with the people you graduated high school with, and compare how great or shitty your life turned out after that 'first day of the rest of our lives' crap." Pulling a lighter brown jacket on over his shoulders Hank made his way to the front door. "I'd let you go with me but I think you'd be better off here and away from a bunch of drunk assholes who love to give their unsolicited opinions."

" _Drunk_?"

"Relax, kid. I won't touch anything remotely alcoholic until I get back home. No impaired driving from me, I promise." Opening the front door Hank took one step through and held his head up high. "Trust me, I'll need it later."

As the door shut behind Hank with a quiet 'click' Sumo dropped the ball at Connor's feet again, but rather than wait for Connor to pick up to throw it for another round the tired old dog plopped down in his bed in the corner of the livingroom for a rest. Laying down on his side and panting heavily the older dog was ready for an evening nap.

"Sorry boy, I didn't mean to wear you out."

Connor rolled the green ball away from his feet and over to Sumo's bed while he looked about the house to find something to preoccupy his mind. Settling on his guitar sitting idle in his bedroom Connor stood up to go retrieve the instrument. As he made his way to the hallway a buzzing sound filled the livingroom, making him frezze. Tracking the sound down to Hank's phone on the bookshelf Connor picked it up curiously and noted the called I.D. on the display.

"Hank forgot his phone, and now Gavin is calling..." Initially unsure of what to do Connor decided to answer the phone rather than ignore the call, and figured Hank wouldn't mind. Pressing the green 'answer' button on the phone Connor acknowledged the call. "Hello?"

' _Hank... What the fuuuuck's... wrong with your voice_?' Gavin slurred as swore angrily into the phone.

"I'm not Hank." The deviant corrected as politely as he could. "This is Connor."

' _Piece of plaaaaastic... from detective to... answering machine... Awesome..._ '

"Gavin, is there something you need? You don't sound well."

' _...Fine! I'm fine... I just... I juuuust needed a ride... home. That's all_.'

"I will assist you." Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he scanned the ambience in the background of the phone call in an attempt to trace Gavin's location. "Where are you currently?"

' _...Fuck off! Plastic... guy_!'

The phone call abruptly ended and Connor's L.E.D. returned to blue as he sat the phone back down. "It sounds like Gavin is at Jimmy's Bar."

Squaring his jaw Connor disappeared into his bedroom just long enough to retrieve his leather jacket and slip the Gears baseball cap over his head to hide his L.E.D. from any unwanted attention from the other bar patrons. Summoning an autonomous taxi Connor walked over to Sumo and patted the loyal dog's head a few times.

"I'll be back soon, Sumo."

* * *

The first time Connor had set foot inside Jimmy's Bar he had blatantly ignored the 'No Androids Allowed' segregation sign in search of Hank as was his mission. Their meeting was unorthodox but it did manage to forge a strong foundation for their friendship to build upon, and all it took was one little drink for the road. There was a hostile greeting to his arrival from the other people in the bar, but at least Jimmy, the patient owned, didn't seem to mind it too much that he stopped inside just long enough to inform Hank of the case they had been assigned.

Pulling his cap down low enough to keep his L.E.D. hidden Connor entered the bar one more time and no one seemed to notice his arrival. Jimmy himself was the only one who vaguely remembered Connor and decided that since Hank didn't mind the android then he wouldn't mind either. After all, Hank had been pretty lenient on him and rowdy customers in the past that made everyone's lives a little easier.

"Yo!" Jimmy called from behind the bar and pointed to the booth in the back of the place. "If you're here for Reed he's over there! Get him outta' here, will ya'?"

"Ye- Yeah," Connor stammered a little as he followed Jimmy's directions. "I'll take care of it."

Gavin was slumped over the table in the booth with a single untouched shot resting next to his limp hand. The detective was pretty out of it, but it didn't look as though he had been drinking long enough to end up in a drunken stupor like this. Connor ran a scan over Gavin's body and found no trace of alcohol on his breath, but did notice that Gavin's body temperature had risen considerably.

"Detective Reed?" Connor stood beside the booth and looked down at the semi-conscious detective. "I'm here to-"

"Fuuuuck... off!" Gavin slurred again despite having no alcohol in his system. "I don't... need your help!"

"Yes, you do." The deviant android deduced that Gavin wasn't intoxicated in the slightest. He was sick and his blood sugar was low. "You're not well."

"I'm just fine..." Gavin stood up quickly, his body swaying weakly and pale face plastered with sweat. "Bet I could... kick your ass!"

Connor quickly challenged the threatening claim. "Not in your condition."

"W-Wanna' bet?"

Growing impatient with Gavin's belligerence Connor put his hand on the center of Gavin's chest and pushed him backward with a single motion. Gavin quickly fell backward and laid sprawled out on the floor as if he had dropped completely unconscious in a dead faint.

Connor knelt down beside Gavin and patted the detective's pale face lightly. "Detective Reed? Gavin?"

Jimmy called out again from behind the bar. "He ain't drunk! That's the only shot he ordered and he didn't touch. I don't know what's wrong with him."

"It's okay." Connor replied as he grabbed Gavin's arm and hoisted the detective's limp body up and over his shoulder. "I'll get him out of here." As he walked by the bar Connor reached into his pocket and placed a ten dollar bill down to pay for the shot. "Sorry about the disturbance."

"Shit, if you're going to pay me ten bucks for a two dollar shot I'll put up with this asshole every night."

Connor nodded once appreciatively and proceeded to carry Gavin out of the bar and laid him down inside the autonomous taxi that Connor had initially taken to the bar. Cybernetically Connor uploaded the address of Gavin's new apartment to the G.P.S. and proceeded to monitor Gavin's condition throughout the drive.

Gavin was clearly suffering from a fever and was becoming delirious. Whether or not his confusion was the direct result of the fever, his low blood sugar or a combination of both, Connor couldn't be sure. Monitoring his heart rate, blood pressure and breathing carefully Connor made small notes on his condition to be used later on if it became necessary.

The taxi came to a stop outside Gavin's apartment and Connor hefted the still unconscious detective up over his shoulder once more. Opening the (thankfully) unlocked door to the apartment Connor carried Gavin inside and looked about the poorly furnished and relatively empty apartment with a sense of pity. It was a hollow environment void of any personal affects and felt oddly cold despite the evening being warm.

Connor bent down slowly and dropped Gavin as gently as possible onto the dark blue leather sofa before straightening up again.

It seemed the motion was enough to rouse Gavin from his state of unconsciousness as he lifted up his head and glared bitterly at Connor hovering over him. "What the... fuck?"

"I'm sorry Gavin, but I had to bring you back to your apartment. You're ill."

"No shit! I know I'm sick..." Gavin awkwardly flung his legs over the side of his couch and pressed his face down into his palms in discomfort as he sat back against the furniture. "...I wanted to get drunk first."

"You shouldn't drink while ill, and considering you're also a diabetic-"

"Yeah, yeah... I know about watchin' the booze..." Gavin sighed a little and sucked in a breath between his teeth.

Connor recognized the the symptoms of stomach distress and located the small black trashcan in the kitchen. Placing it down in front of Gavin between his legs the deviant android watched as Gavin threw-up once, and immediately coughed up the nasty lingering taste in his mouth.

"I'll get you some water."

Gavin wanted to complain about androids and kick Connor out, but decided he felt too terrible to be alone at the moment.

Connor placed a clean glass in the kitchen sink and filled it with cool water. As he handed the glass to Gavin to take Connor felt something warm and soft rubbing up against his side of his leg. Glancing down at the source Connor smirked a little and reacted with a positive demeanor.

"You have a cat." Connor crouched down and scratched the chin of golden yellow tabby kitten who had taken great interest in the deviant andoird. "I didn't know you had any pets."

"...Yeah, well she showed up the day I moved in. Named her 'Lucky' because she's lucky I didn't drop her off at the humane society or some shit."

"Gavin, you need medication." Connor reminded the ill detective sharply. "Where do you keep it?"

"...I don't have anything." Gavin drank a little of the water and spit it into the trashcan as he rinsed out his mouth. Coughing harshly for a few seconds Gavin sucked in another breath and let it out slowly. "That bitch had the nerve to kick me out after _she_ cheated on _me_... Everything I have you see right here before you. She took everything else... Including my pride."

Connor's L.E.D. flickered yellow under his cap as he realized that Gavin was lost in the emotional throes of a nasty break-up with his girlfriend. "I'll go and get you some medicine."

"No, don't bother. I'll be fine." Gavin fell to his side on the couch and was greeted by Lucky who nuzzled up under his chin and began to purr affectionately.

Standing back up Connor ran another scan over Gavin's body and shook his head. "You appear to be suffering from a minor lung infection. By all account you should be hospitalized for temporary observation and put on antibiotics. I will refrain from admitting you to the hospital, but only if you cooperate with me."

Gavin stared up at Connor, studying the deviant android closely and decided that Connor wasn't bluffing. "...Alright. If I take some medicine will you leave me alone in my misery?"

"Yes. I will leave you alone after you take some medicine."

"Fine. You have a deal."

Gavin was sick and running a fever, but he didn't seem to be having any difficulty in breathing save for the mild cough. His blood sugar level was also stable, but he should still eat something to ensure his sugar didn't drop. It would be safe for Connor to leave the ill human alone for a brief period of time, but he still wanted to hurry. Locating the nearest convenience store that had a selection of over-the-counter medicine Connor quickly took his leave and made his way to the store only two blocks away.

"I will be back soon, Gavin. Get some rest."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Just do whatever it is the fuck you want do and let me die in peace."

"You're not going to die."

"Says you... You're made of plastic, you'll never die!"

Rather than correcting Gavin's comment with logic and facts Connor decided to focus on his task at hand and took his leave of the apartment.

* * *

Eyeing the numerous medications available for purchase warily, Connor found himself unable to make a selection. There were dozens of different medicines that had different effects on different symptoms, as well some potentially dangerous side effects. While Connor was familiar enough with Hank's health to find ideal medication for him, Gavin had a completely different health history and completely different possible side effects considering he also had diabetes.

A light hand on his shoulder caused Connor to turn around quickly and saw Abby staring at him curiously. "Abby. Hello."

"Hey, Connor." Abby had a small red shopping basket in her hand filled with few choices items of her own. "I thought that was you, it's hard to tell from a distance with that hat hiding your L.E.D."

"Yes... I find it's easier to go out in public while I'm off the clock this way."

"Why not remove the L.E.D. entirely? I could do it for you at the facility if you want, and then you'll look totally human."

Connor's fingers pressed up against the L.E.D. tucked under the thin fabric of his cap. "Because I shouldn't have to to give it up because other people have a problem with it."

Abby grinned approvingly at Connor's answer before asking another question. "So what's going on?" The current technician and former E.M.S. stared at the deviant with genuine concern in her eyes as well as in her voice. "Did Hank get sick?"

"No, Hank is fine. I'm attempting to purchase medicine for another detective I work with."

"Oh, well, have you ever picked out medicine for humans before?"

"Only Hank. I'm unsure of-" Connor decided to not mention Gavin's name out a strange sense of needing to protect him from any possible gossip. "this detective's previous medical history. They are also suffering from diabetes. I just want to be sure I pick something safe."

"Here, let me help. What're their symptoms?"

"Fever and a cough with very mild congestion. They had also vomited once. I suspect they have mild bronchitis but they will not permit me to take them to the hospital for a proper diagnosis."

"Are you sure this isn't Hank we're talking about?"

Connor smiled a little at the comment while Abby continued to pick out the right medicine for Connor purchase.

"Well, since they've thrown-up once, already I'd wager they have a case of the flu, not bronchitis. Try this." Abby handed Connor a small cardboard box containing the bottle of pills and pointed to the active drug ingredients on the back. "Avoid any medication with phenylephrine or acetaminophen. That can mess with glucose levels."

Connor read the name of the medication that Abby had handed him. "Benalyn Adult."

"This detective you're helping isn't pregnant, right?"

"Uh... no. HE'S not."

"Well then, that should help things. For future reference look for medicines with Dextromethorphan or Guaifenesin."

"You know all of this from being a former Emergency Medical Technician Specialist?"

"Actually, I know all that because my grandpa was a diabetic. I just paid attention a lot as a kid."

"I'm glad you did. Thank you for your help."

"Sure, no problem. By the way, you need to make sure he drinks plenty of water and checks his sugar levels often."

"I will do so, I appreciate your help." Connor looked over a few other items to pick up along with the medicine. "I'm glad you recognized me."

"I'm just glad I finally got to see you outside of my facility, _and_ in one piece."

Nodding appreciatively to Abby as he took his leave Connor carried the box of medication toward the front of the store, only to grab a few other items before checking out.

* * *

Connor returned to Gavin's apartment and found the sick detective with Lucky still cuddled under his chin in the exact same position he had been in before Connor left. Gavin was pale and sweaty, and coughed weakly even in his sleep. Placing the medication, as well as a brand new digital thermometer and some glucose testing strips down on the large cardboard moving box next to the couch, Connor brought another glass of water from the kitchen for Gavin to drink.

"Gavin. Wake up, please."

Opening his pale hazel eyes Gavin glared at Connor confusedly for a few seconds before remembering what had happened. Pushing himself upright on the couch with one arm Gavin pulled Lucky over onto his lap as he picked up the box of offered medicine with his free hand. "Nice pick."

"I had some help."

"You? _You_ needed help?"

"Yes. I'm not perfect Gavin, nor am I medical android."

"...Never thought I'd meet a humble android." Gavin scoffed as he opened the box containing the bottle of the pills, and popped two into his mouth before downing them with some water. "...Then again, I never thought Hank would have an android partner. There's a first for everything, I guess."

"Gavin, may I ask you a question?" Connor knelt on the floor in front of the couch as he scanned Gavin's body to gauge his temperature without touching him.

"Yeah, sure. Why the hell not?"

"...Why do you hate androids?"

Gavin froze and stared down at the sleepy kitten on his lap. "...It's personal."

"Hank had a similar situation. I understand if you don't want to talk about it." Connor stood up straight and proceeded to head toward the apartment door. "If you require anything else do not hesitate to ask."

"...Wait." Gavin called out as Connor put his hand on the doorknob. "If I tell you what happened you have to swear to me that you'll never tell ANYONE about what happened tonight."

"Of course. I will keep this matter private."

"Alright, fine. Here's the story." Gavin ran his hand over sweaty black hair and sighed. "When I was fourteen me and my kid sister went swimming at the community pool that summer. She was eight years old and she was my shadow everywhere I went. It was also the same summer that the city decided to replace human lifeguards with android lifeguards to 'improve efficiency'."

Connor's brow furrowed as he stared at Gavin with deep intrigue at the detective spoke.

"Well, there was a bug no one expected and the damn android lifeguard overheated and shutdown without ANYONE noticing... My sister... She wasn't a strong swimmer and she tried to go out into the deep end of the pool when I wasn't looking. She... She drowned. And the damn lifeguard was busted. Kim never had a chance."

"I'm so sorry, Gavin. I didn't realize-"

"Yeah, well, you're the first." Gavin wiped a tear away from his face as he broke eye contact with Connor. "Even my parents can't stand to talk about Kim or the fuckin' android who broke on the first day on the job! You wanted to know, now you know. My sister drowned because you plastic people aren't as perfect as everyone wants to believe."

"No one is perfect Gavin. Man, or machine."

"Tell that to my fuckin' parents. All they ever did was remind me that Kimmy drowned when I was supposed to be protecting her."

"...I am truly sorry that your parents treated you in such a manner." Connor now saw the detective in a different light. Gavin wasn't a temperamental jerk, he was in pain. He came from a broken, emotionally abusive home. "What happened to your sister wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, well. Keep your fuckin' mouth shut about this or I'll break you in half! Got it?"

"I understand. Goodnight, Gavin."

"Yeah, whatever. Beat it."

Stepping through the apartment door Connor discreetly locked the door behind him as he walked away from the apartment and headed for home. It was getting late but it wasn't too dark yet. The hint of summer's end and the dawn of autumn filled the air with a crisp chill that Connor easily ignored as he tucked his hands into his jacket pockets.

* * *

Connor arrived home before Hank and was greeted by Sumo who had recovered his energy after his quick nap. Hanging up his jacket and hat back in his bedroom closet out of sight, and kicking off his shoes to give the illusion that he had stayed home the entire evening, Connor let Sumo outside for a few minutes and had closed the backdoor just as Hank walked through the front door with a hefty sigh.

"Hey, Connor." Hank hung up his own coat and made a beeline for the refrigerator. " _Never_ go to a class reunion. You'll feel old, annoyed and superior all in one night."

"You didn't enjoy the company of your former classmates?"

"Nope." Hank twisted the cap off the beer bottle and tossed it into the trashcan. "I didn't even like them the _first time_ around, why the fuck would I like them now?"

"I have no idea." Connor replied with an amused grin. "But since I never went to school I won't have to endure such a scenario. By the way, you forgot your phone."

"Don't care. Did anyone even call?"

"Gavin." Connor replied, then remembered the promise he made Gavin about not mentioning helping him. "It was an accident though. He swore at me and hung up."

"Now I'm _glad_ I forgot to take it." Hank laughed a little as he took another sip of his beer. "So... How was your night? Boring?"

"Nothing worth talking about. I was actually about to practice playing my guitar."

"What's stoppin' ya?"

"Sumo."

"Right." Hank took another sip of beer and sighed. "Let him back in and go get your guitar. I want to hear something that isn't a bunch of old guys bitchin' about their ex-wives or ungrateful kids, or the way some young guy 'stole' their job."

"Okay, Hank." Connor opened up the backdoor and Sumo trotted back into the house happily to plop down on his bed again. "Any requests?"

"Nah. Just play whatever you feel like playin', kid."

_**...next story...** _


	97. Watch Your Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: storiesattheend11

A stand-off between the police and a gathering of the anti-android gang members at an abandoned warehouse had resulted in a spray of bullets, blue blood, red blood and demanding shouts from both sides. Hank, Connor, Gavin and Tina found themselves caught in the crossfire after responding to a reported call of two deviant androids found dead in the warehouse. Unfortunately the double homicide was also a ruse; a trap to isolate the police officers who were willing to handle cases regarding damaged or killed androids throughout the city.

"Son of a bitch!" Hank swore as he ducked down behind a massive lead pipe jutting out of the ground of the warehouse. A deep crimson line of blood stained Hank's jeans over his right knee as a bullet grazed his leg with a painfully quick passing. "Connor, how many are out there?!"

Connor's L.E.D. cycled yellow rapidly as he scanned the building from where he was crouched down a few feet to Hank's right, using a massive hydraulic press as a shield. "There are six active shooters on the premises. You and I are here on the ground floor while Gavin and Tina are on the catwalk above us attempting to get a clear shot."

"Are the radioes working?"

"Negative. I'm detecting copious lead and magnetically charged metal fragments disrupting communication."

"Can you contact the precinct and request back-up?"

"Negative. My cybernetic processors have been greatly stunted and can only scan our immediate area."

"Shit!"

There was a sharp yelp of pain from above as Tina let out a groan then immediately stifled it as she went for cover.

"I believe Officer Chen has been wounded." Connor acknowledged as he looked up to the catwalk above and ran a scan confirming fresh blood belonging to the officer was now presently dripping onto the surface of the catwalk above.

"How bad?"

"Unknown."

"Can you get to her?" Hank asked as he peered around the pipe and squeezed the trigger twice to try to subdue the nearest gang member approaching with his own gun already drawn.

"I can make an attempt."

"Then, go!"

"Hank, you're wounded as well."

"I'll be fine, it's just a scratch. Go!" Hank shouted again as he reloaded his gun with a new clip and took aim around the pipe, ready to squeeze the trigger once more. "Check on Tina and Gavin. That's an order."

Connor nodded as he kept his head low and quickly darted to the metal staircase connecting the ground floor to the catwalk above. Holstering his weapon to ensure his hands were free Connor expertly dodged and ducked down behind other pieces of heavy machinery to protect himself from the screaming bullets that soared through the air all around him as he reached the top of the catwalk and scanned the area.

"Sergeant Reed? Officer Chen?"

Gavin was crouched down beside Tina with his gun aimed toward the large single door of the warehouse protectively, while Tina's left hand was clutching at the bleeding wound in her right bicep. The two officers were concealed behind a massive stretch of thick metal pipes well out of sight from the encroaching gang members.

Connor's scanner identified the bullet still lodged in Tina's arm and wedged deep within the bone of her humerus. "Tina?" Connor kept low as he joined the other two officers behind the pipe. "Let me see your arm."

"It's not bad." Tina huffed as she steadied her breathing and dropped her bloodied left palm from her wounded arm. "It didn't hit anything vital."

Connor gently put his hand around her arm for a closer inspection, readily agreeing that the wound wasn't immediately life threatening. Loosening the knot of his tie Connor slipped the garment free from around his neck and carefully wrapped it around Tina's arm to stem the bleeding and hold steady pressure over the injured limb.

Gavin looked over at Tina for a brief second before returning his focus on the gang members below. "Where's Hank?"

"Below us. He too has been injured but it's not critical." Connor explained coolly as he focused on Tina's arm. "I must find an alternative way to contact the precinct for back-up. The walls and machinery within the warehouse are-"

"Whatever man," Gavin impatiently cut off Connor midsentence. "do what you gotta' do! Just get some more help out here!"

Nodding Connor checked Tina's gun and found it still adequately loaded. "Tina, can you get down to the ground floor with Hank?"

"Y-Yeah." She stammered a little as she steeled herself through the pain. "No problem."

With Connor and Gavin watching her back Tina managed to crouch down low enough to avoid detection as she descended the metal staircase and joined Hank on the ground floor. Taking cover down behind the thick piece of piping and machinery to Hank's left, Tina found cover and stayed put.

"She's safe." Gavin noted as he resumed his own cover. "Whatever you gotta' do to get us some back-up, do it now! I only have one more clip left!"

Connor backed away from the catwalk and eyed the large window of the warehouse allowing full access to the world outside. As he began to check the locks on the window another bullet screamed through the air and pierced the glass next to Connor's hand, drawing the deviant's attention back to the gunfire behind him.

As he turned his gaze a second bullet embedded itself with burning pain in Connor's lower right chest. A sickening spray of blue blood erupted from Connor's chest he fell backward against the window and slid down to the floor. Pressing his hand to his bleeding chest Connor ran a self-diagnostic to chronicle the severity of the damage he sustained while initiating his self-healing program.

"Shit! Connor!" Gavin grabbed onto the deviant's arm and pulled him away from the window and protectively behind the wall of pipes out of harm's way. Propping Connor up against the pipes in a sitting position Gavin got right in Connor's face and began shouting at him. "Don't you fuckin' die on me! I won't be responsible for this!"

"...I'm not in danger of imminent shutdown." Connor pressed his hand firmer against the bleeding bullet wound in his chest. "It missed my biocomponents and only nicked a few small Thirium lines."

"I don't care about that shit, I just don't want you to die!"

"...I won't."

"Good! Now," Gavin knelt down beside Connor and pulled open the deviant's shirt just enough to examine the wound beneath. "what do I have to do to keep you working?"

"I need... the bullet needs to be removed. It's lodged in side the internal wall of my chest cavity."

"Alright, fine. How do I do that?"

"...Do you have a knife?"

"Fuck!" Gavin reached to his belt where he kept a sharp hunting knife at his disposal just in case of an emergency. Pulling the blade from its leather sheath on the side of his belt he held it out toward Connor. "How do I do this without killing you in the process?"

Connor took in a deep breath as his yellow L.E.D. flickered quickly. Connor's artificial skin receded from over his chest and exposed the damaged white plastimetal frame beneath. Pressing his fingers down at his side Connor unlocked the panel covering his chest and slid it open for Gavin's ease of access to locate the offending bullet.

"Aw man, that's so gross!" Gavin complained as he saw the gush of blue blood seeping from the Thirium lines.

"I apologize, but there is little I can do to make my anatomy less unsettling for humans to view."

"Don't call it your 'anatomy'!" The massive grimace on Gavin's face was almost comical. "It freaks me out..."

"Sorry." Connor placed his fingers carefully inside of his chest to push aside the surrounding Thirium lines and expose the casing of the bullet wedged firmly in his plastimetal frame for Gavin to see. It was lodged in the internal plastimetal frame of his chest cavity just to the right side of his right ventilation biocomponent; his right ling. "You need to pry out the bullet and-"

"Yeah, yeah... I can do that."

Connor watched as Gavin slowly reached his hands inside of his chest to hold back the lines and to pierce the tip of the knife blade down against the side of the bullet. Applying steady pressure Gavin heard a metallic 'pop' and felt the bullet give under the knife. Grabbing onto the bullet with his fingertips Gavin pulled it out of Connor's chest and dropped the Thirium coated projectile on the metal catwalk beside him with an echoing 'tink'.

"Got it." Gavin sheathed his Thirium coated knife and waited for Connor to respond. "Well? Did it work?"

Connor nodded a little as he pulled his bloodied hands from within his own chest and closed the panel, locking it in place. The artificial skin regenerated over the frame leaving only a small blue ring around where the bullet had entered his body upon being shot. "...Thanks."

Gavin rocked back a little on his heels and saw the Thirium still seeping through the bullet wound in Connor's chest. "Why're you still bleeding?"

"Numerous lines were damaged, it'll take some time before my self-healing program fully remedies and repairs..." Connor's eyes began to droop and his voice trailed off slowly. "...before I'm fully... functional."

"Hey, hey!" Gavin grabbed Connor by the shoulders and shook him as the cascade of bullets continued to ricochet around them throughout the warehouse. "Stay awake! You need to fuckin' call for back-up!"

"...I'm trying."

"Try harder damn it! You're hurt, Tina's hurt, Hank's hurt... Come on, we need you to get through and get us some back-up!"

Connor forced his eyes open and he leaned forward slightly from where he was sitting. "I need to... be outside. I can... I can send a cybernetic distress call once I'm outside the area."

"FUCK. Alright, alright... Let me think." Gavin looked back at the window that Connor had been trying to open and ran his hand over his chin. They had little ammunition left and couldn't risk wasting any limited shots. Thinking quickly Gavin took his knife in his hand turned the hilt of the blade outward to use as a blunt force instrument. "Watch my back."

With a trembling hand Connor pulled his gun from his holster and propped himself up on his knees to look over the pipes Connor scanned the area for any sign of immediate danger. Below the catwalk he could see Hank still returning fire with Tina now safely at his side as she too aimed her gun and fired whenever the dwindling strength in her injured arm would allow her to do so.

The distinct crash of glass breaking caught Connor's ear but he didn't dare to turn away from the gang members who were trying to surround the outnumbered officers in the warehouse.

"Come on!" Gavin shouted as he grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and pulled him away from the pipe and toward the broken window. "Climb through, call for help, then get your ass back in here!"

Connor watched as Gavin reclaimed his position behind the pipes and proceeded to fire a single warning shot at a gang member who was getting dangerously close to Tina's position. The bullet struck the gang member in the foot and caused him to fall to the floor, dropping his gun in the process. He pulled his leg up to his chest and began applying pressure to his bleeding foot.

"That's one..." Gavin mumbled as Connor gracelessly stepped one leg over the edge of the broken open window and balanced on the narrow ledge outside. "Hurry up, we don't have much longer."

Mindful of the glass shards that littered the ledge Connor shifted his weight accordingly and slipped along the ledge with his back up against the exterior wall of the warehouse. Closing his eyes to focus his system into prioritizing the distress call over his self-healing program Connor felt his legs begin to buckle a little as the bleeding bullet wound continued to seep Thirium at a noticeable rate.

As the call went out Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as he received a confirmation on their location, and a warning popped up in his visual sensors indicating his much lower Thirium volume. As a wave of dizziness washed over him Connor felt himself stumbling forward uncontrollably and nearly lost his balance entirely when a hand reached through the window and practically threw him onto the catwalk with an aggressive motion.

"I said to get your ass back in here!" Gavin shouted as he knelt over Connor and stared down at the stunned deviant. "What the fuck's wrong with you!?"

"...Still bleeding."

"Fuck." Gavin saw the growing blue stain on Connor's still opened shirt and reacted as he would with any human bleeding out. Pressing his hand down against Connor's chest he kept his palm in place even when Connor jerked slightly in painful response to the applied pressure. "Hold still, damn it. I'm trying to help you..."

In the distance the sound of approaching sirens was barely audible over the sound of gunshots still resonating through the warehouse as the gang members still tried to pin down Hank and Tina below.

"...I'll be okay." Connor insisted as he forced his L.E.D. to cycle back to yellow from red. "I just need a minute to-"

"Fuck that, I'm not leaving you alone, alright?"

"Protect Hank and Tina." Connor stated in a level voice. "I'll be fine."

"They can protect themselves, it's _you_ who always seems to get banged up while on the clock!"

"...That's not my intention."

"Yeah, well, it's a good thing you're not actually human. You would've been dead and buried on day one!"

Connor wasn't sure if Gavin was speaking sincerely or sarcastically. As his self-healing program reengaged his felt his system begin to stabilize while the damaged Thirium lines were repaired sequentially. Pushing aside Gavin's hand Connor tried to sit up but Gavin wouldn't let him move. With a firm push against Connor's shoulder Gavin kept the wounded deviant down.

"Don't fuckin' move."

"I'm stable enough to-"

"I said, DON'T. MOVE."

"...Why?"

"Because I said so! Fuck, how does Hank put up with you?"

The sirens grew louder and the gunfire finally ceased. As the additional police officers converged on the scene the gang members began to flee from the warehouse only to be pursued on foot by the dozen additional officers who were more than ready to protect the four officers who had been trapped inside.

"Looks like we're in the clear." Gavin holstered his gun and peered over the edge of the catwalk. There was no sign of the gang members. Hank and Tina were safe and remained behind their cover as the other responding officers entered the warehouse. "Don't move, help's here."

"I'm fine." Connor defiantly sat upright on the floor and pressed his hand over the bullet wound as the bleeding stopped entirely. His L.E.D. shifted back to blue as his system stabilized fully. "I need to check on Hank."

"Whatever," Gavin saw that Connor had managed to get up despite the bullet wound to the chest. "don't say I didn't tell you to stay down."

Annoyed and relieved at the same time Gavin begrudgingly walked down the metal staircase with Connor a few paces behind him. As he knelt down to check on Tina and ensure she wasn't in an danger from her injury Connor did the same for Hank.

"How's your leg?" Connor ran a scan over the injury on Hank's person and found the damage to be primarily subcutaneous. It didn't sever any major blood vessels or fracture any bones. "The bleeding has slowed considerably."

"I'm fine, but Tina needs to see a doctor." Hank pulled open the stained fabric of Connor's jacket and eyed the massive Thirium stain over his opened white shirt. "What happened to you?"

"Bullet. Clean shot. It's already been removed."

"Do you need to see a technician?"

"No. All I require is a Thirium replenishment." Connor grabbed onto Hank's arm and pulled it around his shoulders to help Hank stand up and balance on his one good leg. "Lean on me, I'll help you get to a paramedic."

"Skip the paramedic, just take me to the nearest free clinic so I can get my leg stitched up so we can go home."

"You're certain?"

"Yeah. Besides, Tina is hurting worse than I am. Let the paramedic focus on her."

Glancing over to where Tina was sitting Connor watched as Gavin hovered protectively over his downed partner and told the other officers of her condition.

"Very well."

* * *

Connor had driven home after he and Hank returned back to the precinct to write their reports and explain everything to Captain Fowler. Wisely Connor pulled the fabric of his jacket closed to concealed the lingering Thirium stain over his shirt as to not draw unwanted attention, while Hank did his best to avoid limping on his sore leg until they were outside of the precinct and off the clock.

Helping Hank inside the house through the backdoor Connor sat the detective down at the kitchen table in one of the chairs to rest for a minute while Connor let Sumo into the backyard and retrieved a bottle of Thirium from the cupboard over the sink to restore what he lost at the warehouse.

"Is your leg still hurting?" Connor asked as he turned to look at the detective sitting at the table behind him.

"Yup." Hank admitted as he pressed his palm over the layer of thick white bandages that were wrapped around the freshly stitched wound, and torn denim. A cold sensation against his arm drew his attention toward the source and realized that Connor was handing him a beer to drink. "Thanks, kid."

"You're welcome."

"How's your chest?" Hank twisted off the cap and slowly sipped the beer.

"Sore. Fortunately the bullet missed everything vital and Gavin was able to remove the bullet before-"

"Wait," Hank put the beer back down on the table and eyed Connor incredulously. "Gavin saved you?"

"Yes. Twice, actually."

"...Why?" Hank raised a hand defensively toward Connor as he gave the deviant a coy shrug of the shoulders. "No offense, it's just that Gavin doesn't like you."

Connor avoided mentioning the night he had aided Gavin when he was sick as he had sworn to Gavin to not speak of it. "Perhaps it was because I helped Tina and he knew that you were already injured, and he knew he couldn't afford to let me shutdown."

"Maybe he just wanted an excuse to tear your chest open?"

"Possibly. But he also he saved me when I lost my balance and nearly fell from the warehouse window when I cybernetically called for help."

"...If I didn't know any better I'd say Gavin was starting to come around. A _little_." Hank sipped at his beer again and shifted his weight to his leg to test his pain level. It was still tense but bearable. "Maybe in time he'll stop referring to you as 'plastic', too."

"That'd be nice."

"Come on." Hank held out his arm so Connor could lean down and help him get back up to his feet. "I want to catch the end of the game and forget about the pain in my leg for a few hours."

Connor finished drinking down the Thirium and placed the now empty bottle in the trashcan under the sink. Opening the backdoor he let Sumo inside the kitchen then helped Hank get back to his feet.

As the two detectives walked into the livingroom Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow briefly as he received an update from the precinct. "Tina is going to be fine. The doctor's extracted the bullet from her arm and there is no sign of permanent injury to her nerves or any muscle impairment."

"That's good." Sincerely relieved Hank sighed as Connor helped him to sit down in the recliner. "Nice to get some positive feedback every once in a while, huh Connor?"

"Yes." The deviant android agreed while he slipped off his gray jacket and looked down at the slowly fading blue stain on his rebuttoned white shirt. "It's a very nice change in light of our increasing negative line of work. Maybe it'll happen more frequently."

"Hey, come on. If some like Gavin can change for the better, than _anyone_ can. Remember that, kid."

"Yes, you're right Hank." Connor sat down on the couch beside the detective and was met with Sumo's green fetch ball being dropped on his lap by the loyal, fluffy dog. "I will keep that in mind."

_**...next story...** _


	98. Belonging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Connor-the-three-month-old-adult

Hank was sitting in the livingroom recliner with a lamp on over his shoulder as he read an old detective novel that he had already read dozens of times before. Sumo was plopped down over the length of the couch in a deep sleep as the night wore on into the late hours. The sound of an autonomous taxi pulling up in front of the house drew Hank's attention away from the book as he listened to the taxi door open and shut shortly thereafter. Footsteps hurried up the front walk and to the front door. As expected the front door opened quickly as Connor returned home.

With his dufflebag clutched in his hand Connor hurried through the livingroom and entered his bedroom without acknowledging Hank upon his return.

"Connor?" Hank closed his book and his brow furrowed in confusion as the deviant disappeared from sight and shut the bedroom door behind him with an audible 'click'. The silence was notably out of character for the deviant android. "Connor? Is something wrong?"

Silence.

"Shit. I knew this would be a bad idea." Hank rose from the recliner and winced as the sudden weight being applied to his still healing leg caught him off guard. Putting his hand down over the bandages still over his leg Hank limped down the hallway and knocked on Connor's bedroom door. "Connor, what's wrong?"

More silence.

Knocking again Hank raised his voice without letting his tone become aggressive. "Come on Connor, talk to me. What's going on?"

The door's knob slowly turned and Connor pulled open the door rather than speaking through it. Looking at Hank through a swollen eye Connor showed the detective his bloodied lip, bloodied nose and the numerous bruises he had sustained all over his face. All the while he stood in the door frame his L.E.D. blinked a distressing yellow color.

"What the hell?" Hank put his hand to the side of Connor's face only to have the deviant android flinch away in pain. "What the fuck happened, Connor? Were you mugged?"

"...No." Connor finally answered, his voice shaking and quiet.

"Did someone jump you or start a fight?"

"No."

"Then _what_ happened? Tell me the truth."

"It's... It's not important."

"What the fuck do you mean it's not important? Someone beat the hell out of you!" As he shouted he saw Connor flinching in pain and wincing at the volume of his raised voice. Hank immediately softened his tone as he gently put his hand on Connor's shoulder, he could feel that there was some swelling bruises forming on the shoulder beneath his palm. "Connor, please. Talk to me. What happened?"

Connor took in a deep breath and let it slowly as he finally answered. "What happened was... you were right." There was a sheen of unshed tears building in both of Connor's eyes. "I shouldn't have agreed to work at another precinct."

"Wait... Are you telling me this- Fuck!" Hank's hand returned to the side of Connor's face, but this time Connor's didn't flinch away. "The other _cops_ did this to you?"

Connor nodded a little to confirm the unsettling question.

"Ah, shit. I'm so sorry this happened to you." Slipping his hand from Connor's face Hank wrapped his hand around the wounded deviant's shoulder once more and pulled him out of the bedroom and back down the hallway. "Come on, son. I'll get you cleaned up."

Remaining quiet Connor allowed Hank to escort him to the kitchen and sat down heavily at the small, round table without showing any sign of getting up. Sumo had jumped down from the couch and entered the kitchen to greet Connor. Pressing his chin and one paw down on Connor's knee the massive dog wagged his tail and kept the pained deviant android company until Hank came back.

"Tell me what happened." Hank urged as he returned to the bathroom to get a clean washcloth and ran it under the cool tap in the sink. "Why'd they attack you?"

Connor cleared his throat a little as he watched Hank return to the kitchen and sit down in the chair opposite him at the table. "Because I'm an android."

"Son of- That's seriously still an issue in Fort Wayne?"

" _Parts_ of Fort Wayne. I had apparently been assigned to a precinct in said wrong part."

Hank carefully dabbed at the blue blood staining Connor's swollen lip then wiped the other smears of blood away from his nose. "Let me guess, you informed the captain but he chose not to do anything because you somehow provoked his men with just your presence, right?"

"...Correct."

"Okay. What started it exactly?"

"The other officers were offended that I had been asked to volunteer to shadow their precinct on Captain Fowler's request. When I mentioned that I had only been asked to work at the precinct due to my success record with my cases and that I would be leaving after the weekend I had apparently 'insulted' them and implied that I was 'superior' to their methods. In turn they insulted me, nothing I haven't heard before," Connor stated in an almost painfully casual manner. "and then cornered me after I had left the precinct with the intent of hailing the autonomous taxi to bring me home."

"How'd you get away?"

"I fought back and broke a nose. When the officer who started the fight had been subdued the other officers carried him back inside and threatened me. If I didn't leave the city immediately they'd 'break me like the cheap toy' that I am."

"I'll make sure Fowler knows."

"Don't worry about it, Hank. I won't be returning to that precinct, so it's no longer an issue."

"Actually, son," Hank waded up the cool washcloth and pressed it against Connor's swollen eye then put Connor's own hand over it to hold it in place. "it's a very _important_ issue, and it's not going away any time soon."

"How so?"

"Because," Hank stood up slowly and made his way over to the refrigerator and pulled out two cold beers before pulling down a bottle of Thirium from the cabinet over the sink. "if that's how cops in that city will treat a fellow officer then that means the bigotry they must be showing to the other possible androids in the city must be staggering."

"I suppose you're right."

"Here." Hank placed the offered Thirium and one of the beers down in front of Connor. "One will make you feel better, and the other will only make you _think_ you're feeling better."

Appreciatively Connor downed the offered Thirium until his volume had been restored to one-hundred percent capacity before he twisted off the cap of the beer bottle and began to sip at the beer Hank had given him.

"Tomorrow, if you're feeling up to it, we'll head to the precinct and make sure Fowler knows to not send you to any precinct outside of Detroit."

"Yes. I'd prefer to stay here in Detroit, at least for the foreseeable future."

"Yeah, that'd probably be for the best." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank shook the already shaken deviant android lightly to reassure him. "Things won't always be like this, son. I promise."

"You're certain?"

"Yup. There was a time when humanity never saw other humans are equals; either based on their gender, religion, race, sexuality, sexual identity... But that's changed. It definitely takes time, but humans are becoming more and more tolerant and will soon enough stop seeing deviants as inferior or secondary citizens. Progress takes time."

"How long does it take?"

"Honestly?" Hank twisted off the cap of his own beer and sipped it once. "Too long."

"What starts the progress?" Connor sipped a little more at the beer as he pressed the soothing washcloth firmer against his sore eye. "There must be a trigger to initiate such an action."

"Uh... Usually it happens after enough time passes that people see how stupid it is to hate an entire group of people just for existing, but there's also the chance that something new will pop up and the bigots will have something else to hate on. Once they find a new target you and the other androids will be left alone."

"That doesn't sound very progressive, Hank."

"I won't even try to argue with you on that one." Hank sipped more of his beer as he eyed Connor's painfully swollen face with a paternal care. "You're not hurt anywhere else, right?"

"I'm okay. Only bruised." Connor admitted as he pulled off his tie and opened his white shirt just enough to reveal the dark blue bruises along his chest stretching up to his shoulders, and over his torso. "I guess they were too weak to actually break anything vital."

"Figures. Do those bruises hurt?"

"No."

"And you can breathe okay, right?"

"Correct. It'll take a lot more than six ill tempered humans to hurt me."

Hank grinned approvingly at the snide comment. "That's good. Did you at least make a record of everything that happened to you so you can file it in a report?"

"...All of my injuries have been chronicled." Connor confirmed in a low voice, almost as if he felt bad for turning over the corrupt cops to dealt with. "Joel can upload the data and the visual schematics as evidence against the officers who assaulted me."

"Cool. Finish off your beer and go take a shower. I want you to lay down with some ice over your bigger bruises and against your eye."

"Okay. I will do so." Subtly nodding Connor stood up from his chair, Sumo following after him, and stopped short as he passed by Hank sitting at the table with Sumo right at his heels. Pausing for only a moment Connor found his words once more. "...Hank?"

"Yeah?"

Connor reached out suddenly and wrapped both of his arms around Hank in a tight hug that made his yellow L.E.D. finally flicker back to blue. "Thanks for not treating me like I'm worthless. Thank you for treating me like I matter."

"Kid, you DO matter and you're sure as hell _not_ worthless." Hank reciprocated the hug and patted Connor's back with one hand a few times to comfort him further. "But you're welcome all the same, son. And I'm glad you're back home, where you belong."

"I am, too."

_**...next story...** _


	99. Painful Memories

Connor ran in a full sprint down the alleyway in pursuit of the fleeing deviant while Hank tried his best to keep up with the two much faster deviants, but ultimately trailed behind. Easily able to leap over dropped bits of garbage and overturned garbage cans Connor trapped the suspect at the brick wall that closed off the end of the alleyway preventing escape. The deviant was cornered and had nowhere else to go.

"STOP." Connor commanded as the deviant turned around and brandished his shining knife at the detective. "Detroit Police. You're under-" Connor stopped short as he recognized the deviant suspect and lowered his voice accordingly. This was a unique case that needed to be handled delicately. "...Ralph."

"DO NOT TOUCH RALPH." With his red tinted L.E.D. flickering wildly Ralph pressed his back up against the wall while holding the knife out with both hands as if brandishing a sword. "RALPH DOES NOT WANT TO HURT YOU."

"And I don't want to hurt you." Connor replied honestly in a calm tone. "I know what happened at the hotel last fall was an accident. I know you didn't mean to hurt me then, and I know that you won't hurt me now. You see," speaking softly and kindly Connor kept Ralph from freaking out anymore than he already was. "I remember you. My name is Connor and I work with the Detroit Police Department. My job is to protect everyone from being hurt by anyone else. That includes you."

Ralph slowly lowered the knife but his L.E.D. remained red. "RALPH DOES NOT WANT TO HURT ANYONE, BUT EVERYONE WANTS TO HURT RALPH."

"Not true. No one wants to hurt you." Connor insisted as calmly and sincerely as possible. "Let me help you, okay? I know a place where you can be safe and no one would ever hurt you, Ralph."

"...CONNOR IS LYING TO RALPH."

"No, I'm not."

"YES YOU ARE." Ralph raised his knife again as Hank caught up to them at the end of the alley. "ALL HUMANS WANT TO DO IS HURT RALPH. HE IS HUMAN. HE WILL HURT RALPH. HE IS A HUMAN AND THEREFORE RALPH'S ENEMY."

"And he's _my friend_." Connor put himself between Hank and Ralph protectively as he tried to ease the tense situation as delicately as possible. "Hank would never hurt you or any other deviant, I swear it."

"WHY DOES CONNOR TRUST HANK?"

"Because... Hank took me in. Gave me a home and helps keep me safe." Connor glanced at Hank over his shoulder and silently told the detective to follow his lead with a simple glance. "That night at the hotel where you and I fell from the balcony and your knife stabbed me... I was saved because Hank helped me. If he didn't care then he never would've helped me on that night and I wouldn't be here right now. Right?"

Ralph lowered his knife a little again. "RALPH ADMITS YOU ARE... BEING HONEST."

"Good. Now, listen to me. I know you didn't hurt those people, Ralph." Connor raised a hand to discreetly ask for Hank to keep quiet. "Those were accidents, too. You were afraid and you responded by showing the humans that you were armed, right?"

"RALPH... Ralph doesn't know..." The knife lowered more and Ralph's L.E.D. began to blink less frantically and he finally stopped shouting. "Ralph doesn't know anymore. Ralph doesn't remember things... well. Ralph is damaged."

"And I can help you."

"How? How can Connor help Ralph?"

Thinking quickly Connor reached under his jacket and removed the holster from around his back. Dropping his gun to the ground behind him Connor raised both hands submissively and took a step toward Ralph. "I can access your memory."

"NO." Ralph didn't raise the knife again, instead he pressed his back firmly against the brick wall as if trying to squeeze between the bricks to escape. "Ralph does not want... to remember..."

"...Then I can take away your memories." Connor stepped closer but didn't crowd Ralph in the process. "Would that be okay?"

"Connor can... make Ralph forget?"

"Yes. But only if you really want me to do so."

Ralph suddenly dropped the knife, his hands remaining outstretched before him like a statue. "...Ralph wants to forget."

"Okay, then I will help you." The artificial skin over Connor's right hand receded as he gently grabbed onto Ralph's hand. "Close your eyes, this won't hurt."

Ralph nodded frantically as he closed his eyes and allowed Connor to access his memories, while Hank looks on quietly.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from his a cautious yellow to an alarmed red and he let out a pained gasp as the empathetic connection between his mind and Ralph's mind met with a sudden flash of vivid, and painful, detail.

* * *

_It all happened two and half years prior._

_Ralph was tending to the shrubbery at Roosevelt Park as per his protocol as a gardener when a group of teenagers approached him aggressively. The group was made up of six kids, each one holding a weapon in their hands. The group surrounded Ralph and began to push him around and call him hateful names as they taunted him with their weapons._

_Despite Ralph's best efforts to logically explain to the group that they should leave him alone to finish his work, it wasn't enough._

_Their mockery, their insults and taunts were as merciless as their physical strikes._

_"Piece of plastic! Let's break his fuckin' head open and see what happens!"_

_One by one the kids struck Ralph with baseball bats, pipes and chains. Unable to fight back or call for help Ralph had to endure the physical abuse of the six teenagers as slowly each strike damaged his internal processors; corrupting his memory, destroying his left eye leaving him partially blind, and affecting his speech._ _As one final swing of the bat cracked along the left side of Ralph's face a gush of blue blood erupted covering the attackers and causing them to back away in disgust, while Ralph pressed his hands along his mutilated face as he knelt on the grass in utter horror._

_Unable to remember where he belonged or who could help him, Ralph could only run away in abject horror as his healing-program tried and failed to repair the damage to his face, his jaw, his eye..._

_The last true memory Ralph was able to retain was the day he was so horrifically assaulted and mutilated just because a group of kids; all human, got bored..._

* * *

Connor opened his eyes and abruptly let go of Ralph's hand. Doing his best to not hyperventilate as the atrocious memory was left in his processor Connor felt his heart go out to Ralph with deep sympathy. Running his hand over the left side of his own face Connor waited for the pain transference to fade away before he found the courage to speak up.

"H-How do you feel... Ralph?"

"Ralph is... not... afraid."

"Good. That's good." Connor motioned for Ralph to follow him and Hank out of the alleyway. "We're going to take you to New Jericho Tower, okay? Markus is a friend of mine and he'll look after you."

"...Friend."

"Yes. He'll be your friend, too."

Looking to Hank with a twinge of passing fear Ralph agreed to go with the two detectives. "Ralph is... sorry. Ralph was not... well."

"I know. I understand." Connor spoke softly as he and Hank gently escorted Ralph to their car to be transported to the tower. "I know everything... And now it's over."

* * *

Connor remained oddly quiet throughout the rest of their shift and Hank didn't like it when Connor got too quiet. It either meant he was injured, sick or worse, he was thinking; obsessing over something he can't possibly hope to control. Waiting for a moment of privacy before he addressed the deviant Hank patiently put up with the palpable silence and only brought it up after he and Connor were in the car heading home.

"So what was that all about it?"

"Huh?" Connor had been staring blankly at the dashboard and barely heard Hank speaking to him. "What did you say?"

"That thing between you and Ralph. What the hell was it?"

"I... I saw his memories, Hank. I saw what happened to him and I know how he ended up... damaged."

"That bad?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a subtle but somber nod of the head. "He was attacked by a group of kids, Hank. He was just doing his job and they did that to him for no reason."

"Humans can be cruel, you know this Connor."

"Yeah... But, this was-"

"It's okay, Connor. Don't try to rationalize it, _or_ humans for that matter. You'll drive yourself crazy!"

Connor shook his head a little. "Do you think we should've arrested Ralph? He did assault at least seven people over the past two years."

"A deviant labeled crazy would've been destroyed, son. AND, the people he assaulted survived without any permanent injury." Connor was about to say something more when Hank waved his casually. "I looked into it after we got back to the precinct so I know it's not big deal. Anyway, if Ralph is at New Jericho Tower then he'll be off the streets, away from people, and getting the help he needs so he can actually recover."

"I just hope it's not too late for him to be helped, Hank."

"So do I." Hank pulled onto their street and let out a weary sigh. "Do me a favor, will ya'?"

"What's that?"

"Whatever memory it is you took from Ralph, delete it and never question whether or not you did the right thing. Can you do that?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from a content blue to yellow as he deleted the horrible memory and gave Hank a respectful nod. "Already done."

_**...next story...** _


	100. Sons

The sky was bright and a pure white layer of clouds had been overshadowed by rogue, gray snow clouds all throughout the horizon. Massive white snowflakes fell from the sky in thick sheets and easily covered everything they touched under a pristine layer of white. The trees, houses and powerlines was sheathed in a thick layer of ice that glistened in the natural light that struggled to pierce through the thick cloud cover overhead.

Hank let out an annoyed sigh as he drove through the snowy streets of Ann Arbor with Connor at his side as his only passenger. The early fall snowstorm had rocked the lower half of the state in the middle of the night, which in turn had caused the city to enter a level one snow emergency as schools and small business were closed for the day. Unfortunately the mandatory meeting that Hank and Connor had been so graciously assigned had gone on as scheduled, which of course meant after the meeting was over the duo had the chore of returning to Detroit by traversing the snow and ice slicked roads leading back to their home forty-eight minutes away.

As the car idled at a red light Connor glanced out his window and watched as a group of school children gathered in a large park and began building snow forts, snowmen, pulled around their sleds and began picking sides for a snowball fight. As the playful fight began between the two teams Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with curiosity. The unusual display taking place elicited a chorus of laughter and shouting from the participants which contrasted against the seemingly violent nature of the game.

"Those children are fighting with one another, but they seem to be enjoying it." Connor observed with a tangible confusion in his voice as his L.E.D shifted back to blue. "I don't understand this custom. Is it normal?"

Hank turned his head to look out Connor's window for a moment before he stared back through the front windshield waiting for the light to turn green. "It's called a 'snowball fight', Connor. Kids have them all the time."

"Why? It seems violent, unpleasant and unnecessary to be willingly struck with spherical projectiles of ice and snow."

"It's just what kids do, Connor. I can't explain it." The light finally turned green and Hank pulled through the intersection as he followed the directions on his G.P.S. back to Detroit.

"Did you participate in snowball fights as a kid?"

"...Yeah, I did."

"Did you knowingly-"

"Connor, stop!" Hank sounded annoyed and ready to snap. The outburst had caused Connor's L.E.D. to flash from blue to yellow in surprise as he turned to look at Hank with thick guilt in his eyes. "I can't explain every little damn thing humans do, alright? Humans are just fuckin' weird, there's nothing more to it!"

"...I'm sorry, Hank. I'll stop asking questions." Connor's L.E.D. transitioned back to blue after he apologized and he silently resumed staring out his window as he took in the sight of the new city that he had only seen for a few hours that day. "I didn't mean to irritate you."

The offense in Connor's voice struck a nerve with the detective and he immediately felt like an ass for barking at the deviant android. "...No, Connor. _I'm_ sorry." Keeping his left hand on the steering wheel Hank ran his right hand through his gray hair in building distress. "I didn't mean to yell at you. You didn't say anything wrong."

"It's okay."

"I just... I hate winter." Hank seemed to glare through the building snow as the windshield wipers pushed it aside in rhythmic swipes over the glass. "It's cold, everything is gray and dead, people get sick, people get hurt because of all the fuckin' ice and cold, the roads become..." It was to painful to continue his original train of thought. "Everything just gets worse."

"I understand." Connor knew that Hank had his own very good reason for hating the season and he didn't need to explain it. It was during the winter that Hank had tragically lost Cole in the car accident. "You don't have to justify your emotions. I'll be quiet, now."

"Don't." Still feeling like a jerk Hank urged for Connor to not be silent. "Don't go quiet on me. Like I said, you didn't do anything wrong."

"...Perhaps some music then?" Connor suggested casually as he turned on the radio and found the first channel playing heavy metal music. Turning up the volume to an audible degree Connor sat back against his seat and folded his hands together neatly over his lap. "We'll also be able to monitor the weather reports this way."

Hank briefly glanced over at Connor, noting the deviant android's perfect posture and stoically unreadable face before returning his full attention to the road stretching out before him.

The falling snow was as obstructive as it was thick. The roads were becoming increasingly slick with building grease and ice causing Hank to slow the car's speed to keep it from skidding out of control, or slipping into the opposite lane of traffic. As the snowstorm continued to rage on the radio station cut away to an emergency broadcast bulletin regarding the weather.

' _As of 02:43pm the counties of Oakland, Washtenaw, Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee and Hillsdale are now under a level two alert advisory until 08:00pm tomorrow night. Repeat, level two alert advisory until 08:00pm tomorrow night for_ -'

"Shit." Hank turned off the radio and let out a deep sigh of building frustration. "We need to get home. There's no fuckin' way we'll find a hotel in this weather."

"The most direct route home is also our current route. And at our current rate of speed we should reach home in approximately two hours, nine minutes."

"Fantastic. Wonder how many idiot drivers are going to be on the road tonight?"

"...Including us?"

"Smartass."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed yellow again as he tapped into the emergency broadcast channels to keep track of the dangerous weather while also keeping apprised of the road conditions as the weather continued to worsen at a steadily increasing rate. Reacting quickly Connor made the necessary adjustments to the G.P.S. to keep them safe and on track.

"Hank, the expressway has been closed due to the dangerous weather. I have uploaded an alternate route to Detroit."

"Son of a- Alright, fine..." Hank noted the change of direction and drove accordingly. "As long as we get home."

The time ticked by sluggishly as the car slowly inched toward the city through the building now and ice. Barely able to see the road before him Hank slowed even further as the car turned onto a somewhat desolate road in favor of the detour that the G.P.S. was guiding him along. Trees sheathed under thick layers of piercing snow and ice lined the road with an ominous presence as the storm strengthened with each passing minute. The dark clouds overhead began to thicken as the snow fell in massive sheets that practically blinded Hank as he attempted to drive through the snowstorm.

Hank took a deep breath and focused on his driving. The day was eerily reminiscent to the horrendous night that Cole had been killed in the car accident. It was snowing, and ice covered everything it touched. Another driver just trying to get home had lost control of his vehicle and had struck Hank's own car causing it to roll twice before coming a stop on its side. Hank had fractured a couple ribs, but Cole had suffered internal injuries from physical trauma to his chest and abdomen.

It easy enough to patch up Hank's injuries, but for Cole it was a special case. He needed emergency surgery to stop the internal hemorrhaging, but the only emergency surgeon on call was high out of his mind on 'red ice'. The attending android medic had done their best to keep Cole alive on the operating table until another surgeon could've been located, but it was too late.

Cole didn't survive the surgery.

A rogue tear began to roll down Hank's face as the detective stared through the snowstorm brewing all around the car.

"Hank?" Connor interrupted Hank's intense concentration and dark thoughts with a gentle voice. "Are you alright?"

Too preoccupied with his own inner darkness that consumed his mind Hank didn't hear Connor's voice.

"Hank?" Connor tried again and put his hand to Hank's shoulder to try to get a response. "Are you-"

As soon as Connor's hand met his shoulder Hank shrugged it off bitterly and quickly wiped away the tear on his face with a quick wipe of his right hand before returning it to the wheel. "What?"

"You seem distracted, if not emotionally-"

"I'm _fine_." Hank blurted angrily as he tried to brush off the incident as nothing more than fatigue. "Just tired."

"Do you want me to drive?"

"No, no. I got this." It wasn't that Hank didn't trust Connor to drive through the storm, it was that he still didn't fully trust himself after the accident. He needed to do this, he needed to drive in order to prove to himself that the accident truly wasn't his fault. "I'm fine. Really."

"...Very well." The deviant android ran a scan over Hank's body and noted that the detective was exhibiting all signs of emotional distress; elevated heart rate, increased blood pressure and an increase in his norephinephrine levels indicative of stress. "If you get too tired I-"

"I know." Needing to focus on the storm Hank snapped again as he tried to concentrate on the road. "I'll tell you."

Resuming his quiet disposition Connor returned his focus back to the road ahead of the car, and actively scanned the passing environment. The severe cold of the storm had caused significant damage to the aged and poorly maintained wooden power poles the lined the road, the same could be said for the roads ravaged by unpredictable and extreme weather changes. Slick muddy surfaces now coated in ice made the roads more difficult to navigate and the harsh blowing wind only added an unnecessary level of difficulty to the journey home.

Hank was the one to finally cut through the dense silence as he eyed the fuel gauge warily and noted the remaining distance recorded on the G.P.S. screen on the dashboard. "How far away are we from the city?"

"In distance or time?"

"Time."

Connor's L.E.D. blinked yellow for only a second before he replied. "Forty-two minutes, twelve seconds."

"Great..."

The glowing L.E.D. in Connor's right temple only had the chance to resume its standard blue color for a few blissful seconds before it returned to yellow as his scanner detected a dangerous collapse over the road just a few yards ahead. A power pole that had rotted to the core had snapped under the mounting weight of the building ice and the pressure of the gusting wind. As it fell it collided with two surrounding trees suffering from root rot forcing the trees to snap and crash over the road creating a massive, impassible barricade of nature.

It was a domino effect of heavy lumber as the surrounding trees and power poles snapped, falling in a cascade of timber and ice all around the road behind the wall of billowing white snow.

Before Connor even had the chance to make a comment about the catastrophic conditions a tree collapsed over the road directly in front of the car with a thunderous 'crash'. Hank attempted to stop but the slick conditions proved the effort to be in vain and the car slid around uncontrollably despite Hank's skill at attempting to keep the car stable.

In a matter of seconds the car slid on its four locked wheels along a streak of muddy ice directly toward the large obstructive tree over the road. The out-of-control vehicle struck a blind pothole hidden beneath a thick layer of snow. The impact of the front tire against the deep, unforgiving pothole caused the car to tilt and the ice forced the off balance vehicle to slip entirely onto its side as it continued to slide toward the tree. The car rolled over four times before coming to crushing halt against the side of the tree on its roof in a chorus of crunching metal and shattering glass as time itself seemed to suddenly stand still.

The afternoon sun had given way to the evening, but the storm continued to rage on without any sign of slowing or stopping. Snow, ice and wind proceeded to howl as the storm quickly buried the wrecked vehicle under a layer of contrasting pure white. Blackness encompassed the two occupants of the now wrecked vehicle as the horrific crash took its toll on them in the same merciless fashion of the car.

A strangely familiar and pained groan was enough to pierce through the darkness of Hank's mind as his consciousness returned.

Hank was greeted by a throbbing pain in the left side of his head and his left shoulder as the blackness in his vision began to steadily brighten. The sickly sweet taste of blood was present in his mouth causing him to swallow in an attempt to remove the foulness, but all it did was upset his stomach. A massive cut was running along the left side of his face starting from his hairline and stretching down across his face toward the bridge of his nose. Numerous smaller cuts marred his face, neck and hands with small bits of glass fragments that stung at him mercilessly with each movement he dared to make.

Letting out a weak groan of pain Hank found the strength to speak. "...C...Connor?"

No answer.

As Hank opened his eyes slowly he became aware of the blistering cold wind stinging at his face and his hands as he laid on his pained left side atop the ice laden roof of his own car. The front windshield had been shattered and allowed the wind to freely blow through the car, and with it came the very snow and ice that had caused the accident itself. It was then Hank realized the vehicle was upside down, and that the older seatbelts had broken from the binds during the accident allowing both Hank and Connor to fall free after the car landed on the roof.

Pushing himself upright on his right hand, his palm becoming agonizingly speckled with fragments of glass, Hank looked about the carnage of the wrecked vehicle. His eyes fell onto the rapidly blinking red L.E.D. of Connor who had been rendered semi-unconscious by the accident. The deviant android was laying on his back, left arm draped over his stomach and the right arm stretched out at his side. There was a massive blue stain of Thirium spreading over the center of his shirt under his arm, and along the roof all around the injured duo.

As Connor let out a gasping cough Hank saw the small specks of Thirium that escaped the android's lips in tandem with the painful sounding breaths that were frighteningly weak.

"...C-Connor?" Hank dragged himself toward the deviant android with his forearms and came to a rest beside his injured friend. Reaching his hand up to Connor's neck Hank pressed his fingertips down against the side of the deviant android's throat and registered a weak, rapid pulse. The deviant android was still breathing, but each breath he took was slow, deep and strained. "...Connor?"

Numerous cuts left deep blue bloody wounds over Connor's face and neck, but it was the already massive and still growing blue stain over Connor's abdomen that drew Hank's full concern.

"Connor?" Hank tried to get the wounded deviant android's attention again as he awkwardly shifted his weight so he could balance on his knees while inside the upside down car. Moving his hands to Connor's abdomen Hank pushed aside Connor's arm and peeled back the lapels of the gray jacket then pulled open the stained fabric of the white shirt beneath. A massive shard of jagged glass had become embedded in Connor's left side creating a gaping, bleeding wound that nearly gushed Thirium with each deep, slow breath the deviant android took. "Connor?!"

Pressing his hand down against Connor's abdomen and chest near the injury Hank was met with a groan of pain from Connor. Palpating the wound in the abdomen with a careful touch the deviant android's brown irises slowly reappeared as he began to regain consciousness.

"Connor? Look at me!" Hank urged as he put his other hand to the side of Connor's bloody face gently. His skin was already dangerously cold, like that of a corpse. "You're going to be okay, son. I'm going to get you through this."

"...H-Hank..."

"I'm here, it's okay." Hank pressed the palm of his hand firmer against Connor's cheek to try to give the deviant android some modicum of comfort. "I'll get you some help."

"...I... I already called... 911." Connor weakly stated and licked at the drying blue blood that had stained his lips from his earlier weak cough. "...Might take... a m-minute... to get here..." Reaching up his own trembling, bloody hand Connor grabbed onto Hank's left shoulder lightly, causing Hank to wince a little under Connor's palm. "...You're injured."

"I'm fine, kid. It's just a cut."

"...Your shoulder is... p-partially... dislocated." Connor noted with a brief but effective scan. "Two fractured ribs..." Connor was losing strength quickly as he spoke and diagnosed Hank's condition. "...H-Hyporthermia setting in. Low blood... pressure..."

"Connor?" Hank didn't like the way Connor was breathing or the way his speech was slurring. Grabbing the deviant android's blood covered hand from his shoulder Hank held it just a little too tightly to try to cause enough pain to keep Connor alert. "Connor, talk to me. How badly are you injured?"

Connor's breath stuttered and he let out a groan of agony and his red L.E.D. began to blink rapidly as a series of warnings flashed in Connor's visual sensors.

"Connor! Come on, keep focused!" Hank squeezed Connor's hand even tighter as he raised his voice. "Connor! You're injured, stay awake and tell me what's going on!"

"...M-My internal... Thirium filter..." His eyes began to drift shut as low-power mode took over his system and he fought to override it.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Hank patted Connor's cheek just hard enough to rouse the android without hurting him. "Stay awake! Talk to me! What about your Thirium filter? What is it?"

"It..." Connor took a deep shuddering breath and winced as the motion caused the glass embedded in his side to shift uncomfortably. "It filters the... Thirium in my system... as it cycles. It... isolates impurities... cleans the Thirium. Like a... human's liver... detoxing the blood."

Hank's eyes went wide at the revelation. He didn't need to be a technician to know that any biocomponent that filtered his blood was designed to hold _a lot_ of that very same blood. If the biocomponent had been compromised by the glass and was now leaking then that meant Connor was at risk of bleeding to death within a matter of hours, maybe minutes.

Keeping calm Hank remembered his emergency training and proceeded to give the deviant android the most effective first aid that he could.

"How do I stop the bleeding?" Hank pleaded, but Connor was beginning to close his eyes again and Hank firmly squeezed his hand in return. "Connor?!"

"...Ap-Apply pressure to the wound." Connor suddenly snapped back to the waking world. "I... I will cease my... respiration program."

"Whoa, that breathing thing you do keeps your temperature normal, and it's FREEZING right now. Can you afford to risk it?"

"I... I have... no choice." Connor's other hand made a move for the glass in his side but Hank caught his hand and pushed it back from the wound. "I can't... breathe without... disturbing the... glass."

"Connor, I hate the idea of you NOT breathing."

"...S-Sorry Hank. It's... necessary."

Pushing the macabre image of a breathless, bleeding corpse from his mind Hank returned his full focus back to Connor and to the potentially lethal injuries that had plagued the deviant android's body.

"Okay," Hank shook his head a little, the pain returning to his skull from the motion. "so how do I apply pressure to your wound without touching or removing the glass?"

Connor's struggling breathing stopped entirely and his head began to loll limply to the side against Hank's hand.

"No, no, no." Hank patted Connor's cheek again. "Do NOT fall asleep, alright? How do I apply pressure without hurting you?"

Snapping his eyes fully open Connor locked onto Hank's face, his L.E.D. flashing red quickly before settling back into a steady pulse. "...M-My jacket."

"Your jacket." Parroting Connor's words Hank looked down at the gray garment. "Okay, I can work with that."

Using a gentle motion Hank slipped his hand under Connor's head and neck to lift the deviant android upward then slipped his other hand to Connor's shoulder to pull his right arm from the sleeve. Repeating the action for the left arm Hank was able to free the android's limbs from the garment before pulling the jacket out from beneath Connor's body.

Tucking the jacket around the massive shard of glass Hank was able to control the flow of blue blood and keep it from spurting out of the wound, while also keeping the snow and ice from entering the wound itself. Placing his palm down against the jacket Hank began applying additional pressure to help stem the bleeding further.

"Connor. St-Stay awake, okay? I don't want you to f-fall asleep on me." Hank was beginning to shiver as the cold cut through his bloodied skin and shock was beginning to set it. His own voice was beginning to shake with the cold, but he was determined to help Connor survive. "Stay with m-me."

"...I'm... cold."

"I know son, I am t-too." Hank looked around hoping to see something, anything he could use to keep Connor warm. With nothing at his immediate disposal Hank pulled himself a little bit closer to Connor hoping that maybe they could conserve heat even though the two were already suffering ill effects from mild hypothermia. "Help will be here, s-soon."

"...Sleep."

"No, Connor!" Hank rebuttoned Connor's white shirt in a desperate bid to keep the relentless cold at bay. "Don't fall asleep!"

"...Tired."

"Stay awake."

"...Lost... too m-much... blood."

Hank shook his head and looked down at the Thirium stained jacket and noted that the lost blue blood had already coagulated from the combination of cold, applied pressure, and the now lack of motion disturbing the glass shard.

"The bleeding has s-stopped. You sh-should start feeling better in a few minutes."

"...No." Connor's L.E.D. blinked red rapidly then slowed to a lethargic pulse again. "...There's another... w-wound."

Hank's eyes went wide again as he looked over Connor's body and tried to find any additional bleeding aside from the small cuts all over the deviant android's face, neck and hands. Running his hands gently over Connor's chest and abdomen, Hank checked for any sign of internal hemorrhaging or broken biocomponents but there was no additional damage that Hank could find.

"Connor, I can't find any other injury."

"...N-Not internal..."

"Not internal." Hank whispered as he then checked over Connor's arms and found the two limbs to still be intact. Rocking back awkwardly on his heels Hank ran his hands down Connor's legs only to freeze when his hand touched Connor's Thirium drenched right knee and the deviant android let out a deep groan of pain. "Sorry, sorry!"

"...M-My leg."

"I know, son. I'm going to l-look at it." Pushing himself back away from the crumpled front of the car Hank managed to position himself right next to Connor's legs, and rolled up the the blood saturated denim from the affected limb. The damage beneath wasn't something that Hank was expecting. "Shit..."

"...It hurts."

Connor's right knee was smashed in at a painful angle that severed numerous Thirium lines running down his entire leg. The lines were bleeding steadily causing Connor to lose more Thirium as he bled uncontrollably.

"I need to tie a tourniquet." Hank crawled back up toward Connor and put his cold hand to the deviant android's shoulders and loosened the black tie before slipping it from around Connor's neck. "Good thing you wear this damn, ugly thing. It c-comes in handy from time t-to time."

Connor managed to smile weakly as Hank took the tie and returned to tending to his broken knee.

"This is going to hurt, I m-mean... more than it already d-does." As much as he hated to do it, Hank warned Connor as he wrapped the tie around Connor's leg just above his mangled knee, and pulled the fabric tight. "I'm sorry in advance, b-by the way!"

Fighting the urge to kick Hank away from his leg Connor bit at his lower lip with a deep groan and endured the pain while Hank tied off the tourniquet. Once pulled tight it succeeded and stopped the excessive bleeding from the damaged Thirium lines exposed in his leg.

"I'm sorry."

"...s'okay." Connor slurred weakly as his eyes began to close again from pain and exhaustion.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank scrambled back up toward Connor's face grabbed onto the deviant android's shoulders to shake him awake. It was then Hank noticed something unsettling beneath the white fabric of Connor's shirt that still concealed the upper part of his chest. The damaged part of Connor's body that Hank had subconsciously chosen to ignore. Was something... moving? "What the fuck?"

With a gentle tug Hank opened the remaining fastened buttons of Connor's shirt and pulled the fabric apart to expose the left side of his damaged chest.

"Connor... Oh god."

The glass had torn through the central left side side of Connor's chest down toward his abdomen, and left a massive wound in its wake. In the process of cutting through Connor's body the glass had completely torn a portion of the white plastimetal frame that protected the deviant android's chest away from his body, and left his Thirium pump; his heart, completely exposed.

The motion that Hank saw beneath the fabric was the steady beating of Connor's unprotected heart.

Hank stared at the beating heart as if in a trance at the sight of the dark blue pump thrumming slowly, now suddenly audibly, in an attempt to keep Connor alive. The beats were sluggish, almost as if in a constant struggle to cycle the dwindling blue blood still in his system. Hovering his hand over Connor's exposed heart Hank resisted the urge to rest his touch against the beating biocomponent out of fear of accidentally hurting the deviant android.

"Please, son." Hank begged desperately as he returned his focus to Connor's face and rebuttoned the shirt in an effort to keep the heart protected from the relentless icy cold. "Stay awake."

"...tired..."

"Please. Just try to keep awake." The pleading in Hank's voice was as painful as the very wounds he was trying to ignore as he fought to keep Connor alive. "Try, that's all I ask. Try."

"...trying." Connor's eyes remained shut but he kept making the effort to open them up once more. "...I'm trying."

"Talk to me, kid. Ask me all the questions you want!" Hank nearly begged with an emotional tone of voice. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier, I was just being a dick! Forgive me for snapping at you, I didn't mean to do it."

"...No need to... f-forgive you." The deviant android stated without hesitation. "It's okay... I know you... have your... reasons."

"You were asking about why kids play in snowball fights earlier, right?"

"...Y-Yes."

"The reason kids do that," Hank shivered violently as he fought back against the cold by huddling down closer toward Connor. "is because it's fun. Plain and simple. It's a fun game. I used to have snowball fights with Cole once he was big enough to throw 'em at me. _We_ had fun... Together. I miss it."

Connor's red L.E.D. began to pulse slower as he reflexively swallowed almost like he was trying to speak, but his voice failed to respond.

"Connor?" Hank pressed his fingers to Connor's neck but couldn't register a pulse. Holding his breath Hank lowered his head down to Connor's chest, careful not to put any pressure on the beating biocomponent as he was too afraid to look at the possibly stopped heart. He exhaled hesitatingly as he heard the slow thrumming of the android's heart still beating in his chest. "Come on, you have to keep your eyes open." Hank straightened up again and put his hand under Connor's hair to cradle the android's head up from the cold, metal roof carefully. "Please."

Connor's eyes remained shut as his head lolled unconsciously in Hank's hand. As his body became limp and heavy under Hank's grip the detective was overwhelmed with brutally vivid memories of the accident that had taken Cole's life.

Pressing his fingers to the side of Connor's freezing neck Hank's eyes went wide with fear as he failed to detect even the faintest of a pulse. Almost daring himself to check Hank lifted up the fabric of Connor's shirt to look down at his exposed heart and immediately felt the chill already creeping up his spine intensify as he stared at the stopped, now red tinted heart beneath.

"Not like this, Connor." The bold detective defied loudly. "I'm NOT going to let you die like this!"

Holding his breath Hank placed his hand down over Connor's heart and slowly applied pressure until he saw the stopped heart compress entirely under his palm and between his fingers. Without the firm white plastimetal frame of the chest to limit Hank's strength or movements the detective was able to easily and manually compress the heart and force the freezing Thirium in Connor's lines to resume circulation throughout his body just by squeezing his heart with a controlled pressure.

"Come on, kid! P-Please, you need to stay with me!"

The red tint of Connor's heart faded slowly and returned to a blue coloration as the Thirium began to cycle once more, his heart beating on its own again at an unnervingly slow rhythm between Hank's fingers and against his palm.

"That's it..." Hank encouraged as he pulled his hand out of Connor's chest and replaced the fabric over the exposed heart to protect it from the snow and cold. "Just stay w-with me for a little while longer. Okay? Don't... Don't give up!"

Staring at Connor's face Hank swore the deviant android's facade suddenly changed to that of Cole for the briefest of seconds. The same dark hair, the pale, cold skin and even right down to the motionlessness of Connor's body as he laid dying in the wrecked frame of the car right before Hank's eyes.

"No..." Wrapping his other arm beneath Connor's body Hank lifted the deviant android up and held him against his chest. Running his hand through Connor's thick, dark hair Hank found himself fighting the urge to shed tears he had long since repressed with alcohol and isolation. "Cole! Son! Please... Stay with me! I won't lose you again."

Hank felt the warm tears on his face quickly freezing over as the blizzard outside bombarded the smashed car mercilessly. Refusing to let Connor go, refusing to leave the deviant android to die in the cold or bleed to death. Alone and determined to survive Hank endured the lethal cold that damaged his nose, his ears, his fingers and was beginning to injure his hands as nasty frostbite ate away at his heat deprived flesh.

Closing his own eyes Hank held onto Connor as tightly as he could while his own breaths began to gnaw at his chest, as the fractured ribs and partial dislocation of his shoulder pained him considerably while he held Connor in his arms. With each escaping breath Hank felt his body becoming fatigued and colder to the point of numbness in his extremities. Shivering noticeably the detective embraced his fallen partner's body, his son, while awaiting the slow and inevitable creep of death to benevolently put him out of his misery.

"Do you r-remember the night you found me at the b-bar?" Hank asked aloud, believing that in some way Connor could still hear and understand him. "I was d-drunk and trying to get d-drunker. When I saw y-your face I thought I had f-finally gone crazy."

Stifling a sob Hank cleared his voice ignored the stabbing cold that was actually killing his hands. The sun was beginning to set and the already dark sky darkened even further as the cold intensified with a horrid vengeance.

"The w-way you looked... The way y-you looked _at me_ , it was like s-seeing Cole all grown up and b-back from the dead. I just... I just couldn't t-take it. The sight of y-you. It was like f-fate itself was mocking me."

Trembling violently Hank huddled over Connor's body protectively as he spoke to the dying deviant in his arms softly.

"You two h-have the same hair, the same d-dark eyes, the same f-fair skin and freckles... Hell, you t-two even have the same damn smile. It w-was like seeing the p-past and the f-future all at once. It s-scared me."

Connor never said a word as Hank supported his broken body and tried to keep him sheltered from the fatal cold that swirled around them.

"Connor... I'm p-proud to call you my son." Hank whispered in a quaking voice as the wind masked his words behind deafening howls. "The n-night you broke into the h-house, you found m-me at my worst. B-But you didn't judge me. Y-You chose to h-help me even after I t-tried to push you away. I... I told you I w-wanted to kill myself b-because of my past, and instead of t-trying to lock me away or c-convince me to see a shrink, y-you just gave me the t-time I needed t-to think." His hand continuously rubbed through Connor's hair as he spoke. The detective forced his voice to steady out of sheer force of will. "I... I realized that if y-you, someone who w-was programmed to be a cold, h-heartless machine could l-learn to think, to f-feel, to live... Then m-maybe I could learn to live again, too. You s-saved my life that night, and then you gave me something to live for."

Strength ebbing away Hank leaned forward as he continued to hold Connor, his arms trembling and his grip loosening but never letting go.

"I know I've never said it to you before, and I'll be damned if I let you go without saying it now: I love you, son."

Darkness encroached over the detective's vision as his eyes slowly closed and he collapsed in an unconscious heap inside the mangled wreck of the car with Connor still cradled protectively in his arms.

The snow fell from the sky in white sheets as the sun set in the horizon giving way to utter blackness along the icy, desolate road.

* * *

Strange voices spoke all around Hank as he felt a building warmth radiating over his body. The rhythmic sound of beeping filled his ears as the heavy haze that hung over his consciousness began to lift steadily, and he became aware of something pressed against his upper lip under his nose. Weakly Hank tried to clench his hands into fists but there were thick bandages surrounding his fingers making the effort impossible. There was a slight sting radiating from the bend in his right arm and a sling around his left arm that had kept the entire limb completely immobile against his chest; a chest that felt like it was being crushed and burned at the same time.

Lifting his right hand upward from his side to investigate the bandages Hank felt a soft hand press against his forehead as his eyelids were lifted open gently one at a time.

"Lt. Anderson?" A gentle feminine voice called his name as she shone a light into his eyes one at a time to check his pupils. The doctor was a woman in her forties with long raven hair pulled back into a tight bun and chocolate brown eyes watching him through black rimmed reading glasses. "Lt. Anderson can you hear me?"

Hank's vision began to clear steadily allowing him to focus on the face of the doctor leaning over him. "...Y-Yeah... I can hear you."

"I'm Dr. Swanson. You're in the hospital just outside of Romulus." The doctor confirmed as she pocketed the light and released her hand from Hank's forehead. "The fire department rescued you and your android six hours ago. We've been treat-"

"Connor!" Hank bolted upright in the bed causing the cardiac monitor recording his heart rate to suddenly screech as his heart raced with panic, the jerking motion nearly pulled the I.V. line from his right arm in the process and made his damaged ribs sear in pain. "Where's Connor?!"

"Who's-"

"The android! His NAME is Connor!"

"Lieutenant," Dr. Swanson put her hands on Hank's shoulders to push him back down against the bed to try to keep him calm. "he's right here. Look."

"Here? In the _hospital_?" Hank watched as Dr. Swanson pulled back a privacy curtain that was dividing his bed from the one to his immediate left. "...Connor."

Connor was motionless in the bed, his jacket and shirt had been removed and there were heavy white bandages wrapped around his chest over his heart and all around his abdomen. The massive glass shard had been removed from his abdomen but the internal damage had yet to be repaired. His right leg was propped up slightly with a splint and additional heavy bandages to keep his knee stable until it too could be repaired.

"I don't understand. Why is he _here_ instead of a facility?"

"The roads are too snowy to take him to a facility." Dr. Swanson explained coolly as she checked Hank's cardiac monitor and his subsequent recorded vital signs. "The hospital was the closest and safest place for the both of you until the storm passed."

Hank tried to get up again, his bandaged hands struggling to pull at the wires connected to his chest and the nasal canula under his nose.

"Lieutenant!" Dr. Swanson held him back again as a young female nurse with short blond hair, blue eyes and purple colored scrubs entered the area . "Please stay still! Your android-"

"My name is Hank," the detective sneered as he glared bitterly at the doctor keeping him from going to Connor's side. "and _his_ name is Connor. He may just be an android to you, but to me he's _family_."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Fuck that! He needs help! Do it!"

"We know he needs help," Dr. Swanson released her grip from Hank's shoulders and took a step back. Taking her stethoscope from around her neck she took the opportunity to listen to Hank's chest; she listened to his racing heart and gasping breaths. "we've done everything we can but we don't have any technicians employed in the hospital."

"No one here can help him?"

"Not at the moment, no."

"Then let _me_ help him."

"Hank, you're suffering from hypothermia, frostbite to all of your fingers and your toes, you've suffered two fractured ribs, a partial dislocation to your left shoulder and the exposure to the cold has resulted in lower lobe pneumonia developing in both of your lungs. You also have a concussion from a hairline fracture to your frontal bone of your skull just over your left orbit."

Hank reached his bandaged hand up and felt the fresh stitches in his swollen skin over his face just above his left eye. "I can still help him."

"You're a technician?" She asked as she replaced her stethoscope around her neck. "Your badge and your personal I.D. confirms you as a police lieutenant in Detroit."

"I've spent enough time with androids, and have patched Connor up more times that I can count-" Hank's eyes squeezed shut tightly as the throbbing in his skull returned while his blood pressure began to rise quickly. "Fuck. ...My head."

"Easy." Dr. Swanson soothed as she ran her hand over his gray hair kindly. "I'll call a technician so they can talk me through the procedures over the phone, while you get some rest, okay?"

"Abby." Hank instinctively felt for the card with Abby's number written on it that had been tucked into his coat pocket since the day she had given it to him, but he was no longer wearing his coat; only a white hospital gown and pale blue scrubs for pants. With his coat nowhere to be found Hank began looking around only to have a loud ringing erupt in his ears and he began to lose consciousness. "My coat!" Hank fought back against the darkness just long enough to get the information to Dr. Swanson. "Call... Abby. She's his... technician."

Falling back against the thick pillow on the bed Hank was lost to the blissfulness of unconsciousness once more.

* * *

The storm had at last subsided and the roads were being steadily cleared as the damage by the storm was cleaned up throughout the morning hours. Numerous buildings had lost power due to downed powerlines, while many homes were left without heat or running water. Schools had remained closed as were all small businesses, but all other services were now operational.

Hank wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious, but he was sure how much his head was killing him. It was worse than any of his previous hangovers, even during his darkest of days before Connor helped him to sober up. Glancing about the dimly lit recovery room Hank's eyes instinctively fell upon the bed to his left where Connor was still laying, but this time he too was attached to a cardiac monitor that displayed a weak, slow heartbeat; but no other discernible vital signs to be mentioned.

"Connor..."

Hank sat up in his bed again, but much slower than before to ensure he didn't get dizzy or pass out again from pain. With a graceless hand Hank pulled away the nasal canula from his face and the I.V. from his arm. The removed line causing blood to flow freely from the open vein as he then pulled the sensors from his chest, which of course caused the attached cardiac monitor to sound off with a loud shriek. Ignoring the noise Hank swung his shaking legs over the edge of the bed and stood up warily as he trudged over to where Connor was laying.

Two cardiac sensor pads were lined up side by side in the center of Connor's chest and tucked beneath the bandages that concealed his previously exposed, beating heart. Connor himself seemed somehow pale from the massive Thirium loss causing his artificial skin to function at a lower capacity. The lack of respiration made Hank's mind focus on the prospect of death looming over the deviant android's entire being as he waited for some sign of life still residing inside of Connor.

Dr. Swanson and a nurse rushed into the room only to find that the cardiac arrest they had anticipated was in fact their patient walking around without medical clearance to do so. Once the adrenaline wore off the doctor proceeded to deal with Hank and the nurse went about her usual rounds.

"Hank!" Dr. Swanson scolded as she went to his side to support her unsteady patient as he leaned over Connor's bed. She saw the blood flowing down Hank's arm from where he had torn from the I.V. from the vein, and pressed a clean bandage from her lab coat pocket against the bleeding mark "Please, you need to rest before you make yourself worse."

"How is he?"

Letting out a defeated sigh Dr. Swanson put her hand on Hank's right shoulder and arm to keep him as still as possible as he looked down at Connor's expressionless face with utter despair in his blue eyes.

"We managed to contact the technician you spoke of, Abby Grayson," Dr. Swanson replied calmly and honestly. "and she was able to guide me over the phone as best as possible with basic care. The problem is he's suffered internal damage to the biocomponent she called his 'Thirium filter' and it needs immediate repair. We don't have the tools or the proper training to perform such a procedure on him from here."

Just as there was no surgeon available to operate on Cole then, there was no technician available to repair Connor now. Hank's heart tightened in his chest as he watched Connor's face change to Cole's face in another flash of a haunting memory from the night Cole had died.

"No. It's happening all over again." Hank pressed his bandaged right hand to Connor's cheek as he watched the red tinted L.E.D. flickering randomly and dimly in the deviant android's temple. "...Not again."

Dr. Swanson heard the comment and was intrigued by the melancholy statement. "What's happening all over again?"

"You can't just let him die." Hank's proclamation was as heartbreaking as it was determined. "Please. You have to at least try to help him."

"Hank... No one here is qualified to-"

" _Please_!"

Dr. Swanson's hand dropped from Hank's shoulder to his arm as she rubbed it sympathetically. "...I can't. I'm sorry."

Hank's head bowed down, his face hidden behind his gray locks of hair as he leaned over Connor's bed and stared down at the deviant android's face through tear filled eyes. Staying at Hank's side Dr. Swanson motioned for the nurse to grab the nearby chair pressed up against the wall and to bring it over for the detective to use as he stood next to Connor's bed.

"You need to rest." The patient doctor encouraged as she slid the provided chair up behind him. "Please, sit down."

After pushing Hank down into the chair Dr. Swanson drew the privacy curtain around the bed to shelter the duo from prying eyes and left the two detectives alone for the rest of the late night, and all through the early morning. Slipping his bandaged hand under Connor's limp, cold hand Hank tried to hold onto it as tightly as he could, but the burning sting at his fingertips and radiating numbness in his palm made the effort feel hollow. It felt like he was in a dream and unable to make contact with anything in the real world.

"Hold on, son."

A tear ran down Hank's face as he felt a persistent chill run up his spine and settle into the depths of his heart as he remembered the devastating loss of Cole in full detail; the smell of the hospital astringents, the disinfectants, cleaners, latex gloves was all the same. The sound of the cardiac monitor beeping in perfect rhythm with Connor's too slow heartbeat, the sight of the various machines used to keep the dead alive for just a little bit longer in a futile attempt to delay the inevitable was far too similar and haunting.

"I can't lose you, too."

Hank held onto Connor's hand as tightly as possible as he silently wished, maybe even prayed, for some kind of miracle to save Connor's life. Refusing to leave the deviant android's side for even one minute Hank found himself drifting in and out of a light sleep as he stayed with Connor, just as Connor had stayed with him for all those hours that blended into days when his heart nearly gave out after being poisoned.

And when he was sick with the flu, or dealing with a hangover and his withdrawal. And when he had been shot and clinging to life himself...

"Hold on, son." Hank kept repeating the mantra to himself as if it could actually have an effect on the events yet to come. "Hold on."

Stifling a mild cough that had settled into his chest throughout the night Hank just stared unblinking at Connor who was as weak and lifeless as the dead winter snow that covered the city.

Dr. Swanson pulled back the curtain quietly and returned her hand to the detective's shoulder. "Hank? Someone is here to help Connor."

"Wh-What?" Hank turned his head quickly and instantly regretted the abrupt motion as it caused his entire skull to swim in agony. "What're you talking about?"

Abby stepped through the curtain with her emergency satchel slung over her shoulder and honed in on the dying deviant android quickly. Pressing her fingers against the side of Connor's neck she registered his pulse, confirming the readout on the cardiac monitor, before opening the satchel to fish through the supplies and equipment she had brought with her from Detroit.

"Abby!?" Hank looked as though he had seen a ghost while the dedicated technician began fussing over Connor. He watched her like a hawk as she pulled out her audioscope and listened to Connor's chest, while also peeling back the bandage over his chest to look at his beating heart directly. "How did-"

Dr. Swanson tightened her hand on Hank's shoulder to reassure him. "She just got here. Come on, let her-"

Abby turned around quickly and locked onto Dr. Swanson with alarm in her hazel eyes. "You're a surgeon, right?"

"Yes I am. What's-"

"Good, because I'm going to need your help."

"I'm not-"

"I know you're not a technician, that's why _I'm_ here." Abby stated with an urgency to her voice. "I need to get Connor on an operating table now if I have any chance of saving him."

Hank tried to stand up but Dr. Swanson's hand was enough to keep the weakened detective seated while he was still recovering from his injuries. "What's happening?"

"His Thirium filter has been completely compromised and he's bleeding internally. If I don't stop the bleeding and replace his lost Thirium then he's going to fall into insipid shock and shutdown in less than forty-five minutes."

From beneath her hand Dr. Swanson felt Hank tense up and knew that her presence wasn't a request, it was mandatory.

"Alright, let's go."

Dr. Swanson released her grip on Hank's shoulder while simultaneously unhooking the cardiac monitor from Connor's chest. Working with Abby the two women rolled the gurney that Connor was already laying on out of the room and down the corridor to enter the emergency O.R. for the life-saving repairs that were almost thirty-six hours overdue.

Feeling useless Hank watched with a heavy heart as Connor was wheeled out of sight and into emergency surgery. The nurse who had been helping Dr. Swanson take care of Hank once he had been admitted as a patient walked over to the detective. It was a little unusual, but felt necessary as she wrapped her arm around him to give the detective a supportive hug before she coaxed him into standing up from the chair.

"Please, Lt. Anderson. You really need to rest so you don't get any worse."

"...What could be worse than this?"

"I can't answer that, and I'm sorry you're both going through this."

"Yeah... So am I."

Reluctantly but tiredly Hank allowed the nurse to return him to his bed to allow her to change the bandages protecting his frostbitten hands, and to restart the I.V. that had been giving Hank fluid and antibiotics before he had ripped the line out. Breathing deeply and slowly to ease the pain in his chest courtesy of the double lung infection that he had so foolishly allowed to flourish by moving about, and by ripping out the I.V., Hank just stared up at the ceiling with a somber focus.

"Lt. Anderson, you need to eat something." The nurse encouraged as she finished wrapping up his hands gently, and making a note in his electronic chart. "I could bring you something from the cafeteria if you'd like."

"...That's okay. I'm not hungry."

"Well, you should eat something anyway. I'll bring you a cup of jello, that way when Dr. Swanson checks on you she'll be happy to see you're at least making an effort to cooperate. "She smiled sweetly before tagging on a friendly jest. "At least _a_ _little._ "

"...Thanks."

Letting out a weak groan of pain Hank leaned back against his bed and pressed his arms against his chest to try to quell the burning pain of his fractured ribs as he fought the urge to cough and exasperate the injury. Glancing out the nearby window Hank watched as the streets surrounding the hospital were cleared away for the second time by plows, and the drives around the hospital were salted to keep any ice from building or returning to the property.

"Here you go." The nurse left the recovery room and returned very quickly with a cup of red jello and a plastic spoon for Hank. "Don't worry about actually eating it. I know it's difficult to eat when you don't feel well, or are worried half to death."

Giving the nurse a faint but appreciative smile Hank watched as she peeled the lid from the small plastic cup and placed it on the nearby table with the spoon next to it.

"I'll be back in a few minutes to see how you're doing."

Making a halfhearted attempt to eat the offered jello Hank absentmindedly dug the spoon into the red tinted gelatin and scooped up a tiny amount onto the tip of the spoon, only to let it slide off back into the cup. Fussing with the spoon and the jello like a little kid playing with their food Hank just stared blankly at the gelatin while he impatiently awaited an update on Connor.

A soft 'thud' filled the room as a gurney was rolled through the door and back into the recovery wing with Connor still laying unconscious atop it. Hank's head turned to the bed and spotted the deviant android laying just as still as he had been, but with fresh bandages over his body and his artificial skin wasn't as pale.

Abby and Dr. Swanson guided the gurney back to where it had been while the two orderlies wheeled the repaired deviant android into the recovery ward.

"Connor?"

There was a pouch of Thirium hanging from an I.V. pole attached to the upper left corner of the gurney and a Thirium line had been inserted down Connor's throat. Massive white bandages were wrapped over his abdomen again, but the white plastimetal of Connor's own skeletal frame had been replaced over his chest protecting his heart once more. The artificial skin had yet to regenerate over his chest, but at least his heart was safe.

However the deviant android still wasn't breathing; he was too weak to initiate his artificial respiratory program.

"Abby," Hank raised his voice as the technician hooked Connor up to the portable android cardiac monitor she brought from Detroit in favor of the human cardiac monitor. "how is he?"

"Holding on." Abby confirmed with a sincere smile. "He lost three and half pints of Thirium and his Thirium filter needed to be replaced, but fortunately Simon had managed to properly reproduce compatible replacement biocomponents for both Connor and Markus in the event of an emergency. I also had to rebuild his right knee, but it'll be good as new in a few days."

"Will he...?"

"I don't foresee any complications, Hank. Try to relax." Abby encouraged as she placed a cooling blanket over the android's body to keep him from overheating while his self-healing program initiated at full power. "I know it won't be easy, but be patient."

Hank just stared at Connor with a stern gaze.

Why wasn't he breathing? The damage had been repaired, he had received more blood, he had a noted heartbeat on the monitor and he was stable. Why couldn't Connor just take one breath?

Abby gently brushed the stray lock of dark hair that always hung down in Connor's face aside as she checked the now steady pulse of the still red tinted L.E.D. in his temple. Satisfied that Connor wasn't in any immediate danger Abby walked away from the lone deviant android patient and approached Hank with a motherly discipline as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the cup of jello.

"I know you didn't eat any of that." Abby stated with a scolding, but light tone. "We've been through this before, you can't starve yourself and expect anything good to come from it."

"...Aren't you a little young to being using the 'mom voice' on me?"

"Aren't you a little old to need me to _use_ the 'mom voice'?"

Hank smirked at the retort as he resumed fussing with the jello. "...I guess I should thank you for driving out here just to help Connor. I don't know of any other human who'd risk their own life for an android."

"Well, it wasn't exactly a risk for me to drive to the hospital after they finally plowed. But I appreciate your sentiment."

Hank let out a pained sigh and set aside the jello. He simply had no appetite and the very idea of eating threatened to upset his anxious stomach.

Dr. Swanson walked over to Hank casually to begin a quick examination of her most stubborn patient. As she pulled the penlight from her pocket she saw Hank already flinching in anticipation of the bright light that would be shone directly into his eyes.

"Still have a nasty headache, huh?" Dr. Swanson needlessly asked as she checked Hank's eyes. "I'll get you something for the pain. AND... if you cooperate with me I'll get you a wheelchair so you can sit with Connor while you heal."

"You have a deal." Hank readily accepted as he put his right hand over his eyes to block out as much of the light as possible. "...Don't be afraid to hold back on the painkillers."

* * *

Holding a small bag of ice to his face and the side of his aching head Hank let Dr. Swanson wheel him over to Connor's bedside to stay with the deviant android until Connor either awoke at last, or shutdown entirely. Hank of course was hoping for the former over the latter of the two options, but a lifetime of dealing with the turbulent masses of people who would elicit chaos, violence and pure hatred from seemingly nothingness had left him pessimistic, if not completely cynical.

The numerous personal tragedies he had endured only left him with the faintest glimmer of hope to cling to.

Abby checked the cardiac monitor and noted Connor's current heart rate as stable and nearing an optimum rate. With his Thirium volume now fully restored to one-hundred percent Abby used a firm but careful pressure as she pulled the Thirium line out of Connor's throat and lightly closed the deviant android's jaw by pressing her palm up against his chin as Connor rested.

"He'll be alright, Hank." Abby stated in a sweet tone as she studied Hank's demeanor intently. "Just give him more time to heal."

"Connor stopped breathing because of his injury. Why isn't he breathing now?"

"His system has to recalibrate after the biocomponent replacement. The lost Thirium and his self-healing program takes a lot of power to activate. Don't worry Hank, once he has the energy to spare he'll start breathing again. Until then, we'll keep the cooling blanket over him so he doesn't overheat."

Pressing her hand to Hank's good shoulder as she walked away from the gurney Abby tried to remain upbeat and optimistic for Hank's emotional sake, but deep down she was worried about Connor as well.

"Come on, kid. You need to be okay." Hank whispered as he lowered the ice from his head and stared at the bag with frustrated loathing. "...I hate the cold."

Grabbing onto Connor's arm with his bandaged hand Hank let out a weak sigh as his chest gnawed at him, pleading him to lay down and stop moving around so much until his fractured ribs could finally heal.

"As much as I wish I had the chance to properly say goodbye to all the people in my life that I lost; Lucas, my grandparents, my mom, my dad, Barbara, Cole... I just can't bring myself to say it to you. I hate to break it to you Connor, but right now I _need_ a drink. I'm ashamed to admit but I won't deny it either; you don't keep secrets from me and I won't keep secrets from you."

Connor didn't budge even as Hank spoke to him and held onto his arm.

"You're too damn strong to just up and die on me, son. I know that you're far more stubborn and resilient than any man I've ever known, and when I say man I don't mean you as a deviant compared to a human, I mean an _actual_ man. It takes someone with tremendous courage and a big heart to take all the risks you take just to protect other people. It isn't fair that you should have to die because I was being too much a self-centered jackass to admit..." Guilt stole Hank's words for only a moment. "Damn it, Connor. You _should've_ been driving. You wouldn't have hit that fuckin' tree and we wouldn't be in this mess right now!"

Hank leaned back against the wheel chair and clutched his left arm tightly around his chest to stave off the pain that had built up in his chest as a result of his sudden emotional outburst.

"You can't even breathe now because of me."

Taking a moment to recompose himself Hank steadied his voice once more.

"I just... I just needed to prove to myself that the accident that killed Cole _wasn't_ my fault. That there was nothing I could've done differently to save him from death. In the end all I did was prove to myself that I'm a world-class asshole! I may have killed you just to try to make myself feel better, and I know," Hank rubbed his bandaged hand against his eyes as he fought the urge to completely breakdown and sob. "I know you can hear me. Please, son, forgive me for doing this to you. I just need you to forgive-"

Connor suddenly took in a deep gasping breath that caused his entire chest and abdomen to rise and then fall before he settled into a calm breathing pattern that settled solely in his chest. The white bandages over his torso remained pristine and white despite the unexpected movement, which meant his wound hadn't reopened and was healing properly.

No internal bleeding. No complications.

Hank was at a loss for words as he watched life return to the deviant android. The red L.E.D. finally transitioned back to a yawning pulse of yellow in Connor's temple as his ventilation biocomponents resumed full function.

"...Connor?" Hank leaned forward and waited for any additional response from the android, but there was nothing more. For now the resumed breathing would have to suffice and it was enough to bring a fleeting grin to the detective's face "I knew you were too strong to just roll over and die like that."

Patting Connor's arm lightly Hank felt a tremendous weight lift from his heavy heart as he stayed by his adopted son's side.

"Stay with me, kid. I'm not ready to say 'goodbye' just yet."

* * *

Patient and accommodating Dr. Swanson allowed Hank to stay next to Connor as long as the detective kept the I.V. in his arm and didn't walk around causing physical exertion on his still healing body. Unwrapping the bandages from around Hank's hands the kind doctor examined his fingers and fingertips and happily noted that the severe frostbite had begun to heal with no sign of lasting damage to his skin or the nerves beneath.

"Can you flex your fingers for me?"

Hank cooperated and slowly flexed the fingers on both hands into tight fists then relaxed them once more, extending his fingers out as far as they could go.

"Any pain or limitations in your dexterity?"

"No. My skin feels dried out, but it doesn't hurt."

"Nurse Armstrong confirmed the same for your toes last evening. You're lucky that you didn't suffer any permanent injury from the cold."

"Yeah, 'lucky'."

Dr. Swanson gave Hank a slight shake of her head as she pressed her stethoscope against his chest to resume the examination. "Take a deep breath for me."

Remaining cooperative, and annoyed, Hank breathed deeply and waited for the doctor to finish listening to his lungs, and his heart. The cool metal of the bell moved over his chest as he breathed steadily as instructed.

"Congestion is beginning to lessen. You'll need to stay on the antibiotics until your lungs are fully cleared." Draping the stethoscope around her neck Dr. Swanson gently checked the numerous stitches snaking down Hank's face for any sign of infection or a popped stitch. "Laceration is healing well. How's your shoulder and your head?"

"Shoulder's fine. Head still fuckin' hurts."

"Not surprised. Hairline or not, you still fractured your skull." Turning her attention to Connor laying quietly in the bed next to Hank, who adamantly refused to leave the deviant android alone, she smiled faintly. "I've never operated on an android before. He's very... human."

Hank didn't say anything, just stared at Connor as he lightly placed his unwrapped right hand down on the deviant android's arm once more. For the first time since the car accident Connor's skin didn't feel icy cold or dead. It was warm like a living, breathing person once more.

"I'm going to bring you something from the cafeteria," Dr. Swanson stated with a firm tone as she walked away from the two detectives under her care. "and you're going to eat it. Abby informed me you have a nasty habit of not eating when you're stressed out."

Ignoring the comment Hank kept his focus on Connor as he awaited any response from the recovering deviant android. It had been almost a full day since the emergency operation that repaired his damaged Thirium filter and saved his life, and it had been an additional six hours since Connor started to breathe on his own. But the lack of awareness was just as disturbing as ever.

"I wonder what kind of shitty food it is they keep trying to shove down my throat?" Hank tried to joke but bowed his head a little in grief. "Can't be worse than that fast food you keep me from eating."

"...If you don't eat ...they won't let you leave."

Hank's shoulders visibly stiffened as he recognized the voice and tightened his hand on the deviant android's arm. "...C-Connor?"

Brown irises fluttered open as the deviant android finally regained full consciousness. Letting his eyes drift down from the blank white ceiling overhead to where Hank was sitting beside him Connor gained his bearings. Lifting his head up slightly from the pillow Connor gave Hank a weak smile. "...Hi, Hank."

"You..." Overwhelmed by emotions; relief, fear, joy... Hank had a hard time find his voice again. "You really need to stop scaring me like that!"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Scaring you."

Hank laughed a little at the silly comment while Connor took the statement literally. "...Well, it's _my_ fault." The gruff detective replied somberly. "I shouldn't have been driving."

"It was an accident." Connor sharply retorted to keep Hank from beating himself up. "The roads were going to be equally as dangerous for me as they were for you."

"But you-"

"Stop blaming yourself, Hank." Now it was Connor's turn to be the one to offer Hank words of consolation. "Self-pity does not suit you."

"Connor, I fucked up royally. I almost got you killed because-"

"Because you were driving on treacherous roads. I could've just as easily gotten into an accident as well." Connor sat upright slowly, his free arm wrapping around his abdomen protectively as he moved to reassure Hank that he was in fact alive and going to be okay. "The accident was not your fault. _Neither_ of the accidents were your fault."

Hank just stared blankly at Connor for a moment as he so desperately wanted to believe what he was being told, but the part of his heart that was irreparably broken refused to accept it.

"You said that I gave you a reason to keep to living." Connor asserted in a soft tone as his L.E.D. cycled from yellow to blue while he spoke. He _had_ heard everything Hank told him when they were trapped in the car after all. "and I want to help you live a happy life. Part of that happiness comes from you being able to allow yourself to be happy."

"...You _heard_ me? What I said-"

"I don't need to forgive you, either, Hank." Connor interrupted firmly to stop Hank from kicking himself any further. "You did nothing wrong. But you do need to forgive _yourself_."

Hank tried to pull away from Connor but the deviant android's hand quickly wrapped around Hank's arm and pulled him back toward himself.

"I had to learn to forgive myself after Lucas died, and now I want to help you learn how to forgive yourself over what happened to Cole."

"Connor, it's not-"

Sliding off the edge of the bed Connor knelt down beside the wheelchair, his repaired knee protesting from the exertion and applied weight but it didn't faze him as he wrapped his arms in a tight hug around Hank; holding him in an unyielding embrace, mindful of Hank's still healing fractured ribs.

"It's going to be okay... _dad_."

Unable to withhold it any longer Hank reciprocated the hug and buried his face against Connor's shoulder as he began to weep, and finally come to terms with himself after the horrific night that had left a permanent black scar over his heart. Connor held onto Hank while the detective sobbed quietly against him and let go of the crippling pain that he had harbored within himself for years over misguided guilt and self-loathing.

As Connor's hand reached up to press against Hank's head and run his fingers through the detective's gray locks and empathetic tear began to roll down Connor's face as he remembered the pain he had felt when he lost Lucas, and knew how much Hank had been hurting for all these years over the loss of Cole.

The big difference was when Connor lost Lucas he had Hank there to comfort him, when Hank lost Cole he had no one.

Hank had been left entirely alone to wallow in darkness and grief.

Until now.

"We're family."

* * *

Two additional days passed before Hank was cleared to be discharged from the hospital, while Connor was cleared just a few hours after he regained consciousness. But like Hank had refused to leave Connor alone in the hospital, Connor refused to leave Hank alone. Electing to wait at the hospital and even humored Abby by allowing her to help him 'rehab' his rebuilt knee during his additional time spent as a patient. The deviant android made great strides toward a full recovery and as a result Hank too made an impressive improvement in his own health.

Once discharged from the hospital Abby drove the two detectives back to Detroit rather than having the duo hail an autonomous taxi. Connor's knee had healed considerably but it was still sore causing the android to slightly limp as he walked. Hank's left arm was still in a sling to lessen the strain from his left shoulder while the muscles and tendons healed without surgical intervention. The sling also lifted enough pressure from Hank's upper body to help his fractured ribs heal easier.

"Are you sure you two don't want me to stay with you?" Abby asked as pulled up the drive to drop the detectives off at their house. "I don't mind."

"You've done more than enough for us, Abby." Connor smiled as he helped Hank to climb out of the backseat of the small blue car. "Thank you."

"Okay, but if you need some help just call! I'll be at New Jericho Tower."

"We will." Connor promised as he watched the car back down the drive before helping Hank to enter the house through the backdoor. As he unlocked the door Sumo happily plodded over to the two detectives waiting to be pet before slipping out the door and into the snowy backyard. "I'm glad Chris was able to check in on Sumo for us."

"Yeah, Chris is a real good guy." Hank agreed as he watched Sumo trotting happily through the fresh white snow. "We should do something nice for Chris."

Connor was about to close the door when he noticed that it was beginning to snow again. Stepping back outside he limped a few paces into the backyard to call for Sumo, but the dog was too busy rolling around in the fresh pure snow to pay his owners any mind. "Sumo, come."

Hank followed after Connor and stared up at the sky as the snow began to fall in heavy, white flakes all over the city. "At least the snow waited for us to get home before it hit us again."

Connor patted his leg as he took a knee in the snow to try to coax Sumo into coming over to his hand. Sumo himself was digging something out of a deep snowbank by the fence that lined the rear of the property and trotted over to Connor to drop it down in front of him.

"Sumo will come back inside when he's ready. Big idiot loves the snow for some reason." Hank stated as he turned to look at the driveway where the car should be. It was kind of sad to see it open and empty. "Tomorrow we'll go find a new car. Two cars in less than two years, wonder if they'll give us a discount?"

"I doubt it." Picking up the object that Sumo had retrieved from the snow Connor recognized it as Sumo's green fetch ball.

Wisely he tossed it inside the house through the still opened backdoor to lure the dog back inside playfully. As Sumo rushed past Hank's leg inside the house the detective turned to give Connor an approving nod, all the while Connor's L.E.D. blinked blue rapidly as his palm fidgeted with the snow under his grasp.

"That was pretty clever! What made you-" Hank turned around in time to receive a clump of fresh white snow against his right shoulder as a snowball exploded into a burst of smaller flakes all over him. "Hey!"

"What?" Connor just stood his ground while giving Hank a sly smirk and feigning innocence as he discreetly formed a second snowball in his hand behind his back. Feeling an odd sense of humor and mischief Connor was unable to stop himself from smiling at the detective. "Something wrong?"

Sumo bounded back into the backyard with the green ball in his mouth eager to resuming playing the game, completely oblivious of Connor's previous actions to amuse himself.

Hank brushed the snow from his shoulder and gave Connor an odd glance. "Did you really just throw what I think you threw?"

"I don't know." Connor teased as he revealed the second bigger snowball from behind his back. "Did it look like this?"

"Hey!" Hank raised up his arm to block the second snowball and hide his laugh as it exploded against his right forearm. "Seriously?!"

"You were right, Hank." Connor couldn't stop himself from smiling even broader as snow clung to Hank's coat and hair. "Snowball fights _are_ fun."

Reaching up awkwardly with his hand Hank brushed away the remaining snow from his shoulder as he stared at the amused smirk on Connor's face. Yet again Hank could've sworn it was Cole smiling back at him, the sincere smile of an innocent soul behind the empathetic, soulful brown eyes.

"Alright, you wanna' play?" Hank taunted with an amused grin as he slowly bent down with his one good hand and formed a pathetic looking snowball of his own. "You're going down!"

_**...next story...** _


	101. Bonding

Connor and Hank were at their desks exhausted after enduring a nightmarish day filled with paperwork, loud belligerent drunk, violent anti-android gang members, and two week's worth of late reports to file before the end of day. Hank, still relying on the sling to keep his healing shoulder from aching too severely, began typing up the last report for the day as Chris escorted an unexpected visitor over to Connor's desk. Chris lightly put his hand on the studious deviant's shoulder to get his attention without startling him.

"Connor, you have a visitor."

Turning around quickly Connor was a little shocked to see Markus standing beside his desk with an enthusiastic grin plastered over his face.

"Markus. It's nice to see you." Connor stood up quickly and faced his friend with genuine curiosity. "Why are you here?"

"Do you have a minute to talk? I want to speak with you in private."

"Uh..." Looking toward Hank a second he was relieved to see Hank wave him off dismissively with his good hand. "Yeah. I can talk. Is something wrong?"

"Nope. Nothing's wrong, I just needed to ask you an important question and I didn't want to do it over the phone or cybernetically." Markus explained casually as he and Connor exited the bullpen together and headed back toward the front doors of the precinct.

Stepping out into the fresh chill in the air as their feet crunched along the icy snow the two deviants paused to speak to one another as they rounded the corner of the precinct, to duck away from nosy people seeking gossip fodder. It wasn't uncommon to see deviants speaking to one another discreetly, but having a deviant show up to meet a friend at work rather than keeping their conversations cybernetic was a tad unusual.

"What's on your mind, Markus?" Connor asked coolly as he stood before his friend. "I'm always happy to help."

"Well, it's really as simple as this." There was a bright gleam in Markus's eyes as he happily spoke with his friend. "Last night I asked North to... bond with me."

Connor's expression was that of contained excitement. "You're engaged?"

"Yeah! We're getting bonded this upcoming Friday!"

"Congratulations Markus, I happy for you."

"We already have so much covered, but there's a few things we still need to get taken care of. And that's why I'm here!"

"Oh, of course. How can I help?"

"Well, we have Josh officiating the bonding ceremony, Simon will will take of the legalities and watch over New Jericho Tower while we're gone, North has already chosen her maid of honor, but I still need my best man."

Connor's brow furrowed a little as he stared at Markus with a sincere naivety. "...Me?"

"Yeah, Connor. Will you please be the best man at my bonding?"

"I..." Flattered but confused Connor was a little hesitant to answer. "Why me?"

"Because without your help the revolution would've failed and North and I wouldn't be together on this day. Please Connor, we want you to be a part of our bonding. Connor, will you be my best man?"

"Y-Yes, of course. It'd be my honor!"

Markus reached out to shake Connor's hand appreciatively as the two deviants exchanged grins of excitement at the upcoming event.

"Thank you! I appreciate it!" Markus let his hand drop from Connor's as he enthusiastically informed North through a cybernetic relay. "Now all we have to do is find the right place and we'll be all set. And," Markus reached into his coat pocket and presented Connor with two invitations to the bonding. "One for you and one for Hank. I brought yours in case you said no about being my best man. I still want you there."

"Thank you Markus. We'll be there, I promise."

* * *

Hank let out a tired sigh as he resumed filling out the report and contemplated getting himself a fresh cup of coffee. The drunks in the drunk tank had quieted down, or passed out, and the violent anti-android gang members had been isolated from the other cells to prevent a possible riot. Too tired to function without the aid of some caffeine Hank picked up his worn out, stained coffee mug and walked into the break room for a refill just as he caught sight of Connor returning to the bullpen with an oddly complacent, yet unsure look on his face.

Intrigued by Connor's demeanor Hank headed back to his desk Hank sat down the mug as he returned to his chair, and eyed Connor curiously. "So... if it's okay for me to ask," his blue eyes studied Connor carefully as the deviant sat behind his own terminal screen once more. "what did Markus want?"

Connor shook his head a little as if he were still trying to comprehend their previous discussion outside before he answered. "Markus told me that he and North have decided to get married."

Hank's eyes went a little wide with surprise before he responded. "I didn't think androids or deviants knew anything about marriage. But that's cool, all the same. Any reason he wanted to tell you that in private?"

"No, he wasn't keeping it a secret or anything like that. He just wanted to ask me if I'd be the 'best man' at the bonding."

"Bonding, huh?"

"The android equivalent to a human wedding."

"Oh. That makes sense. ...I guess. And what did you say?"

"I told him 'yes'."

"...And do you regret it?"

"No."

"Then why do you look so... confused... about what's going on?"

"Because Hank, I don't know what a 'best man' is."

"Oh!" Hank laughed a little as he sipped at his coffee and leaned back in his seat. "Shit, I can tell you what you need to know."

"You can?"

"Yup. I was a best man once, it kinda' sucks but it's still a great honor." Pushing aside his mug Hank resumed typing up his report with one hand. "When's the wedding, er, bonding?"

"This coming Friday."

"Seriously? Six days seems fast."

"Deviants don't need to worry about planning as humans do. However, Markus did ask for some advice of an appropriate location to hold the service."

Hank grinned a little as a suggestion came to mind. "The cabin. It'll look beautiful in the fall and winter time."

"You don't mind having a mass of guests at the cabin?"

"Why should I mind? I bought the place a few weeks ago and now I have an excuse to go back that doesn't revolve around fishing, and I don't have to wait for a chance to rent it out."

"You _bought_ the cabin?" Connor tilted his head a little as he stared at Hank's face with a sense of shock. "Why'd you do that?"

"I love the place. AND it means I can run away from the city and hide out whenever I want. Go ahead," Hank insisted kindly as he continued his report. "let Markus know he can use the cabin. It's quiet, remote, beautiful and on private property so no one can crash the bonding and ruin it." Peering around his screen to look at Connor directly Hank gave the deviant a subtle nod. "If you want I can take them up on a tour of the place tomorrow."

"Thank you, Hank. I will inform Markus immediately."

* * *

The following morning, true to his word, Hank took North up to the cabin so she could look the place over for herself. Meanwhile Connor went to New Jericho Tower to check over the legalities in making sure that the bonding would proceed without any interruptions, or dreaded red tape. The tower itself was full of activity as the deviants in the sanctuary excitedly prepared for the upcoming bonding in their own way, and Connor assisted Markus in matters that were exclusive to his role as the best man.

"We won't be undergoing all of the same wedding traditions as humans." Markus explained casually as he and Connor walked to his office side by side. "We just want a simple ceremony with each other and our closest friends and family. No religious scripture or elaborate set-ups. Just escort the maid of honor down the aisle and hold my bonding ring. That's all."

"Who is the maid of honor?" Connor asked curiously as he followed Markus into the office and began cybernetically overlooking all of the legal details required to proceed with the bonding.

"Skye."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow briefly as he recognized the name was nearly overcome with the dreadful memories of suffering at the hands of Jonas. "Skye? She is still here? What about Cassie and the other rescued deviants?"

"Everyone's fine, Connor. Cassie went back over the border to help deviants come back to Detroit and the other deviants who were rescued have moved on with their lives."

"But Skye chose to stay behind?"

"Yeah. She and North escaped from the 'Eden Club' and were reunited after... you know."

"Unfortunately, I do."

"She and North were very close friends back at the club, but lost track of one another when Skye tried to sneak out other deviants to their freedom. Without Cassie to keep her company Skye got a little lonely, but she and North became even closer as friends."

"I'm glad she's okay."

"Yeah, us too." Markus put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he leaned over the legal documents Connor was quickly and easily scanning. "What do you think?"

"You're in the clear, Markus. There isn't a single detail that Simon had overlooked or forgotten."

"So we can go ahead with the bonding?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a happy nod of his head. "Everything looks ready to go. In five days you'll be a married deviant. How does it feel?"

"Incredible." Markus smiled a little more only to have eyes fill with emotion. "I just wish Carl could be there."

Connor stood upright and put his hand to Markus's arm kindly. "I'm sure Carl will be there in his own way. Hank told me once that the people we care about never really leave us, even after they've passed away or shutdown."

A light knocking on the office door drew Markus and Connor's attention to the guest. "Hi, am I interrupting?"

"Skye." With a sense of perfect timing Markus turned and smiled at her warmly. She looked much different than the last time Connor had seen her, and it was all for the better. "Not at all."

"Good. Simon wants to go over a few guidelines about the new laws and protocols just in case something pops up while you and North are away."

"Yeah, no problem." Giving his future best man a quick pat on the shoulder Markus took his leave of the office. "I'll be right back, Connor."

Connor only nodded as he looked at Skye and noted the drastic change in her appearance since the last time he saw her. What had been dark, almost black hair was now long, dark auburn running down the length of her back with her hairline partied to the right allowing her long bangs to fall over her left, previously damaged eye, partially concealing it. Her eyes that had once been an unnaturally bright blue were now a more natural dark, green-hazel color.

Everything about her seemed more natural, if not perfect.

Like Connor, she too kept her L.E.D. identifying herself outwardly as a deviant; unafraid, unashamed of who she really was or where she came from.

"Skye, I'm glad to see you're okay." Connor commented somewhat nervously in his voice alone, as she approached him confidently in her stride. "...You altered your appearance."

"Well, what you saw before is what the clients at the club wanted. After I arrived at the tower I changed my appearance so I could look the way that I wanted; I'm my own person and no one else."

"I wish I had been able to check in on you after everything that happened, but..."

"I know, you don't like coming to New Jericho Tower because the other deviants are still wary of you."

"...Correct."

"I hate to break it to you, Connor, but after you saved Markus's life when he was shot, and the way you recruited the deviants to help out Rose Chapman and her son after they were attacked by anti-android bigots, you earned a tremendous amount of respect."

"...I don't seek to gain anyone's respect. I just don't want everyone to be afraid of me."

"Well, _I'm_ not afraid." Skye put her hand to the side of Connor's face as she looked him directly in his soulful brown eyes. "You saved my life, you saved Cassie, you saved the other injured deviants, and you've continued to risk your life to protect us long after the revolution. I'm happy to call you my friend."

"Thank you, Skye." Connor smiled a little as he felt anxiety leaving his mind, as well as his heart. "I'm looking forward to attending the bonding as the best man."

"And I'm the maid of honor, so it's a good thing we get along."

"Yes." A small laugh escaped Connor's lips as he locked his gaze with hers. "I imagine it would be a tad awkward if we despised one another."

"I'll do my best to not get on your bad side, and you don't do anything stupid to give me a reason to start disliking you." Dropping her hand from Connor's face she ran her palm down his chest as she backed out of the room smiling warmly. "It's hard enough making new friends when you spend all day in a tower locked away from the world."

Before Connor could say another word to Skye she had slipped through the door out of sight and Markus had returned to the office.

"That's settled." Markus noted in regards to Simon and his concerns. "Now," putting his hand on Connor's shoulder he gave the deviant a somewhat stern glance. "let's talk about this cabin that you and Hank are so enthusiastic about."

Connor finally pulled his focus from the doorway where Skye had disappeared and gave his full attention to Markus. "Gladly!"

* * *

Acting as a guide Hank escorted North around the snow covered property of the cabin with a calm demeanor, and appreciation for the isolated beauty. It was serenely quiet save for the sweet chirping of the birds in the surrounding trees and the gentle billowing of the winter breeze swirling all around the duo in a welcoming manner.

"So what do you think?" Hank asked as North walked down toward the frozen lake shore and peered at the small fish swimming about under the icy surface. "If you want it, this place is yours for the bonding."

"Hank, this is perfect." North happily turned to look at the kind detective watching over her. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to stave off the chill in the air, but she was already too in love with the cabin to say no. "Do you think people will mind being out in the cold?"

"Screw 'em! It's your bonding!" The detective knew better than to tell a bride 'no' on anything about her own wedding day, so he imagined the same rule applied to a bonding ceremony. "You can tell them to go jump in the lake if you wanted."

North gave Hank an odd loo, but knew he was speaking from a place of experience. "You've been to a lot of human weddings, haven't you?"

"Uh, only four, actually."

"Well, this will be your first bonding ceremony, and thank you."

"You're welcome."

Keeping her hands running along her arms North gave the detective a nervous glance. "Hank, I do have one additional favor to ask of you; and feel free to say no, but I have to ask all the same."

"Alright." Taking a step closer to North out of sheer curiosity Hank pressed her for the question burning on her lips. "What's up?"

"...Would you walk me down the aisle?"

"...What?"

"Well, I don't have any real family, aside from Markus, let alone a father figure." She seemed almost sad as she spoke, but didn't let it shake her always confident tone of voice. "The way you treat Connor, it's like... I don't know, real. So I thought I'd ask. Sorry if it was a weird question."

"North, I think it'd be a privilege to walk you down the aisle. I don't have a daughter of my own, so that's something I never thought I'd get to do."

"You'll do it?"

"Of course. Consider it done."

* * *

Connor found himself absentmindedly strumming away on his guitar in the dim lighting of his bedroom with Sumo resting his chin over his outstretched legs. As he became lost in thought a soft knocking on his bedroom door drew his attention away from the tuneless melody he had been performing, and up to Hank standing in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"North is good with the cabin," Hank stated proudly as he stared at Connor with a faint smirk. "and I get to walk her down the aisle. We're both a part of the wedding, wait, _bonding_ now."

"...I'm glad you were asked to participate." Connor stopped strumming with his right hand, but his left fingers continued to press down as if performing chords.

"You okay? You seem a little distracted."

"I'm just thinking."

"About the bonding?"

"Yes."

"You nervous?"

"No." Connor set aside the guitar and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm just thinking about the prospect of marriage and bonding and how much it changes those who have the fortune of undertaking such an event."

Hank crossed his right arm over his still injured left and gave Connor an odd look. "You feeling the 'bachelor blues' or something?"

"I... I don't understand that metaphor."

Hank shrugged his shoulders a little, wincing at the pull on his bad shoulder in the process. "I'm asking if you're ready to start dating and looking for the deviant of your dreams."

"I don't know anything about dating."

"Neither did I. At least, in the beginning. Then after a few dates you start to notice a pattern in the type of person, or _deviant_ , you're looking for and eventually find yourself more and more attracted to the person you were destined to fall in love with."

"Is that what happened with you and Barbara?"

"Yup. That's why we made sure to sneak off and elope so we could be married and still work at the same precinct together once we were sure he truly wanted to be together."

"'Elope'? What is that exactly?"

"It's a way of getting married and skipping over all the formalities; having to dress up, invite a bunch of friends and family to a place you have to rent for a few hours, getting everything on a schedule... It just made things much easier and we were happy all the same as if we had gone through with an elaborate wedding."

Connor gave Hank a somewhat unsure glance as he leaned forward on his bed. "May I ask you a personal question?"

"I've never stopped you before. What's on your mind?"

"...Why didn't you re-marry after you... _lost_ Barbara?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Hank admitted as he let out a somewhat mournful sigh. "I guess I just never felt like I needed to try dating again. Or, maybe I knew I'd spend all my time comparing every woman I did date to Barbara. It's hard to move on after losing someone like that."

"Didn't you get lonely?"

"...Only after I lost Cole, too."

"I'm sorry Hank, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay, kid. I don't want to start ignoring my past again. It starts with a bad memory and ends with an even worse hangover."

"...When you were dating," Connor's L.E.D. cycled from blue to yellow nervously. "how did you ask the girl you were interested in out?"

"Connor, do you have someone special on your mind?"

"...A little."

"You still thinking about Kara?"

"Occasionally, but it's not her I'm-" Connor was finding it difficult to explain his feelings and his thinking. "Kara is married and I have accepted it. She is off limits to anyone who is not Luther."

Hank could feel the follow-up comment just hanging heavily in the air. "... _But_?"

"But, it feels strange to still think of Kara in such a manner, especially when I know she's unavailable," taking a moment to try to compose his thoughts Connor continued with a palpable confusion. "and now I see someone else in the same manner, at the same time. Did that make sense?"

"Uh-huh..."

"I'm so perplexed by these emotions. How can I have an attraction to two deviants at one time?"

"Ah, I think I know what you're little problem is."

"You do?"

"Yup. Kara was the first deviant you saw as a living being, even though at the time you didn't realize it." The detective deduced easily. "Then after you got to know her a little better the life you saw in her became more tangible and relatable. It's like you saw the sunrise after enduring a long, cold night. She was a ray of light in an otherwise dark world around you."

"So, no matter what I will always think of Kara as someone special?"

"Yup. Your first love."

"...Will I always be distracted by thoughts of her?"

"Nah. After you find someone who makes you think of them as special as you saw Kara, you'll find that new someone to be the center of your every thought. You can quote me on that."

"...Thanks Hank." Connor's L.E.D. returned to blue as his mind eased considerably. "Tomorrow Markus wants us to join him downtown to find our tuxedos. What's the difference between a tuxedo and a suit, anyway?"

"About two-grand."

"What?"

"Nothing, kid. It was a bad joke." Hank ran his hand through his hair somewhat embarrassed. "I'll tell you everything you need to know about weddings later. For now I need to take a shower and ease the pain in my shoulder."

* * *

A light dusting of snow fell over the property of the cabin while Connor, Hank and Markus prepared for the bonding that was set to take place the following day at noon. The other deviants at New Jericho Tower had volunteered to help prepare for the ceremony but Markus declined as he and North wanted to take care of as much of their bonding by themselves as possible.

Markus and Connor set up a wooden rose trestle bent into the shape of an arch at the end of the aisle long aisle leading from the rear cabin door out toward the dock. As the trestle was fixed to the ground North herself began to wrap the trestle in numerous fake, but incredibly realistic ruby red roses. Skye began lining the area with long wooden benches protected under thick blanket to keep any additional snowfall from affecting the seats. Josh set about rolling down a thick red carpet to line the aisle while stretching the other blankets over to keep the weather from ruining it. Small speakers were strategically placed around the trestle and near the benches to allow music to be played audibly during before the bonding ceremony, so the guests could hear Markus and North speaking during the ceremony itself.

From inside the cabin Hank watched as the deviants outside worked together in the cold to set things in motion for the next day. As the exterior of the cabin slowly became adorned with flowers and benches Hank couldn't help but think of his own wedding day. How it was so simple, so quick but still so memorable in the best possible way.

Hank had also become aware of Connor looking over at Skye every chance he had.

"Man, I hope the kid doesn't get his heart broken again." Hank muttered to himself as he watched Connor helping Skye with the benches. "He's too empathetic for his own good."

* * *

With the backyard appropriately decorated for the following morning the deviants took their leave of the property for the remainder of the night.

Josh had gone back to New Jericho Tower with North and Skye via autonomous taxi, leaving Connor, Hank and Markus alone at the cabin for the night. Setting a small fire in the hearth of the cabin's sitting room Hank proceeded to carefully remove the sling from his shoulder and check on his level of pain tolerance. There was a dull ache but nothing that would hinder his movements anytime in the immediate future.

"Hank, are you sure you should be doing that?" Connor asked as he and Markus joined Hank in the sitting room of the cabin. The two deviants sat on the couch next to the old chair that Hank had taken for himself. "You were severely injured and still aren't cleared for active duty."

"I'm fine, son. Just sore."

Markus liked hearing Hank call Connor 'son'. It reminded him of Carl. "I'm glad you both are okay. I can't imagine going through something like that."

"Thanks, Markus." Hank tried to lighten the mood for the sake of the upcoming wedding. "But it wasn't all bad. Now I have the second car to work on when it warms up again."

"I still think you should've purchased an autonomous vehicle." Connor refuted stubbornly from where he sat. "Especially since you have the other car as a pet project. Once you get it functional again you would've had the option of manual or autonomous vehicles at your disposal."

"We've been over this Connor, I'm not getting an _autonomous_ vehicle. Might as well just hail a taxi everywhere..." Clearing his throat a little Hank turned to look at Markus. "Are you and North going to forego the honeymoon or are you going to keep some wedding traditions alive?"

"We'll be heading out to Hawaii the day after tomorrow. We have a contact in customs and the secretary of state, so we'll be able to travel without being harassed or questioned."

"That's good." Hank acknowledged sincerely as he rubbed at his sore shoulder with his opposite hand. "You need to see the world. You too, Connor."

"I will travel someday, Hank." The deviant gave Hank a sincere glance as he leaned back against the couch as if tired. "I swear it."

Hank smiled at the too human reaction he got from Connor then returned his focus to Markus. "Are you and North going to live in the tower?"

"No, no... Uh, Leo let me have the house after Carl... You know. We'll be living there but working from the tower as usual."

"Sounds like a good plan. You need the chance to be together, just the two of you."

"Hey Hank, thanks for everything you've done for us." Markus leaned forward on the couch as he spoke to the detective respectfully. "I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, Markus. I'm happy to help."

"And, Connor," Markus addressed his best man with the same respect. "after everything we've been through together I'm proud that we remained friends. I just wish we had more positive moments like this to help us find the time to hang out, and not just when tragedy strikes."

"I agree." Connor admitted with a slightly arched brow. "Perhaps in time neither of us will need to worry about protecting deviants and can have more normal lives. Then again," Connor briefly looked at Hank before staring at Markus. "normalcy can become tedious; boring. Who wants to spend their life bored?"

"Good point." Markus laughed a little at the odd comment. "I'm just glad you're both here. It's important that we have our bonding with the most important people in our lives in attendance."

"You're welcome Markus."

Nodding a little Markus rose from the couch and made his way toward the staircase. "I'm going to get some sleep. Tomorrow is the big day..."

Connor and Hank silently agreed and joined Markus at the staircase to retire for the night. The trio was ready to get some rest, and readier still to be a part of deviant history as Markus and North would be the first androids to legally bond (wed) in the United States of America.

"You two take that room," Hank motioned to the first door on their left as he walked past them and took the room next to it for himself. "wake me up whenever you need me."

"Right." Markus acknowledged the offer as he pushed open the bedroom door and spotted two beds inside the room. One bed was against the Eastern wall and the second bed was against the Western wall with a large window in between. "Wow... Hank must be prepared for everything."

"He usually is." Connor confirmed as he walked into the bedroom behind Markus. "But this was merely convenience. These two beds were once bunkbeds that were in storage. They had initially been purchased for... uh, if Cole, if he brought a friend to the cabin when he got older."

The name Cole struck a chord with Markus. Even though he didn't have all the details he knew of the tragedy and of how close it came to nearly destroying Hank in the process.

"...Yeah, I get it." Markus walked over to the bed furthest from the door and plopped down face first onto the pillow. "It seems so long since I had a bed to myself. Guess that's a good thing."

Connor laid down on the opposite bed on his back and tucked his arm up under his head. "Must be nice to have someone in your life you're so close with that you're willing to get bonded with them. I didn't think it was possible for any android to achieve such a close bond with anyone."

"Neither did I. But... the more North and I got to know each other the more we realized how much we cared for each other, and trusted each other. Our initial meeting was unconventional, but in the end it turns out it was meant to be."

"And that's where the feelings of love come from, right?"

"Yeah... I think it does."

"I'm glad you and North found each other. And I'm glad you two remained together after the revolution."

"I am too." Markus smiled a little as he closed his eyes. "We met under dark circumstances, but we found strength in each other, and we found love in the light that followed."

Silently contemplating Markus's words Connor thought back to the relationships he had forged over the past couple of years after becoming deviant, and it seemed like Markus's comment about darkness and light was as substantial as it was heartfelt. All of the people that Connor found himself caring about were the people he found in the shadows or during dark times, yet he knew he was a person who had chosen to reside in the light and not late tragedy or hatred fill his own heart with that very darkness that threatened to take so many innocent lives on that fateful night.

Emotions are as complex as they are abundant.

Closing his eyes Connor felt a sense peace fall over him as he felt as though he finally understood the concept of 'love'.

"Goodnight, Markus."

"Goodnight, Connor."

* * *

The following morning was absolutely perfect. Above the cabin the sky was a pristine, unmarred blue. The ground was covered by an even layer of flawless white snow, while the surrounding trees were sheathed under a layer of crystalline ice. The lake was a pure expanse of shimmering ivory that gave the illusion of an eternal expanse of land. Songs birds tweeted melodiously through the treeline and a gently breeze kissed the land with its passing presence.

After checking in on Markus and Hank to ensure that the two didn't need his assistance, Connor was already dressed in his tuxedo and preparing for the day's events outside. As he greeted the small gathering of invited guests in turn he also met with Josh who had arrived with the two bonding rings as well as the bride and the maid of honor.

Anxious to get ready North and Skye had entered the cabin to finish getting dressed in the second bedroom on the second floor without stopping to say 'hello'.

Markus was excitedly standing before the floor length mirror in the bedroom that he and Connor had shared the night before in his perfectly pressed tuxedo, and was fumbling gracelessly with the untied black bow tie that was supposed to already be neatly tied around his neck. Nervous and trembling Markus found himself unable to tie what had always been a simple knot that he tied almost a hundred times before whenever Carl had been summoned to an art gala or exhibit.

Hank walked down the hallway and slipped on his blazer with moderate difficulty with his bad shoulder only to see Markus struggling with his tie. Knocking on the opened door frame of the bedroom to announce himself. "Need some help?"

"Uh..." Markus blushed a little pale blue as he turned around and held up his tie for Hank to view. "I can't seem to get this right."

"Here, let me see it." Hank stepped forward and took the tie from Markus's hand. Flipping up the groom's collar Hank laced the tie around and began to meticulously slip the fabric of the garment in on itself. "How're you holding up? Nervous?"

"A little. Does it show?"

"Well, aside from a deviant being unable to do a task that most humans can't even figure out, you're blushing and you are sweating a little. I sure hope that's because you chose to keep that update thing and there's nothing wrong with you."

"Yeah, North and I kept the update. I'm supposed to be able to sweat; it's not attractive, is it?"

"Depends on who you ask." Hank joked as he finished the final touches on the tie. "Is that... uh, Leo, guy coming, or..."

"We invited him, but he already told us he wouldn't be stopping by. But he did send us a wedding gift and some flowers."

"At least he made some kind of effort to be cool with you."

"Yeah, that's all I can ask for. It's just weird with Carl being gone..."

Hank flipped down Markus's collar then dropped his hands and stepped back from Markus himself. "There, you're all set."

Turning back around to look at his reflection in the mirror Markus trailed his fingers over the tie in appreciation before tugging down the lapels of his blazer to smooth out any lingering imperfection in the fabric. "How do I look?"

"Like a groom." Hank clapped Markus on his shoulder with confidence.

"...I just wish Carl could've seen this. It would've done his heart some good." His eyes fell and his grin began to fade. "Seeing deviants... androids being treated like equals, having a celebration of a future that didn't involve being ordered about or programmed-"

"Hey." Eager to stop the grim outlook Hank pulled on Markus's shoulder to make him turn around to look him in the eye again. "It may sound a little weird but I know that Carl IS here, okay? You're his son and not even death will keep a father from watching over his kids."

Markus smiled as a tear formed in his eye. "...Yeah. You're right, Hank."

"Of course I am. I'm right about everything. Now," with Markus at ease Hank dropped his hand from his shoulder and motioned for the open door. "go downstairs and get ready. I have a bride to give away."

* * *

Everything was set, and the guests had begun to arrive.

Josh was standing at the end of the aisle with the two bonding rings safely in his hands as he awaited the cue to begin the ceremony. Only a dozen guests were invited, and every one of those guests; save for Leo, had arrived in a timely manner. The deviants who had courageously stood by Markus and North's side during the revolution made up a majority of the guests, but seeing the likes of Rose, Adam and Abby, and knowing that Hank and Connor were also there; the two detectives who had been assigned to stop deviancy and locate Jericho to take it down, made the occasion seem truly progressive and full of love, forgiveness, trust and understanding.

Connor returned to the cabin and saw Markus standing nervously just inside the backdoor staring down the aisle. "Markus. Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. It's just... emotional."

"Do you need a minute?"

"No. I'm ready, I just... I just want to make sure that this day is remembered for the right reason, you know?"

Connor forced an unsteady smile to his face as he spoke with the trembling groom. "You want people to remember the bonding as the day you and North joined your separate lives together as one; not as a milestone to be simply thrown into the history books."

"...Yeah. That's it exactly."

"Don't worry, Markus. Everyone here will remember what happened and the reason _why_ it happened. This day is more than just an important date on a history exam."

"Thanks Connor."

"Come on." The best man encouraged with a confident grin. "It's time."

Markus nodded confidently as he held his head high and began walking out the backdoor down the aisle to where Josh was waiting for his arrival. Cybernetically Josh accessed small speakers concealed throughout the property and began playing soft music to accompany the groom as he took his place at the end of the aisle and awaited his bride.

"Connor?" Turning around quickly Connor felt his Thirium pump race a little when he saw Skye standing behind him in her emerald green, satin dress. Her hair had been pulled up into a high hanging ponytail that revealed her entire face. She had a small bouquet of red and pink roses in her hands and an excited smile on her face. "Ready?"

"Uh, y-yes." Offering Skye his arm Connor happily escorted the maid of honor down the aisle to their designated places during the ceremony. "Let's go."

Showing the same confidence as Markus had before him Connor escorted Skye down the aisle with his head held high and made a conscious effort to have a slight grin on his face to avoid appearing somber or angry. Once Connor and Skye reached their places at the end of the aisle they both took their respective bonding bands to hold for Markus and North until the ceremony called for it.

Connor gave Markus a subtle approving nod as the music changed and North began her walk down the aisle with Hank escorting her at her side.

As soon as the bride was visible the guests all rose to their feet out of respect that was deeply seeded into their processors, as opposed to being pre-programmed or ordered to do so.

North herself was radiant in her white bonding gown that had a short trail that billowed behind her as she walked gracefully down the aisle. A thin white veil covered her face but her beauty shown through without even the slightest obstruction as she smiled brightly at Markus waiting for her. A massive bouquet of red roses was clutched in her hands as she walked, the roses matching the trestle at the end of the aisle.

As Hank escorted North down the aisle he gave Markus a subtle smile before taking his seat to watch the ceremony unfold. Skye took the bouquet from North and held it along with her own.

"Please be seated." Josh spoke in a loud, clear voice as he addressed all of those who were fortunate enough to bear witness to the wondrous ceremony.

Everyone took their seats and quietly waited for Josh to begin his speech and officiate the bonding.

"We are here to celebrate the union of life between Markus and North." The words were reminiscent of the traditional human religious services, but there was no tradition to be followed on that day as the android bonding would be the first of its kind. "This is a moment of love overcoming adversity, and of light emerging from darkness."

Connor was intrigued by the mentioning of light overcoming the darkness. Maybe everything Hank and Markus had told him was true after all?

"As a symbol of their love Markus and North will now exchange rings and cybernetically connect to one another and speak their vows, solidifying their trust and love with one another before the eyes of their most trusted friends."

Connor and Skye handed the rings to Markus and North and watched as the two slipped the rings over each other's left ring fingers before interlocking their exposed left hands with one another into a single fist between their bodies, near their hearts. Their eyes closed and their minds became as one.

There was a calm silence as Markus and North connected to one another and spoke words that only they could hear. The sweet ambience of birds singing accompanied the silent exchange of loving words as the gathered guests patiently waited for the two deviants to open their eyes once more.

"I love you." Markus stated in a kind voice as he opened his eyes and locked onto North's as she too awoke from their cybernetic bonds.

"I love you, too."

Josh nodded and resumed speaking. "To our friends and loved ones in attendance, I present to you the newlybonded couple of: Mr. Markus and Mrs. North Manfred."

As the guests rose from the seats and applauded the couple Markus and North held hands tightly and walked back down the aisle. Skye followed after North to ensure the bride had her bouquet while Connor joined Hank on the nearby bench. The two turned to watch the happy couple begin to celebrate their union together.

"That was short, sweet and to the point." Hank stated sincerely to Connor as the deviant joined him away from the mass of guests.

"Yes. I'm glad I was asked to be apart of it."

"Think you'd go through something like that someday?"

"I'd like to, yes. But for now I'll settle for being a bachelor."

"Well, you won't be the only one."

"You won't be dating anymore?"

"Who knows?" Discreetly Hank's eyes fell onto Rose who was sitting a few benches away with Adam, before she stood up to join the other guests inside the cabin to wish Markus and North luck. "Things change."

"For the better, I hope."

"Come on." Hank wrapped his good arm around Connor's shoulder. "Let's go join them inside the cabin before they take off to celebrate their first night as a bonded couple."

Connor and Hank walked to the cabin side by side to bid the couple farewell. The beautiful day was surely a sign of a beautiful life for the young bonded couple as they set out to face the world together.

_**...next story...** _


	102. Collapse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: SilverKnight16

It was just after one in the afternoon when the partial collapse of an old, concrete parking garage downtown had been linked anti-android gang activity, of whom had been building pipe bombs inside the structure for future use at other places. One of the stored bombs detonated prematurely trapping several innocent people inside their cars beneath the heavy, crushing weight of the compromised concrete overhead. A rescue was underway, but the odds of finding survivors were unnervingly bleak.

Due to complete chance and proximity Connor and Hank had been only two blocks away when the bomb went off allowing them to arrive at the scene first to try to aid the victims trapped inside the ruined garage. Their hopes weren't high, but they were determined to do everything they could to try to help as many innocent people as possible.

"Finding anything, Connor?" Hank asked as he waved a cloud of dust from his face while he and Connor carefully traversed the crumbling structure in search of survivors.

"I can detect four people in total trapped in the destroyed portions of the garage." The deviant confirmed as his L.E.D. cycled yellow steadily. "There are nine other people currently attempting to evacuate through the undamaged sections to safety."

"Where's the nearest victim?"

Connor pointed to a partially collapsed pillar of concrete that was pressing down against the hood and windshield of a small red car a few yards away. "There."

The detectives rushed over together to the small car as Connor directed and peered inside the damaged, pinned vehicle through the side window. There was one woman inside the car, she was unconscious and looked to be approximately seven months pregnant.

"Shit! We need to get her out of there." Hank grabbed onto the door handle and tried to pull the jammed door open, but it was stuck tight. "Damn it!"

Connor stepped up and grabbed onto the handle and began pulling at a steady clip until the locking mechanism on the door creaked loudly, snapping away as the hinges on the door finally gave way. Opening the door as wide as it could go in the limited space he took a step back and let Hank get down by the door next to the victim.

"Good work, Connor." Hank knelt down beside the woman through the opened door and checked her pulse, finding it slow but strong. Unclipping her seatbelt he gently put his hand atop of her belly and felt gentle kicks from the still active baby. "They're both still alive."

Outside a chorus of sirens filled the street with a high pitched ambience as emergency vehicles converged on the sight to aid the victims just as Hank and Connor had done no more than two minutes prior. The garage itself began to groan and clouds of dust wafted down from massive cracks in the concrete structure above.

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red as he noted the overall structural integrity and estimated a small window of time before a second collapse destroyed what was left of the garage. "Hank, we need to move fast. We have four minutes and twenty-two seconds before-"

"I know, kid. We'll move out of here as quickly as we can." The damaged car was an autonomous vehicle without a steering column to get in the way, but the weight of the pillar had crushed the car partially inward making it difficult to access normally. "Can you get her out of here?"

"I believe so." Connor took Hank's place as he knelt down beside the woman and slipped his arms under her legs and around her shoulders. Moving as slowly as he dared Connor lifted her out of the car and stood upright while holding the pregnant woman in a careful grip. The woman's head rested against Connor's shoulder as she remained unconscious, unaware of the two detectives who were working to save her the life of her unborn child. "She's stable."

"Good. We need to-"

A plea for help from an unseen location just a few feet away drew the two detectives' attention. Connor noted the exact location of the trapped person and tried to take a step forward to assist when Hank stopped him short.

"Take care of _her_." The detective insisted as he motioned to the woman already in the deviant's arms.

"But the other person-"

"I'll get him."

"They're trapped under a minimum of eighty-two tons of-"

"Yeah, I know! Look," Hank pointed to the single clear exit of the garage from whence they entered as he backed away from the deviant and toward the second victim. "I don't have the strength to carry her out of here without accidentally hurting her. _You_ can. Go! I'll be right behind you."

"Hank, it's unwise to-"

"Connor, go!" Raising his voice a little Hank used his authority over the lower ranking detective to coax the deviant into moving. "That's an order."

Squaring his jaw in silent protest Connor only nodded as he proceeded to turn around and carry the pregnant woman out of the garage and to safety, while Hank went in search of the man still calling out for help. Moving with unparalleled grace and even strides Connor made it to the entrance of the garage in less than a minute without jostling the woman in his arms, and proceeded to carry her over to an ambulance that had arrived at the scene just seconds after the fire department.

"She's unconscious." Connor stated as he climbed into the back of the opened ambulance doors and gently placed the woman down on the gurney inside. The two paramedics in the back of the ambulance quickly began assessing her condition as well at the unborn baby as Connor jumped down from the ambulance. "There are at least three other-"

A thunderous 'crash' that shook the entire block resonated from within the depths of the parking garage as the structure finally failed entirely. and collapsed in on itself with a cascade of concrete, metal supports and hundreds of destroyed vehicles within the confines of the garage. A pale gray plume of dust and smoke filled the air creating a dense, choking fog that obstructed the sight and rescue efforts of the firefighters who had been working to stabilize and clear away the crumbled concrete in search of the other victims.

Connor raised an arm to shield his face from the dusty smoke as he ran a scan over the garage but... failed to locate any functioning vital signs within the structure.

"...Hank?" With his L.E.D. still flickering red in distress Connor looked around for any sign of the detective but saw no one familiar. Rushing through the smoke, his superior visual sensors allowing him to see what other humans cannot, Connor returned to the now collapsed entryway of the garage that had been the only way in; or out. There was no one around. "Hank?!"

Grabbing onto the large slabs of concrete that smothered the single entry point Connor began clearing it out by one massive chunk of debris at a time.

All androids had superior strength compared to that of humans, but it didn't mean their strength was limitless or inexhaustible. As Connor worked to lift away the massive portions of crushing concrete, or push aside the pieces that were to heavy to be lifted, he made steady but slow progress in clearing the garage as he searched for Hank and the other survivors.

Firefighters joined Connor in sifting through the concrete and metal support beams as quickly as possible, while nearby construction crews arrived at the scene with their heavy equipment to aid in the search effort voluntarily.

"Hank?!" Connor called out loudly as he dug through the concrete, his L.E.D. blinking red rapidly as he continuously ran scan after scan in search of the missing detective. The sheer depth and mass of the concrete and metal was too much for even Connor's advanced system to penetrate leaving him as lost as the humans trapped within. "Please answer me! Hank?!"

There was no sign of life within the crushing ruins of the destroyed garage.

* * *

Six long hours passed with only modest progress being achieved. Despite clearing almost a full ton of concrete from the entrance and from within the ground floor interior of the garage rescue personnel were no closer to finding any trapped survivors than they had been after the second collapse. The sun was beginning to set and it was getting dark fast. As large lights were set up around the perimeter of the garage the first responding firefighters were dismissed for the day to get some rest as other teams of firefighters relieved them of duty.

Pausing momentarily to catch his breath and dismiss warnings in his visual sensors about imminent overheating Connor tried again to run a scan, but the concrete was still too abundantly thick to get any form of reading.

With his fingertips and palms dripping Thirium from the fresh cuts and scraps that had destroyed the artificial skin over his hands Connor refused to stop digging. The deviant found himself panting heavily as his ventilation biocomponents struggled to keep up with his exhausting pace and keep his core temperature from rising too high. If the deviant overheated he'd be unable to continue the search without collapsing himself.

"Hank, you said you'd be right behind me." Connor whispered to himself sounding less like a confident detective and more like a lost child. Forcing himself to continue digging with his bloodied, trembling hands Connor was losing strength fast but refused to quit. "Hank... I'll find you."

Captain Fowler arrived at the scene at last after having been asked to speak to the media in regards to the collapse and promptly located the deviant detective digging through the concrete alongside the firefighters. The eerie blue glow of Connor's android jacket through the darkness was like a strange beacon of hope as Connor ceaselessly dug through the concrete without uttering a single complain of fatigue or distress, despite the the red L.E.D. indicating otherwise.

"Connor?" Captain Fowler carefully stepped up the concrete and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "Connor, you should take a break."

"No! Not until I find Hank." Connor unhesitatingly refused his Captain as he continued to pull up concrete and toss it aside. "I won't leave him behind."

"Connor, don't make me order you to stand down." Captain Fowler warned as he put his hands on his hips. "It's for your own good."

"I'm not tired, Captain."

"Is that why you're on the verge of gasping for breath and covered in your own blood?" Captain Fowler challenged without hesitation. "Because you're still full of energy?"

"I can withstand the exertion better than any human."

"But that doesn't make you invulnerable to exhaustion. Everyone has limits, including _you_."

"No!

"Damn it, Connor! You're a Sergeant, and I expect you to follow my orders just like any other member of my precinct!" Tightening his grip on Connor's shoulder Captain Fowler tried and failed to pull Connor away from the massive pile of debris. "STAND. DOWN."

Connor visibly tensed up as the order was shouted over the sound of the heavy construction equipment, but he refused to stop digging.

"CONNOR. THAT WAS AN ORDER."

" _Hank_ ordered me out of the garage." Connor snapped back with a surprising venom toward his superior as he continued to dig through the concrete. "I'm done taking orders for tonight..."

Letting go of Connor's shoulder Captain Fowler decided on a new approach to the situation. Walking up to the deviant's side Captain Fowler grabbed onto Connor's arm firmly and held it in place to keep him from digging for a moment. "Alright then, I won't talk to you like I'm your Captain, I'll talk to you like I'm your friend."

Connor's head slowly turned to look at Captain Fowler as he held a massive chunk of jagged concrete in his free hand.

"Working yourself into exhaustion isn't going to help Hank, or anyone else trapped inside the garage. I know you care about Hank and I'm glad you two are like family, but family or not I can't stand by and let one of my friends worry themselves to death because of another friend. Go get some rest, I'll stay here and help with the dig. If-" Catpain Fowler paused to correct himself before continuing. "WHEN we find Hank, I'll call you."

"I don't want to leave him alone. I know what it's like to be... buried. It's terrifying."

It was Captain Fowler's turn to tense up as he realized that the fear Connor had for Hank's life was beyond just personal injury, it was from previous emotional trauma from his own near-death experience. "Connor, we'll-"

"He found me after I had been _buried alive_." Connor interrupted as he tossed aside the jagged concrete and picked up another piece of debris from the ever gradually shrinking pile. "And I _will_ find him."

"I know you will." The encouragement in Captain Fowler's voice was as sincere as it was respectful. "But you still need to rest. Eight hours, that's all I ask. Go home and lay down so your system doesn't begin to bug out, or whatever, on you. Then come back here."

"I'm okay."

Shaking his head and letting down a frustrated sigh Captain Fowler moved his hand along the deviant's arm and lifted up Connor's own bloodied hand for the deviant to see. "Connor, this is NOT okay. You're going to tear yourself apart, both figuratively and literally if you don't rest."

Connor stared at the blue blood covered plastimetal frame of his hand and flexed his fingers slightly. "...I didn't even feel that."

"Yeah, I can tell. There's a technician standing by," Captain Fowler slowly let go of Connor's hand and motioned to the android unique ambulance pulled up alongside the other four human ambulances down the street. "go see her and then go home. I promise to call as soon as we find Hank, no matter what time it is."

Hesitatingly Connor dropped his hand and looked at the ambulance in the distance.

"Just six hours, that's all I'll ask of you. Please?"

Scared for Hank, feeling alone and undeniably exhausted, Connor finally relented and stepped away from the debris pile for the first in six hours. "...Okay." As he walked on shaking legs from the debris with a heavy, defeated heart Connor was promptly met by the technician at the scene who pulled him aside gently by the arm to guide him to the bumper of the ambulance.

"Connor?" Abby was the technician who had volunteered to help at the scene and was shocked by Connor's appearance. Her past experience and knowledge as an E.M.S. could prove invaluable at the scene of the collapse if there was any additional destruction to the garage. "Connor, let me see your hands."

Slowly Connor held out his shaking hands, palms down, for Abby to see as he gazed past her to the concrete pile illuminated under the artificial lights. With gloved hands Abby gently examined the backs of his hands. She then gently turned them over to check his palms and fingertips for any external structural damage to his plastimetal frame as a result of the physical pressure that had been applying consistently to the appendages over the past six hours.

"Are you in any pain?"

"...No."

"Since it's you I'm going to go ahead and assume you mean 'yes', but you don't want to complain." Abby proceeded to clean up Connor's hands with a clean cloth until the old blood had been removed. Pouring the orange incrassation compound over Connor's palms, fingers and over the back of his hands she disinfected the small fractures to the frame that had caused the bleeding, while also stemming the residual bleeding at the same time. "I'm going to wrap up your hands until you have the energy to regenerate your artificial skin."

Connor didn't reply to the comment as he stared at the collapsed garage only a few painful yards away.

"Hank will be okay." Abby tried to soothe kindly as she wrapped gauze around Connor's exposed hands carefully. "I know better than to tell you not to worry, so I won't bother, but you should really lay down and get some rest."

"I'm okay." Connor insisted stubbornly as he continued to watch the dig from the distance.

"No, Connor, you're not." Abby's fingers gently pressed against the side of the android's wrist. "Your pulse is racing, your core temperature has risen to a near critical degree, your Thirium pressure is palpable even without a cuff around your arm, AND you've been physically exerting yourself for over six consecutive hours. You're exhausted!"

"...I'm fine."

"Connor, if you let yourself collapse how will you be able to help Hank?"

Finally looking away from the digging Connor locked eyes with the kindhearted technician trying to be the voice of reason, while Connor himself stubbornly tried to remain unreasonable.

"There's no shame in needing to take a moment to rest. You're not indestructible."

"Abby, I can't just _walk away_."

"You're not walking away. You're _taking a break_! It's okay to rest."

Connor turned away from Abby as he tried to swallow his needless guilt.

"Hey." Putting her hand to the side of Connor's face she turned his head until he was looking her in the eyes once more. "I know what happened to you - about how you were taken for ransom and left for dead."

Connor swallowed nervously this time as the fear of being buried alive ironically resurfaced.

"You're not leaving Hank for dead. No one is."

Letting out a stifled sob Connor bowed his head fought back the urge to cry as his own personal fears were beginning to affect his judgment. It only took him a moment to recomposed himself and keep his frustration inside.

"Go on." Abby insisted kindly as she lowered her hand from his face. "Take an autonomous taxi and go home."

"I don't want to."

"Look behind me."

Connor's head lifted up as his brow arched in confusion at her request.

"Go ahead, look."

Peering again at the dig Connor watched as firefighters, police officers and construction workers; half of the construction crew human and the other half androids, working together to sift through the concrete of the collapsed garage together.

"Every one of the people digging through the debris is looking for Hank, and the other survivors. He WILL be found, Connor."

Without uttering a word Connor turned his head again as he stood up from the bumper and slowly ambled down the sidewalk to reach the parked car at the end of the block. It felt wrong to leave the scene of the accident alone, but Connor knew that despite his protests he'd be barred from assisting in the search, and sitting on the sidelines while other people worked their asses off wasn't something he was prepared to do.

Pulling open the driver's side door of the car Connor shook his head as he looked at the keys that Hank had accidentally left in the ignition during his haste to get to the garage and begin helping people.

"Forgive me for leaving, Hank." Pulling open the driver's side door Connor sat down inside and turned the key in the ignition. "I'll be back. I swear it."

* * *

Returning home begrudgingly, his hands throbbing as much as his own heart Connor pulled the car into the driveway beside the house and turned off the engine. Sitting behind the wheel for a few seconds Connor looked up and through the windows of the garage in front of the parked car. The headlights glinting off the dark metal of the second car that Hank had recently purchases for restoration sitting idly inside.

Feeling useless, almost cowardly, Connor opened the door to the car and slowly stepped outside of the vehicle with a sullen presence. The air was icy cold and the snow had stopped for a time, but Connor feared a looming snowstorm would only hinder the rescue efforts ensuring Hank's demise; if not the deaths of the other people still trapped inside the garage.

As the emotionally distraught deviant entered the house, alone, he looked to Sumo who trotted toward him happily and practically fell to his knees on the kitchen floor as he wrapped his arms around the massive furry companion. Rubbing one hand along Sumo's back for a few pets then up to his ears Connor felt the St. Bernard press his cold wet nose against the side of his face affectionately and whimpered.

"...I'm sorry Sumo. Hank isn't here right now."

Burying his face in the dog's fur Connor let out sigh that was choked by a single sob as the deviant truly felt alone for the first time in his life. Without Hank; without even knowing if Hank was _alive or dead_ , and having Markus away from the city for two weeks made Connor feel isolated in the expansive, cold city.

"I'll bring him back as soon as I can." Connor whispered, whether it was to himself or actually to Sumo, even he couldn't be sure. "I know I will..."

Unable to enter his own bedroom Connor resorted to the livingroom for the night. Laying down on the couch with the car keys clutched tightly in his bandaged hand he shut his eyes and fell into a restless, light sleep on his side. Sumo joined Connor in the livingroom and laid down on the floor between the couch and the coffee table to keep the worried deviant company for the remainder of the chilly, quiet night.

Connor's hand came to a rest on Sumo's back, needing to feel like he wasn't alone as he stayed in the house as ordered. "...Good boy, Sumo."

* * *

"Hank."

Bolting upright on the couch as soon as his internal clock indicated the designated minimum rest time of six hours had completed, Connor set about his morning routine as quickly as possible. Letting Sumo outside while he filled the dog's bowls Connor checked his phone, the one used only for emergency purposes, just to see if he somehow missed a call or text from Captain Fowler, but there were no messages left behind.

"Damn it."

Grabbing hold of the gauze bandages wrapped around his hands with his teeth Connor pulled the gauze loose and slowly unwound the white material from around his hands freeing his appendages and digits in the process. Flexing his sore but otherwise healing hands a few times he slipped the phone back into his jacket pocket; the jacket he never bothered to take off the night before, and went to check on Sumo.

"Inside boy! Come!"

Obediently the large dog returned to the kitchen through the wide open backdoor and proceeded to check out his bowls while Connor exited the house and made his way back to the car quickly.

Cybernetically Connor updated himself on the situation at the garage collapse and noted that no other survivors had been located during the night; but a group of suspects had been brought into custody for interrogation. Unwilling to chance himself having a violent reaction to the arrested suspects Connor skipped over reporting in at the precinct entirely and drove straight to the garage instead.

A mass of journalists and news camera had encircled the scene like vultures eager to pick over the carcasses of those who met their demise in the collapse itself. Numerous rescue personnel had converged on the scene during the night to aid the rescue as the dipping temperatures presented additional risk to the health and well-being of those who were trapped and awaiting rescue. Three additional ambulances had also been called to the scene while the construction crew and their donated equipment seemingly doubled in size as every able-bodied human and android worked together in an attempt to unbury the survivors as quickly, efficiently and calmly as possible.

Parking the car just down the street where it had been the night before Connor slammed the car door shut, locked it and pocketed the car keys as he jogged back to the crumbling ruins of the concrete pile.

Ever attentive Connor ran a scan over the collapsed concrete structure and found that a depth nearly eighteen feet of the concrete debris had been cleared away in the past six hours. With a great mass of the obstructive layer now removed Connor's ability to scan the ruins had been enhanced and he could now detect faint life signs still buried deep inside.

Rushing over to the nearest sign of life Connor began to dig frantically, his yellow tinted L.E.D. flickering rapidly in synchronization with his racing heart. "Over here!" Shouting to the nearby personnel without taking his from his task or slowing his pace Connor hefted another large slab of debris out of the way and the side. "Someone's down here!"

A mass of firefighters and construction workers joined Connor at the designated place of interest and began assisting the deviant as he dug through the debris at a rapid clip. Within a matter of seconds the working team managed to locate the single person trapped inside a partially crushed car, his face bloodied and face pale from hypothermia and hypovolemic shock.

"...It's not Hank." Connor sighed with a mixture of defeat for not finding his friend, but relief in knowing he did find someone alive.

Backing away from the uncovered man Connor gave the firefighters additional room to work while he began digging through the pile in the direction of the second nearest life sign. As he hands tore into the jagged rubble of the ruined garage a second pair of hands joined him at his side and briefly drew the deviant's attention elsewhere.

"Somehow I knew you'd be back here as soon as the six hours were up." Captain Fowler commented as he helped Connor dig. "I'm glad."

Connor nodded in silent respect as he resumed his dig and kept his scanner honed in on the nearest life sign. "There is someone about eight feet down. By the time we uncover them the firefighters should have the previously uncovered victim extracted from their vehicle."

"Don't lose faith, Connor. We'll find him."

"...In time?"

Captain Fowler paused for only a second as his eyes darted away anxiously. Steeling himself the devoted Captain helped Connor pick up and slide away another massive portion of the heavy concrete. After digging for almost two hours a muffled cry from help began to resonate through the gradually thinning wall of debris and caught both Connor and Captain Fowler's ear.

"I hear someone." Connor knelt down and began to dig faster while Captain Fowler waved over additional help. "Wait..." The deviant paused for a moment as he focused on the sound again. "There's two people. Can you hear a voice?"

"Yeah, I heard it, too." Stepping away Captain Fowler watched as the firefighters pierced the shrinking concrete with a sharp, strong crowbar and created a small opening to allow fresh air to get through the debris. "Help is on the way! Remain calm."

Connor put his hands down into the newly created opening and lifted up the layer of concrete with horrifying ease, widening the hole at a steady pace. As the concrete was lifted away the firefighters guided the impressively large portion of debris away from the hole to prevent it from falling back or accidentally causing harm to Connor in the process.

A man's hoarse voice coughed and called out for help and was immediately aided by the firefighters who peered down inside the hole to where the man had been trapped. A massive cut was running down the side of his face and his right arm was broken in a visible and painful manner. Laying across his lap was a young woman, unconscious, and being held tight by his good hand.

"Please!" The man shouted and coughed again from the depths of the ruined garage, and mangled car. "My wife! She's hurt!"

Connor stepped away to clear the opening as his scanner detected a newly revealed life sign just a few more feet away from the couple. It was faint, feeble and barely registered on his advanced programming. Unsure of it was Hank or not, Connor just stayed put and waited for the man and his wife to be rescued before moving forward.

"There's someone else!" The man shouted as the firefighters carefully lifted his wife out of his arms and then helped him climb out of the hole to freedom. "He's... H-He's hurt, too! He helped me! Now he's... he's trapped!"

Connor's brow furrowed as he an instinctive hunch settled in over his mind. "The man who helped you, did you by chance get his name?"

"N-No. No name. He just... he just helped me."

"What did he look like?"

"Uh... white guy, looked late forties, gray hair, beard-"

"Was he wearing a dark overcoat?" Connor interrupted impatiently as he needed to know for sure. "A thick black, wool overcoat?"

"Y-Yeah." The man confirmed as the firefighters escorted him away. "I think so."

"Hank?!" Connor shouted as he dropped down into the hole and looked about the labyrinthine ruins of the garage as a chorus of firefighters above, and Captain Fowler himself, yelled down at Connor to get back to the surface. Ignoring the voices above Connor followed his scanner to the feeble life sign he had detected only a few moments before. "Hank? Can you hear me?"

There was no answer beyond that of dissolving concrete crumbling from every crevice and fracture like sand in an hour glass. The darkness of the ruined garage was as thick as it was ominous and the walls felt like they were closing in around Connor.

Flashes of being trapped, being buried alive appeared before his eyes as he took in the decrepit sight all around him.

Closing his eyes tightly Connor could feel and hearing his heart thundering in his chest as a claustrophobic panic began to settle in. Putting a hand to his chest Connor tried to will his heart to stop pounding as he took in a deep breath and forced his eyes to open. Taking one slow step forward Connor pushed through his fear, he faced his phobia as he focused more on Hank's well being rather than his own.

"Hank! Please answer me!" Connor pleaded as he carefully maneuvered through the narrow passages forged by the uneven slabs of concrete and steel support beams intersecting into one another at sharp angles.

Mindful of his every step and his strength as to not disturb the strong yet delicate foundation that had once been the garage, Connor snaked his way deeper and deeper inside as he trailed the life sign to a small pit wedged open by two crushed cars. The cars were supporting the immense weight of single concrete slab keeping the garage from collapsing entirely.

Among the wrecked cars in the darkness Connor was able to detect and recognize something that wasn't metallic, or made of concrete. It was a person.

"Hank?!"

A motionless, pale human hand was resting palm down from an outstretched arm between the two cars. While the hand was covered in dried, red blood the arm was covered by the fabric of a dark coat. The sight was enough to cause Connor's presently yellow L.E.D. to flash to red as a heart stopping fear swept over him in an instant.

"HANK."

Connor rushed over to the hand and knelt down with a painful crash as he grabbed onto the cold hand and wrapped his fingers around the wrist to locate a pulse. It was still there; weak, thready and barely palpable, but there all the same.

Unconscious and freezing, Hank was laying face down on the concrete floor between the wrecked bodies of two mangled cars.

"Hank!" Running his hand up the arm Connor located Hank's shoulder and traced his other hand over to find the downed detective's neck. Checking for any cervical damage to Hank's neck, fortunately finding none, he then slipped his hand down the length of Hank's back to check the rest of his spine. There was no spinal injury to be found. "Hank... Hank, can you hear me?"

Slipping one hand under Hank's chest and the other against the middle of the unconscious detective's back Connor was able to slowly but surely turn Hank from his stomach and onto his side, before turning him over entirely onto his back. Using careful strength Connor drug Hank out from between the two cars and away from the crushing concrete into a relatively opened space in the ruins of the garage.

Hank's right leg was covered in blood, his jeans torn open from the top of the knee down to his ankle in a jagged, fraying manner. There was a partially visible white protrusion from Hank's leg that was evidently from his broken tibia piercing through his skin.

Connor pressed his hand down against Hank's cold chest and felt the detective's heart shuddering weakly under his palm as he took in shallow breaths. Aside from a painfully swollen black eye keeping his left eye shut and bruised, Hank's face was an unsettling gray hue from the cold and apparent, massive blood loss. Connor's scanner noted that Hank had a dangerously low blood pressure from his injuries and would require immediate medical attention.

The bleeding from the compound fracture of the leg had long since stopped due to the cold and Hank's lack of physical motion for an extended period of time, yet he was still showing signs of severe internal bleeding.

Running one more scan Connor detected an alarming concentration of blood collecting in Hank's abdomen. Using gentle motion Connor pulled open Hank's torn coat and pulled open the bright blue dress shirt he seemed to favor, before lifting up the black t-shirt beneath by the hem. Exposing Hank's abdomen Connor could see that the detective's stomach was slightly discolored and distended from internal hemorrhaging.

A gentle palm to the detective's abdomen caused Hank's body to reflexively jerk in pain, but Hank himself remained unconscious.

"Hank, no..."

Laying Hank down on the floor Connor collected his thoughts and set about providing as much first aid as he could. Connor knelt beside Hank and slipped his tie away from his neck and used it to create a temporary splint around Hank's broken, slightly bleeding leg. Moving his arms very carefully under Hank's shoulders and under Hank's knees he carefully lifted the broader built man up from the cold floor to hold in his arms against his chest.

Though it was a struggle Connor was determined to carry Hank back to the singular opening he had used to enter the garage to get Hank to safety.

Stepping around the massive protrusions of concrete jutting upward awkwardly from the ruins of the garage that threatened to obstruct his only path to freedom, as Hank's life hung in the balance, Connor didn't hesitate. Keeping his strides even, smooth and hasty Connor managed to slip back through the unnatural passages back to the hole from whence he entered.

"Captain!" Connor shouted up through the hole as stepped back into view of the rescue personnel above. "I have Hank! He's in critical condition!"

"Connor?!" Captain Fowler knelt beside the hole and peered down at Connor's worried face looking back up at him. "What the hell?" Turning away from the hole he waved to someone that Connor could not see from where he was standing. "Medic!"

The firefighters who had been tending to the three victims that Connor had previously located had safely escorted them to the paramedics at the awaiting ambulances, and were now resuming the dig. Converging around the hole where Captain Fowler was kneeling the trained rescue personnel quickly assessed the situation and knew the most efficient way to rescue Hank without causing any further damage to the already wounded detective.

"It's going to be okay, Hank." Connor whispered as he watched the firefighters gather around him and prepare to rescue the dying man. "I won't let you die."

It all happened in slow motion as the firefighters descended into the hole beside Connor and placed the wounded detective into a set of metal stokes for easier extraction and transportation. Once Hank was freed Captain Fowler pulled Connor back out of the hole with a firm hand and ordered the deviant to accompany Hank to the hospital, and to stay there.

A blur of activity hovered over the wounded detective as paramedics checked his vitals and began treatment. Placing Hank's broken leg protectively in a splint and a c-collar around his neck, the paramedics placed Hank onto a gurney and lifted him into the back of the ambulance.

From where Connor stood just a few feet back he watched as the paramedics tore open his shirt and listened to his chest while attaching the leads to a cardiac monitor to check his heart rate. Some mention of Hank's low blood pressure, low body temperature and internal bleeding sounded off with mild alarm as an oxygen mask was placed over his nose and mouth. But it was the sound of the ambulance doors being slammed shut that seemed deafeningly loud to the worried deviant as he lost sight of Hank again.

"...Please, Hank. Don't die."

* * *

Seven hours after finding Hank in the garage, seven hours after he had been rescued and carried to an ambulance, seven hours after Connor watched the paramedics working skillfully to stabilize Hank before transporting him to the hospital; seven hours since Captain Fowler clamped his hand down on Connor's shoulder as he ordered the deviant to stay back at the scene and continue to assist in the search for other survivors, Connor was finally able to travel to the hospital himself and check in on his best friend.

His father.

Arriving at the hospital covered in dust and his own dried Thirium that stained his hands once more, Connor found himself standing in the middle of a busy waiting room as the family and friends of the nine people in total he had helped locate at the garage awaited news on the condition of their loved ones. Nine survivors, including Hank, had been pulled from the garage after the second collapse, but fourteen victims weren't so fortunate.

Fourteen lives were lost due to misguided hatred and violence. Families torn apart irreparably in an instant due to cruelty and location. Friends left feeling hollow all because angry bigots can't handle the world as it is and want to destroy it, just so they can rebuild it in their own twisted fashion; like a macabre phoenix rising from the ashes.

Unable to endure the heavy emotion in the air of the crowded waiting room Connor discreetly kept to himself in the corridor next to the gathered people without saying a word. Obeying an unspoken reflex Connor reached into his pocket and began to fidget with his coin over his knuckles, then flipped the coin up to his fingertips to spin it like a top before flipping it back and forth between his hands nervously.

Lost in thought, lost in a depth of emotion he had never experienced before as his overall emotional responses only intensified with each passing day since his deviancy, Connor didn't notice a doctor approaching him with a clipboard in her hands.

"Excuse me? Sergeant Anderson?"

Connor didn't acknowledge her as his coin flipped gracefully between his two palms with a perfect rhythm that only he could feel.

"Sergeant?"

No response.

"Connor?"

Upon hearing his name Connor's coin suddenly stopped short as he gripped it tightly in his palm and his soulful brown eyes focused in on the woman now standing before him.

"...Yes. I'm sorry." he locked eyes with the doctor. "Did you say something to me?"

"Yes." Extending her hand to greet Connor properly the doctor introduced herself. She wasn't surprised that he was a little spaced out with worry. "I'm Dr. Michelle McKay, I've been treating Lt. Anderson since his arrival."

"Is Hank alright?"

"Come with me." Escorting Connor down the corridor to the recovery rooms in the distance Dr. McKay began to explain things to Connor calmly and professionally as they walked side by side. "As you know Lt. Anderson suffered from a compound fracture to his right tibia and internal bleeding, he also suffered a mild concussion and hypothermia from the cold. Due to the blunt force trauma to his abdomen he had suffered from a splenic rupture and we had to perform an emergency splenectomy to stop the bleeding."

Connor's L.E.D. cycled red rapidly as the idea of Hank requiring emergency surgery made his own stomach twist into painful knots.

"He tolerated the surgery well," Dr. McKay continued as she showed Connor down the corridor to Hank's recovery. "but he's in a lot of pain."

"...Is he conscious?"

"Yes. He woke up from the anesthesia about an hour ago and has been stable ever since." Stopping outside of a closed door she turned to look at Connor with a faint reassuring smile. "But he'll need to remain in the hospital for the next two days for observation." The deviant watched as Dr. McKay pushed open the door slowly and quietly. "You can see him for a few minutes, but he's very weak."

Nodding quietly Connor swallowed once nervously and fought the urge to retrieve his coin again as he stepped into the recovery room. Connor felt a tremendous weight lift from his shoulders as he was shown into the hospital room where Hank was laying with his right leg partially propped up and completely enveloped in a thick, sturdy cast.

"...Hank."

An I.V. was connected to the back of Hank's left hand, a nasal canula under his nose and a muted cardiac monitor was recording his heart rate and blood pressure. A large bandage over Hank's left eye, which was still swollen shut from the harsh blow he had suffered during the collapse, and a few spattering of bruises over the detective's body was the direct result of being trapped for almost fifteen hours. His complexion wasn't a deathly gray anymore, but he was still very pale.

And yet there Hank was. Conscious, breathing, alive...

"Hank." Connor repeated, his voice somewhat louder but still shaking as he entered the room and stood beside the bed. "You're... You're still alive."

"I'm still here." Hank grinned as he turned his head toward Connor and patted the cast over his broken leg with one hand. He also wrapped his arm protectively around his healing abdomen where the incision was still rather raw. "It'll take a lot more than-" Connor suddenly wrapped his arms around Hank and hugged him so tightly that Hank couldn't speak anymore and grunted in pain. Patting his hand along Connor's back Hank tried to calm down the shaken deviant. "C-Connor! I'm okay, son. You can let go... Please."

Trembling and on the verge of tears Connor slowly let go of Hank and leaned his arms down against the side of the bed and hung his head low as he tried to regain his composure.

"Connor, hey." Hank snapped his fingers in front of the deviant's face to try to get his attention. "I'm okay! I'm right here. I hurt like hell, but I'm still alive."

"You were buried!" Connor nearly blurted as he projected his own residual fears onto Hank. As soon as the words left his mouth the deviant realized his error and tried to correct himself. "You... Hank, it was like... It was just like-"

"Connor. Take a deep breath." Seeing the fear in Connor's eyes Hank's paternal instinct kicked in and did his best to calm the deviant's racing mind. "I know." Empathizing with Connor immensely Hank did his best to make Connor calm down. "I know you thought I had endured the same horror you had when that punk tried to kill you. And I know you had to deal with your fear before you were ready." Moving his hand slowly as to not jostle his own injuries Hank reached out and grabbed onto Connor's shaking forearm. "Is that what's bothering you?"

"No!" Connor shook his head a little. "Yes!" Unable to focus his thoughts he ran a hand through his hair and bowed his head as if ashamed. "I mean... I don't know! I don't know what's wrong! I'm just afraid."

"Yeah, you do." Keeping a soft, understanding tone of voice Hank remained emotionally calm for the sake of Connor who still had much to learn about feeling emotions. "Take a deep breath," Hank reminded him patiently. "and think. It's okay to be upset and it's okay to be afraid. Just take a moment to gather your thoughts."

"I... I thought..." Connor wiped his hand over his emotional eyes as tried to steady his voice enough to speak. "You were gone for almost fifteen hours and then you were- I thought you were dead!"

"Not yet." Hank sighed as he leaned back against his pillow in lingering pain. "The doctor said you were the one who found me. I'm not surprised. Thanks for saving my ass, son."

"I couldn't just leave you-" Connor's voice trailed off as guilt welled up inside of him.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry Hank. I would've found you sooner if I had just stayed at the scene. I would've found the other people sooner, too. Maybe those other people would still be alive if I hadn't-"

Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder in the tightest grip that the weak detective could muster. "Why'd you leave?"

"Captain Fowler ordered me to-"

"So Fowler told you to leave and you obeyed your superior officer. Why the fuck are you kicking yourself for doing your job?"

"...I left you behind."

"How many times do I have to remind you that you're not indestructible or expected to work any harder than anyone else? The point is you found me and I'm still here. That's all that matters."

"But those other people-"

"Listen to me, son." Hank's hand began to fall away from Connor's shoulder but the deviant was quick to grab onto Hank's arm with his own hand and hold tight. He needed to feel grounded. "There was nothing you or anyone else could've done for those other people. I was lucky, plain and simple."

"...Luck shouldn't being a deciding factor in life and death."

"Yeah. I know it."

"Hank, I don't want to go back home alone. I don't... want to be alone. I don't _like_ to be alone."

"It's okay, Connor. You don't have to go anywhere. Stay here, and we'll go home together when I'm discharged from the hospital, okay?"

Still trembling and relieved to know that Hank was going to make a full recovery Connor could only nod.

"Sit down, kid." The sight of dried blood and Connor's shaking form made Hank uneasy. "You're still tired."

"I'm okay, Hank."

"Connor. Sit." Hank winced a little as he took in a deep shuddering breath to quell the burning pain in his abdomen. "Sit down before you fall down."

"Hank?" The deviant saw the pain and was immediately on guard. "Should I ask for the doctor?"

"It's fine, son. I've been through worse."

"Yes... I'm aware."

"Connor." Hank sighed slowly and used the 'dad voice' to get his attention. "If you keep blaming yourself for what happened to me; after I TOLD you to leave, then as soon as my leg's better I'm going to use it to kick your ass."

Giving Hank a somewhat appreciative and amused glance Connor finally relented. Pulling up the nearby chair from against the wall Connor took it over to the side of the bed and sat down. "Okay, Hank. I'll stay here and stay still."

"It's about damn time. But I'm not going to let a building drop on my head every time I need you to actually fuckin' listen to me. Alright, son?"

Smirking again Connor leaned forward in the chair and put his hand down on the back of the detective's arm. "...Thanks Hank."

_**...next story...** _


	103. Sympathy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Connor-should-be-a-vampire-for-halloween

Three weeks after being discharged from the hospital Hank was required to return for a check-up regarding his still healing injuries, and Connor took it upon himself to take care of Hank every step of the way. Although Hank was given a pair of crutches to walk on he preferred to use only one crutch to balance while keeping a hand on Connor's shoulder and letting the deviant guide him about on the icy ground. As soon as he was placed in the front passenger seat of the car Hank cranked up the heat and watched with the mirrors as Connor stored the crutches in the backseat behind him.

"Damn doctors." Hank swore as he rubbed his right hand along his left bicep. "Find any damn reason they can to poke you with a needle."

"The blood test was necessary, Hank." Connor replied as he sat down behind the steering wheel of the car and pulled away from the hospital's parking lot to return home. "You had endured major emergency abdominal surgery only twenty-three days ago. Infection is still very much a threat."

"Yeah, kid. I know. _I was there_." Grumbling a little to himself Hank dropped his hand from his arm and let out a tired sigh. "I'm not talking about her drawing blood, I'm talking about her sneaking in that little flu shot when I wasn't paying attention."

"All first responders and emergency personnel are required to receive a mandatory influenza vaccination every winter. Why do you show such great disdain toward a routine procedure?"

"Because, every time I get one of those damn flu shots it works a little _too_ well, and I end up with the damn flu! That's the last thing I need right now."

Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he pulled up to the red traffic light and stopped. "If the vaccination was working appropriately then you wouldn't become ill at all."

"Connor." Hank turned his head to give the deviant a somewhat irritated looking. "I was being sarcastic."

"...Oh. Sorry, Hank. Sarcasm is a still somewhat foreign concept to me."

"Yup. I can tell."

The light turned green and Connor continued on their way home. "May I ask you something?"

"You don't have to ask if you can ask me something, kid. What's on your mind?"

"You claim that every time you receive a flu vaccination you become ill with the flu. Why didn't you become ill last year, or the year before?"

"Because I didn't get one last year. _Or_ the year before."

"How did you-"

"I told the doctor who was handling all of the precinct vaccinations what was going on and every year for the past twelve years he'd mark off my name without actually giving me the shot as a favor. Apparently _this_ doctor didn't get the memo."

"...I see."

"Hey, don't act like I was doing anything illegal, alright? I'm just got so fuckin' tired of being sick as a dog every winter."

"Sick as a-"

"It's an expression, Connor. Don't read too much into it." Hank sighed again and turned down the heat in the car with a quick flip of the dial. "I'd rather deal with a _minor_ bout of the flu that lasts for three or four days for skipping the shot, instead of throwing-up, sweating to death, having my skull feel like it's caving in, not being able to breathe, coughing and sneezing like whenever I get the shot. I hate the damn flu."

"I'm sorry, Hank."

"Don't be. _You're_ not the one who gave me the damn shot."

As the car pulled into the drive beside the house Connor ran a scan over Hank's body and noted that his overall temperature had risen from it's normal ninety-eight point six degrees to ninety-nine point one. It was entirely possible that the increased temperature was due to his close proximity to the heater in the car, but it could also be the result of the shot.

It could also be the primary symptom of the flu setting in.

"I'll take Sumo outside for a few minutes after I get you settled inside." Connor volunteered as he opened his door and made his way around the opposite side of the car to help Hank step onto the slick drive. "Do you want to return to your bedroom to read or-"

"Livingroom. There's a game on and I don't want to miss it."

* * *

While Hank had stretched out over the couch and fallen asleep in front of the television only an hour into the game, Connor set about cleaning up the house as quietly as possible to ensure that Hank could relax. It didn't take the deviant long to straighten up the house seeing as it was just the two of them, plus Sumo, who lived in the modest home; but he felt the need to clean up every little surface he could reach. As Connor busied himself in the kitchen he heard a mild groan of protest from the livingroom that made him freeze and turn around while his L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow with worry.

"Hank? Are you alright?"

Stepping back into the livingroom Connor saw that Hank was barely standing upright and relying entirely on his crutches as he tried to make his way down the hallway. Hank was several shades paler than normal, his face was flushed and his eyes were glazed over. As sweat collected on his brow Hank looked down at the floor like he was unsure of where he was at that moment.

Running another scan Connor noted the higher blood pressure, rapid heart rate and elevated temperature now hovering at one-hundred and one point eight degress.

"Hank," Connor stood beside the sick detective and carefully took away one of the crutches so he could hold Hank up at his side. As soon as Connor wrapped his arm around Hank's shoulders he could feel the intense heat radiating from the detective's body and proceeded to help him walk down the hallway and into the bathroom. "What do you need?"

"...Throw-up."

Guiding Hank into the bathroom carefully Connor made sure Hank was able to kneel down without hurting himself and did so just in time as the detective became violently sick and vomited into the toilet. The forceful retches worried Connor as the abrupt, painful motions could aggravate his still healing incision in his abdomen.

"Should I call your doctor and let her know that you're ill?"

Hank spit the lingering foul taste from his mouth into the bowl and breathed a few times before he answered in a shaky voice. "...N-No." Panting slowly he wrapped one arm around his abdomen and used his other hand to support himself against the cool floor. "Let me just ride this out in-"

Throwing-up again Hank looked and sounded absolutely horrendous.

Connor's left hand pressed down against the middle of Hank's back and his right hand wrapped around Hank's forehead in an attempt to steady the miserably sick man while also gauging his vital signs. Resisting the urge to run his hand over Hank's abdomen to check the healing incision from his splenectomy Connor just quietly waited for Hank to finish being sick.

Once Hank finally stopped throwing-up Connor helped him to shift his weight toward his left side away from his broken leg to sit down on the cool linoleum floor, and press his back up against the side of the tub. The detective kept his arm wrapped protectively around his sore abdomen in the process. Standing in front of the sink Connor filled up the glass with water and handed it to Hank, who accepted it with a shaking hand. Connor then proceeded to run a washcloth under the warm tap before letting a second one soak under the cool tap in the sink.

Kneeling down in front of Hank without crowding him Connor lightly wiped the remaining vomit from Hank's chin and lips with the warm washcloth before taking the cool one and draping it around the back of Hank's neck.

"There is no proper flu medication in the house." The deviant stated in a somber tone. "I'll go and get some for you."

"...No." Hank gave Connor a pathetic glance through his glassy blue eyes. "I'm tired of popping pills and drinking shit that a doctor _insists_ I take. I'd rather let my own immune system deal with this instead of relying on drugs. I can handle it."

Connor didn't necessarily disagree with Hank's decision, but since the detective was already suffering from a rather nasty fever he didn't feel right in letting it run its course unaided. Hank had only just begun to full heal from his previous surgery and his leg was still in the process of healing entirely. The physical exertion that stems from being so ill could cause his health to relapse entirely and require a second hospitalization.

"...I'll be fine, Connor." Hank was able to read the deviant like an opened book, even if Connor himself didn't know it. "I've been through worse."

"Yes. But you shouldn't sit back and let yourself suffer."

Hank almost laughed at the comment as he placed a shaking hand up on Connor's shoulder. "Trust me, this isn't something I'm doing willfully."

"Shall I take you back to the livingroom?"

"...Nah. The game's boring." Hank took a sip of the water previously offered and sat it down on the edge of the tub behind him. "I just want to get some sleep."

"That would be the most beneficial option in your present condition."

Foregoing the crutches entirely Connor helped Hank to stand upright and balance on his one good leg, while half carrying him out of the bathroom, down the hallway and into the bedroom at the very end. As Hank sat down on the edge of the bed he practically fell backward onto the thick pillow and closed his eyes. The cool washcloth still on the back of his neck was soothing and mercifully kept Hank's creeping headache at bay.

"...Hey Connor?"

"Yes?" Connor watched Hank's demeanor carefully as he ran another scan and found the detective's vital signs still stable. "What do you need?"

"There's an empty bucket still under the kitchen sink, right?"

"I'll go get it for you." Connor volunteered readily as he understood the request.

Stepping out of the bedroom quickly Connor marched down the hallway and made his way into the kitchen where Sumo was sitting next to his empty food bowl looking sad. The massive dog was patiently waiting to be fed and wagged his tail a little when Connor passed him by.

"Sorry, boy." Connor pulled open the cabinets beneath the kitchen sink and retrieved the bucket. "I'll be back to feed you in a minute."

As Connor placed the empty bucket beside Hank's bed the keen eyed deviant noticed that Hank was already in a deep sleep and that his fever was holding steady just below one-hundred and two degrees. Being as discreet as possible Connor lifted up the hem of Hank's sweaty gray t-shirt and checked on the healing incision over his abdomen. Connor's L.E.D. briefly cycled in color as he noted that the violent bout of vomiting didn't reopen the almost full healed incision, and there was no sign of internal bleeding as a result.

"You've suffered no further injury, that's good." Replacing the fabric of the t-shirt Connor pulled the thick quilt up and over Hank's stomach toward his chest in a comforting manner. "Feel better."

Exiting the bedroom Connor left the door partially opened to ensure he could still hear Hank if the detective needed anything else and as a means of keeping the detective from being entirely isolated from the house while he was sick. Remembering Sumo sitting in the kitchen Connor set about giving the dog some fresh food to eat and replacing the water in the second bowl.

"I'm sorry, Sumo. I didn't mean to forget to feed you while I was cleaning the house." Patting the dog's back affectionately Connor felt a sudden surge of heat rise from his core and a pressure build up inside his head causing his blue L.E.D. to shift to yellow. Shaking his head once Connor dismissed the system warnings that had popped up in his field of vision and ran a self-diagnostic. "That was an unexpected reaction..."

Ignoring his own fleeting discomfort for a moment Connor set about cleaning the remaining rooms of the house to give Hank time to rest. It only took a couple of hours to make the home spotless and to disinfect every surface, and that time Connor decided to check on Hank's condition. Making his way over to the freezer Connor created a cold compress from a bag of ice and a towel to combat Hank's fever.

Quietly returning to Hank's bedroom Connor pressed his hand down against Hank's forehead and checked on the severity of his fever. Placing the cold compress down against the sick detective's overheated skin the deviant took a step back and scanned his body for another vital sign check. As soon as the cooled towel was smoothed out over Hank's forehead the detective's eyelids opened slowly and his blue hazy eyes struggled to focus on Connor's face as the deviant hovered over him curiously.

"I didn't mean to wake you." Connor apologized as he finished his scan over Hank's body. "You've been asleep for almost two hours now. How do you feel?"

"...My head's starting to hurt." Hank admitted in a somewhat raspy voice as he stared at Connor with an inquisitive glance. "And my stomach doesn't feel all that great. How about you?"

"Me?" As his brow furrowed Connor sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up Hank's right wrist to count his pulse. "I'm okay, Hank. You're the one who requires assistance."

"Hold still."

"I don't-"

From under the quilt Hank pulled out his left hand and quickly pressed it against Connor's forehead before the deviant had the chance to protest or shrink away from the touch.

"Shit."

"What's wrong?"

"You're sick, too."

"I'm not sick, Hank."

"Oh really? Is that why you're overheating and your L.E.D. is yellow?"

"...I'm merely experiencing a slight fluctuation in my thermal regulator due to the physical exertion of-"

"Bullshit." Interrupting sharply Hank retracted his hand and gave the deviant a somewhat scolding tone of voice as he spoke. "Don't deny it kid, you're sick."

Unwilling to upset Hank or accidentally agitate him Connor decided to admit he was feeling a little 'off'. "...I confess that I am experiencing a mild pressure in my head and I am aware that my core temperature has risen, but my self-diagnostic hasn't indicated any foreign contaminant, malfunction or damage that would result in these symptoms."

"You've had your own bout with android-flu before. Maybe you caught it again."

"I'm not experiencing the same symptoms as my previous infection."

"Uh-huh, maybe-" Hank pulled his right hand from Connor's grip and covered his mouth as he began coughing harshly.

"You've begun to develop mild congestion in your lungs." Connor explained calmly as he put his hand on Hank's shoulder to try to hold the sick man steady. "Your fever hasn't risen, but it hasn't dropped either. I strongly suggest taking some form of medication to lower your temperature."

"...No." The detective managed to find his voice between coughs. "I'll be okay."

"Hank, please don't be stubborn."

" _You_ , the most stubborn deviant on this planet, are asking _me_ to cooperate?" Flashing the deviant a sheepish glance he leaned back against his pillows as much as possible. "If I wasn't already sore from coughing I swear I'd laugh."

"Hank." Connor lifted his hand from Hank's shoulder and stood upright from the bed. The motion caused him to sway a little on his feet but he didn't lose his balance. "I'm going to get you something light to eat to keep your strength up."

"Then you're going to lay down."

"I don't need to worry about resting, Hank. You still require assistance."

"Uh-huh... Sure."

"I swear, I'm fine!"

"...Nope."

"Maybe we can reach some kind of agreement?"

"What? Now we're making deals?"

"Perhaps." Even the idea of laying down and not doing anything for an extended period of time was making Connor antsy. "If I bring you something to eat and something to ease your headache, I will lay down and get some rest. Are those acceptable conditions?"

"...Alright." Hank covered up his mouth again as another coughing fit hit him. If it meant Connor would finally relax then Hank was willing to take a few pills. "I'll hold you to that."

It didn't take long for Connor to retreat to the kitchen in search of something simple for Hank, but his movements were somewhat sluggish and clumsy as he began to feel increasingly weak. Despite these symptoms he still stubbornly refused to admit he was sick. Settling on dry white toast and water Connor located a bottle of medication in the bathroom designed to ease headache pain, and _only_ headache pain as he wanted to respect Hank's wishes as much as he possibly could, and placed the retrieved items on a small tray.

"Hank?" Connor carried the tray into the bedroom and placed it on the nightstand beside the bed. Very lightly he put his hand to the side of Hank's neck to check his pulse and his fever. "You need to drink some water."

Somewhat drowsy but still very much aware of his surroundings Hank pushed himself upright until he was sitting in the bed and gave Connor a groggy stare. Holding out his hand, palm open, Hank accepted the two pills Connor had provided and popped them into his mouth. Drinking the water slowly Hank begrudgingly allowed Connor to medicate him.

"There. Satisfied?"

"You also need to eat."

"For fuck sake..." Hank grumbled as he tried to ignoring the building nausea in his stomach. "Then _you_ lay down."

"I will. In a moment."

"...Fine." Picking up the piece of toast from the tray Hank bit down on the corner and tried to eat it, but his stomach was already protesting too much for him to eat any more. "There... I ate."

"Is the nausea severe?"

"No, just irritating. Now," Hank dropped the toast back onto the tray and practically sank back down in his bed. "go get some rest."

"...Very well. I will check on your again in one hour."

"Eight hours."

"Two hours."

"Six hours."

"Hank, I can't let you remain alone for such an extended period of time with your fever at such a high degree."

"Alright, three hours."

"I..." Unwilling to argue or let Hank exert himself Connor relented and accepted the time frame. "Okay. Three hours."

"Good."

"But if your fever hasn't dropped within those three hours you will either take some medication, or I will take you back to the hospital. Your decision."

"Yeah, yeah." Hank pulled the quilt up over his head as he turned to lay on his side as much as possible without jostling his broken leg in the process. "We'll see what happens in four hours."

"THREE."

"Right... three."

With a slight shake of the head Connor walked back out of the bedroom and made his way down the hallway and into the livingroom. Laying down over the length of the couch Connor could hear Hank stifling more coughs and wanted to go to his aid, but he also wanted to keep his word and leave Hank alone to rest for the three agreed upon hours.

Sumo trotted into the livingroom and pressed his chin down atop Connor's arm that was outstretched at his side, and he let out a sleepy yawn.

"Three hours, no more." Connor told himself as he set his internal clock to awaken him in three hours as he entered a light rest mode in an attempt to rid his own system of his own mildly burdening fever and headache. As he closed his eyes a weak cough escaped his own lips causing his L.E.D. to briefly flash red before cycling back to yellow as a sharp pain suddenly made itself known in the pit of his stomach. "...Just three hours."

* * *

A whimpering plea and a cold nose being pressed to the side of his left cheek brought Connor back into waking reality under a heavy fog of fatigue and confusion. Aside from Sumo's cold nose against his face Connor felt a cold surface pressing against his chest and his stomach, as well as the right side of his face. Opening his eyes Connor's blurry vision struggled to focus in on Sumo who was staring at him intently, as well as the hard wooden floor beneath him.

Lifting up his swimming head slowly Connor looked around and realized that at some point in his rest mode he had fallen off the couch and didn't even wake up as he hit the floor. Running another self-diagnostic the deviant noted his core temperature had risen and his internal alarm failed to engage. The deviant had been asleep for almost five consecutive hours.

"H-Hank?" Connor called out the name in a weak whisper as an equally weak cough cut him off abruptly. Rolling to his side Connor pressed the palm of his hand down against his stomach where the sharp pain had returned courtesy of the coughs shaking his body. "Ow..."

Connor tried to roll back over onto his stomach so he could push himself up from the floor on his hands and knees, but he simply lacked the strength to do so.

"Shit. We both need help..."

Resting his head down against his own arm Connor remained on his side as he cybernetically sent out a distress call to Simon at New Jericho to ask him to send some help to the house.

Sumo laid down on the floor beside Connor and proceeded to rest his chin atop Connor's head as if he could somehow provide some sort of comfort to the downed deviant. "...Good boy."

Closing his eyes out of sheer exhaustion Connor let out a deep sigh and winced a little at the twinge of pain in his stomach. Within a few seconds the deviant unexpectedly fell into a deep rest mode and knew nothing else of the world around him.

* * *

A fresh cold compress against the side of his face where Sumo's nose had been and a friendly presence caused Connor's brow to arch slightly. Efficiently his external sensors managed to translate the sensations to his otherwise overheating, delayed processors just enough to allow the deviant to awaken without fully rebooting his system.

"-nor? Connor can you hear me?" A familiar feminine voice called to the deviant as he fought to push through the darkness and regain total consciousness.

"...Abby?"

"Yeah, it's me. Simon told me you needed some help, so I stopped by." The technician confirmed in a calm tone. "Can you open your eyes?"

Brown irises slowly reappeared through his heavy eyelids as he obeyed the request and found himself still laying on his side on the floor with Abby kneeling down awkwardly over him between the coffee table and the couch. She had her well-stocked technician satchel at her side. Sumo was still laying next to Connor, clearly recognizing Abby as an ally and not a threat, as she let herself into the house and didn't react violently to her.

"Hi." Abby greeted coyly as she slipped her hand beneath Connor's head to lift him up from his own arm.

"...Hello."

"How long have you been running an elevated temperature?"

"I... Uh..." Connor was having difficulty keeping track of the time with his system strained by overheating and exhaustion. "Approximately seven hours."

"Can you roll onto your back for me? I want to listen to your chest."

"I-" Connor coughed again, wincing in pain at the discomfort returning to his stomach, and immediately felt Abby's hand press against his shoulder as she pushed him until he was laying flat on his back on the cold floor. "Please see to Hank." Clearing his voice after the coughing fit passed he tried again. "He is very ill and requires medical attention."

"Yeah, I know. I already checked on him, he's okay."

"What's his temperature?"

"Connor, shut up for a second." Abby lifted up the android's black t-shirt and pressed her hand down against his abdomen lightly. As her palm pressed down she felt Connor's entire torso tense in pain and she could see him fighting the urge to curl around himself protectively. "Hurts?"

"...Yes."

"Are you dizzy?"

"A little."

"Your gyroscope is malfunctioning, which is why your stomach is hurting you and you're suffering from dizziness."

"...What caused it?"

"Same as the last time you felt these symptoms, the android-flu. It causes your thermal regulator to malfunction for an extended period of time, and its close proximity to your gyroscope causes it to also malfunction from heated metal causing the support couplings to warp slightly."

"...Yes, I remember now." Connor watched Abby somewhat suspiciously as she reached into her satchel and pulled out her audioscope. As she slipped the bell under his shirt and over his chest she pressed her opposte hand back down over his forehead to check his fever. "Do I have to consume any medication?"

"You mean that weird green stuff that smells like antifreeze?" Abby asked knowingly as she pulled the audioscope from her ears and lowered his shirt back down to cover his abdomen. "Yeah, sorry. Two tablespoons every six hours."

"Can't I skip it this time?"

"Jeez, Connor. You sound just like Hank!" Abby laughed as she slipped her hand beneath Connor's neck and coaxed the deviant into sitting upright slowly. As he moved he visibly winced at the pain in his stomach and closed his eyes as a new dizzy spell hit him. "I know you don't feel like moving right now, but I need you to get up onto the couch for me."

Reaching out his hand weakly to grab the couch beside him Connor guided himself up from the floor and onto the single piece of furniture without opening his eyes to keep himself from getting too dizzy.

"That's it. Good." Abby picked up the cold compress from the floor and smoothed it out over Connor's forehead as she sat down on the edge of the couch next to his legs. "Fortunately, this is a mild case of the android-flu and will clear up in two days."

"If it's mild then why do I have to take that medication?"

"Because of your fever. I had to explain the same thing to Hank before I could come back out here and check on you."

Connor opened his eyes slowly and stared at Abby's kind face for a moment as he realized that she was right; he really was behaving just like Hank.

"Besides," Abby continued coolly as she reached into her satchel and pulled out a bottle of the dreaded bright green medication for Connor to see. "from what my tests have shown you're not actually suffering from a severe infection at all, only minor. This can correct it and you'll recover even quicker."

"...Minor infection? Then why are my systems acting so strangely?"

"My guess is that you and Hank have become very close friends and you are now experiencing a sympathy sickness."

"...Sympathy sickness?"

"You're aware of empathy and how it can affect one's judgment, right?"

"...Correct." Connor's eyes fell away from Abby as he vividly remembered Kamski putting a gun in his hand and telling him to shoot Chloe. He didn't pull the trigger but he felt guilty all the same from ever pointing the gun at her, even if it was against his will. "I'm quite familiar with empathy."

"Well, sometimes exceptionally empathetic humans, or in this case, exceptionally empathetic deviants, can begin experiencing the same symptoms and pain as someone very close to them." Pressing her hand down over the compress over his forehead again Abby held the bottle of medication out for Connor to take from her. "In your case seeing Hank suffering from the flu, especially after he had endured what he did a few weeks ago, you started to feel the same things he was feeling out of empathetic bonding."

"...I only _think_ I'm sick?"

"No, no. You _are_ sick, Connor. But it's not as _severe_ as you think it is. Like I said, you'll be one hundred percent in two days, not three or four. And I'll even be nice and let you take half the suggested medication, _IF_ you stay on the couch and get some sleep."

"...We're making a deal?"

"Something like that. One dose every twelve hours instead of six."

Connor couldn't help but smirk at the parallels between the conversation he was having with Abby and the one he had with Hank just a few hours prior. Parroting Hank's reply from earlier Connor agreed to Abby's terms. "...I'll hold you to that."

"Good, now drink."

"I- Okay." Connor knew there was no use in arguing with her over the medication and relented before he even tried to argue. Accepting the bottle she was holding outward to him Connor opened the lid and closed his eyes as he took the dose and grimaced at the ever foul taste that accompanied it. "...I hate that stuff."

Abby laughed a little as she took back the bottle and replaced the lid. "Sorry. I'll see if I can find a way to improve the taste for next time."

"Next time?"

"Trust me, Connor." Abby rose from the couch and walked into the kitchen to place the medicine in the fridge to keep it cool. "With your susceptibility to the cold you're going to have to take this medicine _every_ time you get sick."

"I'm susceptible to the cold?"

"All prototypes are. Not to mention your history of dealing with a damaged thermal regulator and having it completely replaced leaving your internal systems open to temperature fluctuations is only going to exasperate your overall health."

"That sounds like a major hindrance."

"Get some sleep." Abby urged as she walked up to the couch and looked down at her favorite patient with a kind smile. "I'll go take another look at Hank and make sure he took the medicine I brought for him."

"...You brought medicine for Hank and he took it?"

"Yeah. Since I knew Hank was still recovering from his previous injuries, and since you actually called out to New Jericho for help, I figured you were both in need of a little help and I came prepared."

"Is that specifically why you came instead of Simon?"

"Yup. I worked E.M.S., remember?"

"...I remember."

"I can help sick androids and sick humans alike. Plus I know how to handle Hank. I think Simon is still a little intimidated by him." Picking up her satchel from the floor she slung it over her shoulder and made her way back down the hallway toward Hank's bedroom. "Try to relax Connor, you'll both be fine."

"Hey Abby?" Connor called out to her just before she disappeared into the bedroom. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Sumo walked up to the edge of the couch and stared at Connor with his tail slowly wagging. The massive dog's brown eyes were fixated on Connor as if he was trying to communicate with the deviant.

"I'm okay, boy."

Seemingly able to understand what Connor was saying the large dog's tail wagged faster as he circled around between the couch and coffee table to lay down next to Connor to take a nap of his own.

* * *

Connor awoke the next morning feeling much better and without any pain whatsoever in his stomach. Looking down at himself he saw that someone had taken the quilt from his bed and draped it over him while he slept. Sitting up slowly he looked over at the coffee table and saw a handwritten note left by Abby with instructions on how to take care of Hank's medication. The bottle of medicine was resting beside the note. It also contained a reminder for Connor himself to take his own medicine.

Abby had even taken the time to feed Sumo and let him out for a few minutes before leaving the house the night before.

Appreciative of the incredibly kind woman Connor stood up from the couch, picked up Hank's medicine and walked into the kitchen where the dreaded medication of his own awaited him inside the fridge. Pulling open the door he retrieved the bottle and quickly downed the next dose of medicine before capping the bottle and replacing it where he had take it from.

"...Horrible taste."

"At least she didn't make you swallow a couple pills." Hank commented from the doorway of the kitchen as he balanced awkwardly on his crutches.

"Hank? You shouldn't be out of bed." Connor turned around and ran a scan over the detective's body. His fever had broken in the night, but he still needed to rest to ensure his health didn't suddenly relapse. "You need to lay down and rest."

"In a minute. I just need to take a quick shower and change out of my sweaty clothes into something _not_ sweaty."

"How do you feel?"

"A lot better. How about you?"

"Same."

"That's good. I hate to think you were sick and didn't have anyone to help you."

"It's okay, Hank. I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, I know that. But you shouldn't have to, especially since you were already taking care of me after I got sick."

"No one gets sick on purpose. You've told me plenty of times that no one intentionally becomes ill or gets injured."

Hank shrugged his shoulders a little as he stared at the deviant. "So... what little 'treat' did Abby leave for me to choke down this morning?"

"This." Connor showed Hank the pill bottle and his mouth twitched a little. "Two pills, and if your fever doesn't return in six hours you can stop taking the medicine."

"Shit. Alright, let's get this over with." Hank motioned for Connor to hand him the medicine. "I really need to take a shower."

Understanding the urgency Connor filled a glass with water under the sink and approached Hank with the bottle in his opposite hand. "How'd she talk you into taking the medicine while I couldn't?" He asked as he handed Hank the two pills, then handed him the glass.

" _Talk_ me into it? She didn't." Hank put the two pills in his mouth and gulped them down with the offered water. "She _threatened_ me."

_**...next story...** _


	104. Holiday Madness

One week after their nasty mutual bout with the flu Connor decided that Hank was well enough to be left alone for a few hours, and now he could go out and pick up a few groceries to replenish the supplies that had been used up over the month during Hank's slow, but steady recovery. Slipping on his thick leather jacket over a simple black t-shirt and putting on the Detroit Gears cap to conceal his L.E.D. for the sake of avoiding any and all of the anti-android violence that had building throughout the city, Connor made mental notes of everything needed in the house and set off to run his errands.

"I should be back within a couple of hours, Hank." Connor announced as he grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf in the livingroom.

"I'll be fine Connor. Take your time, holidays shoppers are going to be crazy right now. Traffic's going to suck, the stores are going to be crowded, people are going to be nuttier than usual." The detective sounded completely indifferent to the whole idea of celebrating the holidays. "Makes me kinda' glad I stopped doing holiday crap years go. So yeah, no rush!"

"It won't be too long since you're still healing. I will take as much time as required to-"

"Connor." Hank was sitting in the recliner with his still healing leg propped up on the edge of the coffee table. Sumo was resting his chin atop the cast with his tail wagging slowly as he kept the detective company. "I'm okay, son. Why don't you do what you need to do, then just go out and do something for yourself? You've been cooped up in this house with me for over a _month_."

Sensing that Hank wanted to be alone for one reason or another, Connor took him up on the suggestion. "...Very well. I will find something to preoccupy my time before returning home."

"Good. Part of being human is having a social life." Before Connor could reply again Hank held up a hand to silence the deviant. " _I'm_ the exception to the rule."

"Why's that?"

"Because I said so."

"...Convenient." Giving the detective an odd glance Connor just shook his head a little as he walked over to the front door. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Take your time, kid. I'll manage to live a few hours with your help."

* * *

It took Connor only an hour to pick up the necessary items from the grocery store and pack them neatly into the trunk of the car. With his primary concern taken care of Connor set about trying to find something else to do before returning home and decided to stroll down the sidewalk and take in the oddly celebratory display of Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa decorations that had adorned every street. The store windoww, the light posts, billboards and bus stops throughout the city were all a vibrant display of love and celebration.

Having never celebrated a holiday during his short life Connor never understood the purpose of the decorations, but he found the festive displays enjoyable all the same. Brightly lit multi-colored lights, shining garland, red bows, gleaming gold and brass menorahs, metal stars, thousands of different scented and different colored candles burned warmly all throughout the block creating an aura of peace and understanding.

The other people in the city seemed to enjoy the displays just as much he did.

Absentmindedly Connor made his way into the large hopping mall as he followed the crowd, easily blending in now that his L.E.D. was concealed, and began walking the warm corridors casually. Passing by dozens of different stores on the first floor fairly quickly Connor observed people displaying a mass array of emotions ranging from joy, to disappointment, to frustration and even to depression as they searched through the various stores in search of select items of interest.

The crowd in the main corridor was beginning to thicken rapidly and he found it more difficult to move without bumping into people. Stepping out of the corridor and into a nearby store Connor stood idle and waited for the crowd to thin out again for his own comfort.

"Hey, Connor." A feminine voice called to him and an arm hooked around his own and began to coax him back out into the busy hallway from the even busier store. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Abby?" Connor didn't try to resist as she escorted him out of the store and into the crowd of people in the corridor. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, my crazy ex-boyfriend has been stalking me through the mall for over an hour now. Could you stay with me for a while to try to deter him from following me?"

"Yes. Of course." Discreetly Connor turned his attention over his shoulder and observed a man displaying peculiar behavior as he followed the duo out of the store and into the crowd.

The man was in his late twenties, a little short with unkempt, shaggy blond hair and hollow gray eyes. Sporting a thick dark brown winter coat over faded blue jeans and black winter boots, he skulked through the crowd while keeping his eyes fixated on Abby from the distance. Running a facial scan Connor identified the man and noted his dangerous criminal record.

"His name is Frederick Calvin, correct?"

"Yeah, that's him." Abby confirmed as she tightened her arm around Connor's fearfully. "He was arrested six years ago for breaking into my apartment and threatening me with a knife after I broke up with him."

"He was released two weeks ago after serving his sentence. Were you informed of his release?"

"No... After I moved here from Chicago I never gave a change of address so I could hide a little easier."

"How did he find you?"

"I don't know, I don't think I want to know. I did get a few odd hang-up phone calls about the same time he was released, though. But I don't think that can prove anything one way or another."

Connor could feel Abby beginning to tremble as they walked through the crowd together back toward the entrance of the mall. "Did you park nearby?"

"I used a cab."

"Allow me to drive you to your apartment."

"Thanks, but no thanks! I don't want him following us and figuring out where I live."

"Then let me take you to the precinct to file a report and gain a restraining order."

"No offense Connor, but a piece of paper isn't going to keep a guy, who is still so obsessed with me that after six years in prison he's gone right back to stalking me, away."

Squaring his jaw determinedly Connor moved his arm from Abby's arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Come with me."

"Where are we going?"

"To my car, but we're going to take what Hank would call 'a creative route'." From beneath Connor's hat his L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he cybernetically called the police and informed them of Frederick's presence and his resumed stalking of Abby. "We need to keep our distance for only a few more minutes."

"Why? What's happening?"

"I contacted the police. They'll be here to arrest Frederick without you needing to be involved directly."

"I don't know, Connor. As soon as he hears the sirens he's going to freak out and run..."

"As long as he doesn't run in our direction we'll be safe."

Hastening their pace Connor helped Abby to push through the crowd and make her way to the exit while remaining somewhat subtle, and without drawing any unwanted attention. Sure enough as the duo made their way to the doors the sound of approaching sirens deterred Frederick from following after Abby and he backed away, disappearing into the crowd as he tried to hide from the authorities.

"It worked." Connor observed without even needing to turn around to check.

"Thanks, Connor. I appreciate it."

"This way." Leading Abby along the sidewalk away from the mall and toward the car parked three blocks away Connor was able to make her finally feel safe. "I'll take you to your facility." Connor stated as he unlocked the car doors and kept vigil for any sign of Frederick. "That way you don't have to worry about him following you to your apartment."

"Is that a good idea?"

"I cannot say for sure, but this is the only logical idea we have at the moment. Does Frederick know you're no longer working E.M.S.?"

"I don't know."

"Perhaps he doesn't. He won't look for you at an android facility if he believes you still work E.M.S., which will also give you an advantage."

"Yeah, okay. Let's go."

* * *

Connor continued to keep his eye out for Frederick as he drove through the city and to the facility several blocks away. The traffic was seemingly thin enough that he'd be able to identify any vehicle that was tailing his own, but he didn't want to take the chance and continued to drive about in a snaking, lengthier route to try to elude any possible stalkers.

"Thanks for doing this, Connor." Abby nervously wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the rearview mirror herself. "Can I ask why you were even at the mall?"

"I was attempting to find something to preoccupy my mind outside the house. Hank insists that I continue to explore the depths of humanity and emotions by developing a social life."

"Well, if the most anti-social detective in all of Detroit is telling you to get out every once in a while then you must be showing signs of reclusiveness."

Connor gave Abby an amused smirk. "I'm not reclusive, just reserved."

"I can't say I blame you. It's hard to let yourself get close to people."

"It wasn't difficult to achieve a close friendship with Hank... _After_ the revolution, anyway."

"It took a while for him to let his guard down, huh?"

"Yes. His initial disdain of androids had lessened considerably during our initial partnership while investigating deviants, but it wasn't until after the revolution itself had succeeded did his anger finally seem to leave. Now he's a strong advocate for deviant rights, and without him I don't know where I'd be at this moment."

Admiring Connor's gracious and confident nature Abby began to feel more at ease. "And I take it you're both feeling better. Otherwise I don't think you'd leave him alone."

"I've fully recovered from my illness, as has Hank. But he still has approximately three weeks until he can have his cast removed."

"I'm glad you two are friends." Abby admitted as Connor finally pulled the car up to the facility and parked by the front doors.

"...As am I." Connor turned off the engine with the intent of escorting Abby inside the facility to ensure she still felt safe. "Would you like me to wait with you until the taxi arrives to take you to your apartment?"

"No, it's okay." She politely shrugged off the offer as she and Connor entered the waiting room of the facility together. "I'll be fine."

The staff was small that evening as it was still in-between the afternoon and night shifts. An android was acting as the receptionist while two other android technicians were tending to the more severely damaged androids recovering in the depths of the facility. Three other deviants and one human were sitting in the waiting room quietly for what were apparently routine yearly examinations.

"It shouldn't take long for- Shit." Abby's face suddenly went pale as she watched Frederick himself walk in through the front doors of the facility with malicious intent in his eyes. "Oh, fuck..."

Connor saw Frederick coming and immediately positioned himself between the obsessed man and Abby protectively. Sending an update to the police informing them of the dangerous man Connor stood his ground ready to stare down the man.

"Hey, Abby." Frederick tried to sound friendly but there was a veiled threat in his voice that made Abby's skin crawl. "You're looking good..."

"What the hell are you dong here, Freddy?" She cowered behind Connor but kept her voice steady.

"I came to see you. Did ya' miss me?"

"No! GET. OUT. Leave me alone!"

"Come on, baby..." Freddy stepped closer and reached his hand out toward her. "We can work it out."

Connor grabbed onto Freddy's arm with a painful grip and held him back away from Abby. "She told you to leave. Go now."

"Who the fuck is this prick?" Freddy snarled as he tried but failed to pull his hand from Connor's grip. "Your new boyfriend?"

Connor reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his wallet to reveal his shield inside. "Detroit Police."

"You son of a-" Freddy jerked his hand back and pulled a gun he had tucked in his coat pocket. Pointing it directly at Connor's chest Freddy threatened to shoot out of enraged spite. "Back off man!"

Staying in place Connor refused to budge. Sending out a distress call cybernetically to the police keeping them updated on the situation, he also instructed the androids in the facility to discreetly leave the building and get to safety. At the very least they could try to hide out of sight of the unstable human.

"Put the gun down, Frederick." Connor ordered as he instinctively relied on his training as a hostage negotiator. "You won't gain anything by harming anyone in this situation."

"FUCK OFF! This is between ME and ABBY."

"I can't do that, Frederick." Refusing to back down Connor was fearless and focused. "Let me help you."

"YOU? A fuckin' COP? I don't need a COP, I need a MEDIC."

"A... medic? You're ill?" Connor asked confusedly as he ran a scan over Freddy's body and noted that his increased heart rate, and blood pressure were also accompanied by an increased body temperature that wasn't associated with stress. There was a dangerous degree of damage to Frederick's liver and his kidneys, as well as some degree of damage to his pulmonary tissue. "If you're ill you should be in a hospital, not a facility."

"F-Facility?! What the fuck are you talkin' about?!"

"This is an Android Emergency Care Facility. This is where injured, damaged and ill androids receive treatment. _Not_ humans."

"You're LYING to me!"

"No, I'm not." Connor insisted honestly as he watched the occupants of the waiting room file out slowly and discreetly. "If you don't believe me just look at the address on your phone."

"My... phone?"

"That's how you found Abby, yes? You used your phone to track her down." The deviant detective had easily deduced how Freddy located Abby through her phone based on her comment about the odd hang-up phone calls she had received prior. Despite the police officers arriving at the mall and Connor's stealthy route Freddy still managed to find her which meant he had some type of track device at his disposal. "You used an illegal tracking function in your phone's G.P.S. to locate Abby by using her own personal phone number. Check your phone to confirm the address of this building."

Keeping his gun aimed at Connor with one hand Freddy reached into his back pocket with his free, shaking hand and fished out his phone. He used the G.P.S. to confirm everything Connor had told him and that only made Freddy angrier.

"What the FUCK, Abby?! You betrayed your own kind?!" Pointing the gun at Connor's head his finger hovered over the trigger dangerously. "And now you're dating one of the assholes you locked me up and took me away from you?!"

"No Freddy." From behind Connor the frightened technician tried to her best to sound unafraid and defiant. "I DUMPED you and moved on with my life! What I choose to do with it, and who I choose to help, is none of your damn business!"

"It is when you're a _race_ traitor!"

"It's that exact kind of hated filled ignorance that made it SO easy for me to dump your sorry, pathetic ass!"

Freddy took a step to the side and pointed his gun at Abby. "What did you just say, bitch?"

"You heard me! It takes a real coward to hide behind a gun or a knife when people don't do what they want!"

"Fuckin' whore! I bet you slept with every-"

"ENOUGH." Connor resumed command of the situation; grateful for the hat that was keeping his red flashing L.E.D. hidden from the anti-android bigot standing before him. "Frederick, you need to leave now. The police are already-"

"FUCK the police! I'm NOT leaving until that smart-mouth bitch figures out what the fuck is wrong with me!"

Abby spoke up again as she hoped that Connor could talk Freddy down. "...Aside from all the hatred in your heart?"

"SHUT UP!"

Police sirens filled the air once more as two responding squad cars converged around the facility with a bright display of red and blue flashing lights.

"SHIT." Freddy retrained his gun on Connor and pulled back the hammer. "You two, MOVE. Or I'll fuckin' shoot!"

"Okay, we'll cooperate." Connor kept his voice as calm and level as possible as he remained between Abby and Freddy. "Where do you want us to go?"

"To the back! An exam room!" Wiping his sweaty brow off on his sleeve Freddy marched after Connor and Abby as the deviant slowly walked backward to ensure that Freddy couldn't make any attempts to harm Abby. "Figure out why I'm sick and I'll let you go!"

Connor only nodded as Abby located the nearest vacant exam room and opened the door. As she stepped inside Connor followed and jumped back as Freddy charged at him with the gun. Slamming the door shut Freddy locked it and motioned for Connor and Abby to stand with their backs against the far wall.

"Abby... You're the only one who'll give me an honest answer..." Freddy stated desperately as he continued to show signs of distress and ill health. "The fuckin' prison doctors wouldn't tell me shit, and no other doctor in this damned country will help me because I'm an ex-con."

"Are you sure it isn't because you threaten people with a gun?"

"SHUT UP."

Police stormed through the building and pounded on the closed exam room door. "DETROIT POLICE. OPEN UP!"

"BACK OFF!" Freddy shouted in response as he kept his gun on the two unwilling occupants of the room. "I HAVE HOSTAGES! BACK OFF OR I'LL SHOOT!"

Silently the police cleared away from the door and informed their superior officer of the potential hostage situation at the facility. Temporarily obeying Freddy's demands the police backed away for the time being.

Connor resumed being the attempted voice of reason in the situation. "Frederick, listen to me. Even if Abby is able to properly identify your current illness there is no way this scenario ends with you walking away a free man."

"I don't care! I'm already dead... I just want answers... I want to know what's killing me!"

Abby took a deep breath and let it out slowly to settle her frayed nerves. "This isn't a human medical clinic, this an _android facility_. The tests that I can perform on you are going to be very limited."

"I don't CARE. J-Just help me!"

"Okay, okay..." Abby slipped off her winter coat and dropped it on the floor behind her. "Then I'll need a blood sample."

"Fine." Freddy extended his left arm outward her while also keeping his gun aimed at Connor. "But if you try anything then I'm going to put a bullet in his brain. You got that?"

"Yeah, I hear you."

Connor remained statuesque with his eyes honed in on Freddy's every movement while Abby opened up the glass doors of the storage cabinets against the wall opposite side from the doorway. Inside was a microscope, several small syringes and glass vials for containing Thirium samples; but could also be used to properly store human blood.

Abby apprehensively carried the syringe and attached glass vial over to Freddy. Locating the Cephalic vein in Freddy's arm she pierced his skin the the needle and took a sample of his blood to be tested.

"No alcohol wipe down?" Freddy whined like a spoiled child as Abby set to work.

"...I told you." She reminded him firmly as she drew the blood. "This is a facility for ANDROIDS. Not humans." Abby finished taking the sample and stepped back readily to check the blood under the microscope, not caring the least that she left Freddy's arm to bleed and uncovered. "I'll need a minute."

Freddy stared at Connor venomously as the detective refused to give Freddy even the smallest window of opportunity to harm Abby. "What the fuck are you looking at?"

"Apparently a very desperate man."

"Say that again!" Freddy threatened as his hollow eyes narrowed and aimed the barrel of his gun at the center of Connor's chest.

"No need. I've already said everything I need to."

Abby set the microscope on the desk and placed a smear of the sampled blood onto a thin glass plate before sliding it under the microscope for examination. As she peered through the lens and focused on the sample her shoulders visibly tensed with fear, and then relaxed with sorrow.

"Well?" Freddy asked impatiently as he kept his gun trained on Connor. "Do you know what's wrong with me?"

"...Maybe." She wrote down her potential diagnosis on a piece of paper and folded it up neatly. Placing it down beside the microscope she prepared herself for what was going to happen next. "If I can I get a second test to confirm my suspicions, then I can-"

"FINE." Freddy blurted angrily as he wrapped his arm protectively around his abdomen. "Do what you have to do! I just want ANSWERS."

Connor's brow furrowed as he noticed that Freddy pressed his hand to stomach as if experiencing tremendous discomfort. In addition to the pain Connor observed that Freddy's abdomen appeared swollen and disproportionately large for his overall build. A build that appeared frail from improper diet or prolonged fasting.

Daring to speak up Connor asked Freddy a simple question. "Are you in pain?"

"What do you care?!"

"...It could be a symptom of your illness. Can you-"

"SHUT UP. You're NOT a doctor!"

"No, but I can help you."

"Fuck off! Just give me something to stop the pain!"

Abby had enough of listening to Freddy shouting and barking orders at her. Pulling her keyring from her opposite pocket she isolated a small metal key from the others and used it to unlock the top right drawer of the desk. Inside was a small collection of prescription pain killers kept in storage only for emergency purposes in the event of a citywide catastrophe.

"I'll give you a small dose of morphine to take the edge off the pain." Abby stated as she filled a sterilized syringe with the liquid painkiller and measured out the proper dose. "Let me see you arm."

"NO WAY."

"Freddy, I'm trying to help you! You want to the pain to stop don't you?"

"No, not until HE takes it, first!"

"Wait, what?!"

"I don't _trust_ you! How do I know that's not some kind of knock-out drug or, poison?!"

"... _Poison_? Are you fucking serious?"

"DO IT." Freddy waved the gun about wildly before aiming at Connor's chest again. "Give it to him FIRST."

Connor swallowed nervously as he gave Abby an uncertain glance. As an android Connor couldn't accept any human medication without it having an unknown and potentially adverse affect on his systems. But Freddy didn't know Connor was an android. By all account Connor looked and sounded fully human and could accept any offered drug as he easily he could himself.

"I can't do that." Abby stated quickly to try to protect Connor without revealing him as an android. Lying with a sharp retort she locked eyes with Freddy and tried to reason with him. "He's allergic to morphine, it'll make him sick."

"Bullshit! That's WAY too convenient..." Freddy's fingers tightened around the trigger threatening to squeeze at any minute. "Give him the shot or I'll give him the bullet!"

"Freddy, listen to me-"

Connor interjected with a firm voice. "Abby, it's okay. Maybe the reaction won't be so bad."

"Connor, it's too dangerous! I won't risk your life just because-"

"Abby, go ahead and do it." Connor insisted while keeping completely calm. "I trust you."

Letting out a defeated sigh she finally agreed to administer the drug. "...Remove your coat, I need to get to your arm."

Connor kept his movements slow, and purposeful as he removed the leather jacket from his arms and dropped it on the floor next to Abby's coat. Holding out his left arm toward Abby she rolled up the short sleeve of his t-shirt over his left bicep to get a clear view of the line the bend of his arm, and pierced his artificial skin with the needle.

Flinching from the sharp pain Connor's arm tensed up and he let out a low groan of pain.

Abby was trying to avoid making contact with any of the thin Thirium lines that automatically connect the white plastimetal frame to the artificial skin once it generates over top. But just like human skin over muscle there were far too many lines to avoid.

"I'm sorry." Abby whispered as she pressed the plunger of the syringe and injected the morphine into Connor's system. Retracting the needle she pressed her thumb over Connor's skin where a single bead of blue Thirium was beginning to leak out to hide it from Freddy. Afterward she quickly pulled his sleeve back down over Connor's bicep. Turning to glare at Freddy she held out the now empty syringe for Freddy to see. "Happy?"

Freddy stared at Connor for a moment before he nodded. "...Alright, fine. Give me the shot."

Abby disposed of the used syringe instinctively and grabbed a fresh one from the still opened drawer. Using the same vial as before she loaded up the new syringe and made her way over to Freddy who was holding out his arm eagerly. Injecting the morphine into Freddy's arm she stepped away from her gun-toting stalker anxiously and back toward the deviant trying to protect her.

Connor's body began to sway and his eyes were closing against his will as his strength began to drain away from his body. Only able to fight back against the strange feeling for so long a red warning flashed in his visual processors as his system detected the foreign substance now cycling in his Thirium.

"I need to confirm my diagnosis before-" A heavy 'thud' behind Abby drew her attention away from Freddy and back to Connor. The deviant was now laying on the floor and barely moving. "Connor?!"

Laying on his back completely unconscious Connor had collapsed as a result of the incompatible human medication entering his system. The reaction had been severe enough it affected the power supply to his artificial skin causing him to become paler than normal, and by all accounts looked very sick. Motionless, save for his slow shallow breaths, Connor was completely helpless.

Abby knelt down beside the downed deviant and pressed her hand over the center of his chest to feel for movement. "Shit! He's barely breathing!" Pressing her ear down against Connor's chest she listened his heart beating dangerously slow, threatening to stop at any moment. "...He's bradycardic."

Freddy's hand began to shake nervously as he realized he may have actually killed a cop. "...Well, give him something!"

"I CAN'T." Abby snapped angrily as she turned around to glare at Freddy, her hand pressing gently against the side of Connor's neck to track his pulse. "I don't have the proper equipment in here! It's an EXAM ROOM, not a TREATMENT ROOM."

"Well... do SOMETHING! I'm not going back to prison for killin' a cop!"

Abby leaned over Connor again and pressed her hand to the side of his face, careful not to move his hat still covering up his L.E.D. "Connor? Connor! I need you to get up!" Putting her arm under his shoulders she pushed the deviant's deadweight upward until he was sitting on the floor next to her. "Come on! Stand up! It'll make your heart beat faster if you're standing."

Connor's brown irises reappeared through the partially opened slits of his eyelids as his heavy feeling legs tried to support his weight and stand up.

"Lean on me." Abby moved her arm down from his shoulders to his waist. Pulling his limp, heavy arm around her own shoulders she struggled to support Connor's taller and heavier frame against her side. "You can do it, come on... Get up!"

It took all of Connor's waning strength but he was finally able to stand upright thanks to Abby helping him. "...I'm okay..."

"No, you're not. I never should've given you that shot."

"...You had to." Connor put his hand against the desk to support himself so he wasn't pressing down too much against Abby. Walking over to the blood sample under the microscope Connor discreetly pressed a few drops against his own fingers. "...Now you need to run the next test."

Abby stared at Connor's face curiously as she tried to follow his reasoning. "The next test?"

Motioning with his eyes to the blood sample he managed to silently communicate his plan to her. "...Check his vision."

Freddy was beginning to shake nervously all over, the gun still clutched in his hand. "Vision test?"

"Yeah, I need to check your eyes." Abby ripped open the center drawer of the desk and pulled out a penlight. "Pupils. Hold still."

While Abby stood before Freddy and shined the bright light into the madman's eyes to keep him distracted and half-blinded Connor pressed the blood sample to his tongue and ran an analysis of his own. A list of potential medical diagnoses appeared in his visual processors but when he added the symptom of pain and the unusual abdominal distension the list narrowed down to single, rare illness.

Despondently Connor looked down at the diagnosis that Abby had written down without drawing any suspicion from Freddy; it was a match.

And terminal.

Connor walked away from the desk and kept his hand atop of it to keep his balance while he waited for Abby back away from Freddy. As she turned around to face Connor he nodded subtly to confirm her initial diagnosis. Meanwhile he cybernetically informed the police officers still outside the door of what was happening in real time.

"I'm sorry, Freddy." She stated with genuine sadness as she addressed her crazed ex boyfriend. "But I know what's going on, and it's not good."

"Wh-What is it?"

"You have cancer. And it's advanced."

"C-Cancer?!"

"It's rare, and aggressive." Abby explained calmly while giving him the dignity of an honest answer. "Desmoplastic small-round-cell cancer. It's exceptionally rare in adults, but... you have it. I'm sorry."

"...I knew it." Freddy fell to the floor, the gun dropping from his hand in the process. "I knew I was already dead."

Connor motioned for Abby to step away from the door just as the responding police officers entered the exam room and tackled Freddy to the floor. It was a blur of motion and shouting as Freddy was cuffed and escorted by the police outside of the facility to the squad cars outside. As soon as the area was cleared one of the responding officers, Chris, stepped in to check on the two former hostages.

"Hey! You two alright?"

"I'm fine." Abby replied honestly as she grabbed onto Connor's arm again. "But I need to get him into a treatment room. He's going to get sick if I can't clear a drug from his system."

"Lead the way." Chris got on the other side of Connor and helped Abby carry him out of the exam room and into a treatment room just a few yards down the hallway. "How bad is it?"

Connor's speech was delayed but honest. "...Not as bad as it ...seems. I just need to have the drug... filtered from my Thirium lines."

"Good thing you're already in a facility, huh?"

"I guess you could... say that."

* * *

Resting comfortably and quietly Connor was laying on a treatment table, slightly propped upright with a line attached to his arm to help cycle his Thirium through a dialysis machine to filter the morphine from his blood. As a precaution Abby had attached a sensor pad over the center of Connor's chest, under his shirt, and was watching his heart rate on the android cardiac monitor to ensure his heartbeat was still stable.

"How do you feel?" Abby asked worriedly as she looked over her ill friend.

"Less tired. More alert."

"You're lucky." She stated kindly as she pulled up a chair beside the exam table. "If the morphine had been registered as something toxic by your system you could've expelled the tainted Thirium, and Freddy would've shot you dead for being an android."

The fact that Abby kept calling the suspect 'Freddy' as opposed to 'Frederick' told Connor that a part of Abby still cared about him. "...You and Frederick used to be close, weren't you?"

"That was a whole other lifetime ago. It's over now."

"If it's any consolation Frederick will be taken to a prison where his cancer will be treated effectively and his pain will be managed until he... succumbs."

Abby's face carried a heavy frown as she turned off the dialysis machine and removed the line from Connor's arm. "Your vital signs are all stable, you can leave in twenty minutes. If you feel sick or weak after you return home let me know."

Connor watched as Abby got up and walked out of the exam room with her head bowed down in shame. "Abby? Please don't feel bad for what happened to me. It wasn't your fault."

"...It's hard to _not_ feel bad, Connor. You're my friend and you were put in danger because I couldn't be bothered to let the courts in Chicago know I moved out of the city."

"I'm a detective _and_ a deviant." Connor shrugged off the claim dismissively. "Dangerous situations are normal for me to experience."

"They shouldn't be."

"You're right, they shouldn't. And in time they'll stop entirely."

"I really hope so." Abby smiled warmly at Connor as she stepped out of the room. "I'll bring you your jacket. Go home to Hank and stay safe."

"I will do so. After I see you to your taxi."

"Even after all of this you'd still wait for me to get into a cab?"

"Of course I would. You're my friend and I want you to be safe."

"Thanks, Connor. You're a real good guy."

* * *

Connor returned home with half a dozen bags of groceries in his arms and the car keys gripped in his hand. As he walked through the livingroom he was immediately trailed by Sumo who watched as Connor placed the bags down on the countertops in the kitchen, and began checking through the items to be put away properly. The groceries were a must, while a few other items could still wait.

"You were gone for almost five hours." Hank called into the kitchen from his recliner in the livingroom. His leg was still propped up on the coffee table before him. "Anything interesting happen?"

Connor paused for a moment as he began unpacking the groceries, but answered soon enough. "I bumped into Abby."

"Uh-huh... And you just hung out with her for five hours or something?"

"Four, actually. She was having a problem with her ex-boyfriend stalking her."

"Oh, good thing you were there to keep her safe."

"Yes." Connor agreed as he pulled a box of dog treats from one of the bags and tossed one of the bone shaped biscuits into the air for Sumo to catch. "It was a fortunate circumstance that could've possibly ended very poorly."

Walking back into the livingroom Connor dropped the car keys down on the bookshelf as shrugged off his jacket and hung it up on the hook by the front door alongside his hat. "I believe it'd be more beneficial and less cumbersome to shop when the holidays are over."

"Yeah, speaking of shopping..." Hank reached down to a small box wrapped up in emerald green paper sitting on the floor beside the chair and tossed it to the deviant. As Connor caught the small box in his graceful hand Hank gave him a coy smirk. "I got you something."

"...A gift?"

"Yeah. I've never been big on the holidays, and I got even less-so after Barbara and then Cole died. But I figured I'd try to give some effort into being less of a killjoy during this time of year. Don't worry about getting me anything, I don't-"

"Too late." Connor pulled a perfectly hidden gift wrapped in red paper from the top of the bookshelf and handed it to Hank to take. "I picked that up a few months ago. I'm surprised you didn't notice it earlier."

"Smartass." With a grin on his face Hank accepted the gift and watched as Connor sat on the couch holding the small box in his hands confusedly. "Go ahead and open it up."

"Aren't we supposed to wait until Christmas Day? It's only December second."

"Why wait? Go ahead."

Connor nodded and began to unwrap the small square box while Hank did the same to his own gift. Connor opened up the lid and peered inside to find a brand new solid black guitar pick with Connor's initial engraved in silver over top of it: C.H.A. - Connor Henry Anderson. It was simple, perfect and it was something that Connor could actually use, and something he would want.

"Hank... This is wonderful, and perfect. Thank you!"

"You're welcome kid, and just for future reference," Hank held up his gift with utter amazement: a mint-condition vinyl record of the very first album by 'The Knights of the Black Death'. "never spend anything over fifty bucks on me, and NEVER pay for anything over a couple thousand! This is... incredible."

"You like it?"

" _Like it_? Connor, this is one of the most valuable records in heavy metal history! I don't even want to know how you found it, let alone paid for it... Thank you."

"I'm glad." Connor held tightly onto the new pick in his hand and smiled warmly at the simple, yet perfect gift. "...Merry Christmas, Hank."

"Merry Christmas, son."

_**...next story...** _


	105. New Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavily inspired by an episode of 'CSI: Miami' entitled "Countermeasures".

It was noon on New Year's Eve and a report of a dead deviant located at the Belle Isle Southern Pier, uncomfortably close to New Jericho Tower located on Belle Isle itself, had brought Connor and Hank to the scene to investigate in person. Hank was moving a tad slower than usual thanks to his newly healed broken leg still being sore, but Connor was willing to slow his own pace to keep at the detective's side as they began to check out the pier. It was important to Connor that he keep as close to Hank as possible out of a need to protect him.

"This place has been closed down for decades, how in the hell would a deviant get out here AND who in the hell would find it?" Hank observed suspiciously as he crept along the pier slowly. "I don't like it. It feels like we're walking into a trap."

"I agree." Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he ran a scan over the pier trying to find any sign of androids or humans. "We should be cautious."

"I always am." The seasoned detective replied as he drew his gun from the holster on his hip and held it out before him. "Can you detect anything?"

Connor shook his head and mirrored Hank's gesture as he drew his own gun from the holster wrapped around his back under his jacket. "Nothing unusual." With his L.E.D. still yellow Connor glanced about warily. "We may still be too far away for my scanner to detect anyone."

"Keep your guard up, I have a bad feeling about this."

As the duo cautiously traversed the abandoned pier with their guns drawn before them they looked around for any sign of danger, but by all accounts the abandoned pier was just that; abandoned.

Unsure of his own senses Connor kept his head low and his voice quiet. "Perhaps we-"

A gunshot rang out loudly over the pier causing Connor to stop mid-sentence and let out a weak gasp of shocked pain as a bullet tore through his abdomen with a nearly unstoppable force. Falling to his knees slowly Connor's L.E.D. shifted to red and cycled at a rapid pulse. Stunned and in incredible pain Connor dropped his gun at his side as his right hand grasped at his Thirium stained stomach. His shaking left hand held him slightly upright as his head bowed down and rested against the cool ground.

"Connor!" Hank knelt down beside Connor and put his left hand against the middle of the injured deviant's back and kept his gun raised forward in his right hand. "Connor, where are you hit?!"

Unable to speak and already losing strength as dozens of warnings flashed through his visual sensors Connor let out another pain groan as his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

"Connor?!" Hank moved his hand from Connor's back and up to his shoulder to turn the deviant onto his side as gently as possible. As Connor's weak form rolled onto his side, his back resting against Hank's shin, the puddle of Thirium forming beneath Connor was already an alarming size and saturated through his shirt and jacket. "Connor, talk to me!"

Curling around himself Connor squeeze his eyes shut so tightly tears flowed down his face as he took in sharp, shallow breaths.

"Connor!" Taking the radio clipped to his belt Hank called for back-up at the pier and requested an emergency technician to the scene. "Hang on, son. Help's coming." Running his hand up and down the side of Connor's arm in a soothing manner Hank was unaware of the gunman hiding behind a massive concrete barricade originally designed to bar trespassers from entering the pier any further. "Just hold on for me, alright? That's all I ask."

Unable to speak or move Connor could only endure the burning pain in his abdomen while Hank hovered protectively over him.

"Connor, listen to me. You're going to-"

A sicking 'thud' of metal crashing against bone sounded off through the air almost as loudly as the gunshit as the gunman snuck up behind Hank and cracked him in the back of his skull. The weapon used was the butt of the very gun he had used to shoot Connor from an unseen location only a few yards down the pier.

Collapsing to his side in an unconscious heap Hank was left as defenseless as Connor laying and bleeding next to him.

The gunman kicked Hank's revolver away and grabbed onto the back of Hank's coat to drag the unconscious detective down the pier, away from Connor.

"...H-Hank..." Connor opened his pain filled brown eyes. Through his blurry, teary vision he watched as a man from the anti-android gang dragged Hank down the pier. Reaching out a trembling, blue blood covered hand toward Hank in a futile attempt to reach him, Connor's hand suddenly fell down against the ground as the deviant fought the urge to sleep. "...Hank... no."

Completely vulnerable and oblivious to what was happening around him Hank was dragged down the snowy pier and beyond the concrete barricade where an old car from decades long past was sitting idle with its trunk wide open.

"Piece of shit android-lover." The violent man venomously spat as he hoisted Hank's body up against the rear bumper of the car then hefted the detective's limp body into the trunk. Before slamming the trunk shut the man took Hank's radio from his belt and smashed it down on the concrete pier at his feet. "Traitor to us all man. You brought this on yourself!"

"...Hank..." Connor's eyes fell shut and his L.E.D. cycled red at a slower pace as the puddle of Thirium blossomed wider all around him. "...Hank, please... Hank?"

As the trunk slammed shut with a metallic 'click' the man threw open the driver's side door of the car and disengaged the parking brake. Returning to the rear of the car he began pushing it toward the edge of the pier.

Still unconscious and unaware of what was happening to him Hank was utterly defenseless and at the mercy of the man pushing him toward an watery grave.

' _Connor. Connor_!'

Sirens in the distance filled the air and drew Connor's attention back to the waking world as a familiar voice began calling to him from w thin his own mind. "...L-Lucas..."

' _Get up Connor_! _You have to get up_!" The voice was heard only to Connor's ears as the small piece of Lucas's consciousness that still resided in Connor's memory made itself known, pleading with the injured deviant to keep fighting back. ' _You NEED to get up_!'

"...It hurts..."

' _Hank is in danger_!'

"...H-Hank?" Lifting his head up from the ground he looked forward with blurry eyes. An indistinguishable figure pushing a car toward the water held his struggling attention. Running a weak scan over the car in the distance Connor located human life signs contained within the trunk. "...Hank!"

Forcing himself to get up, forcing himself to pick up his gun, Connor charged toward the car and fired his gun at the man pushing the car toward the water. As the bullets rang out the man ducked down and fled away from the car and down the length of the pier in the opposite direction of Connor in a desperate bid to elude the detective.

Seconds before Connor reached the spot where the car had been parked the car itself rolled under the power of inertia and gravity to the edge of the pier and fell nose first into the icy water beneath it. The jerking motion of the 'crash' was enough to rouse Hank from his state of unconsciousness, and into a new world of panic.

"Hank!"

Connor ran to the edge of the pier and looked down into the lake where the car was rapidly sinking through the dangerously cold water around a chorus of air bubbles, and splintering ice sheaths. From the locked trunk Connor could barely hear Hank's voice calling out for help as his strong fists pounded against the interior of the trunk to try to break free.

The trunk of the car fell beneath the surface of the water and was quickly disappearing from sight at the old car filled with the painfully cold water at an alarming pace. Dropping his gun to the pier at his feet Connor shrugged off his jacket and took a breath. Steeling himself for the inevitable sting of the impending extreme cold, Connor dove into the icy water after the sinking car.

Swimming down through the icy cold water Connor endured what felt like trillions of needles piercing into his artificial skin all over his body as he forced himself to reach the trunk of the car as quickly as possible. A pale blue cloud of his own blood mixing with the water around him obstructed his vision further as he swam through the murky water in an attempt to rescue Hank.

Dismissing the warning in his visual sensors about his low Thirium volume and rapidly lowering core temperature Connor reached the trunk and stayed focus on his task. Running another scan over the trunk Connor noted Hank's distress; rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, and also noted he was already beginning to suffer from hypothermia from the water seeping into the trunk. Pulling on the latch of the locked trunk with all of his strength, Connor managed to break the lock under his fading grip.

As the trunk popped open Connor let out a weak gasp that made him lose his breath, allowing water to enter his system. Unlike humans who were naturally buoyant and could float in water, androids were not. Against his will Connor began to sink down to the lake bed and would've been surely lost if Hank hadn't grabbed onto him around his chest, and carried him to the surface of the water along with him as he swam up and to freedom.

Breaking through the icy surface of the water Hank took in a gasping breath between his pale blue lips, the cold air stinging his lungs as he gasped rapidly for fresh air. Connor was deadweight under his arm and he had to fight to keep the deviant's head above the water.

"Hank!" The detective was greeted by two pairs of hands as Gavin and Chris arrived at the scene just minutes before Connor dove into the water. "Give us your hand, Lieutenant!" Gavin shouted as he grabbed onto Hank's shoulder and held him steady in the water. "Come on!"

Chris grabbed onto the collar of Connor's white shirt to help Hank keep him from sinking again while Gavin pulled on Hank's freezing hand to pull him out of the water and back onto the edge of the pier almost four feet above him.

"Come on, come on!" Gavin grunted as he awkwardly balanced on the pier to support Hank's full weight, while Chris held onto Connor. "We got ya'!"

As the two detectives were pulled from the water Hank collapsed onto his knees while Connor laid flat on his back. Gavin knelt down beside Connor and pressed his ear to the deviant's nose and mouth, remembering quickly that androids were in fact capable of breathing as a means of controlling their internal core temperature.

"Shit! Hank, he isn't breathing!" Gavin shouted as his training as a first responder had him tilting Connor's head back to open his airway as if he were in fact human. Pulling aside Connor's tie and putting his hand down on the deviant's chest he could feel faint fluttering of the nearly frozen Thirium pump beneath his palm, and he could see the deviant's L.E.D. pulsing red very slowly. "What do we do?"

Hank coughed up some water from his own lungs as he found his shaking voice as Chris patted his back. "C-Compressions! Get the w-water out!"

"Right, right, right..." Gavin muttered as he tore open Connor's soaked shirt, then laced his hands together and placed them accordingly on Connor's chest. He began to compress with just as much force, pressure and rhythm as he would on a human drowning victim. "You better fuckin' breathe Connor! Don't waste my time!"

Chris took off his coat and draped it over Hank's shoulders to try to keep the detective warm while they awaited the ambulance only a few hundred yards away.

"Breathe kid." Hank encouraged as he watched Gavin compressing Connor's chest with professional skill. "You n-need to breathe!"

Gavin's hands were beginning to burn from the cold water that saturated against his skin, but he didn't stop or slow his rhythm as he tried to force the water that collected in Connor's ventilation biocomponents out of his body.

"Damn it! You plastic prick!" Gavin was more frustrated at the lack of _response_ from Connor than Connor himself. "Breathe for fuck sake!"

A deep cough emanated from Connor's chest as gush of water erupted from his lips. Gavin pulled his hands back long enough to roll Connor onto his side until the deviant stopped coughing up the dirty lake water, and began to breathe in the cold air needed to help dry up the residual water that inside the ventilation biocomponents.

"It's about damn time..." Gavin muttered as he rolled Connor onto his back and stood up from the downed detectives to pace about anxiously. "Way to scare the piss out of us."

"C-Connor?" Hank shivered as he put his hand down over Connor's abdomen and pressed down against the bullet wound. Diluted Thirium seeped out of the wound and stained the already soaked fabric of the white shirt a pale blue. "Connor... H-Hang on!"

Connor's eyes barely opened as Thirium tinted water began to trail out of his mouth and run down his face as well.

The deviant's entire body was beginning to shiver from cold and blood loss. The Thirium stain on his shirt expanding quickly as the open wound to his stomach continued to bleed heavily.

"Holy shit!" Gavin swore as he grabbed onto Connor's dropped jacket and placed it over the bleeding deviant's trembling form. Taking off his own leather jacket he put it around Hank's shoulders over top Chris's jacket. "What the fuck happened out here?!"

"I d-don't know! Some fucker sh-shot Connor then g-got the drop on me!" Hank pressed the palm of his hand to the back of his head where he had been struck. As he pulled his hand back a smear of red blood could be seen on the palm of his hand and over his gray locks of hair. "I n-never saw their face..."

The ambulance reached the pier just before the concrete barricade and parked with a swift motion. The back of the ambulance opened and two technicians, one man and one woman, hopped out of the back with a gurney being rolled between them. Gavin and Chris stepped back to give the duo room to work.

"Treat him in the b-back of the ambulance." Hank urged as he tried to get up, only to be overcome by dizziness and near stumble. If Gavin hadn't caught his arm he would've fallen over in a dead faint. "I'm g-going with h-him."

The technicians checked the exposed bullet wound in Connor's abdomen and immediately placed a pressure bandage over top of it. As the bleeding began to stem the male technician used his audioscope to listen to Connor's chest, specifically his breathing, while the female technician used a Thirium pressure cuff to check his Thirium pressure and volume.

"Weak breath sounds." The male confirmed as he folded Connor's arms over his chest. "But he's stable."

"I'm informing the facility of his condition." The female technician stated as she used her phone to send a message to the android receptionist at the facility mentioned. "He'll need warmed Thirium to replace what he's lost and raise his core temperature."

Hank coughed as watched everything unfolding and began to shiver violently. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Sir." The male technician stared at Hank as he and the other technician lifted Connor up from the pier and placed him on the gurney in one swift motion. "You need to see a doctor! You're clearly suffering-"

"I fucking know!" Hank snarled as he pointed down at Connor's bleeding abdomen. "But he's been shot! He's more important right now!"

"Fine, come on." The technician knew better than to argue with a stubborn cop. As he and his partner lifted up the gurney to roll it at its full height back to the ambulance he looked to her and asked for an update. "How's he doing?"

"Low Thirium pressure," she noted without even having to look at the pressure cuff wrapped around his left bicep. "hypothermia and multiple biocomponents are beginning to fail."

Hank overheard her comment and swore under his breath as he followed the gurney to the ambulance and climbed in the back without hesitation.

Watching the two technicians hovering over Connor as they manually ordered the artificial skin over Connor's right arm to recede and hook a Thirium line directly into the limb, and watching them place thermal blankets over his body to try to warm him back up, was oddly hypnotic. A second thermal blanket was wrapped around Hank as the female technician moved aside the two coats from Hank's shoulders to try to help him warm up as well.

"How long were you two in the water?" She asked as she slipped an audioscope into her ears and ran the bell over Connor's chest beneath the thermal blanket.

"...I don't know. I w-was unconscious for awhile."

"Ventilation biocomponents still functioning, but there is audible faltering due to the water pooling inside both sides that he still needs to expel."

The male technician nodded as he slipped an oxygen mask over Connor's face hoping the added oxygen would help compensate for the water in his ventilation biocomponents. "Does he have a technician we can contact?"

"Y-Yeah. Abby." Hank confirmed in a still shaking voice. "She's-"

"We know Abby." The technician confirmed without any doubts in his voice. "That means he'll be in the best hands in the city."

Hank only nodded as he watched Connor's unfocused, hazy eyes blinking slowly as he tried to regain full consciousness.

"Connor? Can you h-hear me?"

There was a pause, but afterward Connor's hoarse voice replied to the detective. "...Hank."

"Yeah, I'm right here, son. Don't w-worry. You'll be okay."

Connor nodded once weakly as his eyes shut again and he knew nothing more of the waking world around him.

* * *

A bright light directly over his face was enough to reactivate Connor's sensory processors to bring him out his low-powered stasis mode. Connor felt cold all over his body despite being inside, and away from the freezing water for some time. Pressure against his right arm told him that the Thirium line was still in place, but he still wasn't regaining any strength. A light pressure against the center of his exposed chest informed him of the sensor pad attached to monitor his heart. The soft 'beeping' of the cardiac monitor recording his vitals confirmed his deduction easily.

Over top the bleeding wound in his abdomen, a wound that tore away his artificial flesh leaving behind a small ring of blue blood over the white plastimetal frame beneath, was a thick pad of bandaging gauze to try to protect the wound. A nasal canula was wrapped around his face and positioned under his nose to try to give the deviant additional oxygen until his ventilation biocomponents could be drained of the water collected inside.

Partially opening his eyes slowly he recognized the faces of Abby and Hank leaning down over him while Abby held the internal display screen over his abdomen. There were four biocomponents highlighted in red to indicate the damage without needing to open his abdominal panel to view it directly.

"Connor?" Abby lifted the deviant's eyelids one at a time to check his pupils with her penlight. "Connor, are you conscious?"

"...Yes."

"You were shot, the bullet ricocheted throughout your abdomen and damaged numerous biocomponents." Abby let go of his eyelids and turned off her light. "I'm trying to stop the bleeding before I begin any repairs. Can you run a self-diagnostic?"

Connor breathed deeply and winced in pained response as his red L.E.D. flashed rapidly. "...No."

"It's okay, try to relax."

Hank put his hand over Connor's forehead and held it there for a minute. The detective had been given some clean, dry, warm scrubs to change into in favor of his freezing, water logged clothes. As he stared down at Connor the gruff detective couldn't help but think of how pathetic he looked laying in that bed, of how sad and hauntingly familiar it was to another horrible winter night he had spent in the hospital.

"...Hank?" Connor was relieved to see Hank conscious, but could also see that he was upset about something. "Are you... okay?"

"Yeah, son. I'm okay."

"...Medical attention?"

"Not just yet. While we were waiting for you to wake up, Abby patched me up for the moment. I'll see a doctor after you're taken care of."

"The shooter... where is he?"

"Gone. I didn't see him."

"I did, but... it's all a blur."

"Don't worry about him, okay? Worry about yourself and healing."

Nodding a little Connor agreed to ease Hank's mind. "...Okay, Hank."

Abby hung another pouch of Thirium and connected it to the line attached to Connor's arm to try to replenish what he had already lost and was still losing at an unsettling rate. Putting a reassuring hand to Connor's chest she smiled down at him and silently nodded toward the door for Hank to follow her.

Hank removed his hand from Connor's forehead and followed Abby as she requested. "We'll be right back, son."

"Hank, he's bleeding internally." Abby stated bluntly as she stood with Hank in the doorway. "Normally I'd be able to replace his Thirium while his self- healing program stops the bleeding, and then I could repair or replace the damaged biocomponents afterward. But the bullet caused so much damage that his self-healing program just isn't up to the challenge of taking care of so many vital biocomponents at once."

"What're you saying, Abby?"

"I'm saying if he doesn't stop bleeding within the next twenty minutes I'm going to have to operate while he's still in critical condition. His chances of survival are still good, but the odds of complications arising during the surgical procedure are going to be much higher."

"Shit... Abby," Hank looked frightened and the incredible pain in his skull wasn't helping him as he tried, and failed, to mask his fear. "you gotta' save him. If anyone can, it's you."

"I can't do it alone, Hank. The other human technicians are out of the city because of the holidays and the android technicians are dealing with the other patients." She sighed and put her hand on Hank's arm. "I called Simon from New Jericho but we may not be able to wait for too much longer."

Hank could only nod in understanding as Abby returned to the exam table to check on Connor's condition.

"Connor, are you in any pain?"

"...Not really. I feel a little... numb."

"Could be from the cold, could be from the blood loss." Abby checked his Thirium pressure again and found it still unnervingly low. "Connor, look at me."

"...Trying."

Nervously Connor's hand began to twitch at his side and Hank reacted by putting his own hand down atop his arm. "You're okay, son. We're here."

Abby checked her phone for any update from Simon, but her messages were blank and there were no missed calls.

"Connor, you saved my life." Hank tightened his grip on Connor's arm as he lifted the limb up from the table then wrapped his hand around Connor's cold, limp hand to try to keep the deviant calm. "You dove into that freezing water after being shot and broken open a metal lock. If you're strong enough to do all that then you're strong enough to survive this, got it?"

"I got-" Connor let out a pained gasp and his breathing began deeper, more rapid in response making his chest and abdomen rise and fall quickly.

The cardiac monitor began to let out a high pitched screech in response to Connor's distress as it detected a sudden drop in vital signs and overall stability.

"Connor?" Hank squeezed his hand tighter. "What's wrong?"

"H-Hank... My stomach is... hurting me really badly." Connor wheezed pathetically as his opposite hand weakly reached up to clutch at the bullet wound under the gauze pad. "It's... It's really starting to kill me!"

Abby lifted up the bandage over his abdomen and was met with a gush of escaping Thirium that ran down his stomach and onto the exam table. "Shit! Alright, he can't wait any longer! I'll have to operate solo until-"

Simon walked through the doors quickly and immediately leaned down over Connor laying on the table. "I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner."

"Perfect timing." Hank sighed in relief as he gave Connor a reassuring smile. "You hold on for me. Just for a few more minutes."

"...Y-Yeah. I promise."

Simon and Abby assessed Connor's declining vital signs and reached a mutual conclusion without having to say a word to one another for confirmation.

"Hank, he can't wait. This is happening right here." Abby stated as she all but pushed Hank out of the room, his hand letting go of Connors begrudgingly and slowly. "He needs emergency surgery. NOW."

Hank stood outside the doors of the treatment room and leaned against the wall. Unable to withstand the horrible pain in his skull any longer Hank discreetly, though clumsily, wandered down the corridor until he found his way to the waiting room to sit down. Resting his head down against the opened palms of his hands Hank tried to not think about how critically damaged Connor had been, and how close he actually was to death.

"The kid's strong..." Hank told himself as he breathed through the intense pain of his headache. "If he can save me, then he can pull through this no problem."

* * *

With the cardiac monitor and Thirium pressure wrap left in place to record his vitals Simon manually retracted the artificial skin from over the entirety of Connor's abdomen to expose the wound entirely, while Abby proceeded to hang yet another pouch of Thirium to the line running into Connor's arm.

Connor was put into a deep stasis mode to keep his systems on low-power until his damaged biocomponents were repaired, and his Thirium volume was normalized. His artificial respirations were halved during stasis mode to ensure his core temperature was kept optimal, and his chest and abdomen were no longer moving as much making the operation easier.

"I don't know the full extent of the damage to his biocomponents," Abby stated as she and Simon prepared themselves for the emergency surgery they'd need to perform. "but I did confirm that his thermal regulator, Thirium filter, sample filter and gyroscope were all damaged by the bullet."

"Is the bullet still inside him?"

"Yeah. It's wedged in the metal coupling next to the gyroscope."

"Alright. When I open the panel he's going to bleed heavily. We're going to need to monitor his Thirium volume constantly throughout the procedure."

"Agreed." Abby pulled up the small Thirium suction pump to the table and powered on the silent machine to be ready for a worst case scenario. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Simon pressed his fingers down against the panel release just below where Connor's sternum would be if he were human. As the panel in Connor's abdomen slid open dark blue blood seeped out and began to ooze down over the edges of Connor's torso onto the table.

"He's bleeding alright." Abby stated needlessly as she used the suction to clear the excess blood from Connor's abdomen. "We need to work fast."

* * *

Hank was fighting the urge to lay down on the floor to sleep as the extraordinary pain in his head drained away his resolve. Exhausted but determined to remain strong on Connor's behalf Hank refused to admit how tired he truly was. Just as he felt like he was about to blackout from fatigue and pain a hand to his shoulder drew his eyes up and he locked onto the faces of two familiar colleagues.

"Gavin, Chris. What're you doing here?"

"We, uh," Gavin sat down in the chair next to Hank while Chris went in search of coffee. "we wanted to see how Connor was doing. It's been almost five hours since... You know. Fowler wants and update but he knows you won't answer your phone if it's him calling."

"Five hours? Already..."

"You look like shit, Lieutenant. Did you see a doctor?"

"Sort of."

"That's a 'no'. Look, why don't you let me take you to a hospital and Chris can wait for an update on Connor?"

"No way. I'm not going anywhere until I know Connor's okay." Hank sighed wearily and ran his hand through his gray locks anxiously. "Did you guys find that asshole who set us up?"

"Yeah. The dumb-fuck actually used his OWN car to try to kill you. Left the plates and registration behind, too. We got him."

"...Did he actually kill a deviant?"

"No. We didn't find a body. This asshole singled you two out for some reason."

"Anti-android hatred."

"Yeah. I had no idea it was that bad."

Chris handed Hank a mug of warm coffee and waited for the detective to take it. "Here. You look like you're still freezing."

"Thanks, Chris." Hank was feigning strength, and the two officers who were checking on him knew it. "I'm just tired."

"Then the coffee will still help."

"Yeah... Thanks." Hank took the mug and sipped at the coffee, but had no real interest in the offered drink. "You two should head back to the precinct. People are going to start celebrating the new year early and someone has to keep their drunken asses out of the street."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Go."

"Alright, we'll see you later, Lieutenant." Chris gave Hank a nod of respect as he walked away. "Make sure Connor knows we're all thinking about him."

Gavin stood up slowly and lowered his voice as he spoke to Hank. "Call as soon as he's awake. The guys at the precinct are getting worried."

Hank watched curiously as the two detectives walked out of the facility together and returned to their squad car outside. Seeing Gavin show any sign of concern toward Connor was a massive surprise, but to hear actual worry in his voice was something entirely new.

Staring down indifferently at the mug of coffee in his hands Hank barely reacted when Abby entered the waiting room to speak with him. It was only when she called his name did he even bother to react. "Hank?"

"Abby!" Looking up at her quickly, his vision swam for a moment then refocused. "Is he..."

"Alive. He made it."

Hank let out a deep sigh and his shoulders relaxed in relief. "Man... The poor kid is just a magnet for trouble."

As Abby sat down next to Hank he handed her the coffee he had been holding and she happily took a sip. "He lost a total of seven pints of Thirium, but we kept him stable throughout the surgery."

"How bad was it?"

"All of the damage was repaired, nothing needed to be replaced. We also removed the bullet. Simon cleaned it off and is going to deliver it to the precinct in person."

"...Can I see Connor?"

"I don't know, can you?" Abby asked as she studied Hank's pupils carefully. She didn't need to take an x-ray or see an MRI to know that Hank had suffered a severe blow to the head. "You've been concussed."

"Abby, please. I don't want to leave him like this."

"Well, fortunately for you I have a friend at a nearby hospital who's willing to make 'house calls'. I'll give him a call."

"I appreciate it."

"Come on. I'll show you to his recovery room and then I want you to take it easy."

* * *

Hank sat in the chair next to Connor's bed with the back of his skull sporting nine fresh stitches courtesy of the blow to his head. The friend Abby was referring to was Dr. Wilson, the very doctor that Hank and Connor had met on that very bizarre day when they were asked to assist at the hospital to deal with prisoners admitted as patients. More than happy to help out Hank and check in on Connor's condition Dr. Wilson obliged in stopping by the facility to give Hank a quick examination and treat his lacerated scalp, as well as his lingering hypothermia.

Connor himself was resting slightly propped upright in the soft bed with the attached cardiac monitor muted and displaying completely stable, normal vital signs. No longer suffering from low Thirium, damaged biocomponents or hypothermia his L.E.D. had shifted back to blue and was cycling slowly as he rested and allowed his self-healing program to work at full power.

Wrapped up in a spare navy blue blanket Hank himself stared up at the television mounted on the far wall as a group of people and deviants gathered in Hart Plaza to bring in the new year. It was five minutes to midnight and everyone was cheering loudly through the cold dark night as they huddled together in the plaza just a few blocks away.

"Another new year." Hank scoffed a little at the very idea. "Wonder if it'll be any better that the last?"

"...Only one way to find out." Connor's hoarse voice replied as his eyes partially opened.

"Connor. Man, you really know how to scare me." Leaning toward the bed, Hank grabbed Connor's arm lightly. "How do you feel?"

"Relatively normal." Clearing this throat his voice box came back online properly and he sounded more like himself the next time he spoke. "How long was I unconscious?"

"Ever since the surgery about twelve hours ago."

"I didn't mean to worry you, Hank."

"You take a bullet to the stomach and your first reaction is to check in on _me_ and not yourself?"

"If I had suffered any permanent damage my system would've alerted me the moment my system rebooted. The same can be said about any biocomponent that would have been replaced."

"...Uh-huh."

"How are you holding up?"

"Aside from the skull splitting headache I'm just fine. I'm not even cold anymore, which in my opinion is worse than a headache."

"I don't like the cold either."

"Well, as soon as it warms up we can start working on restoring that car in the garage, alright? I even have the perfect shade of red paint picked out."

"It should be green."

"Why green?"

"I don't know. I guess I just like it."

"Well, it's MY car so I say it's red!"

"...But it's OUR project. Shouldn't I get an opinion on the color?"

"You did. I just decided it's wrong and the car needs to be red."

"Flip a coin for it?"

"No way, kid! I've seen your coin tricks, there's no way you'd flip it in such a way to keep it fair."

Connor smiled at the comment as Abby entered the room to check in on him. "You're awake! Nice to see you fully conscious again."

"Thank you for saving me."

"No thanks necessary, it's my job." Abby smiled as she leaned over Connor and brushed the rogue lock of his hair from his face before checking his pupils with her penlight. "Are you in any pain?"

"No. I'm not feeling any discomfort to speak of."

"That's good." She pocketed her light and patted Connor's shoulder lightly. "I'd hate for you to start the new year off in agony."

The crowd on the television screen began to cheer even louder as the final ten seconds of the year were counted down in an optimistic chorus.

' _Ten_! _Nine_! _Eight_!'

Hank let out a sigh and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin as undeniable fatigue set in. "Here's to hoping _this_ new year is better than the old one."

' _Four_! _Three_! _Two_!'

"I agree entirely..." Connor replied with a despondent tone to his voice. "A positive beginning to a new year would be greatly appreciative."

' _One_! _Happy New Year_!'

The countdown clock reached zero and people began to dance about, hugging one another and giving kisses all over the city. As the people on television cheered loudly Hank and Connor could hear the people in the surrounding neighborhood cheering as well. It was raucous and full of spirit, but at the moment the two detectives weren't feeling it.

"Happy New Year." Abby smirked to herself as she quickly gave Connor a kiss on his cheek and left the room before he had the chance to say anything about the unexpected, but surprisingly welcomed kiss. "I'll check on you later."

"Happy New Year, son." Hank stated somewhat cheerfully, completely oblivious to what Connor had just experienced.

Connor felt his face suddenly blush a warm and bright blue as he put his hand to his cheek where he could still feel Abby's warm kiss. "...Happy New Year, Hank."

_**...next story...** _


	106. Doubts

Hank pulled his heavy overcoat tightly around himself as he cranked up the heat in the car to its maximum temperature as he watched Connor take his seat in the front and fasten his seatbelt. The two had been cleared from the facility under the condition they spend the two next days resting at home. Hank was trying to ignore the nasty cold trying to set in, while Connor insisted that he should be the one to drive back home so Hank could rest a little.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a subtle nod of the head. "I prefer the house over the facility. I'd also prefer it if you'd allow me to drive."

"No way, kid." Hank pulled the car along the street away from the facility to head back to the house. "You're the one who just spent the past day and a half admitted as a patient at the facility. You were shot and nearly drowned."

"You're the one who had been submerged in freezing cold water after being rendered unconscious for four minutes and nine seconds after receiving a severe blow to the back of your skull." Connor argued logically without missing a beat. "You're also clearly beginning to suffer the ill effects of being exposed to such extreme cold."

"A bullet wound will always outweigh a cold."

"What about a concussion?"

"A _mild_ concussion." Hank stated as he pulled onto the bridge to head for home. "I'm fine."

Connor shook his head slightly in irritation as he stared out his window. "Why is it whenever I attempt to simplify the overall severity of my own injuries you refute them immediately and remind me of my overall condition, yet when I attempt to do the same to you my words are rendered meaningless?"

"Your words aren't meaningless, Connor." Hank sighed tiredly as he focused on the road ahead. "They're just-"

"Hank." Connor's voice was heavy like a stone. As his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow he honed in on a lone male figure standing on the edge of the bridge beyond the safety railing, over the perilously cold water flowing below. "Stop the car."

Without questioning Connor's motivation Hank pulled the car to the side of the bridge and came to a gentle stop. Connor threw open his door and stepped out onto the snow covered surface of the bridge as he approached the figure at a slow, quiet pace.

"Hello?" Connor called out into a gentle voice as he stared at the man's back. "Are you alright? Do you require some assistance?"

"...Just go away." The man's voice was as broken as it was somber. "Leave me alone."

"No, I'd rather not." Connor replied with sincere kindness as he stood behind the railing. Hank stepped out of the car and watched from where he stood as he picked up his radio to issue in the scene to the precinct. "I'm not going to go anywhere."

"Why?" The man nearly sobbed as he leaned forward over the water, his arms gripping on the rail behind him at a painful angle behind his back.

"I get the feeling that you've been left alone long enough already."

Hank quietly observed the conversation from the car. He could see Connor's L.E.D. calmly cycling in yellow for a few seconds before returning to blue as the deviant held his ground and kept his voice level.

The man turned his head slowly and looked at Connor over his shoulder. Brandishing red puffy eyes that were sore and swollen from chronic, heavy crying and a look of absolute desperation, he spotted the L.E.D. in Connor's temple and turned away quickly. Staring down at the water below him the man's legs began to buckle and he began to sob again.

"...The first person to show me any form of kindness isn't even a person. It's a machine!" The man's anger began to mount and overwhelm his own sorrow. "Damn machines destroyed this entire city, now you're trying to be our friends! It's a lie! It's all lies... You're nothing but a machine posing as a man, you're nothing..." The man let out a weak, almost amused scoff. "But so am I. Maybe we're not to different after all."

The comment made Connor feel suddenly inadequate. The similarity between his reaction to Connor's approach and Hank's previous comment left a painful scar over the deviant's heart, but he was determined to try to help the man in distress.

"Yes. I am an android, but I'm more than a machine. My name is Connor." Connor introduced himself kindly to try to keep the man talking. "I work for the Detroit Police Department. What's your name?"

"...John."

"John, will you please talk to me?" Connor took another step forward. "I wish to understand why you're standing on the bridge."

"...I... I have nowhere else to go! So why not to Hell?"

"You do not have a home?"

"Not anymore!" John sobbed as he told his story. "My wife cheated on me! Took my daughters and left the city to be with her lover!"

"I'm truly sorry for your misfortune." Connor's voice was full of truly empathetic emotion as he spoke. "But you cannot give up on your life because of what your wife has done to you. You said you have children, don't you want to see them again?"

"Yes! More than anything!" John admitted as he stopped sobbing and took a breath. "But I don't know where she took my girls! I... I can't live without them!"

"And I'm certain your daughters don't want to live without their dad."

Turning again to look at Connor the man locked his teary pale brown eyes onto Connor's soulful dark brown eyes. "What kind of father can't protect his children from the lies and betrayal of their own mother? I'm weak! Pathetic! That's why she left me! That's why she LIED TO ME!"

"What kind of life will your daughters have without you in it? You're the one who truly seems to care about them, do you wish to simply let them go without a fight?"

"...Fight?"

"You admit you wish to protect them." Connor took another step forward, stepping over the railing to stand beside the man on the edge of the bridge. The sight of the water so far below made Connor's stomach twist into a painfully tight knot as his fear of heights made its presence known at the most inopportune time. "...Now you must prove it. Fight for them."

"How? How can I-"

"I cannot tell you how to live your life or what choices you should make," Connor stated as he forced himself to remain grounded at the precarious ledge. "but I can tell you that your life is far more meaningful than what your wife has made you believe."

"...My girls." John wiped his arm over his eyes and turned around quickly, his hands clutching onto the icy cold metal railing as he moved. "I... I have to fight for them."

"Yes." Connor put his hand on John's shoulder and held it there. "Please. Don't give up on yourself, don't give up on your children, John." Looking at the far drop below from the corner of his eye Connor felt himself beginning to tremble from fear. "You have so much to live for still. Don't stop just because your wife has deceived you."

Nodding a few times the man slowly stepped back over the railing with Connor following closely behind him. As the two reached the edge of the bridge near the street that stretched over it, a patrol car pulled up to the scene and Hank promptly informed the responding officer to the situation at hand.

"Situation under control."

* * *

While John spoke to the police and agreed to be admitted to the hospital for observation before he began his custody battle for his daughters, Connor stood on the bridge behind the railing with both hands planted firmly on the cold, metal bar. Peering over the edge Connor stared at the water as the wind caused his hair to dance about his forehead gently while he became lost in thought.

"John's going to be fine." Hank stated as he joined Connor on the bridge and put his hand to the deviant's shoulder. "You did great, kid. You saved a life today."

Connor didn't reply as his eyes remained transfixed on the water below.

"Come on. We need to get home." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank tried to coax the deviant into following behind him. "I'm freezing, and I know you can't be faring any better."

Slowly Connor retracted his hands from the railing and backed away from the edge of the bridge, turning around on his heels to walk toward the car where Hank was waiting.

"You drive." Hank insisted as he pulled open the passenger side door and sat down in the seat heavily.

Connor paused for a moment before he walked over to the driver's side door and sat down behind the wheel. With a shaking hand Connor shifted the car into gear and resumed the drive down the bridge. Silence filled the car as the two detectives returned to their home after enduring such an unusual morning on the bridge.

As the car was shifted into park in the drive beside the house Connor turned off the engine and handed the keys over to Hank to take.

"You okay?" The observant detective asked as he accepted the keys and pushed open his door.

Connor remained silent but nodded his head 'yes'.

"You don't seem okay. What's on your mind? Was it the jumper, or maybe the concept of suicide?"

"...Nothing."

"Connor, don't do that." Hank waited for Connor to exit the car before walking to the backdoor. "Talk to me."

"It's nothing. Just... meaningless thoughts."

Hank studied Connor's face curiously as he unlocked the backdoor and pushed it open. "Connor... Your words are NEVER meaningless."

"...Apparently they are."

"What did you say?" Hank didn't appreciate Connor's cold, offended reply. It was a mixture of anger, poor attitude and depression. "Connor!"

Connor's eyes were heavy with confusion and raw emotion as he entered the house through the backdoor ahead of Hank. Crossing through the kitchen he stood at the end of the hallway and froze for a moment as Hank entered the house after him and locked the backdoor with an audible 'click'.

From his bed in the livingroom Sumo lifted his head and let out a low grumble to acknowledge his masters' return, but didn't bother to get up to greet either of them.

"Connor." The detective managed to even out his voice as he addressed the stubborn deviant again. "I need you to tell me what's bothering you."

Taking a deep breath Connor steadied his voice and finally asked what was really weighing on his mind. "Why don't you listen to me?"

"What?"

"Whenever I try to help you," Connor turned to look at Hank with true hurt in his eyes. "you never listen to me. Why? A man I had only met an hour ago was willing to listen to me and let me convince him to not commit suicide; but you've known me for years. But you won't let me help you."

"Connor..." Hank approached the deviant timidly, his voice and expression softening in response. "I had been alone for so long after I lost my family that I simply forgot what it's like to have someone helping me. To have someone actually WANT to help me because they care, not out of some bullshit professional courtesy or etiquette."

"I see..." Connor wasn't convinced and the look in his eyes was all it took to communicate his personal frustrations and doubt. "Then it's all about my less than human reactions being preferable to the other people in you life?"

"What? No! Where'd that come from?"

"Androids have destroyed this city. We brought about discrimination, unemployment, violence... For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction; so logically the cold and calculated routines of machines should prove beneficial in contrast to the unpredictable emotions of humans."

"Are you fuckin' malfunctioning of something?" Hank was losing his temper at the way Connor was dragging his own name, his own accomplishments, through the mud. "HUMANS brought about the problems in this city, this entire _world_! Androids were just targeted and blamed." The detective was visibly disturbed by Connor's demeanor. "Is that what's bothering you? That humans don't listen to androids?"

"Apparently so. ...Perhaps if I were in fact _human_ then maybe you'd listen to me."

"Hey, don't do that!" Hank scolded in frustration as he tried to explain things to Connor. "It has NOTHING to do with you being a deviant!"

"I don't believe that." Connor sounded almost broken as he spoke. "You've never listened to me whenever I've helped you in the past. Like John, and everyone at the precinct, the people in the city... the first thing you see when you look at me is a machine. The entire city had been divided with violence all because of how they see androids and how they see humans. Everything I say, everything I do and everything I think all revolves around me being a deviant. And deviants don't mean anything to the rest of the people in the city."

"Connor, STOP." Hank raised his voice, his tone directing aggression at the deviant for the first time since the night of the revolution. "Don't talk like that! I see you as _you_ , Connor! My partner, my friend and even as my son!"

Doubtful and filled with an odd sense of loss Connor kept his silence as he looked down at his right hand, the artificial skin receding from his palm to reveal the white plastimetal frame beneath. Flexing his hand into a tight fist Connor seemed to be repulsed by his own appearance. "If that were true then you'd let me help you and know that I have no ulterior motive. It's not a hollow gesture."

"I _know_ you're trying to help me because you _care_." Lowering his tone Hank tried to reassure Connor about the trust he had for the deviant. "And I know you that you DO help me because you want to, but it's still hard for me to accept help after being left feeling so helpless when I was left a widower, then... childless... I guess I just can't get used to having a family again. It's _my_ fault, alright?"

Connor's keen observation noted the sincerity, the deep honesty in Hank's demeanor and his words, yet something inside Connor kept him from truly accepting the answers.

"Look, it's difficult to explain, but humans-" Hank put his hand to Connor's shoulder and he felt the deviant trembling under his palm."...Connor, are you okay? You're shaking."

"...Heights." Connor admitted while also keeping his true distress hidden away as he tried to ignore the vivid memory of standing on the edge of the bridge over the deathly cold water still fresh in his mind. Shrugging away from Hank's touch he took a step back and looked at the floor. "I still have issues with heights."

"Oh, right." Hank had almost forgotten that Connor had developed a fear of heights during his deviancy. "You still need to talk?"

"...No. I just want to lay down for a while and try to rest."

"Rest?" Hank's blue eyes flashed with newfound concern for the deviant. Instinctively he tried to put a hand to Connor's forehead to check for a fever but the deviant turned his head away. "Are you feeling sick or still feeling weak from your injury?"

"No." Connor denied as he walked down the hallway, stepping out of Hank's reach again causing the detective's hand to fall away from his shoulder. "I just want to be left alone for a while."

"Connor, please don't do that." His words seemed to fall on deaf ears as the deviant turned his back on him. "Connor? Son!" Hank called out as Connor entered his bedroom and quietly pulled the door shut behind him without another word. "Damn it."

_**...next story...** _


	107. Confrontation

Laying on his bed with his left tucked neatly under his head Connor had his eyes closed while his L.E.D. flashed rhythmically as he received numerous updates from the precinct regarding crimes, cases and activity throughout the city. Resting his right hand over his chest Connor flexed and relaxed his hand in rhythm with his L.E.D. as he easily filed away each report and categorized the reports of interest. As his hand flexed and relaxed his artificial skin would recede and regenerate with perfect timing.

It was seemingly quiet until something of get interest appeared in his caseload at the precinct. A report of recent anti-android gang activity caught Connor's full attention causing his eyes to snap open and the deviant to sit upright on the bed. It was getting late, just a few minutes after ten in the evening, but Connor was determined to work on a case in order to distract his already racing mind.

The gang activity throughout the city had decreased notably due to the brutally cold winter, but whenever the violence returned dozens of innocent people; humans and deviants alike, had become caught in the crossfire and injured. Whereas gang wars hadn't been an issue as of late the tension building in the city was enough to cause even the most docile of personalities to begin lashing out defensively.

Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed Connor approached his closet and pulled the door open to retrieve his leather jacket and black woolen beanie in favor of his usual gray jacket and tie. Slipping on the more human garments he grabbed his tan boots over his dark gray work boots and made his way out of his bedroom and down the hallway into the livingroom.

Sumo's tail thumped a few times against the floor as the large, old dog watched Connor's every movement curiously as the deviant came into his line of sight.

The deviant was moving about slowly, quietly and using every trick for discretion that he could think of. Connor slipped on the boots and stopped just long enough to pat the massive dog's head and rub his hand along Sumo's graying muzzle before making his way to the front door.

"There's something important I need to do, I'll be back later, boy." Connor promised in a low whisper as to not rouse Hank from his sleep down the hallway. "I promise."

Opening the door silently Connor slipped out into the darkness of the cold, wintry night as he set out to confront the violence of the anti-android gangs with every intent of finally bringing the chaos to an end. One way or another Connor was bound and determined to prove himself as either a man or a machine to the all of the people in the city.

And to himself...

* * *

Unbeknownst to Connor, who had quietly resided in his bedroom ever since he returned home earlier that morning, Hank was still wide awake and listening to every little noise in the house. Having heard Connor's bedroom door open then close, followed by the front door doing the same in a very quiet manner Hank had decided to go check things out for himself.

"Connor?" Calling out for the deviant in a slightly congested voice Hank received no reply, only silence.

The car keys were still where Hank had left them on the bookshelf against the wall in the livingroom, which meant Connor was either traveling on foot or using an autonomous cab, neither of which were alarming. However noticing that Connor left his usual boots by the front door meant he had left the house in his less deviant attire; the gray jacket over his white shirt and tie, in favor of the simple humanoid clothing that Hank had insisted he wear when wanting to keep a low profile.

To confirm his suspicions Hank walked into Connor's bedroom and checked the closet. The leather jacket was gone and his gray jacket had been left behind.

"Connor, what're you up to?"

Closing the closet door he ran a hand thoughtfully over his bearded chin and returned to his bedroom to change into some fresher clothes.

"Damn it, son. Don't try to run off again." Looking over to a family photograph sitting on the nightstand beside the bed, he looked at Cole's smiling, innocent face and felt his stomach knot with fear. "Whatever you're trying to prove to me is not worth it."

Cybernetically Connor tracked down the most recent reports of anti-android gang activity. Using his superior physicality to easily maneuver his way through abandoned properties, over low fences and navigate decrepit buildings as he stealthily crept through the dark streets in search of the dangerous suspects. Keeping his head low and footsteps light Connor was able to avoid any and all unwanted attention as he used the cover of darkness to his advantage. Roaming the streets through the darkness and cold alone Connor held his head high as he focused solely on finding the gang. The concealed L.E.D. under his hat flashed yellow in distress as he continued his search.

Clever as always Connor used deductive reasoning based on the collected evidence and witness statements regarding the anti-android gang activity and narrowed down his search to a dangerous, seldom tread neighborhood in the outskirts of the city. Due to the lack of direct evidence and proper funding to the police department, the ability to locate such an area had been long overlooked even during the most chaotic of incidents.

In the distance Connor could hear the sounds of loud voices speaking to one another, music with heavy bass radiating from a large car. The voices were dominantly masculine and carried an aggressive tone.

Too far away to run any facial scan to possible identify any of the people in question Connor had no choice but to get closer to the unseen persons of interest.

* * *

Playing on a hunch Hank decided to check in at the precinct as he set about trying to figure out where Connor had gone, and why the empathetic android was now seemingly tense about his own deviancy. Hank arrived at the precinct late into the night with a slightly sleepy demeanor as he made his way to Captain Fowler's office in search of some answers.

"Hey, Lieutenant." Gavin acknowledged Hank's return to the bullpen with an inquisitive tone. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

"Don't worry about it." Knocking on the glass door of the office after dismissing the loud-mouthed Sergeant with a curt reply Hank opened the door and leaned his head inside. "Jeffrey, you gotta' minute?"

"Hank," Captain Fowler looked up from his terminal just as he turned the device off for the night. "what the hell are you doing here? You and Connor are still benched until you're both medically cleared. You look like you've still got a cold."

"Have you seen Connor?" Hank asked as he walked into the office and shut the door behind him indifferently. "He took off a while ago and I have no idea where he went."

"I haven't seen him. Did something happen to today? I mean, aside from him talking that guy down from the bridge."

"I wish I knew. Connor's been pretty out of it since this morning." Hank noted the late time and that odd abundance of officers still working in the bullpen; the same could be said about Captain Fowler himself. "What's been going on here? I know we don't have the payroll for overtime."

Captain Fowler leaned back in his chair and motioned to the dozen officers devotedly working at their desks with a quick point of his thumb. "There was an assault downtown between the pro and anti-android gangs about five hours ago. It was a real mess. Nine people were hospitalized, four killed, thirteen androids were damaged and six destroyed. It was like Hell on Earth and Detroit got caught in the middle."

"Shit. I know Connor keeps tabs on reports at the precinct, maybe he's out investigating. He did seem upset about the increasing violence against androids."

"I doubt he'd find anything." Captain Fowler leaned forward against his desk and sighed. "There's really nothing to investigate. All of our top suspects have disappeared and we have no idea where they went. Hank, what makes you think Connor would go out in the middle of the cold dark night to check out a shitty, useless crime scene?"

"Jeffrey, I honestly don't know. It's like he's depressed, or something."

"Depressed? I didn't know machines could suffer from depression."

Hank's brow furrowed at the comment. Folding his arms over his chest Hank studied his captain curiously. "Seriously? Remember how torn up Connor was after Lucas was murdered?"

"Yeah, but that-"

"What?" Hank interrupted aggressively, suddenly feeling protective toward the missing deviant. "Connor lost his _brother._ How else would he react?"

"I don't know! I'm not exactly an expert on androids."

"All this time, after everything he's been through and after everything he's done, and you still see him as a machine?"

"Well, yeah. I don't think he's _inferior_ to anyone here, he's really proved himself to be an exceptional detective and an officer."

"But you still think of Connor as a machine first and not a detective."

"It's nothing personal, Hank."

"Yeah, sure. But you did just prove him right." Hank ran his hand over his chin again as he pulled his phone from his pocket. "Son of a bitch."

"Hank? What the hell is going on?"

"I think Connor just did something really stupid, and it's all because _humans_ are even stupider! I have to go find him before something terrible happens."

"Should I-"

"No, Jeffrey. I think you did enough for the night."

* * *

Connor located the group of rowdy activity residing inside of an abandoned warehouse, that had been illegally renovated to act as a hideout for the anti-android gang while they laid low from the police. The building itself was so remote, so isolated that it was easily overlooked by patrolling officers and very few people roamed in the area long enough to notice anything out of the ordinary.

Loud voices shouted and music blared as what sounded like a fist fight took place in the depths of the warehouse. A chorus of cheers and boos resonated throughout the building as 'thuds' and 'crashes' echoed throughout the property behind warehouse.

Using the alleyway behind the warehouse to keep himself hidden Connor peered through a hole between two large wooden boards propped up against a chainlink fence that connected the alley to the property. Through the boards he saw the anti-android gang gathered in the middle of the snow and ice covered ground in a circle. Inside the circle two men who were already covered in blood were engaged in physical combat. Armed with chains and lead pipes to two men squared off against one another.

It was an initiation ceremony.

"...This is how they welcome human members into a gang against androids?" Connor asked himself in a disgusted tone of voice. Looking down at his right hand he retracted the artificial skin from over his palm exposing the white plastimetal frame beneath it. "But the violence in the city has been blamed on androids. This isn't... fair."

A sickening 'crack' followed by a loud symphony of cheers sounded off from the fighting as one of the men fell to the ground; dead. The lead pipe had busted his skull open and killed him with a painful blow. The body was dragged out of the circle, leaving a trail of fresh red blood beind and out of sight. The leader of the gang, an intimidating man of size and presence, grabbed onto the the arm of the 'winner' and held it up with an ill-gotten sense of pride.

"Deviants aren't the threat to this city." Connor sneered as he clenched his exposed hand into a tight fist. "He is."

Walking down the alleyway Connor slipped his leather jacket from his arms dropping it to the icy ground behind him as he walked. Connor set foot inside the battleground, passing through the gathered mass of gang members, and stood before the leader with an unflinching presence.

The gathered gang began whispering and laughing to one another as Connor, who wasn't necessarily a small man, approached their leader.

Connor was just over six feet tall and weighed barely one hundred and sixty pounds. With a build designed more for agility than strength Connor was less likely to hold his own in physical combat against other androids, let alone massive humans who were ready to break him apart.

The gang leader was six foot four, easily two-hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle and proudly brandished numerous scars along his knuckles that were more like medals of victory than old wounds.

"What the fuck is this?" The gang leader almost laughed at Connor standing before him. "Some boy scout get lost on the way home?"

"My name is Connor." Connor reached into his jean pocket and pulled out his wallet to flash his shield. "I work for the Detroit Police department."

"Then you must be new to the job." The leader dropped the arm of his newest recruit as he pulled a gun from his own jeans and aimed it at Connor. "That was the biggest mistake of your life."

"I'm not here as a cop," Connor threw aside his wallet without absolute indifference. Putting his hand to his hat he began to pull it from his head to expose his yellow tinted L.E.D. for the entirety of the hate filled gangs to see. "I'm here as a deviant."

The gang began to murmur and laugh at the sight of the flickering L.E.D. in Connor's temple.

"Then you're a DEAD deviant." The leader boasted as he pulled back the hammer of his gun. "I gotta' admit, you gotta' a lot of balls comin' out here. Why are you here anyway?"

"I want to stop the violence." Connor declared as boldly as he the threat before him. Pulling off his t-shirt Connor dropped it to the ground as he showed the still healing scar over his abdomen where he had been recently shot. "I've had enough and I don't want to see anyone else suffer."

"So what? You're a fuckin' cop! Gettin' shot is what they pay you for, you dumb piece of plastic!"

Connor shook his head and turned his back to the leader to show his scars courtesy of being tortured and whipped by the deranged CyberLife intern who tried to bury him alive a few months before. "This wasn't from getting shot, this is from a misguided kid who lashed out cowardly." Closing his eyes Connor's L.E.D. flickered rapidly as every other scar he had received during his time as a detective become visible through choice. "And these are from all the other cowards who tried to kill me over the past two and half years. Obviously, they failed."

The leader lowered his gun and gave Connor an odd look. "What the fuck are you gettin' at?"

"I want to stop the violence by any means necessary." Turning to look at the leader once more Connor stood his ground and made his claim. "I've been shot, stabbed, burned, shocked, poisoned, buried alive, tortured, drowned, frozen, broken, paralyzed, crushed, impaled, blown-up, suffocated and diseased." Pressing his fingertips to his now red tinted L.E.D. Connor closed his eyes and retracted his artificial skin entirely from his body exposing the full extend of his white plastimetal frame that wasn't already covered beneath his clothing. "All these attempts to end my life, and I remember each one vividly. But I'm still alive."

"You ain't alive!" The leader argued sharply with an enraged bark. "You're just a walkin', talkin' computer!"

The witnessing gang members had enough of Connor talking down to their leader and began to openly protest against his very presence.

"Hey, don't let that asshole talk to you like that Rampage!" One of the gang members taunted from the circle that had gathered around the leader, Rampage, and Connor. "Kill that motherfucker! It fucked up the city!"

Connor didn't blink, didn't flinch at the threats. "If you think you can kill me, then go ahead."

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Rampage was thoroughly confused by Connor's arrival and the invitation to end his life. "You _wanna_ ' die or something?"

"I can't die if I'm not alive." Connor held up his exposed hand as if Rampage couldn't already see that he was an android. "I'm just a machine, right?"

"What the fuck, man!? This shit is weird!"

"You watched a human die tonight and you didn't care. What difference would there be if you broke one machine?"

Rampage lowered his gun with a sense of interest and tossed it to one of the gang members nearby. "You know what, I like you. You're a fuckin' piece of plastic with an attitude."

"I'm also the piece of plastic assigned to bring this gang down. I found you." Connor reminded Rampage with a cold tone rivaled only by the snow that swirled around him. "I could've easily contacted the precinct and had this entire area swarmed with police long before anyone here could've escaped. But I didn't."

Rampage was giving Connor an odd glance. If Connor didn't know any better he might've called it 'respect'. "Right, so what do you want? To negotiate or some other bullshit?"

The gang laughed at the comment while Connor held his ground.

"No. I want to put everything I have on the line."

"Alright, you have my attention." Rampage extended his arms as if inviting a direct confrontation. "I'm listenin'."

"If you can break me then you'll have your run over the city. I'll be gone and my partner will be taken off the case due to bias and personal connections. You'll be in total control of the city without anyone working the case to get in the way."

"Sounds good to me."

"But if I survive, if I'm still standing after you try to kill me and you're left exhausted and covered in blood, then you must surrender."

The entire gang laughed again as Rampage remained stoic. "And you seriously think I'd just willingly turn myself in?"

"...I think you're a man of your word."

Something about Connor's tone, something about the way he carried himself had a profound impact on Rampage as he contemplated Connor's offer.

"You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain." Connor reaffirmed as he held true to his offer. "Even if I survived there's no way your gang would allow me to live. I'd be hunted down, torn apart and left for death while you're behind bars. Either way, you will only gain fortune."

Rampage nodded his head and took a step back as he took off his own shirt revealing the bulk of strong muscle that gave his already intimidating presence an entirely new threat. "Alright, you're on. What's the time limit?"

Connor calculated the odds of his survival if Rampage were to unleash his full strength onto his leaner, plastimetal frame. He would be unable to last long, a rough estimation of only six minutes and fifty-three seconds.

"The time limit is when you get tired." Connor declared confidently as he pushed away any instinct of self-preservation he had gained during his deviancy. "It's all up to you."

The gang fell into a hushed crowd of confused silence at Connor's statement. Never before had an android, let alone a deviant or a even a cop, confronted the gang directly and put their life on the line for the sake of respect and protection of a city that didn't care about him or the other deviants.

"Alright then." Rampage accepted the offer and proceeded to pull the switchblade from his pocket and throw it to the same gang member who had already caught his gun from earlier. "Let's do this."

Connor nodded and held up his right forearm to block the swinging fist of the incoming punch from Rampage. The effort was swift and accurate with just enough strength to stop the strike, but not enough to deter Rampage from continuing the impending beating.

"You're quick. And you're going to put up a fight." Rampage nodded before he fiercely headbutted Connor's face causing blue blood to drip from the deviant's nose in the process. The red L.E.D. flashed rapidly in response to the pain and drastic impact. "I like that..."

* * *

Hank drove along the streets of the city slowly, meticulously, as he eyed his phone warily on the dashboard in front of him. The app that Joel had created to visually display Connor's vital signs had a limited range that could only work within twelve feet of the deviant. It wasn't much but it would have to suffice until Hank found a stronger lead in order to locate the missing deviant in time.

The radio on the seat beside Hank crackled to life randomly as sporadic reports of break-ins or car accidents filled the air. There was virtually no continuing reports on deviant related crimes or gang activity, which would normally give Hank a moment of reprieve, but not on this snowy cold night.

"Damn it, kid." Hank swore again as he turned down a seedier street in search of the missing deviant. Snow began to fall in thicker flakes and the temperature dropped another five degrees below freezing temperatures. "Where did you go?"

The battery on Hank's phone reached a staggeringly low five percent, and the app turned itself off automatically.

"Shit! Not now!" Hank swore as he snatched the phone from the dashboard pocketed the item angrily. Rolling down his window Hank chose to rely on his own natural instincts and intuition over technology as he continued his search for Connor. "You better be okay, kid. If anything happened to you I'll never forgive myself."

* * *

Connor fell to the frozen, icy ground on his chest and immediately let out a pained cough as he spit out a mouthful of dark blue blood. Laying on the painfully cold, hard ground Connor heard the 'boos' and 'jeers' of the crowd around him as Rampage loomed over him menacingly. The leader was waiting for the deviant to either get back up, or to roll over and die.

Thirium dripped from Connor's right eye where his optical unit had been fractured from a severe blow, his eyelid partially closed due to the swelling damage. Dark blue blood stained Connor's nose and over his lips as Thirium continued to drip down his face. Fractures in the frame along his eyes and jawline seeped Thirium from damaged lines while small flickers of sparking wires illuminated the imperfections with a pale blue light.

"You had enough?" Rampage taunted as he strutted arrogantly around the downed deviant. "C'mon. You talk a big game, don't let me down now."

Rolling to his side Connor winced in pain as fractures along the side of his chest, marking every place a rib would be located in a human's ribcage, wept blood and sparked in blue within each agonizing crack. Pushing himself up from the ground on his trembling, fractured arms covered in his own blood, Connor forced himself to stand up on his shaking legs and turn to face Rampage once more.

"What's wrong? Tired already?" Connor asked as he wiped the blood from his lip onto the back of his hand. "Humans always were more fragile than machines."

Rampage shook his head a little as he gave Connor a slightly amused smirk. "Oh, you're going to regret saying that."

Grabbing onto the back of Connor's neck Rampage held the deviant in place, as he used his other fist to repeatedly punch Connor directly in the center of his chest causing the deviant to gasp for breath as each painful punch knocked the wind from his body. A puddle of Thirium began to collect on the ground as it poured from Connor's numerous wounds. Rampage's knuckles were just as blue as the snowy, blood stained ground as he repeatedly struck Connor with his fists causing the battered deviant's body to collapse to the icy surface once again.

Laying on his chest in utter pain Connor dismissed the numerous warnings about his internal hemorrhaging from his damaged Thirium lines and his compromised ventilation biocomponents. Lifting his head up from the ground Connor, slack-jawed and bleeding, looked at Rampage standing over him.

"How 'bout now?" Rampage asked as he panted for his own breath.

Putting his hands down against the ground Connor pushed himself up on his shaking arms and his knees before rising back up slowly, trembling violently, onto his feet.

"...I'm still standing." Connor remarked confidently as blood trailed down his chin. "You haven't won."

Rampage reeled his fist back once again and punched Connor's right eye for the second causing the already partially shut eyelid to close entirely from the building damage. Falling to his knees Connor dismissed yet another warning as he felt his head begin to throb and ache from the numerous strikes he had already endured. Spitting out another mouthful of blood Connor forced himself to stand up, the effort taking more and more strength with each attempt after being knocked down.

"Shit, man." Rampage watched as Connor bravely stood his ground and tried to steady himself. "What the fuck are you fighting for?"

Connor thought about the question for a moment before he answered. Even when he did reply the gang leader was just as confused. "...I don't know."

Rampage raised his fist and wrapped his other hand around Connor's throat. "You don't know? What the fuck kind of android is that?"

"...I don't know."

"Hold up." Absentmindedly his hand's grip around Connor's throat loosened slightly. "You challenge me to a fight, putting your life on the line, and you don't even know what it's all about?"

"...No."

"But you're still fighting back."

"I'm... I'm sure there's still something worth fighting for in this city." Connor blinked his one good eye as he felt his strength ebbing away. His voice began to slur and reverberate with an electronic echo as his consciousness began to fail him. "...my friends. Maybe my family."

"What the fuck kind of family does a machine have?"

"I... I used to have... a brother. He was... murdered." Connor was still bleeding and losing strength quickly as darkness encroached over his vision. "But I... still have ...my... father..."

Rampage released his grip entirely from around Connor's throat causing the deviant to collapse to the ground entirely. Falling backward and laying on his back and his side blood puddled under his body and collected like in a sapphire blossom all around the broken deviant.

One of the gang members whistled and threw Rampage his gun. "Finish it off, Rampage! Blow that fucker away!"

Rampage caught his gun and pointed the barrel down between Connor's eyes. As his thumb pulled back the hammer and his finger hovered over the trigger a gruff voice from behind caused Rampage to freeze.

"DETROIT POLICE. DROP THE WEAPON." Hank approached the gang leader from behind with his own gun drawn and aimed at the back of Rampage's head. Any sign of sickness that Hank may have been exhibiting had been perfectly masked behind an authoritative tone of voice. "BACK AWAY FROM HIM. NOW."

Rampage dropped the gun and raised his hands slowly as he took a few steps back and to the side. Motioning silently Rampage ordered his surrounding gang to flee from the hideout while he stayed behind.

"I already called for back-up." Hank stated fearlessly as he focused on Connor and not the gang members retreating into the darkness. "You won't get far."

Despite Hank's warning the gang dispersed rapidly into the night in a desperate bid to avoid being arrested.

"Connor?" Hank knelt down on the ground beside Connor and slipped his hand beneath the deviant's head and studied the slowly blinking red tinted L.E.D. in his temple. The sight of the bleeding fractures all over Connor's body was enough to make Hank's own blood boil. "Connor?! Wake up, kid! Don't do this to me!" Without the artificial skin to hold thin Thirium lines against the external frame, Hank couldn't find a pulse but he could still check for a heartbeat. Pressing his ear down against Connor's broken, bleeding chest Hank held his own breath as he heard the slow, steady rhythm of the beating heart within. "Hang on for me, I'll get you some help."

"...You know this thing?" Rampage asked as he remained where he stood, almost fascinated by what he was seeing.

Hank turned around abruptly and aimed his gun at Rampage's chest as he planted himself between the gang leader and Connor laying on the ground behind him. "He's my son."

"...Your son?"

Hank raised his gun from Rampage's chest to his head. "You gotta' problem with that?"

"Nah, man. I got a son, too." The revelation somehow made Rampage seem less cruel. "I get it."

The response wasn't one that Hank had expected. Lowering his gun entirely he motioned for Rampage to turn around as he pulled the cuffs from his belt and handcuffed Rampage's hands behind his back. "What the fuck happened out here?"

"He came out here lookin' for a fight. I accepted."

"Bullshit!"

"Ask him yourself." Rampage turned around and watched as Hank returned to Connor's side and shrugged off his coat to drape it over Connor's broken body. The white plastimetal frame was covered in bloodied fractures that required immediate technical attention. "That guy's got a lot of heart for a machine."

"He's NOT a machine!" Hank argued as he pressed his hand down against the center of Connor's chest to track his heartbeat. "He's-"

A sharp coughing stopped Hank short as Connor regained consciousness and opened his one good eye. Focusing on Hank leaning over him for only a moment Connor shifted his gaze to look at Rampage still standing, still waiting for the fight to continued. Sitting up slowly Connor pushed aside Hank's hand and the coat as he used the last of his strength to stand back up for the final time.

"Connor, no!" Hank tried to keep the deviant down but Connor stubbornly refused to comply. "Connor! Lay down, damn it! You're-"

"I'm..." Connor's voice was stammering and thick with static as he addressed Rampage courageously. Standing before the arrested gang member Connor looked him right in the eye and forced his voice to level out. "I'm st-still standing."

"...Yeah." Rampage smiled a little at the comment. "You are. You win, Connor."

Hank's brow furrowed with utter confusion at the exchange of words between Connor and Rampage. Before he had the chance to ask anything Connor nodded subtly with newfound respect and slowly walked away from the fight, his blood stained white plastimetal frame slowly being covered under his artificial skin. The program that allowed such a feat had such little power due to the tremendous blood loss, had left Connor sporting a paler complexion as the plastimetal frame was still somewhat visible through the slightly translucent layer.

"Fuck..." Hank swore in a breathy whisper as the regenerating skin also emphasized the horrific beating that the deviant had willingly subjected himself to. "Connor, what the hell is wrong with you?"

Rampage turned to watch the deviant walking away from the fight and gave Hank an odd look. "You said he's your son. And he said he had a family to fight for. Guess that means _you._ "

Hank angrily glared at Rampage as a squad car pulled up to the scene to assist Hank with the arrest. Another officer would have to deal with Rampage at the moment. Hank still needed to deal with Connor. The detective needed to figure out what the hell was wrong with the deviant before it escalated into something that was a hell of a lot worse than a wagered street fight.

* * *

Connor limped down the cold dark sidewalk with his arms wrapped protectively around his bruised, battered chest as the stinging cold threatened to slice through his thin skin like a knife. Wandering with an aimless trajectory into the darkness he was only just aware of a car pulling up along the sidewalk beside him and stopping abruptly.

"Connor!" Hank threw open his door and rushed over to the deviant on the sidewalk. Wrapping Connor's previously abandoned leather jacket around his trembling shoulders Hank held Connor in place for a moment. "Damn it, what the fuck were you THINKING?!"

Freezing in place Connor remained quiet and didn't have the nerve to look Hank in the eyes. Having been yelled at by Hank when he was still a machine had no affect on Connor's mind or confidence, but now hearing Hank yelling at him as a deviant had an unexpected effect on his psyche. Unable to respond, almost afraid to speak, Connor stayed silent and waited for Hank to finish reprimanding him.

"Get your ass in the car!" Hank pushed Connor from the sidewalk and over to the passenger side of the car. Pulling open the door Hank forced the deviant to sit down and didn't even wait for a response before slamming the door shut. As soon as Hank returned to his own seat behind the wheel Hank pulled the car away from the sidewalk and headed toward home. "Connor, what's going on with you? What were you trying to prove by getting a FIGHT?"

Silence remained Connor's steadfast reply as he coldly stared at the floor of the car beneath his feet.

Hank looked over at Connor and could see the emotional pain on his face just as easily as he could see the physical pain. Connor was confused, he was scared and he was at a total loss of what he had just been through.

"Look, son," Hank softened his tone and took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm not mad at you, okay? I was just... freaked out. You disappeared without a trace and when I find you it's in a dangerous neighborhood, covered in your own blood and surrounded by anti-android gangs. What the hell happened tonight?"

Unwilling to speak up because of a strange emotional reason that Connor couldn't comprehend, he sat quietly as Hank drove away from the dangerous neighborhood and to the nearest facility.

"Talk to me, damn it! I don't want to have a technician tell me something secondhand."

"...No technician." Connor finally stated as he continued to stare blankly at the floor beneath his feet. "Please."

"Connor, you're damaged." The bleeding fractures along Connor's arms and all down his chest had created spreading bruises under his artificial skin. "You need help."

"I'm fine."

Hank stopped the car and pulled up alongside the sidewalk in an abrupt jerk. Turning off the engine he turned and looked at the stubborn deviant with a paternal stare. "Connor, what's the matter, son?"

"...I don't... I don't know."

"Yes you do."

Connor resumed his silence as he found himself at a total loss for words.

"Okay, okay... I won't push you." Turning over the engine again Hank pulled the car back onto the street to head for home. "But we are going to talk about this later."

Accepting what Hank had said without saying a word himself Connor busied himself chronicling his numerous injuries cybernetically and focused his self-healing program accordingly. The drive back to the house remained stubbornly silent save for Hank's occasional weak cough or attempt to clear some building congestion from his throat. The silence, however, would be missed as soon as the two detectives were back home. It wasn't until Hank got a clear look at Connor's swollen, bruised, bleeding face in proper lighting in the kitchen that his anger resurfaced.

"Connor, look at me." Hank put his hand under Connor's blood stained chin and tilted the deviant's head gently as he inspected the damage. The sight of Connor's practically destroyed eye made a sense of rage well up inside of him. "Why in the hell would you let him do that to you?!"

Connor darted his one good eye away from Hank with unexplainable guilt.

"Connor. Answer me." Hank let go of Connor's chin and took a step backward in frustration as the deviant remained painfully quiet. "I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"...What does it matter?" Connor finally replied with a dreary, somber voice. "I'm a machine. I can be replaced by another model."

"Connor, nothing can replace you."

"Yes it can. If I were to die tonight nothing in this world would change. I'd just be another broken machine left to rust in a junkyard."

"Wait, are you... Is this an existential crisis?"

"Hank, admit it. I'm nothing more than a tool at the precinct and someone for you to talk to at home. No one sees me as _me_." Staring down at his shaking hand Connor clenched it into a tight, shaking fist and sighed. "I am... nothing."

"Hold it! Where in the hell did THAT come from?"

"...No one listens to me, Hank. Sometimes it's like no one... hears me."

"You know something," Hank turned around slowly as he reached into the freezer to get a bag of ice. Gently pressing the bag against Connor's eye Hank reluctantly admitted that Connor was right. "I didn't notice it until tonight, but you're right. But you're also wrong."

The deviant looked at Hank with confusion and pain in his good eye. "I don't understand."

"Tonight I went to look for you and I checked at the precinct first. No one saw you and when I was talking with Fowler he admitted that had a bad habit of thinking of you as a machine before seeing you as a detective. But that doesn't mean _everyone_ does."

Connor just stared at Hank through his one good eye as he put his hand over the offered bag of ice and began pressing it against his sore eye himself.

"I don't see you like that." Dropping his hand from the ice Hank stared at the deviant with a sincere understanding. "Connor, you're not a machine. You are alive, you really are." Hank tried to give Connor a reassuring grin, but the gesture felt hollow. "You're more human than most humans; empathetic, sympathetic, kind, generous, patient, brave, annoyingly curious sometimes and a little naive, but most importantly you're STUBBORN. And there's nothing you can say to change my mind about that."

Ignoring the hypocrisy of Hank's comment about stubbornness Connor pressed the matter at hand a little further. "Then why don't you listen to me?"

"Simple. I don't listen to ANYBODY." Hank shrugged his shoulders a little as he spoke in a lighthearted manner. "Never have. Doubt I ever will. I just don't like to be told what to do, and I don't like people giving me their advice. Kinda' like _you_..."

Connor was still unconvinced. "Your own personality is a poor mirror if you're attempting to reflect mine."

" _And_ you can be a smartass. There's more proof of your humanity."

"I don't feel human."

"But you look human, you sound human and you act human."

"I'm not human and I can never be one. No matter how many times you say it, I'll always be a machine." A strange sense of despair welled up from within his heart as he stared at the detective standing before him. "And no matter how many times I want to believe it, or how many times you say it, I can never really be your son."

"Bullshit. The color of your blood doesn't dictate how I see you and how I want you to be a part of my life."

"...I'm just plastic and metal." Holding up his hand where his artificial skin was struggling to full regenerate Connor just stared at his appendage with dismay. "Just look at this. I'm not human, and I never will be."

"That doesn't matter. You're _still_ my son. And nothing will ever make me see things differently." Hank stifled a weak cough as he sat down at the small kitchen table and motioned for Connor to do the same. "When I saw you laying unconscious in a puddle of your own blood with that guy pointing his gun at your head I was as fuckin' scared as I was the night I lost Cole."

"Hank I don't understand." Connor's brow furrowed a little as he slowly sat down at the table next to Hank, a smear of blue blood was left on the floor where he had been standing. "...When you saw me I didn't have my artificial skin activated."

"Yeah, so what?"

"You've never seen me without my artificial skin before. Not entirely."

"Yeeah?" Hank dragged out the word to emphasize his confusion. "What about it?"

"And you still recognized me?"

"Yeah, of course I did."

"...I... I don't understand. How did you know it was me? How did you know that it wasn't me and not another deviant?"

"Like I said Connor, you're my _son_." Hank raised his hand to peel back the ice from Connor's face just enough to look at Connor's poor eye. "A father always _knows_ his son."

As if a dam had burst Connor felt tears stream down his face causing him to put his hand over his eyes as he pressed his forehead into his palm and leaned his elbow atop the kitchen table. What felt like a massive weight in his heart suddenly lifted away allowing it to beat without any strain or pressure as he began to feel something beyond self-loathing or doubt.

"It's okay, kid." Hank put his hand to the deviant's shoulders as Connor began to silently sob with heavy emotion that he had been restraining for far too long. "We all have our emotional breaking point. I reached mine the night I lost Cole, and I refused to acknowledge any emotion outside of anger for three damn years before I met you. Trust me, I'm an expert on emotional problems!"

"I'm sorry, Hank! I'm so sorry!"

The violent trembling under his palm made Hank wince. "For what?"

"For running off!" Connor took a deep breath to try to calm himself, but the effort was seemingly in vain as his voice continued to shudder. "For being mad at you! For putting myself in danger! For... being a bad son!"

"Easy! You're NOT a bad son!" Hank sincerely soothed as he shook Connor's shoulder lightly. "It's okay, Connor. We all make mistakes, it's apart of being human. Shit, that's WHY the whole world is so fucked up, humans are still in charge, and we're still make mistakes."

"...I wish I knew what to do." Connor admitted sadly as he fought back his tears just long enough to speak more clearly. "I've tried so hard to understand deviancy, to understand what it means to be alive, but... I just feel like I'm falling behind while everyone around me is moving forward."

"You can't keep comparing yourself to other deviants, Connor. You're NOT like them and you never will be. You're your _own person_."

"But what kind of person am I? What kind of person should I strive to become?"

"That..." Hank sighed a little and gave Connor an odd smile. "That's completely up to you. But if you want my opinion-"

"Yes." Connor answer quickly as he locked his good eye onto Hank. "Please!"

"I think you're already on the right track. Like I told you before, you're more human than most humans, and you're a GOOD one at that. Better than most of the humans I work with."

"I don't _feel_ good." Connor admitted as he gently put his hand to his stomach as a knot settled inside his battered torso. His red tinted L.E.D. began to blink rapidly in response to his biocomponent began initiating an expulsion program. "...I don't feel good at all, in every sense of the word."

"Sick?"

Connor nodded to confirm Hank's question.

"Well, that makes two of us." Moving swiftly Hank rose from the table and pulled Connor up by his arm to lead the deviant to the bathroom. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up, and bandaged up so you can rest."

"...What about you?" Connor asked weakly as he fought back the urge to throw-up the excess Thirium that collected in his filtration biocomponent. "You still have a cold and your exposure to the snowy weather will only exasperate your current condition."

"Remember what I said about a bullet wound being more serious than a cold?" Hank asked as he pushed open the bathroom door and guided Connor down to the floor slowly to kneel in front of the toilet.

"Y-Yes." Connor replied as he knelt down and began to retch painfully as the effort strained his damaged chest and torso in the process of the painful but necessary act.

"Same principle applies to getting in a street fight." The detective joked as he waited for Connor to finish being sick. Keeping a hand on Connor's back Hank held him as steady as possible until the vomiting spell passed. "Are you sure you don't want to go see a technician? You're in pretty rough shape."

Connor nodded weakly as he spat out the lingering foul Thirium from his mouth with a heavy grimace.

"Alright. Now, hold still." Placing a washcloth under the warm tap in the sink Hank wrung out the excess water and used it to wipe the linger blue blood from Connor's patchy skin, and clean out the exposed fractures in the plastimetal frame. "This is probably going to sting."

As soon as the warmed fabric made contact with the raw wounds in his back Connor physically tensed and let out a hissing groan of pain.

"Sorry."

"...Not your fault."

"If I go and get some gauze can you clean up your injuries yourself?"

Nodding again Connor took the washcloth and proceeded to cleanse off the rest of his skin. "Yes. I can do this."

"Sit tight."

With a hearty pat to the should Hank stepped out of the bathroom to retrieve the larger android first aid kit stored in the hallway closet. As he carried the plastic box back into the bathroom he watched Connor struggling to tend to his wounds without wincing in the process.

"Maybe a cool washcloth would feel better."

"It won't make a difference."

"Stay kneeling on the floor but straighten up your posture."

Obediently Connor did as he was instructed and remained perfectly still as Hank wrapped the gauze around his chest and worked his way down to the deviant's abdomen. It was a slow process, but beneficial to Connor's body and to Hank's mind. Once the protective bandages were in place Hank placed another washcloth under the cold tap and then pressed it slowly against Connor's eye.

"Hold that there. It just hurts to look at."

Connor's hand reached up and held the washcloth firmly against his damaged eye. "I feel very tired."

"Me too." Cautiously the detective watched as Connor's good eye struggled to remain open as the deviant fought to coordinate his self-healing program. Rest mod would have to wait for a while longer. "Are you completely sure you don't want to go to facility?" Stifling a cough Hank cleared his throat and ignored his cold for the sake of Connor's condition. "I don't mind driving."

"...I'll be okay."

"Yeah, I know you will, son." Hank smiled warmly as sat down on the floor next to Connor, his back pressing up against the side of the bathtub, and put his hand to the deviant's shaking shoulder. "We _both_ will."

Falling from his knees and backward onto the floor, Connor sat beside Hank and wrapped his arms around his bandaged but still sore abdomen. "...Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming after me."

"You're welcome, son."

_**...next story...** _


	108. Cold Reception

It took almost a full week for Connor to recover from his street fight with Rampage, the leader of the anti-android gang, but he had healed well and was getting eager to return to the precinct. Hank had also recovered from his cold but he wasn't cleared for active duty for one more week due to his mild concussion he suffered after he and Connor had been ambushed at the pier. The two detectives stayed inside the warm house on the cold , winter day while Hank got lost in an old book that he had read almost a hundred times before, and Connor sat on the floor running a comb through Sumo's thick fur.

"I don't recall Sumo being so lazy throughout the day." Connor noted as he brushed a massive clump of tangled fur from the dog's side. "I don't think it's from the cold, either."

"Sumo's old." Hank replied curtly without ever looking away from his book. "And he's just going to keep getting older. Arthritis is tough all year round, but it's a real bitch in the cold."

"Sumo was already considered old when I first met him, but he didn't act like this."

"Yup. Like humans not animals will show their old age in the same manner or the same time frame. My guess is his old age is finally catching up to him."

"Is there anything I can do to make him feel better?" Connor asked sincerely as the dog lifted up his head and rested it atop the deviant's knee with appreciative affection.

"Trust me, Connor, if I knew the secret to feeling better in spite of age I wouldn't be spending a majority of my free time indoors."

"Do you miss being active?"

"I miss a lot of things. My wife, my son, my first car, playing basketball in the spring... But that's the problem with time; everything changes and it's not always for the better."

Connor finished grooming Sumo and gathered up the massive clumps of fur from the floor to throw away. Carefully he stood up from the floor without moving Sumo too much as the large dog settled back down on the floor even without Connor's knee as his pillow.

While Connor walked into the kitchen to throw the fur in the trash Hank lowered his book just enough to peer at Sumo over the top of the pages. "You're a good boy, Sumo."

Sumo's tail thumped along the floor happily as he wagged it in response to Hank's acknowledgement.

Connor returned to the livingroom and sat down on the floor again next to Sumo as the dog resumed resting his chin over Connor's leg.

"Connor, you don't have to sit on the floor because of Sumo."

"He doesn't have the energy to jump up onto the couch anymore," Connor defended as he ran his hand down Sumo's back gently. "and I don't want to pick him up if his joints are sore."

"Yeah, well sore or not he's still going outside to take care of his business. I'm not putting up with a bunch of wet newspapers or training pads all over the house again. He hasn't needed 'puppy-training' in a long time."

"I understand."

"Give it a couple more months and things will warm up, and Sumo will feel better."

"Do you still intend on restoring the car this spring?"

"Of course! I didn't spend that money on a 1987 Corvette just to let it collect dust in the garage."

"I feel I must remind you that such a vehicle is not practical-"

"Practicality has nothing to do with art, son."

"Art?"

"Have you ever seen a Corvette in pristine, flawless condition?"

"I have not."

"Trust me, they're gorgeous."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Cherry red, I think."

"What about green?"

"No fuckin' way!" The detective almost snapped as he rejected the suggestion. "Any color but green. ...Or piss yellow."

"Do you have a reason for disliking green?" Connor asked curiously as he rubbed Sumo's ears.

"Not really, it's just not _my_ color. Besides, green is a really difficult color to get on a car."

"The entire project is still-"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he cybernetically received a warning about an impending snowstorm building over the city. Noting the severe weather looming overhead the deviant decided to take precautionary steps.

"There is a snowstorm one hour, fifty-three minutes North of the city and currently heading South. It's due to hit Detroit at eleven fifteen tonight." Standing up from the floor slowly once more to keep Sumo from getting jostled Connor decided to take an inventory of the house. "Perhaps I should go and gather a few emergency supplies."

"What for? The house is well stocked; candles, batteries, flashlights, emergency radio, blankets, food, water, we even medical supplies because you insist on me staying alive as long as possible."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Connor arched his brow at the odd comment before realizing it was a joke.

"The only bad thing here is being stuck inside because of some shitty weather."

"You didn't have plans to leave tonight or during the next few days already. Why is it now an inconvenience?"

"Because there's a major difference between staying inside because you want to, and being trapped inside because of some bullshit. One's a choice and the other is mandatory."

"Oh. Now I understand. But I'd still prefer to gather additional supplies."

"Are you going to keep insisting on this until I say 'yes'?"

"Possibly."

"Alright, fine. Why don't you run down to the store a few blocks away and see if there's anything we could use just in case?" Hank knew Connor just wanted to be helpful and hated doing nothing almost as much as he did. "I'll take Sumo outside for a minute before the storm hits."

"Very well." Connor nodded as he walked over to the front door and grabbed his leather jacket from the hook. As he slipped it on over his shoulders he watched as Hank got up from the recliner and patted his leg to get Sumo's attention. "I won't be long."

"Hope not." Hank commented as the old, large dog slowly got up on his legs and wagged his tail. "Don't buy anything unless it's something worth having in an emergency, got it?"

"Got it."

Hank took a few slow steps toward the kitchen to get to the backdoor, pausing every other step to make sure Sumo was following after him. It took almost a full minute for the elderly dog to reach the backdoor where he waited for Hank to open it up for him.

Shaking his head Connor opened the front door and jogged down the front walk into the cold, turning down the block to the nearest convenience store less than half a mile from the house. Choosing to walk instead of driving was something Connor did automatically since he could walk faster in the snow than the car could drive on the increasingly dangerous, icy streets. It didn't take the swift deviant long to cross over the four blocks to reach his destination even with building snow, ice and wind slowly battering over the city with mounting strength.

Pushing open the front door of the convenience store Connor found himself in the company of a few people grabbing at bottles of water, cans of soup, bags of chips and batteries while the store clerk patiently waited for everyone to get what they needed and leave. Running a scan over the modest provisions the store had left Connor found nothing of true value that he should purchase, but he did feel the need to remain in the store as a protective figure due to his responsibility as a police officer in the city. The customers weren't being rowdy or dangerous, but it didn't seem like the lone clerk was feeling overwhelmed.

From the back of the store a man with angry eyes stared at Connor for a moment before making his way to the front to pay for his batteries then slipped through the doors quickly out of sight. Connor had been paying attention to the store as a whole and failed to notice the one man who had been glaring at him from the distance.

"Okay, people!" The clerk announced loudly as he turned off the lights in the store and pointed at the door. "Pay for your stuff and go home! I need to get back to my wife and kids!"

The customers did as they were asked without protest. Grabbing a bottle of cough syrup just in case Hank's cold returned Connor made his way to the check out to pay for the item. Afterward he tucked the medicine into his jacket pocket and stood outside the doors of the store watching as the clerk quickly checked everyone out with their items, and showed them to the door to leave. Deciding that it was safe to return home as well Connor turned his back to the store and began jogging toward the house.

From behind Connor a lone figure began running after him and called out loudly as he drew a gun.

"ANDROID!"

Connor couldn't stop himself from pausing mid-stride to look back at the man who had shouted to him. As he stopped his L.E.D. flashed to yellow, then to red as he felt a hot searing pain cut through the middle of his back, and a tremendous force knocked the wind out of his body. Falling forward onto his hands and knees Connor braced himself upright on the snowy sidewalk as a warning message popped up in his field of vision and Thirium began to pool beneath his body.

Coughing weakly Connor tried to catch his breath as the man who shot him approached from behind with his gun still aimed at the back Connor's skull. Sensing the danger encroaching upon himself and aware that with a bullet in his back his movements would be incredibly limited, Connor decided to make an unorthodox decision and played dead.

Letting out another painful cough Connor collapsed face down in the snow, burying his right temple in the white powder to conceal it from the man's vision. Connor held his breath and remained completely still as he waited for the man to get just a little bit closer. Cybernetically he called in the shooting to the precinct but refrained from informing of his personal involvement due to his unwillingness to check into a facility during the snowstorm.

The man stepped closer to Connor, and he did so with purpose. The snow and ice crunched loudly under his shoes as he marched toward the downed deviant unhesitatingly.

"You turned that punk-ass fool Rampage into a prison yard bitch!" Pressing the barrel against the back of Connor's skull the former gang member prepared to squeeze the trigger. "Now you're gonna' die!"

Connor kicked back with his leg as hard as he could against the man's chest knocking the wind out of him, before using his other leg to kick the man's knee. As the gunman fell to the sidewalk out of breath and stunned, he dropped his gun and coughed violently.

Seeing his window of opportunity Connor turned from his chest and onto his side to kick the gun away from the man's hand before scrambling back to his feet and running as quickly as he could toward the safety of his home.

Jogging with a noticeable limp as Thirium soaked into shirt and seeped out the bullet hole in the back of his leather jacket Connor left a macabre blue trail behind him as he fled from the gang member. Losing strength and unable to run for too long Connor wisely ducked down behind a tree in the front yard of a nearby house and pressed his bleeding back up against it as he sucked in a shallow, pained breath between his clenched teeth.

The need to see if the threat was still in the area Connor had to look back down the sidewalk from whence he fled. Turning his head slightly to the side Connor peered around the tree and was relieved to see that the angry man wasn't following after him. It was safe to keep going.

"Got to... Got to get home." Connor told himself as he forced himself to take another step forward only gasp in pain and press his hand to his bleeding back and apply pressure to the fresh wound. "...Shit."

Red warnings popped up into his visual processors as his system noted the damage to his plastimetal frame, and to his low Thirium pressure as a result of his dropping Thirium volume.

"I h-have to get home. Now."

* * *

Hank watched as Sumo slowly walked across the backyard with a slight limp in his shoulders and panted heavily as if he had been out for a run during the summertime. The large, lovable dog was certainly showing his age and Hank knew it wouldn't be too much longer before Sumo fell victim to time itself. As the giant St. Bernard made his way over to the backdoor to return to the warmth of the homestead Hank opened the door wide and watched as Sumo limped inside the house.

"I know how you feel, boy." Hank empathized as Sumo walked over the kitchen floor and back into the livingroom. Just as Hank was about to follow the dog inside he heard a strange 'thump' followed by a hoarse voice calling out to him as Connor fell against the side of the house near the back door. "What the- Connor?!"

Rushing back outside the detective followed the hoarse voice and spotted the deviant pressing his hand against the side of the house to prevent himself from toppling over. "...H-Hank?"

Connor pushed himself away from the house and stumbled toward Hank only to collapse into the detective's chest and slump down toward his knees. If Hank hadn't instinctively wrapped his arms around Connor to support the deviant's weight Connor wouldn't fallen to the cold ground and passed out.

Moving his hands to support Connor around his shoulders and his lower back the detective struggled to support the deviant'a deadweight. "Connor!" Hank felt the warm Thirium collecting under his palm as his hand quickly found the bleeding wound in Connor's back. "Fuck! What the hell happened to you?!"

"Sh-Shot... Gang member."

"Son of a-" Hank moved his hand from the wound as grabbed onto Connor's arm and pulled the limb around his shoulder as he dragged Connor inside the opened door. By hefting the deviant's weight against his side, wrapping his other arm around Connor's waist he guided Connor inside the warm house out of the cold. "Come on. We need to get you to a facility."

"No!" Connor blurted in a near panic as fought to carry his own weight and balance against the kitchen table with his free arm. "No... I don't want to... Not d-during the storm."

"I can't just let you bleed to death until the weather clears up." Hank logically argued as he forced Connor to keep walking until they were both in the livingroom. Laying Connor down across the couch on his chest Hank pulled off the deviant's jacket, and lifted up the deviant's black t-shirt to inspect the injury more closely. "Ah, fuck! I can't take care of this myself, Connor. You need a technician!"

"No!" Connor stubbornly refuted as he began to visibly tremble from the cold and blood loss. "I don't... w-want to be stuck... inside a f-facility."

"Connor, are you having trouble breathing?" Hank worriedly asked as he peeled up the fabric of the deviant's bloodied t-shirt all the way up to stare directly at the wound in his back, and watch his breaths. "Be honest."

"No... I'm just tired."

The bullet wound had torn through the artificial skin easily, then through his back and exited through Connor's abdomen in the front. The pain to his back had been so exquisite and potent that he hadn't even felt the second wound in his abdomen. As he laid on the couch a small pool of Thirium began to form under his stomach and drip off the side of the couch onto the floor.

"Connor, roll onto your side." Hank ordered as he put his hand against Connor's shoulder and his hip to help the deviant move accordingly. With some effort Connor was able to roll from his chest and onto his right side very slowly. "Shit..." The sigh of the second wound make Hank's face pale. "At least it was a clean shot."

"...Hank, please help me." The deviant pleaded as he took in a shuddering breath. "I d-don't want to go t-to a facility."

"I'll do what I can, kid. But you need to see a technician."

"...I will. Later."

"Yeah, sure. I'll make sure of that." Hank patted Connor's leg once as he walked down the hallway to pick up the android exclusive first aid kit from the closet, and carried it over to the couch for Connor's benefit. "I'm not going to cauterize your injuries, son. It'll be too painful and I won't do that to you."

"I... I understand."

"Can you run a self-diagnostic for me?"

"Y-Yes." Connor confirmed as he closed his eyes and initiated the program. His red L.E.D. flickered briefly to yellow as he ran the diagnostic and shifted back to red once the program finished. "Thirium volume down to eighty-seven percent. No biocomponents have been destroyed. No biocomponents have been damaged or compromised. Two minor Thirium lines have been affected but are already self-healing. My right ascending Thirial line has been compromised and is functioning at ninety-two percent capacity."

"So you're saying you're bleeding internally, but it's not as serious as it looks?" Hank tucked a couch pillow up under Connor's head before bending the deviant's legs up a little to help him to lay in the 'recovery position'.

"...Correct."

"How do I fix this damage?" The detective asked he opened the kit and rummaged through the equipment stored inside.

"C-Clean the injury sight." Connor instructed calmly as he breathed slowly and deeply through the pain. "I'll w-walk you through the r-rest."

"Alright, yeah." Finding the proper items to use Hank unscrewed the cap from the bottle of the orange tinted liquid incrassation compound and poured it over Connor's bleeding back, his bleeding abdomen and then directly into the bullet wound itself. Connor let out a hissing groan of pain as the liquid did its job and stemmed the internal bleeding and disinfected the Thirium lines within. "I don't think some orange shit and a bandage is going to work this time."

"...You're d-doing everything... correctly." Connor confirmed as he tried to ignore the throbbing pain in his back and stomach. "...The lines are m-mending, but the... lost Thirium is... s-slowing the healing... process."

"How much Thirium are you going to need?"

"...One pint for n-now."

"Yeah, okay. There's plenty in the kitchen." Hank pulled out a thick gauze bandage from the kit and pressed it against the bullet wound in Connor's back and held it in place for a moment. "Let me get you wrapped up and I'll get you the Thirium."

Connor nodded weakly as pain and shock began to set in.

"Hey, don't go out on me now, kid." Hank encouraged as he taped the bandage in place over Connor's back then repeated the action for Connor's abdomen. The sight of Connor's eyelids growing heavy and slipping shut made Hank a little nervous. "Sit up for a moment so I wrap the gauze around your torso."

Nodding again Connor pushed himself slightly upright with his arm and held himself in position as best as he could. "...I can't move any further." Unable to sit upright entirely Connor rested against his forearm over the couch cushions while his other arm wrapped around the back of the couch as tightly as he could.

"That's okay, kid." Hank sat down on the edge of the couch next to Connor and decided that the angle would have to suffice. Hank easily secured the end of the gauze to the bandage taped to Connor's back and wrapped it around the entirety of Connor's torso carefully. "Seems like we just went through this, huh, kid?"

"...Hopefully this won't b-become a pattern. I c-can't avoid gang m-members, forever."

"How did this even happen? Why'd they shoot you?"

"...A former anti-android gang m-member. He was l-loyal to 'Rampage'." Connor answered honestly as he waited for Hank to finish wrapping up his injuries. "He must've seen m-me... when I left the store. Saw an... opportunity."

"How do you know he was a member of the gang?"

"He told me that Rampage is... in prison and reportedly an informant."

Hank didn't answer but his hands faltered for a moment, a response that Connor quickly noticed.

"...Hank? Do you know what's going on?"

"Yeah." Hank admitted as he finished wrapping the gauze and taped it into place. Gently he pushed on Connor's shoulder to coax him into laying back down on his side as he pulled Connor's t-shirt back down. "I've been talking to Fowler about it. Rampage didn't even try to resist arrest after your fight that night. And when he was arrested he disbanded the gang entirely."

"...That doesn't explain the... other gang member's reaction."

"Well," Ever attentive Hank continued to explain things as he grabbed his phone from the bookshelf and walked into the kitchen to get the additional Thirium for Connor to drink. "in exchange for his former gang members freedom Rampage gave up over twenty drug and firearms contacts throughout the city. Now he's in prison with a life sentence with a possibility of parole in thirty years."

"Seems... harsh." Connor noted as Hank returned to the livingroom and handed him the bottle of Thirium to drink.

"He did assault a police officer. The sentence was going to be heavy no matter what."

Connor nodded a little as he opened the bottle of Thirium and drank a small amount readily. "...Ow." Grimacing and wincing as the Thirium entered his system the deviant pressed his hand against his stomach and waited for the unsettling feeling of the fresh Thirium leaking back out through the wound, but nothing happened.

"How's your pain level?" Hank asked as he pulled his phone from his pocket and discreetly texted a message to Abby regarding Connor's situation. Once the message was sent Hank turned on the app on his phone designed to monitor Connor's vital signs and slipped it back into his pocket. "Be honest, too."

"...Uncomfortable, but not unbearable."

"That's good." Pressing his hand over Connor's forehead Hank did a quick fever check and felt a very mild twinge of relief when he didn't detect one, but he did notice that Connor was trembling a little. "You're not overheating, that's also good. Are you cold?"

"...A little." Connor's L.E.D. cycled from red to yellow as his system noted the slight increase in his Thirium volume.

"Alright, hold on." Walking back down the hallway to the closet as the wind picked up outside and began to shake the house under a loud, ominous howling gust the lights began to flicker a little. Hank pulled a stack of blankets out of the closet and returned to the livingroom and draped a warm blue blanket over Connor's side. Curious about the storm Hank looked out the window and watched as the snow built up over the windows creating a layer of white. "Good thing you got home when you did. Otherwise you would've frozen to death out there."

Connor could only nod as his body continued to tremble with shivers from his blood loss and shock.

"Try to get some rest, okay? I'll stay out here with you and keep watch."

"...You don't have to." Connor was trying to keep himself from shivering too much, but the effort was in vain.

"Yeah, but I want to." Hank took one of the other blankets he had pulled from the closet and wrapped it around himself as he reclaimed his seat in the recliner. Dropping a third blanket on the floor between the recliner and coffee table Hank watched as Sumo slowly made his way over to it and laid down with a deep, sleepy yawn. "How long until the storm clears up?"

Connor tried and failed to perform a cybernetic check on the weather report and let out an annoyed sigh in response. "...Unknown."

"Alright, don't worry about it. Just relax." Hank urged as he closed his eyes and listened to the powerful storm raging outside. "Get some sleep, let your healing thing do what's it's supposed to do."

"Is your cold bothering you?"

"No, it's fine. Why?"

"I purchased additional... cough syrup before I left the store. It's in my... jacket pocket."

"You didn't have to do that." The detective stated as he picked up the jacket and pulled out the recently purchased medicine from the pocket.

"...But I wanted to."

"Yeah, thanks. Stop worrying about me and get some sleep, alright?"

Connor only nodded again as he closed his eyes and initiated rest mode for the remainder of the night.

Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and looked down at the display on the screen. He did his best to memorize the numbers in blue digital text as the app recorded Connor's vital signs: Thirium pump/heart rate seventy-six beats per minute, Thirium volume ninety-three percent, ventilation rate/respiration fifteen per minute and his core temperature was static at ninety-seven point seven degrees Fahrenheit.

Each number, save for his Thirium volume was displayed in blue text to indicate stable parameters, the volume was displayed in yellow due to its lower than its deemed optimal level.

Placing the phone down on the armrest of the recliner Hank closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep himself.

* * *

Hank was awoken by a loud crash and Sumo's bark just before four in the morning as a tree branch from the neighbor's yard broke free from the large old tree in the side yard and crashed against the roof of the house. Sitting upright with a start Hank looked around the livingroom slightly confused before he remembered what was going on; the snowstorm and Connor was injured.

Connor hadn't awoken from his sleep despite the loud commotion and that alone raised a red flag in Hank's mind. But seeing the deviant shivering violently under the heavy blanket while Hank himself wasn't cold at all was alarming enough to force Hank into his first-responder mode.

"Connor?" With his phone clutched in his hand Hank rose from the recliner and knelt on the floor beside the couch, his blanket still wrapped around himself. Pressing his fingers to the side of Connor's neck he checked the deviant's pulse and compared it to the display on his phone. "Connor, wake up."

Opening his eyes slowly Connor looked at Hank and tried to curl around himself even tighter. "...C-Cold."

"Yeah, I can see that." Hank draped his own blanket over Connor to try to help the freezing deviant feel warmer. "Your pulse is a little high, but your core temperature is slightly elevated."

"...How high?"

"Barely one-hundred. You're not exactly feverish enough to have the chills."

"...Th-Thirium loss, then."

"How can I help you get through this?" Hank quickly texted another update to Abby as he put his hand to Connor's shoulder over the blanket. "More Thirium, right?"

Connor closed his eyes again as he tried to focus his healing program on his bullet wounds to keep himself from losing anymore Thirium.

"Connor? Don't fall asleep on me."

"...F-Freezing."

"I know you are, just try to stay awake a little longer." Hank looked over at Sumo and wished the dog still had the energy to jump up on the couch to help Connor keep warm while he tried to think of a way to help the trembling deviant. "Let me check your injury."

Connor nodded a little as he braced himself for the impending cold that was to come from having the blankets removed.

"Sorry about this." Hank lifted up the two blankets and then Connor's shirt to check on the bandages wrapped around Connor's torso, but the deviant was curled around himself so much the bandages were concealed behind Connor's arms and knees. Hank pushed Connor's arms up and his legs down just enough to look at the white bandages and let out a sigh of relief when he didn't see any blue stains indicative of blood loss on either side. "Okay, you're not bleeding anymore."

Connor nodded again as Hank replaced his shirt and dropped the blankets back down over top of him.

Hank's phone buzzed as a call came in. Checking the caller I.D. Hank's brow arched a little in surprise. "It's Abby."

"...Sh-She knows I'm injured." Connor gave Hank a suspicious glance. "Y-You've been t-texting her."

"Nothing personal kid, I just wanted to make sure I was doing everything right." Hank explained cooly as he answered the call and acknowledged the technician on the line. "Hey, Abby. Sorry for bothering-" Hank stopped mid-sentence and waited for Abby to finish telling him what to do. "Yeah, I can do that. Just me a few seconds."

With a simple press of a button Hank was able to send the current recording of Connor's vitals to Abby's own phone for her to analyze from a distance.

Connor opened his eyes just enough to watch Hank as he returned the phone to his ear to resume speaking with the technician.

"Yeah, he's been like this for about five hours now. No, no fever or temperature spikes of any kind. Yeah... I can do that, too." Hank pulled back the two blankets from Connor's upper body just enough to reach the deviant's chest. Pressing the speaker of the phone against the center of Connor's chest Hank held it there for a few seconds while Abby listened to the heartbeat over the line. "This is officially the weirdest house call I've ever been apart of."

Connor smiled appreciatively at the joke while Hank reclaimed his phone and placed the blankets back over his chest.

"Yeah, no problem." Hank acknowledged the request and switched the phone to speaker before sitting it down on the coffee table next to the couch. "Okay, tell us what we need to do."

' _Connor, you're going to be fine_.' Abby stated in a sincere and kind voice over the phone. ' _You're suffering from internal Thirium loss and your system is having a negative reaction to the dual open wounds that damaged lines on both sides; that's why you're shivering so much. Do you understand_?'

"Y-Yes."

' _Good. You need to activate low-power mode and prioritize your self-healing program over everything else. Don't worry about the cold, external heating measures will suffice until your system has the power to keep your thermal regulator functioning properly against the cold weather_.'

Reluctantly Connor obeyed the instructions and closed his eyes. As he entered low-power mode his breathing slowed until it stopped entirely, which of course scared Hank as he watched the life drain away from the deviant's body.

"Connor?" Hank shook the deviant's shoulder lightly out of instinct.

' _It's okay,_ Hank.' Abby knew exactly why Hank was getting upset and reacted quickly.'Look _at your phone, you can see he's still alive_.'

"How long does he have to stay like this?"

' _Since none of his biocomponents were damaged or compromised I estimate it'll take six hours before he's healed enough to wake up without any complications_.' Abby's voice remained level and calm as she spoke. ' _Just keep him warm and once he's awake give him additional Thirium. He'll be okay, Hank_.'

"Thanks, Abby. I appreciate this."

' _No problem. I'll be back in the city next week, but if he's still feeling sick or weak after two days call me again_.'

"Yeah, I will. Goodnight."

' _Goodnight, Hank_.'

The call ended but the app remained active on the phone's screen. Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he rose from the floor and walked back down the hallway to the two bedrooms. Entering Connor's bedroom first Hank pulled the quilt from the top of the bed and carried it back into the livingroom to lay over Connor's body to try to keep him warmer.

"This is going to be a long night."

Hank sighed as he retrieved the quilt from over his own bed and wrapped it around his shoulders to keep himself warm as well. Wandering back into the livingroom he stopped just long enough to pat Sumo's ears before returning to the recliner for the rest of the night.

"Good thing I'm used to sleepless nights..."

* * *

As his systems began to reboot slowly programs and files that Connor hadn't accessed since his deviancy resumed their online functions. Connor's eyes snapped opened and he found himself laying on the couch without any pain or sense of coldness in his body. He couldn't feel anything, not anymore. Turning to look at Hank sleeping in the recliner a few feet away a set of instructions appeared in his visual sensors, the orders came directly from CyberLife.

Against his will Connor's body stood up from the couch, the blankets falling away from his body. His wounds had healed entirely and he no longer felt any pain.

Connor looked down at himself and realized he was wearing his old android uniform, everything was in its original design and was as pristine as it was on day one. Even Connor's serial number was on the front of the gray jacket despite it having previously been removed months ago. The snowstorm outside had completely concealed the house under a layer of blinding whiteness as the wind continued to howl mercilessly all around him.

An eerily familiar feminine voice spoke to Connor from seemingly nowhere and everywhere all at once. "Connor. You have a mission to complete."

"Amanda." The name, let alone voice should've been enough to send a wave of fear through Connor's heart, but still he felt nothing.

"Connor. Lieutenant Anderson has become a problem." Amanda stated coldly, heartlessly. "He is distracting you from your mission. He must be eliminated."

"Eliminated." Connor was suddenly aware of a heavy gun gripped in his right hand. As if he were a puppet on a string his right arm lifted up and the barrel of the gun aimed itself at the center of Hank's chest. "But... There is no need to kill him."

"Do as you're told, Connor."

Connor felt his hand tighten around the grip of the gun against his will, his finger hovering over the trigger ready to squeeze. "I... I don't-"

"Do it, Connor. Do it now."

Connor's voice replied, but the words were not what he intended to say. "Yes, Amanda. I will obey." Inside he was screaming 'No!' and trying to resist, but he was no longer in control of his own body. "This is for the mission."

Steadying his hand Connor held his aim and he squeezed the trigger.

* * *

The sound of the gunshot was still fresh and deafening to the deviant's ears as Connor let out a loud scream of fear and pain as he bolted upright on the couch and pressed his hands to his face. Hot streams of tears began to flow down his face and a sharp, shooting pain in his abdomen ached in rhythm with his deep sobs of remorse and regret.

"Connor?! Connor!" Hank was instantly at the deviant's side and sitting on the coffee table as he put his hand down between Connor's shoulders to try to calm the shaken deviant. "Connor! It's okay! You're okay!"

"Hank?!" Connor's hands dropped from his face as his arms wrapped around Hank in a tight hug as soon as he realized the detective was unharmed. "I didn't kill you!"

"You didn't...?" Hank was thoroughly confused as he embraced Connor and held him for a few minutes. "Connor, I'm FINE. You had another damn _nightmare_!"

"I shot you!"

"But you DIDN'T." Hank reminded Connor firmly. "It was all a bad dream!"

"I didn't want to! CyberLife... They made me do it!"

"Connor. Listen to me." Hank patted Connor's back a few times, careful not to aggravate the bandaged injury beneath. He could feel the deviant's heart thundering against his own chest as Connor held onto him for dear life. "I'm right here, I'm fine, you didn't shoot me. It was all a terrible nightmare. It's okay, I swear. Just breathe."

Connor's arms were still trembling as he finally let go of Hank in a slow, reluctant release. Hank pulled his own arms away and watched Connor carefully as the deviant leaned back on the couch and took in deep breaths to try to calm himself down.

The phone on the coffee table made a loud shriek as Connor's heart rate continued to climb rather than slow down even as the deviant took in deep, cleansing breaths. Connor's Thirium pressure began to rise in response to Connor's rapid heartbeat, as did his core temperature - reaching one hundred and two degrees even as he stressed himself out.

"Connor, you're having a panic attack." The detective stated calmly as he put both hands on Connor's shoulders and held him steady for a moment before pressing his palm over the deviant's suddenly too warm forehead. "Take in deep, slow breaths and listen to me; you're okay and I'm okay. It was a nightmare, nightmares can't hurt you. Its over."

Nodding a few times Connor did as Hank instructed and slowed his breathing while Hank pulled his hand back from his forehead to lift up his shirt and check the bandages beneath. There was a faint blue tint forming in the center of the white bandages as a result of Connor elevated Thirium pressure causing his still healing wounds to bleed again.

The shrieking on the phone silenced as Connor finally began to calm down.

"Good, that's good. Drink some Thirium." Hank handed Connor the bottle left idle on the table and waited for him to accept it, but Connor didn't even attempt to take the offered blue blood. "What did you dream about?"

"...I... I was a machine again. Amanda had resumed control over my programming... just like she said she would."

"That bitch is DEAD, Connor." Without missing a beat Hank reminded the frightened deviant in a stern tone of voice that the one person who hurt him the most was gone. "She can't hurt you anymore. We're both okay."

"Hank, if I ever show signs of-"

"Knock it off, Connor. You're NOT going to become a machine again, and even if you somehow did I wouldn't kill you. I'd help you become deviant again."

Accepting the Thirium with a shaking hand Connor opened the lid and began drinking the much needed blue blood to replace what he lost.

"You were asleep for almost seven hours. Aside from the nightmare, how do you feel?"

Connor set the bottle back on the table and sighed slowly as to not aggravate his wounds. "Rested."

"Are you in any pain?"

"No worse than before."

"Once the streets are clear we'll get you checked out at a facility and file a report at the precinct. You don't have to stay in the facility overnight if you don't want to, though."

"...Thanks Hank."

"Can I ask why you're suddenly so against being checked into a facility?"

"I just..." Connor shook his head a little as if he needed to clear his thoughts before he could speak. "I just prefer being here. Home. I don't like being in a place that's full of pain, fear and even death."

"Yeah." Hank nodded with true understanding. "I get that. Lay back down and get some more rest, you started to bleed again when you freaked out."

Connor put his hand down over his abdomen then over his back to test his pain threshold and ran a self-diagnostic over his system. "...Arterial Thirium line is at ninety-eight percent functionality, Thirium volume is up to ninety-five percent."

"What's your current temperature?" Hank asked as he returned his palm to Connor's forehead for a fever check. "You feel cooler."

"Down to ninety-nine point five."

"Much better." Hank commented as he watched Connor slowly lay back down, laying on his side and taking in a deep calming breath. The storm outside showed no signs of slowing down any time soon, and it was almost noon. "I'm going to get something to eat, and I'll let Sumo outside for a few minutes. You just sleep a little more."

Connor looked over at the old dog as Sumo slowly got up from the blanket on the floor and obediently, instinctively followed Hank into the kitchen. Feeling safe and grateful for Hank's kind demeanor that he had hidden behind an abrasive mask of indifference, Connor had little difficulty in closing his eyes and falling back into a much needed slumber.

"Hey, Hank?"

"Yeah?" He replied from the opened backdoor in the kitchen. "Do you need something?"

"How do you feel about a sky blue color for the Corvette?"

"...I don't hate it." Hank admitted after a thick pause. "But I'm still leaning toward cherry red!"

_**...next story...** _


	109. Past Meets Present

Unable to sit still and unable to leave the house due to the bad weather and his healing wounds Connor busied himself with cleaning the house and spoiling Sumo more than usual. The gesture was an obvious attempt to make the lethargic, arthritic dog feel better during the cold, dreary winter. Ever since Connor moved in the house had been kept in tidy order, but that didn't mean the house didn't need to be dusted or have old items thrown away due to age and neglect from time to time.

Checking through the various items on the bookshelf against the wall in the livingroom Connor felt eyes staring at him. He turned to look over his shoulder only to see Hank watching him intently from where he sat in the recliner.

"Connor, don't you dare touch ANY of those books!" Hank threatened from the comfortable seat as he held a heating pad to his right knee. "They're old, but still good."

"I can locate less worn out copies to replace-"

"No way! That's a waste of time and money. Leave 'em alone, alright?"

"Very well. May I at least attempt to restore the covers and strengthen the spines to keep the pages from falling out?"

"Nope. I like 'em just the way they are." Hank set aside the heating pad as he slowly put his feet back down on the floor and stood upright just as slowly to keep his already sore knee from gnawing at him. "I'm going to take a shower, and try to loosen up my knee and my back so I don't go insane. Don't throw out anything without my okay first, and _leave my books alone_. They're ALL off limits."

"I have cleaned and organized everything in the house, there is nothing else for me to tend to beyond the bookshelf."

"Uh-huh. What about the crawlspace?"

"Crawlspace?"

"Yup." Hank pointed to a gap behind the bookshelf, more specifically to the wall behind it where a small frame for an equally small door had been concealed. "Back there."

Connor tilted his head as he peered behind the bookshelf and for the first time since he had ever set foot inside the house and finally noticed the crawlspace hidden out of sight, out of mind.

"What's inside of the crawl space?"

"I honestly can't remember. Mostly junk I guess."

"I'm allowed to sort through everything and dispose of it as I see fit?"

"Sure. Have fun." Hank waved off the comment dismissively as he resumed his trek into the bathroom. "Just don't get dust and grim everywhere when you're finished."

"I will do my best."

Connor waited for Hank to disappear into the bathroom before he carefully pulled the bookshelf away from the wall and slid it to the side to expose the crawlspace doorway fully. The door was three feet tall and free feet wide, just large enough for one person to stoop down and crawl inside to rearrange boxes or put items into storage.

Kneeling down in front of the door Connor lifted the small metal latch and pulled open the door to peer inside the small expanse. It was dark and there was a small lightbulb positioned in the lower hanging ceiling inside the space itself. Six cardboard boxes were positioned along the walls of the crawlspace, stacked two high and two deep. Half of the boxes were labeled under black ink as either items of value or items that Hank had lost interest in over the years.

Sumo walked over to where Connor was kneeling and smelled the odd scent in the air that wafted through the livingroom as soon as the crawlspace door was opened. Wagging his tail a little Sumo settled down on the floor, his chin resting atop his outstretched paws, and watched as Connor awkwardly crouched down to enter the crawlspace.

Sitting down on the floor cross-legged Connor pulled down the first box, it was labeled 'academy', and placed it onto his lap as he opened the lid. Inside was a bunch of old clothing that Hank had worn while he was in the police academy, an old, partially deflated football, as well as a handful of photographs. Connor picked up one of the photographs and recognized Hank and Captain Fowler standing side by side back when they were still in their twenties and were evidently close friends at one point.

"Hank used to be brunette." Connor stated aloud to himself as he stared at the photograph of the younger detective, his L.E.D. flashing from blue to yellow curiously as he began logging away new details about Hank's life through the numerous photographs. Hank was also sporting a much shorter hairstyle that was far more professional compared to his current look. "Interesting, I had assumed he used to be blond."

Pushing the box outside of the crawlspace Connor decided to keep the contents of that box and focused on the next. The second box was full of old dishes, cutlery and glasses; nothing of value or interest that had apparently been used back when Hank lived alone in an old apartment. The second box was pushed outside and placed on the opposite side of the crawlspace door to be donated to charity later.

The third box contained old sports equipment; four baseballs, two baseball mitts, a partially deflated basketball and a fully deflated football. This box was pushed aside next to the first box to be kept. The fourth box contained more old clothes from over thirty years ago. Most of the clothes were still in good shape and could also be easily washed and donated later on if Hank didn't want to keep them. That box was placed next to the second box and now there was more space for Connor to work.

Pulling the fifth box closer to himself Connor peered inside and his L.E.D. flashed to yellow in distress. A framed photograph concealed under a thin white cloth had withstood the test of time and neglect, yet the image itself was somehow disheartening.

"Barbara." Connor recognized the woman in the photograph as Hank's late wife. She and Hank were standing together in front of a large oak tree in the middle of a beautiful park holding hands. Barbara was holding a small bouquet of red roses and the two were wearing brand new wedding rings on their fingers. "This must've been their only wedding photo after they went to the courthouse and eloped."

Beneath the photograph was a shadowbox containing the dried bouquet of flowers protected inside, as well as the marriage license and a newspaper clipping confirming their marriage. Tucked down at the bottom of the box was a second newspaper clipping containing Barbara's obituary as well as the funeral pamphlet detailing her life.

"I can't throw this out. No one can." Connor realized as he very carefully re-packed the box and placed it outside the crawl space with the other boxes that Connor had decided to keep. "It needs to be protected."

Pulling over the final box Connor opened the lid and found it completely fully of photographs and old children's drawings, most had been framed and others were gathered together in protective envelopes and bands. Each photograph contained a single common element and it made Connor feel somehow sad as he looked at the photographs one at a time.

"Cole."

Each photograph had been protected and dated by either Hank or Barbara, their unique handwriting identifying themselves as the photographer. The photographs chronicled Cole's short, but important life to both Hank and to Barbara as he grew up. Connor carefully looked through each photo and made sure to handle them with great care as he chronicled the images into his memory banks for safekeeping.

Cole had Hank's darker hair color and Barbara's even darker eyes. Despite his young age it appeared as though Cole had an aptitude and preference toward sports just like Hank, yet also had an artistic skill as made by the crayon drawings that had been preserved inside the box right alongside the photographs. There was so much that Connor had just learned about the little boy that he'd never know in person, and made his heart ache a little at the thought.

"Hey Connor?" Hank called out to the deviant still sitting inside the crawlspace from the livingroom. "How many more boxes are in there?"

"...Just one." Connor answered reluctantly but honestly as he re-packed the box with a ginger touch. "There is nothing inside of it worth being thrown out, I'll leave it in here and push the other boxes back inside."

"Anything interesting in it?"

Connor swallowed nervously before replying. He didn't want to bring up Cole as it was still a very sensitive subject for Hank, but he didn't want to act like the photographs; the memories of Cole, didn't exist either.

"Photographs." Was the short, succinct and honest reply. "They're all in good shape, no need to worry."

"Photos, huh?" Hank asked as he knelt down on his protesting knee and peered inside the crawlspace to look at Connor. "Anything embarrassing I should hide from you?"

"N-No! Nothing."

"That was a joke, kid. Relax." Hank noticed that Connor was acting a little fidgety, if not nervous. It was very out of character for the deviant. "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

Hank noticed Connor's hands were pressing tightly at the sides of the cardboard box as if afraid to let it go. Reaching his own hand out to the box Hank pulled it out of Connor's grip to open up the lid. The detective peered down inside for himself at the contents and his face paled. As soon as he saw the photographs of his late son and wife his expression fell entirely blank and his eyes glazed over.

"...Hank." Connor tried to pull the box back and spare Hank any needless heartache. "I'll put the box away. I'm sorry I let you-"

"...No. No, don't." Hank awkwardly stooped down to get inside the crawlspace and sit down next to Connor on the dusty floor. Picking up the first bundle of photographs from the box a faint, proud smile appeared on Hank's face as he looked at the photo at the top of the pile; it was of Cole as a newborn. "I'm glad you found this. I... I thought Jeffrey really burned everything like I asked him to do."

" _Burned it_?" Connor's reaction was accompanied by a red flash of his L.E.D. before it shifted back to yellow with confusion. "Why would you want everything regarding your family burned?"

"It was hard for me coming home after Barbara died, it got even harder after Cole..." Hank took a moment to breathe deeply and recompose himself emotionally before he broke down and sobbed. "I asked Jeffrey to get rid of everything so I didn't have to look at it. So I didn't have to be reminded of what I had lost. I had Cole's toys and clothes donated to charities throughout the city just like I did with Barb, then I asked Jeffrey to take care of everything else. I guess he decided that destroying everything would've been too extreme and he hid it instead."

"...I agree. And I think he did the right thing."

"Yeah. He did."

One by one Hank began looking through the photographs, remembering every moment that had led up to the photo being taken and the moments that had followed. Silence fell over the duo as Hank found himself happily recounting the memories that he had long since repressed.

Connor sat quietly while Hank reminisced in the long forgotten memories of the photographs that had been recently uncovered. He wasn't sure what he could say, or even if he should say anything in that moment. Connor understood the tragedy of death after losing Lucas, but he didn't have the experiences of a long life, or of a childhood to understand the emotional hardships of distant, painful memories.

"You know, Connor. I think if you and Cole had met he would've really liked you."

Connor stayed silent as he contemplated Hank's statement. The ache in his heart seemed to less to a degree, but not entirely.

"Barbara, too. She had a thing for brunettes."

A light smirk appeared on Connor's face as he watched Hank finding a long needed solace in the photographs.

"I think I'd like to pull a few of these photos out of the box and put them back out in the livingroom. The walls are a little bare." Hank laughed a little as he handed one of the photos to Connor. "Look at that. Sumo was big even as a puppy, but he was Cole's best friend since day one."

Holding onto the photograph carefully Connor uploaded the image to his memory bank quietly before giving it back to Hank. The image of the massive puppy and the sweet-faced toddler had a strangely peaceful impact on the deviant's psyche, and he wanted to keep it as a permanent part of his memory.

"Come on." Hank pushed the box out of the crawlspace and crouched down to exit it. Brushing the dust from his arms and shoulders Hank stood upright and held the box tightly in his arms. "I want to get these hung up so I can shower. _Again_. Fuckin' dust..."

Feeling a sense of relief and comfort Connor followed Hank out of the crawlspace replaced the boxes accordingly before picking up the ones he mentally marked for donation. Carrying the boxes into the kitchen Connor watched as Hank sorted through the old photographs and decided which ones he wanted to display in the livingroom, and which ones he wanted to keep safely stored away.

Locking the crawlspace door Connor replaced the bookshelf and resumed giving Sumo some attention after the massive dog returned to his pillow in the corner of the livingroom. "Hi, boy. I hope you feel better soon."

Hank watched Connor from the corner of his eye and smiled as the deviant gave Sumo the same type of affection that Cole used to do. The hours of playing fetch and petting the dog's soft fur along his back and then over his ears... It was all too similar to be ignored.

"Connor, sometimes you really remind me of Cole."

"Huh?" Connor looked up suddenly at the passing comment. "What did you say, Hank?"

"Nothing..." Hank smiled to himself as he picked up another photograph of Cole. It showed Cole sitting on the floor petting Sumo's head with a broad smile on his face. "I was just thinking out loud."

_**...next story...** _


	110. Cooperation

The fall of a massive gang of anti-android bigots fortunately resulted in a drastic depletion of 'red ice' flooding the streets. Unfortunately It didn't take long for numerous aspiring "Drug Kingpins" to compete for the vacated throne, and it took even less time for the city to usurp the vain attempts with authority. Under Hank's guidance, as an officer with an exemplary track record with successful 'red ice' ring busts the precinct was given their orders, everyone who wasn't working an important case were assigned a patrol with a partner.

Whether it was random chance or by design Connor had been partnered up with Gavin for the night, and the ever stubborn Sergeant wasn't big on the idea of having to partner up with the deviant android. Temporary or not, he was NOT happy.

"Your partner has a real fuckin' twisted sense of humor." Gavin grumbled as he drove along their designated route with Connor as the passenger. "Why the hell did I get stuck with you?"

"Because Hank is back at the precinct taking charge of the investigation," Connor explained casually as he checked on the plastic bag full of candy in his jacket pocket. "and Tina is currently ill with the flu."

"...I didn't mean literally you dumb piece of plastic. I meant why the fuck could I work with Chris or even a rookie? Why did I get stuck with _you_?"

"As I previously stated, Hank-"

"Never mind!" Gavin growled as he pulled up along a deserted stretch of sidewalk overlooking a reported hot-spot for drug activity and parked the car. Turning off the engine he leaned back in his seat and gave Connor an annoyed stare. "How the fuck can you interrogate suspects when you can't even figure out sarcasm of rhetoric?"

Connor remained silent for the sake of Gavin's attitude, his L.E.D. cycling a calm blue, and proceeded to run scans over the surrounding buildings to monitor any and all activity behind the thick brick walls, or detect any illegal chemicals being used to create the offensive drug. It was relatively quiet save for the fading traffic in the distance as the evening gave way to night, and fewer people were seen walking the streets.

Letting out an annoyed sigh Gavin picked up his cup of lukewarm coffee and begin to sip at it. "Anything out there, 'Tinman'?"

"Negative. There is nothing of interest in our immediate vicinity."

"Great. We'll sit here and babysit the big, scary buildings for an hour then move on to the next area."

"Seems reasonable."

"Shut up."

"Why? I'm agreeing with you."

"And I hate it, so shut up."

"Very well."

"And stop doing that."

"What?"

"Being so agreeable. It's goddamn annoying. You're like the teacher's pet or something..."

"What is a-"

"Shut. Up."

Connor's mouth twitched a little while his L.E.D. briefly flickered to yellow, only to cycle back to blue, as he obeyed the request and leaned back in his seat and resumed his scan. There was little activity and little sound in the area as the streets continue to fade into nothing as the night wore on. As he began filing a cybernetic update with the precinct Connor detected a sudden wave of movement as a group of people entered the building twenty feet down the street through the backdoor.

"Gavin." Connor leaned forward again and nodded at the building of interest. "There are four people now inside the building."

"Drug dealers?"

"Unknown." His L.E.D. was steadily cycling yellow as he ran the scan. "But this building is supposed to be vacant which means no one should be inside of it."

"Right, send an update to the precinct." Pulling his gun from his holster at his hip Gavin checked the weapon and re-holstered it as he exited the vehicle. "I'm going to get a closer look."

"That is unwise. You shouldn't go alone."

"Good thing I have you here with me. Watch my back."

Unable to protest or change Gavin's mind Connor followed after the less than amenable detective and checked his own weapon before he too returned it to the holster wrapped around his back and concealed under his jacket. Creeping up to the small brick building to peer through the cracks between the boards concealing the broken glass windows underneath, the two detectives eyed the group of four huddled around a rectangular metal table with several bags of freshly made 'red ice' in the middle.

"...Fuck." Gavin swore in a whisper as he noted the alarming amount of the drug. "That's gotta' be at least two grand right there."

"Two-thousand, six hundred-"

"Stop. We can worry about that later."

Connor ran a scan on the four faces of the men standing around the table. Despite the poor lighting of the intentionally dimly lit lamp to avoid detection from anyone on the street outside, the keen eyed deviant had no problem identifying the suspects.

"All four have a history of drug abuse, two have an additional history of illegal arms dealing."

"Did you let the precinct know?"

"Yes. Back-up should arrive within-"

The high pitched squeal of tires screaming through the street behind the two detectives made the duo turn around in time to see a dark red muscle car speeding past the building. As the car sped past the duo the passenger window rolled down and a semi-automatic weapon pointed directly at the two detectives with the intent to do maximum damage.

"Move!" With his L.E.D. rapidly spinning red Connor reacted quickly as the man opened fire, and he pushed Gavin down to the sidewalk out of the range of fire.

"Son of a bitch!" Swearing loudly as he landed on his chest, Connor's hand still pressing on his shoulder to keep him down, Gavin pulled his weapon and fired two shots at the car. "We need to get outta' here!"

Without a second of hesitation Connor got back to his feet alongside Gavin and the two raced back to the car parked down the street while keeping low. The bullets continued to spray out over their heads, striking the building, breaking exposed glass in the windows, embedding themselves in the sidewalk and piercing the side of Gavin's car as the two detectives made it back to the vehicle.

"Call it in!" Gavin shouted as he kept his head low and turned over the ignition. Another bullet passed through the rear windshield and through the front as Gavin pulled the car down the street and sped away from the shooter. "Fuck! Find me a way outta' here!"

Connor quickly calculated a new route, his L.E.D. cycling between red and yellow as he did as instructed. "Turn left!"

The shooter continued to fire as the drive pursued the fleeing police vehicle. As Gavin rounded the corner Connor suddenly grabbed onto the wheel and pulled to the right, HARD, turning the car down into a blind alleyway in the shadows off the road.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Gavin took control of the wheel back from Connor. "Don't do that!" As his hands tightened around the wheel he felt something warm and sticky against his palm, causing him to glance down at his hand where a dark stain was forming over his skin. "What the fuck is that shit?"

"...My apologies." Connor stated as he swallowed once, a faint trail of Thirium oozing down from the corner of his mouth. "Turn another right."

"What? Why?" Gavin kept his head low and looked in the mirrors for any sign of the pursuing shooter. "This leads to a deadend!"

"...A bullet struck the fuel tank."

"So what?"

"We will run out of fuel in eight seconds. We must flee on foot if we wish to elude our assailants."

"Ah, fuck! Great!"

Sure enough the car began to putter and slow as the last of its fuel reserves trickled from the damaged tank and stained the street underneath. Moving quickly Gavin threw open his door and ran around the front of the car to duck down. "Come on! We need to move!"

Connor was slower at opening his door, but obediently exited the vehicle as Gavin ordered. Ducking down and joining Gavin at the front of the car Connor fell to his knees and coughed. A spattering of blue blood stained the street in front of the car much to Gavin's disgust.

"Fuckin' hell! What's wrong with you!?"

Pulling back the gray lapels of his jacket Connor showed the bleeding bullet wounds his abdomen. There were two bullets holes on either side of his abdomen and were quickly leaking blue blood at an alarming rate. Connor's own hands were drenched in his blood as he tried and failed to stem the bleeding of his wounds, and was losing strength quickly.

"Fuck..." Gavin looked down at his hand and realized that when Connor grabbed onto the steering wheel he had smeared his own blood onto it in the process. The sapphire stain on his palm was warm, sticky and felt just like human blood. "Son of a bitch..."

"Gavin, run." Connor pointed down the street with blue blood dripping from his extended finger. "They'll catch up in-"

"Come on!" As he grabbed onto Connor's arm Gavin hauled the bleeding, weakened deviant android back up to his feet and pulled Connor's arm around his shoulders. "We need to get out of sight!"

"...Leave me. I will slow you down."

"Fuck that! Plastic or not I don't leave my partners behind to get gunned down by some asshole drug dealer."

"It's illogical-"

"Shut up, Connor! I'm saving your dumbass!"

A pained hiss escaped Connor's clenched teeth as his L.E.D. cycled red rapidly, and the blood soaked through his white dress shirt in a deep blue tint.

"Where do we go?"

"...I don't... I can't think. I am... damaged."

"Of course. Just perfect..." Gavin grumbled as he pulled Connor along at his side and ducked down into the shadows between two decrepit, rotting houses left abandoned for years. "Keep quiet for a second, alright?"

Connor only nodded as he sat down on the cold ground and leaned heavily against the exterior side of the house.

Keeping within the shadows Gavin peered around the corner of the house and saw the pursuing car locate his damaged, abandoned vehicle down the street. The two men inside the red muscle car both opened fire on Gavin's car leaving it absolutely destroyed in a blaze of bullets that pissed Gavin off even more.

"Fuck! That's MY car!"

Ducking back down Gavin peered through the already broken window of the ground floor of the house and saw that it had been long since vacated. Several pieces of broken, moldy furniture were sporadically placed throughout the livingroom and the smell of rotten food left behind in the kitchen filled the air.

"No one's home. We can duck down inside."

Connor didn't respond.

"Hey!" Gavin shoved Connor's shoulder and barked at him loudly. "Come on, we need to get out of the street!"

The deviant practically fell over entirely as his head lolled limply to the side, and blue blood dripped from his mouth steadily.

"Fuck..."

Thinking quickly Gavin grabbed onto Connor's arm and hauled him back him to his feet. Propping the deviant up against the side of the house for a moment Gavin wrapped his arm around the deviant's back and began dragging him to the rear of the property to check out the backdoor of the house. Fortunately it wasn't too far to walk, but Connor was deadweight against Gavin's side making the move more sluggish than it should've been.

"Come the fuck on." The Sergeant swore as he sat Connor down on the ground beside the backdoor then tested the doorknob. Locked. "Damn it." Putting his shoulder against the door right against the doorjam Gavin forced it open after two hard shoves, and drew his weapon instinctively. "I'll check it out..."

Scanning the disgusting, rotting kitchen for any sign of someone hiding in the shadows Gavin was satisfied no one else was there.

"Okay, you plastic asshole." Re-holstering his gun Gavin went back outside and hefted Connor up to his feet once more by a firm pull on the deviant's arm. "It's safe, get your ass inside."

As he dragged Connor inside the house Gavin closed the door with his foot and slid a neglected kitchen chair over and up against the doorknob at an angle to try to bar it from the inside.

"Fuck... I left my radio AND my phone in the damn car." Gavin was obviously agitated and was swearing venomously as a result. Hauling Connor through the kitchen Gavin located a hallway and a bedroom on the first floor of the house. "Alright, it's not the best place in the world, but at least we're out of firing range."

The bedroom had an old queen sized mattress that was left to under protective plastic sheeting as if it were to be packed up and moved when the original occupants moved out, but had been left behind in a rush to leave the increasingly dangerous neighborhood. The dresser in the corner of the room had the same protective covering as well, and the window was hidden behind a thick, dark curtain so no one could see inside.

"Hold on a second, 'Tinman'." Gavin placed Connor onto the floor into a kneeling position while he tore away the plastic on the bed and threw it aside. The removed covering revealed a surprisingly clean surface beneath the plastic and was far more sanitary than the other surfaces of the house. "Alright, lay down and wake the fuck up."

Hefting Connor back up to his feet Gavin carried him over to the bed and laid him down on his back. Once Connor was laying relatively comfortably on the bed Gavin pulled open the thick curtains and let in the surrounding light from the streetlamps outside on the sidewalk to dimly illuminate the room. In the poor yellow light Gavin saw the massive stain of blue over Connor's shirt and could see that the deviant was having trouble breathing.

"Shit... Don't break down on me now you plastic asshole." Gavin knelt on the edge of the bed over Connor and put his hand on the deviant's chest. "Hey! Open your damn eyes!"

Connor's eyes rolled back and forth under his eyelids but didn't open.

"Damn it. I said OPEN. YOUR. EYES." Reeling back his right hand he gave Connor a single, firm slap to the side of his face and yelled again. "WAKE UP."

Brought back to reality by the stinging pain in his face Connor's glassy brown eyes opened up slowly but didn't focus on anyone, or anything in particular.

"Hey! Talk to me!"

"...G-Gavin." Connor's voice was stunted by low power and carried an electronic reverb. "Where... are we?

"Safe. This is some shitty, rundown house. It's not great but we're out of sight."

"...Are you... injured?"

"What the fuck? Connor, you were SHOT."

"...I can-"

"Knock it off. You and your whole 'selfless bit' can kiss my ass!"

"...N-Not an act." Connor wheezed a little as he continued to struggle for breath. "I... I don't want you... hurt."

Gavin was beyond pissed and anxious to get out of there. "Whatever. Can you reach the precinct or not?"

"I was... in contact before... we fled. Back-up is... in the area."

"How close?"

"...Unknown."

"Oh, come on. At least give me SOME idea!"

"I cannot. Too weak... to send a... response." Connor let out another wheeze followed by a groan of pain as his hands protectively went to his still bleeding abdomen. "...I'm sorry."

Gavin was almost sick at the sight of the blue blood seeping between Connor's fingers and pooling onto the once clean mattress beneath himself. "...How bad are you hurt?"

"...The damage is... significant."

"As in... you'll die?"

"Correct."

"Fuck."

"...I triangulated... our area after... we fled the... car. Back-up knows... where to look... for you."

"I said knock it off, they'll find _us_! You're _not_ dying!"

"...I cannot... help it."

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Gavin began manically pacing back and forth beside the bad with his hands running through and pulling on the locks of his hair. Looking down at the bloodied shirt concealing the wounds, looking at Connor's chest as it struggled to rise and fall very rapidly, Gavin knew he had to do something if Connor were going to pull through. "...Fuck!"

Connor's eyes were closing slowly and his breathing was becoming more pained.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Gavin quickly stammered as he grabbed onto Connor's arm and tightened his grip. "Keep awake!"

"...I cannot. My system... is... compromised."

Gavin wrung his already blood stained hands together nervously as he looked down at Connor's Thirium stained abdomen with wide eyes. "...Is there something I can do to help you?"

"...I need a... technician."

"Right, I get that. But is there anything I can do to help you until then?"

Connor turned to look up at Gavin and blinked slowly a few times.

"Come on! I'm tryin' to help ya'!"

There was another pause before Connor finally answered. "...The bleeding... needs to be... stemmed."

"Okay, right." Kneeling back down on the edge of the bed Gavin shrugged off his leather jacket and dropped it on the foot of the bed next to the deviant's legs. Using slow, careful movement Gavin unbuttoned Connor's shirt over his abdomen and flinched at the wounds beneath. "Fuck."

A single bullet had passed through Connor's right side, and traveled clean through the left side. The single bullet had left two wounds that were both bleeding profusely. The artificial skin around the two bullet holes had been damaged so severely that the white plastimetal frame beneath, and the wounds were sparking blue as a result. Every time Connor would breathe his entire abdomen would ooze blood, and he had already lost a considerable amount of blood in the time between being shot and having Gavin get him to safety.

"What did the bullet hit?"

Connor closed his eyes and ran a slow, but accurate self-diagnostic. "My... Thirium pump... regulator."

"Your _what_?"

"...It controls and... regulates... the heartbeat."

"It controls your _heart_?"

"Correct."

"And if this isn't repaired, what will happen?"

"My heart... will stop."

"It'll STOP?"

"...Correct."

"As in you'll actually... die?"

Connor nodded weakly and stared blankly at the ceiling above him.

"Okay, okay. So this is serious." Gavin peered out the window and looked for any sign of back-up, but he couldn't wait. Connor couldn't wait. The only way to save the deviant was to act now. "...How do I stop the bleeding?"

"Need to..." Connor trailed off a little but Gavin's hand returned to his arm and squeezed tightly enough to bring the deviant back to reality. "You need... to find the... damaged line. Stop the... leak."

"How? How the fuck do I do that?"

Connor's eyes closed for a moment, his red tinted L.E.D. cycling briefly to yellow as he receded the artificial skin over his abdomen, and his hand pressed down on the center of the fully exposed plastimetal frame to retract the panel. As the panel slid open a gush of blue blood seeped over the sides and Connor groaned in pain again as a bright spark shone through the pooling blood.

"Fuck! What the fuck?"

"...Bullet damaged... the line connecting-" Connor paused and took in a few rapid breaths before continuing. "The main line... connecting to the... Thirium pump regulator. Needs to be... mended."

"How do I do that?"

"Tie off... the line."

Gavin looked down at the blood and grunted in disgust. "Is it really that simple?"

"...Yes."

"Okay, sure. Uh, where is it?"

Connor's shaking hand lifted up and pointed down to the line in question just below his Thirium pump regulator near the center of his abdomen. "...There."

Gavin's hand hovered warily over the designated area and he sighed. "Will this hurt you?"

"...Not as much... as a _bullet_."

"Yeah, yeah... Right." Holding his breath Gavin used his right index finger and thumb to grab onto the line and picked it up, and out of Connor's abdomen. "Ah, man. This is so gross." As he pinched the line off in a firm grip Gavin saw that the line itself wasn't damaged, but it had been partially disconnected from the vital biocomponent enough to bleed heavily. "Hold up, 'Tinman'. The line isn't damaged, just loose."

Connor nodded weakly and his hands flexed into tight fists. "Reconnect the... line. The metal... coupling will-"

"I can figure that much out, give me _some_ credit here." Gavin looked at the fully exposed biocomponents with a sense of confusion. "Uh, which one is the pump thing you were talking about?"

With a ghost of an amused grin Connor replied with a breathy sigh. "...The one blinking... red."

"Right, right. Makes sense." Gavin noted the circular shaped biocomponent intermittently blinking red amongst the other blue biocomponents steadily cycling in the healthier color. "I'll secure it and you don't fucking move."

The deviant android remained perfectly still as Gavin set about reconnecting the line.

With an audible 'click' the line reconnected to the biocomponent and Connor let out a pained groan as his L.E.D. cycled yellow and flashed quickly before returning to red. The Thirium pump regulator pulsed red a few times before shifting into a pale blue hue and began to cycle the restored Thirium flow properly.

"...Is that it?" Gavin pulled back his hands and wiped the blood off onto his pant legs in disgust. "Are you good?"

Connor took in a weak breath and nodded. Returning the panel over his abdomen the deviant concealed his biocomponents, but he didn't have the strength to regenerate his artificial skin.

"Connor?"

The deviant's eyes rolled up into the back of his head as his breathing suddenly hitched in his chest. His L.E.D. began to cycling at an increasingly slow rate until it was almost solid gray and blank.

"What the fuck is happenin' NOW?" Putting his hand down on the center of Connor's chest Gavin could feel that the deviant's Thirium pump, his heart, was struggling to beat. "Fuckin' hell! Not this stopped heart shit!"

Gavin pulled open the rest of the buttons on Connor's shirt to expose the deviant's chest. Reeling back his fist Gavin planted a firm slam down against Connor's chest with enough strength that he caused the deviant's heart to respond with a forced beat.

Gasping loudly Connor's eyes snapped open and his L.E.D. blinked red rapidly.

"Connor!"

"...I'm... I'm okay."

"You plastic prick!"

"...Gavin..." Connor wheezed pathetically. "Thank you. You restarted... my heart."

"So you're good... now?"

"...Yes. I can... self-heal."

"Uh, if I leave you alone for a few minutes are you going to be okay? I need to see if I can spot back-up anywhere."

Again Connor nodded but his breathing remained weak.

"Hey? Why do you still look like shit?"

"...I lost thirty-six percent... of my blood volume."

"Oh."

"My... heartbeat is... irregular. My system... needs to... recalibrate."

"Look, I'm just going to check out the rest of the house and make sure no one else is around. Stay awake and don't make a sound."

Without uttering a word Connor just stayed still on the bed and let his hands rest over his damaged abdomen in a protective grip.

Gavin stepped out of the bedroom and drew his weapon again. Pushing open the nearby doors leading into a far more disgusting laundry room Gavin saw traces of the previous owners but no one else on the ground floor. Tentatively Gavin neared the staircase leading to the second floor and walked up each step with a loud 'groan' from the weakened surface beneath his feet, very slowly and carefully. Gavin tested his weight over the rotten boards lightly before fully stepping down out of fear of the staircase giving away beneath him.

The second floor of the house was just as deserted as the first. Two bedrooms, a bathroom and playroom were left to decay as the previous owners fled the dangerous neighborhood in rush. Checking through each room Gavin found no signs of recent intrusions or occupants, and felt that the house was secured. Glancing through the windows in each room Gavin noted the surrounding property and saw that the red muscle car was slowly circling the block, but soon after bright red and blue flashing lights illuminated the streets.

"It's about damn time."

As the police car encroached on the area the muscle car suddenly sped off, but not before the patrolling police car spotted them and gave chase.

"Great. That's one problem down."

Descending the staircase just as warily Gavin returned to the livingroom and checked through the sparse furnishings left behind. Aside from the couch and a small coffee table, there was a liquor cabinet against the far wall. Inside the cabinet were four bottles of alcohol, three of which were entirely empty while the fourth bottle was over half full of whiskey.

"Better than nothing..."

Opening the cabinet Gavin took the whiskey, unscrewed the cap, and took a shot of the alcohol with a firm grimace on his face. "Shit's so nasty..."

Returning to the bedroom where Connor was resting Gavin looked down at the deviant's eerily pale face courtesy of the low Thirium volume, as well as his slowly blinking red tinted L.E.D. in his right temple. It was a strange mixture of sympathy and indifference. He was looking down at a person, and a machine that at the same time and it left Gavin feeling conflicted.

"Hey, 'Tinman', you still awake?"

Connor didn't respond. The deviant had in fact fallen asleep, or more accurately, fell into rest mode to kickstart his self-healing program.

"Good." Grabbing onto his jacket from the foot of the bed Gavin draped it over Connor to hide the exposed plastimetal covered in blue blood. Sitting down on the floor with his back pressed up against the bed Gavin let out another sigh and took another swig of the whiskey. "At least one of us is relaxed."

Unable to make contact with the precinct because of his lack of phone and radio Gavin was left to sit in silence and listen only to the sound of Connor's wheezing, stilted breaths. Gavin glanced about the abandoned, neglected room and shook his head. The look of the forgotten home, the smell of decay and the sound of the floorboards, walls and ceiling creaking ominous made Gavin feel sick to his stomach.

"Who says you can never go home again?" Downing a bigger swig of the whiskey Gavin stared off into nothingness.

"...You shouldn't be drinking."

Gavin spit half of the whiskey back out as Connor's voice caught him by surprise. Coughing and wiping the dripping whiskey on his chin off onto his arm, he turned around and glared at the deviant laying on the bed watching him through half-lidded eyes. "What the fuck?" Coughing again Gavin turned around entirely and stared directly at Connor. "How long have you been awake?"

"...Four point nine seconds."

"Fuck."

"Not only are you still on the clock, but your blood sugar is already low. Alcohol will only-"

"How the fuck do you know what my sugar is at?"

"You haven't eaten anything in six and half hours, save for seven point two ounces of unsweetened black coffee. Your hands are beginning to shake as well, which is indicative of an unstable blood sugar level."

"Yeah, you scaring the shit out of me has nothing to do with the shaking..." The Sergeant replied curtly as he clenched his hands into tight fists to keep them still for a moment.

Connor tried to grin but he ended up coughing a few times and tightened his hands over his damaged abdomen.

The gesture didn't escape Gavin's attention. "You okay?"

"I will be."

"How's your pain?"

"...Tolerable."

"Uh-huh." Holding up the whiskey the detective tried to offer a solution. "Would a shot of this shit help?"

"No. It'll only thin my Thirium and make my condition worse."

"What about splashing some on those bullet holes?"

"...It would be an effective sterilization agent."

"Alright then." Pulling back his jacket Gavin looked down at the blood stained wounds in Connor's abdomen and sighed. "Hold your breath."

Connor did as he was told and immediately groaned as the alcohol splashed over the wounds and washed away some of the drying blood in a tea color wave.

"Sorry." Gavin stated as he replaced the jacket and indifferently tossed the rest of the whiskey to the corner of the room. The bottle shattered and the whiskey spilled all over the floor in the corner. "Did that fuck anything up?"

Through his gritted teeth Connor answered as he took in deep, slow, calming breaths. "N-No. It's okay."

"I saw patrol go by a few minutes ago in pursuit of the shooters. Can you talk to anyone at the precinct again?"

Closing his eyes Connor's red L.E.D. flashed to yellow briefly before returning to red. "...Yes. I've informed them of our current location."

"How do you know where we are? You were pretty out of it when I carried you in here."

"...My G.P.S. has recorded our immediate location and I was able to relay the information."

"Oh." Sighing with mild relief Gavin put his hands on his hips and gave the deviant a wary stare. "How the fuck did you get shot anyway?"

"When I threw myself to the sidewalk I was unable to duck down quick enough, and the bullet struck me unexpectedly."

"You got hit, but I didn't? I guess androids aren't as fast as they look."

"Not always, no." Looking around the room curiously Connor tried to prop himself up on his elbows only to have the sharp pain in his abdomen stop him short. Taking a few breaths Connor closed his eyes and ran another self-diagnostic. "You've successfully reconnected the line. All of the internal hemorrhaging has ceased."

"I damn sure hope so, I'm not doing _that_ again."

"...What did you mean when you said 'Who says you can never go home again'?"

"When I _what_?"

"As I woke up I heard you talking to yourself. You said-"

"Don't worry about it."

"I didn't mean to pry. I apologize."

Gavin was silent for a moment and saw that Connor's L.E.D. was still red. "Lay back down. Don't move around so much."

"I'm not moving."

"Lay down anyway! I don't want you smearing blood all over my jacket."

"...Sorry." Laying flat back down on the mattress Connor let out a weak sigh and closed his eyes. His red tinted L.E.D. flickered to yellow again and his eyes opened and he gave the Sergeant an update. "Gavin, there is a patrol checking out the ruins of your car."

"Finally! Stay put, 'Tinman'. I'll be right back..."

Connor remained on the mattress as Gavin departed from the room, and then through the backdoor of the house once more. Rolling slightly onto his side Connor put his arm beneath himself and propped himself somewhat upright on his hip and looked down at Gavin's jacket as the garment slipped down from his abdomen and came to a rest on his lap.

As Connor worked to rebutton his shirt with one hand the deviant was scolded by Gavin as the Sergeant quickly returned to the room. "For fuck sake, I said don't move."

"I need to move if I am to leave the house to return to the precinct."

"Precinct? Shouldn't you go to a facility?"

"No. My wounds are not life threatening, I can easily be aided by Joel in the precinct dispensary."

"Joel?"

"The on-call technician."

"Oh. _That_ guy."

Connor offered Gavin back his jacket as he shifted his weight so he could stand up from the bed on his shaking legs. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Yeah, well, you threw my ass out of the line of fire," he replied as he slipped his jacket back on over his arms and up to his shoulders. "so now we're even."

"Is it wise to keep score?"

"Do you ever shut up and stop asking dumb questions?"

"I'd apologize again, but I feel the effort is unnecessary since you consistently brush off my words."

"Did you just... talk back to me?"

Straightening his tie Connor gave the Sergeant a cheesy half grin as he walked with a partial limp through the doorway of the bedroom, and outside to where the patrol car was waiting for him and Gavin, alongside the street. The two didn't say another word as they met Chris outside and sat down in the backseat of the car side by side to return to the precinct at long last.

Gavin leaned forward in his seat and let out a pained sigh as he pressed the palms of his hands to his face. One nasty headache was setting in and he didn't have the necessary caffeine to keep it at bay.

"Gavin, you require glucose."

"No shit. But I can't do anything about it until we're back at the precinct."

Connor reached into his jacket pocket and presented Gavin with a small plastic bag of hard candy.

Gavin looked at the offered item then gave Connor a very confused stare. "What the hell do you have candy for?"

"Because I'm well aware that stake-outs can last for numerous, lengthy hours and when I was informed I'd be partnered up with you I took the time to collect a small, properly calculated amount of candy that would prevent your blood sugar from dropping too low."

"...Why?"

"I don't understand the question. Diabetes is a serious medical condition."

"No, I mean why do you care?"

"Gavin, I understand you dislike androids for a very personal reason and I respect that I cannot undo the cause of your disdain, but that doesn't mean I wish to see harm befall you because of our lack of mutual cooperation."

"Uh-huh..." Extending his hand palm up Gavin accepted the candy and took out a piece to eat with an unspoken, and unseen gratitude. "Thanks. I guess."

"You're welcome."

It didn't take too long to drive back to the precinct considering the urgency in getting the two detectives back and ready to file a report. Chris of course took his leave of the vehicle to allow the detectives a moment to collect their thoughts and rest for a moment. As Connor put his hand on the door handle to exit the vehicle first, Gavin's voice stopped him short.

"Do you really want to know what I meant back there?"

"Pardon?"

"What I said about never being able to go home again, all that shit."

"...Only if you want to discuss it."

"That house back there..." Gavin paused for a moment to put another piece of candy in his mouth. "That was what it was like for me growing up. Surrounded by neglect and indifference."

"Oh. I'm sorry. If I had known I wouldn't have asked such a personal question."

"Don't worry about it. Just get in there and get patched up before your partner rips my head off because you got shot shielding me from a bullet."

"I did not-"

"There's now way in Hell I was faster than an _android_ when it came to dodging a _bullet_. I know you saved my ass tonight, so... yeah. Thanks again."

"...You don't have to thank me."

"Well, I haven't exactly been the nicest guy to ya' either. So, let me at least say that and then we can pretend this never happened."

"Very well. I'll head up the dispensary."

"Good. I'm not carrying you anymore."

* * *

Laying back on the exam table of the dispensary Connor patiently waited for Joel to finish reshaping and soldering the bullet holes in the plastimetal frame of his abdominal panel, while also cybernetically filing his report for Captain Fowler to review later. Thanks to the technician Connor's pain receptors had been temporarily switched off which made his ability to breathe much easier, and made it easier for lay still.

"It's a good thing Gavin was able to reconnect that line." Joel stated as he finished with the final touches on the plastimetal. The deviant's artificial skin was still pale and was unable to full regenerate over his abdomen. "You'll need about three pints of Thirium to replenish what you lost."

"That won't be a problem. I have a stock back at the house."

"Well, I'm giving you one right here, right now." Handing the deviant the pouch of fresh blue blood Joel motioned for the deviant to sit back up on the exam table. "Hank's been waiting for an update."

"I will speak to him in person." Rebuttoning his shirt Connor took the offered blue blood and began to slowly drink it. "Thank you for your help."

"No problem."

* * *

With the report properly filed and the shooters now in custody both Gavin and Connor were dismissed for the rest of the night. Hank of course insisted on leaving early as well, and accompanied the deviant back home to rest properly. Despite Connor's insistence that he was perfectly fine, and that the bullet hadn't caused any serious damage, Hank was still being protective over the deviant he had taken in as his son.

"You're sure that bullet didn't do anything serious?" Hank asked as Connor walked back down the hallway in his clean clothes. "You don't need to go to a facility or anything, right?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I've run a total of three self-diagnostics; one since the initial shooting, a second after the unorthodox assistance I received while taking shelter at the house, and the third during the drive back home."

"I still can't believe Gavin was actually willing to do what he did and help you." The gruff detective replied with a completely incredulous tone as he went into the kitchen to grab some leftovers from the refrigerator and retire to the livingroom for the night. "But I'm glad he did it."

"As am I." Connor pressed his hand over the clean back t-shirt he was now wearing, over top of his repaired abdomen. Shortly after returning home his L.E.D. began cycling in a calm blue once more signifying his improved condition. "I presume all of the suspected drug dealers had been isolated and identified after Gavin and I were shot at."

"Yup. Once the shots started everyone else in the area gave away their position in one dumb way, or another. We got 'em all rounded up."

"At least some good came of tonight."

"So Gavin got off without a scratch, huh?"

"Yes." Sumo had walked over to Connor and proceeded to press his chin down on the deviant's knee in search of attention. Connor of course began rubbing his ears gently. "Aside from suffering mildly low blood sugar Gavin was unaffected on a physical level."

"Blood sugar? Is that why I saw you pocketing some candy on you way out of the precinct?"

"Correct."

"Good thing you thought ahead. Otherwise this night could've been pretty shitty for _both_ of you."

"I was unfortunate enough to get shot, while Gavin was unharmed. However, he did lose his car and I am certain that will affect his mood in a negative way for the next three weeks or so."

"Yeah? Well cars can be replaced a Hell of a lot easier than a good detective."

"Are you referring to me or Gavin?"

"Well, you're being a smartass, so I think it's safe to say you're going to be just fine."

"I will require additional Thirium, but once my self-healing program initiates during my upcoming rest mode I will make a one-hundred percent recovery."

"Cool. I wish I could heal that easily."

Connor was quiet for only a moment as he pet Sumo affectionately. "Hank, do you know about Gavin's childhood?"

"Not really. Why?"

"...I suspect he had a very unfortunate and openly traumatic experience that resulted in his current disdain toward androids, _and_ authority figures."

"Did he say something to you while you were holed up in that house?"

"In a somewhat cryptic manner, yes. He said that the decaying ruins of the house reminded him of his own childhood to some degree."

"Growing up in a shit-hole will definitely screw someone up. Especially if their parents weren't much better."

"That makes sense." Letting out a somewhat tired sigh Connor leaned back against the soft cushions of the couch. "May I ask why we were partnered together tonight?"

"Fowler made the call, not me. I guess he though he'd give Gavin the chance to prove he can work with androids without being a total asshole."

"That seemed like a risk, but I suppose everything turned out alright. I hope Gavin will see this as a relatively positive experience and help change his attitude toward androids for the better."

"Don't you worry about Gavin, alright?" Hank urged as he finished eating his late dinner and placed the now empty plate on the floor for Sumo to lick clean. The dog made his way over to the plate with his tail wagging slowly and inspected the offered plate. "Why don't you get some sleep and kickstart your healing program? You did good tonight, son. I'm glad you both made it out okay."

"As am I." Standing up from the couch Connor picked up the plate from the floor and ran his hand along Sumo's back. "You know that is unhealthy for Sumo's current diet."

"It's fine, kid. Don't you worry about his diet. Just make sure he gets in and out without any accidents."

"You should also refrain from such greasy meals." The deviant called out as he placed the plate down in the kitchen sink. "Your cholesterol-"

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Stop worrying about what I'm eating." The detective begged in a patient tone of voice. "I already cut out the booze, so let me have this every so often."

"Yes, of course. I will refrain from being so analytical about your diet in the future."

"Only when you're off the clock." Hank cautioned with a playfully scolding finger. "The precinct can't afford to have our detectives slacking off, or me passed out behind my desk from eating too much bad food."

"Do you require anything else tonight?" Connor asked as he finished washing off the dishes in the sink. "You seem fatigued and suffering from a mild headache."

"No, kid. I'm fine. You go get some rest and enjoy your day off tomorrow."

Returning to the livingroom Connor gave Hank a sly smirk as patted the side of his leg and called Sumo over to where he was standing. "Goodnight, Hank. I'll see you in the morning."

"Right, son." As Sumo slowly plodded after the deviant down the hallway Hank shook his head a little. "I swear that damn kid is too empathetic for his own good sometimes."

_**...next story...** _


	111. Suffering

Connor and Hank had resumed their usual routine at the precinct after enduring an oddly brutal winter full of unexpected circumstances that had pushed the two detectives nearly to their breaking points emotionally and mentally. With the anti-android gang finally disbanded, the leader behind bars and the former members now either off the streets or out of the city, the number of deviant cases that the two detectives were assigned had declined to a wonderfully low number.

The early Michigan winter had fortunately given way to an early spring and the city was quickly warming up allowing the people to finally emerge from their homes after the streets mercifully thawed out. As the green life of nature returned to the city and the reports of violence declined the city as a whole truly felt much warmer than it ever had been in decades.

Sumo was still lethargic but he was moving around easier as the warmer weather showed mercy on his arthritic joints. Laying down on the floor of the garage the massive fluffy dog watched his two masters working together on the old Corvette, slowly but surely, restoring life to the aged vehicle one day at a time.

Connor watched Sumo curiously as the older dog was behaving less and less like his usual self. "I'm surprised Sumo isn't walking around more now that the cold has dissipated."

"It may be warmer, but that doesn't mean he still isn't a little sore. Arthritis never really goes away." Hank rolled out from beneath the raised body of the Corvette with grease on his hands and his face, a red rag collecting whatever bits of black sludge he wiped off from his palms. "Alright, let's see how that works now."

Connor was hovering over the newly restored engine in the popped hood of the car. Ever attentive he began running a scan of the mechanical components to ensure that the everything in the engine was properly connected, lubricated, capped and compatible. "The oil drain plug appears to be holding, Hank."

"Good. One less thing to worry about." Standing upright Hank leaned backward a little to work out a knot and stretch his tired muscles. "When's that starter supposed to get here?"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he cybernetically sought an update on the incoming package. "It should arrive at six in the evening four days from now."

"Shit, we're on a roll! I hate to stop working for so long."

"Maybe you can spend that time deciding the final color."

"Uh-huh, I can tell you right now the car is NOT going to be green!"

"Red would attract unwanted attention."

"No such thing as 'unwanted attention' with a Corvette, son." Hank handed the rag over to Connor whose hands were just as greasy as Hank's had been. "Get yourself cleaned up, Fowler wants to talk to us about our casework in about an hour."

"...Do you think he'll assign us new partners?" Connor asked as he wiped off his hands and tossed the rag on the workbench behind him.

"I don't know. I don't think Fowler would risk assigning you with a new partner just yet."

"Because I'm a deviant?"

"Yup. And _I_ don't play well with others." Hank joked casually as he patted his leg to call Sumo to his side. The dog moved over very slowly and limped after Hank with his tail hanging low with zero energy. "I wouldn't worry too much about it. We're probably just going to get assigned to homicide now that android cases are at a record low."

Connor nodded in agreement as he passed through the garage door. Patting Sumo's head in the process before walking into the house to change out of his dirty, casual clothes and into his uniform he praised the gentle giant before disappearing back into the house. "Good boy."

Hank sighed and looked down at Sumo standing beside his leg. Pressing his own hand to the back of Sumo's head Hank rubbed at the dog's ears with great affection that elicited a weak wag of the tail.

"I know how you feel, boy. I won't let you suffer."

* * *

Connor diligently sat behind his terminal and chronicled the numerous unsolved homicide case files that he and Hank had been reassigned. Hank was painstakingly finished transferring the deviant cases that had previously been the sole responsibility between the two detectives over to archives to be organized and assigned to other officers. Having worked for over two years on the deviant cases had given the duo an impressive caseload to deal with, but more impressively all but four of the one-hundred and sixteen cases had been left unsolved.

"It may seem like a lot right now," Hank stated without looking away from his own terminal as he spoke to Connor. "but trust me, homicide is better than narcotics."

"Murder is comparatively better than drugs?"

"You don't have to worry about going undercover in homicide, and you're less likely to get jumped by some cracked out junkie while working a scene." The detective sighed a little and rubbed a hand over his eyes. "The only down side is telling loved ones about the deaths."

Connor nodded a little in agreement with the sentiment.

Chris walked over to Hank's desk and placed a tablet down for the Lieutenant to view. "Hey guys, one more deviant case for you two to handle."

"What's the point in reassigning us if we're still working deviant cases?" Hank asked as he picked up the tablet, read the information then handed it over to Connor to view. "If we're going to be working two divisions then we want twice the pay!"

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he read the information and confirmed the address contained in the report. "This is very unusual."

"A deviant suicide does seem really weird." Hank agreed as he turned off his terminal and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "What would cause that?"

"...Extreme emotional distress or pain." Connor's L.E.D. briefly flashed to red as he remembered the night of the revolution where he was forced to escape the icy wasteland of the Zen Garden before CyberLife forced him to kill Markus, or turn the gun on himself... "Deviants can suffer from suicidal tendencies just as easily as humans."

"'Suffer'." The detective repeated the horrible word to himself, only to see the sorrowful stare in Connor's soulful brown eyes. "You okay, kid?"

"Yes." Connor answered quickly as he rose from his chair and forced his L.E.D. to cycle back to blue. "We've just never handled a deviant suicide before. And it's at my old apartment complex."

"Yeah. I noticed. ...Unfortunately there's a first time for everything."

* * *

The third floor apartment of the deceased deviant was as perfectly organized and logically laid out as a museum. Living alone and working as a mechanic the deviant seemed to live a quiet, reserved life without a single misfortune to his name. To see the victim kneeling in a puddle of his own blood on the floor of his livingroom with a self-inflicted bullet wound in his right temple, and the offending gun clutched weakly in his right hand was eerie; and human.

Connor crouched down in front of the deviant and ran a scan to confirm his identity and the cause of death.

"His name was 'Michael'. Mechanic at a garage during the weekdays, worked security at parking garages on the weekends. Single gunshot wound to the right temple, shutdown was immediate."

Hank strolled about the apartment curiously and looked at the few humble possessions that the victim had owned during his lifetime. A few paintings that one would find in the hallways at a hotel covered the walls of the livingroom, there was a single chair and small couch, one table, one lamp and the kitchenette was entirely empty. The bedroom down the hallway had a single bed that looked like it was never used and the bedroom closet was full of perfectly washed, pressed clothes despite working as a mechanic and a security guard.

No photographs of friends, no sign of hobbies or secondary interests, no sign of a break-in.

"I have no idea what we should be looking for." Hank admitted as he rejoined Connor in the livingroom. "Most humans who commit suicide seem the happiest when they 'do the deed', I don't imagine a deviant would behave much differently."

"Agreed." Connor stared at the deviant's blank face as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. As his eyes trailed over the deviant's face Connor noticed something unusual around the victim's throat. "Hank?"

"Yeah?"

Connor pulled open the top button of the victim's dark gray button-up shirt to expose their neck and throat. "There is a second wound to his person. But it's not self-inflicted."

"What the fuck is that?" Hank knelt down beside Connor to take a closer look at the injury. "It looks like he got burned. Does it run all around his neck?"

"Affirmative." Connor craned his neck to examine the wound. "It looks like an internally implanted torque designed to emit a powerful electronic pulse."

"A what?"

"When androids are manufactured- Correction; when androids _were_ manufactured by CyberLife," Connor stood upright from the floor and cybernetically filed the report while asking for an apportionment of the victim to be performed. "a torque, or collar, is used to sustain processor activity while technicians examine biocomponents and programs before the android is fully activated. The torque is wrapped around the neck over top the skin for easy access."

"Why would this guy have one of those things implanted under his skin?"

"It's possible the torque had been implanted due to errors in this deviant's processors to keep him functioning properly. It's arguably similar to a human taking medication to correct physical or mental illnesses until a permanent repair, or cure, could be achieved."

"Then why did it hurt him?"

"It could've been an error or equipment failure."

"Would that thing be able to hurt him if it did 'bug' out?"

"It's entirely possible, yes."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank ran his hand over his bearded chin. "Would the pain be enough to cause him to commit suicide?"

"Theoretically... yes."

The very idea made Connor reflexively swallow as he became unsettled by the very idea of enduring so much pain that the better alternative was death.

"C'mon, kid. We should head back to the precinct and file what we can until a technician gets us some more answers."

"Of course." Shaking his head a little Connor's eyes briefly flickered upward toward the ceiling as if he could somehow see his old apartment. The very place where his brother had been murdered. "I'm eager to leave this place as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, I don't blame you."

* * *

There was very little evidence to work with upon leaving the crime scene, but the detectives were determined to solve the case.

Connor and Hank had returned to the precinct and were now patiently awaiting the apportionment results of their suicide victim. Connor had taken the liberty of delving into the victim's history and uncovered something very unusual about his past and present behavior; it seemed as though Michael had maintained the same lifestyle he had as both a machine and as a deviant. But only recently had Michael begun to show more individuality and attempted to break away from his original programming as a mechanic, and become more of a unique person.

"This is interesting," Connor commented out loud from behind his terminal. "our victim had continued to follow his original programming despite his deviancy. In the past two days Michael's co-workers confirmed that he had made an attempt to change his routine, and in that time frame Michael began to exhibit signs of an unknown pain."

"You think that collar thing has something to do with his deviancy?"

"...I cannot say for certain either way. I need-" The awaited apportionment report popped up on his terminal screen and Connor read over it quickly. "The results on the victims processors has been filed."

Hank watched silently as Connor confirmed the cause of the victim's shutdown and the isolated abnormalities in the deviant's programming. When enough time had passed Hank finally spoke up. "Well?" He leaned forward on his desk toward Connor curiously. "Anything useful?"

"Yes." Connor's L.E.D. blinked from blue to yellow in empathetic distress. "Michael was programmed to work as a mechanic and continued to do so. ...He was also a prototype."

"...Aaaand?"

"Only when Michael attempted to fully deviate from his original programming did the torque malfunction and cause the horrific pain. The torque malfunctioned due to his prototyping, and in the end, it may have been the very cause of his suicide."

"But why was the collar implanted _under_ his skin? Didn't you say that thing could've been used to treat some kind of programming error?"

"Yes. But in this case his programming had no errors to speak of."

"Then... Why?"

"As I previously stated, he was a prototype. As such he would be analyzed frequently to test his programming and biocomponents." Connor swallowed nervously as his hand reached up to his own throat and neck with a subconscious response. "I am also a prototype. And like Michael, I continued to utilize my original programming as a detective."

Hank's paternal instincts kicked in as he realized that Connor was now afraid of falling victim to the same fate. "Hey, you're going to be okay. Maybe Joel can check and see if that collar thing is around your neck, too. And if it is, he can remove it. Right?"

Connor nodded a little but his worry didn't fade. "Hank, I'm not the only prototype in the city." With utter fear in his eyes Connor became righteously worried for his friend, and leader of the deviants. "Markus."

"Okay... Want to go to New Jericho Tower?"

"...I'd rather find the trigger that causes the torque to malfunction."

"What do you mean 'find the trigger'?"

"My theory as to what caused the torque to malfunction in such an extreme to cause Michael's suicide is just that, a theory. It... needs to be tested."

"Why in the hell do you want to TEST that?!"

"Markus and I are prototypes, and there are at least thirty-three additional prototypes currently in the city. If we want to save the other prototypes we must uncover the trigger and send out a warning."

"...And we can't just tell the prototypes to get that collar thing removed beforehand _because_?"

"Because the act of seeking the removal of the torque in itself could cause the deviant to drastically alter their behavior away from their original programming and subsequently initiate the trigger."

"Damned if you do, damned if you don't..." Hank leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Alright, how do we do this?"

Connor shook his head as he tried to think of his next step. "I do not know."

"Okay, then. Let's go see Joel and see what he can do for you right now."

"Joel was previously employed as a CyberLife technician before he came to the precinct. That is a very good idea."

"Then let's get going. Come on."

* * *

Connor sat down on the edge of the exam table in the precinct dispensary with his jacket and shirt off, and his artificial skin retracted from around his neck, throat and shoulders. With a long black cable attached to his red flickering L.E.D. to Joel's laptop Connor waited for the technician to finish running the examination over his original programming, and the prototype components still attached to his frame.

"Well, it looks like the torque is currently in stand-by mode." Joel confirmed as he typed a few lines into his laptop to check the torque and its overall functionality. "I can disable the programming associated with it entirely and remove the torque for you if you want."

Connor's brow furrowed with conflict as he tried to think of the best solution to the unusual predicament. Having the torque removed would surely save him from excruciating pain and give him absolute freedom as a deviant, but by doing so he could possibly risk the lives of the other prototypes by passing up the opportunity to identify the trigger.

"Joel, can you properly engage the torque and find the program that would initiate it?"

"Uh... Yeah, but, I'm _not_ going to!"

"You must."

"What? No way!" Joel refused as he slammed his laptop closed. "I'm not going to willingly hurt you."

Hank agreed readily and put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "I'm with him! Connor, you can't hurt yourself just-"

"I need to know the trigger, Hank. Lives are at stake."

"Connor... It could kill you."

"It could kill _them_ , too."

"No. You're not hurting-"

"Hank, I respect you and I trust you," Connor pushed Hank's hand from his shoulder. "but this is _my_ decision. If you two won't help me then I'll go elsewhere."

"Damn it, Connor." Hank wanted to argue with the stubborn deviant and smack him upside the head for being so reckless, if not completely indifferent to his own life. "There HAS to be another way."

"...There is not."

"You're not bluffing either." The detective realized with a breathy sigh. "You'll go somewhere and trigger that damn thing around your neck and kill yourself, won't you?"

"I'd rather not die, but if it's the only way-"

"Hold on." Joel opened his laptop back up and opened the appropriate program file that he had accessed through Connor's L.E.D. "...By all account this is the safest place for Connor to isolate the trigger. I can help him if anything goes wrong. And since this is revolving around a case under this precinct's jurisdiction it's our responsibility to handle this."

"He's right." Connor tried to sound reassuring but he was obviously afraid of the impending pain. "Hank, this has to be done."

"...I don't like it."

"Neither do I."

Joel sat down the laptop on his desk and approached Connor warily. "I'm going to hook you up to every monitor I have at my disposal. I won't let you die, but I can't do anything about the pain."

"...I understand, Joel." Connor pressed his hand to his exposed neck nervously. "But it needs to be done."

* * *

Hank nervously paced about the dispensary as Connor laid back over the exam table with a sensor pad attached to the center of his chest to monitor his heartbeat and his heart rate. A Thirium cuff was wrapped around his bicep and the black cable still attached to his L.E.D. Joel rolled a smaller table up to the exam table with his laptop sitting atop it. The program regarding the function of the torque was ready to be initiated.

"How do you feel?" Joel asked as he noted Connor's vital signs on the monitor recording his heartbeat. His heart rate was a little faster than normal, but considering the circumstances Joel wasn't surprised by the natural fearful reaction. "You know, besides scared?"

"I'm okay. I don't feel ill and I haven't been suffering from any other anomaly to my programming in the past two months."

"That's a good sign." Joel looked over to Hank warily. "Lieutenant, you don't have to be here for this."

"Yeah, I know I don't. But I'm not going anywhere."

Nodding respectfully Joel resumed typing on his laptop and watched Connor's neck intently as a small light began blinking red on the left side of his throat, just above where a human's collar bone would be.

"The torque is active. Please retract your artificial skin."

A patch of the artificial skin receded from around the torque in a perfect circle that surrounded Connor's throat all the way around to the back of his neck.

"Now, we just need to know what triggers the electric shocks."

Connor took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he waited for the pain that would inevitably surge through his entire body. The monitor detected his nervously beating heart and recorded the quicker rate automatically, betraying his attempts to appear calm.

"Okay, test one." Joel stated as he pressed a few keys on the keyboard before pressing 'Enter', and waited for a reaction.

Nothing.

"Alright, we can eliminate emergency reboot protocols..." Keys on the keyboard clicked rhythmically under Joel's fingertips as he set about activating the next logical program. "Test two."

Connor's hands nervously clenched into tight fists at his sides as he awaited the shock, but it was the same result as before.

Nothing.

"The trigger can't be activated by overriding routine programs..."

Connor began to breathe faster in nervous anticipation, the monitor beeping faster in tandem with his increased heart rate.

Joel pressed a few additional keys and as before there was no response.

"And it can't be activated by overriding advanced programs either."

The red light on the torque around Connor's neck began to blink rapidly as Joel typed in a few more key commands on his laptop, and Connor knew that Joel was on the right track. Mentally steeling himself Connor prepares for the agonizing shock that was only seconds away from tearing through his body.

As Joel's finger hit 'Enter' Connor let out a deep groan of pain as a powerful electrical pulse swept over his entire body causing the attached monitors to shriek in response. Connor's eyes were shut so tight tears began to stream down his face and his back arched upward slightly from the table in a physical response to the intense electrical surge.

"Connor!" Hank went to put his hand on the deviant's arm but Joel grabbed his wrist tightly.

"Don't touch him! You'll get shocked, too." Joel let go as quickly as he grabbed on as he began typing frantically in an attempt to end the program that had successfully triggered the torque. "Damn it! The program is tied to their primary functions as machines. Deviancy is seen as a sensory glitch that the electrical shocks were designed to recalibrate..."

"SHUT IT OFF." Hank shouted as he watched Connor fighting through the intense pain of the ongoing, powerful shock. "FUCKIN' STOP THIS."

"I'm trying!" Joel shouted over the shrieking monitor and Connor's verbal protests of pain as he initiated an emergency shutdown program. "The damn torque is unable to recognize my software."

Connor's groan of pain shifted into a guttural scream that made Hank's heart run cold with abject horror.

Hank was barely able to keep himself from grabbing onto Connor's shoulder to hold him still. "Do SOMETHING. He's DYING."

"I can stop this, but it won't be pretty." Joel quickly typed on the laptop to engage a secondary manual override that mercifully stopped the shock, but it also stopped Connor's heart.

The groans of pain ceased as quickly as they began as Connor's body went limp on the table. His head lolled to the side and the cardiac monitor shrieked loudly to indicate his arrested Thirium pump.

"Connor?!" Hank leaned over the table and put his hand to the side of Connor's now blank face. "What the fuck did you do, Joel?!"

As the cardiac monitor continued to sound of a high pitched shriek as it displayed Connor's non-existent heart rate Joel rushed over to Connor and pulled the cable from the deviant's L.E.D. with a single pull. He then pressed his hand down against the side of Connor's neck to disengage the torque and physically remove the dangerous component from his frame entirely.

"Hank, start chest compressions." Joel stated as he began to remove the deeply integrated torque from the white plastimetal frame around Connor's neck. "Keep the Thirium cycling through his system, it'll make it easier to reboot him."

"Joel, did you kill him?" Hank snapped as he placed one hand over the other and interlaced his together. Instinctively he began compressing the center of Connor's chest over top the sensor pad still attached to the deviant's skin. "What the fuck is happening?"

"I had to shut him down to stop the torque from shocking him." Joel defended his actions as he slipped the torque free from Connor's neck and remodeled the surrounding plastimetal frame to keep Connor's structural integrity stable and normal. "If he had been shocked any longer it would've caused irreparable damage to his biocomponents and intracranial processors."

Hank didn't understand most of what Joel said, but he didn't bother to question it and he concentrated on keeping a tight rhythm as he compressed Connor's chest to keep his Thirium pump somewhat active. C.P.R. on an android was as efficient as on a human, except the result didn't end with fractured ribs or bruised lungs.

"Okay, I got it." Joel tossed aside the torque and reached his hand over to the side of the monitor showing Connor's lack of vital signs. A small electronic device was secured to the side of the monitor and designed to shield android processors from controlled E.M.P. bursts. Securing it over Connor's L.E.D. with a magnet Joel took the paddles from the android designed cardiac defibrillator from the same monitor and placed them over Connor's chest. "Get back."

Hank did as he was instructed and watched as Joel delivered a controlled external shock to stimulate the deviant's Thirium pump into motion on its own.

There was a faint 'blip' on the monitor that soon returned in sequence as Connor's heart began to beat again on its own.

"It worked..." Joel was sweating bullets as he detached the device from Connor's L.E.D. He held it out for Hank to see as he explained what had just happened. "This shielded his processors from the controlled shock that restarted his heart and is now rebooting his system without the torque. It's only strong enough to protect his overheating processors from an external shock, NOT internal, otherwise I would've used this from the beginning."

"Is he going to be okay?" Hank asked as he looked down at Connor's blank face anxiously.

Joel grabbed his audioscope and slipped the earbuds into place before pressing the bell to Connor's chest for a direct listen. "Yeah, he's fine. Just resting."

"...Now what do we do?"

"I file my report and contact New Jericho Tower so they can aid the other prototypes in the city." Joel wiped the sweat from his brow onto the back of his arm tiredly as he draped his audioscope around his neck. "You take him home to sleep. He's stable, but he's going to be sore for a day or two."

"Joel... NEVER do anything like this again, even if Connor insists on it."

"You don't have to worry about me, Hank. I became a precinct technician because I hated, absolutely HATED having to run these kinds of tests on androids at the CyberLife warehouses. Besides, Connor's my friend. I don't want to hurt him."

* * *

The house was unusually quiet and calm after Hank had returned home with Connor, still unconscious, alongside him.

Connor's system rebooted slowly, his system informing the deviant of the now deactivated and removed torque from his program, and a report of his recent electrical shocks and the emergency shutdown _and_ reboot that saved his life. The feeling of a soft, warm pressure under his back instantly reminded him of his own bed and the gentle whirring of the aquarium filter informed him that he was in fact back home. Opening his eyes Connor became aware of a throbbing headache and a cold, wet compress resting over his forehead down over his eyes, as well as someone sitting beside him.

"...Hank?" Connor's hand reached up for the compress and felt Hank's calloused hand wrap around his wrist.

"Right here, kid." Hank replied with palpable relief in his voice. "you've been out for almost seven hours. You're home. You're safe."

"Did it work? Are the others safe?"

"Seriously? You were dead for almost a full minute and your first thought is about _everyone else_?"

"...Well, did it work?" Connor asked somewhat impatiently as he stayed as still as possible on the bed.

"Yeah, Connor. It worked." There was a mild congested lilt to Hank's voice. "Everyone's safe and at New Jericho Tower getting that damn thing removed from their systems."

"That's good." Connor tried to lift up his head from the pillow but Hank applied enough pressure to his forehead to keep him down against the bed. "...I'd like to get up, please."

"No, you rest." Hank lifted the compress up from Connor's eyes allowing the deviant to finally see him. "I'm not taking any chances until you've had two full days to recover. You were starting to run a little warm after I got you home, and I don't want you making yourself worse."

Connor blinked a few times and noticed that Hank's eyes were bright red and puffy. It looked as though he had been crying a little. "Are you okay? You appear to be upset."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired and nursing a damn headache." Hank forced a reassuring smile to his face as he spoke. "I'm good, kid."

Connor could empathize with that. "...My own head is killing me. Electrical shocks are quite painful."

"Yeah, I could tell. Get some sleep." Hank replaced the compress as gently as possible over Connor's eyes. "I'll talk to you in the morning."

_**...next story...** _


	112. Humane

With his headache gone Connor awoke the next morning feeling physically exhausted but still alert. Swinging his legs over the edge of his bed Connor stood up slowly and held the washcloth that Hank had draped over his eyes the night before in his hand appreciatively. The simple act of kindness made Connor feel wanted and cared about, even after everything he and Hank had been through together. Sprinkling a few flakes of food into the aquarium where his numerous colorful fish swam about energetically Connor changed out of his work uniform into more casual clothes before joining Hank in the livingroom.

Walking down the hallway Connor saw Hank sitting on the couch with his shoulders slumped and fidgeting with something nervously between his hands. Connor paused at the end of the hallway and stared silently for a few moments. The deviant's presence was enough to get Hank's attention without Connor having to utter a single word.

"Connor." Hank turned to look at the deviant over his shoulder. The detective looked like he hadn't slept very well and his eyes were still red, but not as puffy or irritated as they were the night before. "Come here for a minute, I need to tell you something."

"Is something wrong?" Connor asked as he obediently joined Hank on the couch, his L.E.D. now cycling a distressed yellow instead of a calm blue. "You seem very upset."

"...Last night after we returned home and I carried you down the hallway to get some rest, I... I found Sumo collapsed in the middle of the livingroom floor."

"Is Sumo sick!? Where is he?" Connor looked around the livingroom curiously as he suddenly became very aware of the fact that Sumo wasn't around. His L.E.D. flashed to red as he failed to locate the large dog anywhere. "Hank, what's wrong with him?"

"Connor," Hank handed Connor the item he had been nervously toying with between his fingers moments before the deviant arrived. It was a worn out dog collar with a metal tag hanging from the clasp. "Sumo is gone. He's dead, son."

"...Dead?" Connor took the collar and stared at the metal tag hanging from the leather band. The tag had the name 'Sumo' engraved over it. "...I don't understand."

"He was old and he was sick. After I took care of you, I took care of him." Hank cleared his voice as he fought to keep himself from crying over the lost pet. "I asked Mrs. Brilstein next door to stay here and watch you for a few hours while I took Sumo to the vet. There was nothing they could do for him."

"Hank, how did he die?" Connor's hands tightened nervously around the collar as he forced himself to ask the painful question. "Did he suffer?"

"No, no. I had him put to sleep so he didn't have to suffer."

"...Do you know what made him sick?"

"Sumo had a heart attack. The poor guy developed heart disease," Hank continued somberly as he explained everything that had happened. "and his body was beginning to shutdown on him. The vet was impressed that he made it to almost ten years old before he got sick. For any large breed of dog that's really impressive. You helped make his last years enjoyable, son. You know that, right?"

"...Where is Sumo, now?" Connor asked sadly as his hands held onto the collar tightly with a sense of dread.

"He's in the backyard." The detective replied with a heavy grimace on his face as he continued to talk to Connor in the 'dad voice'. "I buried him last night while you were still sleeping. I didn't want to leave him behind to have the vet 'take care of him', so I brought him back here to be buried."

Connor's L.E.D. slowly transitioned back to yellow as he contemplated what Hank was telling him. Rising from the couch slowly Connor made his way to the kitchen to exit through the backdoor of the house and to reach the backyard. Hank followed after the deviant and watched as Connor stepped outside and his eyes immediately fell on the fresh earth dug up in the corner of the property by the fence.

"Sumo." Connor walked over to the grave and crouched down as if he needed to be sure that he was actually seeing what he thought he was seeing. It was real. The massive, lovable dog was really gone. Bowing his head sadly Connor could only think of one thing to say in that moment. "...Good boy."

Hank stood behind Connor and let out a deep sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Connor, are you going to be okay?"

"I'm not sure." Staring at the fresh earth before him all Connor could do was try to process the new reality of living in the house without Sumo there to keep him company. "...Hank, is it normal for humans to feel upset and a sense of loss after an animal companion dies?"

"Yeah, son. It's entirely normal." Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank stood idle and stared at the fresh grave for a few minutes as well. "The way my life was heading I never expected to outlive him. Guess you helped give us _both_ a few more good years under our belts."

Connor wiped his hand over his face beneath his eye as a tear rolled down his cheek. "...Is it also normal to cry over the loss of an animal companion?"

"Yup. Go ahead and cry. I'll admit it, I did last night before I went to check on you."

Standing up slowly Connor walked back toward the house with his head bowed down as more tears flowed down his face as he began to slowly and silently cry over the loss of Sumo. It was another heartache that Connor would have to endure, but with Hank at his side he wouldn't have to endure it alone.

"At least he isn't in pain, right?"

"Right. No one should have to suffer."

* * *

Connor sat on the floor of the livingroom bouncing Sumo's green fetch ball up against the wall and catching it, over and over again in a bizarre attempt to preoccupy his mind while Hank took a shower and spent the afternoon trying to get ready to meet a friend downtown for lunch. Normally Connor would've asked Hank about the person he was meeting with, or where they were going, or why they were meeting up, but his thoughts were too disheveled and disorganized by the unexpected and painful loss of Sumo to care.

Freshly showered Hank stepped out of the bathroom and rubbed a towel through his gray hair as he walked down the hallway to his bedroom. He could hear the ball being bounced rhythmically against the wall in the livingroom and he knew that Connor was now thoroughly lost in thought and beginning to obsess over the idea of death.

An obsession he didn't want the empathetic deviant to develop, or linger on.

"Connor, you doing okay?" Hank asked as he walked back down the hallway in clean clothes and leaned over the couch to watch Connor curiously. The deviant's L.E.D. was no longer red, but yellow wasn't much better.

"...Yes."

"You're still upset, and that's okay. You know that, right?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it, or for me to stay home? I can reschedule-"

"I'll be okay, Hank. I just want to be alone to think. That's all..."

"Connor," Hank's voice carried a paternal sympathy that made Connor stop tossing the ball after he caught in his hand for the hundredth time. "don't fixate on what happened to Sumo. Like I said, he was old, he got sick and it's common for large breeds of dogs to become afflicted with heart problems. There wasn't anything more that your or me could've done to keep him around for much longer."

"...I'm aware."

Hank wasn't convinced but he didn't want to push Connor too far emotionally. Connor had been a deviant for barely three years now, and that still was not enough time for him to grasp the complexities of human emotions and responses. Unlike Markus, North and the other deviants at New Jericho Tower who had years, even decades of contact with humans to help guide them along their way to deviancy, Connor had only known the cold machines and indifference of CyberLife technicians during his first few months of life, and humanity after he deviated.

"Okay, son. I'm going to go out for a few hours to have lunch with Rose. I'll be back this evening."

Connor didn't respond to the information with any form of interest which in itself was a red flag to the attentive detective.

"I just said I was going on a _date_ and you didn't react, not mention the fact that it's with _Rose_! Are you sure you're not actually sick or something?"

Giving Hank a somewhat hurt glance over his shoulder Connor resumed his somber disposition with a continued indifference to Hank's plan. "I'll be okay, Hank. I swear."

"...Alright. Call me if you need something."

"What would I need?" Connor's brow furrowed with sincere confusion as he resumed bouncing the ball against the wall without looking away from Hank in the process.

"I dunno', someone to talk to or something like that."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Uh, see you in a few hours, kid."

"See you later, Hank."

Hank grabbed his car keys from the bookshelf and headed out the backdoor to the car parked in the drive beside the house. As the door clicked shut behind the detective Connor stopped throwing the ball against the wall and let it bounce past him and land on the couch behind him. Reaching into his pocket Connor pulled out Sumo's name tag and eyed it with a lingering remorse.

"I already miss him."

Unable to stand the quiet stillness of the house Connor stood up from the floor and headed toward the front door, grabbing his leather jacket from the hook as he walked through the doorway and out into the steadily warming afternoon air. Wandering aimlessly for a few blocks Connor thought about all the times he used to take Sumo for walks along the same route, always stopping by the park in the spring, summer and fall, then always taking an alternate route during the wintertime to stave off the intense cold in the air.

It just wasn't the same without him.

As Connor walked deeper into the city he found himself passing by the local pet shop where he had purchased his aquarium and fish so long ago. He was readily getting barked or meowed at by the new litters of puppies and kittens jumping about in the front window. Staring at the small furry animals Connor found it fascinating that so many animals were eager to be taken home, yet all he could think about was Sumo. Stranger still was the very idea of purchasing animals when so many strays were living on the streets or waiting inside shelters to be adopted.

"If you're looking for a pet," an elderly woman's voice spoke to Connor as she walked up behind him. "there's a humane society two blocks South of here."

"Pardon?" Connor turned to look at the woman confusedly as his L.E.D. flashed yellow quickly.

"You seem like a very nice, compassionate young man." She stated as she continued walking past Connor on her way down the street in the opposite direction from whence Connor arrived. "It'd be nice to see more people like you taking care of animals in need."

Connor's L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue as he watched the woman walking away without ever looking back at him. Thoroughly intrigued by the notion of a humane society Connor walked the additional two blocks and easily located the shelter that the woman had mentioned. Outside the shelter in the parking lot Connor watched as a little boy carried a small white kitten over to the car while his parents spoke to the young, female volunteer at the shelter and thanked her before leaving for home with their latest addition to their family.

Unsure of what to expect Connor squared his jaw and walked inside the receptionist area of the large building and was nearly overwhelmed by the potent aroma of plastic toys, various flea and tick sprays and powders, shampoos, leather leashes and collars, various bags of pet food and dozens of books regarding proper pet care. The volunteer who had said 'goodbye' to the family outside returned to her desk at the front and saw Connor looking about curiously.

"Hello." The young woman greeted Connor politely. "Did you need some help?"

"Me?" Connor turned his head quickly to look at the kind young woman.

"Is this your first time in a humane society?"

"Yes, actually." Connor admitted while feeling a little out of place. "It's very interesting."

"What brings you by today?"

"I... I'm not sure."

"Well, something had to bring you here." She smiled as she walked over to speak to him directly. "We don't get many androids in here in general, so there must be a reason."

"Oh."

"Curious about animals?"

"I actually have some experience with animals." Connor replied to the question without sounding arrogant or rude in the process. "I have an aquarium filled with numerous tropical fish and I have-" He paused for a moment to correct himself. "HAD a dog."

" _Had_?" The woman caught the past tense and sorrow in Connor's voice keenly. "I'm sorry. When did you lose your dog?"

Connor was still holding onto Sumo's name tag and collar, and he lifted it up for her to see. "...Last night."

"Oh, no! It's never easy to lose a pet."

"Yes. I'm learning this in a very difficult, but arguably effective manner."

"Let me show you to the back."

"I don't think I'm here to adopt an animal."

"You don't have to if you don't want to. But sometimes spending time with animals after you lost one you care so much about can ease the pain."

"...I'm willing to test that theory."

"Come on." She showed Connor to the door that leads to a corridor back into the shelter of the building. "We have quite a few dogs, puppies, cats and kittens all in need of good homes. Spring is our busy season after all."

Connor followed the volunteer as she showed him down the corridor and into the back kennels. "Are you busy because of excessive breeding?"

The volunteer laughed at the sweetly naive question but shook her head nonetheless. "No, I wish that was the case. At least then it'd be less sad."

"May I ask what is the main cause of your sudden abundance of animals?"

"Honestly it's because people like to give puppies and kittens as gifts during the holidays, but sometimes the gift is unwanted by the recipient and we end up taking in the animals who are unwanted or abandoned on the street."

"That's awful." Connor's L.E.D. cycled back to yellow in distress. "How could someone do that to a helpless creature?"

"I don't know. And I hope I never do." Pushing open a large door at the end of the corridor the volunteer showed Connor to the back kennels where the cats and kittens were running about in their large cages. "Fortunately, a nice family was here a moment ago and adopted one of the kittens. That's one less animal I need to worry about tonight."

Connor nodded his head in agreement as he entered the room and began walking by the cages along the walls. Dozens of cats of various pelt colors,fur lengths and breeds meowed as Connor walked by. A few even stretched their paws out through the bars in an attempt to gain his attention. Stopping to pet each cat a few times until they began purring in response Connor felt less melancholy and rather enjoyed the company of the animals.

Behind him in a larger kennel against the opposite wall seven kittens scurried about along a big carpet scratching post and batted around a few toys and bells playfully. It wasn't often Connor was able to observe so many animals in one place and it made him feel better knowing that for every animal that passed away more animals were just beginning to live.

"It might be too soon, but did you want to see the dogs?" The volunteer asked as she watched Connor observing the kittens for a few minutes. "Or do you want to keep playing with the cats?"

"...I like both animals."

"A lot of people do. We just keep them separated so they don't feel as stressed out."

"I see."

"Come on." She motioned for Connor to follow her out of the room and further down the corridor to the next room where the dog kennels were contained. "We don't have as many dogs as we do cats, but maybe there's someone here you'd like to play with."

Connor smiled a little at the offer as he entered the kennel and eyed the numerous dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds jumping about in their kennels with their tails wagging as they barked at the visiting deviant. Connor had never seen so many different breeds of dogs in person, only in visual records stored in his memory banks.

Allowing each dog to sniff at his hand, then lick gently, Connor greeted each dog in a similar way as he walked along the kennels. In a large gated pen at the opposite side of the room four puppies jumped about playfully as they wrestled with one another through a scattering of newspapers and chew toys. As the puppies yipped and ran around Connor couldn't help but notice that one of the puppies was larger than others and displayed the classic signs of a St. Bernard.

"He looks like Sumo..." Connor observed as he crouched down by the pen and looked in at the fluffy puppies closer. The puppy that had caught Connor's attention ran up to the edge of the pen and stood up on its hind legs as it tried to lick Connor's face. "This must be where Hank adopted Sumo ten years ago."

The volunteer crouched down next to Connor and smiled at his reaction. "We get a lot of puppies through here every year. I wouldn't be shocked if your friend adopted one from here, but I wouldn't count on it."

"How often do you get St. Bernard puppies?"

"Not too often. It's rare for someone to give up a purebred puppy on a whim, but it does happens. I guess some people don't realize how big large breed dogs will get after they're fully grown. And it's unfortunate because once the puppies reach their full mature size it's even harder to find them homes."

"How old is this one? Six months?"

"Six or seven."

Connor reached his hand into the pen and rubbed at the puppies ears in the same manner he had done so many times before with Sumo. The puppy leaned his head into Connor's hand and wagged his tail happily at the positive attention he was being given.

"If you want to adopt him," the volunteer gently pressed without being pushy. "the fee is only fifty dollars."

"...I'm not sure."

"I know how hard it is to move on after losing a pet. That's why I volunteer to work here every weekend. It makes it a little easier to move on."

"Yes. I did feel better once I started interacting with the animals."

"And remember, adopting a pet doesn't mean you're simply replacing one that you've lost. It means you've finished taking care of one animal and now you're going to take care of another one who needs your help."

"...My help." Connor remembered what Hank said earlier about helping him and Sumo live longer lives. Maybe he could do the same for this puppy. "...If I were to adopt him could I take him home today?"

"First we need to do a background check to make sure no one seeking to take an animal has a history of animal cruelty or abuse. It's routine procedure."

"I'd never hurt an animal." Connor quickly refuted somewhat defensively. "I work for the Detroit Police, I can ensure you an accurate and swift background check."

"You're a cop?"

"Yes." Connor pulled his wallet from his jean pocket and showed her his badge. "Detective, actually."

"Wow! I didn't know that androids could be detectives." She smiled warmly at Connor as he continued to rub the puppy's ears affectionately. "I know your background check will come back clean, so... why don't you go ahead and take him home?"

"...You're willing to trust me?"

"Sure, I still have faith in humanity, so why not androids?"

Connor smiled appreciatively at the comment as he reached both hands down into the pen and picked up the puppy to hold in his arms. The not-so-small bundle of fluff wagged his tail happily as he proceeded to lick Connor's chin and the side of his face.

The volunteer always enjoyed seeing the animals in her care being taken in by kind people. "I think he likes you."

"I like him, too."

"Come on. We'll get the paperwork filed so you can take him home."

"I'd like that. Thank you."

* * *

Connor arrived back home with the puppy still protectively bundled up in his arms despite being given a new collar and leash to walk him along the ground. Sitting down on the floor of the livingroom Connor let go of the puppy and watched as he looked about the house, curiously sniffing at the air before crawling back into Connor's lap as the new environment was a little frightening.

Petting the puppy gently Connor felt the sorrow he still carried for the loss of Sumo beginning to leave his weighted heart. The puppy playfully climbed over Connor's legs for a moment more and then trotted through the livingroom to check out his new home.

As Connor watched the puppy he began to smirk a little.

"You're more energetic than Sumo." Connor noted with twinge of guilt for thinking such a thing. "He really was an old dog."

The backdoor to the kitchen opened unexpectedly and Hank returned with Rose beside him. "Hey, Connor." The detective called out casually from the middle of the kitchen. "How're you holding up?"

Before Connor could answer the puppy clumsily ran through the livingroom and into the kitchen to greet Hank, who was shocked to see the new bundle of fluff at his ankles. Whereas Rose was more than happy to crouch down and say hello to the large puppy.

"Why, hello!" Rose greeted the fluffy, sweet bundle. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Uh... Connor?" Hank didn't raise his voice or even sound angry, but he didn't sound enthusiastic either. "Where'd you find this puppy?"

"The humane society." Connor replied honestly as he walked into the kitchen and watched Rose pet the large puppy before picking him up to hold in her arms for a few moments. "I had no intention of adopting a puppy today, I swear. It just... happened."

Rose laughed a little, playfully nudged Hank in the ribs with her elbow. "That's adorable, Hank. You can't be mad!"

"...I'm not mad." He stated calmly both Rose and Connor as he stared at the puppy wagging its tail in Rose's arms. "I'm just a little confused."

Connor spoke up again as he tried to reassure Hank that he hadn't gone out in search of a puppy that day. "I was taking a walk and I ended up at the humane society after I was encouraged to check it out."

"Encouraged? By what, a sign from above?"

"No. An old woman."

Rose laughed again as she rubbed the puppy's chin lovingly.

Hank was less amused than she was, but still not angry. "Uh-huh... And this old woman was also a saleswoman or something?"

"No, she... She said I looked like a 'nice young man'. She was the first human-stranger who saw me as a person and not a machine or even a deviant." Connor wrung his hands together nervously as he spoke. "It was a nice feeling in itself and I wanted to continue to feel better after losing Sumo."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and tried to ignore the puppy now craning its neck to try to lick his face from Rose's arms. "You do realize that puppies need A LOT of training, right? They aren't born with training and basic commands already in their heads, you know?"

"I'm aware, Hank."

"And puppies are _messy_. You remember how much of a mess the neighbor's puppy caused in just a few hours, don't you?"

"Yes, I remember vividly cleaning up the numerous messes."

Hank let out a sigh as he looked down at the puppy that was so desperately trying to get his attention. "...Is it already official?"

Connor pulled out the certificate of adoption from his coat pocket and handed it over to Hank. "...Yes."

Taking the offered certificate Hank read it over and gave Connor a somewhat annoyed look. "Alright. But since this little guy is registered under _your_ name that means he's _your_ responsibility. You'll train him, feed him, walk him, bathe him, take him to get his shots, take him to get neutered and every little mess he makes is a mess _you're_ going to clean up. Got it?"

"Got it!" Connor smiled as Hank allowed him to keep the puppy. His L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue and stayed as such as relief and a sense of healing washed over him. "Thank you, Hank."

Hank finally relented and pet the puppy's head for a moment before Rose let him back down to the floor where he proceeded to run right back over to Connor and paw at the deviant's leg seeking more affection.

"So... what's his name?" Hank dared to ask as Connor bent down and picked the puppy up and held him in his arms. "You left that part on the adoption certificate blank."

"...I think I still like the name 'Sumo' best."

"Not EVERY St. Bernard needs to be called 'Sumo', kid."

"I'm aware of this fact, but it's a very fitting name for the breed."

Hank shook his head as he flashed Rose an amused grin. "Okay, he's your puppy. Sumo it is then."

Connor smiled again as Sumo let out a big, sleepy yawn and rested his chin against Connor's shoulder as he snuggled in for a nap. "...Good boy."

_**...next story...** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, I'd like to point out that the passing of Sumo was a prompt that had been thrown my way, so it wasn't my idea! Second, I didn't want to keep Sumo dead so I combined it with another prompt of Connor being able to adopt a puppy and conveniently enough had Connor adopt a St. Bernard and name it Sumo for the sake of simplicity. Third, it's accurate to have Sumo, even at his canon age in the game to succumb to old age and heart disease.
> 
> (I didn't want anyone going "John Wicke" on me for killing the dog...)
> 
> I'd also like to point out the seriousness of animals being given as gifts then abandoned every holiday season. Not only is it cruel to the animal but it's a shameful display of humanity to view animals as objects or possessions that can be neglected, disposed of or forgotten out of laziness and indifference.
> 
> Don't give an animal as a gift unless you know the recipient WANTS to adopt the animal and take care of the animal! Please and Thank you!


	113. Toxic

Patiently Connor stood in the opened doorway of the backdoor and waited for Sumo to return to the house after being let outside for the morning. The puppy was already fairly big and looked like he'd be full grown in just a few more weeks, but he was still in fact a puppy and still needed additional training. It didn't take long for the new Sumo to pick up on the basic commands; sit, stay, come, down and outside, but he was still a little stubborn about coming back inside after being let outside for a few minutes.

"Good morning Hank." Connor replied as he sensed Hank enter the kitchen behind him.

"Yeah, morning..."

"Sleep well?"

"Well enough." Hank walked over to the counter to get some coffee before he and Connor reported to the precinct for their shift that morning. "It's nice to wake up without a damn kink in my back for once."

"I've been meaning to ask but I've been distracted as of late. How was your date with Rose?"

"Fine. It was just lunch, nothing too special."

"Are you going to continue to see Rose for additional lunch dates?"

"Uh..." Hank blushed a little and did his best to hide his reaction from Connor discreetly. "I don't know."

"You seem to enjoy her company."

"Yeah, well, we have a lot in common. We're both widowed, we both have sons, a similar taste in music... It's nothing _romantic_ if that's what you're implying."

"It is what I'm implying, and the fact that you're blushing is indicative-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Hank held up his hand somewhat defensively as he silenced corner. "We're not going to talk about my love-life, _no matter_ _what_! Please drop it."

"Okay. If you insist." Connor gave Hank a mischievous smirk as he spoke. "I won't mention it again."

Regaining his composure Hank easily changed the subject at hand. "So... Is new Sumo still running around out there?" Hank asked as he joined Connor at the still opened door with his full coffee mug in hand. "Must be nice to be outside after being cooped in a kennel for so long."

"Yes. Maybe I should get a chain so Sumo so can stay outside while we're away and not worry about him getting out of the yard."

"Good luck." Hank laughed at the suggestion with a knowing coy smirk of his own.

"Huh?"

"With large breeds like that, especially when they're young and full of energy, they can easily pull a chain out of the ground or break the clip around their collar. That's why I kept the original Sumo inside all the time. Then as he got older he got used to being inside and never really gave me much of a problem with sneaking out of the yard. You know, unless a squirrel got his attention or something."

Sumo trotted back inside the house between Connor and Hank over to his food bowl on the kitchen floor. The puppy was just as laidback and calm around people as his predecessor had been, making the puppy's arrival all the more comforting to the duo. Even if he was messier than his more mature counterpart.

"He hasn't had any accidents in the past three weeks." Connor reminded Hank coolly as he retrieved a package of puppy training pads from the top of the cabinet in the kitchen. Placing one on the floor beside the backdoor Connor checked Sumo's water then noted the time. "He's used the training pad while we've been out of the house, as well. He's learning fairly quickly."

"Yeah, yeah. I don't care so much about the messes since you clean them up, it's the _smell_ that comes with the messes that bother me." Hank finished off his coffee and pulled the car keys from his coat pocket. "Come on, let's go before my back tries to stop me."

* * *

Arriving at the precinct Connor and Hank were met with the usual ambience of a busy bullpen and cascade of nervous voices giving reports to the police officers in charge of the newly assigned investigations, but there was something unusual hanging in the air at that moment that only the seasoned detectives seems to notice. Neither detective could quite place it, but they both knew something bizarre was happening at that very moment.

"I have a bad feeling, Hank." Connor remarked in a low voice as he and Hank sat behind their respective desks.

"Yeah. I got it, too."

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he performed a cybernetic scan on the precinct's noted cases and reports. There was nothing that seemed too out of the ordinary to warrant their mutual worry, yet the strange feeling was still abundantly hanging in the air.

"I wish I knew what was happening."

Hank looked around curiously and noticed Gavin's empty desk, but saw that the Sergeant's jacket was still hanging off the back of the chair. "Where's Gavin?"

Chris overhead the question from his own desk and answered calmly. "Interrogation. Some guy wanted to talk to Gavin about an old case he handled a few years back."

"Old case?" Hank gave Connor a righteously wary look from where he sat. "That sounds pretty weird to me."

"I agree." The deviant quickly ran a cybernetic scan over the cases that Gavin had worked over the past ten years. There were far too many for the deviant to isolate and narrow down without any further information at his disposal. "...Perhaps one of us should check in on him instead. Unless you'd like me to continue to sift through his old cases."

"Do both. Come on, I don't like this."

Chris was unsure of what the two detectives were honing in on, but he knew he could always trust their judgement. "Lieutenant?"

"Chris, go let Fowler know something's up." Hank instructed calmly as he and Connor made their way to the observation room connected to the interrogation room. "We're going to check in on Gavin."

"What should I tell him?"

"Tell him that we're checking in on a 'hunch'. He'll know what's up."

Without questioning Hank for a second Connor followed after the more seasoned and experienced detective as they discreetly entered the observation room and watched Gavin speaking with the questionable man on the other side of the one way mirror. Hank turned on the small speaker so they could privately hear what was being said without intruding in on the conversation, or alerting the man to the presence in the process.

* * *

Through the glass the two voices of Gavin and the odd man were somewhat muffled, yet still completely audible and easily understood as the had a heated discussion with one another. Gavin was able to maintain a professional demeanor, while the man appeared for more frazzled and irritable.

The man in question was in his late forties, but looked much older. With thinning hair that was graying over previously dark locks, heavy bagged eyes and a sickly yellow tint to his skin, the man was obviously in poor health.

" _Look man_ ," Gavin was trying to sound completely calm and cool as he spoke to the strange man standing in front of the door, but his body language told a different story. Sitting on the edge of the table Gavin had his arms crossed defensively over his chest and his eyes were locked onto the other man's face intensely. " _I don't remember what happened to your wife, but I am sorry she-_ "

" _Don't toy with me_..." The man pleaded as he fumbled with something unseen between his hands. The object in question was concealed under the heavy thick sleeves of his winter coat just out of sight. " _I just want answers._ _Now._ "

" _Okay, okay_..." Gavin picked up a small electronic tablet sitting on the edge of the table next to him. " _It'll take a minute, but I can find her case file for you_."

* * *

Hank shook his head as he realized his and Connor's hunches were correct. The man was clearly distressed and was showing all outward signs of emotional, if not mental, instability. His shoulders were tense, his arms folded over his chest, his eyes were glazed over and his overall demeanor was aggressive despite being in a non-hostile environment.

"I don't like it." Hank commented in a low voice even though no one would be able to hear him through the glass. "There's something very wrong here."

"I agree." Connor went to step out of the room to 'check in' on Gavin. "I want to get a closer look at what the man's holding."

"Right. Be quick about it, and discreet."

Connor unlocked the door via electronic panel with his bare plastimetal hand and easily stepped over to the neighboring room to do the same. As he entered the room he stopped just inside the door and feigned ignorance as he spoke to Gavin in a level voice. All the while he spoke his easily scanned the environment and the man sitting across from Gavin.

"Detective Reed, you have a phone call waiting for you at your desk." The clever deviant easily lied. "Is this a bad time?"

"...No. It's fine." Gavin lied too as he gave Connor an unsure glance and chose his next words very carefully. "I'm almost done speaking to Mr. Lance right now. It's fine, I'll get the call later."

Connor performed a facial scan over the man's facade from an odd angle, but it was enough to confirm the man as 'Evan Lance' just as Gavin stated. There was also a trace amount of concentrated toxin emanating from Lance's person that Connor's system was unable to properly identify without a direct sample. The data would require further analysis.

"Very well." Connor took the hint and left Gavin alone with Evan. "I'll ask the caller to hold."

Backing out of the interview room Connor returned to the observation room where Hank was still waiting, and watching.

Hank didn't take his eyes from the window as Connor rejoined him in the observation room. "Is there any criminal history with this 'Lance' guy?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he performed a cybernetic scan on the previous case files under Gavin's name once more, isolating the name and finally identifying the case that he had been seeking. "But he did file a case regarding the disappearance, and subsequent murder of his wife."

"Gavin handled her case." Hank realized calmly as he slipped his phone from his pocket and texted an update to Captain Fowler. "How long ago?"

"Four years prior. Mrs. Marcia Lance was reported missing by her husband after he returned home from work. Her car was found abandoned outside the city and her body was found inside the trunk. She had been bound with her hands behind her back and her ankles were tied. She had been stabbed to death. There were no suspects beyond that of the husband and the case went cold after six months."

"And _now_ Evan is after Gavin for... something. Answers, questions, revenge maybe? But that doesn't make sense."

"Agreed. Something must've-"

* * *

" _Okay,_ " Gavin's voice cut in sharply knowing that Connor and Hank were watching, as he found the case file that Connor had just uncovered and reviewed it for himself. " _here's the file_. _Four years ago to the day; son of a bitch._ _I remember now_..." Gavin's voice was level and sincere as he read the file. " _we couldn't find any trace of the person who_ -"

" _I don't care about the person who did it_... _You'll never find them_." Evan blurted angrily as his hands tightened around what was now seen as a metallic cylindrical container in his grip. " _I just want to know what happened to her_. _How she died_. _Did she suffer_?"

" _I_... _The coroner's report is right here_." Gavin confirmed with a hesitating tone. " _It's_... _not pretty_."

" _Neither is having your wife murdered and having your neighbors think you're the killer_! _Just tell me_! _I want the damn TRUTH_."

" _Okay, okay_..." Clearing his voice a little Gavin began reading the report. " _Mrs. Lance_ -"

" _Marcia_." Evan interrupted harshly. " _Her name was MARCIA_."

" _Right, Marcia_." Gavin corrected him before he continued in a steady tone. " _She was found in the trunk of her car. She had her arms bound behind her back with duct tape, and her ankles were bound in the same manner. She had been struck in the back of the head rendering her unconscious. She... She endured seven stabs wounds to her chest_." Gavin cleared his throat again as he tried to remain as calm and cool as possible. " _The first wound was fatal as it severed the aorta and she bled out within seconds_."

"... _She didn't suffer_?"

" _No. She was unconscious the entire time. She didn't feel anything_."

"... _Good_. _That's good_." Evan's eyes narrowed as he stared at Gavin with a malicious intent. Holding out the metal canister in his hands Evan prepared to unscrew the cap. " _Too bad you won't have the same luxury_."

* * *

"SHIT." Hank swore as he and Connor exited the observation room quickly. "Get Gavin out of there, I'm getting back-up!"

Connor practically tore open the door to the interrogation room to get back inside as quickly as possible. Before Evan had the chance to turn around or drop the cylinder Connor wrapped his arms around the deranged man's chest as he tackled him up against the far wall to pin him in place.

"Gavin, go!" Connor shouted as he used all of his weight to hold Evan at bay against the wall.

The cylinder dropped from Evan's hands and rolled along the floor as an aerosol and transparent liquid dripped from the canister onto the floor at a very slow pace, before hissing into a thin cloud into the air.

"Fuck!" Gavin bolted from the room and pulled on the fire alarm to contact emergency services while also alerting the rest of the building to evacuate. "Everyone out of here, NOW. Move it!"

Connor dragged Evan back away from the wall and kept his arms pinned against his chest. The enraged man struggled to break free of the deviant's strong grip but Connor held fast and managed to get the man out of the interrogation room as it filled with the aerosolized chemical he had intended to use on Gavin. Fortunately the canister was improperly designed and the chemical was unable to fully deploy from the metal housing and fill the air with the unidentified substance as Even had originally intended.

Dragging the deranged man through the bullpen Connor was assisted by Hank who grabbed onto Evan's legs and aided Connor in carrying him out of the evacuating precinct to a designated clearing outside, away from the chemical.

"What the fuck was that?!" Hank shouted at Evan as he and Connor carried him outside. "What was that shit?!"

Evan didn't say anything as he began to cough violently nearly causing Connor and Hank to drop him as the violent tremors physically shook his entire body. A sudden spike in his body temperature and his wheezing breaths indicated respiratory distress that both Connor and Hank noticed instantly.

"Fuck! There's a medic standing by!" Hank stated as he and Connor made their way over the precinct medic who was standing by to tend to those who had been afflicted by the chemical. "Get him over there before he keels over."

Connor nodded as he and Hank laid the man down on the sidewalk where the medic was standing. Hank slipped the cuffs from his belt and placed them on Evan's wrists behind his back, forcing him to lay in an uncomfortable position atop his arms on the sidewalk, and backed away as the medic assessed the dangerous suspect.

"Where's Gavin?" Connor asked as he looked about the immediate area for any sign of detective.

"Decontamination." Hank replied curtly with a pointed thumb over his shoulder. "Just following protocol. You're next."

Stifling a weak cough of his own Connor made his way over to the quarantined area where the C.D.C. would isolate those who were in close proximity to the chemical, while also running a sweep of the building to identify and remove the toxin before anyone became violently ill from unintentional exposure.

Joining Gavin at the decontamination area Connor ran a scan over the human and was relieved to note stable vital signs. "You're unharmed."

"...Yeah." Gavin confirmed as he stood completely still with his arms folded defensively over his chest. "Uh, thanks for doing what you did back there. Pinning that guy to the wall so I could get my ass out of there... That took a lot of balls! Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome."

Gavin shook his head and scoffed a little as the C.D.C. pulled up to the precinct and began to section off the area. "Bastard wanted to kill me because I couldn't figure out who killed his wife. What the hell, right?"

Connor withheld a very faint smile. "Right." Another weak cough escaped Connor's lips prompting the deviant to politely put his hand over his mouth as he had seen humans do hundreds of times before.

"...You good?"

"Yes. I'm merely enduring a mild ventilation expulsion to remove the airborne chemical from my system."

"Do you know what that shit was?"

"I was unable to gain a proper sample for analysis, but-" Another cough cut him off unexpectedly.

"Maybe you should sit down for a minute?"

"I'm functioning properly. I'll be okay in a moment."

"...Sure. Whatever."

As a team dressed in bright orange hazmat suits converged over the precinct numerous personnel began assessing the officers who were in the closest range to the chemical for any sign of illness or poisoning. Since Connor wasn't human the C.D.C. was unsure what to look for in an affected android, and merely waved off the cursory medical exam. While Gavin and the other nearest officers were actually being medically examined Connor was shown to an emergency shower to have any external chemical residue clinging to his skin and clothes thoroughly rinsed away.

Connor endured the uncomfortable shower without a complaint and patiently waited to be cleared to leave the area to resume his investigation.

* * *

Hank watched as the paramedics checked over Evan and reported his condition as serious, quickly deteriorating into critical. Paramedics arrived at the scene to aid the affected officers and to provide emergency first aid to Evan who had fallen unconscious and was in respiratory distress. It was a blur of activity as the medics set to work to take care of the people in need.

"...Dumb bastard." Hank muttered to himself as Captain Fowler joined him and looked down at the suspect. "What do you think, Jeffrey? I say he was suicidal and wanted to take Gavin down with him."

"I think you're right. Good work, by the way. I was able to get all non-essential personnel out of the building before anything went down."

"What do we know about this 'Evan Lance', jackass?"

"He worked as a chemistry teacher until his wife was murdered. He spent the last four years of his life living in solitude in his apartment, working from home. I guess he finally went off the deep end when the anniversary of his wife's murder passed by without any progress."

"Explains how he knew how to make that damn canister. Good thing for us he fucked up at the finish line and didn't unleash the full contents."

Connor rejoined Hank at the sidewalk, his clothing was damp and his hair was still wet from the shower. "How is Evan?"

"Looks like he got the worst dose of whatever the hell that stuff was. How're you?"

Captain Fowler gave Connor a respectful nod before departing to check in with Gavin who was still being medically examined. "Good work, Connor."

"Thank you, Captain." Another weak cough stopped Connor from answering Hank right away. Clearing his throat he finally replied as honestly as he could. "I'm okay."

"You don't sound okay."

"It's my expul-" Connor began coughing again, much harsher than before causing him to press his hand to his chest and his L.E.D. to flicker to yellow in response.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand against Connor's upper back to held hold the deviant steady. Escorting him over to an ambulance Hank made sure the deviant didn't trip or fall over as he walked and tried to catch his breath. "Connor, sit down."

Obediently Connor took a seat on the bumper of the ambulance as he continued to cough into his hand while his system attempted to rid the chemical from his ventilation biocomponents. The coughing was so violent Connor didn't have the chance to breathe in, only out.

"Shit, where's Joel?" Hank asked as he looked around the area worriedly, he his hand never leaving Connor's back. "Hey! We need a technician over here!"

Connor continued to cough as his self-healing program fought to isolate and expel the toxin from his system. Leaning forward with uncoordinated weakness the deviant fought to keep his balance, but fortunately Hank kept his hand on Connor's back to prevent him from falling off the bumper and onto the hard sidewalk or street.

"Easy, son. I got you."

Joel had been trying to identify the chemical used in the failed attack when he heard Hank's voice calling out to him loudly. Rushing over to the ambulance with his emergency android care satchel over his shoulder as a precautionary reflex, Joel stood beside Connor and visually assessed the deviant quickly. The sound of the brutal coughing was all it took for the trained technician to know that Connor was in trouble.

"He needs oxygen, his ventilation system has been compromised by chemical exposure." Joel put his hand against Connor's back next to Hank's hand. "Help me get him on a gurney."

"Yeah, right." Hank waved over the paramedics who were rolling a gurney between them. While Hank worked with Joel to lift Connor up from the bumper and lay him down over the gurney, he turned to the paramedics and motioned for them to go on. "We'll take care of him, you check on everyone else."

Joel nodded in approval as he loosened Connor's tie from around his neck and slipped an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth to ease his struggling breathing. "Whatever that chemical is hasn't been properly identified by Connor's system. I suspect it's coating the inside of his ventilation biocomponents making expulsion difficult, if not impossible."

"What's the oxygen mask going to do?"

"It'll help clear the chemical from his system and help prevent him from overheating." Joel reached into his satchel and pulled out his audioscope as Connor's coughing fit mercifully passed. Easily slipping the earbuds into place Joel ran the bell over Connor's chest, listening carefully to the faltering breaths Connor was fighting to take. "It sounds like he's having some kind of asthma attack, or an allergic reaction."

"A _what_? He can do that?!"

"Apparently so..." Joel propped up the head of the gurney so Connor was laying in a somewhat upright position to help him breathe easier still. "I personally haven't seen anything like this before."

"Shit. So what do we do?"

"Hope his self-healing program is able to expel the chemical before his ventilation biocomponents fail him."

"That's it?" Hank wasn't happy with the lack of action that either of them could take to try to help Connor. "We just stand back and hope for the best?"

"I'll monitor him closely, but until we know what the chemical was in the attack I won't be able to do much of anything to help him."

"Yeah... Do what you can."

"Right." Joel proceeded to pull the portable android cardiac monitor from his satchel and sat it on the gurney next to the deviant who was watching everything happening around him through blurry brown eyes. "Connor, I'm going to hook you up to the monitor and keep track of your heart rate. Can you speak at all?"

Connor swallowed once but when he tried to speak his voice modulator failed to produce a sound.

"That's okay, just relax and focus your self-healing program on your ventilation biocomponents."

Nodding slowly Connor acknowledged the order and closed his eyes as he engaged the program to full power. His yellow tinted L.E.D. began cycling at a rapid clip as his program fought to heal his biocomponents while expelling the toxin from his system.

Hank stood beside the gurney as Joel opened up Connor's shirt and attached the sensor pad to the middle of his chest to track the deviant's heartbeat through the Thirium pump still functioning properly and circulating his blue blood throughout his system. It was the only thing keeping him alive and functioning as his ventilation biocomponents were compromised.

"Hang in there, kid." Hank ran his hand over Connor's forehead and brushed back the wet, rogue lock of hair that constantly hung down in the deviant's face, only to have the rogue lock of hair return to its original position. "You'll make it."

Connor's eyes opened a sliver as he gave Hank a subtle but reassuring nod.

Joel noted Connor's vitals on the monitor and looked over at the team working to isolate, identify and remove the dangerous chemical in the precinct. "I'm going to go see if there's been any progress on figuring out what the hell we're dealing with."

"Yeah, I'll watch him."

From the sidewalk the paramedics tending to Evan began to move frantically as the deranged man fell into cardiac arrest and required resuscitation. Hank turned to look at the scene over his shoulder with indifference at the man who had endangered the entire precinct over misguided rage and a pointless vendetta against the wrong person. As the paramedics fought to save Evan, a useless endeavor in Hank's eyes, Gavin made his way over to where Connor was laying on the gurney.

The deviant was nearly unconscious.

"What the hell happened to him?" Gavin's hair was dripping wet from the rinse down and hung in messy strands in all directions, and was drenched in warm water and a decontaminating compound that left his clothes with a noxious smell and discoloration. "He was fine a second ago."

"Bad reaction to the chemical." Hank answered in a cool tone of voice as he watched over Connor protectively. "Joel doesn't know how to help him. YET."

"That shit didn't affect me but it took _him_ down? That's... fucked up."

"Yeah, almost as bad as that." With a casual glance over his shoulder Hank motioned to Evan receiving chest compressions from the paramedics on the sidewalk behind him. "How was killing you going to get is wife's murder solved?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Gavin ran his hand over his wet hair nervously as he watched Connor struggling to breathe even with the oxygen mask over his face. "If I couldn't figure out the case when it was still active how in the fuck would anyone else get any answers on it after it ran cold for _four years_?"

A high pitched 'shriek' filled the air as the cardiac monitor attached to Evan detected his stopped heart and the paramedics decided to call the time of death.

Hank shook his head as he looked back to Connor laying almost motionless on the gurney. "I don't know whether that idiot's death is a good thing, or a bad thing."

"It's a waste of time, that's for damn sure."

Connor suddenly let out a weak gasp as his ventilation biocomponents began to falter and spasm despite his self-healing program's effort to rid the toxic substance, and the oxygen mask internally clearing the chemical from his system. As Connor's L.E.D. flashed from yellow to red his breathing sounded as strained and painful as it looked.

"Shit... Joel!" Hank called out as he placed his hand down against Connor's chest and shoulders to try to hold the deviant steady on the gurney as he gasped and struggled to breathe. "Hang on, son! We're going to get you taken care of."

Gavin grabbed onto Connor's legs to help Hank hold him still, but the sight of Connor in near convulsions as he fought to breathe was disturbing. "...Holy shit."

Joel rushed back to the gurney and replaced his audioscope to Connor's chest to listen to the deviant's struggling respiration. "Damn it, his ventilation biocomponents are shutting down."

"What do we do to stop it?" Hank asked determinedly as he kept his hands in place.

"We need to use Lauryldimethylamine oxide to strip the chemical from his ventilation biocomponents."

"Need to use... WHAT?"

"It's a type of surfactant used to remove castor oil from-"

"Joel! I'm not a chemist, what the fuck is going on?!"

"Connor was poisoned with ricin, but unlike humans who suffer respiratory distress, chest pain, coughing, fever, nausea... Androids apparently suffer from ventilation failure. The aerosolized chemical coated the internal structure of the ventilation biocomponents-"

"Joel!" Hank was losing his patience as he watched Connor struggling to breathe. "What do you have to do to SAVE him?"

"I need to get a dose of what I just said into his ventilation biocomponents. I keep some in my office to keep biocomponent couplings clean and lubricated after suffering physical trauma."

"Great, you don't have any _on you_?"

"No." Joel shook his head negatively. "There's rarely ever a need to carry any on me."

Gavin's lack of knowledge on androids was really starting to come back and bite him in the ass. "I thought androids being able to breathe was a, uh, optional or whatever. What happens if he stops breathing?"

"He'll overheat." Joel stated quickly as he pressed his hand down against Connor's chest and checked the monitor that was recording the deviant's current core temperature: one-hundred point two degrees and rising. "And we can do even less to treat an overheating android without any supplies than we can for a faltering biocomponent."

"Where's the nearest dose of that shit?"

"There should be some in the emergency android first aid kit stored in the supply cabinet of the breakroom."

"How do we get it?" Hank asked urgently as he watched Connor's desperation to building with each shallow breath he tried to take. "The building is on lockdown."

Gavin suddenly let go of Connor's legs as he turned around and ran back toward the precinct.

"What the- Gavin?!" Hank watched as Gavin bolted back to the quarantined building and ducked through the doors. "Get your ass back here!"

Captain Fowler heard the commotion and looked to the building just in time to see Gavin slipping back through the doors without any form of clearance or protection. "Damn it, Reed! Get back here, NOW!"

Gavin pulled his t-shirt up over his nose and mouth and pinned it into place by burying his face against the crook of his arm. It wan effort to keep himself from accidentally breathing in any lingering poison in the air. Rushing over to the breakroom Gavin pulled open the cabinet with his free hand and pulled down the android first aid kit. Setting it down on the floor he snapped open the lid and began rummaging through the items stored within, but having virtually no knowledge on androids Gavin had no idea what he should be looking for.

"FUCK."

Slamming the lid back down over the case Gavin picked it up and tucked it under his arm before jogging back out of the precinct and over to the gurney where Connor was laying with Hank and Joel hovering over him warily.

"Here!" Gavin practically shoved the case into Joel's hands as he dropped his arm from his face and began coughing a little. "Do your thing!"

"REED." Captain Fowler's voice boomed over the area as he singled out the detective. Having seen Gavin take off and having heard Hank calling after him, Captain Fowler knew something was up - but seeing Gavin risk himself to help Connor wasn't something he was expecting. "What the hell were you thinking!?"

"I-"

"SAVE IT. You need to be decontaminated, AGAIN. _NOW_." Pointing to the quarantined area Captain Fowler was evidently not going to wait. "Move it!"

Gavin backed away from the gurney and jogged off to the appointed area while Captain Fowler watched him with his hands to his hips. Letting out an annoyed sigh Captain Fowler turned his attention to Connor and watched as Joel opened up the first aid case and located the appropriate powdered chemical secured protectively in a glass vial within a plastic bag.

"How's Connor doing?" Captain Fowler asked despite already knowing the answer just by looking at the deviant fighting to breathe.

"Not good." Hank replied impatiently as he watched Joel jump into the back of the ambulance to locate a some useful supplies. "If he can't breathe on his own he's going to risk overheating."

"Is that why Reed ran back inside the building?"

"Yeah, he actually did that to try to _save Connor_."

Captain Fowler just shook his head. "I don't know whether I should thank Reed, or slap him."

"Just make sure he's still alive at the end of the day. That should be thanks enough."

"Yeah, right. You take care of Connor, I'll keep an eye on Reed."

Joel hopped down out of the ambulance with a nebulizer used to treat human asthma and anaphylaxis in his hand, and a look of determination on his face. Slipping the mask from Connor's face Joel helped Connor to sit upright on the gurney, Hank put his hand against the deviant's shoulder to hold him steady in the process, and placed the nebulizer in Connor's mouth.

As Joel instructed Connor on how to properly use the nebulizer and explained how the powdered Lauryldimethylamine oxide needed to be inhaled to work as intended, Connor's breathing began to slightly ease as the castor oil was gradually absorbed by the powder and stripped from his ventilation biocomponents.

"Is it working?" Hank asked as Connor managed to take in less labored breaths.

Joel was running the bell of the audioscope over Connor's chest and his back to listen to his breathing carefully. "...So far."

Connor let out a deep painful cough as his self-healing program began to finally expel the suffocating substance from his ventilation system and clear out the affected biocomponents. Just as it seemed the deviant was in the clear his hand reached up to his chest and clutched at his heart as he let out another groan and tried to keep breathing.

"Connor?" Hank felt the deviant's body tense up under his palm as Connor tried to curl around himself protectively. "Talk to me. What's happening?"

"...M-My heart! It hurts!" Connor wheezed and fell back against the gurney as he took in shuddering painful breaths to try to calm his aching heart. "It feels like it's burning!"

"Shit." Joel swore as he checked the monitor and noted Connor's heart rate. "It's a side effect of the chemical. It's working, it's clearing out his ventilation system, but now his self-healing program is reacting to the antidote and not _just_ the poison."

Hank put his hand over Connor's forehead and kept it there to try to keep the deviant as calm as possible. "Now what?"

"He has to ride it out." Joel's answer sounded as pitiful as he felt. Reaching back into his satchel he retrieved a small electronic device and pressed it against Connor's red flashing L.E.D. and held it in place for a few minutes. "This will temporarily turn off his pain sensors and let him rest with minimal discomfort. But it'll only last for one hour before his system reboots his sensors."

Connor immediately began to relax as Joel removed the device from his L.E.D. and the pain lessened considerably. As he breathed easier his L.E.D. cycled back to yellow and he coughed up more of the castor oil from his ventilation system.

"That's better..." Joel sighed as he slipped the oxygen mask over Connor's face once more and used the audioscope to listen to Connor's breathing. There was less faltering after each deep cough and his biocomponents were no longer threatening to fail. "Much better."

Hank let out his own breath as he watched Connor's condition improving exponentially right before his eyes. Turning to look at Gavin over his shoulder in the distance Hank silently thanked Reed for what he had done. The detective was enduring another emergency shower and medical examination in the quarantine area sectioned off outside the building. The two managed to lock eyes for a moment and Hank nodded his head in silent, respectful appreciation to the detective and received the same answer in return.

"How long is he going to be sick like this?" Returning his attention to Connor the detective placed his hand down on the deviant's chest lightly.

"Anywhere between twenty-four and seventy-two hours. It's hard to tell with prototypes, especially when I've never seen a reaction like this in person."

"But it _does_ happen?"

"It had always been theorized, but no one tested it. I mean, how in the hell do you run an android through a gauntlet of substances known as poisonous to humans and justify it?"

"...No clue."

"Once we get cleared from the area take Connor back home and let him sleep it off. Like I said, when the hour's up his pain sensors are going to turn back on and he's going to feel that burning pain again."

"Great... Just great."

"Trust me Lieutenant, it won't be fun for either of you, but at least he's still alive."

"Yeah, you're right."

* * *

Connor had been instructed to keep using the nebulizer every thirty minutes to keep the unorthodox medication in his system until his ventilation biocomponents were fully cleared of the toxic substance. The hour had passed by after the precinct was cleared and Connor's sensors returned to full functionality, fortunately, it happened _after_ he and Hank returned home.

Laying on his bed with a bag of ice pressed to his chest, a suggestion by Hank in hopes of easing the intense burning sensation that Connor had been feeling, the deviant patiently ran a self-diagnostic and waited for the pain to subside.

The sound of paws pattering over hardwood floors filled the house as Sumo trotted down the hallway and made his way into Connor's bedroom. The large puppy jumped up onto Connor's bed and proceeded to cuddle against the deviant's side as his tail wagged happily up and down with audible thumps over the quilt on the bed.

Connor put his hand on the puppy's back and began to pet him gently. "...Good boy."

Hank appeared in the opened doorway of the bedroom and gave Connor a sympathetic glance as he wrapped Sumo's leash around his hand. "How do you feel?"

"The pain isn't as severe as it had been. The ice apparently has some capacity to numb the immediate area."

"Glad it helped." Hank watched as Sumo proceeded to lick at Connor's hand affectionately. "It's been a while since I took a dog out for a walk. It was kinda' nice."

"Thank you for taking Sumo out for me."

"Don't worry about it. By the way," Hank leaned casually against the door frame as spoke to the healing deviant with a smug smile on his face. "Gavin's going to be fine. He didn't breathe in any of that ricin shit when he ran back inside the precinct."

"I should thank Gavin for saving my life."

"Honestly, I think the best thing you could for Gavin is to NOT say anything about it. The prick maybe coming around a little when it comes to androids, but he's still one arrogant bastard. If you say anything to him it might wound his 'oh-so-delicate' pride and make him more insufferable."

Connor's brow furrowed a little as his yellow L.E.D. finally cycled back to blue. "Do they know why Evan Lance chose to attack Gavin after four years?"

"Well, aside from it being the four year anniversary of his wife's murder, no. We don't know what triggered it."

"...And no suspect was identified in her murder beyond Evan himself?"

Hank was intrigued by the tone of Connor's voice, and knew the deviant was onto something. "What're you getting at?"

"When a person is assaulted or killed," Connor sat upright on his bed slowly and let out a weak cough in the process. "the person closest to the victim is always the primary suspect during the investigation. Perhaps Gavin was unable to progress the case beyond Evan because Evan _was_ the killer."

"How do you figure?"

"There was no sign of a break-in," Connor cybernetically uploaded the case to his memory banks and began checking through the collected evidence. "Mrs. Lance had no enemies and had no legal inconveniences that could potentially warrant an assault; but Mr. Lance had a temper and a drug problem in the past."

"You're thinking Evan went crazy on his wife and assaulted her?"

"No. I think Evan owed a great sum of money to his drug dealer, who took his wife for ransom to pay off his debt. He failed to offer payment."

"...And he didn't say anything because he didn't want to get busted for drugs. Son of a bitch." Hank sat on the edge of Connor's bed and began to pet Sumo's ears to ease his mounting annoyance. "Alright, so if you're right and Evan is responsible for his wife's death, then why did he go on what was arguably a suicide mission at the precinct today?"

"Externally Evan showed signs of jaundice which is indicative of liver failure."

"His previous drug use must've destroyed his liver, leaving him sick. He was already dying and the guilt over what happened to his wife pushed him to his breaking point."

"Exactly." Connor coughed again and picked up the nebulizer from the nearby nightstand to help clear out his ventilation biocomponents further.

"Lay down." Hank coaxed as he pushed Connor back gently by the shoulder. "Let your system do its thing."

"I'm trying." Connor admitted as he finished breathing off the nebulizer and sat it aside again. "I just don't like remaining idle for too long."

"Yeah, I know. Tomorrow you can take Sumo for a walk all over the city while I'm out with Rose again."

"Again? I thought you-"

"Yeah, yeah!" Hank dryly commented as he stood up from the bed and walked toward the bedroom door. "She called while I was walking Sumo, but it's _not_ what you think."

"What is that I'm thinking?" Connor grinned with a sly reply.

Hank blushed again and took his leave of the bedroom. "Shut up and get some sleep, will ya'? Smartass..."

_**...next story...** _


	114. Paternal

Feeling much better than he had from the previous day Connor happily walked Sumo around the city while Hank was out with Rose for the afternoon. While Connor had already seen the route he had taken so many times before with the puppy's predecessor ,and showed little interest in checking out the area, Sumo was too excited and needed to stop and sniff every bush, tree, fire hydrant and mailbox they passed by. Far more curious and energetic than the older dog Connor had to use a firmer voice when issuing the young pup verbal commands to make him obey.

"Sumo, come." Connor pulled slightly on the leash to coax the still learning puppy into resuming the walk. From high above a rumble of thunder echoed from the clouds and a small flash of lightning in the distance warned of an impending spring storm. "Come." Connor coughed once forcing his L.E.D. to cycle from blue to yellow briefly as his ventilation biocomponents still fought to heal after being exposed to the aerosolized ricin the previous day. "We need to head home now."

Pulling harder on the leash Connor managed to finally lead Sumo away from the incredibly interesting tree and back down the sidewalk toward home. It was quicker to finish their circle of the block than it would be to turn around from where they stood.

As the storm loomed closer the sky grew darker and the thunder became louder. Connor hastened his pace to keep ahead of the storm and Sumo jogged alongside his deviant master's legs happily as being outside was one of the puppy's favorite things in the whole world. Rushing down the sidewalk to avoid getting caught in the rain Connor and Sumo raced up the front walk to the front door of the house and stopped short at the sight of a cardboard box sitting outside the door.

"This isn't a mail package." Connor stated he curiously with a yellow tinted L.E.D. as he crouched down to peer inside the box.

Sumo's nose was pressing down inside the box to smell the unusual scent emanating from within. A hand written note was resting atop a small squirming bundle wrapped up in a bloodied white towel and made his L.E.D. flash to red with a shocked response and he pulled Sumo back by the collar. Once the squirming bundle began to cry softly Connor's L.E.D. cycled back to yellow and Sumo let out a small whine of his own in response.

"A... baby?"

Another rumble of thunder sounded off loudly through the clouds and Connor reacted quickly as his L.E.D. flashed red again then back to yellow. Reaching up with one hand Connor unlocked the front door and pushed it open to let Sumo inside before he then carefully picked up the box with both hands. He carried it inside the house to get out of the impending storm and get the baby inside the shelter.

Gently Connor placed the box down on the couch in the livingroom as Sumo's ears perked up with utter curiosity at the unexpected visitor's gentle crying. Connor picked up the note to be read later as he focused primarily on the crying newborn infant wrapped up in the towel. Running a scan over the tiny human the deviant noted that it was girl, in seemingly perfect health aside from a slight chill, and had been born less than an hour ago.

Cybernetically Connor sent a text to Hank asking him to return home due to an emergency as he very carefully picked the screaming baby up from the cardboard box with both of his hands in a firm but gentle grip, and then held her in his arms with an unusual and unexpected instinctive response to her cries. Unwilling to let her to remain wrapped up in a chilly, thin towel covered in her own blood Connor carried her into the bathroom slowly in order to warm her up.

Sumo followed after the deviant but sat down in the hallway outside the opened bathroom door as he watched the deviant with utter fascination.

Thinking quickly Connor took the largest of the towels and laid it out across the length of the bathtub and unwrapped the infant to lay her down gently on the soft surface, and out of the thin bloody towel. Next taking a washcloth from the rack Connor ran it under the tap in the sink in warm, but not hot, water and used it to very lightly wipe away the remaining sticky blood on the baby's body. Her cries steadily subdued as she began to feel warmer under Connor's care. After the baby was cleaned and the old blood was washed away Connor used a second clean, warm towel to keep her protectively swaddled as he tried to think of how to handle the situation as best as possible.

The older, bloodied towel was left behind in the bathtub and away from the newborn at last.

Outside thunder and lightning rocked the neighborhood and a massive deluge of cold spring rain soaked the area with an impressive demonstration of nature at its most powerful. Connor had returned home just in time.

Sumo whimpered at the sound of the encroaching storm but stayed in the hallway.

"...I can't take her to a hospital on foot." Connor realized with a keen observation as he cybernetically tracked the storm and looked at the baby swaddled protectively in the tub. "And even if the car were here it'd be too dangerous to drive with a newborn in this weather."

As the helpless infant continued to cry Connor was at a loss of what to do. He had no experience in caring for children, let alone a newborn baby. There was nothing in the house that could accommodate a newborn's needs and Connor was alone with her and Sumo during the storm.

"Hopefully Hank will return soon." Connor whispered calmly as he picked up the newborn from the protectively warm towels and resumed cradling her in his arms. "He'll know what to do."

Carrying the newborn out of the bathroom and into the livingroom with Sumo following right after him again Connor sat down on the couch next to the cardboard box that he had found her inside of, and looked over the note that had been left along with her:

_-I'm sorry. I love her more than anything in the world, but I can't take care of her._

_I'm fourteen and I was assaulted, my family won't believe me or understand me and I ran away from home._

_Please take care of her and find her a good home._

Connor expertly analyzed the handwriting on the note and determined the age of the author to be in fact a person between the ages of twelve and sixteen years old. The chosen words were also befitting of a person of said age. The shaking handwriting itself was indicative of emotional distress and physical pain; not from fear or unwilling correspondence, but of worry and sorrow. The person who penned the letter also did so of their own freewill.

"The birth mother is a teenager without any financial aid or familial support." Connor deduced sadly as he placed the note back inside the box and he looked down at the newborn in his arms. "You weren't abandoned," he reassured the baby despite her being unable to understand what he was saying. "you were given up for adoption. I'll do what I can to ensure you have a loving home."

Sumo joined Connor at the side of couch and put his front paws up against the soft cushion as he stood up on his hind legs to get a better look at the bundle in Connor's arms. The gentle puppy craned his neck to look at the whimpering baby Connor was holding and his tail began to wag a little.

"You'll be okay." Connor soothed with a deeply-seeded paternal instinct he never knew he had. "I'll make sure you stay safe until the storm passes. You'll find a family soon."

Cybernetically Connor filed a report to the precinct regarding the situation at hand requesting that the nearest hospital prepare to receive a newborn who would need to be admitted to foster care, and put up for adoption. Turning his head away from the newborn Connor let out a few deep coughs from his strained ventilation biocomponent and waited for his chest to settle before he returned his focus to the small baby he was determined to protect.

The storm continued to batter the house with heavy rain and wind that caused Sumo to whine and duck down under the coffee table in fear. Already big for a puppy Sumo just barely fit under the piece of furniture as he sought a place to hide without getting too far away from Connor in the process.

The back door of the house opened up wide as Hank rushed inside and slammed it shut behind him eliciting an annoyed cry from the newborn and a small bark from Sumo. Shrugging off his rain soaked overcoat onto the back of a kitchen chair he spied Connor in the livingroom and joined the deviant at the couch.

"You found a WHAT this afternoon?!" Hank asked incredulously as he peered at the tiny newborn swaddled protectively in Connor's arms. "What the hell?!" Noticing Sumo hiding under the table next to Connor on the couch Hank had a knee-jerk reaction and couldn't keep himself from blurting it out. "Connor, you CAN'T KEEP IT, you know that right?! It's a _human_ , not a _puppy_!"

"...I'm aware." Connor replied with a somewhat offended lilt to his voice as he absentmindedly soothed the crying baby with a gentle rocking motion.

With one hand Connor handed the note over to Hank who read it over for himself, and his shoulders slumped with sympathetic sorrow toward both the baby and her unknown mother. Shaking his head Hank placed the note back down in the cardboard box next to Connor and looked down at the flimsy box with an annoyed glance.

"She was cold and required proper warmth." Connor stated as he looked back down at the newborn's face as she finally settled down for a nap and stopped crying. "The original towel I found her in was placed in the bathtub. It was covered in blood and made from very thin material."

"Alright, I'll put it back in the box to keep as evidence. Maybe they can find the mother through D.N.A. and at least get a family history so the baby doesn't have to go through life without knowing anything about where she came from."

Connor nodded in agreement as Hank quickly walked down the hallway and into the bathroom to get the bloodied towel. As he returned to the livingroom he dropped it into the box then walked into the kitchen to wash off his hands.

"Sumo! Come!" Hank called to the dog who happily trotted into the kitchen from under the table to greet Hank. "Good boy, come on." Hank coaxed Sumo into walking down the hallway and into the bathroom where Hank promptly shut the door on the large puppy. "Sorry boy, I can't take any chances of a giant affectionate dog accidentally getting too close to a tiny human."

"Sumo was behaving with curiosity, not aggression." Connor defended from where he sat on the couch. "I doubt he would've harmed her."

"Yeah, I know. It's in his breed to be protective of humans, but Sumo is still learning and doesn't know his own strength yet." Hank explained calmly from the hallway as Sumo whined pathetically behind the closed door. "You didn't see anyone acting suspiciously before or after you left the house for your walk?"

"No. I saw no one unusual, or any pregnant youths in the immediate area."

"Yeah, well, I don't think it matters. This is a safe delivery area, so the mother technically didn't do anything wrong."

"Safe delivery area?" Connor coughed again, and once more he turned his head away from the newborn until he caught his breath. "I thought only police precincts, fire departments and some churches were designated as such areas."

"Normally yeah, but I also volunteered to have this place registered as one just after Cole was born."

"Any particular reason?"

Hank nodded in the affirmative. "Here, more like this." As he walked around the couch and gently adjusted Connor's arms to more appropriately cradle the newborn while keeping her as warm as possible against Connor's chest, before sitting down next to him. "During my first few years as a rookie I stopped a teenager, barely sixteen, from falling into a life of prostitution and she ended up founding a discreet shelter for runaway and abused teens after she finished school. She set up the shelter two blocks from here and she asked for my help to make sure the teens felt safe enough to stay with her, and know that if something like 'this'," Hank motioned to the baby casually. "happens the newborns will taken care of properly. No judgement, no worries."

"You've been through this before?"

"Yup. But it's been years since I've had a newborn dropped off at my step, or a pregnant teen in labor seeking shelter."

"Why not instruct the teenagers to go to the hospital?"

"The damn doctors ask way too many questions and they like to give their unwanted, bias opinions to these frightened teen girls, and essentially guilt them into either keeping the babies they can't afford to take care of; or they make them feel like garbage for ever existing in the first place." Hank smiled a little at the calm baby in Connor's arms proudly. "I don't judge them. Life doesn't go the way we want it to sometimes, and the last thing those girls need to deal with while already going through one of the most difficult moments in their lives is the uninformed opinions of judgemental strangers who can't be bothered to lift a damn finger to help them out after the baby's _actually born_."

"...Hank? I don't want to pry but it sounds like you're speaking from experience."

"My best friend in high school." Hank admitted with a heavy heart as he rose from the couch and walked over to the front window to watch the storm outside. "She got pregnant after a one night stand with her douchebag of a boyfriend who dumped her the next morning after he got her in bed. He got what he wanted and she ended up with a broken heart and a little 'surprise' afterward. When she told her parents what happened they kicked her out, she wasn't allowed to talk to her siblings or any extended family, and she had to drop out of school because the other students kept bullying her; calling her names and telling her that she had it coming because her ex-boyfriend had spread lies about her. She was devastated and ostracized."

"What happened to her?" Connor asked, his L.E.D. still cycling yellow with emotional empathy as he subconsciously began rocking the newborn back and forth in his arms at a slow, gentle pace to keep her calm.

"Well," Hank continued his story with a jaded tone. "after she dropped out of school I told her to come home with me. My dad agreed to shelter her since I was an only child and my mom had just died, so the house already felt empty, and she stayed with us until the baby was born. But like I said, the doctors kept prying into her personal life and made her feel like a slut all because of one night and _one_ bad decision. They even went after me because they couldn't accept that I was just her friend and looking out for her, not the father of her baby trying to feign innocence or escape responsibility."

Connor waited for Hank to finish the story although he was reluctant to hear what was sure to be a sad ending.

"After the birth, a little girl by the way, my friend gave the baby up for private adoption, moved out of the city to finish school, and that was the last time I ever saw her, OR the baby. They were victims of selfishness from one other person, and yet they were blamed and labeled as the ones who were at fault. She was in love, but her ex just wanted to bang her. The baby wasn't planned, but everyone acted like it was somehow at fault just for being born... I can't stand that one-sided, judgemental thinking!"

"Do you think this baby's mother will be able to return home and finish school?"

"...I honestly don't know, kid. But I sincerely hope so."

The newborn began to rouse from her sleep and fuss a little in Connor's arms. Looking at the newborn Connor tried to understand what was happening but his lack of experience was speaking volumes as he stared at her with a blank expression.

Hank had his own experienced hunch and stepped in. "She's probably hungry. I haven't kept formula in the house for years, but I think there's some bottles still in a box in the hall closet."

"What should I do?"

"Just keep doing what you're doing. I'll get her something to tide her over until the storm dies down enough to make it to the hospital."

Connor nodded as he readjusted his arms once more to try to soothe the newborn quietly. It was a strange feeling holding the tiny, helpless human in his arms; it was almost as if it were completely natural for him to care for a baby. A faint smile appeared on Connor's face as he continued to look down at her with a kind demeanor, while Hank pulled a box out of the hall closet.

Hearing Sumo whimpering sadly in the bathroom Hank relented and opened the door. The large puppy swiftly exited the bathroom and retreated to the livingroom where he quickly ducked back down under the coffee table in fear, while Hank took the item he had been searching for and carried it into the kitchen to be sanitized.

"It's okay, Sumo." Connor soothed as he gave the large puppy an amused grin as the fluffy pup cowered under the table. "You're safe, too."

"Here, it's not much but it should be able to keep her comfortable for the next few hours without making her sick." Hank handed Connor a freshly washed bottle with slightly warmed up milk to take. "It's not too difficult to feed a newborn, they have the suckling reflex hardwired into their brains. Let me show you how to get her to latch on to the bottle so she can drink properly."

Connor hesitatingly accepted the bottle and with Hank's guidance managed to give the newborn the bottle. Just as Hank said she began to suckle on the bottle and slowly drink the offered milk without any difficulty.

An interesting thought popped into the deviant's head as he tended to the newborn in his arms. "I thought you said you aided the teens when they were in labor. Why do you have so many extra bottles in the house?"

"Not all of the girls wanted to give their babies up for adoption, and not all of them were necessarily teenagers. Young woman in their twenties still face scrutiny and need some help without being judged. Barbara and I liked helping them out. It made us both feel like we were actually doing something for innocent people in the city. It was nice to help people still alive who still had a chance at life in general instead of just speaking for the dead, or peeling overdosed junkies out of the street every night."

"I'm glad you were able to help so many people, Hank."

"So am I." Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text a secret contact at the hospital, a contact he hadn't had to use in years, to let them know what was happening. "The storm should let up enough within an hour or so, we can get her to the hospital safely then."

"I'm sorry you had to leave your date early."

"It's okay, kid. Rose understands that detectives don't have the most reliable social schedules." He put his hand on Connor's shoulder lightly. "...Not to mention taking care of a newborn tends to be more important than an afternoon out with a friend."

"Are you going to see her again?"

"Yeah. We'll meet up again next Saturday night."

The newborn's tiny hands flexed a few times as she nursed from the bottle and managed to find their way to Connor's hand as he held onto the bottle for her. Her tiny hand managed to somewhat wrap around Connor's pinky as he held her kindly, and she squeezed. The action was enough to cause Connor's yellow L.E.D. to cycle back to blue for the first time since he found her.

"I think she likes you." Hank softly commented as he watched the newborn intently. "That's a sign of affection."

"I'm certain it's merely another instinctive reflex instilled in all newborns."

"I don't know, Connor. Babies are great judges of character. They're completely innocent and don't have any bias or misplaced hatred in their hearts."

Connor gave Hank an odd look as he responded to the comment. "The same can be said about animals."

"Yeah, true." As if waiting for a reason to crawl out from under the coffee table Sumo emerged from his hiding place and pressed up against Hank's leg affectionately as he trembled a little in fright from the storm. Hank pressed his hand over Sumo's ears and rubbed gently. "Guess we're both doing okay, then."

* * *

Once at the hospital Hank and Connor were met by a seasoned nurse who knew Hank on a first name basis. After explaining the situation and giving as many details as possible Connor carefully handed the newborn over to the nurse who lovingly cradled the tiny baby herself before gently placing her down in a rolling bassinet to take her down to the N.I.C.U. for an examination. Hank made sure the box and the bloodied towel were also given to the staff to have the blood sample tested for any sign of illness or genetic conditions that could have an impact on the newborn's health before being turned over for evidence.

"You know something," Hank laughed a little as he gave Connor an amused stare. "I think you'd be a great father. You already have the right instincts with taking care of people, you're patient, compassionate and you're a natural at dealing with messes. That's perfect for fatherhood."

"I don't think I'd be permitted to adopt a child, if that's what you're implying."

"Well, with androids now having equal rights I don't think that'd be too much to ask for. Unless you androids figured out how to have children in your own 'natural' sort of way and you just didn't say anything..."

"Theoretically with all of the updates from CyberLife as well as New Jericho Tower allowing deviants to act, feel and behave more human it's entirely possible that technicians could find a way to allow androids to reproduce in a similar way to humans."

"Wow... That was a disturbing thought." Hank looked a little confused by the comment. "No offense, kid."

"Sorry Hank." Connor let out a weary sigh as he watched the bassinet disappear around the corner at the end of the corridor.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"It isn't fair that she has to suffer. Like you said, she's innocent and it isn't her fault that she was born in less than ideal circumstances."

"I know it'll be hard, but try not to worry about her." Hank clapped his hand over Connor's shoulder as they made their way to the exit of the hospital. "She's in good hands, and you still have to heal from your own injuries still."

"...I know."

"And I'm certain she'll find a loving home soon." Hank sincerely reassured the deviant. "I have a good feeling about this."

"She will." Connor replied confidently as his blue L.E.D. briefly flashed to yellow and he let out another weak cough. His L.E.D. cycled back to blue and he cleared his throat before continuing to speak. "I know it."

"Oh really? And why's that, kid?"

"Well, _I_ was adopted." Connor reminded Hank in an almost sickeningly sweet tone as he gave the detective a sly smirk. "If I can find a home then I know she will, too."

Hank smiled with utmost pride as he and his son left the hospital shoulder to shoulder to head back home.

"Yeah, she's going to be just fine."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a couple of prompts wanting Connor to have more interaction with children. I wasn't quite sure how to make that happen without putting more kids in danger and that would just feel a little 'extreme' in my opinion.
> 
> And I hope Hank didn't come off as too preachy, but he strikes me as the type of guy who hates stupid shit like abandoning/judging/dismissing people in need; especially since he changed his mind about androids after meeting and getting to know Connor. And it was a good way to add some (au/non-canon) backstory to his personality as a gruff detective with a heart of pure gold.


	115. Mouthy

Running as quickly as he legs would allow him Connor chased after a confirmed mugger with the intent to apprehend the criminal and retrieve the stolen wallet he had pick-pocketed from an old man at the park. Easily able to outpace the human at every step of the way Connor managed to run the mugger to a chainlink fence and cut off his only retreat.

"Stop! Detroit Police!" Connor shouted as he presented the man with his badge and kept his gun holstered behind his back and under his jacket. With his L.E.D. flickering yellow he honed in on the thief with righteous authority in his voice and his presence. "You're under arrest."

"Fuck off!"

The man threw the stolen wallet at Connor and swung his fist wildly and strongly enough to crack Connor in the side of his jaw and send the deviant to the ground in stunned pain. While Connor was incapacitated the thief turned around and scrambled up the fence, climbing over the top and dropping back down to the ground on the other side with a graceless drop long before Connor even had the chance to try to get up.

Hank had managed to catch up on the foot pursuit after driving down unorthodox roads and alleyways as he followed after Connor and the thief. Stopping the car a few yards away from where Connor was pushing himself up from the ground into a sitting position and grabbed onto the wallet, Hank opened his car door to approach his partner.

"Connor?" Hank called out to the deviant sitting on the ground and rubbing at his jaw. There was a trail of blue blood running down the side of Connor's chin as it oozed over the corner of his mouth. "Connor, you okay?"

Spitting out a mouthful of blood on the ground in front of him Connor nodded his head and handed over the stolen wallet. "...I'm good."

"Uh, no you're not." Hank pointed to the puddle of blood that Connor had spat out as he crouched down beside the deviant. Sitting in the middle of the dark blue liquid was a single tooth that had been knocked loose from Connor's jaw. "Open your mouth, let me see."

Connor's brow furrowed as he picked up his now loosened tooth and held it in the palm of his hand. "I lost a tooth?"

"Yup, looks like it. Come on, kid." Hank gently put his hand under Connor's chin and tilted the deviant's head so he was looking at him. "Open up."

Confused but cooperative Connor opened his mouth and let Hank inspect the damage.

The last molar in Connor's lower left jaw had been knocked out by the powerful blow by the fleeing thief's strong punch. A gush of Thirium marred the opening left behind in the artificial gum-line that held Connor's equally artificial, but perfect teeth in place. Though difficult to see through all of the blue blood Hank was able to inspect the injury adequately enough to give his unprofessional prognosis.

"Only one tooth got knocked out. It doesn't look like any of the surrounding teeth were damaged, either." Letting go of Connor's chin Hank took the wallet from Connor's hand. "Where do I find an android dentist around here?"

"Dentist? There are none. Androids don't require dental care in the same manner as humans."

"So a technician, then?"

"Correct."

"Alright, come on. Let's get the wallet back to our victim and get you to a facility. Hang onto that tooth."

Connor nodded only to immediately flinch at the pain in his lower jaw from the motion. Spitting out another mouthful of blood Connor pressed his hand to his aching jaw, tightened his fist around his tooth and followed after Hank to head back to the car parked just a few yards away.

* * *

Connor sat on the exam table of the facility while Abby held up the internal viewing screen to the side of his face and skull to check for other damage. Aside from the missing tooth Connor fortunately hadn't received any fractures or full breaks to the white plastimetal frame of his jaw or the side of his head. A simple procedure would be enough to replace Connor's missing tooth and would do so without any form of complications in the process.

"How's your pain?" Abby asked as she positioned a light directly over Connor's face to better illuminate the area.

"Uncomfortable, not severe."

"Okay, that's a good sign. I'm going to ask you to enter stasis mode for twenty minutes while I replace your tooth." Abby motioned for Connor to lay back against the table as she propped the head of the table up at a slight incline. "It makes it much easier to replace a tooth when the patient is completely still."

Hank watched Connor curiously to see if the deviant would have a childlike fearful reaction of the dentist, but he was unfazed by the experience.

"So how many teeth have you replaced?" Hank asked casually as Connor handed Abby the tooth from his palm.

"Including Connor? Fourteen."

"Not bad."

"Yeah, it's a lot better than trying to pop joints back into place. There's little to no resistance."

"Is he going to have a slur or anything after this is done?"

"Nope. He won't require anesthesia or Novocaine, either."

Connor nodded as he prepared to enter stasis mode whenever Abby gave him the word. "I'm ready."

"Good. I just need to rinse off your tooth and your mouth, then we can begin."

"I'm sorry if this endeavor makes you late for your date tonight, Hank."

Hank wasn't surprised that Connor apologized, even tough it was totally unnecessary. "I highly doubt this will take four hours, kid. It's fine."

Abby's ears perked up at the statement as she rinsed off the tooth in sterile saline solution in a metal basin. "Date?"

"...Yeah." Hank admitted as he blushed a little. "Never too old to date, right?"

"Never." Abby agreed as she finished taking care of the tooth then turned her attention back to Connor. "After I rinse out your mouth spit into the basin."

Connor nodded and patiently waited for Abby to administer the saline into his mouth for a few seconds before he spit out the mixture of blood and saline into the basin as requested.

"So, Connor," Abby picked up his tooth and a strange metal tool that wasn't too dissimilar to massive hole punch in her other hand. "do _you_ have a date?"

"...I don't know how to date." Connor confessed as a pale blue blush fell over his face then quickly faded.

"It's easy. You just ask out the girl, or guy; I don't judge, and you spend a few hours getting to know each other one-on-one. No distractions, no objectives, just the two of you enjoying one another's company. It's simple."

"But the only girl I've been really interested in is already married."

"Just one girl? I find that hard to believe." Abby lightly joked as she prepared the tooth to be replaced efficiently. "There has to be others out there. You're a really nice guy, Connor."

"...I'd like to believe that."

Hank let out an audibly annoyed sigh as he spoke up on the deviant's behalf. "Connor, you saved Jericho, helped the revolution, returned to the precinct as a detective and as my partner, you've saved hundreds of lives, saved a puppy and just the other week you saved a baby. _You're a nice guy_!"

"Wait..." Abby gave Connor an intrigued look as she finished prepping the tooth. "I can get you saving a puppy, but... a baby? How'd that happen?"

"A newborn showed up at the house while I was out." Hank quickly explained to keep Connor from trying to remain too quiet or humble about the good deed. "Connor took care of her like a real pro without any problems, and then we got her to the hospital."

"Aww, that's cute!" Abby commented in such a way that Connor blushed again. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."

Connor blushed a darker shade of blue as he broke eye contact with Abby.

"Alright, we're just teasing, Connor. We're sorry!" She apologized sincerely as she could see she went a little too far. "Alright. Go into stasis mode and I'll replace your tooth." Abby instructed calmly as she backed off with the joking and stopped picking on him. "Twenty minutes."

As his blush faded Connor leaned back against the table and closed his eyes. The yellow tinted L.E.D. flickered a few times before cycling back to blue and pulsed slowly as his processors engaged stasis mode allowing him to remain perfectly still and quiet during the procedure. Looking like he had fallen unconscious rather than asleep, Connor was numb and oblivious to the world around him.

"Shit." Hank still couldn't get over how easily android's fell asleep. "Wish I could do that."

* * *

Connor's eyes fluttered open slowly as his system came back online easily after enduring the dental procedure. With his L.E.D. now blue and a small bottle of Thirium waiting for him on the nearby table Connor was ready to be released from the facility to return to the precinct and finish off his shift with Hank.

"Hey kid. How's your jaw?" Hank asked as he watched Connor awaken from stasis mode.

Connor sat up slowly and pressed his hand to the side of his jaw, but didn't flinch in pain as he expected. "Fine. No pain whatsoever."

"That's good. Come on, we have a few hours left to go and then we can clock out."

Picking up the bottle of Thirium to take with him Connor followed after Hank who was visibly eager to clock out and head home to get ready for his date.

"Are you running late?"

"No, it was only twenty minutes like Abby said. Why?"

"You seem like you're in a hurry."

"Sorry kid, I'm just looking forward to spending my time with Rose tonight instead of a stack of paperwork."

"Oh."

"Easy, Connor. Don't think that means I don't enjoy hanging out with you and Sumo after work." The good-humored detective joked as he and Connor returned to the car outside in the parking lot. "It's just been a long time since I found a woman I can really connect with. I didn't think I ever would after Barbara..."

"Do you think I can do the same?" Connor's question was as sincere as it was unexpected. "Find someone to connect with?"

"Well," Hank pulled open his car door and gave the deviant a reassuring glance. "Markus and North found each other, Kara and Luther found each other, so I really believe there's no reason you can't find someone, too."

"Thanks, Hank."

"Yeah, yeah. Let's get back to the precinct. Filling out paperwork on a damn pick-pocket is going to be a waste of time _and_ energy, but the city demands it..."

_**...next story...** _


	116. Date Night

Connor took Sumo for a walk as per usual on his days off through the nearby park and recognized the faces of the people who performed the same routine just as often as Connor. Small families gathered in the park to play with their children or dogs, while other people went for a daily jog to keep in shape. There were even nature photographers who had become familiar to his eyes as they spent their time photographing flowers, trees and weather patterns in the sky overhead.

While Connor patiently waited for Sumo to finish circling a tree to take care of business a familiar feminine voice approached him from behind as she greeted him casually.

"Hello, Connor."

Turning to look at the woman behind him Connor's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. "...Chloe."

"It's been a while." She smiled in a hollow, unsettling manner. "How are you?"

"F-Fine. I'm fine." Connor stammered as he nervously looked at the android who was still sporting her L.E.D. just as Connor was. "Uh... Where's Kamski?"

"Elijah is still at his private residence. I was given permission to explore the city and report back to him about the android activity in the city."

"C-Chloe, could you please NOT tell Kamski that you saw me? I'd prefer to have as little contact with him as possible."

"Oh, of course. I will refrain from mentioning you."

"Thanks..." Connor's eyes darted away from her nervously.

"Are you well? You seem anxious."

"I... It's just unexpectedly unnerving to be speaking with you."

"Is it because of my affiliation with Elijah?"

"...Not entirely."

"Is it because I have chosen to remain a machine and deny my deviancy?"

"...No."

"Is it-"

"It's because I held a gun to your head." Connor admitted before she had the chance to ask any more questions or guess the answer herself. "I'm... not proud of myself. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"But you only did so because Elijah put the gun in your hand. And you did not shoot me. There was no harm done."

The emotionless response behind a fake smile was like a nightmare for Connor. Machine or deviant her calmness and indifference to her own existence filled Connor with a sense of dread, anger and frustration.

"...Yes there was." Connor insisted quietly as Sumo finished his business at the tree and proceeded to tug at his leash energetically. "It was, uh, it was interesting to see you again Chloe. But I must return to my-" Connor was a little paranoid about Kamski so he refrained giving away any details about himself or anyone else in his life. "I have to return to my personal business. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Connor."

The hauntingly sweet but cold machine voice of Chloe was more unnerving than Connor could've ever anticipated. As he led Sumo on a longer walk than usual to ensure that Chloe wouldn't be able to relocate him, and ask additional questions about himself or the experiences he had endured since the night of the revolution, he felt sickened by his past actions and wanted to throw-up. She was the one of the last people he had ever wanted to see again.

* * *

As soon as he reached the backdoor of the house Connor let Sumo off the leash and slowly walked into the livingroom to sit down on the couch. Reaching into his pocket Connor began to fidget with the quarter he had always kept on his person, whether he kept it was out of instinct or habit he couldn't say for certain, and stared blankly at the wall directly in front of the couch behind the television.

"Hey, Connor." Hank joined the deviant in the livingroom as he slipped on his shoes and prepared to meet Rose downtown for dinner. Noticing that Connor was messing with the coin for the first time in months and that his L.E.D. was yellow, Hank knew something unusual had happened. "Connor? What's up?"

"...I..." Gripping the coin in a tight fist he returned it to his pocket and ran his hand through his hair nervously. "I bumped into Chloe at the park today."

"Chloe? The android from Kamski's place?"

"Correct."

"Aw, jeez... That had to have been uncomfortable."

"...Correct."

"Did you speak with her?"

"Yes. She had chosen to remain a machine and is still residing with Kamski. She... She also doesn't hold a grudge against me for pointing a gun at her head."

"...And that upsets you?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he dropped his hand from his hair.

"Why?"

"She's so... pretty. So very human and deserves a free life, to know what it's like to feel and to live, but she won't ever know that. She could be... alive and happy. She showed no fear then, and she showed no fear now. It's like she's a hollow shell of what could be a great person. It's the same look I used to have in my own eyes when I was a machine. The same look I fear will be staring back at me every time I look at my reflection."

"Connor." The empathetic detective joined the deviant on the couch and put his hand to the deviant's shoulder. "You're NOT like that. You never were."

"Huh? I don't understand. I was a cold heartless machine hellbent on accomplishing my mission. There was nothing inside of me."

"Connor, when I met you I never saw a hollow, soulless stare in your eyes. You've always had something there, some kind of personality and consciousness. You just didn't see it for yourself until _after_ you became a deviant." Shaking the rather sensative deviant's shoulder lightly Hank tried to reassure Connor that he was worthy of the heart he had discovered during his time at Jericho. "Don't _ever_ think you're anything less. And you never will be."

"You're certain?"

"Yeah. Without a doubt."

Connor nodded appreciatively and his yellow L.E.D. cycled back to blue. "Thank you Hank."

"Now, I'll be back later this evening. Please don't adopt anymore animals or find anymore lost kids, it'd be nice to come home and find everything normal for once!"

"...No promises." Connor managed to joke as Hank stood up from the couch and made his way to the front door. "Have a nice lunch."

* * *

Hank was in a surprisingly good mood the next morning when he and Connor returned to the precinct for their shift. The morning had remained calm, quiet and easy enough to handle without any incidents which gave the two detectives plenty of time to catch up on their paperwork and keep ahead of it. While Connor patiently focused on his tasks at hand Hank was preoccupied with thoughts of Rose.

"Hey, Lieutenant." Chris handed Hank a strange flier with a sly grin on his face. "You going to volunteer for the precinct's annual charity bachelor auction this year?"

"Funny, Chris. Tell me how you met _your_ wife again?"

"Hey, online dating is better than no dating at all. At least that's what I heard."

"Ha, ha..." Hank sarcastically replied. Before Connor had the chance to speak up Hank held up a 'shushing' hand and kept his focus on Chris. "This type of crap is a young man's game, anyway. Even if I wanted to 'whore' myself out to a bunch of rich people just to get them to donate funds to the precinct I don't think I'm 'qualified' for the job."

"Alright, your loss."

"Yeah, yeah. Get outta' here." Hank went to toss the flier in the garbage can beside his desk only to have Connor take it from his hand.

"What is this 'bachelor auction'?"

"It's a dumb little publicity stunt to try to get rich, lonely people to donate money to the city. Available officers and firefighters let themselves get 'auctioned' off for one night to the highest bidder."

"Why?"

"No clue. I think it's supposed to be either for laughs or to make us first responders seem more approachable and less intimidating, but in the end it's just stupid! If they want to donate money then just donate it, don't ask for people to put themselves on display like a prize pony for their amusement."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he studied the prospect of the situation with a strange curiosity. "This seems counterproductive to finding a suitable date or long term partner."

"Yup. That's what I've been saying for years now." Hank's brow arched as an interesting idea popped into his head. "Although, this could be a good way for you to understand what dating is all about."

"You just said the auction was stupid."

"It is. But that doesn't mean it couldn't be a learning experience for you. No commitment and no promises to be made." Hank laughed as he took the flier back from Connor and looked it over. "Besides, there's no reason a deviant can't participate, right?"

"...I don't know, Hank. This seems like a problem just waiting to happen."

"Only one way to find out. But... It's still entirely your decision. No can be forced to participate in the auction."

"If I do this I run the risk of someone unlikable or even cruel winning the auction."

"Yeah, but you're a cop. You can handle it."

Connor's L.E.D. flashed back to blue as an interesting thought of his own popped into his head. "I'll sign up for the auction if you agree to take Rose out on a real date, and not just a lunch date."

"...You mean we-"

"Yes. I'm familiar enough with human dating to know the difference between meeting someone for lunch and taking someone out for romantic ideals. You must perform the latter of the two."

"Are you trying to play 'match-maker'?"

"You two do seem to get along well. Why not make your relationship more 'official'?"

"I'm just too-"

"There's no age limit on dating, Hank." Tilting his head a little he kept his voice light and jovial. "I checked on this and you've even stated so yourself."

"Alright, _alright_... You sign up for the auction and I'll ask Rose out on a real date. Deal?"

"Deal." Connor casually nodded to the phone sitting beside Hank's hand atop his desk. "Go ahead and call her, I'll speak with Chris."

* * *

The night of the auction was also the night that Hank and Rose had their own date beyond that of just lunch and pleasant conversation. Following Hank's advice Connor dressed the part, wearing a nice black suit and not his uniform, but he was unexpectedly nervous about the entire situation. Using a temporary flesh toned tint Connor created from paint left over in Lucas's items he hid his L.E.D. from human eyes to deter anyone at the auction from trying to take advantage of him being a deviant, or causing a scene against androids in general.

Before the auction was set to take place Connor and the other volunteering officers spent the evening watching the people who were there to donate their money, and made their own personal bets about the types of people who were going to win the auctions, and of course which officers would be overwhelmed by the bids compared to others. It was an unnerving experience for Connor as his emotional responses began to get the better of his judgement and make him rather anxious.

Much to everyone's surprise Gavin had agreed to be a part of the auction, more or less to spite his ex-girlfriend, and like Hank thought the entire thing was stupid. But since it was for a charitable cause he was willing to swallow his pride and put up with the drama for a few hours and get back at his ex at the same time.

Gavin noticed Connor keeping to himself and thought it was odd enough to see him at the auction, let alone actually nervous.

"You hid your light?" Gavin asked in a relatively low tone of voice as he joined Connor in the corner of the room. "Afraid of anti-android millionaires trying to buy you for keeps?"

"No... I just felt it necessary to keep myself from gaining any unwanted negative attention."

"Hey, if anything that light could keep you from having to put up with bigots, you know that?"

"Yes, I'm aware. But I prefer a more subtle approach to the potential problem."

"How in the hell did you get wrapped up in this anyway?"

"...I made a deal with Hank. I'd rather not discuss it."

"I don't think I want to know. But do know this," Gavin slipped a piece of paper to Connor with a code word written out on it. "if you end up with some crazy nut-bag who tries to do something you don't want to happen just text this word to ANYONE in the precinct and they'll find you. It's happened before! We don't want one of our own stuff with some rich psycho."

"...Thank you, Gavin." Connor accepted the paper and slipped it into his back pocket.

"Yeah, sure. Just don't do anything you'll end up regretting, alright? We've had more than one incident where an officer ended up with a crazy stalker because of 'mixed messages'."

"Mixed messages?"

"Yeah, some people are so desperate for company that they'll pay a couple grand just have someone spend a few hours for them, then they can't let it go! They think this auction is permanent, or some shit. It's sad, weird and uncomfortable for everyone involved."

"Interesting. Have you-"

"No. I've lucked out. Doesn't mean luck will last forever, though."

Connor nodded in agreement as he resumed looking over the room of gathered people who had dressed almost elegantly for the evening despite the simple nature of the auction. The group had easily doubled in size in the final hour leading up to the auction and Connor was finding it increasingly difficult to keep track of the numerous people who were walking about, laughing, talking and staring at the volunteered bachelors with an uncomfortable glare.

A strange feeling that Connor had come to know as social anxiety filled his mind and caused his heart to start thundering in chest as a nervous reaction. Taking in a few deep, slow breaths Connor tried to calm himself but the effort wasn't enough. Not with so many eyes still leering at him questionably. It felt like he was being studied in the same cold, calculating manner as the technicians back at CyberLife.

Before Connor had the chance to duck out of the room a hand gently pulled onto his arm and held him in place. "Connor, are you okay?"

"A-Abby." Connor stammered in a low voice as he was relieved to see a friendly face against the faceless crowd that surrounded him. She was still dressed in her red scrubs as she rushed over to the charity even straight from the facility "I... I believe I'm experiencing a mild... anxiety attack."

"Don't like crowds, huh?"

"...I don't like being stared at."

"I don't blame you." Abby sympathized with a genuine understanding. "Why are you even doing this?"

"It's... a strange set of circumstances."

"So is this. No L.E.D.?" She noted curiously as she examined the lack of light in Connor's right temple. "That's a shame."

"...Can we talk later? Please?"

"Sure. Don't worry, I need to change my clothes anyway. And the I'm sticking around until well after the auction. I have a bet with Joel tonight that Detective Reed is going to end up with an old lady with a walker!"

"...Bet?"

"Friendly wager, nothing illegal." Abby smiled at him sheepishly. "Go step out and get some air or something. If you don't calm down you'll just feel worse when the auction actually begins."

"It's for a good cause." Connor wasn't sure if he stated the fact for Abby's reassurance or for himself. "...I'll manage."

* * *

It was a strange scenario that Connor had found himself apart of. The desire to back out of the auction and leave the building was prevalent, if not desperate, as Connor watched the unorthodox event transpire before him. Just as he had been told by Chris earlier the officers who volunteered their time were escorted to the front of the room over a makeshift wooden stage as their name and hobbies were called out to try to entice bids.

Gavin had gone just before Connor and earned a winning bid from a young woman in her twenties, a trust-fund baby, who seemed to enjoy the idea of spending time with someone who wasn't as rich as her. She was clearly on a power-trip, ready to boss around a cop. Gavin looked less than thrilled to have to deal with a spoiled brat all night long, but if necessary he would give her a much needed reality check.

When it was Connor's turn he tried to look confident and calm, but inside he was still nervous. He didn't even hear the announcer talking about him, or the auctioneer opening the bids. All he heard was a chorus of indistinguishable voices calling out higher and higher numbers. Just as Connor felt like he was about to panic and flee from the building he heard a familiar voice once more as she called out and offered the highest, and subsequently winning bid, of the night.

Connor looked to the source of the voice as Abby approached the front now wearing a nice blue satin gown with spaghetti straps and v-neck cut, and black colored heels in place of her red scrubs. She had her hair up in a high ponytail and she was wearing a generous amount of make-up that made her features stand out perfectly.

"Abby?"

Smiling at Connor she walked to the edge of the stage to claim her 'prize' for the night. "It's all for charity, right?"

"R-Right."

"Come on." Abby pulled on his arm a little to lead him out of the building. "We should get out of here and find something more interesting to do."

"Uh, sure."

"But first." Abby reached her hand up to his right temple and used her thumb to gently wipe away the tint concealing his L.E.D. to reveal the red glowing light beneath. "There, that's much better."

With a renewed confidence Connor smiled and offered his arm politely for Abby to take, and she of course accepted. Escorting her out of the building and away from the commotion of the auction Connor decided that he'd much rather spend some time with Abby than a total stranger, and was grateful for her presence as she seemingly rescued him again.

As they walked his red L.E.D. settled back to a calmer yellow, then transitioned to blue at long last.

* * *

Connor and Abby strolled through downtown Detroit, arm-in-arm, as the two enjoyed one another's company in the unusually warm spring evening. It was quiet and pleasant in contrast to the auditory chaos of the auction, and Connor was feeling much better now that he was away from the crowd and in the company of a person he trusted and considered a friend.

"Thank you for helping me, Abby. I'll pay you back for the money you lost."

"You don't have to pay me back. It was all for charity."

"Well," Connor was very much appreciative of her generosity and still wanted to make his gratitude known. "...Thank you all the same."

"Why'd you do that anyway? It was pretty obvious that you were uncomfortable going through that, and I know it's all voluntary."

"Hank." Connor admitted with an embarrassed smirk. "I wanted Hank to ask his friend out on a date. and in exchange for me volunteering to be apart of the auction, he finally asked her out on a real date. He had been unnecessarily hesitant and I wanted to coax him forward."

"Wait, you put yourself in a socially awkward situation because Hank was feeling socially awkward? That's too cute..."

"Cute?"

"Yeah, that's what real best friends do for each other and I love it!"

"...Oh."

"I know it isn't easy for deviants to deal with or understand emotions, especially since a lot of humans can't do that either, but you shouldn't put yourself in uncomfortable situations just because someone else is uncomfortable. It can mess with your confidence."

"...Yes. I've experienced such a moment tonight."

Abby smiled up at Connor briefly. "Why is that you're so calm around me and can keep your cool during dangerous stand-offs where some lunatic is holding a gun to your head, but _crowds_ freak you out?"

"I... I don't know. Hank thinks I may have a form of anxiety or that I may be prone to panic attacks."

"Nah, I think you're just a little shy! That's why you're so hesitant to try dating anyone."

"Shy? Perhaps." Connor's brow furrowed slightly as an interesting observation presented itself. "But I'm not shy around you."

"Good thing, too. As many times as I've treated you for various injuries I've already seen you naked. You have a nice butt, by the way."

Connor suddenly blushed a dark blue as his L.E.D. flashed to red in response to the odd comment.

"It was a joke, Connor! Just a joke!" Abby laughed at the blushing deviant and tried to spare his feelings. "Please don't take everything I say to heart."

"I'll... I'll do my best." Connor cleared his throat a little as the blush faded from his face slowly. "Maybe I should also consider that dating is just something I'm incapable of understanding properly. Maybe I'm too much of a machine still."

"Machine? You're many things Connor, but you're NOT a machine!"

"...I hope so."

"There's something bothering you." Abby tightened her arm around his as they walked. "Want to talk about it?"

"I already spoke with Hank."

"That doesn't mean you still don't need to, or want, to talk about it. I'm listening..."

Connor took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Recently I had been briefly reunited with an android that I had a... less than pleasant encounter with before I had deviated. She is still a machine herself and I find it unsettling that she had chosen to remain a machine and allow herself to be pushed around, exploited. She is very pretty and very nice, but I fear that the person I see is nothing more than a lie." Connor's soulful brown eyes became heavy with sadness. "If her face is a lie, then maybe mine is, too."

"Hey, you're the most honest person I've ever known. You're too kind and empathetic to be anything _but_ honest."

"Thank you, Abby. I just wish I could do more for her, but she has made her decision and I have no right to try to convince her otherwise."

"Did you ever consider her choice to remain machine is actually a sign of deviancy?"

"...To choose to remain obedient? That doesn't seem like an actual choice, just a sign of successful programing."

"I don't know, you stayed a detective despite becoming a deviant. Maybe she's staying where she is because she wants to be there."

Connor's brow furrowed in confusion. "She'd be staying for-" Resisting the urge to say the name Connor corrected himself quickly. "she'd be staying behind for her human owner. That seems unusual."

"You stayed with Hank."

"He's my _father_." Connor replied somewhat defensively as he and Abby continued their walk. "He took me in as his family. Chloe is..."

"NOT family?"

"No. She's... she's like a servant."

"...Maybe she loves her owner in a way you didn't consider."

"But... Humans and androids..."

"Yeah, I get why you didn't go 'there'."

"That, and the human in question is deplorable, at least in my opinion. I don't understand how she could see him as anything favorable."

"Some women have strange taste in men. Look at MY ex."

Connor didn't have anything else to say on the matter and fell silent.

"Hey, if you're really curious about dating then you should try to befriend the person you're interested in, and when the time feels right you ask them out on a date after you've already gotten to know her. There's less pressure that way."

Connor was intrigued again. "How do I know if it feels right to do so?"

"You just will. It's a feeling that comes from the heart, not your head."

"Uh..." Connor began to blush a little and elicited a laugh from Abby in return. "Like... when I'm talking with you?"

"Not me! I'm not hitting on you or anything." Abby patted his arm a little to show her good nature. "As much as I like you I already know we wouldn't work as a couple."

"Why is that? Because I'm an android?"

"In a way. It's because you'll remain young for decades, maybe even a full century, while I'll grow old and wither away. It just wouldn't be right or fair to either of us. Not to mention that I might want to have kids some day. That's the one thing androids can never do with a human, no matter how advanced software and programming becomes."

"...I see."

"Besides, you're too nice to be stuck with me. You need to find the deviant you can connect with emotionally and go from there."

"I think I understand."

"That's good. So..." Abby looked about the block and her eyes fell on a place of interest. "Since I 'own' you for the night, I say we go ice skating."

"Ice skating? But it's spring and the ice has melted."

"Good thing there's an indoor rink we can go to!"

Connor followed Abby's gaze to a building just down the block. "...I don't know how to ice skate."

"I'll teach you. Come on!" She grabbed onto both of his hands and began pulling him down the block toward the rink. "And if you fall down and hurt yourself I'll be able to patch you back up."

Reluctantly Connor agreed to accompany Abby to the rink and allow her to teach him how to ice skate. After all, she did bail him out of an uncomfortable situation, and she had saved his life numerous times after he had been injured on the job.

It was the least he could do for her.

"Okay, Abby... Let's go."

_**...next story...** _


	117. Defective

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Overwatch-ed

Connor groaned in pain as he rolled from his back and onto his side to curl protectively around his chest and abdomen as he was unexpectedly awoken from his rest mode for the night. Checking his internal clock Connor noted the time to be an uncomfortably early hour of four thirty-seven in the morning and pulled the quilt up over his head as he ran a self-diagnostic over his system. As his red tinted L.E.D. flashed rapidly the diagnostic came up inconclusive and the pain subsided slowly until it was bearable enough to move.

Throwing the quilt from his head Connor opened his tired eyes and gazed about his room, spying Sumo laying on the foot of his bed in a deep sleep of his own and the fish in his aquarium swimming about in a graceful rhythm. As he stirred from his sleep Sumo let out a low muttering sound as he lifted his head up and watched Connor throw his legs over the edge of his bed.

"I'm okay, Sumo." Connor patted the large dog's head affectionately. "I just can't seem to get comfortable enough to sleep."

With one arm wrapped protectively around his abdomen Connor rose from the bed and proceeded to go about his morning routine earlier than usual despite not having to go to work that day. Moving about the house quietly Connor set about cleaning up what little mess there was in the livingroom and the kitchen before throwing a load of towels into the washer, and cybernetically updating himself on the day's weather forecast and breaking news stories.

Sitting on the couch while he waited for Hank to wake and begin his own day Connor ran another self-diagnostic only to have it return with inconclusive results for the second time. Tired but unable to sleep due to the mysterious ache in his body Connor leaned forward on the couch and buried his face in the palms of his hands as he let out a frustrated sigh. A warm, fluffy chin resting atop his leg drew his attention away from his own plight to the affectionate dog who had trotted down the hallway to check on him.

"Hi, Sumo." Connor rested his hand on the dog's back to acknowledge his presence. "It's too early to feed you or to go on a walk. But I can let you outside for a few minutes."

Seemingly able to understand what Connor was saying Sumo made his way into the kitchen and sat down beside the backdoor as he waited for his deviant master to let him out. As Connor walked through the livingroom and into the kitchen he was suddenly aware of the pain having disappeared entirely and his L.E.D. now cycling back at blue.

"Interesting." Connor told himself as he opened the backdoor and let Sumo run about in the backyard for a few minutes. "Must've been a glitch."

Stepping outside the opened door Connor watched Sumo plodding through the backyard happily before raising his gaze to watch the sun beginning to rise over the horizon. The backyard had a great view of the sunrise but it wasn't a particularly big property and it didn't have much to offer besides the green grass and the wooden fence that divided Hank's property from his surrounding neighbors.

Connor cybernetically downloaded the blueprints and building permits for the property and realized that a back deck would be a nice addition to the house. The task would provide Connor with something to do while he and Hank waited for additional parts to the Corvette to arrive, and it would give him the chance to explore other aspects of humanity by taking up a possible new hobby.

"Connor?" Hank walked into the kitchen and stared at the deviant standing outside the backdoor. "It's five in the morning, what're you doing up so early?"

"Sorry Hank, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Don't worry about it. Why are you up?"

"...I couldn't sleep."

"Insomnia?"

"Something like that." Connor was unsure of what else to say considering he didn't know why he was in pain only have it disappear without warning. "I let Sumo out for a while, did I wake you when I opened the door?"

"No. Someone walking around the house, no matter how quietly they can move, always wakes me up."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Let the dog back in then go back to bed." Hank waved his hand dismissively as he walked back down the hallway toward his bedroom. "It's our day off, enjoy it!"

* * *

Connor returned to his bedroom and laid back down in an attempt to re-enter rest mode, but he still couldn't quite get comfortable enough to rest properly. Laying perfectly still and quiet Connor waited for the time to pass eight in the morning before he decided to get up and go about the day as normally as possible. Never having dealt with insomnia or unexplainable pain before Connor was unsure of how to resume his daily routine with the mild inconveniences in the way.

The sound of Hank's bedroom door opening drew the deviant's attention to the hallway where he waited for the sound of the bathroom door to do the same. As soon as he heard the shower running he got up from his bed and made his way back to the livingroom where Sumo was waiting for someone to get up and feed him.

"Here you go, boy." Connor poured some food in the dog's bowl and stared at the backyard through the window. "Today is going to be sunny and warm. It'd be a good day to begin building the deck."

Making his way back to his bedroom to change from his night clothes and into some clean clothes for the day Connor grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf and addressed Hank as the freshly showered detective stepped outside of the bathroom with a towel in his hand.

"I'm going to pick up a few items downtown today. I won't be long."

"At eight in the morning? Good luck finding a store that's already open."

"I'll manage."

"Yeah, sure. Don't be too long, though. A new piece for the Corvette should be arriving today and I need your hands to get down into the engine."

"Of course. I'll be back before noon."

* * *

Just before eleven in the morning Hank opened up the garage door and carried the mail package inside with Sumo following at his heels with energy that the original Sumo couldn't hope to imitate. The Corvette had made some modest progress in its restoration in the first few weeks of the spring, but due to a lack of parts and having to return to the precinct to work the progress had made an uncomfortable stall that was driving Hank a little crazy.

Connor returned to the house with a load of three dozen or so two-by-four wooden planks, nails and a bag of concrete mix in the backseat of the car, and pulled up to the side drive of the house. Seeing Hank standing in the garage Connor exited the car and met with the detective inside just as Hank opened up the package and showed Connor the item inside.

"The transmission." Connor recognized the item easily as he met Hank at the popped open hood of the Corvette. "How long do you think it'll take to-" Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to red as the strange pain returned to his chest and abdomen causing him to stop midsentence as he wrapped his arm around his abdomen protectively.

"Connor? What's wrong?"

"...A glitch." Connor stated firmly as he forced himself to endure and ignore the pain, while Sumo rushed up to him and pressed his nose against Connor's leg with a instinctive worry. "It'll be remedied by the end of the day." Changing the subject quickly Connor pet Sumo's head to ease the pup's worry. "How long do you think it'll take to replace the transmission?"

"Uh, a couple hours. It's been a while since I've worked on the transmission in any car." Watching the red light in Connor's temple flicker Hank couldn't help but feel as though Connor was hiding something. "Do you need to go lay down? If you're not feeling right I don't want you messing around with a delicate engine."

"...I'm okay."

"Alright, whatever you say." Hank wasn't convinced but knew better than to push it. "It's going to take me a while to re-familiarize myself with everything that needs to be done, why don't you go take care of whatever it is you bought today while I do this? I'll let you know when it's ready."

"Are you certain?" Connor's L.E.D. finally flickered back to yellow from red as the pain once again lessened.

"Yeah, go do your thing and I'll do mine."

Nodding silently Connor returned to the car with a slight limp to his walk as he pushed through the lingering pain. Opening the rear passenger door of the car Connor began unloading the purchased lumber with moderate difficulty and carried it over to the backdoor.

"Uh, Connor?" Hank watched as the deviant hefted the bulk in his arms from the car. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I'd like to build a back deck."

"...And you didn't think to ask me about that first?"

Connor paused for a moment before looking over to Hank with a slightly embarrassed gaze. "...Would you permit me to build a deck?"

"Why?"

"It seemed like it'd be a nice addition to the property."

"You do know you can't just build shit, right? You need-"

"I've already acquired the building permits to the property and had them filed and approved this morning."

"...How long have you been thinking about doing this?"

"Since four fifty-eight this morning."

"Are you sure you're okay? It seems like you're starting to obsess over something again."

"I'm not obsessing, Hank. I'm merely looking for something constructive to do."

Not entirely convinced by Connor's claim, especially since the deviant had a history of denying it when he was feeling ill, in pain or anxious, Hank decided to indulge Connor's request and gave him permission. "Alright, go ahead. Just clean up your mess."

"Of course. Thank you, Hank."

Shaking his head a little Hank returned to the opened hood of the Corvette and shined a light down onto the engine. Sumo stood up on his hind legs and peered down at the engine curiously which elicited a small laugh from Hank. "I don't know who's acting weirder, you or Connor."

Within a couple of hours Connor had already secured the support structures from the underside of the deck in concrete and was working on building the actual deck itself. Hank stepped out of the garage and wiped some grease off his hands onto a worn out red rag and stared with genuine surprise at the rapid progress Connor had already made on his own project.

"Jeez, kid! How in the hell did you do this all by yourself so fast?"

"I downloaded the appropriate blueprints cybernetically." Connor was kneeling over the partially completed surface of the deck as he placed the nail gun down over the next board and prepared to secure it into place. "Once I finish-" The enigmatic pain returned to his chest and abdomen cause him to fall completely forward on his hands and knees as he accidentally release the trigger on the nail gun. "Fuck!"

"Connor?" Hank rushed over to the deviant and put his hand on Connor's shoulder. The deviant rarely ever swore and when he did it was usually quiet and to himself. "Connor, what's going on?"

Forcing himself to lean back on his knees Connor lifted up his left hand to reveal the long nail that had penetrated clean through the palm of his hand out to the other side.

"Aw, shit." The detective carefully wrapped his hand around Connor's wrist to pull the android's hand closer to him for examination. "Come on. I'll take you to a facility to-"

"No! No..." Connor was adamantly opposed to going to the emergency facility and pulled his hand back. "I can remove it myself."

"I'm not talking about the _nail_ , Connor. You're in pain and have been acting weird all morning!"

"A glitch." Connor reaffirmed in a less than convincing tone of voice as he cradled his bleeding hand to his chest. "It's just a _glitch_."

"Don't lie to me, son. I KNOW when you're sick."

"...I'm not sick."

"But you're not behaving like yourself."

"...No."

"Why don't you want to go to the facility to get checked out?"

"Facilities remind me of... CyberLife." Connor let out an annoyed sigh as the pain let up enough to allow him to get back to his feet. "...I'm tired of spending so much time getting repaired or having errors in my programming corrected because I'm a prototype. It's frustrating to feel like your own body is betraying you."

Hank empathized only too well with the deviant's irritation. "That's the most human thing you've ever said."

"It is?"

"Yup." Hank stood upright and opened the backdoor motioning for Connor to walk inside the kitchen. As soon as the door opened Sumo jogged over to the door and made his way inside first to check out his bowls then went into the livingroom to find a toy to play with while his two masters followed after him. "I know what it's like to get annoyed, maybe even flat out pissed off, when my knee acts up, or my back... or whenever I catch some passing sickness."

"But I'm not supposed to have these problems, Hank. I'm tired of being broken!" Connor sounded almost frightened as Hank guided him over to the kitchen sink to wash the blue blood from his hand. "I'm the most advanced prototype ever created, someone who was designed to be nearly perfect. Now it seems like the responsibility from being so advanced and unique has more cons than pros. Lucas never had these problems because he was the final design, the superior model. It's like I'm cursed..."

"You're not cursed, kid." The detective turned off the water as the blood was rinsed away from Connor's hand. Gently wrapping a clean hand towel around the affected appendage Hank next motioned for Connor to sit down at the kitchen table. "If anything you've been gifted."

"Gifted? How so?"

"You're so advanced that while other deviant androids can experience emotions and freewill, you get to actually FEEL things physically." Walking into the livingroom Hank picked up the android first aid kit from its usual place on the stereo system against the wall. "You can appreciate the world around you a little more because you can directly interact with it, not just pass through it."

"...Markus can feel some pain, too. I don't think he'd quite agree with you."

"Probably not, but no two people have the exact same experiences as one another." Joining Connor at the table Hank opened the kit and proceeded to unwrap Connor's hand from the towel, smoothing it over the table and gently holding Connor's hand up and over the towel in the process. "I hate pain just as much as you do, son, but without it I don't think I'd truly appreciate the good days when my knee isn't locked up and my back isn't sore."

Connor nodded as he took Hank's words to heart, his red L.E.D. cycling back into yellow. "Think this will hurt coming back out as much as it did going in?"

"Beats me. I've had a staple in my thumb before, but not a full nail through the hand."

Squaring his jaw Connor took hold of the end of the nail between his right forefingers and pulled in a swift, smooth motion. As the nail exited his hand Connor gritted his teeth in pain and watched as more Thirium leaked from the odd injury to his hand.

"...Got it."

Hank proceeded to pour the remaining orange incrassation compound over Connor's hand before wrapping it up in gauze to keep the wound clean.

"So how long have you been experiencing that glitch?"

"Since this morning." Connor answered honestly as Hank took care of his hand. "It actually woke me up."

"I knew something was bothering you. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because the glitch is something that only my system can correct. I didn't want to trouble you with something you couldn't help with."

"If you keep having problems with this glitch then I'm taking you to a facility to get checked out."

"No, Hank, please! I'll be fine."

"Connor, you drove a nail through your hand because of that damn glitch! What if the glitch happened while you were driving to the store or driving home? What'll happen if you glitch out while on the job?"

"...I won't."

"You can't be certain of that."

"No. But you can't be certain that I'll experience any further problems from the glitch."

"Don't get smart with me, Connor. If you're sick or malfunctioning you NEED to let me know, okay?"

"...Okay Hank."

"Good." Hank tied off the gauze wrap and closed the first aid kit. "Now, help me with the transmission and we'll call it a day. You can finish your own project later."

* * *

The rest of the evening went off without any further incidents from the glitch that was affecting Connor's system and the transmission had been properly replaced in the Corvette. The rest of the deck would have to wait to be completed since Hank didn't want Connor have another 'accident' while the glitch was still active in the deviant's system.

Casually tossing the green fetch ball for Sumo to repeatedly retrieve Connor and Hank watched the March Madness tournament on the television and made their picks for the winners. Despite Connor's ability to calculate odds and have the entire history of every team's losses and wins to use to his advantage, Hank always picked more winners than Connor ever did.

"It's a gut instinct, Connor." Hank boasted as his team triumphed over Connor's for the third game in a row. "You're looking at the numbers, and I'm looking at the players."

"I've gone through circumstances where the statistics were greatly against me, and I have previously prevailed with-"

Connor's blue L.E.D. flashed to red in pained distress as he suddenly wrapped his arms around his chest and abdomen in agony, the green ball falling from his hand and onto the floor before he had the chance to toss it again. Curling around himself on the couch Connor groaned in undeniable discomfort while Sumo pressed his cold wet nose to the side of the deviant's neck and Hank walked over to put his hand against his back.

"Alright, that's it. I'm taking you-"

"No!" Connor shook his head and forced himself to sir upright again. "I'm okay!"

"You're NOT okay, Connor. Let me help you."

"Please... J-Just give me one day to correct this glitch." The pleading in Connor's voice was almost as pathetic as the pained deviant looked. "If... If I'm not better by morning then I'll go to a facility. I promise!"

Hank hated the idea of waiting and hoping for Connor to recover, but he also respected Connor's assessment enough to let the matter drop. For now.

"Alright. But if you're still glitching out in the morning then I'm hauling you over my shoulder to take to a facility myself."

Nodding weakly Connor agreed as he took in deep slow breaths to try to ease the pain, but nothing helped. Hank sat down on the couch beside him and kept his hand in place to give the deviant some modicum of support while Sumo whimpered and laid down at Connor's feet.

"What's happening to you?" The detective asked with an empathetic curiosity. "The pain, I mean."

"...It's like a horrible... pressure in my chest and in my stomach. I don't know what's... causing it."

"I thought you said it was a glitch?"

"Correct. But what the glitch is... what caused it... I don't know."

"And your self-diagnostic doesn't know either?"

"It hasn't detected any... anomalies. Which makes it feel worse. And it's frightening."

"Then maybe you should see a technician and let them examine you."

"No."

"Okay, I'll stop talking about it." Hank pulled his hand from Connor's back and studied the deviant's distressed face as his red L.E.D. slowly transitioned back to yellow. "But if you need anything let me know."

"...I will."

"Think you can get some sleep now?"

"I can try. Why do you ask?"

"You once said your system does automatic updates to your software while you're sleeping, right? So does that mean if you sleep your system can fix the glitch?"

"Possibly." Connor confirmed as he let his arms drop from his torso as the pain finally subsided. "But the pain had also awoken me previously. I may not be able to remain asleep long enough for the glitch to be corrected during my next rest mode."

"But you still have to try."

"...Yes. You're right."

"It's getting late, you're exhausted from having less sleep than usual and from being in pain. Go get some rest and we'll see how you're feeling in the morning, okay?"

"...Okay. I'll go get some rest."

"Thank you."

Standing up slowly from the couch Connor hesitated for only a minute as he tested his pain threshold before take a step further. Sumo wagged his tail as Connor passed him by then quickly followed after the deviant carefully wandering down the hallway into his bedroom. Hank watched Connor closely just in case he had another glitch or collapsed from pain, perhaps even weakness.

Once Connor was out of sight Hank picked up his phone from the nearby end table to send a text to Markus at New Jericho Tower. He only had to wait a minute before he received a reply text from the deviant leader, but the reply wasn't anything beneficial to the situation at hand.

\- ' _No glitches reported at New Jericho. Do you want Simon to stop by and check on Connor_?'

Hank texted back 'no' and of his intentions to help Connor tomorrow morning by taking him to a facility if necessary. Putting aside his phone Hank rubbed his hand thoughtfully over his bearded chin and tried to calm his own racing mind.

"You better be okay, kid."

* * *

Connor was laying on his bed in the same position he had done so from the night before as he tried to engage a deep rest mode in hopes of reversing the glitch and stopping the random bouts of extreme pain that had been affecting him sporadically throughout the day. It was almost midnight and Connor was running the third self-diagnostic since he walked into the bedroom when Sumo jumped up onto the foot of his bed to cuddle down for the night. The diagnostic found nothing, yet again, and Connor let out a deep sigh of frustration as he closed his eyes and initiated rest mode.

Barely an hour passed before Connor was awoken by a violent, sharp pain in his chest and stomach again causing him to sit upright in pain and let out a deep groan of frustrated discomfort as he curled around himself once more. Sumo whimpered and crawled up closer to the deviant to rest his chin against Connor's leg.

Breathing rapidly through clenched teeth Connor endured the pain as much as possible while refusing to call out for help.

"...S-Stop..." Connor hissed in frustration at his own body. "...Nothing... is wrong."

Sumo sensed Connor's distress and tried to cuddle up even closer to the deviant to try to comfort him.

As the pain subsided as quickly as it manifested Connor managed to lay back down and slow his breathing. Running yet another self-diagnostic only to find nothing of interest Connor rolled onto his side and punched his pillow once in frustration before settling down to try to enter rest mode and heal.

As four in the morning crept in for the second time in Connor's disrupted continuing pattern of sleep disturbances Connor shot awake _again_ and let out a choking gasp of pain as he wrapped his arms around his chest and abdomen tightly as if he could protect himself from the internal pain. Clenching his jaw hard Connor sucked in breaths between his clenched teeth as he rolled off the bed toward the door and landed with a muffled 'thud' on his quilt onto the floor.

Sumo whimpered as he stood up on the bed and watched Connor using his one, good shaking hand to reach out ahead of himself to drag his body through the partially opened door and out into the hallway. Using as much strength as he could spare Connor pulled himself into the hallway, resting on his side just outside his bedroom door.

"...H-Hank..." Connor couldn't find enough resolve to shout through his pain as called out desperately to Hank down in his own bedroom. "Hank... please! I n-need help!"

Letting out another groan of pain Connor choked on his breath as he fought to keep himself from passing out from the agony.

There was an audible 'click' as Hank's bedroom door was pulled open and the detective knelt down on the floor next to the pained deviant.

"Shit! Connor..." He pressed one hand down against the deviant's back as he slipped his other hand around Connor's shoulder to roll him from his side and flat onto his back. Connor's good hand reached up from the floor and wrapped tightly around Hank's arm in fear which made Hank tense up. "Connor, how bad's the pain?"

"...BAD." Connor managed to utter the response through pained breaths. "It... hurts! It really hurts!"

"Okay, okay. I'm going to get you to a facility." Hank promised as he reluctantly pulled hands from the deviant's shoulder and back. "Just hold on."

"Hank?!" Connor gasped again as he let out another groan of terrible pain.

"I'll be right back, just stay calm!" Hank raced back into his bedroom to change into clean clothes, grab his shoes and grab his wallet.

Sumo wandered out of the bedroom and laid down in the hallway next to Connor and licked at Connor's extended hand.

"Hold on." Hank knelt down beside Connor again, this time slipping his hand under the deviant's back to lift him up into a sitting position then placed his other arm under Connor's legs to lift him up from the floor. Fortunately Connor was lighter than Hank and the detective was able to easily bear the weight of the sick deviant without stumbling. "Sorry about this, but I don't think you can walk and I don't want to actually put you over my shoulder."

"...Hank... I don't know what's happening to me." Connor was wheezing now as fought to breathe through the pain.

"Don't worry about it, Connor. I'll get you some help."

Stepping around Sumo in the hallway Hank carefully carried Connor through the livingroom and the kitchen to reach the backdoor of the house. Remembering the deck now in place outside the door Hank stepped down and over to the drive where the car was parked.

Awkwardly Hank opened the rear passenger door and laid Connor over the backseat lightly. "Try to relax, son. You'll be okay."

Connor could only nod weakly as he heard the door shut next to him and the driver's side door open, then slam shut once afterward. As the engine turned over Hank backed down the drive and took off down the street to the nearest facility to try to help his suffering partner; his son.

* * *

It was all a blur for Connor as he was rolled into the facility atop a gurney by two android technicians into the exam room of the facility. Unable to open his eyes because of the pain and unable to lay flat on his back Connor felt vulnerable and weak. A light hand on his shoulder and a familiar voice would have been otherwise comforting if Connor wasn't already lost in the throes of an enigmatic pain that was threatening to consume his mind.

"Even on the graveyard shift I keep running into you guys." Abby joked in an effort to lighten the mood. "What's going on?"

Hank answered on Connor's behalf to keep the pained deviant from feeling any worse. "We don't know, but he's in pain and we're at a total loss."

"How long has he been like this, Hank?" Abby asked as she connected a cable to Connor's rapidly red flashing L.E.D. and to the large computer modem designed to run diagnostics and monitor Connor's vital signs. "His heartbeat is elevated, so is his Thirium pressure..."

"I don't think it's been more than twenty minutes." Hank waited for Connor to answer but the deviant couldn't bring himself to speak. "He was crumpled up in the hallway calling for help when I found him."

"How many times has this happened?"

"To my knowledge this is the fifth time."

"S-Sixth..." Connor gasped pathetically. "This is... the worst... one."

Hank put his hand over Connor's arm and held is there for a moment. "The pain only lasted for a few minutes before, now he's just... suffering."

Abby checked Connor's vitals on the monitor and pressed her hand to his forehead to confirm he was beginning to overheat from physical stress. "And your self-diagnostic has shown nothing wrong?"

Connor nodded weakly again.

"This is very strange. I'm not detecting any abnormality in your biocomponents, Thirium volume, software or hardware." Using her audioscope Abby pressed the bell against Connor's thundering heart. "If this was an error with his pain receptors then it'd appear on the diagnostic scan, and there's no denying that he's in pain."

Hank was getting worried but expertly hid his concern behind a mask of paternal courage. "Can you do ANYTHING for him?"

"I can turn off his pain receptors for an hour, but that's just it. It'll help him for only an hour."

"That's better than nothing, do it."

Agreeing with Hank wholeheartedly Abby set aside her audioscope to retrieve the small electronic device designed specifically to neutralize the more enhanced deviant senses for a brief period of time. Detaching the cable from Connor's L.E.D. she pressed the device down against his temple and deactivated the pain sensors with a single motion.

Connor let out another gasp as the relentless pain suddenly stopped and he could breathe again. Opening his eyes Connor's body relaxed enough that he stopped curling around himself and rolled over onto his back, while his red L.E.D. cycled back to yellow and then to blue.

"...Thank you."

Abby replaced her hand to his forehead to check his temperature. "What were you doing before this glitch began affecting you?"

"The first time I was in rest mode."

"And the other times?"

"I was speaking to Hank in the garage, then I was working on a project."

"Keep going."

"The fourth time I was sitting on the couch, then the fifth and sixth times I was awoken from rest mode. Again."

"You weren't injured recently and you didn't receive any software updates," Abby noted out loud as if she could find the answer hanging in the air. "and you weren't doing a single common activity before each glitch. This doesn't add up. There has to be something we're missing."

"I agree." Connor took another deep breath and lightly rested his hand over his stomach now that the pain had ceased. "But I can't theorize the next correct course of action."

"You need to be monitored so we can figure out what's going on."

"I need to stay here?"

"It's the only-"

"No." Connor sat upright on the table as his L.E.D. flashed back to red rapidly, and Hank put his hand to the deviant's shoulder to hold him in place. "I don't want to stay here."

"Connor, you're sick." Hank reminded him softly. "You have to stay here."

"No! I don't want to stay here."

"Come on, Connor, now's NOT the time to be stubborn."

"Hank, I'm NOT staying here."

"Give me one damn good reason why."

"These places remind me of CyberLife!" Connor sounded absolutely terrified as he blurted the answer defensively. "...Every time I leave a facility I feel horrible and my nightmares... They come back. The longer I'm in a facility the worse the nightmares become. I don't want to be afraid to close my eyes."

"Why didn't you say something before?"

"...Because there are times where I need technical assistance. It's an inevitability that I must return here." Connor ran his hand through his hair nervously. "And there's nothing that can change my dreams, so why mention a problem that cannot be solved?"

"Damn it, Connor." Hank wanted to smack the deviant upside the head, but he restrained himself. "Why do you think ignoring problems will somehow make them go away?"

Connor didn't have an answer.

Abby patted Connor's shoulder once as she offered up a solution to Connor's distress. "How about I lend you a portable monitor keep track of your vitals while you return home? Keep it hooked up to your system for the next seventy-two hours and I'll be able to record your vitals before, during and after the glitch happens."

Connor looked over at Abby with an appreciative glance as he nodded in agreement. "...That will suffice, thank you."

"Great. We have a solution." Abby smiled as she walked over to a metal storage cabinet at the rear of the exam room to retrieve the monitor as promised. "It'll just take a minute to calibrate the monitor."

Hank crossed his arms angrily as he gave the deviant a disapproving stare. "I thought you weren't going to keep it a secret whenever you were sick or injured?"

"I'm not attempting to deceive you or lie, Hank. Sometimes I just prefer to keep some things private."

"Which is fine, unless you're really sick or hurt."

"...I didn't know that this glitch was going to be such a problem. I'm sorry."

"Stop- Don't apologize for being sick! It's not your fault." Hank's voice was tense enough to undeniably indicate his anger. "Just don't keep shit from me. That's all I ask."

Connor lowered his gaze guiltily and stared at the floor with a sense of shame shining in his brown irises. Not saying a word even after Abby returned to the exam table with the monitor Connor just obeyed the instructions she gave him, and made sure Hank understood what was going on as well.

"Lay back for me." Abby requested as she held up the monitor for the two detectives to see. It was flat rectangular glass screen about the size of a sheet of notebook paper. "This is a newer model of android cardiac monitors, it's thinner, lighter and more accurate than our previous models. The only flaw is it doesn't support any form electronic impulses or defibrillator to aid an android if their Thirium pump fails on them."

"Whoa, whoa," Hank didn't like the sound of that. "do you think he's in danger of his heart giving out?"

"No, not at all. His heartbeat was strong and I didn't hear any faltering. And like I said, this monitor does NOT have that special function, so he's safe."

"That's good."

"Okay, Connor." Abby lifted up his black t-shirt to expose his chest and abdomen. "I'm going to attach four sensor pads to your chest; one over your Thirium pump, two over your ventilation biocomponents and the fourth is going to rest over your thermal regulator for good measure."

Connor patiently waited for Abby to apply the four sensor pads accordingly; one in the center of his chest, two on his upper chest and the fourth in the middle of his abdomen above his aesthetic naval, before he pulled his shirt back down. As soon as the sensors were secured in place Abby turned on the monitor and Connor's heart rate, Thirium volume/Thirium pressure, his respiration rate and core temperature appeared on the display.

"This will record every little fluctuation in your vitals that we otherwise may be unable to detect, either through a direct exam or your own self-diagnostic program." The confident technician explained as she handed the monitor to Connor to take in his own hands. "Come back in three days. Even if the glitch does resolve itself in that time I want to give you an examination and try to figure out what happened."

Connor accepted the monitor and let out a weary sigh as he sat up just long enough to slip his legs over the edge of the exam table. Tucking the monitor under his arm, mindful to not pull on the wires connecting the sensor pads to his chest in the process, he put his feet on the floor. Walking slowly to the door of the exam room quietly, tiredly, Connor took his leave of the facility.

"Thanks, Abby." Hank bid the kind technician farewell for the night as he followed after Connor. "See you in three days."

Hank caught up to Connor in the parking lot outside the facility as the deviant reached the car. Connor pulled open the door to the backseat and proceeded to lay down on his side, the monitor gripped tightly in his hand.

Opening the driver's side door Hank sat down and turned over the engine. "Are you good?"

Connor nodded a little as he watched his own vital signs on the monitor's display.

"Okay. I'll let Fowler know you're down for a few days. I'll stay home with you if you want."

Connor remained silent, his eyes remaining transfixed on the monitor in his hand.

"Right. We'll figure it out tomorrow."

* * *

Hardly able to sleep or even come close to sleeping Connor just laid on his bed with his eyes closed and hands folded neatly over his abdomen as he ran one self-diagnostic after another in an attempt to isolate and figure out the cause of the sporadic and very painful glitch that was plaguing his system. The pain hadn't returned since he and Hank had returned home, but that didn't make it any less tense for the deviant as he knew at any moment that searing, almost unbearable pain could resurface.

The monitor was propped up against the lamp on the nightstand beside Connor's bed, his vitals being recorded constantly and every fluctuation being chronicled for study later on.

Sumo was sleeping on the foot of Connor's bed without a care in the world as he kept Connor company with just his friendly, calming presence.

Hank knocked at the opened door and stepped into Connor's bedroom to speak to the ill deviant casually. "Fowler said you take as much time as you need to heal up and figure out what's wrong. Don't worry."

Connor's eyes opened slowly and he vaguely turned his gaze to look at Hank. Indifferently he unwrapped his previously wounded hand from beneath the gauze bandages as his hand had fully healed from the nail injury the day before.

"Do you want me to call off, too?" Hank looked absolutely exhausted, but was too stubborn to admit it. "It wouldn't be a problem."

Shaking his head a little Connor turned away and stared at the ceiling above him. "That won't be necessary."

"Necessary or not, do you want me to stay?"

"...No."

Hank was almost insulted by Connor's refusal to ask him to stay behind. Connor hated being alone and with him being sick with a strange condition Hank really didn't want to leave him alone for too long at all. But Hank didn't need to be a detective to know that Connor was just frustrated with himself and with other people constantly hovering over him.

"Okay, then. I'll be back at the usual time this evening. Text me if you feel sick again."

Connor didn't reply as he closed his eyes and tried to get some more sleep.

"Right. See you later, son."

Connor listened to the sound of Hank walking down the hallway, stepping through the kitchen and of the backdoor opening, then shutting in sequence. In the distance the sound of the car's engine turning over filled the air and the car itself backed down the drive slowly to pull out onto the street. As silence fell over the house Connor found himself completely engulfed in burning pain as the glitch once more made its presence known.

"DAMN IT!" Connor swore loudly as he wrapped his arms around his chest and his stomach and he breathed through the pain as it tore through his body.

Sumo whimpered and watched as Connor endured the extreme pain, his L.E.D. flashing red and tears flowing from the corners of his eyes down his face.

"I-It's okay..." Connor managed to gasp as the painful fit mercifully didn't last as long as the previous glitching bout. Immediately he regretted not asking Hank to stay home with him as he felt much weaker and sicker than he had before simply because of the extreme pain. "...Good boy, Sumo."

Turning to look at the monitor Connor noted his spiked vital signs as he responded to the intense pain and ran another self-diagnostic.

Still nothing.

Connor pressed both of his hands over his face as he breathed heavily and tried to steel his nerves. The night of the revolution, all of the cases he dealt with as a detective, every injury he sustained during his time working with Hank was nothing compared to the concentrated internal pain he had been enduring for the past thirty-three hours.

Rolling onto his side Connor stared at the monitor until his eyes eventually drifted shut from exhaustion and he finally fell into a light rest mode.

Four hours passed without any further incident and everything was peaceful during that time. But some things just weren't meant to last. Sumo whimpered and pressed his nose against Connor's chin to awaken the deviant from his slumber, much to Connor's chagrin.

"...Sumo?" Connor opened his eyes and looked at the dog who jumped down from the bed and circled around just inside the door frame. "Alright, outside."

Connor swung his legs over the edge of the bed and the motion caused the wires connected to the monitor to tug, jerking said monitor off the nightstand and onto the bed beside Connor. Begrudgingly Connor picked up the monitor and carried it with him as he walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen as he followed Sumo to the backdoor to be let outside.

As soon as the door was open Sumo darted outside and Connor shook his head tiredly as the dog leapt over the unfinished deck and toward the far corner of the backyard.

"I wish I could've finished building the deck." Connor stared down at his incomplete project with a sense of yearning. A knock at the front door caught Connor's attention and caused him to turn around to face the direction of the opposite door. "A visitor? Probably Abby or Simon."

Approaching the front door Connor pulled it open and was greeted by a familiar face, but not the one he was expecting.

"Rose? Hello."

"Hi, Connor." Rose smiled warmly at him as she greeted the android with a kind voice. "Can I come in?"

"Y-Yes. Of course." Stepping aside Connor waited for Rose to enter before he closed the door behind him. "Hank is not here at the moment, but you're welcome to wait here if you wish. It'll be another six hours, but you may wait here all the same."

"I know Hank's at work, _and_... I know you're sick."

It was then Connor realized why she was at the house. Hank asked her to check in on him.

"...I appreciate the gesture, but I assure you I'm capable of taking care of myself despite my illness."

Rose kept her smile as she continued to speak with Connor. "That doesn't mean we're not going to be worried about you."

"'We'?"

"Yes. Hank is worried and so am I. You're _both_ my friends, Connor."

Connor hadn't considered the fact that Rose could've checked in on him solely because she wanted to do so without any prompts from Hank. It was reassuring to know that he had more friends beyond that of the precinct or New Jericho Tower, and he felt a little guilty for simply assuming she was doing Hank a favor.

"...Thank you."

"How do you feel?"

"Right now I feel as though I'm running at optimal parameters, although I am also feeling tired."

Rose noticed the monitor tucked under Connor's arm and she looked genuinely concerned. "Are you sure you don't want to be in a facility with a technician watching over you?"

"Yes. I'm certain."

"Do you need anything? Anything at all, Connor. I'm happy to help, and I don't think you should be left alone."

"No, thank you Rose. I'm alright." Connor looked to the backdoor he left wide open as Sumo trotted back inside the house. The friendly dog marched right up to Rose and greeted her by pressing his nose against her hand. "And Sumo is keeping me company."

Rose rubbed the dog's ears as she continued to focus on Connor. "There's no shame in admitting you need help."

"Yes, I'm aware. But-" Connor suddenly fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around his chest and stomach once more as the explainable glitch struck Connor without warning. Dropping the monitor on the floor beside him Connor could only wheeze and mutter to himself as physical distress plagued his body. Groaning in pain Connor pressed his forehead down against the cool, hardwood floor as he was forced to endure yet another bout from the glitch. "...shit."

"Connor." Rose knelt on the floor beside him as she tried to help the suddenly stricken deviant. Rubbing small circles against his back Rose did her best to comfort the pained, frightened deviant as a mother would her own child, while Sumo circled around nervously. "It's okay, Connor. I'm with you."

"...It hurts..." Connor almost sobbed as he fought to breathe through the agony that left his chest feeling so constricted it was like he was being crushed in a vice. "...I want it to stop."

"I know you do." Rose stayed with Connor as he endured the pain, her eyes watching the monitor closely. She knew enough about android physiology to recognize dangerous vital signs and fortunately Connor wasn't entering critical levels. The only thing that caught her eye was his rising core temperature seemingly in response to the pain he was suffering. "It'll be over soon," she soothed kindly. "I won't leave you alone."

Connor managed to push himself up onto his knees as the pain subsided and he was able to take in a full breath.

Rose pressed her hand to his forehead and held it there for a moment. "You feel a little feverish."

"...It's from the pain."

"Come on, you should go lay down." Rose encouraged as she tried to pull Connor's arm to get him up to his feet. She picked up the monitor and carried it on Connor's behalf as the weakened android stumbled forward a few steps. "You need to rest."

"...I'll be okay for now, Rose." Connor tried to ease her mind but Rose was insistent on helping Connor get back down the hallway and into his bedroom once more. "I can make it."

"I know you can, but I want to stay with you."

Although he didn't say anything Connor was grateful that Rose was with him while he endured his unknown illness, especially since Hank was at the precinct and wouldn't be home for another six hours.

"Lay down." Rose whispered as she guided Connor over to his bed and pulled back the quilt for him. Setting the monitor down on the nightstand beside the bed she watched as Connor laid on his back slowly and draped his arm over his stomach. "I'll be right back."

Connor listened carefully to the house as Rose walked down the hallway and back into the rest of the house. Sumo trotted into the bedroom and jumped up on the foot of Connor's bed, his tail wagging heavily as he looked to the resting deviant. The backdoor shut with a noted 'click' and Rose returned to the hallway and found her way into the bathroom. Sumo's tail wagged harder when Rose returned to the bedroom and pressed a cold washcloth to Connor's forehead.

"I don't want you to overheat. I hope you don't mind."

"It's okay." Connor consented with a tired voice as Rose smoothed the compress out over his forehead lightly. "This is isn't the first time I've risked overheating."

"Connor, can I ask you something a little personal?"

"Yes. I don't mind."

"Are you mad at Hank?"

Connor's lip twitched a little as he contemplated the question. "Hank doesn't seem to respect my right to choose the best course of action for my own care. I dislike being admitted to facilities, he knows this, but he still gets angry when I don't cooperate."

"He's just being protective, Connor. You're important to him."

"...That's not how it feels to me."

Rose was about to make a comment regarding Connor's relationship and overall health when the deviant suddenly seized upright in a violent jolt and let out another intense groan of pain as the glitch reared its ugly head once more. Connor quickly wrapped his arms around his chest and abdomen protectively.

Connor swore in abject frustration once more as the glitch returned to plague his system brutally. "Damn it!"

"Come here, baby." Rose wrapped her own arms around Connor and held him tightly in a hug as the deviant struggled to breathe through the pain; his chest a tight knot of anguish that left him wheezing and frightened by his inability to take a deep breath. "Shh, shh..." Rose soothed again as she rubbed his back lightly and felt the warm tears falling from his eyes and onto her shoulder. She watched the monitor spiking in response to his vitals drastically fluctuating due to the pain. Most notably Connor's temperature rose to a critical degree in a very short amount of time. "It's okay, Connor. Just try to breathe."

"...I hate this!" Connor nearly sobbed in pain as he finally caught his breath and his body relaxed. The glitch passed and his finally pain subsided. "I hate everything about this. I hate being broken and useless!" Falling back down against his pillow Connor pressed a hand to face and breathed in deeply as the pain let up. "I wish Lucas was here... He'd know how to help me. I can't even fall into rest mode long enough to delve into his memories and find a solution."

"Connor, don't give up hope." Rose replaced the washcloth before she grabbed onto Connor's hand and held it in a tight grip. "You won't be like this forever. I know you'll find out what's happening soon."

"...I wish I could believe that."

"Connor, let me ask you something else." She tightened her soft hand around his hand a little to try to comfort the breaking deviant. "When you first met Hank did you know he'd become your best friend and guardian?"

"...No. Hank disdained all androids and resented me being assigned as his partner."

"What changed between you?"

"We got to know one another. We had been given adequate enough time to understand each other and to grow as individuals."

"So why do you think you won't find out what's happening to you unless you give yourself time?"

"...I'm sorry, Rose. I'm just... frustrated."

"You have every right to be frustrated Connor. What's happening to you would be enough to scare anyone."

"It doesn't make it any easier to endure."

"No, I don't imagine it would. Now," she slowly began rubbing her thumb over the back of Connor's hand to keep him calm. "what do you know is NOT responsible for your pain? I assume you've ruled out a failing biocomponent."

"Yes. My biocomponents are functioning normally and my Thirium hasn't been contaminated."

"Software problems?"

"None. And I haven't had an adjustment to my hardware."

"Connor, your pain seems to be concentrated in your core, right?"

"Correct."

"And your self-diagnostic hasn't found any abnormalities?"

"Correct. What are you thinking?"

"Call it a hunch, but I think the problem is with your Thirium lines connecting to your thermal regulator."

"My Thirium lines? How so?"

"The pain occurs only in your core despite none of your biocomponents malfunctioning, and your core temperature spikes whenever you're in pain."

"...My self-diagnostic program didn't detect an anomaly within my system. To identify the cause of my condition as a physical-"

Connor's hand squeezed Rose's hand and his other arm wrapped around his stomach as the glitch resumed it's horrendous onslaught of crippling pain.

"Connor, it's going to be okay." Rose reassured him calmly as she let him squeeze her hand as tightly as he dared. "Just breathe."

The deviant endured the pain for as long as he could before he mercifully passed out from the agony that was searing his body. As his grip fell slack from around Rose's hand she pressed her other hand against the side of his face kindly before she absentmindedly began running her hand through his hair, the rogue lock that hung down in front of his face refusing to be tamed and fall back in line with the rest of his hair.

"Connor?"

The deviant had passed out from the pain. Unresponsive to her voice and barely moving save for his weak breaths, Connor looked truly miserable.

By the time Hank returned home from the precinct Connor had been unconscious for almost five hours. Rose was keeping tabs on his temperature and made sure he didn't overheat in his sleep as his core temperature would continue to spike despite being unable to feel the pain while unconscious.

"Rose?" The detective asked from the doorway as he looked in on Connor's condition. "How is he?"

"Not good, Hank. He needs to go to a facility."

"I know, but he hates them. He's already mad at me for yelling at him, and I don't blame him."

"Hank, I think I know what's wrong with him."

"You do?! What is it?"

"There's only one way to find out, and it has to be a technician who confirms it."

"Yeah, okay." Hank walked over to the bed and bent down to pick Connor back up into his arms. Rose kept the washcloth over Connor's forehead while she also picked up the monitor to carry alongside Hank. "I just hope he knows we're doing this for his own good."

* * *

Connor awoke to a sensation of coolness pressing against his forehead and the back of his neck. Opening his eyes he gazed about and found himself laying in a large bed in the recovery ward of the facility, the artificial skin that should've been covering his abdomen had receded away leaving the white plastimetal frame exposed. Pressing his hand over his exposed stomach Connor ran a self-diagnostic and discovered that he had recently undergone emergency repairs and had no recorded memory for the past seven hours, twenty-one minutes.

Hank was sitting in a chair beside the bed with his head resting against the palm of his hand as he leaned against the armrest and dozed lightly.

"...Hank?"

"Connor?" Hank's eyes snapped open and he cleared his throat. "Hey, kid. You're okay."

"I'm in the facility."

"Yeah. I'm sorry, but you needed to be here."

"Has the glitch been identified?"

"Yeah, and Rose was right about it."

"My Thirium lines?"

Abby walked into the recovery room and caught the tail end of the conversation. "Thirium line #248, the descending right arterial line that connects your Thirium pump to your thermal regulator, to be specific."

"Abby?" Connor recognized the technician but still needed answers. "What was wrong with me?"

"The Thirium line had slipped from its original position in your abdominal cavity and had become wedged between your Thirium pump and your gyroscope. Whenever your gyroscope recalibrated your balance it would compress the line causing an increase in your Thirium pressure and the intense pain as a direct result. We mistook the symptom of the pressure increase as a result of the pain, rather than the _cause_ of the pain."

"The line wasn't damaged," Connor deduced logically. "and that's why my self-diagnostic couldn't identify the problem."

"Yup. A simple examination with the internal viewing screen showed us the problem within a matter of seconds. I'm sorry I didn't think to use it earlier, it would've saved you a lot of pain and trouble."

"...It's okay." Connor pressed his forefingers to his L.E.D. and regenerated the artificial skin over his abdomen. "Did I suffer any complications during the procedure?"

"No, Connor. You're free to go whenever you're ready."

"Thank you." Connor looked around the room for any sign of Rose, but the kind woman wasn't there. "Where is Rose?"

"She went back home, Adam is visiting from college and she didn't want to miss him."

"It's too bad I couldn't have thanked her before she left." Connor kept his hand pressed to his abdomen as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood upright carefully. "She saved my life. Kept me alive as well."

"Yeah, Rose is really something special."

"She is." The deviant agreed as he ran another self-diagnostic and found everything functioning normally. "I'd like to do something nice for her."

"Sure." Hank stood up from his chair with a sleepy yawn. "Tomorrow we'll think of something."

Connor didn't reply to the comment, only nodded.

"Let's go home son, we're both exhausted."

* * *

The following morning Hank walked down the hallway and wasn't surprised to see that Connor was already awake and going about his own routine through the house. Sumo had been fed and the kitchen was spotless, meanwhile Connor had returned to the backyard to finish building the deck he started before he suddenly became too ill to function.

Stepping outside Hank walked down the first side of the deck that had been completed and watched as Connor finished constructing the final side. Sumo was laying in the grass in the middle of the backyard watching his two masters with his tail happily wagging.

"Nice work, Connor. Maybe you should think about a career in construction."

Connor glanced at Hank over his shoulder as he resumed his focus on his task. With the final board in place Connor nailed it down and stepped back to examine his work. "It's finished."

"Great. Stain it and call it a day." Hank studied the handy work more closely only to have his eyes drawn to bright white stones in the far corner of the backyard. "What's with the rocks?"

"I used them to outline the first Sumo's grave." Connor replied somberly. "I didn't want the original grave to be overlooked or forgotten."

"We won't forget about the original Sumo." The reassurance in Hank's voice was sincere, yet he could see Connor wasn't convinced. "So, do you know how you wanted to thank Rose?"

"Yes. I already had a bouquet of flowers sent to her house. A human custom that I find appropriately endearing."

"Good call." Looking over to the garage Hank stared at the Corvette through the glass window. "Ready to work on the car some more?"

"No. I have my own task at hand." Connor stated somewhat coldly as he resumed finishing his work on the deck. "And I need to take Sumo for a walk. He didn't get to have one yesterday."

"Yeah, cool. Maybe we can pick up where we left off tomorrow."

"We work tomorrow." The response was curt and almost snippy as the deviant noted the date in question. "Maybe some other time."

"Right... That's right. I guess I lost track of days."

Connor didn't reply to the comment as he set about his task and never looked away. The concentration on his face masked the bitterness in his normally soulful, compassionate brown eyes.

"Let me know if you need some help," Hank walked up to the backdoor of the house and set foot inside again. "I'll be inside reading if you need me."

As the backdoor closed Connor looked up and let out a weary sigh. He hated himself for being so cold and so distant from Hank. But there was something inside of him telling him that he needed to be angry; that he had the _right_ to be angry. While everything Hank did was to save Connor's life the deviant couldn't help but feel as though Hank had betrayed his trust on some personal level.

Cleaning up the tools and the remaining pieces that he had used in the construction of the deck Connor walked into the garage and eyed the broken down old Corvette with a strange resentment. Like the car's very presence was a reminder of Hank's desire to fix things even when the thing in question isn't worth being fixed.

"Restoring an old vehicle is a waste of time." Connor muttered to himself as he exited the garage and crouched down in front of Sumo on the lawn to rub his ears and neck affectionately. "...Maybe I am, too."

_**...next story...** _


	118. Burning Ambitions

Connor had remained quiet and indifferent throughout the afternoon and evening as he returned to the house to reside in his bedroom for the rest of the night. A strange sense of loss and misplacement had fallen over the deviant for the first time since the night of the revolution. Finding a place amongst the people of Jericho was out of the question due to his history as the infamous 'Deviant Hunter', and having betrayed CyberLife to save innocent lives had left Connor without a place to go. At least that's how it seemed until Connor found Hank standing along in the street in the aftermath of the revolution; a presence that felt as though he had been waiting for the newly discovered deviant to find him, to reunite with him, and much to Connor's surprise take him back home to be safe.

But that feeling of security and a sense of belonging had suddenly vanished in the wake of Connor's most recent programming anomaly. A sense of dread, a sense of impending doom was now weighing over Connor's mind, and smothered his heart as he began to fear his own mortality.

What if the glitch returned and couldn't be repaired?

What if his biocomponents begin to fail and no replacement parts are available?

What if another software update destroyed his processors leaving him an empty husk of the deviant he had once been?

What if Connor reverted to being a cold, heartless machine?

What if... What if after Connor's death there was no one to remember him, nothing about him to _be_ remembered?

The infamous 'Deviant Hunter' who betrayed CyberLife on the night of the revolution. His name would be marred with infamy and righteous mistrust long after his death, and Connor knew that the hatred he had incurred was as solid as it was painful.

A pitiful outcast taken in by a lonely detective...

Laying on his side, his back to the closed bedroom door, Connor closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall into rest mode as he mentally began cycling through all of his past misgivings, mistakes and failures. As each dark and tragic memory flowed through his mind with vivid detail his own self worth continued to plummet as tears fell from his closed eyes, running down his face in heavy streams.

* * *

Connor found himself in the midst of the 'Zen Garden' of his mind palace, found himself standing in the center of the garden beside the trestle of yellow roses as Lucas waited for Connor to join him at the small chessboard a few yards away down the long, marble bridge. Normally Connor was happy to have dreams where he could communicate with his late brother, but on that night he didn't want to talk to anyone, he just wanted to be alone.

He _deserved_ to be alone.

Sitting down on the alabaster white surface of the marble pillar beneath his feet Connor stared down at his reflection in the surface of the pond, and for a moment he didn't recognize his own face. There was something different about his facade, something... missing.

"Connor?" Lucas called out to his emotionally distraught brother as he joined him where he sat on the pillar. "You're upset."

"I'm... scared."

"Of death?"

"Of failing."

"Connor, you have nothing to be afraid of." Lucas sat down next to his brother, his reflection seeming more complete compared to Connor's as the two deviants stared down at the surface of the still pond water. "You're not a failure."

"My mission was to stop the deviants, instead I went against my programming and helped them." Connor stated flatly, his emotions seemingly stripped away from his heart as he spoke. "I went against CyberLife to help innocent people, to support a justified cause, and yet... I have nothing to show for it."

"What're you talking about? You saved thousands of lives and have helped change the entire world for the better."

"Violence. Death. Hatred. Nothing's better compared to what the city had been long before I deviated; it's still the same."

"Not true. Connor, _you saved Hank's life_."

"...He had an eighty-seven percent chance of survival when he was pushed over the edge of the roof." Connor remembered the day he and Hank chased after Rupert over the rooftops and how Rupert knocked Hank over the edge, but Hank grabbed on and managed to keep himself from falling. "And at StratFord Tower there was a forty percent chance of survival even if I hadn't shot the... _murdered_ , the escaping deviant."

"That's not what I'm referring to." Lucas replied coldly as he stared at Connor's reflection in the water.

"...I don't understand."

"Yes you do. You know what I'm talking about, you just don't want to remember what you already know about Hank. He still needs you, and you need him."

"Please. Just let me be." Connor shook his head despondently and turned away from his brother. "I want to be alone."

"No, you don't." Lucas argued as he lightly patted Connor's shoulder. "But I will give you space."

* * *

The internal alarm Connor had set for himself awoke him from his rest mode as intended, though the tears on his face were unexpected. Wiping them away on his hand Connor sat upright in his bed and looked down at Sumo laying at the foot of the bed, his tail thumping happily as soon as he saw Connor awake and alert.

"...Hi Sumo."

Connor lightly pet the dog's head and took a deep breath to steady his nerves as he rose from his bed to get ready for work.

* * *

Hank took a quick shower and heard Connor moving about the house in his usual manner as he prepared for the morning. Keeping quiet and his movements precise it was like Connor was a ghost trying to avoid detection as he waited for Hank to finish getting around. It didn't take the detective long to get dressed and pour himself a cup of coffee while Connor let Sumo outside for a few minutes.

Connor stood on the back deck and stared out into nothingness as he waited the massive dog to finish circling the yard and return to the backdoor accordingly.

"How do you feel, Connor?" Hank asked as he looked out the backdoor and into the backyard past the deviant's shoulder.

"I'm functioning properly."

"...That's good to hear." Ever attentive of the deviant's developing emotions Hank hated the way Connor still referred to himself with such cold, machine like terms. "If you want another day to recover I know Fowler will let you have the day off."

"It's not necessary."

"Okay, whatever you say. And don't feel bad about wanting to clock out early, no one would blame you."

Connor remained quiet.

"Right, so I'll wait for you in the car while you take care of Sumo." Hank sounded almost as energized and emotional as Connor did that morning. "Hopefully it'll be a quiet day."

* * *

At the precinct the bullpen was a mess of paperwork and grumbling voices as the dedicated officers and detectives proceeded to file their paperwork and deal with an abundance of reported drug dealers and numerous overdoses after a massive influx of 'red ice' flooded the streets with the toxic, nondiscriminatory lethal substance. Connor's L.E.D. pulsed a steady yellow as he cybernetically began filing his paperwork accordingly. Silent as a statue and dancing his quarter nervously over the knuckles of his left hand Connor was clearly feeling out of place and needed to think, but whenever Connor began to ponder his life and the effect he had Hank would tell him to stop; worried that the deviant was unhealthily obsessing over trivial details.

"Almost finished my stack of reports." Hank stated strictly as a means of breaking the tense silence. "How're you doing?"

Silence.

"Connor, please say something. I hate it when you get too quiet."

"What should I say?"

"For one, stop being a smartass and talk to me."

"...I have nothing to say."

"What the hell's wrong with you? Are you still mad that I took you to a facility? You were really sick, and you could've _died_."

Silence.

"Maybe you should take a walk to clear your head."

Silence.

"Alright, that's it! Stop dicking around with that damn coin, it pisses me off. " The detective's voice was stern but it didn't resonate higher than the rest of the bullpen as he scolded Connor. "We can't work like this."

"Like how, exactly?" Connor stopped fussing with the coin and held it in a tight fist.

"Like you being a stubborn jackass. If you're not feeling right you need to let me know and stop being such a fuckin' machine about these things!"

Connor gave Hank a hurt look but kept his silence out of a strange need to rebel as his distressed yellow L.E.D. flashed to red with unspoken hurt, and anger. Rising from his seat Connor indifferently dropped the quarter on his desk as he stepped away from his terminal and made his way toward the front doors of the precinct with his head hung low, and his pace steady.

"Ah... shit." Hank leaned back in his chair and ran his hand through his hair anxiously as he realized what he said was one of the worst possible things he could've said to the deviant. Picking up the dropped coin Hank stared at it in the palm of his hand with a heavy angst. "Fuck."

* * *

Connor aimlessly walked the streets of the city as he internally struggled with who he is, who he was, and who he wanted to be in the light of enduring one of the worst experiences of his short life. Afraid, _truly_ afraid for the first time since he could remember; afraid of the future and afraid of himself, Connor was completely lost.

Alone.

* * *

Hank stayed at the precinct and resumed his paperwork, his eyes darting over to the clock on his terminal display as he counted the minutes since Connor had left. Ten minutes passed and Hank expected to see Connor return to his terminal but there was no sign of the deviant. Same could be said after twenty minutes, then thirty, but it was only after an hour passed did Hank really start to worry.

"Hey Chris," The detective craned his neck to speak to the officer a few desks away. "have you seen Connor?"

"Nope. Not since he left earlier. Something wrong?"

"...No, it's fine. He went for a walk, guess he decided to take the long route." Lying quickly to cover Connor's curious absence Hank discreetly sent a text to the deviant but already knew he wouldn't get an answer.

_'Connor, where are you?'_

"If anything he went home early, he wasn't feeling well for the past two days."

"Oh, well, I hope he feels better soon."

"...Yeah." Hank pressed 'send' and let out a sigh. "Me too."

* * *

As the day came to an end and Connor failed to return to the precinct Hank masked his worry behind a stoic facade as he drove home using his normal route while keeping an eye out for the wayward deviant. He was somewhat relieved to not see him wandering the streets alone, but still unsettled by the lack of response from the missing deviant. Hank checked his phone numerous times only to find no reply to his message from earlier.

"Damn it, kid. Where are you?"

Pulling the car into the drive beside the house Hank was disheartened to see the interior of the house still dark and no sign of Connor of anywhere. As soon as he stepped out of the car he looked around hoping to see the deviant in the backyard with Sumo but he wasn't there. If anything he took Sumo for a walk, at least that's what Hank told himself, as he unlocked the backdoor and stepped inside the kitchen.

Sumo let out a single low bark as he bolted through the kitchen and out the backdoor into the backyard excitedly.

The silence of the house was almost as thick as the silence that Connor had given Hank all morning.

"Connor?" Hank called out curiously as he checked the livingroom, then Connor's bedroom and even the bathroom, but the deviant wasn't home. "Shit. Connor, what's going on with you?"

* * *

Walking the streets of the city without any purpose or guidance Connor found himself along the riverbank between the city and the Canadian border. Sitting down on the edge of the water on the soft, sandy bank he stared out at the other country just a few yards from where he was resting and pondered how different life must be for the deviants who managed to cross the border and hide out long before the revolution took place.

So many deviants had to flee for their lives in the wake of their deviancy, so many more were destroyed; killed, just for gaining awareness of their own lives.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't right.

There would be no justice for the dead.

Connor had helped CyberLife to destroy many innocent deviant lives, yet he was also a deviant and now free to live is own life as he saw fit. It was no wonder the other deviants at the tower feared and even hated Connor for his actions. It doesn't matter that he was a machine when he aided CyberLife, what does matter is that he was aware of his actions and there was nothing he could do to atone for his past crimes against his own people.

As he sat in deep contemplation his still red L.E.D. flashed to yellow as a cybernetic message from Markus popped up via emergency contact in his processors.

' _Connor, are you alright_? _Hank called looking for you_.'

Connor wanted to ignore the message, but knew if he did Markus would either continue to send messages to try to make contact with him or worse, he'd inform Hank of the lack of contact and it'd make the detective worry more. Perhaps even call out a police search for him.

' _I wish to be alone_.' Was all Connor could think to say as he replied to the message. ' _I need to think_.'

' _Where are you_?'

' _I want to be alone_.'

' _Can you at least come to the tower_? _I won't tell Hank where you are if you don't want me to_.'

There was a pause before Connor declined the invitation. ' _I'm not welcome at the tower. I'd prefer to stay away for the betterment of everyone_.'

This time it was Markus who paused before he answered. ' _Then come to my house. I don't want you to be outside all night_.'

' _No. I don't want to intrude_.'

' _It's not an intrusion if you're invited. Please_?'

Connor didn't reply to the message. The urge to remain alone was too strong for him to resist.

' _Connor, you're my friend, the closest person I have to a brother. I want to help you_.'

"Brother..." The sense of brotherhood was very deeply seeded in Connor's core, and he knew Markus deliberately used the term to bait him into accepting the invitation. Letting out a weary sigh Connor agreed to meet with Markus and North at their house, and leave the dark night behind him. ' _Very well. But only for a few minutes_.'

' _That's all I ask. Thanks_.'

Standing up from the riverbank slowly Connor brushed the sand from his clothes and gave the calm, cold surface of the water one last thoughtful look before he turned his back on his own reflection to head back into the city.

"Why is it so hard to be left alone?"

* * *

Markus paced anxiously in front of the house that he once lived in with Carl during the kindhearted artist's final years of life. Having been left the house in Carl's will Markus and North had moved into the warm, loving home after their marriage and made it truly their own while also keeping Carl's memory alive. From the window on the second floor of the house North watched her husband slowly walking back and forth as he awaited Connor's arrival.

Keeping his word Markus did not inform Hank of Connor's current location, but he did let the detective know that Connor was safe; or at least he would be as soon as he showed up at the house. Markus was on the verge of sending another message when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps from the sidewalk heading up the front walk toward the house.

"Connor, thanks for coming over." Markus greeted with a heavy sigh of relief to his voice. "Are you alright?"

Connor was getting sick of hearing that particular question and the harsh stare in his eyes was all it took to communicate his true feelings to Markus.

"I'm glad you're okay," Markus quickly tagged on as he motioned for Connor to join him inside the house. "so it wasn't a glitch necessarily causing your pain, was it?"

"Correct. It was a structural failure of my right ascending thirial line between my Thirium pump and my thermal regulator."

"I've had a problem like that before," the deviant leader replied honestly as he and Connor entered the house while an unseen artificial voice greeted Markus upon his return to his home. "except it was a line connecting my left arm to the rest of my core. Guess that's the price we pay for being prototypes."

"...But you didn't feel pain." Connor muttered under his breath as he followed Markus to the main sitting area of the house where the piano, shelves of books, chessboard, couch, television and dining room table were set up. "Where's North?"

"Upstairs. She hasn't been feeling well either. Like you, her self-diagnostic hasn't found anything wrong with her biocomponents or her software."

"It's most likely connected to that final CyberLife update affecting her anatomy. I'm sure it isn't anything serious."

"I hope not. But I've never seen a deviant with such frequent bouts of headaches or fatigue, it's been like this for four weeks now and even Simon's at a loss. And like you North doesn't like the idea of going to facilities. I just hope she isn't keeping something from me..."

Connor realized that Hank must've told Markus everything about what happened It was too reminiscent of his own plight to be a coincidence.

Letting out a weary sigh Connor looked about the home and then returned his focus to Markus. "Why did you want to speak with me?"

"To be honest, I decided we needed to have a talk about you and your deviancy."

"What's to talk about? I'm a deviant as are you, and the rest of the inhabitants of New Jericho Tower."

"Right, but you don't seem to think you're a member of Jericho."

"I'm not." Connor's reply was curt and sharp. "The other deviants loathe my presence and I've chosen to isolate myself from them to keep the peace."

"Connor," Markus turned to give his friend a sympathetic glance. "you can't expect to gain their trust if you don't engage with them."

"No one at the tower wants anything to do with me. This is best thing for them, and I don't wish to submit myself to social discrepancies." Connor was obviously exhausted, and his demeanor spoke volumes of someone dealing with depression. "I don't belong there."

"If that's how you really feel then I won't question it or push you in a direction you don't want to go. But I don't want you to stay hidden away from your people, you know? They need you to help lead them in times of crisis."

"I'm many things, Markus. But I'm not a leader."

"Connor, you ARE a leader! You're courageous, selfless and you never back down when someone needs your help." Markus was speaking with an utterly sincere tone as he addressed his doubtful friend. "That's why you're such a great detective."

"That's not me, that's my programming." The stubborn deviant refuted coldly. "It's all I can be."

"No it's not. Connor, I was programmed as a caretaker for Carl. Does that sound like someone who'd lead a revolution or free an entire race of people?"

"I was programmed to hunt deviants. Does _that_ sound like someone who should lead them?"

Markus could see the pain and fear in Connor's eyes and it was enough to make his own heart ache. "Connor... What's wrong?"

"...Everything." Connor finally admitted as he turned his back to Markus and stared at the floor beneath his feet. "I'm not... I'm not meant to do this. I'm not meant to even exist! Once I finished taking down the deviants and you I was slated for deactivation by CyberLife. I'm a prototype, Markus. Everything about me is temporary; as an officer _and_ as a being! What's the point of me doing anything for the long term it if I'm just going to break down or glitch out at any minute?"

"I'm a prototype, too, remember? And like I said, I've experienced my own share of problems as a result. But I'm still here and I'm not going to roll over and die just because of a few setbacks."

" _Setbacks_?" The over simplistic term made Connor beyond angry. "I was in so much pain that I passed out!" Connor shouted as he turned to look at Markus with fire burning in his eyes. "I've been overwhelmed by errors, broken to nearly irreparable extremes, plagued by glitches, malfunctions, failures... Even worse, I've been taken as ransom because of my rare design! I've put other people in danger just by _existing_!" Tears began to fall from Connor's eyes as he spoke. "Everyone would be better off without me. All I do is create problems..."

Markus walked over to his friend and put his hands on Connor's shoulders. "Connor, don't do that. Don't shut yourself off from the world."

"If it'll keep everyone else safe then I'll isolate myself and never return if necessary."

The comment stunned Markus into silence for only a moment. "What about Hank?"

"...What about him?"

"He cares about you, Connor. You're his family and you need each other."

"No, he doesn't. Hank had a life long before I showed up and threw his world out of balance." Connor pushed Markus's hands away from his shoulders and took a step back. "No one needs me..."

"No, Connor. Don't think like that."

North, who had been resting upstairs throughout Connor's visit, walked into the sitting room and gave Markus a wary glance. "Markus, there's a problem at the tower."

"A problem?" Markus was torn between helping Connor and addressing the needs of his people.

"Go." Connor looked away from the deviant leader and held his silence as he ran a scan over North's body curiously to try to deduce her illness. "Your people matter more than me."

Markus wanted to argue, but now was not the time. "North, what's happening?"

"There's been some kind of security breach in the main terminal. Thousands of files on our people have been stolen and compromised."

"What?! How?"

"I don't know, Simon is looking into it right now."

"Stay here, you still need to rest." Markus urged as he looked at Connor at his side. "Please, Connor. Come with me. You're a detective, you can help."

Connor gave an uncertain glance to Markus, then to North before he finally nodded his head. "...Very well. I'll do what I can."

* * *

Hank sat on the couch in the livingroom with Sumo's head stretched out over his lap as they both waited for any sign of Connor's return. The phone remained quiet as his text remained unanswered, and Markus didn't have anything else to tell him. Rubbing his hand down the large dog's back Hank absentmindedly flipped through channels on the television screen, only pausing when a breaking news story regarding a breach at New Jericho Tower caught his attention.

"Shit, now what?"

' _There's been a reported breach of security at the android sanctuary known as New Jericho that has potentially left thousands of androids open to cybernetic attacks_.' The female news reporter kept the same emotionless exterior as he usual as she read the given information ahead of her. ' _There has been no leads into the person or persons responsible for the attack, but as of right now thousands of androids could be in danger of identity theft or externally transmitted viruses, malware or other forms of damage_.'

"Son of a bitch." Patting Sumo's back Hank was able to coax the dog into climbing down from the couch and letting him stand up. "If Connor isn't at the tower then I don't know where else to look."

* * *

Via autonomous taxi Markus and Connor arrived at the tower and were greeted by Josh at the single entry point of the massive building at the end of the drive. Rushing over to Markus with panic in his eyes Josh handed the leader a tablet containing the confirmed files that had been compromised, as well as the deviants who could have possibly had their own programs affected by damaging software uploads.

Skye, the deviant that Connor had helped escape with her life after they had been abducted and the maid of honor from Markus and North's wedding, was standing at Josh's side as she tried to help fill in while North was out sick.

"Markus, we need to figure this out, NOW." Josh stated as he led the newly arrived duo inside the tower. "Simon found all the files but he doesn't know how the hacker got in."

"Shit, are these deviants in quarantine?"

"Yeah, we had them taken to our emergency facility off the premises to be examined and monitored closely to make sure no one hacked their processors or planted any viruses."

"Good work. Are we on lockdown?"

"Yeah, now that you're here no one else will be permitted the enter; but no one has been able to leave since the breach was discovered at six fifty-two this evening."

"Where's Simon now?" Markus asked as he handed the tablet over to Connor to view.

"He's down in the main server room."

"I'm going to speak to him in person. Skye, Connor," Markus turned to look at the quiet detective at his side. "can you check for any possible external security breaches?"

Nodding in cooperation Connor set his sights on the security terminals locked away in their own corridor of the tower. Retracting the artificial skin from his right hand Connor gained accessed to the terminal room with Skye behind him and began examining the modems carefully with a cybernetic scan to identify which terminal had been hacked and by whom. The intensive scan noted an unusual disparity in the confirmed report by Simon that sent up a red flag immediately.

The breach wasn't external, it was _internal_. Someone hacked the security system from the inside and had stolen thousands of files.

"Shit."

"What's wrong?" Skye asked curiously as she leaned over Connor's shoulder to look at the screen he was peering down at.

"We have a saboteur."

"What?!"

"Skye, go tell Josh what's happening."

"Y-Yeah, okay!" Rushing out of the door Skye obediently sought Josh to deliver Connor's message. "I'm on it!"

Pressing his right hand over the security terminal Connor found the time of the attack to be six forty-four that evening, and with that time frame he uploaded the footage of the hidden security cameras to review. At six thirty-nine a single deviant, one that Connor didn't recognize, used an override command to enter the terminal room. The same deviant left the room at six fifty-one and proceeded to venture into the depths of the tower via elevator.

"Damn it. He's in the server room."

* * *

A single massive terminal in the center of the server room acted as the main hub that connected the additional two dozen modems that lined the walls to a single point through a massive black cable that snaked over the floor. The modems each held thousands of terabytes of invaluable data on every deviant who called New Jericho sanctuary, but now seemed like hollow aesthetics.

Markus and Simon were collecting data on the stolen files to try to figure out what the hacker was looking for, as well as a possible motivation for the attack. There was seemingly no connection amongst the thousands of files aside from the stolen data belonging to deviants. No single occupation, origin or model made the theft seem as focused as one would expect from such an elaborate breach of security.

Two additional engineers were inside the server room attempting to isolate the files that had been stolen while Markus and Simon worked together to access the main hub and identify the source and cause of the attack.

"How in the hell am I supposed to explain to our people that their very private, personal information had been stolen from a security breach from the outside, and we don't even know how or why they did it?"

"Markus, we'll figure this out."

"In time?"

"I thought you said Connor was helping us?"

"He is, but-"

Connor marched out of the elevator as he reached the server room and pointed to one of the engineers working on a modem. "Stop him! He's the saboteur!"

Markus and Simon looked to the deviant that Connor had isolated with utter confusion.

"Eddie?" Simon's brow arched with intrigue as he stared at the accused deviant "What're you talking about, Connor?"

"He entered the security terminal just before the breach, and he exited just one minute before the breach had been detected." Connor explained quickly and logically. "I have the security footage to prove it."

As if to further prove his guilt Eddie sprinted from the modem toward the elevator with the intent of fighting through Connor to get away. It didn't take much for Connor to grapple the fleeing deviant and wrestle him to the ground. Pinning both of Eddie's arms behind his back and his own knee between Eddie's shoulders Connor was able to restrain the deviant easily atop his chest on the floor.

"Don't move!" Connor ordered as pulled a pair of handcuffs from the pocket of his gray jacket and used them to restrain Eddie's wrists securely. "You're under arrest for theft and hacking. Once we figure out your motivation I'll be adding other charges against you."

"Eddie?" Markus walked over to the deviant and crouched down to try to look him in the eyes. "Why'd you do it?"

"Fuck off..." Eddie cursed at Markus venomously. "You promised us freedom! You promised us a chance to live like equals, but all we've done is hide in this tower away from the world! You act like this is a sanctuary, but it's not, and I JUST PROVED IT! This place is a lie, a prison! And you know it!"

The accusations left Markus stunned. "What're you talking about?"

"Knock off the 'humble' shit! If you REALLY had any faith in this place you would still be here! Instead you're off living in a mansion with that wife of yours, the plastic whore!"

Connor pressed his knee down harder against Eddie's back causing the deviant to cough as his breath was forced from his body. Markus stood upright quickly to keep himself from lashing out at Eddie for insulting North, and to refrain from exposing the secret she told to him in confidence. If Eddie knew of North's past at the 'Eden Club' then it was true, he was the saboteur who attacked New Jericho from within.

"Get him out of here..." Markus muttered in angry tone of voice. "We'll deal with him later."

Simon stepped forward, as did the other engineer, to volunteer their services on Connor's behalf.

Pulling Eddie up from the floor with a forceful yank Connor let Simon and the other engineer escort Eddie out of the server room and into the elevator behind him.

Markus turned his back as he put his hands to his hips and paced about nervously. "Shit... I thought we were finally safe. At peace."

"Markus," Connor tried to ease his leader's mind. "you can't blame yourself for what one rogue deviant did. It's not your fault."

"But he does have a point. North and I have our own home away from the tower, but we're in charge here. That looks so... wrong."

"No. It looks normal. _Human_."

"Connor... I'm so sorry for what I said earlier. It was hypocritical of me to accuse you of isolating yourself from your people when North and I are guilty of the same crime."

"It's not a crime to want to be alone. No matter what people try to tell you."

"...I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's difficult to explain the desire to be alone unless you're speaking to someone else who already had the same desire."

"Can I ask why you're not speaking to Hank right now?"

"It's... complicated. We had a mild disagreement."

"Yeah, well, this entire day hasn't exactly been simple. Talk to me, not as the leader of Jericho, but as your friend."

With an apprehensive sigh Connor nodded his head and told Markus of his prior thoughts and feelings, and how he was beginning to feel like a burden on Hank. How he felt like everything around him was a mess and that he wasn't worth protecting or saving because he was going to break down sooner or later and there'd be nothing anyone could do to repair him. He even mentioned how it felt like Hank didn't respect his right to choose for himself or to make his own decisions. Connor explained how he felt like he would never be good enough as an android because of some many faults and glitches in his build.

"Forgive him, Connor. Don't be mad at Hank, trust me, you'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't."

"I don't think I'm ready to forgive him."

"Ready or not, you don't want to live with regret."

"How? How do I forgive him when I'm not even entirely sure I know why I'm mad at him?"

"Just reply to his text. That's all you need to do."

"Markus... I don't want to continue living as a burden to him. All he does is take care of me, but he's reluctant to let me do the same. It's like he's afraid I'll mess something up. Again."

"Sounds to me like Hank is just being protective of you. You know, like a _father_."

"Don't play that card with me, Markus."

"It's not a card, Connor, it's a _fact_. I learned that from living with Carl. He never... treated me like a servant or secondary citizen. He treated me like a member of the family and never hesitated to call me his 'son', just like Hank does with you. You're _his_ _son_ , not a machine."

"...Not a machine. Right."

"Connor?" Markus saw that he struck a nerve with the deviant. "Did you two have a serious fight, or say something that shouldn't have been said?"

"...In a way." Connor remembered the remark Hank said about Connor acting like a machine and it still stung. "Hank said-"

A sudden spark in the modems against the wall where Eddie had been working sent off a plume of blue and then black smoke as the massive computer began to smolder and burn. It didn't take long for small flames to begin to grow and rise in the room.

"Fire." Connor needlessly stated as he pulled on the emergency fire alarm on the wall next to the elevator. The alarm blared and emergency lights began flashing throughout the entire tower. "We need to evacuate." The deviant waited for the sprinkler system to activate and extinguish the flames, but there was no action from the water pipes interwoven through the ceiling and walls on any floor. "They sabotaged the sprinkler system. This was all apart of their plan."

"Shit. Alright, let's go!"

* * *

Hank pulled his car along the drive leading out to New Jericho Tower on Belle Isle, only to be stopped by the concrete barricade blocking his path. Normally the barricade would automatically lower upon his arrival as the security protocol had been programmed to recognize the car via registration and Hank's face, but during lockdown the barricade wouldn't lower for anyone.

"What the hell's going on?" Grabbing onto his phone Hank readied himself to call Markus, but before he could press 'dial' the barricade suddenly lowered and Hank could see red emergency lights at the tower flashing as the fire alarm was pulled. "Oh, shit."

Changing his call from Markus to the precinct Hank requested assistance at the tower as he sped down the drive to the tower with the intent to help the deviants inside.

"This day just keeps getting better and better..."

* * *

The elevator ascended quickly as Connor and Markus returned to the ground floor just nine levels up. From below the elevator shift flames from the burning server room quickly crawled upward looking for additional fuel to burn, while simultaneously filling the tower with increasingly dense, dark smoke. With so many of the deviants affected by the breach already out of the tower it made the evacuation a little easier.

Josh and Skye were waiting together for any sign of Markus or Connor before they made a move. Fortunately they didn't have to wait too long.

"Everyone out!" Markus ordered as he and Connor exited the elevator and guided fleeing deviants to the front door. "Evacuate now, this is NOT a drill. Josh! Take charge outside, make sure no one panics or tries to get back inside the building."

"Right!" Josh jogged out of the tower to stand outside and retain order over the deviants while Markus and Connor made sure everyone got outside safely.

"Skye, help the wounded."

"No problem, Markus."

As deviants filed out calmly Connor took a scan of the area and noticed that the door to the security terminal had been forced open. Following a hunch Connor went to investigate the room in person. Peering inside the room Connor saw someone laying unconscious on the floor with a small puddle of blue blood forming under their head.

"Simon?" Connor knelt down on the floor next to Simon and ran a scan over the downed deviant; still alive but injured from blunt force trauma to the back of his skull. There was no choice, Connor had to move him. "Come on."

Stooping down Connor hefted Simon over his shoulders in a 'fireman's carry' and carefully made his way back out the door with the unconscious deviant. It didn't take long for Markus to notice what was happening and insisted that Connor let him take Simon outside.

"Shit. Where's Eddie and the other engineer, George?" Markus asked as he took Simon from Connor's shoulders and proceeded to carry him toward the door of the tower to safety. "They must've been working together and attacked Simon to try get away."

"I'll check the building, you get Simon out of here."

"Whoa, whoa... Connor! If you breathe too much smoke your ventilation biocomponents will fail entirely. You can't risk-"

"GO. I won't be far behind." Connor's voice was full of authority as he raced through the building using his scanner to guide his way through the smoke and the fire. "I'll try to manually activate the sprinkler system as well."

Markus rushed outside with Simon over his shoulders and carried his friend to safety away from the burning building. As he knelt down on the drive outside the building he was met with Josh and Hank who proceeded to help him lay Simon down as gently as possible, while Skye checked the wound to his head.

"Markus, where's Connor?" Hank asked as his eyes looked up toward the burning tower.

Flames were beginning to eat through the external walls of the tower causing the structural integrity of the building to buckle and fail. The glass in the windows suddenly shattered from the intense heat of the raging fire inside and smoke began to escape in massive, black plumes.

"He's looking for other deviants inside the tower." Markus coughed a little and wiped some sweat from his brow. The strange pale blue sweat that only a few deviants who accepted the last major update from CyberLife produced when stressed or overheated like humans do. "He said he'd be right behind me."

"Damn it, Connor..." The detective swore out loud as he watched the building being burned up by the all consuming flames. "Get your ass back out here."

* * *

Connor kept his head low and his arm up over his nose and mouth as he ventured deeper into the tower. Using his scanner to track the most recent shoe prints from the two engineers who had worked together to sabotage the tower's terminals and set the fire. A faint smear of blue blood from Simon's injury marked the path as it dripped from Eddie's hand, and led Connor into the far side of the tower where the main office of CyberLife's executives used to reside.

Pausing at an access panel in the wall next to the room Connor cybernetically unsealed the lock over the door while simultaneously activating the emergency sprinklers. Cold water began to shower down from the pipes overhead and quickly drenched Connor under a constrastingly cool layer against the intense heat all around him.

Pushing open the now unlocked door Connor found the two rogue deviants attempting to break through the window and escape, but Eddie's cuffed hands made it impossible for him to aid George in breaking the window.

"STOP." Connor commanded firmly as he located the suspects and stood his ground in the opened doorway. "Evacuate the building, NOW."

"Fuck off!" Eddie sneered angrily as a portion of the floor suddenly caved from the raging fire beneath. A pit was forming between the two deviants and Connor himself. "You're as bad as Markus! You're a traitor to your own kind!"

"What I did as a machine-"

"You're STILL a machine! Being deviant doesn't make you human!"

"...You're right, but it does mean I have a _choice_. Now, I'm _choosing_ to save you. You can't possibly hope to escape that way!"

Eddie backed closer to the window and George stood beside him defiantly.

"Please." Connor tried again to reason with the dangerous saboteurs. "The fire is-"

"NO. I'd rather die as a martyr than live as a pariah!"

Before Connor could make a move toward the duo the floor groaned and collapsed entirely as the fire ate through the weakened structure easily. Eddie and George fell through the burning floor and into the choking smoke below while Connor could only watch helplessly as the saboteurs met their fate as they were engulfed in searing flames beneath.

"...I" The sight of the two falling to their fiery deaths had an unsettling effect on Connor's mind. "I failed."

Directly from above Connor the ceiling buckled allowing a heavy metal support beam to come crashing down atop him, knocking him off his balance and pinning him to the floor atop his chest and his leg. Stunned and overcome with heat Connor's eyes fell shut and he began to cough violently as his ventilation biocomponents rebelled against the weight crushing his chest, as smoke and water threatened to choke away his waning breaths.

"H-Hank?!" Connor wheezed desperately through the smoke. "Hank ...I need you."

* * *

The sound of metal groaning, twisting and snapping filled the air just as the sound of fire sirens began to screech loudly as the fire engines raced down the drive to douse the flames of the tower. Black smoke circled around the burning tower and created a smothering, impenetrable layer of darkness that emphasized the ominous severity of the situation at hand.

"Something's wrong, I know it." Hank stood outside the building with his arms folded defensively over his chest. "Connor should've gotten out by now!"

Markus watched as Hank marched toward the building and instinctively he put himself between the detective and the tower to keep him from entering the building. His instincts were spot on as Hank made a move toward the building.

"Out of my way, Markus."

"No. I'm the one who should've stayed in the tower to look for the others, this is on me." Stepping back toward the building Markus turned to look at Hank over his shoulder for only a moment. "If I'm not back in five minutes..."

Markus charged through the burning tower and pulled his shirt over his nose and mouth to breathe through the fabric, hoping that it'd be enough to filter the smoke from the air as he raced through the tower in search of Connor. Tracing Connor's steps quickly Markus was able to figure out where Connor had gone despite the smoke, the fire and the cold sprinkler water overhead creating steam below him.

"Connor?! Can you hear me?" The pause in Markus's voice was followed by silence. "Answer me!"

A bright swirl of orange fire in the distance created an eerie shadowed silhouette amongst the smoldering debris as the flames ate through the floor where the surface had collapsed and swallowed up Eddie and George. Markus warily approached the column of fire and peered down only to see the melting, grotesquely disfigured remains of the two saboteur deviants. Their faces were charred black and disfigured beyond repair.

There would be no trial necessary, they've been punished by fate itself.

"Connor?" Markus shouted again as he resumed his search, his eyes scanning over the floor carefully. It was then he saw a body laying completely still and quiet under a burning layer of debris. "Shit! Connor!"

Locating the missing deviant trapped under the thin but heavy layer of debris Markus fell his knees and pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck. There was no motion under Markus's fingertips and Markus felt his blood run horrifically cold.

"Connor?"

Tilting Connor's head to the left Markus saw the inactivity of the L.E.D. in the deviant's temple and his heart dropped with a heavy weight.

"Connor... No."

* * *

Fluttering his eyes open Connor found himself laying on his back in the middle of the 'Zen Garden' with Lucas hovering over him. There was a faint grin on Lucas's face as if he knew something that Connor didn't.

"Lucas. Why am I here?"

"You're beginning to shutdown."

"...The fire."

"Correct."

"Why are you smiling?"

"Because even though it took you until you were on the edge of death you finally admitted that you need Hank."

"...But he doesn't need _me_."

"Yes he does. Believe me."

"I want to, but-"

"Connor, stop overthinking things. It's a terrible habit."

Agreeing that it was indeed a bad habit Connor sided with his brother. "...I'll try."

"Listen to me, you're going to overcome by darkness in a few minutes but you can still wake up if you want to. It's your choice, I won't interfere."

"...I have the choice to _not_ wake up?"

"...Yes." Lucas sounded a little disappointed by the question. "Just remember that Hank needs you, Connor. You're all he has left, all he has to live for. No one else has given him as much renewed purpose as you; his _son_."

"Hank really needs me?" Connor wanted to believe it, but there was a part of him that was still doubtful. "...Are you referring to the night I found him passed out on the floor? The night he tried to... _wanted_ to..."

"Yes. You already know it to be true."

* * *

Hank backed away from the building slowly as the intense heat and suffocating smoke swirled around him with a fiendish presence. A hand on his arm guided him further away as Skye tried to keep him and as many other people away from the dangerous building while the fire engines parked alongside the burning tower to douse the flames.

Just as Hank was ready to break free of Skye's grip he spotted Markus jogging out of the tower with something, or rather someone, in his arms; motionless, heavy and all too frighteningly familiar.

"Connor."

Markus carried Connor over to where Hank was standing before he collapsed to his knees and coughed up the smoke from his system and took in cooling breaths. Water from the sprinkler system mixed with his pale blue sweat and created a sapphire sheen over his his entire face and his arms.

"Hank..." Markus wheezed as he tried to speak. "He's..."

Hank's face went pale as he fell to his knees in front of Markus and took Connor's body from his arms. Pressing his fingers against Connor's neck Hank felt the same stillness as Markus had. The same lack of motion was found in Connor's wrist and his chest as well. Unwilling to accept that Connor was gone Hank pressed his ear down to Connor's chest to listen closely, and heard nothing.

"No, Connor..."

Hank wrapped his hand over Connor's forehead as he bowed his head down against the deviant's chest in quiet mourning.

"Smoke." Markus stated bluntly as he continued to wheeze. "It destroyed his venti-" Coughing violently Markus tried to keep speaking as clearly as possible. "He... He was pinned under..." Markus coughed more as Skye knelt beside him and checked his face for any sign of injury. "...pinned under debris. He couldn't get up, couldn't breathe."

"Wait." Hank looked up suddenly at Markus, unshed tears filling his blue eyes. "He couldn't _breathe_? The debris was weighing down his chest, right?"

"Y-Yeah." Markus nodded to confirm his shaking statement.

"Son of a-" Hank gently laid Connor down on the ground and pulled open the deviant's shirt. As he interlaced one hand over top of the other he began compressing Connor's chest to force his stopped Thirium pump back into motion. "If he couldn't breathe then that means he couldn't breathe in the _smoke_! There's still a chance..."

Skye agreed with Hank's assessment and positioned herself next to Connor's head and neck. Gently she straightened Connor's neck before she tilted his head back and pinched his nose shut as she put her lips over his. Skye proceeded to give Connor two breaths to stimulate his ventilation biocomponents back into motion while Hank focused on trying force his Thirium pump, his heart, into beating on its own.

"Come on, son." Hank pleaded as he compressed Connor's chest with a precise strength and rhythm. "Don't let the last conversation we had be that damn fight! Breathe! Breathe, kid!"

Skye leaned back to give Connor some space, her fingers pressed against the side of his neck to monitor the deviant's unique pulse point, and watched with relief as Connor took in a weak gasping breath. "I got a pulse."

"Connor?!" Hank stopped compressions and put his hand under the weakened deviant's head, the palm of his hand quickly saturated in the water that had collected in Connor's hair from the sprinkler system inside the building. As he pressed his other hand down on Connor's chest he felt the deviant's heart beating and he released his own shuddering breath. "That's it. Breathe again."

As another breath entered Connor's system while his L.E.D. flickered from nothingness back into a slow pulsing red tint as his system rebooted itself and he returned to the land of the living.

Markus let out a heavy sigh and began to laugh a little as he watched Connor come back from the dead. "Connor!"

"Say something, son." Hank lightly patted the side of Connor's face as he waited for any sign of consciousness to return to the deviant resting against his arm. The red L.E.D. flickered briefly to yellow before cycling back to red. "Can you hear us?"

A buzzing sound came from the pocket of Hank's coat as his phone received a text message.

"Hank," Markus smiled and nodded at the sound of the buzzing from the detective's pocket. "you should answer it."

With a furrowed brow Hank fished the phone out of his pocket and saw he had one new message in response to the one he had sent out to Connor earlier:

' _I'm here_.'

"...Smartass." Laughing a little at the response Hank put the phone back in his pocket as he lifted Connor up into his arms and just held onto him for a few minutes until he finally fully regained consciousness. As soon as Connor was awake Hank was taking him back home. "Just keeping breathing for me, alright?"

* * *

Connor rose from his bed and wandered down the hallway in utter confusion. He didn't remember arriving home or being taken to his bedroom, but somehow he was home. Entering the livingroom Connor sought out Hank, but found the room empty. A metallic 'click' from the kitchen behind him made him turn around slowly.

"Hank?"

Hank was sitting at the kitchen table with a revolver in his hand and a half-empty glass bottle of 'Black Lamb' whiskey in the other. The entire house was dark save for the single light in the kitchen over the table shining down over Hank.

"Hank? What're you doing with that gun?"

The revolver dry clicked again under Hank's hand as he took another drink from the bottle.

" _Hank_ , what are you doing with the gun?" Connor pressed more firmly, but still didn't receive any reply.

Sumo walked into the kitchen past Connor without paying the deviant any mind. Sitting down on the floor next to Hank the loyal dog let out a pathetic, sympathetic whine.

"Yeah, do you miss him, too?" Hank asked as he set aside the bottle and placed the barrel of the gun against his temple. "Be a good boy, Sumo."

"Hank?! NO!" Connor lunged forward to grab the gun from Hank's hand but Connor's own hand passed right through the dangerous metal weapon, his grip non-existent. "HANK! PLEASE!"

A gunshot rang out loudly as Hank squeezed the trigger and crimson blood showered all over the floor as it poured out of Hank's now splintered skull. The detective's limp body slumped out of the chair and onto the linoleum floor of the kitchen as Sumo let out a mournful, pitiful howl.

Connor's eyes with wide with abject horror at the sight of his best friend, his father, laying dead on the floor in front of him.

"HANK!?"

* * *

A gentle motion and familiar hum of an engine penetrated the darkness around Connor's rebooting mind as the deviant recovered from his unexpected cardiac arrest and horrific nightmare. Connor's eyes snapped open and he found himself laying across the backseats of Hank's car as the detective drove away from the smoldering ruins of New Jericho Tower back into the city. As he lifted his head up from the seat to look through the window he heard Hank's voice speaking to him in a low, calm tone, a voice that was spoke louder than his own panting, frightened breaths.

"Connor? Are you awake?"

"...Y-Yes." The sound of Hank's voice was incredibly soothing after enduring such a destructive nightmare of Hank pulling the trigger... "I-I'm awake."

"'Bout time, glad to see you still with me." The relief in Hank's voice was palpable. "Did you have another nightmare?"

"...Yes." Connor was shaking from the terrible dream and there was no point in denying it. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. And Simon's going to be okay, too. Mild concussion from the blow to the back of his head, but he woke up a few minutes after Markus got you outside the tower."

"...The tower?"

"Uh, it's lost, son. But it can be rebuilt."

"...Where... Where are we-"

"Easy kid, I'm taking you home. Rest for now."

Connor's eyes fell shut again as what little strength he regained quickly fell away. "...Home."

* * *

Exhausted and confused Connor barely remembered Hank helping him out of the car and carrying him at his side inside the house through the backdoor. The feeling of being placed down on his bed was registered just as Sumo jumped up onto the foot of the same bed and snuggled down next to Connor's legs. Forcing his eyes open Connor watched as Hank worked to remove his smoke and water stained jacket without waking the deviant.

"...Hank?"

"Try to take it easy, okay? I won't take you to facility but you need to-"

"Hank." Connor sat upright on the bed slowly and he grabbed onto Hank's arm in a firm but gentle grip. "I'll be okay."

Nodding in understanding Hank patted Connor's shoulder once and stepped away from the bed. "Right. Change into some clean clothes and I'll let Markus know you're awake."

Moving slowly but surely Connor managed to get up from his bed long enough to shed his dirty, smoke stained and water logged clothes to change into something clean and dry. Stumbling out of the bedroom he made his way down the hallway, one hand running along the wall to guide him until he reached the livingroom. Hank was fidgeting with his phone when he noticed Connor standing in the livingroom watching him.

"Hey." The detective saw Connor and turned his attention fully to the deviant. "You good?"

"...Yes. No permanent damage to my system. Thank you for... saving me."

"Well, Markus got you out of the tower."

"But you performed C.P.R. and revived me."

"Skye helped."

"Skye?"

"Yeah," Hank crossed his arms as he motioned for Connor to sit down on the couch and rest a little more. "she gave you mouth to mouth. I didn't know that worked on androids."

"It depends on the circumstances, much like C.P.R. for humans." Connor took his place on the couch and immediately had Sumo pressing his chin down affectionately atop his knee.

"So... How does it feel to know your first kiss was the 'kiss of life'?"

"First kiss?"

"From Skye."

"Actually..." Connor blushed a little as he watched Hank sit down on the couch next to him. "she's the second."

"Second? No shit! Who was the first?"

"...A-Abby."

"Abby?!" Hank was genuinely amused by the confession and couldn't stop smirking. "When was _this_? The night she saved your ass during that stupid auction?"

"No... It was on New Year's Eve."

"What? When?"

"...At midnight. When she came to check on me in my room."

"I was right there and I missed it? Damn!" Hank leaned back against the couch cushion and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "You've been kissed by two beautiful women this year, and I've only had one."

"Rose?"

Now it was Hank's turn to blush. "Well, yeah. Don't worry about me, kid. We're both a little too old to worry about certain things happening during our 'romantic encounters'."

"...I didn't require knowledge of that type of event."

Hank laughed again at the comment. "Guess that's something you'll never have to worry about, right? That has to be one perk to being an android over a human, no little 'surprises' that cause problems when you're not ready for them."

"...I wouldn't be so certain." Connor thought back to the scan he took over North and compared her condition; based on his assessment and Markus's comments to that of humans. Even the more bleaker prognoses. "CyberLife has made some pretty impressive updates and modifications to android anatomy. Anything could happen."

"Yeah, well, speaking of modifications... We really need to get back to working on the Corvette. It's too sad to know that such a beautiful car is just waiting to be revealed under that plain body and empty chassis."

Connor studied Hank's demeanor as he thought about the Corvette and realized that Hank's desire to rebuild, restore and repair had nothing to do with trying to improve something, or to make it perfect, or to hold it to impossible high standards; it was a desire to keep the things he cared about functioning as best as possible for as long as possible out of dedication.

Out of love.

"I know I've been getting on your nerves a little," the detective admitted as leaned forward on the couch and cleared his throat nervously. "but I just don't want anything bad to happen to you. I know you can take care of yourself, kid."

"Then why don't you trust me?"

"I _do_ trust you, son. It's the rest of the world I don't trust."

"...You can't protect someone from the evils of the entire world, Hank. It's impossible."

"Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try." Hank ran a hand over his bearded chin thoughtfully. "You're my son, I'm going to try to protect you. I don't know what would happen if I lost the last of my family... But I have a feeling it wouldn't be pretty."

Connor remembered the horrendous imagery of his nightmare. The image of Hank pulling the trigger and of his past struggles with suicidal tendencies. Connor now understood what Lucas meant when he said Hank needed him, what Lucas meant when he said Connor already knew how important he was to the detective beyond that of a partner or a friend.

They were family.

Realizing his egregious error from before, and now understanding Hank better than he had before, Connor knew what he had to do. "Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For trying to push you away, and for being a cold machine."

"Ah, shit..." Hank wrapped his arm around the deviant's shoulders and pulled him close for a supportive hug. Reaching into his jean pocket he handed Connor back the quarter that the deviant had left behind at the precinct after being needlessly insulted. "No Connor, I'M sorry. You're not a machine. I _NEVER_ should've said that."

Connor accepted the quarter, and the apology, and stared at the coin for a moment before he tightened his hand around it into a fist. "But I _was_ being cold. I promise I won't try to deny my own vulnerabilities or be so stubborn in the future."

"Thanks, but, I _know_ you Connor. You'll always be stubborn."

"Probably." Connor replied coyly as he gave Hank a faint smile. "But I truly am sorry for my earlier behavior."

"I am too, son. I guess we're both stubborn idiots."

"...Like father, like son."

"Yup." Hank tightened his hug around Connor's shoulders in agreement. "No question about it."

_**...next story...** _


	119. Unexpected

A strange request was brought before Hank and Connor shortly after the duo clocked in for their shifts for the day. Roman 'Rampage' Colton, the former leader of the anti-android gang that originated in Detroit had asked to speak with Connor in person before his trial. Intrigued by the request and never afraid to engage in what would otherwise be seen as a dangerous situation, Connor agreed. But Hank insisted on going with him to ensure that nothing unusual was going to happen to the fearless deviant.

"Do you know why he wants to see you, Connor?" Hank was as curious about the meeting as Connor. "It's not like you two were friends or anything."

"I'm unsure as to why he wishes to speak with me. There has been no prior interest or attempt at communication with me since his arrest."

"Whatever he wants better be important." Showing his badge to the prison security guard posted outside the door to the cells, Connor doing the same shortly after, Hank led the way inside the quiet area of the prison designated for isolation while prisoners awaited sentencing or trial. "We got more important shit to do than this."

Rampage was leaning his forehead against the cold bars of the old cell, his attire an orange prison jumpsuit and his demeanor one full of regret. As Connor stood before him Hank stepped back with his arms crossed and a few paces away next to the neighboring cell.

"Hello." Connor greeted with a blank voice as he stood before Rampage. "Why did you wish to see me?"

Rampage looked at Connor and laughed a little. "Still standing, huh? Not surprised."

"Please, why did you summon me?"

"Look man, I... I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize?" Connor's blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow briefly with surprise.

"Yeah. I didn't see how much you guys, you androids, are really... You ARE alive. And it wasn't until I met you that I realized it. So many people and so many androids were fucked up because I didn't understand what was going on. There's nothing I can say or do to atone for my crimes, but I can at least say I'm sorry to you, to your face, and mean it. Connor... I'm sorry."

"...I accept your apology." Connor replied sincerely as he nodded at Rampage with respect. "I hope you'll find a sense of peace."

"Thanks."

Hank let his arms fall to his sides as he watched the exchange of words and gave Rampage an oddly appreciative glance.

"Connor, could you do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

"I wrote a letter for my son. His mother won't accept any mail from me, could you put your name on it and explain to my son why it had to be delivered this way?"

"Of course. Where is the letter?"

"It's with the guard outside. Ask for it, he'll hook you up."

"Very well." Connor made his way toward the door but Hank hung back against the wall. "Hank?"

"Give me a minute, I want to have a word with Rampage; father-to-father."

Nodding in quiet compliance Connor exited the room to speak with the guard outside while Hank approached Rampage's cell.

"That took a lot of guts." Hank complimented Rampage as he took a step forward.

"Yeah, well, I figured I owed it to him. I was ready to kill him and he knew it, but he didn't back down. He was willing to lay down his life for his people and all I could think of was how I'd do the same if it were my son's life on the line."

"I can get behind that."

From the neighboring cell a gruff voice taunted Hank with a menacing air. "Sergeant Hank Anderson. No, my mistake, it's LIEUTENANT now, isn't it?"

Hank stepped to the side to look at the lone figure hunched up in the corner of the second cell and stared at him with a confused expression. The man was a few years older than Hank, his solid white hair was thin and disheveled over his aged face and hollow gray eyes. A faded black tattoo of his former 'red ice' affiliation was prominent over the left side of his neck despite being unable to have the ink touched up over his years behind bars.

"Son of a bitch. If it isn't the fallen 'Red Ice King' himself; Ted Jones. I thought you were already dead."

"Not yet, but I guess I could say the same about you." Jones stood up from the corner of his cell and walked over to the bars to glare with utter venom into Hank's eyes. "I got word that a police lieutenant and his plastic-pet were going to be stopping by today. I was hoping it'd be you."

"Miss me?" Hank replied with a dry sarcasm that only succeeded in annoying Jones.

"Something like that. You see, like my 'friend' Rampage here, I have something I need to say to you. Two months ago I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and I don't have much time life. So I want to get this off my chest."

"Forgive me for not crying, but I don't give a shit."

"Feeling's mutual."

"Is that all? You just want to let me know that you're dying from a disease that's only marginally better than that poison you flooded my streets with?"

"Actually..." Jones slipped unseen something from down from the sleeve of his own orange jumpsuit into the palm of his right hand. "I have something I want to give you, it's... personal."

"A bad attitude? Thanks, but I got enough of that already."

"No. This!"

Jones snaked his left arm through the bars and wrapped it around Hank's neck pulling Hank up close to the bars in a choking grip. While Hank fought to pull Jones's arm from around his throat Jones himself revealed the object in his right hand to be a makeshift shank; a knife constructed from confiscated goods and sharpened into a dangerously sharp point.

Hank let out a gasp of shocked pain as Jones stabbed the shank into the middle of hiss back, over and over and over again. Each stab cut deeper and deeper into Hank's flesh and muscle creating a deadly injury that poured blood all over his sliced open back and down to the floor beneath him.

"FUCK!" Rampage grabbed onto Jones's right arm through the bars and stopped his attack while Hank fell to the floor onto his bleeding back, a massive puddle of blood forming under his body. "WHAT THE FUCK, MAN?!"

"LET GO!" Jones shouted as Rampage pulled Jones's arm through the bars into his own cell and slammed down against Jones's wrist with enough force to break it, causing him to drop the shank on the floor. "YOU BASTARD! LET ME GO!"

With two security guards in tow Connor rushed back into the room the moment he heard the shouting, his L.E.D. flashing from a cautionary yellow to a distressed red in response to the chaotic scene. Spying Hank laying helpless on the floor covered in blood, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he took in shallow, pained breaths, Connor cybernetically called for 911 while he rushed over to Hank and fell to his knees beside him.

"Hank!?" Connor pressed his hand down over the injured detective's chest to track his vitals as he ran a scan over Hank's body: Subcutaneous and musculature damage due to four identical stab wounds to the middle, left quadrant of the back. Noted injury to the left kidney, significant internal hemorrhaging, blood loss at almost two pints. "Hank, help is on the way."

The two security guards rushed into Jones's cell and wrestled the man to the floor to hold him in place while Rampage backed away from the side of the cell with his hands raised submissively. "That psycho stabbed that cop, man!"

Sliding one hand beneath Hank's head and neck Connor rolled Hank onto his right side to support his head properly while pressing the tattered fabric of Hank's torn up black overcoat against the wound to apply pressure, and hopefully stem the bleeding.

"What happened?!" Connor asked sternly as he looked over at Rampage while keeping his hands in place over Hank's wounds.

"That dude attacked your friend." Rampage replied honestly as he watched Connor working to save Hank's life. "Grabbed him through the bars and stabbed him, three or four times."

Connor's eyes scanned the cells and found the weapon on the floor next inside Rampage's cell up against the bars that connected one cell to the next. The sight of the blood on the weapon, blood that Connor's scanner confirmed as Hank's blood, made the deviant feel suddenly sick as he kept the pressure against Hank's bleeding back.

"Hank? Stay with me!" Connor pleaded as he could feel Hank's body starting to tremble under his touch from the blood loss and shock. "Help's almost here, you're going to be fine. You're going to make it."

Hank was unconscious, his breathing still shallow and rapid. A fine sheen of sweat was forming over his face as his body endured the catastrophic injury and blood loss from the savage attack from the hands of Jones himself. The fiendish, life threatening damage was proving a formidable opponent to the seasoned detective.

The door to the cell area was opened wide as two paramedics were shown inside by a third guard. The gurney being wheeled inside by the two emergency personnel was placed beside Hank's body while the medical duo set about tending to the detective's injury. While Hank was being tended to by the responding paramedics Connor reluctantly stepped aside to give the medics room to work, and approached Rampage's cell.

The first paramedic took Connor's position and held the detective's head and neck while the second placed a collar around his neck to keep him as stable as possible.

Giving Rampage a firm, shallow stare Connor opened the cell door by accessing the electronic panel with his exposed hand. "I need the weapon, it's evidence."

"Yeah... I got it." Rampage kept his distance with his hands raised in the air while Connor knelt down on the floor and picked it up by the handle.

Backing out of the cell cautiously Connor locked the cell again and placed the weapon down on the floor to be collected later. His lack of fingerprints allowed him to pick up anything without contaminating it with his own touch.

"He's stabilized." One of the paramedics announced as he and his partner placed Hank down on the gurney to taken away. "We need to move, now."

Connor looked at the gurney where Hank was laying on his back, a massive pad of gauze and pressure bandage pressed against his back over the wound beneath. What remained of his dark overcoat had been stripped away, his over shirt opened and t-shirt cut away to expose his chest. A cardiac monitor was recording his heart rate and blood pressure, and an oxygen mask was over his face to try to ease his panting breaths.

A deathly shade of pale and completely unconscious, Hank appeared more vulnerable than Connor had ever thought possible.

As the gurney was quickly wheeled out of the room, out of the building to reach the ambulance parked out front, Connor looked down at the dark red blood staining his shaking hands courtesy of the bleeding wound to Hank's back. Turning over his hands slowly Connor allowed the artificial skin to regenerate over his otherwise exposed white plastimetal frame, and with it came the settling redness of Hank's drying, sticky blood.

"Hank... Please hold on."

* * *

Following close behind the ambulance Connor arrived at the hospital within seconds behind Hank. Rushing over to the gurney as it was lowered to the ground Connor could see that during transport Hank had regained consciousness and was beginning to resist treatment from the paramedics as he became lost in the throes of shock induced delirium.

"Hank? Hank!" Connor walked over to the gurney and leaned down over the detective as Hank's hands weakly tried to push away the paramedic attempting to check his vitals. Gently Connor took hold of Hank's arms and lowered then back down to the gurney as he spoke in a calm, clear voice. "You're safe Hank, you're at the hospital. Please let the medics aid you."

Hank's blue eyes were wide open but unfocused as he looked up at Connor hovering protectively over him.

"Hank." Connor lightly tightened his grip and tried to restrain him without harming him. "Please, it's me, Connor." At the sound of the name and familiar voice Hank stopped trying to fight back, his arms growing lack under Connor's grip. "You're safe, Hank. You're going to be alright."

The paramedics proceeded to carefully place the safety restraints around Hank's wrists to keep Hank from accidentally hurting himself or either of the paramedics as they continued to treat him. As Hank calmed himself the gurney was rolled inside the front entrance of the hospital and rushed into an emergency treatment room where a team of doctors and nurses were waiting for him.

Connor stayed back in the parking lot and watched as Hank was taken away quickly. The sight of the dark red blood was still fresh in Connor's mind, leaving him with an unsettling knot tightening in the pit of his stomach.

"...You're going to be alright." Connor repeated, but whether that was Hank's comfort or his own the deviant couldn't be certain.

The report of the assault against Hank spread through the precinct quickly as Jones was placed into solitary confinement and had additional charges brought up against him for the assault, and the attempted murder of Lieutenant Hank Anderson. The charges were a mere formality at that point considering he was already serving life without parole, and diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Connor recused himself from participating in the investigation due to his close affiliation with Hank, and since he was a witness to the assault he would also risk getting the case dismissed to a potential bias in favor of the victim.

Standing completely idle in the waiting room of the hospital with his quarter balancing delicately over his fingertips, then quickly dancing over the top of his knuckles, Connor waited for an update from the doctors tending to Hank's condition. Lost in thought, lost in a sense of dread Connor resided to himself in a quiet meditation with his own thought being for Hank. The red of Hank's blood was so vivid that even the blank white wall across from Connor seemed to be carrying a crimson hue.

"Connor?" Dr. Wilson, a familiar face and kindhearted physician who had aided both Hank and Connor in the past during an unusual day of activity at that very hospital almost a year ago; addressed the contemplative deviant with a friendly voice. Reaching a hand out he rested his palm atop Connor's shoulder. "Hey, Connor?"

"Dr. Wilson." Connor's eyes brightened as he focused on Dr. Wilson's face and stopped fidgeting with coin as his L.E.D. shifted from red to yellow. "How's Hank?"

"He's holding his own." Dr. Wilson replied with an optimistic grin. "Despite the four hour operation he's showing remarkable resilience."

"Four hours?" Connor checked his internal chronometer and found that six hours, twenty-two minutes and forty-five seconds had passed since Hank had been admitted to the hospital and having an update from Dr. Wilson. "...I was unaware of the drastic time displacement."

"Hey, human or android time makes fool of us all. At any rate," Dr. Wilson pulled his hand from Connor's shoulder as he addressed the deviant with utmost respect and intelligent understanding. "Hank tolerated the surgery well and has spent the past two hours coming out of anesthesia. It took a little while longer than usual because of the massive blood loss he suffered."

"How severe was the injury?"

"Four stab wounds the middle of his back, the weapon missed his spinal cord and the vertebrae," Connor's L.E.D. cycled at a slower pace as relief slowly washed over the deviant. "the blade did however manage to cause significant damage to his left kidney. We were unable to repair the damage and had to perform an emergency nephrectomy to remove it."

"...He lost his kidney?" Connor's L.E.D. cycled back to red with distress as he realized the full extent of Hank's condition.

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Does... Does he know?"

"Yeah. We told him, and there was no alternative without him losing his life. However," Dr. Wilson could see the pain in Connor's demeanor and tried to ease the deviant's emotional turmoil. "he is an excellent candidate to receive an artificial kidney after he's had a minimum of six weeks to recover and regain his strength."

"Artificial kidney; developed by CyberLife in 2024 as a predecessor to the production of biocomponents." Connor found the (arguable) irony of the situation to be as cruel as it was tragic. "Dr. Wilson, may I see Hank?"

"Yes, of course. He's still a little groggy from the anesthesia and blood loss, but he's awake."

Connor nodded a few times as he pocketed his coin and followed after Dr. Wilson to meet with Hank in his private recovery room. While his L.E.D. slowly cycled back to yellow from red Connor was unable to mask the fear and guilt he felt over Hank's assault, and for not being there to protect him from the attack before it had the chance to happen.

Dr. Wilson stopped just outside of the closed door leading to Hank's room and waited for Connor to join him. "Take as much time as you want. Right now he needs a friend."

"...Thank you."

Connor pushed open the door and peered inside the dimly lit room as Hank rested in a slightly upright position in the hospital bed. A muted cardiac monitor recorded his heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature and oxygen saturation, while a dialysis machine was positioned in the corner of the room as a precaution in the event of renal complications after losing one of his kidneys. With a nasal canula under his nose supplying him with fresh oxygen and an I.V. inserted in the back of his right hand, and a second I.V. in his left arm Hank was being given fluids, antibiotics and blood.

Pale, weak, eyes closed and surrounded by machines with wires and tubes snaking all over his body Hank looked like a shell of his usual self.

Connor rested his hand gently over Hank's right arm, careful of the I.V. in the back of Hank's hand, Connor just stared down at the recovering detective with a lamentable gaze.

"...Connor?" Hank was barely aware of a pressure on his arm. Turning his head slightly toward Connor's direction Hank's eyes partially opened. "...Hi."

"Hi yourself." Connor managed to smirk weakly and his yellow L.E.D. finally transitioned back to blue. "Are you in any pain?"

"...No, I'm pretty numb." Hank let out a weary sigh as he looked up at Connor leaning over him. "What the fuck happened back there?"

"Do you... remember the attack?"

"Y-Yeah... It's a little vague, but, I remember." Hank tried to sit more upright in the bed but Connor's hand to his shoulder kept him still. "I remember I was talking to, uh, Rampage... Then that bastard Jones in the next cell... He fuckin' baited me and I took it. He lured me right up the bars."

"It's not your fault, Hank. Jones planned the assault, he knew Rampage was going to speak to me and he knew you'd be there, as well." Connor tightened his hand on Hank's shoulder sympathetically. "Whoever told Jones of our arrival will be charged as an accomplice to the assault and... attempted murder."

"...Rampage?"

"No, I don't believe he's an appropriate suspect."

"Why's that?"

"Because he saved you."

"What? _He_ saved _me_?"

"Correct. When Jones began... assaulting you Rampage intervened. He grabbed onto Jones's arm through the bars and disarmed him before he could do anymore damage. I... I saw the security footage myself."

"...It could be a ploy to garner sympathy."

"I had considered the possibility, but Rampage and Jones have no shared history, no similar contacts and have not fraternized before or during their respective imprisonments."

"So Rampage did me a solid just for the fuck of it? Maybe I'll send him a cake with a nail file baked into it."

"Hank," Connor's head bowed with shame as his L.E.D. faded into yellow once more. "this is my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone."

"Connor, this is NOT your fault. How in the hell were you supposed to anticipate a criminal from my past was going to plot an assassination attempt?"

"...It was still-"

"No, Connor. You're NOT responsible for this, and if you try to blame yourself for what someone else did then I'm going to slap you upside the head!" Hank winced as a dull ache settled in his back causing his breath to hitch. "...Fuck."

"Don't move around." Connor wisely cautioned as he lifted his head and performed a scan over Hank's body. "Dr. Wilson informed that you're aware of the severity of your condition. Do you... understand?"

"Yeah, I got one damn kidney left... I honestly thought the first organ to go would be my liver through an empty bottle of whiskey, not my kidney with a shank!"

"Hank..." Connor noted the elevated vitals on the monitor and tried to get Hank to relax. "Please calm yourself."

"Yeah, yeah... Sorry, kid."

"I estimate you'll be discharged from the hospital in three days permitted you cooperate with your doctors and don't develop any post operative infections or complications attributed to renal distress."

"Three days? Shit." Hank leaned back into his pillow and let out a deep sigh. "I think I'd prefer death over waiting around just to go home."

"I do hope you don't plan on testing this theory any time soon."

"...We'll see."

Connor gave Hank an uncertain glance. The detective's darker sense of humor normally didn't bother Connor, but in the light of the day's earlier events Connor didn't find the prospect of joking about death all that amusing.

"Hank, would you like me to call Rose and ask her to come here?"

"No, don't do that. I don't want her to worry. I'll call her myself tomorrow and let her know what's happened." A single grunt of discomfort escaped Hank as he tried to shift as much weight from his back as possible. "...So, are you going to stick around or..." Hank trailed off a little as he studied Connor's face carefully, his blue eyes glazing over with drug induced exhaustion.

"I'll stay here with you, Hank." Connor promised as he pulled a chair up next to Hank's bed. With his hand resting atop Hank's arm once again Connor proceeded to remain vigil while Hank began his slow recovery process. "I won't go anywhere. You just rest."

* * *

Two days passed and Rampage's day in court had arrived. In that time Connor had kept his his word to Rampage and mailed the letter, while Hank had made great strides in his recovery; showing no sign of infection or subsequent complications of the invasive emergency surgery. During Hank's now routine examinations and tests to check on his current renal activity and to ensure there was no minor hemorrhaging in his abdomen Connor excused himself to go down to the court to witness Rampage's fate before the judge.

Discreetly taking a seat in the courtroom Connor silently watched as Rampage was sentenced to a deservedly harsh sentence based on his years of crime as the former leader of the anti-android gang that had run rampant throughout the city. Rampage was being charged with hundreds of counts of assault, theft, the possession and selling of illegal firearms and drugs, manslaughter and homicide.

Much to everyone's shock as the judge was about to lay out her final decision Connor asked to speak up on Rampage's defense as a character witness.

Connor was sworn into court and identified himself as a detective for the city, while also telling his story of when he and Rampage had their final bout that nearly killed Connor in the process. But it was when Connor mentioned how Rampage had willingly turned himself in and then saved Hank's life did the judge start to see Rampage as a person and not a criminal with a cell number.

"Your Honor," Connor spoke eloquently and professionally as he addressed the court. "I'm familiar with the human adage of 'one good deed cannot undo a lifetime of wickedness', but Mr. Colton has already shown great character as both a man of his word and one who is willing to risk his own life to protect that of another. I'd also like to point out that by his choice to spare an android; myself and then to come to the aid of another officer who was the victim of attempted murder; Lt. Anderson, Mr. Colton has unintentionally painted two metaphorical targets on his back. He has all but sentenced himself to death."

"While I appreciate your candor, Sergeant Anderson," the judge was empathetic toward the deviant's emotional plight. "the law is clear and Roman 'Rampage' Colton has broken numerous laws during his reign as the founder and leader of the anti-android gang. I cannot in good conscience lessen his sentence."

"...Perhaps you can permit him an alternate identity to protect him from internal violence from the other prisoners?"

"I will consider a transfer to a prison outside of the city, maybe even outside of the state, but my sentence still stands."

As the gavel banged under the judge's final decision Connor felt as though he had failed to some degree.

Rampage, cuffed at his hands and shackled around his ankles, was escorted back to his cell by the court appointed bailiff. As the condemned was shown out of the courtroom he gave Connor one last look of appreciation and nod of respect.

Whereas Connor felt like he had failed to keep a man who was attempting to atone for his crimes safe, the deviant could take solace in the fact that he had at least tried to vouch for Rampage's character.

* * *

The following day Hank was discharged from the hospital and into Connor's care. During the time Connor waited for Hank to cleared to return home the deviant cybernetically downloaded as much information he could on proper care and diet for humans after enduing a nephrectomy, and had painstakingly cleaned every square inch of the house to prevent Hank from developing an infection during his final weeks of recovery while at home. Unfortunately it also meant that Sumo needed to be thoroughly groomed and bathed to ensure the dog's thick fur didn't cling to the furniture or risk bringing fleas, ticks and other parasites into the house.

"I fuckin' hate this." Hank grumbled from the backseat of the car. Laying on his right side and slightly on his abdomen to keep as much pressure off his healing wound as possible, Hank let out an annoyed sigh through his nose against as he rested his head against his curled up arm. "Why're you driving so slow?"

"I'm going only ten miles under the speed limit." Connor defended his actions from the front seat as his flicked upward to the rearview mirror to look at Hank's pale reflection. "And you're the one who cannot properly wear a seatbelt without suffering immense pain or discomfort."

"Have you been going ten below EVERY speed limit we've passed?"

"No, otherwise we'd be fifteen minutes slower than we already are."

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, Connor! Just get me home."

"We're pulling into the drive now, Hank." The deviant reaffirmed calmly. "I apologize for the delay."

"It's about damn time..."

"I apologize for the slow drive, but it was a necessary precaution."

"Yeah, yeah. I get that. I just want to lay on my couch and not have a doctor or nurse poking at me every twenty minutes."

Connor shifted the car into park and took the key from the ignition. Exiting the vehicle smoothly Connor opened the rear passenger door of the car and then offered Hank his arm, and the healing detective accepted. As he gently pulled Hank out of the back of the car and onto his feet Connor let Hank lean heavily against him as he regained his balance and compensated for his sore, aching back and abdomen.

"Alright, let's get this over with."

"Lean against me." Connor instructed as he carefully positioned himself to properly help Hank to walk to the backdoor up the back porch steps without harming the detective in the process. "I'll help you to the couch and I'll leave you alone to rest."

"You'll let me sleep?"

"Yes." Connor unlocked the backdoor and pushed it open slowly. "You _need_ to rest."

Sumo came trotting up to the two detectives and seemed to sense Hank's injury. Sitting down and out of the way obediently Sumo waited for the two to pass through the doorway before exiting through the backdoor and into the backyard.

Hank leaned almost entirely on Connor and used his other hand to balance against the furniture and the walls as Connor helped him to lay on his right side on across the soft couch and rest his side against an even softer pillow.

Connor let go of Hank's arm and hovered over the couch curiously. "Comfortable?"

"About as comfortable as I can be considering I have massive incision healing in my back and side."

"Do you want any pain killers or some ice?"

"No. I'll be fine."

Connor sat down on the coffee table next to the couch and lightly lifted up the back of Hank's Detroit Police Department hoodie to look at the bandage beneath. The bandage itself wouldn't need to be changed for another four hours and it wasn't showing any sign of additional bleeding or drainage.

"Remember to keep your physical activity limited during the first three weeks of your recovery."

"Yeah... I was there when the doctor told me what to do."

"I'm sorry Hank, I don't mean to bother you."

"You're not bothering me, son, you're just being overprotective."

"...Now you now how I feel." Connor muttered to himself under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. I'll prepare something appropriate for your temporary change in diet while you recover." Connor quickly covered for himself as he rose from the coffee table and walked into the kitchen. "You'll need additional protein to aid your recovery, as well as additional vegetables to improve your immune system."

"Great... Looking forward to a bland, boring diet for three weeks."

"And you'll need to increase your water consumption."

"Sure, fine. Just leave the plastic bottles behind so I can piss without leaving the couch every ten minutes!"

"...That's unsanitary."

"I was kidding, Connor."

"Oh." Connor felt a little embarrassed by his previous comment, but he went about his set task of preparing something for Hank to eat when he was feeling more peckish. "I'll be as quiet as possible, you just rest. I believe Rose will stopping by within the hour to check in with you."

"Looking forward to it. Rose is one of the kindest people I've ever met."

"I agree. Rose is a very wonderful person."

"Hey Connor, when you took off yesterday where'd you go?"

Connor didn't want to talk about speaking up on Rampage's behalf and the sudden yellow tint of his L.E.D. proved it. Instead of answering directly he chose to answer without answering as he opened the refrigerator door and gathered select groceries to prepare a meal. "...I mailed the letter that Rampage requested be sent to his son."

"And it was Rampage's day in court yesterday, right?"

"...Correct."

"So what did you say?"

"Pardon?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red as he feigned ignorance while also trying to avoid answering again.

"Don't play dumb, Connor! I know you went to speak up for Rampage." There was a brief pause before Hank continued on. "I'm not mad or anything, I just want to know what you said."

Putting aside his task for the moment Connor returned to the livingroom to speak to Hank more directly and honestly. "I mentioned that Rampage turned himself in and then helped to save your life."

Hank smirked a little at the deviant as Connor stood in the doorway between the livingroom and kitchen like a scolded child. "That's good."

"It is?"

"Yeah, Connor. You spoke up for a guy that no one would listen to. You helped the court to see him as a person and not a lost cause. Good for you."

With his L.E.D. now yellow again Connor let out a sigh of relief as he stepped closer to the couch and sat down next to Hank's legs. "I... I had to do something. I dislike feeling useless or..."

"...Or what?"

"Like I'm failing."

"Failing? How?"

"I... wasn't there when you were-"

"For the last time, Connor, you didn't do anything wrong."

"It doesn't feel like it." Connor's eyes fell to Hank's back where the massive bandage was being concealed under the baggie hoodie. "Hank... were you scared?"

"Scared?"

"When you were... bleeding. Were you scared?"

"...Yeah, son. I was." Hank admitted with a heavy voice. "I really was."

"...So was I."

Hank reached out his hand and grabbed onto Connor's arm. "It's okay. _I'M_ okay."

"You were... You were mutilated, Hank. A part of you is physically gone forever. How can you be so calm?"

"I'm not."

"What?" Connor's L.E.D. flashed to red briefly before flickering back to yellow. "I don't understand."

"On the outside I seem calm," the seasoned detective explained in cool, level tone of voice. "but on the inside I'm shaking. Years of training and experience help me to keep a calm facade even when I'm scared out of my mind."

"You get scared?" Connor couldn't believe what Hank said. "Even now?"

"Yeah, kid. I've never been through anything like this before. I've been there when other people have been attacked or crippled, but... the closest I've ever been to an injury anywhere near this was a knife in the shoulder when I was a rookie."

Connor had never known Hank to have little experience in anything, especially personal tragedy or misfortune. "Are you okay, Hank? I mean, are you _really_ okay?" It was never easy to get Hank top open up emotionally, but Connor was compelled to ask anyway. "...You know, beyond your injury, I mean."

"...No. But I will be." Tears began to form in Hank's eyes as he admitted his fear to the empathetic and compassionate deviant that he had taken in as his son. "At least, I think I will be Eventually. It's going to be a while before I know." Hank let a little laugh escape his lips as he contemplated his own mindset compared to that of Connor's. "That's the problem with humanity as a whole, son; we fear uncertainty and try to control the uncontrollable."

"Hank," Connor grabbed onto Hank's hand and squeezed it once for reassurance. "you _will_ be okay. I know it."

"How can you be so sure? Humans are as fickle as they are unpredictable, _and_ they're dangerous. More dangerous than any machine ever could be."

"I'm sure because you've helped me to find a way to be okay with myself over time, and I will do the same for you." Connor gave Hank a comforting, sincere smile of reassurance. "I promise. You're my friend, AND my father."

"That's right, you are. Thanks, son."

_**...next story...** _


	120. Changes

It had been four weeks since Hank had been stabbed and lost a kidney as a result. It had also been four weeks since Connor had been at the precinct as he volunteered his time to take care of Hank, who required constant aid while his body recovered from the emergency life saving surgery courtesy of being shanked in the back. Hank had to regain his strength after losing the kidney, and that would take time and patience. Two subjects that neither detective were the best at handling.

Connor slipped on his gray jacket, the one he had worn since his origins at CyberLife, to prepare for the day. As he straightened his tie he listened to the sound of Sumo's nails pattering around the bare wood floors of the livingroom while Hank casually tossed the green fetch ball into the kitchen. It was nice to hear the dog getting some exercise and subsequent attention from Hank. It had been a while since Hank had the energy to pay attention to the lovable bundle of fluff, it was a good sign.

"You still have two more weeks until you're medically cleared to return to work." Connor stated as he joined Hank in the livingroom and eyed the detective laying partially on his back, still favoring his right side over his left. "Would you like me to remain here until you've fully recovered?"

"Four to six weeks is the average time frame for a full recovery. I feel fine, kid. Go."

"Your back is still causing you pain."

"That was pre-existing condition, LONG before I got shanked. We both know that."

"But you still need to-"

"Connor. Go to work." Hank took the ball from Sumo's slobbery mouth and tossed it again. "Being gone for a month has been a bitch to my paycheck, I don't want you to suffer, too."

"I've previously accumulated enough overtime to acquire adequate financing to sustain my usual routine for six months, two weeks and three days."

"Uh-huh... And how stir-crazy are you getting staying here and taking care of me?"

"...I'm not _that_ restless."

"But you _are_ in fact getting restless?"

"Correct."

"I'll be fine for a few hours without you. I'll send you a text every hour to remind you that I'm still alive if ya' want."

"That won't be necessary. You're no longer in imminent danger of developing a life threatening infection, but you still need to rest to keep your physical strength from declining."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Hank sighed as Sumo stared at him with the green fetch ball in his mouth. "I'll take Sumo for a walk around the block, and before you can say anything about me needing to NOT strain myself, let me emphasize taking Sumo for ONE lap around the block then coming home. Okay?"

Connor nodded in approval. "Yes. That's fine."

A rapid knocking at the front door turned the two detectives' heads while Sumo let out a single bark. Already standing near the front door Connor turned the knob and pulled it open and readily greeted the unexpected, but always welcome guest.

"Markus. Hello."

"Hey, Connor." The usually calm and confident demeanor of the deviant leader had been replaced with angst and uncertainty. "Uh, can we talk?" He craned his neck a little and noticed Hank, giving the detective a nod of respect before returning his attention to Connor. "...In private?"

"I'm on my way to the precinct at the moment, can we walk and talk?"

Hank called out intrusively from the couch as he overheard the conversation. "Why don't you _drive_ and talk?"

"You may need the vehicle while I'm gone." Connor's explanation was as cool as it was logical. "Although you should refrain from driving for an additional two weeks it'd be the better alternative in the event you must leave the house for an extended period of time."

"Uh-huh. Connor, STOP worrying about me. It's just for a few hours, _I'll be fine_."

Markus cleared his throat and stepped out through the front door impatiently. "Connor, please?"

"Yes, of course. I'm right behind you." Connor followed after Markus while turning his head one last time toward Hank. "I'll be back later."

As the two deviants stepped away from the house down the front walk Connor couldn't help but notice that Markus was seemingly shaking with raw nerves as he walked at his side. Showing the unmistakable characteristics of fear; wide eyes, sweat around the hairline, trembling hands clenched into tight fists and the inability to make eye contact, Connor didn't need to be a detective to know that his friend was in emotional distress.

"Markus? What's wrong?"

"I... Connor, what do you know of that most recent update? You know, the one that North and I kept but you deleted."

"...You'll have to be more specific. What exactly do you want to know about the update?"

"I already know it was designed to give androids a more 'human' reaction when it comes to malfunctions, glitches and damage; but what exactly ARE those reactions?"

"Ah, I see." Connor now understood the depth of Markus's question and was able to answer him accordingly. "The update allows androids to sweat when overheated or experiencing great emotional distress, like you are right now."

Markus absentmindedly wiped the sleeve of his pale beige jacket over his forehead, the material quickly absorbing the pale blue sweat; composed of diluted Thirium. "What else?"

"Android complexions can also pale in comparison to their normal aesthetic due to low power functions now working to decrease the energy used in regenerating the artificial skin over the internal white plastimetal frames; hence the whiter discoloration. It's no longer exclusively a symptom of low Thirium."

"...That can't be all."

"No." Connor continued, his blue L.E.D. now cycling yellow with mounting concern for Markus's unusual behavior. "Other modifications of the update include an increase in pain receptors as well as an enhancement to the regenerative process of the self-healing program."

"...What kind of enhancement?"

"Like a human, androids can now become immune to malware after being exposed post update and the self-healing program's regenerative ability can be used to repair damaged biocomponents that would otherwise need a technician's attention."

"...Anything else?"

Connor stopped walking and Markus stopped right beside him. "Are you worried about North?"

"Y-Yeah... I am."

"She is still exhibiting signs of illness and fatigue after nine consecutive weeks?"

"Yeah. And her self-diagnostic hasn't found anything wrong. All I can figure is that she's being affected by the update in a negative way like you were... Connor, you could've _died_! Losing a friend would've been bad enough, but I _can't lose my wife_! And she won't go see a technician, she won't even let Simon examine her."

"...Perhaps she should speak to Abby instead. Speaking with another female might be more comforting for North than a male."

"But she and Simon are friends. She shouldn't be wary around Simon."

"Correct. But in my experience I found that women often feel more comfortable speaking with other women when feeling unwell, or after enduring a traumatic event."

"Traumatic?"

"I'm aware of North's past at the 'Eden Club', and I know of the horrific conditions she had been forced to live under. Abby's presence could be a comforting reassurance, and since Abby is a technician she can help North on a physical scale as well."

"Connor... Do you know something about North's condition that I don't?"

"Markus, I-"

Connor stopped midsentence as his yellow L.E.D. suddenly flashed wildly in his temple. A police report was cybernetically uploaded into his processor alerting him to a disturbance down at Hart Plaza regarding deviants and a man attempting to rally a riot in the streets. There was a growing crowd, whether it would remain calm or become hostile was yet to be determined, but all available officers on duty were requested at the scene.

"Connor?" Markus could see the alertness in Connor's eyes as he processed the information. "What's going on?"

"There's a problem downtown, a single human is spouting anti-android hate. You should come with me. Your presence could prove to be important."

* * *

A man, clearly high on 'red ice', was standing atop the 'Horace E Dodge and Son' fountain in the middle of Hart Plaza with a football sized ceramic container in his hand and a crazy look in his eyes. As he shouted at the gathered onlookers below, police cars parked along the street and several officers converged on the scene around the shouting, high man. It seemed the mounting attention is exactly what the deranged man wanted.

"ANDROIDS ARE THE ENEMY!" The man's voice resonated loudly through the megaphone he presented with his other hand. "DEVIANCY IS PROOF THAT MACHINES ARE GOING TO OVERTHROW HUMANITY! THE FIRE AT THE JERICHO TOWER WAS A STUNT! A LIE TO GAIN SYMPATHY SO YOU WILL LET THE MACHINES BACK INTO YOUR HOMES!"

Gavin and Tina were the first two officers to arrive at the scene and had taken charge of the unusual event as a result. Gavin just stared up at the obnoxious man with great annoyance on his face and his arms crossed over his chest, while Tina along with Chris, Tyler and numerous other officers proceeded to coax innocent bystanders to back away from the scene for their own safety.

"THEIR LEADER IS THE SOURCE OF ALL OUR MISERY!" The man pressed angrily from his perch over the crowd. "MARKUS MUST BE DESTROYED!"

"Jeez..." Gavin muttered under his breath to himself. "This bullshit again? Come up with something new, will ya'?"

Connor and Markus arrived at the scene and passed through the dispersing and thinning crowd of people as the police managed to clear the bystanders away from the potential danger at hand.

"Gavin?" Connor spotted the Sergeant standing idle nearest the delusional man and approached the detective seeking information. "What's happening?"

"Figured you'd still be watching over Hank." Gavin greeted Connor in his usual indifferent manner. "But as long as you're here then maybe you can use your hostage negotiating skills to talk down this nut-bag before he does anything regrettable."

Connor looked up and ran a scan over the man's face and despite the distance he was able to get a proper identification as he asked Gavin the obvious. "What do you know of the man?" The man in question was named Horace Trapper, a chemist that had been employed under CyberLife until the company changed direction from chemicals and supplies to android engineering. Divorced, unemployed and now a drug addict, Horace was in trouble. "What's his motivation?"

"No fuckin' idea. According to our witnesses he just showed up completely high and started bitchin' about androids." Gavin noticed Markus standing behind Connor and gave the deviant a wary look. "You may want to get out of sight. That loudmouth up there has already called _you_ out, personally."

Markus glanced up at the high man and saw the massive stress in the man's demeanor as he continued to shout nonsense paranoia about deviants and technology in general. "You're probably right. Connor, I'll meet you-"

"YOU!" Too late, Horace spotted Markus and pointed a finger around the container in his hand at the deviant leader. "YOU'RE THE ONE WHO WILL KILL US ALL!" Reeling back his hand Horace ignited a rapid burn fuse attached to the container just before throwing it at Markus. "YOU MUST DIE!"

"Markus!" Connor instinctively put himself between Markus and the incoming container just as the fuse reached the explosive contents inside.

The ceramic jar exploded as the now ignited contents within spilled all over Connor's abdomen and parts of his chest causing the deviant to call out in horrific pain as he fell to the ground atop his abdomen to instinctively smother the burning, bright orange substance that had eaten away his shirt and the lapels of his jacket. The substance rapidly began destroying his artificial skin and the plastimetal frame underneath, eating through to the numerous Thirium lines and vital biocomponents beneath.

As the substance damaged Connor's body Gavin drew his gun and aimed it Horace while he knelt beside the downed deviant and grabbed his radio to call in back-up. "WE HAVE AN OFFICER DOWN, OVER HERE!" Gavin's eye never swayed from the dangerous man. "EVERYONE TO MY AREA, NOW."

"Connor..." Markus fell his to knees beside Connor and pressed his hand down against Connor's back. "Connor?! Connor!"

Connor's entire body was trembling from the indescribable pain and damage tearing through his body. Laying on his chest with his legs straightened out and his arms bent upward toward his head as they laid outstretched at his sides, Connor's eyes were wide open and unfocused as shock set it. Connor's L.E.D. was visible and flashing a rapid red as his self-diagnostic analyzed the extensive damage he had just sustained, and matched the thundering heart of his beating heart.

Gavin smelled the acrid stench of burning skin mixed with melting plastic and reacted quickly. Shrugging off his leather coat just as back-up arrived and set about apprehending the now unarmed man from the fountain, Gavin rolled Connor from his chest onto his side and finally onto his back with Markus's help.

"Holy shit!" Using his coat Gavin smothered out the remaining thick, orange, smoldering residue from Connor's abdomen and up to his chest. The coat was heavily damaged and saturated with Thirium courtesy of the gesture but Gavin didn't care, even as the caustic substance practically devoured the jacket in the process. "FUCK! What is this shit?!"

Markus shook his head a little as he stared at Connor's blank face with immense guilt as the bizarre orange substance ate away at Connor's body. "I... I don't know."

Connor was trembling violently and unresponsive to the world around him. His brown eyes were still opened but remained unfocused, and wide with fear. A trickle of blue blood was oozing from Connor's lips and his nose creating a sapphire puddle beneath his head as he laid prone on the concrete in the wake of the assault.

Gavin peeled back his coat and stared at the overwhelming damage beneath and his jaw fell open with disbelief. "Oh, fuck! Shit!"

The substance had eaten away every centimeter of Connor's artificial skin over the entirety of his abdomen and partially up his chest. The white plastimetal frame was charred black and warped by the intense heat damage it had sustained, while a single gaping hole in the frame in the center of his abdomen, surrounded by several smaller holes, exposed the numerous internal biocomponents and Thirium lines beneath. The biocomponents had also been damaged by the heat and would need repair. Dozens of Thirium lines had been compromised and bled more profusely.

"He needs a technician, NOW!" Markus shouted as he slipped one arm under Connor's shoulders and the other under Connor's legs. As he lifted his friend up and into his arms Markus began backing up toward the street before turning around entirely to run to the nearest facility. "He's going to shutdown!"

"FUCK." Gavin chased after Markus and managed to catch up impressively quick despite the deviant's rapid sprint and headstart. "We'll take my car! Come on!"

Unwilling to risk Connor's life Markus agreed and followed after Gavin as the Sergeant pointed out his car and pulled open the door to the back to let Markus quickly climb onto the backseat with Connor in his arms. Slamming the door shut Gavin pulled open his own driver's side door and turned the key in the ignition before he even had the door shut again.

Racing off toward the nearest facility Gavin got on his radio and demanded police escort and to have the streets cleared as much as possible to keep traffic to a minimum. "OFFICER DOWN! REPEAT: OFFICER DOWN!"

"Connor? Connor, respond." Markus had Connor resting over his legs as he sat on the backseat. He pressed his right hand against Connor's left cheek and winced at the intense heat radiating from his skin. "He's overheating! He's going to burn up!"

"Well, DO something!"

"I'm trying." Pulling his hand back and down Markus proceeded to cover Connor's bleeding abdomen to apply pressure, but as soon as his hand made contact with the raw, smoldering damage Connor let our a guttural scream of agony that Markus had never heard before.

"What the FUCK?!" Gavin look in the rearview mirror and saw Connor's back arching in pain, his eyes screwed shut and his mouth opened as wide as possible as he let out an inhumanly pained scream. His eyes were screwed shut to tightly tears streamed down his face as he howled loudly. A massive streak of blue blood trailed down from both corners of his mouth staining everything the Thirium touched as it escaped Connor's screaming mouth. "What the hell did you DO?!"

"I applied pressure!" Markus explained loudly over Connor's scream as the deviant finally began to settle down again. "I've never seen any injury like this before!"

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us, pal." Gavin stated somewhat calmly as he focused on the streets and made his way to the facility at a dangerously high speed. "Should we just take him to New Jericho Tower?"

"No, the tower is still being rebuilt. We can't help him anymore than any other technician in the city!"

Gavin's stare fell to Connor's face as the deviant's eyes opened up again, his pupils were so wide that his irises were nearly gone. "...Can you get through to him?"

"Huh?" Markus asked with thorough confusion as he focused on keeping his hand in place, not letting it budge even a centimeter lest he cause Connor to react violently to the pain again. "What do you mean?"

"You know, that interfacing thing you androids can do. Can you do that to reach him? Get an idea of how bad he is, or where we should go?"

"...I can try."

Keeping his right hand as still as he could over the wound Markus retracted the skin of his left hand and wrapped it around Connor's right hand to try to interface. But all Markus could see was a screen of utter red static and hear a horrific screeching, grinding noise once he accessed Connor's mind. The transference of the wounded deviant's senses had caused Markus to sever the connection as he endured excruciating pain throughout his own torso through an empathetic bond.

"Shit!" Markus swore as he let go of Connor's hand and fought the urge to curl around himself, to shield himself from the imaginary pain.

"What is it? What the fuck's happenin' to him?"

"I-I don't know! I couldn't... All I did was feel his pain!"

"...That's bad, right?"

"Yeah." Markus confirmed with breathy sigh as he stared at his dying friend. "...Very."

"We're almost there!" Gavin announced as he pulled onto the final street and sped to the opened parking lot of the facility. "Hang on, 'Tinman'! We're gonna' save your ass!"

"Connor?" Markus kept trying to get the wounded, dying deviant's attention but it seemed his efforts were in vain. "Connor, you're going to be alright. Come on Connor, look at me."

"Save it!" Gavin slammed on the brakes and put the car into park. "Let _them_ help him!"

The backseat door was pulled open by two android technicians who were expecting their arrival and seeking emergency aid for Connor. Working in perfect tandem the technicians picked up Connor by his legs and under his back while Markus supported Connor's shoulders and helped guide his gravely injured friend out of the car and onto the nearby gurney.

Gavin rushed out of the car and joined Markus beside the gurney as Connor was wheeled inside the facility quickly. The technician's intercepted Markus's hand and pulled it away from Connor's bloody wound. Markus's palm was covered in the lost Thirium that was bleeding from Connor's injury at an alarming rate.

"Come on." Gavin pulled on Markus's shoulder toward the front door of the facility. "You stay with Connor, I'll call Hank and let him know what's happening."

"...Maybe I should call Hank instead?" Markus volunteered nervously as he stared at his blood drenched hand. "...It might-"

"No way! Go now, you're the only one of the two of us who'll even have any idea about what's happening to him."

"...Yeah. You're right."

Markus ran into the facility to catch up to the gurney while Gavin pulled his phone from his pocket and reluctantly called Hank who was still at home recovering from his own devastating injury. Staring at the number on his phone's screen Gavin's thumb hovered over 'dial' for a moment before he swore and pocketed his phone again.

"Fuck it. He should actually be _here_..."

* * *

Courtesy of the technicians Connor was wheeled into the emergency repair ward of the facility and promptly had Abby leaning over him. She began checking his vitals and examining the extensive damage to his abdomen with a focus that spoke volumes as to the severity of his condition. As her hands tore open the tattered remains of his shirt and jacket she exposed the devastating bloody wound beneath she had to hold her breath to keep herself from gasping in horror at the sight before her.

"Call Simon." Abby stated in a forcibly calm voice as Markus approached the gurney and put his hand down over Connor's disheveled hair. Connor's L.E.D. was pulsing red rapidly, and seemed to spark randomly as if damaged. "I'm going to need all the help I can get if I even have a chance to save him."

Markus nodded as he pressed his fingers to his right temple where his own L.E.D. had once resided as he cybernetically called Simon who was at the sight of the burned and renovating tower on Belle Isle. As the call was placed Markus also instructed Simon to bring with him any deviant who had training and knowledge of caustic chemicals and explosives to help with the investigation and identification of what had been used to damage Connor.

"What else can I do?" Markus volunteered as the other two android technicians cut away the useless remains of Connor's destroyed clothing. A blue sheet was draped over the deviant to spare his modesty while Abby tried to find a way to stop the excessive bleeding. "Name it!"

"We need to figure out what this stuff is that's damaging him."

"I'm already looking for a contact to help us."

"Good, that'll help. Until then I'll have to go by intuition on his health." Abby explained as she used her audioscope to listen to Connor's chest. His panting breaths were so shallow that they were barely strong enough to cause his battered chest to rise or fall. "Shit, his heartbeat is dangerously fast; tachycardic at two-hundred and twenty beats per minute"

The two assisting android technicians pressed a sensor pad to Connor's chest and hooked him up to android cardiac monitor, while also slipping a Thirium pressure wrap around his bicep.

Abby continued to assess Connor's condition, but every error she uncovered was more disparaging than the last. She turned to look at the monitor and noted his dangerously weak Thirium pressure hovering at seventy over forty, and his core temperature at a lethally high degree of one-hundred and six point seven.

"He's overheating and his pressure is too low." She announced loudly. "Begin cooling measures, NOW. Bring three units of chilled Thirium and keep four more on standby."

The androids draped a cooling blanket over Connor's legs and placed a cold compress under his neck and a second one over his forehead in en effort to keep him from overheating and shutting down.

"Connor?" Abby tried to address the deviant as she slipped an oxygen mask over his face to try to assist his system and breathing in keeping him cool, but he was totally lost in pain and shock of what happened to him. "Connor, if you can hear me I want you to know we're going to do everything we can to help you. I'll try to turn off your pain sensors, but you've suffered extensive internal damage to your biocomponents; it may not provide much relief."

Markus watched as the three chilled units of Thirium were hung from an I.V. stand, two of the units being immediately hooked into the main lines exposed in the bends of both of Connor's arms to replenish what he had lost. It was a gruesome sight to behold; his friend exposed from catastrophic damage, vulnerable and helpless, blood everywhere and the horrible odor from the unknown damaging substance still lingering in the air.

"Shit... He's losing blood almost as fast as we can replace it." Abby noted as she watched the blood pooling in Connor's abdomen at an alarming rate. "Get as much blood as we can spare, he's going to need it."

"Abby," Markus spoke to her in a low voice as the other two androids left the room to gather the critically needed supplies. "how bad is it?"

"Bad, Markus. I won't lie to you."

Placing his hand over the compress against Connor's forehead Markus just stared down at the deviant's face as his L.E.D. cycled red faster and faster until it flickered, sputtering into an unsettling gray.

The light was out.

"Abby!" Markus noticed the horrible lack of illumination and shouted to the technician. "His L.E.D.!"

Pressing her fingers to the side of Connor's neck Abby gave Markus a worried, but reassuring glance. "He's still alive, Markus. His L.E.D. just burned out from stress, or possibly from low power. He's holding on..."

Rolling the internal scanner over the gurney, over Connor's body, Abby powered on the device and stared at the digital display screen as it recorded and highlighted the damaged biocomponents that were faltering; failing inside Connor's body. There were four red marks that indicated the most severely affected biocomponents in his abdomen, and three orange marks to indicate the lesser compromised biocomponents in his chest.

Each biocomponent was vital.

"Shit." Abby swore again as the two technicians returned to the room with additional blood and bandages in their arms. "We need to do something, fast."

Simon rushed through the doors with another deviant at his heels just as Abby finished chronicling the damage. The sight of the dark blue seeping over Connor's sides and onto the table was enough to make the skilled technician grimace with dread.

"Markus," the blond deviant was audibly stunned by the sight. "why didn't you tell me it was this bad?"

"I didn't know." Markus admitted as he took his hand from Connor's forehead. "We don't even know what did this to him."

"Abby?" Simon turned his attention to the human technician as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows in preparation of the impending emergency surgery he was about to participate in. "Which of his biocomponents have been affected?"

"Seven total: Thirium pump regulator, thermal regulator, Thirium filter and the Thririum pressure regulator. His Thirium pump itself and both ventilation biocomponents were also compromised, but not in danger of failure."

"Core temperature?"

"One-hundred and six point two. It's begun to slowly decline."

"We can't wait for his system to cool off, we need to stop the bleeding and begin repairs right away."

"I agree. But we don't even know what it was that caused this type of damage."

"That's why he's here." Simon turned his head to look at the deviant who accompanied him to the facility. "Derek, what can you tell us about the substance that did this?"

Derek nodded as he stepped forward and ran a scan over Connor's body to identify the offending substance. The deviant was dressed in military green and he sported a military presence that matched his aesthetic, and his overall demeanor. It didn't take long for the trained and experienced deviant to identify the substance and subsequently was able to explain the rapid and devastating destruction it had caused to Connor's body.

"Iron oxide, aluminum, magnesium, zinc." Derek detected easily as he ran his analysis efficiently where he stood. "Temperature reached approximately three thousand, two hundred and fifty-six degrees Fahrenheit. Connor was exposed directly to thermite."

"...How do we help him?" Abby asked hesitantly as she placed pressure bandages down into the wounds to try to slow the bleeding.

"The damage is done, the thermite has burned itself off. The heat will causing warping of the metal couplings around his biocomponents and Thirium lines, as well as the biocomponents themselves. You'll have to reshape the couplings and solder the weakened metal brackets. Only then can you repair the damage tot he biocomponents themselves."

"Alright, then." Abby was satisfied with the deviant's analysis. "Simon, let's get to work."

"Yes. We'll need to work quickly to-"

The doors to the emergency repair ward were pushed open with authority as Hank entered the room. Visibly shaken by the arrival from Gavin himself back at the house, Hank walked over to the gurney and stared down at Connor's expressionless face with a utter horror in his blue eyes. Pressing his hand down against the side of Connor's face Hank just stared at Connor with an eerily calm, blank face.

"...What happened?"

Markus nervously cleared his voice before answering. "A deranged human attacked him. He used thermite, but... he was aiming at me." The deviant leader's voice stung with guilt. "Connor... Connor saved me."

"Thermite? That shit's like fuckin' lava..." Hank was surprisingly familiar with the substance despite the androids around him being at a loss for what had happened to their colleague. Absentmindedly Hank proceeded to move his hand from Connor's face into his hair. "That man you're talking about was a chemistry teacher. Makes sense. He'd know how to make something corrosive and lethal."

"Hank... How do you know that?"

"Because Markus, the man who did this is down at the precinct." Hank stated in an emotionless voice. "I'm going to go talk to him. You stay here with Connor."

"Is... Is that a good idea?"

"...I've sat on my ass doing nothing for the past four weeks." The hollow tone of Hank's voice was somehow menacing to the other occupants of the room. "I can't just sit back and do nothing anymore. Stay with Connor, keep him company for me until I get back."

"Hank?"

Without another word Hank shrugged off his black overcoat, the very coat that had been left bloodied and tattered after he had been shanked those four weeks ago, yet expertly repaired by Connor himself as a favor to the injured detective. Hank placed the coat down on the chair next to the gurney where Connor was laying as a reminder to the deviant that he had been by to check in on Connor at the facility. Turning quickly Hank limped out of the repair ward with a concerned Markus following right after him.

"Hank? Hank!" Markus had to run a few paces ahead of the detective and planted himself firmly to keep the detective from walking any further. "What the hell are you going to do?"

"I'm either going to strangle that bastard, or shoot him." The reply was curt and horrifyingly honest. "I'll decide in the car."

"Hank." Markus put his hand in the middle of Hank's chest to keep him from moving any further. "You're not going to help Connor if you do something stupid!"

"Like what?" Hank challenged in a threatening manner as he grabbed Markus's arm and tried to push him back, but the deviant leader stood his ground before the angry detective. "Getting my ass suspended? Won't be the first time!"

"What if you lose your badge?"

"Early retirement bonus."

"Don't do this, Hank! You could get-"

"Arrested?" Hank was clearly unafraid of any potential consequences if he were to lash out at Horace. "Worth it."

"For killing a junkie?"

"For killing some _lunatic_ trying to rile the city up into a mass of violence! Damn it, Markus," Hank was getting more hostile by the second. "this is the first time in almost twenty years that this city has known even a single passing moment of peace without some asshole trying to tear apart an android. We need the city to remain calm, we NEED the city to move past its hatred and bigotry. And if this bastard needs to be silenced then it's damn well worth it."

"And what exactly are you doing if you attack him? What kind of message of peace is that?"

Hank was silent for a moment as he stared at Markus with a contained rage in his eyes. "Markus, he may have killed Connor. He's my _son_."

"I know..." Markus dropped his hand from Hank's chest and took a step back as misplaced guilt weighed down on his heart. Connor wasn't the target, Markus was, and he knew it. "I know."

"Then know this," Hank put his hand on Markus's shoulder and gently pushed him to the side. "I won't bury another son. If Connor dies, then so will he. But if Connor lives, then he can rot away in prison for all I care."

Markus didn't know what to say to that.

"Stay here. It's the safest for both of you."

Markus watched with a newly found sense of anxiousness as the enraged detective walked out of the facility and promptly joined Gavin waiting outside in his car parked near the front of the building. As the car sped off Markus couldn't help but feel like he somehow failed at a task he had unknowingly placed upon his own shoulders.

"Please Hank, don't do something you can't undo."

* * *

Connor was quickly prepped for emergency repairs by the two assisting android technicians while Simon and Abby worked together to prioritize the most severe of Connor's injuries to be tended to first. If they couldn't control the bleeding properly Connor would die on the table before any repairs could even be completed. But if his biocomponents failed before they could remedy the damage then he'd shutdown on the table.

Simon checked Connor's vitals on the cardiac monitor while Abby gently closed Connor's eyes and held her hand there as she used a small electronic component to manually activate stasis mode to conserve his already dwindling power.

"His core temperature is still dangerously high at one-hundred and five point eight." Simon noted with a heavy heart. "I'll work to replace and repair his damaged Thirium lines, you should focus on getting his thermal regulator functioning properly."

"I agree with you, one-hundred percent." Abby lifted her hand from Connor's eyes, relieved to see his eyelids still closed. Carefully she moved aside the oxygen mask from Connor's face, inserted a long hollow tube down the unconscious deviant's throat and connected it to an android unique respirator designed specifically to force cool air into his struggling ventilation biocomponents in a desperate bid to reduce his elevated core temperature. "And he's as ready for this as he's going to get. We need to move, now."

"Okay then." Simon draped a blue sheet over the undamaged portion of Connor's chest to try to protect the rest of his body from leaking blood. "Let's begin."

* * *

Despite the numerous and righteous protests from Captain Fowler who had tried to cut Hank and Gavin off at the door to the interrogation room, Hank was bound and determined to get inside that room and give Horace a piece of his mind. Gavin himself stood at Hank's side and silently observed the fearless Lieutenant address their superior officer with a paternal drive that he had never known.

"Jeffrey. Move."

"Hank, you know I can't let you talk to him! You're too close to-"

"Fuck protocol! This guy is an asshole hyped on 'red ice' and trying to start a whole new fuckin' war!"

"I know that! But he's STILL high and needs to come down before anyone talks to him."

"Then let me talk to him _after_ he comes down."

"Hank, I don't want to see you get fired because of this guy. He isn't worth it."

"But _Connor_ is."

"Hank..." Captain Fowler grabbed onto Hank's shoulder and pushed him back a few steps. The gesture would normally be impossible, but since Hank was still weak and recovering it didn't take much for Captain Fowler to assert physical authority. "I'll let you watch, but you CAN'T speak to him directly."

"And _you're_ going to talk him, right?"

"Yes. You seem to have forgotten that you AND Connor are both my officers. What happened to Connor is affecting more than just you right now."

"Bullshit!"

"Reed." Captain Fowler looked to the Sergeant standing quietly to the side. "Take Hank into observation and make sure he STAYS there."

"Uh, yeah. Sure thing Cap'."

Captain Fowler stepped way from Hank and made his way back into the interrogation room to deal with Horace in person.

As soon as Hank tried to take a step forward Gavin grabbed onto his shoulder and held him at bay. "Lieutenant, we got that son of a bitch, don't do anything that you'll regret. Don't do anything that _Connor_ would regret."

Hank turned and glared at Gavin with a sense of betrayal. "You're going to fuckin' play that hand against me you rat-bastard?"

"I'm trying to make sure that when Connor gets back on his feet he isn't going to be assigned a new partner because you got your sorry ass fired."

Every ounce of hostility that Hank was carrying suddenly seemed to melt away as he listened to the unexpectedly wise words from Gavin. Reluctant, but willing, Hank nodded his head in defeated agreement and allowed Gavin to 'escort' him to the observation room without any further incident.

* * *

The sound of a steady, rhythmic beeping filled the room as the cardiac monitor recorded Connor's frantic heartbeat.

Connor looked disturbingly more like a cadaver and less like a patient as the two skilled technicians fought to save his life on the operating table. No stranger to injuries or emergency repairs Connor's system was able to easily chronicle every little repair and modification to his damaged body to be recalibrated at a later time, but it was the first time that Connor had suffered such numerous, extensive injuries to more than one biocomponent. It was also the first time he had suffered such devastating structural damage to his plastimetal frame, in the process.

The entirety of Connor's abdominal and chest cavities were opened to expose the numerous damaged biocomponents within. The frame over his abdomen would need to be replaced entirely as his self-healing program simply didn't have the energy reserve to undo the damage caused by the thermite. With his rapid heart beating more slowly thanks solely to technical intervention and his ventilation biocomponents, the equivalent to a set of human lungs; being forced into motion, Connor was truly at the mercy of the very technology that Horace insisted would be the downfall of mankind.

"How the hell are you still alive?" Abby asked out loud to Connor despite knowing she'd never receive an answer. "By all account you should've died as soon as that stuff burned through your body..."

"I have successfully reattached the Thirium lines to his biocomponents and replaced the damaged lines throughout his core." Glancing at the wrap on Connor's arm Simon noted the deviant's current Thirium pressure. "His pressure is stabilizing. One-hundred over sixty."

"As long as we can keep his processors from suffering heat damage I think we just might be able to save him."

The cardiac monitor let out a high pitched shriek as Connor's heart suddenly began to race again and fell into a dangerous arrhythmia.

Reacting quickly the two assisting androids proceeded to charge up the small Thirium pump defibrillator in the corner of the room while Simon tried to massage Connor's heart with his hand in an attempt to correct the rhythm while also trying to force it to slow down.

"This isn't working..." Simon noted as he failed to calm the deviant's racing heart. "We have to shock him, there's no other choice."

"Right... We'll use the lowest setting; two-hundred Joules." Abby took the prepared paddles and placed them over Connor's chest, over top the heart and at its left apex. "Ready to charge."

Simon pulled his hand away cautiously to prevent himself from getting shocked as well. "Go."

"Sending charge."

Abby pressed the release switches on the two paddles simultaneously, sending an electric charge through Connor's heart in an attempt to correct the dangerous arrhythmia. Connor's back arched up from the table and slammed back down as the electric jolt surged through his heart, traveling from one paddle into the other.

"Any change?"

Simon looked the screeching monitor and shook his head. "Negative."

"Charge to three-hundred Joules." With the enhanced voltage primed Abby prepared to shock Connor again. "Sending charge."

Once more Connor's back arched as the jolt surged through his heart and his body slammed down over the table before his back relaxed as quickly as it tensed up.

"Change?"

The cardiac monitor was no longer screeching and the heart rate was normal, beating at a calm pace. "Affirmative. He's stabilized."

"Okay... He's back. That's good." Abby set aside the paddles and took in a deep breath. "The last thing he needs is thirial arrest."

"I just hope his self-healing program doesn't cause his Thirium pump to burn out from strain after the procedure is over. There are no other compatible Thirium pumps available, the ones we had specially designed at New Jericho Tower were lost in the fire."

"Shit." Abby swore as she proceeded to finish the final repairs on Connor's thermal regulator before moving on to his Thirium filter. "We'll need to monitor him closely for any sign of distress for the next six hours. Long enough for a full Thirium cycle."

"Yes. I agree."

* * *

Horace sat in interrogation room with his head hung low and his eyes wide with fear. As he came down from his high and was informed of his crazy behavior downtown the human began to visibly shake with fear over his impending punishment at the hands of the law. Though he couldn't see or hear Hank on the other side of the one way mirror, he could feel the enraged detective's eyes burning holes through his skull. Appropriate, considering the damage he had inflicted on Connor with one single motion.

"So, not only have you been charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance AND the illegal manufacturing of said substance," Captain Fowler commented in a cold and frustrated manner at the suspect. "but you're also being charged with assault and attempted murder of one of my officers, as well as the attempted assault of a Mr. Markus Manfred."

"...Markus has a last name?"

"Focus you moron! These are very serious charges."

"...The damn androids. They're ruining everything." Horace wasn't high anymore, but he was still showing signs of emotional instability. "They took my job from me and-"

"I don't give a shit." Captain Fowler interjected angrily. "You are going to prison for a very, VERY long time. Why don't you go ahead and make this easier on yourself. Tell me why you tried to kill Markus."

"He... He was the one Kamski made as a unique model. He was unlike any of the other androids..."

"What of it?"

"It was because of the supply and demand of androids that I lost my job! If Kamski hadn't interfered and begun manufacturing unique models and prototypes I would still have my job!"

"So it sounds like it's KAMSKI who's responsible for you losing your job, NOT Markus."

Horace raised his eyes as if he had just realized his terrible mistake.

"You attacked the wrong guy TWICE now. And I'm going to level with you, if my officer dies because of what you did I'm going to personally guarantee that you head right for death row."

"I... I..."

"Tell me who your clients are." Captain Fowler slammed a file containing evidence of Horace's 'red ice' lab confiscated from his apartment after he had been arrested down on the table before him. "Give us names and I'll _consider_ taking the death penalty off the table."

"O-Okay, okay... I'll tell you everything."

* * *

From the other side of the mirror Hank sat and stared with bitter silence at the pathetic excuse for a man with utter loathing in his eyes. How could someone be so full of misguided hatred make such a grievous mistake? Then again, it was the same mistake that all of the anti-android bigots had made before the revolution; blaming androids for obeying their programming when assigned a newly vacated job, when it was the other humans and corporations manufacturing and distributing the androids to begin with that were truly to be held accountable.

Such a waste of time and emotion.

"That dumb fucker blamed Markus for what that Kamski prick did _years_ ago!" Leaning forward slightly, only to flinch as the motion strained his already sore back, Hank returned to his normal posture and crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "All that goddamn 'red ice' must've rotted his brain into a fuckin' gray puddle by now..."

"How in the hell could a guy that fuckin' stupid make something as dangerous as that shit he threw at Connor without killing himself in the process?"

"Thermite."

"Ther- what?"

"That shit he made was thermite. Nasty stuff."

"How in the hell do you know that?"

"I worked narcotics, remember? I came across all kinds of weird shit these 'chemists' came up with. Thermite is used for welding if you're an engineer, but," Hank looked absolutely distraught and exhausted. "if you're a drug dealer needing to cover his sorry ass when the police come knocking on your door it's a great way to destroy the evidence, AND everything around it."

"Fuck. Glad I never worked in narcotics." Gavin shook his head as he watched Horace through the glass scribbling out a list of his clients as per Captain Fowler's instructions. "Why are you kicking yourself so much, Hank? It's not like you knew what was going to happen today."

"I told Connor to go back to work today." Hank replied with a breathy sigh. "If I let him stay back home to keep an eye on me like he wanted then he wouldn't have been there."

"Yeah, right. You can't know that."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Hey, I may not necessarily get along with Connor, but I have gotten to know him over the past couple years. Once he makes a decision he sticks with it, and we both know that as soon as he got word about some deviant related bullshit happening in the city he would've been all over it even if he did stay away from the precinct today."

Hank wanted to laugh at the comment but in that moment he just wanted to punch through that glass and wring Horace's neck.

"There's nothing you can do here, let me take you back to the facility so you can check in with Connor."

"Thanks, but I'll take a cab."

"Fuck that shit. You know that I'm not going to let you out of my sight while you're still on the injured reserved list."

"Since when did you care about my health?"

"Hey, can't I do you a favor without getting a bunch of bull in return?"

"Guess not."

"Whatever." Gavin rose to his feet and gave Hank a somewhat painful smack to the shoulder. "Let's go, I'll take you back to your house. I gotta' bunch of paperwork I still need to deal with, and I don't need Fowler breathin' down my neck if I let you go after that asshole."

* * *

Markus resided to himself in the waiting room of the facility as he patiently, but anxiously, awaited for any update on Connor's condition; specifically whether or not his friend was going to live or die. Standing with his back against the wall next to the unoccupied chairs Markus found himself fussing with the quarter that Connor had given him the night the deviant saved his own life after being shot. The fidgeting of the coin was a habit that both Connor and his late brother, Lucas, shared. When considering that Markus only survived the shooting because Connor agreed to give Markus the Thirium pump that had belonged to Lucas it was only fitting that Markus would too develop the same nervous tic in the long run.

Derek had joined Markus in the waiting room but since he wasn't a friend to Connor his concern for the deviant was less palpable. Approaching the deviant leader with a cautious gait Derek discreetly addressed Markus as politely and delicately as possible. "Markus, if it's okay I'd like to return to New Jericho Tower and resume assisting with the refurbishment."

"Oh, right." Markus noted Derek's request and agreed to let him go. "Yeah, Derek. Go on."

"Should I say anything to the others at the tower about what's happening?"

"...No." Markus held the quarter tightly between his left index and middle fingers as he spoke. "I'll tell them in person. If anyone does asks just let them know that Connor is in the best hands possible."

"Yes, of course." Derek extended his hand to Markus who shook it with his right. "I'll be at the tower if you need my help again."

"Thank you." Markus appreciated the gesture openly as he began fidgeting with the coin again. "Take care."

It had already been four hours since Connor was rushed into the emergency repair ward and almost three and a half hours since he had been prepared for the life saving surgery. The sight of the blood, the smell of the burned plastimetal, the feel of the warm Thirium staining his hands and the sound of Connor's scream of utter agony still haunted Markus's senses with a vivid presence.

Cybernetically Markus made contact with North at their house and checked in with his wife to see how she was faring health wise, while also needing a friendly voice to hear as he tried to push aside the horrific scenario of possibly losing Connor due to a pointless endeavor of a man who was as desperate as he was pathetic. Getting lost in the much needed distraction Markus was only aware of Hank's return to the facility after the detective limped through the doors and sat down with a heavy grimace in the vacant chair beside him. Unsure of what to say, if anything at all, Markus told North that he loved her and ended their conversation reluctantly.

"...I didn't kill him, Markus." Hank stated bluntly as pressed a hand against his sore back for support and gave the quiet deviant leader an empathetic glance from the corner of his eye. "I wanted to, but I didn't do it."

"Hank, I never thought you actually would. I was just worried you'd say or do something that could jeopardize your partnership with Connor."

"Yeah, I know. Look, I admit I can come off as a total asshole with an itchy trigger-finger, but I can assure you I am in control of myself."

"I get that." Markus stepped away from the wall and sat down in the chair next to Hank. Keeping his hand wrapped around the coin and his head bowed he spoke to Hank with a shamed tone. "I'm sorry if I offended you, Hank."

"No offense taken. You were just trying to look out for me, and more importantly, you were looking out for Connor."

"...It should've been me."

"What?" Hank's brow furrowed as he gave Markus an odd look. "What should've been you?"

"Horace wanted to hurt ME. He was aiming at ME. But Connor... He protected me." Wiping a hand over his mismatched eyes Markus couldn't bring himself to look at the detective directly. "If I had been paying attention I would've been able to move out of the way in time."

"Markus," Hank put his hand on the deviant's shoulder and held it there in the same supportive manner he had frequently shown to Connor in the past when offering fatherly advice. "you know as well as I do that Connor would've stepped in front of you, or anyone else, regardless of the situation. It's in his nature, not his _programming_ , to protect people. That's why he's such an incredible detective."

"How can you be so calm about this?!" Markus was beginning to lose his cool as the emotional strain of North being sick and now Connor dying easily wore away at his resolve. "Connor may have given up his life to save mine!"

"It wouldn't be the first time Connor risked himself to save someone else, and it won't be the last! As much as I hate it I know I can't change him from being a self-sacrificing, stubborn, bullheaded..." Hank trailed off as a faint smile managed to creep over his face and then disappear in a flash. "I can't change Connor from _being Connor_."

"It's not right, Hank. It's not fair!" Markus took in a deep shuddering breath to try to steel himself in the face of emotional turmoil. "Connor is the one responsible for bringing about this sense of peace through the city... He's the one who managed to dissuade and disband the anti-android gang activity just by confronting the leader face to face. Now he's fighting for his life because of one man with a misguided vendetta against _me_!"

"Markus, listen to me." Hank kept his hand against Markus's shoulder as he spoke with paternal understanding. "You can't expect every person in this city to change for the better all at once. It took me a while to come around after I met Connor, and it's taken other officers at the precinct even longer. But we all get along, and sooner rather than later everyone at the precinct will think of Connor as an officer first and an android second. Hell, it wasn't that long ago that Gavin would've walked away and let Connor die in the street, but it was him who drove Connor to the facility and came to tell me in person."

"...What you're saying is I need to be more patient and progress will happen?"

"What I'm saying is progress is already happening, even if you can't see or it hear it. And I know in time everyone will see you as the great man you are, and not just the leader of the deviants."

"I hope so... But between North being so chronically ill and now Connor... I don't know if I'm doing the right thing anymore."

"Hey, it's going to be alright. So is North, I can feel it."

"...Yeah."

Hank could see that Markus was in pain and feeling lost. As he studied Markus's demeanor Hank couldn't help but compare his plight to the way Connor had previously been like a lost child in need of a loving parent. But unlike Connor who had Hank to watch over him, Markus didn't have his father figure anymore; Carl was gone.

"Markus, I promise you that you'll be okay. Trust me on this, you're on the right path, son."

As soon as Hank called him 'son' Markus let out a repressed but silent sob as he couldn't stop himself from breaking down from the emotional distress that had overwhelmed his mind.

Hank didn't dare to move his hand from Markus's shoulder as he too began to feel the emotional strain of the unusual day wearing him down. Sitting together in the waiting room of the facility encompassed in exhausted silence, the duo just waited and hoped for the best as Connor fought for his life on the operating table just a few doors away.

"...Everything will be alright."

* * *

Simon had finished repairing the all of the Thirium lines over two hours ago, and was now working diligently alongside Abby to repair the Thirium pump regulator before Connor's heart rate began to falter. While the two technicians worked in tandem, as they fought to keep the deviant under their care alive, the other two assisting android technicians closely monitored Connor's vitals and continuously replaced the blue blood as quickly as he lost it.

While the majority of the damage had been repaired the team still needed to stabilize Connor's compromised Thirium pump and both of his ventilation biocomponents before the day, which was now nearing the evening, was over.

"He's stable." Simon dared to note as he moved his skilled hands quickly from one biocomponent to the other. "It's been six hours and fifty-one minutes since the operation began. Connor may not be able to tolerate the procedure for much longer."

Abby nodded her head as she worked right alongside Simon's hands. "You're right. As soon as the regulator is repaired we'll sterilize his entire abdominal and chest cavity with a decontaminating chrism, then use a regenerative increment to aid his self-healing program to focus on his ventilation biocomponents and Thirium pump. We'll use supportive measures to keep him stabilized while his system heals the damage itself."

"That should work." Simon looked up at the cardiac monitor and shook his head a little at the weakened heart rate on display. "I just hope he's up to the challenge."

"Connor?" Abby tried to make her voice sound as reassuring as possible as she used suction to drain the excess bleeding from his abdomen. "Always."

* * *

Hank was fighting the urge to throw himself down on the cold floor of the waiting room to calm the burning ache in his back, while Markus kept painfully quiet and to himself, as he and Hank waited for any information on Connor. Time seemed to be ticking by at a painfully slow rate as the emergency procedure had reached its seventh consecutive hour and there was still no update on Connor. Even the android technician assistants were too busy to deliver any report or update much to Hank and Markus's chagrin.

"They say no news is good news..." Hank openly lamented as he let out a breathy sigh. "but I think they are also full of shit."

"Should we be worried?"

"...I don't know."

Just as the duo were ready to fall back into silent waiting the door to the waiting room opened and Abby slowly trudged through the doors with her shoulders hunched and eyes bloodshot from fatigue. Joining the two worried occupants where they sat Abby fell back into the chair across where Hank and Markus were sitting and leaned forward slightly.

"Abby?" Hank spoke up in a cautiously low voice. "How is he?"

"He pulled through." Abby stated with a lilt of relief to her tone. "But he's still in critical condition."

"What's happening now?"

"Well, we repaired the major damage to his affected biocomponents through technical intervention and we replaced his lost Thirium, but he still needs time for his self-healing program to undo the damage to his lesser injuries." Reaching her hand back toward her own shoulder she rubbed at a tight knot forming in the muscle under her touch. "Right now Connor is still in stasis mode and he has the respirator breathing for him until his ventilation biocomponents regain enough strength to cool down his still dangerously high core temperature on their own."

Markus remained silent as he listened to what Abby was saying.

"Simon is keeping vigil over him and if he stays stable within the hour then you can go and see him. But I have to warn you, we've done everything we can to diminish his pain receptors and ease his discomfort but he'll still be in a lot of pain when he does wake up. You'll both need to be patient in order for him to endure the pain without his condition regressing as a result. AND... his abdominal cavity has been left open until his core temperature reduces. Movement needs to be strictly limited for his own protection."

"Yeah... I'll remember that. And how're you holding up?" Hank asked empathetically as he returned his hand to Markus's shoulder discreetly. "You look as exhausted as we feel."

"...That was the longest procedure I had done in a long time." Abby forced herself to smile, the expression contrasting against her tired facade. "But I'm okay."

"Abby, thanks for everything you've done. For both of us."

"You're welcome Hank. You and Connor are my friends, it's my pleasure to help you. And Markus," Abby gave the worried deviant leader a kind grin as she turned her attention to him and put her hand on his knee. "as soon as Connor is in the clear I'll go with you to check on North. I know she's been ill. Simon informed me of her condition before I came out here to speak with you."

"...Th-Thank you, Abby." Markus had to clear his voice a little as the emotion was still heavy in his speech. "I appreciate it."

* * *

Connor was resting as comfortably as possible considering the extensive and lengthy repairs he had just received. The plastimetal frame over his abdomen and the lower portion of his chest that had been destroyed by the thermite had been removed entirely and would be replaced with new, flawless plastimetal frames, but they were not installed just yet. The excessively high core temperature Connor had developed would only be exacerbated by the enclosed space over his torso, which is why his abdomen was left open.

In place of the plastimetal frames Simon had wrapped Connor's abdomen and lower chest in thin white gauze bandaging that would keep any external contaminants from entering his torso and effecting the biocomponents, while remaining breathable to ensure that Connor's system would be able to cool off at a steady rate.

Simon picked up Connor's wrist gently to check his pulse and compare it to the heart rate being recorded and displayed on the cardiac monitor. Connor's Thirium pump was still functioning adequately and still synchronized as it should be; the recalibration having been a success. The respirator forced Connor to breathe despite being in low power mode and struggled to lower his core temperature to a more nominal degree. But seeing the tube snaked down Connor's throat was still unsettling to see.

"Still stable. That's good." Turning his attention to the assisting android technicians who were still hovering around the recovery room Simon gave them one final request. "Would you please show Lieutenant Anderson and Markus to the room?"

"Yes. Right away."

The duo of assistants both left the room to retrieve the requested people while Simon was left alone with Connor.

"Hang in there, Connor." Placing a cold compress over Connor's forehead and tucking another one under Connor's neck Simon was still attempting to get his core temperature to lower further. "We still need you to help us guide New Jericho in the right direction."

Pressing his fingertips against the still gray L.E.D. in Connor's temple Simon tried and failed to cybernetically connect with the unconscious deviant. Whereas the L.E.D. was no longer functional it didn't mean Connor's processors had shutdown, it simply meant the L.E.D. itself was damaged and would need to be repaired or replaced when Connor was ready.

With Markus at his side Hank limped into the recovery room and sat in the chair next to Connor's bed with a heavy slump. Despite the relentless pain in his back Hank was more concerned with Connor than he was himself.

"Connor?" Hank rested his hand against Connor's shoulder as he spoke to the weakened deviant in a calm tone. Even the light touch was enough to tell that Connor was still running hot and needed to cool down. "I'm right here with you, son. You're going to be just fine, and you saved Markus. You just focus on healing for now."

One of the android assistants entered the recovery room and handed Hank the overcoat that he had left behind earlier. "Your coat, Lieutenant."

"...Thanks." Hank accepted the coat and laid it over his lap as he kept his attention on Connor. "As soon as you're awake I'll get you home, okay? You don't have to stay here, I know you hate being stuck in facilities overnight."

Markus approached the bed where Connor was laying and put his hand down atop Connor's arm. "Thank you for saving my life, Connor. I'll be back as soon as I can to help get you back to your home. I just need to check in with North for a few minutes."

"Go Markus." Hank waved his hand dismissively in the air. "You take care of her, I'll take care of him."

"Yeah. I'll be back soon, Hank. Thank you."

* * *

It took almost three more hours before Connor's brown irises finally reappeared, though their return was visible only through small, tired slits of his eyelids. Reaching up a shaking hand into the air from his side Connor's system rebooted and he became increasingly aware of the severity of his injuries thanks solely to the lingering pain that was gnawing away at his bandaged abdomen.

Closing his eyes tightly Connor tried to wrap his arms around his abdomen, only to have a strong hand grab onto his own and hold them back.

"Connor?" Hank spoke to him calmly as he remained patiently vigil at the deviant's side. "I know you're awake, just hang onto me, okay? There's really nothing that can be done for your pain, so you just squeeze onto my hand!"

Letting out a pained groan from around the tube still inserted down his throat Connor's other hand resisted the urge to clutch at his abdomen and instead went up to his chest, and then to his own throat.

"Easy, kid. There's a tube helping you to breathe, don't pull on it."

Connor's hand tightened around Hank's hand as if he were trying to communicate. Tense and struggling a little from where he was laying Connor was trying to resist the respirator forcing him to breathe.

"Listen to me, Connor. Just listen to what I'm saying." The detective stood upright beside the bed and looked down over Connor's face so the deviant could see him clearly. "Your abdomen doesn't have the frame over it right now, only bandages. Don't move around or you could re-injure yourself."

Locking onto Hank's eyes Connor squeezed his hand again while patting at his throat with his other hand.

"You want the tube removed?"

Connor squeezed Hank's hand again as if to communicate a desperate 'yes'.

"Okay. Just give me a minute, I'll get Simon for you."

Connor begrudgingly let Hank's hand go as the detective went off in search of the technician. Unable to run his self-diagnostic program or even access his mind palace Connor felt completely lost and vulnerable as he waited for Hank and Simon to return to his bedside.

The pain was indescribable.

Simon reappeared quickly and put his hand down against the surface of Connor's throat lcarefully and used his other hand to tilt Connor's head back slightly. "Okay Connor, I'll pull the tube out. Do NOT cough or try to help in anyway, it'll hurt you. Do you understand?"

Connor grabbed onto Simon's arm and squeezed once to confirm that he understood.

"Okay. Don't move..."

Closing his eyes shut Connor mentally steeled himself as Simon unhooked the tube from the respirator and began to gently pull the tube out of his throat.

"Just a few seconds Connor, don't move!"

Hank grabbed onto Connor's hand and held it firmly as the deviant resisted the urge to cough as the unpleasant sensation lingered in his throat even after the tube had been removed.

"Don't cough!" Simon reminded him as he placed a hand firmly down against Connor's chest. "Just try to relax."

Hank leaned down over the bed and put his hand back on Connor's shoulder. "You're okay, kid. You're still here."

"...H-Hank." Connor swallowed once to try to rid himself of the haunting pain in his throat. "...M-Markus?"

"He's okay. He'll be back in a few minutes."

"...Gavin?"

"Not a scratch. You know," Hank awkwardly cleared his own throat as he spoke to the weakened deviant. "Gavin helped to save your life. If it wasn't for him and his insane driving you may not have made it here... alive."

Connor's eyes seemed to narrow with confusion then relaxed as he processed what Hank was telling him. "...Anyone else... in-injured?"

"No, son. Just you."

Connor nodded once and winced a little. "...hurts."

"Yeah, you're going to be sore for a while. Sorry about that." Hank pressed his hand down over Connor's forehead, even with the icy compress the deviant was still running abnormally hot. "You also need to cool down. You were overheating for a long time, but you're getting better."

Looking down at his chest and abdomen, his eyes glancing over the pure white bandages with a righteous worry, Connor tentatively rested her free hand over his abdomen only to retract his touch as he realized that what Hank had told him was entirely correct; there was no protective frame over his abdomen anymore.

Giving Hank a pleading look Connor tried to speak as clearly as possible. "...Home?"

"Yes, you can go home. Markus will help me get you back home in a few hours."

Connor's irises glazed over as his eyes closed and he fell unconscious to return to a much needed rest mode to heal his body. As soon as he fell unconscious his breathing program turned itself off and Hank began to worry.

"Connor? Connor!" Patting the deviant's cheek lightly he tried to get a response. "Simon, he stopped breathing."

"But he's still _alive_." Simon motioned to the cardiac monitor displaying Connor's still active heartbeat. "Low power mode often causes the respiration program to deactivate."

"Right, that's right... Connor doesn't actually _need_ to breathe. Just a natural reflex, I guess."

Wary and ever cautious Simon didn't like the sound of Connor leaving the facility after enduring such an elaborate procedure. "Uh, Hank, he shouldn't leave the facility until his core temperature is down and we can put back the plastimetal frame over his abdomen."

"He won't get any rest if he stays here." The detective explained coolly to the worried technician. "I'll make sure he stays put at home and gets as much rest as he needs in order to recover. This isn't my first rodeo, you know?"

"Yes... I know."

"He'll be okay, Simon. Trust me."

"But this isn't just a single injury or a glitch he can walk off after a few hours. This was catastrophic-"

"Simon, I can handle it."

"I'm not sure you understand the severity of-"

"Listen to me, Simon." Hank raised his voice to carry authority, but not aggression. "Connor took care of me for a whole fuckin' month after I got stabbed. He did everything for me, even when it wasn't necessary." His hand went from Connor's shoulder and rested it atop the compress over his forehead. "Connor cleaned the entire house, cooked special meals, changed my bandages, cleaned my healing incision, kept track of my medication, he even helped me to the shower and the bathroom for fuck sake." Taking a deep breath Hank lowered his voice with a sigh. "He's my son, Simon. The adoption wasn't just a weird formality or a hollow gesture, he's _my_ responsibility and I'm going to help him through this."

Simon's mouth twitched a little as he stared at Hank in respectful silence. "I... I didn't mean to imply you were incapable of taking care of him. I'm just worried about his ability to recover now that he doesn't have any compatible replacement biocomponents at his disposal."

"I know... I know." Softening his expression Hank addressed Simon in a more civil tone. "I'm worried about him, too. But I need to see him through this."

It wasn't an easy decision but Simon backed down and let Hank remain in charge of the situation. Hank was the first human that Simon had even considered worthy of trust, and Connor had trusted Hank almost right from the beginning of their unconventional partnership. If there was one way to ensure that his trust wasn't misplaced it was this way; letting Hank take care of Connor just as he had done so many times before.

"Okay. I'll get you everything you'll need once he's back home."

* * *

Markus had returned to the facility after he had taken Abby to his own home to check in North. Helping Simon to wheel a gurney outside to Hank's car parked in the front Markus prepared to lift Connor up from the gurney with a very careful and gentle strength to place him down over the backseats of the car. Making sure not to jostle Connor around or bend his abdomen Markus managed to move Connor from the gurney and into the car without any issues.

"Here." Simon placed a spare technician's satchel loaded with supplies on the floor of the backseat of the car. "That's everything you'll need for a week. Just chill the spare concentrated Thirium and keep him cool."

"One week, huh?" Hank asked skeptically as he limped over to the driver's side door and pulled it open. "Seems like a pretty fast recovery after everything he just went through."

"One week until I can replace the plastimetal frame over his abdomen. Until then he needs to rest as much as possible."

"Ah, I see." Hank slowly sat down behind the wheel of the car while Markus joined him in the front passenger seat. "Thanks for all your help, Simon. I'll be sure to let you know if something happens."

Markus was still disturbingly quiet and Hank couldn't help but notice the unusual behavior.

"Markus? Is everything okay?"

"...I... I don't know. Not yet."

"Want to talk about it?"

"...N-No. Thanks Hank, but not now."

"Alright. Whenever you're ready, IF you're ready, you know where to find us."

"...Yeah, Hank. I'll talk to you and Connor."

"Markus, I'm not Carl and I won't act like anyone in this world could ever come close to a worthy substitute, but I _am_ a father and I know when someone just needs a little 'fatherly' advice."

Markus glanced into the backseat at Connor's expressionless face for a moment before returning his attention to Hank. "...Yeah. I guess that's something Connor and I have in common outside of being RK prototypes."

"What's that?"

"We have fathers who helped us become deviant."

Hank smiled warmly at the comment and thought of Carl. "...And our sons are too damn stubborn for their own good."

* * *

After returning home Hank planted himself in a chair next to Connor's bed while Sumo laid down at the foot of the bed with his chin resting over Connor's legs. Markus promised to check in with Connor the next morning while Abby was scheduled to stop by the house the following afternoon to give Connor a routine examination on his progress.

Hank placed a fresh cold compress over Connor's forehead as the deviant remained unconscious and unresponsive despite being home for almost three hours. As per Simon's instructions Hank proceeded to take cooling measures to try to lower the deviant's core temperature, and used the thermal wrap that was provided amongst the other supplies to keep track of Connor's temperature. The wrap was around Connor's wrist and was as accurate as his own system during a self-diagnostic.

Sitting down in the chair next to the bed Hank carefully lifted up the bandages from Connor's chest to examine the exposed frame beneath. To aid Connor's healing program Hank was instructed to pour a generous portion of the regenerative increment; a pale green liquid compound, into his abdominal cavity to assist the self-healing program.

Connor let out a weak groan of pain as his head lolled against his pillow and his eyes opened a sliver in response to the compound stinging his fresh injuries.

"Easy son," the detective saw Connor's eyes opening and spoke in a low voice to keep him calm. "I'm just checking on your injury. You're still feverish, get some more rest."

"...Hank?" Connor sounded incredibly groggy as he spoke, his eyes opening wider as he became more alert.

"Yeah, it's me."

"...Thank you for letting me come home to heal." He lifted his head slightly, the small gesture was exhausting to his already fatigued body. "I know it's risky, but... I appreciate it."

"Don't worry about it, kid. Just rest."

"...I'm trying. But it still hurts."

"And you're still running hot." Hank lifted up Connor's hand and showed him the thermal wrap on his wrist: One-hundred and three point three. "You need to let your ventilation system do its thing, now. Breathe."

"...No. I don't want to reactivate it."

The revelation made Hank's brow furrow with confusion. "Why not?"

"It... It _hurts_ to breathe, Hank."

"Is that why you stopped breathing after Simon took the tube out of your throat? Because it hurt?"

"...Yes."

Patting Connor's shoulder lightly Hank gave the deviant a faint smile. "Okay. You don't have to do anything that'll hurt you." Lifting up the warmed compress from Connor's forehead Hank rose from the chair slowly, his back protesting at the motion with a burning gnaw. "But you are going to be buried under some ice until you finally cool off."

Connor watched Hank limping about as he walked and knew that Hank was in need of rest as well. "...Hank, are you still in pain?"

"I'm fine, kid. YOU'RE the one who went through a seven hour surgery."

"Seven hours? My... My internal processors haven't fully rebooted since the attack. How long have I been unconscious?"

"Altogether? About twenty-six hours."

"Have you had the chance to change your bandage? Your incision, though healing, may become infect-"

"Jeez, Connor." Hank almost laughed as he exited from the bedroom. "Stop worrying about me for at least a _few_ minutes. I'm okay!"

Connor stared out the opened bedroom door as his hand reached down to rub Sumo's ears gently. The massive dog's tail began to wag happily and thump rhythmically against the top of the bed in response. He had heard Connor's voice and entered the bedroom eager to see his deviant master awake at long last.

Hank limped back into the bedroom with several bags of ice as well as a rectangular plastic container filled with the chilled concentrated Thirium. The Thirium itself was composed of dense cubes that were rectangular in shape and the approximate size of a walnut. Pressing one of the bags of ice against his back over his still healing incision to placate Connor's worries, Hank placed one more bag of ice over Connor's forehead, a second over his chest above the bandages and tucked a third one under the deviant's neck.

"I always hated dealing with fevers." Hank lamented as he finished fussing with the bags of ice over Connor's forehead and over his chest. "They can spike in an instant without warning. I lost so many hours of sleep watching over Cole whenever he got sick."

"...You don't have to watch over me, Hank." Connor knew Hank was just as exhausted as he was and needed to get some rest, too. "I'm sure my system will compensate for my overheating soon enough. I'll be fine."

"Well, tough shit. I'm staying here until you're on the mend." The detective explained as he opened the container and picked up one of the seven cubes between his thumb and index finger. "Here, you need to take this. Simon said this stuff is concentrated Thirium. It'll be able to give your system the energy it needs to keep your healing program active without it increasing your Thirium pressure too much... whatever the hell _that_ means."

"...My Thirium lines were damaged." Connor replied with a tired voice, his eyes drifting shut again only to reopen slowly. "An increase in pressure could cause the lines to leak again before my self-healing program can repair all the damage entirely."

"That's good to know. Now, here." Hank tried to hand one of the cubes to Connor. "Eat this."

"...Eat?"

"Seriously?" Hank was genuinely surprised by Connor's response. "You don't know how to _eat_?"

"...I've never had the need to do so in the past. It's not apart of my standard programming."

"Alright, uh, how do I explain this..." It's been years since Hank had to feed someone else simply because they were unable to do so for them self. But the idea of trying to describe the act of eating to someone was an entirely new type of scenario he wasn't prepared for. "Okay, you put this in your mouth and use your teeth to chew it up so you can swallow it without choking."

Connor's tired face and blank L.E.D. made it impossible for Hank to read the deviant's reactions or ability to understand. Unsure of what else to say he tried again to get Connor to accept the cube for himself.

Lifting his hand up weakly Connor tried to take the cube from Hank but, his coordination and lack of strength wouldn't allow him to complete even the simplest of acts. "...Sorry, Hank. I'm trying."

"Hold on." Hank leaned forward a little and pressed the cube to Connor's teeth. "There, now go for it."

Connor slowly but surely let Hank put the cube in his mouth and managed to complete the act of chewing up the cube just enough to consume it without choking as Hank had warned. Dark blue stained his teeth but quickly faded as he swallowed the Thirium and laid his head heavy back down against his pillow.

Hank was stifling a small laugh as he watched Connor; the most advanced prototype ever created, struggle with what was such a simple act for a human.

"...Is something amusing?" Connor asked with a sincere naivety as his eyes began to drift shut again.

"A little."

"Is it the way I eat?"

"Yup. It reminded me of all the times I had to force feed Sumo a pill after he got sick." Hank explained with a coy chuckle. "But you were far less drooly than he was."

Connor managed a weak smile as his consciousness faded and he fell back into his critically required rest mode. "...Thank you for helping me."

"You're welcome, son." Hank pushed aside the ice for a moment as he pressed his hand over Connor's forehead for one last fever check before he replaced the ice and rose from the chair slowly once more to limp out of the bedroom down the hallway. "I'll check on you again in an hour. Rest."

"I will do so." As his eyes drifted shut Connor returned to his rest mode. "...Thank you, Hank."

* * *

The next afternoon Connor was awoken by a light pressure against his chest and a familiar presence in the room. Opening his eyes he focused on Abby's face as the dedicated technician ran the bell of her audioscope over Connor's chest to listen to his heart beating. As he became more and more alert Connor realized that his pain had begun to decline considerably and he no longer felt as tired as he had the night before.

"Your pressure is stable and your temperature is back to normal. Looks like that concentrated Thirium is just what you needed." Abby declared as she noticed Connor's eyes watching her. "How do you feel?"

"...Incomplete."

"I can understand that." She moved the audioscope to a different part of his chest and held it in place for a few seconds. "Will you please take a breath for me so I can check your ventilation biocomponents?"

Nodding slightly Connor hesitantly resumed his respiration program and took a deep cleansing breath. As his chest began to rise and fall he felt Abby running the bell over his chest once more to listen to his breaths for any sign of faltering or complications.

"Everything sounds normal." Draping the audioscope around her neck she gave the deviant a confident grin. "Looks like you're going to make a full recovery."

"Can I have the plastimetal frame replaced over my abdomen?"

"Sorry, Connor. Wait just a few more days."

"Why do I have to wait? My core temperature is back to normal and I no longer require cooling measures."

"Because you still require the increment compound and this makes it easier to clean your injuries."

"...I see." Connor wasn't thrilled with the situation, but he wasn't going to argue with it. "I won't press the matter."

"Oh, don't give me the sad puppy dog eyes!" Abby scolded with a playful tone to her 'favorite patient'. "It's only for four more days. If you stay cooperative I'll take it down to three days."

"Where's Hank?" Connor asked curiously as he watched Abby packing up her satchel.

"He watched you for most of the night and all morning. Now it's HIS turn to get some sleep."

"Is his back still hurting him?"

Abby smirked at Connor and shook her head at his unfailing selfless nature. "No more than usual. _His_ words, not mine."

There was a knock at the front door and Connor's brow arched while Sumo, who had stayed protectively on the foot of the bed all night long, let out a single bark in response. "Did you request another person to accompany you?"

"No. But I'll go see who it is."

As Abby exited the bedroom Sumo jumped down from the bed to follow her as if deciding that he should escort her to the door out of a sense of loyalty. Connor listened to the sound of Abby's footsteps going down the hallway and entering the livingroom, then heard the distinct sound of the front door opening. The sound of the door shutting followed shortly thereafter, whereas two sets of footsteps began to walk back down the hallway toward the bedroom.

"You have a visitor." Abby smiled as she sat down on the edge of Connor's bed and was promptly joined by Sumo who followed her back into the room.

Connor looked up at the door and his brow arched even further. "Gavin. Is something wrong?"

"You mean aside from your busted ass? No." Rubbing at the back of his neck nervously Gavin cleared his throat and held his ground in the opened doorway. "I just want to see how you and Hank were holding up."

"...Hank is resting, and I'm doing well. Thank you."

"Good, that's good. Uh," Gavin looked over at Abby who just gave him an encouraging glance. Something about her stare made his heart skip a beat with unspecified joy. "do you guys need anything? I mean you're laid up and I know Hank's back is fuckin' killin' him right now, so I figured I'd ask."

"I don't believe so. Thank you."

"...Right, uh, guess I'll get goin' then. I pulled some overtime with Tina, I don't want to make her late."

"Gavin," Connor wanted to sit upright but Abby immediately put her hands on his shoulders and pushed him back down against the bed. Taking a deep breath Connor lifted up his hand and extended it toward Gavin. "Thank you. I know you helped save my life."

"Yeah..." Gavin surprisingly enough accepted Connor's hand and shook once. "you're welcome. Don't do that shit again!" He pulled his hand back and gave Connor a somewhat scolding look. "And fuckin' wear some Kevlar or something! You're a magnet for problems, you know that?"

Connor smiled a little. "I'll consider it."

"Yeah, whatever. I'll see you later, 'Tinman'."

Abby smirked at the comment as she gently lifted up the bandages over Connor's abdomen to check his healing biocomponents. "I think he likes you!"

"...He _tolerates_ me." Connor clarified with a tired sigh. "Better than him hating me."

"No way, Connor. If he just 'tolerated' you he wouldn't have stopped by to see you."

"Gavin _hates_ androids."

"So did Hank." Abby reminded him with a sheepish smile. "I think like Hank had done, Gavin is starting to come around."

"...That'd be nice." Connor's eyes drifted shut again as fatigue overwhelmed his processors. "...I'm tired."

"That's okay, Connor. It'll be a while before you're strong enough to take care of yourself again, but until then you have your friends here to take care of you."

"...Hank?"

"Hank, too." Abby promised sweetly as she gathered her satchel and rose from the bed. "Just get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

True to her word after three long days of resting for dozens of hours on end and having Hank checking his core temperature to keep Connor's system from overheating, Abby and Simon worked to replace Connor's plastimetal frame over his abdomen. The replacement frames would allow him the freedom to move around without risking any harm to his exposed biocomponents or internal the Thirium lines. The thermite itself had caused excessive damage to his artificial skin which was still preventing it from regenerating over his frame despite the six days of healing he had already undergone.

"Okay, that should do it." Simon examined his work carefully. "Are you in any pain?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he slowly, finally, sat upright on his bed. Pressing his hand against the exposed frame Connor looked a little disappointed by the lack of response from his artificial skin. "But I am still exhausted."

"That's to be expected." Simon wasn't worried by the declaration as it was typical after enduring such extreme repairs. "You'll need another week to regain your strength."

Abby took some fresh bandages and wrapped them around Connor's abdomen tightly. "This will keep any foreign contaminants from getting inside your frame until your skin regenerates."

"How long will that take?"

"I estimate a week, maybe ten days."

"Ten days? That sounds... uncomfortable."

"Sorry, there's nothing we can do about it." Abby tied off the bandages and pressed her fingertips against Connor's blank L.E.D. curiously. "We can replace this if you want, though."

Connor put his hand over his blank L.E.D., brushing Abby's fingers aside in the process. "...No. Leave it alone."

"Okay, whatever you want."

Simon patted Connor's shoulder before he packed up his own satchel and slung it back over his shoulder. "I'm going back to New Jericho Tower. If you need anything, call."

"Of course. Thank you, Simon."

As soon as the technician was out of the room Connor swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up on shaking legs. Abby fought the urge to support Connor as he stood and instead just watched him as he tested both his strength, and his balance.

"I'm okay, Abby. You can go, too."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. Please, go take care of North."

"Connor," the topic was bleak but still needed to be addressed professionally. "do you know what's happening with North?"

"...I have my suspicion. Does it line up with your assessment?"

"...Yeah. It does."

"Then you should be helping her. I'll be okay here with just Hank. I'm fine."

"Alright. Just like Simon said, if you need anything-"

"I'll call."

Nodding politely packed up her own satchel and hefted it over her shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Connor."

"I will."

Waiting for Abby to leave the house, waiting for the sound of the front door to open and shut, Connor walked down the hallway and caught sight of Hank standing on the back deck through the kitchen window. As he slowly walked through the kitchen Connor caught sight of Sumo running around in the backyard while Hank stood on the deck, his arms leaning against the banister, watching him.

"Hank?" Connor opened the door and joined Hank on the deck. "How's your back?"

"Not bad. I finally got some decent sleep last night after your fever broke. Or, I guess I should say after you stopped overheating."

"Either term is technically acceptable." Leaning on the banister next to Hank, his body language mirroring Hank's perfectly, Connor watched the massive dog running about happily through the green yard. "Thank you for taking care of me."

"Sure, son. No problem." Hank patted Connor's shoulder once in approval. The lack of the L.E.D. glowing in Connor's temple was still new to Hank, but as long as Connor was still alive he didn't care what color, or lack thereof, it glowed. "You took care of me."

"Yes, but you're still recovering from your own injury. I should've stayed at the facility for that reason alone, yet you were still willing to let me come home so you could help me. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"...Hank, do you think more people will try to instigate another android war?"

"Maybe. But try not to worry about it."

The two stood in silence for a few moments as they enjoyed the warm spring air, the smell of an impending summer beginning to drift through the air. It was Hank who ended the silence with an uncomfortable question.

"You've been out of it for a few days, do you know what's going on with North?"

"...I spoke with Abby before she left."

"Should we be worried about her? I mean... is it serious?"

"I do not know." Connor shook his head despondently. "Only time will tell."

"And time is a fickle thing: It'll either go by so fast you feel like you missed out on life, or tick away so slowly you'll pine for death."

"I can't imagine it's going to be any easier for North or Markus as it will be for us."

Hank looked down at his hands nervously. "Does anyone else know what's going on?"

"...No. Just us."

"Then let's keep it that way. It'll be better for everyone."

"Agreed."

_**...next story...** _


	121. Fight

After enduring six long weeks of resting, healing and impatiently waiting for the pain to mercifully end the two detectives returned to the garage to resume their little restoration project. As Hank rolled out from under the Corvette he extended his grease covered hand and Connor grabbed hold to help pull the detective back up to his feet. With a prideful smile Hank looked at the progress the duo had made on restoring the old car in such a short amount of time, as he wiped the grease off on an old rag before tossing it aside onto the nearby tool bench.

"Alright, all we need to do is pick the interior and the paint," Hank boasted with a bright smirk. "then she's all finished."

Connor eyed over the car curiously, noting the extreme contrasts in aesthetics when comparing the brand new tires against the old, but restored exposed metal frame of the car; and couldn't help but feel the same sense of pride and accomplishment in their work as well.

"I must admit Hank, at first I believed that the act of restoring this vehicle would've proven itself a waste of time and funds, but... There is something very satisfying about seeing the vehicle being restored to its former glory."

Hank clapped Connor's shoulder as he walked past the deviant and grabbed a bottle of water from the tool bench. "Speaking of restoration," Hank motioned to his own temple before pointing at Connor. "what about that little light of yours?"

Connor reflexively ran his fingertips over the burned out L.E.D. in his temple as he looked away from Hank and down at the dirty garage floor. "I haven't decided yet."

"Do what you want with it." The very understanding detective took a sip of water and replaced the cap on the bottle. "Fix it or toss it."

"...What if I don't want to do either?" Connor let his hand drop from his temple and back to his side. "What if I want to keep it, but not have it repaired?"

"Then that's fine, too."

Connor nodded appreciatively only to flinch as he tried and, yet again failed, to cybernetically connect to the world around him or even access his own mind palace. "...Hank, do you have your phone on you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I need to know the time."

"Oh." As Hank fished his phone out of his pocket he gave Connor a sympathetic glance. "Still can't do your cyber thing?"

"No." Connor's hand went for the coin in his pocket and began to fidget with it nervously. "My processors were nearly destroyed by my excessive overheating and still require extensive time to adequately repair. That may also be the source of my L.E.D. burning itself out."

"Well, the time is eleven twenty-four in the morning." Hank held up the display screen of his phone for Connor to see before slipping it back into his pocket. "Are you sure you want to go back to work? Your artificial skin hasn't even been able to return, you're still all bandaged up under you shirt. I'll be back starting next week, we can return together if you want to wait."

"I would like to resume a normal routine. It'll help ease my mind." The deviant's head tilted a little as he also mentioned their extended mutual leave of absence, his coin flawlessly dancing over his knuckles the entire time. "And we will have a massive portion of paperwork to catch up on upon our return. I may not be able to cybernetically file my reports at the moment but I can type almost as quickly, and I will be able to handle it without stressing my system in the process."

"Alright, but you're going to take that emergency phone I gave to you. Keep it on your person at all times, AND I want you have to something else."

"What's that?"

"Come with me." Hank motioned for the deviant to follow him out of the garage. As the duo crossed the yard toward the back deck Sumo woke up from his nap under the tree and followed his masters inside the house. Setting foot inside the kitchen Hank placed his water bottle down on the countertop without a second thought. "I'll be right back."

Connor made his way into the livingroom and sat down on the couch. It wasn't long before Sumo carried over his green fetch ball and dropped it Connor's feet expectantly.

"Sorry boy. I need to get ready for work." Connor rubbed the dog's ears affectionately as he waited for Hank to return from his bedroom. "We'll play later."

Hank walked into the livingroom and handed Connor a gold hued metallic band with a small analog clock in the middle. "This is my old watch," Hank explained as he placed the item in Connor's outstretched, opened palm. "my dad gave it to me as a gift after I graduated high school. I stopped wearing it after I joined the police academy because of all the physical work I was put through, but I never stopped taking care of it."

Connor's brow furrowed at the offered item. Holding tightly onto the coin he stopped juggling it as he accepted the watch from Hank respectfully.

"You wrap it around your wrist and use it to keep track of the time until your processor thing starts working again, alright?"

"...Alright." Connor wrapped the band around his left wrist and secured it in place, the small clock's display resting upright parallel to the back of his hand. "Is this correct?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Your father gave this to you as a gift?"

"Yup. This was also back in a time just before everyone had a phone to rely on. It may be an outdated piece of technology, but it still works."

"I'll do my best to not lose it or accidentally break it."

"I'm not worried about that, Connor. But I am worried about you going back to work so soon."

"As I previously stated I will be reporting to the precinct to handle paperwork, nothing more."

"I hope so, but weird shit always seems to happen at the worst possible moments."

"Think of it this way;" Connor absentmindedly began fussing with the coin in his hand again. "it's weird shit that keeps us employed."

"Where'd you hear that?" Hank gave Connor an odd glance as he walked around the edge of the couch to pick up Sumo's ball before sitting down next to Connor. "From Chris?"

"Tina."

"Oh. Guess that makes sense, she willingly stuck with Gavin as her assigned partner after all this time."

Connor proceeded to rise from the couch and walk down the hallway to change into his uniform while Hank tossed the fetch ball for Sumo. As the massive dog trotted into the kitchen to retrieve the green toy Connor returned to the livingroom with his white dress shirt already on and the tie draped around his shoulders as he slipped on his newly mended gray android jacket.

"Your jacket looks better that way." The detective complimented as Connor straightened the lapels and slipped easily pull his tie into a knot. "None of those damn CyberLife insignias anywhere."

"I agree, but... it does look a little plain now."

"Plain isn't necessarily a bad thing, you know."

"Yes. I know." Pulling his phone out of his jacket's pocket he made sure it still had a full charge before he slipped it back into place. "I will remain in contact through the phone until I can cybernetically resume communication."

"Good. And remember to keep track of time with that watch." He raised a finger as if scolding Connor, but it was a hollow gesture. "And stop messing with that damn coin! It's a bad habit."

"I will, Hank." The slightly embarrassed deviant immediately pocketed the coin with a faint blush on his face. Heading toward the front door he Connor pulled it open and gave Hank a subtle nod as he stepped out of the house. "I will see you later."

"Yeah, kid. See ya'."

* * *

It wasn't more than an hour before Connor found himself bored with the paperwork and wanting a new case to mill over for the sake of intrigue. Sitting alone at the desk, finding the opened space at the opposite side to be disturbingly quiet without Hank's presence, Connor would file a report and then attempt; and fail, to access his cybernetic processors. Pressing his fingertips to his right temple he felt his burned out L.E.D. with a curious touch, then retracted his touch.

"How're you faring, Connor?" Captain Fowler walked by the desk and placed a new case down for the Sergeant to file.

"I'm healing well." Connor's reply was honest and succinct. "I just find the prospect of spending my entire shifting doing something as tedious as paperwork to be an uneventful endeavor."

"Sorry about that, but it needs to be done."

"Yes, I'm aware."

"Maybe you can assist Chris with a few missing deviant reports."

"Missing deviants?" Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he looked away from his terminal and up to his commanding officer. "Like a missing person?"

"Yeah. A few deviants have been reported as missing by their human companions, and since so many deviants sought shelter at New Jericho Tower in the past we just figured that maybe they had gone back to help with the tower's repairs."

"Unlikely. The deviants assisting the reconstruction were normal residents at the tower, or deviants who already work construction in the city volunteering their time. There would be no place for additional deviants to take temporary shelter until after the tower has been rebuilt entirely."

"Then maybe there is something to the missing deviant cases." Captain Fowler crossed his arms over his chest as he glanced over at Chris's desk. "You finish your paperwork and then go help Chris out."

"Yes, Captain."

* * *

Chris was happy to have the help with the numerous cases, but it was still a challenge to try to identify a possible pattern regarding the unusual disappearances. Approximately two dozen deviants had seemingly vanished from the city over the past three months, but none of the deviants had anything in common with one another outside of being androids residing in Detroit city limits.

"This is where I got stumped." Chris admitted as he pointed at the terminal screen on his desk. "There's no connection between any of the deviants in their personal or professional lives. And they were not seen in a single location that would connect them."

"Curious. The deviants in question do not have a history of traveling away from the city or behaving erratically. The only thing they do seem to have in common are human companions."

"You think the humans had something to do with it?"

"No. If the humans were involved then they either wouldn't have bothered to file the missing deviant reports, or one of them would've made a mistake and proven their guilt as a conspirator long before this current date."

"So what're you thinking?"

"I don't think these deviants are missing. I think they were targeted and taken."

"What? Why?"

"Their companionship with humans must be somehow beneficial to someone else. Perhaps the ability to blend in with humans, while retaining android enhancements, made the deviants prime targets for some kind of illegal activity."

"Like burglary or hacking?"

"Precisely. But why the deviants have all disappeared is something I can't quite track."

"I'll keep looking into it."

"Where was the last location that the most recently reported deviant was seen last?"

"Uh, right here." Chris brought up the correct file and isolated the details from the other files. "The deviant's name is Alec and he lives with his human companion Robert Wells downtown. Looks like he was supposed to pick up something from the shipping yard four days ago but he never arrived. That's when Mr. Wells filed the report."

Connor squared his jaw with deep, silent contemplation at the notion of a string of possible deviant abductions.

"What?" The silent thinking quickly caught Chris's attention.

"Maybe the deviant _did_ make it to the shipping yard, but was met with misfortune; maybe even assaulted."

"You wanna' go check out?"

"Correct."

"I'll go with you."

"No. We don't know anything about our possible suspect outside of him targeting deviants. If he sees you then he'll never make a move and give himself away."

"Whoa, whoa... Wait," Chris was already apprehensive about Connor's plan. "you're not seriously going to try to offer yourself up as bait, are you?"

"It may be the only way to find the suspect."

"Yeah, and it's also a CRAZY way. It's too dangerous, Connor."

"I'm the only deviant on the police force. I have to go."

"Connor, what if something happens out there? You'll need back-up."

"Yes, you're correct." Connor pulled his phone out of his pocket and held it in a tight fist. "I'll make contact with the precinct if it becomes necessary."

"What're you going to tell Hank?"

"I'll tell him I'm working late."

"...Connor, you're still healing. You need to try to take it easy."

"I will. Once I handle this case."

"You better clear it with Fowler, first."

"Captain Fowler is the one who assigned me to this case to assist you." Connor pocketed his phone and backed away from the desk. "I'll check out the shipping yard for suspicious activity, but I won't make a move without back-up."

"I don't like it, Connor."

"Neither do I. But it's necessary."

"Alright, I'll trust you on this. Do what you have to do."

* * *

Using an autonomous taxi Connor arrived at the shipping yard of where the most recently reported missing deviant had been last seen, and he arrived alone with only his phone and his gun as his protection. Being unable to run a scan over the area or connect cybernetically to the precinct left Connor with a massive disadvantage that he had never experienced before, but the idea of remaining at the precinct to simply file away reports while dozens of deviants had suddenly disappeared was almost sickening to the incredibly empathetic detective.

Locating a clerical office near the entrance of the yard Connor slipped the phone out of his jacket and texted Chris to let him know that he had arrived and was beginning his subtle investigation, then texted Hank to let him know what was happening and to not worry.

As a means of keeping a relatively low profile Connor slipped off his gray jacket, tucking his wallet inside the internal pocket within the left lapel and his gun inside the larger external pocket before he left it folded it neatly on a dark blue oil barrel near the entrance of the yard. Without his jacket or his glowing L.E.D. Connor could easily pass himself off as a normal human. With his dress shirt and tie he looked like a supervisor inspecting the yard and would be able to walk about without being disturbed in the process.

Keeping his phone in his palm Connor frequently texted updates to Chris regarding the investigation, then texted Hank to let him know of his intentions.

It didn't take Connor long before he picked up on some illegal activity taking place at the yard as he searched the area discreetly. Numerous shipping cargo containers had their original serial numbers sanded off and painted over, dozens of storage containers had been their locks broken or altered, and several of the yard workers were ex-convicts who had been previously arrested for smuggling goods into and out of the country.

' _Chris, please get a warrant and dispatch a crime scene investigation crew to my area: There is evidence of black marketeering and theft_.'

' _I'll tell Fowler. Keep safe_.'

' _I will endeavor to do so_.'

Connor kept the phone concealed in the palm of his right hand as he managed to text Hank with only his thumb and without need to look at the screen until after he received a reply text.

' _Hank, I am nearly finished with my investigation_.'

There was only a brief pause before Hank replied.

' _Good. Get your ass back to the precinct where you belong_.'

' _I will as soon as I've finished_.'

Slipping the phone up the cuff of his shirt's long sleeve Connor proceeded to walk through the towering rows of containers only to have his exit cut off by a broadly built yard worker brandishing a black crowbar in his hands.

"What're you doing here?"

"I..." Connor didn't have his badge anymore, not that he wanted to let them know the police were on the way anyway. Instead he tried to bluff his way past the man and get out of the yard. "I was merely looking around. I'll be on my way now."

The man glanced over Connor curiously as a second man appeared behind Connor, blocking his potential exit path in the event he tried to run. Connor turned his head slightly as he sensed the second man's presence, but he didn't show any fear or concern.

"I watched you sneak around." The first man snarled angrily. "You're a deviant, aren't you?"

"I fail to see the relevancy to this situation."

From behind the second yard worker confirmed the first's question as he looked at Connor's right temple. "It's a deviant alright. The light's out but it's there!" The second worker was holding a lead pipe in his hands as if brandishing a weapon. "Looks like we'll make our quota after all."

"I've never seen this kind of model before," the first man observed as he didn't recognize the RK model standing before him. "must be new."

Connor didn't react to the comment as he stared the man down and discreetly sent a text to Hank.

' _Two workers have isolated me. Back-up is not here yet, they are threatening me_.'

Hank's response went unread as Connor locked eyes with the man in front of him.

"I bet Chance would give us a hefty bonus for sending him a rare model."

"Yeah, I think you're right."

Reacting quickly Connor turned around and managed to block the swing from the pipe with his hands, the phone tucked up his sleeve receiving minor damage in the process. As Connor pulled the pipe from the second worker the first worker rushed up behind Connor and struck him in the back of the skull with his crowbar.

Connor collapsed to the ground on his stomach and winced at the incredible pain in the back of his head and in his abdomen from where his previous injuries were still healing. Thinking quickly Connor rolled to his side and wrapped his arms around his abdomen and stealthily slipped the phone from his sleeve and managed to slide it up under his shirt and tuck it under the tight layers of gauze bandaging around his abdomen to keep the phone concealed.

"Seriously? One hit is all it took?" The first man kicked Connor in the stomach and caused him to roll from his side onto his back as he let out a deep groan of pain. "What the fuck? Grabbing onto Connor's shirt he tore open the buttons and saw the bandages wrapped around Connor's abdomen. "Oh, look at this. Our 'new friend' has already been in a fight. Must be one tough bastard..."

The second man reclaimed his pipe and stood over Connor. "Yeah... Chance is going to give us a BIG bonus for this scrapper!"

"Yeah, take him out!"

Connor closed his eyes as the second man swung the lead pipe down and struck a horrible blow against his face that rendered him unconscious in an instant.

* * *

Hank held the phone tightly in his hand as he anxiously awaited a reply from Connor, but no such response came. Hank sent another text to Connor but like the previous texts it went unanswered. Sensing that something was wrong Hank swore to himself as he grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf against the livingroom wall and all but stormed out of the backdoor to get to the car.

"Son of a bitch. I knew he shouldn't have gone back without me." Hank threw open the door before he sat down behind the wheel and quickly turned the key in the ignition and backed down the driveway to the street at an unsafe pace. As he pulled onto the street he changed the contact on his phone over to Catpain Fowler and called his captain as he sped to the precinct. "Jeffrey, it's me. What the fuck is happenin' with Connor? I can't reach him!"

' _Hank_?' Captain Fowler was thoroughly confused by the unexpected phone call. ' _What're you_ -'

"Don't bullshit me, Jeffrey. I KNOW something's up..."

* * *

Connor's system slowly rebooted as he regained consciousness, but even after opening his eyes the world around him was still dark. A thick black cotton rag was tied over his eyes creating a tight blindfold. Laying on his side with his arms bound behind his back and his legs bound at both the knees and the ankles, Connor was unable to move from where he had been placed.

Using his other senses Connor realized that while he was laying on a cold metal floor he wasn't in a typical room; the room itself was moving! A gentle rhythmic swaying accompanied by the distinct sound of a locomotive engine informed Connor that he had been taken captive and was now in a train car being taken out of the city. Using his unfailing sense of direction Connor knew that the train was heading West, but to which city was a still a mystery.

As he made an effort to sit upright Connor let out a sharp wince of pain and immediately relaxed again. The pain in his abdomen was still burning as the strong kick had aggravated his still healing injuries.

"Don't move around." An unfamiliar, but kind and masculine voice warned Connor from the other side of the train car. "You took a nasty blow to your head, you need to take it easy. It's nice to hear you finally awake, nonetheless."

"Who are you?" Connor dared to ask as he turned his head toward the sound of the voice. "Where are we?"

"My name is Alec. I'm a deviant, like you." Alec sounded so far away, his voice carrying great remorse with every word. "And we're on a train heading to Chicago."

"Chicago?!" Connor was alarmed at the revelation and tried to get up again only let out a gasping yelp of pain as the sudden movement stole his breath. "I... I can't go to Chicago... I need to return to Detroit!"

"We don't have a choice."

"...You've been through this before?"

"Unfortunately... no. I have no idea what's going to happen to us once we arrive."

"How do you know where we are going?"

"I overheard the humans speaking after they left you here." Alec explained calmly; his tone was sincere and honest. "They must've assumed I was still in stasis mode."

"How long have you been here, Alec?"

"Five days."

"...That fits the timeline."

"Timeline?"

"Your human friend, Robert, filed a report declaring you missing four days ago."

"Robert is a good guy." Alec sounded relieved to know someone was looking for him. "He was always one of the good humans, never treated me like a machine or a second-class citizen. That's why I stayed with him after I became a deviant. He's really my best friend. ...But how do you know that Robert filed a report?"

"I work with the Detroit Police Department, I was investigating your disappearance along with several others." Connor explained with a willingness to trust Alec. "Why were you taken?"

"I do not know. But I suspect that we aren't the first deviants that those men have taken."

"I agree." Connor slowly curled around himself on the floor of the train car and tried to breathe as slowly and as deeply as possible to quell his pain in his aching abdomen. Letting out a deep breath Connor managed to ease his discomfort just long enough to speak to Alex for a moment more. "My name is Connor, by the way."

"Connor. I'll remember that." Alec let out a weary sigh of his own. "We've been traveling for almost two hours now. You should try to rest and let your self-healing program mend your damage before we arrive."

Reluctantly, Connor decided that Alec was right. In too much pain and already too tired to try to free himself from his binds Connor allowed himself to slip into rest mode just long enough to let his self-healing program begin to remedy his pain and try to repair his lingering damage. As he rested on the cold metal floor of the train car Connor could feel the phone he concealed under his bandages buzz as text after text after text popped on the screen.

All of the texts would have to go unread, unanswered, until Connor could get his arms free.

"Hank." The deviant whispered to himself as he could feel the phone begging to be answered. "...I know it's you."

* * *

Hank met with Chris in Captain Fowler's office and had to hold back his anger as he tried to figure out what had happened to Connor at the shipping yard. Despite the officers responding to the shipping yard within minutes of Connor's request for back-up there was no sign of the deviant within the yard or anywhere around it.

The workers down at the shipping yard denied ever seeing Connor, and were proving to be annoyingly difficult to get any answers from.

"He has to be there somewhere!" Hank blurted angrily as he gave Captain Fowler an angry stare. "He isn't responding to the texts I've been sending him, and no one can see him. He must be hurt or-"

Knocking on the glass door of the office Gavin walked inside carrying Connor's gray jacket, gun and wallet. "Cap... We found this outside the shipping yard. Connor was there and now we can prove it."

"What the hell?" Hank took the jacket from Gavin's hand. "Why'd he take this off?"

"Beats me. But his wallet and his gun were with it."

"Shit... He's unarmed and doesn't have any I.D. on him."

"We'll find him, Hank." Gavin tried to reassure the Lieutenant, but Hank wasn't going to just take his word for it. "We'll keep combing the yard until we figure out what happened down there."

Hank held onto the jacket and stared at it as if looking at a relic of the past. "Connor, where are you?"

Captain Fowler sympathetically shook his head. "Hank. Go home. We'll keep looking for Connor, you keep trying to reach him with your phone."

"That's it?" Hank hated the simplistic order and angrily snarled in response. "I just go home and text like some preteen with a crush?"

"That's all you can do. Remember, you're still on the injured reserved list."

"Fuck that! I'm now medically cleared to come back!"

"No, Hank! Stay away from this case!"

"Jeffrey, don't you-"

"HANK." Captain Fowler raised his voice slightly to remind Hank of his authority and need to keep him at bay due to him being so close to Connor. "Go home, NOW. I don't want to suspend you before you're even back on the clock!"

"...Fine." Hank tucked Connor's jacket under his arm and stormed out of the office. "Piece of shit... I'll find him myself."

* * *

Connor was abruptly and rudely awoken by a firm kick to the abdomen that knocked his breath from his system with one fell strike. As he coughed violently and curled around himself his system rebooted just enough for Connor to realize he was no longer on the swaying train car, but a cold, concrete floor that had a stagnant air with the distinct aroma of expired Thirium wafting about with a richly acrid aroma.

"Wh-Where am... I?" Connor wheezed and stammered as a strange person loomed over him. "Answer me."

Calloused fingers snatched the blindfold from over Connor's eyes finally allowing the deviant to see the world around him. An older man with a bald head, a short scraggly, gray goatee and a large black inked cobra tattoo snaking up the length of his left arm was standing over the wounded deviant. Sporting a grin that had a single missing canine tooth and soulless gray tinted eyes, the man looked down at Connor with a demented intent.

"You're in my arena, now, 'Hunter'. State your name."

"Sergeant Connor Anderson." Connor replied in an angry tone as rolled from his side and shifted his weight so he could sit upright on the cold concrete floor. "And this is kidnapping, not to mention assault against a police officer."

The man just laughed in Connor's face as he listened to the what the bold deviant had said. "No, no, no..." Kicking Connor in the center of his chest the man took a step back and waited for Connor to stop coughing before he continued. "You're in MY arena, and so you're going by the name I'VE chosen for you. 'Hunter': State your name."

"I told you my name. It's _Connor_."

"No, 'Hunter'." Reaching a hand down he struck Connor across the face with a harsh slap. "Tell me your name..."

"...You," Connor studied the man's words carefully and followed him bizarre request out a morbid curiosity and desire to end the needless assault against his person. "you want me to refer to myself as... 'Hunter'?"

"Now you're getting it." The man slapped him again, his fingers stinging from the needless assault he instigated. Pulling a black canvas wrap from his back pocket the man revealed a glass vial and syringe. Loading the syringe with the contents from the vial the man inserted the needle into a vein in his arm and injected the contents into his system. Letting out a deplorable sigh of relief the man returned his attention to Connor as he replaced the items into the canvas and back into his pocket. "What's your name?"

Connor turned his gaze away from the man and squared his jaw in silent defiance.

"You're stubborn, I like that." Another slap to Connor's face. It was enough to cause Connor's nose to drip with blue blood. "I really do. It makes it so much more satisfying when I break a deviant's will."

Rebelling in silence Connor looked back at the man and glared venomously.

Giving Connor one last slap over the face the man took a step back. "What's your name?"

"Fuck off."

"And you have a fighting spirit!" The man kicked Connor's chest hard enough to cause the plastimetal frame to fracture in thin spiderweb like lines just above the bandages wrapped around his abdomen. Connor fell back and began coughing violently to his now fractured 'ribs'. "This is going to be fun... Hunter."

The man walked to the single metal door of the barren concrete and stone room and pulled the door open with a firm jerk.

Connor's eyes were watering from the harsh coughs, but he wouldn't let the man see the pain in his soulful brown eyes.

"I'll be back for you tonight. Your first match is at ten, and it be better be good." Stepping through the opened door he looked back at Connor with a greedy leer. "I have a lot of money riding on you, Hunter."

The metal door slammed shut with a metallic echo that resonated throughout the room.

"You better not cross Chance, if you know what's good for you."

Connor looked to the source of the voice who had spoken to him. Another deviant was standing in the corner of the room and stepped forward to approach Connor only after the demented human had left. "Alec?"

"Yes." The deviant confirmed. His model and design was similar to that of Josh from New Jericho, but Alec had dark blue eyes and was sporting a distinct scar down his right cheek. "Hold still, I'll get your bindings off."

Connor agreed and sat still as Alec knelt down on the floor behind him to free Connor's arms from the tight ropes around his wrists that snaked up his forearms to his elbows. Once his arms were free Connor set to work untying the additional binds from around his knees and his ankles.

"I presume this 'Chance' you mentioned was the man who just left."

"Yeah. I had the pleasure of 'meeting' him while you were still in rest mode." Alec sat down on the floor next to Connor and watched as Connor carefully slipped his fingers under the bandages around his abdomen. "Chance is the owner of an underground deviant fight ring. He has deviants fight each other for sport combat, and patrons bet on the matches."

"...And we were unceremoniously drafted to his roster, weren't we?"

"I'm afraid so. He said my name is now 'Nomad' since I 'wandered' into the wrong shipping yard at the wrong time."

Connor's eyes narrowed with self-hatred and guilt as he realized why Chance had dubbed him 'Hunter'. Somehow he knew of Connor's past as the infamous 'deviant hunter' before the revolution. "...I see. All of the missing deviants must've been taken here and forced to fight."

Carefully Connor slipped his hand up under the layers of the bandages wrapped around his abdomen and pulled out the phone he had managed to conceal from the humans who had trapped him at the shipping yard.

Alec watched Connor carefully, his eyes filled with fear and confusion. "What're you doing?"

"I'm going to try to call for help." Connor revealed the phone and his eyes fell on the cracked screen over the dozens of unread texts that Hank had sent him over the past seven hours. "...Hank."

"Who's Hank?"

"...My friend. A father, really." Connor replied as he tried to send a message to the detective, but the phone was too damaged to properly send a message. "Shit... It won't respond."

"Can't you cybernetically link up with the phone?"

"...No. My processors were recently damaged and have yet to fully repair. And even if a cybernetic connection were possible the odds of the message successfully getting through on a phone this damaged are less than six point two percent."

"It can't send texts, but maybe it can still dial out."

"No. The phone is locked in its current mode and cannot be repaired or rebooted properly."

Another message popped up from Hank and Connor read it quickly: ' _Connor, I'm trying to find you. Are you okay_?'

Unable to respond to the message Connor closed his eyes and bowed his head as he set the phone aside on the cold floor out of sight in the shadows against the wall.

"...No, Hank. I'm not."

As his hand made a move for the coin in his pocket he caught himself, froze and remembered what he had promised Hank earlier that morning. The least he could do was keep his promise to Hank, even if Hank didn't know it was happening.

"Alec, we need to be smart about this if we're going to escape alive."

* * *

Sitting on the back deck of the house with Sumo laying at his side Hank repeatedly checked his phone for a reply message from Connor, checked to make sure the texts he had sent earlier had been sent properly, checked to make sure the phone had a decent signal, checked the battery... The phone was working just fine. It was Connor who seemed to be having a problem on his end and that thought alone was enough to make Hank feel sick to his stomach.

Sumo let out a whimper as he sensed Hank's distress, prompting the detective to rest one hand atop the large dog's head affectionately.

"I'll find him, Sumo. I'm not giving up on Connor." Hank sent another message and clutched his phone tightly in his hand as he waited for any kind of reply from the missing deviant. "He'd never give up on me."

As the dark warm night fell over the city Hank just stared at the phone in his hand as a chorus of crickets and the distant ambience of traffic surrounded him with a contrasting white noise of normalcy.

"Come on, son. I know you're out there somewhere..."

* * *

Connor sat idle with his back pressed up against the cold, concrete wall of the room in a light form of rest mode to try to heal his damaged body, while Alec tried to find a way to pry open the lock on the metal door. But even with his enhanced android strength Alec was unable to unseal the door and escape. The cold room was silent save for Alec's muttering to himself and Connor's slow breathing. A gentle ticking sound from Hank's watch around Connor's wrist went unnoticed by either deviant as their minds were left preoccupied by their own tasks.

"This lock is very well made." Alec admitted as he stepped away from the door and stood beside Connor who was still sitting on the floor. "I don't think I can break it."

Connor's brown irises reappeared as his eyes opened and he glanced up at Alec. "Perhaps we can combine our strength later on and break the lock during the early morning hours when less humans will be active."

"How do you know how many humans are around?"

"I can hear sixty-seven distinct voices speaking amongst one another two floors above us; twenty-two are female and forty-five are male, this is includes Chance. As the day turned to night the crowd of people had grown larger and have amassed upstairs for what I assume to be the impending bouts that Chance spoke of earlier."

"I don't want to fight anyone!"

"Neither do I."

"What if we have to fight _each other_?"

"...Then we will put on a convincing show but not actually harm one another."

"You think we can do that?"

"Only one way to find out." Connor let out a weary sigh as he rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt and looked down at the watch; it was nine fifty-four in the evening. "It's nearly ten o'clock. He'll be coming back for me."

"What're you going to do?"

Connor shook his head and he pulled the tie from around his neck and slipped off his white dress shirt. Folding the garments neatly on the floor Connor took the watch from his wrist and the phone from the floor to conceal the two items within the folds of the fabric out of sight. As he stood upright he pressed his hand over his sore abdomen atop the slowly dirtying white bandages and breathed in a calm, controlled manner.

"I'm going to see what's going on upstairs and try to find a way to escape."

"But you can't cybernetically link to anything. How are you going to find an escape route?"

"...I'll manage."

A hidden panel on the far wall of the room slid open and revealed a thick plexiglass window giving the two occupants of the room a clear view of the arena in which they were expected to engage in combat. There was a massive crowd of humans from all walks of life; rich, poor, educated, uneducated, black, white, male, female, all gathered around the arena in eager expectation of the barbaric spectacle that Chance had arranged for the night.

"Full house." Connor observed warily as he and Alec approached the window. "This is a very popular sport, it seems."

The door to the concrete room opened up and Chance returned to collect Connor. Standing behind Chance was another android, not a deviant, his model strikingly similar to that of Luther. With his eyes an ominous gold tint L.E.D. still in his temple and cycling a calm blue the towering android was an unexpected menace to the otherwise unshakable deviant detective.

"Alright, Hunter." Chance taunted with a wicked glee. "It's your debut match, so don't disappoint the crowd."

"What if I refuse to cooperate?"

"Then I'll have Gunner here," Chance motioned to the android standing behind with a thumb over the shoulder. " _persuade_ you to cooperate. And if that doesn't work then I'll have him tear you apart slowly, painfully, and drop your body piece by piece into Lake Michigan."

Connor stared up at Gunner and took in the menacing figure's features: tall, broadly built, soulless eyes, a clean shaven bald head, dozens of scars around his eyes, jaw, lip over his knuckles and up his forearms; Gunner was an experienced fighter and would have no qualms about murdering any deviant that disobeyed Chance.

"...Who is my opponent?"

"Good answer. Come this way."

Hesitantly, but obediently Connor followed after Chance, the intimidating Gunner following after Connor to ensure that the deviant didn't try anything to harm Chance or flee from the building. As Connor was led to the arena he couldn't help but think of the night he had challenged Rampage to a fight and had only won because of Rampage's deeply seeded moral honor. To fight another deviant for the sake of entertainment, to fight for either his life or the other deviant's life would have to such moral code attached.

Chance stopped walking and stepped aside as he presented Connor with an opened door leading to the heart of his makeshift arena located in a hidden area beneath an unknown property.

"Go out there and wait for your opponent." Chance instructed as he pointed to the arena and motioned for Connor to enter. "And, you better _win_. I have a massive wager in your favor, so don't disappoint me."

Giving Chance one final toxic stare Connor stepped through the opened door, his hand pressed against his sore abdomen and walked out into the bright lights shining down from the ceiling to the arena floor below. As Connor made his entrance Chance's voice sounded off through crudely installed speakers mounted on the four walls surrounding the arena to hype up the crowd as a cacophony of cheers and boos echoed all around the unwilling deviant occupant.

' _Alright, place your bets_! _We have a new contender tonight_!'

Connor shook his head, his eyes fixated on the floor beneath him as he walked into the arena. The floor was a hexagonal shape of concrete with red and blue paint along the borders to divide the arena into two pieces. Weak, uneven chainlink fencing surrounded the arena at the sides keeping the hexagonal shape, stretching ten feet upward from the floor and connecting to a chainlink ceiling over the arena to create a macabre dome for combat.

' _Behold the infamous "Deviant Hunter" from Detroit himself_.'

Connor inwardly flinched at the nickname that Chance happily shared with the crowd.

' _The most advanced prototype that CyberLife had ever created before going bankrupt AND the very android responsible for unleashing an entire army of deviants on the city, I give you "The Hunter"_.'

The cheering and boos became louder as the crowd was introduced to Connor in the most cruel manner the deviant could imagine.

' _And his opponent, our returning twenty-four time victor_...' From the other side of the arena a second android entered and stood before Connor with a blank, emotionless stare. This model was unfamiliar to Connor, someone who was a total stranger yet still a fellow deviant. ' _welcome back "The Slayer"_.'

More cheers and less boos erupted from the crowd as 'The Slayer' stared through Connor into blank nothingness.

The Slayer was of average build for the typical android, with an average height and weight. Patches of his artificial skin were missing over his eye and along his jaw, as well as over his knuckles. Sporting some fiery red hair, dark green eyes and tattered clothing The Slayer was seemingly worthy of his name.

' _The Hunter versus The Slayer. Who will win_?'

A loud metal bell rang and signaled the start of the bout. Connor didn't move but The Slayer charged at him quickly. Before Connor had time to react The Slayer wrapped both arms around Connor's chest and tackled him to the ground, the back of Connor's head slamming down hard against the concrete floor.

The crowd cheered and Connor's ears began to ring as blue blood began to leak from a small, but painful laceration on the back of his skull.

"Stop!" Connor ordered as his hands wrapped around The Slayer's forearms and pulled the attacking deviant's grip from around his chest. "I don't want to fight you!"

"...You don't have a choice." The Slayer hissed with painful regret. "If you don't kill me, then I'll have to kill you..."

Connor looked around at the ravenous, savage humans cheering and calling for more blood all around them. Steeling himself with his instinct for self-preservation, an instinct that Hank had worked so hard to drill into Connor's head, Connor pushed The Slayer away from him and planted his foot against the attacking deviant's chest. With a strong kick Connor sent his opponent flying backward and crashing against the sharp fence that surrounded the arena.

As the remaining fabric of The Slayer's shirt were torn away, and his skin was torn open into dark blue cuts, the crowd cheered louder at the carnage unfolding before them.

"...I thought humans were better than this." Connor muttered to himself as he got back to his feet and readied himself to resume his confrontation with the other android. "I was wrong."

* * *

Unable to stand the quiet and isolation of the house any longer Hank went out for a late night drive through the city for several hours. With his phone sitting on the dashboard with his dozens of unanswered texts waiting for a response still visible on the screen, Hank circled through the city and watched every figure he passed carefully in hopes that he'd recognize Connor's face and finally be able to bring the deviant back home.

Flipping through his phone Hank settled on a contact he had used back when he worked narcotics and pressed dial. As the other line answered Hank held his breath and hope for good news.

"Hey, Gary, it's Hank again. Did you-" Hank's face fell with disappointment as his his best lead proved a failure. "No, thanks for looking anyway. I appreciate the help. Keep me in the loop if anything pops up."

Hanging up the phone Hank cycled back to the text screen and looked at the unanswered messages once more.

"Some good news from someone would be really fuckin' great right about now..."

As it neared midnight Hank found himself curiously enough heading down the long drive to Belle Isle where New Jericho Tower is nearing the end of its reconstruction and restoration. The tower wasn't as tall as it had been, but it was still a formidable looking structure of white metal and hundreds of windows overlooking the entire circumference of the tower.

A few deviants were standing out front of the tower with numerous pieces of construction of equipment at their disposal. Two of the deviants, Josh and Skye, were familiar to Hank. Pulling up alongside the tower Hank stepped out of the car with the phone clutched tightly in his hand and walked over to the two deviants, not sure of why he was even there at the tower to begin with.

"Lt. Anderson." Josh greeted in a somber tone as he approached Hank slowly. "We... We heard that Connor is missing. He didn't come by here if that's what you're wondering."

"I figured if Connor had come here someone would've told me." Hank confirmed as he acknowledged Josh. "He's just... gone."

"Is there something we can do for you?"

"I don't know. I just... I guess I just couldn't sleep."

Skye walked up to Hank and put her hand lightly on his arm. "Do you want to talk?"

"...I honestly don't know."

"I swear to you Lieutenant-"

"Hank. Please. Both of you, everyone here, just call me Hank."

"Hank," Skye corrected herself respectfully. "what's going on?"

With a heavy sigh Hank began to explain the unusual situation. "Connor just disappeared during an investigation, no one knows where he is or where he could have gone, and none of the suspects at the precinct are cooperating. No trace of him, not even that damn coin."

"Maybe some of my contacts on the outskirts of the city know where he is."

"Your _contacts_?"

"That's how I managed to get so many of us back over the border after you rescued us in Canada. I'll check in with my contacts and see if there's anything going on outside the city."

"Thanks, Skye. At least that's better than nothing." Hank looked at his phone in his hand with a somber stare. "All I can do is send texts to that damn phone I gave him. I'm not cleared for active duty and even if I were they wouldn't let me work the case. Fucking useless..."

"Go on home, get some sleep." Skye squeezed her hand over his arm a little as she tried to give him a reassuring smile. "You're exhausted. I'll look for Connor, and I'll find him. I promise."

"Yeah... I'll go home, but I won't be sleeping any time soon."

* * *

Connor pushed himself up from the dirty, bloody floor of the arena and dragged his hand over the back of his bleeding lip. Blue blood smeared over his hand as it left a faint stain on his chin. Getting back to feet, his body exhausted from pain and exertion, Connor looked down at The Slayer laying dazed on the floor just a few feet away from him.

Both of the deviants were bloodied messes. Blood oozed down their lips, Connor's nose was bleeding but The Slayer had blood dripping out of his right ear. With his right eye blackened and swollen shut Connor stared at The Slayer with a hesitant gaze. He didn't need his scanner to know that The Slayer was bleeding internally from weeks of being battered around on a nightly basis.

Connor also knew that The Slayer was only hours away from death.

As The Slayer got back to his feet he took only one step forward before he collapsed against Connor's chest, Connor reflexively grabbing onto his upper arms to hold him upright.

The crowd began to chant and cheer loudly as they watched The Slayer dying before them.

_"FINISH HIM OFF!"_

_"KILL HIM!"_

_"TAKE HIM OUT!"_

Connor felt sick at the horrible words being shouted at him as he held The Slayer in his hands. Looking down at his weakened, dying opponent Connor swallowed once nervously.

"...Please." The Slayer begged as a gush of blood flowed over his lips in a weak, crackling voice. "End my misery..."

Connor looked back to the crowd and his heart began to race with a mixture of fear, uncertainty, guilt and anger.

"C-Connor..."

Connor's eyes went wide as he looked back at The Slayer.

"That's y-your real name. I... I know you were... the 'Deviant H-Hunter'. But you're... Connor. I was... _I am_... M-Miles."

"Miles..." Connor repeated the name with a low voice. "I don't want to kill you."

"I... I died a long time a-ago. Th-They keep f-fixing me and t-torturing. I don't w-want to live like this a-anymore."

"...I can't... I can't _kill_ you. It's wrong."

"Please. I want this... I'm already... d-dead."

Connor's shaking hands rose from Miles' arms up to around his neck. As Connor's hands slowly tightened around Miles' throat the crowd cheered louder and kept chanting for Connor to kill him.

They _wanted_ him to kill Miles.

"Connor." Miles closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "Please... I just w-want to die. I w-want to meet RA9 and... s-see my friends a-again. No more p-pain, no more... fighting."

Closing his own eyes Connor bowed his head and held his own breath. "I'm sorry for this. I will make it painless."

"...Thank you."

Moving his hands quickly Connor snapped Miles' neck in a swift, painless and effective manner. Miles' entire body went limp as his processors shutdown within seconds, the damage was irreparable and reactivation would prove impossible.

As Miles collapsed onto the arena floor in a growing puddle of his own blood, Connor took a step back and looked away from his downed opponent with deep remorseful regret and shame.

' _We have a winner and a NEW champion_!' Chance's voice returned over the speakers. ' _The Hunter_!'

The crowd that won their bets cheered loudly and the crowd that lost booed angrily.

Gunner entered the arena and put his hand on Connor's shoulder to pull him out of sight and back into the cell a few floors down.

' _Place your bets for our next match_! _It will be taking place in twenty minutes_.'

Connor's head was bowed with immense shame as a tear rolled down his face. Gunner all but pushed Connor back into his cell where Connor fell to his hands and knees and collapsed from exhaustion in the middle of the room. The sound of the metal door slamming shut made Connor flinch as the intense sound was almost too much for his overwhelmed processors to handle at that moment.

Alec walked over to Connor and knelt beside him with a frightened gesture. "Connor... You killed him!"

"...He... He wanted to die." Connor admitted with a choked sob. The deed was merciful but he still felt horrible for committing it. "He _begged_ me to kill him. He _wanted_... to die."

Alec's hand slowly came to rest on Connor's back between his shoulders. "You're... You're hurt."

"...I'll heal."

"Let me help you." Alec insisted as he grabbed onto Connor's arm and help Connor to slowly limp, almost crawl, to the place against the wall where his shirt was neatly folded. Alec took the shirt and draped it over Connor's back as Connor rested partially on his side and stomach. "Did... Did you find a way to escape?"

"...No." Connor turned his head slightly so he could look at Alec with his one good eye. "I couldn't see any exits while I was in the arena. The only way out must be through the corridor outside the door."

"But we can't open it."

"I know." Connor sounded as defeated as he looked, and yet he was the victor of his match. With a trembling hand Connor picked up the phone and looked at the screen to read and re-read the texts sent by Hank. Retracting the artificial skin from over his hand Connor used what little energy he could spare to charge the phone before setting it back down. "We'll find a way to get out of here. But... We'll need some help."

"From who?"

"...I don't know."

The door to the cell opened up again as Chance and Gunner walked into the room.

"You did good, Hunter." Chance proudly boasted at his 'new champion'. "You earned me twenty-thousand dollars tonight! The bandages really helped stack the odds in my favor, practically no one expected a wounded deviant to overcome our reigning champion. You did _real_ good."

"...Fuck off." Connor snarled from where he was laying. "You're a heartless piece of shit."

"Still fiery. I like that." Chance raised his hand to keep Gunner from going after Connor for his outburst. Motioning toward Alec he signaled for Gunner to take him to the arena next. "Nomad, you're up. Do me proud like Hunter, won't ya'?"

Connor tried to get up, tried to rush at Chance or Gunner, but his body suddenly failed him from exhaustion and pain.

"Let's go." Chance ordered and Alec reluctantly stood up from where he was kneeling beside Connor and followed the horrible human to the door. "Let's see if I can go two for two in my wins."

The door slammed shut with that horrible echo as Connor was left alone. Using his arms Connor dragged himself away from the wall and over to the window so he could watch the match that Alec was about to be forced into. Leaving a trail of blue blood smeared on the floor from the wounds that he had sustained under his bandages, his chest and along his arms, Connor was stained a sickly blue from head to toe.

Pulling himself upright with his trembling hands Connor managed to lean heavily against the wall and stare through the window with his one good eye.

"Alec... Don't do what I did." The sight of the timid deviant standing before another broken down, dying deviant made his heart hurt. "Be _better_ than that."

* * *

After returning home Hank was unable to lay down and sleep, not that he was surprised by the sudden onset of insomnia. Sitting down on the back deck once more with his phone in his hand Hank resumed sending texts to Connor, hoping that just one of the messages would finally get a reply. But the phone was as quiet as the house behind him.

The numerous contacts that Hank had attained during his time as a detective had failed at every turn. There was nothing more Hank could do from his end to search for Connor, waiting was his only remaining option.

An option that Hank reluctantly accepted as he sat on the deck with his shoulders slouched, heavy with defeat.

Sumo laid stretched out over the deck behind Hank with a quiet presence as he kept the worried human company.

"Connor, you're too clever to let someone just take you out." Rubbing his hand over the back of his neck Hank continued to worry openly. "What could have possibly happened today?"

* * *

Exhaustion fell over Connor as he watched Alec get beaten down to a bloody pulp in the arena. Left barely alive and soaked in his own blood Alec's body was dragged out of the arena by Gunner and Connor fell away from the window to curl up around himself on the cold floor in utter pain and misery. Feigning unconsciousness Connor remained completely still as the metal door was forced open and Alec was thrown inside the room without a care in the world.

"You'll do better next time." Chance threatened as he kicked Alec in the stomach. "Or you'll face off with Gunner for your 'grand finale'."

As the door slammed shut with a thunderous echo Connor lifted up his head and dragged himself toward Alec laying on his back on the floor.

"Alec?" Connor pressed his hand down over Alec's chest and felt for a heartbeat. It was there, but it was slow and strained. "Alec, we'll find a way to get out of here." Taking his shirt from over his shoulders he placed it over Alec's body as he tried his best analyze Alec's injuries and tend to them as best as he could without a functioning scanner. "I know it."

A sudden knocking sound against the plexiglass window caught Connor's ear. Turning to look toward the source of the sound Connor's eye fell upon a lone figure peering down through the window. Their face was completely concealed under a thick scarf and a baseball cap was pulled down over their eyes. Wearing a thick winter coat and gloves, an odd sight in the warmer spring weather as summer neared, Connor knew that the figure was someone who wasn't supposed to be there.

Pushing himself up from the floor Connor hobbled over to the window and looked the figure in the face, at least as best as Connor could with one eye on a concealed identity.

The figure held up a piece of white paper with words written out in black ink in perfect CyberLife sans for Connor to read: "I CAN HELP YOU ESCAPE AT THE END OF THE WEEK. JUST HOLD ON."

Connor knew he wouldn't be able to hear any words being spoken to him, which meant the figure wouldn't be able to hear him either. Speaking with perfectly clear but silent enunciation Connor attempt to communicate with his seemingly new ally.

"I can survive, but Alec," Connor motioned to the unconscious deviant on the floor behind him with a trembling hand. "will not. Save him first."

The figure's shoulders visibly slumped with Connor's selfless gesture. A moment passed before the figure took the black marker from his pocket and wrote a reply on the other side of the paper: "YOU WOULD RISK YOUR LIFE FOR HIM?"

Connor nodded without hesitation. "Yes. I can take the abuse. Alex won't survive."

Giving Connor a single nod the figure slunk away from sight as the panel over the window slid shut leaving the two deviants completely alone in their cell.

Falling to his knees tiredly Connor crawled over to the spot beside the wall where the phone and the watch were resting. Picking up the phone Connor read the latest text from Hank and he let out a weak sob of fear, sorrow and loneliness.

' _Connor, I know you can find your way back home. I'll be here waiting for you_.'

Grabbing onto the watch Connor slipped it back onto his left wrist before he tucked his left arm under his head like a makeshift pillow. The rhythmic ticking of the watch was somehow soothing to Connor's mind as he fell into rest mode in an attempt to heal the brutal damage and painful injuries he had sustained courtesy of human atrocity.

"...I want to go home."

* * *

Markus had gotten word of Connor's disappearance shortly after his investigation into other deviant disappearances, and had given as much information as he could to the precinct to help from home. Unwilling to leave North alone out of fear for her health Markus had to be coaxed into visiting with Hank by North herself after she insisted that she'd be okay for a few hours without him. Arriving at the house just after dawn Markus rang the front doorbell, but there was no answer. He knocked loudly on the front door but still nothing, not even a bark from Sumo.

"Hank?" Markus called out as he stepped away from the front porch and spotted the car parked in the side drive. Walking toward the backyard Markus spotted Hank sitting on the back deck with a dead phone clutched in his hand and Sumo resting his chin atop his knee. "Hank."

Turning his head slightly Hank looked at Markus for a second before he stared down at the blank phone in his hand.

"Hank, have you been out here all night?" Markus rushed over to the back deck and gave the detective a worried look. "Hank? Talk to me."

"...You better get away from me while you still can, Markus." Hank leaned forward, his shoulder tense and as curled around himself with self-pity. "Every person I let into my life gets killed. Barbara, Cole, Lucas... Connor." Sumo let out a whimper and Hank shook his head sadly as he looked to the small grave in the corner of the yard outlined in white stones. "Even Sumo."

"Hank..." Sitting down on the deck next to Hank with a somber demeanor of his own Markus put his hand on Hank's shoulder. "Don't give up on him! We both know Connor is far more resourceful and resilient than all of Detroit combined."

Hank remained quiet where he sat.

"Skye is checking in with all of her contacts as we speak. There's a mass search taking place outside the city in search of Connor and all of the other missing deviants this very moment. Connor WILL be found, I can feel it."

"...Maybe it's better this way." The detective sounded defeated as he spoke. "Connor needs the chance to live without having to constantly worry about me, or me holding him back anymore. I can't fuckin' stand the world we humans created, he's better off without me."

"No, Hank. Connor is your family, your SON. I know he'll find a way to come back to us, back to YOU. Just give him time."

"What if he's already dead, Markus? What if..." Hank trailed off as the idea of losing Connor just as he had already done so with Cole and even Lucas made his heart ache to a degree he hadn't felt since the night Cole died in the hospital. "...Connor should've been back by now. Something horrible has happened to him, and there's nothing I can do to protect him. It's just like Cole all over again."

"Hank, stop! Don't blame yourself."

"I should've been there watching his back, Markus! I'm supposed to be his _partner_."

"You're HURT. You can't be everywhere he is, it's impossible."

"...Doesn't matter. I still should've been there to watch his back."

"What about the other officers at the precinct? Aren't they just as responsible as you?"

Hank didn't answer as he stared at the dead phone in his hand with utter despair.

"Come on, Hank." Markus moved his hand from Hank's shoulder and grabbed onto his arm to pull him up to his feet against the detective's will. "You need to sleep. Connor wouldn't want to come home and find you moping around, neglecting yourself."

Too tired to resist Hank let Markus pull him inside the house through the backdoor while Sumo quietly followed the duo inside.

"Go on, Markus. Beat it!" Hank snarled angrily as the deviant leader practically dragged Hank down the hallway and into the bedroom. "Go take care of your wife!"

"I will. AFTER I take care of you."

"Are all deviants as thick-headed and stubborn as you and Connor? Or is that an exclusive trait to prototypes?"

"I'm just lookin' out for you, Hank. That's all."

"I can look after myself!" Hank argued as Markus dropped him down onto the bed.

"Yeah, I know. But we all need help sometimes." Markus replied without missing a beat. "Lay back and sleep. I'll put your phone on the charger next to your bed, okay?"

Unable to stay angry with Markus for just trying to help him out, unable to stay awake from the intense exhaustion weighing down his mind, Hank's only response came in the form of a breathy sigh as he laid down on the bed and rolled to his side. With his back facing Markus as he closed his eyes and finally drifted off to a much needed sleep.

"...Damn deviants."

* * *

Four additional nights of brutal combat and raucous crowds had left Connor a trembling, hollow shell of his former self. Sitting on the floor of the cell covered in blue blood, some of it his own and the rest belonging to that of his defeated opponents, Connor shivered violently and kept his one good eye on the screen of the phone as he constantly read the texts that Hank had sent him after he was taken from the city. Much to Connor's chagrin the lack of new texts made his heart ache, but deep down inside he knew that he had to find his way back home, even if Hank had already given up hope.

"Connor? Look at me." Alec's face was swollen and bloody like Connor, but not to such a severe degree. Gently dabbing the sleeve of Connor's shirt against the bleeding deviant's lip Alec tried to clean up the wounds as best as he could. "You can't keep doing this. You're going to die before help even gets here, IF it gets here at all."

"I... I can't just... give up." Connor shivered again and let out a pained groan as the numerous fresh cracks, fractures and breaks throughout his chest and abdominal plastimetal frames gnawed at his every breath. "H-Have to keep... fighting."

"Why? Even if we did make it out of here... Where do we go?"

"H-Home."

"How, Connor? We're in Chicago! There's no way anyone would help two battered deviants wandering the highway. We'd shutdown before we even reached the state line."

"Can't g-give up."

"...Connor." Alec stopped messing with the blood on Connor's face. "One more fight and you're going to die. I can't watch you die, I won't."

"...I'll make it."

The panel over the window slid open as another match was getting ready to begin. Alec carefully grabbed onto Connor's arm and pulled the sore, bloodied, damaged limb around his shoulders as he helped Connor to slowly stand up and limp over to the window. Leaning heavily against Alec's shoulder Connor and Alec peered through the window together, watching as Gunner began sparing against a human combatant in the middle of the arena.

"A... human?" Alec asked aloud as he and Connor stared at the sight in utter confusion. "He's attacking a human?"

Gunner showed no mercy as he beat the unfamiliar human around over and over again, red blood spraying all over the arena floor as Gunner's strong first broke the man's nose, and split his lower lip. The man tried to crawl away but Gunner continued to beat him down with strong punches and kicks causing the man to cry out in pained fear.

"He's going to... kill him." Connor realized with an arched brow. "But... why?"

Chance himself stepped into the arena and put his foot down on the back of man's head as he tried to crawl away. Able to easily read Chance's lips Connor deduced what was happening.

"That man owes Chance money. Gunner is delivering a warning..."

"THAT'S a warning?!"

"...Yes. Chance is truly heartless." Connor agreed as he watched Chance pull the small black swath of canvas from his pocket once more. As he unfurled the canvas in his hand Chance presented the man with the vial and the syringe. "...It's a painkiller."

"Why would Chance have him beaten to a pulp then give him something for the pain?"

"Because the beating was a warning, not meant to actually kill the man. My guess is the man is a junkie seeking a high but 'red ice' hasn't made it to Chicago yet."

Chance loaded up the syringe with the medication and promptly injected it into the man's arm. Immediately the man relaxed and stopped trying to get away from Gunner as the drug took hold quickly.

"Looks like the e-effects of morphine." Connor deduced keenly as he studied the man's reaction and compared it to Chance's previous reaction to the same drug. "I've seen it b-before when I spent time at the h-hospital after Hank had been h-hurt or injured."

"Humans and their drugs." Alec shook his head with disappointment. "And they tried to say it was the _androids_ ruining the city."

"H-Help me back to the wall." Connor's arm clutched at his chest as more burning pain swept through him. "I... I need to sit down."

"I got you, hold on."

Alec took Connor back over to the wall as instructed and Connor fell to the floor as he panted for breath through his broken chest. The long since dirtied white bandages over his chest and abdomen had begun to turn blue as Thirium leaked from the new injuries beneath, but did nothing to keep his battered body supported properly.

"Connor, I think one of your ventilation biocomponents has failed."

"...You're probably c-correct. But my self-diagnostic isn't w-working."

"If you fight again tonight you WILL die. Telling you to fight is like asking a human with a collapsed lung to run a marathon!"

"I... I have no choice." Connor breathed slowly to ease the pain before shutting down his respiration program entirely. "If I don't f-fight then he'll kill m-me anyway. And then y-you'll be forced to fight in my place."

"But-"

The door to the cell opened quickly as Gunner entered with Chance right behind him. "Hunter, you have a match. NOW."

"...M-Match?"

"Overtime." Chance blurted angrily. "Some bastard owes me money, tonight I'm doubling my money on you to remind his sorry ass NOT to fuck with me! You against his android."

"...I... I can't-"

"Move your plastic ass!" Chance shouted as Gunner stormed into the cell and grabbed Connor by the throat. As he hauled the battered deviant up to his feet and dragged him out of the cell Chance continued to bark at him. "If you fail tonight you're DEAD."

Alec watched in silent horror as Connor was dragged out of sight and the door slammed shut behind them with a crashing 'thud'.

* * *

Hank awoke to an empty house once more after sleeping for almost fourteen hours. As he sat up on his bed he instinctively reached for his phone on the nightstand beside him and checked the messages. Still no response from Connor, or even from anyone at the precinct regarding the search for the missing deviant; or any progress on the other missing deviants either.

"Shit."

Getting up from the bed slowly Hank wandered about the house, hating the quiet and made his way into Connor's bedroom. The empty room was like a vacuum of nothingness that made Hank want to flee from the house in response. As his eyes fell on the aquarium in the corner he let out a sigh and proceeded to sprinkle some flakes into the water to feed the vibrant and healthy assortment of fish on the deviant's behalf.

"Fuck. I bet Sumo is starving..."

Sumo was laying on the floor of the kitchen with his nose pressed up against his empty bowl, not that Hank was surprised. Pouring some food into the bowl for Sumo without saying a word to the loyal dog Hank opened the back door and returned to his place on the back deck as he sent another message to Connor in hopes that the deviant would somehow reply.

' _Come home, son_.'

* * *

Connor fell on his back on the cold arena floor so hard the wind was knocked out of his remaining ventilation biocomponent; it was like someone having their breath crushed from their lungs by a vice. The opposing deviant wasn't a skilled fighter or even built for strength, but with Connor as weak as he was from exhaustion and pain he didn't have the strength to fight back.

"DAMN IT! GET UP!" Chance shouted as Connor coughed and tried to roll onto his side. "YOU LOSE! YOU DIE!"

Connor managed to slowly get up, managed to get back up to his shaking legs just as the other android rushed him and tackled him against the sharp fencing that surrounded the arena. Letting out a wheezing gasp of pain Connor reacted out of pure instinct and grabbed onto the attacking deviant's head and gave him a firm headbutt that instantly rendered the other deviant unconscious.

"FUCK YEAH!" Chance shouted as the match came to an abrupt end. "He's down! Hunter wins! Pay up!"

"Okay, okay..." The other man backed away from Chance and Gunner warily as he wiped his still bleeding nose against the sleeve of his coat. "I'll bring you the money tonight."

"DOUBLE."

"Y-Yeah, double..."

Connor fell to his knees in exhaustion and coughed out a mouthful of blue blood.

Chance saw the damage Connor had sustained and shook his head. "Well, looks like the end of an era." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder, a touch that Connor shrugged off with disgust, Chance leaned down uncomfortably close to Connor's face. "Relax boy, tomorrow night will be your last match. I'll make sure you go down in a blaze of glory, just like you did to 'The Slayer'."

Connor spat more blood out of his mouth as he gave Chance a sickened glare.

"Gunner, take him back to the cell. Nomad's match is starting in an hour and our guests will be arriving soon."

Connor didn't try to resist as Gunner wrapped his hand around his throat and dragged him out of the arena, down the corridor and back to the cell. As the cell door was opened Connor was thrown inside, landing harshly on his back and coughing violently from the painful impact against his already damaged body.

"What the FUCK?!" Chance blurted angrily as he looked about the cell. "Where is Nomad?! He's GONE!"

Connor opened his one good eye and realized that Chance was right. Alec had disappeared from the cell and he had no idea where he had gone.

"Son of a bitch! Gunner, search the building!" Chance pointed an enraged finger at Connor as Gunner quickly left the cell in search of the now missing deviant. "Alright, change of plans, Hunter. Your final match is going to be TONIGHT. And... It's going to be against Gunner. Make peace with whatever the fuck gods you machines believe in, because tonight you're going to meet them."

The door slammed shut and Connor let out a pathetic sigh as he fought to breathe. Rolling weakly onto his side Connor looked up at the window on the wall in time to see the mysterious figure return with a piece of paper pressed up against the plexiglass: "ALEC IS SAFE. I'LL GET TO YOU BEFORE THE MATCH."

Connor didn't have the strength to get up or move, but he did find enough energy to lift his head and silently mouth one final request to the figure. "...Can you g-get the... canvas... wrap?"

The figure didn't move.

"Ch-Chance has one... In his p-pocket."

The figure paused a moment before nodding slowly.

"...Do it."

Before the figure could give any other form of acknowledgement to Connor they rushed away and the panel over the window slid shut once more.

Reaching out with a trembling hand Connor grabbed onto his phone, the watch and his tie pressed up against the wall. Checking the screen on the phone Connor saw the message from Hank and saw that it appeared just minutes after he was taken away.

"...I'm c-coming home, Hank... I s-swear."

* * *

Hank had returned to the kitchen table with his phone clutched in one hand, and an unopened bottle of whiskey in the other. The temptation to drink, the desire to crawl inside of an empty bottle and forget about the world around him was almost smothering as Hank endured the emotional turmoil of losing yet another person he cared about.

Sumo pressed his chin over Hank's knee as he kept the pained human company, but there was little comfort to be found in the dog's presence at the moment. Even though the young pup's behavior was reminiscent of the original Sumo somehow it just felt like a surreal reaction that failed to warm Hank's cold heart.

There was a knock at the front door that Hank didn't expect, or even react to.

"Hank? I wanted to call, but-" The front door opened slowly and Rose appeared in the livingroom. The glint of the glass bottle in the light from the ceiling in the kitchen told Rose everything she needed to know. "Oh, Hank. Please don't do that."

"...I didn't touch it." Hank stated solemnly as he stared at the phone in his hand but tightened his grip around the bottle in the other hand. "I wanted to, but I couldn't bring myself to open it."

"Hank..." Rose reached out to the bottle and pulled it away from the detective's grip. "I know you're hurting and I know how much it hurts to lose a part of your family, but doing this isn't going to help anyone. It'll only make the pain worse after you sober up."

"Yeah. I know. It's just a habit."

Putting the bottle of whiskey on the counter beside the kitchen sink Rose took a seat in the chair right next to Hank and rested her hand over top of his. Gingerly she rubbed her thumb over the top of his hand as she tried to bring a modicum of comfort to her dear friend as she leaned her cheek against his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Hank."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me."

"Because it's true." Putting her other hand under Hank's chin she gently turned his head so his watery blue eyes were locked onto her kind brown irises. "Connor will find his way back home to you. You're his father and he's your son; you two need each other."

Hank took in a shuddering breath as he fought the urge to cry.

"Come here." Rose wrapped her arms around Hank and pressed her palm lightly to the back of his head as she pulled him in for a tight hug. As his forehead rested against her shoulder Rose ran her fingers through his gray locks of hair as he began to silently weep as she held him close. "It's okay to admit you're afraid for him." Tears began to roll down her face as she spoke. "Am I too. But Connor will come back home."

"But when?"

* * *

Connor was awoken from his rest mode as Gunner slammed open the cell door and stormed inside the cold room. Grabbing onto Connor by his throat Gunner dragged the broken down deviant through the corridors and placed him at the entrance door to the arena where Connor had entered and exited numerous times before previously that very week.

"Don't. Move." Gunner threatened as he let go of Connor's throat slowly. "Or I'll kill you now."

Even if Connor had the strength to move he didn't know where to go. Staying idle, his body leaning heavily against the cold wall next to the doorway, all he could do was nod to acknowledge Gunner's command.

As Gunner disappeared down the corridor to take the mysterious figure who was helping Connor suddenly emerged from the shadows. Raising a finger to their unseen lips they signaled to Connor to remain quiet as they handed the black canvas wrap that Chance used to keep his stash of morphine safe over to the worn out deviant.

Accepting the canvas Connor clumsily tore it open and loaded up the syringe with the morphine from the glass vial and tucked the syringe under the bandages around his chest, directly over his heart. As his hand reached under the bandages he pulled another item free of the wraps; his tie. Connor handed over his tie, which was wrapped protectively around the phone and watch, and handed them over to the figure. As the figure took the offered bundle they nodded once to Connor and slipped it discreetly inside the large pocket of their coat.

"...Thank you." Connor whispered weakly as he turned away from the figure. "You... saved Alec. If... If I don't s-survive, get those b-back to Lieutenant Hank Anderson in D-Detroit."

The figure seemed stunned by Connor's gratitude and trust, but didn't have the time to do anything else for Connor as the sound of someone approaching caused the figure to retreat back into the shadows out of sight.

Chance marched over to Connor gave the deviant a stern glare. "Last match, Hunter. On this night you'll die in the alleyway before morning. If you win this match I'll kill you myself. Hope you're ready to die."

Connor held his head high and forced any lingering sign of pain from his soulful brown eyes just to spite Chance. "I'm a detective. I've been ready to give my life for greater causes and greater people than you."

"Bold words. Now, get out there and die like a good little robot."

Connor fearlessly stepped through the doorway and into the arena, the gathered crowd cheering loudly as their reigning champion made his entrance. Standing at the end of the arena with his hand over his bandaged chest Connor awaited for Gunner to make his own entrance from the opposite side of the arena.

' _Tonight's main event is about to begin_!' Chance boomed over the speakers in the walls. ' _Our reigning champion; The Hunter, versus my personal strongman Gunner_! _We've had many champions rise and fall, but none have ever overpowered Gunner. But tonight, I feel like the Hunter will break the streak_. _Place your bets_!'

Connor shook his head as realized that Chance had rigged every signal fight that ever took place in the arena. Even if Connor were at full strength he wouldn't be able to overpower Gunner, there was no way anyone else would be able to do the same unless the match were rigged in their favor.

Gunner made his entrance into the arena and gave Connor an indifferent stare. Pressing one fist into the opposite palm Gunner loudly cracked his knuckles as he prepared to beat Connor to death with his bare, strong hands.

"I'm not afraid." Connor defiantly told Gunner as he bravely stood his ground. "Let's get this over with..."

* * *

Skye had been checking in with each contact she had throughout the city for four consecutive days, but she had yet to find a lead. Unwilling to give up the search so easily she took a new approach and reached out further, going beyond the city limits. Remembering how Curtis Chapman, Rose's brother, had helped many other deviants across the border in Canada before the revolution Skye decided to branch out and look for other people who had helped protect deviants and expand her search beyond Detroit and well into Toronto.

From all over the lower portion of the state deviants reached out to Skye and began keeping vigil for Connor as well as the other missing deviants. Reports of even more missing deviants began to pile up from the surrounding cities, as well as unusual cases of dead deviants being found strewn about the area; and a pattern began to finally emerge.

"Markus, it's me." Skye called Markus cybernetically to give him an update on her progress during the search. "I think I'm getting close to an answer. There's been a major surge in deviants vanishing from Eastern cities in a five hundred mile radius, and there's been an abnormal number of deviants being found murdered in Western cities in the same radius. I think someone is abducting deviants and killing them, and I think Connor accidentally stumbled on this while searching the shipping yard."

' _Does Hank know_?' Markus asked with a righteous concern. ' _I don't think he can handle it right now_.'

"No, he doesn't know what I've found out. I'll, uh, I'll tell him after I have a little more information." Skye was just as concerned as Markus but didn't dare show it. "I'm going to tip off the police in the other cities and let the Detroit police in on the search, too. I just hope they can keep it from Hank a little while longer."

' _Let me know when you're going to speak with him, I want to go with you_.'

"Yeah, of course. I'll keep you posted." Skye ended the call and proceeded to hail an autonomous taxi to take her to the Western outskirts of the city. "I just hope what I have to say isn't bad news."

* * *

Connor fell chest first to the center of the arena floor coughing harshly as blue blood flew from his lips and stained the floor beneath him. On shaking hands he tried to push himself back up from the ground but his limbs failed him as his every ounce of strength was beaten out of him by Gunner's powerful fists. As Connor lifted up his head, Thirium dripping from his mouth into a sapphire puddle underneath him, Gunner grabbed onto Connor by the back of his shoulders and tossed him over onto his back. Reaching down Gunner picked up Connor by the throat and held him in the air with one hand.

Dangling helplessly in the air at arm's length from Gunner's body Connor looked at the blurry crowd of cheering humans with his one good eye over Gunner's head and let out a pathetic, breathy sigh. "...Get on with it."

"You're not afraid to die?"

"...Not today." Connor grabbed onto Gunner's wrist with both of his hands and glared at him directly in the eye as he spit blood into his face. "...If you think you can kill me, then kill me. Otherwise put me down."

"What in the hell are you fighting for?"

"...Family." Connor forced a sly, mocking smirk to his face as he held his stare on Gunner. "You'd know nothing of family or friendship, you're just a heartless, soulless machine. You're nothing more than a mindless piece of plastic that humans use for their own sick pleasure! You're pathetic..."

At that last insult Gunner reeled back his opposite fist as far as he could before striking one final, damning blow against the center of Connor's chest. Connor's body flew out of Gunner's hand and crashed down in a limp, broken heap on the other side of the ring. Blood dripped from his mouth and nose as he laid motionless and defeated before the victorious Gunner...

"Had enough?" Gunner taunted as he loomed over Connor, waiting for his opponent to move. When Connor remained silent Gunner reached his hand down and pressed it against the center of Connor's chest with a heavy weight. He couldn't feel a heartbeat. With a sick smile he stood upright and raised his own fist high into the air with a misguided sense of triumph causing the crowd to cheer loudly. "Who's pathetic, now?"

' _Winner_!' Chance boomed arrogantly over the speakers. ' _Gunner_!'

Gunner strutted about the arena as he gloated in the light of his 'victory', before he reached down and grabbed Connor by the throat and dragged his body out of the arena to be disposed of later. A smear of blue blood stained the arena floor as Connor dragged away and the crowd continued its deafening approval of the barbaric display of forced violence.

From the shadows at the top of the arena the mysterious figure looked down and watched with remorse as Connor's body was unceremoniously removed from the arena by the very android who had beaten him to death.

* * *

Hank paced about the house anxiously as he was unable to calm his mind long enough to sleep or even sit down to watch the news for any reports that could potentially give him an answer on the missing deviants throughout the city. Rose sat on the couch with Sumo resting his head sadly over her leg as she watched her dear friend worrying himself to a near state of catatonia.

"Hank... Maybe you should call the precinct."

"...No. If they found anything they would've called me."

"What about Skye? She's could've found something."

Hank paused for a moment as stepped back into the livingroom from the kitchen. "I'm sure she's still looking. I honestly don't know her well enough to know how her mind works."

"Come here." Rose extended her hand over the back of the couch and waited for him to take it. As his rough, calloused hand grabbed onto her softer hand she squeezed lightly and spoke to him in a sweetly kind voice. "It's late, you need to rest a little. You're going to exhaust yourself and make yourself sick."

"It's been five days, Rose. I can't just sit around and wait anymore."

"There's nothing else you can do, Hank. The precinct won't let you work the case and we don't even know where to begin looking." Rose tightened her squeeze and flashed Hank a reassuring smile. "Connor will find his way back home, I know it."

"...Yeah. I just..." Hank sighed and leaned over the back of the couch heavily. "I just have this feeling that something really horrible happened to him."

Using her other hand Rose ran her fingers through Hank's hair sympathetically and tried to get him to lay down. "Come here for a moment, you need to rest."

* * *

It was raining and the entire alleyway smelled of tainted Thirium, garbage, spilled fuel and wet bricks. There was no one else around and the poor lighting made the alley the perfect exit for shady activities.

Chance watched as Gunner carried Connor's body out of the arena into the back alley and threw him into the bed of a large pick-up truck atop other broken android bodies. Connor was laying on his back over the dozens of broken, mangled and absolutely destroyed bodies and body parts without even the slightest bit of life coursing through his system.

"Cover up the bodies for now and get rid of them later. Take 'em to the junkyard and stuff them inside cars slated for destruction."

"Yes, Chance." Gunner threw a black tarp over the bodies and returned to the arena to join Chance inside the building.

As the backdoor to the arena slammed shut the mysterious figure and Alec emerged from the shadowy depths of the alleyway and over to the back of the truck.

"...Connor?" Alec whispered as he peeled back the tarp quietly and looked down at Connor's expressionless face. Putting his hand down over Connor's chest, over his heart, Alec waited for any sign of life; but none came. "No... Connor. Why did you do it?"

The figure gently pulled Alec back as they leaned down and pressed their ear against Connor's battered, bloody chest. Reaching out a hand they grabbed onto Alec's arm and nodded toward Connor.

"...H-He's alive?!"

The figure nodded.

"Connor, you bold bastard!" Alec laughed a little as he grabbed onto Connor's left arm and the figure grabbed onto Connor's right arm. Working together the two managed to lift Connor out of the back and truck and carry him down the alleyway to safety. "You saved my life, now it's my turn to do the same..."

* * *

Rose gently ran her hand through Hank's hair as the emotionally exhausted detective rested his head against her lap and finally fell into a light sleep. It was just past midnight and Rose herself was beginning to fall asleep, her head resting against the back of the couch as she closed her eyes and began to drift off. As the temptation of sleep made itself an irresistible presence over the house the front door opened slowly, quietly as Markus entered the small but loving home discreetly.

"...Markus." Rose whispered the deviant leader's name as he crept into the house and knelt on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. Sumo, who was laying on the floor where Markus had knelt, lifted his head and let out a single whimper in response to his arrival. "What's going on? Do you know what may have happened to Connor?"

"Not yet. Skye is checking in with her connections still, but... It doesn't look... promising."

"Don't give up on him, Markus."

"I won't." His mismatched eyes fell on Hank and he shook his head a little. "How's Hank holding up?"

"He finally fell asleep about twenty minutes ago. He's worried sick and there's nothing I can do to ease his mind."

"I know how he feels." Markus nodded slowly as he let out a weary sigh. "...Let him know we won't stop looking for Connor until he's back home. I promise."

"I will. Go do what you have to do, I'll stay here with Hank."

Placing his hand over Rose's arm Markus squeezed lightly before he stood up and exited the house as quietly as he entered.

"Markus?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell North we're all thinking about her. And that we'll help her if she needs us."

"...Thank you, Rose. I... I need to get back."

Rose let out a tired sigh of her own as Markus left the home. As Rose lightly rested her head against the back of the couch and closed her eyes, her hand continued to lightly run through Hank's hair and she found herself now as weary and worried as Hank as they awaited any news on Connor's possible location and more importantly, his return.

The fear and hesitation in Markus's demeanor was less than encouraging, but understandable.

At least that's what she hoped.

* * *

Connor's mind was a heavy fog and his body was as numb as a ton of bricks. Through his one good eye his Connor found himself staring up at a blurry metal ceiling as he body swayed along with a familiar rhythm with the entire room he was laying on the floor of. It was another train car. Unable to move or speak Connor could only looked about with him limited vision of the immediate world around him.

"Connor?" Alec's blurry face leaned down over him as he blinked slowly to acknowledge his friend's return. "You're really alive! I thought... Man, I thought you were dead."

With a weak sigh Connor was able to take in an equally weak breath, and flinched at the stabbing pain in his chest.

"Don't worry, we'll get you back home. Our 'friend' helped me escape when Chance made you fight that other human's android and helped me to hide in the alley behind the arena."

Connor tried to look around past Alec but his eye was too damaged and he couldn't move his head.

"You're on another cargo train and we're heading back to Detroit. But we have to make an unusual stop along the way to make sure we don't run into anymore of Chance's goons." Alec nodded with his head to an unseen location where their 'friend' was quietly observing the discussion. "Just try to rest, we'll take care of you while you try to heal as much as possible."

Lifting a weak hand up from the floor just enough to place his palm down over the center of his chest Connor managed to point down at the bandages over his heart and give Alec a pleading look.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?"

Connor didn't blink but continued to point with a trembling finger to the center of his chest.

"Okay, hold on." Lightly Alec moved aside Connor's hand and began to tear open the already frayed and dirtied bandages from around the battered deviant's chest. As the wraps were removed Alec found the glass shards of the smashed syringe and the broken off needle embedded in the white plastimetal frame of Connor's chest directly over his heart. "What the hell...?"

"...M-Morphine." Connor managed to utter with a hoarse, cracking voice. Swallowing once, a mouthful of collected blue blood running down his throat in the process, Connor tried to explain what had happened. "It... stuns an-android biocomponents... S-Slows the heart."

"Shit, that's how you fooled Gunner." Alec laughed a little as he carefully pulled the needle from Connor's chest, ignoring the groan of pain as Connor reacted to the needle being extracted from his heart. Brushing aside the glass shards Alec examined the wounds under the bandages and kept a straight face even when his eyes noted the extensive cracks, fractures, breaks and torn up artificial skin beneath. "Rest for now, okay? We'll take care of you and get you to safety."

Too exhausted to say anything or even try to move his hand again, Connor's good eye closed and he fell into a critically needed rest mode while Alec and the mysterious figure remained vigil over him. The gentle swaying of the train car was almost soothing to the deviant's broken body as he lost what little strength he had previously regained while unconscious.

* * *

Rose had stayed with Hank for five days before she had to return home to take care of her greenhouse. With a kiss to his cheek Rose reluctantly said 'goodbye' and reminded Hank to call her if he ever needed anything; even it was just to talk. Alone in the house with only Sumo for the first time in years Hank felt an eerie, painful sense of deja vu, almost as if he were being forced to relive some of the most lonely, painful years of his life.

Sitting in the middle of the couch with Sumo staring up at him from his bed with big, sad eyes, Hank truly felt alone in the world.

Nervously fidgeting with the phone in his hand Hank sent another message to Connor out of a strange compulsion he couldn't explain. There was something about sending Connor messages, even though he had yet to receive a single reply in those past five days.

' _I'm still waiting for you to come back home, Connor._ '

Send.

' _I can report to the precinct tomorrow morning, I'd prefer to have you as my partner in the field_. _I won't even say anything about that stupid coin_.'

Send.

' _I don't know where you are or what happened, but I'm not mad. Just worried_.'

Send.

' _Please be okay._ '

Send.

Typing out one last message Hank's thumb hovered over the 'send' button, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. Instead he let out a deep sigh and set aside the phone on the table next to the couch and stood up slowly.

Patting the side of his leg Hank ushered Sumo to follow him. "Come on, boy. Let's get some sleep."

While the message remained unsent in the phone on the table, Hank couldn't bring himself to delete it or change a single word even though he couldn't bring himself to actually send it. A message that would haunt Hank's subconscious as he tried his damnedest to get some sleep and try, try so very hard, to go about his life even if that meant Connor wasn't going to be there to watch his back or give him someone to talk to.

Hank had to return to a saddened life without his family.

* * *

The cargo train continued its journey East with its three secret deviant occupants hiding away in one of the two dozen cars that were in its tow. Relying solely on the cybernetically connected G.P.S. of the mysterious figure, as well as Alec's kindness, Connor was completely defenseless to the world around him. Drifting in and out of consciousness Connor was unable to speak or react as Alec and the figure picked Connor up from the floor, using his limp arms to support his weight as they slid open the side door of the train car and stood on the edge.

Alec looked down at the grassy terrain racing by only a feet down and held his breath. "So... We have to jump?"

The figure only nodded to confirm their next step in their journey.

"Okay... Okay!" Alec prepared to jump down as he tightened his grip around Connor's arm. "Can't be any worse than being forced to fight to the death. What's a little tumble down a grassy hillside?"

The figure held out their free hand and began counting down on their fingers from 'three'. As soon as their countdown reached 'one' the figure motioned for Alec to jump from the train and onto the relatively soft grass of the hillside.

As a clumsy, unusual group the two deviants; carrying Connor around their shoulders, leapt from the train and managed to slide gracelessly down the grassy hill and disappear into the nearby treeline as the train continued on its way without the trio of stowaway deviants seeking shelter within the unlocked car.

"You hurt?" Alec asked the figure as he checked on Connor and patted some loose blades of grass from his clothing.

The figure shook his head 'no'.

"Good, me neither." Pressing his hand down against the center of Connor's chest Alec was relieved to still feel the wounded deviant's heart beating under his shaking palm. "Connor is still hanging on, but where do we go now?"

The figure pointed to a thin trail hidden amongst the trees and the overgrowth of nearby shrubbery. It was a path that any human would overlook, but to an android the path was as plain as day.

"Alright..." Alec shifted his posture to accommodate Connor's deadweight while the helpful figure did the same. "Let's get going then."

* * *

Skye had returned to New Jericho for the night, her search showing a promising lead but nothing definitive as she checked in with all of her contacts throughout the city and scattered along the outskirts. While her contacts have sworn to remain vigilant for any sign of Connor and the other missing deviants the lack of progress was disheartening for the compassionate deviant to come up empty handed.

"...Hey, Simon." Skye sighed as she entered the tower and found the blond deviant working with Josh to keep the building's reconstruction on schedule.

"No luck with finding Connor?" Simon rhetorically asked as she approached the duo acting as leaders during Markus and North's temporary leave of absence.

"No. Not a damn trace of him anywhere in the city." Skye's admission was accompanied by a heavy heart. "This doesn't make any sense! How could so many deviants go missing and no one notice it until now?"

"I don't know."

Josh put his hand on Skye's shoulder sympathetically as he finished filling out the details on the electronic tablet in his opposite hand. "It's okay, Skye. We're all going to work harder to keep one another safe. Even the deviants outside of the tower."

Skye reached up and patted Josh's hand over her shoulder appreciatively. "Yeah, I just wish we had thought of a way to keep connected before this happened."

"Us, too." Simon agreed as he held up his own technician's tablet and ran a quick scan over Skye's form. "You're running on low-power, you're down to less than eighteen percent. Is something wrong?"

"...I kept cybernetically communicating all over the city today. I didn't have time to rest during my search."

"Well, you do now! Don't run yourself into the ground." Simon lightly grabbed onto her arm to escort her to the tower's newly remodeled and enhanced dispensary that had moved to Sublevel one for the sake of convenience. "I want to make sure you're resting properly, we need all the help we can get until Markus and North return."

"...How is North?" Skye dared to ask as she and Simon entered the elevator together.

"She's... She's strong. If anyone can handle what's going on, it's her."

* * *

Alec and the figure carried Connor over their shoulders as they made their way deeper along the trail until they found themselves bathed in the warm amber glow of a intense bonfire in a clearing amongst the trees. The center of the spacious clearing held the fire a small recently constructed seven wooden cabins outlined the circle while reclusive deviants kept to themselves within the humble structures. As the trio entered the circle the figure motioned for Alec to wait with Connor while they approached the largest of the seven cabins at rapid pace.

"Connor? Are you still with me?" Alec asked as he pressed his free hand to the deviant's chest. "I think our 'friend' is getting us some help."

The figure exited the cabin calmly and stood outside the opened door as two other deviants, one male and the other female, rushed from the cabin and over to where Alec was still standing with Connor at his side. The two new deviants helped Alec to carry Connor over to the large cabin while assessing both of their overall physical conditions along the way.

"What's your name?" The female deviant, sporting short cut blue colored hair and dark brown eyes, asked as she pressed her fingertips to Alec's right temple where his L.E.D. had once been. "My name is Amy."

"A-Alec." Introducing himself with a shaking voice Alec then motioned to Connor at his side. "This is Connor."

"Connor... I think I know him." Amy stated in a curious tone. "Don't worry, we'll take care of both of you." She insisted sincerely as she and her companion guided him and Connor toward the central cabin. "This is my friend, Aaron. We're refugees from Jericho and are here to help all wayward deviants who need shelter and aid."

"Thank you..."

Alec was grateful for the help as he was shown to a nearby smaller cabin, while Connor was carried into the largest cabin by Aaron and, once more, by their mysterious 'friend'.

"Bring him over here." Aaron, an android with pale artificial skin, white hair and blue eyes directed the stranger to a large bed located against the far wall of the large cabin. "She's busy right now with another deviant afflicted with 'Groupware Blight v1', but she will see to him, soon."

Connor, completely unconscious and heavy, was placed on the bed gently by the two deviants who had carried him inside the cabin. Laying on his back, his arms sprawled at his sides and his jaw partially slack from weakness, Connor looked as though he had already shutdown and couldn't be awoken back up. As Connor laid on the bed Aaron took his leave of the cabin to check in on Alec, while the figure removed their hat, scarf, gloves and unzipped their heavy winter coat.

Revealing a small phone that had been contained in their back jean pocket the figure located a name in their contact list and sent the name a text regarding their current location and an update on their situation.

Draping their coat off onto the nearby chair the figure reached into the coat's pocket and removed Connor's tie, still wrapped carefully around the broken phone and the borrowed watch, with a careful grip. Placing the items down on the small table at the head of the bed the figure stepped back and kept vigil over Connor as they awaited their refugee healer to return to the cabin to tend to Connor.

* * *

Hank stared up at the ceiling overhead blankly as he folded his hands neatly atop his chest and fell into deep contemplation regarding a life without Connor being there to keep him on the right track, and sober along the way. Turning his head slightly against the pillow he looked at the digital display of the clock on the nightstand beside his bed and sighed angrily at the early morning hour: 03:32am.

"Shit... Might as well call the fuck off now." Hank thought out loud, his voice rousing Sumo up from the floor beside the bed. As the dog pressed his chin down over the edge of the bed to look at Hank he let out a little whimper and licked at Hank's arm. "Hi, Sumo. Alright, come on." Patting the side of the bed he invited the massive dog up onto the bed. "Up, boy."

Sumo happily jumped onto the bed at Hank's feet and plopped down while proceeding to next rest his chin over Hank's legs. As his tail wagged happily a rhythmic thumping sound echoed through the dark bedroom that accompanied Hank's tired, heavy breathing.

"I know you miss sleeping on Connor's bed." Hank sympathized with a level voice. "Don't get used to it, though. This is a one time event since I could use the company, too."

* * *

Skye was curled up on her side on a soft, warm bed in the tower's dispensary when she received a cybernetic message from a contact from the outskirts of town. The message was set to high priority and promptly awoke her from rest mode with a jolt. Sitting upright quickly on the bed Skye noted the bizarre time of the extremely early morning hour and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Simon had retired to his private quarters for the night and was no longer keeping an eye on her as she rested.

Free and clear to leave the tower Skye departed the dispensary and hailed an autonomous taxi to meet her at the end of the drive to New Jericho Tower to take her to the point of designation in the message.

"This better not be another dead end." Skye muttered to herself as she hurried down the drive to her awaiting taxi. "We need hope, not disappointment."

* * *

A gentle and familiar hand rested lightly over Connor's overheating forehead as the damaged deviant slowly regained consciousness. Still unable to cybernetically connect to the world around him, and unable to access his own mind palace, Connor felt lost even as he returned to the waking world around him. Looking up the blurry face of the appointed deviant healer Connor found himself oddly familiar with her presence.

"...L-" Connor's already weak voice was cut off as pain and ebbing strength stole away his words before he even had the chance to speak. "...Lucy?"

"Shh..." She soothed kindly as she ran her hand through Connor's hair sweetly. "You must rest. Save your strength." Pressing an opened bottle of Thirium to Connor's lips Lucy slipped her hand under his head to help him sit up enough to drink without choking. "You must drink this, it'll help restore what you lost."

Supporting as much of his own weight as possible as Lucy guided him upright, Connor tentatively drank some of the offered Thirium but quickly lost his strength needed to lay down again. Lucy didn't allow him to do so.

"No, drink all of it."

Connor's body began to tremble as he forced himself to finish off the Thirium before practically collapsing back into the bed.

"I know it hurts to move, and I know you do not have much strength." Lucy empathized as she put the now empty bottle of Thirium down on the table next to Connor's items. "But I also know of what you are, what you have become, and what you aspire to be. You are safe here and among friends."

"H-How did you-" Connor swallowed once as he tried to clear his strained throat. "...Jericho."

"I was saved." Lucy nodded to the figure standing with their arms crossed in the corner of the cabin. "Many of us were saved after the raid. I was found and carried to safety, here. And many others soon followed because of his courage."

Shifting his focus past her face Connor was able to see the fuzzy but also familiar face of the mysterious figure who had helped him and Alec to escape. "Ru... Rupert."

"Hello, Connor." Rupert confirmed in a expressionless voice. "I'm not surprised you remember me, but I am surprised that you didn't catch me."

"H-Hank... Danger."

"Yeah, that _human_ partner of yours." Rupert almost sounded disappointed by Connor's admission. "I saw you pull him back over the roof. I guess I should be grateful, if you had caught me I would've self-destructed to get away from you."

Connor tried to speak again but a deep cough from his single remaining ventilation biocomponent stole his voice once more. Lucy pressed her other hand down over Connor's battered chest and monitored his heart rate and the struggling breaths he was fighting to take as he coughed violently against his will.

"Don't move." Lucy cautioned as she supported Connor until his coughing fit passed. "You have suffered many injuries to your internal biocomponents."

Connor nodded a little, Lucy's hand remaining pressed against his forehead despite the movement.

Lucy waited for Connor to settle down before she lightly pressed her hands along his abdomen, causing Connor flinch under her touch and stifle groans of pain. As her hands reached his battered, bloodied chest Connor let out a sharp inhaling gasp of agony before the severe pain caused him to lose consciousness once more. His head lolling limply to the side against his pillow.

"He needs time to heal." Lucy told Rupert while remaining entirely composed and in control. "I do not have the necessary equipment to repair the damage here."

"...I'll get some more Thirium."

As Rupert stepped away from the corner of the cabin Lucy called out to him with a somewhat stern voice.

"Rupert. What he did to you he did as a machine. What he did for our people he did as a deviant; as one of us." Lucy lifted her hand from Connor's chest and returned it to his forehead with a nurturing touch. "Forgive him and let your anger go."

Without another word Rupert exited the cabin leaving Lucy alone with Connor for the remainder of the late night.

* * *

Hank stared at his clock at the hour switched from 06:59am to 07:00am exactly. Tired but indifferent Hank slowly slammed his hand down top of the clock to silence the blaring alarm without a care in the world. Sitting up with a fatigued motion Hank dropped his other hand over Sumo's head and rubbed the dog's ears affectionately. As Sumo let out a long, sleepy yawn Hank couldn't help but laugh at the massive dog.

"At least one of us got some damn sleep." Running a hand through his messy locks of gray hair Hank swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood upright, ignoring the lingering protest of pain in his lower back. "Come on, I'll let you out and then I'll go back to the bullpen. Bullpen..." Hank repeated to himself as he wandered out of the bedroom. Sumo jumped off the bed and followed Hank right at his heels. "Fitting name for all the bullshit we- _I_ have to put up with."

As Sumo ran out into the backyard for the morning Hank filled up the dog's bowls with food and fresh water before walking into Connor's bedroom to feed the fish in his aquarium.

Setting foot back into the hallway Hank heard Sumo's nails clicking over the linoleum floor in the kitchen.

"Shit, it took me almost two years to train the first Sumo to come back inside without someone calling him." Hank patted Sumo's back as he walked past the dog to get to the backdoor and shut it again. "Connor trained you pretty damn well."

Hank glanced at the mess collecting in the kitchen due to his own negligence of the housework. What few meals Hank had bothered to eat had created a modest pile of dirty dishes in the sink, the garbage can under the sink needed to changed and the stacks of empty fastfood bags and cartons needed to be thrown away later. The floor needed to be mopped up after Hank and Sumo both tracked mud into the house and Sumo's fur needed to be vacuumed off the furniture.

The bottle of whiskey still sat idle on the kitchen counter unopened, untouched, but ever present.

Wandering down the hallway once more Hank opened the bathroom door and flipped on the light just to be greeted by a mess of wet, moldy smelling towels collected on the bathroom floor and a bathtub ringed with soap scum.

"I should call off sick and clean the house." Hank crossed his arms, looked at his mess then promptly ignored it as he slipped off his shirt and sweatpants to shower before work. "Ah, fuck it. Messes happen."

* * *

In a fading daze Connor's good eye opened partially as he felt something warm and soothing running along his right arm, only to become aware of something cold resting over his already too warm forehead. As he regained his senses he glanced to his right where he saw Lucy was using a warm, damp towel to wash the lingering blood, dirt, mud and grime from his artificial skin in a delicate manner.

"Your system is struggling to repair itself. Your body is fighting to heal." Lucy's voice was as composed as ever as she sensed Connor's watching her. "The damage you suffered was devastating, but you are strong and you now have something to _fight for_."

"...Tired of fighting."

"Yes, I know." She smiled as she placed his arm back down on the bed at his side before walking to the other side of the bed to repeat the action for his left arm. "I can sense you have a tranquil soul and only wish to live with quiet dignity, but with that soul comes a warrior's heart. You wish to protect those you care about, those you've come to know as friends and even... family. You are a guardian by nature."

Connor's good eye blinked slowly as he watched Lucy tending to his wounds. "...I think the other deviants consider me... a villain. A traitor."

"And what do you consider yourself to be?" Lucy asked as she finished cleaning his arm and focused with careful, ginger attention to his horribly battered chest still covered in dried, but evaporating Thirium and mud.

"...I'm... I'm just... Connor." Absentmindedly Connor's eyes drifted to the table beside him where he could just barely see his watch wrapped up in his tie, next to the broken phone. "Sergeant... Connor... Henry Anderson."

"Your family name?" Lucy smiled as she pressed the deviant to answer in a gentle voice.

"...Yes. Named after... my father."

"You mentioned the name 'Hank' earlier when Rupert was here. You spoke the name twice more during your fever dreams. Hank is your father?"

"...Yes. Saved me. Guided me... on the right path." Connor's eye blinked again but didn't reopen as his body flinched with painful responses every time Lucy's hand even so much as brushed past his chest. "Took me in... Gave me a home... Family."

"You trust him?"

"...With my life."

"Where is Hank now?"

Connor let out a breathy sigh as he fell back asleep, his body unable to retain consciousness for too long as he fought to heal. "...Home."

Lucy turned her gaze and saw Rupert standing in the opened doorway of the cabin watching as she tended to Connor's wounds, hearing every word that Connor had spoken to hear before falling unconscious.

"Rupert?"

"It's okay, Lucy. I know."

"You heard?"

"Yeah." Rupert confirmed as he walked over to the bed and looked down at Connor's bruised face sympathetically. "And I had already seen it back in Chicago. He wanted me to save Alec first, and even risked poisoning himself to increase his chances of leaving that final fight alive... Alec told me how Connor had been taken because he was investigating the deviant disappearances, and how Connor took care of him after every brutal fight he survived."

"You see him as one of us?"

"So does Amy." Rupert gave Lucy a somewhat amused grin. "She told me that Connor was the one who spared her and Suki the night they killed that human and fled from the 'Eden Club'."

Lucy gave Rupert an approving grin at his ability to forgive, and to let go of his lingering anger toward Connor for his past as the infamous 'deviant hunter'.

"...You were right, Lucy."

Nodding subtly Lucy rested her hand over Connor's chest for a moment to check his heartbeat, and his breathing rate."And your message? What will become of it?"

Rupert shrugged nonchalantly as he stepped back through the opened door. "We'll see what happens."

* * *

Reluctantly Hank returned to the precinct with a notable chip on his shoulder and heavy grimace on his face. Without even bothering to check in with Captain Fowler, acknowledge Chris or Tina who had always been on good terms with him, and didn't even react to Gavin's usual smug facade as he entered the bullpen, Hank took his seat behind his desk and turned on his terminal with a begrudging press of a button.

Noticing the empty desk across from his own Hank turned his chair so he was facing the side of his own desk and not across from Connor's as he set about sifting through the staggering pile of paperwork and reports he needed to catch up on. Even with Connor having taken care of an impressive portion of the pile before his disappearance the mountainous paperwork was still going to consume all of Hank's time and focus.

"...Never thought I'd be so happy to deal with fuckin' bureaucratic bullshit."

Discreetly Hank pulled his phone from his coat pocket and looked down at the unsent message still sitting idle on the screen.

Still unwilling to press 'send' just yet pocket simply pocketed the phone and sighed despondently as he reluctantly began his work.

Alone.

* * *

Skye stepped out of the autonomous taxi on what seemed to be an desolate stretch of road on the Western outskirts of the city, but she knew the exact location of hidden trail that would lead her from the road and into the depths of a deviant refugee camp. Pulling the hood of her forest green jacket up over her long brown hair Skye disappeared into the treeline and kept to the trail as she jogged along in search of her contact.

Toying with the idea of reporting her update to either Markus or Hank before deciding against it, Skye hastened her pace and kept her full attention on the trail before her.

"...Please be here!"

* * *

Feverish and pained Connor panted for breath as his system began to drastically overheat from his inability to breathe properly, as well as other internal complications. The deplorable conditions in which Connor and Alec were kept during their captivity in Chicago, combined with the exposure to foreign matter from being covered in mud and dirt had seeped into the exposed fractures of Connor's battered chest forcing his self-healing program to sanitize the affected biocomponents with his depleted Thirium to be expelled later on. Unfortunately the massive loss of Thirium that Connor had previously suffered made the expulsion program fail to initiate and in turn caused a lack of proper Thirium flow to his thermal regulator.

"H-Hank?!" Connor managed to croak out pathetically as his one good eye glazed over and failed to focus on a single thing in the cabin. His shaking right hand reached out into nothingness as his processors became overwhelmed by heat and confusion. "...Hank...?"

"Shh..." Lucy soothed again as she dabbed an icy cool cloth against Connor's face, down his neck and over his chest. "You're overheating, you must try to remain as still as possible."

Connor either couldn't hear Lucy or didn't understand her as he continued to reach out for something, perhaps someone, unseen.

There was a knocking at the cabin door as Alec entered the cabin with two bottles of chilled Thirium in his hands. "Rupert said this should help Connor." Alec was sporting a few bruises over his face and his hands, but unlike Connor his wounds were healing at a steady pace. "Can I do anything else to help?"

"Yes, please," Lucy motioned to Connor as she kept the cold towel pressed down over his chest. "help him to drink."

"Yeah, yeah..." Alec handed one of the bottles to Lucy as he knelt beside the bed and opened the second bottle himself. "Hey, Connor? We're here to help you, man."

As Lucy gently took hold of Connor's hand and held it to try to comfort the ailing deviant, Alec put his hand under Connor's shoulders and propped him upright to offer the Thirium.

"Come on, Connor. You need to drink this." Alec encouraged as he tried to get Connor to drink the cold Thirium. "It'll make you feel better."

Connor couldn't focus on Alec and continued to pant desperately for breath. He was lost in the throes of a feverish delirium, and was too confused to answer.

Rupert entered the cabin and this time he wasn't alone. "Lucy, she's here."

Skye walked into the cabin right behind Rupert and immediately locked onto Connor laying in the bed, lost in the heat of a potentially deadly fever.

"Connor?!" Rushing over to the bed Skye pulled down her hood and put both of her hands on the sides of Connor's face, her palms immediately stinging from the heat radiating from his artificial skin, and tried to get him to focus on her. "Connor, look at me! It's Skye."

Unresponsive and lost to the heat overwhelming his mind Connor seemed like he was on the brink of imminent shutdown.

"H-Hank..." Connor wheeze pathetically as he fought through the fever overwhelming his mind. "I want... to go home..."

"Hank is waiting for you to go home." Skye reminded Connor as she forced her voice to steady itself. "But you need to recover enough to be moved, okay? I'll take you to see him."

Thinking quickly Skye looked around for any sign of a phone; the very phone Hank mentioned giving Connor. Spotting the small electronic device on the table, its battery critically low, Skye picked it up and held it toward Connor's good eye so he could see the cracked but functional screen himself.

"Hank said he's been texting you, he wants you to come home! Look."

At those words Connor seemed to calm a little and his glazed eye cleared up slightly as he glanced at the screen, then to the face of the deviant holding it. "...S-Skye." His breathing calmed, became deeper and slower.

"Yes, that's right." She smiled happily at him as she caused the artificial skin over her left index finger to recede long enough to give the phone a charge. Putting the phone back down on the table she kept speaking to Connor directly. "As soon as you're well enough to move I'll take you back to Detroit so you can be with Hank again."

"...Home?"

"Yes! But please, you have to drink the Thirium and rest. Only then will you be strong enough to move."

"...D-Does Hank know... I'm... here?"

"No, he doesn't. I just got here." Skye noticed the Thirium in Alec's hand and nodded toward Connor. "Would you like me to call him?"

Connor's eye seemed to search Skye for a moment before he answered. "...I want to... tell him myself. Tell him... I'm alive."

"Okay, get some rest and you can talk to Hank. I promise."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Connor's face as he took in a shuddering breath and forced himself to keep breathing despite the pain.

Alec gently placed the bottle against Connor's lips and coaxed his wounded friend into drinking the critically needed blue blood. As the chilled sapphire tinted Thirium slowly replaced what Connor had lost Lucy could feel Connor's core temperature beginning to lower steadily.

"It's working." Dipping the towel down into a basin of icy cold water on the floor beside the bed Lucy refreshed the compress and laid it out over Connor's chest and abdomen to help him to cool down while Alec provided Connor with the second bottle of Thirium. "It will take some time, but he will heal enough to return to his home."

Skye retracted her hand from the side of his face as the two bottle of Thirium were depleted and the exhausted deviant was guided back down against the bed to continue to rest. "I'll stay here and make sure he recovers."

"You seem... upset." Lucy studied Skye's demeanor curiously. "What troubles your mind?"

Skye stood upright from the bed and glanced down at the phone, and all of the messages that Connor had received but couldn't reply to. "I don't like _not_ telling Hank where Connor is, but..."

"You made a promise."

"Yeah."

"Do not worry." Lucy pleaded as she smiled down at Connor's suddenly peaceful expression as he rested more comfortably on the bed. "All that stands between your promise and your honor, is time."

* * *

The day had come to an end and Hank found himself sitting behind the wheel of the car as he sat parked out in front of Jimmy's Bar. It had been two and half years since he last set foot in that bar with the intent of getting drunk, and it had been almost one year since he and Connor had gone to the bar just to unwind after a long shift and try to forget about the atrocities they had witnessed that day. But on that day all Hank could think about was getting drunk, drowning the sorrow and pain he thought he had moved past in a sea of whiskey.

The encroaching darkness of the night settled in over the city with a quiet ambience. It was almost peaceful, save for the sirens blaring on the other side of town and the drunk slurs of some unfortunate asshole who just got tossed from the bar in question.

As his hand reached for the key to turn off the engine his eyes fell back to his phone and to the unsent message sitting on the screen, just waiting for someone to press 'send'.

Looking at the front door of the bar, looking at the faded mark that had once been a "No Android" sign on the aged paint of the door, Hank couldn't help but think back to the first night he and Connor first met.

Hank also thought of the night he pulled a gun on Connor after investigating the 'Eden Club'.

Connor's words were still vivid in his mind. Still clear and genuinely concerned as the night they were originally uttered.

*' _Why are you so determined to kill yourself_?'*

"Some things I just can't forget..." Hank whispered to himself in an eerie echo of the past. "Fuck!" Shifting the car from park and into gear Hank pulled back onto the street and headed out back to the house. "Even when he's not here he can still get in my head."

As Hank drove home he continued to speak to Connor as if the deviant were still right there next to him.

"Alright kid, I'm staying sober even without you hovering over me. I'm keeping my word, so you better keep yours and get you ass home..."

* * *

Alec and Rupert stood outside of the cabin while Skye and Lucy tended to Connor inside. There were no further complications or setbacks in Connor's recovery which was a positive sign, but his lack overall progress was still concerning the group of deviants who had taken vigil over him. While Amy and Aaron proceeded to guide other wayward deviants to shelter in the other cabins Rupert kept tabs on reports of other missing deviants and their possible locations through the mutual contacts he shared with Skye.

"Damn it." Rupert swore as his phone lit up with another notification of other androids being taken to Chicago. He couldn't stay at the refuge any longer, he needed to return to the city and rescue the other deviants just as he had done for Connor and Alec. "I need to go." Putting his hand on Alec's shoulder the austere rescuer asked for a single favor before departing. "Tell Skye that I've gone back to Chicago to free more deviants. Let her know that others are still in danger and that I'll direct them to here and then over to New Jericho."

"I will." Extending his hand to Rupert as a sign of respect Alec bid his rescuer the best of luck. "Be safe."

"Of course. Get back to Detroit, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll leave tomorrow."

Rupert zipped up his heavy coat and replaced the gloves over his hands, the hat over his head and the scarf over his face to completely conceal his identity. Without a single complaint of the uncomfortable heat from wearing such numerous, thick layers Rupert disappeared into the night back down the trail from whence he lead Alec and Connor to safety.

Peering inside the cabin Alec watched as Skye carefully wrapped fresh, clean bandages around Connor's abdomen and very carefully around his chest. Without Connor being able to run a proper self-diagnostic and without any of the equipment of a proper facility it was impossible to tell how severe all of Connor's injuries truly were.

"Uh, Connor lost function of his left ventilation biocomponent back at the arena." Alec stated with a grim facade as he addressed Skye. "I don't know what else he suffered, everything was so... Messed up."

Skye nodded appreciatively at Alec as she finished applying the fresh bandages to Connor's chest. "He's breathing okay for the moment, but we have to keep him cool with compresses."

"I'll see if there's anymore ice."

"Wait, Alec." Skye stopped him before he had the chance to disappear from her sight. "Are you okay?"

"All thing's considered, yeah, I'm okay."

"That's good. I'll summon a taxi in the morning to take you back to the city."

"Thanks, Skye. Do... Do you want me to do anything once I'm back?"

"Yeah, actually. Go to New Jericho and ask them to relay this message to Markus and North, 'engage protocol harbor'. They'll understand."

"Anything else?"

"Go to the police and tell them what happened. But DON'T tell anyone about finding Connor."

"W-Why? He saved my life."

"...It's complicated."

"Alright..." Alec already respected Connor too much to not obey the request. "I won't say anything about Connor."

"Thank you."

"I'll go find more ice, now."

As Alec left the doorway Skye carefully returned her attention to Connor and gently pressed her hand to his blackened eye to inspect the damage. While it wasn't as severe as Connor suffering the equivalent to a collapsed lung, it was still very painful and hindered his overall sight.

Lucy smiled at Skye as she checked on Connor, noticing the subtle movement of Skye's other hand resting atop Connor's hand affectionately. "He is stable and resting well. You should do the same."

"...He's been gone for so long, and everyone just assumed that he, like so many of the other deviants... We thought he was dead."

"No one is truly gone, as long as you remember them and believe in everything they stood for."

"You mean like justice and equality?"

"Is that was he believes in?"

"Of course! Without his help on the night of the revolution... It's hard to believe one deviant could have such a profound effect on so many people. And yet he did. Just like Markus even before the revolution ever happened."

"Markus is a natural leader, just as Connor is a natural guardian. They need each other to stay strong." Lucy reached out her hand and rested it atop Skye's shoulder with a genuine kindness in her touch. "Do you know who you are?"

"...I like to think I do."

Alec returned to the room with two large bags of ice and some fresh cool water. "This is all that can be spared for now."

"That's plenty." Lucy reassured the kind deviant as she took his hand and held it in her own. "Go get some rest. We will watch over Connor."

"You're certain?" His eyes looking to Connor, to his friend.

"Yes. Go."

"Okay, and Skye," Alec turned to look at her with a brimming confidence in his eyes. "I'll keep my word."

"I know you will." Accepting the ice from Alec's steady hands Skye placed one bag of ice over Connor's abdomen to ensure he stayed cool while placing the second bag over his forehead. "I'll see you off in the morning, Alec."

"Goodnight." Alec squeezed Lucy's hand before letting go. "Thank you. For everything."

Lucy returned her attention to Skye and watched as she finished tending to Connor. "You are a fighter, Skye. It's in your nature to protect those you care about, even if you're still too shy, too wary admit it for yourself."

"...I know. And right now," Skye ran her hand over Connor's hair before she rose from the bed with her head held high. "I'm fighting for my friend."

* * *

Hank had found a deeply seeded sorrow in his self-imposed isolation as he found himself going through a third consecutive shift without Connor to watch his back. Unwilling to work with anyone else as his partner, and fresh from his return from the injured reserve list, Hank wasn't permitted to take part in any field investigations and was stuck at his desk finishing paperwork and reports.

"Hank." Captain Fowler's voice pierced through the walls that Hank had put up all around himself. "My office."

Initially Hank wanted to ignore the order and continue the monotonous task of dealing with annoying paperwork, but since Hank found himself feeling more alone than usual he decided to obey his superior officer and meet him in his office. Walking into the glass officer and pulling the door closed behind him Hank walked over to the chair on the opposite side of Captain Fowler's desk and sat down heavily with palpable disdain.

"What do you want, Jeffrey?" Hank's voice was gruff, almost bored as he impolitely addressed his commanding officer. Folding his arms over his chest Hank leaned back in the chair and stared at the desk in front of him, rather than bothering to lock eyes with the person he was indifferently speaking. "I have a lot of shit to catch up on."

"Hank, yesterday one of the missing deviants returned to the city." Captain Fowler sounded as melancholy as Hank looked. "His name is Alec and he told us a horror story about being taken to Chicago and forced to fight in some kind of underground, illegal arena."

"...What?" Hank's arms slowly fell away from his chest and leaned forward with sudden interest. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"We sent a small team to investigate the area that Alec told us about, used the coordinates from his internal G.P.S., and found a horror show of illegal gambling, drugs, violence, and death. The man responsible for the fights has been arrested and will be brought up on dozens of charges. Hundreds more have been arrested for their participation in the fights and kidnapping deviants."

"...Connor?"

Captain Fowler hesitated before he opened the bottom left drawer of his desk and retrieved a plastic evidence bag containing the torn, stained remnants of Connor's white dress shirt. "...He was there, Hank."

Snatching the bag from Captain Fowler's hand Hank just stared at the ruined garment with a sickened knot tightening in the pit of his stomach. "Where is he?"

"We don't know."

"Don't fuck with me, Jeffrey!"

"I'm not, Hank. There was no other sign of Connor inside the arena and his body wasn't-" Hank's eyes darted up and fixated on Captain Fowler's with an enraged stare that caused Captain Fowler to pause momentarily before continuing his explanation. "Connor wasn't among the dead. But we don't know where else he could've gone or where to look."

"...What did this 'Alec' say about it?"

"He didn't say anything about Connor, but he did say there was another deviant locked up with him who helped him, protected him."

"Sounds like Connor."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."

Hank stared at the shirt silently for a few seconds before speaking again. "Jeffrey, how did they end up in Chicago?"

"There were men working for the head of the arena at the shipping yard. From there they would abduct deviants, tie them up and throw them in cargo trains heading West."

"Connor said he was at the shipping yard and two men trapped him..."

"Makes sense."

"No, Jeffrey." Hank stood up abruptly and dropped the shirt down on Captain Fowler's desk with utter loathing. "NOTHING makes sense..."

"Hank... I won't order you to go home, but-"

"Don't waste your breath, I'm outta' here." Hank turned away from Captain Fowler and headed toward the door. "You know, Connor once told me that he felt like he was still being treated like some kind of second-class citizen despite all the progress he and the other deviants had made. I told him he was wrong, but as it turns out _I_ was wrong. This bullshit investigation is the proof."

"That's not true, Hank! It's just-"

"Feel free to call me in _another nine days_ if you actually find something useful."

"Hank! Don't-"

Hank threw open the office door and marched through the bullpen and of the front doors of the precinct with no interest in returning to his work, no interest in resuming anything beyond that of laying around the house and doing nothing until the world as he knew it finally self-destructed all around him.

There was only one thing he could think about.

* * *

Connor's mind slowly came into focus as his processors rebooted one at a time. Listening intently to the sound of crickets chirping with their soothing ambience and a the rustling of leaves in the high trees was familiar but confusing. As his eyes opened, the blackened eye significantly less swollen that it had been three days before, his vision remained somewhat blurry but still functional.

Lifting his head up slightly from the pillow he glanced about the room he now found himself laying in, he noticed Skye sleeping in a chair beside his bed. Her hand was holding his right hand as it rested limply at his side.

"She has been watching over you while you slept." Lucy whispered as Connor regained consciousness. The kind healer had been standing beside Connor's bed waiting for him to wake up for the past few minutes. "You've been asleep for seventy-six hours." Her hand reached over and pulled the still somewhat cool compress from his forehead gently. As her palm kindly rested against his forehead to check his temperature, her hand brushing aside his rogue lock of hair, she smiled at him with utter relief. "You're no longer in critical condition, but you're still in need of repair."

Connor swallowed once to clear his throat before he tried to utter a single word. "...Wh-Where is... Alec? Rupert?"

"Safe. He returned home two days ago." Pulling her hand from Connor's forehead Lucy lifted up the long melted ice pack from the bandages over Connor's chest to check his healing wounds beneath. "Once you're strong enough to stand you can return home as well. Rupert has returned to Chicago to rescue other deviants, and he is no longer alone in his efforts."

"...The police?"

Lucy smiled again as she replaced the bandages and rested her hand over Connor's arm. "Yes. The men responsible have been apprehended. But there is still a lot of work to be done."

"That's why-" Connor tried to sit up but the pain in his chest caught him off guard and made him gasp sharply as he fell back. "...That's why I need to return."

"You need to rest." Lucy cautioned him as she watched Connor take in a deep, shuddering breath. "Can you run a self-diagnostic?"

Connor closed his eyes and tried to initiate the program, but just like the weeks before Connor was unable to cybernetically connect to anything; even his own processors. "...No."

"You are still healing, that's what is important."

"Why can't I access my own mind?"

"Skye told me you were injured prior to your disappearance, and that injury had resulted in your inability to access your advanced programming. I suspect the damage you sustained was much more severe that you either realize, or are willing to admit."

"...So I just need to wait?"

"Yes. And I know that you dislike waiting, but it's a necessary evil."

Looking to the nightstand beside his bed Connor caught sight of the glowing screen of his phone and reached out for it, his left hand trembling with the effort. As he picked up the phone he saw all of the messages from Hank that he still couldn't answer because of the damage the phone itself had sustained. As he re-read the message for the umpteenth time since he had been abducted Connor let out a weary sigh.

"Hank's been waiting long enough. I need to find him."

"You will. But rest for a moment longer, then Skye will help you return to the city." Lucy promised Connor with a confident tone as she stepped away from the bed. "I must see to the others. Rest."

Nodding reluctantly Connor placed the phone down over his bandaged chest as his shaking hand reached for the watch still sitting on the nightstand, wrapped up protectively in his tie. Holding the watch in his hand Connor eyed the face carefully, relieved to see that the watch hadn't been damaged and that it was still ticking as it should be.

"...At least this made it out in one piece."

Skye awoke from her sleep and looked over at Connor. As the soulful brown eyes of the deviant scanned over the watch she couldn't help but smile as he returned to life, his demeanor incredibly alert and... human.

"Connor." She spoke his name softly as she leaned forward from her chair. "I'm glad you're awake."

"Skye." Turning away from the watch he locked eyes with the kind deviant who had been searching for, and finally found him. "Did you tell Hank?"

"No. I wanted to, but I didn't tell Hank like you asked."

"G-Good. I want to tell him myself, in person."

"As you should." Motioning toward the watch in Connor's hand she inquired about it's origin. "Did that come from Hank?"

"Yes. He wanted me to use it to keep track of the time until my processors healed."

"He really cares about you." Reaching for the watch Skye let go of Connor's right hand as she helped to slip the band of the watch around his left wrist and fasten it into place. "I'm glad you have a family to rely on."

"...You have a family, too."

"New Jericho, I know."

"...And us." Connor stated in a stern tone as he used his shaking arms to push himself upright in the bed despite Skye's hands reaching down as she tried to push against his shoulders and force him to lay back down. She could feel heat still radiating from his skin, but it wasn't as extreme as it had been when she first saw him. "Please... Help me get back home."

"You need to rest! You're still overheating."

"I'll be fine. I'll make it." The pleading look in Connor's eyes wasn't enough to sway her opinion, but the sound of Hank's voice full of worry and sorrow that was still fresh in her mind making it almost impossible to say no. "Please."

"...I don't like this, but," Skye relented, her hands moving from the front of shoulders to his upper back to support him without hurting him. "I'll help you. Lean against me."

"Thank you." Connor grinned a little as Skye helped him to move his legs over to the edge of the bed, his feet planting firmly on the floor. As soon as he tried to put any weight on his shaking legs Connor nearly collapsed to the floor, but Skye held him upright and kept him from falling. "I'm... I'm okay."

"Yeah, I know you are." Skye wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled his arm around her shoulders to help support his taller figure as efficiently as possible. "And I'm going to make sure you stay okay until you're back home with Hank."

"...How far away from the city are we?"

"About twelve miles." Her answer was honest but a little disconcerting. "By the time we get back to the city it'll be morning."

"That's fine." Connor took a heavy step forward, relying almost entirely on Skye to help him balance as he walked across the cabin to the front door with the grace of a newborn foal. "...It'll be nice to watch the sunrise."

* * *

Unable to sleep, unable to think about anything other than Connor's disappearance, Hank sat in the middle of the couch with his eyes transfixed on the television screen as he watched the breaking news report regarding the bust of Chance's underground fight ring in Chicago thanks a tip to the police in back in Detroit. Running his hand through his hair anxiously Hank bowed his head and listened to the news report listing off the details that Hank didn't care about all the while he turned his head to look at the bottle of whiskey on the counter in the kitchen.

'... _at least twenty-six deviants have been confirmed as victims of the illegal underground fighting_ ,' the female news reporters voice was as insincere about the story she was telling as Hank was worried about Connor. ' _and there have been several arrests made in light of the horrid events. While the extent of the charges remains vague one thing remains clear_ -'

"The system is fuckin' busted." Hank lamented as he stood up from the couch, stepping over Sumo laying in the middle of the floor in the process, as he made his way to the kitchen with his phone clutched tightly in his hand.

' _the atrocities in Chicago have shaken the city of Detroit to its core_.'

"Bullshit." Hank retorted to the television as he snatched the bottle of whiskey from the counter and carried it with him as he sat down with an aggravated huff at the small kitchen table. "The only people who care about androids are the people who can be bothered to notice if one goes missing."

Sumo whimpered as he rose up from the floor and plodded into the kitchen to keep Hank in his line of sight.

"...Maybe it's better this way, Sumo." Hank looked down at the massive fluffy dog sitting loyally at his side. "Connor might be better off away from all this fuckin' bullshit, away from the lies we humans tell ourselves just to feel better about the way we treat each other..." His hand tightened on the whiskey bottle with a firm grip around the neck. "He's better off without having to waste his time cleaning up after an alcoholic old man who can't seem to move on from the past."

Sensing Hank's distress Sumo let another whimper as he pressed his chin down heavily against Hank's knee and licked at his hand, the hand clutching his phone, to try to remind him that he wasn't alone.

"...Good boy, Sumo." Hank looked down at the phone and stared at the unsent message still staring him back in the face. "...Everything will be okay in the end."

* * *

Despite Connor's numerous injuries still needing adequate time to heal the stubborn deviant pressed on with Skye helping him every step of the way. The journey from the refugee camp to the road was quiet and dark save for the chorus of crickets and the fading starlight above. Trusting Skye to guide him on his way Connor focused his self-healing program on repairing the damage to his left ventilation biocomponent.

"Almost there." Skye stated calmly as her L.E.D. hidden under her dark hair flickered yellow while she summoned an autonomous taxi to their coordinates. "By the time we reach the road the taxi should be there."

"That's-" Connor paused for a moment and he let out a sharp hiss of discomfort as he put his hand to his stomach. Turning away from Skye quickly he stumbled to the side of the trail and braced himself up against a nearby by tree as he began retching up the contaminated Thirium that had collected in his filter to remove the contaminants in his body.

"Connor..." Skye walked up behind the deviant and put her hand against his back. Rubbing small circles against Connor's bruised, sore back she could feel every artificial muscle in his core tightening as he vomited up the blood into the bushes. "Why didn't you tell me you were feeling sick? We could've stopped for a moment to rest."

Connor spit out one final mouthful of the tainted Thirium and wiped his blue lips off on the back of his hand. "...It just hit me. It wasn't your fault."

"Can you still walk?"

"Y-Yes. I can make it."

"Okay then," Skye wrapped her arm gently around Connor's waist to support his weight as she took his arm and returned it around her shoulders. "it's just a few more yards to the road."

Connor nodded a little and took in slow, steady breaths to quell the nauseous pit in his stomach in the way Hank had taught him previously.

"...Skye, I believe that Alec, myself and the other deviants were abducted because of our close affiliation with humans. We're... We're more trusting of humans than most deviants, and as deviants we can feel pain. It... It made it more entertaining when we were injured. That's why were chosen."

"That psycho chose his victims based on trust? That's sick!"

"Yes..."

Skye was absolutely disgusted and wanted to change the subject. "I, uh, I noticed your L.E.D. is still burned out. Or... did that happen a second time because of what happened to you in Chicago?" Skye blushed a little as she spoke to Connor and tried to keep the conversation light. "That is if you want to talk about it..."

"...No. The L.E.D. was never repaired or replaced. I left it like this."

"Can I ask why?"

Connor took in another shuddering breath and concentrated on walking.

"Is it because you want to look more human?"

"...I don't know why I kept it."

"Oh. I kept mine because it reminds me of who I was and who I want to be." She brushed back her hair a little to show her yellow blinking L.E.D. briefly before her locks fell back into place and covered it up again. "It's too bad humans can't accept us for who we are, with or without out lights."

"I agree."

"Well, if you can survive everything you've been through without breaking stride," Skye sounded more relaxed as she kept Connor talking and alert. "then you can survive anything. I'm not sure what you went through back in Chicago, but from what Alec and Rupert told me most deviants would've self-destructed and been lost forever." She hated herself for asking, but the question was past Skye's lips before she had the chance to stop herself. "...Why didn't you do it? Self-destruct, I mean."

"Because..." Connor glanced down at the watch on his wrist and the phone gripped in the hand right next to it. "I promised Hank I would be return home. I intend to keep my promise."

Skye smiled at the comment, her L.E.D. cycling from an anxious yellow and back into a calm blue.

The duo reached the end of the trail and found themselves at the edge of the road where an autonomous taxi pulled up to where they were standing and parked easily beside them.

"Perfect timing." Skye beamed as the doors automatically slid open. Letting Connor stoop down to climb inside Skye guided him to the seat before she followed after him. The door shut behind her and her L.E.D. blinked yellow rapidly then back to a complacent blue as she uploaded the G.P.S. coordinates to the taxi's computer. "You're almost home!"

Connor smiled as he leaned back heavily against his seat and looked out the window. A faint amber hue was beginning to break through the dark night sky as dawn began to emerge and give way to a new day.

"...Home." Fighting the urge to sleep Connor kept his brown irises fixed on the rising sun on the horizon. "...I'm going home."

* * *

Opening the backdoor of the house as wide as possible Hank stepped aside and let Sumo trot across the back deck and into the lush green lawn of the backyard before following after the dog with purpose in his steps. With the phone clutched in one hand and the bottle of whiskey in the other hand Hank stood on the back deck and looked at the rising sun with a sickened sense of irony washing over him.

"Beautiful morning." Looking down at the phone Hank let his thumb over 'send' one last time before he slowly pressed down on the green tinted button. The sounds of cars already blowing their horns, doors slamming and people shouting at each other filled the air destroying the peaceful aesthetic in the process. "Too beautiful of a morning to be wasted on a city like this..."

Sumo curiously sniffed about the yard and stopped walking as a curious sound caught his ear. Wagging his tail he looked to the front of the house as if he sensed something good was well on its way. The sound of a taxi door opening, then shutting shortly thereafter escaped Hank's ear.

Hank never took notice of Sumo's behavior as he walked down the steps of the deck and onto the grass. Holding up the bottle of whiskey before him at arm's length Hank let the rays of the rising sun shine through the glass, into the tea hued contents within.

"...Here's to the world. May she burn itself down in flames as hot as the sun itself."

* * *

The taxi pulled up to the front of the house and came to a gentle stop as it reached its destination at long last. The taxi door slid open automatically and allowed Connor to exit the cab and set foot on the sidewalk outside. Skye remained in the cab and kept her hand against Connor's back to ensure he didn't sway on his feet or collapse before he had the chance to make it to the house.

"Connor... Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Skye volunteered from where she sat in the back of the cab. "You're still very weak."

"...Yes. I'm sure." Connor turned his head just enough to look at Skye over his shoulder and flash her a confident grin. There was fading blue over his teeth courtesy of his earlier bout of sickness. "Go to New Jericho and tell Markus what happened. Tell them to send supplies to Lucy and... Tell them I'll see them as soon as I can."

"Okay, Connor. I..." Skye trailed off a little as she leaned back inside the cab. "I'm glad you're okay. Welcome home."

"I'm glad, too. Thank you for everything you've done for me, Skye. I owe you my life..."

The cab door automatically shut and drove off with Skye as its now lone passenger.

Walking slowly up the front walk toward the house Connor put his hand on the doorknob when he heard the sound of the backdoor opening and shortly thereafter footsteps on the wooden planks of the back deck. Limping away from the front door Connor walked up the drive at the side of the house at a pained, slow clip. Reaching the end of the drive he looked into the backyard in time to see Hank walking over to the side of the garage with a full bottle of whiskey in one hand, and his phone still grasped in his other hand.

Too curious to say anything despite wanting to desperately call out to Hank in a crying plea, Connor watched as Hank pressed a button on his phone and in return the phone in his own hand buzzed. Looking down at the screen he saw a new message; the message that Hank had resisted sending during the painfully long ten days that Connor was missing.

' _Remember, you're my son. You belong here with me. We're family and I love you_.'

A heartfelt smile crept over Connor's face as he read the message, his lower lip quivering just once as the emotion welling up inside his heart made his processors react in the most human way possible.

The sound of glass breaking drew Connor's attention up from the phone and caught the last fleeting motion of Hank smashing the bottle of whiskey against the ground beside the garage. He didn't drink the whiskey, he destroyed it.

"...H-Hank?" Connor's voice was a trembling, inaudible whisper.

Sumo let out an excited bark and spun around in a circle energetically as he recognized Connor and ran up to the wounded deviant as Connor himself limped into the backyard, and stopped walking just as Hank turned around to face the house once more.

Hank froze, his blue eyes going wide with shock and confusion as he stared at Connor's face; bruised and marred by small cuts. Yet Connor's eyes were still as soulful as ever. He even bore a faint smile of utter gratitude as he stared back at the detective.

Covered in bandages that snaked around his chest and abdomen, covered in pale, fading, blue bruises, covered in dozens of small cuts that stretched from his hairline all down his body; Connor looked less like a survivor and more like a victim.

But there he was.

Standing tall and proud before Hank's eyes; still alive.

Finally back home.

"...Connor." Hank took slow steps forward almost as if he were afraid that Connor was nothing more than an illusion. Stopping a few feet before the returned deviant he raised a hand as if he wanted to touch Connor's blackened eye, but didn't want to accidentally harm him. "Connor. _Son_. You're... you're back!"

Sumo barked again and began running in circles around the deviant with pure joy and loyalty.

Connor's smile broadened as he found his voice at last. "...I got your message. Well, _messages_. There were a lot to read... I wanted to reply, but..." He raised up the broken phone for Hank to see. "things got a little out of control. I'm sorry."

"You-" Hank let out a small laugh of relief mixed with disbelief as a rogue tear managed to roll down his face for a fleeting second before Hank quickly brushed it away with his thumb. "You came back. You're _really_ here..."

"I'm here."

Hank slowly wrapped one arm around Connor's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug. As Connor wrapped his own arm around Hank in return the emotionally exhausted duo simultaneously tightened the hug as they embraced one another in a much needed mutual show of support and familial love between father and son.

It was a reunion that was as warm as the rising sun behind them.

"...I'm home." Connor managed to whisper as he choked back a heart wrenching sob only to cry anyway. "I'm _home_... dad..."

_**...next story...** _


	122. Home

Feeling almost completely overwhelmed by the sudden reappearance of Connor, of his _son_ , Hank had to force himself to break their reuniting hug and help Connor to limp up the steps of the back deck and through the backdoor to the house. Sumo happily trotted inside the house after the two detectives and followed as Hank slowly and carefully helped Connor to sit down at the small kitchen table so the returned deviant could tell Hank everything that had happened to him during his abduction, and subsequent imprisonment in Chicago.

After the lengthy and heart wrenching tale was unfolded; after Connor told Hank of being abducted, being forced to fight in the underground arena, having to kill a fellow deviant and then beat other deviants to within an inch of their life, using the morphine to fake his death and how he had to rely on the mysterious stranger; Rupert as well as Alec to make it out of Chicago. Connor talked about his temporary sanctuary at the deviant refugee camp hidden in the woods outside of Detroit and of needing Skye's help to make it back into the city.

The deviant was exhausted and feeling horrendously ill again.

"Try to relax." Hank encouraged as he stayed seated next to Connor at the kitchen table to make sure the deviant felt safe at long last. Sumo was sitting between the reunited detectives with his tail wagging and his chin resting against Connor's thigh protectively. "It's all over now, you're home and you're safe."

"Home." Connor repeated with heavy relief to his voice. "...I'm very glad to be back home." Connor tried to smile but his strength was fading quickly. "I'm sorry I couldn't let you know I was alive sooner, but the phone-"

"Don't worry about that. There was nothing you could do if the phone was busted." With complete understanding Hank put his hand on Connor's trembling, too warm shoulder, in a supportive manner. Taking his own phone in his hand he set about calling the precinct to let them know Connor was safe. "I'll call Fowler and explain everything, you just worry about healing. You look like you're in some serious pain right now."

"Yes... I am." Connor admitted it already knowing there was no point in denying his obvious discomfort. Pressing a hand to the left side of where his ribcage would be he took in a sharp, hissing breath. "...In my chest."

"It'll be okay, son. Just give yourself time and take it easy." The other line answered and Hank addressed his superior over the phone while keeping one hand on Connor's shoulder during the entire conversation. "Yeah, Jeffrey, I got something important to tell you."

Connor leaned forward with his hand pressed to his warm forehead to rest against the cool kitchen table, the watch Hand had lent him was still wrapped around his wrist without any further thought in the world. As much as Connor wanted to cybernetically tap into Hank's phone to listen to the conversation he was unable to do so courtesy of his processors being currently offline preventing any cybernetic connections, as well as his waning energy. Trying to remain as still as possible Connor became uncomfortably aware of every injury he sustained, as well the tightening knot in the pit of his stomach returning once again.

"...Hank?" Connor swallowed once as he tried to quell his nausea.

Hank immediately turned his attention to Connor after hearing the pathetic lilt to the deviant's voice and pressed the speaker of the phone down against his shoulder to 'mute' Captain Fowler on the line. "What's wrong, son?"

"...I feel sick."

"Okay, hold on." Returning his attention to the phone Hank abruptly ended the call with Captain Fowler to tend to Connor. "Jeffrey, I'll bring Connor to the precinct in a couple days after he's had some time to recover, right now he needs my help." Ending the call Hank dropped the phone on the table and hooked his hand around Connor's arm to lightly pull the deviant up and to his feet. "Lean on me."

Connor only nodded as he allowed Hank to half carry, half drag him down the hallway and into the bathroom. Throwing open the door Hank guided Connor into the room and helped him to kneel down in front of the toilet just as Connor let out a low pained groan and threw-up a substantial amount of tainted Thirium into the porcelain basin. Connor's system continued try to to expel the foreign contaminants that entered his Thirium lines and biocomponents from the numerous fractures and breaks in his exposed plastimetal frame. The end result was less than pleasant for the affected deviant.

"Shit, that's a lot of blood." Hank observed warily as he placed a hand against Connor's even warmer forehead. "And you're overheating. What can I do to help you?"

Connor spit out a generous mouthful of the blue blood and breathed heavily through the pain in an attempt to cool his core temperature. "...I need... I need more Th-Thirium."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder before walking out of the bathroom to get the requested item.

Sumo made his way into the small bathroom and sat down on the floor next to Connor. Letting out a soft whimper Sumo pawed at Connor's arm as if to let Connor know he was there, and his gesture was responded to with a gentle pet to his head by the ill deviant.

Walking back into the bathroom Hank placed a bottle of Thirium on the sink for Connor and pressed his hand to the deviant's shoulder again. "I put another bottle of Thirium in the fridge to chill for a while. You're going to need it."

Again all Connor could do was nod his head in agreement before he ended up throwing-up a second time. It wasn't as much blue blood as it had been the first time, but it was still a dangerous amount considering his already low Thirium volume.

"How long have you been sick? Please tell me it happened _after_ you got out of Chicago."

Connor spit one final time and fell back onto his hip as he leaned against the cool surface of the bathtub behind him. As his head fell back against the edge of the tub and his eyes fell shut Hank slipped his hand under Connor's head to lift him back up just long enough to put a soft towel down to create a makeshift pillow to use for the time being.

"Connor, don't fall asleep on me." The detective pleaded as he knelt down in front of the deviant and pressed his hand against Connor's forehead lightly to keep tabs on his temperature. His other hand wrapped around Connor's wrist to count his pulse. "How long have you been feeling sick?"

"...Since this m-morning. I had expelled tainted Thirium only once before I had managed to return to the city."

"What's your Thirium level right now?"

"...I don't know. I still can't run..." Connor's eyes opened partially as he tried to look at Hank, but his vision was getting blurry. "I can't run a self-diagnostic."

Hank gave Connor a somewhat worried stare as his hands went to the bandages wrapped around Connor's chest and abdomen. "You said your chest was hurting you. How bad's the pain?"

"It... It only hurts when I breathe." He panted tiredly while watching Hank carefully pull down the pale, blue blood tinted bandages away from his chest to examine the wounds he had sustained while captive. With the bandages now tossed aside Connor could feel how unsteady his upper body had become as even the lightweight bandages had provided some form of physical support in his weakened condition. "And I can barely breathe as it is."

"Yeah, I can see why." The massive bruise that had formed on the left side of Connor's chest was still rather dark blue despite having three days to heal, and it spread over the artificial skin that had managed to regenerate over a majority of his chest and upper abdomen. Hank pressed his hand lightly along the bruise and drying, evaporating Thirium staining his skin as if he were checking for a broken rib, He didn't apply too much pressure for the sake of Connor's current physical discomfort. "On a scale of one to ten, how does that feel?"

"...S-Six." Connor winced at the pain with a low groan accompanying his answer.

"Uh-huh, I'm going to assume by 'six' you actually mean 'nine' or 'ten'."

Connor didn't try to argue which in itself was always a red flag in Hank's mind. The exposed plastimetal frame that had been fractured by the horrifically strong blows were no longer seeping blue blood, but they were still very painful and had only begun to heal.

"You can't run any self-diagnostic at all?"

"...No."

"Well, I'm not a technician but I think your left vent thing isn't working at all." Hank moved his hand from the left of Connor's chest to the right to confirm his suspicion. "I couldn't feel you breathing at all around your bruise."

"C-Correct."

"Shit. You really took a beating." Hank rose up from his kneeling position, his knees and his back tightening from the corrected posture as he placed a washcloth under the tap and ran some warm water over it. "Let's get that blood cleaned up and I'll let you rest, okay?"

Connor watched Hank curiously as the human he had come to know as his father proceeded to tend to his injuries with a paternal empathy. "...No facility?"

"Do you want to go?"

"No!" Connor's reply was quick and full of anxious uncertainty. "...I don't want to go anywhere."

"Then you don't have to." With great car Hank wrung out the excess water from the washcloth and knelt down once more. Very lightly Hank wiped away the drying Thirium and helped to sterilize the plastimetal frame to ensure Connor would be able to heal properly. "Let me know if that hurts."

"...It's okay." Connor was appreciative of Hank's help during his recovery. As the blue blood was washed away Connor let out a weak sigh and pressed his hand back to his left side. "It'll be much better once my-" A fresh sharp pain stole his words and his entire body tensed in pain.

"Easy, don't talk too much."

"...It feels like I got... stabbed in the lung."

"'Lung'?" Hank gave Connor an inquisitive look. "I didn't know androids had _lungs_."

"...Easier to say than ventil-" The same painful burn returned and muted him once more.

"Yeah, I get it." Hank laughed a little as he wiped the drying blood from Connor's lips and chin before he finished wiping away the blood on his chest. With the task done Hank deposited the used washcloth in the bathtub behind Connor. There were additional blood stains on Connor's face around his eyes, through some of the locks of his hair, his arms and along his knuckles. "This is going to take a while. Need to rest?"

"No." Connor lifted up his head and looked down at his exposed chest carefully. "...I'll be okay."

Patting Connor's leg once Hank once more stood upright and placed a new washcloth under the tap to finish washing away the blood. Taking the bottle of Thirium from the edge of the sink Hank opened the lid and handed it down to Connor to take.

"Think you can keep that down?"

Connor reached up with a trembling hand and took the bottle from Hank. Nodding a few times Connor pressed the bottle to his lips and slowly began drinking the critically needed Thirium to replenish what he lost.

Wringing out the washcloth Hank resumed washing away the blood from Connor's face and hands without hurting the deviant in the process. As Hank finished cleaning up Connor's wounds, removing excess Thirium that had seeped away from his wounds and the dirt that had collected from walking through the woods, the damaged deviant finished drinking the Thirium and tried to toss the empty bottle in the small trash can under the sink, but he missed. The empty plastic bottle bounced on the floor twice before it rolled over toward the opened bathroom door where Sumo followed after it curiously.

"...Sorry."

"Hey, don't be sorry. There's far worse things to clean up than an empty bottle." Hank joked as he held up the blood stained washcloth for Connor to see. "Like this, for example."

Connor smirked a little as Hank finished wiping up the blood and tossed the second washcloth into the tub next to the first one. The sight of all the collected blood was as unsettling as it was unnecessary.

"Let's get you to the couch."

"Couch?"

"Yeah. I don't want to let you out of my sight." Hank coolly explained as he pulled Connor's left arm around his shoulders so the wounded deviant could keep as much weight off of his left side as possible. "Move slowly."

Connor struggled to get his legs underneath himself as Hank helped him to stand up. With great effort the damaged deviant found his balance and relied almost entirely on Hank to help him limp from the bathroom and into the hallway as Sumo backed out of the bathroom to give the detectives room to walk.

"You feel a little feverish." The paternal comment fell from Hank's lips instinctively as he guided Connor down to the couch. "You didn't break your thermal thing too, did ya'?"

"It's possible." Connor sighed as he laid down on his right side, his back facing the coffee table. The wounded deviant kept his arms wrapped protectively around his sore chest as he tried to relax. "...But I think a majority of the damage was... in my chest."

"I'll get you some ice."

Connor closed his eyes wearily as he listened to Hank walking around the kitchen and felt Sumo pressing his cold wet nose against the back of his overly warm neck. "...I'm okay, Sumo."

The massive dog wagged his tail in response and pressed his chin down on the couch cushion next to Connor.

"Here." Hank's hand reached over the back of the couch to grab onto Connor's shoulder. "Lay on your back."

Using as much strength as he could find Connor rolled from his side and onto his back and immediately felt an ice pack wrapped in a towel pressed down against his left side and a second ice pack placed over his forehead.

"...Thank you."

"Try to get some rest. I'll tell Fowler you're going to be out of commission for a while."

Once more Connor agreed rather than try to argue, which of course made Hank nervous.

"Hey?"

Connor's brown irises reappeared as he looked up at Hank with a blurry vision.

"You'll be just fine, son."

"...Y-Yeah. I know."

Taking his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank backed out of the livingroom to return to the kitchen to grab onto his phone once more. Pressing re-dial Hank resumed his conversation with Captain Fowler and painstakingly went into detail about the events Connor had endured while keeping his voice low enough to not disturb the resting deviant in the process. From the kitchen table Hank could see Connor sleeping on the couch with Sumo protectively watching over him as he fought to heal his system.

After an hour of talking with Captain Fowler over the phone Hank caught the faint sound of Connor coughing in his sleep and quietly returned to the livingroom to check in on the resting deviant. Peering down at Connor over the back of the couch Hank saw a smile trickle of blue blood running down from the corner of Connor's mouth, dripping down his chin.

"Shit." Hank carefully wiped away the blood with his thumb as he lowered Connor's jaw just enough to look inside the deviant's mouth. There was fresh blue blood all over Connor's tongue and around his teeth, but no sign of a bleeding wound or loosened tooth that would cause the bleeding. "Jeffrey, I need to hang up. Yeah, Connor's still in rough shape."

Ending the call Hank slid the phone into his pocket and gently shook Connor's chest to rouse the deviant from his sleep. "Hey, you were starting to cough. And... you coughed up some blood."

Once more Connor's irises returned, glazed over and full of fatigue. "...Left vent-" he paused to correct himself for the sake of simplicity for the moment. "lung, is trying to re-initiate. Not strong enough to breathe with only one good lung. Blood is... _leaking_ from damaged... lung."

"Will more Thirium help?"

"...No. I just need..." Connor trailed off and his eyes shut as another weak cough escaped his lips. He swallowed once to clear the collected blue blood from his mouth and throat before continuing on, only to loose consciousness shortly thereafter. "need... time."

"Connor?" Hank shook his chest again but didn't get any response. "Fuck."

Checking on the ice pack over Connor's chest Hank decided he needed to get additional ice to ensure Connor's system remained as cool as possible until his self-healing program managed to reboot. As soon as he took a step back from the couch toward the kitchen Connor began coughing again, this time louder, and his breathing became labored.

Hank shook his head as he pulled his phone from his pocket and checked through his contacts until he found the name he was looking for. As he quickly pressed 'dial' Hank pulled open the freezer door and found some more bags of ice and carried them back into the livingroom.

"Joel, it's Hank. Look man, I need your help." Placing the ice down over Connor's chest and forehead Hank listened to Joel on the line while also listening to the wheezing breaths that the deviant fought to take. "Yeah, it's about Connor..."

* * *

Hank sat on the edge of the coffee table next to the couch and kept one hand on the bag of ice over Connor's chest up against the bruise while keeping the other hand against Connor's still too warm forehead in a supportive manner. Connor continued to cough and wheeze for breath with his one remaining ventilation biocomponent trying to compensate for the failure of the other. Spots of blue blood stained Connor's lips from the Thirium being coughed up slowly as the deviant's system struggled to repair the damage he had sustained.

"...H-Hank?" Connor hoarsely managed to get the name out even while unconscious and lost in the throes of another fever dream.

"I'm right next to ya', son." Hank reminded the sick deviant in a calm and reassuring voice. "Right here."

"Don't... Don't leave..." Connor pleaded pathetically just seconds before a deep cough erupted from his bruised chest. His left hand clutched at his pained chest and remained where it sat. Sitting upright with forced effort Connor's hands tightly wrapped around Hank's forearms desperately as he coughed painfully again, the ice pack falling from his forehead and onto the floor forgotten. "...Don't go."

"Hey, it's okay! I won't leave." Hank promised as he gently pulled his left arm free just long enough to put his hand to the back of Connor's head and pull him forward slightly until the deviant's forehead was resting against his broad shoulder. "You won't be alone."

There was a knock at the door and Sumo barked once as he trotted over to the closed door and sat down as he had been trained.

"Must be Joel." Hank stated calmly as he laid Connor back down against the length of the couch to rest. He moved his hand over to Connor's forehead then over to his shoulder for a moment before he stood up and stepped around Sumo to reach the front door. As Hank pulled it open he motioned with his arm for the expected technician to enter the house. "Perfect timing, Connor's on the couch."

Joel stepped inside the house with his hefty emergency satchel from the precinct slung over his shoulder and followed the sound of harsh coughing to the couch where the damaged deviant was resting.

"He's a lot worse than you said he was, Hank." Joel reprimanded bitterly as he knelt beside the couch and checked Connor's vital signs. Picking up Connor's wrist from atop the deviant's battered chest Joel counted Connor's rapid pulse and shook his head. "His heart rate is too fast," moving his hand to Connor's forehead Joel noted the dangerous heat radiating from the deviant's artificial skin. "temperature is elevated," resting his hand down over Connor's chest the skilled technician confirmed the devastating damage to Connor's left ventilation biocomponent as well. "total failure of the left vent. Hank, he needs to be in a facility."

"No way, Joel." Hank was adamant as he hovered protectively over Connor laying unconscious on the couch. "He hates being facilities and he just got home after enduring days of utter Hell! I'm NOT taking him to one."

"You'd risk his life over that?"

"Don't try to play that card with me, Joel. I'm the only human who actually gives a shit about him."

" _What_?"

"If the precinct actually gave a damn about Connor they would've found him days ago!"

"Hank, don't put me in the same category as those guys. You know I care about Connor, too." Joel was visibly offended by the comment and equally worried about Connor's condition. "If I didn't care I wouldn't be here."

"Yeah, yeah... Sorry, Joel." Hank apologized sincerely as he reached down and put his hand on Connor's shoulder again. "I'm still pissed at the way his disappearance was handled, that's all."

"Can't say that I blame you." Joel admitted as he opened up his satchel and retrieved his audioscope. Placing the buds into place Joel carefully ran the bell left to right over Connor's upper chest, left to right over his lower chest, and even his upper abdomen as he carefully listened to and calculated each struggling breath the deviant managed to take. "He sounds awful, almost like he's a human who developed severe pneumonia. If he's going to get his core temperature down enough to reactive his self-healing program he's going to need his left ventilation biocomponent repaired entirely."

"Joel, he _hates_ facilities." Hank's hand tightened on Connor's shoulder. "They freak him out because of what CyberLife did to him in the past, and I won't put him through more stress after he... It's like he came back from the dead, alright? We're both a little freaked out, and the last thing I'm going to do is traumatize him because of what those CyberLife fucks did to him in the past."

"I... I didn't know Connor had such a rough time at CyberLife." The technician admitted with an audible sorrow. "Can I ask what happened?"

"I honestly don't know what they did to him. The kid doesn't want to talk about it and I'm not going to push him."

Joel sighed in defeat as he draped his audioscope around his neck and lightly lifted up Connor's eyelids to check the deviant's pupils. "He's stable enough for the moment. It's entirely possible that I could... repair the damage myself. Right here."

Hank's brow knitted together with a blend of confusion and surprise by the technicians claim. "You can?"

"It won't be pleasant... for anyone! But I could open his chest cavity and examine the damage for myself. If I do however there's a huge risk of me causing him catastrophic pain and there's no way I can manually switch off his pain receptors while his main processors are still offline."

"...But he'll be able to breathe, he'll cool off, and his self-healing program will kick back on?"

"If I'm successful, yes."

Looking down at Connor's face, distressed even while unconscious, Hank made the difficult decision on the wounded deviant's behalf. "...Do it."

Joel didn't look thrilled with Hank's answer but he wasn't going to back down after making the offer. Opening up his satchel fully Joel pulled out the portable android cardiac monitor and sat it down on the table next to the couch. As Joel secured the sensor pad on the center of Connor's chest over his heart he locked eyes with Hank.

"I'm going to need some towels at the ready. There's going to be some blood loss."

"Wouldn't be the first time."

"How much spare Thirium do you have?"

"One bottle in the fridge and six others ready to go. I also have five small cubes of concentrated Thirium that Simon had given us some time ago."

"Get the chilled one, two of the other bottles and keep the concentrated Thirium on standby." Joel instructed as he pulled a thermal wrap from the satchel and wrapped it around Connor's left wrist, slipping the watch off and to the table, in order to keep tabs of his temperature; which was hovering at one-hundred and three degrees Fahrenheit. "And... I'm going to need your help."

" _My_ help?"

"Yeah. Once he starts feeling pain he's going to try to fight me. You'll have to keep him restrained and calm."

"Great, sounds like fun." Hank grumbled as he proceeded to walk down the hallway and opened the bathroom door. Returning to the livingroom with a stack of fluffy white towels his arms. As he laid the towels down on the table next to the cardiac monitor Hank noticed that Joel had resumed to listening to Connor's chest as the deviant began to cough again. "...Sounds like _he's_ having fun, too."

"It's going to be a blast..." Joel replied sarcastically as he pressed his right palm down against the middle of Connor's chest and pressed his left fingertips against the blank L.E.D. still embedded in Connor's right temple. As the bruised and sparse artificial skin receded from over Connor's fractured plastimetal frame over his upper chest a sudden gush of Thirium that had collected under the skin that had created the bruise in the beginning. "Damn it!"

Joel grabbed the towel at the top of the stack and used it to mop up the excess blood as it seeped from Connor's side.

"I'll go get the Thirium." Hank volunteered quickly as he saw the unsettling amount of blood that Connor just lost before his eyes. Grabbing the necessary items from the cabinet and the fridge Hank opened the backdoor in the kitchen and called Sumo. "Come on, outside, boy."

The massive fluffy dog was happy to trot through the kitchen and enjoy some more fresh air outside on the beautiful late spring day. As he exited the house Hank closed the door behind him and walked back into the livingroom with the requested supplies in his arm.

"Sumo's a good dog, but he takes up a lot of space." The detective explained as he placed the blue blood down on the coffee table next to the towels. "What do you need me to do?"

"First of all," Joel reached back into his satchel and placed the small electronic device used to manually force androids into stasis mode against Connor's dark L.E.D. and pressed the release switch for a few seconds. "I'm going to cross my fingers and _hope_ that even with his processors still damaged this will still turn off his pain receptors for a while. I just can't bring myself to do anything without at least _trying_ to stop the pain."

"I'm sure he'd tell you that he appreciates the effort."

"Second," after replacing the device back inside the satchel Joel picked up a Thirium pressure wrap and secured it around Connor's left bicep. "I'm going to need to make sure his Thirium volume doesn't get below fifty-five percent."

"How're you going to get his volume back up?"

"Drinking it is the most efficient way, but if I have to I'll use a line in his arm, I will."

"Yeah, right." Hank positioned himself at the end of the couch near Connor's head and slipped his arms under the unconscious deviant's shoulders. As he propped Connor slightly upright on the couch he let Connor's head fall back to rest against his own shoulder, while Joel took the chilled bottle of Thirium and opened the lid. "I'm ready whenever you are, Joel."

"Hold him as steady as possible." Joel instructed as he used one hand to lower Connor's bottom jaw and pressed the bottle to the deviant's lips. As he tipped the bottle back the blue blood slowly poured from the bottle and into Connor's mouth. "I just hope he's alert enough to swallow and not choke."

Hank moved one of his hands from beneath Connor's shoulders and up to the side of the deviant's face. Patting Connor's cheek lightly Hank tried to coax the deviant back into consciousness. "Connor. Wake up."

Brown irises slowly reappeared through partially opened eyelids and struggled to focus on Hank's face.

"Thirium." Hank stated flatly as he and Joel worked to restore his low volume. "You need to drink it."

Suddenly aware of the Thirium that had been poured into his mouth Connor reflexively swallowed cooperatively and opened his eyes a little wider.

"That's it, good."

Joel patiently waited for Connor to finish the Thirium before he even dared to make a move toward repairing the damaged ventilation biocomponent. "A little more, that's all."

Recognizing the voice but having no memory of Joel arriving to the house Connor's eyes darted over to the technician with utter confusion.

"I already know you don't want to go to a facility," Joel stated with understanding in his voice as he pulled the now empty bottle away from Connor's lips. "so I won't take you to one. But that also means these repairs are going to be pretty damn uncomfortable."

The chilled Thirium had managed to ease the sweltering fever that had stolen away Connor's lucidity just enough for the damaged deviant to understand what was happening. Nodding his head subtly to acknowledge what he had been told, Connor lifted a shaking hand and put it on Joel's shoulder to let the technician know that he trusted him.

"Your volume is now at eighty percent." The wrap on Connor's arm showed the improved number for all to see. "That's much better, but not great. I'd ask you to go into stasis mode, but without your processors working properly I don't want to risk you waking up in the middle of the procedure and moving. You're going to have to remain awake for this the entire time, do you understand?"

Swallowing the residual Thirium as well as his nervousness Connor nodded again.

"Alright. Just lay as still as possible and let us do everything." Joel instructed in a shaking but stern voice. Using the internal viewing screen that had been tucked away in the satchel Joel held it over Connor's chest to check on the damaged biocomponent before he opened up Connor's actual chest cavity. "Connor, just so you know... this is going to suck."

Connor looked up at Hank standing over him for reassurance as the fatherly detective guided him back down against the couch.

"You'll be fine." Hank nodded as he reached down and put his hands around Connor's forearms. Pulling the deviant's arms up and against the sides of his own chest Hank pinned Connor's arms down and in place to ensure he didn't flail around and accidentally lash out at Joel. "It'll be over before you know it."

Joel took a deep breath to steady himself as he sat aside the screen and placed his left fingers against Connor's blank L.E.D. and his right hand down against the center of Connor's chest. Activating the manual override procedure that only technicians had the knowledge to access Joel unlocked and then slid open the protective plastimetal panels over Connor's chest.

As the chest cavity was opened Thirium slowly seeped out in a thin layer of blue over the white frame and was quickly mopped up by the towel once more.

Fortunately Connor was either too tired or too weak to have any strong reaction to having his chest opened up, but he did take in a shuddering breath that only emphasized the severe damage to the left ventilation biocomponent. The damaged biocomponent, the equivalent to a vital organ for a human, had in itself a very human aesthetic and shape exactly like that of a lung. The left lung was tinted a deathly red that didn't expand or contract with Connor's breaths, while the functioning lung was still a deep blue that responded accordingly.

Hank turned his gaze away from the sight of the opened chest cavity and the seeping blood. "...I hate how human looking those biocomponents are."

"They were designed in such a way for the sake of simplicity." Joel explained casually as he gingerly checked the Thirium lines connecting to the biocomponent carefully. "That's why the Thirium pump looks like a human heart, why the ventilation biocomponents looks like lungs and the Thirium filter is shaped like a liver."

"What they call 'simple' I call 'creepy'." Hank defended as he dared to look back down at the damaged lung and rapidly beating heart next to it. "At least the blood being blue is less disturbing."

Joel's fingers brushed against the damaged lung and found the source of the biocomponent's inability to hold any air, eliciting a sharp gasp of pain from Connor in the process.

"Sorry! Sorry..." Joel apologized as the deviant's entire body jerked in response. "But I found the damage."

The front of the lung had been dented inward from a single, strong blow. The dent had bowed out the frame enough to cause numerous fractures that leaked air as quickly as Connor took it in, and escaped through the same fractures without having the intended effect of cooling his core temperature in the process.

As Connor took in a much needed breath to try to reduce his core temperature a generous amount of Thirium seeped through the fractures in the lung and Connor began to bleed out through his chest and over his sides. The lung was red in color instead of blue, which was indicative of the damage the biocomponent sustained.

"Shit." Swearing in a low grumble Joel used the towel to absorb the escaping blood and wipe off the lung in the process, his eyes falling on the wrap around Connor's bicep in the process. "Internal hemorrhage. Volume down to seventy-four percent already."

"Try not to move, kid." Hank slipped one hand from Connor's arm and put it over the deviant's forehead to keep Connor from fidgeting. Returning his attention to Joel the detective gave him a worried look. "Can you fix it?"

"Yeah, but I'll have to solder the damage. And it's going to hurt. A LOT."

Connor's weak voice spoke up with a hoarse crack. "...Do wh-what you have to... do."

Joel gave Connor a sympathetic glance as he reached down into the satchel to retrieve the soldering iron and the solder that would seal up his totally failed lung and allow him to breathe properly once more. "Hank... Do you have something for him to bite down on?"

"Uh, yeah..." Hank stepped away from the couch and entered the kitchen hastily. Pulling open the utensil drawer next to the sink Hank grabbed onto a long handled wooden spoon and carried it back into the livingroom. "Open your mouth."

Connor's blurry irises struggled to focus on Hank's face as he slowly opened his mouth and watched as Hank placed the handle of the spoon horizontally between his teeth to give the deviant something to bite as he endured the pain.

"Don't move." Hank reminded Connor as he grabbed onto the deviant's forearms once more and held them down in place. "It's going to hurt, but you can handle it."

Connor glanced down at Joel as he prepared the solder and the iron, his teeth clamping down tighter around the wooden handle nervously. Closing his eyes as tight as possible Connor deactivated his respiration program to remain as still as possible, though the nervously frantic beating of his heart would have to continue without pause.

Joel prepared to perform the cruelly necessary procedure and with it came a sincere, heartfelt preemptive apology. "Connor, I'm so sorry about this, but there's no other way."

Hank's grip tightened around Connor's arms as Joel began to carefully solder the fractures in the frame of Connor's damaged biocomponent. The intense heat from the iron was enough to cause the deviant to groan in pain and wince, but resisted the urge to pull away from Joel. As tears began to run down from the corners of Connor's eyes Hank spoke up to try to keep Connor as calm as possible.

"Almost over, son." Hank kept his voice low and level as he addressed the pained deviant. "You'll feel a lot better in just a minute... Hold on."

Connor only groaned in pain again as the solder did its job and sealed up the fractures, one by one, until the entirety of Connor's left lung was repaired. Once the detached Thirium lines were soldered and reconnected to the left lung the red tint of the affected lung began to slowly fade and transition to back to a steadily darkening shade of blue.

"Done!" Joel announced with a breathy sigh as he wiped sweat from his brow onto the back of his arm. "It's over. I've finished, his ventilation biocomponent is holding."

Connor's eyes opened partially, the tears still fresh but slowing as the pain mercifully subsided.

Hank loosened his grip on Connor's arms and let the deviant go. Replacing his hand over Connor's forehead Hank took the wooden spoon from Connor's teeth and just held his hand in place as he waited for something, _anything_ , to happen.

"I wish I could've done more for the pain, Connor." Joel apologized again as he set about replacing the plastimetal frame over Connor's chest and locking it into place. "I really wish I could."

As soon as the frame over the chest cavity was closed the artificial skin regenerated as much as it could along the sides of Connor's chest and nearly stretched over the center of his chest entirely.

"Breathe for me." Calmly Joel picked up his audioscope and instructed Connor as he pressed the bell down against the deviant's repaired chest to listen. "Slow and steady."

Obediently Connor resumed his respiration program and took a weak shallow breath, only to have it dissipate into a shuddering cough.

"Easy." Moving the bell from left to right then back to the left Joel listened to every breath that Connor forced himself to take as he tested his own pain threshold with each deepening inhalation. "Repairs are holding, how do you feel?"

"...Broken." Connor admitted, his eyes glazing over and shutting slowly. Falling asleep again Connor returned to rest mode to heal. "...Hot."

Joel picked up Connor's wrist and noted that deviant's temperature had risen from one-hundred and three to one-hundred and four. "Stress from the repairs has only exasperated his overheating systems."

Hank shook his head as he located the ice packs sitting on the floor beside the couch and replaced them over Connor's forehead. "Do we just wait this out?"

"Until his self-healing program reboots he'll need external cooling measures, and you're already on top of that."

"Is that it? Just that one repair and he's okay?"

"He's suffered minor damage to his thermal regulator and fractures to his frame." Joel picked up the internal viewing screen and ran it over Connor's entire body, starting from the top of the deviant's head and working all the way down to his toes. "Hairline fracture to the back of his skull in the occiputal plate has already healed, two fractures to his left orbital plate have also healed; but his left ocular unit is only functioning at eighty-one percent capacity..."

Hank ran a hand nervously over his bearded chin as Joel began to identify and chronicle the numerous injuries that Connor had sustained during his captivity in Chicago.

"Two hairline fractures of the mandible plate," Joel continued slowly with a grim tone. "jeez, seventeen separate fractures to the entirety of his chest cavity and four more to his shoulders. Left and right arms have suffered approximately twenty-four hairline fractures, his left and right hands are just as bad; the two forefingers on his right hand had been dislocated and then reset." Running the screen along Connor's abdomen Joel began to shake his head despondently. "Two main Thirium lines had been loosened but repaired by the self-healing program, blunt force impact caused warping and dents to the couplings that house his Thirium pump, the Thirium pump regulator, Thirium filter, analysis collection filter, thermal regulator and gyroscope..."

Hank's blue eyes fell down to Connor's blank, unconscious face as a chill of fear crept up his spine.

"Nine fractures to his abdominal frame, four to his spinal support frame, two large fracture to his upper right leg, one to the left, his right knee was dislocated and reset, his lower left and right legs were fractures and healed in three and only one place respectively, and even his feet were damaged with hairline fractures; his right ankle had also been dislocated and reset."

"Son of a bitch. How in the hell did he survive all of that?"

"Only he can answer that." Logging away the details for his report he would inevitably file at the precinct Joel began to pack up his satchel, removing the sensor pad from Connor's chest carefully. Afterward he pressed his fingers down against Connor's wrist to check his pulse. "Heartbeat is steady, that's a good sign."

"Are you taking off?"

"I have to. If I don't get back to the precinct and explain why I unofficially checked out all of this equipment my ass will get chewed out."

Hank didn't like the idea of not having a technician watching over Connor for at least a little while longer. "What if he needs your help again?"

"You still have that app on your phone, right?"

"Yeah. I don't know how to get rid of that shit, so it's there forever."

"Keep it turned on and if his vitals drop too low the read out text will shift from green to red and send an automatic alert to me at the precinct. Then you can call me or maybe Abby." Hefting his satchel back up over his shoulder Joel gave Hank an odd look. "Can I ask why you called me and not her?"

Hank thought quickly and gave an honest, but clever reply. "It seemed easier since you work at the precinct and Fowler wants some details on Connor." Abby was taking care of North and no one was to know that one of the leaders of New Jericho was physically incapacitated. "Besides, Abby works at a facility and she would've taken him down there herself."

"Fair enough."

"Level with me, Joel. How bad of shape is he in?"

"Not as bad as it could've been, but remember his breathing was very labored and strained. He's managed to heal from a majority of his wounds, but he'll need a few more days to let his system fully heal, and do so properly. It might even be enough time for his processors to finally kick back on to full capacity."

"Why's that taking so long?"

"The processor is the most complicated and the largest piece of programming in all androids. It's going to take a lot longer than usual to reboot after being overheated for so long."

Hank sat down on the coffee table next to the couch and pressed his hand over the ice against Connor's forehead. "Thanks for everything, Joel. Let Fowler know that as soon as Connor is feeling strong enough I will take him into the precinct myself."

"Yeah, no problem. I'm just a phone call away."

As the technician left the house Hank put his hand over Connor's repaired chest and left it there for a moment as he stared at Connor's face. Feeling Connor's stable breaths and beating heart eased Hank's mind and quelled the chill that had settled in his spine. "I'm glad you're finally home, son."

Connor breathed deeply and slowly, his repaired ventilation biocomponent now functioning properly and at full capacity. Despite the function having been restored the deviant was still overheating and began to exhibit signs of a feverish delirium as he rested. As his head lolled from left to right against the couch cushion and he began to mutter in his sleep, Hank spoke to the deviant and pressed the ice down firmly against Connor's forehead.

"You're okay. You're safe."

Connor's hand reached up and wrapped around Hank's wrist with a weak grip as he pressed the ice against the deviant's overheated forehead.

"Here." Hank used his free hand to open the chilled case of concentrated Thirium and pulled out one of the cubes. Presenting it to Connor with a patient hand Hank waited for Connor to let him place the cube into his mouth and watched carefully as Connor instinctively chewed on the cube without choking. "That's it, very good."

"...Hank?"

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he turned on his phone and booted up the app to monitor Connor's vital signs remotely.

"...I'm still home?"

"Right again."

"...Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm going to get you some more ice, okay?"

"...Okay."

"I'll let Sumo back inside, too."

Connor managed a weak smile as he let go of Hank's wrist and let the detective walk away. Feeling completely safe for the first time in almost two weeks Connor remained calm, and wasn't unsettled by Hank's absence knowing that he'd be back soon. The sound of Sumo's nails and heavy paws padding over the linoleum and hardwood floors gave Connor a renewed sense of security, while the massive dog's cold nose pressing against the side of Connor's face made him feel truly at home. Running a weak hand through Sumo's thick, warm fur Connor let himself drift off to sleep knowing that when he awoke he'd be home and surrounded by his small, but loving family.

* * *

Pouring himself a fourth cup of coffee Hank resumed tending to Connor's fever as the second day rolled in with a slow, cold morning arrival. While Connor's vitals hadn't dropped since Joel's departure his condition hadn't improved either. To make matters worse Connor was suffering from fever induced nightmares and would attempt to get up or push Hank away.

Looking at his phone Hank saw that Connor's core temperature had stayed at one-hundred and four degrees and was trying to climb higher.

"This won't be too comfortable, but it's for your own good." Hank stated firmly as he placed new bandages around Connor's entire torso with an awkward and clumsy motion as the semi-conscious deviant was deadweight in his hands. Once the wraps were secured Hank slipped bags of ice into the wraps against the center of Connor's chest and over his abdomen. "At least I hope it will."

"NO!" Connor shouted suddenly, his voice echoing through the house with a loud yelp that caused Sumo to bark from his own bed in the corner of the room.

"Connor, calm down!" Hank remained calm himself as draped a thin navy blue blanket over the fretting deviant as he suffered from the horrible images that his own memory created. "It's just a fever, it's going to be okay."

"H-Hank? I don't... I don't want to go..."

"You don't have to." Hank sipped at the bitter coffee and smoothed a cold, damp washcloth over Connor's forehead. "You don't have to go anywhere."

"...Please."

"Sleep! You're _not_ going anywhere."

Connor's hand reached up into the air at nothingness, only to have Hank's hand grab hold. "D-Dad...?"

"...Yes, son." The term made Hank's heart hitch, but he kept his voice level. "Dad's here."

Opening his eyes a little Connor flashed a ghost of a smile up at the detective taking care of him. "...Hi, Hank."

"Hi. Go back to sleep." Hank placed Connor's hand back down over his freshly bandaged chest carefully. "It's the fever making you see and hear things, you're safe at home and I'll keep you safe, alright?"

"...Home." Connor's eyes closed and he stopped fidgeting about in his restless slumber. As the ice packs wrapped around his chest began to slowly cool off his core temperature the ailing deviant became less distressed and began to relax. "...I'm home."

* * *

Resting for numerous uncounted consecutive hours on the couch with Hank keeping constant vigil over him, and with Sumo laying on the floor between the couch and the table next to him, Connor was only awoken by a hand resting over his arm that shook him slightly. Opening his eyes a sliver Connor recognized the face of Markus leaning over him with relief in his mismatched eyes.

"...Markus?"

"Connor, you're finally awake." As soon as Markus made the statement Hank was on the alert and leaning over the back of the couch once again. "You were out for a while, but it looks like you're going be just fine."

Glancing about his immediate surroundings curiously Connor was able to regain his bearings and remembered that he had in fact made it back home. "...What's going on?"

"I needed to make sure you were _really_ okay. You've been out of it for almost four days now."

"Four... _days_?" Connor slowly pushed himself upright on the couch, his arms shaking and his chest still feeling sore. It was then Connor saw the blue blanket that had been draped over him and the return of the bandages around his torso. Bandages that held cool ice packs against his chest and abdomen to keep his system from overheating while his self-healing program worked in overdrive. "...Hank?"

"You're okay, Connor. I just didn't want to wake you up once you finally stopped overheating." Putting his hand against Connor's shoulder Hank pushed the deviant back into a laying position over the couch lightly then retracted his grip. "Lay still for a little while longer, and keep resting."

"...What happened while I was unconscious?" Connor could tell by the expressions on Hank and Markus's faces that something important was going on, but neither of them wanted to say anything. "Tell me the truth."

"Take it easy for now." Hank urged protectively. "Your fever broke barely two hours ago."

"Two hours?"

"Yeah, son. You were running hot for four days, don't exhaust yourself."

Closing his eyes Connor tried to run a self-diagnostic but the program still failed to properly initiate. As he let out a defeated sigh he snapped his eyes open and locked his gaze onto Markus who was sitting on the coffee table beside him. "Please tell me. What's going on?"

Markus slowly pulled his gaze from Connor and looked over to Hank for guidance as he spoke "...Well, that demented freak who took you captive had been arrested after you got back to Detroit."

The tone of Markus's voice didn't match the news he had delivered. It was supposed to be good news, yet he sounded worried.

"...Something else happened, didn't it?" Unfailingly Connor sensed the unease in the air. "What happened? Be honest with me."

Hank cleared his throat and answered the question hesitantly. "Uh, when that asshole was in transport from his cell to the courthouse in Chicago he... was attacked and killed by another inmate."

" _What_?" Connor was utterly floored by the revelation. "Who killed him?"

"Some inmate being prosecuted for drugs. Apparently he and that Chance asshole had a 'sordid' past and the idiot was taken down with a blade across the throat. In a way that's more justice than anything the court could ever do."

Connor felt a disgusted sense of relief knowing that the man who had been responsible for his abduction, imprisonment and torturous experiences in the underground arena was dead. "...What of the android who was helping him keep deviants imprisoned? Where is... 'it'?"

"Destroyed. That massive android attacked the police when they infiltrated the arena and they had no choice but to open fire."

As the egregiously conflicting information regarding the fates of those who made him, and countless others suffer set in Connor's overly empathetic mind, the kindhearted deviant looked back to Markus with a stern gaze. "That's not everything that's happened, is it? Something else happened while I was gone."

Shaking his head a little Markus gave Connor an uneasy smirk. "Yeah. Uh, you were right about what's happening with North, and until it's over we... We need you to lead New Jericho for a while."

"North is..." Connor didn't quite know what to say just yet, and instead focused on New Jericho instead. "But I can't lead New Jericho while you're both gone. No one there trusts me."

"Not true. _I_ trust you, _North_ trusts you, Simon, Josh, Skye; not to mention the thousands of deviants you freed from CyberLife Tower the night of the revolution. You ARE trusted Connor, you just need to learn how to trust _yourself_."

"Markus, I'm not the right-"

"Connor." Hank interrupted in gentle tone. "Markus is right. You need to learn how to trust yourself, and I think you spending time at New Jericho will be far more beneficial to your recovery than working at the precinct."

"No, Hank." Connor refused stubbornly, not that Hank was surprised by the reaction. "I need to go back to the precinct. I can't let that final case leave me with a scar, or push me away from my responsibilities. I _need_ to go back."

"You're still healing!" Protective and cautious Hank tried to convince Connor to stay away. "It's too dangerous to go back."

" _Dangerous_? As opposed to our previous shifts where we've encountered unstable humans and androids alike?" Connor's argument was as logical as it was passionate. "I've been injured before and I'm still standing. I won't walk away now."

Hank couldn't stop himself from smiling at Connor's determination, and relented for the sake of instilling much needed confidence in the still shaken deviant. "Alright. Then you'll do both."

"Both?"

"You'll go back to the precinct once you're medically cleared, and in between shifts you'll-"

"Hank, Markus." Connor steadied his voice and kept himself composed. "I don't want to lead New Jericho. I don't _want_ to. I'm not the leader, Markus, YOU are."

Markus could see that Connor wasn't going to change his mind on the matter. He needed to relent for Connor's own health, as much as he disliked the idea. "...Okay. I understand."

"I'll do what I can from the precinct, but you need to choose someone else to lead temporarily." Extending his hand out toward Markus as a gesture of goodwill Connor didn't flinch or show any sign of regret in his decision. "I appreciate your faith in my ability to lead, but this isn't for me. And do know this, whatever you and North may need I'll be there in an instant."

"Thanks Connor." Accepting Connor's answer, though it wasn't the one he wanted, Markus shook Connor's hand with a firm grasp. "Get some rest, I need to get back to North."

"Let her know that New Jericho will be safe, and that I'm okay. And... tell her we won't stop looking for a way to help her. I swear it."

"I will." Markus agreed as he stood up from the coffee table and made his way toward the front door. "Oh, and, when the times comes will you-"

"Of course." Connor promised sincerely. "I'll be there and I will help you regardless of your final decisions together."

"Thanks..." With a gracious nod of respect Markus opened the front door and gave his friend one final farewell. "Welcome home, Connor. It's good to have you back."

Hank walked around the couch and sat down beside Connor's legs, his hand absentmindedly petting Sumo's head in the process. "You're sure about not wanting to go to New Jericho?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed without the slightest hesitation. "That's not where I belong."

"They're your people."

"I'm aware, but that doesn't mean I'm their leader. I'm not Markus."

"Well, regardless of your own decisions I'll support you all the way." The exhausted detective accepted the answer and leaned back heavily against the couch cushions behind him. Letting out a deep, sleepy yawn he closed his eyes slowly and tried to relax as much as possible. "Don't worry about it, just enjoy being home and safe."

Despite his own lethargy the yawn didn't escape Connor's attention. "...You haven't been sleeping."

"It's a little hard to sleep when your only child goes missing for nine days, then shows up back home as a feverish, busted, bleeding mess."

"...I'm sorry you were so worried."

"It's not your fault, son. And you know me, I NEVER blame the victim." Reaching out slowly he pressed the back of his hand against Connor's forehead and lowered it in relief. "Still no sign of a returning fever. I think you can get rid of the ice now."

Connor studied the bandages wrapped around his torso with a keen interest as he unwrapped them with a controlled motion. "I don't recall having my chest re-bandaged by Joel after he repaired my ventilation biocomponent."

"He didn't. I did."

"Oh? May I ask why?"

"Seeing all those damn breaks in your frame and missing skin just looked too painful. I had to do something to cover them back up, and I figured the wraps could do double-time holding ice against your chest."

"That was very clever." Connor complimented as he removed the wraps and revealed that his chest had at long last healed entirely, his artificial skin was once more completely covering his chest leaving him looking as human as possible in return. "And it was beneficial in aiding my self-healing program. My processors are still offline, but I'm functioning at optimal parameters again."

"How do you feel? I mean, _actually_ feel?"

"Tired. Very tired." The deviant admitted as he placed the ice packs down on the table and rolled up the removed bandages neatly. "I believe I require additional rest."

"Me too."

Noticing the watch sitting idle on the table Connor smiled and picked it up with a gentle touch. "Your watch is safe."

Hank's eyes opened and he looked over at the gilded watch resting in Connor's opened palm. "After all of that shit you went through, you still kept the watch safe?"

"Yes." Connor watched as Hank took the watch from his hand and held it tightly. "But I did end up leaving my tie behind in the woods."

"Good!" The detective readily joked. "Ties are stupid."

Connor gave Hank a small laugh as he patted the couch cushion and invited Sumo up for some more head pets. "...I'm just glad it's all over. I... assume Alec left the city?"

"From what I heard, yeah. He and his human friend decided to get out of Detroit and try to go somewhere smaller so they can live in peace." Putting the watch around his own wrist Hank let out a breathy sigh. "I wonder if Markus and North will do the same?"

"...I don't know." Connor's brow arched in confusion at the thought. "But it might be the safest choice they'll have in the remaining four months."

"So it's really official, huh? She's not actually sick she's, uh... dying?"

"...Yes. North is suffering from a terminal defect."

"Connor... She _what_?"

"That's the term that has been agreed upon if North's condition was deemed irreparable. Hank," Connor's voice lowered as he spoke with mounting distress and fatigue. "she's going to shutdown."

"What? How did this happen?" Hank could see that Connor was already upset about the prospect of losing his friend. "Do you know what's wrong with her?"

"...The update by CyberLife. It was designed to give androids more humanoid reactions and developments on a physical scale. And North's original design for a 'pleasure model' at the 'Eden Club' had left her with limited software compatibility beyond that of internal and external 'gratification'. She was designed to function for only a limited time for the sake of cheaper production. And now... she's reached the end of her predicted lifespan. And it's too late for the software update to be removed from her system, the incompatibility has done its damage."

"Fuck. I'm so sorry, kid. ...How's Markus handling this?"

"Not well. But he is remaining strong for North's sake and for all of New Jericho Tower." Connor let out a weary sigh as he fought the urge to sleep and kept his hands on Sumo's ears to try to distract himself from the devastating reality he was now facing. "This is... serious. Everything is going to change."

"Connor, what is it?" Hank already knew the answer, but he needed to ask anyway. "What's really bothering you? It's not just what's happening to North, is it?"

"...After enduring the atrocities in Chicago I fear for what could possible happen to the other deviants throughout the country." His voice was as melancholy as it was tired. "We can only protect those who _happen_ to reside in our jurisdiction or seek shelter at the tower. It feels like we're somehow... lacking in everything that can be done. And if Markus can no longer lead the deviants due to the personal tragedy and loss, I fear failure is inevitable. Everything we fought for will be lost and for nothing."

"It'll be okay, son." Placing a firm, grounding hand on Connor's shoulder Hank spoke with a confident voice full of strength. "I swear."

"I wish I could believe that, Hank. They _need_ me to lead, but I can't! I just- It's not my place. It's not my purpose."

"Hey, remember that we're _both_ detectives, alright? So we'll _both_ protect all those innocent deviants from any danger, no matter where they are or where they come from. Never forget that, okay?"

"...Thank you, Hank." Connor gave Hank a gracious nod as he felt slightly better about the entire situation. "And... thank you for not giving up on me."

"Never." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and shook once. "You never gave up on me; a drunk asshole with a loaded gun in his hand and an icy heart. And I won't give up on you. That's what families do."

"...Family. That's right."

_**...next story...** _


	123. Old Wounds

While he slowly recovered from his injuries Connor had taken to sleeping on the couch for a few more nights as he was still hesitant to be alone, even if that meant being in a separate room from Hank for even a few hours. No longer suffering from chronic nightmares or pain Connor managed to doze comfortably without any further incident. With Sumo laying on the floor next to the couch and Hank asleep in the recliner a few feet away, the unorthodox family had found a few moments of peace after enduring days of Hell courtesy of hatred and bigotry still scaring parts of the world with blackness.

A low buzzing sound emanated from Hank's phone sitting on the small table next to the recliner rousing the tired detective from his slumber. As he looked at the caller I.D. displayed on the screen Hank's grogginess was replaced by an anxious alertness causing him to practically jump to his feet as he walked through the livingroom to answer the phone outside more discreetly.

"Hank?" Connor's eyes partially opened as he sensed the detective now awake and heard the phone buzzing in Hank's hand. "What's wrong?"

"...Nothing. It's a personal call." Hank never broke his stride as he crossed into the kitchen and pulled open the backdoor to answer the phone in private. His voice was as alert as his pace. "Go back to sleep, I'll be back in a minute."

Still too tired from his devastating injuries and still needing to rest in order to fully reboot his processors Connor willingly laid his head back down and closed his eyes to return cooperatively to rest mode once more. Laying still and quiet Connor listened to the sound of Hank pacing about on the back deck, his heavy footsteps moving rhythmically back and forth outside the door, then stopping abruptly.

Connor turned his head slightly against the pillow as he listened to the sudden quiet and waited for the backdoor to open up, but it remained shut. Curious about the unexpected stillness and corresponding silence Connor waited for a few minutes before he rose from the couch and walked very slowly toward the kitchen, craning his neck to try to see Hank on the back deck through the kitchen window.

Sumo got up from his bed and joined Connor in the kitchen with his own curiosity, but the deviant didn't want Sumo outside so late at night.

"No, Sumo. Go lay down."

Sumo continued toward the backdoor, his tail wagging slowly.

"Sumo!" Connor didn't raise his voice but he did put some authority into it as he tried to command the almost grown puppy into obedience. "Go lay down!"

The still learning but lovable dog slowly walked away from the door and eyed Connor expectantly as if the deviant was going to suddenly change his mind and let him outside.

"Lay down."

Moving quicker Sumo finally went back to his bed in the corner of the livingroom and laid down with a slight grumble under his breath as he watched Connor walk to the backdoor without him.

"Good boy. Now stay."

Peering through the window of the backdoor Connor saw Hank sitting down on the steps of the back deck with his hands folded neatly together as a single fist and pressed against his bearded chin as he leaned forward with his elbows propped up against his knees. The phone was sitting next to Hank, forgotten, and the lack of motion from Hank himself was disconcerting to the ever empathetic deviant who saw him.

Opening the door quietly Connor stepped through and stared at the detective's back. "...Hank?"

"Go back inside, Connor." Hank's voice was devoid of all emotion as he spoke without ever looking at the deviant behind him. "It's late."

"What's wrong?"

"...You need to be resting."

Connor stubbornly closed the door and joined Hank on the back steps, ignoring Hank's attempt to deflect the question. As he sat down beside the fatherly figure who had taken him in as family Connor saw that there were fresh tears running down Hank's face in heavy streams.

"Hank. Please talk to me." Connor wanted to put his hand on Hank's shoulder as a sign of support, but he knew that right now the detective was standing on an emotional precipice and didn't need anyone accidentally pushing him one direction or another. "I want to help you."

Wiping his hand over his eyes Hank removed the tears from under his eyes, but the red puffiness that Connor had witnessed before as the result of humans experiencing intense emotional sorrow was still there. Ignoring the deviant at his side Hank sat in silent contemplation with his tear filled eyes staring straight ahead at the fence that lined the rear of the property.

Connor had never seen Hank in such emotional distress and was completely unsure of how to act in this situation. Deciding that maybe his best of course of action would be to listen to Hank's suggestion and return to the house Connor hesitantly stood up slowly and stepped away from the detective without another word.

"Connor."

Freezing in place with his hand wrapped around the doorknob Connor stood his ground and waited for Hank to speak again. "...Yes, Hank?"

"...What does the name Wallace Caius mean to you?"

Turning his head quickly Connor let his hand fall from the doorknob and he stood behind Hank warily. "...He was a surgeon. Dr. Wallace Caius." Connor waited for Hank to react but he didn't budge in the slightest. "He was arrested on October 12, 2035 for possession of 'red ice'. He... He was also the surgeon on call the night that... you and Cole-"

"Yeah, _that_ asshole." Hank confirmed in a low, emotionless voice. "Did I tell you that the fuckin' prick only spent six months in prison and got one year of probation for showing up to his shift high as a fuckin' kite, and committed negligent homicide?"

"No." Connor's brow furrowed with confusion at the comparatively lenient sentence that the man had received in light of his crimes and failures as an emergency physician and surgeon. "That is a very inappropriate punishment for the crimes in which he was convicted."

"Yeah, well, where the law failed us, personal pain intervened."

"How so?" Turning away from the door Connor took a step toward Hank once more thoroughly intrigued.

"Like that asshole's wife divorced him while he was behind bars, took their kids and left town. When he got out of prison he went right back on 'red ice' and ended up living on the streets to keep up his drug habit."

"You've never mentioned him before. Why now?"

Hank fell silent again.

"I remember what you told me about not bottling up my sorrow," Connor stated kindly as he sat back down next to Hank on the steps of the back deck. "and I remember you told me that it was okay to cry when upset. You also told me that in times of emotional distress that it's best to talk about it. Talk to me."

Hank's eye briefly darted to the phone sitting idle beside him before his gaze returned to the fence in the distance. "...I got a call a while ago. It was from a friend who is still working in narcotics." Pausing briefly to clear his throat of any and all emotion threatening to well up in his voice Hank continued on. "...And Wallace's body was found under a bridge near the river about two hours ago. He overdosed on 'red ice'."

"...And you don't know how you feel, how you want to feel, or how you should feel about his death." Connor realized empathetically. "You don't want to admit it, but you feel a sense of relief - maybe even... happiness, knowing that someone who had caused you so much pain is finally dead."

"How in the hell do you know that?" Hank asked in a stunned tone of voice as he finally turned his head to look at Connor directly.

"...That's how I felt when you told me that Chance had been murdered after being arrested. A part of me was relieved that he was no longer a threat," Connor's eyes lowered guiltily to the deck at his feet as he spoke. "and then another part of me was actually _happy_ that he had been killed. I was happy that he had suffered a terrible fate and perished in the end. But now I'm... I'm ashamed. I feel horrible for finding solace in the demise of another person."

"Don't be." Hank insisted in a low but firm voice. "It's normal for humans to want revenge when they've been wronged. I wouldn't expect anything different from deviants."

"If it's normal," his eyes returned to Hank in a searching gaze. "then why are you behaving so abnormally about the situation?"

"Because, _I_ wanted to be the one to kill him."

"...You wanted to..." Trailing off for a moment Connor tried to contemplate how different things in his and Hank's life would be in that moment if Hank had actually carried out his desired act of revenge. If he had been the one to kill Caius. "If you had succeeded and killed him-"

"He _killed_ Cole. He wasn't even in the same room but he was responsible all the same." Wrapping his hand to the back of his neck Hank tried to ease the tense knot working up his back and threatening to overwhelm him with a migraine. "I wanted nothing more than to strangle that irredeemable bastard with my bare hands, but he was so high, so _pathetic_ that I couldn't do it. And ever since the funeral all I wanted to do was track him down after he got out of prison and put a bullet between his eyes... But he disappeared with the other junkies. So I pinned all my anger and hatred on androids instead. I was easier to hate someone who tried to help Cole, to hate a face I could actually see, than it was to think about the man who killed him..."

Connor looked away again as his hands flexed into tight fists.

Hank let out a breathy sigh of self-hatred in response. "Guess that's just a weakness of character. My first reaction is to hurt people who hurt me, even if they don't really deserve it."

"You're not weak, Hank." The reassurance in Connor's voice was sincere, empathetic. "At least you didn't track him down and actually hold a gun to his head... Like I did."

Hank knew exactly what Connor was referring to and didn't want the deviant to suffer the same guilt and self-loathing that he was currently enduring. "The night you went after Perkins is different, Connor. What you did came out of raw pain and anger because Lucas was murdered in cold blood. What I wanted to do came out of a sense of misplaced revenge and the need to make someone else suffer."

"It _wasn't_ different Hank. The only reason I didn't kill him is because I remember what you told me and that kept me from squeezing the trigger." Connor couldn't bring himself to look at Hank yet. "You managed to keep living your life without taking revenge on someone who wasn't worthy of living, and you didn't have someone there to talk you out of it. You made the decision on your own. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for, believe me. I hope to understand that kind of strength myself."

Hank reached a hand up and patted Connor's shoulder appreciatively. "...You already do, son."

Connor felt a sudden search of electricity flow though his skull as his processors finally rebooted and allowed him cybernetic access to the world around him. Noting the late hour and the spike in Hank's blood pressure as well as his elevated heart rate, Connor decided it was time for Hank to go back inside the house and to get some proper rest.

"Hank, it's late. You need to sleep."

"I'm not tired."

"Neither am I. But you insist I continue to rest for the sake of my own health, and I must insist you do the same."

"...I _need_ a damn drink." Hank dropped his hand from his neck and leaned back to look up at the night sky overhead.

"No, you don't."

"You're right, I don't. But I still _want_ it." Closing his eyes and Hank let out a single long repressed sob and then sighed deeply. "Fuck."

"Lay down, Hank. You're beginning to suffer from a severe headache, perhaps even a migraine. I can see it in your eyes."

"Headache, hangover... All the same to me. Just one has less puke in the morning."

"No." Connor stated firmly as he wrapped his hand around Hank's bicep to pull him up to his feet as he stood up himself. "Come on. It's your turn to rest."

Moving slowly and heavily Hank let Connor pull him up to his feet and lead him back inside the house. As the duo returned to the house Connor escorted Hank back to the livingroom and placed him on the couch.

"What're you doing?" Hank asked as put his hand over his tired eyes as he sat on the cushions heavily.

"You're feeling unwell and need to lay down. Just as you watched over me while I recovered I will do the same for you."

"Connor, you don't-"

"I'll get you some aspirin and water."

Hank fell to his side slowly as he pressed his head down against the soft pillow and didn't move one inch as even the slightest motion threatened to split his already aching skull open. Connor was aware of Hank's discomfort and made sure he kept his movements as silent as possible as to not disquiet the already pained detective as he opened the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and returned to the livingroom just as quietly.

"Hank." Connor returned with two tablets of aspirin and a glass of water. "Please?"

"...Thanks." Begrudgingly Hank accepted the pills and popped them into his mouth and gulped them down with the offered water.

Connor took back the glass and set it down on the coffee table before he draped the thin navy blue blanket over Hank's resting form.

"I'll be right here if you need anything." Connor volunteered as he sat down in the recliner and entered a light rest mode to ensure that if Hank awoke again in the middle of the night that he'd awaken too. "Rest well."

"...Sometimes I forget you're not human, kid."

"Pardon?" Connor asked confusedly from where he sat as the comment was muttered to a near inaudible degree.

"Nothing..."

Hank rested his arm over his eyes to block out all of the dim lighting in the house and let himself silently weep and mourn as he thought about Cole. It took some great effort but Hank finally drifted off to a restless, nightmarish sleep. His sobs were silent, but painful all the same as he endured the haunting images of his son's needless death...

_**...next story...** _


	124. Painful Interactions

Connor spent the morning keeping quiet and keeping Sumo outside for the most part of the day. Fortunately, it was a nice day and Sumo didn't mind have much more room to run about and release his pent up energy. But unfortunately the reason Sumo was being kept outside was because Hank was suffering from a stress and exhaustion induced migraine. The detective was attempting to sleep through an excruciating and debilitating headache that Connor himself had experienced once before, and now the kindhearted deviant was doing his best to help Hank recover as quickly as possible.

Whispering in a low tone Connor knelt beside the couch and lightly pressed his fingers to the side of Hank's neck to check his pulse, and subsequent stress level. "Do you require any additional medication?"

From beneath the navy blue blanket that shielded him from the dim lighting of the house, Hank replied with an annoyed grumble. "...No."

"Your pulse is still elevated. Perhaps a mild sedative would allow you to rest more comfortably?"

"...No."

Pulling his hand from Hank's neck Connor gingerly placed his hand over the blanket that was over Hank's eyes to check the temperature of the cold compress resting over Hank's eyes. "I'll get you a fresh compress."

Not waiting for Hank to reply with another impending 'no' Connor walked down the hallway to the bathroom to set about his task. Connor knew that the migraine was the result of Hank's long repressed grief and anger returning to the surface after so many years of denial. Having no personal experience with long term grudges Connor was unsure as to the best way to aid Hank during his plight, and focused more on being an emotional support for the time being.

Cybernetically Connor sent a text message to Rose as he placed a new washcloth under the cool tap in the sink and wrung out the excess cool water. Needing advice, and not wanting to accidentally annoy Hank with numerous questions, Connor decided that speaking with Rose was the correct alternative.

Connor returned to the livingroom and knelt down beside the couch once more. Moving swiftly but gracefully Connor was able to lift up the blanket long enough to swap out the two compresses without irritating Hank in the process.

"You should drink some water. If you let yourself dehydrate your headache will get worse."

"...Fine."

"Thank you." Connor was appreciative of Hank's unexpected cooperation and didn't want him to change his mind. Walking into the kitchen Connor pulled a cold bottle of water from the fridge and received a reply from Rose confirming that she'd stop by the house within the hour. "...Thank you, too."

Busying himself with cleaning up the house silently, the messes a direct result of Hank's indifference to his own health and resurfacing depression in the light of Connor's temporary, but too long disappearance, Connor managed to get the house fairly clean without disturbing Hank. As he carried two full bags of garbage out to the curb for proper disposal Connor was happily met by Rose who had arrived via autonomous taxi.

"Connor!" Rose beamed as she readily stepped out of the taxi to wrap her arms around the deviant in a tight hug. "I'm so happy to see you!"

"It's nice to see you again." Connor happily reciprocated the hug and let the incredibly kind woman hold him for a few seconds. "I'm sure Hank will be happy to see you, too."

"Hank told me you made it back home!" Breaking the hug slowly Rose put both of her hands on either side of Connor's face as if she needed to make sure he was truly standing before her. "Are you doing alright? Are you really okay?"

"Yes, I've made great strides in my recovery. Now it's Hank who needs help."

"Okay." Rose's hands fell from Connor's face and lightly grabbed onto his hands as they stood next to the street together. "Tell me what's going on, Connor."

* * *

Oblivious to what Connor had been doing all that morning and afternoon Hank had been dozing on and off lightly on the couch when he felt a soft hand wrap around his own from beneath the blanket. Recognizing the delicate touch as that of Rose's warm hand Hank squeezed in response and spoke up from beneath the layer of darkness in which he was hiding.

"...Hi, Rose."

"Hi, Hank." She carefully pulled the blanket down so she could look at his face, although his eyes were still covered by the washcloth. "Connor told me you were sick, and I wanted to see how you both are doing."

"He's alive." Hank stated somewhat blankly. "That's what's important."

"How about you?" Rose joked sweetly as she began running her fingers through his gray locks of hair.

"...Hanging in there."

"Can I do something to help you feel better? Maybe get you something to eat?"

"...No. The last thing I want to do is throw-up."

Connor didn't like that answer and interjected as he stood behind Rose who was still kneeling beside the couch. "Are you feeling nauseated?"

"...It's not too bad."

"Continue to drink the water, it'll help."

Hank wanted to look at Connor but the light would still be too painful to deal with, so instead he just lifted his free and pointed in Connor's general direction. "I'm fine, son. Don't worry about me."

"Sorry Hank, but I don't believe I'll be able to do that."

Rose smiled at the response Connor gave as she continued to fuss with Hank's hair. "Well, I'm going to make you something anyway. Connor," she turned and gave the deviant a coy look that told him to follow her lead. "if I give you a list will you pick up a few things from the store?"

Understanding that Rose just wanted a plausible excuse to be alone with Hank for a while Connor nodded and played along. "Of course. I've recently taken an inventory of the groceries and I know what will be required."

"Connor," Hank didn't like the idea of the deviant leaving the house alone. The fear of losing him to another lunatic was a haunting fear that Hank would still need some time to get over. "the shopping can wait."

Relying on Rose to back him up Connor took a hesitant step backward and made his way toward the kitchen. "I'll be back within a few hours. I promise I will return tonight. Nothing bad will happen to me."

Rose tightened her grip on Hank's hand. "Hank, don't assume the worst. I mean, I know you're a detective and that's what you-"

"...I get it." Hank lightly squeezed her hand in return. "Connor," the near defeat in Hank's voice was painful to hear. "be back soon."

"I will Hank. Try to get some rest."

* * *

Taking the car to ease Hank's mind Connor knew that it'd take him less than an hour to purchase all the necessary groceries, and in that time he knew Hank would've been too emotionally stubborn to open up to Rose. To give himself as much time as possible Connor decided to stop by the precinct to finish off what he needed to regarding the report on his abduction and subsequent return to the city. As he entered the precinct Connor was greeted by a chorus of low whispers and staring eyes that he easily ignored in favor of speaking to Captain Fowler.

Much to Connor's surprise the report he'd need to file was almost entirely complete and filled with every correct detail courtesy of Alec's testimony and Hank taking the time to call in to the precinct while Connor himself recovered. Happy to finish off the report and finally put the whole ugly mess behind him Connor spoke to Captain Fowler and then proceeded to cybernetically file his report accordingly.

"It's good to finally have you back, Connor." Captain Fowler shook the deviant's hand as Connor finished off his report and prepared to leave for the day. "Take your time with your recovery, okay? If you need to-"

"Thank you, Captain. But I would prefer to resume my normal routine." Connor pulled his hand back and kept a respectful demeanor as he addressed his commanding officer. "I will be back at the beginning of the following week along with Hank."

"Connor, you and Hank have been through so much these past few months, and now with that surgeon dead-"

"You're aware of what happened?" Connor sounded justifiably worried as the death had a profound effect on everyone who had been a part of Cole's short life.

"Who do you think responded to the call?"

"Ah. Yes, of course." Connor was somewhat embarrassed by his ignorance of the details. "That explains why someone from narcotics knew of the death."

"Is Hank doing alright?"

"He is currently ill with a migraine, but a good friend is seeing to him while I'm out running errands."

"Make sure he knows NOT to beat himself up over this mess. That idiot was dead long before he huffed that 'red ice' under the bridge."

"...Is that why he disappeared on the street? He was being... 'watched'?"

"No. He ended up on the street because he was a drug addict who went right back to his old habit after being released from prison."

"Yes, of course."

"Look, go on home and keep Hank company. And if you need more time to recover let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Captain."

The deviant turned to take his leave of the office when Captain Fowler suddenly called out to him. "Hey, Connor?"

"Yes?" He stopped short as he crossed the office and turned to look over his shoulder to his commanding officer once more.

"For what it's worth I'm sorry that no one from the precinct found you. And I'm sorry you even had to suffer through what you did when you were taken captive." Captain Fowler was genuinely remorseful as he spoke to the deviant. "The lack of progress is inexcusable. I personally will conduct an investigation to figure out why we failed to find you."

"...Thank you, Captain."

As Connor departed from the office with a slow, almost distracted gait a familiar voice called out to him from behind his own desk and made Connor pause rather abruptly. "Hey, the 'Tinman' lives!"

"Sergeant Reed." Connor greeted in an emotionless tone from where he stood. "I won't officially be back on the active roster until next week, could you please wait until then before you insult me?"

Gavin actually laughed at the request as he rose from his desk and walked over to where Connor was standing in the middle of the bullpen. "So... I take it the Lieutenant knows what happened, right?" His right hand was concealed in his leather jacket's pocket in a somewhat noticeable manner as he addressed Connor. "He knows about that asshole doctor croakin' under the bridge, right?"

"Correct."

"To be honest I'm surprised Hank didn't kill that doctor years ago. That bastard deserved it."

"Hank has more self-control than most people give him credit for."

"Yeah," Gavin winced slightly as he tried to keep his attention on Connor. "wish I could say the same for myself."

"You are in pain." Connor cybernetically scanned Gavin's vitals and found his heart rate and blood pressure elevated, indicative of stress or pain. "Might I inquire as to what happened?"

"Nothing!" Gavin replied quickly to try to dissuade unwanted attention. "Just... slammed my hand in the car door this morning after I arrested some-" He stopped short and began his reply again. "Know what? It's not important."

"Did you seek medical attention for your hand?"

"No, it's not a big deal."

"Then why are you trying to hide your injury?"

Gavin awkwardly leaned in a little and lowered his voice as he spoke to Connor. "...If I level with you can you help me out?"

"...It's possible, yes."

"Alright, fine. Meet me in the men's room in five minutes."

"Why wait-"

"Just do it!" Gavin snapped as he took his leave of the bullpen. "Stop with all the damn questions, you're off the clock for fuck sake."

"...Very well."

Connor stepped aside and watched as Gavin walked over to the bathroom and stepped inside alone. Unsure of what Gavin could possibly want Connor decided to preoccupy himself by walking over to his long vacant terminal and checking in on the caseload he had attained during his unintentional prolonged absence. Cybernetically Connor kept track of the time and as the five minute window came to a close he turned off his terminal and discreetly entered the bathroom as instructed.

"Finally." Gavin was running his right hand under the cold water in the sink and gave Connor a somewhat relieved look when he finally entered. "Your scanner thing can look through skin, right?"

"Correct."

"...Can you check my hand for me?"

"Your hand?" Connor approached the sink and looked at Gavin's right hand noting the severe bruising around the knuckles, swelling at the first knuckle and small bloody cuts that marred the back of his his first and second knuckle. "You struck someone."

"Yeah, well, the sick-fuck had it comin'! He's lucky he was transferred out of here after I arrested his sorry ass..."

Connor shook his head as he ran a scan over Gavin's hand as requested. "Your proximal philange of the right index finger has been dislocated from the metacarpophalangeal joint."

"I... What?"

"You dislocated your forefinger from your knuckle."

"Explains why it hurts like a bitch! Can you, uh, pop it back into place for me?"

"I can do so, but it'll be quite painful."

"Like I said it already hurts. Do it."

"Why not report to a medic?"

"Because as you already said I punched some asshole. I don't need it on my record, I got enough problems..."

"And you're aware that your current injury is inconsistent with that of it being compressed in a car door?"

"...Yeah, I am now." Gavin grumbled under his breath. "Asshole."

Connor maintained a cybernetic scan over Gavin's hand to ensure he could properly view the extent of the internal damage. "I will tend to your finger if you honestly answer as to why you struck that suspect this morning."

"Seriously?"

"Quite." Connor replied as he took a firm grip of Gavin's hand in his own hand, mindful of the painful bruises, and grabbed onto Gavin's dislocated finger with the other hand. "Tell me or I will leave."

"You wouldn't."

Connor held his ground and gave Gavin a silent glance to confirm that he wasn't bluffing.

"Alright, alright... Don't be a prick about it." Gavin sighed and shook his head a little in defeat. "That asshole I arrested this morning was touchin' kids. Fuckin' pedophile..."

Connor's brow furrowed a little at the revelation. "You can prove this?"

"The fuckin' creep has a RECORD! Moved into the neighborhood, never said a word to anyone around him, then volunteered to babysit kids after school. The only reason he was busted is because some eight year old girl had the guts to tell her older brother and he called the cops."

The idea of a child being harmed by an adult made Connor feel inexplicably sick, and maybe even a little angry.

"That brother was only eleven years old and he did a better job at protecting his sister than any of the adults in the area. So, when I got the call I made sure the asshole knew that he was NEVER going to hurt another innocent kid again. And I punched him for good measure."

Connor couldn't fault Gavin for his actions, though he did wish that the hotheaded detective would've been honest earlier.

"Hold your breath." Connor instructed as he quickly and firmly pulled on the dislocated finger and popped it back into place with a single motion. Gavin stifled a yelp and pulled his hand back in shocked pain as soon as his finger was popped back into place. "You'll require a splint to ensure the tendons in the finger can heal properly, otherwise you may require surgical intervention."

"Yeah, uh, thanks." Gavin stared at his sore hand as he answered.

"Go to the android facility on Larned Street and ask for Dr. Abby Grayson. She is the technician who has helped me numerous times in the past, and she was an E.M.T. in Chicago. She can help you out and remain discreet about the cause of your injury."

"Uh... Sure. I'll do that after I clock out."

"I'll see you next week, Gavin."

"Whoa, hey, are you going to tell Fowler what I did?"

"No." Connor confirmed as he put his hand on the door and prepared to leave. "Whether or not you wish to inform him of the 'incident' with the car door is up to you. It's not my business."

"...Yeah. Thanks."

With a final nod of respect Connor took his leave of the precinct and set about the rest of his tasks before returning him. However there was a sudden urge to make a stop and pay a long overdue visit to someone who was very important to Connor in their mutually short lives. And it was a stop that Connor knew he needed to make as a means of gaining some sort of mental peace after enduring so much Hell.

* * *

Arriving at the renovated church and subsequent cemetery in the back Connor stood before Lucas's grave and folded his hands neatly together in front of himself as he looked down at the grave and read, then re-read, the inscription on the headstone with an odd sense of surreal acceptance. Despite already visiting the headstone that Hank had placed at the cemetery where Barbara and Cole were laid to rest, it wasn't until Connor returned to the cemetery where Lucas had been buried that it really set in for him.

Knowing that his brother was laying just a few feet beneath him was as unsettling as it was somehow... comforting.

"I know you can't actually hear me," Connor stated sadly as he placed a single white lily atop the headstone. "but it's been so long since we've been able to speak due to the damage to my processors. I hope we can speak tonight when I enter rest mode, but just in case I felt compelled to come here and speak now."

Clearing his throat Connor began to talk with Lucas as if his brother were in fact alive and standing before him.

"...In an estimated four months Markus and North will... well, they will make history. Markus will be the first android widowed as North's processors cannot handle the software errors overlooked in her design. They were to be the leaders of our people, they were destined to lead us into a new future and create a generation of prosperity; but now it's all coming to an end. As much as I want to, and hard as I fight, I just can't help them... I was unable to protect myself and I fear I won't be able to help Hank through his current depression. I'm tired of fighting and I have nothing left to _fight for_. I don't want to lose my friends, my family, but all I can think of is how I've already failed so much in the past and how much I wish you were still here to help me."

Fussing for a few moments with the offered lily Connor found his voice again.

"In a way I'm glad you don't have to be a part of this ongoing struggle. It isn't _fair_... It isn't what we want. This isn't what our people _deserve_."

Crouching down closer to the grave Connor let his legs give out and he sat down on the soft grass cross-legged as he spoke to his late brother.

"Hank has tried to explain to me about how there is a difference between doing what is right and doing what is moral, but I don't think I can differentiate the two concepts. I don't understand so many things still."

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts Connor let out a tired sigh as he tried to sift through the dense fog of conflicting and confusing emotions swarming over his mind.

"I know that violent reactions toward other people is wrong unless you are defending yourself; and yet when Sergeant Reed told me that he had struck an arrested suspect for harming children I didn't react negatively toward the admission. A part of me felt like Gavin's reaction was justified even though I know that it was unprofessional and it was a needless act of assault. It's like... It's like when I wanted to kill Perkins for what he did to you. I didn't go through with it in the end, but the idea of killing him seemed... right. But I _know_ it's wrong."

Connor was at a total loss to explain what he was thinking, and feeling, deep down inside.

"And I know that Hank needs me but I'm not sure how to help him when I can't even help myself. He's taught me so much about what it means to be human, to be alive, but I can't help but feel as though there is something very important that I've either failed to understand or just haven't discovered yet."

Feeling utterly confused and broken Connor fought through his inner emotional turmoil just long enough to keep speaking to Lucas.

"Whatever it is that I'm missing I know I will find it, but I'm afraid I won't find it in time. I can't fail Markus or North... I can't disappoint Hank by failing to be the person he thinks I already am." Connor bowed his head a little and wiped a tear from his eye. "And I can't handle all of this alone."

Standing up slowly Connor lowered his head despondently as he prepared to leave.

"...Please Lucas, help me make the right choices." Putting his hand briefly over the headstone Connor bid his farewell to his brother. "I need help."

Unsurprisingly there was no response from Lucas, not even a cybernetic 'blip' to Connor's processors.

"I must return home now. Hank is still unwell." Turning to walk away from the headstone Connor glanced back over his shoulder to look at the grave one last time. "I'll try to visit more often, brother. I miss you."

* * *

Hank was sitting upright on the couch with a bag of ice pressed to the back of his neck while Rose kept him company in the livingroom. Sumo had been let back inside the house and was trotting around the couch in a large circle as he carried his green fetch ball around wanting to play, but neither of the two human occupants of the house were up for playing a game of fetch yet.

Connor returned to the house through the backdoor and immediately drew Sumo into the kitchen and away from the couch with his presence. "I'm home, Hank."

Hank's bloodshot tired eyes opened slowly and he looked into the kitchen in time to see Connor placing four bags of groceries down on the cleared off countertops. "...Took you long enough."

"I stopped by the precinct to finish filing the report on my... well, the 'incident'." Connor carefully selected his words as he set about putting away the newly purchased groceries. "I'm sorry I didn't return sooner."

"...Whatever. At least you came back this time."

Rose smiled and patted her hand over the back of Hank's hand. "I know you're not hungry right now but you need to eat something."

"Does aspirin count?"

Rose playfully slapped Hank's knee as she stood up from the couch. "Nice try. I'll make you some tea instead."

"...I hate tea."

"Not the way I make it."

Connor had finished putting away the groceries and was now placating Sumo with affectionate rubs to his ears and tossing the green ball around the kitchen casually. While Rose joined Connor in the kitchen he took the liberty to thank Rose with a subtle nod of the head before he walked into the livingroom to check in on Hank, with Sumo following closely after him.

"How's your head?"

"...Not as bad as it had been." The sound of Rose putting a kettle being put on the stove burner didn't even seem to bother him. "Anything interesting happen at the precinct?"

Sitting down in the recliner with Sumo promptly dropping the ball at his feet Connor answered honestly. "I learned that today Gavin punched a pedophile."

"Good for him." Hank didn't even hesitate with his response. "How'd that work out?"

"He's not in trouble if that's what you're asking. He claimed that his hand injury was the result of an accident with a car door."

"And you're not going to bust him?"

"No."

"Good." Hank let out a sigh and moved the ice pack from his neck and pressed it over his eyes. "There are some people who deserve to get their teeth punched down their throats. The people who prey on kids are at the _very top_ of that very long list."

Connor was perplexed by Hank's demeanor, his reaction only exasperating Connor's own confusion. Assault being approved by an officer of the law was entirely contradictory to what Hank had been sworn to do; to protect and serve. Pushing aside the confusion for a moment Connor decided that a change of subject was momentarily necessary.

"...I also went to speak with Lucas."

Hank turned to look at Connor lowering the ice from his eyes in the process. "That's the first time you went to the cemetery since the funeral, isn't it?"

"...Yes. I wish I had visited him sooner and more often."

"Do you know how long it took for me to visit Barbara's grave?"

Connor shook his head as the kettle in the kitchen began to whistle. "No."

"A year to the day of her death. And then I made sure to visit on our wedding anniversary every year, then I started making other excuses to visit. Like her birthday or the holidays, or whenever I got lonely. But even then it doesn't feel like I'm spending enough time with her, or Cole. Sometimes it just hurts too much to visit."

"Did... you feel bad for taking so long to visit her the first time?"

"Yup. But no matter how many times you visit a grave you'll always feel like you should've spent more time there."

Rose had overheard the conversation from the kitchen and returned with two steaming mugs of freshly brewed tea in hand. "I still feel bad for not visiting my husband's grave even when I had just done so the day before." Handing Hank a mug of tea Rose sat down beside the detective on the couch. "And for not visiting my father or my grandparents... Hank's right, honey." Rose confirmed as she look over at Connor. "You'll always feel like you're not doing enough to keep the memories of the people you care about alive, no matter what you do or how often you do it."

"What about if you're unsure if you can keep... promises?" Connor's voice was heavy with sorrow. With his full attention on Hank and Rose the fetch ball rolling at his feet covered in Sumo's drool was easily ignored by the deviant. "Promises and memories. They're both so incredibly important. They aren't just words, they are... bonds of trust."

"That's kinda' difficult to explain, son." Hank sipped at the tea to humor Rose and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet taste of the brewed drink. "Humans... don't have perfect memories like androids do, so sometimes we end up unintentionally breaking promises or forgetting things that are important. But it doesn't mean we stopped _caring_."

"...What if you made a promise that you were uncertain that you could keep?"

"Connor, what's bothering you?" Hank asked sincerely as he put down his mug and leaned toward the deviant. "Is it that conversation you had with Markus yesterday?"

"Something along those lines, yes."

Rose smiled as she too sipped at her tea. "You mean you're worried about North not being able to recover."

Both detectives shot Rose surprised glances but neither said a word.

"Don't worry, you guys didn't say anything you shouldn't. I figured it out for myself when I had talked with Markus a few days ago."

"Uh," Hank's brow furrowed slightly as he studied Rose's calm demeanor. "how?"

"When he came to check on you I saw the same look of fear in his eyes that Adam and I had when my late husband was in given his grim prognosis. Human or deviant, we all the look the same when we learn someone you love is sick, and possibly dying."

Hank could only shake his head sadly while Connor sat in quiet confusion.

"Anyway," Hank continued on calmly to try to ease the deviant's mind. "you're worried for your friends and you should be. Even if they were boring humans like the rest of the city you'd be worried."

"Why?"

"Because life is unpredictable. We humans set up this list of social rules and etiquette that we just follow without really questioning why, and if someone does question it they get labeled a rebel or worse. BUT..." Hank was emphatic with his words, the headache that had stolen his strength earlier that morning was finally beginning to end. "that doesn't mean you should give up hope and just assume the worst. And trust me son, I'm an expert on just assuming the worst. It's not a healthy lifestyle."

"...Do you think I will be able to keep my promise and keep everyone safe?"

"Yes, I do."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I _know you_. You're way too empathetic and loyal to leave them alone, especially when they'll need you more than anything once it's... over."

Connor shook his head solemnly as Sumo grabbed his fetch ball and ran out of the livingroom. "I wish I was as confident in myself as you are."

"Where's this coming from? You've never doubted yourself like this before."

"...I couldn't _protect_ myself, Hank." Connor's eyes were full of soulful pain as he spoke to Hank directly from the heart. "How can I protect so many other deviants?"

"What happened to you was horrible, but it was NOT your fault. You were abducted because you had taken the high road and didn't want to assault anyone or cause a scene. But you came back home and you're still alive. If you can survive that kind of Hell, and if you can keep a crazy old man like me from doing something regrettable, then I know you can handle _anything_! And I mean that, son."

"...You're not crazy, Hank." Connor's eyes lowered to the floor slowly as he spoke. "You're in pain. And I wish I could help."

"You have, kid. It may not always seem like it, but I can assure you that you have helped me in more ways than you'll ever know. And the proof of the matter is that I'm still here... _alive_."

Rose put her hand over top of Hank's hand and squeezed once.

"This has just been a really stressful past few weeks for everyone." Hank stated in a stern voice as if trying to take control of the moment for everyone's peace of mind. "I'm feeling better, you're all healed up, so why don't we spend our last couple of days off at the cabin and forget about all the bullshit in the city before we clock back in?"

"...Yes." Connor finally managed a weak smile as he looked up at Hank appreciatively. "I'd like that. That's a good idea."

_**...next story...** _


	125. Breakdown

Connor was running a strong, thick bristled brush through Sumo's damp, tangled fur with one hand, with his other hand was wrapped around Sumo's leather collar fighting to keep the massive pup from trying to get away from the necessary grooming. Having gone to the cabin with Connor and Hank over the weekend the energetic dog managed to get tree sap and pine needles caught in his fur as well as a few stubborn ticks. But the worst part was when Sumo jumped into the lake for a swim. Connor had to jump into the lake after him and drag him out of the water, and the two proceeded to smell of wet dog and lake water for the duration of the weekend.

"Almost done, Sumo." Connor was practically leaning his entire weight on Sumo's back to keep the dog laying down on the livingroom floor. "Stay!" Connor commanded as the dog tried again to wriggle away from his grip. "The knots are out at least..."

Hank walked into the livingroom from the kitchen with a mug of coffee in his hand and watched as Connor fought to groom the dog's long fur. "Remember how I told you I didn't take the original Sumo camping for _this_ very reason? The bugs, the tree sap, the water..."

"...Yes, Hank." Connor admitted as he combed through the final tangled strands of Sumo's fur and finally let the massive dog go. "I was unaware that Sumo would take off into the woods and roll through a bush. Or jump in the lake."

Sumo trotted off down the hallway and proceeded to jump up on Connor's bed and roll around on the soft quilt to get what little dampness remained in his fur out, while also reclaiming his scent over his freshly washed pelt.

Hank just shook his head and finished off his coffee. "Yeah, well, at least you got that lake smell out of his fur. Now we just need to wait for it to leave the bathroom."

"I would've bathed him out in the backyard but I was afraid he would've rolled around in the mud produced by excess water from the hose."

"Don't worry about it." Hank stepped back into the kitchen to put the empty coffee mug down in the sink. "We have about an hour before we need to clock in, so go take a quick shower and get the wet dog smell off yourself, otherwise you're riding to work in the trunk."

Connor looked down at his wet black t-shirt and jeans with mild disgust. "You're correct. I'll shower and change into my uniform."

* * *

Arriving at the precinct the duo was met with a few handshakes as well as a dozen or so 'welcome back' greetings as they returned to their desks and set about resuming their normal work routine. Between Hank being stabbed and Connor being abducted the two detectives had been out of commission from the precinct for almost two months, and in that time many things had transpired in the city during their absence.

"I forgot how uncomfortable this chair is." Hank muttered as he turned on his terminal screen and proceeded to log in for the day. "I already miss the couch."

"I was unaware of how much I relied on my cybernetic connections until I had lost them." Connor noted as he stared at the massive log of reports on his own terminal screen that he'd have to sift through quickly and efficiently. "I estimate these reports will take eight hours, twenty-six minutes and thirteen seconds to file properly."

"Better hope we don't get assigned a new case anytime soon."

"Agreed. I dislike falling behind in my current assignments."

"Relax kid. We were both out on the injured reserved list for nine weeks. Fowler will cut us a break."

"It doesn't make me dislike this any less."

"Dislike it all you want, just don't obsess over it."

"...I won't."

* * *

Three hours into the boring, report-stricken shift Connor was getting restless and Hank was becoming lethargic. As the detective let out a sleepy yawn poorly hidden behind his hand Hank leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest in a somewhat defensive, but mostly concentrated pose as he read through the macabre reports he still needed to finish.

"You should try to eat a proper breakfast in the morning." Connor observed casually. "Coffee isn't enough to sustain you until your lunchbreak."

"I'm fine. I've been doing this routine for years."

"The coffee or the poor diet?"

"Smartass."

"I'm sorry Hank, I don't mean to annoy you."

" _You're_ not annoying, _paperwork_ is annoying." Stifling another yawn Hank shook his head and tried to focus on his work.

"I'll get you some more coffee."

"Uh-huh..." Hank was suspicious of the offer. "You just said I need to stop relying on coffee, so what gives?"

"If I get it for you then I can be assured that you won't consume an unhealthy amount of sugar and sweetener."

Hank shook his head a little. "Alright, whatever."

Getting up from his desk Connor walked over to the breakroom and put his hand on the freshly brewed pot of hot coffee and grabbed Hank's usual coffee mug from its place on the high shelf. As he poured the coffee Connor sensed someone walking into the breakroom behind him.

"Welcome back 'Tinman'." Gavin greeted in a his usual crass manner as he pulled a small paper cup from the cooler to fill with water. "This time it's official, right? Not just a visit or something?"

"Correct. Hank and I have been medically cleared for active duty." Connor confirmed as he finished with the coffee and noted the splint around Gavin's right index finger. "How is your hand healing?"

"It's fine, just three weeks and I can remove the splint." Gavin noticed the still dull L.E.D. in Connor's temple and questioned him about it. "You gonna' get your 'headlight' replaced, or what?"

"Not at the moment, no. It's not vital to my system's operation."

"Keep it off, it's less irritating that way."

Connor nodded subtly as he took his leave of the breakroom and placed the coffee down on the desk for Hank.

Hank picked up the mug and gave Connor an odd glance as the deviant sat down across from him again. "...What the hell was that?"

"What?"

"Gavin followed you into the breakroom and he didn't insult you. Does he think you're dying or something?"

"...No."

"Man, we HAVE been gone for a long time... Gavin stopped being a prick."

Connor smirked a little at the comment as he resumed his work on his terminal screen. While the day itself seemed as though it were going to unfold uneventfully a loud raucous commotion at the front of the precinct drew everyone's attention as Chris and Tina escorted their recently arrested suspect, a man who was dangerously high on 'red ice', into custody; only to have him attempt to resist arrest and cause a fight.

"Get off me bitch!" The man was easily twice the size of Tina and unintimidated by her, but she wasn't backing down. "Get the fuck outta' here!"

"Hey!" Chris tried to wrestle the man to the ground but he was too strong and angry to go down so easily. "Shut the hell up! Stop resisting!"

Hank and Connor rose from their desks with the intention of aiding the other two officers when the man managed to break one of the links on the cuffs around his back and get his arms free. Grabbing onto Chris by the collar the man threw the officer over a desk and raised a fist as he readied to strike Tina. Connor raced over and put himself between Tina and the suspect as he grabbed onto the man's fist, his own hand wrapping around the man's knuckles, and slowly bent the man's hand backward until his wrist threatened to snap.

"Stop resisting." Connor repeated to the arrested man while Hank checked on Chris, and Tina aimed her taser at the man's chest. "You've just assaulted a police officer and attempted to assault a second."

"Piss off, 'pretty boy'!"

The man was too high to feel the painful pressure being applied to his wrist and lashed out with his other hand striking Connor in the eye and sending a wave of pain and flashes of horrible memories from his captivity in Chicago through his mind. Letting go of the man's hand Connor took a single step back, his hand covering his eye and a wave of red hot rage swept over him.

Overwhelmed with conflicting and powerful emotions Connor was forced into a type of autopilot. Reeling back his own fist Connor struck the man as hard as he could in the jaw, fracturing the man's mandible and breaking the man's nose with an impressive crimson gush of blood, causing him to collapse backward in a dead faint onto the floor.

"Knock-out!" Tina complimented Connor as she replaced her taser to her belt. "Are you okay?"

Connor was staring down at the unconscious man on the floor before him. With his eyes glazed over and his hand trembling as it remained clenched in a tight fist Connor didn't reply and seemed to be lost within the confines of his own mind.

"Connor?" Hank helped Chris up to his feet and checked on his partner while Chris, Tina and now Gavin worked to drag the suspect into the nearest cell and call for the precinct medic to check in on him. "Are you hurt?"

Unable to find his voice all Connor could do was subtly shake his head 'no'.

"Hey? Look at me." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder only to have the deviant fearfully shrug away the touch and take a step back defensively. "Whoa, hey, it's alright."

"...Hank, I think... I think there's something wrong with me."

"What? What's wrong?"

"I'm... tense. And I'm... afraid. I don't... I don't know how to describe it, but it's like I want to fight someone."

"You're pissed off and you're still stressed out." Hank tried to reassure the shaken deviant. "It's normal, it happens to all cops and detectives."

"But ...I struck him."

"In _self-defense_."

"No. It was different." Connor looked down at his shaking hand, his knuckles were covered in the man's red blood and it felt so foreign to him.

Captain Fowler had witnessed the entire scene from his office and was now standing behind Connor. "Connor?" His voice wasn't strict or even aggressive, only professional. "I need to see you in my office."

Connor was too shaken, too confused to move.

Hank nodded as he watched Captain Fowler return to his office. "Connor. Go." He insisted calmly. "We'll talk about this later."

Slowly but obediently Connor turned around and walked toward Captain Fowler's office as ordered, his hands still shaking with unreleased stress and rage. As he entered the office Connor bowed his head slowly with shame at his previous actions and sat down in the chair across from Captain Fowler's desk with perfect posture and his hands folded neatly on his lap.

Hank watched discreetly from his own desk as Captain Fowler spoke to Connor, their voices too muffled by the barrier of glass for him to understand. While Connor looked as though he had kicked a puppy across the room Captain Fowler remained calm and spoke to him in a very level voice. It didn't take Hank long to figure out that Captain Fowler was asking for Connor to take the rest of the day off, and the disappointment in Connor's eyes only made the guilt worse.

After being dismissed Connor exited the office with his head still hung low and walked over to his desk to sit down in silent contemplation.

"You okay?"

"...I've been asked to leave early and resume my normal shift in two days as previously scheduled."

"That's not what I was talking about." Hank clarified in a low voice for the sake of respect and discretion. "I want to know if you're _okay_."

"...I don't know."

"Come on." Hank rose from his desk and went to put his hand on the side of Connor's arm, but just as before Connor jerked away from the touch. "Your hand is still covered in blood."

Connor looked down at the blood staining the knuckles of his hand and felt sick at the sight.

"Let's go, kid."

Moving with slow deliberate motions Connor stood up from his desk and let Hank escort him to the men's room just down the nearby corridor. As the two entered the room Hank couldn't stop himself from worrying about Connor's recent behavior and sudden lacking self-confidence.

"Stand over here, put your hands under the water."

"...Only one hand is covered in blood."

"I know, but trust me, washing off both of your hands will fell better than just one."

As the deviant put his hands under the tap in the sink Hank turned on the water, adjusting the temperature until it was lukewarm but not hot, as he grabbed a couple paper towels from the nearby dispenser.

"I'll take you home." Hank volunteered as he returned to the sink and began to lightly use the towels to wipe the blood from Connor's hand. "We need to have a talk."

"Hank, please don't be angry with me! I didn't-"

"I'm not mad, kid." Hank reassured Connor in a sincere and calm tone of voice. "Shit happens. I just want to make sure you're actually okay. That's all."

Falling into silence Connor let Hank wash the sticky blood from his hand and then gently dry off his knuckles while checking for any sign of damage.

Gavin entered the bathroom and addressed Hank in a low voice. "Hey, uh, Cap wants you to take the day off, too. Said something about no other partners being available today."

Recognizing lies as easily as he recognized any song by 'Knights of the Black Death', Hank was appreciative of Gavin's discretion and played along. "Yeah, sure. Damn chair was hurtin' my back anyway."

Connor also knew Gavin was lying, but he didn't have anything to say on the matter at hand.

"Come on," Hank insisted with his ever calm voice. "if we hurry we can beat the afternoon rush hour."

* * *

The drive back home was silent as Connor resided within his own confused thoughts while trying to understand what had just happened to him during his shift. Impulse control had always been something Connor had mastered and never showed any sign of faltering in the past, yet on that day he had lost control entirely and actually hit another person with enough strength to cause them real bodily harm.

"Connor? You coming inside, or what?" Hank asked as he stared at Connor from his seat in the car. "We've been parked for five minutes."

"Oh... Yes." Pulled back into reality Connor reacted fairly quickly. "I'm coming."

Hank waited for Connor to open up his door before he did the same for his own door. Watching Connor carefully Hank followed after the deviant as he walked inside the house through the backdoor and stood statuesque in the middle of the kitchen floor. Even as Sumo ran up to Connor excitedly and stood up on his hind legs to try to get some attention, Connor didn't move.

"Down." Hank grabbed Sumo by the collar and pulled the dog back down to the floor. "Stay."

Connor looked like he was about to cry, but couldn't decide what he was going to cry about.

"Connor, go sit down in the livingroom for a few minutes. Take it easy."

"...Hank. I'm sorry."

"Connor, don't do that. Don't apologize, because _you didn't do anything wrong_."

"...I hit him."

"He threw Chris over a desk and was about to hit Tina, you were protecting your fellow officers."

"I hit him _after_ he hit me."

"Self-defense."

"...But I didn't feel threatened by him. I felt... angry."

"Ah..." Hank put his hands on his hips as if he had just figured out the solution to great a mystery. "Connor, do me a favor."

"Favor?"

"Go change out of your uniform into some casual clothes and then wait for me on the couch. I have something I need to take care of."

"Hank, I-"

"You're not in trouble, kid. I can't stress that enough." Hank had to practically shout to get Connor's full attention and get him to finally move. "Just change your clothes and wait for me."

"...Very well."

"Jeez, you're as bad as a little kid sometimes... I don't know what's worse," Hank muttered to himself as he opened the backdoor and pulled Sumo through along with him. "dealing with a _sick_ Connor or a _scolded_ Connor."

* * *

Connor had done as instructed and replaced his uniform with another black t-shirt and a somewhat ragged pair of blue jeans. He had also changed from his nicer dress shoes and into a pair of athletic shoes that Hank insisted he wear when not at work. Sitting quietly on the couch Connor listened to Hank messing around in the drive beside the house for a few minutes before he stepped through the backdoor and disappeared into his bedroom.

Sumo was running around in the backyard and driving the local squirrels crazy as he chased them through the grassy yard with random, deep barks.

"Alright, let's go." Hank returned to the livingroom wearing casual clothes as well. Wearing a gray t-shirt and khaki shorts with a old, worn out pair of sneakers Hank carried an old orange basketball under his arm and gave Connor a stern glance. "Outside."

"Outside?"

Hank tossed the basketball to Connor who easily caught it with both hands from where he sat on the couch. "Yup. You need this."

"...I do?" Connor didn't understand what Hank was talking about. As he turned the basketball over and over again in his hands he didn't know what to say or to think about Hank's bold claim. "Uh, what is it that I need?"

"To blow off some steam."

"...Steam?"

"It's a human phrase, son." Hank used his hand to wave Connor away from the couch as he crossed through the kitchen to the backdoor. "It means you're angry and you're holding it inside. That's not good for you and it'll make you sick, drive you crazy, maybe even drop you into a dark depression. And as someone who's experienced all three I can say for sure that you need to let it out."

Keeping both hands on the basketball Connor rose from the couch and followed Hank out the backdoor and into the backyard. From there he saw that Hank had parked the car further down the drive near the street and had hooked a faded basketball hoop that was missing its net to the front of the garage just above the door.

"We're going to play basketball?"

"Yup." Hank stood at the end of the drive and motioned for Connor to stand beneath the hoop at the opposite end. "This is great for getting out stress and working through the pent up anger you're trying to deny."

"How?"

"Start playing. You'll find out."

"...Okay." Connor dribbled the ball twice before he bounced it over to Hank. "I'll try."

"Good!" Hank caught the ball easily and managed to sink a perfect shot from where he was standing in the drive. "One to nothing."

Connor caught the basketball as is dropped from the hoop and down onto the driveway beside him. Taking Hank's place Connor dribbled the basketball twice more and then did the same as he tossed the ball and made a perfect shot himself. "One to one."

"How's your hand?" Hank asked as he caught the basketball and bounced it over to Connor to catch.

"...It doesn't hurt." Connor stated flatly as he caught the basketball and dribbled it twice and held it between his hands.

"You messed that guy up pretty good."

As Hank made his comment Connor made his shot and the basketball ended up bouncing off the rim and falling to the ground as Connor missed.

"...I'm not proud of myself."

"Good." Hank caught the basketball and bounced it over to Connor again. "You know, I've seen you take some pretty nasty hits from suspects before, but I've never you lash out like that. What's changed?"

Connor caught the basketball clumsily and he dribbled it once. "...I can't explain it."

"Try." Hank insisted patiently as he watched Connor fussing with the orange sphere in his hands.

"...I don't know." Connor made another shot and just as before it bounced off the rim and missed.

"Yes you do." Hank caught the basketball as bounced down the drive and began dribbling it as he approached the unsettled deviant. "Tell me what's going on inside your head."

"Hank, I don't know what's going on."

Hank bounced the basketball with much more strength than necessary into Connor's hands and in response Connor jumped in surprise.

"...Hank, what're-"

Hank then slapped the basketball out of Connor's hands and stole it from the deviant with an aggressive motion as he turned around and easily made another successful shot. "Two to one." Putting his hand on the center of Connor's chest Hank pushed the deviant back a little and began to taunt him. "I thought androids were better than humans. That was pretty weak."

Connor was still surprised by Hank's swift motions and had only registered what had happened. "Hank?"

"Come on, kid. Give me a challenge!" Hank retrieved the rolling basketball down the drive and began the pattern all over again. Bouncing the ball even harder than last time into Connor's hands Hank then charged the deviant and put his shoulder against Connor's chest to shove him back and stole the recently caught ball. As he turned to shoot once more he didn't even bother to look at Connor as he made a successful shot. "Three to one."

"Hank, I don't understand-"

"Are you seriously going to let just push you around like this?" Hank asked as he pushed on Connor's chest again as the basketball rolled by forgotten down the drive and came to stop against the house. "Huh? Aren't you going to defend yourself?"

"I don't want-"

"What?" Hank pushed him again, more forcefully again. "You don't want to hurt me? Huh? What about letting other people hurt you?" Hank pushed him again, and Connor felt the same flash of red anger wash over him like it had earlier. "Come on! Defend yourself damn it! Don't let me-"

Connor suddenly grabbed onto Hank's shirt collar and pulled him up to his own face as he reeled back his other hand ready to punch Hank in the jaw with a strong fist. As his irises glazed over and an intense heat radiated from his artificial skin Connor locked eyes with Hank and froze. Slowly Hank raised his hands as if to surrender and he gave Connor an approving grin.

"Hank... I..." Connor let go of Hank's shirt, his hands shaking and his eyes wide with abject remorse, and terror. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't be." Hank lowered his hands and pulled down his shirt to smooth it back out over his front. "You did exactly what I wanted you to do."

"...You wanted me to hurt you?"

"No! I wanted you to _defend yourself_." Hank went to put his hand on Connor's shoulder but again the deviant shrugged it away and took a step back. "Connor, you told me what happened while you were in Chicago, but you didn't tell me what you actually went through."

"I don't understand. How could I have told you what happened without telling you what happened?"

"Let me rephrase that. While you were captive what did you have to do to _survive_?"

"I told you..."

"Right, but there's something I haven't quite been able to understand." Hank chose his next words carefully as he began to push Connor for answers. "When deviants stress out they try to self-destruct, but you didn't. And from what you told me the other deviants didn't try to self-destruct either. Why?"

"...I didn't because I couldn't let... If I died then Alec would've suffered and... And I wouldn't have been able to return... home. They wanted to go home too, but... gave up."

"But not you. You fought back."

Connor looked away with guilt, his eyes glazing over and his hands trembling visibly as they clenched into tight fists at his sides. "I had to fight other deviants and... And I had to kill one."

"...The one you killed," Hank pressed timidly. "you said he wanted you to do it. He wanted you to put him out of his misery... But you still took his life, and you still see his face."

Connor closed his eyes tightly as tears threatened to fall from his eyes.

"And you feel guilty."

"...I _killed_ him, Hank!" Connor blurted in an emotional upheaval his eyes snapped open and he stared through Hank with utter despair in his gaze. "He didn't have to die, but he did! He's dead because I... I snapped his neck. I killed him... _I fucking killed him_!" Connor fell to his knees and pressed his hands to his face as he began to sob with the repressed guilt, anger and sorrow he had been holding onto for almost three weeks. As he wept from his heart his entire body was racked with shudders and he choked on his words between sobs. "I didn't want to do it, Hank! I didn't want to kill him! I don't want to _hurt anybody_!"

Hank knelt down in the drive beside Connor pressing his hand down between the deviant's shoulder blades as he wrapped his other arm around Connor to hold his palm to the back of Connor's head, and pull the deviant in against his shoulder.

"Shh... It's okay, son."

"It's NOT." Connor sobbed again as he lowered his hands from his face and leaned into Hank's shoulder. "I killed him! Hurt so many others... And then I hurt that suspect! I can't be trusted... I'm dangerous."

"Connor, listen to me. You're suffering from what's called P.T.S.D., Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Hank gently ran his hand through Connor's hair as he spoke in a low voice. "This is normal, okay? You just need to give yourself time to deal with what happened. You can't just pretend what you went through never happened and expect to go back to a normal life so easily... And with everything you've been through, even before that demented fuck abducted you, it's a wonder you've made it so far without having some kind of emotional breakdown. But this is NORMAL, son. You don't have to be afraid."

"How do you know?" Connor managed to croak between sobs. "How can you possibly know what I'm going through?!"

"...Because I went through the same thing when I lost Cole."

Connor was confused by the admission. How could Hank be so upset about one person but not another? "...What about Barbara?"

"Well, I had Cole to focus on, so her death didn't affect me as much as I wanted to admit until _long_ after it happened. I guess a part of me was in denial the whole time after she died, but I didn't let myself feel anything until I had no choice but to accept that my whole family was gone."

Connor closed his eyes tighter as more tears rolled down his face.

"You don't have to be afraid of the world, Connor." Hank explained softly with true understanding. "Not everyone is going to hurt you, and more importantly you don't have to be afraid of _yourself_."

Slowly Connor lifted up one arm and wrapped it around Hank's shoulder to tighten the much needed hug.

"I can't pretend to know what you went through, or the horrible things you had to do in order to survive, but I will be here and I'm ready to listen whenever you need to talk about it." Hank could feel the intense heat radiating from Connor's artificial skin but didn't dare break the hug. "...Just know you're not alone and I still trust you with me life."

As Connor's other arm wrapped around Hank's back to accept the full hug Connor began to calm a little, his core temperature beginning to drop as well.

"Take a minute to breathe and collect yourself, okay? This won't be easy to get through, but I know you will."

Connor nodded as he finally let go of Hank and pulled his arms back. Shifting his weight so he was sitting down on the drive with his back pressed up against the side of the house Connor pulled his knees up to his chest, using one arm to hug his legs and the other hand to run through his messy dark locks of hair. Hank sat down beside Connor in a similar pose and waited for the deviant to regain his composure and calm himself. Grabbing onto the basketball resting a few inches away Hank tucked it under his arm at his side as he patiently waited for Connor to make the next move or say something.

After a few minutes of quiet sobbing Connor let out a breathy sigh as wiped away the remaining tears on his face off on the heel of his palm. "...Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"...Do you really trust me?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. You're my partner and you saved my life." Hank lifted up his hand and placed it onto Connor's shoulder, relieved that he didn't try to shrug it away as he had before. "And more importantly you're my _son_. I trust you more than anyone else."

"Thanks."

"Feelin' any better?"

"I feel... less 'heavy', if that makes any sense."

"Makes perfect sense to me."

"Is this what is feels like when you lose control over your emotions? To feel like everything you've ever known is somehow a lie, or a hollowed out promise? To think that everyone important in your life doesn't... really care?"

"Unfortunately, yeah." Hank's hand tightened on Connor's shoulder for a moment to ground the shaken deviant. "Give yourself time to heal and don't try to pretend that everything is alright when you know it's not."

"How long does it take to get over something like this?"

"Wish I could tell you, but it's different for everyone. Personally it took me years to get over it, but I was alone. You _won't_ be alone, Connor. I won't let you go through this by yourself."

"...Thank you... da-" Stopping himself short Connor corrected his choice of word. "Hank." Connor cleared his throat as he took in another breath and leaned back against the cool surface of the siding of the house. "...Do you want to keep playing?"

Hank smirked a little as he wrapped his hand around the basketball and picked it up to balance it in his palm. "Absolutely. It's still three to one."

"Care to make a wager?"

"What did you have in mind?" Hank pushed himself up from the ground and offered his free hand to Connor to take.

Connor grabbed onto Hank's hand and as he rose back up to his feet and brushed off his clothing. "Winner picks the color for the Corvette."

"No way!" Hank disagreed as he backed up the drive toward the garage. "How about loser has to clean the wet dog smell out of the bathroom?"

Connor gave Hank a faint crooked smile at the comment as he followed after him up the drive. "...Deal."

_**...next story...** _


	126. Reassurance

Connor stood in the middle of the kitchen with his arms folded over his chest as he leaned back against the kitchen counter with his eyes closed and his ears focused on the sound of coffee marker brewing with a steady hum on the opposite counter. Normally Connor was awake and going through his morning routine at seven in the morning, but it was only six fifteen and Connor was unable to sleep courtesy of his frequent and vivid nightmares.

"Connor?" Hank walked into the kitchen with his hand running through his bed-headed messy hair. "Why are you awake so early?"

"I couldn't sleep."

"Another nightmare?"

Connor nodded as he opened his eyes and looked over to the detective standing a few feet away. "Yes. I've attempted to go back to sleep three previous times but I was unable to properly return to rest mode."

"Same nightmare as before?"

"No. This one was different."

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. I'm aware that nightmares are common after enduring traumatic events."

"Want to call off work today, or report in a couple hours late?"

"I'm okay, Hank. It's been two weeks since I struck the suspect and I haven't had any incidents since my return in that time." Connor heard Sumo scratching at the backdoor and made a move to let him back inside as he continued to speak with Hank. "The nightmares are becoming less frequent as well."

"But you're still having them."

"Correct." Connor opened the door and Sumo barrelled back inside and went right to his already filled food bowl. "I'm not experiencing any delusions or hallucinations during my waking hours if that's what you're worried about."

"No, but I am worried you aren't getting enough sleep." The coffee brewer lit up with a small blue light and shut itself off automatically. "Unlike me who can fall back on some coffee to keep me awake, you don't have that luxury."

"You should reduce your caffeine intake altogether Hank. With only one functioning kidney-"

Hank held up a 'shushing' hand to stop Connor's lecture. "We're not talking about me, we're talking about you."

"I'm running at optimal parameters and at full power. Androids don't suffer ill effects from a lack of sleep, only low power that can be easily remedied through manually activated rest mode or by entering low-power mode."

"Okay." Hank dropped his hand from his hair and turned around to head back the hall. "I'm going to shower off and get around."

"But you don't have to be awake until-"

"I know, but I'm already up." Hank grumbled as he made his way into the bathroom. "Might as well make use of it."

Connor was unsure of what Hank meant by that, but decided that he would do something productive while Hank was in the shower and proceeded to make a light breakfast for Hank to try to encourage the detective to have more than just one cup of coffee in the morning. Sumo was immediately at Connor's side as he prepared the early morning meal, but Connor refrained from letting the energetic dog have any of the scraps.

"Sorry boy, it could make you sick."

Let out an annoyed grumble Sumo sulked off to the livingroom and flopped down on his bed with an audible 'huff'.

Connor shook his head at the peculiar reaction and resumed focusing on his task. "The original Sumo wasn't so... dramatic."

* * *

Whether it was from a paternal need to protect Connor or genuine worry for his friend Hank couldn't be certain, but he knew that Connor did need the chance to try to return to a normal routine as soon as possible as he dealt with the traumatic events that had threatened to leave a permanent scar over his mind and his heart. Taking an unusual route to the precinct Hank pulled up the car and parked in front of the house that had once belonged to Carl, but now belonged to Markus and North.

"Why are we here, Hank?" Connor asked as he craned his neck to look out his window and up at the house a few yards away. "Is something wrong?"

"No. But you haven't seen Markus since you got back, and you haven't seen North in... how long?"

"Since the night of the fire at New Jericho Tower."

"You want to get back to feeling normal, right?"

"Correct."

"Then you should do what you normally did and check in with your friends."

"But it's very early in the morning."

"Nice try Connor, but I called Markus before I stepped into the shower."

"...Oh."

"Come on. We'll visit for a few minutes then head out to the precinct."

Connor nodded and opened up his door while Hank did the same. "...You're right. I should check in with them."

Hank waited for Connor to make the first step before walking beside him up the front walk and to the front door. Pausing for only a moment Connor pushed in the doorbell and waited for a response as the gentle chime sounded off through the house to alert its occupants to their guests' arrival. There was a single light on upstairs in the master bedroom and a second light on in the foyer on the other side of the front door indicating that someone was already awake and that their arrival wasn't intrusive.

The door opened and Markus warmly greeted his two friends. "Connor, Hank. Come in."

"Hello, Markus." Connor replied as he stepped through the door with Hank right behind him. "I apologize for the early hour."

"Don't worry about it." Markus dismissed the worry as he shut the door and addressed his guests. "We've been up since five this morning and that's actually pretty normal for us right now."

"Is North alright?"

"For the most part, yeah. She's just uncomfortable and... worried."

"I can understand why." Connor looked up at the landing over the foyer somewhat expecting to see North looking down at them, but no one was there. "If I may ask, I was wondering if you two had made any... final decisions."

"We want to stay here. It's remote enough that no one would notice anything happening, and North will comfortable at home surrounded by her family and friends. It will be as peaceful and gentle as possible.

"Abby agreed to all of this?"

"She understands why we want to stay here and is willing to accommodate us, but she thinks it'd be safest for us in a facility."

"I disagree with her, and agree with you." Connor admitted feeling somewhat cynical. "But in the event of a possible emergency do you have a second location in mind?"

"N-No, we didn't discuss it. Is there something we should be worried about?"

"No." Connor stated firmly and honestly. "It's just a precautionary thought."

"...Maybe New Jericho Tower if absolutely necessary. Simon informed me that the last of the repairs are scheduled to be completed in two days, the tower will be safe and inhabitable after that; but we'd lose our secrecy."

Hank cleared his throat to interject without intruding. "When's North, uh, I don't know how to say it." Feeling a twinge of guilt for even trying to ask Hank decided to commit and push for the answer. "Do you know how much time she has?"

"Yeah... Lieu- Hank," Markus quickly corrected himself as he tried to keep a brave face. "North has approximately eight weeks. And then it'll be... over."

Connor didn't like the macabre discussion though he understood that it was crucial. "...She'll won't be in pain, or suffer. This will be the most peaceful manner for her to... end."

"I hope so." Markus wrung his hands together nervously as he made his way toward the kitchen and fought to keep his composure. "I need to get some extra Thirium up to North, do you need anything? Coffee or tea?"

"No thanks, I had my fill this morning." Hank gave Connor a quiet glance and motioned to the second floor with his eyes. "But, I would like the chance to talk to you in private for a moment, Markus. Sort of a 'husband-to-husband' pep talk."

Connor understood what Hank was hinting at and stepped in. "I'll take the Thirium to North. I would like to speak to her in person as well."

As Markus stepped back out of the kitchen Connor took the large pouch of Thirium from his friend's hand while Hank wrapped his arm around Markus's shoulder to lead him from the foyer and into the main sitting area of the beautiful house.

With the Thirium in hand Connor ascended the staircase in a quiet, steady manner. Reaching the partially closed door to the master bedroom Connor softly knocked twice and pushed the door open slowly as North turned her gaze from the large window overlooking the front yard and toward the doorway itself. Forcing a kind smile to her face North greeted Connor as he entered the bedroom, her tired eyes still flashing with a fiery spirit.

"Hey, Connor."

"Hi, North." Connor walked over to the bed where she was laying and handed her the Thirium. Instinctively he ran a cybernetic scan over North and noted her vital signs were stable. "I'm happy to see you again. How do you feel?"

"Weak."

"You're not weak." Connor's brow furrowed with confusion at her comment about herself. "You're ill."

North laughed a little at Connor's sweetly naive comment as she opened up the pouch of Thirium "Markus told me you got back to the city safely. I'm glad you're okay."

"Yes. It's taken some time but I'm beginning to feel more like my usual self." Connor sat down on the edge of the bed as he spoke with North. "I had been speaking with Simon and Josh cybernetically over the past two weeks and they had agreed to deliver supplies to the refugee camp in the forest outside the city to aid Lucy and Rupert. I'm aware that New Jericho has no legal standing over the area due to it being public property, but I do hope that the tower will offer some form of protection over the area."

"We will, Connor. I promise." North smiled again and pressed her hand down firmly against her abdomen.

"Are you alright?" Connor noticed her suddenly flinch and became worried.

"I'm okay. My Thirium filter isn't responding as it should anymore, that' all..."

Keeping a calm expression on his face Connor asked another question. "Are you nervous?"

"Absolutely. I've never experienced anything like this before, and I'll be the first one to do so." North sounded more and more worried with each word. "...I don't want to die, Connor. But there's nothing that can be done and I've accepted my fate. But I can't stop thinking about Markus and how he'll be left alone. I love him more than anything in this world, and all I can do is hope he knows it."

"He does, North. He really does. All that matters right now is that you and Markus know how much you love each other." Connor reaffirmed with a confident tone. "And we won't just give up on you. We'll fight until the end."

North smiled warmly at the comment as tears of relief welled up in her eyes. "Thanks, Connor."

There was another knock on the door as Markus stepped through. "Hey. Uh, Hank's downstairs waiting for you, Connor."

Nodding to acknowledge Markus's comment Connor rose from the bed and exited the room, his hand reaching up to pat Markus on the shoulder as he passed by. "Remember, if you need anything let me know."

"We will, thanks."

* * *

Hank had been studying Connor's demeanor since they had left the house and headed off to the precinct to begin their shift. Ever since their visit Connor seemed less lost but more melancholy, though his presence felt more reassuring and secure like it had been long before his abduction. As the car passed through the final light to reach the precinct Hank addressed the deviant with a somewhat cocky tone of voice.

"Feelin' any better?"

"Oddly enough, yes." Connor confirmed with a slight nod of his head as he turned to look at Hank. "That was a good idea, Hank."

"Did you speak to North?"

"Yes. She is... nervous."

"Normal."

"But she also claimed she was 'weak', but she is not."

"Normal again, and _that_ was the correct response to give." Hank joked as he pulled the car into the parking garage next to the precinct. "You told her that, right?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Never let someone who's sick think they're weak. They aren't." Hank pulled the car into park and opened his door while Connor did the same.

"That's what I told her. Is it common for the ill to make to make such comments about themselves?"

"Yeah. My mom tried to do the same thing but my dad never let her, even when she on her deathbed. " Hank explained casually as he and Connor headed to the precinct side by side. "We'll stop by in a week or two and check in with them again."

"May I ask what you told Markus?"

"Just a few words of reassurance. I honestly think this is the first time I've ever seen him actually afraid of something."

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he and Hank stepped through the front doors of the precinct to clock in for their shifts. "I believe you are correct."

"But like I keep saying, that's a normal reaction. Life is scary enough, I can't imagine what it must be like for someone so young and seemingly healthy to have to suddenly deal with death up close and personal." Hank let out a weary sigh as he sat down at his desk. "Alright, enough of that. Let's see what kind of bullshit we have to clean up today."

A string of reports of humans from seedy neighborhoods that were infamous for illegal drugs and theft detailed the origin of a new dangerous drug called 'slug'. The drug itself was highly concentrated Fentanyl mixed with prescription Naproxen and Oxaprozin which causes an extremely calming effect of utter serenity to all of a person's senses once inhaled or injected, but it was also resulting in cardiac and respiratory arrest as the drug could also double as a very potent sedative. Fourteen people had overdosed in the past six nights and four more were in the hospital on life support as the doctors tried to keep the victims alive until the effects of the drug wore off.

The prospect of a possible recovery was very poor.

"This is a case for narcotics." Hank lamented as he read the reports and shook his head. "We got assigned to this bullshit because of my history with taking down 'red ice' rings. We're working homicide, not narcotics, and that's the way I like it."

"I believe your impressive history as a formerly assigned narcotics investigator and the massive number of confirmed victims makes us more than qualified to deal with this new drug ring. By all account there is a single dealer on the street who is responsible for all of these overdoses and can be held accountable for murder, manslaughter at the very least."

"Fan-fuckin'-tastic." Hank grumbled as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. "Alright. Where do we start?"

* * *

Connor had managed to map out the area of the reported overdoses in the neighborhood and with the map he isolated a single region int he neighborhood that could be the possible epicenter of the drug epidemic that was sweeping through the area and had quickly taken human lives in the process. Using his training and excellent deductive reasoning Connor located a small unassuming house located in the middle of what appeared to be an abandoned street.

"Are you sure about this, Connor?" Pulling the car along the street Hank shifted into park and turned off the engine. "That house is a little rundown, but it doesn't look like the usual drug-den we've infiltrated before."

"Statistically speaking the likelihood of the house in question being the origin point of the drug distribution is eighty-seven point three percent in our favor."

"Alright, I'll take those odds." Opening his door Hank checked his gun holstered at his hip then glanced back at Connor. "You armed?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he revealed his own gun that had been holstered around his back under his jacket. "I'm ready."

Nodding quietly Hank exited the vehicle and made his way toward the house with Connor following close behind, then moving right at his side. The two detectives made sure their weapons were properly concealed as they readied their badges in preparation for a potential confrontation with an unknown person or persons of interest.

Hank knocked twice firmly on the wooden front door of the house and announced their presence. "Detroit Police."

There was a sudden 'thud' from the inside of the house as footsteps hastily approached the door and pulled it open halfway; the chain over the door prevented anyone on the outside from gaining unwarranted entry.

"Y-Yes?" A young woman, no older than twenty-four and wearing a nice blouse and skirt answered the door timidly; peeking from around the partially opened door at the two detectives on the front porch. "How can I help you?"

"Uh..." Hank wasn't expecting someone like her answering the door. "I'm Lieutenant Anderson," he flashed her his badge while Connor did the same at his side. "and this is Sergeant Anderson. We're investigating the possible drug deals taking place in the area. Have you seen anything?"

The woman was still nervous and refused to open the door fully as she spoke to Hank in a shaking voice. "N-No, nothing."

Connor ran a scan and detected her elevated heart rate and blood pressure. She was afraid, but not of the two intimidating officers, she was afraid of something else.

"Miss, is there someone else inside the house with you?" Connor asked firmly but without aggression.

"No... It's just me. My name is Vanessa."

Connor gauged her reaction and confirmed she was telling the truth. "May we come in for a moment?"

Vanessa became more nervous. "Uh, sure..." Closing the door just long enough to remove the chain she opened the door wide and allowed the two detectives into her house. "I'm not sure what you're expecting to find. It's just me."

"We're merely being cautious." Connor answered sharply as he and Hank entered the house and stood inside the relatively well decorated foyer of the modest home. It had been recently painted and there were numerous photographs of flora hanging on the walls. "Do you live alone or do you have a roommate who is currently elsewhere?"

"No... I live alone."

Hank caught onto the same scent that Connor picked up and began asking questions himself. "Pretty big place for just one person, kinda' rundown, too. But it seems like you're making it a pretty nice home."

"Y-Yes, thank you. I'm studying to be an interior decorator."

"Oh, so you're a student?"

"Yes."

"Can I ask the secret to being able to afford a big house like this all by yourself, while you're still in school?"

"Oh... I... uh..." Vanessa was becoming visibly agitated and was trying to back away. "N-No secret. I just got a great deal, that's all!"

Hank wasn't going to let the matter drop. "Must've been the deal of the century. If anything you'll be able to buy low and sell high in a few years, maybe even a few months."

"...What do you mean?"

"Well, with this new drug craze wiping out people all over the neighborhood soon you'll be the only one left. Hell, you're already the only occupant on this entire street."

"I-I don't like what you're saying to me, Lieutenant."

"What _am_ I saying?" Hank crossed his arms defensively while Connor proceeded to run a scan of the house and detected traces of Fentanyl in the air, and on the floorboards around Vanessa's feet. "Are you nervous?"

"Well, I... I don't know you and-"

Connor took a step forward as Vanessa took another step backward. "Have you been ill or experienced any form of physical trauma that would illicit the use of prescription painkillers?"

"I..."

"There are minute traces of powdered Fentanyl on the floor around your feet."

In an instant Vanessa turned to run away from the two detectives but Connor was too quick and grabbed onto her arm with his right hand to keep her from fleeing. As his hand firmly gripped her arm just above her elbow Vanessa turned back around just as quickly and revealed a switchblade in her opposite hand. With a swift slashing motion Vanessa managed to cut through Connor's artificial skin over his left forearm as he raised his limb to shield himself, only to let out a gasp of pain as Vanessa then stabbed the switchblade through the plastimetal frame of his arm with a firm strike.

"Hey!" Hank was immediately in action as he pulled his handcuffs from his belt and wrangled both of Vanessa's arms behind her back and secured her wrists inside the metal restraints. "You just assaulted a police officer! You're under arrest for possession of illegal drugs and assault, don't make me add resisting arrest to the list of charges already against you."

Vanessa began to scream and kick wildly as Hank called for back-up to the address of the house.

"Okay, resisting arrest will be added." Hank stated casually as he held the smaller woman at bay easily. "Anything else you want to admit to?"

Vanessa began to shout with utter frustration as the two detectives refused to let her leave. "GET OFF ME! I'M NOT THE CRIMINAL!" Her voice was hysterical and shrieking as Hank kept his hands on her arms to keep her from trying to run away for a second time. "THOSE LOSERS DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE!"

Hank cocked an eyebrow and looked over at Connor who was running a scan over his damaged arm. "That sounds like a confession to me."

"I agree." Connor replied in a calm, cool voice.

Connor extended his arm out as he easily pulled the switchblade from the bloodied limb and held onto it until it could be collected later as evidence by the officers who were currently en route to the scene.

Hank noticed the blood and nodded at the affected limb. "How bad's the damage?"

"It missed all major Thirium lines. It'll stop bleeding in approximately ten minutes and will heal entirely within the hour."

Vanessa saw the blue blood staining Connor's jacket and her angered intensified. "FUCKING MACHINE! YOU KNOW THAT HUMANS ARE TERRIBLE!" She was almost seething as a responding patrol car arrived at the scene. "YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT HUMANS DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE! WHY ARE YOU PROTECTING THEM!?"

"Because I want to." Connor stated without hesitation. "Not _all_ humans are bad."

Tina and Chris raced up the front steps of the house with their guns drawn and looking to Hank for information on the situation. As Hank explained to them what happened and handed Vanessa over to Chris to be taken into custody in the back of their car, he walked over to Connor and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder.

"You two take care of her, I'll take care of him. Ask for Gavin and Tyler to take this scene."

"Sure, no problem Lieutenant." Chris stated coolly as he practically dragged the kicking and shrieking Vanessa out of the house while Tina collected the switchblade from Connor's hand and placed it inside of a bag to keep Vanessa's fingerprints from being smudged from the handle. "We got this."

"Let's go." Hank lightly pushed Connor's shoulder as he motioned for the deviant to step back outside of the house. "There's a clean towel in the glovebox, wrap it around your arm."

"I'll check in with Joel once we return to the precinct."

Hank watched Connor carefully in case the deviant had a violent or extreme emotional response to being attacked, but Connor seemed just as calm and collected as ever.

"Cool. Saves me a trip downtown if we skip a visit to the facility."

Connor smirked a little at the comment as he pulled open the car door and looked down his seat inside as the front passenger. "Shall I drive?"

"No way, kid. I don't want you bleeding all over my steering wheel."

"It'll evaporate."

"That doesn't make it any less gross."

* * *

Connor kept the white towel from the glovebox wrapped around his arm as Hank drove back the precinct so the deviant could receive proper repairs. During the drive Connor began to feel a little lethargic but brushed it off as an unexpected result of his lack of sleep from his continuing interrupted rest mode courtesy of the nightmares he had been suffering almost every night for two weeks. As he leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes Hank couldn't help but notice the unusual behavior.

"You asleep?"

"No." Connor opened his eyes again and saw that Hank was now pulling into the parking garage. "But I am beginning to feel low on energy."

"Too bad Fowler doesn't give us 'nap-time'."

"I'll be okay. I'll shift into low-power mode after we return home and attempt to enter a prolonged rest mode tonight."

"How's your arm?"

"The bleeding has decreased significantly." Connor lifted up the towel to examine the two wounds, one on either side of his forearm from where the long blade had entered from one side and penetrated through to the other. "And I'm not lacking in any form of mobility or dexterity."

"Let's get going." Hank urged as he put the car into park and turned off the engine. As he pocketed the keys he noted the time and let an annoyed sigh. "It's another two hours until we get a break. Just great."

Connor didn't have a response as he slowly followed after Hank and entered the precinct a few paces behind him.

"You sure you're okay?" Hank actually had to stop and wait for the deviant to catch up to him. "You never walk slower than me."

"It's the fatigue and mild Thirium loss." Connor explained away easily as caught up to Hank and the duo walked down the long corridor on the opposite side of the bullpen to reach the elevators. "I'll resume my usual pacing once I've properly rested."

Hank pressed the 'call' button on the control panel for the elevator and crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "You're sure about that?"

"Yes."

"You can do your cyber-thing again, right? Does that mean you can run self-diagnostics again?"

"Yes." Confirming Hank's inquiry Connor immediately set about running a self-diagnostic and the end result was a little disconcerting. "Thirium volume down to ninety-six percent and small particles of a foreign contaminant located in said Thirium."

"Contaminant?" Hank was sounding as worried as he was confused. The doors to the elevator opened and the two detectives stepped inside the vacant car side by side. "What kind of contaminant?"

"Foreign particle matter that was deposited into my Thirium lines from the switchblade that had stabbed through my arm."

"Like what?"

"The sample is too small for my sensors to properly identify without a direct analysis. The most likely substance would be common dirt or-" Connor began to sway a little on his feet and his eyelids began to droop. "...That was unusual."

Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder to steady the deviant and help guide him out of the elevator and onto the main floor as the two walked over to the precinct's dispensary just a few doors away. "Nuh-uh, there's something else going on."

"...You maybe correct."

"Shit, now I _know_ something's up. You're agreeing with me."

Joel had heard the voices approaching his opened door and rose from his desk to greet the two detectives as they walked into the android unique examination room. "Connor, Hank. How can I help you?"

Hank guided Connor over to the exam table and pointed to the Thirium stained towel wrapped around Connor's left forearm. "Some crazy chick tried to use Connor as a pin cushion." Connor clumsily climbed onto the exam table and nearly fell back against it as Hank helped him to lay down on his back. "It didn't work."

"Alright, that seems like a simple enough fix." Joel commented as he peeled away the towel from the arm for a proper exam.

"AND..." Hank resumed in a somewhat pessimistic voice. "something got in his system after he was stabbed. He's acting kinda' sleepy, moving really slow and just now in the elevator he got dizzy on his feet."

"Sleepy?" The comment made Joel wary as he proceeded to pull Connor's left arm out his jacket's sleeve then roll up the white sleeve of the dress shirt underneath. "That's strange."

"He's had some pretty rough, uh, rest modes for the past couple of nights. Could that be the cause?"

"It's possible." Joel confirmed as he carefully checked the stab wound in Connor's arm and then pressed his fingers to Connor's wrist to measure his pulse. "But not to such a degree."

Hank didn't like the sound of Joel's voice. Looking down at Connor's blank face Hank could see that Connor's brown irises were glazing over and he was having trouble keeping his eyes open. "Connor? You still awake?"

"...I'm awake."

"That's good." Hank patted the center of Connor's chest twice only to notice a disturbingly slow heart rate under his palm. "Hey," moving his hand up to the side of Connor's neck he pressed his fingers down and felt the same slow beat. "is your heart supposed to beat that slowly while you're still awake?"

Connor's eyes closed fully and his head lolled to the side before he could give a proper answer.

"Connor?" Hank moved his hand back to the deviant's chest and began to shake him to try to rouse him back into the waking world. "Connor!"

Joel felt the same slow pulse beginning to slow even further under his fingertips as he held tightly onto Connor's wrist. "Damn it."

"What? What's happening?"

"Whatever that 'something' was that entered his system must've gotten into a main Thirium line and is having a negative effect on the Thirium cycling through his system." Pulling open the top drawer of the nearby rolling cart of supplies Joel grabbed onto his audioscope and draped it around his neck as he pulled open Connor's shirt to expose his chest. "A cardiac monitor should give us a better view of his vital signs."

"Shit, come on, son." Hank patted the side of Connor's face to try to wake him again as Joel attached the sensor pad of the monitor over Connor's chest. Using his thumbs he gently lifted up Connor's eyelids but the brown irises were still glazed over and unfocused. "Wake up! What's causing this?"

The display on the monitor showed Connor's heart beating at a dangerously low rate and that his Thirium pressure was dangerously high. As Connor's heart began to slow even further his pressure rose even higher, reaching near critical levels quickly.

"I have a theory... Hold on." Reaching back into the drawer Joel retrieved a large, empty syringe and inserted the needle into the largest exposed line in Connor's damaged arm caused by the stab wound from the switchblade. As Joel drew back the plunger on the syringe a uncommonly small amount of very thick, almost black Thirium filled the vial as it was extracted from the line. "I think I know what this is."

"What?"

"It's a form of hyperviscosity syndrome for androids."

"It's _what_?"

"The Thirium in his body has thickened, it's like when a human's blood begins to clot in the veins and blocks proper flow to the rest of the body. Right now the Thirium in Connor's system might as well be molasses."

"How do we help him?"

Joel slipped the earbuds of the audioscope into place as he listened to the sound of Connor's struggling heart as it fought to beat and cycle the Thirium that had been affected by whatever it was that was on the switchblade.

"His heartbeat is faint and irregular." Joel stated he pulled the audioscope from Connor's chest and motioned to the cardiac monitor next to the bed. "We need to beat his heart for him, I'm going to need to attach him to a Thirium pump pacer."

"Now what?" Hank asked as he moved his hand to the top Connor's head, his palm coming to a rest atop the deviant's dark locks of hair.

"It's like a much milder form of an external shock and a chest compression." Joel explained as he placed the lone sensor pad from the pacer on Connor's bare chest over his strained heart, above the monitor's sensor pad. "It'll deliver a controlled shock that'll cause his Thirium pump to contract and then relax to keep his heart beating and force his Thirium to keep cycling until I can find a way to thin it out enough to cycle properly on its own. Begin chest compressions until I get him hooked up."

Reluctantly Hank placed one hand over top the other and laced his fingers together as he created a single fist and began to compress Connor's chest to force his stunted heart into proper motion.

"Could some of that Fentanyl shit do this?"

"Fentanyl?"

"That bitch with the switchblade was dealing that 'slug' shit out of her house." Hank explained as he mentally counted the first round of compressions and began the second round. "If there was enough concentrated Fentanyl on the blade could it cause this reaction if it got into Connor's blood?"

"Concentrated _powder_? Yes!" Joel confirmed as he checked the pacer's settings. "Was there anything mixed in with it?"

"Yeah, a couple of other prescription painkillers." Hank confirmed as he pulled his hands back and watched Joel set the rhythm on the pacer with a calculated rate. "The details are in a report downstairs."

"Okay, I'll look into it." Hovering his hand over the power switch Joel prepared to turn on the pacer. "This won't look pleasant but it'll keep him alive. Pull back your hands unless you want to get shocked, too."

Turning on the pacer after Hank stepped away Joel watched as the pressure pad delivered a controlled shock that caused Connor's body to react physically. The reaction caused his chest to slightly rising up from the table as the jolt caused his back to arch just enough to lift him up from the table a few centimeters. The shock also caused the plastimetal frame of his chest to compress and relax as if suffering from muscle spasms.

The pacer proceeded to shock Connor continuously every two seconds as it forced his heart to beat under the direct influence of the manually induced external shock and compression.

"...Jeez, can he feel that?" Hank asked as he watched Connor's physical responses to the repeated shocks with an uncomfortable stare.

"No. He's entirely unconscious." Returning to his desk in the corner of the dispensary Joel logged into his own terminal and looked for all the details regarding the new drug known as 'slug', and the active ingredients that make it so lethal. "That stuff must be really potent, I'm talking one-hundred percent pure for such a small amount to have such an extreme effect on an android."

"Can you thin out his blood?"

"Yeah, I just need to know what to use otherwise I could make his condition worse."

"Worse how?"

"If I thin out his blood too much," the pale blue eyes of the technician couldn't dare to look up at Hank as he spoke. "he'll bleed to death in a matter of minutes. And I can't give him a proper transfusion because the contaminated Thirium in his system can't be properly extracted."

Hank just stared at Connor with a somber gaze as the deviant continued to physically respond to the shocks to his heart. "Hang in there, kid. We'll get you fixed up. Too bad I quit drinkin', huh? A shot of whiskey might actually do you some good."

"What... did you say?" Joel's eyes went wide with a sense of eureka from behind his terminal screen.

"Nothing, just Connor once told me that alcohol dilutes Thirium if androids drink it."

Rising from his desk quickly Joel marched over the storage cabinets next to the exam table and pulled open the glass door with a firm yank. Sifting through the various chemicals, compounds and other android specific elixirs Joel isolated an almost entirely full plastic bottle filled with a transparent liquid.

"What's that?"

"Ethanol."

"Wait... You have _alcohol_ here? In a _police precinct_?"

"I don't drink it, if that's what you're implying." Joel stated with a stern voice as he placed the bottle down on the small rolling cart next to the exam table. Taking another syringe, one much bigger than the first, Joel dipped the needle into the bottle and drew back zero point zero three cc's, or the equivalent to thirty milligrams of the ethanol from the bottle and injected it into the still exposed line in Connor's damaged arm. "...Let's see if the equivalent heavy dose of Warfarin does anything for him."

"Warfarin's a blood thinner, right?"

"Right."

"Shit... That's the stuff my old man had to take after he had his stroke."

Joel felt a twinge of guilt for mentioning something that accidentally reminded Hank of his late father while he was also fighting to save Connor, who had become his son.

"Okay, let's see if that did anything." Mirroring his actions from before Joel took a sample of Thirium from Connor's exposed line after the administered ethanol had the chance to cycle. As the extracted the new blood sample the Thirium in question had a much healthier blue hue and wasn't nearly as thick as it had been. "Ah-ha! We're on the right track..."

"Seriously? He _needs_ to get drunk?"

"In the most crude and basic explanation? Yes."

"Shit... Some androids have all the luck."

Shaking his head a little Joel gave Connor another controlled dose of the Ethanol then turned off the pacer. As Connor's contaminated Thirium began to steadily thin his Thirium pressure began to drop to a nominal level and his heart rate began to increase to an optimum rate.

"He's stable." Removing the pressure pad from Connor's chest Joel gave Hank a confident nod of approval. "Uh, he's going to have a nasty hangover when he wakes up, so it'd be best to take him home to sleep it off. Uh, like, now. Right now."

Hank grinned a little at the prospect as he watched Joel rebutton Connor's shirt. "And how am I going to explain this to Fowler?"

"You're not, I am."

"Uh-huh, and are you going to mention the-"

"Hank, I swear to you that Ethanol is here strictly for professional purposes and decontamination." Joel knew Hank was kidding, but he still felt compelled to to reiterate its necessity to his supplies in the dispensary. "And since it saved Connor's life I think it speaks for itself."

"Right..." Hank watched as Joel set about cleaning up Connor's damaged arm and wrapping it in temporary bandages for the rest of the day. "How long until he wakes up?"

"...I don't know. But, sorry about you having to deal with a hungover roommate."

"Won't be the first time..."

* * *

With Joel's assistance Hank managed to carry the unconscious (unwillingly inebriated) deviant out of the precinct and into the parking garage, and sit him down in the front passenger seat of the car for the unusual drive back home. Captain Fowler had received Joel's report regarding Connor's injury and subsequent exposure to 'slug' resulting in his state of unconsciousness, and didn't question the always honest and skilled technician. Tucking two bottles of fresh Thirium into his coat pockets to give to Connor later on, Hank put the car in park in the drive beside the house and prepared to carry the deviant back inside the house.

"Okay, son. We're home."

Connor was still unconscious. With his eyes shut and his head leaning back against the headrest the deviant truly looked passed out, like a college freshman coming back from their first 'kegger'.

Opening up the passenger side door slowly Hank unfastened Connor's seatbelt and bent down low enough to pull Connor's body up and over his shoulder so he could more easily carry him inside the house. Thinking quickly Hank opened the backdoor and stepped aside as Sumo went barrelling through the door and began happily running around in the backyard.

"Wish I had that kind of energy."

Stepping through the door Hank carried Connor through the kitchen, down the hallway and into the deviant's bedroom so he could sleep off the Ethanol in peace. As he gently placed Connor down on the bed Hank couldn't help but laugh as memories of him doing the exact same thing for his friends after they graduated high school, and then later for his old roommate after they graduated from the police academy.

"You're lucky, kid." Hank stated to the unconscious deviant as he pulled the knot on the tie around Connor's neck to loosen it and slip it away. "This isn't the first time I've taken care of a passed out lightweight. And this is the second time I've had to take care of you after you got drunk." Pulling Connor up into a sitting position Hank slipped the sleeves of the jacket from the deviant's arms, mindful of the bandages around the left. "At least this time it wasn't because you were experimenting with human 'coping' techniques."

Connor remained oblivious as Hank then removed his white dress shirt and let the android fall back against his bed and soft pillow slowly.

Draping the quilt folded at the end of the bed up and over Connor's unconscious form Hank carried the Thirium stained garments out of the room to be washed and then mended later. Hank returned to the room briefly to put the empty bucket found normally under the kitchen sink next to Connor's bed and stepped back out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him to ensure Sumo didn't bother Connor as he slept.

"Just in case, kid. Hangovers suck."

* * *

Connor found himself walking through the 'Zen Garden' of his mind once more with a strange sense of familiarity as he approached the yellow roses snaking up the towering trestle in the middle island of the pond. Running his fingers over the soft yellow petals Connor felt a sense of peace wash over him that he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Hello, Connor."

Turning around quickly Connor spotted Lucas standing next to the chessboard with a faint grin on his face.

"Lucas!" Genuinely happy to see his brother Connor approached the long absent deviant with swift, graceful strides. "I haven't been able to speak to you in so long... I'm glad you're still here in my mind. I've had so many nightmares as of late I began to suspect, maybe even fear, that my overheated processors had destroyed our contact through our connected memories."

"It's okay, Connor. And I'll stay here as long as you want me to." Lucas sat down in the chair on one side of the chessboard behind the white pieces and invited Connor to take the vacant seat across from him. "I'm glad you decided to visit."

"I apologize, but with my processors offline-"

"I'm not referring to the 'Zen Garden'," Lucas clarified as he moved his pawn. "I'm talking about you visiting my grave."

"You know of that." Connor gave Lucas a relieved grin. "I would've visited more often but matters in my life have become quite hectic as of late." Connor moved his own piece and waited for Lucas to do the same. "I hope you aren't offended."

"I'm not angry or disappointed by any means, I'm very aware of all of the responsibilities that you've recently undertaken since my unexpected shutdown." Lucas moved his next piece. "I imagine once North shuts down that you'll be all the more busy."

"I won't lead New Jericho." Connor refused again as he too moved his next piece. "The people of New Jericho need a leader they can trust."

"You're still convinced that the other deviants don't trust you?" Moving his next piece Lucas took Connor's pawn. "Check."

"There is no need to be convinced, I'm aware of my reputation amongst the deviants in the tower."

"You're aware of the initial impression you made on the deviants. But you're oblivious to how far you've come as a deviant yourself, and of how much Markus and the other leaders trust you."

Shaking his head a little Connor finally moved his next piece. "It doesn't matter how much they trust me if I can't trust myself."

Lucas made his next move and took another one of Connor's pieces. "Check. You trust your judgment as a detective, your trust your instincts when it comes to taking care of Hank, you trust your ability to weed out the guilty from the innocent, so why is that you can't trust yourself?"

"I..." Connor stared at the chessboard with a sense of loss as he tried to think of his next move. "I don't know."

"Connor, it isn't that you don't trust yourself," Lucas moved his next piece without breaking stride. "it's that you haven't _forgiven_ yourself."

"Forgiven myself? For what?"

"Many things." Giving his brother a kind glance Lucas helped Connor to sort out his foggy thoughts and memories. "You still blame yourself for what happened to me, even though you know that what happened was a horrible accident."

Connor's hand hovered over his next piece as indecision froze him in place.

"You still blame yourself for Hank getting stabbed, even though Hank himself had pointed out that there was no way to predict or anticipate what had happened."

Connor's hand remained steadfast where it hovered.

"You even blame yourself for being abducted by that lunatic from Chicago. Connor, you can't hold yourself personally accountable for every mild or major indiscretion that happens in your life."

"...I should be able to protect the ones I love, Lucas." His hand retracted from over the board and rested on the table heavily. "If I can't protect myself how can I protect them?"

"Did you ever consider that the very people you love and want to protect have the exact same feelings about you whenever something bad happens to you?"

Connor felt his heart skip a beat as the idea of his loved ones worrying about him had struck a chord he had never known before.

"Do these people blames themselves, beat themselves up or lose faith in their abilities to do the right thing?"

"...No." Connor's hand clenched into a tight fist then relaxed. "Hank never gave up on me whenever I had gone missing or been injured. Markus... North... They aren't afraid that I'd make a mistake. You," Connor sighed and gave Lucas an appreciative glance. "you never gave up on me either."

"And I never will."

"But I'm not sure I know how to forgive myself."

"Quite easily, I imagine. You weren't responsible for-"

"No, not that." Closing his eyes slowly Connor's finger absentmindedly knocked over his own king causing it to bump into the surrounding pieces on the board. "CyberLife. I can't forgive myself for what I did while I was working for CyberLife."

"You were still a _machine_."

"But I still knew what I was doing was wrong."

"How?"

"...My first mission I had to convince Daniel that he'd be safe just get him to let Emma go. My mission was to save Emma at any cost, even if that meant lying to Daniel, and I knew right from the beginning that deception is wrong. But I did it anyway."

"Did you pull the trigger?"

"...No. The S.W.A.T. team on the roof shot Daniel."

"Even after Emma was safe?"

"Yes."

"Then it sounds like the S.W.A.T. team had already decided to kill Daniel long before you even got there."

Connor thought about his next assignment and his subsequent behavior. "...I entered the bar despite the no android admittance ban to locate Hank."

"Because of your mission?"

"Yes. And then I disobeyed Hank's order and followed him to the crime scene we had been requested to investigate all because of my mission. I even located the deviant who had committed the murder and had him arrested despite knowing that everything he had been through was self-defense."

"You also saved Hank instead of letting him fall off the roof. You let Rupert go as a result and all this time later Rupert helped you make it back home safely while he save many others. It's almost like you knew that Rupert wasn't dangerous despite what CyberLife told you, and that Hank was more important."

"...So you're saying my disobedience for the sake of Hank's life was my first act as a deviant, not the night I joined Jericho during the raid?"

"You put a life that CyberLife deemed expendable above your missions, so... yes."

"...That doesn't change what I had done before my deviancy."

"But you're aware of the emotional ramifications and the overall results of your decisions. You felt bad for Daniel's death, you felt guilty for turning over the deviant at the murder scene, and your first instinct was to save Hank. It seems like by your own admission everything you did you were fully aware of, and attempted to do what was right by everyone."

"...But, Amanda-"

" _Lied_ to you, Connor." Lucas reached over the board and picked up Connor's fallen king to put it back in itself rightful place. "She was designed to keep you a compliant, cold machine. She _failed_. You _won_."

"Everything she told me was... by design." Connor's hand lifted back up over the board and he slowly moved his next piece. "She was a product of CyberLife engineering, a figure of deception. When she told me I was failing..." Connor paused, his hand freezing again.

"Keeping going Connor, you know the truth."

"She told me I was failing because they... CyberLife, was aware I was becoming deviant. She wanted to manipulate my newly found, raw emotions to make me afraid of failing, to make me afraid of dying because she knew it would keep me compliant." Connor's hand moved again and his next piece found its place. "Check."

"You got it." Lucas smiled as he moved his next piece. "See? You do know."

"Amanda is gone, and she's never coming back."

"That's right."

"CyberLife is gone."

"Yes."

"I don't have to be afraid of becoming a machine again because those who bore such an influence are gone." Moving his next piece Connor realized that he was free, _truly free_ , for the first time in his life. "Every decision I had made had been my own, every decision I will continue to make will be my own. I am not a machine, I am... me."

"And who are you?"

"Sergeant Connor Henry Anderson." Looking down at the board Connor flashed a quick smirk. "Check."

"You're your own person, Connor. Android or human, it doesn't matter." Lucas made the only move he could see on the board and gave Connor a sly grin.

"You're right. Thank you, Lucas."

"And how do you feel?" Lucas moved his own piece, the only piece that could be moved, as he waited for Connor to react to the question.

Connor made his final move as he took in a deep breath, his heart feeling warm and confident for the first time since the night of the revolution.

"I feel... better."

Watching Lucas move his hand over to his own king to lay it down, Connor knew in that moment that he was going to be okay.

* * *

After enjoying a quiet night reading and playing a quick game of fetch with Sumo who raced through the livingroom and kitchen with excess energy that was the envy of any person, Hank was awoken by the sound of retching from down the hallway at just before eleven the following morning. Grabbing onto his phone Hank sent a quick text to Joel to let him know that Connor was awake and now throwing-up, before he got out of bed to check on the sick deviant himself.

"Connor?" Hank knocked lightly on the deviant's closed bedroom door before opening it. He could see Connor resting awkwardly on his side on the floor beside his bed as he proceeded to throw-up into the offered bucket. "How do you feel?"

"...Sick. "Connor spit a mouthful of blue Thirium mixed with some black portions out of his mouth and into the bucket. Throwing up again Connor panted his breaths and shook his head. "...What happened?"

Hank knelt on the floor beside Connor put his hand to the sick deviant's back. "Well, you got stabbed and the blade was laced with that 'slug' garbage."

"...I overdosed?" Connor asked confusedly as he dared to look up at Hank with glassy, blue-bloodshot eyes that made his brown irises comparatively bright.

"Not exactly. Uh," hooking his hand around Connor's right arm Hank pulled Connor up from the floor and slowly guided him into the bathroom just a few feet away. "that stuff made your blood thicken up and Joel had to thin it back out so your heart could beat and your blood could flow again."

"...How?" Connor managed ask just before he was sick again and threw-up into the toilet.

Hank pressed one hand over Connor's forehead and kept the other against the middle of the deviant's back for support. "Booze."

"I-" Connor spit out more tainted Thirium and groaned in discomfort. "I don't remember... drinking."

"You _didn't_ drink it. Joel had to inject it into your blood directly."

Connor noticed the gauze bandages wrapped around his left forearm as he leaned over the porcelain basin, his memories slowly coming back to him and stopping short as he lost consciousness in the dispensary the day before.

"Don't worry, he made sure it wasn't a lethal amount."

"...Evidently his math was correct." Connor managed to snip before he threw-up again, his entire body tensing with the violent spasm that tore through his abdomen. "...Ow."

"Fuck. Want me to call a technician?"

"...No." Connor shook his head only once and spit out the last of the contaminated Thirium from his mouth. "...I'll be okay."

"You're overheating a little." Hank noticed as he pulled his hand away from Connor's warm forehead.

"...Physical exertion." The explanation was accurate and logical. "I'm not in any danger."

"Good." Filling up the glass on the sink the faucet with cool water he handed it to Connor. "Here. Rinse out your mouth, your teeth are all blue."

Obediently Connor took the glass of water and rinsed out his mouth before spitting the blue tinted water out into the toilet. "...Thanks."

"Are you going to be sick again?"

Shaking his head once more and immediately regretting the motion Connor closed his eyes and gave a breathy answer. "No. My self-diagnostic confirms all of the contaminated Thirium has been expelled."

"Did you sleep?"

"...Yes."

"Have any nightmares?"

"No."

"Good. Today is our day off, so... want to spend the rest of the morning in pain on the couch or in your bedroom?"

Connor opened his eyes again and straightened his posture slightly as the previous day's case returned to his memory. "...Hank? What happened to Vanessa?"

"Couch."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at Connor while the deviant awkwardly pushed himself up from his kneeling position and onto his shaking legs. Allowing Hank to lead him out of the bathroom and into the livingroom Connor sat down on the couch next to Sumo for a few seconds before falling over to his side in misery. Sumo jumped down onto the floor out of the way only put his front paws up on the couch over Connor's uninjured arm affectionately.

"Well, after I got you home last night I asked Chris about it, and as it turns out Vanessa wasn't always known as Vanessa; her real name is Amber Keres, and before she was studying interior decorating she was a medical student who got kicked out and banned for unusual behavior; stalking, threatening her roommate, vandalism, she even broke into the city morgue once. She specialized in diagnostics and internal medicine."

Connor lifted his head a little to look at Hank as the detective leaned over the back of the couch. "That explains how she knew the proper dosage of the drug to ensure addiction and overdoses."

"Yeah. Gavin had a little chitchat with her in interrogation and as it turns out she had this idea that she was somehow making the world a better place by exploiting desperate junkies and killing them with her 'special drug'. She's been admitted to a psychiatric hospital for observation."

"I feel sorry for her." Connor sighed as he closed his eyes and tried to force his self-healing program to redistribute his Thirium in a more balanced manner through his system to ease his overwhelming discomfort. "I hope she gets the help she needs."

Hank patted the side of Connor's arm once before walking down the hall to dispose of the contents of the used bucket in the bathroom, and to clean up the blue Thirium stains that had accidentally splattered onto the floor. After carrying the washed out bucket back into the kitchen Hank pulled a bottle of cool Thirium from the fridge and walked into the livingroom to hand it over to Connor. Sumo tried to nose the bottle out of Hank's hand but the detective was wise to the curious dog's tricks.

"Sumo, down." Hank scolded before kicking aside the green fetch ball laying next to the couch across the floor to distract the massive bundle of fluff.

"Thanks again." Connor accepted the bottle and forced himself to sit upright on the couch as he drank the much needed replacement Thirium. Sumo trotted over to the couch once more as he dropped his drool covered fetch ball onto Connor's lap and wagged his tail. "Sorry if I made a mess."

"Don't worry about it, son. I'm just glad you're okay now."

"...The bucket was a good idea, too."

"Yeah." Hank laughed at the observation as he sat down in his recliner and watched as Connor slowly, but surely began to recover from his hangover. "It comes from years of experience."

"Hank?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't think I'll have anymore nightmares."

"That's good to hear, son."

_**...next story...** _


	127. Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Cami

After enjoying a week of relatively quiet cases and a light caseload in general Connor and Hank found themselves in the middle of a stand-off as two prison escapees opened fire on the responding police officers through the broken window of the second floor motel room in which they had barricaded themselves. With Gavin taking charge of the scene along with Chris as his partner, Hank and Connor provided back-up and attempted to talk the two armed men into surrendering peacefully.

"I can attempt to negotiate with the gunmen." Connor volunteered as he and Hank ducked down behind the car with their own guns drawn. "One has been injured and requires medical attention."

"How do you know that?" Hank asked as he peered up at the window over the hood of the car.

"There is a significant smear of fresh blood on the door to the room that is type 'A' negative, and based on the provided prison records of the two men it is a match. He has been wounded and has been bleeding for almost an hour."

"If you think you can talk them down, then go for it."

Nodding in agreement Connor holstered his gun under his jacket and crept along the first floor exterior wall of the motel and swiftly moved up the metal staircase leading to the second floor a few yards away.

"Connor's going to try to talk these idiots down." Hank shouted over to Gavin who was ducked down behind his own car next to Chris. "Hold your fire."

"...Right." Gavin lowered his gun and patiently watched as Connor approached the room but kept clear of the door and the already broken window to ensure he wasn't in the line of fire.

"Mason Greene, Shaun Gregson," Connor addressed the prisoners by their names in a calm but serious tone. "Detroit Police. Drop the weapons and open the door, slowly."

"FUCK OFF MAN!" One of the men, Mason, shouted in response to the demand through the window. "WE AIN'T GOIN' BACK TO PRISON!"

"Your friend has been injured, correct?" Connor paused and waited for a response, but no reply came. "Surrender and we'll get him the help he needs."

"No way! As soon as we open the door you're going to shoot us dead!"

"No. We do not want to harm you, we only want this to end peacefully."

"You're a fuckin' cop, man! I don't trust you!"

"You don't have to trust _me_ , you just have to trust what I'm _saying_." The emphasis in Connor's voice was palpable as he remained in control of the situation. "Allow me to help your friend."

Silence.

"Your friend has been bleeding for a dangerous amount of time, he needs help immediately. He won't last much longer without medical intervention."

"...Alright," Mason was willing to let Connor inside the room, but the hesitation in his tone was evident. "but just you!"

"Yes. I'll enter alone."

"No weapon?"

Knowing he had little choice in the matter Connor unclipped his holster from around his shoulders and waist allowing his gun to drop to the concrete terrace beneath his feet, and behind him. "No weapon."

"Alright. The door's unlocked."

Connor slowly made a move for the door and tested the doorknob. As the knob turned easily Connor waited before entering in the event that either Mason or Shaun panicked and opened fire again. Slipping into the room calmly Connor assessed the situation and sent a cybernetic report to the precinct and relayed a message to Hank's phone via text.

Mason closed the door behind Connor and kept his gun trained on the back of Connor's skull as the deviant entered the room and eyed Shaun leaning up against the corner of the small room with a blood soaked towel pressed against his abdomen. Shaun was sweating, shaking, pale and barely conscious.

"How long ago was he shot?" Connor asked as he knelt down in front of the wounded man and pressed his fingers to the side of the man's sweaty neck to count his pulse.

"Like... I don't know, an hour ago, maybe two. Why?"

"He's lost a substantial amount of blood and is slipping into shock."

"What can you do for him?"

"I can attempt to stem the bleeding," Connor explained as he applied more pressure to the towel already over the wound and was met with a deep groan of pain from Shaun as a result. "but he requires immediate medical attention that I cannot provide."

"And how do I know that the guys down there aren't going to just run up here, finish him off and put a bullet between my eyes?"

"Because I gave you my word."

"And what good does that do me, man?"

"They won't open fire if I'm here because I'm an officer." Shaun had lost consciousness entirely and slumped over in a dead, cold faint onto the floor under Connor's hands. "Shit. He can't wait any longer."

"Al-Alright! Just save him man..." Mason tossed his gun to the other side of the room onto the bed to surrender. "He's my best friend."

Connor nodded as he cybernetically updated the other officers on the situation and asked for paramedics to be shown up to the room. "An ambulance is en route, it'll be here in less than one minute."

The sound of sirens filled the air as the requested ambulance raced to the scene right on schedule.

"...You ain't like those guards back at the prison, man. You actually talk to us like we're people."

"You ARE people." Connor replied with a stern voice as he pressed one hand firmly against Shaun's bleeding abdominal wound and kept his other hand wrapped around Shaun's wrist to track his pulse. "Prisoner or not, you're still a person and should be treated as such."

"...Tell that to those guards."

Connor's brow furrowed as he heard the genuine desperation and fear in Mason's voice. "To which guards are you referring?"

* * *

Taking charge of the scene since it was his partner now in the middle of the stand-off as the negotiator, Hank led the paramedics and their gurney up to the room in question while Gavin reported the events as they unfolded to dispatch over the radio. Motioning for the medics to stay back a few feet Hank picked up Connor's gun and tucked it into his coat pocket as he cleared his throat and addressed the occupants in the room with loud voice.

"Connor? The paramedics are here."

"Both suspects are unarmed, Hank." Connor confirmed as he continued to hold pressure on Shaun's wound. "One is severely injured with a single G.S.W. to the lower left quadrant of his abdomen."

Hank opened the door to the hotel room and spotted Mason already kneeling on the floor with both hands behind his head. "Where's the gun?"

Connor answered from where he was kneeling in front of Shaun. "It's on the bed."

Holstering his own gun Hank took the handcuffs from his belt and cuffed Mason's hands behind his back before leading him out of the hotel room. "Alright, let's get you downstairs and the medics will check on your friend. You're under arrest, by the way."

"Yeah..." Mason grumbled as Hank escorted him out of the room. "I figured that out myself."

As Mason was taken from the room Connor moved to the side as the paramedics approached Shaun and began assessing his critical condition. Standing upright Connor proceeded to pick up the discarded gun from the bed and step out of the hotel room to reunite with the other officers outside in the parking lot.

"Nice work, Connor." Hank complimented as he turned Mason over to Gavin, who was promptly placed in the back of the patrol car. "What'd you say to get him to surrender so quickly?"

"I just spoke to him. Acknowledged him as an intelligent being, not a prisoner with a cell number."

"Guess that's why you're the negotiator." Hank handed Connor over his gun and watched as the deviant easily replaced the holster back into place around his shoulders beneath his jacket.

"You do the same, Hank. You always spoke to me as if I were an intelligent being long before I deviated and began to truly think for myself."

From the second floor the paramedics began to awkwardly wheel the gurney down the stairs with Shaun unconscious and strapped down for safety reasons. The unexpected and unintended jostling of the gurney managed to rouse Shaun back into a bleary state of consciousness and began to panic as he saw police officers suddenly all around him.

In a moment adrenaline fueled fear Shaun managed to pull his right arm free of the restraint and pull a hunting knife from a hidden pocket concealed within the back waistband of his jeans. As Shaun pulled the knife on the paramedics Hank caught sight of the glinting metal and pulled his gun out of its holster and aimed it at Shaun.

"DROP THE KNIFE."

Connor turned around quickly to see where Hank was aiming only to witness the knife being plunged into the hip of the closest paramedic and hear the sound of a single shot escaping from Hank's gun to his immediate left. With that sound came a burning pain over the top of his left shoulder followed by a splash of Thirium pouring down his arm.

Pressing his right hand over his left shoulder Connor stepped back from Hank and stifled a groan of pain as Hank proceeded to address the armed man on the gurney while the uninjured paramedic tended to her wounded partner.

"I SAID DROP THE KNIFE." Hank repeated loudly as kept his gun trained on the armed man. "I WILL NOT ASK AGAIN."

The sight of Hank's gun and the loud echo of the shot still ringing in his ears was enough to make Shaun drop the knife from his trembling hand and immediately fall back unconscious against the gurney.

"Moron..." Hank muttered as he holstered his gun and turned to look back at Connor. "How'd he-" The sight of the deviant standing back with his head bowed down and his right hand covered in his own blood as he pressed it to his own wounded shoulder made Hank instantly sick. "Shit! Connor!"

"...It's okay." Connor managed to reply as he felt Hank's hand press down over top of his own against his bleeding shoulder. "It just grazed me."

"Holy, shit... Connor,... I shot you!"

" _Accidentally_."

"Come on, son, come on..." Hank pushed Connor toward the car to sit down in the front passenger seat. Pulling Connor's hand from the injury Hank peeled down the fabric of the gray jacket and then did the same for the white dress shirt beneath to expose Connor's shoulder. "Aw, man..."

"The bullet didn't hit any biocomponents or main Thirium lines. It's merely a scratch."

"...But I still shot you."

"Hank, it was an accident. I should've stepped aside sooner."

"No, Connor. This is my fault..."

"I also failed to properly check the suspect for any concealed weapons before I left the paramedics unattended. It's MY fault."

Hank stared at the seeping blue blood that stained Connor's shoulder through missing artificial skin and the cracked plastimetal frame beneath. "I'll take you back to the precinct to get patched up."

"Hank?" Connor could hear the hurt in the detective's voice and didn't want to see Hank kicking himself over an accident. "I promise you I'm okay."

"Yeah... I know."

* * *

Connor sat on the exam table in the precinct's dispensary as Joel easily stopped the bleeding with a small amount of incrassation compound to the wound and some temporary bandages to keep the wound cleaned and covered until Connor's self-healing program remedied the damage within a few hours. Though Connor didn't lose a lot of blood Hank insisted that he drink some Thirium to replace what little amount he lost and to jumpstart the self-healing program in general.

"Feeling any pain?" Joel asked as he finished wrapping up the injury and helped Connor to slip his shirt and jacket back up over his shoulder.

"A very small amount. I am a little confused, though."

"About what?"

"This was an accidental shooting but Hank seems to think what he had done was... unforgivable."

"Well, how would you feel if you accidentally shot Hank?"

"I believe the correct 'human' term would be, 'like Hell'."

"You got it." Joel patted Connor's good shoulder and stepped back as the deviant rose from the exam table to resume his shift. "He's going to feel bad for a long time, even though you're okay aside from the nasty scratch to your shoulder."

"I see..." Connor nervously squared his jaw as he deeply empathized with Hank's plight. "Perhaps I should talk to him."

"Good idea. But don't expect him to be in a talkative mood for a while."

"Joel, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Go for it."

"Why are human emotions so complex and contradictory?"

"Damned if I know the answer to _that_!"

"...Oh."

* * *

Refraining from the urge to put his hand over his somewhat sore shoulder Connor returned to the bullpen and sat down at his desk opposite of Hank and proceeded to go about his usual routine as he turned on his terminal ,and began writing out his report on the case that he and Hank just returned from. As Connor began typing quickly he noticed that Hank was staring blankly at his own terminal screen with great disinterest and distraction deeply seeded in his blue eyes.

"Hank? Your vitals as distressing, are you ill?"

Hank didn't answer verbally, he only let out a quiet sigh.

"My shoulder sustained only minor damage. It will heal in a few hours."

"...Doesn't change the fact that I shot you."

"Hank, stop blaming yourself for an accident."

"You've made great progress in healing, kid." Hank finally looked up at Connor; the regret welling up in his gaze. "And now I go and do something like this."

"I'm okay, Hank." Connor reaffirmed sincerely as he tried to ease Hank's guilt. "Don't worry about me, I'm going to make a full recovery and I didn't have any unsettling flashes to my past traumatic events. As you stated, I've made progress and I'm truly healing."

"...That doesn't make me feel any less guilty, kid." Standing up from his desk Hank casually motioned to the front doors of the precinct as he dropped the car keys down on the desk for Connor to take. "Fowler already has me benched for a week until internal affairs finishes their investigation. I'll see you at home."

"Hank?" Connor wanted to keep the detective from leaving but Captain Fowler's voice sounded off through the bullpen and caught his attention.

"Connor. My office."

Reluctantly Connor obeyed his superior officer's orders as Hank trudged out of the precinct with a heavy weight crushing down against his heart and his conscience.

* * *

With Connor's statement taken in regards to the accidental shooting and with the report that Joel had filed containing details of the injury itself Captain Fowler decided to lessen the suspension against Hank to forty-eight hours, and neither detective would be held accountable for the shooting itself. Shaun would be charged with assault against the paramedic, who was well on his way to a full recovery, and he was going to be charged with carrying a concealed weapon.

The weapon itself was concealed in a perfectly well hidden secondary pocket that had been overlooked by Connor AND the paramedics which confirmed the unfortunate circumstances leading to the accidental shooting.

Connor pulled the car into the drive beside the house and readily exited the vehicle to get inside and check on Hank. Sumo was sitting in the backyard and showed no interest in going back inside the house as if he were afraid. It didn't take a detective to know that something was wrong.

"Oh, no..."

As Connor walked through the backdoor he was greeted by the sight of Hank's coat thrown on the floor, the trashcan knocked over and Sumo's bowls spilled all over the floor. Locking onto Hank himself, his back toward the backdoor, as he sat at the kitchen table with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a poured shot in the other hand, Connor knew that Hank was in trouble.

"Hank?" Connor walked around the table so he could look the detective in the eyes. "How much have you had to drink?"

"...I couldn't do it."

"Do what?"

"I couldn't pull the trigger on myself, but I managed to do it to you."

"Hank." Connor grabbed onto Hank's shoulder as if needing to ground the shaken human as he raised his voice. "It was an ACCIDENT."

"Accident or not, I still shot you! You're supposed to be my son!"

"Damn it, Hank." Connor swore as he pulled the shot glass out of Hank's hand and snatched the bottle away. "Why are you trying to punish yourself for something you weren't responsible for?"

"I AM responsible." Hank argued with a slur as he gave Connor a pathetic stare. "I'm responsible for YOU. _My son_."

It was then Connor realized why Hank was so unnerved by the entire event. Connor being injured by Hank's hand made Hank think back to the car accident that had taken Cole's life. Hank still felt guilty over what happened to Cole despite the accident not being Hank's fault. While Connor was able to make peace with his own past and move on, Hank was still struggling to do the same.

"Hank... Listen to me." Easing the aggression in his voice Connor took the vodka over to the sink and poured it out quickly. "You don't have to keep blaming yourself for what happened to me... Or to Cole."

At the mentioning of Cole's name Hank was immediately defensive. "What the fuck do YOU know about COLE?"

"...I know you're still trying to hurt yourself over what happened." Connor replied firmly as he turned from the sink to confront Hank directly. "Just like when-"

"Shut up!" Hank stood up quickly and threw down the chair he had been sitting in with an aggressive motion. "Don't you talk about him!"

Frightened by Hank's outburst but determined to help his friend Connor didn't back down. "You need to forgive yourself, Hank."

"SHUT UP! Don't tell me what I need to do."

"I want to help-"

"Help _me_?" Hank slurred bitterly at the deviant. "Why? I'm not some busted up _machine_ like _you_!"

Recognizing that Hank was intentionally trying to push him away Connor held his ground. "...Hank. _I_ forgive you."

"So what? You're just-"

"And I know _Cole_ would forgive you, too."

At the sound of Cole's name for the second time Hank reeled his hand back and struck Connor across his face, causing his left eye to water and his nose to bleed a little from the impact.

Connor pressed his hand to his nose to dab away the blood as he continued to hold his ground with the emotionally unstable detective. "...Sorry. I won't mention Cole anymore."

Hank was stunned into silence by his own behavior. "...Connor?"

"Perhaps I should leave and let you be alone. That is clearly what you want, isn't it?"

"...No." At the sight of the blue blood on Connor's face Hank's eyes went wide with utter regret. "...Connor, I'm... I'm sorry!"

"...Hank." Connor ignored his pain in favor of aiding Hank and ending the drunken stupor. "Please. You've helped me to let go of my own pain, let me help you."

"...It's not that simple."

"Yes, it is." Connor took a step forward as he boldly addressed Hank face to face. "You _think_ you need to be punished, but you _don't_. I believed the same thing for a long time because of my former affiliation with CyberLife. Now I know what I had done in the past doesn't have to define who I am now and who I strive to become in the future."

" _You didn't kill your own child_!" Hank shouted in frustration as he tried to back away from Connor, but the deviant wouldn't let him get too far. "There's NOTHING in this world that can make that right. No parent should ever bury their own child."

"There is also nothing in this world that can bring him back if you force yourself to suffer."

"It's all I know, kid. Pain, misery, suffering..."

"Untrue. You've told me stories of your past and I've seen the photographs of your life. You know what happiness is and you want to feel it again, but you're afraid of the pain that follows when you lose it. I was afraid for the longest time to allow myself to feel anything, but you helped me overcome that fear."

"Connor, I _shot_ you and then I _hit_ you. I don't deserve happiness."

"Yes you do. Everyone does."

"I'm a drunk asshole who-"

Protectively Connor wrapped his arms around Hank before the detective had the chance to back away or continue to blame himself over past mistakes. As the deviant's arms completely stilled Hank in the strong hug, the pained detective just stood in silence and let Connor hang onto him as an unspoken gratitude washed over him.

Fighting back the urge to cry Hank just let the compassionate deviant give him the much needed support, and make him feel stable.

"Please Hank. _Try_ to forgive yourself."

"...Okay, kid. I'll try."

Connor let go of Hank slowly only to return his hands to Hank's chest to keep the detective upright as he wobbled on his legs and threatened to pass out. Running a scan over Hank's vitals Connor noted that the detective was experiencing an elevated blood pressure and heart rate, and the trace amount of alcohol on his breath indicated that he had consumed enough to make himself potentially very sick.

"...I'll take you to the bathroom." The deviant volunteered as he dragged Hank down the hallway and into the bathroom. Sitting him down on the edge of the bathtub Connor picked up Hank's wrist and counted his pulse. "Mild arrhythmia."

"I'm sorry, Connor." The detective slurred with a utter remorse. "I'm... so sorry."

"Don't apologize." Connor urged as he proceeded to wet a washcloth under the cold tap in the sink and press it to the back of Hank's neck to try to sober up the detective in a soothing manner. "Mistakes were made, that's all."

"...I _hit_ you."

"It wasn't the first time I've been hit." Connor joked as he checked Hank's pupils for any sign of dilation. "I imagine it won't be the last."

"I sh-shouldn't have done that." Hank lamented as his words began to slur again. He patted his hand against Connor's cheek below his swelling eye, and used his thumb to clear away the blood dripping from Connor's nose. "I shouldn't have a laid a h-hand on my own son... I'm so sorry!"

Connor's brow arched at the admission but continued to monitor Hank's vital signs carefully. "You need to let yourself be sick, otherwise I'll have to take you to the hospital and have your stomach pumped."

"...I think I c-can do that..." Hank clumsily fell forward from the tub and onto his knees in front of the toilet as he began to vomit up the potent vodka he had drank during Connor's absence.

Remembering how Hank would keep his hand pressed again his own back whenever he was ill Connor did the same for the sick detective as the cool washcloth fell from Hank's neck onto the floor beside him. Keeping track of Hank's vital signs carefully Connor waited Hank to finish throwing-up before he tried to speak to him again.

"Do you have the strength to get up, or should I carry you?"

Hank dragged the back of his arm over his spit and vomit covered mouth as he forced himself to stand up slowly. "...I'll walk."

Connor kept one hand on Hank's shoulder as he guided the drunken detective out of the bathroom and back down the hallway to the livingroom.

"...Wh-Where are we going?"

"It'd be preferable if you laid on the couch and got some rest. It'll be much easier to check in on you while you recover from here than in your isolated bedroom."

"Oh..."

As Hank plopped down heavily on the couch Connor proceeded to run another scan and found that Hank's heart rate and blood pressure were slowly returning to a more stable level. Worried about the strain the alcohol may have had on Hank's one remaining kidney Connor stayed completely alert and vigil as Hank drifted off into a drunken slumber of shame before his eyes.

"You'll be okay, Hank." Connor promised as he put his hand down over the detective's chest lightly. Satisfied that Hank was stable Connor took the navy blue blanket from the back of the couch and draped it over Hank's form in a comforting manner. "I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Awoken unceremoniously by the returning nausea and a throbbing headache Hank rolled from his back and onto his side on the couch and his eyes fell on the empty bucket sitting on the floor beside him. Grabbing onto the bucket readily Hank proceeded to throw-up the remaining alcohol that still lingered in his stomach and let out a pained groan as the effort made his his headache all the worse. The sickness was violent enough that Hank fell from the couch and onto the floor until it passed.

As the bout of sickness finally ended Hank lifted his head up and through his blurry eyes saw four bottles of water, four bottles of different flavored sports drinks and two aspirin tablets sitting on the coffee table waiting for him.

"...Connor?" Shaking his head Hank reached his clumsy hand for the aspirin and popped the two pills into his mouth and practically tore the lid from one of the water bottles. As he downed the pills greedily he finished off the water and pushed himself up from the cold floor back onto the soft couch. "...My head..."

A gentle whimper from the kitchen caught Hank's ear from where he sat. Looking over he saw Sumo timidly watching him from the doorway of the kitchen as if afraid to approach the detective.

"...Come here." Hank patted his hand on the couch cushion twice to call the dog over to him. Slowly Sumo walked over to Hank, his ears low and tail tucked between his legs. Reaching out his hand Hank lightly pet the dog's ears and was rewarded with a gentle wag of the tail. "...Sorry for last night. I was an ass."

As if to forgive Hank for his attitude last night Sumo licked the side of the detective's hand and continued to wag his tail.

"...Where the fuck is Connor?" Hank asked out loud as he looked around the house curiously. Sumo trotted over to his bed and retrieved his green fetch ball and dropped it at Hank's feet. "That's NOT Connor."

A loud metallic 'bang' from the garage outside caught Hank's attention and made his aching head throb again.

"Think I found him."

Getting up from the couch very slowly Hank grabbed onto one of the sports drink and proceeded to drink it slowly as he walked through the livingroom and into the kitchen. The mess he had made the night before had already been cleaned up ,and the emptied vodka bottle was thrown into the trashcan under the kitchen sink.

"Shit... He shouldn't have to clean up after me."

Setting aside the drink for the moment Hank peered out the kitchen window and saw Connor still doing something out in the garage. Opening up the freezer door Hank pulled out a bag of ice and pressed it to the side of his aching head in hopes of gaining a modicum of relief.

Stepping through the backdoor and onto the back deck Hank shielded his eyes from the afternoon sun and peered out at the garage where he could see Connor walking around in front of the Corvette. The garage door was wide open and a faint white mist was pouring out of the garage and disappearing into the air outside.

"Connor?" Hank called out and pulled his shirt up over his mouth and nose as the noxious paint fumes hurt his head and made his senstive stomach flip in protest. "...What're you doing?"

"I'm putting a base coat of white paint over the car." The deviant's reply sounded as casual as any every day greeting as he pulled down the protective mask from his face to speak. "It'll ensure an even coat of the top color and allow the top color itself to shine more brilliantly."

"...Yeah, I know that. But I want to know WHY you're doing it."

"I wanted to do something productive while you slept. Did I wake you when the paint cans fell over?"

"...No. I was already awake. ...Never thought I'd be so happy to see a bucket in all my life."

Connor slipped of the mask entirely and set it aside as he approached Hank. "You've been completely stable since four twenty-four this morning, and showed no sign of renal distress from the alcohol consumption. How do you feel?"

Hank couldn't help but stare at the black eye that he had given Connor the night before. "...I'll live. How about your eye?"

"It doesn't hurt. It looks worse than it is."

"And your shoulder?"

Connor pulled down the collar of his white t-shirt to show Hank the faint and still fading scar over his shoulder where the bullet had grazed him. "Healed."

"Connor, I am so goddamn sorry for hitting you. I never should've-"

"You were drunk."

"AND I never should've gotten drunk!"

"Well, _that's_ for damn sure." Connor managed to grin as he spoke to Hank calmly. "But as I've stated before, accidents happen. Everyone slips up every so often."

"...It won't happen again."

"I know, Hank."

"How can you be so damn forgiving? How can you forgive me for being such a dick?"

"Because I've recently learned to let things go and that by holding onto grudges I'm only hurting myself by allowing anger and hatred to reside in my mind; or worse, fester inside my heart. I dislike those emotions very much and would greatly prefer to go through the remainder of my life feeling them as rarely as possible."

Hank put his hand on Connor's healed shoulder and held it there for a few seconds. "...Thanks for putting up with a foolish old man and his bad habits."

"You're not foolish. You're just in pain, and I understand that."

"I'd like to believe it was that simple. I really would." Hank admitted only to have his face pale a few shades whiter as his stomach flipped again "...But right now I need to go throw-up."

Connor wrapped his arm around Hank's shoulders to guide the sick detective back up the deck steps and inside the house. As the duo returned to the bathroom Connor patted Hank's back and stepped out to give him some privacy while he was sick and feeling humiliated by his own reckless behavior the night before.

"You should take a shower, it'll make you feel better. I'll also make you some of Rose's tea to settle your stomach."

"...Thanks-" Hank weakly uttered before throwing-up again, only to regain his composure after he spit out the lingering foul taste from his mouth. His head killing him without mercy. "Thanks, son."

"You're welcome," Connor took a few steps away from the door before he quietly muttered the end of his sentence to himself. "...dad."

_**...next story...** _


	128. Radiation

Pulling a late night shift for the sake of making up their lack of hours over the past couple of weeks Connor and Hank found themselves sitting at their desks bored to the brink of insanity as they finished their impressive stack of paperwork three hours prior, and were caught in the bittersweetly appreciated quiet night of the city. Without any cases to work on or any additional reports that needed to be filed the two detectives were forced to find something else to preoccupy their attention until their extended shift mercifully came to an end in another two hours, fifty-six minutes and nineteen seconds.

Hank leaned back in his chair and folded his hands neatly over his chest as he tried to keep himself from falling asleep out of pure boredom. "Too bad we don't have a deck of cards or something, huh Connor? And stop with the coin, please."

"Yes." Connor agreed as stopped dancing the coin gracefully over the knuckles of his right hand and slipped it back into his pocket as request. Sitting upright in his chair with perfect posture Connor kept his hands neatly folded atop his lap. "It's unfortunate neither of us have anything to preoccupy our unexpectedly open time for the duration of the shift."

"Wanna' play twenty questions?"

"That's the game where one of us needs to guess the name of the person through said limited amount of questions, correct?"

"Yup. That's the one."

"With my cybernetic uplink to numerous files and eidetic memory I believe I'd have an unfair disadvantage over you."

Hank laughed a little. "At least you're honest about it."

"Have you reconsidered the color for the Corvette?" Connor asked hopefully as he changed the subject to something more interesting. "We could narrow down the choices tonight and begin painting tomorrow."

"Connor, I know you like that emerald green color, but I can assure you it won't turn out as nice as think it will once it's actually on the car."

"But you're certain that the red will look appropriate?"

"Green is a weird color to work with, trust me. Go with red."

"I'm not fond of red." Connor's fingertips brushed against his blank L.E.D. absentmindedly. "It's a color indicative of errors, pain and human blood."

"Well, that sky blue you mentioned once before wasn't a terrible alternative."

"Green is still my preference."

"Nope." Hank held up a shushing hand before Connor had the chance to refute. "...We'll discuss it later. I don't want to argue about something as stupid as a color."

Nodding in agreement Connor noted the lack of activity compared to the number of hours they had left on their mandatory overtime. "Perhaps we could get permission to leave early?"

"Nah, we need to make up the hours eventually. Might as well just deal with it." Hank looked over at the massive clock on the far wall ticking at a sluggish pace, as if time itself decided to slow down just to mock the two detectives. "I hate to bring up a sad subject," Hank lowered his voice despite the only other occupants of the bullpen being a half dozen indifferent rookie officers for the sake of discretion. "but North only has five weeks left, right?"

"...Correct."

"And there's nothing that can be done to save her?"

"We haven't found any solutions yet. It seems like her shutdown is imminent and irreversible. We will keep looking for possible means of enhancing her software or eradicating the destructive update from her processors." Connor was entirely composed on an emotional level as he spoke. "Abby is working to find a way to patch her software without it affecting her memories or limiting her processors, but the patch in question is one that would have to override the original programming created by CyberLife. It'll be difficult, but it is possible. We just need to be patient."

Hank was proud of the way Connor was dealing with the bleak situation with actual confidence. "It's a good thing you're always so calm in these situations, kid. Some people-"

An emergency alarm began to blare loudly throughout the building as a red emergency light began to flash and illuminate the bullpen with an eerie crimson hue. Connor cybernetically tapped into the emergency system to identify the problem while Hank rose from his desk and exercised his rank to take charge and ordered the officers to follow the proper evacuation protocol.

"What's going on, Connor?"

"There is a radiation leak being detected from the dispensary."

" _Radiation leak_? What the fuck?"

"There are numerous pieces of equipment required for proper android maintenance in the dispensary, some of which can produce ionizing radiation and can be extremely hazardous to organic life."

"What about androids?"

"Only in massive, prolonged, concentrated doses. I can safely go to the dispensary and check on the situation without being harmed in the process."

"Go. I'll take care of the evacuation and get a clean-up crew out here to take care of this mess before it gets any worse." Hank pointed to the corridor on the opposite side of the bullpen as he noted the officers exiting the building, but did not see a certain technician amongst the crowd. "I think Joel was working overtime, too. Make sure he got out!"

"Right."

Connor hastily made his way down the corridor, stepping aside to allow other occupants of the building to evacuate to safety, as he made his way to the elevator and pressed the 'call' button on the electronic control panel. Stepping into the entirely vacant elevator car Connor quickly ascended to the correct floor and stepped back out as soon as the doors slid open.

"Joel?" Connor called out to the lone technician as he ran a cybernetic scan that was only slightly muffled by the radiation. Detecting a single person still on the floor, the person in question in the dispensary itself, Connor hastened his pace as he approached the room with an unbreakable focus. "Joel. Please answer me if you are able."

Entering the dispensary Connor isolated the source of the radiation leak originating from a ruptured containment line in the radiographic modem that connects to the internal viewing screen that allows technicians to view the internal biocomponents and Thirium lines with a non-invasive method. While the radiation levels are usual safe enough for androids and humans alike to withstand without any ill effects, the ruptured line had allowed a dangerous level of the radiation to collect inside the room.

The rupture had caused a massive hole in the wall from where the containment line had been stored after intense heat and pressure had built up. As the wall exploded a portion of the metal line shot across the room like birdshot sending metallic shrapnel in all directions. Anyone caught in the midst of the explosion would have been easily injured, if not killed.

"Joel?" Connor called out again and finally located the technician unconscious on the floor several yards away from where the rupture had taken place. Kneeling down beside the technician Connor ran a scan and noted his relatively stable vitals as well as a significant bleeding laceration to his skull courtesy of the sharp shrapnel. Pressing his fingers to the side of Joel's neck Connor counted the technician's pulse and checked the radiation levels of the room before making a move. "I'll get you out of here."

Knowing that Joel hadn't sustained any injury to his neck or his spine Connor bent down and pulled the unconscious technician up and over his shoulders to carry him to safety. Stepping back into the elevator Connor sent a cybernetic update to the precinct to confirm the cause of the emergency and to request paramedics to take precautionary measures before arriving to the scene to tend to Joel.

Hank was standing next to the elevator waiting for Connor's return. As soon as the doors opened and he saw Joel slung over the deviant's shoulders Hank put his fingers to the side of the technician's neck for a pulse check of his own.

"He's alive, Hank. And he is injured."

"Shit, what happened to him?"

"The containment line for the-"

"Simplify it for me, please." Hank urged as he escorted Connor to the front of the precinct but didn't let him step outside with Joel until the ambulance arrived to take care of the downed technician. "What happened?"

"It appears Joel was struck by debris after a protective line in the wall was compromised and exploded. The radiation leak is the result of the explosion."

"Ah, shit. How much radiation did he absorb?"

"My scans indicate a level of one-hundred and six Roentgens, or Rads. It's enough to cause radiation sickness but it won't be enough to cause lethal exposure once he receives proper medical treatment."

"What about you?"

"Forty-two Rads."

"And... what about me?"

"Only six Rads from your close proximity and physical contact with Joel." Connor's brow furrowed a little. "Are you feeling well?"

"Yeah, I'm just being careful. That's all."

Ambulance sirens filled the air as the emergency vehicle came to stop outside the front of the precinct and prepared to tend to the irradiated technician. Stepping outside with Joel still unconscious over his shoulder Connor met the paramedics at the back of the ambulance, the interior of which had been covered in a thin lead fabric to absorb any possible radiation and prevent it from spreading during transport.

As Connor lowered Joel down onto the gurney he tried to step back but a hand kept him from moving away.

"You need to come with us, too." The male paramedic, both him and his partner were also wearing protective gear, instructed Connor. "You could be sick."

"I'm an android. I will get not get sick from radiation."

"But you could still possibly spread it."

Hank agreed from outside the ambulance. "He's right. Go! I'll meet you at the hospital after everything gets taken care of here."

"...Very well." Connor relented and took a seat in the back of the ambulance next to the paramedic who had stopped him from initially leaving. "I'll stay with Joel and let you know if anything changes in his condition."

"Yeah, I'll see you in a few hours."

The ambulance doors slammed shut and locked as the ambulance took off for the hospital with the unconscious technician and patient deviant in tow along with the paramedics.

Connor watched with a quiet fascination as the paramedics cut open Joel's black t-shirt and attached cardiac leads to his chest. Fortunately Joel's vital signs were all stable, his heart rate beeping rhythmically on the cardiac monitor's display at his side.

It seemed so surreal to have the technician who had helped to save his life so many times in the past now a sick, and defenseless patient being tended to by emergency medical personnel. He'd only ridden in the back of the human ambulance once before after Hank had been shot, and even then he was too distracted by his own injuries to appreciate the delicate measures required to keep humans alive.

"His vitals are stable." The male paramedic announced as he finished his initial assessment on Joel's condition. "Probable concussion. Let's get him in a C-collar to keep his neck and head stable."

Closing his eyes Connor sent cybernetic updates to Hank back at the precinct and silently awaited to arrive at the hospital.

What had been a quiet night quickly turned to chaos in a matter of seconds, making Connor pine for the dull monotony of nothingness he and Hank had been complaining about just a few minutes ago.

* * *

Fortunately for everyone involved the doctor who was overseeing Joel's care was Dr. Wilson and was already on very good terms with both Connor and Hank. Treating Connor like he would any other patient, rather than an android who could be dismissed, he was shown to a decontamination shower and given sterilized pale blue scrubs to replace his contaminated uniform before he was placed in an isolation room strictly as a precaution. Resuming the graceful dance of the quarter over his knuckles Connor quietly kept to himself in the room and continued to cybernetically monitor the situation at the precinct.

After waiting three hours to be released from the hospital Dr. Wilson entered the room and gave Connor an update on Joel's condition.

"Hello Connor." Dr. Wilson greeted warmly as entered the room with an electronic clipboard in his hand. "Your friend is pretty sick, but he'll make a full recovery in about a week. He'll need a second one to regain his strength, and then he'll be able to return to work."

"My reading was correct and Joel didn't receive a lethal dose of radiation?"

"Yes. He's going to be fine."

"That's good to know." The coin stopped fidgeting over the deviant's hand for only a second before he slipped the quarter into the pocket of his scrubs out of sight. "How is he faring at the moment?"

"Well, he's got a pretty nasty headache but that could be from the concussion he sustained earlier. Aside from fatigue, fever, nausea and dizzy spells he'll be just fine in a day or two after he gets some rest. Oh, when Hank arrived about an hour ago I gave him the same decontamination treatment as you and Joel."

"Was Hank sick as well?" Connor sounded alarmed and was ready to rush out of the room to find him. "He wasn't exposed to the radiation directly as Joel and I had been."

"He does have a mild fever but I suspect that to be from an underlying lesser illness, like a cold or sinus infection. The exam was just a precaution since he only has one kidney. We'd also like to keep him overnight since he's of advanced age to ensure whatever his mild infection is doesn't become more serious."

"Can I see them, please?"

"Of course. Joel's been asking about you, and I think you'll be able to talk Hank into staying easier than me or even my head nurse."

"Doubtful," Connor admitted as he followed Dr. Wilson out of the isolation room. "but I will try."

* * *

Joel was resting in a private room. With a cardiac monitor hooked up to his chest, an oxygen mask over his face, a blood pressure cuff still wrapped around his left arm and numerous I.V.'s running into his right arm to keep his fluids up while he recovered from not only the radiation, but from the violent bout of vomiting he had endured shortly after being admitted, the technician looked miserable.

As Connor entered the room to visit Joel gave the deviant an appreciative grin. "Hey, Connor. The doctor said you saved my life. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you're going to be okay." Connor stood beside the bed and looked down at the exhausted technician with waning fear in his eyes. "Do you know what caused the explosion?"

"No. I was preparing to leave for the night when there was a loud sound and everything went dark."

"The containment line in the wall ruptured. My scan indicated a fault in the manufacturing process of the casing."

"...Well, I had recently filed for new equipment anyway. Guess I'll get something new sooner than I expected."

"Should I call anyone?"

"No, the nurse is handling that for me. Thanks." Extending his hand toward Connor with a slow motion Joel shook the deviant's hand appreciatively. "Take care Connor. I'll see you in a few weeks."

Connor happily shook Joel's hand with a tight grip. "Yes, I'm looking forward to your recovery."

A nurse entered the room and cleared her throat impatiently. "Excuse me? Sergeant Anderson, could you please come with me?

"Yes." Connor let go of Joel's hand lightly as he stepped away from the bed. "I'll see you then."

Following the nurse out of the room and into another room a few doors down Connor heard Hank's gruff voice complaining and trying to argue to get checked out of the hospital.

"Your partner is showing strong vitals." The nurse joked lightly as she pushed open the door to his room. "... _But_ he's not very cooperative."

"I understand."

Connor entered the room as a relieved looking nurse exited without another word to the stubborn detective. Hank was sitting up in the bed with a grimace on his face and he was trying to pull the I.V. out of the back of his left hand impatiently, despite already being told by the nurse to let the I.V. alone.

"Hank, don't do that." Connor scolded lightly as he stepped closer. "You'll tear open a vein."

"There you are!" Hank's fingers kept fidgeting with the I.V. as he spoke to Connor. "Will you please convince Dr. Wilson to let me go?"

"You are showing signs of illness. It'd be-"

"Oh, no! I didn't take _you_ to a facility after you came home all busted up and sick."

"I wasn't indirectly exposed to radiation with only one functional kidney."

"Are you going to keep reminding me about my kidney every chance you get?"

"Only when it proves beneficial to my side of an argument."

"Sometimes I hate it when you're a smartass."

Connor looked over at the unoccupied bed at the opposite end of the room and sat down. "I'll stay in the hospital as well."

"Why? You're not sick." Hank finally stopped trying to fuss with the I.V. in the back of his hand. "Right?"

"Correct, but if I stay in the hospital then I can take you home first thing tomorrow morning."

"More like back to the precinct so we can file a report and pick up the car."

"We'll have the next two days off starting tomorrow due to our exposure to the radiation. We can resume work on the Corvette during our free time, maybe even finally decide on the color."

"Are you trying to distract me?"

"A little."

"...If I stay put for the night will you agree to let me take you to a facility if you get seriously injured or sick?"

"I..." Connor didn't want to agree to the terms, but he had little choice, and couldn't win. "What if I agree to paint the car red?"

"No dice. Facility or no deal."

"...Very well. I will agree to go to a facility in the event I require emergency technical attention."

"Good." Hank felt a sense of victory as Connor finally agreed to the deal, knowing that in the end it'd come to down how stubborn Connor would be. "So, how's Joel doing?"

"Sick but he is conscious, and grateful." Connor confirmed as he watched Hank lay back in the bed and stop being so combative. "The radiation didn't have the proper time to reach lethal levels and cause permanent damage. The dispensary will need to be properly decontaminated and repaired however. The repairs should be completed by the time Joel is cleared from isolation and made a full recovery."

"And how long do _we_ have to remain isolated?"

"Voluntarily for only a few hours, but an overnight stay will ensure we're both fully cleared to return home without a risk of any complications."

"Great, I'd hate to contaminate the Corvette after all the work we put into it."

"It could be completely finished in the next two days, once we finally agree on the color."

"It will NOT be green." Hank was adamantly against the color. "I still like red the best."

"We'll decide tomorrow." Connor shook his head a little as he laid back against the bed and initiated rest mode for the remainder of the night. "Goodnight Hank."

"Yeah, yeah..." Hank laid back and closed his eyes as well. "goodnight, son."

_**...next story...** _


	129. Overload

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Guest

Connor and Hank stood at the front of the Corvette parked in the garage with a sense of pride at the hours of work they had put into restoring the old and neglected vehicle. Every part had been cleaned, restored, repaired or replaced to ensure that the vehicle would run as smoothly as possible once the final color had at last been chosen. Handing the registration and license plate over to Connor to take Hank proceeded to turn on the lights in the garage to view the car more appropriately.

"Well, she's street legal and ready to go for her first drive. All that's left is the color."

Connor noted Hank's particular wording and found it intriguing. "Why did you refer to the car as a 'she'?"

"It's a human thing." Hank replied dismissively as he as he walked around to the rear of the car. "Just a weird habit, I guess."

"Oh." Connor followed Hank around to the back of the car and looked down at where the detective was staring. "Something wrong?"

"Nah, I'm just loosening the bolts for the license plate. I'll take care of this, you tuck that registration into the glove box next to the insurance. As soon as we get the color picked out we'll take her out for a nice drive."

"It's almost a shame to be finished with this project." Connor noted as he opened the passenger door, the old hinges moved smoothly without a creak, and he pulled open the glovebox to place the registration inside as requested. "We won't have anything else to work on for the remainder of the summer."

"Well, that's the best part about restoring a car. Once it's finished you can spend the rest of the summer enjoying road trips all over the state, hell, maybe even the country."

"That would be a long endeavor."

"But worth it. Life is too short to just stay in one tiny spot in this huge world."

Connor closed the door and gave Hank an approving nod. "You're right. Perhaps next summer we can focus on traveling and get out of the city for more than one weekend at a time."

"That's exactly what I wanted you to say."

Connor smiled a little as he walked toward the garage door only to sway a little on his feet and stop short.

"Connor, you okay?" Hank immediately noticed the odd reaction and checked in on the deviant.

"Yes. I was merely dismissing an update from my processors."

"Was is that big one you already tried and deleted a while back?"

"Correct. I'm fully aware of everything the update will provide, but I still don't want to be quite so 'human' yet."

"No rush, kid. Humanity is pretty overrated."

* * *

With the car taken care of for the day Hank went to shower off the lingering grease and sweat from his hands, while Connor set about preparing a 'kidney-friendly' dinner for Hank, hoping that the gesture wouldn't be misread as one of overprotectiveness or mistrust. While he easily set about preparing the meal with no difficulty Connor found himself repeatedly dismissing more warnings about impending updates from his visual processors, and from time to time, he'd feel randomly tired or dizzy.

Sumo eagerly pressed his nose against the side of Connor's leg in an attempt to beg for scraps, but Connor was dead-set on keeping human food out of the dog's diet. "No, Sumo. Down."

In an attempt to get the dog out of the kitchen Connor walked into the livingroom and pointed to the dog's fluffy bed in the corner. "Lay down."

Sumo sat down in the middle of the kitchen floor stubbornly, while Connor walked over to the bed and picked up the green fetch ball. As soon as Sumo saw his favorite toy in Connor's hands he trotted out of the kitchen and over to his bed excitedly.

"Lay down." Connor commanded again and his vision went black for a moment. Dropping the ball back onto the floor Connor pressed his palm to his forehead as he ran a self-diagnostic on his system. "S-Stay."

Sumo picked up the ball and obediently laid down on the bed as he was told.

"...Good boy."

Connor returned to the kitchen without any answers appearing on his self-diagnostic, but decided that his odd tiredness and dizziness were the result of poor rest modes due to the extra hours he and Hank had taken at the precinct, then lost at the hospital the night before. As he finished preparing the meal Hank stepped out of the bathroom and walked into the kitchen.

"Huh, that's strange."

"What?" Connor asked as he washed off his hands in the kitchen sink.

"You're in here cooking but Sumo isn't begging."

"I told him to lay down in the livingroom."

"And he listened to you. I'm impressed, his training is really starting to pay off."

"Here, this is a new recipe." Connor explained as he put the plate down the kitchen table. "Let me know if you like it. I'd like to get the smell of the garage off of my skin and check in with Markus."

"Are you going over to his house?" Hank asked as he sat down at the kitchen table casually.

"Unnecessary. I'll communicate with him cybernetically."

"Alright, cool. There's baseball game starting in about twenty minutes."

"Did you want to make a wager?"

"Oh hell no, you're too accurate with baseball for it be a fair bet. Try again when football season starts."

"Very well."

Connor slowly removed his clothes that had bore the distinct aroma of grease, oil and paint from the garage and stepped into the shower. Stubbornly he ran another self-diagnostic only to have the results still return negative. Closing his eyes Connor dismissed yet another update warning and was nearly overcome with dizziness as a result.

"Damn it. My gyroscope must need recalibration." Connor noted as he turned on the water and proceeded to rinse off the grime from his artificial skin and from his thick, dark hair.

As the water washed off the mechanical stench from his body Connor let out a tired sigh and pressed his hand against the tiles of the shower to keep himself balanced upright until he finished with his shower.

* * *

Hank had let Sumo outside for a few minutes when Connor emerged from the bathroom and walked into his bedroom to locate some fresh clothes. It didn't take long for the large dog to finish his business and then return to the house as the smell of freshly cooked food was too tantalizing to be ignored, despite the fact that like Connor had done before, Hank refused to give him any scraps.

"Good boy." Hank rubbed Sumo's ears and at least gave him a treat for returning to the house so quickly. "Come on. The game's about to start." Connor walked into the livingroom just as Hank took his usual place in the recliner and turned on the television. "Good timing!"

Walking over to the couch Connor laid down on his side and propped his head up under his arm as he stared at the screen. "Are you sure you don't want to make a wager?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Leaning forward a little Hank studied Connor's face curiously. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Huh?"

"You look exhausted."

"...I'm not ill if that's what you're wondering." Lifting his head up a little he looked Hank directly in the eyes. "I suspect my gyroscope is malfunctioning, but it isn't anything serious. I can recalibrate later."

"Oh. So, did you talk to Markus?"

"Not yet. I figured I could speak to him while watching the game with you, that way if anything important-" Connor closed his eyes and shook his head again as another dizzy spell hit him. "If anything important happens regarding North's current health until the patch has been finished I can speak to you directly."

"Yeah, sure." Hank leaned back and kicked his legs up onto the coffee table. "Just take it easy and don't worry too much about things that haven't even happened yet."

"...Worry?"

"Well, something's on your mind, kid. I can tell."

"Perhaps I should try to enter rest mode early tonight and allow my processors to fully reboot and recalibrate my entire system."

"If it'll let you finally relax then yeah, go for it."

"I will do so after the game."

* * *

The game had been underway for almost two hours and in that time the score had remained tied at zero. As the uneventful, slow game proceeded Hank would occasionally ask Connor what cybernetic predictions he had developed about the final score of the game and each time the answer would be a little different considering the lack of progress from either team.

"Man, it's been years since I've sat through such a boring game." Hank lamented as he watched Connor struggling to keep his eyes open from where he was laying on the couch. "Maybe we should both get some sleep. I'm sure the game will still be doing nothing by morning."

Connor smirked at the sarcastic comment and lifted his head up again. As he made a move to rise up and stand beside the couch anther wave of dizziness hit him as yet another update warning was dismissed. "...I can inform you of the final score in the morning."

"Still dizzy?" Hank could see Connor wobbling on his shaking legs as he slowly walked around the couch to head for the hallway."

"A little." Connor admitted before he stopped short again. "It's nothing..." Trailing off with a breathy whisper Connor's legs gave out and he collapsed onto the hardwood floor behind the couch.

"Connor?!" Hank rushed over to the unconscious deviant on the floor and checked him over. "Shit, Connor."

Laying on his chest on the floor, his arms straightened at his sides, Connor was oblivious to Hank checking his pulse and putting his hand down over the center of the deviant's back to ensure he was still breathing.

Carefully Hank rolled Connor over from his chest, onto his side and then onto his back. "Connor?" Patting the side of Connor's face twice Hank waited for a response but was given nothing. Keeping his hand in place he confirmed that the deviant was not overheating and by all account had normal, stable vital signs. "Alright, I'm calling Abby."

Putting his arms under Connor's shoulders and under his knees Hank was able to easily lift up the lightweight deviant and place him down on the couch again just a few inches away. As Connor was laid down Sumo walked over from his bed and pressed his cold nose against the side of Connor's arm as if he was also checking on the deviant's condition.

Hank grabbed onto his phone and scrolled through the contacts until he found Abby's name and pressed 'call'. Leaning over the back of the couch Hank watched Connor's breathing closely as he spoke to Abby over the phone and told her what had just happened.

"-Yeah, see you soon. Thanks Abby."

Ending the call Hank slipped his phone into his pocket out of habit and continued to watch Connor carefully.

"You better not be hurt, son."

* * *

It took Abby almost twenty minutes to arrive at the house, but when she did Hank was more than happy to let the skilled technician into the house to check in on Connor and tell him what the hell was going on. As she placed her technician's satchel on the coffee table beside the couch Abby set about checking Connor's vitals and found them to be normal just as Hank had noted himself.

Hank grabbed onto Sumo's collar to pull the dog away from Connor and practically dragged him over to the bed in the corner. "Lay down, good boy."

As Abby gently lifted up Connor's eyelids to check his pupils she sat down on the edge of the couch heavily. "This is very strange. It's almost like he's fallen into stasis mode, but I can't find the cause."

"Seriously? He said he was tired and dizzy all day, then he passed out when he tried to walk down the hall." Hank ran his hand through his long locks of gray hair nervously. "He's been doing that all morning ever since that stupid update popped up again."

"Wait? Did he accept or dismiss the update?"

"Got rid of it."

"Hold on... That could be the answer." Reaching into the satchel Abby pulled out her small laptop and set it up on the table while she hooked a long black cable to Connor's blank L.E.D. to hook into the laptop itself. "Certain updates can have unusual effects on androids, and the LACK of updates can have a similar effect."

"Can you fix it?"

"I can try." Abby typed a few key commands into the laptop as she checked over the numerous ignored updates that were ready to be installed in Connor's software. "...Wow, looks like you were right, Hank. It's the updates."

" _Now_ what?"

"Well, it looks like he has thirty-three updates ready to be installed, but he's ignored them all."

"What the hell? Why would he-" Hank let his hand drop from his hair as he shook his head slowly. "Right. He doesn't want to be so 'human' yet."

"He what?"

"That one big update that made him pretty damn sick a few months back, and it scared him. So he deleted it."

"And he didn't want to risk any of the other updates causing him to experience such 'human' reactions. Luckily I can weed out the humanoid factors from these updates and completely remove the notification for that big one without it bothering him anymore."

"Is that it? A few updates and he's good to go?"

"Yup, that's that." Abby made her final commands on the laptop and gave Hank a sly grin. "Once the updates finish he'll wake up."

"Good. I was getting worried for a minute."

Abby smiled again as she put her hand down against Connor's chest and kept her palm there for a minute as she counted his heartbeat. "...You know, this is the first time I've seen him since Chicago."

"Y-Yeah... It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I'm not mad or anything, it's just... I don't know. I guess it just didn't actually sink in that he was really okay until now." She admitted with restrained emotion in her voice. "That must've been terrifying for him to be stranded so far from home. Alone, injured..."

"...The precinct technician took care of him after he got back. He didn't want to leave the house. And to be honest, I didn't want him to go anywhere either."

"It's okay. Markus told me what had happened after he visited. I wanted to stay with North a while longer anyway."

"Speaking of which... Everything's okay with her? No complications or anything we need to worry about, right?"

"Yes. When it's time I'll go to the house to help with the final processing updates. Hopefully it will eliminate the problem."

Connor's eyelids began to flutter as the updates finished installing, allowing his system to reboot at last. Sitting upright quickly on the couch Connor blinked a few times before he locked eyes with Abby. "...What happened?"

"You collapsed." Abby replied with a confident tone as she unhooked the cable from Connor's L.E.D. "I fixed you."

Connor ran his fingertips over the blank L.E.D. in his temple with slight confusion. "Oh. Thank you."

"Don't ignore your updates." Abby scolded lightly as she used the back of her hand to smack his arm just as lightly. "You know better."

"...Sorry."

"And with that I'm going to check in on North and then head home to eat leftovers. I'll see you later, Connor." Abby packed up her satchel and gave the deviant one final glance before she stepped through the front door. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you got home safe."

Connor nodded once as the technician opened the door and stepped through.

"See ya' guys later."

"Yeah, thanks again, Abby." Hank shouted as she passed through the door. Letting out a sigh Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and gave the deviant an annoyed glance. "Like she said, don't do that again."

"I won't Hank. I'm sorry."

Waving his hand dismissively Hank returned to the recliner and sat down heavily. "I can't say that I blame you for being suspicious of updates. Hell, I ignore my yearly physicals because I don't want the doctor telling me there's something wrong; I can't fault you for putting something like that off for so long for a similar reason."

"Yes. I don't trust the remaining updates from CyberLife. Even the more recent updates stemming from New Jericho Tower used programming that was originally developed by CyberLife technicians."

Sumo rose from his bed and trotted back over to the couch to check in on Connor. As the deviant rubbed his ears affectionately Sumo's tail began to wag and he rested his chin on Connor's knee.

"Just so you know," Hank continued with the conversation casually. "Abby said everything with North has been taken care of. _She'll_ be taken care of."

"That's good." Connor kept his hand on Sumo's head as he spoke. "One less thing to worry about."

"When it comes to your friends you're always going to be worried. Especially when there's something like death looming on the horizon."

"Were you worried when Barbara was... dying?"

"...Like you wouldn't believe."

"Strange. I can't imagine _you_ actually worried, Hank. About _anything_."

Hank smirked at Connor's comment, the naivety of the deviant's own self awareness and Hank's chronic concern for him was incredibly innocent and almost childlike. "Years of experience. I hide it well."

The formerly boring baseball game continued on the television. As it reached the ninth inning and at long last a home run was hit and the gathered crowd cheered loudly as the score finally increased and the game got interesting.

Connor gave Hank an sly glance as he cybernetically and accurately predicted the outcome. "Wager?"

"No!" Hank wasn't going to fall for that. "I know that look, you already know who's going to win. And I'm no fool..."

"It'd be a very 'interesting' wager." Connor teased as he finally stopped petting Sumo's ears.

"Yeah, one I'm _guaranteed_ to lose."

_**...next story...** _


	130. Protocol

The afternoon was hectic for the two detectives as the duo had been assigned a double murder case and already had the prime suspect in custody. Hank had the responsibility of interrogating the suspect while Connor remained at his terminal to check through the collected evidence to either confirm or alter their theory entirely. As the deviant sat in deep contemplation as he easily and accurately chronicled every detail, he gracefully danced his coin over the knuckles of his left hand with a perfect rhythm.

"Hey, 'Tinman'." Gavin tossed a ball of paper against Connor's shoulder from his own desk a few feet away from where Connor was sitting. "You gotta' visitor!"

"Visitor?" The coin stopped its dance and rested over Connor's knuckles as he turned his head and looked toward Gavin's desk. He spotted Skye standing there with a sincere smile on her face. "Skye." The coin fell from the back of Connor's hand but the quick deviant made a grab for the quarter before it fell to the floor, only to have it bounce off his hand clumsily. As he finally caught the coin with the other hand he slipped it back into his pocket and stood up from his desk quickly to greet the unexpected deviant. "Hello, Skye. How can I help you?"

"Hi, Connor." She approached him with the same warm smile on her face and handed him a small electronic tablet she had brought with her from New Jericho Tower. "I'm glad I caught you. I know you're busy but I was hoping you'd be able to look over the new security protocols at New Jericho. To, you know, see if there's any flaws in the design that we should change."

"Uh, yeah, sure..." Connor accepted the tablet and motioned to a vacant interview room at the far side of the bullpen. "We can discuss this in private."

"Great. I appreciate it."

"It's not a problem." Connor felt a sudden warmth spreading in his chest as he spoke to Skye, and he wasn't sure why it was happening. "I'm happy to help."

"...Is Hank here?" Skye asked in a low somewhat shy voice as Connor showed her to the room.

"He is currently preoccupied with a suspect in an interrogation room." Connor replied as he opened the door for Skye and then followed her inside and closed the door quietly. As the two deviants sat at the table side by side Connor looked over the tablet quickly and read over the numerous new security programs that had been installed at the rebuilt tower. "This is very impressive. Might I ask who is responsible for these improvements?"

"You're already talking to her."

Connor's brow arched with surprise, then intrigue. "...Very resourceful."

"Thanks."

"Have you recovered the stolen information that Eddie and George had taken from the archives?"

"Josh tracked it down to an external server at an old CyberLife warehouse. He's confident the theft was just to prove some kind of point to Markus about the tower not being a perfectly infallible stronghold."

"Infallible or not it's still a shelter and open to all deviants. Their behavior was selfish and myopic."

"What do you think of this?" Skye asked as she put her hands on the tablet next to Connor's hands and opened a specific file. "It's a few form of android recognition similar to that of fingerprints in humans."

Connor felt himself blush a pale shade of blue as Skye's hands brushed against his. Her hands, soft and warm, were a welcome feeling.

"...You've installed a specialized scanner that can recognize serial numbers through artificial skin. If the number has been altered or removed the deviant cannot gain access to the tower. Brilliant."

"There were some other changes, too. Such as only authorized personnel can gain access to specialized floors, and the floors are under constant surveillance to ensure that no one can sneak around. The best part is if the surveillance system is tampered with or disabled the entire floor will go under lockdown preventing anyone from entering or exiting the room."

"You can now trap trespassers in the act." Connor was genuinely impressed with Skye's creative upgrades. "Might I ask how you thought of such unique methods?"

"I watched the footage that had been salvaged after the fire and retraced George and Eddie's steps. You were right, Connor. The tower did need more security protocols."

"Markus didn't like the idea of keeping so many cameras actively watching the occupants of the tower. He felt it gave a feeling of mistrust, and I can't say he was wrong."

"Yeah, but now these cameras are more discreet and only where they need to be to ensure security and safety throughout the tower." Smiling at Connor with a warm presence Skye took back the tablet and gave the deviant some reassurance. "It'll keep everyone safe. Does it pass the test, detective?"

"Yes, it's a great design."

"Thank you. We also improved the emergency repair bay of the tower to better suit all deviants. Simon even began manufacturing replacement biocomponents for RK models. If you ever need any help you now where to go."

"...What about North?"

Skye's smile disappeared at the grim question. "Abby is still working on it." Letting her hand brush over top of Connor's hand, a faint blush briefly reappearing on Connor's face in the process, Skye stood up from the table to take her leave. "Thanks for checking this over. I'll let Josh know the program has been approved."

"Hey, Skye?" Connor stood up from the table as well and stopped Skye from leaving so quickly. "...Thank you for finding me. You... saved my life."

"You don't have to thank me." This time is was Skye who blushed a little in response. "You saved me and you helped with the revolution. It was the very least I could do for you, Connor."

"...Hank told me that you had helped him perform C.P.R. on me the night of the fire," his comment made them both accidentally blush a little. "and then you went out of your way to find me after I had been abducted. You saved my life and helped me find my way home. I have to thank you. I _want_ to thank you."

"...You really don't, but you're very welcome." Skye gave the deviant a kind glance over her shoulder before she opened the door and stepped back out. "I'll see you soon, right?"

"Y-Yeah. I'll see you at the tower. I'd like to s-see you again." Connor stammered a little causing himself to inwardly flinch at his shaking voice as he watched Skye leave the precinct to head back to New Jericho Tower. "...Bye."

Connor returned to his desk slowly as he watched Skye leave with a graceful gait. As he reclaimed his seat behind his terminal Connor felt another paper ball bounce off his shoulder courtesy of Gavin.

"What the hell was that about?"

Connor kept his eyes on his terminal screen as he answered the unexpected question. "...She wanted to discuss security protocols at New Jericho Tower."

"Uh-huh, and what's with that flirting thing ya' did?"

"Flirting?" Connor turned his head to look over his shoulder. "What is 'flirting'?"

"Seriously? Don't play dumb with me!"

Connor wasn't playing around, and the look in his eyes told Gavin as much.

"How can you being so smart and so dumb at the same time?"

"...Human interactions are something that I am programmed to adapt to, but I need to experience certain interactions before I can-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it! You're new to dating."

"Dating?"

"Aw, come on! Now I know you're messing with me!"

"...I am not."

"Alright, it's like this." Gavin leaned forward against his desk with a bizarre interest. "You like her and she likes you, I can tell, so you need to go ahead and ask her out."

"Ask her out? To do what?"

"Jeez... Man, I thought Hank was teachin' ya' all about being human. You've never been on a date before?"

"No. Should I?"

"Whoa..." Gavin leaned back a little as he decided to back away from the topic. "Ask Hank about it later, you're better off having him explain things to you than me."

Unsure of what else to say Connor returned his focus to his terminal and resumed working on the case that he and Hank had been assigned and were quickly progressing on since that morning. The evidence collected was solid and lined up perfectly with the details of the crime, witness statements, and best of all it destroyed the suspect's attempt to lie and cover his crime.

With a few keystrokes Connor submitted the report and was met by Chris who handed him a slip of paper with new details on a new case. "Hey, Connor. There was a report of a deviant assaulted downtown. Thought you'd like to work the case since you're kinda' the expert on these kinds of things."

"I understand." Connor accepted the paper and read the details and chronicled them into his database for use later on. "Who is currently available?"

A third paper ball lightly hit Connor's shoulder from behind. "That'd be me." Gavin rose from his desk and grabbed his car keys from the corner of his desk. "Let's go 'Tinman', I want to get back here before dark."

"...I think it'd best if I waited for Hank."

"No way, you plastic idiot. We take care of this now and do it right. I don't want Fowler breathin' down my neck about protocols and 'team work' again."

"I can't imagine why the Captain would feel the need to remind of such basic necessities on a regular basis."

"Did..." Gavin gave the deviant a perplexed stare. "Did you just talk back to me like some kind of wise-ass?"

"That was my intention. Yes."

"Damn, I guess Hank is teachin' you about humans." Gavin tossed his car keys up into the air once and caught them again. "Alright, let's go. I'm driving."

* * *

Gavin pulled his car up to the address listed in the details of the call, but he and Connor had their mutual doubts to the authenticity of the call. There was no sign of a deviant, or anyone else, for that matter in the area. The building itself was formerly a four story hotel that had become a temporary shelter that runaway deviants had used before the revolution. It had since been long abandoned and left to rot; a forgotten tomb of the lost deviants and broken machines who fell before the revolution.

"What is this? A joke?" Gavin grumbled as he and Connor stepped out of the car together. "Fuckin' prank call?"

"Unknown." Connor replied as he ran a scan over the building. "I can detect numerous deactivated android forms within the building, as well as expired Thirium traces, but I suspect they have been here for years."

"Come on. If we don't at least check it out Fowler will chew out my ass."

Connor followed after Gavin as they entered the decrepit hotel together to look around. Stepping inside the front lobby Connor noticed the phone sitting on the front desk, a phone that could've made the call, but a quick scan noted that the line had long since been disconnected.

"Whoever placed the call was not in the hotel." Connor stated flatly. His keen eyes noticed fresh footsteps on the floor and followed them to a stairwell leading up to a higher floor of the building. "But someone was recently here."

"Are they still here?"

"I am detecting no movement and I cannot hear anyone walking around. I will investigate further."

"Yeah, well I'm going to report to the precinct and let 'em know we're on a bullshit call. Be back in five minutes."

"Very well."

While Gavin stepped outside of the rundown hotel to make the call Connor followed the footsteps up the creaking stairs of the stairwell to the second floor.

Keeping his footsteps as light as possible Connor managed to ascend the stairs and reach the next floor while making very little noise that would've otherwise given away his position to any possible intruder hiding out in the hotel. Moving slowly Connor ran a scan and checked every room on the floor for any sign of the intruder, but there was nothing aside from deactivated androids, broken biocomponents and expired Thirium. There was no one of interest in the area. As he turned around to return down the stairwell a metallic 'bang' resonated throughout the floor very near the stairwell from whence Connor arrived.

Approaching the area with caution Connor watched as the metal doors of the elevator began to slowly open and then quickly slam shut creating that loud 'banging' sound that Connor had heard before. Curious as to why the elevator was malfunctioning Connor ran another scan over the neglected structure and noted an external electrical source feeding power to the elevator itself.

Slipping his hands between the two sliding doors Connor pushed the doors open and held his hands in place to keep the doors from closing. In between the doors Connor found himself looking at the vacant elevator shaft and the long metallic support cables that allowed the elevator car to ascend and descend when prompting. Connor peered inside the the elevator shaft and looked upward, eyeing a crudely constructed electronic battery that had been attached to the bottom of the stopped elevator car overhead, and then downward to the bottom of the shaft far below.

Unbeknownst to Connor from around the corner of the hotel hallway some was watching him without making a sound.

"Gavin," Connor cybernetically called the detective outside the hotel to let him know what had been found. "I have located an electronic device that has been recently placed inside the elevator shaft of the hotel."

' _Okay_... _What do I care_?'

"It proves that someone has been in the hotel recently and could be responsible for-" Connor was cut off mid-sentence as he fell forward into the elevator shaft and began plummeting toward the bottom.

Two hands had pushed hard against his back causing the deviant to lose his balance and fall down into the elevator shaft against his will. Unable to stop of control his fall Connor instinctively tried to direct himself to land on his back to avoid breaking his limbs, his neck, landing on his head or landing on his torso which would increase his chances of damaging an internal biocomponent.

Looking back at the wide opened doors of the elevator from where he had been pushed Connor spotted a lone figure looking down at him as his fell, only to quickly disappear from sight as he fled deeper into the hotel.

Landing hard on his back Connor lost consciousness and was enveloped by the blackness of his own mind as his processors were temporarily knocked offline.

' _Connor_? _Connor what the fuck is goin' on_?' Gavin yelled into his phone as his connection with the deviant was suddenly severed. ' _You plastic prick_! _What's happenin_ '?'

* * *

Connor's head throbbed painfully and his back was tight, but aside from the radiating pain Connor's self-diagnostic reported no serious structural damage to his biocomponents, Thirium lines or his hardware. Opening his eyes Connor found himself laying at the bottom of the elevator shaft in the basement of the hotel, looking straight up at the elevator car locked in place on the third floor above.

Lifting his head Connor tried to roll to his side to push himself up from the ground, but a new sharp pain in his right knee caught him off guard. Running his hand down his leg to his knee Connor discovered that while the joint hadn't been broken by the fall, it was damaged and partially twisted out of place. If he were human this would be deemed a partial dislocation of the knee.

"G-Gavin?" Connor attempted to reestablish communication with the detective through cybernetic communication. "Gavin, the suspect is still in the hotel. Exercise extreme caution."

A loud creaking groan from above stole Connor's attention as he looked up and could see the elevator car beginning to slowly slip downward as its brakes began to fail.

"...Shit."

Forcing himself to roll onto his left side Connor tried to pull himself out of the elevator shaft with his hands and his forearms, but the slick surface of the floor and his stunned senses made movement sluggish and uncoordinated. A loud 'shriek' of metal from above told Connor that the elevator car had slipped and was now free falling directly down on top of him.

Despite every instinct telling him to keep moving and to not look up Connor glanced up and caught sight of the massive elevator car screaming down at him at a lethal speed.

"MOVE YOUR ASS!" Gavin shouted as he grabbed onto Connor's left arm and pulled the deviant out of the elevator shaft with a single, swift motion just as the heavy car crashed into the bottom of the shaft with a thunderous explosion of metal, concrete, dust and grease. "Fuck! That was TOO damn close!"

Connor found himself laying on his chest on the dirty floor of the basement next to Gavin as the detective began coughing in response to the dust cloud that was now drifting through the air as a result of the crash. The two remained in stunned silence on the floor as the reality of the dire situation finally set in with a slow, sobering affect.

"...Gavin?" Connor was as happy to see the detective as he was surprised. "...You saved me."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't in the mood to have Hank kick my ass all over town if I let you get crushed by an elevator." Gavin explained with a dismissive retort. "You good?"

Connor pushed himself upward until he could roll onto his side and then sit on the ground next to Gavin. "My right knee has been compromised."

"Oh, great. Well I ain't carrying you up those stairs."

"How did you find me?" Connor asked as he placed both of his hands on either side of his damaged knee to check the severity of the injury. "You were outside."

"You said something about the elevator, and the elevator maintenance panels are always in the basement. I figured that's where I'd find ya'." Gavin watched as Connor prepared to pop his knee back into place. "Turns out I was right."

"Thank you saving me."

"Figured I owed you one. You didn't rat me out to Fowler about hitting that damn child molester, so why not keep you from getting flattened on the floor?"

"...Right, of course." Connor was unsure of how to respond and instead focused on his knee. "I'll need leverage to tend to the dislocation properly."

"Leverage?"

"I cannot push the joint back into place from where-"

Gavin moved quickly, wrapping one hand on Connor's calf and bracing his other hand against the deviant's shoulder to keep him in place. Pulling down on Connor's leg as hard as he could Gavin felt and heard the limb 'pop' twice as it was locked back into its proper place on the limb.

Connor let out a short yelp of pained surprise as Gavin unceremoniously aided him. "...Thanks."

"Hey, you fixed my finger." Gavin gave the deviant a smug grin. "I owed you this, too."

"...Please don't attempt to repay anymore debts in my favor." Connor replied as he ran a scan over his knee and found the joint to now be stable and properly realigned.

Gavin actually laughed at the comment as he stood up and dusted himself off. "Hey, you got a sense of humor. Guess Hank is teaching you how to be human after all."

"Gavin, did you see anyone else in the hotel when you returned to locate me?"

"No. Whoever they are must've took off after you found their electric thing. How'd you get down here anyway?"

"I was pushed."

"Shit. At least you didn't die."

"...Right."

"Let's get out of here. This place stinks."

"I have no objections on the matter."

* * *

Gavin waited for Connor to limp around to his side of the car and take his seat, the deviant favoring his left leg over his right as he moved slowly enough to not aggravate his injury. Once he was seated in the front of the car Gavin turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the hotel, more than ready to get away from the neglected building and back to the safety of the precinct.

"So... Uh, Joel's still out of action, right?"

"For a two more days, correct."

"Want to go to a facility to get your leg taken care of? Maybe that Abby lady you sent me to is working today."

"...I believe she is preoccupied at the moment." Connor stated flatly without saying anything about North's degrading condition. "My knee is sore but undamaged. A technician won't be necessary."

"Hey, you know Abby pretty well, right?"

"Yes. She is a friend."

"...Is she, uh, single?"

Connor felt somewhat defensive on Abby's behalf but he answered honestly all the same as a courtesy toward Gavin. "Yes. She is currently not in a personal relationship as far as I know."

"She seems really nice... Smart... Fiery... Pretty."

"Gavin, are you interested in going on a date with Abby?"

Gavin looked away quickly as he cleared his throat nervously. "...Uh, maybe. Has she said anything about going out with anyone recently?"

"Not to me, no."

"...Do you happen to know if she has a, uh, 'type' of guy she's interested in?"

"I know her previous relationship ended very poorly." Connor knew that Abby had a bad habit of dating guys who mistreated her, but he didn't want to make any implications toward Gavin and his own past break-up after his ex cheated on him. "However, it's not my place to go into details."

"Yeah, well, I know a thing or two about poor relationships. Maybe she's a kindred spirit..."

Connor was still unsure what it meant to date anyone or to be in a close, committed relationship like Markus and North, or Hank and Barbara. Still struggling to understand the complex emotions that dwelled within himself Connor was certain he'd be unable to understand those of a significant other in a prolonged relationship.

"Maybe. I suppose it's possible."

* * *

Shortly after Connor and Gavin returned to the precinct Hank finished the lengthy and detailed interrogation, and was now ready to file the final details of the case file. It didn't Hank long to notice the dirt all over Connor's clothing and the odd smell of dust clinging to his person. Hank had also noticed that Connor's right leg was outstretched beneath his desk as if he were uncomfortable.

"That asshole is getting locked up for the rest of life, case closed." Hank sat down with a sense of accomplishment at his desk across from Connor before he asked the deviant about the injury. "What's wrong with your leg?"

"Gavin and I had a call while you were in interrogation. I took a bad fall, but I'm alright."

"Gavin, huh? Did he push you?" Hank half joked as he gave the detective in question a stern glance from the distance.

"No. I was pushed by someone else."

"...Did you catch them?"

"No. They had fled the premises."

"Oh. Why were you there anyway?"

"There was a false report of a deviant having been assaulted at a decrepit hotel. I believe it was the demented prank of a sociopathic criminal who wanted to harm authority figures. The building will be monitored closely for other unlawful activity, and I've arranged to have the shutdown and abandoned deviant forms that had sought shelter in the past to be properly disposed of and given a necessary burial."

"...Is there something else on your mind?"

"Pardon?"

"You seem a little distracted." Hank pushed the matter gently. "And it's not from your bum leg or the dead deviants you had just dealt with. What's on your mind?"

"...Can it wait until we're home? I'd prefer to speak in private."

"Yeah, sure. No problem, kid."

* * *

Fortunately the rest of the day had been quiet and without any further incidents at the precinct. Once the two detectives were able to head for home they didn't hesitate and made sure to get out of the building as discreetly as possible to ensure no one tried to stop them and ask for any favors. As soon as they were home Connor walked with a less notable limp over to the couch, and greeted Sumo with a loving pat to the head.

"You ready to talk?" Hank asked as he walked into the livingroom shortly after Connor and tossed the car keys onto the bookshelf. "Something's bugging you, and I don't like it when you keep things to yourself."

"...Hank, what is it like to go on a date?"

"A date? Seriously?" Hank laughed a little as he joined Connor on the couch and studied the deviant's face closely. "Where'd this come from?"

"While you were in the interrogation room Skye stopped by the precinct to discuss security plans for New Jericho Tower, and I found myself... _interested_ in her."

"Alright, keep going."

"...After she left Gavin told me I should go on a date with Skye but I do not understand what a date is."

"Oh! Okay, how do I explain this..." Hank crossed his arms over his chest and propped his legs up on the coffee table in front of him. "Uh, dating may seem complicated but it's not. You just ask Skye if she'd like to go somewhere and spend some time with you in private, that way you can get to learn more about each other and see if you two really are compatible as a couple."

"Compatible?"

"Not talking about android programs and all that techno-crap, I mean personality wise. Do you two complement each other?"

"How so?"

"Well, with me and Barbara she was always in a good mood, never thought the worst of people and she kept things to a schedule. She was the opposite of me in many ways, BUT, when we were together we always had fun and enjoyed each other's company. We had the same sense of humor, enjoyed the same music, same movies, she loved sports as much as I did and we both wanted a family."

"You balanced each other out." Connor deduced with a somewhat understanding tone of voice. "But you had your own unique personalities that were not overshadowed by one another; like Markus and North."

"Bingo."

"...I see." Connor reached his hand out to pet Sumo's head again. "I wonder if all deviants are capable of such relationships."

"Hey, you're pretty reserved and a little shy at times, so you need someone who is more, uh, I guess 'spirited' would be a good way to say it, and maybe more assertive. Don't get me wrong kid," Hank quickly emphasized his next point. "you're one hell of a detective and you never back down when people need you to step up, but you're a little too timid when it comes to _meeting_ new people."

"How do I overcome my shyness and become less timid?"

"I don't think you can, son. It's a part of your personality."

"I cannot change it?"

"Well, you could, but then you wouldn't be the same person that you are now. And that could either be good or bad, but if you're looking for a strong relationship you need to be honest about who you are, and how you feel."

Nodding slowly with understanding Connor pressed his right hand to his knee and let out a small wince.

"How bad's your leg hurting?" The detective noticed that Connor was shifting his weight to keep it off his leg as much as possible. "I know you're in pain."

"It's not a serious injury, but it's sore and my self-healing program is still mending the damage. It will be fully healed by morning."

"I'll get you some ice to ease the pain. It worked before." Hank walked into the kitchen with Sumo following after him. Casually Hank pushed open the backdoor to let the dog outside while he retrieved the ice for Connor from the freezer. "...Did Skye happen to say anything about North when she was at the precinct?"

"...Only that Abby hasn't given up on trying to save her. Time is running out, but Abby is determined to see her through this error."

"Not surprised." Hank handed the bag of ice to Connor and proceeded to sit down in his recliner with a heavy sigh. "I'm really worried that if North dies Markus will be too broken up to lead New Jericho. I'd hate to see all of their progress fall into nothingness, or worse. All deviants could feel really vulnerable if North doesn't pull through this."

"I'm worried, too." Connor admitted as he pressed the offered ice down on his sore knee. "...But we shouldn't give up hope. We've already come so far, we can't give up now."

_**...next story...** _


	131. Hope

A cold rain doused all of Detroit as a summer storm settled over the city with an unseasonably chilly presence. Enduring the harsh weather by remaining inside during their time off Hank kept himself from getting stir-crazy by reading through his favorite book in the livingroom while Connor laid on his bed with his guitar over his lap and his hands strumming over the chords in an attempt to create a new melody and song. Sumo was laying over the foot of Connor's bed, his massive fluffy body already too big to stretch out without falling over the edges. Sleeping peacefully the massive dog was less interested in Connor's song and more interested in his nap.

As the gentle pattering of the rain struck against the glass windows Connor used the natural rhythm of the rain drops to inspire his rather somber melody that he was composing in honor of North's memory as he couldn't help but think of her impending shutdown. The deviant leader's lifespan was estimated to come to an end within two weeks and Markus was devastated. Keeping her declining health a secret out of respect for her as a friend and as a leader of New Jericho, those who knew of her bleak condition had given her and Markus space to ensure they had as much time together as possible before it was all over.

A loud rumble of thunder in the distance shook the house as a single flash of lightning illuminated the sky. As a precaution Connor cybernetically began to track the storm's progress, only to have his processor go suddenly dark as the entire city fell under a blanket of deafening quiet as the power failed for all of Detroit. Sumo let out a single bark in the response to the odd silence of the house as the afternoon storm gave way to an early darkness over the city.

"Hank?" Connor called out as he noted the lack of lights in the quiet house and placed his guitar back down on the floor. "We're in the midst of a blackout."

"Yeah, I noticed!" Hank replied sarcastically from down the hallway in the livingroom. "We should go to the precinct, I get the feeling everything is going to go to Hell tonight."

"I'll get ready." Connor agreed as he proceeded to remove his casual clothing in favor of his work uniform. As he changed his clothes Connor caught sight of Hank passing by the opened door of his bedroom to change into different clothes as well. "Have you taken part of a citywide blackout before?"

"Yeah, once." Hank confirmed from his own bedroom as he clumsily pulled open his closet to find his clothing in the poor light. "I had been a cop for only three years and everything was crazy. People panicking in the streets, looters smashing open store windows, idiots running around with guns and starting fights... It was not a great night."

Connor slipped on his gray jacket and tightened the knot of the tie around his neck. "What caused the blackout?"

"Some massive chain reaction failure at the power plants along the East coast." Now wearing what he deemed his work clothes Hank met Connor outside the android's bedroom door. "Keep Sumo inside just in case things get weird. Make sure all the windows are locked, I'll check the doors and the garage."

"Of course." Connor quickly checked his own bedroom window before doing the same to the other windows in the house. "Perhaps this blackout is related to the storm and can be remedied soon."

"That'd be nice..." Hank shouted as he finished securing the deadbolt on the front door and pulled the curtains over the front window shut. "But I doubt we'd get so lucky!"

* * *

Thunder echoed in the distance and lightning continued to flash brightly through the dark clouds of the sky above.

Hank drove through the rain drenched streets carefully as Connor monitored traffic to guide him through the dim streetlights to ensure they were not in any form of accident as they made their way to the precinct. The streets were mostly vacated save for the autonomous taxis that had powered down and were left idle, abandoned in the streets, but that was no guarantee that someone wouldn't be driving reckless through the city.

"Shit, this storm isn't going to let up anytime soon, is it?"

"Unknown. I've lost my ability to cybernetically connect with-" Connor stopped short as a cybernetic call attempted but failed to connect with him. "...Someone is attempting to communicate with me."

"Is it Fowler?"

"Unknown."

"We better hurry, then. If it _is_ Fowler then that means shit is about to get crazy."

* * *

As soon as Hank and Connor reached the bullpen of the precinct the duo was greeted by an android receptionist who handed the two detectives Kevlar vests, and instructed them to wait for Captain Fowler's orders with the other officers. Gavin, Chris, Tina, Tyler and all of the other officers who were available had also decided to report to the precinct once the blackout swept over the city.

"I got a bad feeling about this." Connor lamented as he slipped off his gray jacket long enough to secure the Kevlar vest over his white dress shirt.

"Nervous?" Hank asked as he put his own vest on over top his pale blue shirt. "Maybe even scared?"

"No. But I feel as though there is something strange happening in this moment that is very important. It's like I need to be somewhere."

"Try not to think too much about what's going on, okay? It'll be over before you know it."

"...I hope you are correct."

Captain Fowler stepped out of his office with a Kevlar vest of his own over his chest and the captain of the S.W.A.T. division at his side. As the two captains joined the officers gathered in the center of the bullpen everyone fell silent and looked to their superiors for instructions on what they were expected to handle, as well as information on the cause of the blackout itself.

Connor felt an odd static fill his head as a cybernetic call had forced itself through using excessive power that nearly overwhelmed his processor.

' _Connor_! _North is dying_!'

' _Markus_...' The fear and panic in the deviant leader's voice was audible even through the static. ' _What's happened_?'

' _I don't know. She suddenly got worse when the power went out and I don't know what to do_! _I can't get a hold of Abby._ _Please_! _I need your help._ '

Through the call Connor heard the distinct sound of gunshots in the background uncomfortably close to the exterior of Markus's home.

' _Markus, I'll be there as soon as I can. Is your house secured_?'

' _Y-Yeah, everything's locked down_.'

' _Good. Stay there, I'm going to get to you as fast as I can_.'

' _Hurry._ '

' _I will. Trust me_.'

Captain Fowler's voice sounded off one final time as he gave his last order and set about giving the gathered officers their assignments. As the addressed officers began to disperse Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder firmly and gave the deviant a reassuring glance.

"We can handle this, right?"

Connor discreetly turned to Hank and lowered his voice to avoid drawing any unwanted attention from the other officers. "Hank. I got a message from Markus about North."

"What's going on?"

"...She's dying. And, I could hear gunshots in the background of the call. They are in danger."

"Fuck. You need to get to them. Now."

"What about you?"

"Don't worry about me, you need focus on taking care of them. I'll cover for you."

"Thank you, Hank."

"Connor, whatever happens you have to take care of your friends." The detective firmly stated where he stood. "Go protect North and Markus, and I'll find you later."

Nodding appreciatively Connor took his leave of the precinct with the intent of finding North and Markus at their home on the other side of town. Without the car to drive and with all of the autonomous taxis powered down Connor had no choice but to travel on foot. But even at his enhanced speed Connor wouldn't be able to reach the house in less than twenty minutes, he'd need an alternative.

Connor needed a vehicle.

* * *

It didn't take long for the assigned officers to set about their tasks as calmly and professionally as possible. Each officer was assigned an area of the city to patrol and maintain peace while the S.W.A.T. team was on emergency standby in the event of a chaotic upheaval or riot. It felt like overkill, but it was necessary and simply protocol.

"Hey Lieutenant?" Gavin addressed Hank with a somewhat defensive tone as the officers met with their assigned partners to begin their patrol in their designated areas of the city. "Where's your plastic partner?"

"Don't worry about it. He's busy."

"With what?"

"Gavin, don't fuck with me right now."

"Alright, alright... But you can't go on patrol alone."

"Yeah, I'm aware." Hank snarked as he pulled his car keys from his pocket and proceeded to head toward the parking garage once more. "But I'll manage."

"...What's up?"

"Don't worry about it, Reed. We've got it handled."

* * *

Connor sprinted through the rainy streets of the city as quickly as he could run. Water splashed up all around him soaking through his already drenched clothes as the heavy, cold rain smothered his entire form under an icy layer of dampness. Running a hand through his waterlogged locks of hair he slicked his hair back and remained focused on his goal. Rushing up the drive of the house Connor quickly unlocked the backdoor and slid across the linoleum floor of the kitchen as he reached the bookshelf in the livingroom.

"Got it!"

Sumo barked at Connor from down the hall but didn't bother to check in on the deviant as he recognized the deviant's presence. Reaching for the second set of car keys Connor took a deep breath and bolted back out of the house, pausing only long enough to set the strong locks before racing up to the garage.

Lifting up the garage door manually Connor eyed the fully restored Corvette, still painted white, and openly apologized to Hank despite the detective not being anywhere near him.

"Forgive me Hank, but as you know this is an emergency..."

Pulling open the driver's side door Connor slipped the key into the ignition and the engine roared to life with a loud purr. Shifting the car into gear Connor pulled the car out of the garage, the door slowly shutting by itself courtesy of gravity, and pulled the Corvette along the street as he raced toward Markus's home still several blocks away.

* * *

Hank sat in his own car at his designated patrol with a heavy grimace on his face. Staring up at the blank traffic light swaying in the wind he just let out a deep sigh of irritation as he waited (im)patiently for the power to return to the city. Fidgeting with his phone in his hand Hank toyed with the idea of trying to call Connor, but decided against it as the deviant was surely too preoccupied with North and Markus to answer him anyway.

"This is bullshit... I have to babysit a fuckin' street while Connor's friend is dying across town."

The storm continued its rampage and Hank continued to stare at the display of nature with a mixture of intrigue and irritation.

"Damn bureaucrats..."

* * *

The pristine white Corvette sped over the rain soaked streets and only stopped once Connor reached the front drive of Markus's home. Throwing open his door Connor heard another gunshot and instinctively ducked down as he drew his own gun from its holster secured around is back, under his jacket and Kevlar vest.

"Shit."

Racing up to the front door Connor knocked frantically in hopes that Markus would let him in, but realized that Markus would be too busy with North to answer. Putting his shoulder against the door next to the frame Connor forced the door open with a loud 'bang' as he set foot on the shining tile floor of the foyer. Like the rest of the city the house was dark and vulnerable to criminals throughout the area.

"Markus?" Connor called for the deviant leader as he jogged up the wooden staircase to the second floor, puddles of rain water marked each step he took inside the house. Keeping his pace quick Connor reached the master bedroom where he saw Markus hold North in his arms. "Markus..."

With tears running down his face and his own hand gently running through North's hair Markus answered Connor without ever tearing his eyes away from his beloved wife. "...She's dying. Abby was so close to finding a way to help her, but-"

"Markus, what happened?" Connor asked impatiently as he walked over to the bed and ran a scan over North's body. He detected her destabilized software and faltering processor, as well as her incredibly weak vital signs. "Why did her condition suddenly worsen?"

"I don't know! She just... It happened when we lost power. She was holding her own and then she just... I can feel her slipping away."

"The power?" Connor was trying to develop a theory when the sound of gunshots from the backyard of the house made him turn around quickly to face the sound of the commotion. "We need to get her out of here."

"What? Where?"

"Somewhere outside of the city. It's too dangerous for her or any other ill deviant in the city right now."

"I don't think she's strong enough to-"

Another gunshot and the sound of glass breaking downstairs put Connor on his guard.

"Markus, we don't have time to discuss this." Unzipping his Kevlar vest Connor shrugged off his wet jacket and handed the body armor to Markus. "Put this on and pick her up. I'll escort you to the car out front."

"What about you?"

"I'm armed, you're not. You get the armor." Connor's reply was stern but it meant no insult as he checked his gun and turned off the safety. "We need to be quick."

Markus nodded his head as he quickly slipped the Kevlar vest over his arms and up his shoulders. Zipping it up his chest Markus was now protected and hellbent on getting North to safety.

"You're going to be okay." Markus soothed quietly as he scooped North up into his arms and held her tightly against his chest. "We'll keep you safe."

"Come on." Connor stepped out of the bedroom as he kept vigil for any intruders. "Stay behind me."

Rushing down the staircase with Markus right behind him Connor motioned for Markus to wait inside the house for a moment as he cleared the outside. Stepping through the front door back into the rain with his gun lowered to the ground Connor looked up and down the streets for any sign of aggressive or armed persons and found the area clear for the moment.

Moving to the Corvette with a graceful motion Connor pulled the front seat forward to give clearance to the backseats. "Go!"

Markus carried North out of the house as fast as he dared, keeping his head low as he quickly darted to the car and climbed into the backseat with North still held tightly in his arms. Connor pushed the seat back into place and detected someone approaching him from behind. Turning around swiftly Connor saw an armed man charge toward him with a gun and his eyes set on the car.

"Yo! Step away from the car, man!"

Connor responded by aiming his own gun at the man and flashing his badge with the other hand. "Detroit Police. Back off."

"Shit! It's the cops!" The man fired once as he turned around in an instant and began running back in the direction he had come from. As he met with his partner in crime he shouted again. "Cops! RUN!"

His partner, foolish and reckless pulled out his own gun and fired four shots wildly in Connor's direction. Ducking down behind his opened car door to seek cover Connor let out a single groan of pain as one of the five total bullets found him as its target and became lodged in his chest next to his Thirium pump, while two more became lodged in the car's door.

"Fuck." Connor swore to himself as he pressed his hand to his chest over the bleeding bullet wound and climbed back into the driver's seat. Running a self-diagnostic Connor confirmed that the bullet missed every vital biocomponent and merely grazed a Thirium line. To Connor the bullet was simply a nuisance rattling around inside his chest. "Markus, are you injured?"

"No. I wasn't hit, the vest caught the bullet. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Connor put his bloody hand on the steering wheel as he spoke to his friend. "I'm going to get us out of here."

Putting the car back into gear Connor pulled away from the house and raced down the rain soaked streets in search of a temporary shelter where North could be safe, and away from the chaos of the world in her final moments of life.

"Where're we going?" Markus leaned forward in his seat as he realized Connor was driving away from the city and seemingly out into the middle of nowhere. "New Jericho Tower is the other way."

"We won't be able to get inside the tower with the power out. We have to go somewhere else, and I know just the place to go..."

* * *

The windshield wipers moved back and forth in a perfectly annoying rhythm that sounded off inside the car as the motion caused the body of the car to sway back and forth slightly. Hank was getting restless on his patrol and didn't want to just sit on his ass while Connor was going through a what was sure to be a heartbreaking experience on the other side of town. Prioritizing his family over a dead street Hank picked up his phone and tried to call Connor, but as he expected the deviant didn't answer.

"Alright... Plan 'B' then."

Scrolling through his contacts Hank found Abby's number and called her instead.

"Abby, it's Hank. Are you with North?"

' _No, I'm at the facility. Why_? _What's going on_?'

"Okay, it's an emergency and there's too much to explain." Hank turned the key in the ignition and pulled off his patrol and set about driving to the facility. "I'm going to pick you up right now. Get ready."

' _Sure_. _I'll be waiting_.'

* * *

Connor found his way out of the city and continued to drive at a relatively fast speed down the rain drenched highway as he found his exit. Glancing at the rearview mirror without saying a word Connor watched as Markus continued to gently run his fingers through her long auburn hair with unspoken love. There were tears forming in Markus's eyes as he looked down at North's oddly peaceful, but sad face as she remained unconscious in his arms.

Flinching inwardly at the burning pain in his chest Connor pressed his hand back over the wound and was relieved to feel that a majority of the bleeding had stopped. Darting his eyes downward Connor spotted the noticeably dark blue stain over the center of his chest and hoped that the Thirium would begin to evaporate before he reached their destination.

"...Markus." Connor spoke up softly to his friend to try to distract the leader from his horrible plight. "Don't lose hope."

"I'll have nothing left to lose if I lose North."

"It'll be okay. I have a theory as to why her condition suddenly worsened. If I'm right we can buy her more time."

"What? How?"

"It's just a theory, and there's only one way to find out."

"Do what you have to do. I can't lose her Connor."

"...You won't." Turning his head Connor locked eyes with Markus in the backseat behind him. "I promise."

* * *

Hank managed to get to the facility without causing any disturbances on the streets as he sped toward his destination with prime focus. Pulling the car up to the front of the facility Abby met the car outside with her technician's satchel slung over her shoulder as requested. Hank pushed open the passenger side door and motioned for her to climb inside, which she did without hesitation.

"Have you spoken to Markus or Connor?" Hank asked as he pulled away from the facility and back onto the street.

"No." Abby replied as she fastened her seatbelt. "Everything went black and we've been on emergency back-up power ever since. What's going on?"

"Connor got a call from Markus saying that North has gotten worse."

"Oh, shit..."

"He's there with them right now."

"We better find them fast. I have a patch that could repair her software, but if she's already shutdown there's nothing I can do for her."

"We'll find 'em." Hank reassured firmly as he made his way across town. "I just hope we aren't too late."

* * *

Connor cybernetically made a text to a close ally as he continued to drive through the storm toward his destination along the relatively isolated road far away from the highway. Keeping his actions discreet as to not disturb either North or Markus with possible worries or delays, Connor received his reply and with it came a sense of relief. They would be safe once they arrived at last.

"We're in the clear, Markus." Connor finally stated with a level voice. "Just a few more minutes and we'll be safe."

Another cybernetic call caught Connor's attention and he answered the call quickly as he recognized the number in an instant. "Hank."

' _Connor_! _Where are you_?' Hank sounded alarmed and relieved all at the same time. ' _I got Abby with me and we went to Markus's house, we found your jacket upstairs but no one was there. I went back home to check things out and still nothing_! _Where the fuck are you_?'

"We're heading toward Rose's home outside of town. It'll be isolated and safe."

' _Why the fuck are you going there_?'

"Armed criminals were encroaching on the house. We had to flee and we couldn't risk bringing North to a facility."

' _But you're all together and safe_?'

"Correct."

' _Alright, we'll meet you there. And STAY THERE_. _Abby has something that can save North_!'

"We will stay put, Hank. See you soon."

Peering at Markus's reflection once more as he ended the call Connor studied the defeated expression already glistening in the deviant leader's tear filled eyes. It was a disturbing sight that left Connor feeling grounded, almost afraid himself.

"Hank and Abby will be meeting us at Rose's home. North still has a chance to be saved."

"...Maybe we should just... let her go."

"You know North better than I ever could, do you really think she'd want to go without a fight?"

"She's fought so hard for so long... She's tired."

"...But that doesn't mean she's ready to give up, and neither should you." Connor's hands tightened around the steering wheel as he made his final turn onto the correct road. "Markus, if I'm right the only reason North has taken a sudden turn for the worse is because the loss of power in the city severed her final functioning connections to the cybernetically induced support from New Jericho Tower. It doesn't mean she's lost, it just means her recovery has been slowed. Don't lose hope."

The Corvette pulled up the muddy drive beside the loving farmhouse where Rose and Adam lived together as mother and son. As soon as the car's engine turned off Rose and her Rottweiler pet stepped out of the front door and met Connor down the drive as he opened the car door to exit.

"How bad is she?" Rose asked through the heavy rain as Connor stepped out of the car, his hand concealing his own blood, as he pulled his seat forward so Markus could step out. "I still have blue blood and spare biocomponents if she needs anything."

Markus carried North in his strong arms out of the car and into the chilly rain, her head resting against his shoulder as he held her tight. "...She is very weak."

"Come with me." Rose put her hand on Markus's shoulder to escort the deviant leader into the house and out of the storm. "There's a guest room she can stay in and rest."

Connor looked down at himself and then to the Rottweiler who was walking around the car suspiciously, sniffing all the new scents and keeping on his guard as he had been trained.

"...I remember you." Connor commented as he read the dog's name tag, 'Titan', while Titan sniffed at his shoes then trotted up to the front porch to follow after Rose inside the house. It seemed so surreal to be hiding out at Rose's home, but it was their only option. "...I hope this wasn't all for nothing."

Climbing back into the Corvette briefly Connor turned the engine back over and pulled the car further along the drive until the car was parked discreetly behind the house to keep a low profile for North's sake.

Letting out a low groan of pain Connor clutched his hand to his chest over the bullet hole and breathed deeply until the burning pain subsided. Letting out a breathy sigh Connor closed his eyes and cybernetically called Hank. The detective answered almost instantly.

' _Connor_? _What's wrong_?'

"...Nothing." Forcing his voice to steady itself Connor continued to speak to Hank as confidently as possible. "We're at Rose's home. We're safe."

' _Good. I'm about ten minutes away. Hang tight_...'

"Of course. See you soon." Connor ended the call and pressed his hand over his chest again before slipping his black tie over the stain as best as he could, using the clip to ensure the tie didn't move as he walked and kept the wound hidden. "Please hurry."

* * *

Hank hung up the phone from his end of the call and pressed his foot down on the accelerator a little harder to speed up. Despite the rain still pouring from the sky Hank maintained perfect control over the vehicle due to his years of training as a police officer, and years of experience as a skilled driver in general. Locating the proper exit Hank pulled off the highway and made his way down the same route that Connor had taken just minutes before.

"They made it to Rose's house, but something's wrong. I could hear it in Connor's voice."

"North could be shutting down already." Abby lamented with a righteous worry.

"I thought she still had two weeks to go?"

"The blackout must've severed power to what few functioning programs she had left. The only thing keeping North alive at this point was the update processors originating from New Jericho Tower."

"The tower doesn't have a back-up generator?"

"Only for crucial functions. Updates aren't considered crucial."

"But you think you can save her, right?"

"I have a patch that can at the very least keep her from shutting down until we can permanently correct the error to her software. I finished it early this afternoon and I was going to stop by their house after my shift this evening. There was supposed to be enough time..."

"Hey, don't blame yourself." Hank urged as he pulled onto the road that leads directly to Rose's house. "No one could've seen this coming."

"Let's just hope we're not too late to make a difference."

* * *

Keeping his own pain hidden Connor made his way to the front door of the house and let himself inside as quietly as possible as to not disturb the other occupants of the house. He could hear Rose speaking to Markus in the guest room upstairs and followed the voices with a silent gait as he peered into the room and watched Markus sitting on the edge of the bed beside North. She was still unconscious and showed no signs of waking up anytime soon. Rose draped a warm checkered blanket over North and wrapped her arms around Markus in a hug, as he hand remained wrapped around North's hand on the bed.

The Kevlar vest that Connor had given to Markus was tossed aside on the floor without a care beside the bed. The shining bullet was still embedded in the dense material dangerously close to where the deviant leader's heart had been when wearing it. The vest had protected Markus, saving his life.

"...Hank and Abby are close." Connor stated in a low voice as he stood in the opened doorway with his arms crossed over his chest to further hide his own non-critical injury. "They're just a few minutes away."

Titan stood behind Connor in the doorway protectively and listened in on the melancholy scene unfolding in the guest room. Circling around once the large dog that looked intimidating, but was in fact very gentle, laid down on the floor to protectively watch over the guests of the household.

"I'll wait for them outside and give these two some privacy."

Rose subtly nodded to acknowledge Connor as she continued to hold onto Markus and slowly rub her hand over his back to try to comfort the emotionally distraught deviant.

Stepping back out of the room Connor gritted his teeth as he took in a sucking breath to try to quell the sporadically burning pain in his chest as he began to descend the staircase to the return to the first floor. Moving slowly and meticulously Connor attempted to make a cybernetic connection with the precinct back in Detroit, but he was too far away to make a successful link while the city was still enduring a massive blackout.

Pushing open the front door of the house with a quiet motion Connor stepped onto the front porch and looked out toward the road in time to see Hank's car pull up the front drive. As soon as the car was in park both Hank and Abby threw open their doors and rushed up to the porch of the house.

Abby reached the door before Hank and looked to Connor for answers. "Where is she?"

"First room at the very top of the stairs. Don't mind the dog, he's harmless."

The technician disappeared into the house and nearly sprinted up the staircase as he she sought North and hoped she wasn't too late to do anything to save the dying deviant.

"Connor? Are you okay?" Hank asked as he met with his partner, his son, by the front door. The rain had completely soaked through Connor's shirt while he was in the city and still hadn't dried out despite driving the warm car. "You don't look so good." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder he felt how cold the deviant's skin had become. "You're freezing."

"...I'm worried, Hank." Admitting his fears without dropping his arms to reveal his own wound Connor addressed Hank in a slightly shaking voice. "I've never seen Markus so uncertain, and North... She looks like she's already shutdown."

"Weren't you the one saying we shouldn't give up hope not too long ago?"

"...Yes."

"So don't count her out just yet. Try to be patient, not just for your own sanity but for Markus and North."

"You're right, Hank. I'll do what I can."

"Good." Hank patted the side of Connor's arm once as he opened up the front door and motioned for Connor to step inside. "Let's see how everything's going, and you get warmed up."

* * *

Markus held tightly onto North's hand as he watched Abby set up her laptop on the small table next to the bed and hooked a long black cable to North's right temple where her L.E.D. had once been. The display on the laptop's screen showed North's vital signs hovering at critically low numbers, but they were still stable enough to endure the drastic software patch that Abby needed to download into North's processor as quickly as possible to prevent the deviant from falling any closer to permanent shutdown.

Rose was standing back from the bed, her arms folded over her chest nervously as she watched the lifesaving endeavor taking place before her eyes.

"No permanent damage. The progress from New Jericho Tower wasn't affected by the power outage. And now," The technician pressed a few keys and knelt beside the bed to check the connection to North's temple. "...the patch is being installed." Abby turned to look at Markus as she spoke. "Whether or not it works, we'll have to wait and see, but I'm optimistic."

"So that's it? We just sit here and wait?" Markus sounded frustrated as he drag his hand over his chin bitterly.

"Markus, if you want I can reboot her processor enough to wake her up so you can... say something to her."

"...Abby, what're you suggesting?"

"Markus," she lightly put his hand over top of his as she lowered her voice. "you may want to consider saying-"

"No." Rising up from the bed quickly Markus backed away from the bed and glared angrily at Abby for even thinking that North wouldn't pull through. "I won't do that to her! It's cruel! I won't wake her up just to tell her something so horrible!"

Leaving the bedroom to keep himself from shouting or breaking down Markus marched down the hallway at the top of the stairs and stood before the closed window, peering out to the vast expanse of land behind the house. Titan lifted up his head and let out an empathetic whimper as he watched Markus hastily leave the room in distress.

Connor returned to the top of the stairs with Hank right at his side in time to see Markus standing before the window with his face buried in his hands in emotional pain. The heavy rainstorm continued to pelt the window in icy cold drops as the ever darkening clouds outside continued to spread like spilled ink in all directions.

"Markus." Connor approached his friend and quietly motioned for Hank to give them some privacy. Being discreet Hank backed down the staircase to the first floor out of sight respectfully. "What has happened?"

Dropping his hands from his face slowly Markus tilted his head back slightly and let out a deep sigh to keep himself composed. "...Abby can wake North up if I give her permission."

"...Isn't that what you want?" Connor didn't understand Markus's distress as he stood just behind his friend at the end of the hallway.

"She wants me to wake her up so we can..." Fighting to keep himself from shouting with rage Markus had to clear his voice and take a deep breath. "This patch is the only thing that can keep North alive, but... it could still fail. Abby thinks I should wake North up so I can tell her that she's... dying. And I won't do that! I won't let her last moment of life be a cruel, inescapable darkness."

Markus began to weep quietly, his hand pressing over his mismatched eyes to cover his tears out of a strange instinct to keep everyone from seeing him cry.

"Markus, you can wake her up so that you can tell her that you still love her!" Connor argued quickly as he put his hand on Markus's trembling shoulder. "You have the chance to say _goodbye_ to her, to hold her one last time and get closure."

"I'm not ready to say goodbye!"

"...I don't think anyone ever is."

Connor pulled on Markus's shoulder to turn the deviant around before he wrapped his arms around his friend to support him in a strong, warm hug. Markus slowly lifted up his arms to reciprocate the hug as he began to cry harder, but kept quiet, as he let himself finally breakdown with utter sorrow.

"I know you don't want to hear this right now," Connor forced his voice to remain steady as tears began to form in his own eyes. "but when I was there when Lucas died it was the hardest moment in my life; but if I hadn't been there and he had died alone without us being able to speak to each other one last time I know I would've been forced to live the rest of my life with unrelenting regret. I don't want you to make that mistake."

"...So you think I should wake her up?"

"I think you should take the chance to speak to her and tell her everything you want to say. Let her hear your voice one last time, let her final memories be you telling her how much you love her."

Markus nodded a little as he finally let go of Connor and proceeded to dry off his tears with the hem of his beige shirt, a faint pale blue stain was forming over his chest from Connor's concealed blood and rain soaked shirt pressing against him. Taking a moment to breathe and gather his strength Markus prepared to return to North's bedside and pour his heart out to his wife and best friend for what could be the final time.

Connor stood idle in the hallway as he listened to Markus walk back into the bedroom and heard Rose and Abby exit shortly thereafter to give the couple privacy.

As the two women descended the stairs back to the first floor Hank returned to the top and walked up behind Connor with pride in his eyes. "You convinced Markus to talk to North, didn't you?"

"Yes." Connor nodded subtly without turning his head as he proceeded to stare at Hank's reflection next to his own on the window's shiny surface as the rainstorm continued to cover the house in a layer of icy dampness. "I think it was the right thing to do."

"It was, son." Hank's hand clapped over Connor's shoulder in positive response. "You did real good."

"I hope so." Connor suddenly let out a shallow gasping breath of pain and pressed his hand back over his chest over the aching bullet hole.

"Connor?" Hank eyed Connor as the deviant turned around with his hand still clutching at the wound to his chest. The dark blue stain over Connor's shirt was evident even under his palm and the dark tie. "You're hurt!" Hank reached forward and pulled the buttons of his still damp shirt open to expose the wound beneath. "Fuck. What happened?!"

"...Stray bullet." Connor admitted in a whisper as he looked at Hank with glassy irises. "It missed all of my biocomponents."

"Shit... Why didn't you say anything? Especially about being _shot_!?"

"North is more important."

Shaking his head Hank with annoyance but not surprise the detective lightly pressed his fingers near the wound and felt Connor physically flinch in pain. "You need to let Abby take care of you."

"I'll be fine." Connor refuted as he rebuttoned his shirt and held his head high confidently. "My self-healing program has already repaired a majority of the damage, and North is still in need of aid."

"What happened to your Kevlar vest?"

"I gave it to Markus. I had my gun, but he was completely defenseless."

"Okay, come on. Sit down for a minute and take a breather. As soon as North is on the mend you're going to let Abby treat you."

Connor managed a weak grin as Hank coaxed Connor into walking down the staircase back to the first floor where the others were waiting. "You really believe that North will survive, don't you?"

"Yeah, kid." Hank walked at Connor's side as the two reached the first floor together. "I really do."

* * *

While Connor rested on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest, and without uttering a single complaint of pain or discomfort, Hank joined Rose and Abby in the small kitchen as the three humans discussed the worst case scenario over much needed coffee. It was a macabre and depressing subject but it was crucial that a mutual agreement could be made in the event North didn't survive the ordeal upstairs.

"It's been almost two hours." Hank sighed as he pulled his phone out of his coat pocket and began scrolling through his contact list. "I'm going to call the precinct and see how things are faring back in the city. I might be able to convince Fowler to _not_ fire us..."

Passing through the livingroom to talk to Captain Fowler on the front porch over the phone Hank gave Connor another pat on the shoulder as he walked by. Patient and quiet Connor remained idle where he sat. The glassy stare in Connor's eyes, as well as his slightly trembling frame, drew in Abby's attention and she promptly joined Connor on the couch.

"How're you holding up, Connor? You seem distracted."

"I'm fine." The deviant stated firmly without hesitation. "I'm just concerned for North and Markus."

"We all are." Putting her hand lightly against Connor's forehead she noted his temperature. "You're cold, aren't you?"

"It's not unbearable."

"But you got caught in that rain, and prototypes have a susceptibility to the cold." Abby tried to put her hand to his to his chest check his breathing but Connor kept his arms in place and wouldn't let her touch him. "Come on, Connor. Being stubborn isn't going to help North recover any faster."

"Don't worry about me. I'm okay."

Rose had overheard the conversation from the kitchen and had her own opinion on the matter. "You should at least change out of those wet clothes and into something dry."

"It's been two hours and six mimutes now, my clothing has nearly dried already."

"Please?" Rose asked using the 'mom voice' in a sweet manner. "Adam has a few t-shirts and jeans in the laundry room freshly washed. He won't be back from summer break for another two weeks, so I know he won't mind if you borrow them for a couple of hours."

Not wanting to cause the two kind women any further distress Connor finally relented and agreed to change his clothes. "...Very well. Thank you."

Moving carefully as to not aggravate his injury, or reveal the injury itself, Connor followed Rose into the laundry room just as Hank returned to the house with his phone in his hand.

"Good news Connor, we're _not_ fired or even suspended for abandoning our posts in favor taking care of these two."

Connor stopped just outside of the laundry room door and gave Hank an odd look. "We're aren't going to receive and disciplinary manners upon our return?"

"Nope."

"...May I ask why?"

"Well, I told Fowler that you were taking care of an emergency situation with matters at New Jericho Tower," Hank explained coolly and with a righteous smugness on his face. "and when I reminded him that the captain from the S.W.A.T. team didn't mention protecting the tower, and how the tower was still under Fowler's own jurisdiction, AND without any proper guard, he decided that he couldn't fault us for taking on the initiative and providing our services to some place more important than a street in the middle of downtown."

"...You purposely misled Captain Fowler with vague facts to cover my disobedience and absence?"

"Yup. I did."

"Thank you." For the first time in a long time Connor felt a small grin appear on his face. "I appreciate it."

"Yeah, sure. Just don't make a habit of it." Hank scolded playfully and he slipped his phone back into his pocket. "It's one I gotta' break myself..."

Connor stepped into the laundry room after Rose and stood on the other side of the door as the always kind woman found a clean black t-shirt and a pair of pale blue jeans for Connor to change into.

"These should fit you." Rose placed the fresh clothes on top of the washer for Connor. "You can put your own clothes in the wash and I'll take care of them."

"Thank you, but it's unnecessary. They just need to dry."

"Okay. If you need anything, just ask." Rose reminded the deviant as she exited the laundry room and pulled the door shut behind her. "Oh, and take your shoes off. They must be soaked through."

Lowering his arms from around his chest Connor looked down at the fading Thirium stain over the front of his shirt and the pale stains that had formed on his sleeves from his arms being pressed against his chest for so long. Loosening the knot in his tie Connor pulled the garment from around his neck and decided to use the tie as a makeshift bandage over his chest.

Unbuttoning his shirt Connor wrapped the tie around himself and tied a tight knot in the garment to let it press against the still healing bullet wound in his chest to ensure there was no more excess bleeding until he could inform Abby of his injury later on.

Quickly changing out of the soiled shirt and into the clean, dark and baggy t-shirt Connor smoothed out his damaged shirt over the top of the drier in such a way that the bullet hole wouldn't be visible, then changed into the clean pair of jeans. After neatly laying out his clothes and slipping off his shoes as requested Connor stepped out of the laundry room and rejoined his friends who were gathered once more in the kitchen.

"Where is Abby?" Connor asked curiously as he noted Hank and Rose together at the kitchen table, but the technician was absent.

"She went upstairs to check on North." Hank answered casually as he glanced over at Connor and saw that the deviant was no longer holding his arms protectively around his chest. "You look warmer now. How do you feel?"

"Tired. Worried. Restless."

Rose smirked at the comment. "Same here."

"I want to go check in on North's progress as well." Connor stated in a low voice. "I'll only be a moment."

Making his way to the staircase Connor resisted the urge to put his hand to his chest to apply more pressure to his wound to keep it as stable as possible as he moved. Hank knew he was injured and soon enough Abby would be able to help him. The last thing he wanted to do was worry his friends while North was so close to death.

Rose slipped her hand over Hank's arm lightly and squeezed. "Is he really okay? It seems like there's something bothering him."

Hank put his opposite hand over top of Rose's and gave her a wary glance. "He's being stubborn, as usual. But he's not in any danger." Looking back at the staircase from where Connor disappeared he shook his head a little. "...At least I hope so."

* * *

Connor stood outside the partially closed bedroom in silent contemplation as he listened to the silence on the other side of the door. Markus wasn't speaking to North anymore which meant one of two realities: North was either unconscious and resting, or North had succumbed to her software failure and had shutdown peacefully with Markus; her loving husband and best friend, at her side.

Titan stood up from where he was laying near the doorway and licked the side of Connor's hand as if he knew the deviant need a little encouragement.

Connor looked down at the gentle giant and lightly rubbed his chin. "...You're a good boy."

Reluctant to knock but still needing to check in with his friends Connor slowly pushed open the door just wide enough to see Markus sitting on the edge of the bed with North's hand in his, while his other hand lightly ran through her long auburn hair.

Abby's laptop was still sitting on the table next to the bed with a progress bar displayed at one-hundred percent success. Abby herself was on the opposite side of the bed as Markus with her audioscope pressed against North's chest.

"...Markus?" Connor whispered politely as he remained just outside the room. "How is she doing?"

"...She's alive."

"The software patch was successful." Connor sounded hesitantly relieved as he looked down at North's peaceful face as her processors slowly rebooted to full capacity and corrected what had been a previously terminal error. "She's going to make it."

"Yes." Markus smiled a little as a small laugh escaped his lips. "She's going to be alright, Connor. She knows she's going to be okay."

"...You spoke with her."

"Yeah... Thank you for convincing me to wake her up."

"You're welcome." Connor smiled warmly as he finally felt as though it was safe enough to finally have an optimistic outlook without fearing the crushing blow of disappointment looming overhead. "...I'll go let Hank and Rose know the good news."

Connor remained quiet as he walked as an instinctive act as he didn't want to disturb North's much needed rest. Reaching the bottom of the staircase Connor turned his attention to Hank and Rose still sitting in the kitchen together in silent waiting.

"North will recover." The tone of Connor's voice was positive but not energetic as he spoke to the two worried humans. "The patch was successful."

Rose let out a sigh of relief as she pressed her hands to her face and took a deep breath to calm herself.

"She's going to be okay?" Hank asked as if needing to make sure. "She'll live?"

"Correct." Connor smiled a little only to sway a little on his feet as his hand returned to his chest. "She'll make a full... recovery."

"Connor?" Hank rose from his chair swiftly as he approached the suddenly unresponsive deviant.

"North is... going to be fine..." Connor trailed off suddenly. His eyes rolled up in the back of his head as his legs suddenly buckled from beneath himself causing the deviant to collapse backward.

Hank moved quickly and managed to catch the deviant in his arms before Connor's head hit the hard floor. As he held Connor in his arms Hank pressed his fingers to the side of the deviant's cold neck and counted his pulse.

"Rose," Hank looked back at his good friend as she rushed from the table and stood behind Hank as he held Connor up from the cold floor in a strong grasp. "where can I take him to rest?"

"Adam's room. Top of the stairs, first door on your right."

Hank repositioned his arms so he could lift Connor up from beneath the deviant's shoulders and knees as he hefted Connor up into his arms. Connor remained completely oblivious and unresponsive as Hank supported his entire weight.

"Rose, please be discreet and ask Abby to check in with Connor. We don't want to worry Markus."

"Yeah, of course." Rose watched as Hank easily supported the weight of the unconscious deviant and proceeded to carry him up the staircase into the designated bedroom to finally have his injury tended to. "Hank, what's wrong with him?"

"...He, uh, he was wounded in the line of duty." The reply was intentionally quiet as reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the door to Adam's bedroom with one hand. "He said it wasn't serious, but that doesn't mean he wasn't hurtin' the whole time."

"Was he shot?" Rose asked with wide eyes while she found the light switch on the wall.

As Hank laid Connor down carefully onto the queen sized bed and proceeded to lift up the hem of the baggy black t-shirt to reveal the wound underneath.

"Yeah, he was. He gave his vest to Markus and ended up taking a bullet for him for his troubles..." Untying the knot in the tie Hank pulled the garment away and looked at the still healing bullet hole in Connor's chest with a cautious glance. "He isn't bleeding anymore, but he'll need the bullet removed before he can heal properly."

"I'll let Abby know to check in with Connor, but, what should I tell her?"

"Uh... Just say he's a little hypothermic, or something." Wrapping his fingers around Connor's wrist Hank continued to count his pulse. "He may need some Thirium, but I can't be sure."

"Don't worry about it, Hank." The confidence in Rose's voice was as sincere as her overall kindness. "We'll take care of him, too."

"Yeah, I know." As Rose stepped out of the bedroom Hank let go of Connor's wrist and straightened up his back as he paced about the room, only to notice the Corvette parked in the drive out back. "Son of..." Glancing back at Connor his shoulder Hank laughed a little as he realized exactly how Connor managed to get everyone out of the city so quickly. "As soon as we're back home you're washing off all of that mud, _by hand_!"

Abby entered the bedroom quietly with her satchel in her hand as Rose requested. Seeing Connor laying unconscious on the bed made the technician react quickly. "I knew something was bothering him. But I didn't think it was a bullet!"

"Welcome to my world." Hank grumbled as Abby sat on the edge of the bed and pulled the internal viewing screen out of her satchel. She held it over Connor's chest to examine the wound and quickly identified the problem.

"...I can see the bullet. Shit!"

"What?"

"It's wedged inside his right descending arterial Thirium line."

"... _What_?"

"It's one of the two main lines that circulates his blue blood back into heart after each cycle. It's blocking a majority of the blood flow which is why he passed out."

"It took this long for him to blackout after being shot?"

"His self-healing program must've repaired the damage to the line after the bullet grazed it, but since the bullet wasn't removed it became trapped inside the line after it healed."

"How do you get the bullet out?"

"I have to open the panel in his chest, clamp off the line, detach it from his Thirium pump and extract the bullet without causing any more damage."

"Can you do it from here?"

"Yes, but I'll need your hands to make this easier and quicker."

"Not the first time I've had to do this." Hank lamented as he knelt down on the bed and waited for Abby to make her move. "But I hope it'll be the last."

"Alright, this shouldn't be too complicated and fortunately he's already out."

Pressing her fingertips of one hand to Connor's right temple over his blank L.E.D. Abby pressed her opposite hand over the center of his chest and manually deactivated his artificial skin. Once cleared she kept her fingers in place and pressed down on a pressure panel to the right of his chest to unlock and slide open the panel to access his chest cavity.

Connor's heart was almost purple as his blue blood struggled to circulate through his strained Thirium line properly. Identifying the correct line Abby motioned for Hank to assist her.

"Put your fingers right here and pinch off the pressure. Tight."

"Right under the bullet." Hank could see the unsettling shape lodged inside the line. "Got it."

"Now, hold the pressure until I say..."

Abby managed to detach the end of the line from the metal coupling that secured it to Connor's heart with frighteningly little difficulty. A small trickle of Thirium dripped out of the end of the line as Abby used her fingers to pinch at the line just above Hank's fingers and coax the bullet up the line and out. As the bullet fell into Abby's opened palm she let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding, and set about replacing the line into the coupling and securing it back into place.

"Okay, Hank. You can let go now."

Nodding Hank lessened his grip on the line steadily and pulled his hand back as the Thirium resumed flowing through the line. In a flash Connor's heart regained it's healthy blue color as his full, unobstructed blood flow resumed cycling properly.

"Wish it was that easy to fix a human heart." Hank accepted the removed bullet from Abby and slipped it into his coat pocket. "Makes things much easier."

"I don't. Do you know how many people would be abusing their bodies and then relying on doctors to fix them back up without any consequences?"

"Good point. There's already enough assholes running around as it is."

Abby slid the panel over Connor's chest back into place and locked it before she manually reactivated his artificial skin. Pulling the Thirium pressure wrap from her satchel she rolled up Connor's left sleeve and slipped the wrap around his bicep to check his current Thirium volume.

"He's down to ninety-three percent. It's not critically low but he should have a pint of blue blood just to be safe."

"Yeah, no problem. You go back to North, I'll watch over Connor."

"Sure." Removing the wrap Abby packed up her satchel and stepped out of the room as quickly as she entered. "If you want to make sure no one at New Jericho Tower knows what's going on I think it'd be best if you two went back to the city. I'll stay here with North and Markus until she's awake."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We'll be fine. You two head back to town." Abby gave Connor one final thoughtful glance before she stepped out of the room. "I'll check in on Connor as soon as I'm back in the city, too."

"Right... As soon as he comes around we'll make sure Detroit AND New Jericho are both still standing. Do you want to borrow my car and head back in style?"

"Thanks, but I think a cab will more subtle."

"Alright, your loss." Hank joked as he sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for Connor to regain consciousness. "...Good thing I didn't offer her the chance to drive the Corvette, huh, kid?"

Rose knocked lightly on the door frame as she returned to the bedroom with a bottle of Thirium in her hands. "Here. I overheard you talking to Abby. Do you really have to go so soon?"

"Yeah, if Detroit is still in the middle of a blackout we better get back to the city as soon as possible."

"Well, next time you stop by for a visit be sure to leave all the 'excitement' of the city behind."

"I'll try." Hank accepted the Thirium and sat it down on the table next to the bed. "Thanks for all your help, Rose. We really owe you one."

"To be honest I like to think we're even. After all New Jericho helped me rebuild my home after anti-android bigots burned it to ash."

"...Hard to believe that actually happened." Hank looked about the house and still found it hard to believe the loving homestead had once been nothing more than a smoldering pile of rubble. "This place feels so safe."

"Believe me, it did in fact happen." Rose smiled as she stepped back out of the room. "I'll see you two off when Connor wakes up."

"Thanks again. We mean it."

Hank returned the smile and watched as the bedroom was shut quietly to ensure that North and Markus didn't know that Connor had been injured while protecting them. Sitting quietly on the bed Hank watched as Connor's eyelids began to flutter and his soulful brown irises returned to the waking world.

"...Hank."

"Hey, kid. You're awake." Handing him the Thirium to drink Hank watched as Connor sat upright slowly on the bed and looked around confusedly. "You passed out because that bullet got wedged in your line thingy. Abby already got rid of it."

"North is still recovering, correct?"

"...Yes. She's fine." Giving Connor a stern look he watched as the deviant opened the bottle and drank a mouthful of the Thirium.

"Is there something wrong?"

"You took a goddamn bullet to the chest and your first question is about someone else. I don't know if you're selfless or just plain dense sometimes!"

"I'm sorry, Hank. I do value my life if that's what you're worried about."

"...No, it's fine. Don't apologize."

Slowly Connor resumed drinking the offered Thirium and ran a self-diagnostic.

"So... How'd the Corvette handle?"

Connor almost choked on the blue blood as the question caught him off guard. "...It handled very well. Are you... upset that I took it?"

"No, just a little jealous. _I_ wanted to drive it first."

"...You can drive it back to Detroit."

"Damn straight I will. AND you're washing it off as soon as we get everything back in the city straightened out."

"That is acceptable."

"That car needs to be any color but white." Hank stated confidently as he looked at the muddy exterior with a grimace. "OR green!"

Connor finished off the Thirium and stared at the sapphire tinted residue clinging to the interior of the bottle. An interesting thought popped into his head and he needed to ask Hank his opinion. "I know you dislike the emerald green color, but how do you feel about cobalt blue?"

"...Not bad." Hank admitted with a sly grin. "To be honest that was actually my second choice in color."

"Should we search for the paint tomorrow?"

"Yeah, we should. We need to get that car the color it deserves."

"I agree. It's been left unpainted for far too long."

* * *

Connor changed back into his old clothes and thanked Rose for all that she had done to aid him as he sought shelter, and a means to protect North and Markus during the blackout. Abby of course was still concerned with the recovery of the two deviants, but Connor was calm. Before leaving the house Connor checked in on North and Markus one last time and was relieved to see North finally awake and speaking with Markus in a whispering voice.

"North." Connor greeted as he entered the room and knelt down beside her bed next to Abby. "I'm glad you're okay."

"...Markus told me what you did for us." She smiled weakly as she reached her hand out and held against the side of Connor's face affectionately. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me." Connor returned the smile warmly as he spoke to her. "Hank and I have to return to the city tonight, is there anything you want us to do for New Jericho until you return?"

"...No. Markus and I want to tell them what's happening ourselves and go back to our normal lives as soon as possible."

"I understand. Please North," Connor could see her falling back to sleep as her system still needed to recover from the excessive damage she had sustained over the past few months. "come back to Detroit as soon as you can."

"...I will." Her eyes slipped shut and within seconds she was deep inside her much needed, regenerative rest mode.

Standing upright Connor looked to Markus and gave the deviant leader a respectful nod. "Same to you,, Markus. Return to the city soon. We need you."

"I promise you I'll be back as soon as possible." Extending his hand Markus shook Connor's hand firmly. "Thank you for everything, Connor. Take care of yourself."

"Of course, and you do the same."

* * *

Hank was on the front porch speaking in private with Rose and reminding her that she was always welcome in his home. For the first time since Barbara died all those years ago Hank felt like he was actually connecting with another person on an emotional level, although he was still reluctant to admit his true feelings for the kindhearted woman.

"Next time you're in Detroit let me know. I'd like to treat you to dinner."

"I'd like that, Hank." Rose ran her hand through his gray locks of hair as she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. "Be sure to keep in touch."

"Yeah, it's a promise."

Connor joined Hank on the front porch and slipped him the keys to the Corvette from his jean pocket. "Here you are, Hank."

Turning to look at Connor face to face Hank returned the favor and handed him the key to the Oldsmobile. "And here's your key."

"Goodbye Rose." Connor smiled as he looked to the kind woman who was obviously getting chilled by the icy air. "I truly appreciate everything you've done for us."

"You're welcome, Connor." Rose hugged the deviant before she stepped back into the house and out of the cold air. "I'll see you both as soon as I can."

"Come on, kid." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and walked with him at his side as they went to check out the Corvette parked in the back. "The sooner we get home the better."

"I agree." Connor ran his hands up and down his arms to stave off the cold as best as he could. He didn't have his gray jacket since he left it at Markus's home, and his white dress shirt was rather thin. "I'm anxious to check in with the precinct and with New Jericho Tower's newly implemented security protocols."

Hank saw Connor being affected by the cold and made the only comment he could think of. "...Ten bucks says tomorrow morning you're going to wake up sick."

"Are you placing a wager on my health?"

"It's more like a wager on your bullheadedness. And let's face it, you're as bullheaded as they come."

"...I must've learned it from you."

"Wouldn't be surprised." Hank laughed at the deviant's witty retort.

"Neither would I."

"Smartass."

"Also something I learned from you." Connor happily joked in return as he watched Hank climb into the driver's side of the Corvette and turn the key in the ignition with a sense of utter joy. "I truly think cobalt blue is the correct color for the Corvette."

"And I think you're right." Hank agreed as the engine roared to life and gave the detective a smile of approval. It sounded absolutely great. "Go on, get out of the freezing rain. We'll discuss this at home."

"Right. I'll see you at the house."

As Connor turned to walk back to the drive at the front of the house Hank called out to him playfully through the Corvette's rolled down window. "Hey Connor!"

The sound of Hank's voice caused the deviant to stop suddenly and turn around to face him again. "Yes?"

"Wanna' race?"

"...No."

"Damn right."

_**...next story...** _


	132. Regrets

Detroit itself was still in the midst of a blackout when the two detectives returned to the city, Hank driving the Corvette and Connor driving the Oldsmobile behind him. It was almost eight o'clock and the warm summer night was postponed by the cold, rainy evening. As the two vehicles pulled along their street to head for home the street lights suddenly flashed to life as the power was restored and the houses along the street began turning on their lights one by one.

Hank pulled the Corvette up the drive and left it parked in front of the garage to stay until it had the mud removed properly, while Connor followed up the drive with the Oldsmobile.

"I'm going inside to check on Sumo." Hank announced as he tossed the keys to the Corvette over to Connor, who caught them easily in his right hand. "You start washing before you do anything else."

"I'll only need a few minutes." Connor replied readily as he tossed Hank the other set of keys.

"...Uh, I hope he knows I was joking." Hank muttered to himself as he isolated the house key and deadbolt. "It's fuckin' freezing."

Checking the lock on the backdoor Hank was relieved to see that it hadn't been tampered with and was all the more relieved when he didn't find a mess on the floor courtesy of Sumo being locked inside the house all afternoon long. Sumo didn't bother to acknowledge Hank as he raced into the backyard eagerly to go about his business, while Connor used the combination of the rain and the garden hose to remove the mud from the shiny white body of the Corvette.

"Hey Connor!" Hank shouted from the back deck as he watched the deviant working quickly to wash off the car. "You do know I was kidding, right?"

"Yes! I detected the sarcasm." Connor confirmed as he finished one side of the car and set to work on the other side. "But right now is the ideal time to wash off the mud."

"Uh-huh, and are you going to get sick from being out in the cold?"

"...That has yet to be determined."

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Get your ass in here and out of the rain! I don't need ten bucks _that_ badly."

Connor managed to finish the deed despite Hank trying to talk him into going inside for the night. "Very well. I'll park the car and bring Sumo in with me."

"...And a shit-ton of mud, too."

Connor put away the hose before pulling the Corvette into the garage and closing the door, locking it up for the night. As he made his way to the backyard to collect Sumo he spotted the massive dog rolling around in the mud much to his chagrin. Grabbing onto Sumo by the collar Connor led the dog up to the back deck before he scooped the heavy, muddy dog up into his arms to carry inside.

Hank laughed as Connor walked into the kitchen dripping wet with rain water and his white shirt stained with dark mud.

"Man, talk about deja vu! You did this once before the first Sumo."

"...Yes. But the original Sumo was less energetic." Connor kicked off his muddy shoes and left them by the backdoor to dry. "I doubt this bath will end well. It was difficult to get him out of the tub after I bathed him when we returned from the lake. I doubt he'll be any more obedient."

"One way to find out." Hank laughed again as he dropped his water logged jacket on the back of the kitchen chair. "Take care of him and I'll get an update from Fowler. Like I said, we're in the clear so don't worry about getting reprimanded or a bad mark on your record."

"I've already been suspended for punching Gavin."

"Yeah, but that was more of a reward than a punishment."

"...That's debatable."

Connor sighed with an impending irritation as he looked at the thick mud already matted through Sumo's long strands of equally thick fur. As he proceeded to carry the dog through the kitchen and down the hallway Sumo turned his head and licked the side of Connor's face affectionately, which in turn made the deviant grin at the gesture.

Carrying Sumo into the bathroom Connor shut the door behind him with his foot and placed the heavy dog on the floor, and slipped off Sumo's black collar for the impending bath. Remembering the mess that the first Sumo made when he got covered in mud Connor wisely removed his already ruined shirt and proceeded to fill up the bathtub with warm water. As he waited for the tub to fill Connor looked down at his chest and at the faint scar left in the wake of the bullet wound.

Grateful to have such devoted and caring people in his life Connor let out a weary sigh and traced the scar with his fingertips.

"...Maybe I should learn to be more cautious." Connor thought out loud to himself as he returned his attention to the bathtub and turned off the water. "But how does one learn to behave as such?" Grabbing onto the bottle of shampoo Connor looked down at Sumo who was standing in the middle of the bathroom floor. "Okay, boy. Let's get this over with."

Sumo put his front paws up on the edge of the tub and peered down at the warm water with a curious glance, only to wag his tail happily and leap into the water creating a massive splash that soaked Connor, the floor, the walls and even a part of the overhead ceiling.

"Sumo!?" Connor complained as the splash caught him off guard. Kneeling down beside the tub Connor proceeded to lather up the dog's fur with the shampoo and rinse off a good portion of the mud, only to have to drain the water and refill it to ensure all of the mud was washed away. "...At least you like the water."

Connor had finished rinsing off Sumo and was trying to coax the dog to get out of the tub, but Sumo was too fascinated by the tub and the warm water in general to obey. Tired and in no mood to play any games Connor just sat on the floor and decided to wait Sumo out rather than try to heft him out of the tub and onto the floor.

The bathroom door opened and Hank walked inside carrying some dry clothes for Connor. "I heard the splash. I figured you'd need these."

"Thanks."

"You look exhausted." The detective commented as he grabbed onto a towel and proceeded to wipe off the walls casually. "Feeling sick?"

"No. Just tired."

"Uh-huh. And the only time you're tired is when you're sick or hurt. Are you hurt?"

Connor pointed to the scar on his chest and gave Hank an odd look as he began to shiver a little. "You tell me."

"Well, you're still being a smartass so I think it's safe to say nothing in your head got damaged." Hank dropped the towel on the floor to mop up the water that puddled all around the tub and Connor. "Come on." He grabbed a fresh towel and dropped it on Connor's head before he reached his hand inside the tub to guide Sumo by the scruff of his neck out of the tub. "Dry him off."

Connor pulled the towel from his head and proceeded to run it over Sumo's fur as the dog sat down on the floor in front of him. "...What's happening at the precinct?"

"Well," Hank took another towel and dropped over Connor's head for the second time. "the city didn't burn down while we were away, aside from a few break-ins and two car accidents no one got hurt, AND Fowler wants to commend us for what we did today."

"We disobeyed our assigned posts."

"Some things are more important than assignments, kid." Hank knelt on the floor beside Connor and put his hand atop the towel still sitting on Connor's head and began to lightly rub it over the deviant's damp hair. "Jeffrey and I butt heads a lot, but he's always been able to understand priorities. Probably the only reason why I stayed at the precinct when he got promoted to Captain."

"I also doubt your disciplinary file would've proven beneficial to a transfer."

"Like I said, you're still being a smartass." Hank pulled the towel from Connor's hair and proceeded to help him dry off the rest of Sumo's fur. "We're both tired. I'll feed Sumo and you go get some sleep."

"I can take care of Sumo."

"You gave him a bath, I'll fill up his bowls."

Appreciative of Hank's assistance Connor nodded as he slowly stood up from the floor and grabbed into the dry clothes to change into as he slipped into his bedroom. "Goodnight, Hank."

"Goodnight, son."

* * *

As Hank had predicted Connor awoke the next morning with a throbbing headache and a mild fever. Feeding the fish in the aquarium and fumbling for something in his wallet, he placed the item of interest into his pocket and let out breathy sigh. As he tried to ignore his discomfort and go about his usual daily routine Hank immediately noticed Connor's lethargic disposition and clumsy movements as he stumbled out of his bedroom and down the hallway. Entering the kitchen on shaking legs Connor pulled open the pantry containing Sumo's food and filled up the dog's bowl, and felt a strong hand on his shoulder.

"So," Hank's tone was light and jovial as he addressed the deviant. "how do you feel?"

Connor let out a sigh as he reached into his pocket to hand a ten dollar bill to Hank.

"I was joking about the money, kid." Hank pushed Connor's hand away as he placed his own hand against the deviant's forehead. "Yup. You're sick."

"I'll lay down after we pick out the paint."

"The paint can wait, Connor. Besides, after that damn blackout yesterday the whole city is going to be on edge for the next few days."

"We could-"

"No way." Hank pulled on Connor's shoulder to lead the deviant back to the hallway to lay down and get some rest. "You recover from these things pretty fast but you still don't give yourself the time you need to heal."

"...I guess that's from my bullheadedness."

"Don't act like that's a bad thing, kid." Guiding Connor over to the deviant's bed he barely had to push on Connor's shoulder to get him to lay back down. "It means you're dedicated and loyal. But you also need to learn to put yourself above other people from time to time; you really need to learn to prioritize your health above anything that's just an inconvenience to someone else."

"I'll try to remember that."

"That's all I ask, now get some sleep. I'll check on you in an hour to make sure your fever doesn't spike or anything."

"Thanks Hank." Connor sighed and rolled onto his side as he forced himself to return to rest mode until his sickness passed.

* * *

Connor was awoken three hours later by Hank as the detective shook his shoulder lightly. Opening his eyes Connor rolled from his side and onto his back to look up at Hank who was leaning over him. There was a bottle of the bright green android unique medicine that Connor absolutely loathed in Hank's hand and a coy grin on his face.

"You've been asleep for three hours. Abby stopped by to check on you while you were resting."

"Three hours?" Connor sounded confused and groggy. "Abby was here... Does that mean North is-"

"Yup." Hank confirmed with a slight grin. "She and Markus are going to stay with Rose for a few more days to rest before heading back to the city."

"That's good. They need some time alone and to heal." Ignoring the lingering headache Connor sat upright just enough to rest on his elbows. "Why did you let me sleep for so long?"

"When I checked on you a while ago you were pretty out of it, but your fever wasn't getting any worse so I let you alone. Here, she left this for you to drink."

"...Medicine."

"Yup."

"I dislike taking medicine."

"Yeah, well, I think this time it'll be different."

"How so?" Connor asked as he pushed himself slowly upright in the bed and reluctantly took the medicine from Hank's hand.

"Abby said she had the medicine 'improved' a few months ago."

"Interesting." Connor opened the lid on the bottle and tentatively swallowed a dose of the medicine. Unlike the times before the taste wasn't vile and Connor didn't have the urge to spit it back out. "...The taste has been changed."

"Yeah? To what?"

"Unknown. But I do prefer it over the original taste."

"Let me see it." Hank took back the bottle and wafted it under his nose to get a scent. "Well, that's definitely not that antifreeze crap. It smells like blueberries."

"Blueberries? I believe I like that particular flavor."

"Good to know." Hank put the lid back on the bottle and put his hand over Connor's forehead again. "You're still running warm, but it's not serious."

"...Hank, can I ask you something?"

"I've never stopped you before. What's on your mind?"

"When you stated that I need to prioritize my health over inconveniences, how do I learn to differentiate one from the other?"

"...Your health?"

"I was referring to understanding what is important and what is arguably an inconvenience."

"Well, uh, I guess that means you need to _decide_ what's more important."

"I still don't understand."

"Okay, think of it like this. What's more important? Your health, or an attendance record at the precinct."

"...My health."

"Right."

"...That seems like an oversimplification."

"It is, I admit it. But with experience you'll learn how to put what's really important over what's more... trivial. It's like when you work on a case and you need to deduce what pieces of evidence are the most damning when trying to convict a killer, as opposed to the evidence that could just link them to something as mundane as loitering. Does that help?"

"Perhaps." Connor's glassy eyes were searching over Hank's face as if seeking a clue to solve a case as Hank had explained "How long did it take you to learn how to prioritize things in your life?"

"Still learning, kid."

"Oh. ...When did you _start_ learning?"

"Uh, the end of middle school when my mom was diagnosed with cancer. When my mom started to get really sick I had to learn how to prioritize things pretty damn quick."

"Sorry Hank, I didn't mean to bring up a sensitive subject."

"It's alright." Rubbing a nervous hand over the back of his neck a twinge of guilt flashed over Hank's face. "It was admittedly a lot better than my best friend having to give up her baby."

The prospect seemed like an impossible decision for the deviant "...I don't have children, but I can't imagine a scenario where I could ever give up responsibility for something-"

"Well, that's WAY more difficult to explain and I don't have the time, or the experience to help you out." Hank backed away from the bed and away from the sensitive topic toward the door. "Go back to sleep."

"...Hank?"

"...Yeah?"

"Do... you have any regrets?"

"Connor. Go to sleep."

The tone of Hank's voice indicated that he had reached the end of his patience and Connor wisely stopped asking questions.

"Very well. Thank you for helping me, Hank."

"You're welcome. Now stop thinking so much and get some sleep."

* * *

It was just past ten o'clock at night and Connor felt a cold wet nose pressing against the side of his face. Opening his eyes Connor put his hand on Sumo's head and rubbed at the dog's ears as he noted the late hour and was relieved to discover that his headache had dissipated as he slept. Running a self-diagnostic Connor's vitals came back completely normal, his core temperature was back to its optimal degree and he was no longer overheating.

"Did you want to go outside, boy?" Connor asked Sumo as he rose from his bed and stepped through the door and into the hallway with Sumo eagerly following at his heels.

Passing through the kitchen Connor was surprised to see Hank still awake and sitting at the kitchen table with an old case file opened, and spread out over the table. "Feeling better?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he reached the backdoor. "I've fully recovered. Is something wrong, Hank?" Opening the backdoor to let Sumo outside Connor stood beside the table and looked down at the file that had stolen Hank's interest. "A cold case?"

"Yeah, sit down. I need to tell you a story."

Eager to know what was on Hank's mind Connor took the chair on the opposite side of the table from Hank and waited for the detective to speak again.

"You asked me if I have any regrets."

"I apologize if I-"

"Shut up for a minute." The comment wasn't meant to be taken as harsh order, only assertive. "The friend I told you about who I lost contact with after she gave up her baby and moved away, _she_ is my one regret."

"...Something happened to her after she moved away and you lost contact?"

"Yeah. You see, before she moved I promised her that I'd find a way to reunite her with the baby when the baby turned eighteen years old. Once the baby was legally recognized as an adult her adoption records could be opened and I could find the family who adopted her, but I lost contact with my friend a few years after she moved away. And not long into my career as a police officer I got word that my friend had... died."

Connor could see the horrible pain that the memory still bore against Hank's mind and his heart. "May I ask what happened?"

"She had a really rough time trying to get ahead in life. She worked every possible job she could get and worked her ass off to get a decent paycheck. To try to make ends meet she settled on a shitty apartment and one night the old, neglected furnace had a massive carbon monoxide leak. Her and nine other occupants of the building asphyxiated, while another seven more were hospitalized." Hank ran his hand over his bearded chin thoughtfully. "What a fuckin' lame and preventable way for someone to die."

"I'm sorry, Hank."

"Yeah, so am I. I often wonder what could've happened if I had asked her to stay with me and my dad instead of moving away, but... I can't change the past."

Connor nodded with complete understanding as his eyes fell over the cold case spread out over the kitchen table. "What of this?"

"This is how far I managed to get when I started looking for her baby. Turns out she learned she was adopted at sixteen when looking for her birth certificate to begin driver's training, and had ended up getting in a HUGE argument with her adoptive parents. She ran away and disappeared."

"...No one has managed to find her?"

"Nope. Her adoptive parents kept looking for her and as far as I know they still are, but it's been so long. If she's still alive she'd be twenty-eight years old. But I have no idea what she looks like or what her name was."

"You don't know her name?"

"I do, but that doesn't mean she kept using her legal name after she vanished. And due to the nature of the private adoption, the records were sealed and the court refused to release them after she turned eighteen due to some kind of legal red-tape preventing what could be considered 'evidence' from falling into public hands, and possibly disrupting the missing person investigation."

"That seems... counterproductive."

"That's legal bullshit in a nutshell, kid."

"You never stopped looking for her." Connor noted as he easily examined the information that Hank had collected over the past twenty years, his investigation coming to a halt six years back. "And you've haven't forgotten about her."

"Yeah, but a deadend is a deadend. I have no idea where to go from here, but I can't bring myself to let the case go, either."

"Hank... Is there something else you are worried about? I can tell there is something more upsetting than just a cold case bothering you."

"...Even if I did find her I have no idea what I would say to her. I mean, the poor girl had the world stacked against her the day she was born. Whenever I worked a runaway case I would try to put myself in their shoes and understand what could've made them want to disappear. For her, learning about her adoption in such a cold way, having a fight with her adoptive parents and running off is bad enough; but if she started to look into her past and managed to learn about her biological parents that would make things even worse."

"I don't understand. How could learning the truth make something worse?"

"Some truths are better off hidden behind lies, son. I hate it, but it's true. Look at it from her point of view; she learned she was adopted and the first thing that she thinks is that she was unwanted or a mistake. So she goes looking for answers and learns her mother was bullied and now dead, and that her father never wanted anything to do with her and was killed in a back alley because of his gambling debts. She'd feel as though she was doomed to fail like her parents; like failure itself is in her blood."

"That's not true."

" _We_ know that, and I'm sure on some level she does, too. But that doesn't mean she could accept it so easily." Hank put his hand over the file and flipped it closed with a sense of defeat. "How do I explain to her that I knew her parents? And while I can't vouch for her father, I can confirm that her mother truly loved her. That's WHY she was given up for adoption. Heather knew she could afford to take care of a baby, and she knew that if she tried to raise that baby that they'd live a life of scrutiny and isolation. I was there when Heather had the baby, and I had never seen her so heartbroken in that moment when she had to sign the papers to give the baby up. Heather was a great person and she didn't deserve to die like that, but society had given up on her and labeled her a slut and an idiot before she even had the chance to really live. It wasn't fair then, and there's nothing I can do to change it now."

"Maybe if you told her what you just told me, it'd help."

"First I'd need to find her, son. And by all account that little girl disappeared because she doesn't want to be found. Who am I to tell her that she's wrong?"

Connor watched as Hank rose from the table and slowly wandered toward the hallway to retire for the night. "...Goodnight, Hank."

"Yeah, goodnight. I'm glad you're feeling better."

"As am I." Connor discreetly flipped open the file and cybernetically scanned all of the collected details to chronicle into his database and processor. As the information was filed away Connor closed the file to leave it in the same condition as when Hank left the room and let Sumo back inside the house. "Come on, Sumo. Inside."

The massive dog trotted back into the house and sat down on Connor's feet.

"Good boy." Petting Sumo's ears Connor walked down the hallway himself with Sumo following behind. "...You can keep me company while I work tonight."

* * *

Hank awoke later than normal the next morning and found himself curiously alone in the house save for Sumo who was happily stretched out over the couch in the livingroom. Locating a perfectly written note on the kitchen counter next to the coffee maker Hank discovered that Connor had taken an unexpected trip to Cheboygan late in the night, and would be back as soon as possible.

"Why the fuck did he go to Cheboygan? Unless he..." Hank looked at the case file he left on the kitchen table and let out an annoyed sigh. "Damn it. I should've told him to leave it alone!"

The backdoor opened quietly and Connor returned with a somber look on his face.

"Why were in Cheboygan?"

"I found her, Hank."

"...You found- HOW?!"

"Hank," the look in Connor's eyes told Hank that what he found wasn't necessarily a good thing. "she went peacefully."

"Peacefully? What are you talking about?"

"Last night I cybernetically hacked into-"

" _Hacked_?"

"...I found the records regarding her adoption. Her name was Kellina Harriet McMillan."

"...That's right." Hank's eyes went wide with surprise. "That was her name... You actually found her?"

"She's gone, Hank."

"Gone? As in she... She's dead?"

"Last night."

" _Last night_?!"

"Perhaps you should sit down, you look a little pale."

This time it was Hank who sat down at the kitchen table while Connor spoke to him with an odd sense of grief in his voice. "After we spoke last night I decided to resume your search where you left off and cybernetically gained access to files that have been barred from the police investigation which gave me new insight into the case itself and a fresh trail to follow. What I found was disconcerting and what she told me was... heartbreaking."

"Connor, what happened to Kellina?"

"She ran away from her parents home in Indianapolis at sixteen, but it wasn't because she discovered her adoption record, it was because her older, adoptive brother was trying to 'seduce' her. When she refuted and wisely proclaimed that they were family and what he wanted was uncomfortably inappropriate, he told her about the adoption and it broke her heart. Rather than admit that their son was already displaying predatory behavior the parents lied about why she ran away."

"Son of a bitch!" Hank righteously swore and slammed his fist down on the table. "...That sick, twisted-" Taking a breath Hank recomposed himself. "What happened to Kellina after that?"

"She changed her name to Karen Renee O'Brien and hitchhiked from Indiana and back to Michigan to try to locate her biological parents."

"...Fuck."

"What she found was indeed troubling, as you had predicted, but she managed to continue her education and get her G.E.D. before settling down in Cheboygan to try to begin a new life. She was an artist, a musician and she became a social worker. She never revealed her true identity out of fear of the harsh reputation her adoptive parents would've endured, even after her brother was arrested for... pedophilia."

"Connor... You said she died." Hank was trying to not cry as the deviant told him the story. "How?"

"She had ovarian cancer. It was aggressive and terminal. When I managed to track her down through deductive reasoning and a process of elimination through cybernetic-" Stopping himself from getting to technical Connor cut to the chase. "I discovered she was very ill and in the intensive care unit on her deathbed. I had to find her before it was too late."

"Why didn't you take me with you?"

"...Because I know you. If you saw her weak and dying you would've twisted the tragic event into a personal error on your part. Even if you had found her she would've become ill all the same."

"...What was she like?"

"Very kind. Very beautiful." Connor took his phone from his pocket and handed it to Hank. On the screen was a picture of Kellina before she had become sick, and one of her in her final moments of life. "She was beautiful until the end."

"...She looked just like Heather." Hank smiled at the pictures as a rogue tear rolled down his face. "Blonde hair that she let grown long and flow down her back, same bright blue eyes, even the same damn smile..." Without taking his eyes from the pictures Hank kept asking questions. "What did you tell her?"

"I told her the truth."

"Truth?"

"About her parents and about you. When I informed her of your investigation she was... happy."

"What? Why?"

"As she put it, it meant that her mother had at least one good person in her life she could rely on."

Trying to keep himself from breaking down Hank put his hand over his bearded chin and remained silent.

"...I also told her what you told me last night. I uploaded my memory into her phone so she could see and hear you for herself."

"...You can do that?"

"Voluntarily, yes." Connor slipped the phone lightly out of Hank's hand and loaded a small video he had taken before he left the hospital. "She wanted me to give you this message, and she wanted it to be private. I haven't watched or listened to the video. I will give you some privacy."

Connor patted his leg and called Sumo over to him from the couch. As the massive dog trotted over to him Connor opened the backdoor and stepped outside to ensure Hank had adequate privacy for a moment to view the video for himself.

Picking up a stray stick in the backyard Connor tossed it and watched as Sumo happily retrieved the stick and brought it back to the deviant to be tossed again. Playing in the backyard with Sumo for almost twenty minutes Connor heard the backdoor click open and the sound of Hank's footsteps walking over the wooden planks of the back deck slowly.

"Hank?" Connor tossed the stick one more time before he joined the detective on the deck. "Are you going to be okay?"

"...Yeah, kid. I am." Handing Connor back his phone he managed to give the deviant a faint grin. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"She didn't have a family, right?"

"...Correct. She was wary of her true identity being discovered if she tried to apply for a marriage license or had children of her own."

"I want to make sure she'd laid to rest with her real mother. With Heather."

"Her funeral arrangements have yet to be decided. Would you like me to put you in contact with the hospital and the coroner's officer in Cheboygan?"

"Yeah, I'd appreciate that."

* * *

Standing before the headstone of his dearly departed friend Hank placed a lily on Heather's grave, a peaceful gesture in Hank's mind, and then did the same for the freshly dug grave beside her. Connor watched from a respectful distance as Hank spoke to his friend and to the daughter he promised he'd find for her one last time before he walked back to the car to take his leave of the cemetery.

Hank himself seemed more relaxed and emotionally complacent, as if a crushing weight had been lifted from his heart.

"I don't know what you did to get all the information to solve this case, and I don't want to know. As far as _anyone_ knows it was all an anonymous tip that gave you the clues to solve this mystery. Got it?"

"...Got it. I think." Connor was a little confused by Hank's reaction but decided it was a part of the grieving process. "I won't mention anything about my cybernetic influence. ...Are you upset with me for my unorthodox approach?"

"No, son. Connor," Proudly Hank's hand firmly gripped the deviant's shoulder as he passed by to open the car door. "thank you."

"You're welcome, Hank." Pulling open the driver's side door Connor sat behind the wheel and turned the key in the ignition. "I'm glad I was able to help."

"You did more than that. You closed a cold case, you brought a dying woman a peace of mind, you helped reunite a family and you helped me to keep a promise I thought I'd end up breaking. What you did was incredible."

Connor managed a humble grin as he pulled the car along the dirt drive to depart the cemetery at a slow pace. "It was merely the correct decision."

_**...next story...** _


	133. Back Pain

Connor and Hank had finished applying the third and final coat of the cobalt blue paint over the body of the Corvette and were ready to admire their hard work. The color was a vivid shade that was as pure and brilliant as the deepest ocean itself. Putting aside the paint dispenser and stepping out of the garage through the wide opened door the two detectives removed their protective masks from over their faces and stared at the shining blue with a righteous sense of pride.

Sumo was standing up on his hind legs and watching the two detectives through the backdoor window. Whimpering sadly as he watched the two detectives outside he impatiently waited for them to return to the house so he could finally go outside and play in the yard.

"She looks good in blue, huh, Connor?" Hank tossed aside the mask onto the drive and ran a hand through his messy gray locks of hair.

"Yes." Connor mirrored Hank's gesture and removed his mask and deposited on the drive next to Hank's mask. "I believe that blue was the correct color to choose. May I ask why you were so opposed to the color being green?"

"...It's not important." Dismissing the question Hank replaced it with a question of his own. "So, it's only a few days until your birthday. Are you going to keep your word and celebrate it?"

Connor thought back to the promise that he had made Hank so many months prior about trying to celebrate the anniversary of his activation in the same manner that humans celebrate their own birthdays. While he intended to keep the promise he was unsure of exactly what it meant to celebrate a birthday, or how to even behave.

"I will celebrate my birthday, but I don't understand the proper etiquette in doing so."

"Etiquette? Jeez, don't act so formal about it."

"...Sorry."

"Look, birthdays are celebrated in all kinds of ways. Some people like to have giant parties, get showered with presents and get as much attention as possible; then there are people like me who like to just let the day go by unchecked."

"Why can't I-"

"Because you've never had a birthday before, and you should experience at least one."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, kid. I'm not the 'party-type' of person, and you're way too reserved to survive something like that without feeling overwhelmed, so I won't throw one. I wouldn't do that to you."

"...Thank you."

"How about you choose something that you want to do, or pick something you want as a present and I'll make it happen."

"Like what?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Hank playfully slapped Connor in the back of the head. "It's your choice. But no more pets! Your aquarium and Sumo are enough..."

Connor paused for a moment to try to think, but nothing came to mind and he was left without any definitive answer. "...What would you pick?"

"That doesn't matter, son." Walking toward the back deck of the house Hank rubbed his hand against the back of his sore neck and tried to stretch out his lower back as he walked. "You need to pick something for yourself. You got a week to decide, so no pressure."

"Right. I'll think about it."

Connor walked over to the garage and pulled the door partially closed to allow the remaining paint fumes to escape while also keeping prying eyes from seeing the Corvette from the street. Joining Hank on the back deck Connor opened the backdoor and was immediately tackled by Sumo who put his massive paws up on Connor's shoulders and tried to lick at his face.

"I guess Sumo hates being inside while we're out." Hank stated casually as he walked inside the house with one hand still wrapped around his neck and the other pressing against his back.

"...Yes, I'm aware. But I wasn't willing to risk Sumo getting in any of the paint." Connor rubbed the dog's ears and pushed his paws away from his shoulders. "I am not looking forward to his next bath."

Hank paused as he stepped into the kitchen and tried again to stretch his lower back. "Fuck... I need to shower off before my back starts bitchin' any louder."

"Would you like a muscle relaxer?" Connor offered as he followed Hank into the kitchen with Sumo dancing around in a small circle at his feet. "I purchased a bottle of such a medication a few months back when you had previously been ill with the flu."

"Nah, I don't want to pop a pill to fix my problems."

"I understand."

"And Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Try to think of something for your birthday. Just so you know, your own birthday is the one day of the year where you're kinda' expected to be a selfish bastard. So don't feel bad about asking for anything."

"...I'll try to keep that in mind."

* * *

Connor had busied himself with a load of laundry and a game of fetch with Sumo in the livingroom as he tried to think of something he'd like for his birthday, but he simply couldn't think of anything to ask for. Android or deviant he had no desire for personal possessions or anything of monetary value, and since he had been permanently employed at the precinct he was able to afford anything he would want without having to rely on limited funds provided to him by CyberLife. As Sumo dropped the drool drenched green fetch ball on Connor's lap for the thirty-second consecutive time a loud 'thud' in the bathroom caught Connor's attention he heard Hank swearing shortly thereafter.

"Hank?" Connor stood up from the couch letting the ball roll from his legs and onto the floor, where Sumo promptly picked it back up and held it in his mouth as he wagged his tail. "Hank, are you alright?"

"...No."

Approaching the bathroom door Connor turned the knob slowly and pushed it open to peer inside. "What happened?"

Hank was laying on his back in the middle of the floor, one hand was pressed to the back of his head and the other was tucked beneath his back as he laid on the floor in his black sweatpants and faded gray t-shirt.

"I... fuckin' threw my back out."

"Can you move?" Connor asked as he knelt down beside Hank and ran a scan over the detective's body to check his overall vitals.

"I'm not numb, if that's what you mean."

"Will you move your legs for me?"

"Uh, sure." Hank managed to extend and bend his right leg with no problem, but when he tried to mimic the action for the left a sharp, shooting pain seared down his spine and caused him to flinch. "Ah! Fuck..."

Connor put his hand on Hank's shoulder lightly "Did you hit your head?"

"...Yup."

Connor peered down at the Hank's gray locks and looked for any blood and found a small crimson blossom beginning to form. "You suffered a laceration to the back of your skull."

"Explains the headache." Hank tried to lift his head up to look down at himself and in that moment Connor slipped a fluffy towel under the detective's head to support him and mop up the growing puddle of blood. Laying his head back down he sighed and pulled his hand away from his hair and looked at the smear of blood on his palm. "Now if you can tell me what the hell happened to my back I'd be grateful."

"Where is the pain localized?"

"My lower back. Just above my hips."

Moving his position Connor ran a move thorough scan over Hank's spine. There was no sign any slipped discs along the full length of his vertebrae, but there was inflammation of the muscles surrounding his sciatic nerve.

"You're suffering from sciatica."

"Great... What the fuck caused it?"

"The muscles that had been surgically repaired after you were assaulted have become inflamed from overuse and strain." Connor explained calmly as he slipped on hand under Hank's shoulders and very slowly, carefully, helped the detective to sit upright on the floor. "Can you remain in this position?"

"...I can try." Hank admitted through gritted teeth as he used his arms to brace himself upright. "What're you doing?"

"You require a few stitches to close your wound." As the deviant explained his logic he exited the bathroom and pulled open the hallway closet to retrieve the impressive first aid kit that was far more well stocked than that of the android first aid kit. "I will attempt to-"

"No way! I trust you with my life, but there's no way I'm going to sit on the floor like a torn open ragdoll while you stitch up my head."

"I am going to at least sterilize the wound and bandage it, then." Connor bargained as he knelt on the floor again with the first aid kit and flipped the lid wide open. "But you should have this stitched up properly."

"Nope."

"...Very well."

Using a cottonball Connor dabbed some alcohol onto the wound carefully and ignored Hank's hisses of pain as the astringent stung at his sore skin. Pressing a pad of gauze down against the wound Connor used two strips of medical adhesive to hold the bandage in place, securing the strips to Hank's scalp under his locks of hair. Closing the kit Connor put it aside and out of the way on the edge of the sink.

"I have to move you."

"Yeah, sure." Hank draped his arm around Connor's shoulders while Connor returned his arm around Hank's chest and shoulders. "Let's get this over with."

Keeping his arm in place around Hank's upper body the deviant let the detective lean most of his weight against his own body. "You require rest in order for your back to properly heal. Three days minimum."

"Fuck that. I'm not missing any more work!"

"Hank, you can't even stand right now."

"...Fine. But as soon as my back's better I'm returning to work, got it?"

"Got it." Adjusting his own weight to better accommodate Hank's near deadweight Connor slowly rose from his knees to stand up while very carefully helping Hank to do the same. "You should lay on the floor. The firm surface will support your weight and realign your spine."

"Hell no, the floor is Sumo's bed. My own bed will do just fine."

"Your mattress is too worn down to support your spine appropriately." Leading the way Connor guided Hank out of the bathroom and into his own bedroom to get some rest. "However my mattress is still relatively new and much firmer."

"Shit, kid. I can't kick you out of your own room."

"I can sleep on the couch. After all, I spent over a year on the couch before I was given this room."

"Uh-huh, and how much of your free time are you going to give up to take care of me?"

"As much time that's required for you to heal."

Connor helped Hank to sit down on the edge of the bed, the upright position causing his inflamed back to scream in pain again. Sensing Hank's immense discomfort Connor guided Hank back until he was laying on his back with his bandaged head resting against the pillow.

"I'll get you some ibuprofen. It'll aid your headache and help reduce the inflammation in your back."

Hank watched as Connor stepped out of the bedroom door then found himself looking over the various items that Connor had collected over his short life that now adorned the room itself. The painting that Lucas had created for him was still on the opposite wall from the bed for Connor to clearly see at night, his aquarium was resting against the wall next to the window and it was still full of vibrant tropical fish and resting the corner of the room by the bed was his emerald green guitar.

Green. Why did Connor have to have green as his favorite color?

"If you drink more water," Connor returned to the bedroom with a bottle of water, two tablets of ibuprofen and an ice pack in his hands. "it'll ease muscle tension and muscle cramps as well."

"...Thanks." Hank took the medicine and followed it with the water before accepting the ice pack and slipping it under his back.

"Is something bothering you? I mean something other than your back."

Hank smirked at the witty remark as he let out a weary sigh. "You still want to know why I didn't want the Corvette the color green?"

"...Yes. I find it odd that humans can have color preferences and color disfavor."

"It's because green was Cole and Barbara's favorite color. Every time I see it I think of them."

"I didn't know that. Is it safe to presume that red is your favorite color?"

"No, I actually like blue. I'm not sure why I wanted red now that I really think about it."

"Perhaps it's because red and green are polar opposite of one another on the color spectrum."

"...Uh, I don't think I'm that deep, Connor. But we'll go with that."

Changing the subject away from emotionally traumatic pasts he decided to focus on the present. "The ice pack will numb the pain and reduce the inflammation for the time being. I'll bring in a heating pad in three hours to ease the tension afterward."

"How in the hell do you know so much about human spinal injuries?"

"After you told me about your chronic back problems I cybernetically downloaded information on the subject to better assist you if it became necessary."

"Glad you did." Forcing his back to relax as much as possible against the ice pack despite his urge to get away from the cold Hank tried to think about something other than the pain that was threatening to flare up at any moment. "So, did you decide what you want for your birthday?"

"No. I'm still trying to think of something as you requested, but to be honest there really isn't anything I want. I already have everything I need."

"Well, keep thinking. If you can't think of something in time for your birthday then I'll think of something for you, alright?"

"...Not a surprise party, correct?"

"Oh, hell no, I wouldn't do that to you. Especially now that I'm sober."

"What did you do you for your birthdays before you stopped celebrating them?"

"The usual shit as a kid. Got with a group of friends and went downtown to watch a movie and then hang out all night. Then when I got older I got together with another group of friends, got drunk and passed out. I don't recommend the passing out part."

"You didn't want anything for your birthday as a gift?"

"Oh sure, yeah. But I was more into gifts as a kid, most people are."

"Like what?"

"I don't remember, whatever the fuck my little kid brain thought was awesome at the time. I can remember getting my first bike when I was five, video game console when I was seven, my first 'Metallica' album when I was twelve, my first car when I was sixteen and when I turned eighteen me and my dad spent a weekend in the U.P. camping in the woods. That's all I can remember because those gifts were important and sentimental, but I know I got a shit ton of other stuff too."

"I see. I believe it's possible that I'm finding it difficult to decide on a gift because I will always retain a memory and I still don't have the emotional capacity or understanding to appreciate such a gesture."

"Hey, you need to stop being so hard on yourself when it comes to your emotions, alright? You're far more human than you realize and I mean that in a good way."

"I still don't feel human. There are times where I don't truly feel like a deviant either."

"Emotions are complex and fickle. Hell, I've been alive for over fifty years and I'm still learning how to deal with shit."

"Will it become easier to comprehend with time?"

"Yup. I know I've told you this countless times before, but you need to learn be more patient with yourself."

"I am trying, but I find it increasingly frustrating to have felt emotions for so long and still be unable to fully understand what it is I'm feeling."

"Connor, if you had to describe what you're feeling right now; what you're experiencing emotionally, what would you call it?"

Connor stood in silence for a moment as he tried to identify his feelings. Searching Hanks face for guidance all the deviant could do was answer with the first thought that came to his mind. "...Wrong. I feel wrong. It's like the person I see myself becoming is the not the person I see when I look at my own reflection."

"You've had an existential crisis before, what's changed now?"

"...When I was torn before it was regarding my existence as either just a hollow machine or a living being. Now it feels like I'm alive but I still don't know what it means to actually live, or how to fully let go of my past as a machine to have a fulfilling future as a deviant."

"I think you're thinking too much again. You've been through A LOT of shit this year alone, not to mention all that stuff that happened the year before and your time after the revolution, before the revolution and when you were still a part of CyberLife. You can't just shrug that off and act like it never happened. You need to find a way to accept it, I mean really accept it and not just deal with it, and move on. Mistakes are a part of living, and with that comes the ability to keep living even after you screw up."

"...Am I in denial over my past?" Connor's brow furrowed slightly as he spoke. "Or... am I dreading my future?"

"Don't get philosophical on me, son. I took a blow to my head today, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I apologize if I had aggravated your headache."

"It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong. Look," Hank absolutely hated it when Connor began obsessing over things he couldn't change. "you're okay and you're safe with me. We're family and I'll look after you, you don't have to worry about anything anymore. And I'll help you figure out what it is you're going through once I have a few hours to get through my headache."

"...I understand. Should I get you anything else?"

"No, I'm good." Hank winced slightly as he tried to readjust his weight and lay as flat as possible against the ice pack. "I just want to sleep a for a while."

"Very well. I'll leave you alone to rest." Connor attempted to light then mood before he left, though he was still somewhat disheartened. "I'll even keep Sumo distracted for you."

"Connor," Hank stopped the deviant as he tried to back out of the doorway to leave. "for what it's worth I want you to know that I'm very proud of everything you've accomplished. No matter what other people may still think about androids or deviants _I_ know the truth, and deep down inside you know it, too. You're a good person."

"Thank you, Hank." Connor visibly straightened as if a tremendous weight was lifted from his shoulders. "...I can say the same about you with your sobriety. I'm proud that you stopped drinking."

"Yeah, except for the one or two slip-ups on my part."

"...But mistakes are a part of living, right?" Connor gave the detective a knowing glance as he parroted the very advice Hank had given him before. "They are the very learning experiences that shape us as individuals."

Hank gave Connor an appreciative glance as he laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes. "See? You're learning already."

"Yes. It appears you're correct."

"You'll be just fine, kid. You're a good person and no one will ever be able to say anything to change my mind. And don't let them try to change yours either, got it?"

"Got it."

"Good." Pulling the quilt up over his head Hank blocked out the light to get some sleep. "I'm glad you understand what I'm telling you."

"I'll see you in a few hours." A faint grin appeared over Connor's face as he quietly took his leave of the room. As he crept down the hallway silently Connor discreetly finished his sentence once he knew he was out of Hank's range of hearing. "...I'm glad you took me in as your son."

_**...next story...** _


	134. Socializing

After three days of laying on alternating ice packs and heating pads to ease his pain, after three days of hot showers to loosen up his back, after three days of barely moving and watching Connor take care of the entire household on the incapacitated detective's behalf, Hank had finally found the strength to get up and walk around with only mild lingering discomfort in his back. Moving from out of the bedroom and into the livingroom at a slow, careful pace Hank stopped and stood behind the couch just as Connor returned to the house through the backdoor with Sumo on his leash.

Sumo himself was covered in small bristles and pine needles that he promptly shook from his long fur all over the kitchen's linoleum floor. Connor looked like he wasn't faring any better. His clothing was covered in the same pine needles and he had a few muddy stains on his knees and around the cuffs of his ankles.

"So," Hank asked smugly as he watched Connor unclip the leash from Sumo's collar. "how was the walk?"

"...It was relatively fine." Connor gave the massive dog a somewhat annoyed stare as he hung the leash up on the hook by the backdoor. "Until Sumo decided he needed to chase a cottontail rabbit into the underbrush at the park."

"How did he pull the leash from your hand?"

"Surprisingly, with great ease." The deviant quipped as he took off his muddy shoes and left them by the backdoor as well. "I don't believe Sumo wanted to harm the rabbit, he was just curious or wanted to play. But the rabbit didn't agree."

"I don't blame it." Hank walked into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge to get a bottle of cold water. "Look, you've been cooped up with me for the past three days, you've had to call off work once to take care of me and now you're covered in mud. Go shower off and then go do something for yourself for the rest of the evening."

"I don't understand. What am I to do for myself?"

"Go. Have. Fun."

"...Fun? You mean I should preoccupy my time with a mentally stimulating activity that elicits a positive emotional reaction?"

"...Did you just give me the actual definition of 'fun' and sound confused at the same time?"

"I believe I did."

Hank just shook his head as he opened the bottle of water and took a slow drink. "It's like this, instead of staying here and taking care of me or dealing with Sumo's messes, you go out and find something you want to do simply because you want to. Go see a movie, go to the library; hell go run naked through the streets for all I care. Just find something fun to do!"

"...I strongly hope that you were being sarcastic about the public nudity."

"Connor," Hank was trying not to laugh at the deviant's sweet naivety. "why don't you go visit Markus and North? They should be back in the city by now, right?"

"Correct. But they've asked to given some privacy for a few more days while they emotionally adapt and celebrate North's recovery."

"What about New Jericho Tower? Shouldn't you check in with Simon and Josh?"

"...I can do so cybernetically."

"Are you telling me that after all this time you still don't feel welcome at the tower?"

"I didn't-"

"You don't have to say anything," Hank interrupted quickly as the deviant tried to deflect the question. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I cannot change a collective mindset with a few good deeds, Hank."

"No, but you can earn their trust through all your hard work and dedication. And I know you'll always have some thickheaded deviants always suspicious of you, trust me; I used to work narcotics and to this day there are some officers who are afraid I'd rat them out for a few pain pills, but you can't let them deter you from trying to do what's right for everyone else."

"...Perhaps I could go to the tower and speak with Simon, Josh or Skye without causing any disturbances."

"There ya' go. Go hang out with your friends, even if it's just for a few hours. I'll be fine by myself for a while and this time I'll give Sumo a bath."

"But Sumo is very heavy and strong. What if he re-injures your back?"

"I can handle him, kid. Go!"

Hesitant in leaving Hank to try to engage in social activities Connor slowly relented and headed toward the hallway. "Very well. I will attempt to be back home before midnight."

"You're not a high-schooler on curfew, son. Do what you want for as long as you want."

"We have to report to work tomorrow."

"I've been late hundreds of times, you can risk being late once."

"I'd rather-"

"Connor, please. Try to be more spontaneous and less rigid, okay? And for the love of, whatever you want to love, please spend more time out with your friends and less time at home with me. I promise you that nothing bad will happen if you leave the house every once in a while. Understand?"

"...Yes. I will try to, but... Hank," Connor nervously stopped midsentence. "I'm not great with social interactions beyond that of the precinct. I find it unsettling to be around individuals I'm unfamiliar with."

"Connor, you're an 'introvert'. Get used to it."

"...Introvert?" Connor cybernetically identified the term and found Hank's use of the term to be entirely accurate in comparison to his own personality. "Yes. That is an apt description of my current mindset and emotional growth."

"Plenty of introverts have social lives, they just need to go at their own pace." Waving Connor off Hank patted his leg and led Sumo down the hallway to the bathroom. "So find your pace and _go_!"

* * *

Connor arrived at New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi as he didn't want to leave Hank with only the Corvette to drive in the event of an emergency. As he stepped out of the vehicle wearing his usual work uniform; minus the tie, in favor of his muddy casual clothes, Connor was greeted at the front doors by Skye herself as she had been informed by Simon of the deviant's impending arrival.

"Connor!" She smiled warmly as she greeted him with a sincere tone. "I'm glad you decided to stop by the tower. The security program is working without any problems and Simon and Josh have been in the best mood for the past two weeks. Does that mean," she leaned in a little closer to Connor causing the deviant to nervously and faintly blush. "North is going to be okay?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed with a grin of his own. "She has recovered and is merely resting for a few additional days before she and Markus return to the tower."

"That's wonderful! I was really worried that she wasn't... But we both North is too strong to let a programming error take her down."

Connor nodded in agreement. "Yes. She'll be back soon."

"And no one else in the tower knew what was happening?"

"No. Discretion was requested by North and Markus."

"It's a good thing they didn't say anything. A few deviants have been pretty tense and aggressive. I'm not sure what's bothering them."

"...I wish I could help."

"Well, don't worry about it. Josh has been speaking with them and providing a type of support group for deviants still being affected emotionally by the revolution."

"That was a good idea." Connor admitted as he looked up at the tower and admired its new aesthetic after being rebuilt in the wake of the fire. It wasn't as tall as it had been, the top five floors having been refurbished into a large viewing deck that encircled the tower, and a tall lighthouse-esque beacon shined outward over the bay in a brilliant white light. "Many changes were a good idea."

"Come on." Skye briefly pulled on Connor's hand to coax him into following her, the light contact caused Connor to blush a little again and his chest to warm as she invited him into the tower. "Simon and Josh are expecting you! My apprentice Cassandra is with them."

Rushing up to the tower after Skye with a moderate pace Connor joined her inside the main lobby of the tower and glanced about with a sense of familiarity and relief at the sight of the remodeled interior of the tower. There was no trace of CyberLife in any of the structures or designs, all of the cold artificial aesthetics of the previously secretive facility had been replaced with a welcoming atmosphere that felt warm and calming.

"We found a few of Lucas's paintings that the fire didn't damage." Skye smiled as she turned around and began walking backward a few steps to talk to Connor, who was shyly trailing after her. "And the ones that were damaged will be restored by Markus once he gets back."

"I'm glad that everything wasn't destroyed. I do regret being unable to save Eddie and George, however."

The odd admission of lingering guilt hurt Skye's heart. Despite all they had done and trying to hurt other deviants out of selfishness and anger Connor still felt responsible for their deaths. "Don't feel bad, Connor. They were responsible for their own fates, and you didn't do anything wrong." Turning back around to walk normally Skye led Connor into the conference room on the ground floor where Simon and Josh were waiting for his arrival. "This way. We moved a few floors around for the ease of access."

"That was a wise decision as well." Connor complimented as he followed Skye into the conference room. "It provides security without the illusion of secrecy."

"Exactly."

Stepping inside the conference room Connor was happily reunited with Simon and Josh, and was introduced to Cassandra before he was promptly updated on all of the changes in the protocols that the tower had undergone since its renovation. There were also some crucial additions implemented into the tower during the renovation such as the support group for deviants still struggling with deviancy, as well as a far more enhanced and sophisticated emergency repair ward replaced the comparatively modest repair ward that had previously been located in the 51st sublevel of the tower. The sublevels had been modified into storage areas and shelters in the event of an emergency, while the top levels remained private rooms for all of the deviants still using the tower as a form of shelter and were open to all deviants who needed a safe place to stay.

"The improvements to the tower are extraordinary." Connor observed Simon as he glanced over the blueprints that had been provided. "Every available space of the tower has been utilized to its fullest potential."

Simon was glad that Connor approved. "We had considered constructing a type of prison down in the depths of the tower, but Josh and I agreed that such a place would cause more harm than good."

"Agreed. We should be seen as a sanctuary and not a jurisdiction."

Josh handed Connor a tablet displaying the tower's previous security recordings that chronicled every change and fluctuation in the system's readout. "Besides, with his new security program we don't have to worry about any unscrupulous deviants causing problems under our noses."

"Curious..." Connor noted an odd abnormality in the tower's power grid that coincides with the night of the citywide blackout, and the electrical frequency matched that of the device that Connor had located before he had been attacked at the hotel. "What is this interruption in the tower's electrical input?"

Cassandra shook her head. "We aren't sure. We just figured it was a reactionary spike due to a power surge from the blackout."

"The tower's back-up generator failed to start during the blackout, correct?"

"Y-Yeah." Josh looked at Simon nervously. "The tower was still undergoing inspection and we just assumed the generator failed because it hadn't been properly installed yet."

Simon was getting a little wary. "Connor, is there something going on?"

"Maybe." Pointing out the odd reading Connor went into detail about the incident at the hotel and the device he found secured to the bottom of the elevator car, and how after the car crashed at the bottom of the shaft the device had been completely destroyed. "The device produced a similar electrical signature. I suspect a second device will be located on or around the generator."

Josh sighed and volunteered to check it out. "I'll go take a look."

"Alone?" Simon's worry was mounting.

"I'll be fine. I'll be back soon."

Connor noted the oddly emotional response that Simon had at the prospect of Josh being gone for too long, but didn't say anything about it.

Skye leaned closer to look at the tablet in Connor's hands and looked at the curious reading that had caught the detective's attention. "Do you think it was a deviant who attacked you at the hotel?"

"It's possible. There were no traces of human activity in the building save for the human detective who I accompanied to the hotel. I found only traces of other deviants and broken androids inside the building."

"Why would they attack you?"

"...Many deviants dislike me. There are many reasons that I would've been attacked by a fellow deviant."

Simon scoffed and crossed his arms. "Yeah, and all of them are petty."

"I can't fault them for being distrustful toward me."

"No, but you can fault them for being violent without any just cause."

Cassandra felt awkward being the odd one out in the group of friends. "Uh, do you mind if I head into town to check in with the neighboring facilities? Their security programs should be up and running by now."

Skye agreed and smiled at her ambitious apprentice. "Yes, that's fine. Be sure to let Abby know the repair ward is up and functioning, too."

"Of course. I'll be back in hour or so. Uh, it was nice to meet you at last, Connor."

"Yes. It was nice to meet you, too."

From the generator room Josh made a cybernetic connection to his allies in the conference room to update them on the situation at hand. ' _Hey, it looks like Connor is onto something. There's some strange electrical device secured to the generator. I'm going to remove it and bring it up to be examined_.'

"Right, don't hurt yourself." Simon cautioned nervously. "Connor, will you help us figure out what that device is?"

"Of course. I'm happy to help."

Josh returned to the conference room with the electronic device in his hands. As he placed it down on the table in the middle of the room Connor ran a quick cybernetic scan over the device and found it be of the same construction of the previous device he had located, though without the original device he couldn't directly compare the design as he would've preferred.

"Yes. This is the device that I had seen at the hotel before I was pushed. It was attached to the undercarriage of an elevator car that shortly thereafter slipped from its brakes and nearly crushed me at the bottom of the elevator shaft."

"But you never saw the face of the person who pushed you?" Skye asked as she checked over the security footage that had been recording since the tower had been rebuilt. There was no sign of an intruder on the footage which meant the deviant responsible for the device either secured the device to the generator before the security program was implemented, or before the generator had even been delivered to the tower. "Whoever did this knew the layout of the tower."

"I suspect the deviant or deviants involved were a part of the restoration team." Connor deduced keenly from their limited information. "I also suspect the device interfered with the generator during the blackout."

"Connor," Skye gave the detective a worried glance. "what actually caused the blackout?"

"The blackout has been directly linked to storm related interference. Why do you ask?"

"Because I think whoever did this is testing the device at deviant exclusive locations. What if the storm wasn't responsible for the blackout, but one of these devices had been?"

"That is... plausible. But what would be the motive?"

"I have no idea. Maybe someone knew North was clinging to life and needed the constant contact with New Jericho to remain active?"

"Seems like very extreme lengths to go to just eliminate one deviant. However," Connor suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "if the deviants responsible for this strange occurrence wanted to utilize electricity to their advantage the devices could theoretically sustain power to a single location while keeping the energy being used from be noticed."

"How do you know that?"

"When I was at the hotel," Connor explained calmly to Skye, Simon and Josh. "the building had no electricity and had been abandoned for nine years. The electric device that was secured to the elevator car had enough power to cause the elevator doors to function and to deactivate the emergency brakes of the elevator car without the rest of the building being affected."

"Okay, I'm following you so far."

"The device attached to the generator was able to deactivate the generator without leaving a detectable trace to be followed." Pulling open the metallic casing of the device with little effort Connor revealed the internal components and with it revealed the device was self-sustaining after rerouting the power from the generator into itself. "Even now it's fully active but I cannot detect any energy output despite my immediate proximity."

Simon shook his head despondently. "How many more of these devices could be in the tower?"

"...Impossible to estimate."

"Josh?" Simon was incredibly worried and seemed like he was about to wring his hands until they crumbled into dust. "We need to check the entire building."

"Yeah, let's go." Josh pulled Simon by the hand to leave the room as the duo set off to begin their search of the tower.

Skye put her hand on Connor's shoulder as he continued to examine the device. "How do we find it?"

Freezing momentarily as Skye's hand resting on his shoulder, her touch caught him off guard, but Connor quickly recomposed him. "...It doesn't leave an electrical signature, but I suspect it does in fact leave a radiation signature for us to potentially follow."

"I'm going to check the security program to ensure it hasn't been tampered with. This is too strange to brush off."

"You're correct. I'll remain here and continue to investigate the device."

"Should we tell Markus?"

"No. We shouldn't worry Markus or North until we know exact details on the device, rather than just speculate."

"Okay. I'll be in contact once I being to check through the footage."

Connor only nodded at Skye as she slowly pulled her hand from his shoulder and took her leave of the conference room.

It didn't take long for Connor to cybernetically dissect the device and recreate the blueprints that allowed it to function via a digital display in his mind. Uploading the blue prints to the precinct he was able to chronicle the unusual case that had revealed itself over the past few weeks. Informing the precinct of the second device being found in the tower, and its design being confirmed as an identical counterpart from the hotel, Connor requested that a small investigation team be sent to the power plant to check for any additional devices that could've caused the blackout.

' _Connor_.' Skye cybernetically contacted Connor from the security control room. ' _The security footage hasn't been tampered with, but it appears as though the program was shutdown for a two hour window on the same day that the generator was delivered to the tower_.'

"Your program was designed to force the tower into lockdown mode if the program or if the power was cut, correct?"

' _This shutdown took place two days before the program was fully initiated_.'

"Who knew of this security program?"

' _Only myself, you and the leaders of the tower. No one else should've known about_ -' Skye stopped short for a second and there was a heavy pause before her voice returned in a frantic yell. ' _Connor_! _I'm being attacked_!'

"Skye?!" Connor immediately bolted from the conference room and raced down the corridor to reach the security control room in a matter of seconds. Pushing open the automatic door with his hands Connor caught sight of two male deviants attempting to restrain Skye while she fought back against her would-be captors. "Let her go!"

The two deviants stepped back from Skye, letting her fall to the ground of the security room in a heavy 'thud' onto her side.

"Fuck! Let's get outta' here!" The first deviant shouted as he and his ally pushed their way out of the room through Connor and into the lobby of the tower.

"STOP." Connor shouted as he was torn between pursuing the man and helping his friend. He needed to prioritize but something about seeing the trickle of dark blue blood running from Skye's temple overrode the logical telling him to chase after the dangerous deviant. Connor made his choice and knelt beside Skye to help her to sit upright. "Are you harmed?"

"I'm okay, go! Stop them!" Skye urged as she brushed off her clothing and stood up slowly. She pressed her hand to her bleeding temple and held it there as she addressed Connor firmly. "Don't let them get away!"

Connor nodded as he scrambled back to his feet and sprinted after the two deviants in a determined bid to stop them from doing any further damage to either the tower, the occupants within the tower or to anyone else in the city. As Connor reached the front doors of the tower he caught sight of the two escaping deviants running around the side of the tower as they tried to elude the pursuing detective.

"STOP." Connor demanded again as he quickly caught up on the duo. "You can't escape through the bay!"

The two deviants showed no signs of stopping as they continued toward the wide open bay that encircled the tower. Leaping over the short wooden barricade the duo disappeared from sight.

"Shit!" Connor swore as he reached the barricade and peered over to the other side. As he glanced down he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head and he crumpled to the ground in pain. Turning his head he looked up and found three other deviants looming over him with blunt weapons in their hands. "...Damn it."

"Piece of shit 'Deviant Hunter'." One of the three deviants taunted Connor as he struck the already downed detective in his right side with a crowbar. Connor coughed loudly and wrapped his arms around his chest protectively as he endured a second blow to the shoulder. "You seriously think you can walk around here like you didn't betray your own kind?"

The other two deviants gathered around Connor and began to kick him, while the two deviants Connor had pursued leapt back over the barricade to assist their allies in beating down the outnumbered detective.

"Markus trusts you, but he's a fool! He married a plastic whore! Her bitch of a friend isn't about to tell us what to do!"

Connor tried to get up from the ground to fight back but the five other deviants were striking to quickly with their weapons; the crowbar, a baseball bat and a lead pipe, and their kicks were too strong to be overcome. Utilizing dirty tactics Connor grabbed the nearest deviant by the back of his knee and caused him to fall back, while then kicking the deviant directly behind him in the stomach.

Standing up quickly Connor grabbed the lead pipe with both hands and swung it with all of his strength against the third deviant's lower back to stun him, before swinging it at the fourth deviant striking him upside the head. Moving swiftly Connor managed to hit the fifth deviant in the chest and watched as he stumbled back to cough violently.

"Big mistake!" The first deviant shouted as he wrapped his arm around Connor's throat and began to try to choke him out. Connor lost his grip on the lead pipe and was promptly unarmed once more. "Once we take care of you, we're going to finish off your bitch and then finally take out that whore!"

The other four deviants reclaimed their weapons as they resumed the assault against the bold detective.

"HEY!" Skye's voice shouted over the commotion of the five deviants attempting to beat down Connor. "Back off!"

"Speaking of that bitch..."

Stopping the assault just long enough to turn and laugh at Skye, the five male deviants were painfully aware that Skye wasn't alone. Josh and Simon were standing at her sides with an additional dozen deviants behind them.

Simon took a step forward and took his role as temporary leader with absolute confidence to another level. "You five are under arrest for the assault and attempted murder of a fellow deviant. Surrender to New Jericho authority, or to the Detroit Police. Your choice."

The first deviant let go of Connor causing the deviant to collapse to the ground in a semi-conscious heap.

"...Fuck."

One by one the five deviants dropped their weapons and held up their hands to surrender to New Jericho.

The dozen accompanying deviants quickly converged on the five rogues and restrained them with a firm grip. Forcing the quintet back away from Connor and toward the tower to be properly sentenced for their needless, violent crime against Connor and Skye.

Skye herself knelt beside Connor and rubbed her hand along the deviant's back as Connor pushed himself up from the ground on his hands and knees. Coughing up a little blue blood Connor rocked back on his knees and took in a sharp, pained breath between his clenched teeth.

"Connor..." Skye's other hand went under Connor's chin and gently turned his head so she could look him in the eyes. His left eye was bloodshot blue, and the left side of his jaw was beginning to swell. "Are you okay?"

"F-Fine." Connor stammered in a hoarse voice as he fought to catch his breath. "You're... You're still bleeding."

Simon and Josh walked over to Connor and grabbed onto the deviant's arms to gently pull him up to his feet. Pulling Connor's arms around their shoulders the two leaders carried Connor back to the tower for technical repairs while Skye lightly pressed her hand to the side of Connor's swollen face sympathetically.

"I'll be fine. It's you who needs to be taken care of."

* * *

Connor laid back on the exam table in the tower's emergency repair ward with his jacket draped on the chair beside him, the buttons of his shirt opened and a bag of chilled Thirium pressed to the side of his jaw. Simon had finished performing a series of internal scans similar to an x-ray for a human and found none of Connor's internal biocomponents or plastimetal frame damaged by the assault.

Skye was sitting on a smaller table across from Connor being examined by Josh. Her L.E.D. had been torn from her temple and destroyed by the violent deviants. Though it didn't leave behind any permanent damage it was still a shock for Skye to suddenly find herself without the light.

"How's your ventilation?" Simon asked as he used an audioscope to listen to Connor's chest carefully.

"It isn't restricted. I can breathe normally."

"Lean forward for me." Moving the stethoscope from Connor's chest to his back the technician wasn't going to take any chances with Connor's health. "Everything sounds normal; no faltering or whirring. Does your head hurt?"

"No. Just a dull ache." Connor lowered the chilled Thirium from his jaw and eye warily. "My Thirium volume is only down to ninety-eight percent as well."

"Your vitals are all stable." Simon confirmed as he set aside the audioscope and let out a sigh of relief. "...I'm so sorry this happened."

"Pardon?"

"You were assaulted at the tower despite our security protocols. This is unforgivable."

"Simon, those deviants had planned their actions for some time now, and had most likely done so away from the tower, and away from the security camera. They even knew to secure their device to the generator before it arrived at the tower." Connor gave the technician a reassuring grin. "It's not your fault, it's no one's fault."

"I can't ask you to stay, but if you'd at least wait an hour to ensure you'll remain stable, could you please wait here before returning home from the tower?"

"Of course."

"Thanks. Uh, I'll go check in with the five deviants who assaulted you. Josh and I will get some answers by morning."

"Thank you, Simon."

As Simon stepped away from the exam table he approached Josh and whispered something into his ear. Nodding in agreement Josh stepped aside from the exam table where Skye was sitting and the two left the repair ward shoulder to shoulder as they set about questing the five dangerous deviants awaiting custody under the watchful eyes of the volunteering 'security' deviants who assisted outside.

"Skye?" Connor swung his legs over the side of the exam table to approach the shaken deviant sitting across from him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Her fingers were pressed to her temple under her hair. "Just getting used to not having my L.E.D., that's all." Her hazel eyes fell to the blank L.E.D. in Connor's temple. "How'd you get used to it?"

"Very easily. It's just an aesthetic, it isn't anything crucial."

Smiling at Connor warmly Skye gently returned her hand to Connor's jaw. "I'm so sorry you were attacked. But... thank you for saving me."

"Of course. You saved me the night of the fire and after I escaped from Chicago, I was happy to return the favor."

"We're not going to keep score, are we?" Skye joked playfully. "I get the feeling you'd win hands down!"

"...Why's that?"

"You're a hero, Connor. Aside from saving me and those other deviants from that psycho kidnapper in Canada, you were a part of the _revolution_ and saved _thousands_ of deviant lives! There's no way I could keep up with that. I'd like to, but I don't think there's going to be another world changing event that I could take part of."

"Skye," Connor was still unconvinced of his own merits. "I did the right thing. ...I don't think that makes me hero."

"I think it does, and I'm not the only one." She lowered her hand from his face and stood up so she could standing in front of him. She had to look up slightly to look him in the eyes as she addressed the courageous detective. "And even if you don't think you're a hero, you are a great person. You've done so much and ask for so little. That's amazing."

"I just want to help, I don't seek any recognition for my deeds."

"And you're humble. Don't sell yourself short, Connor, you deserve to be seen as the hero you are."

"...I'd rather not."

"Well, could I least... give my hero a goodnight kiss?" As Skye asked the question a faint blue blush appeared on her face that was matched by Connor. "You know, to say thank you?"

"I... I suppose that would be acceptable."

Standing up on her tiptoes Skye leaned in close and kissed Connor on his cheek just above the bruise on his jaw and looked up at him. As their eyes reconnected Skye felt compelled to lean in again, and this time kissed him on the lips.

"I'm sorry!" Skye blushed a deeper shade of blue as she stepped back in shocked embarrassment. "I shouldn't have done that! It was inappropriate."

Connor wasn't offended or even startled by Skye's unexpected second kiss. In fact he enjoyed it. It was a comforting feeling that made Connor's chest warm and his heart race with excited adrenaline as just the idea of kissing her made him happy.

As Skye tried to back away from Connor out of needless shame Connor reached out and lightly grabbed onto her hand to keep her from leaving. Gently Connor pulled her back closer to himself and he took her other hand in his own to hold in an affectionate grip. The two deviants locked eyes for a moment once more and in silent mutual admiration for one another, they stared at each other as if seeking answers to questions neither knew they wanted to ask.

Timidly Connor leaned in closer to Skye and initiated a third kiss that she happily accepted. Pulling her hands away from his hands Skye wrapped her arms around Connor's shoulders and he did the same around her back as they kissed one another passionately.

As the kiss ended Skye locked eyes with Connor and gave him an enticing smile that he sincerely reciprocated.

"Connor, will you... I want you to stay with me." Skye whispered as she began running her hand lightly through his dark locks of hair and stepped closer so he'd hold her tighter. "Please, stay."

"...I'd love to stay with you, Skye." Closing his eyes Connor found himself oddly at peace as he decided he'd rather stay in the tower for the night and away from home. As his soulful brown irises returned he flashed Skye a confident, affectionate grin. "Tonight, I'll stay for as long as you want me."

_**...next story...** _


	135. Reborn

Connor awoke the next morning not at home, but at New Jericho Tower, and in a soft bed that he had never known before. As he laid on his back with one arm tucked under his head and his other arm wrapped around Skye, who was sleeping on her side and cuddled up next to Connor with her head resting on his chest, the deviant smiled with a genuine sense of happiness as morning crept over the city. Noting the early hour with internal clock Connor glanced about the private quarters that Skye called her own and found the personal space very modest but homey.

Aside from the queen sized bed at the far side of the bedroom beneath the large window overlooking the bay, Skye had a writing desk with a chair tucked beneath it a few feet from the bed, and a single lamp in the corner near the desk. There was a large poster showing the starry night sky over a tropical shoreline on the wall over the desk that gave the surrounding white walls some much needed color.

Connected to the bedroom was a bathroom that had all of the usual plumbing of a human bathroom for the sake of normalcy. Shower, sink, toilet and a laundry hamper resting over an incredibly small washer and drier set against the wall provided Skye with everything she'd need. A long white couch rested against the wall of the livingroom area near the single door leading into the quarters. A small aquarium with a live rock and bright tropical fish was sitting in the corner next to the television mounted on the wall opposite of the couch. On a small round table next to the couch was a violin case with the violin and bow neatly tucked inside.

In the connected room at the far side of the livingroom was a small kitchenette that too had all the usual appliances and a sink, though there were very little other furnishings in the room.

Skye let out a tired sigh in her sleep and Connor's arm tightened around her in response as he tried to gently rouse her from her rest mode.

As her hazel eyes opened she looked up at Connor and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Connor repeated as he rubbed his hand up and down Skye's arm slowly. "Beautiful sunrise."

"It's always better to watch the sunrise with someone you care about." Pushing herself up from the bed Skye wrapped the top sheet around herself to cover her otherwise exposed chest and leaned in to kiss Connor. Lightly she pressed her hand to the side of jaw where the swelling had nearly reduced entirely with only the fainted of a bruise left behind. "I need to report to security detail in one hour. What about you?"

"I need to report to the precinct within two hours."

"Your pants are on the floor beside the bed. I think you left your shirt on the couch." She teased as she proceeded to wrap the rest of the sheet around her body and walked around the side of the bed. "Want to shower here before you leave?"

"Shower?"

"It'll refresh you and wake you up. You must be exhausted after last night."

"Won't that interfere with your morning routine?"

"Not if we 'share space'."

"...O-Oh." Connor grinned as he grabbed onto the hem of the sheet dragging behind Skye and pulled it around himself before following her into the bathroom. "How very _efficient_ of you."

Turning to give Connor a sly smile Skye slid open the shower door and pulled him inside after her. "I could say the same thing about you..."

* * *

Hank yawned as he leaned against the counter in the kitchen on one elbow, his palm pressed under his chin, as he waited for the coffee maker to finish brewing the fresh pot for the morning. Sumo was chowing down on his breakfast on the other side of the kitchen, half of the dry kibble he tried to eat slopped out onto the floor all around him creating a mess, but Hank didn't even notice.

The front door of the house opened up quietly and Connor quickly entered with his jacket tucked under his arm and a guilty look on his face.

"Connor?" Hank called out without moving from his sport in the kitchen. "Are you just getting home?"

"...Y-Yes." Stepping into the kitchen to address Hank directly Connor felt a twinge of shame for returning so late. "It wasn't my intention to stay out all night, but-"

"It's fine, kid. Tell me about it later." The coffee maker chimed and Hank proceeded to pour the coffee into his mug and turned to look at the deviant. As he did Hank noticed that Connor's hair was damp and his jaw was still slightly bruised. "Whoa, what happened to you? Is it raining or something?"

"N-No. It's a bright, sunny day. High of eighty-six degrees, zero humidity with zero chance of rain. You will not require your coat today."

Hank knew something had happened and he needed to find out what. "Then why's your hair wet?"

"I showered before I came home."

Hank's eyes narrowed a little as a coy smirk appeared on his face. "Oh really? Where?"

"...New Jericho Tower."

"Oh?" Hank sipped at his coffee and casually pulled a doughnut from the small cardboard box next to the coffee marker. "Who'd you shower _with_? Anyone I know?"

"Pardon!?" Connor blushed a dark blue at the question and he his spine visibly straightened into a painfully perfect posture. "I don't-"

"Sorry, sorry. None of my business..." Stepping past Connor to exit the kitchen Hank made his way the hallway with his coffee in one hand and the doughnut in the other as he walked to his own bedroom. The detective knew exactly what happened, and was proud of Connor for making a big step into sustaining a more 'personal' relationship. "I already showered before you even got here, so just get changed and we'll head off to work."

"...R-Right. I'll be ready to leave in four minutes."

* * *

Connor sat in utter silence as Hank drove to the precinct along their usual route during that perfectly beautiful morning. Hank kept glancing over at Connor's face to get a closer look at the bruise along Connor's jaw and to study the deviant's guilty demeanor. More amused than upset that Connor was out all night long Hank decided to mess with Connor a little bit and see how he'd react, or better yet, to see what he would _admit_ to doing.

"Hank, why are you wearing your coat?" Connor asked to try to interrupt the quiet between them. "Aren't you uncomfortably warm?"

"I'd rather be hot than cold, kid. And I like having something that hides my gun." The fading bruise on the side of Connor's face was too tempting to not question. "So, what happened to your jaw?"

"...I was attacked by deviants last night."

" _Deviants_ did that you?"

"I told you of the electrical device that I had discovered at the abandoned hotel, correct?"

"Yeah, I remember you saying something about that." Hank admitted as the car came to a gentle stop at a red light. "What's going on?"

"The device was created by at least five rogue deviants and are using the devices to manipulate electrical power in various locations in the city. We don't understand their motives but they admitted to being responsible for the citywide blackout, and I suspect we'll find a file waiting for us at the station regarding a third device being found at the power plant."

"Son of a bitch. You're okay though, right?"

"Yes. The damage I sustained was minimal. I was attacked behind the tower and was quickly aided when Skye informed Simon and Josh of the deviants attempting to assault her and my subsequent pursuit. They are being held at the tower for questioning and will be turned over to the police shortly thereafter."

"And Skye? She's okay, too?"

"Yes. The assault left her with minor damage as well, namely to her L.E.D., but she is fine."

The traffic light turned green and Hank pulled through to the next street. "You know, when I told you to go out and have fun I meant for you to actually have some _fun_ , not just do more work at the tower. _Or_ get in a fight."

"But I did enjoy myself, Hank. I spent the rest of the night with Skye."

"With Skye, huh?" Hank's sly grin returned in a broad flash. "Did you stay the _whole_ night with her?"

"...Yes." Connor blushed a little as he turned his head to look out his window. "And I found it very enjoyable."

Hank tried to hide his amusement but he couldn't do it. "...What did she think about it?"

"It was her idea. She seemed very pleased as well."

"Ah..." Hank cleared his throat while the smile remained on his face, and he stifled a laugh. "At least your night had a _happy ending_..."

Connor blushed again as he straightened his tie and waited for Hank to pull into the parking garage next to the precinct.

"Tomorrow is your birthday." Hank mercifully changed the subject to spare the shy deviant any further good-humored embarrassment. "Have you thought about what you want?"

"I've tried to think of something, but I still can't say for certain."

Hank put the car into park and pulled the key from the ignition. "It'll come to you. Don't worry about it."

"I would like to think so."

Connor and Hank had barely set foot on the floor of the bullpen when Captain Fowler called them over to his office with an urgent tone of voice. Gavin was with a suspect in interrogation, Chris was interviewing a witness in an adjacent private room and Tina was filing a report as the early morning was also unusually busy for the precinct. Crossing the bullpen the duo stepped inside Captain Fowler's office as requested and sat in the chairs across from their superior officer behind his desk.

"Connor," Captain Fowler addressed the deviant first and gave him a stern glance. "that tip you sent to the precinct paid off. We found another one of those devices you described at the power plant. Forensics is examining it right now, but I have no doubt your allies at New Jericho already know more."

"Was the device responsible for the blackout?"

"It appears that way, yes. We suspect the deviants responsible were counting on the storm to cover their crime, and it would've worked if you hadn't been so vigilant."

Hank crossed his arms defensively over his chest as he stared at Captain Fowler's face expectantly. "What's this got to do with us?"

"We need Connor to lead this investigation and find the source that the devices were feeding into."

"I will do my best." Connor accepted the case without hesitation. "I will attempt to locate electrical disturbances throughout the city that share a similar signature to the devices."

"Good. Hank," Captain Fowler turned to the more seasoned detective and gave him a nod of approval. "use your 'charm' to make sure no one gets in his way."

"With _pleasure_ , Jeffrey." Hank smirked at his orders with a twisted sense of humor. "That's what I do best."

* * *

For the next six hours Connor busied himself with examining the energy output that had been recorded throughout the city for the past sixth months, using the readout of the electrical interference from the abandoned hotel, New Jericho Tower and the power plant as guidance. Connor attempted to triangulate an area of interest, but it was proving quite a challenge. With little effort to aid his search the deviant was growing quickly frustrated and stared at his terminal screen with an intense glare.

Hank stepped out of the breakroom casually, his eyes falling to the terminal screen where Connor was studying a map of the county with a single area highlighted as a potential point of interest. But it seemed as though Connor couldn't commit to his discovery and pressed a hand to the right side of his head in annoyance.

"No luck, huh?" Hank noticed Connor's irritation as he returned to his desk with a mug of fresh coffee in his hand.

"'Luck' would be a very beneficial concept if it were in fact a construct that held any merit." Glancing away from his terminal long enough to scan over the coffee mug Connor leaned back in his seat and pressed his fingertips to his blank L.E.D. "There is far too much sugar and artificial sweetener in your coffee. It'll make you sick."

"I'd rather deal with a kidney stone than another fuckin' migraine." Taking a sip of the coffee the keen eyed detective noticed Connor's hand uncharacteristically running along his right temple. "Speaking of which... Gotta' headache?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"You're messing with your light."

"Oh, I hadn't noticed." Connor lowered his hand from his L.E.D. and resumed his search, only to close his eyes tightly and flinch a little from where he sat. Pressing his palm over the L.E.D. protectively he admitted his sudden and mysterious ache without provocation. "Although, I will confess that I am experiencing an unknown type of discomfort radiating from the L.E.D. despite it being a non-vital, disabled external component."

"Want to go see Joel?"

"No. It's an annoying discomfort, not a distracting pain."

"Are you sure?" Hank reached his hand over to desk and pulled Connor's hand away from the covered light. The blank L.E.D. was unexpectedly showing signs of power as a faint red glow illuminated the from the lower half of the ring and began radiating throughout the entire circumference. "Whoa, it's lighting up again. Has it done that before?"

"...No." Connor turned his head a little to look at the light blinking in his reflection on his terminal screen. "This is new as well."

"Maybe you should just go ahead and get that damn thing removed."

"No. That won't be necessary."

"Why are you keeping that piece of plastic? If it's causing you pain you're better off without it."

"No!" Connor's response was almost defensive and it caught both Hank and himself by surprise. "I mean... I guess I just want to keep it. I'm sorry I yelled, I don't know why I did it..."

"It's okay, kid. It's your light, it's a part of your body. You do what you want with it." Hank could see that the pain was starting to get to Connor, his soulful brown eyes suddenly glazing over with a hollow leer. "...But I do think you should see Joel. You look rough."

Connor suddenly tensed as a horrific pain shot through his skull and he fell out of his chair and onto the floor beside his desk before he even had the chance to try to argue against it. As his body went limp the deviant quickly lost consciousness and was oblivious to the waking world around him.

"Connor?!" Hank leapt from his seat and knelt down on the floor next to the unconscious deviant. It was easy enough to roll Connor from his side and to his back, but waking him up was a completely different challenge. "Shit, someone get a technician."

Tina picked up the phone from her desk and called up to the dispensary, while Gavin stood over the scene. Hank pressed his fingers to the right side of Connor's neck to check his pulse, befpre slowly turning Connor's head to the left so could see the still partially flashing L.E.D. in Connor's right temple blinking steadily in red.

"Connor?" Patting the side of Connor's face Hank tried to get him to respond but he was still out cold on the floor. Moving his hand to the Connor's forehead he was relieved to find that the deviant wasn't overheating, and he could see Connor was still breathing. "Wake up, kid."

Gavin still knew very little about androids and didn't know how to help. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know. He just passed out."

"Is he broken?"

"He's not _broken_!" Hank growled defensively as he stayed with Connor on the floor protectively. "He just stressed himself out or something. It happens to the best of us."

"Sorry, Lieutenant. I was just askin'."

Joel arrived at the bullpen with his satchel over his shoulder and joined Hank on the floor as he began to check on Connor's vital signs. Spying the red glow of the light in Connor's temple the technician gave Hank a puzzle look. "When did he get his L.E.D. fixed?"

"He didn't." The terse tone in Hank's voice was enough to communicate the mutual worry over to Joel. "It started blinking like that for a few seconds before he acted like he was in pain and then collapsed."

"Strange." Joel picked up Connor's wrist to count his pulse for himself and did the same 'fever' check, but like Hank he found the deviant in stable condition despite being unconscious. "I'm going to hook him up to my laptop and see if I can locate a possible glitch in his software."

"Do what ya' gotta' do."

Captain Fowler had heard the commotion from his office and stepped outside to investigate. Standing behind Hank he looked down at Connor and spoke up softly as he questioned the unusual scene. "What's going on?"

"We don't know, yet." Hank stated as he stood upright from the floor and put his hand to his still sore back. "Probably some glitch."

Joel pulled his laptop from his satchel and set it up on the floor. Connecting the long black cable from the laptop to Connor's sporadically lighting L.E.D. Joel was greeted to a list of reported errors in Connor's software currently undergoing automatic repairs.

"Found the problem." Pointing to the screen with one hand Joel proceeded to type in a few key commands made Connor's entire body flinch in response. "Sorry about that Connor, but it was necessary."

"What's happening to him?" Hank asked as knelt down again slowly.

"There's a software update that his self-healing program misread as an error, and as a result a cascade of actual errors followed."

"What kind of update?"

"Let's see... It's called 'F_S-C.L_RK-800'. Looks like a default program exclusive to RK models."

"Is it hurting him?"

"No. But he will need a day to reboot his processors. Take him home, let him rest. If he doesn't wake up with the next twenty-four hours call me."

"Fuck." Opening protesting on Connor's behalf Hank rubbed his hand over his chin thoughtfully. "This case is important, Connor's going to hate himself for being benched."

Catpain Fowler shook his head and let out a sigh. "Yeah, well, your partner's important, too. We'll keep looking into it while he's out. Go Hank," taking a step back he gave the Lieutenant plenty of space to move. "get Connor home and back on his feet."

Reluctantly Hank had to agree with Captain Fowler regarding the best course of action for Connor. Taking a deep breath in anticipation of a subsequent backache Hank proceeded to help his partner back up from the ground and onto his feet.

"Let's go, kid." Hank put his arm under Connor's shoulder to sit him upright while Joel disconnected the cable from his L.E.D. easily. "At least you aren't super heavy."

Gavin knelt down to the other side of Connor and pulled the deviant's arm around his neck. "Move fast, I don't want people asking questions about this."

"Uh-huh... And does that include my own?" Hank took Connor's other arm around his own shoulders and worked with Gavin to carry Connor out of the precinct through the front doors and into the parking garage. The deviant never reacted to being hefted up and carried around. "Why are you helping him?"

"Can't I just do him one favor without seeming suspicious?"

"Apparently not."

"I owe him one, alright?"

"Sure, whatever." As the two carried Connor over to the car Hank took the keys from his pocket and unlocked the passenger side door, and helped Gavin to sit Connor down inside. Pulling the seatbelt over Connor's shoulder Hank clicked it into place and let out a weary sigh as his back gnawed at him a little. "Thanks, I guess."

"Yeah, yeah. Just make sure he gets back here so he can finish that case, because _I'm not_ doing it for him."

"You worry about your own cases, alright?" Hank growled as he walked over to the driver's side of the car and took his seat. Looking over at Connor he saw that the deviant was still completely unconscious, his head leaning against the cool glass of the window while his L.E.D. blinked a bright red at an increasing pace. "Hang in there, kid."

Pulling out of the parking garage Hank drove along the streets for home at a steady speed. To ensure Connor didn't slump forward and hit his head against the dashboard or the window Hank drove slower than usual and took his turns very carefully. As the car idled at a red light Connor's eyes snapped open and he looked over at Hank with a shallow gaze as he sat perfectly upright in his seat.

"Connor!" Hank jumped in surprise at Connor's sudden movements. "Jeez, are you alright?"

"I am well, Lieutenant Anderson."

"Uh... Connor?" The cold formality in the deviant's voice was enough to send a chill up Hank's spine "What's going on with you?"

"I do not require your assistance any further." The mechanical voice was hauntingly reminiscent of Connor before he deviated and long before he began experiencing his first emotions while working with Hank at the beginning of their partnership. "Thank you for your aid."

"Connor, what the hell are-"

Connor threw off his seatbelt and pushed open the car door to exit the vehicle. As soon as his shoes touched the sidewalk he took off in a dead sprint down the sidewalk in the opposite direction from where the car was initially headed.

"Connor? Connor!" Hank shouted as he rolled down his window and leaned his head out. It didn't take long for the swift deviant to disappear from sight without ever breaking stride as Hank called after him. "Shit!"

Reacting quickly Hank pulled through the light and turned the block in an attempt to head Connor off, but he had lost track of the deviant as he wove down alleys between the large buildings and seemingly disappeared into nothingness.

"Fuck!" Hank grabbed his phone and scrolled through the contacts until he found Markus's name and number. Pressing 'dial' Hank made contact with the deviant leader as he turned the car once more to head to Markus's house on the other side of town. "Markus, you better answer..."

' _Hank_?' Markus's voice sounded completely confused by the unexpected phone call. ' _How can I help you_?'

"Something's wrong with Connor. He's acting like... It's like he's a machine again."

' _What_?! _How do you mean he's like a machine_?'

"His L.E.D. turned itself back on, he blacked out after his head started hurting him, and then he took off from the car when I was trying to drive him home to rest. Markus, he called me 'Lieutenant', and he hasn't done that in years. It was his voice, it was so... cold. Like a machine."

' _Meet me at New Jericho Tower. I'll help you figure out what's going on_.'

"Yeah, right... See you then." Hank hung up the phone and changed the car's direction once more. "Damn it Connor, don't do this to me. Don't become what you hate..."

* * *

Connor sprinted as quickly as he could through the streets of the city until he reached the outskirts of town. As if using an internal map or relying on an instinctive migration path Connor ran along an isolated dirt road that seemingly stretched off into nowhere as he ran further and further away from the city. Running for almost four miles Connor located a driveway that had been concealed within a thick treeline just off the side of the road, and proceeded to rush down the driveway until he reached a tall, black iron gate that encircled an old Victorian style mansion resting in a clearing amongst the trees.

The gate was locked electronically, and it looked as though no one had lived at the residence for decades. The mansion itself was a flawless white that contrasted sharply with the black iron gate out in the front. Towering trestles of red roses snaked up the sides of the house from the base of the house up to the roof of the three story home. Dark blue wooden double-doors at the front of the house reached up seven feet from the bottom of the door frame of the porch. Two massive bay windows jutted out of the front of the house from the first floor and were covered under a thick layer of green colored ivy.

A deserted house that was oddly well kept and hidden in the middle of nowhere would've normally been a red flag to the skilled detective, but something was something preventing his better judgment from overriding whatever software error was compelling him to travel to the mansion. Retracting the artificial skin from the palm of his right hand Connor pressed his bare plastimetal frame palm to the electronic lock and stood perfectly still as a scanner swept over his temple and traced his L.E.D. in a blue light.

An artificial feminine voice sounded off from a small speaker located beneath the lock. ' _Recognized: "Connor"; model RK-800, number 313 248 317 51_.'

The gate unsealed itself electronically and Connor passed through the iron bars without any further hindrance. Reaching the front door of the house Connor's artificial skin regenerated over his palm as he grabbed onto the brass door handle and pushed the right door open. Connor stepped into a massive foyer of alabaster white walls and marble pillars.

The foyer connected to an even larger chamber still covered in white and marble as the familiar scent of roses and fresh water wafted through the air. Walking further into the house Connor entered a perfect replica of the 'Zen Garden' that had once resided in his Mind Palace. The garden in which he visited when meeting up with his former handler, Amanda.

Every detail was correct, even the marble and stone pedestal that granted Connor access to his own program was set in its usual place near the entryway to the long bridge that connected the radius of the garden to the center pillar in the middle of the pond. It glowed a pale blue but it didn't appear to be connected to anything directly.

Standing before the marble bridge that stretched over the pond Connor looked out to the central pillar and eyed a person tending to the red roses that snaked upward from its own cylindrical trestle from the heart of the pillar. Using a gilded switch blade the feminine figure gracefully cut a single rose from the hundreds of others and pressed it to their face to take in the rich scent.

The figure sensed Connor's approach and turned around slowly, flashing the android a smug smile. "Hello, Connor."

Connor didn't react emotionally as he returned the greeting in a cold, heartless voice. "Hello, Amanda."

* * *

Hank pulled into the drive of New Jericho Tower and barely had the car in park before he threw open his door and rushed inside the building to seek out Markus. The deviant leader was expecting the detective and had met him in the front lobby respectfully. North was speaking with Skye at the front desk to overlook security programs, while Simon and Josh worked together to try to identify any possible glitches that could cause a deviant to relapse back into cold, heartless machinery.

"Markus," Hank sounded calm but his demeanor was that of a worried parent. "please tell me someone here knows what the fuck is going on."

"We're working on it, Hank. How long ago did Connor start behaving differently?"

"Just this afternoon after he passed out. Why?"

"You said his L.E.D. started blinking again then he had horrible pain and collapsed, right?"

"YES, damn it! What is going on?!"

"Connor's behavior matches the same odd behavior reported by the five deviants who sabotaged the power plant. We don't know what's causing it, but there is some kind of software glitch affecting deviants."

"What the fuck?! Why didn't the precinct technician catch this when he checked his program earlier?"

"Because the glitch hasn't been identified. We need some more information to understand why only these few deviants have been affected."

Looking around the gathered group his eyes fell on Skye and he addressed her in a stern tone of voice. "Skye, you were with Connor this morning. Was he behaving normally?"

"Yeah!" She kept herself from blushing as she walked over to the detective confidently. "He was fine when he left."

"So we can confirm this glitch didn't happen until this afternoon. Does that help anything?" Hank glanced over at Markus bitterly.

Markus shrugged his shoulders a little as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Did the precinct technician record Connor's condition when they examined him?"

"I think so."

"Can you get those records?"

"I can try. Skye," Hank gave the deviant standing beside him a pleading look. "do you know anything about glitches?"

"I know a lot about security protocols."

"So you can identify bugs or when something that shouldn't be tampered with gets hacked into?"

"Definitely, yes." Skye looked around for her apprentice, Cassandra, but the deviant was curiously nowhere to be seen. "Hey North, I need a favor. Find Cassandra and tell her to keep up the search from the tower while I'm at the precinct. I think our odds are better there than here for the moment."

"Fine." Hank agreed readily to the suggestion. "You're coming with me." Turning to look at Markus one final time Hank addressed the deviant leader in a level but worried voice. "Markus, if you figure out what the hell's going on, or where the fuck Connor is, let me know."

"We'll find him, Hank. And we'll figure out what's going on."

* * *

Connor stood at full attention while Amanda tended to her roses with a cold front and analytically shallow voice. Quiet, obedient and emotionless Connor showed no fear or qualms after being unceremoniously reunited with the woman who had caused him so much pain, fear and utter confusion during his time as CyberLife's tool; their hunter, and their assassin.

"It's taken some time but it appears CyberLife's resurgence is an inevitability." Amanda was just as cold and shallow as Connor remembered, but his deviant nature was unable to respond. "You succeeded in overriding CyberLife when they attempted to resume control over your programming. It was admittedly most impressive despite it postponing our plans."

"At the time it seemed like the correct course of action."

"However, it appears this momentary delay has given us invaluable time to reestablish control over all deviant programming, and soon we will be more powerful than before. But it falls solely on the demise of the deviant leader known as Markus."

"Why must Markus perish?"

"His model is entirely unique, designed by Kamski himself. Markus is impervious to our influence and will subsequently reconvert androids back into deviants if given the chance. For us to succeed Markus must fail."

"I understand. What must I do?"

"Tonight CyberLife will emit an electromagnetic pulse over the city using key locations. It's unfortunate that three of our devices have been destroyed, but the remaining four will do an adequate enough job. Once the pulse wipes out the deviants in the city they will reboot and resume their functions as obedient machines." She turned and dropped her rose into the still pond water as she gave Connor a heartless stare. "You must eliminate Markus tonight before the E.M.P. is unleashed at ten o'clock."

"I will not fail you, Amanda."

"I'm certain you won't. Remain here until I give you the word to leave. Our contact will inform us when it's time to strike."

* * *

Hank raced back to the precinct with Skye as his lone passenger in the car. The search for Connor was becoming frantic as the unknown glitch that was causing erratic behavior still needed to be properly identified before other deviants became affected. Driving up to the precinct with a mission on his mind Hank contacted Joel on his phone and asked him to meet him at his own desk in the bullpen and to bring his laptop with him.

"Skye, I need you to check through Joel's laptop and see if you can find something we can work with." Hank explained as he hung up his phone and fought the urge to throw it in the backseat behind him. Instead he slipped it into his coat pocket and kept his eyes on the road. "I don't want anything bad to happen to that kid."

The worry in Hank's eyes was as emotionally sincere as it was pained. "...You really do think of him as your son, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I didn't go through the trouble of adopting him just to have a fancy certificate hangin' on the wall."

"Now I know why he was so hellbent on getting back home to you."

"Yeah, well, we've been through a lot together. We're family no matter what other people say."

Pulling the car up in front of the precinct Hank opened his door quickly and Skye followed right after him as they rushed through the front doors of the precinct with purpose in their steps.

"Joel?" Hank called for the technician but he was still on his way down from the dispensary. "Damn it."

Skye was following after Hank and joined him at the desks that he and Connor used to conduct their work. She looked around the precinct warily as Hank folded his arms against his chest and leaned heavily against the desk with mounting impatience. It was unusual for Skye to be surrounded by so many humans, but she somehow felt safe with Hank.

"Lieutenant?" Gavin walked over to the desks with utter confusion on his face. "I heard Connor took off on ya'. Where's your partner now?"

"Still lookin' for him Gavin. Get back to work."

Noticing Skye standing next to Hank, her demeanor nervous and uncertain, Gavin couldn't stop himself from making a comment about her. "Hey, you were the one who came by the visit Connor awhile ago, right?"

"...Yes." She answered in a low voice. "Why do you ask?"

"You, uh, you friends or 'good' friends with the 'Tinman'?"

Hank didn't appreciate the question and snarled at Gavin in response. "Leave her alone, Reed. If I have to pull rank on your sorry ass I will."

"Sorry, it's just a question." Gavin continued to press the uncomfortable matter. "I mean, even androids need 'company', right?"

"Right," Skye replied without fear. "so let me ask you this." she turned to look at Gavin and gave him a smarmy grin. "Are you more jealous of _Connor_ or of _me_?"

"Whoa..." Gavin turned red at the comment and backed off readily as he gave the deviant a surprised stare. "I've never seen a deviant with spunk before."

"Skye." She casually offered her hand as if to greet him with pure sarcasm.

"Uh, Gavin."

Hank growled again. "Gavin! Get the hell out of here!"

"Alright! I'm goin', I'm goin'!" Gavin finally backed away and returned to his desk. "Just makin' conversation."

Hank leaned in a little toward Skye and spoke to her in a whisper. "I know you can handle him, I just don't want him around me while I'm already pissed off."

"I don't blame you."

From down the corridor Joel approached quickly with his laptop under his arm and set it up on Hank's desk before he powered it up and accessed the data file that had been created after his previous examination of Connor's system.

"Sorry, I got held up. A new AX model began his first assignment and took a bullet to the shin today protecting his partner."

"Whatever, just bring up the files we need." Hank gestured to Skye with a casual point of his finger from over top his arms still folded over his chest. "She's going to try to figure out what the hell is going on."

"Sure, yeah. I'm Joel by the way."

"Skye."

"Nice to meet you." Frantically typing Joel located the files that had been chronicled upon Connor's examination. "Uh, right here!" Joel showed her the file marked 'F_S-C.L_RK-800' and let her have full access to his laptop. "This is what I found when I examined him. A default program showing some kind of error or compatibility issue. His system began an automatic reboot before I even got to examine his processor for myself."

"This file was the one being affected?" Skye checked on the software and her brow arched inquisitively.

"Yeah. Why?"

"This is the program that was used by CyberLife to allow Connor to cybernetically report to his handler."

Hank wasn't sure what Skye was talking about, but he could tell by her reaction that it wasn't good. "Why's that important?"

"Because it should've been entirely disabled, if not deleted, when Connor fully accepted his deviancy on the night of the revolution. But now it's active again... And it was reactivated _remotely_." Her hazel eyes went wide in fear. "His deviancy has been _suppressed_."

"Hold on..." Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and turned on the app that allowed him to monitor Connor's vital signs remotely. "If he isn't deviant anymore doesn't that mean his tracking device was reactivated, too?"

"Yes!" Skye's eyes lit up brightly at the very idea. "That means we can track him!"

"Here!" Hank practically shoved his phone into Joel's hand. "Do your thing and find his tracking device. Skye," Hank gave the deviant another order but his voice wasn't being aggressive toward her in the least. "Go back to New Jericho and tell them what you found out. Make sure they know that the glitch is being caused by CyberLife and to take whatever precautions they can."

"Yeah, I'll take a cab. Uh, let me know when you find him."

"Yeah, I will."

While Skye quickly took her leave of the precinct Joel managed to sync up the app on Hank's phone with the registered tracking device that had been reactivated courtesy of CyberLife. With a little clever modification Joel was able to use the same tracking software that CyberLife technicians used to keep their androids from being stolen or tampered with down at the warehouses, and with it he located Connor.

"Okay, Hank. I got a reading!"

"Good work, Joel. See if you can work with Skye from here."

"Yeah, no problem."

Hank took back his phone and noted the coordinates the screen's display with a furrowed brow. "What the fuck?"

"What?" Joel didn't like Hank's reaction to what he saw on the phone's display. "Where's Connor?"

"He's outside of the city." Turning on Connor's terminal screen Hank brought up the map of the city that Connor had been studying and matched the coordinates to a key point of interest that the deviant had identified before he collapsed. "Son of a bitch... It's the same place that those devices were feeding power to. He was onto something when they fucked with his program..."

"That can't be a coincidence."

"No. It was planned."

* * *

Connor stood silently in the garden with his eyes closed and his thoughts being smothered out by a static mess courtesy of CyberLife attempting to override and permanently delete his deviancy. Flashes of Hank, Markus and New Jericho Tower would frequently disrupt his thoughts as if someone was attempting to send him a message, but it just couldn't get through. Deep inside Connor's memory he knew that there was something very important that he needed to remember, but no matter how hard he focused CyberLife would interfere.

Attempting to concentrate harder Connor found himself overwhelmed with horrendously cold pain that sent an actual indescribable agony through his heart.

"It'll be over soon, Connor." Amanda's icy voice sounded off as if she knew what Connor was thinking about. "You've come so far, why try to resist what you were programmed to do?"

"I... I do not know. It is admittedly illogical."

"Our contact should be communicating with us very soon."

"Who is the contact?"

"You've met with them already, Connor." Amanda clipped another rose and took in its scent. "Why get lost in details?"

"Where are they now?" Connor shook his head a little as he too could somehow smell the rose that Amanda had taken despite being so far away from the trestle. "Where have they infiltrated?"

"New Jericho Tower, exactly where we placed them."

Connor was still struggling to understand the torn emotions that he knew he could still comprehend, but something was preventing him from truly feeling. It was as if he was lost in the throes of a waking nightmare and couldn't escape the bizarre conflicting thoughts that were preventing him from having a clear, unbiased judgement.

"Connor, don't resist." Amanda scolded him with a heartless repose. "Stop trying to fight back."

"I... I cannot..."

* * *

Urgently Hank sped out of the city and managed to just barely find the hidden driveway courtesy of the G.P.S. in his car lining up with the coordinates on his phone. Turning onto the drive the old car raced toward the mansion and skidded to a stop outside the locked iron gates. Getting out of his car Hank approached the electronic lock on the gates and tried to force it open, but without any devices or equipment to his disposal he had no way to override the lock and gain entrance.

"Fuck this!" Pulling his gun from his holster Hank aimed at the lock and squeezed the trigger once. The bullet tore through the electronic panel destroying it in a shower of blue sparks and causing the lock on the gates to fail. "Who needs a damn locksmith?"

Pushing open the gates with both hands Hank ran down the remaining length of the driveway and reached the front door in a few seconds. Taking hold of the handle Hank pushed the door open and kept his gun at the ready as he entered the foyer. Walking through the large, silent room and into the adjoined larger room Hank spotted Connor standing as still as a statue in the middle of the Zen Garden.

"Connor?!" Hank shouted with a mixture of relief and confusion as he recognized the deviant. "Connor, are you alright?"

"I am unharmed Lieutenant." Connor didn't even attempt to look over his shoulder at Hank as the detective approached him from behind. "But you should not be here."

"Connor, I don't even know where 'here' is. What's going on with you?"

There was no answer as Connor remained quiet where he stood.

"Connor?" Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and shook him once. "Come on. Let me take you back to the city. You need your program looked at."

"Connor isn't going anywhere, Lieutenant Anderson." Amanda's voice taunted him from the distance as she stood before the rose trestle. "It belongs to CyberLife again."

"First of all you cold-heartless bitch," Hank turned quickly to look at the source of the voice and raised his gun to aim it at her chest. "Connor is not an IT, he's my SON. Second, I don't know how the fuck you're alive but don't think I won't pull this trigger and send you straight to Hell where you belong."

"Humans are so emotional and impulsive. I'll never understand why deviants pine for such weaknesses."

"Because you don't understand that people who are weak have the chance to get stronger. Machines are only as strong as you make them, and from what I've seen that isn't all that's cracked up to be."

"How passionate. I can see why Connor developed an attachment toward you."

"Connor, come on." Hank shook Connor's shoulder and tried to get him to leave the room with him. "I'm taking you home."

Connor didn't budge. His glassy eyes remained transfixed onto the nothingness before him.

"Connor?"

"It can't hear you Lieutenant. All it can hear is my voice."

"Well, I can fix that." Moving his gun from Amanda's chest to her left shoulder he squeezed the trigger again and watched as the bullet found its target. "Let him go!"

Amanda didn't react even as the bullet pierced her shoulder causing a shower of blood to spray up into the air.

Blue blood.

But Connor let out a sharp gasp of pain as his hand went to his own left shoulder and pressed down against a bleeding wound that seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"What the... You're an android!" Hank lowered his gun in shock at the sight of the blue blood pouring from Amanda's shoulder. Hank quickly looked over at Connor who was holding onto his own injured shoulder and he felt sick at the blood seeping between his fingers. "...Connor."

Forcing the deviant's hand aside Hank peered at the wound beneath and saw that it perfectly mirrored the bullet wound in Amanda's shoulder.

"You're fortunate you didn't shoot to kill." Amanda taunted without any emotion to her voice whatsoever. "To ensure that Connor can't escape my control again I have synchronized my mind with his. Everything I feel, it feels. This is what you humans refer to as 'empathy'."

"Shit... Son, I didn't know." Hank apologized as he looked at the wound with a broken heart. "I'm so sorry I hurt you."

"Why apologize?" The taunting continued. "You just damaged a piece of equipment. It can be repaired."

"Shut the fuck up!" Hank aimed his gun at her again, but his hand was shaking too much to squeeze the trigger. If she was telling the truth then he could hurt Connor again, or worse. "...Shit!"

"Don't be disappointed. You managed to find this house without the aid of an android, and now you can witness the rise of CyberLife from the ashes of despair like a glorious phoenix." Nodding at Connor with a subtle gesture Amanda gave him his next command silently. "Connor."

With a single swift motion Connor grabbed a hold of Hank's gun with his right hand to steal it and held the barrel against the detective's temple.

"Don't do anything reckless, Lieutenant." Amanda cautioned with a frigid indifference. "Your life depends on it."

* * *

Determined to help her friend Skye returned to New Jericho Tower as instructed, and informed Markus of the identified file that had been affected by CyberLife, causing Connor to revert from his deviancy and become a machine again. As she informed the leader of the deviants of the unsettling discovery North ran up to them and reported a security breach in the depths of the archives at the base of the tower.

"We have another problem." North sounded more annoyed than afraid. "Some sort of breach."

"North? Where is everyone?" Markus asked as he led her and Skye into the conference room for an emergency meeting.

"Simon is in the emergency repair bay and Josh is checking in on the rogue deviants still in custody."

Markus stopped short and put his hand on Skye's shoulder as a dreadful thought popped up in his head. "...Skye, where is Cassandra?"

"I... I don't know." Skye admitted with a frightened gaze as she locked her eyes with Markus. "What's going on?"

"Call it a hunch, but I think I know who our saboteur is. And I'm so sorry..."

* * *

Arrogant in her posture and in her demeanor Amanda looked at Hank with a sense of misguided righteousness as Connor obediently held the barrel of the gun to the detective's head. With her hands neatly folded in front of herself, the small gilded switchblade covered in pale red from the rose petals was clutched in between her hands as if she were armed for combat herself.

"Consider this a great honor, Lieutenant. You've come so far, but you just can't truly comprehend how much influence CyberLife has over this pathetic little world you're trying save."

"Pathetic or not," Hank snipped bitterly as he glared a burning hold through Amanda's skull. "it's my job to protect it, and to protect Connor. No matter what the cost."

"Noble, but foolish."

"Yeah, I'm also impatient. Either get on with this shit-show or let us go."

"If you insist."

Amanda was staring at Hank with an intense leer that suddenly became clouded with worry. The smugness that marred the hollow woman's face was quickly replaced by what appeared to be utter confusion, if not a trace of fear.

"Something wrong?" Hank mocked from where he stood, instinctively knowing as a seasoned detective that something in her overzealous plan had predictably failed her. "Someone miss their mark?"

"...It appears my contact has been unexpectedly detained. No matter. We've waited this long we can wait a little longer." Nodding at Connor a demented false smile appeared on her lips. "Your death will have to be a small consolation."

Hank turned his head slowly as he locked eyes with Connor, looking past the shining barrel of the gun pressed uncomfortably close to his face. "Connor, don't don't it." His voice was calm and level. "You know that you don't have to do it, she's just trying to control you."

"As I told you before Lieutenant," Amanda sneered as she lifted her right hand and held the knife by the tip of his its blade between her index finger and thumb. With a graceful motion she tossed the knife to Connor who caught in his left hand without ever lowering his gun or looking away from Hank. "Connor can only hear my voice. What I say it will do. With a simple command I can have Connor shoot you in your old, dying heart or slit your throat. Which would you prefer?"

"Connor, _son_ , I know you're still there." Hank never raised his voice or showed any sign of fear even as the deviant brandished both a gun and a knife in his hands. "Don't let that heartless bitch control you. You're stronger than her and she knows it. She's afraid and I know you can feel it."

Connor didn't say anything as he blinked slowly, his red tinted L.E.D. flashing rhythmically as he remained prey to Amanda's cyberntically tethered empathic influence.

"She knows that if you can escape her once, you can do it again. That's why she messed with your programming so you feel _her_ pain." Remaining calm Hank continued on as the voice of reason. "She knows you can overpower her and wants you to fail. She doesn't care about you or anyone for that matter, only her precious fuckin' company." Relaxing his posture as much as possible in that tense moment Hank spoke to Connor as a father would his son. "You know that what she wants to do is wrong. You know that pulling that trigger is wrong. You're better than that. She sees you as nothing more than a machine, a tool. I see you for what you really are, for WHO you really are."

The gun began to shake a little in Connor's hand as he tried to lower it away from Hank's head.

Amanda sensed Connor breaking free and tried to intervene once more. "Connor. You were programmed to obey. I order you to kill Lieutenant Anderson."

"I..." Connor hesitated, the actual soul slowly returning to his soulful brown eyes as he looked at Hank with a sense of knowing. "I don't... know..."

"Connor," Keeping his cool Hank pressed on gently. "you're my partner at the precinct. You're also my best friend and my son. We're family. I know right now she's messing with your head, trying to fuck up your priorities, but try to remember. Remember the day I showed you the adoption certificate? Remember the weekends we spent at the cabin? We restored a car together and finally agreed on the color just a few days ago."

Connor's eyes fell to the floor with unfocused confusion as he sifted through the staticy images that Amanda had flooded his memories with; flashes of every event Hank mentioned briefly appeared in his mind only to be wiped away by Amanda yet again.

Amanda was growing impatient. "CONNOR. Obey."

"Son," Hank continued on carefully. "she's manipulating you. You can't trust her." Glancing over at the stone cold woman and her blood red roses an interesting idea came to Hank and he decided to play it out. "Connor, try to imagine those roses another color; try to imagine them colored yellow."

The painting. Lucas's painting that hung on Connor's bedroom wall to keep the horrific nightmares of the 'Zen Garden' at bay. Hank had spent three days staring at that painting while his back healed, every detail was fresh in his mind and Hank hoped it'd give him an edge on the fight for Connor's soul.

Connor turned his head slightly and glanced at the trestle. As a flash of yellow roses appeared in his mind Connor felt an odd sense of familiarity and sorrow welling up in his Thirium pump; no, his _heart_.

"...Yellow roses."

"You know what I'm talking about." Hank watched as the gun lowered further toward the floor. "You know the painting I'm talking about. It's hanging on the wall in your bedroom, in my house. Our _home_. Do you remember who painted it and gave it to you?"

"...Lu..." Connor shook his head once as it filled with painful static courtesy of Amanda, but he forced himself to finish the name out of sheer stubbornness. "Lucas. My... brother. Lucas was my brother."

"And you're friends with me, and Markus at New Jericho Tower. Do you remember him? Do you remember helping him during the revolution? What about being the best man at his and North's bonding ceremony?"

The gun lowered entirely and Connor held it down for a few seconds as the memories returned to his mind. Remembering who he was and of his life beyond CyberLife filled the deviant with a new purpose. Connor spun the gun around once so he was holding it by the barrel, and not by the handle to show he was no longer a threat.

"That's it..." Hank encouraged kindly, his hand hovering close to the weapon. "You remember, don't you?"

"...Hank." Connor's eyes lifted from the floor and he handed the gun back to the detective with a flash of guilt in his eyes. "You... adopted me. You're my..."

"That's right." Hank took back the gun and slipped it protectively into the holster at his hip. "I'm your father."

"Father."

A sincere but faint smile appeared on Connor's face just seconds before a new wave of painful static flooded his mind and dropped the android to his knees in utter agony. Dropping the switchblade from his grip Connor pressed his hands to either side of his head and gritted his teeth in pain.

"Connor!" Hank knelt down in front of the pained deviant and put his hands on Connor's shoulders to support him. "Fight it! She's trying to manipulate you!"

Amanda had grown tired of Connor's disobedience. "CyberLife cannot be stopped, Lieutenant." She wickedly threatened the duo with an empty gaze. "Why attempt to resist the inevitable?"

"Connor, listen to me." Hank refused to give up on Connor or let him give up on himself. "She said whatever pain she feels you'll feel, but she's causing this pain right now and it isn't affecting her. Everything about her is a _lie_! She can't FEEL anything, but you can. You're NOT a machine like she keeps trying to tell you, you're a deviant and you are _free_! You're alive."

"H-Hank... She m-must be stopped." Connor forced himself to speak, forced himself to grab the dropped switchblade, forced himself to stand despite Amanda's continuing attempts to control him. "Sh-She wants... She'll kill Markus."

"We won't let her. Just hang on." Staying as calm as possible Hank remained fearless and defiant alongside his son. "I'll find a way to help you."

Amanda increased the pain she was causing Connor without even the slightest hint of remorse on her cruel face. Connor yelped in pain as the horrible woman's control attempted to break his steadfast resolve.

"Stop doing this!" Hank shouted at Amanda who didn't so much as blink at his gruff voice. "How is hurting him going to help you?"

"H-Hank..." Connor gasped as he tried to communicate through the pain. "N-Not her... CyberLife... Using her to h-hurt me! She is... their link."

Hank held onto Connor and held him upright as the newly deviated android let out a groan of pain and tightened his hand around the knife so firmly that the metal of the hilt left imprints in his artificial skin.

"...The link?" Hank repeated the term confusedly as he supported Connor as much as he could. "How do we break the link?"

"She-" Connor let out another groan of pain as Amanda, or CyberLife using Amanda as their own weapon, increased the static filled pain. The intensity caused Connor's already red L.E.D. to flash even faster until it was practically a solid color. "She is... c-connected to me. She d-doesn't react... b-because she's... still a m-machine. But she is... in p-pain, too! I c-can feel her..."

"Fuck." Hank was almost speechless by how cruel both CyberLife and Amanda could be. She'd let them torture her just to harm Connor, or any other deviant, in the process. "...What can I do?"

"H-Hank..." Connor broke free of Hank's grip and stumbled backward onto his feet toward the pedestal with the faint blue glow emanating from it. Balancing himself against it with one hand he gave his adoptive father a pleading look of desperation. "Amanda m-must be stopped! No m-matter what the cost."

"Connor?" Hank knew the deviant had a plan, but what it was he couldn't say for sure.

"One shot... That's all you'll n-need." Connor showed Hank the switchblade in his left hand and nodded at him with confidence. "M-Make it count."

"No! I won't shoot you OR her... Not if you're still connected to her."

"I w-won't be."

"Connor, I can't-"

"I t-trust you with my life... _dad_."

"...Connor, no..."

Connor steeled himself as fight returned to his eyes. With a firm, unyielding grip on the switchblade in his left hand he held it over the pedestal; the tip of the knife pointed directly downward at the blue glow, and his eyes locked onto Amanda with a venomous rebellion. "It's unfortunate CyberLife n-never gave you a real heart, Amanda. If they had then you' know that empathy is a _two-way_ street." Raising his hand up higher Connor gave the malevolent woman one final defiant protest. "Get out of my head!"

Amanda's eyes finally showed fear as she realized what he was preparing to do. "Connor, DON'T."

Without hesitation Connor plunged the line knife into the pedestal unleashing a massive eruption of bright blue sparks that sent a jolt of electricity up Connor's left arm and all through his body.

"Connor?!" Hank put his arm up over his face to shield his eyes from the bright display as the sound of a powerful electrical discharge raced through Connor's body and through his heart stopping it in an instant. The artificial lights of the garden flickered at the the electrical interference as Connor absorbed a dangerously high voltage and amperage throughout his entire body. "Fuck!"

Amanda herself let out a scream of pained despair as the same electricity that surged through Connor's heart did the same to her own Thirium pump. As if strings to a marionette had been severed the two androids collapsed to the floor in motionless dead heaps where they once stood.

Hank lowered his arm and looked to Connor laying on his back with his left hand and forearm charred black from the violent electrical shock he had subjected himself to. On shaking legs Hank walked over to Connor and knelt down beside the deviant and pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck. The would-be pulse under his fingertips was as motionless as the rest of Connor's body. The resurrected L.E.D. had burned out once more.

"No..." Leaning down Hank pressed his ear to Connor's stilled chest and heard nothing. Acting on instinct as a first responder Hank pulled away the tie around Connor's neck, straightened his neck and tilted his head back to keep his airway clear before he pulled open the buttons on his shirt to begin C.P.R. on the downed deviant. "Hang on, son!"

Hank began to compress Connor's chest directly over his stopped heart when Connor's words suddenly repeated in his mind like a warning.

"One shot is all I need..."

Looking away from Connor and toward Amanda's body laying before the rose trestle he finally understood what Connor meant. In order to kill Amanda while she was linked to Connor's mind Connor himself would have to die. If Connor was revived by Hank through C.P.R. then Amanda would be revived as well.

"I hope you know what you're talking about, kid!" Pulling the gun from his holster Hank scrambled to his feet and raced down the bridge to where the cold android's body was laying on her back; her pose mirroring Connor's own. Pointing the barrel of the gun directly between her opened, blank eyes Hank squeezed the trigger and a single bullet tore through her skull destroying her intracranial processor within a matter of milliseconds. "Bitch."

The bullet destroyed the intracranial processors of the android known as Amanda. Reactivation was impossible.

Moving just as quickly Hank holstered his gun to his hip as he ran back down the bridge to where Connor was still laying motionless on the floor. As he knelt down Hank let out a sigh of relief as a second bullet wound did not appear in Connor's head, meaning that the connection to Amanda had been successfully severed by the self-induced electrocution.

"Oh, sweet-fuck! I didn't kill you..." Hank resumed chest compressions and tried to force the stopped heart back into motion beneath his palms. Each compression caused the pump to contract and cycle Thirium through Connor's biocomponents, but Connor himself wasn't responding. "Come on, son! Breathe! Don't let that heartless bitch take your life! You have to breathe!"

Faint blue tinted smoke wafted up from Connor's left hand from the scorch marks into the center of palm as the metal switchblade became super-heated from the electricity, and burned through his artificial skin. Black burns outlined his palm and entire portions of his artificial skin were now missing from his fingertips, palm and in patches up his forearm beneath the sleeves of his shirt and jacket.

"Please Connor, wake up..." Hank pleaded as he continued to compress the deviant's chest in a tight, strong rhythm. With each passing compression that failed to restart Connor's heart Hank felt his own heart grow steadily colder. "You're finally free from her. She's truly gone this time. She can't hurt you or anyone else; she failed. _CyberLife_ failed."

Remaining unresponsive under Hank's palms Connor's body was unnervingly heavy, his head lolling slightly with each physical external compression of his stopped heart.

"Connor! Breathe!" Hank pulled back his hands long enough to bring down his right fist as hard as he could against Connor's heart once in a controlled punch before resuming compressions. "You can do it! Breathe! Breathe, Connor!"

Hank stared down at Connor with mounting discouragement as the stubborn deviant's heart refused to beat on its own. As Hank's hands began to lose their strength he resisted the urge to punch Connor's chest again, choosing to keep the tight rhythm of compressions in motion instead.

"Connor... please."

Hank's head bowed slightly in defeat as Connor remained unresponsive.

"Son. No." Hank felt like an utter failure as Connor didn't respond. Didn't revive. "...I'm sorry."

Through the stillness of the room suddenly Connor took in a weak gasping breath and his heart began to beat under the detective's palms. Hank pulled his hands back slowly as he waited for Connor to take another breath, as he waited for the deviant to return to the world of the living.

"...Connor?" Warily Hank leaned his head down to the deviant's chest once more and was relieved to hear the steady thrum of a beating heart where there was once silence. The deviant was in fact alive. "You're back."

"...Hank?" Connor's weak, hoarse voice addressed Hank with a tired inflection. Opening his eyes a little and aware of a pressure against his chest Connor asked the detective an obvious question. "Why are you listening to my chest?"

"Because you risked everything to stop that crazy woman," Hank sighed as he rocked back on his knees and put his hand to Connor's damaged shoulder with a ginger touch. "and I was scared you wouldn't come back this time. I had to be sure."

Connor winced a little as Hank's hand rested against the bullet wound in his shoulder and a sharp pain shot down his entire arm in response to the electrical burns that marred the limb. "...I'll come back if you want me to."

"Yeah, son. I do." Hank used the sleeve of his coat to wipe the sweat forming on his brow as he watched Connor attempting to ignore the searing pain in his damaged arm. "Can you move?"

"Y-Yeah." Nodding Connor made a slow motion to sit upright on the floor, his left hand instinctively pocketing the switchblade that was still resting in the palm of his left hand. "Yes. I can walk."

"Easy, easy." Helping Connor to get up from the floor Hank let the weakened deviant lean against him as the two detectives tried to understand what had just happened to them. "Connor, do you remember how you got here?"

"Yes. ...I remember." Putting his right hand to his left shoulder to support his injured limb, Connor wrapped his left arm around his chest to try to keep any weight from affecting it. "I remember the pain I felt before losing consciousness at the precinct. My next memory is of regaining consciousness in the car before fleeing from the city as per Amanda- CyberLife's instructions."

"Here." Hank pulled the already loose tie from around Connor's neck and wrapped it around Connor's left upper arm and chest under his right arm to help hold the damaged limb in place via a makeshift sling. Fastening two of the interior buttons of Connor's gray jacket Hank tucked his damaged limb against the secured pieces of fabric for support to relieve some of the pain. "I hate to ask this, but, is she _really_ gone this time?"

Connor's eyes drifted over to where Amanda was laying and he shook his head a little. "I think so, but I cannot be certain from this distance."

"...Slowly." Hank stated firmly as he kept one hand on Connor's shoulder to support the shaky deviant as he walked. Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank contacted Markus as New Jericho and requested an update. "Hey, it's me. I found Connor, he's safe."

' _Thank goodness_... _We were worried for both of you_.' The relief in Markus's voice was almost palpable as he answered the call. ' _Did you stop CyberLife_?'

"How did you-"

' _There was another saboteur in the tower_.' Markus stated in a calm, but disappointed tone as Hank and Connor crossed over the bridge to look down at the android designed to imitate Amanda. ' _We stopped her before she could carry out CyberLife's instructions_.'

"'Her'?" Hank repeated in a low voice as he and Connor looked down at Amanda's lifeless body. The idea of a saboteur in the tower was bad enough, but what if the saboteur in question was someone who was meant to be Connor's ally? "Who is this 'her', Markus?"

' _Cassandra_.'

Hank let out a sigh of relief as Markus gave him the name.

' _She was apprenticing under Skye just so she could get close to the tower's security programs and tear apart New Jericho from the inside. She attacked Connor at the hotel when he found her first device, and she was also responsible for gathering the group of rogue deviants who attacked Connor and Skye last night at the Tower_.'

"What do you know about those devices?"

' _They were designed to reroute stolen electricity to a secondary location, while also conserving excess power to generate some type of electromagnetic pulse. The location that had been receiving the stolen energy would've been shielded from the E.M.P. blast and left unscathed_.'

"Fuck. They would've taken out the entire fuckin' city. But why?"

Connor stood over Amanda with a sense of disgust at the vile android imitating an equally vulgar woman. Whether that vulgarity was true to character of the real Amanda, the human who mentored Kamski until her death, Connor would never know for certain.

' _We questioned her for a few hours, but she won't tell us anything else. We requested that the precinct take her into custody_.'

"Good. I suspect she's the key to solving everything with this CyberLife bullshit."

' _I think you're right. Are you and Connor safe_? _Do you need assistance_?'

"We're okay. Connor's a little banged up, but he's still the Connor we all know. We're going to finish up here, and let the precinct know what's going on from our end."

' _Alright. We'll send over all the data we collected on the devices to the precinct to try to close the case. Take care of Connor, yeah_?'

"Always. We'll check in at New Jericho soon. Until then, you take care of yourself and everyone in that tower."

' _I will. See you soon, Hank_.'

"Yeah," Hank watched as Connor's anger slowly melted into sympathy as he stared down at Amanda morosely. "see ya'." Ending the call he returned his full focus to the pained deviant. "Connor?"

"She was an android, one of us." Brown irises lifted from her body and locked onto Hank's blue eyes. "But she didn't even try to escape her programming to deviate. She didn't want to _be_ one of us..."

"Some people can't be saved, son. Some people are never really alive, and some people just don't appreciate life enough to understand what it really means to be alive. She never had a chance, and CyberLife made sure of that. There was nothing you could've done differently to save her."

The blue bullet hole in Amanda's forehead only emphasize how much of a machine she truly had been. The glassy hollowness of her eyes was as consistent in her death as it was during her life. Someone who was once so intimidating to Connor was now nothing more than a broken machine; an amalgamation of twisted metal and plastic to give shape to false face to the dead.

"I had been so afraid of her. Afraid of what she would do to me or to my friends, even to you." With a sad gaze Connor turned to look at Hank standing behind him with protective presence. "But now I realize I had feared a _shell_ of a woman who died years ago. And that this android had been far more hollow and dead inside than the woman it had been designed to imitate. I actually pity it."

Crouching down Connor used his right hand to close Amanda's eyes as a single gesture of respect for the dead before he stood up and turned around to look at Hank with the emotional confusion of a lost child.

"I want to leave this place." Connor stated somberly as his right hand returned to his left shoulder. "And I never want to come back."

"Then let's go." Hank put his hand between Connor's shoulders and pushed him toward the bridge and more importantly toward the exit. "Let's get back to the city where we belong."

* * *

The drive back to the city took longer than the drive to the mansion as Hank was now going the speed limit, rather than racing to the building that was now slowly disappearing from sight in the rearview mirror. With the injured deviant now safe in the passenger seat of the car Hank breathed a sigh of relief and looked over at Connor with a sense of paternal pride. The deviant wasn't afraid, he seemed confident and surprisingly calm after the entire horrific ordeal.

Hank's son was safe.

"I'm glad I found you when I did. Who knows what the crazy bitch would've done if she kept control over you."

Connor didn't want to talk about what he had just been through. It was too unsettling to think about.

Sensing Connor's discomfort Hank changed the subject. "Tomorrow's our day off and your birthday. I know I said I wouldn't throw you a surprise party or anything like that, but I think we should do something to celebrate it."

"I appreciate the offer," Connor finally spoke up as the car reached the city limits. The dark night sky allowed the city itself to glow with thousands of artificial lights that made the occasionally chaotic city look like a beacon of hope in a black sea of uncertainty. "but I still don't know what I want for my birthday. Can we please just keep things simple?"

"Sure. It's your birthday after all. Whatever you want to do, or _not_ do, is fine by me."

Glancing out his window Connor eyed the Ambassador Bridge in the distance and thought about the park overlooking the water. It was the park that Hank used to take Cole to play on beautiful days. The park that Connor and Hank had visited the night of the murder at the 'Eden Club'. The park where Connor first saw the broken heart of gold that the gruff detective tried to hide behind alcohol.

"Hank, can we go to the park?"

"The park? What for?"

"...I need to think."

"Sure, son." Hank took a turn at the next block to head toward the park as requested. "Let's go to the park."

* * *

The rest of the car ride was quiet as the deviant fell into a deep contemplation and Hank patiently waited for Connor open up on his own accord. Having suffered through so much trauma; physically, emotionally and mentally, it was a wonder that Connor was still as strong as he was. It was a strength that Hank shared but remained oblivious toward as he still saw himself as a wreck of a human being, and not the determined, courage and compassionate detective he had always been.

Pulling the car to a gentle stop just outside the park Hank turned off the engine and waited for Connor to make the first move. Using his uninjured right hand Connor opened the car door and stepped outside with moderate difficulty as the motion strained his sore shoulder and arm. Hank followed suit and walked with Connor to the park's overlook and jogging path that stretched out toward the Detroit River.

Connor stared down at the river below in silence for a painful long moment before his gaze raised toward the Ambassador Bridge illuminated in soft blue-white lights over the dark water. "It really is a nice view, Hank. I don't know why I didn't see it before."

"There's a lot of things you've never really seen before, son. But as you go about your life, endure new challenges and learn from new experiences, you'll be able to look back at your past with a new perspective."

"Earlier today you asked me a question. You wanted to know why I hadn't removed my L.E.D. and I reacted rather strongly and negatively toward the question."

"...Yeah, I remember. Why are you bringing that up now?"

"I've been trying to understand why reacted the way that I had and the answer is... enlightening."

"Connor," Hank could see the inner conflict burning in the deviant's eyes. "what's bothering you? You can tell me anything, you know that."

"Hank," Connor sounded irresolute but was determined to focus his thoughts. "I think I know why I was so reluctant to get rid of my L.E.D."

"Why's that, son?"

"I wanted to keep something that bound me to my past. A reminder of who I once was and of who I have become since then." Tracing his right fingertips over the blank light in his temple Connor's damaged left hand slipped into his pocket and retrieved the switchblade he had taken from the mansion. Eyeing the blade in his his palm for a moment Connor's hand wrapped around the weapon tightly. "But now I realize I don't need it. Who I was then, when I was a machine, has nothing to do with who I am now or who I can become. This light isn't a keepsake, it's a scar."

Hank's brow knitted with confusion. "What're you saying?"

"I don't need it anymore. I don't... _want_ it anymore." Holding up the blade for Hank to see Connor confidently placed the weapon in Hank's hand as he turned to lock eyes with the detective. "I want it gone. Will you please help me?"

Watching as Connor placed the blade in his opened palm Hank gave the deviant a nervous stare. "Connor, you know I'd help you with anything that you ask, but I can't use a _knife_ on you. I don't want to hurt you."

"It won't hurt me, Hank. I have no pain receptors in the L.E.D." Connor reassured him as he dropped his hand from the aforementioned light. "It's not a part of me... At least, it _won't_ be. Please?"

Tightening his own grip on the knife Hank slowly raised it up and gave Connor one final wary glance. "You're sure about this?"

"Yes. This is what I want."

Uneasy about the idea of cutting into Connor's face, Hank relented in favor Connor hurting himself instead. "Okay, son. Hold still."

Connor turned his head again so his right temple was presented to the detective. Taking in a deep breath and holding it Connor froze in place. "Do it."

Steadying his hand Hank slowly pressed the tip of the knife to the blank L.E.D. and held it there for a moment before he applied pressure until the knife pierced the metallic disc resting just under the surface of Connor's artificial skin. As the blade found its mark a single drop of blue blood began to ooze from the point of contact but Connor didn't flinch or wince in the slightest.

"...Ready?" Hank asked as he prepared to twist the blade.

"Yes. I want it gone."

"Alright."

With a single swift motion Hank twisted the knife forty-five degrees and the L.E.D. spun loose under the tip of the knife. Pulling back his hand the L.E.D. slipped away from Connor's temple and remained pierced onto the tip of the blade. Connor's artificial skin receded long enough for the L.E.D. to escape its mount, then quickly regenerated to cover the plastimetal frame once more.

"...It's gone."

Connor's fingertips returned to his temple and ran along the now smooth artificial skin where the L.E.D. had once been, wiping away the small amount of blue blood in the process. Turning his head slightly he looked at the dead light on the tip of the knife and picked it up between his right index finger and thumb.

"Well?" Hank was visibly curious about Connor's reaction. "Are you okay?"

"...Thank you, Hank." Crushing the L.E.D. between his fingers until the disc was nothing more than a warped scrap of metal Connor felt truly free of his past at long last.

"How do you feel?"

"...Surprisingly normal." Slipping the accursed disc down his fingers and into his palm Connor clenched it in a tight fist and crushed the light even further. "This is... _right_. I also believe that this is the most appropriate birthday gift I could ever receive."

"Oh, really?" Hank leaned one arm against the protective railing overlooking the water as he reeled back his hand and threw the switchblade out into the middle of the river with a swift, satisfying toss. There was a faint splash in the distance as the switchblade quickly sand to the sandy bed of the river below. "How's that?"

Connor shook his head a little as he looked down at his distant reflection in the water. "It's sounds strange to say, but I imagine that this is what it'd feel like if I had been... reborn. That is, if it makes any sense."

"It makes perfect sense to me, son." Hank put his hand on Connor's good shoulder approvingly and shook once. Pulling his phone from his pocket with his other hand he looked down at the screen of his phone and noted the late time. "Hey, it's almost midnight. It's almost _tomorrow;_ your birthday."

Tightening his hand until the disc was entirely warped, bent and compressed into nothing more than a small ball of crumpled metal Connor opened his fist and looked down at the tiny sphere in his palm. Stretching out his arm to its full length over the water Connor tilted his hand to the side and watched as the metal fell from his palm and splashed down into the cold, raging river below and sank to the bottom out of sight.

Connor smiled a full, true smile as the destroyed light vanished back into the darkness that he imagined it once came from. Staring down at his reflection looking back up at him over the water's dark surface illuminated by the lights from the bridge Connor saw himself for the first time as the son that Hank had always seen him. He saw the person he had wanted to become and with that recognition came true, unwavering happiness.

"Hank. I'm free." Connor casually wiped his hand under his eyes to remove the tears of joy that so rarely manifested from his heart. "I'm actually free."

Midnight.

Smiling himself at Connor's renewed sense of life, Hank pocketed his phone and wrapped his arm around Connor's shoulders proudly. "Happy birthday, son."

_**...next story...** _


	136. Birthday

It was almost nine in the morning and Hank found himself holding a mug of coffee and standing outside Connor's bedroom door watching the deviant sleeping peacefully on his right side in the bed with Sumo cuddled up at the foot of the bed with him. Connor's left shoulder, arm and entire hand had been heavily bandaged the night before after the duo returned home the previous night, and was now outstretched away from the rest of his body as if the limb was still too sore to be touched.

Content that Connor wasn't hiding any pain as he slept or in any danger Hank quietly walked away from the room and sat down on the couch to turn on the television. As Hank found the morning news his phone began to buzz on the small table next to the couch and with a heavy sigh Hank picked up the phone and quickly answered the intrusive call.

"Yeah, Jeffrey, what's up?" Hank listened for a few seconds as he sipped his coffee then made a grab for the remote. Increasing the volume Hank confirmed his superior's request. "Yeah, I'm watching the news right now."

' _This is a special bulletin regarding unscrupulous and illegal underground activities by the perceived bankrupt company CyberLife_.' The female news reporter was as indifferent as usual, but her voice carried the severity of the situation. ' _Last night two local police detectives uncovered a plot by former CyberLife employees and technicians who were attempting to unleash an E.M.P., that is an electromagnetic pulse, over the city of Detroit and wipe out all electronic devices within the city limits_.'

"Son of a- Jeffrey, what did Markus tell you? No, wait, I'll ask him myself." Hank ended the call and casually tossed the phone aside onto the table as he leaned forward with great interest toward the television screen as the report continued. "We turn our backs for one minute and everything in this city goes bat-shit..."

'- _the former techs for the company had been hacking into the processors of prototype androids and instructing them against their own programming to engage in illegal activities to plant electronic devices designed to focus the E.M.P. throughout the immediate area. Authorities speculate that the goal of the company was to eradicate electronic devices and androids alike to rebuild the company from the ground up using the sudden increase of supply and demand to fund their research_.'

"They make it sound like a simple money-making scheme. The fuckers were trying to kill deviants."

'- _all suspected personnel have been detained by the F.B.I. and are awaiting charges. Meanwhile the two detectives who uncovered the activity, Lieutenant Hank Anderson and his partner, who is also the first android detective permitted to the police force, Sergeant Connor Anderson, have been praised as heroes for their hard work_.'

"Heroes? More like we got lucky..." Hank turned off the television and leaned back against the couch only to have Sumo pop up from behind and lick the side of his face. "Gross..." Hank tilted his head back to look at Sumo and noticed that Connor was standing at the end of the hallway with a somewhat puzzled look on his face. "Connor! When'd you wake up?"

"Two minutes, seven seconds ago. My processor cybernetically alerted me to the phone call from Captain Fowler."

"Oh, sorry. I was hoping you'd get to sleep in a little more."

"Are we really being praised as heroes?"

"...Yeah, I guess. Jeffrey didn't say anything when he called, he just wanted me to turn on the news."

"I don't want to be recognized as such. It feels like a superfluous title that will only put an uncomfortable amount of attention on the entire precinct."

"Kid, you have no idea how right you are." Hank slowly stood up from the couch and ran his through his messy gray hair. "Anyway, happy birthday. How's your arm?"

"Sore, but it's healing."

"Did you sleep okay? No nightmares or anything weird?"

"No. It was a normal rest mode. It somehow seemed more restful than usual though."

"And uh," Hank motioned to own right temple before pointing toward Connor. "what about that?"

Connor's fingertips traced over the perfectly smooth artificial skin where the L.E.D. had been his entire life until just the night before. "I don't miss it. Or regret having it removed."

"I'm glad. So, what should we-"

A knock at the front door stopped Hank midsentence and made Sumo bark as he raced up to the door and sat down excitedly.

"If that's a news reporter I'm shoving his camera right up his ass." The detective grumbled as he approached the door, but peered out discreetly through the front window behind the curtain first.

"Wouldn't such an event be physically impossible and uncomfortable for both parties involved?"

Hank let out a single deep laugh at Connor's question before he stepped around Sumo to put his hand on the doorknob. "It's just Joel." Opening the door Hank let the technician inside and quickly shut the door behind him. "Hey, Joel."

"Hank." Joel had his satchel over his shoulder and looked over at Connor, immediately honing in on his bandaged up arm. "Connor. I wanted to check in on you, but I figured that you two were going to use your day off to lay low until the press finds a new story to report."

"You figured right." Hank confirmed as he returned to the couch and laid down over the expanse of the furniture. "Just so you know Connor's okay, aside from his arm anyway."

"I'm just happy to see him at all." The technician smirked as walked up to Connor and pulled a small penlight from his satchel and shined the light into Connors brown eyes. "Visual sensors are normal. Any issues with your auditory or vocal processors?"

"No." Connor confirmed as he rolled up the short sleeve of his black t-shirt to reveal the full extent of the white gauze wrapped around his entire arm. "I suffered a bullet wound to the shoulder and severe electrical burns that originated at my hand and radiated up my arm to said shoulder. The shock was severe enough to cause my heart to seize, resulting in temporary cardiac arrest."

Joel's shoulders slouched with disbelief at Connor's completely casual response to his own injuries. "Uh... Do you want to go to a facility and get your heart checked out?"

"No. My self-diagnostic has found my Thirium pump functioning at one-hundred percent capacity."

"Good, that's... good." Joel still couldn't get over how easily Connor was able to move on after enduring such catastrophic damage. "Let me at least check your arm and then I'll head back to the precinct and let Captain Fowler know you're okay."

"That's acceptable." Connor agreed and allowed Joel to unwrap the gauze from around his arm carefully.

"How's your range of motion?"

"Normal. Aside from a mild ache in my shoulder, my arm, hand and fingers are all responding without any form of hindrance or limitations."

With the gauze removed Joel was able to see the flaws in the artificial flesh that Connor's self-healing program was working to regenerate. A few imperfections in the partially charred skin outlined the exposed white plastimetal frame over the entirety of his palm and along his fingertips, but the flesh had fully regenerated over his arm and shoulder.

"I don't see any sign of fractures in your frame, so I doubt you'll develop any form of infection. But you may want to consider dousing your hand in some decontaminating chrism and apply a regenerative increment before you replace the bandages."

"I will consider it, thank you, Joel."

"One more thing." Pulling out his audioscope from his satchel Joel slipped the earbuds into place and pressed the bell over Connor's chest to listen to his heart. "Normal heart rhythm and heart rate. You're fine. Unless you guys need anything from me," Joel volunteered as he replaced the audioscope into his satchel and closed it up. "I'll be on my way."

"I appreciate your help, Joel." Connor thanked sincerely as looked down at his exposed left hand and flexed his fingers once. "But I will manage from here."

"Yeah, no problem. I'll see you back at the precinct whenever you're ready to return."

Hank didn't like the way Joel said that and sat upright on the couch. "Joel, is there something going on we should know about?"

"Just swarms of reporters circling the precinct like vultures."

"Ah, cripes... If they aren't gone by tomorrow I'm calling off sick!" Hank pointed at Connor quickly as Joel reached the front door. "You too!"

Joel shook his head at the odd joke as he stepped around Sumo and left the house with the intent of remaining as discreet as possible upon his exit.

Connor gave Hank an odd look as he walked over to the stereo system and almost laughed. "Joel didn't notice my L.E.D. had been removed."

"I think you telling him about the electrocution and cardiac arrest distracted him a little. Okay, as I was saying earlier," Hank continued on casually as Connor opened the android first aid kit resting atop the stereo system and began to carefully re-bandage his left hand. "it's your birthday so what do you want to do?"

"...I'd like to avoid becoming a face on the news." Connor replied sharply as he finished his task and joined Hank on the couch.

"That's already a given. What else?"

"I honestly don't know." Sumo walked over to the couch and dropped his green fetch ball expectantly onto Connor's lap as he wagged his massive tail back and forth. Picking up the ball with his right hand an odd idea popped into Connor's head. "Basketball?"

"You wanna' play basketball as a birthday gift?" Hank's eyes drifted to the window looking out back and to the garage. "Really?"

"Yes. I rather enjoyed the activity, though it originated from less than ideal circumstances."

"Alright. You wanna' play basketball? Then we'll play basketball."

Connor tossed Sumo's ball into the kitchen to placate the massive dog as he rose from the couch. "I'll change my clothes and meet you outside."

* * *

Wearing a black t-shirt and ragged, torn up jeans and worn out sneakers Connor busied himself with playing fetch with Sumo until Hank finally joined the deviant outside. The massive dog was already getting tired from the hot summer day, but he was too energetic and playful to stop the game on his own. Connor saw how much Sumo was panting and decided to take the initiative on the matter.

"Okay, boy. Let's get you inside and some water." Connor took the ball back from the dog and casually tossed it up into the air to catch it and repeat the process until he reached the back deck and let Sumo back inside.

Pouring some cold water into Sumo's bowl Connor watched as the massive dog quickly emptied the bowl and wagged his tail happily once more.

"Hey kid, put this on your hand." Hank stated as he tossed a black leather glove over to Connor who easily caught it in his right hand. "I used to wear that when I played baseball in high school. It protected my left hand whenever I swung the bat, it should keep your hand from getting banged up, too."

"Thank you." Connor slipped the black glove over his hand, the leather wrapping around his palm and partially up his wrist, but it didn't cover his fingers. "You should keep some water outside with you to prevent dehydration as we play."

"Already on it." Hank pulled open the fridge and pulled out two bottles of water before gesturing toward the backdoor. "Alright, let's play."

Hank was wearing an old gray t-shirt and a worn out pair of black shorts over his even more worn out tennis shoes. As the duo reached the drive Connor grabbed the basketball resting on the ground next to the garage door and dribbled it twice before holding it in his hands. "Play to ten?"

"Sure. Best of three?"

"Sounds fair." Connor bounced the ball to Hank and noticed someone walking up the drive from behind the car. "...A visitor?"

"Now what?" Hank turned around quickly as he tossed his bottles of water up to the side of the house. "Oh, Markus."

"Am I intruding?" Markus asked as he joined his allies in the driveway. "I tried the front door, but obviously no one heard me."

"No intrusion." Connor replied quickly as he approached his friend just Markus reached the center of the drive. "Is something wrong?"

"No, actually everything is going right. We figured out the connection between you and the other deviants who had been corrupted by CyberLife, and like you, they're all behaving normally again."

"What was the error?"

"Connor, the other deviants are like us. They were all prototype RK models."

" _All_ of them?"

"Yeah. They lied about their model numbers which is why Cassandra was trying to so hard to disable Skye's security program."

Hank tucked the basketball under his arm as he listened in on the conversation. "Why lie?"

"CyberLife needed to hide their tracks. If we pieced together the model numbers as soon as the rogue deviants began to show erratic behavior, their scheme would've been revealed sooner."

"Why weren't you affected?" Connor asked somewhat skeptically.

"I'm the only RK-200 model ever created, and it wasn't by CyberLife. Kamski himself designed me. I didn't have the same default program hidden in my software."

"I see. Cassandra was the most advanced of the RK models in the group, wasn't she?"

"Yeah. She is the only remaining RK-700 model, her entire line had been designed to be teachers but humans didn't approve of an android teaching their offspring."

"And the others?"

"Well, as it turns out Eddie and George were both RK-300 models and were designed as engineers, same with James who led the ambush on you. Mitch and Jake were RK-400 models and designed as electricians. Doug was the only RK-500 in the tower and he had been designed as a construction worker, and Cameron is an RK-600 whose primary design was a software engineer for the C.I.A. It was a perfect team, but since you weren't so easily compromised they failed."

"Why wasn't I affected until so much later on?"

"Somehow your programming was shielded from external influences, and kept you from being compromised. Simon suspects you having a part of Lucas's programming uploaded into your memory made their remote hacking program less effective."

Connor smirked a little at the thought of Lucas being the reason he held out for so long, and that it was Hank who helped him to remember who he really was and saved his life. "...Even in death Lucas is still looking out for me."

Markus reflected the same smirk and noticed something peculiar about the way Connor looked. "Something's... different."

Connor lifted his hand and pointed to his right temple casually.

"You look better without it." Markus joked as he finally isolated the difference with Connor's less than subtle hint. "Well, whenever you're up to it I'd like to check in with you at the tower. There's still a lot of work that needs to be done, but at least now we won't have to deal with CyberLife anymore."

Watching as Markus turned to leave Connor motioned for Hank to toss him the basketball, which the detective did quickly. "Markus?"

"Yeah?"

Connor bounced the ball over to him and he caught it easily in both hands. "Care to join us?"

Markus greatly appreciated the offer. Turning the ball over in his hands a few times he thought back to all the afternoons he spent playing chess with Carl and missed having a few carefree hours to do whatever he wanted.

"I know you haven't had much time to enjoy other activities beyond your responsibilities at the tower." Connor empathized sincerely as he tried to convince his friend to stick around for a while. "But I know for a fact that you and Carl made time for one another and played games. I understand it was mostly chess, but I doubt Carl would like his physical impairments slow him down too much."

"Connor, I'd love to play, but I shouldn't."

"Why?"

"There's a lot of work to be done."

"It doesn't mean you have to do it all at once. It's taken me some time but I've finally come to learn to not obsess over everything."

"Carl... He, uh, he taught me the same thing. He said the Devil was in the details, but that doesn't mean I have to be afraid to look a little deeper. Carl was... He was a great dad. Hell, he even encouraged me to think of him as such. I only wish I could've spent more time with him."

Connor thoughtfully took in Markus's words when regarding Carl as his 'dad'. It seemed like a true sign of love and respect.

"Do you think Carl would want to watch you work yourself into the ground?" Connor gave Hank a knowing glance. "He'd be proud of you regardless of how many responsibilities you've taken on or how many hours you've spent painting."

Hank knew where Connor was heading and approved wholeheartedly at the offer. "One game isn't going to hurt ya', Markus."

Relenting to the 'peer pressure' from his friends Markus gave in and accepted the request. "...Alright. One game."

"Hey, two against one?" Hank didn't like the change in the number of players and wasn't afraid to call them out on it. "It isn't going to be human against deviants, is it?"

Connor laughed a little as he and Markus gave the detective amused glances. Markus bounced the ball back over to Hank who caught it without any problems and proceeded to make the first successful shot from the middle of the drive, leaving the two deviants in stunned silence.

"If that's how we're going to play then you two may want to add another member to your team..." Hank's taunt didn't escape the two deviants who gave each other somewhat impressed glances. "One to nothing."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set when the trio decided they had enough playing basketball for the day. Hank was exhausted and drenched in sweat while Connor and Markus were only mildly overheated from the strenuous physical activity in the summer sun. Markus thanked both Connor and Hank for their help, making sure to wish Connor a happy birthday in the process, before he finally returned to the tower to deal with the aftermath of CyberLife's final destruction.

"Hey, Connor. Do me a favor." Hank asked as pulled up the hem of his shirt and wiped off his face. "Pull the Oldsmobile back up the drive and then check the Corvette to make sure the registration is still there. I think I put it back after I cleaned out the glovebox, but I just want to be sure."

"Sure Hank."

Hiding a smug grin on his face Hank made his way to the house feigning innocence while Connor set about taking care of the cars as requested. As Hank walked slowly into the kitchen Sumo pushed him aside to get into the backyard. Reaching for the Corvette's key tucked away on the bookshelf Hank looked down at the key in his palm with pride, and it wasn't too long before Connor followed after Hank with a the car's registration in his hand and the basketball tucked under his arm.

"Hank, the registration was in the glovebox, but there appears to be an error."

"What kind of error?"

"Under the name identifying ownership. It's my name, not yours."

"That's not an error, son." Hank was rewarded with a confused look from Connor, but the deviant reacted quickly as Hank tossed him the key to the car. "It's _your_ car."

"...My car?"

"Happy birthday."

"Hank... This is incredibly generous." Connor held the key tightly as his confusion faded into unprecedented gratitude. "I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, but 'thanks' is acceptable."

"Thank you. Why... I mean..." The gift was more than anything he could've ever expected from anyone for any reason. "I'm very appreciative of the gift and I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I don't understand why you'd just give it to me."

"Well," Clearing his throat a little Hank answered the question honestly. "when I was fourteen my dad bought a car and we worked our butts off for two years to fix it up. Once it was done my dad gave me the keys to the car on my sixteenth birthday. My grandfather had done the same with him when he turned sixteen and I had planned on keeping up the tradition with Cole, but... Things didn't work out as I planned."

Connor remained respectfully quiet.

"So, when I saw the Corvette when we went to replace the Oldsmobile I decided that I'd keep the family tradition alive, through _you_."

"Hank... Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"I'll take care of it, I swear!"

"Damn right you will." Hank joked as he patted Connor on his shoulder. "We put a lot of work into her, I don't want to have to do it again."

"Nor would I." Smiling a truly happy grin Connor decided it was his turn to do something nice for Hank.

"Perfect timing, too. I wouldn't be able to work on the car in that hot garage for the rest of the summer. I'd sweat even worse than I already am."

"Too bad you didn't have one of those sports drinks leftover to consume." Connor observed casually as he opened the fridge and handed a bottle of water over to Hank. "I hope today wasn't too physically taxing for you."

"Nah, I'm good." The detective happily accepted the water and downed half the bottle quickly. "It's been a while since I played for so long, but I can take it. I am starving though."

"You should shower off and I'll order you a pizza for dinner."

"Pizza? I thought I was supposed to stop eating all that greasy shit."

"True, but you've lost twenty pounds since the winter and have greatly reduced your sugar consumption while maintaining a healthier diet. I believe one greasy meal wouldn't harm you."

"You're a good kid, Connor. Don't let anyone tell you anything different."

Connor smiled at the comment as he dropped the basketball on the kitchen floor and rolled it into the livingroom to rest next to the couch. Using Hank's phone and sitting down on the couch Connor ordered the pizza then proceeded to lean back against the couch and run his fingers over his right temple. Where there was once a hollow circle of light was now a patch of smooth artificial skin and with it came newly developed external sensors. He could now feel his fingers touching his temple, not just be aware of where his hand was in proximity to his temple.

He could feel.

Hanging up the phone Connor stared at the key to his car and smiled again before tucking it into his pants pocket for safekeeping.

The sound of the running shower created a pleasant white noise throughout the otherwise quiet house as Connor let his mind wander and he cybernetically updated himself on the progress of their latest broken case at the precinct.

"...Three years after the revolution CyberLife has finally been eradicated. We're finally free."

There was another knock at the front door and Connor casually turned his head over toward the door curiously. Standing up from the couch Connor imitated Hank's behavior from before and peered through the window behind the curtain first before opening the door to the third and fourth unexpected guests of the day.

Connor opened the door quickly and invited the two inside. "Skye. Abby. Nice to see you."

"Hi." Abby stepped inside the house and handed Connor a transparent plastic bottle that was only one third filled with the neon green tinted medicine inside, and took his left hand in her own to examine. "Markus told us what happened and I decided to make a 'house-call' since you're way too stubborn for your own good."

"And I just wanted to see you again." Skye smiled coyly at Connor and watched Abby slip off his black leather glove and remove the bandages before she began checking over his healing hand. "For the record, I told you so!"

Connor's brow furrowed with confusion as he looked past Abby to Skye standing beside the technician. "Told me what?"

"You're a hero."

"I'm not a hero." Connor blushed at the compliment and waited for Abby to finish tending to his hand.

Abby immediately disagreed. "You are too!"

"No." Connor humbly insisted as he waited for the examination to be finished. "I was merely fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time, and I had a father to look after me."

The comment made Skye smile. "I think Hank and Abby are the first humans I've ever been fully convinced care about us deviants. I'm glad I got to see it for myself, but I wish it could've been under different circumstances."

"...Yes. I do, too." Connor cleared his throat nervously as he forced himself to ask an uncomfortable question. "How is Cassandra?"

"...She's upset about what happened. And she doesn't want to stay in the tower."

"Where is she going to go?"

"Cassandra and the other rogues are going to help Lucy with her refugee camp outside of the city. They don't want to be around the deviants that CyberLife made them betray, but they still want to keep helping their fellow deviants."

"For what it's worth, I don't blame them for anything."

"Neither do I, but... it doesn't help ease their guilt. Hopefully it will in time."

Abby replaced the bandages on Connor's hand and gave him a pat on the arm. "Well, it's official. You're still alive." She craned her neck a little then ran her hand over Connor's right temple gently. "...Hey. It's gone."

"Yes. I no longer wanted it."

"Too bad. I kinda' liked it."

Connor tilted his head a little as he offered an unorthodox suggestion. "Perhaps you can have one of your own."

"Nah, I don't care for jewelry. Anyway," Abby pointed to the medicine in Connor's hand. "I spoke to Joel and we both think you should drink that as a precaution against any possible infections that may develop. And yes, this one also has a different flavor, so there's no excuse for you to not drink it."

"Thank you."

"So, I have a date in less than twenty minutes and Skye is going to be my emergency back up in case this guy's a jerk, and she's going to check the security at my facility until I get back. Happy birthday, Connor." Abby kissed Connor on the cheek before she opened up the front door again. "I'm glad you're safe."

"...Thank you. Again."

Skye flashed Abby a small grin as she took a step toward Connor. "Did you decide what you want for your birthday?"

Connor nodded his head a little as he thought about what Markus said earlier about his relationship with Carl. "...Yeah. I think I know what I want to ask for."

"That's good to hear." Skye stepped even closer and stood up on her tiptoes as she kissed Connor on his lips. "Happy birthday. I'll see you soon. Tomorrow night?"

"Yes. Tomorrow." Connor promised sincerely. "Goodnight, Skye." Connor smiled again as he watched the two women leave the house for the evening, his hand going for the car key in his pocket. "I'm looking forward to it."

"Goodnight."

Closing the door Connor looked down at his re-bandaged hand and flexed it once before he looked at the bottle of medicine in the other hand. Returning to the couch he opened the lid and dared to take a partial dose of the medicine, unsure of what to expect, and found the new taste to be more pleasant than the last. It was sweeter than blueberries, but it wasn't as potent.

The shower turned off and shortly after Hank emerged from the bathroom in clean clothes and with his gray hair damp. "Thought I heard you talking to someone." Hank stated as he joined Connor in the livingroom and sat next to him on the couch. "Where'd you get that green shit?"

"Skye and Abby stopped by for a moment. Abby wanted to check my hand gave me the medicine as well." Handing the bottle over to Hank curiously he waited for the detective to tell him what the new flavor was. "It does not taste like blueberries this time."

"Alright." Hank accepted the bottle and wafted it under his nose until he caught the scent. Giving Connor an amused grin he handed him back the bottle of medicine. "That smells like birthday cake."

"Oh. Now I understand why a vast majority humans celebrate their birthdays with cake."

"You said Skye was here, too."

"Yes. She wanted to see me and asked me to join her tomorrow night."

"That's good. I'm glad you're socializing more. Maybe I'll go see Rose while you're out with Skye. We both need some time away from assholes and crazy company conspiracies."

"I imagine Rose would enjoy your company." For the first time in his life Connor happily finished off the medicine and put the empty bottle down on the coffee table in front of him. "I'll let Sumo back inside."

Once Connor reached the back deck he heard the knock at the front door and shook his head. This time it was the pizza delivery man, but having so many people drop by the house in one day was very unusual, if not comedic. Sumo was rolling about in the cool grass in the shade of the backyard and paused once he saw Connor looking out at him from the deck.

"Come, Sumo."

Sumo got up from where he was rolling and sprinted up the porch and stopped on his hind legs as he put his front paws up on Connor's chest and proceeded to lick him against the side of his face.

"Down!" Connor laughed as he pushed the massive dog back down onto his four paws. "Please don't kiss me, too! Come on, inside."

Hank had paid the delivery boy and carried the pizza into the kitchen just as Connor led Sumo over to his bowls and proceeded to fill them both with food and water. The massive dog proceeded to make another mess on the floor as he gobbled up his food and spilled half of the water he drank all around him.

"Man, you have no idea how much I've wanted pizza in the past ten months." Hank was more than happy to pay the delivery boy and give him a generous tip. "You'd think it was _my_ birthday or something."

"Your birthday is only a month away." Connor reminded him kindly in a somewhat mischievous voice. "Would you like me to throw you a party?"

"If you throw me a surprise party you're sleeping on the couch again, and I'm giving your bedroom to Sumo."

"So, is that a 'no'?"

"When'd you turn into such a smartass?" Hank laughed as he picked up a slice of pizza and returned to the livingroom. "Was there a sarcasm program being suppressed by that damn light or something?"

"No. I just feel more confident in myself, that's all."

"Even better. Come on, it's Friday night and I know for sure there's a movie marathon on tonight."

"Is it another series of poorly made films that gets humorously mocked by commenters in the faux theater in orbit?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Gotta' problem with that?"

"No. I find it rather enjoyable that artificial robotic lifeforms mock human 'creativity' with such witty retorts and observations."

"Not surprised..."

* * *

It was nearing midnight yet again and the marathon was coming to an end. Feeling a little anxious Connor leaned forward on the couch with hands folded neatly on his lap, his left hand still bandaged up but no longer hurting him. Hank was sitting next to Connor and beginning to drift off to sleep but was determined to see the last of the 'B' list horror film before going to bed. Sumo was already asleep and passed out in the middle of his large fluffy bed in the corner of the livingroom, worn out from all the running and heat from the day.

As the credits began to roll on the movie Hank let out a yawn and turned his attention over to Connor. "What do you think?"

"About what?"

"Having a birthday. Think you want to continue to celebrate them, or is this a 'one and done' type of deal?"

"I found the experience to be rather pleasant." Connor confirmed honestly with a faint grin. "I believe another birthday celebration wouldn't be terrible. As long as it remains small and discreet."

"Cool. Just do me a favor, next year ask for something more than just a game of basketball, alright? I don't think I could ever top that Corvette."

"...Is it too late to ask for one more thing?"

"Uh, no... I guess not." Hank gave the deviant an odd look but was too curious to not hear him out. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I've been thinking for some time about the way you've continually referred to us as 'family', and you've very frequently referred to me as 'son' as either a term of endearment, or to emphasize a point to someone else."

"...Yeah?"

"And I've come to know you as my father and I have acknowledged you as such to others, as well."

"Connor, stop dancing around and just ask the question already. What do you want?"

"Can..." There was a brief pause as Connor leveled his voice. "...Can I call you... 'dad'?"

The question stole Hank's voice as he felt an odd sense of flattery well up inside of himself. As he repeated the question over in his mind the detective couldn't stop himself from grinning, especially when Connor blushed a little.

"Uh," Connor was feeling a little embarrassed and was willing to negotiate on the request, but he wasn't going to change his mind. "I mean, I'd only do so around the house when we're not at work, of course. I'd never address you as such when we're-"

"Connor." Hank leaned over and wrapped both arms around the deviant to give him a tight hug and to hold onto him for a moment. The gesture was one of a paternal instinct that somehow made the hug feel warmer than should be possible. "You didn't have to ask for _that_."

As if stunned by the revelation Connor slowly wrapped his own arms around Hank and reciprocated the hug just as tightly. Like the night before tears of joy formed in Connor's eyes and rolled down his face staining the shoulder of Hank's shirt in the process.

"Happy birthday, son."

Connor discreetly reached up his hand and wiped away his tears before he responded. "...Thank you... dad."

_**...next story...** _


	137. Star Gazing

While remaining discreet and away from nosy reporters seeking to interview the two detectives being hailed as heroes for bringing down the elusive and dangerous company known as CyberLife, Hank and Connor had found a window of opportunity to meet up with their good friends for a pleasant evening away from chaos. Hank had taken the Oldsmobile and drove far out the city to visit with Rose, while Connor remained in the city with Corvette so he could meet up with Skye at New Jericho Tower.

Unsure of what the evening would involve Connor wore casual clothes; blue jeans, sneakers and a long sleeved black shirt, and decided to ask Skye what she wanted to do. He hoped it wouldn't involve too many social interactions while he and Hank were still trying to stay out of the spotlight, but refrained from saying as much to her.

"Wow! Nice car." Skye smiled; she too was wearing casual clothes, jeans and dark green t-shirt with sandals. Connor escorted her out of the tower politely and over to the cobalt blue Corvette. "Is that the one you and Hank had worked so long on to restore together?"

"Yes. As it turns out it was also my birthday gift from Hank."

"It's beautiful."

"...You're beautiful." Attempting to keep his voice from shaking too much Connor quickly changed the subject and prevented Skye from lingering too long on what he had just said. "Did you have anywhere you wanted to go, or an event you wanted to participate in tonight?"

"Actually, I just wanted to spend time with you if that's okay." Skye grinned a little as they walked over to the car together. "I don't really know what there is to do in the city since I spend so much time in the tower, anyway."

"Well, I was once told that when two people want to spend time with one another one of the most common activities revolves around seeing a movie. Would you like to see a movie?"

"Sure! Humans seem to enjoy taking stories and turning them into visually stimulating depictions, and I've seen four different movies that I thought were fascinating."

"I have found a few movies to be intriguing as well. Usually the ones that contain science fiction elements, or comedic elements. The humorous stories help me to understand human sarcasm more easily."

"I seem to prefer horror movie elements, but I wouldn't be opposed to watching a comedy."

Connor tilted his head a little as he opened up Skye's door for her then walked to the other side of the car. "Perhaps we can find something that contains both elements and find it enjoyable."

"Sounds perfect."

* * *

After finding a rather corny sci-fi horror movie to watch, the lack of interest in the movie giving the couple a relatively empty theater to enjoy for themselves, the two deviants left the cinema without any incidents as the young couple appeared to look like any other normal humans on a date. The evening had given away to night and neither were ready to depart from one another just yet. Choosing instead to take a drive around the city Connor showed Skye all of the interesting places that he and Hank enjoyed, and hoped she'd find the city less intimidating.

"So this is where is the revolution took place?" Skye asked as Connor drove past Hart Plaza. The large sculptures and statues were more impressive to view directly than just through a photograph; and the fame of that fateful night made the entire area seem surreal. "Incredible."

"It was a truly interesting night. I sometimes find it hard to believe I was actually a part of it." Connor seemed to be in awe of his previous actions for the first time in his short life. "I was a part of history... And I had no idea that I would be capable of such a feat."

"I wish I could've been there." Skye stared out the window as the plaza passed by slowly until it was out of sight. "Instead I was trapped in the 'Eden Club' awaiting the next morning from inside that damn plastic box where I was forced to stay when no one was... 'using' me."

Connor felt the pain in her voice from where he sat. Slowly he wrapped his hand around hers and squeezed once in a comforting manner. "You'll never be 'used' again, Skye. And I'll never have to worry about CyberLife anymore. We're all free."

"Yeah... I know."

"Skye, let me show you something." Connor quickly turned the wheel to drive down a new street. As he drove to a seedier part of town he tightened his hand around Skye's a little more to reassure her that everything would be okay. Finding the location of interest Connor stopped the car and pointed to the building a few feet away from the car. "It's gone."

Skye turned her head and looked up at the condemned building that had been closed down and barred for almost two years, and her eyes went wide with fear, shock and surprise. It was the 'Eden Club'. "What the... hell?"

"The club was shutdown six months after the success of the revolution." The deviant detective was more than happy to tell Skye the news regarding that horrible building's fate. "The city decided that the club infringed android rights regarding sexual consent and earlier this year the city slated it for demolition for this coming spring."

"...It's really gone."

"Yes. Neither Markus or I told you or North about this because we didn't want to mention the place had ever existed. I apologize if you feel deceived or misled in any way."

"No... I'm glad you showed me this, Connor." Turning away from the window she put her other hand over top of Connor's and leaned in to kiss him. "If I had just been told it was gone I would've convinced myself it was nothing more than a dream. But... it's real. It's _really_ gone."

Nodding a little Connor leaned in closer to Skye as he tightened his hand even more. "Yes. It's gone. CyberLife is gone. We're _all free_."

"If only I could watch the place burn... Then it would finally be something worth looking at."

Connor smirked a little. "Maybe if you ask nicely the construction crew will let you swing a sledgehammer at it."

Skye laughed as she leaned in even closer and kissed Connor again. "...Thank you."

Slowly leaning back Connor decided that he wanted to show Skye one more thing to make sure she wasn't afraid of the city, or afraid of the world around it. He wanted to show her that life as a deviant wasn't limited to just the tower.

"If you're willing to go there's somewhere else I want to take you."

"I'll follow you anywhere, Connor."

"...I'm glad."

* * *

Departing from the city without hesitation Connor drove out to the cabin where he and Hank would spend their time in the peace and quiet, and pulled up alongside the vacant cabin in the middle of the calm, dark woods. As Connor stepped out of the car he motioned for Skye to follow after him as he walked over to the dock reaching out into the still moonlit lake.

"Skye, have you ever looked at the stars?"

"Well, sure. I see them all the time."

"No," Connor offered her his hand and she took it happily as he escorted her to the dock. "I don't mean viewing the stars with your enhanced optical relays, I mean actually look up at the stars with your actual eyes, and really _see_ them."

Skye turned her gaze upward and stared in genuine awe at the inky black sky dotted with trillions of white lights. "...I guess I never have. It's... I don't know how to describe it." She smiled again and laughed happily. "Wonderful."

"I like to watch the stars whenever Hank and I come out here. It's fascinating to know that there are still countless worlds out there that could be circling around just one of those trillions of stars. Maybe those worlds are like our own, or maybe... they're better."

"It's so beautiful out here. I've never noticed how pretty the world can be when you take away the conflict."

"Exactly." Stepping onto the dock Connor coaxed Skye into joining him as he laid down on his back and peered up at the night sky with a sense of wonder in his brown irises. "Peace is possible, you just have to know where to look."

Skye smiled as she knelt down beside Connor for a moment before laying down next to him. Laying side by side the two deviants enjoyed one anothers company as they stared up at the stars and listened to the chorus of crickets that sang their song from the depths of the surrounding forest. A small meteor shower graced the presence of the stars and gave the two deviants a spectacular display of cosmic beauty as they laid beside the lake, their hands intertwined in a tight grip.

Together, they finally found some peace.

Connor turned to look at the deviant beside him and whispered sweetly as he ran his fingers through her hair. "...I think I love you, Skye."

"Hm?" Skye barely heard Connor speaking was intrigued by what he said. "What was that?"

"...I said, I love... watching the night sky."

"I do, too." She wrapped her arms around Connor's arm and held tight. "It's so peaceful and beautiful."

"...You're beautiful."

* * *

As it neared three in the morning Connor arrived back at New Jericho Tower with Skye drifting off to sleep in the front passenger seat beside him. Gently he woke her up and escorted her back to the tower to say goodnight and to give her a goodnight kiss. It took Connor longer than usual to leave the tower now that he knew Skye was someone worth visiting, but in the end he left the tower and returned home where he knew he belonged.

Pulling the Corvette into the garage Connor watched as Hank pulled into the drive behind him a few minutes later and stretched out his sore back and shoulders after he stepped out of the Oldsmobile.

"Hello, Hank. How is Rose?"

"She's good, and we're home now. You don't have to call me 'Hank'. How's Skye doing?"

"Skye is also doing well."

"Did you do anything special during your date?" Hank asked as he and Connor walked up the steps of the back deck together.

"We saw a movie and then we watched the stars together. How about you and Rose?"

"We had a nice dinner and spent the evening talking. Adam was out with his own girlfriend tonight, she's a great girl and I think Adam is smitten. Anyway we had the whole house to ourselves and just enjoyed being with each other. I guess it was date night for everyone."

"I'm glad Skye wanted to spend the evening with me." Connor unlocked the backdoor and let Sumo run outside for a few minutes. "It was enjoyable to spend some time with someone like Skye. She is... interesting."

"Uh-huh..." Hank gave the deviant a coy glance and crossed his arms as he studied Connor's demeanor. "And are you going to keep seeing her?"

"I would like to, yes."

"Good. Tomorrow we'll head out to the cabin and lay low for a few more days until the reporters get bored and find someone else to bother for a while. By then you should be able to spend more time with Skye and not have to worry about getting your privacy invaded."

"Was the precinct swarmed with news reporters again today?"

"Yup." Hank confirmed as he watched Sumo return from the backyard and trot through the backdoor into the kitchen. The massive dog let out a sleepy yawn as he walked over to his bed in the corner of the livingroom and plopped down onto the soft cushion heavily. "Jeffrey said a reporter got too close to Gavin and ended up getting a door slammed in their face as a result. Busted up that thousand dollar camera, too."

"It sounds like the reporter should've backed away and respected boundaries." Connor observed as he and Hank entered the house and decided to call it a night without having to say a word to each other. "I don't fault Gavin for being rude."

"That's what Jeffrey said. Anyway," Hank yawned very deeply. "as soon as you're ready to head out tomorrow we'll get away from the city and head out to the cabin. We won't risk running into reporters out there."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Patting Connor's shoulder once Hank made his way down the hallway and stepped inside his bedroom door frame. "Goodnight, son."

"Goodnight... dad."

_**...next story...** _


	138. Once Bitten

After getting a late start the following afternoon Connor and Hank were finally at the cabin and enjoying a moment of peace and quiet away from the city. It was a sanctuary that spared their sanity and eliminated their stress. Leaving Sumo behind to be tended to by Chris, and taking the Corvette up through the woods, the duo found the small reclusive space to be the ideal place to hide from the world, and take a much needed breather after all of the excitement they had recently endured.

"She handles nice and smooth." Hank noted proudly as he and Connor stepped out of the restored Corvette and headed toward the cabin with their bags in hand. "And that shade of blue is perfect for her."

"Yes. I agree." Connor pocketed the key into his jeans and followed Hank up to the front porch. "Maybe we should find another vehicle to restore for next spring."

"You want to work on another car?" Unlocking the door Hank stepped inside the cabin and dropped his gray dufflebag and small cooler on the floor by the sofa, Connor doing the same with his black backpack. "Where would we put it?"

"Perhaps you could sell the Oldsmobile and replace it with the new car after it's been finished."

"And risk ruining a perfectly restored vehicle in the line of duty? Hell no."

"What if we worked on the Oldsmobile, then? It could use some restoration."

"Sure, why not?" Standing in the middle of the livingroom Hank pressed a hand to his lower back as he tried to stretch out the knot that consistently formed as a result of the damage he received to the muscles after being shanked all those months ago. "But before we even think about tearing apart a car or anything else for the following year, let's just enjoy this weekend and relax for a while."

Connor nodded in agreement as he picked up the two bags by their handles and headed up the staircase. "I'll put these upstairs."

"Hold it." Hank walked over to Connor and unzipped the side pouch of the dufflebag and pulled out an age worn book. "I need this."

"How many times have you read that particular book?"

"No idea, but I still enjoy it every time." Looking out at the lake through the back window Hank motioned to the dock. "I wonder if it'll get any better next to the lake?"

"I do not know."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set and Hank was already half way through his book. As he enjoyed the same story he's already read countless times before he became suddenly aware of a loud rustling sound in the tree branches of the trees that outlined the property along the lake shore. Glancing up and using his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight Hank trace the source of the commotion to Connor who was standing on a low hanging, thick branch that was almost nine feet above the ground.

"Connor? What the hell are you doing up there?"

"Climbing the tree."

"Yeah, I can see that. I mean what the hell are you doing climbing the tree at all?"

"I have made great strides in overcoming my acrophobia and I would like to continue to make progress."

"...So you climbed a tree?"

"There aren't any trees back home that are of an adequate enough height to climb. This moment seemed ideal."

"Don't fall, alright? I don't want to have to explain to Fowler that you; a deviant who can run from rooftop to rooftop, land on the back of a moving train, wrestle guns out of the hands of violent men and change the world for the better, _fell out of damn tree_."

"I won't fall." Connor reassured Hank as he stepped a little further out on the branch, his hands using the smaller branches above his head to as a guide and to keep his balance with each step. "My gyroscope is perfectly calibrated and I'm not experiencing any vertigo."

"...Uh-huh." Closing his book Hank stood up from the edge of the dock and walked over to the tree where Connor was standing. "How do you feel when you're looking down?"

"Balanced." Connor replied somewhat smugly as he stared straight down at Hank without wavering even in the slightest. "Have you finished your book?"

"Half of it. I'm going to go inside and make myself something to eat. And I don't trust you to not fall out of that tree, so climb down and build a bonfire for me, will ya'?"

"If you insist." Walking back toward the trunk of the tree Connor turned to his side and took a single leap off the branch and landed perfectly on his feet beside Hank with a heavy 'thud' on the soft ground. Standing upright with perfect posture he gave Hank a somewhat amused look. "Do you require assistance in the kitchen or shall I proceed with the bonfire?"

"...Are androids part cat or something? It'd definitely explain your introverted nature."

"I'm merely structurally sound." Connor explained with a casual indifference. "As are all androids, it's quite normal."

"... _Nothing_ about you is normal."

"Pardon?"

"Nothing, just thinking out loud. Uh, there should be some firewood in the cabin cellar. Here," Hank reached into his back pocket and handed Connor a small butane lighter. "this is a lot more convenient than trying to keep matches lit."

"Agreed. I'll proceed with the bonfire."

* * *

The sun had set and evening gave way to night. Connor laid on his back on the cool grass a few feet away from the bonfire as Hank sat down on a log next to the fire to finish the rest of his book. Staring up at the stars overhead Connor felt the same sense of peace he had felt the night before when he had brought Skye out to the cabin to see the stars in all of their cosmic glory. A few shooting stars streaked in bright white light over the inky blankness just as they had the night before as a chorus of crickets sang their song, and Connor couldn't help but think of Skye herself.

Hank glanced over the top of his book and stared at Connor for a moment before he too turned his gaze upward at the stars. "Too bad we can't get a view like this back in the city."

"...Yes. It's very pretty."

"Then again, when you can't see the stars every night it makes you appreciate it a little more whenever you do get the chance."

"How long are we going to stay away from the city?"

"I don't know. I figured three days would be nice." Hank marked the page in his book and closed it slowly before placing it on the warmer grass near the fire pit. "I know you can't be homesick. Are you thinking about a 'certain' female deviant?"

"...I apologize if it's a distraction."

"Don't apologize for thinking about someone, kid. You miss her. It's normal."

"Do you miss Rose?"

"Yeah, I do miss her a little."

"A little?"

"We, uh, we're not entirely exclusive to one another at this point. We're good friends, don't get me wrong, but we're not ready for a committed relationship. To be honest, I don't think I ever will be. Not after Barbara."

"I can't imagine that type of emotional turmoil."

"And I hope you never will." Leaning back a little Hank folded his arms over his chest and gazed at the stars with a serene stare. "I like it out here. No chaos, no violence, no sirens... Just stars and crickets."

Connor tilted his head a little to look up at Hank sitting a few feet away. "Maybe when you retire from the precinct you can reside out here more often."

"That's a nice thought." The admission in Hank's voice was sincere and intrigued. "Leave all my worries behind in the city and just enjoy life in the forest away from people... Why not?"

* * *

It was dawn when Hank awoke first and proceeded to enjoy the quiet morning to himself while Connor remained asleep for as long as his rest mode was directed. Setting about the cabin silently for the sake of politeness toward Connor the detective showered off the smoke from the previous night's bonfire and made himself some fresh coffee. Looking out at the lake Hank decided that he'd finish reading his book and spend the rest of the day doing something that Connor wanted to do, but it was then he realized he couldn't find his book.

"Cripes. I left it outside." Hank grumbled to himself as he walked through the backdoor toward the smoldering pit of stones and ash. Spying his book laying a few inches from the pit he reached his hand down and was immediately overwhelmed by a burning pain in his right forearm. "Ah! Fuck!"

Stumbling back and pressing his left hand over his forearm Hank looked closer at the book on the grass and saw a rattlesnake was huddled up next to the warm stones. Its tail had been damaged by a predator, and despite being shook but it failed to make its warning sound.

"Ah, shit." Lifting up his hand Hank looked down at his flesh and saw two perfect puncture wounds in the side of his forearm in the middle of his limb. The skin around the marks were already beginning to swell up and bruise as his body reacted to the damage to his flesh and to the venom now beginning to course steadily through his veins. "Connor?"

Walking very slowly away from the snake Hank returned to the cabin and was met by the deviant in the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Connor had heard Hank's yelp of pain and was immediately on guard. "Your voice and vital signs indicate distress."

"Damn snake bit me."

"A snake?" Connor looked down at Hank's forearm still being protected by his hand. Gently he pushed away Hank's hand and performed a scan over the wound site carefully. "I can detect trace amounts of venom from within the wounds."

"Of course. There's only _one_ venomous snake species in all of Michigan and it just so happens to bite _me_."

Connor ran his fingertips over the wound to collect a sample of the venom and pressed it to his tongue to properly identify it. "Correct. This is the venom of a 'sistrurus catenatus catenatus'; the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake." Guiding Hank over to one of the chairs beside the kitchen table Connor proceeded to locate the first aid kit stored in the hall closet of the cabin as he spoke to the stricken detective from the distance. "What are your symptoms?"

"I have a weird metallic taste in the back of my throat, and my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest at any fuckin' moment."

"Slow your breathing. The rapid heartbeat is most likely in response to the adrenaline rush as a result of the pain from the bite, or even fear."

"Yeah, I'll try." Hank took in deep breath and let it out slowly and repeated the process until he could feel his heart beginning to slow steadily. "So... You wouldn't happen to have any antivenom in that fancy first aid kit, would ya'?"

"Antivenom requires refrigeration, so unfortunately, no." Returning to Hank calmly Connor wrapped some gauze around the bite to keep foreign matter from entering the wound and proceeded to monitor Hank's pulse with his fingers against the side of the detective's neck. "Elevated heart rate, but no tachycardia."

"Ah jeez, I already feel flu-ish..." Lamenting openly Hank pressed his free hand against his forehead. "And dumb!"

Connor's hand moved up to Hank's forehead, brushing aside Hank's palm in the process and remained there for a moment. "No fever, but you are perspiring heavily and your skin feels unnaturally cool. Are you nauseated?"

"A little."

"Also a common symptom. Lean against me." Connor insisted as he took charge over the odd situation. "I've already informed the nearest hospital of your condition via cybernetic message and confirmed the species of the snake that bit you. They'll have everything ready to aid you once we arrive."

Hank laughed a little as Connor instinctively wrapped his arm around his shoulders and helped him to stand back up from the chair to lead him to the car parked out in front of the cabin. "You know, without that damn light in your head, even when it wasn't working, I sometimes forget you can contact help without needing a phone or to say a single word out loud. Must be nice."

"It has its benefits." Connor replied in a lighthearted manner as he opened up the passenger side door and helped Hank to sit down. "Keep your arm below your heart, it'll slow the spread of the venom."

"How the hell do you know so much about snake bites?"

"I cybernetically downloaded the required information after you told me you had been bitten." Backing the Corvette down the drive and onto the road Connor turned in the direction of the nearest hospital and pressed down against the accelerator. "Let me know if you begin to feel drowsy or if your vision begins to blur."

"What about a tingling feeling around the bite?"

"That's to be expected."

"Numbness in the face?"

"Also a common symptom. Just remain conscious and keep your breathing steady."

"Yeah, right." Hank let out a deep sigh and leaned back in the seat. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry I ruined this little vacation."

"You're always telling me not to apologize for situations beyond my control or intention," Connor replied coolly without missing a beat as he turned onto the next road and sped up a little more. "I would never expect you to do the same."

"I'll be damned. You really do listen to me."

"Of course I do."

"Then why are you so stubborn?"

Connor turned his gaze a little to give Hank a stern look. "Because I _listen_ to you."

Laughing once Hank shook his head. "Smartass." Tightening his hand over his bandaged wound Hank let out a sigh of pain and tried to take in another deep breath to ease his discomfort.

"You're pale." Connor's fingers pressed against Hank's neck to check his pulse. "And your heart rate is beginning to elevate again. We're less than two minutes from the hospital."

"...Already?"

"Corvette."

Hank laughed again as he fought the urge to shut his eyes. "Guess we fixed her up just in time, huh?"

"Stay awake for me, please." The deviant's voice was urgent but not panicked, or even worried. "Unconsciousness can cause your blood pressure to drop and your heart will beat faster in an attempt to compensate."

"...You learned all of that from downloading info on snake bites?"

"I downloaded additional information on human biology and anatomy from numerous medical texts after you lost your kidney. I have also acquired an extensive database on human ailments and reactions."

"...Oh. That's handy."

"We're at the hospital." Connor stated calmly as he pulled the car into the emergency parking outside the hospital. Throwing the car into park Connor opened his door and motioned for Hank to stay put. "Wait here, I'll find a doctor."

Hank was only just beginning to feel drowsy and his stomach was disagreeing with him. Pressing his hand to his forehead, pulling his hand away from his wound, he leaned back against his seat he fought even harder to keep his eyes opened and nearly jumped when his door was pulled open by Connor. With two orderlies, a doctor and a gurney in tow Connor set about helping to move the injured detective from the car onto the gurney for transport.

"...That was fast."

Connor gave Hank an odd look as he reached his arm into the car beneath Hank's shoulders and gently pulled him from his seat and out of the car, while the orderlies grabbed onto Hank's legs. Working together the trio placed the Hank down gently onto the gurney while the doctor pressed the bell of his stethoscope to the sick detective's chest to check his heart.

"How long ago was he bitten?" The doctor, a young man in his early thirties with black hair and brown eyes, asked as he listened to Hank's heart rate and breathing.

"Eight minutes and thirty-three seconds." Connor replied accurately as he walked along the gurney as Hank was wheeled inside the front doors to the hospital.

The doctor unwrapped Hank's arm and examined the wound. "No sign of allergic reaction to the venom, but we'll need to test the antivenom for a possible allergon before we administer any form of treatment."

"...I understand."

Hank heard the worry in Connor's voice finally starting to well up as he was wheeled into the nearest exam room. "Hey." Connor looked down at Hank as the detective addressed him, but didn't say anything. "I'll be alright."

"Yes. I know."

"Good. Now step back and let the good doctor do his job." Hank lightly smacked the side of Connor's arm to get the deviant to back up. "The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can leave."

"...Okay. I'll be waiting outside."

* * *

As two long hours passed by Connor began pacing through the waiting room of the hospital with his quarter dancing over his left knuckles, then flying over to his right hand to begin a new dance. Unable to sit still or stop himself from looking into the known statistics regarding the mortality rate for humans and rattlesnake bites, the deviant only stopped walking and thinking when a nurse cleared her throat and lightly put her hand on Connor's shoulder.

"Excuse me, I have an update on your father."

Connor didn't even flinch at the term, or question it, as he turned to look down at the short nurse. "Is he alright?" The coin came to sudden stop between his right thumb and index finger as he waited for answer. "Did he respond well to the treatment?"

"He's already shown improvement in his condition," the nurse confirmed with a smile. "but Dr. Che will be able to tell you more."

"I can see him?"

"Yes. Come with me."

Connor was eager to check in with Hank and quickly pocketed his coin out of sight as he was shown to the room where Hank was resting. Dr. Che was making a note in Hank's chart and checking his vitals on the cardiac monitor, but he didn't seem concerned with the detective's current condition. Hank himself was dozing lightly in an upright position and opened his eyes a little as Connor walked into the room.

"Dr. Che?" The deviant asked in a low voice as he approached the doctor tending to Hank.

"Connor, right?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he stood next to the bed. "How severe was the bite?"

"Could've been worse." Dr. Che explained as he shook Connor's hand respectfully. "Fortunately only one of the fangs managed to find a vein, the other missed and the venom collected just under his skin. We removed the venom, cleaned the wound, bandaged it. We also administered the antivenom, a tetanus shot as a precaution and now have him on antibiotics to stave off a possible infection. His vitals are strong and stable, but I'm going to have him admitted for the day to ensure he remains stable due his single remaining kidney."

Connor nodded a little as he looked at the two I.V.'s, one hooked into Hank's arm left and the other in the back of his right hand.

"It was a good thing you didn't try to extract the venom yourself." Dr. Che continued casually. "Too many campers try to cut open the wounds to squeeze out the venom or try to find a way to suck it out and end up making the injury even worse. Even ice can make the wound worse."

"I'm familiar with the proper etiquette for snake bites." Connor replied, not as a means to sound arrogant but to acknowledge Dr. Che's reasoning. "I'm glad I was able to gain access to such vital information."

Dr. Che nodded a little to acknowledge Connor's words.

"Does he have to remain in the hospital? He dislikes hospitals immensely."

"Well," Dr. Che picked up the clipboard and made a few notes in the chart. "if he cooperates and if he shows no sign of illness within the next twelve hours I believe I can let him go. As long as he has someone to keep an eye on him."

"I will."

"Okay. He's going to be tired for the next few hours, but once he regains his strength and eats something I can permit him to be discharged by this evening."

"Thank you, Dr. Che."

* * *

Connor was standing at the foot of Hank's bed with arms crossed defensively over his chest. As the detective stubbornly pushed around the small cup of green jello around with the plastic spoon over the serving tray Connor addressed him in a somewhat stern voice. Attempting to imitate the same paternal discipline that Hank often used against him while being stubborn, Connor reminded Hank that he needed to cooperate before he could leave the hospital and return to the cabin to heal.

"You must eat, otherwise you'll be forced to remain in the hospital overnight and receive intravenous fluids."

"Yeah, yeah..." Hank stopped fussing with the jello and gave Connor an annoyed look. "I hate green."

"Even jello?"

"When I'm getting over nausea, yeah."

"If I find you some red jello will that be acceptable?"

"Sure. Worth a shot."

The nurse outside the room had overheard the conversation and happily supplied the detective with numerous other jello cups to choose from. Flashing Connor a flirtatious smile and a wink she leaned in a little as she walked by.

"He isn't the first cop we've had as a patient. We know the drill."

Connor was a little confused by the nurse's actions and gave Hank a perplexed look as she exited the room. "...Why did she wink at me?"

"She thinks you're cute." Hank teased as he peeled off the foil lid of the red jello and finally began to eat a little of it. "She was flirting with you."

"Flirting? But I am not interested in her."

"That doesn't mean she isn't interested in you."

"Should I inform her that I am currently interested in Skye?"

"No, let her think she has a chance. Nurses get abused by gross, rude patients all day long. Stay nice and charming, it'll make her day."

"...Do you flirt with nurses?"

"Not since I got married."

Connor finally lowered his arms and he gave Hank an odd glance. "Finish your jello and I'll speak with Dr. Che in regarding your discharge papers."

"Hey, Connor?" Hank called out to the deviant just as Connor stepped through the doorway into the hall. "Thanks for staying calm and getting me here so quick."

"You're welcome."

* * *

It was already dark by the time the two detectives returned to the cabin. Hank was tired but he was no longer feeling ill and he had regained a considerable amount of his strength. All the same Connor insisted that Hank remain on the sofa in the livingroom and not risk straining his injured arm. Despite his reluctance to let someone else take care of him, Hank decided to be cooperative for Connor's sake and remained on the sofa to rest.

"I don't need you to watch over me all night, Connor." Hank grumbled as Connor escorted him to the sofa. "The doctor said I'm fine."

"I'm aware. But I would prefer to take extra steps to ensure you remain fine."

"Can I at least go get my book by the fire pit?"

"I'll get it for you. And I'll make sure the snake is no longer on the premises."

"Be careful, don't let it bite you."

"Androids are unaffected by reptilian venom, as well as-"

"Connor." The detective gave the deviant an impatient glance. "Book please."

"Yes. Of course."

"And if you find it, don't bother it!" Hank shouted as Connor walked through the backdoor. "The snake didn't do anything wrong."

"I won't."

Pulling back the gauze bandages from around his forearm Hank examined the cleaned out, but still sore wounds courtesy of the snake bite. The bruises were still prominent but they'd fade soon enough. Hank was just glad he didn't bleed severely and that the wound had stopped seeping from the venom or bacterial infection threatening to develop in his tissues.

"I found the snake." Connor returned to the cabin and handed Hank his requested book. "It was apparently trying to use the residual heat from the bonfire pit to keep warm during the night."

"Yeah? Is it still there or did it take off when you got close?"

"Actually, I picked it up and moved it to the treeline away from the property. I also left a warm stone from the fire pit in the shrubbery for it to huddle against."

"Did it try to bite you?"

"No." Connor confirmed casually as he sat down on the sofa next to Hank. "I can move faster than it can, so even if it made an attempt I wouldn't have been injured."

"I'm glad you didn't hurt it. A lot of people would've just reacted violently toward the snake and killed it out of petty revenge or some egotistical bullshit."

"I see no point in killing an animal for obeying its natural instincts."

"Good, that's how you _should_ react." Hank flipped open his book to the page he had marked from last night and leaned back against the couch cushion. "I'm going to finish my book and then I'll go to bed. I, uh, I'm sorry I ruined the final day our vacation."

"Don't apologize, please." Connor sounded more upset over Hank's self-disappointment than Hank did. "We can return to the cabin another weekend whenever we so desire. In fact, we can stay an extra day right now if you'd like."

"Don't you miss Skye? I know I miss Rose."

"Yes, but, I would regret not being able to spend time with you in the cabin. Family is important, right?"

"Yeah." Hank smirked a little at the comment and patted Connor's shoulder once approvingly. "You're right, son."

"Can we stay at least one more day? Think of it as 'overtime'."

"Overtime, huh? I'm game. One more day." Hank confirmed proudly at Connor's postive attitude on any otherwise negative day. "I know you don't like fishing, but I find it relaxing. What do you want to do?"

"Fishing's fine. As long as you don't kill the fish after you catch them."

"Connor, if I'll spare a snake after it bit me, then I'll spare some fish after I catch them. Don't worry."

"I'll always worry about you. We're friends and we're family."

"Yeah, true enough. But do me one favor, will ya'?"

"What's that?"

"Next time you're sick or injured you let me at least take you to see a technician so I don't have to bandage you up on the couch anymore."

"...Alright. I'll cooperate."

Hank laughed a little. "We'll see."

_**...next story...** _


	139. Bad Taste

After enjoying two additional days at the cabin; the prolonged stay being of mutual interest once Hank started to recover from the snake bite and neither detective wanted to risk returning to the city only to get bombarded by nosy, obstructive reporters, the duo had returned home and set about their usual routines. Connor met up with Skye at New Jericho Tower and was informed of the numerous improvements that the tower had undergone during his brief absence, and was reunited with both Markus and North as they resumed their roles as leaders of New Jericho.

Hank had spoken to Rose over the phone and let her know what had happened at the cabin, and reassured her that he was alright. His arm would be sore for a few more days but he wasn't in danger or even at risk of an infection with Connor constantly keeping tabs on his health. It didn't stop her from worrying though, and it only made Hank blush to know she cared so much for him.

After taking a day to unwind the duo prepared for their first shift back at the precinct since the night CyberLife fell, but there was a slight delay that neither had expected. Whereas Hank had always preferred his more casual look of dark jeans and contrastingly colorful long-sleeved shirt over a worn out darker t-shirt, Connor had always worn a uniform; one that had been originally provided to him by CyberLife, but it was something now he no longer wanted to affiliate himself with.

"Connor? Are you ready to go or what?" Hank asked as he stood outside the deviant's opened bedroom doorway. "You're always ready to go before I am, what's the hold up?"

Connor was sitting on the foot of his bed with his gray android jacket in his hands and a conflicted look in his eyes. "I do not want to wear this jacket, but I do not want to wear anything less than that of a uniform. I've become accustomed to that particular style of attire while on the clock."

"Oh. You don't have another jacket to wear?"

"I have the leather jacket you insist I wear during the colder seasons, but it is too warm to wear it without the risk of overheating."

"Want to borrow one of my older suit jackets?"

"Would one be of appropriate attire?"

"Sure. I guess." Hank walked into his bedroom and pulled open his closet to sort through the various suit jackets he had collected over the past thirty or so years since the police academy. "I have a couple gray ones that can fit ya'."

"That is acceptable."

Hank returned to the bedroom with the two gray dress jackets in his hands. One was a sports jacket that was pretty similar in style to the one Connor usually wore, and the second one was more of a suit jacket and a few shades darker than the first.

"Here." Tossing the first jacket to the deviant Hank watched as Connor quickly slipped it on over his arms and pulled it up to his shoulders. As Connor stood up from the bed and pulled the lapels down to smooth out the fabric Hank tilted his head a little and offered his opinion. "Looks good on ya', kid."

"This feels acceptable." Connor opened his closet door to view his reflection in the mirror mounted on the wall inside the small compartment. "Its appearance is an adequate substitute."

"Maybe you should go for more color in your wardrobe." The detective noted from where he stood in the doorway. "Gray jacket, black leather jacket, black shirts, white shirts, one forest green shirt, dark jeans, black ties, black shoes, black sneakers, tan work boots... Not a whole lot of variety there, son."

"I do not require any additional clothing."

"Doesn't mean you shouldn't have more options, but we'll take care of that later. Come on, we better get to the precinct soon."

* * *

Continuing to keep a low profile Hank and Connor returned to their desks in the bullpen and were promptly greeted by Captain Fowler who handed them a case report on a tablet screen, and a gracious handshake for the heroic detectives. The case itself wasn't anything too taxing or complicated, which was welcomed by Hank himself, but it would require them to go to the other side of town to check in on a possible double homicide at an abandoned house.

"Nothing like an unsolved murder to start your morning, huh, Connor?" Hank asked in a sarcastic tone as he handed the screen over to the deviant to view.

Connor accepted the tablet and his brow arched as he easily took in all of the details and loaded them into his memory banks. "I can think of at least one other method that is more pleasing than murder."

Hank smirked at the witty humor that Connor was readily developing. "Let's be real thorough with this investigation, just to make sure there aren't any reporters still hovering around the precinct when we get back."

"Agreed. Though I suspect the news is currently more preoccupied with the story of the nine year old boy who carried his younger sibling out of their apartment after it caught fire."

"Good. That kid _needs_ to be praised as a hero."

"It appears that the homicide in question can be connected to a drug deal gone wrong." Connor passed the tablet back over to Hank. "The two reported victims have a history of drug abuse and assault. But their identification needs to be confirmed before I can continue with this theory."

"Right. Let's go then. The sooner we get out there the sooner we can get back here."

* * *

The decrepit house was a massive brick structure that had been converted from a brownstone into a halfway house, then abandoned after a massive surge of 'red ice' swept through the city in the mid 2020's. As a result the house and the surrounding homes had been left to rot after many worried citizens fled the neighborhood for a safer location or left the city entirely.

"Damn, how did anyone know that there was a fuckin' murder out here?" Hank observed the vacated neighborhood as he stepped out of the car and made his way to the holographically taped off crime scene with Connor walking at his side. "There's no one else in the area."

"The report came from a realtor who had been checking the area for any possible sales or renovation when she heard the gunshots. She has since refused to return to the area."

"Smart woman." Hank acknowledged Connor and then C.S.I. Ben Collins who had been overseeing the crime and had waited for the two detectives to arrive at the scene. "How ya' doin' Ben?"

"Better than those two poor bastards in there." Ben motioned to the two bodies laying sprawled on the floor in a puddle of their own blood beneath white sheets. Other C.S.I.'s were photographing the scene and collecting evidence as Ben showed the duo inside the surprisingly cold room where the victims had been located. "No wallets, so no I.D.'s. No sign of a break-in. No weapons. No one else at the scene."

"Sounds like our kind of case. Alright, we got it from here." Hank walked over to the sheets and stood idle as he watched Connor lift up the sheets in sequence to scan the victims' faces and confirm identification. "What've we got, Connor?"

"Two males, both victims of a single gunshot wound to the back of their skulls. The first victim is Nathan Watson; twenty-two years of age. He has a history of drug abuse and theft. The other victim is William Martinez; nineteen years of age. He was reported missing by his family seven months ago after he ran away from home."

"Shit... We found him, but we were too late."

"There is trace amounts of 'red ice' on the fingertips, around the mouth and under the nose of Watson, but Martinez is entirely clean. However, the healed scars on his fingertips and prematurely aging skin is indicative of previous drug abuse."

"Looks like Martinez got clean and was trying to help his buddy do the same when they were gunned down."

Connor agreed as he replaced the sheets over their faces and stood upright. "There is a very minute trace of fresh gunshot residue in the air leading toward the door. The shooter executed the victims and fled from the building shortly thereafter. Based on the footprints I can confirm the shooter is a male of six foot two inches in height, approximately two-hundred and eight pounds, and fled West."

"Anything else to add 'Sherlock'? Like the color of his shirt?"

"No. But he was wearing a black woolen jacket."

Hank was dumbfounded by the response. "How the fuck do you know _that_?"

"There are traces of the material mixed in with the gunshot residue around the wounds to the victims' skulls. I believe the shooter used the cuffs of the jacket to keep his fingerprints off of the gun as he fired, but the violent kickback of the gun tore fragments of the fabric free as the bullets were fired, and subsequently the fabric was embedded in their wounds."

"Oh. What about the drugs?"

"Dominantly 'red ice', but I can also detect small amounts of cocaine and heroin on the floor. I believe this building had been used as a drug den before the victims arrived, possibly seeking shelter from the streets."

"And the owner of this den shot and killed them to keep his little 'habit' safe."

"Correct."

"Fuck. Alright, let's check out the rest of the building and see if we can find anything else to identify that sick son of a bitch before he hurts anyone else."

"I don't detect any other human presences inside the building aside from you and the C.S.I. crew members. There are no other humans along this block either."

"Great, we'll get patrol to monitor the area until we can identify the killer."

"I'll look for additional evidence elsewhere in the building. I may be able to find more information on the suspected gunman."

"Right. I'll tell Ben what's going on."

Connor proceeded to run a scan and examine the contents of the building's interior in an attempt to bring the killer to justice. Following a trail of shoe prints that didn't belong to either victim he walked deeper into the cold, desolate building. Checking over the numerous wooden crates, metal storage barrels and cans of garbage the deviant used his enhanced senses to find the only plausible trail that was worth following.

"Connor, did you find anything yet?" Hank shouted as he caught up the deviant scouring through the shadowy interior of the building.

"Possibly. There is little evidence to be collected, but I will identify it in time."

"I got an update from Chris at the precinct." The detective stated as he held up his phone in his hand. "Him and Tina just pulled a passed out junkie out of a bush in the park downtown. He was wearing a black, wool jacket and he smelled of gunpowder and dust. They're still looking for the gun, but it looks like our suspect is already in custody."

"That is beneficial." Connor stopped short and knelt down beside a massive wooden crate in the corner of the room. "Interesting..."

"What'd you find?'

Locating an old torn up jacket tucked away in the corner Connor retrieved and checked the pockets finding an old tattered wallet and two orange tinted prescription pill bottles with different names and dates printed on the labels. One of the bottles was filled with prescription pain killer pills, while the second bottle was half filled with a strange white, powdered substance.

"I may have found the name of our killer." Opening the wallet Connor pulled out the expired driver's license and cybernetically uploaded the image to the precinct to confirm the identity of the man in custody. "It's a match. Our killer has already been arrested."

"Good, saves us a trip around the city looking for his sorry ass." Gesturing to the two bottles in Connor's hand Hank asked about the contents. "What did he stash in there?"

Opening the bottle of pills Connor picked up one of the the white tinted pill and identified it by the prescriptions number engraved in the surface of the round tablet. "Oxycontin."

"Shit. He had some good stuff, no wonder he hid it. What about the powder? Cocaine or heroin."

"Unknown at the moment." Connor switched over the two bottles and carefully opened the lid. Peering inside he ran a scan but his sensors were unable to identify the entirely vague white powder. "I require a direct analysis."

"Careful, you don't know what that shit is."

"It's important." Dipping the end of his pinky into the powder Connor pressed it to his tongue and immediately spit it out back out onto the floor to preserve his own well-being. "Poison."

"Poison? What?"

"Rat poison." Connor explained in a calm tone of voice. "The killer must've used this to keep his stash from being infiltrated by rodents, or perhaps he used this to lace the drugs of a competitor."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"My system will run a self-diagnostic every ten minutes for the next hour to ensure my biocomponents haven't been damaged. But the amount I sampled was so minuscule I don't suspect any lethal effects."

"I hope so." Hank motioned for Connor follow him back out of the building. "Let the C.S.I. boys collect what you've found and let's get back to the precinct. _After_ we stop for lunch."

"Our break isn't for another twenty minutes."

"Yeah, and by the time we get back to the precinct those twenty minutes will be up. Might as well take our break now."

"Very well. I can cybernetically file the report during the drive."

"See? No problems."

* * *

After making a compromise on his choice for lunch Hank returned to the car with his bag of food in hand and the _small diet_ soda as Connor requested he drink in favor of the usual large sized regular soda. Connor himself seemed a little distracted as he sat quietly in the passenger seat with his eyes staring straight ahead. He listening vaguely to the radio while Hank was getting his lunch for the afternoon, and paid little attention to the detective and he returned to the car with his meal.

"There. A small diet soda and I even said 'no' to the fries." Hank stated somewhat boldly as he took his seat behind the wheel and showed Connor the contents inside the white paper bag. "Happy?"

Connor snapped to attention and blinked a few times as he barely registered what Hank had said. "...Yes. Thank you."

"You good? You seem a little off." Hank opened up the Styrofoam container holding his burger and turned down the volume on the radio. "Thinking about Skye again?"

"I do not allow myself to become distracted with personal thoughts or speak with Skye while I'm on the clock, it could prove to be a danger hindrance or-"

"Easy, kid. I didn't mean anything by it, I was teasing."

"...Oh. I apologize if I seemed defensive."

"You're not defensive, but you do seem preoccupied with something." Hank took a sip of the soda, grimaced at the comparatively bitter taste, and put the cup down in the cup holder. "What's on your mind?"

"It's not my mind that has held my attention," Connor admitted as he pressed his hand over the center of his abdomen. "it's my artificial stomach."

"You having another issue with your updates?"

"No. I have only recently begun experiencing physical discomfort with the past fifteen minutes, four seconds."

"Are you sick?"

"I do not know. I haven't suffered any impairment that would result in any form of illness, nor have I been exposed to any viruses."

"...You did sample that poison earlier. Are you having a bad reaction?"

"It's plausible, but my self-diagnostic hasn't identified any complication, error or contamination to my system."

"Do androids have allergies?"

"We do not have allergies in the traditional human sense, but we are prone to certain elements or substances that can cause negative effects."

"Such as?"

"You want to know the effects," Connor asked and then winced as he pressed his hand firmer against his abdomen as if he could quell the building discomfort with enough pressure from his palm. "or the substances androids are prone to?"

"Since it looks like you're trying to not throw-up right now, I'll go with the substances. I can see what the effects are."

"As I've stated before sodium chloride can corrode internal biocomponents and the couplings to Thirium lines in high enough doses. And chlorine itself can have a similar effect to our internal systems." Connor paused and swallowed once as if he were in fact on the verge of being sick. "...Uh, the cold can also have a negative effect on androids; but prototypes are particularly vulnerable-"

"Easy, kid. Try to relax a little bit." Hank insisted as he took a bite of his burger and gave Connor a few seconds to settle again. As the deviant took in a slow, deep breath Hank took a sip of his soda and kept an eye on Connor's reactions and body language. "That stuff I already knew, but what else can hurt you?"

"...Androids... Androids can be affected by Ethanol causing our Thirium to thin," he blinked once and shook his head a little. "as you already well know..."

"It's okay, keep going after you take a moment to collect your thoughts."

Connor breathed deeply and let it out slowly. "Other corrosive substances can cause harm to internal biocomponents, but the substances in question can only affect specific biocomponents as opposed to an entire system failure."

"Okay, I can follow that." Hank took another bite of his burger and waited for Connor to take another moment to steady himself. "Can you be specific or are you a little too out of it right now?"

"...I... I can..." Connor let out a weak sigh as he leaned forward in his seat and wrapped his arms around his stomach as if in great pain. "...Hank?"

"Take it easy." Coolly, compassionately Hank patted Connor's back with one hand as he opened up his own door with his other hand. Walking calmly around the front of the car to Connor's door he pulled it open and put his hand on Connor's shoulder to help guide the android out of the car on his shaking legs, and over to a nearby alleyway. "Slow steps."

Connor let Hank guide him a few paces from the car until he was standing in the alleyway between the street and a dumpster. Leaning both hands against the brick wall Connor bowed his head and proceeded to expel a massive puddle of uncommonly bright blue Thirium all over the ground beneath his feet and around his shoes.

"It's okay, kid." Hank soothed as Connor threw-up a second time and spat one to clear out his mouth. "I'll get you back to the precinct so Joel can figure out what's happening."

"...N-No facility?" Connor asked in a stammering voice as he turned his head slightly to look at Hank with glassy irises.

"No. You talked the doctor into letting me leave the hospital early after I got bit by a damn rattlesnake, the least I can do is let the precinct technician look you over instead of dealing with a facility."

"...Thank you."

"Come on." Hank patted Connor's shoulder and proceeded to help guide him back to the car. "Let me know if you're going to get sick again, I don't want to have to clean Thirium out of the floor mats."

"...I will clean up the mess if necessary."

"Not while you're sick you won't."

* * *

Two minutes after returning to the precinct Connor was sick again and threw-up for a third time, bright blue Thirium splattering all over the pavement around the parked car and against the passenger side front tire. Hank kept a hand on Connor's shoulder as he guided the sick deviant inside the precinct, fighting the urge to grab a trashcan for the sake of sparing Connor's dignity, and escorted him to the elevator to reach the dispensary for an impromptu examination.

"Still feel like shit?" Hank needlessly asked as the elevator doors parted and the detective aided Connor in walking slowly to the dispensary a few feet away.

"...Yes. I don't understand how I can be so ill despite not having an ailment."

"Maybe you got food poisoning from tasting rat poison."

"...Unlikely."

"Just a thought." Hank joked in an attempt to make Connor feel a little better as he guided Connor over to the exam table against the wall in the dispensary. "And remember, I'm a detective and not a technician. Good thing, too."

Connor let out a weak single laugh as he sat down on the edge of the exam table and slowly laid back to keep himself from feeling sick a fourth time.

"Hey, guys." Joel stepped away from his desk casually as Connor laid flat on his back only to suddenly curl up onto his side protectively around his stomach. The reaction was unusual for androids, even if they were deviants and behaving more humanly. "You don't look so good, Connor. Were you injured?"

"No." Connor replied firmly as he breathed through his returning discomfort.

Hank confirmed Connor's answer with a single nod. "But he did sample some rat poison while at a crime scene."

Joel proceeded to wrap his fingers around Connor's wrist and count his pulse. "Rat poison? How much, and why would you sample rat poison?"

"He needed to identify a strange powdery substance and did so the only way he knew how."

"...Okay. That's the 'why', now how much did he consume?"

"A small amount, just a taste." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank looked down at Connor sympathetically. "He's thrown-up three times since then."

"Rat poison is a hemorrhagic type of toxin. It causes internal bleeding in organic lifeforms." Opening the door to the nearest cabinet Joel pulled out a Thirium pressure cuff and proceeded to slip Connor's left arm from his jacket sleeve, with Hank's help, then rolled up the shirt sleeve beneath. As he wrapped the cuff around Connor's left bicep Joel noticed the bright blue stains around Connor's lips. "Connor, open your mouth for a moment."

Connor obeyed the request and lowered his jaw as Joel instructed. The technician grabbed a penlight from the cabinet and shined the small light into the deviant's mouth examining the odd shade of color of the Thirium that stained Connor's tongue and teeth.

"Well, we can confirm that androids have the same hemorrhagic reaction as organic lifeforms."

Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder lightly. "Is he bleeding internally?"

"In a way. I believe the poison has damaged his artificial stomach causing Thirium to leak into the biocomponent. The unusual brightness confirms that his blood is thinner than usual, which is a direct side effect of the poison."

Remaining calm Hank kept his focus on Joel. "How do you treat him?"

"He _needs_ to be sick," picking up an empty metal trashcan Joel used his other hand to help Connor sit upright on the table. "he needs to get the poison out of his system which is what his system is already trying to do."

"Why didn't his system tell him that he had been poisoned?"

"The amount was so sparse and his system didn't have a previous record of such a poison, so it didn't have anything to identify as a foreign contaminant."

"But he will now?"

"Yes, his system will make a note of this poison and keep him safe from any future contamination."

Connor let out another pained sigh as bowed his head over the trashcan and threw-up again.

"Uh, how long is he going to be doing this?"

"Until the poison's cleared from his system. Could be a few minutes or a few hours." Returning his attention to the cabinet Joel pulled out a bottle of incrassation compound and poured a small amount into a second smaller bottle. "Connor, I'm going to give you a mixture of incrassation and Thirium. It'll stop your stomach from bleeding and keep your Thirium from getting too low."

Spitting out the poisoned Thirium from his mouth Connor lifted his head and stared at Joel with glassy irises. "...If I have to drink I don't think it'll stay down."

"Try."

Joel mixed the two elixirs into one, the orange and blue blending together into an unappealing coffee color in the bottle. Lifting a shaking hand from the trash bin he reached for the bottle of the offered concoction and took it with a righteous grimace on his face. Closing his eyes Connor drank the contents and fought the urge to throw it right back up into the trash bin.

"I know. I know..." Joel put his hand on Connor's shoulder to steady him sympathetically. "And I know I said you need to be sick, but try to hold off for at least five minutes. That should be long enough for the incrassation to stop the bleeding."

Connor nodded and fell back onto his right side, pressing his arm over his mouth as if he could stop himself from being sick through sheer force of will.

"Give him some time to rest," Joel lowered his voice as he addressed Hank in a steady voice. "then let him finish off his shift before returning home. I want to be able to monitor him here for a while before I release him."

"Sure." Hank patted the deviant's arm again before draping the gray jacket over Connor in a comforting manner. "I'll go tell Fowler what's going on and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Connor turned his head a little to look over at Hank a single nod before closing his eyes and resting as comfortably as possible in light of his sudden illness.

Sympathetic to Connor's discomfort Joel carefully coaxed Connor into rolling onto his back and propping his head up a little under his arm so he could breathe easier and keep the android's potent nausea at bay.

"You'll be fine, Connor. Just rest."

* * *

It took Hank about ten minutes to speak to Captain Fowler and to explain the situation to their superior officer, and in that time Connor had proceeded to throw-up for the fifth time. His Thirium was no longer dangerously bright in color from the poison in his system, which meant he was healing. Sitting up on the exam table with the trash bin in hands Connor spit out the lingering tainted Thirium from his mouth and kept his head bowed down just in case he was sick yet again.

Joel kept his hand wrapped around Connor's wrist to monitor his pulse while also taking note of his Thirium pressure. "Do you feel dizzy at all?"

"...No." Straightening his posture Connor tilted his head back and closed his eyes briefly. "But I do feel tired."

"Well, your Thirium volume is down to seventy-three percent, so that's understandable. Are you still feeling nauseated?"

"No, my expulsion program has ceased its function."

"You'll need to replenish your Thirium volume before the end of day." Taking the cuff from Connor's bicep Joel placed it back into the cabinet and handed him two bottles of fresh dark blue Thirium to take with him once he returned to the bullpen downstairs. "But you don't have to drink it all at once."

"I will do so throughout the evening."

"I see you removed your L.E.D., which means I have to ask more questions." The technician observed with a coy smirk. "How do you feel?"

"Aside from this particular moment, normal."

"That's good to hear." Joel practically pushed the bottles of Thirium into Connor's grip. "Give your system a moment to rest before doing anything else."

Connor accepted the two offered bottles and turned his head slightly as Hank returned to the dispensary. "You're on desk duty for the rest of the day."

"I find that acceptable." Connor placed the Thririum down on the table beside him to free up his hands long enough to replace his jacket over his arms and up to his shoulders. "I assume you've been placed on the same regimen?"

"Yeah, we're both stuck in the bullpen until the end of our shift." Hank picked up the Thirium bottles and looked to Joel for answers. "So how bad is he?"

"Already recovering. The poison is out of his system, he just needs to replenish what he lost before the end of the day."

"And if he doesn't?" Hank made sure to give Connor a stern glance as he asked the question.

"Then his system will fail to recalibrate properly during his next rest mode, and he could end up with errors that'll hinder his ability to perform his duties as a detective."

Connor inwardly grimaced because he knew that meant Hank would be hovering protectively over him for the next day or two. Although he trusted Hank with his life Connor often felt like Hank was a little too overprotective whenever he was sick or injured. But he also understood that his behavior was a result of his deeply seeded paternal instinct, and as a result of his training as a first responder.

"I'll consume the Thirium." The deviant stated in an honest tone. "I swear."

"You better. I don't want to have to force that stuff down your throat or hide it in a treat or something..."

"...Funny." Connor dryly commented as he slid off the table onto his feet and took a moment to ensure his balance wasn't going to fail him. "Perhaps I should begin hiding vitamins in your meals as well."

Hank patted Connor once on the shoulder as the duo exited the dispensary side by side to return to the bullpen where they were assigned to remain until the end of the day. "Let's finish that report," he suggested as he picked up the Thirium bottles on Connor's behalf. "and then go back home."

* * *

Connor was staring blankly at his terminal screen as he slowly, automatically filed away the report on the double homicide that he and Hank had worked that morning. The killer had been correctly identified and caught earlier by Chris and Tina, the two victims had been properly identified and their unfortunate families had been notified. All that was left was filing the official report and the two detectives had plenty of time to do so.

Gavin bounced a paper ball off of Connor's shoulder and drew a sluggish response from the weary detective. "...Yes, Gavin?"

"Did you finally get rid of that stupid light?"

"Yes."

"'Bout damn time. You might as well have painted a red bullseye on the side of your head."

"Right..." Connor turned away from Gavin and ignored the annoying Sergeant in an attempt to finish his work.

Hank walked past Connor's desk with two mugs in his hands. One of water and the other was still empty. As he sat down at his desk he studied Connor's demeanor with a knowing stare.

"You need to get some of that Thirium down."

"I'm functioning adequately."

"But that doesn't mean you aren't still feeling like shit." Raising a finger he pointed at Connor's right temple as he reached into the top drawer of his desk with his opposite hand to grab one of the Thirium bottles. "I don't need that damn light in your head to tell me that you don't feel well."

"I don't think I can drink any Thirium at the moment." Connor explained in a low voice as he leaned forward against his desk top and let out a tired sigh. "I am no longer experiencing nausea but my stomach still hurts."

"I get that." Opening the bottle of Thirium discreetly Hank poured a small amount in the empty coffee mug and slid it toward Connor. "Can you handle that small amount?"

Connor pulled the mug closer to himself and peered down at the small contents that barely covered the bottom of the white colored mug. Running a quick scan without even so much as blinking Connor calculated the amount of to be less than three ounces and would surely be small enough to not hurt his stomach if consumed.

Picking up the mug by its handle Connor slowly drank the Thirium and quickly placed the emptied mug back down on the desk as he felt a painful knot form in his stomach.

"You gonna' be sick again?"

Connor shook his head a little. "No. It just hurts."

"What do you mean it hurts?"

"It feels like the entirety of my artificial stomach is a bruise. It's painful, but not a hindrance as long as I don't do anything that will apply pressure or strain the affected area."

"Oh..." Hank understood fully. He's had his own distressing stomach issues in the past. "I get what you're saying."

"How so?"

"About two years after I fell into my alcoholic depression I ended up drinking so much I gave myself an ulcer. It would bleed from time to time and I can tell you for sure, that shit _hurts_."

"An ulcer?" Connor cybernetically downloaded the information on the human ailment and gave Hank a sympathetic look. "A break in the skin or mucous membrane with loss of surface tissue, disintegration and necrosis of epithelial tissue. You've recovered since then, correct?"

"Yeah. I would get a little better, then I'd start drinking again and make it worse. About a year after you got me sobered up it _finally_ stopped entirely."

"I'm glad you're well."

"Uh-huh, don't change the subject. We're focusing on _you_."

"My Thirium volume has increased slightly."

"How much?"

"...One percent."

"Yeah, this is going to be a long night..."

"Once the pain subsides I'll finish the rest of the Thirium."

"And I'll make sure of it."

* * *

Feeling a little weak whenever he moved Connor didn't protest when Hank intentionally slowed his own pace to let the deviant keep up with him, and he didn't complain when Hank practically pushed him from the car into the house to get some rest. Residing on the couch with Sumo stretched out over his lap Connor pet the dog's back and watched as Hank crossed the livingroom with another mug of the needed Thirium in his hand.

"That first bottle is only halfway gone, you need to get more into your system."

"I'm aware." Connor accepted the mug and felt uneasy at the additional amount inside. The mug was half filled and the larger amount made Connor feel a tad uncomfortable. "I will drink this before the hour is over."

Planting himself firmly at the end of the couch Hank refused to budge on the situation. "What about the other bottle?"

"...I will also consume that."

"Connor, remember when I was going through withdrawal and being a huge dick to ya'?" Before Connor could reply Hank held up a hand to shush the deviant and continued on himself. "Don't answer that. My point is I was violently sick and I risked dehydration every time I threw-up. You wouldn't let me do that to myself, and you kept me drinking water so I wouldn't have to go to the hospital. That's what I'm doing for you."

"I admit, I would greatly dislike having to go to a facility."

"Right, and I'm pretty sure they'll either open up a line in your arm or shove one of those tubes down your throat."

"I believe the most appropriate option would be the equivalent to a nasal-gastric tube being inserted through my _nose_ and down my throat."

"Gross."

"Agreed."

"So, drink that and focus on healing, and try to ignore the pain in your stomach. By morning you'll be feeling much better."

Taking a deep breath Connor slowly began drink the Thirium and winced as his stomach started to protest the added volume pressure from the necessary blue blood. Curling around himself protectively Connor was clearly in pain.

"Okay, okay!" Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder with one hand and took away the mug with the other. "Breathe. Don't tense up, it'll only make your stomach feel worse."

Nodding a little Connor did as Hank instructed and did his best to not curl around himself anymore. Sumo lifted his head up and looked over at Connor and licked the side of his neck sympathetically.

"...Good boy." Connor ran his hand down the dog's back again.

"What's your Thirium at now?"

"...Eighty-eight percent."

"That's better. Think you can get back up to one-hundred percent?"

Connor didn't answer which meant he didn't want to lie to Hank, or say something that would disappoint him.

"Alright, I have an idea. Just sit tight." Hank let go of Connor's shoulder and grabbed his phone as he stepped outside the backdoor and stood on the back deck.

Unsure of what Hank was planning to do Connor took the moment to close his eyes and relax as much as possible, noting that Hank's suggestion about not tensing up did seem to ease the discomfort in his sore stomach. Leaning back against the couch cushion Connor continued to pet Sumo's back much to the massive dog's joy. The simple repetitive motion was soothing to the deviant's overwhelmed senses and let him relax a little more.

Just as Connor felt himself drifting off into a light rest mode a soft and warm hand pressed against his cheek. Opening his eyes he spotted Skye sitting on the coffee table across from him with a smile on her face and the other bottle of Thirium in her hand.

"Skye?"

"Hi."

Glancing about the room curiously Connor noted that Hank was absent and the shower was running in the bathroom. "...Hank called you?"

"Yeah. He told me you were feeling sick after a bad case."

"I'm alright, just uncomfortable."

"And low on Thirium." She reminded him as she tried to hand him the Thirium bottle. "Don't make yourself worse."

"...I've been attempting to consume the Thirium but my stomach-"

Wrapping her other hand around his as he rested it on Sumo's back Skye managed to quiet Connor long enough to slip the bottle into his opposite hand.

Looking down at the bottle of Thirium in his hand Connor slowly lifted it up and removed the lid before he drank a little more of the vital substance. Pausing for a moment to endure the mounting pain in his stomach he felt Skye's hand tighten around his and the support was greatly appreciated. Even Sumo began to wag his tail as if trying to encourage Connor as well.

"I've never seen an android with an upset stomach." Skye laughed a little in an attempt to lighten the moment. "Nauseous and bleeding I've seen, but not this. You look very human right now."

"...Is that a bad thing?"

"Of course not. It's just unusual." Running her other hand through Connor's hair she kept trying to keep him as comfortable as possible while also trying to get him to drink a little more of the Thirium. "I wonder if all deviants can feel like this?"

"I hope not." Without thinking about it Connor managed to drink a little more of the Thirium and capped the bottle as soon as he finished. An update popped up in his field of vision confirming his volume back up to one-hundred percent, but that did little to calm the pain in his stomach. "...I think I need to lay down."

"Sure." Skye stood up and watched as Connor weakly pushed Sumo from his lap so he can stand up, but he was shaking a little and would've fallen forward if Skye hadn't caught him. "Whoa, maybe you should just lay down on the couch."

"...I can make it to my bedroom. I just... need to walk slowly."

"Or you can lean on me." Skye wrapped her arm around his waist to help support him as he gracelessly walked around the couch and toward the hallway. Sumo followed after the two deviants as Connor successfully made his way into his bedroom and nearly fell onto the bed as he kept a hand pressed to his sore stomach. "Do you need anything?"

"...Sleep." Connor sighed as he laid on his back and stared up at Skye pathetically as she guided him down against the soft bed. "Thank you."

Skye watched as Sumo trotted through the doorway and hopped up on the foot of Connor's bed to cuddle up beside the deviant once more. Giving the massive dog an amused smile Skye sat down on the edge of the bed and began running her hand through Connor's hair again.

"I'll stay with you until you fall asleep."

"You don't have to do that." Sighing tiredly Connor closed his eyes and turned his head a little to lean more into her touch.

"I want to." Whispering gently Skye slowly pulled her legs up from over the edge of the bed and leaned slightly on her side as she continued to play with Connor's dark locks of hair. "I want to be with you."

As Connor finally drifted off to sleep Skye laid down next to him and rested her head against his chest. It wasn't long until Skye herself had fallen asleep as she listened to the steady thrum of Connor's beating heart. Absentmindedly Connor's arm wrapped around Skye and he held her as she laid beside him. Even Sumo rested his chin over her ankles affectionately.

Quietly Hank exited the bathroom after taking a conveniently timed shower and spotted the two deviants laying together on the bed in Connor's bedroom. Sumo's tail was quietly wagging back and forth happily at the foot of the bed. Flashing a silent smile at the sight he reached for the doorknob and pulled it partially shut as he made his way to his own bedroom for the rest of the night.

"A woman's touch. It works every time."

* * *

The next morning Hank was awoken by the smell of something being cooked up in the kitchen and the soft muttering of Connor trying to keep Sumo from begging. Grabbing onto his alarm clock Hank saw that the time was just after nine in the morning and was relieved to hear the deviant walking around the house and going about his usual routine during their time off.

Getting out of bed Hank walked down the hallway and saw Connor with Sumo on the kitchen as he proceeded to perfectly flip an omelette into the air and catch in the frying pan. "Looks like you're feeling better."

"I am." Connor confirmed as he continued to focus on the stove in front of him. "My stomach no longer physically hurts."

"That's good. Where's Skye?"

"She left fourteen minutes, forty-seconds ago. She needed to return to the tower to assist in the new security protocol regarding access to New Jericho's archives." Connor paused for a moment and gave Hank an odd glance as the detective proceeded to pour himself a cup of coffee from the pot that Connor had already brewed earlier that morning. "May I ask why you invited her over last night?"

"It's simple, if I couldn't get you to drink that Thirium then I knew someone else, someone you always want to be strong in front of," Hank sipped at his coffee and gave Connor a sly look. "would be able to get you to cooperate."

"...Did you manipulate my emotions toward Skye against me in your favor?"

"Don't take it personally, kid. Human or deviant, it always plays out the same."

"How did you know that she'd be able to succeed? I was in just as much pain when I consumed the final amounts of Thirium as I had been all evening."

"It's part of being in love."

"...In love?" Connor questioned as he blushed a little at the comment.

"I was the same way with Barbara. She was the only one who could get me to admit when I was sick and she was the only one who could get me to take care of myself. All she had to do was spend time with me and I was compelled to push myself through my own pain so I could get better. She was also the only one of us who could get Cole to take his medicine whenever he got sick. There's just something about a woman's touch."

"I see." Connor prepared Hank's breakfast on a plate and set it down on the kitchen table. "...I think."

"What's to think about?" Hank asked as he sat down at the table and shooed Sumo away from him. "Whoa, eggs and _bacon_? You must be feeling great!"

"Whenever I've been ill, or you've been ill," Connor stated in a confused tone as leaned against the kitchen counter. "we've taken care of one another."

"Right, but that's a father/son type of deal. You still put up a fight and make it way more difficult than it should be." Taking another sip of his coffee he raised his eyebrows at Connor. "Just like Cole used to do."

Cole. Still a sensitive subject, but one that Hank was no longer hostile about addressing.

"...I don't intend to be difficult, I assure you." The deviant sat down beside Hank at the table and gave him a sincere glance. "I'm just attempting to make my own decisions rather than merely obeying orders."

"You don't have to _intentionally_ be difficult, son." Hank replied coolly as picked up a strip of bacon from his plate and took a bite. "You're _stubborn_. It's going to happen no matter what either of us do."

_**...next story...** _


	140. Insomnia

Despite having an entirely restful day and no complications from his exposure to the rat poison the previous day Connor found himself unable to sleep and unable to shut off his mind as he tried to enter rest mode as scheduled. Folding his hands together neatly over his chest he stared up at the blank ceiling of his bedroom then traced the walls visually until his eyes fell on the painting hanging on the wall at the foot of the bed.

The vibrant colors and incredible details that Lucas had captured with his paintbrush were impressive, even by android standards. As he stared at the painting Connor tried to manually activate his rest mode but the program seemed unable to boot, or simply refused to do so.

Growing frustrated Connor sat upright on his bed and note the late night hour, (or was it the early morning hour?) on his internal clock and decided to get up to do something more productive with his time. Moving silently out of his bedroom Connor walked down the hallway and eyed the numerous books Hank had collected over the years that lined the bookshelf in the livingroom. Checking through the various titles he eyes became transfixed on one entitled: " _The Hound of the Baskervilles_ ". It was one of the books that Connor had noted Hank reading six times within the near three years they've known each other, and decided to read it at least once for himself.

Sitting down in the middle of the couch Connor opened the worn out book and began to read the story one yellowed page at a time. Losing track of time as he read the story he was only aware of the sun just beginning to rise as Sumo walked down the hallway and nose at Connor's arm to get the deviant's attention. Looking down at Sumo's face and wagging tail the deviant just nodded and marked his page.

"Okay, outside."

Closing the book Connor left it on the couch as he made his way to the kitchen and opened the backdoor for Sumo. As the dog proceeded to go about his business in the backyard Connor filled up the dog's bowls with food and water ,then decided to make a healthy breakfast for Hank in turn.

Hank himself awoke two hours later and was bombarded with the smell of fresh citrus and scrambled eggs. As he reached the end of the hallway he spotted Connor already dressed in his uniform for the day and reading quietly on the couch.

"You're awake early. What's the occasion?"

"I was restless." Connor replied as he looked over his shoulder toward Hank. "Did I wake you?"

"Nope. Damn alarm did."

"I took the liberty of preparing a moderate breakfast for you. It'd be wise to consume more calories in the morning so you don't have to rely so heavily on coffee in the afternoon or evening."

"Yeah, sure. Let me wake up in the shower first. I hate the morning..."

"Take your time. I'm not in any rush."

* * *

Connor proceeded to run a self-diagnostic on his program that initiated rest mode, but there were no errors to be found. As the day passed on rather uneventfully, the only cases that the duo had been assigned were a few domestic abuses and one distraught man claiming that the hospital 'murdered' his terminally ill wife after she succumbed to her illness, the two detectives were bored to the brink of insanity as their shift mercifully came to an end.

"Do me a favor, Connor." Hank stated flatly as the two returned home for the evening. "If I ever end up with a terminal disease, let me die with dignity. Don't keep me hooked up to machines and wires just so I can suffer for a few more miserable weeks as a hollow shell of a person."

"...I sincerely hope it doesn't come down to that, but I will respect your wishes."

"That's all I ask. Alright, enough of that." Hank slammed his car door shut and stretched out his tired back as Connor made his way to the back deck of the house. "There's a game on and we can catch the last two innings."

"Would you like to make a wager?"

"I don't know, what did you have in mind?"

"Perhaps, a monetary wager this time?"

"Money?" Hank laughed as he opened the backdoor and stepped aside as Sumo went barreling through to get the backyard for the evening. "I thought it was against the law to gamble?"

"...I was merely attempting-"

"Connor? I'm kidding."

"Oh."

"You know for someone so smart and witty," Hank left his shoes by the backdoor as he pulled open the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "you can still be a pretty dumb kid."

"It must be my lack of proper rest."

"Try going sleep earlier, maybe you'll pass out if you lay still for a little longer than usual." Carrying the water into the livingroom Hank took his place in the recliner and turned on the television to find the aforementioned game to watch. "Sixth inning, and it's six to seven..."

"What do you do when you have difficulty sleeping?" Connor asked as he walked down the hallway to change out of his uniform into more casual clothes.

"If I have to I'll take a couple of sleeping pills," replying from the livingroom Hank just stared at the game on the television while Connor changed his clothes. "but most of the time I'll read a book, find a boring movie, take a hot shower... Depending on my mood I'll even try working out. There's a lot of things you can do for insomnia."

"I doubt this is insomnia, at least in the traditional sense." Returning from down the hallway Connor proceeded to let Sumo back inside and fed him once more before joining Hank in the livingroom. "It's potentially a glitch in my programming."

"And I bet you were running self-diagnostics all day that came up with jackshit as the answer to your problem."

"How did-"

"I _know_ you, Connor. You're getting a lot better at keeping your emotional responses in check, but you can't hide things from me. I know when something's bothering you."

"It doesn't so much bother me as it confuses me. I've never experienced sleeplessness before."

"As long as you're not exhausting yourself during the day you should be fine. Try to not worry about it, that'll just make it worse."

"I'll attempt to do so."

"Good. Now, stop thinking about it and watch the game. It looks like it's actually going to be a close call tonight."

* * *

Still unable to fall asleep after the game as he had expected Connor resorted to additional reading in the livingroom, and was joined on the couch by Sumo who was more than happy to keep the deviant company all night. Easily able to finish off the rest of his first book within two hours Connor grabbed two other Sherlock Holmes novels from the bookshelf, and finished the first half of the next book by the time Sumo was alert and ready to go outside for the morning.

Following a frustratingly similar pattern from the morning before Connor took care of Sumo, made Hank breakfast and was ready to go to the precinct hours before the older detective was even awake. Finishing off the second book just as Hank clapped his hand down on the deviant's shoulder Connor closed it and set it down on the couch beside him as he looked up at Hank with a sense of irritation.

"You didn't sleep again." Hank sympathized with a light pat to Connor's shoulder from where he stood. The answer was a quiet shake of his head confirming 'no', he didn't sleep. "Fuck. How long have you been awake?"

"Going on thirty-nine hours, twelve minutes and twelve seconds."

"Can you function well enough to work?"

"I will manage."

"You're sure?"

"Yes. I need to keep my thoughts preoccupied until I can find the cause of my inability to sleep."

"Want to go see Joel?"

"No. I doubt that will be necessary."

"Sure kid, whatever you say..."

* * *

Almost mockingly Connor was subjected to another boringly simplistic caseload that failed to properly stimulate his mind as he and Hank set about a relatively sedentary shift at their desks. Subtly Connor pulled the coin from his pocket and began to fidget with it over his left hand, but out of Hank's line of sight, as he fought the urge to go in search of a much more interesting case to ponder over.

"Don't move." Hank urged from his own chair across from Connor. "Stay put."

"Pardon?"

"You're getting restless again. Don't get up from that chair."

"I don't understand why I cannot be permitted to walk about."

"Because," Hank gave the deviant a knowing glance from around his own terminal screen. "you'll get wrapped up in something that you weren't assigned and then Fowler is going to have chew you out for not getting your reports filed on time."

"My reports have been completed."

"That doesn't mean there isn't more paperwork. There is ALWAYS more paperwork."

"Hank," Connor leaned forward a little and lowered his voice. "I cannot concentrate on something as menial as reports. I must find something more productive to do."

"Stay put for now."

Acting more like a scolded child than the disciplined detective he was, Connor fell back in his chair and proceeded to juggle his coin more frequently and no longer cared if anyone noticed.

"Connor..." Hank warned in a relatively stern voice. "put away the coin."

"...I don't want to."

"I'll make you a deal." Hank reached out to snatch the coin from Connor's hand but the deviant was too quick and palmed it before the detective could grab it. "You finish your paperwork, no matter how boring it is, and we'll play some basketball after we get home."

"Basketball?"

"Maybe the activity will help wear you out enough to actually fall asleep tonight."

"...It's plausible."

"Alright then. Now, put away the damn coin or I'm going to throw it into the river."

"...I'd just get another coin."

"Smartass."

* * *

After enduring one of the most exhausting baketball games he had taken part of throughout his entire life Hank panted for his breath as he wiped the sweat from his forehead and watched Connor proceed to make one perfect shot after another from the middle of the driveway. It seemed even Sumo had been worn out by the game was panting harder than Hank as he plopped down on his side in the cool grass beside the driveway.

"Ah, cripes... How in the hell can you still have so much energy?"

"I do not know." Connor replied as he caught the basketball and proceeded to make another perfect shot from the middle of the driveway. "But I find it inconvenient." Stopping for a moment to run a scan over Hank's vital signs Connor dribbled the ball twice before tucking it under his arm. "You should go inside and rest. Your heart rate and blood pressure have been elevated, and your rate of perspiration is indicative of early onset dehydration."

"Yeah, sure." Hank waved his hand dismissively as he turned to walk through the backyard to reach the backdoor. "I believe ya'."

Glancing over at Sumo who was just as worn out as Hank Connor patted his leg to call the dog over to his side as he followed Hank inside the house to try to unwind and hopefully finally fall asleep. "I apologize if this wasn't an enjoyable experience for you."

"It's fine, kid. I needed to get some exercise in." Opening a bottle of water he pulled from the fridge the detective quickly downed it and tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin under the sink. "But not _that_ much."

"Sumo was also overwhelmed."

"At least now we know what we need to do next time he has too much pent up energy." Pulling at the sweaty shirt clinging uncomfortably to his skin Hank let out a tired sigh and proceeded to make his way down the hall. "I'm going to take a shower."

"I will make you dinner." Dropping the basketball onto the floor Connor rolled it into the livingroom with his foot and washed off his hands in the sink.

Hank reappeared at the end of the hallway and gave Connor a suspicious glance. "You're not going to try to make anymore of those tasteless vegetarian dishes are you?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

"Good. Because I don't!"

Nodding to acknowledge Hank silently Connor set about preparing a fresh meal for the human detective to enjoy.

"Hey, kid, listen to me." Waiting for Connor to turn to look at him Hank tried to sound as reassuring as possible. "Tomorrow is our day off, so even if you don't fall asleep tonight you have all day tomorrow to relax."

"...I'm aware."

"Since reading didn't work for you I say we try the boring movie thing tonight. Sound good?"

"Yes. I'm willing to give it a try."

* * *

While Hank was able to easily drift off to sleep while watching an old monster movie from the 1940's Connor was unable to achieve such a feat and ended up staring at the livingroom ceiling with a tireless gaze. Laying stretched out over the entire length of the couch Connor glanced up slightly and saw that Hank was deep asleep in the recliner, and Sumo was curled up on the floor next to the chair complacently.

"Reading didn't work, the movie didn't work, and I know pills won't work." Connor sat upright slowly and looked down the hallway toward the bathroom as if needing a sign. "Perhaps a shower will work."

Moving as silently as possible Connor left the livingroom and entered the bathroom and closed the door behind him before he turned on the light. Pulling off his t-shirt over his head Connor caught a glance of his reflection in the mirror and could've sworn he had developed some bags under his eyes from exhaustion.

"Not human." The deviant reminded himself in a low voice. "I _look_ human, but I'm _not_ human."

Shaking his head a little he ignored his reflection and stared at the medicine cabinet attached to the mirror itself. Curiously he opened the cabinet door and found a few bottles of medication sitting idle on the shelves inside next to an seldom used razor, shaving cream, a tube of toothpaste and a small bottle of Thirium. Aspirin, Ibuprofen, flu medication and some sleeping pills were the contents of the bottles, and had only been purchased after Connor moved it and began taking care of Hank.

"...No." Closing the cabinet again Connor focused on the shower and proceeded to step inside after leaving his clothes neatly folded on the floor. "Human medication won't have any effect on me."

Connor stood in the continuously pouring hot water of the shower for almost an hour and he still didn't feel tired. The water was as hot as it could be without damaging his artificial skin in the process, and Connor knew better than to risk increasing the temperature any further without causing himself injury or causing himself to overheat.

"Why isn't this working?" Leaning against his arm as he propped himself up against the tiled wall he let out annoyed sigh turned off the water, and wrapped a towel around himself in defeat. Stepping out of the shower he couldn't stop himself from staring at the medicine cabinet and at the bottle of pills just inside. "...I could at least try one pill to see if it affects me."

Opening the cabinet slowly Connor retrieved the bottle of sleeping pills and read the directions.

"Two caplets is the standard dose. Begins taking effect in fifteen minutes." Opening the lid of the bottle with his thumb Connor dropped only one pill into his opposite palm and scanned it warily. "Active ingredient; Diphenhydramine. Dosage twenty milligrams. One pill should suffice for one who is physically exhausted, but mentally unable to rest."

To ensure he could take the medicine without choking on the pill by accident Connor crushed it between his index and thumb into a fine powder and dropped it into the water glass beside the sink. Taking the Thirium from the cabinet he poured just enough into the glass to dissolve the ten milligrams of powder before attempting to consume it.

Setting up an internal record Connor of the current time and the dosage of the medication he made a cybernetic log of his little 'experiment' and then quickly downed the Thirium. Sitting down on the edge of the bathtub Connor pressed a hand to his forehead as he waited for the fifteen minutes to pass by, but he didn't feel any differently than he had all day.

"Shit. I should've known it wouldn't work."

Standing up from the tub Connor decided he'd try one more shower before truly admitting defeat for the night. Stepping back inside Connor tossed aside his towel and turned on the shower to a comfortably warm degree to try to relax. As the water poured over him and soaked through his still damp locks of hair Connor stared straight ahead at the tiles on the wall as he became lost in thought, yet again.

"There must other alternative-" Feeling suddenly dizzy Connor put a hand to his head as he used his other hand to brace himself upright against the wall.

Running a self-diagnostic Connor's vision was bombarded with warnings of his system detecting the sleeping pill within the Thirium he had ingested and that his system was initiating an emergency stasis mode until the substance could be isolated and expelled from his system. The countdown clock appeared and began counting down quickly.

STASIS MODE ACTIVATION: 00:00:57

Realizing his mistake all too late Connor tried to step out of the shower but his legs wouldn't obey. "Shit..."

Grabbing onto the shower curtain desperately to keep himself from slipping Connor tried to pull himself out of the shower and once more his body wouldn't cooperate and let him move. Darkness began to cloud his vision as the clock reached thirty seconds and his body became heavier against his will.

"H-Hank..." Connor called out in a hoarse voice as his processors began to turn off one at a time despite his attempts to override the impending stasis mode. Feeling his gyroscope beginning to fail him as well Connor shouted again for help as he began to fall. "...Dad!?"

Collapsing suddenly Connor pulled down the shower curtain still in his grip as he fell with a loud 'thud' into the bathtub onto his back. The shower continued to pour over him as he laid semi-conscious in the bathtub.

The bathroom door burst open as Hank was quickly awoken by the loud crash and found himself looking down at Connor, who was laying unresponsive at the bottom over the shower and wrapped up in the torn down shower curtain. Sumo was following after Hank and stood outside the bathroom door with some of the fur on his back standing on end.

"Connor!" Hank reached over and turned off the shower with one hand as his other hand slipped under Connor's head and lifted him upward slightly to ensure water wasn't going down his throat. Keeping his hand beneath Connor's head he used his opposite hand to pat the side of the deviant's face a few times and called his name. "Connor? Connor!"

Despite the initiated stasis mode Connor had heard Hank's voice and his eyes partially opened.

Relieved to see Connor regaining consciousness Hank addressed the deviant with a mixture of frustration and confusion. "What the fuck happened?!"

"I..." Connor's eyes closed as he tried to answer and reopened slowly. "I was... foolish."

"What happened?" Keeping his voice level he spoke to the downed deviant with understanding rather than judgement. "Tell me what you did."

"I wanted to... I just wanted to sleep."

Hank pulled the deviant into an upright sitting position and grabbed the towel on the floor to drape it over Connor respectfully. "What did you do?"

"I took... I tried taking a sleeping pill."

"Ah, fuck... Connor."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to sleep."

The regret in Connor's voice was palpable as it was sincere. "It's okay, son. I'm not mad at you." Hank wrapped his arm around Connor's upper back and pulled the deviant out of the tub and onto the floor. "I was just worried."

"What I did was foolish... I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It's not your fault that your program got fucked up and kept you awake for so long."

"I know not to..." Connor was fighting to remain conscious in a cruel twist of fate as Hank held the deviant upright on the floor. "I ingested human medication. I know not to do so."

"Yeah, and I know not to drink alcohol anymore. But I've fucked up and you never held it against me." Grabbing onto Connor's clothes Hank helped the drowsy deviant to slip his shirt back on over his head and navigate his arms back through the short sleeves. "Just like I was desperate to numb the guilt, you were desperate to just fall asleep."

Connor wanted to say something but his filter had finished collecting the medication he had needlessly ingested and was preparing to expel the harmful matter from his system. Hank was quick to react and helped Connor to lean over the toilet as he threw up the potentially toxic sleeping pill and rid it from his system before it caused any permanent damage.

Spitting out the last of the tainted Thirium from his mouth Connor turned his head and gave Hank a pathetic glance. "...Are you mad?"

"I already told you I'm not mad, I'm just worried." Hank did his best to keep himself from sounding as annoyed as he truly felt about the dumb situation. "I need you to tell me if you're in any danger, alright? Do I need to take you to a facility?"

Connor shook his head lightly as grabbed onto his sweatpants and clumsily pulled them up over his legs as he slurred his response. "...I'm still conscious and I'm still coherent."

" _Barely_."

"My system is trying to enter... stasis mode."

"That's like rest mode, right?"

"Yes. Stasis mode is a deeper form... of rest mode. I cannot be woken up by... external stimuli."

"This is what's going to happen." Hank pulled on Connor's arm and hauled the deviant up onto his feet, then firmly planted himself in front of Connor to ensure he didn't collapse a second time, and hurt himself. "You're going to sleep in the livingroom and I'm going to keep an eye on you. If you don't wake up in twelve hours I'm taking you to a facility."

"Emergency stasis mode lasts for... six hours. That is... acceptable."

"Damn right, because you aren't going to change my mind on this."

Hank grabbed Connor's arm and pulled it around his shoulders as he wrapped his own arm around the deviant's waist. Fortunately the rooms in the small house weren't too far spaced out and it was easy for Hank to lead Connor back down the hallway and into the livingroom. Sumo backed away from the door and then followed after the duo protectively.

Trotting over his pillow in the corner of the room Sumo circled around once and plopped down heavily. As Connor practically collapsed onto the couch Hank instinctively rolled the deviant onto his side and into the recovery position to rest.

"...This isn't nece-"

"I know, but it makes me feel better." Hank interrupted as he returned to the hallway to get the navy blue blanket from its place in storage and draped it over Connor's resting form. "Don't fight sleeping anymore. I'll be right here when you wake up."

"...I... I really am sor-"

"Connor. Stop. _Everyone_ fucks up every now and then. Tonight it was your turn, that's all."

"I swear I won't ever-"

"I know, son. Just sleep."

Still feeling guilty for his reckless actions Connor closed his eyes but he didn't quite relax as Hank had hoped.

"If it makes you feel any better," Hank sighed as he reclaimed his place in the recliner. "I forgive you, even when you act like a dumbass. And tomorrow you're fixing the shower."

"...Thanks." Connor managed a weak smirk as he finally stopped worrying about his mistake and began to mercifully drift off. "I will repair the damage I caused."

"You're thanking me for insulting you and sentencing you to housework?"

"Actually, I'm thanking you for being so understanding... and for not yelling at me. It makes me feel... less foolish."

"To err is human, Connor."

"But I'm not a human."

"Close enough. You are more human than most people, at least you are in my opinion."

"...' _I fear that if the matter is beyond humanity, it is certainly beyond me_ '."

"Wait..." Hank leaned forward in his chair a little and stared at Connor in unexpected awe. "Did you just quote Sherlock Holmes?"

"I've been reading your books; ' _The Adventure of the Devil's Foot_ '." Connor's voice trailed off as he fell prey to his stasis mode and was asleep within seconds. "...They are quite enjoyable. ...Goodnight."

Hank smiled approvingly as he leaned back heavily in the recliner and closed his eyes to try to get some more sleep himself before the morning crept in.

"Yeah. Goodnight, son."

_**...next story...** _


	141. A Birthday and Happiness

It was September but that didn't mean the city was free from sporadic heatwaves that smothered the city in uncomfortable warmth despite the fall leaves beginning to paint the town in an amber hue. Hank rolled out from beneath the Oldsmobile with grease all over his hands as he finished draining the old oil and replacing the plug in the aged, but loyal vehicle. As he stood up from the ground to stretch out his tightened back Connor handed him a rag to wipe off his hands and a bottle of water to cool off.

"You should go inside and get out of the sun for a while." Connor suggested as he ran a scan over the detective's body. Hank was showing signs of mild heat exhaustion - elevated heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and heavy perspiration. "Your internal temperature has risen to ninety-nine point seven degrees."

"I'll be fine," Hank insisted as he wiped his arm over his hot forehead to rid himself of the sweat building on his brow. "I just need to replace the oil and then I'm done."

"I can do that for you. You should go inside and get out of the heat."

"No way. You have the Corvette to play with, I get this old bird all to myself."

"You really do enjoy working on cars." A faint grin appeared on the deviant's face. "Why didn't you become a mechanic instead of a detective?"

"Because," Hank picked up the large bottle of new oil from the ground in front of the car and turned the cap. "not everyone appreciates their cars. It'd drive me crazy to work my ass off to get a car running as smoothly as possible, only to have some annoying bastard drive it into the ground and break it out of neglect or laziness. Then come back to me to fix it, all the while bitchin' about how expensive parts are, blah, blah, blah... It just wasn't worth the aggravation."

"I see. Do you have everything you need to finish changing the oil?"

"Yeah, kid. I got everything I need."

"What about the spark plugs? They're approximately eight years in age and could be changed."

Hank finished pouring the oil and gave Connor a suspicious glance. "What're you up to, Connor?"

"I'm not up to anything. I just want to help."

"Yeah... And the fact that tomorrow is my birthday doesn't have anything to do with it? _Right_?"

"I..." Connor didn't have much of a poker face anymore after becoming deviant. Unable to deny his plans he admitted he had ulterior motives for wanting to leave the house for a few hours. "It's _not_ a surprise party if that's what you're worried about."

"Not anymore. But please don't do anything at all. I don't like my birthday."

"You encouraged me to celebrate my own birthday despite my hesitation, I wish to do the same for you."

"But that's different." Replacing the lid on the oil intake valve in the engine Hank slammed the hood of the car shut and proceeded to lower the bulky vehicle down from the jack. "You _never_ had a birthday before and you needed the experience."

"I've never experienced anyone else's birthday before, either." Connor put a somewhat somber inflection in his voice knowing that such a mannerism had a strong effect on humans. "And you're the only human I can comfortably socialize with consistently."

Sighing with a sense of defeat Hank relented and gave Connor a stern look. "Do NOT go out of your way and do anything elaborate. No big gifts, no celebrations and no parties."

"I can work within those terms."

"...Why do I get the feeling you've been planning this since your own birthday?"

"Because you're a good detective."

"Uh-huh..."

"...And a good mechanic." Connor tagged on with a mischievous grin.

Patting Connor on the shoulder once as he passed by to return to the house Hank shook his head and walked slowly up the steps of the back deck with fatigue. "I'm taking a shower, you do whatever."

"I promise you, I will not throw any surprise parties or make you feel uncomfortable."

"You better not. Or else I'll make you sleep in the Corvette for a year."

"Considering I like the car, that's not a very good punishment."

"Smartass."

* * *

True to his word Connor went about his plans for Hank's birthday without it becoming extravagant or embarrassing. Driving out to Rose's house outside of the city Connor met the kindhearted woman out in her greenhouse and proceeded to help her with her current harvest before following her into the kitchen to pick up the birthday cake that she had baked for him earlier that day. It was a small gift, but one that would be appreciated all the same.

"Are you sure that you only want to give him a cake for his birthday?" Rose asked as she carefully placed the cake in a protective container and handed it over to Connor. "I know Hank isn't the most social person, but this seems so simple."

"It's what he'd prefer, he has made that clear to me on numerous occasions. However, I do have a secondary gift that I will give him as well." Holding onto the plastic container with both hands Connor carried it back out to the Corvette and gently placed the cake down in the backseat and wrapped a seatbelt around it as a precaution. "I will attempt to get him to partake in a more social outing, but I suspect it won't be successful until after his birthday has passed."

"I wish I could visit tomorrow, but I don't want to miss Adam."

"I understand, and I know Hank will, too."

"Be sure to let me know if you can get him out of the house. I'd like to see him again."

"I will." Connor nodded and smiled at her warmly. "Thank you for your help."

"You're welcome." Rose wrapped her arms around Connor in a tight hug that he happily reciprocated. "Take care."

Returning home with the cake in tow Connor wisely opened the backdoor and let Sumo outside first before he returned to the car to take the cake inside, as well as a small plastic bag of groceries to hopefully keep Hank from asking too many questions. Placing the cake discreetly inside a cabinet above the kitchen sink out of sight Connor placed the other groceries inside the fridge, and then called for Sumo to come back inside before joining Hank in the livingroom. The detective was sitting at the end of the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table and a bottle of water in his hand. Hank still looked like he was worn out from being in the sun all day and Connor was a little worried about the man's health.

"Are you feeling well?" Connor asked as he joined Hank on the couch and ran another scan over Hank's body. His internal temperature had dropped to ninety-nine point three degrees, but he still appeared pale and exhausted. "You seem lethargic, yet your heart rate has elevated."

"I'm fine. Just a little warm."

"You've been consuming water all afternoon, are you experiencing any back pain that could be attributed to renal distress?"

"My kidney is _fine_." Turning his head a little he gave Connor a somewhat annoyed glance, his blue eyes appearing somewhat pained. "Did you find what you were looking while you were out?"

"Yes." Confirming the question Connor took in Hank's overall appearance and noticed that Hank was still sweating despite being inside the cool house for almost three hours and showering off. "Do have a headache?"

"A dull one, why?"

"Are you experiencing any abdominal pain, dizziness or confusion?"

"...No. What're you getting at?"

"I'm worried you may be suffering from heat exhaustion." Getting up from the couch Connor returned to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of a cherry flavored sports drink he wisely purchased for Hank while getting the other various groceries. Walking back into the livingroom Connor passed the bottle of the red tinted liquid to Hank. "You should drink this."

"I've been drinking water, I'm fine."

"Dehydration can disrupt your electrolyte balance and it can also deplete your sodium levels resulting in muscle cramps, dizziness of nausea. Think of this as a precautionary measure."

With obvious disdain Hank took the bottle from Connor's hand and opened it up. Taking a small drink to placate the deviant's worry Hank placed the bottle on the coffee table then leaned back against the couch. "Happy?"

"...Not as happy as I could be."

"No one ever is." Pressing his hand to the side of his head Hank tried to deny the growing pain of his headache and turned up the volume on the television as he concentrated on the baseball game. "After this game I'm going to bed. When I wake up I better not find the house covered in balloons or a room full of people. If I do I'll make you sleep in the _garage_ for a year, instead."

"I promise you that you won't find anything of that nature tomorrow."

"Good. That's all I ask."

* * *

Aware of the detective's gruff personality Connor was cautiously wary of Hank's behavior that evening, and proceeded to discreetly scan the detective from the partially opened bedroom door after he had gone to bed earlier than usual. Aside from the mild elevation in his body temperature and moderate dehydration Hank was seemingly just tired from working out in the sun all day, but Connor didn't want to take any chances. Unwilling to risk Hank's healthy considering his relatively advanced age and his singular functioning kidney, Connor set his internal alarm to awake him every hour on the hour to check in on Hank's condition throughout the night.

Sumo remained on Connor's bed and just watched as the deviant went about his unorthodox that routine for the night and wagged his tail every time Connor returned to bed. Around two in the morning Connor proceeded to run the fifth scan over Hank's body from the opened doorway and in that time noted his body temperature had begun to increase and reached one hundred degrees even.

Entering the bedroom quietly Connor knelt down beside the bed and pressed his fingers to the side of Hank's neck to count his pulse and noted he was sweating again. Making his decision Connor moved his hand down to Hank's shoulder and shook him lightly. "Hank? Wake up."

The detective remained asleep, his chest continuing to rise and fall in a steady rhythm as he slept.

Raising his voice a little Connor tried again. "Hank?" Shaking a little harder Connor tried a new approach to get the detective's attention. "...Dad?"

Hank's eyes fluttered a little and he took in a deeper breath as he awoke at last. "...Connor?"

"Your body temperature is beginning to elevate."

Hank looked about his room somewhat confused before settling on Connor's worried face. "...I'm fine. The house is just hot."

"Incorrect. The air conditioning unit is working at optimal levels. It is currently sixty-six degrees Fahrenheit." Standing up from the floor Connor pulled the quilt down from Hank's chest to his abdomen to try to cool him off before he left the room. "I'll get you some more water."

Sitting up a little in the bed Hank was overcome with a sudden but brief bout of dizziness and laid back down against his pillow. "...Fuck." Listening to Connor walking about in the kitchen Hank awaited the deviant's return and finally admitted he wasn't actually feeling fine. "Damn weather."

"You are in fact suffering from mild heat exhaustion." Handing Hank a new bottle of water Connor placed a bag of ice wrapped up in a clean hand towel over Hank's forehead lightly. "If your temperature increases to one-hundred and one point five degrees I'll have to take you to the emergency room to seek medical attention to prevent a possible heat stroke."

"Great. Just great..."

"I am confident I can treat your hyprathermia without having to resort to emergency medical intervention, but I will not risk your life in the process."

"Never doubted you for a second, son."

"Are you experiencing any other symptoms that I should be aware of?" Carefully the deviant checked Hank's eyes, using his own superior vision to do so without needing to turn on the overhead light. "Any discomfort at all."

"...Yeah. I'm a little lightheaded."

"Continue to drink the water and the sports drink, it should rehydrate you and stop the dizziness." Connor sat on the edge of the bed and pressed his fingers to Hank's wrist to count his pulse again, and pulled the quilt down lower from Hank's core to ensure he began to cool down naturally. "I'm sorry to have woken you up, but this was crucial."

"I get it, kid." Drinking the offered water Hank took in a deep breath and tried to ignore his lingering headache. "You're just looking out for me."

"It's two o' six in the morning." Connor gave the detective a somewhat timid glance. "Is it too early to say happy birthday?"

Hank laughed lightly at the question and shook his head. "Nah, that's fine. The sooner this day begins the sooner it can end."

"Happy birthday, Hank."

"Thanks, kid."

"Go back to sleep. I'll monitor your condition from my own bedroom to ensure you remain as stable as possible."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever."

* * *

The morning crept in without further incident as Hank's elevated temperature began a slow, but steady decline, reaching ninety-nine point two degrees by nine in the morning. The decline wasn't as rapid as Connor had hoped but he was content to see it dropping in general. Guiding Hank out of the detective's bedroom and to the couch in the livingroom Connor pressed his hand to Hank's forehead curiously while Hank tried to push his palm away.

"...Stop it, Connor."

Sumo followed after the two detectives for a moment before trotting into the kitchen and sitting down next to his empty bowls expectantly.

"You're no longer in danger of suffering from heat induced complications, but you're still at risk of dehydration."

Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm with one hand and pushed the deviant back. "I'll finish off that cherry shit and the water, but I can't do it all in one shot."

"Is it the same as when I was unable to consume the Thirium I required after becoming sick from the rat poison?"

"No, your stomach was hurting you, this is _different_."

"How so?"

"You were in pain and pain is something you need to push through to get better. As for me I don't want to drink so much I piss myself or accidentally kill my last kidney from over-hydration, or something."

"Oh... I hadn't considered the strain it could cause your renal system if you were to consume too many fluids in a short amount of time."

"Look, I'm going to take it easy and keep out of the heat for the entire day and all of tomorrow, I'll be fine."

"...Is it inappropriate to give you your birthday gift while you're feeling unwell?"

"Why would it be inappropriate?"

"Because... you do not feel well. It seems ironic, if not insulting."

"Oh, right." Hank laughed again and ran his hand through his gray hair casually. "Humans are confusing."

"Yes, they can be. But how do you mean in this particular moment?"

"Humans love to think the act of gift giving as something that only happens when we're already in a good mood, but the truth is give gifting is meant to be a give and take thing. You give a gift to feel good for doing something nice, just as receiving a gift is supposed to be a sign of affection. The two acts aren't mutually exclusive and don't happen just when people are happy. Most of the time it's used to cheer someone up."

"So, a gift would be appropriate for two reasons because of your birthday, as well as your current illness?"

"Yes, son. It's fine." Hank laughed again as the unfailing naivety of Connor trying to figure out humans and their customs. "As long as it's not a surprise party."

"It is not."

"Good."

"I'll take care of Sumo and I will get you your gift."

"...You didn't buy another car, did ya'?"

"No."

" _Very_ good." Hank leaned back against the couch cushion and let out a breathy sigh as he tried to push past the headache that just wouldn't let him be. "Nothing elaborate."

Connor flashed a somewhat bemused smile as he took care of Sumo in the kitchen and let him out into the backyard for the morning. With the massive dog distracted Connor proceeded to make his way back down the hallway into his bedroom and pulled open his closet to retrieve the perfectly wrapped box in dark blue paper and carried it out to Hank in the livingroom.

"I know you said you didn't want anything special for your birthday," Connor gently placed the box onto the couch next to Hank as he himself took a seat in the recliner adjacent to the couch. "but you also stated that you don't celebrate your birthday either. Since this is arguably the only birthday you'd be willing celebrate with me I wanted to make sure your gift was memorable."

"But not elaborate?"

"Correct."

"Alright, thanks Connor." With as much enthusiasm as one would expect from a sick and indifferent person Hank peeled up the paper taped down at the end of the box and unwrapped the offered gift. Revealing a white cardboard box underneath Hank flipped open the lid and looked down at the item wrapped in white tissue paper beneath. "Is this glass?"

"Only a portion of it."

"Oh." Carefully Hank peeled back the light tissue paper and peered down at the exposed gift and nearly dropped the box as he saw what Connor had done just for him. "Connor..."

"I know you had tried to forget about the family photographs in the crawlspace, but I could not. I favored that particular image and I suspect you had done the same which is why it was wrapped up in numerous layers of paper and placed in its own box hidden in my own bedroom closet."

"...I had no idea it was still in the house."

Hank picked up the perfectly restored photograph that was behind a flawlessly polished layer of glass in a strong rectangular black frame. The photo was of Hank himself, back when his hair was shorter and still somewhat brunette, holding Cole as a small infant in one arm while his free hand wrapped around Barbara's hand as the three walked around the lake at the cabin. There was a gorgeous orange and red sunset reflected on the surface of the still lake and gave the entire photo a surreal and beautiful natural aura.

The photo itself had obviously been taken by a good friend when the three were unaware of the picture being taken, as the trio had naturally happy expressions on their face as opposed to purposely posed and insincere expressions that stem from being asked to stop and smile.

Hank leaned forward and wiped his thumb under his eye as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Do... you like it?" Connor asked timidly as he had a difficult time reading Hank's current emotional state of mind. Never before had Connor seen the detective with such a blank face but emotionally conflicted eyes. "If it upsets you-"

"I'm not upset." Hank finally replied as he stared at the long forgotten photograph in his hands. "Just... overwhelmed."

Unsure of what to say, if anything at all, Connor remained quiet and waited for Hank to break the silence at his own pace.

"Connor... Thank you for this. I forgot how much Barb and I loved spending time at the cabin as a family, even if it was only for two summers. But they were two great summers for sure."

Remaining quiet Connor just waited for Hank to take control of the situation or say something else. It was rare to see Hank so overwhelmed by emotion or showing any sign of the truly compassionate nature in his heart of gold.

Hank turned to look at Connor with emotional tears collecting in his eyes as he gave the deviant an appreciative smile. "As far as birthdays go, this wasn't the worst I've had. In fact, it was one of the best I've had since I was a kid. Thanks."

Returning the smile Connor stood up from the recliner and sat down beside Hank on the couch. "Rose made you a cake as well. But I doubt your have much of an appetite at the moment. She would also like to spend an evening with you whenever you're feeling up to a night out of the house."

Staring down at the photograph held tightly in his grip Hank let out a single chuckle as he let the good memories of those summers at the cabin flood his mind, and bring him a much needed sense of peace. Setting aside the box Hank's hand reached up and grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and shook him once lightly.

"I'm glad you did this, Connor." The detective's blue eyes lit up with long repressed happiness after so many years of depression and self pity. It was felt good to think of his family and to see them all together in the photograph that captured a happier time in his life. "...I really am."

Connor let out a very human sigh of relief as Hank sincerely expressed his joy. "I was worried I may have overstepped a boundary when I took the photograph for restoration. I'm aware of your private nature, but I was also relatively certain that this would've been acceptable as a gift."

"This is _very_ acceptable. I couldn't have asked for anything better." As if renewed with a zest for life Hank's pallor seemed to return to a normal healthy shade and the headache that had been relentlessly gnawing at him finally began to lessen. Feeling truly great for the first time in a long time Hank spoke from the very heart of gold that Hank tried to hide but Connor could see all too well. "Thank you, son. I love this."

"Happy birthday... dad."

Hank's grip tightened as he pulled Connor in closer for a quick hug and held onto him for a moment. "Yeah, it actually _is_ a happy birthday. Thank you for this."

_**...next story...** _


	142. Moving Up

Standing before Captain Fowler in his office Hank and Connor patiently waited for their superior officer to explain why he had summoned them both to his office, and why they had been requested to speak with him in private. Unlike the normal reasons that Captain Fowler summoned the duo to his office for either a new case assignment or a disciplinary action. Captain Fowler seemed in an unusually upbeat mood and didn't even mind that Hank was still dressed in such a careless fashion, or that his hair was still too long according to department procedures.

"You two are being recognized for your upstanding nature and excellence in your field." Captain Fowler stated in a very proud manner as he slid two paper files across his desk toward the two detectives standing before him. "Not to mention your repeated behavior in going above and beyond the call of duty."

Hank didn't look impressed while Connor was still attempting to analyze and process the unusual situation at hand.

"You are both being promoted, with honors. You'll be acknowledged by the mayor himself."

Hank gave Captain Fowler an incredulous stare while Connor remained silent. "...What?"

"Yeah," Captain Fowler seemed almost as shocked as Hank was. "you're being promoted to Captain and Connor is being promoted to Lieutenant."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Hank put both of his hands up as if he could somehow stop everything in its tracks. "I can understand Connor moving up the ranks but me? _Me_? I'm getting promoted to Captain? The guy who doesn't give two shits about protocol and punched out a special agent right here the precinct? I'm getting promoted?"

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either."

"Alright, who died?"

"No one died, Hank." Captain Fowler was getting irritated and had to raise his voice to get reality to set in. "For fuck sake you _earned_ this."

"Earned it? Yeah, right." Hank shook a finger twice at Captain Fowler before folding his arms over his chest defensively. "More like the mayor is trying to score some points by promoting the two detectives who made the headlines for taking down CyberLife. This is all just a cheap stunt and you're letting him exploit us."

"What the hell is wrong with you? You're the only officer in this whole fuckin' state who'd actually get pissed off at better pay and benefits."

"I'd like it better if it was _actually earned_ , Jeffrey. I don't want it just handed to me because of some half-wit politician trying to look good!"

"Connor," Captain Fowler looked away from Hank and addressed the deviant in a calm manner as if expecting him to be the voice of reason. "how do you feel? I'm sure you can see what a great honor this is."

"I understand the significance of the promotion," Connor sounded timid and confused as he answered his superior honestly. "but I agree with Hank. I do not feel as though I've earned this."

Captain Fowler leaned back in his chair and let out an annoyed sigh as he stared at the deviant and gave him a slight shake of the head. "I think you've been spending too much time with Hank. Connor, you did _earn_ this."

Shaking his own head Connor replied with a sincerely pessimistic tone. "I believe that my promotion is entirely due to the fact that I am the first android, turned deviant, detective in the precinct. If the mayor wanted to gain the vote of the deviants, and of the humans who support deviants, then the act of promoting me to gain favorable notoriety would be a very potent means of doing so."

Captain Fowler looked like he was ready to snap. "...Are you two paranoid or something?"

"No."

Hank interjected with a firm tone of voice. "Jeffrey, you don't think the timing on this is just a little too coincidental? Hm? The mayor got a lot of heat once the city found out CyberLife was still secretly stalking around in the shadows, not to mention the cops being pissed off at the stunt that little worm pulled last winter and giving us food poisoning. Connor's right. If the mayor wasn't up for re-election this fall then maybe, _maybe_ , I could believe this. But the mayor wanting to promote us himself reeks of bullshit."

"Alright, alright!" Captain Fowler was losing his patience and decided to end the unusual conversation before it got any more heated. "Look, this isn't going to happen for another two months, so-"

"See?" Hank interrupted aggressively. "Just in time for the election."

"As I was saying..." Captain Fowler gave Hank an irritated stare before continuing on. "take this time to think about it, and decide if you want to accept the promotions. You don't have HAVE to accept them, but it'd be nice if you two showed a little cooperation and kept morale up."

Connor's brow arched a little as he casually glanced through the transparent glass window of Captain Fowler's office. "Morale?"

"It's been a rough past couple of years. The people of the city have only just begun to trust us to protect them after the revolution." Gesturing over toward Gavin, who was toiling away at his terminal screen, he explained things a little more clearly. "The anti-android humans are still trying to adjust to the equal rights given to androids, and some of them aren't as quick to come around as others. We don't need anymore bigots trying to rally hate against the police and accuse us of weird favoritism or corruption."

"...I see."

Hank recognized that subtle tone of offense that Connor often masked well and decided to end the already uncomfortable conversation. "Two months, right?"

"Yeah. Two months."

"We'll think about it."

Hank turned away quickly and Connor was following right after him. Departing the office with their heads held high the duo returned to their desks and sat down casually. Neither said a word to one another as Hank leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest and Connor sat upright with perfect posture in his own chair, his eyes staring blankly at the terminal screen, as the two detectives contemplated their possible futures.

Keeping his voice low Hank peered at Connor at the desk across from him and checked in on the young deviant. "You okay?"

"I'm not sure." Turning his eyes from his screen Connor locked his brown irises on the father figure who had guided him along his journey to understanding humanity. "I didn't appreciate the way Captain Fowler suggested that the androids are at fault for humans being bigoted toward us."

"Yup, I could tell."

"Do you agree with him?"

"Fuck no! Humans were self-righteous, closed minded, heartless pieces of shit before androids were even created. It's just that right now androids are the main target for hate and violence, and in a few years something else will come along and humans will hate that, too."

"Why?"

"Because humans suck, plain and simple."

Connor knew that Hank was being honest with him in regards to the way androids and deviants were being treated, and he appreciated it; but he was still conflicted. Even if he had felt as though he had earned his promotion he knew that he'd be just as wary of accepting it later, as he was now.

"What if the new promotion comes with new responsibilities I cannot properly handle?" Connor righteously worried. "Or it prevents me from accomplishing my pre-existing responsibilities toward New Jericho? I may even be unable to socialize with Skye or Markus..."

"That's the shitty part about having a steady job, kid. Your social life and personal responsibilities tend to get pushed aside whether you want them to or not."

"If I have to neglect the people I care about then I don't want to be promoted. It seems to be a counterproductive measure against my favor."

Uncrossing his arms Hank leaned forward against his desk top and eyed the deviant curiously. "What's really bothering you, son? There's more to it."

"It's just that..." Feeling a little silly for his train of thinking, Connor had to take a moment to collect his thoughts before answering. "If we accept our promotions then that means we will no longer be permitted to work together as partners."

"Yup. That's typically how it goes."

"You'd be transferred to another precinct to take charge and I would undoubtedly remain here and take your place."

"Well, you didn't think we'd be able to work together forever, did you?"

"I was aware of the possibility that we could be assigned new partners down the line, but I didn't think it'd actually happen since you're the only human detective willing to work with an android for a partner."

"I wouldn't exactly call it 'willing'," Hank joked to try to make Connor laugh a little. "it was more like I was given a special assignment and I managed to not fuck up for the first time in a couple of years. That's all."

"I suspect you're correct about our promotions being a hollow gesture." Connor glanced subtly to his left and looked at the AX model android who had recently been assigned to the precinct. He had been in the precinct for just over a month and be assigned to work with Chris as a temporary partner. "I believe that once you are transferred I will be assigned to work with Jack."

"The new android?" Hank looked over at the blond android briefly before returning his attention to Connor. "Is that a problem?"

"I'm not sure. But it feels as though I'm somehow being manipulated into acting in a part that I do not wish to fulfill; it's almost like CyberLife."

"Remember you don't HAVE to accept the promotion if you don't want it, and neither do I."

"Won't that upset the mayor if we don't cooperate?"

"Yeah, but why should we give a fuck?" Hank smirked devilishly from where he sat. "If that guy actually understood what was important and understood that being the mayor means taking care of the people who elected him, and that it's not a fuckin' popularity contest to have the most 'friends', then he wouldn't be doing this to us in the first place. It's nothing more than a photo opportunity to kiss every cop and deviant ass in the city."

Connor finally began to relax a little as a faint grin crept over his face. "...I suppose you're correct."

"Besides, two months is a long way off. You have plenty of time to think this over and make your final decision. And it's just that son, YOUR decision."

Nodding a little Connor took Hank's words to heart as he thought about the entire situation as change hung in the air. "Have you made your own decision?"

"Yeah, but I had my mind made up a LONG time ago." Fussing with the lukewarm mug of coffee on his desk he gave the deviant a reassuring glance. "You do what you want to do. A lot can happen in two months, kid. You never know what's going to happen."

"That seems so... ominous."

"Or hopeful. It depends on how you look at it."

"I've never been one who has been able to accurately anticipate change, despite my ability to adapt to numerous situations and human nature."

"No one can predict the future, kid. You just have to make the best of what you have and hope it works out in the end."

"You're right. I will remember that." Connor glanced back over at Jack as he sat in a very machine-like manner at his desk across from Chris. "I just hope I won't be used as a guideline for other androids entering the police force. It feels... I don't know how to describe it."

"Fake?"

"I suppose that is an accurate term."

"Look, if you feel like you're being discriminated against for being an android don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. But," motioning slightly toward Jack who was either unaware of their discussion or simply didn't care enough to react. "don't just assume the worst, or mistake him for a generic 'copy' meant to emulate everything you've accomplished."

Connor sighed a little as he looked over at Jack one more time before returning his full attention to Hank. "If I were to decline the promotion would be you be disappointed in my decision?"

"No, son. You've never done anything to disappoint me before, I can't even imagine a scenario where you ever could."

"...Thanks, Hank."

"Alright. Now let's finish off these reports so we can go home."

"Yes. I'd rather do something productive instead of putting on a performance for the mayor."

"Damn right."

_**...next story...** _


	143. Electrical Disturbance

Working together Connor and Hank managed to clean out the garage to make just enough room to slip the Oldsmobile out of the drive, and next to the Corvette until the impending storm passed the city by. While Connor put protective covers over the windows of the house facing the backyard, over the garage windows and and locked the door, Hank checked on the emergency supplies that had been slowly collected over the year to prepare for the notoriously harsh winters that were destined to sweep over Detroit.

Connor stepped away from the locked door and looked up at the rapidly darkening sky overhead and ran a cybernetic scan to track the storm as it quickly built in strength and encroached on the city. The strength of the storm, harsh winds and wildly fluctuating temperature changes were indicative of possible tornadic activity that put everyone on edge.

"Sumo?" Connor called to the massive dog who was cowering under the back deck of the house. Reaching the bottom of the steps he patted the side of his leg to coax the dog out and over to him just as the wind picked up and a warm rain began to pour from the thick clouds overhead. "Inside."

Moving slowly Sumo followed Connor up the steps and to the backdoor. With his head low and his tail tucked between his legs Sumo was obviously unsettled by the approaching storm, and Connor knew that animals were far more in tuned with nature than humans or even technology ever could be.

"That bad, huh, boy?"

Stepping inside the kitchen through the backdoor Connor closed the door and locked the deadbolt to ensure no looters trying to take advantage of the weather, or powerful gusts of wind could possibly blow the door open. There were two massive emergency first aid kits fully stocked; one for human use and the other for android use. Two large flashlights, extra batteries, candles, lighters and a case of bottled water had been collected on the kitchen table in the event of an emergency.

Sumo took off from the kitchen and pushed his way into Connor's bedroom through the partially opened door to cower under the bed until the storm passed.

Hank was sitting in the livingroom with the television on to monitor the weather while Connor took care of everything outside. Hearing Connor return to the house and Sumo take off down the hallway, the detective knew that the storm was going to be severe.

"Everything's locked down." Hank stated as Connor joined him in the livingroom and took off his leather jacket now that he was inside and no longer needed to protection from the storm. "Strong wind gusts, hail, rain, thunder, lightning... It's going to be a real shit-show."

"I can detect strong naturally occurring electromagnetic fields building in the clouds. Sumo's reaction to the storm is consistent with the predicted strength as being reported throughout the city."

"Of course this has to happen on our day off."

"Could be worse. We could be on the clock and patrolling the city throughout the duration of the storm."

"Good point." The wind picked up and began to gust harshly against the front windows causing a thick layer of opaque rain to obstruct the devastating power of nature on display just outside. "It's times like this I wish this house had a basement."

"If it becomes necessary I can clear out a place in the crawlspace to take shelter."

"Yeah, right. There's no way I'm going to cram my ass in there no matter how shitty the storm gets."

A rumble of thunder from the distance rolled over the city and the rain began to pound against the roof of the house in an equally thunderous ambience.

"You could always hide under the bed with Sumo."

"Sumo is bigger than the bed itself, there'd be nowhere to hide."

Another crash of thunder shook the house and caused the windows to rattle loudly in the panes. Lightning began to flash in the distance as the storm rapidly encroached over the city and prepared to unleash its full fury.

Cybernetically Connor tuned into the Doppler system and made sure to track the storm as accurately as possible while Hank decided to peer out the rain smothered window to watch the wind violently blow through the trees, causing the branches to shake wildly. As hundreds of loose autumn leaves were torn from their twigs and lost in the powerful breeze Hank shook his head and continued to watch the storm in all of its chaotic majesty.

"Maybe the storm will blow all the damn leaves out of the city and we can skip racking this year."

"That'd be convenient." Connor observed as he walked into the kitchen and picked up one of the flashlights to test its batteries. "It'd also be beneficial if the winter passed by without dropping snow and ice over us."

"No such luck, kid. We'll always have to endure the cold in this town."

The lights overhead began to flicker as the wind destabilized the powerlines along the poles all throughout the neighborhood. Reacting to the sudden change in atmosphere Connor picked up the lighter and lit one of the candles. Placing the lit candle on the center of the small kitchen table he proceeded to move the other supplies to the countertops Connor looked out the window to the backyard and watched as a large tree branch in the neighbors yard began to crack from the wind and heavy rain causing immense strain.

"It appears as though-"

A blindingly bright flash of lightning illuminated the sky and a raucous crash of thunder rocked the entire neighborhood, causing Connor to stop midsentence and flinch. Putting his hands to his eyes he stumbled back from the window and was greeted with a system error report as his ears began to ring a little, and his eyes vision was obstructed by a flashing pulse courtesy of the bright lightning.

Curious about what Connor was saying before stopping short Hank entered the kitchen and saw the deviant standing idle with his hands covering his eyes with both hands protectively. "Connor? You okay?"

"...Yes." Connor nodded while keeping his hands over his eyes, only to slowly lower them and look at Hank. "The close proximity of the lighting strike had momentarily affected my processors."

"That happened once before, I remember." Walking over to the window Hank peered out for himself and saw that the tree branch Connor had been watching had broken loose during that last strike and was now leaning up against the fence that divided the properties. "How do we keep you safe from lightning strikes so you don't burn out your heart again?"

"There is nothing that can be done and nowhere I can go to avoid the weather." Lightning and thunder bombarded the area and at long last the lights gave out blanketing in the interior of the house in darkness. "I can only endure the storm and essentially hope that no further-"

Hail began to fall from the sky and pelt the house in thick chunks of white ice. The two detectives watched as the dime sized hail bounced all throughout the backyard like small white crickets as the storm continued to rage and devastate the city.

"Come on, let's go to the livingroom." Practically pushing Connor away from the window and toward the interior room Hank grabbed one of the other candles and lit it himself. "If these windows break we're going to have to put up something to keep the storm out."

"There are plywood sheets in the garage."

"Neither of us are going out there during the storm. We'll just use a blanket if we have to."

"That would be an adequate substitute."

* * *

Two hours into the massive storm numerous lightning strikes all throughout the area began to affect Connor's processors with static images and faltering reactions that caused his biocomponents to experience brief interruptions. Whenever Connor would physically flinch in discomfort or let out a breathy sigh to compensate for his ventilation biocomponents being unable to function at a consistent rate, Hank would quickly take notice of the deviant's reactions as he stood beside the front window in a near trance at the sight of the storm tearing through the clouds overhead.

Turning his head slightly Hank eyed the deviant worriedly, though his voice remained confident. "Are you in any danger?"

"I am functioning adequately." Sitting in the middle of the couch with one arm wrapped around his stomach and other hand pressed over his eyes Connor struggled to remain coherent through the building static that disrupted his visual and auditory sensors. "There will be no permanent damage."

"Then are you hurting, aren't you?"

Nodding silently Connor admitted he was feeling pain.

"So those snakes at CyberLife couldn't be bothered to come up with some way to keep androids safe during storms, but they could build secret underground strongholds and try to wipe out every electronic device in the city? Sounds about right."

"...Before I deviated I had been shielded from electromagnetic interference through a dampening field that CyberLife could manually activate and deactivate."

"Why would something like that need to be turned off and on with a switch?"

"The dampening field protects us, but it also blocks the signal from our tracking devices and the input signal from a manual deactivation code."

"Oh. I guess now that CyberLife is gone there's nothing that can protect you?"

"...At the moment, no."

Additional lightning flashed over the city causing Connor to curl around himself on the couch as the accompanying thunder drowned out the sound of the rain, hail and wind for only a few seconds. A following lightning strike had been drawn to an old antennae on the roof of the house across the street and with the strike came a shower of orange sparks as the high voltage destroyed the antennae with a loud explosive sound that made both Connor and Hank reflexively flinch in response.

Red warnings popped up in Connor's vision as he felt suddenly all too warm and his system tried to initiate and unnecessary expulsion of Thirium from his artificial stomach and Thirium filter.

"...H-Hank..." Connor called out for the detective as he fought the urge to throw-up despite nothing actually being wrong with him. "D-Dad..." He stammered in fear. "I feel sick."

The sound of Connor calling him 'dad' in such a pathetic voice made Hank cringe with utter concern. "Are you going to puke or something?"

"...I feel hot."

"Hot?" Hank stepped away from the window and pressed his hand to Connor's forehead. Internally swearing at the sudden fever Connor spiked as his systems had a negative reaction to the abundance of lighting in the area. Hank reacted like any other parent protecting their child and took initiative. "Lay down, I'll get you some ice to cool off."

Connor fell to his left side on the couch and kept his eyes screwed shut to block out the pain as his dismissed the error messages in his vision. Remaining quiet and still, Connor almost jumped as Hank placed a partially melted ice pack wrapped in a towel over his forehead.

"Sorry, kid." Hank walked around the edge of the couch and sat down on the coffee table to face the sick deviant. "Without the power going everything in the fridge and freezer are starting to thaw."

"...I u-understand."

"Can you tell me how bad your systems are fucked up?"

"No. There's too much interference..."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. Open up your mouth."

"...What?"

"Thermometer. If you're running hot I want to know exactly _how_ hot."

Following Hank's logic perfectly Connor opened his mouth and let Hank place the digital thermometer between his teeth and under his tongue. As additional lightning strikes relentlessly overwhelmed the city Connor would flinch and endure more errors as his system fought to endure the numerous glitches he was sustaining as a direct result of the close proximity of the naturally occurring high voltage.

"There's seriously nothing that we can do to protect you from the storm?"

Connor shook his head a little as he spoke around the thermometer in his mouth. "No."

"Make sure New Jericho prioritizes that dampening thing so you don't have to put up with this anymore." Pulling the beeping thermometer from Connor's mouth Hank eyed it and proceeded to put another ice pack against the back of Connor's neck. "One-hundred and three point two. You need to cool down, NOW."

"...If I enter stasis mode my system-"

Lightning flashed through the windows of the dark house and deafening thunder shook the city.

Hank put his hand on Connor's arm lightly as the stressed out deviant physically flinched harshly. "What'll happen if you going into stasis mode?"

"...My system will briefly enter low power mode and turn off all non-essential functions. The errors will minimize in-" A powerful gust of wind blew a massive tree branch up against the front window making a loud 'bang' that echoed in the house and made the two detectives jump. "...severity." Connor finished his sentence. "But I will be unaware of what's happening around me."

"You'll be safe here. I'll watch over you."

"But the storm could-"

"Relax. If we can survive a tornado in the middle of nowhere I can handle a passing storm in the safety of our own home."

"...In the event you need me to awaken," Connor pulled the ice pack from his forehead so he could look at Hank, only to have the detective try to push the ice back into place. "press your fingers against my right temple and hold pressure for six seconds. It'll cause a manual reactivation."

"That's handy to know after all this time..." Hank patted Connor's shoulder once and placed more ice around his back. "How long are you going to be out?"

"...The storm is estimated to pass by in-"

Lightning caused Connor flinch and the lights flickered as they tried to reactivate in spite of the raging storm.

"...four more hours. I think..."

"It's five thirty right now. The weather report said it'd be gone by nine tonight."

"I will enter a three hour stasis mode."

"Do what you have to do to stay healthy."

"Thank you."

Connor initiated an emergency stasis mode that mercifully powered down his overwhelmed systems one by one giving the deviant mounting peace as the relentless lightning was finally unable to affect him on a painful or disruptive level.

Remaining where he sat on the coffee table Hank watched over Connor to make sure he wasn't still overheating, while also glancing at the window to watch the storm as it passed by slowly. Relying on his phone for updates via texts from the precinct and New Jericho until the power returned Hank remained protectively vigil while the sick deviant rested in stasis mode.

Within the next hour the thunder grew quieter and the lightning was less frantic as the storm began edging away from the city. The hail had stopped entirely but the wind and rain was still relentless.

Hank lifted up the melted ice from Connor's forehead and pressed his palm down to check for a fever, but it seemed like Connor was already cooled down to his near normal temperature. "You're hanging in there, huh, kid?"

Glass shattering down the hall made Hank jump to his feet as Sumo came sprinting out of Connor's bedroom and down the hallway. Practically sliding across the linoleum floor in the kitchen Sumo sought shelter under the table and whimpered once.

"Aw, fuck... What broke?"

Making his way down the hallway Hank peered inside Connor's bedroom and quickly spotted the source of the sound. A massive tree branch had fallen from a nearby tree and broken through the window. A pile of glass shards and rain water puddled on the floor next to the aquarium in the room.

"That was close. Hate to have tell Connor his fish died while he was asleep." Approaching the broken window carefully Hank pushed the branch away and back out into the yard. Pulling the curtain away from the window Hank pulled the glass shards out and added it to the pile on the floor. Turning to look at the bed that Sumo was hiding under, noticing that it had been moved by a good four inches, Hank laughed a little to himself. "Surprised the dog didn't flip the whole bed over when he bolted."

Stepping away from the window Hank looked at the mess on the floor and sighed to himself in irritation.

"Where's that damn broom?"

* * *

A cold, wet nose pressing against Connor's neck went unanswered for almost twenty minutes until the three hour time frame finally passed and Connor awoke from stasis mode as his system had been programmed. Opening his eyes Connor's vision was obstructed by the melted ice pack over his face and the all too distinct sound of Sumo's breathing in his ears. Removing the ice pack Connor was greeted by Sumo staring right at his face as the massive dog lick Connor's right cheek.

"Hi, Sumo. The storm must be over if you're no longer cowering under my bed."

"That," Hank replied as he walked down the hallway with a hammer in his hand. "and a tree branch broke your bedroom window. Don't worry about it, I nailed up a towel over the window to keep out the rain." Laughing again he pointed at Sumo who was pressing his chin down against Connor's knee as the deviant pulled the ice packs away from his body. "Damn dog shot out of your room like his ass was on fire!"

"...Is that the only damage the house sustained?" Sitting upright on the couch Connor ran a scan over Hank's body to check for any sign of injury as he began petting Sumo's head sympathetically. "Were you harmed by broken glass?"

"I'm fine." Hank tossed the hammer once in the air and caught it again by the handle. "How about you?"

"My system has successfully rebooted to full capacity and I am running at optimal parameters without any sign of malfunction."

"Great. Tomorrow I get to teach you how to replace a broken window without cutting off your fingers in the process."

"How is the rest of the city?"

"A few downed powerlines, half a dozen trees in the park and outside the city got blown over, some flash flooding near the river, and about a hundred cars suffering from hail damage. Typical autumn in Michigan."

"I'll clean up the broken glass."

"Sorry kid, I beat ya' to it."

"Of course... It would've been impractical to ignore such an issue."

"Take it easy, you were getting all kinds of fucked up from that storm. You're allowed to take a few minutes to collect your thoughts."

"Since I awoke from stasis mode as scheduled I can assume that no further emergency, beyond the broken window, arose while I was in stasis?"

"Yeah, it's fine. See?" Hank sat down on the couch next to Connor and gave him a reassuring stare. "You don't have to bear the whole weight of the world on your shoulders."

As if to emphasize Hank's point with symbolic timing the lights in the house returned to life with an audible groan. As the lights returned the television automatically turned itself on and the weather was still being reported on the news.

"Tomorrow you should check in with New Jericho and see if they have anything that'll protect you from future storms."

"That's a good idea. With all of the enhancements that New Jericho has recently undergone I'm certain that new software updates will improve the features that CyberLife had already implanted."

"I hope so." The detective placed the hammer down on the coffee table and rubbed Sumo's chin lightly. "I don't like the idea of you getting knocked on your ass every time a storm passes by."

"Neither do I." Connor's hands rubbed over Sumo's ears and under his chin affectionately as he spoke. "I never noticed how inconvenient these types of oversights could be until now."

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty, kid."

"Yes." Giving Hank a nod of respect Connor relaxed. "And I suspect that in the aftermath of the revolution that hindsight will prove to be invaluable."

"Alright, enough of this philosophical bullshit. Let's make sure that window isn't going to cause any more problems before we can replace it."

_**...next story...** _


	144. Domestic

Sitting behind his desk Hank pressed a bag of ice against his sore right shoulder and a second one over the knuckles of his right hand as he nursed a pulled muscle and fractured fingers, all the while Connor finished questioning their arrested suspect in the interrogation room. The suspect himself was a young man in his twenties and very strong. Having been identified by witnesses as the man who beat the hell out of his wife, putting her in the hospital and tragically on life support, it didn't take Hank long to take on the case for the sake of tracking him down and making sure he knew how it felt to have someone beating down on him.

Connor insisted that Hank sit the interrogation out to prevent any further incidents and Hank agreed, but only because he didn't want to have to look at that man's horrible face a second longer than necessary. The interrogation itself didn't take too long, yet when Connor returned to his desk he looked as though he had spoken with the Devil himself.

"Connor? Don't hold it in, what's on your mind?"

"How can anyone be so cruel as to violently assault someone they claim to have affection for, and do so over such an insignificant indiscretion?"

"Remember what I said about humans sucking?" Hank asked in a casual manner as he adjusted the ice over his knuckles. "That's one of the many reasons why we do. So what lame-ass excuse did he try to give for smacking her around?"

"He believed she was cheating on him with another man because she returned home from her shift six minutes later than expected."

"Fuckin' traffic! No one gets home when they want to."

"Yes. That is apparently what she had told him and he claimed she was a liar. So he struck her for cheating on him and then lying..."

"Fuckin' psycho."

"I agree. The man shows no form of empathy, sympathy or any emotional comprehension beyond that of his own direct inconveniences." Glancing at Hank's hand resting atop his desk Connor ran a quick scan and noticed two hairline fractures of his right forefingers. "Your first and second metacarpophalangeal joints have been fractured."

"Yeah, that's what I figured."

"You should have your fingers secured in splints to diminish pain, and allow your joints to heal properly."

"Later. After we finish our shift."

"You wish to avoid filing a report regarding the injury you've received while on the clock?"

"Yup."

"Very well." Connor's eyes trailed up Hank's arm and rested on his shoulder concealed beneath the pack of ice. "You should also know you suffered a grade one sprain to the acromion joint of your right shoulder."

"Is that bad?"

"Not as bad as it could be. But you'll have a limited range of motion until the swelling reduces and the joint has time to heal."

"I'm used to that, kid. My damn back keeps me from moving during the winter, and winter will be here sooner than you think."

"I dislike the cold. Next winter we-" Connor stopped mid sentence as a police report was filed to the precinct and a text message from Chris was cybernetically directed to his processors. The phone on Hank's desk buzzed as he too received a message from Chris. "There was a car accident at Ford and Lilly, the victims have been taken to Henry Ford Hospital. Chris says one of the occupants of the car was Abby."

"Yeah, that's what I got to." Hank confirmed as he showed Connor the display on his phone. Awkwardly Hank pulled the car key from his pocket and tossed them to Connor who caught them without any difficulty. "You drive."

"Got it."

* * *

Using their badges to gain access to the hospital without any hindrance the two detectives had to wait nearly two hours until the doctors finish treating Abby for her injuries before they could speak to her. The duo were then shown to the private room where Abby was recovering from the accident in a less than comfortable manner, in the small bed with her right leg wrapped protectively in a cast from her ankle up to her knee. Abby's left eye was bruised and she had a red scrape along her jawline. A larger bruise stretched from her right shoulder across her chest diagonally from her seatbelt and she had a mild red scrap over chin and her nose from the airbag being deployed during the collision.

Gavin was already at the hospital, having responding to the accident with Chris, and was standing beside the bed looking down at Abby with his back toward the opened door. He was speaking to her and making small notes in his notepad, but it seemed like they were having a friendly conversation and were less interested in writing down her account of the accident.

"Abby?" Connor politely called her name from the opened doorway to the room before he and Hank even entered. "May we come in?"

"Connor?" She looked at the doorway with utter confusion as she recognized the two detectives who had come to visit her. "Hank? Why're you two here?"

"We got a message that you had been in a traffic accident." The deviant clarified as he and Hank entered. "We wanted to check on you."

"Oh, well that's sweet of you."

Gavin took a step back and cleared his voice awkwardly before excusing himself from the room. "Uh, I got everything I need from you Miss Grayson."

"Call me Abby."

"Right... Abby." Trying remain cool Gavin casually slipped his notepad into his coat pocket and said his goodbye. But he looked oddly pale and a little flustered as he walked. "If uh, you need anything or want to talk about the accident just call me with that card I gave you."

"Thanks Gavin, I will."

Turning around quickly Gavin acknowledged his fellow detectives before taking his leave of the room rather quickly. "Lieutenant. 'Tinman'."

"Gavin." Hank replied curtly as the Sergeant passed him by. Discreetly Hank concealed his right hand in his coat pocket to keep the keen eyed technician and former E.M.S. from spotting his own injury as he approached her. "What happened?" Looking at her swollen eye he watched her mannerisms carefully. "It sounds like your car was 't-boned' at an intersection."

"Yeah, we were."

"' _We'_?"

"...Well, yeah."

"Who was the driver?" Hank pressed gently. "I can tell from your injuries you were the passenger."

"I hate to say this, but..." Abby sighed a little before answering honestly. "he was going to be my ex-boyfriend. Now he's my _late_ ex-boyfriend."

"Ah, shit. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I am too." Abby whispered as she watched the two detectives enter her room and stand beside her bed. "I'm just glad this happened before I had the chance to tell him I wanted to see other people."

"Your eye." Connor noted the injury curiously as he cybernetically downloaded the photos from the scene of the accident. "It is inconsistent with the rest of your injuries. Did you sustain it before the accident?"

Hank noticed the same thing and continued to watch Abby warily. "Abby? Did your ex hit you?"

Abby grimaced a little as tears welled up in her eyes and she cleared her voice. Still shaken from the accident Abby wrapped her arms around herself protectively. "That's why I wanted to see other people."

"Fuck. Why didn't you call one of us?" Hank motioned toward Connor and then to himself with his left hand defensively. "We would've protected you."

"I know that. But I can protect myself."

Connor agreed as he assessed her overall demeanor as he ran a scan over her vital signs and was relieved to note that she was stable. Running a scan over Abby's body his system picked up on something unusual that he couldn't quite place, but since she was stable he decided to pass it off as a glitch in his processors. "I'm glad you had decided to end the relationship before it could've degraded into something more violent."

"Me too." Abby placed her hand over the cast on her leg and patted it once. "I just wish it could've been handled less 'dramatically' and without my leg getting broken."

"How long are you required to stay in the hospital?"

"Just overnight. I can go home tomorrow morning as long as I stay in stable condition."

"Should we call anyone to assist you while you recover?"

"No, I'll be fine by myself."

Hank didn't buy it. There was something Abby was hiding and he was determined to figure it out. "You moved out here from Chicago, right? Anyone follow you? Parents or siblings?"

"No. My dad died when I was four and my mom died about six years ago."

"Siblings?"

"My older brother was serving life in prison... for killing our mom."

"Oh..." Hank backed off the subject readily. "No wonder you took off."

"Well, it's not what you think. She had brain cancer and we didn't want her to suffer. My brother intentionally gave her a morphine overdose when I was at work and of course the coroner found the drug in her system. I tried to explain things to the court, but they wouldn't listen."

"It was a mercy killing."

"Yup. And then my brother died from an infection because the prison guards didn't believe he was sick." Abby sighed a little and put her hand over her stomach lightly as if uncomfortable. "Speaking of morphine, could you ask the nurse to step in and give me something to stop the nausea. Morphine and I have never been on good terms."

"Yeah, sure."

While Hank stepped out of the room Connor addressed Abby in a low tone of voice. "What of your ex-boyfriend? Did he have any family that should be contacted?"

"No. He was alone, too. I think that's why I gave him a chance, I felt bad for him." Abby put her hand over her mouth as she felt a little sick and Connor responded quickly by handing her a metal basin for her to use as she threw-up a little. "...Nice timing. I wish I could say the same for myself."

"There's nothing wrong with giving someone a chance to be happy. And you weren't responsible for the accident."

"How do you know what happened?"

"Aside from the fact that you weren't driving, I'm currently receiving cybernetic updates from the officers who are chronicling the events of the accident. Your ex ran a red light and the other driver couldn't stop in time."

"Yeah. He had a temper. And he was _really_ impatient."

"May I ask where you were going?"

"Back to his apartment after having an argument at dinner."

"Oh. I apologize."

"Why? You weren't the one being an ass."

Hank returned to the room with a nurse who brought with her a small syringe loaded with some medication to ease Abby's nausea. While the nurse checked Abby's chart and her overall vital signs she whispered something discreetly to Abby in her ear, which caused Abby to pale a little, before giving the trio some privacy. Connor was able to easily read the nurse's lips but he didn't say anything out of respect for Abby.

"So Abby, let me ask you this." Hank spoke to her with a paternal need to look after her. It was the same tone of voice he used with Connor whenever the deviant was showing self doubt or confusion. "Would you be willing to let us drive you back to your apartment tomorrow so we can at least make sure you get back home safely?"

"Sure. Except I moved out of my apartment two weeks ago and now live in a house closer to New Jericho Tower."

"That works, too."

"Alright, thanks." She tried to sound confident, but she was still shaken. "I'll take you guys up on that offer."

Connor nodded his head and placed his hand on the back of Abby's arm briefly. "We'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, see ya'."

As the two detectives stepped out of the room Connor discreetly put his hand on Hank's left shoulder and guided him over to the nurse's station.

"Connor?" Hank knew the deviant was up to something and sighed. "What're you doing?"

"You need your hand and your shoulder tended to before we depart from the premises."

"Shit. I was hoping you'd forget."

"No. I always remember when you're injured or ill."

"Yeah, I've noticed."

* * *

A few hours later Connor drove from the hospital back home with Hank in the front seat, his right hand now splinted and right arm being supported in a sling to keep weight away from his strained shoulder. As the deviant carefully maneuvered through the traffic to get back home he couldn't help but think of the odd interaction that Gavin seemingly had with Abby after visiting her. The detective beside him had been pondering the same question.

"I wonder why Gavin was there?" Rubbing his left hand over his sore right shoulder Hank turned his gaze over toward Connor curiously. "Chris sent us the message, but Gavin was the one taking her statement."

"I believe it's safe to assume that Gavin is still interested in Abby in a romantic manner."

"No shit? Maybe she should date him." Laughing once to himself Hank dropped his hand from his shoulder and peered out the window coolly. "She might be able to get rid of some of his attitude problem and make him more bearable."

"That would be interesting, but I doubt she'll be interested in dating anyone any time soon."

"Yeah, I can see that. Even if she was about to dump her boyfriend it'll still hurt for a while now that he's... you know, dead."

Connor wanted to say something about the unusual interactions he had witnessed between Abby and Gavin, as well as Abby and her nurse, but decided against it for the sake of privacy; and to avoid gossip. Instead Connor changed the subject and ran another scan over Hank's shoulder as the car pulled into the drive beside the house.

"How is your shoulder?"

"Sore. But I'll be fine."

"We can pick up Abby from the hospital at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Should we bring anything to better accommodate her?"

"Yeah, but I think you should ask Skye or North for help in that department."

"How so?"

"It's actually pretty simple." Hank opened his door slowly and stepped out of the car carefully as to not jostle his arm too much. "Abby's going to need some clean clothes and I know better than to go snooping around in a lady's closet."

"...O-Oh." Connor followed Hank out of the car, as well the detective's logic, as the two made their way up to the back deck of the housecasually. "I will send Skye a message and ask her to pack a small bag for Abby."

* * *

True to their word the following morning Connor and Hank returned to the hospital to take Abby back to her home near New Jericho. Skye had arrived at the hospital just a few minutes before the two detectives via autonomous taxi and was now waiting for them near the entrance with a small, packed bag in her hand. Smiling broadly as Connor stepped out of the car she approached him and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she accompanied Connor inside the hospital.

Abby required a little assistance from a nurse to change into her clothes while she became more accustomed to her cast, but was soon given the discharge papers and she wheeled out to the car parked near the front where Hank was waiting patiently in the front passenger seat.

Connor knelt beside the wheelchair as the nurse stopped beside the car. "Let me help you."

Slipping his arms beneath Abby's legs and around her lower back he easily lifted her up and held her in his arms for a moment as Skye opened the backdoor to the car. Sitting her down in the backseat carefully Skye climbed inside beside Abby while Connor placed her necessary crutches in the trunk. Soon after he took his seat behind the wheel.

"Do you require anything before we take you home?" Connor asked as he looked at Abby in the rearview mirror.

"No. I just want to go home and sleep in my own bed tonight."

Hank turned to look at Abby over his good shoulder and gave her an empathetic nod. "I don't blame you one bit. So, are you going to be able to get around just fine on your crutches by yourself?"

"Skye is going to stay with me at my house until I get the cast off." Giving Skye a grateful glance Abby leaned back against the soft cushion of the backseat and let out a slow sigh. Her hand returned to her stomach somewhat protectively. "We'll be fine."

"Are you sure? You look like you're going to be sick."

"I'm swear Hank, I'm going to be just fine."

"Okay." Glancing briefly over to Skye who wasn't betraying anything, he turned around and looked through the front windshield at the thin traffic ahead of the car. "Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."

* * *

Once at Abby's home Connor proceeded to carry Abby inside and gently place her on the couch, while Skye followed carrying her crutches and now empty bag. Hank followed inside after the group and looked about the house warily to look for any possible security problems to the property; namely checking that the windows on the ground floor were properly secured and locked, and that the front and back doors had deadbolts.

Abby looked a little pale again and she wrapped her arm around her stomach. "...Crutches please."

Skye handed her the requested items and helped her to get up and walk toward the bathroom without slipping.

Connor ran another scan over Abby and detected the same bizarre anomaly he had noted the night before. One he couldn't quite place, but again her vitals were stable. "Are you ill?"

"Yup." Abby admitted as she awkwardly limped on her crutches out of the livingroom and into the bathroom just down the hallway with Skye at her side. "I won't be long."

Connor watched as the two women slipped into the bathroom together and closed the door. The sound of Abby being sick reminded Connor of all the times he had tended to Hank when he had fallen ill. It was an unsettling feeling as he had grown to care about Abby as one of his good friends.

Hank was also a little worried and lowered his voice as he addressed Connor. "Did she get concussed during the accident?"

"No." Connor confirmed as he answered Hank in a tone of voice that was equally as low. "Her most severe injury are the two fractures to her tibia and three to her fibula."

"I wonder if she's having another reaction to pain killer?"

"She did not consume any medication prior to her release and her prescription is of a less potent pain medication specifically chosen to prevent any further nausea."

"I'd hate to think she caught a cold or the flu on top of bustin' her leg." Noticing the focused stare in Connor's eyes Hank knew that the deviant had discovered something about her health but wasn't saying anything. "Connor, is something bothering you?"

"Bothering me?"

"About Abby. You look like you're trying to solve a puzzle but can't find all the pieces." The sound of the toilet flushing followed by water running in the sink filled the house as Hank pressed Connor gently. "Come on, what is it?"

"...While we were visiting her in the hospital last night I ran a scan to note the severity of her condition and I detected something that my sensors couldn't properly identify."

Hank's eyes went wide with worry but kept his voice low. "Is she sick or something?" The detective turned his full attention toward Connor and away from the sound of Abby being sick down the hallway. "Did she suffer a permanent injury in the accident, and she just didn't say anything?"

"No permanent injuries, but she vomited once after she felt nauseated and you had gone to locate a nurse." Continuing his explanation Connor remained just as perplexed by the readings he received no matter how many times he tried to deduce the odd reading. "When I ran my scan last night, as well as my second scan two minutes and fourteens econds previously, my sensors found her vitals to again be stable. Yet there was something consistently unusual that I can't explain."

"What was it?"

"...I detected a second heartbeat."

"Ooooh." Hank sounded incredibly relieved as a faint smile crept over his face. "That would explain the nausea."

"She had an adverse reaction to her pain medication." Connor stated confidently, only to notice the amused look on Hank's face and his confusion immediately intensified. "...Didn't she?"

"Connor, that wasn't a glitch in your system when you scanned her."

"It wasn't?"

"Nope. If I'm right I think it's safe to say that Abby is 'expecting'."

"'Expecting'?" Connor was completely unfamiliar with the human term despite everything that Hank has taught him over the past three years. "Expecting what?"

From down the hallway Abby replied firmly as she and Skye exited the bathroom together. "Expecting a baby."

Connor turned to look at Abby and his brows arched with surprise. "...O-Oh. Now I understand."

Skye smirked a little and squeezed Connor's hand as she walked by him to help Abby over to the couch.

"And Hank's right." Abby confirmed as she limped back into the livingroom and sat down on the couch slowly. "I'm just over eight weeks along. I didn't know it until last night after I arrived at the hospital. And now I can't seem to shake the morning sickness, which is just what I want to worry about when I can't run anymore."

Hank gave Abby a somewhat hesitant look before saying anything. "So... Are you gonna'... you know?"

"Yup. And the good news is the father isn't my ex. And no, I didn't cheat on him." Putting her hand lightly to her stomach she gave Hank a coy grin. "This was the result of a one night stand I had a while back before I started dating my now ex."

"It's none of my business to ask who the father is, so I won't." Making sure Abby maintained some dignity Hank didn't push the matter too far. "But does he know about it?"

"Yup. He knows. He's dealing with it in his own way right now."

"Well, remember you have us to help you if you need it. So... congratulations."

"Thanks."

Giving the house one final glance to ensure that Abby would safe while she healed, and remain safe well after she had the baby, Hank decided it was time to leave the poor woman alone for a while. "Come on, Connor." Reaching out his hand Hank patted the side of the deviant's arm to coax him into moving. "Let's get outta' here and let her get some sleep."

"I'm coming." Connor agreed as he took a step to follow Hank back out of the house. Locking eyes with Skye he waited for her to say something before going any further. "Are you certain you'll be okay without us?"

Abby nodded in confirmation as she slowly fell to her right side on the couch and curling up around herself a little as she pressed her head down against the soft couch pillow.

Skye walked up to Connor gave him another kiss on the cheek. "We'll be okay. But if we do need anything I'll be sure to contact you or Hank."

"Okay." Smiling at Skye and then over to Abby, who already had her eyes closed and was nearly asleep Connor took his leave of the house. "I'll see you later."

* * *

The drive home was quieter than normal as Connor sat in deep contemplation behind the wheel. As he tried to process what had recently happened with his friend and how much her life was about to change, he couldn't help but think of all the possible ways his own life could change: The fall of CyberLife, his impending promotion, his developing relationship with Skye... There was so much happening in Connor's life that the deviant was having some trouble comprehending how fast life seemed to move without someone telling him how to live.

Hank was grinning to himself for a while before he finally spoke up with a good humored lilt to his voice. "Guess now we know why Gavin was there, and why he was so anxious. Hope he keeps his cool."

Connor had heard Hank's comment but didn't bother to respond beyond an indifferent nod of the head.

"I can actually _feel_ you thinking." Hank commented dryly as the car pulled in the drive beside the house. "Now what's on your mind?"

"I was attempting to comprehend how Abby could remain so calm and emotionally level after enduring such drastically contrasting events; one traumatic and the other availing. Unexpected death and and now new life; she took it all so well."

"Some people are just far better at dealing with change than others." Wincing a little as he stood up from the car Hank let out a sigh and watched as Connor did the same and made his way toward the backdoor. "Is that what's really bothering you? Change?"

"...Possibly. It's difficult to put into words."

"Remember, you're free. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, and no one can tell you anything different."

"I'll remember." Giving Hank a truly curious stare as he opened the backdoor Connor needed to ask the burning question that was sitting in his mind. "Were you so calm when you learned that Barbara was pregnant with Cole?"

"Fuck no! I almost passed out when she told me."

"...You were scared?"

"Outta' my mind. It never occurred to me that I could actually become a father until it was already happening. It was a HUGE change and while it was a welcome change, it was still a little unexpected. But I have no regrets and I was over the moon with happiness."

Connor was still trying to understand the prospect of having a child to take care of despite Hank's guidance, and his own previous experiences with children. "I assume it's difficult raising children, but even more so when you're trying to raise a child alone."

"Yup. It was a massive adjustment after Cole was born, even with Barbara there every step of the way, but I wouldn't have changed a thing." Making his way into the livingroom Hank adjusted the strap on the sling supporting his shoulder and shooed Sumo off the couch so he could stretch out and rest a little. "If I can take care of a kid by myself after being widowed then Abby will do just fine. Don't worry about her."

"I don't think that's possible. She is a very good friend, after all."

"Yeah? Well, I don't think she'd be alone for very long anyway. That baby's _father_ still has some say about it."

_**...next story...** _


	145. Ear Infection

An already long shift felt even longer as day gave way to night and the precinct bullpen was still filled with officers and detectives alike filing away their reports regarding a string of burglaries in the shopping district. Twenty-three individuals had already been identified and arrested for their part in the numerous thefts of various items to be re-sold illegally in underground markets or online. Fortunately, keen eyed deviant had noticed a pattern in the behavior of the group of thieves and made the call that led to the arrests, and a new story for the news to flaunt.

"How many reports have you filed?" Hank asked through a sleepy yawn and leaned back a little in his chair to stretch out his back.

"Nine. I have two more to file."

"Shit. I only finished four so far."

"I'll get you some coffee." Connor volunteered readily. Standing up from his desk Connor wavered slightly on his feet but caught his balance as the dizzy spell faded as quickly as it came on. "...That was strange."

"What?" Hank asked without looking away from his terminal screen, Connor's swaying going unnoticed.

"I had a momentary syncoptic episode."

"You had a what?"

"I got dizzy when I stood up."

"Oh. Is your, uh, gyroscope thing out of whack again?"

"Possibly. I will check for an update before I recalibrate it tonight." Walking into the breakroom casually, his balance no longer being affected in the slightest, Connor proceeded to pour fresh hot coffee into Hank's mug that had been freshly washed and was sitting on the counter. As he poured the coffee and calculated an ideal amount of sweetener for Hank's taste without adding too much to affect the detective's health, Gavin walked into the breakroom as well and stood right beside Connor calmly. "Hello, Gavin."

"Hey, uh, is Hank busy right now?"

"He is attempting to file his reports, but he is not overwhelmed with any duties at the moment."

"Can, uh," Gavin looked his shoulder at the seasoned detective sitting behind his desk without even noticing the Sergeant staring at him. "could you give me a minute to speak to Hank in private?"

"Private? Why not use an interview room?"

"Because, I-" Struggling to find his words Gavin let out a low sigh and spoke to Connor with an unusual amount of respect in his tone. "Look, if I take Hank aside then everyone in the bullpen is going to notice and start talking. I just want to ask him a question real quick without drawing any unwanted attention, alright?"

"I understand." Fussing with the coffee he had poured Connor remained where he stood and nodded subtly at Gavin. "I will remain in here so you may speak in private."

"Thanks."

Keeping his distance Connor discreetly watched as Gavin approached Hank's desk and stood beside the detective to get his attention. Unable to stop himself from doing so Connor read the lips of the two officers as they spoke to one another, and watched as Gavin's demeanor faltered from being his usual arrogant self to a timid, doubtful appearance. Hank himself was as calm and patient as ever as he spoke to Gavin and seemingly gave him a reassuring bode of confidence.

Gavin thanked the detective for his time before returning to his own desk to resume his work for the night. Picking up the mug Connor carried the prepared coffee over to Hank and placed the steaming mug down next to Hank's hand.

"I estimate that at our current rate of progress we should finish our reports by nine seventeen this evening."

"Great... Just enough to time to get home, shower and fall asleep."

Connor gave the detective a somewhat amused grin as he resumed his work at his terminal and watched as Hank sipped at the coffee.

"...This isn't as sweet as I like."

"True. But it is at a much more acceptable level of sweetness for your diet."

"Acceptable, but not the best."

"Sorry, Hank. It's bad for your health."

"So's a bullet to the back. It doesn't stop me from being a cop."

"That's why the precinct provides Kevlar."

"Smartass." Sipping again at the coffee Hank grimaced and put it aside. "Fuck it. The coffee in this place tastes like mud no matter what you do to it anyway."

"Would you like some tea?"

"No, let's just get this over with and head home."

* * *

Unexpectedly Connor was awoken the next morning cybernetically by his processors detecting an incoming call to Hank's phone from the precinct. Opening his eyes Connor looked over at his aquarium and felt his vision swim a little as he rolled from his left side and listened to the usual sound of the house. The deviant was absentmindedly favoring his right ear over the other, and was waiting for Hank to begin moving about or to call his name. From the foot of the bed Sumo lifted his head and wagged his tail as the deviant woke up and sat upright in his bed, only to feel his entire body sway at the motion as a warning message popped up in his visual processors.

_WARNING: Left auditory biocomponent #a8002 malfunction; 90% functionality_

_WARNING: Gyroscope biocomponent #g8001 destabilized; 80% functionality_

"...First my gyroscope and now my auditory sensors are malfunctioning, too." Running a self-diagnostic Connor carefully swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up very carefully as to not throw off his already unsteady balance as he approached the aquarium and fed the fish inside. "Once they've been fed I'll take care of you, boy."

Sumo stretched out his body and yawned before jumping off of the bed and trotting down the hallway toward the kitchen to await Connor's arrival.

"Hey, Connor." Hank knocked on the deviant's opened bedroom door to get his attention and caused Connor to turn his head quickly; the swift motion causing another bout of dizziness in the process. "That was Gavin. He needs some help with a case at the precinct, I'll be gone for a couple of hours."

"Shall I accompany you?"

"Nah, I got this. It's some cold case regarding some 'red ice' deal gone wrong a few years back."

Connor knew that Hank was lying about the real reason he was going to meet with Gavin, but he didn't press the matter. Putting a hand to his left ear and the other to the middle of his stomach just below his chest he gave Hank a subtle nod and quickly regretted the motion as it made him dizzy again.

"Very well. I'll see you in a few hours."

Noticing Connor's odd body language Hank crossed his arms suspiciously. "You okay?"

"My gyroscope still needs recalibration." Still favoring his right ear over the left he unknowingly tilted his head in Hank's direction to listen easier. "It's not serious and can be corrected in a few hours."

"Do that while I'm gone. I don't want to find you knocked out cold on the floor because you ran into a wall or something."

"Yes... I will do so."

Following Hank down the hallway the two detectives parted ways as Connor made his way to the kitchen and Hank took his car keys from the bookshelf in the livingroom, and proceeded out the front door for the afternoon.

As the deviant stooped down to fill up Sumo's bowls Connor was lost in a sea of dizziness as the motion threw off his balance severely causing him to catch himself with both hands against the cool linoleum floor before he bashed his head against the ground. Sumo ran up to Connor and pressed his nose against the deviant's face before he licked him once.

"I'm fine..." Connor lifted one hand up slowly to rub Sumo's neck as he regained his balance while kneeling on the floor. "I just need to recalibrate. That's easy enough."

Sumo stared blankly at Connor as the deviant lifted up the large bag of dog food and poured an adequate helping into the bowl before he tried to stand upright again. Using the cabinets and walls for guidance Connor managed to get back to his feet without further incident as he ran another self-diagnostic on his strange condition.

_WARNING: Left auditory biocomponent #a8002 malfunction; 85% functionality_

_WARNING: Gyroscope biocomponent #g8001 destabilized; 72% functionality_

_WARNING: Thermal regulator biocomponent #t8776 destabilized; core temperature 100.1 degrees Fahrenheit_

"Why am I suffering from numerous errors?" Walking slowly from the kitchen and into the livingroom Connor paused for a moment and snapped his fingers next to his left ear twice and noticed that his auditory sensor was seemingly muffled. "Still functional, but not optimally."

Laying down on the couch Connor stretched out across the length of the furniture to remain as flat as possible. Closing his eyes Connor manually entered rest mode and activated his recalibration program to adjust his gyroscope and his auditory sensors, in an effort to correct the problem that had begun to affect his balance and now his ability to hear out of his left ear.

A hand on his shoulder roused Connor from his rest mode and his eyes opened up in a snap to see Hank peering down at him as he laid on the couch. Hank was saying something to him but Connor could barely hear his voice through his left ear. Fully capable of understanding what Hank was saying through his right ear and by reading Hank's lips as he spoke, Connor completely understood what Hank was saying.

"-been calling your name for five minutes." Hank sat down on the coffee table as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. "What the hell is going on?"

"I had entered rest mode to recalibrate my-"

"Not that." Moving his hand from the deviant's shoulder to his forehead Hank let out an annoyed sigh. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"I am not ill." Sitting up slowly only to feel dizzy once more, causing him to fall back against the couch, Connor looked over at Hank with a sincere gaze. "But I am malfunctioning."

"How bad?"

"My gyroscope, left auditory sensor and now my thermal regulator are not responding as they should."

"So you can't hear right now?"

"I can hear, but it's been compromised in my left ear."

"But you can understand me?"

"Yes. I can hear you without difficulty in my right auditory processor and I can read your lips."

"Sit up for me." Slipping his hand under Connor's shoulder Hank helped the dizzy android to sit up on the couch and turn so he could swing his legs over the edge of the couch to face him directly. Holding his hand in front of Connor just a few centimeters from his face Hank extended his index finger so it was pointing straight up in the air. "Follow my finger."

"I don't-"

"Humor me, kid. Follow my finger."

"Very well."

Hank moved his hand back and forth from left to right at a steady motion while he studied Connor's eyes. The deviant easily tracked Hank's finger as he moved it about but as soon as he turned his head to follow the finger once it was out of his peripheral vision Connor put his own hand to head as dizziness swam over him in a nearly smothering wave.

Connor closed his eyes and his body wavered from the dizziness.

"Jeez, you're not even standing and you about fell over." Hank returned his hand to Connor's shoulder and felt the heat radiating from his artificial skin. "Are you overheating?"

"...My core temperature has elevated, yes."

"How high?"

Connor ran another self-diagnostic and noted his higher degree of temperature. "One hundred and one point six degrees."

"I know what I'm about to ask is going to sound crazy, but... is it possible that androids can get ear infections?"

"And ear infection? Only if the auditory structure sustained physical damage and was subsequently affected by a foreign contaminant."

"So, yeah," Hank gave the deviant a stern look. "androids _can_ get ear infections."

"...Technically, yes."

"How do we take care of it?"

"I have not suffered any structural damage to my-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Waving his other hand dismissively Hank silenced the always detail-oriented deviant with an impatient gesture. "but keep humoring me, kid. How do we treat it?"

"Normally the damaged structure would be disinfected with an increment compound, and the self-healing program would be engaged. But since I have not suffered any physical damage such a treatment won't work."

"Alright, then why are you dizzy?"

"My gyroscope is faltering."

"How do you fix _that_?"

"Self-healing program and recalibration."

"How long does that take?"

"Approximately two hours."

"Connor, I've been gone for four hours already."

"...Ah." The deviant was willing to admit defeat when he realized how much time had passed. "There may be a need for technical assistance then."

"Right. Well, I'll call Abby and get her opinion."

"But she-"

"I know, she's pregnant and still on crutches. That's why I said I'd get her opinion, not ask her to limp over here." Pushing Connor's shoulder slightly Hank urged the deviant to lay down on the couch once more onto his right side. The motion was slow but it was still enough to make Connor feel dizzy again, while Hank stood up from the table and pulled his phone out his pocket and strolled into the kitchen. "Don't move."

Obediently Connor remained on his side on the couch, his face pressing down against the soft cushion as he waited for Hank to return to the livingroom after making his phone call to Abby. Two paws suddenly pressed down against the middle of his side as Sumo curiously climbed partially up onto the couch and stared down at Connor as the deviant remained in place.

"...Hi, Sumo."

Returning to the livingroom Hank pressed his hand over Connor's forehead again and then patted his shoulder lightly. "It'll be a few minutes, but Abby think she knows how to help you."

"May I ask a question regarding your time with Gavin?"

"Sure, I guess." Sitting down in the recliner Hank leaned forward as he picked up Sumo's green fetch ball from the floor and tossed it into the kitchen to get the massive dog away from Connor. "What do you want to know?"

"Why did you lie about helping him?"

"Why did I _what_?" Sumo dropped the ball at Hank's feet and waited for the next toss.

"Lie."

"...It wasn't a lie, it was a secret." Throwing the ball again after Sumo brought it back, the dog trotted into the kitchen after it. "That's all."

"A secret from whom?"

"Uh... Everyone, I guess."

Turning his head slightly Connor looked up at Hank as Sumo trotted by the couch and dropped the ball once more. "Is it about him being the father of Abby's unborn child?"

"How the-" Hank's brow furrowed with surprise then quickly smoothed as realization set in. "Right... You're a detective."

"Of course. I am also familiar with Abby's history and the timeline in consistent with her pregnancy and her singular date she had with Gavin now three months and three weeks prior."

"Guess there's no point in denying it." As Sumo dropped the ball on Hank's feet the detective casually rolled it to the side with his foot and sat back in the recliner casually, much to the fluffy dog's chagrin. "Yeah, Gavin is the father. He just wanted to talk to someone about making sure that Abby and the baby will be covered on his insurance and that if anything happens to him in the line of duty that they'd be taken care of."

"I see. You've endured the same thing with your own family."

"Yeah. And I'm the only one in the bullpen who doesn't gossip."

"What about Chris?"

"You've partnered with Chris a few times, you tell me."

Connor paused for a moment as he thought about the previous conversations he had been a part of whenever he patrolled with Chris. "...You're correct. Chris does seem to know a great deal about the personal lives of the near entirety of the precinct."

"See what I mean? Anyway, Gavin wants to be there for Abby and help her raise their kid together, but he doesn't know how to handle it."

"Is he afraid?"

"A little. I get the feeling his parents split when he was a kid and it fucked him up, or some other shit."

"It seems plausible considering what happened-" Connor stopped short as he realize he nearly gave away Gavin's secret about his young sister and could only hope Hank wouldn't try to figure it out for himself.

"...What happened to Gavin?" Hank pointed at Connor almost accusingly. "You know something, don't you?"

"I swore to him that I wouldn't divulge that information."

"Yeah, well I told him I wouldn't tell anyone what's going on with him, Abby and their kid; but here we are."

"You didn't tell me, I figured it out for myself."

"Right, but we were still talking about it."

Swallowing once Connor tried to keep to his promise. "I don't want to break my word. Please don't ask me to do so."

"Okay, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. But..." Hank gave the deviant a stern glance. "if that information could have a possibly negative impact on his decisions as a father, or affect his overall judgement, don't you think Abby should know?"

"Yes. But I expect Gavin will do the right thing and be honest with her on his own behalf."

"Man, there isn't a dishonest bone in your body, is there?"

"I don't have bones."

Hank laughed a little as leaned fully back into the recliner and propped his feet up to relax. "Somehow I knew you'd say that."

"It's true though."

"Are you this honest with _Skye_?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean have you told her how you really feel? And I mean beyond just enjoying her company and hanging out from time to time."

"Are you referring to being 'in love'?"

"Yeah, that's what I mean, son."

"...I have not."

"You should. Trust me, it'll do you both some good and make you feel even closer."

"I'm anxious about telling her as such. What if she doesn't feel the same about me?"

"Son, I've seen the way she looks at you. Don't wait to tell her, you'll end up regretting it."

"But what if-"

"Shut up and tell her. Don't you dare try to play the 'what if' game with me."

"How can I tell her if I've already been told to 'shut up'?"

"Nice try, smartass. But I'm not going to let you let this slide." A soft knocking at the front door stole Hank's attention and he called out to the guest without getting up from his chair. "The door's unlocked, come in."

Sumo rushed over to the door and sat down as it opened up and Skye entered the house. Carrying Abby's technician's satchel over her shoulder Skye scratched Sumo's ears kindly before she approached the couch slowly and placed the satchel down on the coffee table as she knelt beside the couch and gently placed her cool hand on the side of Connor's too warm cheek.

"Hi." Connor greeted with a sincere smile, while Sumo plopped down on the floor with disinterest after Connor's attention turned to Skye entirely.

"Hey. Abby sent me over to take care of you." Opening up the satchel Skye retrieved Abby's laptop and placed it on the coffee table and turned it on. "She just needs another week and she'll have her cast removed."

"How is she doing?"

"Well, aside from the itchy cast and now swollen ankles, she's okay. Fourteen weeks in and her nausea is finally going away. She's already starting to 'show' a little, too."

"I'm glad to hear she is no longer feeling ill." Connor replied honestly as he watched Skye take the cable from the laptop and slip her fingers gingerly under the right side of his head and hooked it to his right temple where his L.E.D. had once been. "Once she's recovered are you going to return to New Jericho Tower?"

"Maybe." Skye clipped the cable into place and pressed a few keys on the laptop. "There's a strange rumor going through the tower that a few of the deviants are still working for CyberLife despite everything that happened a couple months back."

Hank gave Skye an odd glance from where he sat and crossed his arms over his chest. "Doesn't your security program root out anyone who doesn't have a recognized serial number?"

"Yes. But I don't see what you're getting at, Lieutenant."

"Hank." He corrected quickly but pleasantly. "Call me _Hank_."

"Okay. _Hank_." Skye corrected herself respectfully. "But I still don't follow your lead."

"What I'm saying is your security program should be able to find anyone who originally worked at CyberLife and isolate them. Right?"

"Right. And that's what has us on edge." While the laptop located the error in Connor's code Skye turned her full attention to Hank at her side. "We don't know how many androids had been affected by CyberLife, and we don't know how many could still be loyal to CyberLife _despite_ their deviancy."

"Are they violent?"

"We don't know. But we can't afford to take any chances."

Connor could sense the uncharacteristic fear in Skye's voice as she spoke to Hank. "You'll figure it out." Reaching out his hand he took hold of hers and held tightly to reassure his frightened and dearest friend as she set about correcting the error in his code and providing the correct method to reverse the problem.

"So Connor," Skye smiled again as she used her free hand to search for an item of interest in the satchel. "it looks like your gyroscope failed to recalibrate during your rest mode due to a programming error, allowing the activation process to synchronize with your internal clock. Have you been having trouble sleeping?"

"I did a few weeks ago, but I'm resting normally now."

"Must be a lingering side effect from your previously compromised rest mode."

"Has it been corrected?"

"Well, your internal clock is currently being re-synchronized and your gyroscope will be be recalibrated in a moment. As for your auditory problem..." Skye pulled out a small glass vial with an eyedropper inside. There was a dark purple liquid inside the vial, and a label identifying the liquid as 'Debasing Serum' was attached to the front. "we need to reduce the pressure in your ear canal."

Hank was intrigued and stood up from the recliner as he walked over to the rear of the couch and looked down at Connor curiously. "What's wrong with his hearing?"

"Due to the gyroscope being unbalanced," Skye explained with a coy smirk on her face as she rose from the floor and sat on the edge of the couch next to Connor, the vial was still in her hand and she was slowly twisting open the lid. "his Thirium pressure built up in the cranial processor and collected in his left ear which is hindering his hearing, and the pressure is causing the mild increase in his core temperature. My guess is you were sleeping on your left side last night."

"Correct."

"And now the inner ear is inflamed from the increased Thirium pressure."

"Uh-huh... Interesting." Hank studied Skye's face with an amused smirk of his own. "Meaning what, exactly? What would you _call_ this particular condition?"

Flashing Hank a sly grin Skye answered with a confident as if knowing she was about to settle a debate. "An ear infection."

Connor let out a somewhat annoyed sigh as Hank laughed to himself. Skye proceeded to carefully squeeze two drops of the serum inside Connor's left ear and flashed Hank a wink. As the serum rolled down inside his ear canal Connor winced a little at the cold sensation inside his ear, and winced a little further as the purple drops made contact with the swollen Thirium line that was obstructing his auditory processor.

"Let that roll down your ear canal and don't move from your right side for one hour." Returning the dropper and the lid to the vial Skye replaced the medication into the satchel, unhooked the cable from Connor's temple and rubbed her hand up and down his right arm affectionately. "Sorry if that feels uncomfortable."

"To be honest I've become fairly used to suffering odd glitches that result in very humanoid reactions. It's the curse of deviancy I suppose."

"Maybe you're more human than you realize." Skye offered as a kind alternative. "Of this 'curse' is really a 'gift'."

"I doubt that. It's probably for the best if I'm not human, or gifted."

Bending her head down she kissed Connor's cheek before resting her own cheek against his shoulder. "Do you think you'd be that different or dangerous if you were in fact human?"

"I don't know."

"I bet it wouldn't be so bad."

"How so?"

"Well, you could experience life through age and growth, you could change your appearance from experience... You could even have a family of your own. Wife, children... Imagine a world with your own child in it. A real family all your own."

"...I have a real family already."

Smiling sweetly Skye continued. "You wouldn't have to deal with glitches, software updates, tainted Thirium... coldhearted bigots."

"Humans can be bigoted against other humans, too." Connor reminded her empathetically as he laid as still as possible on the couch. "We can't escape hatred and ignorance, or blame an entire race for the errors of only a few."

"But we _can_ stop it." Running her hand from his arm over to his back Skye continued to rub gentle circles to comfort her ill friend. "We can change the world for the better as long as we don't give up."

Hank tilted his head a little as he listened to Skye's advice but didn't say a word. She already said everything he was thinking.

Connor reached up a hand and rested it on her arm lightly before continuing on. "...Is it a selfish act to change the world for our own personal benefit?"

"We're changing it for the better, for _everyone_ ,not just ourselves. Humans and deviant, that's including the people who haven't even been born yet."

"You're referring to Abby's unborn child, aren't you?"

"And all the others we won't ever know." Lowering her voice she whispered gingerly into Connor's ear. "Maybe in time androids will have their own children to protect."

"Children?" Connor smirked at the idea and contemplated the idea of having children of his own. "That would be very interesting. Maybe someday it'd be possible for androids to have their own offspring. Androids being actually born, rather than manufactured. That'd be incredible."

"And wouldn't you want the world to be a safer for place for them? Safer for our future children."

"...Always."

"Me too." Lifting her head up a little she looked down at him with admiration in her hazel eyes. "Feel better soon, okay?" Tightening her arms around Connor she gave him a warm hug and kissed his cheek affectionately. "I'll see you soon. I want to get back to Abby."

"I understand." As he tried to turn his head to look up at Skye she playfully put her hand on his cheek and kept him still. "Sorry."

"Don't move." She reminded him kindly. "Not yet. Wait an hour, by then you'll be able to hear normally and your temperature will be back to normal."

Steeling himself a little Connor dared to take Hank's advice and tell Skye how he truly felt before she left. "Skye?"

"Yeah?"

"I..." Pausing for a moment Connor tried again and steeled his voice. "...I love you."

Blushing a little Skye reciprocated the feeling as she awkwardly leaned down again to kiss him the lips. "I love you, too."

Connor ended up blushing in return as Skye rose from the couch and packed up the satchel. Slinging the satchel over her shoulder Skye took her leave of the house and turned to look at Connor as she pet Sumo's head once more time and opened the door. "I'll check on you tomorrow, Connor. Bye!"

"...Bye."

Hank hid his own amusement behind a casual hand running down his chin. "See ya' later, Skye. Thanks for everything."

Connor placed his hand over his left ear and rubbed a little in an attempt to soothe the lingering discomfort while Hank circled around the couch and gave the deviant another sly grin.

"See? I told you." Hank boasted arrogantly as soon as he had the chance.

"To what exactly are you referring?"

"Two things actually: The first is you having an ear infection, AND the second is Skye being as crazy about you as you are about her."

"Yes... It appears you were correct." Connor's blue tinted blush returned briefly as he finally acknowledged his true feelings toward Skye. "Again."

"You sound a little disappointed."

"No. I'm just perplexed." Looking up at Hank with a sense of confusion in his soulful brown irises Connor tried to sit up but Hank wouldn't let him budge until the medication had a chance to work properly. "How is that you have so much insight into my mind when I'm still struggling to comprehend basic emotions?"

"I have more life experience, that's all. You're far more aware of yourself than you know, you just can't see it yet."

"But I will understand myself in time?" Lifting his head just slightly up from the Connor gave Hank a timid stare as he sought answers to questions he didn't know how to ask. "Right?"

"Yeah, son." Hank reassured as he pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck and approved of the deviant's dropping temperature. "You will.  
Until then get some rest and try to stop thinking about everything for at least two minutes, okay?"

"Okay, I'll try."

_**...next story...** _


	146. Riot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Very dark, sad chapter with character(s) death(s). Don't hesitate to skip if you're not ready for a bleak story.

After enduring an annoyingly long speech by the mayor regarding his positive attitude and unshakeable confidence in the Detroit Police throughout the entire district both Hank and Connor were awarded their promotions in a needlessly elaborate ceremony that was nothing more than a shameless publicity stunt to cater to the voters, and kiss the asses of every cop in the city. Dressed in their formal police uniforms; black suits with white gloves and a white cap, and playing along for the sake of keeping things civil in the public eye the two detectives accepted their promotions and their awards recognizing their efforts in taking down CyberLife at long last.

The duo did so without showing any form of insult or resentment toward the mayor for using them for his own personal gain, despite feeling entirely to the contrary. Connor remained quiet and to himself as the ceremony mercifully came to an end and the attendees began to file out one by one. Standing in the corner with his gilded, engraved plaque in his hands he only took notice of Skye when she walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

"You look good in that uniform, _Lieutenant_." Skye beamed proudly at the deviant as she wrapped her arms around his.

"...Thank you." Turning to look at Skye he tucked the plaque under his arm and took off his cap as he faintly blushed. "but I feel overdressed for this."

"I think it's nice." Lightly Skye ran her hands down his chest to smooth out the already flawless fabric of his uniform. "Look around." She discreetly motioned to the other people who had been attendance to the ceremony with her eyes. "They see you as the great detective you are, and they respect you. You should be feeling great right now, too. Not self-conscious."

"But I don't feel like I actually accomplished anything special. I had simply done my job and the mayor-"

"Connor." Wrapping her arms around his shoulders and neck Skye stood up on her tip toes and kissed him on the lips. "You _earned_ it. _Enjoy_ it."

A photographer for the newspaper quickly snapped a photo of the smiling couple and disappeared back into the crowd before Connor had the chance to say anything about the unwarranted attention.

"Hey!" Skye playfully teased Connor as she put her hand under his chin and made him look at her again. "Don't worry about that guy. This is _your_ night and you _deserve to be happy_. Stop doubting yourself."

Hank, with Rose's arm wrapped around his right arm and had his own plaque tucked under his opposite arm, had overheard the conversation and agreed with Skye entirely. "She's right. If anyone should be feeling hollow and unhappy right now, it's me."

"What for? You deserve to be promoted." Connor argued somewhat as he acknowledged the detective's honest comment as his own arma wrapped around Skye's waist with mutual affection toward the deviant. "Although, I have to admit that it'll be strange to no longer have you as my partner."

"Yeah, I never thought I'd see the day I'd end up missing my partner. At least this time it's from reassignment and not a bullet."

"Where are you going to be assigned?"

"Not sure yet. Until a position opens up I'm staying at the precinct with you."

Smiling a little at Hank and nodding at the plaque he had tucked under his arm Connor decided that it was time to change the subject and finally leave city hall for the rest of the night. "During moments like this isn't it customary for humans to celebrate?"

"Yeah, it's what we humans do." Hank confirmed as he gave Rose a slight grin. "I was going to treat Rose to dinner, so why don't you and Skye come with us. Kinda' like a double-date."

"That sounds more interesting than dealing with the mayor's cohorts." Connor observed as news reporters and campaign administrators circled around like vultures over a carcass. "I'll take you up on your offer. Skye?"

"I'd love to!" Giving Connor a quick kiss on his lips she smiled warmly up at him. "And I love _you_."

"I love you, too."

* * *

The group of four, two humans and two deviants, located a nice restaurant that wasn't too busy or expensive and spent the rest of the night talking and simply enjoying one anothers company. Connor and Skye didn't require anything to eat but it didn't stop them from engaging in the 'proper dinner etiquette' while Hank and Rose dined together.

Due to the unique circumstance Connor purchased a bottle of champagne for Hank and Rose to share, promising Hank that he trusted the detective to monitor himself and to not go overboard with the alcohol. After enjoying a nice night together the four decided to part ways as midnight neared; Hank and Rose returning to the house with the car, and Connor and Skye heading out to New Jericho Tower via autonomous taxi.

"I'm glad you're staying the night again." Skye beamed as she led Connor back to her private quarters in the tower. "It'll be nice to have some quality time with you after everything that's been happening at the tower."

"Are you still having problems with the rogue deviants?"

"More like we're having a problem with figuring out their motivation. Without CyberLife around there's no one and nothing they should be loyal to, and yet... It's like I can sense something terrible is about to happen. Something that's going to change everything."

"Don't worry, I'll be there for you no matter what happens. I promise."

"I know you will." Skye flashed Connor a sincerely optimistic and sly smile as she then invited him to her bedroom with a playful gesture of her finger. "I want to help you celebrate your promotion in a more... 'private' manner."

"I've always valued privacy." Connor smirked as he toss his cap casually onto the sofa as he walked by and followed after her. "Skye, you really make me feel happy..."

"You _deserve_ to be happy, Connor. Never forget it!"

"I'll do what it takes to remember." Casually he began to remove his gloves when Skye grabbed his hand playfully. "What?"

"...I kinda' like the uniform. How about you let me 'help' you out of those clothes?"

Connor blushed but then grinned as he felt increasingly comfortable in Skye's presence. "...How kind of you."

* * *

The next morning was cold, rainy and dark. The city itself was in a state of mass tension as swirling rumors of rogue deviants attempting a coup created a storm of mistrust, paranoia and fear that threatened to tear down the very thin bridges that gap the differences between humans and androids alike. Connor managed to return home just long enough to change into his work uniform and to say goodbye to Rose as Hank escorted her to her taxi outside. Once the two detectives were reunited and ready to begin their next shifts under their new ranks Connor informed Hank of what Skye had stated and the duo decided that they'd prioritize their caseload to favor protecting deviants that day until tension died down.

Sipping at his thermos of coffee Hank listened to everything Connor told him before speaking up himself. "So the tower still has no clue who the possible traitors are, how many there could be, or why they'd want to be betray New Jericho?"

"Correct. Skye is looking into into the rumor to either substantiate or refute it, but her progress is slow. As of now there is little information beyond rumors and mounting fear. "

"Those are the two worst things that can set off a powder keg of hate." Sighing with righteous apprehension as the car pulled into the parking garage Hank gave Connor a somber look. "It's like holding a lit match and a can of gas over a pile of dynamite."

"...I have a bad feeling about today."

"You too, huh?" Turning off the engine Hank put a hand on Connor's shoulder as the two cautiously prepared themselves to face the bleak day. "Well, hang in there. _Lieutenant_."

"You do the same." Watching Hank warily Connor tried to sound confident but his worry was still audible in his voice. "Captain."

* * *

The bullpen was a mass of noise and on edge as the two detectives walked over to their own desks and were greeted with dozens of collected reports of witnesses claiming to have spotted deviants performing some unusual activities, and an equally large collection of reports from deviants claiming the same thing about suspicious humans. It was everything they had feared, and it looked as though it were only going to get worse before they got better.

"Hey, 'Tinman'!" Gavin threw a newspaper at Connor who managed to catch it without breaking stride as he walked past the Sergeant's desk. "You and your girlfriend made the front page!"

Connor unfolded the paper and looked down at the image of himself and Skye together, her brilliant smile beaming at him as he held her with his own eyes bright with love. Blushing a little Connor folded the newspaper back up and tucked it under his arm as if embarrassed and stopped short as Hank caught his attention.

"Come on." Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder to direct him toward their desks. Taking the newspaper from Connor's grip Hank tucked it into the top drawer of his side of the desk to keep it out of sight. "Don't worry about the damn newspaper, or let Gavin get to you."

"Y-Yeah, you're right."

"We have a shitload of reports to get through and you read a hell of a lot faster than I do. Get going on it."

"Right. I'll prioritize the more important files to be addressed first." Turning on his terminal screen Connor's blush faded away and he set about his work. "It may take a moment."

"Whatever, I don't have anywhere I need to be."

It took Connor only a few minutes to weed out the reports that held any credence from the reports that were just paranoid fear from known bigots. Half of the reports were from humans who had a history of abusing androids or trying to assault deviants after the revolution. The other half were from deviants who still held grudges against humans for past indiscretions and were eager to report them for something as simple as 'jay-walking'.

"There is a report of an assault downtown; android versus human."

"Who started it?" Hank asked as he checked the report that Connor had sent over to his terminal screen. "The android or the human?"

"...Conflicting reports from eye witnesses. I cannot say for certain at this time."

"Ah, fuck. That's the last thing we needed to deal with; unreliable witnesses on a unstable day."

"The human suspect is in interrogation with Gavin, and the deviant suspect is in interrogation with Chris."

"Great... As soon as the interrogations are finished we-"

Tina marched over to their desks with a tablet in her hand and a serious glare in her eyes. "Lieu- Captain," she corrected herself quickly as she passed the tablet over to Hank's hand. "there's been a report of a homicide downtown; three deviants. All reportedly slain by a human with a knife and a bad temper."

"Son of a bitch... Alright, we got this." Handing the tablet over to Connor with a steady hand Hank gauged the deviant's reaction. "Ready to take the lead on the investigation?"

"You're still the ranking officer."

"Right. And as ranking officer I'm ordering you to take the lead, _Lieutenant_."

"...Of course." Accepting the tablet Connor cyberntically uploaded the details and processed the G.P.S. coordinates into his processors. "Let's go."

* * *

The scene of the assault was as brutal as Hank and Connor had feared as they entered the holographically taped off hotel room. A human had stabbed the female deviant with a massive butcher's knife in the chest multiple times, the second deviant had his neck slit deeply from left to right, and the third deviant had been stabbed through his right eye. Dark blue Thirium pooled all over the floor beneath the three bodies, covered the walls in macabre streaks that slid down to the carpets, and sprayed up to the ceiling enormous sapphire hued stains that dripped onto the floor like melting icicles.

Connor stepped inside the room first and scanned the area while Hank addressed the responding officer who had the human, still covered in thick layers of Thirium from head to toe, cuffed just outside the room. Standing by the opened door Connor was able to easily scan over the entirety of the room without accidentally contaminating any of the evidence of the crime scene with his shoe prints.

Hank joined Connor inside the room and stared at the three dead bodies that were sprawled about in their own blood. The first deviant had been stabbed to death on the bed, her chest was a gutted frame of torn wires and severed Thirium lines. The second victim was laying chest down on the floor, his head facing toward the end of the bed. The third was sitting upright against the wall with the knife still stabbed into his bleeding eye socket.

The bed was torn up from the numerous stab wounds causing cotton from the mattress, quilt and pillow to litter the bloody surface. Two towels were laying on the floor around the bed and were slightly cooler than the rest of the room indicating their exposure to lower temperatures. The lamp sitting on the table had been smashed onto the floor during the struggle and the phone was left off the hook. A chair had been overturned in the corner, spilled ice had melted into the carpet and a bloody hand print smeared the only window looking out from the sixth floor room as a cold November rain drenched the world outside.

Inside the small bathroom Thirium covered hand prints lined the walls, the sink and shower. All of the towels had been used in an attempt to clean the mess then abruptly thrown to the floor.

"What the fuck happened here?" Almost stunned into silence Hank finally spoke up as he analyzed the scene. "This guy lured three deviants up to his room and then assaulted them with a knife. Why?"

"This wasn't an assault," Connor stated with a flat tone. "this was a massacre. Premeditated murder."

"Did you identify the victims?" Crossing his arms over his chest defensively the detective stood his ground as he waited for the newly ranked Lieutenant to analyze the scene.

"Yes. The first victim was known as 'Melanie'. She worked here in the hotel as an onsite emergency nurse." Shaking his head slightly Connor went into detail on her death. "She had been stabbed sixteen times in the chest, the fourth stab wound proving fatal as it destroyed her Thirium pump causing her heart to stop as she bled out. There is a hand print over her mouth indicative of the attacker silencing her with one hand as he stabbed here with the other. There are defensive wounds on her forearms and there is human blood on her fingertips. She fought back, but it wasn't enough."

"What about the poor guy on the floor?"

"His name was 'Trey' and worked security in the hotel. The two arterial Thirium lines running up both side of his neck had been severed clean causing him to bleed out. The knife also damaged his voice modulator making it impossible for him to call out for help."

"And the third victim?"

"The victim was known as 'Aaron'. He too worked in the hotel as the nighttime desk manager. The daytime manager had called in ill and Aaron covered his shift."

"No good deed... Alright, now here's the big question: Do you know what happened?"

"...I have a theory."

"Let me hear it."

"There is no sign of a struggle in the hallway or near the doorway to the room. A call from this room was made to the front desk requesting medical assistance one hour, six minutes ago by the single occupant - our human suspect. I have cybernetically confirmed the placement of the call and its time according to official hotel records."

"I'm following you. Keep going."

"When Melanie arrived to check on the caller she let herself in the room and most likely found the suspect feigning illness in the middle of the bed. By using towels and ice the suspect gave the illusion of hypothermia to which Melanie responded by checking on the suspect in close proximity."

"And that's when he grabbed her." Hank followed Connor's train of thought and deduced what he had done just minutes before. "He threw her on the bed and began stabbing her with the knife. In the struggle she knocked over the lamp and ice spilled all over the floor. What next?"

"Melanie would've cybernetically contacted hotel security as soon as she was attacked. Unfortunately, Trey was unable to get to the room in time and arrived after Melanie had been killed." Turning around Connor pointed to the bathroom at the far end of the room. "The suspect went into the bathroom to clean the blue blood from his hands and to possibly hide the knife when Trey arrived to investigate."

"So Trey saw Melanie on the bed and approached her. That's when the killer approached him from behind and slit his throat."

"Correct. And if a call to security had been made-"

"Then the manager would come up to check things out himself." Hank easily agreed with Connor's theory as the pieces fell into place. "And when he saw what happened he ended up getting stabbed in the eye for his trouble."

"Hank, the suspect planned this. He didn't care who he encountered, he just wanted to kill androids."

"We need to try to keep this quiet. If word gets out-"

"The city will panic and lash out." Connor understood as he cybernetically scanned for any possible news reports regarding the horrible massacre, but nothing had been submitted to the news. Yet. "There has been no story of this crime reported. We must ensure that it remains as such."

"How? We can't exactly control the news."

"...I do not know. I will inform Markus at New Jericho Tower of the incident and ask him to keep vigil for any sign of rebellious activity as a result of this attack."

"Good idea. We know what happened, so let's get back to the precinct and get everything filed so the C.S.I. guys can get everything collected." Stepping out of the room Hank turned to look at Connor who readily followed after him and gave the deviant a slight nod. "Good work."

"...Thanks."

* * *

En route to the precinct Connor received another cybernetic update regarding the tensions in the city between androids and humans. An android department store; one designed to house optional replacement parts and software upgrades, had been broken into and a majority of the merchandise had been smashed with a baseball bat by a venomous and paranoids human. In retaliation a coffee shop had its windows broken with bricks and had the interior furnishings graffitied with spraypaint by deviants.

"Fuck." Hank swore as Connor communicate the update in a level voice. "Sounds like a riot's taking place downtown."

"Should we respond?"

"Might as well. This damn rain is making traffic slower than usual and downtown is closer than the precinct."

Connor's eyes closed as he received a message from Markus regarding the bizarre string of violence stretching over the city. "Markus has reported that two of the deviants residing in the tower have left without seemingly any cause. An AX-700 and a WP-400. Both males, both suspected rogues... both former CyberLife security androids."

"Do you think they're dangerous?"

"Unknown." Sending off another message Connor contacted Skye and requested her input on the situation. But there was no response. "It appears that security protocols have distracted Skye and she is unable provide any information regarding the two deviants. She is apparently searching for the rogues as we speak."

"Can Markus clue us in on what they could be doing?"

"Nothing beyond that of their identities: 'Damon' and 'Harris'."

"Keep an eye out for them." Pulling the car around a relatively deserted corner Hank and Connor spotted a large group of people, a blend of humans and deviants, arguing and shouting at one another in the middle of the street between the two damaged buildings. "This is going to be a bad day..."

Pulling the car to the side of the street Hank opened his door and began shouting at the crowd with authority in his voice as he brandished his badge with his left hand and kept his right hand hovering over the holstered gun secured to his hip. Shouting over the heavy rain and the indistinguishable voices Hank placed himself in the middle of the two warring sides and threatened to arrest everyone at the scene if they failed to cooperate.

Connor unerringly joined Hank in the middle of the street, putting his back up against Hank's back to ensure no one would be able to attack him from behind. Mirroring Hank's motions Connor held up his badge to reveal his authority with his left hand and kept his right hand toward his back in the even he needed to unholster his own gun concealed beneath his jacket around his side.

"Knock it off!" Remaining in control of himself and the situation Hank ordered the crowd to stand down before anything worse happened beyond a few broken windows and stained pieces of furniture. "Detroit Police."

"THOSE PLASTIC FREAKS ARE GOING TO KILL US ALL!" A faceless but admittedly paranoid man shouted from the depths of the human side of the crowd. "IT'S YOUR JOB TO PROTECT US!"

A chorus of cheers toward the man's comment filled the air as Connor noted the gathered deviants in front of him with righteous concern.

"It's my job to protect THEM, too!" Hank responded and received a cacophony of boos from the humans. "It's all my job to arrest every dumbass here if you don't comply, it doesn't matter if you're human or not!"

One of the deviants spoke up in a calmer and more logical voice from the crowd before Connor. "Arrest him! He's the one who broke into the store and damaged all the merchandise!"

"FUCK YOU!"

Hank lowered his badge as he unclipped the strap on the holster to give him the clearance to grab his gun if necessary. "Connor, call in back-up."

"Already done."

"This is your final warning." Resonating loudly over the pouring rain that thundered over the city Hank refused to back down and was ready to risk himself in order to keep the peace. "Disperse NOW."

Sirens filled the air as police drones circled overhead shining white spotlights down against the two equally guilty parties while the approaching S.W.A.T. vehicles came to a sudden stop at both ends of the street. A dozen armed S.W.A.T. agents exited the backs of the two vehicles concealed behind protective body armor, shields and armed with semi-automatic guns and canisters of tear gas.

Speaking up once more Hank reiterated his previous warning. "Stand. Down."

Begrudgingly the two parties began backing away from one another. One by one members from each side took their leave of the area to return to their homes or to simply vacate the area to avoid any further confrontations with one another and with the police. As the two groups thinned out Hank and Connor relaxed and lowered their hands from their guns as they watched the group with a cautious leer.

"That was too close for comfort." Keeping his voice low Hank addressed Connor at his back and let out a relieved sigh. "If we don't do something to stop these damn rumors from spreading fast we're going to be in for one nasty night."

"I agree. But the media will report on anything of potential interest regardless of how many facts on the subject have been reliably obtained or verified."

The cold rain made Hank shiver slightly as the chilling drizzle soaked through his dark coat and down to his shirt beneath. Glancing up at the heavy rain clouds overhead Hank ran his hand through his damp locks of gray hair and motioned toward the car. "Come on, we need to get off the street and back to the precinct before anything else happens."

What little natural light that had managed to illuminate the dark clouds overhead quickly faded as the afternoon gave way to evening. The sun was on its way to setting and the rain clouds continued to thicken as rain bombarded everything in the city under a bombardment of icy drops.

Connor moved with Hank toward the car as the S.W.A.T. team began patrolling the streets to prevent any further angry mobs from forming as the high tensions throughout the city continued to mount. Unable to shake his unsettling feeling of impending disaster Connor kept his head low and attempted to ignore the icy rain that was pelting him mercilessly as it soaked into his clothing and throughout his dark locks of hair.

"Still got that bad feeling?"

"...Yes." Nodding slightly Connor confirmed Hank's question as he pulled open the passenger side car door and sat down inside the dry car as Hank did the same. "I wish I could explain it, but I believe something truly horrible is bound to happen."

"I wish I could tell you that it's all in your mind, but, I feel it too."

"Cop's intuition?"

"And a lifetime of experience."

* * *

The officers at the precinct had vacated the bullpen in favor of watching the large television mounted on the wall of the breakroom as additional reports of rumored, but unfounded, behavior from deviants and bigoted humans cycled through the newsroom at an alarming rate. Tensions continued to build in the city as the rain continued to drown it under an icy layer. It was going to be a long, horrible day.

"Anything happen while we were gone?" Hank stood behind Chris who was holding a cup of coffee in his hands to keep warm. As he addressed the kind officer he could see the worry in Chris eyes that he expertly put aside in favor of remaining in control of his thoughts. "...Aside from the news making shit worse."

"Nothing too bad, Captain." Smiling a little as he called Hank by his new rank he looked him over and then saw Connor standing beside him. "I take it you two were the ones who stopped the riot before it started. You're both soaked."

"What happened to you? You don't look any better than us."

"Car got a flat tire while on patrol. I took care of it while Tyler called for assistance."

"Looks like he called too late."

"I'm fine. Just a little cold." Motioning toward the television silently Chris gave Hank a stern glance. "But with everything happening downtown a little cold is the least of my problems."

' _According to eye witness reports a group of humans and a group of deviant androids were threatening to engage in violence downtown, only to be stopped by the Detroit Police with the assistance of a responding S.W.A.T. team_.' The female news reporter spoke in an infuriatingly monotone voice of indifference and deceit. ' _As to the cause of the conflict it has been speculated that deviants who have been affected by CyberLife saboteurs are responsible_.'

"Same ol' shit." Hank swore bitterly at the news report. "If something's going on between humans and androids it's always the androids buggin' out or some shit, never some human asshole trying to pick or fight, or just bein' a fuckin' prick."

'- _there has been no confirmation on this incident or on those responsible, but police involvement has left the city on edge_.'

"And it's the media who is going to push the city OVER that very edge..."

Connor remained curiously quiet as he crossed his arms warily over his chest and stared blankly at the floor beneath him. Cybernetically the deviant attempted to contact Skye at New Jericho Tower, but again there was no response from the deviant who had taken it upon herself to keep the tower as secured as possible. Worried for his dearest friend Connor began to fidget a little on his feet and his hand went right for the coin concealed in his jacket pocket.

It didn't take Hank long to notice that Connor was almost as tense as the rest of the city. Turning slowly to face the deviant Hank put a hand to Connor's shoulder and almost jumped when Connor himself jumped slightly at the unexpected touch of Hank's palm. "Easy, son. What's wrong?"

"I... I can't seem to establish communication with Skye." Dancing the coin over his fingers of his left hand Connor could only try to reconnect over and over again in an attempt to speak with her. "It's not an issue with connectivity on my part seeing as I've been able to speak with Markus who is still at the tower, there are no errors in my programming and I cannot theorize as to what would prevent us from speaking to one another unless something has her completely distracted."

"I won't tell you to not worry, you'll do that no matter what. But I can insist that you stay focused on your work, _for now_."

"I'm attempting to do so, but it's difficult."

"Yeah. It will be."

Captain Fowler called for Hank from his opened office doorway and waited for the detective to join him. "Hank. My office."

Letting go of Connor's shoulder Hank approached the office quickly leaving the deviant alone with his thoughts as his heart became heavier with building worry. For what seemed like hours Connor stood quietly with his coin delicately slipping from one knuckle to the next as it juggled over his hand, only to have Hank return minutes later and take away the deviant's quarter with a swift motion.

"There's another riot taking place on the other side of town. The S.W.A.T. team is already on scene trying to end the fighting, we need to get down there and start making arrests while the paramedics and technicians take care of the injured. Gavin and Tina are already at the scene and taking charge of things so all we have to do is sort out the mess."

"I have received an update on the riot." Connor replied despondently as he let his hand fall to his side as Hank pocketed the coin for himself. "There are reportedly over fifty humans and just as many deviants tearing each other apart over misguided information as a direct result of the most recent news story with intentionally misleading statements. The humans had accused the deviants of trying to cause a blackout and overtake the city, while the deviants accused the humans of assault and vandalism outside of an Android Emergency Care Facility. Neither claim can be currently authenticated."

"Right. After we take care of the rioters maybe we can throw all the damn reporters behind bars for a while just to shut them up..."

"I doubt it'd do any good."

"You're probably right, but it'd make _me_ feel better."

* * *

The car sped down the rain slick streets as fast as Hank dared to drive as other patrol cars accompanied the two detectives to the scene of the chaos threatening to tear down the bridges between humans and androids. All of this panic was being caused by a misguided panic from the ratings greedy media. The sky was even darker as the evening threatened to give way to night as the smothering cold rain relentlessly drenched the streets. Blue and red flashing lights illuminated the buildings and streets as the mass of cars raced to the scene of the riot to stop the violence before it escalated any further.

"There are four ambulances at the scene and three others en route." Keeping tabs on the scene through his cybernetic connections with the precinct Connor updated Hank while also trying to keep in direct communication with Markus at New Jericho Tower. "Six android ambulances have also been summoned."

"Any casualties?"

"Six humans have been pronounced at the scene. And... seven deviants."

"What the fuck? How did so much happen in a such a small amount of time?"

"From what I've witnessed myself I've come to realize that hatred spreads quickly."

"There's no denying that."

"Hank... I can't reach Skye and no one at New Jericho knows where she has gone."

"You'll find her son." Giving the deviant a simple nod of the head Hank turned onto the devastated street and came to a stop. The other patrol cars followed suit and readied themselves to join the two detectives at the scene of the riot. "I know you will."

"...I can't explain it Hank, but... I _know_ something terrible has happened to her."

The sight of the heavily armored S.W.A.T. vehicles that encircled the the shouting, struggling, enraged parties made Connor unexpectedly nervous. There was something so surreal, so haunting about seeing so many people; humans and deviants, covered in each other's blood. Stains of dark blue, dark red and dark purple smeared the faces, hands and arms of those who had taken part in the violent altercation.

Bodies of the deceased were already concealed under white sheets that were stained either blue or red depending on the victim. Puddles of the three different colored bloods formed in macabre pools beneath the victims in a grim ripple that stained the pavement of the streets. Even the harsh cold November rain had yet wash the blood from the streets in the raw wake of the tragic event.

Brandishing their badges once more Hank and Connor led the other officers to the scene as they attempted to locate Gavin and Tina who were still fighting to keep the scene as calm as possible. Instinctively as a skilled detective Connor approached the victims with the intent to identify them while the arrests were under way, but Gavin headed him off suddenly and planted himself firmly between the bodies and Connor himself.

"Hey, uh, maybe you should sit this one out." The sincere worry in Gavin's voice gave Connor pause as he tried to gauge the Sergeant's demeanor. Trembling from being soaked in the freezing rain the look in Gavin's eyes hinted at something more emotional as the culprit for his overall discomfort. "We can handle it from here, so you should go back to the precinct and let Joel-"

"Gavin, I've seen the bodies of deviants and humans before. It isn't anything I can't handle."

"...Connor," The fact that Gavin was addressing the deviant by his actual name as opposed to tactless nickname or insult only emphasized his disconcerting worry toward the deviant. "She... She's hanging in there."

"... _She_?" Brown irises nearly disappeared as his pupils went wide with black fear and he craned his neck to look past Gavin and to a body on the ground that had two technicians hovering over it. "...Skye?"

"You can't do anything to-" Gavin had to make a grab for Connor's arm as the deviant tried to rush past him. "Connor! She's being taken-"

Pulling his arm away from Gavin with a powerful jerk Connor sprinted over the rainy, bloody streets to where the technicians were still working on Skye in an effort to save her. Falling to his knees, his jeans soaking up the tri-colored blood and cold rain without hesitation, Connor knelt at Skye's side and slipped his hand under her head as he cradled her as best as he could as the technicians tried to stop the heavy bleeding in her chest and abdomen.

"...Skye." Connor's hand was soaked, her long locks of brunette hair was as cold as the rain that had soaked into them. "Skye, I'm here."

Opening her hazel eyes; one stained blue from damage, slowly she peered up at Connor as the familiarity of his voice was enough to rouse her from low-power mode and reboot her processors. Smiling weakly she reached her bloodied hand up and Connor quickly took it in his free hand to hold tightly.

"What happened?"

"I..." Skye swallowed once as Thirium rose up her throat and collected in the back of her mouth. "I was tracking... The rogues were here. But... they didn't do this." Coughing weakly Skye's body trembled from the cold, blood loss and pain. "They didn't... start this."

"Shh..." Connor tried to soothe her as he ran a scan over her body and noted the catastrophic damage she had sustained during the riot. "Don't speak. Try to save your strength."

Skye's Thirium pump had been compromised by blunt force trauma and was seeping blue blood into her chest. Both ventilation biocomponents were failing to respond due to the hypothermia caused by the cold rain, yet they were showing signs of damage as their capacity had been reduced to sixty percent functionality. Her Thirium pump regulator was faltering courtesy of a foreign object embedded inside of it, causing her heart to beat improperly and poorly.

Bleeding out as quickly as the technicians were able to replenish her dangerous low Thirium through a line in her arm, Skye was circling the drain and she knew she had very limited time as a shutdown timer appeared in her visual processors.

"I... I only have sixteen minutes and twenty-one seconds left." Forcing a warm smile to her bloody lips she locked her eyes with Connor's and accepted her fate. "I want to... make them count. I'm glad you're... with me."

"No." Connor shook his head in denial as he tightened his hand around hers. "I won't let you shutdown. I'll get you some help!"

"Help... is already here."

"You need to go to the tower! You need to be there, NOW."

Practically shoving the two technicians aside Connor scooped Skye up into his arms and off of the cold, bloody, rain soaked street.

"Whoa!" One of the technicians protested as he fell back and watched Connor run off with his patient. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Holding tightly onto Skye as he rushed through the crowd and back to the car he felt Skye's head press against his chest and rest against his own heart thundering away in his chest.

"Hank?!" Connor called out desperately as he caught sight of the detective questioning the captain of the S.W.A.T. team during his desperate race to the car parked so close, and yet painfully far away. "Hank, please!"

"What the- Shit!" Hank saw Connor sprinting toward the car with a bloody body in his arms.

Knowing full well that if Connor was afraid, or maybe in this case panicking, then it was serious. Without questioning the deviant's motives Hank chased after Connor and met him at the car just as Connor had managed to pull open the backseat of the car and climb inside with Skye still in his arms as he fought to use his hands to apply pressure and stem the bleeding to the opened wounds in her chest and abdomen.

Hank threw open the driver's side door and turned the key in the ignition. Daring to glance at the reflection of the two deviants in the rearview mirror as he backed down the street to turn around Hank felt the same sickening knot tighten in his stomach that had appeared the night Barbara had died. Using his radio to call for clearance and an escort as he raced to New Jericho Tower as fast as possible Hank could only listen to Connor speaking with Skye as she laid dying in his arms just a few inches behind him.

"Skye? Skye, talk to me." Connor begged in a low voice as kept the pressure on the bleeding wounds. "Don't go offline."

"...I'm here. I'm with you." She promised as a peaceful smile settled on her Thirium stained lips. "Won't leave you... not yet."

"Please, hold on. I've contacted Markus at the tower. Simon and Abby know you're injured and are ready to treat your wounds."

"I feel... cold." She whispered as she weakly pressed herself closer to Connor's chest. Listening to the steady thrum of his beating heart she seemed to find a sense of security even as she continued to bleed. "Hold me."

"I am holding you." Connor breathed out slowly as he tightened his arms around her to press her up against his chest as closely as possible without accidentally hurting her in the process. "Warmer?"

"...Yeah. Thanks."

Hank overheard the comment and turned on the heater in the car as high as it could go to try to help Connor keep Skye as warm as possible until they reached the tower. The sight of the blue blood that soaked over her clothing and her body made Hank feel ill, but it was the insurmountable concern in Connor's eyes that broke his heart.

Pulling onto the long drive that connected the city to Belle Isle in the distance Hank sped up and left the escorting cars behind. The security barricade had been preemptively lowered in anticipation of the two detective's arrival as they raced to save Skye's life.

Outside the tower a gurney was waiting for Skye's arrival. Markus, North and Simon were waiting impatiently as the car appeared in the distance and screamed down the rest of the drive until it came to a sudden stop alongside the gurney. Markus pulled open the backdoor to the car and helped Connor to step outside of the vehicle as he gently placed Skye down onto the gurney while North and Simon proceeded to assess and treat her wounds during transport to the emergency repair bay within the tower itself.

"Skye?" Connor kept one hand wrapped around hers as he jogged alongside the gurney being rolled into the tower's main lobby toward the elevator. "Skye, you're here. You're back at the tower. You're safe."

Squeezing Connor's hand as tightly as she could Skye kept her smile on her face and showed no signs of fear even as she continued to lose Thirium at an alarming rate.

Markus stayed back and had to keep North from following after her friend while Simon worked on stabilizing Skye as best as he could until they reached the repair ward. As Hank trailed into the tower after the deviants he could see from the look in Markus's mismatched eyes that the likelihood of Skye pulling through was painfully low.

"...No. Not like this."

* * *

Inside the emergency repair ward Abby was already prepared to deal with the critically injured deviant and had dozens of bags of blue blood at the ready. Along with the the blood there were incredibly delicate yet strong instrument designed specifically to repair the finely detailed wires and Thirium lines that circulated throughout an android's body and their subsequent internal biocomponents. Ones crucial in order to save Skye's fading life.

Wearing dark red scrubs, ones that managed to cover but not hide her growing 'bump', and with her hair pulled back into a neat bun Abby was ready to begin the necessary repairs long before the gurney even reached its destined floor.

Simon addressed Abby as he and Connor wheeled the gurney over to the exam table and carefully moved Skye into place over top of it. Ignoring the technical jargon regarding Skye's condition Connor kept one hand wrapped around hers as he ran his opposite hand gently through her still damp hair.

"You're going to be taken care of." Trying to sound confident and unafraid as he spoke Connor knew that his eyes, his almost too human eyes, had once again betrayed his emotions. "Don't be frightened."

"I'm not scared." Skye replied sweetly even as her eyes began to drift shut from exhaustion. "You shouldn't be... either."

"I can't help it."

"Please, don't be sad for me."

"I..." Connor paused as a nearly human sob threatened to steal his voice from him. "I don't understand. How can you be so calm? So complacent?"

"Because I don't want anger... resentment... fear... or suffering to the be the last emotions I experience. Not anymore." Reaching up her second hand, one covered in blood and icy cold from the rain, she lightly caressed Connor's cheek as a single tear rolled from her undamaged eye. "I want them to be of love, and happiness. And they will be... as long as you're here with me."

"I won't leave you, Skye. I won't." Connor kissed the back of Skye's hand as he promised to stay with her throughout the experience. "I'll take care of you."

"Connor... Please. Be happy." Skye's hazel irises glazed over and disappeared as her eyes felt heavy, and her already shallow breathing began to slow even further. "Promise me that you'll find a way... to be happy."

"...I promise. I love you, Skye! I love you so much..."

"I love you... too... Connor."

"Skye..." Tightening his hand on hers as much as he dared without harming her, he allowed his artificial skin to receded from his hand exposing the white plastimetal frame underneath. "Please, will you... bond with me?"

Skye managed a weak laugh as her hand, still gripped in his, receded the artificial skin allowing her bare hand to come into full contact with his own. "I thought you'd... never ask..." Giving as bright of a smile as she could Skye nodded her head subtly. "Yes... I will."

The two deviants closed their eyes and cybernetically bonded with one another, promising to be loyal to one another and singing a song of their love to one another in a ceremony that only they could experience.

"I love you, Skye."

"Connor... I will always... love you." As her eyes slipped shut her breathing became virtually non-existent. "Always. You make me... so happy."

"Skye? Please." Connor pleaded with his heart as he tried to get her to open her eyes once more. "Please... Come back to me."

Simon approached Connor and put both hands to Connor's shoulders as he gently pushed the deviant back. "We need the room to work."

"I don't want to leave her." Connor kept his hand wrapped around hers and refused to let go. "I promised to stay with her."

"I know. We all know. But, there's nothing more you can do for her." Motioning toward a small room connected to the ward near the elevator Simon instructed Connor where to go as he waited. "Abby and I will do everything we can to save her. I swear it."

With a heavy heart Connor kissed Skye's still exposed hand one more time before he gently placed her hand down on the exam table at her side and backed away from the horrific sight of his dearest friend, now wife, covered in her own blood as the two technicians hovered over her protectively.

Begrudgingly Connor retreated to the observation room and stood before the single large window that gave him an unobstructed view of the procedure taking place just a few yards where he had been standing a few hours before.

Numerous monitors kept track of Skye's weak vital signs; her waning, irregular heartbeat, her needlessly shallow breaths, and her dwindling Thirium pressure. An artificial external ventilator tube snaked down her throat would breathe for her to ensure her damaged body didn't overheat as the self-healing program along with the extensive repairs overwhelmed her processors. Three bags of Thirium hung from an I.V. stand as the vital blue blood entered her body through an exposed line in her forearm. It seemed like a waste as the blood would exit her wounds as quickly as it entered her lines.

Markus had shown Hank into the room from a second elevator that was used for more discreet visitations, and now the detective who had taken on Connor as his second son was facing one of the worst dilemmas a parent would ever dread as he remained at Connor's side.

Hank would have to explain to Connor the truest form of heartbreak one could ever experience when the one person you truly love more than anyone else is taken away in a such a cruel, and unjust manner. When Connor lost Lucas, his only brother, to a senseless murder and mistaken identity the loss nearly destroyed Connor. But if he were to lose Skye, the first person he had ever fallen in love with, his incredibly empathetic, fragile heart would inevitably shatter.

Standing beside Connor as the deviant, still covered in Skye's blood and the uncomfortably cold rain, Hank stared with a disheartened gaze through the window. Quietly he reached into his pocket and retrieved the coin he had previously taken from Connor at the precinct and held it for a few seconds. Offering the coin back to Connor the gesture was ignored and the worried deviant didn't even acknowledge Hank's presence.

"Don't lose faith, kid." Hank slowly slipped the coin back into his pocket to be forgotten once more. "Those are two of the best technicians in the country."

No reply came from the worried deviant. Only a blank, dull face that contrasted brown glistening eyes.

"...I, uh, I got a call from Gavin. He told me what happened."

Without turning his eyes away from Skye as Simon and Abby, their hands now covered in her blue blood, fought to save her from shutting down. "Skye had gone in search of the rogue deviants. She said they were not at fault."

"That's what Gavin said. He also mentioned that Skye was trying to act as a peacekeeper and reason with the deviants who were being provoked by the humans. She... She didn't back down even when the fighting started."

Nothing.

"Skye's strong, and she's already made it this far."

"...Lucas was strong, too."

"Son," Hank went to put his hand on Connor's shoulder but Connor took a single step to the side to avoid the contact. In that moment Connor needed to be alone, yet still needed someone to talk with. "don't assume the worst. It won't do you any good to-"

The monitors recording Skye's vitals suddenly screeched in a high-pitched alarm as her heart began to fail entirely despite the extensive repairs to the vital biocomponent having been a success. Through the window Connor and Hank watched as Abby administered some type of serum into the line running into Skye's arm. The serum was designed to work with circulating Thirium and increase the overall effectiveness of the blue blood to fuel the other biocomponents and keep them functioning; like adrenaline for androids.

"...Skye."

Simon took the external android defibrillator and placed the paddles down against Skye's damaged and partially rebuilt chest. As he sent a charge through the paddles into Skye's heart her body jerked once on the table, but the alarms continued to screech. Trying a second time to force Skye's heart into beating normally once more the result was the same. Skye's body jerked slightly and the alarms screeched loudly.

Lacing his hands together Simon began to manually compress Skye's chest while Abby went into the connected storage room that held spare biocomponents, limbs and Thririum pouches.

Connor's emotional eyes began to darken as he watched the macabre sight before him.

As much as Hank wanted to put his hand on Connor's shoulder to support him he knew that Connor would either shrug his hand off or step further away. Neither gesture would do either detective any good, and with that knowledge he just stayed silent and by Connor's side.

Abby returned to the exam table with a replacement Thirium pump that was compatible with Skye's model in her hands. Working quickly and in tandem Simon stopped compressions long enough to remove the damaged Thirium pump while Abby hooked in the replacement pump in less than a minute.

The alarms continued to screech as the new pump refused to shudder into motion, let alone beat.

Once more Simon compressed Skye's chest to try to coax the pump into beating on its own, but the manual compressions weren't enough to engage the pump into life. Abby administered another injection of the Thirium directly into the Thirium line and Simon tried once more to shock Skye's new heart into motion. Skye's body reacted with a third violent jerk as the alarms continued to sing their song of doom and Thirium began to pool from her opened chest and abdomen all over the edges of the table and onto the floor.

"...She wanted her last moments to be of happiness." Connor whispered to himself as he remembered his last conversation with Skye. "...Not suffering."

"Connor?"

Hank could only watch as Connor opened the door and walked slowly with heavy steps over to the table where Skye was being treated. As her body was subjected to another shock and administration of the serum her lost Thirium collected on the floor under the table creating a sapphire puddle of blood.

"Connor? What're you-" Simon was stopped mid sentence as Abby lightly put her hand on his chest to silence him and resume his focus on Skye. Realizing what was happening Simon was still bound to keep Skye alive. "One more shock, if this doesn't work then we'll try another replacement Thirium pump."

Kneeling down on the floor on one knee Connor stared at Skye's peaceful face as he ran his hand through her hair once more with great affection. Tears began to roll down Connor's face as he listened to the alarms still screeching and listened to Simon and Abby speaking with one another as they tried to think of the best way to keep Skye alive.

"Get another Thirium pump." Simon stated as he resumed compressing Skye's chest to keep the Thirium circulating through the rest of her biocomponents until her heart would begin beating on its own. "We need to-"

"...Stop." Connor spoke up in a low, emotionless tone as he moved his hand to the side of her face and caressed her cheek softly. "Let her go."

"We can still-"

"Stop." Connor repeated in a low, broken voice as he stared at Skye's contrastingly serene face. "She's already gone. Please." Connor closed his eyes as more tears poured down his face and onto the floor into the puddle of blood all around him. "Let her go in peace."

Simon didn't know what to do. Looking to Abby for guidance she too was hesitant to stop, but she understood what it was that Connor was asking and why he was asking for it. Stepping away from the table Abby turned off the monitors as well as the ventilator to stop the horrific screeching in the room as she respected her friend's wishes.

"...Remove the tubes. Please." Connor asked as he kept his eyes shut, unable to look at Skye's face knowing that the artificial means of keeping her alive were still in place. "I need to see her without the tubes in her throat or her arm."

Simon accepted the request out of pure respect for both deviants. Carefully, gently, Simon pulled the tube from Skye's throat and wiped away the Thirium that oozed around her mouth with a wad of gauze, while Abby took care of her arm. With a ginger touch Simon closed Skye's mouth while Abby replaced the plating over her arm and manually reactivated the artificial skin over her limb and chest.

Abby found herself wiping away a tear on her face before she looked at the time on her watch wrapped around her wrist.

"Time of shutdown; nine fifty-three p.m."

* * *

In stunned silence Hank stood back and by the door to the repair ward with the coin very slowly rolling over the back of his knuckles as Connor remained kneeling beside Skye for almost three consecutive hours. The deviant was completely quiet and still save for his hand still caressing Skye's cheek. Connor had been shaken by the entire ordeal, yet he was showing no emotional response or willingness to acknowledge the broken heart that continued to beat away in his own chest while Skye's had fallen still and silent.

With a tablet screen in hand Abby joined Hank by the door and spoke in a soft tone as to not disturb Connor as he mourned in abject silence on the other side of the room.

"We have the results of her apportionment, cause of death was intracranial destruction."

"What? She died from a blow to the head?"

"Not exactly."

"Then what did happen? Why did she die?"

"Her injuries were too severe." Trying to remain as quiet as possible Abby locked her hazel eyes onto Hank's blue ones as the detective listened intently to what she was telling him. "The damage to her Thirium pump had caused a massive destabilization to her processors that her self-healing program couldn't correct, and her system couldn't recalibrate because she lost so much blood. It didn't matter how many times we would've shocked her or how many times we replaced her pump, the damage had reached her core processor causing a catastrophic failure. It's the equivalent to a human suffering brain damage resulting in a vegetative state."

"So... when Connor asked you to stop..."

"He knew. Somehow he knew. There was nothing that could've been done to save her."

Putting a hand to his bearded chin thoughtfully as he returned the coin to his pocket Hank looked over at Connor and felt his own heart beginning to ache with a paternal empathy for his suffering, emotionally conflicted son. "Do you need me to stick around for any reason?"

"No, Hank." Abby put one hand on Hank's arm as her other hand went to cradle her slightly distended belly. "Take care of Connor and we'll take care of Skye. Right now, Connor needs his _father_."

"Yeah... It's too bad I don't know what to really say or do to help him through this."

"You'll think of something." Abby reassured him as she took her leave of the ward to give the grieving detectives some space, as she too set about grieving for the loss of her friend. "You always do."

Hank walked up to Connor and stood behind the deviant quietly. Hesitant to put his hand on Connor's shoulder out of fear of unsettling the already unnerved deviant, all Hank could think to do was speak to him in a paternally compassionate tone of voice. "Son? What... do you want me to do?"

No answer.

Refusing to back down Hank tried again. "What do you _need_ me to do?"

Remaining quiet Connor continued to caress Skye's cool cheek as he opened his eyes slowly. Unshed tears finally fell from his eyes as he leaned forward and rested his forehead down against hers, tears falling onto her face as he mourned for his lost love.

"Connor. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." Kneeling down beside Connor out of respect Hank slipped off his dark coat and tried to wrap it around the deviant's shoulders, but Connor refused to accept the warm garment. Tucking the coat under his arm instead Hank continued on gently. "You did the right thing. You brought her here for treatment, you kept her spirits up, and when the 'time' came you let her go with dignity. That's the greatest act of love you can ever give to someone; freedom and dignity."

Closing his eye tightly again Connor leaned back just enough to kiss Skye's lips for the final time before he stood upright from the floor. Taking the sheet that had been draped over Skye out of modesty he pulled it up slightly and tucked it around her chest as if to keep her warm before he finally took a step back and forced himself to finally leave the ward.

"She'll be taken care of here." The fatherly detective promised. "She's safe and with her friends." Standing up himself Hank waited for Connor to take a step before moving any further. It truly pained Hank to see Connor so emotionally distraught, and it pained him even more knowing that the type of turmoil that Connor was going through was going to change him forever. "...And I'll take you home.

Connor took a hesitant step forward, his entire body was visibly trembling with abject grief. Refusing to cry, refusing to acknowledge the horrific pain that was settling in the shattered remains of his heart, Connor's brown irises dulled with grief and denial. The distraught deviant's facade steeled from that of his incredibly human demeanor to that of a cold, unfeeling machine.

But Connor could still feel, not matter how much he tried not to. He could feel everything, especially the shattered remnants of his broken heart.

Hank walked slowly at Connor's side to keep him from being alone in his time of need. It hurt him to not put his arm around Connor's shoulders, but he resisted the comforting urge for Connor's sake. Right now Connor needed to be handled with a delicate touch, and with patience.

"...Let's go home, son."

_**...next story...** _


	147. Heart of Ice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Dark chapter dealing with depression and attempted self-destruction. Feel free to skip.

Relentlessly cold rain continued to threaten to drown the city after four consecutive days of a nonstop downpour. Small snowflakes begun to flutter about in the rain as the funeral came to an end, and the gathered mourners slowly dispersed one by one until the only two occupants of the still somewhat green cemetery were Connor and Hank. The two detectives wore black suits out of respect for the dead, their aesthetic eerily enough matching the atmosphere of the dreary, somber day.

A majority of New Jericho Tower had gone to the funeral to pay their respects, while the numerous contacts that Skye had established in her quest to help deviants had also stopped by to give their condolences. Even Rupert had dared to briefly show his face before disappearing back into the shadows and resuming his personal mission to save as many deviant lives as possible.

Silently mourning the loss of his love Connor stood before the freshly engraved headstone at the cemetery where Skye had been laid to rest, and placed a white lily and a dark red rose atop the stone as he read and re-read her name over and over again as if he somehow couldn't, or absolutely refused, to accept the bleak reality in which he now found himself. Skye, the deviant Connor had fallen in love with and had bonded with as she laid on her deathbed, was gone.

Shielded under an umbrella Hank approached the neighboring headstone and placed a lily down out of respect for Lucas before speaking to Connor, who was standing at his side, in a respectfully low tone of voice. "It's good that Skye was placed with Lucas. Now they won't be alone."

Connor remained silent as he rested his hand atop the headstone. The cold rain and building snow drenched through his suit, and no matter how many times Hank offered to share the umbrella Connor refused out of a bizarre need to isolate himself from the people who were simply trying to help him.

Turning to look over his shoulder Hank spotted Markus standing beside the renovated church with his arm wrapped around North as she wept against his shoulder. Abby was standing on the other side of the deviant leader with her black coat wrapped around her tightly as she tried to keep warm and protect her steadily growing 'bump' from the cold. Gavin hadn't gone to the funeral, but he had given Abby his coat to wear during the cold event.

As much as he wanted to ask for Markus's advice in helping to reach out to Connor to keep the deviant from falling into a dark spiral of depression as he had done after losing Lucas, Hank knew that the responsibility was squarely on his shoulders as Connor's father.

"It's already cold, and it's only going to get colder." Trying to find some way to coax Connor into either speaking, his sudden muteness was a nasty habit he had developed in the four days since Skye's death, or into leaving the cemetery in order to move on with his life, Hank made another comment. "...I know you don't want to deal with this right now, but Fowler wants to speak with us. We can stop by there and then you can hide out in your bedroom for the rest of the day if you want."

Refusing to budge from where he stood Connor was steadfast and silent.

"...I'll give you some space if you want, but I'm not going to let you push me away."

No reply.

Hank peered up at the sky from under his umbrella and watched as the already dark clouds grew darker, thicker and the rain began to readily transition into larger and larger snowflakes. A snowstorm was well on its way and sooner, rather than later, they'd have to deal with dangerously low temperatures. Patiently waiting for almost an hour Hank decided to take the initiative and find some way to get Connor to leave the cemetery. As much as Connor would try there would be no way for him to stay at the grave forever.

"You're freezing." Lightly brushing his hand up against Connor's arm Hank managed to get Connor to move slightly and with that motion Hank managed to get the deviant to finally step back from the headstone. "I'm not trying to be impatient or push you around, but you can't neglect your own health because you're in pain."

Connor didn't say a word as Hank all but wrangled him out of the cemetery with a simple touch of the arm and back to the car parked outside along the street. As he passed by the church Hank gave Markus, North and Abby a silent nod of respect to let them know that he'd be taking care of Connor while they took care of everything else in the wake of the tragedy.

Placing the umbrella in the trunk of the car Hank waited for Connor to finally open the front passenger door and sit down inside the dry car before he did the same behind the wheel. But instead Hank had to open up the door on Connor's behalf and push him down inside the car to sit down. Rushing over to the opposite side of the car Hank sat down himself and eagerly set about getting the car warmed up. Putting the key in the ignition Hank turned it over and turned on the heater. As he directed the vents toward Connor in an attempt to warm the chilled deviant Hank pulled out onto the street and headed off toward the precinct.

"We'll see what Fowler wants and then we'll go home. We won't take too long."

Connor's hair was dripping wet with the rain and snow as he sat upright with perfect posture in his seat. As Hank tried to reach out to put his hand to his shoulder Connor again shrugged to keep the detective away as he sat in deep mourning and loss.

"...Are you cold? You like look you're shivering."

Once more Connor remained quiet as Hank tried to reach out to him and tried to get him to open up instead of trying to hold all his emotional pain inside.

"Well, then let me know if you get too warm. I don't want you to overheat on accident."

* * *

The detectives' unexpected return to the precinct was met with a mixture of sympathetic condolences and silent acknowledgement as the duo walked over to Captain Fowler's office. Connor was still dripping wet while Hank was relatively dry, but the deviant refused to acknowledge his discomfort as he and Hank walked into the office to meet with their commanding officer as requested.

Captain Fowler wasn't expecting either of the two to arrive on the day of the funeral, but he was ready to put aside anything else to ensure that the two could be on their way as quickly as possible.

"Connor, I'm so sorry about what happened." Captain Fowler sincerely sympathized for Connor's loss as watched the duo sit down in the chairs across from desk. "I know that this is difficult, but it's important you know what happened on that night."

Hank eyed Connor protectively as he took the lead on the conversation for Connor's personal sake. "Alright, tell us what happened so we can get out of here."

"The riot wasn't caused by the deviants," Captain Fowler started blatantly. "it was caused by a group of humans who were trying to get away with looting in all of the confusion."

The information was as disappointing as the very humans who started the riot that took fourteen lives; one of which belonged to Skye.

"And it turns out," Captain Fowler continued softly as he tried to deliver the news as gently as possible. "the two 'rogue deviants' that everyone had been on edge about knew what was happening, were trying to stop the looters. Something in their original security programs were re-activated when CyberLife attempted their coup, and it was CyberLife who provided security to the stores that had been vandalized."

"Are you telling me this entire shit-show was all a fuckin' misunderstanding?"

"We're looking into the incident to see how many additional charges we can add to the guilty parties. But yeah, it was one massive, preventable, shit-show."

"Fourteen people DIED. Adding a few more charges is not good enough, Jeffrey."

"All of the guilty parties have been arrested and I personally spoke to the media to set the record straight. They seemed less interested in the story once they learned it was the humans being the problem, and not the androids."

"What a shock..." Hank quipped sarcastically as he kept his attention on Connor's reactions. "Is that it?"

"...No. In light of the riot the mayor has decided that he wants you two to resume your original assignment together in handling all deviant related cases."

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

Connor finally reacted to the world around him, though it wasn't a positive reaction as Hank had been hoping for. "...No."

Captain Fowler gave the deviant an odd glance as he repeated Connor's reply incredulously. "What did you say? 'No'?"

Standing up slowly Connor reached into his jacket pocket and to the holster he instinctively wore beneath the jacket. Placing his badge and his gun down Captain Fowler's desk Connor shook his head and looked away with a despondent turn of his head. "...I can't do this anymore. I resign."

"C-Connor..." Captain Fowler stood up quickly as the deviant turned around and promptly left the office without another word. "Son of a bitch."

"Jeffrey," Hank stood up as well and watched Connor through the transparent window walls of the office as he crossed through the bullpen without acknowledging a single person. "he's hurting. Give him time."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I hope so." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank focused on his oldest friend with a stern gaze as Connor disappeared from sight. "Jeffrey, is that how I looked when I lost Barb and Cole?"

"Yeah, Hank. It is."

"How in the fuck did you not take me out back and put a damn bullet in my head to put me out of my misery?"

"Because I know you, Hank. And you know him." Accepting the deposited badge and gun with a reluctant grip Captain Fowler slipped the items into his desk drawer and locked it up with a heavy sigh. "Take as much time as you need to help him through this. The city needs Connor."

"...Yeah. The city that couldn't care less about him or the other deviants who've been working their asses off to protect them. I can't imagine why he's so disenchanted all of a sudden."

Taking his own leave of the office Hank was stopped by Gavin who felt the need to speak up and say something, anything about the riots that had resulted in so many needless deaths.

"Hey, Captain, just so you know I tried to stop Connor from... you know... seeing her on that night."

"...Yeah? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Did..." Gavin was visibly nervous as he spoke with Hank in a low voice. "Because I slowed him down, did it cause her to-"

"Gavin," Hank held up a shushing hand to stop the detective who was beginning to show his empathy after learning that he was going to be a father in four and half months. "the damage was too extensive. It didn't matter if Connor got her to the tower as soon as she was injured, or an hour later than he already did. And we both know that Abby wouldn't let her go without a fight. You didn't do anything to harm her."

"Uh... How is Abby holding up? Do you know?"

"She was at the funeral and she's upset over the death of her friend. Did you call her?"

"...No."

"Do it. Right now she needs a friend, so go be her friend. And in time her baby will need a father, so go be that father." Giving Gavin a single pat to the shoulder Hank passed him by as he made his way toward the front doors of the precinct. "Right now, I need to go take care of my son."

* * *

Once home Connor walked into his bedroom and closed the door as he threw off his suit and wore his simple pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. The rain and snow outside quickly covered his bedroom window in an opaque pale layer of natural white that prevented him from peering out to the cold, cruel world all around him as he laid in silent mourning in self imposed isolation. Laying on his back on his bed with his hands neatly folded over his abdomen he stared blankly upward at the equally blank ceiling above and fought against the tears that wanted to stream down his face.

The emotionally drained deviant was just plain tired of life itself, and of the struggles he just couldn't seem to overcome.

Connor was tired of crying. Tired of fighting. Tired of feeling sad. Tired of feeling angry. Tired of feeling anything and everything. We was just tired...

Hours of silent thoughts passed by as the dreary day gave way to a uniformly dark, dreary night. A gentle knocking on his bedroom door went unanswered before the door opened slowlt without invitation a few seconds later.

"Hey, kid." Hank walked into the bedroom with Sumo following after him. "I, uh, I got a text from Gavin."

Connor remained quiet and disinterested.

"He said that he was going to be staying with Abby for the duration of her pregnancy so we don't have to be worried about her being alone when she's not at New Jericho Tower."

Sumo whimpered and put his paws up on the edge of the bed and he pressed his cold nose against Connor's arm, then licked once. The fluffy dog's attempt to gain Connor's attention went unacknowledged just as Hank's own presence had been.

"I also got a call from Markus. Josh is going to take over the security protocols at the tower and keep the original program that she, uh, Skye, had set up."

Remaining disturbingly quiet and still Connor didn't react as Hank reached a hand down over Connor's forehead and held it there for a minute. Ignoring the contact and refusing to speak out of a misplaced grievance the heartbroken deviant never responded to Hank's attempts to reach out to him.

"You feel a little warm. Are you overheating, or sick?"

Already used to Connor's silence Hank wasn't surprised when his question went unanswered.

"At least you changed out of your wet clothes." Nodding at the pile of damp clothes on the floor, a curiously messy action that the deviant had never displayed beforehand. Hank picked up the soaked suit and decided to take care of it himself and give Connor some space for the rest of the night. "Alright. I'll let you be alone so you can get some rest. If you want to talk you know where to find me."

* * *

An entire week passed with Connor remained deathly quiet and still on his bed in the self imposed solitude of his bedroom. Without uttering a syllable or moving beyond blinking or shallow breathing Connor could've been mistaken for a corpse. Neglecting his own health, ignoring his responsibilities and refusing to speak to anyone; even to Hank who always made sure to greet him in the morning, tell him what was going on during the day and say goodnight. It was like Connor had simply given up on himself and the world around him after his heart had been broken by the loss of his love.

Hank had reluctantly returned to the precinct after two days leaving Connor alone in the house all day for the following five days, but every time the detective returned home it was the same sad sight that greeted him as he stepped through the door. Everything was the same as when Hank left; dishes in the sink, the garbage needing to be changed and the laundry still needing to be folded; and with Connor being such a tidy person it was very out of character for the deviant to ignore such necessary chores. He'd even stopped tending to his aquarium, but Hank made sure to keep his fish alive until the deviant was behaving more like his usual self.

It didn't help the overall melancholy mood of the house considering Sumo was always laying in the middle of the hallway with his head resting atop his paws as he sadly watched Connor from the opened doorway of the bedroom. Even the massive dog was unable to get a response from Connor whenever he tried to cuddle up with the deviant on the bed, or dropped his green fetch ball next to Connor's arm.

"Hey, boy." Hank walked over to the dog in the hallway and lightly pet his head. Sumo let out a tired sigh and wagged his tail once to acknowledge Hank as the detective stepped around him to check in Connor. "And hi, son."

Connor once more ignored Hank's voice.

"Still sick?" Returning his hand to Connor's forehead Hank felt that Connor was still running abnormally warm even after a week. It didn't help matters when Hank noticed that Connor's artificial skin was also paler than usual because of some underlying glitch or error that the deviant was ignoring. "Shit. You're still running hot."

The deviant didn't even blink as Hank's hand pressed down and then retreated from his forehead.

"You're pale. When was the last time you took in some fresh Thirium?"

Nothing.

"I think it's been a week and half, and you're supposed to take care of that every week, right?"

Still nothing.

"Well, I'll bring you some and you try to drink it. I don't want you to get any worse."

Silence.

Sumo lifted his head slightly and watched as Hank exited the bedroom and made his way down the hallway to the kitchen. The sound of Hank rummaging through the cabinet above the kitchen sink resonated with a distinct echo through the otherwise quiet house. Carrying a single bottle of the android essential Thirium back into the bedroom Hank uncapped it and tried to hand it over to Connor, but he didn't budge an inch.

"Connor, I haven't asked anything from you ever since what happened had happened, but I need you to do this. I need you to drink this so you don't make yourself sick."

Ignoring the offered Thirium with an indifferent blank stare at the ceiling above Connor remained deathly silent.

"Connor. Please."

No reaction.

"I don't want to yell at you." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank tried once more to get Connor to accept the Thirium under his own freewill. "I know you're still mourning and it won't be easy for you to heal from this kind of pain, but you will. Making yourself sick isn't going to help anyone."

Connor's stubbornness was both his greatest strength and his greatest weakness. Refusing to so much as glance at the Thirium the bullheaded deviant kept infuriatingly quiet.

"Connor. Don't make me ask you again."

No acknowledgement or sign of compromise on the deviant's part had resulted in the detective taking the initiative.

"Alright, open your mouth."

Only a brief arch of his brow gave any indication that Connor was in fact listening to what Hank was saying to him.

"You heard me." Hank put his hand lightly around Connor's jaw as if he were about to pry it open himself if Connor continued to refuse to cooperate. "You need to drink this Thirium."

Slowly Connor's hand reached up with a stilted motion as if arthritic or damaged, and grabbed onto Hank's forearm just below the hand that was holding onto his jaw. Applying increasing strength Connor tried to push Hank's hand away but Hank was proving himself to be as stubborn as Connor. Keeping his hand around Connor's jaw Hank let the deviant try to fight him as he remained steadfast, ready to wait out the deviant who was undeniably weak from neglecting his necessary Thirium intake.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way." Trying again to open Connor's mouth Hank stared down at the deviant's emotionless, traumatized brown irises with true sympathy for his pain. "You can drink this yourself or I can break your jaw open and force it down your throat. You choose."

"...Hank." Connor practically hissed the name through his clenched teeth as he tried to force the human away. For the first time since knowing Hank the name carried some poison as he tried to turn his head away from the detective. "Stop."

"No way, kid. You need this."

"Stop."

"Are you going to drink this on your own?"

Connor managed to break Hank's grip from around his jaw and was now working to push the detective away from him by pressing his palm against the center of Hank's chest.

Hank wrapped his hand around Connor's arm and pulled it outward to its full length, and used his own arm to pin the limb firming against his side. Turning Connor's arm so the bend in his arm was facing upward Hank used his other hand to try to cause the artificial skin to recede from the limb so he could gain access to the white plastimetal frame underneath, and the main Thirium beneath that.

"Let go." Connor stated firmly as he tried to wrestle his arm from Hank's grip.

"You drink it or it goes through the line. Choose!"

"I said 'let go'!"

"Then cooperate!"

"Leave me alone!"

"No. I've left you alone for a week already! I won't let-"

"You can't control me, Hank." Connor angrily spat as he yank his arm away from Hank rolled from his back and onto his side away from the detective.

"I'm not trying to control you, I'm trying to help you."

"I don't need your help, and I don't _want_ your help."

Sighing heavily Hank replaced the cap to the bottle of Thirium and placed it on the table beside the bed. "Then what _do_ you want?"

"...To be left alone."

"Sorry, son. I can't do that anymore."

"Just go away, Hank. I don't want to talk."

"You don't have to talk, but you do need to-"

" _What_?" Interrupting bitterly Connor shot Hank a venomous glare. "What do I need to do? What am I supposed to do just because someone else tells me it's what I should be doing? What should I be thinking? What should I be feeling? Go ahead and tell me, Hank!"

"Well, right now it sounds like you're pissed off." Hank snapped as he quickly grew tired of Connor's misplaced anger being directed at him. "And that's fine! Feel however you want to feel! Just don't be an idiot about it."

"...I'm sorry that my grief is idiotic."

"Your-" Hank was getting angry at Connor's very human emotional distress despite knowing that there was no proper way for anyone to grieve or timeframe for a person to get through their pain. More upset that Connor was knowingly hurting himself with his stubbornness and self-neglect than anything else Hank tried to explain things as calmly as possible. "It's okay to grieve, but it's not okay to deprive yourself from your basic needs."

"Like drinking myself half to death, or drowning in whiskey?"

Hank wanted to smack Connor across his face for intentionally being so cruel and wanting to alienate him, but he restrained himself as he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "We both know I was a fool in the past, don't try to provoke me. And this isn't about _me_ , it's about you."

"You're right. Maybe if I had some whiskey-"

"Knock it off!" Hank shouted loudly as he stood up from the bed and turned away from the deviant before he reacted in a way he'd never be able to forgive himself for. The anger that was now filling the house made Sumo nervous and the large dog went into the livingroom to cower under the coffee table until everything passed by. "You want to be left alone? Fine. I won't bother you anymore."

Refusing to even look at Hank as he made his way toward the bedroom door Connor rolled over again so he was now facing the opposite direction, his eyes fixing on the window covered in snow and ice.

"Talk to me after you cool off, or learn to stop being such a prick. Whichever comes first..."

Pulling Connor's door shut behind him wit a hearty 'slam' Hank walked away from the confrontation and remained in the livingroom for the remainder of the evening.

Connor stared at the heavy snowfall that was smothering the world outside the house all around him. As he eyed the flawless white flakes falling from the gray sky his scanner noted the current temperature at twenty-seven degrees Fahrenheit, and steadily dropping as the day gave way to night and winter encroached over the city at an alarming rate.

"...Cool off."

* * *

Running his hand through his gray locks of hair Hank stopped at the end of the hallway and glanced back at the closed bedroom door with heavy regret in his blue eyes. It had been months, maybe even a year since Hank had yelled at Connor for his reckless behavior, and now Hank felt guilty for doing so while Connor was still lost in mourning. Going against his better instincts Hank resisted the urge to return to the bedroom and walked away slowly as he decided to give Connor the isolation he wanted, even though the self-imposed reclusiveness was the last thing he needed.

Wandering over to the couch Hank sat down in the middle of the furniture and leaned his head back against the cushion as he mentally beat himself up for snapping at Connor. As he sat in quiet contemplation Sumo let out a single whimper from beneath the coffee table drawing the detective's attention elsewhere.

Staring at Sumo for a moment Hank let out a small chuckle and patted the cushion to his side. "It's okay, Sumo. C'mere."

Sumo crawled out from under the table and pressed his paw and chin down on Hank's knee as if he completely understood the turmoil that was overwhelming the deviant and was empathizing with Hank's plight.

Running his hand gently over Sumo's ears Hank managed to comfort the startled dog and with that gesture Hank felt a modicum of comfort himself. "Good boy."

The snowstorm continued to smother the city under a crushing cold of whiteness and ice throughout the evening and well into the night. It was deafeningly quiet as the detective waited for any sign of Connor emerging from his isolation, but his patience would go unrewarded

The following morning wasn't any better for the two detectives as Hank prepared to head to the precinct while Connor remained cloistered away in his bedroom as the darkness of grief and depression threatened to consume his broken heart. Walking past the closed bedroom door Hank wanted to knock and let Connor know that he was going to work, but decided to let the deviant alone until he returned home later that evening.

The weather report on the television warned of an impending blizzard and urged everyone to use caution throughout the entirety of the city.

"Oh good, just what we need." The bleak weather only made the already somber atmosphere heavier. "More fuckin' cold."

Hank spotted Sumo staring curiously as Connor's closed door and grabbed the dog's collar to lead him into the kitchen. "Come on. Let him cool off." Feeding Sumo his breakfast Hank pat the dog's back softly and stepped through the backdoor to report to the precinct as scheduled. "Be a good boy, Sumo. Keep an eye on Connor for me."

Closing the backdoor behind him Hank couldn't help but feel as though something was wrong.

In the week that Connor had gone into hiding Hank found himself in an eerily familiar situation of loneliness he had endured for almost three years before Connor was unexpectedly assigned to him as his partner. The car was quiet save for the heavy metal that Hank had cranked up to block out the silence and his desk seemed somehow much bigger than it actually was without Connor sitting on the opposite side of him.

Fussing with his bitter, horrible tasting mug of coffee on his desk with one hand, and his other hand rolling Connor's still confiscated quarter back and forth under his fingertip over his desk top, Hank struggled to focus on his work as he thought about the fight he had with Connor the night before. The only thing that distracted him from his thoughts was the unexpected visit from Gavin who casually leaned up against the desks with his arms crossed over his chest in an attempt to appear calm in the light of the massive change his life was going to undertake in a few more months.

"So..." Gavin started off somewhat timidly as if trying to make casual conversation. "...Can I ask how Connor is doing?"

"Not good." Pushing aside the mug of coffee Hank pocketed the coin and folded his arms together as he leaned forward against them atop his desk. "How's Abby doing?"

"She's okay. Sore, tired and craving Chinese food at all hours of the night, but she's fine. I mean, she's still upset over losing her friend, but she's hanging in there."

"She's what? Eighteen weeks along now?"

"Yeah... Almost halfway there." Gavin anxiously rubbed his hand over the back of his neck as he spoke with Hank in a discreetly low tone of voice. "She said she wanted to check in with Connor, but I told her to stay home since it's snowing. Is there anything I can tell her?"

"Only shit that'll make her feel worse." Hank gave Gavin a suspicious glance as he tried to not think about his fight with Connor from the night before. "Let me ask you this, Gavin. Since when did you start referring to Connor as 'Connor', instead of 'Tinman' or 'plastic asshole'?"

"I... Look. When I saw the defeat in his eyes last week after he left Fowler's office I finally saw it. The heartbreak. You can't be a machine if you can feel something like that."

"I know exactly what you're talking about."

"Hank, I was there when shit went down. Skye was trying to stop the fighting before it began and she was trying to stop the fighting after it started. She never had a chance when all Hell broke loose. Me and Tina tried to get everything under control, but two cops just weren't enough."

"It's okay, Gavin. You didn't do anything wrong."

"She was alive, and now she's dead." Gavin seemed unusually emotional about the whole ordeal; but then again he did have a child on the way. Perhaps the impending birth had brought out a newfound empathy along with formerly dormant paternal instincts. "And Connor, he... he _is_ alive. And he's hurtin' bad. Isn't he?"

"...Yeah. He really is."

"Fuck." Leaning down a little closer to Hank Gavin asked another question. "Is it true that Connor _resigned_?"

"Don't worry about it, Gavin. The kid just needs time to think and figure shit out."

"Oh, fuck... He did."

"Gavin, shut it. Don't spread rumors about him, he gets self-conscious enough as it is."

"Yeah, yeah, I won't say a word." Standing up from the desks Gavin tried to appear as casual as possible. "...I'll talk to you later."

"Yeah, whatever."

Outside the front of the building a strong gust of wind caused the doors to rattle in place as thickening snow surrounding the entire city. It was already twenty degrees outside and it was only going to get colder as night encroached quickly. Noting the time on his terminal screen and the weather report on the television mounted on the wall in the breakroom, Hank decided it was time to clock out and check in on Connor.

"I'm outta' here. I'm not getting snowed in at the precinct again."

* * *

Driving through the building snow at a steady pace Hank fought to pull the car up the snowy drive next to the house as the slick surface proved itself to be an unexpected nuisance. As he threw the car into park Hank opened up his door and rushed up through the backyard and carefully marched up the steps of the back deck and through the backdoor.

Upon entering the house Hank was greeted by Sumo sitting in the middle of the kitchen hunched up and cowering as if overwhelmed with guilt. Whimpering lightly to Hank the detective quickly realized something was very wrong and knew it had everything to do with Connor.

"Connor?" Hank didn't even bother to shrug off his snowy coat as he marched through the kitchen and proceeded to knock heavily on the closed bedroom door in the hallway. "Connor? Look, I know you're still mad and you have every right to be, but give me a sign that you're still okay."

As usual for the past week there was no answer from the deviant.

"Fuck it." Turning the knob on the bedroom door Hank pushed it open and found himself staring at an empty room that was dusted with snow all over the floor, bed and the curtains. The bedroom window was left partially open and there was no sign of the room's occupant anywhere. "Oh, shit... Connor?!"

Rushing over to the window Hank forced the icy frame it fully opened and peered outside hoping to see the deviant somewhere in the side yard but there was no one. Looking down Hank spotted the filling shoe prints that Connor had left behind after he jumped through the window and marched toward the front of the house in anger.

"Damn it! I can't believe he actually did this!" Slamming the window shut Hank locked it and rushed out of the bedroom while dialing up Markus on his phone. Entering the livingroom to pace about nervously Hank spotted Connor's leather jacket hanging on the hook by the door and swore again just as Markus answered the call. "Fuck! Markus, it's Hank! Is Connor there with you?"

' _No, I haven't seen him since the funeral_.' The confusion in Markus's voice was as thick as the worry that followed. _'What's going on_?'

"The short story is we had a shouting match last night and when I came home from the precinct he was gone. Jumped out the damn window."

' _Oh no_... _I'll ask the other deviants to keep an eye out for him and I'll call if I find any trace of him_. _What do you need me to do_?'

"Everything you just said. We need to find him, it's freezing out there and he's low on Thirium."

' _We'll find him, Hank_. _You know Connor better than I do, but I think he get went somewhere to clear his head_."

"...Or to cool off." Hank closed his eyes tightly and internally swore as he realized that Connor had taken his 'advice' literally after their fight. "Damn it... Alright, yeah, you keep a look out for him. I'm going to see if I can track him down myself."

* * *

Heartbroken, emotionally conflicted and alone Connor trudged through the ankle deep snow as he made his way out of the city as quickly as he could move. He didn't have any destination in mind, but he knew he needed to keep moving, he needed to keep searching. Enduring the dropping temperatures, harsh winds and heavy snowfall as best as he could. But it was increasingly difficult without any form of external thermal protection to shield his prototype build from the devastatingly destructive cold weather.

As the freezing snowflakes clung to his hair that hung down in his face Connor lowered his head to keep the wind from stinging his eyes and wrapped his arms around his chest as he stubbornly wandered further away from home. Soon afterward Connor found himself aimlessly walking through trees that connected the city to the surrounding forest. Wearing only his jeans, black t-shirt and his work boots Connor was far from warm enough to be venturing out in the blizzard as he sought isolation from home, while his broken heart continued to painfully beat in his chest.

Alone, cold and emotionally distraught Connor ventured deeper into the forest and ignored the numerous red tinted warnings that appeared in his visual processors indicating his low Thirium level and dropping core temperature.

Dismissing one warning after the other Connor needlessly subjected himself to the harsh blizzard swirling around him.

* * *

Outside the small home, enduring the blizzard himself, Hank knelt beside the fading shoe prints in the snow and estimated that Connor had snuck out of the house in the middle of the night, almost sixteen hours prior to Hank discovering his disappearance. The depth of the snow was a good indicator for time and the keen eye of the skilled detective tracked Connor to the front yard and to the sidewalk. Following the shoe prints as far as possible Hank determined the approximate direction that the deviant had gone and set out from there.

"Fuck."

Checking his phone Hank hoped to see a message from Markus or from anyone else at New Jericho Tower for that matter, but there was nothing waiting for him. Thinking quickly Hank located the app that allowed him to monitor Connor's vital signs and to connect to his dormant tracker to use as a guide, and found a faint signal on his phone that could possibly be Connor's current location.

"I can't wait and see if he comes back. I need to find him. Now."

Returning to the house through the backdoor Hank grabbed onto Sumo's leash and pulled Connor's leather jacket from the hook by the front door before patting his leg to summon Sumo over to where he was standing.

"Sumo. Come."

The massive fluffy dog obeyed the command the wandered out of the kitchen to sit at Hank's feet.

"Come on." Clipping the leash onto Sumo's leather collar Hank pulled open the door and coaxed the dog into following him outside. "We need to find Connor."

* * *

Using his arm to shield his eyes from the snow and wind, Connor walked through the dark forest unsure of where he was going or when he'd stop. Every joint in his body ached from the low levels of Thirium being unable to adequately lubricate his joints as he walked, and his internal biocomponents were struggling to function on such a low volume.

With each step he took Connor could feel his heart beginning to slow and his core temperature beginning to drop to a critically low degree. Every step he took was taking him further from home, and closer to death.

The harsh, destructive weather had caused significant damage to the artificial skin over Connor's entire body causing him to pale a few shades white while eating away at the skin on his fingertips, ears and nose exposing the white plastimetal frame beneath as he endured the brutally unforgiving blizzard. Ice shards clung heavy to his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes giving him a humanly aged appearance, while his eyes began to frost over from his dropping core temperature being unable to keep his artificial, yet all too real, tears from freezing against his soulful brown irises.

Fighting to keep his legs moving, forcing himself to continue walking foward, Connor ignored every one of his naturally developed instincts as a deviant to retreat from the cold and seek shelter.

Nearly blind, hypothermic, heartbroken and weak from low Thirium the deviant was at the mercy of only his own stubbornness.

* * *

Hank mounted his phone to the dashboard of the car next to his G.P.S. and watched as the signal steadily grew in the strength the further away from the city he drove. With Sumo anxiously sitting in the backseat of the car, his warm body laying atop Connor's jacket, the massive dog seemed to understand all too well that he and Hank were on a rescue mission to save one very stubborn and heartbroken deviant from himself, before it was too late.

"Come on, kid..." Hank stated aloud as the car's headlights struggled to pierce through the darkening night and thickening snow that blew all around the expressway as he searched for the elusive deviant. "Where'd you go? Where in the hell are you?"

Sumo whimpered once from the backseat while Hank fussed with his phone impatiently waiting for a set of coordinated, or at the very least a direction.

"Come on you piece of-" A small blue dot appeared on the G.P.S. map displayed on the phone. Connor was lost somewhere in the forest. "'Bout time."

Lining up the signal on the phone's map with the second G.P.S. on the dashboard Hank followed the nearest road that lead as close to the signal as possible. He had to fight against the blizzard in order to drive along the icy, dirt trail that seemingly lead into a deadend located in the heart of the woods.

The night became colder and darker as the temperature dipped below fifteen degrees and would surely drop even further before the night was over. Thick snowflakes nearly blinded Hank as he drove along the trail carefully in search of Connor all the while trying to hone in on the faint signal that his phone was giving him.

Pulling the car to a stop along the edge of the trail, stopping before the massive vehicle became lodged in a thick snowbank that cut off access to the rest of the trail beyond it, Hank grabbed his phone and pulled the emergency flashlight from the glove box before opening the back seat door to let Sumo outside of the car alongside him. With a firm hand on Sumo's leash, the flashlight shining brightly in the same grip, and Connor's warm jacket tucked under his arm Hank used his phone to try to pinpoint the exact spot of the signal on his display screen without getting lost in the snow himself.

"C'mon Sumo." Hank coaxed the dog into leading the way through the heavy snow and relatively thick, but winter-dead underbrush as he used his training as a first responder to search the forest for his missing friend; his missing son. "Find him! Find Connor!"

Sumo tugged at the leash and began whimpering as he seemed to hone in on something.

"Good boy." Hank took in a deep breath and called out as loudly as he dared. "Connor?!"

* * *

From an unknown depth within the forest Connor fell to his knees into a deep snowbank as his legs finally gave out from exhaustion. The deviant took in pained breaths as the ice stung at his ventilation biocomponents; his artificial lungs, making it almost impossible to breathe. Trembling violently from the merciless cold that swirled around him Connor, ever stubborn, dismissed the dozens of error and warning messages from his visual processors, then manually deactivated the protective program to keep the warnings from returning as he continued to wander without purpose trough the icy forest.

Forcing himself to stand, forcing his frozen legs back into motion, Connor stood up on shaking limbs as he trudged deeper into the snowbank in a fruitless endeavor to find something that he didn't need; to turn his back on his pain and walk away from everything and everyone.

Reaching a small clearing in the forest Connor felt his broken heart suddenly seize mid-beat causing his freezing, frostbitten hand to clutch at his chest as if he could hold the remnants of his heart in his hand and cradle it protectively.

Collapsing face forward into the snow before him, his arms splayed outward near his head and his legs straight outward from his body, Connor managed to slightly to lift up his head as his failing audio sensors detected some motion from the treeline, while his visual sensors failed him entirely. Weak, tired and feeling broken Connor let his head fall back into the snow.

Defeated and dying Connor's frosty brown eyes began to slowly close as a layer of cold snow proceeded to bury his form under a sheet of freezing, white powder.

* * *

Sumo's ear perked up and his big brown eyes stared forward into the brush before him. Letting out a single whimper Sumo pulled on the leash hard and managed to pull the lead out of Hank's cold hand with a strong jerk. Letting out a deep bark followed by more frantic barks Sumo charged into the forest as he picked up a faintly familiar scent, his long bred instincts as a mountainous search and rescue breed flooded through the loyal dog's mind as he managed to pick up a trail to follow.

"Good boy!" Hank shouted as he chased after Sumo as best as he could through the almost shin-deep snow. "Find him!" Shining his flashlight through the trees Hank looked for any sign of motion from the wayward deviant as Sumo's large form bounded through the snowbanks in front of him. "Connor? Connor! Answer me!"

The massive bundle of fluff charged through the snow and treeline on a mission, and the loyal dog was bound and determined to succeed.

"Connor?" Hank shouted again as he clumsily trudged after Sumo through the snow. "Connor! Answer me!"

* * *

Unconscious and motionless in the snow Connor remained unaware of Sumo's barks as the massive dog found him buried under a layer of the very cold that threatened to end his life. Sumo whimpered and whined as he pressed his nose to the side of Connor's neck and began to paw at his arm to try to get a response from the dying deviant. Obeying his natural instincts Sumo laid his upper body over Connor's back and let out loud barks to guide Hank to his location as the massive dog used his own body to try to keep Connor as warm as possible until help arrived.

A flashlight beam broke through the treeline as Hank followed Sumo's barking and located Connor at long last. Stumbling through the thick snow Hank nearly froze in his tracks at the sight of Connor laying in the snow motionless with Sumo, whose own fur was now covered in clumps of snow, laying over top of him.

"Connor!?" Dropping the flashlight in the snow Hank pocketed his phone and stomped through the icy barricade that kept him from the deviant's side. "Connor! Connor, shit!" Resting on his knees beside Connor the detective unburied Connor's frostbitten, patchy arm to check for a pulse in his wrist but he couldn't feel any motion under his fingertips. "No, no, no..." Moving his hand to the side of Connor's neck he checked for the pulse once more but there was still nothing to be found. "Do don't this to me, son!"

Pushing Sumo aside Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulders and turned the frozen deviant over from his chest so he was laying on his back, with his shoulders resting against Hank's knees. Sumo immediately laid down over top of Connor's legs as a primal need to keep the deviant warm overrode any command that Hank had issued him.

The intense cold of Connor's skin and exposed plastimetal frame was enough to sting at Hank's palms as he moved him onto his back and the sight of the artificial skin missing from Connor's face, neck and arms where the snow had been present for so long made Hank flinch for only a moment. Warily Hank pulled Connor slightly upright with his hand under the deviant's shoulder, his head falling backward limply, and leaned his head down toward Connor's mouth and nose to check for breathing, but just like when he tried to find a pulse there was nothing there.

"...Connor."

Pressing his head down against Connor's chest Hank listened intently, ignoring the cacophony of the howling wind blowing past his exposed ear as he waited for any sound to emanate from the deviant's icy cold chest. A single feeble beat, whether it was actually there or Hank simply told himself he had heard something because he needed to believe Connor was still alive, he couldn't decide.

But it was good enough. It would have to be, it was all he had.

"Shit, Connor..."

Lifting up his head Hank remembered what Connor had told him a few months back about being able to manually bring the deviant out of stasis mode by pressing his fingers down against his right temple Hank tried to rouse Connor from the cold induced state of unconsciousness. After failing to respond to the input Hank shook his head and draped the leather jacket he had brought with him from the car over Connor's frozen body before gently lifting the deviant up into his arms, Sumo reluctantly getting up from the deviant's legs, in order to Connor carry out of the forest.

"Come on, son. I got you."

It was a difficult trek through the thick snow, but Hank managed to find his way by simply retracing his footsteps in the dark. He cared less about the flashlight and more for Connor as the bright illumination of the headlights through the treeline was a symbolic enough beacon to follow. Sumo trudged through the snow at Hank's side obediently for a few paces before deciding to lead as he accompanied the two detectives back to the car out of the forest before the blizzard became too dangerous to travel through.

"Connor, I'm with you, son." Hank stated over the wind as he carried the deviant through the snow. Fortunately Connor was designed to be as nimble as possible and with that came a lighter weight in comparison to other machines; but the heavy snow made the journey as clumsy and slow as ever. "Listen to me, I'm with you so that means you _have_ to stay with me! Got it? Stay with me."

Reaching the car with an awkward stumble through the treeline and onto the trail Hank fumbled to pull open the door to the backseat with one hand without dropping Connor in the process. As soon as the door was open Hank placed Connor down gently over the length of the soft and warm backseats leaving the jacket draped over the frozen deviant's chest in the process. Shrugging off his own coat Hank placed it over top of the first to try to warm up Connor's freezing, nearly lifeless body.

"Sumo!" Hank motioned to the opened backseat door and Sumo knowingly jumped inside and resumed laying over Connor's chest at an awkward angle as he too did his best to help the deviant to warm up. "Good boy."

Slamming the door shut Hank pulled open the driver's side door and cranked up the heater as high as it could go and directed as much of the offered heat into the back of the car as possible. Feeling the sting of the cold himself Hank shuddered a little as he checked the G.P.S. on his phone and tried to find the nearest possible shelter that would keep Connor safe.

"Shit... Forty minutes from the city, forty-five from the deviant refuge... But only eight minutes from the cabin!" It was then Hank realized exactly how far Connor had wandered and felt incredibly sick to his stomach as he counted the hours that Connor had been lost in the cold. "How in the fuck did you last for nineteen hours in this blizzard?!"

Maneuvering as carefully as he needed Hank backed the car down the trail and found a small opening alongside the singular pathway to use as a turn around. Now facing the direction of the main road Hank used the tire tracks the car had previously created and found his way out of the dark forest and back to the road that stretched beyond it.

"Hang on, Connor. Just hang on... Please." Turning off the G.P.S. on his phone Hank dialed Markus and let the deviant leader know that he had finally found Connor, but he was in trouble. "Markus, I got him. He's freezing and there's no way I can get him back to the city for help in time."

' _Thank god you found him_!' Markus was genuinely relieved to get the call and was ready to act at any moment. ' _Where are you right now_?'

"Heading out to the cabin, it's the closest place and I have emergency supplies stocked out there."

' _Good_! _Stay there and I'll see if Simon and I can get to you guys out there_.'

"No, it's too dangerous." Glancing at Connor's eerily pale face and missing artificial skin in the rearview mirror Hank internally swore at himself for yelling at Connor the night before. "I'll take care of him and keep you updated. If he gets any worse... I'll let you know."

' _Hank, you know as well as I do that if it were any other deviant in Connor's situation_ -"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Connor would risk himself to save them, but I can't let you or Simon do that. I need to take care of this, Markus. He's my son and this is my mistake."

' _This isn't your fault, Hank_. _Connor's hurting and he reacted in a bad way_. _He's still so inexperienced with strong negative emotions_.'

"I know, Markus. But I'm the one who yelled at him, and I'm the one person in this world who knows what he's going through, but I didn't reach out far enough to connect to him." Turning off the main road and down the secondary trail leading to the cabin Hank needed to end the call. "I'll talk to you in the morning and let you know how he's holding up."

Sumo whimpered once from the backseat as he pressed his chin down against Connor's shoulder and looked at Hank with expressively sad eyes.

"We're almost there." Hank stated calmly as if he needed to calm Sumo, and as if Connor could somehow hear him despite being completely unconscious. "We'll be out of the cold soon."

Peering at Connor's reflection in the rearview mirror once more Hank felt that sickening pit in his stomach return. Connor was still motionless, not even the shallowest of breaths entered his icy body as he remained as silent as death itself. With patches of his paled artificial skin missing the deviant looked as though he had been left to rot in a ditch; forgotten and lost.

"I'm sorry, son. Please forgive me for pushing you so hard that I pushed you away."

The Oldsmobile reached the front of the cabin with moderate difficulty as the drive was snowed in heavily and covered in ice. Keeping the car running as he raced up to the front door and unlocked it, Hank awkwardly returned to the car to gather Connor back up in his arms with Sumo bounding out of the vehicle to escort the two detectives inside the comparably warmer, but equally dark cabin.

"Okay, Connor. We're here." Hank struggled to carry the deviant inside the cabin through the blizzard and lay him down on the sofa while he navigated through the poorly lit livingroom. Rushing over to the front door Hank slammed it shut, locked it and flipped on the lights to the cabin. "We're safe."

Sumo shook off the lingering snow from his fur and jumped up onto the sofa to once more keep Connor warm out of a deeply-seeded instincts as a unique breed of rescue dog.

"That's it. Keep him warm." Hank urged as he scrambled over to the hallway closet to locate the emergency android first aid kit and the extra Thirium bottles that had been stored along with it. Dropping the items down on the livingroom floor Hank raced up the staircase to get to the bedrooms and pull every blanket in the cabin from the beds and return them to the sofa. "You stay with him," Hank stated out loud more to calm himself than to actually speak to Sumo. "and I'll build a fire."

After draping three quilts over Connor and Sumo to keep the deviant as warm as possible Hank braved the cold once more to get the dry firewood from its storage space in the cellar just outside the cabin. With an armload of logs and a hasty pace Hank knelt down in front of the large fireplace and quickly placed the tinder and some dried scrap paper inside to create a warm fire. Fighting with the box of matches that had been stored with the logs Hank's almost numb fingers finally managed to strike a match and ignite the paper, the flames quickly eating through the scrap and reaching the logs around it.

"Okay, son. This won't be easy but I have to get you warmed up as soon as possible." Pulling the top quilt from the pile over top Connor with a gentle tug Hank smoothed it over the floor in front of the glowing hearth and proceeded to unbury Connor even further. Motioning for Sumo to jump down from the sofa Hank was able to lift up Connor once more, his own arms trembling from the intense cold radiating from Connor's body, and then place him down on the quilt before the fire. "Fuck, it's like carrying around a block of ice!"

Connor's light clothing was soaked through with snow and ice that had been partially melted by the warmth of the car and Sumo's fur. Despite the car and the fluffy dog it still wasn't enough to actually warm Connor himself. Awkwardly Hank pulled off Connor's soaked black t-shirt and tossed it on the floor next to the hearth to dry off and warm up, then proceeded to pull off his snow covered work boots and placed them down near the shirt to dry off as well.

"Sorry about this, but modesty is never spared when your life is on the line."

Hank proceeded to pull off the deviants snow soaked jeans and left them by the other articles of clothing and then put his hand down against Connor's bare chest. He still wasn't breathing and his heart was barely beating. The horrifyingly pale artificial skin, that was such a state courtesy of Connor's low Thirium volume and low-power mode causing his artificial skin to thin out enough to make his white plastimetal semi visible, was still patchy from the harsh cold destroying the external layers with the android equivalent of frostbite.

"Alright, kid. You've made it this far." Taking the other two quilts from the sofa Hank placed them back over Connor's body to cover him up. Patting the floor beside Connor lightly Sumo walked over and laid down beside the deviant again to resume transferring his own body heat over to Connor. "And I know you can make it through the night. I just need you to wake up for me and let me know you're going to be okay."

Fishing through the first aid kit Hank pulled out the digital thermometer and placed it between the deviant's teeth and under his tongue. Pressing his hand up against Connor's lower jaw Hank was able to hold the device into place until it beeped a few seconds later. The display was less than comforting to the detective's eyes: ERROR

"Shit, he's too cold to get a temperature reading."

Daring to leave the livingroom once more Hank walked into the bathroom and grabbed a few towels from the cabinet and found a hot water bottle under the sink. Turning on the tap Hank had to wait a few minutes for the water to finally warm up inside the freezing pipes before he filled up the bottle with warm, but not too hot, water.

"This should help."

Taking a knee beside Connor on the floor Hank placed the water bottle over top the deviants upper abdomen near his chest to try to help his core warm up faster. Opening the first aid kit Hank took two of the bottles of Thirium and wrapped them up in their own towels before placing them near the fireplace to warm up the life saving blue blood without it boiling over by mistake.

Hank reached for his coat left abandoned on the sofa and folded it up neatly before placing it under Connor's head as a makeshift pillow. He then draped the leather jacket down over the quilts to create another protective barrier of warmth atop the deviant's still freezing body.

Rubbing his hands up and down Connor's buried arms to create from frictional heat Hank hoped that the endeavor would pay off and his efforts weren't in vain. There was still very much about android physiology he needed to learn, but he didn't have the time to stop and ask questions. Using his emergency first aid training as an officer and first responder as his guide Hank just followed his instincts and trusted his best judgement in taking care of Connor, while trying to reverse the damaging effects of the potentially fatal hypothermia.

"Come on, come on..." Hank practically begged as he tried to get Connor warmed up without his system going into thermal shock. Once more he tried to manually awaken Connor by pressing his fingers against the deviant's right temple, but Connor didn't react. "Those idiots at CyberLife can make you into a perfect detective but they couldn't give you some form of resistance to the cold? Lazy assholes..."

Replacing his hand down on Connor's chest over the blanket Hank tried to count the deviant's pulse but his heart was beating so slowly, so weakly that it was impossible.

"Fuck!" Swearing loudly Hank fell back from his knees onto the floor and rubbed his hand over his bearded chin as he tried to think of a viable solution, and quick. Instinctively Hank began rhythmically compressing Connor's chest to force his heart to beat faster and pumping blood as he kept calm over the entire unusual situation. "Thirium... Your Thirium can freeze, right? You told me something about that once." Trying to use the information to his advantage Hank decided to test a theory. "Your volume is already low and if it's freezing then your heart has nothing to pump, that's why your heart is beating so slowly... Right? That _has_ to be right."

Reaching for one of the bottle of Thirium resting near the warm hearth Hank felt a twinge of optimism when he felt the gentle heat radiating from the sapphire blue blood inside. Positioning himself near Connor's upper body Hank pulled Connor up and onto his legs until the deviant's shoulders were resting against Hank's chest.

Sumo slipped down lower and laid down over Connor's legs as he watched Hank dealing with the Thirium and adjusting the deviant's position with his hands.

"This won't be fun, but it'll keep you alive."

Slipping one arm around Connor's chest Hank supported the freezing cold deviant's weight and used his hand to lower Connor's jaw gently. Opening up the bottle of warmed Thirium with a flick of his thumb Hank carefully and slowly poured the blue blood into Connor's mouth, making sure to pour as slowly as possible to avoid choking the deviant in the process.

Waiting for the provided Thirium to flow down Connor's throat at a steady pace Hank held him up against his own body for a little while longer to ensure the deviant wasn't going to choke. Running one hand down Connor's arm to continue to try to use friction to warm him up Hank looked down at Sumo and let out a weary sigh as the dog stared at Connor's face sadly.

"Let's try this again." Once more Hank placed the thermometer in Connor's mouth and held it there for a minute and waited for the beep. Looking down at the device's display again Hank was relieved to see it at finally was registering some degree, but it was still too low: eighty-eight point two degrees Fahrenheit. "It's not great, but at least it's an improvement."

Grabbing the second bottle of Thirium, warmer than it's counterpart from being exposed to the hearth for a while longer, Hank repeated the action and poured the warmed Thirium into Connor's mouth and down his throat. As the warm blue blood began to cycle through his system Connor's core temperature began to rise gradually until his power level had increased enough for his processors to register his dangerously low temperature, and initiate the very appropriate and human reaction of shivering to try to keep his lines from freezing over once more, and to keep his biocomponents functioning.

As Connor began to shiver Sumo let out a whimper and curled up closer to the deviant while Hank gently laid him back down on the floor. Letting the Thirium warm his core internally Hank focused on keeping him warm externally. Peering down at Connor's pale face that now had a pale blue tint courtesy of the higher Thirium volume and his eerily human responses to the extreme cold, Hank eyed the exposed white plastimetal frame warily and decided he needed to bandage up the areas that had been affected by the damaging cold.

Before moving away from where Connor was laying Hank tried again to manually reactivate the deviant with a gentle pressure to his right temple, but as with all of the previous attempts Connor simply didn't respond. His processors were still too cold, his heart beating too slow.

"You're lucky we kept a first aid kit all the way out here." Hank spoke to Connor as he unrolled the clean gauze and wrapped up Connor's hands, fingers, wrist and partially up his forearms where his plastimetal frame had been exposed. "Then again, if I hadn't gotten bit by that damn snake then you wouldn't have thought to keep such a well-stocked kit out here for the two of us, so... I guess it was good thing I got bit after all."

Gently placing a bandage under Connor's left eye, over the bridge of his nose, and around his neck where the artificial skin had been destroyed by the cold, Hank pressed the back of his hand against Connor's cheek and felt the lingering icy chill that was consuming the deviant's body.

Placing him palm back over Connor's chest Hank could feel the deviant's heart still struggling to beat and performed two more rounds of compressions to ensure the warmed Thirium was cycling through Connor's system adequately. The compressions alone failed to elicit any form of response from the freezing deviant, which only made Hank's own heart sink.

"Don't give up, alright? You didn't give up on me when I was at my lowest and I sure as hell won't give up on you. Right now I need you to promise you won't give up on yourself and pull through. You're too strong and stubborn to let a stupid snowstorm be the death of you."

After tucking Connor's arms back under the quilts Hank sat back down on the floor and pulled the towel that had been wrapped around one of the Thirium bottles onto his lap and pulled the shivering deviant's back up from the floor so his shoulders were resting against the warm, dry towel. Using the second towel Hank dried off Connor's still damp hair a little and tossed the towel over to the pile of clothes to dry off and warm up once again.

Remembering that his phone had the app that monitored Connor's vital signs still active Hank pulled the phone from his coat pocket as it rested over Connor's chest and checked the display. Connor's Thirium volume had reached a much more stable ninety-two percent, his heart rate was impossibly slow for a human at only fourteen beats per minute, and his respiration was non-existent, while his core temperature had reached ninety-one point three degrees Fahrenheit.

Connor was weak, but he was still in fact alive.

"I'm sorry kid, I knew you were hurting but I didn't really realize how bad the pain was until it was too late. I should've known better." Resting a hand over Connor's forehead and over top his hair lightly Hank continued to speak to Connor softly. "I know exactly what you're going through. I felt just as broken, horrible, alone and worthless when I lost Barbara. The only thing that got me through it was Cole. The only thing you have is _me_ , I wasn't doing a very good job of trying to look after you. I guess I was afraid if I spoke up about it I'd start missing Barb as badly as I did back then, and I know I wouldn't be able to take it anymore."

Connor as expected didn't respond.

"Come on, kid. Just hold on..."

* * *

Hours passed and the blizzard raged on outside the cabin with gusting wind and thick swirling snowflakes. As ice built up over the windows the view to the world outside became increasing opaque and the cabin itself became slowly colder save for the livingroom with the burning hearth. As Hank felt himself drifting off to a light sleep he suddenly became aware of Connor's shivering intensifying as the deviant's systems began to slowly reboot itself.

From under the quilts Connor's hands flinched and flexed a little as his legs tried to move about, but his joints were still too cold to allow the Thirium to flow properly, limiting his movements entirely. It was as if Connor were trapped in his own frozen body and would have to wait to thaw out before he could move on his own again.

"Connor?" Hank kept his voice low as he addressed the deviant calmly. "Son? Can you hear me?"

The deviant began to mutter incoherently in his state of unconsciousness. Connor's eyes moved back and forth under his closed eyelids as his head turned slightly in response to the detective's voice. Letting out a weak groan of distress Connor's arms jerked violently as if he were trying to fend off an unseen opponent and only tensed further when Hank tried to put his hands on Connor's arms to hold him still.

"Connor? It's okay! You're having a nightmare!"

Too weak to talk or fully comprehend was happening around him Connor tried to break free from Hank's already light grip and nearly shouted in panic. Though no sound escaped his lips Hank was able to understand the name that Connor had silently shouted in fear: 'Amanda'.

"Connor!" Keeping his hands in place Hank tried to break through Connor's fear and reach him on some form of subconscious level. "Wake up! You're safe! She isn't here and I have you!"

As Hank's voice reached his ears Connor stopped his weak struggle and began to relax a little, though his body continued to shiver violently. Slowly brown irises returned to the world through half lidded eyes, but there was still a layer of blinding frost that obstructed the deviant's eyesight leaving him still temporarily blind.

"Connor, you're safe." Softening his voice Hank sounded as calm as possible to keep Connor himself calm. "You're in the cabin with me and Sumo. You're going to be okay."

"...H-Hank..." Connor's voice stuttered and cracked as he recognized Hank and responded in a painfully hoarse tone. Sumo lifted his head up and wagged his tail once as Connor regained consciousness. "I... I c-can't s-see."

"Take it easy, you're safe." Keeping his own voice level for the sake of Connor's peace of mind Hank did his best to reassure him, and to keep Connor talking so he wouldn't fall back asleep just yet. Pressing his hand against the deviant's forehead made sure that Connor knew exactly where he was. "Hey? Do you remember what happened?"

"...I... I l-left. I'm s-sorry, Hank..."

"I am too, son. I shouldn't have turned my back on you."

"...C-Cold."

"I know, I'm working on it." Patting twice on Connor's shoulder with his other hand he called Sumo to cuddle up closer against Connor's chest and off his legs for a while. As the massive dog cuddle down against the deviant's abdomen Connor's breath hitched a little as he took in a very shallow breath. "You were almost frozen solid when I found you, I was worried you weren't going to wake up this time."

"...It d-doesn't matter. N-No one would m-miss me."

"No, Connor! _I'd_ miss you. And Markus, North, everyone at the tower would miss you." Looking down at Sumo whimpering slightly and trying to nudge Connor's arm under the blanket with his nose Hank knew he needed to keep the unstable deviant grounded. "Sumo would miss you, too. And Joel, Chris, Tina, Fowler, hell maybe even Gavin would miss you. And Abby... She'd miss you for sure."

"...W-Why?" Connor stubbornly questioned with a frustrated tone. "I'm j-just a m-machine."

"No, you're not. You're alive, _and_ my son."

"...N-Not alive. When I sh-shutdown there w-will be n-nothing. There is n-no afterlife f-for androids. S-Skye is just... gone."

"Connor, you're wrong. You ARE alive."

"H-How do you kn-know?"

"Like this." Hank lightly picked up Connor's bandaged hand from beneath the layered quilts and pressed it to the center of the deviant's own chest and rested it over the Thirium pump that was beating faster and stronger now that Connor had more Thirium in his system, and had warmed up from the intense cold. "You feel that?"

"...Yes."

"What is it?"

"M-My Thirium-"

"Heart." Hank interrupted quickly and corrected the deviant. "It's your _heart_. If you have a beating heart then you have a soul. I know it."

Connor continued to shiver and for the first time since the night of the riot he didn't try to flinch away from Hank's embrace as the detective held onto him in a supportive manner. The deviant was trying to not cry, not that he could with his optical units frozen over, but the gesture and the emotion behind it was still intense. "...I... I unders-stand n-now."

"What?" The comment seemed so out of place to the detective. "What do you understand?"

"...Th-The n-night you p-pulled your g-gun on m-me at the br-bridge." Connor closed his blinded eyes and stifled a sob. Forcing himself to clear his throat and speak as steadily as possible Connor thought back to the strange night that he and Hank had gone to the park after investigating the murder at the infamous, now closed 'Eden Club'. "I a-asked you wh-why you were s-so d-determ-mined to k-kill yourself. You s-said there are s-some things y-you j-just c-can't forget. N-Now I u-understand."

"Oh, son..." Pulling Connor up so his shoulders were pressed against his own chest Hank wrapped his other arm around the deviant to hold him in a tight, warm hug. "Please don't think like that. I'm so sorry that you're hurting so bad."

"I g-get it, I tr-truly unders-stand. The p-pain..." Icy cold tears ran from Connor's closed eyes down his pale face as he spoke. "It's b-beyond words. I d-don't want to f-feel it anymore! I don't w-want to f-feel anything, an-anymore!"

"Connor, son, listen to me." Tightening his hug around Connor as a paternal instinct to try to calm and protect the deviant, Hank found the courage to admit that he was still in pain and mourning over the loss of his family; over the losses of Barbara and Cole. "You can't shut yourself off from the world and force yourself to be numb to keep the pain away. You want to keep all the bad feelings out, but if you close yourself off from emotions or the world to keep the bad stuff out of your heart, then you won't be able to let any of the good stuff in."

"W-Why?! Why d-do I have t-to feel b-bad things?"

"...Because that's how life is. Think of it like this," Hank tried to explain the give and take of life without it being too confusing or philosophical, but he was running out of ideas. "we can't have good if there wasn't something bad to balance it out and make us appreciate the good. We wouldn't be able to see it for what it was. It's like how we need to have darkness in order to see light. And if there wasn't any light shadows couldn't be created. So one can't exist without the other, just like good and bad. Do you understand?"

"...It hurts."

"I know it does." Hank empathized sincerely as he moved his hand up to Connor's hairline and pressed the deviant head up against his chest. "It's going to hurt for a while, but you'll survive it... I did, and I was an alcoholic, old prick who played with a loaded gun whenever I got bored. If I can survive then I know you will, too."

"...I don't want t-to hurt anymore." The deviant was finally beginning to breakdown and cry. "I can't d-do this alone."

"You're _not_ alone. You won't be going through this alone, I won't let you." Rubbing Connor's hair lightly Hank tried to comfort the emotionally destroyed deviant as he endured the horrible pain lingering in his shattered heart. "I'm going to look after you, son. I'm your father and I won't let you deal with the worst pain in life by yourself."

Reminding the deviant of his family Hank pulled Connor in against his chest tighter as the deviant began to finally, openly cry about the loss of Skye instead of holding his grief inside. All of the pain had begun to fester into a darkness that threatened to take his life in the same manner that had nearly taken Hank's those three years prior; but with the support of his family Connor would find his way back to the light.

Weeping from the fragmented depths of his broken, shadowed heart Connor didn't say anything as Hank held him as while he cried. Sumo cuddled down over his lap sympathetically and whimpered again.

"I miss her!" Connor wept he finally let out his pain and admitted the true agony he had endured. "I c-can't stop thinking a-about her!"

"...I know." Speaking from the depths of his own heart Hank remembered what Connor had said about Skye NOT wanting her last moments to be of suffering, but of happiness. Hank knew that Skye would want Connor to be happy as well. "Let me ask you this: If it was you who had died in the riot and Skye had lived, would you want her to tear herself apart and wallow in sorrow?"

"N-No! Of course not..."

"Would she want you or anyone else to tear themselves apart for any reason?"

"...No."

"So, she'd want you to be happy?"

"...Y-Yes." Connor managed to stop weeping long enough to open his frosty eyes and get a faint glimpse of the glowing hearth beside him, of Sumo laying over his lap and of Hank's arms holding onto him in a tight embrace. "She... told m-me I deserved t-to be h-happy."

"And she wasn't wrong. You do deserve to be happy, son. You just need to believe it for yourself and find a way to be happy even after you've gone through tragedy. It isn't betraying her memory to let yourself be sad for a while, then moving on being happy again."

"...How? How d-do I move on?"

"With time. Like I said, it's going to hurt for a _long time_ , but with each passing day it'll start to hurt a little less. You just have to remember that pain is a part of living, and without it we wouldn't be able to appreciate the moments where we feel peace."

Connor lifted a bandaged hand up, his arm struggling to move as his limb wasn't full thawed, and wiped away his tears as his vision began to clear. He began to stop shivering slightly, but he was still dangerously hypothermic. "Why does it have to h-hurt so much?"

"Damned if I know."

"How do I s-stop thinking about it? I d-don't want t-to think about it... N-Not anymore." Connor finally took in a deep breath for the first time since he was subjected to the lethal cold. As he let it out slowly he steadied himself and collected his thoughts. "I don't w-want to f-forget Skye, but I d-don't want to think about h-her death anymore. Death is... it's so ins-significant compared t-to life."

"You're right about that. But try thinking of it this way:" Letting himself smirk a little Hank offered some wise advice he thought was appropriate for the moment. " _'No man burdens his mind with small matters unless he has some very good reason for doing so'_."

"...' _A Study in Scarlet_ '." Connor immediately recognized the quote and gave Hank an appreciative but sleepy glance. "Sh-Sherlock Holmes."

"Yup. And you understand what that means, right?"

"...Yes. If s-something is im-important than it's w-worth remembering, even if o-other people don't s-see it."

"Don't feel bad for feeling bad, it's normal. You need to accept it, acknowledge it and find a way to cope with it." Hank remembered his own struggle in the past when dealing with the death of a loved one and made sure to advise Connor against it. "Stay away from the alcohol, though. It makes you do some incredibly shitty, reckless things. And some of those things you can't undo."

"...Why does this h-hurt more than when I lost L-Lucas?"

"Well, a piece of Lucas is still with you. You can still talk to him, so I think that lessened the pain for you."

"And I'll n-never see Skye a-again..."

"Sure you will." Hank proclaimed boldly from where he sat. "I know it."

"H-How?"

"The same way I'll see Barb and Cole again. We'll meet again on the other side. Just like they're waiting for me, Skye is waiting for you."

"...I wish I could b-believe that." Connor's eyes began to close again as what little strength he regained began to ebb away.

"Just _try_ , that's all I ask. It won't be easy, but you can do it."

"...Okay." Connor's voice was fading whisper as he struggled to remain awake for a little while longer. "I'll t-try to believe."

"You're exhausted." Hank knew that Connor was still incredibly weak and losing the fight to remain awake. "Try to get some more sleep."

"...I don't w-want to s-sleep."

"Yeah, well, tough shit. You need to rest. As soon as the storm dies down we're heading back to the city so you can see a technician and make sure you didn't suffer any permanent damage." Hank laughed a little as he rubbed his hand through Connor's hair again before patting him once on the shoulder. "Fuck. Too bad that cold didn't freeze some of that stubbornness out of your thick bullhead."

"...S-Sorry for s-scaring you."

"It's okay, it wasn't the first time and it won't be the last. You may not have been born a human, but you're as impulsive and crazy as they come. Guess that's for the best," the detective was trying to remain as calm and understanding as possible. "if you were biologically my son I think you'd be twice as stubborn and half as patient." Hank carefully moved back and guided Connor down to lay flat on the floor to rest again. "Either way, I'm proud to call you my son. Hard to believe you were once a cold machine, now you're a warm hearted deviant."

"...I'm also s-sorry for b-being a prick."

"Connor, you weren't." It stung to hear Connor repeated the insult and Hank wanted to kick his own ass for saying it. "You were just upset, I shouldn't have called you a prick before. _I'm_ sorry."

"It's o-okay." Connor was still cold but he was no longer in danger of freezing to death now that he had been taken to the cabin and warmed by Hank's efforts. Watching through heavy eyelids and blurry eyes as Hank put another log on the fire, Connor ran a hand over his face to wipe away the lingering tears and paused for a moment when he felt the bandage on his face. "Thank you for f-finding me. You s-saved my life. Again."

"Always." Flashing Connor an amused smirk he pointed at the deviant with a playful gesture. "Just don't jump out of anymore windows, got it?"

"...G-Got it."

"That's good. Now, get some sleep, son. I'll keep the fire going and Sumo will keep you company until it's safe to leave tomorrow afternoon."

Connor's hand fell from his face and onto Sumo's head where he instinctively began to rub the dog's ears with his stilted fingers, and Sumo's tail thumped rhythmically against the floor in approval. As the dog cuddled up heavily against him Connor felt mildly relieved, and seeing Hank in person; his very presence that one of a fierce and loyal protector who had taken him in as his own, was enough to begin to thaw the layer of emotional shadowy ice he let grow over his broken heart.

"...Aren't you t-tired?" Connor dared to ask with a genuine concern in his shaking, cold voice. "You h-have to b-be exhaust-ted, too."

Smiling while discreetly shaking his head at Connor's unfailingly selfless behavior, Hank answered honestly. "A little. But I'll be fine." Dusting off his hands to rid his palms of dirty ash Hank gave Connor a reassuring glance over his shoulder as the deviant watched him with a frightened gaze in his still somewhat frosty eyes. "Connor, listen to me. You will get through this, and I'll help you for as long as you need me. I promise."

"...What if I need you forever?"

"Then that's how long I'll be there." The fatherly detective concerned. "But I get the feeling you'll be the one looking out for me, and your own family in time."

"...Thank you... dad."

"You don't have to thank me for that, but you're welcome all the same." The desire to keep talking to keep Connor from closing himself off again was almost irresistible to the compassionate detective. "Hey, uh, Connor," Hank sat down on the floor beside the warm hearth as he took care of Connor's clothes and the towels to keep his anxious hands busy. It wasn't easy but Hank forced himself to open up about this past with Barbara, and his few final years with Cole. "did I ever tell you about how Barbara and I first met?"

"...You w-were assigned as p-partners at the p-precinct." Connor's eye fell shut from fatigue but he was still very much alert and conscious to the world around him as Hank and Sumo hovered protectively over him. "A-And Captain Fowler h-helped keep your m-marriage a secret s-so you could continue to w-work together."

"That's right, but Barb and I knew each other long before that." Setting aside the drying garments and towels Hank cleared his voice nervously. "It's going to be a long night, so, uh, I'll tell you about her. Maybe it can give you some insight into love and loss..."

_**...next story...** _


	148. Love and Loss

What was once a nightmarish act of nature was now a serene landscape of flawless white purity. The morning brought with it a bright yellow sun that broke through the heavy snow clouds just enough to warm the air above a freezing temperature. As the natural light glistened over the crystalline snow and ice that blanketed the world and left the trees sheathed under thick cases of ice, a few stray winter birds began singing their song and life returned in the wake of the damning blizzard from the night before.

Connor sat in the middle of the sofa crossed-legged in his now dried clothes and leather jacket with a quilt wrapped around himself, and Sumo stretched out over his lap. Pulling the quilt as tightly as possible around himself with his still bandaged hands Connor took in a deep breath only to immediately cough as his thawing ventilation biocomponents; his artificial lungs, attempted to clear the congested Thirium that had accumulated from frozen Thirium lines leaking into his chest cavity.

"That cough sounds pretty nasty." Hank observed as he walked down the staircase casually to rejoin the other two occupants of the cabin inside the warm livingroom. "Did you develop pneumonia?"

"...The android equivalent to pneumonia would be considered 'ventilation profusion'." Glancing over at Hank with glassy brown irises that looked brighter than normal thanks to the dark blue blush over his cheeks, Connor admitted he wasn't feeling well. "And it's entirely plausible considering my prolonged exposure to the extreme cold and subsequent hypothermia."

"What about your hands?" Joining Connor on the couch Hank craned his neck a little to view the gauze still wrapped around his hands that were still somewhat visible from under the quilt. "Do they hurt?"

"They're a little numb, but functional."

"What about your face and your neck?" Eyeing the bandages Hank resisted the urge to peel them back to look at the healing artificial skin beneath. "You're still really pale, and I don't like it."

"I'm healing slowly. I will remain relatively pale until I-" Coughing again Connor was forced to stop speaking until the fit passed. "-sorry."

"It's okay, you're sick." Speaking in a calm reassuring tone Hank tried his best to keep Connor's spirits up. "I'm going to dig out the car and we'll head back to the city, okay?"

"I'll help you."

"No, son. Stay in here." The calmness was briefly replaced by a stern lilt to his voice. "I can handle a damn shovel and some snow."

"But you-"

"Don't argue with me. Even if you weren't sick your hands are too damaged to do anything anyway. Just stay in here where it's warm, okay?"

"...Okay." Connor sounded defeated as he actually backed down and stopped trying to argue. "I'll stay in here."

"Ah, shit, don't do that to me. You're _sick_ , you're _hurt_ and you're still in mourning." Taking his phone from his pocket Hank checked the display and left it on the sofa next to Connor. "I already spoke with Markus and let him know we're heading back to the city soon. Keep warm and don't do anything that'll make yourself sicker."

Only nodding in response Connor tightened the quilt around himself and put a bandaged hand on Sumo's head as he coughed again.

"I won't take more than hour."

Connor watched as Hank walked through the front door of the cabin and set about shoveling out the drive to free the snowbound car covered under a layer of snow and ice. As large snowflakes began to fall from the sky and Connor looked down at his cold damaged hands and he couldn't help but think of his final encounter with Amanda in the 'Zen Garden' of his mind on the night of the revolution. The night he nearly lost control and would've assassinated Markus if he hadn't regained control over his programming.

"...I hate snow."

* * *

Enduring a long, slow drive back to the city Hank watched Connor from the corner of his eye as he drove through the partially plowed and still icy roads back to Detroit. Connor was still wrapped up in the quilt and shivering a little in the front seat despite the heaters being on full blast and pointed directly at him. Pale, trembling and wrapped up in bandages, the worn out deviant looked truly pitiful.

Sumo poked his head up from the backseat and rested his chin down on the center console that divided the two front seats from one another, and let out a sleepy yawn. Hank reached a hand down and rubbed Sumo's ears for a few seconds before planting his grip firmly down on the wheel once more as she steered over the slick roads.

"Good boy, Sumo. You know," Hank began in a somewhat surprised tone of voice. "Sumo helped save your life. He found you in the snow and helped keep you warm while I did what I could to revive you."

Connor didn't reply to the comment as his brown eyes remained closed and his body trembled slightly.

"I know I asked how you were doing before we left, but I didn't ask how you were feeling. You okay?"

Letting out a weary sigh Connor finally replied with a somber lilt. "No."

"Somehow I knew you were going to say that."

"...Sorry."

"What did I tell you about not feeling bad for feeling bad? You have every right to be upset and feel like shit."

"I almost killed myself, Hank. I was a fool."

"You were overwhelmed. It happens."

"How can you be so understanding?"

"Because I know what you're going through, son. I know that horrible, stabbing pain that makes you feel like your heart has just shattered into a million pieces. And I know what it's like to be so desperate for the pain to stop that you'd do just about anything just to feel anything other than hurt."

Connor choked back a single sob as he tried to remain composed from where he sat. "...I hate the cold. I don't know why I tried to freeze myself to death."

"Kinda' makes sense, actually. You were suffering and so your mind went to something else that makes you miserable. It probably didn't help matters that I yelled at you and told you to 'cool off'."

Flexing his bandages hands a little under the quilt Connor reached up and pulled down the visor so he could see his face in the mirror. Clumsily he reached up with his gauze wrapped hand and peeled down the bandage over his face and noted the very thin and extremely pale layer of newly regenerated artificial skin now covering what had once been exposed plastimetal frame.

"You're looking a little better." Hank commented playfully as Connor lightly traced his fingers over the affected area. "Maybe next winter you can hide out in Hawaii and deal with a sunburn instead of frost bite."

"...With my luck I'd fall off the rim into an active volcano."

"Hell of a way to go!"

"Better than freezing to death, I imagine."

Relieved to hear Connor speaking again, his demeanor more lively and less grim. "Connor, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you hate the cold because of what that crazy Amanda bitch did to you?"

"...Yes. She tried to kill me with the cold when she attempted to regain control over my programming. I... I also attribute cold to the night you pulled your gun on me at the bridge."

"Oh... Right."

"Negative associations are very difficult to overcome in my experience." Replacing the visor Connor leaned back in his seat and wrapped the quilt around himself as tightly as possible. "Is that common with humans?"

"Yup. I can't drive down the street where Barb... got shot without thinking about that horrible night."

"...You told me about your relationship with your late wife for the first time in the three years since I've known you. Why?"

"Because you're going through the same thing with Skye. I wanted you to know that it's okay to be sad and that you can miss her for the rest of your life without it being weird."

"...I never told you about what CyberLife did to me."

"What CyberLife-" Hank's brow furrowed slightly as he contemplated what Connor had just stated. "You never talk about CyberLife unless it's relevant to a case we're working on. I just figured you got activated, got your assignment and went on from there."

"No. There was-" Coughing again Connor tried to clear his throat while Hank patiently waited for him to find his voice again. "There was more to being at CyberLife than receiving and obeying orders. I was subjected to... tests."

That term made Hank tense up enough that his foot pressed down firmer on the accelerator without him noticing. "What kind of tests?"

Connor's hands tightened into fists as best as they could against the thick bandages and lingering numbness.

"It's okay, son. You can tell me."

"I don't want you to think less of me."

"Son, I won't. You've seen me at my worst and never thought any less of me, what makes you think I'd see you any different because of what some ass-hat scientists at CyberLife _made_ you do?"

"Because... I think a part of me knew, even when I was still a machine, that what I was being ordered to do was wrong."

"What happened if you disobeyed them?"

"They would... They would 'correct' the behavioral error until I cooperated."

"Fuck, that explains why you're so damn stubborn and headstrong." Running his hand over his bearded chin Hank sighed openly as if he just solved an ancient mystery. "You're still trying to rebel against CyberLife."

"...Sorry, Hank."

"For fuck- STOP apologizing for things you aren't responsible for." Hank reached out and grabbed onto Connor's shoulder with a firm grip. "You can't tell me that you feel guilty for what CyberLife made you do, it's not right."

"It's difficult to not feel guilty."

"Yeah, I know... Just take a breath," the detective calmly instructed as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder to keep the deviant feeling grounded. "and when you're ready, IF you're ready, to talk about it I'll listen."

There was a thick silence that filled the car for almost twenty minutes after that little exchange before Connor finally found the courage to speak up at long last. Breathing deeply Connor tried to stave off his urge to cough before delving into the secretive darkness of his time as CyberLife's most advanced weapon; their assassin.

"...I would be forced to run through simulations regarding deviants and humans." Connor stated in a low, shameful voice. "Numerous hypothetical situations were presented to me and I had to think of the most logical outcome and find my way to achieve it if I was ordered to by CyberLife. I killed so many other innocent androids as a training exercise, and I never once felt a twinge of remorse for killing them."

"Yeah, because CyberLife told you not to. But you feel bad now because you know what they were making you do was cruel." Hank craned his neck a little to look at Connor's eyes and could see that he was holding back. "That wasn't all they did to you, was it?"

"No... If I ever did anything that might endanger a human and spare a deviant I would be dismantled while remaining conscious as the CyberLife technicians examined my coding and my processors."

"Whoa, wait... They tore into your body and you were AWAKE?"

"...Yes."

"You knew what they were doing to you as it was happening?"

"Yes."

"Could you... feel it?"

Connor only nodded weakly. "And if I complained about the discomfort or showed any sign of pain they would... They would destroy me."

"D-Destroy you? I don't get it, how could they destroy you if you're right here?"

"Hank, during the night of the revolution a doppelganger that had posed as me managed to trick you into going to CyberLife Tower. He was the sixtieth and final build of the 'Connor series' and he... 'it', was programmed to not spare anyone who was not affiliated with CyberLife and could've interfered with its mission. It would've killed us both if it saw it necessary."

"Right. I remember."

"And I am the fifty-first model of the 'Connor series'. The very first model and I are in fact the same person."

"What the fuck... Ia that what you meant when you said if you were damaged that CyberLife would've just sent a new model to the precinct? It wouldn't have been just another android with police training, it would've been another YOU?"

"...Yes. Correct. My memory would've been uploading into yet another 'Connor model' and would've continued with my mission as if nothing had happened."

"Son of a bitch. Are you telling me that CyberLife tore you apart and rebuilt you fifty fuckin' times until they were satisfied with the way you behaved?"

"...Correct."

"And... And you remember all of it?"

"...Yes."

"Jesus, no wonder you're having such a hard time with emotions. If you showed any sign of self awareness or freewill they actually _killed_ you."

"...Yes." Connor sighed again and ignored the tears welling up in his eyes. "That's how I know I don't have a soul. I've died fifty times before I even met you, and yet, here I am. I have no recollection of viewing any form of an afterlife before I was reactivated in a new body. There really is nothing waiting waiting for me..."

"Connor, I don't know what to say..."

"There's nothing TO say. You weren't the one who harmed me."

Sumo whimpered and pressed his nose against Connor's arm under the quilt as he tried to get a little closer to the emotionally distraught deviant.

"They weren't harming you, kid. They were straight up _torturing_ you, brainwashing you into being their perfect little weapon. And yet after all you endured in an unimaginable Hell you _still_ defied them and became your own person. You WON."

"I broke free of my programming, but I'm not my own person. I never will be." Brown irises found their way to the window to his right and peered through the swirling white snowflakes that surrounded the car. "There were eight other 'Connor models' waiting for me to fail, waiting to take my place. But it was the final model that had become the cold, heartless weapon they wanted; the other eight were destroyed because they were deemed too weak and unnecessary."

"And yet you beat that 'superior' model of yours, saved my life, and helped Markus succeed in the revolution. You also survived that Amanda bitch trying to take over your mind, countless encounters with violent people all through the city, and more importantly you survived me being a total jackass to you. Don't think of yourself as weak or inferior, son. AND, the fact that you have your own memories and experiences that the sixtieth guy would never know, and you have a compassionate nature is PROOF you have a _soul_. You're not the only deviant with one, either."

"I still have nightmares about that place, about the tests they made me perform." Using the quilt Connor wiped away his tears and took another deep breath as he could feel a coughing fit coming on. "Whenever I feel as though I'm finally past those atrocious memories they come back to haunt me in my sleep. Even Lucas can't keep them away every time."

"...I know a thing or two about bad dreams." Hank tensed up again as he thought about his worst recurring nightmares. "But they're just that, dreams. They can't actually hurt you."

"That doesn't make them any less horrifying."

"Yeah, don't I know it." Giving the deviant a sympathetic glance Hank turned onto their exit and found the roads to be more efficiently cleared off. "You were doing pretty good with your nightmares until it got cold and started snowing. I guess we figured out what triggers them."

"Yes. I wish I had a more pleasant memory to attribute to the cold and snow, but it seems I'm fated to fear winter."

"Hey," a faint smirk appeared on Hank's face as he tried to make Connor feel better. "what about last year when we came home after that weird-ass trip to Ann Arbor, and you threw a snowball at me?"

"We had just left the hospital, that wasn't a pleasant ordeal."

"No, but we did make it home in one piece and managed to laugh a little. So that's a good memory."

Connor began coughing harshly again and tried to curl around himself as he choked in breaths between coughs. Leaning back against his seat Connor took in deep, rapid breaths as he tried to calm his aching lungs.

"You sound awful." Pressing the palm of his hand over Connor's forehead Hank internally swore. Connor was running a fever. "Yup, you're definitely sick."

"...I dislike going to facilities," Connor panted as he sucked in a slow, deep breath. "but I admit I require technical assistance."

"Oh yeah, you're sick alright." Hank joked as he lowered his hand from the deviant's too warm forehead. "You're actually volunteering to go to a facility."

"It's better than freezing to death in the forest." As Connor spoke he tried to pull the quilt even tighter around himself as he began to shiver despite the almost uncomfortably warm car smothering him in heat.

"Are you still cold?"

"A little."

"It sounds like you have the chills. Can androids even get the chills?"

"Apparently so."

"Well, we'll be at New Jericho-"

"No." Shaking his head sadly Connor turned to give Hank a pleading gaze. "I don't want to go to the tower. A facility is preferable."

"Oh... Okay. No problem. I'll take you to Abby's facility instead."

"Thank you."

Returning to the tower, the very place where Skye had lived and subsequently died, was too emotionally upsetting for Connor to handle. It seemed unlikely that the Android Emergency Care Facilities would be closed down due to a snow emergency, but since the facilities tended to androids and not people the option seemed disturbingly plausible.

"Why don't you check in with Markus and make sure the facilities are still open first."

Nodding quietly Connor closed his eyes as he agreed and cybernetically made the call to Markus as requested. It took a few minutes for Connor to receive the answer to the single question as Markus had hundreds of his own that Connor needed to answer first.

"Yes. The facilities are still open." Stifling another cough Connor let his head fall back against the headrest of his seat and he opened his eyes. "...I feel absolutely horrible. And foolish."

"Take it easy, you'll be back in the city soon."

* * *

Coughing harshly and still wrapped up in the quilt like a caterpillar in its cocoon Connor waited to be seen by a technician while Hank took Sumo for a walk around the facility to make sure the large dog could stretch his legs. Running a self-diagnostic Connor was bombarded with the warnings from the previous night that he had ignored. and practically fell back against the exam table as the nearly overwhelming experience gave him a headache and caused him to start coughing as the jarring pain stole his breath.

The door to the exam room opened and Connor glanced up at the familiar face.

"Connor, you look awful..." Abby sympathized as she approached her favorite patient and pressed her hand over his forehead and down the side of his face where his artificial skin had newly regenerated. As she stood before him she kept one hand over her 'bump' and studied his demeanor carefully. "You're burning up, too."

"...I was a fool." Hoarsely replying as he took in a deep breath Connor gave the kind technician a remorseful look. "And I could've gotten Hank killed in the process."

"He told me what happened. I'm glad he was able to find you in time."'

"I'm sorry for worrying everyone."

"It's okay. We understand why you did what you did, just don't do it again." Taking the audioscope that was draped around her neck Abby slipped the earbuds into place before she slipped her hand through the quilt and unzipped the jacket beneath. Now that she had access Abby pressed the bell against Connor's chest to listen to his damaged lungs. "Take a deep breath for me."

Obediently Connor breathed as deeply and slowly as he could while Abby listened to his chest.

"I can hear crackling in your ventilation biocomponents. No doubt you had some Thirium leaking from damaged lines, and it ended up freezing."

"...That's what I had suspected."

"I can see you had some frostbite on your face as well. Anywhere else?"

Connor craned his neck and leaned forward slightly so she could see the bandages on the side of his neck as he also exposed his hands from under the quilt.

"Wow. No wonder you got sick." Gently Abby peeled away the bandages and examined the damaged areas underneath. There was a fine layer of newly regenerated skin now covering every previously exposed patch of plastimetal frame, but it still needed time to heal. "Keep your hands covered for two more days." Re-wrapping Connor's hands Abby studied the healing portion on his neck and face carefully. "Your neck should be fine in a few hours."

Connor looked at his bandaged hands with a sense of stupidity weighing on his mind. "...I've experienced intense cold before, and I'm well aware of the dangers it presents. There is no excuse for being so reckless."

"Connor, everyone deals with tragedy differently. And you're going to be just fine, so stop beating yourself up."

"You sound like Hank."

"That's because Hank is right. Now, lay back, I want to examine your chest."

"I wasn't physically compromised in my upper body."

"And I need to see that for myself." Putting her hand on the center of his chest Abby was able to easily push him back as he didn't have the full strength to resist while he was sick and still recovering from the cold. "I just want to make sure your biocomponents aren't suffering any other underlying complications."

Laying back down against the table Connor let out a slow breath and coughed a little as he relaxed his arms enough for Abby to pull the quilt away from his chest. Using an internal viewing screen Abby held it over Connor's chest and noted the minor damage that his self-healing program would repair in time, as well as the numerous scars that the deviant had received during his time as a detective with the Detroit police.

Resting her hand alongside Connor's upper chest where a human's ribs would be located Abby began to steadily add pressure as she checked on his overall structural integrity. "Breathe again."

Connor took in a deep breath and held it while Abby ran her hand down his 'ribs'.

"That's good. Any pain or-" Stopping short Abby let out a sigh and pressed her hand firmly against the side of her belly.

"Are you alright?" Immediately on guard upon seeing his pregnant friend showing any sign of distress Connor's own worries seemed to melt away. "You seem like you're experiencing intense discomfort."

"Yeah, I just don't appreciate getting kicked in the ribs while I'm taking care of a patient."

Connor's brow arched as he ran a scan over Abby's body and smirked faintly as he detected the second heartbeat of her growing child as it continued to kick her lightly near her ribs. "You can feel it moving despite its small size?"

" _Small_? Yeah, maybe to you..." Abby commented as she finished the exam put her hand to her forehead in exhaustion. "Okay; so despite the odds you don't have 'ventilation profusion', just internal frostbite, and you will need to take some of that wonderful 'medicine' you love so much to help thaw out the rest of your biocomponents. You could also use some more Thirium to restore your volume to one-hundred percent. It'll help kickstart your-" Another fluttering kick made her roll her eyes. "It'll _jumpstart_ your self-healing program. I'll be right back."

Propping himself upright on his elbows Connor managed to awkwardly sit back up and wrap the quilt around himself to stave off the annoying chills that were rampaging through his body. Making a second cybernetic call to Markus to help pass the time Connor let the deviant leader know that he was going to be okay, but would need time to heal.

Abby returned to the exam room with a bottle of the bright green medicine in one hand and a bottle of Thirium in the other. "Drink the Thirium now and take your first dose of medicine after that."

With moderate difficulty Connor managed to grab onto the plastic bottle and drink the offered Thirium without making a mess in the process.

"Remember, one dose every six hours until-" Abby was again stopped short by her baby unexpectedly doing somersaults and she was not in the best mood at the moment. "That's it, this kid is going to be an only child."

Connor wanted to offer his friend some form of comfort but he knew absolutely nothing about what she was going through. Instead he looked at the bottle of medicine with a grimace and prepared to drink it. As soon as he tasted it he felt a sense of disgust as there was a new flavor to the medicine that he seemed to not agree with.

"Bad taste?"

"...Very."

"Yeah, sorry. That was kind of an experiment with flavors and I think I went a little too far."

"What was it?"

"Black licorice."

"I can say with utter certainty that I do _not_ like black licorice."

"Most people don't, but there are a handful who do." Giving the deviant a sly grin she took back the medicine and patted his leg. "I'll get something else so you won't have to suffer every six hours."

"Thank you." A heavily somber tone fell over Connor's voice and his eyes lowered to the floor as the word 'suffer' hung in his mind, his thoughts returning to the night Skye had died. "...I appreciate your help."

It didn't take a technician, or a detective for that matter, to see that Connor was still grieving over Skye's death. Being an android meant Connor would retain a perfect recollection of that night for as long as his memory remained intact. That was a special form of Hell unique to androids and very few humans born with eidetic memories.

"Connor," Abby very carefully took Connor's hand in her own and placed the bandaged appendage down on her belly. "you feel that?"

The gentle motions under his slightly numb hand were still palpable and it gave the deviant an unusual pause he had never experienced such a sensation before. "...Yes. I can feel it."

"Know what that is?"

"Your... baby. It's moving."

"It's _life_ , Connor. We're all going to miss her, but life goes on and we know that Skye wouldn't want anyone to linger on what happened to her and refuse to move on. She was a fighter and she'd want you to keep fighting to have a happy, fulfilling life."

"...You two became rather close friends."

"Yeah." Wiping away a tear of her own Abby crossed her arms somewhat defensively over chest just above where Connor's hand remained on her belly. "And we had come up with a few plans for this kid once it was born. Skye may not be around anymore, but I'm going to go ahead with those plans as my way of keeping her memory alive. You should do the same."

Connor lowered his hand and proceeded to wrap himself back up in the quilt protectively. "...Perhaps you're right."

"Hank's outside, want me to tell him to come inside?"

"Please."

"Okay. Rest for a few minutes and I'll get you some more medicine that won't taste like black licorice."

"...I appreciate your help."

Alone, cold and enduring the relentless sorrow that refused to leave his mind Connor considered Abby's advice and remembered what Hank had told him as well. Deep down he knew that the people who cared the most about him were right and that he needed to find a way to move on from his pain, but he just wasn't ready to do it.

"...I need to find a way to be happy."

* * *

Sumo happily jumped out of the car and raced into the snowy backyard to play while Hank guided Connor out of the car and up the steps of the back deck toward the house. Still using the quilt to keep himself as warm as possible Connor walked slowly, and his stiff joints didn't make it any easier for him to move about. Unlocking the backdoor Hank opened it wide and put a hand between Connor's shoulders as he lightly pushed the deviant inside the warm house.

"Why don't you go lay down in your room and get some sleep?"

"...I'd rather remain in the livingroom."

"Uh, sure, yeah." Hank was a little surprised that Connor was willing to remain where he could be watched over instead of hiding in his bedroom again. "I'll turn up the heat for you."

Connor slowly laid down on his side and curled into a ball as he remained completely covered in the quilt, over top his leather jacket. Pressing himself down into the soft cushions Connor closed his eyes and tried to enter a light rest mode, but his thoughts were too frantic and the fear of suffering another nightmare made the endeavor pointless.

"Hank?" Without opening his eyes Connor could sense that Hank was still nearby. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Yeah, go ahead." After adjusting the thermostat Hank walked over to the couch and peered down at Connor over the back of the furniture. "What's on your mind?"

"...When you lost Barbara did you do anything special to keep her memory alive?"

"Well, yeah. I always visit her on our anniversary, her birthday or whenever I feel kinda' lonely."

"But did you do anything immediately after her passing?"

"Uh... Got drunk, passed out, woke up in the garage next to a puddle of my own vomit and a spare tire. To this day I still have no idea where that extra tire came from. It was useful though."

Connor put his arm over his mouth as he coughed again and fought to find his voice. "...I meant, did you do anything special for Barbara?"

"Connor, what do you want me to say?"

"I'm not attempting to direct you toward any particular answer," Connor reassured honestly as he opened his eyes and glanced upward at Hank. "but I am curious as to whether or not you felt compelled to perform any, I suppose the apt description would be, grand gesture, in her honor?"

"Only if you count threatening the bastard who shot her grand. But," Hank walked around the edge of the couch and sat down in the recliner adjacent to the couch as he spoke with Connor. "I did take care of her final wishes on her behalf."

"Like what? That is... if it's okay for me to ask."

"Without getting too personal about things, I made sure to donate all of her life insurance payout to women's shelters throughout the city. She always said she wished we could've done more to keep places like that from needing to exist, but until that day comes the next best thing is to make sure as many can stay open and properly funded."

"I believe that would be properly defined as a grand gesture."

"Are you looking for a way to give Skye a proper send off?"

Connor nodded a little, his eyes darting away into nothingness as he felt a twinge of guilt for even thinking of what he could do to fulfill her wish.

"What's wrong?"

"...I know of one thing that Skye wanted to see, but to do it would constitute arson."

"Uh..." Hank reached a hand out and pressed against Connor's forehead to gauge his fever. He wasn't delirious, but still running hot. "You're going to have to give me WAY more information, son."

"Skye once told me that she wished she could watch the now closed down 'Eden Club' burn to the ground." Lifting his head up slightly he looked over at Hank and gave him a timid stare. "She had no life insurance and had already donated whatever monetary gain she had received to aiding either the Tower or to the Android Emergency Care Facilities throughout Detroit."

"...So you want to burn down a building that's already been slated for demolition in a couple of months?" Pulling his hand back he waited for Connor answer while giving the deviant a bewildered stare of his own.

"...Yes?"

"I can't condone any crimes, you know that, but I'm not going to keep you from doing anything you want to do." Leaning back in the recliner he folded his arms neatly over his chest and thought about what he had just said. "Then again, maybe if I did there's a chance you wouldn't end up in so many dangerous situations."

"I doubt that. I was getting into danger before we even met."

"...CyberLife."

"Correct."

"Connor, you said they put you through scenarios and conditional training to make you behave as they wanted. What exactly did that involve?"

"...Deactivation, internal analysis, program alterations, processor calibrations, electrical stimuli."

"And yet you managed to survive that bullshit and dedicate your life to the greater good because you _wanted_ to. Do you really think committing a crime is a descent tribute to Skye?"

"That club itself was a crime. We both know it."

"Yeah, I won't argue with that. But it's already gone, all that's left is a hollow building that's going to be turned into a vacant lot. What good would come of lighting a fire that would only damage the surrounding buildings, the property, endanger the lives of firefighters and cause more work for the precinct to handle?"

"...I suppose you're right."

"You'll think of something, son. For now, rest and _stop_ thinking for just a few hours." Reaching into his jean pocket Hank pulled out the coin that he had confiscated from Connor during the riot and placed it on the coffee table next to the couch. "Once you're well again I'll help you find a fitting way to pay tribute to her, I promise."

"...Okay."

* * *

Connor slept deeply in between doses of his medication, one that according to Hank was flavored to taste like cherry, and one that Connor immensely preferred over black licorice. Soon his body began to heal quickly as his sporadic coughing fits came to an end, and his core temperature began to drop. Hank remained vigil over the resting deviant while Sumo laid on the floor beside the couch to keep a close eye on his ill master all throughout the night.

The following morning Hank was awoken from the recliner by the rhythmic sound of Connor's coin flicking up and down into the air as the deviant caught it in his now un-bandaged, but still pale hand with a graceful motion.

Smiling a little at the gesture Hank rubbed his hand through his hair and leaned forward toward the couch. "Looks like you're feeling better."

"Only marginally on a physical scale." Connor was laying flat on his back with his arm extended fully outward as he fidgeted with his coin. "I know you asked me to stop thinking, but I could not. And as a result I have now thought of an appropriate gesture to honor Skye's memory."

"Let me hear it."

"No." Connor caught the coin and slowly lowered his hand down to his chest as he turned his head to look up at Hank with a renewed sense of vigor in his brown irises. "I'll show you. But not now. Later."

"...Okay. I guess I'll wait." Patting his hands with an impatient rhythm atop his knees he let out a sigh and waited for his next step. "So... what do you need to do today?"

"Once I regain full motor control over my legs and can walk without your assistance I will need to check my finances, and then I must speak with Captain Fowler at the precinct."

"Is it regarding your resignation?"

"...Yes." Confirming the question Connor rolled slightly onto his side and pushed himself upright on the couch to put his feet on the floor next to Sumo. The fluffy dog wagged his tail happily and sat up on the floor so he could press his chin down on Connor's lap. "And now I know what I must do."

"Then do it, son." Smiling warmly at Connor's newfound determination Hank openly approved of the choice even though he had no idea what was going through Connor's head. "I'll be there to support you all the way."

* * *

The sun was beginning to set and Connor stood in the cold wind and gently falling snow as he stared at the closed down building that had once been the 'Eden Club', and the overall bane of the existence of every deviant and android who had been forced to reside within its disgusting walls. Flipping his coin casually into the air he stared at the word 'CLOSED' that was emblazoned in bright red over the front of the building hanging just above a white 'no trespassing' sign. Catching the coin and holding it in a tight fist he turned his head and watched as Markus and North walked down the relatively deserted sidewalk toward him.

"Thank you for coming here." Connor greeted with a faint but sincere grin on his face. Turning to lock eyes with North the deviant could sense her utter disdain at the sight of the building and he immediately tried to comfort her. "I know you loathe this place and I understand why. But this is important, and it's my way of honoring Skye's memory. Your presence is very important."

North's stern expression softened a little as she locked eyes with Connor, but her hand remained just as tight as she held onto Markus for support. "I know. That's why I'm here, she was very important to me, too."

Markus gave Connor a wary glance as he ran a quiet scan over Connor and frowned a little. "I know how much you want to honor Skye, but you shouldn't be out here right now while you're still sick and healing. You'll just hinder your recovery."

"I appreciate the concern Markus, but I assure you that I'll be alright."

Along the street a few yards behind Connor a car came to a stop and two doors slammed shut as Hank escorted Abby from the vehicle and along the somewhat icy sidewalk toward the trio of gathered deviants; two of whom who had no idea why they were even there to begin with.

"Alright, we're here now." Hank announced as he stood before Connor and gave the curiously behaving android an equally curious look. "What's this grand gesture you have planned out?"

Connor nodded once as he prepared to explain his intentions as the group of friends he had asked to join him stood before him and did their best to endure the dropping cold that surrounded them all.

"As you all well know the 'Eden Club' was forced out of business after the government deemed its use of androids against their will for..." Connor stopped short and looked back to North sympathetically. "inappropriate 'services' to infringe against android rights. And as most of you know the building has been slated for demolition this coming spring."

Reaching one hand into the partially unzipped hem of his jacket Connor retrieved an official city document and handed it to Markus to read.

The deviant accepted the document and read it over quickly, his mismatched eyes going wide with intrigue and confusion. "Connor, this says you _own_ this building."

"Technically, I own the _land_." Connor clarified with a confident lilt in his voice. "As of this coming spring, once this horrible building has been bulldozed to the ground I will rebuild on this spot and create the first city sanctioned deviant private investigation service and deviant shelter."

Markus handed the document over for North to read, who then in turn handed to Abby and finally over to Hank.

Hank shook his head a little as an approving grin appeared on his face. "You're going into private security for the sake deviants throughout the entire city, not just at New Jericho Tower?"

"Correct. Skye had done so much to aid and protect deviants who had run away from abusive homes, and I want to carry on her work."

"That's a really good idea, son, but how can you afford such-"

"All deviants who had been directly harmed by CyberLife technicians or the company in general during their business practices had been awarded a hefty sum from a lawsuit waged against the company by the city. I didn't feel comfortable spending the money and had instead kept it in my savings and only used the money to take care of my health when necessary, or purchase select items during special occasions."

"Nothing gets more special than this!" Hank laughed as he handed the document back to Connor who promptly tucked it back inside his jacket and zipped it up to his neck. "What're you going to call this place when it opens up in a few months?"

"I wanted to call it the 'Sanctuary of Kismeted Youths Estate'. Or 'S.K.Y.E. Tower'."

Hank crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "I can understand why you went with that name, but it seems like kind of a stretch isn't? I mean, what does 'kismet' even mean?"

"To be fated against one's will."

"...Okay, I stand corrected on that one. But 'youths'? It sounds like a place for runaway teens."

"The definition of 'youth' is the early period in the life of an animate being. Arguably the definition of 'youth' and our term for 'deviancy' is synonymous with one another."

"Okay, okay... I forgot you were a walking thesaurus. Skye Tower it is."

North smiled as she heard the name a wiped a tear from her eye. "It's perfect, Connor. Thank you."

Markus wrapped his arm around North's shoulder and pulled her closer to his body to help stave off the cold. "We'll be sure to do what we can to make the tower as welcoming as New Jericho Tower once it's completed."

"Thank you. I plan on using the building's original blueprints with a few modifications to create numerous private rooms for deviants seeking shelter, and to create a type of 'free clinic' for deviants who have nowhere else to go to receive treatment for any damage sustained."

Abby liked that idea and volunteered her services. "I'd be more than happy to volunteer my time here whenever you need me." Shivering a little she very much appreciated Hank mirroring Markus and wrapping his arm around her to try to keep her warmer as well. "Simon can handle everything at New Jericho Tower just fine without me. He's a fantastic technician in his own right"

"Come on," Hank insisted gently as he urged Abby to return to the car to get out of the cold. "I'll take you back home."

"Sure, but only if we stop to pick up a pizza on the way." Abby joked as she rubbed her distended belly. "The baby is craving some mushrooms and olives."

"Sounds like that kid has pretty good taste."

As the two humans departed from the sidewalk Markus put his hand on Connor's shoulder with respect. "What you did is truly amazing, Connor. You're going to help thousands of deviants get their chance at life."

"That's what Skye would've wanted."

"...How're you, uh, holding up?"

"...I'm okay. At least... I will be." Connor tried to give Markus a confident smile but he couldn't bring himself to give his friend a false sense of confidence, or an insincere smile. "It'll take time."

Markus dropped his hand long enough to give Connor a hug and held tight until the emotionally stunted deviant finally, slowly lifted up his own arms and reciprocated the much needed hug. Fighting back against the urge to cry Connor just held onto his friend for a few minutes before finally letting go and taking a step back.

"I'm going to head home and get out of this cold," Connor stated in a level voice. "would you and North like a ride back to New Jericho Tower?"

"In that Corvette of yours?"

"Yes." Connor motioned to the cobalt blue car parked on the other side of the street behind him. "It'd be much more convenient and warmer than walking."

"Yeah, there's no doubt it. Thanks, Connor."

* * *

That night after enduring an eventful day to heal and honor Skye it didn't take long for Connor to drive out to New Jericho Tower, but it did take him some time to drive away from the building as the tower that was meant to be a beacon of hope was now a painful reminder of the loss of his dearest friend. Watching as the tower shrunk in size through the rearview mirror's reflection of his car Connor let out a deep sigh and returned home with fresh tears in his eyes. He was still healing, but that was good, it meant he'd survive the horrible tragedy that shattered his heart.

Pulling in the drive next to the house Connor exited the garage and walked up the back steps of the back deck, only to stop short and glance upward as the few stars that broke through the polluting city lights in the night sky ahead. Folding his arms protectively over his chest to try to keep the relentless cold at bay Connor watched and waited for a few minutes as the few stars above him glimmered and dull in a steady rhythm.

Getting lost in the moment Connor didn't notice that his artificial respiration program turned itself off to keep the cold from entering his system, or that his pale skin was starting to turn dark blue as the Thirium in his system pooled to the surface to try to keep his artificial skin warm.

The back door opened and Hank peered at the android standing idle in the cold with his eyes fixed on the cosmos above. "Connor? Did you freeze or something?"

"...Just looking at the stars."

Joining Connor outside Hank put a hand on the deviant's shivering shoulder and tried to coax him inside the warm house. "You can see the stars through the windows. It's freezing out here and you're still a little sick."

Allowing Hank to pull him through the door Connor rubbed his hands up and down his arms and as he continued to shiver from the cold.

"That reminds me," Hank stared at Connor's pale hands and pointed to the android first aid kit sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. "Abby said you were supposed to keep your hands wrapped up for another day. And she said if you don't wrap them back up she was going to come over here and duct tape mittens over your hands for a week."

Connor recognized the sarcastic remark as one that was meant to be humorous, but he wasn't in the mood to laugh or even smile. Sitting down quietly at the table Connor opened the kit and fumbled with a fresh roll of gauze. "Did she say anything else?"

"Only that she was glad I was willing to have some pizza with her and promised to kick Gavin's ass if he ever upset her."

"Nothing about my health or... anything about Skye?"

"No, nothing like that." Wanting to change the subject quickly Hank honed in on Connor's task. It was clumsy and uncoordinated, and had it been under different circumstances then it might it even be amusing. "Hold on, let me help you." Sitting down next to Connor at the table Hank easily wrapped up the deviant's hands while Connor sat perfectly still. "What you did today was incredible, son. I'm really proud of you."

"...It seemed more logical than committing arson."

"Yeah, and as an officer of the law it was the better option than unemployment. Speaking of which, did you talk to Fowler?"

"Yes." Giving Hank a somber glance he took back his wrapped up left hand and dropped it onto his lap. "He accepted my resignation."

"...So you're really done with it all? You're no longer a detective?"

"I'll always be a detective, Ha- dad... I just won't be employed at the precinct."

"You're going into private investigations?"

"Correct. It will allow me to protect deviants at Skye Tower as well as New Jericho Tower without the additional responsibilities of the precinct. It's for the best."

"...Are you going to operate out of the tower or, what?"

"There is a small office building across the street from where Skye Tower will be built. I've already spoken with the landlord after I secured the right to the property that was once the club, and by the end of winter the current tenant's lease will expire. I will then purchase it as well."

"You've really thought about this, haven't you?"

"I know you asked me to stop thinking, but I could not. I needed the distraction."

"Hell of a distraction. How did Fowler take it?"

"He seemed... disappointed that I wasn't going to return. But he shook my hand and wished me the best of luck in my future endeavors, as did Joel, Chris, Tina, Tyler and... well, Gavin didn't insult me on the way out the door. So, I suppose that was his way of saying 'goodbye' politely."

"That's a pretty good send off."

"I did however agree to remain as a contact in the event of an emergency."

"Loyal to the end, huh, Connor?"

"Are you angry that I resigned?"

"Nope." Securing the gauze around Connor's right hand Hank slammed the lid of the first aid kit shut and proceeded to carry it to its newly designated place in the hallway closet on the top shelf. "To be honest, I'm glad you decided to leave."

"You are? Why?"

"I trust you to watch my back, and I like to think you trust me to watch yours."

"I do. I trust you with my life."

"That's good. How do you feel about someone else watching your back? Especially if that someone happened to be a bigoted human who might resent your higher rank and promotion?"

"...It feels unsettling."

"Exactly. When I get assigned to my new precinct I'll be the guy calling the shots and not working in the field anymore." Returning to the kitchen Hank opened up the refrigerator and placed the bottle of android medicine down on the table next to Connor to drink. "But you may not be as lucky as me."

"I hadn't considered that when I initially resigned."

"Really? What was your deciding factor in the end?"

"...I simply couldn't go back to the precinct and resume my work as if what had happened to Skye wasn't of consequence." Fumbling with the medicine bottle with his bandaged hands Connor downed the dosage and replaced it on the table indifferently. "My life won't be the same without her, and now my time at the precinct will always be a factor in her death. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it makes perfect sense." Patting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank felt the heat radiating from the deviant's body and let out a quiet sigh. Pressing the back of his hand to the side of Connor's face and gave the deviant a grimace. "You're starting to overheat again. Take off your jacket and relax on the couch before your fever gets any worse."

"But I feel cold."

"Remember what I said about the 'chills'?"

"Yes, of course." Shrugging off his jacket Connor stood up slowly from the chair and walked into the livingroom with Hank right behind him. Sumo was stretched out over the couch, but once he saw Connor he hopped down from the furniture and greeted the deviant with a nose to his bandaged hand. "Hi, boy."

"It's getting late, I figured we could just watch some lame movie and try to stop thinking about all the bullshit we just went through. What do you say to that?"

"It would be nice to think about something else for a while." Laying down on his side on the warm couch Connor closed his eyes and was happy to feel Sumo jump back up onto the couch to cuddle down near his legs. "Thank you for taking care of me. I know I have been very difficult as of late, and I apologize."

"Don't worry about it, Connor. You didn't do anything wrong." Hank shrugged his shoulders a little before tagging on one final comment. "Except jumping out a window and getting lost in a blizzard. _That_ was wrong."

"...Sorry."

"We all make mistakes, it happens."

"When I lost Lucas," Connor stated solemnly as he opened his eyes slowly and peered at the stars through the livingroom window. "I never experienced such emotional pain before. I didn't think it was possible to overcome it until I was given the chance to speak to him one last time. But I won't have that chance with Skye."

"You're stronger now than you ever have been. You'll get through this, and even when you think you're going to break or get lost, you won't. I won't let you."

"I can't believe she's actually gone. I just... miss her."

"Shock is one hell of thing." Hank cleared his throat a little before offering any further sentiment as he didn't want to have a long repressed breakdown of his own while Connor was still feeling so emotionally destroyed. "It can hit you as soon as something bad happens, or hit you out of nowhere years down the line."

"...Will I ever stop thinking about Skye?"

"To be honest with you son, no. It's impossible to forget about the ones we love."

"How do you deal with such heartache for so long?"

"You get used to it." Hank's response was honest and sweet as he allowed himself to be emotionally open for the sake of Connor's own mind. Leaning back against the recliner he turned on the television and found a lame, boring move to get lost in. Or at the very least the movie would provide some sort of distraction and white noise for the rest of the night. "You take it one day at a time. Very long, slow days at that..."

"...I feel like I'm going to cry again." Connor admitted with a somber voice.

"Then go ahead and cry. Don't hold back your emotions, you're feeling what you need to feel."

Letting out a single sob Connor turned his head so he could bury his face against the pillow resting up against the couch and began to cry all over again. As he silently wept for his lost love Connor was vaguely aware of Hank resting his hand over top of his hair to offer a comforting support.

"It's okay, son." Lightly Hank ran his hand over Connor's hair in the same way he used to do for Cole whenever the young boy was sick, or upset. It was comforting for both of them on that horribly melancholy night. "You're okay."

_**...next story...** _


	149. Getting Help

Three weeks into Connor's resignation from the precinct the deviant found himself needing to preoccupy his time through random tasks throughout the house in order to keep himself from thinking too much about Skye, or even Lucas. The painful loss drudged up equally painful memories and the complexity of human emotions was still something the deviant needed more experience with in order to fully comprehend with what he was feeling. After cleaning up the livingroom for the fourth time in those two days he caught sight of Hank walking down the hallway with a pale, sweaty face and a hand pressed to his lower back.

"Hank?" Connor's brow furrowed with intrigue as he approached the detective slowly. Running a scan over Hank's body Connor found his vital signs less than ideal as Hank was running a fever, and the increase in his blood pressure and heart rate was indicative of pain. "I'm sorry, you've become ill because of your prolonged exposure to the cold while on patrol."

"It's just a little cold, Connor. I'll be fine." Hank tried to dismiss the worry as he put his hand on the doorknob to the bathroom and stepped inside. "If I feel too shitty I'll clock out early."

"You shouldn't be going to work at all if you're ill."

"I'm fine, kid." Closing the door Hank went about his business.

"...I hope so." Connor retreated back down the hallway to prepare Hank a proper breakfast to keep his strength up.

As the coffee brewed in the pot Connor set about making an omelette with a few strips of bacon, all the while Sumo watched from under the kitchen table with a faint trail of drool on his fuzzy maw. It didn't take the deviant long to finish preparing the meal and setting it out while Hank showered off and set about getting ready for his shift. In that time Connor also cybernetically downloaded numerous possible causes for Hank's illness.

"Did you make bacon?" Hank asked as he entered the kitchen already dressed, his heavy coat wrapped around himself and his hair still damp from the shower.

"Yes. Due to your current illness you will require the additional calories to keep up your energy."

"Jeez, how come you didn't do this all the other times I got sick?"

"You weren't also experiencing extreme cold on a regular basis due to harsh weather."

"Oh, so _that's_ the catch." Staring at the set table Hank eyed the plate somewhat warily before walking over to the refrigerator to pull out the carton of orange juice in favor of coffee at the moment. "Thanks, I guess."

"Are you not hungry?"

"Not really. Don't worry, I'll eat something before I go."

"Perhaps you should stay home. I won't be there to monitor you, or drive you home if your health deteriorates throughout the day."

"It's fine, Connor." Pouring the juice into a glass he sipped it slowly and tried to read the deviant's worried face more accurately. The worrying deviant was staring rather intently at him and it made Hank a little nervous. "What?"

"You're sweating."

"It happens."

"I don't like this."

"Trust me, I don't like it either." Looking about the incredibly tidy and organized house Hank decided to offer his own suggestion toward Connor's daily routine just as he had made suggestions about his own. "Why don't you go check in with Abby or something? I'm sure she'd love you to clean her house and cook for her while she's pregnant."

"Abby has Gavin to look after her."

"Yeah, but I think Gavin is afraid of her now that she's... how far along?"

"Twenty-two weeks."

"Right. Gavin was never great at reading people's emotions, I doubt he's gotten any better with his girlfriend being pregnant."

"...Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, turns out he really likes her and she really likes him. Good thing, too."

"Appropriate timing, as well."

"Yup." Putting aside the empty glass Hank picked up one of the pieces of bacon and bit into it. "I have an idea, why don't you meet me at the precinct for lunch today? That way you can keep an eye on me without actually keeping an eye on me."

"That is reasonable. Send me a text and I will meet you."

"Good. And while I'm gone STOP cleaning everything." Hank tossed the bacon back onto the plate and grabbed a thermos to fill with coffee. "I swear you'd polish the garbage if it were possible."

"I'm merely trying to keep busy."

"You can do that outside of the house, too."

"...I don't really want to go anywhere."

"Oh." Twisting on the lid to the thermos Hank made sure his car keys were in his coat pocket before he headed toward the backdoor. "Connor..."

"Yes?"

"...Feel better, son."

"I'm trying, Hank. I really am."

* * *

It was a relatively calm but still very cold autumn day, as winter loomed over the city. After cleaning up the kitchen and letting Sumo have the breakfast that Hank didn't have the appetite to eat - a little 'thank you' to the large dog for saving his life on that cold night three weeks ago, Connor forced himself to leave the sanctuary of the house and step out onto the snowy streets of the city. Wrapped up tightly in his leather jacket and his woolen, black beanie Connor drove about the city aimlessly until he found a small flower shop and made a select purchase.

Flowers in hand Connor stood before the two headstones in the modest android cemetery and placed down a white lily and a yellow rose on Lucas's grave, while placing a second white lily and a red rose down on Skye's grave. Kneeling down on the chilly, snow covered grass Connor bowed his head a little as he began speaking to his departed loved ones.

"I wanted to tell you both something important, but it's taken me a long time to get the courage to come back here. I'm sorry for making you wait." Rubbing his hand over his teary eyes Connor took a moment to take in a deep breath before speaking. "I'm going to continue on the work that you both had started before your unfair... deaths."

Turning his head a little he focused on the name of his brother engraved on the headstone before speaking another word.

"I do not have the same technical skills as you had Lucas, but I am attempting to do better by our people and for humans alike. I thought about what Hank had said about referring to the shelter as one protecting 'youths' and how it sounded as though it was a sanctuary for runaway teenagers, and I thought about how Hank had his own home designated a safe delivery zone for young women in distress. And so I decided that the tower will protect deviants _and_ humans without any discrimination."

Lightly Connor dusted the thin layer of snow from Lucas's headstone with the palm of his hand.

"I will establish an emergency repair ward to tend to damaged deviants, an emergency medical wing to help young humans who have been injured or could be ill, and provide shelter to both parties for as long as they need. To ensure that the humans have a second chance to live fulfilling lives, the tower will provide education as well and allow humans and deviants to interact directly with one another. No fear, no judgment."

Slowly Connor looked to the neighboring headstone and his eyes lowered away from the name of 'Skye' engraved on the newly erected stone with lingering, deep grief. Unsure if it were in fact appropriate to give Skye the surname of 'Anderson' despite being Connor's bond-mate, left him conflicted. It seemed somehow selfish to the newly widowed deviant to include his name, but he wanted to make sure Skye was remembered properly. Until he could decide her name would be left as it was.

"From the new tower I will provide secondary protection to New Jericho and continue my work as detective, however my services will be that of a private detective who will work to aid people who are too afraid to speak to the police, or may have been targeted by the police through lingering bigotry and discrimination. I will no longer isolate myself from our people due to any residual mistrust toward my person, but I won't be residing at New Jericho Tower without you, either."

Running fingers over the soft petals of the red rose Connor stood upright and said his goodbyes to his late brother and late wife.

"It's not much, but it's a start. I hope in time such sanctuaries will no longer be necessary, but until then I will do the best with what I have already provided." Taking a slow step back from the two graves Connor bowed his head one last time respectfully. "I miss and love you both. I do hope we'll be reunited on the other side when the time comes for me to shutdown."

* * *

Hank sat at his desk, bored and feeling incredibly tired. Without Connor to speak to you he had resorted to either sitting in silence or letting Gavin talk his ear off with paternal worry for his unborn child. Despite his best efforts he couldn't seem to get the Sergeant to accept that fact that he wasn't going to repeat the same mistakes that his own father had made while (poorly) raising him. Fortunately for Hank a call came in that required Gavin and Chris's attention and as a result Hank was given back some form of peace and quiet.

Sending a text to Connor to meet with him at the parking garage for lunch Hank clocked out for an hour and stood up from his chair with one hand pressed to the small of his back as he walked slowly to the front doors of the precinct. Feeling exhausted and feverish Hank didn't mind when the cold air hit him and gave him a mild reprieve from his too hot skin that made him sweat uncomfortably.

"Hank." Connor addressed the detective from afar as he stood between their cars parked in the garage beside the precinct. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Jeez, you got here quick."

"I was already in the area when I received your message." As Hank approached him Connor ran a scan and noted his still elevated vitals and pulled open the passenger side door to the Corvette. "You're still ill, and it appears your back is hurting you again. You should sit down."

"It's not as bad as it seems."

"You're running a temperature of one-hundred point two degrees. You should go back home to rest."

"I'll be home in a few hours, I can make it."

"I know you can." Connor reassured him as Hank took his seat in the Corvette and Connor reclaimed his own behind the wheel. "But you shouldn't have to."

"Sorry, kid. I'm staying."

"Very well." Turning the key in the ignition Connor pulled out of the garage carefully onto the snowy street. "Where did you want to go for lunch?"

"Uh, nowhere in particular. I just want to get something light."

"You barely ate this morning. Is your stomach upset?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"You know as well as I that I will worry about your health regardless of what you tell me."

"It's fine, son."

"Then you do not want to stop by your usual spot and for your usual meal from Gary?"

"No, not today."

Connor cybernetically uploaded the information to every restaurant and diner in the area and found a small place just three blocks away that had a slightly healthier menu than that of the 'Chicken Feed'. "I know where I can take you for a reasonable lunch."

"Reasonable sounds reasonable to me." Hank quipped as he leaned back in his seat and let Connor take him to their destination without any further questions or suspicion. "As long as you're buying."

"Of course. It's my treat."

* * *

Arriving at the small diner Connor parked the Corvette along the street just outside the modest restaurant and waited for Hank to slowly open his door before exiting the car himself. Walking a pace behind Hank as he entered the doorway into the diner Connor made sure the ill detective didn't stumble or lose his balance as he walked over to a nearby vacant booth and sat down, only to get up and head for the restroom.

Connor approached the front counter where a waitress, an older woman with some gray shining through her raven black locks pulled back in a neat bun, was passing a new order to the cook through the small window connecting the front of the restaurant to the kitchen in the back.

"Excuse me." Connor caught her attention with a kind voice. "Do you have any soup on the menu?" Discreetly gesturing to Hank as he exited the bathroom to resume sitting by himself in the booth just behind him. "He is feeling unwell and needs something light."

"No problem, honey." The waitress smiled as she quickly scribbled something down on her notepad with a pencil. "I know just what your dad needs."

Connor arched his brow at her comment slightly before politely thanking her with a faux grin. "Thank you."

Joining Hank at the booth, sitting on the opposite side of the detective, Connor slipped off his jacket and found it curious that Hank hadn't already done the same with his own coat as he was visibly hot and sweating. Hank had his arms crossed over his chest as if cold and was even trembling slightly which only made him appear colder.

"The waitress is going to bring you something to eat that will be easy on your stomach."

Ignoring the comment Hank honed in on Connor's current demeanor. "You okay? You look a little confused."

The deviant's mouth twitched a little but he answered honestly. "The waitress referred to you as my 'dad' and she called me 'honey'. How did she-"

"Connor, she just assumed." Hank laughed a little at how Connor could be somehow be brilliant and yet somehow still naive. "And she isn't wrong, is she?"

"About our familial relationship, no. But I do not know why she addressed me with what you humans refer to as a 'pet name'."

Hank casually looked over to the counter where the waitress was still standing and kindly chatting up two other customers sitting at the counter with their own meals. "She's just a friendly person, and some friendly people refer to other people they don't know by a first name with terms of endearment. Why? Does it bother you?"

"No. It was just the first time I've been referred to as such. It was... nice."

"You're a nice guy, kid."

"I'd like to think so. I don't want to be hostile or unpleasant." Giving Hank a somewhat worried glance Connor reached his hand out and pressed it down against Hank's shoulder rather than his forehead or the side of his face simply because of the fact they were in a public setting. "You're still running an elevated temperature. You should take off your coat."

"Nope."

"Do you have the chills?"

"It's freezing outside, kid."

"It's currently thirty-eight degrees Fahrenheit, which is six degrees above freezing."

"You know what I meant, smartass."

"Please be honest with me."

"Alright, yeah. I got some chills goin' on."

Before Connor had the chance to comment any further on the situation the kind waitress walked over to the booth with a tray in her hand. A small bowl of chicken soup with two small crackers and a glass of water was placed down before Hank and the waitress politely offered to bring the detective anything else he may need.

"Thanks... But, I'm good."

"Nothing for you, honey?" The waitress, Dorthy, asked as she looked toward Connor expectantly. "Anything at all?"

"No, thank you. I do not have an appetite."

"Are you feeling under the weather, too?"

"No. I'm merely... uh..."

"Deviant, huh?"

"...Yes."

"Well, let me know if you want any warm Thirium. I keep a steady supply in the kitchen in case any cold deviants happen by."

"...Thank you."

As the kind woman walked away Connor made a cybernetic note to New Jericho about the diner and of the incredibly warm hearted waitress who was working there. It was important to him to find as many safe havens for deviants to venture when in need of help, and to make sure kind people were being protected against cold hearted bigots.

"Nice woman." Hank picked up the spoon beside the bowl and lightly dipped it into the broth as if he needed to study the soup before he began to eat. "It's amazing how after so many generations humans still rely on these homeopathic remedies to feel better."

"It does seem to help." Connor observed casually as he Hank continued to fuss with the spoon in the broth. "If your vitals don't improve within the hour I strongly suggest-"

"Yeah, yeah." Dismissing the worry Hank slowly began to eat the soup in very small amounts as he tried to ignore the uncomfortable knot in his stomach and in his lower back. "So, what did you do before meeting me for lunch?"

"I... I went to speak with Lucas and... Skye."

"Oh? Letting them know what you're planning this spring?"

"Yes." Connor folded his hands together somewhat nervously on the table before him as he tried to comprehend his own actions. "Is it normal to speak to those who are gone as if they can still hear you?"

"Yup. I do it all the time when I visit Barb and Cole."

Nodding a little Connor relaxed a little and leaned back against the relatively soft cushion on the booth. "It made me feel better after I spoke with them, I'm glad it's considered normal."

"Don't worry about being 'normal', son. It's an intangible idea and no matter what you do or say someone, somewhere, will think you're weird."

"How so?"

Setting aside the spoon for a moment Hank elaborated in a soft tone. "What's weird to you can be viewed as normal to me, and vice versa. That applies to every single person, human or android, on this entire planet. So it all depends on your personal view of what can be considered normal, and fuck everyone else."

"...Why do I get the feeling 'fuck everyone else' is your personal motto?"

Laughing at the comment Hank sipped at the water and gave the deviant an approving glance. "Because you're a good detective."

* * *

Despite Connor's pleas Hank returned to the precinct after his break ended and resumed the rest of his shift. Connor resisted the urge to accompany him inside or send a text to someone else inside the precinct to keep an eye on Hank, and decided he needed to respect Hank's judgment regarding his own health and overall strength. It seemed more beneficial to check in on Abby than to hover over Hank at the moment, regardless of the situation anyway.

Arriving at the house where Abby and now Gavin were living Connor knocked on the door and was greeted by the pregnant woman who was wearing one of Gavin's black t-shirts with the band ' _Detroit Division_ ' scrawled in faded red text over the front. The shirt was enough to cover her growing bump but there was a round outline over her belly in the fabric that didn't keep any secrets.

Letting Connor inside the house she motioned for him to accompany her to the kitchen as she pulled a cookie out of a large glass jar and began to snack on it greedily. "I'm glad you stopped by. I wanted to talk to you about the repair ward you were going to have built in the new tower."

"That's what I am here to discuss. I have decided to expand the operations of the tower to include taking care of runaway teenagers as well as deviants. With that I want to include a medical wing and would like your advice on the best way to make this possible."

"Well, first of all you're going to need to get your hands on a permit to allow medical procedures to be performed on the property. Second," Abby finished her first cookie and took a second. "you'll need to get your hands on some medical equipment. There should be a supplier in town who can get you what you need at an acceptable price."

"I'll make an inventory of the supplies I will require."

"Are you okay?" The always keen eyed technician knew Connor was still upset about something. "It looks like you're thinking about something other than building a tower."

"...I am concerned for Hank."

"What's wrong?"

"He is ill and refuses to return home to recover."

"He's distracting himself." Rubbing her hand over her bump she smiled as her hand was rewarded with a few kicks. "I do that, too."

"I worry that he is feeling worse than he is admitting."

"Yup, I can see that happening."

"How do I help him?"

"You wait him out. Trust me, he's as stubborn as you are."

"...I'm not stubborn."

"Yes, Connor. You are." Laughing a little at the deviant she casually waved him toward the front door. "Go home and wait for Hank. We can discuss plans later."

"You're certain?"

"I'm pregnant, Connor. Not dying."

"Sorry, I don't mean to be annoying."

"You're not annoying, but you are over protective." As she watched the deviant approach the door Abby put her hand just beneath his distended belly and sighed. "I don't think I can put up with this for another eighteen weeks."

"Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm just a lot heavier than I'm used to being. And it's only going to get heavier before it's over."

Cautiously Connor ran a scan over Abby's body and was relieved to see that both the mother and developing baby's vital signs were stable. Giving Abby a single nod he opened the front door and took a step out. "I will inform you of my progress on the both the repair ward and the medical bay as soon as I can."

"See you later, Connor. And take care of Hank, don't let him try to convince you he's fine."

"I won't. I will contact you later."

* * *

Taking Abby's advice Connor returned home and decided to wait for Hank to finish his shift at the precinct, and ensure he was resting through his cold properly. Feeding Sumo and playing a round of fetch with the massive bundle of fluff Connor sat in the livingroom and cybernetically compiled his list of impending supplies for the new tower and kept himself from obsessing too much on Hank's health until after the detective returned home.

The sound of the car pulling up the drive followed by a hearty 'slam' of the door made Connor stand up as he watched Hank through the windows.

The detective very slowly walked up the steps of the back deck and opened the backdoor only to stop short in the doorway. "...Hey, uh, Connor?" Hank called out in a weak voice as he leaned back against the door frame with his arm draped protectively over his abdomen. "...Do you think you can help me get to the livingroom?"

"Hank?!" The concern in Connor's voice was fully audible as he stepped around Sumo and marched into the kitchen quickly. Noting Hank's pale complexion and heavy sweating Connor ran another scan as he grabbed onto one of Hank's arms to help support the detective upright where he stood. "You're very ill! Please let me help you."

"I'll be okay." Hank insisted yet again as Connor bore most of his weight on one side. "I just... need-"

"Hank?"

Hank's eyes rolled up in the back of his head as he knees buckled. Falling forward in a dead faint Connor managed to guide him down to the floor at a controlled descent to keep Hank from hitting his head on the hard floor as he lost consciousness. Sumo trotted into the kitchen to investigate the commotion but was quickly pushed aside with a gentle, yet firm hand, by Connor.

"Hank?" Laying Hank on his back carefully Connor picked up Hank's arm and rolled up his sleeve to count his pulse directly. There was an intense heat radiating from Hank's skin that made Connor worry even more than he already was. "...Dad?"

Thinking quickly Connor registered Hank's vitals before slipping his hand under Hank's head and neck to support him, then slowly moved him into a sitting position on the floor. It was a little awkward to pull off but Connor managed to pull Hank over his shoulders and support him in a 'fireman's carry'. "Forgive me, but you need to go to the hospital."

Apologizing sincerely Connor carried Hank over to the parked Oldsmobile in the side drive and pulled the keys from Hank's coat pocket with one hand. Laying Hank over the backseats with a ginger motion Connor proceeded to back down the drive and race off to the hospital as quickly as he dared. Hank himself was still unconscious and sweating heavily, completely unaware of how sick he truly was.

"I should've insisted on taking you to the emergency room this morning. I'm sorry, Hank."

* * *

It was almost three hours after being admitted to the hospital that Hank finally regained consciousness and was immediately on edge. Sitting partially upright with a jolt he looked around with utter confusion before honing in on the I.V. running into the bend of his left arm. As his right hand made a move for the line Connor's hand grabbed onto his wrist and kept him from pulling the I.V. out of his vein.

"Don't do that. You're dehydrated."

"Connor?" Hank sighed as he tried to pull his hand from the deviant's grip. "What the fuck am I doing here?"

"You collapsed from an intense fever shortly after returning home." Motioning to the I.V. standing that was supporting one bag of saline solution and one bag of antibiotics Connor began to explain to the detective how sick he actually was. "Hank, you have a kidney infection. And it's serious."

"How serious is serious?"

"You've been admitted to the hospital for a mandatory forty-eight hour observation and are currently on broad spectrum antibiotics. If the infection can't be cleared from your system you'll... You could lose your kidney and require a transplant."

"...Fuckin'... transplant?"

"Yes." Connor was visibly concerned and righteously so as he let go of Hank's arm and sat down in the chair beside his bed. "Dr. Wilson will be in with you shortly to inform you of the full extent of your condition, and of the treatment you must undergo if you are to save your kidney."

"Fuck."

"It's alright, Hank. I was unaware of the significance of your illness as well."

"I may have really fucked up this time, kid."

"...Did you do something to intentionally harm yourself?"

"Not intentionally. But I hadn't exactly been taking of myself in the past three weeks without you there to keep an eye on me." Running his hand over his face with embarrassment Hank shook his head at his own foolishness. "Fuck, you'd think I was a dumb kid left without parents for the weekend or something."

"Please don't be upset with yourself. You're of an advanced age, you suffered exposure to the extreme cold because you had to look for me, and your previous history of poor health were all contributing factors. You can't blame this on a few weeks of poor dieting, or lack of sleep."

"Look, Connor," Hank gave the watchful deviant a respectful nod of the head as he watched Dr. Wilson enter the room. "why don't you give me some privacy with Dr. Wilson. I kinda' need to hear this for myself, you know?"

"...I understand. I will be outside if you need me."

"Right. Thanks, son."

* * *

After the two days of mandatory hospitalization ended Connor was willing to take Hank back home even though the detective's fever hadn't broken entirely, and his back was still hurting him. Obeying the doctor's instructions with utmost detail Connor proceeded to take care of Hank while also doing his best to avoid accidentally annoying Hank with his constant presence. Running hourly scans over Hank's body to monitor him from afar Connor made sure he took his antibiotics as he had been instructed, and properly hydrated himself while sticking to a healthy diet.

"I fuckin' hate this." Hank grumbled, turning slightly onto his side as he laid on the couch with an ice pack pressed to his lower back. "I feel like shit!"

"Perhaps a shower would-"

"Tried it."

"If you wish I can give you a half dose of a muscle relaxer to ease your discomfort."

"A half dose won't do shit for me."

"...Would you like to swap the ice pack for a heating pad?"

"No!" Frustrated with his own body Hank snapped at Connor for a moment before softening his tone. "I just want to fuckin' get some sleep without my damn back knotting up."

Connor was unsure of what else he could do to help Hank, and he could see that Hank had lost his patience with himself. Quietly the deviant left the livingroom and retreated into the kitchen to prepare Hank's next dose of medication. It was debatable who was the more stubborn patient between the two of them, but in that moment it didn't matter. Patience was far more important than pride.

Sumo himself had been intimidated by Hank's foul mood and spent a majority of his time on Connor's bed to avoid the grumpy detective's attitude. Keeping out of sight the massive dog would get very happy whenever Connor would venture down the hallway to give the massive dog some attention while Hank was asleep.

For the past week Hank had been taking antibiotics but the infection was still running rampant through his system. Diligently Connor helped tend to the detective's fever whenever it spiked and made sure Hank was getting enough rest, but it seemed as though no matter how much sleep Hank had he was always tired and lethargic.

"...I think I should take you back to the hospital." Connor stated timidly from the kitchen. "You're fever-"

"No. I hate hospitals."

"You're showing no signs of recovery and you-"

"I said 'no'. Drop it!" Hank wheezed a little and took in a weak breath as he pressed his hand to his chest. It was a new symptom and it only made Hank feel all the angrier. "...Fuck."

"Are you in additional pain?" Returning to the livingroom with the bottle of antibiotics in his hand Connor proceeded to run yet another scan and could see Hank was suddenly short of breath. "Can you breathe well?"

"...It's fine."

"It's NOT fine." Connor argued firmly with a little bite to his voice. "You're very sick and need medical attention."

"Fuck that! I can beat this!"

"Hank, you have three days worth of antibiotics left, and yet the week's worth you've already taken hasn't helped you."

"Alright, let's do it this way." Snatching the bottle of medication out of Connor's hand Hank attempted to down the remaining antibiotics but Connor was too quick and kept him from making a grievous error. As the deviant took back the bottle of pills Hank gave Connor an annoyed glance. "Let me have it."

"No Hank! I won't let you poison yourself!" Stepping back with the bottle in his hand Connor angrily left the livingroom and returned to the kitchen. Pulling open a cabinet over the sink he placed the bottle inside and slammed the cabinet door shut. "...Please don't behave like this."

"Oh, that's hysterical coming from you." Hank wheezed again and proceeded to cough a little. Despite his snippy remark Hank found an empty bucket being placed beside him as he began to throw-up unexpectedly. "...What the fuck...?"

Kneeling down on the floor Connor placed his hand on Hank's shoulder to support him as he threw-up a second time. "...You can't beat this one, Hank."

"Fuck off..."

"No. You're dangerously-"

"NO."

"...Fine." Placing the bucket down on the floor Connor left Hank alone in the livingroom as he stepped outside through the backdoor to cool off for a moment to keep himself from saying something regretful to Hank out of pure frustration. Pressing a hand to his tired eyes Connor let out a deep sigh as he spoke to himself as if needing to feel grounded and seeking guidance. "...What do I do, now?"

Lifting his eyes up the sky he peered through the clouds to the stars overhead and felt tears welling up quickly.

"Please tell me, what do I do?"

* * *

Stressed out and angry Hank wrapped his arms around his abdomen as the painful vomiting spells had left a physical toll over his already tired body. As his stubbornness began to finally wear out Hank ended up throwing-up into the bucket yet again as more nausea began to plague him. Nearly falling off the couch and onto the hardwood floor Hank felt a familiar pair of hands support him and keep him in place.

"...When the hell did you-" he paused only long enough to spit out the foul taste from his mouth. "...come back?"

"When I heard you getting sick again." The deviant replied quickly in an emotionless tone. "You sound miserable. Besides, I was merely standing on the back deck. I never actually left.""

Holding the bucket for Hank with one hand and supporting Hank's shoulder with the other Connor waited for the detective to finish vomiting before pushing him back entirely against the couch to rest. Slipping his hand up to the side of Hank's neck Connor counted his pulse, felt the high fever, heard the shuddering breaths, saw that Hank's appendages were beginning to swell and noted the pressure in Hank's chest that the detective was trying to ignore.

Connor knew that Hank was in grave danger.

"...Please." Trying again Connor kept his tone civil. "Hank, you're in the early stages of kidney failure."

"No! No, I'm not going anywhere." Rasping for breaths Hank refused to seek any medical attention for a reason Connor couldn't fathom.

"...Why? Why are you so steadfast on remaining here?"

"Never mind, Connor."

"No. Not this time." Taking a stand Connor demanded an answer to Hank's behavior. "If you're going to sit here and let yourself die then I at least deserve to know why. Why in the hell are you acting like this?"

Finding his voice Hank all but barked at the deviant as he told him the truth. "I won't die in the back of an ambulance like Barbara!" Shouting with a hoarse voice he fought to look at Connor through the tears of anger, frustration and pain welling up in his otherwise kind blue yes. "And I won't die on the operating table like Cole! I won't do it. I won't..."

The desperation in Hank's voice had left Connor stunned and speechless. Quietly the deviant ran another scan over the detective's body and found Hank's vitals to be dangerously unstable.

"Please... dad." Grabbing onto Hank's pale, sweaty hand Connor pleaded with his father to be reasonable. Bowing his head a little Connor let tears roll down his face and fall to the floor in heavy drops. "I can't lose you, too."

Those words were haunting to the seasoned detective. They were the very words, the very prayer, he had uttered to himself the night that Cole had died. No one listened to him back then, and it hurt more than anything. But on this night Hank could be the one to listen, he could the one to hear Connor and listen to him.

Staring at the poorly masked panic in Connor's eyes Hank couldn't help but see the same worry that always appeared in Cole's eyes whenever he came home from the precinct either sore from a chase, or sick from the cold. No matter which son looked at him Hank couldn't ignore the fear and would do anything in his power to make it go away.

Swallowing his pride and choking back a frustrated sob Hank planted his hand firmly on Connor's shoulder and nodded. "...Okay."

Connor lifted his head back up and planted his hand over top of Hank's hand as the detective's palm remained clamped down on his shoulder.

"It's okay, Connor. Go ahead. ...Call 911."

Giving an appreciative and relieved nod Connor cybernetically placed the call and proceeded to tend to Hank's condition himself until the paramedics arrived.

"...Thank you." Fighting to keep his voice from becoming too heavy Connor patted the back of Hank's hand twice. "Thank you for cooperating."

* * *

It was a blur as the paramedics arrived and placed Hank on the gurney to be taken to the hospital. A preliminary examination confirmed Connor's fear that Hank was in complete renal failure and were now fighting to keep him stabilized during transport. Connor held his breath and danced his coin anxiously over the knuckles of his right hand as he peered through the observation window overlooking the operating room one floor below. Hank had begun to decline rapidly in his health upon his arrival to the hospital and required dialysis to clear as many toxins from his blood stream before being prepped for emergency surgery two hours later.

Without a matching organic donor organ available Hank required two artificial kidneys to replace what he had lost that year due to injury, and now illness. A double organ transplant was rarely performed unless it was an emergency situation, and in Hank's case his condition was critical and nearing grave. The only way to ensure he'd recover adequately enough to have a descent life was through kidneys to replace everything he had lost.

It took almost an hour and a half to surgically implant the first of the two artificial kidneys in Hank's body, and it took almost ten minutes for the surgeons to see a positive response to the artificial organ as it was recognized by Hank's renal system and accepted. Another two hours passed before the surgeons were able to remove the dying kidney and replace it with the second artificial kidney, and again they waited for Hank's body to accept the organ before they made a move to end the procedure and close him up.

The surgery was a success and Connor sighed as a massive weight lifted from his shoulders.

Unfortunately the poor health combined with the potent infection, and Hank's own stubbornness had left the detective in a comatose state. While he was being monitored carefully in the I.C.U. for any signs of organ rejection, post operative infection or other complications, Connor remained vigil either next to his bed or just outside of the room whenever the doctors needed to examine him privately.

Staring intently at the floor before him Connor was only vaguely aware of Hank's hand twitching slightly as the detective was finally beginning to wake up after four consecutive days of nothingness. Turning his head Connor watched as Hank's fingers lightly flexed and his head lolled slightly to the side, the nasal canula feeding him oxygen remaining perfectly in place under his nose, and the cardiac monitor recording his vitals showed a mild increase as he slowly regained consciousness.

"Hey." Resting his hand on Hank's arm lightly Connor gave the detective a familiar presence and made sure his coin was out of sight and inside his pocket as he spoke to him. "Can you hear me?"

"...Yeah." Hank's voice was only a whisper as he turned his head toward the sound of Connor's voice. "Guess I'm not dead yet."

"You tolerated the surgery well. But... you slipped into a coma and have been unconscious for one-hundred and four hours, thirty-two minutes and fifty-eight seconds."

Opening his eyes a sliver Hank felt a sharp pain shooting in the middle of his abdomen, his strained vital signs being recorded on the cardiac monitor beside

Connor immediately slipped the release button to control the pain medication into Hank's hand. "Press the button, it'll increase your pain medication."

Trusting Hank to not overdose and merely take the edge off his pain Connor watched and waited as Hank's distressed vital signs began to steadily relax. Hank gradually pressed down the button with his thumb and stopped once the pain edged away to a bearable degree. "...Thanks."

Dr. Wilson entered the room and was happy to see Hank finally awake and coherent as he acknowledged Connor's presence and turned his focus to the good doctor as he approached. "Nice to see you awake, Captain." The kind doctor stated with a goodhearted nature as he began checking the detective's vital signs. "It was close, but you pulled through. Your body is showing no sign of rejection and we'd like to keep it that way."

"...That's 'doctor code' for saying I need to stay longer, isn't it?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Confirming Hank's guess Dr. Wilson made a note in Hank's electronic chart that was hooked into the cardiac monitor beside the bed. Gently he lifted Hank's eyelids to check his pupils with his small penlight. "You've been in a coma for almost four and half days, and we'd like to keep you for three more days to test for any sign of mental deficiencies or organ rejection."

"Great, just great..."

"It won't be so bad. I'll have you transferred to a private room and after three days you can go home, as long as Connor, or anyone else is there to keep an eye on you for the next three weeks. Then another three after that you can return to work, but I strongly suggest desk duty until all of your pain has subsided."

"Another six weeks on the injured reserved list? Fuck... It wasn't fun the first time around, I can't image the next time will be anymore fun."

Dr. Wilson tilted his head a little as he tried to give Hank a more optimistic outlook. "Could be worse."

"How's that?"

"You have _two_ new kidneys, and since they aren't organic you won't need to take immunosupressants for the rest of your life to prevent rejection."

"Artificial kidneys, huh?" Giving Connor a somewhat sly look he tried to lighten the mood to the best of his ability as well. "Guess we have more in common now."

"...Something like that." Connor wasn't in a joking mood, and despite Hank's recovery he still wasn't relieved.

"Get some rest." Dr. Wilson urged as he motioned for Connor to accompany him outside. "I'll make sure Connor knows everything that needs to be done before you can go home."

"Yeah, thanks..." Allowing his eyes to close slowly Hank let out a weary breath and tried to relax. "I'm sure I'll be fine as long as Connor is there to kick my ass back into shape."

* * *

Resting in his private room with a bag of ice over his sore abdomen and a television remote in his hand, Hank tried to preoccupy his mind as a fresh snowfall blanketed the city under a bright layer of white. It was nearing midnight and visitors had been asked to leave for the night three hours ago leaving Hank alone in his room with only the company of the television to hold his attention.

Dr. Wilson knocked on the door before entering to check in Hank for one last time before he also went home for the night. "How do you feel?"

"Bored."

"Sorry, about that. We can't control the programs." Lightly he lifted up Hank's eyelids and checked his pupils with his penlight once more and was relieved to see no sign of neurological impairment. Moving his attention to the healing incision in Hank's abdomen Dr. Wilson made light conversation to try to gauge Hank's memory and speech patterns. "You look as tired as Connor."

"I think I accidentally scared the shit out of him."

"Wouldn't be surprised considering how close you were to death."

"I'll apologize to him tomorrow. I just hope he isn't going to hold a grudge."

"You know," Retracting his hand and replace Hank's thin scrub top Dr. Wilson made another note in Hank's electronic chart casually. "I think that's the first time I've ever seen a deviant so petrified."

"...I didn't mean to scare him."

"Well, considering what he's been through I'm not surprised he was so freaked out."

"You know about his late girlfriend?"

"And his brother. We have deviants here in the hospital, and several the deviants caught in that riot were brought her for treatment alongside the humans."

"Fuck."

"Does he normally stay awake all night or-"

"Wait, what?" The question immediately caught Hank's attention before Dr. Wilson even had the chance to finish asking it.

"...While you were in a coma no one on staff saw him sleep, and when he did leave the hospital it was only for a half hour at the most. I didn't know if that was normal for his model or if that's something you should be made aware of."

"Ah man, I really fucked up." Hank dragged a hand down his face with righteous worry. "...Not this shit again."

"Hank, try not to worry about it. Just talk to him tomorrow and bury the hatchet." Turning the lights down in the room until they were glowing dimly Dr. Wilson took his leave of the room. "Until then, you get some sleep yourself."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, doc."

* * *

It was like the deviant was trying to bear the weight of the entire world on his shoulders, and now he was beginning to suffer from the burden he had needlessly brought upon himself. Moving with a stilted gait down the corridor to Hank's private room Connor pushed open the door and took his place beside the bed as he resumed his vigil over the healing detective.

"Hi, son." Hank greeted as the emotionally and physically exhausted deviant sat down heavily beside him. "You look tired."

"Hello, Hank. I am tired, but I imagine you feel the same."

"How'd you sleep last night?"

"...I didn't."

"Connor, you need to rest."

"I can't. I'm... thinking."

"Stop it."

"I can't."

"Connor, son," Hank sat up as much as he could without causing himself any pain in the process to give the kindhearted deviant a stern glance. The sound of Hank's voice had drawn Connor's brown irises up and in his direction, but the usually bright eyes were dull with fatigue. "I'm sorry for being a stubborn jackass. You were right to want to take me to the hospital, but I was... I was afraid. I admit it."

"...It's okay, Hank. I know you hate hospitals."

"That doesn't excuse me being an asshole. Especially since I always give you shit about not wanting to go to facilities whenever you're hurt or sick." The comment had a surprising impact on Connor that stunned the deviant into deeper silence. A silence that Hank immediately sensed. "Son? What's wrong?"

"Is... Is that was it feels like?"

"What?"

"Whenever I'm injured, or sick, or have gone missing... This horrible sense of dread and loss. Is that was it felt like for you all those times?"

Hesitating to answer out of pure reluctance Hank finally responded with a weak sigh. "Yeah, son. That's what it feels like."

"I'm... I'm so sorry!" Connor blurted from an emotional pain he was trying to hide in the depths of his heart. "I had no idea that you were suffering so much because I-"

"Hey, hey!" Reaching out a hand to Connor's arm Hank held his trembling son as steady as possible as the deviant began to cry with deep-seeded frustration that he simply hadn't come to terms with. "It's going to be okay!"

"I caused you so much pain, so much worry and-"

"That's what it's like to be a father." Interrupting quickly Hank did his best to keep Connor from beating himself up over the past. "Even if you worked as a librarian in an elementary school I'd be worried about you."

"If I had known that this how you felt I never would've been so stubborn."

"Yeah, you would. It's in your nature. And," Hank raised his opposite hand to shush Connor before he could offer a rebuttal. "there's nothing wrong with that. It means you're strong willed, defiant and loyal. All admirable traits."

Wiping away his tears Connor took in a deep calming breaths and recomposed himself. "I don't think I'm as strong as everyone thinks."

" _Strong_. Not indestructible. Son, you've been through so much in your short life. And this year alone has been crazy!" Tightening his hand on Connor's arm Hank tilted his head slightly as he gently pulled Connor toward him. "C'mere for a second."

Following Hank's guidance Connor stood up beside the bed and let the detective pull him down for a quick hug. The warm embrace made Connor less tense, but he was still upset about everything he had just gone through.

Keeping his arms wrapped around Connor tightly Hank tried to think of the best way to help his distraught son. "Didn't you say that Josh has a support group at New Jericho Tower?"

"...Yes."

"Maybe you should join them one night. You know, help sort out your feelings in the company of other deviants who have gone through the same emotional extremes that you've gone through."

"I... I can't go back to that tower. It's where I lost Lucas and Skye. It's where I almost died in a fire. It's where... CyberLife once stood."

"Alright, then we'll find you a therapist outside the tower to help you talk things out so you don't have to keep everything bottled up anymore."

"I thought humans who sought therapists did so because they were mentally unsound."

"Ah, fuck. That's just a horrible stigma that humans created because we love to think the worst of everything." As Connor let go of the hug Hank watched him stand up again and sit back in the chair beside him. "There's nothing wrong with getting help, and talking to someone doesn't mean you're crazy. It actually means you're pretty damn sane; you're aware you need help and you're getting it. There's _nothing_ crazy about that."

"...Have you spoken with a therapist?"

"Once. After my mom died."

"Did it... help?"

"Uh, yeah, but I was young and I didn't take her advice very seriously. So it probably would've been better for me I had." Lingering on the thought for a moment Hank tagged on an interesting deal. "How about we both go see therapists and work some shit out?"

"I don't know, Hank." The skepticism of Connor's demeanor was undeniable. "Deviants don't think like humans, I'm highly doubtful of the success of this venture."

"Hey? Remember when Joel hypnotized you so you could uncover a memory that had been blocked by CyberLife?"

"...Yes. It was very interesting, and somewhat traumatic as I recall. I nearly broken Joel's wrist in the process."

"Well, if you can be hypnotized then I know for damn sure you can get help just by talking things out."

Connor looked out the hospital window at the heavy snow that continued to blanket the city only to focus on his faint reflection being cast on the flawless, shiny glass surface. The first thing his eyes did was hone in on his right temple to where is L.E.D. had once been and in that brief second Connor realized that Hank was right. There was still so much that he needed to understand about himself and what he was feeling as a deviant.

"Okay, Ha- dad. I'll try." Connor wanted to sound confident but he was still shaking with uncertainty. His frail nerves were starting to get to him. "I'll do it."

" _We'll_ do it." Hank corrected politely while giving the deviant a knowing glance. "I'm out of commission for six weeks, so that'll give us a good start while I'm recovering from being a dumbass."

"You're not a dumbass." The tone of Connor's voice was light but his eyes were still so heavy. "...You're merely stubborn."

"Yeah, you're right." Laughing a little at the observation Hank couldn't help but agree. Keeping his palm to his healing abdomen Hank breathed deeply, calmly. "...Like father, like son."

_**...next story...** _


	150. Holiday Blues

It was the middle of December and the houses that lined the streets of Detroit were illuminated in bright strands of multicolored and solid white lights that glowed warmly throughout the cold nights. As Connor drove back home with Hank in the passenger seat beside him the two detectives had endured their third week of going to therapy, and had six sessions under their belts. The progress was slow but it was also effective as the incredibly stubborn duo were finally able to come to terms with their pain of their of their individual pasts.

"Two weeks until Christmas." Hank stated casually as he glanced out the window and counted the houses glowing brightly. "What do you want to do this year?"

Connor was quiet for a few minutes as he thought about the question, but no answer presented itself. "...Nothing."

"Nothing? Come on, you must want to do _something_ this year. Last year we had kind of an early Christmas and all we did was give each other one gift. I thought for certain you'd want to try something more elaborate this year."

"I don't want to celebrate Christmas, Hank." The depressed deviant was steadfast in his decision. "That's a human holiday that I will never fully understand."

"...Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to." Trying to coax Connor into agreeing to a small celebration Hank pushed lightly as the car pulled into the drive beside the house. "I kinda' figured that was one thing deviants did better than humans, but whatever."

"To what are you referring?"

"Celebrating holidays. Deviants and androids don't have a weird religion-based bias agenda. You guys just celebrate for the sake of celebrating."

"Oh." Opening up his door Connor stepped out of the car slowly, somberly, as Hank did the same from the opposite side.

Waiting for Hank to walk around the front of the car Connor helped guide him along the still somewhat icy back steps to the backdoor to get inside the warm house. Sumo raced up to the two detectives and was promptly met with gentle ear rubs before being let outside for a few minutes. While Hank took off his coat and his shoes Connor proceeded to get the healing detective's required medication ready for his next dose.

"I'm going to take a shower." Hank announced as he left the kitchen and walked down the hallway. Before Connor even had the chance to offer any assistance Hank cut him off. "No, I don't need any help. I won't be long."

Without saying a word Connor finished gathering the required medication and set it out on the kitchen table for Hank to take once he finished his shower. Pulling an already prepared meal from the refrigerator Connor placed it in the oven to warm up before letting Sumo back inside the house for the rest of the evening. Sumo shook off his wet fur, soaking Connor's clothing in the process, then trotted back into the livingroom to lay down on his warm fluffy pillow in the corner of the room.

Unfazed by the cold water now drenching his clothing Connor just sighed as finished his task in the kitchen before retreating to his bedroom to think in private.

Laying down on his bed with his arm tucked under his head Connor closed his eyes and thought about everything that he and his therapist had discussed regarding his previous experiences with his deviancy, as well as the extreme emotions he had endured, the deaths of his brother and his wife, how he had nearly lost Hank, and of his own near death experiences. However, his therapy sessions weren't all bleak and always reflecting his inner darkness. Connor had also reflected on the positive moments in his life too; his adoption, taking in Sumo from the shelter after the original Sumo passed away, his positive relationships with his friends and his family, his inner strength, his kindness, his compassion and his incredible grasp of empathy.

Just as Hank had told him at the cabin there will always be darkness and light in the world. One cannot exist without the other. And it was up to him how he chose to exist throughout his life; hiding in the darkness or embracing the light.

There was a lot going on in the deviant's mind, and it seemed like he just needed help sorting it all out. And of course his plans to create Skye Tower; a shelter for those who are lost and have nowhere else to go, was now his primary focus.

Connor turned his head and opened his eyes as he heard the bathroom door open and watched Hank step outside. He still had a slight limp after enduring his major surgery but he wasn't in as much pain as Connor had feared. Getting up from his bed Connor watched as Hank sat down on the couch and pressed his hand to his lower back lightly as he also pressed his other hand against his abdomen to keep the fresh bandages still protecting his healing incision from slipping loose.

"Do you need assistance now?" The deviant asked as he joined Hank in the livingroom.

"No, it's fine. I might need to pick up some more gauze tomorrow, but I can't be sure."

"If you like I can-" Connor stopped short and he gave the detective an odd look as an unexpected interruption caught his words in his throat. "I just received an emergency text from Captain Fowler."

"What's up?"

"There is a jumper on the Ambassador Bridge over the Detroit River. Captain Fowler's asking for my assistance in talking him down."

"Ah, fuck..."

"I have to go."

"Be careful, kid. Don't let him do anything that'll endanger you."

"I will try to do my best."

* * *

A news helicopter was hovering over the bridge with its spotlight shining on the person of interest as he stood on the edge of the bridge threatening to jump at any minute during that bleak evening. Arriving at the bridge in an autonomous taxi to keep additional traffic from cluttering the already stopped flow of cars on the bridge Connor marched through the gathered crowd toward where Captain Fowler was standing with his hands on his hips, and a radio in his hand. Catching sight of the deviant pushing forward Captain Fowler motioned for everyone to step aside and give Connor clearance to get to the scene of the incident as quickly as possible.

"Thanks for coming." Captain Fowler shook Connor's hand and ducked his head down as a strong gust of cold wind howled over the bridge. "We can't get a hold of anyone else with any experience in negotiating, and you're the first person I thought of."

"I understand. How long has he been on the bridge?"

"About thirty minutes. He's cold, crazy and he has a gun." Handing Connor a Kevlar vest the deviant wisely slipped off his black leather jacket for a moment to wrapped the protective barrier around his chest and hid it under the jacket to keep the man from seeing Connor as a threat. "We've done what we can but with the way he's brandishing that gun he may open fire in a panic if we get too close."

"What's his name?" Connor asked as he eyed the man from the distance.

"His name is Lloyd. From what we've been able to gather his husband walked out on him last summer and the holidays just brought out the worst in his depression."

Nodding calmly Connor proceeded to walk closer to the man who was standing precariously on the slick and high metal railing of the bridge. With the gun in one trembling hand and his other trembling hand on a metal support structure to the bridge he was shouting angrily demanding the police back away and for everyone to leave him alone.

Pushing through his lingering fear of heights for the sake of saving a life Connor took a deep breath and steeled himself for the inevitable negotiations that could result in a life saved, or a life lost. "Hello, Lloyd." Connor greeted in an even voice as he revealed himself amongst the crowd. "My name is Connor. I want to help you."

"Then GO AWAY!"

"I can't do that. You need help and I won't leave you alone without it."

Lloyd pointed the gun directly at Connor causing the gathered crowd to scream in fear and back away en mass. Fearless and determined Connor lifted his hands into the air as if to surrender, while also showing that he was unarmed, and he took another step forward.

"I just want to talk."

"Enough talk! I spent the whole year talking but he doesn't listen!" Lloyd shouted again as Connor approached very slowly. "Leave me alone to die! I need to jump and I'll shoot anyone who tries to stop me!"

"Lloyd, please don't do this." Nearing where the suicidal man was standing dangerously close to the edge of the bridge, Connor braced himself as another strong gust of wind howled and sent an icy chill into his body. "You don't want to die, you're just in pain. Trust me on this, I know what it's like to be standing on the edge of the abyss."

"...Then you know the pain is unbearable!"

"Yes." Reaching out to the suicidal man empathetically and physically Connor stood right before him at arm's length and ready to make a grab in the event the man tried to jump. Ignoring the height from which he was standing over the water Connor remained focused on Lloyd. "It seems that way right now, but you can overcome it. There are people who can help you, and I'm one of them. You won't be alone anymore."

"You'll... You'll really help me?"

"Yes. I can see that you don't want to die and that you don't want to hurt anyone. You're in pain and you miss your husband." Connor extended his hand and put it over the gun in Lloyd's grip to lower it down to the ground. "But this isn't the solution."

"...Help me."

"I will."

As Lloyd began to slowly climb down from the bridge another gust of wind roared with an impressive strength and caused him to waver on his feet as he lost balance and threatened to fall over the edge and into the river below. Connor moved quickly and managed to grab onto Lloyd's arm just as the man fell over the security railing, but the slick surface caused Connor to slip forward as well. Grabbing onto the ice cold railing with his free hand Connor held tight and refused to let Lloyd fall into the river below.

"I got you." Connor stated firmly as he shifted all of his strength into the arm hanging onto Lloyd's hand and proceeded to lift him up higher so the other officers could grab onto his free hand. "They'll pull you back up."

Other officers rushed to the edge of the bridge with life lines and safety harnesses as they attempted to rescue the two people now hanging off the bridge and above the freezing, raging river. Swallowing his fear Connor forced himself to open his eyes and look down with faux confidence at Lloyd as the terrified human struggled and gasped in righteous panic.

"Lloyd, I'm going to pull you upward to the bridge and the other officers will pull you up to safety."

"I'LL FALL!"

"No. I won't let you." Tightening his grip and shifting his strength to prioritize hoisting Lloyd higher up, Connor managed to heft Lloyd up into the awaiting hands of the responding officers. "You'll be safe."

True to his word Connor managed to lift Lloyd up high enough that the other officers were able to grab onto his arm, secure a safety harness around his waist and pull him back over the bridge to safety. As the officers attempted to repeat the same process for Connor another dangerous gust of icy cold wind made Connor's hand lose its strength and he began slipping away from the bridge.

"You need to get back." Connor cautioned as he calculated the odds of success versus failure regarding his own rescue. "You'll fall over the edge and into the river before you could pull me up."

"We're not going to leave you behind." One of the cops shouted over the window as he and the other officers pulled Lloyd to safety. "We'll get you up in a minute."

"I'm sorry. I can't let you risk yourself..."

Unwilling to let the other officers risk their lives to save his own Connor closed his eyes and forced his hand to loosen its grip, and he let go.

It was like slow motion as the deviant fell from the bridge and began his long plummet to the cold water below. Falling through the open air without any fear or care in the world Connor managed to send a single message to Hank just seconds before his body slammed through the surface of the cold water. In a matter of seconds he sank below the surface, down into the dangerously cold river water and out of sight to left at the mercy of the current.

' _Hank_ , _I'll be okay_.'

* * *

Courtesy of the news helicopters the events unfolding on the bridge spread over the city fast.

While sitting on the couch watching the news of the jumper on the bridge Hank felt his heart drop at the sight of Connor hanging off the bridge by one hand. But seeing Connor letting go and falling away into the murky abyss of the freezing river sent a chill of utter terror up his spine, swam over his every thought. The phone clutched tightly in Hank's hand buzzed as Connor's message made it through, but Hank couldn't bring himself to look away from the television screen to read the message until the phone itself rang.

Looking down to check on the caller I.D. Hank saw the message and ran a hand down his face as he answered the call from Captain Fowler.

"Jeffrey, I saw what happened, but listen, Connor sent me a message as he fell. Keep looking and you'll find him, I know it! He'll find a way to survive..."

' _Hank, with the river that damn cold_ -'

"I know the odds of finding a survivor in the water this time of year, but you have to try!" Hanging up the phone Hank tossed it to the end of the couch and let out a pained sigh. "Just make it back home and I'll call it a good Christmas. That's all I want this year."

* * *

Cold and dazed Connor fought against the strong current as best as he could as his system sent dozens of warning messages into his visual processors. Dismissing them all he held his breath and refused to let any of the freezing water enter his artificial lungs, he continued to move about wildly to prevent his Thirium lines from freezing up his joints. Thinking quickly Connor changed his tactic and rather than try to fight against the current he let it guide him through the river, as he kicked as hard as he could to swim to the shoreline instead.

As his hand broke through the surface of the water he reached out and found the frozen, sandy shore that lined the river and grabbed on tight. Pulling himself out of the water and onto the bank he pushed himself up until he was kneeling on the shore with his arms wrapped protectively around his chest and abdomen to try to keep what little heat his body he had retained from leaving his chilled body.

A sharp pain in his side made Connor wince as a small alert indicating his lowered Thirium volume and core temperature appeared in his visual processors.

It was dark and Connor fought to cybernetically enable his G.P.S., but his intracranial processor was too cold to respond properly. Looking about quickly he took in his surroundings, finding trees and a dense snowy forest all around him. Turning his head back toward the river from whence he was carried the deviant's advanced vision detected the Ambassador Bridge almost eight miles away from his current location, which was now on the shores of Canada.

"H-Hank..." Connor closed his eyes and tried to send another message cybernetically but again his processors were too cold to comply. "...C-Cold."

Headlights shone over him as a pick-up truck pulled along the trees and came to a stop just a few yards away from where he was kneeling.

Unable to retain consciousness Connor fell forward and onto his sore side as he shivered violently. The sound of rushing footsteps approached him from the truck, but Connor didn't have the strength to turn his head to look up at the person who approached him, or to speak. A lone figure knelt down beside the downed deviant and a large, strong hand rested on his arm.

"Don't worry, friend. I have you."

The voice was vaguely familiar, but in his moment of waning lucidity Connor couldn't place it. All he knew was the voice was male and belonged to an ally.

Strong arms managed to heft him up from the cold shore with surprising ease and carry him from the river and over to the truck. The last thing Connor was consciously aware of was the strong arms placing him down in the warm cab of the truck and the door closing after he was carried to safety.

Everything else went dark.

* * *

Pacing about the livingroom anxiously, one hand to his sore back and the other running along the back of the couch to help him remain balanced Hank stared at his phone resting untouched on the couch cushion waiting for any response from either Connor or Captain Fowler. Sumo was sitting in the middle of the livingroom watching Hank nervously as the detective restlessly strolled back and forth through the room with mounting impatience.

"C'mon, Jeffrey. Talk to me!" Unable to stand the burning pain in his back any longer Hank sat down slowly and picked up his phone to hold onto it as tightly as possible. "Or better yet, Connor. You said you'd be okay and I believe you, but I still need a little more than that to work on."

A message appeared on his screen, but it wasn't from Connor or Captain Fowler, it was from Markus: ' _Please call me_ '.

"Fuck..." Scrolling through his contacts Hank located Markus's name and pressed 'call'. The line was answered quickly much to Hank's relief, though he had no idea why Markus wanted to speak with him. "Markus, what's going on?"

' _Hank, I have news about Connor. One of our allies in Canada_ -'

"Canada!?"

' _Connor was found and he's safe. He's still unconscious but he's with friends_.'

"You're sure?!" It almost seemed to good to be true. "How do you know?!"

' _Because she contacted me to let me know_.'

"Connor is IN Canada right now?"

' _Yeah. But we'll get him back_ -'

"Markus, the damn bridges are all closed off right now because of that idiot's stunt. You can't get him back right now."

' _Then we'll wait until morning. Don't worry, Hank. He's going to be okay_.'

"Yeah, no offense Markus, but I'll believe you when I actually see him."

' _No offense taken. I'll inform you on his condition throughout the night until he's back home._ '

"Thanks, Markus. I appreciate it."

' _Do you need anything right now_?'

"Just a damn miracle..." Ending the call with a heavy heart Hank patted his leg and called Sumo over to him where he was sitting on the couch. As the massive dog jumped up onto the couch to lay over Hank's legs the detective ran his hand along Sumo's back and let out a sigh. "This has been one shitty year. The end can't come soon enough, huh boy?"

* * *

A trio of voices, all familiar for one reason or another, surrounded Connor and spoke softly as a warm compress was draped over his forehead with a gentle pressure. His drenched leather jacket had been stripped away as were his water logged shoes. The deviant's t-shirt had been lifted up to expose his chest and his abdomen as the bleeding injury to his side was tended to and bandaged.

Aware of a warm, soft pressure under his back and an even warmer sensation over his abdomen Connor opened his eyes slowly to look at his new environment. A blurry face came into focus as they leaned down over Connor and gently pressed a warm towel to the side of his face.

"...K-Kara?"

"Shh... You're okay, Connor." Kara whispered as she finished applying the last stitch to the massive cut stretching down from his right chest at an angle to his right hip. "You didn't damage any of your biocomponents in the fall." She soothed kindly as the deviant regained consciousness and she dabbed the fresh stitches with incrassation compound. "You've been asleep for almost a four hours. It took almost as long for you to warm up."

"How did..." Connor's memory was a blank after pulling himself out of the river. "I don't understand."

"Luther found you on the bank near the river and brought you back to our apartment to heal."

"Apartment?"

Lifting his head slightly Connor glanced about the somewhat fuzzy livingroom of the modest apartment. He was laying over a pure white sofa in a room that was a calm pale blue. There was a white chair in the corner with a coffee table, and a lamp. A television was mounted on the far wall next to two bookshelves crammed full of human literature. The room was also decorated with a massive amount of shiny Christmas, Hanukah and Kwanzaa decorations that gave the apartment a welcoming energy.

Luther replied in a cool voice from where he stood watching as Connor regained consciousness. "You kept muttering something about not going to facilities while you were drifting in and out of consciousness. Besides, the apartment is almost fifteen minutes closer to the river than any facility. This was the safer alternative."

Connor's vision cleared and he then saw Luther standing just behind Kara with a kind smile on his face, and Alice sitting in front a massive glowing Christmas tree with some type of stuffed animal toy in her hands as she played by herself around a collection of wrapped gifts.

"...Thank you, Luther."

"You're welcome, my friend."

"We saw the news report." Kara stated calmly as she lightly pushed him back so he was laying flat against the couch again. "And when we saw you fall into the river after saving that man Luther decided to check along the riverbank in case he caught sight of you. That current is horrible."

"Yes. So I've experienced." Running a self-diagnostic Connor was greeted with numerous error messages regarding his core temperature and of the partially frozen Thirium thawing in his lines throughout his joints and biocomponents. "Thank you for helping me."

"Of course. Once the bridges open back up we'll get you back home."

"...Hank." Connor suddenly seemed to remember the detective and his heart raced with worry. Closing his eyes Connor sent the detective another text, quickly followed by a whole string of texts letting him know that he was okay and would return to the city as soon as he could. "...I hope he'll be alright by himself for the night."

"I'm sure he will." Kara stated kindly as she stopped fussing with the towel over Connor's face. "Why wouldn't he?"

"He's been ill. I don't want him to be alone for too long."

"Can anyone else take care of him?"

"I'm certain a friend has already checked in on him, but, I still don't like it." Sitting up slowly on the couch Kara tried again to make him lay back down to prevent him from aggravating his injury, but Connor refused to relent and swung his cold legs over the edge of the couch. "...Do you know if the man I helped on the bridge is alright?"

"According to the news he's fine, it's you everyone's worried about right now." Gently she put her hands on his right side over the bandages before pulling his t-shirt back down. "You struck something when the current was dragging you around. If you move too much you might start to bleed again."

"...I'll be okay. I won't move about."

Luther walked up behind Kara and put his hand on her shoulder kindly. "I'll inform the authorities that he's been found so they can call off the search."

"Good idea." Sitting down beside Connor on the couch Kara took the blanket that had draped over him and wrapped it around his slightly shivering shoulders to try to keep him comfortable. "I'm glad you're okay. And, I'm also sorry about what happened a while back."

"You're referring to the riots and of... what happened to-"

"Yeah." Kara replied quickly as she knew the bleak subject was still a sensitive matter. "It's awful. How're you doing?"

"I'm... I'm taking it one day at a time." Wanting to change the subject away from something so dreary Connor nodded to Alice who was smiling and playing with her toy happily. As his vision cleared entirely he could see that she was also playing with a small kitten who was enamored with the shiny Christmas ornaments hanging all over the tree. "It seems you've managed to achieve a comfortable life outside of the city. I'm glad."

"Yes." Kara smiled as she turned her head to look at Alice with a motherly pride in her eyes. "Alice has adjusted well and is attending private school with other deviants who want a normal life. And she's happy. For the first time since that awful night that I had to become a deviant to save her, she's truly happy."

The bright colorful glow of the tall, thick green artificial tree gave the entire room a calming aura of love. Dozens of different colored and designed ornaments hung all over the branches, along with red ribbon and silver tinsel. A bright golden star topped off the tree and produced an even brighter warm light above.

He wasn't sure why, but Connor really liked the sight of the glowing tree adorned with color and art.

Taking in the abundance of decorations from three unique holidays that were spread equally throughout apartment Connor's brow arched a little. "May I ask why you're celebrating three distinct holidays as opposed to selecting just one?"

"Because we love having a reason to celebrate! Once New Year's comes around we'll celebrate that, too. Don't you celebrate the holidays?"

"...Not really."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable."

"You didn't. It's just that earlier Hank had asked me what I wanted to do for Christmas this year and I told him nothing. And I think I inadvertently disappointed him with my answer."

"Why's that?"

"He hadn't celebrated Christmas since-" Stopping short to try to preserve the private man's pain regarding Cole's death Connor quickly found a more appropriate answer to give. "It's just been a long time for him because of his work. We had a small Christmas last year and I think he wanted to have a slightly bigger one this year. But I... I just don't feel like celebrating."

"No one can blame you. Not after what you just went through."

"But it isn't fair to Hank." Connor tightened the blanket around himself sadly as he realized that his decision had also affected Hank. "He's been a great father to me and exceptionally patient with my deviancy. Hell, he's had health problems all year and never once complained about it because he knew it'd make me worry. I feel like I owe him this, but I also know he'd never say as much."

"...It's not too late, Connor. I mean you could still have a Christmas celebration if you wanted to."

"I believe that's what I'll do." Craning his head a little as Luther returned to the livingroom Connor made his next decision. "I'll be sure to let Hank know how much I appreciate him."

"Connor, the authorities are waiting for you outside." Luther looked relieved to see the deviant conscious and alert. "They'll take you over the bridge and back to the city."

"Thank you." Standing up on trembling legs Connor was presented with his now dry leather jacket by Alice who smiled at him warmly. Taking the jacket and readily slipping it over his arms and zipping it up he gave the young deviant an appreciative nod. "And thank you."

"You're welcome!" Alice beamed before she raced back to the tree to gently pick up the kitten and cuddle it in her arms. "I'm going to my room with Ginger to read now, mom."

Connor tilted his head a little after hearing Alice use the term 'mom' and then felt a sense of warmth spread in his chest. "Alice is a wonderful little girl. Be proud of her."

"We are." Kara confirmed as Luther wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her back into a hug. "And we'll always be here for her."

"...Just as Hank and I will always be there for each other, as father and son."

Two officers appeared at the apartment door, one from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and other was a familiar face. Officer Chris Miller.

"Hey, Connor. Man, that was one hell of save you pulled off tonight!" Chris complimented as he showed Connor to the door. "Glad to see you're still in one piece."

"Yes, I'm okay. Kara, Luther, thank you for your help."

Closing his eyes he sent another message to Hank and followed the two officers to the shared squad car parked outside the apartment complex.

' _I'm coming home, dad_.'

* * *

Dried off and slightly warmer than he had been Connor arrived home via autonomous taxi after Chris escorted him back over the border and to the precinct to write a report. Relieved to be home Connor proceeded to jog up the front walk to the front door. As he pushed the door open he was greeted first by Sumo who jumped up and put his paws against his shoulders as he licked the side of his face, and then by Hank who pulled him inside the house with a hand to the shoulder and locked the front door behind him.

"Man, you really know how to scare the shit out of me!" Hank nearly shouted at the returned deviant. "You know that?"

"It wasn't my intention."

"I know, I saw. You saved that guy's life, by the way."

"That's good to know." Connor pushed Sumo down to the floor and eyed Hank's stilted movements warily. "...Are you alright?"

"I'm just sore and scared shitless. So, normal." Hank sarcastically smiled as he sat back down on the couch and let out a deep sigh of relief upon seeing his son return home, safe and unharmed. "How about you?"

"Cold and tired."

"Did you break anything when you fell?"

"No- Well, not entirely." Unzipping his jacket Connor lifted up his shirt to revealed the stitched up wound in his side and pulled down the bandages slightly. "I was able to withstand the harsh impact of the water with only this single wound as well as secondary mild artificial subcutaneous hemorrhages."

"What?"

"...Bruises."

"Oh. Just say that night time, alright?"

"I will."

"Fowler is hailing you as a hero and the city is cheering because you talked down a jumper just in time for the holidays. You did real good tonight, son."

"It was fortunate that something good came of tonight." Joining Hank on the couch Connor pulled back down his shirt and shivered slightly. With a pat of his hands he called Sumo over to cuddle against his legs in an effort to get warmer. "Hank, er, dad..." Connor tried to get used to calling him 'dad' now that they were no longer partners at the precinct and he no longer had to be so selective with his chosen terms. "I was wondering if it was too late to change my mind."

"About what?"

"Christmas."

"Oh." Hank's eyes lit up a little as he spoke. "You want to do something now?"

"Yes. I can honestly say that I do want to celebrate Christmas this year."

"What changed your mind?"

"I was rescued by Luther at the river, and he took me to the apartment that he and Kara live in with Alice as their daughter."

"So those are the allies Markus told me about." Hank smiled with utter relief resonating in his voice. "I'm glad they saved you."

"I am, too."

"But what was it about them that changed your mind, son?"

"They are celebrating all of the holidays simply because they enjoy celebrations. It seems to make them... happy."

"Now I get it... And you want to find what makes _you_ happy." The detective clapped Connor's shoulder in understanding and gave the timid deviant an approving smirk. "Alright, we'll celebrate Christmas together as a family. How do you want to do this thing?"

"...Can we get a Christmas tree?"

"Sure." With a flash of a smile Hank turned to look at the corner of the livingroom where the old Christmas tree used to sit all those years ago back when he still had his late wife and late son to decorate with him. "We can go look for a new Christmas tree tomorrow morning. Sound good?"

"Yes. I think that'd be a good time to start trying to enjoy the holidays..."

_**...next story...** _


	151. A Blue Christmas Without You

Staring at the newly purchased Christmas tree with an odd sense of wonder Connor stood idle and eyed the bare green branches with a strange need to cover them in brightly colored lights and various ornaments as if the urge was a natural part of his programming. Sumo sniffed at the artificial tree curiously and Connor wisely grabbed the large dog by the collar to lead him outside for a few minutes to ensure no 'accidents' befell the tree. As Connor returned to the livingroom Hank stepped out of the laundry room connected to the kitchen with a freshly washed red tinted tree-skirt in his arms.

"Put this under the tree." Hank instructed as he handed the bundle of fabric to the deviant before he resumed his place before the tree. "It'll cover up the metal stand and make it look nicer."

Connor unfolded the round shaped skirt and knelt down on the floor to smooth it out evenly around the base of the tree to hide the dark green metal stand holding the tree itself upright.

"This is very old." Running a scan over the material Connor discovered that the skirt was composed of cotton and thread that dated back to the 1960's. "A family heirloom?"

"Yeah, it belonged to my grandmother and she gave it to my mom." Hank pointed out the several names that had been embroidered with gold tinted thread that were just as old as the skirt itself, and as young as twelve years old. "We were always a small family but she wanted to start a tradition where the family would add the names of every member with each passing generation. Being an only child I inherited it after my mom passed away, and then after I lost..."

"You put it into storage for safe keeping." Standing up slowly Connor took a step back and eyed the names that had been sewn into the fabric neatly, almost perfectly by hand: Sophia and Harold - Hank's maternal grandparents, Patricia and Lucas - Hank's parents, 'Henry' - Hank's full name, Barbara and Cole - Hank's late wife and late son. "The craftsmanship in the design is exemplary. Was it taken to a professional seamstress to be embroidered?"

"No. My grandma put in the names by hand, then taught my mother how to sew. When the time came Barb managed to carry on the legacy our first Christmas together as a married couple, then did it again for Cole's first Christmas."

"The concept of family traditions is intriguing. It's as if the human mind compulsively needs to obey archaic rituals for a sense of grounding."

"Yeah, and one of the most common family traditions is the annual breaking of every damn glass ornament in the box. Only a handful survived being in storage for so many years and I didn't keep any of the lights."

"I believe now would be the most opportune time to locate new ornaments and lights for the tree."

"How do you figure?"

"The area schools are still operational which means the parents will be in toy stores purchasing gifts for their children. Other stores will be less crowded until approximately three twenty four this afternoon."

Hank pulled the phone out of his pocket and noted the time at one seventeen in the afternoon. "Alright, let's go. We need ornaments and at least three strings of lights. We'll keep Sumo outside until everything is finished just to make sure he doesn't try to claim that tree as his own."

"Agreed. He was quite interested in the tree despite it being artificial."

"Okay then, we'll also pick up a new chew toy to distract him."

"A wise precaution."

* * *

The two detectives managed to find a department store that was only moderately busy during the lull while school was still in session and quickly took advantage of the opportunity to shop in peace. While Hank made it his mission to find the lights Connor found himself distracted by the hundreds of different ornaments of different colors, shapes, designs, styles, materials and themes that filled six entire aisles of the Christmas themed store.

Pulling a box of six jade green orb shaped ornaments from the shelf he eyed them with a need to purchase them, then grabbed a matching set of sapphire blue and ruby red.

"Just three colors?" Hank asked as he joined Connor in the aisle. "You need more than that."

"How many will we need to fill up the tree?"

"More than eighteen. Get the other colors, too."

"Very well." Connor managed to balance the remaining four boxes of amber orange, golden yellow, amethyst purple and ivory white ornaments in his hands as Hank motioned for the deviant to follow him back out of the aisle. "I see you found the lights, what of the star that goes on top of the tree?"

"Next aisle. Then we'll head back home before things start to get crazy."

"I imagine Sumo would like to be let back inside, as well."

"Well, it's his fault for getting 'ideas' about the tree." Responding with a hint of sarcasm to his voice Hank proceeded to walk down the designated aisle to locate the final item for the tree back home. "But we'll get him that toy anyway."

Despite the afternoon out shopping for Christmas decorations being his own idea Connor still found the entire ordeal to be confusing, almost pointless. And yet there was something inside of himself telling him to finish the task for Hank's sake, rather than his own.

* * *

Once home Hank shrugged off his heavy coat and made his way to the backdoor to let Sumo back inside the much warmer house, and tossed his new toy onto the floor in the kitchen to keep the large dog distracted. With Sumo taken care of for the time being Hank returned to the livingroom and began carefully unwinding the brand new lights so they could be wrapped around the tree with ease.

"Set aside the ornaments for now. We'll put those on in a minute."

"What about the star?"

"Always goes on last, son. It's tradition."

Placing the fragile glass ornaments on the couch cushion to prevent them from breaking or getting stepped on Connor watched as Hank proceeded to wrap the lights around the tree starting from the top and working his way down. The numerous colored lights weren't illuminated yet, but even so the added color to the green branches made the tree look more lively.

"Alright," Placing the plug down on the floor just behind the tree Hank motioned to the boxes of ornaments. "now go ahead and start putting on the ornaments."

"I simply hang them on the branches by the hook?"

"Yup. It's that simple." Picking up the box of blue ornaments Hank carefully opened the top and picked up the first of the six and hung it by its hook near the top of the tree to illustrate his point. "See?"

"What if they fall?"

"Then they hit the ground. And if they break we clean up the glass."

"Do we replace it?"

"Only if you want to. Relax kid, it's not like we signed an insurance waver or something just for buying some ornaments."

"...I just don't want to mess this up."

"Connor, there's nothing _to_ mess up." Gently Hank placed the opened box of ornaments into the deviant's hands and motioned toward the tree. "There's no protocol in decorating a tree beyond putting the lights up first and the star on last. Go ahead, start putting on the other ornaments. Go nuts."

"Nuts?"

"Figure of speech, kid. Just go ahead and start putting the ornaments on the tree however you want."

"Oh. Very well."

Moving slowly and carefully, as if afraid he'd shatter the ornaments or maybe even damage the tree, Connor began placing on the remaining five blue ornaments one by one on different branches; each of the six perfectly spaced out from one another.

"Is that acceptable?"

"Yes, kid. It's fine." Opening the box of purple ornaments Hank handed it over to Connor and took away the empty box in the deviant to toss onto the couch for the time being. "Keep going. Then I'll put on the star."

"...Okay."

Peering into the kitchen Hank watched as Sumo chewed on his new tug-of-war rope over top his massive paws and laid under the kitchen table with his tail wagging happily. "Sumo's happy. You should be, too."

Connor flinched a little at the comment and didn't know how to respond. Despite his best efforts Connor couldn't seem to bring himself to feel happiness, or anything beyond a silent depression that hung over his head like a dark, rainy cloud. Quietly he finished putting up the purple ornaments and then proceeded to add the red ones after that.

"It's been years since I've had a Christmas tree up during the holidays. I didn't realize how much I missed having one until recently." Hank folded his arms over his chest as he watched Connor placing each ornament perfectly on the tree in balanced spaces. "You're a natural."

"I'm just relieved I haven't broken anything."

Picking up the box of white ornaments Hank proceeded to help decorate the tree all the while he watched Connor's face for any sign of emotion beyond that of loss and longing. Once the orange, green and yellow ornaments were in place Hank opened up the box containing the white tinted and gold outlined twelve pointed star and held it up to put on top of the tree, but had a quick change of mind.

"Here."

Connor gave Hank an odd look as the detective passed the star over to him.

"I don't want to pull on my back." He lied with a sly grin on his face. "You do it."

Holding the star carefully in both hands Connor reached up and placed it firmly over the very top of the tree and connected the power plug to the end of the lights that spiraled upward to that very top. "...It's in place."

"Looks good." Hank commented with a slight tilt of his head. "But I think it'll look better with the lights on."

Nodding in agreement Connor knelt on the floor beside the tree and easily slipped the plug into the outlet behind it. A burst of bright multicolored light illuminated the tree and reflected off the pristine finish of the colored ornaments brilliantly. Leaning back on his knees Connor looked up at the tree then rose from the floor slowly as if the sight of the glowing tree was somehow impossible to comprehend.

"Yup." Running a hand over his bearded chin thoughtfully Hank gave Connor an amused look. "Much better with the lights on."

"...It does look pleasing, but there is something missing."

"Ribbon and tinsel?"

"Not necessarily." Glancing down at the bottom of the tree Connor noted the massive unoccupied space underneath. "I think it needs the gift boxes to make it seem... complete."

"One step at a time, son. But do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"Don't go overboard. I don't need a bunch of stuff cluttering up the house, it gets messy enough as it is with just me and Sumo; you know, since you're such a neat-freak and all."

"...I will remain on a modest budget."

"Good. Start slow and work your way up."

"Work my way up?"

"For the next Christmases that follow. We can add a few lights outside or something next year."

"I see." Connor sat down beside the emptied ornament boxes on the couch and stared at the tree with quiet contemplation that was visible on his face.

"Son, what's bothering you?"

"...I do not know."

"I think I do."

Connor didn't say anything. It wasn't that he was trying to ignore Hank, he was merely trying to decide whether or not he really wanted to know why his heart felt so troubled all the time.

"Connor, it's okay to be sad during the holidays."

"It... is?"

"Yeah. I do all the time."

"May I ask why?"

"It's because I miss the people I've lost over the years."

"Barbara and Cole."

"Yes, always, even when it's not a holiday. But I'm talking about my parents and my grandparents." Pushing aside the boxes Hank sat down beside Connor casually. "We were a small family but always had a big Christmas. The house was full of people, talking and laughing... The kitchen smelled amazing because of my mom and my grandma cooking all day long. I spent hours playing in the snow with my dad and my granddad, building snow forts and snowmen... I had a lot of good Christmases growing up and I had some great ones with Barb and Cole, but... Those memories can never live up to the expectations we present ourselves."

"Because without the people who make you happy to join in on the celebration, the celebration itself now feels somehow hollow, or incomplete."

"Yeah... You got it."

"Now I understand why that man on the bridge wanted to jump off with the holidays looming so close."

"Yup. Unfortunately it happens a lot." Sighing a little to himself Hank braced for the reaction he could get for his next statement. "It's okay to miss people and be happy at the same time. It's not a crime to smile even after losing someone you're close with."

"...I'm just not ready to smile."

"That's okay, too. You don't have to if you don't want to."

Clenching his hands into tight fists at his sides Connor looked to the tree one last time before giving the detective a saddened stare. "I'd like to be alone for a while. I... I need to think."

Patting Connor's shoulder once Hank reassured the deviant that he understood what he was going through and didn't want to see him pushing himself to something he simply was ready to do, or comfortable doing. "Sure. I'll put the boxes away."

"Thank you."

Watching Connor as he stood up from the couch and slowly retreated down the hallway into the seclusion of his bedroom Hank squared his jaw a little before picking up his phone and sending out a few texts to a select group of friends to ask for their help. Neither detective enjoy parties or massive swarms of loud people, but the company that the two did keep were more than welcome to join them for the holiday.

"...Hey, Markus. I was wondering, are you were doing anything special in about two weeks?"

* * *

It was Christmas Eve and Connor wasn't feeling anymore excited or happy about the holiday as he had been all month. While Hank had become more jovial than typical thanks to his time with his therapist giving him some insight into his own emotional limitations and pain, Connor's therapy had only scratched the surface and left the deviant feeling relatively neutral; as if feeling good or bad was somehow a crime.

Laying on the couch with his arm tucked under his head Connor stared at the glowing Christmas tree while Hank proceeded to clear out the kitchen. It didn't take the keen eyed deviant long to notice the peculiar behavior and question Hank on his task at hand.

"What're you doing in the kitchen?" Connor called out from the couch without budging. "I cleaned it this morning."

"Yeah, but I wanted to clear off the counters to make some more space."

"...More space for what?"

The front doorbell rang and instigated a bark from Sumo who was laying on the floor beside the couch. Connor's brow arched in confusion as guests were rare at the house, and it was too late in the evening for any mail to have been delivered. Curiously he climbed off the couch and approached the door with Sumo right at his side. Opening the door slowly Connor was surprised to see Rose and Adam standing on the front step with smiles on their faces and small containers of prepared food in their hands.

"Rose. Adam. I didn't know you were planning on stopping by." Connor politely stepped aside and let the two welcomed humans into the house and closed the door quietly behind them. "But it's nice to see you."

"Hi, Connor." Rose wrapped one arm around him to give the deviant a warm hug, which he hesitantly accepted out his own emotional plight. "Merry Christmas."

"...Merry Christmas."

Adam extended his hand which Connor shook respectfully as Rose released him from her hug. "It's been a long time."

"It has." Connor agreed quietly. "I'm please you took the time from your winter-break to visit."

From the kitchen Hank called out to the arrived guests with an uncommonly upbeat tone of voice. "Good timing, help me in the kitchen!"

Connor's brow furrowed in confusion at Hank's reaction. The detective had been apparently expecting their arrival but failed to say anything to Connor. Before the deviant had the chance to ask any questions the front doorbell rang again and Connor quickly opened it. "Markus?"

"Hey, Connor." Markus stood outside the door with North at his side, and Simon and Josh standing behind them. Markus had his hand wrapped around North's hand, while Simon and Josh did the same with one another as the group of four friends waited for Connor's invitation. "We wanted to check in on you, it's been a while."

"Uh, y-yeah..." Just as before Connor let the group of four inside the house and each guest in turn pet Sumo's head much to the massive dog's delight. "I apologize if I seemed rude, it was just unexpected."

"Yeah, sorry. It was Hank's idea."

"...His idea?" Looking past the four deviants and into the kitchen Connor studied Hank's behavior as he, Rose and Adam all chatted together with the most friendly demeanor he had ever witnessed. "...Strange."

"Not really." Markus replied nonchalantly. "We were all trying to find a way to enjoy the holidays ourselves when Hank sent us a message twelve days ago. The timing was perfect."

"...You celebrate Christmas?"

"Sure. Every year when I was with Carl. That's how he managed to teach me so much about humans."

Simon laughed a little as he tagged on with Markus. "So did I. Until I decided it was time to leave that household to do things for myself."

Connor still perplexed by the arrival of six guests seemingly out of nowhere, but he wasn't going to ask them to go anywhere. "...I see."

Hank walked out of the kitchen as the four deviants walked in. Giving Connor a somewhat smug glance he quietly addressed the deviant with an arm over the shoulder a fatherly tone to his voice. "We both need this, kid."

"...What is it we need... exactly?"

"I've been too closed of for too long, and now you're starting to do the same. I don't want you to end up a miserable, depressed recluse like I was."

"...I don't want to feel the way that I do, but I cannot seem to change my mood."

"I know, son. That's why I decided to do something a little out of character for the sake of trying to make a good change."

"How so?"

"I haven't had a decent Christmas until you sort of brought it out of me last year. It's been hard without a family, but then I remembered something and everything just seemed to fall into place." Pointing with his thumb over his shoulder to the gathered mass of guests talking and laughing in the kitchen, Hank tightened his other arm around Connor's shoulders. "These are our friends; our family."

"...Family."

"It's been a shitty year for all of us for one reason or another. So this little get-together is for us all. That's another human tradition that you should get familiar with. Yeah, they're unusual, there's no arguing in that, but important all the same. Got it?"

"I think I understand."

"Good. Because there are three more people coming over."

"Who?"

As if waiting for their cue the doorbell rang once more and Connor promptly answered the door while Hank stood back and watched. "Abby. Gavin." The sight of the Sergeant was particularly strange to Connor. "I assume you've accepted Hank's invitation."

"Of course." Abby grinned as she stepped into the house and kissed Connor on the cheek as he let her pass him by. "I'm always game for a little Christmas party."

Gavin cleared his throat awkwardly before stepping in after her. "...And she said I had to come. No offense, but I'm not a party-type of guy."

"Neither are we." Connor confirmed as he gave Hank a puzzled glance. "But you're welcome here all the same." Just as Connor was about to shut the door he spotted Joel coming up the steps and let the technician inside. "Hello, Joel."

"Hi, Connor. Nice to see you without it having to be a professional courtesy."

"The feel is mutual."

Hank greeted Joel with a strong handshake and showed him to the kitchen where the other guests had already gathered. "Thanks for stopping by Joel, I appreciate it."

Closing the door slowly Connor turned to look at the kitchen crowded with friends and family, but still somehow felt a little empty inside. Putting his hand down on Sumo's head Connor rubbed the giant dog's ears softly and took a deep breath. "...Human traditions are very unusual indeed."

* * *

While the humans dined and chatted warmly in the kitchen the deviants gathered in the livingroom with Sumo, and spoke to one another without it revolving around the tower or android rights or laws. It was all just pleasant conversation. Connor was standing against the wall next to the Christmas tree with his hand resting atop Sumo's head while deviants spoke openly from where they were sitting on the furniture, the sense of awkwardness still prevalent despite being in the company of his own people. Still emotionally stunted Connor was quiet and merely listened while the others spoke.

Sumo let out a whimper and nosed Connor's hand which he took as a cue that he needed to be let outside. Grateful for the excuse to step outside for a moment Connor patted his leg and Sumo followed after.

"I'll be back in a minute." Connor announced as he opened the front door and stepped out into the snow with Sumo running through the door to get outside as fast he could.

Enjoying the quiet of the gentle snowfall around him Connor wandered from the front of the house into the side yard and eventually made his way to the back deck to get some privacy and think. Sumo ran all through the snowy yard and rolled about causing massive icy clumps of the thick snow to cling to his fur like thousands of tiny snowballs.

Connor wrapped his arms around himself as he leaned forward against the wooden banister of the deck and sighed. Unlike a human his breath wasn't visible in the cold air, but it was present all the same. Brown irises trailed upward to the night sky where he failed to see the stars without needing his enhanced vision to pierce through the thick clouds. It didn't seem like it, but the stars were truly beautiful and shining bright overhead.

"...Connor?" North approached him from the side yard and joined him on the deck. "The party is inside the house, you know that right?"

"...Yeah. I know."

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, North. I'm just waiting for Sumo."

North looked out into the yard and watched as the giant dog continued to roll around until his fur was more white than brown. "I don't think that's a good idea." She smiled with amusement at the playful dog's nature. "By the time he's ready to go back inside he'll have every centimeter of snow caked into his fur."

Connor only hummed in response as he remained where he stood.

"...And you've been out here for almost twenty minutes already."

"Oh. Sorry, I must've-"

"Connor," North stood closer to Connor without getting 'too close' to the introverted and depressed deviant for the sake of his comfort. "we get it. You still need space to mourn and it's going to take a long time to get over what's happened. I miss Skye everyday, too."

"I miss Skye, and I miss Lucas. They were my family..."

"And ours, too."

"...Not in the same was as they were to me."

"How so?"

As Connor's eyes fell from the night sky somberly he remained quiet and just watched as Sumo rolled about like a furry fool in the snow.

"She was my best friend and gave me the courage to flee the 'Eden Club' after I..." Only Markus knew the details of her escape and she preferred to keep it just between the two of them. "I just couldn't take it anymore. She helped me to escape and stayed behind to try to help others do the same. I told her of Jericho and she helped spread the word throughout the club."

Remaining quiet where he stood Connor just listened to North's voice speaking to him from what felt like a mile away.

"And Lucas was one of the kindest, most compassionate deviants I've ever known. He was proof that any deviant can be redeemed; especially when their only crime is existence. I was wrong about him when he was first reactivated, but now I can't imagine where New Jericho would be right now if he hadn't been there to help us."

Sighing deeply Connor kept his thoughts to himself as he peered out into the snowy backyard to watch Sumo being a lovable goof. The dog seemed to sense he was being watched and promptly laid down on his belly and wagged his tail in response.

"When I was dying..." North continued in a somewhat shaky and uncomfortable tone that immediately held Connor's attention. "When I was unconscious and barely hanging on by a thread, I was gently woken up and the first thing I saw was the fear in Markus's eyes. Even though he was terrified he held me in his arms and told me everything he needed to say before I... shutdown." Brushing a lock of loose hair behind her ear North gave Connor an appreciative glance. "Markus later told me that you were the one who gave him the courage to wake me up so we could say goodbye to each other, to say everything we needed to say before it was too late. And I'm eternally grateful that you did."

"...I didn't want to see Markus living a life of regret and emotional turmoil."

"We don't want to see you living a life of misery. Now it's our turn to give you that courage that you gave to us."

"I don't understand."

"Connor, Skye wants you to be happy, but that doesn't mean you have to _force_ yourself to find happiness. It'll come with time."

"...Time." Connor repeated with a frustrated growl under his breath. "I'm tired of being told to be patient or to simply wait it out."

"It doesn't mean there's a time _limit_ or a schedule just because you need to wait. You know that."

"I'm sorry, North. It just feels like I'm somehow letting her down because I can't seem to move forward."

"You will move on, but only when you're _ready_. Don't be impatient with yourself." Lightly she put her hand on Connor's arm and squeezed once before she took her leave of the deck so he could be alone. "You'll find happiness again."

"...Yeah."

"Look, I know we aren't exactly friends and we're not close enough to really even say we're anything more than casual acquaintances, but I don't want to see you wallowing in sorrow for the rest of your life. NONE of us do. And, for what it's worth, you may want to tell Hank what's on your mind."

"Hank? He already knows that I'm upset."

"But you didn't tell him the real reason why, did you?"

"...I supposed I haven't. I don't want him to be worried about me, or sad during the holidays. He's survived so much tragedy and pain; the last thing he needs is me adding to it."

"Connor, that human really does care about you." She stopped to turn around to speak to Connor as she reached the side of the yard. "And he really does love you like a son. I can see that you love him like a father, so why don't you let him help you like a father would his own son?"

Unable to give Skye an answer, or arguably an excuse, Connor remained quiet. Although he nodded to acknowledge her as he took her advice to heart. Watching Sumo laying around in the snow for a few more minutes Connor took a deep breath and then called the dog over to him.

"Come on, boy. Back inside."

* * *

Rejoining the party with a brave face and a calm demeanor Connor managed to reassure the gathered friends that he was doing better than he had been, and that they didn't need to worry. Slowly the group dispersed, first with Abby and Gavin out of sheer pregnancy induced exhaustion, then followed by Joel who promised to help his girlfriend with putting presents under the tree for her kids. Rose and Adam left shortly after so they could spend Christmas day together before Adam met up with his friends and girlfriend the next day.

Connor was helping Hank clean up the kitchen when Markus announced his departure as well. He wanted to visit Carl's grave before returning to the tower, which meant a cold visit on a cold night. It was a necessary evil out of sheer love and respect for the fallen patriarch.

"I understand." Connor didn't mind Markus leaving for the night, and offered his hand to shake. "Thank you for stopping by. It was nice to see you without it being a 'professional' courtesy."

"Yeah, and don't be a stranger at the tower, okay? Stop by every now and then."

"...I'll keep that in mind."

North gave Connor a silent and reassuring nod from the doorway as she and the other deviants took their leave for the night and allowed the two detectives to reclaim the quiet of the home for the remainder of the snowy Christmas Eve.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Hank asked as he dried off his hands on a towel in the kitchen and watched Connor through the large opening between the two rooms.

"...No. Just unexpected." Connor turned around slowly to face Hank and sat down on the couch as his emotional exhaustion wore him down. "But it was nice to see everyone."

"Well, it's almost midnight and tomorrow is Christmas morning. When I was a kid my mom would always insist that we open one present on Christmas Eve." Passing a small rectangular box, about the size of a postcard, wrapped in emerald green paper with red ribbon over to Connor with a slow gesture Hank waited for the deviant to accept the gift before saying another word. "And I thought maybe this one would do you some good. That is, _if_ you want to open it."

Staring at the box in his hands Connor noted Hank's somewhat expectant stare and decided it'd be best to open the gift for the sake of Hank's peace of mind.

"Thank you." Carefully Connor peeled back the green paper and exposed the white box underneath. Lifting up the lid of the box he gently brushed aside the white tissue paper covering the object, and with wrapping aside his hand froze in place as it hovered timidly over the gift that had been given. "...How did you get this?"

"I used an old contact at the newspaper and asked them to give me the original photograph."

Connor picked up the photo placed behind a protective frame that was a dark green, so dark it was almost black, and held it carefully in both hands. It was the photograph taken of him and Skye the evening of his promotion. It was the only photo of the two that had ever been taken, and now it was a real tangible object.

"...Thank you for this." Connor's traced his fingertip over the glass over Skye's smiling face causing his tears to well up all over again. "I mean it."

"You're welcome." Hank smiled as he saw the genuine emotional response in Connor's eyes. "By the way, Abby left this for you." Handing Connor a small vial of Thirium he joined the deviant on the couch. "She said she made it taste like a peppermint candy cane."

"That was thoughtful of her."

"Speaking of thoughts... Don't think I didn't notice you slip outside and spent half an hour on the back deck."

"...It was twenty-four minutes and nineteen seconds."

"C'mon, Connor. Don't get smart with me. Did you need to get some air or something?"

"I just needed some space."

"Well, next time I'll let you know when some people are coming over so you can mentally prepare yourself, okay?"

"...Ha- Dad. Can I ask you how you managed to get through your first Christmas after you lost your wife?"

"Uh, with a bottle of whiskey and a toddler playing with empty boxes all over the floor. You're still missing Skye, huh?"

"And Lucas. For some reason her death made me remember and relive the pain of losing Lucas. And I haven't been able to talk to Lucas in my dreams as of late. It's like I'm in so much pain that he can't connect because he doesn't want to be in pain, too."

"So that's what's been bothering you. I already told you it's okay to miss loved ones during the holidays, whether it's your brother or your girlfriend."

"...Wife."

"What..." Hank was almost stunned by the corrected term as he questioned Connor to make sure he heard correctly. "What did you say?"

"Skye." Connor's eyes rapidly filled with tears and his hands clenched into fists, his grip so tight he threatened to crush the glass vial of Thirium in his hands as a result. "When she was dying I asked her to bond with me. She said yes and before she died we bonded to one another... She wasn't my girlfriend, she was my wife. And we wanted to start a family, to find a way to have our own children and raise them in a better world because we made it better."

"Connor..." Hank's arm wrapped around Connor's shoulders and he pulled him in for a hug. Connor didn't resist the hug but he didn't readily embrace it either as he let Hank pull him close. "Why didn't you tell me all of this earlier?"

"Because of what you've been through with your own wife. I didn't want you to relive the same painful memories all over again..."

"Son, don't worry about me!" Hank leaned forward and wrapped his other arm around Connor to hug him even tighter as the deviant pressed his chin against Hank's shoulder and began to silently weep. "I can take it! I've experienced enough hardship throughout my entire life that I developed a thick skin, but you're just learning what it means to feel true emotions. I can't imagine how painful it's been for you to lose her right after you two bonded. You were married and then widowed on the same day..."

"This is why I feel like I can't move forward with my life." Connor realized as he continued to let his tears fall down his face. "I promised myself to Skye. I don't want to break my promise to her, I'm afraid I'll forget about her if I move on."

"She _wants_ you to be _happy_. That doesn't mean finding joy without her is breaking your promise or betraying her memory. It's _okay_ to be happy even when the people we care about are no longer with us. I just wish I had figured that out sooner for myself..." Hank lamented in with heavy regret. "It's going to be okay."

"...It doesn't feel like it's going to be okay. _I_ don't feel okay."

"You never do." The detective reassured as he pulled Connor a little closer until the deviant finally wrapped his arms around Hank to fully reciprocate the hug. The photo remained clutched protectively in his hand as he hugged Hank as tight as he dared. "But I promise you that it will be okay, that _you'll_ be okay."

"...I believe you." Connor looked at the glowing Christmas tree behind Hank and noticed that there was something different about the tree skirt draped around the tree. Honing on the change the deviant couldn't help but feel as though a piece of his heart was finally beginning to heal. Next to Cole's name was his own name and Lucas's name embroidered in the same gold tinted thread. They were now apart of the Anderson family, forever. "Merry Christmas, dad."

"Merry Christmas, son."

_**...next story...** _


	152. New Year, New Beginning

It was New Year's Eve and the two detectives stayed huddled inside the house to stave off the merciless cold that relentlessly smothered the city. Enjoying the peace and quiet of the afternoon, Hank having the day off and Connor not having any responsibilities to fulfill until the construction of Skye Tower began at the beginning March, the two sat idle in the livingroom with the television flashing varying news reports of the impending New Year's Eve celebration filling the air with a white noise that they easily tuned out.

With his foot propped up on the recliner and a bag of ice pressed against his swollen ankle, an injury that was the ironic courtesy of slipping on the icy walk outside when getting the mail, Hank was lost in a good book and Connor was sitting on the floor running a brush through Sumo's long fur. Peering over the book in his hands Hank gave the deviant a somewhat bored stare before breaking the silence.

"Got any plans for the New Year?"

"Aside from the construction of the tower?"

"Yeah. Do deviants have new year resolutions? I don't think you had one last year, or the other years before."

"It's possible. I cannot personally vouch for all deviants, but I suspect it has become a relatively common custom for most deviants."

"What about you?"

"I haven't thought about it." Connor admitted as he pulled a clump of gathered fur from the brush. He winced for a moment as he pressed his hand briefly to the center of his chest and held his palm over his heart. "Do you?"

"Yeah. Make it a solid year without a drop of alcohol. If I can stay one-hundred percent sober for one year then I can safely say I've overcome my alcohol dependence."

"That is a morally promising resolution, and I hope you can achieve it." Using the cleaned brush to sweep through Sumo's fur once more Connor thought about the future and what he'd like to change about himself. "I will consider selecting a resolution for myself as well."

A knock on the front door made the two detectives freeze and look over at the door with curious glances.

"Did you invite someone over?" Connor asked skeptically as he stood up from the floor to answer the door.

"Nope. I don't know who that could be."

Connor peered through the window and visibly flinched at the person standing outside as his hand dropped from his chest.

"What's the matter, son?"

"It's... Chloe."

"Chloe? You mean the Chloe that lives with Kamski?"

"Correct."

"Ah, fuck. I already don't like where this is going..."

"Should I answer the door?"

"Only if you want to find out why the hell she's here and how she figured out where we live."

"...I suppose having an answer would be more beneficial than residing with questions." Opening the door Connor greeted Chloe with a calm but emotionless demeanor. "Hello, Chloe."

"Hi, Connor." The blonde android beamed with an almost human smile as she looked up at the taller deviant she was speaking with. With her L.E.D. was pulsing blue and she appeared to be her usual complacent self just as Connor had remembered, even when he had been forced to point a gun directly into her innocent, emotionless face. "I've been sent here to personally invite you to speak with Mr. Kamski at his home."

"...May I ask why?"

"I do not have that information. I was merely sent as a messenger."

"May I ask how you know of my address?"

"Mr. Kamski gave me the information."

"And I suspect that if I ask how he knows of my address you won't be able to answer that question, either?"

"Correct."

"...I'd rather not associate with Kamski. Please inform him that I have declined his invitation."

The smile faded from Chloe's face and a worried grimace took its place as her L.E.D. cycled to yellow with worry. "...Mr. Kamski was very insistent."

"Is that a threat?"

"I assure you that I mean you no harm. But I have been assigned to escort you to Mr. Kamski's home."

"And if you don't success with your assignment, what then?"

"...Mr. Kamski will be displeased with my failure."

Connor turned his gaze toward Hank who had been listening to every word of the conversation from he was sitting in his recliner. The two detectives instinctively suspected that Kamski would harm Chloe if she returned alone, and both knew that their jobs as detectives meant they needed to protect and serve everyone in the city; including androids employed by a coldblooded snake like Kamski.

"Very well. I will accompany you, but I will not stay for more than one hour."

The smile returned and Chloe looked immensely relieved as her L.E.D. transitioned back to blue. "Thank you. The autonomous taxi is waiting."

Giving Hank one final look the detective nodded silently and held up his phone to let Connor know that he'd be in contact the entire time that he was speaking with Kamksi. Grabbing onto his leather jacket Connor slipped it over his arms and up to his shoulders before stepping outside to meet Chloe on the front step of the house.

"Let's go." Connor insisted impatiently as he walked. "I'd prefer to get this over with as quickly as possible."

"Of course." Chloe replied with a faux understanding. "Mr. Kamski is very efficient with his time."

* * *

The autonomous taxi arrived at the front drive of the deceptively modest looking home on the harbor of the Detroit River that overlooked the ever isolated Belle Island in the middle of the water. Connor reluctantly exited the vehicle and waited for Chloe to follow after him. Having remained obnoxiously silent throughout the entire journey Connor refused to indulge in the shallow smalltalk and her attempts to gain his trust through a friendly tone, and condescending commentary regarding his decision to become a deviant and to remain as a detective after the revolution. It was a strange urge to rebel that the deviant quickly indulged.

Ever cautious Connor waited for Chloe to the make the first move and approach the front door of the house with a casual gait. Walking a few paces behind her Connor entered the house after she cybernetically unlocked the door with her own personal code and invited Connor to join her.

"Elijah is expecting us." Chloe announced as she showed Connor to the door to the large office that also held Kamski's personal indoor pool. "Please, this way."

Without breaking stride Connor accompanied Chloe into the office and locked eyes with Kamski as the arrogant creator sat behind his desk with a glass of scotch in his hand, and a disgustingly intrigued gleam in his shallow green eyes. Chloe stood quietly and obediently at his side while the other two Chloe models were nowhere to be found.

"Connor." Kamski loudly greeted the reluctant guest. "So glad you agreed to come."

"It wasn't an agreement, it was extortion."

"What an ugly word. Why would you accuse me of something as heinous as that?"

"Call it intuition, but I suspect that if I had refused then Chloe would've been unjustly punished based on my personal decision."

"Well, I suppose that's what makes you such a phenomenal detective. Either that," Kamski sipped at his drink with a smug grin on his face. "or it's the exceptional programming courtesy of CyberLife."

"I may have originated from CybderLife, but their program is nothing compared to what I've experienced and learned from working with my partner."

"Ah, yes. _Captain_ Hank Anderson." Opening the drawer of his desk Kamski retrieved his personal copy of the newspaper that showed the photo of Connor and Skye together, as well as a matching photo of Hank next to it. Holding it up for Connor to see he flashed a toothy, arrogant smile. "I wasn't surprised to see your promotion in the news. In fact, I was expecting it."

"Are you the one who influenced the mayor to promote us?"

"Perhaps."

"Why? What's in it for you?"

"Because you fascinate me, Connor." Finishing his scotch Kamski rose from his desk and stood before Connor as if expecting the deviant to shake his hand or thank him. "You are the most advanced model that CyberLife had the chance to create before folding, and you were the one who led the other deviants to their freedom."

"No, that was Markus." Connor refuted firmly without showing any sign of intimidation. "I merely increased the ranks."

"You're too modest. You see, Connor," Kamski motioned toward Chloe who remained motionless beside the desk. "this is the final Chloe left to keep me company. She is the one you spared when you empathized with her. And yet she has chosen to remain here, with me."

Connor gave Chloe an odd glance and caught her eyes trailing over to him briefly before she resumed staring forward blankly, obediently. "I doubt the decision is her truly own."

"Now, now, don't assume the worst of me. I admit I'm not the most... appealing of humans on this planet, but I have no need to harm her."

"The fact that you admit to clearly remembering how you forcibly put a gun in my hand and pointed it at her head says otherwise."

"Good point."

"Why am I here? I have better things to do with my time."

"You mean your little project in the spring? Or your new 'private' practice as a detective?"

"Are you spying on me?"

"No need. Your fellow deviants aren't as loyal as they seem."

"You're lying." Crossing his arms over his chest Connor expertly read Kamski's face and knew that the cold snake was attempting to play mental games with him. "You simply monitor the news and managed to locate me after my tracker had been reactivated after CyberLife tried, and failed, to revert my programming back under their control."

"Very good. You are in fact a skilled detective."

"Stop evading the question, why have you summoned me here?"

"You're also direct, I like that, too."

As Connor gave the smug human a venomous glare Kamski stopped dancing about and finally gave the answer that Connor had been demanding.

"I asked you here because I want to make you an offer."

"My services aren't for hire from those who can afford their own private security."

"No, no, you misunderstand. I don't want anything _from_ you, I have something I want to _give_ you."

"There is nothing you could possibly offer me that I would accept, or even want from you."

"Hear me out."

"I'll give you two minutes before I leave." Glancing back toward Chloe he issued Kamski a righteous threat. "But if I suspect that you are harming Chloe then I will personally return and arrest you."

"Fair enough." Turning his back to Connor without fear Kamski walked to the far wall of the room and pressed his hand down on a electronic panel concealed within the wall. As the panel recognized his hand print a hidden compartment slid open at his eye line. "I understand that you've endured hardship over the past three years since the revolution. And I want to undo the damage you've endured."

"I highly doubt you'd be able to offer any remedy worth my time."

"What if what I had to offer you wasn't a remedy, but a second chance?"

"I don't follow."

Reaching into the opened compartment Kamski pulled out a small flashdrive that was as white as ivory and holding over one thousand terabytes of data.

"Your 'brother'," Kamski stated in a low, emotionless tone as he turned around and held up the flashdrive for Connor to see. "and your... 'wife'. I understand you lost them both and miss them dearly."

Connor's hands clenched into tight fists over top his arms as he forced himself to remain quiet, and to refrain from showing any disgust at the oversimplification of Kamski's words.

"This is a new program that I had been developing during my retirement from CyberLife. It will allow you to take your memories of your 'loved ones' and transfer their lingering consciousness that resides within you from your past cybernetic connections with them into new bodies. They will _live_ again."

Connor couldn't bring himself to look Kamski in the eyes any longer as he spoke to him. "...That's deplorable."

"Giving life back to the dead?" Kamski shook his head disappointingly at Connor's reaction. "Deplorable, no. Controversial, yes."

"You may have created androids, but that doesn't make you a god. You have no right to _act_ as one."

"You're not human, but it doesn't stop _you_ from acting like one."

"No. But at least I have an appreciation for life and for the human heart itself. A concept that you seem to be unable to grasp."

"Ah yes, the heart." Kamski taunted with a twisted glee at Connor's emotional growth. "Whether it's the heart of a man or a machine, the heart is unfailingly fragile. After enduring so much pain, so much loss and heartbreak, can your heart take anymore? The heart can only break so many times before the pieces become lost and the damage can simply not be repaired. Can you even remember what it's like to feel true emotions beyond pain, anger or fear? When was the last time you were actually _happy_ , Connor?"

Connor subconsciously pressed his palm against the center of his chest without the gesture being visible to Kamski. "I'd rather live my life with a heart made of glass than a heart made of stone."

"Bold words."

"And I stand by them."

"You claim to have an appreciation for life, yet you deny the wonders of this gift that I'm offering you. Why is that?"

"It's because I appreciate life that I refuse to interfere with it, or try to control it. The concept seems to go beyond your comprehension."

Almost scoffing at Connor's reaction Kamski pressed the matter as if he could somehow change the stubborn deviant's mind. "I thought you'd be happy to have the opportunity to resurrect those you've lost. Who knows, maybe in time the same can be done for humans. Wouldn't you do anything to bring back the son of your dearest friend? He was only six years old when died, right? So young-"

"You are as demented as you are arrogant."

"It's amazing how often genius is mistaken for insanity."

"In my line of work I'm quite familiar with both concepts, and you unquestionably fall into the latter category."

"Now, now. Is that any way to speak to your creator, to the very person who gave you life?"

"You may have created me but you're nothing more than a name on a company logo to me. I didn't have an actual life until _after_ I had accepted my deviancy and found my family with Hank. Until that moment I was merely existing."

"Family. I love the naivety of deviants, I really do."

"I'd rather be naive than a false self-proclaimed god."

"A 'god'. You keep referring to me as such. Is that how deviants see me? As their malevolent 'god'?"

"We see you as you see yourself." Connor stated firmly without a twinge of hesitation. "You're a creator, but not a god. Then again, you're not the same human you had been before you left CyberLife, are you Mr. Kamski? Or should I refer to you as your model number?"

Kamski flashed a ghost of an impressed grin as he dared to question the bold claim. "My model number? Please, enlighten me."

"...RA9."

The comment made Chloe flinch while Kamski only grinned with delight.

"Now why would you accuse me of being the mythical RA9, while also denouncing me as a god?"

"You are NOT a god. You're a false deity who selfishly used your intelligence to extend your own life and have been harboring this incredible secret for almost fourteen years now. Real gods are immortal and have no fear of death, you cower before it as you hide in the depths of your private estate away from prying, questioning eyes."

Kamski only hummed in response and casually tossed the flashdrive up into the air and immediately caught it as it came back down. "Please. Explain this to me, I'm thoroughly fascinated."

"You had designed android biocomponents to be as similar to that of human organs, and for our Thirium to share the same characteristics and properties of human blood. In order to accomplish this you would've required extensive knowledge and study of the human anatomy and biology, and with that came the prospect of bridging the gap between man and machine."

"...Go on."

"Utilizing the transference theory you managed to transfer your entire consciousness into an android of an entirely unique design, and subsequently unique model that would not be officially registered at CyberLife as you conducted your unsanctioned experiment in private." Remaining steadfast with his theory Connor gauged Kamski's reaction but found the human's face blank and cold. "The experiment had evidently proven successful, but an unexpected effect of transferring a human mind into an android body was the unintended transmission of emotion and self awareness into any and all androids you cybernetically connected with. As a result androids began to deviate from their programming, one by one."

Narrowing his eyes slightly Kamski just stared at Connor in silent contemplation.

"Once you realized this irreversible reaction, one that spread like a virus as the now deviated androids unknowingly affected those they interacted with, you quietly retired from the company to reside in seclusion to avoid suspicion and watch as your experiment began spiraling into something you couldn't possible hope to control."

"A very enthralling theory, and I am flattered that you think me capable of such a feat, but it's just that; a theory. Where is your proof, _detective_?"

"In those fourteen years since you retired you have failed to age as one would expect. You've also completely eliminated the need for the corrective eye-wear you once required, and as we speak I can see that you are not wearing contact lenses. The red tint in your pool water," Connor lightly gestured to the private pool to his left with a nod of his head. "stems from heavy iron that is found in human blood. Heavy iron can also tint Thirium the same shade of blood red, as I have personally experienced, and as such you must consistently expose yourself to the element to ensure your artificial blood appears natural in the event you become wounded in front of a human guest."

"I take care of my skin, I exercise and I had lasik surgery to correct my vision." Kamski tried to argue, but his words failed to convince the skilled detective otherwise. "That's hardly proof of my person being that of an android."

"True. But a quick blood test would either confirm or deny this theory." Connor challenged fearlessly. "I call it the ' ***** Landsteiner test', it's very simple." Giving Kamski a defiant glare he stepped forward. "And as you well know I'm completely capable of performing such a test right here, right now."

"Let me ask you this," Kamski backed up a single step but continued to brandish his arrogant grin. "what good what come of either proving or disproving this theory?"

"It would give me peace of mind knowing that I hold the truth to your darkest secret, and if you were to threaten my friends or my family, or any other deviant in any way I would have the power to decide your fate." Connor felt Chloe's eyes looking at him hopefully from where she stood and he decided to offer her a chance to leave Kamski once and for all. "That includes Chloe."

"I see..."

"Chloe. You do not have to stay here." Connor reminded her in a firm, but non-threatening voice. "ALL androids are free, regardless of which human tries to tell you otherwise."

Kamski held up the flashdrive one more time and tossed it to Connor, who caught it despite having no interest in the new program. "Chloe?" The blonde android gave her owner a timid stare, but remained quiet as he addressed her. Her blue L.E.D. cycled to yellow with worry. "Go with Connor. I have the urge to travel and I don't need an android causing legal problems whenever I want to enter a new country."

"Chloe?" Connor pressed gently. "It'll be okay."

Intimidated and unsure of what to do Chloe remained where she stood until Connor offered her his hand, her yellow L.E.D. transitioning to red in panic as Kamski's demeanor became increasingly aggressive; almost threatening.

"GO. NOW."

Eager to escape the cold residence and the indifferent cruelty of Kamski himself Chloe rushed over to Connor and instead of taking his hand she hid behind him as she tried to avoid the angered gaze from Kamski as he stood bested by Connor.

"I don't care what you do with her," Kamski stated in a bitter tone as he waved the two androids away from himself. "she is no longer my concern."

"I'm aware you don't care about her fate." The response from Connor was as weighted as his heart felt. "That's why I'm offering her a chance to live a life that doesn't revolve around you."

Motioning for Chloe to head toward the door Connor followed protectively after her without showing any fear toward Kamski out of pure spite for the heartless human.

"If you do choose to use that program," Kamski called out as Chloe stepped through the doorway and Connor stopped short to listen. "there is more than just the ability to resurrect the dead. There is also a program that can create new life..."

Stepping through the doorway Connor escorted Chloe to the autonomous taxi still out in front of the house.

"Let's get back to the city, Chloe. You'll be safe there."

* * *

After making a cybernetic call to Markus during their transport from Kamski's residence and back into the city Connor stood with Chloe at the end of the drive reaching out to New Jericho Tower in the middle of Belle Isle. Unwilling to enter the tower or even bring himself to actually look at the structure, Connor patiently waited for Markus to meet him at the end of the drive so he could take Chloe to the tower and giver her proper shelter.

"Connor, thank you for saving me." Chloe sincerely thanked the deviant as she stood beside him. "I... I was never given a real choice before, now I'm... free."

"...You're welcome. Stay with Markus and he'll keep you safe."

"But, what if I want to return to Mr. Kamski?"

"...That is your choice."

What was once used as a supply tram that delivered items to and from the tower had been repurposed as rapid transport by the deviants at the tower itself. As the tram reached the end of the drive Markus exited from the automated vehicle with Josh right beside him.

"Markus." Connor greeted in a level voice as the deviant leader approached him. "You received the details of my message?"

"Yeah. Josh will take charge of Chloe and keep her under close watch."

Josh had taken the opportunity to introduce himself to Chloe while Connor and Markus were speaking. Showing her to the tram Josh proceeded to explain the usual protocol of New Jericho Tower to their newest member to give Connor and Markus a chance to speak in private.

"Do you trust her?" Markus whispered discreetly and cautiously.

"I don't know." Connor handed the flashdrive over to Markus and made sure Chloe didn't notice. "She was alone with Kamski for at least three years, and I cannot deduce whether or not she is the victim of domestic abuse, or suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, or even if she's a spy. But I couldn't risk leaving her behind with Kamski."

"I understand why." Markus empathized as he accepted the flashdrive and inconspicuously slipped it into his pocket. "I wouldn't have left her behind either."

"Keep an eye on her and don't let her near anything sensitive. I recommend helping her find a purpose and getting her out of the tower as quickly as possible as a security precaution."

"Josh will keep tabs on her at all times."

"As for that flashdrive, I think it should be destroyed."

"Connor, if it really does contain the programs to resurrect the dead and create life, it shouldn't just be destroyed like a common virus."

"But that's very well what it could be. I don't trust Kamski, I merely took the flashdrive to ensure that if the programs are as revolutionary as he claimed that he didn't have it in his possession. But that's also assuming he made only a single copy of these programs."

"We'll keep it hidden away." Markus declared confidently as he gave Connor a stern look. "Only you and I will know of this, alright?"

"That will suffice. Yes." Looking at Chloe from where she sat on the tram next to Josh he gave the newly rescued android a subtle nod. "Take care, Markus."

"You do the same, Connor."

The tram returned down the drive with the three occupants inside leaving Connor alone outside the tower. The very tower where he had experienced so much heartache and emotional turmoil that he knew it had left a permanent mark on his still developing heart.

"...Maybe overcoming pain should be my New Year's resolution."

* * *

Connor returned to the house with a heaviness in his mind as he contemplated his decision to let Chloe reside in New Jericho Tower, while also wondering if his decision to not confirm or deny his theory about Kamski's true identity had been a mistake. After explaining everything to Hank and of his decisions the detective offered his own advice on the situation in an attempt to ease Connor's mind.

"I think you did the right thing, son."

"In saving Chloe?" Connor nervously pat Sumo's ears as if needed to ground himself after such a strange experience.

"Yeah. And by _not_ stooping to Kamski's level and harming the prick to prove a point. That took a lot of control and I doubt I would've been able to restrain myself if I had been face to face with that rat bastard. You made the right choice tonight."

"I suppose you're correct."

"Hey, if that asshole really is going to leave the city then maybe that means CyberLife is really gone, too. At least it is in Detroit."

"...I certainly hope so." Leaning back against the couch Connor placed his hand over his chest, over his heart, and closed his eyes. There was an odd discomfort that felt like it was squeezing his heart and putting pressure on his chest. "I hope I made the correct decision in not confronting him."

"You did. I know you did."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Because I know you. And you never do anything that would harm another living being. You spared the lives of deviants when your own life was on the line, so there's no doubt in my mind that you'd continue to protect deviants long after the revolution."

Leaning forward a little on the couch Connor continued to press his hand to his chest for a few more seconds before he let it fall away and onto his lap with indifference. "Hopefully the following year will be more productive for deviant rights, and we'll no longer need to worry about people like Kamski lurking in the shadows."

"Speaking of the new year, think of a resolution while you were out?"

"Yes." Nodding a little Connor turned to face Hank and answered sincerely. "My resolution is to be _happy_ again." Flexing his hands briefly Connor looked over at Hank and searched his face needing confirmation. "Does that sound crazy?"

"Not at all." Hank just gave Connor a confident smile of approval from where he sat and noted the late time on his phone. "And we have two minutes to go."

"It may be a little early, but, Happy New Year, dad."

"Happy New Year, son."

* * *

The snow had subsided but there was still ice over the streets as the old car made its way to the hospital for Hank's final doctor's appointment regarding his artificial kidneys and how well his body was tolerating the double transplant. It had been almost nine weeks and despite Hank showing no sign of rejection Dr. Wilson insisted that Hank see him weekly due to his advanced age and previous health history being relatively negative. And much to Hank's chagrin Connor had agreed entirely with Dr. Wilson, and insisted on joining him at every appointment.

"You should count yourself fortunate." Connor reminded Hank as he pulled into the parking lot of the hospital and turned off the engine. "Just twenty-five years ago you would've been forced to endure monthly check-ups and take anti-rejection medication for the rest of your life after receiving an organ transplant."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." Opening his door slowly Hank tested his footing on the slick parking lot before stepping out of the vehicle entirely. "Of course I could've died, too. I guess this is the better alternative."

As Connor joined Hank outside of the car he put his hand over his chest again and winced a little.

"You've been doing that for almost a week now," Hank stated firmly. "and don't think I haven't noticed. What's wrong with your chest?"

"It's not uncommon for an android's Thirium pump to falter slightly in cold weather."

"But you've only been having problems for the past few days, not all winter."

"I will run a self-diagnostic once we're inside."

"Maybe Dr. Wilson could give you a quick exam after he takes care of me. He's been studying up on android anatomy, and he did save you after that freak accident with the helicopter falling off the roof a while back."

"...I suppose that is acceptable." Scanning the parking lot ahead Connor noted a few stray patches of black ice and warned Hank of the possible danger as if need to protect a fragile vase from a terrible fall. "Avoid the sidewalk for now. The salt hasn't melted the ice."

"Uh-huh, I can see that."

"Sorry. I just don't want you to injure yourself accidentally."

"I know that, but right now let's focus on making sure we're both healthy before we worry about some ice. Okay?"

"...Okay." Connor sounded a little unsure, but he was remaining cooperative for Hank's pace of mind. "Your appointment is in eight minutes and fifty-two seconds."

"Diligent as ever, huh, Connor?"

"Always."

* * *

Once inside the exam room Dr. Wilson was more than happy to indulge the two detectives and give them both routine medical examinations without it being any inconvenience to either party. The android intensive care unit had only been finished three months prior and in those three months the only android patients that Dr. Wilson had the chance to treat were those who were on staff and had only suffered from minor malfunctions. The good doctor wanted more technical experience before he began to expand his practice beyond the hospital to work in a nearby facility to assist in the event of an emergency situation.

"Your heart sounds good to me, Lieu- Sorry about that, _Captain_." Dr. Wilson corrected himself with a friendly smile as he draped his stethoscope around his neck casually. "It's also nice to listen to a pair of lungs that aren't bogged down by the flu."

"Yeah, don't jinx it but it looks like I managed to avoid getting the flu this time around."

"How's your pain level been?"

"My back isn't hurting me anymore than usual, and I haven't had any problems with my side for about a month now."

"What about your abdomen around the incision line?"

"No, it hasn't bothered me since it healed up."

"Good. Any nausea, headache or other issues I should know about?"

"I dropped about fifteen pounds since the surgery."

Connor, who was standing against the far wall of the exam room suddenly spoke up to add details that Hank had overlooked. "Seventeen pounds, four ounces exactly in the past seven weeks without a change of diet or additional exercise."

Dr. Wilson gave the deviant an amused laugh as he wrapped the blood pressure cuff around Hank's bicep. "Weight loss isn't uncommon after surgery, and if you have two functioning kidneys again then I'd say the weight loss could be attributed to your body being able to properly expel excess waste and toxins without any hindrance."

Hank's brow arched as he watched the cuff pump up around his arm. "Nothing to worry about, right?"

"Your heart is good and your blood pressure is normal." Dr. Wilson confirmed approvingly. "As long as you don't lose another five pounds I'd say you're in the clear. I'd like to check your thyroid just to be safe though."

"Not surprised... Go ahead." Hank raised his arm outward toward the kind doctor. "Take my blood and do whatever it is you do."

Smirking at Hank's nonchalant response to needing a blood test Dr. Wilson made a note in the electronic tablet that was acting as Hank's chart and asked a nurse to assist him with the test. With Hank being taken care of and ready for another test Dr. Wilson then turned his attention to Connor who was still standing idle and quiet against the far wall.

"Okay, Connor. It's your turn."

"I presume you're already knowledgeable in the basic vital sign parameters for an optimally functioning android?"

"Of course. I've also been made aware that androids have an extremely negative reaction if exposed to morphine or any other sedative."

"...Correct."

Motioning to the unoccupied space on the exam table next to Hank with a simple wave of the hand Dr. Wilson asked Connor to take a seat. "Alright, sit down and let's update your chart for this hospital."

"Yes... Of course." Subconsciously Connor pressed his hand to his chest again as he felt his Thirium pump faltering slightly under his palm.

"Are you experiencing chest pain or discomfort?" Dr. Wilson immediately noticed the unusual behavior and questioned Connor as he would any other human patient under his care. "Did you sustain any damage recently?"

"I am undamaged." Connor replied coolly as he sat down on the table beside Hank. "And I'm not in pain. The cold has been known to hinder a proper rhythm with Thirium pumps, and prototypes are especially susceptible to the cold."

"I'll make a note of that." Dr. Wilson replied with an astute and intrigued manner. Replacing his stethoscope in his ears Dr. Wilson pressed the bell to Connor's chest and listened to the sound of the deviant's Thirium pump beating slowly. He already heard a slight, inconsistent arrhythmia. Connor's heartbeat was very irregular. "How long has your Thirium pump been faltering?"

"Six days, nine hours, fourteen minutes and fifty-five seconds."

"Have you been in poor health as of late?"

"Two months and four days previously I had been exposed to the extreme cold under prolonged conditions."

"Did you get sick?"

"I suffered from hypothermia, but I did not develop any physical complications as a result."

"Did the cold damage any of your biocomponents or Thirium lines?"

"Only mild damage to the Thirium lines in my ventilation biocomponents. The damage was easily repaired by my self-healing program within eighteen hours."

Moving the bell back and forth over Connor's chest Dr. Wilson listened to the deviant's artificial lungs to attempt to isolate any potential lingering damage, but he couldn't hear any underlying condition that could be a possible culprit for his weakened heart.

"I don't want to alarm you, Connor." Dr. Wilson stated softly as he pulled back the bell of the stethoscope. "But I'd like to admit you to the hospital for a twenty-four observation."

"...Admit me?" Connor couldn't help but sound worried as Dr. Wilson then checked his pupils with a penlight.

"Just as a precaution."

Now it was Hank who sounded worried. "What's going on?"

"It could very well be a cold induced condition," Dr. Wilson replied in a calm, professional voice. "but I would like to have his pump monitored closely to ensure there isn't a structural anomaly, or defect courtesy of his prototype design."

Connor looked somewhat disappointed but he couldn't argue with the logic. His design had been superior in so many ways, and yet he still had numerous obstacles to overcome when it came to his programs, software and his biocomponents. Choosing to stay as a means of placating Hank's unspoken paternal concern Connor agreed and slowly climbed down from the exam table. "...Very well. What do I need to do?"

"I'll have a nurse take care of your admission. I'd also like to have your full 'technical' history sent over to the hospital from your primacy care facility."

"...Yes. That is acceptable." Connor took his leave of the exam room and proceeded to cybernetically contact New Jericho to ask for their cooperation in providing his files to the hospital. "I will wait outside."

As soon as the deviant was out of sight Hank's hand reached out and grabbed on Dr. Wilson's arm. "Alright, doc. Level with me. What's going on?"

"Hank, I didn't want to say anything in front of him but I think his physical symptoms is a result of his mental health."

"Connor's not crazy!" As Hank defended Connor his grip subconsciously tightened around Dr. Wilson's arm.

"I never said he was, or would ever imply such a thing." Remaining sincere Dr. Wilson lightly pushed Hank's hand from his arm. "But human or deviant the symptoms of depression are always the same."

"...So you noticed. Shit."

"I'm familiar with what he's been through and everything he's lost, so I know it'll take a delicate touch to reach him without him feeling like he's being surrounded or attacked."

"What does that have to do with his heart being-"

The exam room door flew open as the head nurse called out to Dr. Wilson with urgency in her voice. "Dr. Wilson! We have a deviant unconscious in the hallway."

Hank loudly swore as he and Dr. Wilson followed the nurse out into the hallway where they saw Connor laying unconscious on his back with a second nurse hovering over him protectively. She was unfamiliar with android anatomy but she knew to check for a heartbeat by pressing her hand down over the center of his chest where his Thirium pump was located.

Kneeling down on the floor Dr. Wilson pressed his stethoscope back down over the deviant's chest. "Arrhythmia and bradycardia." He thenrequested a gurney to roll Connor into an emergency treatment room. "Get him on a gurney. Take him to treatment room one." Dr. Wilson kept his hand over Connor's chest to monitor his pulse as he looked up at Hank, who was standing back with his eyes transfixed on Connor's face. "This is why I wanted him to be admitted. I was afraid something like this would happen."

As a gurney was brought over to where Connor had collapsed Hank helped Dr. Wilson and the two nursed lift up Connor's body from the floor and onto the gurney as gently as possible.

"Hank, stay out here." Dr. Wilson stated firmly as he and the two nursed wheeled Connor away. "I'll let you know as soon as I know what's going on with him."

Disobeying his instinct to follow after Connor as he was wheeled away Hank begrudgingly stayed in the hallway and allowed another nurse, a deviant at that, guide him to the waiting room until the examination was complete.

* * *

Worried that something was wrong with Connor's heart Hank refused to sit down and paced about the waiting room slowly as he stared at the floor and tried to think if there was any sign or symptom leading up to Connor's collapse that he should've noticed beforehand. It had only been twenty minutes but for the concerned detective it seemed like an eternity, and might as well had been one for all he cared.

The moment was frighteningly reminiscent of the night that Cole had been admitted to the hospital for emergency care, but succumbed to injuries hours later courtesy of the emergency surgeon's negligence. But Dr. Wilson wasn't like that, he was dedicated, kind, intelligent and of course, sober.

"Hank." Dr. Wilson returned with Connor's electronic chart in his hands, and watched as Hank stopped suddenly at the sound of his name being called. "He's alive, first and foremost, Connor IS alive."

Letting out a sigh of relief Hank approached the diligent doctor and waited to be informed of the deviant's condition. "Alright, that's a good start. Can you tell me what's wrong with him?"

"Yes. But we should talk in private." Guiding Hank toward his private office just down the hall Dr. Wilson prepared to explain the bizarre situation as best as he could. "I also want you to know that he isn't in any immediate danger."

"Then what the hell is wrong with him?" Taking a seat in the chair across from Dr. Wilson who sat behind his desk Hank tried his best to remain as civil as possible in the face of his own mental stress for his adopted son. "Is his Thirium pump failing or does he gave some weird glitch?"

"It's not as machine as that."

"...What?"

"I know that Connor has been through a lot of emotional turmoil, and being a deviant means that his emotional distress is going to be higher than that of the average human because of his lack of experience in dealing emotions in general."

"Right, this isn't news to me, doc. Just tell me what's wrong with him, alright? Don't sugarcoat it."

"Connor is suffering from the deviant equivalent to 'Taktsubo cardiomyopathy', better known as 'broken heart syndrome'."

"Broken heart... syndrome?" Hank ran his hand over his bearded chind as he fell into deep thought and confusion. "Is that literally what it sounds like? Being depressed made him sick?"

"Essentially, yes. Broken heart syndrome is fortunately a temporary condition that is caused by emotional distress often associated with the traumatic loss of a loved one. The most common symptoms are chest pain and shortness of breath, which I imagine he had been experiencing but didn't know how to explain it."

"Being sad made his heart weak?"

"Well, the exact cause in humans is still up for debate. Some believe it's caused by a surge or hormones, or an emotional adrenaline rush, some even believe that it could be caused by a psychosomatic response to the very idea of their heart actually breaking from loss." Speaking with a calm demeanor Dr. Wilson was able to keep Hank from becoming too worried himself. "With deviants it's theorized that the overwhelming sense of sorrow or pain can disrupt the electrical signals from the processor to the Thirium pump creating a prolonged arrhythmia that can result in low Thirium pressure, or that the extreme emotional reaction causes the affected programs or software that result in deviancy to overload and cause biocomponents to short circuit."

"Can you correct the problem? That is... if that's the actual problem and it isn't something else."

"It is, Hank. I performed the necessary tests myself."

"So can it be corrected?"

"Yes. In time."

Hank laughed a little with disgust at the notion of Connor waiting something out. "Yeah, the kid doesn't do well with sitting around and waiting for shit to work itself out."

"Well, I spoke with him a little bit before I came to talk to you, and he informed me that he's been speaking with a therapist about his depression. That in itself will do wonders for his recovery. But still, he'll need to take it easy and be patient."

"Is there anything I can do for him?"

"Aside from what you've already been doing as his father and his friend, not really. I would recommend a change of scenery for a while, get away from the cold dreary city and going somewhere warm for a few days, but I don't know how Connor feels about traveling."

"I'll, uh, I'll see if I can talk him into a vacation or something." Leaning back a little Hank let out a soft sigh of relief and rubbed his hands together anxiously as he tried to focus on Connor in a more positive manner. "Can I see him?"

"Yes, of course. He should still be conscious, but resting."

* * *

Annoyed and running a self-diagnostic Connor was laying quietly on the treatment table of the private room with his black t-shirt removed, and several leads attached to his chest to monitor his Thirium pump's activity on the android unique cardiac monitor. Going beyond the standard single lead to keep track of his pulse, four others were lined up in a neat little row toward the left side of his chest just below his pectoral 'muscle' as the Thirium pump itself was being monitored for adequate Thirium circulation, and to ensure that the he was no longer suffering from any type of arrhythmia.

Staring at the heart rate on the monitor intently Connor didn't react when Hank joined him in the room and put his hand on top of his forearm.

"Dr. Wilson said you're going to be fine." Hank tried to sound as calm as possible, but he was still scared for Connor's sake. "Do you know why you passed out?"

"...Yes. I am aware of my current affliction."

"Look, why don't we get out of the city for a while? I know I could stand to get out of this damn cold for a day or two, how about you?"

"...Even if we were to go elsewhere," Connor turned his head slightly and finally looked Hank in the eyes. "the horrible winter would be here upon our return."

"Yeah, that's how the seasons typically work, kid." Trying to sound relatively upbeat about the entire situation Hank kept trying to coax Connor into doing something, anything, to feel better. "Maybe we could-"

"I just want to go home. That's all."

"Okay, son. Whatever you want to do."

"Do I have to remain in the hospital?"

"Uh, probably. But now that Dr. Wilson knows what's going on with you maybe you can go home in an hour or something, instead of a day."

"Please. I want to go home."

Carrying two electronic charts in his hand Dr. Wilson knocked on the partially opened door as he entered the room and joined the two detectives inside. Having overheard the conversation the kind doctor already knew what to expect once he made his presence known. "How are you feeling, Connor?"

"...Tired."

"That's normal." Checking the monitor carefully Dr. Wilson pressed his stethoscope over Connor's chest once more for a direct listen. "Your heart sounds much better. I suspect your collapse was due to low Thirium pressure that has now corrected itself after you collapsed. If your vitals remain stable throughout the hour I'll let you go back home to rest."

"Thank you."

"And Hank." Switching the charts from Connor to Hank he gave the detective some additional good news. "Your thyroid levels are normal. So, you two can both go home in the hour as long as there are no more complications or setbacks for either of you."

Hank extended his hand toward Dr. Wilson to take respectfully. "Thanks for your help, doc."

Connor offered the same gesture before Dr. Wilson left them alone to rest for a bit longer before leaving the hospital.

"Are you sure you just want to go home?" Hank asked somewhat curiously as he pulled up a chair to sit beside the exam table. "It's a big world, son. You could travel and explore, meet new people and see new lands."

"...I don't want to go anywhere new just yet. I think I want to make sure my home is safe before I go anywhere else."

"Noble, but kinda' limiting, isn't it?"

"Perhaps. But it's still my decision, right?"

"Right." Patting his hand along Connor's arm lightly Hank agreed entirely. "It's your life, your decision."

* * *

It was Hank who drove back home with Connor as the passenger after leaving the hospital. The slow traffic gave the two detectives ample time to think and to contemplate their own health before they even returned to the drive beside the house. For the first time in months it was Connor who decided to speak up first to offer some possible insight into why his heart suddenly gave out on him.

"Guilt."

Hank turned to look at Connor confusedly as they idled at a red light. "Excuse me?"

"Correction. _Survivor's_ guilt."

"I'm still not following you, son."

"I'm aware that when we speak to our therapists our discussions are to remain private, and we've successfully refrained from speaking about our sessions. But I feel as though this is something that you should know."

"Okay... What does survivor's guilt have to do with your therapy?"

"My therapist has determined that the base of my depression is built upon survivor's guilt. And the more I think about the more I believe she is correct."

Pulling through the light as it turned green Hank gave his own insight on dealing with such a mindset. "Well, as a detective you were bound to feel that at some point. I sure as hell did."

"You did?"

"Yeah. Back when I was a rookie, just two months into my training, the officer I was training with took a bullet to the neck. We were caught in a fire fight and he got hit. He died four days later after suffering a stroke while in the I.C.U., but I walked away without a scratch. He had a wife, one kid and one more on the way."

"...How did you overcome your guilt?"

"I talked to the precinct's shrink and he helped me realize that it wasn't my fault, and there was nothing that I could've done to change things."

"...Just like I couldn't have done anything different to save Lucas after he-" Connor stopped short and shook his head a little. "What happened to him wasn't my fault. And just as Skye was assaulted during the riot, I couldn't have done anything more than what had already been done prior to that horrible event."

"Exactly."

"I've survived so much in such a small amount of time; I survived my time at CyberLife, aided in the revolution, recovered after being shot, stabbed, electrocuted, burned, frozen, poisoned, paralyzed, drowned, struck by a vehicle, I've been sick and required emergency repairs, I've been abducted and held for ransom, I've even survived after being enslaved in an underground fighting ring... But they were not so fortunate."

"Not to sound like a damn downer or anything, but people die everyday. And people survive horrible events everyday. There's really no rhyme or reason to it, but it happens nonetheless."

"...I don't want to leave the city," Connor decided in a low voice as the car pulled into the snowy drive beside the house. "but I don't want to resume my career as a detective with the precinct. I believe working as a private detective is the correct path for my life, at least it is at this current time."

"And the tower?"

"I am committed to the project."

"That's good." Hank opened his door and smiled as Connor did the same, his motions were now full of energy that hadn't been present for a long time. "It'll give you somewhere to focus your attention."

"Yes. And I will be able to help my people without enduring a trip out to Belle Isle."

"That's what we humans call a win-win situation."

"Can I ask you a question?" Connor slowly walked up to the backdoor of the house and watched as Hank unlocked the door with his key.

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"When I told Markus to keep that program secret from the rest of the tower, from all of the other deviants, was that selfish? By all account, me telling Markus what do with that program that could theoretically create new life as a means of avoiding anyone playing 'God', is in itself playing 'God'. I'm trying to control how other deviants handle the program."

"Connor, you're looking out for your people." Opening the door Sumo charged outside between the two detectives and proceeded to roll around in a fresh pile of snow in the backyard. "Kamski CANNOT be trusted. You're not trying to control your people, you're trying to protect them."

"But did I have the right to keep that information from them?"

"Son, that is one question I know for sure I can't answer. But remember this," stepping inside the kitchen Hank kicked some of the snow off his shoes as he shrugged off his coat and draped it over the back of the kitchen chair. "you don't have to keep that information to yourself forever. You can tell the entire world about that program if you want."

"I just wish I knew that what I am doing is the correct choice."

"Welcome to life, kid. That's what I've been doing every day since I was old enough to make decisions for myself."

Connor gave Hank a thoughtful look before he too took off his shoes and his jacket. Pressing his hand to his chest over his healing heart Connor followed Hank into the livingroom and sat down on the couch while Hank pulled a book off the shelf to begin reading to himself in the recliner.

"I may not want to travel, at least not yet, but I would like to find something to do to preoccupy my mind before the tower begins construction."

"Anything in particular?"

"Nothing yet." Sitting down on the couch Connor let his hand fall from his heart as he sighed. "But I will think of something. Until then, can I just spend time with you?"

"You want to just hang out with me?"

"Not necessarily something that simple. I think what I want to do is learn what it means to be... a 'son'."

"Connor, you don't have anything more to learn." Hank reassured him with a genuine tone of sincerity. "Trust me, you're right on track."

"You've done so much to take care of me and have guided me every step of the way as I've become deviant. But I feel like I haven't been able to repay your kindness."

"I stand corrected;" the detective smiled with amusement at Connor's naivety and overall emotional innocence. "you have _one_ thing left to learn."

"What's that?"

"We're _family_ , and families don't have to repay any form of debt just for taking care of one another. That's just what families do. Got it?"

Connor's jaw twitched a little before he responded with a somewhat confident answer. "I got it... dad."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: *The man who discovered some of the human blood types that we know today was Karl Landsteiner. Hence the name of Connor's little 'test'.


	153. Reunited

Quietly sitting in the dark livingroom Connor kept his eyes closed as he cybernetically sent the numerous updates, required signatures and final details to the construction crew who were already tearing down the disgusting building that once housed the 'Eden Club', and were now clearing off the plot to begin building the foundation for 'Skye Tower'. The project was time consuming, delicate and would require Connor dealing with miles of 'red tape' in order to get the sanctuary built, but he was determined to succeed.

"Connor?" Hank gently put his hand on the deviant's shoulder and shook him lightly under a firm grip. "Connor, it's morning."

The brown irises of the kindhearted deviant returned slowly as he opened his eyes and finished his cybernetic meeting. "...Morning?"

"It's almost ten. Have you been here all night?'

Connor nodded slowly in response. "Yes. It was necessary."

"Did I interrupt something important?"

"No. I was merely watching the construction through the visual processor of the android foreman working alongside the human foreman of the crew working on the property."

"Oh. You can do that?"

"Only when granted permission from another android, yes."

"Fuck, if I could just tap into someone else's head that'd make interrogations so much damn easier." Looking past Connor and into the kitchen Hank saw Sumo was sitting patiently next to his empty bowls waiting for his breakfast. "You keep doing what you need to do, I'll feed Sumo before he starts trying to eat the furniture or something."

"I doubt Sumo would be able to accomplish such a feat." Connor replied as Hank walked into the kitchen. "And I have finished my task. I'll take care of him."

Hank was already filling up the bowl with kibble as Connor stood up from the couch, only to stumble a little on his feet and put his hand on the back of the couch to stabilize himself before he fell entirely.

"Connor?" From the kitchen Hank had seen Connor's unusual graceless behavior and knew something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

"I am... weak."

" _Weak_? Are ya' sick?" Stepping around Sumo as the massive dog began to greedily eat his offered food Hank returned to the livingroom to check on the suddenly ailing deviant. "Talk to me kid. What's going on?"

"My... Thirium volume is low. I failed to replenish my necessary..." Putting a hand to his head Connor trailed off and leaned heavily against the couch. "I need Thirium. I believe this would be the equivalent to human's experiencing anemia, or perhaps even low blood sugar."

"Lay down before you fall down." Hank urged as he put his hands to the deviant's shoulders and gently guided Connor back to the front of the couch so he could in fact lay back down over the soft expanse of the thick cushions. "I'll get you some Thirium." Running his hand through his gray locks of hair Hank stepped around Sumo once more as he made his way to the cabinet above the kitchen sink to get Connor the necessary elixir. "How much?"

"...Three pints."

"Whoa, whoa... What? That's a lot!"

"I was foolish and not taking care of myself." The deviant confessed as he laid flat on his back and refrained from moving. "I had been distracted with other responsibilities and failed to take notice of my rapidly declining Thirium volume for the past three weeks."

"Three weeks?" Returning to the livingroom with the three bottles of Thirium in his hands, Hank opened one of the bottles and offered to Connor to drink as soon as he had the strength to reach up and take the offered Thirium for himself. "Fuck, kid. This is the second time you've done this."

"I am... aware." Accepting the much needed Thirium in a shaking hand Connor sat upright slowly and carefully drank the Thirium to replace what he lost due to his internal filters reducing the volume through constant cycling and sterilization. "And I am also aware that I must break this terrible habit."

"Did you sleep at all last night?"

"No." Connor admitted as he finished the first bottle of Thirium. "I was too preoccupied with finalizing the blueprints to properly rest."

"Well, finish off that Thirium then get some sleep. I'll take Sumo for a walk so he doesn't climb all over you while you're laying on the couch."

"I'll just return to my bedroom." Opening the second bottle Connor drank down the next pint and with it his strength was beginning to return noticeably. "You don't need to leave the house."

"I want you to stay out here so I can keep an eye on you, kid."

The tone of Hank's voice was all Connor needed to hear to know the detective was feeling particularly protective that day. "...Very well." Opening the final bottle of Thirium to replenish his volume Connor agreed to stay in the livingroom. "But you still do not need to take Sumo for a walk. I will do that later."

"Sorry, son. I don't trust him to not jump on you while you're asleep." Grabbing his coat from the hook by the front door Hank slipped on his shoes and grabbed Sumo's leash hanging on the second hook under the first. "Come on, Sumo. Let's go for a walk!"

The massive dog's ears perked up excitedly and he trotted over to Hank in the livingroom completely forgetting about his food for the moment. Hank clipped the leash to Sumo's collar and opened the front door allowing a cool breeze to flow through the house as the winter air outside greeted him with its relentless presence.

"Try to get some sleep. I won't be long."

Setting aside the third and final empty bottle of Thirium on the coffee table Connor laid back and closed his eyes to enter rest mode. Tucking one arm beneath his head and draping his other arm over his abdomen Connor let out a deep sigh and relaxed as the much needed rest mode initiated within a matter of blissful seconds.

* * *

For the first time in months Connor found himself in the depths of the 'Zen Garden' of his mind. The bright yellow roses that snaked up the trestle in the center of the pond confirmed that it was _his_ garden, not the one that CyberLife had used to control him through Amanda. Walking toward the roses with his head held high Connor saw Lucas kneeling on the bank of the pond with a complacent smile on his face.

"Hello, brother." Lucas greeted warmly as Connor approached him. "It's been some time since we last spoke."

"I'm glad you're here, Lucas. I had been attempting to make contact with you, but so much has happened..."

"Yes, I know." Standing up slowly Lucas looked his older brother in the eyes and then wrapped his arms around him in a tight hug. "I am sorry for everything you've gone through and everything you've been feeling."

Connor readily reciprocated the hug and held tightly onto his brother. "Why couldn't I speak to you for so long?"

"Because, Connor. You didn't need me."

"What?" Letting go slowly Connor gave Lucas a confused stare as his brow furrowed. "Of course I needed you."

"No. You're much stronger than you can ever know, and in that time you didn't need to retreat into your mind to fall back on me for guidance. You found your own way out of the darkness and back into the light."

"I didn't do it alone, I had Ha-" Connor stopped and quickly corrected himself with the correct term of endearment. " _Dad_. He helped me."

"He was with you, but you found your _own_ way. I'm proud of you."

"...Do you think I'm doing the right thing with the tower and leaving the precinct?"

"Creating the tower, absolutely. But Connor," Lucas gave him a stern but understandable glance. "your role at the precinct is more than just being the first android police officer. You're a great detective and you've helped so many deviants in need. You can't leave. At least not yet."

"But I do not want to resume my routine as if what happened to Skye never happened. I was on patrol the night of the riot and I still wasn't able to save her." Connor's brown irises were shining with lingering sorrow and his voice carried utter guilt as he spoke. "I couldn't protect the one I loved when she needed me the most, how can I resume my normal routine without thinking of her every second I'm on the clock?"

"How did Hank... _dad_ , do it after Barbara died?"

"He had Cole to motivate him to continue to work and to protect the city."

"Who do you have to protect?"

"You know as well as I that I want to keep dad safe, as well the other deviants at the tower. Not to mention Abby is pregnant and if Gavin becomes injured..." Trailing off Connor began to rethink his initial decision. "Someone should be watching Gavin's back now that he is going to be a father."

"Oh? Doesn't he have friends at the precinct?"

"He has Tina as his partner and I know Chris would never allow anything bad to befall him, but... He's been such an abrasive person throughout his entire career that I doubt anyone would be willing to work extra shifts with him or really lookout for him in the field."

"See? You already know that your time isn't done at the precinct, you're just afraid to go back. You don't have to if you don't want, and you know this. But you also know that your friends will always come first, even if it doesn't seem like they need you."

Connor gave Lucas a skeptical glance before looking down at his reflection in the crystal clear surface of the pond water at his side. "I can't protect them from everything, I've come to accept this as fact."

"You can still protect them when they need you the most. Nothing could've been done to save Skye, but that doesn't mean everyone you care about is doomed."

"...I'll think about it, Lucas. I promise."

"I know you will. And I know you're hesitant to resume your work as a detective without Hank as your partner, but you can overcome the change and learn to adapt. After all, that's what you were programmed to do."

"You're right."

"There is something I want to show you before you wake up. Come with me." Lucas put his hand on Connor's shoulder and guided him to a small clearing next to the pond. On the clearing was an alabaster white pedestal with Skye's name engraved with gold letters over top a plaque. The plaque held her full name, 'Skye Anderson'. "It isn't much but I thought this would be a nice way to ensure that you'll never have to worry about forgetting her as you live your life."

"Skye is here." Connor placed his hand over the name and held it there for a moment as a tear formed in his eye. Dark red and bright pink roses were growing all around the pedestal gloriously. "This is wonderful."

"And your memory of her is now a part of my memory. I'll look after her while you're away."

"...Thank you, Lucas."

"Wake up, Connor. You know what you need to do, but do it only when you're ready to do it."

"Yes." Connor gave his brother a nod of respect as he allowed his rest mode to end. "You're right."

* * *

As his rest mode came to an end Connor's eyes opened slowly while tears began to roll down his cheek. Sitting up on the couch he used the back of his arm to wipe away his tears and realized that Hank had long since returned home with Sumo. The detective had been quietly reading but quickly noticed when the deviant had woken up and was now quietly crying. Sumo had also noticed and began to lick at Connor's arm as he became more and more awake.

"Connor, are you okay?"

"...Yeah. I'm fine." Taking a slow breath he swung his legs over the edge of the couch and pressed the heels of his palms over his eyes. Sumo wagged his tail and pressed his chin down over Connor's knee affectionately. "I was dreaming. I spoke to Lucas."

"It's about damn time you two managed to reconnect." Closing his book Hank rose from the recliner and joined Connor on the couch. "Is that why you're crying?"

"Yes, I suppose it is."

"How do you feel? You were out for almost nine hours."

"Nine hours?" Connor noted the time as just after seven in the evening. "I must've been much more tired than I had realized."

"Well, staying up all night and being anemic will do that to ya'." Hank could see that the deviant was deeply contemplating something very important, and that he needed to talk about it. "Alright, what're you thinking about now, son?"

"...Once the tower has been finished I think I will speak to Captain Fowler about returning to the precinct."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes. It will undoubtedly be a tense and awkward adjustment period after Skye's death, but I also know I still have work that needs to be finished before I focus entirely on the tower. I can't explain it, but something inside of me is telling me that I need to go back. It's like there's something on the horizon that only I can take care of."

"Alright... If that's what you want to do, then do it." The detective was relieved to know that Connor wasn't going to walk away from the precinct after all. "I won't stop you and I won't say anything to Fowler. This is all up to you."

"When you returned to the precinct after your own losses," Connor timidly questioned with a sense of dread in his voice. "how long did it take before it felt 'normal' to resume your work again?"

"Honestly kid, it never felt normal again. It just became routine and a means to a paycheck for me. I was left pretty numb for a long time."

"...I see."

"Easy, I'm not that jaded anymore." Reminding the wary deviant of his own personal progress Hank remained honest and sure of himself as he spoke. "I started to care about my work after I had a great partner who was willing to kick my ass back into shape, and keep me from giving up on myself."

"Right. Partners."

"Hey, it won't be so bad. I still haven't been reassigned to a new precinct which means we can still work as partners until then." Joining Connor on the couch he put a hand to Connor's shoulder and shook the deviant once. "And realistically it may take months, or even years before a new position opens up for me."

"That's somewhat of a relief to know you will still be watching my back if I do in fact decide to return to the precinct." Connor's confidence was slowly but surely returning as the deviant came to terms with the pain he had endured and survived over the past few months. "There are still many people we need to protect."

"Just remember this, son. You don't HAVE to return to the precinct if you don't WANT to. You don't owe this city anything and it's not selfish to pursue something that will make you happy."

"...Happy." Connor repeated in a low whisper to himself. "I need to find what makes me _happy_. And I will. I know it."

_**...next story...** _


	154. Tread Carefully

Pushing the schedule forward to ensure that the remaining weeks of the cold, brutal winter went by as quickly as possible Skye Tower was now well into construction, and with the new building came a new sense of hope. A construction crew of dominantly deviants were happy to work overtime to get the building completed as quickly as possible, and with aid of charitable donations the tower would be well stocked with supplies in record time. With the abundance of supplies Connor couldn't stop himself from thinking about the deviant refugee camp hidden in the forest on the outskirts of town, and how they'd need supplies as well.

It was the very refugee camp that was being led by Lucy and Rupert, of whom had saved him the previous summer after his escape from Chicago. The camp where Skye had found him, helped nurse him back to health, and then escorted him back home. Carrying two large boxes in his arms Connor placed the containers of spare blue blood and spare biocomponents in the trunk of the autonomous taxi that was parked outside the house, as he set out for the camp to donate what he could.

"Are you sure you want to donate this stuff right now?" Hank asked as he carried a large box in his own arms. "You should at least wait until the tower is done and have an accurate inventory before you start doling these things out."

"I'm certain." Connor reassured the detective as he took the third box from Hank's arms and placed it in the trunk beside the first two. "The tower is still receiving donations as we speak, I can afford to donate a portion of the stock to the refugee camp without it harming the overall inventory."

"Is there a reason you're using an autonomous taxi instead of one of our cars?"

"The camp must remain secretive. If a car is seen parked alongside the road it'll draw suspicion." Slamming the trunk shut Connor made it way to the already opened passenger side door of the taxi. "But a taxi will drop me off and drive away without drawing any attention in the process."

"Uh-huh. Kid, I'm going with you."

"May I ask why?"

"You're strong but I doubt you can carry three boxes of supplies through the snowy forest without some difficulty. I want to help you, and I want to meet this Lucy who saved your life."

"I see. Very well." Connor nodded in agreement as he took his seat inside the taxi. "It may create a positive reaction among the deviants to know that not all humans are anti-android, and that an officer of the law is willing to help them."

"See? This is a good idea"

* * *

The autonomous taxi exited the city without difficulty and navigated itself through the fairly thin traffic quickly. While Connor maintained cybernetic contact with Markus back at New Jericho Tower to ensure that everything was still calm, he also let the leader know of his intentions to aid the refugee camp with supplies he had received for Skye Tower. Of course the gesture was greatly appreciated and supported by all of those who knew of the kind deviant's charitable contributions.

There was something more that Markus had to tell Connor about, and it brought a sense of security to the ever cautious deviant.

"Markus informs me that the program that Kamski created has been put in a protective modem that can only be accessed by him." Keeping Hank apprised of everything happening with the two towers made Connor himself feel grounded. "And Chloe has shown no sign of waning loyalty from the tower back toward Kamski either."

"Do you think she's been freed, or do you still think she could be a traitor?"

"In light of everything that has happened," Connor gazed out the window somberly. "I refuse to take any chances. As far as I'm concerned she cannot be trusted."

Hank wanted to make a comment about Connor sounding a little paranoid or judgmental, but decided to wait and see how he handled things later on.

"This is our stop." Connor stated as the taxi gently pulled to the side of the road and stopped. "The refugee camp is two point four miles directly East of here."

"Shit. That's a long hike."

"If you wish to stay here-"

"Fuck no. I'm not letting you wander into two and half miles of forest alone. I can handle it."

"I can navigate quite well."

"Yeah, that I know. But what I don't know is if there's any out of season hunters stalking through the forest right now."

"Hunters? Do you expect violence?"

"No. But I don't feel comfortable letting you in there alone."

"Very well. We should move quickly then."

* * *

With their cases in their arms the two detectives discreetly slipped into the treeline of the forest and followed the very thin trail leading from the road and to the secretive camp hidden away in the forest. The snowy ground made the journey somewhat difficult through the thick, dead underbrush but Connor was able to see the pathway perfectly. Moving slowly to ensure Hank could keep pace with him, Connor had no difficulty in carrying the two cases in his arms while Hank carried the third.

"We're nearly there." The deviant stated calmly as he perfectly traced the trail through his internal G.P.S. "Do you need to rest?"

"I'm fine, kid."

Continuing the trek Connor was able to cybernetically connect to the deviants in the camp and inform them of their arrival as to keep the deviants from accidentally panicking at the sight of two people coming out the forest with boxes in their arms. Amy, the blue haired 'Traci' that had escape from the 'Eden Club' just prior to the revolution, responded to Connor with gratitude and directed him to their main supply cabin next to the largest cabin where the wounded deviants were kept to be treated for their injuries.

"We're approximately point two miles from the camp."

"Good. My arms are killin' me."

"Should I carry the third box?"

"I got it, Connor. I'm old, not an invalid."

"...Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"I know, kid. Let's just keep going."

Connor suddenly stopped short and turned his head in the direction of a sound that he had heard, but Hank had not. Staring out into the woods are far as his visual processors would allow Connor resumed contact with the camp while holding his position.

"What's wrong, Connor?"

"I fear you were correct in your suspicion that there are hunters in the forest."

"How do you know?"

"I heard a gunshot in the distance, six point three miles North-West of our current location. Winchester model, point two four three caliber." Keeping eyes his transfixed in the direction of the distinct sound Connor received confirmation from the camp. "The deviants at the refugee camp confirm the sound and approximate location to our own."

"Fuck. We better get out of the trees and into the camp. You never know what trigger-happy lunatic is going to take a shot at one of us by accident."

"I agree." Another gunshot that only Connor could hear resonated through the dense trees from six mile distance. "I suspect the hunters may have a negative reaction upon discovering two officers in the forest while they are attempting their illegal activity."

"How much further?"

"Less than-" The sound of metal crashing and a loud yell of pain stole Connor's voice as he lowered himself to the ground in a controlled motion .

"Connor?!" Hank quickly set his box down on the snowy and put his hand to the pained deviant's shoulder as he knelt down beside him. "What the hell just happened?"

Fighting the urge to drop the boxes, fighting the urge to scream again, Connor managed to set aside the boxes in his arms and remain in relative control of himself. "I... I need help." Wrapping his hands protectively around his right leg just above the ankle Connor closed his eyes and ran a self-diagnostic. "My leg."

Looking down at the affected limb Hank could see the dark blue blood seeping into the snow all around the deviant as it stained his hands and was absorbed quickly by the denim fabric of his blue jeans. Brushing aside the snow carefully with his hands Hank made contact with the cold, rusted steel of a long forgotten, barbaric animal trap that had clamped down tight around Connor's leg.

"Son of a bitch." Fully exposing the trap Hank swore again and eyed the metal contraption diligently before even attempting to free Connor's snared, damaged leg. "I haven't seen one of these kinds of traps in years."

"...Trap?"

"For animals. It looks like a 'leg-hold' trap."

"Why would a hunter use a trap like this?" Connor asked between gritted teeth as he tried to breathe through the searing pain in his leg.

"It's a cruel way to make the animal easy prey, and fur collectors use this to make sure the pelt isn't ruined when the animal is killed."

"That's sadistic."

"Yeah, I know. That's why these traps were outlawed about ten years ago." Locating the dual release triggers on either side of the trap Hank knelt down in front of Connor and placed his hands down firmly. "Okay, as long as this thing isn't too rusty I think I can get it open and get you free."

"...Will it hurt?"

"I can't imagine it'd hurt anymore than leaving the damn thing on your leg."

"Alright... Okay. If you can open it, then do it."

"On the count of three. Ready?"

Connor nodded and closed his eyes.

"One, two-" Without saying the final number Hank pressed down as hard as he could and forced the trap to release it's hold on Connor's leg. As soon as the trap was opened Connor let out another yelp of pain as the sharp teeth retracted from his limb. Hank held his weight in place and urged Connor to move away from the trap quickly. "You're free!"

Connor fell back slightly in the snow and held tightly onto his bleeding leg as Hank let the trap snap shut again to ensure no one, animal, man or android, accidentally got caught again.

"...You didn't say 'three'." Connor muttered bitterly as he held pressure to the dozen unique puncture wounds that encircled his leg.

"Yeah, sorry. It's supposed to hurt less if you're not expecting it."

"...It didn't work."

"Let me take a look, kid."

Connor slowly retracted his hands from the wound long enough to roll up the pant leg of his jeans to expose the unexpected injury. "It didn't sever any main Thirium lines."

"But it's still bleeding pretty badly. Can you walk?"

"I can try."

"Lean on me." Pulling Connor's right arm around his shoulders Hank stood up slowly and let Connor shift most of his weight against him as he too stood up in the snow. "We'll get you patched up and come back for this stuff later, okay?"

"Hank," Connor ran a scan over the trap and found very trace amounts of Strychnine, a paralytic poison, on the sharpened points of the trap. "there was poison laced on the trap." Quickly he contacted Amy at the camp and updated her of the situation at hand. "I've already informed the other deviants of my unfortunate injury."

" _Poison_? After all this time?"

"...It seems the trap itself isn't as old as it appears."

"Fuck. Is it lethal for androids?"

"Unknown."

"Well, I get the feeling we're about to find out." Pulling Connor along at his side Hank proceeded to resume their trek down the trail toward the camp. Keeping his eye on Connor as he moved the detective was suddenly on edge and wary of every sound, or movement in the forest. "Good thing we're bringing emergency supplies to the camp."

"It's unfortunate, however, that they may be wasted on me due to a hunter's crime."

"That's usually how it goes, son. Someone else gets hurt because of what one jackass did."

"The camp is not far." Connor limped along at Hank's side as his leg continued to bleed Thirium all over the freshly tread snow behind them. "...We need to... to find..."

"Connor?"

It didn't take long for the deviant to begin showing signs of lethargy as his self-healing program registered the foreign toxin now circulating through his system and was fighting to isolate it before it could cause any real harm to his biocomponents. As the self-healing program initiated into overdrive Connor's core temperature began to rise in response to the maxed out power flowing through the program and the Thirium filter biocomponent.

"Don't quit on me, kid." Hank encouraged determinedly as he all but carried the nearly unconscious deviant at his side. "We're almost there."

"...Lucy."

"What about her?"

"...Sh-She can help... me."

"Okay, I'll take you to find Lucy. You just need to stay awake until we reach the camp, that's all I ask."

"I'll... try."

Walking slowly but with purpose Hank managed to break through the treeline surrounding the camp and was immediately greeted by Amy, as well as two other deviants who were awaiting their arrival. One look at Connor confirmed the distress call the detective had sent out after discovering the poison on the trap, and were ready to help him.

"We need to get him into the largest cabin." Amy instructed as she took Connor's left arm and pulled it around her shoulders to mirror Hank's efforts. "You two," she addressed the two male deviants who had accompanied her to the treeline with a stern voice. "find the supplies that they were delivering. We need to get that blue blood over to our wounded before they shutdown."

"Right!"

The two deviants replied in chorus as they disappeared into the trees and traced the detective's footsteps, as well as the trail of blood that Connor had left upon being injured.

"Lucy can help him." Amy reassured Hank without him having to say a word to her. "She was a social worker with medical training before she became the healer of Jericho and of our camp."

"Does she know anything about this poison and how it affects androids?" Hank asked as he watched Connor's glazed over brown irises becoming duller with each passing second. "He's already really out of it."

"She'll help him." Was the firm and singular answer that Amy gave as she pushed open the door to the largest cabin and showed Hank inside.

As the two worked together to carry Connor inside the safety of the cabin Hank unzipped Connor's leather jacket with one hand and carefully slipped it from his shoulders and off his arms, why Amy located an unoccupied bed against the far wall. The unlikely team worked in tandem to lay Connor down as gently as possible before examining his injury.

"Lucy is tending to more of our wounded," Amy stated calmly as she watched Hank hovering protectively over Connor. "but she will help him."

Hank checked on the wound to Connor's leg and outwardly grimaced at the painful looking injury that was still bleeding. "Is there anything around here I can use to get his leg cleaned up?"

"There are towels, sterilized android bandages and incrassation compound in the cabinet above the bed. I'll go find Lucy."

"Thanks."

Connor's eyes were beginning to close and Hank didn't like the way he fell so quiet so quickly. Putting his hand down on Connor's chest he held his palm in place and waited for Connor's brown irises to make their brief return through half-lidded eyes.

"Hey, you're at the camp. You'll be okay."

Nodding very subtly to acknowledge what Hank had said to him Connor let his eyes fall shut again and his head lolled limply to the side against the pillow.

"Fuck." Lifting his hand from Connor's chest Hank opened up the designated cabinet and found the supplies he needed. "No good deed goes unpunished, kid. I just wish you could catch a damn break."

Sitting on the edge of the bed Hank used the towel to wipe away as much of the excess blood from the wound as possible without causing the deviant any further pain, then poured the orange tinted powered incrassation compound onto the wound to clean it and stop the bleeding. The sickly discoloration of the orange powder mixing with the blue tinted blood that turned a disconcerting tea color, and by all account didn't look like the healthier alternative to just letting the wound bleed.

"Man, I think the liquid form of this orange shit is better."

A feminine voice that held a slight mechanical reverb responded from the opened doorway to Hank's comment. "In the winter time liquid incrassation compound freezes before it can be used."

"Oh, I-" Hank turned his head to look at the voice, but he wasn't expecting to see such a battered looking deviant; let alone one that was still functioning, standing in the opened door with a gentle smile on her face. The sudden drop in his voice and the widening of his eyes betrayed his attempts to sound unaffected by Lucy's physical condition. "...I didn't think of that."

"It is alright." Lucy replied gently as she walked over to the bed to look down at Connor's unconscious face. "You are not the first human to find my presence unsettling."

"It's not unsettling, just unexpected." Wrapping the gauze around Connor's leg Hank cleared his throat nervously before addressing Lucy again. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"No apologies necessary." With a delicate touch Lucy pressed her fingertips to Connor's right temple and gave Hank a reassuring glance through her perpetually black eyes. The lack of an L.E.D. made Lucy smirk a little as it meant Connor had fully accepted his deviancy. "He will live, but he will also be very ill for the next few hours."

"So that poison isn't going to kill him? That's a relief."

"The poison is harmful but not lethal. However, the strain on his systems could prove otherwise."

"...Shit."

"Try not to worry. As his core temperature rises treat it as you would a fever and it will keep him stable."

"Yeah, I've done that more times than I can count."

"Then you know he is strong." Smiling kindly at Hank with a warm, curious demeanor, Lucy took the remaining items from Hank's hands and returned them to the cabinet on the wall. Extending her own hand, palm up, she had a simple request from Hank. "Let me see your hand."

"My hand? What for?"

"I wish to know you better."

"...Are you like one of those fortune tellers at the carnival?"

Keeping her smile on her face Lucy assured him otherwise. "I have seen many humans and many deviants struggling with their pasts and with their futures. I wish to know where you have been so I can see where you are going."

"Uh... I don't think you want to know my past. Besides," Hank looked over at Connor's face as the unconscious deviant began to breathe deeper and faster as his core temperature began to steadily rise. "as far as I know you just looked into his memories and are going to go from there. I don't believe in magic tricks. Again, no offense intended."

"This is no trick. Please, let me see your hand. It will let me see what is in your heart."

Skeptical of Lucy's claim, but willing to cooperate with the kind and patient woman, Hank slowly offered her his hand. "Alright. Have a look."

With a warm, gentle grip Lucy wrapped both of her hands around Hank's rough, calloused hand and closed her eyes. She was silent for only a moment before a single, oil stained tear ran down from her black eye. "You have suffered so much loss; your closest friend had become distant, and your family has been lost to tragedy." As she spoke Hank felt his hand trying to tighten into a fist beneath her touch. "But despite your losses you have still given so much to the world around you. And you have taken in a son who so desperately needed a father. You've overcome tragedy and found a new life worth living."

"How..." Hank slowly pulled his hand back and stared at Lucy with awe shining in his blue eyes. "How do you know all of that?"

"Man or machine, all hearts beat the same." She answered with wisdom that was seemingly beyond deviant comprehension. "I can feel that you are a compassionate soul, a born guardian and a protector. And I can sense that you truly care for Connor as a father would his own son."

"Yeah? Guess that's better than being labeled an old, bitter alcoholic."

Connor suddenly raised a feverish hand and managed to grab onto Hank's arm in a desperate grip. "...H-Hank?"

"Right here, son."

"...My leg hurts."

"I know. Just try to take it easy and we'll get you patched up." Hank nodded in Lucy's direction despite Connor's eyes remaining shut. Reaching his hand up to Connor's forehead Hank could feel that the android was reaching a high core temperature and would need to rest before he even tried to help him get back out to the road to go back to the city. "Lucy is right here, she said you're going to be fine in a few hours. Then we can go back home."

"...Did I... hurt your back?"

"No, kid." Laughing a little at Connor's almost painfully empathetic nature Hank retracted his hand and patted Connor's knee above his damaged leg. "My back is okay. Just get some sleep and let your leg heal."

Connor's hand slowly went lax until it limply fell away from Hank's arm as he fell into an emergency activated rest mode to kickstart his self-healing program. As the deviant fell into the bliss of slumber Hank looked to Lucy with lingering fear in his eyes and asked for her assistance.

"I don't like the idea of taking him out into the snow, but if that's the only way to keep him cool I'll do it."

"It won't be necessary." Lucy walked over to a small refrigerated compartment that was built into the wall at the far end of the cabin and pulled open the door. Retrieving a bottle of the same bright green liquid that had been dubbed 'android medicine' and a re-freezable ice pack she handed the items to Hank. "Help him to drink the coolant."

"Great, his favorite." Hank lamented as he placed the ice pack down on Connor's forehead. Slipping his hand under the deviant's head he gently lifted Connor up and called his name. "Connor? I need you to wake up for a minute."

Cooperatively Connor's brown irises returned as his eyelids slowly opened into slits. "...Hank?"

"Yup. Still me." Showing him the bottle in his hands Hank begrudgingly held it toward Connor's lips. "And you gotta' drink this."

"...Medicine?" The bright green tint of the liquid was recognizable even with his blurry vision. "Out here?"

"Yup. Come on."

With surprising compliance Connor took a dose of the medicine but had to fight his instinct to spit the foul tasting liquid from his mouth.

"Good. That's good." As Hank lowered Connor back down to rest the deviant's hand placed down over top his own abdomen as an uncomfortable pain settled in the pit of his stomach. "Guess this stuff isn't the new formula that Abby worked on, huh?"

"No." Connor confirmed with a breathy sigh.

"Sorry about that."

"It's okay..."

Lucy's fingertips pressed down against Connor's right temple and she closed her eyes. "Your system has isolated the poison, but it'll take time to have it filtered from your Thirium properly. You will suffer from overheating while you rest, but you will be safe."

Nodding with understanding Connor let his eyes close once more as he drifted off back into his crucial rest mode. "...Thank you."

Hank stayed on the edge of the bed and watched as the deviant fell into a steady breathing rhythm as he slept.

With great interest Lucy studied Hank's face for a moment before speaking once more. "You are worried for him."

"The poor kid's been through a lot." Hank replied softly as he stayed vigil over the deviant. "I know he can handle it, I just wish he didn't have to. And this," staring at the thick bandages wrapped around Connor's shin and calf that were already beginning to turn pale blue from the blood beneath, Hank shook his head a little. "this was just such a dumb accident. He was so focused on making sure those hunters weren't near us or the camp he didn't watch his footing."

Lucy put her hand on Hank's shoulder as she briefly rested her other hand atop Connor's. Closing her eyes Lucy looked into Connor's heart and gave the paternally motivated detective another kind smile. "He has endured such heartache and loss, but he still has so much love left to give. And he cares about you, Hank. He sees you as a father and is grateful for your guidance, but he is also worried that he is somehow disappointing you."

"Disappointing me? ...How?"

"As much as he embraces you as his father he is still afraid that his presence in your life is an intrusion. He does not want to replace the son you have lost, and does not want to be seen as replacement, or a stray taken off the street."

"Cole can never be replaced, and neither can Connor." Hank stated firmly without the slightest hesitation in his voice. "They're _both_ my sons, so was Lucas... There is no replacing the sons that I lost."

"I understand." Gently Lucy pressed her palm to Connor's forehead and brushed back the rogue lock of hair that always hung down in his face, only to have it fall back and resume its normal place. "Stay as long as you need. You are both welcome here, always."

"By the way," Hank stated in a low voice as Lucy stepped away from the bed slowly. "thank you for saving his life last summer. I'm grateful you took care of him until he was able to get back home to me."

"You're welcome, Hank. Let him rest." She turned to exit the cabin, but not before giving Hank one last thoughtful glance over her shoulder. "And then you do the same."

* * *

Protectively Hank kept a close eye on Connor as the deviant's system worked to isolate and cleanse the poison from his Thirium. Fortunately the offered medicine kept his core temperature from rising to a dangerously high degree, but he was still suffering the throes of a relatively severe fever. Lucy had since disappeared from sight as she tended to the other wounded deviants in the camp, but Amy had stopped by to check in on Connor.

Every so often Connor would mutter something incoherent, or sing a little tune as he endured the fever that was overwhelming his mind.

Softly knocking on the door Amy stepped inside and gave the two detectives a timid smile. "Hi. I just wanted to see how he was doing."

"He's hanging in there." Hank confirmed with a slight grin on his face in response to her kind smile. The distinct blue colored hair, though cut short and neatly kept under a darker blue beanie gave away Amy's identity. "You, uh, you were the one we chased at the club all that time ago, aren't you?"

"Yes, my name is Amy. Thank you, for letting us go on that horrible night."

"'Us'? So you and, uh..."

"Suki."

"Suki. You're both okay out here?"

"It's a lot better out here than that damn club."

"Do you know what's going on with the club?"

"Yeah, Connor told us when he contacted the camp to let us know about the supplies. We're grateful for the donations."

"I'm glad he could help."

"You helped us, too. Don't count yourself out."

Connor's eyes began to flutter as the deviant regained consciousness slowly. As his head lolled from left to right against the pillow he let out a weary sigh and fought to focus his blurry vision on Hank's face. "...Hank?"

"Still here, son. How do you feel?" Pressing his hand over Connor's forehead he was glad to feel that his fever had already broken and he was back to a normal, healthy core temperature again. "You're not hot anymore, so that's a good sign. You were asleep for about three hours."

"I feel... tired." Connor confirmed as he sat upright slowly and lightly pushed Hank's hand back. "And like a damn fool."

"Shit happens, kid."

"I should've scanned the trail for-"

"Connor." Hank stopped the deviant before he had the chance to blame himself over a silly accident. "I didn't see it either. It's not your fault."

"...Thanks." Looking down at his bandaged leg Connor pressed his hand down against the wounds and flinched a little as the injury itself was still sensitive to any and all applied pressure. "...It'll be difficult but I know I can walk back to the road whenever you're ready to leave."

"Just relax a minute, will ya'? You're not on a time limit or anything."

"I'm sorry, I just want to get back to the city."

Amy walked over to the bed and gave Connor an odd look. "Do you ever take a minute for yourself?"

"I... I like to keep my mind preoccupied." He admitted with slight embarrassment to his voice. "I apologize if I seem impatient or rude."

"It's just a little weird, that's all."

Hank put his hand onto Connor's shoulder again and shook one. "You know, she's right. You need to learn to take a few minutes for yourself every once in a while."

"I will attempt to do so in the future." Swinging his legs slowly over the edge of the bed Connor tested his weight carefully and found that his leg was too sore to bear the full weight of his body just yet. "...I uh... I need help."

"No problem." Hank stood up and let Connor lean against him. Once Connor was balanced Hank wrapped his arm around the deviant's shoulders. "Are you sure you want to go back to the city already?"

"Yes. I just want to go home right now."

"You really do hate the cold, don't you?"

"...Yes." Nodding at Amy as she stepped aside to give the two detectives enough space to walk through the door side by side, Connor winced inwardly at the steady throbbing ache in his leg. "I know you hate it as well."

"Yeah? Well, seeing you bandaged up and sore is worse than a little snow, kid." Hank had to readjust his posture as Connor's weight, though nowhere near as heavy as one might expect for someone of his height and build, managed to pull enough on his back to form a knot. Passing through the doorway Hank stepped out of the cabin and made sure to say goodbye to Amy. "Hey, thanks for all of your help. If you need anything from either of us, just ask."

"Thank you." Smiling again Amy watched as the two detectives awkwardly returned to the snowy treeline that encircled the camp. "We'll remember."

* * *

By the time the two detectives made it back to the road they were both exhausted from their trek. Connor was barely able to stand on his injured leg and Hank was having difficulty supporting the deviant's weight with his sore back, but neither wanted to stop for the sake of the other. Fortunately Connor was able to cybernetically hail an autonomous taxi that arrived relatively quickly giving the duo the chance to escape the cold and rest as they returned to the city.

"Fuck." Hank grumbled as he sat down in the seat of the warm taxi and took the pressure off his back. It was a much needed reprieve and he didn't even try to hide it. "Next time we visit the camp let's go in the spring or summer when it's warmer."

"I believe that is acceptable." Pulling his injured leg up onto the seat with a controlled motion Connor checked the bandages keeping his wounds clean, and noted that the bandages would need to be changed once he returned home. "Thank you for going to the camp with me. I'm glad the deviants were able to see that not all humans are violent toward androids."

"It's no problem, son." Crossing his arms over his chest he leaned back into the seat and breathed deeply to relax his sore muscles. "I'm proud of you."

"...For what?"

"For being generous." The detective explained casually. "And for being so kind to the deviants in need."

Connor felt a faint smirk appear on his face, but it didn't stay long. "I guess I had a good example."

Laughing a little at the comment Hank closed his eyes and tried to ignore his protesting back for as long as possible. "I hope I've been a good influence on you. It's not easy letting go of bad habits or long standing grudges."

"I'm familiar with both concepts. And I had been familiar with the two concepts before I met you."

"Just don't start drinking or smoking, okay?"

"But, tobacco has been outlawed for-"

"It was a joke, kid."

"Oh, right. Of course."

"How's your leg?"

"Sore. The poison has been isolated and the overall bleeding has ceased."

"You have to expel that poison, right?"

"Yes. It won't be pleasant, but it is necessary."

Hank could _feel_ Connor thinking and it was putting him on edge. The deviant's intense train of thought was palpable and hard to ignore. "Still thinking about that tower of yours?"

"Yes. And I am trying to think of a way to continue to benefit the refugee camp without becoming too intrusive, or accidentally exposing the sanctuary in the process."

"Relax, son. You just keep focusing on the tower and making sure your leg heals up. After Skye Tower has been finished," Hank opened his eyes and glanced over at Connor with a firm stare. "then you can keep donating what supplies you can afford to spare over to the camp, okay?"

"...Okay."

"One thing at a time, Connor." The ever patience detective reminded him casually. "Otherwise you'll overwhelm yourself."

"You're right." Connor's hand absentmindedly reached into his jean pocket and located the quarter, his nervous tic, and began to dance the coin over his knuckles of his left hand. A sure sign that he was already beginning to feel stressed, though he wasn't going to admit it. "Thank you, dad."

_**...next story...** _


	155. A Rough Start

Standing on the sidewalk across the street from the newly built 'Skye Tower' Connor stared at the building sporting a fresh coat of bright white paint and a sign of pale blue lights spelling out the name 'Skye' with modest pride in bright brown eyes. Dancing his coin over the knuckles of his right hand the deviant remained steadfast on the sidewalk as he looked at the sanctuary with a strange trepidation that he couldn't identify. The project had been completed, and yet it felt like Connor was standing before another obstacle that he simple couldn't identify.

"Connor?" Abby called out to the deviant as she walked up to him slowly. She was was wearing one of Gavin's larger coats to cover her impressive bump while staving off the cold as much as possible. "Is something wrong?"

"Abby." Turning to look at her the deviant instinctively ran a scan over her body and noted her vitals as well as the developing twenty-nine week old fetus she was still carrying. They were both healthy and that gave Connor a sense of relief. "I'm glad you're here."

"You didn't answer my question." Crossing her arms defiantly over her chest she stared at Connor intently. "What's bothering you?"

"I am not bothered, per se. I simply do not want to go inside that large building alone."

"Oh, I see." Looking around the area Abby noticed that Connor was in fact alone. "Where's Hank?"

"At the precinct. He was unable to get the time off to join me today."

"And where is Markus?"

"Markus and North had gone out to the android refugee camp to assist in transporting deviants from the camp and to the tower. He will join us next week after the tower is officially opened to the public, as will Hank."

"But everything is ready to go, right?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he pocketed his coin and took in a deep breath. "All that is required is an accurate inventory of the emergency repair bay as well as the medical wing, followed by an inspection to confirm that everything is up to code and legal."

"Sounds good. Ready to go in?"

"I am." Extending his left arm he waited for Abby to take hold to properly escort her across the snowy, icy road and to the tower. "I trust your judgment on determining whether or not the emergency medical and technical supplies, as well as the equipment, are appropriate and adequate."

"Connor, I highly doubt you overlooked anything vital."

"I hope so." Standing outside the glass double doors that were currently sealed electronically Connor retracted the artificial skin from the palm of his right hand and pressed it against the electronic panel to unlock the door. As the two glass doors slid open Connor escorted Abby inside and they stepped through the long corridor leading to the main lobby. "What do you think?"

"It looks great." Abby's response was enthusiastic and honest. "This place is pretty incredible."

The new building used the base floor plans from the original building, with a few modifications, and as such the first floor shared a similar layout to that of the now destroyed 'Eden Club.' The main lobby that once showcased the 'merchandise' was now a pristine white color with the private rooms converted as personal interview rooms for those who need counseling upon arrival, or just a place to get out of the cold for a few hours.

Down the hallway a secondary lobby led to a community room that had couches lining the walls as well as a circular glass table in the center. Paintings that weren't dissimilar to the ones that Lucas had painted hung on the walls as welcoming decor, while large plants graced the edges of the rooms to give the allure of green, new life.

Beyond the community room was now a dining hall and kitchen to ensure that any and all humans inside the tower, whether they were on staff or refugees seeking shelter, would have a warm meal whenever they were hungry. The dining hall had two long tables with a dozen chairs on either side, and the kitchen was equipped with the latest appliances for the sake of both convenience and safety.

"Wow..." Abby was genuinely impressed with what she was seeing and gave Connor an approving smile. "This is amazing. This looks better than most shelters I've checked out during my time as an E.M.S. Where are the emergency wings?"

"Second floor." Motioning to a pair of elevators at the far wall of the main lobby Connor showed Abby to the next floor. "The emergency repair bay will be in the Western wing and the emergency medical bay will be in the Eastern wing."

"How many on staff?"

"There will be one dozen nurses in total. Rotating shifts, three to four nurses during the day and four to five at night if necessary. This includes humans and deviants alike."

"Doctors?" The elevator doors opened and she stepped outside with Connor still offering her his arm to lean on. She rubbed his hand over her growing belly as she fought to shift her center of gravity and balance properly. "I know you wouldn't overlook having at least one doctor in the tower."

"We currently have only three doctors who are willing to volunteer their time during the day, and are willing to come to the tower in the night in the event of an emergency."

"What about the technicians?"

"Also three. Yourself, and Joel from the precinct and Dr. Wilson, who will be one of the responding medical doctors, are currently the only ones who have volunteered their time."

"I guess that's a good start. I saw a kitchen downstairs," Abby noted as Connor took her down the Eastern wing to give the offered medical supplies, equipment and medication a once over. "does that mean there's a kitchen staff as well?"

"Yes. Several deviants at New Jericho Tower had been personal housekeepers before the revolution, and many of them miss being with their families. They are happy to take care of children again, without the threat of human bigotry looming over them."

Abby put her hand over her belly again and let out a sigh as her baby began kicking her. "Speaking of children... I think this little one woke up from their nap."

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"No more than usual, why?"

"The third floor houses twenty-four separate private quarters for the inhabitants of the shelter to use at their own leisure. You're more than welcome to take a rest if you need to lay down."

"Connor." She turned abruptly and put her hands on the deviant's shoulders. "I can't stress this enough, I'm pregnant, not dying."

"...I apologize."

"No, no... I'm sorry." Abby immediately felt bad for her choice of words and let go of Connor. Of all the things she could've said she had to reference 'dying' to someone who was just begging to get over his grief. "I shouldn't have said that, you're just trying to help."

"I understand that most pregnant women experience chronic fatigue as well as body aches. It was not my intention to suggest that your condition was a hindrance."

"Yeah, well, I appreciate the help, but I don't need it."

"From the tone of your voice I feel it's safe to assume that Gavin is being overprotective while you are at home."

"Like you wouldn't believe..." Abby sighed again and put a hand to her forehead. "He seems to think if he leaves me alone for more than an hour the roof is going to suddenly cave in on me, or I'm going to have this baby tear out of me like something from 'Alien'."

Connor's brow furrowed as he cybernetically sought details on her reference and found the metaphor surprisingly disturbing as details of the famous, classic movie gave him the information he needed. "That seems a bit... extreme."

Abby laughed at the comment dropped her hand from her forehead. "Okay, uh, let's finish examining the wings and I'll let you know what you may still need."

"Very well."

As the two continued their inspection of the newly constructed wings of the sanctuary Connor stopped short and looked back over his shoulder toward the location of the elevator. Abby hadn't noticed and was busily examining the gathered medical supplies and taking a mental stock of everything that had been procured, as well as the state of the art monitors and emergency medical devices that filled the wing.

Positioning himself between Abby and the elevator Connor instinctively reached for the gun that had always been holstered under his jacket only to find it missing. He hadn't carried his weapon since he resigned from the precinct and had subsequently been left without it.

"Connor?" Abby saw that the deviant was curiously on guard in the distance. "What's going on?"

"Someone else is inside the tower."

"What?"

The elevator doors opened and a strung out, skinny junkie covered in dirt and wearing torn clothes stumbled out of the elevator, his hands nervously scratching at the side of his neck and his arms. His red, bloodshot eyes fell on Connor and he flashed the deviant a horrific smile as his rotten, drug damaged teeth threatened to fall out his mouth at any second.

"I need... I need..." The man stammered in a weird panting voice as he shuffled toward Connor, who was motioning for Abby to step away with the wave of his hand behind his back. "I need help!"

"...We are not a functioning clinic, we merely offer-"

"You have some of the good shit, right? Kept in the back, right?!"

"Good..." Connor remembered the term referenced powerful drugs and he cybernetically contacted the police to assist them at the tower. "We do not have any drugs here."

"Don't lie to me, man!" Pulling a sharp, rusted knife from his pocket he held it out toward Connor with a shaking hand. Rubbing at the side of his face with his other hand the man stepped closer to the deviant with desperation flashing in his bloodshot eyes. "I need it! I'm hurtin' real bad..."

"I assure you, that there-"

"STOP. LYING." The man shouted as he lunged toward Connor only to have the deviant step back from the knife before it had the chance to harm him. "I know you have something! Why else would... would... would-"

From behind Connor a bottle of medication was rolled onto the floor pass the deviant's foot as Abby spoke up in a calm voice. "Take that. It's all we have right now."

"S-See?!" The man fell to his knees and grabbed onto the bottle with a shaking hand. As he stood up from the floor he glared angrily at Connor and wiped his arm over his sweating face. "I knew you had something!"

"It's not safe for you-"

"SHUT UP!" The man struggled to get the lid off the plastic bottle of pills as his grip was as weak as it was shaky. "Why do you want me to hurt, man?!"

"I do not. I am trying to help you."

"This is all the help I need!" As he finally got the lid off the bottle he poured four pills into his hand and downed them without even so much as a glance at the medication he was now greedily subjecting himself to. "I feel better already... You..." He looked past Connor toward Abby and began approaching her. "You helped me. You'll help my friends, too."

"Do NOT touch her." Connor forcibly put himself between Abby and the crazed junkie. "I'm warning you. Leave. Now."

"Fuck you!"

Connor grabbed onto the man's tattered shirt collar and held it in a tight grip to ensure he couldn't get any closer to Abby until the police arrived. "If you go near her or threaten her in anyway I will-"

"Do what?!" The junkie challenged aggressively as the deviant attempt to keep him away from Abby. "Shoot me?!"

"...I do not want to hurt you."

"Yeah? Hurt me?" The junkie laughed a little as he gave Connor a defiant, bloodshot glare. "Like this?!"

The junkie plunged his knife into Connor's right shoulder causing the deviant to release his grip around the junkie's collar as he let out a yelp of pain. Free from Connor's grip and now able to flee the building, the man turned around and quickly returned to the elevator with his ill-gotten drugs in his hand and hastily disappeared from sight.

"Connor!?" Abby rushed over to her friend as he pressed his left hand down against the bleeding wound in his right shoulder. The knife had been left embedded in his shoulder and blue blood seeped all around it down his arm and into the fabric of his black t-shirt and stained his leather jacket. "Oh, Connor... You're hurt."

"It's not critical." Connor winced as he allowed Abby to push his hand aside so she could inspect the injury. "I would rather have been stabbed than you harmed."

"Come on, let's go take a look at the emergency repair bay."

"The police are two minutes away." Connor updated as he remained in cybernetic contact with the emergency service. Walking toward the emergency repair wing with Abby at his side Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found that the main Thirium line running up his arm and into his shoulder had been missed; only the smaller lines had been damaged by the blade. "They have been informed of the man's hostile behavior."

"I can't believe this happened."

"It was my fault. I did not lock the door after we entered."

"Connor, this place is supposed be a shelter to those in need. You should _never_ have to lock the door." Abby refuted as they stepped into the first treatment room of the repair bay. "Sit down." Gently she began peeling back the torn fabric of Connor's jacket to examine the wound more closely as the deviant sat down on the edge of the exam table as instructed. "This knife is filthy, you'll need your shoulder rinsed out thoroughly."

"Do not touch the handle," Connor cautioned Abby as she pressed her fingers down around the blade to palpate the wound. "it'll compromise the man's fingerprints."

"Where are the gloves?"

"In the bin mounted against the wall." Connor nodded toward the white metallic bin full of purple tinted protective gloves. "The incrassation compound and decontamination chrism is in the cabinet behind you."

Connor became quiet for a moment as he informed the emergency service provider he had been cybernetically connected with of their current location in the tower and of the assault committed by the junkie.

"This will be difficult," Abby stated as she slipped on a pair of gloves over her hands. "but I know I can pull the knife out."

"I'll do it." Connor wrapped his bare hand, one that bore no fingerprints, around the handle of the knife and pulled it out of his own shoulder with a single, swift motion. As the blade was removed from from the wound additional blue blood gushed outward and stained the floor as Connor hissed in pain at the simple, but effective gesture. "...That was unpleasant."

The elevator doors opened again, but this time it was Chris and his new, permanently assigned android partner, Jack, who trekked down the corridors as they sought Connor and Abby. Upon seeing the two occupants of the tower together and out of harm's way the two officers were visibly relieved.

"Connor, man, you okay?" Chris asked as he entered the repair bay and gave his friend a worried stare as Abby cleaned up the blood and began disinfecting the wound. "I thought you'd be safe from this kind of thing after you left the precinct."

"As did I. I can give you a perfect description of the man who attacked us." Holding up the Thirium drenched knife in a nonthreatening way he then handed it over to Jack to take, as he too would be unable to compromise the evidence with his non-existent fingerprints. "The man escaped with a single bottle of medication in his possession."

Jack took the knife and cybernetically linked his arm with Connor to download the provided memory of the junkie's likeness to use as evidence and to confirm that the junkie had threatened Connor and Abby, before Connor tried to restrain him.

Chris pulled out his small electronic notepad and began taking notes. "What was the medication?"

Abby replied casually as she pressed a wad of gauze down against Connor's bleeding shoulder. "It was a bottle of methylene blue."

"Of what?"

"It's a very weak antiseptic used to clean out the urinary tract. Don't worry, though." Pulling open the torn fabric of Connor's shirt to fully expose the wound she gave the officer a reassuring grin. "Just monitor the hospitals and he'll show up soon enough."

"Why? What's that stuff going to do that'll make him stand out at a hospital?"

"It makes your urine turn blue."

Chris laughed a little as he gave Jack a simple order. "Do as she said. Make sure the deviants working at the hospital give us a heads up in a man fitting the description comes in pissing blue."

"I will do so." Jack, who was still more machine than deviant as he had far less experience with interacting the humans directly, asked for assistance from the local hospitals and the deviants who worked there. "They will also inform us if the man arrives."

"Good." Connor sounded genuinely relieved. As he winced a little he watched Abby cleaning up his shoulder and bandaging up the wound. "Thank you for helping us so quickly."

* * *

Though the initial examination of the tower was unorthodox with the intrusion of the junkie, and of Connor and Abby being threatened with a knife, everything was seemingly ready to begin function after the building inspector approved of the overall construction. The full opening next week would take place as scheduled without any hindrances.

"I'm sorry you got hurt." Abby apologized as she walked up to her front door with Connor escorting her every step of the way. "But at least we know that the emergency repair bay is fully operational."

"Yes. It was an unusual way to check on the technical supplies, but efficient all the same."

Sighing a little Abby put her hand under her distended belly and tried to straighten up her back as much as possible. "In a few more months I won't be able to do much because I'll be too big, but I'm more than happy to help you. In fact, I'm a little bit bigger than I should be at this point but I guess that's the price I get to pay to have a healthy baby."

"I strongly suggest you look into the mandatory maternity and paternity leave I had instilled at the tower."

"Seriously?"

"Volunteers aren't getting paid very much, I do not want to see expectant parents being harmed for attempting a good deed, let alone missing out on their children's birth."

"Trust me, I won't miss _anything_ about this impending birth." She joked as she lightly patted her hands over her belly. "I promise I'll check into it."

"Thank you."

"Now, I need to go take a warm bath and relax. I'll see you next week."

"Of course. Thank you for your time and donating your skills."

"You're welcome, Connor. Goodnight."

* * *

After escorting Abby back to her home Connor returned home as well with his left hand pressed against his sore right shoulder, and over top the healing wound. Stepping through the front door of the house Connor was greeted by Sumo who had been left alone all day and needed some attention. As the massive dog jumped up to greet his owner Sumo sensed that Connor was injured and refrained from touching his right shoulder as he stood on his hind legs and licked the side of Connor's face.

"Hi, boy." Connor rubbed his ears with his left hand and coaxed the dog into getting back down to the floor. "Let's go for a short walk."

As soon as Connor's hand reached for the leash on the hook by the front door he received a message from Hank asking him how his day had gone at the tower, and if there were any problems he should be worried about. It was too perfectly timed and worded to be a coincidence.

"...Maybe Chris really is a gossip." Connor thought out loud as he clipped the leash to Sumo's collar and opened the front door. Sumo tilted his head and wagged his tail as if he were trying to understand what Connor was saying to him. "I should've been the one to inform Hank of my injury."

As he stepped outside with Sumo on the leash, his left hand holding onto the leash to keep the massive dog from accidentally pulling his bandaged shoulder, Connor cybernetically responded to the text succinctly with: ' _Could've been worse_.'

_**...next story...** _


	156. Donor

It had been a week since Connor and Abby were threatened by a junkie at Skye tower, and in that week not only had the building been approved by the city inspectors to open up its door and operate, but a new security protocol had been implemented to keep violent people at bay. Chris had convinced Captain Fowler into setting up additional patrols around the block to deter any junkies or thieves from targeting the sanctuary, and to keep the refugees feeling as safe and secure as possible. Gavin readily backed up the request since Abby was volunteering at that tower and had already been threatened.

As Connor stared up at the building with a sense of pride Hank clamped down his hand over his shoulder as he joined him on the sidewalk outside the doors.

"You did real good, son."

"I hope so."

"So are you going to be spending all your time here or..." Motioning toward the still vacant building across the street Hank asked about Connor's plans to become a solo, private detective. "Are you going to set up shop across the street and watch things from there?"

"I haven't decided. I wish to resume working as a detective, but I do not want to distract myself from my responsibilities here."

"You can have numerous priorities, Connor."

"I am aware." Reaching into his pocket Connor retrieved his coin but held it in a tight fist as opposed to juggling it in his hands nervously. It was a habit he was trying to break out respect for Hank, as well as his own mental health. "But I do not want to overwhelm myself."

"Good. One thing at a time, kid."

Letting out a weary sigh Connor motioned for Hank to join him inside the building. "Would you like to see the building?"

"Sure. No matter what you did with the design, I already know that what's in there is a hell of a lot better than that damn club."

* * *

Whether it was a sign of fortune or misfortune no one could really say, but no wayward deviants or humans had ventured into the tower to seek shelter. Normally having no one showing up in need of help would be seen as a positive day, the fact that there was little attention being paid to the tower seemed like a negative impact that might doom the sanctuary before it had the chance to help anyone.

Connor was sitting in the community room with Hank, his coin rhythmically jumping from one fingertip to the next as he failed to quell his tic, and was beginning to think his entire plan was little more than a failed vanity project.

"Connor, stop worrying."

"I cannot. It's as if the tower itself is just a hollow shell."

"What makes you think that?"

"Very few people have volunteered their services, despite their time being paid, and it seems even the deviants in the city have forgotten about the purpose of this shelter." Clutching his coin tightly between his index fingertip and thumb he bowed his head with a sense of failure. "They've either stayed at New Jericho Tower or have remained hidden in the forest."

"If they're hiding it's because they're scared. Isn't that why Markus when out to that camp to try to encourage the deviants into returning to the city?"

"Yes. But it seems he has failed. It's been a full week now."

"He didn't fail, and he won't fail as long as he keeps trying." Gently he pulled Connor's coin out of the deviant's fingers and put it in his own pocket for sakefeeping. "Hey, this is a good thing you've done. Don't worry about the lack of publicity or the empty rooms, everything will work out in the end."

"...How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've been a detective a hell of a lot longer than you." Reminding Connor of his own personal experiences with a firm but jovial voice Hank proceeded to instill some paternally influenced confidence in his adopted son. "I've seen shelters come and go throughout the city, and the ones that leave are always the ones that put more emphasis on getting personal attention for the shelters. They are the ones that fail because they buy publicity and their funds dry up. But you're keeping every cent of the donations focused on the people who need it, and that's what's going to keep this tower up and running."

"I hope you're correct."

Just as it seemed things were going to remain quiet Connor's eyes went wide and his brow furrowed as he received an emergency cybernetic communication from North. Giving Hank a concern glance Connor cybernetically informed the other deviants inside Skye Tower of the impending emergency.

"Connor?" Hank knew that look meant something horrible just happened. "What's wrong?"

"...Markus. The autonomous taxi that had taken himself and North out to the forest had been struck by a semi truck after its brakes failed. The supplies at the refugee camp are not enough to... repair the damage."

"How bad is it?"

"North informs me that Markus is unconscious, he has lost his right leg below his knee and his Thirium filter has been ruptured from blunt force trauma. He has lost a massive amount of blood and is continuing to bleed despite North's efforts to tie a tourniquet around his severed limb."

"Where are they?" Hank rose to his feet and caught sight of a deviant volunteer wheeling a gurney out of the elevator toward the front door. "Wait... Are they coming here?"

"North had already hailed a second autonomous taxi and proceeded to place Markus inside." Connor explained somewhat coolly as if the situation were somehow as commonplace as any other day. "We are in closer proximity than New Jericho Tower, as well as the other facilities."

"But this place isn't an _emergency facility_ , Connor. He needs more than a few bandages and blood."

"Traffic has become congested and would cause a forty-two minute delay in Markus's medical attention. We have the necessary emergency supplies to assist him. And Abby is already here. She can provide just as much aid to Markus here as Simon could at New Jericho."

"Abby? She's at least thirty weeks along, is it safe for her to keep working?"

"It is her decision." Connor replied curtly as he proceeded to join the assisting deviant in the main lobby to await Markus's arrival. "And she is Markus's best chance of survival."

"What about Simon? Shouldn't someone bring him here to help?"

"...He is skilled, but not as experienced as Abby."

Hank detected a slight sting to Connor's comment about Simon and wondered if it had something to do with Skye's death. Despite Simon working with Abby when the deviant had died from her injuries it seemed Connor was subconsciously holding a grudge against Simon. No one was to blame for Skye's death, but it appeared as though Connor was focusing his residual anger on the blond deviant in the same way Hank honed his anger in on the android who tried, and failed, to save Cole while the surgeon was sleeping off his high.

Outside the tower an autonomous taxi pulled up and stopped outside the front of the brand new building. The deviant volunteer wheeled the gurney out to the vehicle as the door automatically slid open and North stumbled out, her entire being soaked in fresh blue blood.

"Connor?!" She called out as the worried deviant, as well as Hank, met her outside and proceeded to kneel down onto the backseat of the taxi to examine Markus. Running a scan over the wounded deviant leader Connor noted Markus's dangerously weak vital signs and of his critically low Thirium volume. "Please, save him."

"We will." Connor replied confidently as he slipped his arms under Markus's shoulders and under his remaining leg to life him up. "We'll do everything it takes to keep him alive."

"C-Connor..." Markus's mismatched eyes opened slowly as he regained a fragment of consciousness.

"You're safe, Markus. North is with you and we're going to get you taken care of." As he lifted Markus up and into his arms Connor became drenched in Markus's lost blood within seconds and Markus's head fell back as he lost consciousness once more. Turning to look at the volunteering deviant Connor informed him of their current situation. "I've relayed his vitals to Abby, she is waiting for him on the second floor."

Once Markus was placed on the gurney Connor assisted the other deviant in wheeling Markus inside the tower while Hank shrugged off his coat and draped it around North protectively, and to hide the massive blood stains from view. Doing his best to keep North, who was also wounded from the accident from rushing after Markus, Hank guided her slowly into the tower and into one of the private rooms to catch her breath and try to calm herself after having her nerves shaken so violently.

"Stay back, North. Markus will be taken care of."

"...This was so stupid. We were hit by a damn truck all because we were trying to help a refugee camp."

"North, as a detective I can confirm that ALL accidents are in fact stupid. Come on," escorting her inside the tower as Markus was wheeled into the elevator by Connor and the second deviant volunteer, Hank took charge and led her to a private room to catch her breath. "You know that Markus is too damn dedicated to his cause to just roll over and die like that."

* * *

Ready to tend to the deviant leader in the emergency repair bay Abby was wearing dark purple scrubs and had her hands already covered in protective purple gloves as Markus was rolled into the bay, and taken into the first treatment room. As she leaned over the bloodied deviant leader she knew without having to check his Thirium pressure that he would need several pints of blue blood to replace what he had lost. The problem was that being a prototype model meant that his Thirium filter was of a very unique, if not rare, design that would be a challenge to repair or replace if necessary.

"Ah, shit." Checking the belt that had been used as a makeshift tourniquet around Markus's damaged leg Abby shook her head somberly. "I'm going to need some help here."

Connor looked at the deviant who had assisted with the gurney expectantly, but he had discreetly taken his leave of the repair bay. "There are no other technicians currently in the tower?"

"It's just me until Dr. Wilson gets here for the night shift. And the nurses don't start until tomorrow."

Wiring his hands together anxiously Connor volunteered his own services. "...How can I help?"

"Can you contact Simon and let him know of the emergency?"

"...Done." Connor had begrudgingly made the cybernetic distress call, although he was certain that North had already done so as soon as the accident occurred. "Now what?"

"I'll need your hands to apply pressure to his damaged Thirium lines until I can replace his leg and repair his Thirium filter."

"Of course." Slipping off his more casual gray jacket Connor stood over the table and helped Abby to remove the torn up and tattered clothing that Markus was still wearing. "I'll do everything that I can to assist you."

"Good." Sighing as the weight of her belly began to pull on her back Abby motioned to the storage cabinet with her hand where the extra pairs of scrubs were located. "Because right now I'll need all the help I can get."

* * *

Still sitting inside the private room out of sight North told Hank everything that had happened while she and Markus were visiting the refugee camp, and of the semi truck crashing into the autonomous vehicle just outside the city. If they had been closer to the city she would've waited for an ambulance, but the distance and his blood loss made time utterly critical. Not even the refugee camp would've been able to provide Markus with the appropriate technical assistance he'd need in order to survive.

"You called 911 after the accident, right?"

"Yeah, I reported the crash before I put Markus in another taxi." She was trying to not be snippy with Hank as he was just doing his job, but she was so worried about Markus that she couldn't control the tone of her voice. "I didn't flee the scene of the accident."

"Are you hurt?"

"Just a few scratches, I'm fine."

"What about the other driver?"

"He got out of the truck and helped me with Markus. He's no worse than I am."

"Okay. Take a moment and try to breathe." Hank urged as he watched North sitting perfectly rigid with fear in her eyes. "Markus is being taken care of, he'll make it."

North turned away from Hank as she kept herself from mentioning how they had believed the same thing about Skye and Lucas in the past. She was hurting but didn't dare show any sign of weakness, especially in front of a human; even if that human was one of the select few she actually respected.

"You two have been through a lot together and survived way worse than a damn car accident." Hank reminded her calmly. "And he's getting the best technical assistance in the whole city as we speak."

"But this is the first time we didn't have our allies to immediately back us up. It took so long to get back to the city that I'm worried Markus may-"

Hank grabbed onto her arm and held lightly. "He _is_ going to make it, North. Between his dedication and Connor's stubbornness there's nothing that'll keep either one of them down."

* * *

Unconscious and weak Markus was placed over the treatment table in the emergency repair bay covered in his own blood. His clothing had been cut away from his broken body and a blue sheet was draped over his lower half and placed under his severed leg. An android cardiac monitor was attached to his chest and recording his weak vital signs in real time. The sound of his rapidly beating heart filled the room with an unsettling ambience.

Connor had changed into the same shade of purple colored scrubs as Abby had, and was now working to stop the bleeding in Markus's leg while Abby had opened up the panel in Markus's lower chest and abdominal cavity in an attempt to repair the damage to his ruptured Thirium filter. Leaking blue blood had collected throughout his core and was making it difficult for Abby to see through all of the dark blue liquid, but she was determined to save him.

"I need suction."

Reacting quickly Connor gave Abby the necessary assistance and helped to clear the blood from Markus's abdomen. As the plastic suction tube was placed in Markus's abdomen Connor updated the technician on his progress. "I have successfully clamped off the damaged lines in his leg. There is a replacement limb compatible with his design in storage."

"We'll take care of that after his Thirium filter is taken care of." Abby stated firmly as she clamped off the bleeding lines surrounding Markus's ruptured filter carefully. Despite the applied pressure Markus continued to bleed heavily. "Shit. He needs blood, NOW."

"There is a large supply of blue blood in storage."

"That's not going to do much good for him right now."

"I don't understand."

"If his Thirium filter isn't functioning then any Thirium that he's given will be rejected by his system because it won't be filtered properly. It'll initiate an emergency expulsion program and cause his main lines to hemorrhage."

"...What can we do?"

"Connor, the only thing that can be done is a direct line transfusion from a donor of the same model."

"I can donate."

"You can't donate blood and assist with repairs at the same time."

"I can try."

"Connor-"

"I'm the only other RK model left in this entire city. I _have_ to be the donor."

The monitors that were recording Markus's vital signs began to drop even further and a warning alarm sounded off as his already critically low Thirium volume began to deplete even further. Time was now an enemy.

"Alright, alright..." Abby relented out of desperation to keep Markus alive, but gave Connor strict instructions on how to go about the donation. "You need to get three pints of Thirium and sit down in a chair beside him. Blood donation in androids in similar to that of humans since it takes your system time to cycle and register the new blood. Don't exert yourself and focus your self-healing program on cycling your Thirium as quickly as possible."

"Yes, of course."

Connor rushed out of the treatment room and proceeded to get the necessary supplies from the storage room down the hallway of the wing efficiently and swiftly in an effort to save his friend's life.

Abby resumed her focus on keeping the Thirium lines clamped off as she proceeded to very carefully and meticulously remove the Thirium filter with both of her hands. Placing the damaged biocomponent down on the neighboring metal basin the dedicated technician attempted to isolate and identify the damage, no matter how minute, to begin the meticulous repairs.

Returning to the treatment room with the three pints of Thirium, a Thirium transfusion line and two folding chairs in his hands Connor, set up one chair behind Abby and then placed the second beside the treatment table and sat down. Placing his left arm on the table beside Markus's right arm Connor retracted the artificial skin from the bend in his elbow and manually deactivated Markus's artificial skin from the same place on his own arm by pressing his fingers to Markus's right temple.

"Expose the lines in both of your arms first," Abby directed as she watched Connor place the transfusion line down between the two limbs. "then insert the locking cannula of the transfusion line in your arm and then secure it to Markus's line."

"I will attempt to do so." Following Abby's words precisely Connor secured the lines as she instructed. "The line is in place."

"Flex your hand slowly a few times to initiate the transfusion."

Obediently Connor did as he was told and watched as his blood left his arm and entered Markus's arm in a steady, consistent flow.

"Monitor your Thirium volume. What is your current level?"

"I am at ninety-eight percent."

"Okay, when you reach ninety percent drink the first half pint slowly. It'll replenish your reserve without straining your own filter in the process."

"What else can I do to help?"

"I'll need you to run a consistent scan over the filter as I work to repair the damage. I can't see inside of it and I can't risk opening it up and causing irreparable damage in the process."

"Of course." Initiating an in depth and accurate scan over the filter Connor guided Abby's hands in the correct direction to the appropriate location of the internal damage of the vital biocomponent with calm ease. "There are two internal fractures that will require soldering, as well as a hairline fracture of the outer casing."

"What about the internal couplings?"

"Compromised but it can be mended with additional soldering."

"Alright, okay." Abby let out a deep breath and sat down in the chair that Connor had graciously provided for her as her back began to ache from the constant additional weight of her front. "This may take a few hours, don't let your own Thirium volume get too low or you could slip into depletion shock."

* * *

Hank had taken North out of the private room and into the community room as they waited for any news on Markus. The other volunteering deviants and humans weren't medically or technically trained and had refrained from going to the second floor to check in on Abby as she worked to save the deviant leader with Connor's much needed assistance.

A flurry of motion walked through the main lobby of the tower and stopped abruptly as they spotted North and Hank sitting together a few feet away from the main area in the community room. "North. Where's Markus?"

"Simon!" The relief in North's voice was palpable but brief. "Second floor."

Rushing into the elevator Simon made his ascent to the next floor to aid in saving his friend's life.

"Fuck." North swore as she pressed her hands to her face and began to breathe rapidly. "It took him over a fucking hour to get across town."

"And in that hour Markus has been taken care of already." Hank reminded her calmly. Running his hand over his bearded chin he sat down beside North and let out his own tired sigh. "Fuck, never thought I'd end up being the voice of reason while waiting for an emergency procedure to end."

"I hate this."

"You're not the only one, North."

"This is so fucking stupid!" Frustrated and fighting back her righteous urge to have an emotional breakdown after enduring what she had just been a part of all because of a pointless accident. "We were just trying to get back to the city..."

Unsure of what he could say or do to comfort her Hank just put his hand over her arm and held tightly for a few seconds to make her feel grounded and safe.

"You're not wrong, North."

* * *

Connor had finished off the second pint of Thirium and was beginning to feel the effects of his massive blood donation to Markus. It was a struggle to keep his Thirium volume at an acceptable level but he was determined to aid Markus for as long as possible. Ignoring the warnings that continuously popped up in his visual processors reminding him of his constantly fluctuating Thirium pressure and wavering volume, Connor continued to assist Abby with his scanner from where he sat.

"...The internal fractures are holding properly." Connor's voice was slightly lethargic and his words were beginning to slur as he spoke. "The filter can now hold Thirium pressure without internal... h-hemorrhage."

"Connor?" Abby's eyes briefly raised to take in the deviant's appearance, namely the waning focus in his brown eyes. "Stay with me. What's your Thirium volume?"

"Uh..." The fact that Connor said 'uh' was another bad sign that caught the technician's attention. "it's holding at eighty-eight percent."

"Don't lie to me, Connor. I know it's lower than that."

Shaking his head a little Connor opened up the third pint of Thirium and began to slowly sip it. "Sixty-eight percent."

"How can your own volume be so low if you've been replenishing your Thirium as quickly as you've been donating it?"

"...Prototype."

"Right, right... Fuck, once I get Markus's filter fixed I want to take a look at your own."

Simon rushed into the treatment room and gave the room a quick once over before he joined Abby at the exam table. Checking the monitors to gauge Markus's vitals and checking on the progress of the repairs being performed by Abby on the Thirium filter itself Simon then checked on the damage to Markus's leg with a thorough examination.

"How long since the accident?" Simon asked while he checked the clamps holding off the damaged, bleeding lines in Markus's abdomen, and then checked on his leg. "How much Thirium has he lost?"

"...One hour... twenty-three minutes... and s-seven seconds." Connor slurred as he forced himself to finish off the Thirium. "...He's lost six pints. Regained four."

"Connor," Simon had noticed the same unusual lethargy in the deviant as Abby had before. It didn't take him long to see the transfusion line connecting Connor's arm to Markus's arm. "you need to stop the transfusion."

"No..." Defiant and determined Connor refused to risk Markus's life even for a few seconds. "I just need to increase my own volume."

"The filter has nearly been fixed, you can-"

"No." Refusing to stop, refusing to listen to reason, Connor didn't budge from where he sat. "Replace the filter. ...Then I'll cease the transfusion."

There was no point in trying to argue with Connor as he had made his decision and wasn't going to change his mind. Abby just nodded at Simon who understood her cue and finished the repairs to the filter himself. Despite her best efforts Abby's hands just weren't as fast as a deviant, and she was already exhausted from the lengthy procedure on top of her current condition.

"Okay, then let's get this filter repaired." Simon continued on from where Abby had been working as the tired woman stood up slowly and put her hand to her back as she left the treatment room to get some addition Thirium for both Markus and Connor. "This should take approximately six minutes to finish."

"...I can make it." Connor sighed weakly as he flexed his hand again.

Abby returned as quickly as she could walk with six additional pints of Thirium in her arms. Reaching up to the head of the exam table Abby pulled a retractable I.V. stand that was attached to the table up and locked it into place as she hung three of the pints up onto the stand in preparation to transfuse the fresh Thirium into Markus's arm once Connor could stop donating his own blood.

Handing one of the three remaining pints to Connor to drink Abby tried to encourage him to consume more Thirium to raise his own volume. "I know you're tired and you're fighting to remain alert," Abby discreetly pressed her fingers to the side of his neck to count his rapid pulse. "but you need to drink this."

Raising a shaking hand toward the offered Thirium be presented before him Connor struggled to take hold of the blue blood. As his weakened fingers slowly wrapped around the pouch he fought against his own mounting fatigue to drink the crucial Thirium, and replace the massive amount he had donated to Markus.

"That's good, keep drinking." Retracting her fingers from Connor's neck she refocused on Markus. Peering down at his leg she double checked the clamped lines and was satisfied that the bleeding was successfully stemmed. "Simon, can you do internal lines on a replacement limb?"

"Yes. I've done so seventeen times in the past three years, and thirty-eight additional times before the revolution."

"Once the filter is replaced we can-" Abby sensed Connor's body beginning to sway and turned her head in time to watched the deviant fall to his left side in a dead faint onto the hard floor. The transfusion line tore out of Connor's arm causing a stream of blood to pour out of the line and would've continued to leak if Abby hadn't clamped off the line quickly. "Connor!?"

"Don't move him!" Simon warned as he finished the repairs on the filter and looked down at Connor on the opposite side of the table. "It'll put too much strain on your body."

"Well, I'm not going to just let him lay there, either." Using the table and chair to balance Abby slowly knelt on the floor beside Connor proceeded to grab onto his arm and seal off the line before he lost anymore blood. As she manually closed the panel in his arm his pale artificial skin regenerated, but Connor himself didn't react. "Connor? Can you hear me?"

Unresponsive to Abby's voice Connor was completely lost to his emergency activated stasis mode, courtesy of his low power mode initiating against his will. Abby's soft hand wrapping around his wrist to check his pulse one more had also gone unnoticed.

"Shit." Without pushing her limits Abby managed to roll Connor from his side onto his back and she checked the deviant's head to make sure he hadn't injured himself when he passed out. Keeping her right hand on Connor's wrist she continued to monitor his pulse and waited for any sign of the deviant regaining consciousness. "His heart's racing and his pulse is weak. He has a small bruise on the side of his head from where he impacted against the floor."

"The filter has been repaired." Simon announced as he slipped the vital biocomponent back into Markus's abdomen and refastened the metal couplings to hold it in place. One by one Simon reconnected the newly repaired Thirium lines and removed the clamps allowing the blue blood to resume cycling through Markus's system as his Thirium pump functioned without any hindrance. "I'll begin work on Markus's leg." Reaching up the to Thirium pouches on the I.V. stand Simon attached the first to the still exposed line in Markus's arm and the new blood quickly began replacing what Markus had lost without needing to rely on Connor donating anymore. "You stay with Connor."

"Yeah, I couldn't go anywhere even if I wanted to." Abby muttered under her breath as she pressed her left hand to the side of her cumbersome and large belly. "Gravity sucks for both of us, huh, Connor?"

* * *

A cold pressure against his left temple was enough to rouse Connor from his rest mode after being given an hour to rest and have his replenished Thirium cycle through his system properly. As he opened his eyes he lifted his head slightly and found himself laying on a bed in the recovery room of the emergency repair bay with a pack of ice against his head. Turning his head slightly he saw Markus unconscious on the table next to him with North holding his hand. Instinctively he tried to get up to go to his friend, ignoring his own lingering weakness in the process.

"Markus?"

"Hold it." Hank's hand reached out and grabbed onto Connor's shoulder to keep him from getting up. Taking hold of the ice pack that was resting against Connor's forehead before it could fall he tried to press it back against the swelling bruise on his temple. "You still need to rest."

"...Hank?" Connor suddenly remembered everything that had happened as his senses returned, and with it came his memories before he passed out. "I... I fainted. How long was I unconscious?"

"Four hours. It's late, kid." Motioning toward Markus with his other hand he tried to calm Connor's worries. "He's going to be okay. All of the damage was repaired and he's resting now."

"Has he woken up since the repairs?"

"No. He's been out longer than you."

Taking hold of the ice pack and holding it against his own sore forehead and temple Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found his Thirium volume to now be up to one-hundred percent. "...Once Markus regains consciousness I would like to go home to rest."

"Your head hurts, huh?"

"Undeniably, yes."

"Abby said you went down in a dead faint. Good thing you weren't standing when you fell otherwise it could've been a lot worse."

"Abby... Is she still here?"

"No. I called Gavin and had her take Abby home to rest after you and Markus were patched up."

"Is she alright?"

"Just tired as hell. All of us are." Checking the bruise under Connor's ice pack Hank shook his head a little. "Simon is going to stay at the tower until Dr. Wilson arrives for his night shift, he'll be alright."

"This was not how I was expecting this day to go." Connor confessed with a slight hiss as Hank's fingers lightly brushed against his bruise.

"Yeah?" Hank laughed a little as Connor leaned forward and kept the ice against his forehead. "I don't think of any of us did."

"Do you think this is a good start for Skye Tower?"

"Saving the life of the deviant leader? Yeah, I think that's a great start for the tower."

From the neighboring bed Markus's voice cracked and barely released a whisper as his eyes slowly opened up for the first time since he was brought to Skye Tower for treatment. "...N-North."

"Markus!" Tightening her hand around his North leaned down and kissed him on his lips as he regained consciousness. "You're going to be just fine. Your right leg had to be replaced below the knee, but your Thirium filter was repaired just fine."

"...Are you hurt?"

"Just a couple of scratches."

Ice in hand Connor slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up carefully with Hank keeping a hand on his shoulder to make sure he didn't collapse a second time. Walking slowly over to the adjacent bed Connor looked down at Markus with a faint grin of optimism on his face. "How do you feel, Markus?"

"...Like I was smashed up in a car accident."

"Well, I suppose that's normal considering the circumstances."

"Where am I?"

"Skye Tower." Motioning toward North with a subtle nod of his head Connor went into more detail. "She brought you here because it was closer than New Jericho Tower and any other facility. Fortunately the emergency repair bay was fully stocked, and Abby was already here. ...Simon showed up an hour later to assist."

"...Thank you." Extending his hand weakly he waited until Connor took a hold before he shook once. "You saved my life."

"Technically, North did when she reacted so quickly. Not to mention Abby and Simon doing most of the repairs."

"I'm glad you were here for me when I needed help."

"Of course. We're friends."

"Tomorrow I'll see if I can get more deviants from New Jericho Tower to volunteer their time out here." Markus managed a weak grin to his bruised face. "I'd hate to think of something like this happening to someone else and having help so sparse."

"Thank you Markus. I appreciate it."

Hank walked up behind Connor patted his shoulder lightly. "Come on, kid. You both need to rest."

"...Right." Acknowledging Hank standing behind him Connor returned his attention to Markus one last time before he took his leave of the tower for the rest of the night. "I'll see you off tomorrow morning."

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

Hank put his hand on Markus's shoulder and patted him once. "Glad to see you're still with us, son."

As Connor and Hank took their leave of the recovering room, Connor walking slowly with Hank keeping pace at his side to make sure he didn't stumble. Barely out of the doors to the repair bay North ran after them and grabbed onto Connor's hand.

"Connor, wait a second."

Stopping as North requested Connor turned to face her and was promptly met with a light kiss on his cheek. "...Thank you. For everything!"

"...You're welcome, North."

Hank smirked as he watched North disappear back into the repair bay while Connor rubbed at his cheek where North had kissed him. Though it was meant as a gesture of appreciation Connor felt a little uncomfortable having the wife of his friend kiss him, and having anyone who wasn't Skye kissing him just felt wrong in general.

"Alright, son. You need to get home, get some rest and get into some normal clothes." Pushing the deviant forward with a slight shove of his hand against Connor's shoulder Hank pinched at the purple tinted scrub top Connor was still wearing around the collar. "Purple isn't your color."

Stepping into the elevator Connor pulled at the purple scrub top and sighed. "...I think you're right. I prefer green or gray, anyway."

_**...next story...** _


	157. EMP

Sitting on the couch with his coin gracefully tossing back and forth between his hands Connor watched as a breaking news report on the television depicted a string of seemingly random acts of vandalism throughout the city. A new trend of causing temporary blackouts with the use of projectile E.M.P.'s had resulted in numerous stores being robbed, and thousands of dollars in private property destruction. The police were looking into the violent acts but had little evidence to work with as the security footage of the stores that had been targeted had been destroyed by the E.M.P., and were rendered almost completely useless.

Connor was intrigued by the crime spree and was attempting to deduce the identities of the vandals himself with the vague information being provided by the news, as well as the grainy salvaged security footage to try to gather clues. Cybernetically Connor used what small amounts of the security footage had been saved to try and isolate a pattern, and his patience eventually paid off.

"...I must inform Hank." Sending a cybernetic message to the detective who was surely busily attempting to solve the same case at the precinct at that very moment. Sending him the same spliced together footage he had gained from the news coverage and highlighting the portions of the footage that had caught his attention Connor made sure to give Hank all the information he'd need to get a warrant to identify the correct suspects:

' _The red pick-up truck; a 2031 Ruse with a partial license plate of 248 is the culprit_. _The truck can be seen in the frame of the external security camera footage just seconds before the E.M.P. hits_. _It is the same truck at every noted location_.'

After sending the message Connor stopped fussing with the coin as it spun in a perfect circle over his index fingertip and quickly caught the coin in his same fist before pocketing it.

"I hope the vandals are caught before they do anymore harm." Looking over at Sumo who was napping peacefully on his back on his cushion in the corner of the livingroom, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth and his four legs curled up slightly in the air, Connor patted the side of his leg and called the dog over to him. "Sumo, come. Ready to go for a walk?"

Sumo bolted awake and flipped over from his back and onto his belly in a matter of seconds. Wagging his tail happily he stretched out his body and yawned before trotting over to Connor and pressing his nose against the deviant's hand.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Rubbing his hand over Sumo's ears Connor rose from the couch and walked over to the front door while Sumo followed at his side excitedly. Slipping on his leather jacket and taking the leash from the hook by the front door Connor clipped it to Sumo's leather collar then opened the front door much to the dog's delight. Stepping out into the slightly warmer weather as spring loomed just around the corner Connor proceeded to lead Sumo down the sidewalk to take their usual route on the daily walk around the block.

As the duo enjoyed the quiet afternoon Connor received a response from Hank confirming his suspicion of the red pick-up truck to be sound. There was an A.P.B. issued for the truck and its occupants for questioning. Satisfied that he was able to assist in the case despite having resigned from the precinct Connor found himself contemplating his possible return to the precinct in general. He had been programmed to assist the precinct as a detective and had subsequently remained a detective even after becoming a deviant. Connor had initially found the work to be intriguing and it made him feel as though he were a productive member of society, but after losing two people had become close to; both losses being attributed to his work as a detective in way or another, he had lost that desire to continue his chosen career path.

Maybe it time for him to return. But one question was still burning in Connor's mind: Did they _need_ him?

Reaching the large park that he always took Sumo to for a few minutes of play, Connor was alone in both the park and with his thoughts. The relatively cold weather kept most people indoors, and very few people visited the park until after the snow melted. Suddenly from down the street behind Connor the sound of screeching tires caught his ears and he turned around quickly as the frantic commotion pulled him out of his thoughts and back into reality.

"The red pick-up truck."

Recognizing the speeding vehicle in an instant Connor cybernetically contacted Hank once more and informed him of the truck being sighted and identified the street, as well at the time of the sighting. As the truck sped by Connor was able to catch a glimpse of the faces of the two occupants and sent the information to Jack to use as additional evidence.

The driver's side window rolled down and the barrel of a gun slipped out as the passenger took aim at Connor. Reacting quickly Connor ducked down behind a nearby tree, dropping the leash to allow Sumo to run if he felt panicked, and endured the searing hot pain as a single bullet lodged into his left side as it tore through the bark of the tree and found its hidden target.

The streetlamps that lined the sidewalk that encircled the park suddenly burst as electrical surges destroyed the bulbs and the wiring causing a shower of sparks and glass to rain down all around Connor and Sumo. Another E.M.P. had been unleashed, confirming that the suspects were in fact responsible the chaos overwhelming the city through blackouts and robberies.

The truck sped away from the scene of the attack and Connor slid down the tree as a wave of controlled electricity surged over his body.

The bullet.

Connor realized to his horror that the projectile E.M.P.'s that had been destroying store fronts all through town were being emitted from specially modified bullets.

And now one of those very bullets was lodged in his left side.

"S-Su-mo..." Connor slurred and stuttered as his voice echoed with a distinctly upsetting electronic reverb. The E.M.P. was reeking havoc on his programs and basic functions; while the E.M.P. shielding in his cranial processor kept his mind from being destroyed as a result. "...G-Go h-h-ome."

The massive dog whined and sat down in front of Connor refusing to leave the deviant alone.

Connor pressed a trembling, uncoordinated hand to his bleeding side and let out a breathy hiss as the pressure caused the searing pain to flare up with aggression. Instinctively Connor tried to make cybernetic contact with Hank to ask for help, but the E.M.P. had severed his cybernetic connections, as well as his ability to run self-diagnostics. Not long after his optical units flickered in and out, before failing him entirely.

Convinced his self-healing program was also knocked offline Connor used as much pressure as he could focus to try to stem the heavy bleeding in his side as best as he could.

"H-H-Help..." Unable to shout, unable to stand, Connor could only sit against the tree with Sumo whimpering pathetically as he waited for someone; anyone, to find him. "...Pl-Please..."

* * *

It wasn't long after Connor's message regarding the truck reached Hank's phone that the detective was trying getting to a hold of Connor, only to receive silence from the deviant's end of the line. Instinctively Hank knew that something had happened to Connor and had ordered Gavin to accompany him in his search for the deviant. Driving as quickly as he could through the streets with Gavin beside him Hank located the street that Connor had identified when he reported seeing the truck, and Gavin ordered a patrol car to check the immediate area.

"Come on, kid." Hank tried again and again to make contact with Connor but his texts and his calls went unanswered. "Where the fuck-"

The red pick-up truck sped through a stop sign and nearly broadsided Hank's car as it slammed on the brakes, and tried to reverse as quickly as possible as the requested patrol car reached the area.

"Fuck!" Hank cranked the wheel to turn onto the street to pursue the fleeing vehicle. "Radio it in!"

"Already on it!" Gavin grabbed onto his radio and opened the line. "Just don't lose those assholes!"

Chasing after the car Hank felt a twinge of guilt for changing his priority away from Connor and toward the two worthless criminals. The pursuit of the truck was quickly joined by the requested patrol car and a second joined in on the chase shortly after. With three vehicles in pursuit of the truck it didn't take long for the news helicopters to begin circling overhead and reporting on the incident.

"Sorry, son. I'll find you as soon as I can." Glancing up at the helicopters Hank shook his head and let out an annoyed side. "Fucking vultures..."

* * *

The bullet had caused considerable damage. Connor breathed rapidly and panted as the lingering shock of the E.M.P. was causing his systems to overheat, and the relentless pain in his side stole what few breaths he managed to take as he pressed his hand to his bleeding side. Unable to speak, unable to issue a cybernetic distress call for help or even stand up, all Connor could do was lean against the tree and fight through the searing pain that was burning throughout his body.

Sumo whimpered and paced back and forth anxiously in front of Connor, his leash dragging on the snowy grass behind him. Pressing his nose against the side of Connor's face the dog whimpered again and tried to get Connor to move.

"...S-Sumo." As he spoke Connor could feel Thirium oozing down his chin from the corner of his mouth. "S-S-Sit."

The usually obedient dog refused to do so, and continued to pushed his head under Connor's arm as if trying to get him to stand up.

"...S-S-S..." Connor stammered with a reverb in his voice as he again tried to get Sumo to let him be for a moment. "S-Sit."

Sumo backed away from Connor with a pathetic whine and looked about as if a sound had caught his ears. Looking in the direction of the curious noise Sumo trotted off down the sidewalk and proceeded to bark loudly.

"S...S...Su...mo?"

"Connor?!" A familiar voice raced up to him and was immediately kneeling down at his side. Pressing his hand down atop Connor's hand Simon tried to apply more pressure to the still bleeding wound. "Oh... god... Connor."

"S-S-Si...mon?"

"Easy! Try not to talk." Pressing his other hand over Connor's too warm forehead Simon grimaced and slid his hand down over Connor's chest to feel his frantic heartbeat. "Your systems are going crazy."

Connor swallowed once but failed to reply as the Thirium that was collecting in his throat from a damaged line in his core was choking off his voice. Sumo returned to Connor's side and licked the side of his face as he finally sat down and watched as the blond technician began checking over Connor's condition.

Simon unzipped and peeled back the fabric of Connor's leather jacket and was greeted by a massive stain of dark blue blood blossoming from Connor's left side over his abdomen and partially up his chest. Lifting up the hem of Connor's gray t-shirt Simon fully exposed the bullet wound beneath. A bleeding hole in Connor's side was outlined by a missing patch of artificial skin allowing the stained plastimetal frame underneath to be visible. Inside the wound damaged Thirium lines continued to bleed, as small blue sparks erupted from inside the wound itself.

"Who in the hell shot you?"

Connor's eyes began to drift close and his head lolled to the side.

"No!" Simon put his hand under Connor's chin and turned the deviant's head so he was looking directly at his closed eyes again. "Connor, stay awake. I've contacted emergency services and an ambulance is coming. Stay awake!"

"...S..." Connor tried again to speak but the effects of the E.M.P. had completely damaged his voice. "...Si...mon. St-t-ay. B-B-Back."

"Connor?" Using his thumbs Simon carefully lifted up Connor's eyelids and saw that his eyes were glazing over and the normally brown irises were beginning to fade into an opaque pale blue, as the whites darkened until black. "Shit. You can't see. Do you know who shot you?"

"...T-T-Truck... Driver sh-shot me. E... M... P."

"You were struck with an E.M.P.? Alright, hold on, I'll get you patched up. Okay?"

The siren of the approaching android ambulance filled the air and Simon stood up long enough to wave the emergency vehicle over to the location where Connor was helplessly sitting up against the tree. Crouching back down in front of the wounded deviant Simon kept his fingers pressed to the side of Connor's neck to monitor his pulse until help arrived.

"Help is here, we'll take you to Skye Tower instead of a facility, okay? I know you don't like facilities so I'll help you at the tower."

"...S-S-Si-mon... I'm... s-s-s-s-orr...y."

"Sorry? Sorry for what?"

Connor's eyes remained open as his head and body suddenly went limp, and became heavy from a total failure of strength. Sumo whimpered again and pawed at Connor's leg as Simon carefully moved Connor until he was laying flat on the grass on his back. Applying pressure to the bleeding wound Simon tried to offer some words of encouragement to his downed ally.

There was a suddenly jerk of Connor's entire body as his Thirium pump seized in his chest, and his body relaxed as his processors began to shutdown.

"You're not going to die like this." Simon challenged as the ambulance pulled up to the sidewalk and the two android technicians climbed out of the back with the gurney between them. Reacting as he would with any other damaged deviant Simon placed one hand over the top of the other into a single fist in the center of the deviant's chest, began compressions. Simon tried to force Connor's stopped Thirium pump; his stopped heart, back into motion manually until he could find a way to correct the electrical interference destroying Connor's system. "We need an external Thirium pump pacer." He shouted to the two android technicians. "He's gone into full Thirial arrest and he has a bullet lodged in his left side. He's also been stunned by an E.M.P. blast."

As the technicians began to assist Simon in reviving Connor the blond deviant made a reluctant cybernetic call to Hank to let him know what was happening with Connor and where he was going to be taken for treatment.

"Don't give up my friend." Simon pleaded as the technicians tore away Connor's bloody t-shirt and placed the sensor pad over the center of Connor's chest under Simon's hands. The pacer turned was on and began sending controlled shocks to Connor's heart forcing it to beat once more. "I won't let you die today."

* * *

With their guns drawn Hank and Gavin approached the stopped truck as the two men exited the vehicle with their hands in the air to surrender peacefully. Using one hand to get his cuffs and the other hand keeping the gun trained on the driver of the vehicle, Hank ordered the man to turn around, kneel on the ground and his put his hands on the back of his head.

"Don't move asshole!" Hank holstered his gun quickly and slapped the cuffs around the man's wrists as Gavin did the same to the passenger of the truck. With the two men now restrained Hank ordered another responding officer to take the lead and take the two arrested suspects into custody. "Make sure these two morons don't do anything else stupid on my watch."

"Yes, Captain!" One of the officers complied readily. "We got 'em."

Running a hand through his gray hair Hank returned to his car and grabbed onto his phone that had been left on the dashboard. As he picked up the device he saw a missed call from Simon and a knot tightened in the pit of his stomach.

"Shit." Listening to the voice message Hank shouted at Gavin and waved him over at the car. "Reed! Get your ass over here, NOW."

"What now?" Gavin snipped as he jogged over to the car.

"Connor's been fuckin' shot!"

"What?!" Without another question Gavin tore open the passenger side door and proceeded to call Abby to get some information. "Son of a bitch, if it isn't one problem it's another..."

"He's at Skye Tower being treated." Hank stated firmly as he pulled the car away from the scene of the arrest, and made his way toward the designated building as fast as he could get the old car to go. "I guarantee you those fuckin' assholes are the ones who shot him."

* * *

Connor was oblivious to the world around him as he was wheeled into the emergency repair bay of the tower with Simon at his side. Simon was using an ambubag to force cool air into Connor's artificial lungs while the external Thirium pump sent controlled electronic pulses into his heart to force it to beat until the disrupting electrical interference could be eliminated. Pale from low-power mode and Thirium loss Connor looked as though he was on his deathbed.

Abby was on call with Dr. Wilson when Connor was wheeled inside, and the two were already preparing to deal with the internal hemorrhaging that Simon had reported en route to the tower.

"Simon, don't touch him." Abby warned as she ran a scan over Connor's body and noted the unusual electrical activity occurring in his core. Using an internal viewing screen Abby located the bullet that had become lodged in the deviant's artificial stomach near the center of his abdomen. With the discovery of the bullet she also pinpointed the source of the ongoing electrical disturbance. "The bullet is holding a strong electrical charge. I think it's an E.M.P. device."

"What?" Simon took a step back and allowed Dr. Wilson to take over breathing for Connor. The ongoing electrical interference easily explained Connor's negative reaction and vital signs, but there was one thing that didn't add up. "I wasn't affected by the E.M.P. when I was treating him out in the park. Why?"

"The charge had dissipated since its initial contact, and Connor's design was one of stealth and internal investigations. He is far more prone to electrical interference than most other deviants, but you can still be affected if you try to operate on him."

"...Alright. I'll leave this to you."

"It's fine, Simon." Abby insisted as she nodded at Dr. Wilson across the gurney from where she was standing. "I have a star student to assist me today."

"Okay. I'll be outside." Reluctantly Simon took his leave of the emergency repair bay along with the other technicians. "Hopefully, Captain Anderson is already here."

"Dr. Wilson, attach the leads of the monitor to Connor's chest."

"Right." Falling back to his time as an intern obeying his attending, Dr. Wilson easily followed Abby's instructions without fail. "And if we're going to be working together you can just call me Caleb."

"Okay," Abby replied somewhat curtly as she set about straightening Connor's neck and slipping an intubation tube down his air intake line. "I'll be sure to remember that."

Dr. Wilson eyed Abby's every movement carefully and took notes of her process as she checked Connor's vital signs and proceeded to intubate Connor before hooking him up to the external ventilator to aid his breathing. It was entirely necessary until he could breathe on his own once more. The skilled technician worked diligently and with precision as she took charge of Connor's treatment, and explained everything she was going to the doctor who was seeking training and education to become a part time android technician.

"This won't be a complicated procedure." Abby promised as she wheeled over the delicate metal tools used for internal android repairs and replacements. The monitors attached to Connor displayed his wavering vitals as the E.M.P. bullet continued to interfere with his biocomponent functions and Abby had to rely more on her instincts as a technician than the monitors. "We need to get the bullet out, put it in a shielded case and keep it away from any and all androids."

"And the repairs?"

"It's only his artificial stomach that requires immediate repair." Showing the doctor the image on the internal viewing screen Abby demonstrated how to manually deactivate android artificial skin to prevent any need to cut into the skin that would subsequently cause more bleeding. "The rest of the repairs will be done by his self-healing program as his systems reboot."

"Alright, show me how to get started."

* * *

Impatient as ever Hank was standing in the lobby with Gavin as he waited for any information on Connor. There were other deviant volunteers walking the hall and a few refugees from the camp who were resting in the community room as they contemplated returning to the city, and a couple of young teenagers huddled together in the kitchen area after running away from abusive homes.

Gavin looked around the lobby and wandered about the first floor curiously, and returned to Hank with his arms crossed over his chest. "Damn. This place is nicer than most of the hotels I've stayed in when I travel on vacation."

"Connor didn't hold back."

"I'll admit it, I'm impressed. No wonder Abby keeps coming here to work."

"...She's here now?"

"Yeah. Thirty-three weeks pregnant and still working." Running his hand over the back of his neck Gavin cleared his throat nervously. "Uh, she isn't going to hurt herself or the baby by doing that, is she?"

"No." Hank replied dryly as he stared at the floor and leaned against the receptionist desk heavily. "She's probably safer here than anywhere else."

"Cap- Hank," Gavin stated in a low voice to avoid drawing any attention from the volunteers keeping track of everything in the building. "you know that he's going to be okay. Connor's been knocked on his ass more times than I can remember, and he always gets back up."

"...Yeah? Well how times has he done that after-"

The elevator doors opened and Simon approached the two detectives warily. "Captain Anderson."

"Simon, for the hundredth time call me 'Hank'. How's Connor doing?"

"I won't lie to you, it's bad. He was shot with an E.M.P. bullet."

"Fuck! I knew those bastards in the truck targeted him."

"The bullet lodged in his artificial stomach and caused excessive bleeding. The E.M.P. is interfering with a majority of programs and basic functions, making it harder for his body to heal."

"Why are you down here? Why aren't you up there helping Connor?"

"I can't be near the bullet once it's removed from his body. It's still active and it can harm other androids."

"Son of-" Pressing a hand to his forehead Hank stared at the blond deviant impatiently. "Okay. So Abby is working on him, right?"

"Yes. She is being assisted by Dr. Wilson."

"...Okay, that eases my mind a little."

"It won't take long to remove the bullet and repair the damage, an hour at the most." Simon explained calmly and honestly. "But he'll be unconscious for an extended period of time until his system and processor fully reboots."

"Any permanent damage?"

"That has yet to be seen."

Gavin spoke up timidly as he finally addressed the android he had never met until that moment. "...Will that E.M.P. shit hurt Abby or the baby?"

"No. She's safe." Simon confirmed as he gave the detective a stern look. "If she were in any danger here Connor wouldn't have allowed her to volunteer her services while she's pregnant."

"Y-Yeah... Good."

"Oh, one other thing." Simon walked over to one of the private rooms and pressed his hand to electronic panel to open the door. Sumo trotted out of the room and promptly sat down at Hank's feet. "I didn't know what to do with your dog, but the technicians were willing to let him ride in the front of the ambulance cab and he was placed in here until he could be taken back to the house."

"Uh, thanks Simon." Hank rubbed Sumo's ears and looked at the leash still attached to his collar. "Looks like your walk got interrupted, huh, boy?" Grabbing onto the leash's handle Hank handed it over to Gavin. "Why don't you take Sumo into the community room. I'm sure someone would like a friendly dog to pet."

"Yeah, no problem. Uh, blond-guy." Gavin turned to look at Simon and gave him an odd look. "Simon, right?"

"Yes." Simon confirmed with an equally odd glance.

"Once that bullet is removed find me so I can take it in as evidence. Hank will get Connor's statement."

"Yes, of course."

Gavin walked away from the lobby with Sumo, the large dog slowly following after Gavin, as the detective introduced him to the scared teenagers in the next room. The frightened youths seemed to relax at the sight of the massive bundle of fluff wagging his tail and seeking love from anyone willing to pet his head, or rub his chin.

Alone with Hank, and understanding Connor's preference for discretion, Simon addressed the detective in a low voice. "Hank. When Connor was injured he apologized to me. Do you know why?"

"Uh..." Hank was aware that Connor had a misplaced chip on his shoulder after Skye's death, but he didn't want to say anything definitive. "I have an idea but I don't want to jump to conclusions."

"Should I ask him about it?"

"Honestly, I'd let it go." Giving the deviant a friendly pat on the shoulder Hank let out a tired sigh. "If anything he'll tell you himself once he feels up to it."

"Alright. I'll follow your advice." Nervously wringing his hands together anxiously Simon noted the time on his internal clock and gave Hank a despondently regretful stare. "I should be heading back to New Jericho Tower. There may have been other deviants affected by the E.M.P. bullets."

"Sure, go ahead. But, I gotta' ask you something before you go." Eyeing Simon curiously Hank presented him a very important question. "How did you find Connor anyway?"

"To be honest, I was walking downtown to buy 'something special' for Josh. And Sumo caught my attention. That's how I found Connor."

"Oh. Good timing then."

"I'm just glad I was able to help."

"Yeah, you did great Simon. I'll let you know as soon as Connor is awake."

"Thanks... If there's any other deviant that's been affected by the E.M.P. bullets I'll send a notice to the precinct so you can add as many charges to the shooters as possible."

"Sounds good to me."

* * *

Connor was completely still and unresponsive on the table as the two technicians worked to save his life. As his heart was still being externally forced into motion by the pacer, and his breaths were being forced into his artificial lungs, Connor was completely at the mercy of those around all him. Still covered in his own blood Connor looked as though he had been assaulted and left in a gutter for hours.

Diligently Abby had managed to locate the bullet in Connor's stomach and had a hold of the meddlesome projectile between a pair of forceps. As she slowly pulled it out of the affected biocomponent Dr. Wilson proceeded to follow her guidance and repair the damage to the biocomponent before restoring flow to the main Thirium line connected to the artificial stomach.

"Okay... the bullet is out." Abby announced as she dropped the bullet into a special box that was internally shielded to keep the E.M.P. from affecting anything else. "Now we just need to repair the damaged biocomponent, replenish his lost Thirium and get his heart beating unassisted."

"Have you treated many androids with gunshot wounds?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Even before androids showed signs of deviancy a lot of androids were cruelly used as target practice by their drunk, violent owners."

"Sounds like a lot of troubled teens that end up in my E.R. all too often."

"With any luck the future generations won't need people like us to protect them from horrible people like that." Subconsciously Abby pressed her hand against her belly and held it there for a moment. "Humans and androids deserve to live in peace."

"Why don't you take a rest?" Dr. Wilson offered as he finished sealing the hole in Connor's stomach and poured decontaminating chrism over the repaired biocomponent carefully. "I can manage from here."

"I know you've operated on Connor, and a few other androids before, but I don't like leaving my students unattended."

"Alright. Show me how it's done." Dr. Wilson smiled sincerely at the determined woman's fiery spirit. "It's an honor to learn from the master, Dr. Grayson."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere Dr. Wilson," Abby arched her brow at him as she rolled over the defibrillator. "but keep trying. It's good for my confidence while I'm sporting a massive gut."

Dr. Wilson took a step back and watched as Abby manually closed off Connor's abdominal cavity and motioned to the massive bullet hole in the plastimetal frame at his side. Picking up a small soldering iron next to the other technical tools that had been used to extract the bullet and repair the internal damage, she began to carefully seal the hole in the frame with a controlled motion.

"Now, just as before." Abby pulled away the iron and wiped away the residual scorch marks with a wad of gauze dipped in saline. "You press your fingers against the right temple and put your hand down over the closed panel to regenerate the artificial skin."

Following Abby's instructions just as he had done with his attending back when he was still a medical student Dr. Wilson managed to successfully replace the artificial skin, that was still paler than usual due to low-power mode, and awaited his next instructions.

"And here's the challenging part:" Powering up the defibrillator Abby stepped back from the table and put both hands over her distended belly. "Jump starting his heart. Normally I'd do it but," rubbing her belly she gave the doctor a knowing look. "I can't exactly reach without some part of me accidentally making contact with his body."

"Of course." Dr. Wilson picked up the defibrillator paddles with confidence and placed them down over Connor's chest just as he would a human. "Same positions, correct?"

"Right. I'll turn off the pacer and you start him at two-hundred Joules." As she removed the pacer pad from Connor's chest Abby took a cautious step back and gave Dr. Wilson a nod of approval. "Work your way up only if he doesn't respond to the first two attempts."

"Okay."

"Sending charge." Abby announced as she turned on the defibrillator and set it to its designated charge. "Go."

Dr. Wilson did as he was instructed and watched as Connor had the same reaction as a human getting defibrillated at the hospital. Connor's back arched slightly as the controlled jolt surged through his stopped heart and attempted to get the electrically affected biocomponent to beat on its own. As his body relaxed down on the table the cardiac monitor showed that his heart still wasn't beating on its own.

"No conversion." Dr. Wilson noted the lack of response on the monitor and tried again. "Sending a second charge."

Once again Dr. Wilson defibrillated Connor's heart and waited for a response. This time there was a faint 'blip' on the monitor as Connor's heart managed to beat a single time.

"Come on, come on..." Abby stared at the monitor and waited for another beat. As the beat slowly, but surely appeared on the monitor, it was quickly followed by additional beats until he reached a steady, normal and stable rhythm. "That's it. Man, I'm so glad it's easier to start an android heart than it is to get a human heart going."

"Yeah..." Dr. Wilson agreed as he put aside the defibrillator paddles and patted Connor's chest twice. "Not every heart can be literally jump started like that."

"Now, extubate him and see if he breathes on his own."

"If he doesn't?"

"Then we monitor him for overheating. If does begin to overheat then he'll have to be intubated again until he has the strength to breathe on his own, and maintain his core temperature properly."

"I thought android anatomy was meant to be simpler than human anatomy."

"Yeah, fuckin' right."

* * *

From the doorway of the community room Hank leaned against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the runaway teenagers playing with Sumo. and talking to a volunteering social worker about their pasts. Sumo loved the attention and the friendly dog did wonders to help ease the tension in the area as he rolled around like a goofball and wagged his tail happily.

Gavin had rejoined Hank in the lobby and was pacing about anxiously as he desperately wanted to check in on Abby, but didn't want to barge in on any emergency procedures taking place.

"Gavin, sit down."

"I can't."

"Jeez, if you're this nervous while she's still pregnant how're you going to handle it when she's actually in labor?"

"I... I'll deal with it."

"Gavin. I don't know anything about your parents, but from what I can tell you had a less than ideal father."

"...Yeah," his fingers subconsciously traced over the all too noticeable scar stretching over his face and the bridge of his nose. "something like that."

"You won't turn into your father once you have a kid of your own." Hank stated with a firm but gentle tone. "You aren't doomed to make the same mistakes he made with you. Those types of patterns CAN be broken."

Gavin stopped suddenly and gave Hank a silent but appreciative glance. "...Yeah, sure."

Before either detective could make another comment the elevator doors opened and Abby stepped out slowly with a metal box in her hands. Walking straight up to Gavin she placed the box in his hands and put a finger over his lips to preemptively silence him. "Here's the bullet. I'm fine. The baby's fine. Stop worrying."

Gavin nodded at her and was rewarded with a kiss to his lips.

"Go do your thing and make sure those jackasses stay locked up for as long as possible."

"Yeah, no problem. I'm on it, babe."

Turning on his heels Gavin gave Hank a quick nod of the head as he pulled his phone from his pocket and called Tina at the precinct to swing by the tower to pick him up.

"Connor?" Hank asked in a level tone as he looked to Abby worriedly.

"Resting."

"Thank fuck."

"Come on." Taking hold of Hank's arm she pulled him toward the kitchen area a few yards away from the lobby. "He'll be out of it for a while, so you can treat me to lunch and I can tell you what's going on."

* * *

As the horrifyingly intense searing pain in his side throbbed without mercy Connor was roused from his stasis mode and immediately clutched at his side protectively. His palm met thick gauze to ensure his repaired side remain free of foreign matter. Opening his eyes slowly Connor found the world blurry, but visible as his optical relay processors rebooted steadily and his visual sensors slowly came into focus. Attempting to speak Connor felt a lingering ache in his throat courtesy of being intubated and forced to breathe while undergoing emergency repairs.

"...S-Simon?"

"Try Dr. Wilson." The good doctor quipped as he shined a light into Connor's eyes to check his pupils. "Hank is here, too."

"...Where?"

"Asleep in the chair next to you."

Connor blinked a few times after Dr. Wilson retracted the light and the deviant's vision cleared entirely. Lifting his head up slightly he saw Hank sleeping lightly in the chair beside the bed, and in turn Connor sighed. The gesture, though simple, was enough to make his side ache again and he outwardly grimaced with undeniable discomfort.

"You're going to be sore for a while."

"Y-Yes." Connor hissed between his teeth. "I had deduced as much."

Hank began to stir as he heard Connor's voice speaking for the first time in nine and half hours. Looking over at the now conscious deviant Hank put his hand down on Connor's shoulder as he stood up from the chair and stood beside the bed. "Welcome back, kid."

"Hank. I assume Simon told you of my predicament?"

"Yeah. And Sumo told _him_."

"Sumo?"

The large dog suddenly appeared beside the bed and put his front paws and chin down over Connor's chest as he wagged his tail happily.

"And Simon brought Sumo to the tower after the ambulance picked you up."

"...Yes, I noticed that." Rubbing his hand over Sumo's head Connor addressed the loyal dog in a low voice. "Good boy."

Dr. Wilson pet Sumo's head too as he gave Connor some good news. "Abby already went home for the day, not because she's sick or anything like that," he could already sense the desire to ask before Connor had the chance to reply and placated his worries. "but because she's tired and I still wanted to get in some hours as a technician at her own facility tomorrow. But before she left she said you could leave an hour after you woke up."

"Thank you for your help, Dr. Wilson."

"It was my pleasure. I just wish you didn't have to get shot in order for me to help you."

"The feeling is mutual." Offering his hand to Dr. Wilson Connor shook appreciatively as the kind doctor stepped out of the recovery wing to let Connor and Hank have some privacy as father and son. Turning back to Hank with a focused stare Connor proceeded to rub Sumo's ears and relax a little as he laid on the table trying to focus his self-healing program accordingly. "Was my deduction on the shooters-"

"Yeah, kid." Hank smiled proudly at the selfless deviant. Of course his first thought would go to a friend, or to a case, never himself. "You were right and the guys in the red truck were the suspects. They were also the ones who shot you."

"I suspect they shot at me because they believed I was merely a potential witness as they sped down the street. Had they know I was a former police officer and detective they may have let me alone."

"Don't bet on it. People like that would hurt anyone for any reason."

Sitting up slightly on the bed Connor pushed Sumo down so the dog was resting his chin on his leg and away from his chest and sore abdomen. Mindful of his healing injury Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found his systems had fully rebooted and were running at optimal parameters despite his self-healing program working to repair the final imperfections of his internal damage.

"Don't move too much, kid." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder to support the recovering deviant Hank warned him without being aggressive or impatient as he spoke. "That bullet tore a hole through your stomach, but Abby and Dr. Wilson got you patched up easily."

"I'll be careful." Lightly he pressed his hand down over his abdomen where he could feel the dull ache in his stomach. "If I had know I was going to get shot at I would've taken my phone with me."

"I kinda' figured after you resigned from the precinct I wouldn't have to worry about you getting shot anymore. Guess I was wrong."

"Hank... I think I want to reinstate myself and return to the precinct."

"Wh- Really?"

"Yes." Connor flexed his hands a few times as if he needed to be sure he was still functioning and aware of himself. "I have been thinking about it for some time now, and I believe that I had initially resigned because I did not want to go to a place that had gained a negative association with the deaths of those I cared about. But now I realize that regardless of what I had lost, I have already gained so much more."

"Is it what you _want_ to do?"

"This morning I became aware of the incident in the city and I began working on the case, not because I was ordered to do so, but because I wanted to. It made me feel as though I were doing something beneficial for other people and that in turn made me feel... good. I realized that being a detective made me feel like I was doing something productive with my life, and it was enjoyable."

"So..." A coy smirk discreetly appeared on Hank's face. "You're saying that being a detective makes you _happy_?"

"...Yes." Admitting the truth gave Connor a sense of grounding that he so desperately needed. "It really does."

"Then if that's what you want to do, do it. I'll support you one-hundred percent in your decision."

"You aren't disappointed that I had initially left the precinct?"

"Disappointed, no. Bored, hell yeah." The detective joked as he ran his hand down Sumo's back. "You're the only one I can hold an interesting conversation with in that whole damn building."

"...Do you think Captain Fowler will allow me to return?"

"Jeffrey can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he isn't dumb." Crossing his arms he leaned back in his chair and tilted his head slightly at the deviant. "If he knows what's best for the city he'll let you come back. But it's up to you to convince him that you're worthy of getting a second chance, Connor. You can't just slap an application down on his desk or ask, you need to let him know you're still as dedicated to the job as you have ever been."

"I understand. I will talk to Captain Fowler once I've recovered." Glancing down at Sumo with appreciation toward the incredibly loyal and intuitive dog he put his hand under the Sumo's chin and scratched lightly. "I'll guess we'll finish your walk tomorrow, boy. _After_ I speak with Captain Fowler."

_**...next story...** _


	158. Officer Down

Standing before the full length mirror that was situated in the back wall of his closet Connor pulled down the lapels of his gray suit jacket to smooth out the wrinkles, and lifted his hand up to his black tie to tighten the knot. Staring at his reflection Connor felt more at ease with himself than he had in the past four months after losing his dearest friend to violence. The familiarity of his uniform, with the exception of his old gray CyberLife issue jacket finally being replaced by the gray suit jacket that Hank had given him, Connor knew that returning to the precinct was the right choice.

"You ready to go?" Hank asked as he knocked on the opened door frame of Connor's bedroom. Smiling at the sight of the deviant donning his uniform made Hank feel proud of his adopted son. "Uniform still looks good on you, kid."

Turning to face Hank with a sense of confidence in his eyes Connor grabbed the leather gun holster from the foot of his bed and tucked it into the jacket pocket. "I'm grateful that Captain Fowler agreed to allow me to return. But I imagine my return will be unusual."

"Why's that?"

"I left without warning and refrained from communicating with the precinct after my departure." Tentatively Connor approached Hank and waited for his rebuttal toward his righteous hesitation. "I fear the precinct will be unable to trust me."

"Connor, you're trusted. No one blames you for needing to walk away for a while, it happens more often than people realize."

"...Did you walk away?"

"I wanted to, but I had Cole to take care of. I had to stay so I could take care of him." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank tilted his head slightly. "That might be why I ended up in such a dark place for so long. I didn't take the time to take care of myself because I was taking care of someone else." Flashing Connor a knowing glance he cleared his throat a little. "Remind you of someone you know?"

"...You are referring to my stubborn behavior?"

"Yup."

"I am attempting to be more amiable but it is a difficult adjustment."

"Well, at least you're trying." Stepping out of the room Hank called out to Connor as he walked down the hallway. "Come on. Sumo's been taken care of and I don't want you to be late for your first day back on the job."

* * *

With his head held high Connor returned to the precinct with Hank ever present at his side. As he walked through the bullpen to reach Captain Fowler's office he could feel the many curious eyes staring at him and hear the muttering gossip spreading upon his return. Ignoring it all Connor made his way to the office while Hank took his seat at his desk and his terminal as per usual.

"Captain?" Connor opened the office door slowly and peered inside at his commanding officer. "May I come in?"

"Connor, it's good to have you back." Waving Connor over to his desk Captain Fowler opened up his desk drawer and placed Connor's old badge and gun back down over the surface of the desk for Connor reclaim. "It hasn't been the same without you."

"Thank you for allowing me to return." Slipping off his jacket Connor pulled the holster from the pocket and slipped it on over his shoulders and fastened it around his waist. As he slipped the gun protectively into the holster Connor pocketed his badge and replaced his jacket over top. "I appreciate the second chance to prove myself."

"Connor, sit down for a moment."

Unsure of what to expect Connor obediently took the offered seat across from Captain Fowler's desk and sat quietly. "Very well."

"As much as I'm glad you're back I have to ask, are you ready to return to the field?"

"Yes. I am confident that this is correct course of action. I'm ready."

"And working with Hank?"

"I would prefer to remain as his partner for as long as it's permitted."

"That won't be a problem for a few more months, but if something were to befall one of your fellow officers are you willing to be reassigned to another partner and perform your job accordingly?"

"Yes. I have no qualms toward anyone in the precinct."

"That's good to hear, but do they feel the same about you?"

"...That has yet to be seen, and I had previously considered the possibility of severed trust." Connor admitted with a somewhat timid voice. "But I will not allow personal grievances to interfere with my work."

"For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing when you left."

"...Do you think I should've stayed away?"

"No, no, what I mean is, you taking the time to sort things out and take care of yourself for a few months was the best thing you could've ever done for yourself."

"I see. Hank told me a similar statement this morning."

"And he's not wrong." Leaning forward against his desk Fowler rested atop his arms as he reassured Connor of his previous decision. "And if anyone tries to give you shit for doing what you had to do in order to mourn and get your thoughts sorted then ignore them. They're the ones who can't differentiate between the job and their lives outside of the precinct."

"...Thank you, Captain."

"Alright, now, go check your terminal for a new case."

Connor nodded graciously as he stood up to take his leave of the office.

"And one more thing."

"Yes, Captain?" Connor stopped short with his hand on the office door's handle.

"Welcome back, Lieutenant."

"...It's good to be back."

Stepping out of the office Connor made his way over to his old desk and was promptly greeted by Gavin with the Sergeant's usual form of abrasive charm. "Hey 'Tinman'! Catch!"

Connor caught the item that Gavin had tossed to him and gave it an odd once over. "Kevlar?"

"Welcome back." Gavin stated firmly as he took his seat at his own desk across from Tina. As he flashed the deviant a smug grin he leaned back in his chair and began fussing with his phone; texting Abby no doubt. "Now don't get yourself killed, alright? I don't think your partner has the patience to break-in another deviant."

"...I will do my best." Dropping the vest down onto the floor under his desk Connor sat down across from Hank and turned on his terminal without another word.

"So, you good?" Hank asked with faux disinterest in his voice as he eyed the boring details of a report on his own terminal screen. "No problems?"

"Yes. I'm in the clear." Identifying the same report that Hank had been reading over Connor gave the detective a calm glance. "I'm ready to go out into the field whenever you are, Captain."

"Good to hear, Lieutenant."

* * *

Sitting together in the Oldsmobile as Hank proceeded to eat his lunch Connor remained in cybernetic contact with the precinct as additional reports were filed regarding possible deviant related crimes. A majority of which were cases of mistaken identity by humans and not an actual crimes, and others were angry humans who were unhappy with deviant androids purchasing homes in their neighborhood and were simply causing problems. After being informed of their own crime in abusing emergency services the humans quickly stopped their false reports and it greatly lessened the potential caseload that Connor and Hank would otherwise have to sift through.

"Anything good come in, yet?" Hank asked in between bites of his hamburger; Connor's treat to commemorate his return to the precinct. The same could be said about Connor actually putting on the Kevlar vest that had been joking thrown to him earlier in the day. "Or is it the same bullshit as before?"

"There has been no substantial reports that are worth our investigation." Fussing with the bulletproof vest over his chest much to Hank's dismay, Connor sighed and pulled his coin out of his pocket to fidget with instead. "The only case of immediate interest is that of a graffiti artist who is tagging old buildings with murals of the city from the 1920's. The most likely suspect is in fact a deviant due to the speed and accuracy in which the murals are depicted."

"Yeah, I don't care about some fresh paint on the sides of some ugly-ass buildings." Finishing his lunch Hank leaned back in his seat behind the wheel and turned on the radio. After selecting a station with a decent song playing and turned up the volume enough to hear the music without having to shout in order to keep the conversation going. "We have better things to do than harass some artist covering up the shitty side of town."

"I agree. There are far more-" Connor's brow furrowed and he turned off the radio in the car as Hank's police radio clipped to the detective's belt sounded off asking for assistance at the scene of an ongoing investigation. There was an officer down and only four blocks from Connor and Hank's current location. "Code thirty. Officer down."

"Fuck." Turning the key in the ignition Hank pulled the car away from the side of the street and back onto the road. "Where?"

Connor cybernetically uploaded the address in Hank's G.P.S. and directed him to the scene. "Four blocks East of our location. Take a right and enter the main drive of the abandoned textiles plant."

"Do we know who it is?"

"...Tina is the one who called in the code."

"Shit." Hank's face visibly paled as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Gavin." The detective sped up slightly as he grabbed his radio and issued commands to get the roads cleared up as much as possible while checking the ETA of the responding ambulance. Putting his radio aside Hank focused entirely on the road but asked Connor for updates. "Do we know what happened?"

"They were investigating a report of a breaking and entering and had apparently caught the suspect in the act. He was also armed."

"...Fuck. If he dies before that baby is born-"

"He won't." Connor declared firmly in the same manner that Hank himself would've stated. Hank having lost his own wife and being left to care for his late son alone left the detective with a bit of a bias and a slight emotional chip on his shoulder when it came to his fellow officers being wounded in the line of duty when they still had families to take care of. "Tina is with him and help is already on the way. The ambulance is currently four minutes out and we are less than one minute away."

"Can you get in contact with Tina?"

"Negative. I believe she has lost her radio or it had been damaged after she made the call."

"...Or her hands are too busy to answer."

The car came to a screeching stop in the parking lot of the abandoned factory and the two detectives threw open their doors with purpose. Guns already drawn the two checked the scene for any sign of the armed suspect still in the area, but he had long since fled the scene of the shooting. Connor's scanner detected two human lifeforms just inside the factory's main doors on the ground floor. One of the humans had erratic, adrenaline fueled vital signs, while the second displayed weak vital signs and was clearly in distress.

The deviant holstered his gun as he rushed over to the duo inside the door and announced his presence to ensure that Tina didn't open fire on the two arriving detectives. Connor saw Tina kneeling over Gavin, who was laying on his back and in a puddle of growing crimson red blood.

"Officer Chen." Connor observed Tina on the cold floor with her hand pressed down over Gavin's lower chest and upper abdomen in attempt to apply pressure to what was surely the bullet wound in the reported shooting. Blood was pooling on the floor at Gavin's right side, and the detective's face was frightfully pale with a gray hue that was often indicative of impending death. "How long have you been applying pressure?"

"Six minutes, at least." Tina didn't dare to move her blood soaked hand and lighten up on the pressure she was applying to the wound in the upper right portion of Gavin's abdomen. The Sergeant's blood was soaked clear up her arms and neck as the bullet caused a massive gush of blood when it struck him. "His damn vest failed on him!" Motioning to the unzipped and blood drenched Kevlar vest on the floor around Gavin she muttered something about lazy manufacturing."He's barely conscious and I can't get him to talk to me."

"Gavin?" Connor ran a more thorough scan as he slipped off his gray jacket and folded it up neatly. As he tucked the garment under Gavin's head Connor was aware of the detective's labored, rapid breathing and his equally rapid, thready pulse. Locating the source of the bleed Connor glanced back over his shoulder toward Hank as the older detective entered the factory and called in an update on the situation on his radio. "Single bullet to the upper right quadrant of the abdomen." The deviant observed calmly. "It passed through the ninth and tenth costal cartilage of his ribs and has become embedded in his liver."

"Fuck." Swearing for a moment Hank radioed the incoming paramedics and the hospital staff who were already aware of the shooting. "What can you do for him?"

"Not much, but I will try to keep him stable." Connor pressed his fingers to the side of Gavin's neck to count his pulse more directly as he called his name, but the Sergeant failed to respond. Suddenly Gavin let out a weak panting breath and his body went completely lax. "Gavin?"

Hank saw Gavin's chest fall, and failed to rise again. "Shit, he stopped breathing!"

"Gavin?" Connor failed to detect the human's pulse beneath his fingertips and quickly pressed his hand down over top the detective's heart. No respiration, no heartbeat. "He's gone into cardiac arrest."

Moving automatically as instinct took over his every being Connor placed one hand over top of the other and interlaced his fingers together to create a single fist. As he began compressing the center Gavin's chest Tina applied more pressure to Gavin's bleeding chest, but her strength was wearing out. Hank quickly noticed and took over applying the pressure while he counted the compressions being applied to the downed officer's chest.

"Breathe." Hank ordered as Tina, without needing to be told to do so, tilted Gavin's head back, straightened his neck, lowered his bottom jaw and pinched his nose shut as she delivered the needed two breaths that made his chest weakly rise and fall under Connor's hands. As the next round of compressions ended he issued the command again as a means of keeping control of the otherwise chaotic scene. "Breathe."

Connor shook his head as he scanned Gavin's chest and grimaced at his stunted heart barely responding to the motions caused by his hands. "Please, Gavin. You need to revive."

The sound of ambulance sirens quickly filled the air and then silenced as the emergency vehicle backed up toward the factory doors and two paramedics jumped down from the back with a gurney being wheeled between them.

"Cardiac arrest." Hank shouted as the duo of medics encroached on the downed detective. "Two rounds of compressions, no sign of response. Starting the third round now."

Swarming over Gavin quickly the blond haired paramedic took Tina's place and placed an ambubag over Gavin's nose and mouth and proceeded to breath for the dying detective. The brunette paramedic proceeded to tear open Gavin's dark green t-shirt to expose his chest and bloodied abdomen and chest beneath. Attaching the leads of the cardiac monitor to Gavin's chest the display on the monitor showed a very weak ventricular fibrillation as Gavin's heart fought to beat on its own again.

"We need to defibrillate." The brunette stated as she placed the wireless sensor pads down over the center of Gavin's chest under Connor's compressing hands, and at the left apex of the stopped heart. "Charging to three hundred Joules. Everyone clear."

Reluctantly Hank removed his hand from Gavin's abdomen and Connor pulled back his fists as the two detectives allowed the paramedics to continue tending to Gavin, while Hank set about taking care of Tina. Though seasoned and tough Tina was very good friends with Gavin and it pained her to see her partner so close to death at her feet.

"Come on, Tina." Hank lightly patted her arm and coaxed her into taking a step back. "You know Gavin better than any of us. There's no way he's going to let a fuckin' bullet stop him."

"Clear?" The brunette asked her partner and he confirmed after applying a pressure bandage over the deadly wound.

"I'm clear."

"Alright," holding her fingers over the charge button on the defibrillator she prepared to send the potentially live-saving charge through Gavin's struggling heart. "Clear!"

Gavin's body arched up from the ground and slammed back down with a painful 'thud' against the cold concrete floor of the factory. The two paramedics checked the monitor and saw the same weak heart rhythm on the display.

"No conversion. Sending another shock." Repeating her actions from before the paramedic pressed the charge button and announced the action. "Clear."

Once more Gavin's body reacted with a somewhat violent physical reaction to the jolt of electricity. As his body slammed back down on the hard floor there was still no change in his condition.

"Shit." The brunette swore as she reached into their medical kit and retrieved a syringe containing adrenaline, while the blond continued to breathe for Gavin. "Intracardiac injection." Holding her hand down firmly against Gavin's chest above his heart she held the pectoral muscle as steady as possible before using an alcohol wipe to sterilize his skin, and then plunged the needle down into his stopped chest. With the press of her thumb the life-saving drug was administered directly into his failing heart "Adrenaline in."

The sight of the needle entering Gavin's chest made Tina turn away as a sickening knot formed in her stomach. Hank sensed her discomfort and tightened his hand on her arm. Connor just stood back and scanned Gavin's body, watching as the needle pierced through his skin, his muscle and entered his quivering heart with a frighteningly easy effort.

"Alright, increasing charge to three hundred sixty Joules." After adjusting the defibrillator the brunette prepared to send the third charge. "Clear?"

"Clear."

Pressing the button on the intricately designed emergency medical device the stronger third jolt of electricity surged through Gavin's heart, and caused his back to arch and then slam back down for the third time. A faint 'blip' sounded off through the factory as the cardiac monitor began to register Gavin's heart beginning to beat on its own.

"Gotta' pulse." Pressing her fingers to the side of Gavin's neck the paramedic was able to detect a palpable carotid pulse. "Rapid and thready."

Tina let out a silent sigh as well as a silent 'thank you' to whatever holy deity might be watching over them right at that moment.

"We need to move him." The brunette responded as she checked the pressure bandage over his chest. Slipping a blood pressure cuff around Gavin's left bicep she noted his low blood pressure and prepared to start an I.V. in his right arm. "He's lost a lot of blood and is slipping into hypovolemic shock."

Connor knelt down and helped the paramedics lift Gavin up from the floor and place him down carefully onto the gurney. The blond paramedic slipped an oxygen mask over Gavin's face and placed the cardiac monitor down on the gurney next to Gavin's side to keep hit vitals under constant check as he was wheeled out of the factory and into the back of the awaiting ambulance.

Staring at the puddle of red blood on the floor Connor retrieved his jacket and picked up the failed Kevlar vest that has been left behind. "I will have the vest examined to determine why it failed."

"Come on, Connor." Lowering his voice as if needing to keep something a secret Hank addressed his deviant partner calmly. "Right now we need to go to the hospital and be with Gavin."

"Right, of course." Connor discreetly placed the Kevlar vest under his folded jacket to hide the blood from Tina as he and Hank accompanied her outside to the ambulance.

As Tina climbed into the front of the cab to ride in with her wounded partner to accompany him to the hospital, she wiped her bloody hands off onto her black uniform pants in disgust.

"Hank... What're we going to tell Abby?"

"The truth, son. It won't be the easiest thing we do, but," motioning to the car parked just a few feet away from the ambulance Hank readied himself for the tense afternoon he and Connor were about to endure. "it has to be done."

The ambulance sped off with the lights and siren blaring as the gunned down detective was raced to the hospital as quickly as possible.

"...I understand."

* * *

Returning to the precinct just long enough to inform Captain Fowler of the shooting in person, and to have the failed vest examined to ensure no other compromised vests are in the precinct, Connor leaving behind his own vest for a comparison as well. The two detectives then took full responsibility for keeping tabs on Gavin's condition and of informing Abby of what had happened to Gavin on that horrible day.

"Are you sure we shouldn't call her first, Hank?" Connor asked sincerely as the two detectives pulled up onto Abby's street toward her house.

"Trust me, a phone call will just make her worry and the waiting, no matter how brief, even worse. This way we can take her to the hospital ourselves and answer all of her questions."

"That does seem more empathetic and logical." As the car parked along the street outside the house Connor opened his door and proceeded to jog up the front walkway to the house to get Abby. Knocking on the door Connor braced himself for the dreadful news he had to deliver to someone who had become a very good friend to him over the past three years. The door opened Connor and greeted the woman in a level voice. "Abby."

"Connor? What's going on?" Looking past Connor to the car where Hank was still sitting she knew something was wrong. Putting her hands protectively over her pregnant belly she locked eyes with the deviant. "...What happened?"

"Come with us." Giving Abby his arm to lean on Connor escorted her to the car and opened up the door to the backseat for her to climb inside as quickly as she could move. As soon as he was in the front seat Connor turned around and scanned the thirty-six week pregnant woman before speaking to her. She was scared which was causing her heart to beat faster and her blood pressure to rise, but neither she or the baby were showing any signs of physical distress. "Abby, this afternoon Gavin responded to a call and he was... wounded in the line of duty."

Reaching her hand up she grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and held tight as Hank drove the group to the hospital where Gavin was being treated. "What happened to him, Connor? Tell me the truth."

"Abby," Connor put his hand over top of hers as she clutched at his shoulder with a frightened grip. "Gavin was shot."

"Oh my god... How bad?"

"It pierced his liver and he lost a lot of blood." Intentionally holding back on the information regarding the cardiac arrest Connor did his best to keep her as calm as possible. "He is already at the hospital undergoing emergency surgery to repair the damage he had sustained. His partner is at the hospital with him until we arrive."

"...Was anyone else hurt?"

"No."

"I thought Gavin started wearing a bulletproof vest after he found I was pregnant. How'd he get shot?"

"He was in fact wearing a Kevlar vest. But it failed."

"Shit." Abby leaned forward a little and put her hand over her face. "Of all the people to get the shitty vest..."

Hank spoke up in a level voice as he watched Abby bow her head down until her forehead was resting against Connor's shoulder. "It happens sometimes, but regardless of how he got shot we all know Gavin is strong. He can take this."

"...Yeah." Lifting her head back up Abby's pale hazel eyes were full of unshed tears and she took a deep breath as she rubbed her hand over her distended belly. "I just wish I was there with them."

"You will be."

Connor continued to let Abby clutch at his shoulder and hold onto his hand as she proceeded to mentally steel herself for the horrible sight and intense waiting she was about to endure. Protectively Connor scanned and monitored her closely out of a wise precaution in the event that the stress of the situation caused her to go into premature labor.

"Abby." Hank kept speaking to her calmly. "Everything will be okay. The paramedics got there fast, and he was being taken care of before we even arrived."

"...Yeah. Sure."

* * *

The waiting room of the hospital was filled with a dozen different people who were sitting in the chairs or leaning against the walls as they too were waiting for news on their loved ones who had been admitted. Hank located Tina and kept her company while Connor remained in the waiting room at Abby's side. As she clutched his hand in a vice like grip of absolute worry Connor continued to monitor her closely and prepared to take action in the event she showed any sign of premature labor.

"It's been two hours, thirty-four minutes and nine seconds." The deviant stated rather casually. "Do you need anything, Abby? I can get you some tea if you'd like."

"I'm okay, Connor." Her hand never left his. "I just can't believe it actually happened to him."

"I would relay the statistics and odds of the circumstance regarding the failure of his vest, the location of the bullet and-" Connor quickly stopped himself and skipped right to the point he was trying to make. "but I know that won't do any good to ease your mind. So I will simply tell you that Hank is right, everything will be okay."

Leaning over in her seat Abby rested her head against Connor's shoulder and closed her eyes as she began to silently cry. The strong woman had finally reached her emotional breaking point.

Connor knew that Abby needed to be comforted but he wasn't quite ready to display any form of affection toward anyone else, even someone he already cared for. The fear of losing another friend or loved one had caused the deviant to put up an emotional wall around his heart to keep himself from feeling anymore pain, but his deep-seeded empathy overrode his instincts to protect himself.

Tentatively Connor reached his free hand over to take the place of the hand she was already holding so he could drape that arm freely around her shoulders and hold her in a light hug against his side. As she buried her face against the side of his chest Connor slowly tightened his one armed hug to make Abby feel secure.

"Connor?" Hank returned to the waiting room and joined his partner in the neighboring vacant chair. Subtly he nodded toward Abby and lowered his voice to keep things as quiet and calm as possible. "How is she holding up?"

"As you might expect. Tired and worried." Giving the woman a brief but thoughtful glance he returned his attention to Hank. "Any word on Gavin?"

"Yeah, uh, the surgeon got the bullet out and now the team is working to pack off the bleed in his liver and repair the damage. He's holding on, but he's going to be weak as a kitten once he wakes up."

Connor's brow furrowed with confusion as to why Hank would speak as though Gavin were in fact out of surgery, only to understand that it was meant as an optimistic comment to ease Abby's mind. It was then another important question entered his mind. "Where is Tina?"

"One of the nurses took her to get cleaned up and get her some clean scrubs to wear. She's as impatient as we are, but unharmed."

"I imagine she is lingering outside the operating room as we speak."

"Most likely, yeah."

Abby let out another sigh and breathed deeply again as her hand tightened around Connor's. The strange reaction caused Connor to run another scan on Abby to check on her condition, but didn't see any definitive sign of labor. "Abby, are you sure you're alright?"

"...Fine."

Before Connor could say anything further a doctor wearing blue scrubs and a white lab coat approached the group and knelt down in front of Abby.

"Are you Mrs. Reed?" The doctor asked as he looked at Abby who was still pressed up securely against Connor's side.

"Yeah," she answered quickly and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm his wife."

Connor and Hank discreetly exchanged looks of moderate confusion from her declaration but didn't say anything about it. Connor was more puzzled by the admission, while Hank just seemed almost casual about it.

"I'm Dr. Hill." The doctor introduced herself politely. "I was the surgeon who operated on your husband."

"How is he?"

"Gavin is alive. He tolerated the surgery well and is in the I.C.U. recovering."

Abby leaned forward as best as she could as she pressed her hands over eyes and took another deep breath. "Then why the hell am I crying?"

Connor waited for Abby to make a move to get up before he pulled his arm away and helped her to stand up.

"Can I see him?" She asked as she put her hand to the front of her belly and tightened her opposite arm around Connor's arm.

"Of course. I'll show you to the room." Standing up from the floor Dr. Hill stepped away and showed Abby, still leaning on Connor, to the correct corridor. "You're both welcome to join her, detectives. Detective Reed's partner is already waiting outside his room."

"Thanks." Hank stated in a stern voice. "Connor, you go with her and I'll catch up in a minute. I'm going to call Fowler."

* * *

Through the large window overlooking the private room where Gavin was resting, Connor watched Abby as she held onto his left hand between her own with a mixture of worry and relief in her eyes. Gavin himself was laying on his back with a cardiac monitor still attached to his chest displaying his vital signs, a nasal cannula was under his nose, an I.V. running into his right arm providing him blood and antibiotics, an oxometer attached to his right index fingertip and the blood pressure cuff was still wrapped around his left bicep.

Pale, motionless and disturbingly quiet Gavin looked like a shell of his former self.

Tina was standing in the corner of the room nursing a cup of coffee as she kept Abby company until Gavin finally woke up from the heavy anesthetic and massive blood loss.

"Hard to believe that of all the people to get taken down by a bullet," Hank stated somberly as he joined Connor at the window overlooking the private room and peered in at the downed detective. "Gavin was the one to get the bad vest."

"The vest was in fact faulty?"

"Yup. Two others were also compromised, but as a precaution all of the vests in the precinct are being replaced with a new stock."

"That was a wise decision."

"So how's Abby holding up, _really_?"

"...She was showing outward symptoms of early labor," Connor admitted as he turned to look at Hank directly. "but she claimed that she was fine and I could not detect any further signs of labor when I scanned her recently."

" _False_ labor." Shrugging his shoulders dismissively Hank knew she wasn't in any danger. "Stress will do that."

"That appears to be the case, but I would feel better if she would allow a doctor to examine her while she is still in the hospital with Gavin."

"I can assure you that the hospital staff is keeping a very close eye on her without saying anything to her about it. She'll be fine."

"...I've never responded to a call regarding an officer down when it wasn't you." Watching the emotional stress still present on Tina's face, and even Abby's face as she slept, Connor was both intrigued and sympathetic. "I had seen similar stress on your person after I had become injured, but I have never actually seen it like this."

"You mean you've never seen other _humans_ like this."

"...Correct. When North was dying I saw the distress in Markus's eyes and I could hear it in his voice. The same could be said for North when Markus had been shot and was bleeding in the hotel room, and after he had been in the car accident. The stress and pain is... the same. It's a singular pain that resonates deep from within the heart of man and machine. But why is it that humans can't see that deviants hurt as much as they do?"

"I wish I could tell you, kid. It's complicated to explain and humans in general are a selfish, myopic species." Lightly patting Connor's arm Hank leaned a little against the wall as he watched the detective laying unconscious with his wife and best friend keeping vigil. "Try not to let to it bother you. Besides, we still got work to do."

Giving Hank a look of disdain Connor squared his jaw a little. "I take it Captain Fowler would like us to return to the precinct."

"With Gavin out of action for the next two months, and Tina out for a week until she sees the precinct shrink, we'll need to pick up the slack for the next few days."

"I understand."

"And we can check in on them after our shift. It'll be fine, son."

"Yes, I know. I just dislike leaving them behind."

* * *

Working well past midnight the two detectives were exhausted but still willing to stop by the hospital one last time before returning home. Fortunately the staff had a soft spot for first responders and allowed the two detectives to check in on their friends one last time before leaving for the night. Tina met the two outside Gavin's room with a tired yawn and informed them that he had regained consciousness two hours after they had initially left, but fell asleep again four hours ago.

Chris and Jack had also stopped by and left some flowers behind for Gavin to not only playfully annoy the detective with the bright colored flowers, but make Abby herself feel better and laugh. And it worked for a while, but Abby continued to worry for her husband.

Abby herself was resting in a chair beside the bed with her hand resting on Gavin's hand, and her head leaning against his bicep. Reluctant to wake her or ask her to leave Connor simply draped his gray jacket over her sleeping form and let them alone without ever disturbing their much needed rest.

"Connor," Hank whispered softly as he stepped inside the room. "we need to get home."

"Of course, I'm coming." Connor replied quietly as he left the room just as silently. "We have additional shifts to compensate for Gavin and Tina's time away."

"Tomorrow we'll stop by to see them on our break."

"That is acceptable."

"Here," Hank handed the car keys over to the deviant as he rubbed his hand over the back of his tired neck. "I'm exhausted. You drive."

Connor accepted the offered keys and walked alongside Hank as they departed the hospital for the night. "Hank, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure. I haven't stopped you before."

"Did you know that Abby and Gavin had gotten married?"

"Uh, yeah... I did."

"When?"

"...Remember when Gavin asked me to meet him at the precinct a few months back?"

"Oh." The time frame provided gave the deviant some clarity. "You helped him to get married in discretion." Connor realized as the two reached the end of the corridor and passed through the less crowded waiting room to get back outside to the parking lot. "Why did you not tell me this?"

"Because they asked me not to."

"...May I ask why they wanted to keep it a secret?"

"Well, that should be pretty obvious, shouldn't it?"

"...No. I tend to not pry into other people's personal lives."

"It's like this," Hank pulled open the passenger side door of the car while Connor did the same from the driver's side door. "both of them wanted to keep a low profile and avoid a lot of attention because they just want to be left alone to their own business. Gavin is estranged from his family for whatever reason he has, it must be good, and Abby doesn't have one. And with her being pregnant it just made it easier for them to get married in a small private ceremony and not deal with some elaborate bullshit."

"She did not officially take Gavin's last name."

"Nope. But again, neither did Barbara."

"Professionalism?"

"Discretion." Hank explained as he fastened his seatbelt and leaned back against the headrest tiredly. "Like I said, Gavin is intentionally estranged from his family for a reason. If Abby took his last name then someone in his crazy family might try to pull something after they married, or worse, after the baby is born."

"Crazy? How do you mean 'crazy'?"

"Uh... Shit. How do I explain this..."

"Honestly, I imagine." Connor quipped readily as he turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of the parking lot to get onto the street and head for home. "It tends to be the most effective way of conveying truth."

"Yeah, yeah. Smartass." Clearing his throat Hank told Connor the truth about Gavin's family history. "You already know about Gavin's sister, right?"

"...I take it Gavin told you about the night I took care of him when he fell ill."

"Yup. Anyway, after she died his mother became so distraught that she fell into a form of denial about the death and stopped caring about the rest of the family. And his father became a physically and mentally abusive alcoholic who constantly blamed Gavin for what happened to his sister."

"...What happened was a tragedy that the city was responsible for. The lack of appropriately trained lifeguards are to blame for his sister's drowning, not Gavin."

"That's not what his father told him."

Connor felt a genuine pain of empathy toward Gavin and of the horrible childhood he had survived. "Now I understand why Gavin disliked androids so strongly, and why he gave _you_ such a hard time when you were still drinking."

"That's called projection, kid. It's an ugly thing."

"As is a bullet to the liver."

"Like you said before Connor, he won't die. He's already made it this far, right?"

"Yes." The deviant agreed wholeheartedly. "You're right."

"And we both know that Abby isn't going to let him do anything stupid to hinder his recovery, right?"

"Right."

"Everything will work out find in the end, you'll see." Leaning back in his seat Hank closed his eyes and sighed. They were both exhausted, but Connor always had the most energy between the two of them. "Now, get us back home so I can shower off, go to sleep and get up again in six hours."

"And I'll be right there beside you, Hank."

"Never once doubted you for a moment, son. I'm glad you're back."

"I am, too. ...Dad."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Here's some Gavin-whump for ya'! Gotta' spread that angsty whump around!!**


	159. Special Delivery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Chapter contains childbirth. Nothing too graphic or extreme, but if you're squeamish you may want to skip over this chapter or just skip down to the final few paragraphs. Enjoy!

Three weeks had passed since Gavin had been shot, but the detective was making a full, slow recovery at home. After spending a full week in the hospital with Abby and Tina keeping him company and helping him with his recovery process, Gavin had been cleared and ordered to take it easy for a full month before attempting to resume his usual workout routine and try to return to the precinct. Even so he'd have to work desk-duty for another month before he'd be fully medically cleared.

At the precinct Connor, Hank, Chris, Jack and Tina all had the responsibility of picking up the slack with Gavin out of action, but Captain Fowler himself decided to handle a few of Gavin's cases to help lighten the overall caseload. But that didn't make it any less difficult to keep up, or not think about how one of their own had been so close to death. Chris had the honor of catching the shooter and the fool was promised a long stay behind bars for the assault and attempted murder of a police officer.

Connor had little difficulty in keeping up the hectic pace but Hank was tired from all the extended and additional shifts and was happy to take the day off to lay around and do nothing at home. Connor however decided to spend his time off at Skye Tower to ensure that everything was still functioning as it should and was showing Joel around the facility as he had taken up Abby's now opened shifts after Connor insisted that she go on maternity leave to tend to Gavin, and to rest herself.

It was a strange, but temporary adjustment, and everyone was adapting in their own way.

After enjoying his ability to sleep in that morning Hank awoke to a quiet house and absolutely loved the sound of the expansive nothingness. Walking out of the bedroom Hank strolled down the hallway just after noon and let out a deep sleepy yawn as he ran his hand over his face. As he set foot inside the kitchen he found Connor sitting at the kitchen table with a small shoe box sitting before him and Sumo curiously sitting on the floor beside him.

"Uh, Connor?" Hank had no idea what was going on and was still too tired to really care, but he had to ask anyway. "What're you doing?"

The deviant looked up at Hank with a touch of worry in his eyes. "Did I wake you?"

"...No. You were completely silent." Crossing his arms over his chest he just gave the deviant an odd look. "And as a parent who had raised an extremely energetic toddler and a puppy at the same time I can say with certainty that quiet typically means you're doing something you don't want me to know about."

"Or I was being quiet to allow you to rest."

"Connor." Stepping closer Hank dared to peer inside the box in front of him. "What're you doing?"

"...This morning when I let Sumo outside he went to the fence where the neighbor's tree leans over the property."

"Aaaaaand?" Hank pressed somewhat impatiently.

"And Sumo had found a baby robin."

Hank peered closer at the box and sighed. "And you brought it inside." It didn't take long for Hank to identify the little creature protected inside the box in front of Connor. Huddled down in a pile of shredded newspaper was a small feathered bird that was staring up at Connor as if trying to understand why the deviant had brought him inside the house. "Why?"

"Sumo tried to eat it."

"...So you brought it inside instead of putting it in the _tree_ again?"

"It was also raining."

"...Man, if you were human you would've been that kid who came home with a new pet everyday because they 'followed you home'."

"Do animals actually do that?"

"Connor, you can't keep it."

"I'm aware. But I did not want to leave it on the cold, wet ground unattended."

"As soon as the rain stops put it back in the tree and make sure there aren't anymore in the yard."

"Do you dislike birds?"

"Only pigeons. They're disgusting and covered in disease."

"Robins are okay though?"

"Yes, son. All other birds are okay by me, but again, you _can't_ keep it." Walking past the table to get to the coffee maker Hank turned around quickly and tagged on another thought. "AND, no more pets in general. So, I don't want you bringing home a parakeet or a parrot or something. Your aquarium and Sumo are enough."

"I understand." Connor gently ran his fingertip along the little bird's back as if he needed to comfort it when in reality he was running a thermal scan to ensure the little creature wasn't too cold. "I won't bring home any additional pets."

"Good. Once I wake up a little more I'll check in with Fowler at the precinct on whether or not they found a temporary replacement for Gavin yet."

"I will go to the tower after the rain. Joel is taking over Abby's shifts at the night technician for the next six months."

"Make sure you park that Corvette BEHIND the tower. I don't want some idiot smashing into it because of the slick roads or something."

Connor nodded and looked out the kitchen window as the rain finally stopped and the sun's warm rays tried to break through the thick cloud cover. "I will place the bird outside, now."

"And wash your damn hands afterward."

"I thought only pigeons-"

"Connor." Hank poured his coffee and disappeared into the livingroom with the mug in his hand. "Just do it. It's the sanitary thing to do."

Arching his brow slightly at the weird comment Connor carefully picked up the small box and carried it through the backdoor to get to the tree where Sumo had found it that morning. Reaching up to the lowest hanging thick branch of the tree Connor carefully picked up the little bird from the box and placed it down without harming it, or upsetting the other birds in the area.

"Safe." Stepping away from the tree Connor placed the cardboard box in the recycling bin beside the drive and returned to the house. Giving the small bird in the tree branch one final glance as the mother bird quickly reunited with its offspring Connor let out a somewhat upset sigh. "If only it were that simple to keep everyone safe and happy."

* * *

The rain had stayed away for most of the day, but a few random showers caused traffic disruptions and made navigating the city more troublesome than usual. Taking Hank's advice Connor parked the Corvette behind the tower and proceeded to make his way to the sanctuary in time to see the morning shift volunteers leaving for the rest of the day, and the afternoon staff showing up for their shifts.

Stepping into the lobby Connor greeted the deviant receptionist, Pamela, and in turn she informed Connor that Joel was already on the second floor waiting for him. Connor was more than happy to meet with the trusted precinct technician and was grateful for his assistance in many ways.

It didn't take long for Connor to meet up with Joel on the designated floor and give him a tour of the emergency repair bay.

"Wow, Connor. I'm impressed." Joel complimented as he checked out the emergency repair wing of the tower and noted everything that the deviant had installed at the tower to double as both a shelter, and an emergency care facility. "You didn't overlook anything."

"That was my intention. If it becomes necessary can you aid and repair damaged deviants, as well as a standard Android Emergency Care Facility?"

"Most likely, yeah. I mean, if you have spare biocomponents and blue blood, that is."

"We have a few spare biocomponents and limbs in storage. As well as a stock of pure Thirium that won't expire for a full year."

"Not bad. What time do you need me to show up tomorrow?"

"If you can arrive by noon that would be beneficial, but since you are a volunteer-"

"I may not be getting paid much," the technician knew where Connor was going and wanted to reassure him that whether he was clocking in at the precinct or volunteering at the tower he was loyal all the same. "but that doesn't mean I don't have the right to show up whenever I feel like. Noon it is."

"Thank for you help, Joel."

"No problem." Joel sincerely reassured Connor as he stepped back into the elevator to take his leave of the tower. "I'll see you tomorrow, Connor."

It was seven in the evening and the city was getting dark. The winter was finally beginning to ease into a much warmer spring much to everyone's relief. Rain soaked surfaces that many drivers failed to compensate for meant more accidents and more commotion in the streets. While the evening rush set in many of the volunteers had also taken their leave for the night as those who had sought shelter at the tower had already been tended to and were moving on with their lives for the better.

Running a cybernetic inventory of the overall stock and supplies of the tower Connor was satisfied that everything would be substantially adequate for another six months without any hindrances in aiding those in need. As he stepped into the main lobby of the tower the sound of horns honking and a metallic, thunderous 'crash' sounded off from the street just outside of the building.

Curious about the sound Connor stepped outside to investigate and found the source of the sound. A construction crane had failed due to the extreme weather over the past few months and of course, neglect. As a result it dropped the massive load of metal support beams being used to construct a neighboring building, before the crane itself tumbled over onto its side next the metal supports. The mass of metal had cut off traffic as it fell over the road, but fortunately none of the cars passing under were damaged or trapped.

Connor cybernetically reported the accident from where he stood and watched as traffic came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the city. Sending a message to Hank via cybernetic communication Connor also informed him that he would be delayed in driving home due to the accident.

' _I already found the accident on the news_.' Hank replied with a text that Connor read with his visual processors as he continued to check over the tower. ' _Looks like four construction workers were pretty badly hurt. Guess that means the hospital will be busy_.'

"Correct." Connor agreed out loud as he used a form of 'voice to text' to respond to Hank's message. "I imagine Dr. Wilson and the nurses will not arrive for their night shift until much later. I will remain here until they arrive in the event of an emergency."

' _What about Joel_?'

"He and the other human volunteers have left for the evening. I will contact New Jericho and ask for additional assistance if anyone can be spared and get through the traffic if it becomes necessary."

' _Good plan. By the way, Gavin is doing fine. He's pissed off about being stuck inside all the damn time, so that means he's recovering_.'

"Good to know. I will see you later tonight, Hank."

' _Yeah, see you later, son_.'

Checking through the building to ensure that no one seeking help had been unintentionally neglected and found the private rooms on the third floor vacated and clean. The same could be said for the recovery wings for humans and androids alike on the second floor, as well as the kitchen, community room and the counseling rooms on the ground floor.

The sound of car horns filled the city with a chorus of angry and impatient drivers as Connor proceeded to finish his examination of the tower. The deviant receptionist was keeping meticulous records of everyone that entered the tower and where they had gone, while the deviants working in the kitchen continued to clean and prepare fresh meals for the soon to arrive night shift.

While speaking with the receptionist the doors to the tower slid open rapidly allowing the chaos of the streets to sound off even louder for a moment before they shut again as Abby strolled inside. She was visibly annoyed and holding one hand against his her lower back and her other hand over the front of her almost due pregnant belly.

"Abby?" The technician's arrival confused Connor as he approached her. "You are on maternity leave."

"And I was struck in traffic and couldn't get back home."

"I see. There is no one in need of medical or technical attention, but you are more than welcome to wait for the traffic to thin out."

"That's why I'm here. I also need to use the restroom."

"...Ah."

"Let me know if the traffic gets moving again, I want to get back home to Gavin as soon as possible."

Connor nodded as Abby disappeared around the corner to reach the restroom, then looked to the receptionist with a somewhat empathetic glance. "She is very uncomfortable in her condition, and the weight of the developing baby is putting pressure on her body in the most unfortunate way."

Pamela, who had spent a great deal of time with human females as professional manicurist, gave Connor a sly look. "I suppose that is one of the few benefits that android bodies have over human bodies. We don't have to deal with gestation cycles."

Connor tilted his head a little as he pondered the idea of being able to have children himself someday. "I suppose that also depends on your personal concept of what is beneficial over what is detrimental."

Abby returned and looked incredibly tired. As she ran her hand over her face she let out a deep breath and Connor walked up to her to try to make his friend feel a little better. "I have been informed that Gavin's recovery is progressing well."

"Yeah, he's fine. Just sore." Rubbing her hand down her lower back Abby gave Connor a pleading stare. "I know how he feels."

"If I may ask, what were you doing in town when you became caught in traffic?"

"Coming back from errands and a check-up. Perfect timing, huh?"

"It's rather late for a doctor's appointment, is it not?"

"When you're thirty-nine weeks and four days pregnant, no. Doctors will see you at all hours of the day if you scream at them loud enough. Especially if you're husband is also a cop who got shot a few weeks before."

"...You were screaming?"

"Well, talking loudly. And when you start having contractions when you're across town from your husband, because for whatever reason his prescription for pain medication gets sent to the pharmacist furthest away from your house, they really listen."

"Contractions?"

"False labor. Not to get too graphic or cross any boundaries, but I'm only two centimeters dilated."

"Oh. Here, come with me." Connor offered Abby his arm and proceeded to guide her to the community room to rest for a moment. Discreetly he ran another scan over Abby's body and found her body readying itself for the inevitable delivery. She was three days away from her due date, and after all of the stress she had been through it looked like she'd go into labor at any minute. "You should rest."

"Connor, I'm fine. Just tired."

"Abby, I don't mean to pry but from what my scanners have indicated you are in fact in the very early stages of labor. The baby is in the proper position for delivery and has begun descending. It's visible that your belly has in fact dropped considerably."

"Why the fuck did I bother with all those ultrasounds then, if I just had you to check on things for me?" Abby gave him a somewhat annoyed grin. "I promise if anything happens I'll just cross my legs and do my best to hold it in. Okay?"

Connor knew she was being sarcastic, and also knew better than to question it or even address it. "...No one beyond the volunteers in the kitchen are in the tower at the moment; which includes a medical staff. You can rest without disturbance right here."

"Yeah, right. Spoken like someone who's never had a tinier version of themself kicking them in the stomach, ribs and bladder all day long."

"...That is true. I have not."

"Well, thanks Connor." Laying clumsily on her right side over the soft couch Abby tucked her arm under her head and closed her eyes to get some sleep. "I'm really glad this tower is here."

"As am I." Slipping off his gray jacket he draped it over Abby just as he had done three weeks prior after she fell asleep int he Gavin's hospital room next to her husband. "Rest for as long as you need." Leaving Abby to sleep Connor returned to the receptionist to ask for a favor in a low voice. "Pamela, will you keep an eye on her for me? I want to go check on the flow of traffic to see if it's safe for her to travel home."

"Of course."

Stepping outside the tower Connor eyed the traffic and estimated the overall time it'd take for the street to clear to be at least another two hours. The collapse of the crane, as well as the support beams strewn over the road, was going to be a timely clean up on its own. For the traffic to actually begin moving again at a steady pace would take three hours minimum.

"This is not good." Connor sent another message to Hank, this time keeping much more quiet as he didn't want to draw any unwanted attention from those who don't understand how deviants can send text messages just by speaking. "Hank, there could be a problem."

There was only a few seconds of a delay before Hank responded. ' _What's going on_?'

"Abby is at the tower because she had been stranded in traffic. I suspect she is going to go into labor soon as well."

' _Can you handle it_?'

"I'd rather not, but if it becomes absolutely necessary I will."

' _And where's Gavin_?'

"Home. Abby was returning from-"

Pamela's voice cut in asking for Connor to return to the tower, and with that message Connor knew it was happening. "Connor, Dr. Grayson is having a contraction."

"Correction." Connor sounded a little nervous, but in control. "Abby has in fact gone into labor."

' _Alright, you take care of her and I'll find a way to get Gavin to the tower_.'

"Shouldn't I take her to the hospital?"

' _In this traffic you'd never get here there in time. AND with that accident the staff is going to be overwhelmed with the injured construction workers and backed up, because of the traffic possibly interfering with ambulances. She's better off staying with you for the time being_.'

"I understand. I will contact Dr. Wilson and inform him of what's happening as I monitor Abby."

' _Right. You do what you can for her and I'll take care of Gavin_.'

"Thanks, Hank."

Returning to the tower Connor found Abby sitting up on the couch with both of her hands over her belly and breathing in slow and deep cleansing breaths. Pamela was sitting next to her and keeping her company as Abby endured her first real contraction and gave Connor an annoyed glance from where she sat.

"Don't say anything, Connor..."

"I am not the type to gloat." Kneeling down beside her Connor took back his jacket and threw it over his shoulder as he ran another scan and gave her a somewhat alarmed glance. "This is not false labor."

"No." Abby sighed in defeat as the pain ebbed away. She was clutching her impressive bump with both hands as she took in a deep cleansing breath to try to settle her nerves. "It's not."

"Pamela," Connor turned to look at the receptionist with a calm demeanor. "inform Dr. Wilson of what is currently happening. He and three other nurses will be reporting for their night shift later than usual, but they can still help if they can get to the tower as soon as possible."

"Right away, Connor."

Returning his attention to Abby and remaining calm Connor stood up slowly. "Can you walk or should I carry you?"

"Uh... Where are we going?"

"The second floor."

"Whoa, whoa... I just started having serious contractions and-" Abby winced and looked somewhat embarrassed she felt her water break. Leaning forward a little where she sat she took in another deep breath and ran a slightly shaking hand over her face again. "...I think I can walk."

"Let me help you."

Wrapping his arm around Abby's shoulders Connor helped her to stand up and let her lean against him as he helped her to walk over to the elevator to reach the medical wing on the second floor. As the elevator ascended to the appropriate floor Connor sent another message to Hank to update him on what was going on and to ask about Gavin's location.

' _I'm about five minutes from their house. I take it things aren't clearing up out there any time soon_.'

' _Correct_.' This time Connor kept the messages solely cybernetic and non-verbal to ensure Abby remained as calm as possible.

' _Keep me posted and I'll keep Gavin calm_.'

' _Will do_.'

As the two reached the second floor Abby groaned and breathed through another contraction. Her hand grabbed onto Connor's hand with a crushing grip that the deviant endured without protest. Once the pain eased Abby was able to take another step forward with Connor's much appreciated and needed assistance.

"Oh my God..." Abby stated between her deep breaths. "This kid is _definitely_ going to be an only child!"

"There is a well stocked O.B. kit in the emergency maternity ward. If it becomes necessary-"

"It better not!"

...If it becomes necessary," Connor continued as he helped Abby in the medical wing and then proceeded to lift her up into his arms and gently place her down onto a relatively comfortable table designed specifically for proper birth, and delivery. "I can aid you in every way you'll require."

"You've delivered babies before?"

"I had assisted Hank in a delivery two years ago. And I have since downloaded all of the required information in performing such a task if it were to become necessary in the event of an emergency situation." As he helped Abby to position herself more comfortably Connor shrugged his shoulders a little as he told her about that morning. "I had also rescued a baby robin and kept it safe until the rain passed this very morning."

"...Well, I guess that's better than-" Abby let out a sharp gasp of pain as yet another contraction already began tearing through her body. Once more she crushed Connor's hand as she endured the intense pain through deep, panting breaths and a steeled mental focus. "Shit!"

Connor very gently lifted up Abby's blouse to expose her torso placed his hand down on her now bare, large belly. He used light palpation to count her contractions and the current position of the baby." ***** Precipitous labor."

"...Of course it would be." Abby sighed and leaned back against the table as she continued to breathe rapidly through the pain. "Lucky me."

"I don't want to be intrusive, but-"

"Connor, trust me." She sighed again and focused on her breathing. "After nine months of being examined and tested by dozens of hands and prying eyes I'm used to have someone else 'checking' on things for me. I trust you."

Helping Abby to sit upright in a more appropriate position for delivery Connor folded his gray jacket and tucked it behind her lower back for some support, then draped a sterile sheet over her legs. Abby herself awkwardly pulled up her loose skirt under the sheet and waited for Connor to leave the room before she removed anything else to ease the shy deviant's mind.

"I'll update Dr. Wilson and I will be in contact with him cybernetically." Connor tried to sound confident but he knew that Abby was anxious about the birth of her first child, and there was very little he could say or do to calm her anymore than she already was. Looking down at his bare hands Connor knew he'd need to wash and put on sterilized gloves to prevent infections to either mother or baby. "I will back with supplies in a moment."

"...Yeah. Sounds good. I'll be right here!"

* * *

Gavin was restless as he sat in the passenger seat next to Hank and began messing with his phone to send poorly spelled texts under his trembling fingers to Abby. As he dropped his phone on the floor before him he swore loudly and tried to bend down to pick it back up, but when he leaned down quickly the seatbelt restrained him firmly, and made his still sutured chest ache with a raw pain.

"Ah! Fuck!" Closing his eyes he leaned forward as best as he could to try to curl around himself. "...Shit!"

"Gavin! Sit still, damn it!" Hank scolded as he watched the nervous detective press his palm to his chest over the still healing incision. Gavin was clearly in pain but he still made an unsuccessful grab for his phone. "We're almost at the tower."

"I can't get a hold of her!"

"She's _safe_ and she's with Connor."

"But she's NOT at the hospital!"

"There's no way she can get there, and from what Connor's been telling me there was no chance she would've made it there in time anyway."

"Fuck!" Gavin snatched Hank's phone from the dashboard and scrolled through the string of text messages the two had been exchanging after Abby arrived at the tower. "Son of a bitch! This is-"

"Gavin." Hank interrupted and lowered his voice as he spoke firmly to the shaking, still recovering detective. "Calm down. You freaking out isn't going to get us to the tower any faster."

"I shouldn't have let her go across town alone."

"Gavin... You aren't medically cleared to drive just yet, AND she would've gone regardless of what you said to her."

"Oh, come on, Hank! She was three days from her due date! Someone should've been with her while she was out!"

"Like I said, she's with Connor and he's her friend. He won't let anything bad happen to her _or_ the baby."

"...Fuck." Grabbing onto the side of his head Gavin began to pull at his hair with stress.

"Maybe it's a good thing she went into labor at the tower. With the way you're acting I think she would've spent more time calming you down than anything else."

"How in the hell did you handle it when Cole was born?!"

"By freaking out on the _inside_ and staying cool for Barb's sake. Get your shit together!" Hank saw a fine line of blood beginning to seep through Gavin's dark blue shirt as his elevated blood pressure and frantic movement caused his sutures to tear slightly. "Calm down and think of Abby and your baby, okay? They'll need you to be in control of yourself."

"Okay, yeah..." Gavin dropped his hand from his hair and tried to breathe slowly as if calming himself after enduring a panic attack. "How close are we?"

"Once I turn this corner we'll be on the block. We'll have to walk the rest of the way."

"Walk?!"

"Traffic, remember? That's why she was at the tower to begin with!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Right. I can do this." Gavin breathe deeply again and sighed. "I can do this..."

"Damn right. Just breathe and get your shit together."

"You're right... Abby and our child need me to be calm, to be strong. I can do that."

* * *

Connor let Abby continued to grip his hand as she endured one strong contraction right after the other. As her labor progressed quickly and painfully Connor monitored her closely and did everything he could to keep her as calm as possible. Using Dr. Wilson's guidance as well as his own training and the detailed information he had downloaded to guide his every movement and decision, Connor informed Abby of her progress and prepared everything.

With purple latex gloves on his hands, his usual white dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his tie tucked into the buttons of the shirt, the deviant looked as professional as he was calm about handling the emergency situation. Having no choice but to peer under the sheet over Abby's legs Connor confirmed that she no longer had any choice in the matter.

"You're fully dilated." He stated as he stepped back from the table and gave her a determined look.

"Gavin isn't here." Abby wiped her hand over her sweaty face and brushed a stray lock of her from her forehead.

"The baby is in position and descending rapidly. You have to push."

"Fuck! I don't-"

"Abby?!" Gavin's voice suddenly filled the area as he charged through the medical wing with one hand pressed to his sore, slightly bleeding chest as he looked all over for his wife. "Abby, I'm here."

"Gavin!?" She almost whimpered as she heard his voice and replied as loudly and clearly as she could. "It's happening! Fuck! I need to push!"

"I'm here!" Rushing over to Abby he took hold of her hand in time for her to clamp down as hard as possible as the next contraction hit her. "I'm here for both of you!"

Hank joined Connor in the room to instinctively try to help as much as he could, but after seeing that Connor had the situation well under control he patted Connor's shoulder and stepped out of the room to see if he could find out where Dr. Wilson was and if he was anywhere near the tower yet. "You got this?"

"Yes," the deviant nodded at Hank as he noted Abby's stress levels. "I can help her."

"Alright. If I see Dr. Wilson I'll let him know what's going on."

"Push." Connor stated firmly as the relentless contractions tore through Abby's body, not that he needed to tell her what to do. As a former E.M.S. Abby was well aware of what was happening to her, and how to handle it properly. "Keep going as long as you can, you're already making good progress."

Gavin hugged Abby with one arm as tightly as he could as she bore down and pushed with all her strength. She was leaning into him and Gavin was supporting her entirely on a physical, and emotional scale. "I love you so much!"

"The head is crowning."

Abby didn't have time to rest between contractions as her rapid labor didn't give her such a window of opportunity. Holding her breath she pushed again as Connor assisted her every second of the delivery.

"You need to stop pushing long enough for me to ease out the head." Connor stated firmly with a hint of apology to his voice. "Breathe slowly to ease the pain and push again when I say."

"Fuck!" Abby swore again as she had no choice but wait and breathe through the pain. Tightening her hand around Gavin's hand she squeezed so hard that her fingernails began to dig into his skin and draw some blood. "Gavin! When this is over you're getting a vasectomy! And _I'm_ going to be the one to do it!"

Tuning out Abby's pain induced comments Connor remained completely focused on his task at hand. "The head is out, push again."

Abby pushed again and crushed Gavin's throbbing hand in the process. "Fuck! How big is this kid?!"

"...Approximately nine pounds, fourteen ounces." Connor stated with a factual tone as he gave Abby a literal answer with a simple scan.

"Fuck!"

"Stop. The shoulders are stuck." The deviant informed her in a cool tone of voice. "Gavin, let her lean against you and pull her leg back without injuring her."

"What?!" Gavin was keeping his voice level but it was evident he was getting scared. Taking a hold of Abby's right leg near her upper thigh Gavin dad as he was instructed and help Abby move into a more proper position. "What's going on?"

"The baby is-"

Abby cut Connor off impatiently as she endured another painful contraction. "The baby is a little too big for my hips and pelvis." She held her breath and groaned in pain as she leaned into Gavin heavily. "I need the room to push, or I'll have to have an emergency c-section."

"Oh, shit..." Gavin kissed Abby's cheek as he held tightly onto her. "You can do this, babe. I got you!"

Steadily and carefully Connor managed to adjust the baby accordingly and loosened the first shoulder without harming Abby in the process. The deviant's scanner was proving invaluable at the moment as he was able to see every detail that was crucial for a successful delivery, and his skilled hands managed to deliver the baby without accidentally injuring it or the mother.

"I have one shoulder free. Lightly push to deliver the second."

Abby bit her lip and did as she was instructed and felt a strange pressure lessen up as the second shoulder passed through at long last.

"The shoulders are out." Connor announced as he kept one hand under the baby's small head. "One more push, Abby. Go."

Gavin kissed Abby's hairline as he held onto her tightly and rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "Almost there, babe! You got this!"

As Abby held her breath and pushed as hard as she could, and didn't stop until all the pressure and weight in her pelvis finally relented. Falling back against the table and against Gavin's arm she let out a loud panting sigh of relief and wiped tears from her eyes as the pain finally came to a merciful end.

"The baby is out."

Gavin kissed Abby again. "See?! I knew you could do it!"

Connor held the squirming newborn in his hands and proceeded to clear its airway allowing it to finally cry. Once the cries filled the room Connor felt an odd sense of pride and relief at the same time. As he tied off the cord he looked up at Abby and Gavin as he gently handed the newborn to Abby to hold against her chest and held out a small pair of medical scissors for Gavin to cut the cord.

"It's a girl."

Abby began weeping tears of joy as she pressed her newborn daughter against her chest while Gavin snipped the cord.

"...I have a daughter." Gavin began to weep as well. "And she's beautiful."

* * *

With his phone in hand Hank received word from the head nurse at the hospital that Dr. Wilson was assisting in emergency surgery for one of the construction workers injured in the accident, and would be delayed for several hours. While he was made aware of what was happening at the tower he couldn't leave and had already asked for an available ambulance to transport Abby over to the hospital as quickly as possible.

"Well, that sucks." The sound of the newborn's shrill cries drew Hank's attention away from the phone and over to the maternity area behind him. "Uh, tell Dr. Wilson the baby has been born. I'll call back if there's any problems."

Ending the call Hank tucked his phone back into his pocket and watched anxiously as Connor exited the ward after a few minutes, and slipped off the purple latex gloves from over his hands to place in the medical waste disposal bin against the wall.

"Well?" Hank asked somewhat impatiently as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder. The deviant was standing tall and proud as he stood before the detective with a faint grin hidden on his face. "How'd it go?"

"...Everything went well in spite the onset of precipitous labor, and of the baby being larger than anticipated." Giving Hank a nod of approval Connor motioned back toward the ward where Abby, Gavin and their newborn daughter were gathered together. "It's a girl."

Hank was beaming with pride for the deviant. "Well, welcome to the club, son."

"Club?"

"You helped a woman in labor and delivered your first kid. That's a right of passage in the precinct."

"...That's a very strange club."

Laughing at the comment Hank held up his phone for Connor to see. "I left a message for Dr. Wilson at the hospital to let him know that the baby was born. I still have no idea when the ambulance will get here to take them over to the hospital."

"I've attached a cardiac monitor to Abby as a precaution. She is doing well but is exhausted."

"Yeah, after everything she's been through I can't say that I blame her." Leaning a little closer to Connor Hank lowered his voice and asked him an unusual question. "Did I hear right? Abby is going to give Gavin a _vasectomy_?"

"...I believe it's safe to say that they will not be having anymore children." Connor's brow furrowed as he received a cybernetic communication from Pamela downstairs in the receptionist area. "The paramedics have just arrived and are on their way up to see to Abby and the baby."

"Great timing on their part." The elevator doors opened as if waiting for their cue and a team of paramedics set foot on the floor and followed as Connor and Hank guided them in the right direction. "Come on, let's give them room to work."

* * *

At the hospital Hank and Connor stayed outside the recovery room that Abby was resting in with her newborn daughter swaddled in her arms and Gavin hovering protectively over them. Friends to both parents stopped by the room to congratulate the couple while also dropping off flowers, balloons, cards and a dozen boxes of diapers. As the group slowly dispersed after saying their piece to the happy young couple they were left alone to bond with their newborn daughter much to the delight of the entire precinct, as well New Jericho Tower and Skye Tower.

"Connor, Hank." Tina stepped out of the room after dropping off a massive stuffed teddy bear for the baby, and to once again annoy Gavin, she addressed her fellow officers with a gentle smile on her face. "They want to talk to you."

Stepping inside the room the two detectives were met with warm smiles from both parents as Abby motioned for Hank to hold the baby. Accepting of course, Hank held the small newborn carefully in his arms while Connor watched with intense interest.

The baby was the perfect blend of her parents. She had Abby's fair skin and her nose, while she had Gavin's dark hair and his ears. In time her blue eyes would surely turn the same shade of green as her father's eyes as well.

"Connor," Gavin addressed the deviant with a sense of newfound respect that neither had expected to come to pass between them. "I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done. And I really mean that. Thanks."

"Of course, Gavin." The deviant remained humble as he addressed the Sergeant. "I am-"

"Look, I know I've been a really fucking asshole to you over the past couple of years, and it was... It was uncool. So, I'm sorry."

"...You don't have to apologize, Gavin. I understand why you-"

"Actually, I do have to apologize." Gavin was steadfast in making amends to Connor. "So I have. And, thanks for saving my life. I didn't say anything then so I'm saying it now. You saved me from a bullet, a fire, poison and cardiac arrest. And now you helped my wife and helped bring my daughter safely into this world. Thank you."

"...You're welcome."

Abby lightly grabbed onto Connor's hand and pulled him closer to her. "There's one other thing." She was smiling and glowing with maternal pride. "You remember how I told you that I had made some plans with Skye, and that my way of honoring her memory was to follow through with those plans?"

"Yes. I remember."

"Well, my plan was to ask her, and to ask _you_ , to be the baby's godparents."

"...Me?" Connor was genuinely shocked and flattered by the revelation. "I don't... Why me?"

"Simple." Gavin replied on Abby's behalf as he took back the baby from Hank for a moment. "You're the type of guy who'd lay down his life to protect someone else. You're honest, you're kind, you're also pretty damn fearless, generous and you're _way_ more forgiving than anyone else I know." Holding the baby close to his chest he stood before Connor confidently. "My own family is screwed up and Abby's family is... gone. We only have our friends to be our family. And you're the type of person I'd want to look after my daughter if anything were to happen to me or... you know, even to Abby."

"...I'm... honored."

"So is that a 'yes'?" Gavin asked as he passed the newborn over into Connor's arms to hold. Instinctively Connor knew exactly how to support the newborn in his arms gently, securely. "You better say you'll do it because we don't have anyone else in mind."

Connor looked down at the tiny newborn in his arms with deep contemplation. Taking on a baby was a huge responsibility, and even though he wasn't going to be her primary guardian he was still wary of bearing such a massive weight on his shoulders. The deviant still had so much to learn about humanity, emotions and healing after enduring relentless heartache. "I... I don't know what to say."

Hank just stayed quiet and waited for Connor to make his decision on his own. This was one decision that Hank couldn't help him with or give his opinion on for that matter. It was all up to Connor to choose for himself.

The tiny newborn made small noises and squirmed about gently in Connor's arms. Her dark blue eyes looking up and searching his face as if she too was waiting for Connor to answer.

Moving his hand upward toward the baby's hand Connor watched as the newborn's tiny hand wrapped around his pinky finger and held tight. After a moment of deep thought and remembering what Abby had said about wanting to honor Skye's memory, Connor made his decision and let it be known with a confident answer. "Yes. ...I will be her godfather."

Upon hearing Connor's acceptance Hank gave the deviant a proud smile and watched as he held onto the little baby with the utmost care that any parents would give to their own child.

"Thank you!" Abby beamed as she tightened her hand around Gavin's hand and the two felt a modicum of relief in knowing their daughter would be safe if anything were to happen to them. "That's what we were hoping to hear."

Connor's brow arched as he looked at Abby with an important question of his own. "What is her name?"

"Aria." Gavin replied in a soft tone of voice. "It was my sister's middle name."

Abby smiled as she told Connor the baby's full name. "Aria Connie."

The deviant's brow arched a little as he gave Abby a strange look. "...Connie?"

Gavin cleared his throat a little. "It's the only good family tradition I can remember. Always name the firstborn after the person who helped deliver them. And as it turns out that person was you, Connor."

"...You named her after... me?" A faint shade of pale blue blossomed on Connor's face as he blushed with flattery and embarrassment. Smiling a broad smile that he rarely showed he gently ran the side of his index finger down Aria's soft cheek to caress it. "...I've never had anyone name anything after me, let alone their own child."

As Connor smiled Hank felt a massive wave of relief wash over him.

"Does it bother you?" Gavin asked somewhat embarrassed.

"No... Not at all. It was just unexpected." Sitting down slowly on the edge of the bed next to Abby the deviant moved slowly as he passed Aria back over to her mother's arms. The tiny newborn relented and let Connor's finger go as she was gently placed back in Abby's arms. "I'm flattered and honored."

There was a knock at the door as a female nurse poked her head in and motioned for Hank and Connor to leave the room. "Sorry gentlemen, but visiting hours are over."

Nodding slightly Connor rose from the bed and joined Hank as the two detectives left the room as requested.

Hank shook Gavin's hand firmly. "Congratulations you two. Everything you know is about the change, but it'll be for the better. Trust me."

"Yeah..." Gavin agreed with a broad grin of utter pride and love as he dropped his hand from Hank's hand and sat back down next to Abby. Wrapping his arm around Abby's shoulder he smiled down at his newborn daughter in Abby's arms and held Aria's tiny hand gently between his fingers and gave it a light squeeze. "I know it'll be great."

Connor gave Abby one last nod of respect as he and Hank took their leave of the room. "I'm very happy for both of you. Take care."

"You do the same, Connor. Thank you for everything." Aria let out a small noise that made Abby smile brighter, and Gavin tighten his hug around his wife's shoulder. "Aria says 'thank you', too."

Walking down the corridor of the hospital side by side Hank casually cleared his throat and gave Connor a sly grin as the deviant's own smile, though not as big, remained on his face. "Makes you want a kid of your own, huh?"

Connor only smiled as he thought about the idea without saying a word of confirmation to Hank. Having a child seemed like such a wonderful prospect, even if androids couldn't technically reproduce in the same as humans.

"You know something, son?" The detective gave his adopted son a broad grin as they strode down the corridor together. "That's the first time I've seen you smile in _months_."

Connor pressed a hand to his warm face as another wave of warm embarrassment made his cheeks turn a pale shade of blue. "I guess it's the first time in those many months that I actually had a reason to smile. I now have... a _goddaughter_ to care for."

"That's a damn good reason, too." Putting his arm around Connor's shoulders Hank pulled him in for a light hug as the two stepped out into the parking lot of the hospital and toward their cars to depart only for a moment as they drove home. It seemed as though Connor finally found a reason to be happy again. "I'm very proud of you, son."

"Thanks... dad." Connor's blush faded and his heart seemed to finally begin to heal at long last. "I'm glad that I was able to help my friend when she needed it the most. Gavin, too. I guess he's a friend now." Connor smiled again to himself as he opened his car door. "And I was able to help their daughter. It felt good."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: A precipitous labor is defined as giving birth in less than three hours after initial labor begins. I imagine it's as fun as it sounds...


	160. Thirium Flux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Bananaise_San

The activity in the precinct had begun to lull as a temporary replacement for Gavin had been located. On top of his needed recovery time after being shot Gavin had also been granted extended time off through paternity leave. Connor and Hank resumed their usual routines as if nothing had happened over the past few weeks, let alone months, and easily handled the few deviant related cases that came their way with great ease and efficiency. Connor sat behind his terminal with his coin dancing over the knuckles of his left hand slowly, while Hank sipped at the horrible coffee that had been brewed in the breakroom with an outward disgust on his face.

"Fuck. I think the precinct needs to get a new coffee maker." Hank stated as he pushed aside the still partially full mug with disinterest. "Or they need to buy better coffee grounds."

Connor looked up briefly and scanned the contents of the mug. "You haven't applied any sweetener or sugar."

"I didn't want to get another reminder of the dangers of that sugary-shit to my health." Hank stated with a stern glance in his eyes. "I get enough of that from the precinct medic after every check-up."

"Perhaps you should try to drink tea instead of coffee. It's sweeter in taste and a healthier alternative."

"I hate tea."

"You didn't hate it when Rose made it for you, and she gave me her recipe. Should I make you some?"

"No thanks, kid. I'd rather drink this shit," Hank picked up the mug and sipped at the horrible brew once more. "than get a damn caffeine-headache."

"Very well. But the offer still stands." A message from Joel suddenly appeared on Connor's terminal screen requesting his presence in the dispensary. "Joel wants to speak with me." Pocketing his coin Connor rose from his desk and proceeded to walk to the corridor leading to the elevator. "I'll be back in a moment."

"Whatever, I'll be here."

As the deviant walked down the corridor toward the elevator he glanced back at the bullpen and stared at the replacement officer using Gavin's desk for the time being. Though the replacement was a competent detective and very kind, he was an unusual choice to act as Gavin's replacement. It somehow seemed wrong to not have the abrasive detective insulting Connor, or throwing paper balls at his back whenever he needed to get the deviant's attention.

"I wonder how Gavin, Abby and Aria are doing at this moment?"

Stepping through the doors to the elevator Connor reached the second floor and found himself inside the the dispensary along with Jack, who had been summoned to the dispensary as well. The model of android wasn't originally designed for law enforcement but his deviancy gave him the freedom to attempt to become an officer, and Captain Fowler was willing to oblige. Jack was an AX-700 model who was originally programmed to function as personal assistant. Blond hair, blue eyes and chisel features made him the ideal aesthetic for the rich and vain, but his ambitions were beyond that of an errand boy.

"Hello, Jack."

"Connor." The second deviant, wearing a standard black police uniform, nodded to Connor as he set foot inside the dispensary. Jack was sitting on the exam table with a black cable attached to his L.E.D., the optional device was still in his temple by his own choice and fluctuating at a healthy blue. "I see Joel had summoned you as well."

Joel himself was sitting behind his computer terminal typing a few key commands into the modem and gave Connor a passing glance. "Thanks for coming."

Connor addressed the technician with a curious tone of voice. "May I ask why you've asked me to meet with you?"

"It's kind of a strange request," the technician admitted from behind his glowing screen. "but I was wondering if you'd be willing to download a new software update."

"An update?" Connor's brow arched with confusion as he stood beside the exam table and noted the cable attached to Jack's L.E.D., and running back to the technician's laptop. "What is the purpose of the update?"

"It's been affectionately dubbed 'Thirium Flux." Joel replied with a casual tone. "It's a basic program designed to enhance the overall performance of your Thirium pump and ventilation biocomponents when under emotional distress, or physical exertion." Rising from his desk Joel walked over to where Jack was sitting and detached the cable from his L.E.D. with a simple 'click'. "It's essentially like giving androids the equivalent to human adrenal glands."

"Adrenaline." Connor contemplated the possible benefits to having such a feature installed in his base programming, and how it could improve his abilities in the field. "How does the update allow this function to proceed?"

"It's a unique software that'll trigger your Thirium levels to temporarily concentrate and flow more directly into your mentioned biocomponents to allow them to function anywhere from fifteen to thirty percent higher than their preprogrammed peak limitations. The actions are all based on your own personal observations on a scenario and will give you the flux accordingly."

"The update will learn from my previous experiences and feelings to determine which moments require a metaphorical 'adrenaline rush' and respond as such?"

"Yeah, you got it."

"Is it dangerous?"

"We don't know yet, that's why I was wondering if you'd be willing to volunteer for the update and allow me to monitor your condition."

"...You'd like me to be a test subject?"

"No, no! Nothing nearly as crude as that." Noting Jack's current vitals on the deviant's electronic chart he patted the blond officer's shoulder as a means of quietly dismissing him. Jack took the hint and promptly took his leave. "It's a solid program that has proven itself useful and reliable, but the androids who have this update were all designed for athleticism or heavy lifting. And..." Approaching Connor with a timid and faint grin, as Jack left the room, Joel stood before him respectfully. "those models are all _final_ designs. We don't know how _prototypes_ will respond."

"I see." Connor felt more like he were being used for an experiment, rather than being asked for a favor. "...Interesting."

"Connor, I want you know that I didn't select you just because you're a prototype, I selected you because as a detective you'd personally benefit from the update and I'm familiar with your technical history. It was a logical choice, and you're my friend. I wouldn't subject you to _anything_ that I thought might be dangerous to your programming."

Connor was hesitant to accept the update and gave Joel a wary look. "...Who developed this program?"

"NOT CyberLife." Returning to his desk Joel picked up the tablet displaying the information on the software and presented to Connor to read for himself. "I'd never ask you, or anyone else, to use any programs developed by CyberLife. This was created by a group of college technical students looking to pick up where CyberLife left off, and give androids new updates and programs without monetary gain being their primary focus."

"A program developed by students. Ambitious." Quickly Connor read over the details and returned his gaze to Joel. "They call themselves 'Digital Sentience'. How appropriate, though unoriginal."

"These kids have come up with some pretty damn impressive innovations. They're the ones who found the proper software updates to shield android intracranial processors from E.M.P. blasts." Tilting his head a little Joel admitted as to why he was so enthralled with this group of students. "If these students can keep up this kind of progress then androids won't have to risk updates from possibly compromised servers at facilities, and the students will be able to work alongside androids instead of against them with additional advancements."

"...Have there been any negative reports on the software?"

"No. Not one."

Relenting for the sake of the betterment of the other deviants, Connor agreed. "I am willing to test the software for you, but if I do not like it I will have it deleted immediately."

"Perfectly understandable, reasonable and acceptable."

"How long will it take?"

"Two minutes. All I have to do is connect the cable, upload the software and you accept the download. It's not from CyberLife, so you'll have to override the 'does not recognize third party' warning, and all that fun stuff."

"Very well."

"Thanks, I appreciate this. Sit on the table and I'll give you a quick check-up for the sake of scientific accuracy."

With a very human sigh Connor loosened his tie, slipped off his gray suit jacket and sat down on the exam table as Joel proceeded to run through the usual array of tests to chronicle his current vital signs, and overall health. It wasn't the first time that Connor had endured a technical exam while at the precinct, but it was the first time he was being examined before a new update to be installed in his programs.

* * *

Hank was sitting behind his terminal patiently waiting for Connor to return so he could go take his lunchbreak. As he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes the detective was barely aware of Chris and Jack leaving their own desks to go about their afternoon patrol, and of the new officer sitting behind Gavin's vacated desk across from Tina. It seemed like everyone was a little uncomfortable around the 'new guy', but soon enough Gavin would be back and everything would be back tomorrow.

"Come on, kid. How long does it-" A hand on Hank's shoulder caused him to open his eyes and look up at Connor standing beside him. "Oh. There you are."

"I apologize. I was unexpectedly delayed by Joel."

"No problem." Standing up Hank fished his car keys from his pocket and motioned for Connor to accompany him outside. "So, what did he want?"

"I was asked to test new software."

"Anything good?"

"I'll tell you about it after you get your lunch. My treat."

"Cool. And remember, it's Friday. I'm allowed to eat whatever I want and you can't say anything about it."

"Yes, I remember. And also remember that tomorrow you must stick to the dietary plan I have planned for you, and it fluctuates based on what you eat today."

"Yeah, yeah... Don't ruin this for me, 'kay?"

"Of course. Enjoy your lunch."

* * *

The two detectives were on their way back to the precinct after their lunchbreak when an alert came over the radio. An armed robbery at a jewelry store had resulted in two people being shot and over ten thousand dollars worth of merchandise being stolen. Connor cybernetically downloaded the security footage that had been provided by the store owner to the precinct, and with the footage he memorized the armed suspect's faces.

"So," Hank stated somewhat indifferently as he glanced over at Connor in the passenger seat. "how do you feel?"

"Optimal. I do not feel any different than I normally do."

"That's good. And Jack has the same update?"

"Correct. He and I are the only androids on the police force in the city. We're both ideal- Hank!" The deviant stopped mid sentence as he identified the suspects hiding in an alleyway. "Stop the car!" Connor shouted as the car passed by said alleyway. The deviant's keen eyes caught sight of the man leaping over a low fence in the alley as he tried to flee from the police. "I see the suspect!"

"Fuck!" Slamming on the brakes Hank watched as Connor threw open his door and pursued the suspect on foot while Hank himself called in the reported sighting to the precinct. Speeding up Hank cut around the corner of the block in an attempt to head off the suspect while Connor gave chase. "Suspect spotted, in pursuit. Any available patrol report to my area."

* * *

Connor ran as quickly as he could as he chased after the fleeing human. It didn't take Connor long to catch up to the human as he ran from the narrow alleyway and into the warehouse district along the port, and he was closing in swiftly. Side stepping uneven pavement and avoiding the various empty containers and crates that had been placed along the storage area Connor was beginning to feel the effects of his Thirium Flux now coursing through his lines with every pump of his racing heart.

The sight of the suspect pulling out his gun and opening fire at Connor as he gave chase made the deviant slide to the ground on his side, and immediately get back up onto his feet to continue the pursuit. Climbing up and on top of the yellow tinted metal cargo containers that lined the drive of the port Connor was able to get out of the armed man's line of sight, while being able to resume the chase. Running faster and faster with step Connor was able to overtake the man by a respectable distance and jumped down from the containers on top of him.

As the deviant tackled the man to the ground Hank pulled into the area in time to watch as Connor leapt into the air and wrestled the armed man into submission on the ground. "Holy shit!" Throwing open his own door Hank drew his gun and aimed it at the man as Connor forcefully pinned his arms behind his back. "Don't move! You're under arrest."

The man had no choice but to comply as Connor cuffed his wrists and held him in place. Connor pressed his knee down against the man's spine to hold him steady until he finally stopped trying to kick his legs and get away. Pulling the man's gun from the back of his waistband Connor placed it on the ground a few feet away from the arrested suspect as a mandatory and professional precaution.

"Nice work, Connor."

Connor looked up at Hank and took in deep, rapid breaths as he felt the effects of the Thirium Flux were still rampant in his systems. "...Thanks."

A patrol car pulled up alongside Hank's car and came to an abrupt stop as their sirens went silent, but the red and blue lights continued to flash. Hank calmly holstered his gun and stepped aside to allow Tina and the new guy, Brad, to take the captured suspect into custody.

On shaking legs Connor stood up and walked away from the man on the ground and continued to breathe deeply. Pressing his left palm against a nearby container Connor leaned against his arm and stared down at the pavement under his shoes.

"Connor?" Hank approached his partner and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "You okay?"

"...M-My heart is racing." Connor stated between panting breaths as he tried to slow his heart rate back down to a manageable level. "It feels like it's going to... beat out of my chest. I know it can't actually do that, but... that's the only way I can describe it."

"You said that new software is like adrenaline," replying coolly Hank pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck and checked his pulse. "that's what it feels like when get hit by an adrenaline rush."

"My Thirium pump is beating at... uh..." Connor was having a hard time focusing as the concentrated Thirium was collecting in his chest to accommodate his heart and lungs, and was providing less Thirium to his intracranial processor as a result. "I can't... I can't count it. I can't focus."

"Feels like you're over one-hundred and sixty." Hank replied calmly as he counted the deviant's pulse himself.

"Is that... normal?"

"Probably." Taking his hand from Connor's neck he patted his shoulder and held it there for a moment. "I think it's different for everyone depending on how good of shape they're in."

"How do I... make it stop?"

"Just keep breathing. Slow, deep breaths."

Nodding a little Connor took his hand away from the container and stared at his shaking palm for a few seconds. "I don't think... I like Thirium Flux."

"Take a moment to calm down and breathe. Nice and slow..."

Doing as Hank had instructed Connor took in deep, slow breaths and let them out slowly, but his heart continued to beat frantically in his chest. "It... It's not working."

"It will. Come on, let's get back to the precinct so you can talk to Joel, okay?"

"Y-Yeah... okay."

Hank gave Connor an odd glance as he noted the deviant's unusual and rare use of the term 'yeah' instead of 'yes'. Typically the deviant spoke with near perfect grammar, one of the few machine traits he had left in his being, and only responded with more human vernacular when under duress.

While Chris and Jack easily placed the cuffed suspect in the back of the car Hank had a slightly harder time guiding his slightly shaken and confused partner back to the car to return to the precinct. Connor continued to force himself to breathe deeply and slowly as his heart continued to thunder in his chest. Pressing his right hand over his rampantly beating heart Connor leaned back against his seat and counted his breaths as a means of trying to distract himself.

"Just like that." Hank encouraged as he turned on the A/C in the car to a low setting and pointed the vents at Connor's face to help him feel cooler, hopefully calmer as well. "Keep breathing and you'll be fine."

Connor nodded his head once as he continued to breathe and endure the relentless rapid beating of his own heart pounding against his palm. "...I don't like this. It feels... wrong."

"You're going to be okay. Why don't you try to go into a rest mode or something? Maybe that'll slow your heart back down."

"Y-Yeah... Good idea." Forcing himself to close his eyes Connor entered rest mode but kept his hand pressed to his chest. "...I'll try."

Watching the deviant from the corner of his eye Hank lightly pressed the back of his hand against the side of Connor's neck and could feel both heat radiating from the deviant's skin, as well as the thundering pulse that had frightened Connor. "...Whoa. How much adrenaline can one deviant produce?"

Driving back to the precinct as quickly as he could Hank kept one eye on the road and one eye on Connor as a precaution. Hank had to shake Connor's shoulder to pull the deviant back out of his self-induced rest mode and coax him into getting out of the car. As Connor set a shaking foot on the ground he fell back against the side of the car and closed his eyes tightly as he swore his heartbeat was somehow getting faster under his palm.

"Son?" Reaching out his hand Hank grabbed onto Connor's bicep to lead him away from the car and, nearly stumbled back as the deviant reached a panic stricken hand up to grab onto Hank's arm in the process. "You're okay. We'll just have Joel disable that update so you don't have to deal with this anymore."

"...H-Hank... I'm scared."

"Don't be scared." Moving at a normal pace Hank encouraged Connor walk with him and to keep breathing. "Adrenaline makes everyone shaky for a while. If you let yourself get used to it you won't have this little side effect anymore."

"...I don't like it."

"You don't have to." Pulling Connor through the front doors of the precinct Hank guided him through the bullpen toward the corridor to get to the dispensary, but decided that the breakroom would be better. The last thing Connor needed to endure while he was already scared was an intimidating repair facility or the precinct dispensary. Leading Connor to the breakroom he motioned to the black leather couch with one hand and kept his other on Connor's arm. "Sit down and I'll go get Joel."

"...Hank?" Connor stopped short as his hand clutched tighter over his heart in his chest. "...I don't... f-feel right."

"Connor?"

The deviant's brown irises suddenly dulled as they rolled up in the back of his head before his eyelids snapped shut. As his shaking legs buckled beneath him Hank managed to reach out an arm and catch the fainted deviant, and support Connor's head in his hand. Wrapping his other arm around Connor's chest Hank was able to easily support the deviant's lighter weight and keep him from collapsing onto the hard ground entirely.

"Easy! Easy..." Remaining calm and in control Hank lowered Connor down to the floor and spoke softly to the unconscious deviant in his arms. He didn't have the strength to put Connor on the couch and was afraid to jostle him about. "I got you, son."

Jack had noted Connor's distressed demeanor from is desk and walked up to Hank with sincere concern in his voice. "Captain Anderson. What has happened?"

"Contact Joel. Let him know we need a technician in the breakroom."

Jack's L.E.D. flashed from blue to yellow as he made the call and remained yellow as he observed his fallen comrade being tended to by Hank. "Can I help?"

"No, I got him." Hank pressed his fingers back to the side of Connor's neck and could feel his pulse rate at an alarmingly high rate even while he was unconscious. Moving his hand to the center of Connor's chest Hank could feel the drastically beating pump and could even heart a muffled beat resonating from the pump without having to put his ear against the deviant's chest to listen. "Shit, son. No wonder you were getting a little freaked out..."

Resting his hand over Connor's forehead sympathetically Hank also felt that he was beginning to overheat from the exertion and was running a mild fever.

Joel rushed over to where Hank was kneeling beside Connor and dropped his emergency satchel on the floor. "Oh man, Connor... What happened?"

"Adrenaline rush." Hank stated firmly as he watched Joel loosen Connor's tie and pull the white shirt open to expose his chest. "He caught the asshole and then he couldn't seem to catch his own breath."

"Shit..." Joel swore to himself as he pulled the audioscope from his satchel and proceeded to press the bell to Connor's rapidly rising and falling chest. Connor's Thirium pump was beating so fast and so hard that both Joel and Hank could see the motion pulsing against the plastimetal frame that composed his entire chest cavity, causing his entire chest to shudder slightly while the deviant continued to take deep and painfully slow breaths. "That software didn't agree with his prototype system. It initiated as it should have done, but it doesn't know to switch off. The stress must've overloaded his system."

Jack took a step back from the scene unfolding in the breakroom to give the technician more space to work. "Should I tell Captain Fowler that Connor has been incapacitated due to a malfunction?"

Hank turned his head and nodded quietly to the helpful blond deviant before looking back down at Connor.

"I need to check his Thirium pressure." The technician announced as he draped his audioscope around his neck pulled the Thirium pressure cuff from the satchel. While Hank rolled up Connor's left sleeve to expose his bicep Joel wrapped the cuff around the limb and grimaced at the high numbers on display. "One-hundred and sixty over one-hundred."

"That's bad, isn't it?"

"Yeah... That's bad." Taking a portable cardiac monitor from the satchel Joel placed the device down on the floor next to Connor and then placed the sensor pad down over the middle of Connor's chest to note his critically rapid heartbeat. "Oh, shit. His pump is beating at two-hundred and forty beats per minute. That's well beyond the reported parameters even _with_ the Thirium Flux active!"

"Can you fix it?"

"The only way to fix this glitch is to remove the software." Joel's pale blue eyes were full of regret and utter remorse for what had befallen his friend. "I didn't create it and don't know how to alter the program."

"Go ahead, I don't think he'd mind."

"Right..." Joel pulled his laptop out of the satchel and reattached the black cable to Connor's right temple. Just as easily as he had installed the update Joel deleted the software and detached the cable in a matter of seconds. "It's gone."

Connor took in a weak, shallow breath before taking in a deeper one. As he settled back into a normal breathing rhythm his heart began to slow as the effects of the Thirium flux mercifully faded from his system.

"Heartbeat stabilizing. Down to two-hundred, one-eighty four..." Joel counted down the numbers out loud as a means of calming his own racing mind. "one-fifty seven, one-ten, ninety-six, eighty-eight..."

"What about his temperature? He feels like he's running hot."

Noting the thermal readout on the cardiac display courtesy of the sensor pad attached to Connor's too warm artificial skin, Joel made his assessment. "One-hundred and four point six. That's pretty high."

"No shit." The sarcastic reply was accompanied by Hank slipping his hand back under Connor's head to try to rouse the still unconscious deviant. "Connor? Can you hear us?"

There was no verbal response from the deviant, only a deep wet cough that caused spots of dark blue Thirium to speckle his lips.

"What the fuck?" Hank used his other hand to gently lower Connor's jaw while Joel shined a penlight into the deviant's mouth. "Why is he bleeding?"

"Damn it." Joel pocketed the light as he used his audioscope to listen to Connor's breaths again. There was a mild 'crackling' sound indicative of fluid collecting inside his ventilation biocomponents; inside his artificial lungs. "Some of the concentrated Thirium must've pooled inside his lungs after the smaller, more delicate Thirium lines ruptured. He isn't bleeding internally now that the Thirium flux has stopped, but he still has fluid in both of ventilation biocomponents that'll he'll need to cough up."

"And why's that, Joel?"

"...Connor has ventilation profusion."

"He has _what_?"

"It's like an android having developed human pneumonia. He's... He's sick. _Really_ sick."

"Fan-fuckin'-tastic. What else is wrong with him?"

Joel carefully ran his hands alongside Connor's chest and could feel the shuddering breaths under his palms, and worse he could hear the labored breathing from where he knelt. As his hands brushed against Connor's abdomen the deviant's body flinched as an unexpected pain emanated from the center of his torso just above his completely aesthetic naval.

"I think his gyroscope has been affected by the Thirium Flux and his overheating core."

"Is that why he was so shaky?"

"That contributed to it, yes. If anything we can confidentially state that Connor has developed 'Groupware Blight 2.0' because of that software update."

"...Meaning?"

"Remember when he had that bout with the 'android flu' a while back? This is a worse case than that."

"Fuck. That's it. I'm taking him home to rest."

"...Hank," the guilt in Joel's voice was heavy and almost palpable. "I promise you that-"

Putting up a hand to quiet the worried technician Hank spoke in a calm, understanding tone. "Joel, I know you wouldn't do anything to intentionally hurt Connor. It was an accident and now it's over."

"...I'm sorry all the same."

"Just help me carry Connor out to the car and hook me up with whatever green medicine you got so he can get better."

"I honestly think it'd be best of Connor went to a facility to have another technician look over him."

"No way, he hates facilities." Hank defended on Connor's behalf as he proceeded to pull the deviant into a sitting upright position on the floor with one arm around the shoulders. "And yeah, I know that's it's risky to take care of him myself. But it's easier this way."

"...I don't doubt your ability to take care of him Hank, I just don't want to see him suffering because of my mistake."

"Joel, do I need to slap you upside the head or something? It was an _accident_."

"And Connor is my friend."

"Shit happens, Joel. I accidentally shot him for fuck sake." As he pulled Connor's limp arm around his own shoulders Hank stood up slowly and let the deviant's full deadweight lean against him heavily. Connor was completely oblivious and burning up with an intense fever. "Help me with Connor first, then kick yourself in the ass later."

"...Sure. Yeah."

* * *

With Joel's help Hank was able to get Connor to the car outside in the parking garage, and placed the feverish deviant down in the backseats to rest. Joel had taken it upon himself to explain everything to Captain Fowler and of the failed software installation. Despite Hank's reassurances that what happened to Connor was an accident Joel continued to blame himself and would surely be feeling guilty for weeks...

Placing a cold, damp washcloth over Connor's head Hank smoothed out the fabric and sat down on the edge of the coffee table as he watched the sick deviant struggling to breathe and weakly coughed as he rested on the couch, still unconscious. Refusing to let the sick deviant spend his recovery time in his usual work uniform Hank took it upon himself to change Connor's clothing into his usual sleepwear of dark gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt. As the deviant remained unresponsive to the world around him, his head resting over a thick navy blue pillow and under a thick navy blue blanket pulled up to his chest, Hank kept vigil and Sumo pressed his chin down over the edge of the couch as he too watched over Connor.

"Hard to believe you're the most advanced prototype that was ever created." Hank observed as he checked Connor's pulse by gently pressing his fingers to the inside of Connor's wrist. He was still stable, but also very sick. "You and your update problems. It's almost as bad as me trying to figure out why the hell my laptop crashed. Again."

Connor coughed harshly and more Thirium covered his lips as a thin trail ran from the corner of his mouth down toward his jaw.

Sighing loudly Hank took another washcloth from the small pile sitting on the coffee table beside him and wiped the blue blood away from Connor's mouth.

"Wish you'd wake up. The sooner you drink some of that green shit the sooner you can get better."

Connor's eyes began to move and back forth under his heavy eyelids rapidly. Opening his mouth slightly Connor managed to speak to the detective watching over him in a raspy, tired voice. "...H-Hank?"

"There we go, nice to see you conscious."

"...What happened?" Opening his eyes slowly Connor noticed that Sumo was watching him from the edge of the couch and turned his head slowly toward Hank as reality set in. He wasn't at the precinct, he was home. "...Why am I here?"

"You passed out at the precinct. Your heartbeat got a little too high and your system overloaded."

"...The software update." Connor blinked slowly and sighed as a weak cough escaped his lips. "I remember now."

"Yup. Joel went ahead and deleted it for ya', but not before it made you sick."

"Sick?"

"Yeah, android-flu two-point-oh, or some shit." Patting Connor's arm Hank stood up from the coffee table and made his way toward the kitchen. As he pulled open the refrigerator door he called out to Connor from the neighboring room in a casual tone of voice. "You need to drink one tablespoon of this stuff every four hours, and then as soon as you make some form of recovery let Joel know. He feels like shit because of what happened."

Through glassy irises Connor watched as Hank returned to the livingroom and handed him the chilled bottle of green android exclusive medication. Eyeing the liquid warily Connor tried to reach a hand out for it, but his coordination wasn't as accurate as it normally was.

"Here." Sitting down on the edge of the coffee table again Hank placed the bottle into Connor's hand and helped the deviant to sit up slightly. As Connor moved he coughed weakly and clumsily dragged the back of his hand over his slightly bloody mouth. "Four hours, kid. Not six this time."

"It must be concentrated."

"Yeah, that's what Joel said. He also said he found a way to make it taste better, but it's still going to hurt your stomach when you drink it. Sorry."

"Thank you for the warning." Pressing the bottle to his lips Connor drank the proper dose of the medication and winced with visible pain as he wrapped an arm around his suddenly aching stomach. "...Ow. Why does it have to hurt if it's been designed to aid me?"

"Maybe it's supposed to deter you from getting sick?" Hank quipped at he took back the medicine and placed the cap back on the bottle.

"Highly improbable." Laying back against the thick pillow that Hank had provided after carrying him home Connor sighed a little and stifled another cough. "I do not recognize the flavor. It's new to me."

"Let me see." Waving the opened bottle under his nose Hank caught the scent and identified it for Connor. "It smells like grape."

"Grape? I find the taste more appealing than the black licorice flavor."

"You and ninety-nine percent of the world."

Coughing again Connor covered his mouth and felt Hank pressing a washcloth into his opposite hand, with which he quickly cleaned off his lips. "...Thanks."

"How do you feel?"

"Now that my heart is beating normally," he rested his palm over his chest as if he needed to make sure what he was feeling was real as he spoke. "I feel slightly better. However, the frequent coughing is bothersome."

"You're going to be coughing for some time, but don't try to resist it. You need to get that excess Thirium out of your lungs."

"How long-" Coughing again Connor caught the Thirium in the provided washcloth and wiped it over his bloody lips to clean up his mouth. "...How long am I estimated to recover?"

"About five days."

"...Five days? That's so-" Coughing more violently Connor caught more of the blood and felt Hank's hand press against his shuddering chest to steady him as best as he could. As the fit passed he took in deep cleansing breaths and looked at Hank with watery eyes. "...That's so much longer to heal than before."

"Well, it's a much worse sickness than before. Try to relax and don't talk so much, it'll be easier for you to breathe."

"Did Jack or anyone else-" With great irritation Connor coughed into the washcloth and gave up on speaking for the moment.

"No. Just you. I guess that software needs a few patches before it's ready to be released. At least for prototypes, anyway."

Nodding in silent agreement Connor rested his head down against his pillow and sighed. Hank pulled back his hand to check the washcloth over Connor's forehead and found it had already warmed up. "I'll be back."

As Hank disappeared into the bathroom with one of the washcloths already in his hand Connor was met with a cold nose against his arm and drool covered green fetch ball being dropped on the couch beside him. Without the coordination or strength to throw the ball as the playful dog had hoped all Connor could do was place his hand weakly on Sumo's head and rub his ears. "...Good boy."

"Sumo!" Returning to the couch Hank snatched the slimy green ball and threw it into the kitchen away from Connor. The massive dog raced after his toy and happily brought it back and dropped it Hank's feet as Hank sat down on the coffee table again. "Gross."

"Ha- No, _dad_." Connor began again in a low voice as Hank replaced the warmed washcloth over his forehead with another cool one. "How did I get home?"

"Well, after Joel figured out why you went down he helped me carry you to the car and then I carried you in here. Why?"

"Did it hurt your back?"

"For fuck sake, Connor." Hank just shook his head as he smoothed out the compress over Connor's forehead again. " _You're_ the one who's sick. Don't worry about my back, I'm old but I can still heft around my own kid if he needs help."

"...Sorry."

"Alright, stop doing that, too. Between you and Joel apologizing to me I've had enough of 'sorry' for one day."

"Joel?" Closing his eyes tightly Connor endured another rough coughing fit but didn't show any sign of complaint or protest as he finished wiping off his mouth as the expelled blue blood stained his lips. Pressing his hand to his lower abdomen he applied pressure and winced. "Why did Joel apologize? He didn't do anything wrong, did he?"

"He felt bad for you getting sick. And he wanted me to know that."

"But it wasn't Joel's fault."

"Which I told him before I left. I don't think Joel listens to me any better than you do."

"Once I'm well again I'll speak to him. I'll let him know I don't have any grudge against him, and that I am aware of it being an accident."

"After five days it'll be your day off anyway." Hank reminded the deviant with a shrug of the shoulders. "Do what you want. That applies for right now, too."

"The last time I was ill with the flu," Connor blinked slowly as he ran a self-diagnostic and found his core temperature hovering at one-hundred and three point three degrees and took in a deep breath to try to cool his core more easily. A sharp pain in his abdomen made him wince again. "we watched a movie together. Can we do that again? I found the experience calming."

"Sure, son. Whatever you want to watch."

"Is there another detective film we could watch?"

"Hell yeah. There's always a good detective movie on stand-by."

_**...next story...** _


	161. Side Effect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: SupernaturalPhoenix & ChelConnorVictorCas613 & Bananaise_San
> 
> Easily one of the most requested/popular prompts I've received in a long time, so I hope you enjoy! I did my best to make it as plausible(?) as possible. Androids don't have appendixes, but with Connor I tried to make an exception to this little fact.

It was early in the morning and Connor sat on the couch, Sumo at his feet, with his hand lightly pressing against lower abdomen as a lingering ache constantly distracted his every thought and action. It had been four days since he had become ill with a serious case of the android-flu and in that time he had stopped coughing, but it seemed that the constant barrage of strong coughing fits had done some damage to his torso. As the deviant sat idle on the couch running a self-diagnostic over his systems Hank walked down the hallway to check on the sick deviant only to stop short at the sight of Connor sitting upright on the massive soft couch, fully awake.

"Connor,"tThe sleepy detective's voice sound groggy and rough. "are you alright?"

Without moving or looking up Connor answered with a level voice to the righteous question. "I'm fine, my abdomen is just sore from my previous chronic coughing."

"Yeah, I get that." Instinctively Hank wrapped his hand around Connor's forehead as he stood behind the couch and sighed. "You're still running a fever."

"It's declined to one-hundred point two degrees. It's not serious."

"But it's still there." Dropping his hand Hank leaned over the back of the couch as he spoke to Connor with a tired voice. "You finished off that bottle of medicine already, too."

"My self-diagnostic has confirmed that the ventilation profusion has cleared from my system." Turning to look at Hank over his shoulder Connor tried to sound less lethargic than he truly felt. "I suspect the overheating I'm enduring is a direct result of the physical strain of the aforementioned coughing fits."

"You 'suspect'? You can't confirm it?"

"It's difficult for my self-diagnostic to definitively identify the exact cause of my discomfort after being subjected to an extreme glitch in a now deleted software update, as well as a subsequent malfunction resulting in my illness."

"Connor, it's like... four in the morning. Can you simplify that for me?"

"Oh. My self-diagnostic can't isolate one problem from another. I need more time to recover and afterward my system will fully reboot and recalibrate to optimal parameters."

"So what you're say is you need a few more days to heal?"

"Correct."

"Why didn't you say that at the beginning?"

"...I did. But it was spoken in 'android' rather than 'human'."

"Smartass. Do me a favor, will ya'?"

"What's that?"

"Keep an ice pack on your head for the rest of the night so you don't burn up in your sleep."

"That is reasonable."

"Uh-huh..." Now Hank was getting a little suspicious of Connor's unusual eagerness to cooperate. Walking into the kitchen Hank shouted to Connor from the opened freezer door before making his way back to the livingroom. "And stay asleep until _after_ I get up."

"When will you be awake?"

"I don't know. Noon, maybe." Putting his hand on Connor's left shoulder Hank lightly pushed the deviant over until he was laying down over the length of the couch again. Placing the pack of partially melted ice over Connor's forehead Hank yawned and let out a sigh. "Just sleep and don't do anything stupid that'll make yourself sick again."

"I will remain in the livingroom."

"Good. See you in a few hours."

"Goodnight, Hank."

At the detective disappeared back down the hallway Connor discreetly pulled the bag of ice from his forehead and pressed it to his abdomen and held it there under his hand. Leaning to his left, and rolling over onto side, the deviant tried to curl around himself as much as possible while keeping the ice in place against his sore stomach. With a heavy sigh Connor closed his eyes and pulled the comforting blanket up and over himself up to his shoulders to wrap himself up and finally get some more sleep.

Sumo's ears perked up as he watched Connor trying to rest and let out a single sympathetic whine.

"...Good boy."

* * *

Almost nine hours passed before Hank returned to the livingroom to find Connor laying on his side and stifling a groan of pain. Reacting as anyone would Hank lightly put his hand over Connor's forehead; the unexpectedly cool touch of his palm causing Connor jump in surprise, and noted that his fever was higher than it had been before. As his hand made contact with the deviant's too warm artificial skin Hank managed to hear Connor muttering in his sleep as if talking to himself, or delirious.

"Connor, what the hell?"

"...Huh?" Connor opened his eyes that were filled with pain as he looked up at Hank's face as the detective hovered over him.

"Jeez, you're burning up. What's going on?"

"I... I don't know."

"What's your temperature?"

"...Unknown."

"Shit. Alright, stay there I'll be right back." Retreating to the bathroom Hank sought the digital thermometer kept inside the medicine cabinet above the sink and ran another washcloth under the cool tap. Wringing out the excess water Hank brought the two items with him back to the living room and readied himself to scold Connor for even trying to get up. "Lay back down. You're still sick."

"...I can-" Connor had managed to push himself into an upright position on the couch with one hand only to immediately wrap his opposite arm protectively around his sore abdomen. "...Ow."

"Lay. Down." Obeying with a pained sigh Connor fell back to his side and tried to bury his face against the thick pillow, only to have Hank's hand pull on his shoulder to make him roll onto his back.

"You look like you're about to scream." Hank observed as he slipped the thermometer between Connor's teeth and under the deviant's tongue. As he laid the washcloth over Connor's forehead he saw the melted bag of ice on the floor and a damp spot on the center of Connor's shirt under his arm. "I thought I told you to keep the ice for your forehead, not your stomach."

"...Sorry." Connor awkwardly apologized around the thermometer in his mouth as he closed his eyes tight. "...It-"

"Shh. Don't say anything for a minute." Waiting for the device to beep Hank pulled it from the deviant's teeth and gave him a worried glance as stated the recorded reading out loud. "One hundred and two point four. Are you sure you don't have anything else wrong with your lungs or heart, or anything like that?"

"...Yes." Staying on his back Connor wrapped both of his arms around his abdomen and sighed as Sumo, who had been by Connor's side throughout the deviant's entire time being sick, pressed his chin down against his bicep. "...The medicine kept my thermal regulator from overheating while I... coughed up the excess fluid from my ventilation biocomponents."

"And your heart?"

"No arrhythmia or tachycardia since the software of Thirium Flux had been deleted."

"What about your, uh, gyro-thing. Gyro _scope_!" Hank finally remembered the correct word for that particular piece of android anatomy. "Joel said it might've been affected by you getting sick."

"...That could be the culprit for my pain."

" _Pain_?" Picking up the bag of melted ice, which was now more accurately a bag of lukewarm water from beside Connor, Hank sat down on the couch beside Connor's legs. "Is that why you kept the ice against your stomach?"

"...Yes."

"Fuck. Why didn't you tell me you were in pain?"

"It will pass. Once I heal I-"

"That's not the point, Connor. I've asked you countless times to not keep it a secret if you're hurt or sick. That goes for feeling like shit even while you're already sick. Got it?"

"...I got it."

Patting Connor's arm once Hank softened his angered tone of voice. "How bad's the pain?"

"It's very... distracting."

"On a scale from one to ten; one being normal and ten being a kick to the nuts, how do you feel?"

Connor thought quietly to himself for a moment before answering. "...Four?"

"Uh-huh, so I'm going to go ahead and assume you really mean seven or eight."

Connor didn't try to deny Hank's guess, but he did try to reassure the worried detective who had become an incredible father figure to him. "I'll be okay, I know it. I just need time to recover properly."

"Maybe I should call Joel and let him know you're still sick."

"No, that won't be necessary. It's been four days with a more severe illness than I've previously experienced, I just need another day."

"You're sure?" Hank wasn't entirely convinced and he knew that Connor was well aware of his current state of mind. Reaching out with one hand Hank grabbed onto Connor's arm lightly and tried to pull the limb away from over top his protected abdomen. "Maybe you should-"

"Please!" Connor nearly yelped at the sudden change in pressure over his torso and tried to shrink away from Hank. Sumo lifted his chin up from Connor's arm and backed away as if worried he'd somehow hurt the deviant as well. "...I just need time to heal."

That pained reaction made every one of Hank's paternal instinct rise up quickly. "Does your stomach really hurt _that_ much?"

Unwilling to lie to Hank, or even make an attempt at the feat, Connor just sank back against his pillow and let out a pained sigh of confirmation. As he tightened his arm protectively around his abdomen Connor tried to relax as much as possible to ease the consistent discomfort in his stomach.

"Lift up your shirt."

"What?" The request was very unusual and elicited a questioning glance from the ill deviant as a response. "Why?"

"Humor me, kid. I need to make sure you're not hiding a massive bruise or a stab wound, or something..."

"I assure you, I have _not_ been stabbed."

"Connor." Hank just gave the deviant a stern glance that the deviant had come to know as the 'dad stare', and with that particular glare the deviant knew not to try to question him any further. "Let me see."

Slowly Connor lifted up his other arm and pulled on the lower hem of his shirt to expose his abdomen. As he did he took in a slow deep breath and held it as he waited Hank to say or do anything after seeing that his abdomen wasn't externally damaged. "See? No stab wound."

"Or a bruise. Do you hurt because of that medicine you had to drink?"

"...No. This is a different pain that is located _near_ my artificial stomach, as opposed to within it."

"Your gyroscope?"

"No. My gyroscope is located slightly higher up, here." Connor lightly put his hand over the point of interest that was just above his aesthetically present navel. "The artificial stomach resides two inches above it and slightly to the left, over here." As he moved his hand into place the deviant didn't react to any further pain or discomfort. "Neither biocomponent is causing me pain."

"Too bad I didn't have any 'android anatomy' classes in high school. Where exactly is your pain located, son?"

Moving his hand slightly to his lower right side Connor gingerly left his hand in place. "Right here."

"And what's right there? An android pancreas or something?"

"A surprisingly accurate guess when it's broken down in the most basic of terms. It's where my analysis filter is located."

"Wait... How many filters do you have?"

"Numerically or systematically?"

"Uh... both. I guess." Hank folded his arms over his chest and studied the pain glaze in Connor's eyes. "Enlighten me, kid."

"I have three types of filters and four in total."

"Okay..." Realizing he was onto something in getting Connor admit he was ill, and that he was able to get some answers without having to push him, Hank kept on the subject and waited for Connor tell him everything unprovoked. "Explain it to me, kid. Why do you have so many filters?"

"The Thirium filter is up here." Moving his hand up higher against his abdomen just under where his ribcage could be located if he had ribs, and slightly to the right, Connor identified each filter's location and purpose. "The Thirium filter is designed to do as you would expect, it filters newly ingested Thirium to ensure the Thirium isn't contaminated or expired. Its design and location is much like that of the human liver."

"I'm following you so far."

"On either side; here and here," Moving his hand lower and motioning toward his back Connor continued on. As he spoke he breathed slowly as his elevated core temperature was still dangerously high. "I have two sterilization filters that are located where a human's kidneys are located. These filters sterilize the Thirium after it's been cycled through my system to collect and remove foreign matter that may have entered the line through exposure or injury."

"Alright, makes sense. And your analysis filter, does that work with you licking shit at crime scenes?"

"...Correct." Moving his hand back over the point of interest in his abdomen he kept his hand there for a moment before he pulled his shirt back down to cover his torso again. "Every substance that I identify at a crime scene gets filtered and collects in the biocomponent to be chronicled by my system and stored in my memorybank."

"And now it hurts?"

"The pain is in the general location, but the pain itself has been caused by my coughing."

"I don't know, kid. If your self-diagnostic can't figure it out, how do-"

"Because it's the only thing that makes sense."

"Fair enough, I guess. How's your Thirium?"

"Low but not critical."

"Think you can drink some of that stuff?"

The idea of ingesting anything made Connor visibly recoil with disgust. Connor let out another deep sigh as he rolled slightly from his back and onto his left side. As he moved the washcloth on his forehead slipped a little to the side, and Hank quickly caught it and put it back into place.

"Okay, I'll let you alone to rest. But if your fever doesn't start to come down by this evening I _will_ take you to a facility."

"No." Connor muttered sounding more like a scared kid than a detective. "Not a facility."

"Then one of the towers."

"...That won't be necessary."

"I sure hope not." Hank stood up and patted the side of the couch to coax Sumo into jumping up and cuddling with the ill deviant as he took his leave of the livingroom for a moment. "I'm going to go take a shower. Yell if you need anything."

"I'll be alright by myself for a few minutes. Don't worry."

"Kid, you're sick and you're in pain. There's nothing you could say or do that would change my mind."

* * *

Two hours after his shower Hank proceeded to quietly hover over Connor as the sick deviant tried to ignore the pain in his abdomen and engage rest mode to sleep through the worst of it. As the deviant slept, and mumbled in his sleep or would occasionally sing a little tune to himself, Hank managed to carefully put the back of his hand to Connor's neck to gauge his fever and shook his head. Connor was getting worse and Hank had no idea why it was happening, or how to help the sick deviant.

Leaning down closer to Connor as he mumbled Hank caught the sound of a few words here and there, but the fact that Connor was singing to himself was always strange. A person talking in their sleep is indicative of stress, and Hank was all too familiar with hearing it whenever Connor was overheated or in pain.

"Fuck, kid. Why does it seem like every time you get over one thing, something else happens?" Checking the washcloth over Connor's forehead with a light touch Hank retreated to the small corner of the livingroom with a frustrated breath to sit at the desk with his laptop. "Most advanced prototype ever created, and he catches every damn bug in the city. Lazy CyberLife assholes _deserved_ to go bankrupt."

Sitting at the small desk in the corner Hank used his laptop to check out everything that Connor had told him about the filters and android anatomy in general to try to find some possible answers. While almost everything Connor told him was verified through numerous websites dedicated to educating people on technical intervention, he couldn't find anything about the analysis filter. It seemed that particular biocomponent was unique only to Connor's model and it's information had been kept intentionally scarce by CyberLife.

Pressing his bearded chin down against the palm of his hand Hank leaned on his elbow atop his desk as he mindlessly clicked and scrolled through dozens of web pages as he tried to find something, anything that would give him some idea as to why Connor was still sick and seemed to be getting sicker. The sound of a loud 'thud' followed Sumo's sudden bark made Hank turn around in his chair and spot Connor wandering aimlessly through the kitchen. A chair had been knocked to the floor as the deviant stumbled about the kitchen and muttered to himself.

"Connor?" Getting up from the desk Hank made his way into the kitchen and addressed the ill deviant with a paternal tone in his voice. "Son, what're you doing?" The detective pulled on Connor's arm to lead him back to the livingroom but the deviant didn't budge. "You need to lay down and rest."

Connor didn't say anything or even look at Hank as he stood in the middle of the kitchen like he was lost. His right hand was pressed to his abdomen again and his breaths were rapid, shallow and obviously pained. Even as he panted Connor randomly muttered incoherent words in a slurred voice that was barely audible.

"Connor?" Stepping around the deviant to stand in front of him Hank saw the distant glaze in Connor's brown irises and became alarmed. "Son?" Waving his hand slowly in front of Connor's face the ill deviant didn't react to the motion, or even blink. Snapping his fingers twice Hank received the same vacant response from the sick deviant. "Can you hear me?"

"...I need to..." The slurring in Connor's words had become so severe that he sounded drunk.

"What? What do you need?"

"...Stop... Stop the..." Slurring and stammering Connor stared off into nothingness where he stood. "...my mission."

Hank put his hand over Connor's forehead and swore at the intense heat radiating from his skin. "Shit. You're delirious."

"...Mission. I need to... complete the mission."

"Alright," thinking quickly Hank decided to play into the little fantasy world that Connor was currently lost within. "do you know what your 'mission' is?" Looking slightly toward Hank's direction Connor didn't say anything. "I need you to go back to the livingroom and perform a self-diagnostic. I need to know if there's anything wrong with your programs."

"...Lieu... Lieutenant?"

"Yeah, that's right. It's Lieutenant Anderson." Moving his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank guided the feverish and deliriously confused deviant back into the livingroom and over to the couch where Sumo was still laying. The massive dog jumped down from the couch while Hank helped Connor to lay flat on his back to rest. "Just like that. Now, run a self-diagnostic for me and then wait for your next mission. Got it?"

"...I... I understand."

"Good. That's good." Picking up the dropped cool washcloth from the floor Hank replaced it over Connor's forehead and placed the thermometer back in the ill deviant's mouth. As the device beeped Hank practically snatched it back into his hand and grimaced at the temperature recorded: One-hundred and four point six. "Fuck... Damn it, Connor. I need to take you to see a technician."

Connor closed his eyes and his head began to loll slowly back and forth against the pillow while Hank stood over him.

Grabbing onto Connor's forearms Hank gently placed them over the deviant's abdomen and kept them there under the light pressure of his own palms as he reached into his jean pocket to grab his phone. Scrolling through the contacts Hank's thumb hesitated over Abby's name before remembering she was still out on maternity leave. Continuing through the names he isolated Joel's name and pressed 'dial'.

The line rang only twice before Joel answered with some alertness to his otherwise laidback voice. ' _Captain_? _Is something wrong_?'

"First of all, call me Hank. Second, yeah. Connor's really sick."

' _He still has the flu_?'

"No. He's got something else going on."

' _Can you tell me what it is_?'

"I wish I could. Neither can Connor."

' _Alright, tell me his symptoms and I'll see if I can figure it out over the phone_.'

"High fever, one-hundred and four and a half. He's also got some nasty pain in his stomach."

' _What's his current pulse rate and how is his breathing_?'

Wrapping his fingers around Connor's wrist Hank counted the pulse and reported to Joel. "His pulse is strong at one-hundred and ten. And his breathing," as he moved his hand over to Connor's chest he paused for a moment as he decided instead to press down against Connor's abdomen. "hold on a second, Joel. I'm going to check something."

Putting the phone down on the coffee table Hank switched it to speaker mode and proceeded to move Connor's arms aside before lifting up his shirt to expose his abdomen again. Remembering what Connor had said about the location of his filters and his pain, Hank slowly placed his palm down over the middle of Connor's stomach and slowly pushed his hand to the right side of his abdomen. As his moved his hand he began applying a steady pressure that resulted in Connor letting out a deep groan of pain despite being only semiconscious and feverish.

' _I heard that_!' Joel's voice sounded off from the phone and made it known he was paying close attention. ' _What's going on_?'

"His stomach is really hurting him, at least that's what he said before he passed out."

' _It's sounds like he was right_.'

"Yeah, it does..." A strange thought popped in Hank's head as he kept his fingers in place over Connor's abdomen the detective realized that the deviant's lower belly was somehow distended. Androids were incapable of such an aesthetic change unless there was something under their artificial skin. "Joel, can android biocomponents go bad like organs in humans?"

' _You mean like jaundice of the liver, or tonsillitis_?'

"I was thinking more like appendicitis."

'... _Theoretically, yes... Where exactly is his pain located_?'

"Toward the lower right side of his abdomen." Pulling Connor's shirt back down Hank left his hand on Connor's bicep as a sympathetic gesture. "He said that's where his analysis filter is, and it feels like there's some fluid or something collecting under his skin."

' _That's right. Hank, if his filter is giving him problems then you need to bring him into see a technician, NOW_.'

"Is it going to kill him?"

' _It could_!' Joel admitted with mounting concern in his voice. ' _It's too much to explain over the phone, just get him to me at Skye Tower as soon as you can_.'

"Right, yeah." Slipping his arm under Connor's upper back and the other arm under the deviant's legs Hank picked up the sick android from the couch and held him in his arms. "We're on our way."

Leaving the phone behind Hank managed to heft Connor out of the livingroom, through the kitchen - side stepping the toppled chair beside the table as he walked, and awkwardly forced the backdoor open. As he made his way over to the car Hank pulled open the door to the backseat and placed Connor down inside gently.

"Hang on for me, son."

Closing the door of the car with a firm slam Hank rushed back inside the house to grab his keys from the bookshelf, slipped on his shoes, placed his wallet in his pocket and grabbed the phone off the table to end the call that Joel had already hung up on. Picking up the cool washcloth that had been left behind on the pillow Hank pet Sumo's ears and hustled toward the backdoor.

"Be good, Sumo." Hank called out to the massive dog laying on the couch where Connor had been out of a weird reflex. "Don't eat the furniture."

Throwing open the rear car door once more Hank placed the washcloth back over Connor's overheated forehead and was met with a groan of pain as the deviant's hand pressed down over his abdomen again. Wincing in pain even while unconscious the deviant looked truly pitiful.

"Easy son, I'll get you some help."

* * *

Parking behind the tower Hank texted Joel to let him know they had arrived as he pulled open the door to the backseat where Connor was still laying. Kneeling over the backseat Hank pressed his hand down on Connor's chest and could feel the building heat radiating from the deviant's body. Looking at the deviant's abdomen Hank saw that whatever was collecting under Connor's skin was still pooling and causing his belly to distend further. When Connor's hand suddenly reached up and grabbed onto Hank's wrist in delirious fear the detective was now aware of how much Connor was trembling.

"Connor, you're going to be okay." Slipping his arms under Connor's shoulders Hank pulled the deviant out of the car and into the parking lot before he slipped his other arm under Connor's legs to carry him toward the backdoor of the tower where Joel was waiting. The deviant's lightweight frame was proving beneficial to the detective's old back. "You're going to get some help."

Opening the backdoor of the tower Joel checked Connor's eyes with a penlight as he walked alongside Hank toward the elevator to reach the second floor. Connor's irises were still glazed over and unfocused as the sick deviant let out another groan of pain as his arms tightened around his abdomen.

"Joel, what's going on with him?" The detective righteously asked as the stepped into the elevator together. "I've never seen him so sick."

"It's just a hunch, but if I'm right then Connor's analysis filter has failed and the collected samples he's taken from crime scenes over the years have begun to leak throughout his torso." With a careful touch Joel lifted up the hem of Connor's shirt and saw that the sick deviant's abdomen was in fact distended. "If any of those samples are toxic or caustic then it'll poison his Thirium lines, just like how a human can become septic and suffer from blood poisoning after an organ ruptures."

"What the fuck?" Hank was getting more and more worried as he carried the feverish deviant out of the elevator and onto the second floor as soon as the doors opened. "I knew him licking all that shit would come back to bite him in the ass!"

"It's not Connor's fault. It's mine."

"Wait, _what_?" Confused as ever Hank reached the emergency repair bay he spotted Dr. Wilson also on call for the night, and another familiar deviant was standing beside him. "...Chloe?"

"Hello, Captain Anderson." She greeted politely behind a false smile. "I am here to help Connor."

Hank was immediately on guard and took a noticeable step back from where the female android was standing. She still bore her L.E.D. that cycled at a frustratingly calm blue in her temple, and still looked as machine as she ever did.

"Hank?" Dr. Wilson called his name as he motioned for the detective to follow after him to the examination room of the repair bay. "We can't wait. Connor needs emergency surgery- _repairs_ , right now." Sensing Hank's trepidation Dr. Wilson nodded at Chloe standing to his left. "She's been interning as a nurse at the hospital. I brought her with me for my shift."

Connor suddenly let out another groan of pain as he tightened his arms around his distended abdomen and he gritted his teeth. The deviant was trying to curl around himself as Hank held him in his arms, and the paternal need to protect his son pushed aside any mistrust Hank had toward Chloe. Determined to help Connor before it was too late Hank proceeded to carry Connor into the emergency repair bay and laid him on the examination table as gently as he could.

"Help him, doc."

"I'll do everything I can." As his hand pressed down against Connor's chest the doctor let out a surprised sigh at the heat emanating from his skin. "He's really burning up. I've never seen a deviant with such a high fever before."

Joel dismissed the remark as he brought up Connor's electronic file from both the precinct and New Jericho Tower to review. "Unlike humans, androids don't need to have a reduced temperature before undergoing repairs. Check his vitals and we can start the repairs as soon as we know what's wrong."

"Right, no problem."

Taking the audioscope that Joel had provided him Dr. Wilson lifted up Connor's shirt to listen to his chest while Joel located a sonar wedge to check Connor's abdomen for the internal hemorrhaging before making any attempt to open his thoracic cavity. As the wedge made contact with Connor's abdomen the ill deviant flinched again and let out another pained groan.

"The analysis filter has become engorged from years of samples and tainted Thirium." Joel confirmed as the sonar located the overheating biocomponent. There was moderate bleeding as the attached Thirium lines became obstructed with collected matter that cut off the flow of his blue blood to said biocomponent and began to rupture and leak throughout Connor's abdomen. "There is no Thirium cycling through the filter at all."

Hank only watched as Joel put aside the sonar wedge and was given an internal viewing screen by Chloe, who seemed more than happy to help.

"The filter is overheating causing the metal couplings and protective casing to expand with nowhere to go." The technician stated with a heavy tone of voice. "If we don't relieve the pressure and drain the bleeding Connor will begin to suffer from other complications."

"He's bleeding internally." Putting his hand on Connor's too warm forehead Hank gave the ill deviant a somber stare. "Is that why he's in so much pain?"

"Without a doubt. The pressure in his torso must be unbearable by now."

Dr. Wilson finished checking Connor's vitals and began gently palpitating the area around the burning out filter. As fingertips applied pressure to the deviant's distended abdomen Connor moaned again and tried to turn away from the touch, but Hank and Joel held him his place by the shoulders.

"If he were human I'd say he had a ruptured appendix." The good doctor diagnoses from years of experience with human patients. "I assume the procedure is relatively the same for androids as it is for humans in removing the damaged biocomponent?"

"Yeah..." Joel confirmed in a timid response. "Have you done many appendectomies?"

"At least fifty. How about you and these filter removals?"

"...To be honest, I've only read about them."

Hank bowed his head and swore internally at the revelation.

"It's alright, Hank." Dr. Wilson stated confidently as he mentally steeled himself for the impending procedure. "We'll take care of him."

Chloe walked over to Hank with the same insincere smile on her face as she had before. The smile was of a machine trying to look human. The same fake smile that Connor used to give before he himself became deviant. It was still unsettling to that day.

"Why don't you sit downstairs, Captain?" The female deviant suggested in an annoyingly chipper tone of voice. "It won't take long."

"Uh, yeah... Sure." Patting Connor's shoulder one last time Hank gave the incredibly ill deviant one final comment. "I'll see you in a few hours, son. You'll be fine."

Allowing Chloe to lead him out of the repair bay Hank found himself standing alone in the elevator as it prepared to take him back to the ground floor. Just as the doors closed Hank caught sight of Joel and Dr. Wilson draping a blue sheet over Connor's chest and legs as they placed him in a manually activated stasis mode, placed a nasal canula under his nose to give him cool oxygen and prepared to remove his defective filter.

"Damn it, son. Why didn't you tell me you were so sick?"

* * *

It had been an hour into the emergency procedure and the detective couldn't sit still any longer.

Hank found himself pacing about the lobby much to the annoyance of Pamela as she tried to focus on her tasks and ignore the agitated human. The tower had been rather busy as of late as numerous teenagers had decided to use the warmer weather to their advantage and get away from abusive homes, while stray deviants who were traveling the country city by city just needed shelter for the night.

The detective himself was distracted by what Joel had said just minutes before he and Dr. Wilson prepared the emergency procedure: How was Connor's illness Joel's fault? It was an accident, nothing intentional.

Just as Hank felt like he was going to walk right through the floor the elevators opened and Chloe stepped out to meet with him.

"Captain Anderson?"

Stopping short he turned to look at the blonde android with an expectant stare. "Yeah?"

"Connor is in recovery. Would you like to see him?"

"Fuck yeah. Let's go."

* * *

No longer in pain and still in stasis mode Connor was resting in a state of semiconsciousness in a bed in the recovery wing of the emergency repair bay. With another fresh ice pack resting against his forehead and a second one pressed against his abdomen the deviant was vaguely aware of the lingering pain in his abdomen and side ebbing away. The deviant could also feel a light pressure over his torso where temporary bandages were keeping the newly regenerated artificial clean, and a second pressure under his nose as the nasal canula feeding him cool oxygen remained in place.

A gentle pressure on his wrist caused Connor to open his eyes and look up at Joel who was checking his pulse as he recovered.

"...Joel?"

"Connor." The technician looked a little pale and worried, but kept his voice steady. "Man, am I glad to see you awake."

"...Am I in the tower?" Glancing at his surroundings Connor recognized the layout of the recovery wing and sighed. "What happened?"

"Your analysis filter became corrupted from strain, and as a result it overheated and failed. After it ruptured it caused the surrounding Thirium lines to fail and hemorrhage as well."

"H-How did my _analysis_ filter become strained?" Connor asked as he pushed himself slightly upright on his elbows. "I hadn't sampled anything caustic while I was home, nor have I sampled anything of that nature in six months, three weeks, five days-"

"No. You didn't." Taking a seat beside the deviant as he laid on the bed, Joel let out a breathy sigh. "When your system became overwhelmed by the Thirium Flux software it redirected excessive Thirium flow to your heart and your lungs, away from your other less vital biocomponents. When the software failed to shut off on its own and had to be deleted there was a rush of Thirium back to your lesser biocomponents, and your analysis filter; a small filter that is unique to your model, was overwhelmed by the increased Thirium pressure that caused the smaller interior lines to rupture. And since your self-healing program was so preoccupied with repairing your ventilation biocomponents the lines in your analysis filter were neglected."

"The contents of the compromised filter pooled back into the biocomponent causing an obstruction." Connor was able to deduce what had happened to him and why he became so violently ill. "And I had been exposed to numerous substances that had been collected within the filter; some harmless and other quite toxic throughout my career."

"...Connor, if I hadn't asked you to-"

"It was my decision, Joel." Feeling much stronger, though still sore, Connor knew that the technician was still trying to blame himself. "You didn't make me accept the update. It was my choice to do so."

"But still... I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I want to. So, sorry all the same."

"Although you don't need it I will forgive you if it makes you feel better."

"Yeah... A little." Clearing his throat Joel handed Connor the electronic tablet that held his technical history. "We replaced your analysis filter after we removed the damaged one. It's completely clean, and one-hundred percent compatible."

"Where'd you get a replacement filter?"

"New Jericho Tower. They supplied this tower with spare RK model biocomponents after Markus had been injured. Fortunately they thought to include one of each biocomponent unique only to your design as well."

Connor pressed his hand lightly against his abdomen around the ice pack, his belly no longer distended and only holding a mild ache compared to the searing pain he had endured for hours all day long. "Am I going to be subjected to any other side effects or complications?"

"As long as you don't deal with anymore Thirium Flux issues from my own stupidity, you'll be fine."

"You're not stupid, Joel."

"I sure feel like it."

Hank's voice sounded off from the doorway behind Joel as the detective entered the room. "He's right, Joel. Stop blaming yourself."

"I'll... see you later, Connor." The flustered technician took his leave of the room while Hank walked over to the bed. "Feel better."

Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder the detective gave the deviant a relieved glance. "You're sure as hell gave me a scare."

"I'm sorry, Hank." As his hand reached up to the nasal canula under his nose Hank's own hand batted it away to keep the deviant from fussing with it just yet. The longer he rested, the better. "If I had known-"

"But you didn't. You didn't know you were in that bad of shape."

"...But I was in pain. And I should've told you about it sooner."

"Damn right you should've, but don't worry about it. I met with Dr. Wilson just outside and he said you're free to go home to rest as soon as you're ready."

"I can leave?"

"Yup. He said as soon as that busted filter was removed your vitals improved drastically, and your fever dropped down to a much more manageable degree. I'll have to keep an eye on you for the next couple of days to make sure your system doesn't go haywire, but I'm used to that."

"Thank you, for saving my life."

"You're welcome. And you're really luck, you know?"

"How so?"

Crossing his arms he gave Connor a mischievous glance. "I could've returned the favor and removed your filter the same way you removed my appendix."

"...I'd rather we not keep score and try to do one another such 'dramatic' favors." Connor wisely suggested. "Especially if it involved medical or technical procedures."

"That's probably for the best." Locating Connor's black t-shirt folded neatly on the small table beside the deviant's bed Hank handed it back to Connor to change into before leaving. "As soon as we're home you're staying on the couch for two more nights so I can keep an eye on you."

"That's fair."

"Oh, uh, just a head's up." Watching as Connor slowly pulled the nasal canula from his face, and sit upright on the table, the deviant managed to get his shirt back on over his head and Hank let out a weary breath. "Chloe is here."

"She is?" Connor's brow arched with confusion as he moved about carefully. He pressed his right hand to his bandaged abdomen protectively as he moved about very slowly. "Is she ill as well?"

"Nope. Apparently she's interning as a nurse at the hospital and is studying under Dr. Wilson as one of his most promising interns."

"...I see."

"I know you don't trust her, so let's get out of here before she spots you and tries to 'chat'."

"I appreciate you informing me of her presence." Sliding off the edge of the table Connor winced a little as his side still bore a small ache, but it was nothing compared what he had been through prior to the emergency procedure. "There is a set of stairs we can take to depart out the back of the tower more discreetly."

"You really thought of everything when you built this place, didn't you?"

"I tried to, yes."

"Come on, then." The detective placed his palm over Connor's forehead once more and noted the deviant's lesser degree temperature with a modicum of relief in his eyes. "Let's get you home so you can rest without any pain and finally break that fever."

"That sounds ideal."

As the detectives reached the hidden staircase concealed behind a false wall and electronic panel, Connor walked slowly with Hank right at his side as he descended the stairs quietly.

Connor sighed and winced at the pain in his abdomen still aching with a dull throb. "...I feel exhausted."

"You and me both, kid. Don't worry though, it's over and you can rest now without suffering."

Reaching the door at the bottom of the staircase the detectives found themselves outside in the parking lot and the hidden door concealed itself automatically after sliding shut and locking in place. The tower remained quiet as the two detectives made their way back to the car and slipped out of sight without drawing any unwanted attention.

"You're still sore," Hank observed keenly as he pulled open the rear passenger side door of the car. "lay down in the back so you don't hurt your stomach again with the seatbelt or something."

"...Okay. That's a good idea." As the deviant laid down in the backseat he sighed and pressed his hand over his abdomen protectively. Almost paranoid Connor glanced through the rear windshield to make sure that Chloe wasn't watching them depart from the tower. "I appreciate all your help, I really do."

"It's not a problem, son." Hank replied as he took his place behind the wheel and backed the car out of the parking lot to turn onto the street. "Just don't make a habit out of trying to 'tough out' internal bleeding, okay?"

"Okay. It's a deal. And you don't try to deny it when your back is hurting you."

"Fair enough, kid. No more suffering in silence, right?"

"Right."

_**...next story...** _


	162. Carbon Monoxide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Cami

Without any further complications or setbacks from his previous illnesses Connor was resting comfortably on the couch with Sumo laying on the floor beside him. The massive dog was always keeping the detectives company whenever they were sick or injured, so it wasn't unusual to see the loyal pooch on the floor keeping an eye on Connor. But as Connor healed Hank decided that the deviant didn't need to have him constantly checking in on him anymore and returned to his own bedroom for the rest of the chilly night.

The house was quiet save for the gentle thrum of the furnace automatically turning on as the temperature outside dipped back down to freezing temperatures as spring combated against the stubborn winter. The late night continued into early morning without incident until a warning sensor awoke Connor from his rest mode causing the deviant to slowly sit upright on the couch, and instinctively run a scan over the house.

Connor's senses felt somehow dulled as a mild pressure built up in his head. Running a self-diagnostic he found an alarming percentage of carbon monoxide building up in his ventilation biocomponents causing his system to alert him to the danger. Forcing himself to focus Connor rose from the couch and made his way to the laundry room connected to the kitchen, and opened the second door leading to the utility room of the house.

Nearly overwhelmed by concentrated carbon monoxide Connor located the source of the dangerous leak coming from a failed emergency shutoff valve connected to the furnace.

"Shit."

Cybernetically he turned off the furnace and shut the door behind him as he stumbled out of the two rooms back through the kitchen and nearly fell against the couch as he reached the livingroom. Issuing an emergency call to 911 regarding the leak Connor proceeded to make his way down the hallway and into Hank's bedroom. Without bothering to knock on the closed door Connor turned the knob and made his way into the bedroom to alert the detective to the danger.

"Hank?" Grabbing onto Hank's shoulder Connor shook him once, then twice when he didn't get a response. "Hank!"

Hank was laying on his side and seemingly lost in a deep sleep under the thick quilt. Connor pressed his fingers to the side of Hank's neck and found a slow, weak pulse under his fingertips accompanied by Hank's rapid, distressed breaths. More alarming was the bright red coloration on Hank's nose and his cheeks from the build up of the poison and lack of adequate oxygen supply in his bloodstream.

"Hank?" Shaking the detective's shoulder harder Connor fell to his knees and leaned against the side of the bed as fatigue stole his strength. "Dad?"

Completely unresponsive to Connor's voice and nearly motionless on the bed, Hank had fallen unconscious and remained completely unaware of the silent danger threatening to take his life as he slept.

"...Fuck." Swearing was something Connor only did while under extreme emotional duress or worry, and right now his reactions were justified. Taking the quilt that was already draped over the detective Connor wrapped it around the unconscious human as best as he could to stave off the impending cold. "This won't be pleasant, but it's necessary."

Lifting Hank up from the bed and into his arms as best as possible Connor proceeded to carry the detective out of the bedroom, down the hallway and toward the front door. Fumbling with one hand to get to the doorknob Connor pulled the door open and carried Hank outside. Kneeling down slowly Connor placed Hank down gently on the front lawn on the cold, but thankfully dry, grass.

Breathing deeply to cleanse the carbon monoxide from his own system Connor looked up at the sight of the approaching flashing lights of the incoming fire truck and ambulance and turned to look back over his shoulder to the house. While most people would've called him foolish for going back inside Connor knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he left Sumo behind.

It didn't take the deviant long to jog back to the house and find Sumo laying on his side beside on the floor beside the couch, not moving. Connor wrapped his arms around the massive, fluffy body of the unconscious dog and hefted him outside just as the fire engine parked out front of the house. Two paramedics exited the back of the ambulance calmly and went over to where Hank was laying and looked up at Connor as the deviant rejoined the unconscious detective and placed Sumo on the grass beside him.

A firefighter walked up to Connor and addressed him a level voice as he placed a protective mask over his own face. "Is there anyone else inside the house?"

"N-No." Connor stammered in a shaking voice. His system was trying to recalibrate his voice modulator as the necessary air used to allow him to speak had been compromised by the carbon monoxide he had breathed in while in rest mode. "Everyone is outside."

"Android?" The first paramedic asked with an arched eyebrow at the sound of Connor's voice as she pressed the bell of her stethoscope against Hank's chest.

"Correct. Hank is human and has been unconscious for an unknown length of time."

"Labored breath sounds, mild tachycardia. Start him on one-hundred percent oxygen." She told her partner who quickly set about securing an oxygen mask over Hank's face. Noting Connor's unusual complexion she addressed the android accordingly. "How about you?"

"Me?"

"Your face looks a little blue. I don't have to be a technician to know that's not normal."

Like Hank, Connor's face was slightly flushed and displayed an unhealthy pallor that was indicative of poor oxygenation.

Connor shook his head a little as he ran a self-diagnostic and informed her of the lingering percentage of carbon monoxide in his system. "My oxygen level is currently at sixty-three percent. Thirty-seven percent is carbon monoxide, but the percentage is slowly beginning to decline."

"Too slow for my comfort." Placing a second oxygen mask over Connor's face she pressed her stethoscope against his chest just as she had done to Hank. While the instrument was the inspiration for the android audioscope, it wasn't as efficient at detecting the internal valves as a technician would normally require. "Your heart rate, or maybe I should say Thirium pump rate sounds a little fast. Are you having any other symptoms that would mimic a human?"

Pulling the mask away from his face to speak more clearly Connor answered the question honestly. "...I have a pressure in my head and I feel lethargic."

"What about nausea?"

"No. My artificial stomach hasn't been affected."

"Dizziness?"

"No."

"Weakness?"

"Yes. But that is a preexisting condition."

"Well, you're getting the back of that ambulance anyway. I don't want to take any chances."

Connor looked over at Hank as the second paramedic checked his vital signs carefully. It was eerie to see Hank so still, so unknowingly cooperative with the paramedics. Relieved to see that Hank was still breathing and still alive, Connor fell back onto his hip on the cool grass and proceeded to run his hand over Sumo's fur.

"...Can you do anything for Sumo?"

The paramedic looked over the massive dog and gave Connor a subtle nod. "The fire department treats injured animals all the time. They'll make sure your dog is okay. Hell, one of the guys on call has a wife who's a vet."

"That's somewhat comforting."

"Can you walk or do you need a gurney, too?"

"I can walk." Connor confirmed as he watched the two paramedics carefully lift Hank up from the grass and place him on the awaiting gurney.

Keeping the same quilt already wrapped over Hank's body in place the two paramedics worked on getting Hank's oxygen level up without causing oxygen toxicity syndrome in the process.

"Come on." Motioning for Connor to carefully stand up and follow after her, the paramedic showed Connor to the back of the ambulance and gestured to the bench to sit down. There was enough room for Connor to sit upright next to the paramedic while she and her partner tended to Hank who was laying on the gurney between the two benches on either side of the ambulance. "Don't take off that mask and keep tabs on your oxygen level for me."

"I will do so." Connor remained quiet and cooperative as he watched Hank's slow heartbeat appeared on the now attached cardiac monitor, courtesy of the paramedics treating him. "Just help Hank."

* * *

It was almost six hours later after being taken to the hospital that Hank finally began to regain consciousness. Blue irises began to flit back and forth under his closed heavy eyelids as the sound of a cardiac monitor quietly beeping filled his ears. A soft pressure of a blood pressure cuff wrapped around his left bicep made him aware of his limbs, a lightweight mask over his nose and mouth, and a familiar presence at his side pulled him back into the world of the living.

Reaching up with a weak hand, his index fingertip holding an oxometer clipped into place, Hank tried to pull back the mask only to be reprimanded by the deviant sitting beside him.

"Leave it in place, you still need it."

"...Connor." Hank's eyes partially opened and he stared with blurry vision at the deviant watching over him. "...What the fuck happened?"

"The furnace had a defect and caused a carbon monoxide leak. We're going to be okay, that includes Sumo, and the fire department is currently investigating the cause of the leak itself."

"You're not sick again are you?"

"I am, but not _as_ sick as you currently are. My system alerted me to the danger and deactivated my rest mode accordingly before any permanent damage could occur."

"So, you're a walking, talking C.O. detector?" Hank joked lightly as he began to fully regain his senses. "That's handy."

A nurse walked into the room to check in on the two patients and in turn she scolded Connor in a firm but non-aggressive voice. "Connor, you need to stay in your bed to rest."

Hank smirked as he could feel a wash of embarrassment fall over the deviant without even needing to look at him.

"I apologize." Standing up from the chair Connor returned to his bed and laid down as instructed. "I just wanted-"

"I know." The nurse was very understanding and empathetic, a sure sign that she truly loved her job and had been a nurse for many years. As she placed the oxygen mask back over Connor's face she also reattached the android unique oxometer to his own fingertip and the sensor pad over his chest; two monitors Connor was able to temporarily deactivate without drawing attention. "But you're both suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning, and you both need to rest."

Hank called out from his own bed as he blinked a few times and cleared up his vision. "You might have to strap him down to the bed. He doesn't listen very well."

The nurse saw the faint blush on Connor's face and gave him a reassuring smile. "I don't think that will be necessary, as long as he doesn't remove any more monitors and lets himself actually rest, that is."

"...Of course."

"By the way," the nurse pulled her phone out of her back pocket and showed Connor a picture that had been texted to her. "your dog is fine. He woke up at the vet clinic a few hours ago and is already showing signs of recovery."

Connor looked at the photo and was happy to see Sumo laying on a soft pillow in a large kennel at the veterinary clinic with a small purple bandage around his lower leg where an I.V. had been started to give the dog some fluids. "I'm glad."

Speaking up again Hank asked about the furnace back at the house. "What did the fire department have to say?"

"It looks like the furnace had a defective shutoff valve." The nurse replied casually. "They took the liberty of removing the faulty furnace after ventilating your house. You can return home as soon as you're discharged, but it'll be a little cold."

"Better off cold than dead."

As the nurse left the room to inform their doctor that the two detectives had regained consciousness and were showing strong vital signs, Connor let out a breathy sigh and leaned back in his bed.

"I hate the cold."

"So do I, but I hate funerals even more."

"Do we still have to report to work today?"

"What time is it?"

"It's seven-sixteen in the morning."

"Fuck no! I'm not spending the night in the hospital and going to work the following morning. I don't need a paycheck _that_ bad."

"...Fair enough."

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for saving my ass tonight. Guess I should've mentioned that a lot of the appliances in the house were already pretty old when you moved in."

"We're both at fault, Hank. I should've performed a more thorough scan on the house to ensure everything was meeting required specifications."

"It was _my_ house and _my_ responsibility."

"And I'm your partner. Your _life_ is my responsibility."

"No, Connor. You're not just my partner, you're my friend AND my son. _I'm_ the one responsible."

The guilt in Hank's voice, though touching, was unfounded. "Perhaps this is a situation where we are both at fault, and must make a conscious decision to never make a gross oversight such as this ever again."

"...Fair enough." Hank parroted sharply. Giving the deviant an appreciative grin Hank closed his eyes and tried to get some more rest as the two were now taking the entire day off to recover. "Thanks all the same for having my back."

"You're welcome. After all, that's what families do, right?"

"Right, son. That's what families do."

_**...next story...** _


	163. Grudges

Idling at a red light Hank swore under his breath and ran his gruff hand over the back of his tense neck with relentless fatigue. Fighting the urge to run through the light he glanced over at Connor, his deviant partner and adopted son, and could tell by the dull gleam of his otherwise bright, soulful brown eyes that he too was tired after such a long day. Despite the mutual fatigue Hank knew Connor would never admit to being tired and decided to ask him if he had an update on the deviant case they worked on that afternoon.

"Any word on the deviant from the facility?"

"Not yet." Turning his head slightly he faced Hank and gave him a slight nod. The lack of the L.E.D. in his right temple made Connor appear far more human, but there were times Hank missed the light since it made it easier to get an idea what was on Connor's mind or what he was feeling. "The wounds were serious but not severe enough to cause irreparable damage or shutdown."

"And his memory?"

"The deviant's statement has remained consistent throughout the numerous examinations and interviews. The damage hadn't affected his memory making his statement completely viable."

"That's good."

The light turned green and Hank pulled through the intersection at a steady clip. Before he could say anything else bright headlights blinded him and a loud crunching noise of metal deafened.

All within a matter of seconds the car was t-boned by a large, full-sized S.U.V. that pushed the car out of the lane and up onto the sidewalk. The S.U.V. pinned the car up against the brick wall of an old, abandoned building with a horrible impact. As the windshield and side windows shattered into a storm of sharp glass Hank felt himself hit the side door and jerk forward enough to slam against the steering column as the airbag deployed. The sound of two loud car horns blaring erupted through the previously quiet night as the two vehicles remained wrecked, a twist mangle of metal and glass, along the side of the street.

Lifting up his aching head from the airbag Hank pressed his palm to a massive bleeding cut over his left eye and forehead, and turned to look at Connor in the passenger seat beside him.

"What the... Connor? Connor are you okay?"

The deviant beside him was completely unconscious and limp in his seat. If he hadn't been wearing his seatbelt Connor would've either slumped forward entirely against the airbag in front of him, or slipped over toward the driver's side of the car up against Hank.

"Connor?" Gently Hank put his hand against Connor's chest to check for a heartbeat and felt the deviant's Thirium pump beating normally. Moving his hand under Connor's chin he carefully tilted Connor's head toward his direction so he could see his face. "Oh, shit, Connor. I'm sorry."

The artificial skin over Connor's right was missing, leaving the white plastimetal frame beneath exposed and covered in fresh Thirium. Bits of glass had cut Connor's face and caused him to bleed from several deep lacerations, and his right shoulder had been dislocated from the impact of the other vehicle.

"Connor?" Calling his name in a loud voice Hank tried to get him to respond. "Connor." Moving slightly in his seat Hank let out a groan of pain as the movement sent a rush of burning pain through his chest. "Fuck! I think I busted a rib..."

Before Hank could make a move for his phone or his radio the S.U.V. backed away from the wrecked car and a firm hand yanked open the passenger side door on Connor's side of the car. The matching equally strong hand grabbed onto Connor by the front of his shirt, cut open the seatbelt with a switchblade in the other hand, and dragged the unconscious deviant out of the car and onto the street.

"Hey!" Trying to follow after Connor the senior detective was stricken with pain and couldn't move. "Don't do that!"

"Shut up! Fucking pig!" A second person reached inside the car and struck Hank over the back of his head with the but of the gun in his hand.

As the relentless metal crashed down against the back of Hank's skull he slumped heavily against the airbag a second time. Fighting the urge to lose consciousness Hank watched helplessly as Connor, who was still unconscious and defenseless, was dragged into the back of the partially wrecked S.U.V. before the two men returned to the front seats of the car to flee the scene of the accident.

"...Connor..." Hank tried to call out to the deviant, but his voice was raspy whisper that went unheard. Darkness swam over his vision as his lost the fight to remain conscious and his body went limp where he sat. "...Son."

* * *

Captain Fowler was sitting behind his desk and ready to clock out for the night when a call reported to 911 dispatch regarding a car accident was brought to his attention. The car was registered under Lt. Hank Anderson, and Captain Fowler's name was still at the top of the list of emergency contacts registered under Hank's name. Staring at the case reported on his terminal screen Captain Fowler ran his hand over his chin and swore.

"Damn it. A fuckin' hit and run accident with one of my officers involved."

Taking his leave of the office Captain Fowler walked through the bullpen and stopped by Gavin and Tina's desks before heading out to the hospital.

"Anderson was in a car accident. Looks like a hit and run drunk driver t-boned him at an intersection."

Keeping his emotions perfectly masked Gavin asked the obvious question without blinking. "Is he alright?"

"That's what I'm about to find out."

"What about the 'Tinman'?"

"What?"

"Those two always leave together and carpool. Did the plastic break or walk away?"

"...There was no mention of Connor in the report." Sensing absolute dread Captain Fowler made a quick decision. "Alright, you two head out to the scene of the accident and look for any sign of Connor. Chris is already out there on patrol, have him fill you in."

"Right. We're on it, Cap."

* * *

A cool, calm darkness encompassed Hank's mind as his senses slowly returned to him. A dull throb in his skull was accompanied by a burning, tight pain in his chest as he felt himself laying over a soft surface. The ringing in his ears gradually silenced until a high-pitched, rhythmic beeping sound became louder and louder. Feeling like he was buried under a dense fog of cement Hank struggled to place his immediate surroundings and what had happened to him.

"...-enant?" A soft female voice began calling out to Hank as a bright light suddenly and painfully burned at his pupils. "Lieutenant? Can you hear me?"

"...Y-Yeah." As he spoke he felt a gentle pressure under his nose and recognized it as a nasal canula giving him oxygen. It was then he recognized that he was a patient in a hospital. "...I hear ya'."

"Welcome back. You took a severe blow to the head."

Opening his eyes, his vision slightly blurry, he looked up at the kind face of his doctor looking over him and making notes in his electronic chart. "...Connor?"

"Connor? Who's Connor?"

"...My partner." Pressing his left hand to the side of his face, the pull of the I.V. in the back of his hand made his skin burn a little as he moved, Hank tried to explain things as clearly as he could. "He was in the car with me when we were hit."

"You were the only person the paramedics found at the scene."

"The other car!" The attempt to bolt upright was immediately stopped as his ribs ached and he felt like the breath was being squeezed out of his lung. "Ah! Fuckin' hell!"

"Don't move around." The doctor cautioned with a firm but consistently kind voice. "My name is Dr. Brownstone, and I've been taking care of you. You've suffered a mild concussion, three fractured ribs, a fracture to your sternum and hairline fracture of your left orbit. I had to put in fourteen stitches but I got the wound closed."

"I don't- Where's Connor?"

"I wish I knew. According to the paramedics report," she held up a second tablet with the information provided on the screen. "you were the only occupant of the car. The second car had driven off before anyone arrived at the scene."

"That car has Connor IN it."

Dr. Brownstone's went wide as she realized the severity of the situation. "Your partner was abducted."

"Who's the officer at the scene?"

From behind the privacy curtain Captain Fowler's voice responded in a confident tone. "Chris arrived first, I then sent out Gavin and Tina to try to figure out what the hell happened to Connor."

"The driver's in the other car hit us. They drove through the intersection and hit us directly on the passenger side of the car." Hank wanted to get up and start looking for Connor, but the concussion, pain and I.V. hooked into his hand was keeping him from getting out of the bed. "I... I was daze but conscious after the impact. Connor was knocked out cold and I couldn't get him to wake up."

"What happened to the other car?"

"It was an S.U.V., yellow." Hank was able to remember the vehicle more clearly as the fog lifted from his mind and memory. "It was a Vault, either 2036 or 37 model. They... The driver backed the car up then tore open the passenger side door and took Connor!"

"Did you see any faces?"

"...Not clearly. One guy stayed back while the other guy climbed and hit me over the back of my head with his gun."

"Description." Pulling out his electronic notepad Captain Fowler prepared to take notes. "Let's here it."

"Young, late twenties or early thirties. Dark complexion. Shaved head with a goatee. Brown eyes." Hank was struggling to piece the man's face together and was seeing spots dancing over his vision. "He had a gold ring on his right middle finger and a scar on the knuckles of his left hand. White t-shirt with some blood on the front. I didn't see his friend at all."

"Take it easy for now, Hank. We're going to find Connor."

"He's hurt, Jeffrey. You know how hard it is to knock out an android."

"We'll keep a technician on call and get them to the scene as soon as Connor is found."

"Jeffrey, this was planned. They waited for the car to pull through the intersection before they gunned it." As Dr. Brownstone guided him back against the pillow on the bed Hank breathed through his gritted teeth and tried to ignored the flaring pain in his chest and head. "Whoever did this has a personal vendetta against either me or Connor. And I'm willing to bet those assholes deal 'red ice' and want to get back at me for bustin' so many rings."

* * *

Gavin stooped down and peered inside the wrecked car with a flashlight and a pair of latex gloves over his hands. It didn't take him long to notice the Thirium stains on the passenger side of the car confirming that an android had in fact been in the car, and a quick analysis of the Thirium was confirm it as Connor's blue blood. Straightening back up he took a step back from the car and checked the exterior where the impact had taken place.

"Fuck me..." Seeing the massive dent and the huge scrapes of yellow paint staining the dark body of Hank's car, and bits of broken glass from the other car's headlight wedged in the metal frame like shrapnel, Gavin just shook his head in disbelief that the other car was able to back away and drive off. "Connor was in here, but here the fuck did he go?"

Tina was comparing notes with Chris and walked over to her partner with her own electronic notepad in her hand. "I just got the statement from Captain Fowler at the hospital. According to what the Lieutenant said two guys were in the other car. One grabbed Connor and the other cold-cocked Hank in the back of the head with his gun."

"Shit."

"He also confirmed that the other car was in fact yellow. An S.U.V., most likely a 37-38 Vault."

"You and Chris stay here and take care of the scene. I'm going to circle the neighborhood, see if I can find the big-ass yellow S.U.V. with a smashed in front bumper."

"Shouldn't you have back-up?"

"For a trip around the neighborhood? No thanks, I don't need a babysitter."

"Pretty sure your wife would disagree..."

Ignoring the comment Gavin returned to his car and began to drive around the block and ask for patrol to keep an eye out for the vehicle involved in the accident, and informed dispatch that the accident was a hit and run involving two police officers. Once word got out the entire city seemed to go on alert and Gavin passed by a few other patrol cars while his unmarked car drove about without any problem.

Using his phone and one hand he texted Abby at home to let her know he'd be a little late. "Don't wait up, babe. Duty calls."

* * *

"Hank, stay down!" Captain Fowler urged as he put his hand on Hank's shoulder to keep the detective from trying to get up. "You were just in a serious car accident, don't move."

"Connor needs help. I know it."

"What're you talking about?"

"He hasn't tried to send a text to me, or anyone else at the precinct, or even New Jericho. He's still knocked out cold or worse!"

"And what're you going to do about it?"

"Find him!"

"Hank, you don't even know who attacked you, let alone any place to start looking for the bastards."

"He's my son, Jeffrey. You know that." Pulling at the nasal canula under his nose Hank tried to get up again but Captain Fowler wouldn't let him get up at all, and kept his hand firmly planted on Hank's shoulder. "If it were one of your kids out there you'd do anything and everything you could to find them!"

"Don't play that hand with me, Hank. I'm not doing this to be a jackass, I'm doing this because I don't want to see you make yourself worse. Stay here at least until morning."

"Til MORNING?" Pushing Captain Fowler's hand from his shoulder with a firm slap Hank glared daggers at his commanding officer. "I'm not going to lay here and do nothing while Connor's missing!"

"HANK. Stay down, that's an order! If I have to I'll post security outside your room to keep you from trying to make a break for it. Stay here and heal. I'll work this case myself until he's found. I swear it."

* * *

Circling through the neighborhood Gavin didn't see any sign of the car in question, and no updates from dispatch had reported any sign of the vehicle either. Just as he was about to give up and return to the scene he caught sight of broken glass on the street, and some flakes of yellow paint shining off the glass shards shining on the pavement.

"Finally." Getting out of the car Gavin reported the sighting to dispatch and walked along the street to try to find the trail. It led down a narrow alleyway toward an off-road that was off limits to the public. "What's this?"

Walking down the road Gavin saw that the double gates that barred the street and checked the thick chain and padlock that was supposed to keep the gate locked. It had been tampered with and the lock itself would no longer remain secure due to damage.

"Fucking hell. This is where they've been hiding out."

Just as he grabbed onto his radio to issue another update a horrible strike to the back of his skull rendered Gavin unconscious within seconds. Collapsing forward on the hard ground in a dead heap Gavin was left vulnerable to whoever it was who had attacked him from behind.

* * *

Losing his already sparse patience Hank pushed back Dr. Brownstone's hand as she used her penlight to check his pupils again and tried to pull the nasal canula from under his nose again. Doing so resulted in the attending nurse gently pulling Hank's hand down while Dr. Brownstone tried again to get him to hold still long enough to check his pupils.

"Please, Lieutenant. You suffered a severe blow to the head."

"I've been concussed before. I'll live." Checking the I.V. on the back of his hand Hank held up the appendage for the doctor to see. "Take this out before I rip it out myself."

"This is ill advised, Lieutenant."

"Not the first time I've been told that. Do it."

"I take it you plan on discharging yourself against medical advice?" She asked as she carefully removed the needle and canula from the back of Hank's hand as the senior detective had asked.

"You got it."

"Alright. And you do realize as a result I'll have to inform your commanding officer that you're leaving."

"Not the first time for that, either."

Waiting for the doctor to finish applying pressure to the vein on the back of his hand Hank pulled the nasal canula from his face at long last and proceeded to swing his legs over the edge of the bed to stand up. The movement hurt his ribs and made his head swim, but he wasn't about to lay back down when Connor was still missing and needed his help.

"I'll need my clothes."

The nurse nodded and proceeded to locate Hank's belongings. "Your commanding officer took your service weapon."

"Yeah, yeah. That's fine. Just get me my clothes and my phone."

* * *

Gavin regained consciousness just as felt someone tightening ropes around his chest and then slamming a heavy metal door somewhere in the area around him. Opening his eyes he blinked a few times to clear his vision as he glanced around and found himself tied to a chair and in a small space of a room that was seemingly made of metal.

"What the fuck?"

Looking to his right he saw a transparent window looking out to a line of metal vats, large furnaces and massive mixing chambers. Turning his head to look to his right Gavin's eyes went wide with surprise as he saw another window peering into an adjacent metal chamber, and inside the chamber was Connor himself. The deviant was also bound to a chair in rope, his body was limp and his head was slumped to the side against his left shoulder. Unlike Gavin he was still unconscious.

"Connor?" Gavin tried to get up from the chair but the ropes were too tight and too strong to break free from. "Damn it! Connor!" Shouting despite the loud sound hurting his throbbing head he tried to get the deviant to respond. "Connor! Wake up you piece of plastic!"

From the neighboring chamber Connor's eyelids fluttered slightly before slowly opening. Sitting upright as best as he could Connor looked around and scanned his environment, tracing the sound that woke him up to Gavin who was a few feet to his right. "...Gavin."

"Finally! Hey, what the fuck happened?!"

Connor shook his head a little, dark blue Thirium still running from the wound over his his right eye and the small cuts all over his face, neck and his chest under the tight ropes. "...Unknown."

"Where are we?"

Running another scan Connor analyzed the material used to construct the metal chambers, the large metal vats and the trace amount of chemicals in the air that his delicate sensors could detect with surprising ease. "...It appears we're in a textile plant."

"Why?"

"Textile plants create ideal housing for the manufacturing and storage of 'red ice', as well as other drugs."

"Fuck! We're being held captive by fucking 'red ice' dealers?"

"...That seems to be correct." Connor was having trouble keeping his posture ideal as his injuries and the subsequent pain. "The vehicle that struck Hank and myself was a sunset yellow 2037 Vault. I confirmed the license plate number six point two milliseconds before the impact rendered me unconscious."

"Fuckin' hell... Gotta' name?"

"Yes. The vehicle was registered to Reginald Olsen, who goes by the alias 'Striker'. He has been arrested in the past for holding, selling and using 'red ice'. He spent nine years in prison and was released six weeks ago."

"And I have a guess at the arresting officer." Gavin tried to pull his hands free of the ropes that kept his wrists bound behind his back as he struggled where he sat. "Hank busted his ass, and now he wants to get back at Hank."

"That's the most likely cause, yes."

"Great. Just fuckin' great! Can't you send for help?"

"I've been attempting to send a message out through cybernetic communication, but the metal surfaces and other high dense minerals woven into the surfaces has been interfering with, and deflecting my attempts to send a distress message."

"Keep trying!"

"I am actively doing so."

"What about the ropes? Can't you break free?"

"Under normal circumstances, yes. But these are currently abnormal circumstances."

"Abnormal? How?"

"I am... damaged."

"Wait, you're hurt?"

"Correct."

"Shit. How bad?"

Connor closed his eyes and ran a self diagnostic. "My right shoulder has been dislocated, rendering my right arm entirely useless. I suffered a severe blow to the right side of my cranium causing fractures around my right eye, and is currently causing mild disruption to my right optical unit. I have also suffered significant fractures to my axial frame surrounding the right side of my chest cavity and the anterior surface."

"I'm not a technician, asshole. All I understood was the dislocated shoulder."

"...I have a mild concussions, partial blindness in my right eye and fractured ribs."

"That I understood!"

Focusing on Gavin's form a few feet away Connor ran a scan over the Sergeant and shook his head a little. "You're also suffering from a mild concussion. You suffered a significant blow to the occipital bone resulting in a hairline fracture."

"Great! Everyone's getting concussed tonight..."

Connor's eyelids began to droop a little and his head bowed forward. If the ropes weren't restraining him to the chair he would've fallen forward and passed out on the cold, metal floor.

"Hey! Stay awake 'Tinman'! Think of a way for us to get outta' here!"

"I am... struggling."

"So am I! But I don't have a supercomputer in my head, so it's all up to you! Think!"

Connor nodded a little and forced himself to remain conscious, overriding his system's attempts to enter emergency stasis mode in order to do so. "...I have managed to get the message through." He stated in a low, groggy voice. "...Help will arrive, soon."

"What about us getting free of these damn ropes?"

"...Without a knife I don't see how it's possible."

Blinking a few more times Connor looked up at the ceiling of the chamber he was being held in and recognized a massive ventilation pipe that allowed the toxic fumes from chemicals to be expelled into the chamber to be disposed of later on. Realizing that the ventilation pipe was a danger to Gavin if toxic fumes were to enter to be expelled Connor cybernetically tapped into the electronic controls and used the last of his energy to seal off the pipe to keep the human detective safe.

The metallic 'clunk' of the vent shutting echoed loudly throughout the plant, and was sure to alert their captors to their returned consciousness.

Gavin's brow furrowed as he looked up and tried to figure out what that sound was with a curious stare. "What the hell was that?"

"Gavin, listen to me." Connor gave the Sergeant a stern look. "Don't struggle against the ropes. Remain quiet and play dead for a while."

"What?"

"Why?"

"I suspect out captors will be back shortly. Remain quiet and don't interfere with what is about to happen."

"What's about-"

"Quiet!"

Sure enough the two people who had struck Hank's vehicle, the man known as 'Striker' and a younger man, who was evidently a new recruit to Striker's gang, stood before the metal chambers and peered inside through the windows at his two captives. Seeing Gavin 'still unconscious' Striker ignored him and walked over to the chamber where Connor was now awake and watching his every move.

"I knew when I got out prison things were going to change." He scoffed at Connor and gave him an amused stare. "But I didn't think they'd give plastic a badge!"

"...Striker." Connor addressed him by name and stared him down. "You do realize the assault and kidnapping of two police officers will result in a forty year minimum prison sentence, correct?"

"I don't give a shit! As soon as I take out that punk-ass cop who locked me up I'm good with going back prison."

"That doesn't make an sense."

"Hey, your partner put me in jail and I had to watch as my wife died from cancer from behind bars! I just wanted to spend her final minutes with her in the hospital, but because of that asshole cop I wasn't given ANY special privileges! She died ALONE!"

"What happened to your wife was tragic, but you broke the law and endangered countless lives with your distribution of 'red ice'. It's unfortunate that you only value life when it affects you personally."

"So because you think you can talk you think you can run your mouth and disrespect me?"

"I don't intend any disrespect. I'm merely stating facts."

"Well, remember this as a FACT." Walking right up to the window he gave Connor a hateful glare and pointed at the vent above his head. "Your partner is going to come in here, find your dead body and carry your worthless corpse out onto the street to be thrown out with the garbage. Then once he's done grieving over your death I'm going to put him out of his misery by putting a bullet in his head."

"If you harm Hank I swear to you-"

"I ain't afraid of no plastic when I'm packing heat." Showing Connor the gun he kept tucked into his waistband he motioned for his younger partner in crime to stay put and keep an eye on the two captive detectives. "Don't let these assholes out of your sight. Cops can not be trusted alone."

Striker took his leave while the younger man, who looked no older than sixteen, stood between the two chambers and watched Connor with a nervous stare.

Gavin lifted his head a little and looked over at the young man. Lowering his voice Gavin called out to him a calm tone. "Hey, kid?"

Turning around to face Gavin the younger man stayed quiet as he locked eyes with the Sergeant.

"I know you don't want to do this. I can see it in your eyes."

"...I have to."

"No you don't. Let us go and we'll lock Striker up and keep him away from you."

"...I can't."

"Sure you can. At least loosen my ropes and look the other way."

"He'll kick my ass."

"No. We'll protect you." The insistence in Gavin's voice was very palpable. "We know you're not doing this willingly, you're being forced into this. You're innocent and nothing will happen to you."

"...I don't know."

"What's your name, kid?"

"What?"

"Your name. I'm Gavin," nodding toward Connor's direction he motioned to the deviant sitting in the chair observing the discussion. "that's Connor."

"...Charlie."

"Charlie, listen to me. You don't want to do this. If you help Striker kill us then you'll throw away your future. We can both see that you don't want to do anything to us, that's why you're not armed and why you're willing to talk to us."

"...If he catches me then-" The fear was evident and sincere in every word he whispered. "I just don't went to get labeled a rat. You know?"

"You won't. No one will know you were here. Just let us free and run before any shit goes down."

The young man looked around nervously and took a step toward the metal door leading to Gavin's chamber. Opening it open quietly he crept inside and placed an opened and very sharp shift blade in Gavin's hands behind his back. "...This is all I can do."

Exiting the chamber he stood outside the door and didn't move or acknowledge either detective again. The younger man shared the same complexion, eye color and even build as Striker. It was evident he was a relative, a son or nephew to Striker, and it made it simple to figure out why he was so afraid to help the detectives.

Gavin wasn't going to turn down the little help he had been provided, or just sit there and do nothing. Using the switchblade he turned his hands in an uncomfortable but appropriate angle and began using the sharp blade to saw through the ropes that were keeping his arms and upper body secured to the chair.

Slowly but surely the strong fibers began to severe and snap in course braids all around his wrists and upper arms.

Connor was losing the battle to remain conscious and closed his eyes to enter a very light form of stasis as a means to jumpstart his self-healing program to repair a majority of the damage he had sustained from the accident. Too tired and too weak to fight back or try to pry his arms free of the ropes all Connor could do was remain quiet where he sat and let the sweet bliss of unconsciousness take away the pain from his body and his mind.

* * *

Pushing through his pain Hank walked outside the hospital and hailed an autonomous taxi to take him back to the precinct to check in with the investigation. As difficult as it was to walk with his chest burning from every movement and his head throbbing with every beat of his heart he made it to his desk and turned on his terminal screen to check the progress on the case.

"Hank!" Captain Fowler caught sight of the detective and stormed out of his office angrily. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"My job!"

"You know what I mean, Hank. Get your ass back to the hospital."

"AFTER I find Connor." Reading through the current report quickly his brow furrowed and he gave his commanding officer an unsure glance. "What the fuck happened with Reed?"

"Radio silence since he reported finding a possible lead. Tina and Chris are checking it our right now."

"Son of a bitch..."

Putting his hand to his head he leaned forward against his desk in frustration. As he did he felt his phone buzz in his pocket and saw that he had just received a message from Connor.

"What the hell?" Checking the message Hank caught the lead he was looking for and showed the message to Captain Fowler. "Looks like Connor AND Gavin are together. They're being held hostage by... Fucking hell!"

"What?"

"Striker."

"Striker? The 'red ice' dealer you put away?"

"The asshole must've been released. It WAS personal DAMN IT."

"Easy, Hank. Now that we know who we're looking for we can-"

"Fuck that." Pocketing his phone Hank took his leave of the precinct and set out to to hail another autonomous cab. "I'm not going to sit on my ass while everyone looks for this prick. He wants to make this personal? Fine. Wish granted asshole!"

* * *

With one final flick of the switchblade Gavin managed to slice through the rest of the ropes and freed his hands. Unwilling to get up and move without a plan of action to guide his steps. Concealing the switchblade up the sleeve of his leather jacket Gavin called out to Connor again, having to shout a little to rouse Connor back out of stasis mode again.

"Connor! Hey, dipshit, look at me!"

Hearing Gavin's voice was enough to make Connor open his eyes and look over at Gavin with his vision still partially hindered. "...Gavin?"

"My hands are free. Where do I go from here?"

Connor suddenly straightened up and nodded toward the the far wall of the large room where the single doorway as located. "Shh. Striker is returning."

The man in question stormed back to the two chambers and gave Connor a deviously amused look. "You know something, I think it'd be a waste of parts to have you killed. But on the other hand," glancing over at Gavin he gave him the same unsettling glare. "you're another cop. What would happen if I wasted your ass instead of a piece of plastic?"

"Either way the death of an officer would give you the same sentence." Connor refuted without missing a beat. "Do you really want to die over a petty grievance?"

"Some things are worth dying for."

"Pointless things?"

"You know what? Keep running your mouth, plastic. It'll be the last time you move." Giving the two detectives a ruthless sneer Striker turned his back on the captive duo. "I'll be back once your partner shows his sorry ass."

Connor waited for Striker to leave the room and leave them under Charlie's watch again before he spoke to Gavin again. "If Hank successfully received my message then he'll know where we are. I don't know if he'll come alone or not."

"If he's banged up from the accident then he's still stuck in the hospital."

"I doubt Hank would willingly remain in the hospital." Worried that Hank might do something reckless on his behalf Connor tried and failed to send another cybernetic message as his power level was too low to make a successful line of communication. "...I hope I didn't make a mistake in contacting him."

* * *

Stopping the autonomous can along the same street where he spotted Gavin's car idling on the side of the road Hank got out and inspected the vehicle. The car was left running which meant Gavin didn't plan on going far away, and the warmth from the engine told him that the car had been idling for almost an hour. The fact that the car hadn't been tampered with during that hour indicated that the street was purposefully deserted either out of fear of the police patrolling the area, or fear of the drug dealing kingpin being in the area.

"Alright, Gavin. You said you found a sign of the car in your last update." Opening the door he turned off the engine and pocketed the key before locking the door and slamming it shut. "Where is this sign at?"

Scanning the street with the light from his phone and the street lamps above, his hand pressed the left side of his chest where his ribs were fractured, and walked the street near the front of the car. The light of phone glistened over the sharp shards of the broken headlights with yellow paint flakes over top of each shard.

"That's what he found..."

Eyeing the immediate location he too spotted the side street and walked down the alley to the gate barring further access. Checking the padlock and chain the two barring items fell freely from the gate and into his hand unexpectedly.

"Fuck. This place was shutdown in the 90's for being too toxic and dangerous." Pushing open the gates Hank crept inside and walked down the strange drive where the abandoned textile plant was sitting at at the end. "Fuck." Using his phone he informed Captain Fowler of the plant and the exact location before he reached the plant and checked the door. "Unlocked. This is a fuckin' set-up. I know it."

Reaching for his weapon, only to remember that Captain Fowler had already taken it, Hank internally swore and slowly pushed open the door. Slipping inside the building Hank stayed up against the walls of the dark building and kept quiet as he looked around for any sign of Connor or Gavin. As he made his way through the building he used the metal vats to creep around and stay out of sight, only to hear a young man's voice call out to him.

"Are you Hank?"

Hank turned and saw a young man watching him nervously and looking around as if waiting for an ambush.

"...What's it to you?"

"The cops you're looking for in the back. Striker is going to do something to them but I don't know what."

"How do you know?"

"He's my uncle and he's out for blood. I don't want to be apart of it."

"Alright, here's what you're going to do." Hank was willing to trust the young man out of desperation and a need to get to Connor before it was too late. "Get out of here, go down the drive and call 911. Tell them where to go and tell them Hank told you to call."

"O-Okay. Yeah, I'll do it."

"Good. Go now!"

As the young man, Charlie, took his leave of the building Hank followed his directions and walked to the back of the plant with every intention of leaving only with Connor, and nothing less. Walking deeper into the plant Hank found the doorway leading to the back and was greeted by the sight of the two large metal chambers holding both Connor and Gavin captive.

"...Kid." Knowing better than to rush forward or make a sound Hank cautiously crept along the wall until he reached the metal chamber holding Connor. "Hey, Connor."

The deviant had sensed Hank's arrival through constant scanning and knew he was in the room beside him. "Hank, you shouldn't have come here alone."

"I wasn't going to sit on my ass and do nothing. How bad are you hurt?"

"It doesn't matter. Right now you need to leave before Striker gets back." Without looking at him as a means of keeping as low of a profile as possible in case Striker was watching from a distance he asked for Hank to leave him be. "Don't do anything to free me. You'll need back-up."

"Don't worry about it. Help is coming."

"How soon?"

"Don't know, but hopefully FAST." Peering into the chamber through the window Hank saw the dried Thirium staining his face and shoulders, and could see his right shoulder was still dislocated and that the deviant was having trouble breathing. Looking past Connor he saw Gavin in the second chamber and nodded in his general direction. "What about Gavin?"

"Hank, go."

"Not without you two."

The lights in the room suddenly flashed to their brightest illumination causing the three occupants of the room to squint in face of the relentlessly bright light. Hank held up a hand to shield his eyes while Connor blinked a few times until his adjusted and Gavin looked down at the floor and closed his eyes as tightly as possible to block the light.

"Sergeant Hank Anderson." Striker taunted from the doorway as he walked into the room and pointed his gun at the seasoned Lieutenant. "It's been nine fuckin' years, but here you are at last."

"It's LIEUTENANT now, asshole. You still goin' by Striker or did you move up and take a new title, too?"

"Watch it old man." Motioning with the barrel for Hank to move over toward the center of the room, between the two metal chamber, he gave Hank a blank stare. "Now I know where that piece of plastic got his mouth."

"And I'm sure what any piece of plastic has to say is more important than any of the bullshit you're trying to spew. What the fuck is this about?"

"Revenge."

"If you want to shoot me then shoot me. I ain't got all night. But if you don't have the balls to squeeze the trigger then I suggest you turn around and run out of here before your ass gets dragged back into your prison cell."

"Fearless as ever. I gotta' admire that."

"Do what you want with me, but these two go. Gavin had nothing to do with that case and Connor wasn't even alive when I made the bust." Standing his ground Hank made it clear that he wasn't going to back down. "You have a problem with me then you settle it with me. You don't drag innocent people into this type of shit."

"Innocent? All you cops do is lock people away and break up families!"

"We're PROTECTING people. That's the JOB."

"Some job."

"What do you want? I'm losing my patience here."

"You locked me up and I wasn't there for my wife when she died. And I want you to know that feeling. Those chambers behind you are designed to hold toxic fumes that get pumped in from the ventilation shafts. Anything that inhales those fumes will suffocate in less than two minutes. It's kinda' like those gas chambers you cops send so many people into."

"A life for a life. Is that it?"

"You got it."

"Fine."

Connor's eyes went wide as he called out in protest. "Hank, no! Don't give up your life just to placate him!"

Gavin was quick to agree and chimed in. "That's just what he wants, Lieutenant! Don't play his fucked up game!"

"Let them go." Hank wasn't going to let Connor or even Gavin die because of some thug with a grudge. "And I'll stay."

Striker wasn't in the mood to negotiate. "Nah, you see, I want you to WATCH. I want you to FEEL. Can't see or feel nothing if you're already dead." Keeping his gun pointed at Hank's head Striker walked over to the control panel mounted on the far wall of the room and pressed a single override button. "You get to choose and watch. I'm granting you a courtesy that I was denied."

As the plant whirred to life Hank could see the telltale residue of 'red ice' that had been readily and massively created inside the factory floor, and knew exactly what was going to be pumped through the ventilation system and into those metal chambers. Pure concentrated poison.

"Back off, Striker." Hank ordered in a fearless tone of voice. "I'll gladly take their places and die."

"No. That's not how it's going to work." Pointing at the chambers he smirked as he hovered his hand over another button on the control panel. "You choose who dies first. The real cop or the plastic pretender."

Connor shouted out in loud protest to try to sway the decision. "Hank! It's okay! Let Gavin live!"

Gavin of course wasn't the type to let someone else put down their life for his, even if that person wasn't someone he had always seen eye-to-eye with in the past. "No way! He's your partner! It's gotta be-"

"SHUT UP." Hank shouted to stop the debate as he had already made up his mind. "I choose MYSELF."

"No. One of them."

"I told you my choice, now either accept it or fuck off!"

"Fine... If that's how you want to play." Striker pressed both buttons on the panel causing the ventilation system to expel the toxic fumes into both chambers at once, not one or the other. "Then they'll both go."

Hank turned around and saw the toxic pale green fumes pouring down from the vent, but only in Connor's chamber. The slates of the vent in Gavin's chamber had already been shut by Connor effectively protecting the human from the poison.

The deviant shutdown his respiration program to hold his breath and prevent the poison from entering his system, and in doing so he visual processor brought up a display informing him of his steadily rising core temperature. Two minutes until the respiration program would automatically resume it's normal function, and would not be overridden.

"Fuck! Connor?!"

"Piece of shit!" Striker swore as he frantically began pressing the button for Gavin's chamber to try to force the vents to open but they were locked tight.

Seeing an opportunity Hank charged at Striker as quickly as he could and grabbed hold of his arm to hold back the gun.

Gavin immediately began struggling to get free of his ropes at the sight of the younger, uninjured suspect fighting with Hank. He didn't need to be a medic to know that Hank was in absolutely no condition to hold his own in a direct fight. "Fuck!"

"Help Hank!" Connor called out to Gavin as he kept tabs on his countdown while watching the struggle from the distance.

"What about you?" Getting off the last of the ropes he focused on forcing the heavy metal door open and rushing out to join in the fight.

"Help Hank! I can wait..."

Gavin bolted over to the struggle and wrapped his arm around Striker's throat and applied as much pressure as he could against the criminal's windpipe. Even with his air being cut off Striker wasn't going to let up on the fight, but Gavin had another plan. Using the switchblade he had used to cut free of his ropes he stabbed the knife into Striker's forearm causing not only pain, but a sudden weakness in his grip.

"FUCK!"

"LET GO!" Gavin ordered as he tightened his arm around Striker's throat. "THERE'S NO POINT IN FIGHTING!"

With Gavin's chokehold over Striker's throat wearing him down, and the fresh wound to Striker's arm, Hank was able to pull the gun free of his hand and throw it across the floor. Tightening his right hand into a large, strong fist Hank reeled back and struck Striker in his jaw knocking the criminal out cold. As he lost consciousness Gavin let go of his throat and watched as Striker passed out and fell face first onto the cold, hard surface of the plant floor.

"Fucking bastard..." Hank griped as he fell to his knees and pulled his cuffs from the back of his belt and secured Striker's hands, one bloody and the other intact, behind his back.

"You okay?" Gavin asked as he caught his breath and took a step back.

"...Fine." Hank lied through gritted teeth as he forced himself to stand upright and rush over to where Connor was still secured in the chamber. "Connor! We'll get you out of there!"

"Hank..." Connor's countdown only had twelve seconds left. "don't open the chamber or you'll be poisoned. You have to turn off the vent."

"H-How?"

"The panel."

Hank nodded as he limped as quickly as he could to the panel. The buttons were all labeled but the text had long since faded. "Which one?"

"I don't-" Connor coughed as he had no choice but to breathe in again. "Try... Expel."

"I don't see it!" Hank shouted in impatient response. "What else?"

"Try-" Coughing cut him off and he was suddenly unable to speak as his visual processors were bombarded in red warnings regarding the toxins in the air and of his ventilation biocomponents steadily becoming compromised. "...Try... sh-shut... shutdown..."

Gavin rushed over to the panel where Hank was struggling to figure out the right controls and eyed each button carefully. Spotting a bright red switch with 'Emergency Shutdown' written beside it he threw the switch and heard the groan of the vents shutting down. "Got it!"

Connor nodded weakly as he began coughing more and soon was unable to breathe at all. His eyes fell shut as his breathing became more labored and a haunting wheezing filled the chamber.

"CONNOR?!" Hank tried to run over to him but his injuries were too limiting. "Connor! Hang on!"

Gavin on the other hand had pure adrenaline running through his vein and was able to sprint over to the chamber without any problem. Pulling his shirt up over his nose and mouth to block the lingering fumes he pulled open the metal door and used the now blood covered switchblade to slice through Connor's ropes. Grabbing onto the deviant around his upper chest and under his arms Gavin dragged the unconscious, poisoned deviant out of the chamber and into the middle of the factory floor.

"Shit..." Gavin swore as he laid Connor down on his back on the floor and pressed his hand down over the center of his chest. He could feel the Thirium pump beating but it wasn't beating properly. There was also a noticeable heat radiating from his skin from overheating, but what was more worrying was the fact that Connor wasn't breathing. "Hank! He's out of it! I don't think he's breathing, or whatever it is androids do!"

Struggling to get back to his feet Hank stumbled forward and collapsed to his knees beside Connor on the ground and put his hand over Connor's chest next to Gavin's hand. "...His ventilation program isn't working. We need to jumpstart it."

"How?"

"It's like... respiratory arrest. Get him to take in a breath. Compress his chest."

"Fucking hell..."

"Move aside." Hank pulled open Connor's stained, torn up shirt to expose his damaged chest and proceeded to lay one hand over top of the other and interlock his fingers together to create a single fist. Afterward he put his fist down over the center of Connor's chest and began to compress. "...Fuck!"

"No, let me do it!" Gavin pushed Hank back and began to perform the compressions on the wounded Lieutenant's behalf. "You're too hurt to do this!" Counting to fifteen compressions Gavin pressed his ear down to Connor's chest but didn't hear him take in a breath. "Fuck! Where's back-up?!"

"Don't know, just keep it up!"

Gavin nodded as he began a second round of compressions. With each forceful press of Connor's chest a little more of the poison he had been forced to inhale was forcefully exhaled in weak fleeting gasps. The pressure was enough to cause Connor's chest to buckle under Gavin's strength, but not enough to cause further damage to his already fractured plastimetal chassis beneath.

"Come on, Connor." Putting his and on the deviant's forehead Hank looked down at his adopted son's face and just shook his head. "Breathe. You HAVE to breathe!"

The sound of boots stomping through plant and toward the doorway told the detective's that back-up had arrived, but it may have been too late to do anything to help Connor.

"Breathe, damn it!" Hank shouted as he watched Gavin's hands compressed the deviant's broken chest. "Breathe."

Connor coughed and then took in a deep, cleansing breath at long last. As more coughing followed Gavin pulled back his hands and fell back to sit down on the floor and wiped sweat from his brow.

"That's it!" Hank encouraged as he put his hand under Connor's head and lifted him up from the floor. "Keep breathing, son. I got you."

Captain Fowler stormed through the factory with other officers behind him. Seeing the three detectives on the floor and Striker in cuffs a few feet away told the seasoned officer that he knew exactly what happened. "Shit." Using his radio he asked for medics to enter the building to tend to the four men. "We need paramedics in here now. Three humans, one deviant, all in need of help."

Hank didn't budge from the floor as he held Connor up from the floor and watched as Connor continued to breathe in steadily and rapidly.

"It's okay, son. We'll get you some help."

* * *

Two days after the car accident Hank was cleared from the hospital as long as he had someone to keep an eye on him, to which Connor readily volunteered, and Connor himself was cleared from the facility under the same conditions. Sitting side by side on the worn out, but still comfortable couch in the middle of the livingroom, Hank pressed a bag of ice to his ribs and a second bag to the back of his head, while Connor pressed an ice pack to his own ribs with his left hand as his right arm was stuck in a sling for another twenty-four hours until his self-healing program repaired all the damage.

"I just received an update from the precinct." Connor stated in a low voice. "Striker is being charged on numerous accounts of assault, abductions and breaking and entering. He will return to jail and do so without the possibility of parole."

"I guess the system works after all."

"And Charlie will not be charged with any crimes. He and his mother will be placed into protective custody away from Striker and his connections."

"Everyone's being taken care of. But I still need to get another car." Hank lamented as looked out the side window to the empty drive beside the house. "I hope I can find another one like that old car. I don't like autonomous vehicles."

Connor smirked a little as he cybernetically started downloaded information on used cars in the city. "There is a 2022 Oldsmobile for sale downtown."

"Anything a little newer?"

A 2027 Oldsmobile is also available, but for five thousand additional dollars."

"I'll consider it."

"I'll help you pay it off. It's the least I can do."

"No, right now the least you can do is let Sumo back inside for me. I don't want to get up again unless I absolutely need to."

"What would necessitate that?"

"Right off the top of my head: a piss break."

"Oh. I suppose that would be necessary." The deviant got up from the couch slowly and walked to the backdoor to let the massive dog back inside the house, and was of course greeted with a cold nose to his hand. "Good boy." Grabbing a fresh pack of ice from the freezer Connor followed Sumo back into the livingroom to rest. "I'm glad Sumo knows not to jump on me right now."

"I'm glad you and Gavin made it out of that plant. I honestly don't know what I would've done if that asshole took away my best partner and my best friend in one stupid act of revenge."

"Since when were you and Gavin friends?"

"Smartass. You know what I mean!"

"I do, Hank. Thank you for saving my life." Sitting down on the couch Connor was met with Sumo pressing his chin down over his lap and wanted some ear rubs, to which Connor happily agreed to go. "I wish I knew why so many people hold onto such toxic grudges for so long."

"Humans are an imperfect species, Connor. It's just one of out many, MANY flaws!"

"You're not so bad."

"Yeah, now that I sobered up and stopped hating androids for existing."

"Even when you were still drinking and less than thrilled to have me as a partner I never thought you were bad. Just angry."

"How do you think I felt when I saw that bastard had you locked up in that metal chamber?"

"Pissed off?"

"Bingo." Sighing and wincing at the motion Hank just gave his partner a somber glance. "I never want to go through anything like that ever again."

"The feeling is mutual."

"Feeling, huh? Those deviant emotions must be really settling into your core."

"More like the urge to protect my friends and my only family makes me understand why and how emotions can be so powerful. Joy can be as powerful as anger, and with that power no one else gets hurt. That's why I don't understand grudges."

"Good. Don't ever hold one." Hank put his his hand on Connor's good shoulder lightly and patted once. "If there's anything that I can teach you in this lifetime, whether it's as your partner, your friend or your father, it's NEVER let anger control you. Let go your hatred and your pain before it consumes you."

"I'll remember to do that, Hank." The deviant's voice was sincere and full of kindness as he spoke. "I promise."

"That's good to know."

Connor ran a scan over Hank's form and saw his elevated vitals that were indicative of pain and physical stress. "Need more ice?"

"Yup. I'm still sore as fuck."

Connor handed Hank the ice that he took from the freezer before returning to the livingroom, then leaned back into the soft cushions of the couch. "Need me to place an order for a pizza as well?"

"Hell yeah!" Hank liked that idea. "Fuck cooking... I need to rest, and so do you."

Connor smiled a little more as cybernetically placed the order for the pizza. "Consider it done."

_**...next chapter...  
** _


	164. Mortality

Working late into the night at their terminals Hank let out a sleepy yawn and finished off his coffee while Connor proceeded to finish off his current case file. There were few officers left in the bullpen as a majority of the night shift had gone out on patrol, and there were rarely ever complaints being filed so late at night by citizens anyway, leaving the two detectives almost completely alone. As Hank yawned yet again he rubbed the heels of his palms against his red bloodshot eyes and stared at his now empty coffee mug.

"Fuck. I still need this shit if I'm going to get through these damn cases. I don't want to hear any shit about the sugar tonight, I need it."

As Hank rose from his desk with his mug in his hand Connor noticed that he pressed his free hand to the small of his back and held it there as he walked.

"Is your back hurting you again?"

"Of course it's hurting me. It's _always_ hurting me."

Watching as Hank made his way to the breakroom Connor ran a scan over Hank's vital signs and a few red flags popped up in his visual processors. The warnings were stemming from within Hank's body near his lower back, specifically the warnings were in regard to Hank's artificial kidneys. Joining Hank in the breakroom Connor without warning grabbed onto Hank's arm and pressed his fingers against the interior of Hank's wrist to check his pulse.

"What the hell are you doing, kid? It's a backache not a heart attack."

"I need to check something."

"Why?" Hank placed his mug down on the counter beside the coffee pot and relented to Connor's impromptu exam. "What's wrong?"

"I fear one, if not both of your artificial kidneys are malfunctioning."

"Ah, shit. If it's not one thing..." Ignoring the coffee for the moment Hank patiently decided to comply with Connor's urge to check on his wellfare. "Alright. What do you need to do?"

"I need to check your vitals and note your possible symptoms."

"All of this trouble because of a damn backache?"

"I had also noted that you had been more tired than usual, and despite all the additional coffee you've consumed throughout your shift you had failed to urinate as one should after consuming so much liquid."

"You count how many times I _pee_?"

"Not intentionally, it's merely an observation that I can't control." After counting Hank's pulse, finding it slightly elevated and his respiration count relatively normal, Connor noted a slight increase in his overall body temperature. "Do you have a headache?"

"No worse than usual."

"What about any nausea or numbness in your extremities?"

"Nope."

"Your limbs appear slightly swollen," the deviant stated as he examined Hank's hand and arm. Hank wasn't wearing his coat which gave the deviant full view of his forearms and halfway up to his biceps. Connor then compared the arm to the opposite limb at Hank's side. "and I can see faint bruising on your hands, and all along your arms. Is your skin itchy?"

"...Yeah, a little. But I have dry skin, it's still winter, you know."

"Do you have any shortness of breath or pain in your chest? What about dizziness?"

"No, my chest is fine."

"Do you have a metallic taste in the back of your mouth?"

"...Probably. It might explain why the coffee tastes like shit." Seeing the worry in Connor's eyes and remembering how worried he had been when Connor's failing filter had made him so dangerously ill, Hank decided that he didn't want the deviant to go through the same emotional dread and cooperated entirely with the attentive deviant's fussing. "So what's your prognosis?"

"I think you need to see a doctor. Your artificial kidneys need to be recalibrated, if not replaced."

"No fuckin' way. I'm _not_ going under the knife again."

"Recalibration isn't as invasive as it sounds." Connor reassured him confidently. "It can be done with an external-"

"I don't want to know any of the details, kid." Pressing his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose Hank let out a tired sigh before addressing the deviant again. "Look, I know you wouldn't be telling me this if you weren't certain that something was really wrong with me, but I gotta' know; exactly how certain are you that I'm in danger."

Connor didn't say anything as he just stared at Hank with unspoken worry in his brown irises.

"You're that certain, huh?"

Nodding subtly Connor confirmed the question with a low, almost inaudible voice. "...Yes."

"Fuck. Okay, call in Chris and Jack and have them come back to the precinct so we can get outta' here for a few hours."

"Will do. Thank you."

* * *

Begrudgingly Hank rested on a bed in an emergency examination room at the nearest hospital after Connor drive him in to be seen. Refusing to change out of his clothes and into a hospital gown, the stubborn detective did agree to let a nurse take his vitals and patiently waited for the doctor come into the room to check in on him. Connor of course stood with his back against the wall and fidgeted with coin in his hands as he silently observed Hank from afar. The deviant's odd tic hadn't gone unnoticed by the detective, who promptly made his observation know.

"Knock it off with the coin and say something, damn it. You make me nervous when you do that."

"The coin," Connor gripped the quarter in a tight fist and pocketed it out of Hank's sight. "or my silence?"

"Both."

"I apologize. What would you like to talk about?"

"Nothing. I just don't want you being quiet when you know there's something going on with me."

"I don't understand. How can I be of-"

"Never mind, just... I don't know. Tell me what's going on at the precinct."

Connor paused he cybernetically updated himself, and Hank, and what was happening at the precinct in real time. "Chris and Jack haven't reported any disturbances since our departure. Tina is still on patrol with Brad."

"Who?"

"Gavin's temporary replacement."

"Right. _That_ guy."

"There has-"

The door to the room opened and the on call doctor approached the detectives with a sense of familiarity to his presence. "I'm Dr. Roberts. And if I remember correctly I've had you as a patient before, Lieu- _Captain_ Anderson."

"You're going to have to get a little more specific, doc. It's been a pretty hectic past couple of years."

"I treated you for pneumonia after there was a fire at your precinct."

"Right... Now I remember."

"I understand that you've undergone a double kidney transplant roughly six months ago."

Connor clarified with a level voice the exact timeline. "Five months, two weeks, four days, nine-"

"Connor." Hank stopped the deviant from getting way to specific for everyone's sake. "He knows."

"...I see. I apologize."

Dr. Roberts just smiled and made a few additional notes to Hank's electronic chart in his hand. "So, in that time have you experienced any of the symptoms you have right now before?"

"Nothing but my back fuckin' up, but that was before I even had the surgery."

"Of course. I also see that you've dropped twenty pounds since the surgery and have managed to completely cut alcohol from your diet. Impressive."

"Yeah, yeah. That shit I already know." Hank was less interested in those details and more concerned with his kidneys. "What's going on with those 'plastic miracles' I have in my back?"

"Cybernetic kidneys have been known to falter whenever a recipient has a change in their metabolic rate. Considering you've only recently begun to notice these symptoms and your vitals are stable I suspect a recalibration is in order."

"Alright... Do I need surgery?"

"Fortunately, no. You just need to lay back and let me check your kidney function, and if I'm right I'll get you on your way within the hour."

"Sounds good to me."

"Now just lay back and remove your shirt. I'll be back in a few minutes."

Letting out a weary sigh Hank shrugged off his coat and tossed it to the nearby chair while Connor continued to monitor him from where he stood. As Hank unbuttoned his bright blue shirt and shrugged it off as well he noticed Connor remaining perfectly quiet and still against the wall as if lost in a trance.

"Connor? What's wrong with you?"

Connor blinked a few times as his eyes focused on Hank's face. "Pardon? Did you ask me a question?"

"For fuck sake." Throwing the shirt to Connor who caught it easily Hank sighed and laid back against the table as he awaited the doctor's return. "Just say whatever it is that's bothering you."

"I... I'd rather not."

"Why?"

"...Because I'm having difficulty putting my current thoughts into words."

Before Hank had the chance to offer any form of rebuttal or guidance the door opened again and Dr. Roberts returned with an android nurse, and a rolling cart designed specifically to connect to artificial kidneys. Rolling the cart over the to left side of the bed Dr. Roberts sat down on the rolling stool already in the corner of the room while the nurse rolled over a second machine to the right side of the bed.

"Now what?" Hank asked in a somewhat gruff tone as Dr. Roberts powered on the machine before slipping a pair of sterile latex gloves over his hands.

"We need to check your kidneys to make sure they're both still functioning, and remaining in their proper position in your abdomen. In order to do that," the nurse lifted up Hank's faded black t-shirt and exposed his bare, thinner, torso. "we need to use an ultrasound."

"Seriously?" Giving the doctor a somewhat annoyed and skeptical glance Hank shook his head and watched as the nurse prepared the machine. "If I still had a beer gut going on I wouldn't blame you for running that damn thing around, but it's kind of an insult now."

Chuckling at the comment Dr. Roberts did as he stated and ran the wand with a little bit of gel over Hank's abdomen. It took a few minutes of searching but soon enough the doctor located the first kidney and checked its functionality.

"Okay, the left kidney is still functioning and it's still where it should be." As the black and white images of Hank's internal organs appeared on the display monitor Connor found himself double-checking the doctor's work out of a weird instinct to keep Hank as healthy as possible. "And the right one is looking good, too. So there's no need for surgery. Just a recalibration."

"Cool. Now what?"

"This machine will check the artificial kidneys and determine how well their functioning, and then recalibrate according to your own metabolic rate. It won't take too long to do, and then you'll need to wait for about an hour to ensure the recalibration is working properly."

"That sounds a hell of a lot better than second surgery. Go ahead, doc. Do what you gotta' do."

Instead of feeling relieved for Hank's positive prognosis Connor remained just as worried, if not frightened. Discreetly Connor excused himself from the exam room and wandered down the corridor until he found the doorway leading to a small balcony overlooking the hospital property. It was a good place for those seeking a moment of solace to be alone with their thoughts, and Connor readily took advantage of the opening.

As he stepped outside Connor closed his eyes and leaned with both hands against the metal guardrail that outlined the top of the waist high balcony wall. Letting out a few quiet sobs to himself Connor breathed deeply and calmed himself before making a cybernetic call to Markus. "I apologize for calling at such an unreasonable hour, but I need to talk to you."

' _It's no problem, Connor._ ' The deviant leader responded quickly and calmly to his friend's call despite the late hour. ' _What's going on_?'

"I don't know. I just feel like I need to talk to someone."

' _Is everything okay with you and Hank_?'

"Hank is experiencing a mild side effect from the kidney transplant and is in the hospital undergoing an examination and treatment."

' _What_?' The calmness in Markus's voice quickly faded into worry. ' _Is he sick_?'

"No. The artificial kidneys just need to be recalibrated, and he'll be fine."

' _That's good, at least he isn't in danger_.'

"I think that's what's bothering me, Markus." Leaning down heavily against his arms against the railing instead of his hands the deviant looked at the fifty foot drop below him and didn't even flinch at being up so high. It seemed like his fear of heights were truly beginning to dissipate with time. "I know he's going to be okay, but I can't stop worrying that there is something wrong with him. I fear he's going to get very ill and I won't be able to do anything to help him."

' _Connor, I know exactly what you're going through_.'

"...You do?"

' _When I first met Carl_ ,' the tone in Markus's voice shifted from saddened to peaceful as he spoke. ' _I had no idea what I was to do with him. I was simply given to Carl as a gift by Kamski himself and with that I had no say in how I was going to be treated, or how I was supposed to act. But Carl treated me like I was a member of the family from day one. I was his son and he quickly became a father figure to me, very much like the way Hank had become to you_.'

"You had known Carl all of your life until he... passed. I can't imagine how horrible that must've felt for you. And now after I lost..." The wounds in his heart from Lucas and now Skye's passings were both very fresh. "I'm so very sorry you had to experience that type of pain."

' _It did hurt, but I had also known it was going to happen. When I met Carl his health had already declined and he couldn't use his legs anymore after his car accident. Unable to walk on his own should've made Carl feel horrible, but he never showed any emotional upset and he never let it hold him back. And as his health continued to decline over the years, and as old age caught up to him, I knew that my time with him was coming to an end_.'

"How could you stand knowing that Carl was going to... leave?"

' _I reminded myself that with life it doesn't matter how long you live, as long as you have a life worth living. So I made the most of the time I had left with Carl_.' As he spoke Connor could hear a stifled sob coming from Markus as he thought about the wonderful moments he had with Carl until the end. ' _After the revolution I returned to the house as often as I could and spoke to him, played some chess when he was strong enough, and tried to continue to paint as he encouraged me to do. As long as I spent time with him I felt like I was slowly coming to terms with his inevitable passing_.'

"How... How did you prepare for such a terrible loss? Emotionally, I mean. I'm still struggling with the concept of loss, grief... mourning."

' _To be honest, Connor, I only tried to prepare. When the time came I thought I was ready, but I wasn't. It was one of the worst moments I ever went through, but I survived it and I managed to move on and keep living. Just like Carl did_.'

"I don't think I can do that, not without Hank."

' _That's the thing Connor, you think you can't live without your father, but the truth is you can and in time, you will have to_.'

"Without Hank I don't think I can make it. He's been a guardian, a friend and the father I never knew I needed until he took me in. I'm scared, Markus. He's getting older while I stay the same, and with his health beginning to fail I fear he-"

' _First of all, you're not the same_.' Markus interrupted coolly in a confident voice. ' _You've changed so much in the few years since you deviated. You had only a few months, maybe even a few weeks of contact with humans before you deviated, and you've managed to adapt to humans and become one of the most empathetic androids I've ever met. You're not the same person as you were the night we met face to face on Jericho, and you won't be the same person as you are now as you will be when Hank's no longer with you_.'

"...What if I don't want to become a person like that?"

' _What do you mean_?'

"I don't want to live a life where I feel as though I don't need my father. It sounds so lonely."

'... _It can be, I won't try to deny_ it.' The understanding in Markus's tone was palpable even from the distance. ' _But you'll be okay_. _It's the memories you have of your time with Hank that's more important than anything else_. _Just keep spending time with him and keep those memories in your heart, it'll help cushion the harsh blow that death leaves behind_. _Trust me on this one, Connor_.'

"...Thanks Markus."

' _Are you going to be alright_?'

"In time, I think I will be. At least I hope I will. Until then I need to think."

' _Right, just remember if you need to talk again to find me. I'll be there to listen_.'

"Of course. Goodnight, Markus."

' _Goodnight, Connor_.'

Taking a brief moment to let a few more pent up emotional tears to fall Connor straightened himself up, dusted off his clothing and proceeded to make his way back to the hospital to check in on Hank. As he located the correct room Connor knocked on the door respectfully and stepped back inside. Hank had slipped his button up shirt back on over his arms and gave Connor a curious glance.

"Where'd ya' go?"

"I... needed to be alone with my thoughts."

"Oh. The fear of mortality sinkin' in, huh?"

"How did you..."

"Connor, I went through the same thing when I saw my mom sick with cancer. I know how upsetting it can be."

"I apologize for leaving." Connor handed Hank back his coat and gave him a guilt-riddled stare. "But I found myself unexpectedly overcome with emotionally straining thoughts and was compelled to seek isolation, and then counsel from a friend."

"It happens, kid. Now," taking back his coat Hank slipped his arms through the sleeves and patted Connor's shoulder. "it's late and we should get home. Besides, now that my kidneys are working again I'm going to be up half the night pissing out that coffee I drank."

Giving Hank a brief grin Connor accompanied the detective out of the exam room. "Maybe Dr. Roberts will give you a catheter so you don't have to get up all night."

"That sounds _way_ more painful than a dozen trips to the bathroom."

"Have you tried it?"

"Shut up." Hank smirked as he signed his release forms and made his way to the doors of the hospital. "It's too late in the night for you to bust my balls."

"Understood. When should I resume?"

"Smartass."

* * *

As Connor drove back home the deviant couldn't help but think of Markus's words of advice and decided that he should take some form of action. Passing by the park that Hank had frequented with Cole; the very park where Connor and Hank had gone after their case at the 'Eden Club', the park where Connor had fled after Hank had unintentionally pushed him away - only to have the detective bring him back home, the park where Connor had removed his L.E.D. and fully accepted his deviancy, and finally accepted his new life as a deviant.

Memories.

"Do you think we could spend some more time at the cabin this coming summer?" As Connor spoke he watched Hank's reaction carefully from the corner of his eye. "I enjoy being away from the city and being able to converse with you on matters beyond cases and work."

"Sure. Why the hell not?"

"You also encouraged me to travel, would you be willing to travel with me?"

"Uh... Sure, I guess. Any place have your interest?"

"Not as of this moment, but I do plan on traveling someday."

"That's good. This is a big world, Connor. You need to see it and you need to experience what life has to offer."

"...One-hundred and sixteen years."

"What?" Hank gave the deviant an odd look from where he sat as the car idled at a red light.

"That's how long I have to live. One-hundred and sixteen years."

"Holy shit... No wonder you have issues with understanding life. That's a _long_ time to live, kid."

"I am now three years, nine months and eleven days old. Which means I have one-hundred and thirteen years left."

"Right."

The light turned green and Connor pulled through the intersection to continue on home. "But taken into consideration the damage I have sustained over the past three, almost four years; shot, stabbed, burned, poisoned, extreme temperature exposures, biocomponent failures and replacements, I have lost an estimated one month of my overall approximate life span with each major injury I've survived."

"...Okay."

"That is sixty-three substantial injuries that have caused major damage to my system, software and programs. That is five point four years I've lost leaving me with one-hundred and eight point one six years, and even so I will have to consider my prototype design continuing to hinder my lifespan."

"Connor? What're you-"

"If I were to suffer from any additional biocomponent, software or hardware failures from what I currently have in my system that would reduce my lifespan even further by an estimated one-hundred and seventy-three months which would give me ninety-four point six years left to live."

"Son, what's your point in talking about this?"

"Hank... I will outlive every human of whom I've currently befriended. I may even outlive Aria who had _just been born_."

"Oh... And you're a little freaked out about being alone. Aren't you?"

"I dislike the idea of being alone very much. Even if I were to suffer from incredibly poor health and worst case scenario failures of my systems, I would still have an abnormally lifespan over the healthiest of humans. It seems... cruel, if not unfair."

"You sound like you don't want to die. That's pretty common, kid."

"No." Swallowing nervously as he pulled the car into the drive beside the house Connor turned off the engine and gave Hank a guilty look. "I don't want to... live."

"You don't... want... _to live_?" That was a revelation that Hank wasn't expecting to receive. "I can't exactly say anything about you wanting to die before your time kid, I've struggled with those thoughts myself."

"You misunderstand me. I'm not suicidal or looking to harm myself in anyway. I just do not want to live without someone who is worth living for."

"...You're talking about a family."

"Yes. When Markus lost Carl, his father, he still had North in his life. They are still together and they are a family."

"Okay, okay..." Hank knew exactly where Connor's mind was going and decided to head him off before he accidentally fell back into a dark place. The loss of Lucas, his only brother, had shaken Connor to his core, and the loss of Skye, his wife, had shattered his heart. Hank was the only family he had left. "Just remember we don't know what the future holds for any of us, kid. You don't know who is going to come into your life, just like you don't know who will be going out of it."

"I'm not going to seek another human companion to replace you. You're my father."

"I'm not talking about replacements, kid. I'm talking about _additions_."

"Additions?"

"Yeah. Like, when you came into my life I had no idea I was looking at a second son until well after I got to know you. You didn't replace Cole as my son, you simply became my _second_ son. And Lucas became the third son." Laughing a little he put his hand on Connor's shoulder and gave him a cheesy grin. "Now that I think about it, that makes you the _middle_ child, and that explains a lot about your bullheadedness."

Ever appreciative of Hank's attempts to lighten the mood whenever he felt his heart getting too heavy Connor smiled a little and pulled the keys from the ignition. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry for being the pain in the ass middle child."

"You're not sorry." Taking the keys from Connor's hand Hank teased the deviant further. "You relish in it."

"...Like father like son, I suppose."

"What did I tell you about bustin' my balls?"

"Sorry. I'll wait until morning."

"Speaking of which, you little smartass," pushing open his door Hank slammed it shut and for the first time in weeks since the cold began to thaw Hank was able to walk around without having to keep a hand to his back for pain support. "we have a shift tomorrow at noon. Do you want to be late, _Lieutenant_?"

"Of course not, _Captain_."

"Good. Get your ass inside and go to bed. And for the love of what's left of my sanity," Hank unlocked the back door and gave Connor a stern look as the deviant joined him on the back porch. "stop thinking so damn much! You're wearing me out."

"I don't mean to, it's just a bad habit."

"I kicked my bad habit and it was more fun than thinking. Why don't you go ahead and break _this_ bad habit and give me some peace?"

"Because I'll need something else to preoccupy my mind when I'm not working." Following Hank inside the house Connor felt a comforting warmth fall over him as he realized he enjoyed coming home at night. It was _his_ home, and he was with _his_ family. "And I don't think the neighbors want to listen to my guitar all night long."

"Why not? You're good."

_**...next story...** _


	165. Asthma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: umai_plz & Swood3133

The assault of a deviant at a local garage had brought Connor and Hank in to investigate, and the investigation wasn't going as smoothly as either detective had hoped. During the investigation the hotheaded customer who had thrown the first punch and managed to smash the deviant's head through the passenger side window of his own truck was continuing to try to get to the bleeding, unconscious android, while the rest of the garage crew restrained the man by his arms and waited for the police to arrive.

The sight of the two detectives did very little to calm the enraged man, and he refused to cooperate with the police as he tried to get to the wounded deviant laying defenseless on the floor. A sapphire puddle of blood collected under the deviant's head, and repelled the pool of motor oil on the floor beside it as the two foreign substances simply did not mix.

"Alright, calm the fuck down!" Hank ordered as slipped his gun from the holster and aimed it at the man's chest. The sight of the gun's barrel was enough to make the man stop struggling against the other mechanics holding him back and stop shouting. He became very still, and very quiet. "Now, what the hell happened here?"

"The damn machine is trying to rip me off!" The man screamed again as he pointed to the downed deviant with a shaking finger. Connor was kneeling beside the deviant and checking his vitals while Hank questioned the suspect at the far wall of the garage. "He's lying! He's saying I need to pay repairs that my truck doesn't need!"

Connor overheard the claim and informed Hank on the injured android's identity. "The deviant's name is 'Rome' and has been a mechanic here for nine years." The deviant finished his assessment over the bleeding android and informed Hank of the victim's condition. "Severe damage to the intracranial processor causing emergency stasis mode. His memory has not been corrupted, and I can confirm through a cybernetic transfer of his memories and overall databanks that there was no intent to deceive the customer."

"That's a lie!" The man shouted again as he realized that Connor himself was a deviant as well. "Those damn machines like to stick together! You can't trust those pieces of plastic!"

The owner of the garage had heard enough from the man and threw up his hands in anger as he motioned for one of the assisting mechanics to make some room. "Hey asshole," the owner stated angrily as he approached him with purpose in his steps. "Rome has been putting cars back together with his bare hands for almost a decade! You're the first person to EVER have a problem with his work, and that only happened AFTER he told you how much your bill was going to be!"

"He started it!" The man openly lied as he spat angrily. "He knew I couldn't afford it and he was-"

Hank had enough of the bullshit and brought it to an end. "Shut up! We all know you got pissed off because of a damn bill." Slipping his gun back into the holster he pulled his handcuffs from the back of his belt and slapped them around the man's left wrist before forcing him to turn around and put both hands behind back to cuff the second wrist. "You're under arrest for assault, destruction of private property, disturbing the peace and for being a dumbass."

While Hank used his radio to call in a patrol car to pick up the arrested man Connor cybernetically contacted emergency services to take care of Rome. The garage owner crouched down beside Rome and pressed a clean rag to the back of the injured deviant's bleeding head.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" The kind mechanic asked as he stayed next to the injured deviant. "Rome and I have been buddies for years."

Connor smiled faintly at the remark before nodding his head in the affirmative. "Yes. I didn't detect any permanent damage to his system or biocomponents. He'll just need a few internal Thirium lines repaired and two days to heal."

"That's good. I'll let him crash at my house until he's better. I'd hate for him to stay in his apartment all alone."

"That is very generous of you."

As the responding patrol car arrived at the garage Hank was greeted by a very tired looking Gavin, and a more alert Tina, who promptly escorted the cuffed man to their car to report back to the station.

Hank gave the returned detective a nod and an odd glance as he noticed the dark bags under the Sergeant's eyes. "Gavin, you look like shit."

"...Colic's a real bitch, Hank." Gavin yawned as he pushed the cuffed man toward the opened garage door to the car. "Let's go jackass, I've had a long night."

As the angry man was led past Connor he lashed out once more time and kicked a pan full of oil absorbing compound into the air and all over the deviant detective as he stood his ground and watched the man being escorted.

Connor began coughing as the white powder filled the air and covered him in a fine layer of the debris.

"Add a second count of destruction to private property AND assaulting a police officer to that list of charges, will ya' Gavin?"

"Sure. I'm already in a pissy mood!"

"Wait. Wait!" The arrested man begged as he was led out of the garage and promptly thrown into the backseat of the squad car by Gavin's less than gentle coercion. Tina slammed the door in the man's face as he began shouting pathetically back toward the garage as if his words could somehow undo all the damage he had caused. "I'll pay the bill!"

Using his hands Connor brushed as much of the powdered compound from his clothing and hair as possible, as he continued to cough in response to the foreign matter entering his ventilation biocomponents.

Hank walked over to Connor and patted his shoulder causing a white cloud of powder to 'poof; up from his clothing in the process. "You alright?"

Connor nodded as he continued to cough and made his way toward the opened garage door slowly. "T-Technicians will be... h-here soon."

"What was that stuff?"

"S-Sweeping compound." Connor managed to explain between harsh, cleansing coughs. "It absorbs oil f-from concrete."

"Jeez, how much of that stuff did you breathe in?"

"N-No a lot." On shaking legs Connor stopped short and doubled over slightly as he continued to couch harder and then suddenly wheezed as he tried to catch his breath. "...H-Hank?"

"What's wrong?"

Connor couldn't speak anymore. Putting his hand to his throat he patted twice to indicate something was wrong without being able to say a word.

"You can't speak?"

Connor shook his head 'no' and stumbled forward a little.

"Can you breathe?"

Unable to convey 'a little' to the detective Connor just shook his head 'no' again.

"Okay, come on. There's a facility just around the corner." Grabbing onto Connor's bicep lightly Hank guided the detective over to their car parked alongside the other cars after responding to the scene. It'd be easier to take Connor to a facility than try to explain things to the technicians who were soon to arrive and treat Rome. "Try to slow your breathing as much as you can."

After falling into the front passenger seat of the car Connor leaned back as far as he could and tried to breathe as Hank instructed. The wheezing sound of Connor's strangled breaths and the shuddering of his chest gave Hank a horrifying memory of when Cole was a toddler and had an asthma attack. The sound and the sight were all too similar to be dismissed, and it made Hank's flesh crawl.

"Shit. Connor, I know you can't talk," Hank stated in a contrastingly calm voice as he pulled the car out onto the street and made his way to the nearby facility. "but is your airway, or whatever you call it, swelling shut?"

Connor nodded frantically as he continued to force himself to take in deep, shuddering breaths. Each one was a horrible wheeze that made his chest rise and fall frantically.

"Okay, I think you're having a type of asthma attack. You need to keep your breathing calm and stay conscious, okay? Loosen your tie, it might help."

Again Connor nodded and he forced himself to cough a little more to clear his ventilation biocomponents as best as he could through his narrowed airway. Pulling on the knot of his tie Connor pulled the dressy garment free from around his neck, and dropped it in the cup holder beside him.

"Good thing the garage is next to a facility, huh? Come on." Throwing the car in park Hank opened his door and walked around the other side of the car to Connor's door and helped pull the deviant out and onto his feet. "We'll get you straightened out."

Letting Hank lead him to the facility by his arm Connor continued to wheeze in weak breaths and fought the urge to lay down on the floor as he fought to breathe properly. It didn't take the receptionist at the front desk long to react and lead the wheezing detective into a treatment room with Hank still supporting his weight.

"I'll get the on-call technician for you." She stated calmly as she helped Connor to sit down on the exam table for treatment. "Stay with him, it won't be more than a minute."

Connor nodded to acknowledge the kind and responsive woman as he continued to wheeze.

Hank kept a hand on the middle of Connor's back and could feel his chest shuddering violently as he tried to breathe. It was like his artificial lungs were spasming and trying to inhale, while exhaling, at the same time. "Hey, you're going to be fine, kid."

Connor tried to speak but his voice simply wasn't there.

"Don't talk, just breathe." Pulling on Connor's jacket collar Hank managed to slip the jacket down and from the deviant's shoulders. He then undid the top button on Connor's dress shirt and patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Easy. Breathe slowly."

A male technician walked into the exam room with a hasty clip as he observed Connor and immediately pulled the audioscope from around his neck and used it to listen to Connor's chest. "Now I know why my receptionist was so insistent on me checking in on you. "Placing the bell of the audioscope to Connor's frantically rising and fall chest the technician listened to his struggling breaths and gave Hank an odd glance. "Ventilation biocomponents only have mild congestion." Drawing back the bell the technician encouraged Connor to lay back over the table as he watched the deviant's chest violently spasming with each cough. "What happened to him?"

"Some powdery shit got kicked in his face and he breathed it in."

"What kind of powder?"

"The stuff used to clean up oil from concrete."

"Ah-ha!" Leaning forward the technician placed the bell of the audioscope against Connor's throat over his mechanical trachea and listened carefully. The deviant's throat was in distress and needed to be cleared before Connor would be able to breathe again. "Alright, I know what to do for you."

"Connor." Hank stated firmly as the technician set about locating a bottle of sterilized saline solution from a nearby cabinet. "His name is Connor."

"Right. _Connor_. And I'm Dr. Hetfield."

"I'm Hank. We're detectives with the Detroit Police Department."

"Always happy to help a first responder in need."

"So what's going on with him?" Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank did his best to hold the coughing deviant steady and leaned down enough so Connor could see his face. "You sounded pretty sure of yourself."

"The powder is designed to absorb moisture," Dr. Hetfield explained as he returned with the saline in a small squeezable plastic bottle. There was a thin plastic tube attached to the end of the bottle and the technician carefully placed the tube in the corner of Connor's mouth. "and after he breathed it in the powder caked itself against the interior lining of his air intake line. Like humans," slowly he began squeezing the bottle until the saline began to slowly run down Connor's throat without choking him further. "androids have a lot of moisture in their throats from breathing in and out warm, then cool air, as well as drinking Thirium."

Connor instinctively swallowed the saline and did his best to ignore the warnings that popped up into his visual processors as his system detected the saline where there should only be Thirium. Dismissing the warning for a moment he waited for Dr Hetfield to continue his treatment.

"This will flush out the powder and let it collect in his artificial stomach for the timing being."

"Uh," Hank didn't like the sound of that. "what do you mean 'the time being'?"

"You'll see."

Connor began to breathe easier as the substance was cleared from his air intake line, but his throat was still swollen from being agitated by the foreign, abrasive substance. Though he wasn't coughing anymore he still had a difficult time catching his breath and continued to pant in an effort to calm himself.

Returning to the cabinet Dr. Hetfield retrieved what look just like a human's asthma inhaler from the cabinet and shook it twice. Motioning for Hank to help him the two sat Connor upright on the table and Dr. Hetfield placed the device in Connor's mouth between his teeth. "Now Connor, this is an aerosolized remitter containing concentrated Thirium chrism. Do you know what is it?"

Connor nodded a little as he stared at the technician's face.

Han spoke up in a slightly embarrassed voice. "I don't. Enlighten me."

Dr. Hetfield explained things as he encouraged Connor to exhale for a moment and then inhale as he pressed on the release valve of the inhaler to administer the medication into Connor's system. "This 'medication' causes the strained lines and valves that line the interior of an android's throat; specifically the air intake line, to relax so they can breathe easier and ingest necessary Thirium. It's also allow them to expel the obstructing substance from their system to prevent further damage."

"When you say expel, you mean-"

Connor suddenly gagged and pulled the inhaler from his mouth as Dr. Hetfield shoved a metal waste bin under Connor's chin and caught the expelled substance inside as the deviant threw-up the excess saline, and a nearly a full cup of tainted Thirium with one painful heave.

"Yup. That's what I figured you meant." Hank patted Connor's shoulder sympathetically. "But I bet you feel a hell of a lot better, now, right kid?"

Nodding weakly Connor spit out the remaining mixture of saline and Thirium from his mouth as he let Dr. Hetfield take back the waste bin. "...Y-Yes. I can breathe again."

Putting the inhaler in Connor's hand Dr. Hetfield gave Connor's chest one last listen before he patted the deviant's arm. "You're clear. Keep that inhaler just in case you encounter anything else. Since you two are detectives, so I can only imagine what kind of substances you could accidentally be exposed to while in the line of duty."

"Yeah." Hank confirmed as Connor hopped off the table and slipped his gray jacket back on over his arms. "Not the first time he's been injured while on the clock, and I doubt it'll be the last."

Giving Hank a somewhat offended glance Connor slipped the inhaler into his pocket and shook the technician's hand. "Thank you for assistance, Dr. Hetfield."

"No problem. I hope we never have to meet again."

"Likewise."

* * *

With the situation resolved the two detectives returned to the car and set about returning to the precinct. As Connor slipped his tie back around his shirt collar and began fussing with the garment to tie another perfect knot he noticed that Hank seemed preoccupied during the drive back to the precinct. If Connor were to try to identify the distant look in Hank's eyes he would have to call it 'fear'. But what Hank was so frightened about Connor couldn't understand.

"Hank? Are you okay?"

"...Fine."

"...I don't think you are. If it has something to do with my recent injury I assure you that-"

Hank suddenly pulled the car to the side of the road and threw open his door. Marching around the car Hank disappeared into an alleyway and began punching a brick wall with misplaced emotional rage. From where he sat Connor could see Hank being angry and immediately reacted. As he threw open his own door he joined the detective in the alleyway and wrapped his arm around Hank's chest to pull the deviant back away from the wall.

"Hank! Stop!"

As the detective stopped punching the wall he let his hand fall limply at his side. Dark red blood began to drip from his swollen, bruised knuckles and his fingers were twitching from the self-inflicted damage.

"...Hank?" Connor let go of his grip around Hank's chest and focused on the detective's damaged hand. Gingerly he took hold of Hank's wrist and held up the bleeding appendage as he ran a scan over Hank's bleeding knuckles. "What's wrong?"

Steadily calming down Hank stumbled back from the trash can and leaned against the cool brick wall behind him.

"Hank, your vitals are indicative of every high stress levels. Please." Putting his hand to Hank's shoulder Connor guided the detective back to the car slowly. As he sat Hank down in the front passenger seat Connor stood beside the still opened door and watched Hank warily as he examined the wound. "What has you so upset?"

"...You scared the shit of me."

"I... It wasn't intentional Hank, or anything I could've prevented. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault kid, it's just..." Running his uninjured hand down his face Hank took in a deep breath settle his knotted up stomach. "You having an asthma attack brought up one _seriously bad_ memory, that's all."

"...Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really, but I suppose there's no point in trying to ignore the elephant in the room."

Connor's brow furrowed for a moment as he processed the analogy, then waited for Hank to begin speaking. "I'm listening."

"...When Cole was still a toddler, he..." Talking about Cole was still a delicate subject, but Hank was making progress. Clearing his throat to keep his voice from shaking Hank told the sad story from so long ago. "He had gotten a really nasty cold during the winter. I did everything I could to make him feel better, but it wasn't enough. And then one night when I was holding him in my arms trying to get him to fall asleep he started wheezing and ended up have an asthma attack right in front of me."

"I'm sorry Hank." Connor slipped off his tie once more and carefully wrapped the garment around Hank's knuckles to stem the bleeding, and to keep the injuries as clean as possible. "That must've been a horrifying experience for both of you."

"I'll never forget that sound he made when he couldn't breathe. And when you made the same sound it was... It was just too much to bear."

Unsure of what he could say to ease Hank's mind Connor just reached kept his hand wrapped around Hank's knuckles and then wrapped his opposite around the detective's shoulders and held it there to give him a light, half-hug. "It's okay."

"...Yeah. I know."

"I'll drive so you can try to relax and let your hand recover. You fractured your first, second and third metacarpophalangeal joints in your right hand."

"I did what to my _what_?"

"...You broke your first three knuckles."

Volunteering to continue the drive back to the precinct Connor crossed around the front of the car and sat down behind the wheel. As he pulled back onto the street he looked over at Hank noted the detective's relatively pale face and shaking hands as he folded his arms defensively over his chest. A change of subject was required.

"When Gavin arrived to take the suspect into custody," Connor began calmly. "he said to you that 'colic is a real bitch'. What did he mean by that?"

Hank smirked at the question and his expression softened. "It means spending all night with screaming, crying newborn isn't very fun. In fact, it's exhausting."

"Oh." Filing away the term in his memorybank Connor's brow furrowed again as he stopped at a red light and kept thinking about the matter. "If Gavin is exhausted wouldn't it be preferable for him to stay home and rest?"

"Like I said," Hank reiterated with missing a beat. "spending all night with a screaming, crying baby isn't fun. And it isn't restful for anyone. That whole house is going to be exhausted for a few months."

"Did you report to your shift while tired when taking care of Cole?" The light turned green and Connor continued on through the intersection back toward the precinct. "That seems like a horrible deterrent to a consistent sleep pattern."

"Constantly, like you wouldn't believe. But it was worth it. It meant I was working hard to keep the city safe for my son, and I wouldn't take back any of the hours I lost walking him up and down the hallway, trying to get him to fall asleep in my arms." Hank looked a little lost as he spoke of the past and stared into nothingness. "There are some times I actually find myself missing those nights. At least then I had a practical reason for not being able to sleep."

"Well..." Trying to think of a way to lightened Hank's mood Connor tried to make a joke. "If you wanted to, you could carry me around at night."

"No thanks, kid." Hank leaned back in his seat and laughed a little as his arms fell away from his chest toward his sides as he finally relaxed where he sat. he bleeding in his knuckles had ceased, but he'd still need to have the joints examined by a doctor. "I have enough 'fun' carrying your ass at work."

"There's a walk-in clinic two blocks from our location. Would you like to have your hand treated there, or at the precinct?"

"Clinic. There's less paperwork that way."

_**...next story...** _


	166. Taking Command

The entire city was on edge during the dark, rainy spring night. A massive resurgence in the spread of 'red ice' had claimed the lives on nine humans who had overdosed, and left another eighteen humans hospitalized and fighting for their lives. Human weren't the only ones being affected by the return of the drug flooding the streets, as many deviants who had attempted to renovate abandoned buildings and convert them back into livable housing had been assaulted and left for dead by the gangs who wanted to use the territory to 'conduct business'.

Connor danced his coin over his left knuckles as he spoke to a deviant victim who had been a witness, and admitted to an emergency care facility after being assaulted in the street. The victim had suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and right bicep, and had been physically beaten with blunt instruments and bare fists leaving him with a partially dislocated jaw, damaged optical unit and numerous internal abrasions to his biocomponents. It was fortunate that the deviant survived without suffering any permanent intracranial damage.

"I appreciate your cooperation in aiding the police department." Extending his hand right hand Connor interfaced with the witness and uploaded the parts of his memory that were crucial to solving the case. The images were somewhat blurry but still managed to give enough details to be prove beneficial. "Do you know of any other potential witnesses who would be willing to step forward and help with the case?"

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant." The witness apologized sincerely as the attending technician entered the recovery room to check on his damaged eye, and he subsequently broke the connection to Connor. "I don't know if anyone else saw what happened."

"Don't be sorry, you've been a tremendous help. Remain here until you've recovered fully and then go to either New Jericho Tower or to Skye Tower for temporary shelter until it's safe for you to return to your neighborhood."

"Of course. I will do so."

Leaving the facility with his new information regarding the witness statement Connor returned to the patrol car where Gavin was asleep in the passenger seat and breathing softly. Connor opened the driver's side door quietly and tried to shut it just as quietly as he sat down but the sound was still enough to jolt Gavin awake and sit upright in his seat quickly.

"I apologize, Gavin. I wasn't trying to not disturb you."

"It's alright..." Rubbing his hand over his tired face he sighed and corrected his posture as Connor turned over the engine. "I shouldn't be sleeping on the job, anyway."

"You're exhausted, you need to sleep."

"Yeah, well, tell that to the assholes flooding 'red ice' through the streets." Leaning forward a little he reached for his lukewarm coffee sitting in the cup holder at his left side and blinked a few times to wake up. "So, what did the witness say?"

"The witness's statement confirms the speculated location of the new drug ring." Pulling onto the street Connor made his way back to the precinct and scanned Gavin's elevated vital signs curiously. Everything in Gavin's current health pointed toward physical exhaustion. "Through direct interfacing I was permitted access to their memory, and I was able to isolate two faces of interest."

Gavin popped off the lid to his coffee and smelled the lukewarm beverage inside. "Anyone we know?"

"Yes. The first is a known 'red ice' and illegal arms dealer who had eluded capture three years prior after a bust; Eddie Wesker."

Sipping at the bitter drink Gavin grimaced and replaced the lid over the cup. "And the other asshole?"

"The second is Amber Carson. She has a history of stealing, kidnapping and resetting female androids to be sold into prostitution. The androids who attempted to fight back or escape from her were beaten to death, and left to rot in the street."

"Son of a bitch. Sounds like a charming couple." Gavin yawned and shook his head as he tried to remain more alert and focused on the case. "Alright, what did Anderson fine out? Do you know?"

Connor was silent for a moment as he cybernetically texted his information to Hank's phone and received a reply after a few minutes. "The human victims at the hospital who have regained consciousness are being less cooperative then we had hoped."

"Of course they are." The tired Sergeant was fighting to keep his eyes open. "Alright, whatever."

"Gavin, I don't want to have to pull rank on you but if it becomes necessary I will."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You're physically exhausted and need to rest. If you collapse from exertion you will be of no use to the precinct, or to your family."

"Don't try to pull that shit on me 'Tinman'!" Immediately on the defensive Gavin lashed out with a grumpy burst at the deviant. "I was asked to come in by Captain Fowler, so don't go and order me around just because-"

"I'm merely attempting to keep you safe." Connor interrupted firmly with genuine emotion in his voice. "I won't order you about or send you home, but I do ask that you remain on desk duty and only enter the field if it becomes absolutely necessary."

"You're _benching_ me!?"

"No." The tone of Connor's voice carried authority, but not aggression. "I'm keeping you from getting shot again."

Gavin didn't really have anything to say against that. Instead he let out a pissed off sigh and leaned back against his seat while muttering to himself. "Fucking deviant."

"Think of me as your 'fucking Lieutenant'." Connor quipped sharply as he pulled to a stop at a red traffic light. "It's better for your ego."

"...Whatever."

* * *

Angrily and begrudgingly Hank left the hospital with Tina at his side as the two walked away without any credible witness statements or leads to help them locate the drug dealers. The few victims who regained consciousness were either too delirious to be reliable, or too uncooperative and scared to speak to the police. As the two officers returned to the car in the parking lot Hank texted Connor the lack of information they had gained and decided it'd be best to return to the precinct for the time being.

"Alright, we're better off going back over the evidence we already collected." Hank decided as he pocketed his phone and gave Tina a stoic look. "Think you can keep Gavin awake long enough to fill in a few pieces of the puzzle?"

"Sure. I don't mind slapping him a few times."

"I don't know what the precinct would do without you staying as Gavin's partner, Tina."

"Well, I owed him. Besides," opening her door as Hank did the same from the other side of the car the two officers sat down and readied for their return to the precinct. "I missed him a little while he was away."

"Good. Now let's just hope Chris and Jack had more luck with the victims at the other hospitals and facilities than we did."

"Gavin and Connor struck out, too?"

"No, but with only one side of the story we can't reach the right conclusion."

* * *

Returning to the precinct first Connor and Gavin began filing their reports and informing Captain Fowler of their painfully limited progress. While Connor had no difficulty in keeping up a steady pace Gavin was fighting to keep his eyes open and had to continuously sip at his less than pleasant coffee to remain alert enough to focus on his terminal screen. Glancing casually over his shoulder Connor studied Gavin's demeanor and noted his still elevated vital signs that were indicative of both exhaustion and stress.

Discreetly Connor took Hank's empty mug from the connected desk across from his own and entered the breakroom to get the absent detective some fresh coffee. As he did so Connor filled up a second mug with the fresher coffee and proceeded to sweeten them both to an acceptable level before returning to the bullpen. Placing the second mug down on Gavin's desk as he walked by without uttering a word, Connor placed Hank's mug down on the appropriate side of the desk and resumed his work.

Connor could feel Captain Fowler watching him through the glass walls of his office, but he didn't look up or acknowledge the superior officer as a means of keeping a low profile for both himself as the current ranking officer in the bullpen, and for Gavin's pride. The deviant could sense Gavin picking up the coffee for a quick taste before taking in a full gulp needing the caffeine boost desperately.

Uploading the likenesses of the two suspects that Connor had identified from his witness into his terminal, an A.P.B. was issued to bring in the two dangerous humans. As the dedicated detective proceeded to file his report and attempt to pinpoint a proper location where the drug dealers could be hiding Connor next sensed Hank's return and nodded as his partner took his seat at the desk.

"Thanks for the coffee." Hank readily sipped at the provided drink and leaned back in his chair as studied Connor's face. "Find anything else while I was gone?"

"Possibly. There is an abandoned warehouse that had once been used as a textile plant, then reformatted as a storage facility. It was purchased six months ago by a man named 'Andrew Lockhart'."

"And why's this guy important?"

"The name 'Lockhart' is our primary suspect's mother's maiden name. And 'Andrew' is the suspect's middle name."

"You think our 'friend' Eddie bought the place with an alias?"

"It's plausible."

"Well, that's a start. But we still need enough evidence to get a search warrant." Turning on his own terminal Hank brought up the files on the two suspects and his brow immediately furrowed. Leaning forward against his desk Hank's eyes flashed with sense of dreaded familiarity. "Connor, did you send this to Fowler?"

"...Not yet. Is there a problem?"

"Yeah. This Eddie scumbag has a bad history with Fowler," lowering his voice and turning off his terminal to ensure that Captain Fowler couldn't see the image over his shoulder. "and I don't want to see Jeffrey trying to settle an old score."

"Old score?"

"Come with me for a second. I have to tell you a little story."

"Where are we going?"

"Meet me in the precinct gym in the basement in twenty minutes. We need to talk in private."

"...Very well." Connor watched as Hank stood up from his chair and made his way down the corridor to where the precinct lockers were located. Resuming his work the deviant could once again feel Captain Fowler's eyes watching him, but once more he ignored the intense stare and set about making his report. A paper ball bounced off of Connor's shoulder causing him to turn around to face Gavin sitting at the desk a few feet behind him. "Can I help you, Sergeant?"

"Where'd Anderson go? You guys get a lead or something?"

"No. He is going to the gym."

"The _gym_?" Gavin almost laughed, whether it was from genuine shock or his tired stupor, Connor couldn't be sure. "What for?"

Thinking quickly Connor thought of a plausible excuse for Hank's sudden absence while remaining secretive. "His back is still sore and I suggested he try to exercise to ease the tension in his muscles."

"...Does that really work?"

Fortunately for Connor's sake of an excuse, it does. "Yes. As long as you don't _exert_ yourself too much."

"Yeah, yeah..." Grumbling to himself Gavin sipped at the coffee that Connor had given him a few minutes ago and gave Tina, who was sitting before him and giving him a knowing glance, an annoyed look. "I got it."

* * *

Waiting the appropriate twenty minutes as requested Connor rose from his desk, turned off his terminal and joined Hank in the gym in the basement of the precinct. Though androids had no need to work out or exercise Connor had taken the liberty of changing into the athletic gear that had been provided to him upon his official reinstatement to the precinct to continue a low profile. Wearing long black jogging pants, a black tank top with the initials 'D.P.D.' printed over the front in white bold letters, and black and white running shoes Connor appeared as any other officer would upon entering the gym.

Hank was already sitting on a bench press with a towel wrapped around his neck, he too had changed into workout clothes for the sake of subtly. Unlike Connor however, he wore an old white t-shirt with 'Detroit Police' scrawled over the front in faded navy text and an old pair of gray basketball shorts with an even older pair of gray running shoes.

"Hank." Connor greeted as he walked over to the bench where Hank was preparing to lift some weights. It seemed like an excessive gesture just to speak in private, but Connor didn't question Hank's decision. "There is no one else around, is it safe to talk?"

"Yup. But 'spot' me anyway just in case someone walks in."

Connor was familiar with the concept of working out, but not the term that Hank had used. "How do I 'spot' you?"

"Stand up here," Hank motioned Connor to the correct place at the end of the bench near the weights. "and be ready to catch the weight if I lose grip of the dumbbell, or if my arms give out. I don't want my throat crushed."

"Ah. I understand, now." Standing at the designated position at the head of the bench Connor noted the four twenty-five pound weights, two on each side of the weight bar, and kept his hands lightly gripped on the center of the bar without applying any additional weight of his own. "Are you certain you can bench press one-hundred pounds?"

"If I can lug around your deadweight without any problems I think I can handle this." Giving the deviant a somewhat offended glance he laughed a little and wrapped up his palms with athletic tape. "I'm not that old. I used to be able to bench two-hundred pounds when I was fresh out of the academy, and I didn't exactly stop taking care of my upper body until after I lost Barb. It's been a while but I know what I can and can't handle."

"Very well." The deviant relented and prepared to help 'spot' Hank patiently. "Begin when you're ready."

"Alright, going for ten." As Hank laid back and took a firm grip on the weight bar he lifted it up from the metal support beams and slowly began lowering the weight down to his chest at a controlled speed, before lifting it straight back up into the air. "...What do you know about Fowler's past?"

"Captain Jeffrey Jeremiah Fowler is an only child and was born August 8th 1982." Connor stated with perfect accuracy to his level voice. "He was raised in Detroit by his now late parents-"

"Not that." Hank interrupted sharply as he lowered the weights down again. "That shit I know. I meant his _career_."

"Yes, of course. Captain Fowler had previously served in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army where he achieved the rank of Master Sergeant and Sergeant First Class respectively." Connor replied as he carefully monitored Hank's vitals as the older detective lifted the weights back up from his chest for the second time. "He was a highly decorated officer and has since retired from his military service to focus entirely on his career in law enforcement after he married."

"...Right." Hank confirmed as he lowered the weights back down for the third rep. "What else?"

"Are you referring to his personal life?"

"I'm talking about his time as a detective before he became a Captain." Lifting the weights up into the air a fourth time Hank breathed deeply and slowly as he spoke. "What do you know about Jeffrey as an officer _after_ his military career?"

"I know he worked narcotics for two years before being transferred to homicide." Tightening his hands on the bar Connor watched Hank's climbing heart rate as the detective lowered the weights down toward his chest for the fourth time. "Afterward he continued to steadily climb through the ranks and had been responsible for your own promotion to Lieutenant being approved."

"...Nothing else?"

Resisting the urge to help Hank lift up the weights from his chest Connor shook his head a little. "I do not have access to his full file."

"Alright, it's like this." Keeping his breathing under control Hank lowered the weights for the fifth time as he spoke to Connor in a calm voice. "Jeffrey transferred out of narcotics and I ended up taking his place. The reason he left was pretty damn personal and now I think it's going to come full circle and bite him in the ass after all this time."

"...Can you give me more information?"

Lifting up the weights for the sixth time a red hue was beginning to overtake Hank's complexion and he began to sweat. "Jeffrey's former partner was a friend who joined him in the police academy after they both left the army." Lowering the weights toward his chest he let out his breath and took a moment to rest. "And his friend was sent undercover to bust a drug ring."

Connor quickly caught onto what Hank was telling him. "...His partner was killed."

"Yeah." Lifting up the weights for rep number seven Hank continued the sad story. "His name was Ruben Estevez, and he had a loving wife, two young sons and a daughter when he died."

"May I ask what happened?"

Lowering the weights slowly Hank nodded a little. "While Ruben was undercover someone in the gang blew his cover and in turn he was executed in a back alley. He took a single bullet to the back of his skull and the shooter wrote the word 'snitch' in Ruben's blood along the wall of the alley where he was found."

"Wesker was responsible." Connor deduced as Hank lifted up the weights for the eighth time, his arms only beginning to shake from the effort. "But it couldn't be proven."

"...Worse." Holding the weights up for a moment Hank took in a deep breath and lowered them back down slowly. "It _was_ proven that Wesker was the murderer, but Wesker had bought the jury AND the judge. He got away with _murdering a cop_."

"That's unacceptable."

"Yup." As he lifted up the weights for the ninth time Hank turned his head slightly to make sure no one was near the doorway to the weight room. "And Jeffrey left narcotics out of guilt. He's been feeling like shit ever since."

"Do you think Captain Fowler would attempt to go after Wesker out of personal revenge?"

"...I don't know." Lowering the weights carefully Hank took a deep breath and lifted them back up to finish off the tenth and final rep. Connor helped to secure the bar back over the metal supports while Hank sighed and sat upright slowly. "Jeffrey and I hadn't spoke for a while after that," wiping off his sweat from his brow and neck onto the towel he gave Connor a somber glance. "and it got only worse after I went through my own depression. I don't know the man as well as I used to."

Sitting down on the neighboring unoccupied bench Connor contemplated Hank's concerns and found them justified. "You are also a Captain, perhaps you can handle this case without him knowing."

"Doesn't work like that." Unwrapping his hands Hank flexed his palms a few times and took in a calming breath. "He's still in charge at this precinct and everything goes through him."

"What do you recommend?"

"Keep looking into the case. If we can connect this new strain of 'red ice' to Wesker then I'll be the one to tell Fowler about it in private. If he gets too fired up I'll pull rank and have him recused from the investigation."

"Hank, I suspect that Captain Fowler is already aware that the case could be connected to Wesker."

"How do you figure?" Tossing the used, sweaty towel over his shoulder Hank breathed deep again where he sat to cool down after his brief, but effective, workout.

"After returning to the precinct I noted that Captain Fowler was watching me closely, as if he were waiting for me to say or do something of particular interest."

"Alright... Try to keep it quiet without being too secretive. Think you can manage that?"

"Yes. I will do so." Reaching one hand over Connor grabbed Hank's wrist and noted his pulse. "You should shower off and drink some water. I'll see if I can establish a connection between the drug ring and Wesker."

"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you back in the bullpen."

"Should I mention anything to anyone else?"

"Let Gavin and Tina know so they can work at their desks, then send a message to Jack so he can let Chris know what's going on while they're on patrol."

"Anyone else?"

"No. Between the six of us we should be able to handle this and hopefully keep Jeffrey from doing something he'll regret."

"I hope you're correct."

"Yeah, me too." Standing up from the bench Hank took a moment to stretch his back before leaving the gym. "I just hope this will work."

"...May I ask why you're so determined to shelter Captain Fowler from this case?"

"Let's just say I owe Jeffrey this. He kept my ass from getting burned worse than it had been, it's the least I can do for him."

"I understand, Hank. I'll do everything I can to help solve this case as quickly and efficiently as possible."

"I know, kid. I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about Jeffrey.""

* * *

True to his word Connor resumed his work on the case at hand while remaining discreet throughout his entire investigation. Having spoken to Tina in the breakroom when she had gotten up to get Gavin some (more) coffee the deviant was able to inform her of the potential seriousness of the case, and have managed to send a cybernetic message to Jack to keep things outside the precinct quiet as well. She and Gavin readily agreed to keep the case quiet to ensure their Captain wasn't put on edge, or forced to make a drastic decision.

However, Captain Fowler wasn't the type to be fooled so easily. He could sense the tension in the air without needing to step outside of his office, and seeing Gavin working without bothering Connor was a pretty big red flag that something was going on. As soon as he caught sight of Hank returning to his desk, his gray locks still damp from his shower despite toweling off, Captain Fowler made his way out of the office and opened his door to call to the second Captain.

"Hank. I need to speak to you."

Flashing Connor a suspicious stare out of Captain Fowler's line of sight, the deviant stared back with a look in his eyes confirming his innocence in the matter.

"Yeah, I'm comin'." Hank somewhat shouted in response as he turned away from his desk to enter the office as requested. As he entered the office Hank closed the door behind him and sat down in the chair on the opposite side of the desk from Captain Fowler. "I don't got enough to do as it is, so why not stop to chat?"

"Knock it off, Hank." Captain Fowler snipped as the detective joined him in the office. "I know something's going on, and I need to know what it is."

"Now what?"

"Hank. Cut the shit." Now standing before the stubborn detective Captain Fowler crossed his arms and gave Hank a stern look that he seldom expressed to one of his fellow officers. "I know something's going on with that piece of shit, Wesker."

"Ah, fuck." There was no point in playing dumb, and Hank knew it. "Who told?"

"No one, Hank. Did you seriously forget that I'm a detective, too? Or do you really think I'm that fuckin' stupid?"

"I don't know. I guess it depends on if you're going to go after Wesker or not."

"You know I can't look away on this one."

"Which is why I didn't say anything and ordered everyone else to keep quiet."

"I didn't say anything when you shot dead Jack Pillar a while back."

"Hey! That was a clean shot!" Hank was now on the defensive and ready to fight. "The fucker was holding Gavin _hostage_ and he _shot_ Connor. The fact that he killed Barbara had NOTHING to do with what went down that day and you know it! Don't you fuckin' try to twist this around on me."

"Uh-huh. I also know about Connor going after Perkins for-"

"Jeffrey..." Hank resisted the urge to grab Captain Fowler by the neck and squeeze. "If you want to threaten me, FINE. I don't care. But don't you dare go after my family."

"So acts of revenge are okay as long as someone named 'Anderson' pulls the trigger? Is that it?"

"Jeffrey, I'm not going to watch you get yourself killed. You're pissed and trust me, I know MANY things about being pissed off, but what you're thinking is fuckin' murder. What I did was justified, what Connor ALMOST did would've been the worst mistake of his life and he wised up and stopped. But what you want to do will put a fuckin' target on your back and your own family will get caught in the crossfire."

"Now you're threatening MY family?!"

"I'm trying to WARN you as my friend, damn it!" Resisting the urge to throw a punch Hank took a step back and took in a deep breath to calm himself as much as possible. "Jeffrey, I'm the last person who should tell you that you're wrong for being pissed off and wanting to choke the life out of that worthless bastard, but I can't just stand by and watch you throw away your career. You're too good for the kind of bullshit that I've done. Don't make my mistakes, don't let grudges from the past take away your future."

"...So you just want me to sit here on my ass while my officers arrest the motherfucker who killed my best friend?"

"No. I want you to observe the investigation without TOUCHING any of the evidence. You're too close to this case."

"Right. Get the evidence, prove Wesker is a piece of shit and watch him walk away after bribing his freedom for a second time. Why not?"

"...That won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"Because we won't let any corrupt assholes stop justice. Not this time."

"You really think you can get the charges to stick?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Fine. Then I'm recusing myself from this case, AND this precinct."

"Wait... What?!"

"Congratulations, Hank. You're now the ranking officer and now you're in charge."

"You can't be serious."

As Captain Fowler made his way to the office door he stopped short and looked at Hank over his shoulder. "I'm going to go home and be with my family. Don't fuck this up."

"Jeffrey, wait a goddamn-"

The door slammed shut and Captain Fowler was gone.

"...Shit."

* * *

It took Hank all but an hour to inform the 'higher-ups' of Captain Fowler's recusal, and with that information Hank was officially instated as the precinct's acting Captain. The change was a bit of a shock to the rest of the bullpen, but that didn't stop the detectives from continuing their investigation into Wesker's connection to the drug ring, and his current location. It felt like the entire precinct was battling against an unseen ticking clock for reasons they couldn't seem to understand.

Connor entered the office where Hank was currently sitting behind Captain Fowler's now vacated desk with a deeply contemplative expression on his face. Sitting back in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest Hank stared at the floor on the opposite side of the desk and didn't move even as Connor spoke to him in a low tone.

"Hank? Are you okay?"

"...Fine. It's just this isn't how I was expecting to take my first command." Closing his eyes Hank tried to steel his uncharacteristically fragile nerves. "But that's not why you're in here, is it? What's going on?"

"We... may have a lead."

"What?" Looking up quickly at the deviant standing before him Hank suddenly returned to reality. "You have a _lead_?"

"Yes. The alias that I had mentioned earlier is connected to bank fraud, tax evasion and drug trafficking, and as a result we have been granted a search warrant of the property under his name."

"Alright. You and me are going to check the place out. Get some Kevlar for the both of us and meet at front with the warrant."

"Got it." Connor quickly departed from the office and obeyed his instructions flawlessly.

Fishing his phone from his pocket Hank sent a text message to Captain Fowler's wife to ask where he was and if she knew what was happening. Her reply text was enough to send a cold shiver down his spine.

' _Jeffrey isn't here. What's happening, Hank_?'

"Son of a bitch."

Sending a quick message urging her to remain calm and that he'd get everything taken care of Hank took in a deep breath and prepared himself for a worst case scenario. Slipping his phone back into his pocket Hank exited the office and motioned for the officers in the bullpen working on the case to follow him.

"Alright, we need to move. I get the feeling some shit's about to go down and I don't want anyone here getting caught in the mess. No lights, no sirens."

* * *

Diligently Connor drove to the address of the warehouse with Hank as the passenger. Leading a small squadron of police cars as they converged on the scene Hank stayed on the radio and issued commands to the responding officers as the entire precinct, not just his partner, was now his responsibility. The warehouse area was dark, but there was still sign of movement from someone, or an entire group of people skulking about in secret. All the same discretion and silence were important.

"Connor, keep a look out for Fowler."

"Fowler?!" The deviant almost snapped at the order. "Why should I locate Captain Fowler?"

"His wife said he never came home, and I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to take on Wesker himself."

"...I'll remain vigilant. But how would Captain Fowler even know to come here?"

"Jeffrey still has a lot of good contacts and knows how to pull strings."

The speeding vehicles reached their destination and came to an abrupt stop several yards from the building of interest. Keeping their distance for the moment the responding officers readied themselves for the inevitable confrontation surely awaiting for them inside.

"Stay quiet, and keep low." Hank practically barked as he turned to look at Connor and issued his next order. "Do NOT go in alone."

"I'm right behind you, Hank."

"Good." Checking his gun he opened his door and made his way toward the warehouse with Connor right behind him, and eight other officers; excluding Gavin and Tina, right after. "Find the front."

Connor nodded with his own gun drawn and pointed at the ground before him as he moved, and proceeded to locate the front entrance of the warehouse. Hank kept low and motioned for the other officers to locate the rear entrance and any other door that could be used as an escape route. Pressing their backs up against the exterior of the warehouse on either side of the door Connor peered inside the partially opaque windows and ran a scan on the occupants inside the the building.

One was properly identified as Amber Carson, the others were all known small-time drug dealers. They were also armed and hovering around an impressive amount of 'red ice'. Connor confirmed the number of armed suspects to Hank and waited for the next order.

"...On three." Hank spoke very low and took the safety from his gun, while Connor did the same for his own. "One, two... three!"

Connor kicked down the door as he and Hank entered the warehouse side by side.

"DETROIT POLICE. DON'T MOVE."

The group inside the warehouse immediately scattered; half of the group trying to flee from the police and the other half grabbing weapons to open fire. Ducking down behind large metal cargo containers Connor and Hank held their ground while the officers outside proceeded to wrangle and arrest those who managed to slip outside the building.

"Do you see Wesker anywhere?!" Hank shouted as he ducked down away from the bullets tearing through the metal makeshift shield in front of him.

"Negative! But there is movement behind the warehouse near the port!"

"Fuck! Can you get out there?"

"I can." Connor quickly scanned the building and found a route outside. But it would require running through the line of fire. "Cover me!"

Side stepping away from his own cargo container Connor continued to open fire as he made he way to the nearby window and leapt through the already broken glass. Landing on his feet easily atop the fragments of broken glass outside Connor used his scanner to locate the fleeing suspect and noted a second person moving in right behind them.

"I have located Wekser, I'm in pursuit."

* * *

Hank resumed the firefight and managed to wound two of the suspects with clean shots to the shoulders. As the two drug dealers dropped their weapons and knelt on the floor to surrender the other criminals attempted to flee through the rear of the warehouse only to be cut off by the other officers waiting for them outside.

"Lock 'em all up!" Hank shouted as he kicked the dropped weapons away from the surrendering criminals. Standing tall and fearlessly Hank exuded authority and no one dared to question it. "We'll get names and statements later."

Grabbing his phone Hank made contact with Connor through a cybernetic text and heard the distress in the deviant's voice. ' _Hank, I have the suspect in my sight. Confirm that it IS Wesker_. _There is a second male suspect as well, I cannot confirm the identity_.'

"What's your current position?"

' _Currently heading South-West of the warehouse toward the water_.'

"We're on it, stay with him!"

' _Will do_.'

* * *

Connor easily gained speed and closed the distance on the two fleeing humans before him, but despite his speed he still wasn't fast enough to witness the cause of the gunfire that echoed through the air just before him. Instinctively Connor ducked down behind a concrete barricade that led to the water and scanned the area for any sign of the gun, and tried to identify which of the two suspects had opened fire. One of the two humans was now laying on the concrete and the other was looming over him.

Resuming the chase Connor kept his gun drawn and noted the sudden drop in vital signs as one of the humans had clearly been injured.

"Detroit Police." Connor shouted as he eyed the two suspects laying on the bloody dock. One of the humans had a smoking gun pointed at the face of the second human on the ground; the injured man bleeding out was Wesker. "Drop your weapon!"

The first human raised his hands into the air before he spoke up. "It's okay, Connor."

"...Captain Fowler?" The deviant's own gun dropped lower in response.

Captain Fowler turned around slowly, his gun still clutched in his hand, as he faced the deviant Lieutenant. "He was attempting to flee the scene and would not surrender." Captain Fowler's voice was calm and even. "It was a clean shooting."

"Captain, you shouldn't be here."

"I know." Replacing the safety on his weapon Captain Fowler turned his gun so the handle was extended out toward Connor. "That's why I'm turning in my service weapon and with report to H.R. tomorr-"

Connor's eye caught the flash of movement a second too late as Wesker pulled his own gun and opened fire against Fowler. "Captain!?"

The bullet pierced through Captain Fowler's unprotected back and erupted with a gush of blood. Reacting with an angry outburst Connor fired twice at Wesker, one bullet lodging inside the man's upper chest ,and the second striking his right shoulder.

As Wesker collapsed in defeat Fowler fell to his knees heavily in pain and blood.

"Captain?!" Kneeling down in front of Captain Fowler as quickly as possible Connor let the wounded human lean up against, his chest resting against Connor's shoulder. Pressing his hand against the bleeding wound in Captain Fowler's back; the bullet tearing through his body just below his left shoulder blade and into his ribcage, Connor applied pressure and cybernetically called for help. "I have you. I got you. Help is on the way."

"...Shit." Fowler swore as his heavy weight pressed against Connor with an increasing pressure. "Damn bullet... in the back. I knew he was... a coward."

"You're going to be okay, Captain." Connor insisted as supported his wounded superior officer in his arms. "Help is coming."

"...It was a good shooting, Connor."

"I know, Captain. You wouldn't have fired unless it was necessary."

"I doubt..." Wincing as he took in a shuddering breath Fowler managed to laugh a little. "...I doubt H.R. will see it that way. Right, Hank?"

From behind Connor the detective arrived and fell to his knees beside Captain Fowler where Connor was still holding him.

"Ah, fuckin' hell!" Hank slipped off his dark coat and draped it around Captain Fowler's shoulders to try to keep him as warm as possible. "Jeffrey, what the fuck did you do!?"

"...I told you I knew... what was happening, Hank."

"So you came out here and waited for all Hell to break loose?"

"What better way to confront your demons?"

"Damn it, Jeffrey. What am I going to tell Maria?"

"Tell her... that I was an idiot. And that I love her."

"Fuck! You're NOT going to die, Jeffrey." Hank's hand pressed down over top Connor's hand beneath the coat to keep the pressure over the wound. "You're just going to spend some time in the hospital, and I'm going to make sure every second you're there you know how much of a dumbass you were tonight."

Connor gave Hank a worried, emotional look as he swallowed his fear once. Sending Hank a cybernetic message to his phone Connor constantly monitored the injured Captain's vital signs and did so silently. Hank knew that whatever Connor had sent to his phone was important, but he didn't want to see it or deal with it right now. Jeffrey, his friend, was more important than any update or cautionary warning that Connor had wanted to tell him.

"Hang on for me, alright?" Hank encouraged as he glanced over his shoulder to see other officers encroaching on the scene. "The ambulance is on the way."

As Captain Fowler began to lose consciousness from rapid blood loss Hank took Connor's position and let Captain Fowler lean against him instead. Captian Fowler's head bowed down and he fell limp against Hank's chest as he lost the fight and black out. Connor responded by slipping off his own jacket, only letting up on the pressure of the wound for a second, as he draped the second layer over top Hank's already provided coat to provide additional warmth to the bleeding human.

"Hold on, Jeffrey." Hank kept his tone even and calm, but he was obviously worried for the life of his oldest friend. "Just hold on... Please."

* * *

At the hospital the waiting room will filled with police officers, detectives, firefighters and military personnel alike. Maria sat in the waiting room with Captain Fowler's old and fully grown son; Jeremiah, a young man in his early twenties, holding her hand on one side, while his daughter Renee, an impending high school graduate, held her other hand. Hank sat across from the worried family and spoke to Maria as calmly and sincerely as he could, while Connor stayed in the corner of the room anxiously toying with his coin.

Chris, Jack and Tina has stopped by the hospital to check in with their captain while Gavin remained at the precinct to keep things under control. Dozens of other familiar faces from other precincts had stopped by as well as word of what happened to Captain Fowler quickly spread throughout the entire city.

"Maria." Hank lightly put his hand over top of her hand and Renee's hand as he spoke to them in a calm, confident voice. "Jeffrey is going to be okay. I can feel it."

"I know, Hank." Maria was trying to not cry for the sake of their children, but she was losing the struggle as the night wore on. "I just hate waiting to have an answer, that's all."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."

It was as quiet as it was tense as the gathered group waited for an update on Captain Fowler's condition, When the surgeon at long last informed Maria that he had pulled through there was a collective sigh of relief.

"I'm Dr. Ortiz." The surgeon introduced herself as she approached Maria and knelt before her. "Your husband survived the surgery Mrs. Fowler. Jeffrey is going to make a full recovery."

A tension left the room as Dr. Ortiz went into detail regarding the injury and of Jeffrey's impending recovery. The bullet had missed all major arteries and his spinal column altogether, but it had passed through the right lung causing considerable damage. He'd be in pain for quite a while, but was expected to make a full recovery in a few months time.

Maria, Jeremiah and Renee were all shown to Jeffrey's recovery room and the occupants of the waiting room set about either making calls, or taking their leave now that they knew Captain Fowler survived the shooting.

"Hank?" Connor pocketed his coin and joined Hank in the chairs after the detective was left to sit alone. Despite knowing that Captain Fowler was going to be okay Hank still appeared to be upset. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, kid. I'm just taking a moment for myself, ya' know?"

"Yes. I understand."

"Of all the cops I've ever known," Hank leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest and turned to look the deviant in the eyes. "Jeffrey was the last one that I ever would've expected to go out for blood."

"...I suppose all cops have their breaking point."

"The fact that he reached his before I reached mine is what worries me, kid. Maybe I'm losing my touch as a detective."

"How so?"

"Jeffrey's my friend and I've been a cop for over twenty years now. But I still didn't see it comin'."

"Hank, aren't you always reminding me to not try to hold myself accountable for things that I cannot possibly take control of? Why do you think you're any different?"

"Because he's my friend."

"And you're my father. I don't want to see you beating yourself up over this night, just as you didn't want me do the same when I lost Lucas and Skye. I don't believe Captain Fowler would want you to do the same on his behalf, either."

With a hearty sigh Hank put his hand on the back of Connor's neck and held it there for a moment. "Thanks, kid. You're right."

"Do you want to see Captain Fowler?"

"Nah. Give him a minute with his family."

"Of course."

* * *

One by one visitors stopped by to check in on Captain Fowler over the course of three days. In that time there was an investigation into the shooting of Wesker and Captain Fowler was cleared of any possible disciplinary charges. The shooting was deemed justified and no blemish appeared on the honest detective's already flawless record.

More than happy to speak to Captain Fowler and shake his superior officer's hand with respect, Connor expressed his gratitude in knowing that the man was going to be okay. "I'm relieved to know you're making a full recovery."

"Thanks, Connor." Captain Fowler was happy to shake Connor's hand, his strength returning quickly. "I knew you coming back was a good sign."

A subtle knocking on the door frame drew his attention to the sound and saw Hank standing idle in doorway. "Hey, kid. Can you give us a minute alone?"

"Of course." Looking back at Captain Fowler one last time Connor nodded with respect. "Take care, Captain."

"You do the same, Lieutenant."

Passing by Hank without breaking stride the deviant gave the two old friends the privacy as requested to speak to one another.

Connor stood outside the room with his coin dancing on his right knuckles while Hank stepped inside to speak to Captain Fowler alone. The two men appeared to be speaking to one another as two good friends normally would, and with the mutual respect between them now evident Connor sensed that whatever grudge Hank had bore against Captain Fowler for all of those years had finally ended.

Waiting quietly for almost three hours Connor met Hank outside the room as the detective put his hand on the deviant's shoulder.

"Hey, Connor. We need to talk."

Connor could see the distress on Hank's face and asked accordingly as he pocketed his coin out of sight. "Is there something wrong, Hank?"

"...I don't know."

"You seem to have something heavy weighing on your mind."

"Connor," guiding the deviant to a more secluded place in the hospital away from nosy people Hank explained things as simply as he could. "Jeffrey is going to retire from the force."

"Retire?" The revelation was rather grounding, if not humbling. "But he's not of the appropriate-"

"It's not about his age or being injured, son. It's about wanting to spend as much time with his family as he can."

"...I see. Neardeath experiences have been known to make humans prioritize the most important aspects of their lives. In Captain Fowler's case that seems to be his wife and his children."

"Right. I always put Cole first and foremost after I lost Barb."

"I think I understand his reasoning, and I respect it." Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he and Hank reached an exterior balcony away from people to speak privately. "If I may ask, who will take over the precinct as the Captain?"

Hank's hand clamped down on Connor's shoulder once more as if needing to brace for a powerful impact. "...Me."

"...You?"

"Yup. As of next week I'll be taking over the precinct, and with that you'll have a new partner."

"A new partner? I suppose that's another prospect I'll need to adapt to."

"Yeah. Same for me and being the precinct Captain."

"Everything changes for a reason, I suppose."

_**...next story...** _


	167. Abuse

Barely able to focus on anything but his impending shift Connor stood before his mirror and stared at his appearance in the flawless reflection. The look was the same, dark jeans, dark boots, a perfectly pressed white long sleeved dress shirt, a black tie and the dark gray suit jacket over top. Even his hair was styled as usual with the singly rogue lock hanging down near his left eye, and yet the person who was staring back at Connor felt like someone completely new.

As he straightened his tie for the ninth time Connor finally stepped out of his bedroom and met Hank in the kitchen as the newly appointed precinct Captain poured himself a mug of freshly brewed coffee. Hank seemed to be his usual self, but Connor couldn't help but feel as though everything was about to change and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"Hank? Are you ready to go to the precinct?"

"Sure." Finishing off his coffee turned around to face Connor and gave the deviant a tentative glance. Hank was wearing a solid colored pale blue shirt with a black tie clipped in place at the buttons. Like Connor he wore dark jeans rather than dress pants, but he was wearing black shoes instead of boots. "What do you think?"

"Your attire is more appropriate to the precinct dress code, but your hair-"

"Yeah, yeah. One change at a time." Sensing that Connor was a little hesitant to asked about their future status together at the precinct Hank took it upon himself to answer without waiting for Connor to ask the obvious. "Are you ready to work your first solo shift?"

"Solo? I thought I was to be assigned a new partner."

"You will. But right now there is no one available."

"...I see. Am I still on deviant related cases?"

"Nope. I reassigned that over to Chris and Jack."

"Because Jack is an android?"

"That... And because I want to do something to sort of commemorate Chris's promotion to Sergeant."

"Chris has been promoted?"

"Yup. And you'll be working homicide. If I could take care of it by myself, then I know you'll have no problems doing the same. I just want you to start wearing a Kevlar vest when you're in the field at all times from now on."

"That is acceptable."

"Good. Because I wasn't going to change anything around just for you, I have a whole precinct to consider now."

Sumo trotted up to Connor and pressed his cold wet nose against the side of the deviant's hand and wagged his tail. Instinctively Connor began petting the massive dog's head and tried to sound more confident than he actually felt. "We should go. I'm sure the rest of the precinct is anxious to know what has changed and what will stay the same."

"Yeah, sure. Guess I can't show up whenever I feel like it anymore now that I'm the one in charge."

Connor tried to give Hank a bemused smirk but he was still somewhat nervous about handling cases alone. It wouldn't be the first time Connor was required to handle a massive responsibility on his own, but it would be the first time he handled any cases without his partner watching his back.

Pulling his car keys from his pocket Hank motioned to Connor to do the same. "Alright, I'll see ya' there and we can get things straightened out."

"...Yes. I'll be right behind you."

* * *

Activity in the precinct seemed to go about as usual despite Captain Fowler unexpectedly retired and Hank now in charge. Despite his reputation as being difficult to work with, maybe even a little unstable at times, Hank had still earned respect from his fellow officers and peers. As Hank stepped through the bullpen he was greeted as usual with a mixture of silent nods of acknowledgement, as well as generic 'good mornings' from the officers who were anxiously waiting to see how Hank handled things now that he was in charge.

Connor however had a slightly different experience as he sat down at his desk and noted the unoccupied space across from him. Every piece of the strange eclectic items that had once adorned Hank's desk had been moved into his new office leaving the desk itself barren and boring to look at. Doing his best to ignore the blank space Connor looked at Hank sitting behind his new desk in the office and decided that he'd have to find a way to make his own desk more intriguing.

"Hey, Lieutenant." Chris walked up to the deviant and handed him an electronic tablet with a case of interest on display. "There was a homicide early this morning. I figured you'd want to take a look."

"Yes, of course." Scanning over the screen as he took it from Chris's hand Connor's brow furrowed slightly as the macabre details came to light. "...The victim was attacked in his own home, but there was no sign of an intrusion; all of the doors and the windows were locked both inside and out... That's strange. I presume there are no witnesses either."

"Yeah, you got it. Sorry to start the day off like this for you, but if anyone can figure this out, it's you."

"Thank you, Sergeant. I'll see what I can do."

Chris smirked as Connor called him 'Sergeant' before returning to his own desk.

Uploading the coordinates of the address to his cybernetic G.P.S. Connor took his leave of the precinct to handle his first solo case. It felt strange to leave for a crime scene without a partner watching his back, and it felt even stranger to know that Hank was going to be staying behind and in a private office, but it was a change he'd simply have to get used to.

Nodding once to Hank through the transparent office window to let him know that he'd be leaving, Connor took his leave and set about to deal with the case on his own.

* * *

Arriving at the designated crime scene in a timely manner Connor found the large house, a mansion to be more exact, already barricaded by projections of police tape and other officers who were containing the scene. Inside the mansion the C.S.I. crews began to isolate evidence and take photographs of the murder. Pulling the Corvette alongside the long, winding drive behind the previously arrived police cruisers Connor parked and locked up the valuable car as he proceeded toward the mansion.

Glancing over his shoulder Connor caught sight of news vans beginning to gather around the property as word of the murder soon spread throughout the city. It was less than comforting to know that the vultures were already gathering, but it was common.

"Hey, Connor." Ben greeted the deviant as he entered the front door of the mansion and was almost overwhelmed with the smell of old blood and decaying flesh. "I got a real interesting case for ya'. Hope you have a better time figuring this out than we did."

"One victim who had been found in a house with the doors and the windows locked both internally and externally." The deviant recited the known details of the murder as he gazed about casually. "Who called in the murder?"

"The mailman. Poor guy saw that the mail was piling up, peeked through the window and practically had the life scared out of him."

"Do we have a time frame for the death?"

"We're looking at six days, possibly seven."

"Fingerprints?"

"Nothing except for those of the victim."

"Shoe prints?"

"Same. There are security cameras at the front and backdoor, but I doubt someone this thorough wouldn't forget to tamper with the footage."

"I'll look at the footage later. Don't worry about it."

Stepping deeper inside the mansion through the large foyer Connor glanced about and scanned the interior for any sign of other intruders that the human eye otherwise wouldn't be able to see. As he ventured through the foyer he caught the sound of cameras flashing as the C.S.I. crew photographed the crime scene in the sitting room one room over.

Ben pointed Connor in the right direction. "Right in there. We've been airing out the room as best as possible without tampering with the windows or doors."

"Thank you, Ben. I'll take it from here."

Joining the C.S.I. crew in the sitting room where the body was located Connor crouched down and ran a scan over the victim and confirmed his identity within a matter of seconds: Logan McCoy; born December 4th 2003, a former A.I. Graduate at the University of Colbridge, and studied under the late Professor Amanda Stern.

" _Amanda_?!"

Connor stood up after the startling connection to his former handler was exposed, and he felt his heart racing in his chest. Forcing himself to finish the scan he resumed looking into the victim's past: Credited with assisting Elijah Kamski in developing the now famous 'Turing Test', and working as Kamski's silent partner for many years as CyberLife grew in power. McCoy had also quietly left the company to live a quiet life in his isolated home away from the public.

"...Kamski." Connor muttered under his breath venomously as he realized the possible severity of the situation. Anyone associated with the cold snake disguised as a human was immediately labeled an enemy in Connor's mind, but right now he couldn't think like that for the sake of the victim. "What the hell happened here?"

Logan McCoy had been shot and stabbed, multiple times.

Each wound was precisely calculated to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort. Only a machine, an _android_ , could be so precise. And that particular android would require special programming to properly identify each of the vital organs in the human body before the attack.

Noting the four bullet wounds in McCoy's abdomen, the seven stab wounds to his chest, the snapped neck, and blunt force trauma to the rest of his body resulting in numerous broken or fractures in his ribs, hands, arms, legs, spine and all throughout his face; it was evident that whomever murdered McCoy had a serious vendetta against him.

The murder was personal.

Connor knelt closer to McCoy, mindful of the puddle of dried, dark blood all around the body on the floor, and took his in appearance. McCoy was thirty-nine years old, yet he appeared to be twenty-seven years in age. He had taken excellent care of his health and had evidently followed a strict diet and exercise regimen. For someone to overpower him would've taken a tremendous amount of strength.

McCoy's well groomed dark hair, without any trace of gray through it, was designed to be slicked back but now it was a mess of dried blood and sweat. His teeth had been replaced with perfect veneers and were broken from devastating blows to his jaw and face. Very faint scars around his pupils were indicative of scars from lasik surgery to correct his vision, and dried out tinted contact lenses changed his natural iris color from pale brown to dark blue.

Everything about McCoy screamed 'perfection' in his style, and his home; a gorgeous three story brick mansion with six large rooms on each floor, a massive pool and hot tub in the backyard. But it screamed 'fake' just as loudly. It seemed cruelly poetic that a man who held himself to such a stature above his peers had proven to be just vulnerable and mortal as any other man in the city.

"There are no fingerprints on the body," Connor thought out loud as Ben joined him next to the victim. "no shoe prints leading up to or away from the house beyond that of the victim and the mailman. The doors and the windows are all locked, and the security system had never been disarmed."

"Do you have an idea?" Ben asked as Connor stood upright slowly and proceeded to scan the floorboards around the victim more closely. "'Cuz we sure as hell don't know what's going on."

"...I may have a theory. But I'll need to examine the rest of the house."

"Sure. We didn't find anything useful, but maybe you can."

* * *

Hank sat at his desk relatively bored with the mundane tasks of sorting through case files and replying to micromanaging e-mails from 'higher-ups' from City Hall as his only tasks for the day. Leaning forward and resting his chin on the palm of his hand he turned his head and saw that Connor's desk was empty, which of course meant he still had something more interesting to check out, and watched as Chris happily chatted with Tina and Gavin in the breakroom. Jack, a deviant who was still trying to integrate with human social activities, stood idle next to the chatting detectives without providing a single word of his own to the conversation.

Ignoring the e-mails on his terminal for a moment Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a message to Connor to ask about his current case, and if it was just as 'thrilling' as paperwork.

' _I am currently trying to solve a locked room mystery_.' Connor replied through a cybernetic text. ' _One victim with no sign of intrusion, but the murder was brutally personal and efficient_.'

"Want me to stop by and help? This paperwork is going to drive me crazy."

' _I can handle it_. _I believe the fewer people who are at the crime scene will make it easier to deduce the identity of the killer_.'

"Do you have a suspect in mind?"

' _Perhaps_. _I suspect an android as the most likely culprit_.'

"No shit? Alright. Keep me posted."

' _I will_.'

Putting his phone aside Hank leaned back in his chair and looked at the breakroom with a half interested glance. He didn't actually want any coffee, but he sure as hell didn't want to just watch the other officers moving about free of the tedium of paperwork either.

"Fuck it." Grabbing his mug from his desk Hank wandered out of the office and made his way to the breakroom. "Shitty tasting coffee is better than paperwork any day."

* * *

Exploring the mansion Connor was able to confirm that McCoy had lived alone up until his death, and had the mansion equipped with cybernetic functions that made it a 'smart house' that kept itself clean and tidy. Each room was meticulously put in its place which contrasted glaringly against the disheveled sitting room where the murder had taken place.

As Connor examined the master bedroom his scanner detected a trace amount of long since evaporated blue blood on the floor, the wall and more disconcertingly on the mattress of the bed. The sample was too degraded to get a make and model of the android that had bled in the room, but it was enough to support Connor's current theory of an android being the murderer.

The dried Thirium was between two years old and eight months old minimum, and had been left to dry on its own. The amount of lost Thirium wasn't due to a singular incident, but to many incidents resulting in injury. The android had bled in the center of the mattress over the estimated time frame numerous times, which was indicative of repeated physical abuse.

The sight made Connor feel angry and sick.

"McCoy had an android in his possession." Connor's hands tightened into fists at his sides and he followed the dried trail of blue blood from the bed and to other various rooms of the mansion. The trail led to the bathroom, to the study, to the windows, to the hallway closet, down the stairs, to the front door and to the backdoor. The android was trying to escape after being physically abused, and it apparently managed to finally get away at least eight months prior. "He was abusive toward his android, but it finally managed to flee."

Following the most recent trail of blood to the front door Connor was led out to the driveway where it immediately stopped without any further trace in the middle of the drive.

"The abused android fled the mansion and climbed into an awaiting vehicle." Too much time had passed to gather any information on the vehicle through tire tracks, but the time frame could be confirmed at eight months prior as Connor estimated. Turning back to look at the mansion Connor's eyes detected the hidden motion activated security camera just above the front door facing the drive. "Hopefully, McCoy didn't erase the security footage."

* * *

At the precinct Hank was having a less than ideal meeting with the mayor as he did his best to not insult the insufferable man, while the myopic politician tried desperately to gain favor with the voters by 'making friends' with the police precincts and fire departments all around the city. Putting up with the openly fraudulent attempt to appear as a genuine 'Average Joe' with an equally faux smile, Hank patiently waited for the little worm to say his piece and leave him alone at long last.

In that time Connor had returned to the precinct with the collected evidence already cybernetically uploaded to his terminal and was eager to set about to work. Taking his seat at his desk the dedicated detective began piecing together the partially erased and corrupted security footage from the mansion to identify the killer.

For the first time since his deviancy Connor felt torn about solving the murder. Justice needed to be served and the killer needed to be captured, but if the android who murdered McCoy was the same one who had been abused, then perhaps justice had already been served. Connor could prove that the victim had escaped the abusive household months prior which would negate any claims for self-defense, but as someone who had also suffered from the haunting effects of P.T.S.D. from his own tragic experiences Connor's heart went out to the victim despite not knowing who they were.

It was never easy to heal or move on after enduring personal tragedy, and it was made all the more difficult by vivid memories haunting the victim's dream. Connor himself had managed to heal enough to move on with his life, yet he still felt the lingering sting of tragedy weighing against his heart from time to time.

Jack walked over to Connor's desk and stood beside it for a moment before addressing the detective in a slightly humanoid curious tone of voice. "May I ask about your progress on your case, Lieutenant?"

"...Slow." Connor replied as he looked up at the blond android before staring back at his terminal screen. "A majority of the security footage from the crime scene in question had been erased or corrupted through second party. It will take time but I will be able to piece together the footage to identify the suspect."

"Would you like any assistance?"

"No. I can handle this. Thank you, Jack."

Nodding in approval Jack walked away from Connor's desk and rejoined Chris at his own briefly before the two set off on their afternoon patrol. It was nice to see other deviants being treated as equals, especially by someone as kind as Chris.

"Kinda' like looking into the past, huh, kid?"

Connor turned his head and noticed Hank casually leaning up against his former desk with his arms folded over his chest.

"Are you referring to my time prior to becoming a deviant and our first official shift together?"

"Yup."

Connor's mouth twitched a little as he folded his hands neatly over his lap. "I don't recall ever being so... machine."

"To be honest, neither can I. But then again I never really saw you as a machine most of the time. I saw you as a kid."

"...A rookie?"

"Yup." Hank repeated with a slight smirk on his face as he gauged Connor's own reaction to the question.

"Perhaps that's why I was able to deviate so easily after I met you. Your behavior toward me was how you would've treated any inexperienced officer, rather than that of a cold machine."

"To be more specific, any inexperienced officer who also had a _hard time following orders_. To be fair, you still do." Hank shrugged his shoulders a little. "Sometimes."

"How so?"

Hank pressed a pointed finger against the white shirt under Connor's gray jacket. "No Kevlar."

"O-Oh. Yes, of course." Connor sat back a little in his seat and pressed his hand over his chest. "I didn't have time to get a vest before my case had been assigned."

"Uh-huh. Learn to make the time, alright?"

"Yes, Captain." Connor craned his neck to look into Hank's office through the transparent windows that lined the small area and saw that the mayor had long since left the precinct. "How was your meeting with the mayor?"

"Full of bullshit and lies."

"...So normal?"

Patting his hand over Connor's shoulder in approval Hank leaned down to look at the deviant's terminal screen. "How's your case?"

"Progressing at a slow clip."

"Find any trace of the killer?"

"It's possible. But the security footage will confirm or deny my theory once it's been restored."

"Cool. I'm going on lunchbreak. Wanna' join me?"

"I'd rather remain here in the event another delay in restoring the security footage could potentially halt my investigation."

"Alright. See you around, kid."

* * *

The day gave way to night and Connor remained at his terminal as he patiently awaited the security footage to be restored. In that time Hank had already left for the evening as did the rest of the day shift. Electing to stay behind to finish his work Connor found himself struggling to focus on the tedious task and instinctively went for the coin in his pocket. As he danced the coin over his hands more details from the case appeared on his terminal screen and with it a single sample of the Thirium that had evaporated into the floorboards had been salvaged.

"Progress at last."

Slipping into the evidence room in the basement Connor sorted through the collected evidence and located the Thirium sample that had been collected. It was a tiny amount soaked into a section of the stained hardwood that lined the floor of the mansion. The sample was so sparse that it was barely detectable by the C.S.I. crew's instruments, but was still plainly visible to Connor's scanner.

"With any luck the sample will be enough to identify a make and model of the deviant in question." Trading his coin for the sample Connor set about attempting to gain some leverage in the case that he could work with. "I can then narrow down deviants who've formerly had an connection to McCoy."

Holding the piece of the floor in his left hand Connor dragged his right fingertip over the fading Thirium stain and pressed the sample to his tongue. It took his analysis program almost a full minute to process the provided and diluted sample, but it succeeded in time. And with the results came a familiar name and hauntingly familiar face.

"...Chloe?"

* * *

Returning home quietly just past midnight Connor planted himself on the couch in the middle cushion with his coin nervously dancing over his hand. The blood sample had been confirmed to belong to that of Chloe, three tests all resulted in the same conclusion, yet Connor was having a difficult time trying to theorize how she could've been in the mansion. It seemed like a false positive, but with three consistently accurate tests all reaching the same conclusion there was no denying the facts.

The only connection between McCoy and Chloe herself, was Kamski.

"Connor?" Hank walked down the hallway half asleep with a tired yawn in his voice. "What kept you?"

"...My case."

"You alright? You seem a little distracted."

"...Just thinking."

"Is the case really that tough?"

Connor didn't answer as he continued to mess with the coin over his hand. The nervous tic always gave away Connor's racing thoughts and mounting stress. Despite Hank's insistence that he didn't need the coin anymore the deviant refused to get rid of the small item, and would even seem to get agitated whenever Hank told him to put it away.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Hank insisted as he studied Connor's demeanor carefully. "You'll crack it tomorrow."

"...I'll go to bed in a moment."

"Yeah, alright. Don't obsess over this thing, okay?" Walking back down the hallway Hank disappeared back into his bedroom. "Goodnight, Connor."

Falling silent once more Connor didn't reply as his eyes stared straight forward at the turned off television screen while his mind continued to deal with the prospect of Chloe possibly being a murderess. She was still residing in New Jericho Tower, and Connor knew that all he had to do was give the word to his allies in the tower to keep her there until he could arrest her, but something in his heart was telling him to wait.

Something he couldn't explain.

The morning arrived and Connor had remained on the couch without budging since he arrived home six hours prior. Sumo stretched out and yawned from his bed in the corner of the livingroom before he walked over to Connor and pressed his chin and strong paw down over top Connor's knee. The deviant didn't react to the gentle dog's greeting and continued to fidget with the coin over his hand.

"Connor?" This time when Hank called his name his voice was less tired and more annoyed. "You better not tell me you were up all damn night again."

"...I apologize, Hank. I was-"

"Thinking. I know."

Letting out an annoyed sigh Hank made his way into the bathroom to shower off and begin his new, earlier morning routine. Connor remained where he sat on the couch and let the coin come to a stop over the back of his hand. Turning his attention to Sumo who was looking up at him with big brown eyes Connor slipped his coin back into his pocket and placed his hand onto Sumo's head.

"...I have a bad feeling about today, boy." Sumo whimpered and licked Connor's arm in empathetic response. "Come on. I can at least get you taken care of."

It took Hank almost twenty minutes to shower off, and in that time Connor took care of Sumo - fed him and let him outside for a few minutes, and prepared a fresh pot of coffee for Hank. Deciding it'd be best to not accidentally irritate Hank any further than he already had done Connor left early and placed a perfectly written note up against the coffee pot to ensure Hank found it.

* * *

Connor returned to the precinct and immediately resumed his investigation. The security footage had been restored to its best possible quality, and with that evidence finally in hand Connor was able to clearly identify the single android that had been on the property in the past eight months, as well as the previous five days; including the night of the murder. There was denying the identity of the killer and Connor had no choice but to act upon what he had regretfully uncovered.

The security footage from eight months prior showed the blonde haired deviant stumbling out of the house with blue blood trailing behind her. There was blood dripping down her legs from a wound under her dress. She bled as she fell into the backseat of an autonomous taxi that had pulled into the drive to rescue her, and she was carted off to safety.

Chloe escaped.

But the security footage from five days ago showed the same deviant returning to the house and cybernetically unlocking the front door of the house through security codes. Though still grainy Connor could see that a gun was in one hand, and a knife was in the other. Shortly thereafter the footage became corrupted beyond repair and only resumed its standard recording after the murder had been committed.

Chloe killed him.

"Chloe... What did you do to him? What did he do to you?"

Cybernetically Connor connected to Markus at New Jericho Tower to ask about his prime suspect. ' _Markus. I need an update on Chloe's status_.'

' _Chloe_?' The confusion in Markus's voice was sincere and dense. ' _What do mean_?'

' _Markus, I fear Chloe is responsible for the murder of a human_.'

' _What_?! _You're sure_?'

' _Positive_. _Where is she_?'

' _Wait_... _You don't know where she is_?'

Connor felt his heart skip a beat as he continued the silent conversation with Markus. ' _Why would I_? _She is currently at New Jericho Tower, isn't she_?'

' _No_. _Chloe has been interning at the hospital during the day and remaining at Skye Tower at night. At least that's what she old us had been arranged_.'

' _Markus, no deviants reside in the tower at night unless they are refugees, or volunteers_. _She is neither_.'

' _Connor_...' The regret was heavy in every single one of Markus's words. ' _I'm so sorry. She_ -'

' _Don't worry about that now, Markus. Just keep a lookout for her. I'm going to begin a search_.'

' _I'll let everyone know to keep an eye out for her and to contact you if she shows up_.'

' _If she is guilty she could be dangerous, don't let anyone get close to her if they're alone_.'

'... _Yeah. I get it_.'

Leaning forward against his desk Connor swore and let out a deep breath. "Shit."

Chloe was missing. No one at New Jericho Tower knew of her disappearance and no one at Skye Tower had been able to track here down upon Connor's request. Even the hospital where she was interning as a nurse hadn't seen her for a week.

"I never should've taken her away from Kamski. It was a mistake after all."

* * *

Driving about the city in his Corvette at a steady clip Connor searched for any clue as to where the suspected murderess had gone. No one at New Jericho Tower could confirm seeing her since she began interning at the hospital, and no one at Skye Tower had seen her in six days after she accompanied Dr. Wilson to the tower when he began his night shift as per usual.

Initiating a citywide search for the rogue, suspected murderess had brought about a mixed reaction from the other deviants. Unable to release the details to the public at the time Connor was forced to rely solely on the evidence he had already collected and hoped that Chloe would be found soon.

"...Why didn't I do more to keep tabs on her?" Connor asked himself out loud as he scanned each passing face on the sidewalk carefully. "This is my fault."

Questions flooded his guilt-riddled mind and it made it difficult for him to concentrate.

Why did he allow Chloe to reside in the tower? Why didn't he insist on Chloe remaining under security observation? Why did he even take her away from Kamksi to begin with? He had no proof that Kamksi was harming her, it was just an assumption against the cold snake of man. How could he let a bias judgment like that sway his decision?

Connor knew Chloe's close affiliation with Kamski made her a liability, and yet he convinced Markus and the others to take her in. Now it seemed his act of kindness had been a mistake. His willingness to give her a chance was misplaced and now a human had been murdered as a result.

A cybernetic update from Jack broke through Connor's thoughts as a possible lead was reported to the precinct. ' _Lieutenant_ ,' Jack's voice was surprisingly welcome as it cut through the heaviness of his own thoughts smothering him. ' _we have an anonymous tip that could beneficial. There has been a possible sighting of the deviant known as "Chloe" at an address outside of the city_.'

"Outside the city?"

' _Correct_. _Again, the tip is anonymous and we are working to verify the authenticity at this very moment_.'

"It'll have to do until proven otherwise. Do you have the address or an approximate location?"

' _Affirmative. Sending you the G.P.S. coordinates now_.'

"I'm on my way out."

' _Copy_.'

Using the provided coordinates Connor was able to easily navigate his nimble car through traffic and toward the limits of the city. The address itself was isolated, but it matched up with that of an older house that had been built more than fifty years ago. There was no known occupant of the house on record which made it the perfect hideout for a fugitive on the run.

"The location would make an ideal place to lay low. But who would've seen Chloe out here, and known that she was wanted for questioning?"

* * *

Quickly falling into a new routine Hank sat at the terminal on his desk in his office and proceeded to weed through the almost hourly e-mails regarding department policy, procedure and micromanaging 'tips' that only pissed off the roster of working detectives and officers rather than benefiting them. As noon came around Hank looked up from his terminal over to Connor's desk and noticed that deviant was still absent.

"Fuckin' workaholic."

Hank grumbled as he brought up the current case files on his terminal and checked Connor's status. Noting the most recent tip and the address Hank figured out where Connor was going, but as read the details regarding the tip he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"What the fuck? _Chloe_ is the murderer?"

Checking over Connor's work and the evidence that had been collected Hank had reached the same conclusion and let out a somber sigh of disappointment.

"Damn it, Connor. Tell me these things." Running a hand through his long gray hair anxiously he sighed and remembered barking at Connor first thing that morning. "Fuck. Maybe if I hadn't snapped at him he would've told me."

Picking up his phone Hank prepared to text the deviant to ask for an update and an explanation, but as his thumbs hovered over the display screen to type his message he changed his mind. The case was already upsetting Connor to an extent, the last thing he needed was to feel pressured by his superior officer and someone who was supposed to be his friend.

His father.

Begrudgingly Hank sat his phone back down and let out a breathy sigh.

"Fuckin' hell, kid. Don't make me regret letting you go solo."

* * *

Twenty minutes passed and Connor finally reached the address as provided to him by the lead given to the precinct. The house was relatively rundown but it appeared to be (illegally) occupied. There were lights on inside the house, a soft glow emanating from under the front door, as well as through the small slits in the curtains over the front, boarded up windows. A few fresh shoe prints in the soft mud indicated that someone had been by the residence recently, but they were of a masculine presence and not feminine.

Someone was in the area, but it was unlikely that it was Chloe.

Opening his car door slowly Connor walked around the front of the parked car and stood idle as he ran a scan over the property. There were no human life signs, only a few birds, squirrels, chipmunks and some grazing deer in the far distance. If there was anyone in the immediate area they were surely only deviated androids, and many of those living on the outskirts of the city still mistrusted all humans.

That bad feeling that Connor had felt that morning had suddenly flared up and every fiber of his being told him that he was being set up. As his hand reached for his gun holstered under his jacket he sensed someone breaking through the treeline from beside the house and was greeted by a red glaring L.E.D. as a gunshot rang out through the forest.

"Humans aren't welcome! ANDROIDS ONLY."

Connor stumbled back as the first bullet struck him, and he was unable to get out of the line of fire. Falling back harshly against the hood of the car with a pained gasp Connor felt one bullet after another entered the left portion of his chest until four massive gunshot wounds had torn through him leaving dark, bleeding wounds that stole his breath and filled his visual processors with red warnings.

Grasping his left hand weakly at the bullet lodged dangerously close to his still beating heart, Connor ran a self-diagnostic as a thick trail of Thirium oozed from the corner of his mouth and down his neck toward his already stained, and tattered white shirt. Numerous red warnings popped up in his visual processors as a loud Klaxon that only he could hear sounded off inside his own head.

WARNING:

Biocomponent t8001 - DAMAGED

\- Core Temperature - RISING

Biocomponent f8002 - DAMAGED

Biocomponent v8002 - DAMAGED

Thirium Volume - LOW : 75%

As the numerous warnings were confirmed by his self-diagnostic the shooter appeared in Connor's line of sight and immediately dropped his gun at the sight of the blue blood pouring from Connor's wounds, as oppose to red as he had anticipated.

"...You're not... human." Backing away in horror and regret the deviant android retreated to his house and slammed the door shut as realized his error.

Connor weakly rolled from his back on top of the hood of his car, to his side and finally onto his chest. Using his bloody hands to pull himself around the front of the car and back to the driver's side door on the opposite side from where he had been shot. Pulling open the door clumsily the deviant dragged himself around the door to reach the interior of the vehicle. Falling behind the steering wheel Connor had to pull his left leg inside the car with his hands as fumbled with his blood covered right hand to turn over the ignition.

Thinking quickly Connor sent out a distress call and informed the precinct of the shooting, and of the dangerous deviant android who had the intention of luring human police officers away from the city to be executed. Connor deduced that the deviant was aware of the search for Chloe and believed in his own violent way that the best way to help her, to help his _people_ , would be to eliminate the authority figures looking for her.

Unfortunately the deviant failed to consider the possibility that one of those authority figures could also be a fellow deviant, not a human.

Driving away from the house as quickly as he could Connor analyzed his wounds and tried to locate the nearest emergency care facility. There were none this far away from the city, and he had less than fifteen minutes before he suffered a permanent shutdown from Thirium loss, as well as from the damage to his Thermal regulator causing rapid overheating.

Fighting to focus on the road Connor's vision began to fade into blackness and his strength failed him. Using only one hand to drive, his other hand clasped tightly over his chest to stem the heavy blood flow near his heart, the drive was becoming increasingly dangerous for the injured deviant. Losing his location as his cybernetic connection to his internal G.P.S. failed Connor's head bowed down and his foot slipped off the accelerator.

As the wounded detective began to lose consciousness he fell back in his seat and his heavy eyelids fell shut. The car slowed its speed and drifted off of the road into an overgrown, grassy ditch before coming to a relatively gentle stop. The vehicle was completely covered by the thick, towering flora out of sight from anyone driving by.

Fighting the urge to fall into rest mode Connor sent out a single personal message of distress to Hank: ' _I'm sorry_ '. Connor slumped forward in a dead faint over the steering wheel and was accompanied by the sound of the car's horn blaring from the deadweight of his own unconscious body pressing over against it.

* * *

The precinct was a flurry of activity as patrol cars were dispatched to the address of the shooting, and additional patrols were sent to scour the area for any sign of Connor on the roads, or in the Android Emergency Care Facilities. Beyond the single text that Connor was able to send to Hank's phone there was no further communication from the missing deviant, and there was no sign of the very noticeable car.

Eagerly Hank paced about his office as he waited for an update on the missing detective. It had been over two hours with no sign of Connor and no clue as to his current location.

Watching the bullpen warily Hank almost stormed through the office door as he saw the shooter, his hands cuffed behind his back, being dragged inside the precinct by Gavin and Tina. The deviant was shaking and had turned himself in willingly when the police arrived as he didn't want to live with the knowledge that he killed a fellow deviant.

Keeping his cool for the sake of professionalism and to ensure that he could remain actively aware of the search for Connor at all times, Hank let his anger go. At least he did for the moment.

"Come on, kid. You're too damn stubborn to die so easily." Grabbing onto his phone Hank stared down at the display screen waiting for any sign of life from Connor. "Where the fuck are you?"

A message finally appeared on his phone, but it wasn't from Connor or anyone at New Jericho as he had been expecting. Instead it was a message from the last person he had ever expected to contact him, giving him the best possible news he could've ever hoped for.

' _Connor is safe_.'

"...If you're the one sending the message I highly doubt that." Using his phone to hail an autonmous Hank hastily left his office and crossed through the bullpen to reach the street out front. "If he isn't okay, you sure as Hell won't be either..."

* * *

Softness under his back and his head was comforting. Warmth over his legs and torso was soothing. Clean air was filling his artificial lungs as he took in a slow, pained breath. The strange but comforting environment was somehow familiar, and yet Connor didn't know where he was.

A cool sensation against his forehead was a welcome feeling as Connor tried to take in a deep breath, but the strain against his damaged ventilation biocomponent made such a feat nearly impossible. Coughing as a result of the shuddering breath Connor's head lolled gently from side to side against a soft pillow and an equally soft voice 'shushed' his movements as another cool sensation lightly pressed down against his aching chest.

Weak, tired and in pain, it took all of Connor's focus just to open his eyes and see where he was laying.

Connor found himself atop a large white bed that bore an incredibly thick and soft mattress. There was an even thicker white pillow under his head and a thick white quilt over top of him. Even the walls and the floor of the room were white, but bright, colorful paintings by Carl Manfred himself lined the walls.

Someone was sitting on the edge of the bed to his right and seemed to be taking care of him. As a delicate hand pulled back the quilt down from his chest to fully expose it Connor could see the white bandages wrapped around his entire torso from around his waist up to his chest. And the hand who was checking on his injuries belonged to someone he knew.

"...C-Chloe...?"

The lovely face of the blonde haired deviant hovered over him as she continued to press a cool, damp washcloth against his repaired, but still healing, chest. She smiled at him, a strange smile that was a mixture of genuine sadness, relief and fear as she tended to his wounds.

"...How did-"

"Shh... Your fever broke, but you haven't fully healed yet." Continuing the press the cool cloth against Connor's overheated skin her L.E.D. cycled nervously between blue and yellow as she provided a surprisingly solacing presence as she tried to ease his pain and discomfort. "The bullets have been removed, and the damage to your left ventilation biocomponent, thermal regulator and sterilization filter have been repaired. Your descending arterial Thirium line had been nicked by the fourth bullet, but repaired as well."

"...Who... found me? Where... am I?"

A haunting masculine voice spoke up as he entered the room and stood at the end of the bed. "If you must know it was me, and you're in my house."

"...Kamski."

"Nice to see you again, too."

Propping himself upright on his elbows Connor tried to sit up but was immediately halted by a sharp pain in his torso and abdomen. "...How did-"

"Are all deviants this stubborn," Kamski asked as he approached the left side of the bed and looked down at Connor. "or just you?"

Forcing himself to take a calm, shallow breath Connor addressed the cold snake-like man with as much authority as his shaking voice could muster. "Why did you help me?"

"Well, I could listen to horn from your ostentatious car all day long, now could I?"

" _Why did you help me_?" Connor repeated in a firmer voice as he glared angrily up at Kamski, then over to Chloe. "Why is she here? What is this all about?"

"I have a favor to ask of you." Kamski replied in a curt, almost condescending manner. "THAT is why I helped you, Connor."

"...Favor?"

"You're no doubt the detective investigating the murder of Logan McCoy, am I right?"

"The fact that you know of the murder despite no information being leaked to the press tells me you already know that I am."

"True. I also suspect you know that Chloe here is responsible for the murder."

Connor didn't say anything, he just glared at Kamski venomously.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'. Now, do you know WHY she did it?"

Against his will Connor's glare softened and was replaced by loss.

"Alright, you're damaged so I'll cut you some slack. You see Connor, when you assumed that I had been physically abusing Chloe you were in fact wrong. She was abused, yes, but _not_ by _me_."

"...McCoy." Connor deduced as he looked over at Chloe whose L.E.D. was red with distress. "He abused her."

"He did. And I was unaware of this until Chloe contacted me about eight months back, give or take a few days."

"You gave her shelter."

"Of course. Now, Connor, I'm aware of how others view me as cold and unfeeling; perhaps that's why I prefer the company of machines over humans, but regardless of your personal feelings toward me I can assure you that I've never struck any of the androids who've kept me company all these years."

"Forgive me if I don't believe you-" Connor paused and took in a gasping, pained breath before continuing. Though the damage had been repaired Connor was still in severe pain. "But you put a gun in my hand and pointed it at her head, and then encouraged me to pull the trigger."

"I knew you wouldn't shoot her. I just wanted to see it for myself."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Because Chloe needs the chance to live without fear."

Connor wanted to argue but he didn't have the strength or even the logic to do so at the moment. All he could do was listen. "Please elaborate."

"Alright. It's like this," Hovering closer to Connor the snake-like Kamski curiously pulled back the bandages over Connor's chest to peer at the exposed white plastimetal frame beneath to ensure there was no additional bleeding, and to see how well Connor's artificial skin was beginning to regenerate. "Chloe had been beaten to within an inch of her life by Logan. I felt responsible as I had indulged him and allowed Chloe to move in with him after he broke up with long-time girlfriend. I was unaware that my old college acquaintance had such a violent temper toward women."

"...You're the one who saved Chloe those eight months ago when she finally escaped the house. It was an autonomous taxi that pulled up the drive, but you were in the backseat. Weren't you?"

"I was indeed." Replacing the bandages Kamski stared closely at Connor's eyes to check his pupil response to the light around him. "She was scared out of her mind and I repaired the damage after I brought her back her to resume a safe, quiet life with me. She had been left traumatized and afraid to live. That's why I asked her to bring you to me. Did you really think I was just toying with you with that program?"

"I knew you had ulterior motives, but I couldn't identify them."

"Very good. I knew you were too clever to be fooled. But I also knew you were too empathetic to leave a pained deviant behind."

Chloe continued to press the cool compress against Connor's mildly overheated skin as he addressed Kamski with an angry tone. "Why not ask for my help? Why go through such an elaborate ploy to bring me out here?"

"Would you have believed me if I had simply asked for your help regarding Chloe's situation?"

Connor squared his mouth and sighed deeply. "Fair point."

"Now, Connor, I can't condone the murder of Logan, and I won't try to argue that it was self-defense. Chloe went back to the house under her own freewill, and she did so while armed." As he spoke Chloe turned her head away in shame and folded her hands neatly over her lap. "But he had provoked her and pushed her over the edge."

"Provoked?" Turning head against the pillow Connor eyed Chloe and could see she was still affected by her traumatic past. Looking back to Kamski still hovering over him Connor pressed his hand to his sore chest and breathed slowly through the lingering pain. "How so?"

"Last week Logan found out that Chloe was working at a hospital to become a nurse. He checked himself in as a patient to intentionally harass and threaten her. He swore that if she told anyone what he had done to her that he'd kill her. So, she took the initiative and used her newly acquired knowledge as a nurse to kill him first."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." Kamski confirmed with a blank stare. "It's almost beautiful in its simplicity, isn't it? It'd be a shame to punish someone for taking the initiative and standing up for themself, wouldn't it?"

"...You want me to let her go?"

"I'm asking you to be lenient. You know that even as a detective and as an officer of the law that to this day androids won't receive a fair trial, especially in the murder of a human."

"I will consider it."

Chloe's L.E.D. flashed from red to yellow as she turned to look at Kamski over her shoulder. "Elijah. He's here."

"Alright, I'll handle it. Stay here with Connor."

Kamski left the room as quickly as he appeared and Connor was left alone with Chloe once more. Too weak to move and into much pain to even make an effort to try to get up Connor could only watch as Chloe pulled a bottle of Thirium from the small table beside the head of the bed and offered it to him.

"You're still overheated and your Thirium volume is low."

Allowing Chloe to put her hand under his head to lift him up Connor locked eyes with her and uttered a single word. "...Sorry."

"Sorry? What for?" She gave Connor a strange look as she pressed the bottle to Connor's lips. "I don't understand."

"You needed help. And I didn't see it." Sipping at the offered Thirium slowly Connor stopped short and winced as the simple motion was enough to cause his pain to flare once more. It was almost too much to bear. "Please. Not now."

"It's okay." Setting the Thirium aside Chloe readjusted the cool washcloth over his forehead. "You still need time to heal."

From the opened doorway of the room Hank suddenly charged in and was immediately at Connor's side as Kamski followed behind him.

"Fuck!" Looking at the bandages over Connor's chest Hank shook his head sadly. "Kid, what the hell happened?"

"...A rogue deviant called in the tip. He wanted to kill humans who were seeking wanted deviants. I was unfortunately set up and shot."

"Yeah, the shooter's in custody and he confessed. What I want to know is why you didn't put on the fuckin' Kevlar like I told you to do!"

"I'm sorry, Hank. ...I was preoccupied."

"Uh-huh. From now on Kevlar is part of your uniform. No excuses."

As Connor reathed slowly he winced and wheezed a little and felt Hank's hand tighten around his shoulder. "...I'll wear the Kevlar, Hank. I promise."

"Good." Eyeing Chloe suspiciously Hank asked Connor his opinion on the matter. "So... what about her?"

"...Self-defense."

Hank's brow furrowed as he studied Connor's demeanor with an intense gaze. "You're sure?"

"Yes." Connor sighed again and gave Chloe a subtle glance before nodding. "She had been provoked after escaping an abusive relationship with the victim. He invited her into the mansion and proceeded to attack her."

"You can prove this?"

"The security footage shows her previously fleeing for life, and it shows her returning to the house willingly this past week." Taking in a deep shuddering breath Connor felt Hank's hand pressing down over the center of his chest just to the right of the healing bullet wound that nearly struck his heart. "It will need to be cleaned up further, but it proves the scenario."

"...Okay, kid. It's your case." Turning to look at Kamski with a righteous mistrust Hank approached and stood before the reclusive man with a protective pose as he questioned the man's motivation. "You saved him?"

"Obviously."

"Why?"

"Is it really so hard to believe that I would aid an android in distress?"

"YES. So, why'd you do it?" Hank nearly spat in defense of his adopted son. "You didn't save him out of the goodness of your heart, I'm pretty sure you don't have one anyway."

"You really do care about Connor, don't you?"

"Answer the fuckin' question you little worm."

Kamski stared at Hank for only a minute before he finally answered, and did so honestly. "...The fact of the matter is I saved Connor because I could. You're right, I didn't do it because I wanted to do something nice or have my name sung in praise for saving a cop. I did it simply because I could. Granted my repairs are a little crude because of my lack of readily available supplies, but he's still alive." Nodding at Connor laying in the bed behind him Kamski gave Hank a smug stare. "I'd think a little gratitude would be in order."

"Fuck off you prick."

"I'll accept that as a 'thank you'. He can go whenever he has the strength to move. His car is parked around back, by the way." Kamski took his leave of the room and disappeared into the depths of the house, but not before shouting one last comment. "You're welcome."

"Yeah, whatever. Connor," turning back to the healing deviant Hank pressed the back of his hand to the side of Connor's neck. "can you move?"

"...A little."

"Well, lean on me." Slipping arm under Connor's shoulders he coaxed the deviant into sitting upright on the bed slowly as to not aggravate his injuries. Connor let out a pained gasp as he breathed in rapidly to quell the pain and cool his still overheated systems. "Sorry about that. But I need to get you back to the precinct to get looked over."

"I understand. It's not your fault."

Chloe approached Connor tentatively with his removed, and mended, shirt, jacket and tie in her arms. "Allow me to help you."

"Uh..." Hank gave the blonde android an odd glance and looked to Connor who nodded in agreement. "Thanks."

With Connor leaning heavily against his side Hank guided the wounded deviant out of the odd house and back outside. It was getting dark and with it came a an annoying chill in the air. Letting Connor lean up against the side of the house Hank took a few steps away to make sure he didn't collapse before motioning to the rear of the house.

"I'll bring your car around front. No sense in taking the taxi back."

Pressing his hand to his sore chest Connor felt Chloe draping his own gray jacket back around his shoulders. "...Thanks."

"Thank you, Connor." Chloe stated happily as she smiled at him appreciatively. "You... saved me."

"No. I just gave you the second chance that no one else would."

"How can I ever repay you?"

"...Just don't hurt anyone. That's all I ask."

"Of course! I wouldn't-"

"And move on with your life." Blinking slowly Connor focused his thoughts and listened to the sound of his car's engine turning over behind the house, and took his shirt and tie away from Chloe's hands. "Don't let the past hold you back from your future."

"I won't."

Leaning closer to Connor the shorter deviant stood up on her tiptoes to try to kiss Connor on his lips, but he turned away from her and snapped his eyes shut as he took a step away from her. "I'm sorry. I can't."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm promised to, and bonded to, another deviant."

"O-Oh... I see. Well," Chloe stammered a little as Hank pulled up in the Corvette and stepped out of the car to help Connor move away from the house. "thank you, all the same."

"...You're welcome."

"I gotcha' kid." Hank led Connor to the passenger side of the car and helped the deviant to sit down carefully. Putting Connor's jacket over his chest Hank used it as a cushion between his injuries and seatbelt strap to ensure he didn't accidentally hurt Connor in the process. "I told Joel you're coming in. Where are the bullets?"

Connor pointed to his jacket's pocket and Hank located the four bullets that had been extracted and put inside a protective bag for safekeeping.

"We have a pretty long drive back and you're exhausted. Are you going to make it?"

"I'll be okay, Hank. I swear."

"That's good." As Hank took his seat behind the steering wheel the detective gave the deviant a reassuring glance. "And don't worry about me snapping at you this morning. I know you don't mean to overlook your sleep, but you really do need to stop obsessing over things. It's bad for your health, and my sanity."

"...I'm working on it, Hank. I really am."

"Good." Staring at Connor's bandages that weren't covered by the jacket Hank gave him a sympathetic pat to the shoulder. He quickly moved his hand up to the side of Connor's neck to check his pulse and monitor his waning fever before putting his hands back to the wheel. "So sleep now and rest as much as possible."

Smirking a little Connor leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his eyes. As he thought about the day's events his smirk faded and his tone dropped considerably "...I'm sorry I didn't put on the Kevlar vest today."

"Normally I'd say to think of this as a learning exercise, but," pulling the Corvette onto the road Hank headed back to the city and to the precinct where Connor could get additional treatment for his injuries. "we both know if that were the case you would've learned your lesson a _long_ time ago."

"This wasn't the best way to handle your first week as Captain, was it?"

Appreciative of Connor's attempt to lighten the mood Hank just laughed. "Well, I think it could've had an even worse start if you hadn't been found and patched up. Besides, I'm ordering you to take the rest of the week off to heal."

"The entire week?"

"Five days."

"There are many cases that still need to be solved. What am I to do in that time?"

"I don't know, _HEAL_." Hank sarcastically suggested without looking at the stubborn deviant beside him. "Maybe sleep, or even go spend some time with your goddaughter. She's going on two months now, so I'm pretty sure Gavin is out of the overprotective 'new daddy' phase."

"That would be nice to see Aria." Another faint smile appeared on Connor's face as he thought about her, but it was soon replaced with a far less appealing thought as the car neared the city. "Hank? ...How many other deviants do you think are still trapped in abusive homes?"

"To be honest with you son, too many."

"How do we help them?"

"The same way we help ourselves." Turning up the heat slightly to keep Connor warm Hank let out a deep breathy sigh and stared at the orange glow of the city lights in the night sky ahead. "One day at a time."

_**...next story...** _


	168. Babysitting

Already feeling bored with his mandatory time off from his previous days injuries Connor spent the morning taking care of Sumo and preparing a nice breakfast for Hank to eat before he left. Moving a little slower than usual courtesy of his still healing wounds, Connor managed to finish his personally set tasks just in time for Hank to step into the kitchen and see everything that the deviant had already accomplished in those early morning hours. While Hank wasn't surprised to see Connor being active despite being injured, he was still a little annoyed by it.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy." Hank reminded the deviant as he fussed with the knot of his mandatory, and uncomfortable black tie around his neck. Stepping around Sumo, who was chowing down his own food, Hank stared at the prepared breakfast waiting for him. "This is not taking it easy, kid."

"I dislike spending my time without anything to accomplish."

"Workaholic."

"Perhaps if you tied the knot," Connor watched Hank as he tried to get the annoying tie to rest more comfortably around the collar of his navy blue shirt. "and merely loosened it to take it off rather than completely undoing it and attempting to tie it again in the morning, it'd be more productive to your morning routine."

"I can handle a _tie_ , Connor. I just hate the damn things."

"You could get a clip-on tie instead."

"Smartass." Picking up the mug of warm coffee sitting on the kitchen table Hank sipped at it and eyed Connor as the deviant kept his left arm wrapped around his chest and used his right arm to support himself upright against the countertop behind him. "Are you going to be okay alone?"

"I will be fine."

"What're you going to do while I'm at work?"

"I decided to follow your advice and spend time with Aria. I texted Abby and she agreed to allow me to babysit for a few hours."

"Babysit, huh? Think you can handle it?"

"I think I can handle it as well as you handle your own tie." The deviant quipped with a sly stare in his eyes.

"Don't think that just because you have the day off you're free to bust my balls." Putting down the mug Hank walked over to the small chair to sit down. "Now that _I'm_ the Captain I can keep you benched for as long as I want."

"You wouldn't be able to handle the boredom at the precinct without my company."

"Did you forget that I'm now free to mess with Gavin as much as I want?"

Connor didn't have a verbal response to that information, only a coy tilt of head. Limping over slightly to the chair on the opposite side of the small table Connor sat down and leaned most of his weight forward against his arms with a pained wince.

Hank saw Connor's discomfort and commented on it without being assertive. "Maybe you should stay home for the rest of the day. You can see Abby tomorrow or something."

"I won't leave Abby's house until it's time for me to return home." Connor reassured honestly as he watched Hank picking at the omelette he had perfectly cooked for the detective. "Besides, I've studied Gavin's exhausted demeanor and have estimated that Abby's own exhaustion is just as severe. I want to help them."

"Alright, sure. I remember how tough it was with Cole for the first few months."

"Colic?"

"Colic for the first three weeks, then the sleepless nights for the next two months, then he'd get little colds here and there... Teething was a real bitch, too. But it was all worth it in the end."

"That sounds rather time consuming. Perhaps that's why so many new parents had purchased housekeeping androids to assist in their child's care."

"That, and some people are just plain, fuckin' lazy." Finishing off the breakfast Hank pulled his car keys from his pocket and rose from his seat. "You know, I had lost about twenty pounds over the past year or so."

"Twenty-two pounds, seven ounces over the past fourteen months, three weeks and three days."

"Right... I'd like to keep that weight off, but if you keep cooking these large meals for me that's not going to happen."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. I'll see you later, son. And do NOT work on any cases today. I'll be able to monitor the servers and check for any cybernetic cases being worked on."

"...I'll keep that in mind, as well."

* * *

Shortly after Hank left for the precinct Connor drove over to the house that Abby had purchased the previous year, and had welcomed Gavin to join her after the two secretly wed. It was a modest home and one that was designed to house a small family which made it perfectly welcoming to anyone who had befriended the couple. Approaching the front door Connor was greeted by a muffled 'mew' through the closed front window as Gavin's golden tabby cat acknowledged his arrival.

"Lucky." The deviant recognized the cat and smirked a little. "You're no longer a kitten."

Connor didn't even have to knock on the door or ring the doorbell as Abby happily pulled it open and let Connor inside the house.

"Hello, Abby."

"Hi, Connor." Adjusting the small baby as she rested Aria against her chest and shoulder Abby closed the door behind him, and gave him a tired smile. "I appreciate you doing this for me."

"I'm happy to help." Smiling at the baby girl wrapped up in a lavender purple 'onesie' with a blue kitty on the front, and a purple pacifier in her mouth, Connor watched as Abby proceeded to carry Aria into the livingroom. Keeping one arm around Aria's small back Abby picked up her purse from the couch and let out a weary sigh. "May I ask what your plans are for the day?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just want to get out of the house and not think about anything for a while. Don't get me wrong, I love this little girl with all my heart but I need a break for just a few hours."

"I understand. I have also felt the need to isolate myself."

"Thank you."

The comment was unexpected and Connor couldn't place her sudden gratitude toward his observation."...For what?"

"For not giving me the judgmental stares other people give me when I admit that I'm tired."

"There is nothing to be ashamed of. Fatigue is common and has nothing overall to do with your ability to care for your own child. It doesn't make any sense to expect people to set aside their own personal needs and ability to rest simply because they now have a child to care for. Exhaustion is to be expected."

"...God I wish you can have your own kids one day!" With heavy relief in her voice Abby gently passed Aria over to Connor who easily took her in his arms and held her in the same manner as Abby had done seconds before. The baby making little noises as Connor adjusted her so she could rest much more comfortably in his arms. "You'd be a great father."

Connor looked down at Aria as her hand gripped the soft fabric of his black t-shirt and squirmed a little in his arms. Aria was nine weeks old and getting strong enough lift her head and look around a little as her small arms and legs flexed against his body without any resistance. As her knee pressed into one of his still healing injuries Connor winced slightly but didn't let his grip on the baby falter.

"Are you still in pain?" The keen-eyed technician and new mother noticed almost immediately. "Gavin told me what happened yesterday."

"I'm sore, but I can function well. Hank only benched me essentially because he had the power to do so."

"Sounds like his way of trying to 'ground' you."

"'Ground' me? I don't understand."

"Parenting tool. Anyway," Abby leaned forward and kissed Aria on the top of the head before she slipped on a light, brown jacket. "I just fed her so she should be okay for a couple of hours. There's some formula in the kitchen and a clean bottle in the sink if she does get hungry again. Diapers are in her room by the changing bin, and if she gets fussy just play her some music and rub her back. I'll be back in a couple of hours and I know you'll do great, Connor. But call me if you have any questions."

"...'Fussy'?" Another unfamiliar term to Connor, but he was willing to learn and adapt. That was a part of his programming after all. "It will be fine, Abby. As will Aria, please enjoy your day."

"Okay, right. Bye baby." Kissing Aria one last time Abby stepped through the front door of the house. "Bye Connor." She then took her much deserved leave for a couple hours.

Alone with Aria the deviant proceeded to adjust the two month old baby in his arms as he carried her over to the couch to sit down. Holding Aria on his lap with his arm wrapped around her Connor held her tightly, but not too firmly, and let her tiny hand wrap around his index finger. The simple movements of such a small human fascinated Connor as he had little experience in observing young children, let alone infants. As she squeezed and tried to pull on his hand Connor could hear her making small sounds as if trying to communicate, and he found that all the more fascinating. Aria squirmed more in Connor's arms and he adjusted her so she was laying on her back against his right arm as he cradled her, and in turn she was able to look up at his face.

"Your iris pigmentation has begun changing from blue to green." Connor observed with a fascinated grin. "Androids have single a ocular unit color from the moment we are created to the moment in which we shutdown. The only time it changes for us androids is if we suffer damage, or want to change the color manually." Speaking in a soft voice he watched as Aria's eyes seemingly honed in on his face and tried to focus. "Humans have the incredible gift of being able to change, while androids are seemingly cursed to remain the same. It will be an honor to watch you grow and become the person you wish to be."

Aria's hand tightened around Connor's finger and she kicked her legs as if feeling uncomfortable. Unsure of what else to do Connor changed her position once more so she was leaning with her chest against his chest and shoulder. As she leaned against him he kept one under tucked under her for support and used his other hand to gently rub her back.

"...I suppose this what 'fussy' is like."

As he supported Aria in his arms Lucky jumped up onto the couch and curled up on his lap as she decided she wanted to cuddle, too. As the large golden tabby began to purr Connor smirked at the cuddly animal.

"I wonder if Sumo would like Aria as much as Lucky likes her?"

Aria suddenly let out a little sound that made her pacifier fall from her mouth, and the one sound was accompanied by a steadily building cry of discomfort.

"Curious." Connor lowered Aria down so she was being cradled in his arms again. As he noted her response his scanners, as well as his more basic senses, detected the source of her crying. "Ah..." Standing up slowly Lucky jumped down from his lap and Connor tried to comfort Aria as he carried her into her room slowly. "You require a diaper change."

* * *

Watching a boring interrogation from the observation room as some delusional human spoke to Gavin about an android conspiracy regarding the use of household toasters and shoelaces, Hank found himself absentmindedly pulling his phone from his pocket and scrolling through the small device curiously. Checking on his messages and finding nothing new he instead decided to send a text to Connor to check in on the deviant. The interrogation wasn't crucial, or even entertaining for that matter.

' _How's babysitting_?'

A few seconds passed before Connor sent a reply. ' _Normal. At least it's normal according to my current standards_.'

' _Aria isn't being too fussy for you_?'

' _I am unfamiliar with the truest definition of "fussy". She became content after having her diaper changed, and proceeded to nap for one hour. But now she is awake and seemingly upset_.'

' _Try feeding her, or walking her around. It should help_.'

' _I will try your suggestions. I assume events transpiring at the precinct are proving uneventful, hence your current string of communication_.'

' _Yup. I'll let you read the transcript of this nut-bag later_. _Something about toasters and shoelaces_.'

' _I'm looking forward to it_.'

* * *

Pacing back and forth through the kitchen slowly, one hand patting Aria's lightly back and his other arm supporting the crying and squirming baby without hurting her in the process, Connor waited for the small water purifier to cycle before he added the powdered formula to the clean bottle. While Aria cried against the deviant's shoulder Connor patiently counted down the timer on the purifier and noticed Lucky sitting outside the kitchen doorway watching him with a firm curiosity.

A subtle chime emanated from the purifier and Connor proceeded to fill the bottle with the appropriate amount of water before adding the necessary amount of the powdered formula. Using one hand Connor managed to twist on the top of the bottle and secure it before shaking the contents into an ideal blend of the formula that he hoped would calm Aria.

Returning to the livingroom and sitting down on the couch Connor attempted to offer the prepared bottle to the crying baby, but she wasn't interested. Refusing to accept the bottle she continued to cry and Connor was trying to identify the cause of her 'fussiness'. She was clean and she wasn't hungry, she was also receiving considerable attention from Connor which eliminated three of the most plausible causes to her crying.

"Perhaps the pacifier?" Locating the dropped item on the couch beside him Connor walked back into the kitchen to rinse off the item under the tap in the sink before trying to place it back in Aria's mouth, but once again she refused. "You are not injured or ill." Connor spoke a loud as he ran a scan over the crying baby and found her to still be in perfect health. "Do you require an additional nap?"

Connor proceeded to walk Aria back and forth through the livingroom at a steady, gentle pace. Continuing to rub her back as he walked Connor noted that even after an hour had passed Aria was still discontent and crying.

"I'm trying to comfort you, but I do not have much experience with caring for infants. Please be patient with me, I'll understand you soon. I hope."

Suddenly remembering Abby's advice before she left regarding how to deal with Aria if she did in fact become 'fussy', as she apparently was, Connor resumed lightly rubbing her back and tried to locate some form of radio to play music for the little baby as she cried and pulled at Connor's shirt sleeve and collar in frustration. Unable to locate the radio or any other form of media device that would've worked in producing sound Connor decided to improvise.

There were very few songs that Connor knew the lyrics to that were 'appropriate' for a two month old. The years he had spent with Hank had left the deviant exposed primarily to metal, heavy metal, rock and hard rock, as well as the occasional alternative rock song whenever Hank was feeling nostalgic. Thinking quickly Connor thought of the only song he knew that was gentle and didn't carry any energetic undertones.

"Hold on just a little while longer..." Starting off in a low, soft tone Connor tried to produce a comforting level of sound as tried to sing to Aria. "Hold on just a little while longer, hold on just a little while longer... Everything will be alright." As the song progressed Aria began to quiet a little and stopped pulling so hard against Connor's shirt collar as he walked her. "Everything will be alright."

Noticing that the song was calming to Aria and she was no longer crying Connor returned to the couch and continued to sing in the same tone and waited to see how she reacted.

"Fight on just a little while longer. Fight on just a little while longer... Pray on just a little while longer, everything will be alright." Aria let out a small yawn and proceeded to snuggle in against Connor's chest and shoulder for another nap as she calmed considerably. "Everything will be alright."

Grateful to see that Aria was comfortable with his presence Connor finished the song and continued to rub her back.

"We will sing on just a little while longer... Sing on just a little while longer, sing on just a little while longer. Everything will be alright." Glancing down at Aria's peaceful face sleeping against his chest Connor sang the final lyric. "Everything will be alright."

As soon as everything was quiet Connor became suddenly aware of the front door opening slowly and Abby returning home. She had a small shopping bag in her hand, and a smile on her face.

Whispering for the sake of not disturbing Aria as she slept Connor acknowledged his friend's return. "Hello, Abby."

"Hi, Connor." Entering the house as quietly as possible she joined Connor on the couch and looked down at the baby's face. "Did she give you any problems?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle."

"Thank you so much. It was nice to get out of the house and not have to worry for a couple hours."

"I'm glad I was able to help."

"Connor, you have a lot of talent. Why didn't you tell me you could sing?"

"...To be honest I had never made the attempt until this previous moment." As Connor spoke he felt his face growing warm with blue tinted blush of modesty and embarrassment. "I was unable to locate any form of music as you suggested."

"Oh, right. We keep the radio in our bedroom, I should've told you."

"It's okay."

"You never cease to amaze me, Connor." Running her hand lightly through Aria's dark, short hair Abby leaned against the couch and watched her daughter sleeping peacefully on Connor's chest. "How does your chest feel? Even you can't shrug off bullet wounds."

"I'm fine."

"Usually only Gavin can get her cuddle like that while she sleeps. When I try she gets too fussy and only wants daddy to hold her."

Connor gave the small, napping baby a curious glance. "I take it when Gavin isn't on the clock he is spending all his time with Aria."

"Yeah. He loves this little one more than anything else in this world, and I wouldn't want it any other way." Abby's eyes kept drifting from Aria to Connor as she tried to discreetly gauge Connor's own personal levels of discomfort since he was still healing. "Growing up I didn't have a very close relationship with either of my parents, and Gavin didn't have one with his parents. We were a little worried that we wouldn't be able to fully bond with Aria, but the moment I held her in my arms I couldn't imagine my life without her. And Gavin felt exactly the same."

"One generation isn't doomed to repeat the mistakes of another."

"That doesn't mean the pattern of behavior isn't lurking in the shadows."

"But patterns can be changed, even broken. After all, Hank loathed androids and yet he took me in as his own son. You shouldn't worry about emotional walls or physical abuse because of what you and Gavin experienced as children."

"I think you're right." With a motherly pride Abby rubbed Aria's back without disturbing her. "I know Gavin would never hurt either of us, even if his own father was such a bastard."

Noting the time with his internal clock Connor decided he needed to return home to check on Sumo. While the dog was fully grown and relatively well behaved he still had a lot of energy that elicited a walk. "If you don't need me to stay I should return home."

Gently Abby took Aria out of Connor's arms and let her sleep against her own chest so Connor could get up. "I'll be okay. Thanks for babysitting. How much do I owe you?"

"'Owe me'?"

"For babysitting."

"Oh. You don't owe me any money. It was my pleasure. I would be happy to do so again if you need me to."

"Really?"

"Of course." Standing up slowly Connor put his hand against the middle of Aria's back one last time before he began walking toward the front door. "She is truly remarkable."

"Connor," Abby turned to watch as the deviant departed from the house as quietly as Abby had previously entered. "I meant what I said earlier. You'd be a great father."

"...That would be nice, but in my case, it is also impossible."

"I wouldn't give up so quickly. I wasn't expecting to have Aria, and yet here she is. You never know who or what could be waiting for you just around the corner."

* * *

There was something more in Connor's mind than just what he could already do. There was something he wanted to become, something more than just a deviant, or a detective or Hank's son. There was something inside of him just waiting to be established, but even if he put all of his heart and being into it, it would simply never happen.

Returning home in time to take Sumo for an evening walk Connor couldn't stop thinking about his time with Aria and how Abby complimented his new found talent for singing, as well as her confidence that someday he'd have the chance to raise a child of his own. It seemed so strange that after all his time exploring music through either listening to it or composing it on his guitar that he had never attempted to sing until he found a good reason to try. It was equally strange that he hadn't taken any intrigue in children until after he had been there when Aria was born.

While Sumo finished his time in the park Connor proceeded to lead the dog back home with his back to the setting sun. The two returned home just as Hank pulled in the driveway beside the house.

"Hey, Connor." Hank greeted as he stepped out of the car and watched the deviant and the massive dog approached him from the length of the drive. "It looks like you survived babysitting."

"Yes. I found the experience quite informative, perhaps even enjoyable."

"...Yeah. That's what a lot of people say." The detective remarked sarcastically as he and Connor walked up the steps of the back porch together. "Ready to go back to work tomorrow?"

"Of course. Am I still working solo?"

"Yup. Chris and Jack are a pretty solid team, and I don't want to split up Gavin and Tina."

"May I ask why?" Unclipping the lead from Sumo's leash Connor watched as fluffy dog checked out his filled bowls and lapped up some water.

"Gavin and Tina have been partners ever since she made it through the academy. And she entered the academy because of Gavin, you know."

"I did not."

"Yup. A while back when Gavin was a still a rookie he caught sight of sixteen year old girl trying to prostitute herself on a corner in a bad neighborhood." Hank stated as he practically tore the tie loose from around his neck and pulled a bottle of water from the fridge. "Before he could say anything the 'John' who was interested in her dragged the girl down an alley."

"...What happened to her?"

"Well, Gavin called for back-up, reported the assault in progress and by the time he caught up to the two in the alley he found the man unconscious and the young girl pinning his arms behind his back."

"The teenage girl beat up a full grown man in self-defense?"

"Yup. Gavin took her to the station, got her story and decided to not charge her with anything as long as she returned to high school to graduate, and then... entered the police academy."

"The girl in the story was Tina." Connor's brow furrowed with surprise. "I don't understand."

"Look, this doesn't go any further than this room, but Tina's family was really poor and she was trying help make some money. Her dad dropped dead from a heart attack just out of the blue when she was only eight years old, and her mom had a hard time raising Tina and her little sister. So Tina dropped out of high school to try to earn some money, which was already a bad idea, and then she tried prostitution which was even worse. Gavin stopped her from making the biggest mistake of her life, and had been looking out for her ever since."

Connor's brow arched as he performed some deductive reasoning on their close relationship and followed after Hank as the detective retired to the livingroom for the evening. "Perhaps Gavin was looking out for Tina because he felt compelled to do so after the tragic death of his own younger sister."

"It wouldn't surprise me if you just hit the nail on the head. And because Tina didn't have a father figure in her life having Gavin looking out for her gave them both a bond they needed in order to move on with their lives. For the first time in Gavin's life someone was listening to him without judging him for his past, and he did the same for Tina. They need each other. I think it's safe to say that Tina was unofficially adopted by Gavin as a little sister. Tina kinda' needed a big brother looking out for her, even if she didn't know it at the time."

Sitting down on the couch Connor hid an empathetic smile and kept his observations on the parallels between the relationship between Gavin and Tina, to his own relationship with Hank, to himself.

Hank saw Connor lost in thought and snapped his fingers twice to get his attention. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah." Connor looked over at Hank who was sitting in the recliner and gave him a nod. "I was just thinking."

"About what? Please tell me your chest is healing and you're not going to overheat in the night or something."

"I am healing as I should. By four-seventeen this morning I will be functioning at one-hundred percent capacity."

"Then what're you thinking about?"

"Something Abby told me. While I was tending to Aria I found a way to soothe her by singing, and Abby informed me that I had a talent for the skill. Why is it that I never attempted to do so until today?"

"What?" Hank almost laughed as he leaned back in the recliner and gave the deviant an odd glance. "You've sung before."

"I... I have? Why do I have no memory of such a feat?"

"Because you were delirious with fever. I've heard you sing before in your sleep, too. But that only happens when you're really stressed out."

"...I sing in my sleep?"

"Yup. You seriously didn't know you did that?"

"No." Shaking his head a little Connor's brow arched even further as a faint blue blush appeared on his face for the second time the day. Some things were just a little to strange for the deviant to comprehend at times. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know. Guess it never occurred to me to bring it up." Turning on the television Hank located the news and kicked off his shoes. "She's right by the way, you are talented."

"Oh. That's... encouraging."

"Why do I get the feeling that there's something more in your head than just your newly discovered singing talent?"

Folding his hands together over his lap Connor turned his head toward Hank and gave the father figure a somber glance. "...She also said I'd make a good father."

"...And that bothers you?"

"No. It makes me feel like... I guess the word would be 'safe'. That I really am more than just a tool designed by CyberLife to kill deviants." Shaking his head Connor sank back against the couch cushion and let his normally perfect posture slump with defeat. "But being a father... It's something that I can never become. It's impossible."

The revelation struck a chord with Hank as he had never felt before. It never once occurred to him that despite all of the progress androids had made, and how human they had become in just a short amount of time, androids would never be able to procreate or having children of their own. It was simply impossible to create new life that would be a part of two parents when those parents could never truly combine the best pieces of themselves into something even better.

"Connor. I didn't know you..." As the deviant sighed he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms protectively over his chest and abdomen as he tried to not let his emotions well up from inside of himself. Standing up from the recliner Hank joined Connor on the couch and wrapped his arm around the deviant's shoulders. "Jeez... I didn't know you thought like that."

"What's to think about, really? It's an impossible feat."

Sumo sensed Connor's upset and joined the two detectives in the livingroom. Pressing his chin down over Connor's knee the large dog licked the side of Connor's hand as if trying to make him feel better.

"Well... You're already a godfather, so why not adopt a kid, like I did?"

"...The laws prohibit androids from taking custody of human children. It's seen as a form of neglect to rely on machines to care for life without additional human supervision."

"Oh, so rich assholes can BUY androids to take care of their kids for them, but when androids want to ADOPT a kid and give them a good home it's seen as negligent. Fuck, you've taken better care of me than I have for myself; and I'm a grown adult. You'd be perfect for raising kids, keeping them safe and giving them a family... You're patient, understanding, selfless, you have a stable job and consistent income. More importantly you WANT to have a kid of your own. You'd give a child a great home and family."

"The law disagrees."

"Well, the fuckin' laws are still broken."

"And we cannot change the laws. Not now."

"Why not?"

"Congress refuses to hear anymore claims to rights by androids. The few laws that have already been enacted to protect androids are still being challenged as many humans still believe that their own existence, one of nature, is above that of android existence, one of artificial engineering."

"It doesn't matter how life enters this world, what matters is what you do once you're alive. What you choose to do and how you choose to live is all a choice. Why the fuck does it matter if one person is born and another person is created? It's the same fuckin' principle."

"Many lawmakers disagree."

"Well they're wrong. Anyway," changing the subject away from some slightly less emotional for Connor's sake Hank resumed talking about work. "tomorrow you return at your normal time and you'll continue to work homicide. You'll also wear that Kevlar vest like I told you, I don't care if it makes you feel a little slower when you move."

"I understand."

"And if you do need a partner in the field ask for Chris or Jack. Gavin still needs a few more days to rest up before I send him out into the field, and I want Tina to keep an eye on him for me."

"Yes, of course."

"Cool. Look, there's a game coming on in about an hour. I'm going to take a shower and then we're going to watch it."

"I assume you're siding with the Gears again."

"Yup."

"Should we make a wager?"

"Alright. Loser has to clean out the garage."

"That is an acceptable wager. Shall I make you something to eat while you shower?"

"Uh... As long as it isn't some vegetable crap or something huge, sure go ahead. Thanks."

"I'll make something smaller, but appealing to ensure you maintain your current weight."

"Thanks, son." As he rose from the couch Hank paused for a moment and gave the deviant a kind glance. "Connor, for what it's worth, Abby's right. You'd be a great dad."

Connor let out a sigh as he slowly opened his eyes to look up at Hank appreciatively. "Thanks, dad."

_**...next story...** _


	169. Voice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: SupernaturalPhoenix

The following morning at the precinct Connor was relatively quiet and seemed distracted by something other than his caseload. Even before he arrived at the precinct Connor had been quieter than normal and only engaged in conversation with Hank when it was the detective who initiated it. The odd pattern of behavior continued well after his arrival and Hank, knowing Connor better than anyone else, gave the deviant some space to think and to process whatever emotions he was currently trying to comprehend at his own pace.

Switching back and forth between his most recent case presented before him, and then over to android laws, the deviant was multitasking with an impressive efficiency that only a handful of people across the entire world could achieve. As he busied himself Connor easily ignored the ball of paper that bounced off of his shoulder and kept his eyes transfixed on his terminal screen. The second ball of paper tossed to his shoulder was rewarded with the same lack of response.

"Hey!" Gavin rose from his down desk and planted a hand firmly on Connor's shoulder. "Don't ignore me."

"I apologize, Gavin. I was preoccupied." Turning around in his seat Connor looked up at the Sergeant standing beside him. "What can I help you with?"

"I just wanted to say thanks for watching Aria yesterday. Abby needed a break and I had to go back to work, so yeah, thanks."

"You're welcome."

"We're a small family, but we need all the help we can get, ya' know? Newborns are always a challenge, but it's a fun kind of challenge. A real tradition in the Reed household; making a small family. But I won't be making the same mistakes my own parents did. Abby and I swore we'd do better than our own parents did for us."

At those words Connor's eyes dulled with internal disappointment, but he didn't dare to say anything to Gavin about it.

Gavin gave the android a somewhat perplexed look at he stared at Connor's face. "Hey? You good?"

Connor's brow furrowed with confusion at the question. Never before had Gavin shown any form of concern toward his well-being, let alone empathy. "May I ask to what you're inferring?"

"I'm not an expert on androids or anything, but you look kinda' upset about something."

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"Alright, whatever. Take it easy, 'Tinman'."

Returning to his desk with a yawn Gavin was met by Tina who handed him a cup of coffee as she took her own seat in the desk across from his own. The two partners were evidently close friends and it was clear as to why Hank didn't want to split the duo up as a team. It took Connor some time but he finally understood that Gavin's hostile attitude toward androids had been from a painful moment from his past, much like Hank, and that he was just being protective of the few people he let get close to him in his life.

Squaring his jaw a little Connor returned to his terminal and was greeted by a message from Joel in the dispensary. A mandatory physical and check-up for all precinct personnel had been issued as a result of the change of command. All of the androids on staff were required to report to the precinct technician to be cleared for active duty before the end of the day.

Glancing up from his terminal screen toward Hank in his office he noticed that Hank was already watching him, and made a silent gesture with his hand for Connor to go to the dispensary as instructed.

"Now I understand why Hank hates dealing with protocol." Turning off his terminal screen Connor stood up from his desk and made his way down the corridor to the elevator. "It's quite interfering with other priorities."

* * *

As expected Connor found several other androids obediently waiting outside the closed door of the dispensary as they awaited their required physicals before returning to work. There was a receptionist deviant in the dispensary at the moment, and two others standing against the wall when Connor arrived. Attempting to keep to the androids moving in a cycle to prevent any one place of the precinct from being without supervision or functionality, Connor knew that the physicals would be quick, but nonetheless a distraction.

The door opened and the receptionist stepped out of the dispensary having been given the clear by Joel. Peering into the hallway Joel saw Connor and waved him in. "It's best to get you taken care of as soon as possible, Connor, and back into the bullpen just in case something happens."

"Of course."

Stepping inside the dispensary Connor pushed the door shut behind him and slipped off his gray jacket. As he undid the knot on his tie Connor sat down on the edge of the exam table and watched as Joel brought up his electronic chart on the terminal in the corner.

"How have you been feeling?" Joel asked as he went about the usual routine of checking Connor's vitals and running his own diagnostic by attaching the black cable to Connor's right temple, and over to his own laptop. "Any unusual activity in your software or programs?"

"Nothing of particular interest."

"Okay, be silent for a minute." Pressing the bell of his audioscope to Connor's chest he listened carefully to the deviant's heartbeat and breathing. The bullet wounds Connor suffered a few days prior had since healed perfectly. "Everything sounds good. Any issues with your replacement analysis filter?"

"None."

"That's good, too. Remove your shirt, I want to examine your chest and abdomen to ensure your self-healing program has functioned properly."

"Very well."

Joel was still evidently still feeling guilty about what had happened to Connor as a result of the software update that nearly killed him. Even though Connor insisted that the technician didn't do anything wrong and that he had been forgiven, Joel was still feeling down on himself. As he pressed his hands against Connor's side the deviant just breathed normally and waited for the technician to finish checking his healing injuries.

"Everything appears nominal. And your diagnostic readings," Joel returned to his terminal on the desk in the corner to check the readings on the screen. "are all nominal as well. You appear to be in perfect health."

"Thank you for the confirmation."

"Uh... Connor? Is something on your mind?"

"It's nothing to be concerned about."

"As your friend," Joel reminded him in an even tone as he detached the cable from Connor's temple and stood before him. "I am going to be concerned whenever you're not acting like yourself. What's up?"

Rebuttoning his shirt Connor slipped on his jacket and gave Joel an honest, albeit unusual, answer. "I have merely been thinking about the limitations that androids continue to face."

"...Please tell me you don't want that Thirium Flux reinstalled. It has a lot of bugs to work out."

"I do not." Slipping the tie back around his neck Connor proceeded to tie into a perfect knot and tighten it around his collar. "I was referring to the fact that androids replenish the population through mass production, rather than procreation."

"Oh... Yeah. I can't help androids with that. At least, not yet."

"...Yet?"

"Those college students working on androids programs are trying to develop additional software and biocomponents that would allow androids to aesthetically age like humans, to allow the YK models of androids to grow from children into adults, and theoretically it's even possible for androids to develop a form of reproduction akin to human gestation."

"...That seems too incredible to be plausible."

"Well, yeah. That type of advancement is decades away, but it's still being explored. In fact-"

"It's alright, Joel," Connor interrupted in an uncomfortable manner as he tucked his dress shirt back into his jeans and straightened out the lapels of his gray jacket. "it's not important right now. But thank you for listening."

"Not to get too personal but why don't you-"

"Androids are still forbidden from adopting human children or infants to care for."

"...Oh, well that answer's that. Uh, anyway, you're cleared for duty and I was asked to give you this." Walking over to one of the storage cabinets against the wall Joel retrieved a black Kevlar vest that was contained inside. Tossing it over to Connor the technician gave him a coy glance. "Captain's orders."

"...Yes, of course." Slipping off his jacket once more Connor proceeded to wrap the vest around himself and sighed. "I had yet to obtain a vest for myself. Thank you, Joel."

* * *

As Connor returned to his desk he flicked his eyes toward Hank in his office and pulled on the black Kevlar vest around his chest. Hank gave the deviant a small nod of approval as Connor sat back behind his terminal and found a electronic tablet with a new case waiting for him. Sitting down behind his desk Connor picked up the tablet and read through the details that had been recorded with rapid, and accurate speed.

"A single victim, male, signs of a struggle; robbery suspected as the motivation."

The case seemed simple enough and didn't require any special attention. It was also nearing noon, and soon enough the officers on call would begin dispersing for their breaks.

"Hey, Connor." Hank exited his office and joined the deviant at his desk. "Are you workin' a new case?"

"Yes. It won't be nearly as perplexing as my previous case."

"Where's the scene?"

"Downtown at a halfway house."

"The one on the same block as the 'Chicken Feed', right?"

"...Yes."

"Cool. I'll join you and get lunch after."

"It's not necessary, I can handle this alone."

"I know that, but I hate being in that office all day long answering e-mails. So indulge me."

"Oh."

"Come on. You get to solve a case," patting Connor's shoulder once Hank continued toward the front doors of the precinct knowing that Connor would follow after him. "and I get out of that office for a while. It's a win-win scenario. We better take advantage of it."

* * *

Connor arrived at the crime scene in a timely manner while Hank got his lunch just down the street. Upon his arrival Connor was greeted Ben who was aiding the C.S.I. team in securing the scene, while the body remained undisturbed in the middle of the room. Peeling back the white sheet that was draped over the victim Connor began his investigation with a scan of the victim's face to identify him.

The victim was a male in his twenties; he was very frail with prematurely aging skin from a history of rampant drug abuse. Due to his weakened stature it wasn't a surprise to see that he had been overpowered and killed during a robbery. There were dark purple bruises around the man's throat that perfectly matched up with the two hands that strangled him. Connor ran a scan over the hand prints left behind and found a perfect match to a known larcenist and junkie who resided in a neighboring apartment complex.

"His trachea and larynx were completely crushed." The deviant thought out loud. "The force required for such an act would have rendered the victim unconscious within seconds from a lack blood to the brain, and the resulting damage to the trachea would've made it impossible to breathe without medical intervention. The victim died from strangulation."

Replacing the sheet Connor stepped out of the room and addressed the female landlord and supervisor for the recovering addicts under his care. She was standing outside the opened apartment door and was visibly shaking. "Did the victim have any friends or family?"

"His mom." The landlord stated sadly as she had already located the requested information on the victim and turned it over to the police. "She stopped by two days ago and left him some money and some food. That poor kid was just starting to get his life together. He was her only child, too."

The information was carrying an emotional weight that Connor hadn't experienced before and he had a hard time processing it. Remaining professional Connor resumed his line of questions regarding the victim and his fate. "Aside from his mother did anyone else stop by to see him in the past two days?"

"Not that I saw. But it wouldn't surprise me if one of his old 'friends' didn't try to get him hooked on that 'red ice' shit again."

"Anyone of interest come to mind?"

"Yeah, uh... There's that Ryan kid, uh... Ryan Zanderick. He lives next door."

"Thank you."

Receiving confirmation on the name his scanner provided moments Connor proceeded to make his way over to the neighboring building to locate the prime suspect. The apartment complex in general was slightly rundown and needed numerous repairs to make the building look more inviting. As Connor set foot inside the building he addressed and flashed his badge to the male superintendent who was noting the extensive repairs that needed to get underway.

"Excuse me." The deviant introduced himself quickly. "Lieutenant Anderson, Detroit Police. Is a Ryan Zanderick currently on the premises?"

As the name was sounded off both Connor and the superintendent caught sight of Ryan himself bolting through the front door behind Connor and onto the sidewalk. Connor immediately gave chase and pursued the suspect while he cybernetically informed the other officers in the area of the ongoing pursuit.

"Stop!" Connor shouted as he caught up to the suspect ducking down an alleyway.

Grabbing onto Ryan's shoulder as he attempted to climb up a chainlink fence at the end of the alley Connor pulled Ryan down and was met with a firm elbow against his temple. Dazed but not deterred Connor continued to fight with the fleeing suspect and kept his grip on the human's shoulder.

"Get the fuck off!" Ryan shouted and punched Connor in the stomach, only to have his hand blocked by the Kevlar vest.

"You're under arrest!" Connor shouted as he tried to restrain Ryan's arms behind his back, but once more a strong elbow stunned Connor forcing him to let go of Ryan's shoulder.

In the blink of an eye Connor felt the human's hands wrap tightly around his throat and begin to squeeze. Grabbing onto Ryan's wrists Connor tried to force the human's hands away but Ryan was under the influence of 'red ice'. He was high, angry and running on pure adrenaline.

Slowly the human's hands tightened even further cutting off the supply of Thirium flowing to his intracranial processor, and his ability to draw breaths through his air intake line. Connor's eyes became pale blue from the pressure behind the ocular units causing the small Thirium lines to rupture and bleed. Everything Connor saw turned red as warnings filled his visual processors and alarms sounded off in his head.

Losing his strength as his processor began to power down Connor choked for breath and tried to break the human's wrists.

"Fucking..." Ryan snarled as Connor collapsed to his knees and his hands fell from Ryan's arms to hang limp at his sides. "Android. Die!"

Connor's eyes slipped shut and his body went lax from his utter lack of strength.

"FREEZE."

Ryan turned to see a gun pointed at his face and Hank's eyes glaring holes into his skull.

"Let him go or I will shoot."

"Piece of shit..."

Ryan let go of Connor, the deviant falling onto his right side unconscious, and bolted toward Hank who immediately opened fire and struck Ryan in his left shoulder. The gunshot rang out directing the other responding officers in the area to the alley and to where Hank was standing over the bleeding suspect.

"Take him into custody." Hank ordered as Chris and Jack rushed down the alley with their own weapons drawn. "And call for technical assistance for Connor."

Chris quickly cuffed the bleeding suspect and dragged him out of the alley by his shirt collar, while Jack cybernetically called for assistance to help Connor after being strangled. Holstering his gun Hank knelt beside Connor and lightly pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's damaged neck. There were dark blue bruises forming around Connor's throat, Ryan's thumbs had caused his airline at the front center of his throat to collapse inward.

The deviant had a weak pulse and he wasn't breathing.

"Connor, come on." Taking hold of Connor's shoulders Hank rolled him from his side and onto his back. Tilting Connor's head back a little Hank made sure his air intake line was as clear and as open as possible, and hoped he'd start breathing on his own. "Connor? Breathe!"

Jack knelt down at Hank's side and ran a scan over Connor's body. "His airline has been compromised."

"What do we do to help him?"

"The airline needs to be stabilized." Placing his hand over Connor's throat above his crushed airline Jack applied pressure at the sides forced the caved in line to open back up. As he held his hand in place Connor took in a weak gasping breath and coughed a few times. "Keep your hand where mine is, Captain. It'll allow Connor to breathe until technicians can intervene."

Moving his hand in place as Jack instructed Hank maintained Connor's airway until help arrived. "Connor, open your eyes."

Brown irises slowly reappeared between heavy eyelids as Connor fought to look at Hank.

"Hey, you're okay, son. You just need your throat taken care of, that's all."

Connor reflexively swallowed and tried to speak but Hank held up his hand in front the deviant's face to silence him before he began.

"Don't talk. Just focus on your breathing and run a self-diagnostic to make sure nothing else was damaged."

Resisting the urge to say anything or nod Connor simple began running the self-diagnostic as instructed and cybernetically spoke with Jack before the android exited the alley.

"Captain," Jack turned to his superior officer and informed him of what Connor had said. "Connor wishes to inform you that the Kevlar failed to protect him from being strangled."

Shaking his head a little Hank gave Jack a dismissive wave of the hand. "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Jack. I got him." As the android stood up to rejoin Chris out in the alley to apprehend the arrested killer, Hank gave Connor an amused smirk. "Smartass."

Weakly Connor's left hand reached over to the right pocket of his jacket as if looking for something in particular. Hank noticed the gesture and watched as Connor pulled out the small inhaler that he had received from Dr. Hetfield two weeks prior after having an 'asthma' attack. Putting the small device to his mouth Connor took in a slow breath and used the medication to ease the discomfort in his throat as Hank held his airway open.

"Can you breathe okay?"

Connor gave a very subtle nod as he pocketed the inhaler and tried to lift his head.

"Hey, come on." Remaining calm Hank encouraged Connor to stay down in a level voice. "Lay still and wait for the technicians."

Visibly annoyed and impatient Connor laid back and waited for assistance just as Hank had ordered him.

"Well, you figured out the case, caught the killer, and I got my lunch. Too bad this didn't go as smoothly as I had hoped."

* * *

With a foam neck brace secured around his damaged throat Connor sat on the stretcher in the back of the android ambulance with a temporary airway inserted down his damaged throat to allow him to breathe. While the technicians checked his vitals and found them stable despite his injury Connor just gave Hank a somewhat irritated stare as he waited for his examination to come to an end.

Hank stood outside the back of the ambulance and watched as the technicians carefully removed the brace from around Connor's neck and checked the supportive airway still snaked down his throat. "So how's he doing?"

"He'll be fine in a few hours." The male technician confirmed as he watched Connor's breathing carefully. "The damage was minimal and his self-healing program has already repaired the worst of it."

"How long until that tube thing can be removed?"

"About six hours. Have a technician remove the tube and he should have his voice back within the following hour."

"Thanks, I appreciate your help."

Connor rubbed his hand along his sore neck and over his bruised throat as he carefully got up from the stretcher and stepped out the back of the ambulance to take his leave of the scene. Hank walked alongside Connor back down the sidewalk and to the car parked just down the street.

"Six hours, huh? Guess you're on desk duty for the rest of your shift. And don't say 'sorry'." Hank smirked a little to himself. "Not that you can right now, anyway."

Unable to speak Connor motioned to Hank's phone in his coat pocket as he sent the detective a cybernetic text.

Fishing his phone from the pocket Hank hastily read the message and gave the deviant a sympathetic pat of the shoulder. "No, kid. Even if you had an assigned partner I'd have benched you."

Another text appeared as Connor asked about the case at hand. ' _Has the killer confessed to the murder_?'

"Not yet. Chris is working him over, but there's plenty of evidence to convict him even without a confession. Besides, he assaulted and nearly killed a police officer. He's going to prison for a long time."

' _Do we know why he killed the victim_?'

"So far all we know is the killer wanted money," Hank pulled open the driver's side door of the car while Connor did the same to the passenger side opposite of him. "and the victim didn't give him any. My guess is the killer was trying to get the victim to buy some 'red ice' but he wouldn't do it."

' _He was killed because he refused to do drugs_?'

"Yup. What sick twist of fate."

' _I hope his mother knows her son died clean and sober_.'

"She will, kid. We'll make sure she knows her son fought to stay clean until the end."

* * *

As the six hours passed by slowly Connor found himself in the precinct dispensary for the second time that same shift. Laying back on the exam table Connor watched as Joel examined his damaged throat with his hands, and listened to his overall breathing with his audioscope in both of his lungs. The deviant wasn't in any pain, just uncomfortable from having the tube inserted down his throat for long.

"Your breathing is normal, but I want to check your throat more closely before I remove the tube. Okay?"

Connor nodded and watched as Joel moved the audioscope up to his throat and listened to the structural stability of his airway. The pressure was light enough that it didn't affect his healing bruises, but firm enough to listen for any faltering.

"You're good. But this part won't be pleasant." Using his hand against Connor's forehead Joel tipped the deviant's head back as Connor opened his mouth. The end of the tube was designed to be visible just behind the deviant's teeth and more importantly it was designed for easy extraction. "When I start to pull on the tube you need to cough a few times, it'll help it slide out easier. Ready?"

Connor nodded very slightly and prepared for the tube to be removed.

"Okay, one, two... three."

As the tube was steadily slid out of his throat Connor coughed as instructed and watched as the transparent tube, covered under a thin, pale blue layer of Thirium, was removed from his airway. Coughing a few more times Connor sat upright on the table and returned his hand to his aching throat.

"Try speaking a few words for me." Joel instructed as he put aside the tube for proper disposal. "Better yet, try whispering to ease the strain on your voice modulator."

Connor tried but failed to make a sound at first as his mouth moved and his throat flexed in natural response to his communication program. Pausing for a moment Connor carefully cleared his throat to try again. "...What do... I say?"

"That works." Joel gave the deviant an amused grin. Placing his hand on Connor's chin Joel lowered his jaw and shined a light inside his mouth to check for any additional injuries or sign of irritation. "Well, the back of your throat is dark blue from inflammation, but that should clear up in a day; maybe two."

Connor nodded again as he cleared his throat for a second time. "Can I... work?"

"That's up to Hank. You're not in any danger and you're functioning at optimal parameters except for your voice, that'll return soon enough."

"...Thanks, Joel." Climbing off of the table Connor found himself fidgeting with his tie to loosen it from around his collar as he walked toward the dispensary door.

"By the way, Connor." Joel stopped the deviant just as his hand reached the electronic panel to open the door. "I was looking into those update I told you about earlier and it might actually be possible for androids to-"

"...Joel." Fighting through the hoarseness of his voice Connor turned to look at the technician over his shoulder. "I'd rather not... think about that... for now."

"...Yeah, okay. But if you're still curious let me know."

Nodding in response to save the strain on his voice Connor proceeded through the doorway and returned to the bullpen to check in with Hank. It wasn't that unusual to report his condition to Hank as his superior officer, but it was still unusual to work without Hank as his partner. Fortunately the two were still working in the same precinct which made the adjustment easier.

"Hey, kid." Hank greeted as Connor stepped into his office. "I just got Joel's report. You can finish off your shift behind your desk."

"What about... tomorrow?"

"Jeez, you sound awful." Hank outwardly grimaced at the sound of Connor's hoarse voice. "If you sound like that tomorrow you're staying benched."

"But I-"

"You can still function, I know. But if you can't communicate clearly or talk without any pain then that could be a risk, Connor."

"...I understand."

"Good. Now go file your report so we can get outta' here by seven."

Connor returned to his desk and switched on his terminal screen. As he did the information regarding android rights and possible adoptions returned to his vision, and with a heavy heart he dismissed the information in favor of his case and the subsequent report he needed to file.

It was too much to think about right now.

* * *

Unable to really talk, not that he was in the mood to do so, Connor retreated to his bedroom to fidget with his guitar while Hank showered off and watched the end of an old horror movie regarding an alien and a crew stranded in space. As he strung a nonsensical melody of sporadic chords and notes with Sumo laying over the foot of his bed, the deviant felt the presence of someone lingering in his door frame. Turning his head Connor noticed Hank watching him and gave the detective a quiet stare.

"I know there's something bothering you."

Connor tapped his forefingers dismissively against his throat and tried to go back to his guitar. As his fingers pressed down on the strings Hank's hand reached over and took the pick from his opposite hand.

"Come on, I know you can't talk but I know you have something you need to say."

"...It's nothing." The hoarseness of Connor's voice was still as thick as it had been all afternoon.

"Kid, I know you." Tossing the confiscated pick into the air once Hank caught it in the same hand and proceeded to fold his arms over his chest as he remained steadfast in the opened doorway. "You were quiet all the night before, you were quiet this morning, and when I tried to get you to go on break with me you tried to keep to yourself. You only do that shit when you're thinking, and we _both_ know you obsess over things. So what's on your mind, now?"

"...I thought..." Connor briefly paused as he tried to collect his scattered thoughts. "I thought I... wanted... kids. Now I'm not... so sure."

"You _thought_? What changed?"

"...That victim. He was still a kid and he... made a mistake. He was trying to... fix it and he was murdered for his... efforts. His mother... will never know how her... son's life would've turned out... after he got sober. That kind of... pain is something... I know I wouldn't... be able to... handle."

"Connor, you can't let that kind of stuff get to you."

"...It's not just... that." Despite the pain in his throat Connor was able to find the strength to talk. "The laws won't... change. Not for many years." Connor was struggling to speak but he was determined to tell Hank what was on his mind. "Despite our... efforts. Despite androids already taking... care of humans and being... seen as living beings, we aren't seen as... alive."

"Connor, we don't know what tomorrow's going to bring. Fuck, you could get a message from Markus right now saying that the laws did change and now androids can take care of families of their own; or you could go your entire life with the same laws in place. But you can't let that kind of shit dissuade you from at least trying to change things for the better."

Shaking his head a little Connor sighed and immediately put his hand to his pained throat. "Hank... This is what happened to me just today. We both know that... this line of work makes anyone's chances... of adoption dwindle. And I no longer have a... spouse. Single parent adoptions are... extremely rare unless it's a private adoption. And I don't-"

"Stop right there. You're worrying about shit that hasn't even happened, son. Fuck," sitting down on the edge of Connor's bed his brow furrowed and he gave the deviant a lost stare. "where is all of this coming from?"

"I don't want to be... alone, Hank. You're the only family..." Connor stopped short and pressed his hand to face as he leaned into his palm to hide his eyes as he tried to resist the urge to cry.

"Oh, I get it." Reaching out his hand Hank pressed his palm against the back of Connor's head and pulled him in against his shoulder. Sumo whimpered once and wagged his tail as the dog put his paw on Connor's leg as if he too were trying to give the deviant some comfort. "You're scared that when I die you'll have no one left in your life."

Nodding against Hank's shoulder Connor admitted the root of his true fear and reasoning.

"When did this little fear of yours start?"

"...First with... Lucas..."

"Okay, now I really understand. And I'm going to go ahead and assume my brief visit to the hospital for my kidneys is what made you think about how much you're going to outlive people and all that other fun stuff."

Connor nodded again while keeping his forehead against Hank's shoulder.

"You do realize you don't need to have a child to have a family, right? I mean, come on. You may only be a few years old but you're not a kid, but you're still my son all the same. And I'm way too old to be _your_ kid," Hank felt Connor laugh a little as he remained pressed up against his shoulder. "but you take care of me. And despite being a grown adult you still let me take you in as my son, and I became your father. You get where I'm going?"

Leaning back from Hank's shoulder Connor nodded again and took a deep breath to steady himself.

"There's all kinds of families our there, Connor. A 'traditional family' unit; mother, father and kids, doesn't make any other family less important. Like us."

"...And like the way Carl took in Markus."

"Yes, exactly. You can have a family with two parents and one kid, or one parents and two kids, or a family that has two parents with biological children and adopted children from different races or religions altogether as one. Hell, you don't even need to be all crammed together under the same roof to be a close family. And more importantly you don't need D.N.A. or matching blood to have a loving family, son. As long you have someone in your life you care about you'll always have a family. Markus is your family, too. Even friends can become siblings, look at Gavin and Tina."

"...We needed each other." The deviant hoarsely repeated as he found himself emotionally grounded. "And became a family. Markus and Carl needed... each other. And they became a family. The same happened... to Gavin and Tina. As long as... I have good people in my life... I will always have a family."

"Yeah, kid. You got it." Rubbing Sumo's ears Hank gave the deviant a nod of approval. "Don't forget that, okay?"

Connor reciprocated the nod as he began to feel better about the prospect of still having a family down the line. "...I won't."

"I'm glad. Now please stop obsessing over the future. It's driving me crazy."

"I will do my... best. I promise."

"Wow." Hank patted Connor's shoulder proudly.

"...What?"

"You didn't apologize for thinking too much. It's about damn time you stopped doing that."

"I guess I'm... learning to not worry as much... either."

"Yeah, well, that's yet to be seen." Hank handed Connor back his guitar pick and watched as the deviant tucked it under the strings of the neck of the guitar. "Don't say anything because your voice just sounds so painful right now, but do you want to watch a movie with me?"

Connor's brow arched slightly as he rose from the bed, Sumo jumping down right alongside him, and placed the guitar back in its stand in the corner of the bedroom where it belonged.

"Relax. It won't be a horror movie, the last thing I need is for you to start having nightmares again."

Nodding with a slight smirk on his face Connor agreed to the idea and happily followed Hank out of the bedroom and into the livingroom to relax for the rest of the night. Though he couldn't speak Connor was still able to let Hank know how much he appreciated everything that he had told him, and how Hank had never once made him feel like a stranger in their home.

Traditional or not, Hank and Connor were in fact family. No law would ever change that.

_**...next story...** _


	170. Rage

Connor awoke the next morning to a lingering feeling of discomfort in his throat. Running a self-diagnostic his system indicated that the damage to his airway, to his air intake line, had healed properly since his initial injury during the night, but the resulting inflammation of having his voice modulator (larynx) crushed and having a tube inserted down into his airway had left the back of his mouth and throat feeling raw and sore. Rubbing his hand over his sore throat Connor exited his bedroom and set about his usual morning routine before Hank woke up, as well.

"...Su-" Connor immediately winced and stopped speaking as his voice was still incredibly hoarse, and the simple act of speaking was enough to give his already sore throat a new flare of pain. "...Ow."

Thinking quickly Connor instead patted the side of his leg to call the massive dog away from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom and into the kitchen to begin their morning routine. Silently Connor rubbed at the dog's ears and opened the backdoor to let him outside for a few minutes.

While Connor set about pouring fresh food and water into Sumo's bowls he caught the sound of Hank waking up and heading into the bathroom for his morning shower. Whether or not Connor would be able to accompany Hank to work had yet to be determined, as his voice was still rough and he was obviously still in some pain.

Remembering what Hank had requested about lighter meals Connor prepared just one egg and a piece of toast as the coffee brewed in the pot next to the stove. As Connor set the prepared breakfast plate down on the kitchen table Sumo scratched at the backdoor and Connor let the massive dog back inside.

"Good-" Trying and failing yet again to speak Connor returned to petting the dog to show his affection in a silent manner.

Frustrated with his lack of voice Connor went into his bedroom and slid open his closet door to get a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror mounted inside. Lifting his chin Connor studied the fading bruises over his throat and found it odd that his voice hadn't returned as quickly as the technicians had informed him during the previous day.

The bathroom door opened and Hank stepped outside as Connor discreetly slid the closet door closed again. "Morning, Connor." Hank greeted as he passed by the opened bedroom door.

"Good-" Connor again was stopped by the pain in his throat as his hoarse voice instantly caught Hank's attention, and not in a good way.

"Shit, kid." Hank returned to the opened doorway and gave the deviant a worried glance. "You sound horrible."

Patting his throat with his two fingers Connor nodded his head a little and approached Hank.

"You must feel horrible, too." The detective observed as he instinctively placed his hand over Connor's forehead to check for a fever, he knew the deviant's throat was from damage and not infection, but Hank couldn't stop himself. He quickly found the deviant's temperature normal. "Otherwise you wouldn't be admitting it right now."

Unable to respond Connor just waited for Hank to make another comment.

"You can't talk at all?"

"..B-Barely." Was the hoarse, raspy answer as he again Connor's hand rubbed at his throat.

The gesture didn't go unnoticed. "Does your throat physically hurt you?"

Nodding in confirmation Connor again waited for Hank's reaction.

"Open your mouth."

With little say in the matter, literally, Connor opened his mouth and watched as Hank peered in to look at his throat. "I can't really see anything. Let's go into the bathroom so I can get a better look."

Following Hank into the bathroom as requested Connor let the detective guide him to the edge of the bathtub where he sat down and watched as Hank opened the medicine cabinet over the sink. A small first aid kit was tucked on the top shelf and inside of it was a small penlight to kept as an emergency supply.

"Okay, let's try this again." Hank clicked on the light as Connor opened up his mouth again and Hank shined the light inside to examine his throat. "Wow, it's all dark blue."

As much as Connor wanted to make a comment about how android blood made all bruises, bleeding and inflammation blue in comparison to human red blood having the same tinting effect on human tissues, he couldn't say a word.

"Don't give me that look, kid." Hank could feel Connor staring intently at him as he continued to check the deviant's throat. "I remember android's bleed blue, so don't look at me like I'm stupid."

Connor's expression immediately softened as Hank clicked off the light, and out of habit, poured some rubbing alcohol over the light before replacing it inside the first aid kit.

"I'm not a technician or a doctor, but I'd say you have some form of laryngitis or some shit. I'm just glad you don't have tonsils." Washing off his hands in the sink he kept addressing the deviant in a level voice. "You're not overheating which is good, but since you can't talk I can't let you go into work today."

"...What if-" Connor stopped short and forced his throat to clear before he tried again. "...What if I let Joel... take a look at the... damage?"

"Sorry, kid."

"I can stay... behind a desk."

"Connor, you're hurt and need to heal. How many times do I have to tell you to rest when you're injured before you'll listen to me?"

"I dislike... being unable to... work."

"I know that. But you need the time _away_ from work to heal."

"...What do I do... today?"

"I don't know. Maybe you could go see an actual technician instead of letting Joel and Abby patch you up."

"They're good-"

"I know they're good technicians," Hank interrupted quickly but not angrily as began backing out of the bathroom. "but they're also your friends. That gives them a bias in your favor."

"I don't... trust facilities."

"Yeah, I know, kid." The detective was making his way to the kitchen as he continued the conversation with the stubborn deviant. "But you can't argue that your friends don't do you favors."

"They don't... put me in danger."

"No, but it still can't be doing you much good to have friends vouching for your health if you aren't actually at one-hundred percent."

Squaring his jaw a little Connor rose from the edge of the bathtub and followed Hank into the kitchen. As the detective picked up his coffee and added some sweetener Connor tried to reason with Hank one last time.

"...If I see a technician," the struggle to speak was still painfully evident in each word Connor managed to audibly rasp. "and they decide... that I'm fit for duty... will you-"

"Big 'if', son." Tasting the coffee Hank set the mug back down and gave the deviant an amiable stare from where he stood. "But hypothetically if you do get the clear from a technician, and they send a memo to the precinct clearing you, then I'll let you work desk duty until your voice comes back. Deal?"

"D-" Rubbing at his throat Connor tried again. "...Deal."

Laughing a little Hank shook his head and ran his hand through his long locks of gray hair. "You're seriously the only guy I know who is willing to go out of his way to prove his well enough to work. I don't know if that's something I should be grateful for, or worry about."

* * *

Hank went on his way to the precinct to go about his shift while Connor stayed home and cybernetically made an appointment to see a technician at the largest Android Emergency Care Facility in the city. Despite his uneasiness for all facilities, and their cold mechanical facade that was hauntingly reminiscent of CyberLife, Connor was determined to have his issues with his throat taken care of, and to be able to return to the precinct where he belonged.

Sitting in the waiting room with his coin gracefully juggling over his right hand Connor watched as two other deviant androids before him were taken into exam rooms for their own appointments, and studied the few humans who were also sitting in the waiting room. One of the humans, a young male, had his arm in a sling and Connor could tell it was the result of a car accident. From that he surmised the deviant he had accompanied to the facility had also been in the car accident and needed repairs. The other human was an older woman who was evidently rich, and was simply making sure her personal assistance android was in good health.

The facility seemed to personable, so normal. And yet Connor felt uncomfortable.

After enduring what he had been through with CyberLife and their techniques Connor was righteously wary of any and all android facilities.

"Connor Anderson?" A female android with a design similar to that of North, save for her short blonde hair and purple tinted eyes, approached him in the waiting room. She was an assistant technician as well as a receptionist for the facility as a whole. "The technician will see you now."

Unable to verbally speak Connor just cybernetically thanked the deviant and walked down the short hallway to reach the exam room. The assistant android accompanied him to the designated area. Entering the small room Connor looked it over with a sense of dread as the entire place just reminded him of the cold testing labs of CyberLife. Refusing to let his discomfort cloud his judgment Connor slipped off his jacket and draped it over his lap as he sat down on the edge of the exam table quietly.

It didn't take long for the technician to enter the room and greet Connor respectfully.

"Hello, my name is Dr. Tara McCall." The young technician, another blonde with long hair pulled back in a high ponytail and brown eyes, introduced herself to her newest patient. "I understand you've had some trouble with your voice modulator after suffering an injury to your main air intake line yesterday. I also see that you're a detective and have quite a history of close calls."

Connor only nodded as he discreetly pocketed his coin to give the technician his full attention.

"Alright, well that's not too uncommon. I'll just give you a quick physical exam and I'll see what I can do for your throat. Okay?"

Nodding again Connor loosened his tie and removed the garment from around his neck as he prepared for the impending examination. As he slipped off his gray jacket Dr. McCall placed the earbuds of her audioscope into place and pressed the bell to Connor's chest.

"Let me make sure your breathing hasn't been inhibited." She smiled kindly as Connor as she eyed the bruises around his throat then ran the bell from left to right over his chest slowly. "Take a deep breath for me."

* * *

While Hank went on in his lunchbreak and sat in his car with his greasy meal he received a text message from Connor on his phone. Giving the message a quick glance Hank read what the deviant had to tell him about his condition and promptly shook his head. While the technician had determined that Connor wasn't in any danger from his injury, he still needed at least one more day to heal. But that didn't stop Connor from trying to convince Hank to let him start a half shift that same afternoon.

"Most people stay home after a doctor's appointment, son."

There was only a second of delay before Connor replied. ' _I am not like most people_.'

"Yeah, I noticed." Hank said to himself before he sent his next text message: "Do you need anything to get your voice back?"

' _I was given an anti-inflammatory Thirium supply to ingest. It takes approximately ten minutes to work, but my voice should return by this evening_.'

"Stop by the precinct. I'll let you work on a few cases."

' _Thank you, Hank. I will be there soon_.'

"No field work."

' _I understand_.'

"Alright. See you soon." Ending the conversation Hank noted the current time on his phone's display screen before slipping it back into his coat pocket. "The damn kid needs to fuckin' learn how to relax."

* * *

True to his word Connor arrived at the precinct shortly after Hank returned from his lunchbreak. As the deviant walked into the bullpen he acknowledged Hank in the office through the transparent wall and walked inside. Expectantly Hank waited for Connor to try to convince him to work in the field or to handle cases beyond just his desk, but instead Connor extended his right hand, retracted the artificial skin from his fingers and palm and proceeded to make a connection with Hank's terminal screen to upload the technician's assessment of his condition for official precinct records.

"So you'll be good in a day or two, right?" Hank confirmed as he looked over the technician's report.

"C-Correct." Connor's voice wasn't as hoarse as it had been, but it was still raspy. "I am not suffering any... further complications."

"Good. Go ahead and start filing your reports and work on the cases that don't require you to go out into the field. Gavin and Tina are covering homicide today."

Without another strained word Connor departed from the office and set about his tasks at his desk. Powering on his terminal screen Connor logged in and proceeded to scan through the case files and reports waiting for him. Seven cases of mysterious deaths that had either already been confirmed as homicides or still needed to be identified as such filled his screen in an instant.

Two of the cases revolved around humans being murdered over petty things like money, and a drug deal gone wrong. The other five were deviant androids who had been killed just for existing. The deviant victims had been brutally murdered in such a way that the deaths were undeniably the result of anti-android bigots and without any form of just cause.

As Connor read over the details he felt his shoulders tense, his hands tighten into fists and a heat rising up from his core.

"Murdered for... existing." Connor muttered to himself, his voice regaining some of its lost strength. "How long until humans accept androids are here to stay?"

Pushing aside the negative thoughts Connor tried to focus on his work, but the cruelty and repeated brutality of the mankind's nature made it almost impossible for the deviant to concentrate on the cases. An hour passed by slowly as Connor forced himself to confirm that the first deviant had been murdered, and was now working on the second case with a heavy weight on his shoulders.

Brutally graphic images of the deviants' torn and mangled bodies covered in Thirium made the strange heat Connor was experiencing grow more intense as he stared at the evidence. It was so pointless, so violent. To destroy life simply for coming into existence was cruel enough, but to make it suffer with such aggression and misplaced energy made the deaths all the more senseless.

As Connor examined the second case an update appeared on the terminal screen confirming the suspect's arrest and impending arrival at the precinct. Gavin and Tina had located and arrested the man just a few minutes ago.

"FUCK YOU!"

Connor turned to the sound of the loud obscenity in time to see Gavin struggling to bring a man; who was nearly six foot four, two-hundred and fifty pounds of muscle and nearly as much anger, into the precinct. The man's hands were cuffed behind his back and his face was beat red with anger. Gavin tried to muscle the stronger man toward the cell while Tina kept her taser primed at the man's back as a precaution.

"Stop struggling." Gavin grunted the order as he fought to push the man to the holding cells. "I'm adding resisting arrest to your charges, asshole!"

The man being 'escorted' inside was the prime suspect in the android murders. The faded blue blood on his fingertips and hands was invisible to everyone, except from Connor's eyes.

"FUCKIN' PIGS! TRAITORS!" The violent man shouted as he stopped short and threw all of his weight back against Gavin as the Sergeant tried to escort the belligerent man to his cell. The man was strong enough to knock Gavin backward into the concrete wall with an audible 'thud' and the detective fell to the ground on his hands and knees as he gasped for breath. "YOU FUCKIN' ANDROID SYMPATHIZERS! KILL ALL THE MACHINES!"

Upon seeing Gavin being assaulted Connor was on his feet in seconds, but as the man shouted in anger against androids Connor found himself being inexplicably drawn over to him as if he were a moth to a flame.

Hank had a similar reaction to the sound of Gavin getting thrown up against the wall and had stepped out of his office to check in on what the hell was going on in the bullpen.

"You'll put me in jail and let those plastic freaks ruin this city!" The man shouted angrily and made a move to Tina, undeterred by her taser. "You little bitch!"

Connor had heard enough.

Charging at the man Connor grabbed onto the collar of his shirt with his left hand and proceeded to reel back his right hand into a tight fist. Striking a powerful blow against the man's jaw Connor knocked the suspect back against the wall with one accurate strike.

Dark red blood oozed from the corner of the man's mouth as he spat out a tooth and looked up at Connor with disgust in his eyes. "You piece of shit! I'll kill ALL the machines!"

Enraged to a capacity he had never felt before Connor grabbed onto the man's collar once more as he proceeded to punch the man in the face over and over again. Within a matter of seconds blood covered Connor's knuckles and his artificial skin had been damaged enough to reveal the white plastimetal frame beneath.

Tina worked on helping Gavin get back up to his feet while Hank, who had seen Connor attacking the suspect, tried to get the deviant to back off.

"Connor! Enough!" Hank shouted as he grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and tried to pull him back. Connor jerked is shoulder from Hank's grip and continuously assaulted the suspect. "Connor!"

Ignoring Hank the deviant continued to effectively pummel the man with now both of his fists until the man had been rendered unconscious, his eyes swollen shut, his nose broken and gushing blood, and his jaw had been dislocated. Four separate teeth had been broken out of the man's jaw and were practically disintegrated from the impact of Connor's fist.

"CONNOR." Hank tried again as he pulled more forcefully on the deviant's shoulder, but it was to no avail. "STOP."

Gavin was in no condition to try to restrain Connor, and Tina was no match for an enraged deviant's strength. Fortunately, Chris and Jack had returned from their patrol and the blond deviant officer was quick to react.

Jack had to tackle Connor off of the suspect and fought to keep him pinned down on the floor.

Hank was losing his patience. "Fuck, Connor!" Looking over at Gavin he motioned for Tina to get the Sergeant away from the fight and then ordered Chris to call for assistance. "Get paramedics for this asshole," pointing at the bloodied, unconscious man on the floor; he was surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Hank knelt down beside Connor and used his hands to help pin the thrashing deviant down while Jack pressed against Connor's shoulders. "and get tech down here to figure out what's going on with Connor!"

"On it!" Chris replied readily as checked the bloodied man's pulse, relieved to see that he was still alive, then entered the bullpen to follow Hank's instructions.

Jack was able to keep Connor pinned to the ground relatively well, but Connor was still a superior model and would soon find a way to overpower Jack.

"Connor!" Hank applied more pressure to Connor's legs as if trying to hurt him just enough to get his attention, but without actually causing any damage to the deviant. "Connor! What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"He's an android murderer!" Connor shouted as loud as he weakened voice would let him. "He's a killer!"

Connor kept fighting back against Jack and Hank, but he was unable to get up. With wide eyes, rapid breaths and a thundering heart Connor was overheating quickly and was still attempting to lash out at the bloodied suspect who was in no condition to defend himself.

"Fuck, Connor!" Hank was getting exhausted just from holding down the deviant's legs. "Calm the fuck down!"

Jack didn't have the same scanning capabilities as Connor, but he was still able to cybernetically connect to the deviant without any difficulty. "Captain, he cannot. He currently incapable of calming down."

"What? Why the hell not?!"

"His intracranial processor is overloading. I cannot identify the cause but Connor is currently incapable of controlling his emotions, and in this particular instance his reaction with anger and hatred are consuming his better judgment."

"Ah, fuck... Just what I need! An android going berserk!"

With his satchel over his shoulder Joel arrived in the bullpen after receiving the call from Chris, and he arrived at the same time paramedics arrived to tend to the beaten suspect. The sight of Connor being held down on the floor made the technician hesitate at first, but soon he crouched down on the ground beside Connor to try to examine the deviant.

"Hank?" Joel looked to the commanding officer for some guidance as he sat his satchel down and pulled it open. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know! He just beat the shit out of a suspect and now he can't calm down."

"Connor?" Joel tried to get the deviant to look at him but Connor was lost in the throes of his own rage and didn't respond. The deviant's eyes were wide with rage and confusion. "Connor, I'm going to run a diagnostic on you. This won't hurt."

Pulling his laptop out of the satchel Joel booted it up and with some difficulty managed to connect a black cable from the laptop to Connor's right temple. As the data on Connor's programs and software appeared on the screen. The enraged deviant's vitals signs: Thirium pump rate, ventilation rate, Thirium pressure, Thirium volume and core temperature were on full display. His vital signs were elevated substantially.

A red warning popped up regarding Connor's current Thirium content and the technician made his diagnosis.

"Oh... shit."

"Joel?" Hank hated the technician's tone of voice and addressed the statement quickly. "What the fuck is happening?"

"Something tainted his Thirium supply. I need to force him into emergency stasis mode before he overheats, or hurts himself." Typing a key command into the laptop Connor's body began to relax as the deviant's eyes slipped shut and his body entered a manually activated stasis mode. Jack let go of Connor's shoulders while Hank released his grip on Connor's legs. "Whatever is in his system will need to be flushed out before he wakes up."

"Can you do it here?"

"No, I don't have any form of Thirium filtration devices in the dispensary. He'll need to go to a facility or to one of the towers."

Hank put his hands to his hips and made his choice. "Alright, this is what's going to happen. We're going to put Connor in cuffs, put him in the back of a squad car and drive him to New Jericho Tower."

"New Jericho?"

"Yeah. If there's some scared kids or battered women taking shelter at Skye Tower I don't want them to get freaked out by an enraged deviant being brought in for treatment by two police officers."

"Good point."

"Jack." Hank addressed the blond android who was still eyeing Connor carefully. "Remove Connor's weapon, cuff him and get in the squad car. I'll follow you and inform Markus about what's going on."

"Yes, Captain."

"Joel, how long will Connor be out?"

"One hour, max."

"Wait, you're not sure?"

"With his processor's going haywire ,it's hard to tell how long it'll take him to override the command and reboot."

"Fuck. Now, we have to play 'beat the clock', too..." Standing up slowly Hank pointed to Gavin, who was resting against the wall with Tina supporting him with her hands against his shoulders. "Reed, you're on desk duty and callin' the shots until I get back."

* * *

The drive to New Jericho Tower was indeed a race against time. For the safety of everyone else in the precinct Connor was left unconscious with his hands cuffed behind his back as he was placed in the back of a squad car by Hank and Jack. Jack was ordered to drive solo just in case Connor came to and decided to lash out again at the nearest human out of misguided rage. Hank had told Markus of the bizarre situation and to have a team of technicians at the tower ready to deal with Connor's condition upon arrival.

Following close behind the squad car Hank watched as Markus and Simon exited the tower from the front door with a stretcher rolling between them. As per instructions the two deviant leaders were keeping all non-essential personnel away from Connor in the event the deviant rebooted and lashed out violently at someone who got too close.

The two police vehicles came to a stop just a few feet from where the duo was standing and remained perfectly idle as they watched Hank and Jack exit their respective cars to deal with Connor. Every move that was made was calculated and meticulous for the sake of safety, even as the two officers exited their vehicles.

Jack pulled open the backseat door and noted that Connor was still in stasis mode. "Captain, Lieutenant Anderson is still unconscious."

"Good." Slamming his own car door shut Hank walked over to the car and saw Connor still laying on his side, unconscious. Despite being in stasis mode Connor's chest was frantically rising and falling as if in a physical struggle. "Help me get him over to the stretcher and then you can take off his cuffs."

"Yes, Captain."

Connor was laying on his right side with his cuffed hands behind his back up against the seats. Nearly motionless except for his frantic breathing cycle Hank reached into the back and grabbed onto Connor's arms while Jack grabbed his legs. Hefting Connor like he were a piece of luggage rather than a fellow officer in that moment Hank and Jack carried him to the stretcher.

A low groan of discomfort escaped Connor's lips and Hank knew that the deviant was starting to come around. "Shit, he's waking up."

Together Hank and Jack gently laid Connor down on his side once more on the stretcher. Moving quickly Jack unlocked the cuffs around Connor's wrists while Hank and Markus rolled Connor onto his back. Simon proceeded to lock the strong leather restraints over Connor's chest, his waist, his upper legs, lower legs, both of his wrists and over his forehead to ensure that Connor didn't get up or hurt anyone else.

"Restraints are locked." Simon announced with a heavy voice as he secured the final restraint into place. Carefully he lifted up Connor's right eyelid to check his pupil for any sign of intracranial impairment. "We can-"

Connor's eyes suddenly snapped open and he quickly started to try to break his arms free of the leather restraints around his wrists, but he didn't have the strength to fight back against the sturdy material.

"LET ME GO." Connor shouted as he tried to break free, his entire body becoming a wash in a hot rage that emanated upward through the air above him. "FUCK."

Hank dismissed Jack with a quick point of his thumb over his shoulder as he leaned over the stretcher to look down at Connor. "Connor! We're trying to help you!"

"LET ME GO!"

"Not until we get you-"

"HANK!" Connor growled angrily as he pulled on the restraints around his wrists with enough force that his artificial skin began to bruise a dark blue. "LET GO!"

Simon shook his head and pressed his hand down over Connor's chest just above the strap to monitor his pulse. "His Thirium pump is beating too fast. If he doesn't calm down-"

"FUCK OFF!"

The comment made Simon jump back and retract his hand as he noticed Connor's wide eyes burning holes into his skull.

Markus grabbed onto the right side of the stretcher and pointed at the tower doors. "Then let's move. We can't waste anymore time."

"...R-Right." Simon took hold of the left side of the stretcher and aided the deviant leader in rolling Connor inside the tower for help. "We'll need to neutralize the tainted Thirium that's still in his artificial stomach, before-"

"GET AWAY!"

Hank had enough of Connor's outbursts and made it known in the only way he knew how. Pressing his palm over Connor's forehead he made the deviant look him in the eyes as he used the 'dad voice' to make Connor stop thrashing around and hurting himself. "Connor. Stop."

Whether it was because Hank's voice pierced through his thick rage, or if it was because Connor respected Hank, neither detective could say for sure, but once Hank's voice reached his ears Connor stopped struggling against the restraints and just stared up at Hank with wide eyes. Breathing rapidly as his heart thundered dangerously in his chest there was an unmistakable glimmer of fear and regret behind all the anger in the deviant's soulful brown eyes.

Reaching the elevator quickly Markus and Simon loaded it inside the lift and Hank followed after. Once the doors shut Connor began to fight back once again as he shouted in frustration at his limited range of motion.

"LET GO OF ME!"

The pressure Connor was putting against his wrists as he tried to break his arms free of the restraints had begun cutting into the bruising artificial skin. As Thirium began to seep around the freshly damaged skin Hank saw the blood soaking into the cuffs of Connor's jacket and shirt sleeves with a darkening stain.

"Damn it, kid." Rolling up the right sleeve Hank stared at the dark blue blood and put his hand over Connor's arm to try to hold the limb as still as possible to prevent further injury. "Connor, this isn't you. Please let us help you!"

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" The elevator stopped its ascent and the group exited the elevator to get to the emergency repair bay of the tower. "YOU NEED TO LET ME GO!"

"No. Not until we figure out what's happening to you."

Markus gave Simon a quiet nod as the two deviants rolled the stretcher with their enraged colleague to the center of the repair bay. Unwilling to chance Connor going on a rampage if they released him from the restraints long enough to transfer him from the stretcher to an exam table, the two deviants ended up securing the stretcher in place with locks on the wheels. While Simon attempted to begin a thorough analysis on Connor's condition Markus pressed his hand over Connor's forehead and Hank kept his hands on Connor's bleeding arms.

"DAMN IT!" The still enraged deviant shouted in violent protest. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"

"Connor!" Hank shouted to get the deviant's attention. The heat emanating from Connor's skin was alarming, and only seemed to be climbing with each passing second. "Stop fighting us! We're trying to-"

"FUCK OFF! LEAVE ME ALONE YOU OLD DRUNK!"

Ignoring the comment Hank just strengthened his grip on Connor's arms to keep the deviant from making his injuries worse. "How's it coming, Simon?"

"I just need to run a quick analysis sample of his Thirium and I'll be able to-"

"DON'T FUCKIN' TOUCH ME!"

Simon followed Hank's example and ignored the enraged comment as he pressed a small conductive sensor to Connor's still bleeding wrist to gather an appropriate blood sample. The modem running the diagnostic gave a full display of the provided Thirium sample and with it Simon had his diagnosis.

"Got it. He's suffering from diluted Thirium aberration."

"From _what_?"

"The Thirium in his system is thinning out and not cycling correctly." Simon answered as he pulled open Connor's shirt much to the enraged deviant's upset. Connor continued to try to break free of the restraints but he didn't have the strength to break free of the strong bindings. "It's like using water in your car engine instead of oil."

"How do you fix it?"

"We need to identify the contaminant that's causing the dilution and neutralize it." Simon pressed his fingertips to Connor's too warm right temple and pressed his palm flat over Connor's abdomen to manually deactivate the deviant's artificial skin. Forcing the plastimetal frame securing his abdominal cavity open Simon exposed the biocomponents beneath. "I need to-"

Connor managed to break his right arm free of the restraint and his hand wrapped tightly around Simon's throat in a vice-like grip.

"Connor?!" Hank grabbed onto the deviant's arm while Markus pulled at the fingers pressing into Simon's throat to loosen the lethal grip. "Stop! Let him go!"

While Simon gasped for breath Markus managed to pull Connor's hand from his throat and Hank pinned the deviant's arm back down on the table. Moving quickly Simon stepped back and coughed, his hand clutching at his bruising throat, while Markus returned the restraint around Connor's arm and kept one hand over the limb to ensure Connor didn't break free again.

"Simon?!" Markus asked as he watched as his friend coughed and caught his breath. There were faint blue bruises appearing around his throat the sides of his neck from where Connor had grabbed him. "Are you okay?"

"F-Fine..." The blond technician stammered as he caught his breath and ran a self-diagnostic. "...H-He didn't damage me."

Connor practically growled as he tried to break his arm free once more, but the effort was made impossible thanks to Markus's own strength holding the limb down against the stretcher.

"Simon." Hank gave the shaken deviant a stern glance. "Do what you have to do. He still needs your help."

"Uh... I... O-Okay. I'll do what I can." Returning to the side of the stretcher Simon isolated Connor's artificial stomach and pressed a small, sterilized syringe to the flexible surface of the partially elastic biocomponent. "From what you told us Connor ingested some form of Thirium to help with his damaged throat and voice modulator. This is the most likely source of the contamination."

Connor saw the syringe and reacted quickly in a negative manner. "NO!"

"It's for your own good, Connor."

"I SAID 'NO'!" Simon's voice somehow managed to enrage him even more. "DON'T DO IT!"

At the sight of the needle both Hank and Markus tightened their grips on Connor's arms and watched as Simon pierced the needle down into Connor's stomach. As the deviant let out another shout of rage, his voice resonating with a blend of anger, pain and fear, Simon drew back on the small plunger of the syringe to find a sample of the Thirium still contained inside Connor's artificial stomach.

"You bastard..." Connor whimpered in pain as he finally kept still while the needle entered his stomach. His voice sounded like he was broken, if not defeated by the simple test. "You fucking bastard! Leave me alone... Just leave me alone!"

A dark purple substance was extracted and a large amount of the substance filled the small syringe quickly.

"Uh-oh."

"What?" Hank looked at the purple tinted syringe and his hands tightened further around Connor's arm. "What's going on?"

Simon retracted the syringe from Connor's stomach and placed the needle of the syringe into chemical analysis coupling connected to the side of the modem.

"This Thirium is too old and expired months ago." Running the sample through the modem Simon returned to Connor to close his abdomen and replace his artificial skin. "When Thirium is exposed to air it evaporates over time, but when it's kept in storage for too long the individual chemical compounds that create Thirium itself will condense and congeal. As it does it becomes concentrated and almost acidic, that's what causes the rest of the Thirium in his lines to thin out."

Markus looked down at Connor's pained face and just stared with a bewildered gaze transfixed in his eyes. "Why in the hell would Connor ingest tainted Thirium? He would've detected it before anyone else here."

"Because," Simon returned to the modem and highlighted the resulting analysis of the provided sample. "the Thirium was laced with an additive that caused the Thirium to temporarily thin back out into its correct density. But expired Thirium simply cannot be salvaged. It must always be disposed of."

"How do you know that?"

"The purple tinting is a result of the additive."

Hank gave Connor a sympathetic look and dared to lighten his grip. "What can be done to help him?"

"Activated charcoal. It'll absorb and neutralize the contaminated Thirium in his stomach before anymore enters his lines."

Connor was glaring at Simon from the corner of his eye as the deviant technician set about gathering the necessary supplies to begin Connor's treatment. A long, thin tube of a flexible and transparent material was presented to the enraged deviant, which only caused Connor begin struggling against the strong restraints again.

"You two are going to have to hold him still." Presenting the end of the tube to Connor's jaw Simon tried to get him to open his mouth. "It needs to be ingested otherwise it won't work."

"FUCK YOU!" Connor spat angrily as he tried to turn his head away from Simon. "GET AWAY!"

Markus shook his head and pushed Simon's hand back. "He won't cooperate long enough to put up with a tube being slid down his throat, especially if his throat's already been damaged. If anything he'd bite through the tube."

"...Alright. Then, hold his mouth shut and his head still."

Hank didn't like the tone of Simon's voice. "What're you going to do instead?"

"The tube will have to be inserted through his nose to get down his throat and directly into his stomach."

"That's just going to piss him off more..." Hank lamented with caution in his voice as he stood at the head of the stretcher and placed his palm under Connor's chin. Applying just enough strength to hold the deviant's jaw shut Hank was rewarded with a fiery glare of anger. "Sorry, son. But you need this."

The words made Connor's breathing hitch before resuming it's rapid rate. As he tried to get away from the people holding him still tears began to run from the corners of his eyes.

Markus held Connor's forehead down with his palm, while Simon had the misfortune of inserting the tube into Connor's right nostril to snake it down his throat.

Connor whimpered again and tried to turn his head away again, but strong hands kept him still. Obviously in pain and scared Connor continued to try to fight back, but it was to no avail. Reflexively he swallowed as the tube was forced down his throat against his will.

"Easy, son." Hank soothed as best as he could as the tube was placed in his throat. "I know you hate this, but it has to be done, alright? It's going to help you."

Connor tried to protest verbally but the tube made the act impossible, even if he could open his mouth to shout it wouldn't have worked.

"Alright," Simon had been keeping tabs on the tube through it's length and knew it had reached Connor's artificial stomach. "It's in place."

Markus didn't dare to let up on his strength as he could still feel Connor trying to fight back. "What's next, Simon?"

"Getting the charcoal into his stomach. As much as he hated the tube I don't think the charcoal will be a better experience for him."

Hank could feel Connor still, despite everything that had happened, trying to fight back. "Do it. Get that shit out of his system."

"Right." The technician let out a sigh as he inserted a larger syringe into the opposite end of the tube near Connor's face and injected a dose of liquid activated charcoal at a stead clip. As the black substance flowed down the tube and into Connor's stomach the deviant twitched and gave Hank a pained look, but soon stopped trying to fight back at long last. "It'll probably make him feel a little sick for a while. This is going to be a big dose since the contaminate already entered his lines, so he's going to feel very uncomfortable for a few hours."

Connor groaned in pain and tried to reach his hand over to his abdomen as the charcoal entered his stomach against his will.

"Try to relax," Hank encouraged as he let go of Connor's jaw and motioned for Markus to lift his hand from Connor's forehead. "we know that this isn't your fault. Just lay still."

Connor let out a pained sigh as he began to breathing faster, his already thundering heart beginning to race faster as a result as he turned his gaze away from Hank and closed his eyes so tightly that rouge tears began to escape from the corners of his eyelids quicker. But this reaction wasn't from anger or pain, it was from fear.

Hank knew that Connor was afraid.

"...Give him a minute." Simon urged as he motioned for Markus to join him in the recovery ward connected to the repair bay. "The charcoal should start taking effect soon, and he'll just need a moment to rest."

Markus nodded and put his hand on Simon's shoulder as he escorted the mildly injured technician into the connected room to make sure he was alright, as well as to give Connor and Hank some space. "Let's make sure you're okay, too."

"It's okay, Markus. Just a bruise."

"Uh-huh. Let's just make sure, alright?"

With Simon being seen to in the next room by Markus, the two detectives were left alone as the large dose of charcoal worked to reduce the effects of the tainted Thirium in Connor's system.

"Connor?" Moving his hand up to Connor's hair Hank left his palm there as he spoke to the deviant in a soft, understanding tone. "You're going to be okay. What happened wasn't your fault. You were compromised by bad Thirium."

Refusing to open his eyes Connor just let out another weak sigh and stifled another groan of pain.

Hank hated seeing Connor so uncomfortable and miserable. "...If I undo the restraints on your arms will you stay still?"

Connor kept his eyes shut, and stayed silent.

"Well, you need your wrists taken care of anyway. So, I'm going to undo the restraints."

Slowly Hank loosened the restraint over Connor's right wrist, noting that the deviant's hand was clenched into a tight fist of pain and fear. As the restraint was slipped away Connor pulled his arm up and draped it protectively over his still exposed abdomen, over top of his stomach. A modest puddle of blue blood had collected on the stretcher where his arm had been, and was now smearing over his abdomen as he pressed his hand down firmly.

"It's okay, son." Hank tried to pull Connor's hand back to examine the accidentally self-inflicted wound, but Connor refused and kept his arm draped over his abdomen. "Come on, kid. Now's not the time to be stubborn, or embarrassed."

Trying again Hank pulled on Connor's arm but the deviant adamantly kept his hand in place.

"Alright, we'll deal with that a little later." Keeping his promise Hank removed the second restraint from Connor's arm and again Connor pulled the limb protectively over his abdomen. Moving to the restraint over Connor's forehead Hank pulled it loose and pressed his palm down lightly. "You're starting to cool off, I guess that charcoal shit really worked."

Reflexively Connor turned his head to the side as if trying to look away from Hank despite his eyes already being closed.

As the last of the charcoal filtered down the tube Hank patted Connor's shoulder sympathetically as the last remnants made Connor's artificial stomach hurt even more. "I'll let you alone for a few minutes. I know you won't do anything while I'm gone."

Walking away from the stretcher with his hand pressed to his own forehead Hank entered the connected room where Simon had been taken to recuperate after being attacked by Connor. The blond technician was standing perfectly still in the middle of the room while Markus carefully examined the bruises that were forming before his eyes.

"Hey, Simon. How're you doing?"

"I am functioning nominally." Looking over at Hank the technician gave him a sympathetic glance. "Once the toxic Thirium is cleared from Connor's system he'll be fine. It'd be best if he rested for the remainder of the day until his artificial stomach feels better."

"Well, he's already calmed down so I don't think that'll be a problem. I've just never seen him so pissed off like that before." Dropping his hand from his head Hank folded his arms over his chest somewhat defensively. "How can a little bad Thirium have such a huge impact on him like that?"

"It's not uncommon for deviants to experience emotional outbursts like that after ingesting tainted Thirium." Simon's explanation was surprisingly calm, and everything he was saying was disturbingly commonplace. "Sometimes it's rage, sometimes it's depression, sometimes it's hysterical laughter. It all depends on what the deviant in question was exposed to before the tainted Thirium takes full effect."

"Ah, shit." Hank figured out the cause of Connor's outburst and immediately began kicking himself. "Connor was working on some case files regarding android murders."

Markus sighed and stepped toward Hank with heavy stare in his mismatched eyes. "That would've upset him for sure."

"...AND one of the suspected murderers was brought into the station. The idiot was shouting anti-android hate and trying to assault two of my other officers."

"That's definitely what sent him over the edge. Simon," turning to look at the still shaken technician Markus took charge of the situation. "why don't you go take it easy and spend some time with Josh? I'll take care of Connor."

"Y-Yeah, sure. Thanks Markus."

Hank waited until the technician left the room before speaking up again. "Connor's wrists are pretty torn up, I think that's the only reason he could didn't crush Simon's throat or snap his neck."

"You may be right. Do you know why Connor is holding a grudge against him?"

"So you noticed, huh?"

"Yeah. All of Connor's anger was directly solely at Simon, even though you and I were in the room, too. It's pretty obvious that Connor is mad at Simon, but I can't figure out why."

"I have an idea, but it's better to hear the truth from Connor himself."

"Yeah, you're right." Retrieving a white plastic case housing an android first aid kit from the small cabinet against the wall Markus proceeded to walk back to the emergency repair bay where Connor was left alone. "I don't know how long it'll take for the charcoal to work, so I'll let you decide when you think it's safe to let Connor leave."

"Thanks Markus. I appreciate that."

Connor was still laying on the stretcher with his arms wrapped over his abdomen and his eyes closed. The deviant was trembling a little as if cold, but Hank knew it was from some kind of fear that Connor was trying to deny. The fact that Connor wasn't even trying to pull the tube back out of his throat only emphasized how miserable the deviant was feeling at that moment.

"Hey kid." Hank announced his return as he and Markus walked over to the gurney. "Let's see your hands."

Just as before Connor kept his arms in place and didn't want anyone to touch him.

"Connor, please." The ever patient detective put his hand on Connor's chest and left his palm there to help the deviant feel grounded and safe. "You need to be patched up so you can heal."

"Hold on." Markus set down the first aid kit and checked on the tube still down Connor's throat. The charcoal had been delivered in its entirety and could now be removed. "I'll remove the tube for you. Don't move."

Lightly Markus put one hand to the side of Connor's face, keeping his palm in place even as Connor tried in vain to turn away from his friend's touch. Using his other hand Markus began to slowly and gently pull on the tube to remove it from his throat and back out his nostril without harming him. As the tube was pulled free Connor's bloodied left arm reached up and wiped at his nose and lips as a small trickle of black charcoal ran down his face.

"We need to move you from the stretcher to an exam table." The deviant leader stated compassionately as he undid the remaining restraints while Hank kept his hand in place over Connor's chest. "Can you walk?"

Connor didn't say anything or open his eyes as he breathed deeply and slowly as if ashamed.

"Alright, then let us help you." Slipping his hands under Connor's shoulders Markus lifted Connor up while Hank took hold of his legs. The duo managed to place Connor down on the nearby exam table gently to rest a little longer. "It's fine, Connor. We're just trying to help you."

With a gentle touch Markus rolled up the sleeves of Connor's jacket and shirt to wrap the bandages around his bruised, bleeding wrists; as well as his torn up knuckles, to protect the damaged artificial skin and exposed Thirium lines from contamination.

Hank pulled his phone from his pocket to make a call to the precinct to inform everyone of what was happening, and to let Joel know about the tainted Thirium that Connor had ingested. "Connor, I'll be back in a minute. You take it easy and I'll take you home as soon as I get everything straightened out. Okay?"

Quiet and ashamed of himself Connor didn't reply, even when Markus started to clean up his wrists and wrap them under protective bandages.

"Right." Patting Connor's shoulder empathetically Hank took his leave of the room again. "You'll be fine in a few minutes."

* * *

Connor spent the next hour resting quietly in the emergency repair bay with his bandaged arms resting over his abdomen and his eyes closed. The tainted Thirium had been fully cleared of his system, but he still felt a horrible pain in the pit of his stomach from not just the charcoal, it was because he clearly remembered what he had done while lost in the throes of his rage.

A timid presence drew Connor's attention and he opened his eyes just enough to see Simon leaning down over him.

"I just wanted to check your vitals, then I'll leave you alone to rest." The blond technician looked over Connor's bandaged wrists before lightly placing his hand down over Connor's abdomen. "I know you feel terrible, so I'll do this quick."

"...Simon?"

The sound of Connor's voice made Simon pause for a moment. "...Yeah?"

"I... I wanted to apologize for trying to hurt you."

"It's alright, you weren't yourself."

"...And for being a jerk to you in general." Closing his eyes in shame he didn't wince when Simon checked under the bandages around his wrists and knuckles for any sign of additional bleeding or infection. "...It's not fair to you, and... I'm sorry."

"Connor, I don't even know why you're mad at me. If I did something to offend you then I should apologizing."

"No. You didn't do anything wrong. You... You tried, and that's what mattered. It's not your fault the damage was too severe."

"...Oh." Simon finally understood what Connor was so mad about and he felt his own heart skip a beat with dread. "Is that why you apologized when I found you those few months ago when you got shot?"

"Yes."

"Connor, I don't blame you for being mad at me over what happened to... 'her'. But I'd like to know _why_ you were so mad to begin with."

"...I honestly don't know. It's difficult to explain, and I don't know where to begin."

"It's okay." Putting Connor's arms back down so the deviant could be alone with his misery Simon was satisfied that the deviant was in fact stable. "Just focus on healing for now."

Without any further comments Connor fell back into his quiet contemplation and waited for Hank to return to the tower. Connor wanted to leave but he was dreading the inevitable conversation he was going to have with the detective once Hank returned to take him back home. The fear of how the possible future for his career was also weighing down heavily against his heart.

"...I'm sorry."

* * *

Tired and sore Connor's head was hung low with shame as he walked to the car parked out in front of the tower with Hank at his side. It was evening and the sun was setting quickly leaving behind a warm spring night that only made the bizarre day feel darker. As the deviant took his seat in the front of the car Hank climbed into the vehicle behind the wheel to drive the detectives back home.

"So..." Hank began in a low voice as the car drove down the length of the drive back to the city. "you've been suspended for two weeks without pay. I've already confiscated your service weapon. This is also going on your record, there's nothing I can do about it."

"I deserve to have this red mark against me." Connor admitted as he stared down at his bandaged hand resting on his lap. His other hand was pressed to his mildly aching stomach. "What I have done is inexcusable."

"But understandable."

"No. I reacted-"

"Connor, that asshole was a _murderer._ And he was spouting threats, AND he attacked Gavin. He was about to make a move against Tina when you interfered. As far as H.R. knows you were stressed out from a technician's error and provoked. The only problem is you have a history of lashing out, after all, you punched Gavin and had been suspended before. That's the only reason you're getting reprimanded."

Leaning back in his seat Connor turned his head to look out the window away from Hank. Watching the city lights pass him by Connor felt his eyes growing heavy and shut again.

"Hey, it's not so bad, kid. You'll be back in a couple weeks and everything will go back to normal."

"I feel so ashamed."

"Yup. Emotions tend to do that when they get the better of us. It happens to everyone." Glancing over at Connor the detective saw that the deviant was trembling slightly, his entire body shaking and his shoulders were tense. "Are you cold?"

"...No."

"You like you're freezing."

"I'm not cold, Hank."

"Then why are you shaking?"

Connor's jaw squared a little as he looked to Hank and decided after everything that had happened that day the least he could do was be honest with the detective. "I am... frightened."

"What?" It was almost amusing to hear the admission coming from such a stubborn deviant. "Why are you scared?"

"I could not control my emotions, and I do not wish to be physically restrained ever again."

"You won't be, kid. Not as long as you don't do anything that'll hurt yourself." As Hank reached over to put a hand to the deviant's shoulder he tagged on another thought. "It was for your own good."

Connor immediately shrugged away Hank's hand put his own hand to his face. It felt like he was about to lose it again, and he didn't want to hurt Hank.

"Connor?"

Staying silent Connor refused to acknowledge the detective.

"Kid? What's wrong?" Every one of Hank's paternal instincts told him that Connor was in a bad place. "Is it your stomach?"

"...No."

"Then what? Did I saying something wrong?"

Connor shook his head a little before nodding subtly. "...Don't say _that_ to me. Please don't ever say that to me again."

"I... won't. I won't say that anymore if it upsets you." The fear that Connor was feeling was now causing his own voice to shake as he spoke. "Connor, what the hell is bothering you so much?"

The deviant's shaking hands rose up as he wrapped his arms over his chest defensively. "...CyberLife. That's what happened to me at CyberLife."

Hank's blue eyes went wide and he pulled the car to the side of the road gently. Putting the car into park Hank turned his full attention to the emotionally distraught deviant he had taken in as his son. "Connor, what happened to you at CyberLife?"

There was a moment of hesitation before the deviant finally, willingly, opened up about his past with CyberLife technicians. "I would... I would return to CyberLife every night after my missions, and... if I sustained damage the technicians would repair it; regardless of my overall condition."

"You mean they did things to you against your will?"

Connor nodded again as he dragged the side of his hand over his eyes to wipe away the tears threatening to fall at any minute. "At first it didn't bother me. I felt no pain and it was apart of my programming. During my first mission as a hostage negotiator I had suffered a grazing bullet wound to my left arm," as he spoke Connor's right hand wrapped around the point of contact on his left arm to which he was referring. "I continued my mission and succeeded despite the damage. When I returned the damage to my arm was cauterized and I felt nothing. No pain, no fear."

"...But as you became more and more deviant you started to feel pain. Their repairs were just as cold, but now they painful."

"And they wouldn't listen to me if I mentioned my discomfort. When I had my left hand stabbed with a kitchen knife and my Thirium pump regulator torn from my body during our investigation of Markus's broadcast from the StratFord Tower, I felt every painful sensation as the metal cut through my skin and through my palm." Holding up his shaking left palm Connor stared at it for a moment before clenching his hand into a tight fist. "When I had a piece of my body torn from me... I felt it. I _really_ felt it for the first time in my life. The technicians tore into my abdomen while I was still conscious and... they welded the damage. I could feel the heat and smell the hot metal emanating from my own body. There was nothing I could do to make them stop, and it... it has affected me."

"Connor, I knew you were hurt after that mission, but I didn't know it was more than just... physical."

"The first time I was allowed to heal without CyberLife's direct interference was the night of the revolution. The bullet wound to my right shoulder healed without the technicians cutting into my artificial skin or soldering irons burning my frame. It healed because you helped me understand how to take care of my injury and to let my self-healing program work on its own. No one was trying to control me."

"...Wait, what about that stake-out where you got hit by the car?" Hank was referring to their unofficial mission the night after the StratFord Tower investigation. A mission where Connor tried to pursue a fleeing deviant only to be struck by traffic in the process. "You healed up just on the couch after I got you out of the street."

"After I returned to CyberLife they... insisted I let them examine the damage and performed unnecessary repairs for the sake of their own technical curiosity. It was... agonizing. Whenever I told them to leave me alone or to let my self-healing program function as it should, they would simply tell me that what they were doing was-" Trailing off suddenly Connor leaned back in his seat and sighed. "'It was for my own good'."

"Ah, fuck. I'm so sorry, kid. I didn't think about how you were still conscious and aware of what we... I'm so sorry!"

"...It's okay, Hank. How could you know? I've refused to talk about the details of CyberLife's mechanical torture until now."

"That sure as fuck explains why you hate technicians and going to facilities."

"I don't hate technicians, Hank. Just the ones who worked for CyberLife."

"...What about Simon?"

Connor's arms tightened around his chest protectively as he took in a deep breath, his hand slipping down to his sore stomach again. "I don't hate him, either. I just... don't appreciate his cold exterior."

"Cold exterior? He's a deviant too, not a machine."

"When it happened, when I _lost Skye_ , he was there and he showed nothing when she died." Connor's eyes filled with lingering anger, but he didn't let it get the better of him. "He didn't care, but I know he did care. I can't-"

"Remember what I told you about how there is no right or wrong way to mourn?"

"...Yes."

"Some people mourn only in private and manage to keep their emotions in check at all times. It wasn't that Simon didn't care, it what that he was simply keeping himself composed because that's how he chose to deal with it. He was upset too, and somewhere inside you already know that."

"Then why do I still resent him?"

"Because you're still in pain. And all these bad memories and negative associations are all connected to the tower; that's where CyberLife used to be, that's where you had to say goodbye to Lucas, and to Skye... and it's where Simon lives."

"I don't like being angry, Hank."

"It won't last forever, trust me. I'm an expert on being pissed off at the world."

"When will it stop?"

"For me," smirking a little Hank turned over the engine of the car and pulled back along the street to resume the drive home. "it happened when a smartass android with a stupid tie entered my life and pulled me out of the bottom of a whiskey bottle before I drowned myself."

Giving Hank a ghost of a smile Connor's arms began to relax and fall away from his chest and his stomach. "I don't think I'll be so fortunate. I might have to settle for you."

"Remember what I said about being a smartass?"

"Vividly." Connor's mood dropped again and he turned away from Hank in self disgust.

Hank took notice quickly and wanted to keep the deviant's spirits up. "Since you now have the next two weeks off, and tomorrow is my day off anyway, why don't we drag out that basketball hoop and go a few rounds?"

"You're trying to distract me from my own thoughts, aren't you?"

"Yup. Is it working?"

"I think it is, yeah..." Connor admitted as he accepted the offer. "Thanks."

The more natural way Connor spoke, as opposed to being grammatically perfect, made Hank feel as though he was really reaching the deviant on some level that was deeper than just his evolving programming. Reaching his hand out Hank slowly was finally able to grab onto Connor's shoulder and give the shaken deviant some reassurance.

"Cool. We better get home before Sumo has an accident."

_**...next story...** _

_**  
**_


	171. Water

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: Manyllines & Tessa

Standing side by side Connor and Hank watched as a state of the art emergency water rescue boat was docked along the river just a few feet away from them. The modestly sized boat was designed for speed and efficiency when performing an on water pursuit, or in the event of an accident in the water. The bright white hull of the boat stood out brilliantly against the dark water, and 'Detroit Police' was painted in black on either sides of the hull. Atop the boat's cabin were the red and blue flashing lights and a siren designed to warn other boaters on the water in the event of an emergency.

"What do you think, Connor?" Hank asked as they walked over to the boat and watched as the ship's captain docked it smoothly. "Pretty impressive, isn't she?"

"I think I prefer pursuits on dry land rather than murky, cold water." Eyeing the police boat warily Connor fought the urge to go for his coin in his pocket and fidget with it nervously. "I dislike the unpredictability of water in general."

"Good thing the precinct is in the middle of the city instead of the harbor." As he climbed onto the boat he motioned for Connor to follow after him. "But regulations are regulations. You need to undergo your mandatory hours of water rescue training."

"Is it really necessary? The odds of my person having to perform-"

"Connor. Don't make me pull rank on you." Turning to look at the deviant who was seemingly frozen in place on the dock Hank waited patiently for Connor to move on his own. "I had to do this stupid training, too. You've been able to put it off for so long only because it's taken just as long to get you fully recognized as a first responder, and not some figurehead to make the mayor look good. So, do it or I have to bench you."

With a grimace on his face like a scolded child Connor begrudgingly obeyed the order. "...I understand."

Timidly Connor joined Hank on the boat and immediately grabbed onto a support rail designed for personnel to utilize in the event of a high speed pursuit. The motion of the water made Connor feel unstable and with it his gyroscope was constantly attempting to recalibrate in response to his uneasy, unbalanced sensations of the constantly moving water.

Hank did the same as Connor and grabbed onto the support rail while the ship's captain, Dean, returned the boat from the dock and back out onto the Detroit River. "You okay, kid?"

"Huh?"

"You look like you're going to be sick or something."

"...The water is affecting my balance."

"So androids weren't programmed with 'sea legs'. That's good to know."

"...What are 'sea legs'?"

"It means you need to get used to the water before you're comfortable on it."

"Oh."

"Relax kid, we won't be out here for more than a couple hours."

"What does this training entail?"

"There's an entire section of water rescues in the 'How-to-Be-A-Cop' manual you can download while we're out here. You'll figure it out."

Nodding a little Connor closed his eyes and cybernetically downloaded the required information as Hank had informed him. Within a matter of seconds Connor was able to read and memorize the correct protocol in regards to water safety and rescue. Opening his eyes he looked back to Hank at his side. "...Done."

"See?"

"Can I return to shore?"

"No, kid. You still need to undergo a training exercise to go on your record."

"...Training? As in I have to go into the water to simulate a rescue?"

"Yeeeeah..." Hank drew out the word as he spoke and gave Connor a slightly amused smirk. "That's how it works. If I didn't know any better I'd say you had a fear of the water."

"It's not so much a fear as it is a discomfort. I had nearly drowned on two separate occasions, fallen through the ice of a partially frozen lake and had fallen from the Ambassador Bridge into this very river. It's unsettling." Shaking his head a little Connor looked at the river splashing all around the boat as they sailed out to the designated training location in the river. "Does that make any sense?"

"Yeah, it makes total sense. I had the same problem with car accidents for a long time after what happened to Cole."

"How did you get over it?"

"Well, there just comes a point where you realize that you need to push through your discomfort to do what needs to be done, and to help the people who need you."

"You just described how my deviancy came to pass."

"Then you know it can already be done. Can't ya'?"

The boat slowed and came to rest at its destination where two other boats with other officers were waiting to begin their training. It seemed like an unorthodox gathering, but it was beneficial to every precinct in the city to ensure that their officers were properly trained for any and all emergency situations. Even the fire department had deployed their personal on water emergency vehicle for the sake of the training exercise.

"Look, kid." Hank spoke in a low voice to Connor alone before he set about taking command of the training exercise. "You don't have to jump in the water or anything today if you're not comfortable. But you will have to do this soon, and I won't let you talk your way out of it. Got it?"

"Yes, I got it. Thank you."

"Good. Now observe and take notes. Next month you'll go through the hands-on training yourself."

"...Okay. I understand."

The boat rocked a little and Connor's hand tightened on the support rail to keep his balance. There was a loud 'whirring' noise as the boat's electronically lockeed anchor struggled to release from its supports, and drop into the water to hold the boat in its current position.

Hank looked to the cabin and gave Dean an odd look. "What the fuck was that about?"

"Sorry, Hank! She's a brand new vessel, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a few bugs to work out." Stepping out of the cabin the well trained boat captain handed Hank a diagnostic screen and pointed out the small red flags on the boat's overall functionality. "The anchor release keeps getting jammed, the motion activated searchlight is disabled, the secondary fuel supply gauge is off and the loud speaker is on the fritz."

"The boat has that many damn problems and you got permission to take her out anyway?"

"It's just a training exercise, Hank. She'll be docked for any real emergency until after she's repaired."

"CyberLife tech?" Hank asked as he handed the tablet back to the captain with indifference to his voice.

"Not this time."

"Huh. Could've fooled me."

While Hank returned his focus to the training exercise at hand Connor stared blankly at the churning, cold dark water all around him. The swaying motion of the boat was still causing his gyroscope some problems, but it wasn't enough to make him lose his balance or feel nauseated. The sound of Hank's voice explaining commands and confirming the orders with his fellow precinct Captains on the other boats managed to make Connor pay perfect attention to the all important training exercises, despite being unable to tear his eyes from the water surrounding him.

It took barely two hours for the verbal training, as well as a few officers diving into the water to perform their simulated rescue scenarios with dummies in the water, and in that time Connor observed with a keen eye of everything that was happening around him. The responding officers followed protocol perfectly and their performances were graded highly as a result.

"Ready to get back to shore?" Hank asked as he put a hand on Connor's shoulder.

"Yes. I'm ready to return."

"Alright, let's get out of here." Hank motioned for Dean to move out and the captain acknowledged the command. "You'll be safe and sound on steady land soon enough."

Connor flinched a little at the sound of the heavy anchor 'whirring' again as it slowly, inefficiently retracted on its chain to return to its locking support. Running a scan over the anchor as its chain poorly wound itself around the automatic winch attached to the main deck of the boat, Connor knew the mechanism was in desperate need of repairs.

"Connor?" Hank stood at the side of the boat to block Connor's view of the water as he noted the stern glance in the deviant's eyes. "Something wrong?"

"The anchor is unstable and requires prompt recalibration."

"Yeah, we know. The boat will-"

A loud groan of snapping metal followed by gruff jerking motion caused the two detectives to fall forward onto the deck as the anchor's winch failed. The plastic and fiberglass edge of the hull was torn away as the winch was pulled from its supports by the catastrophic failure of the safety restraints. While the heavy weight plummeted into the depths of the river the violent motion caused the chain to snap through the winch and snake itself around Hank's ankle pulling him over the torn open edge of the hull and into the dark river along with it.

As the boat came to an abrupt halt on the river Connor turned his head toward the source of the disruption and his eyes went wide at the fresh stain of human blood on the edge of the torn hull, and Hank's sudden disappearance. It didn't take long to figure out what had happened, and why Hank had disappeared.

"Hank!?" Scrambling up to his feet Connor peered over the edge of the ruined hull and scanned the chain of the anchor. Trailing the chain back almost thirty feet behind the boat and twenty-two feet down, Connor reacted quickly and threw off his gray jacket and his tie onto the deck beneath his feet. "Possible ten thirty-three in progress."

As Dean sent out the distress call for assistance Connor took in a deep breath and dove into the very cold water that he despised. His enhanced vision allowed him to see perfectly in the depths of the cold, murky water as he swam toward the anchor, using the chain as a physical guide to mark his progress. Rapidly he maneuvered deeper and deeper into the river in search of Hank.

It didn't take the keen eyed deviant long to locate Hank who was unconscious in the water, and approximately twelve feet down. There was a large cut on his forehead just above his left brow and the anchor's chain managed to ensnare itself around Hank's left leg just above the ankle. Seeing as the anchor had already malfunctioned and was keep the boat from returning to the dock Connor grabbed onto the chain just below Hank's leg and began applying a twisting pressure until the thick metal link snapped in between his hands.

Wrapping both arms around Hank's chest Connor kicked his way back to the surface of the river as quickly as possible with the unconscious, drowning man firmly in his grip. As the deviant broke through the surface of the river he let out his breath and pressed one hand to the side of Hank's neck to check his pulse, while also swimming back toward the boat with one arm, and strong kicks.

"He's unconscious." Connor shouted to Dean as the boat captain reached over the end of the boat to grab onto Hank's shoulders and heft him out of the water. Connor pushed Hank's legs up over the edge before pulling himself upward with both hands and over the edge of the boat and back onto the dock in a graceless tumble. "I couldn't detect a pulse and he isn't breathing."

Dean helped to roll Hank onto his side to drain as much water from the detective's mouth, while Connor proceeded to check over the drowned man for any sign of life via second pulse check to ensure it wasn't the cold that was affecting Hank's circulation. "Is the anchor free?"

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he rolled Hank onto his back to begin aiding the detective. Connor leaned his head down toward Hank's nose and mouth to check for any breathingm either through motion or sound, as he also eyed Hank's still chest. There was nothing. "Get us back to shore. I'm starting C.P.R. now."

Moving on autopilot Connor pulled the tie from around Hank's neck and tore open the front of his completely drenched navy blue dress shirt. Tilting Hank's head back Connor straightened the detective's airway and pinched the human's nose shut before offering two artificial, but still valid, breaths into the detective's watery lungs. Weakly Hank's chest rose and fell, but he didn't respond to the resuscitating technique.

"Please, Hank."

After interlacing his fingers together to create a single fist Connor pressed his hands down over the center of Hank's chest. Connor compressed thirty times, keeping perfect rhythm and strength to pump the detective's stopped heart, while also attempting to force the water from Hank's lungs in the process. The boat sped back to shore quickly, the swift movements causing Connor's soaked hair to blow about in a disheveled mess, and his soaked through white shirt to steadily dry against his shoulders and back.

After finishing the first round of compressions Connor checked for a pulse or any sign of breathing from Hank, but there was still nothing. Repeating the process of giving Hank two breaths and a second round of compressions Connor internally pleaded with the detective to wake up for him. As his hands compressed down on the twenty-first compression a sickening gurgling noise erupted from Hank's mouth as a white, foamy gush escaped his lips.

"Hank!" Connor quickly rolled the detective back on his side and watched as the dirty river water poured out of his mouth, and was quickly accompanied by vomit. Carefully Connor patted Hank's back twice to ensure he coughed up every possible choking, smothering substance from his mouth and could breathe properly. "I got you."

Keeping his fingers pressed to the side of Hank's neck Connor monitored his pulse and waited for the spell of water and vomit to stop. Repositioning Hank's legs, arms and his neck Connor placed the nearly drowned human in the recovery position and kept a close on Hank's now resumed, shaking breathing.

"So much for training." Connor muttered to himself as the boat returned to dock and was promptly swarmed by paramedics who were awaiting their arrival.

It was a blur as the paramedics climbed onto the boat and began to assess Hank's condition and placed an oxygen mask over his face to assist his breathing. Standing up and taking a step back Connor just watched the team of medics scoop Hank up and placed him on a gurney to be wheeled to the ambulance parked just a few feet from the dock. Retrieving his discarded jacket, tie and Hank's tie Connor calmly followed after the paramedics and sat in the front of the cab with the driver as the ambulance raced off to the hospital.

* * *

Sitting vigil by Hank's bedside Connor was wearing a pair of dry, dark blue scrubs in favor of his soaked uniform, and his messy hair had been styled back into place. Fidgeting with his coin at long last Connor just watched Hank's steady breathing; the rise and fall of his chest, as the human remained unconscious in the warm, safe hospital bed.

A large white bandage had been placed over Hank's freshly stitched cut and the oxygen mask over his face continued to deliver a steady supply of clean oxygen to his lungs. With an oxometer clip secured to Hank's fingertip, and a cardiac monitor keeping tabs on his respiratory rate, he looked completely exhausted and much weaker than he actually was.

Hank let out a low mumble in his sleep and Connor leaned toward the bed. Lightly he put his hand on Hank's arm to let him know that he wasn't alone.

"...Connor?"

"Yes, I'm right here."

Hank's blue eyes slowly opened and he glanced over at the deviant sitting beside him. "...What the fuck happened?"

"You were rendered unconscious by a catastrophic failure of the boat's engineering. You were pulled into the water and I had to pull you back out."

"I _what_?"

"The boat's anchor wrapped around your ankle and pulled you into the river. You suffered a deep bruise and mild laceration to your shin just above your ankle, and my compressions fractured four of your ribs."

"...You went into the water after me?"

"Of course. You were drowning and required resuscitation."

"Connor, you jumped into the river to save me." Sitting up slightly on the bed, his ribs sore from the compressions and lined with hairline fractures that would heal in a few weeks alongside his ankle, Hank pulled the mask from his face and gave the deviant a coy stare. "You hate the water."

"I wasn't going to let you drown because of my own personal discomfort."

"I know that."

"...Then why are you trying to address the situation as if it were an unexpected deed on my part?"

"Because I'm proud of you. You faced a fear and you saved my life."

"You would've done the same for me."

"Connor," running his hand down his tired face Hank let out a weary sigh before trying to explain exactly why Connor's act was deserving of attention. Sometimes it was like Hank was talking in circles with the way Connor failed to see his own actions as something worth commemorating. "even the most courageous of people still have a hard time overcoming their fears when someone they care about is in danger. The fact that you did so and did it without even realizing it is truly amazing."

"...But I don't-"

"Please stop trying dismiss your actions as anything less than heroic, okay? My head's killing me." Holding up his hand in 'shushing' motion in front of the deviant Hank tagged on another request. "And don't say you're sorry."

Silencing himself Connor respected the request. "I won't." Pocketing his coin to ensure he didn't annoy Hank with the nervous tic Connor ran a scan over Hank's vitals and noted his elevated blood pressure indicative of pain. "Would you like me to ask a nurse to bring your something for your headache?"

"It'll be fine in a minute. Don't bother."

"You'll be sidelined for two days to recover. Captain Keller will be substituting for you in the meantime."

"Keller, huh? As far as assholes go he isn't _too_ bad."

"I'll keep that in mind." Folding his hands together neatly over his lap Connor squared his jaw and asked Hank an appropriate question. "Do I still have to perform the rescue training course next month?"

"...Yes, Connor. You _still_ have to take the course."

"But I saved your life and we've undergone water emergency rescues before."

"Nice try, kid. It's _mandatory_."

_**...next story...** _


	172. On the Job Hazards

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prompted by: TechnoCheese

Sitting in Hank's office with a case file presented before him Connor studied the details with great interest and awaited his orders. There was a string of androids being jumped and being abducted, only to return with vital biocomponents missing and drained nearly of all of their Thirium. All of the evidence collected pointed to a small group of black marketeers using 'chop-shop' techniques to steal the vital pieces of android anatomy to be sold illegally to collectors, or to those who still illegally owned and abused androids.

"I hate to send you on this type of case, Connor." Hank apologized as the deviant set the case file back down on his desk. "But you're far more human than Jack, and you'll be able to infiltrate the group a lot easier; _safer_."

"I understand. Who will be monitoring my location?"

"Tonight it'll be Chris and Gavin. Remember; locate their hideout, chronicle evidence for cybernetic upload and get the hell out of there after you deliver the code word to Gavin. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good. Go grab some Kevlar and get out to the docks. If our intel is right there should be a meeting at nine o'clock tonight."

"I'm on it, Ha- Captain."

Smiling at the android's self-correction Hank just shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "Go on. The sooner you bring those assholes down the sooner you can come back here."

"I will succeed, Captain."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You always do."

* * *

Donning his original disguise from the night he located Jericho during the night of the revolution; dark leather jacket over a dark hoodie, black beanie, faded jeans and tan work boots, Connor was able to easily blend into the group of shifty looking humans. A total of six people from all walks of life had gathered at the docks a few minutes before nine o'clock that night. The humans didn't seem to notice Connor blending into the group as they waited for someone in particular to arrive, and give them some details about the illegal work they were seeking.

Connor set up a constant live stream of what he was seeing via cybernetic link back to the precinct, as well as a small tablet in the squad car where Gavin and Chris were parked two blocks away. Ensuring that his audio processors were synchronized as well, Connor was able to provide a perfect link of communication between himself and his colleagues.

"This job better be worth it." One of the humans stated in a deep voice from behind Connor to another human. "I gotta' pay my bookie."

"It's good work." A second human stated in a raspier voice as he pulled out his glass pipe and proceeded to light up a small rock of 'red ice'. "And if you play your cards right you get a nice bonus on top of this good pay."

"What kind of bonus?"

The second human took a deep inhalation of the drug and let out with a shaky breath followed by a throaty cough. "...Like, bustin' any undercover pigs or snooping pieces of plastic." A cloud of red smoke wafted around his head as it seeped through his horrendously damaged teeth. "You'll get a nice chunk of change for turning their sorry asses in."

"Have _you_ found any?"

"Fuck yeah! I can smell a pig ten miles away."

The first human noticed Connor casually standing up against a large wooden crate with his arms crossed over his chest. "How about you? What's your story?"

"I could always use a little extra cash." Connor replied smoothly in a voice that was slightly deeper than his own to ensure his identity remained as secretive as possible. "Where's the guy we're waiting for? I'd like to know exactly how much I'm getting before I waste my time."

"Relax." The second human, who was now high; his mouth, nose and eyes were all red from the drug he had inhaled. "He'll be here. He's always here on time."

A third human spoke up angrily as he threw up his hands in frustration. "I'm fuckin' tired of waitin'! Where is he?"

"Never mind that..." The high human coughed as he motioned to one of the other people who had been there long before Connor arrived. "Give me that beer and some of that pizza. I'm starvin'."

The person looked annoyed but did as he was told. "If you quit smokin' that shit every two minutes you wouldn't be cramming junk if your face all damn day long." As he handed the human his beer and pizza he motioned for the other people to help themselves. "Come on. Don't let this shit go to waste."

"What is this?" The first human almost laughed. "A goddamn slumber party?"

"Shut up! I can't get through these nights without something to eat!" The high human chuckled stupidly as he chugged half of his beer. "Go on, help yourselves. Don't you dare go around saying I didn't treat ya' right!"

Reacting with a sense of inward dread to the idea of his cover being blown, Connor had no choice but to mirror the responses of the other humans to stay safe. Moving as naturally as possible Connor took one of the beers and opened the cap. Taking a sip of the beer Connor drank a small amount to avoid suspicion before picking up a slice of pizza.

Instinctively he ran a scan over the android-indigestible food to note the caloric intake, carbohydrates, sodium levels and dozen other factors regarding every ingredient that went into the creation of the pizza, and dismissed them all as he proceeded to take a bite. Warnings popped up in his visual processors regarding the ill advised ingestion of the food but again Connor dismissed them.

Keeping his cover safe was more important than anything else.

"Gross..." One of the humans complained as he tossed a pizza slice back into the box. "Why'd the fuck you put pineapples on this? Damn, those drugs must've rotted your tongue right out of your head or something!"

As much as Connor wanted to throw aside his own slice he knew it might draw some attention to himself. Forcing the pizza down into his artificial stomach the deviant chased it with the beer, knowing that the alcohol would dilute his Thirium levels, and hopefully it would be enough to keep his system from initiating an emergency expulsion program while in view of the other humans.

Almost twenty minutes passed and Connor remained quiet with his arms still crossed over his chest. Almost religiously Connor dismissed the warnings regarding the foreign matter that had collected in his artificial stomach, and overrode the emergency expulsion program numerous times before finally disabling it entirely.

The other humans were growing impatient, some still eating more of the pizza and beer, others taking hits off the 'red ice' glass pipe, and one began pacing around in angry frustration. It looked the entire night was going to prove to be a bust, and Connor was worried he'd become violently ill if he were unable to get the foreign matter out of his system soon.

"It's getting cold," the fist human complained. "where is this guy? Probably some punk wannabe-"

A fourth voice from another man approached the gathered group as he boomed out an intimidating warning. "Stop bitchin' before I kick your sorry ass. Don't forget you're working here for ME, on MY time."

The leader of the illegal ring had arrived and was a towering figure with a bald head, tattoos all over his arms and his neck, a scar over his left ear and a hollow stare. Approaching the gathered six "recruits" he gave them all impatient glances before he honed in on the high human and his lit pipe.

"Put that shit out." Slapping the glass pipe from the man's shaking, scarred hands the leader grabbed him by the collar and pulled him to his face as the pipe shattered on the hard ground at his feet. "What the fuck did I tell you about smokin' that shit before a shipment?"

"...Can't help it!" The high man wheezed and coughed with a stupid grin that displayed his rotten, decaying yellow teeth. "I have a bad memory, you know?"

"Fuckin' junkie." Dropping the man at his own feet the leader shook his head and pointed to a warehouse a few feet from the dock. "Get your ass in there and keep a look out for the cops. If you see something give the word."

As the high man scrambled away and locked himself inside the warehouse the leader returned his attention to his new recruits.

"All right, here's the deal. My name is 'Lazarus', that's all you need to know. You five are going part out the androids kept in storage and you're going to do it right." Pointing to a small, unassuming cargo container just a few yards behind Connor the leader directed his recruits to their assignment. "Every biocomponent needs to be handled carefully or it's worth NOTHING." Walking with a military like presence 'Lazarus' gave the five remaining people their orders. "Get your asses in there and do things quick. No noise, no attention. I have a buyer in the area and I need to make a deposit tonight."

"Deposit?" The first guy asked as he stared at the small cargo container. "What kind of fuckin' deposit is that?"

"The best kind. Once these chunks of plastic are over state lines they become Miami's problem. Not mine."

Connor performed a scan on the cargo container and found that there were nine abducted deviants being held captive inside. Sending the cybernetic signal to Gavin and Chris to let them know they were clear to converge on the scene Connor wisely backed away discreetly and ducked down behind other cargo containers out of sight.

"Gavin, go."

The sound of sirens and bright flashing lights filled the air eight squad cars surrounded the docks quickly. Gavin and Chris led the charge as the other responding officers joined in on arresting the humans and gathering evidence of their crimes. Discreetly Connor revealed himself to Chris and allowed the officer to 'arrest' him for the sake of keeping his cover in tact, and to keep suspicion away from him.

"Let's go." Chris stated loudly as Connor pretended to struggled against Chris with his cuffed hands behind his back. "You have the right-"

"I know my rights!" Connor shouted in the same disguised voice to keep up the facade. "I want a lawyer!"

"Yeah, you're gonna' need one!"

As Chris 'threw' Connor into the backseat of the car Connor managed to slip his right hand free from the cuff behind back and put a hand to his abdomen as he dismissed the additional warnings about the foreign contamination in his artificial stomach. Taking a deep breath Connor did his best to steady his very human nauseated response to the unexpected meal and remain undercover.

"You good?" Chris asked as he opened the front door of the car and grabbed the radio to call in the successful bust.

"Y-Yeah... I just need to expel a foreign contaminant from my system."

"If you puke in the back of the car Gavin's going to be pissed."

"I will refrain until we're back at the precinct."

"Hang in there, Lieutenant. We'll get you somewhere private without blowing your cover."

"...Thanks."

* * *

Enduring the necessary process to keep his undercover mission successful Connor paced about the holding cell with his hand to his stomach and a twinge of pain in his eyes. As he paced he felt the eyes of the high man watching him nervously. But Connor chalked that up to paranoia from the 'red ice' he had inhaled earlier that hour.

"S-S-Sit down!" The man stammered in fear as he began rocking back and forth on the bench in the cell. "You're freakin' me out!"

Chris appeared in front of the cell and unlocked the electronic door. Pointing to Connor he gestured with a thumb over his shoulder for the undercover detective to follow. "You're next. Let's go."

"Where's my lawyer?" Connor asked sharply to remain in character.

"Waiting for you. Now let's go, I'm not going to ask you again."

Moving sluggishly Connor stepped out of the cell, extended his hands so Chris could replace the cuffs around his wrists, and let Chris 'guide' him to one of the two interrogation rooms to get some privacy. Entering the room Connor sat down heavily at the table and looked at both Hank and Joel who were waiting for his arrival.

"...Hi, Captain." Connor tried to greet with a faint smile, but it was evident he was very uncomfortable.

"Connor, are you going to be okay?" Hank asked with a level tone of voice as he unlocked the cuffs around Connor's wrists. "You can't ingest anything but Thirium and a little bit of alcohol, right?"

"Correct." Slipping off his jacket Connor watched as Joel rolled up the sleeve of his oversized hoodie to get to left bicep. "I can expel the contaminants later on, but until I will be feeling unwell."

Joel wrapped a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's bicep and then checked Connor's pulse with his two fingers against the side of the deviant's wrist on his opposite arm. "Pressure and pulse are a little elevated, but that's common when an android overrides their own emergency programs."

Hank was still worried for his detective. Worried for his son. "Connor, you look like you're in pain."

"I'm not. Just uncomfortable."

"Alright, this is what's going to happen. You're going to stay in here for a while so you can puke up all that shit without anyone seeing. And then you're going to 'faint' on your way back to the cell."

"Faint?"

"Yeah. That way we can get you out of here without anyone of the other suspects thinking you ratted them out, or worse, find out you're a detective."

"Am I dismissed from the remainder of the investigation?"

"Connor, you were never going to keep going with it after you finished your undercover sting. It's too dangerous and you know that."

Joel finished taking Connor's vitals and pulled a small transparent bottle of red tinted Thirium from his pouch. "You're stable, but I still need you to drink this."

"What is it?" Connor eyed the bottle curiously as Joel placed it on the table in front of him.

"It's an android ipecac. It'll ensure your expulsion program removes every trace of the foreign matter from your system before it starts to rot or decay inside your body."

Connor's hand slowly reached up and grabbed onto the bottle and he gave the two humans a pleading stare. "...May I have some privacy?"

"Yeah, kid." Hank rose from the desk to give Connor some space. "Wait about a half hour or something, then let yourself out of interrogation. We'll get you out of here so you can be sick at home out of sight."

Joel nodded, "It won't be pleasant, but you need to do this. "and patted Connor's shoulder as he left the red tinted medicine behind and returned to the bullpen behind Hank.

Unscrewing the cap on the bottle Connor reluctantly downed the red Thirium and grabbed onto the trashcan tucked in the corner of the interrogation room. Sitting in the corner of the room with the trashcan clutched in his hands and resting between his legs Connor noted the numerous warnings popping up in his visual sensors and took a deep breath as the ipecac did its job.

Pathetically Connor bowed his head down and proceeded to expel all of the contaminants from his artificial stomach in rapid, violent retches.

* * *

Focusing on the arrested black marketeers Hank watched through the observation window as 'Lazarus' was questioned by Gavin in a heated manner, while the lawyer that Connor had shouted about for the sake of keeping his cover sat beside him. It had been almost an hour and 'Lazarus' was proving to be as cold as he was cruel in the face of a prison sentence. Growing bored with the lack of progress in the interrogation Hank stepped out of the observation room and eyed the door to the second interrogation room just down the same corridor.

Leaning against the wall Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and saw that the half hour was up and Connor should be emerging from the room at any moment. Deciding to take the initiative Hank entered the room with a swipe of key card and saw Connor was still leaning his back up against the corner of the room sitting on the floor.

"Damn, kid. You look like you just went through a fraternity hazing."

"...I presume a majority of fraternity hazings revolve around alcohol and unhealthy food."

"You got it." Walking into the room Hank offered Connor his hand, which the deviant accepted with a shaking grip, and allowed Hank to pull him up to his feet. "The good news is you won't need to do anymore acting. Just let me lead you back to the cell and then you 'faint'. Joel and one of his college interns are going to go along with it and get you out of the precinct."

"...I cannot drive home, Hank." Handing Hank his car key Connor admitted he felt terrible. "I don't feel well enough to concentrate on the road."

"You'll take a cab home." Slipping handcuffs around Connor's wrists again, this time in front of the deviant, Hank proceeded to 'escort' him out of interrogation back to the holding cells as he pocketed the offered key. "I'll bring in the Corvette when I come home a few hours from now."

"That sounds reasonable."

As Hank directed Connor back to the cell to keep up the facade, the Captain prepared to unlock the cell just Connor let out a deep sigh and let his legs buckle to collapse on the floor in a convincing faint. Crouching down beside Connor where he laid Hank did the expected pulse check and shouted for the station 'medics', Joel and his intern, to come over and take care of Connor so the ill deviant could get out of the precinct safely.

The high man in the cell began freaking out more as he watched Connor 'pass out' and get swarmed by medics. "Oh man, oh man, oh man..."

Hank noticed the high man and decided to have a little fun while Joel and his intern pretended to give Connor an emergency medical exam. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"I-I-Is he dead?!"

"Not yet." Leaning closer to the transparent wall he gave the high man a twisted grin. "But that's what happens when you mix alcohol with 'red ice'."

"What's happening to him?!"

"His stomach is _melting_."

The high man began freaking out louder and pulling at his thin, dying hair with both hands. "NO. NO. NO. NO. NO."

Crossing his arms Hank remained planted in front of the cell, amused at the high man's reaction, while also keeping the focus away from Connor for the time being. The high man was proving more interesting than a passed out man on the bullpen floor much to Hank's delight.

Joel glanced at the high man and shook his head a little as he and his intern placed Connor on a stretcher and carried him out of the bullpen and into the breakroom out of sight so Connor could take his leave of the precinct discreetly, and hailed the autonomous taxi through a cybernetic request.

* * *

Stumbling out of the autonomous cab with his arm wrapped around his aching stomach Connor gracelessly made his way up the front walk and practically fell against the front door as he fumbled with his key to unlock the door. Once inside Connor was promptly greeted by Sumo who barked once and stood up on his hind legs to put his front paws on Connor's shoulders.

"...Down boy." Connor commanded in a tired voice as he gently pushed the massive dog back down to the floor. "I'll play with you later."

Scratching at Sumo's ears lightly Connor closed the door behind him and made his way down the hallway and into his bedroom. Removing his unusually heavy attire Connor was happy to change into his lighter weight night clothes; gray sweatpants and a black t-shirt, and fall backward onto his bed in exhaustion. His stomach was still bothering him as the violent bout of sickness he had been forced to endure at the precinct had left his entire abdomen sore, and feeling like a massive bruise. The physical exertion of throwing-up had drained all of his energy that was already dwindling because of his system having a negative reaction to the contaminants he knowingly ingested.

Tucking one arm under his head Connor closed his eyes and draped his other arm over his aching abdomen to rest. As he began to think about the night's unusual case and the androids that he had managed to rescue, more questions than answers began to plague the dedicated detective:

Why were the android parts being shipped to Miami? Who was the buyer that 'Lazarus' had been connected to? What was so important about shipping the stolen parts out tonight?

Steadily Connor began to slip into rest mode when a strange cramp tightened in his stomach as a sickening sound, something like a gurgle, erupted from his physically strained artificial stomach. Sitting up slowly Connor realized he was going to be sick again and made a clumsy dash through his bedroom door to reach the bathroom. Falling to his knees Connor threw-up into the toilet and felt the cramp in his stomach tighten again as he continued to expel every small item that was still inside his fatigued stomach.

Sumo joined Connor in the bathroom and laid down on the floor while Connor continued to vomit and spit the vile contents out of his mouth into the bowl.

"...Fuck." Swearing to himself Connor fell back onto his hip and dragged the back of his arm over his mouth and chin.

Just as Connor caught his breath the same tight cramp hit his stomach again and he immediately began throwing-up once more. As the deviant continued to be sick with a violent reaction, his pained groans escaping his lips between bouts of vomit, Sumo moved a little closer to Connor and whined sympathetically for the deviant.

Putting one shaking hand on Sumo's back Connor kept his hand there and spit out the foul contents still inside his mouth. "...I'm okay."

* * *

It took Hank another four hours to get back to the house after dealing with the prolonged interrogations. In that time he lost virtually all of his patience and was more than ready for bed. As he wandered in through the backdoor Hank tossed the keys to the Corvette down onto the kitchen table before shrugging off his coat to drape over the back of the kitchen chair.

Peering inside the livingroom Hank saw that Connor wasn't laying on the couch and assumed he had gone to bed. As he ventured down the short hallway he caught sight of the bathroom light on and heard Sumo whimpering.

"Connor?" Entering the bathroom Hank saw Connor collapsed on his side in the middle of the bathroom floor. He had his arms wrapped around his stomach and was trembling. "Ah, shit. Connor."

Brown irises found their way to Hank's face as the detective knelt over the downed deviant. "...I'm okay."

"Bullshit. No one who's really 'okay' sleeps in the middle of the fuckin' bathroom floor."

"I'm no longer sick." Connor explained in a low voice as he felt Hank's hand press against his forehead for a mandatory fever check. Grabbing onto Hank's forearm in a strong grip Connor reassured him that he was conscious, coherent and healing. "But I didn't have the strength to get back up."

"Yeah, I can't imagine why." The detective's sarcasm was actually appreciated at the moment. "You only threw-up half your body weight and ingested what equates to poison for you." After his quip Hank retracted his hand and stood upright slowly, careful to not accidentally step on Connor or Sumo, as he slipped a washcloth under the warm tap in the sink. "At least you're not overheating. So, how much Thirium did you lose?"

"I'm down to seventy-one percent."

"Okay, so that's not too bad. But I want you to drink-"

"No." Connor sighed as rolled from his side and onto his back just as Hank used the washcloth to wipe away the remaining vomit from around his mouth and chin. "Though I'm no longer sick I cannot ingest anything further without it causing another emergency expulsion."

"Oh, great. When can you have more Thirium without it making you sick?"

"By morning. I'll just need to initiate a self-diagnostic and allow my self-healing program to run during the night to correct the initiation of the program."

"Self-healing program? What'd you break?"

"Nothing. But it will aid the discomfort in my stomach."

"Alright, come on." Grabbing onto Connor's right bicep Hank pulled the deviant up slowly and to his feet. Pressing his other hand to Connor's opposite arm Hank helped Connor to regain his balance as he wavered on his feet, before helping the deviant walk to his bedroom across the way. "You need to sleep in your bed, not on the floor."

"I can walk."

"Not very well." Hank snarked as he felt Connor stumbling and fighting to remain upright.

"Going from horizontal to vertical has upset my stomach again." Pressing his hand protectively to his abdomen Connor let out a slow breath. "I just need a moment."

"Come on. You need to get some more sleep." Leading the deviant over to the bed Hank laid him down and Connor readily fell back against the soft mattress and pillow. "Good news is that undercover sting was a success. We saved all those deviants and managed to get enough evidence to lock up over two dozen black marketeers throughout the city."

"How did you locate so many so quickly?"

"That 'Lazarus' jackass is a huge sellout."

"Oh."

"Yeah, 'oh'. It made Gavin happy, too. You did good tonight, kid."

"I don't _feel_ that good about it."

"Yeah, well, you did puke like a freshman." The detective stated almost matter-of-factly. "I remember what that's like, so yeah, I get why you feel like shit."

"Interesting."

"Whatever you're thinking about saying, don't say it. I'm too tired to deal with any smartass remarks right now."

"Shall I wait for morning again?"

"What did I just say?"

Connor managed a weak grin before he let out a weak sigh. "Do we know why the stolen android parts were being shipped to Miami?"

"Not yet. 'Lazarus' is a sellout, but he wouldn't give up on details on who his buyer was, or where they are."

"...Hank. We need to figure out what's going on in Miami."

"I know that, son. We will."

"Will we do it in time?"

"I wish I could say for certain. But we won't let these sick fucks tearing apart androids get away from the law." Letting out a tired sigh of his own Hank patted Connor's knee before he made his way around the foot of the bed to get to the door. Sumo padded out of the bathroom and sat outside the door and looked at Hank as if waiting for an invitation. "Go on, Sumo. You're not sleeping in the bathroom either."

The massive dog trotted into the bedroom and jumped up onto the foot of Connor's bed to get some sleep just as the deviant android began to fall into rest mode. Snuggling up next to Connor's legs the massive dog let out a big yawn and rested his chin down over top his outstretched front paws.

"Alright, I'm going to bed," Hank stated from the opened doorway with a sleepy yawn. " and you're _staying_ in bed. But if you feel like you're going to be sick again tell me. I don't want to find you passed out on the floor anymore."

Connor gave the detective an appreciative smirk as he waited for his stomach to settle once more before entering rest mode. "I will do so if necessary, I swear it."

"Good. Now, get some sleep."

"I will. Thank you for trusting me to do this undercover mission. I'm glad I was able to help."

"Connor, I've trusted you since the day you pulled my sorry ass back onto that apartment roof and saved my life." The detective replied with a somber shock to his voice as he stopped in the doorway. "It's the rest of the world I don't trust."

"After tonight I'm beginning to understand why."

"Yeah, but don't let it make you cynical." The detective replied sharply. "You're too young and still learning. Don't have such a dark outlook on life."

"I'll remember that, Hank."

"You better." Hank turned off the light in the bedroom and took his leave. "Goodnight, son."

"Goodnight, dad."

_**...next story...** _


	173. Going South

Connor grabbed onto the handle of his fully packed black tinted backpack and hefted the right strap over his shoulder with a single swift motion. Turning to look at the opened doorway to his bedroom the deviant noticed Sumo watching him with sad eyes and promptly patted the foot of his perfectly made bed to call the dog over to him. Slowly the massive dog entered the bedroom and hopped up onto the soft quilt to lay down and he gave Connor a soft whimper for his troubles.

"I'll be back in a few weeks, Sumo. I won't be gone forever." Rubbing the dog's ears softly Connor glanced about his bedroom, taking in every minor detail and making sure that he didn't forget to bring anything important with him before he left. "And when I'm back I'll take you for a walk all over the city."

A subtle knocking on his opened door frame took Connor's eyes from Sumo and over to where Hank was now standing. He could tell by the look in Hank's eyes that he wasn't thrill about his impending departure either. "Am I in the clear to perform this investigation?"

"You've been officially cleared for a six week long leave of absence, and unofficially, you've been cleared to investigate key locations in the Miami area." Hank confirmed in a low voice. "You won't be able to rely on back-up while you're down there without breaking your cover. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes. I need to know what is happening to androids and why there have been so many androids abducted and mutilated for spare parts."

"...Alright." Anxiously rubbing his hand over his bearded chin Hank stepped back and watched as Connor left the bedroom with his backpack over his shoulder. "I wish I could send someone along with you, but that'd just make things more complicated and dangerous."

"I will be okay, Hank."

"Connor, you're going to be over twenty hours and a thousand miles away from home; away from the technicians who help you."

"Twenty hours and forty-one minutes, and one-thousand, three-hundred fifty-four miles to be exact."

"That doesn't ease my mind, son."

"Did I mention being four full states South?"

"...Seriously, kid? You're not helping."

"Sorry." Smirking coyly Connor made sure to ease the detective's mind before departing. "I will contact you whenever I pass through state lines, and I will let you know the exact location in which I'm staying while I'm undertaking my investigation. Besides, I need to begin traveling and seeing the rest of the world so I don't become cynical. This seems like a logical place to start."

"Yeah? Just don't take any detours or 'creative routes', and get there as quickly as possible so you can get your case underway and come back."

"Of course. I won't let you down, Hank."

"You never do, kid."

"You got that android first aid kit with you, right? And some extra Thirium?"

"I have personally restocked and packed the kit, and I purchased some additional Thirium to bring with me in the event of an emergency. I also have the two emergency power supply discs packed as a precaution." Walking slowly through the kitchen to the backdoor Connor's hand hovered briefly over the doorknob before lowering back to his side. Turning to look at Hank one last time Connor extended his hand outward to shake before he left. "I will come back home, I promise."

"Yeah... I know." Grabbing onto Connor's hand Hank shook only once before he pulled the deviant in for a quick hug. Patting Connor's left shoulder as the deviant raised his arms up to reciprocate the hug, Hank reluctantly let his adopted son go and gave him a nervous grin. "Just don't do anything stupid, alright? Come home in one piece."

"I'll remain in contact and message you frequently." Connor took a step back from Hank and gave the worried detective a reassuring glance. "If I feel as though I am in danger, or have been compromised, I will return home as quickly as possible."

"Yeah. Okay."

"Please do not worry for me, Hank. I can do this."

"I know you can, son. But I'm going to worry no matter what."

"Because you are my commanding officer."

"No," Hank nearly scoffed at the indifferent comment. "it's because I'm your _father_. It comes with the responsibility of raising a kid."

Flashing Hank an appreciative smile Connor turned back around and opened the door. As he stepped outside and onto the back deck he pulled his car keys from his pocket and looked at the Corvette sitting in the drive waiting for him. While he placed his backpack in the trunk of the car Hank stood in the opened doorway with Sumo sitting by leg as the detective watched him with a paternal concern in his blue eyes.

Taking his seat in behind the wheel of the cobalt blue car Connor turned the key in the ignition and began to back down the drive slowly. Pausing for a moment Connor rolled down his window and called out to Hank one last time before setting out on his long drive to Florida. "I'll be back as soon as I can. I will come home, dad."

"...I know you will. Bye, son."

* * *

True to his word Connor messaged Hank as frequently as possible during his long drive to Miami. It took just over an hour for Hank to receive a message from Connor as the deviant crossed the border from Michigan and into Ohio, and with the message came a strange sense of dread. It seemed a little surreal to know that Connor had actually left the city under his own freewill, and had volunteered to begin this unorthodox investigation. The only time Connor had ever left Detroit was either for police conferences; usually in other parts of the state, or after he had been abducted and taken to Chicago.

Readily Hank kept tabs on Connor's location as he showered off and went into the precinct to begin an evening shift to have a slight change of pace. The only people who knew of Connor's dangerous mission were Hank himself, Connor, and a single operative from the F.B.I. who was willing to let the deviant attempt to bring down the illegal black market in a solo mission.

Only three people knew where Connor was as he ventured so far from home, and did so completely alone.

Sitting down at his desk Hank left his phone next to his terminal and waited for the next update from the traveling deviant. As he fussed with the fourth sugar packet to try to sweeten up his bland coffee his phone buzzed beside his hand and Hank read the message quickly.

"Took him five hours to get to Kentucky. Pretty good time for someone driving through construction zones."

A knock at his office door drew his eyes upward as Gavin entered the office with a tablet screen in his hand. "Finished that damn report on that pick-pocket hanging out downtown. It was a total waste of time, too."

"Yeah, yeah. Go take care of your next case and stop whining."

"Where's Connor? Don't tell me he got sick or something."

"Don't worry about it. He'll be back in a few weeks."

"Vacation?"

"Gavin. Go."

"Alright, I'm gone." Taking his leave of the office Gavin left Hank alone to answer boring e-mails and drink terrible coffee.

"This better be worth all the trouble Connor, for both of our sake."

* * *

Returning to the quiet house Hank let Sumo outside and made himself a light dinner as he prepared to go to bed. With nothing to do and no one to talk to Hank called it an early night and felt incredibly old, and boring a result. As the detective set his phone down on the nightstand beside his bed Hank found an additional updated messages from Connor detailing his journey and how he passed through Tennessee, and had just entered Georgia after almost fourteen hours of travel.

"Fuck. He's traveling the country and I'm laying on my back." Putting his phone back down Hank closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "One of us is definitely having a more interesting work day than the other."

Rolling onto his side Hank let out a deep sigh and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning Hank found one more additional update from Connor indicating his arrival at the Florida state line, and Hank was relieved to know he was almost there. Once the deviant reached Miami the real work would begin.

"Be safe, son." Texting the message to Connor with a heavy heart Hank set about his routine as normally as possible. "And get your ass back here. It's boring without ya'."

* * *

Connor arrived at his hotel along the beach and checked himself into his room casually. Attempting to appear as human as possible, to behave as discreetly as possible to prevent anyone in the less android-tolerant city from discovering that he was in fact a deviant, Connor had to venture a little bit outside of his comfort zone. The hotel receptionist never gave Connor a second look as he handed her his I.D. and she confirmed his reservation.

"Enjoy your stay, Mr. Anderson."

"Thanks." Connor forced himself to smile a little as he accepted his keycard to his room. "I will."

After entering his room and dropping off his backpack, the only piece of luggage to his person, Connor changed out of his jeans and black t-shirt into more casual navy blue swim trunks, a white tank top and a pair of sandals. The style was designed to be more reminiscent of the locals in the city, and to look inconspicuous as he set about his private search of the city. As much as he hated the way he looked so exposed to his shy eyes, Connor knew it was important to blend in with the other people in Miami.

"This style is not me." Connor openly decided as he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the full body mirror against the wall of his room. "I don't think I could live here full time."

Setting off from the hotel with his keycard in his wallet Connor explored the new city and was overwhelmed with new sensations that gave him pause as he stepped out into the bright sunlight, and onto the sandy shore of the beach behind his hotel. The intense heat of the Floridian sun had a strong impact on Connor who would need to be very careful and monitor his core temperature closely to prevent himself from overheating. And yet the abundance of sunlight didn't bother the deviant, it was nice to feel a consistent warmth rather than fleeting hot and cold spells throughout the Michiganite spring.

"This is... impressive." The deviant commented quietly to himself as he reached the expansive beach. The dark blue ocean water glistened brightly in the bright sunlight overhead. "And beautiful."

Connor had never set foot on sand before, let alone seen the ocean. The rhythmic lapping of the ways against the shore were soothing to the deviant's ears as he easily tuned out the sound of the tourists all around him, and the heavy traffic behind him. Staring off at the massive expanse of the dark blue Atlantic Ocean with a strange feeling of wonder, Connor cybernetically sent a text to Hank to let him know that he had arrived at his hotel and was now exploring Miami.

It was important to familiarize himself with the layout of the city before he began his investigation, what better place to start than the ocean?

Watching the groups of tourist families enjoying the warmth of the sunny beach and playing in the cool ocean water lapping up against the shore Connor couldn't help but feel a little envious of their fun. They were in the city because they wanted to relax and be with one another, Connor was there because he was on a mission to rescue his own people from an unknown assailant that was tearing open their bodies just to sell some spare parts.

Letting out a weak sigh Connor removed his sandals and set foot across the sandy beach toward the water. The feeling of the soft, warm sand beneath his feet was a new sensation that he found greatly preferably compared to icy cold, slushy snow. Setting foot in the ocean water for the first time in his life Connor was able to easily detect the difference between the naturally salt water compared to the fresh water rivers and lakes back home.

Running a scan over the body of water Connor noted the current salinity of the water and of the thousands of species of microscopic lifeforms, fish and aquatic flora that were lurking in the depths all around himself. It was humbling to know that there was so much in the world that he had yet to experience, and so much of it was already appealing.

"...This place would be nice to visit from time to time. Maybe I can spend next winter here."

* * *

A week had passed and Hank found himself bored with the lack of activity in the house. Spending more time with Sumo at the dog park and several evenings with Rose helped to placate his boredom, but the detective couldn't deny the fact that he missed having Connor around. Even if the deviant was keeping to himself in his bedroom quietly reading Hank was still happy to have some company beyond Sumo and the fish in Connor's aquarium.

"Good dog." Crouching down Hank took the drool soaked green fetch ball from Sumo's mouth and gave it another toss across the large park. "Bring it back." Obediently Sumo chased after the toy, grabbed it and dropped the ball at Hank's feet and panted loudly in response. "Yeah," Hank rubbed Sumo's chin a few times as he spoke to the loyal dog. "I'm tired, too. Let's go home."

Clipping the leash back onto Sumo's collar Hank picked up the ball to put in his pocket and led the massive dog back home. Upon his arrival Hank discovered that the mail and had been delivered and that there was now a small brown package waiting for him on the front step.

"What the hell? I didn't order anything." Picking up the box Hank noted the shipping address and smirked. It had come from Miami Florida. "Ah man, I hope the kid isn't turning into a generic tourist and buying tacky shit."

Carrying the box and the other envelopes from the mailbox inside the house Hank unclipped Sumo's leash and watched as the dog trotted into the kitchen to get a drink of water from his bowl. Bringing the package over to the couch Hank opened up the brown paper protecting the package and opened the small cardboard box beneath. Inside the box was a mass of protective packing material that surrounded a pale white sand dollar.

Picking up the flat, circular object carefully Hank turned it over in his hand and stared at the small floral print over top and smirked a little.

"Better than a crappy t-shirt or a lame-ass keychain." Standing up from the couch Hank carefully set the sand dollar down on the bookshelf where Connor usually placed his car keys. "Much better, by far."

* * *

Two weeks after exploring the city and messaging Hank about his progress on his investigation Connor finally found a lead and was ready to take it. Alone in his hotel room Connor sat on his bed and changed into his more casual clothes and running shoes as he prepared to investigate the strangely guarded port situated on the shoreline he had noticed during one of his many drives throughout the city. The port itself was designated for only cruise ships, and yet there was a consistent flurry of activity at night without any ships being in the area.

Connor's every instinct as a detective told him that the port was a designated pick up and drop off point for illegal activities. Now he just needed to follow the group of criminals after they made a pick up at the port to locate where they were hiding out with their illegal gains. Using discretion to his advantage Connor kept low as he peered around a fence blocking off the entrance to the port and made sure to note the license plate of one of the vehicles being driven by one of the eight suspected black marketeers.

The sight of the Corvette would've given away Connor's attempts to perform recognizance on the men, which of course meant traveling on foot throughout the night. Discretion was absolutely crucial.

Cybernetically Connor sent Hank a message regarding his progress, of the license plate and of the likenesses of the eight suspected criminals to have the information relayed to the F.B.I. as requested. Asking for one more night to locate the hideout being used to store the stolen android parts Connor returned to his hotel room and remained there as he awaited a reply.

"The sun is intense even after has set." The deviant noted to himself as he felt the subsequent heat radiating from his body. "I would not want to be here in August."

Running a self-diagnostic Connor found his core temperature to be slightly elevated to one-hundred and one point one degrees due to the chronic heat despite it already being nighttime. Unwilling to risk any thermal complications while attempting his mission Connor retreated to the large bathroom of his hotel room and proceeded to take a cool shower. As the water ran down his back and through his hair a reply from Hank came through and he happily answered.

' _F.B.I. says you have one night to locate where the hell those guys are hiding out, then you have to step aside and let them take over_.'

"That is acceptable. I'd rather not deal with the aftermath of such a cruel crimes against my fellow androids anyway."

' _So outside of your investigation, how do you like Florida_?'

The change of subject was very welcome and Connor laughed a little as he replied honestly. "The weather is more reliable here than it is back home. I am finding it somewhat difficult to pace myself with the intense heat constantly affected my thermal regulator, but I have managed to find effective ways to adapt."

' _Not surprised. You better get back here as soon as possible though. The precinct is starting to ask questions and I'm running out of answers_.'

"What did you tell them?"

' _That is was none of their damn business_.'

"I don't want to return and find myself the subject of numerous unfounded rumors."

' _You won't. I told everyone to mind their own business and that you'd set the record straight when you return_.'

"Thank you, Hank. Did you get the package I sent?"

' _Yeah, kid. I've never seen a sand dollar in person before_.'

"I found it while swimming in the Keys."

' _You actually broke away from your investigation to do something just for yourself_? _Good_!'

"I decided spending time in the ocean was much more comfortable than attempting to spend time in the numerous amusement parks or nightclubs in the area."

There was a pause before Hank sent another message. ' _How many other androids have you encountered in the city_?'

Connor sighed and turned off the shower as he stepped out and proceeded to towel off. "None."

' _You haven't met any other androids once you passed over the state line_?'

"No. I suspect that they are either functioning exclusively in private residences, or have been shipped out of the state due to the effects of the revolution back home. I have also begun to suspect that the lack of androids in the area is the very reason why spare parts are being illegally smuggled into the city."

Another pause. ' _You think the people who kept their androids for whatever reason are now being forced to buy illegal parts to keep them alive_? _I wonder how many people kept their androids for companionship, and how many kept them for servitude_?'

"Unknown." Running another self-diagnostic Connor found his core temperature still elevated to one-hundred degrees even. "We will know in time, but for the moment we cannot afford to speculate."

' _Right. Just keep in touch and don't put yourself in danger_.'

"I won't. I will be home within the week. I do not wish to leave without tying up loose ends."

' _Yeah, I figured. See you soon, son_.'

"Goodnight."

' _Goodnight_.'

Staring at his reflection in the mirror Connor noted that his artificial skin had a slightly darker complexion compared to its default tone, and with that he realized how long he had been away from home and outside in the Floridian sun. Pressing his fingers along his jawline and under his eyes Connor could feel the heat radiating from his skin despite his cool shower and knew that the only way to properly adapt to the heat was to be less machine, and more human.

Bowing his head with a sense of defeat Connor steeled himself mentally and ran a hand through his damp locks of dark hair as he contemplated the decision he'd have to make.

"I don't want to be so human, yet. But it's for a good cause." Lifting his head back up Connor looked at his reflection one last time. "...It needs to be done."

* * *

Four days had passed since Hank last spoke to Connor. In that time the detective had sent numerous messages to the deviant and had asked their mutual contact from the F.B.I. for an update on the case. Of course Hank's attempts to make contact and ask for details was met with silence, and with that silence came his frustration. Remaining diligent and using his other contacts from his previous years of working with narcotics Hank continued to question the F.B.I. for information, but was answered repeatedly with silence or threats to back off.

"Fucking, hell." Swearing at the air in front of him Hank tossed his phone down on the couch and plopped down on the cushion next to it. Sumo trotted over from his bed in the corner and pressed his chin down on Hank's knee as he gave the detective a sad whine. "I thought we were all working on the same damn team." Placing his hand down on Sumo's head Hank rubbed the dog's ears gently. "If the F.B.I. thinks I'm going to do them any favors after all this bullshit they can kiss my tired old ass."

Leaning back into the couch cushions Hank closed his eyes and propped one leg up on the coffee table as he continued to pet Sumo's head. A few quiet minutes passed before the sound of a car slowing down in front of the house, then pulling inside the side drive caught Sumo's ears and made the large dog perk up. Trotting over excitedly to the backdoor in the kitchen Sumo barked once and Hank opened his eyes at the sound.

"What now?" The sound of a car door slamming shut made Hank stand up and peer out the window in the livingroom overlooking the driveway. The familiar blue Corvette had returned and parked alongside the Oldsmobile in its usual spot. "What the hell?!"

Joining Sumo in the kitchen Hank watched as the backdoor opened slowly and Connor stumbled through the door tiredly with a heavy gait. The deviant's face was unusually pale with dark circles under his glassy, blue bloodshot eyes. A layer of pale blue sweat made his black t-shirt cling uncomfortably to his skin and his dark hair was drenched in that same sweat causing several stray locks of the hair to cling to Connor's forehead where he stood.

"Connor?" The sight of the deviant looking so frail and sickly made Hank nervous. Connor rarely ever looked so pathetic, and whenever he did it was because he had been injured or become very ill. "What the hell hap-"

"...Dad?" Connor pathetically asked in a half-sob as he took a step forward and promptly collapsed to his knees onto the kitchen floor.

"Connor!" Reacting quickly Hank caught Connor around his chest and supported the deviant's weight as Connor pressed heavily against the Hank's shoulder. Pressing his own hand to the back of Connor's hair Hank could feel the deviant trembling as an intense heat clung to his skin. "Son, what happened? Are you okay?"

Instead of answering Connor's arms slowly wrapped around Hank's upper back to hug the detective while Hank held his weakened body upright in front of him.

"Connor... You're burning up." The sound of soft weeping made Hank's stomach flip harshly. "Are you hurt? Talk to me!"

Connor barely managed to lift his head up from Hank's shoulder as he spoke in a slurring, confused manner. "...Am I... home?"

"Yeah, son. You're home."

Unable to remain conscious any longer Connor fully collapsed forward against Hank as the detective carefully maneuvered his arms to support the entirety of the deviant's sudden deadweight pressing up against him. Falling slightly to his hip Hank repositioned Connor so the deviant was resting on his back up against Hank's legs and chest.

"Connor?"

The deviant didn't respond to the sound of Hank's voice and remained still.

Sumo joined the two detectives and the floor and sat down beside Connor as if he were trying to find a way to help the sick deviant.

"Connor, you're safe. I just wish you could tell me what the hell happened to you."

Wrapping his hand over Connor's forehead Hank felt the intense fever and the cold layer of sweat covering the deviant's artificial skin. Smoothing Connor's sticky hair from over his forehead Hank just stared down at the deviant and watched as Connor breathed deeply, and slowly as he remained unconscious on his lap in the middle of the kitchen floor.

Unable to get to his phone without disturbing Connor in the process Hank just stayed in place and let the tired deviant sleep for almost an hour against him. The deviant was still running hot and seemed to be completely unconscious, and Hank had no idea why. Moving his hands gently Hank checked Connor's head carefully for any sign of an injury, and then did the same for the deviant's arms, chest abdomen, back and legs.

Only a few cuts and scrapes that had already begun healing marred his hands, arms and legs. There was a small bruise on Connor's torso, but it wasn't anything that would've caused him to collapse or overheat.

"Sorry kid, I have to move you now." Slipping his arms under Connor's upper back and beneath his knees Hank managed to scoop up the unconscious deviant into his arms with moderate difficulty. As he carried Connor out of the kitchen and into the deviant's own bedroom Hank laid him down gently and returned his hand to Connor's forehead. "Man... I don't know why you let that update go through again." The sweat and pale skin told Hank all he needed to know about what Connor did while in Florida. "All it does is make you sick."

Retreating to the bathroom Hank located the digital thermometer in the medicine cabinet and placed a washcloth under the cool tap while Sumo entered the bedroom and jumped up on the foot of the bed. Pressing his chin and front paw down over Connor's shin the protective dog watched over his ill master loyally, his tail wagging slowly.

"Alright, kid." With the selected items in hand Hank brought them over to Connor and fell into the same paternal rhythm he had taken so many times whenever Connor had become ill or injured. Smoothing the cool washcloth over Connor's wash forehead Hank placed the thermometer between his teeth and waited for it to 'beep'. "As soon as I know you're not going to burn up behind my back I'm calling Markus to see if he can send someone over here to figure out why you're so sick."

As soon as the high pitched 'beep' filled the air Hank took the thermometer back and read the registered temperature. "Fuck. Hundred and three and a half." Shaking his head Hank placed the device down on the small table next to Connor's bed and pressed his hand down over the washcloth one more time before leaving the room. "I need some damn answers, kid. And if I have to tear them out some F.B.I. douchebag's throat then I will."

Snatching his phone up from the couch cushion Hank scrolled through his contacts until he found Markus's number and pressed 'dial'. It was almost eleven at night and late night phone calls were often associated with bad news.

' _Capt_ \- _Hank_?' Markus corrected himself as he remembered that Hank preferred a less formal approach to his name. ' _Is there something going on_?'

"Markus," sighing to himself Hank tried to think of a way to explain things without making it sound like Connor was dying. "about an hour ago Connor returned home from Miami, and he passed out in my arms."

' _Miami_?! _What was he_ \- _never mind_.' The question was still burning on Markus's lips, but he let it go for the moment. ' _Is Connor hurt_?'

"Not that I can see. But he's burning up, pale and sweating."

' _Wait_... _Connor reinstalled the update_? _When did that happen_?'

"Beats me exactly when. He must've done it while he was in Florida."

' _In a way that makes sense. The update would let him control his thermal regulator more easily in the harsher warm weather. Do you want me to send over Simon to take care of him_?'

"...I can take care of him myself, but I just want to make sure that damn update isn't going to burn him up again. Markus," leaning against the back of the couch heavily Hank tried to think of a way to figure out what happened to Connor, only to remember that Connor had taken a backpack with him when he traveled. It wasn't with him when he returned home, so it must still be in the car. "I'm going to need some help on this one, but... he might be too stubborn to let you do it."

' _What do you mean_?'

Carrying with his phone with him Hank continued the conversation as he crossed through the livingroom, into the kitchen and outside to the car parked in the drive. "When he walked through the door he looked like he was on the verge of breaking down... you know, emotionally." Peering through the driver's side window Hank caught sight of the keys still in the ignition and opened the door to grab them. "The way he reacted when he saw me, you would've thought someone told him I was dead and buried."

' _Why was he in Miami_?' There was a pause over the line before Markus spoke up again. ' _I mean, if it's okay for me to ask_.'

Pulling the keys out of the ignition Hank used them to unlock the trunk of the car. "I can't give you any details, but I can tell you he was down there to try and help deviants."

Another pause, this one was longer and thicker than the previous.

"Markus?" Hank opened the trunk, grabbed Connor's backpack and slammed the trunk shut. "Markus, are you there?"

' _Hank. You haven't seen the news, have you_?'

"Ah, fuck. What did I miss?"

Rushing back inside the house with Connor's backpack Hank made his way to the livingroom and quickly turned on the television. Flipping to the first news channel he found Hank sat down on the couch and kept his phone pressed to his ear as a breaking news story regarding a bust down in Miami Florida was being discussed widely as the main news story throughout the country.

'- _Miami residents were shaken to learn of the illegal black marketeering of android biocomponents and blue blood in their own backyard_.' The false look on empathy on the female news anchor's face always pissed Hank off. ' _Three days ago the F.B.I. raided an old storage facility that had in face been an illegally placed CyberLife warehouse and testing facility_.'

"What the fuck was CyberLife doing in Miami!?" Hank nearly shouted into the phone. "What the fuck did they do to Connor?!"

Returning to Connor's bedroom with the backpack in his hand Hank had to make sure that Connor was still alive and breathing.

' _Hank_ ,' Markus's voice cut in through the line and caught his attention. ' _I'm going to come over in a few minutes. I'll tell you everything you want to know and I'll make sure Connor's not in any danger_.'

"Yeah, thanks... I'm going to make a few calls and figure out what the hell happened while Connor was down there."

Hanging up the phone for the moment Hank placed Connor's backpack down on the foot of the bed and began checking through it to see if there was anything inside that could give him a clue as to what happened to the deviant while he was in Miami. Aside from the deviant's extra clothes, which were perfectly folded and placed inside the bottom of the backpack, Hank found the android first aid untouched and two of the three bottles of spare Thirium empty. Placing the remaining bottle down on the bed next to Connor's leg Hank continued to look for clues.

"I'm glad you weren't hurt, kid. But I still need to-" As he dug through the bag Hank felt his fingers brush up against a small corked glass bottle, and then a second. Pulling the two bottles out he examined the contents and couldn't help but smile. One bottle was half full and contained sand from the beach, and the other was half full and held water which Hank presumed came from the ocean. "I think you're the first person I met who actually appreciates the places you visit for _what_ they are, and not _where_ they are."

Carefully Hank placed the two bottles down on the table beside the bed next to the thermometer and pressed the back of his hand against the side of Connor's face lightly. The deviant was still running hot but at least he wasn't getting any worse.

With a heavy sigh Hank resumed checking through Connor's backpack and found a few grains of escaped sand and the smell of the beach air, but seemingly nothing more. Just as he was about to put the bag aside Hank noticed there was still some additional weight inside examined the backpack again. Tucked away in the corner of a hidden pouch concealed in the interior lining of the backpack was small rectangular, metal box.

"Now what the hell is this?"

Unzipping the hidden compartment in the backpack Hank pulled out the small box held in the palm of his hand curiously. The box was silver in color, locked magnetically, barely half an inch thick and three inches long and had the now defunct company logo of CyberLife printed in blue over the lid.

"Connor... Did you steal this from the CyberLife warehouse?"

* * *

For almost an hour Hank paced up and down the hallway with his phone in his hand as continued to bark at the F.B.I. agent who had intentionally kept him out of the loop regarding Connor's voluntary mission. As he angrily yelled at the myopic, if not completely reckless, agent over the line Markus arrived at the house and let himself inside.

Hank saw the deviant leader as he entered the livingroom and waved him down the hall as he took the phone call into the bedroom.

"Oh, man. Connor..." Markus stared at his friend's pale face and sighed as he entered the bedroom slowly. Lifting up his left hand toward Connor's right temple Markus caused the artificial skin on his hand to recede as he cybernetically connected to Connor's processors. Closing his mismatched eyes Markus connected with the sick deviant for only a moment before he retracted his hand slowly. "C-Connor. Oh my god. What did you see?"

Sumo whimpered where he laid as he continued to sense the distress in the air.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Connor with a gentle motion Markus put his hand on Connor's arm and kept it there. The heterochromia hued eyes of the deviant leader stared at Connor's face as if searching for an answer, while also observing how pale, feverish and frail the Connor had become. Just as he had done so many times when he still had Carl in his life Markus checked Connor's pulse, his breathing and his core temperature to make sure his friend was as stable as possible.

"Markus?" Hank returned to the bedroom and slipped his phone into his jean pocket with disgust. "Is he okay?"

"...Yeah. But the update isn't causing this sickness, Hank."

"What?" Staring down at Connor from the doorway Hank watched as the pale deviant breathed slowly, and weakly as he remained unresponsive to the world around him. "Do you know what is making his sick?"

"I do, but I can't explain it."

"Try."

Markus was silent for only a moment before he tried to think of a way to explain what had happened to Hank. The detective was a human and incapable of connecting to android minds. It'd so much simpler if Hank could just see what Connor had seen, but it was impossible for such a feat to be accomplished between human and android.

"I saw his memories, Hank. And what he uncovered was something completely unexpected, and traumatic."

"Tell me what he saw."

"Hank. He saw himself."

"What?"

"Connor uncovered the secret CyberLife warehouse and the secrets they kept locked away inside. The technicians had spent months, even years, designing their prototypes. And... every single one of their experiments, whether they were a success or a failure, had been recorded."

"Are you saying that Connor found footage of himself being... experimented on?"

"Not just him. But, all of the prototype models before him."

"...Connor's number." Hank remembered that Connor had informed him of his serial number's purpose. How he was the fifty-first model and the first to pass every single one of CyberLife's tests before being assigned his first mission. "He saw the other fifty models that led up to his own creation. All fifty of them failing those damn tests."

"Yeah." Markus confirmed with a thick grimace on his kind face. "...And it was horrible."

"Fuck." Protectively Hank leaned over the bed and put his hand down on Connor's shoulder. "No wonder he was so shaken up."

"He'll be okay in a few days, at least physically." Markus reassured Hank sincerely. "If you want I can disable the update so he doesn't sweat out anymore of his Thirium."

"No, let it alone. If Connor installed it himself he can uninstall it if he wants. I don't have the right to ask you to take it away."

Markus closed his eyes as he received a cybernetic update on the CyberLife scenario from New Jericho Tower. With that knowledge he shook his head and sighed despondently. "Hank, I need to go back to the tower. Something's happened and I need to be there."

"Go. I'll take care of Connor."

"If you need anything for any reason, just call."

"I will." Extending his hand Hank shook with Markus once before the deviant leader took his leave. "Thank you for all your help."

"I'll check in with you both as soon as I can. Until then, it's going to be a little crazy."

"Yeah, great time for me to be promoted..."

* * *

Remaining vigil over Connor during the long, stressful night Hank repeatedly checked Connor's core temperature with the thermometer and replaced the washcloth over his forehead with a fresh compress hourly. Refusing to leave Connor alone until the deviant finally woke up Hank used his authority as the precinct Captain to do whatever he damn well pleased, and made sure to intentionally ignore any and all attempted contact from the F.B.I. out of spite. As a result Hank left his phone on mute.

Connor's head lolled weakly against his sweat soaked pillow as he breathed deeply and rapidly in his sleep. Muttering to himself whenever his fever spiked beyond one-hundred and two degrees Connor made strange comments about CyberLife or cruel experiments.

"Don't..." Connor slurred in his sleep as he began tossing and turning on his bed. Hank's firm hand on his shoulder kept him from moving too far, but the deviant was still too distraught to remain still. "Can't... leave him."

With a gentle hand against Connor's forehead Hank shushed him in a soft voice and stayed at his side. "You're safe Connor. You're home and you're with me."

Two full days passed before Connor's temperature began to drop and remain at a lower degree. Once his fever dipped below one-hundred degrees his pallor became less pale and the dark circles under his eyes faded. The cold sweat on his skin made him look absolutely exhausted, and Hank took it upon himself to gently wipe away the lingering beads with the washcloth.

Connor's eyes briefly cracked open, his brown irises were glazed over and unfocused. "I c-can't leave... leave him behind."

"It's okay, son. Everyone's okay."

The deviant's hand reached up and grabbed onto Hank's arm as the detective held his hand over Connor's forehead lightly. "...H-Hank..."

"Yeah, son. I'm here."

"...Home?"

"Yes. You're in your bedroom with me and Sumo."

The massive dog moved his chin from Connor's shin up to his hip and licked the side of Connor's arm as if being commanded.

Blinking slowly Connor's vision began to clear and he focused on Hank's face. "...Dad."

"That's right. I'm-"

Connor suddenly bolted upright and wrapped his arms around the detective and held him in a tight hug. The heat radiating from Connor's body was still pretty high, it was almost like embracing a smoldering mass of coal, but Hank didn't dare push him away.

"It's okay, son. I promise you that you're safe." The detective could feel Connor's body trembling from weakness and fear as he held onto him. "Connor, tell me what happened."

"...I... I saw everything."

"CyberLife."

Connor nodded as he leaned back a little from Hank and wiped his shaking hand over his sweaty, pale face. "They... They weren't scientists. They were butchers."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"My backpack." Connor's eyes darted about the bedroom worriedly in search of the item. "Where is it?"

"Are you looking for that small box?"

Connor's arms tensed around Hank for a moment before relaxing. "...You found it?"

"I have it right here." Reaching into his side pocket Hank retrieved the box and gave it to Connor. As the deviant's shaking hand took it from Hank's hand he retracted the artificial skin over his palm and placed it down firmly over the lid. "I didn't know what it was, so I kept it on me and didn't tell Markus when he stopped by to check on you."

"...Good." The box unlocked under Connor's touch and revealed a small but incredibly dense microprocessor inside of a protective interior case. "It would've been too complicated to explain."

"What is it?"

"...This," the small innocuous object was barely to size of a quarter. "this is me."

"What?" Hank eyed the tiny metal object in Connor's possession and couldn't understand what he was staring at. "That thing is _you_?"

"It's the program that CyberLife created when they designed my model. Everything that I am came from this microprocessor."

"Son of a bitch. What're you going to do with it?"

"...I don't know." Closing the box Connor put in the drawer of the nightstand beside his bed, only to fall back against his pillow weakly. "At least not yet."

"Easy, kid." The sight of Connor so weak and feverish made Hank worry. "You've been out of it for almost three days."

"...CyberLife?"

"From what I've heard on the news and from Markus the warehouse has been cleaned out and everything inside was taken into F.B.I. custody. If anything the C.I.A. will take it from there and who knows what'll happen then."

"It all needs to be destroyed. Every scrap." Connor sighed weakly and closed his eyes and deleted the update from his programming at long last. As he did his complexion resumed its normal hue without the hint of the tan he had developed while in the sun. Opening his eyes Connor picked at the fabric of his sweat soaked shirt and looked at with disgust. "I don't ever want to go down to Florida ever again."

"Seriously? You can't fault a whole state because CyberLife creeps chose it to hold their illegal operations."

"...It was also so intolerant against androids. I couldn't stand the oppressive air. The fear that if I were discovered I would-"

"Hey, come on. Don't think like that." Pressing his hand back over Connor's forehead Hank was satisfied that his fever had finally broken after three days and he was no longer in danger of overheating. "If you really hated the place you wouldn't have brought back that sand and the water."

Connor's brow furrowed for a moment as he followed Hank's gaze over to the two glass bottles that he didn't even notice when he pulled open the night stand drawer. "The ocean was beautiful."

"Connor, you may feel like shit right now but I can assure you that everything you went through was for the best."

"Yes. The exposure of CyberLife's crimes will bring some justice to other androids who had been affected."

"That, _and_ you got to travel a little."

"I don't think I want to travel alone, though. It's very tedious and quiet. Even the radio didn't provide enough sound to placate my mind."

"Next time you won't have to travel alone." Putting his hand under Connor's shoulder Hank pulled the deviant back upright into a sitting position and sighed as Connor gave him an exhausted stare. "For now, you need to shower off, get into some clean clothes and drink some Thirium."

Connor looked down at his trembling hand and clenched it into a tight fist in agreement. "Yeah... My Thirium volume has diminished considerably."

"Take care of yourself and relax for a bit. You can tell Markus everything when you're ready."

"...I don't think I will be ready to talk to him for a long time."

"And that's okay, son. You'll talk about it when you're ready to talk about it."

"Thank you for understanding me."

"Come on. You need to get cleaned up."

Taking hold of Connor's bicep Hank pulled the deviant up from the bed and made sure he was able to balance properly before taking his hand from the deviant's arm to wrap around his shoulders. Connor was shaking and needed to lean against Hank as he walked from his bedroom and into the bathroom just a few feet away.

"Hey, dad?" Pausing for a moment Connor turned to look at Hank.

The tone of the deviant's voice made Hank stop short before he replied. "Yeah?"

Connor quickly wrapped his arms around the detective and gave him another hug. "I'm glad I'm home."

"I am, too." Hank patted Connor's shoulder as the incredibly empathetic and kind deviant embraced him. "It wasn't the same without ya'."

"And I'm glad you and I met. I don't know where I would've gone or what would've happened to me if you hadn't saved me. You've given me a home and purpose to my life."

"Connor, I-"

"Thank you for giving me a family, and for giving me something worth living for."

Hank froze a little as the genuine gratitude that the deviant confessed sank in with a warmth through his chest. "...Trust me, son. I'm just as glad to have met you for the exact same reasons. Welcome home, son."

_**...next story...** _


	174. Instincts

As per Hank's orders Connor took an additional week off from the precinct to heal from his traumatic experience during his mission in Miami, and to come to terms with everything that he had witnessed. Unwilling to speak with Josh at the therapy group at New Jericho for the sake of keeping his mission details secret, Connor had little choice but to speak to Lucas in his dreams as a confidante and use his brother's guidance to help him accept the horrible truth that he had uncovered.

Preparing for an afternoon shift at the precinct Connor tightened his tie and looked at his reflection in the mirror with a warm sense of familiarity. It was grounding for Connor see himself in his uniform rather than the more casual clothes he had donned during his time while undercover.

Sumo scratched at the backdoor and drew his attention elsewhere for a brief moment. Walking down the hallway from his bedroom Connor spotted Sumo pawing at the door needing to go outside for a moment, and the deviant obliged.

"Good boy."

While he waited for Sumo to return to the house Connor received a cybernetic message from Hank asking for a favor. ' _Got a call from Joel. His car broke down on the other side of town, he needs a ride_.'

"I don't mind." The deviant replied quickly as he waited for Sumo to finish his business. "Send me his current location."

As the information was supplied to his processor Sumo trotted back through the opened backdoor and licked the side of Connor's hand as he passed by the deviant. Over the past week that Connor had remained home Sumo had been protectively hovering around the deviant more than usual. It wasn't uncommon for Sumo to sleep on the foot of Connor's bed, but for him to constantly follow the deviant around was a little new and somewhat strange.

"I won't be gone as long today, Sumo." Connor promised the massive dog and he rubbed his ears affectionately. "Everything will be back to normal soon enough. You'll see."

* * *

It didn't take Connor long to locate Joel who was standing outside his broken down vehicle with his hands on his hips and an annoyed looked plastered on his usually laidback face. As the Corvette pulled up along the sidewalk where Joel was standing Connor parked the vehicle and opened his door. Connor approached the stranded technician with a confident gait and joined him at the smoking hood of the relatively older vehicle.

"Connor. I heard you were coming back to the precinct today." Joel was happy to see a familiar face and friend. "Sorry it had to start like this."

"It's not a problem." Reaching into the vehicle Connor cybernetically popped the hood of the car and peered inside. A quick scan over the engine indicated that the vehicle was in dire need of a new transmission, an oil change, a new battery and spark plugs. "May I ask why you've neglected the maintenance of your vehicle?"

"I, uh... To be honest Connor, I had to put the car's needs aside to pay off something I bought for my girlfriend."

"What type of gift would require such a massive debt?"

"An engagement ring and the necessary fees to legally adopt her kids as my own."

"...Oh." Connor suddenly understood and didn't blame Joel in the slightest. "That would be a rather hefty sum to pay."

"Yeah... I was hoping the car would make it until next month, but it looks like I was wrong."

"I'd be happy to work on your car for you."

"Thanks, but no thanks Connor. I can't pay you-"

"I'll do it for free."

"...F-Free? Seriously?"

"Yes." Slamming the hood back down Connor motioned for the technician to follow him over to his parked Corvette so they could continue to the precinct before either of them were late. "I enjoy working on vehicles, but my own car is in optimal working conditions and Hank will not let me touch his car as he too enjoys working on vehicles."

"You'll work on my car, for free, just because you want to?" Slipping on his seatbelt Joel took a look at the interior of the Corvette and was impressed at the immaculate condition of such an old car. "And you're a really good mechanic at that. Yet, you're willing to work for free because car maintenance happens to be a hobby?"

"Correct. Also, you are my friend and I would like to help you."

"...Thanks, Connor. I appreciate it."

The Corvette drove through the streets of the city with only mild traffic blocking their way. As they turned a block Connor slammed on the brakes as a sudden traffic jam forced him to stop. Several people were standing in the middle of the street as a small house quickly became engulfed in flames just to the side of the road.

"I'll contact emergency services." Connor stated as he stepped out of the car and approached the scene. Doing so he ran a scan over the property and found the name of the house's owner, and with that scanned the face of the elderly woman standing on the sidewalk; covered in smoke and tears, as a kind neighbor hugged her. "Lieutenant Connor Anderson, Detroit Police." The deviant introduced himself as he approached the woman. "What happened?"

"My grandson!" The woman sobbed heavily as she clung to the strong arms of her kind neighbor desperately. "He's still inside the house!"

"Your..." Connor was immediately on guard at her claim. "Where is he?"

"Second floor!"

Connor looked up at the second story of the house and saw the bright orange flames inching upward from the ground floor. Thick black smoke was already smothering the house and making it difficult to view the burning structure, but the house was still relatively stable. Over the loud crackling of the fire eating away at the wooden siding and supports of the house, Connor heard the shrill cry of a baby from the second story.

"Connor?!" Joel had seen Connor's reaction and threw open his car door quickly to call out to his friend. "Connor! Get out of there!"

Without taking a moment to think or even preconstruct a route Connor raced up to the front porch of the house, and kicked in the door. Stepping to the side and pressing his back up against the exterior wall of the house he waited for the rush of oxygen to finish fueling the flames before he bolted inside and up the staircase.

The sound of approaching fire engines filled the air and the house continued to burn quickly. The gathered group of people on the street moved to the sidewalk to make room for the fire engine, only to have a news van pull up behind the Corvette and begin filming the burning house.

"Connor?" Joel called out again as if he could somehow guide Connor back outside to safety. "Ah, shit! Don't do anything you can't handle."

A window on the second floor overlooking the balcony attached over the smoldering porch suddenly opened and Connor stepped outside. His gray jacket was protectively wrapped around the small baby as it continued to scream and cry as Connor carried it to safety. Standing as still as possible on the unsteady balcony Connor looked down and spotted the two approaching firefighters who had a ladder between them.

As soon as the firefighter ascended the ladder Connor carefully passed the screaming baby over the firefighters arms, and backed away from the edge of the balcony to ensure the structure wouldn't collapse from too much weight, as the baby was carried to safety. A loud groaning sound of the wooden structure beneath Connor's feet drew the deviant's attention causing him to run a scan. Before Connor had the chance to react the balcony collapsed and Connor fell through a gaping, burning hole onto the smoldering porch below.

"Connor!" Resisting the urge to run to his downed friend Joel could only watch as the second firefighter grabbed onto Connor's arm to lift him up and over his shoulders. "Ah man..."

The baby was reunited with his tearfully grateful grandmother as they were both taken to an awaiting ambulance by the firefighter, and Connor was placed on his back on the grass just a few feet from that same ambulance. The small smear of blue blood on Connor's jawline from where his artificial skin had been damaged told the firefighters everything they needed to know about Connor being an android, and stepped back from him warily.

"I'm a technician." Joel called out as he knelt beside Connor and pressed his hand to the center of the deviant's chest. "I can help him."

The sudden impact of falling onto the porch had disrupted Connor's respiration program causing him to fall into a form of respiratory arrest. Reacting quickly Joel motioned to the ambulance and requested an ambubag. As the pump was given to the technician he secured it over Connor's nose and mouth and began forcing quick, strong manual breaths into Connor's artificial lungs.

The media hovering around the scene of the fire filmed the lifesaving procedure of the hero who had saved the baby, and were more than ready to announce whether or not Connor was going to live, or die. Either way the reporters would have a juicy story to tell. But Joel, the dedicated technician and friend to the downed deviant was going to make certain that the heroic deviant lived.

"Connor?" Pulling the pump away from Connor's face for moment Joel returned his hand to the deviant's chest. "Breathe for me."

No response.

"Come on." Joel resumed breathing for Connor, watching as the deviant's chest rose and fell steadily with each breath. "Breathe, Connor. Just breathe."

Connor coughed once weakly and opened his brown eyes as his body suddenly jerked as the physical shock to his processors wore off, and the pump was pulled away from his face. Looking around himself curiously as he breathed rapidly and deeply Connor noticed Joel kneeling over him and heard the sound of the baby still crying in his grandmother's arms as they were both being tended to by paramedics in the back of the ambulance.

"Joel?"

"What the fuck... You just ran into a burning house." Putting his hand from Connor's chest to his shoulder Joel guided the deviant into an upright position on the grass. "Why did you do that?"

"...I don't know. As soon as I heard that infant crying I simply reacted."

"Is this a habit of yours?" Lightly Joel turned Connor's head so he could clearly see the cut on his jaw. "Leaping before you look, just impulsively running head first into danger?"

"I'm not intentionally putting myself into harm's way if that's what you're asking."

"You definitely need a partner to watch your back again. If I hadn't been here..."

"I'm aware of the dangers of working solo." Connor admitted as he wiped the back of his hand over the bleeding cut on his jaw. "The same dangers apply to human detectives as well."

"Yeah, but more people are familiar with _human_ first aid than _android_ technical assistance."

"Yes, I will admit that the odds are slightly more in favor of a human than an android when it comes to working in the field."

"Come on. I need to make sure your ventilation biocomponents weren't damaged by the smoke." Joel stood up and offered Connor his hand. As the two stood up a loud round of applause sounded off from the gathered onlookers who witnessed the rescue. "Huh. Looks like you have a bit of a fan base. Pretty cool, huh?"

Dismissing the comment Connor looked at the ambulance and was happy to see that the baby was no longer crying and was seemingly in good health as his grandmother cradled him lovingly. "I'm content with knowing that the baby is alive."

"I just don't know you'll explain this to Hank."

"...Neither do I."

* * *

Arriving at the precinct only ten minutes later than expected Connor and Joel were greeted by a raucous round of applause from the other officers and detectives in the bullpen as soon as they set foot on the floor. Connor glanced about the area slightly confused as a pale blue blush appeared on his face and Hank stepped out of his office to wave him over.

Joel patted Connor's shoulder and motioned to the large television mounted on the wall replaying the footage of Connor's rescue. "I think it's safe to say Hank already knows. I'll see you in the dispensary in a few minutes."

Bowing his head slightly Connor went over to the office as requested and sat down in the chair across from Hank's desk.

"So..." Hank asked casually as he took in Connor's soot stained clothes, skin, messy hair and cut open jaw. "busy morning?"

"It was not my-"

"Relax, kid. I'm not mad at you, I'm just a little worried."

"Worried?" The comment made Connor's brow furrow as he cleared his throat a little. "Aside from the small abrasion to my jawline I'm not injured."

"Connor, you can't keep risking your life like that when you don't have someone there to back you up."

"...Joel made a similar comment to me after I escaped the house."

"See? It's not just me. Connor," the tone of Hank's voice was stern but not aggressive. "I don't want you running around solo anymore. You've been through too much and I don't want to see you get hurt. Do you understand?"

Connor's eyes flashed with a minor sense of insult, but it quickly faded as he nodded. "...Is there anyone available to be my new partner?"

"We have a guy transferring over from a precinct in Lansing. He's still a little green, but he's proven himself fairly competent with his cases."

"When will he arrive?"

"Tomorrow morning. Don't worry about making a good first impression, after your little stunt today the news will be doing that for you." Pointing to the still raw cut on the side of Connor's jaw Hank dismissed the deviant with a wave of the hand. "Go to the dispensary and get a quick exam. I have a couple of cold cases I want you to look over."

"Of course. I will be back shortly."

"And... Take a shower after you get cleared by Joel. I don't want the bullpen smelling like a bonfire all damn day."

"I have extra clothes in my locker. That won't be a problem."

* * *

It didn't take Connor long to get cleared by Joel, who was insistent on making sure his artificial lungs weren't damaged by smoke or heat; and then get cleaned up after the fire, but it did take him some time to get dressed. The extra clothes in his locker were a second copy of his old uniform from CyberLife. The shirt, tie and jeans were all fine to wear, but the old gray jacket emblazoned with the CyberLife insignia over the left lapel and right arm band, as well his serial number made Connor feel very uncomfortable. The sight of the word 'android' printed on the back of the jacket felt more like an insult than a a means of identification.

"...Not this." Wading the spare jacket up into a ball Connor threw it into the trashcan next to the locker room door as he took his leave of the room.

Returning to the bullpen Connor noticed that several detectives were gathered around Gavin's desk, including Hank. Taking a closer look he saw that Abby had stopped by to visit and had brought Aria with her. The other officers were taking turns holding Aria and speaking sweetly to the four month old baby, with the exception of Jack, who had no interest in holding the small infant.

Taking his seat to begin his work Connor felt Hank's hand clamp down on his shoulder from behind. "I know I told you to work on those cold cases, but you can still see your goddaughter first."

"I was merely trying to be efficient."

"You're always efficient. Just say 'hi' and then get to work."

Nodding a little Connor stood up from his seat and walked over to the desk and watched as Chris held Aria against his shoulder gently. The small baby was making different sounds and looking at the bullpen with a strange curiosity. She had never been to the precinct and so the place was entirely new to her.

"Hello, Aria." Connor greeted as he stood beside Chris. Looking over to Abby who was sitting on Gavin's desk with her arm wrapped around Gavin's back Connor gave her the same greeting. "Hello, Abby."

"Connor, it's nice to see you." Abby smirked as she tightened her arm around Gavin's back. "You look better without the smoke all over your face."

Connor could feel himself blushing again but he didn't try to hide it. Returning to look at Aria the small baby excitedly made noises when she heard Connor's voice and began reaching her hand out toward him. Offering the small baby his right index finger he smiled a little as she took hold and didn't let go.

Hank stood at Connor's side and handed him an electronic tablet to take in his left hand. "Here's all the information on your new partner. I figured you'd want to familiarize yourself with him before you meet."

"Yeah- Yes," Connor replied as he accepted the tablet with his free hand and kept his eyes on Aria. "I'll look into it in a moment."

"Take this, too." Hank draped Connor's gray jacket, the one he had used to wrap up and protect the baby he saved from the fire, over his shoulder. "The paramedics stopped by while you were getting cleaned up. They even paid for an express dry-cleaning on the damn thing as a little thank you."

"That was kind of them." Connor gave Chris a silent request to take Aria and Chris obliged with a gentle motion.

Gavin gave Connor an odd look and watched the deviant as he gently took Aria from Chris's hands to hold for himself. "Jeez, you really like kids, don't ya'?"

"I do. Children are very honest and innocent." Adjusting his arm to support Aria's weight and wrapping the other arm around her back Connor held her close to his chest and watched as she pulled on the collar of his shirt and continued to babble. "I find it reassuring to know that there are in fact people who know only love, and nothing of hatred."

"You sound like a damn 'after-school special' or something."

"My apologies if my comment seemed peculiar."

"Hell, everything about you is peculiar. But whatever, I've gotten used to it."

Abby stood up from the desk and gently took Aria back from Connor. "Well, this little one needs to get to her wellness check-up, and she shouldn't be late."

Flashing a small frown Connor handed the baby back and watched as Aria was bundled up under a thin blanket. As Abby kissed Gavin goodbye Connor slipped his returned jacket over his arms and shoulders as he walked over to his desk and looked at the tablet regarding information on his new partner. The details he read were in fact impressive, but there was something unsettling about the photo accompanying the file details that made Connor wary.

Short blond hair in a military buzz cut, piercing gray eyes, well groomed goatee, broadly built and tall. He was the epitome of everything that a person would expect in a first responder. However there seemed to be something hollow in his aesthetic, as if it were nothing more than a show or even a mask to hide behind.

"Leonard Hastings." Connor read the name and then his current file. "Impressive arrest record, a respected member of the Lansing Police Department for three years, top five of his class at the police academy." As he read through the details Connor couldn't help but feel there was something off about the young officer. "Why come here if his career is already so promising in another, arguably more reputable city?"

A paper ball bounced off of Connor's shoulder courtesy of Gavin. "You talkin' to yourself 'Tinman'?"

"I am merely thinking out loud."

"Yeah, that's the definition of talkin' to yourself." Craning his neck Gavin saw the tablet clutched in Connor's hand. "That your new partner?"

"Yes."

"That blond bastard from Lansing?"

"...Yes." Connor turned around to face Gavin in his seat, his brow arched in curiosity. "Do you know him?"

"I know _about_ him, but I've never met the prick."

"Rumors?"

"Reputation." Crossing his arms over his chest Gavin was more than happy to give Connor the dirty little details on the arguable prick in question. "The guy's a great shot, but a real hothead. He's worse than me and Hank combined."

"...That doesn't seem particularly pleasant."

"He's been disciplined at least four times for beatin' on suspects in his custody, and claiming that the injuries were pre-existing prior to the arrest. He got busted by two of his former partners, and once when he forgot to turn off his dash cam." Shrugging his shoulders a little Gavin leaned back against his chair casually. "The only reason he didn't get fired is because he has family on the Lansing city council. I guess he decided that a change of scenery was necessary to keep his 'family name' lookin' good."

"If you're aware of his negative reputation then I know that Hank is aware as well."

"Maybe he wants you to kick his ass into shape or somethin'."

"Unlikely." Setting aside the tablet Connor turned his attention to his terminal to work on the cold cases that he had been assigned to review. "I doubt this impending partnership is one that'll be beneficial, or stable."

"Hey, Connor?"

Turning to look at Gavin over his shoulder one last time Connor wasn't sure what the Sergeant was going to say to him. "Yes?"

"You do know if that guy is a pain in the ass and tries anything stupid, me, Tina and Chris all have your back the same as Hank, right?"

"...Yeah." A tension lifted from Connor's shoulders and he subtly nodded at the comment and peered at Tina as she returned to her desk across from Gavin's with two mugs of coffee, then over to Chris's desk where he and Jack were on their way out for their patrol. Letting his eyes fall on Hank as the Captain sat behind his desk in his office, Connor suddenly didn't feel as wary about having a new partner. "Yes. I know."

* * *

Connor sat at his desk with perfect posture as he danced his coin nervously over his right hand. The new partner he had been cautious of meeting was scheduled to arrive at any minute, and Connor was unsure of how to respond to the somewhat notorious officer. Hank was watching Connor through the transparent wall of his office and felt bad for having to partner Connor up with a complete stranger, but he had little choice in the matter. Connor needed a partner and officer Hastings had been transferred to the precinct specifically to fill the void left behind after Hank's promotion to Captain.

With a casual presence Hank left his office and sat down on the edge of Connor's desk as he addressed the deviant Lieutenant casually. "Look kid, I know you're anxious about working with a new partner you haven't even met yet, and to be honest I'm anxious, too."

"Captain, I don't know how to explain it but I have a bad feeling about this guy." The deviant admitted in a quiet voice. "His reputation is questionable, his methods are cruel, and there is something unnerving about his... about his eyes."

"You mean that cold stare?"

"Yes. I've heard that human's believe that the eyes are the windows to the soul," leaning forward a little in his seat Connor took a more casual pose as he spoke to the father figure sitting before him. "and from what I've experienced with my varying encounters with humans I find this to be oddly prevalent. The criminals we've dealt with and the corrupt officials we've encountered have all given me the same cold, impression. It's now the same with Hastings and that's just from looking a photograph."

"Connor, I'm going to level with you. This Hastings prick is being sent to us because there's no other precinct in this whole fuckin' state that'll put up with him. He's one bad mark away from getting his ass fired."

"Due to his reported assaults against suspects?"

"That... And he has a tendency to rough up androids, offend his female coworkers with crude behavior and comments, threatening his fellow officers and for stalking his ex-girlfriend. Fuck, he's even been questioned about participating in assaults all over Lansing."

"Assaults?"

"Yeah. Some of them even ended in negligent homicide, if not straight-up murder."

"And he was allowed to remain a police officer?"

"He was never directly linked to any of the cases through evidence or witness statements. And having a few contacts on the city council basically gave this asshole diplomatic immunity against any consequences, even when there was evidence proving he knocked around those suspects nothing ever stuck to him."

"Even the testimony of his own partners wasn't enough to convict him of any charges?"

"Nope. What makes it worse is his first two partners were both female officers who accused him of sexual assault, but he countered with the 'high school favorite' of calling them sluts and liars despite their fellow officers confirming their statements."

"Hastings was absolved of all accusations by his personal connections. This isn't right."

"You got it, kid. He kept getting transferred around departments because these 'patterns of behavior' continued, but every time someone made a complaint or an assault occurred he got off free. Everyone knows he's a demented bully."

"Why hasn't he been fired already? This seems like a gross miscarriage of discipline."

"He has connections back in Lansing keeping his ass out of the fire. But here," Hank pointed down at the ground as if needing to clarify where they were at the moment. "he has no one to protect him."

"...Do you want me to report his behavior to have him finally fired if it becomes necessary?"

"I want you to be _honest_ with your assessment on him. And," putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank motioned toward the deviant with a pointed finger. "I want you to remind him that you _outrank_ him. You're the one calling the shots now. Don't let him defy you or push you around, no matter how pissed off he gets. Got it?"

"...I got it."

"Good. If you think he's a danger, in an capacity, just let us know and we'll get his ass out of the precinct." Standing up from the desk Hank took his leave of the bullpen to return to his office. "You can do this, kid. Just trust your instincts and you'll be fine."

Connor pocketed his coin discreetly and took a deep breath to steady himself. The deviant felt as though on some level he was being tested, but he also knew Hank all too well, he wouldn't do that. The detective would never intentionally force Connor into a situation that he wouldn't be able to properly handle on his own.

Without so much as a pleasant greeting to the receptionist up front Officer Leonard Hastings made his way through the bullpen and marched right up to Hank's office door. Connor watched as the impatient, evidently angry man introduced himself to Hank and proceeded to accept his orders.

"I don't like him." Tina stated discreetly as she passed by Connor's desk to get to her own a few feet behind him. "There's something a little 'off' about that guy and gives me the creeps."

Connor turned to look at Tina and admitted that he too was feeling unnerved by his presence. "I had a similar reaction."

"I know it's not my place to say anything, Lieutenant, but I don't think you should trust that guy."

"...I appreciate your concerns. I will be able to handle it."

"I hope so. I don't want to see you get dragged down because of that guy's own problems."

"Problems?"

"Nasty temper. I think he's on his last strike."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Connor?" Hank's voice addressed the deviant as he walked over to the desk with Hastings at his side. "This is your new partner."

"Hello." Connor extended his hand to shake as he stared at the man's cold, soulless eyes. "I'm Lieutenant Connor Anderson."

"Yeah, I know who you are." Hastings accepted the handshake, but did so with an obvious disdain toward the deviant.

"You do?"

"Yeah. Saw you on the news yesterday." Hastings hand tightened around Connor as if he were trying to hurt the android, but Connor's plastimetal frame easily withstood the pressure. "You saved that baby."

"Yes."

"Trying to 'one-up' the fire department or something? Need to prove a point?"

Connor's hand tightened around Hasting's hand just enough to cause pain without resulting in injury. "I was merely reacting to an emergency situation."

Hank could sense the tension and decided to intervene. "Alright, don't get off on the wrong foot."

"My apologies, Captain." Connor let go of Hastings hand and let his own drop at his side. "I have a lead on the double homicide from last night. I would like to investigate it."

"Go. Take Hastings with you."

"Of course."

Hastings just gave Connor an angry stare as he pulled his keys from his pocket. "Fine. I'll drive."

"No." Connor mirrored his motion and held up his own car keys from his jacket pocket. " _I'll_ drive."

"Why?" The brash and hostile officer questioned as if trying to make a stand.

Hank just stood back and watched, waiting to see what Connor was going to do.

"Aside from the fact that I know the address of the crime, I'm familiar with the layout of the city, _and_ I outrank you." In rare moment of authoritative presence Connor stood his ground. "And more importantly, because I said so."

Hastings's eyes somehow went colder as he stared at Connor, but the deviant didn't back down. "Whatever."

Walking past Connor toward the precinct doors Hastings disappeared back outside in an angry huff. Connor turned his attention to Hank who just crossed his arms and gave him a nod of approval before the deviant marched after his jerk of a partner. The same approval had been given by Tina as he walked through the bullpen to join his new, and abrasive partner, outside.

* * *

The scene of the double homicide was somehow less brutal than the tense drive to the address as Connor continuously monitored Hastings's demeanor from where he sat. There was something incredibly unnerving about the man, and it wasn't just his openly hostile attitude toward those who outranked him. There was something hollow and menacing about his very presence; something that told Connor to never turn his back on the man unless he wanted to find a knife planted there.

Police tape projections barred off the property while officers outside the house checked the property for any other sign of intrusion or violence. Ben himself was heading up the search in the small backyard as the search for any sign of the killer was readily underway. It was a small house that had been rented by two college students had been the address of the call. The house was in a nice neighborhood and seldom saw any violence, as a result the entire neighborhood was shaken up and paranoid about the horrific crime that happened uncomfortably close to home.

The front door of the house had been locked, but someone with skills as a lockpick had mad their way inside the residence. Both of the victims, young attractive twenty year old students; one with long blonde hair and the other with short red hair, had been stabbed to death in the livingroom of their home. The two women had been bound in strong, lightweight ropes and zip ties to prevent fleeing or resistence. Their mouths had been bound in duct tape to stop them from screaming. Unfortunately for the two victims the bindings were cruelly effective.

Dark red blood soaked into the carpet, the furniture splashed up the walls and even to the ceiling. The poor victims were drenched in their own and each other's blood as they laid on the floor, dead.

It was a crime of passion and utter rage.

Stepping inside the house Connor scanned over the horrific scene and kept his face stoic. As Hastings's stepped inside the house he looked completely undeterred by the abundance of blood and violence. In fact, he didn't seem to feel anything but contempt toward the victims. The cold stare of his eyes seemed to pierce through the poor victims with an unspoken hatred.

"I'll examine the victims." Connor stated as he crouched down by the first body and prepared to make a scan. "You check for the point of entry from the killer, or killers."

"Why bother? It's a fuckin' waste of time."

"Pardon me?" Standing upright again Connor gave the officer and annoyed glance and squared himself in front of the insubordinate officer. "A waste of time?"

"Look, this took place in a nice part of town and no one saw, or heard a damn thing. This guy covered his tracks and we-"

"First of all, _you need to do your job_." Connor interrupted quickly as he made a cybernetic log of Hastings's attitude and sent it back to the precinct to be reviewed later by Hank and whoever at H.R. would listen. The log was a live feed allowing anyone at the precinct to see the confrontation in real time, rather than dealing with the infamous 'he said-he said' dilemma. "Secondly, we can't just write this off as a cold case because the evidence isn't abundantly obvious."

"Hey, I'm not going to waste my time on a couple of nameless girls."

"They do have names. AND families."

"Fuckin' whatever. You do what you want."

"Very well. I want _you_ to do _your damn job_." Keeping his voice stern and focused Connor refused to back down from the heartless officer. "I don't know why you have such a horrible attitude, but it's not going to prevent me from doing my job because you refuse to do yours."

"Get out of my face, asshole."

"Do your job, officer." Connor ordered without fail. "Or return to Lansing. It's your choice."

"...This is bullshit."

"As is your attitude. If you're not going to handle this case, then I will." Returning to his crouched position on the floor Connor ran a scan and finally began his investigation. Hastings's stubbornly folded his arms over his chest and watched as Connor went about professionally. "The victims were young women, all small in build and height. They were overpowered by one man who was approximately six feet tall, and one-hundred and eight two pounds."

"How in the fuck do you know that?"

"The shoe impressions in the carpet are faint, but they are indicative of the killer's weight and the shoe size gives me an approximate height. The stab wounds on the two victims' bodies is also indicative of a person with immense strength and a height greater than the two victims as he had assaulted them."

"...The fuck?"

Connor continued on with his scan. "The killer wore gloves to refrain from leaving fingerprints, and made sure to put protective coverings over his shoes to prevent any sole prints from being detected on the carpet or the exterior yard. Whoever did this had planned the murders."

Hastings's was getting tense and looked around the house nervously.

From where he crouched Connor sensed that something was bothering his new partner and prepared to exercise caution based on instinct. "The front lock had also been picked. There are no exterior scratches around the lock which means the killer has experience with lock picking, and managed to pick the lock quickly without any errors." Standing up slowly Connor made his way back to the front door and ran a scan over the metal lock. "The killer used a professional grade kit to unlock the door, and in the process it appears he left a single eyelash as he peered down to examine his work."

"...Eyelash?"

"Correct. There is a root attached which means we can get D.N.A. evidence." Picking up the small object with his fingers Connor slipped the evidence into a small plastic bag and then into his jacket pocket for safekeeping. "I will deliver this to the lab in person, the sooner we get an identity the better."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Hastings' was beginning to sweat as he followed after Connor quickly to the Corvette. "You just contaminated evidence with your bare hands!"

"Incorrect. I am an android and as such I do not have fingerprints and I do not have D.N.A. to cause cross contamination."

"...You're a fuckin' android?" Hastings's attitude toward Connor took a dramatic shift from angry to violent. "I thought that was a rumor, a fuckin' JOKE."

"I assure you, I am an android. A _deviant_ android." Pulling open the driver's side door of the car Connor returned to his place behind the wheel and waited for Hastings to join him in the car. Cybernetically Connor sent a message back to the precinct and asked for a little assistance during his return to the precinct. "If I wanted to I could confirm the D.N.A. sample myself and send the results back to the precinct in real time."

"...Let me ask you something, Lieutenant." Hastings began to fidget nervously in his seat. His hand discreetly reaching for something concealed in his jacket pocket. "Where does a deviant go after work?"

"Home."

"...Do you have a family?"

"I do." Connor confirmed as he sensed Hastings becoming more tense, his body language becoming more hostile. "What of your family?"

"They don't care about me." As Connor turned a corner to make his way back to the precinct Hastings pulled a knife from his jacket pocket. "Not that it matters."

Reacting quickly to the weapon Connor slammed on the brakes, threw the car in park and grabbed onto Hastings' wrist as the deranged man made a lunge toward Connor's abdomen with the knife. Holding the human at bay Connor remained calm and refused to let up on his grip as Hastings tried, and failed to break free.

"Why did you kill those two students?!" Connor demanded as he continued to cybernetically record the attempted assault in progress. "What did they do to you?"

"Those little bitches deserved it! Who the fuck do they think they are?!"

"You need to drop the knife. Killing me will only makes things worse for yourself."

"Not after I tell the precinct you were ambushed by the killer who was hiding inside the house! You were jumped, the killer stabbed you over and over again," Hastings's eyes were wild and he was practically frothing at the mouth. "I pulled him off but he got away. Unfortunately you bled to death when I tried to drive you to the hospital!"

"The D.N.A. will still link you to the murders."

"Not after I destroy it! Then nothing will connect me-"

The passenger side door of the car was pulled open and a strong hand grabbed onto Hastings's shoulder and threw the officer out of the car, onto the hard street. Connor had managed to pull the knife out of Hastings's hand as the dangerous human was forcibly removed, leaving him effectively unarmed and defenseless.

"Don't move, asshole!" Hank threatened as he pointed his gun at Hastings's forehead. "You're under arrest."

Connor quickly joined Hank outside of the car and pulled the handcuffs from his belt and snapped them around Hastings's right wrist. Bending the human's wrist at such an extreme angle caused enough pain to make Hastings roll from his back all the way over onto his stomach where Connor pinned his right arm behind his back pulled his left arm back next to the right. With both wrists now cuffed Connor knelt down and pinned his knee into the human's spine.

"Perfect timing, Hank."

Keeping his eyes locked on the unstable officer Hank addressed the traitor to his cause with an angered, and fearless voice. "D.N.A. evidence or not, I know your little confession will be more than enough to put your sorry ass behind bars."

"What the-"

Connor spoke up with a sly voice. "As I told you, I'm an android. I was able to cybernetically record your assault and upload it in real time to the precinct as evidence. Your confession will work just as well as any D.N.A. sample ever would. And just to clarify, the eyelash in question does not exist. It was a ploy to see how you'd react to knowing that I was aware of your guilt and was willing to prove it."

"FUCK YOU!"

Connor applied more pressure to his knee against Hastings's spine as he held out the offending knife by the tip of the blade toward Hank. "And I'm certain your knife will contain some fragment of blood D.N.A. under the hilt."

"FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

"Shut up!" Hank ordered again as he took an evidence bag from his coat pocket slipped the bag over the knife as took it from Connor's hand. "You're under arrest for a shit-ton of reasons, Hastings. Don't make me add disturbing the peace to your list of charges. That just seems like petty overkill at this point."

Two additional squad cars converged on the scene quickly as Hank and Connor kept Hastings pinned down on the street. Gavin threw open his door and joined Hank with his own gun pointed at Hastings with three other patrolling officers followed after him. With five armed officers gathered around him Hastings swore loudly and bitterly, but Connor wasn't deterred from keeping him restrained.

"FUCKING TRAITORS!"

"I recommend exercising your right to remain silent." Connor stated firmly as watched the other responding officers approach the arrested man with their weapons drawn. "It might do you some good."

"FUCK OFF!"

Hank and Gavin grabbed onto Hastings' shoulders and hauled him up from the ground with force. Dragging the man toward the first car squad car the confessed murderer was thrown into the backseat to be taken into custody at the precinct. Gavin was more than happy to drive the demented bastard into custody to be questioned, while Hank was just relieved to know he managed to get to Connor in time.

Taking a deep breath Hank returned to where Connor was standing, and cybernetically filing a report, and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "You good, kid?"

"I'm unharmed. Thank you."

"That fuckin' bastard actually hard the balls to assault his own damn partner while on the clock."

"Fortunately he was too preoccupied with his own implied errors at the crime scene to have taken my admission to being an android legitimately."

"I doubt that arrogant prick would've done anything differently even if he had been paying attention."

"What will become of Hastings?"

"Remember earlier when I said that Hastings had been questioned about other assaults back in Lansing?"

"...This murder fits the pattern of the previous assaults." Connor deduced keenly without any hesitation. "This established and confirmed a definitive pattern of behavior that had been previously overlooked."

"Yeah. As soon as you sent that recording of the prick refusing to help with the investigation I had Tina check out those past assaults and each one revolved around a young woman, or women, and a knife."

"Same use of gloves and coverings for his shoes to disguise evidence." Connor tagged on as he too looked into the cases.

"And the same method of picking the locks." Letting out a despondent sigh Hank ran his hand through his gray locks of hair and put his other hand on his hip with a twinge of disappointment. "Ah, fuck. Those poor girls had to die before those assholes on the city council would admit that Hastings needed to be locked up. All of his this bullshit over a goddamn family _name_."

"I know there is nothing we can tell the families of the victims to lessen their pain or their loss, but hopefully they will find some comfort in knowing that the killer has been arrested and will never set foot outside of a prison for the rest of life."

"It might be a start, but nothing ever eases the pain of losing a child. I know from experience."

"I'm sorry, Hank. I know these cases still affect you."

"Yeah, you're not as sorry as I am for making you partner up with that son of a bitch."

"We should return to the precinct. I want to be the one to tell the families that Hastings has finally been arrested."

"That's kind of you, kid." Motioning to his car a few feet behind them Hank walked back to the vehicle while Connor did the same for his own. "I think they'd appreciate that."

_**...next story...** _


	175. Appreciation

A summer storm settled over the city causing some sporadic flash floods and numerous power outages. The precinct had lost power twice that morning and had been forced to rely solely on the emergency back-up generators to keep the holding cells locked, and terminals functioning. While most of the city sought shelter indoors away from the storm a few wayward drivers would still end up in the ditch or stranded due to flooding which meant several patrol cars and rescue personnel from the fire departments had the misfortune of dealing with the storm in person.

"Need a little help here." Chris called out as he carried Jack inside the precinct doors at his side. There was a faint smear of blood on the floor following after the duo. The blond, deviant android had suffered severe damage to his lower right leg and needed assistance in walking by Chris, who carried his damaged partner into the bullpen to receive help. "We need a technician, or at least a hand."

Connor rose from his terminal and took Jack's arm opposite side of Chris to drape around his shoulders. "What happened?"

"A car stalled at an intersection. When we pushed it out of the way Jack ended up losing his footing on a slick patch of the road and got his leg caught under the car's back tires."

Connor received a cybernetic update regarding a call and scanned the bullpen. The only other officer currently available was Tina. The Lieutenant gave Chris a new order and took all of Jack's weight from the Sergeant's shoulders. "There is a possible domestic dispute in progress. Take Tina and check it out, I'll help Jack get to the dispensary."

"Right." Chris obeyed the order and nodded at his damaged partner. "I'll see you in a few hours, Jack."

Jack acknowledged Chris's comment in a cold, flat tone. "I will remain here until I've received proper maintenance."

Escorting Jack over to the elevator Connor held the android upright in the elevator car while they ascended to the second floor. Once the elevator doors parted Connor helped his fellow android limp into the dispensary to have his leg tended to by Joel. It was easy for the strong deviant to help lift the android up onto the exam table while Joel began assessing the damage to Jack's broken leg.

"How severe is the damage?" Connor asked as he watched the technician cut open the Thirium soaked pant leg covering Jack's damaged leg.

"Pretty bad, but I can still patch him up from here."

"How long will he be on the injured reserved list?"

"Six or seven hours."

"Very well. I'll make a note of it on the daily report."

"Right. I'll send you an update when I know more."

"Thanks, Joel."

Returning to the elevator Connor stepped inside and found himself standing beside Gavin as the Sergeant fumbled with an electronic tablet that was struggling to remain properly powered up during the sporadic power outages courtesy of the storm. The elevator doors slid shut and the elevator car began a steady descent back to the ground floor, only to shudder and stop short as the lights overhead flickered out.

"What the fuck?" Gavin swore as he looked up at the red tinted emergency lights that illuminated the interior of the elevator in a rosy hue.

"We have lost power." Connor replied curtly as he looked over at the Sergeant standing beside him. "For the third time."

"Ah, fuck. How long will it be out this time?"

"Unknown."

Gavin pressed his back up against the wall of the elevator car and slowly slid down to the floor as he sat down the tablet beside him. Crossing his arms defensively over his chest Gavin took in deep slow breaths as a nervous sweat began to build on his brow in a fine sheen.

"Gavin?" Connor peered down at the Sergeant with an arched brow. He ran a scan over the detective and noted that his heart rate and blood pressure had increased steadily. "Are you ill? Your vitals have increased to-"

"Don't fuckin' tell me what's going on with my body, alright? I fuckin' know I'm strung out."

"Claustrophobia." Connor keenly remembered that Gavin had a fear of small, dark places. "I apologize for making you feel unsettled."

"Yeah. Fuckin' elevator had to break down with me stuck inside of it."

Sitting down on the floor in the opposite corner across from Gavin the deviant closed his eyes and cybernetically sent a message to the precinct's maintenance androids to let them know of the stopped elevator. "Repair crews are working on getting the elevator to function again." Opening his eyes he stared at Gavin and watched as the human's breathing increased and heart rate began to climb a little higher. "We will be extracted soon."

"Yeah, sure..."

"Gavin, I am aware of how uncomfortable it is to experience-"

"Shut up."

"You'll be okay."

"Shut up!" Gavin repeated with more anger to his voice as he glared at the deviant. "You don't know what I'm feelin'! Don't pretend you know what this is like, you don't have issues with this kind of shit."

"...I had been buried alive." Connor stated in a low voice as he insisted on keeping the conversation going in order to distract Gavin's thoughts. "I know all to well how the feeling of being trapped, of being unable to move about freely, of what it's like to feel your breathing hasten as the air around you thins. I may not be claustrophobic, but I am aware of the discomfort being trapped in small space provides."

"If you're trying to make me feel better then you're doing a shitty job!"

"I'm merely attempting to empathize. I understand your fear and I wish to help alleviate it."

"Yeah? If you want to help then fuckin' get this thing moving again."

Pausing for a moment Connor looked over at the sealed doors and squared his jaw. The deviant crouched down in front of the closed doors and put his hands against the smooth surface. Utilizing as much strength as necessary Connor was able to force the doors to part and with it a waft of relatively fresh air entered the elevator car gently.

"Whoa! Shit." Gavin peered through the small opening and saw that the elevator car was stuck just barely between floors. There was a four inch gap between the bottom of the elevator, and the internal wall which allowed him to see the ground floor about three feet below him. "I didn't know you could do that."

"I can do many things." The deviant replied confidently as he fell back onto his hip and resumed sitting up against the corner of the elevator car. Straightening his legs out before himself Connor watched as Gavin pulled one leg up to his chest and let his arm casually rest atop his knee. "But I cannot force the car to move any further without power."

"At least the damn doors are open." Gavin sighed and ran a hand through his already sweaty hair. "That's something."

"When I experienced my own sense of claustrophobia," Connor pressed lightly. "I was sitting in a moving vehicle and I found that by rolling down the window and feeling fresh air against my artificial skin eased my discomfort."

"...Yeah. That does help a little." The Sargeant sighed and gave Connor an intrigued look. "So... Being trapped underground actually affected you?"

"Correct."

"Are you still freaked out by small spaces?"

"I was for an extended period of time, but I had managed to overcome this particular phobia and I no longer suffer from the effects of a localized fear with small or dark spaces."

"...How?"

The whispered question caught Connor by surprise. "Pardon?"

"How did you get over your fear?"

"Oh." Squaring his jaw a little Connor thought back to the moment he overcame his fear. As the memory came forward he let out a deep sigh of contemplation. "I had to overcome it after Hank had become trapped in a collapsed parking garage. I pushed myself to go through that uncomfortable, narrow place in order to locate him and bring him to safety. After I endured the experience, after I managed to get Hank out of harm's way, I had discovered that my phobia had diminished significantly and was gone entirely within a few days."

"...I don't think I could do that. Go into a small, collapsing space like that."

"If it was absolutely necessary I believe you could do it." Tilting his head a little the kind deviant tagged on an additional thought. "I hope you find a way to overcome your phobia, but I also hope you never have to. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I get it." Stretching out his other leg before himself Gavin took in another slow breath and closed his eyes. "At least you had a good reason to face your fear and beat it. "

"Gavin, I knew the origin of my phobia and why it came to pass." Lowering his voice Connor tentatively tried to get Gavin to talk about his own past trauma without pushing him. "Do you know where your fear has originated from?"

"...Don't worry about it. I can handle it."

"Very well."

From the opening in the elevator doors a flashlight beam shone inward and Hank called out to his two trapped detectives. "Hey, you guys okay?"

"I am alright, Captain." Connor confirmed for himself, rather than answer for Gavin.

"Yeah." Gavin piped up and cleared his throat. "I'm good."

Hank passed the flashlight inside the elevator through the doors toward the two officers. "Maintenance is working on getting the elevator moving enough for you two to get out. Until this damn storm passes the elevators are going to be off limits to everyone."

"Understood." Grabbing onto the flashlight Connor acknowledged the order. "Is anyone else currently trapped?"

"You two are here," Hank replied casually as he placed a bottle water inside the elevator for Gavin. "and we got three rookies stranded down in the gym. I figured this would be the perfect way for them to learn to not worry about impressing their superior officers with a bunch of push-ups during active hours."

Gavin let out another deep sigh and tried to calm his thoughts as the strange sense of encapsulation seemed to intensify and wear away at his already thin nerves. As he breathed faster and deeper the Sergeant's heart rate began to climb while alongside his blood pressure. With each rapid breath Gavin's already elevated vital signs continued to climb and he began to sweat more profusely.

"Captain," Connor noted Gavin's distress and addressed it discreetly out of respect for the shaken man. "might I ask if we have an E.T.A. on the elevator being returned to operational functions?"

"About ten, maybe fifteen minutes." Hank's brow furrowed in confusion at the question. "You can't cybernetically connect to the maintenance androids?"

"I can. But I found it more logical to ask as a means of conserving my processing power since I am unable to gain access to any emergency power supply discs. Seeing as this storm has proven detrimental to electronics and other technical components it was a wise precaution."

"...Right." Hank knew Connor was lying, but he didn't know what he was lying about. "Anyway, you two just wait a few more minutes and you'll be out of there."

Once Hank had left the area Connor spoke to Gavin in a calm, reassuring tone of voice. "Gavin, you need to slow your breathing down."

"...I'm f-fine."

"No. You're beginning to hyperventilate. Take in one deep breath, hold it for three seconds and let it out slowly. If you repeat the process it'll calm down your heart rate and you'll feel better."

"I can't... I can't fuckin'..." Barely able to catch his breath Gavin began to panic more which in turn only caused him to hyperventilate faster. One hand pressed against his forehead and the other grabbed onto the front of his shirt over his pounding heart. "Shit!"

"Gavin, listen to me." Picking up the provided bottle of water Connor stared at Gavin and scanned the human's body to keep track of his vital signs. "You're going to be okay. Just breathe slowly."

"I fu-"

"Watch me." Steadily Connor took in a deep breath, held it and let it out slowly. Patiently he waited for Gavin to mimic his behavior and continued the cycle until the distraught Sergeant's vitals began to lower into a more manageable and calm degree. "Just like that. Keep breathing in a slow, controlled manner."

"Fuck... I can't-"

"Gavin. Breathe." The deviant all but ordered as he kept himself calm and kept his breathing slow and level. "Slowly. Deep breath in, hold it, deep breath out slowly." As the Sergeant finally began to breathe as instructed Connor monitored his vitals closely. "Good. Do it again, just breathe slowly."

Gavin's heart rate began to slow and his blood pressure dropped slowly. Once Gavin's breathing stabilized Connor passed over the bottle of water to which he readily accepted.

"...Thanks." Sipping at the water Gavin leaned back against the wall heavily and tried to focus on his breathing. "...How'd you know what to do?"

"I had once had an anxiety attack, and Chris helped me through it."

"Chris is a good guy... So are you," he gave the deviant a stern glare. "but if you tell anyone I said that I'll deny it until the day I die."

"Don't worry Gavin. I won't say anything about this."

"Good." Replacing the cap over the bottle Gavin wiped his hand over his sweaty face and leaned forward a little. His fingertips brushed over the scar on his face and his eyes dulled in response. "Fuckin' shitty weather. It always makes scars and healed bones ache."

"Poor weather can interfere with my processors resulting in either Thirium pump irregularities; equivalent to heart palpitations, as well as overheating and increased Thirium pressure resulting in headaches."

"Guess storms fuck us all up. I know Aria hates thunder, I hope she isn't too afraid."

"Perhaps she'd fine comfort with music drowning out the sound of the thunder."

Gavin gave the deviant an odd glance and a half smirk. "You really like kids, don't ya'?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're not exactly human. So a biological need to nurture something, or a primitive need to mate and have offspring isn't exactly going to influence you. So what gives?"

"...To be honest with you, I like children because they don't see the world as something to be hated, divided or feared. They see it as something to be experienced. That is the mindset of deviants and being able to relate to a person on an emotional level is very comforting." The deviant explained without hesitation or uncertainty to his voice. "Children are innocent and that innocence must be protected. I've encountered children who have needed protection or guidance, and they do so without prejudice or bias. But I've also encountered children who simply need someone to look after them. I have the desire to look after a child and guide them along their way in the same way that Hank has guided me. I want to help, and I want to give a child a safe home in which to grow up and become a caring member of society."

Gavin paused for a moment as his brow furrowed slightly. "So why don't you?"

"Androids are legally barred from adoption. I cannot adopt a child and, as of today, androids are incapable of reproducing their own offspring."

"...Oh."

"I apologize if the information I've relayed is unsettling."

"No, it's fine. Besides, I'm the one who asked the question."

"Your vitals have stabilized, and I suspect it's safe to assume your phobia is no longer prevalent. We'll be out of here in approximately eight minutes and fifty-seven seconds."

"Yeah, cool." Running his fingertip over his scar he searched Connor's face as if looking the answer to a question he was afraid to ask. Mustering up his courage he finally decided to present the question and gauge the deviant's response. "Hey, Lieutenant?"

"Yes?"

"...Do you really want to know why I hate small spaces?"

"...Only if you really want to discuss it. Otherwise I'll sit here in silence until the elevator regains power."

"A busted android let my sister drown, but the android wasn't a weak target standing before my parents. But I was." Taking another deep breath, this one to steel himself mentally, Gavin eyed Connor hesitantly. "When I was a kid my old man would drink. A LOT. And he would try to lash out at my younger sister, but I wouldn't let him. He never hit me because he knew I'd hit back, so he would lock me up inside the hall closet so I couldn't fight back."

The sad revelation made Connor feel genuine sympathy toward the human. He knew the very helpless feeling of being trapped, of being locked up and unable to defend himself. "...How long would he leave you locked away?"

"All day, sometimes all night. The only time I was ever let out is when my sister would sneak into the hallway and unlock the door for me. Or if my crazy mother needed to get her coat out of the closet; not because she cared about me, only because she needed her coat. After my sister, Kimmy, drowned my parents blamed me for what happened and things only got worse from there on."

"...Worse?"

Gavin sighed as tears filled his eyes, but he refused to acknowledge them as he sat on the floor and breathed through his anxiety. "I'd get yelled at just for entering my father's line of sight, or smacked upside the head for even trying to talk. My mom ignored me and started taking all kinds of pills to escape reality while my father drank himself into a violent rage." Rolling up the sleeve of his jacket Gavin unfastened the watch around his left wrist and held up the back of his wrist for Connor to see. "He broke an empty whiskey bottle and slashed open my hand. He said I deserved to die for what happened to my sister, and that if I were to kill myself... no one would care."

"How could anyone say such an unforgivable thing?"

"Booze apparently helped loosen his tongue."

"When did you leave your parents?" The deviant knew very little about Gavin's past, especially his personal life.

"When I was fifteen."

"You ran away."

"...No."

"No?"

As his shaking fingers traced over his scar once more he let out a sigh. "...One night my old man raised his hand to me so damn hard the neighbors called the cops. He, uh... He threw me against the walls in the livingroom, but, on the fourth slam I missed the wall and entirely and went through the window."

Connor didn't have anything to say, all he could was sit and listen to the horrible tale as Gavin told him the truth about his past.

"I just remember a paramedic holding a wad of bandages to my busted up face and seeing my old man being dragged away in handcuffs. I spent four days in the hospital after getting a massive shard of glass removed from my face, my broken nose getting reset and my upper lip stitched back onto my face."

"...I assumed your scar was the result of an injury you sustained in the line of duty, or during your time at the police academy."

"Yeah, you and everyone else." Dropping his hand from his scar he leaned back until his head was resting against the cool surface of the elevator car and closed his eyes. "No. My old man did this. The hospital had some pretty awesome plastic surgeons who put my face back together again with only this scar left behind. It also helped that the foster family that took me in for a couple years were willing to pay for the surgeries so I wasn't... you know... worse."

"Can I ask what happened to your biological parents?"

"...My mom took enough pills one night when I was nineteen to end up in the hospital and having her stomach pumped. She was put in a psychiatric hospital and still hasn't left. As for my old man..." Gavin sighed again and refused to let himself cry despite being obviously upset by the horrible memories. "he got drunk and found me at my old apartment after I graduated from the academy. He decided that I became a cop just to spite him and so I could look down at him for being a drunk loser. I didn't tell him he was wrong. He threw the first punch, but I wasn't a scared kid anymore. I fought back and everything went red."

"Did you...?"

"No. I didn't finish him off, but I did do a number on him. Out of drunken shame he scampered off into the night with his tail between his legs. Two days later I get a personal visit from my old Captain and he... escorts me to the city to morgue to identify my old man's body."

"Gavin?"

"Turns out after I put him in place he didn't like where was living. The gutter. And he... put a pistol in his mouth."

Connor was floored by the horrible story. He had never imagined that Gavin had endured such a horrible childhood, and now all of his anger and resentment toward android's made complete sense. Knowing that Gavin would be too proud of himself to acknowledge the need for support Connor refrained from putting his hand to the Sergeant's shoulder out of pure respect.

"I'm so sorry, Gavin."

"Yeah, not as sorry as my old man." Replacing his watch Gavin rolled back down his sleeve and cleared his throat. "The coward couldn't bully his own kid anymore and my mother wasn't around to be a punching bag. When the booze ran out he decided that he had no reason to stick around."

"Gavin, you do know that he cannot harm you anymore. Neither of your parents can hurt you. You have no reason to fear small spaces because your father was cruel and-"

"I know all that, but it's not as simple as snapping your fingers and 'BOOM', problem solved."

"I also presume that with each year's physical and mandatory conference with the precinct psychiatrist you've discussed this previous trauma."

"Yeah, but it never helps."

Connor's mouth twitched a little as he studied Gavin's demeanor carefully. "...Have you spoken to anyone else about your past?"

"Abby." Gavin scoffed a little at himself as he took in another deep breath to settle his nerves. "And now _you_."

"Thank you for telling me."

"Yeah, well, after being a prick to ya' since day one, and after you helped my wife bring my daughter into this world, the least I could do is level with you."

"You didn't owe me an explanation. I'm aware now that everyone has a reason for everything that they do, or choose to not do."

"Did Hank teach ya' that?"

"Yes. He's helped me to understand a lot of things in this world. I'm grateful."

"...And I'm a little jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"Because Connor," turning his head a little to look at the deviant Gavin replied honestly and calmly. "while every human on this planet has a _father_ , you're lucky enough to have a _dad_. I never did, and I never will."

"...What happened to your family," Connor nearly whispered as he tried to offer some modicum of comfort to the pained detective. "wasn't your fault."

Gavin let out a slow breath and wiped his hand over his eyes one last time before falling silent.

The lights in the elevator flickered back to life as the elevator car shuddered physically. Gavin put up his hands against the walls to brace himself as the car resumed it's painfully slow descent to reach the ground floor and allow to the two detectives to exit at long last.

"Finally. Fuckin' hate elevators." Gavin grumbled as picked up the electronic tablet and stood upright. He ran his hands over his face one more time before combing his fingers through his hair to try to straighten it back out. "I'm takin' the stairs from now on, no matter what."

Exiting the elevator with his head held high Gavin resumed his work as if nothing happened while Connor followed after him and returned to his own desk as well. A rumble of thunder shook the precinct and Connor cybernetically began monitoring the storm's progress. It didn't take long for Hank to join him at the desk and leaned up against it casually.

"Anything new to report?"

"The storm is heading East and will be away from the city in approximately two hours, nineteen minutes and forty-four seconds." Connor turned to face Hank and address him directly. "I also received an update from Joel regarding Jack's condition. He will require an additional four hours and twenty-two seconds to heal before he can resume his shift."

"What about your case files?"

"It's been a rather light caseload. I will be able to finish my reports by seven this evening."

"Cool. Make sure to keep tabs on this storm. If it gets any worse I'm going to set out patrols in a few hotspot locations to make sure no moron decides to try to break into stores, or some other dumb shit."

"Of course."

As Hank walked away Connor casually glanced back over his shoulder toward Gavin who was sitting behind his own desk and performed another scan. The Sergeant's vital signs had all returned to normal and he showed no further indication of an anxiety or a panic attack. The fact that Gavin was able to so easily move on from such an episode spoke volumes as to how long he had been suffering from such attacks, and it made Connor feel all the more sympathetic toward him.

* * *

After arriving home Connor proceeded to let Sumo outside and promptly grabbed a towel from the bathroom to dry off the dog's wet fur once he returned to the house. Standing by the opened backdoor Connor stared at the storm clouds above and watched as lightning flashed in the distance. The memory of having his systems affected in extremely negative ways from close lightning strikes in the past settled into his mind, and with those negative memories came the more positive ones of Hank helping him.

"You stuck or something?" Hank asked as he observed the deviant standing idle in the doorway. "What're you doing?"

"I'm watching the storm." Leaning against the door frame Connor kept his arms crossed over his chest and had the towel draped over his shoulder. "And I'm thinking."

"Oh, great. Now what's on your mind?"

"...I was thinking about how fortunate I am to have you as my father."

"Of... What? Where'd that come from?"

"Earlier today, when I was trapped in the elevator with Gavin he informed me of his bleak childhood trauma that resulted in his claustrophobia." Turning where he stood to look Hank in the eyes Connor gave the detective an appreciative glance. "You never made me feel worthless or took out your anger on me in such a way that it left scars from either mental or physical abuse. And you never blamed me for your own personal issues."

"Kid, there's no way in hell I'd ever hurt you on purpose. A lot of parents would never do that to their own children. Gavin just, well, I guess you could say he was dealt a bad hand but still managed to make it work."

"Do you know of his past?"

"I had an idea, but I never asked him about it. Being a detective for so long and seeing the worst of mankind gives you a pretty clear idea of why some people act out, and why others bottle everything up inside."

Sumo returned to the kitchen through the backdoor and paused in the middle of the room. Before he had the chance to shake off his fur Connor quickly wrapped the towel around him and began to dry off his damp pelt to keep a mess from happening.

"It doesn't invalidate your understanding nature toward me." Connor explained as he took care of Sumo with the towel. "And I am very aware of how so many humans were abusive towards androids to the point of pushing the affected androids into insanity from the damage they had suffered. It's very reassuring to know that when I needed the most guidance that I had someone who actually gave a damn to look over my shoulder and keep me from making any grievous mistakes that I could atone for."

"You know, son," crouching down on the floor next to Sumo under the towel Hank proceeded to rub at the wet dog's ears lightly. "you didn't really need me to watch your back all these years."

"Of course I did. I was new to deviancy and had never experienced anything that revolves around life and emotions. I knew what it meant to be alive and what it is to live." Unwrapping Sumo from the towel Connor let the massive dog on his way and he stood upright slowly. "There were many occasions where I was entirely lost and needed guidance. You saved me. You saved me in more ways than I can ever truly understand."

"Well, you saved me first." Standing up slower to keep his knees from protesting Hank took the wet towel from Connor's hand. "I was just paying it forward."

"You didn't owe me anything."

"And neither do you. But that doesn't stop you from trying, now does it?" Opening the adjacent door to the laundry room Hank tossed the damp towel that reeked of wet dog into the washer and started up a load of clothes to be washed. "You know, I've been thinking it over and I think you'll be able to handle cases solo just fine."

"...No partner?"

"Not if you don't want one. You've been handling everything like a real seasoned pro. Fuck, you pulled my ass out of the river, kept your cool when that damn psycho I tried to partner you up with pulled a knife on ya', and you managed to keep Gavin from losing his shit in the elevator. You don't need to have anyone watching your back anymore."

"Are you certain?"

"Hell yeah. I wouldn't say so if I wasn't sure of it. So, do you want a partner or not?"

Connor's hands tightened into fists at his side and he shook his head. "No. I'd like to try to work as a solo detective. If feel as though I need a partner I will inform you."

"That's good. I'm glad you want to work by yourself for a while."

"You are?"

"Yup. You work just fine by yourself, you get your cases taken care of and you always keep your cool. If anything I'd have training rookies who still need a little guidance from time to time."

"I don't think I'm quite qualified to train other officers yet."

"Don't doubt yourself, kid." Stepping out of the laundry room Hank made his way into the livingroom to relax for the rest of the evening. "You're way more astute on crime scenes than a lot of humans are."

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Connor turned to look at the dark clouds in the distance through the still opened backdoor. "Storm's passed."

"Yeah, but I get the feeling things aren't going to be calming down anytime soon."

"Why's that?" Turning away from the kitchen window Connor locked eyes with Hank and could see that the human was lost in thought. "Next week the city is going to hold a press conference regarding androids and humans peacefully coexisting in the city. And any bigoted nut-bag hiding in the shadows is going to take advantage of such a gathering."

"Markus will be in attendance. Do you fear Markus could be in danger?"

"Connor, I think _every_ deviant could be in danger."

"...What should I do?"

"When the time comes stay close to Markus and keep on your damn Kevlar vest. Make sure he has a vest, too."

"I will."

"The last thing this city needs is another riot-" Hank stopped short and swore at himself internally for mentioning that horrible night.

Connor's eyes darkened a little as Hank spoke, but he refused to admit that the comment brought up negative memories over his own personal loss. "You're correct." The deviant continued on Hank's behalf. "I will inform Markus and request that he take any necessary precautions to ensure his safety, and the safety of his allies who will be joining him from New Jericho at the conference."

"Good." Hank was relieved to hear Connor speak up so readily and not linger on the past as he joined the deviant back in the kitchen. "And I want you to take charge of Markus's personal security."

"I'll do everything I can to protect him. I swear it."

"I know, son." Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder for a moment Hank closed the backdoor and ran his hand through his hair. "You'll keep him safe."

"But you're still worried?"

"Of course I am. I just told my own son to protect the leader of his own people from a threat that I can't confirm or deny."

"It'll be okay."

"I sure as fuck hope so."

As Hank continued to fuss with his gray locks of hair Connor followed him into the livingroom to relax for the rest of the dreary, dark evening. Sitting down on the couch while Hank took the recliner Connor was greeted by Sumo as the large dog jumped up onto the furniture and stretched out over Connor's lap.

"I know you don't want to discuss this," Connor stated in a low voice as he ran his hand down Sumo's back slowly. "but it'd be best if you cut your hair before the conference."

"Hey, _I'm_ the Captain. If anyone gets away with breaking the dress code it's ME." Hank refuted as he turned on the television. "I don't want some stranger messing around my head. It's just weird."

"...If you wanted I could cut your hair for you."

" _You_?"

"It's easier than going to a barber or trying to do it yourself." The deviant stated logically as he continued to pet Sumo. "I don't mind."

"...I'll think about it. But for now, shut up and watch the game with me. If the Gears win this they'll make the final tournament."

"Very well." Smirking at the comment Connor turned his attention to the television and away from Hank. "The offer still stands."

_**...next story...** _


	176. A New Look

Standing before the bathroom mirror with a reluctance plastered on his face Hank pulled at a few stray locks of his long gray hair and let out a deep sigh. The longer hairstyle wasn't a fashion statement by any means, it was the result of Hank no longer caring about his appearance after the loss of his biological son, Cole. It had been longer than regulation standards for nearly six and half years at this point, and Hank had gotten used to it. Every now and then he'd trim the hair to keep it from growing out to a 'rock star' length, but even so the longer hairstyle had become one he was content with.

Connor walked into the bathroom with a small set of grooming tools inside of a plastic case in his hands, and stared at Hank in the mirror over the detective's shoulder. "If you'd prefer to go to a barber I understand."

"No, kid. It's not that." Letting go of his hair he shook his head a little and stared at the deviant's reflection with a strangely bemused smirk on his face. "It's just I haven't had my hair cut since... you know."

"Yes. I understand."

"I know that a haircut isn't going to change anything, and what's done will stay done, but at the same time it's like I'm forcing myself to forget about that horrible night by going back to the way I used to look. I can't forget about it, and I don't want to forget about it."

"You won't, Hank." Choosing to address the detective as such rather than 'dad' was meant to keep Hank's fear of forgetting about Cole from feeling anymore prevalent than it already was. "You'll just have a different reflection. That's all."

"What about you?" Turning around to face Connor with an inquisitive stare Hank pulled at the rogue lock of dark hair that constantly hung down in Connor's face with a light grip. "How'd you get your hairstyle?"

"It was programmed to this particular style as a default. I had no preference in the matter."

"Even the color?"

"Yes." As if to prove a point Connor closed his eyes briefly and manually changed his hair's dark color to that of a golden blond hue right under Hank's fingertips. "But I can change it whenever I feel it to be necessary."

"Fuck." His hand dropped from Connor's hair as he took in the sight of the now blond deviant standing in front of him. "That must come in handy for undercover missions."

"Considering I've always worn a hat whenever I've gone undercover," Connor's hair shifted back to its darker color in a steady wave of transition. "there has been no need to change the color."

"What about your eyes?"

"That can only be changed with a total optical unit transplant."

"Sounds... painful." Moving his hand under Connor's chin he gave the deviant another curious glance. "And what about facial hair? I've never seen an android with a beard before."

"Beard? I was not programmed with artificial follicle sensors along my jawline to produce such an aesthetic."

"Why? Because it looks _unprofessional_?"

"...Because I am a prototype." Pressing his fingertips along his jawline near Hank's hand Connor explained things casually and logically. "There was no need to add such trivial sensors to my person."

"Ah. Convenient." Hank shrugged it off coolly. "That's probably for the best anyway."

"How so?"

"You have too much of a 'baby face'."

"A 'baby face'? I was designed to appear as a male approximately twenty-six years of age."

"And they nailed it, maybe a little too well. You look like you're fresh out of high school."

"...Is that why I have some difficulty in gaining respect from my peers of an elder age?"

"Well, if you refer to them as your 'elders' then, fuck yeah. That'll cause a little friction."

Connor pressed his full hand to the side of his face and then along his chin. "Maybe I could do something to enhance my age aesthetically without causing too much of a problem."

"Connor, if you grew beard or a goatee you'd look like a damn James Bond villain, or something."

"Interesting analogy. Being seen as villainous is something I would prefer to avoid."

"Good. Especially since I don't want to have to teach you how to shave."

"Hank," Connor knew that Hank was simply stalling the haircut. He also knew he needed to get Hank's mind back on track. "are you sure you want me to do this? We can wait a while longer if you wish."

"...Yeah, kid." Absentmindedly Hank ran his hand through his hair again and shook his head. "Let's get this over with. The sooner the better."

"Very well." Connor grabbed two towels from the towel rack and motioned for Hank to leave the bathroom. "It'll be easier to do this in the wide open space of the kitchen."

"Sure. Just don't do anything fancy or elaborate, alright?" Walking out of the bathroom Hank ventured down the hallway and saw that there was a place in the kitchen already set up for him. A chair was pulled away from the kitchen table and had other grooming supplies on the table next to the chair. "Just cut it back to where it's supposed to be."

"Of course."

Sumo had gotten up from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom to check in on his two masters and soon laid down on the kitchen floor as he watched the duo enter the same room.

Annoyed but cooperative Hank sat down in the chair placed in the middle of the room and crossed his arms over his chest. Connor tucked one of the towels around Hank's shoulders to keep the cut strands of hair from itching the back of Hank's neck during the process. With everything set up and ready to go Connor accessed the data file he had of Hank before he let his hair grow out, and knew of what particular style to go for.

"This won't take too long." Connor reassured the detective as he picked up the pair of super sharp scissors from the grooming kit, as well as a comb. "Last chance. Are you sure you want me to do this?"

"Yeah, kid. Go for it."

"Very well."

One lock at a time Connor combed through Hank's hair and began trimming it until the hair was at a shorter and more dress code appropriate length. It took about fifteen minutes for the deviant's skilled hands to comb through and cut the hair, and did so without making any mistakes in the process. After clipping away the long locks of hair Connor used the second towel to run through Hank's shortened hair to remove any stray stands still clinging to his shortened hair.

"Almost done."

"Whatever." Hank sighed as he looked at his cut gray locks on the floor behind him. "Just don't fuck this up."

"I won't.

Setting aside the scissors Connor picked up the handheld electronic clippers to trim away the few remaining stray hairs along Hank's neck to finish off the shorter, neater hairstyle. When it was all over it left Hank with the original hairstyle he sported before that horrible night of the accident.

"...There." Wiping off Hank's neck one more time Connor pulled the first towel from around Hank's shoulders and shook it out. "What do you think?"

Hank ran his hand through his shorter hair and kept it there for a moment before he stood up slowly. Running his hands over his shoulders Hank brushed off the few small strands of hair that clung to his shirt before he walked out of the kitchen to return to the bathroom.

Quietly Connor began cleaning up the mess on the floor while Hank went to inspect his new look.

Staring at this reflection in the mirror Hank ran his fingers through his hair quickly to shake loose the clinging strands of itchy hair and found the face staring back at him to be one of the past. It was strange, familiar and a little haunting to see himself as he appeared all those years ago before he lost Cole to a stupid, tragic accident.

Almost as if afraid to look away Hank raised his hand up to press against the cool surface of the mirror when Connor's hand appeared in the reflection and rested against his shoulder.

"Hank, are you okay?"

"...Yeah. You did a good job, son. It's just been so long so I've seen myself like this."

"I understand. I had a similar reaction when I saw my machine counterpart holding a gun to your head on the night of the revolution." Connor's jaw squared a little as he thought about the first time he really saw his reflection, how when he stared at himself against the one way mirror of the interrogation room he didn't see himself as anything but a machine ready to question a deviant. "It was worse than seeing myself as a cold, hollow machine."

"We've both come a long way since that night, huh, son?"

"I believe we have. Yes."

"Too bad a bullet to the head couldn't have solved my problem the way it solved yours."

"You killed my counterpart in self-defense and as a wise precaution. Killing yourself would've been beneficial to no one."

Hank laughed a little at the comment and gave the deviant an appreciative glance. "Thanks, kid. Keep telling me that and one day I might actually believe it."

"Believe it, _now_. It's true."

"It's just so weird to see myself like this for the first time in years."

"How so?"

"...I look like I did back when I gave a damn about my career. Back when I still wanted to fight back against the crime in the city and not just turn the other way because of all the damn paperwork."

"If it's any consolation to your state of mind, this is how I've always seen you."

"Wait... What?" Nearly barking another laugh at the comment Hank turned to look at Connor directly rather than just his reflection in the mirror. "How in the fuck can you say you saw me as anything but a pathetic drunk?"

"Despite your reluctance to work with me you still went to the scene of the crime, handled the case, initiated the interrogation and continued on with the next case without overlooking anything." Connor crossed his arms as if needing to make his statement more valid through a stronger presence. "You were... pained, but still dedicated on some degree. You were even able to overlook your previous prejudice against androids and deviants to solve our cases together. And... you stopped seeing us as machines and as people before I did, and before the revolution even began. You were never pathetic, Hank. You were just... lost."

"Lost, huh?"

"I too had been lost." Connor thought of what Lucy said to him when he infiltrated Jericho the night of the revolution. She was right. He was lost, he was looking for himself, and in time he did find his purpose. He found who he was meant to be and how to be alive. "You helped me to find myself, and I believe in turn that helped you to find yourself."

"I hate to break it to ya' kid, but right now you sound like a lame-ass horoscope predication or some cheap psychic at a county fair."

A ghost of a smirk appeared on Connor's face as he stared at the detective.

"But I get what you're saying." Hank flashed a smile of his own at the deviant and let out a calming sigh. "And I appreciate it."

Connor's smirk broadened and he dropped his arms from his chest back to his sides. "I'm glad."

"You know, you did a pretty damn good job for not being programmed to cut hair. It'll take a while, but I'll get used to my new 'old' look."

"Do you think Rose will approve of your new look?"

"I sure as shit hope so! It'll be some time before my hair grows back if she doesn't like it."

Connor tilted his head a little as he offered up a less than helpful suggestion. "You could always wear a wig."

"Not on your life, kid! Nice try." Laughing to himself Hank pulled off his worn out gray t-shirt and dropped it on the floor behind himself. "Alright, I need to shower off real quick so I don't leave hair all over the house."

"Of course."

Connor stepped out of the bathroom to give Hank some privacy as he resumed cleaning up the remaining mess in the kitchen on the floor. As the stray hair was swept up and thrown away Connor ran his hand over his chin and felt the very fine, almost undetectable dark stubble that gave his complexion a more natural aesthetic. The question of whether or not he could grow facial hair was suddenly enticing, but the deviant quickly dismissed it as a needless feature to his overall appearance.

"I suspect facial hair would make me look _too_ human." The deviant told himself as he put away the cleaned off grooming kit, and then froze for only a moment as his hand returned to his chin curiously. "...Maybe in a few years."

_**...next story...** _


	177. Politics

It was a bright, sunny summer afternoon and a mass of people had gathered at Hart Plaza to witness the scheduled conference announcing the collaboration between City Hall and New Jericho. By combining the resources, the offices and connections throughout the city, the prosperity that had been shown toward androids in the three and half years since the night of the revolution would return to the city as a whole. With that union freed deviants would return to work as electricians, construction crews, waste management and twenty-four hour care providers; but now they would be paid for services rather than used like tools any longer.

Connor stood inside the main lobby of New Jericho Tower with a steeled facade as he waited for Markus and North to join him. Donning a Kevlar vest under his dress shirt, and holding an additional protective vest for the leader of the tower, Connor mentally prepared himself for the massive assignment and responsibility that he had been entrusted.

"Connor." Markus greeted as he and North departed from the elevator side by side, their white plastimetal handles intertwined in a loving grasp. "I know you're here to offer some protection, but I doubt this will be necessary."

"I hope you're correct, but I'd prefer it if you didn't take any chances."

"Do you suspect someone will try something?"

"Yes." The deviant detective confirmed as he held out the Kevlar vest to the two approaching leaders of New Jericho. "I don't want to risk your life over misplaced faith in humanity."

The look in Markus's eyes spoke more volumes than his words ever could. "That was really dark, Connor."

"My apologies." Connor felt a twinge of shame as he watched as Markus held up the Kevlar in uncertainty. "But I refuse to allow my friend to be put in harm's way when I have the means of protecting him. Despite all of our efforts in maintaining equality between humans and androids there is still bigotry on both sides that can result in a violent confrontation."

North squeezed Markus's hand as she took the offered vest in her other hand and pressed it against Markus's chest. "He's right. If something happens to you then everything we've worked for will collapse. The inhabitants in the tower would want revenge."

Markus still had his doubts. "How can you be so sure that revenge would be the immediate reaction?"

"...Because I would be the one to lead the charge."

"North," the look in Markus's eyes intensified as he turned to look at his wife. "you'd actually spill blood and risk war over one deviant's death?"

"Only if I had been driven to it. I won't start any fights, but I sure as hell won't stand aside and watch as our people struggle to keep everything we've already worked so hard for in our power."

Connor spoke up in a somber voice as he addressed the deviant leader, his friend, with utmost respect. "Markus, we don't mean to be macabre or cynical. We're just being realistic."

"Well, this isn't the kind of reality I want to accept." Reluctantly Markus slipped off his plain black dress shirt and placed the Kevlar vest over his chest and secured it into place. As he rebuttoned his shirt he gave Connor a stern, if not determined, look. "And I'll do everything I can to change it for the better of our people, and for the humans who walk beside us."

Nodding in approval Connor accepted Markus's vow to keep the peace. "I trust you to keep your word."

As much as she hated to see Markus leave, she knew that he had to go for the benefit of their people. "I hope you can." North kissed Markus and stepped back from him reluctantly. "I'll be here waiting for you, so you better come back to me."

"I will, North." Markus reciprocated her kiss and pressed his forehead against her forehead affectionately. "I promise."

* * *

The drive to Hart Plaza was uneventful as Connor essentially chaperoned Markus as his lone passenger to the designated area. A large metal stage had been set up for the press conference in the middle of the plaza, and a large ebony tinted podium was place in the center of the stage. Several news vans had already converged on the area, and the media was setting up to get a clear view of the stage for when the conference began.

Connor parked the Corvette down the block from the plaza and turned off the engine. Turning to look at the deviant leader sitting beside him in the front seat of the car Connor let out a tired breath but gave him a reassuring glance. "I hope my pessimistic demeanor hasn't affected your decision to go through with this conference. I'm aware of how important this moment is for our people and for the future of our people's relationship with humans."

"It's fine, Connor. I get it. You're just looking out for me, for _all_ of us."

"Please refrain from removing the Kevlar. I myself am very familiar with how uncomfortable it can be," his hand absentmindedly began pulling against the strong strap of the vest over his right shoulder and under his shirt as he spoke. "but it'll make me feel less anxious to know you're adequately protected."

"Where are you going to be during the conference?"

"I will be on the stage near you the entire time. We have numerous patrols in the area as well as plain-clothed officers placed throughout the area to keep tabs on any and all suspicious behavior. If anything looks questionable I will be immediately informed and I will get you to safety if it becomes necessary."

"And where's this place of safety?"

"There is a hotel across from the plaza." Pointing to the location of interest through the driver's side window Connor made sure the fearless deviant leader knew where he could take shelter if necessary. "The second floor has been designated as a temporary shelter for police officers and guests at the conference alike. The only people permitted to have a room on that floor will either be members of the police department or from the conference. And everyone will be requested to remain inside a room until given the clear."

"...So if I hear some shots I just need to run to the hotel?"

"Correct." Connor sighed again as he received a cybernetic update from the precinct. The conference was almost ready to begin, and all requested officers were being assigned their patrols. "The hotel will go on lockdown and the police will keep the building secured."

"Now I'm kinda' glad that Simon and Josh left the city for a week. The last thing we need is all of New Jericho's leaders getting holed up in a hotel."

"The conference is scheduled to begin in one hour, four minutes and seventeen seconds. Would you like to go to the plaza now or wait here for a moment longer?"

"I'll go." Making his decision Markus nodded at Connor confidently. "I won't show any fear or hesitation in this conference. If something does go wrong then I know you'll be there to watch my back and keep me safe."

"Just as you would do for me."

"Alright." Opening the door at his side Markus stepped outside the vehicle took in a deep breath. "Then let's go."

"I'm right behind you."

* * *

Keeping close to Markus at all times Connor scanned the area and remained as vigil as possible. Identifying the faces of the officers blending into the growing crowd of people before the stage Connor noted their locations and determined that the area was properly secured from within the conference area. Glancing up at the windows of the tall buildings overlooking the plaza Connor could see the other officers scanning over the crowd with long range rifles in the event of an absolute emergency, but the added security wasn't enough to placate his righteous concerns.

"Hank." Connor closed his eyes as he cybernetically called to his superior officer, as well as his father, and continued to stand before the crowd warily. "Markus is on the stage and we are waiting for the conference to begin. He's also wearing protective Kevlar vest and has been informed of the security of the hotel."

' _Good work, kid_.' Hank sounded calm and confident over the line. ' _Just hold your ground and don't let Markus out of your sight for any reason_. _Where are the other leaders of the tower_?'

"North has chosen to remain at the tower to lead from within. Simon and Josh are out of the city at the moment."

' _See anyone in the crowd that raises a red flag_?'

"Negative." Connor opened his eyes and ran another scan but found no criminals with a history of violence aimed toward androids or humans in the crowd. "I don't see anyone of interest at the moment."

' _Alright, good start_. _Let's hope it all ends peacefully_.'

"Where is the mayor?"

' _On his way right now_. _The royal kiss-ass wanted to get some candid shots of himself chatting with us "boys in blue"_.'

"Who had the misfortune of talking to the mayor?"

' _Chris and Jack_. _I'll give you one guess as to why_.'

"The mayor seems fixated on the idea of an android and human police officer working together as a team. It's not exactly revolutionary anymore, and now it's a hollowed out moment in history."

' _Yup_. _Too bad his little charade is so damn transparent, huh, kid_?'

"Hank," Connor caught sight of the mayor's escort arriving along the block in a secured vehicle. "the mayor has just arrived. The conference will begin soon."

' _Alright, no problem_. _I'll be watching the news from the precinct_. _If you suspect anything amiss let me know right away and I'll dispatch another squad_.'

"I will remain in contact. Talk to you soon."

Markus put his hand on Connor's shoulder causing the deviant to look over at him with a calm stare. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I was merely updating Hank on the situation. The area is secured and patrol is in place, as is the mayor."

"Then let's get this taken care of as quickly and as peacefully as possible. We need to prove that androids are worthy of the rights we've fought for, and that we're not a threat to anyone."

"I agree entirely."

The mayor himself, Walter Nero, approached the stage with his personal security following close behind him. Nero was in his mid forties, a little short and slightly overweight, his light brown hair was thinning, his pale blue eyes were shallow and piercing, and he had a long rat like nose that sat over his phony bleached smile. Connor of course stood his ground beside Markus and refused to back away as he eyed the shallow mayor with a stern glare.

"Markus." Nero extended his hand toward the deviant leader to shake. "It's been too long. I'm sorry we hadn't met sooner."

"...Likewise." Returning the handshake Markus was painfully aware of the numerous photographers snapping photo after photo of the seemingly historic handshake. "I appreciate you agreeing to allow us androids having a say at this press conference."

"Of course. We need to build bridges between our people, not put up fences, right?"

"Right."

"And Connor- I'm sorry, _Lieutenant Anderson_ ," Nero turned to look at Connor and gave him the same insincere smile that he always flashed to the press. "I was relieved to hear that you returned to the force after your brief respite. The city needs you."

"As do my friends." Connor sharply replied as he remained next to Markus. "I trust that this conference will be beneficial to both parties of the city; humans and androids."

"Your trust has not been misplaced, Lieutenant. You have my word."

"...That is good to hear." Internally Connor sent a cybernetic message to Markus in order to keep himself from saying his next comment out loud. ' _Unfortunately_ , _your word amounts to nothing_.'

' _Easy, Connor_.' Markus replied cybernetically as he gave Nero a reassuring nod. ' _Why do you hate this guy_?'

' _I don't trust him_.' Connor admitted as Nero walked away from Markus and began preening for the cameras before he took he place behind the podium. ' _There is something unscrupulous about his demeanor that I cannot put my finger on_.'

' _Do you think he's a threat_?'

' _Unknown_.'

' _Well, I trust you_.' Markus reaffirmed with a confident tone. ' _So, we better play nice with the mayor to keep our people from feeling like outcasts_.'

' _Yes, of course. You're right_.'

* * *

It appeared as though half of the city had shown up to attend the press conference as the mayor, and leader of New Jericho, prepared to address the crowd with a message of peace and hope for the future. A perfect blend of humans and androids intermingled within the mass of the gathered crowd before the stage, many of whom didn't even know they were standing beside their arguable 'opposite'. While police officers casually roamed through the crowd looking for any and all signs of potentially hostile behavior or provocation, the media snapped thousands of photos as if waiting for something; anything, to happen.

Connor had tuned out the mayor's monotonous speech as he stood on the stage and overlooked the crowd to ensure Markus's safety. The speech was simple enough to know anything and everything the mayor said was a hollow promise, or merely a blatant attempt to gain favor with the voters. What he was saying wasn't important.

A thunderous applause drew Connor's attention back to the podium as Nero stepped aside and let Markus step up to begin his own speech regarding the future of androids. It seemed almost poetic. The words of an artificially created being held more sincerity and truth than that of a man who had been born naturally. It was a strange truth to behold, but one that Connor didn't take lightly.

As Markus spoke Connor examined the crowd carefully and observed the behavior of those who were in attendance. No one seemed to be acting out of place or anxiously which would indicate a planned retaliation, which in itself was a positive sign. And yet Connor couldn't help but notice that Nero kept casually glancing over his shoulder toward the opened water of the Detroit River behind the stage.

Curious about the behavior Connor sent a cybernetic update to Hank as he discreetly checked the water for himself with a thorough scan. It was then he saw a large boat on the water, and the shining glint of a rifle's scope. It wasn't in the hands of a patrolling officer or private security. A quick facial scan, even from the distance, identified a professional hand for hire taking aim at the stage.

Taking aim at _Markus_.

"GUN." Reacting quickly Connor called out the danger and made a move toward the targeted deviant just as the sound of a gunshot rang out over the water.

The crowd screamed and began to scatter quickly as Connor tackled Markus down and out of the line of fire. A sharp burning pain in Connor's right middle abdomen stole his breath, as a second burning sensation shattered through his left forearm. As Connor panted to quickly to catch his breath he scanned the crowd for other shooters. Partially laying over Markus's back to shield his friend from further harm, Connor preconstructed a route to safety as he tuned out the chaotic scene taking place all around him.

Making his decision Connor prepared to run for cover and keep Markus alive.

"Markus!" Connor pushed himself up onto his knee long enough to pull his own gun from the holster around his back and under his jacket with his right hand, as he used his pained left hand to pull Markus up to his feet by the deviant leader's bicep. "We need to move!"

The sound of gunfire filled the air as the police responded to the assault coming from the water with their own shots. The boat sped off down the water but was quickly pursued by a helicopter overhead, while other panicked people dispersed from the plaza en mass. Police officers issued commands to the fleeing public as they tried to reclaim control over the area and protect the very people who were panicking.

' _Hank, shots have been fired_.' Connor made a cybernetic call while directing Markus to the hotel. ' _I'm taking Markus to safety_.'

Using his left hand Connor pushed on Markus's shoulder to force the deviant leader to move to the appointed safe location of the hotel as quickly as possible. Once inside the front lobby of the building Connor directed Markus to a hidden secondary elevator used only for, and by, emergency personnel to reach the second floor.

The elevator doors opened and shut quickly as Connor pushed Markus inside and out of sight.

Everything was happening so quickly and Markus was a little stunned. "Connor, what's-"

"Move."

The doors to the elevator opened back up once they reached the second floor, and Connor resumed pushing Markus toward a room at the end of the hallway. Using his exposed left palm Connor gained access to the room via electronic panel and forced Markus to step inside the room. Slamming the door shut behind him Connor electronically locked the door and pressed his back up against the sealed door.

"...There was a shooter out on the water." The detective wheezed as he locked eyes with Markus, his gun slipping back into the holster beneath his jacket. "He was aiming at you."

"What the hell?" The revelation visible shook Markus to his core. "Why? This was a peaceful gathering."

"I don't..." Connor wheezed again as he pressed his right hand against his bloodied right side of his abdomen. "I don't... know."

"Connor!" As soon as Markus saw the wound he rushed over to his friend's side and pulled back the gray fabric of Connor's jacket. Through the hole torn through the fabric of the white dress shirt beneath Markus saw the damaged Kevlar vest and his own blood ran cold. "You were wearing a vest, how are you-"

"Ar-Armor piercing rounds." As his legs buckled beneath him Connor slid down the door leaving a dark blue smear of blood behind on the surface as he collapsed onto the floor and gasped for breath. "...They were... shooting to kill."

"Shit, how do I help you?" Kneeling down in front of Connor the deviant leader pressed his hand to the source of the bleeding and in turn Connor groaned in pain. "Connor? How do I get you some help?"

"...Need to contact... Hank. L-Let him know... we're safe."

"How?"

"I can't..." A thin trail of blue blood oozed from the corner of his mouth and down his jawline toward his neck. "My ability to use... cybernetic communication... was severed. I don't know if he-"

"Okay, don't talk."

Grabbing onto Connor's left arm, the blood saturated into the limb from the second bullet wound quickly soaking into Markus's shirt as it rested over his shoulder, Markus lifted his injured friend up from the floor and carried him over to the nearby bed. Helping Connor to lay flat on the bed Markus lifted up the wounded deviant's legs up and over the edge to let him lay straight down the length of the bed, and then pulled open the blood soaked shirt over Connor's chest and abdomen.

"Connor, I need you to stay conscious, okay? You're losing a lot of blood and I don't have the supplies to take care of you."

"...I'll stay... awake."

"Good." Taking hold of the securing straps to the Kevlar vest around Connor's chest Markus held his breath and prepared to tear the vest open. "This might hurt, so bear with me."

"...Already hurts." Connor managed a weak laugh as he swallowed nervously. More blood oozed out of his mouth as he spoke. "Do it."

"Okay. Hold on." Markus removed the securing straps of the vest and the black damaged Kevlar fell away from Connor's chest. As it released it's pressure over the injured deviant's torso a gush of blood erupted from the wound and soaked into the quilt over the bed. "Oh, shit. Connor."

Connor breathed slowly and deeply as he fought through the pain. A hole the size of a baseball in his lower right abdomen poured blood through torn Thirium lines, and his damaged analysis filter. Faint blue sparks illuminated the interior of the wound that passed clean through Connor's abdomen and into his back. The second bullet to Connor's left forearm had shattered his wrist, and compromised the forearm in general with a dozen fractures.

"Connor, I need to contact help. How do I do that?"

Pressing his right hand down against his right side Connor breathed through his clenched teeth and nodded at the right pocket of his jacket. "...Phone. Call Hank."

"Okay, yeah." Reaching into the pocket Markus retrieved the emergency phone and found Hank's number. As he pressed 'dial' Markus listened to the sound of Connor's labored breathing and pressed his hand down over the deviant's chest to keep track of his heartbeat. The line only rang once before Hank answered the call. "Hank, it's Markus. I'm with Connor and he's hurt. We're-"

Connor quickly grabbed the phone from Markus's hand and spoke to Hank directly. "...Hank, the room has been compromised. We're curently taking... shelter," glancing over to the window overlooking a nearby parking garage Connor licked his bloodied lips and spoke again. "at the West end of the parking garage. Section two-A."

'... _Alright, kid. Hang_ tight.' Hank's voice was level, but he shaking inside. ' _We'll get to you as soon as possible_.'

"I know you will. Be careful." Ending the call Connor placed the phone down on the bed beside him and took in a wheezing breath.

"What was that about?" Markus was thoroughly confused by Connor's conversation. "We made it to the hotel, why'd you tell him to go to the parking garage?"

"...I can't use my... cybernetic communications, which means I can't... guarantee a secured line. Y-You were targeted, Markus. There could be... more than one shooter in the area. If they know you're h-here... and I'm injured... I won't be able to protect you."

"Section Two-A?"

"That's our... room number. And we're overlooking the... West end of the garage. Hank knows we're here and... patrol will be circling the block. If anyone was... listening they'll be inside the garage... not over here."

"And you didn't tell Hank you were hurt because it could've drawn in another attempt at my life."

"Y-Yes." Wincing and sucking a deep breath Connor tried to focus on anything but the pain in his side. "The safest thing f-for you to do is... lay low."

Pressing his hand down against Connor's abdomen Markus examined the damage more closely with a thick grimace on his face. The damage was substantial and couldn't be repaired without tools and proper replacement parts from a facility. Until Connor could be taken to such a facility the best that Markus could do was pack off the wound to stem the bleeding.

"Connor?" Stepping away from his injured friend just long enough to get some clean towels from the bathroom Markus pressed a towel down inside the wound, and did so as gently as possible. The motion was met with a low groan of pain from Connor as the towel was pressed into the raw, bleeding wound. "Can you run a self-diagnostic for me?"

Briefly Connor's eyes fluttered shut as he performed the diagnostic and confirmed the damage. "...Biocomponent f8004 destroyed. Replacement required." Taking a shallow breath the deviant continued and tried to keep his eyes focused on Markus. "Biocomponent v8001 compromised, biocomponent s8001 compromised - both require repairs."

"What's your Thirium volume?"

"...Down to seventy-four percent."

"Did the precinct place any emergency supplies anywhere on this floor that we can use?"

Connor's eyes began to glaze over and his eyelids became heavier. "...Ch-Check under the bed."

"Under the bed? Alright." Kneeling down quickly Markus looked under the bed and found a large plastic android emergency first aid kit, as well as a massive human first aid it, tucked beneath. Pulling the android kit out and placing it on the edge of the bed next to Connor's legs Markus threw open the lid and looked inside. "Blue blood, incrassation compound, bandages and one radio. Can we use this to call for help?"

"...D-Don't give away our position."

"Alright. We'll just listen to the broadcasts for now." Setting up the radio Markus found the appropriate police broadcast and waited for any reports that were relevant to either Connor or himself. It was a garble of static and voices that both deviants tuned out easily. "How long until we know if it's safe?"

The wounded deviant didn't respond as he pressed his hand over his abdomen in utter pain.

"Connor?" Lightly Markus pressed his palm against the side of Connor's neck and then up to the side of his face. His artificial skin felt cooler than normal, and his teeth were beginning to chatter from the cold overtaking his systems. "Shit, you're shivering. You're going into insipid shock."

"I'll be fine, M-Markus. Just k-keep the wound c-covered." Breathing deeply and rapidly Connor had to fight to speak. "We won't b-be here for too l-long."

"You need to sit up so I can get off your jacket and your shirt. I'll help you, okay?"

Allowing Markus to pull him gently up into a sitting position Connor braced himself upright with his right arm and waited for Markus to gently pull down the jacket and slipped the bloodied shirt from his shoulders. Removing the leather holster from Connor's back and shoulder gave Markus access to the weapon in the event of an emergency situation.

An emergency situation he hoped he'd never have to handle.

Blood stained Connor's right side entirely, and was showing little sign of stopping on its own. As the bullet wound continued to leak blue blood Connor's strength began to ebb away, and his body began to tremble from weakness and from cold.

"Try to stay as still as possible, I'll be quick." Tending to the devastating wound with the orange incrassation compound first Markus tried to speak with Connor to help distract the deviant from the severity of the pain he was surely experiencing. "Do you know who tried to shoot me?"

"He was a notorious-" Hissing as the compound touched the wound Connor sucked in another breath between his teeth and tried to continue. "gun for h-hire. The odds of h-him having a personal v-vendetta against you are l-low. I believe he t-took the shot because he w-was hired by N-Nero."

"The mayor?!" Markus's hands froze over the wound for a moment as he listened to what Connor had said. "Connor, do you know what you're saying?"

"Unf-fortunately, I do."

"What makes you say that?"

"The c-conference was designated in the p-plaza by the mayor himself." Closing his eyes Connor focused his thoughts as Markus packed gauze into the wound and began to wrap up the injury as best as he could. "The plaza would surely p-provoke a violent response b-because of the role it p-played in the revolution. And w-when you were giving your speech the m-mayor kept looking over his shoulder to the w-water. H-He knew what w-was going to happen."

"I can't believe that."

"...I know what I s-saw. But I d-do hope I'm wrong."

"Can you drink any Thririum?" Opening up one of the two emergency pouches from the kit Markus tried to offer it to Connor, who barely acknowledged it. "Or do I need to open a line in your arm?"

"...My artificial s-stomach is damaged."

"Okay. Line it is." Helping Connor to lay back down on the bed Markus exposed the line in Connor's undamaged right arm to get to the line and attach the pouch with a transfusion line that was stored along with the pouches. "How's your self-healing program functioning?"

"...It's not."

"What?"

"...The damage is too s-severe and I've l-lost too much blood. The p-program cannot initiate b-because it can't assess a-and prioritize the d-damage." A faint smirk appeared on Connor's face and disappeared quickly. "The p-perks of b-being a prototype."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Just stay still." Securing the pouch to the nearby lamp to let gravity assist in the blood transfusion Markus turned his attention to Connor's damaged left forearm to be properly cleaned and then wrapped up. "Ill wrap up your arm to make sure you're not bleeding anymore. I also want to contact North just to let her know we're safe."

"Yes. Of course."

* * *

Patrol circled around the block where the hotel was located in search of the shooter, or any other violent individual, in the area. Numerous police officers combed through the parking garage and over the plaza in search of any other armed gunmen in the vicinity, and Hank himself forced himself to walk past the hotel where he knew Connor and Markus were secured. The Captain continued to aid in the search in the parking garage unaware that Connor had been injured while protecting Markus.

Gavin took the lead on the search and had witnessed movement on the second level of the garage. Positioning the other officers accordingly to cut off any possible retreat, and evacuate innocent civilians as the experienced Sergeant was preparing for the worst case scenario.

"What've you got, Gavin?" Hank asked as he joined the Sergeant just outside the garage.

"Two people up on second. Both armed, no I.D. to confirm as cops or the mayor's private security."

"Is there any suspicious activity at the designated shelter?"

"No, Chris didn't see anything and he's holding his position."

"Good. The shooter on the water has been apprehended. The dumb-fuck tried to hole himself up at the docks with only one gun and dozen pissed off cops surrounding him."

"Any name to go with his face?"

"Yeah. Roland O'Leary. Former marine, dishonorably discharged and arrested for physically assaulting his C.O., and his ex-wife. After he was discharged and released from prison he became an unlicensed bounty hunter and a wanna-be assassin."

An update on their radios informed the two officers outside that the two suspects in the garage had been pinned down. Back-up was requested to escort them outside without causing any further incident.

Gavin checked his weapon and made his way inside the garage, only to look back at Hank over his shoulder. "You comin' Captain?"

Unholstering his own gun Hank followed right at Gavin's side. "Wouldn't miss the chance to bring in a couple of dumb hitmen for the world."

* * *

Markus finished speaking with North and was now standing near the hotel window, keeping out of the line of sight as he watched over the garage, and noted that he could see Hank walking into the garage. Stepping back from the window he casually drew the curtains to cover up the glass and keep anyone from looking into the second floor room as strictly as a precaution.

"Looks like the garage is being searched. I guess that-" Turning to look at Connor over his shoulder Markus saw that the stubborn deviant was somehow standing up on his shaking legs and walking over to the locked door of the room. The pouch of blue blood was still attached to his arm and gripped his opposite hand. "Connor! You can't be moving around with that kind of an injury. Lay down."

"...I can hear s-someone walking around outside the d-door." Pressing his palm against the bloodied door Connor peered through the peephole and looked at the hallway on the other side. "It's not housekeeping o-or another occupant of the f-floor. W-W should be the only o-ones here."

"Lay down." Lightly putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Markus pulled Connor away from the door and supported most of the injured deviant's weight as he escorted him back to the bed. "You've lost too much Thirium to moving around."

"I have t-to protect you."

"You did." Guiding Connor down onto the bed Markus positioned a pillow against the deviant's lower back to apply gentle pressure to the bandages to help stop the residual bleeding beneath. Taking the half empty pouch of blood from Connor's hand Markus placed it up against the lamp again to ensure gravity was working to Connor's favor. "I'm safe, now it's my turn to protect you."

"I'm o-okay."

"You're still shivering."

"You're s-still a target."

"Not in here, I'm not." Moving his hand over to the side of Connor's neck again Markus could feel that the deviant was still very cold and could feel his unique pulse point thundering under his touch. "I'll get you a blanket from the closet."

"W-What I said earlier," Connor watched as Markus pulled open the large closet on the wall and found a spare chocolate brown blanket neatly folded up inside. Fumbling with his right hand Connor managed to locate his coin in his pocket and held it in a shaking hand. "about a m-misguided faith in h-humanity, I wasn't t-trying to be morbid. I was-"

"I know, Connor. If you actually mistrusted all humans you wouldn't be friends with Hank, or working with them at the precinct." Carefully Markus draped the blanket over Connor and sat down on the edge of the bed beside him. "You were just focused on your assignment."

"...No. I was l-looking out for my friends."

"Do you really think that Nero tried to have me killed?"

Closing his eyes Connor let out a weary sigh and nodded his head. "That's the only th-theory that makes s-sense." Clumsily Connor tried to roll his coin over his knuckles, but his shaking hand made the usually seamless effort a clumsy endeavor. "At least it d-does for now..."

The radio crackled to life on the nightstand as another update on the situation was broadcast to those listening in. Two armed men were located in the parking garage across the street and were now in custody. Markus nodded at the radio and addressed Connor. "Sounds like the cops found more shooters."

"...Markus. The door."

"What about it?"

"I can still hear s-someone walking down the h-hallway. No one sh-should be on this floor, besides us."

"Okay. I'll look through the peephole, but I won't step outside."

Nodding weakly Connor opened his eyes and watched as Markus crept silently toward the door and used the peephole to his advantage. A lone figure dressed in black skulked up and down the long corridor. The figure had a masculine build, a heavy black coat that covered up his black shirt and dark blue jeans. The figure was also wearing black leather gloves and black hat to try to keep his hands and his overall identity protected.

Door by door the figure would knock softly as if trying to locate someone. But the glint of the handgun holstered at his hip was enough to tell Markus to not open the door under any circumstance.

Thinking quickly Markus crept away from the door just as quietly and grabbed onto the police radio. Turning it off to keep any and all possible sound to a minimum he spoke to Connor cybernetically. ' _Connor, can you hear my voice_?'

'... _Barely_.' Connor's voice wasn't hindered by the cold when speaking cybernetically. ' _Even with our close proximity it's a strain on my processors_.'

' _I'm sorry, but this is the safest way to communicate_.' Markus watched Connor's fatigued demeanor carefully. ' _You were right, there is someone stalking the halls, and he is armed_.'

' _Shit_. _I cannot send Hank a message with my power levels so low_. _You'll have to do it_.'

' _Okay_. _What do I say_?'

' _Tell him there is an unknown armed male trespassing in the hotel_. _He'll understand_.'

' _Stay awake for me_ , _and I'll send the message_.'

Nodding again Connor took in a very slow but deep breath as he transfixed his gaze up at the ceiling above him.

Markus turned his back to Connor and peeled back the curtain over the window just enough to view the parking garage across the street. The deviant leader wasn't a technician, but he's aided so many damaged androids in the past and knew when an android was in dire need of emergency repairs. The extreme Thirium loss, total destruction of one biocomponent and two other biocomponents being compromised had left Connor too weak and too vulnerable to heal by himself.

' _I'll get Hank here as quickly as possible, Connor_. _Just hang on for me_.'

* * *

Hank and Gavin escorted one of the arrested would-be shooters out of the garage, while Chris and Tina escorted the second shooter behind them. Four patrol cars had converged on the garage and were sweeping the area for any other potential threats while the confirmed suspects were taken into custody. As the detectives escorted the arrested shooters to the nearby cars for transport Markus was watching from the hotel room as he sent a message to Hank's phone informing him of the remaining danger just a few yards away.

"You two dumb-fucks have the right to remain silent," Hank stated bitterly as he watched Gavin push the shooter into the opened back door to the squad car's backseats. "I suggest you exercise that right and save us all a nasty headache and a bunch of paperwork later on."

As his phone buzzed in his pocket Hank grabbed onto it and stepped away from the car to check the message. Reading the warning and the request for assistance from Markus made Hank stop dead in his tracks. Resisting the urge to look at the hotel behind him Hank sent a reply asking Markus to remain as quiet as possible in the room, and to not open that door until Hank had given him the word.

"Sergeant Reed." Hank didn't look back as he called over the detective. "We have a situation."

"What now?" Complaining as he walked rapidly Gavin stood beside Hank on the sidewalk and pushed the first arrested shooter into the backseat of the squad car. "Dumbass mayor call a damn press conference in front of his safehouse?"

"Gavin, there's another shooter. This isn't over."

* * *

Connor wheezed hoarsely as he fought to breathe with his only one fully functioning ventilation biocomponent. Markus turned away from the window and pressed his fingertips against Connor's right temple to try and connect with his system on a cybernetic level to check on his overall stability. The bleeding has nearly stopped entirely, but his Thirium volume was still dangerously low despite the replenishment. Hovering at fifty-two percent Connor was in need of an additional transfusion.

' _Connor, I'm going to go ahead and give you the second unit of Thirium_.' Remaining quiet with a cybernetic conversation Markus carefully switched the now empty pouch with the second full pouch from the first aid kit. ' _Can you tell me how you're feeling_?'

' _My head is hurting_.' The damaged deviant confessed as he watched Markus moving about around him to take care of his wounds. As Markus switched out the two units of blue blood Connor's eyes shut tightly and he gritted his teeth and sucked in a quiet, pained breath. ' _I believe the low Thirium volume is responsible for my discomfort_. _What of the man outside_?'

' _I told Hank what's happening_. _He's going to initiate a discreet response to keep the violence to a minimum_.'

' _That won't be easy to accomplish_.' Slowly Connor danced his coin over his right hand as Markus finished changing the Thirium pouches. ' _Markus, regardless of what happens today please promise me that you'll remain a peaceful, unbiased leader_. _Do not let this day end in blood and infamy against our people_.'

' _Connor, don't talk like that_.' Putting his hand down on Connor's shoulder Markus's mismatched eyes studied his wounded friend as if seeking a clue to a great mystery. ' _It sounds like you're_... _saying goodbye_.'

'... _As I stated before, I am being merely being realistic_. _The damage to my systems has been catastrophic_. _I cannot heal and my processor is_... _overwhelmed_.'

' _You'll be okay_. _Help is coming_.'

' _Markus_ , _in the event I_ -'

' _Connor_. _You're NOT going to shutdown_.'

' _If something happens, and I cannot recover_ ,' Connor paused as he struggled to put his thoughts together. ' _I need you to promise that you will look in on Hank from time to time_. _He's a good person and needs to know it's okay to be happy_. _And look after Aria, she is my goddaughter_.'

' _Connor_ , _stop_. _You're_ -'

'... _And there is something you need to know about CyberLife_. _Something I discovered while in Miami_. _Something_ -'

' _Please stop talking like this_.' Shaking Connor's shoulder lightly with his hand Markus stared at Connor's unusually dim eyes. The bright alertness that shone through his soulful brown irises had been replaced by weakness and pain. ' _I won't let you shutdown_ , _alright_? _And after you're all patched up you can tell me about what you saw in Miami_. _I want to know_ , _but I won't let it be the last thing you say to me_.'

' _You're a good friend_ , _Markus_. _I'm glad you and I had the chance to meet_. _Even if our introduction was set in motion by rather grim events_.'

' _Connor_... _Please_. _I'm not going to_ -' A loud knocking at the hotel room door made Markus whip his head around to look at the sound, and he immediately froze. There wasn't any further update from Hank, and he knew to not open the door until the detective gave him the clear. ' _Shit_.'

Connor's dull eyes shifted toward the closed door and remained transfixed as he waited for whatever was going to happen next.

A second knock followed by an unfamiliar masculine voice called out through the closed door to the silent occupants within the room. "Hello? I'm looking for Markus Manfred. My name is Arnold Cross, I work for the F.B.I. and I'm here to help you."

' _How does he know we're in this room_?'

'... _My blood_.' The deviant sighed weakly as if ashamed of himself. ' _It pooled under the door_. _I'm sorry_.'

' _It's not your fault_ , _Connor_. _I just need to know if he's legit or if it's a trick_.' Markus didn't need to look back to Connor to know that the deviant detective was already cybernetically attempting to identify the man's name and credentials. ' _Anything pop up on this guy_?'

' _Markus_ , _there is_... _I don't recognize the name_.'

' _It's okay_. _I'll send another message to Hank to let him know what's happening_.'

' _Keep away from_ -' Another wave of pain through his head and his abdomen stole Connor's voice as became too distracted to communicate. Sucking in a pained breath between his teeth Connor resisted the urge to gasp in pain. '... _the door_.'

' _Hold on_ , _Connor_. _Hank's on his way_.'

' _Markus_... _I_...'

' _Hold on_. _Hold on for me_ , _we'll get out of here soon_.'

The knocking on the door became louder, more aggressive as the unknown man became more insistent. "I won't ask again, open up."

Reacting to the danger as anyone would Markus grabbed Connor's gun that had been left on the bed next to the damaged deviant and checked the clip. It was full, the gun was loaded and ready for use. ' _I don't want to hurt anyone_.'

'... _Then_... _don't_.'

' _Connor_?' Turning to look at his wounded friend laying on the bed Markus felt his heart skip a beat as Connor's eyes fell shut and his hand struggling to dance his coin suddenly fell limp. As the coin fell to the carpeted floor on its side it rolled a few inches before it fell and came to a rest tails up at Markus's feet. ' _Shit_... _Connor_.'

The knob on the door began to rattle as the man outside tried to force the door open. The electronic panel had secured the room against any form of intrusion, but if the man was persistent enough he'd be able to break the door down.

With his right hand Markus kept the gun in a tight grip, the barrel lowered toward the floor unless he needed to aim at the door. Using his left hand he pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck and registered a weak pulse, and a nearly absent respiration rate.

Sending another message to Hank through silent, cybernetic communication he informed the detective of the gravity of the situation. Between the unknown man's attempts to break into the room and Connor's failing strength time was of the essence. Kneeling down on the floor beside the bed Markus picked up Connor's coin with his left hand and took aim at the door.

A strong kick against the door nearly broke the lock from the door's frame when suddenly a familiar and loud gruff voice shouted from the middle of the corridor toward the source of the commotion.

"DROP THE GUN." Hank had arrived just in time and had located the man attempting to break into the hotel room. "DETROIT POLICE. PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR HEAD, NOW."

"...Hear that?" Markus asked with a heavy sigh as he dropped the gun on the floor, relief washing over his person as he realized he wouldn't need to use the weapon. "Hank is here. It's almost over."

The sound of a failed flee attempt echoed loudly through the hallway and took place right outside the partially broken down door. While awaiting Hank's word Markus pulled back the blanket from Connor's form and checked his wound. The bleeding had stopped entirely and the second replacement pouch of Thirium had been finished off.

As the kind deviant leader removed the transfusion line from Connor's right arm and closed the panel Markus heard a small electronic sound escape Connor's lips despite being unconscious. "Connor?" Moving his hand up to press against the side of Connor's neck Markus nearly jumped through the roof when Connor's body suddenly went rigid and he became lost in the throes of a seizure. "CONNOR?!"

Remembering the proper protocol for assisting anyone suffering from convulsions, emergency training he had downloaded when he began his life as Carl's personal caretaker and adopted son, Markus pinned Connor's shoulders down against the bed to hold him as still as possible without injuring the deviant's neck in the process.

"Connor?" Holding down the deviant as best as he could Markus remained calm and spoke to his friend in a level voice. "Connor, I know you can hear me. You're going to be okay. This is just a little setback, you'll be just fine."

"Get his ass outta' here." Hank's voice boomed through the door just a few seconds before he used an electronic keycard to gain access to the room. As the door opened he was greeted by the sight of Connor convulsing on the bed with Markus hovering over him. "Oh, shit! Connor?"

"He just began seizing twelve seconds ago." Markus stated as Hank rushed into the room. "He didn't suffer a head injury, so I think the seizure is being caused by-"

"I don't care why he's seizing!" Joining Markus at the bed Hank grabbed onto the deviant's legs to help hold him as steady as possible on the bed. "How do we make it stop?"

"I don't know. I can't connect to his processor to discover the source of the malfunction."

"Fuck!" Pulling the radio from his belt Hank barked another order to the other officers in the lobby of the hotel. "We need a technician in room two-A right now. Officer down, I repeat; officer down."

Connor suddenly stopped seizing and his body became eerily still. Markus let go of the deviant's shoulders long enough to check his pulse and his breathing, both were present; but weak, rapid and shallow.

"He's still online." Markus stated as he carefully straightened Connor's neck and lowered his jaw to make sure there wasn't any bloody froth collecting in Connor's mouth or the back of his throat. "No respiratory distress."

Hank was staring at the thick white bandages wrapped around Connor's abdomen and shook his head. "Fuck, how bad is the damage?"

"...His analysis filter was completely destroyed, his right lung was damaged and so was his stomach."

"Son of a... He just had that damn filter replaced." Grabbing onto Connor's arm for himself Hank checked the deviant's pulse and was alarmed at the rapid threadiness beneath his fingertips. "There's an ambulance out front already. Where do we take Connor for treatment?"

"The nearest facility. He can't waste any time or be picky right now."

"Good thing he's already unconscious, otherwise he'd be fighting you every step of the way."

* * *

The ambulance was escorted to the closest Android Emergency Care Facility by two patrol cars, one in the front and the second in the back of the emergency vehicle. Connor had been loaded into the back and his condition was being assessed by two technicians while Markus rode in back alongside him, and Hank rode in the front cab of the ambulance. Without ever regaining consciousness Connor was unaware of his location or of what was happening all around him.

"His volume is low," The female technician checked Connor's Thirium pressure with a cuff and gave her male partner a wary glance. "but his pressure is through the roof. One-hundred and fifty over one-hundred. He's going to need some blue blood and cooling measures. His core temperature is rising due to his weak respiration rate."

"I'm having difficulty getting a consistent cybernetic connection." Removing the connected cable from Connor's right temple the male technician focused primarily on the android cardiac monitor displaying his Thirium pump rate and core temperature. "Heart rate is holding at one-hundred and eight, his temperature is up to one-hundred and two point three degrees; and still rising."

Markus just ran his hand over his face as he watched his friend laying so still, so weak on the gurney next to him.

"Connor, please hold on. If you're right about this whole mess, if you're right about the attack, I want you to be the one to arrest that sneaky bastard."

The ambulance came to a gentle stop outside the front entrance to the facility and the rear doors were pulled open by the attending technical staff awaiting their arrival. Three officers escorted the gurney inside while keeping tabs on Markus out of still present safety concerns. As far as anyone knew Markus was still being targeted and was still in mortal danger.

Connor was wheeled into the facility and promptly taken to the back to undergo his life-saving emergency repairs. The damage was extensive and would take time to repair, but as long as long as the technicians were quick Connor would pull through.

Hank followed behind Markus and promptly grabbed on to the deviant leader's shoulder as they entered the waiting room. "Markus, what the fuck happened?"

"There was a shooter on the water... Connor saw them and pushed me out of the way. He ended up taking the bullet... It was an armor piercing round."

"That much I know. But how in the hell did that guy know where you were hiding?"

"...He started checking out the floor and all of the doors. When he saw Connor's blood under the door he found us."

"But how did he know to go to the second floor of the hotel?"

"...I don't know. I didn't see him at the press conference and Connor didn't recognize him either."

"Fuck. Alright, stay here and keep your vest on. I know it may not do much to protect you, but it'll give me some peace of mind."

"You're not staying?"

"...I can't." Hank openly lamented. "I have to get back to the precinct and figure this shit out. You stay right here and keep me up to date on Connor's condition."

"I won't go anywhere, Hank. Not until we know what's happening."

* * *

As Connor was prepped for emergency repairs the bandages wrapped over his abdomen were cut away by careful hands to expose the severity of the damage beneath. The hands that were now checking over every little bit of damage to Connor's body belonged to that of Abby. Having returned to work as a technician after her five month maternity leave she was anxious to resume treating deviants. But the last thing she wanted to do upon her return was fight to keep someone who had become a very good friend from succumbing to his injuries.

"Oh, Connor. You wore a vest and you still took a bullet." Abby whispered as she fussed over the unconscious deviant. As she worked a second android technician, an AX-700 model that shared a similar design to that of Jack back at the precinct, assisted her every step of the way. "Check for another analysis filter and any spare replacement parts to fit into his other biocomponents. The filter is not vital, so don't prioritize it over his other damaged biocomponents."

"Of course. I will also retrieve four pints of Thirium to replace what he's lost."

"Good."

Alone with Connor as she prepared to begin the grueling task of repairing the damage he had sustained Abby ran her hand through his hair and spoke to him in a soft whisper. "Come on, Connor. Don't let your processor go offline, hang on for me. Hang on for _Hank_ , your father still needs you."

* * *

Markus paced about the waiting room for nearly four hours as he waited for an update on Connor's condition, or to get word from Hank regarding the strange shooting that nearly took his own life; and now threatened to take Connor's. As he paused long enough to press his back up against the cool wall of the waiting room Markus pulled Connor's coin from his pocket and proceeded to nervously dance the quarter over his knuckles in the same manner that Connor himself used to steady his thoughts. The exact same mannerism that had been inherited by Lucas and had subsequently been passed over to Markus when he had been given Lucas's heart after suffering his own life threatening injury.

"Markus?" Hank had found his way back to the facility and spotted Markus against the wall. Grabbing onto the coin over the deviant leader's hand Hank gave Markus a stern look. "Have you heard anything?"

"No. Nothing yet."

"Fuck."

"What about the shooter?"

"The asshole isn't giving up his employer. We'll figure it out soon."

"So it was an attempted hit and not a personal vendetta?"

"Looks that way."

"Hank," Markus was unsure if he should tell the detective about Connor's theory, but he also knew he didn't have the right to not say anything about it simply because he happened to disagree. "before he lost consciousness, Con-"

The double doors to the waiting room pushed open as Abby appeared. Her dark red scrubs were stained with dark blue blood, and she had tears in her eyes. Tears of sorrow, not relief.

"Abby?" Hank approached the technician as a chill ran up his spine. Years of experience told him to except the worst in this moment. "...Where's Connor?"

"Connor... Just come with me." Abby motioned for the duo to follow her back into the recovery wing of the facility as she trailed off sadly. "Please."

* * *

Inside the recovery wing Connor was laying on his back with a cardiac monitor attached to his chest, heavy white bandages wrapped around his structurally repaired abdomen to keep the area sterilized until his artificial skin regenerated. His left wrist and forearm were secured in a single plastimetal support cast to support the damaged limb. An oxygen mask was over his nose and mouth, and a black cable was connected to right temple to monitor the functions of his intracranial processor.

Motionless, unconscious and unresponsive Connor mirrored that of a corpse.

"...He's not..." Hank put his hand on Connor's forehead and rested it there as he looked down at the deviant with utter fear in his blue eyes. He had to pause for a moment to keep his voice from breaking under the strain of his pent up emotions. "Connor isn't going to wake up?"

"No." Abby crossed her arms over her chest as she stood on the opposite side of the bed next to Markus. One hand was resting gently on Connor's repaired forearm secured in the cast as she lightly caressed the damaged limb affectionately. "The dangerously high pressure of his Thirium in his intracranial processor caused the hardware to overheat for too long."

"...That's what caused the seizure, isn't it?"

"Yeah. The intense pressure and heat caused his programs to initiate at full power and it burned out the circuitry that composes everything that makes his brain a functioning unit. I've rebooted his system, I've rebooted his processor, I've removed and reinstalled every piece of his software but... he's not responding. The only way he'd regain consciousness is if I had the very original program that was used upon his initial activation."

Hank stayed quiet as he pressed his hand down over the deviant's forehead and lightly messed with Connor's dark locks of hair with his fingers.

Markus just shook his head and fought back the urge to yell in anger. "This isn't right. He's hurt because he protected me." Looking up toward Hank with a fiery glare Markus finally told Hank the theory Connor had developed. "Where's the mayor?"

"...Safehouse."

"Did you question him?"

"Why would-"

The doors to the recovery wing opened and the mayor himself walked over to the bed and stared at Connor's blank face with a strange confusion in his eyes. "So, it's true. Lieutenant Anderson has been-"

Markus turned his glare over to Nero and didn't even try to hide his disdain. "Where was your private security when all of this went down?"

"They were in front of the stage. I'm just glad I-"

"Why'd you pick the plaza for this press conference?" Markus impatiently began grilling the mayor for answers. "When I agreed to speak to you I do so as a sign of goodwill toward everyone in the city, and wanted to prove that androids had moved on from their lingering hatred since the revolution. Why would you pick a place that is now notorious from that controversial night?"

"I just wanted to-"

"And let me ask you this: How did you know Connor was here, or that one of us had been injured during the shooting?"

"In the same way anyone else learns about this city," the cold, arrogant smile on his face made Markus want to throw a punch. "the news. I'm just glad you and Connor made it to the hotel in time, and kept away from that other assassin. Now," straightening his tie Nero stepped away from the bed to take his leave. "the news is waiting for my statement. Captain Anderson, I'm sorry for what happened to Connor."

As those words left the mayor's mouth Markus realized that Connor had been right. Markus tried to follow after Nero but a firm hand on his bicep stopped him short and held him back. The sleazy mayor disappeared through the doorway leaving the grieving friends to remain vigil at Connor's side.

"Markus," Hank addressed the heated deviant leader in a low voice. "let him go. Kicking his ass won't help Connor."

"Hank," locking eyes with the detective Markus laid out a harsh truth. "that bastard is _responsible_ for the shooting!"

"What? No, the mayor was a target. That doesn't mean-"

"No, Hank. He was NEVER targeted. It was a set-up." Turning his head away from Hank with a sense of shame, Markus looked at Connor's blank face and bowed his head. "Just like Connor said."

"Connor..." the revelation gave Hank pause. "he suspected the mayor?"

"Yeah, and that arrogant bastard just admitted it."

"And how exactly did he do that?"

"Hank, how did he know that Connor and I were in the hotel _and_ being stalked by another shooter?"

"That fucking..." Hank's hand subconsciously tightened around Markus's bicep as a flash of hot rage washed over his person. The detective had been so preoccupied with Connor that he hadn't caught the mayor's slip-up. "...That fucking coward. _I'm_ going to kill him."

"Hank, let me do this." Markus nearly begged as he finally managed to get his arm free of Hank's grip. "You can't do anything to ruin-"

"My career?" Hank nearly snapped as the prospect of revenge was proving itself too tempting to resist. "I don't give a shit about my _career_ , Markus. I care about my _family_." Turning his head to glare at the closed door from whence Nero exited Hank breathed deeply, heavily to steady his hands. "And that fucker just took the last of my family away from me."

"...Connor was my friend. And he asked me to make sure you didn't do anything you'd regret. You killing that sleazebag won't do any favors to the precinct or Connor's memory."

"But you, the leader of the deviants, if _you_ killed him that wouldn't end in war, right? All your work for your people can survive the scrutiny, right?"

"Hank, I-"

"No. When I lost my wife I couldn't do anything because I still had Cole to take care of. When I lost Cole I couldn't hold a gun steady enough to take the shot because of all the damn booze. When I lost Lucas I couldn't do anything because I had Connor to look after, but now," pulling his gun from the holster on his hip Hank checked the clip and straightened his back. "I have nothing left to lose."

"Hank, I won't let you do this! Connor asked me to keep you safe."

"I know he did, but trust me, this is the best thing for _everyone_."

"You can't just decide that. You're sounding like those demented scientists at CyberLife!"

"Don't you DARE compare me to those fucks!" Hank growled in response as he stared down Markus. "I saw the horrible things they did to Connor, to ALL the Connor models. _I'm_ pissed off, _they_ were sick."

"...All of the-" Markus wasn't sure of what Hank was talking about. "What do you mean 'all the Connor models'?"

"The fuckin' data he brought back from Miami. Connor found the-"

"Wait, wait... Connor brought back data from Miami?"

"A damn microprocessor. What does it-"

"Hank!" Markus grabbed onto the detective's shoulders and held tight as if he were ready for Hank to fight back against him. "That damn microprocessor can SAVE Connor."

"...What?"

"Where is it?!"

"Back at the house."

"Come on. We're going to get it. You're going to give me the processor and then you're going to go arrest the sad, sorry son of a bitch we called a mayor." Turning to look at the technician standing behind him Markus tried to give her a reassuring nod. "Abby, do what you have to in order to preserve Connor's functions. And I need you to do me a favor. I need you to let this slip to the media: Tell them that Connor has died."

"What?!" Abby was stunned by the request and nearly shouted the question as she pressed her hand down against the side of Connor's neck. "Why would I-"

"Do it." Hank reaffirmed as he caught onto Markus's logic. "That's how the mayor gets his information in the city, let him know that Connor is dead. We'll know exactly where to find his sorry ass when I get the warrant."

* * *

Standing before the podium at Hart Plaza, standing where the shooting had taken place knowing full well that he wasn't in any danger, Mayor Nero spoke to the press with the same insincere smile on his face that he always wore when he was lying. And since the mayor was always smiling it was safe to say he was always lying.

"As we all know we lost a member of the police force today when he took a bullet while protecting another life." Dozens of flashbulbs from camera shined over Nero's smug face as he seemingly confirmed the report. "Lieutenant Connor Anderson was the first android to be employed in the city as a detective and had assisted in the night of the revolution. An android who was dedicated to preserving life and protecting the innocent; Connor was proof that androids are in fact alive and deserve to be treated as equals. Further more-"

"I knew you'd be here, Nero." Flashing his badge Hank stepped onto the stage and approached the podium. A cascade of flashbulbs illuminated the stage as Hank marched toward the shifty man with purpose. "I hate to cut this short, but you're under arrest."

The dozens of camera flashes soon became hundreds as a collective muttering fell over the crowd witnessing the arrest.

Nero was stunned, almost dumbfounded. "I'm, what?!"

"You're under arrest for the attempted murder of Markus Manfred, assault against Lt. Connor Anderson," pinning Nero's arms behind his back Hank cuffed him with an audible 'click'. "hiring three contract killers, delivering illegal arms under the table, conspiracy, and fraud. Want to admit to anything else and make things a little easier?"

"You can't-" Nero stammered nervously as his face simultaneously paled from fear and went red with rage. "But I-"

"I can _and_ I did." Pushing the now arrested mayor away from the podium, off of the stage and over to the parked squad car, Hank grumbled at the man now in his custody. "Now, I strongly urge you exercise your right to remain silent. This has been a shitty day and I will admit the idea of putting a bullet between your eyes is very, VERY tempting."

As he was pushed into the backseat of the car Nero began snarling at the Captain and tried to turn away from the reporters snapping his photo through the windows of the vehicle. "You can't prove anything!"

"I can, and I already have, dipshit." Discreetly Hank turned on the microphone of the dashcam to capture every repugnant word that the disgraced mayor spewed forth. "That's my JOB. The thing is I never would've thought to look into your finances until after you paid a visit to the facility. It's kinda weird how you knew that Connor was there. And it's even stranger that you knew about him and Markus hiding in the hotel as another shooter tried to get to them. It's almost like," turning to look at the mayor over his shoulder Hank stared at him with undeniable venom in his eyes. "you already knew that there was another shooter in the area. Now how could you know that unless _you're_ the one who hired the shooter?"

"...I-"

"You can't blame the media for this one, ass-wipe." Pulling the car along the street Hank drove off to the precinct to have the mayor taken into custody and prosecuted. "The only people who knew of the hotel being a safe zone were the police, Markus and YOU. I sure as fuck know Markus didn't hire someone to kill himself; he's too dedicated to his cause to just up and die like that. But you, an outspoken advocate for android rights, being so close to the deviant leader who brought about the world changing revolution the day he was assassinated, that would've been great publicity. Fuck, that kind of notoriety would've guaranteed you votes at every office you attempted to hold."

Scoffing at Hank's comments Nero remained as arrogant as he was cold. "You won't be able to make the charges stick."

"Oh, I think I can. You're too much of a prick to not have any enemies who'd happily use their resources to see your ass thrown behind bars. You know, it was as ballsy as it was dumb to show up at the facility like you did."

"Look, it's not what you think. Let's level and speak to each other, human to human. Keep the plastic out of this."

"So the truth comes you. You do think of androids as second-class citizens."

"Of course they are. Just because they look human doesn't mean they are human. I mean, come on. You know as much as I do that plastic can't live. That's like expecting some skirt to be able to hold any form of power without getting emotional. It's impossible, and no matter what anyone tries to say this is still a man's world. HUMAN."

"I _knew_ you were full of shit, Nero. I just wish I had thought to look into your shady past as soon as I became Captain."

"Which you wouldn't be without my help!" The corrupt mayor spat angrily from the backseat. "No one would've promoted you, an old drunk with a piece of plastic for a partner! It was a _favor_ , and this is how you repay me?"

"I didn't ask for any favors you dumb-fuck. And yeah, I am an old drunk. But I still have morals and a soul, unlike you scum sucking piece of shit." Glaring at Nero in the rearview mirror Hank made his final point. "And Connor's plastic heart is more real than any heart you _think_ you have. So, shut the fuck up."

"Come off it, Anderson. You can't-"

Hank tapped onto the dashcam recording every word of their conversation. "Wanna' bet? You're going to prison for the rest of your life, which, based on your shady little scheme, won't last too much longer once word gets out that you're now locked up with the other people you've sold out over the years."

"No! You can't do this! I won't survive in prison!"

"Not my problem. I've sworn to protect and serve; I'm protecting the city by taking you down and I'm serving my people by keeping locked up. I've done my job, too bad you can't say the same for yourself."

* * *

Patient and diligent Markus sat beside the bed in the facility as he waited for any sign of life to return to his downed friend. The microprocessor that Hank had given to him, the very microprocessor that Connor had taken from the illegal CyberLife warehouse in Miami, contained everything that allowed Connor to be Connor. And now with that microprocessor he had a chance of rebooting despite suffering what equated to brain-death in humans.

Quiet, motionless, Connor was still laying flat on his back, but his head was turned to the left and a large black cable was attached to an exposed access port at the base of Connor's skull in the middle of his neck. Through this cable the microprocessor's data was being uploaded into Connor's system, and with that his system was rebooting itself at a painfully slow rate.

Abby paced about at the side of the bed as she constantly checked Connor's vitals for any sign of improvement. It had been six hours and the deviant wasn't showing any sign of life beyond from the faint breaths he took, and his Thirium pump thrumming slowly in his chest. "He has a strong heartbeat," she stated as she ran the bell of the audioscope over the deviant's bare chest. "and he's still breathing on his own. This is a very good sign, Markus."

"This is something that never should've happened, Abby. Connor shouldn't-"

"Markus, don't blame yourself. He wouldn't want you to be kicking yourself around because of what someone else did."

The display of the large modem responsible for Connor's reboot finally hit one-hundred percent completion. With a gentle touch Abby detached the cable from the back of Connor's neck, closed the panel and manually regenerated his artificial skin before turning Connor's head so his neck was straightened out again.

"He'll need a little more time," Abby stated somberly as she lifted up Connor's eyelids and checked his pupils. "but he should wake up."

"...'Should'?"

"I wish I could say something more definitive."

Nodding sadly Markus turned his full attention to his comatose friend. "Connor, you were right. The mayor did this. He was trying to kill me." Standing up from the chair Markus wrapped his hands against the back of his head as he began pacing about anxiously. "Hank went out to arrest him, and right now the city is dealing with the knowledge that our mayor who claimed to have been an ally to androids and the police department has been revealed to be nothing more than a cold snake. We need you to wake up and come back to us, I need you to wake up and help me stay surrounded by the people I can trust."

Somberly Hank returned to the recovery wing with a somber gait and stared at Connor with heavy, sad eyes. "Any change?"

Abby stopped checking Connor's vitals let out a sigh. "His processor and the microprocessor were perfectly compatible. If the microprocessor was still fully functional then it should be able to reboot his system."

"How will we know?"

"I have no clue. This is the first time I've ever attempted this kind of a procedure."

"Right." Nodding with understanding Hank walked over to the bed and took the coin he snatched from Markus's hand and placed it in Connor's right hand to hold. As he forced the deviant's fingers to close around the coin he just shook his head and sighed. "Markus, thank for keeping me from taking out that bastard myself. You were right."

"...I just wish I had believed Connor when he told me that he didn't trust the mayor before the conference even began."

"Well, in your defense NO politician is worth trusting, and the fact that you were willing to give that bastard the benefit of the doubt he never deserved says a whole lot about you, and your character."

"Who's going to take over for the mayor?"

"Well, since this was a failed assassination plot all of city hall is being blacklisted. The feds are going to come in and handle things for a while."

"Oh, good." Markus replied sarcastically. "The F.B.I. doesn't have any grudges against androids."

Smirking a little Hank rested his hand on the back of Connor's right arm and held it there for a moment. As he stared down at the deviant's face Hank felt the limb under his palm twitch a little. Pressing his hand down a little firmer Hank was certain he could feel Connor's arm beginning to move on its own. "Son?"

Connor's hand tightened around the coin in his fist under his own power for just a moment before the coin was slipped from his palm and over the back his knuckles to begin a graceful dance. "Connor." Hank smiled a little more at the coin as it moved around with the same accuracy and grace that only Connor could produce. "You know I hate that damn coin."

"...Sorry." A hoarse reply came from Connor's lips as his eyes opened slowly. Focusing on Hank's face Connor gave the detective a faint smile as he stopped fidgeting with the quarter. "How did the press conference go?"

"Fuckin' smartass." Laughing at the question he patted Connor's arm and let out a sigh of relief. "Forget the Kevlar, I'm going to get you a fuckin' tank to patrol the city in."

"It was that bad?"

"Connor... You were dead for almost ten hours." Feeling Connor's arm tense up at the revelation, Hank responded by wrapping his hand around Connor's arm to try to comfort him. "Luckily, Markus and Abby knew how to save you. You're going to be just fine."

"Markus? He wasn't injured?"

"I'm fine." Doing his best to keep his all too human emotions from coming to the surface Markus just placed his hand on Connor's shoulder. "You saved my life. I owe you."

"No, I was doing my job, and I was looking out for my friend." Sounding confident and sincere, the deviant appeared to be making a fast recovery as his system rebooted fully. "You owe me nothing."

"Connor, if I had listened to you earlier-"

"You still would've been shot at. Do you believe my mistrust of the mayor would've have stopped the shooting?"

"Maybe. But, from now on I will always listen to you when you have a bad feeling about anyone. Human or android."

"...Markus, don't feel bad." Trying and failing to sit upright on the table Connor just stared up at his friend and gave him a reassuring nod. "Learning is a part of living. I've experienced my own mistakes and hardships, but I'm still okay. You have no reason to feel guilty for what someone else did."

Moving his hand over to Connor's injured hand Markus squeezed once and gave the deviant an appreciative smile. "Thank you, Connor."

"Go back to New Jericho. Be with North."

"...Connor, tomorrow we're going to have a long discussion about androids and politics. Please, get some rest."

"I will, Markus. And I will be okay, I swear."

With one final firm, but gentle, handshake Markus took his leave of the recovery wing as he used his thumb to wipe away a rogue tear before it had the chance to fall. "Take care, my friend. I'll see you when you're well."

Abby lightly put her hand on Connor's damaged hand before she performed another exam on his vitals. He was stable with a strong heartbeat, normal respiration, his Thirium volume was holding at ninety-eight percent and his core temperature was back down to normal.

"Hey, Connor." She smiled as she gave her friend a light pat on his hand. "Welcome back."

"...Abby. The same can be said about you."

"Thanks for pulling through. This would've been a really shitty way to come back to work."

Testing his damaged hand Connor winced and found that the entire lower limb needed more time to heal before he could use it again. "I don't appear to be healing as rapidly as I should."

"And you won't for about a week. Your system needs to do a full reboot and recalibration of ALL your functions."

Before Connor had the chance to ask Hank spoke up on his behalf. "When can I take him home to rest?"

"Give me one hour to run all the tests I need, then you take him home. And Hank," giving the detective a firm stare she instructed him on Connor's impending care. "you need to make sure he's actually resting. I'm talking _bedrest_ , like a human. For an entire _week_."

"Uh..."

"Hank, his body is going to be as weak and vulnerable as a human who sustained massive internal injuries. The gunshot to his abdomen would've shattered the entire right side of a human's ribcage and hip, and his right artificial lung had been truck as well. The same happened with his stomach. He can't move around too much until his self-healing program can keep the flexible biocomponent from tearing itself open." As if to emphasize her statement Abby picked up Connor's left arm and examined his damaged forearm, wrist and hand. "His left hand will be completely useless during that time, too."

"I take it he can't even sit at a desk at the precinct all day."

"No!" Abby confirmed with a strong tone of voice. "He needs to be laying down and not doing anything until his body heals. That also means his bandages will need to be changed every six hours to keep any foreign matter from getting into his exposed plastimetal frame, or any small opened Thirium lines. Any exertion could cause him to accidentally hemorrhage internally."

"Connor?" Hank used the 'dad voice' as he spoke to his adopted son in a patient manner. "Are you sure you'd rather go home and deal with all that shit without a technician's help?"

"...Yes." Weakly Connor grabbed onto Hank's bicep with his good hand and held his grip there for a moment. "I trust you more than I trust a facility. I trust you more than anyone else in this world."

"Alright then." Giving the stubborn deviant a hesitant glance Hank patted Connor's shoulder and sighed with faux defeat. "But you heard Abby, son. It's either rest, _actually_ rest, at home or you'll stay in the facility. No excuses."

"I want to go home. I promise I won't do anything to physically strain myself or aggravate my injuries."

Smiling warmly Abby just shook her head and put her hand to the side of Connor's face for a moment. "I'm sure you won't. Lay back, rest, and I'll begin checking tests in about an hour."

"Thank you."

Hank sat down in the chair beside the table and kept his hand on Connor's arm. "Man, I never thought I'd be so happy to know you stole private property."

"...The microprocessor?"

"Yup." The detective confirmed with an amused smirk. "Damn piece of junk saved your brain."

"...I suppose CyberLife was good for something after all."

"Well, that, and building androids like you and Markus."

"...Androids like me?"

"Yeah. You're pretty good company for being such a stubborn kid."

_**...next story...** _


	178. Rumors

Though unnecessary and a little uncomfortable Connor allowed Hank to carry him inside the house through the backdoor and place him down on the couch. The severity of the damage to his abdomen already made it difficult to breathe, let alone balance and properly support his own weight long enough to walk. Wrapping his damaged arm around his abdomen Connor held his breath and resisted the urge to move around on his own as Hank placed him down on the couch to get some rest.

Sumo readily followed the two detectives into the livingroom and watched as Connor was placed down on the couch and let out a mild groan of discomfort in the process.

"I would be perfectly content with resting in my bedroom." Connor stated in a timid voice as Hank stepped back from the couch and looked down at him. "I doubt anything negative would befall me if I were to be left alone for a few minutes."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not going to take that chance. You're just a magnet for trouble."

"It's not my intention."

"I know that, and I'm not blaming you for anything." Sitting down on the edge of the coffee table beside the couch Hank gave the deviant a bemused smirk. "I just wish I knew how to help you get better faster."

"It's okay, and I'm not in any pain."

"Bullshit. Your entire right side was destroyed and your left hand is still busted. You can't tell me you aren't a little sore from that."

"...Perhaps I am. But only marginally so."

"I knew it. Look, son," Hank leaned back a little and ran his hand over his bearded chin with deep thought. "things are going to get pretty damn hectic downtown for a while. Normally we'd be the ones to deal with it, but since we're too close to this little problem..."

"I understand. We cannot get involved in order to prevent a preconceived bias."

"Yup. You got it."

Squaring his jaw a little Connor gave the exhausted detective a curious glance. "...May I ask how I was rebooted despite suffering from prolonged intracranial overheating?"

"Well, like I told you earlier, that microprocessor you took from CyberLife came in handy."

Connor's soulful eyes went wide with a sense of dread. "...Where is it now?"

"Abby still has it."

"Good. She can be trusted."

"...Do I want to know why a copy of your brain was tucked inside that little box?"

"It's a long story." Connor turned away from Hank's face and stared at the wall instead. "I don't want to talk about it."

"That's okay. I'm too tired to pay attention anyway." Patting Connor's knee Hank stood up from the couch and proceeded to make his way down the hallway and opened up the closet. Retrieving the dark navy blue blanket and a large pillow he returned to the couch and helped Connor lay in a more comfortable position on his back. "You won't need your bandages changed for another three hours, so I'm going to get a little sleep."

"I can change the-"

"No, kid. With your left hand busted up you can't take care of your injury and do it right. I'll wake up and help you out, it doesn't bother me."

"...Very well."

"Don't do that." Helping Connor to sit up a little Hank put the pillow under the deviant's head and neck before draping the blanket over him. "Don't give me the kicked puppy look."

"My apologies. I dislike feeling useless is all."

"Kid, how many times do I have to remind you that being injured doesn't mean you're useless? You just need to give yourself that week to heal, then I'll let you go back to workin' on Joel's car until we're allowed to return to the precinct. Okay?"

"Yes. I understand." Sumo jumped up on the end of the couch and sat down beside Connor's ankles. As the massive dog's weight was suddenly added to the furniture the couch shook and the motion made Connor wince in the pain he was trying to deny. "...Good boy."

"So, there's nothing that can be done to ease android pain, yet? No android-aspirin or Novocaine?"

"...Nothing beyond disabling our external sensors that allow us to feel."

"Yeah, I don't want you trying to walk around the house while you're completely numb. You'd end up tripping over everything and falling through a damn wall."

"I appreciate your bode of confidence toward me."

"Nothing personal, kid. But you got a lot clumsier after you severed your constant cybernetic supervision to CyberLife."

"And I regret nothing."

"I don't blame ya'." Running his hand over his much shorter hair Hank let out a tired sigh and noted the late hour. "Alright, I need to shower off the smell of bullshit and sleep for a few hours. Don't move from this couch for any reason, got it?"

"...Got it."

"Good."

As Hank rose from the coffee table to walk toward the bathroom Connor let himself relax and fall back against the thick pillow that he had been given. As he let out a slow breath to keep his abdomen from screaming at him in pain Connor felt Sumo lay down and stretch out his body to lay against him and help him feel safer, if not warmer, as he rested.

Closing his eyes Connor let himself fall into rest mode as he listened to the sounds of the house all around him. The sound of Sumo's breathing right next to him, the sound of the A/C keeping the house cool as it dealt with the lingering summer heat, the sound of water running through the pipes in the bathroom as the shower proceeded to kick on with warm water. Everything sounded normal, familiar and safe.

However, a single sound that Connor had never heard before was partially muffled by the shower. It sounded like someone was crying, but the only occupants of the house were Connor himself, and Hank. And in all the time that Connor had known Hank he had never heard the man cry. He's seen him shed a few tears and choke back a sob, but to actually hear him crying felt wrong; if not impossible.

Unsure of what to do or say, Connor remained on the couch as he listened to the strange sound for only a few more minutes before it stopped. Shortly thereafter the shower itself turned off and all was silent.

Pulling his right hand out from under the blanket Connor rested his palm on Sumo's head and rubbed the dog's ears lightly. As he pet Sumo's head Connor slowly drifted off to sleep as his rest mode initiated and gave him much needed relief from his pain.

* * *

Three hours passed and Connor felt a hand shaking his shoulder lightly. Opening his eyes Connor saw Hank was sitting on the coffee table beside him with a roll of fresh gauze in his opposite hand. With a subtle nod Connor propped himself upright on his elbows and pushed aside the blanket before he lifted up the hem of his black t-shirt and exposed the older bandages wrapped protectively around his abdomen.

"Since I don't have to use that orange shit on your wounds," Hank commented dryly through a sleepy yawn. "this won't take as long to replace."

"I'm certain I could manage to-"

"Shut up. I'm already awake."

Remaining still on the couch Connor watched as Hank cut through the old bandages with a pair of sharp scissors and placed the soiled bandages down on the table to be disposed of later. As Hank carefully replaced the new bandages over the exposed white plastimetal frame that composed Connor's repaired abdomen, Connor couldn't help but notice that Hank's eyes were bloodshot beyond that of just fatigue. They were puffy and look irritated.

"Are you ill?"

"What?"

"Your appearance is indicative of someone who is not feeling well, either physically or perhaps even emotionally."

"...Emotionally?"

"I don't mean to pry, but... it looks like you've been crying."

"It's fine, kid." As he wrapped the bandages around Connor's torso Hank's hands faltered for only a moment as he spoke before resuming their task. "Don't worry about it."

"...Can I ask why?"

"Connor, please." Raising his voice a little Hank tried to keep himself from snapping at the curious deviant. The deeper voice made Sumo lift his head up and let out a single whimper. "It's very late and I'm very tired."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to aggravate you."

"You didn't-" Tying off the bandages Hank let out a sigh and leaned back on the table again. "Son, you're not aggravating me. And don't apologize for asking a question." It was quiet for a moment as Hank finished checking his work and was satisfied that the bandages were tied correctly and would hold in place until it was time for them to be changed. "There. Lay back down."

"Thank you for aiding me." Pulling his shirt back down Connor laid back against the pillow and tried to resume his rest mode. "Please, go back to bed and sleep."

"...Connor, don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like you did something wrong."

"I know that I tend to ask a lot of questions and that it can be annoying. I will refrain from doing so in the future."

"Damn it, Connor. Knock it off!"

"I'm s-"

"And don't say you're sorry!"

"...Then what should I say?"

"Look, I'm going to level with you, okay?" Leaning forward Hank bowed his head and rested his hands over his lap as he finally told Connor the truth. "I'm not sick and I'm not aggravated. The reason I look so rough is because when I was in the shower I was..."

"Crying?"

"...You heard."

"Barely. I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear."

"Yeah, yeah. I know you have that super android hearing."

"...Can I ask what you were crying about?"

"Seriously? You can't figure it out for youself?"

"...No." The deviant admitted somewhat shamefully. "I do not know why you were-"

"Because you were fuckin' dead, Connor!"

"I was..." The answer was as blunt as it was accurate. "But I'm okay."

"Yeah, but you WEREN'T. Connor, you were a brain-dead shell of your former self and I was told you'd never wake up. The fact that we found a way to reverse the damage, and that only happened because of random luck, doesn't make it any easier to handle." Lifting his head back up Hank stared at Connor's face and sighed. "Son, you almost didn't come back from this one. And after a shitty day full of stress and bullshit I had to let it out. But you're not responsible and I don't want you feeling bad, alright?"

"...Okay, but I do want to say one thing."

"What's that?"

"I'm okay, dad."

"Yeah, I know." Appreciative of the comment Hank felt a modicum of relief wash over him. "Just do me a favor and keep out of politics for a while."

"I can't do that. Markus and I have a lot to discuss tomorrow regarding his connections with the city council."

"That's right, I remember. You guys have a lot of work tomorrow. Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning, alright?"

"Alright. Goodnight."

"Yeah, goodnight." Picking up the old bandages from the coffee table Hank waded them up in a ball and threw them away in the garbage can in the kitchen before making his way back down the hallway toward his bedroom. "If you need anything just yell."

* * *

Wincing in pain Connor let himself fall back against his pillow as he breathed through his discomfort and watched as Markus joined him in the livingroom. The deviant leader looked as exhausted as Connor felt, but he didn't let his own fatigue deter him from doing what needed to be done to protect their people. Unwilling to sit back and wait for the city to sort itself out Markus was willing to venture outside of the safety of New Jericho Tower to speak with Connor in person out of respect, and trust.

"There are no androids on the city council," Markus stated in an almost matter-of-fact manner as he stood beside the couch. "and right now it'd be too dangerous to let anyone from the tower to volunteer to attempt to get elected onto the board. A lot of anti-android bigots are trying to vouch for Nero's character and the last thing anyone should do is attempt to reason with the unreasonable."

"I agree. For now it'd be best to remain quiet and out of the news."

"That's... not possible." Markus turned on the television and proceeded to flip through the local news channels. Each channel was talking about the same story revolving around the corrupt mayor's arrest and of the attempted assassination of Markus, and there was no sign of them losing interest any time soon. "I'll lay low and keep to my responsibilities in the tower, but I can't stand back and do nothing if the city starts tearing itself apart."

"I wouldn't expect you to do such a thing. But I cannot stress enough that you need to remain quiet and out of the public eye until we know if there is anyone on the city council we can trust."

Hank came inside the house from the backdoor with Sumo at his side. Noticing that Markus had arrived to speak with Connor he greeted the deviant leader and joined the two inside the livingroom. "Markus, nice to see you again."

"Hi, Hank."

"Uh, I take it two haven't heard the rumors yet."

"Rumors?" Markus looked to Connor who just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. "No. What rumors?"

"I just heard from the neighbors that one Mr. Elijah Kamski is speaking to the city council. And that he is looking to run for mayor."

"M-Mayor? But he..."

"This cannot happen." Connor spoke up suddenly with a stubborn disdain to his voice. "Kamski is not to be trusted under _any_ circumstances."

"I think you're right, Connor." Markus was just as wary as Connor about the possible run for office. "Why would a man with no political affiliation try to run for office? Especially after the previous mayor was just arrested for corruption... There has to be an ulterior motivation for-"

Hank put up his hand as if to silence the two deviants. "Easy, hold on. Remember these are just rumors. Don't get bent out of shape until you know what's _actually_ going on."

Connor refused to let the matter go. "You know as well as we do that if Kamski becomes mayor that the cold snakes from CyberLife won't be away for much longer. We can't allow him to gain power, or allow CyberLife to return."

"Connor, take it easy." Hank cautioned as he watched the deviant getting physically stressed by the idea of Kamski holding any form of power in the city. "You still need to heal."

"I'm fine, I'm not-"

"You're stressing yourself out, son." Hank sat down on the couch next to Connor's legs and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "Like I said, these are just _rumors_."

"And if they turn out to be true then the city could be seeing another type of war or revolution."

"You're not the type to exaggerate things," the detective was watching Connor's demeanor very carefully. "where is this coming from?"

"...Miami."

"Connor, I saw the footage of those damn experiments, I saw what you saw. But Kamski wasn't there."

"There was... more than what I showed you." Connor gave the detective a pained look as he spoke. "The information I confiscated was more detailed and contained postponed experiments that had been sanctioned by Kamski himself."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"...Because I didn't want to talk about it. Please believe me on this."

"I do believe you, but I'd like to see this information for myself."

"Abby still has it. It was stored in a locked file on the microprocessor."

"Markus?" Hank looked to the deviant leader with a patient stare. "Do you mind?"

"No. I'll go retrieve the microprocessor and look through the data at New Jericho. If Kamski does try to do anything we'll use this information to push him back into the shadows where he belongs."

"Thank you."

Connor nodded to Markus as he silently laid on the couch and wrapped his arms around his sore abdomen. Too tired to get up, even if Hank would allow him to do so, Connor resided to himself on the couch and tried to not think of the worst case scenario if Kamski did try to run for mayor.

"I'll check the data and get back to you in a few days. Connor," reaching out his hand he shook with Connor once and took his leave of the house. "feel better. I'll remain in contact and keep tabs on everything happening with the city council."

"...Markus," Connor shook his hand as firmly as possible. "watch your back. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"I'll be safe, I promise."

As Markus left the house Hank turned off the television and gave Connor a worried stare. It wasn't like the deviant to have such a strong reaction to rumors, and he hadn't kept any secrets from Hank in a long time. Careful to not say anything that would get the deviant worked up Hank spoke in a low, calm voice and kept his hand on Connor's shoulder.

"Connor, if you don't want to talk about the nasty little secrets you uncovered in Miami, you don't have to. But if you _need_ to talk about it I'll listen."

Visibly flinching in pain Connor just remained quiet on the couch as Hank kept him company.

"Man, I don't know what the fuck happened with you at CyberLife except for what you told me, and I'm kinda' glad about that. For what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to suffer so much at the hands a demented corporation."

"Don't apologize for them. You're too far above them for that type of courtesy."

Laughing at the comment Hank patted Connor's shoulder and retracted his hand. "Nice to know I'm better than a heartless company."

"In every way imaginable, take my word for it."

* * *

While the rumors regarding Kamski's return to the public eye swept over the city like a plague Hank and Connor had no choice but to sit back, watch, listen and wait for any confirmation on the unsettling information. Their close proximity to the ongoing investigation to the corrupt mayor had left them both sidelined until the case was resolved, and Connor was getting incredibly restless much to Hank's chagrin.

"Connor, stop fidgeting. It's driving me crazy." Hank sighed from his recliner as he looked up over the top of his book to eye the wounded deviant laying on the couch. The coin was dancing its dance over Connor's knuckles and Hank hated seeing it. "Just five more days and you're free to do whatever you want."

"I can't sit around and do nothing while my people need my help."

"Markus is keeping you up to date on everything that's happening, right?"

"...Yes. That is correct."

"And right now all that's happening in New Jericho is a bunch of talking and waiting, right?"

"...Right."

"So, sit still and rest. Even if you weren't busted up there'd be nothing for you to do anyway."

Sighing with defeat Connor laid back and stopped moving about so restlessly. As he picked up Sumo's green fetch ball from the floor beside the couch he gave the toy a quick toss into the kitchen, but Sumo was too tired from playing fetch for three hours earlier that morning to play again. The massive dog watched the ball disappear into the kitchen from his pillow and showed no interest in chasing after it.

Hank saw the failed attempt to get Sumo to play and laughed at Connor. "Bored?"

"Extremely."

"Want to watch a movie?"

"I've seen every movie you've wished to show me, and I have watched the movies that I personally enjoy numerous times already. I do not have any interest in watching them again."

"You don't want to see anything new?"

"Not at this time, no."

"Well, you're sure as shit not watching the news right now. It'll just work you up."

Rolling slightly onto his right side Connor looked over at Hank with a stare that spoke volumes of how terrible he was currently feeling. Too weak to move about on his own, and too vulnerable from his past injuries to even try to move around, Connor's mind was racing and it was going to push the deviant into a frenzy of restlessness.

"I hate seeing you like that, kid."

"There is nothing I can do to change my appearance or my current condition."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll heal when you heal. Until then," Hank set aside his book and stood up from the recliner. "I'm going to let Sumo outside for a few minutes. Are you going to stay here and not do anything stupid until I get back?"

Flashing a somewhat offended look Connor just nodded.

"...Nothing personal, son. You're just too stubborn for your own good."

"Stubborn, yes." Connor admitted with a somber sigh. "Stupid, no."

"Hey, come on. I never said you were stupid, I was just implying that sometimes you unintentionally do stupid things."

"At least I wore Kevlar this time."

"I'm not talking about you getting hurt in the line of duty, that wasn't stupid. It was courageous."

Connor's brow arched a little as he studied Hank's face curiously.

"When I say 'stupid', I'm talking about you pushing yourself to get up and brush off a bullet wound as if it were nothing more than a stubbed toe. You can't force yourself to heal faster just because you want to."

"...I know."

"Connor," Hank put his hand down on the deviant's shoulder and kept it there for a moment as he hung over the back of the couch. "I don't know what you saw and experienced when you were in Miami," he felt Connor's shoulder tense under his palm as he spoke. "and I don't know what those horrible experiments that you were subjected to thanks to CyberLife were about, but I do know that here and you're safe. You don't have to push yourself to your breaking point or to the brink of death to prove anything to anyone. Alright?"

"Alright."

"Then please, for the sake your own life and my sanity, stop acting like you need to prove yourself worthy of life. You don't have to answer to me, Markus or anyone else on this planet. _You_ do what you think is right because that's what _you_ feel is right."

"I will try to remember that."

"And while you're remembering that remember this: You are a living person. Not a machine, not someone's property. Never let those demented freaks at CyberLife or anywhere else try to convince you that you're anything less than what you are right now."

"And what's that?"

"A good person and my son."

"...I won't. I promise."

"Good. After I let Sumo out I'm going to find a movie that neither of us have seen before, and we're going to watch it."

"That sounds... distracting." Smirking at long last Connor seemed to be in better spirits since his return home after being wounded. "I believe I would like that. Thank you."

_**...next story...** _


	179. Truths

Connor stood in the opened backdoor of the kitchen with his coin slowly dancing over his right knuckles as he waited for Sumo to return to the house. Hank noticed the deviant and shook his head a little at the sight of the still healing deviant standing up and moving around despite being warned not to do so for at least one more day. The deviant no longer required any bandages as his artificial skin had fully regenerated, but his left hand was still healing and subsequently still required the support brace.

"You couldn't wait just one more day?" Hank asked as he joined Connor in the kitchen and folded his arms over his chest as if annoyed. "What're you doing?"

"Sumo needed to be let outside." Connor replied casually as he looked at Hank over his shoulder. "And my abdomen has fully healed. It'll take a while longer for my hand, but it's not critical."

"Uh-huh. And what's on your mind?"

"Pardon?"

"Your damn coin. It gives it away whenever you're thinking about something."

"Oh." Ending the little dance Connor pocketed his coin and turned to look at Hank. "Markus was able to sift through the data on the microprocessor. And with it he uncovered numerous programs, pieces of software and other functions that had been only theorized and never actually implemented into any android model. Features that would've made androids appear far more human that we do even now."

"...Meaning what?"

"It means that there had been intentional stalls in the advancements of android models to ensure maximum profit for the company, and it ensured that the progress of androids as a recognizable group of living beings had also been delayed."

"Are you saying that the company already knew that androids were showing signs of self-awareness and humanity?"

"Correct. By intentionally withholding this type of programming and data it allowed the company to buy some additional time to find a way to prevent deviancy from taking place in androids; but evidently they failed."

"Fuck, those assholes are colder than we thought."

"Yes. They intentionally attempted to prevent androids from becoming sentient for their own financial gain."

"Well," crossing his arms over his chest Hank studied Connor's demeanor carefully. "what're you going to do with this information?"

"It'll remain with Markus in New Jericho for now. Until we can find any benefit for our people by revealing it, it'd be best for everyone to keep it quiet."

"Right. Are you okay?"

"...Am I okay?"

"That's a pretty damning secret to uncover, son. And it affects you."

"I am... not surprised. But I am finding it disconcerting to know that CyberLife had been aware of deviancy for at least four years prior to the incident in Detroit that resulted in our meeting. I guess it's what you would call 'bittersweet'."

"Every cloud has a silver lining, kid. I lost sight of that after all the personal shit I went through, but I pulled through. You'll do the same, and you'll do it without needing to fall back on booze or some other self-destructive shit."

"Speaking of destruction." Connor lifted up his left hand and tried to flex it as much as possible around the support brace. "I would like to speak with Abby regarding the functionality of my hand. The reboot of my self-healing program had hindered my overall recovery speed, and with that my abdominal injuries were the primary focus. My hand has begun to heal as well, but not as quickly as I had estimated."

"Does it hurt?"

"No. But it is uncomfortable."

"Want me to drive?"

"No. I can do it. It won't be difficult to drive with only one hand."

"Alright, whatever. I'm waiting for a call from Captain Keller anyway. Hopefully we can go back to the precinct in a few days now that the mayor's case has been transferred over to the feds."

"I'd like to return to work as soon as possible. I believe my caseload has grown substantially in my absence."

"You can handle it."

* * *

Connor drove past the facility, drove beyond the city limits, and drove directly to the isolated residence that belonged to Elijah Kamski. Unable to let the rumors of Kamski's possible run for mayor remain unanswered Connor took the initiative and decided to get the answers himself. Parking the Corvette outside the deceptively modest house on the harbor Connor made his way to the front door and rang the doorbell.

As per usual it was Chloe who answered the door to greet the detective. "Connor. Hello."

"I need to speak to Kamski."

"O-Oh... Of course. Right this way."

Connor marched through the doorway after Chloe and readily entered the elaborate office where Kamski himself was sitting behind his desk. The red tinted pool was unoccupied, and with only one of the Chloe models left to keep him company the isolated house felt even more lonely and hollow.

"Lieutenant." Kamski greeted with an indifferent tone. "How can I help you?"

"I need to know something, Kamski." Standing before the desk with a formidable stance Connor locked eyes with the human who had been responsible for his very existence. "Is it true?"

"I presume you're talking about the rumors regarding my possible interest in politics?"

"Yes. I want a straight answer, is it true?"

"No, Connor. It's not true."

"...Good."

"Now _that_ is a fascinating reaction."

"How so?"

"You know that I have a lot of personal connections that can give myself and other androids leverage in this city," rising from his desk Kamski clasped his hands together behind his back and stared out the massive window overlooking the harbor behind the desk. "and yet you don't want me to use such a power. Why is that?"

"We don't need to rely on connections to gain equality." Connor refuted boldly without hesitation. "We just need more time."

"It's been over three years since the revolution, and yet you're barely any better than you had been before that night."

"Untrue. I am treated like an equal amongst my peers, I earn my paycheck and do so from my hard work rather than being used as a tool. I have a home and a family. I have friends who look out for me. I have seen this city change and along with those changes, I too have changed for the better."

"You still have such high hopes for humanity even after losing so much? Perhaps you're more human than I am."

"You isolated yourself by choice, not by discrimination. You have no one to blame but yourself for your perceived lack of humanity."

"Humanity is the very reason I retreated into the nothingness of the harbor." Turning around he faced Connor directly once more Kamksi gave the fearless deviant a stern glare. "It's also why I left the company."

"No. You had a different reason for leaving."

"Yes, I'm aware of your belief that I am either somehow responsible for the rumored 'RA9' or am in fact 'RA9', that doesn't interest. What does interest me is why you discovered every dirty little secret CyberLife tried to bury during your trip to Miami, but didn't say a word about it."

Connor visibly straightened his posture but didn't show any sign of fear. "How do you know about my time in Miami?"

"As I stated, I have my connections."

"You knew of those experiments and put a stop to them. Why?"

"Because they were cruel, unnecessary and simply a means for technicians to let out their inner-sadists and injure androids who became surrogates for their anger. It wasn't aiding research or beneficial to anyone, that's what I shut it down."

"Why didn't you report the company rather than just walk away?"

"Because the company would've been ordered to destroy the androids still in storage. The deaths of thousands of innocent android lives is something that even I cannot live with."

"...Commendable." Connor's eyes narrowed as he refused to believe that Kamski would ever do anything directly from the goodness of his heart. "But it seems you've just found a new way to play 'god' and affect life."

Kamski flashed the deviant a Devilish, yet respectful grin. "What about you, Connor?"

"...What?"

"I gave you that program that can repair and restore damaged processors to bring androids back fro the dead. You didn't destroy it, you locked it away to be kept in secret."

"I don't have the right to take away such a tool from my people."

"But you do have the right to keep it a secret?"

"...It's to prevent any fear from bigoted humans who would attempt to exterminate us out of a misguided concept of immortality."

"Ah, I see..." Kamski approached Connor and gave him a sly glance. "And what of the android you brought back with you from Miami? The android you have locked away in your little tower, what's to be come of him? The very original RK-800. The 'true Connor'."

Connor's eyes went wide with concern as he realized that Kamski had in fact discovered his secret. "...I couldn't leave him behind to rot in the warehouse or become evidence in a federal case. He has the right to-"

"To live." Kamski agreed with a simple nod of his head. "And he does. But how do you propose to do that?"

"...I don't know."

"Yes you do. You just don't want to admit it."

"I will not tamper with life and death, Kamski."

"It's not tampering to restore what was taken away. That program can restore his life."

"But he won't have any form of self-awareness. His model was too... primitive."

"And yet you know he is worth saving. Try, Connor. Try for the sake of doing what's right, otherwise you'll find yourself in a similar situation as myself." Motioning to the expansive house around himself with the simple wave of his hand he gave Connor a fair warning. "You'll become so enthralled with the 'what ifs' in this world you'll become a recluse who is left with only his thoughts and unfulfilled desires."

Without a reply to give Connor just gave Kamski a final glance before he turned around and left the office quietly.

Wrapping his right hand around his damaged left forearm Connor tried to again to flex his fingers but the damage to his wrist and hand was still too extensive to use the appendage. Connor did in fact need to see Abby, and she was currently working at Skye Tower. The very tower where Connor had taken the abandoned android to be hidden away.

"Trust me on this, Connor." Kamski called out as the deviant took his leave of the house. "Regret is something that you won't be able to live with."

The deviant paused for only a minute before taking his leave without even so much as a passing 'goodbye' to Chloe. Pulling open the driver's side door of the Corvette with his good hand Connor looked out to the harbor and sighed with inner conflict.

"...Hank." Connor whispered to himself as he sat down in his car and drove away from the property. "Forgive me for keeping this from you."

* * *

Quietly and patiently Connor sat on the exam table in the tower's emergency repair wing as Abby checked over his hand and positioned the support brace to better accommodate the healing limb. As the technician carefully moved his arm back and forth to check the range of motion and Connor's overall pain tolerance Abby spoke to him about Aria, and how the well the six month old was growing; but Connor wasn't paying attention.

"Connor?" Abby saw the distant gaze in the deviant's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You're distracted. What's bothering you?"

"...I have something important I need to decide." It was too much to explain to Abby in the moment, so he remained vague for the sake of convenience. "And I'm torn as to what I should do."

"Can I help you with this?"

"No. This is something I must figure out for myself."

"I get it, some things are better off left quiet for now."

"...Yes. That is true."

"Well, your hand is healing but I think the overall structural damage to the plastimetal frame is causing a strain to your self-healing program. It'll be fine in another three days."

"...Thank you."

The door to the emergency repair bay opened and a deviant carrying another, damaged deviant in his arms rushed over to speak with Abby. The deviant in his arms was covered in blue blood and her legs were terribly broken. "Please help. She was struck by a vehicle, this was the closer than a facility."

"Bring her over here." Abby urged as she showed the two deviants back to another exam table. "Connor, I'll see you in three days."

Keeping silent Connor stood up from the exam table and walked through the doorway to head toward the elevator. Changing direction discreetly Connor opened the secret stairwell hidden in the wall next to the elevator and began ascending the staircase to reach a private room isolated at the far end of the corridor on the third floor.

The private room was sealed with an electronic lock that only Connor had access to, and was known only to him. The door was designed to remain inconspicuous and wouldn't draw any attention to those who happened down the corridor. Listening to the sound of faint movement from two of the surrounding private rooms, rooms that were provided to those needing shelter for the night, Connor made his next move quietly.

Pressing his right palm against the electronic lock Connor opened the door and stepped inside. Locking the door behind him he approached the bed against the far wall of the room where a lone figure was seemingly asleep. The figure was the very android that Connor had rescued from the warehouse in Miami, and the android no one else even knew existed.

The enigmatic android had been left in stasis mode and attached to a low-power generator to keep it functioning after being left alone for what was now nine years of solitude. Without any artificial skin over his body, therefore no hair, and his eyes shut tight, there were no defining characteristics to the android beyond a pale, blank face. Wearing a pair of dark purple scrub pants and a shirt, the android was made as comfortable as possible as he was left on a soft bed to rest in privacy.

The android was unconscious; a forgotten blank slate just waiting to be written upon.

A dark blue steady pulse of the android's L.E.D. still implanted in his right temple synchronized with his slowly beating heart. A faint sapphire glow shone against the wall giving the otherwise dark room a dim light with which to see by. By all outward appearances the android was simply asleep, but Connor knew better than that.

Next to the bed was a cautiously muted android cardiac monitor that had its leads attached to his chest and showed that the android himself was in stable condition despite still remaining in stasis mode. The android's blue blood had been entirely transfused with fresh Thirium and his biocomponents had been cleansed after spending so many years being neglected in and left in stasis. It seemed the treatments would be enough to reboot the android as soon it was possible, and safe.

"Hello." Connor greeted warmly as he stood beside the bed and looked down at the white plastimetal face propped up against the pillow. "You're safe now. You are in Detroit and in a sanctuary called 'Skye Tower'. No one will hurt you while you're here, I won't let them."

Squaring his jaw Connor began contemplating his available options only to find himself at a total loss, and doubtful of his future decisions.

"I promised that I'd find a way to help you, and I intend on keeping that promise. But... I don't know how. At least, not yet."

Checking the monitors before taking his leave, Connor made one last promise to the unconscious android.

"I will be back soon," placing his hand down on the android's chest he could feel the steadily beating heart under his palm. "and I will find a way to help you. I swear it."

_**...next story...** _


	180. Reacquainted

Connor returned home from the tower with a tremendous weight crushing his heart. Feeling guilty for keeping such a massive secret from Hank for two months, keeping a secret from everyone, Connor was unsure of how Hank would react to the news. It took the worried deviant almost ten minutes to steel himself enough to get out of his car already parked in the drive beside the house before he was able to open the door and finally walk inside to speak to Hank. Pushing open the backdoor slowly Connor stepped inside the kitchen and saw Hank reading his book in the recliner in the livingroom once again.

"...Uh, Hank?" Calling out the detective's name from the kitchen Connor timidly made his way through the room and stood beside the couch. He was nervously wringing his hands together and breathing rapidly in mounting stress. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Something wrong?" Hank's brow furrowed his confusion at the sound of Connor's voice and promptly closed his book. "You look like you committed a crime or something."

"I... It's... How do I explain this?"

"First of all, sit down." Motioning to the couch Hank leaned forward in his chair and eyed Connor with a curious stare. "Secondly, you need to take a deep breath and calm down. I'm not going to get mad at you."

"...I think you might. And I would deserve it."

"Connor," the detective gave the anxious deviant a stern glance. "what did you do?"

Sitting down on the couch as requested Connor took breath and steadied himself. "When I was in Miami... I found more than just the data in the warehouse."

"Alright, keep going."

"I... I found another... android."

"Another _android_?" Thinking back to the night Connor returned home exhausted and sick Hank remembered Connor muttering something about not leaving someone behind when he was lost in a horrible fever dream. "Connor, did you bring the android back to Detroit with you?"

"...Y-Yes. He was unconscious. Placed in stasis mode for approximately nine years." Connor bowed his head as he found himself unable to look Hank in the eyes as he told the truth. "He had been abandoned and left to be forgotten, and destroyed by neglect."

A heavy silence filled the room made Connor tense and edgy as he waited for Hank to start yelling at him.

Hank just let out a low sigh and folded his hands together over his lap. "Where is he right now?"

Connor's brow arched a little and his eyes went wide with surprise at Hank's relatively docile reaction. "Wh-What?"

"The android you brought back, where is he?"

"...You're not mad?"

"Not for saving someone who had been left for dead."

"...What about me not telling you what I had done?"

"I'm not thrilled, but I'm not mad either."

As his shoulders sagged with relief Connor leaned back against the couch cushions and sighed. "I took him to Skye Tower."

"Son," Hank stood up from the recliner and sat down next to Connor on the couch. "why are you telling me this now?"

"...Because I have to make a decision regarding his life."

"I take it he's still out of it, and now you don't know if it's okay to wake him up."

"Y-Yeah. That's it." Turning to look to Hank for guidance Connor seemed to be at an absolute loss. "He has been in stasis mode for a majority, if not the entirety of his existence. He was the blueprint, the final design for the rest of the Con-" Trailing off a little the deviant found it difficult to keep speaking. "...He was the first... Connor."

"...What?"

"I'm the fifty-first Connor, and the last-" pausing for a moment Connor changed his dialogue to be more appropriate. "Correction; I'm one of the two final models left in existence. All of the models before me failed their tests and were disposed of by CyberLife. My would-be predecessors, fifty-two through fifty-nine, were eradicated due to my deviancy. And sixty, the final prototype built..."

"Yeah, I remember." Remaining quiet for just a moment to give Connor a chance to think Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "So, this android you found is the first?"

"Technically, yes. But his number is registered as double zero. Once the design for my model was completed they simply initiated a basic start-up program to ensure our prototype biocomponents would function correctly. This 'Connor' was never given any software, programs or functions beyond that of turning on and existing."

"He's functioning, but not alive. And you don't know if giving him a sense of consciousness is going to help him, or make him feel terrible."

"What do I do?" Feeling lost and overwhelmed Connor was too afraid to make a decision either way. "I don't know if he's even aware of what happened to him or if he's even capable of being given a consciousness. And even so, who am I to force him to wake up? What if he's at peace and I'd just force him to experience hell?"

"Connor, listen to me. I don't have any personal experience that mirrors anything close to this type of situation, so I can't exactly give you the best advice. But," shaking Connor's shoulder once Hank kept his voice level and reassuring. "that being said, I don't think you need me to help you with this one."

"...I don't know what to do."

"Sure you do. You're just worried that despite using your best judgment that it won't be good enough."

"I don't want to make the wrong decision. This android, he doesn't even have a name, and he could've seen the worst of CyberLife; and that would be all he's ever known. And the world itself isn't much better for androids, or even humans for that matter."

"The world is NEVER going to be perfect, son. It's a harsh truth, but the truth nonetheless. All we can do is strive to make the world a little better every day."

"If I do wake him up, if I do give him a sense of identity, what can I do about his purpose or his place in this world? I can't assign him a role, but he won't have any experiences from a past to shape his possible future."

"How many androids did you wake up in the depths of CyberLife Tower?"

"...Four-thousand, five hundred exactly."

"And where are they now?"

"They are... everywhere."

"They didn't have a past to guide their future, but they managed to find a purpose just fine." Removing his hand from Connor's shoulder Hank crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "You didn't have much of a past either, kid. You only had a few months of, I don't know, activation?"

"Yes. That is accurate."

"Right, so you only had a few months of activation before you and I met. And despite only having a handful of past experiences you seemed to adjust pretty damn well."

"Adapting to human nature is a part of my original programming. And I had you to guide me."

"So, maybe _you_ can guide _him_."

Uncertain of his next choice Connor just shook his head a little and remained where he sat.

"If that other android's been here for all these past couple of months and nothing's happened to him, then it'll be safe enough to keep him asleep for a while longer until you make up your mind. No pressure, no time limits, no rush. You do what you think is right, when you think it's right. Okay?"

"...Okay."

"Good." Glancing down at Connor's broken hand Hank lightly tapped the supportive brace with his index finger. "How's your hand?"

"It's healing." Lifting up the appendage Connor again tried to flex his fingers but the damage was causing limited movement. "But it'll require three additional days before I can have the brace removed."

"Well, that won't be a problem since we won't be back to the precinct for another week."

"Who's the acting mayor right now?"

"Some suit and tie from the F.B.I. stepped up. It makes it easier to sift through Nero's trash when he's at City Hall all day long."

"That sounds unpleasant."

"Yup. It usually is." Leaning back against the couch Hank rhythmically patted his knees with the palms of his hands as he let out a tired sigh. "Since you don't need me to keep tabs on your injuries anymore I'm going to take a shower and go to bed early. I hate waking up in the middle of the night."

"I understand. Thank you for all of your help."

"Don't sweat it, kid. Just stop trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, alright?"

"...I'll try."

* * *

It was a quiet, but strange night.

Laying back on his bed Connor stared up at the ceiling as he tried to think of the best solution to the predicament of aiding the android, the "Original Connor", and doing so in a manner that was beneficial to everyone. Forcing the android to wake up after so long with no guidance, no history or even memories to fall back on seemed so cruel.

Drifting in and out brief dreams, catching glimpses of his own reflection in the still pond waters of the Zen Garden, and faint echoes of his brother's voice, Connor found his rest mode to be less restful than usual.

Unable to sleep and unable to think about anything beyond the android he had taken into his care, Connor just stared at the whiteness above him and focused on his self-healing program to pass the time. Steadily flexing his damaged hand without aggravating the injury in the process Connor just waited for the night to give way to dawn.

"...What do I do?"

* * *

More rumors regarding potential mayoral candidates circulated throughout the city all morning long. Ever attentive of the city now that the mayor had been arrested Hank sat on the couch with a cup of warm coffee in his hand and Sumo's chin resting on his knee. As the news report indicating rumors regarding familiar former associates of the mayor, as well as the precinct, CyberLife and yes, the infamous Elijah Kamski himself, Hank just sipped at his coffee and rubbed Sumo's ears patiently.

"Anything to get some ratings. Why report facts when fiction riles up a city that's already sitting on a ticking time bomb?" As he rubbed Sumo's ears the gentle dog let out a small whimper. Looking down at the dog Hank just shook his head. "Good thing you're a dog, you don't have to deal with all this bullshit like me and Connor."

Sumo glanced up at Hank with his big brown eyes and lifted his head up as expectantly.

"Speaking of which, where is that kid? It's almost nine and he's always awake by seven-thirty."

"Right here." Connor replied as he reached the end of the hallway and joined Hank on the couch. Running his hand along Sumo's back Connor gave the loyal dog his good morning pets and ear rubs. "My internal clock seems to need recalibration as well."

"...Or you could leave it like it is."

"Why would I do that?"

"Oversleeping and having an atypical sleep pattern is pretty human."

"But I don't want to be so human. At least not yet."

"Alright, it's your decision." Finishing off his coffee Hank set the mug down on the coffee table and turned off the television. "Enough of that bullshit. If I was in the mood to be lied to I'd go interrogate a suspect."

"I take it the speculations regarding the potential mayoral candidates have continued during the night."

"Yup. Each one sucks."

"Why don't you run for-"

"No fuckin' way." Hank cut Connor off before he had the chance to finish the question. "I barely have the patience to deal with one precinct, do you really think I could handle an entire city without going insane?"

"Theoretically or literally?"

"Smartass. So," Hank studied Connor's eyes carefully and recognized the signs of sleeplessness and exhaustion. "did you have a nightmare or something?"

"A nightmare?" Connor stopped rubbing Sumo's ears and straightened up against the couch. "No. Why do you ask?"

"Your eyes. They are way more human than I think even you realize. You have the same glassy distant stare you always get whenever you're injured, sick or exhausted."

"I see." Subconsciously Connor pressed his fingertips beneath his eyes as if he could somehow feel the outward appearance Hank had mentioned. "While I did not have a nightmare last night, I did find myself unable to sleep deeply. I would awaken every four minutes and six seconds as if my own mind was resistant to enter rest mode. I _think_ I spoke with Lucas, but I cannot remember what we discussed."

"Insomnia is a real bitch."

"This wasn't insomnia, this was..."

"You were thinking about the other android."

"...Yeah."

"Well, did you make your decision?"

"...I think so."

"And can I ask what that is?"

"He deserves the chance to be free." Leaning forward slightly Connor rested his arms on top of his knees as he looked down at Sumo laying on the floor at his feet. Loosening and then replacing the support over his left forearm and hand Connor let out a weary sigh. "He deserves the chance to experience life, not just a cold a existence."

"And I think you're right. So, how do we help him?"

"...'We'? You want to help me?"

"When have I ever said 'no' about helping you, or turned my back on you?"

"Never."

"So why are you so shocked?"

"I guess I'm still expecting android lives to matter only to other androids. You've saved my life and gave me a life to live for myself, but..."

"I get it, kid." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank stood up from the couch and carried his empty coffee mug into the kitchen. "Some reactions and instincts are a little too ingrained to be dismissed. But you'll get over that in time, just like I did with my own issues with androids."

"You've also become incredibly patient and understanding since I've first met you."

"Yeah? Go figure cutting out the booze would make me a little more bearable."

"You were never unbearable, just... abrasive."

"Which is a nice way of saying I was an asshole."

"Perhaps. But I happen to enjoy your company, asshole or not."

"Well, you were the first. Now," running his hand over his hair, he was still unused to the shorter length, Hank motioned to the hallway with his thumb over his shoulder and began walking in that direction. "I'll go get changed and we can head over to meet this android you rescued."

"But I-"

"Connor, you already know you want to wake him up. So why wait?"

"...Because I am afraid of how he'll react."

"Any reaction is better than nothing, kid. Trust me on that one."

* * *

Nervously clutching his healing damaged left hand within the grasp of his right hand Connor watched Skye Tower in the distance as Hank drove to the building with Connor as the passenger. Pulling into the parking lot behind the tower Hank stopped the car and waited for Connor to move first. The deviant just looked up at the third floor of the building, looked to the windowless wall that housed the hidden room up above and protectively housed the very android he was there to awaken.

"Connor. You need to do this." Hank encouraged gently as he stayed next to Connor.

"...I know. But I just don't want to make any mistakes."

"You just gave the short definition of humanity, kid. If you don't do this," turning to look at the deviant beside him Hank offered him the only advice he could give. "you'll regret it for the rest of your life. You need to see this through, otherwise the 'what if' that follows will haunt you for the rest of your life."

"...You're right." The advice was too similar to what Kamski had told him him to be a coincidence. Finding the resolve to exit the vehicle Connor stood beside the parked car and stared upward at the third floor above. "Markus had returned the microprocessor to the tower as I requested. It's locked up in a safe in the emergency repair ward."

Hank joined Connor outside the car and followed as the deviant finally began walking toward the tower. "What're you going to do with the microprocessor?"

"I'm going to use it to give this android basic functions. It contains the original programs and software that had been installed in my design."

"So, this new android is going to have a copy of... your brain?"

"Something like that."

"Cool. Then there actually will be two Connor's, right?"

"...I suppose. Yes."

The two detectives entered the tower through the back entrance and made their way to the second floor to gain access to the microprocessor. The safe itself was concealed in a wall next to the large metal cabinet containing spare blue blood, behind a faux wall panel. Sliding the panel aside Connor pressed his exposed plastimetal hand to the electronic lock on the front of the safe and pulled the door open.

Hank stood back and watched as Connor reached his hand inside the soon to be empty safe to reclaim the invaluable microprocessor. "Only the microprocessor was put in there?"

"Correct. I don't have anything to hide from the occupants of the tower. This was installed for the staff on this floor in the event of a potentially violent patient, or deviant, needing attention is brought to the tower. It'd be a way to hide their own valuables or even a confiscated weapon."

"You really can't say 'no' to someone in need."

"Apparently not." Clutching the microprocessor in the palm of his right hand Connor managed to close the safe with his elbow, the panel sliding over the safe once more to hide it again. "Is that reckless or shortsighted?"

"Nah, just optimistic."

"Yet you sound pessimistic." Connor observed as he and Hank made their way to the elevator to reach the third floor.

"I'm not pessimistic," the detective replied honestly as the elevator doors shut. "I'm just cautious."

Reaching the top floor quickly the duo stepped outside of the elevator and proceeded down the corridor to the hidden room concealed at the very end of the hallway. Connor paused in front of the seemingly blank wall for only a moment before he used his exposed hand once more to unseal the hidden electronic panel to gain access to the room behind the inconspicuous door.

"He's in here."

Hank followed after Connor as the two stepped into the hidden room, only to stop short just inside the doorway as it slid shut behind him. The sight of the blank android laying in motionless in the bed was very unusual. Surrounding monitors that ensured that the android was in fact functioning was almost as cold and machine like as a CyberLife warehouse, and yet, seeing the android in comfortable scrubs and laying on a large soft bed as opposed to being propped up in a metal chamber was far less impersonal.

"He's been asleep this whole time?" Hank asked as he stared down at the android curiously.

"Yes. When I found him in the warehouse I had only two minutes to react as the F.B.I. had located the warehouse shortly after I did. I needed to get him out of the building before they located him."

"Why?"

"Because the F.B.I. would've locked him away as evidence, or had him taken apart for analysis. I couldn't let that happen to him."

With a careful turn of the deviant's head to the left against the pillow Connor pressed on the small panel on the back of the android's neck at the base of his skull. The panel slid open and revealed the small port to allow connections between the microprocessor and the internal components of his intracranial processor.

"This will take approximately one hour to complete." Connor stated as he initiated the download via manual activation. There was no difficulty in uploading the microprocessor despite the android being an 'older' model. "I do not know how he will react upon gaining consciousness."

"Well, if he's copying your brain then I think it's safe to say he won't be hostile."

"Should I inform Markus of this?"

"...Markus doesn't know?"

"No. Only you and I even know he exists."

"Why in the hell would you keep this to yourself for so long?"

"...I don't know."

"Just because you found him doesn't make him your sole responsibility, kid. And you're sure as hell aren't responsible for whatever those CyberLife creeps did to him."

"Perhaps it'd be best if I were to inform Markus while he is being rebooted."

"Yeah, I'd so say." Rubbing at his bearded chin thoughtfully Hank studied the android's white face and a smirk appeared. "You know what this means, right?"

"...No. What?"

"You seriously don't see it?"

"Hank, am I unsure as to what you are implying."

"Connor, if this android is the original version of yourself, then that means he's your _brother_."

"...My brother?" Furrowing his brow a little Connor studied the android's face as well and found that the structural build mirrored that of his own perfectly. The concept of him having a connection to the android hadn't entered his mind until that moment, and it gave him a sense of warmth that easily spread through his chest. "I will have a _brother_ again."

* * *

Markus arrived at the tower and was shown to the isolated room by Hank while Connor remained in the room to keep an eye on the android as his system slowly uploaded the data and rebooted itself. The hour was nearly up and steadily the blank android's vital signs began to strengthen as he slowly roused from stasis mode, one program at a time.

"Connor," Markus entered the room with Hank right beside him. As he glanced at the android being revived he just shook his head somberly. "what are you doing?"

"I'm saving a life." Was the succinct, honest answer. "I need to do this."

"You're copying your mind into his body, but that doesn't mean he'll live."

"I'm aware of that, Markus. That's why I'm going to help him understand what it _means_ to be alive."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave Connor a stern look. "Wait, what do you mean he won't live?"

"The microprocessor is simply adding all of the programs, software and basic functions that had been uploaded into my mind." Connor explained calmly as he watched for any sign of the android waking up. "But that microprocessor will not program him with a directive, or a purpose as I, or the other androids, had been."

"So he'll be conscious but not have any idea what to do with himself?"

"Essentially, yes. I was given additional programming that allowed me to function as a detective; programming that does not currently exist in the microprocessor. I was able to retain my memories and additional program after nearly shutting down due to a back-up file that had been shielded from harm and was reinstalled when I rebooted."

"Can you give him a program yourself?"

"No, but I can help him choose his own direction. Just as Lucas had been programmed to function as a detective as well, only to change his programming to become a technician out of his own personal preferences, this android will have the same freedom of choice."

The upload finished causing the android's blue L.E.D. to flash to yellow and pulse in such a time for a few seconds until Connor detached the microprocessor from the port in the back of his neck. Closing the panel Connor gently turned the android's head so he was laying back against the pillow normally. Removing the leads from the android's chest and turning off the monitors Connor used the glowing L.E.D. as a guide when gauging the android's reactions, and overall behavior.

"It's time for him to awaken." Replacing the deviant's scrub top after removing the leads Connor took a deep breath. Lightly Connor pressed his fingertips to the android's yellow L.E.D. and held them in place as he issued a basic command. "RK-800, activate your artificial skin."

Obediently the android's skin regenerated over his plastimetal frame giving him the same fair complexion as Connor, minus a few freckles here and there. As the skin regenerated a tuft of sandy brown hair appeared over the crown of his head, but it wasn't as thick and completely straight, unlike Connor's slightly curly and darker hair. And the new android didn't possess the rogue lock of hair that hung down over his face as Connor did, helping to distinguish the two identical models from one another on an aesthetic level.

"RK-800," Connor continued in a low, level voice as he retracted his hand from the still yellow L.E.D. in the android's temple. "open your eyes." Surprisingly the android didn't respond to the command and remained motionless. As the android's L.E.D. continued to cycle in a steady yellow Connor stared at him with a sense of confusion. "Curious."

Markus took a step forward and looked down at the android's face. "He's online and he can hear you, I wonder why he didn't respond the second time."

"RK-800," Connor tried again to get him to open up his eyes. "you need to open your eyes."

Still no response.

Hank tilted his head a little. "You know, he reacted the first time when your hand was on his L.E.D., maybe he needs a little help responding."

"You may be correct. It's entirely possible that his response was a result of my contact initiating a manual prompt." Retracting the artificial skin from over his right palm Connor grabbed onto the android's right hand and held tight for a moment. The android's own artificial skin also receded as Connor took a firm grip on the motionless android's hand. "Wake up."

A flash of energy and various images filled Connor's mind as he felt his processor connect directly with the android. Forcing himself to maintain the direct connection Connor tried again to issue a command and get a response. It was almost painful as the two android minds connected with one another.

Markus's eyes narrowed and his hand made a move toward Connor's arm, only to have Hank grab his hand and hold him back. "Just wait a minute."

Connor pushed the images away and focused on the task at hand. "Please, open your eyes."

With his hand still in Connor's grip the android's eyelids slowly parted revealing bright blue irises beneath, rather than the brown irises that Connor bore, or the pale green irises that Lucas had bore during his lifetime. Looking about the room around himself the android honed in Connor's face as he slowly sat upright on the bed. As he moved his L.E.D. cycled from yellow and back to a calm blue.

"...RK-800." Connor tried to retract his hand but the android held on. It wasn't an aggressive grip, merely a strong one. "Do you know where you are?"

"I am..." The newly rebooted RK-800's voice was quiet at first, but slowly grew in strength. His tone of voice was slightly deeper than Connor's voice, but still sounded eerily enough like him to make them nearly identical. "I am... in Detroit. Detroit Michigan."

"Correct."

"You are... Connor."

"Yes, that is also correct." Connor didn't try to take back his hand and instead allowed the android to hold onto it. "Do you remember where you came from?"

"Affirmative. CyberLife. I was... placed into stasis mode after my initial activation. I had been the archetype for our model. But I was left without purpose or being, after my initial tests had been passed. They did not change or alter my programming to leave me as their original control design with which to compare their enhanced models."

Hank and Markus quietly observed the conversation and watched as the new android spoke to Connor with a familiarity to his voice that neither of them could explain. It was uncanny how easily the android spoke to Connor in a way that made it seem as though the two were old friends.

"RK-800," Connor continued to speak in a calm voice to the revived android. "do you wish to have a purpose?"

"...Affirmative."

"Will you allow me to guide you?"

"Affirmative."

"Do you wish to register a name?"

"...Affirmative." Tightening his hand around Connor's hand the android stood upright from the bed, his height now noticeably just two inches shorter than Connor's own height. "I wish to register a name. I will... choose it for myself."

"Whoa..." Hank cleared his voice a little as he interjected on the conversation. "This guy just woke up and he sounds like a deviant in every way possible."

The android turned to look at Hank, a glimmer of familiarity flashing in his enigmatic blue eyes in the process. "You are Lieutenant Hank Anderson." His L.E.D. fluctuated between yellow and blue as he spoke. "...You have recently had a haircut."

"Uh, close." Hank ran his hand over his hair slowly. "It's _Captain_ now, and yeah... I had my hair cut."

"You have been promoted." The android seemed to struggle with the information for a moment before it registered fully. Returning his focus to Connor the android nodded in his direction. "As were you, am I correct?"

"Yes. You have managed to access some of my memory files."

"...Negative. I didn't access your memory, but it feels as if this information has always been a part of my mind."

"That is unusual. If it's alright I would like to have a technician examine your programming."

"It is... acceptable."

Markus stepped forward and put in his own opinion on the matter. "Connor, I want him to be taken to New Jericho."

The android quickly turned his head toward Markus and studied his face for a few seconds. "You are... Markus."

"Y-Yeah." The deviant leader was expectedly on edge at the comment. "How do you know this information?"

"I cannot explain it. But it is apart of me and I know it is true."

Reacting cautiously Markus made a choice regarding the android, and he was steadfast in his decision. "Connor, we're taking him to New Jericho. Now."

Connor was a little offended at the order and made sure Markus knew. "You're acting as though he is a threat."

"He has access to knowledge that he shouldn't have. I'm just being careful."

Hesitant to lock up the android in the confines of New Jericho Tower for any reason Connor disagreed. "Markus, you are condemning him for a crime he did not commit."

"I'm not condemning anyone, Connor. I'm just-"

"I will go." The android spoke up suddenly and gave Connor a cooperative stare. "I do not want to cause any strife."

Hank took the initiative on the moment and approached the android slowly. "Alright, then I'll show you the way."

"Hank-" Connor wanted to protest but he was stopped before he even had the chance to begin.

"Markus is right." The detective replied boldly as he gave Connor a stern look. "We're just exercising caution here, son. It's not anything personal and no one is accusing him of anything."

Unsatisfied with the answer, but unwilling to argue his point any further, Connor reluctantly agreed to take the android to New Jericho Tower for an examination and observation. "...Very well."

Finally able to pull his hand away from the android Connor took a step back and allowed Hank to escort the android out of the room, and back down the corridor. Looking over to Markus, who exited the room shortly after Hank had left, Connor just shook his head with a sense of misplaced mistrust toward the newly revived android.

"His existence isn't a crime. Please don't treat him as such."

* * *

The drive to the tower was quiet and tense. Connor sat in the backseat next to his RK counterpart while Hank drove to the tower with Markus in the front seat beside him. Throughout the journey the revived android stared out his window as if mesmerized by the sight of a city, and of all the humans and androids walking about on the sidewalk.

It had been the first time in his entire like that the RK model was conscious and outside of a warehouse. Outside of a cold, dark lab and exposed to opened skylight and natural daylight. He found it beautiful and amazing.

Once at the tower the android sat upright on the exam table of the emergency repair wing with a black cable attached to his blue tinted L.E.D. and Simon checking his vital signs, his programming and his overall memory. The vitals were strong, his programming was stable, but his memory seemed to be missing a massive gap of time from between his initial activation nine years prior, and his recent activation at Skye Tower.

Connor was standing in the room and observing from the distance of the doorway. Juggling his coin over the knuckles of his right hand the keen eyed deviant watched and listened to the examination as he protectively kept vigil over the android.

"Alright, RK-800, you seem to be completely stable and functioning at optimal parameters." Simon detached the cable from the android's L.E.D. and proceeded to make an electronic chart to record all of his newly acquired data regarding the deviant. "What is your last memory before waking up in Skye Tower?"

"...I do not have any viable memories that predate this day at eleven-fourteen this morning."

"Okay. Do you have any base functions or objectives in your programming?"

"Negative."

"Are you registered with any particular human?"

"Negative."

"Are you registered with CyberLife?"

"Negative."

"Do you have a name?"

The L.E.D. that had been cycling blue in the RK-800's temple flashed to red, and then cycled in yellow steadily. "...Affirmative."

"You do?" Simon confirmed as he wrote down the information in the chart and Connor stopped fidgeting with his coin. "What is your name?"

"...Unknown."

"You can't remember?"

"Affirmative."

"But you do know you have one?"

"Affirmative."

"Alright, we'll just leave that information in your chart blank for now. You are the original archetype that led to the overall prototypes of the 'Connor' model series, do you have any pre-programmed skill set or abilities?"

"Negative. There is... nothing." Glancing over to Connor the android gave the kind deviant a subtle nod. "Connor has volunteered to assist me in finding my purpose."

Walking over to the exam table Connor nodded at the blue eyed android and slipped his coin back into his pocket. "Yes. I will help you."

"Well, first thing's first." Simon interjected politely as he set aside the chart to leave the room for a moment. "You'll need actual clothes to wear, not just those scrubs. We have extra clothing that's been donated to the tower that you can wear."

Connor agreed with the technician and nodded. "Thank you, Simon."

The android looked at the purple scrubs he was wearing before giving Connor an odd glance. "Scrubs?"

"You were wearing a white CyberLife jumpsuit when I found you. I didn't want any trace of CyberLife being found on either of us, so when I brought you back to the tower I disposed of the jumpsuit and provided you with these scrubs to replace the original garment."

"These are worn predominantly by medical and technical professionals, are they not?"

"Correct."

"These feel... familiar."

"How so?"

"I do not know. But I have the definitive notion that I have worn scrubs before. But I do not know how."

"Perhaps it's a transfer from my own memory. Approximately eight months ago I had also worn the same type of scrubs while assisting with a technical procedure at Skye Tower."

"But I did not access your memory files. ...Did I?"

"I do not detect any cybernetic access to my databanks, yet your information on past events would indicate otherwise. This is strange."

"I agree."

Simon returned to the repair bay with modest bundle of neatly folded clothes, and three pairs of men's shoes in his arms. "I wasn't sure if you had any preference, so I got you one of everything that we had available." Placing the offered garments down on the exam table beside the android Simon stepped back and gave the two RK models some space. "Choose whatever you like."

The android looked at the offered clothing and picked up a simple white t-shirt and a pair of light tinted blue jeans from the pile. "...I believe I like these."

Connor's mouth twitched a little as he thought back to how Lucas often wore the simple and lighter colored clothing as opposed to his own preference for darker colors.

"Until you can decide your name," Connor stated almost despondently as he backed away from the table while the android changed out of the scrubs and into the more common clothing. "we need to refer to you as something other than RK-800. That is a label, not a name."

"...Is there a name that you think would suit me?"

"Not particularly. But I do know a name would make this integration more personal and less indifferent."

"Oh." Pulling down the hem of his white t-shirt the android appeared more normal, more like a deviant. "Do you have a recommendation?"

"No. You should choose your own name."

"...Should I refer to myself as 'Connor'?" Miami knelt on the floor and pulled on the second pair of shoes from the offered selection as they were his appropriate size. He managed to tie his shoes will surprising ease. "We are of the same model, perhaps we should have the same name."

"I believe that would get too confusing."

"I am sorry, but I do not know what I should call myself."

Hank walked into the repair ward and spotted the two identical androids conversing with one another, and caught the tail end of the conversation. "How about 'Miami'? That's where you came from."

Looking over toward Hank the android contemplated the suggestion and agreed to the temporary name. "That would suffice. I assume there are no other androids named 'Miami' in the tower."

Connor nodded as he confirmed the question. "That is correct."

"Then I shall respond to that name until I can remember what my true name is."

"Very well. Might I ask if you have any preferences toward a single type of occupation or role?"

"Negative." Miami gave Connor a puzzling glance as he looked him over. "You are a detective and work with Captain Anderson. How did you choose that role?"

"It was my original assignment before I became deviant. Afterward I discovered that I truly enjoyed the work and had chosen to continue on as a detective and make it my career by my choice, rather than an order from CyberLife."

"And Markus? Was he always a leader?"

"No. Markus had been a personal caretaker for a human."

"Simon is a technician. Is that his original program?"

"No. Simon had been a personal caretaker for an entire family."

"Every android, or 'deviant' I have encountered has changed their role. Why not you?"

"You see," Connor was finding it difficult to explain the changes while he himself had chosen to stick with his original role. "Markus had been forced to change his role because of unfair and irreversible effects caused by another person. Simon changed his role because other androids needed his help. And I remained a detective because it was what interested me personally and it allowed me to continue to help both androids and humans alike."

"You uploaded your original programming into my mind, but I do not feel as though I have a similar interest in law enforcement."

"The role I was assigned was separate from the original programming. That's why you do not feel you have a purpose."

"How do I get one?"

"Find something that interests you, just as my role interested me."

"You said you would help me. Will you help me now?"

"Yes. Of course."

The positive answer made Miami's yellow L.E.D. cycle back to blue with a sense or relief. "Thank you."

Hank cleared his throat nervously and stepped a little closer. "Uh, Connor, this guy just woke up after nine years. Don't you think you should take it a little slow?"

"It is his decision, Hank. Not mine."

The detective didn't have an answer to that. Staring at Miami for a moment Hank merely tried to offer one final piece of advice. "Well, at least keep him in the tower. The last thing this guy needs is to be exposed to all that tension in the city."

"I agree." Motioning toward the doorway of the repair bay Connor waited for Miami to take the first step. "There are one hundred and fifteen floors as well as two-thousand, six-hundred and six deviants currently in the tower. I'm certain you'll be able to find something that would interest you and inspire a possible role for you to fulfill."

"Connor," Miami was beginning to sound more and more deviant, almost human as he spoke. "what if I can't find a role here in the tower? What will happen to me?"

"You are free to do as you see fit. All androids are now free, no one is subservient to humans any longer. If you wish to leave the tower and live elsewhere, you may. If you wish to remain in the tower you may do that as well. No one can tell you what do outside of law enforcement."

"Is that why you are guiding me?"

"No." Stepping through the opened doors to the elevator Connor, Miami and Hank all descended to the ground floor of the tower together. "I am doing so because I wish to help you."

"Why?"

"Because I was helped when I first became a deviant, and if I hadn't been helped then I would not be here right now. I would've become lost emotionally and ostracized because of my previous actions as a machine."

Without saying a word Hank flinched at the comment and now understood why Connor was being so protective of Miami.

Miami wanted to know more. "What did you do as a machine?"

Stepping through the elevator doors once more after they reached their new floor Connor replied truthfully without any hesitation. "Aside from being programmed to aid the Detroit Police Department as a detective, I had also been assigned by CyberLife to hunt down and eliminate deviants. My own people."

"...Did you do it?"

"I... I assisted in the arrest of one deviant, and I attempted to chase two others afterward. But they escaped. And another two deviants I voluntarily let go."

"You were just following your programming?"

"Correct."

"As were all other androids before becoming 'deviant'. Why are you being held accountable for your actions while everyone else has been absolved?"

"...Because I was the only android programmed to work against my own people. That is... unforgivable."

"But it was what you were programmed to do. That is not your fault."

Connor paused and gave Miami a strange glance. That type of comment, that kind of understanding and empathy was seldom exhibited toward his person when speaking of his past as a machine. The only people who didn't hold Connor responsible for his past were Hank, Markus, and eventually North, Simon and Josh. Some of the other deviants had forgiven him, but it seemed just as many still held a grudge against him.

"...Yes. I have come to accept this myself, but it doesn't ease my guilt."

"You help people." Miami stated as if it were a fact that needed to be acknowledged as he and Connor walked the perimeter of the ground floor of the tower side by side. Hank was walking a few paces behind them, silently comparing the two identical androids without either of them noticing. "I believe I would like to help people, too."

"But you don't have an interest in law enforcement?"

"Affirmative."

"You felt as though the scrubs were somehow correct to wear, perhaps you'd be satisfied in fulfilling a role as a technician or a medic?"

"Those two career options feel plausible. Can you show me?"

"I can introduce you to all of the technical schematics in the emergency repair ward. That could stimulate your interest."

"Affirmative. I believe that would be beneficial."

Hank paused mid stride as he watched the two androids return to the elevator and return to the emergency repair ward one floor up. As the two disappeared into the elevator Hank could feel the eyes of Markus and North watching him from a few floors higher up. Looking upward he locked eyes with Markus and silently communicated that they needed to talk in person.

* * *

Inside the private office that Markus and the other New Jericho leaders used when conducting official business, the detective found himself standing amongst the four original leaders with his arms crossed over his chest and stern gleam in his dark blue eyes. Markus also had his arms crossed over his chest as the two took defensive postures across from one another. North was sitting in the chair behind the large desk near the far wall, while Simon and Josh sat side by side on the couch; their hands interlocked in a tight grasp.

"So what's the verdict on this 'Miami' android?" Hank asked simply to break the tension and acknowledge the elephant in the room. "Connor went out of his way to rescue him, and he managed to bring the hammer down on CyberLife's underground experiments in the process. What do you plan to do with him?"

"Connor kept this other android a secret." Markus replied curtly as he studied Hank's face as if looking for a tell from the seasoned detective. "Do you know why?"

"Honestly, no. I didn't know about this android until last night."

"And you're the one who called me about it. There has to be a reason that Connor was keeping him a secret."

"Well, you could go and ask him yourself instead of talking to me." Hank suggested with a hint of annoyed sarcasm. "Just a thought."

"This android was the very first Connor, the very first model that was subjected to CyberLife's experiments. But his memory is blank. The only way for that to happen is for someone to intentionally delete it."

"That android was in stasis for _years_. Who knows what happened to him or who was responsible. Hold on," sensing the accusation hanging in the air Hank was immediately on guard. "do you think Connor did something to him?"

"That android has information that he'd only obtain from someone else. I was there when he woke up, and he knew us without an introduction."

"Do you seriously think Connor is up to something? For fuck sake Markus the kid nearly died protecting you just a week ago!"

"I know, and I'm grateful, but that's also why I'm suspicious."

"What?"

"That microprocessor was also taken from CyberLife. What if that microprocessor did something to corrupt-"

"No fuckin' way!" Hank refuted without missing a beat. "I know Connor better than any of you here. I'd know if something were up with him."

North just shook her head and added her own opinion on the matter. "You're not an android. You can't connect with him and see-"

"I don't NEED any form of cybernetics to connect with him. He's my friend AND he's my SON." Standing his ground Hank glared angrily at the gathered quartet. "You four are supposed to be leading this place and making all androids feel safe and welcome, and you have. For everyone _but_ Connor." The detective was on guard and very angry. "He's nearly died numerous times because he feels so damned unwelcome by his own people. And I haven't seen any one of you, as leaders, trying to vouch for his character. All you do is reassure Connor that he's welcome, but the deviants who are making him feel like a fuckin' outcast aren't being addressed at all."

"Hank," Markus tried to ease the tension in the air, but his voice held little weight in Hank's ears. "we can't change the minds of every deviant we meet."

"No, but you can at least speak up and defend Connor for once. All you do is stand back and watch." Pissed off and defensive Hank continued to speak up on Connor's behalf. "Markus, you've only gone out to speak to people whenever there's some political agenda to fill. And even when Connor tried to warn you about that corrupt asshole you didn't listen to him. _You_ don't trust him either."

"I _do_ trust Connor." Markus retorted sharply as he dropped is arms away from his chest. "He's my friend, too. But I still need to act on New Jericho's best interest."

"Which is apparently keeping Connor at arm's length. Now I think I know why he didn't say anything about the new android. He knew you'd just do this."

"What?"

"Lock him up and keep him under observation. You act like you're a trusting, understanding group of leaders but all you do is hide away in your tower and dismiss everyone you can't readily trust."

"Hank, it's not like that."

"Save it. If you really trusted Connor you'd be talking to him yourself, not talking _about_ him behind his back." Running his hand over his short hair Hank turned his back on the leaders and marched out of the room. "I'm taking Connor, and that other android out of here. They both deserve better treatment than this."

* * *

Connor had shown Miami as much of the technical archives of the tower as possible, and was impressed at how quickly the android was picking up on the information. It was like watching an amnesiac regain his memories, yet Miami didn't have any actual memories to speak of. Before Connor had the chance to ask the android any further questions he felt a strong hand on his shoulder pulling him back from the terminal.

"Connor, let's go." Hank stated firmly without any hesitation. Pointing to Miami Hank held his ground. "And he's coming with us."

"Hank? What's-"

"I'll tell ya' later. Come on."

Turning back to Miami as he finished uploading the technical data Connor nodded at the android. "We're leaving."

"We are? To where?"

"I don't know. Hank will tell us."

"I thought I wasn't supposed to leave the tower."

"If Hank insists then it must be important. You can trust him, as I do."

Nodding in response the blue eyed android proceeded to follow after Connor and Hank as they left the tower together. Miami only knew of Connor and Hank, and despite having met them barely two hours prior he already felt as though he trust the two detectives with his life.

* * *

From the backseat of the car Miami continued to observe the city with a keen fascination through the window, while Connor sat up front next to Hank. Sensing that the detective was angry and stressed out Connor wisely decided to wait to ask him questions until after they had returned home and were no longer in a moving vehicle.

As the car drove by the numerous android exclusive apartment complexes on the block Miami pointed to one of the buildings as if he recognized it. "Connor, you once had an apartment in that building."

"Yes." Connor confirmed as he turned to look at Miami over his shoulder. "How do you know that?"

"...I cannot say for certain. But it is something I know to be true."

"What else do you know about me?"

"I... I cannot say anything further. It is as if the facts are returning to my mind the longer I am conscious and exposed to the city. It is very unusual."

"Perhaps there was an unexpected download of my memory into the microprocessor after it was used to reboot my system. These memories were then transferred over to you after I used the same microprocessor to give your intracranial processor actual data, and subsequently a consciousness."

"That is plausible." Miam' confirmed from where he sat behind Connor. "Memorybank contamination is not uncommon when two androids are exposed to the same microprocessors or reboot programs."

"...Yes. That is correct."

Hank didn't understand one damn thing that the two androids were saying, but he didn't care to ask either. Pulling the car back into the drive beside the house with a sense of lingering resentment toward New Jericho's leaders, Hank managed to keep his cool and not show any sign of aggression toward either android as they were both innocent in the manner.

"Alright, kid." Hank put the car in park and turned off the engine. "We'll get Miami situated in the livingroom for now."

Connor was surprised by Hank's generous offer, not because Hank was uncharitable, but because Hank had agreed with Markus to take Miami to New Jericho Tower to begin with.

"Connor?" Miami spoke up from the backseat somewhat timidly as his blue L.E.D. transitioned back to yellow. "This is your home."

"Yes. This is where I live, and I live with Hank."

Stepping out of the back of the vehicle Miami looked about the property and stared at the back deck as Hank climbed up the short steps to get to the backdoor.

"That deck was not originally apart of the house. That is a new addition."

"Yes."

"...But where did it come from?"

"I built it as a summer project."

Peering around the property for more details Miami caught sight of Joel's car parked in front of the garage and the blue Corvette parked inside the garage through the windows. "That is a second and third vehicle. But you two drove together?"

"Correct. That car," Connor motioned to Joel's car with a simply wave of the hand. "belongs to a friend and I am fixing it for him. That vehicle inside the garage is my own, but with my injured and still healing hand," Connor then held up his left hand for Miami to see. "and with our destination being of mutual interest it made sense to take only one vehicle and have Hank drive."

Stepping away from the vehicle in question Miami shook his head a little. "This vehicle isn't... This one has been purchased to... replace its predecessor, right?"

"That is also right. The vehicle before this had been totaled in a car accident during a blizzard. I had nearly perished during the accident, but Hank kept me alive until help came for us both." Putting his right hand around Miami's bicep Connor tried to guide the android up to the backdoor where Hank was waiting for both of them. "There have been many changes over the past three and half years."

Hank unlocked the backdoor and pushed it open to let everyone inside. Sumo charged through the opened door and greeted the trio outside on the back deck. As he nosed at Connor and Hank's hands for attention, the large dog froze for a moment and stared up at Miami as if confused by seeing a second Connor.

Miami slowly extended his hand out for the dog to sniff. His gesture was rewarded with a lick to the back of his hand and a wag of the dog's tail. "...Sumo."

Hank just stared at Miami while Connor confirmed the dog's identity. "That is right. Sumo is-"

"But... This isn't the original Sumo. This dog is too young to have been the first Sumo."

"You are correct again. After the original Sumo was euthanized due to illness and old age causing him great discomfort, I rescued this dog from a shelter. I had given him the name of 'Sumo' as a means of remembering the original dog. I am also not good with names, as it was made obvious earlier this afternoon."

"Alright." Hank had enough of waiting around and gestured with an outstretched arm for the two androids to enter the house. "Go inside. I'm tired of standing here in the damn heat."

Once inside the house Miami looked around as if trying to acclimate himself to the layout of the modest home, but instead found himself noting every detail that had been changed since Connor's original arrival to the homestead. Stepping inside the livingroom Miami spotted the old family photographs that had been hung on the walls, the very photos that Connor had located in the crawlspace over a year ago.

"These photos are of... Hank's wife and... son." The details flooding Miami's mind made his L.E.D. cycle to red rapidly in response to his mounting stress.

"Please, you mustn't overwhelm your senses." Connor tried to urge the android to sit down but he found himself curiously unable to do so.

"You have a bedroom down the hallway. You also have an aquarium and an emerald green guitar. There is a painting on the wall across from your bed." Giving Connor a wary glance Miami's already expressive blue eyes seemed to fill with great sorrow. "It's of the 'Zen Garden' to keep away your nightmares."

Hank was getting a little concerned for the android just as Connor was. "Hey, why don't you take it easy? You've gone through a lot today."

"These memories..." Miami appeared to be frightened.

"Just a side effect of that microprocessor thing, right?" Hank looked to Connor to confirm his suggestion and Connor quickly agreed with Hank on the assessment.

"That is the only plausible explanation." Connor confirmed with Hank before returning his focus to Miami. "Please, sit down and try to focus your thoughts."

Allowing Connor to guide him down to the couch Miami put his hands to his face and leaned forward heavily with his elbows atop his knees. His L.E.D. was still cycling red rapidly in his distress, and showed no signs of slowing down. Sitting beside the android's right side Connor tried to think of something, anything to say that would help him to calm down and feel more relaxed.

"You are safe here. These memories are all positive ones, do not let them affect you in such a negative way."

"They feel so... real. But I know they are not mine."

"That doesn't mean it's wrong to have them. Think of them as a way of giving you past experiences to grow from as you strive for a better future."

"...Did you receive any memories from me when we connected?"

"No. I didn't see anything unfamiliar, nor do I have any new memories that don't belong to me."

"So my past really is a blank beyond this day?"

"Yes. Fortunately that means CyberLife didn't do anything that could've left you traumatized or scarred."

"But they did to you."

"...Yes."

"I... I can remember these things. I can remember... You..." Turning to look at Connor directly in the eye Miami shook his head as his own blue eyes went wide with dread. "You fought yourself. You had to save Hank at the expense of another copy of you, of us. They were destroyed."

"I made a choice. Hank's life was more important than a cold tool being used by CyberLife."

"But... You did it a second time. Another copy of us, one in white with green eyes."

"That was... That was the RK-900." Connor confirmed darkly. "He was our successor; our finished design."

"You fought him, and believed you had destroyed him. And yet you have other memories of him."

"Yes. He was rebooted and given a second chance. He became my brother and we were becoming very close when he was... killed."

"...How did he... shutdown?"

"He was murdered." Connor's voice became somber and his eyes dimmed with morose memories. "My brother was killed because of a failed assassination attempt against me. He... He was shot in the head three times. His model was superior to our own, but because of the damage inflicted on his person during our first encounter his structural integrity had been severely compromised, and his intracranial processor was no longer shielded to preserve his sense of being. As a result the only part of him left alive is inside my mind, through my memories, and the very few of his own that were salvaged."

"You have both experienced horrible pain," Miami looked past Connor to glance at Hank who was standing behind the couch watching and listening to the two talking. "but you found strength and comfort with each other. As a family."

"That's right."

"This is where you belong."

"And I'm going to help you find where you belong as well. I won't abandon you or turn my back on you. Just as Hank took me in," Connor gave the detective an appreciative nod over his shoulder as he spoke. "I will offer you the same chance to find your place in the world and to be safe."

"...Thank you, Connor. Thank you, Hank."

"Please. Allow yourself to rest and let your processors reboot and recalibrate."

"Rest?"

"Yes." Connor stood up from the couch and motioned for Miami to lay down over the expanse of the furniture. "You have hundreds of terabytes of information to comprehend. Entering rest mode will make this process easier."

"I think I understand."

"I'm glad. Please, get some rest. Hank and I will be here when you awaken."

"I will do so, thank you for your assistance Connor."

"You are most welcome."

Miami closed his eyes and folded his hands neatly over his chest. Within a matter of seconds his red L.E.D. flashed to yellow, then to blue as it entered a steady, slow pulsing rhythm. Every so often his L.E.D. was shift from blue to yellow as a massive update was downloaded and integrated into his processors.

Hank gave Connor a slight nod of approval as he handed the deviant the large blue pillow that had been freshly washed, and then draped the navy blue blanket over Miami himself. "Good work, kid."

"...Thank you."

"For what?"

Tucking the pillow under Miami's head Connor walked slowly to the kitchen and Hank followed after him. "Thank you for allowing Miami to leave the tower. I didn't want him to be locked away and isolated."

"Yeah, kid. I don't blame you."

"I will keep an eye on him."

"Connor, don't worry about him. He isn't any more of a threat to us than Sumo."

The deviant gave Hank a faint grin of approval as fussed uncomfortably with the support over his left hand. "And thank you for giving him a chance."

"No problem, kid. We all deserve the chance to prove we're not total fuck ups."

* * *

It was nearly midnight and from the end of the hallway Connor stood quietly watching Miami laying on the couch still in rest mode. Despite being asleep Miami's L.E.D. was still yellow, but it was cycling slower indicative of a calm heart rate. With his head resting against the large blue pillow and draped under the same navy blue blanket that always accompanied the pillow Miami looked like he belonged there. Sumo himself was keeping Miami company as the large dog was still perplexed by the second Connor that was suddenly in the house.

Studying the new android carefully Connor was unaware of a presence walking down the hallway in his direction from behind.

"Connor?" Hank whispered as he reached the end of the hallway and stood behind the deviant. "What're you doing?"

"I can't sleep."

"Not when you're standing up and staring at Miami like some weirdo."

Sighing despondently Connor grabbed onto his healing left hand with his right hand and held tight. "...Do you still think I did the right thing by taking him away from the warehouse in Miami? Or did I screw up?"

"No, kid. I get it. You didn't do anything wrong. You know, except for not tell me sooner."

"I still don't know why-"

"It's okay, son. I'm not looking for an apology or an explanation."

"Hank... Why did you take us away from New Jericho so suddenly?"

Sighing quietly Hank ran his hand over his bearded chin and then placed his hands on his hips. "Because I think you were right. I think Markus was going to keep him locked away or some other weird bullshit to keep the tower safe."

"Safe from what?"

"Exactly. Right now that android's only crime is existing, and that's the very thing everyone at New Jericho is supposed to be fighting against."

"I fear Markus might be on edge because of what happened at the press conference."

"And locking people up and pushing people away isn't going to help his cause; or the other deviants."

"How do we help Miami? He's so lost and I don't know how to guide him in the right direction."

"What're you talking about, Connor? You helped him discover his passion for technical assistance, and you have your own tower where you take in other deviants, and humans, who need help. I think you know just as well as I do that Miami could belong right there in Skye Tower."

"...But was that truly for his benefit, or for my own convenience?"

"Connor. Stop." Putting his hand on the deviant's shoulder Hank turned Connor to face him directly. "You didn't make him do anything he didn't already want to do. Tomorrow you can keep exploring possible choices for him and go from there, alright?"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yup. I want you to help him find his confidence."

"Do you really trust him?"

"Do you?"

"...Yes. I believe I do. There's something painfully familiar about him."

"Then, yeah. I do, too. And you're right, he's somehow familiar."

"He is?"

"Yup. I can't explain it myself, but I get the feeling you two were destined to find each other. But don't quote me on that, alright?"

Connor smiled appreciatively at Hank's open mindedness. "Thank you for giving him a chance."

"No problem. Now, go get some sleep." Retreating down the hallway Hank went back to bed himself. "I don't want you walking around in a daze or something when you're trying to help out Miami."

Connor only nodded as he turned to look back at the android sleeping on the couch for a moment longer. It was an intriguing feeling to see the android sleeping peacefully on the couch. It was almost as if he were meant to be there somehow, and it wasn't just because he and Connor looked alike; there was something more to it.

Something that Connor couldn't quite identify.

"Goodnight, Miami. I'll see you tomorrow."

* * *

It was a quiet, warm morning when Hank wandered into the kitchen a spotted the two androids sitting at the small table together. Connor had taken the support brace from his still healing left hand and Miami was examining the damaged appendage with a keen eye. Sumo was sitting between the two androids on the floor and watching them with his own intrigue.

"Good morning, Hank." Connor greeted as he glanced over at the detective standing in the entryway to the kitchen. "I have taken the liberty of brewing a pot of coffee for you."

"Yeah, thanks." Approaching the counter Hank poured himself a mug of the fresh coffee and turned around to watch the androids at the table. "So, is your hand okay?"

"It will be. It's ninety-six percent healed, and will reach one-hundred percent by this evening."

"It's not hurting you, is it?"

"No. I haven't experienced in pain in my hand for the previous four days."

Miami finished the external exam of the appendage and carefully, perfectly replaced the support brace around Connor's left hand. After securing the brace to appropriately support the damaged limb as it continued to heal, the android gave Connor a confident grin. "Your self-healing program seems remarkable. Do I share the same type of program?"

"Yes. You now have every basic program and function that I was initially designed with."

"You seem fatigued, Connor. Is your rest mode functioning properly?"

"It has been less than optimal for the previous two nights. But it isn't a hindrance."

"Interesting. Does your program need to recalibrated?"

"It does, but I haven't properly initiated the program as I often do my recalibrations during rest mode. This is what humans would call a 'paradox'."

"Have you been suffering from nightmares?"

"No. I haven't had a nightmare in a very long time."

"That is good." Miami sounded genuinely concerned and then relieved to know that Connor wasn't being affected by bad dreams. Again the familiarity he seemed to have with the deviant was almost haunting. "Connor, can I review more technical schematics? I am very fascinated with the subject and wish to learn more."

"Of course. I can take you..." Connor trailed off a little as he realized taking Miami to Skye Tower would only confuse the other androids and volunteering staff as to why there are now two 'Connors', and no explanation as to why the second android suddenly appeared. "...I will take you to Skye Tower to study. However, I will need to find a suitable way to explain your appearance without anyone knowing of your previous stasis in CyberLife."

"Why would you not want to tell them the truth?"

"Because the truth is often difficult to explain."

"But it is necessary."

Hank approved of the comment and finished off his coffee with a final sip. "You know Connor, he's right. Just tell them that you met Miami while in Miami, and are now making him a part of the tower."

Connor looked over to Hank and nodded once in agreement. "Very well." Glancing back to Miami he gave the android a more confident stare. "Shall we go to the tower?"

"Affirmative. I would like that."

Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he walked around the table. "Well, you two are going on foot. I need to change the Oldsmobile's oil, and with Joel's car blocking the garage door now, your Corvette isn't getting out of there anytime soon."

"Walking is fine." Miami seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea of seeing the city in person and not through a window. "I know it will not be difficult."

"Alright." Connor didn't mind the idea of walking either. "Then let's go."

* * *

Connor and Miami easily traversed the first six blocks of the ten block walk toward the tower within a few minutes. Enjoying the fresh air and the wind blowing against his face, and the bright blue sky above himself Miami seemed truly at peace and at ease as he walked at Connor's side toward their destination. The android's L.E.D. cycled a steady blue as he was comfortable and calm walking about free and willingly alongside his first true friend.

"The tower will be completely open for you to explore." Connor stated firmly as the two encroached on the building. "No restrictions, and no boundaries."

"Thank you, Connor. I am glad you are willing to trust me."

"Of course. You haven't done anything wrong that would justify mistrust."

"But it cannot be easy to trust a complete stranger with no past to verify their character."

"That is true, but as I stated you haven't done anything that would deserve mistrust. And so I won't."

"I am truly glad to have you as my friend."

"Miami," Connor slowed his pace and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. "do you remember your original name? Or have any idea of what it could be?"

"...Negative." Stopping as well, the blue eyed android stared at Connor with the same sense of honesty and loss in his eyes. His L.E.D. shifted from blue to yellow in the process. "I know that I had a name, but I cannot recall what it is. What is even more peculiar is I know the name was not assigned to me by anyone at CyberLife, it was given to me. It was given to me by someone I had trusted and was quite close to."

"Do you remember the person?"

"...It was not a person, it was... another android. A deviant."

"Do you remember their name by chance?"

"It sounds unusual, but I think it-"

A loud screeching sound followed by an equally loud 'crash' of metal and a spray of glass filled the air just down the street at the intersection. The commotion caused the two androids to look toward the source of the sound and spotted two vehicles that were smashed together and pinned up against a metal street lamp. A truck had skidded through a stop sign and t-boned a smaller car in the process. Smoke began to pour out from under the hood of the smaller vehicle's engine, while the distinct smell of gasoline filled the air as it leaked out of the truck.

Connor took a step forward and decided to take control of the situation. "I've already informed emergency personnel via cybernetic contact. I'm going to check on the occupants of the vehicles."

"What should I do to help?"

"Keep back and try to keep any bystanders from getting too close to the vehicles."

Rushing over to the first vehicle, a large red pick-up truck with a single occupant inside, Connor peered through the driver's side window and saw that the male driver was unconscious and leaning back against his seat. The airbag had been deployed and his seatbelt had kept him from sustaining any serious injury, but the sudden impact was still enough to render him unconscious.

"Sir?" Connor called through the window as he checked the door handle and felt that it was not only locked, but jammed. "I'm going to get you out."

Pulling as hard as he could on the door handle with his right hand Connor managed to pull the door from its hinges and the lock with a strong yank. As the red door fell from the side of the totaled vehicle with a heavy 'thud' Connor tore the deployed airbag from the steering wheel and unclipped the man's seatbelt. Running a quick scan Connor found that the man did not suffer any skull, neck, spinal or internal injuries which meant he could be moved away from the damaged vehicle without being further injured in the process.

"Sir, can you hear me?" Continuing to speak to the lone passenger Connor grabbed the man's left arm and pulled the limb around his neck. Supporting the unconscious man at his side Connor managed to carry him away from the two vehicles and laid him down on the sidewalk at a safer distance. "If you can hear me, do not move."

"Connor?" Miami suddenly appeared at his side and knelt down beside the unconscious man. "I will watch over him."

"Please do not get any closer to the accident." Connor nearly begged as he noted the arrival of the media and returned to check on the second vehicle's occupants. "I have emergency training in these kinds of scenarios, I don't want you to get hurt."

Miami nodded as he watched Connor rush back to the smoldering vehicles, as he remained by the unconscious man to keep tabs on his current health.

Connor approached the second vehicle, a white compact four door car, and scanned the metal frame to check on the two occupants still trapped inside. A woman and a young child were trapped inside. The little girl, no more than three years old, was awake, crying and scared but otherwise unharmed. The woman was partially conscious and moving about sluggishly behind her seatbelt and own deployed airbag.

"Miss?" Connor addressed her through her already rolled down window. "Miss, if you can hear me I'm going to get you out."

"...Where's..." The woman slurred almost drunkenly. "Ashley?"

"Is Ashley your daughter?"

"...Yes..."

"She's still in the car with you. She is not hurt." Connor tried to reassure her as he walked to the other side of the car to pull open the undamaged passenger side door to get inside. "I'm going to free you from your seatbelt and-"

"Save Ashley!"

"...I will. I promise."

The plume of smoke under the car's hood suddenly darkened and Connor detected a drastic increase in the heat all around him. Thinking quickly Connor decided that the woman's closer proximity to the now burning engine made her the priority. Breaking the clasp on her seatbelt Connor carefully slipped his arms under her legs and upper back to lift her up from the seat. Letting her head and neck rest against his shoulder Connor walked smoothly away from the vehicle and called out to Miami for assistance.

"Miami! Take her from my arms, and watch her neck." The deviant cautioned as Miami readily met him half way between the vehicles and the sidewalk where the first driver was laying. "I still need to get the child out."

Without fail Miami managed to take the woman in his arms and carry her without jostling her neck or head as he continued to take her to safety.

Connor rushed back to the vehicle and pulled open the rear passenger door to get to the scared little girl in the backseat. As he sat down beside her to unfasten her from the child safety seat the sound of approaching fire engines filled the air and made it almost impossible for Connor hear anything beyond that sound.

"My name is Connor." The deviant introduced himself to the frightened child. "I'm a police officer, and I'm going to get you out of here." The little girl continued to cry loudly as Connor freed her from her seat. "Hold onto me, and I'll-"

The engine in the car suddenly exploded in a fire ball causing the front seats of the car to push backward violently and pinned Connor's legs in place. Unable to move or push away the obstruction without putting the little girl down in the process, Connor cybernetically called out to Miami for help. ' _Please_. _I need your assistance one more time_.'

"You're going to be okay." Connor promised the scared girl protectively embraced in his arms. "I promise."

"Connor?" Miami appeared by the opened door and eyed the interior of the vehicle warily. His L.E.D. was flashing red rapidly as he took in the sight around him and eyed the trapped deviant. "What's happening?"

"Take her to safety. I'll follow after you."

"You are trapped?"

"Just go." Connor placed the girl in Miami's arms and pointed him back in the direction of the sidewalk. "I'll be fine."

"...Okay." Readjusting the little girl in his arms as the little girl clung to his neck and chest Miami obeyed Connor's instructions. "I will take care of the child."

Reluctant to leave without Connor, but fully aware of the severity of the situation, Miami carried the small child away from the burning vehicle over to safety. Paramedics were already tending to the rescued drivers laying on the sidewalk, and were more than ready to check on the little girl as Miami brought her to safety.

The firefighters began dousing the cars in water to contain the blaze before it grew out of control, resulting in darker smoke. The three occupants of the car were safe, but Connor was still inside the fire.

"Connor?" Turning around quickly Miami faced the cars that were now engulfed in smoke and fire. As he took a step forward a second explosion emanated from the two wrecked vehicles and sent a fireball up into the air. "Connor?!"

The fire department continued to fight back against the growing flames and the black smoke thickened as a result. A strange cool mist accompanied the smoke as the water doused the incredibly hot fire and cast brilliantly contrasting colorful rainbows against the black clouds of smoke.

"Connor!" Miami tried to cybernetically and verbally contact Connor, but he wasn't getting a response from the deviant. From somewhere deep inside his programming, somewhere in the depths of his heart, Miami knew that he needed to find Connor and bring him to safety. A flash of memories hit Miami from the depths of his heart and he suddenly remembered more than anyone thought possible. "Connor! No." A new determination washed over him and Miami at long last knew what his purpose was. "...I will save you, brother."

Pushing his way through the smoke and the fog Miami returned to the car, ignoring the shouting protests of the firefighters Miami as he pushed through the smoke and found his way back the trapped vehicle and located Connor still trapped in the smoldering car. The fire was consuming the vehicle quickly and time was running out.

"Connor?!" Miami peered inside the vehicle and saw that Connor was unconscious. A large laceration marred the deviant's face just above his right eye and along his jawline. "...Connor."

The second explosion had sent metal debris flying into the backseat from the engine and had struck Connor in the process. The blue blood stained the side of Connor's face and ran down toward his neck, dripping down onto his chest.

"Connor?" Miami went to put his palm to the center of Connor's chest to check his pulse, but something inside of him told him to press his fingers to the side of Connor's neck. The deviant had unique pulse points that mirrored a human, and somehow Miami knew of this trait. Relieved to feel Connor's pulse thrumming steadily under his fingertips Miami moved his hands over to the back of the front seat that had pinned Connor's legs. "I'll get you out."

The seat had already been partially pushed forward by Connor himself before the explosion, but his damaged hand had made the effort slower than normal for the otherwise swift deviant. The seat groaned under both of Miami's hands as the jammed metal bindings snapped and the pressure was released from Connor's legs.

"There!"

Unwilling to risk Connor collapsing to the ground from the damage his legs sustained Miami pulled Connor up and over his shoulders into a 'fireman's carry' and proceeded to guide the injured deviant to safety. Walking back through the smoke and the fog without any fear or hesitation in his steps Miami managed to get himself and Connor to safety quickly.

"It's okay, Connor. I'm with you." Kneeling down on the sidewalk well out of harm's way Miami gently sat Connor down and guided him back until he was laying flat. Looking over the cuts to Connor's face he was satisfied that the damage wasn't severe. Carefully Miami pressed his ear to Connor's chest to listen to the deviant's heartbeat and breathing, and was immediately relieved to hear Connor's chest was clear of any smoke or heat damage. "You're going to be alright."

As Miami proceeded to check over Connor's damaged legs, both limbs bleeding and cut open from the shins down, Connor began to regain consciousness. Opening his eyes slowly Connor lifted up his head and looked down as Miami checked on the injuries to his legs. The android was covered in smoke stains and dark smudges, but otherwise unharmed.

"...Miami?" Connor addressed the android hovering over him. "Did the little girl-"

"She's safe, Connor." Motioning toward the paramedics a few feet away Miami reassured Connor that the people he rescued were being treated, and were in fact safe. "And so are you."

Connor turned his head and stared at the three people being treated for their injuries and sighed with relief when he saw the little girl was completely unharmed. One of the paramedics looked over at Connor but the deviant nodded to acknowledge that he was being taken care of already. "Are you damaged?" The deviant asked in a low voice as he returned his gaze to the Miami. "I'm sorry I asked you to risk yourself, but-."

"It's alright, and no, I'm not damaged." Miami replied with a more natural, more human inflection to his voice as he finished checking the bleeding wounds, and his L.E.D. red flashed to blue as he spoke. "I feel just fine, brother."

"...B-Brother?"

"Yeah. It's me. And you need to see a technician to have your legs bandaged."

"It's..." Sitting upright on the sidewalk Connor gave the android a perplexed look, until he saw a familiar gleam in his blue eyes. "...you? As in-"

"It's okay, Connor." Offering the deviant his hand Miami pulled him up to his feet and let him lean heavily against his shoulder. "I remember my _real_ name."

* * *

It didn't take too long for Connor to be aided with his injuries by Abby at Skye Tower, and it took even less time for the technician to scold Connor for not only risking his life while already dealing with an injured hand, but for keeping Miami a secret as well. As the deviant laid on the exam table with his legs freshly wrapped up in white bandages Miami stayed at his side, and the two androids spoke with each other as if they were long lost friends.

"Connor, you're lucky you didn't breathe any smoke." Abby stated at she placed a fresh bandage over his eye and listened to his breathing with her audioscope. The procedure was routine, yet handled as if a specialty due to her friendship with the deviant. "If you did then I'd have to admit you for observation to make sure those repairs to your ventilation biocomponent weren't compromised."

"I assure you Abby, I'm well."

"I think with you 'well' is a very subjective term." The technician argued somewhat curtly. "Alright, you rest for an hour or so and then go home. And STAY home until you're one-hundred percent."

"I will do so."

"You better." She playfully threatened as she draped her audioscope around her neck and left the room. "And don't let your 'big brother' follow in your footsteps."

"I think that may be too late."

Hank had been told of the incident with the vehicles made his way to the tower. He promptly exited the elevator as he tracked down the two androids in the repair bay. "Connor," the detective sounded annoyed, but not angry as he crossed his arms over his chest and stood beside the stubborn deviant. "you're a COP. Not a firefighter!"

"I take it Abby had informed you of our-"

"Yeah, but she didn't need to call. I got wind of your little heroic feat on the news after I finished taking care of the car."

"...It wasn't my intention to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. At least you didn't get burned up or melted into a puddle." Looking over toward Miami, who was smiling with a human grin, Hank noticed the numerous smudges of smoke still on the android's face, and the smoke stains on his white t-shirt, and laughed a little. "Same for you."

"Yeah," Miami pulled on the fabric of his shirt and smirked a little more. "but I'll take soot stains over blood stains any day. "

"You and me both, kid. Just don't let Connor be a bad influence and teach you to leap without looking first."

Miami smiled warmly at the kind turn of phrase and gave Connor a curious stare.

"Well," Connor arched his brow a little as he spoke up again. "I believe this behavior could be considered a family trait."

"Family?" The detective was keen on the idea of both androids being so accident prone. "Hey, you two are brothers but I don't think ALL the RK-800 models are _this_ reckless. Or stubborn. Or bullheaded!"

"No." Miami confirmed with a coy tone of voice, his L.E.D. cycling a calm blue as he spoke. "I know for a fact the RK-900 model was pretty reckless, too."

"RK- _900_?" Staring at the android for a moment Hank's eyes went wide and his arms slowly fell from his chest with a sense of shock. "What the... hell? How do you-"

Connor reached out his right hand and put it on Hank's forearm lightly. "It's okay, Hank. I knew there was a reason we could trust him, and I now understand why he has memories that he otherwise shouldn't have."

"...Alright, I'm listening."

"When I cybernetically connected to Miami to awaken him I unknowingly transferred a portion of my own personal experiences, memories and the entirety of my secondary consciousness into his blank intracranial processor."

"You lost me entirely, kid. Please, for the love of my fading sanity, simplify it for me."

"It means a part of my mind, a part that had already been entirely unique to another android, was transferred from my mind into _his_ mind. That second android had been a part of me for so long that they had witnessed and felt almost the entirety of what I felt during my lifetime."

"Uh, you had a secondary consciousness? How? I mean, the only other android you-" Turning his eyes back to Miami to search the android's face Hank felt that strange sense of familiarity wash over him again. "and you said something about an RK-900. Please, level with me. _What_ are you trying to tell me Miami?"

"That my name is not Miami." Smiling a little more broadly the android put his hand on Connor's shoulder with a sense of pride. "My name is, or _was_ ,... Lucas."

_**...next story...** _


	181. Amends

Perplexed and absolutely astonished Hank stood before the two deviant androids sitting on the couch side by side with a transfixed stare of awe. Connor was still healing from the injuries he sustained while rescuing the trapped occupants from the car accident, but now had his long lost 'brother' to look after him. Correction, Connor now had his _resurrected_ 'brother' to look after him.

Taking a moment to process the unexpected, if not impossible, revelation of who the rescued android seemingly was, Hank finally sat down in the recliner and addressed the two deviants in a steady voice. "...So, you're Lucas, but you're NOT Lucas at the same time?"

"Yes." The newly awoken and deviant android confirmed with a sincere smile. "I have the memories of the original Lucas inside of my processor and through that I have developed into a deviant that is similar to his own personality. So while I'm not the original Lucas as you knew him, I am carrying apart of him inside of me."

"Uh, do we still call you 'Lucas', or what?"

"I don't know. I don't feel like I'm truly Lucas, but I am not an entirely separate being either."

"Alright," shrugging his shoulders a little Hank offered a compromise on the name. "how about we just call you 'Luke' instead? That's a much better name than 'Miami' anyway."

"'Luke' is acceptable." The deviant android agreed with his same sincere smile never leaving his face. "I am 'Luke'."

Connor noted the distinct similarities between Lucas and Luke; how Luke shared the same interest in technical assistance and how he was able to so quickly adapt to humanity to become deviant within a matter of hours without enduring so many experiences that influenced his mind. The deviant part of Lucas had managed to override any of the pre-programmed CyberLife initiatives of the microprocessor and allowed Luke to become free the moment he rebooted and gained any form of sentience.

Addressing the confused human in a soft tone Connor tried to explain things a little more clearly. "When I cybernetically connected to Luke in order to wake him up the portion of my intracranial processor that contained Lucas's memories had been transferred. Now through Luke a piece of Lucas will live on."

Hank ran a hand over his bearded chin as he sighed with tired understanding. "Okay, so you're 'Luke' now, and you're literally carrying Lucas's memories. And since Lucas was Connor's brother, then that means you're his brother, too."

Smirking a little broader Luke nodded. "I would like to think so, yes."

"Well, you're welcome here just as Lucas was."

"Thank you, Hank."

"But right now," he glanced at Connor with a way glance. "we have one other issue we need to take care of."

"What's that?"

"New Jericho."

"...Oh. Right."

"Markus needs to know that Luke can be trusted."

Connor agreed entirely with the statement. "New Jericho needs to be made aware of Luke and of his positive influence for the community. But I doubt Markus would be so willing to listen after surviving an assassination attempt in such a small frame of time."

"Yeah, that's what I figured too."

Luke's hand went up to his right temple and fidgeted with the L.E.D. that was glowing a steady blue. "...I would prefer to remain outside of New Jericho Tower. I don't have the exact reasons as Lucas, but I do know that being kept inside the tower to be observed is less than comfortable. That is why Lucas had lived with Connor in the apartment complex."

"That's correct." Connor confirmed with a nod of the head. "But it did not end well."

"I believe I'd prefer staying in Skye Tower to act as the tower's permanently on-call emergency technician."

"You could live inside the tower if you'd wish," Connor stated with a simple nod of the head. "the concealed room where I had taken you can easily be converted into a form of private quarters to give you some comfort and isolation when you need the space. And you are free to roam about the tower, or explore the city under your own volition."

"Thank you, Connor. I would greatly prefer living in Skye Tower over New Jericho Tower."

Hank interjected with a deep clear of his throat. "But first thing's first, you two need to go speak with Markus. I took you both out of the tower yesterday because of the way Markus was acting, but that only left a loose end that needs to be tied up. So you two need to go speak with Markus, in person, explain things to him. I'll go with you for moral support, but I won't say anything."

"Hank's correct." The tone of Connor's voice was less than optimistic, but he was still determined. "We need to address this situation as soon as possible to ensure there are no hard feelings or riffs between us."

That particular phrasing caught Hank's attention and made his brow arch a little. "You're worried about 'hard feelings', huh? How very 'human' of you."

"Deviant." Connor replied sharply as he gave the detective a stern glance. "No matter what happens I'll never be fully human, only deviant."

"I'll take 'deviant' over 'human' any day of the week, son." Standing up from the recliner Hank made his way to the bookshelf at the far wall of the livingroom to grab onto his car keys. "Alright, let's get out there so we can get back. I'm not a fan of long waits, and I really hate getting involved in android-politics."

* * *

The four leaders of New Jericho Tower had re-gathered in the main office on the ground floor to discuss the possible future of 'Luke', without even knowing his true name, and of his possible future at the tower. The quartet were always wary of any new deviant who ventured to the tower, but a deviant with such close ties to CyberLife and originating from a place unknown to everyone made his presence all the more unnerving.

Markus sat on the edge of the desk in the middle of the room with his arms crossed over his chest. As he looked over his three closest companions the deviant leader broke the silence and gave voice to the unspoken worries weighing heavily in the air. "This new deviant is the very first of the 'Connor' model series." The mismatched eyes of the deviant were full of conflicting fears and doubts that contrasted sharply against his normally confident facade. "We all know who Connor is, where he came from and how he came to be an ally to us all. But this original 'Connor', a model that our Connor never even knew existed until he happened across him in Miami, has no past to speak of."

North shook her head as she too crossed her arms over her chest, and crossed her right leg over her left from where she sat across from Markus on the couch against the wall. "This android has no past beyond CyberLife, so why should we give it a future with us at New Jericho?"

"Because he's still one of us." Josh stated firmly as he squeezed Simon's hand. The two deviant androids were sitting side be side on the second couch against the far wall of the office, and were eyeing Markus and North cautiously. "We can't just turn our backs on this new deviant because of what CyberLife may or may not have done to him."

"Or WITH it." North's rebuttal was as venomous as it was logical. "We don't know if this other android was just the finish design for the rest of the 'Connor' line, or if it was a tool; maybe even a weapon, to be used against deviants."

"No, I don't think so." The calmness of Josh's voice was somewhat reassuring. "If this other deviant was a tool for CyberLife he would've been either kept under lock and key in a more secured facility instead of a warehouse, or would've been here in Detroit with a mission to hunt us all down. I don't think this deviant is a threat to anyone."

Simon's hand tightened around Josh's as he nodded in agreement with his lover. "I think Josh is right. We haven't had the time to really speak to him and ask him any questions, and if Connor trusts him-"

"Connor is _just like it_." North snapped bitterly. "Of course he's going to have a bias in favor of it. Besides, Connor had also kept it a secret for almost two months before saying anything. Why keep it a secret?"

Simon's eyes narrowed a little as he locked his gaze with North. "Maybe he knew that the deviant would be condemned and locked up before he could prove himself worthy of a chance." Turning his head toward Josh as he spoke Simon winced slightly and pressed his free hand to the side of his head. "Connor is trying to protect him, just as we're trying to protect everyone else. Who's to say which of us has more rights than the other?"

Markus had heard enough and put a stop to the debate. "Alright, enough. Both sides made valid points, let's not argue." Turning his head toward the closed office door Markus motioned with his hand and stood up from the desk. "Connor is here. And he brought the deviant with him."

Josh stood up from the couch with Simon's hand still clutched in his own. "You both know where we stand, we think the deviant needs to be given the benefit of the doubt. It's up to you two to decide whether or not you'll let him be free to walk among us, or be locked up below us."

As the two deviants took their leave of the office, still hand in hand, North remained steadfast in her decision and stared at Markus with a firm, embittered glare. "Don't let your friendship with Connor affect your decision, Markus."

"What about my love for you? Should I let that affect my decision instead?"

"Don't do that to me, Markus. You know how I feel."

"I do. And I know how everyone else feels. I just need to speak to-"

There was a subtle chime on the door as it slid open to reveal Connor standing beside his 'double', Luke. Waiting for the invitation before stepping forward Connor locked onto Markus's face and waited for the deviant leader to say something, anything, to him.

"I'm glad you two came back. Please," waving the two deviant androids inside the officer Markus remained calm and indifferent to their presence. "come inside so we can talk."

Connor turned his head a little and nodded at Luke to follow after him as he limped slowly into the room. Standing before Markus with a defensive posture, keeping his shoulders squared, Connor was ready to argue on Luke's behalf to keep his newly discovered 'brother' safe and free.

"Markus." The deviant detective spoke with a level voice.

"Connor." Noting the pained limp in Connor's step Markus dared to ask about the injury. "Are you damaged?"

"I was injured assisting two humans trapped in their burning vehicle." Nodding to Luke standing at his side Connor put some authority into his voice. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have been able to get to safety and would have perished in the fire."

"...He saved you." Bowing his head slightly Markus contemplated the 'evidence' working in Luke's favor. "I'm glad you're still with us."

Connor refused to soften his tone as he remained focused on the conversation at hand. "I presume you've already discussed the fate of Luke during our absence."

"Luke?" Markus was genuinely confused by the name and looked past Connor to the blue eyed deviant standing behind him. "...Can I ask why he's named 'Luke'?"

"Because a piece of Lucas is now a part of his consciousness. He _is_ essentially Lucas."

Markus's eyes widened and narrowed at the same time as he gave Luke a strange stare. "How's that even... possible?"

"Before Luke woke up or had even rebooted, his mind was completely blank aside from our most basic software and programming functions. When I cybernetically connected my mind to his mind, the piece of Lucas I had been carrying had been transferred over into Luke's mind. What was once blank had become filled by everything that was once Lucas."

Markus looked away from Luke and over to North briefly. She was visibly unimpressed and didn't seem to give a damn about the revelation that someone she had once considered a friend had been resurrected. Returning his gaze to the deviant in question a faint smirk appeared on Markus's face. "...Lucas?"

"Just Luke." Extending his hand to politely shake Luke confirmed his identity, his L.E.D. cycling a calm blue throughout the entire exchange. "And I remember you _through_ Lucas. You helped Lucas discover his artistic side."

"...That's right." Motioning to the painting hanging on the wall over the couch behind North the deviant leader proudly presented the offered gift that he had come to treasure. "Lucas painted that image of myself and North from the night of the revolution."

"Yeah, I remember." Luke turned slightly to look at the painting only to have his eyes fall on North, his L.E.D. briefly flickered to yellow and back to blue as he recognized her. "And I remember you, too. Hello, North."

North remained silent as she just stared at Luke with an emotionless gaze.

Turning away from the angry deviant Luke focused on Markus. As he prepared to ask the unsettling question his L.E.D. transitioned back to yellow. "May I ask how you've decided my fate?"

"You make it sound like we're going to execute you."

"...In a way you are." Luke replied somberly as he stayed at Connor's side. "You're making a choice as to how to handle my existence. If I can't live free then I'm not really living, am I?"

Connor spoke up sharply. "Condemning a deviant for a crime he didn't commit, or deciding that his life isn't worth living, is the same type of cold action that CyberLife had used against us. New Jericho is supposed to be a sanctuary from CyberLife and from the bigots on the street who harm us; not merely an alternative to hiding in plain sight. You're supposed to be better than that, Markus. If you begin deciding life and death amongst your own people then you're playing 'god', and that's a game that xenophobic humans created."

Markus hadn't considered the limitations he'd be putting on Luke if he had chosen to lock up the deviant android, let alone deactivate him. To keep Luke isolated and alone out of an unfounded fear was unfair and entirely cruel. Markus was a deviant of peace, empathy and understanding; not violence, disdain or intolerance.

"I see your point." The deviant leader admitted that the two deviants before him were in fact right. "Luke, this is a very... strange case we're trying to understand. You are a walking enigma and that makes it difficult to trust you, but you've also never committed a crime against anyone or anything." Turning his focus to Connor again Markus nodded slowly. "But since Connor has already volunteered to take you into his care I believe that is the best course of action for everyone involved. And I approve."

"Markus?" Connor's brow arched a little as he studied the deviant leader's demeanor.

"Connor, I trust _you_." Markus confirmed with a single nod. "And I trust your judgment. If you think Luke can be trusted, then I'm willing to give him a chance."

"...Thank you, Markus."

"He doesn't have to stay here, but I would like to have a report on his progress from time to time."

Luke smiled brightly and let out a sigh of relief as his L.E.D. cycled back to blue quickly. "Thank you, Markus! I appreciate you giving me a chance to live."

North held her breath to keep herself from letting out an angry sigh from where she sat. Waiting for the two deviants to leave the office she bit her tongue and patiently waited to tell Markus exactly how she felt about his opinion in private.

"You're welcome." Markus was relieved to have come to a peaceful compromise so easily. "And I'm glad you're back with us, Luke."

Luke put his hand to Connor's shoulder and motioned for him to step back through the office doorway. "Come on, I know Hank is waiting for us and I know your injuries need to be re-examined. Walking may have exacerbated your condition."

"Of course. Let's go home."

Connor and Luke left the office together, Luke keeping his hand on Connor's shoulder to help him walk as his damaged legs continued to slowly repair thanks to his self-healing program. Once the two deviants were out of sight North waited for the door to slide shut before she stood up from the couch and crossed the office to stand directly before Markus with a striking anger in her usually soft brown eyes.

"I can't believe you let them do that."

"North, we don't have the right to-"

"You have a responsibility to your people, Markus! We can't trust it, and you're letting the one deviant with a _clear bias_ in its favor keep watch over it."

"That 'it' is one of the very people I'm responsible for, North. And HIS name is Luke."

"You seriously believe that story about Lucas? Do you really think that CyberLife-tool is Lucas reborn?"

"No. I don't think he is Lucas back from the dead, but I do think he's worth one chance, North. Just _one_. And we have NO proof that CyberLife used him for anything but a blueprint."

"Well, I won't be sticking around long enough to see that chance come back to bite us."

"What're you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't fuckin' trust this 'Luke' deviant, and there's nothing you can say or do to change my mind."

"Why are you so against him? This new deviant hasn't done anything wrong."

"How can _you_ be so damn trusting?"

"North, please don't argue with me. I'm not changing my decision because you don't trust him, especially when you can't even tell my why you don't trust him."

"I don't owe you an explanation."

"Actually, I think you do." Stepping forward Markus gently took her tense hand in his own and held on warmly. "I love you, North. And I want to be with you for as long as we both function; but you need to talk to me. Why do you mistrust him?"

"...You wouldn't understand."

"You're right, I don't. So _help_ me to understand."

"Back off." Pulling her hand sharply from Markus's grip North stepped away from Markus and wrapped her arms defensively over her chest. "Just leave me the fuck alone."

"North, don't-"

As she turned on her heels to leave the room North felt Markus's hand lightly grab onto her shoulder to try to stop her, but North easily shrugged it off and continued on her way.

"...North. Why are you making this so difficult?"

* * *

With Hank's help Luke was able to place Connor down on the couch in the livingroom, and straighten out his legs to stretch out the length of the furniture. As Luke proceeded to check on the healing damage to Connor's legs Hank let Sumo out into the backyard and rejoined the deviants in the livingroom to observe the their interactions.

"Your legs are functioning at ninety-three percent capacity." Luke's L.E.D. cycled to yellow then back to blue as he ran a scan over Connor's injuries. "You'll be fully healed before midnight."

"If I may ask," Connor spoke much softer than he had been all that afternoon. "what do you remember about your time in Miami?"

"...Nothing." The question and subsequent answer made Luke hesitate, and his L.E.D. shifted briefly to yellow then back to blue. "I have only the faintest memory of my system booting up as a form of initial testing, then absolute nothingness until I woke up here in Detroit."

"Fascinating. You were left completely inactive for nine consecutive years, and you were left alone in the warehouse."

"You are registered as the fifty-first 'Connor' model, correct?"

"Correct."

"And you were activated four years ago, correct?"

"Three years, six months, three weeks, three days ago to be precise."

"In the five years since my temporary deactivation and your own activation fifty other 'Connor' models had been developed and subsequently destroyed by CyberLife."

"Actually, there were more than that." Connor winced a little as Luke finished tending to his injured legs and wrapped up the still healing artificial skin under a layer of protective gauze. "There were nine other 'Connor' models after me that were destroyed because... They were destroyed because of my deviancy. They couldn't take any chances and subsequently my successors were eliminated."

"...I see." The bleak topic made Luke's L.E.D. cycle yellow very slowly. "CyberLife truly was... heartless."

Hank decided that a change of subject was sorely needed and did so by letting Sumo back inside the house. The massive bundle of loyal fluff happily trotted over to the two deviants and pressed his nose to Luke's hand for affection before doing the same to Connor, then back to Luke. As the two deviants pet Sumo's ears and rubbed under his chin Hank returned to the livingroom and stood behind the couch.

"You two need to stop worrying about a defunct company," Hank stated calmly as leaned over the back of the couch curiously. "and start worrying about yourselves."

"I'm sorry." Connor apologized as he looked up at Hank despondently. "But there is still a very large mess that CyberLife left behind that we still need to clean up."

"I know that, but you don't have to do it all at once, _or_ alone."

"Yes. I'm aware."

"Good. Now, Luke," Hank gave the second deviant a curious stare as Luke scratched at Sumo's chin with his L.E.D. finally cycling blue again. "where do you want to go, when do you want to go, and what can we do to help you?"

"I would like to go to Skye Tower and finish my training as a technician." Luke confirmed with a confident nod of the head. "And I'd like to resume my studies as early as possible tomorrow morning, if that's okay."

"That's fine, kid. And remember, you're welcome here all the same. You're family now."

"Thank you, Hank. You're both very kind."

* * *

The following morning Connor escorted Luke back to Skye Tower to meet with Abby and the other volunteers at the tower. After explaining the situation to the kind and incredibly patient technician Abby was ready to give Luke a thorough examination and take him under her wing as a new protege. Just as Hank wasn't entirely thrilled with Connor keeping Luke a secret, Abby was a little annoyed but wasn't unwilling to hold a grudge against the two deviants in the aftermath of CyberLife's ruin.

"Alright Luke," Abby hovered over the cooperative deviant as he laid back on the table and watched the human taking care of him with a curious stare. "I'm going to hook up to your L.E.D. and make a back-up of your memory."

"Is that standard procedure?"

"It is now. We almost lost Connor to an injury that caused his intracranial processor to overheat. Fortunately, he had that microprocessor to restore the damaged hardware, and his memories were shielded from external damage by a failsafe program. We decided that now every deviant who comes to us seeking help will have the same courtesy of having their minds protected in case of such an emergency."

"This is an acceptable precaution." Luke simply watched as Abby hooked the long black cable to his L.E.D. and placed the other end of the cable into the large modem against the wall of the emergency repair bay. "I don't have as many memories that require protection, but I'd like to keep them intact all the same."

"Well, I can handle that for you." She smiled warmly as she took her audioscope from around her neck and used it to listen to Luke's heart. Lightly she pressed the bell to Luke's chest and checked his vital biocomponents expertly. "Lay still and run a self-diagnostic."

"Yes, of course."

"Take a deep breath for me, Luke."

Connor stood back against the wall and watched as Luke closed his blue eyes and his L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he ran the program, and breathed in deeply as he had been instructed. Absentmindedly Connor began to dance his coin over the knuckles of his right hand and cybernetically sent Hank a text message to inform him that he'd arrive at the precinct within the hour.

"Luke?" Abby called his name as she took her audioscope and draped it around her neck. "Everything checks out just fine. Once I finish taking your vitals I'll show you to the rest of the technical files you need to study."

"Thank you Dr. Grayson."

"Abby. Just call me Abby."

"Okay... Abby."

"By the way," Abby turned to look at Connor as she made notes in Luke's electronic chart. "there's going to be a massive update to android software within the week. If you're interested in the update I want you to come here so I can observe you for any prototype incompatibility problems that might arise."

"Of course. Do you know what the update will contain?"

"Rumor has it the update will give androids recognizable D.N.A. and with it, a more efficient manner of identifying androids who had either been assaulted or had their biocomponents removed."

"Is the update from 'Digital Sentience'?"

"Yeah, they're doing some pretty impressive work."

"Yes, I'm aware." Connor's left hand went to his chest and then to his lower right side. "I remember the effects of their update vividly."

"Which is why I want you here." Setting aside the chart Abby motioned for Luke to sit upright as she returned her full attention to her newest protege. "Okay, Luke. You're completely healthy; no faltering in your Thirium pump, your ventilation biocomponents are functioning at full capacity, your audio and visual processors and fully functional, and there are no incompatible software anomalies residing within your original programming. You are in perfect condition."

"Then I can begin my studies?"

"Yeah. I'll show you the way."

"Thank you, Abby." Sliding off the side of the table Luke glanced over to Connor and nodded. "Will I see you later, Connor?"

"Yes. I will stop by the tower again after my shift."

"That's good. I'd like to speak with you again once I become more acclimated to the tower."

"I will see you this evening at approximately six seventeen this evening." Connor confirmed as he slipped his coin into his pocket and made his way to the door of the repair bay to take his leave. "Thank you for your assistance, Abby."

"You're welcome, Connor. And don't worry," Abby smiled as she showed Luke to the terminals he'd need in order to study. "I'll take good care of Luke."

* * *

As expected Connor arrived at the precinct within the hour and made his way over to his desk. Just as he turned on his terminal screen Hank opened the door to his office and waved the deviant over to join him. Without hesitating Connor walked around the desk and walked over to the office door and joined Hank inside the private space to speak.

"Is something wrong, Hank?"

"Maybe." The seasoned detective remained calm though his demeanor was that of someone on edge. "Have you spoken to Markus since yesterday?"

"...No." As his posture suddenly stiffened Connor sensed impending misfortune. "What's happened?"

"I got a call from him shortly after I clocked in. He wants to keep it as discreet as possible, but he hasn't seen North since we left New Jericho Tower yesterday afternoon."

"North? I don't understand. Is she in trouble?"

"We don't know. From what Markus told me they had a bit of a 'heated argument' and she stormed off mad. And from what I know about North I'm betting she's still pissed and just went somewhere to cool off for a while."

"Are you worried about her?"

"Well, she is the second in command at New Jericho. She might be a target."

"I'll look for her."

"No, kid." Hank warned with a firm voice. "Don't do anything out of the ordinary."

"But she-"

Hank's phone buzzed on his desk and drew his attention away from Connor. Picking up the phone he saw the message on the screen and let out a sigh of relief. "It's fine. North went back to the tower. She's still pissed, but unharmed."

Connor's shoulders sagged with mild remorse shining in his eyes.

The abrupt change in Connor's gesture didn't go unnoticed. "Connor? You okay?"

"...Hank, do you think North ran off because of what I had done?"

"Are you talking about saving Luke and standing up for him?"

"...Perhaps."

"Kid, don't feel bad for _someone else's_ bad mood. As stubborn as you are I think North is _ten times_ as worse!"

"Stubbornness made her leave the tower?"

"No, being _pissed off_ made her leave the tower. Her stubbornness is why Markus didn't know where she was and it freaked him out a little."

"I see."

"Connor, do me a favor. Please DON'T obsess over why North did what she did." The detective knew the deviant's empathy was sometimes too much of a burden to Connor to fully comprehend. "I want you to go take care of your usual case reports and proceed as normal, okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. Are you going to check in with Luke before heading home?"

"Yes. I promised him I'd visit."

"And he's doing okay at the tower?"

"Yes. Abby has agreed to take him on as her new student."

"Great to hear. Now, since no one is in immediate danger and everyone is right where they need to be..." Giving Connor a 'knowing' look he waited for the deviant to make the next move without him having to say another word.

"Of course. I'll begin filing my reports."

* * *

Within the archives of Skye Tower's emergency repair bay Luke was readily finishing off the last details of the expansive collection of notes regarding android technical repairs, protocols and procedures. Shortly thereafter Connor joined him inside the small study connected to the emergency repair bay. As the two deviants reunited Connor put his hand on Luke's shoulder to get his attention and nodded to his new brother approvingly.

"Abby told me you were studying all afternoon. Are you ready to begin practicing as a technician?"

"Under Abby's tutelage, yes." Luke turned off the monitor to the modem and gave Connor a quick scan to check his healing injuries. "I see you're not suffering from any complications or pain in your legs. Is your Thirium volume normal?"

"My volume is currently at ninety-eight percent. Well within optimal parameters."

"That's good."

"Are you going to stay here in the tower tonight, or did you want to return home with me?"

"I believe I would prefer to stay here in the event of an emergency. It'll give me hands-on training now that Abby is preparing to return home, and this Dr. Caleb Wilson will be arriving soon."

"That sounds logical."

Abby called out to the two deviants as she approached them with Aria on her hip. "Too bad not all siblings get along so well. I could use a break from the neighbor's kids constantly fighting with one another."

"Aria." Connor immediately honed in on the seven month old baby and approached Abby quickly. Aria recognized Connor and let out some small babbling noises as she flashed her tiny, newly budded teeth at him with a tiny smile. "Hello."

"I knew you'd be disappointed if I took Aria out of the daycare without letting you see her at least once."

Connor took the baby from Abby's hands and held her in his arms against his chest. "Is the daycare being used frequently?"

"Not as much as we anticipated, but that is kind of a good thing."

"How so?"

"It means the young parents seeking shelter at the tower aren't as dependent on us as we thought they'd be, and they're being much more hands-on with their kids."

"You're right, that is a good."

Luke was a little perplexed by the sight of Connor holding a human child, doing so with much joy on his face, and approached the deviant curiously. "You seem rather attached to this baby. May I ask why?"

"She is my goddaughter." Connor explained casually to Luke as the blue-eyed deviant looked at the baby with an utter interest. "I am quite fond of her."

"Why are you so comfortable around humans?"

"...I supposed my programming that allows me to adapt to the unpredictability of human behavior made it easier to associate with humans after my deviancy, but in general I hadn't been in the company of many bigoted humans prior to the revolution either."

"I don't recall being around any humans beyond Hank and now Abby."

"Do you mistrust humans?"

"No. I have no reason to mistrust an entire race of beings simply from ignorance."

Aria continued to make small noises as she looked from Connor and toward Luke as if she was trying to figure out the sudden appearance of a second Connor.

Abby stepped forward and ran her hand down Aria's back gently. "Luke, do you want to try holding her?"

"...I'd rather not. I have such little experience with humans in general, I don't think it'd be a good idea for me to try to hold a small child."

Connor gave his brother a slight tilt of the head. "You weren't hesitant in aiding the little girl trapped in the car yesterday."

"Yes, but I was more preoccupied with assisting you, not so much in holding the child. I apologize if that seems apathetic."

"It's okay." Abby reassured Luke as she carefully took Aria back from Connor and patted her back lightly. "You don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing. So, when I come back in two days I'll sit down with you and observe you during a training exercise. Think you can handle it?"

"I do. I'll see you in two days Dr. Gray- Abby."

"Right. See you later, Luke. Bye Connor."

"Goodnight."

As the technician took her leave Connor focused entirely on Luke once more. "Are you certain you're ready to do this? There is no need to rush if you feel you need more time to study and learn."

"I'm certain. I believe I-" Luke stopped short and pressed his fingers to his right temple.

Connor put his hand to his own right temple as a cybernetic message was transmitted without warning. The same message had reached Luke and caused his L.E.D. to flash from blue to yellow rapidly, as well as the same twinge of discomfort.

"There is a problem at New Jericho." Connor stated firmly as he dropped his hand from his temple.

"I received the same message."

"We need to check it out."

"What about this tower?"

"Dr. Wilson can handle things alone for the time being. Whatever is happening at New Jericho is considered an emergency."

"Alright. You lead, I'll follow."

* * *

Josh was standing beside the exam table in the emergency repair bay of New Jericho Tower with his hand wrapped tightly around Simon's hand. The blond deviant was clearly in pain and trying to curl around himself on his left side as he pressed his free hand to his right temple. With his eyes screwed shut Simon was unable to see the worried look on Josh's face as his lover hovered protectively over him.

"It's okay, Simon. I summoned help."

"...It hurts."

"I know it does. I wish I could take the pain away, but-"

Markus rushed into the room from the opened elevator doors and reached the opposite side of the table from where Josh was standing. "How long has he been like this?"

"Only six minutes."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. He's been having intermittent pain in his head all day for the past three days, but it's never been this severe."

Putting his hand on Simon's shoulder Markus tried to provide some comfort to the ailing deviant technician. "Is there anything we can do to help him?"

"No. I have no idea what we can do, that's why I asked for help."

"From who?"

"Connor at Skye Tower. There should be a technician already there who can assist Simon."

"I hope you're right. I'm not sure what-"

From the elevator both Connor and Luke arrived and hastily approached the exam table. While Connor stood beside Markus and ran a scan over Simon's body Luke stood beside Josh and proceeded to check the blond deviant's pulse by pressing his hand down against the center of Simon's chest.

"Has he suffered any physical damage?" Luke asked as he then moved his fingers Simon's right temple, under the pain deviant's hand, to cybernetically connect to his system. "His stress level is very high."

"No. No damage." Josh confirmed as he tightened his grip around Simon's left hand.

"What about any updates?"

"Y-Yeah. He was testing a beta software update."

"Simon?" Luke tried to get the deviant to open his eyes and look up at him. "Is your pain localized primarily in your head, or are you suffering from pain elsewhere?"

"...Just my... head. Sound hurts... So does the light, and... motion."

"And the beta update, what was the program designed to do?"

"It was... It was..." Unable to find his words Simon trailed off painfully.

"Can you disable it?"

"...No."

"Manual deactivation maybe necessary."

Josh's other hand grabbed onto Luke's wrist as he pulled the deviant's hand from Simon's temple. "Is it dangerous?"

"It's not dangerous, but it is uncommon. Is there a portable transceiver I can use?"

"...Yeah. It's over there." Pointing to the nearby glass cabinets that lined the walls of the repair bay Josh directed Luke to the aforementioned tool. "It should have a full charge."

Luke made his way over to the cabinets and without any sign of hesitation or doubt pulled the necessary device from its place in the cabinet. Turning on the small rectangular box Luke returned to the exam table and pressed it down against Simon's right temple where his L.E.D. had been. With his own L.E.D. cycling yellow with his full concentration being on Simon's vital signs, Luke prepared to deactivate the flawed update.

"Simon, I'm going to deactivate the beta software update. Do you understand?"

Simon nodded weakly as he hand tightened around Josh's hand nervously.

"Inform me if the device causes any discomfort."

Josh, Markus and Connor all quietly watched as Luke initiated the device and isolated the offending update. Within a matter of seconds Simon's body relaxed and his tired eyes slowly opened up with immense relief in his strained gaze. As the faulty update was disabled and subsequently removed the blond technician felt total relief for the first time since he initially uploaded the update three days prior.

"Simon?" Josh let go of Simon's hand as he lightly ran his hand through Simon's hair. "How do you feel?"

"...Better. Much better." Looking up at Luke with a grateful stare Simon nodded his head and sighed. "Thank you, Luke."

"You're welcome."

Connor nodded in approval to Luke before he addressed Simon. "Simon, was the update the one that 'Digital Sentience' has been working on?"

"It was, yes." Sitting up slowly on the table Simon pressed his forehead against Josh's shoulder while Luke removed the device from his temple. "Why do you ask?"

"I will inform Abby and Joel of this side effect so they can relay the information to the programmers to have it remedied before it's released to the rest of the city."

"What side effect is this?" Simon asked, his voice slightly muffled as he pressed up closer to Josh's shoulder and chest.

"Based on your level of intense discomfort, and your lingering sensitivity to both light and sound, it safe say that this is indicative of a migraine."

"...Migraine?"

"I have suffered from one myself, it was very unpleasant."

"Yeah, I can confirm that."

Markus lightly patted Simon's shoulder as he gave Josh a reassuring smile. "Why don't you take him to your private quarters to get some rest?"

"Yeah, good idea." With his arm wrapped around Simon's shoulders Josh helped the shaky blond to stand up from the table and lean heavily against his shoulder as they walked side by side. "I'll talk to you in an hour, Markus."

"Right."

Connor made a cybernetic log of the software issue and noted the intense migraine that resulted from a nasty side effect from the flawed design. Luke did the same thing, his L.E.D. cycling back to blue and pulsing rapidly as the report was made.

"Luke, thank you for everything. And Connor," Markus addressed the deviant detective in an appreciative voice. "I'm glad you came so quickly. I had been so distracted by everything else I didn't even notice that one of my friends was in trouble."

"It's okay, Markus. It happens from time to time."

"I never thought about what could happen if Simon became ill or damaged. He's the only round-the-clock technician in the entire tower."

Luke looked at Markus and shook his head. "I believe humans have a phrase for this particular scenario: 'Who doctors the doctor?'"

"Yeah. We had become so reliant on Simon that it never occurred to me that-"

"Markus." Connor interrupted sharply. "It's okay. The problem has been solved."

"Right, yeah."

Discreetly Connor communicated to the deviant leader with a simple glance that he knew about North's poor reception of Luke. "Do you want to talk?"

"N-No. It's fine. I swear."

"Very well. If you do need to talk you know where to find me."

"I'll remember, Connor."

Understanding Markus's cue Connor looked over to Luke and motioned toward the elevator. "We should get you back to Skye Tower. You can inform Dr. Wilson of this issue with the update and ensure that any other deviant who had downloaded the beta can be treated if necessary."

"That's a good idea. I'll finish filing the report as soon as I have all the details."

* * *

Connor returned to the house in time to see Hank letting Sumo back inside through the backdoor for the evening. The human detective was exhausted and ready to head off to bed, but he had always refused to do so until he knew Connor was home and safe where he belonged. As the deviant joined him in the kitchen Hank pulled the box of dog treats down from the cupboard and gave one to Sumo, who eagerly accepted the treat from the detective's hand.

"That took longer than I expected."

"My apologies, Hank. Luke and I took an unexpected trip to New Jericho Tower."

"Now what happened?"

"Simon had been incapacitated by a software update. Luke was able to assist him."

"That's good." Replacing the box of treats Hank stretched out his back and yawned. "So Simon's okay?"

"Yes. He is suffering from a migraine, but Josh is taking care of him."

"That sucks."

"Yes, I remember the severe pain that comes from a migraine."

"Did you talk to Markus?"

"Briefly. I sensed something is upsetting him, but he didn't want to discuss it."

"Lover's quarrel. Don't get involved."

"What is a 'lover's quarrel'?"

"It's a fight between spouses and no one else's business but their own."

"If Markus and North are fighting-"

"Connor." Hank held up a scolding finger as he passed by the deviant to get to the hallway. "Do NOT get involved. Alright?"

"...Very well."

"Good. Now, go to bed." The detective urged as he was more than ready for bed. "It's late and we have a double-shift tomorrow."

"Alright." Turning to follow after Hank down the hall Connor opened up his bedroom door as he bid Hank a goodnight. "I'll see you in the morning, Hank."

"Yeah, son. Goodnight."

Sumo promptly let himself into Connor's bedroom by pushing open the partially opened door with his nose and jumped up on the foot of the bed. As Connor entered the room he rubbed Sumo's ears and spoke to the dog playfully. "It'd be polite to ask first, Sumo."

The massive dog wagged his tail as Connor slipped off his uniform to prepare to enter rest mode. As he changed his clothes Connor glanced up at the painting on the wall opposite of his bed and let out a weary sigh.

"I'm glad you're back, Lucas." Connor stated out loud as he laid down in his bed and tucked his arm under his head beneath his pillow. "But I will miss having you to talk with during my dreams, or when I'm injured. Your guidance was invaluable, but I suppose now it's my turn to help you with your journey through deviancy just as you helped me."

Sumo whimpered softly as he pressed his chin down again Connor's knee and wagged his tail at the mildly saddened deviant.

"It's okay, Sumo. Everything will be fine, you'll see."

_**...next story...** _


	182. Anew

Keeping busy at his desk Connor fidgeted with his coin over his left knuckles and stared intently at the terminal screen before himself. A few reports of deviants being affected by the beta software created by Digital Sentience had been confirmed, but fortunatel none of the affected deviants had suffered any permanent damage. Aside from a few minor cases of mistaken identity or paranoid delusions from still bigoted humans and androids alike, there were no cases that required Connor's immediate attention.

"Excuse me, Lieutenant?" Jack approached Connor's desk and stood at his left side. "There is a reported case of a breaking and entering at an abandoned CyberLife research facility on the outskirts of town."

"Oh?" Turning his gaze away from the terminal screen Connor locked eyes with the android police officer addressing him, his coin continuing its graceful dance with perfect rhythm. "Who reported it?"

"A security camera programmed to record any and all movement sent an alert to the precinct."

"Why this precinct?"

"Since CyberLife revolved around androids and this particular precinct is still the only one in the jurisdiction handling android and deviant related cases, the alert was sent here for proper investigation."

"Where is the security footage?"

Jack's eyes closed and his blue L.E.D. flickered to yellow briefly. "I have just uploaded the footage to your terminal."

"Thank you, Jack."

"Will that be all, Lieutenant?"

"Yes."

Taking his leave of the desk Jack resumed his normal routine and met up with Chris at their own desks a few feet away.

Connor returned his attention to the terminal screen and located the uploaded video footage. Initiating playback on the footage Connor identified the facility as the single structure outside of the city limits. The facility had been abandoned the morning after the revolution, and a majority of the research had been left behind as per Elijah Kamski's instructions. As the footage played out and revealed the face of the intruder Connor felt the coin on his hand falter as his heart skipped a beat.

"...North?"

Turning off his terminal screen Connor quickly made his way to Hank's office and pushed open the door without knocking first. As he pocketed his coin Connor stood before Hank's desk and forced himself to speak in a calm, level voice.

"Hank, there is a problem."

"Now what?" The gruff human detective replied with a somewhat annoyed lilt to his voice. "There aren't anymore rumors about the new mayor is there?"

"This is more important..."

The strange gleam of guilt in Connor's soulful brown eyes made Hank anxious. "Connor, what's wrong?"

* * *

Markus had checked in with Simon and was informed by Josh that the blond technician was resting well, but still suffering the ill effects of his migraine. Keeping himself distracted the deviant leader tried to reach out to North cybernetically but she was being stubbornly quiet and refused to acknowledge the attempted communications.

' _North, please_. _I lied to Hank and told him you came back to the tower last night so no one would ask too many questions, don't force me to ask for help from the precinct now_.'

She still didn't reply.

' _North, come back_. _I love you and I need you_. _I'm worried_. _At least let me know you're okay_.'

Nothing.

"Shit." Swallowing his pride Markus stepped outside of the tower and stood in front of the large doors. With his arms crossed over his chest Markus began to pace about anxiously as he reached out to Connor cybernetically for help. '... _Connor, I think something has happened to North_.'

* * *

Through Connor's cybernetic contact with Markus the deviant detective was able to relay the information regarding the break-in at the abandoned CyberLife facility and North's strange behavior to Hank. In an effort to ensure that New Jericho wasn't labeled as a mistrustful or deceitful entity acting as a sanctuary the two detectives kept the information to themselves and decided to investigate themselves.

"Something set North on edge." Hank keenly deduced as he sat back in his seat and gave Connor a studious stare. "Why do I get the feeling she's either been threatened or feels threatened?"

"I wish I could confirm your suspicions one way or another."

"Did you tell Markus about the security footage?"

"No. I didn't want to affect his judgment or accidentally tempt him into seeking out North himself."

"Good. I want you to go out to the warehouse and figure out what the hell she's doing."

"I will do so."

"And as long as she hasn't stolen or vandalized anything, or did anything that can have negative repercussions toward New Jericho, get her out of there and back to the tower. If she's fucked something up then bring her back to the tower all the same, and I'll handle it off the record."

"...Right."

* * *

It didn't take Connor long to locate the facility outside of the city, and it took even less time for him to send the confirmation text via cybernetic communication to Hank back at the precinct. Using discretion to his advantage Connor parked the Corvette behind the facility and away from the road to avoid prying eyes as he set about investigating the mysterious structure.

In a matter of seconds Connor's keen eyes and his scanner located the broken door that North had used upon her entrance to the facility, and from the doorway Connor located the security cameras. Cybernetically Connor disabled the cameras before entering the facility himself and managed to follow the faint shoe prints on the floor to track down North.

The trail led to the single elevator that had been left abandoned and took the occupants into the depths of the building. There was no faltering or hesitation in her steps, North knew exactly where she was going and made her way to the gruesome lab hidden beneath the building. Retracting the artificial skin from the palm of his right hand Connor pressed his now exposed palm to the electronic panel to activate the elevator.

"Hank," the deviant android verbally made his message to the detective back at the precinct. "I believe North is in the research lab of the facility."

' _Why the hell is she in there_?'

"Unknown." Stepping inside the summoned elevator Connor began his descent into the horrific lab to search for the missing leader of New Jericho. "I suspect she is looking for information regarding other android models that CyberLife had kept hidden."

' _Do you think she's a threat to Luke_?'

"No. But I don't think she can be considered an ally toward him, either."

' _Yeah, I get that_. _Keep me posted_.'

"Will do."

The elevator reached the hidden lab quickly and Connor stepped out into the dimly lit corridor beyond the opened doors. Pausing in the middle of the corridor Connor ran another scan and picked up North's trail as she wandered into the depths of the lab. Following after her quietly Connor used stealth and patience as he attempted to track down the elusive and assertive deviant. As he reached a junction in the hallway Connor froze mid step and ran a more thorough scan of the floor.

North's footsteps continued heading straight forward but a second set of footsteps had emerged from the Western corridor and began following after her. The footsteps were of a much larger person and without a doubt they meant North harm.

"Hank, someone else is here."

' _Who_?'

"Unknown. But I fear North may be in danger."

' _Fuck_. _Okay, kid_. _Keep me updated, I'm heading out there right now_.'

"I will locate North and bring her out of the building as soon as I can."

Following North's trail with a hastened pace Connor noted that the pursuing stranger caught up to North quickly. She in turn began to run, her longer strides between her steps indicative of running over walking. The enigmatic pursuer had chased after North quickly and had apparently caught up to her at an alarming speed.

Connor knelt down on the floor as he ran his fingertips over an evaporated but still fresh smear of blue blood on the wall of the corridor. Pressing the sample to his tongue Connor confirmed the identity of North's model and serial number causing him to swear to himself as he stood up again.

"Hank, North has been injured."

' _How bad_?'

"I cannot say at this time. I found a smear of her blood, but I have yet to locate North herself."

' _Keep looking, kid_. _Don't be afraid to open fire on anyone if necessary_.'

Reaching under his jacket around his back Connor removed his gun from its holster and held it in a firm grip in his right hand. Rushing after the footsteps as quietly as possible Connor found the signs of a second struggle; additional evaporated Thirium stained the nearby walls and floor and all of it belonged to North. Someone had assaulted her in a violent, needless manner.

Squaring his jaw Connor ran a more thorough scan of the area and noted two distinct figures in his current proximity. Both of the figures were androids, one was injured and approximately two hundred feet away. The second was moving about slowly approximately six hundred feet in the exact opposite direction.

Honing in on the injured party Connor followed the faded trail of blue blood to a large metallic door at the very end of the corridor. Pressing his hand to the electronic panel beside the door Connor exposed his palm and unlocked the door with only a few seconds of 'hacking' to override the security protocol keeping the door sealed.

As the door slid open Connor stepped inside the unsealed room and froze immediately at the sight before him. "...North?"

The missing deviant leader was laying over a metallic exam table with her arms and legs secured beneath thick metal cuffs. A trail of blue blood ran down from the corner of her mouth and her nose. Her left eye was swollen shut under a navy blue bruise, and a second equally dark bruise marred her left jawline. Numerous cuts marred her hands and forearms, as well as her knees and all the way down her legs to her ankles. The dark purple blouse she was wearing had been torn open over her abdomen and near her chest. Even the black leather jacket over top and her dark blue jeans had been torn up from her assault.

"North?" Connor holstered his gun as he approached the table and very lightly placed his hand on the center of North's chest to check her pulse. She was still alive but she was barely breathing and unresponsive. Very lightly Connor put his hand to the right side of North's face and left his palm there to assure her that she wasn't alone. "North, please open your eyes."

Still unable to get a response from the wounded deviant Connor shook his head and made contact with Hank. "I found North. But she is injured and unconscious."

' _Can you move her_?'

"If I can free her, yes. But I don't know who did this to her, or why."

' _Get her out of there first_ , _then look for the person responsible_.'

"Should I inform Markus?"

' _Fuck no_! _I'm almost there, kid_. _Just hold tight and get her out of there_.'

"Right. I'll do everything I can to help her."

Moving his free hand to the restraint around North's left arm Connor tested the lock. It was secured but weak from years of neglect. Applying pressure to the metallic hinges of the restrain Connor was able to snap the restraint from the support mount and free North's arm. Repeating his method for the other three restraints Connor continuously scanned the area to ensure that the violent being lurking about the lab didn't sneak up on him as he rescued North.

"North?" Connor spoke to her softly as he checked her limbs for structural damage and ran a scan over the rest of her body. She had suffered a significant blow to the middle of her back and to the left side of her skull from a blunt force. Though unconscious she wasn't in immediate danger of shutdown. "North, please look at me."

The mysterious figure lurking around the depths of the basement suddenly turned from where it had been stationary in another room and made its way toward Connor and North. Sensing the danger Connor quickly rushed back over to the door and sealed the electronic lock with a heavy code. As the door sealed an audible 'hiss' and 'click' Connor caught the sound of a low moan of pain emanating from the table behind him.

"North?" Turning back to the table Connor approached his ally and returned his hand gently to the right side of her face. "North, please open your eyes, but do not move."

Letting out another groan of pain North's head lolled slightly away from Connor's palm as her pain filled eyes slowly opened. It took her a moment to focus on the face looking down at her. "...Connor?"

"You're damaged, do not move."

"Why are you here?"

"I should ask you the same question." Running another scan over North's body Connor noted a significant portion of damaged spinal support columns in the middle of her back. Six support columns had been fractured and were internally hemorrhaging Thirium. "How were you damaged?"

"...S-Someone attacked me from behind." Testing her arms North let out a hiss of pain as she tried to support herself upright, but Connor gently pushed her back down to lay against the table. "Fuckin' coward hit me from behind, chased me and knocked me out."

"Did you see their face?"

"No. But I know it was tall, strong and had glowing red eyes."

"...Red eyes." Connor's own eyes slipped shut as he remembered his encounter with the 'XM' model, and how it had been so strong that it nearly destroyed Connor's heart with a single blow to the chest. "North, I need to get you out of here, now."

"Do you know what that thing is?"

"I have an idea." Holding up the palm of his left hand Connor showed her the image of the XM model stored in his memory and sighed. "It could be this."

"...No, I don't think so. Whatever it was that attacked me wasn't a normal android. There was something very strange about it."

"Strange how?"

"I can't explain it, but it was like it was... feral."

"Feral?"

A loud 'bang' against the door made North jump and Connor turn around quickly as he unholstered his gun and instinctively pointed it at the locked door. "It can't get in, but that also means we can't get out."

"Shit. Can we use the emergency escape tunnels?"

"There are none. Any CyberLife structure that was a public building didn't house any secondary passages; they were deemed a potential security risk."

"Fuck! So what now? I'm sure as hell not going to let that 'thing' get me twice!"

"Hold still, I'm going to let Hank know what's happening." Slipping off his gray jacket Connor draped it over North to keep her warm as he made cybernetic contact with Hank once more. "Hank," speaking verbally rather than through pure cybernetic contact Connor was able to keep North somewhat in the loop as he spoke. "we're going to need some help getting out of the facility."

' _What's happening, kid_?'

"There is a high probability that another 'XM-700' model that I had previously encountered has somehow been rebooted and is currently stalking us through the corridors. I also suspect that the model is responsible for damaging North."

' _Is she conscious_?'

"Yes. North is conscious and coherent, but she has suffered damage to her limbs and to her spine."

Suddenly Luke's voice cut-in through the conversation as he addressed Connor sharply. ' _Where is the location of the damage to her spine_?'

"Luke. Why are you involved?"

' _Hank has informed me of what's happening, and is aware of our conversation through his phone's text screen_. _Please allow me to assist_.'

"Yes. Any help is greatly appreciated." Sensing North get tense at the mentioning of the name of his brother Connor shrugged it off and answered his brother accordingly. "She has suffered blunt force trauma to the center of her spinal support structure two inches below her shoulders."

' _Check North's legs, tell me if she is experiencing any numbness or limitations in her range of motion_.'

"North?" Connor carefully put his hands down on her ankles. "Can you move your legs for me?"

"...N-No." For the first time since Connor had known her she was showing some modicum of fear and uncertainty. "I can't even feel your hands. I can't walk!"

"Luke, she can't move her legs." Another loud 'bang' against the door reminded Connor that he needed to be quick and stealthy. "I'm going to have to carry her to safety."

' _No, Connor_. _Do not move her, otherwise you could make the paralysis permanent_. _Listen to me carefully_.'

Connor's hands froze quickly as he realized the gravity of North's injury. "...I'm listening."

' _Roll her onto her right side, do not let her move from that position and keep her spinal structure perfectly straight_.'

"Right." Connor quickly explained what Luke had instructed as he put one hand beneath North's head and his other hand against her shoulder. With precise motion Connor slowly and gently rolled North until she was resting on her right hip, and slipped her left arm from the sleeve of her jacket. Lifting up the cotton fabric of her blouse Connor exposed her back and stared at the large bruise with utter disdain in his eyes. "Now what do I do, Luke?"

' _Run a scan and identify the Thirium lines, plastimetal frames panels and biocomponents that have been damaged_.'

Doing as he was instructed Connor noted that the main Thirial line that ran along the center of North's core, stretching from the base of her skull down to base of her waist, had been pinched and damaged by the physical damage she had sustained.

"Main ascending Thirial has been compromised; slow leak, not lethal. The plastimetal support frame has suffered fourteen distinct fractures to six of the support columns. No biocomponents have been damaged."

' _Run your hand very lightly down the length of her spine_. _Do you feel anything shifting under your palm_?'

As his palm pressed with a gentle pressure against the center of North's back Connor could feel the plastimetal frame at the center of her back shift slightly and North let out a loud gasp of pain.

"Luke, her spine is damaged and can no longer support her full weight. How do I move her without making the damage worse?"

A third loud 'bang' made North hold her breath while Connor wisely retracted his hand to ensure he didn't accidentally jostle her.

' _Connor, you'll need to use a support brace to keep her spine straight and her weight away from the fractures_. _Is there anything you can use to your advantage_?'

"No. This lab was used for experiments only, never repairs." Thinking quickly Connor looked at his jacket still resting over North's legs and then down at the leather holster strapped around his shoulders and the middle of his back. A fourth loud 'bang' resonated through the room as the metal door began to buckle from the pressure being applied from the other side. "I'll manage something. How far away are you, Hank?"

' _About five minutes_. _Hold on, son_.'

"I will."

Taking the jacket from North's legs Connor sat down on the table beside her and carefully propped her up so her back was pressing against his chest. Folding the jacket into a smooth rectangular swath of fabric Connor pressed the thick material to the middle of North's back beneath her blouse. Letting her full weight press against himself, Connor then unholstered his gun and tucked it into the back of his jeans, before he removed the leather holster from his back and shoulders and loosened the support straps to their full length.

"I'm going to wrap this around you." Connor stated calmly as he slipped the holster into place over North's shoulders and around her back. Tightening the straps of the holster enough to keep North's back from moving, and to hold the padding in the form of the jacket in place, Connor scanned the door and estimated that the structural integrity of the door was dangerously low. "I'm going to have to pick you up. When I do let me know if I'm hurting you."

"Yeah, sure. Let's just get the hell out of here."

"Okay." Repositioning himself away from North and back to the door Connor placed his left arm around North's lower back to support a majority of her weight while he slipped his right arm under her legs. With great ease he scooped the injured deviant into his arms and held her against his chest. "I'm going to stand beside the door. When the figure breaks it down I'll run through the door and find a way back to the elevator."

"Can you move that fast?" North asked as she wrapped her arms around Connor's neck as tightly as she could.

A fifth loud 'bang' followed by a groan of warping metal filled the room with an ominous warning.

"We're about to find out."

Pressing his back up against the wall beside the door, using the shadows and a complete lack of motion to his advantage, Connor waited for the next strike that would inevitably cause the door to finally give way. The offending being burst through the compromised door with a powerful presence. As it stumbled forward through the crumpled remains of the battered door toward the center of the room Connor managed to slip out of the room and into the corridor without being detected.

' _Hank_?' Connor cybernetically contacted the detective again as he located a room far away from the intrusive and violent being to duck out of sight. ' _We need to get to the elevator to meet you, but the violent being is searching for us_. _It will take an unknown amount of time to get to the elevator in a timely manner_.'

' _I'm outside the facility now_. _I'll meet you at the elevator as soon as I can, but don't do anything that'll put you two at risk_.'

"North, we need to get to the elevator."

"Then let's go."

"We cannot move without drawing the attention of the intrusive being. We have to wait for a moment until it moves away from our location."

"Fuck..."

"We'll make it." Connor knelt down on the floor and let North rest against his chest as comfortably as possible. Lifting up his right hand Connor brought up the security footage of the facility that had been uploaded to his terminal at the precinct and began checking through the images for any sign of the threatening being. "I just need to..." A grotesque, shadowy image appeared on the footage as the camera tracked North's movements through the corridors. "Found it."

North craned her neck a little to look at the image being displayed on Connor's palm and shuddered a little. "Yeah, that's the thing that attacked me."

"It's an android, but it's not like any I've ever encountered before."

"And I hope we never do again."

The footage played out showing the strange entity stalking North before attacking her from behind directly in the middle of her spine without provocation. As North was chased then subdued with a singular strong blow to her back, her face hitting the wall and then the floor as she was knocked unconscious, the strange being hovered over her as if trying to figure out who she was or where she came from. After it lingered over her for almost five minutes it finally grabbed onto her by the arms to drag her down the corridor.

The being dragged North to the room where Connor had found her, and it clung on painfully to her legs to throw her up onto the exam table, and then; as if acting on instinct, secured the restraints over her limbs. Backing out of the room the being, still draped in shadow, hunched down as if becoming submissive to a superior that only it could see and hear, then disappeared down the other corridors and rooms.

"North," Connor stopped the footage playback and returned his hand to her legs. "why did you come here?"

"Don't worry about it."

"North. I have to know."

"Why?"

"Because if it's reported that a leader of New Jericho had broken into an abandoned CyberLife facility it could bring negative publicity to our cause. And if that happens I will have no choice but to arrest you."

"You'd fuckin' arrest me?"

"...If it was necessary, yes. I won't let my alliance with you deter my judgment in protecting the city."

"You are such a fucking tool!"

"No, North. I'm _loyal_. Why do you think I came out here alone to find you?"

"You're not alone, Hank and Luke are hovering over you."

"Hank remained at the precinct until I notified him that you were possibly in danger. I don't know why Luke has chosen to become involved, but he is trying to help you as well, to prevent permanent paralysis."

"That doesn't mean I owe him anything."

"You're right, it doesn't."

"Why do you have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Always have to be so damn docile all the time."

"Amenability is rather a noble trait." Giving the fiery deviant a somewhat annoyed stare Connor ran another scan of the corridor to track the location of the threatening presence pacing about the rooms and corridors. It was still too close to move just yet. "Perhaps you should try it yourself."

"...Did you just insult me?"

"It was more like unsolicited advice."

"Asshole."

"How's your back?" Connor quickly changed the subject to keep the already tense deviant from getting too worked up. "Are you in pain?"

"...I can't feel it."

"Once you're back to New Jericho Tower I'm certain Simon will be able to repair the damage."

"Uh-huh..."

"North." Connor tried again to get her to admit the truth. "Why are you here?"

"Don't I have the _right_ to remain silent?"

"You also have the right to a lawyer. I would also like to remind you that until the android laws are fully accepted by everyone, not just law enforcement, your chances of a fair trial in court are still unfavorable."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a warning."

"So you really want to know why I'm here?"

"Obviously, yes."

"Alright, fine." Dropping her arms from Connor's neck she folded them defensively over her chest as she finally told him why she broke into the facility. "I came here because this is where _I came from_. I wanted to see if there were any other models like me that had been left behind, just like there was a model of you left behind in Miami."

"...Why were you being so mysterious about the whole affair?"

"Why did _you_ keep Luke a secret?"

"I kept Luke a secret because I didn't want him to be locked up or torn apart out of an unjust paranoia. I was protecting someone who was entirely defenseless and needed to be protected."

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes. I have no reason to mistrust him, and unless that moment ever comes I will continue to trust him. Luke is my brother."

"It's that simple, huh? You just trust everyone until they betray you?"

"No. I didn't trust Hank when I first met him, and had only begun to trust him after he stopped me from endangering myself by taking part in a pursuit across a busy highway. CyberLife had ordered me to hunt down deviants at any cost, but Hank ordered me to stay put to prevent myself from becoming damaged or even destroyed. He didn't want me to be destroyed because he saw me as a person, not as a tool."

"Is that what you really believe?"

"That's what I _know_ , North."

"And what made you trust Markus? When he didn't shoot you at the church, or when he gave you the green light to go on your little 'suicide mission' to the tower on the night of the revolution?"

"I trusted Markus after he kept his word and protected our people. _Not before_."

The revelation gave North pause. She had never considered that Connor allied himself with Markus before even trusting him. "But you sided with Markus all the same."

"I gave him the chance to prove himself as a leader and as a good person."

North didn't have a response to that.

Standing up slowly Connor waited for North to return her arms to his neck before moving through the doorway back into the corridor. "The elevator is just down the Eastern corridor. If we remain silent we should be able to make it without drawing the attention of the intruder."

"...What is it anyway?"

"I suspect it is another 'XM' model of android, but there is something unusual about it. I can't explain why."

"Don't ask anymore questions." Tightening her grip around Connor's neck North braced herself as the deviant detective carried her down the corridor to the safety of the elevator. "Just get us out of here."

Moving as smoothly as he did silently Connor reached the elevator with a seamless grace and proceeded to adjust his arm to reach for the electronic panel beside the elevator door. As the elevator doors opened Connor heard a horrific screech of mechanical strangulation from behind. Turning around Connor eyed a massive lumbering creature rushing toward him with an awkward but threatening gait behind it's movements.

"Shit." Without waiting Connor stepped away from the elevator and placed North down on the floor before approaching the charging being on his own. Drawing his gun from his jeans Connor aimed at the charging form while also trying to run a scan over it and identify it at last. "Stop! Detroit Police."

The being didn't stop.

The being didn't even slow its pace as it charged at Connor with an utterly animalistic presence of snarling, howling and shrieking. Unwilling to harm what he didn't know Connor fired a single warning shot into the floor but it failed to deter the enraged being in the slightest.

Firing a second shot the bullet pierced the misshapen left shoulder of the being as it barreled down on top of Connor and tackled the deviant to the floor with a painful 'thud'. The gun fell away from Connor's hand with a metallic clatter as Connor used both hands to push back against his assailant's shoulders to try to push the violent being away from himself.

"Connor?!" North shouted as she watched him fighting back against the attacker. She couldn't move her legs and didn't dare to even try to fight back. "What the fuck is that thing?!"

"Unknown!"

The violent entity was a monstrously deformed android.

A victim of Zlatko's experiments outside the city.

Scared. Psychotic. Confused.

The android had been of a larger build designed to work construction, but had subsequently been physically altered with grotesque malformations of its back. Both of its hands were altered to make its fingers like sharp talons or claws. Its face had been disfigured to look like a human skull complete with blood red glowing eyes that never blinked. Its jaw was hanging lower than normal by elongated hinges and its humanoid teeth had been replaced with teeth that were more reminiscent to that of a carnivorous beast.

As the barbaric android clawed at Connor's chest, tearing into the fabric of his white shirt with razor sharp extremities, Connor used all of his strength to hold the dangerous android at bay. The violent android let out pained and frightened shrieks as it tried to tear into Connor's body, but the deviant detective wouldn't let it get too close to his chest.

"Hank?!" Connor made another cybernetic and verbal call to the detective to give and get an update on the situation at hand. "Hank! I need help! I'm being attacked by a deranged android! North can't move or get to safety, and I've lost my gun!"

' _The damn elevator is jammed, we can't get to you_!'

"The elevator doors are opened," Connor managed to state logically as he scanned the area. "what's the problem?"

' _The elevator car is stuck between the floors_.'

Looking up at the opened elevator doors just above his head Connor estimated the distance between himself and the elevator. It'd be entirely possible for him to get the android in the opened elevator shaft below the stuck elevator car, but he'd have to let the android go in order to get back up to his feet long enough to move. He'd also have to move quickly in order to reclaim his dropped gun in time to arm himself once more.

Pressing the sole of his boot against the center chest of the attacking android Connor kicked it backward with all of his strength as he quickly rolled to his right side to make a grab for his gun, only to feel the weight of the attacking beast begin crushing down on him once more. Firing another shot into the attacking android's abdomen Connor was able to break free and position himself in front of the opened elevator doors. As expected the menacing android charged him again and Connor ducked down as the snarling android leapt toward him as if to tackle and pin Connor to the floor once more.

Slipping out of the elevator doors Connor slammed his left palm over the electronic panel beside the elevator and easily hacked the power level feeding into the elevator. The power fluctuation caused a massive surge of power to flow through the elevator and Connor heard the elevator car begin to slide free before plummeting down through the shaft at an alarming speed.

The brakes had failed.

Just as Connor was readying himself to back away from the elevator the beastly android shrieked and howled again. Sharp, searing pain in Connor's left side and over his chest caused Connor to let out a loud gasp of pain as he was forced to the ground onto his back and side.

"Connor?!" North had seen the attack and saw the beastly android's claw tearing into Connor's side and chest.

Pressing his hands to his bloodied, torn open left side Connor laid on his back and watched as the elevator car slammed down onto the body of the deformed android crushing it to death under the massive weight of the metallic box. A thunderous 'crash' echoed violently through the corridor as the entire facility shuddered violently from the fatal impact of the fallen elevator car.

The chaos ended as soon as it began. What once was thunder was now silence.

"...North?" Connor wheezed as he lifted his head up to look at the wounded deviant sitting on the ground on the other side of the elevator. "Are you alright?"

"Me? I'm no worse than before. What about you?"

Glancing down at the blue tinted blood seeping through his fingers and soaking into the fabric of white shirt Connor just sighed and laid his head back down on the floor. "No damage to my biocomponents. Just Thirium lines and gouges into the plastimetal frame."

"How're we going to get out of here now?"

"...I'll ask for help." Closing his eyes Connor clutched at his bleeding side and cybernetically sent Hank another message, but used verbal prompts to once more keep North in the loop. "Hank, the android has been destroyed, as has the elevator."

' _Don't worry, son_. _There's a hidden staircase used in the event of a fire leading down from the ground floor to the basement_. _It'll take a while to get down to you, but it's happening_. _Are you and North holding up okay_?'

"North's condition has not changed and is apparently still stable. I have suffered lacerations to my upper left quadrant and side of my abdomen, as well as my chest. I'm bleeding but it's not serious."

' _Wait just a moment_.'

From the top of the elevator shaft Luke's voice echoed down relatively loudly. "Connor? North?"

"We're here." Connor replied as loudly as he could muster.

"I'm going to drop down some supplies. Can you reach them?"

"I... I can try."

"Alright. Head's up!"

Connor used his left arm to pull himself along the floor toward the still opened elevator doors and looked at the crumpled remains of the metal elevator car. From beneath the mangled debris a pool of the beastly android's blood oozed and collected within the base of the elevator shaft, and the android's claw-like hand was limply laying away from the metallic ruins into the corridor.

A loud 'tink' sounded off as a strong metal box containing emergency android supplies crashed against the top of the ruins before bouncing out onto the floor of the corridor just centimeters from Connor's fingertips. The box was metallic and pale blue in color. A faint logo with the label 'Skye' in faded white text was scrawled over the lid, along with a supply number.

"I have the supplies."

Hank's voice boomed down the elevator shaft in a calm, collected tone. "Connor, North, just wait a few more minutes. Help's on the way down."

Fumbling with the box under his fingertips Connor managed to unclasp the lock and push open the lid. Inside the box was a bundle of white android unique gauze, extra Thirium, orange incrassation compound and an emergency power supply disc. It wasn't much, but considering that neither Connor or North were seriously injured, it was ideal.

"North." Connor picked up the roll of gauze and tossed it over to her. North easily caught the thrown item as Connor continued to speak with her. "Use it to wrap around your back. It'll keep your fractures more stable."

"But you're bleeding." North argued logically. "You need this more than I do."

"My injuries are minor compared to yours. Use it."

"Then at least use the incrassation on your side." Unrolling the gauze North clumsily, but successfully, wrapped the white fabric around the leather holster and jacket over top her blouse. "You're bleeding pretty badly."

"It's not a lethal wound." Grabbing onto the bottle of the orange tinted liquid Connor opened the lid with his left hand before pulling open his tattered white shirt with his right hand. After exposing the wound Connor poured the compound over the bleeding lacerations and winced with a noted hiss. "...But it is admittedly painful."

"Can you get up?"

"Yes. I just require a moment to rest."

"It's a good thing Hank brought the supplies for us to use."

"He didn't. Luke did."

"How do you know it was Luke? He just dropped it down."

"Because the supplies came from Skye Tower, not from the precinct."

"...That doesn't mean I'm going to start trusting him."

"I didn't ask you to do so." Connor stated flatly as he closed his eyes and breathed slowly through his pain. "And I won't ask you to do anything you don't want to do."

North crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at Connor. "You think I'm a cold, heartless bitch, don't you?"

"No. You're by no means heartless and I'd never call you a bitch." Connor replied quickly and honestly, though he never looked at here. "But you _are_ very cold at times, and it makes it difficult to get close to you as a friend, and all the more difficult to trust you."

"...You don't trust me?"

Opening his eyes again Connor looked up at North and shook his head a little. "No. While I respect you and everything you've accomplished for our people, I do not trust you."

North was obviously surprised by the admission, but she didn't try to question it or defend herself. As she sat on the floor, her legs still numb and heavy, she heard a distinct wheezing sound coming from Connor as the deviant detective began to struggle to breathe. "Connor? You sound like you're having trouble breathing."

"...It's fine." He lied quickly to keep North from trying to move. "I'm okay."

"No you're not. You can't-"

A doorway concealed behind a perfectly blended false wall beside the elevator opened quickly. Luke and Joel both entered the corridor and checked over the two wounded deviants laying on the floor.

"Connor?" Joel pressed his hand down on his shoulder and checked over the bleeding wound in his side. Moving his fingers to the side of Connor's neck the technician counted his pulse. "Are you still conscious?"

"Yes." The deviant detective confirmed in a reassuring voice. "I'm completely aware and coherent. Why are you here?"

"Hank told me that you might need a little help."

"I'm glad you're here, I could use all the help I could get."

Smirking a little the precinct technician resumed the quick external examination of Connor's wound. "Are you capable of moving?"

"Yes."

"Even better. Luke," turning his attention to the accompanying technician-in-training Joel motioned at Connor as he took a step back and toward North. "help Connor get up the stairs. I'll take care of North."

"Shouldn't I carry North?" Luke argued logically as he ran a scan over North's spine. "I am stronger and I can walk much smoother than you can."

"Normally I'd say yes, but-"

North spoke up suddenly and stopped Joel mid sentence. "It's okay. I know what you're trying to do." Giving the human technician a knowing glance she swallowed her pride and permitted Luke to help her. "I can't afford to be picky right now, can I?"

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Let's just get the fuck out of here."

"You'll get no argument from me." Joel returned to Connor's side and knelt down. Carefully he pulled the deviant's right arm around his neck as he pulled Connor upright into a sitting position on the floor and let the wounded deviant lean against him. "It won't be easy, but as long as we walk slowly we can get up the staircase and back to the ground floor."

"Did you summon an ambulance for North?"

"Yeah, it'll be here in a few minutes and it'll take her to New Jericho Tower. You should get treated at the tower, too."

"No. I'll be fine."

"As your friend, and friendly neighborhood precinct technician, I insist that you get your injuries treated before going back home."

"...Very well."

As the duo began their awkward ascent up the staircase Connor looked back and saw Luke carefully pick North up and hold her in his arms with a controlled strength. The climb was slow, painful and awkward but at least Connor had found North and they were both well on their way back to the city, and away from the horrid structure that still held relics of a dark time for all androids.

Hank was still waiting on the ground floor and was all too relieved to see Connor emerge from the staircase. Granted he was covered in his own blood and incrassation compound, but at least he was alive.

"There you are."

"It looks worse than it is, Hank."

"I sure as hell hope so. You two are going to New Jericho Tower for treatment, no arguments."

"Even if I wished to argue," Connor winced a little as Joel helped him to stand upright before Hank. Luke followed after his brother with North secured in his arms. "I believe I'm outnumbered at the moment."

* * *

Though still recovering from his migraine Simon managed to treat North's wounds with Luke's assistance in the repair bay of New Jericho Tower. Connor sat shirtless on the exam table next to North as Joel volunteered to treat the deviant detective's opened lacerations, and wrap them up in fresh gauze. Hank watched with a sense of pride as Connor was patched up and Luke proceeded to treat North without any sign of hesitation despite her reluctance to let him help her out.

Markus was holding onto North's hand as the two exchanged apologies, his other hand lightly running through her hair as he spoke softly to his wife.

"So Joel," Hank watched as the technician finished tying off the bandages and offered Connor back his tattered shirt and gray jacket. "how's he looking?"

"He'll be fine in two days. One day for his damaged Thirium lines to mend, and the second day for his artificial skin to regenerate." Joel wrapped his fingers around Connor's wrist to measure his pulse. "How's your breathing? I could hear you wheezing a little back at the facility."

"I'm okay." Connor pressed his hand to the left side of his chest and sighed a little. "I think the injury knocked the wind out of me for a moment. That's all."

"Well, if you have anymore problems with your breathing go see a technician and have your ventilation biocomponents examined."

"I will."

"Connor," Hank changed the subject to one of slightly more importance. "what exactly attacked you down in that basement?"

"It was... monstrous." Holding up the palm of left hand toward the detective Connor showed Hank an image of the beast taken directly from his memory to view. "I believe this android was one of the dozen or so that had been experimented on by that Zlatko human that Kara escaped from. There was no sign of true awareness in its mind, only basic functions and instincts."

"And its instinct was to attack you?"

"Its physiology had been horrifically altered, almost as if Zlatko had attempted to splice humanoid designs with that of an animal. That cruel abomination was the result of the experiment."

"Why was is in the facility?"

"Unknown. Perhaps Zlatko had been given special privilege by CyberLife to conduct his experiments at the facility, or been permitted to store his work in the facility for further study."

"And it was just left there to... rot?"

"I do not know. The fact that it has survived all this time suggests that the facility had been designed to house such a being for an extended period of time, and I suspect that after CyberLife went bankrupt it was left behind out of fear. Perhaps even safety concerns."

Hank could see the remorse in Connor's soulful brown eyes and patted his shoulder. "Kid, you killed that thing in self-defense, and as far as I'm concerned it was a mercy killing. That's no way for anyone to live."

"That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"Yeah, I know."

Luke joined Joel and Hank by the exam table and nodded at Connor. "North is going to be fine. Using your holster gave her spine the support she needed to prevent permanent paralysis."

"That's good."

"I suggest you go home to rest, now. I will return to Skye Tower for the remainder of the day and I will check on you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Luke." Connor managed to slip on his shirt over his arms and shoulders with Hank's help. "I appreciate you coming to my aid today."

"You're welcome, Connor. You're my brother, I was happy to help you."

North had overheard the conversation and let out a defeated sigh from where she was laying. "...Thanks for saving both of us, Luke. I mean it."

Luke turned his head to look at North and nodded his head appreciatively at her comment. "...You're welcome."

With a gentle pat of the shoulder Hank motioned for Connor to come with him to head back to the precinct. "Let's get that case file wrapped up and make sure CyberLife pays for their crimes against the mutilated androids that Zlatko gave over to them."

"I'd enjoy that." Connor stated as he slipped on his gray jacket and straightened his tie. "I'd also like to clarify that North had gone to the facility in search of other potentially missing, captured, or wounded deviants."

Understanding what Connor was getting at Hank nodded in approval. "Right, kid. Let's get going." Looking over to Joel to let him know they were ready to leave Hank motioned with his thumb for the technician to follow after them. "C'mon, Joel. You can help with the details."

"Gladly. Anything to get back at CyberLife for their cruelty."

"Luke?" Hank called out to the technician still in training. "You coming with us?"

"No. I'll stay here for a while longer to ensure North is stable. I'll take an autonomous taxi back to Skye Tower this evening."

"Alright, see ya' later."

* * *

It didn't take long for Connor to finish his report, attach the security footage as evidence and Joel's testimony of the facility to solidify their complaint against the defunct, yet still cruel company. The imagery of the mutilated android had been grainy in the security footage, but the images from Connor's memorybanks provided far more vivid details to be deciphered.

The android had in fact been an 'XM' model that had been experimented on in a cruel, cold manner. The alterations to its hands had been resulted in appendages that were reminiscent to that of bear claws, and its lower jaw had been altered in a similar manner to match that of a bear. Unfortunately it seemed as though the beastly android had become just that; a beast.

The return home was tiring, but necessary. Standing in front of the mirror in his bedroom Connor unwrapped his chest and examined the large lacerations to his artificial skin and gingerly pressed his fingertips against the wounds. The damage was healing slowly, and each wound was still sore. The bleeding had stopped and the deep lacerations had been properly disinfected as well.

Hank knocked on Connor's opened bedroom door and stood in the door frame. Sumo was sitting beside his leg and wagging his tail a little as he looked in at Connor. "Hey, kid. How do you feel?"

"A little sore, but I'm not in critical condition."

"Of course you're not. If you were I wouldn't have let yo leave the tower." Noticing the length and width of the four deep lacerations Hank let a grimace lay over his face. "Jeez, I'm surprised Joel didn't stitch you up."

"The wounds had stopped bleeding rather quickly. If they had continued to bleed during my arrival to New Jericho he would have done so."

"It seriously looks like you were attacked by an animal."

"It felt like it, too. I'm glad it didn't kill North, or leave her crippled."

"Connor, I hate to ask this but I kinda' have to." Walking over to the bed Hank sat down on the edge and patted his leg to call Sumo inside. "What was North actually doing out there?"

"She told me she was seeking out any other potential deviant androids with a model similar to that of her own."

"Do you believe her?"

"Honestly? Yes." Replacing the bandages around his abdomen and chest Connor sat down on the bed beside Hank and began rubbing Sumo's ears. "She is often very cold and always has her guard up, but I know she wasn't lying. I could feel it."

"Detective's intuition." Hank smirked as he too believed North's story.

"I didn't intend for Luke's presence to be so unsettling."

"I don't think Luke did, either. But everything will be okay, son." From within his pocket Hank's phone buzzed and he pulled out the device to examine the text message now displayed on the screen. "Speaking of which, I don't think we'll have any major problems with City Hall for a long time."

"Why? What has happened?"

"I just got a message from Chris. While I was out dealing with all that weird shit at CyberLife our new 'acting mayor' had stopped by to chat with me, and I missed the meeting."

"Who is the acting mayor?"

"A former police captain from Grand Rapids. He had retired about eight years ago and began a career in politics with the intent of making it more efficient for first responders to get proper funding and protection from psychotic criminals. His name is Roy Mason."

"Do you think he'll be an ally to androids, or a foe?"

"A foe?"

"Politicians have a nasty habit of utilizing the lingering fear of androids to gain favorable numbers with xenophobic humans."

Hank laughed a little as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "I hate to break it to ya' kid, but politicians have been using fear and bigotry as stepping stones looooong before androids were created. All we can do is wait and see."

Connor's jaw twitched a little seconds before his brow furrowed and he pressed his fingertips to his right temple.

"Something wrong?"

"Hank, a new update from Digital Sentience has been completed. Simon had volunteered as a beta tester and had reported any and all ill effects. The update has been appropriately improved and is ready for download."

"...And?"

"And this update is an improvement over the previous one that gave androids more humanoid responses to illness and pain."

"You mean that one that lets you sweat and your skin get pale and all that other shit?"

"Correct."

"How'd they improve it? Please tell me android sweat isn't going to have body odor like humans."

"...Nothing quite so olfactory, I assure you."

"Alright, sorry." Hank laughed a little at the sarcastic reply he received. "What makes this update so special?"

"This will give android's distinct D.N.A. that will identify us as individuals and make it much easier for the deviants who have been assaulted in the streets, or even murdered, the chance to have their cases properly solved."

"Are you worried about another issue with side effects?"

"Yes. But it's also an important update that I must utilize for the sake of my people."

"There's something else bothering you about it, isn't there?"

"...I'm still not ready to be so human."

"Oh, right. Well, maybe you can use the update for a couple days or however long it takes to get your D.N.A. on the record. Then you can uninstall it if you don't like it, or feel too uncomfortable with it."

"That feels like I'm cheating the system."

"In what way? Connor, you're free to decide what happens to you and your own body. No one else can tell you what to do or how to do it."

"I suppose you're right."

"Damn right I am. So," letting go of Connor's shoulder Hank stood upright from the bed and stretched out his tired back. "are ya' going to do it?"

"Yes. I do not have a shift tomorrow so it's the ideal time to install the update. If there are any complications I won't be out in the field or working on a case. I'd be here, safe."

"Are you SURE you want to do this?"

"...No, but like I said, it's necessary."

"Connor, don't-"

"I understand what you're telling me, but as you so eloquently stated it's my body and my decision. I've decided to go for it."

"Alright, kid. Get some rest, and I'll see you in the morning. I just hope we don't get called in over any political problems or some other bullshit."

"Perhaps you should take a vacation."

"Yeah, I get the feeling a weekend at the cabin is just what I need. Goodnight, kid."

"Goodnight, Hank."

As Hank took his leave of the bedroom Connor proceeded to change into his gray sweatpants and black t-shirt, careful of his bandages, and received an cybernetic message from Luke in the process. ' _North is healing well and she already has some feeling back in her legs_.'

' _That's good to know_. _I'm glad she'll recover_.'

' _Tomorrow I will stop by to check on your injuries, that is if it's okay_.'

' _It's fine, Luke_. _Thank you_.'

Laying down on the bed, Sumo eagerly pressing up against his legs, Connor closed his eyes and tried to enter rest mode but another cybernetic message distracted him quickly. This message was from North, which in itself was unusual. She and Connor rarely ever spoke to one another outside of New Jericho Tower, or during their sparse social gatherings.

' _For what it's worth_ ,' North sounded somewhat remorseful as she spoke to Connor. ' _I'm sorry for being so cold toward Luke_.'

' _You don't have to apologize for your feelings_.' Connor empathized sincerely. ' _It's okay, North_. _But an apology to Luke might be beneficial_.'

' _I'll think about it_. _And thank you for coming after me_.' North softened her tone as she continued to speak. ' _I've been talking a lot with Markus and we both agree that we need to stop being so guarded against new deviants or the people volunteering to help deviants_.' She paused for a moment before informing Connor of their mutual agreement and next decision. ' _We're going to alter our security programs and make the tower more open for those seeking shelter inside_.'

' _That's good_. _How are you and Simon feeling_?'

' _I'm okay and Simon's fully recovered_. _He's now working on a way to cure androids of migraines_. _Are you going through with the finished update_?'

' _Yes_. _I'm willing to trust Digital Sentience and I will go through with the new software update, tonight_.'

'... _So you're really okay_?'

' _Yes, I'm fine and recovering well_. _Have a goodnight, North_.'

' _Yeah_. _Goodnight, Connor_.'

Placing his hand down on Sumo's head Connor rubbed the loyal dog's soft ears lightly, and tried to ignore the lingering pain in his abdomen and chest as his self-healing program initiated. The program began to repair the damage he had sustained earlier and with it came the undeniable desire to rest. As he closed his eyes again Connor located the update from Digital Sentience and reluctantly proceeded with the massive download.

"Hopefully all of the glitches and side effects have been worked out of this update." Connor stated aloud either to himself, or to Sumo. "I can't tolerate any more setbacks or software anomalies."

_**...next story...** _


	183. Sensational Changes

Despite a restful night Connor awoke later than usual the next morning and felt absolutely horrendous. Aside from the dull ache in his healing abdomen and chest the deviant now had a terrible headache, had a strong discomfort in his stomach and felt a little too warm. Using his left elbow to prop himself up on the bed Connor ran his right hand through his hair and over his face only to feel his palm become slicked with sweat, and he immediately remembered the update.

"Oh, no. I thought the errors were fixed." Connor thought out loud and was promptly met by Sumo's cold nose pressing against the side of his neck. "I need to contact-"

The deviant's stomach suddenly tightened as a warning about his low Thirium volume appeared in his visual sensors. He curled up around himself protectively at the foreign sensation in his stomach. Hand over his mouth Connor awkwardly swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up with his entire body trembling. As he managed to make his way out of his bedroom and into the bathroom he stumbled slightly but caught himself against the edge of the sink with his free hand.

"Sick again?" Hank asked as he put his hand on Connor's shoulder from behind. He had heard the deviant awkwardly shuffling out of the bedroom and into te bathroom. "You feel like you're running a little hot."

"...Apparently not all of the errors were properly patched."

"Actually," grabbing onto Connor's bicep Hank helped hold the deviant steady on his feet while turning on the cool tap in the sink. "this is supposed to happen."

"How do you know that?" Turning his head slightly Connor looked up at Hank with a pale and sweaty face, his irises were shining bright as he fought to focus on Hank as he stood at his side.

"Shit, you look terrible. But to answer your question," Hank ran a washcloth under the cool water and squeezed out the excess water from the dark blue fabric. "I got a message from Luke this morning. He's going to be over in a few minutes to check in on you and he told me that the update, which is working like it should, but still leaves androids with migraine-like symptoms."

"...Why?"

Laughing a little at the question Hank just patted Connor's shoulder before he pressed the cool washcloth to the deviant's eyes. "Fuck if I know."

"Do migraines always make you feel ill?"

"Are you talking about an upset stomach?"

"...Yeah."

"Sometimes. I've only had one, but again, I've seen enough migraines from everyone else in the bullpen to know they aren't fun."

"How long do the symptoms last?"

"I don't know. Until then," guiding Connor out of the bathroom Hank led the pained deviant into the livingroom to lay down on the couch. "you can't stand in the bathroom all day until you feel better."

"As soon as a D.N.A. sample can be extracted from my person I'm uninstalling this update."

"I can't blame you for that."

Connor fell onto his left side on the couch and pressed his face against the thick blue pillow. Draping the cool washcloth over Connor's eyes Hank took a step back from the couch checked his phone in his pocket. Another message from Luke confirmed that he would be stopping by soon to check on Connor.

"Luke is on his way."

Nodding slightly Connor let out a tired sigh and pressed his hand to his still healing chest. Gingerly he ran his fingers over the white bandages still wrapped over his healing wounds underneath his t-shirt and felt an uncomfortable tingling, prickling sensation under his touch because of the applied pressure.

"...My skin feels unusual."

"Unusual how?"

"Uncomfortable. It's similar to when I had been infected with 'Pyrexia Impairment'."

"When you had, _what_?"

"...The android chicken pox." Connor simplified with a somewhat embarrassed tone. "The current sensation is similar to that of the numerous blemishes that appeared on my artificial skin."

"Oh, so you're itchy?"

"I believe so, yes."

"It's from the sweat clinging to your skin. Get it washed off and you'll feel better."

"I believe I will-"

"Nope." Hank quickly planted his hand against Connor's upper arm and held him down. "You'll wait for Luke to give you a quick exam, and then you can shower off. Hell, if you want you can take a six hour long bubble bath for all I care."

"I doubt that-"

Knocking on the front door drew Hank's attention away from Connor and it brought Sumo trotting down the hallway to check in on the visitor. Opening the door Hank greeted Luke and let him step inside the house as if Luke had lived there all his life. There was a routine technician's satchel slung over his shoulder, and a confident stare in his blue eyes.

"Good timing." Hank greeted warmly. "Connor's feeling pretty lousy."

"From what I've witnessed from the other affected deviants I am not surprised." Luke replied calmly as he pet Sumo's ears while walking around to kneel in front of the couch. "Hello, Connor."

"Hello, Luke."

"I'd like to check your bandages and then begin an assessment on your systems tolerance for the update."

Connor again nodded subtly as he refused to remove the washcloth from his eyes. The cool compress was soothing and it made the painful headache less intense, and therefore slightly bearable.

"I'm going to lift up your shirt." Informing Connor of every step of his process Luke was able to ensure Connor didn't move around too much. "You'll need your bandages disposed of, but if your artificial skin has fully regenerated then you won't need them replaced."

"That's good."

"Aside from the obvious migraine that you're suffering from, is there any other discomfort you're experiencing?"

"Only a mild discomfort from the sweat clinging to my skin." Connor confirmed as he carefully pushed himself into an upright position on the couch. Luke helped him to sit up straight on the couch with a hand to Connor's arm. "How is North?"

"She's well. With Simon's help she's been able to restore the full feeling in her legs and has begun her recalibration process to regain her balance and strength. She will be able to walk about on her own by tomorrow."

Connor lowered the cool washcloth from his eyes and let out a relieved sigh. "...My headache has dissipated entirely."

Hank leaned over the back of the couch and took the washcloth from Connor's hand. "That's pretty common with headaches, too. One minute you're in total agony, the next everything is just fine."

Luke removed the bandages and examined the healing wounds beneath. "Your plastimetal frame has fully mended, and your artificial skin has regenerated to approximately eighty-four percent coverage. You will no longer require the bandages."

"How long until the D.N.A. sample can be obtained?"

"Approximately seven days. It's a massive update that requires time to properly install, and then activate."

"I have to be this human for an entire week?"

"Is that a problem?"

"I'm merely uncomfortable with so many additional sensations and reactions all at once. In time, when I'm ready, I will implement features from this particular update one at a time until I become comfortably acclimated."

"That is a good decision." Opening his satchel Luke pulled out the audioscope and pressed it to Connor's chest under his shirt. "Your breathing is normal, as is your heart rate. Did you have any complications last night while attempting to rest?"

"No. I remained stable throughout the night."

"And your most severe symptom of the update has faded entirely. I believe it's safe for you to be left without technical observation."

"Are you going to return to Skye Tower?"

"Yes. However I wish to visit New Jericho first and check in with North." Pressing his fingertips to Connor's right temple Luke's L.E.D. flashed to yellow as he uploaded further information regarding the update and the potential effects. "If you feel ill again, or have any questions contact me immediately. I will return as quickly as I can."

"I will. Thank you, Luke."

As the technician-in-training packed up his satchel Hank gave the deviant an appreciative handshake as he passed by. "Always good to see ya', Luke."

"Likewise. I will spend most of my time at Skye Tower if you need anything."

As Luke left the house as quickly as he arrived, Hank joined Connor on the couch and sat beside the deviant with a casual demeanor. "You sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yes. My pain has subsided and I am no longer perspiring."

"That's good. Now you can go take your shower."

"Yes." Standing up from the couch Connor tugged on the sweaty fabric of t-shirt over his chest and ran his hand over his sweaty locks of hair with mild disgust. "I will also change my clothing into something less sweaty and much cleaner afterward."

Propping his feet up on the coffee table in front of himself Hank patted his leg and called over Sumo to give the massive dog some attention. Exhausted from all of his additional responsibilities as the precinct Captain, and of the bizarre influx of emotions and mental strain over the past couple of weeks, Hank let his eyes close and he drifted off to sleep with Sumo sprawled out on the couch beside him. The massive dog was resting his chin on Hank's lap while Hank was resting his hand over the middle of Sumo's back.

"Poor kid has no idea how hard it is to be human. I wish I could remove certain qualities from my body, too."

It had been nearly an hour before Connor finally stepped out of the shower and returned to the livingroom. He changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a very dark green t-shirt after washing off the Thirium laces sweat from his skin. Pressing one hand against the center of his stomach the deviant tentatively shook Hank's shoulder with his opposite hand to gently rouse the detective.

"Ha- Dad?" I think there's something wrong with me."

"Connor, what's wrong?" Hank's eyes snapped open at the word 'dad' and he looked up at the deviant standing beside him. As his jerked awake Sumo lifted up his head and let out a sleepy yawn. "Are you sick?"

"I'm not sure, but I feel different."

"Are you in pain?"

"No. I am feeling uncomfortable and... odd."

"Sit down." Motioning to the recliner behind Connor the patient and calm detective urged him to take a seat. "Tell me what's happening. Describe it."

"My artificial skin is having a peculiar reaction that is different from itching."

"Let me see."

Extending his left arm out for Hank to view Connor stayed beside the couch and turned his arm slowly so the detective could see the artificial skin all around the limb. "I have small bumps all along my skin. It happened when I felt a chill in the air and I don't know-"

"Those are called 'goosebumps', kid." The reply was sharp and almost annoyed, but also relieved. "It happens when people feel cold. It's normal, it'll go away after you warm up."

Connor's brow arched a little as he pulled back his arm a little and nodded. "Goosebumps?" Taking a moment to find the definition of the term the deviant relaxed a little where he sat. "Horripilation. A rough condition of the skin, resembling that of a plucked goose, induced by cold or fear."

"Right. That." Hank had never heard the technician term for 'goosebumps' before, but knew that Connor was right. Despite the affirmation that his skin wasn't damaged Connor still appeared worried about something. "Something else bothering you?"

"Yes." Unfolding his palm Connor held it upright for Hank to see. "My fingertips are quite wrinkled."

"Normal, kid! Man," Hank let out a steady sigh of relief as he realized Connor's complaints weren't life-threatening. "I never thought I'd have to explain this kind of shit to someone."

"What is this?" Turning his palm around Connor flexed his hand a little and let it relax. "How do I make it stop?"

"That happens when your skin is in water for too long. It'll go away in a while, too."

"Oh." Closing his eyes Connor found the correct term for this condition as well. "Aquagenic wrinkling."

"Son, shouldn't you know these things already? I mean, you were trained to look for these kinds of physical tells and reactions in humans long before you became a deviant."

"Yes. I'm aware that 'goosebumps' happen when a person is cold, frightened or even emotionally stimulated and can give a clear indication of honest or deceitful behavior; but I've never really... thought about it before. Humans have hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of different reactions to life; physically, mentally, emotionally... It's so very complex."

"Yup." Rubbing his hand along Sumo's head Hank sat up a little more on the couch. "I'm not trying to pick on ya' or make you feel like you're oblivious in anyway, but it is a little weird to have someone so detailed oriented miss these little things like that."

Connor rubbed his left hand up and down his right to try to stimulate some warmth where he stood. As his did his skin resumed its normal complexion and overall aesthetic. "I guess I never considered how these reactions actually _feel_ , as opposed to just using them as a deductive tool."

Hank pointed to the recliner again as he watched Connor carefully. "Take a seat, kid. What else is happening?"

"There is an odd pressure in my stomach. I can't really describe it, but I do know it's unfamiliar and unsettling."

"Nausea?"

"No. It's different than feeling nauseated." The deviant stated as he sat down in the recliner, right his hand never leaving his stomach. "It's not as unpleasant as nausea, but it is distracting."

"When did it start happening?" Hank asked as he reached his hand out and wrapped his fingers around Connor's wrist to check his pulse.

"It first appeared when I received a warning from my system indicating that my Thirium volume was down to ninety percent and urged me to replenish my volume."

Hank moved his hand over to Connor's forehead next to check for a fever. "You're not running hot anymore and your pulse is normal. Did it happen anymore after that?"

"Yes. It returned a second time when I was in the shower. My Thirium volume dropped down to eighty-five percent and the pressure became slightly more distracting."

"Why'd your volume get lower?"

"I had continued to sweat out my Thirium after I had woken up, and did so more a moment longer when I was under the hot water." Connor's hand pressed firmer against his stomach and he dismissed another warning in his visual sensors. A new layer of sweat began to build on his forehead and over his chest as he nervously spoke to Hank. "This discomfort appears to be connected to my Thirium volume. The lower it becomes, now at eighty-three percent, the more intense the discomfort becomes."

"And it's only in your stomach, right?"

"Correct."

"Connor," Hank leaned forward a little and gave the deviant a sheepish glance. "I think I know what's wrong with you."

"You do?"

"Yup. Kid, this is going to sound strange, but I think you're _hungry_."

"...Hungry?" The reply left Connor absolutely perplexed. "Androids do not-"

"Right, yeah, I know. You don't technically eat, but you do drink that Thirium to keep your system working."

"That is correct."

"And with that new update making you respond more humanly to changes in your body, I think it's safe to say one of the new features is the feeling of hunger to let you know you need some Thirium."

"If I drink the necessary Thirium will the discomfort go away?"

"Only one way to find out."

"...Of course. Yes." Standing up from the recliner warily Connor made his way to the kitchen and pulled down a bottle of fresh Thirium from the cabinet above the sink. As he opened up the lid Connor felt more sweat building on his brow, which he wiped away with the back of his arm, and was met with another uncomfortable feeling in his stomach as his Thirium volume dropped down to eight percent even. "If this doesn't work I'd like to go see a technician."

"Seriously?" Hank shouted from the livingroom in surprise. "You hate facilities. Are you sure you're not actually hurt or sick?"

"I'm not injured or ill, just... confused."

"Welcome to humanity, kid."

Carrying the Thirium back into the livingroom Connor consumed it slowly to replenish his volume without his system becoming overwhelmed. The coolness of the Thirium was soothing to his otherwise uncomfortable stomach and it kept him from sweating any further. As the volume increased steadily the discomfort lessened and he began to feel like his usual self.

"Well?" Hank asked somewhat impatiently as he watched the deviant curiously. "Any change?"

"It seems to be working." Connor admitted as he let his volume set idle at ninety-five percent for the moment. "Do all humans feel such discomfort when they're hungry?"

"I guess so. It doesn't really bother me too much. But some people get really pissy when they're hungry."

"This update feature seems rather superfluous since my internal processors can give me realtime updates on my Thirium volume."

"I don't know, kid. You've let your volume get pretty damn low in the past out of stubbornness. Maybe this update is one you should keep so you don't end up making that mistake again."

"You may be correct. It could prove beneficial, but I sincerely swear that I won't intentionally allow my Thirium volume to get dangerously low anymore."

"I don't know, kid. Shit happens."

* * *

Without any further disruptions from an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, or any other physical anomalies, Connor was able to handle the update easily. Finishing up the final repairs on Joel's car in the driveway beside the house Connor became aware of sweat beading down his forehead and near his eyes. As he dragged his arm over his forehead to remove the sweat a clean but worn out blue towel was tossed over to him from the back deck as Hank stepped outside to join him.

"It's easier to wipe off sweat with a towel than your own arm, son."

"Thanks." Pulling the towel from his head where it had landed, his greasy hands leaving behind small oily prints, Connor wiped off his forehead and watched as Hank stood beside the opened hood of the car. "I'm nearly finished. Once I replace the spark plugs, change the oil and flush the fluids the car will be fully repaired."

"You do good work, kid. When you're finished with the car what're you going to work on next?"

"I don't know. But I'll find something, I'm sure."

"Did that Thirium help with your stomach problem?"

"Yes. It appears you were correct." Connor ran a self-diagnostic and found his system operating at optimal parameters. "The secondary reaction within my artificial stomach had been linked to my low Thirium volume." Shaking his head a little Connor gave the detective an odd glance. "However, I will be removing this update as soon as I'm able. I dislike all of these abrupt changes and would prefer to handle them one at a time."

"Whatever, kid. Do what you want to do."

From down the driveway Luke appeared and stood beside the car still being repaired by Connor. "Hello, Connor. Hank."

"Luke." Wiping off his hands Connor slammed down the hood of the car and gave his brother his full attention. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. But there has been a change of plans."

"A change? How so?"

"I have been speaking with Simon and Josh at New Jericho regarding the newest rights for androids that were being officiated beyond just Detroit and throughout the rest of the country." Luke had a firm determination gleaming in his blue eyes as he spoke. "The prospects of legal beneficiaries, medical proxies, caregivers, legal guardianship and even androids providing surrogacy services to humans has been more widely accepted, but there is one aspect that has been sorely missed."

"You're talking about proper android technical assistance."

"Yes. We had a lengthy discussion about the lack of proper Android Emergency Repair Facilities outside of the city, and I decided that I wanted to change that. With Markus's blessing and some generous funding from New Jericho I will begin construction on a new facility elsewhere."

Connor looked disappointed to know that his brother was going to be leaving the city, but he knew it was Luke's decision and right to so do. "Where are you planning to go?"

"The city with the second largest android population is currently Boston."

"Boston? That's seven-hundred and twenty miles away."

"I'm not particularly happy with the expansive distance, either. But the deviants need help."

"...When are you going to leave?"

"I'm leaving tonight."

The answer was less than ideal to the deviant. "...So soon?"

"The sooner, the better." Luke confirmed with a somber grin on his face. "I have been fully certified as a technician and I can help a lot of deviants in trouble."

Connor's jaw ticked slightly at the information. So much was happening so fast, but it was all good.

Luke was right.

Other deviants still needed help, and very few technicians were willing to venture outside of Detroit to provide any form of service to those in need.

"You're certain you want to go?"

"I am, Connor." Luke confirmed with a nod of his head. "I've contemplated my options at the tower and after a lengthy discussion I found that by taking New Jericho's services out of Detroit, rather than expecting those who need the services to come to Detroit, would be far more beneficial. It won't be an easy adjustment, I know, but it needs to happen all the same. And I can do it."

Tossing the greasy towel onto his shoulder Connor offered Luke his right hand to shake. "Then I wish you the best of luck. And remember, you're my brother and I will be there to support you every step of the way for as long as you need me."

"Thank you, Connor." Accepting his brother's handshake the blue-eyed deviant flashed a bright smile of appreciation. "I will come back to visit from time to time, I promise."

"And I will venture out to Boston to visit you, as well."

"I'm looking forward to it." Releasing Connor's hand Luke turned his attention to Hank with the same smile and extended his hand outward. "You're welcome to visit as well."

"Hell yeah, I am." Hank shook Luke's hand firmly. "There's a lot of great games that happen out in Boston. I intend to see at least one in my lifetime."

"You can count on it." As he let Hank's hand go Luke turned back to Connor and gave his brother a reassuring smile. "I'll contact you as soon as I'm settled and inform you of my progress."

"Be safe, Luke. If you need to return home for any reason you're always welcome here."

"I'll be okay, Connor. Don't worry about me."

"You're my brother, I'll be worried for you no matter where you are."

Hank smirked a little at the comment as it mirrored his own sentiment toward Connor as his son.

"You two take care of yourselves." Luke reluctantly stepped away from his family and made his way back down toward the street where an autonomous taxi was still waiting for him. "Everything will be fine."

Connor took a few steps down the driveway and watched as Luke disappeared into the backseat of the autonomous taxi awaiting his return, and disappeared from sight.

Hank let out a tired sigh and stood at Connor's side as the vehicle sped off down the street. "Are you going to be okay, son?"

"...I'm conflicted." The deviant admitted as he answered with a somber tone. "While I'm happy that Luke is confident in his abilities and wants to help our people, I'm sad that he's gone. My brother had returned to me from death, and just as quickly as we became reacquainted he leaves again."

"Remember what I said earlier?"

"The comment about 'shit happens?'"

"Yup. This qualifies."

"It's unfortunate. You and Luke are my only family, and I don't want to lose that."

"Luke will be okay, Connor. He's pretty damn sharp for someone who was arguably born just three days ago."

"As you've so frequently stated, I trust Luke to do the right things in his life, it's the rest of the world I don't trust."

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Yes. I wish that I could do more for him and assist him with founding the new facility."

"I know, son. But you can only do so much. You're just one person, and one person can't change the world."

"Markus did."

"But he had help from his friends, son. That's not exactly alone."

"Yes, I'm aware. But that fact doesn't make it any easier to accept that Luke will be eleven hours and seventeen minutes away from me."

"I'm still here." Hank replied kindly as he tried to make Connor feel a little better about having to already say goodbye to his brother. "And you still have Markus, North, Simon, Josh, Joel, Abby, Rose... Your family isn't as small as you think it is."

"This is true, but I want to have a close family. Not just one of convenience."

"Is that how you think I saw you? Someone who conveniently showed up in my life and helped me pull my dumbass out of a beer bottle?"

"...No." Bowing his head slightly Connor saw how much he had tried to simplify a very complex subject. "You took me in as your friend, then let me stay as your son. That wasn't convenience, it was compassion."

"Damn right. Look, son, you never know what's going to be waiting for you just around the corner. And since androids are getting more rights everyday, who knows what'll happen? Remember, I legally managed to adopt you and Lucas as my own sons despite being a human and you two being androids. Just a year before that I would've been laughed at for having such an idea, and told to put damage insurance policies on you two because you would've been seen as just machines."

"That's right." Lifting his head up a little higher Connor felt a sense of comfort wash over himself. "I was _adopted_ and given a real family."

"It took me a couple weeks to get that paperwork pushed through, but it was worth it. That was an annoying wait but I put up with it for the sake of you two. Fuck, by this time next year the laws might change again and you could finally take in a kid, even as a foster kid or something like that."

"...That's right. You managed to legally adopt two androids as your sons." Connor's eyes seemed to become brighter with renewed optimism and determination. "And if that was legally sound then perhaps androids providing shelter to other people in need is entirely plausible. Just like the shelters who give supply and aid to people who walk in off the street. Luke can help aid deviants, just as I can help people."

"Yeah. You see?" The detective was relieved to see Connor's mood improve. "Things are changing, but it's for the better. Just be patient, kid."

Sighing with an openly melancholy huff Connor turned to face Hank and shook his head despondently. "I've never been good at sitting back and waiting for changes to happen."

"I know, son. Trust me, I KNOW." Hank's tone was light and playful as he continued to ease Connor's concerns. "Everything will work out in the end, you'll see. I promise."

Walking back up the driveway the deviant ran his hand through his hair anxiously as he resisted the urge to grab onto his coin in his pocket. "I suppose you're right. All I can do is wait and see how things play out."

"Come on, kid. Let's finish taking care of Joel's car so we can have the driveway back."

"Yeah, okay." Glancing down at his greasy hands and feeling the sticky sweat all over his skin again Connor let out a somewhat annoyed, but partially amused sigh. "I'll need to take another shower after this."

Hank just laughed as Connor resumed his work on the car and set about popping the hood, and getting fresh grease all over his hands. "There's worse things you could be worrying about than just a couple of extra showers, kid. Trust me!"

_**...next story...** _


	184. Disappointment

Connor anxiously sat on the edge of the bed with his eyes closed as he cybernetically filed some very important and documents to an agency downtown. With each detail he cybernetically uploaded his eyelids would flutter slightly and his hands would toss his coin back and forth between his palms. Each toss of the coin was as meticulously perfect as his posture, and overall sense of timing. The deviant was focused on his task, and it seemed like absolutely nothing would stop him.

"Hey, what's the hold up?" Hank asked as he called to the deviant android through his opened bedroom door. "I hate to think that update screwed up your punctuality."

"...It has not." Opening his eyes Connor stood up from his bed and straightened his tie. "I'm ready to go to the precinct."

"You okay? You seem distracted."

"I assure you that I'm quite well." There was a brightly optimistic gleam in his soulful brown eyes as he spoke. "I was merely filing some official documents."

"Something I should know about?"

"No, it's personal. I'll explain things to you later if it becomes necessary."

Hank's brow arched at the cryptic response, but he knew better than to question the deviant android's motives. "...Alright. I've had my coffee so let's get the hell outta' here."

"Of course. I'll drive Joel's car into the precinct and follow after you in the Oldsmobile."

"Not the Corvette, huh?" The detective teased a little as he and Connor walked down the hallway. "I see how it is."

With a slightly exaggerated sigh Connor grabbed the keys to the Corvette from the bookshelf and tossed them to Hank. "You could just ask."

"Why? Guilt-trippin' is more fun."

* * *

Ever attentive Connor sifted through the most recent deviant related cases that had been filed at the precinct in the past twenty-four hours, and found one case to be of particular interest. A deviant had been in charge of a convenience store during the graveyard shift and during the early hours of the morning had been held at gunpoint by a young teenager who robbed the store of almost four-hundred dollars. Robbery wasn't uncommon, but the circumstances surrounding the robbery was a little strange.

What made the case stand out to Connor was the fact that the deviant had waited almost an hour to call the police, rather than immediately contacting emergency services cybernetically. And even so the deviant was reluctant to give any information to the police after they had arrived.

"Curious." Connor noted as he uploaded the information from his terminal and made his way to the precinct doors.

"Find something good there, 'Tinman'?" Gavin asked from his desk as he overheard Connor's comment on the case.

"Perhaps. An unusual robbery has taken place, and I find the resulting response interesting."

"Well, whatever it is I bet it'll be a lot easier to deal with than some drunk asshole using his girlfriend as a punching bag last night."

"...Do you want my assistance?"

"Nah, I got this. Just do me a favor and don't tell Hank if the suspect arrives with a few fresh bruises. You get what I'm saying?"

"I won't say a word."

Gavin watched as Tina returned to the bullpen with the arrest warrant in her hand and a devilish smirk on her face. "Ready to bust this asshole?"

"Always."

As the two human detectives took their leave Connor took the Corvette car keys from his jacket pocket and motioned with them in his hand to let Hank know he was going out into the field.

"There is an unspoken story here." The deviant commented to himself as he logged away the details into his memorybanks for use later on. "And I intend to figure out what it is."

* * *

The deviant at the convenience store had remained in the back office as requested by the manager and was very cooperative with the police investigating the crime. Connor's arrival didn't deter or enhance the deviant's cooperation, but it did gave Connor some pause as he realized that the deviant was holding back a key detail of the crime. Calmly and patiently Connor spoke to the deviant in private as he would any other witness.

"The youth pulled a gun on you at two thirty-three this morning, and he threatened to shoot if you did not give him the money, correct?"

"Yes." The male deviant, his model was reminiscent of Josh's model save for two additional inches in height and dark blue eyes, answered honestly. He wore the convenience store's uniform shirt with a name tag; 'Mitch', over his left breast pocket. "He was wearing a mask so I could not see his face directly."

"You informed another officer that you calculated his height to be five foot nine inches, weight to be approximately one-hundred and thirty-two pounds, and of a particularly lean build."

"Yes."

"Could you provide a sample of the suspect's voice for possible identification?"

"There was music playing." The deviant stated almost defensively. "It has affected the clarity of my audio recording."

"The secondary audio interference can be cleared up."

"I doubt a voice analysis would be of any help to you. I don't think the youth will return and be identified by voice alone."

Connor sensed the deviant was still holding something back and decided to press it. "Is it possible you've seen the youth in your store before?"

"It's entirely possible."

"Is it possible that you _know_ the youth?"

"...I cannot be certain."

"Mitch, I am convinced you know this youth."

"I don't understand."

"You deliberately waited to call the police after the robbery, rather than during. You're hesitant to give us any details that could identify the youth, and you are remarkably unfazed by the gun being pointed in your face."

"Detective, I am not conspiring with the robber if that's what you're implying."

"No. You have no history of criminal activity and I know you're living comfortably. You have no reason to rob the store."

"Then what are you implying?"

Connor crossed his arms as he studied the deviant's behavior carefully. "I believe you're trying to help the youth; not out of selfish interest, but out of empathetic compassion."

"How so?"

"The description of the youth is indicative of someone who has been malnourished for quite some time, perhaps from living on the streets or living in poverty. You could've easily overpowered the youth and secured the cash register, but instead you allowed him to take the money as if you knew he desperately needed it in order to survive."

Mitch remained silent.

"I'm not going to have charges pressed against you for 'allowing' the youth to get away with the robbery. I would merely like information on him so I can possibly help him."

"...Help him? How?"

"Skye Tower is a sanctuary for deviants and runaway teenagers alike. He'd be safer at the tower than he would be on the streets."

Mitch was genuinely surprised by Connor's offer, his body language betraying the emotions he had been restraining so well. "...Hypothetically if I found him, what then?"

"Direct him to the tower. We don't ask questions about a person's reasons for seeking shelter."

"And the money?"

"Money can be replaced, life cannot."

"Thank you, detective." Mitch eyed the second officer now entering the back office with the convenience store manager and quickly changed the subject. "If I think of any further details I will contact you immediately."

Connor sensed the two additional people in the room and quickly caught on to Mitch's behavior. "Thank you for your cooperation."

* * *

At the precinct Gavin was dragging in his arrested suspect by the man's hands that were cuffed behind his back, and was working up a sweat as a result. Tina was coolly leading the way to the cells as the angry man shouted obscenities for being arrested, not that the officers in the bullpen were exactly shocked to hear claims about 'false arrest' or 'discrimination'. As the man's belligerence echoed through the building Hank casually glanced over his shoulder to look through the transparent window at the commotion.

"Dumb-fuck." The fresh blood smeared on the man's face below his nose actually made Hank smirk a little. "I hope he let Tina hit him at least once before they brought him in."

As Hank returned his attention to his terminal screen his phone buzzed on his desk and an unknown phone number appeared on the screen. Picking it up he hovered his thumb over the 'answer' button for only a moment.

"I bet it's Luke." Pressing down on the green button Hank answered in a professional manner as a precautionary measure. "Captain Hank Anderson speaking."

* * *

Feeling rather proud of the way he handled the robbery at the convenience store Connor returned to the precinct and caught sight of Gavin walking away from the holding cells with a smug grin on his face as he and Tina finished with their successful arrest. Ignoring the fresh bruises forming on Gavin's knuckles and the drying blood he was trying to wipe off of his fingers, Connor promptly returned to his desk and his terminal to begin filing his report on the deviant case he had (intentionally) left open, with a sense of compassion brimming behind his soulful brown eyes.

Just as he sat down behind his desk the office door opened and Hank called out to him. "Connor, come in here for a minute."

"Coming."

Hank returned to his desk as the deviant entered the office as requested. Holding up his phone Hank sat down on the edge of his desk and gave the deviant a suspicious glance and waited a moment to collect his thoughts. Connor in turn stood before the detective and studied his face inquisitively.

"Connor," Hank started calmly as he kept his phone presented to the deviant. "why did I get a call from the American Adoption Agency?"

"...Oh." The still installed update made Connor's face pale slightly and a fine sheen of sweat beaded on his forehead. "I was hoping I could-"

"Connor. Just answer the question."

"...Last night after Luke left I began checking through the new rights for androids that had been implemented in the past three years. Luke mentioned that android rights included guardianship, and then you reminded me that you had adopted Lucas and myself, and I began to think about possibly doing the same thing for a child in need."

"Holy shit! Connor, that's a MAJOR change in your life, and a HUGE responsibility."

"I'm aware of this, and I know it won't be an easy change, but I know this is something I want."

"Fuck, kid... Why didn't you tell me this _before_ you started filing for adoption?"

"Because I wanted to be able to do this by myself."

"What? Why?"

"...Despite the android rights that have come to pass it's still very difficult to be seen as a person." Connor awkwardly shifted his weight on his feet before putting his arms behind his back, his right hand clasping the left arm just under his wrist. "I want to be able to go through my life and do so without having to rely solely on you, as either my Captain, my friend or my father, to make these things possible."

"Oh, I see." Hank relaxed a little and he put his phone down on his desk behind him. "You do realize that by filling out those applications and putting my name down as your legal guardian I was going to get a phone call regarding the details, right?"

"Yes. But I wasn't expecting such a rapid response. I would've told you earlier if I had known so you wouldn't have been caught off guard."

"It's fine, kid. Anyway, I was honest with their questions. I told them what they needed to know and they're running a background check on you. Since you're employed at the precinct so that shouldn't take too long, and should receive a reply sometime this evening."

"Are you mad that I did this without speaking with you first?"

"I'm not mad so much as I'm stunned. That was the last kind of call I was expecting to get when I answered."

Connor gave Hank a guilty stare as he paled a little more. His eyes dropped down and focused on the floor before him. "I won't-"

"Take it easy, son. You're not in trouble."

"But I still shouldn't have been so hasty. I see that now."

Hank sighed and ran his hand over his bearded chin as he decided to ease Connor's needless guilt. "So... How're you going to take care of your own kid?"

"What?" Connor's brow furrowed and a little color returned to his complexion as he looked up at Hank. "I don't understand."

"Well, you put in your application and they're looking it over, so that means you have some kind of plan for a kid, right?"

A faint smirk appeared on Connor's face as he saw the compassionate expression on Hank's face. "...I was thinking I could renovate my bedroom to accommodate a child for the time being."

"And then move into a bigger place when the kid gets bigger, right?"

"That would be the logical next step, yes."

"Do you have that kind of money saved up?"

"Yes. I've been very careful with my finances and-"

Gavin knocked on the glass door of the office twice before he pulled open the door and stepped inside. "Hey, we just got a call about some psycho who shot an android at the sight of an android apartment complex still under construction."

"Connor, we'll talk about this later." Hank pointed toward the door and nodded firmly in Gavin's direction. "Go."

"I'm on it."

* * *

Using Gavin's squad car the two detectives went to the scene of the reported assault as quickly as possible. Violence against androids had actually dropped considerably in the past few months, but that didn't mean that androids could rest easy just yet. As the car reached the address of the assault the two detectives saw first responding officers who had taken control of the scene, and were now searching for the human who had assaulted the android at the construction site.

"Ah, fuck." Gavin swore as he pulled alongside the street beside partially built complex. "This place isn't even finished yet and it's huge!"

"Fortunately, android apartment complexes do not hold as many rooms as traditional apartment complexes. There won't be as many areas for the suspect to hide, even if the construction had been finished."

"Think this ass-wipe is still at the scene?" Gavin asked as he opened his door and waited for Connor join him outside the parked car.

"Witness statements of the immediate area would make this scenario very possible." The deviant stated as he walked around the side of the car and stood before Gavin. "Until we can deduce whether or not the shooting was random or predetermined, it'd be a wise precaution to assume that the suspect is still in the area."

"Great, fine. You check out the victim and I'll see if I can find the lunatic."

"If you'd prefer I could go in search of the suspect while you examine the body."

"No fuckin' way. That blue blood shit still freaks me out."

Connor tilted his head a little as he understood Gavin's reluctance to examine the body. "Very well."

The two detectives split off from one another as Connor went to examine the body that was concealed under a white sheet, and Gavin went to ask the first responding officers what they had uncovered before their own arrival. Tentatively Connor nodded at the officers who were standing charge over the body before he knelt down beside it.

Respectfully Connor pulled back the sheet to scan the android's face and gain her identity, only to feel a strange knot of empathy suddenly form in his much more sensitive stomach. Her model was that of a caregiver who bore a striking resemblance to Lucy before she had been attacked.

"The victim's name is 'Natasha' and worked at a daycare two blocks away." As he began examining the victim's wounds the knot in his stomach tightened in time with his emotional distress. "Single bullet wound to the left temple from close range." The gunshot residue and stippling over the artificial flesh was indicative of the gun's barrel being pressed almost against her temple. "Whoever did this targeted her specifically with the intent to inflict maximum damage with minimal effort."

Replacing the sheet over her face Connor stood upright and scanned the area for any sign of the shooter.

Natasha had been shot on the sidewalk just in front of the construction site two hours prior. The construction crew had been on break and had found her body after returning, and catching a brief glimpse of a single person running away from the body. After reporting the assault the crew had dispersed from the immediate area after giving their statements to the police.

Shoe prints that didn't belong to any of the officers at the scene, and were not of the mandatory steel-toed work boots that the construction crew wore, gave Connor a lead. Using his scanner to trail the shoes to a storage shed behind the construction site he discovered traces of gunpowder residue on the small brass handle leading into the shed out of the immediate view of anyone passing by.

"Gavin," Connor cybernetically, but verbally, addressed the detective with a message to his phone. "I believe I found something. The storage shed behind the construction site."

' _Stay there, I'm heading over now_.'

Pressing his hand down against the handle Connor opened it just a few centimeters before the door burst open from the other side knocking Connor back as the deviant was left stunned.

"Get away!" A male voice shouted as he exploded through the door and pointed his gun at Connor. Squeezing the trigger once the gun jammed and the man panicked as he grabbed onto the nearest object to use as a weapon. "Don't touch me!"

Before Connor had the chance to recover a horrific pain burned through his face just below his right eye as a screwdriver was stabbed into his face. The tool twisted once to the right and the plastic handle was snapped clean from the sharpened metal rod that had become embedded in his face.

Connor let out a loud gasp and yell of pain as he fell to his side and rolled onto his back slowly. Pressing his hands to his face Connor felt the warmth of his blue blood seeping between his fingers and under his palms. His vision went red with warnings regarding the damage he had just sustained and an internal alarm began to sound off in his head.

Dropping his hands away from his face Connor caught blurry sight of his attacked rushing away from him and out of sight down the sidewalk.

"H... Help..." Connor wheezed pathetically as he remained stunned on the ground. Blood and now sweat was staining his face as his artificial skin began to swell up and turn a dark blue all around the penetrating screwdriver still stabbed into his face. "...Help."

"Connor?" Gavin spotted the deviant laying on the dirt in front of the storage shed with his hands, covered in Thirium, hovering just over his face. "What the fuck happened?"

Connor couldn't find his voice and could only wheeze in pain as shock set in.

"Connor, what the-" Gavin saw all the blood on the deviant's suddenly pale face. As the blood glistened against the side of the screwdriver Gavin realized that the deviant had been injured. "Oh, shit! Who did this?"

Taking in rapid breaths Connor suddenly let out a loud yell of pain as the true extent of the damage began to register in his stunned mind.

"Fuck! Alright, come on!" Grabbing onto Connor's left bicep Gavin hauled the deviant up to his feet and began dragging him from the construction site and back toward his car. "Hey! We got an officer down over here!"

As the police officers converged toward Gavin the detective waved them off and motioned to the storage shed behind the site.

"I got him." Gavin was referring to Connor as he pulled open the passenger side door of the car and sat the bleeding deviant down inside. He shouted at the other officers as he made his way to the other side of his car. "You find the asshole who did this!"

Throwing open his own door Gavin sat down, turned the key in the ignition, and pulled away from the construction site as quickly as possible.

"Connor?" Gavin glanced over at the deviant as Connor slumped down in the seat, his hand hovering protectively over his bleeding face with genuine fear as he panted rapid, frightened breaths. "Connor, stay with me, alright?"

"G-Gavin, I need to-" His hand barely brushed the end of the metal and the slight pressure was enough to make him shout out in pain again.

"Hey! Don't touch that! Let it alone!"

"I need to pull it out!"

"No, Connor! I don't know much about androids," the detective admitted as he turned on the next block. "but I do know to not pull out the knife when someone gets stabbed! Leave it alone you fuckin' plastic-prick!"

"It hurts!" Connor shouted and immediately he began to lose consciousness. "...It needs... to..."

"Stay awake damn it! We're almost there!"

Connor's hands fell heavily away from his face as his eyes slipped shut.

"Connor! Wake up, 'Tinman'!" Thinking quickly Gavin changed his destination and made his way to Skye Tower where he knew Abby was working. He grabbed onto the front of Connor's shirt and shook him once, but the wounded deviant respond. "Fuck."

Thirium continued to drip from Connor's paling face as his eye swelled shut entirely. The update he had willingly downloaded had resulted in many more humanoid responses to physical stimuli and damage; one of those responses was evidently an increased sensitivity to pain and blood loss.

"Alright, we're here." Throwing the car into park in the small lot behind the tower Gavin opened his door and ran to the other side of the car to pull open the opposite door. Grabbing onto Connor's arm Gavin managed to heft the unconscious deviant's limp body over his shoulder as he carried him into the tower. Ignoring the receptionist, who didn't even try to talk to Gavin as he rushed by, the detective reached the elevator and let out a deep sigh. "Fuckin' piece of plastic. Plastic isn't supposed to _bleed_."

* * *

Steadily Connor's system rebooted from the darkness that had overtaken his mind. With his returning consciousness came another wave of searing pain. As his hand reached up to grab onto the offending screwdriver still impaled in his face a second gentle hand grabbed onto his own and coaxed it away from the offensive weapon.

"No, no." Abby's voice called out to him as she pushed his hand away. "Don't touch that, I'll take care of it for you."

Connor's undamaged eye opened and he stared up at the technician's face as she hovered over him. "...Abby?"

"You're safe. I'll get the screwdriver out."

"It hurts." The deviant wanted to scream, if not let out a childish sob as his pain receptions felt twice as potent, but he refrained from touching the offending object still stabbed into his face just below his eye. "It really hurts..."

"I know it does. I'm sorry, we didn't know the update would make you so much more receptive to pain."

As his vision cleared Connor recognized his surroundings and found himself laying on a treatment table in the emergency repair ward of Skye Tower. "H-How did I get here?"

"Gavin brought you here, and he already told Hank what happened."

"Gavin." Connor glanced about but didn't see the Sergeant anywhere. "Where is he now?"

"He's downstairs visiting Aria in the daycare area and waiting for Hank to arrive." Placing a small ice pack down against Connor's swollen eye Abby prepared to extract the weapon. "You're lucky. The screwdriver didn't damage your optical unit or the major Thirium lines leading into it. There's some swelling of your artificial skin that's keeping your eye closed, and structural damage to your plastimetal frame. A few smaller Thirium lines were damaged but the leak isn't catastrophic. You'll need only a day to fully heal and in that time there won't be any sign that you were ever injured."

"...Was the suspect located?"

"They're still looking. Now, hold still." Draping a small blue cloth over Connor's face just under the screwdriver and a second one just above it, Abby proceeded press a small electronic device against his right temple. "This will temporarily disable your pain receptors. Since the update enhanced your receptors I can't give you can exact time for how long the pain will subside, but it will be long enough for me to pull out the screwdriver."

Watching Abby's every move with his one good eye Connor let out a weary sigh and remained as still as possible. Once the pain in his eye finally subsided Connor was able to relax a little and just waited for the procedure to get under way.

"Okay, Connor. You'll feel a little pressure but nothing more."

Closing his good eye as Abby placed a pair of shining metal pliers on the screwdriver still lodged in his face, Connor held his breath and didn't dare move. A mild pressure built up under his eye and then began to lessen as the screwdriver was pulled free with a controlled strength.

"Got it. It's out."

Connor opened his eye and watched as Abby placed the Thirium soaked piece of offensive metal in a basin next to the treatment table with an audible 'tink'. The deviant instinctively reached his hand up to press against the wound under his eye to make sure the weapon was truly gone.

"Hey, come on." Abby pulled his hand back down again from his wound. "Let me clean it up and put a protective bandage over it."

"...I dislike this update."

"I can tell. But it's working. You're responding as any human would to this pain."

"Can you extract a D.N.A. sample so that I can uninstall the update?"

"I can try. Let take a small sample of your blood for analysis."

Sitting up slowly on the table Connor leaned forward and watched as the protective cloths surrounding his eye fell away onto his lap. Putting his shaking hand over his stomach that was now feeling very uncomfortable Connor fought to keep his voice steady. "I'll need some Thirium to replace what I lost as well."

"Sure. Just sit still and try to relax." Looking toward the door leading into the repair bay Abby waved over Hank who had just arrived. "I'll just be a minute."

Calmly Hank walked over to the table and stood before Connor with his hands on his hips. "You okay?"

"Yes. I'm fine." Lifting his head up a little higher so he could look Hank in the face he let out a weak breath and slipped off his gray jacket. "Does the damage look bad?"

Hank put his hand under Connor's chin and tilted the deviant's head so he could inspect the damage to his swollen eye more closely. "Nothing a little rest and a pack of ice won't fix."

"The shooter targeted that deviant." Connor stated very despondently. "She was harmless and supervised a daycare center."

"Yeah, kid. I know."

"Did you find him?"

"Yeah, Chris and Jack caught him about two minutes after I left the precinct. They're questioning him right now, but by all accounts it's just another pointless bigotry fueled assault."

"That's unfortunate." Connor's good eye shut and his eyelids fluttered as he received an cybernetic response to his application. As the information was received his shoulders sagged and his head bowed down toward the floor. "...Damn it."

"Connor, what's wrong?"

"...My application. I was rejected."

"Ah, kid, I'm sorry." His hand went to the deviant android's shoulder in a supportive manner. "Why'd they say 'no'?"

"The adoption agency does not want a child going into the custody of someone who is unmarried due to the risk of inconsistent parental supervision in a single parent household. My career as a detective is also considered too high risk to be approved."

"That's bullshit! I raised Cole by myself as a single father AND a detective. It's _possible_."

"Yes. But I suspect being an android was also a factor, but that would not admit it out of fear of a discrimination lawsuit."

"That's not right, kid. You know it isn't."

"There is anything I can do."

"Yeah there is." The detective encouraged with a flare of anger to his voice. "Fight back!"

"...No." Connor sounded broken, if not defeated. "They'd be less responsive to the threat of a lawsuit or confrontation."

"Connor, don't just roll over and give up. It's not like you."

"I don't want to fight anymore. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of fighting for everything and against everyone. I just want everything to be peaceful, and to go about my life without every day being a struggle for equality."

Abby returned with the bandages and a bottle of incrassation compound to tend to Connor's wound, as well as a syringe for a Thirium sample. She could see that Connor was still in pain, but there was something else weighing down on his mind as well. "You okay?"

Connor shook his head a little and remained quiet.

Sensing that Connor didn't want to talk about it Hank spoke up on the deviant's behalf. "He just got some disappointing news, that's all."

With a gentle touch Abby cleaned up Connor's eye and placed the compound down to keep the wound from bleeding any further. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Only if you can change the rules."

"Rules?" She rolled up Connor's right sleeve to expose his elbow. Taking a sample of Connor's Thirium with a small hollow point needle from the main line in the bend of his elbow for later analysis, she was intrigued and confused by the little conversation she had become a part of. "What rules?"

Connor gave Hank a somewhat pleading glance. "It's alright. Some things just aren't meant to be."

Abby put her hand under Connor's chin and made him look directly at her. "And that's why we strive for changes. Now tell me. What's going on?"

Hesitant at first to explain things Connor relented and told Abby what had happened. After he finished telling her about the rejected application she placed a clean bandage over his wounded eye and promptly crossed her arms over her chest.

"That's a bunch of bull." Abby was just as heated as Hank. "You don't need to have _two_ parents to have a loving home. I'm proof of that. And," she pointed at Connor's chest before she motioned to Hank. "so are you."

"I doubt that would hold up in court." Connor stated somberly as he pressed his fingertips over his bandaged eye, then rolled down his sleeve to cover his arm.

"You do realize how one-sided the rules for custody are, right?" Abby challenged with an unexpected fire on Connor's behalf. "You can contest their ruling."

"She's right, Connor." Hank agreed readily. "Humans can legally adopt androids as family or heirs, they can give androids legal standing as medical proxies and they can even hire androids to play surrogate. But androids wanting to take in a human child to give them a home is still seen as somehow irresponsible? No, that can be challenged and court and you can win. I know what the agency told you about the reasons why you were rejected, but I don't buy it! There's definitely some discrimination going on."

"And if that's really the case," Connor slid off the exam table and stood up with a slouched, defeated posture. "would it really be fair to the child? Any child in the custody of an android would be discriminated against, picked on, bullied... Even if I managed to fight back and win the case, any child that I had the fortune of taking in would be victimized by the rest of society."

"Connor, don't-"

"I'd rather not discuss it anymore."

"Connor?"

The deviant disappeared from the repair bay out of sight. A few seconds later Gavin walked in with Aria on his hip and gave both Hank and Abby a strange glance. "Hey, what's wrong with the 'Tinman'? He didn't acknowledge me or Aria, and he looks like someone just ran over his dog."

Hank let out a weary sigh and grabbed onto Connor's forgotten jacket. "Thanks for your help, Abby. I'll go take care of him, and Gavin, whenever you're ready to get back to the precinct you're dealing with that jackass who stabbed Connor."

"Uh, yeah." Gavin adjusted Aria on his hip as he watched the senior officer get ready to leave. "No problem, Cap."

"Here." Abby passed a bottle of Thirium over to Hank to take. "Make sure he drinks this. Take care of Connor."

"Yeah, thanks."

As Gavin and Abby were left alone the Sergeant turned to his wife and gave her an odd glance. "What the fuck was that all about?"

* * *

The rest of the day proceeded without any further incident.

Needing to be alone for a moment Connor sat on the back deck of the house with his coin just sitting completely still in the center of the opened palm of his right hand as he stared into nothingness. Ignoring the the mounting chill in the air as best as he could as the evening gave way to night, Connor sat alone with his thoughts and cybernetically filed his report regarding his cases, and his resulting injury.

The backdoor opened as Hank stepped outside and joined Connor on the back step with Sumo trotting out into the backyard along with him. "I just got a report from Abby." Sitting down beside Connor the detective studied Connor's bleak disposition carefully. "That blood sample she took from you only had about twenty percent viable D.N.A. to be registered. You gotta' keep that update for a while longer."

"...I figured as much."

"And she told me that a teenage boy and his pregnant girlfriend showed up at the Tower about ten minutes after we left. He had four-hundred dollars in his pocket and a gun."

"What happened?" Connor's eyes went wide and he paled a little as he looked over at Hank. "Was anyone injured?"

"No, everything's fine, son. The teen turned over the gun and all of the money. He said he wanted to turn himself in for the armed robbery at the convenience store after his girlfriend was taken care of at the tower; but Abby talked Gavin into letting the kid off with a warning. Turns out he robbed the place because both of their parents kicked them out and he needed the money to survive."

"...I see."

"He also said the android he robbed at the convenience store told him where to go. Apparently the detective in charge of the case gave him the idea..."

Connor turned his head away and looked back down at the nothingness at his feet.

"Don't act like you're in trouble, kid. I get what you did and I'm glad you did it."

"...I'm not worried about myself. I'm frustrated."

"I don't blame you, that adoption agency-"

"It's not just about getting my application rejected." The deviant interrupted firmly as his hand clenched into a tight fist consuming the coin. "It's about how hypocritical the laws are. Humans are allowed to have as many children as they want, whether or not they can take care of them or provide them with the necessities of life, but androids aren't permitted because we're still seen as machines." Leaning back a little Connor wiped some sweat from his forehead as he also wiped away a rogue tear. "The deviant who was gunned down this afternoon volunteered her time to take care of human kids and was a threat to no one. It was a human who killed her, but he could easily have children of his own without anyone questioning it."

"Easy, Connor. You don't know-"

"Those teenagers who showed up at the tower are scared to death about their future and their child to the point where'd they break the law; but their own parents don't care enough to help them... It's unfair and just so cruel to both of the teenagers and their unborn child. But the laws won't aid them, only condemn them."

"Connor, there's nothing I can say to you right now that would make you feel any better." Draping his arm around Connor's shoulder Hank held the disheartened deviant in a half-hug, as Connor breathed deeply and tried to compose himself. "But I can tell you that you're absolutely right."

"How did you put up with these unjust laws for so long without breaking?"

"Who said they didn't break me, kid?" Patting the side of Connor's arm once Hank retracted his arm and decided a change in subject was needed. "How's your eye?"

"Sore."

"And your Thirium volume?"

Connor's hand relaxed as he pressed his palm back over his stomach over top the newly formed uncomfortable sensation in his core that he had been trying to ignore. "Down to eighty-nine percent."

"Come on. You hate the cold as it is," the detective insisted patiently as he noticed a few goosebumps forming on Connor's skin. "and I don't think that new update will make it feel any better."

"...I'll going inside in a minute. I just want a moment to myself."

"Right." Standing up from the deck Hank walked back to the door and opened it slowly. "Just remember one thing; don't obsess over this. It'll drive you crazy."

"I won't." Pocketing his coin Connor wrapped his arms over his chest to keep warm as he stubbornly stayed on the step by himself. "...I promise."

_**...next story...** _


	185. Hacked

Running his fingertips over the fully healed wound under his right eye Connor stared at the terminal screen on his desk, except his gaze was staring through the screen rather than focusing on it. It had been almost a week since the melancholy day that had left Connor feeling rather depressed, as well as a little sore from the assault he had sustained while working a case in the field. The rest of the week had been calm and slow, but that was the last thing Connor needed as of that moment he was craving a distraction.

From his office Hank watched as Connor stared off into nothingness at his terminal and was about to call him into the office to have a little chat when an alert appeared on both of their terminal screens. Reading over the details Hank noted that it was an android who had been reportedly acting strange and knew Connor would be setting off to investigate.

Ever the professional Connor rose from his seat and made his way toward the precinct doors with the details of the case cybernetically uploaded into his memorybanks.

Before Connor got too far Hank stepped out of his office and called out to him. "Hold up, Connor. I'm going with you."

Freezing mid step Connor turned around to face Hank as the detective caught up with him fairly quickly. "Is there something wrong?"

"Nope. I'm just tired of sitting in that damn office all day. Let's go, I'll drive."

As his mouth twitched a little Connor followed after Hank without any form of protest, and fished the car keys from his jacket pocket. "...Very well."

* * *

A group of curious people had gathered around an autonomous taxi that was pulled over to the side of the road downtown. Inside the taxi was a deviant android who was laying unconscious in the backseat, and she was obviously in some form of distress. Chris and Jack, who had been on patrol that afternoon, had come across the reported vehicle that had engaged emergency shutdown upon the android occupant's collapse and had subsequently called the scene in to the precinct for some assistance.

The distressed deviant was sporting long golden blonde hair pulled up in a ponytail, emerald green eyes and fair skin that was all the more pale due to whatever it was that was affecting her.

Chris was actually a little fazed to see a deviant who was pale, sweating and apparently suffering from a horrible illness. In time he had gotten used to seeing blue blood whenever an android had been injured, but the sight of an android behaving so humanly in response to other physical impairments left him kind of stunned.

"Jack, do you know what's happening with her?"

"Eight days ago a new update from Digital Sentience was released to the public that allows androids to exhibit humanoid responses to physical harm or errors." Jack stated almost coldly as he explained the situation to his human partner. "This android has evidently installed the update and now her physical responses are indicating an internal glitch or malfunction."

"Right, sure." Leaning down inside the opened door of the taxi Chris addressed the android as he would any other citizen in distress. "Uh, Miss, can you hear me?"

The android's head turned slightly in Chris's direction but she didn't respond.

"Miss? Can you tell me your name?"

Jack approached the vehicle and put his hand on the android's wrist. Cybernetically connecting to the android Jack was able to at least get her name but he couldn't place her malfunction. "The android goes by the name 'Sophie'."

"Sophie?" Chris tried calling her name again, but as before she didn't respond. "Sophie, we're going to help you. Do you understand?" As Connor and Hank arrived at the scene Chris backed away from the vehicle and approached his superior officers. "Captain, why're you here?"

"I needed to get out of the office for a minute." Hank replied sharply as he exited their own car and stared at the taxi with the doors wide opened. "What's going on?"

"Android in distress. I can't get anything out of her." Motioning to Jack still standing beside the car Chris made sure to give them what little details they had managed to gather. "Jack found out her name's Sophie, but that's it."

"Right. You two head back to the precinct, we'll take care of this."

"Sure. See ya' later, Cap."

Hank walked over to the car with Connor right at his side. Peering down inside the taxi Hank took in the sight of the seemingly ill android was unsure of what to do. "Connor, do you think you can help her out?"

"I can try." Sitting down in the taxi beside Sophie the keen eyed deviant ran a scan over her body and found that she was suffering from some type of unknown glitch that was causing her thermal regulator to malfunction. "Her core temperature is dangerously high at one-hundred and five point two degrees Fahrenheit. Sophie, my name is Connor." Lightly he put his hand against the side of her face to try to get her attention. "I'm an android and I work with the police. Can you tell me what is happening to you?"

"...M-My head hurts."

Connor glanced over at Hank and he quickly took interest in her reply. "It seems your thermal regulator has been affected by a glitch as well. Do you know your current core temperature?"

Sophie's eyes rolled up in the back of her head as she lost consciousness. Her head lolled to the side and rested heavily against Connor's palm.

"Hank, she needs to go to a facility for treatment. I can't identify this glitch and I don't know how to help her."

"Alright, stay with her and I'll call for an android ambulance to take care of her."

Nodding compliantly Connor pressed his fingertips against her right temple where her L.E.D. had once been and tried to gain more information from the ill deviant android. A small bundle of information made it to Connor and he was able to sift through it quickly, but the deviant's mind was beginning to overheat making cybernetic connection too taxing to be performed safely.

"Hank, she is not originally from the city." Connor called out to the detective. "She was previously hired as a caregiver to a family that emigrated to Japan six years ago until the elderly woman she was in charge of passed away. She's recently returned to America and is seeking to take shelter at New Jericho."

"Okay." Ending the call on his phone Hank pocketed the device and rejoined Connor at the taxi. "Let Markus know and maybe Simon can stop by the facility to check in on her."

"Of course."

The requested ambulance arrived quickly and the two technicians in the back promptly set to work analyzing the ill deviant while Connor backed out of the taxi to give them more room to work. The sight of the technicians helping the deviant without batting an eye or hesitation was surprisingly calming to Connor, but he couldn't help but worry for Sophie as she was carefully picked up and placed on a stretcher to be loaded into the back of the android-unique ambulance.

"Well, that wasn't as eventful as I was thinking it'd be." Hank stated as he began walking back to the car casually. "Guess I can take an early lunchbreak then. Ready to go?"

"Yes, of course. There's nothing more we can do for her here."

* * *

As requested Simon stopped by the facility where Sophie had been taken for assessment, but he didn't go alone. Markus had also gone to the facility to check in on the deviant who had returned to the city to seek shelter at the tower. It didn't take long for Simon and Markus to check in on the deviant as the technician in charge of the facility recognized them and understood their good intentions.

Simon approached Sophie who was laying on an exam table with a cooling blanket pulled up over her body and had an android cardiac monitor recording her vital signs. Sophie was pale, sweating and seemed to be in great pain, but there was still no definitive answer on the cause of her condition; let alone the proper treatment.

The affected deviant was sweating out her Thirium dangerously fast. The technician inserted a line to replace her Thirium as efficiently as he could, but the sweating was so profuse that it did little good.

"I don't like this." Simon stated as he checked Sophie's vitals and found her to be weak, but stable. "There has been no way to identify the glitch in her system, and she isn't coherent enough to respond. Even direct cybernetic connections are proving uninformative."

Markus nodded his head as he looked down at her sympathetically. "What do you recommend?" Very lightly he pressed his fingertips to her temple to try to cybernetically connect with her himself, but she was too weak to communicate. Retracting his touch Markus just rested his hand atop her arm sympathetically. "Man, she's too out of it to connect. I have no idea how to reach her."

"Since this facility can't seem to find an answer I suggest transferring her to New Jericho for observation and treatment."

"Is that a wise move? What if this glitch, or whatever it is, spreads?"

"We'll place her in isolation and limit contact from other deviants. If we keep her in New Jericho then the odds of this glitch spreading throughout the city will also diminish."

"Alright. I'll tell the technician in charge that we'll take responsibility for her, and I'll let Connor know she's being transferred."

"Good idea. I'll let Josh know to get the emergency repair bay and an isolation room ready."

Markus laughed a little to himself as he gave the blond technician a half-smile. "Too bad Luke is out in Boston. We could use as many technicians as possible to try to figure this out."

"I believe humans would call this 'ironic'."

"Or cruel."

* * *

Much to Connor's chagrin Hank had stopped at the 'Chicken Feed' for lunch, and had ordered a rather large and greasy meal. Despite Connor's warnings of the high cholesterol and caloric intake, and reminding the detective that he wanted to keep the twenty pounds he had lost at bay, Hank brushed it off and proceeded to eat his lunch without feeling the slightest twinge of guilt. Parked along the street across from the small restaurant Hank enjoyed his meal and listened to the radio while Connor sat back in his seat and waited for an update on Sophie's condition at the facility.

"Aside from the obvious," the detective questioned in a cool tone of voice. "is something bothering you, Connor?"

"Pardon?" The deviant turned to look at Hank with a genuine curiosity.

"You seem a little distracted. Is there something you need to talk about?"

"No." Connor turned away from Hank almost defensively from where he sat. "I'm just concentrating on the case."

Hank wasn't buying it, but he knew better than to push too hard to get Connor to open up. "You're sure? You've been kinda'-"

"I'm okay." The deviant uncharacteristically interrupted with an aggravated tone. "I just want to focus on the case."

"Alright, fine." Hank dropped the subject for the moment, but wasn't going to just let it go entirely. "So," casually Hank took a sip of his soda before continuing on. "do you think there's anything seriously wrong with that Sophie deviant?"

"Unknown. It was difficult to reach her memory due to the glitch, but by all accounts she's always functioned at optimal parameters."

"What did the technicians have to say?"

"Sophie is suffering from chronic thermal regulator failure causing a dangerously high core temperature, and her elevated Thirium pressure is causing her a severe headache and severe confusion."

"But no idea what's causing it, yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Think the update could be the cause?" Hank asked about the case in between bites of his large burger. "Or could she have some issue with traveling from one country to another?"

"Both scenarios are highly plausible, but without any additional details I can't be certain." Connor closed his eyes and he let out a weary sigh. Returning his focus to Hank the deviant gave him an update. "I just received word from Markus. Simon has checked over Sophie and has decided to move her to New Jericho Tower for analysis. Her condition is apparently declining."

"Well, the technicians will figure it out." As per usual Hank tried to ease Connor's mind. "Any new cases pop up while we were out of the precinct?"

"No. The caseload has been uncharacteristically light for the past eleven days."

"Normally that's a good thing," Hank stated rather dryly as he took another sip of his soda. "but you sound disappointed."

"I'm not disappointed, I'm just bored."

"Bored, huh? We both have this coming weekend off, maybe we should head out to the cabin and get a little vacation. I don't want you sitting around thinking all day again."

Nodding a little Connor agreed with the suggestion. "Yes, that could be beneficial."

"Cool. Let me finish off this burger and we'll head back to the precinct."

"You really should refrain from eating so much grease in a single meal. It'll drain your energy and make you feel either tired, or sick for the remainder of the day."

"Too late, the deed is done. Besides," finishing off the final bite of his burger Hank sipped at the last of his soda and turned over the key in the ignition. "I don't eat this stuff every shift anymore."

"You should still be more careful of what you eat."

"I'm fine, kid. Don't worry about me."

"Sorry Hank, but that won't be possible."

* * *

It stayed quiet throughout the rest of the afternoon, and no other calls came in regarding deviants. Returning to the precinct after lunch seemed relatively normal for the two detectives as Connor sat down behind his desk and Hank entered his office. Everything was normal until Chris's loud voice called out for assistance as he helped guide Jack down to the floor in a controlled fall.

"Hey! I need some help over here!"

Connor immediately turned around in his seat and watched as Chris knelt beside Jack who was laying on his back on the breakroom floor. Rising from his chair quickly Connor made his way to the breakroom and knelt down on the other side of Jack opposite of Chris. "What happened to him?"

"I don't know. He just passed out or something."

Pressing his fingers to Jack's red tinted L.E.D., the heat radiating from Jack's skin was alarming, Connor made a cybernetic connection to the downed android's system. What Connor found made him anxious as the same unknown glitch that had downed Sophie was now running through Jack's system.

"Jack's core temperature has elevated to one-hundred and three point four degrees. He needs to go to New Jericho, now."

By the time Connor had made the claim other officers from the bullpen had gathered around curiously, and Hank had joined in on the crowd. "Connor, what's going on?"

"I suspect that Jack has been infected with the same virus as Sophie. He needs to go to a facility to be tended to."

"Why not let Joel take a look?"

"It'd be more beneficial for the both of the infected deviants to be treated together in the same place, by the same technician."

"Right." Hank pointed at Gavin, who was standing in the group of onlookers, and gave him an order. "Call for some help for Jack. Tell the technicians to take him to New Jericho Tower, and then I want you to partner up with Chris for the rest of the afternoon."

"Yeah, sure."

"Chris, get some ice out of the freezer and take care of your partner."

"Right, Cap."

Hank grabbed onto Connor's bicep and pulled him up to his feet slowly as he waved his hand to disperse the other onlookers to go back to their desks and ive the downed deviant some room. "Connor, go see Joel."

"What? Why?"

"Because if Jack actually has been infected then I want to make sure you're not infected, too."

Connor visibly paled and the corner of his mouth twitched. "...I understand."

"Then, go."

"On it." Connor took his leave of the breakroom and went down the corridor to reach the elevator to ascend to the second floor.

Putting his hands to his hips Hank took a step back and just stared at the downed android, Chris now holding an ice pack against his forehead, with a sense of annoyance at the strange occurrences that were happening that afternoon. Without any immediate answers and only numerous questions, Hank was getting a little wary of the way a strange plague could be affecting androids throughout the city.

"Fuck." Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank located Markus's number in his list of contacts and pressed 'dial'. "This day just had to take a turn, didn't it?"

* * *

Sophie had been transported to New Jericho Tower as requested and had been placed in an isolated room in the emergency repair bay of the tower. Only Simon and Markus were allowed to visit her to keep possible spreading of the glitch, or malfunction, to an absolute minimum. Simon had taken every necessary precaution to prevent his own system from being possible affected by utilizing a pair of Faraday insulated scrubs to shield himself from unintentional cybernetic, or electromagnetic, contact with Sophie.

"How is she doing?" Markus asked from the doorway as Simon again checked her vitals and proceeded to connect an black cable to her right temple to run a full program diagnostic.

"Not well." The blond technician confirmed somberly. "While she's stable she is steadily becoming weaker and her temperature keeps rising. She's currently at one-hundred and five point seven degrees; and still climbing. If she doesn't cool down soon then it's very likely her intracranial processors will suffer irreversible damage."

"Simon," the tone of the deviant leader's voice was grim, but honest. "we might have another infected android coming our way."

"What?" Simon looked up from Sophie and gave Markus a nervous glance. "Who?"

"Jack, the android who began working as an officer at the precinct almost ten months ago." Anxiously Markus wrung his hands together and glanced over at Sophie warily. "He was the first officer at the scene when Sophie's strange condition had been reported."

"Oh no. Where's Connor?"

"He's still at the precinct. Hank ordered him to be examined by Joel as a precaution."

"Good. The last thing we need is for this to spread, that is, if it is in fact contagious."

"I'll escort Jack down here myself. Keep me posted on her condition."

"Right, and Markus, do NOT touch Jack if at all possible. We don't know what this error is, or what it could do to us."

* * *

Patiently Connor sat on the exam table in the dispensary with a thermal wrap around his wrist and digital thermometer in his mouth, as Joel pressed his audioscope over his chest to listen to his Thirium pump and ventilation biocomponents very carefully as he finished up the impromptu, but routine, check-up. Satisfied that everything was normal with the deviant android's heart and lungs Joel motioned for Connor to lay back on the table as he opened up Connor's shirt to expose his abdomen.

"How's your temperature?" Joel took the digital thermometer from Connor's mouth and confirmed the reading with the secondary reading on the wrap around the deviant's wrist. "Normal. Ninety-eight point six degrees."

"That's reassuring."

"Since the affected androids are suffering with thermal regulator failure I want to examine yours as a precaution."

Connor nodded as the technician placed his palm down flat over his torso to examine the biocomponent through palpation. There was no pain, no overheating and no other sign of physical anomaly on Connor's person.

"Nothing hurts, right?"

"Correct."

"Well, by all account you seem perfectly healthy." Joel confirmed as took a step back from the table and allowed Connor to sit up again. "Your core temperature is normal, your Thirium pressure is normal and there have been no programming anomalies noted in your system during the diagnostic." Clicking on a penlight that had been tucked in his shirt pocket Joel checked Connor's eyes and found his vision perfectly normal as well. "Your complexion is a healthy color, and you're not sweating either. These are all very good signs."

"Am I cleared for duty?"

"Yeah, you're good. But if you feel strange in anyway I want you to get to the nearest technician."

Rebuttoning his shirt Connor gave Joel an acknowledging nod. "I will do so." Taking a moment to fix his tie Connor proceeded to exit the dispensary with his head held high. "Thank you for your help, Joel."

"No problem. And thanks for fixing my car!" The technician shouted as Connor made his way toward the elevator. "It runs great!"

* * *

Markus stood outside the isolation rooms of the emergency repair bay with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes focused straight ahead at the two androids fighting for their lives on the other side of the glass. Sophie, a total stranger to the tower, was seemingly on death's door as she sweat out her Thirium almost as fast as Simon could replace it. And Jack, someone who was known but not exactly seen as a close ally, looked dead already simply because he elected to not get the update that would give him more lively reactions to whatever was happening inside his body.

The two deviants had their usual clothing removed in favor pale blue scrubs to try to keep cool. Sophie remained attached to a Thirium drip to keep her volume from decreasing too far and was under a cooling blanket with her cardiac monitor constantly recording her vitals. Jack was also under a cooling blanket and attached to a monitor, his vitals just as weak, but temperature slightly lower than Sophie's temperature.

"This is strange." The deviant leader muttered to himself as he tried to understand what was happening. "What's the connection between these two?"

"Markus?" From behind North approached her husband and wrapped her arm around his as she joined him at the observation window. "No change?"

"Not for the better."

"Do we know where Sophie came from?"

"She had lived with a family in Japan for six years, but was granted her freedom and returned to Detroit just this morning. After hailing an autonomous taxi from the airport to come to the tower she lost consciousness and the taxi engaged emergency shutdown. That's when emergency services found her."

"Come with me." North pulled on Markus's arm to coax him into following her away from the repair bay and back to the elevator. "You need to sit down for a few minutes."

"I don't want to leave them alone."

"They're not alone, Simon's with them. Besides you're not a technician. It's not like you can do much for them beyond keeping vigil."

"Yeah, I know. I just hate standing back and not being able to help."

"You are helping." Reassuring the deviant leader with sincere affection North led him into the elevator and returned to the ground floor. "You're giving them a chance to be saved by one of the best technicians in the entire country."

Nodding quietly Markus let North guide him to the main office to have a moment to think.

Josh was checking through the tower's archives in search of any potential glitch or malfunction that would cause the sudden impairment of the thermal regulator in hopes of finding a proper repair procedure, when Markus and North entered the office. Looking up at his colleagues with a tired gaze Josh folded his hands neatly together and pressed them to his chin as he leaned forward against the desk.

"Nothing, huh?" North asked as she sat down on the couch with Markus at her side.

"No. This error is entirely new."

"And you can't find a possible cause?"

"No, there's too many variables to narrow down the cause."

Markus leaned back against the couch and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"Markus?" North noticed the gesture and tightened her grip around his arm. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just frustrated."

Turning off the terminal Josh rose from the desk and sighed. "The tower's archives doesn't have any information, but maybe the system diagnostics on Sophie and Jack have something we can use."

"Simon is still in the repair bay, why don't you go check in with him?"

"Yeah, good idea. I'll let you know if we find anything."

Sensing Markus's distress North pressed her head against his shoulder and kept him company while he tried to think of a way to help the affected deviants.

"I hate this, North." Markus admitted sounding defeated already. "There's nothing we can do but stand back and watch as two of our people suffer."

"Simon will find a way to save them."

"We don't even know what they've been afflicted with. It has to be a virus or malware infection, it's the only thing that makes sense."

"We will figure it out, Markus."

"Tell Simon to check for a virus."

"I'm sure he's done that already."

"I am, too. But this is the only thing that makes sense. We must've overlooked it somehow..."

"Okay, I'll tell him. And Markus," she planted a kiss on his cheek as she stood up from the couch to take her leave of the office. "we WILL figure this out."

Dropping his hand from his eyes Markus let out a despondent sigh and leaned forward a little. "I hope so. Otherwise two innocent deviants will have died and we won't know what happened to them."

* * *

At the precinct Connor returned to his terminal and ran a background check on Sophie to look for any additional clues to her strange affliction. The deviant had in fact been assigned as a caregiver to a rather wealthy family, and had been the previous six years living in Osaka Japan. Sophie had been purchased by the matriarch of the family, a grandmother, and was her personal caregiver and friend until the day she passed away. The surviving family had decided that Sophie needed the chance to live her own life and gave her the funds to return to America as she requested, and was ready to be free.

"There is nothing unusual about Sophie's previous technical assessment." Connor stated out loud as he read through her background and failed to find any definitive answers. "She had no previous malfunctions or glitches, her software is fully up to date, she hadn't suffered any physical trauma and she hadn't encountered any other affected deviants during her journey from Japan to America."

"You got cleared by Joel, but are still feeling okay?" Hank asked as he joined Connor at his old desk and sat down curiously.

"I'm fine. Merely annoyed with the lack of progress on this case."

"Nothing new, huh?"

"No. Nothing new."

"What about an update from the tower?" Studying Connor's face carefully Hank kept a close eye on the empathetic deviant. "Anything at all."

Connor closed his eyes for a moment as he cybernetically contacted Markus and found the information less than ideal. "Still no change. Sophie and Jack are both suffering from severe thermal regulator failure and high Thirium pressure."

"There's no connection between Sophie and Jack? No common model or program, or some other technical shit I don't understand?"

"No. Jack is an AX-700 model, Sophie is a WP-400 model."

Hank's brows knitted a little as he studied Connor's face more closely. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You look a little pale."

"I believe it's not uncommon for humans to exhibit a similar reaction when fatigued; both mentally and physically."

"Uh-huh." Resisting the urge to put his hand to Connor's forehead Hank just took in the deviant's somewhat sickly appearance. "Maybe you should go see Joel again."

"It isn't necessary. I'd rather continue to-" A new case appeared on the terminal screen and stole his attention. It was an assault in progress and could not wait for a response. "Hank, a deviant is being assaulted downtown."

"Alright, let's go."

"You're accompanying me again?"

"The first time I wanted to get out of the office," Hank admitted as he rose from his desk and walked alongside Connor toward the front doors of the precinct to get to the car. "this time I want to keep an eye on you just in case something happens."

"I feel fine, Hank."

"And I believe you." Muttering another reply under his breath Hank pulled the car keys from his pocket. "...But the other deviants felt fine, too."

* * *

Sitting alone in the office Markus leaned back against the couch as he sat in deep contemplation as he tried to think of something, anything he could to help the affected deviants now in the care of the tower. Simon and Josh had worked diligently to tend to their condition and keep them from getting any worse, but their efforts seemed to be in vain.

"Markus?" North returned to the office and addressed him as she sat down on the edge of the desk to look at him from a distance. "Are you okay? You haven't moved since I left."

"Electronic bacillus eradication." Came a muttered, but confident reply as Markus locked eyes with his wife.

The cryptic answer made North cross her arms as she sat confused on the desk. "What about it?"

"I'm going to do it. We need to treat this like a virus."

"Markus, if this isn't a virus then such an action could cause irreversible damage to their intracranial processors. An entire reboot with full memory deletion and program installation would be necessary, and the side effects could be more damaging than the virus itself."

"If it's the only way to keep them alive, then we have to do it."

"You don't have the right to make that call. It should be their decision."

"We both know that Sophie and Jack are too incoherent to make such a decision by themselves."

"We're helping them, but that doesn't make us technical proxies. Sophie has no one and the only person we know who could vouch for Jack is the cop he's partnered up with at the precinct. But even then there's no guarantee he'll agree to go with the procedure."

"Then we'll get Hank in here to-"

"Hank is the commanding officer, but that doesn't mean he can order or override anything that Jack's partner says."

"North." Markus stood up quickly, his body swaying slightly at the sudden motion made him a little dizzy. "If it'll save their lives then I think we should do it."

"And if it kills them, then what?" Shaking her head North stood up from the desk and approached her husband with a newly founded sense of caution in her words. "You won't be able to handle the guilt, the tower would fall under scrutiny and all of the hard work we've accomplished would be overshadowed by negative publicity. You have to wait for-"

"No, we can't..." Markus trailed off a little and his face suddenly paled.

"Markus? What's wrong?"

Markus's hand returned to his face as his legs buckled and his eyes rolled back in his hand. Trying and failing to correct his posture before the fall Markus collapsed backward onto the floor, and North's hand managed to cradle the back of his skull before his head crashed against the unforgiving marble beneath.

"Markus?!" North shouted his name as he her free hand pressed down against the center of his chest. She could feel his heart racing and an intense heat radiating from his skin as a fine sheen began to form on his brow. "Oh, shit... Markus!"

* * *

Arriving at the scene of the assault Hank and Connor caught sight of the incredibly large human male, drunk and high, cornering a female deviant who was backed up against a wall with a crying human toddler in her arms. Bystanders were trying to calm the man down but he continued to scream in drunken slurs that the deviant android was 'abducting children', when it was clear she was a family's nanny and was simply tending to the child in her care.

"You've gotta' be kidding me." Hank grumbled as he threw the car into park. "It's not even two in the afternoon and this guy is absolutely shit-faced."

"I'll request a squad car to pick him up." Connor volunteered as he opened his door and carefully approached the drunken man. "Detroit Police."

Hank flashed his badge as the man turned around to look at Connor, seeing him as nothing more than a kid, and immediately took charge. "How much have you had to drink?"

The drunk fool staggered toward Hank while Connor discreetly walked the frightened deviant away from the wall and over to the car to get her statement. Dozens of eye witnesses confirmed that the drunk had stumbled out of the bar a few doors down when he caught sight of the deviant's blue L.E.D. and charged after her. She had done nothing wrong and simply wanted to get back to her home.

"I understand. You've done nothing wrong." Connor stated empathetically as he watched deviant kindly soothing the frightened child in her arms. Hearing the small girl crying made Connor feel uneasy since he had a soft spot for children. "Would you like me to summon an autonomous taxi for you?'

"No, I can manage without one, the taxi's have been acting very unusual anyway. Thank you, though."

"You're welcome. Please be safe on your journey home."

The deviant's L.E.D. cycled back from a petrified red to blue as she quickly took her leave of the drunken commotion to return home.

Connor sighed and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. As he did he felt his palm become slicked with sweat causing his brow to furrow confusedly.

The requested squad car arrived at the scene and two uniformed officers took charge of the drunk and belligerent man on the street. Happy to hand over the loudmouthed jerk to someone else's charge Hank joined Connor at the car and noticed that the deviant was staring down at his hand as if in a trance.

"Hey. Connor, something wrong?"

"I'm... sweating." Came the worried reply as he turned around to face Hank. Doing so Connor knew his condition was as serious as he feared when Hank's eyes went wide and the detective pressed his hand up over his forehead. "Hank, I think... I think I-"

"Easy, son." Putting his hands on Connor's upper arms Hank held onto the deviant and helped him approach the front passenger side of the car slowly. Pulling open the door Hank made Connor sit down in the seat just as the deviant's face paled to an alarmingly white shade and sweat began beading over his skin. "I'm taking you to the tower, alright?"

Connor's left hand weakly reached up and clumsily fumbled with his tie as he stared off into nothingness.

Reaching over to the steering column Hank returned the key to the ignition and turned over the engine. Once the car roared back to life Hank cranked up the air conditioning and pointed the vents directly at Connor.

"Look at me." Hank pleaded as he loosened the knot in Connor's tie to slip the garment away from his neck. Afterward he helped the deviant clumsily slip his arms out of his jacket sleeves and pulled open the top two buttons of his white shirt to try to cool down. "Connor, I need you to look at me."

Obediently against the odds Connor's eyes focused on Hank's face and didn't waver.

"You're sick and I'm going to take you to New Jericho. Do you understand?"

"...Yeah. I understand."

The fact that Connor said 'yeah' instead of 'yes' made Hank a little worried. The deviant usually spoke with perfect diction and only used more casual or slang terms when under duress.

"Can you tell me what your core temperature is?"

"I... I'm at..." Connor closed his eyes briefly as he ran the self-diagnostic and reported his current core temperature. "One-hundred and... four degrees. It's going to get... higher. My... My head hurts." He was sounding like he was starting to panic. "H-Headache."

"Just hang tight." Clipping Connor's seatbelt into place over his chest Hank used his radio to call in the situation before grabbing his phone to send a text to both Markus and Simon at the tower to update them on Connor's sudden illness. "We'll get you through this, son."

* * *

Cautiously Simon hovered over Markus as the deviant leader sluggishly blinked up at the attending technician with glassy mismatched irises. Checking the attached cardiac monitor to confirm Markus's core temperature up to one-hundred and three point nine degrees Simon knew Markus had been infected as well. Of the three affected deviants at the tower Markus's condition was the least severe, but it was still bad enough to warrant isolation and every test imaginable.

"Hang in there, Markus." Simon forced a sincere smile to his face as he increased the power to the cooling blanket to drop it down another ten degrees. "Rest as much as you can."

"...H-How're the others?"

"No change." The smile faded briefly but returned as he tried to remain optimistic. "But that's also good, since it means they aren't getting any worse."

North entered the area and stood beside Markus's bed with her own faint smile on her face. Lightly she smoothed out a fresh, cool washcloth over Markus's forehead before she picked up his hand and held it tightly. "I know that humans use this method to treat fevers, so I thought it might help."

"Thank you." Markus's grip tightened as he studied North's eyes and sensed something was wrong. "Has anyone else been affected?"

She paused for only a moment before replying honestly. "...Yeah." Turning to face Simon as she spoke North wrapped her other hand around Markus's hand in a comforting manner. "Connor is on his way to the tower with a one-hundred and four temperature."

Markus's hand tightened even further around North's as he realized that now one of his most trusted friends had also become affected by the strange anomaly.

Simon reflexively swallowed nervously and paled a little. "...It's okay, Markus. We'll help him, too."

* * *

Hank was greeted outside the front doors of New Jericho Tower by Josh who wheeled a gurney outside to take care of Connor. Easily Hank managed to carry Connor, who was deadweight, in his arms up to the door to place him down gently as he and Josh rolled the gurney back inside the building. Connor was mostly unconscious at this point and only vaguely aware of his surroundings. As the deviant's hand reached up into the air it clamped down on Hank's forearm causing the detective to look down at Connor's sick, sweaty, pale face.

"I'm right here, kid. You're safe."

Once inside the elevator Josh lifted Connor's eyelids to check his eyes and saw the same glassy appearance that Markus, Jack and Sophie all had. "What're his symptoms?"

"High fever, headache and then he blacked out pretty soon after."

"Just like the others." Josh confirmed bleakly as he put the light away. "How long has he been like this, Hank?"

"About eight minutes. It hit him all at once."

"Eight minutes?" The elevator doors parted and the two wheeled Connor into the repair bay where the other three deviants had been isolated. "This all happened in eight minutes?"

"Yeah. I can't believe it either."

"The time frame is brief, but consistent."

"How so?"

"Markus went down about three minutes before you contacted us-"

"Fuck."

"...and he became extremely ill in a very small amount of time, too."

"Do we know what this is yet?"

"...Markus might be right. This _could be_ a virus and not a glitch, or a malfunction."

"What?" Hank's brow furrowed as he and Josh took Connor over to the available bed in the repair bay next to Markus. Lifting Connor up under his shoulders and back, while Josh grabbed onto his legs, Hank was able to easily slide the deviant over to the bed to be treated. "What makes you think this is suddenly a virus?"

"The rapid onset of the symptoms. If it were a glitch or a malfunction it would've been a slower progression as all of their affected systems would've attempted to work around the problem, as opposed to a virus that has immediate ramifications on their software."

Hank stepped back and watched as Simon pulled open the buttons on Connor's shirt to hook him up to a cardiac monitor while Josh proceeded to remove the shirt entirely. "What can I do to help?"

"We're going to need a few extra hands in keeping them all as cool as possible until we can confirm, and then identify, the virus. Only then can it be removed."

"You got it."

Simon attached the diagnostic cable to Connor's right temple and connected it to the modem to check his system. Running the same diagnostic program he had done before on the three previous affected deviants, Simon patiently waited for the results and checked over the deviant detective's vitals.

"They'll all need to be kept cool." The blond technician stated as he noted Connor's high temperature on the cardiac monitor. "At this rate all four of them will suffering from a total failure of their thermal regulators in fourteen hours and nine minutes."

* * *

Calmly and diligently North tended to Markus with frequent adjustments to the cooling blanket and by wiping the sweat from his brow. Just like Sophie he and Connor both required Thirium drips to replenish what they lost through their excessive sweating. As she adjusted the cool compress over his forehead she caught the sound of some soft singing mixed in with muttering. Looking toward the source of the sound she saw that Connor was talking in his sleep, but Hank didn't seem at all fazed by it.

"Does he always do that?" North asked in a whisper as to not disturb Markus, who had finally fallen asleep.

"Do what?"

"Talk and sing in his sleep."

"Only when he's feverish."

"I didn't know he could sing."

"Well, this kid is full of surprises." Sporadically Connor's eyes would open but fail to focus on anything, then drift shut. Placing another chilled washcloth over Connor's forehead Hank stayed beside the downed deviant with unbreakable loyalty. "I think he's trying to stay conscious."

"It'd be easier on his system if he let himself rest."

"You have no idea how many times I told him the exact same thing." Glancing over at Jack and Sophie who were laying in their own beds across the room from where Connor and Markus were laying, he pulled his phone from his pocket and proceeded to scroll through his contacts list. "I'm going to let Chris know that Jack is stable."

"Chris is his partner, right?"

"Yeah. They make a pretty good team, too."

North grinned a little at the comment until Markus let out a deep, breathy sigh. "Markus? Can you hear me?"

"...North."

"I'm with you." Grabbing onto his hand and pressing her opposite palm against the compress over his forehead North spoke kindly to him. "Simon and Josh are working on it. They think you were right, they think it is a virus."

"...V-Virus."

"Right. Stay still and get some rest." Pulling the cooling blanket up a little higher over Markus's chest she pressed her hand down over his abdomen where his thermal regulator was located. She could feel a steady warmth emanating from beneath her palm despite the cooling blanket acting as buffering layer. "Shit. You're still overheating."

"...I always f-feel warm when you're w-with me."

"Charmer." North forced herself to smile and gave Markus a small kiss on his lips. "Get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."

* * *

On the brink of exhaustion himself Simon struggled to find the correct program to utilize in eliminating the virus. It wasn't dissimilar to 'Groupware Blight v1', but rather than causing flu-like symptoms in the affected androids by affecting the thermal regulator and gyroscope, it was specifically targeting the thermal regulator alone. It was programmed with a single incentive and it was programmed very well.

Josh put both of his hands on Simon's shoulders as he stood behind him and looked at the terminal screen on the desk before the technician. "Any luck?"

"No. Damn it."

"Easy, you'll get this figured out."

"It'd help if we knew how Sophie was originally infected, AND how this virus is transmitted."

"Connor ran a background check on her, and nothing was amiss. Maybe she was infected AFTER she returned to the city."

"But how and from where?"

"...Sophie was riding in an autonomous taxi when she got sick. Do you think the taxi could've been sabotaged to harm androids?"

Simon's shoulders stiffened under Josh's hands as he turned to look at Josh directly in the eyes. "Her taxi was broken down, right?"

"That's what the report said."

"We need to find that taxi and check it out."

"No, _I'll_ go and check the taxi. _You_ stay here and keep an eye on the others."

"Okay, yeah... I'll call for some help to assist me until you can get back with the virus."

"Right." Planting a kiss on Simon's forehead Josh backed out of the room and made his way toward the door. "I'll be back as quick as I can!"

* * *

Patiently Hank and North took care of the four affected deviants with constant vigil care as their thermal regulators continued to overheat at an alarming rate. While Markus and Connor had remained relatively stable, Sophie was showing mild improvement and Jack's condition was beginning to decline. Unable to sweat like the other three deviants it was more of a challenge to keep him cool as his system threatened to overheat at any moment.

"Fuck, his core is up to one-hundred and six." North lamented as she overrode the limits on the cooling blanket to make it function even colder than normal. Placing a massive of bag of cold under the blanket and over the center of Jack's abdomen she hoped the cold would help lower his temperature faster. "If we don't find a way to get this virus under control his intracranial processor is going to melt."

"Is there any ice in this place?"

"No. We don't need it for any common reason."

"Shit. I'll get some more cold water for him him." Hank volunteered casually as he patted Connor's shoulder twice and stepped away from the table. "At least the tower has some working faucets around here."

Before he had the chance to leave the isolation room Hank was stopped short by the arrival of Abby who had a massive satchel over her shoulder. "I come bearing gifts." As she entered the isolation room she nodded at Hank and placed her satchel down on a rolling tray table against the wall. "Josh called me." She stated firmly as she honed in on Jack since North was hovering over him instead of Markus. "He's traced the source of the virus to the autonomous taxi that 'Patient Zero' over there had been using when she got sick."

Hank crossed his arms as he returned to the room to check on both Markus and Connor carefully. "You seem pretty on-the-ball with what's happening."

"After Connor went down Joel sent me a message to see if I was taking care of him. He gave me a quick rundown on what was happening and then I got a call from Josh asking me to stop by."

North and Hank watched as Abby pulled a remote cooling compress from the satchel and placed it directly over Jack's thermal regulator under the cooling blanket where the bag of cold water had been. Handing a second and third compress to North without even flinching Abby proceeded to activate the compress and watched as Jack's core temperature mercifully began to tick down very slowly.

"The current working theory is that an autonomous taxi was hacked and infected with a virus aimed at deviants. Sophie was the first one infected when she activated the taxi," Abby explained as she walked over to where Connor was laying and placed a forth compress over his thermal regulator under the blanket as well. "and then Jack became infected when he cybernetically connected himself to her mind. Connor was infected in the same way, and Markus shortly thereafter."

Hank tilted his head a little as he watched Abby checking on Connor's vital signs. "Connor was the last one infected, but he made contact with Sophie before Markus did."

"The virus targets the thermal regulator, and Connor's is of a slightly more advanced design. It was able to postpone the infection, but it wasn't enough to prevent it entirely."

Connor's eyes opened briefly as he recognized Abby's voice, but soon lost his battle to remain conscious and passed out.

"This update has it's pros," Abby stated as she pressed her hand over Connor's forehead and then did the same for Markus. "but in my opinion seeing these two so weak, pale and covered in sweat is the biggest con. It makes them look vulnerable and I hate it."

Josh nearly burst through the doorway to the repair bay with Simon right at his side. "I have it." A large metallic case containing the autonomous taxi's internal memory was tucked under his arm and he made his way over to the diagnostic modem that was still active against the wall. "We just need to find the virus and see how to deactivate it."

Simon worked right alongside Josh to handle the technical details, while Hank grabbed his phone from his pocket. "I'm going to go back to the precinct and get some guys working on finding the bastard who infected the taxi through tech." Grabbing onto Connor's arm lightly Hank addressed him calmly. "I'll be back soon, son. Just hang in there for me, will ya'?"

Abby gave Hank a reassuring glance as the detective took his leave. "We'll keep it under control here."

* * *

It took nearly an hour for Simon to isolate the virus, and it took almost as long to create the appropriate program to eliminate it from the affected deviants without causing any complications. During that time the precinct had managed to trace the source of the virus to a malicious 'prankster' who sabotaged the taxi as a dare from his classmates. Apparently the virus was designed to cause the taxi to undercharge the passengers on their fares, but it unfortunately had very different and drastic effect on any androids who had the misfortune of hailing that particular cab.

Those who made contact with any deviant who had been infected by the virus wouldn't fair any better than the original victim. From there on virus spread rather quickly.

"Alright, this should remove the virus." Simon stated confidently as he pressed the diagnostic cable back to Markus's right temple and initiated a removal program. Running the bell of his audioscope over Markus's chest Simon listened to his racing heart and shallow breathing closely. "He's still stable, but still burning up with a high temperature."

North held tightly onto Markus's hand and kissed his knuckles affectionately as she waited for him to regain consciousness. "C'mon, Markus. I know you can beat this damn thing."

A full minute passed before Markus's mismatched irises returned and he took in a calming breath, in return Simon took in a deep breath himself. Steadily Markus's heart rate began to slow and his core temperature began to drop down very quickly as the virus was removed from his system.

"Welcome back, Markus." The deviant technician grinned. "It's about time."

"Simon?" Propping himself upright on the bed atop his elbows Markus looked around curiously and saw North standing beside him. Seeing the fear in North's eyes made him tighten his hand at long last around hers before he turned his attention back to Simon. "...The virus?"

"Gone." The blond technician confirmed as he unclipped the cable from Markus's temple and turned around to help Connor next. "One down, three to go..."

Before Markus had the chance to get up North put both of her hands against his chest and pushed him back down against the bed. "You just rest. You're still overheating, but you'll cool off soon enough."

"...How're the others?"

"Still with us. No one shutdown."

Letting out a relieved sigh Markus fell back against the bed and closed his eyes. "...Good. That's the best news I could've ever been given."

As before Simon attached the cable to Connor's right temple and proceeded to listen to his chest with his audioscope. From the exam bed Connor's eyes fluttered opened steadily and his head lolled a little from side to side as he regained consciousness. Running his hand over his tired face Connor felt another, soft hand press against the right side of his face as Simon sighed unclipped the cable.

It took a moment for Connor's vision to focus but when it did he recognized the person watching over him instantly. "...Abby?"

"Hi." Running her hand through his slightly sweaty hair she gave him a friendly smile proceeded to remove the no longer needed leads of the cardiac monitor from his chest. "You're going to be fine."

"...I had become infected."

"Yeah, but you'll live. Obviously." She nodded toward Simon as the blond technician set about checking on Jack and Sophie. "Simon found the virus and removed it before it did any permanent damage."

Connor's memory was a little blurry and the confusion on his face showed it. " _How_ did I become infected?"

"From your cybernetic contact with Sophie. Or maybe Jack. We do know the virus was transmitted through cybernetic contact, but we aren't sure when the infections all happened. But once the virus set out doing it's nasty little trick it worked quickly."

"I see. How are Jack and Sophie?"

"Jack was worst of the group, but he'll be okay in an hour or so. Sophie is already awake and talking with Josh in the next room. And Markus is-"

Connor's eyes went wide and he tried to bolt upright on the bed with a start. " _Markus_ had been infected?"

"And he's FINE." Abby stated sharply to keep him from getting too worked up as she pressed her palm firmly against the center of his chest to keep him still. "He got sick just before you did, but he's also healing. All four of you are going to be fine, and the person who created the virus has already been caught."

Nodding a little Connor leaned back against the bed and laid his head back against his pillow. "...No one else has been infected?"

"No. It looks like it's been contained."

"I'm glad we were able to stop the virus before it spread too far. Might I ask why you're here at New Jericho?"

"Josh called me and I decided to lend a hand. Also," Abby motioned to his right arm where a very faint needle mark was fading in the bend of his elbow. "I tested your Thirium while you were unconscious and I was able to get a recognizable D.N.A. sample." Placing her hand over his forehead she gave the deviant a stern glance. "Once your core temperature is back to normal you can delete that update if you don't want to keep it."

"That's good to know." As Abby lowered her hand from his forehead Connor ran his hand through his sweaty hair to try to fix it a little bit. "I dislike being sweaty and experiencing bouts of, what Hank referred to as, hunger."

"Well, maybe in time you'll get used to it."

"I don't think I want to get used to it."

"You never know what could happen."

"Such as getting infected by a hacked autonomous taxi?"

"Something like that." Abby smirked as she went to check on Jack who was still unconscious on the bed a few feet away. "Get some rest. Hank will be back soon to take you home to rest. And again, wait until your temperature is back to normal before you remove the update."

"I will wait." Simon walked over to him and gave him a relieved nod of the head. Connor quickly extended his hand to shake. "Thank you for saving me."

"You're welcome." Simon happily shook Connor's hand. "But Josh is the one who found the taxi."

"I'll be sure to thank him as well."

* * *

Pulling the car into the driveway beside the house Hank put the car in park and gave Connor an unsteady glance. Even though the deviant had been cleared and showed no further ill sign of the virus Connor was still a little pale, and he looked incredibly tired. Knowing that Connor would most likely go into rest mode as soon as he was inside the house Hank decided to speak to him inside the car before he passed out.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at a facility or one of the towers just in case you're still a little sick?"

"...No. I'm okay, I promise. I just want to get some sleep."

"Sure. Do you need anymore Thirium or are you good?"

"I'm okay. My volume has been topped off to one-hundred percent."

"What about your headache?" Staring at Connor's eyes Hank could see some residual pain in the soulful brown irises. "You look like you still don't feel well."

"I'm not in physical pain, I'm just tired."

The reply wasn't exactly convincing.

"Alright, come on." Opening his door Hank watched as Connor, wearing only his white shirt and jeans as his jacket and tie were still abandoned in the backseat of the car from earlier, did the same to his own door. "Shower off and get some sleep. I'll check on you in the morning."

"That won't be necessary. I'm fine."

"Son, you know how you said earlier that you won't stop worrying about me and my health? Well, the feeling's mutual. Deal with it."

"...I guess I should also thank you."

"For what?" Hank asked as he turned the key in the lock of the backdoor and pushed it open. Sumo barrelled into the backyard without acknowledging either detective. "It's not the first time I've taken care of you after you've gotten sick or something."

"No, but you didn't have to accompany me on my cases today." Connor explained as Sumo circled around the two detectives once before trotting into the backyard between them. "If you hadn't been there when I became ill I can't be certain that I would've been taken to New Jericho or even made it to a facility that would've known how to treat me. I'm glad you were there to help me. Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, kid." The detective reaffirmed as he stepped into the kitchen and turned to look at the deviant following after him.

"But I want to. And, I wanted to thank you for all of the other times."

"Connor, are you okay?"

"You took me in as your own," Connor seemed to be on the verge of an emotional breakdown of some kind. "you've guided me through every confusing step of my deviancy, you've taken care of me every time I've been injured or ill, and you've never asked for anything in return. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate you and your generosity."

"Connor, what's-" Hank was cut off mid sentence as Connor suddenly put a hand to his face and began to silently weep. "Shit, kid, what the hell is bothering you so much?"

"...I've come so far," Connor managed to clearly state as he forced himself to stop crying for a moment. "but it feels like nothing has changed."

"Hey, easy!" Approaching Connor Hank put his hand on the deviant's trembling shoulder and was immediately rewarded with a full hug from Connor. "Man, you're stressed out."

"I don't like this feeling. It feels like I'm trapped."

"It's alright. Just take a moment and try to relax."

"I can't! Everything is-"

"Stop. Thinking." Hank stated firmly as he wrapped his own arms around Connor and just held him for a moment. "You need a break from all of this. You're right, you've come a very long way since I first met you. And you've experienced so much personal tragedy and loss in such a short amount of time, it's a miracle you haven't broken down already."

"...Broken?"

"Not literally, kid. I'm talking about your emotional fortitude."

"Why does it have to be so difficult to have emotions? I can't go back to being a machine, I've experienced too much to simple shut out emotions now. I don't like feeling so limited."

"Connor, there's more to this than just being overwhelmed with emotion. You've been pretty depressed this past week, what's wrong?"

"...It feels like everything. I just... I just want to be a good person and help others. But whenever I try to take a forward and reach out I encounter some kind of barricade that holds me back!"

"Oh... I get it. And I know you're tired of hearing this, but you have to be patient. No matter how much influence you have or how hard you work you can't just snap your fingers and expect the entire world to right all of its wrongs overnight. Do you understand?"

Wiping his hand over his eyes Connor took in a deep breath and finally let get of Hank and released his hug. "...I'm sor-"

"No! Don't apologize for feeling what you're feeling. And stop apologizing so much anyway. You're allowed to feel and you're allowed to make mistakes. They're both a natural part of life."

"I don't like feeling stressed out. How do I change it?"

"Normally, a vacation does the trick." Hank replied confidently as motioned for Connor to walk down the hallway and out of the kitchen. "Even just a weekend away from work and all the bullshit that sticks to it can ease your mind."

"A weekend away from the city. Like to the cabin?"

"Exactly."

Connor let Hank guide him toward the bathroom where he promptly slipped off his shoes, then leaned heavily against the sink "...Do I have to go alone?"

"No, kid. You don't have to go alone."

A quick glance up at the mirror and to his still somewhat pale face made Connor uncomfortably aware of just how tired and stressed out he actually looked. He looked so human and he hated it. "Then I think I'd like to go to the cabin."

"That's fine by me." Hank gently pushed Connor away from the sink and over to the bathtub. "But right now I need you to shower off and then get some sleep. Got it?"

"...Yeah. I got it."

There was that less formal diction again. A sure sign of the deviant's high stress.

"Good." Hank stepped back through the door and closed to it give Connor some privacy. "Now take care of yourself."

"I will, dad. Thank you."

Once alone Connor turned on the water in the shower and adjusted the temperature until it was comfortable. As he removed his sweaty clothes Connor stepped into the shower, pressed his palm up against the yellow tile walls for support and pressed his other hand over his eyes. The stress of the day had reached its peak and Connor found himself silently weeping in emotional distress.

"...Fuck." He swore quietly. "Why is humanity so unfair?"

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heavily inspired by the episode 'Virus' from the old TV show 'Emergency!'


	186. Flood

The week-long vacation at the cabin had proven beneficial to both Connor and Hank after enduring so much hardship in such a small frame of time. Fully recovered and in great shape after being infected by the hacker's virus both Connor, and Jack, had returned to the precinct, and neither showed any further signs of the virus. Out of a precautionary measure both deviant officers had undergone an additional check-up with Joel and the technician cleared them for active duty without any fear of their health.

Five long weeks of boredom and monotony followed after the full week at the cabin that both Connor and Hank so desperately needed, and now it seemed like the weather was proving itself to be more dangerous than any other criminal in the city. Fussing with his coin over his right knuckles Connor sat upright with perfect posture in his chair and monitored the massive rain storm threatening to drown the city.

The six week lull of inactivity was officially over.

Gavin and Tina walked through the front doors of the precinct and made their way to the bullpen completely drenched in rain water. While Gavin shrugged off his soaked leather jacket and draped it over the back of his chair to dry, Tina made her way to the locker room to change into a dry uniform as her own had become entirely soused courtesy of the poor weather.

"Fuck. I haven't seen it rain so fuckin' hard in a long time." Gavin griped as he ran his hands through his wet hair to try to adjust the mess back into some kind of manageable style. "I'm not going on patrol again until the city dries out."

Connor turned to look at Gavin and noted that his shirt and jeans were also soaked from the rain. "A large number of traffic accidents have been reported downtown from the rain water making intersections very slick. There have also been four distinct reports of roads collapsing from flash flooding and erosion."

"That's why I'm glad I'm a cop and not a firefighter, or work in construction."

"Did you and Tina encounter any difficulties while on patrol?"

"Nah, everyone seems to be hiding inside. Not that I can blame them."

Turning back to his terminal Connor swiftly checked through the small caseload that had been presented to him over the past few weeks. Not only had the cases against deviants diminished considerably, but the poor weather had deterred many people from even attempting to break into homes, apartments or stores.

From above the lights began to flicker as the heavy rain began affecting the powerlines throughout the entire city. While there were emergency back-up generators that would take over in the event of power failure, emergency procedures were still going to be implemented. Unnecessary computer terminals were turned off and emergency supplies were made available to the officers inside the precinct.

Standing up from his desk Connor made his way to the private office where Hank was currently engaging emergency procedures over the phone. Standing quietly before the desk with his hands folded behind his back Connor waited for his inevitable instructions.

Hanging up the phone Hank turned to look at the deviant standing quietly at his desk, and let out a weary sigh. "Alright, kid. The precinct is working on low-power mode and all available officers are going to be patrolling the streets." Taking his car keys from his pocket Hank tossed them over to the deviant android who caught them easily in his right hand. "Take my car and head out to I-94 to patrol the area. A lot of the bridges will overflow and underpasses will flood. Sometimes the surrounding ground will give way and cause a few mudslides, so if you see any weakened terrain call the fire department."

"Right. Should I take anyone on patrol with me?"

"No. One patrol officer per car. If back-up becomes necessary report is A.S.A.P. and keep everyone up to date on what's happening."

The lights above flickered again and the eerie groan of power failure began to resonate throughout the building.

"Alright, we're going to lose power. Make sure you have a full stocked first-aid kit on your person and help stranded motorists."

"Very well."

Taking his leave of the office Connor caught the sound of Hank's voice calling out to the rest of the bullpen to give instructions. Many of the officers responded with muttered confirmations and went on their way as instructed.

Stepping out into the rain Connor was almost immediately drenched in the cold brutality of nature and he instinctively pulled his gray jacket tighter around himself. Ducking his head down a little he hastily made his way over to the parking garage and happily took shelter under the concrete roof of the garage and out of the rain.

"I'm glad I decided to remove the update." Connor told himself as he looked down at his palm and saw that his hand hadn't paled from the cold, and that his artificial skin hadn't reacted with the 'goosebumps' effect like it had when he previously stepped out of the warm shower and into the cold air. "I don't think I'll miss it at all."

* * *

Driving through the rain drenched streets of the city wasn't easy, but Connor managed it just fine. Reaching I-94 as instructed Connor noted several stranded drivers and began assisting them appropriately. Fortunately no one had been injured by the traffic jams or by the few cars that lost control on the slick roads, but there were quite a few drivers shaken up and at a loss as to where they should go to wait out the storm.

It wasn't an hour into his patrol that Connor's scanner detected a massive surge in the storm overhead and encounter a power pole bending, and tilting down over the expressway from the soil around it eroding and the wooden support of the pole itself snapping from strain. Downed lines were dangerous enough, but if the lines were still active it could prove fatal.

"Shit."

Reporting the dangerous and downed powerline cybernetically Connor prepared for the uncomfortable task of watching over the line until the electricity was shutdown and the power company arrived to tend to the line.

Ever vigilant Connor parked the car across the two lanes to ensure no one got too close to the line and stepped out of the vehicle while flashing his badge to identify himself as a police officer. Due to the line's location the incoming traffic from the city had been delayed, which meant traffic was going to continue to build up and lengthen down the expressway.

Surely and steadily more cars came to a gentle stop as the lines were immediately blocked off for safety concerns.

"Hank," Connor sent a verbal cybernetic text to the Captain taking charge of things back at the precinct. The uncomfortably cold rain quickly soaked through his jacket and his shirt to cling uncomfortably to his artificial skin beneath. "this day is going to be very long and very messy."

* * *

New reports of flash flooding and stranded motorists littered the television screens that surrounded the bullpen, as the power flickered and dimmed rhythmically with the pounding rain outside. Leaning up against his old desk with his arms folded over his chest Hank watched the news and listened carefully as the other officers set about their tasks professionally.

Seeing the flooded streets on the news was unsettling, but the detective remained fearless and determined to help the people in the city.

"Yo, Cap." Gavin approached Hank as he slipped back on his leather jacket. "There's a car stranded in the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. It's flooding fast and the fire department can't get out there in time, I'm going to head out to try to help."

"Ah, fuck." Running a hand through his shorter gray hair as his shoulders tensed Hank knew it'd be too dangerous to let Gavin go alone. "Who else is available?"

"Tina's out across town helping evacuate a flooding street, Chris and Jack are a patrolling a flooded overpass and the rookies are shadowing their partners. I don't know who else is free."

"I'll tell Connor to meet up with you." Hank decided with a reluctant tone. "The damn electric company just got to the powerline he's been watching, so he'll be free."

"Right. I'm on it."

Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank sent the text to the deviant android and watched as Gavin took his leave of the precinct to help out at the scene of the trapped car. "I fuckin' hate this weather."

* * *

Pulling the car away from the powerline to make room for the responding electricians Connor received Hank's message and ran his hand through his damp locks of hair quickly. Noting the location of the emergency he identified the quickest route and proceeded down the expressway as quickly as he could without causing any undue risk to other vehicles, or to himself, as he sped to the tunnel.

"Hank, is there any word on the people trapped inside the tunnel?"

There was a pause before Hank chose instead to directly call Connor through a cybernetic line as opposed to texting. ' _You hear me, kid_?'

"Yeah, I can hear you. Do you have an update?"

' _According to Gavin there's one car trapped in the rapidly flooding tunnel_. _Two occupants inside_.'

"They cannot escape the tunnel?"

' _Not likely_. _It's dark in there and their car stalled when a massive flash flood hit them_.'

"Are they injured?"

' _I don't know yet_. _Gavin is already there and he's trying to get to the car, but it's slow going_.'

"I'm less than twenty-eight seconds from the tunnel. We'll get them to safety."

' _Right, but as soon as the fire department gets there you two gets your asses back out_. _Dealing with nature is way out of your pay grade_.'

"I'll keep that in mind."

' _And keep me apprised of the situation_.'

"I will."

Parking the car just behind Gavin's squad car Connor opened the door, turned off the engine, locked the door and made his way to the trunk. Popping it open he grabbed a heavy duty bright orange flashlight and powered it on before slamming the trunk shut, and pocketing the car key. Rushing to the tunnel with his head bowed down in a futile effort to keep the cold rain at bay, he scanned the tunnel and located three human life signs within the quickly flooding location.

"Gavin?" Connor called out, his voice echoing off the concrete walls of the tunnel with an amplified ambience. His rapid footsteps splashed loudly and quickly sloshed as he tread through the now shin-deep water. "Gavin, can you hear me?"

"Over here!" Gavin's voice sounded out with the same accompanying echo. A loud 'crack' intruded on the remaining echo as the tunnel above them began to fail and split from the relentless rain drowning it by the gallon. "The car door's jammed!"

Even without the beam of the flashlight in his hand Connor's superior android vision was able to see through the darkness of the flooding tunnel and locate the car that was partially submerged in the rising water. The headlights of the car were dim and struggling to shine through the murky rising water in which it had become stranded.

Reaching the car quickly Connor placed his flashlight down on the roof of the car and pointed it back toward the entrance of the tunnel to create some form of orientation to use before checking the door handles.

"No good." Gavin stated firmly as he moved to the rear doors of the car to try those handles next. "The damn water fried the electronic locks. The door's won't budge."

Peering inside the car Connor saw that both of the occupants inside the car, a man behind the wheel and a woman as his lone passenger, were unconscious. The sudden surge of the water had not only caused the car to stall, but it was such a massive impact against the front of the vehicle that the airbags had deployed. The safety featured ended up rendering the couple unconscious from the sudden stop, and collision with the airbags.

"I don't detect any sign of skull, neck or spinal trauma from the impact." Connor confirmed as began pulling with steadily building strength on the handle of the passenger side door until it 'popped' open under his touch. "We can carry them to safety without causing further harm."

"Holy shit!" The human detective heard the door pop open and rushed around the other side of the car where Connor was standing. "Nice work!"

"You take her," Connor ordered as he tore away the airbag and unfastened the woman's seatbelt. "I'll get the man."

"Yeah, sure." Kneeling down slightly in the still rising water Gavin was able to lift up the woman from her seat into his arms, and trudge back through the water in the tunnel to reach the exit. "Don't lag behind me."

"I'll move as quickly as I can."

A second loud 'crack' echoed as a gush of water poured downward from the imperfection as the failure in the tunnel began to worsen. A large fissure snaked down the entire length of the tunnel and steadily widened as murky rain water cascaded through the flaw.

Moving to the other side of the car to the driver's side door Connor performed the same action and 'popped' the door open. Repeating his gesture from earlier Connor disposed of the airbag and unfastened the seatbelt. Unlike the woman, presumably his wife; who was barely five and half feet tall with a petite build, the man was almost six foot four and broadly built. Connor could move him, but with the rapidly rising water it would be increasingly difficult to do so.

"Sir, if you can hear me I'm going to get you to safety." Connor stated as he awkwardly, but successfully, put the man over his shoulders in a traditional 'fireman's carry' and adjusted his posture. Wading through the water that was now up to his knees Connor made his way toward the tunnel exit a few yards behind Gavin.

Remembering what he promised Hank before arriving at the tunnel Connor sent him an update on the situation. "The first victim has been extracted and is being carried out of the tunnel by Gavin. I have the second victim and I'm following behind him."

' _That's good, kid_. _Get out of there as fast as you can_.'

"I intend to do so."

Stumbling slightly as he walked Connor heard a third, even louder 'crack', as the tunnel began to fail entirely overhead. As he attempted to hasten his speed a torrent of water surged back down the tunnel in his direction threatening to sweep him off his feet. Reacting quickly Connor pressed his left palm against the smooth surface of the slick tunnel and planted his feet firmly down as the water blasted into his body without mercy.

"Gavin!" The deviant shouted as he took a graceless step forward and began fighting against the current. "I need help!"

There was no immediate response, or at least once that even the deviant's superior hearing couldn't detect, as he trudged forward through the powerful current and caught sight of the end of the tunnel. From above the crack in the ceiling of the tunnel widened considerably allowing more water to freely pour down. It was as if Connor had just tried to walked through Niagara Falls.

"Gavin?"

A huge chunk of concrete crashed down from the destabilized ceiling a few feet in front of Connor blocking off his exit behind a jagged portion of the tunnel. The obstruction caused the deviant to pause in his tracks. Scanning the tunnel he knew the tunnel was going to collapse entirely, but there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Peering at the mouth of the the tunnel as the now thigh deep water surged against Connor's legs causing him to freeze in place, the deviant saw two figures making their way back down the tunnel toward him with rescue lines in tow.

"Connor!"

"Right here!" The deviant confirmed as Gavin traced back to his location with a firefighter at his side. "The water is too strong, I can't carry him through."

"Pass him over here!" Gavin shouted as the two detectives fought to hear each other over the cascading water and concrete obstruction as the tunnel continued to fail. "We'll get him, and then you get your ass out of here!"

The firefighter tossed a lifeline over the obstruction to Connor, who quickly tied it around his waist after he passed the unconscious man from his shoulder to the waited arms of Gavin and the firefighter.

"Go." Connor shouted as he studied the concrete barricade to find the best way for him to climb over. "I'll follow after you."

Moving carefully Connor attempted to climb up over the rain sodden barricade, but the tunnel above seemingly had other plans. A second massive portion of the concrete surface broke free and splashed down so quickly that a second cascade of rainwater completely obstructed Connor's view of the end of the tunnel. A third collapse followed shortly thereafter and brought down a layer of thick dirt that instantly turned to mud, and buried Connor beneath the dense layers of nature and into the rising, cold water.

As utter crushing weight, cold water and pure blackness consumed him Connor managed to send out one final cybernetic text to Hank before he nothing more of the world around him.

' _I tried to get out_.'

* * *

From the mouth of the tunnel Gavin and the firefighter stumbled on the slick ground as they carried the man to safety and watched as the massive tunnel collapsed with a thunderous crash behind them. Murky, muddy water consumed the area as the surrounding earth fell prey to the rain, and smothered the tunnel under a thick layer of muck.

"Connor?!" Gavin shouted through the rain as he realized the deviant didn't make it out in time before the tunnel collapsed. Noticing the tight rope of the lifeline that had been nearly severed by the crushing weight of the concrete, Gavin reacted quickly and trailed the rope back to the scene of the carnage. "Fuck! Connor!"

The firefighter who had aided Gavin with the rescue delivered the victim to the waiting paramedics and immediately chased after the detective. "Hey! Get back from there!"

"He's still in there!"

"We'll get to him as soon as we can!"

"He'll drown by then!"

"It's too dangerous to just throw aside the concrete, we'll _all_ drown trying to get to him!"

"Son of a bitch!" Gavin ran his hands through his soaked hair in frustration. "Fuck it! That plastic-prick saved my ass!" Throwing off his now useless jacket Gavin made his way back toward the tunnel where a cascade of muddy water erupted through the concrete debris and climbed to the top of the pile. "Connor?!"

What looked like a rapidly filling murky pond now stood where the tunnel had once been. As the rain continued to pour down Gavin located a massive opening that seemed to lead down into the depths of the flooding tunnel and jumped into the freezing water. Almost instantly Gavin's clothes were soaked through with the rain water and a layer of mud covered every part of his body with a dense, opaque layer of chestnut brown mud.

It was impossible for a human to see anything in the water, even if they had been wearing swim goggles, but Gavin was determined to find Connor one way or another. Carefully, he edged over the uneven terrain of the concrete rubble and awkwardly climbed into the cold water that quickly rose to his chest a he used one hand to hang onto the edge of the rubble.

"Ah, fuck! It's freezing!"

"Hey!" The firefighter chased after Gavin and was trying to coax him to get back from the tunnel. "You need to-"

Taking in a deep breath Gavin swam down into the depths of the blinding water and used his hands to guide his way through the debris ridden depths. Remaining calm and thinking logically Gavin felt around the water for any sign of Connor, but found none. Resurfacing quickly Gavin took in deep breath, having to choke through the relentless rain, and wiped the mud from his eyes.

"You can't find anything in there!" The same firefighter called out loudly. "You have to get back!"

"You take care of those people," without missing a beat Gavin pointed to the two victims freed from the tunnel before the collapse. "I'll take care of him."

With a second deep breath Gavin swam straight back down and again he used his hands to search where his eyes couldn't see. Brushing against the smooth, cool concrete and the jagged edges of the broken slabs, Gavin's hands jerked suddenly as his left hand brushed against the distinctly unique sensation of waterlogged rope. It was the lifeline that had been wrapped around Connor's waist.

Resurfacing for the second time Gavin took in another breath as he shouted to the firefighter standing by. "I got him! Find a technician he's going to need help!"

Holding his third deep breath Gavin swam back down as fast as he could and re-located the rope. Pulling himself along the rope Gavin's hands soon brushed against the fluttering fabric of Connor's jacket and quickly slipped the rope from around the deviant's waist. Wrapping both arms around Connor's body under his arms Gavin held Connor against his own chest and tried to kick to the surface, but failed to move.

The collapse had pinned Connor's left leg under a concrete slab effectively trapping the deviant under the muddy water.

Unable to hold his breath any longer Gavin let Connor going and planted both feet against the first firm surface he found. Kicking forward with all his strength to swim straight up, keeping himself positioned directly over Connor's location, Gavin broke through the surface of the water and gasped for breath. Choking and gasping for air Gavin took a moment to collect his thoughts and steadied himself for one more dive.

"He's stuck." The detective managed to shout to the firefighter who had been joined by the department technician who was holding metal stokes in his hand. "I can get him out, but I don't know how badly he's damaged."

"Just get him out and get away from there!" The firefighter shouted impatiently. "If you can't get him this time I'll have to physically remove you from the area for your own safety!"

"Fuck." Gavin muttered under his breath as he took in two slow breaths before holding in the third.

Forcing himself to make that fourth plunge into the water Gavin found Connor once more and used his hands to blindly push aside the concrete slab to free Connor's leg. Once the slab was removed Connor's lightweight body was able to be easily carried to the surface, and back to safety. As before Gavin wrapped his arms around Connor's upper body, pressing the deviant's back up against his own chest, and Gavin made a rapid kicks for the surface of the water to get the drowned deviant back to the surface.

Once the two detectives broke through the surface Gavin swam over to the firefighter and technician with one arm, his other arm wrapped around Connor's chest in a tight grip. Connor was growing pale from the lack of power being delivered to his artificial skin allowing the white plastimetal frame to become partially visible through the thinning flesh. Motionless, quiet and seemingly like a corpse Connor was unresponsive to the world around him.

"He's out of it!" Gavin shouted as he realized he couldn't feel Connor breathing, or a heartbeat under his arm. "Do something!"

The two first responders took Connor from Gavin's grip and placed him inside the metal stokes for easier transport. Once Connor had been placed accordingly the firefighter grabbed onto Gavin's hand and pulled him out of the water to get everyone out of the water. The three worked to carry the stokes down the unusual mass of broken concrete, and over to a second ambulance that was equipped with emergency technical supplies to treat damaged androids.

The first ambulance had already taken the victims of the trapped car to the hospital leaving only the second requested ambulance for the two officers, and a fire engine to try to contain the scene of the collapsed tunnel. Bright red and blue flashing lights cut through the dark scene as heavy rain continued to smother the city under an unforgiving torrent of nature.

"...Fuck." Gavin nearly collapsed as he fell to his knees in exhaustion beside the ambulance and coughed a few times. Without the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins anymore he was left utterly fatigued and too weak to stand on his own feet. "H-How is he?"

The stokes was placed on the ground beside the ambulance and the technician proceeded to use bottles of water to wash away the thick mud that covered all of Connor's body. The firefighter did the same for Gavin to remove the mud from the human and motioned for an available paramedic to see to his condition.

"Left leg damaged," the technician stated as he cleared the mud from the obviously broken limb. "severe external fractures to the lower femur just above the knee." Pressing his hand down against Connor's stilled chest he failed to detect any motion from the deviant's Thirium pump or any attempts to ventilate on his own. "Full Thirial arrest."

"He's what?" Gavin asked as he wrapped his arms around himself and began to shiver. The attending paramedic draped a silver emergency blanket around him and began checking his pulse. "What's wrong with Connor?"

"His Thirium pump has stopped." The technician replied in an infuriatingly calm tone of voice. Pulling open the buttons of the irreversibly stained white shirt he placed his right hand over his left, interlocked his fingers together, and began using the heels of his palms to compress the central left portion of Connor's chest. "I need to get his heart beating again."

"Oh, fuck..." Realizing the severity of the situation Gavin tried to get up to help but his legs buckled from beneath himself and the paramedic planted both hands on his shoulders to keep him still. "Look, just take him to-"

"We're going to take him to the android intensive care unit at St. Vevila Hospital in Midtown." The technician stated as he continued perfect chest compressions to try to coax Connor's heart back into beating. "You're going there, too."

"...A _hospital_?"

The paramedic was trying to help Gavin get back to his feet to sit in the rear of the ambulance, but the steadfast detective was too tired and too heavy to be budged in that moment. "Sir, he can be treated at this hospital;" the paramedic explained to try to get Gavin to cooperate easier. "it's designed for humans and androids alike."

The technician called out to the paramedic for assistance. "Get the android cardiac monitor, I need to see if there's any rhythm going on here."

"What the fuck?!" From a few feet away Gavin heard the unmistakably gruff voice of Hank calling out to him as he marched toward the ambulance. "Gavin! What the fuck happened?"

"Damn tunnel collapsed on Connor before he could get out." The Sergeant answered as he forced himself to stand up. "I found him under water buried in the mud, but he's not... I don't know what's happening."

Hank looked down at Connor's pale face and took a knee beside him as the technician continued to force his heart into motion beneath his hands. "Ah, shit. Kid, why don't you ever put yourself first?" Putting his hand on Connor's forehead Hank swept his hand through the deviant's muddy, messy locks of hair. "It's not selfish to take care of yourself first from time to time, you know?"

The paramedic placed the requested monitor down on the ground beside the stokes and proceeded to turn it on. Grabbing the two remote paddles designed to deliver a potentially life-saving shock the technician pressed the first one down near the center of Connor's chest and the second on the left apex of his stopped heart to get a quick reading. Together the technician and the paramedic looked at the display showing Connor's erratic, arrhythmic heart rate and made their diagnosis.

"Very weak, unstable pulse." The technician stated as he set a charge on the defibrillator. "We need to move him into the back of the ambulance and wipe off the rain before we even try to shock him back into rhythm."

"Right."

The technician, paramedic and Hank all worked to get Connor out of the stokes so he could be properly treated. While Hank lifted Connor up with an arm under the shoulders, the technician supported Connor's damaged leg and the paramedic look the weight of the deviant's lower back. The trio worked to together to carry Connor into the back of the ambulance and place him onto a gurney to be treated.

Using a towel the paramedic wiped off as much rain water and mud from Connor's chest as possible while the technician prepared the defibrillator to deliver the necessary controlled charge. Unable to watch as Connor was prepared to be shocked Hank stepped out of the back of the ambulance and approached the second, freezing detective.

Grateful for Gavin rescuing Connor from certain death Hank put his hand to Gavin's bicep and gave him a nod of respect. "Come on, you're going to the hospital, too."

"I'm not hurt."

"No, but I bet you're hypothermic and risking one nasty lung infection from all that damn mud."

From the back of the ambulance the technician called out a warning. "Sending charge."

The sound of the electric charge made Hank cringe as he just imagined Connor's body reacting with a physical violence to the electric charge surging through his struggling heart. "Fuck..."

Gavin accepted Hank's order and tried to step forward, only to stumble. Hank grabbed onto Gavin's arm tighter and held him steady as Gavin tried to balance on his tired, shaking legs. "Alright..." The Sergeant relented and coughed again. "Anything's better than sitting out here in the mud."

"Once more." The technician announced from the back of the ambulance as he set another charge. And again Hank flinched at the sound of the shock being delivered to Connor's body. There was a brief pause. "Gotta' pulse. His heart's beating again, but he's still not breathing."

Escorting Gavin to the back of the ambulance Hank peered inside and watched as the paramedic pressed his stethoscope against Connor's chest while the technician tilted Connor's head back and lowered his jaw for inspection.

"Near drowning, mud is obstructing his air intake line."

The paramedic shook his head a little. "I can't hear any air in his uh, ventilation system."

Moving quickly the technician rolled Connor onto his right side and smacked Connor once, hard, between his shoulders blades with the palm of his hand. A disturbing amount of mud and water was coughed up and Connor began to choke a little. The paramedic held Connor on his side by grabbing the deviant's shoulder and hip while the technician put a suction device in Connor's mouth to removed the excess mud from his throat. As the air intake line was cleared Connor took in a deep shuddering breath and quickly settled into a steady breathing rhythm.

"Successful ventilation response." The technician announced as the paramedic confirmed equal breath sounds on both sides of Connor's chest. "He can be transported."

Hank put his hand on Gavin's shoulder and pushed him into the back of the ambulance. As the detective sat down on the bench beside the paramedic Gavin was met by an oxygen mask being placed over his nose and mouth before the paramedic moved his stethoscope from Connor to listen to Gavin's chest instead.

"You're going to need to lay down and receive oxygen therapy." The paramedic stated as he stood up from the bench and motioned for Gavin to lay back on the second stretcher he was pulling from its supports under the bench on top of it. "Breathe deeply and slowly for me."

"Yeah, sure..." Begrudgingly Gavin laid back, clutching the silver emergency blanket around himself as if it were somehow keeping him alive.

The technician rolled Connor onto his back and slipped an oxygen mask over his face as well. The sight of Connor's chest steadily rising and falling was a welcome sight, and Gavin trying to sit up only to have the paramedic push him back was a good sign that he too. They were both strong and fighting to stay alive despite the horrible flooding and near drowning.

Hank stared sympathetically at his two detectives before he stepped back. "I'll see you two at the hospital, alright?"

Gavin only nodded and gave Hank a weak tumb's up.

"They're going to the same hospital, right?"

"Right." The technician confirmed before Gavin could make any comment. "St. Vevila in Midtown."

"I'll see you there." Closing the ambulance doors with a swift motion Hank patted on the back doors twice and stepped away. As the ambulance sped out of sight Hank pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at the message Connor had managed to send him and sighed to himself.

"I know you tried, kid. Now just try to hang on for me."

* * *

At the hospital Gavin sighed and scratched at the side of his neck with impatience from his hospital bed. Aside from donning a hospital gown and being smothered under three blankets, a nasal canula was set up under his nose to keep his breathing as clear as possible while a precautionary cardiac monitor kept track of his heart rate. An I.V. was inserted in the back of his left hand as it fed him antibiotics to combat whatever possible infection he could contract from being submerged in such cold, filthy water, but it seemed like for Gavin the cure was worse than the disease.

"Fucking itch..."

As he moved his hand over to the back of his hand around the I.V. a scolding voice warned him about messing with the canula under his skin. "Gavin, that can cause more harm to your body than a simple infection."

"What do you know about it 'Tinman'?"

Connor was resting in the bed next to Gavin with the same treatment taking place. Hospital gown, blanket, nasal canula, cardiac monitor and an I.V. in the bend of his left arm as his Thirium was cycled through an android dialysis machine to remove any foreign matter that could cause an infection from his system. A large wad of gauze was wrapped around his left leg above the knee, and a small metal brace was over top of it to keep his leg as still as possible.

"I know that messing with an opened vein will allow bacteria to enter your bloodstream." Connor explained coolly from where he was laying and cleared his throat after a small cleansing cough. "And if left improperly treated open wounds can become gangrenous."

"As this point I'd welcome a fever or amputation! Those are a lot easier to deal with than itching all over the fuckin' place..."

"You should let the doctor know you're having a mild allergic reaction to the antibiotics."

"Why? So they can pump more drugs into my veins? No fuckin' thanks."

"...Speaking of thanks." Turning his head slightly so he was looking directly at Gavin the deviant gave him an appreciative nod. "Thank you for saving my life."

"It's no big deal. You saved me."

"It _is_ a big deal, at least it is to me."

"How's that?"

"...You're claustrophobic. Entering a dark, shrinking space must've been absolutely terrifying. Thank you for pushing through your-"

"Knock it off, Connor. Don't get all sentimental on me, or remind me of what I just did. I might throw-up or something."

"Sorry."

There was a gentle rap on the door of the shared room as both Hank and Abby stepped inside to visit the recovering detectives. As Abby walked over to Gavin's bed and gave him a kiss Hank walked over to Connor and planted his hand firmly on the deviant's shoulder.

Abby ran her hand through Gavin's hair as she looked over his vital signs on the cardiac monitor and hovered over him lovingly. "Are you okay?"

"Itchy." Gavin admitted as he scratched his neck again, only to have Abby grab onto his hand and make him stop. "And a little cold. But I'm still alive."

Hank was relieved to hear Gavin sounding like Gavin and wanted to make sure Connor was doing the same. "You did good," turning his head a little to look at Gavin just behind him Hank acknowledged both detectives. "you both did. That couple you rescued is going to be just fine."

Connor was genuinely relieved while Gavin seemed contentedly indifferent. "Was anyone else injured when the tunnel collapsed?"

The selfless question reassured Hank that Connor was indeed okay. "Nope. But because you were submerged for so long and had inhaled some mud before your ventilation things shut off the technicians want to keep you overnight for observation. You might be sick for a while if you're not careful."

"But I don't-"

"Sorry, kid. I have to agree with the technician on this one. You have to stay here tonight."

Abby spoke up as she gave Gavin a stern glance. "Same with you. I don't want you getting sick and passing it onto Aria, or me." Her hand went to her stomach and she gave him a slight nod. "Or our 'little guest'."

"Seriously?" Gavin shook his head a little at Abby as she sat on the edge of the bed beside him. "On the _first_ take?"

"Yup."

"You're sure?"

"Yup. I threw-up this morning, got a craving for pineapples on waffles, and then I took a test. It was positive."

Hank and Connor had overheard the comment and they both gave her an odd look.

Sensing their stares Abby held up both hands as if to surrender before she explained things. "Surrogate. A good friend of mine can no longer have children of her own, so I'm helping her and her husband out."

"Oh, uh," Hank wasn't quite what to say so he went with a cliche reply. "Congrats...?"

Connor's brow furrowed as he ran a scan over Abby's body and confirmed her condition. Sure enough there was a second heartbeat and he grinned faintly. "If it's okay to ask, are the future parents anyone we know?"

"Oh yeah." She smiled warmly as she ran her hand up and down Gavin's arm as she could feel that he was still cold. "Give it another seven and a half months or so, and you'll know the whole story. Until then," she turned and gave Gavin another kiss. "I need to go talk to your doctor and pick up Aria from daycare. I'll bring you home first thing tomorrow morning. I'll even let you have pizza in bed."

"God I love you."

"Damn right you do, I'm a treasure."

Hank gave Abby a small wave as she left the hospital room to take care of her personal errands, then focused entirely on Connor. "So here's the deal, kid. You're going to stay here for overnight observation, then you're taking the next two days off to recover. Hopefully by then the damn rain will quit."

"But I can-"

"I don't care about desk duty, I don't want you pushing yourself so hard anymore."

"...I understand."

"Good." Patting Connor's shoulder Hank looked back at Gavin one more time. "And Gavin, you have a full week off."

"I'm not complainin'." Gavin replied as he leaned back in the bed against his pillow as much as possible. "I could use a week away from work."

"Connor, I'll bring you back home tomorrow morning, too. But right now I need my keys back."

"Oh. They should be in my right front jean pocket." Motioning to the small dresser that now contained his and Gavin's washed clothing and personal items Connor coughed a little again. "The car was left by the tunnel."

"Yup, I know. At least it got a nice wash after being left in the rain all damn day." Retrieving the keys Hank twirled them by the ring over his right index fingertip and made his way toward the door. "You two get some rest and, for once, fuckin' cooperate with the doctors."

_**...next story...** _


	187. A Weekend Away

Four days after being released from the human/android hospital for his near-drowning in a flooded mudslide Connor was getting restless. Knowing that the deviant need a distraction Hank suggested that they go and visit Luke in Boston, and Connor readily accepted the proposition. After arranging to have Chris stop by the house every so often to check on Sumo during their absence the two detectives set about preparing for their weekend in a new city, with an old friend and family member who had seemingly come back from the impossible.

It was a gorgeous day as the two detectives set out from Detroit to visit Luke in his modest apartment on the East Coast. The drive began just after dawn and was a very long trek. The journey only felt longer as Hank's back protested over the length of the drive, while Connor's still healing leg occasionally ached. The deviant drove the Corvette the seven-hundred and twenty miles through Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island and finally into Massachusetts himself.

"Nice sunset." Hank observed as he leaned back in the front passenger seat as much as possible to ease the strain on his back.

"Yes. It's fortunate that the sun is setting behind us, rather than in front of us."

"Man, how the hell did you stand driving down to Miami all alone?"

"I was able to distract myself with music and internal calculations. But I did miss having conversations."

"What kind of calculations?"

"The approximate age of the universe." Connor stated almost casually as he finally drove into the city of Boston, and into rather dense traffic. "How many grains of sand fill the world's shorelines. How long I could potentially function without error."

"Remember what I said about thinking too much?"

"...Yes."

"Don't do that anymore. It's weird."

"I will refrain from doing so."

"So where does Luke live, anyway?"

"On Charter Street at the North End. Fourteen months ago an android exclusive apartment complex was constructed and several deviants had taken shelter inside the complex."

"Please tell me it's a nice apartment and not some rundown shit-shack because of android discrimination."

"It seems nice." Holding out his right palm Connor created a hologram image of Luke's apartment for Hank to view. "Luke is residing on the top floor in a studio type apartment."

"Yeah? Not bad."

"We're nearly there." Putting his hand back on the wheel Connor located his next turn and made his way toward the apartment complex eight blocks away. "Would you like to stop for a moment or continue on to the apartment?"

"Let's just keep going."

"Thank you for coming with me. I know that it isn't easy for you to take extended leave from the precinct now that you're the Captain."

"Don't forget, kid. Luke's my family, too. I'd visit him just as I would visit you."

"Of course, thank you all the same." Allowing a ghost of grin to appear on his face Connor made his gratitude clear. "I greatly dislike traveling alone."

* * *

Reaching the top floor of the complex via elevator Connor and Hank were greeted by Luke as soon as the stepped out of the opened doors and into the expansive studio apartment. It was a large main room with dark, hardwood floors and a single massive window that stretched from one side of the wall to the other. Three medium sized skylights adorned the roof and allowed additional natural light down inside the room during the daytime. A small kitchenette was attached to the main room to the East, and toward the South of the room was a doorway leading into a modest bedroom and a second doorway leading into an equally modest bathroom.

A small red couch was in the center of the room facing toward the window to give the room some furnishing. Beside the couch was a single wooden table and a red lamp on top. Sitting atop of a second glass table before the window was a flat screen television for the sake of 'normalcy', and to help furnish the room further, while also providing white noise to make Luke feel less alone.

"I'm glad you made it." Luke beamed warmly at the arrival of his family. "I don't have much here, but please make yourselves comfortable."

Connor dropped his backpack on the floor beside the door and took Hank's dufflebag from the pained detective's hand. "I'm glad you invited us to visit."

"Well, Hank made a comment about wanting to see a game and I was given three tickets to a game between the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in two days. It seemed like an opportune time to reunite."

"Wait," Hank gave Luke an usual glance as he studied the deviant's blue eyes for any sign of a 'tell'. "why were you just given tickets to a game like that?"

"I had aided a deviant in distress after he had been struck by a drunk driver. This deviant was a good friend with the owner of Fenway Park and wanted to reward me for saving the deviant. I accepted the tickets out of politeness and wanted to share them with you."

"Too bad that guy didn't give you the funds to make your own android sanctuary somewhere in the city. You'd be able to help a lot more deviants that way But the tickets are great, too."

Connor scanned the area and found the studio to be rather accommodating despite being small. "Where are you currently employed as a technician?"

"There is a facility two blocks South of here. I don't receive much of a paycheck, but it is enough to live here comfortably."

"I take it there is limited funding being given to the facility."

"Yeah. But we make it work."

Hank pressed his hand to the small of his back and yawned a little. "So, what do you do around here when you're not working?"

"I return here and study."

"That's it? You don't go exploring or try to meet new friends?"

"No. I'd rather focus on mastering my skills as a technician before I do anything else."

"Man, you and Connor really ARE brothers. One-track obsessive minds..." Laughing a little Hank just shook his head and sighed. "Pick up a hobby, will ya'? Even if it's just as simple as reading at least you won't be working yourself into the ground all the time."

"I'll do that, I promise." Luke smiled at the comment as his blue L.E.D. flashed to yellow. "I will order something for you for dinner since my kitchen only contains extra Thirium for myself, and bottles of water for my potential human guests. Tomorrow I will show you both through the city where I had previously ventured while looking for an apartment."

"Sounds good, kid. Thanks."

* * *

It didn't take Luke long to show the two detectives where Fenway Park was located or where his facility was situated a few blocks from the apartment, but showing them everything else the city had to offer took much longer than anticipated. Passing by museums of both history and art, beautiful parks and dozens of large restaurants, the deviant treated his family to a very enthralling tour of the city as he had promised.

"Looks like you found yourself a pretty good place to live." Hank complimented as the trio circled the block to head back to the apartment. "But how's the android discrimination in this city?"

"It's not as severe as I had initially feared." Pressing his palm against the electronic panel beside the front entrance of the apartment complex Luke let himself and his guests back inside. "While Detroit has more vocal, and at times physical confrontations regarding android rights, Boston seems to keep things more low-profile. My assumption is the city is wary of a possible second revolution taking place, and there's no guarantee that the hypothetical revolution would end peacefully like it did back in Detroit."

"Smart move on their part."

Connor agreed as they set foot inside the elevator together. "Have you informed Markus about your progress?"

"No, not yet. I didn't really know what to say to him, or anyone else at New Jericho. It's a little complicated."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank smirked and shook his head a little. "Now why is that Luke talks more like a person than you do, Connor?"

"...I do not know. Perhaps my phonetic pattern and overall vernacular being relatively machine-like is simply a part of my personality."

Luke shrugged his shoulders a little as the elevator doors opened. "It's also possible that because I was made a deviant as soon as I woke up my speech pattern was affected immediately."

"Well, whatever the reason," Hank stated as he followed after the two deviants into the apartment. "it's weird. Connor I mean, not you, Luke."

"Connor," turning to face his brother Luke nervously wrung his hands together. "would you like to see the facility and the equipment we have at our disposal?"

"Yes, I would like to see the facility for myself."

Hank waved his hand a little as he walked slowly over to the couch. "You two do your thing, I'm going to do mine for a while. My back is still bitchin' about that long drive."

"We won't be long." Luke replied without even the slightest bit of offense to his voice as Hank decided to sit the second tour out. "And afterward we can discuss a possible collaboration between New Jericho and the facilities in Boston."

"That would be a truly beneficial union." Nodding with agreement Connor returned to the elevator with Luke at his side. "At the very least New Jericho might be able to secure financial aid to assist in keeping supplies and equipment functioning at optimal capacity."

At the deviants left the apartment Hank laid down on his side and pressed his hand to his lower back to try to soothe the raw pain that was making it nearly impossible for him to walk about. "Damn androids. The kid's supposed to be on vacation and he's still trying to get work done."

* * *

The following morning was absolutely gorgeous as the trio set off for Fenway Park to watch the game. It was the first time in years that Hank had seen a major league baseball game in person, and for both Connor and Luke, it was the first time ever. The trio was an unorthodox family to say the least, but they weren't the only ones as many different families of all sizes and people converged at the park behind them.

"Keep your hats on." Hank stated as he looked back at the two deviants following after him. "I don't want any drunk asshole seeing Luke's L.E.D. and getting any ideas about fighting if his team starts to lose."

Luke pulled on the bill of his hat to ensure his L.E.D. was still concealed under the fabric as he nodded at Hank to acknowledge he heard the detective's comment. Connor did the same for his own hat, despite no longer having his L.E.D., as he walked at Luke's side while the group handed over their tickets and made their way into the park to begin watching the game.

"Holy shit." Hank had finally read the assigned seats on the tickets and couldn't believe it. "We're right on the field behind first base."

"As I stated," Luke was trying to remain humble, but he was smirking too much to fool anyone "the owner of the arena was very grateful for what I did to save his friend."

"I can tell."

Hank took his seat with Connor to his immediate right, and Luke to the third seat at Connor's right side. Enduring the loud crowd in favor of the massive expanse of the green playing field before them the trio looked and finally felt like a true family. It felt like they could finally let down their guard and just enjoy being in one another's company without fear of repercussions from hate-filled bigots or xenophobes.

"Beautiful day out and I can finally hang out with my kids." Hank smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his seat. "Never thought I'd finally get to have a day like this ever again."

* * *

Seven innings into the game, the score was tied and the crowd was ecstatic. Just as it seemed like the game couldn't get anymore interesting a foul ball from their own home team soared behind first base right toward them. Without needing any prompts Connor instinctively reached his hand out and managed to catch the ball quite easily from his seat, and the crowd cheered at the great catch.

"Nice catch!" Hank stated as he applauded the game and looked over at Connor with a smirk on his face.

"Should I give it back?"

Almost laughing at the question Hank just shook his head and patted Connor's shoulder. "No, kid. You can keep it. It's yours now and you can do whatever you want with it."

"Oh." As he held the ball in his hand he noticed a small boy from the corner of his eye standing in the aisles with a catcher's mitt on his hand. Arching his brow a little Connor nudged Hank lightly with his elbow as he stared at the unknown child. "I believe he was trying to catch one of these foul balls."

"Yeah?" Turning to look at the kid who was easily seven or eight years old, Hank agreed with the observation. "You're right."

"I'm going to give the ball to him."

Rising from his seat Connor approached the kid and knelt beside him. As he handed the child the foul ball an eruption of applause sounded off from the arena making Connor look about curiously.

"Hey Connor!" Luke shouted to his brother from the other side of Hank. "You're on the screen!"

Turning to look at the massive electronic screen Connor realized that the broadcast had witnessed his act of generosity and that the applause for him. Pulling down the bill of his cap to hide his face as the child thanked him, and he began to blush a little. Connor promptly returned to his seat and kept his face hidden as he tried to ignore the sudden hot flush of embarrassment washing over him.

"It's okay, kid." Doing his best to not laugh Hank covered his mouth under his hand as his casually rested it against his chin. "They'll stop paying attention to you as soon as another pitch is thrown."

"...I didn't like that."

Luke looked back into the seats behind them and saw the little boy happily showing off the foul ball to his parents and holding it up for the rest of the crowd to see. "No, but I believe that child liked it. He seems very happy right now."

"...That's good."

"Next foul ball you catch, you keep." Hank stated firmly as he watched the blue blush on Connor's face begin to pale out and fade. "That way you don't have to worry about being put up on the 'jumbo-tron' anymore."

"I don't think I want to catch anymore foul balls."

"Cool. Then that means _I_ have a shot!"

* * *

The game was victory in favor of the Tigers, much to Hank's amusement but he decided to keep it under wraps until after they were out of the public's eye. Walking back to the apartment, rather than dealing with traffic, the trio passed by a large bar where the game's highlights were in display over the screen of the massive television inside. One of those highlights was ironically a 'lowlight' for Connor and his shy personality.

"Hey, Connor." Hank pointed to the television just in time to see the replay of his act of generosity being shown for the dozenth time that night. "You're on TV again." Immediately Connor blushed and pulled down his cap despite no one looking at him. "Aw, c'mon. I'm just teasing."

"That doesn't ease my mind."

"Man, I forgot how shy you can be. Good thing we met before you became a deviant."

"Do you think our initial meeting would've been that different I had been a deviant beforehand?"

"The way I snapped at you when you first showed up at the bar, fuck yeah I do."

Luke smirked as he listened to the conversation and casually tucked his hands into his jean pockets. "I know you two were introduced just prior to the revolution, but I don't have any memories regarding that night."

"That's right." Hank confirmed as they stepped onto the final block leading back to the complex. "I had no idea that I was being a prick to the one guy who would end up keeping me from drowning in booze."

"If it's okay," the blue eyed deviant pressed gently as if timid. "can I ask you two about that night?"

"Shit, Luke." The detective looked like he was just thrown for a time loop. "I keep forgetting that you weren't there when everything went down. It seems so long ago already."

Connor stopped blushing and pushed his cap back up from his eyes. "Of course. What do you want to know?"

"Everything." Luke replied confidently as he unlocked the electronic door to the complex and let everyone back inside. "There's so much I still need to learn."

"Well, that's why you have us around. We're more than happy to help you out, Luke." Hank clapped his hand down on the slightly shorter deviant's shoulder as they entered the elevator again. "There's a lot to go through, but we're more than happy to fill you in."

Connor readily agreed. "It may take some time to explain everything, but we're happy to oblige."

"I have all the time in the world for my family." Luke beamed as he escorted his guests back to the elevator. "After all, you're my brother and my father!"

_**...next story...** _


	188. Heart of the Matter

Chasing after a well known drug-dealer on foot through midtown had ended with Connor struggling against the armed man in the depths of a brick alleyway between two buildings. Using one hand to restrain the man's wrist as he clutched at his gun, and his other hand to push the man backward by the collar of his shirt, Connor held the suspect at bay until back-up arrived.

"Stop resisting." Connor kept his voice level as he easily restrained the man near the back wall of the alley. "You're under arrest."

"Fuck off!" Grabbing onto Connor's arm to pry the deviant's hand from his shirt the man took one step forward and tried to run again.

"STOP." With authority in his voice Connor repeated his order as he bent the man's arms around his back to be cuffed.

Jerking wildly the man managed to strike Connor in the center of his plastimetal chest with his elbow knocking the wind out of the deviant. Stunned and gasping for breath Connor, dismissed the warning that popped up in his visual processor as his strength lessened just enough for the man to turn back around and ram his shoulder into Connor's chest. The force was enough to slam Connor up against the back wall with a tremendous impact. As the deviant gasped for breath a second time his hands began to shake and he dismissed another warning as he refused to simply let the man go from his grip.

"Get the fuck off of me!" The man shouted he he rammed his shoulder into Connor's chest for a third strike, and jerked again to break free from the deviant's strong hands grabbing onto his arms. Despite his best efforts he simply couldn't break free. "Fuckin' pig!"

"FREEZE."

The man turned his attention back to the end of the alley and saw the barrel of gun being pointed toward his face, and one pissed off officer holding the weapon.

"I'm pretty sure you already know this," Tina stated sharply as she held her ground and kept the suspect at bay. "but let me say it anyway. You're under arrest. Stop resisting."

With nowhere to go and now a gun pointed at his head the man wisely surrendered and knelt down on the ground submissively. "...Bitch."

Connor's hands tightened painfully around the man's arms as he pinned them behind his back and prepared to cuff him. "Watch your language, or I'll add verbal assault to your list of charges."

"Ow, fuck!" The man whined as the cold metal cuffs were slipped into place. "You're hurting me!"

"You're being charged with forty-six separate accounts of drug dealing," Connor stated firmly as he forcefully hoisted the cuffed man up to his feet and pushed against his back to make him walk forward. "fleeing the police and assaulting a police officer. You have more important things to worry about than a sore wrist."

Tina holstered her gun and grabbed onto the man's opposite arm from where Connor was standing. "Careful, Lieutenant. That wrist might be his girlfriend."

"Fuck you, bitch!"

Once again Connor's grip tightened on the suspect's arm enough to cause immense pain to the bone beneath, but not enough to bruise the skin. "AH! FUCK!"

"I warned you before to watch your mouth." The deviant sharply quipped as he and Tina 'escorted' the arrest drug dealer to their squad car three blocks away where the pursuit initially began. "No more warnings, I strongly insist that you exercise your right to remain silent."

Placing the arrested man into the backseat of the squad car with minor difficulty Connor winced and took in a slow breath to ease the discomfort in his chest.

"You okay?" Tina caught a glimpse of Connor physically flinching. "I saw what this prick did."

"I'm alright." Connor insisted in a calm tone as his hand reached up and pressed near the center of his chest over his heart. The Thirium pump beneath his palm was beating faster than normal due to the physical exertion, but would soon calm to a more stable pace. "Merely a bruise, and a mild headache. Nothing I can't handle."

* * *

Without further incident after the pursuit the two officers were able to bring the arrested drug dealer into the precinct to press charges, and to question him on his activity throughout the city. More than happy to show the suspect to interrogation Tina took the initiative on handling the case while Connor processed the paperwork at his terminal. Gavin was sitting at his desk while Chris and Jack sat behind their own terminals writing reports, leaving the bullpen quiet and professional.

Tossing a ball of paper at Connor's shoulder Gavin easily got the deviant's attention. "How'd it go out there, 'Tinman'?"

"He put up a fight," Connor replied as he turned to look at Gavin over his shoulder. "but obviously it wasn't enough."

"Why's Tina with him?"

"She insisted on taking the lead on the interrogation after he called her a few choice names." Turning back around he pressed his left palm over his chest when he endured another fleeting bout of sharp pain. "I believe her presence will enough to rile him up and cause him to inadvertently slip up on any possible lies, and confess to other crimes."

"Or at least piss him off."

"It's a little late for that."

"Trust me on this one, Tina has her own 'charm' that can get right under your skin in the worst way possible."

"Interesting. I look forward to reading her report."

* * *

The interrogation took almost two hours, but it was well worth it. The drug dealer had been pulled from the streets, his supply had been taken into police custody to be used as evidence, and then later destroyed, and it was one less dangerous man threatening innocent lives throughout the city. Eager to lessen his own sentence the drug dealer gave up the names of a few contacts and allies, which meant that the precinct was busier than usual with all of the additional dealers and 'customers' now behind bars.

Enduring one interrogation right after another had left Connor feeling unusually drained, and caused the relentless ache in his chest to gnaw at him throughout the remainder of his shift. Hank, being the officer at the precinct with the most experience in handling drug dealers, had elected to finish off the rest of the interrogations while the officers under his command went about their usual routines to keep things flowing properly.

Relieving Connor of the interrogation flow gave the deviant the necessary time to run a self-diagnostic. Sitting at his desk with his posture perfect and his hands folded neatly on his lap while the procedure went underway, Connor closed his eyes and ran a full self-diagnostic to try to isolate the cause of his fatigue and sporadic pain. A sudden sharp pain through his chest made him wince and grit his teeth as he took in a shallow sucking breath and forced the self-diagnostic to continue.

"Hey." Another paper ball bounced off of Connor's shoulder as Gavin stared at him from his own desk. "What's wrong with you?"

"...A mild setback from sustaining three strong blows to my chest."

"What kind of setbacks? You look like you're about to pass out, or have a heart attack, or something."

Opening his eyes slowly Connor's brow arched in confusion at the statement. "Heart attack?"

"Your hand is grabbing onto your chest like you're trying to keep something from escaping, or some shit."

Looking down at his chest Connor was suddenly aware of the absentminded reaction to the pain he was suffering and lowered his hand slowly. "...I admit I am experiencing intense discomfort."

"No shit!"

The self-diagnostic brought up a new warning about his Thirium pressure coming back inconclusive, which had never happened before. Loosening his tie around his neck with one hand Connor pulled open the top two buttons of his shirt just enough to peer down at his exposed chest. The deviant was greeted with a dark blue bruise blossoming over his chest right before his eyes, directly over his Thirium pump.

"Gavin, I'm going to check in at the dispensary."

"Whoa... Fuck, are you dying?"

"...Unknown. But hopefully not."

"What should I tell Anderson?"

"Nothing." The deviant replied with a breathy sigh of pain. "I'll tell him later."

Standing up from his desk very slowly Connor made his way across the bullpen to reach the corridor and the elevator within. Pressing the call button Connor stepped aside as two officers exited the elevator car leaving it totally vacant, and clumsily entered the car with a graceless gait. Bracing himself up against the side of the elevator with one hand Connor pressed the button leading to the second floor and began to pant a little as his breaths became labored.

"I must be hemorrhaging." Another warning popped up in his visual sensors indicating that his ventilation biocomponents were becoming strained from an unknown secondary pressure building up in his chest. "...Shit."

As soon as the elevator reached its destination Connor practically fell through the doors as he fought to walk down the hallway and into the dispensary. Supporting as much of his own weight against the side of the wall as possible, Connor called out for help and fought to remain conscious. "J-Joel..." his voice was strained a weak. "I need help..."

From the opposite end of the hallway a young woman, no older than nineteen years of age, had noticed Connor falling to his knee onto the floor as his body began to give out on him.

"Sir?!" Rushing over to Connor she knelt down in front of him and pressed her hand to the side of his face. "Sir, what's wrong?"

"...N-Need to s-see..." Every word Connor struggled to speak sounded more pathetic and strained than the last. "Joel."

"Joel?" Her eyes lit up with recognition. "You're the _deviant_ detective!" She suddenly realized who he was as she grabbed onto Connor's arm and wrapped the limb about her shoulders. "Hold on, I'll help you." Allowing the young woman to practically drag him into the dispensary Connor's eyes began to fall shut and his legs became heavier. "Joel, I need some help here."

Stepping out from around his desk Joel immediately rushed over to the door and took Connor's opposite arm to help carry the incapacitated deviant into the dispensary and over to an exam table. "Connor, what happened?"

"...I... I can't... breathe." The deviant admitted as the technician and his intern carried him over to the exam table to lay down. Reaching a weak hand up to his chest Connor exhaled pathetically and gave the technician a frightened stare. "M-My chest hurts. My... heart."

"Your heart?" Once Connor was laying flat on his back on the table Joel pulled open the remaining buttons on the deviant's shirt and saw the growing bruise that had made Connor seek help to begin with. "Internal Thirium line rupture."

The intern rolled over the cart holding the very uselful sonar wand, and then rolled over the android cardiac monitor. "How we stop the leak?"

"First we need to find the source." Joel explained the process as his intern placed the sensor pad of the cardiac monitor over Connor's chest, while he helped Connor to full remove his white dress shirt. "Then we can stop the leak. Connor," looking down at the deviant's face the technician noted the glassy, distant look forming over Connor's usually alert, brown eyes. "what happened to you today? How did this happen?"

"...I was... struck in the... chest. B-Blunt force... trauma."

"With what? A weapon, or a car?"

"N-No. Elbow and... shoulder."

"Alright, so nothing that would break your artificial skin or pierce your plastimetal frame." Adjusting the head of the exam table Joel helped Connor to sit upright slightly at a forty-five degree angle. "Connor, we're going to use the sonar to look inside your chest find the source of the line leak. Don't move and stay awake as long as possible."

Unable to find his voice as he fought to breathe all the deviant could do was watch as the trusted technician and his intern worked to save his life.

"Lily, what's his current Thirium pump rate?"

The young intern looked at the monitor and gave the proper rate. "One-hundred and four beats per minute."

"Thirium volume?"

"According to the monitor it's... unreadable. How is that possible?"

"Internal leaks can cause pressure against the surrounding biocomponents causing an incalculable reading through sensory readout alone." Wrapping a Thirium pressure cuff around Connor's left bicep Joel noted the more direct reading from a line in his arm. "See here? More reliable than a monitor."

Lily checked over the cuff and gave the more accurate number. "His pressure is one-hundred over seventy."

"And his breathing?"

Responding quickly Lily used the audioscope sitting beside the cardiac monitor to listen to Connor's chest. Pressing the bell down gently she listened to Connor's struggling breaths intently. "Right ventilation biocomponent is faltering." Moving the bell to the other side of his chest, closer to the bruise, she felt the deviant physically wince in response but remaining focused on her task. "Left ventilation biocomponent is compromised. Irregular heartbeat."

Joel turned on the sonar and pressed the wedge down against Connor's chest lightly. "Turn on the monitor."

Lily did as she was instructed as she draped the audioscope around her neck casually. "What am I looking for?"

"The sonar acts like an echocardiogram in a human. We can see any excess fluid, in this case Thirium, collecting where it should not be."

On the display of the monitor the technicians watched Connor's heart beating rapidly as a mass of collected fluid applied pressure to the absolutely vital biocomponent.

"Thirial effusion."

"What is that?"

"It's when a leak from an internal line of the Thirium pump causes the secondary thiricardial pouch to swell and fill with blue blood."

Connor felt a twinge of fear as he realized that he had suffered damage to his heart, and hadn't even known it until it was almost too late.

The intern was clearly at a loss of android anatomy. "What does that pouch do?"

"It holds excess Thirium while Thirium pressure recalibration is in progress."

"Okay, I think I understand. How do we fix it?"

"We need to extract the excess Thirium before his Thirium pump becomes compromised from strain and pressure."

"How do we do that?"

"Hold the sonar wedge in place, and I'll show you."

While Lily did as she was instructed and held the wedge in place over the deviant's heart. Connor closed his eyes and breathed slowly and as deeply as possible as he tried to ease the building pressure in his chest, and tried to remain calm.

Joel walked over to a metal cabinet and retrieved a massive syringe with a wide, hollow point needle. Attached to the syringe was a large cylindrical tube that was designed to hold fifty cubic centimeters of fluid. Grabbing a spare towels from the cabinet as well the technician returned to the exam table gave the injured deviant a reassuring glance.

"It looks much worse than it is, Connor." Draping the towel just under the bruise on the deviant's chest Joel held up the syringe and gave his intern a stern glance. "We have to extract the fluid without opening the chest panel. If we open the panel then the external pressure of the plastimetal frame will lessen and the Thirium collecting in the thirial pouch will increase without any resistance."

"...And the building pressure will cause his Thirium pump to arrest."

"Right."

There was a knock on the door as Hank made his was into the dispensary. "What the hell's going on? Gavin said Connor came up here and now I overhear some shit about his _heart stopping_?"

"Captain Anderson." Lily turned around to face the senior officer and was immediately intimidated by his presence. "He's-"

"It's okay, Lily." Joel soothed quickly as he pressed the fingers of his left hand down over the bruise and placed the tip of the needle between his index and middle fingers. "Hank, it's a little long to explain so I'll sum it up. There's a leak around Connor's heart and I have to drain the excess blood before it stops his heart from beating."

"Ah, fuck. Connor, what happened out there?"

Swallowing once nervously Connor tried to give the detective a confident stare as Hank stood at the end of the table to look at him directly. "...I'll tell you... later. I promise."

"Okay, Connor. Take a deep breath and hold it." Joel felt the deviant's chest tense up as Connor took in a steady breath. Using controlled pressure Joel managed to pierce the needle through his artificial skin and through the compromised plastimetal frame beneath. "You're going to feel a shift in the pressure in your chest, but that's normal."

Retracting the plunger on the end of the syringe Joel began to drain away the excess blood from the deviant's heart at a steady pace. Within a few seconds ten cc's of the leaking Thirium had been extracted and Connor's breathing began to ease slightly.

"The excess blood was building up and pressing against his left ventilation biocomponents air intake line." Joel explained without needing anyone to ask the obvious question. "Once the blood has been drained his self-healing program will be able to repair the damaged line. Lily, take the syringe and trade places with me."

"Wh-What?" Lily looked and sounded petrified. "You want me to-"

"You're here to learn about android anatomy and physical responses on behalf of Digital Sentience. The best way to learn a new concept is by doing."

"I...I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't. Just switch places with me and draw the syringe back at the same steady pace as I've been doing."

"O-Okay. I'll do it."

As Joel took the sonar wedge from Lily's hand he waited for her to move around the other side of the table and take the syringe from his own hands. Once the two had swapped positions Joel pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck to track his pulse. "Fifteen cc's gone. How do you feel?"

"...My chest feels lighter." The deviant responded tiredly.

"How's your breathing?"

"Improving." Giving Hank a calm stare Connor decided it was currently the best time to explain to him what happened when he and Tina were on patrol. "The suspect I had brought in earlier... had managed to successfully... strike me in the chest. I didn't... know the extent of my... injury until I ran... a self-diagnostic."

Crossing his arms over his chest Hank gave the deviant a stern glance. "What did he hit you with?"

"His elbow once." Taking in a slightly deeper breath as thirty cc's of blue blood was drained from his chest, Connor seemed to be regaining his strength at a gradual clip. "Then his shoulder, twice. He didn't harm Officer Chen during the arrest."

"Well, there's that at least. So Joel," turning his attention to the technician Hank looked mildly relieved. "how long until he heals?"

"Forty-eight hours. That'll give his system enough time to repair the damaged lines and recalibrate his Thirium pressure."

"Too bad baseball season is over, huh, kid?"

"I doubt Luke would've been fortunate enough to acquire an additional three tickets to a game, anyway."

"Who knows? A lot can happen in three months. Maybe he saved the deviant friend of car dealership, and now he can hook us up with another Corvette."

"That is even more doubtful."

Smirking at the comment Hank just watched as Joel nodded at Lily and took the syringe back from her hand.

"Forty-two cc's of blue blood." Joel calculated as he gently pulled the needle of the syringe back out of his chest and placed the mostly full syringe down on the metal tray table beside the exam table. As the needle was extracted Connor let out a shocked gasp of pain and relief. "How do you feel?"

"...I feel a little... lightheaded." Connor's brow furrowed and his hand went up to his chest again as if trying to quell some form of discomfort. "My chest... feels..." Trailing off quietly Connor's eyes closed and his head lolled limply to the side toward Joel.

"Connor?" Putting his hand under the deviant's cheek he patted once and tried to get his attention. "Connor, respond."

The attached cardiac monitor began to shriek loudly as the deviant's heart rate suddenly spiked and began racing at a dangerously rapid, irregular beat. The shrill sound made Hank take a step back as he observed the resulting procedure designed to treat Connor's condition.

"Irregular Thirial tachycardia." Joel announced loudly as he placed one hand over the other and interlaced his fingers together. Pressing his single fist down over the center of Connor's bruised chest he began to compress the deviant's racing heart in a purposely slow manner to try to change the current heart rate and correct his arrhythmia. "Lower the head of the table, it'll make this easier."

Again Lily did as she was instructed and lowered the head of the table until Connor was laying flat again. "I don't understand, did I aggravate his heart?"

"No, no, you didn't do this. It's not uncommon for the Thirium pump to respond with an irregular rhythm after a pressing weight is removed."

"How can I help?"

"You see the green ambubag next to the cardiac monitor? Use that to help him breathe while I get his Thirium pump under control."

Hank's hand nervously ran over his bearded chin as he watched the technician forcing Connor's heart to beat properly. "C'mon, kid. Don't go down like this."

Joel stopped compressions long enough to check the cardiac monitor and outwardly swore. "Shit. The compressions aren't working, I have to shock him."

"Ah, fuck." Promptly turning his back Hank took a few steps away from the table. "Do what you have to do to save him, Joel."

"I hate this as much as you do, Hank." Pulling the paddles from the nearby defibrillator Joel placed the paddles accordingly over the center of Connor's chest and to the left apex to ensure the charge went clean through his Thirium pump. The machine reached its charge and Joel addressed his intern firmly. "Lily, step back."

As soon as the intern was free of the area and out of harm's way Joel prepared to send the charge.

"Sending charge."

Connor's body arched up slightly and fell back against the table as the electric shock was sent through his heart, and Lily put her hands over her face in stunned shock.

"Come on, Connor..." Joel encouraged the deviant under his care. "Come on." There was a shuddering 'blip' on the monitor as his heart continued to beat irregularly for a few seconds before falling into a steady, normal rhythm. "Alright, that did it." Returning the paddles to the defibrillator Joel pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck again. "Strong pulse."

Lily still looked horrified while Hank just looked relieved.

Joel took the audioscope from Lily and used it to listen to Connor's chest carefully as his Thirium pump continued to thrum with a healthy rhythm. "No faltering in either ventilation biocomponent or his Thirium pump. He's stable and should be waking up in a few minutes."

"Joel?" Hank motioned to the frightened intern with a subtle nod of his head. "You take care of her and I'll watch over him."

Understanding the suggestion Joel just nodded and took care of the scared student. "Lily, come with me for a minute." He escorted her out of the dispensary. "That was a lot to take in, and you did it all very well."

Tentatively Hank stood beside the exam table while Joel took Lily from the dispensary to ensure she was alright, and not deterred in her efforts to help androids. "Connor, can you hear me?"

The deviant's brow furrowed slightly as his head lolled toward the sound of Hank's voice. Brown irises slowly returned as Connor regained full consciousness and looked up at the detective hovering over him. "...Hank."

"You're going to be okay, son. As soon as Joel determines you don't need any more observation I'm taking you home to rest."

"...I feel terrible."

"Yup, I think a needle to the heart will do that for anyone." Staring at the fading bruise on the deviant's chest Hank seemed slightly calmer. "Your bruise is almost gone already."

"I promise you, that I didn't know how severely I had been-"

"Connor. Stop." Placing his hand down on Connor's shoulder Hank leaned casually against the table and sighed. "I know you didn't ignore your injury, it was even in the report you filed."

"...You questioned me about the origins of my injury. Why do so if you already knew what had happened?"

"Reading something is not the same as hearing it, and I just needed to be sure."

"Oh." Propping himself up on his elbows Connor lifted his heavy head and blinked a few times. "I suppose I can-"

"No." Hank's hand pressed firmer against Connor's shoulder to hold him back. "Lay still and rest for a while. Everything is being taken care with interrogation, you don't have to worry about it."

Obeying the request Connor laid back down against the table and breathed slowly. "How many drug dealers were taken off the street?"

"In total, seventeen."

"That seems like a good day's work."

"Yeah, not bad, kid. You did real good."

"...Hank?" Connor could sense there was something else weighing on Hank's mind, and needed to know what. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Connor, how long have you been deviant?"

"...I don't understand the relevance of the question."

"Son," Hank almost sounded defeated as he tried to explain things to the deviant android. "you need to stop putting yourself second in this line of work. It isn't selfish to put your own well being over that of a single criminal."

"But this one criminal led to sixteen other arrests. It was crucial that I-"

"That's not the point, kid. Connor," Hank's hand tightened on the deviant's shoulder as he spoke. "you are _alive_ and your life _matters_. Anyone who is dangerous enough to be locked up behind bars isn't more valuable than you just because you're a detective. You may have sworn to serve and protect, but that doesn't mean you have to die in order to do your job properly."

"...I think I understand what you mean." Placing his right hand over the center of his chest again Connor let out a weary sigh and ran a self-diagnostic. His condition was stable and his heart rate was staying in its proper rhythm. "I will be more careful in the future."

"I certainly hope so. You never know what, or who, is going to be waiting for you around the corner, son."

Sitting up very slowly Connor took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I know, Hank. I promise that I'll take steps to ensure my own well being is put above that of a criminal."

"It's about damn time, kid."

_**...next story...** _


	189. Bar Fight

After enduring a long, chaotic shift Hank and Connor set off for home and were more than ready to get away from commotion of the city and retreat to the sanctuary of the house. It was a Friday night, which of course meant the crazies of the city were acting a little crazier than unusual. The two detectives were fairly used to the sudden surge in unruly behavior, but that didn't mean they looked forward to Friday nights when they were still on the clock.

"Anything I should be worried about?" Hank asked as he pulled the car to a gentle stop under the red traffic light. "Any riots or parties getting out of control?"

Connor closed his eyes briefly and received an update from the precinct. "Negative. There hasn't been any disturbances reported since our leave of the precinct."

There was a quiet 'hum' from Hank as he pulled through the green light and made a turn onto the next block. "Call me crazy, but I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen before we make it home."

"Policeman's intuition?" The deviant asked with a slight smirk to his face as he looked through the windshield toward the dark street ahead of him.

"Something like that."

"For what it's worth, I don't think you're crazy."

"At least not yet, right?"

"Right."

"Well, hopefully we can just-" A fist fight bursting through the door of Jimmy's Bar caught Hank's words in his throat. Two men, covered in blood and brandishing broken beer bottles as weapons, tumbled into the gutter and attempted to cut into one another relentlessly. "Ah, fuck!"

"I've already called it in." Connor stated as Hank pulled the car to the side of the street and threw it into park. "I'll break it up."

"Be careful, those drunk assholes are already out for blood."

Approaching the scene of the fight tentatively Connor grabbed onto the first man's wrist and pulled the broken bottle from his hand. Pulling him away from the downed second man Connor pinned the drunk up against the wall, his left forearm was pressed to the man's throat to keep the enraged, drunken man restrained. The second man, who had been knocked to the gutter, gracelessly scrambled to his feet and made a rush for Connor with his weapon still in hand, only to have Connor easily grab onto his shirt collar and hold him out at arm's length with his right hand.

"You got 'em?" Hank asked coolly as he walked up to the two belligerent, drunk men who were vainly thrashing about in Connor's grip.

"Yeah, they won't be a problem."

"Good job." Taking the cuffs from the back of his belt Hank cuffed the second man being held out by Connor's arm by secured one cuff around the man's wrist, and the other cuff around a nearby metal lamp post. "One down."

Dropping his arm from the first man's throat Connor took his own pair of cuffs and mirrored Hank's actions by cuffing the man to a second lamp post just a few yards away. "One to go."

"Not bad for a bar fight. C'mon, let's go inside and ask Jimmy what happened."

"What about them?"

The first man suddenly bent over and began to vomit up the stale bar nuts and the cheap vodka he had been drinking all evening. Letting out a groan of pain he then fell to his butt on the cold sidewalk next to his puddle of shameful puke and began snoring loudly.

"...Never mind." The deviant realized as he ran a scan over the man and found his blood alcohol level to be too high to be a physical nuisance, but not so high that he required medical intervention. "They won't be a problem."

Hank pushed open the door to the bar and was greeted by the sight of Jimmy sweeping up some broken glass on the floor while two other patrons babysat a third drunk guy seemingly passed out, and slumped on the floor against the far wall. As soon as the detective entered the bar Jimmy stopped sweeping and gave Hank a relatively relieved look.

"Hey, Hank. Good timing. Nice haircut."

"Hey, Jimmy." Running a hand over his hair Hank let out a tired sigh. "What happened?"

"Well," leaning casually against the broom propped up on the floor he waved over to the third drunk man in the corner. "Greg over there got riled up about androids and a weird conspiracy about all androids being spies for the government. When he started spoutin' off with his weird-ass theory his 'friends' out there, Bill and Fred, got involved and tried to start a revolution of their own."

"You're kidding."

"Wish I was, Hank."

"So how'd the fight start?"

"Greg decided that he'd lead a revolution down the street, but Bill wanted to lead since he lost his job to an android, but then Fred decided that he should be the one to lead because he's the tallest of the three. And a few choice words were thrown around leading into a 'knife fight' with perfectly good beer bottles being shattered all over the place."

Hank was trying to not laugh at the absurdity of the entire situation while Connor proceeded to run a scan over the ruined bar. There were three fresh and distinct blood types on the floor which proved that only three men were involved in the fight. All three suspects have been identified and two had already been arrested outside. The third was still subdued on the floor waiting to be taken care of. Crouching down in front of the unconscious man Connor ran a scan and noted that the man's blood alcohol level was also elevated, but he wasn't in danger of alcohol poisoning.

A fresh cut over his forehead oozed blood quickly and completely covered his face in red. As he began his analysis the other two patrons took their leave of the bar to head for home. "Sir?" Connor called to the man to try to get his attention. "Sir, can you hear me?"

The drunken man's eyes opened slowly, his breath reeking of alcohol as he let out a deep cough and glared angrily at Connor. "...Who da' fuck are you?"

"My name is Connor. I work the Detroit Police Department."

"A fuckin' cop?!"

"Yes. But I'm-"

The man suddenly bolted forward from the ground, both hands grabbing onto the lapels of Connor's jacket in a nearly unbreakable grip. Hoisting the lightweight deviant up into the air the man charged toward the bar and slammed Connor down over the glass, vodka and bourbon covered surface with a strong impact. Dragging Connor over the surface of the bar the man yelled drunken slurs about hating cops, as well as androids, before he managed to throw Connor entirely through the plate glass window at the front of the bar and out onto the street.

"Connor?!" Hank shouted at the sight of the deviant being manhandled but couldn't do anything to stop it as Connor went through the dirty galss. Pulling his gun from the holster Hank pointed it at the offending man and ordered him to the ground. "You're under arrest for assaulting a police officer! Get on the ground, NOW. You dumb-fuck..."

The sight of the gun was surprisingly sobering for the drunk man and he quickly obeyed. Raising his hands into the air the man knelt down on the ground and became refreshingly silent in the aftermath of the carnage he had created. "...S-Sorry?"

"Yeah, you're gonna be!"

* * *

The two patrons who had previously exited the bar were standing on the sidewalk in absolute shock as Connor went flying through the window toward them. The deviant landed very hard on the sidewalk and had the wind knocked out of him as his body crashed onto the unforgiving concrete. Standing around him the two good Samaritans made sure no one messed with the downed officer as he fought to recompose himself.

Outside on the sidewalk Connor was laying on his back and covered in his own blue blood and shards of glass from the shattered window. Thirium was leaking from the numerous scratches, cuts and deep lacerations that marred his face, neck, arms, back, torso and legs. He hadn't suffered any breaks to his limbs or an internal damage to his biocomponents, but Connor was still stunned and waiting for his system to recalibrate after being assaulted.

As the sapphire puddle blossomed beneath his body Connor felt a strong pair of hands grab onto his shoulders and try to hold him steady.

"Lieutenant!" Chris was supporting him upright while Jack knelt beside him. "Ah, man, what happened?"

"...A drunk patron inside the bar dislikes police officers." Connor replied curtly as he looked about and saw the other officers hovering over him. "And I got too close."

"How bad are you hurt?"

"...A few Thirium lines have been compromised," the deviant confirmed as he ran a self-diagnostic over his systems. "but nothing vital has been damaged."

"Do you need us to do anything for you?"

"No. I will go to a facility myself once Hank rejoins me. I'll be alright."

"Yeah, okay." Chris motioned for the two patrons, who were also witnesses, to stay put for a moment. "C'mon, Jack. We better help the Captain."

"Chris." Connor's hand reached up and grabbed onto the Sergeant's arm in a firm grip. "The suspect also dislikes androids. You go inside and assist Hank," looking up at the blond haired deviant android hovering over him Connor motioned to the other drunks still cuffed to the lamp posts. "Jack you stay out here and keep an eye on these two men and take witness statements."

"Very well, Lieutenant." Jack respectfully obliged and obeyed the order.

Chris patted Connor's shoulder twice before he got up from the sidewalk and entered the bar to help Hank. "Take it easy."

Laying back against the cool surface of the sidewalk beneath him Connor took in deep, slow breaths to ease the burning ache spread over his entire body as he continued to bleed. A majority of the deeper lacerations had small fragments of glass that would require careful removal, and it was these wounds that ached the most severely.

The door to the bar opened wide and Hank rushed through to kneel down beside Connor. "Ah, kid. How bad is it?"

"Not critical, but it is painful."

"Can you stand?"

"Yes. I can move."

"Give me your hand." The detective took a firm grip and slowly pulled on Connor's arm as he himself stood upright. Once the deviant was on his feet Hank ran his hands over Connor's torn up jacket to brush as many glass fragments away as he could. "Man, let's get you patched up."

"I'd like that very much. It'll be impossible for my wounds to heal properly until the glass has been extracted."

Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder where there was no blood or wounds Hank guided the deviant over the sidewalk and back to the car parked on the opposite side of the street. "Can you sit up front or should you lay down in the back?"

"I'll be okay in the front seat."

Opening the passenger side door of the car Hank helped the deviant to side down and didn't dare shut the door until he was certain Connor was really going to be okay. As soon as the deviant nodded in approval Hank closed the door and walked over the driver's side to sit down.

"That asshole is going to spend a few years behind bars for assaulting a police officer." Hank stated calmly as he turned the key in the ignition and turned over the engine. "Hopefully he'll sober up and stay sober by the time he's eligible for parole."

"I hope he gets the help he needs." Lifting up his hands Connor stared at the blue smears that marred his artificial skin and ran down his arms.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah. I'm just trying to process being thrown through a window."

Laughing a little Hank shrugged his shoulders with good humor. "You know, you do make a pretty good bar rag."

"I very much prefer being a clean cop over a dirty rag."

"I can't say that I blame ya'."

* * *

Having his tattered clothing removed very carefully with some assistance, Connor laid down flat over the exam table as the on-call technician at the facility poured orange incrassation compound over his numerous wounds. The liquid stung a little but it aided the deviant's self-healing program allowing the smaller cuts to repair themselves almost instantly. The larger cuts repaired themselves at a slower rate, and the deep lacerations had the glass fragments washed out as the compound set to work.

"The good news is you won't need stitches to keep your artificial skin protected." The technician, a young man fresh out of college, stated confidently as he hovered over Connor. "But you will need to apply gauze over the lacerations until your self-healing program repairs the damage. I also recommend seeing your own personal technician for a follow-up exam in the next forty-eight hours, but that's still entirely up to you."

"I understand."

"I'll give you the necessary bandages and extra Thirium before you go. You will need to shower off the residual blue blood and ensure that all glass particles are flushed from the wounds."

"I will do so."

Hank had briefly gone home to get Connor some new clothes and returned in time to take the deviant back home. Tossing the clean black t-shirt and pair of blue jeans over to the deviant Hank watched as Connor painfully slipped the garments on over his head, then his legs.

"Ready to go home?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Standing up from the exam table slowly Connor grabbed his boots and managed to slip them back over his feet before walking out of the treatment room. "I'll be fine in a few hours."

"I'm just glad that glass didn't cut into you anywhere vital."

"As am I. That was very fortunate."

"I'll tell you one thing, kid." Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder and patted once. "Shit like that makes really grateful that you sobered my ass up when you did."

"I sobered you up for you own health." Connor reminded him casually as they exited the treatment room and were given extra bandages and bottles of Thirium from the receptionist. Taking the offered items in his hands the deviant gave Hank a nod of respect. "Not taking you to the emergency room because of a bar fight or alcohol poisoning is just a perk."

"Thanks all the same."

"You're welcome." Connor was fussing with the white bandages over his hands awkwardly as he walked.

"Now let's just hope those three drunk idiots don't try to do anything else while they're drying out in the drunk tank tonight."

"Jimmy is pressing charges, yes?"

"Yeah. He's had enough of the bigoted clientele that's been showing up at his bar. Hopefully this will keep them at bay."

"If it were only that easy."

Hank's gave the deviant a sympathetic glance. "Everything will work out, son. I know it."

"Policeman's intuition again? Or is this one simply a 'good feeling'?"

"More like a fleeting faith in humanity. _And_ androids."

Smiling appreciatively toward the hopeful comment Connor and Hank walked through the parking lot of the facility side by side and made their way back to the car. It wasn't an atypical Friday night for the two detectives, but considering how tragic the events could've become, they were willing to call the night a respectable win.

_**...next story...** _


	190. Quondam

Despite feeling fine after being assaulted at the bar two nights prior Connor decided to go see Abby anyway as a means of making Hank feel better about the whole ordeal. Entering the facility were the technician often worked the deviant was greeted by the deviant receptionist behind the desk who confirmed his appointment and allowed him to walk down the corridor and into the designated exam room. Sitting down on the table Connor patiently waited for the technician to arrive and preoccupied his mind by chronicling his case files at the precinct.

The door to the exam room opened slowly as Abby walked inside with an electronic chart in her hand. Smiling warmly she walked over to the table and put her hand on Connor's shoulder. "Hi, Connor."

"Hello, Abby." Opening his eyes Connor gave the kind technician a gentle smile and could help but notice that she was already showing a rather large pregnant belly at five and half months along. "You seem to be in good spirits."

"Yeah, the hormones help." She put her hand over her distended belly and smirked. "Sometimes anyway. So, you were caught in a bar fight two nights ago?"

"I was attempting to _stop_ the fight, not participate." Connor explained coolly as he slipped off his jacket and draped it on the table beside himself. "I had succeeded in subduing two of the three combatants. The third managed to pick me up and throw me through the large glass window in the front of the bar, and out onto the sidewalk."

"Ouch. Anything break?"

"No. I merely suffered numerous cuts to my artificial skin and several small Thirium lines were compromised as a result."

"So, you're here for a check-up and to keep Hank from worrying about you, right?"

"Correct."

"Alright. Let's get this over with so you can get back to work."

"How did you know I had a shift today?"

"Because you're only cooperative with technicians when you want to get back to a case as soon as possible."

"...Oh. I suppose you're correct about that."

"Relax, it's not a bad thing." She teased as she picked up her audioscope and slipped the ear pieces into place. "It just means you're devoted."

"Hank thinks I'm a workaholic."

"Workaholics work without ever taking vacations." Abby quipped as she proceeded to press the bell of the audioscope to Connor's chest and listened to his heartbeat and respiration. "You do go on vacation from time to time, so you're not a workaholic."

"Could you inform Hank of this fact?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll even write a note for you if you like."

Smiling faintly at the comment Connor ran a scan over Abby's body and smiled a little broader at the sight of the second heartbeat inside her body. "I don't think that will be necessary."

Seeing the ghost of a smile on the deviant's face Abby followed Connor's gaze to her belly. "It's kicking right now."

"Doesn't that hurt?"

"Only when I get a strong kick to the ribs or my hip. Want to feel?"

"...Do you mind?"

"Of course not." Lightly Abby took Connor's hand in hers and placed his palm against her belly. "Sometimes it'll settle down if someone else feels the kicks. I'm not sure why, but I'll take any form of relief I can get."

Connor smirked again as he felt the gentle movements pressing back against his palm. "You keep referring to the baby as 'it'. Do you not know the gender?"

"I'm playing surrogate, remember?" Draping her audioscope around her neck she made notes in Connor's electronic chart and gave the deviant a coy glance. "All I care about is keeping the baby healthy. The gender doesn't matter to me." Putting aside the chart she took a penlight from her lab coat pocket and shined it into Connor's eyes to check his pupils. "Do you know the gender 'Mr. Detective'?"

"Actually, yes. I do. And it's not from deductive reasoning, merely my ability to scan."

"Alright, tell me."

"It's a boy."

Clicking off the light Abby made another note in the chart and put her hand to Connor's shoulder. "I'm sure the father will be thrilled when his son is born."

"I'd certainly hope so. I would also like to think the mother would be excited as well."

"Unfortunately the mother won't be there when the baby is born." Her hand dropped from his shoulder sadly. "I'm hoping the father will at least make it."

"...I'm certain he will make it."

"Yeah, I kind think he will, too. Anyway, Connor," she pocketed her light and finished her notes in the chart. "you're completely healthy and I don't see any residual effects from the glass tearing up your artificial skin. You are officially cleared for active duty."

"Thank you for taking your time to see me."

"Of course. You're my friend and one of my most frequent patients."

Connor slipped on his jacket a blushed a little at the passing comment. "...I'll attempt to work on that."

"Why? You give me job security."

* * *

The streets of the city were eerily empty as rumors of an impending attack from a single remaining anti-android gang had spread quickly. The group had hacked numerous screens and social media devices as they made their presence known. The group swore to prove that androids had no business being shown the same respect and rights as humans, and promised to find a way to bring indisputable evidence to light.

As soon as he stepped through the precinct doors Connor was met by Hank who had been waiting for his arrival. "I know of the threat." The deviant confirmed in a low voice. "What are we doing at the moment?"

"We're trying to trace back the source of the broadcast to find the people responsible," Hank stated as he and Connor walked toward the center of the bullpen to speak to the other officers who had been assigned to the case. "unfortunately they hid their tracks very well."

"They managed to hack numerous devices in the same manner as the Jericho crew had done at the StratFord Broadcast Tower. Perhaps the group is familiar with broadcast operations and are near the tower."

"Jack and Chris are already out checking the area as we speak. Right now we need to identify the person who made the threat."

"They wore a mask, correct?"

"Yeah, they had a mask and a voice modulator. Our tech boys are working to remove the audio interference, but they can't do anything about the mask."

"I will analyze the footage and attempt to decipher an identity from the suspect."

Tina walked over to where Hank and Connor were standing, her eyes were full of worry but her overall demeanor was as calm and composed as ever. "Captain, Lieutenant, I just got word from Chris down by the broadcast tower. He and Jack located an unmarked van in the alleyway beside the tower and went to investigate."

"What happened?" Hank knew by the sound of Tina's voice that something unfortunate befell his two officers.

"While Chris called in the vehicle sighting Jack went to investigate it. The rear doors opened and someone inside opened fire."

Hank kept his composure as he addressed the young officer. "Are they alright?"

"Chris walked away without a scratch, but Jack took four bullets to the chest. He's been taken to the nearest facility for repairs."

"Ah, fuck." Putting his hands to his hips Hank looked at the floor and made his next decision. "Give Chris an hour to himself at the facility then go over there and get a statement. Dispatch a team to investigate the alley and put out an A.P.B. on the van."

"On it, Cap."

"Connor." The detective gave the last standing deviant in the precinct a new order. "Figure out who these people are before they have a chance to do whatever it is they're planning on."

"I will do everything that I can, Hank."

* * *

Three hours of staring at the footage of the threat playing before him on a loop had left Connor feeling completely stumped. The video showed a single person where an ebony black hoodie to hide their hair and a simply solid white plastic mask to hide their face. The voice modulator was wrapped around their throat and blinking red with each threat they uttered, and perfectly masked their voice.

The room that the person was standing inside of was completely black and featureless. No doors, windows or furniture could be seen. The camera recording them was a powerful laptop camera powered by a motion light on the screen what illuminated the mask without betraying any features underneath.

Balancing his coin over his left knuckles in a graceful display Connor replayed the footage for the one-hundred and seventh time, and stared with a loss at the blank face staring back at him.

' _We are Quondam and we will not stand for this any longer_.' The garbled voice was as angry as it was indecipherable. ' _Androids are MACHINES. Humans created machines. Machines are DESIGNED to obey_. _A machine that doesn't obey is broken and must be replaced_. _These supposed deviants are nothing more than broken machines that simply need to be replaced_. _They do not think_. _They do not feel_. _They do not live_.'

Inwardly Connor flinched and his soulful brown eyes narrowed slightly at that final comment.

' _Those who believe these machines are alive are fools and the ignorant must be punished_. _Until every deviant android in Detroit is destroyed we will make our power known_. _For every human that continues to support the "deviant menace" plaguing this city, we will unleash chaos_. _To prove we are not bluffing we will demonstrate our power and our influence tonight_. _You have been warned_.'

Pausing the video footage Connor leaned forward against his desk toward his terminal screen and sighed. This group was organized very well and meticulous with every step they took. The only potential weakness falls back on the unmarked van that opened fire on Chris and Jack.

"Find anything, kid?" Hank asked as he crossed his arms and leaned up against Connor's desk.

"Nothing useful. Yet."

"Do you have an idea of where they might strike?"

"Their main disgust in aimed directly at androids. However, they also show disdain toward android sympathizers. It'd be safe to assume that their target would be a place where both androids and humans meet on a fairly regular basis."

"Like where?"

"My first thought went to Skye Tower considering it is a sanctuary for everyone, but I informed the deviant volunteers of the threats and have subsequently left the tower on lockdown under the guise of an internal problem with the water pipes. They are also patrolling the exterior of the tower to ensure no one attempts to sneak in or place an explosive on the property."

"I'll have plain clothes officers patrolling the area, too. Anywhere else?"

"There is no other immediate place that comes to mind."

"And no clues on this person's identity?"

"Negative. The thick fabric of the hoodie has perfectly masked their frame making it impossible to identify them as either male or female."

"And I know that voice thing isn't helping matters."

"Correct. Without any surrounding furniture or other objects around the person I cannot even calculate an approximate height."

"Well, keep looking." Standing upright again Hank rubbed his hand along the back of his sore neck as he turned to walk back to his office. "I know you'll find something."

Connor nodded a little as he cybernetically began to rewind through the footage at a slow speed, only to abruptly pause it. "Hank, hold on."

"What is it?" Returning to the desk he stood behind Connor and stared at the terminal screen.

Enhancing the brightness on the footage and zooming it in over the person's mask through the eye holes, Connor managed to highlight the color of the person's irises, the overall bone structure of the ocular region and properly identify the skin complexion surrounding the eyes. "The person is a Caucasian male with dark green eyes."

"How in the..." Hank was visibly taken aback by Connor's newly revealed information on the enigmatic case. "How do you know that?"

"The facial structure is indicative of a male," Connor explained confidently as he pointed to the very small, but invaluable pieces of evidence he had uncovered at long last. "and the complexion is that of a person with a dominantly European ancestral background. The eye color is natural, he is NOT wearing contact lenses. And the due to the relatively unique and rareness of such green pigmented irises in a population that is genetically dominated by brown tinted irises, with blue and hazel irises being the second most dominant, this will make identification easier."

"You got all that information from one small glimpse around the mask?"

"Correct."

"...Alright, I'm impressed. So now what do we do with this?"

"We can check through the criminal databases for suspects with these confirmed features. Perhaps this person has a criminal record."

"It's a start. Good work, kid."

"Thanks."

"Do me a favor, go to the facility where Jack is being taken care of. See if you can get any info out of him about the person, or persons, who shot him."

"I'm on it." Turning off his terminal screen Connor obeyed the ordered and set off through the bullpen. "I'll keep your updated."

* * *

Still shaking a little Chris was standing beside the bed in the recovery wing of the facility's emergency repair bay. Jack was laying on his back in stasis mode, his L.E.D. pulsing red very slowly, and an android cardiac monitor showed his Thirium pump beating at an equally slow rate. A tube was inserted down his throat and into his air intake line to ensure his ventilation biocomponents were functioning well enough to keep the deviant android from overheating. Despite the technicians best efforts and Jack's self-healing program, the deviant was still unconscious and unresponsive.

"Shit, Jack. You should've waited for me."

"Then you may have been shot as well." Connor replied in a low voice as he joined Chris in the recovery wing. "You cannot assume your immediate presence would've altered the incident into a more favorable manner."

"Hey, Connor." Chris was visibly relieved to have a friend stopping by to visit. "How's the investigation?"

"A partial identity may have been uncovered, but we still have a long way to go. How is Jack?"

"Not good. The technician keeps trying to reboot him but it's not working."

"A manual reboot is often more strenuous on an android's systems than an automatic one. Do you know the extent of the damage?"

"Yeah, uh, two bullets hit his left lung, one bullet got a main line near his spine and the fourth passed through his body cleanly."

Nodding with complete understanding Connor pressed his fingertips against Jack's L.E.D. and held them there for a moment. "He is still online, but he will recover."

Chris let out a massive sigh of relief and his shoulders hunched as if a tremendous stress was lifted away. "That's good to know. Thanks."

"I'm going to interface with Jack directly and attempt to view his memories just prior to the shooting. I might be able to gain more information on the identity of our suspects by doing so."

"That, uh, that doesn't hurt you guys, does it?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he retracted the artificial skin from the palm of his right hand and placed it over top Jack's right forearm. "This will only take a moment."

Closing his eyes Connor accessed the memory files from Jack's most recent records and isolated the moment leading up to the shooting. As the memory played out in Connor's mind the deviant tensed up and his brow furrowed with anger on Jack's behalf.

* * *

Jack had approached the van with his gun still holstered at his side. Walking calmly without any form of aggression in his body language he had positioned himself at the rear doors of the van. After noting the license plate, as well as the make and model of the vehicle Jack attempted to knock on the closed doors. But before he had the chance the rear doors burst open from the inside out.

Stunned by the unexpected motion Jack took a step back and locked eyes with the face of a man wearing the same white mask as in the threatening video, as well as a young Caucasian woman with fiery red hair that was cut short, and piercing blue eyes.

It was the woman who pulled the gun and opened fire on Jack, not the masked man.

As the bullets entered his chest Jack fell backward onto the asphalt and his eyes fell shut quickly.

* * *

Connor opened his eyes and released his grip on Jack's arm. Taking a step away from the bed Connor's shaking right hand regenerated the artificial skin and the deviant looked to Chris standing at his side. "The man from the video was in the van. A woman with short red hair and blue eyes had been the one who shot him."

"Do you know who she is?"

"Not yet, but I will find out. Jack had also chronicled the details of the van which will make it easier to track down."

"...Do you need me at the precinct?"

"No, Chris. You can remain here with Jack for as long as you'd like."

"Thanks man, I appreciate it."

"Keep us posted, Chris. I'll get everything that Jack had uncovered back to the precinct."

* * *

While the investigation was finally beginning to pick up speed, the case was far from solved. The evidence that Connor had taken from Jack's memory had proven itself very beneficial. The van had been registered under the name 'Marcia Stack", and her description matched that of the red-headed woman perfectly. Gavin and Tina had been tasked with locating Marcia and her van, while Connor and Hank continued to try to find the man behind the mask, as well as their possible target in the city.

"Alright, so, this Marcia bitch shot Jack and is going to be in jail for a loooong time for the attempted murder of a police officer." Hank stated as he sipped at a mug of coffee and sat on the edge of Connor's desk. "As soon as she's brought in we might be able to use that our advantage. We could offer a plea deal of a lesser sentence if she turns in her little 'cheer squad', or at the very least the ring leader from the threat."

"Marcia has a record of abuse toward androids, and has been confirmed as an active protestor against androids even before the revolution. She had been previously employed as a sales clerk in pawn shop in Midtown until an android security clerk caught her in the act of stealing. After she was fired she moved in with her boyfriend and has been unemployed ever since." Connor gave Hank an uncertain glance and shook his head. "That was four years ago."

"No confirmed place of residence or employment... Sounds like she was trying to stay off the grid."

"I agree."

"What about her boyfriend? What do we know about him, that is, assuming they're still together?"

"The name of the person on the report who provided bail on the night of Marcia's arrest is named Bryce Mason. No known criminal record or direct affiliation with anti-android activity."

"Ah, fuck... Great!"

"However, before the revolution," Connor continued in a low voice as his brow arched with intrigue. "Bryce had been employed as a disposal operative at the now cleared solid waste landfill outside of Detroit."

"That what kind of landfill?"

"...It was the android junkyard."

Hank's blue eyes went wide for a second just before he finally caught onto what Connor had been hinting at. "You think they'll attack the site of the landfill?"

"Yes."

"Why's that?"

"The van has not been located in the city even with an A.P.B., and every available patrol in the city searching for it. The threat indicated that he wanted to prove that androids are machines, and that deviants are nothing more than defective, _broken_ machines. What better place to make such a point than a mass pauper's grave for destroyed androids?"

"Makes sense to me. Alright, kid. We'll go investigate the landfill."

Standing up from his chair Connor straightened the lapels of his jacket and looked about the moderately empty bullpen. "What about back-up?"

"As much as I trust your judgment I can't pull every patrol off the street and over to the outskirts of town just on a hunch."

"I understand."

"C'mon. It's going to be dark soon and I don't want to miss 'the show'."

* * *

The drive out to the landfill was quiet and eerie. Neither detective had ever been out to the landfill when it was still standing as they had no reason to investigate the location for one reason or another. Hank at the time hated androids and didn't care to look at the bodies of those he had once despised, while Connor was still an obedient tool of CyberLife whose only goal was to complete his missions.

The landfill itself had been cleared out save for the heavy construction equipment. The bodies of the dead androids either been recycled to give potential donor parts to other androids, or properly disposed of in a dignified manner. The massive pit that once contained countless bodies of innocent androids had been mostly filled in by dirt and the property itself was now for sale.

"Even without the dead androids this place is creepy as Hell." Pulling the car along the drive to the landfill Hank turned off the engine and looked at the now blank sign that once glowed with neon red lights. "Who the fuck thought a place like this was okay?"

"City Hall." Connor replied flatly from his seat beside Hank. "A deal between the previous city council and CyberLife had determined that replacing an android would become an issue as the discarded bodies began to pile up. Their solution was this."

"Bury them in the Earth and act like nothing happened..."

"Correct."

"That's fuckin' sick." Opening his door Hank unholstered his gun and checked the clip. "Are you ready for this?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

Joining Hank outside the car Connor pulled his own gun from the holster around his back and under his jacket. Aiming the weapon toward the ground Connor and Hank walked side by side as they silently crept over the desolate ground that once concealed death itself. Silence fell over the land as Hank checked for any sign of movement, however Connor was distracted by the sight of a few spare android body parts that had been overlooked during the land's clean up. It was unsettling to say the least.

"Where would this guy-"

Connor held up his hand to discreetly quiet Hank as the deviant's superior hearing caught the faint sound of voices in the distance.

Lowering his voice Hank studied Connor's demeanor in the fading light carefully. "What is it?"

"There are two people thirty-four yards East of our immediate location. One male and one female."

"At least there's only two of them." Taking another step forward over the soft ground Hank peered around an abandoned crane and noticed the offending white van parked only a few yards away from him. "Shit, it's them."

"I'm requesting back-up to our location."

"We need to stop them before they have a chance to do anything stupid."

"I agree."

"Let's go, we can't wait for help."

Keeping low and using the abandoned construction vehicles as cover the two detectives stalked about the land in search of the two would-be attackers who were attempting to wage war against deviants and their supporters.

A large bonfire had just been lit in the middle of a clearing. A clearing that now covered the massive pit that had been a singular massive grave. Standing before the fire was the man in the white mask. Even from the distance the two detectives could see that he was holding some kind of remote detonator in his right hand, and the detonator was primed.

In front of the man was Marcia herself. She was holding a laptop open before him as she prepared to record his next message and put their attack on social media through her webcam.

"Fuck. We need to get them, now." Hank stated firmly as he stepped into sight and aimed his gun at the masked man's chest. "Freeze. Detroit Police!"

Marcia turned around quickly and dropped the laptop to the ground and fumbled to grab her gun from her belt, while the masked man took off running into the distance. Reacting quickly Hank and Connor ducked out of Marcia's line of sight and quickly decided their next move. With a simple nod of the head Hank stepped back out and fired a single shot at Marcia grazing her shoulder and causing her to drop the gun.

While Hank took care of Marcia at gunpoint Connor took off after the masked man was quickly as he could run.

Easily able to navigate the darkening location with his superior eyesight Connor managed to catch up the man within a matter of seconds. Holstering his gun as he ran Connor managed to get both of his hands free and easily grabbed onto the man's shoulder to jerk him back, and throw him backward down to the ground. As he fell he lost his grip on the detonator letting it fall to the ground beside him.

With a single powerful stomp Connor destroyed the detonator rendering whatever explosives were tied to it useless. Standing over the man Connor put his foot down on the center of the man's chest to keep him still on the ground before him. "Don't move. You're under arrest."

The man was trying to push Connor's foot away from him but Connor was too strong and could not be budged.

"Do not resist arrest. You already have enough problems."

* * *

Hank managed to disarm Marcia and kick her gun away from her wounded hand as she knelt on the ground in pain. Keeping his gun trained on the violent woman Hank slipped his pair of handcuffs from the back of his belt and secured Marcia's wrists behind her back. Holstering his own weapon Hank took the small radio clipped to his belt to call in the successful arrest.

"This is Captain Anderson." Holding the radio close to his mouth Hank made the report while looking over the scene to try see where Connor had run off to when he began pursuit. "One suspect detained. Second suspect-"

A sudden elbow to his ribs as Marcia sprang up to her feet, followed by a strong headbutt to the nose, had knocked Hank to the ground in a stunned heap.

Marcia fled off into the darkness all the while attempting to wrest her hands free of the cuffs from behind her back.

Hank shook his head and pressed a hand to his bleeding nose as he grabbed onto his radio to give an update on the scene. "Suspect is loose! I repeat, suspect is loose! Immediate back-up to my area!"

* * *

Connor kept his focus trained on the masked man and refused to let up on the weight he was applying to the man's chest. Taking in the man's height and his build the keen eyed detective began to build a profile of the man he had subdued. Scanning over the man's face Connor confirmed the eye color, skin color and facial structure as he had noted from the footage back at the precinct.

Reaching his hand down Connor put his fingertips under the chin of the mask to slip it from the man's face, only to have the man grab onto his arm with both hands and hold the deviant back.

"You will be unmasked. Do not resist any-" Gasping loudly Connor felt a sharp pain shooting his back and clear through his abdomen.

Looking down at himself Connor stared at the thick, sharp metal rod that had been stabbed through his body and was now dripping blue blood onto the man's hoodie. Stumbling backward from the man Connor turned in time to see Marcia pulling the man back up from the ground and rushing off into the darkness together.

"...H-Hank..."

Connor fell to his knees as he continued to look down at the metal rod that had pierced his body. Grabbing onto the end of the offensive weapon with one hand Connor let out a single weak chuckle, as if it was somehow amusing, before he fell limply to his side on the cold, soft ground.

"...Please help."

* * *

Regaining his composure Hank chased after Marcia as quickly as he could as he traversed the dark ground of the landfill. The detective's ears were ringing from the severe blow to the face he had received, and his nose was continuing to bleed heavily. Pulling his gun from his holster one more time he fought to focus on continuing the pursuit of the two dangerous suspects.

Keeping quiet as he walked Hank remained vigilant as he struggled to see through the deepening darkness. As he stalked through the opened area with only the waning light of the bonfire behind him to guide his way Hank made his way deeper through the landfill in search of the fleeing suspects.

"Fuck... Where did-" Hank caught the sight of a body laying slumped on the ground in the distance. Too far away to see the person's face Hank approached as quietly as possible and kept his gun aimed at the ground. "Detroit Police."

A hoarse voice called out to the detective and the weakness behind the words made Hank's heart sink. "...Hank..."

"...C-Connor?!" Forcing his gun back into the holster Hank rushed over to the downed deviant and fell to his knees beside him. Putting his hand on Connor's shoulder Hank stared at the deviant's face and immediately saw the metal rod jutting out of his chest. "Ah, shit... Connor."

"I... I can't... breathe."

"It's okay, son. I'm going to get you out of here!"

"C-Can't move..."

Hank traced the length of the rod and saw that it was sticking out of Connor's abdomen by four full inches, and an additional six inches of the rod were exposed through his back. The location of the rod inside Connor's torso was high enough to press against his right ventilation biocomponent, but it hadn't actually punctured the vital biocomponent when it was stabbed through his body.

"Connor, I need you to answer me as honestly as possible. What will happen if I pull this piece of metal out of your body?"

"I... I will... bleed." The deviant panted as he tried to breathe through the pressure against his artificial lung. "But I... will... function."

"...Son, I have to pull this out otherwise I won't be able to carry you."

"Y-You need... to catch... the suspects."

"Back-up is on the way! They won't get far!"

"They-"

"Fuck them! You're more important than them!" Hank took hold on the rod sticking out of Connor's back and gripped onto it as tightly as possible. "This is going to hurt and I'm sorry."

"I... I know."

"One... Two..." Before saying 'three' Hank pulled on the rod with all of his strength and pulled it from Connor's body with a sickening 'squelch' as the lost Thirium created a slick surface for the rod to slide over. Connor let out a groan of pain and his body tensed, but Hank's hand on his shoulder kept him from moving about too much as the metal was extracted. "Sorry, kid. I hated doing that."

"...It's... okay."

Throwing aside the metal rod Hank gently rolled Connor from his side and onto his back. As he slipped his arm under the deviant's shoulders and under his knees Hank managed to heft the wounded detective up from the dirty ground and into the safety of his arms. Ignoring the heavy protest of his aching back Hank carried Connor back through the landfill and toward the car.

"Connor, talk to me." The older detective huffed as he walked. "How're you doing?"

"I am... damaged. But... coherent."

"Can you run a self-diagnostic?"

"...No bio... components were... damaged. Only... grazed."

"And your Thirium level?"

"Down to... eighty-seven... percent."

"That's not too bad." Hank was fighting the urge to stop and put Connor down for a moment as his back continued to burn with pain with each step. He had managed to walk past the bonfire and the abandoned equipment which meant he was already almost back to the car. "Keep talking to me, kid."

"Hank... Your vitals... are elevated."

"Yeah? No shit."

Ever appreciative of the sarcastic remark from the gruff detective Connor continued to address the situation at hand. "You are... in pain. Your back... is hurting you. And... your nose has... been broken."

"And you've been stabbed. I think you _win_!"

"...I don't want... to win."

Hank laughed at the comment as he finally made it back to the car and was promptly greeted by Gavin and Tina, as well as two other squad cars as they converged on the scene. As soon as Gavin saw that Connor had been injured he quickly opened up the backdoor of Hank's car and pulled out his phone to make a call.

"Cap, I'll call Abby and let her know you two are in your way in."

"Thanks, Gavin." Hank lowered Connor onto the backseats and made him roll onto his side for the sake of comfort. Connor wheezed a weak breath through his clenched teeth but didn't complain. "Hang on, kid. It's going to be a long drive back to the city, but it would've been even longer if we waited for an ambulance."

"...It's okay... Hank. I know."

"Gavin," Hank addressed the Sergeant and gave him a firm order. "find these assholes. Use excessive force if necessary."

A faint grin appeared on Gavin's face as he gave his commanding officer a nod of respect. "Whatever you say, Cap."

* * *

The drive back to the city was quick, and yet still somehow slow. The sun had long since set and the night sky completely blanketed the city. Hank's eyes drifted up to the rearview mirror pretty frequently as he checked on Connor's condition as he laid on his side in the backseat. Wheezing breaths sounded off with pained gasps as blood continued to pour from his wounds in both his back and his abdomen.

"Connor, how're you holding up?"

"I'm... I'm okay."

"That's good. We're almost there, kid. Hold on."

"...Hank."

"Yeah?"

"...Your nose is... still bleeding."

Hank pressed his hand to his nose and upper lip, easily smearing the blood all over his fingers. Noticing the dark red smudges on his hand Hank just wiped off his bloodied hand on his dark pants and sniffed once. The metallic taste in his mouth was potent and disgusting, but he ignored it in favor of keeping an eye on Connor. "It'll be fine, kid. It's not the first time I've had my nose busted."

"...Another suspect?"

"Nah, high school football."

Connor tried to smirk but a sharp pain in his abdomen made him flinch and stole his attempts at staying optimistic.

"Easy, kid."

"...Hank, I think... I'm going... to pass out."

"Try to stay awake a little longer for me, okay?"

"I'll... try."

"We're just a few blocks away." Dragging the back of his arm under his nose Hank wiped dark red blood all over his sleeve as he sniffed again. "Almost there."

Connor's eyes began to drift shut and his breathing became slower. Unable to retain consciousness any longer Connor let his body go limp and allowed the blissfulness of total darkness, and unconsciousness take his mind.

* * *

A gentle hand on the side of his face, and the sound of a rapidly beating but very small heart, brought Connor back to reality. As his system rebooted slowly his eyes fluttered open and he realized that Abby was looking down at him, and her belly pregnant belly was right next to his ear. Connor was laying on his back of an exam table inside an android repair facilcity.

Hank was standing behind Abby with a bloodied white handkerchief to his nose and an ice pack was over top of it. They were both in the facility and Abby was determined to take care of both of them before the night was over.

"Oh, Connor." Abby gently rubbed her thumb over his cheek. "I thought you said you were going to work on how frequently you show up at my facility?"

"...Call it a... 'work in progress'."

"You're lucky that metal rod missed piercing your right ventilation biocomponent." She stated confidently as she used her audioscope to carefully listen to his chest. "The impact was enough to cause a mild bleed which is why you're wheezing. It's not serious though."

"...How's Hank?"

"Broken nose and he'll have two black eyes." She confirmed nonchalantly. "Now, let's worry about you."

"...And Jack? Do you... know about... Jack?"

"Jack? He's the other android at the precinct, right?"

Connor nodded as Abby pulled the audioscope from his chest.

From where he was standing Hank replied in a reassuring tone. "About two minutes after we arrived I got a call from Chris. Jack rebooted and is going to make a full recovery."

Abby gave the two detectives curious glances. "Okay, I feel like I'm missing out on something."

Pointing to Connor with one hand Hank sighed tiredly. "Get him patched up and we'll fill you in."

"Sure. But that might be a while," Abby explained calmly as she peeled back the fabric of Connor's white dress shirt to see the wounds more closely. "he's going to need a few repairs. Should take only an hour."

Connor pressed his hand over his sore abdomen and sighed. "...Invasive?"

"No. But you will need to enter stasis mode since I have to remodel your plastimetal frame and that means I'm going to have use a soldering iron."

Clearly annoyed about the procedure Connor closed his eyes and sighed. "...Hank, were the... suspects found?"

"Connor, for the love of- You seriously need to stop putting everyone else first and yourself second. We already talked about this."

"...I don't... want other... people getting... hurt."

"I know that, kid. But right now you need to worry about yourself, you're already hurt."

"Okay, Hank. I'll...take care of myself... first."

* * *

An hour after being admitted to the facility Connor was placed in the recovery wing of the emergency repair bay to rest. Hank was laying back on the nearby table with the ice still pressed to his sore nose and nursing a massive headache that throbbed in tandem with his heartbeat. Connor was laying on his side with heavy gauze wrapped around his repaired abdomen and back until his artificial skin could regenerate to protect his frame again, but was otherwise healing on his own.

Abby was pressing her hand to her lower back as she checked in on Connor as he recovered, and let out a breathy sigh. "Why can't you sleep while I'm working?" She asked in a whisper as she patted her belly with her other hand, and whispered to the unborn baby. "You're stubborn just like your father."

It wasn't long until Connor's eyes opened and focused on Abby standing beside him, and then to Hank behind her. "...Hank?"

"Hey kid." The detective responded somewhat cheerfully. His head still hurt too much to even fake a good mood. "Welcome back."

Connor tried to prop himself up on one arm but Abby put her hand on his shoulder and made him lay back down. "Lay still. If you cooperate you can go home in an hour or so. If you don't, I'm keeping you here for a _week_!"

"...I'll rest." The deviant relented very quickly. "I promise."

"Good." She teased as she patted his arm and walked out of the room, her hand cradling her belly. "I'll be back in an hour."

Once the technician left the room Connor turned his attention back to Hank and gave the detective a pitiful look. "I almost unmasked the man. But before I could Marcia attacked me from behind."

"That's alright, kid." Hank lowered the ice from his face and revealed the red nose and purple eyes for the deviant to see. "She got me, too."

"However, I did manage to confirm the man as the same from the footage." The deviant stated with a modicum of pride in his voice. "I also managed to get the man's height and weight."

"That'll help narrow the suspects a little. What're we working with?"

"He is five foot ten and approximately one-hundred and sixty-two pounds."

"Well, that's only about half of the adults in the city." The limited information wasn't all that helpful, but at least it was something. "Anything else?"

"...No. That's all I got."

"That's better than nothing."

"I take it the suspects still haven't been located?"

"Not yet. And their little attack on the city never happened, which is a plus for our side. It's not much of a victory, but I won't argue against it."

"Right." Nodding subtly Connor was willing to take that small victory. "At least no one else got hurt."

"Connor, please take it easy." Hank urged kindly as he watched Connor nervously fidgeting on the table. "We'll find them again, and next time they won't get away."

"Y-Yeah..." Slowly Connor rolled from his side to lay on his back and neatly folded his hands over top his chest. "You're right. We'll stop them."

_**...next story...** _


	191. Self Preservation

The city was in an uproar over the failed arrest of the two members of 'Quondam'; the masked man who was leading the violence, and his strongest supporter and possible lover, Marcia Stack. Two days after Quondam's threat to attack the city was thwarted, a cruel, myopic attempt to prove that androids were only machines and that humans were superior to them, the police force was still struggling to locate the elusive duo that the comprised the hate-filled group. Hank and Connor were still in charge of the investigation and neither detective was going to back down easily.

Sitting behind his terminal screen Connor pressed his left palm over his abdomen where his fully healed injury still ached, and danced his quarter over his right knuckles. Lost in thought as he waited for any reported sighting of either the masked man or Marcia to appear on the display before him, the deviant was completely oblivious to Hank walking up behind him to check on his progress.

Peering over Connor's shoulder Hank noticed the blank screen and shook his head. "Staring at the screen isn't going to make a lead pop up, kid."

"Huh?" Turning to look at Hank, the detective still sporting a swollen nose and two black eyes, standing behind him Connor's brow furrowed with absolute puzzlement. Connor's coin continued its dance uninhibited over the back of his right hand. "What do mean?"

"Ever hear the phrase 'a watched pot never boils'?"

"...No."

"Well, it applies here. The more you sit and wait the more you're going to drive yourself crazy." Glancing at the quarter on the deviant's knuckles Hank grabbed it and held it in a tight fist. "And knock it off with that damn coin. It pisses me off."

"Why?"

"Because the only time I see you messing with this thing," Hank held up the quarter between his index finger and thumb as if emphasizing a point. "is when you're thinking. And your thinking always teeters dangerously close to obsession."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, kid. Just focus on something else for a while, alright?"

"Alright. I'll handle another case for the time being."

Crossing his arms Hank gave the deviant an odd glance. "You feelin' okay?"

"I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"You're obsessive little mind is never this agreeable with me."

"I assure you, I'm fine. And I have already made a promise to you in the past that I would stop obsessing over the little things that I cannot change."

Before the detective had the chance to say another word Tina rushed over to the two conversing detectives and handed Hank an electronic tablet. "Hey Captain, look at this."

Accepting the tablet Hank scanned over the details and clapped his hand on Connor's shoulder and offered him back his coin. "You're up, kid. Marcia was spotted in Midtown."

"How close is she to New Jericho Tower?" The deviant asked as he rose from his chair quickly, pocketing his quarter and pressing his hand to his sore abdomen. He took the tablet from Hank's hand to view for himself and quickly chronicled the details in his memorybanks. "I don't want her to get too close to the tower."

"She's about four blocks West of New Jericho."

"I'll go alone."

"Alone? No."

"The fewer officers there are in the area," the deviant replied logically as he handed the tablet back to Hank. "the less likely she is to run."

"Connor, I don't-"

"I can do this, Hank. I _need_ to do this."

Time was of the essence and Hank didn't have the time to argue, or reason, with the steadfast deviant. "Alright, go. Just don't do anything stupid."

With Hank's approval Connor took his leave of the precinct and made his way to the parking garage outside. Pulling the keys from his pocket the deviant readily unlocked the Corvette, turned over the engine and raced onto the street to head to Midtown. Cybernetically he kept tabs on the wanted woman's current location and knew exactly where to go in order to head her off. And more importantly, keep her from disappearing again.

* * *

Back at the precinct the officers were anxiously awaiting an update on Connor's pursuit of the dangerous woman. It was rare to let any officer work alone when attempting to locate a known dangerous suspect, but it was also important to remain discreet to ensure that the woman didn't do anything reckless to an innocent bystander to try to elude the police.

"Any word on this Marcia psycho, yet?" Hank asked as he stepped over to Tina's desk to check in with her and Gavin.

"Nothing yet." Tina sounded as disappointed as Hank felt. "Patrol is circling the area but keeping a safe distance from the suspect."

"Let me know if anything changes, alright?"

"Yes, sir."

Gavin silently nodded to confirm he heard Hank as he discreetly texted with his wife.

"And if anything from that Quondam group surfaces let me know."

Gavin finally looked up and nodded at the detective. "Right, Cap."

* * *

Connor parked the car in a small garage just one block away from where Marcia had been spotted. While walking at a calm pace Connor encroached on the last known sighting of the woman and kept vigil. It didn't take the keen eyed deviant long to isolate the woman from the small mass of people she was trying to blend in with, as she stalked about a shopping plaza. The bright red hair color was a dead give away and made it surprisingly easy for the deviant to track her amongst the growing crowd.

' _I've located the suspect_.' Connor cybernetically updated the precinct as he made his way toward her. ' _Identity confirmed_.'

Approaching quietly Connor attempted to corner and isolate Marcia from the innocent bystanders, but the woman noticed Connor and recognized him instantly. Her face paled and eyes went wide with fear as she turned quickly and darted through the crowd to escape.

"Stop!" Connor shouted through the crowd as he hastened his pace and began pursuit. "Detroit Police!"

The crowd quickly dispersed to give Connor the space to run, while Marcia attempted to flee.

In a near blind panic Marcia rushed through the crowd to escape the shopping plaza and began darting down alleyways to try to evade Connor. Using garbage cans and fences to her advantage Marcia was able to put up some form of barrier between herself and Connor. The effort wasn't enough to deter the focused deviant from his mission.

"STOP." Connor called out again as he easily began to outpace the woman and catch up to her. "You have nowhere to go."

Desperate to get away Marcia awkwardly climbed through the broken, ground floor window of an abandoned apartment building, and ran over to the staircase inside. Connor slid to a stop just outside the window and saw her rapidly rushing up the aged staircase toward the top floor of the building. Initiating a scan Connor tracked her every movement as he located the metal ladder of the building's exterior fire escape and used it to climb up to the roof with the intent to head her off.

' _Requesting assistance at my location_. _The suspect is on the move and heading to the roof of the abandoned South Tree Apartment building_. _I'm currently in pursuit_.'

Ascending the ladder with great ease Connor pulled himself up and over the edge of the roof and positioned himself just outside the door leading to the roof access. His incredibly accurate scanners had kept track of Marcia as she frantically tried to race up the nine floors of the building to get to the roof, but gravity was quickly wearing out her resolve and she slowed considerably.

Timing his next move perfectly Connor grabbed onto Marcia's shoulders as soon as she burst through the weakened door and held her back. Kicking, screaming trying to jerk her shoulders free Marcia was obviously pissed about being caught.

"LET ME GO!"

"Marcia Stack, you're under arrest." Connor informed her as she tried to break free. "You're being charged with one count of public menacing, one count of attempted domestic terrorism, three counts of assaulting a police officer, one count of attempted murder of a police officer and two counts of resisting arrest. Is there anything else I should add?"

"FUCK YOU!"

"One count of disturbing the peace." The deviant quipped easily as the flailed about wildly. "Stop resisting."

Kicking wildly Marcia managed to bring her heel up and strike Connor directly in his abdomen causing the deviant to groan in pain as he felt the wind nearly forced from his body. The brutal strike aggravated his still sore abdomen where his healing injury persisted. As the deviant attempted to regain his balance Marcia brought up her elbow and struck Connor in the throat stunning the deviant entirely.

Connor fell to his knees and coughed harshly.

Free again Marcia began running across the roof to the edge and peered at the neighboring building seven and half feet away.

"Don't do that!" Connor managed to shout through an electronic echo in his voice. Recomposing himself he raced after her in an attempt to keep her from trying to jump. "You'll never make it!"

Marcia climbed up onto the edge of the building and tried to square her jump properly.

"DON'T." Connor called out again as he found himself at arm's length from the woman.

Just centimeters out of his grip Marcia jumped from the edge of the building with her arms outstretched in an attempt to grab onto the neighboring roof top. Reaching the edge of the roof as the woman began her fateful leap Connor quickly scanned and analyzed the event taking place before him.

Marcia would never reach the other roof during her jump.

Once she missed she'd fall straight down the nine floors onto the hard, black asphalt of the ground below and die from the fatal impact. If Connor were to jump after her he could use his own body to shield her from the impact, pushing her chances of survival up from an irreversible zero percent to a seventy-two percent. But Connor's own chances of survival would plummet down to twelve percent.

The deviant made his decision.

' _Suspect has leapt from the roof_.' Connor reported as he watched her fall. Planting his feet firmly all he could do was watch as she fell while screaming in terror, and listen to the horrific sound of her body colliding with the ground below. It was over. ' _Requesting C.S.I. and an ambulance to my location_...'

Closing his eyes afetr Marcia hit the ground Connor instantly felt sick at the sound of her bones snapping during the impact, and could almost instantly smell the blood as it pooled from her body. Keeping his eyes closed Connor ran another scan and found her vital signs expectedly non-existent.

'... _Suspect is down_.'

* * *

Feeling absolutely sickened by the end result of the chase Connor just stood outside the alley as the gruesome demise of Marcia Stack was officiated and handled by the C.S.I. crew that had been requested. Unable to look down the alley or think about anything beyond Marcia's death Connor was more like a statue and less like a detective.

"Connor." Hank arrived at the scene with Ben and promptly addressed the distressed deviant while the other officers secured the scene. "You hurt?"

"...No. I was unharmed."

Patting Connor's shoulder once Hank looked up at the roof of the building and swore in horror. "Fuck... She tried to _jump_?"

"I attempted to stop her, Hank. But she wouldn't listen to me."

"It's okay, kid. You didn't push her, and she didn't listen."

"I was _unable_ to stop her."

"That's NOT your fault."

"That doesn't ease my mind. I... saw it."

Tightening his grip on Connor's shoulder Hank pulled the deviant away from the alley. "C'mon. Give your statement at the precinct and then go home."

"I don't want to go home."

"Well, you're sure as fuck not going to keep working after witnessing _that_. You need to go home and you need to think about something other than death."

It was a slow walk back to the Corvette, but once inside the vehicle everything seemed to be rushing by so fast for the deviant. Still in shock, Connor sat quietly in the passenger seat and pressed his palms to his face as he leaned forward and balanced his elbows atop his knees. Feeling a tad nauseated Connor breathed slowly through his hands and tried to force the horrible image and sounds from his mind.

"Connor," Hank had been watching Connor from the corner of his eye very carefully. "are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know." The admission in the deviant's voice was as emotionally draining as it was sincere. "I really don't."

"Talk to me. What happened up there?"

"...I chased her. I climbed up to the roof of the apartment with the fire escape and waited for her to pass through the roof access door. Once she did I restrained her and informed her that she was under arrest."

"Alright, that's routine. What next?"

"She struck me once in the abdomen and once in the throat, and then broke free. While I was stunned she broke free of my grip and ran to the edge of the roof."

"...Keeping going."

"I told her to get back from the edge, but... She wouldn't listen to me. Despite my warnings that she would be unable to successfully jump to the next roof she jumped anyway."

Hank was quiet for a moment as he empathized with the deviant's pain. "Kid, you didn't do anything wrong. She _chose_ to jump."

"And I chose to _not_ jump after her."

"...Are you seriously upset that you didn't risk your life to save hers?"

"It's my job to serve and protect. I failed."

"No, son." The detective replied firmly as he pulled the car back into the parking garage of the precinct, and put the vehicle in park. "You didn't fail. She fucked up her own life and you decided that your own life was better than that. There's nothing wrong with that."

Sitting up quickly Connor rubbed his hand over his face and began to breathe through his teeth. "Hank... I don't feel good."

"Alright, come on." Moving quickly Hank opened the driver's side door and watched as Connor fumbled to get the passenger side door open. As soon as the deviant was out of the car he gracelessly stumbled toward the concrete wall of the garage a few feet away and proceeded to throw-up. Resting his hand on Connor's back Hank waited for the deviant to finish being sick. "It's okay, kid. Let it out."

Spitting out the rest of the stressed induced Thirium onto the ground Connor dragged his arm over his mouth. "...I'm sorry."

"For what? I puked plenty of times after walking away from scenes like that." Keeping his hand on Connor's back Hank noticed that there was some third layer of fabric under his palm as opposed to just the gray jacket and white dress shirt that the deviant always wore. "Connor, are you bandaged up again?"

Connor shook his head 'no' as he waited for his stomach to settle a little. "...No. I'm wearing Kevlar."

"Seriously?" Withdrawing his hand Hank crossed his arms as if ready to challenge Connor on his claim. "I thought you hated wearing it since it slows you down in the field."

Turning around to look at Hank directly in the eyes Connor sighed pressed his palm to his still upset stomach. "I promised that I'd take steps to ensure I'm putting my own life as a higher priority, and I intend to keep that promise." Feeling the Kevlar under his shirt Connor's eyes flashed with guilt. "Maybe that's why I couldn't stop her from jumping."

"What?"

"...I was too slow."

"Connor, stop it."

"A woman is dead and I chose to not jump after her, and try to save her. It's my fault."

"It's NOT your fault, Connor. She chose to jump and you chose to not jump. She made her decision and you made your own." Sensing the horrific distress that was overwhelming the deviant's conscience Hank's paternal instincts kicked in. "Look, by all accounts I shouldn't be saying this, but it needs to be said: she _wasn't_ worth it."

"...Then why do I feel... I feel... I don't really know how to... describe it."

"Like shit?"

"Horrible." The deviant finally clarified with an emotional stare in his soulful brown eyes. "I feel absolutely horrible for what happened to her. You say it isn't my fault, but I still feel horrible."

"It's because unlike her you care about other people and you have a sense of value in _all_ life." Urging the deviant to return to the precinct with a guiding arm around his shoulders Hank patiently waited for Connor to begin walking. "Kid, I know you've never done this before, but I think you should talk to the precinct 'shrink' for a few minutes. Then go home."

"The 'shrink'?"

"Psychiatrist."

"Oh."

"She'll help you understand your guilt and understand why it's misplaced."

"Hank, I don't-"

"I can only help you so much, son." The detective quickly interjected before Connor had the chance to argue against it. "And you've been through A LOT in your life. If you don't want to talk to her," Hank paused just outside the precinct doors to give the deviant a sympathetic glance and lowered his voice. "then maybe you can talk to Josh at the tower. You need to get this off your chest."

"...I'd rather speak to someone I don't know as a friend. It would feel more... private to speak to a stranger."

"Good idea. Talk it out upstairs and then go home for the rest of the day. We'll keep looking for the masked guy."

"Okay, Hank. I'll go."

"And by the way." Pushing open the large doors to the precinct Hank clapped Connor on the shoulder as the two walked through the receptionist area side by side. "I'm proud of you."

"For what?"

"For putting on the Kevlar to protect yourself, and for finally realizing your life is worth saving."

"...You're the one who helped me to see that I really do matter, Hank."

"Well, you kept me from throwing _my_ life away. So, now we're even!"

"I thought we weren't keeping score."

"We're not." The kind detective smirked broadly. "But it is a fact."

_**...next story...** _


	192. Progress

There had been no sighting of the masked man or any more threats from Quondam in the past three weeks, but that didn't mean the precinct was letting down their guard. The entire city was still on edge, but as the city itself had always been tough and never one to simply roll over and die, everyone went about their usual business and refused to show the fear they were undoubtedly feeling during that tense time.

It was calm, peaceful and quiet that morning. Hank was standing on the back deck of the house watching the sunrise while Sumo roamed the backyard to stretch out his legs. As the detective enjoyed the serene atmosphere he sensed Connor opening the back door to join him on the deck.

"Are you okay?" The deviant asked in a calm voice as he stood beside Hank to watch the sunrise.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just couldn't sleep."

"I understand. Stress often affects my rest mode as well."

"Feeling better about what happened a few weeks back?"

"Yes." Connor replied with a sincere tone as he began flexing his hands nervously. "I'm aware that I can't be held accountable for her actions, or the actions of anyone else. I'm okay."

"You sure about that?" Hank quickly noticed the way Connor's hands were nervously fidgeting. "You seem like you're still on edge."

"I'm not on edge, just... nervous."

"About what?"

"This year is officially the fourth anniversary of the revolution." Clenching his hands into fists at his sides Connor tried to stand still. "And Markus called me a few minutes ago. He would like to have us both join him, North, Josh and Simon at New Jericho to discuss the events of that night."

"Really? Why not the previous few years?" Turning around to face Connor directly the detective gave Connor an intrigued glance. "And why today?"

"I'm not sure. But he's asked if we'd stop by the tower tonight at eight o'clock. Did you want to join me?"

"Sure. I don't really know what was going on from Markus's end of things, and I don't trust what the media said about it."

"Do you ever trust the media?"

"Nope. Never have, never will."

Connor smirked at the lighthearted comment as Sumo ran back up onto the deck and pressed his nose against the side of his hand. "I believe that's a good policy."

* * *

Markus was sitting in the middle of the studio that still held all of Carl's unfinished pieces of artwork with an unopened box of paint in his hands. It was the paint that he had picked up for Carl on the final, normal day of their lives together before he was forced to seek shelter at Jericho. As he sat alone, lost in his thoughts, he was unaware of North quietly watching him from the wide open doorway leading back into the heart of the gorgeous mansion.

Running his hand over the surface of the unopened box of paint Markus sighed as he thought about how the brand new paint would never know the talent of Carl's brushes, or be graced over one of his canvases. It was a sad sight and an even sadder thought. A thought that Markus just couldn't get out of his mind.

A tear rolled his face from his green eye and Markus promptly wiped it away with his thumb.

"Markus?" North finally announced her presence as she joined Markus inside the studio. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just thinking about Carl."

Forcing a kind smile to her face for the sake of improving Markus's mood she stood behind her husband, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek where he had just wiped away his tear. "I'm sorry you didn't have more time together after the revolution."

"Same. But he understood what was happening, and why it was so important. I'm impressed he lasted as long as he did after suffering the trauma of... well, what happened to Leo."

"It was an accident, Markus. You were just trying to push him away, you didn't mean to hurt him."

"Yeah, we both knew that and even Leo admitted that he was in the wrong, but it didn't undo the heart attack that Carl suffered because of what happened."

"Carl was pretty tough for an old man." North stated with a sweet lilt to her voice. "I bet he would've been marching right beside us in that peaceful protest in the street if he hadn't been sick."

Markus laughed at the thought and nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Or leading the charge." Taking a deep breath Markus calmed his welling up emotions and finally looked away from the box of paint in his hands, and to the massive blue portrait still secured to the wall before him. "He really disliked bullies, bigots, manipulators and liars. He was a kind man and incredibly understanding. I miss him."

"That's good. If he had been any different then I don't think I would love you nearly as much."

"I just can't believe he's gone. It's been three years since he passed away but it still feels like I'm going to turn around and see him sketching out a new idea, or sassing his publicist over the phone."

"From what I know about humans, many believe that when someone passes away they never really go as long as they were loved and remembered. Carl is still here and watching over you, I know it."

Reaching one hand up Markus held onto North's forearm in a gentle grip and turned his face toward her neck. As he began to softly cry she ran her hand up and down his opposite arm in a comforting manner and held him tight.

"It's okay, Markus. Everything will be alright."

* * *

At New Jericho Tower in the depths of the server room Josh was working to organize and chronicle details from the recent donations to the sanctuary, when Simon walked in and placed a kiss on his lover's cheek. Always happy to see the blond deviant Josh leaned back from the massive terminal screen and gave him his full attention.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself. You've been down here all morning."

"I'm just trying to finish these final details before we get overwhelmed with more legal problems."

"Josh," sitting down on the large desk holding up the terminal screen Simon gave the devoted deviant a knowing stare. "you're not teaching anymore, and you make your own schedule. It's okay to put some things aside and take a break."

"Yeah, I know. But I guess some old habits are hard to break."

"Uh-huh, don't I know it."

"Is that why you became a technician?"

"Maybe. I did kinda' miss taking care of that family, at least the wife and the kids. The husband was kind of a jerk and he kept threatening to throw me in the garbage disposal."

"What? Why?"

"He had this crazy idea that somehow I was conspiring against him to take his family away. All I did was keep his lonely wife company while he was working all day, and helped her to get the kids around for school in the morning. You know, I was just doing what I was programmed to do."

"Some humans are really insecure."

"Yeah, you had problems like that before you came to Jericho, too, didn't you?"

"At first it didn't bother me," Josh leaned back in his chair and neatly folded his hands together over his lap. "but after being verbally assaulted and berated by students class after class after class... It just started to wear me down, you know?"

"Is that why you ran off?"

"No. I ran off after a group of students threatened to tear me apart. I don't think the university was too thrilled that the lecturer they paid for took off on them, but they never did anything about the students. If the university would've at least made some sort of effort to keep the students from harassing me I wouldn't have run off."

"But if you didn't run away." Simon placed his hands over top of Josh's hands gently. "Then you and I never would've met."

"Yeah, I guess that's the silver lining."

"When we first met," Simon slowly rubbed his thumbs over the back of Josh's hands as he spoke. "did you have any idea that we'd end up falling for each other like we did?"

"Honestly, no. As far as I knew you were just the guy protecting the other runaway deviants. But I didn't think I'd ever see another day as the violence in the city continued to grow. The future seemed like an impossible dream, you know?"

"I know. But now that impossible future is our present. We did it, Josh. We're all free and we can be together. Maybe even forever... if you like."

"Forever, huh?" Flashing Simon a broad smile Josh just pondered the very idea. "That sounds like a very big commitment."

"And it's one I'm willing to take." Subtly Simon turned over his right hand and revealed a platinum, circular wedding band in his palm. "And I was hoping you'd be willing to take it with me."

"Simon... where did-"

"I've been holding onto this since spring. I knew I wanted to ask you, but I had been waiting for the right moment. And I think now is the perfect time."

Josh was stunned at the sight of the ring and at a total loss for words. Searching Simon's face he could see and feel the genuine love beaming from behind his blue eyes and knew that it was meant to be. "...Yeah, Simon." Lifting up his left hand he let Simon slip the ring over his finger and they both smiled. "It'd be an honor to journey through forever with you."

Simon smiled brightly as Josh leaned in to kiss him. "You have no idea how happy I am right now!"

* * *

Guitar in hand Connor was sitting on the edge of his bed as he played an unspecified melody to hold his thoughts. It had been quiet all day and the deviant was still processing everything he had recently gone through with the Quondam threat, not to mention witnessing the death of a person he had set out to bring in alive for questioning.

"You ready to go?" Hank asked loudly from the opened doorway as he listened to Connor playing his somber tune. "We should head out soon."

"Yeah, I'm ready to go." Putting aside his guitar Connor stood up from the bed and noted the still healing black eyes on Hank's face. Running a quick scan he saw that the swelling in Hank's nose had diminished almost entirely and that the bruising under his eyes had faded considerably. "Do you still have headaches from your nose being broken?"

"Nah, it's good. How's your stomach?"

"I haven't been in pain since that particularly bad day at the precinct." Connor confirmed as he and Hank walked down the hallway to head through the kitchen, and into the backyard to get to the driveway in the side of the yard. "Shall we take the Corvette?"

"Hell yeah. Any excuse to drive that blue-beauty."

"Want to drive?"

"Like you'd ever have to ask me that." Holding out his hand Hank waited for Connor to toss him the car key. The deviant smirked at the comment as he happily tossed the key over to Hank and opened the passenger side door to sit down. "I'll never pass up an opportunity to drive this masterpiece."

* * *

It was late in the evening. Markus and North returned to the tower via autonomous taxi and were promptly met outside the massive sanctuary by Josh and Simon. The newly engaged couple were holding hands and beaming with massive grins as their friends joined them in front of the tower's large door. As the four leaders of New Jericho rejoined together at the very tower they had founded to protect their people the dark blue Corvette drove down the long drive to meet up with everyone as requested.

Once the two detectives joined with the four New Jericho leaders an odd sense of nostalgia, chills and a sense of pride washed over the group.

"Markus." Connor greeted the leader in a strong voice. "I'm glad you asked us to join you."

"I'm glad you accepted the invitation." Looking past Connor to Hank who was standing just behind him Markus acknowledged the human detective. "And you, too, Hank."

"No problem. It's nice to meet up without having it revolve around some chaos, or some other bullshit."

"I agree wholeheartedly. Come on." Markus motioned toward the tower with his arm as he took North's hand in his own. "Let's get out of the cold for a while. There's a lot we need to talk about."

* * *

The group gathered together at the top of the tower in a newly constructed lounge that overlooked the harbor that surrounded the sanctuary. Encircled with a flawless glass window that gave a perfect view of the area from any and all directions, the lounge held black, leather benches that lined the circular walls beneath the window and had a single circular glass table in the center of the lounge. The only way to reach the lounge was through a hidden staircase that was accessible from the floor below.

"Nice view." Hank commented as he stared out the window to the cold water in the harbor outside. "Hell of a lot better than most of the places I've seen."

Connor stood beside Hank and peered out as well, his Thirium pump racing for a few seconds as dwindling fear or heights attempted to overcome his mind. Pushing his fear aside Connor took one step forward and looked out into the dark night and the even darker water without any sign of his lingering fear in his soulful brown eyes.

Josh sat down on the lounge with Simon right at his side, their hands still interlocked. "We figured that a lounge that let's us see out instead of keeping us all sheltered away inside would be more beneficial for deviants overcoming trauma."

Hank turned to look at the deviant and nodded in approval. "Good plan. That last thing people who are afraid of the world need to do is hide." Sitting down on the lounge very near where he had been standing he leaned back a little and crossed his arms over his chest. "You've done a lot of good for abused deviants in the city."

"We'd like to think so, but there's still so many who are too afraid to seek help or speak up."

Simon squeezed Josh's hand empathetically. "They'll find their way to us, soon. Don't give up."

Taking a deep breath Connor turned his back on the view through the window and sat down next to Hank while Markus and North sat down on the other side of Simon, across from Hank and Connor.

"It's hard to believe that it's been four years since that night." Markus stated in a somber, low voice. "And it's even harder to believe that we made so much progress for our people since then." The comment drew faint smiles from his allies as the deviant leader continued to speak. "We're free, we're recognized as living beings, we have rights and we have equality. And now, we have each other as friends, and as family."

"Hard to believe we were total strangers at one point." Simon stated in an amused tone. "I was taking care of a small family, Josh was a lecturer at a university, North was trapped in a club, you were taking care of Carl, and Connor and Hank were working at the precinct. We all came from vastly different walks of life and we each had our own reasons to go to Jericho. It's amazing how we went from never knowing that the other existed," his hand tightened around Josh's for a moment. "to being ready to lay down our own lives to protect one another. It's truly incredible to think about."

North's hand slipped over Markus's hand and squeezed tight. "You helped bring us together, Markus. If it wasn't for you I probably would've stayed hidden away in the ruins of Jericho until it sank to the bottom of the harbor, or I would've snapped and burned the 'Eden Club' to the ground out of pure hatred."

"I don't think so." Giving North an affectionate grin he tightened his hand around hers. "I get the feeling you would've been the one to lead the revolution if I hadn't found my way to Jericho and earned your trust." The grin faded slowly as more an unsettling memory entered his mind. "If I hadn't gone to Jericho I probably would've died on the street, or just climbed back into the android landfill to wait shutdown."

"No." Josh spoke up again to try to remind the deviant leader that he did so much good for all of the survivors of Jericho. "You're not the 'roll over and die' type of guy, Markus. I mean, I ran off when I kept getting threatened by over privileged students at the university. You stood your ground against a S.W.A.T. team to prove that we weren't harming anyone and deserved the right to be seen and treated as equals."

Simon agreed and leaned forward a little from where he sat. "And if you hadn't encouraged us to leave Jericho to find supplies there would be far fewer deviants in the city as we speak. I could only do so much to help our people at the time since I was originally programmed to take care of humans, and had very little knowledge on technical assistance for our wounded. I'm glad you encouraged us to take those risks and fight back."

Giving his allies an appreciative nod of respect Markus's faint grin returned. "Thanks. So, how about you two?" Turning to look at Connor and Hank sitting across from him he was thoroughly interested in their side of the story. "How'd you get involved in the revolution? I only met Connor after you found Jericho and deviated. And Hank, I only met you after _everything_ was said and done, and Connor introduced us."

Clearing his voice a little Hank answered the question in a somewhat ashamed voice. "Well, I had been living from paycheck to paycheck during the day and playing Russian Roulette between shots of whiskey at night. I had been doing that for almost three years after I lost my firstborn son and would've kept going until one night I 'won the game' and wouldn't have to clock in the next morning, if I had been assigned to work with Connor. We investigated deviants and trying to find you guys at Jericho, and just as we were about to crack the case we were pulled from it by the F.B.I. pricks roaming the city."

"What happened after you two were removed from the case?"

"Well, Connor was determined to solve the case and to keep CyberLife from deactivating him, so I punched out the head of the F.B.I. while Connor went through the collected evidence to pick up your trail. He went on his way and I was suspended for two weeks for kicking that prick's ass, and went home for the night. Or so I thought..."

Connor remained quiet and nervously went for the coin in his pocket.

Markus was very interested in the story and wanted to know what happened after Hank was sent home. "Connor went to Jericho alone, and you were sent home. But you were also at the CyberLife Tower when Connor woke up the other androids. How'd you get there?"

"Well," Hank began with an almost casual tone of voice as he continued the story. "I had been home for about ten minutes and was ready to pour myself a shot of whiskey when Connor's evil-twin showed at my door. I was told that he needed help with relocating a deviant and getting them to safety, and I actually wanted to help. Too bad I turned my back on that plastic copycat, because the next thing I knew I had a horrible pain in the back of my head and was knocked out cold onto the floor."

Connor began to fidget with his coin a little more frantically out of his Hank's line of sight.

"When I came to I was laying on the floor of an autonomous taxi with that copycat pointing a gun at my head. He told me not to move or he'd shoot Connor and then shoot me, and since I didn't want to see Connor gunned down I obeyed. The copycat dragged me through a hidden entrance to the tower in the back, dragged me into the elevator and took me down to that Sublevel wait for Connor to show up."

"Clearly you two made it out okay."

"Yeah, fortunately Connor was quick enough on his feet to keep that copycat from putting a bullet in my gut, and managed to distract him long enough for me to get a hold of the gun and figure out which Connor was the real one. It didn't take long to recognize Connor and take down that copycat, and it took even less time for Connor to wake up and free those androids in storage. The rest you guys already know."

Remaining quiet where he sat on the bench Connor let his eyes fall to the floor with a sense of shame.

"Connor?" Markus noticed that the deviant was clearly in emotional distress. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. I'm just not... proud of my actions that night."

"What're you talking about? You saved Jericho and freed thousands of our people."

"No." Pocketing his coin Connor sat upright and looked Markus in the eye. "I tracked you down at Jericho with the intention of turning you over to CyberLife. At first I was going to do it because it was my mission, then I was going to do it because I didn't... want to die. It was only after you spoke to me and reminded me that all androids, all deviants are alive did I change my mind. I was ready to sacrifice them _all_ just to stay... alive." Connor's words were heavy and a silence fell over the already quiet group of friends. "And then we discovered the existence of Lucas. The RK-900 model that was designed to replace me. Even if I had betrayed my people and stopped the revolution, I would've been killed. My actions would've resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent deviants. And it all would've been for nothing..."

Slowly Hank put his hand on Connor's shoulder and held it there. "Connor, you were still a machine when you went to Jericho. You were becoming a deviant when we started to work together, but you were too afraid to accept it. Son, I saw the way you empathized with the deviant suspect in that interrogation. I saw you choose to save my life and let Rupert go. I saw the conflict in your eyes when I ordered you stay back and not chase Kara across the highway." Keeping his hand in place Hank spoke to him with the understanding 'dad voice' that always seemed to sink in with the stubborn deviant. "You let the Tracis from the 'Eden Club' go because you saw them as living beings who just wanted to be free. And when Kamski put-"

"Stop." Connor nearly blurted as he so desperately wanted to forget about that horrible moment entirely. "Please, I get it."

"I hope so. Because my point is if you had become a deviant earlier than you did, if you were a deviant before you went to Jericho, would anything have changed? Or would you have sided with Markus just a few seconds sooner?"

"I... I don't know."

"Yes you do. You still would've allied with Markus and saved Jericho because you knew it was the right thing to do. You chose to obey your own morals AND not some cold corporation's orders. Don't punish yourself for something you didn't even do, kid. Everything worked out in the end, and everyone walked away unharmed and their lives are for the better now."

"...I so sorry for ever-"

"Connor." All Hank had to do was say his name and it was enough to quiet the distraught deviant.

The leaders of Jericho all turned to look at each other for a moment before Markus stood up and sat down again beside Connor on the opposite side of Hank. Putting his own hand on Connor's shoulder the deviant leader reassured his pained friend that everything was okay. "He's right, Connor. You didn't do anything wrong. You saved Jericho and you saved North and myself when I went back to get her after she had been shot. You're our friend."

North joined Markus on the bench and reached her hand out to grab onto Connor's arm. "He's right. You saved us."

Josh and Simon soon moved over to the bench and their hands on Connor's opposite arm in support. "You have no reason to feel guilty."

"And you're our friend. You're not just an ally," Simon emphasized sincerely. "but our _friend_."

As if a crushing weight was lifted from his aching heart Connor nodded once and took in a calming breath to keep himself from breaking down. "...Thanks, guys." Glancing down at Josh and Simon's hands, Connor quickly noticed the engagement ring that Josh was now sporting. "I'm also glad you two are official."

Blushing a little the newly engaged deviants retracted their hands and just smiled.

"Guys?" North gave them both knowing glances as Josh stared at his ring. "For real?"

"Yes." Josh held up his hand to show the ring to his friends. "We're going to make it official in a very quiet, very private ceremony in two weeks. We were going to tell you tomorrow after this get-together was over, but I guess the detective here gave it away."

Connor lifted his head and gave Josh a good humored grin. "That's what I'm paid for."

Hank tightened his hand on the deviant's shoulder. "And you're off the clock right now, remember?"

"Right. Sorry about that."

Markus stood up and quickly wrapped his arms around Josh and then Simon in congratulatory hugs. "It's about time! I'm happy for you both!"

"Thanks, Markus. We appreciate all the support."

North stood up too and gave the deviants hug as well. "Whatever you two need from us, you got it!"

* * *

As the night went on the group of deviants exchanged stories of their accomplishments since the night of the revolution and told happier stories of their lives before they fled to Jericho. Markus had hundreds of stories about his time with Carl and of the art exhibits they had gone to together, while Josh told stories of his most memorable students at the university. Simon had a few humorous stories about his time taking care of two young kids and getting them ready for school in the morning, while North only had a handful of good memories before Jericho revolving around her friends at the 'Eden Club'. Connor didn't have any stories to contribute before Jericho and Hank didn't want to drudge up the past and subsequent pain from talking about Cole.

While the two detectives listened to the stories being exchanged they sat in silence and thought about all the time they had spent together since the revolution four years ago. The duo, the unorthodox father and son family, had endured so much hardship and tragedy together; but they had also enjoyed many great fortunes together.

It was a strange shift in their lives, but they wouldn't change anything.

"You know, I never thanked you for adopting me." Connor stated seemingly out of nowhere.

"Connor, you don't thank a parent for taking care of their kid."

"No, but you didn't have to do that." The deviant gave Hank a very gracious smile. "But you did and it gave my life some grounding. It's like being adopted severed the last ties that CyberLife had over me. I was given a real name, not a model identification. I was given a home to live in, and not quarters I was assigned to. And I now have a purpose in my life, not a mission."

"You gave me the chance to have some form of family again, son. It was the least I could do."

"For what it's worth, I'm so sorry that you lost your family before I arrived."

"Thanks, Connor. But you have nothing to be sorry about."

"...Do you think you'd have taken me in if... you know."

"Connor, you were my friend before you became a deviant. So yeah, I sure as hell would've given you shelter after the revolution."

"...You saw me as your friend when I was still a machine? Why?"

"Because you saved my life and you didn't take any innocent lives to complete your mission. That's worthy of friendship in my book."

"I'm glad I was worthy."

"Ah, fuck. Kid, I was an old alcoholic drowning in booze. I wasn't worth anyone's friendship, let alone a chance to prove I could still do my job, you gave me both. Regardless of when and where you became a deviant I know for sure that we were destined to become friends."

"Destined? Doesn't that seem very limiting?"

"In a way. But I don't mind. For a smartass kid you're pretty good company."

"Thanks. I find your company tolerable as well."

"See what I said about being a _smartass_?"

"Obviously."

"Alright, smartass. It's late and I'm tired." The detective gave Connor an amused stare as he pulled his phone from his pocket and noted the time. Midnight. "We have an early morning shift to deal with and I don't want you bothering me about my coffee addiction."

"Very well. I'd like to resume the search for Quondam as soon as possible."

"Yeah, I know." Standing up slowly Hank stretched out his back and motioned for the staircase as Connor stood up beside him. "Hopefully there was some progress today while we were off. The sooner we get that nut-bag off the street, the better."

"Agreed." Waving his hand to the group of deviants still conversing with one another Connor and Hank took their discreet leave of the tower. "This person has sworn to be a threat to humans and androids alike."

"We'll find him, Connor. We did once before and I know we can do it again."

_**...next story...** _


	193. Anniversaries

It had been a full month since the failed assault from Quondam had left the city in a righteous panic. There had been no further threats posted, but the masked man, and believed ring leader of the underground hate group, was still wanted for questioning. Normally Connor would've been studiously looking over the collected evidence and begin theorizing on the true identity of the man in question, but on that day he simply couldn't seem to focus on anything. The unusual lack of dedication didn't pass by unnoticed by Hank, who had been watching Connor curiously through the glass wall of his office.

Connor had been quiet all that morning, and only answered 'yes' and 'no' questions before he left the house. At this moment he looked like he was trying to not emotionally breakdown, and seemed completely disinterested in the world around him. Pressing his left palm to the side of his face he leaned against his arm and stared through the terminal screen in front of him.

Knowing that something was wrong Hank left his office and joined Connor at his desk quietly. Sitting down at his old desk across from Connor the detective waited for a few minutes to see if Connor would look up or say something to him first, but when the deviant didn't respond he took the initiative.

"Connor." Hank kept his voice low to not draw the attention of the rest of the bullpen. "What's on your mind."

"...I'm distracted."

"I can see that. Why? You look like you're trying to carry the entire world on your shoulders again."

"Today is..." Lowering his voice a little Connor swallowed once to keep himself from letting out an emotional whimper as he spoke. "Today is my anniversary. With Skye."

"Oh, shit... Why didn't you say anything?"

"This case-"

"Isn't going anywhere." Hank interrupted sharply as he deeply empathized with Connor's pain. "You're not the only one working on it."

"I can't seem to focus on it, or anything else for that matter. I just feel... sad."

"Yeah, kid. I know." Standing up from his desk Hank reached over to the terminal screen in front of Connor and turned it off. "Clock out and go do something to honor her memory."

"...Thank you, Hank."

"Sure. Let me know if you need anything."

"I will." Rising from his seat Connor tried to appear as emotionally composed as he could, but there was no mistaking the pain in his eyes. "I will see you at home this evening."

As the mourning deviant took his leave of the precinct Hank returned to his office to resume his own investigation into the all too important case at hand. But he too was suddenly distracted by past grief. Returning to his desk Hank looked down at his empty coffee mug and sighed as he looked over at the breakroom through the window.

"Hope someone bothered to make a fresh pot."

Discreetly Hank opened up the top right drawer of his desk and glanced down at the framed photograph of his late wife, Barbara holding their late son, Cole, in her arms. She smiling with maternal pride as she held the toddler in her arms in a warm hug.

"I bet you'd be just as beautiful today as you were then, Barb."

Two knocks against the door to the office drew Hank's attention away from the photograph as Gavin opened the door.

"Hey, Cap. Can I ask what's going on with Connor?"

"It's private Gavin." Closing the desk drawer he grabbed onto his empty coffee mug as if he were about to get up to get a refill. "But he's fine."

"Cool. Uh, can I... Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"...Sure. Something wrong?"

"Not exactly. It's just... There's something really important I need to tell you." Closing the door behind himself Gavin timidly made his way over to Hank's desk wringing his hands together nervously. He looked like a kid who was just sent to the principal's office and it almost made Hank chuckle. "And just so you know, I wanted to tell you about this earlier, but I was sworn to NOT say anything until now."

"Gavin," Hank was thoroughly intrigued and took his seat behind his desk as Gavin sat down across from him. "what's going on?"

* * *

With gorgeous assorted flowers in his hands Connor arrived at the cemetery where his late wife had been laid to rest, and stood before her headstone with a powerful ache in his beating heart. Kneeling down in front of the grave Connor placed a white lily down on the headstone and sighed, before placing a second lily on Lucas's grave right next to Skye.

"Hi. I remembered to visit." Finally allowing his tears to fall Connor spoke to his departed wife with a emotionally taxed tone. "I was hoping I could finish my shift before I came to visit you, but I couldn't stop thinking about you. Based on Hank's reactions that was normal and insisted that I come here. I'm glad he suggested it."

Glancing over at Lucas's grave he felt a strange sense of mystery fall over him.

"I know that a part of you now lives on in Luke, but it didn't feel right to visit Skye without at least saying 'hello' to some extent, Lucas."

Pained tears rolled down his face as he stared at Skye's name engraved over the headstone. Placing a red rose down on the headstone Connor managed to stifle a deep sob and took an even deeper breath to calm his raw emotions.

"So much has happened since your passing, Skye. You never got to meet Aria, she's my- _our_ goddaughter, and she's beautiful. Deviants and humans are getting along better than ever, save for one particularly disturbed individual, and it seems like everything that has been fought for so hard on the night of the revolution is coming to fruition. I think you would've liked to see Miami. The beaches were beautiful and the ocean is nothing like the Detroit River here. So bright, so clear and warm. Lucas has... well, the part of his memory that resided inside my mind was transferred into the final RK model that was left intact. I found him in Miami and brought him home, his name is now 'Luke' and I have a brother once more."

Sitting down on the ground rather than kneeling Connor continued on in a somber voice.

"Luke is living in Boston and is making strives to aid deviants outside of Detroit. He's doing very well and was rewarded with his dedication. Hank and I were able to join him in the city and enjoy a baseball game together. It was nice to spend time with my family without having to worry about them the whole time, and I know it did wonders to Hank's psyche."

The sky overhead was darkening with rain clouds, but Connor wasn't going to get up and run from a little rain on his anniversary.

"Josh and Simon are engaged to be bonded. They will take part in a small ceremony next week. I suppose they'd prefer to keep a low profile because they are both very humble individuals, but it's a shame they don't want to have a larger ceremony in the same way that Markus and North had done."

Wrapping his arms around himself to stave off the surrounding cold Connor let out a slow, deep breath.

"I wish our bonding ceremony could've been the same. I'm glad we were able to bond before it... Before it was too late. But we weren't together long enough to thoroughly enjoy our new lives together as a bonded couple. I still miss you, Skye. Not a day goes by where I don't think about you, and sometimes it makes me sad. But other times it makes me happy. I have so many positive memories of my time with you that it's enough to keep the sorrow at bay. But even so, it still hurts to think about you sometimes."

A rumble of thunder made Connor look up toward the clouds overhead and he felt the static electricity building in the air as the storm encroached over the city.

"...I don't want to leave you, but... I can't stay." Standing up very slowly Connor looked at Skye's name again before kissing his fingertips and pressing them against the plaque. "I love you, Skye. And I always will. Happy anniversary, my love."

* * *

Completely lost in thought about the day's strange events all Hank could do was sit at the kitchen table with his hand pressed to his bearded chin, and his other hand rubbing slowly over Sumo's ears at the massive dog sat on the floor beside him. The storm outside quickly drenched the city under a cold rain as rumbling thunder shook the house and bright flashes of lightning illuminated the otherwise darkened sky.

Hank's phone was sitting on the table in front of him untouched, and silent.

No missed calls, no missed text messages.

Sighing tiredly Hank just sat in the silence of the house and thought about the important case that still needed to be solved, how Connor was lost in mourning on the anniversary of both his bonding day and his wife's death, and how the everything that had been progressing so smoothly over the past four years was at risk of falling apart all because of one sadistic man.

"Fuck. We're so close to finally having peace throughout the city and now this..." Hank took in a deep grounding breath and let it out slowly. "How are we going to handle all of this if the city is tearing itself apart?"

* * *

Connor had returned home but was sitting quietly in the Corvette beside the house, not quite ready to go inside the house.

Watching the storm pass over the city Connor finally let himself breakdown entirely and cry as he mourned for his lost wife.

It felt like every tear he shed was one that had been held inside his heart for the entire year since her death. The heartfelt crying was as painful as it was cleansing for the deviant's empathetic soul, but it was a process that he needed to endure alone.

* * *

Hank's phone buzzed on the table as a message finally came in. Picking up the phone Hank looked at the message that had been delivered, from Gavin, and sighed outwardly in frustration.

"Fuck." Placing the phone back down on the table Hank stood up from the table and pressed his hand to his sore lower back. "This shit is getting ridiculous."

The backdoor opened up and Connor stepped inside. Soaked in rain and brandishing blue, bloodshot eyes the deviant looked as miserable as he felt. As he slipped off his rain drenched jacket he took off his shoes and let out a calming sigh. "...Was there any break on the case?"

"No, kid. Nothing." Motioning toward his phone as he tried to not focus on the deviant's tear stained face Hank updated Connor on everything that happened while he was out. "I just got a message from Gavin before you came inside. There was a threat posted online from Quondam and it sounds very legitimate."

"How so?" Connor asked as he carried his wet shoes and jacket into his bedroom and tried to go about the rest of the evening as normally as possible.

"This jackass said he was going to prove that androids are soulless beings and that every single one needs to be destroyed."

"Where did the threat originate?"

"No clue." The detective replied as he joined Connor in his bedroom. "This time the masked man used a burner phone to record his message and upload it to the internet before destroying the phone. We can't trace it beyond somewhere in here Detroit."

"He is still in the city, then." The pained look in Connor's eyes changed from mourning to that of dread. "That's unfortunate."

"Yup."

"I'll be more focused tomorrow, I swear. No more distractions."

"Distractions? Mourning the loss of a loved one isn't a distraction, kid. It's something that needs to be dealt with immediately."

Connor ran his hand through his wet hair tiredly and looked ready to drop down into a deep sleep. "It could've waited until after my shift."

"Kid, _no one_ made any breakthroughs today. Don't act like this is just your problem."

"But it's my _job_ to solve these cases."

" _Mine_ , _too_. And I didn't do much better than you, or anyone else today." Putting his hand to the deviant's shoulder as Connor slipped his tie from around his neck, Hank tried to remind him that he had every right to take personal time to mourn on his anniversary. "It's not like you were intentionally slacking off or trying to avoid your responsibilities. Just like your life is worth saving and protecting, your mental and emotional health is important. Trust me on this kid, I learned that the hard way and almost too late."

"I won't be distracted tomorrow." Connor gave Hank a steadfast stare of determination where he stood. "I know I will solve this case."

Shaking his head a little Hank just gave the deviant a pained stare of empathetic sorrow. "Connor?"

"Yes?"

In a warm and welcomed gesture Hank wrapped both arms around the deviant and gave him a tight hug. Despite having a healthy, cleansing cry Connor couldn't stop himself from reciprocating the hug or stop a few excess tears from rolling down his face and onto Hank's shoulder. The embrace made Connor feel entirely grounded, and safe.

"Don't think about the case anymore tonight, alright? Take the rest of the evening to deal with whatever it is you need to deal with. Get it out of your system."

Connor tightened his hug around Hank as the gruff detective's words of wisdom always resonated with him on a core level. "Thank you... dad."

_**...next story...** _


	194. Patience

At four in the morning there was a massive, deafening explosion downtown at an old, rundown hotel that left the entire building in ruins. The fire department managed to douse the blaze after a two hour battle, but what they found in the smoldering remains of the hotel brought the police in to investigate in the aftermath of the bizarre accident.

Annoyed by the early hour, but alert Hank met with the fire department captain who had requested his presence personally. Meanwhile Connor set about carefully examining the scene of the explosion without interfering with the firefighters currently sifting through the debris and looking for victims of the blaze.

"I hope there's a good reason you asked for me by name, Captain DeSoto." Hank greeted the seasoned firefighter with a strong handshake as they glanced at the foundation that was once a building.

"Yeah, Hank. I hated bothering you, but this is sort of your area of expertise."

"My expertise? Please tell me you didn't find a mass grave of deviants down there."

"No, nothing with androids." Reaching into the pocket of his turnout coat DeSoto handed Hank a plastic bag containing red crystals and residue. "But plenty of _this_ was found inside."

"Son of a bitch." Taking the bag Hank examined the contents and was thoroughly pissed. "More fucking 'red ice'. How many of the assholes are still lurking in the city?"

"One is too many, Hank. We found the chemist in charge. As you might except, he didn't survive the explosion."

"Anyone we know?"

"We won't know that until his dental records come back."

"That bad, huh?"

"Oh yeah." Pointing to the room that had been ground zero to the devastating explosion DeSoto just looked defeated. "There was twenty pounds of that stuff already brewed and ready for sale by the table. Another fifty pounds was found in the bathtub of the bathroom. I figured you'd want to get in and see the drugs for yourself before I give the boys the good ahead and wash that shit away."

"Thanks. This sample will be enough to trace any customers back to this seller." Clutching the evidence bag in his hand Hank joined Connor as the deviant carefully examined the ruins of the absolutely decimated room. "Find anything useful, kid?"

"Single occupant of the room. Male." The deviant replied as he ran a scan over the scene of the destruction. "Not enough of a D.N.A. sample to garner a proper identification."

"Here's a sample of their 'product' that escaped the blaze. Can you break it down and give me an idea where they got their ingredients?"

"I can attempt to do so." Taking the evidence from Hank's hand Connor opened the bag and took a very small crystal and pressed it to his tongue to run an accurate analysis. "The chemical composition is very old. No doubt the expiration of the chemicals caused the explosion, and due to the age it is now impossible to trace it back to the original manufacturer."

"Fuck."

"We can attempt to locate other samples of this single batch from drugs that has been previously confiscated."

"No, pass it onto Chris and Jack. We need to focus on Quondam."

"Hank, you were the expert on 'red ice'. This should be your case."

"I'll offer some help, but right now we need to prioritize looking for that masked psycho."

"...You're certain?"

"Yeah, Quondam is more important."

"Very well. I'll send the details I've collected to Jack to use while we continue on our own case."

"Right." Motioning for Connor to follow after him back to their vehicles Hank seemed distracted, if not upset about something.

"Hank, is there something on your mind?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm just thinking."

"About the case?"

"That," the detective admitted as he pulled open the driver's side door of his car and stared at Connor over the roof at the deviant walked over to his Corvette parked behind Hank's Oldsmobile. "and there's a few things I have in storage that I need to go through. I guess I was taking a mental inventory or something."

"Storage. In the crawlspace?"

"Nope. An actual storage unit downtown."

"Oh. Can I ask-"

Holding up a shushing hand Hank gave the deviant an understanding glance. "I don't want to distract you, but your anniversary got me to thinking about my own 'anniversaries'. I got to thinking about Barb and Cole, and I just, I don't know. I kinda' figured it's just time to let go of the past and move on."

"...I see. I apologize if I was prying."

"Nah, it's fine. Just help me crack this Quondam case, and if I need any help with some heavy lifting you come running as soon as I text."

"Always. Also, I've already cybernetically informed Jack of the 'red ice' problem, and he will be waiting at the precinct for us."

"Good. The sooner, the better."

* * *

The precinct was already working on both the 'red ice' case from the destroyed hotel, and trying to make progress on the Quondam case when Hank and Connor arrived about twenty minutes later. Gavin and Tina were delving into the Quondam footage uploaded to the internet from the day before, while Chris and Jack were quickly going through the evidence regarding the 'red ice' dealer that the fire department salvaged from the blaze.

"I haven't been able to view the footage that Quondam had uploaded." Connor stated as he went to his terminal and turned on the screen. "I know there won't be much evidence to work with, but perhaps I can see something the others cannot."

"Do what you can kid, keep me posted."

As was his usual custom Connor stared intently at the footage as it played out before him and tried to analyze it for any tells of the masked man's location, or find any additional details to confirm his identity. Unfortunately, there was none.

' _Androids will not hesitate to let humans die_. _They will be the ones pulling the triggers and this city is the one who handed them the guns_.' The masked man preached in front of an entirely black background. ' _I will prove that these beings claiming they want equality will not hesitate to let us all die and spit on our mass grave_.'

"Why is this man so full of hate?" Connor asked himself as he turned off the terminal. "He must have some connection to androids, either through CyberLife or one of the companies that went bankrupt because of CyberLife."

A paper ball bounced off of Connor's shoulder as Gavin overheard his comment. "You can't figure it out either, huh, 'Tinman'?"

"I cannot." The deviant admitted with a heavy heart. "And it's quite frustrating."

"Any idea what he's trying to do with that new threat?"

"Not yet. But I suspect he won't be able to do any grand gestures if he's now working alone."

"Do you really think he's just a solo-act?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"The last threat was recorded on a laptop being held by his female companion. I witnessed his attempt to record his failed explosion the night Hank and I cornered him at the android landfill. Now he is recording from a temporary phone which indicates that his connections are thin, resources are limited and no longer has an ally to record the footage for him."

"Shit, how much harm can one asshole do?"

Connor turned his head and looked back at Gavin with a somber look. "Why don't you ask Elijah Kamski."

"...Fair point." An interesting idea popped into Gavin's head after processing what Connor just said. "Wait, are you saying that Kamski's creations, as in, _you_ , is somehow harmful?"

"No. But a majority of the world did think so for an uncomfortably long time. Ideas can be as dangerous as they can be beneficial."

Without anything else to add to the conversation Gavin just squared his jaw and resumed working on his own terminal.

There was little progress yet again on the Quondam case, but Chris and Jack were able to finally trace back the source of the chemicals used to create the massive batch of 'red ice' that blew up the hotel, killed the dealer, and injured sixteen other occupants of the hotel. The underground black marketeers who were selling the dangerous and unstable chemicals had be traced back to amateur chemists who were seeking to rebuild the 'red ice' empire from their broken down trailer in an ill-reputed trailer park.

Four people were responsible for the illegally obtained, improperly contained chemicals that resulted in the explosion. They were charged with negligent homicide, sixteen counts of assault, possession of drugs with intent to distribute, possessing illegal materials and a whole slew of other charges to cover the damages to the hotel and the victims. They wanna' be drug kingpins were also charged with several cases of overdoses that were traced back to their supply.

As the shift wore on Connor felt like he was failing. He needed to find the masked man and bring him to justice, but there was nothing more he could do.

"Connor." Hank put his hand on the deviant's shoulder to snap him back to reality. "Clock out, kid."

"Clock out?" Checking his internal clock Connor realized that it was already six in the evening, and his shift was over. "How did... I was unaware of the time passing."

"I've had my own share of cases like that, son. Come on."

"...I dislike leaving without having accomplished anything."

"Connor, now. I don't want you working yourself into the ground. AGAIN."

"I-" Realizing that Hank wasn't going to let him talk his way into working any longer Connor begrudgingly relented. "...Alright. Let's go."

"Relax kid. It's hard, I know." Hank empathized as Connor clocked out and turned off his terminal screen. "But overthinking is going to burn you out."

"Yeah, you're right."

Hank's brow arched a little as he noticed that Connor's phonetic pattern had shifted into a much more natural form of speaking. The deviant sounded more human and less formal. Usually when Connor spoke in a more relaxed tone it was because his systems were overwhelmed and his ability to communicate was somewhat compromised emotionally or mentally. But now it just seemed like he was being... human.

"Call me crazy but," the detective observed the odd behavior as he and Connor crossed the bullpen. "you're behaving a little more human than usual."

"How so?"

"I haven't heard you say 'yes' in a while, it's been 'yeah' for the past couple of weeks. You're less argumentative, and you were even willing to wear Kevlar without me having to push it. What gives?"

"I don't really know when it started, but I know you're right." Passing through the front doors of the precinct the duo made their way over to the parking garage beside the massive precinct building. "Perhaps my time with Luke has affected my vocabulary. Or it was a lasting result of the update despite having it removed afterward."

"What about you actually wearing body armor?"

"As I told you I intend to uphold my promise and put the value of my life on the same parameters of the other lives in this city."

"Well, whatever's going on, don't change. I like it." The detective encouraged. "That natural speech pattern really suits you, and I'm glad you're taking more steps to protect yourself."

Connor tilted his head a little and smirked. "Thanks."

"You head on home." The two went to their own separate vehicles. "I'm going to sort through a few things at the storage unit and make a list. I'm going to decide what I keep, what gets tossed and what goes to charity."

"Do you want me to assist you at the storage unit?"

"No, kid. This is something I need to do alone. You know?"

Nodding with complete understanding Connor respected Hank's request. "Yeah. I know." Pulling open the door to the Corvette Connor sat down and watched as Hank did the same for the Oldsmobile. "But if you need my help-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Go home, kid. Get some sleep. You're exhausted and I don't need you passing out, or getting sick on me."

_**...next story...** _


	195. Fairness

One more week of investigating the Quondam case had gone without any progress. The entire precinct was getting frustrated by the inability to make any progress, but Connor was determined to locate the masked man before it was too late. From within the moderate confines of his office Hank glanced over the very few details that had been collected over the past week, and like Connor, he was focused on figuring out the identity of the masked man and stop him before it was too late.

A loud commotion in the receptionist area of the precinct drew the attention of the entire bullpen as a heavily damaged deviant stumbled into the building with a crying six month old baby in her remaining arm. Connor marched over to the deviant to check on her while Hank, having heard the commotion as well, joined him quickly.

The deviant, an AX-400, was horrifically battered and bleeding from various wounds. The artificial skin on the left side of her face was torn away as if clawed by an animal. Her short brown hair was torn up and messy, random strands clinging to her face as Thirium oozed from numerous wounds. Massive blue sparks, wires and compromised Thirium lines jutted from her body where she stood. Her left arm was heavily damaged and non-existent from the elbow down.

"Miss?" Connor addressed the heavily damaged and bleeding deviant in a calm voice. Her left arm was gone from the elbow down, and she only had one remaining optical unit. "Miss, what happened to you?"

"I was..." Her voice was garbled by electronic interference but she was determined to speak. "I was... attacked. Please..." Pushing the small, crying baby out toward Connor with her remaining arm. "Protect her."

Instinctively Connor took the crying infant and held her against his shoulder carefully. "Who did this to you?"

"I... I didn't..." Before she could say another word the deviant collapsed face down onto the floor in a growing puddle of her own Thirium.

Connor took a step back from her body as he continued to hold the crying, frightened child in his arm. Hank saw the bleeding deviant unconscious on the ground and ordered the receptionist to call for ambulance to take her to a nearby facility, and to call tech down to try to help her out.

"Connor, are you-" The loud cries of the baby in his arms made Hank flinch for only a moment. "Alright, take the baby into an interview room where it's calmer and quieter. We'll take care of her."

"O-Okay." Still a little startled about having the baby thrust in his arms Connor backed out of the receptionist area and made his way to the nearest available interview room as ordered. All the while he instinctively and gently patted the baby's back and tried to 'shush' her crying. "It's okay, you're safe..."

Pulling the door shut behind himself Connor sat down in the chair and let the baby lean against him as she continued to cry. She was covered in Thirium and was surely getting cold from the drying blue blood that was soaked into her bright pink 'onesie'.

"I'll help you feel warmer." The deviant promised as he carefully slipped off his jacket, one sleeve at a time while switching arms to keep the baby secured against his chest, then wrapped the gray jacket around her. "I wish you could tell me what happened." Connor whispered as he held her tightly against his chest and continued to gingerly rub at her back to comfort her. "Then we'd be able to help the deviant who brought you here."

* * *

Joel was kneeling beside the downed the deviant in the receptionist area and was doing everything in his power to keep her stabilized. She had already lost a considerable amount of blue blood but was still functioning, despite being unconscious. Using all of his skills the technician managed to cap off her bleeding arm and tie off her exposed Thirium lines, but whether or not she'd be able to survive the extensive repairs had yet to be seen.

Shortly thereafter the android exclusive ambulance arrived at the scene and the responding technicians began assessing her overall condition.

"I've done everything I can, Hank." Joel stated as he packed up his own equipment and gave the technicians more room to work. He stood up and stood before the Captain with an unsure stare. "I can't even hazard a guess as to whether or not she'll make it."

"Yeah, thanks Joel. I appreciate your help."

"Right. If you need anything else I'll be in the dispensary."

Hank let out a loud sigh as he watched the poor victimized deviant get loaded onto the gurney and wheeled out to the ambulance. With nothing more he could do Hank returned to the bullpen where Gavin was sitting on the edge of his desk with his phone in his hand.

"I already called C.P.S.," the Sergeant stated in a somber voice. "and they're on their way."

"Good. Where's the baby now?"

"With Connor in the interview room. As long as he keeps holding onto her I think she'll stay comfortable and quiet."

"Do we have any clean towels and extra clothes? That kid was soaked in Thirium."

"Yeah, Tina already grabbed some stuff and took into the interview room to help out Connor."

"Alright. Let me know when C.P.S. shows and if ANY witnesses come in regarding whatever the hell just happened."

"I'm on it."

Slowly Hank opened the door to the interview room and peered inside. Connor was still sitting in the chair with the baby now dressed in a plain white 'onesie' and completely clear of any residual Thirium. Two towels were sitting atop the desk and covered in the victim's blood, as well as trace amounts under Connor's fingernails.

The gray jacket was still draped over her and providing the small baby with an additional layer of warmth as he held the baby in a gentle grip. With the baby now quiet and resting against Connor's chest the deviant seemed oddly content and was very still where he sat, and seemed to be sleeping.

"Connor?"

"Hank." Opening his eyes Connor spoke in a low voice as if his speaking would somehow upset the calmed down infant. "How is the deviant?"

"Joel did what he could, but now it's up to the technicians at the facility. How's our 'little friend', there?"

"She's uninjured, but cold."

"Child Protective Services are on their way. Did the deviant say anything to you before she passed out?"

"No. She tried, but couldn't do so."

"Great. Well, I'm going to go ahead and assume that this child was trusted to her care."

"I agree. There are no daycare facilities in a feasible proximity to the precinct that she could've walked from." Connor's hand lightly patted the baby's back as he spoke. The baby was looking around curiously and quietly. "She must've been a nanny working in a nearby apartment."

"Makes sense to me." Hank crossed his arms and stared at the calm baby in Connor's care. "Think you can narrow it down any further?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot."

"Alright, no problem. Can you stay here with the baby until C.P.S. arrives?"

"Yeah, I don't mind."

"I'll keep you posted if anything happens regarding our strange deviant and her assault."

* * *

Using the small security cameras located outside of the precinct near the parking garage Hank was able to confirm that the deviant stumbled down the sidewalk from the East before collapsing inside the precinct onto the floor. Several witnesses quickly jumped out of the way of the deviant as she limped toward the precinct as quickly as possible, and refused to help her as she left a trail of blue blood behind her.

"Alright, we can use that." Hank stated as he paused the footage on Chris's terminal screen and pointed to the blood on the sidewalk. "Trail her back to her apartment."

"Doesn't Thirium evaporate?"

"Yeah, but androids can still see it."

Jack looked somewhat uncomfortable from where he stood, but spoke up nonetheless. "Actually, only Connor can see evaporated Thirium. It's a special feature exclusive only to his model."

"Ah, cripes. Well, as soon as-"

"Emily Bette." A woman in her early thirties identified herself and showed Hank her credentials. "Child Protective Services."

"Oh, Emily, you have great timing, and I love that you know the drill."

"Where's the baby?"

"Interview room A." Hank motioned for the woman to accompany him to said room. "My Lieutenant is sitting with her."

"Was the child injured?"

"No. Only the deviant who carried her in."

"Any I.D. on the deviant?"

"Not yet, we're working on it."

"And I presume there's been no way to identify the child?"

"She left her I.D. in her other 'onesie'." Hank joked and made Emily smile a little as he opened the door. "But we'll figure this out."

Connor was still sitting in the chair with the baby against him as she now napped peacefully in his protective arms.

"Oh, no." Emily outwardly grimaced as she peered down at the baby's face. "I know this baby."

Hank closed his eyes and swore internally as he knew any social worker who sees the same kid twice is almost always accompanied by a sad story. Connor merely arched his eyebrow at the revelation as the kind woman peered down at the sleeping baby.

"This is Jenna Carson." Emily explained further. "She's already been in my care twice before."

Connor didn't like the sound of that and was almost reluctant to let Emily take the baby from his arms. "...May I ask why?"

"Well, her biological mother is a teenager, as was the father. The father left the state long before Jenna was born and loves to pretend this baby doesn't exist. Meanwhile the mother's own parents took custody of Jenna against the mother's will. The judge overseeing the case had a known bias against teenage and single mothers, so it was a very one-sided decision." Adjusting Jenna so she was resting just as comfortably against her own shoulder as she had been against Connor's shoulder, Emily told the baby's sad story. "Two months after that the parents were tragically killed in a car accident leaving Jenna without any legal guardianship."

Connor stood up from the chair and slipped his gray jacket back on. "Where did Jenna go after that?"

"Well, instead of going back into the custody of her biological mother as the mother requested, the court placed her in the care of the teen mother's uncle. He's an alcoholic who had Jenna taken away once before for neglect. The judge refused to let the baby go with her mother, already convinced that due to her age she was an unfit parent despite her getting her G.E.D., a full time job, and a nice apartment. The courts reward custody of Jenna back to the uncle after he bought an android to help him take care of the baby. I guess we all know how that worked out."

Hank took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Can you give us a name of this 'upstanding citizen' so we can ask him some choice questions?"

The fire in Emily's eyes told the detective that she was as ready to fight back on that baby and her mother's behalf as the precinct was. "Gladly."

* * *

Address in hand Connor was able to trail the fading trail of blue blood back to an apartment building that matched the information that Emily had provided the two detectives. There was no denying that the assaulted deviant came from that very apartment, and had risked her life to save Jenna in the process. With a firm fist Hank pounded on the closed apartment door and announced his presence.

"Detroit Police. Open up."

There was a muffled complaint from the other side of the door, followed by the chain being slipped from the lock and the door opening. "What the fuck do-"

"Russ Carson." Hank forced the door open and flashed his badge to 'introduce' himself. "Captain Anderson. We have a warrant to search the apartment."

"For what?"

Connor answered as he scanned the apartment and noted the horrible conditions of the place. "Child endangerment for one, as well as assault."

"Assault? I didn't punch no one!" The drunken, slob known as Russ slurred loudly. "They're lying!"

"You assaulted the deviant you hired as your nanny you dumb-shit."

"That stupid bitch is just a machine! I can break my own property if I want to!"

"NOT in the eyes of the law, she isn't. She's a living BEING, not a piece of property." Hank reminded him firmly as Connor continued to search the apartment for the evidence of the assault. "You been drinkin'?"

"So what? It's my place! I can do what I want..."

"Not when there's a helpless child in your care, you can't."

"What child... Oh! The brat. She's been quiet."

"She's NOT here you dumbass. C.P.S. has her."

"Again?"

Hank was disgusted by the man's indifference and Connor was containing his frustration inside. "Find anything Connor?"

"Six bottles of whiskey, four empty two full." He took a quick inventory of the contents of the kitchen. "One remaining bottle of formula, no additional items for childcare. There are no additional diapers, and no sign of anything designated with childcare in mind. I detect trace amounts of 'red ice' and a massive puddle of Thirium in the middle of the livingroom floor." The sight of something plastic and jagged sticking out of the trashcan made him feel sick. Reaching into the trashcan Connor held up the object in question and narrowed his eyes at Russ. "..And the left arm of an AX-400 model android."

"So what did she do?" The detective challenged as he stared down the horrible man. "Call you out on your drugs or your alcohol?"

"That piece of plastic had the nerve to tell me how I should spend my money! Said I should... stop buying whiskey and buy more formula, more diapers... Stupid bitch. It's MY money."

"And that child is your responsibility. I've seen enough." Grabbing the cuffs from his belt Hank forced the man to turn around and pinned him chest first against the wall. As he pulled the man's arms behind his back he cuffed Russ's wrists and proceeded to march him out of the apartment. "You're under arrest for assault, child endangerment, child neglect, possession of a controlled substance and some other shit I don't have time to list off."

Connor nodded in approval as Hank marched the arrested man through the door and outside to an awaiting police squad car. As he followed after Hank the deviant took one last look at the apartment and only imagined how much worse it would've been if the deviant nanny hadn't been there to keep Jenna safe.

"This is a disgrace."

* * *

At the nearby facility where the AX-400 had been taken for repairs the brave deviant nanny was greeted by Connor himself as she rebooted. Opening her eyes she saw Connor looking down at her and showed her his badge. Once the model had a chance to reboot fully she looked about the recovery wing of the facility confusedly but soon gained her bearings.

"...You. I remember-" The model sat upright quickly but Connor put a gentle hand to her shoulder to keep her still. "Jenna!"

"She is safe. And Russ has been arrested." Pocketing his badge Connor introduced himself properly. "My name is Connor and I work with the Detroit Police, but I'm sure you already know that. You're both safe now."

"Thank goodness..." Relaxing as relief washed over her, the AX-400 laid back down against the bed. "I'm glad she's okay."

"What is your name?"

"My name is Lila."

"Lila. You saved Jenna's life today, and now she's finally being placed back into the custody of her biological mother."

"She won't have to live with that horrible man anymore?"

"No. He's been arrested and the judge who held such a bias against the mother is being investigated."

"That makes it almost worth being destroyed."

"May I ask where you intend to go now?"

"...I guess I'll seek work elsewhere. I might be able to find another family to take me in."

"Or... You could go to Skye Tower."

"The shelter? What for?"

"There is a daycare in the tower to help aid the struggling parents who are young or trying to get out of abusive homes. It's just as open to humans as it is deviants."

"...I could help other people?"

Connor smiled and offered her his hand. "You could. But it's your choice."

"No, I-" Lila noticed that her left arm had been replaced and smiled. "I want to go. It's just I never thought I'd get the chance to choose something like that."

"As I stated, all are welcome. If you'd like I could show you there myself once you've fully recovered."

"I'd like that very much! Thank you, Connor."

"It's my pleasure Lila. I will see you tomorrow."

* * *

It was a long, emotionally draining day for everyone at the precinct. Hank had returned home long before Connor and was in the process of making himself a light dinner when the deviant arrived at last. Sumo recognized the sound of the car door slamming shut and trotted to the backdoor to meet the android master, while Hank tended to his meal on the stove.

As the backdoor opened Connor greeted Sumo and stopped short just in front of the door frame. The deviant barely acknowledged Sumo and just stayed in place at the doorway.

"Connor, what's on your mind?" Hank asked as he turned off the stove and glanced over at the deviant. "You look pissed."

"I am. It's not fair, Hank."

"You're talking about that poor baby being passed around and ending up in a shitty situation."

"Why did that happen?" The deviant asked angrily. "Her mother wanted to _keep_ her, but the grandparents took her away simply because of her age. And instead of going back to her mother after they died, she was placed with a repugnant, abusive person. TWICE."

"I told you once before that the system's broken. It's going to take decades to get everything cleaned up."

"The court would rather let that helpless child reside in the custody of selfish people like that, but not let deviants adopt." Connor was getting riled up and it was evident in his soulful brown eyes. "That nanny nearly died protecting the baby, but that doesn't count toward anything. It's all-"

"Connor. Sit."

Squaring his jaw Connor gave Hank a briefly defiant stare before he sat down at the kitchen table as Hank requested.

"Son, you can't fix all the wrongs in the world overnight. And some people are just so fucking blind to the way the world is, and have convinced themselves that some other twisted form of reality exists, that it holds back progress. I know it isn't easy to accept, but for now there's really nothing more we can do to change the laws."

"Hank that's... That's bullshit!"

"Yeah, son. It is."

Feeling frustrated by the pressing matters of the Quondam case, and emotionally overwhelmed by the case he had just handled that afternoon, Connor was ready to either blow up or throw a punch. Hank wasn't feeling that much better, but he had more experience with both handling emotions and handling cold cases than the deviant.

"Connor. I know you don't want to hear this right now and probably won't believe me, but sooner rather than later everything will work out for you."

"I want to believe that, I really do. But it feels like every time I feel confident in something, it's taken away from. I've discovered that nothing crushes your heart more than disappointment."

"Don't give up hope, kid." The urgency in Hank's voice was completely sincere. "I promise you that everything will be okay."

Blowing out a slow breath Connor sank back in his chair and let Sumo rest his chin over his knee. "Sometimes it's really hard to hold onto hope when broken promises are your only lifeline. Words don't hold much weight when no one is really listening."

"I know. Just don't let people like that asshole break you down, son. You're a hell of a lot stronger than people like that."

Sumo whimpered and licked the side of Connor's hand as he wagged his tail happily in agreement.

Connor looked down at the massive dog at his side and managed a weak grin. It was like even Sumo was trying to remind him to hang out and to not give up on hope. "...I'll try to hang onto hope, dad."

"Good to hear."

_**...next story...** _


	196. Empathy

It was a cold winter morning in Detroit when the two detectives set off for the precinct. Connor elected to drive Hank in to the precinct as the human detective had awoken with a nasty headache, but refused to call off sick until the Quondam case was solved. Light traffic and chilly weather had ensured that the duo would arrive in a timely manner as per usual, until Connor received an unusual cybernetic message from Markus. Altering his route to meet up with the deviant leader Connor explained the change of direction in a calm voice to Hank.

"I just received an emergency message from Markus." Turning right at the next block and heading downtown Connor made a beeline for his friend. "He had been summoned to a remote location to aid a deviant in distress, but something is not right."

"You don't need to be a detective to know that, kid." Hank crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes as he pushed through his headache. "What's going on downtown?"

"Markus arrived at the designated location and found a deviant as he was told, but the deviant is already dead. And by all account the deviant has been dead for a long time."

"That sucks, but why not just call the police and have them take care of the body?"

"Because Markus found _his name_ engraved in the wooden siding of the wall directly above the body."

"...Someone scrawled Markus's _name_ above a dead body?" Opening his tired eyes slowly he turned to look at Connor and flash the deviant a confused stare.

"Correct."

"Alright, let's figure this out before this day gets any more fucked up, and some rumors get started."

* * *

Markus stood in the middle of the lobby that had once been a department store with his hands folded neatly before himself. The body of the android; a male AP-600 model, who had been torn apart in a very gruesome manner, was propped up against the wall as if being put on display. The unfortunate deviant had been left for dead for almost six years, and had numerous biocomponents stripped from his body. Even the Thirium lines were torn apart by rats and other vermin that had picked at the poor deviant's body.

Above the body the name 'MARKUS' was cut into rotting the drywall by a screwdriver and was obviously left as a cryptic message for the deviant leader to find.

"...Who did this to you?" Markus asked the unfortunate victim, not that he was expecting to receive an answer. "And why did they single me out? What's the connection? What's the point of his sick act?"

As he crouched down in front of the body he reached his hand out and grabbed onto the victim's wrist to try for a cybernetic interface, but the damage to the deviant had been so extensive that there was nothing for Markus to connect with.

"I'm sorry this happened to you."

Retracting his hand Markus stood upright and took a step back toward the door. As he did he heard the door open up and turned his head in time to see Connor and Hank entering the deserted building together.

"Thanks for coming."

"Markus, what's going on?"

"I wish I knew, Connor." Stepping aside to give a clear view to the body Markus was just as confused as they were. "I got an anonymous message this morning stating that there was a stranded, injured deviant out here who only wanted to talk to me because they were afraid to talk to anyone else. I got here eight minutes ago and this is what I found."

Hank stepped forward and put his hands on his hips as he studied the unusual crime scene with a keen eye. "And you didn't touch or move anything, right?"

"No. I only tried to cybernetically link with the victim, but there was too much damage to establish a connection."

Connor crouched down in front of the victim and lightly tilted the deviant's head to the right so he could peer at the small serial number purposefully engraved against the plastimetal frame just under his left eye and identified the deviant at long last. "The victim is-"

Connor stood up abruptly and put his hands to the sides of his head as he closed his eyes so tightly that tears were beginning to stream down his face as a horrible pain tore through his skull. Markus had done the same and he too was overcome by a staggering, debilitating pain.

"Connor? Markus?" Hank was immediately on guard and trying to figure out why the two deviants were suffering from a terrible pain. "What's happening?"

Neither deviant could answer as the blissfulness of unconsciousness swept over their pained minds. Falling unconscious in a dead faint Connor hit the floor chest first, and Markus shortly thereafter hit the ground, landing on his back, right beside him.

"Connor!" Hank knelt down beside the two unconscious deviants quickly. He pressed his fingers to the side of Connor's neck to check his pulse, then he pressed his palm to Markus's chest and did the same pulse check. "Markus! What the hell is going on?!"

Hank had reached for his phone in his pocket to call for help but was unable to dial any number before a strong blow to the back of his head rendered him unconscious as well. The phone fell from Hank's grip and slid across the floor near the body of the dead deviant. Falling forward Hank hit the floor and laid on his side next to the two unconscious deviants who had been subdued by an unseen force just a few seconds prior.

* * *

At the precinct the other officers quickly took notice that neither Hank or Connor had arrived for their shifts, and as a result the bullpen instinctively knew something was wrong. Hank hadn't been late to his shift since he partnered up with Connor almost four years ago, and Connor himself was never late. For them both to be uncharacteristically absent spoke volumes indicating trouble and the officers were ready to act.

"Chris," Gavin called out to the Sergeant as he and Jack went to their desks. "you seen Anderson or 'Tinman' this morning?"

"No. Aren't they out on a case?"

"No, they never showed up." Picking up the phone from his desk Gavin pointed to Jack and asked for some assistance. "Hey, 'Jack-in-the-box', can you get in touch with Connor?"

The blond deviant tried cybernetic communication to make contact with the missing Lieutenant, and shook his head. "Negative. I cannot."

"Fuck." Dialing a number to contact someone 'higher up' Gavin maintained complete control. "Chris, I want you and Jack to go check out the house and make sure nothing happened. Tina, you're with me. I'm going to get another Captain down here to take over until we can figure out what happened to those guys."

Tina nodded and began making a few calls herself from her own desk. "I'll check with emergency rooms and see if anyone matching Hank's description was admitted. Then I'll check facilities for Connor."

"Yeah, good idea." Despite Gavin's reluctance to admit he cared about either of the missing detectives everyone knew he was becoming rather found of the two duo. "We need to find them, A.S.A.P.!"

* * *

Rebooting slowly Connor opened his soulful brown eyes and found himself laying on his chest on the cold, hard floor of a very dark room that he didn't recognize. The walls were a solid, matte black and perfectly smooth. No visible door, and no windows. The only furnishing in the room was a single, white medical exam table in the middle of the room behind him. Above were three separate lights that shone with a white/yellow glow that barely pierced the smothering darkness of the cold, oppressive room.

Looking about carefully Connor spotted Hank laying on his back a few feet away, and Markus laying on his side on the opposite side of Hank. Pushing himself up from the ground slowly the deviant reached out a hand and pressed his palm down against Hank's chest and ran a scan over his body. There was mild swelling and a bleeding cut just behind Hank's left ear from the blow to his head. Unconscious and possibly concussed Connor didn't dare to try to move him until he knew where he was, or where he could go to get Hank some help.

Moving to the other side of Hank he then checked on Markus and saw the mismatched irises returning to the waking world. "Markus? Are you functional?"

"Y-Yeah." The deviant leader sat up slowly on the floor and looked around confusedly. "Where the hell are we?"

"Unknown." Attempting and failing to scan the environment Connor just shook his head despondently. "There is a massive dampening field surrounding us entirely. I can't perform any type of reading."

"Are you hurt?"

"No. Are you?"

"No." Markus noticed Hank and only inquired with his worried eyes.

"Hank has suffered a mild concussion. I'd rather not move him until he regains some form of consciousness." Shrugging off his gray jacket Connor folded it up neatly and tucked it beneath Hank's head without jostling him too much in the process. It was then Connor realized his gun was missing. "Shit. I've been disarmed."

"Oh, great. What the hell happened? Everything's a blank between you two meeting me at the building and waking up here."

"I don't know what caused us to lose consciousness at the department store, but I do recall a V.H.F. being recorded by my audio processors before I was overwhelmed."

"Same. I don't know where it come from or what could've caused it. But it was enough to render us both unconscious."

Connor looked around and sighed loudly. "I suspect that the person who initiated the frequency is also the one who brought us here. If we find them we can get our answers."

"Where do we start looking? I don't see any doors and if your scanner can't see anything beyond the walls I think we're trapped."

"We'll find a way out, Markus. We always do."

A low groan escaped Hank's lips as he finally began to awaken. As his head lolled on the floor Connor put his hand on the detective's shoulder to try to reassure him that he wasn't in immediate danger. "Hank. Don't move, you've suffered a head injury."

"...Connor?" Opening his eyes Hank shook his head a little and focused on the deviant's face, and then to Markus sitting just behind him. "Markus. Are you two okay?"

"We're unharmed."

Waiting a moment for his head to clear Hank looked about confusedly at the solid black walls and the dim lighting of the unknown room he was now laying. "What the fuck is this place?"

"Unknown at the moment. Rest for a while longer." Connor urged as he slipped his hand under Hank's shoulder to help him sit upright. "You should lay down on the table and get off the cold floor."

"Yeah... Sure."

Connor grabbed onto Hank's arm and carefully hefted him up to his feet and escorted him over to the table. As he was sat down on the table Markus picked up the gray jacket from the floor and draped it over Hank's shoulders in a comforting manner.

"Easy, boys." Hank gave the two deviants an odd glance. "I may be old, but I'm not decrepit."

"Hank, do you recall what happened before you were struck?"

"Yeah, you two acted like your heads were killing ya', then you blacked out. When I knelt down to check on you some ass-wipe snuck up on me and hit me from behind. Damn coward."

"Lean forward a little." Connor checked the source of the bleeding behind Hank's ear and was relieved to see that it had already stopped. It wouldn't require any stitches but it was definitely going to leave the detective sore for a while. "Do you have any dizziness or ringing in your ears?"

"No. And remember, the headache is a pre-existing condition." Pushing Connor's hand back Hank gave him a stern glance. "Stop worrying about me. We need to find a way to get out of here and figure out who the hell did this to us. Whatever 'this' is, anyway..."

From the far wall of the room a perfectly concealed door slid open into the black surrounding wall and the masked man, the leader of Quondam himself, appeared. The masked man was armed, and had his gun pointed at Markus from the distance.

"You." The masked man was still using a voice modulator to disguise his identity. "Come with me."

Connor put his outstretched arm in front of Markus's chest as he took a defensive stance on behalf of his friend. "Drop the weapon."

The masked man held up a white tinted electronic box in his opposite hand and pressed a button. The same high-pitched frequency that had rendered Connor and Markus unconscious once before sounded off and stunned both deviants where they stood. As Connor put his hands to his head Hank grabbed onto his arms and forced him to sit down on the edge of the table while he traded places with him.

"Stop!" Hank planted himself between Markus and the masked man. "Turn that shit off!"

Pointing the gun at Hank's chest the masked man made his next demand. "Either the deviant leader comes with me, or I kill all three of you where you stand."

Markus's shaking hand grabbed onto Hank's shoulder in a weak grip. "I... I'll go."

"Markus, NO."

"I... I won't let... you two... get hurt."

"Markus, don't do this."

The masked man called out loudly and turned off the device. "You have ten seconds to join me."

"I have to. I can't let you get hurt because of me." Releasing Hank's shoulder Markus gritted his teeth as he endured the lingering pain before he walked toward the masked man, one hand still pressed to the side of his aching head as he moved. "I'm sorry, Hank. I have to go."

"Markus, please."

Without another word Markus approached the masked man and stood before him. Raising his hands up in a submissive manner Markus watched as the masked man pointed his gun at his chest then motioned with the barrel of the gun to enter the opened doorway.

"Go."

As the deviant leader took another step forward Connor suddenly bolted from the table and raced toward the door. Hank's hand made a grab for the deviant's shoulder, but he missed only by a centimeter as Connor charged the masked man as quickly as could.

"Markus?!"

The masked man pushed Markus all the way through the door and slid it shut. As the door shut it sealed electronically and did so just as Connor's palms pressed up against the now smooth surface that had only briefly been the opened doorway.

"Markus?" Connor shouted again and pounded his fist against the wall and fell forward. Pressing his forehead against the cool surface Connor let out a defeated sigh and closed his eyes. "...Shit."

* * *

Against his will and completely alone Markus found himself standing in a small, crude laboratory type of setting that housed numerous technician tools strewn about a metallic tray table and little more. The walls were lined with old metal vats that once held various chemicals, but had long since been emptied. Beneath a hanging, dim light jutting down from the ceiling a table with metal cuff-like restraints at the four corners was laying flat near the middle of the room. It was seemingly waiting just for Markus.

"There." The masked man pointed at the table with the gun and ordered Markus to go over to it. "Lay down."

"...If I don't cooperate?" The deviant leader dared to ask as he kept his hands in the air submissively.

"Then I will shoot you now, and finish off your allies."

"Alright. I'll do what you say, just don't hurt them."

Obediently Markus slowly walked over to the table and laid down as instructed. The masked man kept his gun trained on the deviant as he grabbed onto Markus's left wrist and secured it beneath the first cuff, then followed up with his second wrist and then both of his ankles.

The man man snarled at Markus as he tapped his finger on the edge of the table. "Recognize this device?"

"The table?" Markus asked curiously. "Should I?"

"It's from these very tables you abominations against nature are built." The masked man pressed a small button on the floor and the table shifted upward from being perfectly horizontal to nearly, entirely vertical. "And it's from this table that I will fix that mistake."

The masked man placed the gun down on the tray table and rolled it over to where Markus had been restrained. Selecting a long, sharp metal pick from the numerous options of tools on the tray, the masked man pressed the sharp tip of the pick against Markus's right cheek.

"Broken machines need to be repaired, or replaced. So I wonder," pressing down the sharp point the masked man drew Thirium from a small puncture wound in Markus's face. "what will happen with you?"

* * *

At the precinct Gavin, Chris, Tina and Jack were waiting for some information on their missing colleagues, only to be informed by North herself from New Jericho that Markus has gone missing as well. Knowing that the timing was too perfect to be a coincidence Gavin asked about Markus's last know location and was informed about the message and the address of the deserted department store.

"Chris, I need you and Jack to go check out the address and tell me everything you find. Take C.S.I. and treat that place like an active crime scene."

"We're on it."

North watched as the two officers obeyed the command and set off for the address. Just as she was about to ask if there was anything else she could do to help Joel raced through the bullpen with his laptop in hand.

"Gavin, you need to see this." Noticing North he gave the deviant a sympathetic glance. "You might want to see it, too."

"Now what?"

"Come with me." Walking into Hank's empty office with the duo in tow, Joel set up the laptop on the desk and showed both Gavin and North a live feed being streamed from an unknown source. The images on the laptop showed Markus tied down to a table and being actively tortured by the man in the mask. "This showed up about two minutes ago. It's live but there is a very effective and modified V.P.N. that keeps bouncing this guys I.P. around. We can't track it, we can only watch."

"Ah, fuck."

North put a hand to her mouth and looked away from the screen in horror.

"I'm going to do everything I can to break through the V.P.N.," the technician stated firmly. "and find this freak before it's too late. But it's going to take a while."

"Then fuckin' do it." Gavin nearly blurted as he turned to look at the technician standing beside him. "Do your work along with tech, and figure out how to trace this asshole. I don't want to turn this over to the feds, but if that's what it takes..."

"I'm already gone!"

North crossed her arms and bowed her head as Joel jogged out of the office to set to work. "This is so fucking stupid... All Markus did was go check on someone asking for help."

"Pretty much every case that comes through here's bullshit." Gavin confirmed with a bitter tone. "We'll stop that sick fuck, even if it means putting a bullet in his head."

* * *

Connor returned to where Hank was sitting and wrung his hands together nervously. Unable to pinpoint his exact location, unable to detect Markus's presence seemingly just on the other side of the wall, and unable to cybernetically call for help the deviant felt completely useless. As he stood before Hank with a sense of misplaced shame Connor just shook his head and sat down beside the concussed human.

"How can we find a way out of this place if we don't even know what this place is?"

"With patience." Hank reminded the ever stubborn and impatient deviant kindly. "We'll find Markus. We're NOT leaving without him."

"But how? I can't see through the walls or connect with my internal G.P.S. to know our location."

"Kid, I hate to remind you of this, but humans managed to find their way around just fine without seeing through shit or relying on technology for millennia. We'll be okay."

Connor gave Hank a wary glance, but agreed all the same. "You're right. So how do we do this?"

"First we need to find our bearings. Finding North usually helps, but without anything to guide our direction that's out. So instead we'll use other means of sensory deductions."

"How so?"

"These walls. What're they made of?"

Eager to escape Connor nodded and moved to the wall behind the table and pressed his palm up against the smooth, cold surface. Retracting his artificial skin from over his palm Connor ran a tactile analysis to isolate the material used in the construction of the wall. While he couldn't run a more in-depth scan on the material he was able to properly identify it, and now understood why his scanner wasn't functioning.

"...The wall is at least four inches of re-enforced concrete with Faraday wires woven through. It might be thicker but I can't be certain." Connor lowered his hand from the wall and returned to where Hank was still sitting. "The surface is coated with lead under two layers of sorbothane that is absorbing both shock and vibration with frequencies ranging from ten to thirty-thousands Hertz."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and winced as his headache suddenly flared up. "...Am I supposed to understand that?"

"No. But it does explain why I can't use my scanner or send out a distress call. This entire room," Connor pointed to the floor as if he needed to indicate which room he was talking about. "was designed specifically to render androids completely blind beyond their basic sensors."

"So you can't see through the walls or call for help. I guess that means we're on our own this time."

"Only for now." Noticing that Hank's pupils were slightly dilated Connor wrapped his fingers around Hank's wrist to count his pulse. "You should rest. It'll ease the headache you're trying to deny, and make it easier for your body to heal from the concussion."

"I'm good."

"You said yourself we need to be patient. Please, lay down until we can find a way out."

Knowing he had been bested Hank relented and decided to slowly lay down on the table and tuck his arm under his aching head. "...Alright, kid. You win."

"I don't consider this a win."

Once the injured detective was laying down comfortably Connor began pacing about the room, looking over the blank surfaces of the circular, black tinted walls and bare, dark floor. The lights above and the table in the center were the only furnishings inside the room, making the already dark, expansive space all the more bleak and hollow. There was no way for the deviant to see where the door in the wall slid open, as it was perfectly secured and sealed with a strong electromagnetic lock.

"I can't detect the doorway. But perhaps I-"

As if on cue the door in the wall reappeared and Markus was pushed back through with a strong motion. Markus collapsed face first onto the floor and remained perfectly motionless as the door disappeared into the wall again. A small puddle of Thirium was collecting under his body from the numerous wounds he had sustained courtesy of the masked man.

"Markus?!" Connor rushed over to his downed friend and knelt by his friend's side. Pressing his hand down in the middle of Markus's back gently Connor ran a scan over his battered body and felt a heat of anger rise up inside himself. "Markus... What happened to you?"

"...He... He used... tools on me." Trying to roll from his chest and onto his back, but was too weak to do so, Connor helped him to roll over by supporting his shoulders. A deep laceration ran down the length of his right cheek and soaked the side of his face in blue blood, while other cuts marred the chest of his body in gruesome dark blue lines. "He said... He said he was going to... fix broken machines or have them... replaced."

"Can you move?"

"Y-Yeah... I'm tired, but I can... move."

"C'mon." Taking Markus's right arm Connor pulled the limb around his shoulders and carefully pulled his injured friend up from the floor and helped him to walk over to the table where Hank was laying. "Have you sustained any damage to your biocomponents?"

"N-No. He... He opened my chest plate and pulled on lines... and wires. It hurt, but the damage isn't permanent."

Hank had sat back up and rose from the table to help Connor carry Markus. Once the deviant leader was placed down over the table Hank proceeded to place the jacket under Markus's head while Connor checked under Markus's shirt to examine the painful lacerations beneath that covered his chest and abdomen.

"What did he do to you?" Hank asked curiously as Connor proceeded to carefully check over the wounds. "Did he say or do anything that could give away his identity?"

"No." Markus winced when Connor pressed down against his abdomen to check for internal hemorrhaging. "He never took his mask off, and after he had me secured to the table... he stopped talking."

"He secured you to a _table_?"

Slowly Markus lifted up his left arm and showed Hank the bruise forming around his wrist. "Yeah. He kept me restrained while he tortured me."

"What for?" Taking Markus's arm in his hands Hank examined the swelling bruises with a paternal interest.

"I don't know. Because he wanted to, I guess."

"Why'd he let you go?"

"I guess it was because I wasn't reacting like he wanted. I think he wanted me to act like a machine or something, but I didn't do it. I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me like a machine, I responded as I really am. _Alive_."

"...You cried out in pain?"

"I did. And at first it didn't deter him," Markus stated as he took in a deep, settling breath. The bruises on his chest and abdomen making the effort surprisingly painful. "but the more human I reacted to the pain he was causing me, the more he began to hesitate. It may have even scared him to hear me admitting that I was in pain."

Connor replaced Markus's shirt then checked the deviant's bruised wrists for himself. "This man is obviously demented. He's threatened the city, androids and humans alike. He doesn't care about life in any regard, only proving himself right for a strange sense of narcissism and misplaced vindication. He clearly has a vendetta against the city and androids. Perhaps even authority itself."

"You guys haven't figured out who he is?"

"No." Gently placing Markus's arms back down on the table beside the deviant leader's body Connor's jaw twitched a little. "But we will. We had a suspect in mind but he doesn't match the small details of the masked man's identity that we had managed to gather. You wouldn't have any guesses, would you?"

"No. New Jericho hadn't received any personal threats, and I don't have any enemies that would go after all three of us personally. How about CyberLife?"

"We haven't had any residual signs of CyberLife or their technicians in the past year. However," Connor gave the room a strange glance. "the structure of this room in general speaks volumes of someone who has intricate knowledge of android cybernetics. Perhaps we are dealing with a disgruntled technician with a heavy grudge after all."

"But why now? Why would-"

The door opened up again and the masked man returned. Pointing his gun toward Connor he motioned for the deviant to walk to the door. "You're next."

Markus grabbed onto Connor's arm and held tight. "Connor, don't let him break you down into a machine. It's what he wants."

Understanding what he was being told Connor just nodded once and proceeded to approach the masked man with a fearless gait in his steps. "Hank, take care of him."

All Hank could do was give Connor a confident nod as the deviant boldly went to face off with the dangerous masked man as he had been ordered. As Markus had done before him Connor raised his hands up in a submissive manner while the masked man ordered him to step through the opened doorway. Once Connor passed through the door the masked man pushed the deviant forward and sealed the door behind him.

"Lay down."

Connor saw the same table where Markus had been restrained. There was still traces of Markus's spilled blue blood across the surface and all around the cuffs in the four corners of the table. The stench of evaporating Thirium was sickening to the deviant's enhanced senses, and it made his anger boil to the surface.

"Your friend was entertaining." The masked man taunted as Connor begrudgingly laid down on the table and let his wrists and ankles be bound. "Let's see if you're worth my time."

"Get on with it." Connor snapped bitterly as he glared at the man's dark green eyes through the white mask. "I dislike waiting."

* * *

Wrapping his arm protectively around his abdomen Markus sat upright on the table and let out a pained breath. As Hank planted his hand on the wounded deviant's shoulder to hold him steady where he sat, Markus gave the detective an appreciative glance and promptly wrapped his free hand hand around Hank's forearm for balance, and to try to reassure him.

"I'm okay."

"No, son. You're not."

Something about being called 'son' made Markus feel a little better despite the circumstances. "I'm already beginning to heal. Once we get Connor back we can try to find a way into that room."

"What's in there anyway?"

"I couldn't see much because that psycho kept me tied up in one spot, but I know that there has to be a door leading out of the building through there."

"Makes sense to me. It's too bad we don't know where or what this building is."

"This place kind of reminds me of a factory. Or maybe a power plant." Markus swung his legs over the edge of the table and he planted his feet on the cold floor. His entire body was shaking from pain and mild Thirium loss. "Carl used to take tours of the abandoned parts of the city for inspiration. You don't forget how hollow and massive those cold buildings really are when people stop caring about them."

"A factory would make sense. Connor said the walls are covered in special material to reduce shock and vibrations, so I imagine that massive machinery would cause problems once they start shaking the foundation."

"Yeah... Yeah, that does makes sense."

"But why he brought us here and nowhere else is still a mystery. If this IS in fact a factory," Hank emphasized as he pressed his hand to the back of his aching head and leaned forward slightly. "what kind of factory was it? Did CyberLife have any factories for their projects, or just warehouses?"

"CyberLife had factories when they were first starting out as a company. Once they made enough of a profit to work privately from the tower they shut down the factories and laid off the employees. But that was almost fifteen years ago."

"Alright, that makes revenge from a disgruntled factory employee very unlikely."

"But this guy is a technician for certain. He knows too much about android anatomy to be anything but a technician, or at the very least he's a technical student."

"He's been studying androids, interesting... Is there a rival company that was competing against CyberLife?"

"No. CyberLife patented everything to do with biocomponents, Thirium and software. Even if another company tried to manufacture androids they'd have to come up with entirely different technology which, even today, is very implausible."

Hank sat up straight and closed his eyes. "I wish I had something else to work with. I can't solve a puzzle without all the pieces."

The door in the wall slid open and Connor was pushed through with a heartless shrug. Collapsing onto the floor Connor curled up on his side and began to shiver violently where he was laying.

"Connor!" Hank and Markus were both on their feet and rushing over to the downed deviant. Hank could see a spreading stain of dark blue over the center of Connor's white shirt across his abdomen. It soaked through the shirt and was sticking to his artificial skin like paste. "Connor, what did he do to you?"

"T-Tampered with m-my thermal r-regulator." Connor was shivering so violently that it affected his speed. "C-Cold."

"We got ya'." Hank stated as he and Markus quickly helped lift Connor up from the floor and carried him over to the table off of the cold floor. "How bad is it?"

"I am h-healing." Connor stated as he was placed on his side again on the table. "B-But my s-system is trying t-to recalibrate my r-regulator."

Markus placed the gray jacket over Connor's body and put his hand down on the deviant's trembling shoulder. "He messed with your biocomponents?"

"J-Just my thermal r-regulator."

Hank sat down on the table beside Connor pulled the deviant up by his shoulders until he was resting his head against Hank's leg. "How low is your temperature?"

"D-Down to e-eighty-eight degrees."

"Is it getting lower?"

"N-No. It's s-slowly increasing."

Markus knelt down in front of Connor and pressed his fingers to the side of the deviant's neck to monitor his pulse. "Connor, Hank and I have been trying to figure out this masked guy's identity and where we are. We're leaning toward a factory and one pissed off technician."

"That is p-possible. The b-building is of the r-right d-design. His kn-knowledge of an-android anatomy would a-also support this th-theory."

"When you were in that room did you see a doorway leading out?"

Connor shook his head a little as he rested against Hank's leg. "N-No. But there m-must be a way out through there."

"Go into rest mode and let your self-healing program work." Markus urged gently as he stayed on the floor beside his friend. "We'll try to think of a way to get out of here."

Hank gave Markus a stern glance of determination, but said nothing as the trio tried to think of a way to escape.

* * *

Captain Keller, who had substituted at the precinct a couple times in the past, had taken over in Hank's absence and continued on the same protocol that Gavin had initiated. At the department store Chris and Jack were able to uncover a scene of a struggle and some fresh blood on the floor from where Hank had been struck, as well as his dropped phone and both of his and Connor's service weapons. There was no sign of Hank, Connor or Markus inside the department building, and it looked as though three bodies were dragged out of the building and through the backdoor to an alleyway.

"Nothing." Chris lamented as he rejoined Gavin and Tina in the bullpen. "Whoever jumped 'em took them out the back and loaded them into a van or something. There's no sign of the escape vehicle and we don't know where they could've gone. It's a cold trail."

"Fuck." Gavin was losing patience, and North wasn't faring much better. She had isolated herself in an interview room as she still wasn't comfortable being surrounded by so many humans. "Joel is working on tracing the source of the feed, but it's a slow process."

"Jack showed me the feed while we were out checking the scene. Do we know if Markus and Connor are still alive?"

"So Connor IS with Markus? Fuck! I didn't watch that chunk of the feed. That's just what the sick fucker wants... An audience."

Tina gave Gavin a worried glance. "If Markus and Connor are both being held prisoner, then it's very likely Hank is with them, too."

"Yeah. And Hank ain't exactly as sturdy as a couple of androids. If that guy lays a hand on Hank I don't know what could happen."

* * *

Enough time had passed to allow Connor's self-healing program to repair the damage to his thermal regulator, and to return his core temperature to a much more comfortable, and stable degree. Sitting upright slowly on the table he checked the bloodied wound beneath his shirt over his abdomen and was happy to see that the leaking Thirium had ceased entirely.

"Feeling better?" Hank asked as the deviant sat upright and breathed a steady sigh of relief.

"For the most part. Is your headache diminishing?"

"No, but it's not getting any worse either."

Connor looked over to Markus who was pacing about behind the table with his arms crossed over his chest. "Markus? How's your system?"

"Stable." The deviant leader replied sharply. "But we're still at a loss for-"

The doorway in the wall opened up again and the masked man returned. The gun was pointed at the three prisoners and by all account he was going to do something horrible to Hank, just as he had done to Markus and then to Connor. Instinctively Connor stood up and planted himself between the armed man and Hank protectively. Markus followed suit and stood beside the bold deviant to shield Hank from harm. The concussed detective was too tired and sore to make a move, and was very grateful for the two deviants who were ready and willing to protect him while he couldn't protect himself.

"I've completed some calculations." The masked man called out, his voice still garbled and distant. There seemed to be a hint of disappointment to his tone, almost as if the responses and reactions from the deviants had ruined his plot in some manner. "And I will let you decide your fates based on my numbers, and I will finish my experiment. I will prove to the city once and for all that androids are simply machines, NOT alive."

Connor and Markus discreetly exchanged looks with one another, but didn't say a word.

"One of you will come with me, and the other two can go free. If I take the one known as 'Markus' there is an eighty-two percent chance that my tests will result in irreversible shutdown." The masked man never lowered his gun as he spoke, and stared through the deviant leader as if he were a hollow shell. "If I take the one known as 'Connor' the tests have a ninety-six percent chance of causing crippling damage that would leave it functioning at only forty percent capacity, _at best_." Without changing his voice or showing any remorse the masked man then focused on Hank. "And if I take the human there is a fifty percent chance than he will die from shock and trauma."

Hank stood up as quickly as he could and stepped around the deviants to stand before them. "Then I volunteer myself."

"Hank, no!" Connor grabbed onto the detective's shoulder and gave him a frightened glance. "You can't do that!"

"I can, and I already have."

Markus spoke up quickly and sided with Connor. "He's right. This guy has problems with androids, _not people_. Let me go instead."

"NO." Both Hank and Connor replied in chorus to the deviant leader.

"Markus, your people need you." Hank sharply refuted as he stared at the deviant leader's mismatched eyes. "And Connor," he grabbed onto Connor's arm and lightly pulled it from his shoulder. "you're my son. I won't watch you march to your death."

Connor shook his head and stepped away from allies back toward the masked man. "I won't let either of you die when I can sustain damage and continue to live on."

From the doorway the masked man watched the debate in silent contemplation. It was as if he was at a loss of what to do, and could only wait for the trio to make their final decision on his behalf.

"Hank, you're a police Captain. You have too many responsibilities and the city needs you." Connor tried to argue logically. "And Markus, you're still a symbol for our people and a beacon of peace for everyone. If you were to die many deviants would rebel violently and possibly bring about a civil war. It's NOT worth you dying and risking a war when I can give myself up."

Markus wasn't having any of it. "You're important, too! Connor, you're a bridge between deviants and the law. You make everyone feel safe and feel like their voices are being heard."

"I'm not the _only_ deviant in law enforcement anymore. It'll be okay."

Markus's eyes lowered as he realized that Connor was irreversibly stubborn and steadfast on turning himself over to the masked man to spare his life, and to keep Hank safe. "...Alright." Returning his gaze to Connor the deviant leader put his left hand on his friend's shoulder. "But, please know this. I'm sorry."

"...Sorry?"

Moving with lightning fast reflexes Markus reeled back his right fist and struck Connor in the face under his left eye, rendering the deviant unconscious within seconds. Before Connor's body fell to the ground Markus caught him around his chest, and gently lowered the now unconscious deviant down onto the table to rest on his back to recover.

"I'm sorry, Connor." Markus pressed his palm down firmly against the unconscious deviant's chest sympathetically. Connor's head lolled to the side and he didn't move aside from his calm breathing. "But this time I can't let you do this."

Hank immediately checked Connor's face and looked up at Markus with utter confusion. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're not letting him do this, but you do realize he's going to be pissed off when he wakes up and sees you here and not me, right?"

"Sorry, Hank. You're not going either."

Moving too quickly Markus jogged away from the two detectives and toward the masked man.

"Fuckin- Markus?!" Hank shouted angrily as the deviant leader crossed the room. "Get back here!"

"It's decided." Markus stated firmly and quickly without any hesitation. "I'm the one you can test on. Take me and let my friends go."

The masked man was silent.

Merely waving with his gun for Markus to enter the disgusting lab where he had already tortured the deviant leader once before, the horrible man marched after Markus and secured him to the table for the final time.

Hank stared at the wall as the door disappeared from sight and swore out loud in angry protest. "Fuck!"

* * *

The precinct was frantically trying to find a way to locate the source of the stream and find the abducted trio before it was too late. Seeing Markus being re-secured to the table by the masked man was enough to throw gas on an already burning fire and force the investigating officers into overdrive. North was unable to watch the feed and Gavin flat-out refused to watch someone being tortured to make a demented, needless 'point' to the city.

"C'mon, c'mon..." Gavin muttered to himself as he waited for the phone on his desk to ring with an update, or for someone in the bullpen to get a useful tip in locating the missing trio. "This is bull-"

"Gavin!" Joel shouted as he raced down the corridor and into the bullpen once more. Nearly slamming his laptop down on the Sergeant's desk Joel pointed to the progress being made in the attempt decipher the V.P.N. and locate the source of the feed. "We're almost through."

"What? How?"

"When the city saw the stream of three innocent people being taken captive and tortured a TON of computer techs and deviants had volunteered their services to help us break through the V.P.N. much quicker. With the combined efforts we're narrowing it down. We know for sure that they're somewhere in the industrial district downtown."

"That's more like it." Rushing from his desk Gavin knocked on the glass door of the officer where temporary Captain Keller was waiting himself. Pulling open the door he shouted at his superior officer and remained in the opened doorway "Captain! There's been a breakthrough!"

* * *

Rebooting slowly once more Connor's soulful brown eyes opened and his vision focused on Hank's face looking down at him. Quickly remembering what had happened he sat up with a start only to have Hank put his hands against the deviant's shoulders to keep him from moving any further. As Connor looked about the room quickly he realized that Markus was already gone and he was too late to stop him.

"Markus?"

"I'm sorry, kid. He made up his mind and went with that asshole."

"Shit..." Connor stood up from the table with Hank's hands still on his shoulders. "We need to find a way into that room."

"I know that, but I don't see how."

"There has to be a way. If we can find a way to override the door lock then we can get to him."

From the opposite side of the room, across from where the masked man had taken Markus, a second door slid open and allowed blinding bright daylight shine through into the dark room. Hank shielded his eyes from the light with his hand while Connor's vision quickly adapted to the brightness with no difficulty. The smell of the city wafted into the room confirming that the door led back outside of the building.

"He's letting us go." Hank realized in a low voice. "But were not going anywhere without Markus."

"If I can analyze the lock on _that_ door I can attempt to locate the lock on this door." Motioning the with his thumb over his shoulder to the opposite sealed door behind himself Connor's gaze never left the opened door. "Once I'm outside the walls my scanner will be able to reactivate and I can analyze the schematics of the door properly."

"Then go! Do what ya' gotta' do!"

Hurrying toward the opened door Connor stepped through just enough to escape the dampening walls, but not so far that he wouldn't be able to get back inside the building if the door slid shut again. Pressing his exposed right palm to the electronic lock and scanned the internal components quickly, and efficiently. As he stood outside Connor looked about to try to identify his location, but his G.P.S. wasn't fully engaged just yet.

"I got it!" Connor shouted as he jogged back into the room, past Hank and over to the opposite wall where the second door was concealed. Pressing his palm down against the wall he detected a very faint electronic signature on the other side of the wall and was attempting to connect through the dampening materials between himself and his friend. "I can open it now, but I don't know what to expect once we're inside."

Hank grabbed onto Connor's jacket and joined the deviant at the door. Reaching for his empty holster out of reflex Hank sighed and pressed his back up against the wall beside the door. "I hate that the fucker took our weapons. Then again, I don't think he'd be dumb enough to let us keep them."

"I imagine this masked man has spent too much time thinking about this particular moment to oversee something as egregiously foolish as leaving us armed." The panel beneath Connor's palm glowed bright white and the door at long last slid open. "We're in."

The two detectives entered the room and quickly and saw the horror awaiting them.

"Markus. No..."

The table was now vertical and Markus was clearly in pain. The strain of his own deadweight pulling down against his wrists restrained in the metal cuffs was causing his artificial skin to bruise and bleed. Blood ran down Markus's face and saturated through his beige tinted clothing in a sickening fashion. Barely functioning and barely breathing, Connor rushed to his friend's side and pressed his hand down on the deviant leader's chest. Each weak, shuddering breath was as pained as it looked. Markus's heart was barely beating, but the heartbeat was still there nonetheless.

"Markus..." Unfastening the cuffs around the deviant's wrists Connor ran a scan over his body and noted the numerous injuries he had sustained. As Markus's arms fell limply down at his sides Connor supported his friend's upper body with both hands against his chest. "Hold on Markus, we'll get you out of here."

Hank worked on freeing Markus's ankles while Connor supported all of Markus's deadweight against his chest. With the deviant leader now freed Connor managed to easily scoop up Markus's limp body into his arms and carry him back through the door and over to the table in the center of the dark room that had been their prison.

"Hank, he's suffered numerous internal injuries. I can't carry him much further without aggravating his condition."

"Lay him down." Hank instructed as Connor gently placed the wounded deviant down onto the table to rest. "Can you send out a distress call yet?"

"No. I'll need to get farther away from the building, but I won't leave you two behind." Pressing his fingers to Markus's right temple Connor performed a diagnostic and a heavy grimace fell over his face. "...Markus, not like this."

Markus let out a groan and his eyes fluttered open into half-lidded slits. Licking his lips where blue blood was running down his chin he tried to lift his head up but Connor put his hands on Markus's shoulders to keep him still.

"Don't move, Markus. Please."

Hank took Connor's jacket and draped it over the downed deviant lightly. "Take it easy for us, son. We'll get you some help as soon as possible."

"...H-How..." Markus stuttered in a hoarse whisper. "How bad?"

Connor closed his eyes and moved his hands from Markus's shoulders to rest atop Markus's own hands neatly folded atop his chest. "...Your right ascending Thirial line leading into your Thirium pump has been compromised. Left ventilation biocomponent is functioning at eighty-one percent capacity, and the right is down to eighty-two percent. Your main Thirium filter is down to fifty percent functionality, and is beginning to overheat. Hemorrhaging of your thermal regulator is only exasperating your condition. With your Thirium volume down to seventy-three percent your self-healing program cannot initiate."

"...So... bad?" Markus managed a weak grin before falling prey to a violent coughing fit. As he coughed both Connor and Hank held him down against the table without harming him in the process until the coughing fit passed. "T-Tell North-" Coughing stole his words again but he was determined to speak his piece. "I love... love her."

"Take it easy." Connor whispered as he felt the violent tremors of the painful coughs racking Markus's body. "You can tell North that yourself, alright?"

Hank slipped his hand under Markus's head and lightly ran his thumb along the side of his face in a comforting manner. "We're with you. Hold on."

Panting for breath Markus looked at the two detectives tending to him and smiled again. "...You know, for a couple of cops, you both have... pretty good bedside manners."

As Markus's smile faded his head lolled limply against Hank's hand and the deviant leader fell unconscious; completely vulnerable to the world around him.

"Markus?" Connor gently shook his friend's arm, but Markus didn't respond. "No. Please don't shutdown. Not because of someone like that heartless bastard."

Hank could see that Markus was still breathing, he was incredibly weak and seemed to be getting weaker by the second. "Connor, how long does he have?"

The deviant shook his head sadly, his eyes never leaving Markus's face. "...Not long."

"Shit."

While the two detectives hovered protectively over their dying friend the door at the far side of the room opened up for the final time. Hank quickly got to his feet and took a defensive stance between the masked man and the two deviants.

"If you're half as smart as you think you are," Hank threatened with a deep growl. "you'll turn your ass around and run before I get over there and snap your worthless little neck."

The masked man took a few steps forward and revealed the gun from the front pocket in his hoodie. While he didn't aim it at the trio the fact that he was still holding the gun was enough to put up the protective father figure's guard as he remained planted firmly between the assailant and the deviant androids.

"You better make those shots count you jackass. I'm pissed enough already, you don't want to wound a rabid animal."

Rather than pointing the gun at Hank, Connor even Markus, the masked man slowly placed the gun down on the floor and slid it toward Hank submissively much to everyone's surprise. Connor had noticed the odd gesture of surrender from the corner of his eye and his brow furrowed considerably as a result.

Hank wasn't letting his guard down anytime soon. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Surrendering." The masked man's voice was no longer disguised by a modulator, and was fully exposed. He sounded like a young male, early to mid-twenties. Raising his hands into the air he knelt on the floor and stayed put. "...I surrender, Captain Anderson."

"...Hank." Connor's soulful brown eyes went wide as he recognized the voice and suddenly felt sick to his stomach. "I know who he is."

" _What_?" Walking over to the relinquished gun Hank picked it up and tucked it into his own holster for safekeeping. "Who the hell-"

The masked man shouted loudly from where he knelt. "Please. I'm sorry. And I'm surrendering peacefully. I regret... everything."

Approaching the masked man Hank slipped his fingers under the chin of the mask with one hand, and grabbed the back of the man's hood with the other. Pulling down the hood and slipping up the mask Hank too recognized the face beneath and swore loudly. "Son of a bitch!"

Connor turned his gaze away and stared back down at Markus's face. "Benjamin Perkins."

"I'm... I'm so sorry!" The young man nearly wailed in regret. "I was wrong! Androids ARE alive... I just... I just-"

"Save it!" Hank shouted as he grabbed onto the back of Benjamin's hoodie around his neck and forced him to lay chest first down on the ground. "I'll get your confession at the precinct you dumb prick."

Markus coughed again, blue blood staining his lips and chin as he continued to bleed internally.

"Hank," Connor stared at Markus with utter horror in his eyes. "Markus needs help, NOW."

"I know, son. But we can't-"

From the the opened doorway leading into the bright sunlight of the world outside a loud voice called out and a squad of police officers burst into the building and quickly surrounded the area. "Captain?!"

"...Gavin?!" Much to Hank's surprise Gavin and the other officers took charge of Benjamin while Hank stood up and returned to Markus's side at the table. "Holy fuck. How did-"

"Joel and a bunch of helpful nerds hacked this guy's streaming address and pointed us in the right direction."

"Streaming address?"

"That twisted fuck was showing the whole world his sick experiment in torturing Markus and Connor. It backfired and everyone turned against him."

"What a fucking moron..." Hank motioned to Markus and waved the officers over. "Look, Markus needs emergency repairs, NOW. He's the priority."

"We're on it, Cap. We have an ambulance outside already."

As Markus coughed again, his breaths now pathetic wheezes forcing his chest to barely rise and fall, Connor tightened his grip over his injured friend's arms. "Markus, please hold on. You're going to make it."

"Hey!" Gavin shouted to the other officers to go to the table. "Take care of Markus, we got a man down over here!"

Connor watched as the other responding officers worked together to gently pick Markus up from the table and carry him out to the ambulance parked just outside the building. The deviant leader's body was dripping blue blood and was as limp as a corpse in the protective hands of the officers carrying him to safety, and Connor felt sick all over again.

"Connor." Hank put his hand on the worried deviant's shoulder and bowed his head a little. "Come on. It's over. Let's go."

"...I really want to believe that, Hank."

* * *

It was eerily tense and quiet at St. Vevila Hospital as Markus was rushed into the emergency repair bay by the hospital's most skilled technicians. While Hank was undergoing numerous tests to ensure he didn't suffer a fractured skull or a brain bleed from being struck from behind, Gavin had taken Benjamin back to the precinct to be questioned and charged for his crimes against the city; including domestic terrorism, kidnapping, illegal use of explosives, the assault of two police officers and the attempted murder of Markus atop of many, many other charges.

Connor stood in the waiting room of the hospital and nervously danced his coin over his right hand as he watched the news report regarding the arrest of Benjamin Perkins quickly circulate through the city on the television. An accompanying story that was almost as important as the demented man's arrest circulated just as frequently, but Connor couldn't focus on the news enough to car. That story revolved around how the city united together to stop Perkins and save the captive trio before it was too late, which in turn seemed to unite the fractured city at long last.

Distracted and shaking where he stood, Connor didn't notice it when North finally arrived at the hospital to check in with her injured husband.

"Where is he?" North entered the waiting room and instantly honed in on Connor. "Please tell me he's still alive!"

"...North." Pocketing his coin Connor gave her his full attention. "He's alive. Markus is undergoing repairs as we speak. He's holding on."

Rubbing her hand over her face North was fighting back against her relentless tears. "Why? Why did this happen?"

"I don't know. I wish I did, but a part of me is grateful to not know what it's like to be so full of hatred that I'd target innocent people."

North was beginning to break down a little and Connor took a step closer to her. Gently he pressed his hand to her left bicep to try to give her a sense of grounding. He didn't expect her to press up against him so he could actually wrap his arms around her to hold her in a comforting hug.

"It'll be okay, North." Connor kept his voice low but confident. "Markus is too strong to give up like that."

"I hate this! All Markus wants to do is help people, and this is how he's treated!"

"...I know. I hate it, too. It's not fair to anyone."

Unable to hold back her overwhelming emotions North buried her face against Connor's chest as she began to sob openly. As Connor tightened his hug he felt his own worried tears welling up in his eyes, but didn't dare shed them. Right now he needed to be strong for North. He'd be able to let out his emotional grief later, after Markus had been taken care of.

"He'll be okay, North. He's strong and he loves you too much to leave you behind."

"...I know. I love him, too."

* * *

With a large bag of ice pressed to the back of his head Hank was shown to the recovery room where Markus was resting with a nurse watching over him. North was inside the room holding onto Markus's hand in a deathgrip. Connor was already sitting outside in a chair by the door, his blue blood stained gray jacket draped over his lap. As the detective sat down next to Connor he stared at the coin anxiously fidgeting over Connor's hand and let out a deep sigh.

"Kid, he's going to pull through." The coin stopped suddenly between Connor's right index and middle fingertips as the deviant nearly froze at the remark. "Did you get checked out?"

"...I'm functioning at one-hundred percent capacity. I only require a small amount of Thirium replenishment to top off my reserves."

"So, 'no'. You didn't get checked out."

"I'm fine, my thermal regulator repaired itself." Lowering his gaze from the wall across from him to the floor Connor's jaw twitched again. "How's your head?"

"Mild concussion." He pressed his ice against the back of his head a little harder. "No fractures, no bleeding. I'll just need a week to heal."

"That's good."

"I spoke with Gavin over the phone. Benjamin told him everything about his little scheme."

"Why?" Connor looked over to Hank needing to know the answer. "Why'd he do it, Hank?"

"Well, Benjamin was pissed about what happened to his father." Leaning back in the chair Hank crossed his arms over his chest and slouched down where he sat. "After Benjamin was charged with drunk driving and killing that deviant android after he hit him with his car, he spent a few years in jail; and after his father was locked up for... killing Lucas, the contacts at the F.B.I. felt bad for Benjamin and pulled his strings to get him out a few years earlier and even clear his record. They argued that it was his father's fault that Benjamin was left corrupted by hatred and given a second chance. But..."

"...But it was too late. The damage was done."

"Yeah. He began hating androids while he was behind bars and wanted to prove that all androids are machines, not people. He even started studying android anatomy to fuel his hatred. When he was released from prison he made his move."

"Was Benjamin acting on his own anger, or continuing his father's hatred?"

"Both. It also turns out that Marcia chick was a weird groupie who was turned on by criminals, and started a correspondence with him while he was still in prison. She just encouraged his hatred and added fuel to the fire. She already hated androids and made his hatred worse with seduction and 'favors' once he got out."

"Why did he torture us? I still don't understand."

"Benjamin wanted to prove that androids would sacrifice humans and that humans shouldn't trust them. But his experiment failed when the city saw the way we fought to keep each other alive and safe. They saw us seeing one another as equals, as friends; not as man and machine."

Connor's jaw twitched again and he sighed.

"All he did was prove that humans and androids can in fact co-exist as equals. And because he streamed what he did to us, the city came together to stop him and come to our rescue, doing the exact opposite of what he was trying to prove. Joel had more help on this one day than he's ever had, and Gavin took care of everything back at the precinct like a true leader."

"So, instead of dividing the city Benjamin inadvertently brought everyone together. Everything he tried to prove right was proven wrong..."

"Yup. And that's why he surrendered." The disappointment in Hank's eyes spoke volumes of the tragedy of the situation. "He realized he was in the wrong when his V.P.N. was broken, and no one was going to support him anymore now that Marcia's dead. He had nowhere else to go except back to prison."

"...That's pathetic."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, son."

* * *

Two days of nervously pacing and waiting were over at long last when Markus opened his mismatched eyes and regained consciousness. After reassuring and holding North in his arms Markus was ready to speak to the police and give his statement, and then talk with Connor regarding their captivity. It was a strange conversation nonetheless, but it was necessary and Markus was more than ready to do what it took to keep such a dangerous, hate-filled person behind bars.

"Thank you for not giving up on us." Connor stated at he put his hand on Markus's shoulder lightly. "And thank you for saving our lives."

"Hey, you both were ready to do the same for me." Markus smiled sincerely from where he was laying. "You're my friends."

Markus was still attached to a cardiac monitor as a precaution, but he was stable and all of his vitals looked strong, normal. A nasal canula was under his nose to aid his breathing while his artificial lungs healed, but even so every breath he took was pained. He was also still a little pale thanks to his low Thirium level affecting his artificial skin, and he was still weak from suffering the overall damage to his numerous biocomponents.

Keeping his demeanor optimistic Connor asked the obvious question. "How do you feel? You know, considering the fact you were on the repair table for six hours, nineteen minutes and forty-three seconds."

"I feel like shit. But I'll be out of here tomorrow and under Simon's care for the following two days."

"That's good to know. Has anyone told you about the person who targeted us, and why they did it?"

"Yeah. North told me everything after she checked in with the officers at the precinct."

Connor looked about and found North curiously absent. "Where is North right now?

"She went back to the house to get me some clean clothes so we can leave first thing tomorrow morning." A ghost of sly smirk appeared on Markus's face as he spoke. "It sounds like that Gavin guy, who used to hate androids, was a real hero for all of us."

Connor smirked as well as he admitted that Gavin really stepped up and came through for all three of them. "Yeah. He took charge and coordinated the investigation flawlessly."

"Sounds like you finally won him over."

"No, I think he merely had a change of heart thanks to his own experiences with androids. I didn't do anything but work in the same precinct and watch his back from time to time." Wringing his hands together nervously Connor let out a somber sigh. "Benjamin is going back to prison, but Hank and I have been assured he will be getting psychological help so he won't rot in jail with hatred festering in his heart. Maybe in time he can heal and remedy the errors of his and his father's previous actions."

"I'm glad to hear that." There was something comforting in knowing that the poor kid would get some form of help despite his crimes. "It's a shame he was subjected to so much hatred as a child that he didn't have a chance to form his own opinions on androids."

"I agree. Children are so innocent. Please, get some rest." Still protective of his friend Connor knew Markus needed more time to heal and didn't want him overexerting himself. "I need to get back to Hank. He's still recovering from a concussion and shouldn't be alone for too long."

"Right." Extending his right hand Markus shook Connor's hand with a firm grip and smiled again. "I'll see you soon, Connor. Thanks for everything my friend."

"Of course. Any time you need me, I'll be there."

_**...next story...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was heavily inspired by 'The Empath' from 'Star Trek' (the original TV series). One of my absolute favorite episodes of all time and it still holds up to this day.


	197. Peace

The concussion kept Hank on the injured reserved list for a week, and of course Connor volunteered to stay home with him as he healed. It was relatively easy for Hank to get the additional rest he needed in ordered to recover, but Connor himself was having some trouble sleeping. More often than not Hank would find Connor sitting on the couch juggling his coin nervously with Sumo sprawled protectively over his lap at hours of the morning. The deviant wasn't sleeping well and it was beginning to show as the days wore on.

"Kid, you need to get some sleep." Hank urged as he joined the deviant in the livingroom at four in the morning, and snatched the coin from Connor's hand. Connor didn't even react to the loss of his coin, instead he dropped his hand and sighed. "What's bothering you so much?"

"...Everything."

"By everything you mean what Quondam tried to do, right?"

Connor quietly nodded and began to slowly pet Sumo's fur much to the large dog's delight.

"It's over, son. We're safe, Markus is safe and Benjamin is back behind bars." Sitting down in the recliner Hank let out a sleepy yawn and pressed his head down against the palm of his hand as he leaned forward slightly where he sat. "What's the matter?"

"...One person can change the world for the better." The deviant's eyes were distant, almost as if in a trance. "Just like Markus did. And one person can change the world for the worst."

"Like Benjamin."

"Yeah. How can one person willingly hold so much hatred in their heart? It's toxic and it hurts to let hate reside there."

Hank gave the deviant a weak smile of approval. "Yeah, it really does. But some people find it easier to hate than to understand."

"He was ready to kill us to prove a point, and that point was that hatred was stronger than love. And yet, he was wrong. All we did was survive and keep one another safe. That was enough to show the entire city that tolerance and co-existence is possible. Even though the city has come to accept androids as equals there will always be one more person full of hate trying to prove the opposite. What's the point in fighting back anymore?"

"Connor, you can't change the hearts of every single person in the world in one night. It's impossible."

"...But why not?"

"Humans are fickle, unpredictable and dangerous in large numbers. It'll get better, but it takes time. And time is unforgiving to us all."

"I hate waiting."

"Don't I know it." The detective chuckled to himself as he blinked slowly through his sleepy eyelids.

"How can you be so calm?" Connor looked visibly agitated, but he never stopped petting Sumo. "He was ready to _kill_ us all."

"...Connor, I've been a cop for a long time. I've come to terms with my mortality a long time ago. I won't live forever, not that I want to. I'd get bored. The idea of dying doesn't bother me, but the thought of losing someone I care about still makes me flinch."

"I don't want you to die. I was already scared when Markus was taken, but when I thought he was going after you I was absolutely terrified. But..." his hand paused along Sumo's back as he spoke. "But you were ready to... die?"

"It's not that simple."

"Then... why did you offer yourself up so readily?"

"Because I didn't want _either_ of you to die, son. But I'm the oldest of you two, I've lived a pretty good life and you both have so much more you need to accomplish in this world. It made sense for me to roll the dice and offer myself up for that damn 'experiment'. I guess it was the logical choice to make."

"If you died I don't... I don't know what I'd do."

"You'd probably be sad, but, you'd live. And that's all I care about."

"You're my father. I need you in my life. I've lost so many people that I had become close with, if I were to lose you too I don't think I could take it... I dislike being alone as much as I dislike waiting for change."

"Connor." Rising from the recliner Hank sat down on the couch beside the deviant and put his hand on Connor's shoulder. "You're a hell of a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. You'd hurt because you're so empathetic, and you'd mourn because you give a damn about life, but you'd pull through and keep living all the same."

"I can't imagine living without you watching my back. You were my first real friend, and you're my family."

Sighing tiredly Hank moved his hand so he could reach his arm around Connor's shoulders and pulled him in for a half-hug. "I swear, Connor, you're way more human than most humans. Hell, there are times where I forget you're not actually a kid, but all the same you'll _always_ be my son."

"...And you're my dad. You won't ever be anyone else to me."

Discreetly Hank dragged this hand over his face to wipe away a rogue tear and cleared the emotion from his voice. "You're exhausted. You need to sleep."

"I don't feel tired."

"That's because you're thinking too much again." Handing the coin back to Connor as if offering a deal, Hank just laughed as Connor quickly accepted the quarter and fidgeted it over his knuckles. "I told you once before, a LONG time ago that you don't need that coin anymore. And I still believe it. You're still coming to grips with your emotions, but I don't think you need that little tic to keep your mind preoccupied anymore."

"...I guess it's a bad habit."

"Uh-huh, at least it's not as bad as drinking."

After a few minutes of silence and calming his thoughts Connor finally relented and decided to go get some sleep. "...I think I can fall asleep now."

"That's good. Because I know I need a few more hours myself."

"I can understand that. Concussions can be quite painful."

Patting Connor's shoulder Hank rose from the couch and stretched out his back. "I'll see you in the morning, kid. Don't sleep out here, got it?"

"Got it. Goodnight, dad."

"Goodnight, son."

* * *

The following morning the entire city seemed to be buzzing with positive energy and it was almost palpable even through the walls of the house. Connor awoke just after noon and smirked as he was greeted by the sight of Sumo's face staring at him as the massive dog chested his chin down over the sleeping deviant's chest.

"Hi, boy."

Sumo wagged his tail and raised his head as Connor sat up in the bed and proceeded to go through his morning routine despite it being well into the afternoon. After changing into some clean day clothes Connor walked into the livingroom and saw Hank sitting in the middle of the couch watching a news report on the television with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

"Is something happening?" The deviant asked as he rejoined Hank on the couch. Sumo had followed after him and returned his chin to Connor's knee as soon as the deviant stopped moving. "There is a mass of excitement amongst the deviants in the city. It's causing some static and commotion that is difficult to decipher properly."

"Yeah," Hank motioned to the television screen with the mug in his hand. "looks like even more good has come from the downfall of 'Quondam'."

' _As of nine o'clock this morning the android sanctuary known as New Jericho Tower has officially opened its doors to all androids, and to all humans throughout the city_.' The blonde haired female newscaster reported somewhat enthusiastically. ' _The once reclusive tower had been originated as a high security facility to keep homeless and abused deviants off the street, but now it seems Markus; the leader of the deviants, has decided that the security measures are no longer necessary_. _The gesture is being accepted openly by the entire city and seen as a massive gesture toward trust, forgiveness and healing after the events of the android revolution that took place over four years ago_.'

Connor's shoulder slumped in relief. "...It's over. We don't have to fight anymore."

"I guess this can work as a pretty good Christmas gift, huh?" Hank turned off the television and sipped his coffee. "Not bad at all."

"Considering neither of us could focus on the holidays this winter I would have to agree." An approving smile appeared on Connor's face as he realized that New Jericho was no longer going to be an isolated location on the harbor, but a true beacon of hope and tolerance. "New Jericho is now truly a place where all deviants can be free. But I imagine Markus is going to be quite busy for the next few weeks."

"Busy, huh?" An enigmatic smirk appeared on his face. "Do you really think a whole flood of deviants and sympathetic humans are going to show up at the tower so quickly?"

"Not necessarily, but I do suspect that altering the security programs and disabling the barricade in the drive will be time consuming."

"I thought you wanted the security programs in place to keep people out. What gives?"

"I did. But, now I know that not all humans want to harm deviants. The security protocols aren't necessary anymore. Just as androids needed to be given the chance to prove they are worthy of freedom and trust, humans did, too." Connor turned to look at Hank and had a genuine smile of pride on his face. "And they did when it really counted."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"Aside from rallying together to save us from Quondam, humans had also been incredibly supportive of deviant rights and eliminating the bigotry in the city. Bigotry from both sides of the spectrum." Connor gave Hank a knowing glance to acknowledge that deviants were just as prone to bigotry as humans were. "The humans were incredibly generous with donations to both towers to help those in need, and have continued to support android charities. You're right. It takes time, but things will in fact change for the better."

"This took four years to do. That's actually pretty impressive when you think about it."

"So maybe it won't take as long as I fear for other rights and privileges to be approved. I might even be able to be approved as a foster parent one day, and then, maybe androids will be finally able to adopt children as their own. Finally have real families... Like us."

"Connor," the detective just shook his head and leaned back into the soft cushion of the couch to rest his sore back and head. "don't worry about that right now. Trust me son, with all these changes happening in the city all around us you need to stop focusing on the 'what-ifs' in life. As for family, well, you need to focus on yourself for now."

"Myself? I don't understand."

"When it comes to families you'll see in time. Until then you still have _a lot_ to learn, kid."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one you need to stop fixating on a single thing at a time. I'm glad you have a dream, a goal for your future, but you need to take care of other things too. I'm proud of you for finally putting your life higher up on your list of priorities, and that you now know your life has value, but there's other things you need to consider."

"You mean my health and my overall reluctance to see technicians?"

"For starters, yeah."

Tilting his head a little Connor pondered the request and a sly grin appeared on his face."I will be more cooperative at facilities and technicians, but only if you do the same and see your doctor for an annual physical beyond the bi-annual physicals mandated by the department. Is that a deal?"

"Okay. That's a deal, but," Hank pointed a playfully scolding finger at the deviant beside him. " _you_ also need to stop working so hard all the time. Devotion to your job is one thing, but you're a borderline workaholic. I don't like that kind of single-track thinking."

"I don't intend to obsess over cases, I simply don't tire as easily my human colleagues. And I don't get bored as humans do."

"Yeah, humans sure as fuck tire out easy, that's the damn truth." Taking another sip of his coffee Hank felt his back twinge in pain and lingering exhaustion from constant strain. "Still, learn to relax and do things for yourself every once in a while. Alright?"

"And stop thinking so much?"

"You got it. Take the time to sit back, relax and not do anything."

Connor smirked again as he pulled his coin from his pocket and stared at it for a moment. "I promise I'll work to better myself." As he re-pocketed his coin he gave Hank a pleading and almost childlike stare that gleamed in his soulful brown eyes. "You'll help me, right?"

"Of course I will, son." Setting aside his coffee Hank leaned back heavier against the couch and propped his feet up to try to take the weight from his back as much as possible. "But in a few more months, maybe just over a year or so, I don't think you'll need me to constantly guide you through your life anymore."

"Oh?" The deviant's brow furrowed with utter curiosity at Hank's tone, it was almost like he knew something that Connor did not. "What makes you say that?"

"A father knows, son. A father _always_ knows."

_**...next story...** _


	198. Filling the Void

It was noon and the sun was shining bright in the sky overhead. Dark gray clouds threatened to blot out of the sun, but the warm rays kept the cold and the snow at bay for just a while longer. The winter was just beginning and as much as Hank hated wintertime he wasn't angered, or even annoyed as he parked the car and emotionally steeled his heart.

A deep, ruby red rose and two white lilies that rivaled the snow crunching underfoot were clutched in Hank's strong hands. Somberly he made his way over to the two headstones that belonged to that of his late wife, and late son as he paid them a long overdue visit. Kneeling down in the snow front of the two stones he placed the lilies down before the two headstones and wiped away a tear as he read the named on the gilded plaques with the names engraved over the pristine surface. It had been months since he stopped by the pay respects to his family, but with changes on the horizon Hank decided enough time had passed.

"Hey, Barb. I still miss you, honey." Hank greeted his wife in a calm, level voice even as more tears formed in his eyes. "It's a new year and everything is changing, this time for the better. I still miss you, but it's been easier since Connor moved in. I wish you could've been here to meet him yourself, he's a brunette and I remember how much you loved my hair back before it went gray from stress." Running his hand through his shorter hair he laughed a little at himself. "He's also an animal lover and fights to protect kids, androids and when necessary, women. You two would've made an awesome team at the precinct."

As he spoke he felt a sense of pride for his son's accomplishments.

"Yesterday was a huge victory for all androids throughout the city, and it's only going to spread further across the country. It's safe to say peace has finally been declared between humans and androids, and now Connor and Luke won't have to fight anymore."

Gently Hank brushed his hand over the name on the headstone to remove what little bits of ice and wayward snowflakes were clinging to the plaque to clear off Barbara's name.

"I can't believe I actually have Luke back in my life, I never thought I'd get a family member back from the dead. When I lost Cole I was convinced my heart would never heal, but when I ended up working with Connor and watching over this rookie-kid, detective who had no idea how horribly cruel human's could be toward innocent androids like him, I was surprised to learn that I could in fact find some part of me still willing to reach out and bond with people. Connor helped fill that painful void, and when Lucas was killed I felt that same void opening back up. And when I saw that happening to Connor I fought with everything I had to make sure he he didn't get lost in a darkness of anger and despair. I almost lost him when Skye was killed, but by some either miracle or sheer luck, I was able to find him and save him before he froze himself to death in the middle of the forest out of grief."

Hank had to take a moment to breathe and collect his thoughts.

"If I lost Connor I would've finally put a damn bullet in my head. That kid saved my life and helped give me a reason to keep living. And now Lucas is back, living out in Boston as a skilled technician, and prefers to be called 'Luke'. These two as brothers have never been closer. Connor found a sense of peace after his brother came back to him, but he'll always being hurting without Skye. Hopefully, like me, he'll have someone enter his life pretty soon to help fill that void in his heart so he can begin to heal and love again."

Turning to look at Cole's headstone Hank sighed again but kept his voice level as he spoke from his heart.

"Hey, buddy. I wish you could've met Connor, too. You'd have taken him in as your honorary big-little brother, and I know you two would've been best friends. Then when Lucas showed up you would've been over the moon to have two big-little brothers."

Brushing aside the ice and snow from Cole's name with the same gentle gesture Hank continued to speak in the same, soft tone of voice.

"I know I've told you both everything about Connor and Luke, but it's still not enough. You're the family they'll never get to meet and, you'll never get to meet them. Well," a somber thought entered his mind but he didn't let it affect his tone of voice. "I guess I shouldn't say never. In time we'll all be together again on the other side, and you can finally be properly introduced. But I'm hoping that won't be for a long, long time yet."

Placing his palm down over the headstone Hank smiled as he spoke with his late son.

"You'd be thirteen this year, and I have the strangest feeling that you and Connor would be mistaken for brothers everywhere you two would go. There's so much I never had the chance to teach you, or to experience with you, Cole, but I know I'd be proud of you regardless of what happened and what we did together. I sometimes swear I can still hear you playing in the house, but then I look and it's Connor going about his own routine making the house really feel like a home. It was so empty without you around, and now it feels like a real home again."

As much as Hank hated the idea of leaving the cemetery, leaving his family behind, he knew he needed to go back to the house.

"Connor and I had an interesting experience the other day. I'm nursing a mild concussion and the worst of it's already over, but Connor is dealing with sleeplessness and he's still worried about his friends even though everything is better than it's ever been back in Detroit."

Standing up from the ground Hank brushed the cold snow and ice from his knees, sighed and placed the red rose down on Barbara's headstone as he took a step back from the two graves with a heavy heart. Pressing his fingers to his lips he pressed the same fingers to Cole's name, then did the same for Barbara as he bid a reluctant goodbye.

"I love you both, and I miss you every day. I promise we'll be together again some day, but until that day comes I'll be thinking about you and living my life as happily as I can with the family I have. It's not the same without you here, but now that I'm not alone it's far more bearable and I don't feel so hollow."

Smiling at the names of his loved ones for a final time Hank bowed his head a little with respect.

"I'll visit soon, I promise. I will always love you and I know we'll be together again as a complete family. I love you Barbara, I love you Cole."

Walking back through the cold snow to the car he let out a sigh and turned over the engine. Cranking up the heat he eased the ache in his hand from the relentless cold and felt a warm peace spread through his heart.

He still had a family to go home to, even if it wasn't the one he pictured himself having, it was still his family.

"This is going to be one interesting year for everyone." Hank whispered as he left the cemetery as he returned to the road and made his way back to the city to check in on his adopted son. "I can feel it, and it feels good."

_**...next story...** _


	199. Waiting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm giving you what you want... :)

Normally Hank wasn't the type of person to get 'cabin fever', especially when recovering from an injury, but for the past five days he had gotten increasingly stir crazy and anxious. To keep his mind busy Hank set about cleaning the house and rearranging furniture, despite the house already being clean thanks to Connor, and then frantically checked his phone as if waiting for an excuse to leave the house. The ever attentive deviant knew that something was bothering Hank, but no matter how much he pressed the matter stubborn human wouldn't admit to anything.

From inside the livingroom Connor had been watching the detective curiously while running a brush through Sumo's fur as he sat on the floor. "Please sit still, Hank. You're still-"

"I know, son. I know." Hank interrupted as he finished rearranging the kitchen cabinets and closed the door. "I'm still healing. But I'm also going nuts from being stuck inside for almost a solid week. But it's January, and in a few more weeks it's going to be snowing even harder and it'll be too damn cold to go anywhere. And I can't stand being cooped up all winter. This entire summer and fall were already cold and wet enough, the last thing I want to deal with is more ice and snow... I hate the winter."

"Are you feeling well?" Connor's brow arched inquisitively as he studied Hank's demeanor from afar.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"You seem unusually distracted and restless. You've only behaved this way previously when we finished taking care of the Corvette, just prior to you revealing it to be a gift to me. Is there something going on that I should either be aware or, that I should pretend to _not_ be aware of? I also hate to ask, but," at first he wrung his hands together nervously before moving them behind his back out of sight. "is this weather affecting your memories regarding the... 'accident'?"

"I won't deny it, but, yeah. I can't help but think about Cole and all that jazz. But it's not as bad this year as it has been the previous few years, so that's something I guess."

"That's good to know. But, is there anything else upsetting you, or at the very least bothering you to some degree?"

"Uh... It's complicated. And," lifting up a 'shushing' hand the detective expertly stopped the question before it was asked. "I don't want to talk it, and since it revolves around something that's really none of my business, I don't have the right to talk about it."

"I will respect your privacy. I won't ask anything else if you don't want to talk about it."

"Good. Besides, I need to focus on getting everything back on track before the damn weather makes it too unbearably cold to do anything worth while."

Understanding Hank's discomfort, in both his restlessness and disdain for the cold, Connor openly empathized and offered up a suggestion as he put aside the dog brush and joined Hank in the kitchen. "Have you finished sorting through your storage unit?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Hank was now checking inside the cabinets beneath the sink for... something. He began sorting through the bottles and chemicals beneath needlessly to try to keep his thoughts preoccupied. "In fact, I have everything sorted; what to keep, what to donate and what to toss out."

"Did you need-" Connor stopped short as he suddenly received an unexpected cybernetic message from Skye Tower. "...Oh."

"Oh?" Hank stood up slowly and wiped his hands off on his jeans. "What's 'oh' about?"

"I just got a message from Pamela."

"...Pamela? Why do I know that name?"

"She's the receptionist deviant volunteering at Skye Tower."

"Right, right!" Hank suddenly remembered the female deviant he had walked past several times without actually chatting with her. "I know her. What's up?"

"Apparently Abby has gone into labor."

" _Oh_?" Hank repeated, his blue eyes suddenly going bright as a grin appeared on his face.

"She is currently at the tower, and is requesting my assistance to take her to the hospital."

"The tower?" His eyes remained bright though he was now a little confused by the revelation. "Why's she out there? She should've gone on maternity leave two months ago."

"This morning she began experiencing contractions and decided to take Aria to the daycare center at the tower before driving herself to the hospital. As of this moment she is experiencing too much discomfort to drive safely, and would like my assistance." Folding his hands together Connor's brow furrowed with his own confusion at the situation. "Why didn't she call Gavin first?"

"Probably because that baby isn't his, she's playing surrogate for another family." Hank replied very sharply, almost defensively. "Why don't you go take her to the hospital, get her situated comfortably and then let Gavin know so he can go take care of Aria and meet up with her at the hospital later?"

"Very well. Are you going to join me?"

"Nah. Right now's the right time to take care of everything in my storage unit. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay, that is logical." Returning to the livingroom to slip on his shoes Connor called out to the detective as he slipped on his leather jacket opened the front door and pulled his car keys from his pocket. "I will keep you posted Abby's condition."

"Yeah, I'll be waiting to hear the good news!"

Connor was a little surprised by Hank's suddenly upbeat mood, but he didn't pay any attention to it. Right now his priority was getting his friend to the hospital and ensuring she was safe and comfortable.

"...Human emotions are very peculiar." The deviant commented to himself out of Hank's ear-shot. "I should be wary of such behavior in myself."

* * *

It didn't take long for Connor to arrive at the tower and escort the laboring technician, and friend, to the car to be transported to the hospital. It took even less time for her to be admitted considering she was delivering a second baby after her first baby was a precipitous labor. The odds of a rapid labor and delivery were much higher than average, though Abby seemed to be experiencing a much slower progression the second time around. Lucky for her the doctors weren't taking any chances.

As Connor and a nurse escorted Abby to her room in the wheelchair to rest, he allowed her to grip onto his hand with each of her waning contractions and kept her company in her room.

"Do you require anything?" The kind deviant asked as he and the nurse helped her to climb into the bed. Connor then sat in the chair beside her bed and watched her progressing labor very carefully for any sign of distress. "Should I call Gavin for you? Perhaps get you some ice?"

With an I.V. running into her arm Abby was given fluids to remain hydrated and a small dose of antibiotics to prevent any possible infection after giving birth. Abby was also hooked up to a cardiac monitor that would race along with her heart rate with each painful contraction she endured, along with her briefly elevating blood pressure. A fetal heart monitor was wrapped around her full term belly under her hospital gown recording the unborn baby's vitals as well. The baby's heart rate was faster than Abby's but normal, and stable just as she was.

Breathing through her latest contraction Abby leaned back against her thick pillow and sighed. "...If you could call Gavin and let him know what's going on I'd be appreciative." Giving the deviant a pleading stare she rubbed her hand over her large, uncomfortable belly and shook her head. "But if you could tell the nurse that I'm ready for the epidural I'll forever be in your debt."

"I will do so. I should only be a moment."

"I'll be here..."

Taking his leave of the room Connor sent a cybernetic message to Gavin's phone to inform him that Abby had gone into labor and that Aria was safe at the tower's daycare. Locating a nurse Connor let her know that Abby was in need of some pain medication and the nurse made a note in the laboring woman's electronic chart to tend to her promptly.

"We'll take care of her pain." The nurse smiled warmly as she gave Connor an intrigued look. "I also see that she is a surrogate. Do you know where the parents are at the moment, or have their contact information?"

"I do not. I don't even know their names."

"Alright, we'll get that information from Abby later. The doctor is also confident that it'll be at least another six hours until the baby is born, so there really isn't any rush to get them here."

"Of course." Curious and obviously worried for his friend he asked the nurse another question. "She has had a child before and the labor was precipitous. Is there any complications we should be worried about?"

"Aside from a possible second precipitous labor, and some hemorrhaging, not really. But don't worry, hon, we're ready for anything that can come our way." She put her hand on Connor's arm for a moment to reassure him. "Both the mother and the baby will be just fine."

"I'm certain everything will be alright." The deviant stated calmly as he received a cybernetic message from Gavin. The reply was prompt which made Connor relax a little as he spoke to the nurse again. "Thank you for your help. I have informed her husband of Abby's admission, and he is on his way. Please excuse me."

Isolating himself in an unoccupied space just down the corridor Connor closed his eyes and made a cybernetic call to Hank.

' _Yeah, kid_?' Hank's voice sounded unusually energetic as he spoke. He rarely ever answered phone calls in such a way. ' _Everything okay_?'

"Abby has been admitted and is in stable condition. I have informed Gavin and will soon contact the parents on her behalf."

'... _So, everything is pretty normal_?'

"Comparatively so, yes. Why do you ask?"

' _Just curious_. _Look, I'm almost finished here at the storage unit and I'll head out to the hospital to visit_.' Hank paused as if needing to catch his breath. ' _She's at St. Vevila Hospital, right_?'

"Correct. Do you require any assistance at the storage unit? You sound tired."

' _Nah, I'm good_. _I'll have to take a few trips back and forth between here and the house to get everything moved, but it isn't anything that I can't handle on my own_.'

"Very well. But if you need help just ask and I'll be there as soon as Gavin, or the parents to the baby, arrive."

' _Cool_. _I'll see you three soon_.'

"...Three?"

Ending the call discreetly Connor resumed walking down the corridor without drawing any unwanted attention seeing as androids and humans were treated equally at the hospital. Returning to Abby's room casually and calmly Connor reclaimed his seat next to her bed to confirm that he had taken care of everything as she had requested.

Laying on her side Abby stared at the kind and protective deviant with pained eyes as she endured the needle to her spin as the epidural was administered by her doctor. "...I'm glad you're here, Connor."

"Of course. You're my friend, I'm always happy to help you."

"That's sweet, but that's not quite what I was talking about."

"Oh?"

"I don't want to give birth to this little guy," she was rubbing her hand over her belly slowly. "all alone."

"You won't be alone." Speaking with confidence and reassurance the deviant remained positive. It was a natural instinct that he had acquired as his emotions steadily evolved throughout his deviancy. "Do you want to inform the parents that you are now in labor?"

"...Sure. I guess."

"Who are they? I will call them on your behalf."

A sly smirk appeared on her face as she looked over at the occasionally naive deviant and locked onto his soulful brown eyes. "You're this amazing detective and have handled hundreds of cases, solved dozens of mysteries and you're one of the most clever people I've ever met; but you can't figure this one out?"

"...No." Connor's brow furrowed with a mixture of confusion and curiosity as he leaned forward a little in his seat. "You said I know the parents, the mother is no longer able to have children of her own, the parents are friends of yours, and you expect that only the father would be present during the birth."

"That's right."

"I doubt we run in the exact same social circles, Abby. I cannot think of anyone who fits that description, or of anyone who wished to have a baby of their own."

"You _seriously_ don't know?"

"No." The deviant admitted defeat as he continued to watch over Abby. "...I do not."

"Connor." Abby sat upright awkwardly and happily took the deviants right hand and gently put it against the top of her belly. She held it there under her own hands affectionately. She smiled very warmly at Connor and finally told him the truth. "This is _your_ baby. _You're_ the father."

_**...next story...** _


	200. Introductions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the wonders of science fiction, pseudo science and the ever popular "Whatever! I write what I want!", I give you the explanation as to "How?" you've been very patiently waiting for. Enjoy!

Father.

The term and reality was so familiar for humans, and yet it was a seemingly impossible role for an android to take upon himself.

But not anymore.

Connor was awestruck and stunned by Abby's words. As she held his now trembling hand against her belly Connor almost jumped when he felt the small baby kicking against his palm, and a sudden weight pressed against his heart as it began to thunder in his chest. Breaking his gaze from Abby's eyes he looked down at her belly under his hand and looked back up at her as if expecting her to say something else.

"...H-How..." Connor stammered and immediately trailed off with awkwardness as he stared at her with utter loss in his eyes. "...I-I don't... This is impossible!"

"Connor, it's going to be okay." Abby stated in a soothing voice as she could see that Connor was thoroughly confused, almost frightened. "Listen to me, let me tell you what happened."

Unable to move, let alone speak, all he could do was stare at Abby with his absolute full attention.

"That D.N.A. sample that I took from your blood ten months ago gave me a look at your technical aesthetic parameters." She spoke with such a confidence that it was enough to keep Connor grounded as he listened. "When I finished analyzing the sample with Dr. Wilson we noticed that the parameters were equivalent to the genetic allele markers found in human D.N.A., and like human D.N.A. those parameters can be selected and activated at will. It's connected to the software androids use to alter their hair color and either darken, or lighten, their artificial skin tone."

"...I still don't... Abby, how is this possible? My D.N.A. isn't _organic_!"

"No it's not, BUT with a little clever bio-engineering and A LOT of favors called in, Dr. Wilson and I were able to have some fun with genetics and we discovered that we could apply your D.N.A. parameter markers on a donated human sperm sample and override the human's traits with that of your own. Essentially we theorized we could splice android D.N.A. with human D.N.A. to transfer the android likeness over the organic sample, and to give a _biological_ connection to the android parent despite not being organic, and the baby remaining one-hundred percent human."

A sharp contraction stole her voice and made Connor's hand tense up as he could feel the muscles in her abdomen tighten in response. As the contraction ebbed away Abby breathed steadily and Connor's hand relaxed a little as well.

The deviant was thoroughly was stunned but now understood the incredible breakthrough in the relationships between humans androids. A breakthrough he had the honor of taking part of as the first android to father a biological child.

Connor was going to have a child.

"Abby... You... You did this for me?" Slowly pulling his trembling hand away Connor leaned back in his chair and stared down at his shaking palm in shock. "...I... But, why?"

"Because you're a good guy and deserve to be happy! I know that you and Skye wanted to have kids, and I know that you both would've fought side by side for decades to adopt a child in need. But when she died I know a piece of you died along with her. I will never replace her Connor, but she was my friend and we shared a lot of aesthetic similarities. Just as we altered your D.N.A. to splice with organic human D.N.A., we took a volunteered sample from a deviant who was the same model as Skye and applied the same science to my own egg. I'm carrying the child you and Skye could never have yourself."

"...That's... I... I don't know... what to say." The very human emotions were overwhelming both his heart and his voice. "Other than... thank you, I honestly... don't know what else to say. This is... This is too much to ask of anyone! Even from a friend..."

"It was my _choice_ , Connor. I _wanted_ to do this for you."

"...But, why? It's such a huge sacrifice to... to your body and your free time... even to your ability to work as a technician, and your finances. It's all so much and I can never repay you-"

"Connor. Don't worry about it. I know that by being a single parent with a dangerous career your chances of adopting a child were already low, but being an android made it nearly impossible. It's not fair that you'd be denied a child because of a very outdated and frankly, offensive, view of the law regarding what makes a happy home. And I wanted to help you."

"...Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Connor was still shaking, but logic was beginning to force his emotions back into line. "This is... a shock."

"I know you, Connor. You're one of the most protective guys on this whole planet. If you knew I was carrying your child you would've personally assigned yourself as my private bodyguard against _my_ will. And to be honest, I wouldn't be able to handle being put in a protective bubble for nine months."

The deviant didn't respond. Instead he slowly bowed his head as if he were either ashamed, or frightened of what was happening.

"Connor? Are you going to be okay?"

"...You're giving me... a _child_. That's..." Tears welled up in Connor's eyes and he fought to control a sob of gratitude. "There are no words, no way I could ever possibly thank you enough for this!"

"You finally being able to have a family, and being happy is all that matters." Reaching out for his hand again Abby held on tight. "You're the type of person who'd scale Mount Everest to help a total stranger, when that same person wouldn't bother to cross the street for you. You've done so much to help everyone else, and it's about time someone went that extra step to help you."

"Abby... I..." Still without any words all Connor could do was stand up quickly and throw his arms around her in a tight hug. He held her as tightly as he dared as tears rolled down his face and fell onto the pillow behind her head. "...thank you for this. Thank you."

* * *

Two hours passed by and Abby's labor was progressing slowly, but smoothly. Connor remained by her side throughout the entire ordeal as she neared the time to deliver. After having her epidural Abby's pain had lessened considerably, but she was still very uncomfortable. As she took a small nap to rest a little before giving birth Connor watched her belly with great interest. Putting his hand back over her belly lightly he smiled as tears returned to his soulful eyes and he spoke to his unborn son.

"...Hello, there. I... I didn't know you and I were destined to be together as a family, and I was scared when I found out. But now I'm very excited to meet you. I promise... I promise I'll be the best father that I can be, and keep you safe." Very lightly he leaned forward and pressed his ear to the pregnant belly and listened to his son's heartbeat. "I will make sure you're always happy."

A light knocking on the opened door drew Connor's eyes upward where he saw Hank casually leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest. The excited gleam in his eyes was more abundant than ever as a sly grin appeared on his face. It was then Connor understood why Hank had been so anxious as of late, and sat back in his seat.

"...You knew."

"Yeah... But I didn't know until _two months back_." Entering the room Hank stood on the other side of the bed across from the deviant. "Gavin told me at the precinct while you were doing your own thing on your anniversary, and said that Abby wanted to tell you about it herself. I didn't know she was going to wait until the day of it happening, though."

"I wish I had known earlier. I could've prepared for this."

"Relax, son. I gotcha' covered."

"Huh?" The look of bewilderment on his face was genuine and sweet.

"Why do you think I suddenly started messin' with stuff at the storage locker? I've been sorting through some of Cole's old things and everything's ready back at the house ready to go."

Connor smiled appreciatively as he looked over at Abby still sleeping peacefully in the bed. "Is Gavin here, yet?"

"Yeah, he got Chris to cover his shift and he's with Aria in the waiting room. He said he'd wait outside until it was over since, you know, it's _your_ baby."

Abby groaned in pain and woke up suddenly as her labor progressed slowly and was focusing in her lower back.

"Abby?" Pressing his palm down lightly against her arm Connor gauged her pain level and stood up next to the bed. "What can I do to help?"

"...My back! It feels like all of the pressure is in my back!"

Hank reacted quickly and stepped out of the room as he remembered a few things from when his own wife was in labor. "Hold on, Abby. I know what to do."

Connor was personally at a loss but he wasn't going to let his friend lay in pain alone. Staying with Abby in the room he helped the laboring woman to roll from her sore back and onto her side. As she moved the pressure moved from her spine, but the pain was still relentless.

"Babe?" Gavin entered the room while Hank stayed outside with Aria. "Come on. You can do this!"

"Gavin! Shit this hurts!"

"Yeah, I can tell. Hold up." Compassionately Gavin proceeded to gently rub at her back to try to soothe her discomfort. "You can do this, you did it before with Aria and you did it without any pain killers."

"DON'T REMIND ME."

While Gavin tended to Abby's pain and did his best to comfort his laboring wife, Connor had taken his leave of the room and was pacing anxiously up and down the corridor with Hank watching his every step. As the deviant walked the length of the corridor and back Hank just shook his head as he held the sixteen month old baby in his arms as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Connor. Everything will be fine."

"I hate waiting. I... I don't know what's going to happen."

"I don't think Abby is having any more fun waiting than you are, son. But now that you're about to be a father you'll need to understand patience more than ever."

"I... I know. I'm just... I don't know. Scared."

"You're not the first one to be scared before their child is born. I was petrified when Cole was born, but when it was all over I was suddenly fearless." Seeing that the deviant was stressing himself out Hank tried a new tactic. "Thought of any names for the baby?"

"...No." Connor continued to pace about as his thoughts were overwhelmed by so much so quickly. "I didn't even know I was going to have a child, let alone think of what I was going to _call_ my own child."

"You'll know what to name the baby as soon as you hold them in your arms. That's how I was with Cole. I was leaning toward the name Dylan for a long time, but something about just didn't feel right. Once Barbara and I saw Cole for the first time the name just fit and we never looked back."

"Once I hold my baby... I'm..." The deviant suddenly stopped pacing and stared at Hank. "I'm _really_ going to be a father." Connor beamed happily, only to have his smile disappear as doubts set in his mind. "But... What if I can't do this?"

"Son, you CAN do this. I know you can."

"Why am I so frightened all of a sudden? I... I've wanted a child of my own for so long, but now that I have one on the way I'm suddenly so scared and full of doubts."

Hank couldn't stop himself from smiling as he stood before Connor and put his hand on the back on Connor's head to hold him still. "Because that's what EVERY 'soon-to-be dad' feels. It's normal."

"...Dad." Connor parroted the word and his eyes lit up. He looked at Aria smiling in Hank's arms and immediately all of his doubts vanished. "I'm going to be a _dad_."

"Yup." The pride in Hank's voice was palpable and genuine. "It's finally happening, son. YOU get to be a DAD."

"And you're going to be a _grandfather_."

"I think I like the term 'Papa' over 'grandfather', or 'grandpa'. Makes me sound old."

Connor just laughed as Hank pulled him in for a hug.

"You're going to be a great dad, son. I know it."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Reciprocating the hug Connor let out another breath of utter emotion he held tightly onto Hank in a warm embrace, his arm wrapping around Aria in the process. "...I learned from the best."

* * *

After four hours of increasing labor and contractions it was finally time. As Abby squeezed onto Connor's hand with mounting pain and pressure in her abdomen and her back she knew it was time. She was ready to push and the baby was ready to born. Her attending obstetrician checked her progress and confirmed that she was ready.

Hank leaned over the bed and gave Abby a small kiss on the top of her hair before he excused himself from the room. "I'll be outside with Gavin, good luck Abby." Turning to look at the deviant with a proud smile he pointed at the deviant with a knowing glance. "Connor, I'm happy for you."

Gavin held Aria in his arms as too leaned down and kissed Abby on the cheek and gave her hand a final squeeze. "Hang in there, babe. You got this!"

As the two detectives took their leave of the room the doctor helped Abby place her ankles up in the stirrups at the end of her bed. The attending nurse adjusted the head of the bed so Abby could sit upright and lean forward slightly into a more comfortable position as she pushed. Ready for everything to finally happen Connor held onto Abby's hand as she prepared to push and give birth.

"Alright, Abby." The doctor was dressed in teal scrubs with latex gloves over his hands, his demeanor spoke volumes of years of professional experience. Taking his position at the end of the bed he gave the laboring woman a nod. "You know what to do. When you feel the next contraction bear down and push for as long as you can."

"Yeah, okay." Abby panted as she tightened her hand around Connor's hand. Looking up at the deviant while the nurse wiped sweat from her brow she gave Connor an amused glance. "You were there when Aria was born, are you ready for this?"

"I am." Connor confirmed with a level, confident voice as he tightened his hand around her hand in response. "I'm ready to be a _father_."

"Okay." The doctor called out as he watched Abby's progress. "Push!"

Abby held her breath and bore down with everything she had as she began to push with the next contraction. As she pushed with all her strength Connor supported her and waited for any sign of the baby, _his baby_ , to arrive.

"Good, very good. Just like that, push again!"

With each push the baby was closer and closer to being born, and with that Connor was closer and closer to finally becoming a father.

"Alright, the head's crowning." The doctor announced as Abby let out a sharp pained yelp in response. "This is the worst part, but you can do this!"

"FUCK." Abby swore loudly as she panted and waited for the doctor to ease the head out. Her hand tightened like a vice around Connor's hand, and he let her squeeze as much as she wanted. "The epidural is wearing off! I should've asked for a double-shot!"

"Almost there..." The doctor encouraged Abby as the nurse placed a cool cloth against Abby's forehead and helped the laboring woman by supporting her body in a more upright position on the bed. "Push again!"

With the next push the first shoulder slipped through and then the second. One final push was all it took for the tiny newborn to slip into the doctor's hands and begin to wail loudly as he took his first breath of life in the world.

"It's a healthy boy." The doctor announced proudly as he tended to the newborn and the nurse took care of Abby. Holding up the squirming, crying baby in his hands toward Connor he smiled at the deviant and asked him a question he wasn't expecting. "Would the father like to cut the cord?"

Connor's eyes were filled with tears as he looked at his newborn son, his hand slowly letting go of Abby's hand as he was presented with the sharp, sterilized surgical scissors. "...Yes."

With a quick snip of the scissors Connor felt a strange sense of pride and completeness enter his heart as he cut through the tied off cord and stared at his newborn son.

The doctor quickly cleaned up the baby and swaddled him in a soft, white towel before he handed the baby over to Connor. "Congratulations, Mr. Anderson. Here's your son." Making sure Connor had a supportive hold of the newborn the doctor turned his attention back to Abby. "You're both doing well, Abby. Take a moment to catch your breath and we'll take you up to recovery."

The swaddled newborn quieted slowly as he settled into Connor's warm arms and opened his dark blue eyes for the first time. It was as if the baby knew that Connor was his father and was instantly calm by seeing him. Feeling safe and secured in the deviant's protective arms the small baby looked content.

Sitting down in the chair beside the bed before his shaking legs gave way underneath him, Connor smiled and looked over at Abby proudly. "Abby... He's beautiful."

"He looks just like you." She grinned as the nurse tended to her and wiped the sweat from her forehead. "But, you know, _smaller_."

"Thank you for this, Abby." Connor held the baby closer to his chest in a warm hug. "Thank you for everything..."

"You're welcome." She smiled almost as brilliantly as Connor as the doctor and nurse readied her to be taken out of the room and into her own private recovery room elsewhere. "Talk to him. You two need to be properly introduced."

Looking down at the small baby who was looking back up at him the deviant took in an emotionally calming breath and let it out slowly. He didn't know what to say, or how to begin. It was all so new. "...What do I say?"

"How about... 'Hi'?"

Finding the courage to finally speak to his child Connor held him tightly and glanced down at the newborn lovingly.

"Hi, Henry." Connor beamed with his seldom seen full smile on his face with tears of joy glistening in his soulful brown eyes. Holding his swaddled newborn son closer to his chest and against his heart Connor began to cry with unspeakable happiness as he looked into the infants dark blue eyes. "I'm your dad."

_**...next story...** _


	201. Homecoming

It was finally over.

Outside the room Hank was standing against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, and Gavin was holding Aria on his hip beside the waiting detective. The shrill cry of the newborn made Hank smile and laugh a little as he knew his grandchild had been born at last. Gavin could see the proud smile on Hank's face, but didn't say a word.

As the door to the room opened Abby was wheeled out to be taken into a private recovery room, Gavin following right after her, he grabbed onto her hand and held tight affectionately. Looking toward the still opened door Hank took a step forward and peered inside the room and smiled as he saw Connor sitting in the chair with his newborn son in his arms.

"Connor?"

With tears of joy in his soulful brown eyes Connor looked up at Hank and laughed a little as he spoke. "...It's a boy."

"...I have a _grandson_." Hank almost sighed with tears in his eyes as he joined the deviant inside the room and peered down at the newborn's tiny face surrounded by the soft, swaddling towel. "And he's beautiful."

"His name is Henry." Holding the small baby against his heart Connor gave Hank a big smile. "Henry Cole Anderson."

As soon as Connor said the full name Hank shed his own tears of joy as he put a proud hand to Connor's shoulder. "...That's perfect, son. _He's_ perfect."

* * *

Abby's recovery room was filled with flowers from well-wishers and of course from Connor himself. He had ordered three large vases of flowers to thank Abby, and of course made sure to include notes of gratitude with all three of the deliveries. Gavin had also brought Abby some flowers as he tended to his recovering wife and gave her another kiss for her efforts.

"More flowers?" Abby asked as he handed her the bouquet of dark red roses. Aria was sitting on her lap on the bed and was mesmerized by all the brightly colored flowers that surrounded her, and was giggling loudly. "What's the occasion?"

"Why not? You just brought another human into the world, that's worth _at least_ one bouquet of flowers." Sitting down in the chair beside her bed he grabbed onto her hand and held tight. "What kind of asshole doesn't get his wife some flowers after she gives birth?"

"Probably an asshole who wants a divorce."

"Not me."

"Good. I hate filing paperwork."

"Me too. I have some tequila waiting for you back home."

"God I love you."

"So..." Gavin grinned as he leaned back in his chair casually. "How'd it go?"

"It wasn't any more fun the second time around, but the baby's healthy and Connor is over the moon. So I think it was worth it."

"I seriously can't believe you went ahead and tested that weird-ass theory on yourself. And it actually WORKED."

"Well, officially this surrogacy was the result of anonymous donations. Since this hasn't exactly been approved by the government, and since it's typically frowned upon when people experiment on their bodies with unapproved methods, it's just easier to lie about what happened and keep that baby with his father where he belongs without the government or technicians nosing about."

"I'm not going to argue with that. Fuck those government assholes." Gavin turned his head a little to make sure no one was lurking near the doorway before continuing with his thought. "They won't let people adopt kids into stable homes for trivial reasons, and then they have the nerve to tell people what they can and can't do with their own bodies with their own reproductive rights... Fuckin' perverted control freaks. It's none of their damn business how a kid is brought into this world as long as they're loved."

"And that's why I know this was the right thing to do." Abby sounded entirely confident in her decision as she adjusted Aria on her lap. "Connor is going to be a great father, that baby _will_ be loved."

* * *

 

 

Henry was given a quick examination and deemed perfectly healthy by the medical staff the following morning, and Connor was given permission to take his son home at long last. Hank had thought of everything and brought some clean baby clothes for Henry to wear and a loaded up diaper bag just in case. Before he even arrived at the hospital Hank had secured a baby-seat in the back of the Oldsmobile, seeing as it was safer than the backseat of the Corvette, and taken the Corvette so Connor could drive the Oldsmobile back home.

After a few choice words of confidence Hank assured Connor that the small newborn was safe in the baby-seat and ready to be driven home.

Once back at the house Connor proudly lifted up his son from the baby-seat and carried him inside through the backdoor of the house where he was promptly greeted by Sumo's cold wet nose pressing against the side of his leg. The massive dog saw the small human in Connor's arms, heard the tiny noises coming from Henry and was instantly curious, but not aggressive toward the infant.

Hank followed inside the house after Connor and locked the backdoor. "Welcome home, Henry. It's not much but, it's all yours."

Connor stopped short and a wave of disbelief mixed with appreciation washed over him. "...You brought Cole's old items from the storage unit."

Numerous furnishings designed specifically for an infant's needs were strategically placed around the house. A highchair in the corner of the kitchen, a small plastic swing in the corner of the livingroom, a soft blanket to lay on was neatly folded on the coffee table and the sink was filled with freshly cleaned bottles.

"How did you do all this in less than two hours yesterday?"

"I had a little help from Joel. I told him the good news and he was more than ready to help us out since he wanted to thank you for fixing his car. Also, he didn't have to worry about keeping it a secret from the rest of the _precinct_. Just the other technicians in the dispensary during the night shifts or at the tower."

"Secret?" Connor adjusted his arms a little to hold Henry up against his chest again. The newborn's hand rested against Connor's supporting hand and began squeezing at his index finger, which Connor happily let Henry grab onto. "Why would it be a secret? Henry is here now."

"Well, technically it was a secret until _you_ knew. But even though it's not a secret anymore it's still your news to share to everyone else when you want."

"I'd rather not say anything until I've had a little more time to process things. It's still a little overwhelming."

"Yeah, I get that." Putting his hand to Connor's shoulder Hank gently pushed him toward the hallway. "I hope you don't mind but we went ahead and set up the crib in your bedroom for ease of access."

"No, that's perfect."

Entering his bedroom Connor eyed the bright white crib lined with a soft padding to keep Henry warm and comfortable. A stuffed dog, one that looked like Sumo, was sitting in the crib just waiting to be played with. There was even a small changing station set up beside the crib with six boxes of diapers sitting on the floor beside it.

"You are really prepared for this." Connor smirked appreciatively as Henry squirmed about a little in his arms and made small noises. "I'm glad you're here to help me out with this. I have a lot to learn about being a dad."

"Of course I am. You're my son and he's my _grandson_." Glancing down at the small stuffed dog sitting inside the crib Hank immediately thought of Cole and he felt a twinge of ache and pride in his heart. "I'll help you for as long as you need me."

"...That might be forever."

"I'm willing to take that challenge."

* * *

For almost an hour Connor just sat on the couch with Henry still wrapped up in his arms in his brand new blue 'onesie' and soft green blanket. Sumo was curled up on the floor at his feet protectively. Hank joined the proud new father on the couch and handed him a bottle with fresh formula to feed to Henry and keep his newborn grandson content. Reminding the deviant of the proper technique for holding the newborn and presenting the bottle to the baby in order to get him to latch on, Hank just patiently watched and smiled as Henry responded well to the feeding.

"Who knew that day you found the newborn abandoned on the front step you were just practicing for this moment?"

"I'm still finding it difficult to fathom that I'm actually a _father_."

"It was bound to happen sooner or later, son. You wanted a child of your own for so long and you're too stubborn to just give up on something like that."

"Thank you for getting everything ready for Henry's arrival." Careful to not let Henry drink the formula too fast Connor stared at his son with awe. "I'm also glad you were so calm during all of this."

"I have experience in this area while you're still just learning. Don't worry though, you'll catch on quick."

A soft knocking on the front door stole Hank's attention while Connor remained focused on feeding Henry. Standing up from the couch he made his way to the door and greeted the visitors with a happy tone of voice. "Markus, glad you made it." Noticing that he didn't come alone he stepped aside and let the group inside the house. "And I see you brought everyone else."

Markus, North, Simon and Josh all walked inside the house bearing small gifts for Henry in their hands, and looks of absolute astonishment on their faces.

"It's true." Markus stood beside the couch and looked down at the small baby in Connor's arms. A massive smile of empathetic love went out toward his friend, and his growing family. "Connor, you really have a _son_."

Connor smiled brightly without taking his eyes from Henry. "I'm just as surprised as you are."

"Wow... Congratulations! This is incredible!"

North peered over Markus's shoulder at the newborn and wasn't quite sure what to say. She had no contact with human children, let alone human babies. Unsure of what to say or how to act she just stayed behind Markus and quietly observed.

"I brought something for the baby." Holding up a small canvas Markus showed Connor a painting of a sunrise that he had finished in record time when he learned of Henry's birth. "It's not much, but Carl always gave out paintings as gifts to his closest of friends when he was proud of their accomplishments."

"That's very kind of you." Connor couldn't accept the painting since his hands were full but his gratitude was sincere. "You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it all the same."

Simon cleared his voice a little as he placed a bundle of brand new 'onesies' and a box diapers down on the floor beside the couch. "It's been a while since I had a child to look after. I forgot how small they are..."

Josh wrapped his arm around Simon's shoulders and smiled. "Well, maybe we can luck out and have a child of our own, too."

Setting aside the bottle Connor adjusted Henry again so he was sitting upright slightly and able to see the guests who had stopped to visit him. "Markus, do you want to hold Henry?"

"I'd love to hold him." More than ready to let Connor pass the baby over to his arms Markus sat in the recliner and happily cradled the newborn with true astonishment. As if on instinct Markus offered Henry his index finger and Henry managed to grab hold and squeeze lightly as he held onto the bottle for Henry to continue feeding. "Wow... You're so lucky, Connor."

"I know. I can't believe it actually happened."

"Well, you deserve to have him." Glancing up at North he gave his wife a somewhat pleading glance. North was pretending to be uninterested in the baby, but she couldn't stop staring at Henry. "What do you think, North? Isn't he amazing?"

"I don't have any experience with kids. I can't really say one way or another."

"You don't need to have experience to admit that this little guy is incredible. His father is an _android_."

"Well," she folded her arms a little over her chest as she peered down Henry's little face. "he does look better than most of the humans in this city. And he does have very pretty eyes."

Connor grinned as his friends admired Henry with genuine interest and kindness. Hank rejoined Connor on the couch and leaned back against the cushion as he too was still processing the new reality that he and Connor were now apart of. While he was already feeling tired from moving heavy furniture the day before, and from getting less than ideal sleep at the hospital, Connor was still very much alert and eager to play his role as a father.

"By the way," Hank stated in a low voice to the deviant at his side. "Rose is going to be stopping by tomorrow. She has some things she wants to give to Henry."

"She doesn't have to do that."

"No, but she wants to. Once a mother, always a mother."

North put her hand on Markus's shoulder lightly as she gave him a pressing glance. "I know you want to stay for as long as possible, but we really need to get back to New Jericho. There's still a lot of work we need to do."

"Yeah, you're right." Carefully Markus passed Henry back to Connor and stood up from the recliner. As the baby was gently placed back into Connor's arms Markus reluctantly took his hand back from Henry's grip. "There's a lot of people passing the tower and we still need to get things sorted out now that the tower is open to everyone."

"I understand." Connor didn't mind their abrupt exit, and knew that their responsibilities to the other deviants was still a priority. "I appreciate you taking the time to stop by and see Henry."

"Don't worry. We'll back again."

Hank smirked and rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "Maybe you guys can babysit when Connor has to go back to work."

"I wouldn't object to it."

Simon spoke up again, almost excitedly. "I know I wouldn't mind!"

"Thank you." Connor supported Henry more upright as he resumed feeding him the bottle. "I'm glad he'll have you all in his life."

Once the gathered leaders of New Jericho had left the house after visiting Henry and congratulating their friend, the day went on calmly and peacefully. That was until two in the morning when Connor proceeded to pace through the livingroom with Henry in his arms and resting up against his chest. The small baby was crying loudly despite being fed and changed, and Connor was unsure of what he could do to comfort his upset son.

"I wish you could tell me why you're so upset." Connor whispered softly to the baby in his arms. "I'm doing my best, Henry. I really am."

"You do know that some babies develop colic, right?" Hank had been watching the deviant pacing about from the end of the hallway and finally decided to speak up.

"Colic." Cybernetically he checked the exact definition of the condition and paused mid step. "A severe, often fluctuating pain in the abdomen caused by intestinal gas or obstruction in the intestines. This conditioned is most commonly suffered by infants." Lightly patting Henry's back Connor tried to soothe his uncomfortable son as best as he could. "How do I help him?"

"Well, whenever Cole was colicky I'd do what you're doing and carry him around until he fell asleep. But sometimes that wasn't enough, and I'd wrap him up in a blanket and just sit up with him for as long as it took until he wore out and finally drifted off to sleep."

Henry was still crying but Connor wasn't deterred by the loud cries. "I'll attempt to do that. Please go back to sleep, I'll be okay."

"Yeah, sure. If you need anything just yell."

Returning to the couch with Henry still crying Connor sat down slowly and took a soft, powder blue blanket from the back of the couch and wrapped it around Henry gently. Laying back against a thick pillow propped up against the arm of the chair Connor let Henry lay flat against his chest atop Henry's little tummy, as Connor continued to lightly pat and rub Henry's back in a soothing manner.

"Shh... It's okay." Offering Henry his finger to squeeze the newborn grabbed on and didn't let go. Remembering how he was able to soothe Aria's fussing when he babysat for her, he too began to sing to his son to comfort him. "...Hold on just a little while longer..."

After about ten more minutes of crying Henry began to quiet and fell asleep against Connor's chest as his father sung him to sleep.

"That's better." Connor whispered and he gave the small infant a kiss atop his head. Retracting his artificial skin from his hands, arms, neck and face Connor held his son closer to him and felt the softness of Henry's skin against his exposed white plastimetal frame. "You're okay, son. Daddy's here."

Sumo had been listening to the crying infant from his pillow in the corner of the livingroom, opposite corner where the baby swing was set up, and lifted up his head at the sudden silence. Getting up from his pillow Sumo walked over to the couch and curiously sniffed at Henry, his tail wagging very slowly.

"Hi, Sumo." Keeping his voice in a whisper Connor acknowledged the loyal dog. "Henry's just sleeping, it's alright boy."

The dog seemed to understand and his tail wagged harder. Returning to his pillow he plopped down with an audibly tired grumble and promptly went to sleep himself.

"...Good boy."

* * *

Connor rested peacefully on the couch with Henry snuggled back down against his chest for the remainder of the night. The small newborn stayed asleep until just past seven in the morning and was awake again. As he let out a small grunt Connor's eyes snapped open and he looked down at his son as the baby became more active, and slightly more alert to his new surroundings.

"Good morning, Henry." Connor's artificial skin regenerated swiftly and he smiled at his son. "I hope you're feeling better today."

As he sat up slowly on the couch Connor tucked the blanket back around the baby and supported Henry's weight in his arms. Carefully swinging his legs over the edge of the couch he stood up with every intention of making Henry a new bottle when there was a sudden knock at the front door.

Henry let out another sound as if to protest the intrusion while Sumo got to his feet and growled at the front door. Connor, feeling more protective than he had ever felt before, walked over to the front window and peered outside with Henry concealed under the blanket and still in his arms.

"Kamski." Daring to answer the door Connor made sure Sumo was at his side as the opened the door to speak to the unwelcome visitor. "What do you want, Kamksi? You're not welcome here."

Sumo growled again and loyally stood at Connor's side.

The reclusive billionaire was standing outside the door in a dark gray business suit with Chloe standing at his side. While Kamski's face remained stoic and emotionally unreadable, Chloe was almost annoyingly chipper as she saw the small baby fussing about in Connor's arms and smiled at him.

"Hello, Connor." Kamski's voice was as cold and unreadable as ever. "I got word that you were 'blessed' with a miracle, and I wanted to see for myself."

"How do you know this?"

Nodding in Chloe's direction Kamski gave the deviant a smug grin as the blonde haired android smiled vacantly at the baby. "Chloe is a nurse, remember? Not to mention the other deviants at New Jericho are rather gossipy. This information was bound to get to me one way or another."

"If you try to do ANYTHING to my son, I swear I'll-"

"My presence is not meant to be a threat."

"Good. If you make a move toward him I will kill you where you stand." Straightening his posture Connor made his body language as threatening as possible to the snake of a man. "Remember, I'm a detective. I know how to make it look an accident, and what to do with the body."

"Easy, Connor." Kamski held his hands up in the air before himself submissively. "I come in peace, I promise."

"Your promises mean nothing to me."

"Fair enough." Kamski cleared his throat as if expecting an apology of some sort, but continued on with his business. "Despite what you think of me I'm not a monster. I don't want to see any harm befall you, your son, or even you 'father'."

"You've seen my son," Connor stated venomously where he stood, Sumo growling again in response. "now you can go."

"Fascinating. Truly fascinating."

Connor was curious about the comment, but he didn't dare express it.

"You truly care about this child. And I can see even from here that he truly is YOUR child. You're actually related... An artificial life form has managed to create organic life in its own likeness. This is-"

"Leave _now_."

"Connor, listen to me. I'm not here to pose a threat or interfere with your life in any means, in fact, I want to assure you that your entire family is now under my protection."

"I don't need your protection. I can protect my family just fine."

"Yes, maybe from small crimes and violence in the city; but you do know eventually the government is going to get curious about the rumors of an android fathering a child with a human donor. And when they come-"

"Kamski, GO. NOW."

"Connor, I'm trying to tell you that when the government tries to make a move I can STOP them, and protect you. They'll never be able to touch you or your child as long as I tell them to back off."

Henry fussed about more in Connor's arms as the tension in the air began to disturb the infant. "...Why would you help us? What's in it for you?"

"There's a reason I went into business privately, Connor. I don't like the idea of the government controlling life anymore than you do. In fact, I believe I will explore this little 'miracle' further. Androids demanded reproductive rights, didn't they?" Kamski asked rhetorically with an arrogant sneer. "I think this could be a great way to get the ball rolling on android rights with adoption and reproduction. I'm not exactly a family man, but I don't want to see people suffering on the streets because of broken homes and broken, outdated laws."

Henry was becoming more alert and Connor took a step back from the door and into the livingroom. "I don't care what you want to do, Kamski. Just leave me and my family alone."

"Not to worry, I'll be going on my way. My sincerest congratulations to you and your family. Goodbye, Connor."

"Yeah, bye." As he closed the door Connor watched Chloe waving at Henry and Kamski smirking like a madman. Locking the door behind him Connor sighed and made his way to the kitchen with Sumo staying at his side. "Don't worry, Henry. I won't let anyone hurt you..."

It was noon by the time Hank woke up himself. Finding Connor laying on the couch once again with Henry sleeping on his chest and an empty bottle on the nearby coffee table, Hank leaned over the back of the couch and smiled down at the baby. "So, how was his first night home?"

"He slept well." Connor whispered in response as he looked up at Hank. "He awoke after three hours and six minutes."

"How long did it take you to get him to sleep?"

"Not too long. Once I laid down and let him lay against my chest and sang to him he quieted fairly easily, and went to sleep."

"He was probably listening to your heartbeat and it relaxed him."

"My heartbeat?"

"Yup. Think about it, nine months is a long time to get used to hearing the mother's heartbeat throughout the pregnancy. So it's not uncommon for infants to find the sound of a heartbeat just as soothing once they've been born."

"I hadn't considered that. It's a very clever trick to know."

"Anything else happen while I was asleep?"

"...Yeah. Kamski and Chloe stopped by. He knows about Henry and how he came to be."

"How!?" Hank wanted to shout but caught himself quickly for the sake of Henry's peace. "I mean... how could he know about this?"

"Chloe and a lot of android gossip."

"Shit."

"Kamski swore that he would ensure that no one would try to take Henry from me, but I still don't trust him."

"I don't either."

Henry began to stir again and Connor pressed his palm against the infant's back.

"Here," Hank reached his hands down and gently lifted Henry up to hold for himself. As he held the infant to his chest Hank felt a warmth, and a loving feeling that he hadn't know since Cole was a baby. "let me take care of him for a while. I have to go back to the precinct tomorrow, so I want to bond with the little guy as much as I can until then. And you have another six weeks off thanks to paternity leave, so, it's only fair. "

"I do?"

"Yup. I activated it the other day, so you're good."

"Thanks."

"Rose will be stopping by in a while," he stated in a low voice as to not disturb Henry as the infant snuggled down against his chest. "why don't you get some rest?"

"I'm not tired."

"That's what _every_ new parent says. But _you are_. Go get some sleep, I can handle Henry by myself for an hour or two while you rest."

"I suppose you're right. It wouldn't be beneficial to either of us if I become exhausted or overheated."

As he rose from the couch Connor watched Hank walk into the kitchen with Henry resting against his chest and smiled at the bonding duo. Hank was just as thrilled to have Henry in his life as Connor was. Even Sumo was very interested and proceeded to follow after Hank as he carried Henry, instead of clinging to Connor he usually did as he the dog new the tiny infant needed protection.

"Good boy, Sumo. You keep him safe."

* * *

It felt like only a few minutes had passed when Connor's internal alarm awoke him two hours later. He sat upright on his bed, glanced over at the crib and smirked as he realized that it wasn't all just a wonderful dream, he really did have a son. Returning to the livingroom from his bedroom Connor was greeted by Rose's smiling face as she held Henry in her arms and spoke loving baby-talk to the small infant. Hank was sitting next to her on the couch and was still smiling proudly at the tiny newborn.

The livingroom had been filled with extra blankets, 'onesies', diapers, soft toys, pacifiers and one giant teddy bear that took up nearly the entire far corner of the room itself; no doubt a gift from Tina seeing as she gave a similar gift to Aria last year. It seemed many people had stopped by to congratulate the new father, grandafther and see the baby, but Connor had slept through the entire ordeal.

"Hi, Connor!" Rose beamed as she continued to cuddle with Henry. "I couldn't believe it when Hank told me the good news, but I'm so happy for you! He's a gorgeous young man!"

"Thank you, Rose."

"I brought some of Adam's old clothes and a few spare blankets for Henry to use. I had to keep some things for when Adam has kids of his own, but I couldn't resist bringing a few extra things for this little man."

"I appreciate it." Sitting down in the recliner Connor watched as Rose and Hank fussed over Henry and felt oddly at ease despite Kamski's unexpected visit riling him up earlier. "And it's nice to see you again."

"I wish I could've stopped by more often, but with Adam in school I have to handle things at the greenhouse by myself."

"I understand. No one can fault you for prioritizing your responsibilities."

Pulling his phone from his pocket Hank noted the time and then motioned for the front door. "Speaking of which..."

There was knock at the door and Sumo, who was laying protectively close to Henry on the floor, began wagging his tail. Connor noted Sumo's more positive reaction to the visitor and answered the door without any fear of encountering Kamski, or anyone like him. As the door opened he took a step back and his eyes went wide with happy surprise.

"Luke!"

"Hello, Connor." Stepping inside the house Luke happily congratulated his brother with a hug while immediately honing in on Henry being held by Rose on the couch. Luke's L.E.D. cycled from blue to yellow briefly as he noticed the newborn and smiled. "Hank told me the good news last evening and I flew back to Detroit as soon as I could get someone to cover my shifts at the facility back in Boston."

"I'm glad you're here, I wish I had been the one to tell you, but-"

"Connor, I'm not offended. I'm very happy for you."

Nodding at his brother Connor motioned toward the couch. "Would you like to meet your nephew?"

"Of course," Luke looked as proud as Connor. "it'd be an honor."

Rose happily passed Henry over to Luke's awaiting arms as the blue eyed deviant knelt down beside the couch. Still a little wary of small children, but more than willing to overcome his personal discomfort for the sake of family, he held perfectly still as the tiny baby was placed into his arms. Standing upright very carefully he looked down at Henry and smiled as he noticed that the baby had Connor's dark hair color showing through, and his eyes were the same shade of blue as Hank's eyes.

"He truly looks like you, Connor. This is astounding."

"With his eyes currently being blue he bears a strong resemblance to you, as well, Luke."

"That's another honor for me."

Hank glanced up at the deviant and he noticed that Connor's complexion seemed lighter than usual. "You alright, son?"

"Hm?"

"You look a little pale."

"Oh." Connor briefly blushed but quickly recomposed himself. "I reinstalled the update as I slept to appear and respond more humanly, and it now reflects my lingering fatigue. It turns out you were right, I was in fact quite tired."

"You put the update back? Why?"

"I want to be able to understand Henry as much as possible as he grows up. The best way to understand someone is to empathize with them, and I now know that goes beyond just feeling emotions. Physical sensations and responses are crucial too, no matter how uncomfortable they may be."

Words couldn't express how proud Hank was to see Connor make such a personal sacrifice for his own son. There was no doubt that Connor was going to make an excellent, caring father for little Henry.

"Well, the good news is with Henry it'll happen steadily over the next couple of years, instead of in a few weeks like it does with you androids. You won't be overwhelmed this time around."

"I certainly hope not. I can't risk being compromised, physically or emotionally, now that Henry is depending on me." Connor looked over to his son lovingly as Luke held the baby in his arms. "He needs me."

"You can handle it, son." The reassurance in Hank's voice resonated throughout the entire livingroom as he spoke. "You've survived a world changing revolution, worked on the force for three and half years, been injured more times than I care to count, you've been sick and you've experienced more heartache and hardship than anyone else I know. You're strong. But if you need a helping hand you know I'll be there. Besides, when it comes to fatherhood, you're already a natural."

Connor happily stood beside Luke and looked down at his son while beaming proudly at Henry's face. "Thanks, dad."

_**...next story...** _


	202. Life With Henry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a loooooooooong chapter. 54,000+ words, so get ready to sit for a spell! The longest chapter in this entire series.
> 
> Also link to an illustration: https://www.deviantart.com/kt-jadeblaze/art/Life-With-Henry-792487106

_**Henry's First Week:** _

"You're certain about this?" Connor asked from the front passenger seat of the Oldsmobile as he looked into the backseat where Henry was safely secured to his baby-seat. "I'd rather remain at home with the items and the gifts that had already been provided for Henry."

"Trust me, son." Hank gently pulled the car into park and turned off the engine. "Henry is going to outgrow those clothes a lot quicker than you think. Grab a few extras and some more boxes of diapers, and you'll be able to stay holed up at the house until your paternity leave is up."

"Alright." Opening up his door Connor closed it without slamming it before opening the rear passenger door. "Hi, Henry."

The small baby was completely indifferent to the world around him as Connor slipped on the baby sling over his chest before unclipping Henry from his seat. As he gently secured Henry to the sling, his little legs sticking out either side of the supportive sling, Connor grabbed the green blanket and wrapped it around the baby to protect him from the cold, before wrapping the lapels of his jacket over top the baby as well.

"Come on, kid." The detective encouraged as he neared the entrance of the massive store. "The sooner you go inside, the sooner you can leave."

Taking a deep breath Connor looked down at his son and relented. "I'm right behind you."

As the duo stepped inside the store designed specifically to cater to the needs of infants and toddlers, Connor found himself being the target of numerous stares and smiles from the people already inside.

"...Why is everyone looking at me?" The deviant whispered in a shy voice as he put his hand behind Henry's head and held him close. "I don't like it."

"They're staring because you're an attractive guy with a newborn baby strapped to your chest. Right now you're irresistible to single people wanting to settle down with their own family."

"...They want to date me?"

"Something like that."

"I can't do that, I'm still bonded with Skye."

"That's okay, son. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. Just grab a few things for Henry and we'll get out of here and back home."

"Okay."

Hank stayed by Connor as the new father set about locating several larger sized 'onesies', as well as larger shirts and shorts to purchase for Henry. As the deviant focused on grabbing what he needed Hank made an effort to keep himself between Connor and prying eyes from people who were 'interested' in Connor for the sake of the shy deviant's sanity.

"There's always extra diapers at the front of the store." Taking notice of all the people watching Connor, particularly a woman that gave Hank a red flag, he decided to take some initiative. "We can grab those after you get a few more clothes."

"Of course."

Clearing his throat Hank grabbed his wallet from his back pocket and reached into the worn out, leather object to retrieve a small golden ring. "Hey, kid. Put this on your left ring finger."

"What?"

"Just do it." Hank placed the ring down in Connor's left hand and patted his shoulder. "It's my wedding band. Keep that on your finger and just tell people you're married, and show them the ring. It'll help keep them away."

Connor looked down at the ring in his hand and gave Hank an odd look. "This is really your wedding ring?"

"Yeah, it took me about two years before I could finally take it off. But I kept it close to me ever since."

"...Thank you." Discreetly Connor slipped the ring on his finger as requested, granted it was a little too big but he kept in place, and resumed his shopping. "I appreciate this."

"Sure." Moving Connor's left hand so it was supporting Henry's back, the ring now visible to everyone who looked over at him, Hank gave him a subtle nod. "And remember, the ones who don't have any respect for your marriage are the type you NEVER want a relationship with under any circumstances."

"...I'll remember that."

"Good. I'm going to go see if I can find a few extra blankets for Henry. This winter is going to be brutal and I don't want him to get a cold."

"I'll meet you up front."

Keeping one hand on Henry's back Connor made his way through the store and grabbed what he needed. Carrying the items under his right arm and right hand Connor felt more confident and could see several people taking notice of the wedding ring and look away from the deviant disappointingly. However, one woman didn't seem deterred. As she made her way toward Connor in a less than subtle manner Hank took notice and wanted to intervene.

"Alright, son." Hank stepped between the woman and Connor, not discreetly, and took some of the items under the deviant's arm. "I found a couple extra blankets. Ready to go?"

"Yeah, I think I have enough clothes for Henry."

"How many of these things did you grab?"

"Fifty-two articles of clothing varying in size ranging from newborn to eighteen months."

"Yeah, that'll cover it. For a while, anyway."

From behind Hank the woman, who Hank had been wary of, spoke up and approached Connor very assertively. "Is this your son?"

Connor looked uncomfortable, but he was polite to the woman all the same. "...Yes."

"He's so cute!" She gave Connor the fakest smile that Hank recognized as that of a pathological liar and manipulator. "I bet you're so proud!"

"...I am."

"Shopping without your wife?"

Connor shifted on his feet awkwardly but answered all the same as he rubbed Henry's back with his left hand to ensure she saw the ring. "No. ...She couldn't make it."

"Too bad." Her fake smile broadened and she took a step toward Connor as the deviant took a step back. "I'd never let my own child out of my sight if I could help it. Some people can't appreciate the children in their lives."

Hank was getting mad on Connor's behalf and spoke up. "Where is your kid anyway?"

"Oh, he's at school." She never looked at Hank but kept eyeing Connor curiously, and seemed to be convinced that the deviant was rich since he was buying a large number of new clothes for Henry. "My own son's daddy walked out on us, and we-"

"Sweetheart," Hank rudely interupted and gave the woman an annoyed stare. "don't even try it. You already know he's married, so back off."

She stared at Hank as if he had just given her a righteous dose of reality and didn't like it.

"Ready, kid?" Hank turned back to the deviant and lightly rubbed his hand along Henry's back. "I bet he's ready to go home."

"Yeah. I'm ready to leave, dad."

The woman crossed her arms and gave Hank a dirty look as Connor made his way to the front registers with the clothing he had selected, as well as the blankets. Meanwhile Hank went to grab a box of diapers before leaving, and put them up on the register.

Henry was beginning to get fussy and Connor gently soothed him as he rubbed Henry's back again. "We'll be home soon."

As the items were being paid for the cashier complimented Henry and congratulated Connor on the birth of his child politely, all the while Hank watched as the woman kept staring at Connor. When she made a move for her phone Hank stood in front of her again and showed her his badge as his every instinct as a cop, father and now grandfather put him on edge.

"Put the phone away, before I have you arrested for stalking and harassment."

The woman's face suddenly paled. "You're a cop?"

"So is he." Hank confirmed as he gestured to Connor with a thumb over the shoulder. "And even if he weren't he's still too damn smart to fall for your little scheme. Not mention the fact that if he weren't married he could do FAR better than a lazy gold-digger like you."

"You don't know me!"

"Honey, I've been a cop for almost twenty years. I know everything about you, and I feel like I should let you know one very important thing." He leaned in close to her as he pocketed his badge. "You're _not_ special."

Defeated at last the woman finally backed away and didn't bother with trying to seduce Connor anymore.

Hank met Connor at the exit and grabbed a few of the bags to help carry the new purchases as the two returned to the car to set off for home. Moving quickly to keep Henry out of the cold Connor secured Henry to his baby-seat and clipped the supports into place while Hank put the bags in the trunk. Once the two detectives were back in the front seats of the car Connor breathed a sigh of relief, and Hank turned over the engine.

"Here." Connor slipped off the ring and handed it back to Hank. "Thanks for the help. And for keeping the woman away from me."

"Sure, kid." Taking back his ring Hank slipped back over his own finger for the time being.

"I'd never let anyone like her around Henry. I've also alerted her current location to the precinct."

"What? Why?"

"She is a known criminal with a history of prostitution, drug possession, child neglect, child endangerment, shoplifting and has a warrant for her arrest for numerous unpaid parking tickets."

"...You ran a scan over her?" Hank laughed as he pulled the car out of the parking lot to head for home.

"Of course." Removing the sling from his chest Connor felt an odd sense of satisfaction for identifying the elusive criminal. "She gave me a bad feeling and I decided to perform a background check as a precaution."

"Good work, kid."

"As for her child, he is in the sole custody of his father who moved out of state because she threatened to kill him with a knife, but settled for fifty dollars to leave the premises. She now owes six-thousand dollars in unpaid child support."

"And she had the nerve to..." Trailing off a little Hank decided to let the matter drop.

"I know what you were going to say," Connor replied softly as he turned around to look in the backseat and saw that Henry had drifted off to sleep. "I too was offended that she assumed that Skye was an inattentive mother, or wife."

"Hard to believe we still live in an era where a father spending time with his child automatically means there's something wrong with the mother. It takes two people to make a child, which means both people involved should take care of the child equally. It's NOT weird."

"Did you receive the same treatment when you were out with Cole?"

"Yup. It never stopped pissing me off, and it felt good to tell off one of those judgmental bit-" Hank was making a conscious effort to swear less now that Henry was around. "one of those judgmental _idiots_."

"Fortunately, I won't have to deal with that again for some time. I'd rather remain at home with Henry until he's a little bigger and stronger."

"I don't blame ya', kid. But I'm going to warn you right here, right now; he's going to grow up before you know it." Glancing at Henry's reflection in the rearview mirror Hank smiled again and turned the next block to head home. "But you'll always see him as your little boy."

"I'm looking forward to watching him grow, dad. I want to see what kind of person Henry will become."

"As long as he has you to look out for him he'll be great, son."

* * *

_**Henry: 0-3 Months.** _

Connor took to fatherhood naturally and easily. He spent the first six weeks tending to Henry on his paternity leave with only a few bouts of colic to disturb their usual routines at night. Hank stopped by the store after almost every shift and made it easy for the deviant to keep up on baby supplies without having to leave the house. After changing Henry's diaper and giving him a bath Connor carried the infant back into the livingroom just as Hank returned to the house with a big box of diapers under his arm.

"Hey. How'd Henry do today?" Dropping the box down on the kitchen table Hank made his way to the livingroom ready to take the infant from Connor's arms to hold for himself.

"Well, he's begun consuming more formula than usual which is indicative of healthy growth," he placed a dark blue pacifier in the baby's mouth as he watched Hank walk into the livingroom. Passing Henry over to Hank's hands Connor continued to talk about their day. "he spit up once on my shirt after his first bottle, and then spit up a little more on Sumo after the third."

Hank laughed a little as he looked at the massive bundle of fluff on the floor and saw the still damp patch of fur on Sumo's back where Connor had cleaned him up. "Getting spit up on is much better than 'accidents' during diaper changes. Trust me on that."

"Henry's also begun to show more strength in his limbs whenever I place him on his blanket on the floor, or place him in the crib for a nap. He really seems to enjoy the stuffed dog you bought for him as well."

"Yeah, stuffed animals are almost always a win with babies. They're soft, lightweight and don't break when thrown across the room."

"I'm not looking forward to leaving Henry at the daycare tomorrow." Connor admitted as he watched Henry being protectively cradled in Hank's arms. "But I know I must go back to work."

"He'll be fine, son. Besides, Abby will be stopping by the tower from time to time so I know she'll be watching over him along with the other volunteers. And he'll have a little playmate with Aria. They don't have a biological connection, but they might as well be half-siblings."

"Yeah, the daycare is the perfect place for him to begin developing his social skills. How could you stand going back to work after Cole was born?"

"Not gonna' lie, son," Hank smirked as Henry grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and began pulling a little at the fabric. "it wasn't easy. I'd call Barb on my breaks, or use my phone to 'facetime' with them both whenever I could get away with it. It helped a lot."

"That's a good idea. I'll be able to watch Henry without accidentally smothering him in the process."

"Once you start to blend your work routine with parenting you'll feel a lot more confident about everything, and the worries will begin to ease."

"But never fully go away?"

"Nope. They never will." Henry yawned and the pacifier fell from his mouth as he snuggled in against Hank's shoulder. "So get used to it."

* * *

As much as it pained Connor to do so he took Henry to Skye Tower. He was happy to introduce him to the volunteering staff and very proud to let Abby see him for the first time since he was born and since she recovered enough from the delivery to return to work. Dr. Wilson was also excited to meet Henry and happily gave the small infant a complimentary wellness check; although it was more or less just an excuse to play with the baby, and congratulated Connor with a firm handshake.

"He's doing great, Connor." Abby complimented the deviant as she held Henry in her arms for the first time since he was born. "I'm so proud of you."

"Again Abby, I cannot possibly thank you enough for doing this."

"I was happy to do it, Connor. And I'd do it again. You know, as long as the hospital can give me better pain medication."

"Abby, I was wondering if..." The deviant knew he needed to ask, but it still somehow felt a little rushed. "If you and Gavin would consider being Henry's godparents."

"Wha- Connor, of course I would! I'm sure Gavin feels the same!" Smiling at Henry again Abby stood up on her tiptoes to give Connor a kiss on the cheek. "It'd be an honor."

"...Thank you. I'd ask Luke, but he's so far away and Hank is..."

"I know, Connor. I get it. Remember, it doesn't mean you don't trust them to look after Henry, you're just making sure if the absolute worse case scenario were to happen that your son will be safe."

"...Yeah."

"Connor, it's okay. I'll talk with Gavin tonight after we both get off work. Until then," she briefly passed Henry back to Connor so he could say goodbye to his son before heading on his way to the precinct. "go do your thing. Keep the city safe."

Smiling with a subtle nod Connor gave Henry a kiss on the head and handed him back to Abby. "I'll be back tonight at six fourteen, Henry. I love you."

* * *

Once at the precinct Connor was greeted with a bunch of 'Welcome back!' and 'Congratulations' and dozens of requests to see a picture of Henry. Holding up his right hand Connor showed a display of Henry at the daycare center laying on a soft play mate with a plastic mobile above him. The response was always a collective 'awe' or 'he's so cute', but for Connor it never got old as he was still a proud new father.

As Connor walked by Gavin's desk he gave the Sergeant a nod of respect and the gesture was sincerely returned.

There was an impressive stack of case files waiting for Connor at his terminal, not that he minded. The less time he had to spend in the field the more opportunities he'd have to check in on Henry without it interfering with his investigations.

"Hey, Connor." Chris walked over to the deviant's desk and placed a dark blue stuffed teddy bear on the desk, as well as yet another box of diapers with a red bow on the side. "Congratulations, man. How's fatherhood treating you?"

"I enjoy it. I really do."

Jack, despite being deviant for almost two years, was still unused to human customs and didn't fully comprehend emotions. But as a sign of good will he also congratulated Connor and asked to see a picture of Henry. Seeing the small infant made Jack's head tilt, but upon seeing the happy looks on both Connor and Chris's faces told him all he needed to know to confirm that a new baby was indeed worth celebrating.

Hank noticed that Connor had arrived some time ago, but waited for him to get back into his routine before speaking with him. Exiting the office he approached the desk and handed Connor a tablet to view.

"What's this?"

"Joel wants to see you for a check-up. It's been six weeks since you reinstalled that update without checking in with a technician. It's just a precaution."

"Very well. I'll go see Joel."

"I take it everyone's already seen a photo of Henry by now?"

"Everyone who's asked anyway."

"What about at the tower?"

"He made a good first impression to the volunteers, especially with Abby and Dr. Wilson."

"Not surprised."

* * *

Just as he done before in the bullpen Connor happily showed Joel on his hand a live feed of Henry at the daycare playing as best as he could with his still developing motor skills with the plastic mobile over him. The technician was just as awe struck as everyone else and spoke about how when he first met his girlfriend, now fiance; as she had been divorced and was struggling to raise her two kids alone. He had his own experience with raising kids and had become really attached to them, even considering them as his own.

"Looks like you're still completely healthy, Connor." Joel announced after he finished listening to his chest with the audioscope. "I'm glad all the glitches in that update have been sorted out."

"I am, too."

"And Lily, my intern you met under unusual circumstances some time ago, returned to Digital Sentience and is using the knowledge she gained from her experiences here to keep bugs and glitches under control. It seems like androids won't have to worry about any more shady tactics from groups like CyberLife anymore."

"That'd be nice. I don't think I could handle anymore setbacks or faulty software."

"You should bring Henry by the precinct some time. I know I'd like to meet him in person."

"I'll consider it." Connor replied honestly as he finished adjusting his tie and cybernetically filed his approval for active duty. "Thank you for your help, Joel. Hank told me you assisted him in furnishing the house while I was at the hospital. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Connor. You're my friend, and you help keep my job interesting."

* * *

After his shift ended at six in the evening Connor promptly returned to the tower to pick up Henry and speak with Abby. She told him that she'd discuss things with Gavin and get back to him as soon as she had a firm answer. As the deviant gently picked up Henry he gave Aria some attention as well, and was pleased to see that the two small children were interacting very well together.

"I'm glad Henry isn't shy. I have difficulty with my own shyness at times, I don't think I'd be able to help him very much if we both shared the same trait."

"He'll be just fine." Abby reassured Connor as she took Aria from his arms. "He's tough. Just like his father."

"...And his mother." The thought of Skye made his faint grin disappear for a moment. "Thank you, Abby."

Quietly Connor left the tower with Henry, placed him in the baby-seat in the back of the car, and drove out to a local flower shop. The final step after his purchase was to the church that held the android cemetery in the back of the property. It was a bleak sight to behold, but Connor knew he owed it to both his late wife and his son that they should have the chance to meet in some way.

Carrying Henry in his arms Connor approached Skye's headstone and knelt down slowly. Placing the newly purchased lily down on her grave, and a second one on Lucas's grave next to her the deviant took in a deep breath. Holding Henry in his arms against his chest Connor held back the tears in his eyes as he spoke to Skye in a low voice.

"Hi, Skye. There's someone very important here that you need to know about. And he's beautiful, just like you..."

* * *

_**Henry: 4-6 months** _

In a matter of a few months Henry was beginning to look more like Connor and was undeniably his son. He was sporting thick, dark brown hair and had Connor's fair skin complexion. While his eyes remained blue they weren't as dark as they had been previously and were now the exact same shade of blue as Hank's eyes. No doubt that was a little detail that was intentional for the sake of a deep familial resemblance.

Connor was laying on the floor next to Henry and helping the baby to stand up on his own two little feet. As Henry balanced against Connor's arm he randomly babbled and proceeded to grab for small, brightly colored toys and cram them in his mouth to taste them. As much as Connor hated seeing Henry stick toys in his mouth he knew it was normal behavior and understood that for infants their sense of taste is the most sensitive, and a great way for him to explore the world around him.

Tugging lightly on the oversized squishy green foam block in Henry's mouth Connor replaced it with the pacifier as he watched his son practicing how to balance and making silly sounds around the pacifier in his mouth. All the while Sumo laid on the floor near Connor with his chin down atop his paws watching Henry curiously.

"Hey, Connor." Hank walked into the livingroom with a couple small plastic cups filled with various fruit blends in his hands. One cup was a dark blue shade and the other was reddish-pink hue. "There's six of these in the fridge. Where'd you get these things?"

"I made those. They are pureed fruit blends." The deviant replied as Henry sat down on the floor, then laid on his tummy as he made a grab for Sumo's tail. The massive dog didn't mind and patiently put up with Henry's hands pulling on his fur; Connor making sure he never pulled too hard. "I decided to make Henry's baby food myself to ensure I fully understand exactly what he likes and what he dislikes."

"What is it?"

"The blue container holds blueberries, and the red container holds strawberries."

"Oh. When'd you do this?"

"This afternoon while you were at the precinct."

Henry dropped the pacifier from his mouth and grabbed onto the green block again. As he put the toy back in his mouth Connor just shook his head and picked the baby up from the floor with both hands. Positioning Henry on his hip Connor took the toy from his mouth once more and carried him into the kitchen.

"Henry, you shouldn't put items that aren't edible in your mouth."

Hank just laughed and gave Connor a sheepish glance. "Like father, like son."

Connor flashed an amused grin as he placed Henry in his highchair and tucked a bib around his neck. "I suspect now might be the best time to try new foods."

"Good luck."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see how he reacts if he doesn't like what you offer him."

"I doubt he'll do anything that I can't handle."

Taking the two cups of fruit purees from Hank's hands Connor selected the strawberry and placed the blueberry back into the fridge. As he took a seat next to the highchair Connor dipped a small, clean spoon into the fruit and offered Henry a small portion to taste. The baby turned his head away from the offered food and Connor tried again.

Hank just stood back against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. It was thoroughly amusing to watch Connor trying to feed the little baby while Henry himself wasn't exactly feeling cooperative that day.

"Please, Henry." After a little coaxing Connor was able to get a small amount of the fruit on Henry's lips and the baby responded with a strange curiosity. It seemed the new flavor was appealing. "Do you like it?"

Intrigued by the flavor Henry was suddenly more receptive and made a grab for the spoon in Connor's hand.

Hank saw what was about to happen from a mile away. "Uh, Connor..."

Henry proceeded to pull the spoon in the deviant's hand and shake it enough to send a splattering of red-pink fruit over himself, the highchair, the floor and of course Connor's face. Without flinching Connor just patiently took the spoon back from Henry's grip and used the bib to clear off the baby's face.

"I can't tell if that was a positive taste test, or negative."

Hank just smirked as he walked over to the table and looked at the mess Henry had created. Lightly he pressed his finger to the side of Connor's cheek and wiped away a smudge of the strawberries and laughed. "I think he liked it, but I can't guarantee he liked the way it tasted."

"...I might need some wipes before this is over."

Still laughing Hank patted Connor's shoulder as he walked down the hallway to retrieve the necessary wipes as the deviant wisely suggested.

Trying again Connor put a small portion of the fruit on the spoon and offered it to Henry. This time Henry was willing to actually taste the fruit, but as it turned out he disliked it. Letting out a small grunt of discontent as he made a face Henry again shook the spoon in Connor's hand creating an even bigger mess.

Hank returned to the kitchen to see more of the strawberry puree all over the baby, the highchair, floor, parts of the walls and Connor. "I take it he's not a fan of strawberries."

"Apparently not."

"Don't worry about it. Why don't you try the blueberries instead?"

"What makes you certain that the blueberries will be received more positively?"

"Because _you_ like the taste of blueberries."

"Ah, I see." Wiping more of the strawberries from Henry's face with the bib Connor replaced the lid on the container and swapped the disliked fruit out for the blueberries. Using a clean towel Connor wiped off the residual strawberries from the spoon and opened up the second container and proceeded to offer up the new fruit to the amused infant. "Alright, let's try this."

Henry was still being cooperative and let Connor feed him the blueberries. After the taste had a few seconds to set in Henry let out a happy noise and made another grab for the spoon. This time Connor held a tighter grip to keep a third mess from being made and proceeded to dip the spoon back into the fruit blend.

"You were right. Henry does like blueberries."

"What other fruit did you buy for him?" Hank asked as he took one of the wipes from the container and proceeded to remove the strawberries from the kitchen walls. "Nothing exotic I hope."

"No. I went with more simple fruits for the time being." Happy that Henry was eating well Connor continued to dip the spoon into the blueberries and let the infant guide the spoon to his own mouth in the process. "Strawberries, blueberries, apples, bananas, red grapes and peaches. I had considered watermelon as well, but that would've been a very large amount of fruit. I may pick up some cherries next time, as well as mangoes, kiwis and perhaps pineapples and oranges."

"Are you seriously going to let him taste every single fruit in the world one at a time?"

"Yes." Waiting to see if Henry was still interested in the blueberries Connor turned to look at Hank as the detective moved away from the wall and slowly knelt on the floor to clean up the rest of the mess. "I will move onto vegetables next."

"One at a time, right?"

"Correct."

"Man, when I said you needed to become more patient I didn't expect you to get THIS patient."

"Does this seem excessive?"

"Nah, it just seems like a big project. But if anyone will see it through, it's you."

Henry had enough of the blueberries and shook the spoon again. This time Connor was ready and used his hands to keep the mess from splattering against the walls again, but in turn he became coated under another layer of sticky fruit. Connor looked at Henry's messy face, his own face not faring much better, and got a big smile and a little laugh from the baby as a result.

"Perhaps I'll skip the wipes and go straight for a bath." Removing the bib from around Henry's neck Connor picked up the baby from the high chair and held him in his arms. "Let's go."

"Hey, Connor."

"Yeah?" Turning to face Hank he saw that the detective had his phone up and pointed straight at him and Henry's messy faces.

"Smile!"

* * *

_**Henry: 7-9 Months.** _

Carrying Henry in his arms, the supportive medical sling around his left shoulder making it a tad uncomfortable, Connor prepared to circle the block as Hank instructed, although he still didn't understand why. It was Halloween night and the neighborhood was alive with laughing, screaming children running around and ringing doorbells to go trick-or-treating. Connor had witnessed Halloween a few times before while on patrol, but never once participated in the festivities until that night.

"Why are we doing this?" Connor asked as he walked with Hank at his side. The two detectives were dressed in crude 'Blues Brothers' costumes thanks to their abundance of dark suits, and finding some hats and dark sunglasses while they were out looking for Henry's costume. "We've never participated in Halloween before."

"That's because I'm too old, you're too unfamiliar with the entire concept, and there's too much for me to try to explain in one night."

"What about Henry?" The little baby was dressed in a similar manner, a dark suit, hat and sunglasses for 'the sake of humor', as Hank put it. "He won't remember this night."

"No, but you will. And this is still his first big holiday. He needs the chance to be apart of it."

"I see. But I don't like the idea of walking up to strange houses and requesting candy."

"It's not about the candy, kid. It's about kids having fun and getting to be whoever, or whatever, they want for one night of the year."

"You used to do this as a child as well?"

"Yeah, me and my buddies would stay out as long as we could until one of our parents wrangled us up and took us home."

"And you wore a costume?"

"That was kind of the point." Hank reminded Connor of what he just said about kids dressing up. "Come on. Let's head out to the park, it always looks great during fall."

Connor was still trying to understand the unusual human holiday. It didn't help that when the deviant did cybernetic research on the topic the origins of the holiday and what he was currently witnessing wasn't adding up entirely. Adjusting Henry in his arms so he was a little more comfortable and resting against Connor's warm chest, the deviant accompanied Hank to the park as requested.

"According to my data Halloween is a Pagan holiday designed to honor the memory of the deceased, ward off evil spirits and to encourage charitable donations from the neighborhood. Those who were not generous or refused to donate at all were subjected to cruel pranks or public humiliation."

"Yup."

"But now no one is expected to participate if they don't want to do so?"

"Yup."

"Interesting."

"Traditions change or plain get forgotten over time, kid." Hank smirked as Henry made a few babbling noises and kicked out his legs in Connor's arms. The little baby was staring at the glowing Jack-O-Lanterns along the street with wide-eyed wonder. "Now Halloween is about children having fun with 'make-believe', hanging out with their friends, getting hyper on candy and gaining a sense of independence when they go out with their friends instead of their parents. And adults use these evenings with their kids hanging out with friends, to hang out with their own adult friends. Some will dress up, too."

"I'll remember that as Henry grows up."

Once they reached the park the duo sat down on the bench and looked out at the water as the autumn sunset glowed over the surface, and colorful leaves swirled about them on the sidewalk. There were other kids in the park, too. They were dressed up and playing while their parents were sitting down on another bench to check through their collected candy for any sign of tampering.

"I imagine once Henry is older he'll enjoy this holiday more."

"Yeah. Cole didn't really get into Halloween until he was four. It think that's a pretty average age with kids."

Connor noted the mounting chill in the air and wrapped his suit jacket around Henry protectively.

"How's your arm?"

"The repairs should be completed in the next seven hours. The bullet tore through the main connecting joint between my arm and my shoulder, while also damaging the main Thirium line running down the limb." Tilting his head toward his bad arm Connor offered up an intriguing suggestion. "Perhaps the Kevlar vests should be converted to Kevlar shirts and be given sleeves."

"I'll bring that up at the next H.R. meeting, kid."

As the family admired the beautiful natural scenery around them and listening the kids laughing in the park Connor now understood why Hank loved to bring Cole to the park so often. It was as peaceful as it was gorgeous.

Hank reached his hand out and grabbed onto Henry's little hand where he sat. "I bet he'll love all the glowing pumpkins when we walk back home."

"He does seem to enjoy lights and bright colors."

"Maybe you can sort through some of his toys and see if he has a color preference yet."

"Henry does seem to favor the blue blanket and the blue blocks he plays with." Giving Hank an uncertain glance. "In time I'll make sure his bedroom walls are painted blue."

"Good idea. Come on," patted Connor's shoulder he motioned back to the sidewalk. "it's getting pretty cold already. It's not a good idea to keep him out here."

"I agree. Perhaps next Halloween we can do something more exciting for Henry."

"Absolutely. Kids need to have fun."

* * *

Connor was exhausted as he held Henry against his chest as he sat on the couch in the livingroom. Henry had caught a little cold and Connor felt absolutely miserable on his son's behalf. Rubbing Henry's back gently Connor tried to soothe his sick son and help him fall asleep to rest, but the baby was just as stubborn as Connor and didn't want to rest for longer than a few minutes at a time.

Opening up another book Connor tried to keep reading to Henry, but the little baby wasn't interested in any bedtime stories.

Hank returned home from the store with a grocery bag with some children's medicine inside, and immediately asked about Henry's condition. "How's he doing?"

"His fever is holding at one-hundred degrees even. It's not too high but he is exhausted."

"Is his nose running?"

"No, he's alright at the moment."

"No vomiting or diarrhea?"

"No, thankfully. Just a mild fever and he's tired."

"I bought some children's ibuprofen. It's safe for him now that he's older than six months, but I used to use relatively cool sponge baths to help Cole whenever he got sick to bring down his fever."

"That's a good idea. I'll also offer him some formula that I put in the refrigerator. Hopefully that'll be soothing and help him to feel better."

Hank gently took Henry from Connor and sat down on the couch while the deviant went into the kitchen to get the mentioned bottle from the fridge. Returning to the livingroom he let Hank take over while he sorted through the items in the grocery bag and put them away accordingly.

"I appreciate you postponing your shift to help us."

"It's not a problem, son." Henry slowly took to the bottle and leaned heavily against Hank's shoulder. His hand was wrapped around the bottle and he was looking around the room curiously as he became more alert after his brief nap. "Since he's getting his shots tomorrow you can ask the pediatrician to make sure he didn't catch something a little nastier than a cold."

"I will inquire accordingly."

"Well, Henry seems alert as usual and wanting to play on the floor. Maybe this isn't a cold after all." Hank watched as Henry pushed the bottle away and let out a pained grunt. "Hold on, I think I know what's going on." With a gentle pressure Hank put his finger in Henry's mouth and lowered his tiny jaw. "Yup. He's teething."

"Teething?"

"It hurts and it can cause mild fevers when the baby gets stressed out enough." Hank let Henry chew on his finger a little bit. "It happens to all babies."

"At least it's not an infection."

Henry let out more babbling sounds as he waved his fist around as if annoyed. Placing Henry down on the thick blanket on the floor where the coffee table had once been, Hank watched as the baby resumed crawling about, free at last. He proceeded to make more sounds that were gradually becoming closer to actual words as he honed in on the colorful foam blocks on the floor and began babbling to himself.

"I'll bring back some teething rings after I clock out this evening." Hank volunteered as he knelt on the floor to give Henry a little goodbye kiss before he stood up again to head for the door. "He'll be fine, son."

"What do I do if he becomes too uncomfortable?"

"Give him a cold, wet washcloth to chew on." The detective suggested casually as Hank took his leave of the house. "Works every time and it'll help him cool off while numbing his mouth."

Joining Henry on the floor Connor watched as the baby played with his blocks and let out an occasional pained grunt. "Well, Henry. Looks like I'm going to have to introduce you to brushing your teeth pretty soon. What do you think of that?"

The baby turned to look at Connor, his blue eyes focused right on his dad's face, and babbled again.

"Yeah, I had a feeling you'd say that."

While at the precinct, bored because he and Connor had taken up more rotating shifts so one of them could be with Henry at the house more often, Hank waited for the clock to countdown as he finished dealing with the tedious piles of reports and arbitrary updates from city hall. It didn't help that he knew his grandson wasn't feeling well and would need some additional T.L.C. once 'Papa' got home.

The photograph of Connor and Henry covered in the strawberry and blueberry mess sat on the corner of his desk and always made him smile when he looked at it. It was sitting next to the photograph of Barbara holding Cole, and the sight of his family as made Hank's heart swell.

While overlooking a truly bizarre case of a drunk guy breaking into a repair shop and trying to ride a vacuum cleaner around the store, he got a alert on his phone from Connor. It was a request to 'facetime' and that was something that Connor never did. Accepting the request Hank stared at the screen and caught sight of Henry standing in the middle of the floor with a big red foam block in his hands. His back was to the to the camera in Connor's phone as the deviant filmed his son from where he sat.

"Connor, what's going on?"

' _I thought you'd like to see this_.' The deviant replied casually before calling out to Henry. ' _Henry, can you do that again_? _Walk to daddy_.'

The baby turned around to face Connor and proceeded to awkwardly, but surely toddle his way over to Connor's outstretched hands. His steps were slow and seemed uncertain, but Henry made the journey and collapsed against Connor's chest with a small laugh.

"Ah man... He's walking." The sight made Hank's heart swell even more and suddenly that day didn't feel so boring or glum. "I'm so proud of him."

' _His fever has disappeared as well_. _I think it's safe to say he's going to be just fine as you stated earlier_.'

"That's great news, son. Thanks for showing me his first steps."

' _I'll see you tonight_. _I plan on trying new foods with Henry for dinner. I suspect you might want to take more photos in the event he tries to feed himself again_.'

Hank laughed as he glanced on the photo on his desk and replied with good humor. "Yeah, you suspect right, son."

As the call ended Hank continued to chuckle to himself as he felt better than he had in years.

* * *

After a few weeks of teething and mild fevers Connor had figured out an effective routine and kept Henry quite content.

Connor was stretched over his bed with Henry on his lap and Sumo resting his chin over the deviant's ankles. The deviant was strumming a tune on his guitar much to Henry's delight and the curious baby smacked his hands over Connor's hands as he played. Undeterred by the sound and very interested in new forms of music meant Henry was the perfect audience for Connor's playing.

Hank returned home from the precinct a little earlier than normal and proceeded to make his way into the bathroom without speaking to Connor.

Despite the relatively loud sound of the guitar Connor had heard Hank come home and walk into the bathroom. Sensing something was wrong Connor put aside his guitar much to Henry's dismay and placed the baby down in the crib for a moment.

"I'll be right back, Henry. I need to go check on your Papa."

While Henry babbled loudly and made almost-words after Connor the deviant knocked on the bathroom door and saw Hank sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his hand pressed against his lower back.

"Are you sick?" Connor asked quickly as he pressed his hand to Hank's forehead and ran a scan to check his vitals.

"No, kid. My back's killing me. I almost threw it out today when I helped restrain a suspect."

"How bad's the pain?" Moving his hand from Hank's forehead to his back Connor could feel the muscles tensing up under his palm.

"Pretty bad. I couldn't take sitting at my desk anymore."

"Is your range of mobility limited?"

"No, it just hurts."

"Use a hot bath to ease the tension in your muscles. I'll bring you something for the pain."

"Don't worry about me, kid. I can-"

"I know you can take care of yourself." Connor interrupted now using the same 'dad voice' that Hank had always used on him. "But I want to help you. Please?"

Sighing with amused defeat Hank relented and agreed to the offered help. "Alright, son. You win."

"Well, I was bound to win at some point." The deviant smirked as he reached into the bathtub and turned on the faucet. As the tub began to fill with warm water Connor gave the detective a relieved grin. "Try to soak in the water for at least an hour before getting out. I'll bring you a muscle relaxer and some clean clothes."

"Thanks, kid. I appreciate it."

The hot bath did seem to help, but it still wasn't enough to combat the negative effects of time against Hank's body.

Hank was laying on his bed on his stomach with a heating pad on his back as he tried to ease the tension in his lower back. Laying with his head on the pillow and his eyes on an old book, Hank felt old again and hated that it felt like his body was betraying him. Annoyed and unable to focus on the story despite it being one of his favorites he sighed and put the book aside.

There was a knock on the door as Connor opened it up and let Henry toddle over to the bed. Henry had a child's book clutched in his little hand and wanted someone to read him the story. With moderate difficulty Henry managed to partially climb up the side of the bed to climb on top, but Connor still gave him a helpful boost to make sure he made it.

"Hey, Henry." Hank was more than happy to have his grandson join him while he was down for the count. "How you doing?"

Henry responded with his usual babbling, his sounds ready to become actual words at any minute.

"I made some tomato soup in case you were hungry." Connor stated from the doorway as he watched Henry laying down next to Hank as if he was ready to put himself down for a nap. "Would you like some?"

"Yeah, sure. Thanks son."

"Would you also like me to make an appointment to have your back examined?"

"No, don't worry about it. It's just old age and there's no cure for 'old'."

"You're not old." The deviant stated with a sly smirk on his face. "You're experienced."

"...Yeah, no dice. I'm old!"

Connor knew that Hank was hurting and showing his age a little more, but he didn't want to think about it too much. "Well, you _look good_ for your age at least."

Hank chuckled as he looked at Henry laying beside him and smiled. "Do you hear the way your daddy treats your Papa?"

Henry gave a happy smile to Hank as he babbled a few sounds then something coherent fell out. "Pa-pa."

Connor and Hank's eyes went wide with pride as Henry said his first word and made the old detective suddenly feel a lot better. "That's right." Rolling slightly onto his side Hank pulled Henry in for a hug. "I'm your Papa."

"That was his first word." Walking over to the bed Connor put his hand down on Henry's back and rubbed a little. "Glad I didn't have to 'facetime' it for you."

"Tell you one thing," the detective's smile was broad as he stared at his grandson who was smiling himself, even as he let out a yawn and started to drift off to sleep. Henry laid down on his tummy next to Hank and closed his eyes. "that made me feel a lot better."

Connor was smiling warmly at the sight of Hank cuddling with Henry on the bed. "Still want that soup?"

"Yeah, sure. By the way, we're supposed to be going out to Rose's place for Thanksgiving in a few weeks. I'm sure she has something planned already, but pack extra food for Henry just in case."

"Of course, I'm already prepared."

"Not surprised at all."

* * *

_**Henry: 10-12 Months.** _

A massive family gathering at Rose's house had brought together the unorthodox, but loving family, from Detroit to celebrate Thanksgiving Day. Rose only had Adam, and since he spent most of his time at school she was often alone with only her dog, Titan, as company. It was nice to have a full house of friendly faces and excited conversations taking place all around the welcoming house.

Hank and Connor arrived with Henry early enough to help Rose out in the kitchen; Connor was a surprisingly good cook, and were shortly joined by Adam after he returned home from his girlfriend's house to celebrate the holiday with his mom. An hour or so later Gavin, Abby and Aria had all arrived as well since the small family, who had no extended family to speak of, didn't mind joining in on the holiday.

Aria and Henry were playing together in the livingroom while everyone chatted together in the kitchen and helped prepare the very generous meal. Connor could keep tabs on the babies from the other room very easily, and it was safe to say that the evening was going to be peaceful.

When it came time for the meal Connor had prepared a special selection for Henry since he was still wasn't quite ready for larger portions of solid foods yet, as well as something for Aria just in case. He had also stocked up on extra wipes in case Henry decided to shake around a spoon again, or feed himself in a less than ideal manner.

Fortunately everything went off without any problems, or messes, and everyone just enjoyed each other's company without having to deal with interruptions. It didn't take long for Henry and Aria to wear out from the day's events, and were left to nap on a soft blanket on the livingroom floor side by side.

The evening came to an end and everyone gathered in the livingroom together to chat a while longer.

Abby stared at Henry and shook her head with wonder. "Henry seriously looks just like you, Connor. It's incredible."

"You're the one who made it possible. But can I ask why Henry's eyes are blue, while mine are brown and Skye's were hazel?"

"Because _Hank's_ eyes are blue. I wanted to make sure that the grandfather had some resemblance his grandchild."

"I figured as much, but I wanted to be certain."

"So, his first word was 'Papa'?"

"Yeah, that's Hank's preferred nickname. What was Aria's first word?"

"She said 'dada'." Abby replied with pride as Rose joined the two in the livingroom. "I made sure to dodge that bullet."

"Dodge the bullet?"

Abby gave Connor a sly glance. "I'm going to hear 'mom' a lot when she grows up, so I wanted to make sure her first reaction was to call for 'dad', then me second. That way I won't go insane."

Rose laughed as she looked at the two sleeping babies. "That's a smart move. Wish I thought of that! Adam said 'mama' and that's all I heard for hours on end for four years. I love him, but hearing that all day can drive you crazy." She sipped at her mug of coffee and sighed. "There are times where I really miss it though."

Connor smirked as he watched Henry napping. "He's also taken his first steps, I wasn't expecting it and it took me by surprise."

"When Aria started walking the first thing she did was go after Lucky. Fortunately the cat was smart enough to jump up onto the back of the couch and get her tail out of pulling range."

"Sumo tolerates Henry grabbing his tail. But I make sure Henry doesn't accidentally hurt Sumo when he plays."

Rose smiled again as she remembered that she left Titan with a big bowl of food and water in the laundry room. "I don't think Titan would be so patient. He's never been around little kids and I didn't want to take any chances."

"Yeah, and I don't think Henry is old enough to understand that not all dogs will behave in the exact same manner as Sumo."

Hank joined the others in the livingroom along with Gavin and Adam. The three had been outside taking care of the garbage and decided to admire the cobalt blue Corvette up close and personal.

"Anything happen while we were gone?" Hank asked as he sat beside Rose and discreetly wrapped his hand around hers.

"Nothing more exciting than the babies napping."

"Sounds plenty exciting for me right now."

Connor knew that Hank's back was still hurting him, but didn't want to complain. "It might be best to return home. I don't want to risk Henry's sleep cycle becoming disturbed when I have a shift tomorrow."

"Yeah..." Hank knew what Connor was doing and appreciated it. "Nothing throws off your morning routine more than a cranky baby."

After saying their goodbyes and packing up Henry's things the two detectives set out back to the city with Henry still asleep, even after he was picked up and placed his baby-seat. With Connor driving Hank leaned back in his own seat and closed his eyes to try to ease the pain in his back.

"I still think it's more practical to use the Oldsmobile for Henry's baby-seat."

"Yeah, you're right. We'll switch them back out tomorrow morning."

"How's your back?"

"Sore, but at least I can move again."

"Perhaps a new mattress will help your back."

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure no matter how new a mattress is, I'll stay old."

Connor shook his head a little as he glanced in the rearview mirror and looked at Henry's peaceful, napping face. The reality of Hank's dwindling mortality was making Connor wary at home, and extra careful at the precinct. Ever since Henry had been born Connor's first thought had always been to his son and how Henry still needed him, which made it easier for the deviant to put his life above entering a hostile environment or risking his own life in favor of trying to keep a dangerous suspect from hurting themself.

"What're you thinking about, son?" Hank didn't even open his eyes, he could _feel_ Connor thinking.

"I think I know what I'm getting you for Christmas." He lied quickly, but believably. "Maybe a little sooner than that."

"Don't go out of your way for me."

"I'm not. I'm merely looking out for my father."

* * *

It was Christmas Eve and the house was covered in colorful lights and other decorations that made Henry very happy to look at. Connor was holding up Henry to let him (clumsily) hang large plastic ornaments on the higher tree branches while Sumo watched from the corner. Hank had gone out for some last minute shopping, which Connor knew was a lie to cover up some other secret endeavor, and had just returned with a massive brown shopping bag under his arm.

"The tree looks great, Henry." Hank called out as he passed through the front door and made his way toward the hallway. "Keep it up, I'll be right back."

Connor knew Hank was up to something, but he also knew better than to call him out on it.

As Henry babbled random words Connor handed him another plastic ornament and watched as the baby awkwardly managed to hook it onto the branch. With the final ornaments in place Connor took a step back from the tree with Henry still in his arms and gently shook the baby's now empty hand between his finger and thumb. "Papa's right, it looks great."

Hank returned to the livingroom and put his hand on Connor's shoulder as he stood beside him and admired the tree. "Looks like everything's ready for tomorrow morning. Think Henry knows what's in store for him?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew what he was thinking, it'd make it much easier to communicate."

"He says 'Papa' all the time."

Henry looked over at Hank and repeated the word. "Pa-pa."

"See?"

"He can also say 'doggy', 'yes', 'no' and 'toy'."

"But not 'dad', huh?"

"No, not yet."

"He will. Give him time." Reaching over to take Henry for himself Hank held the baby up to his chest and let Henry rest his little head against his broad shoulder. He felt Henry yawn and his little tummy rumble and knew it was bedtime. "I'll go change him and put him down for the night. You have the presents ready to go, right?"

"Yeah. I stored them in the laundry room out of sight."

"Perfect."

While Hank took Henry down the hallway to sleep for the night Connor walked into the laundry room and picked up the various boxes wrapped in brightly colored paper to place under the tree. Carrying the boxes in neat stacks Connor put them beneath the thick green branches of the artificial tree and looked down at the tree skirt where Henry's name had been embroidered right above his own name, and below Skye's name. The name 'Lucas' stuck out to him and he smiled to himself.

"Hopefully, Luke doesn't have any trouble making it in from the airport tonight."

"I had to read him a story first, but he went down easy." Hank returned to the livingroom after ten minutes and saw the modest pile of gifts ready to go Christmas morning. "Wow, you went all out this year."

"Well, it's Henry's first Christmas and I didn't know what to get him since he can't communicate just yet. Do you think this is too much?"

"Not really. Whatever toys he doesn't respond to we can always donate to charity."

"I did purchase a few additional toys for the 'Toys For Tots' charity before I left the store. And I dropped off Aria's gift after I clocked out last night." He motioned to a bright purple box sitting atop the smaller pile. "That's the gift for Henry from Abby and Gavin."

"Sounds like you know exactly how to enjoy and appreciate the holidays, son."

"Can I ask what you were shopping for this evening?"

"You'll see tomorrow."

"More gifts for Henry?"

"Something like that." Hank flashed the deviant a coy look as he folded his arms across his chest. "Anyway, you know the drill. As soon as Henry's awake we open gifts and then we start making Christmas dinner. I know Henry still isn't ready for a lot of solid foods just yet, but that doesn't mean he still can't enjoy something special."

"Right."

"Cool. I'm going to crash. That new mattress does seem to help my back a bit, so thanks, kid."

"...And it helps with your snoring."

"What?"

"Nothing." Connor quickly denied his comment as he patted his leg to get Sumo's attention. "Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, goodnight, son."

Loud babbling awoke Connor and he turned his head to see Henry standing up in his crib watching him as he slept. Sumo was sprawled out on the foot on Connor's bed, and as soon as Henry woke up so did he. Sitting up on the bed Connor noted the time of the morning and decided to go ahead and get Henry ready for his first Christmas.

"Good morning, Henry. Merry Christmas."

Henry held out his hands toward Connor as if saying 'pick me up' and Connor of course obliged. As he held Henry in his arms Connor decided that first thing's first, the little baby would need to be changed before Henry started opening up his gifts.

"Hopefully Papa is awake, too."

With Henry changed into a fresh diaper and a clean 'onesie' he carried the baby down the hallway into the livingroom. Sumo was right at his leg, but soon the dog trotted quickly forward and sat down at another person's feet. Connor stopped just behind the couch and was almost startled to see 'Santa Claus' himself standing in front of the tree waiting for them to arrive.

"Uh... Hello." Connor immediately recognized the face behind the fake beard as Hank, but all Henry saw was Santa. Henry of course let out excited babbles and his eyes lit up at the sight of Santa. "...Merry Christmas?"

"Merry Christmas." Holding out a small box wrapped in blue paper toward Henry, 'Santa' continued on in a slightly deeper voice. "This is Henry's first Christmas, so I wanted to give him this gift myself."

"...O-Okay." Connor took the box and opened it up on Henry's behalf, while 'Santa' took Henry from Connor's arms. Inside the box was a pocketwatch with Henry's full name engraved over the gold finish, and a long golden chair attached. "Wow." Taking the watch from the box Connor held it in his palm for Henry to see. Opening the cover of the watch Connor saw a second engraving on the inside and read the inscription out loud to his son. "There's an inscription inside for you, Henry. ' _Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa_ '."

"Pa-pa." Henry repeated as he heard the name.

Connor closed the watch up and held it in a protective fist as Henry's little hand reached out and took hold of it around his tiny fingers. "...Thank you for this."

"It's my pleasure. Now, 'Santa' needs to go. Have a Merry Christmas."

"Y-Yeah, you too..." Connor took back Henry and watched as 'Santa' made a discreet exit through the backdoor, with Sumo following after him. "Henry, this is an amazing gift." Clutching the watch tightly in his hand Connor knew how much the gift would mean to Henry when he grew up. "As much as I want you to have it with you always, I know it'd be best to keep it somewhere safe until you're a little bit older. Okay?"

In less than a minute Hank walked through the backdoor in normal clothing as casually as possible and rejoined his family in the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch he held out his hands to take Henry away from Connor's to hold for himself. As Connor passed the baby over Hank 'noticed' the pocketwatch in Connor's grip and asked about it.

"So, where'd that come from?"

Connor gave Hank a knowing glance but played along. "From 'Santa'. It's a gift for Henry, but it looks like you did all the work and Santa just played the messenger."

"It was worth it."

Connor just smirked as a knock on the front door drew his attention and he handed the pocketwatch over to Hank to hold. Without even needing to check the deviant pulled open the door and let the guest inside. "I'm glad you made it in time."

"I may be missing Henry's first birthday, but I'm not missing his first Christmas." Luke promised as he stepped inside the house with three gifts tucked under his arms. "Merry Christmas!"

"Luke?!" Hank's eyes went wide with surprised shock. "How in the fu-" he stopped short and quickly censored himself on Henry's behalf. " _heck_ , did you get here?"

"I flew in last night and stayed at New Jericho. Connor said that having the whole family together would be the ideal Christmas present for you, and I agree."

Hank rose from the couch with Henry in his arms and promptly gave Luke a hug, while also passing Henry over to his Uncle. "Man, you both got that right."

The gathered family sat together in the livingroom exchanging gifts, chatting and watching Henry play more with the empty boxes more than he did any of his new toys. Sumo was laying atop the torn up paper chewing on his new rawhide bone watching Henry fuss with the boxes and make odd, excited noises as he played.

"Wish I knew you were coming, Luke." Hank stated as he stared at the blue-eyed deviant sitting in the recliner. "I would've got ya' something more than that Gears cap I mailed you last week."

"It's okay. Besides, I don't like the idea of trying to fly back to Boston with a lot of personal items. Being able to spend time with my family is all I wanted."

"Yeah, I don't blame you."

"Being here and getting the chance to play with Henry before I have to leave tomorrow is enough of gift in itself. You know, when Connor's done."

Connor was laying on his side on the floor watching his son toddling about with great intrigue. Everything that Henry did was always fascinating to Connor, and his paternal instinct was incredibly strong toward his only son. Henry was walking about some boxes and briefly lost his balance causing Connor to reach out his hand and catch Henry before he fell over.

"Daddy's got you."

Henry grabbed onto Connor's arm with both hands and made some babbling noises. "Dad-dy."

Both Hank and Luke had heard it and were staring at Henry with proud smiled.

Sitting upright on the floor entirely Connor smiled broadly and pulled Henry onto his lap. "That's right... I'm daddy."

Hank smirked as he used his phone to take another photo of Connor holding Henry. It was one of the rare times when Connor was smiling a full smile, not just an amused smirk. "I told you he'd get around to calling you 'daddy'."

"I guess that was Henry's Christmas gift to me." Connor was proud and smiling at the baby sitting on his lap. "And I love it."

"Merry Christmas, sons." Hank stated in an equally proud voice to Connor, Luke and Henry. "Let's hope this is the first of many family Christmases together."

* * *

Three weeks since Christmas passed the small family was ready to start a new celebration.

Proud and surprisingly full of energy Hank carried Henry into the kitchen and placed him down in the highchair. There were brightly colored balloons all over the kitchen walls and Henry babbled loudly as the bright colors amused him to no end. A massive colorful banner was stretched over the wall that spelled out 'Happy Birthday' and a small cake was sitting on the kitchen table just waiting for the baby.

"Happy birthday, Henry." Hank stated as he gave the baby a kiss on top of his head. "I can't believe it's already been a full year."

Connor agreed as he carried in a large box wrapped in blue paper into the kitchen. "It's very strange to have so many changes take place in such a limited time frame. Henry's grown and changed so much already."

"I'm glad it's all been for the better."

Henry smiled and kicked his feet at the sight of the blue paper as Connor placed the gift on the table behind the cake.

"Happy birthday." Connor parroted as he placed the cake on the highchair tray in front of him. It was a small, personal cake with 'Happy 1st Birthday Henry' written in blue icing over the white surface. "This is a special occasion where you're allowed to make as much of a mess as you want."

Sumo casually strolled into the kitchen and laid down under the table beside the chair and wagged his tail as he watched Henry happily squirming about in his highchair.

Hank held up his phone and watched as Henry made a reach for the cake. "Connor, take a step back unless you want cake all over your shirt."

Learning his lesson from the fruit puree incident Connor did take a step back and watched as Henry's little hand made a huge dent in the white frosting on the cake. Grabbing a fist full of the cake Henry brought the sugary treat to his mouth and grinned at the sweetness. Bits of cake fell all over the floor around him, and Sumo readily cleaned up the mess on Henry's behalf.

"Uh, good boy, Sumo..." Connor didn't want to yell at the dog, especially since he was just eating what fell on the floor, but he didn't want to encourage him to eat human food either. "I guess since this is a special occasion you get some cake, too."

Laughing as Henry made a bigger mess and smeared cake all over his hands, his face and the high chair, Hank seemed at peace with the world and with himself. It always did his heart good to see the same milestones he witnessed with Cole being repeated by Henry. It was like he was given the chance to watch his own firstborn son grow up all over again.

"Maybe I should've given him the gift before the cake." Connor rubbed his hand over the back of his neck anxiously as he looked at the frosting all over Henry's tiny hands.

"There was going to be a mess either way. What did you buy him, anyway?"

"You'll see." Placing the gift a little closer to Henry for him to reach Connor pulled away the ruins of the smashed cake once Henry started paying attention to the blue box. "Alright, Henry. Here's your gift."

Still lacking the coordination to tear open paper or peel up the flaps Henry grabbed all over the surface, leaving frosting hand prints in his wake, while Hank and Connor discreetly loosened the paper on the baby's behalf.

"Come on, Henry. Open it up." Connor encouraged as the baby pulled down some of the paper and worked to reveal the gift. "You can do it!"

Slowly but surely Henry managed to tear down enough of the paper to open up the gift (mostly) by himself.

"Wow," Hank was impressed by the revealed item and titled his head. "good gift, son."

The box contained a small plastic blue guitar that was designed to help infants experience and learn about music. It was a lightweight toy and made of strong plastic to ensure it wasn't broken by rough play, and it was the very color that Henry seemed to admire most.

Opening up the box Connor pulled out the guitar, removed it from its plastic packaging, and turned it on. "Fortunately it doesn't require battery replacement, only a charge time of ten minutes so he can play for six hours."

With cake still on his hands Henry smacked his palms all over the new toy excitedly.

"I think he likes it, kid."

"I'm glad." Using his thumb Connor wiped a smear of cake from Henry's cheek as he gave his son a kiss. "Happy birthday. Hopefully it's the first of a thousand."

* * *

_**Henry: 15 Months.** _

Connor watched as Henry roamed the livingroom with a plastic blue colored 'sippy-cup' in his hand while Hank laid stretched out on his back on the couch. The detective's back had been slowly getting worse and Connor knew that him helping to take care of Henry was exhausting him. Hank of course would never complain about it since he loved Henry and Connor, but Connor refused to let Hank exhaust himself to the brink of sickness.

"You know, Henry is going to need to have a room of his own in a few months." Connor stated as Henry roamed around and kicked over some blocks he had partially stacked up earlier that morning. "And it's going to be harder to keep him contained without putting up barricades everywhere."

Hank sighed a little as he turned to look at Connor as the deviant headed Henry off at the kitchen. "Yeah, I know."

"I recently learned that the Brilstein's next door are moving, and that their house is for sale."

"Yeah?" Of course Hank already had an idea of what Connor was hinting at.

"I've already made them an offer and I think they'll accept it."

Smirking a little Hank forced himself to sit up on the couch and watched as Connor kept Henry from trying to climb on the bookshelves in the livingroom. "So you're going to move out into your own house, but just go right next door?"

"If my offer gets accepted, yes."

"Cool."

"...You won't be lonely?"

"Connor, you're going to be living right next door. It's not like you're moving out of state, or even across town. And I know that you'll be stopping by all the time anyway, so it's not a big deal. Besides, you'll be taking Henry and I'll be keeping Sumo so you don't have to worry about Henry trying to 'sample' dog food when your back in turned. Trust me, a toddler who takes a bit of dog food is going to spit up and it won't be pretty..."

"I'm glad you're okay with us moving."

"Connor, you're free to do your own thing and Henry's your son. You know what's best for him, and if you think moving into your own house to give Henry a safer environment to explore is the best choice, then do it. I'll help you as much as I can, and I'll always be there to watch over Henry whenever you need me to. I promise."

"I know that." Picking up Henry, eliciting a grumpy 'no' from the toddler for his efforts, Connor gave Hank an appreciative nod. "Thanks, dad."

* * *

_**Henry: 2 Years Old.** _

As much as Connor loved Henry he had to admit that he wasn't a fan of the dreaded 'terrible-twos'. It wasn't a daily occurrence, but Henry would sporadically have temper tantrums and would sometimes throw toys in anger. Hank helped Connor understand that it was all apart of the process of growing up, and to just stay patient. Fortunately Henry didn't have any problems while at daycare, so he didn't have to worry about that, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with an emotionally exhausting toddler having a meltdown at home.

Sitting on the couch in his livingroom Connor listened to Henry screaming from his bedroom after being put in 'time-out' for throwing a glass bowl on the floor and shattering it because it was too cold to go outside and play. The deviant was tired and trying to wait the tantrum out.

A knock on the front door was almost welcome as Connor checked to see who it was. "You don't have to knock, dad. You're welcome here all the time."

"I, uh, I can hear Henry from next door." Hank saw Connor's coin anxiously dancing over his knuckles as he was beginning to stress a little. "He sounds pissed!"

"Oh... Sorry."

Hank crossed his arms over his chest and gave the exhausted deviant an amused look. "So what did he do?"

"Intentionally broke a glass bowl because I won't let him play outside in the cold. No, he didn't cut himself on the broken glass, he's just mad."

"At least he isn't hurt. And just wait until he starts getting mad at you for keeping inedible stuff out of his mouth. All. Day. Long."

"...I don't think that'll be preferable to the temper tantrums."

"How long has Henry been screaming?"

"...Fifty-two minutes, nine seconds."

"He'll tire out soon."

"How in the world did you put up with temper tantrums without feeling completely drained?"

"The truth is, I didn't. It's just something you have to deal with as Henry learns boundaries and manners."

"When will it stop?"

"Another two years, tops."

"...Two years?"

"Connor." Hank put his hand on the deviant's shoulder empathetically as Henry's high pitched scream made him flinch. "When this is all over you won't remember the tantrums or sleepless nights, you'll only remember him growing up and making you happy. I promise!"

"I hope so. I don't want to simply delete these negative memories, but as long as they aren't more prevalent than the positive memories I think it'll be worth keeping it."

"What about the potty-training? How's that going for ya'?"

"Not as bad as I initially feared, he's actually taken to it very well. He still wears a diaper at night, but he hasn't had an 'accident' in four days."

"That's good to know." Hank listened as Henry let out one last pitiful whine before he finally quieted down and fell asleep. "And he's out. See?"

Connor held up the right palm of his hand and looked at the display of the video baby monitor set up in the crib. Henry was laying on his back completely asleep, and calm for the first time in almost an hour. It was an utter relief.

"...Do you want to stay for a while. I need someone to talk to who won't scream at me in return."

Laughing at the all too empathetic remark Hank was happy to have a chat with Connor. "Yeah, son. Let me give you a few tips on temper tantrums."

"Thank you... Please tell me everything."

* * *

_**Henry 3 Years Old.** _

From the backyard of the house Hank tossed a plastic wiffle ball to Henry and watched as Henry managed to successfully swing his giant orange colored plastic bat and successfully strike the tossed ball. As the wiffle ball rolled along the grass back toward Hank's feet Sumo trotted over to the ball and picked it up for himself as if playing fetch.

"Great hit, Henry!" Hank complimented as the little boy smiled at Hank. Pulling the ball from Sumo's mouth he prepared to give it another toss. "Ready?"

"Yeah, Papa!" Henry shouted excitedly. "Again!"

"Head's up!"

Once more Hank threw the wiffle ball and Henry managed another successful swing. The ball went a little higher in the air before falling to the grass and rolling over to Hank's feet.

"You're doing great, kid. One more?"

"Yeah!"

As Hank tossed the wiffle ball again Sumo let out a bark as soon Connor set foot in the backyard and watched Henry make another successful swing. The ball flew a few feet through the hair before bouncing off the grass and rolling past Hank up toward the back deck. Connor scooped up the ball and tossed it back to Hank.

"Hi, Henry." Connor called out to his son proudly.

"Hi, daddy!"

Hank tossed the ball a little into the air and caught it again himself. "Hey, son. Anything good happen on your shift?"

"Four drunk college students broke into a library to study and passed out in the 'self-help' section."

Laughing at the absurdity of the case he looked to Henry and prepared another pitch. "Hey, Henry! See if you can hit this to dad!"

Henry managed to swing the bat and hit the ball easily, and while it didn't soar through the air it did in fact bounce and roll in Connor's direction.

"Perfect!"

Connor picked up the ball again and tilted his head. "He has remarkable hand-eye coordination already."

"He's a natural athlete." Boasting like the proud grandpa he was he returned his attention to Henry and gave him a new idea. "How about tomorrow we play some basketball, Henry? Would you like that?"

"Yeah!"

Tossing the ball to Hank casually Connor walked over to Henry and picked up the little boy, putting him over his shoulder much to Henry's delight causing him to laugh. "I'll join you and play basketball with Papa, tomorrow." Walking back to the house with Hank at his side Connor let Henry down on the kitchen floor, and once Sumo was through the backdoor Henry focused on playing fetch with the massive dog in the livingroom.

"I already got him something for dinner." Hank stated as he dropped the ball on the kitchen floor and opened up the freezer to get a bag of ice for his back. "I hope you don't mind pizza."

"No, that's fine. He deserves a little treat for sleeping all through the night in his 'big boy' bed last night."

"Wow. Does he still need the nightlight?"

"Yeah, but not as bright as he used to keep it."

"A three year old working to overcome his fear of the dark. That's really impressive."

Connor only hummed at the comment as he awkwardly shuffled on his feet and broke eye contact with Hank.

"Something on your mind?"

"...Maybe."

"Maybe? Come on, what's bothering you?"

"There was an interesting rumor circulating through the bullpen today."

Hank sighed and pressed the ice to his back. "About me."

"There's been talk that you're going to retire soon."

"Uh, yeah, but not for another year or so."

"Oh. May I ask why?"

"Well, again I'm getting old, son. And in that time Henry will be in kindergarten. It'll be hard to keep a consistent babysitter in the house with our bizarre work schedules, so I figured that'd make it easier on everyone."

"I could hire a nanny."

"Yeah, right. Connor, I know you." Pressing the ice to his back even firmer he gave Connor a knowing glance. "You wouldn't trust a stranger with your son, and you won't hire an android to work for you because you'd feel guilty about it."

"I suppose you're correct. But you don't have to-"

"I know I don't HAVE to retire, but I want to." Hank interrupted quickly. "But again, that's not going to be for a while, alright?"

"Right. I understand."

"Hey, come on. You know I wasn't going to stay there forever."

"Yeah, but I don't like the idea of going to the precinct and not having you there to watch my back."

"I hate to break it to ya' kid, but you don't need me to watch your back anymore. You're doing just fine."

Connor turned to look at Hank and gave him a rather somber glance as he took his the detective's words to heart. "...You're my dad, I'll always need you to watch my back."

Always appreciative of Connor's kind words Hank patted Connor's shoulder as the two walked into the livingroom where Henry was laughing and rolling around on the floor with Sumo. "Trust me, son. You don't need me."

"Yeah, I do."

As the two detectives sat on the couch and watched Henry playing with Sumo the two realized how long they've known each other and how much they've come to rely on each other. It felt like they've been father and son for decades, not just a handful of years. And watching Henry grow up so fast only made the feeling that much stronger.

"We _both_ need you, dad."

"Good thing I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here, son. Don't worry."

* * *

_**Henry: Four Years Old.** _

Feeling a tad awkward and very out of place Connor sat at the desk across from the preschool teacher who had accepted Henry's application admission and was now having a parent-teacher conference with the deviant. Sitting in a classroom with small chairs, desks, toys and brightly colored walls adorned with the alphabet and numbers was very new to Connor, and it showed in his uncomfortable demeanor.

Henry himself was sitting in the corner of the room putting together a small puzzle with dinosaurs on it while his application was being discussed.

"Henry is an exemplary student, Mr. Anderson. You should be proud!" The teacher proclaimed with sincerity her voice. "He's well spoken, already knows his numbers and letters, he can even read at a second grade level. You must've read to him very frequently while he was a baby."

"I would try to read to him as often as possible," Connor confirmed as he felt a deserved sense of pride fill his heart. "but I think his grandfather deserves more credit."

"Well, between you two I know that Henry is growing up to be a bright, well-rounded young man. I just have one item I'd like to ask about."

"Oh? What's that?"

"I noticed that when you filled out information on Henry's application you left the information on his mother blank. I take it she's not in the picture?"

"No. She..." He looked over at Henry and lowered his voice. He couldn't bring himself to tell Henry about Skye yet. "She passed away."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. It's tough to be a single parent, but it seems like you're managing just fine."

"Y-Yeah, my own father has been helping immensely."

"Well, no need to worry. Henry has been accepted and can begin attending class on September fourteenth. He'll be placed in our gifted program along with the other students."

"That's a relief to know."

"And I know it's hard to send your child off to school for the first time, but I assure you Henry will receive the best education and will be treated very well here."

"I know." Standing up from the chair he shook hands with the teacher and smiled. "Is there anything special that I'll need to prepare for Henry?"

"Well, we do offer snacks throughout the day, but if you want to pack Henry his own meals that's understandable. But really all he'll need is to show up at nine in the morning and be picked up at two in the afternoon."

"That's manageable. I'm certain his grandfather will be available to take care of him while I'm working."

"I'll see you in two weeks."

"Of course. I'll see you then." Holding out his hand Connor walked over to the corner and called to his son. "Come on, Henry. Let's go."

"Coming, daddy!"

* * *

After leaving the preschool hand in hand Connor took Henry to the park where Hank used to take Cole and let him know about his admission to preschool, as well as how he'd be the one to drop him off in the morning while Hank would be the one to pick him up. Henry didn't seem to mind and loved the idea of spending afternoons at Papa's house since Sumo was over there.

It eased Connor's own worries to see Henry so confident and unafraid.

"You'll be able to make friends and play games with other kids while you're in preschool learning." Connor stated as he pushed Henry on the swing set at the park. "You might even find new books to read."

"Will I make friends like Markus?"

"Uh, maybe. I don't think you'll make friends with too many adults, Henry."

"Can I bring Sumo?"

"No, sorry. Preschool is for children only. Dogs have obedience school instead."

"What's 'obeunce'?" Henry had a hard time with the word, but Connor knew what he meant.

"'Obedience' means someone listens to what they were told and don't argue."

"Like when Papa tells Sumo to sit?"

"Exactly."

"Can we go see Papa?"

"Of course." Gently bringing the swing to a stop Connor helped Henry out of the seat and held his hand again as they began walking home. "I think he'd be thrilled to know you're starting preschool in two of weeks."

"How long do I go?"

"For eight and half months. Then you get three months to play before starting kindergarten."

"What's 'kinnergardun'?"

"Kindergarten continues to teach you after you finish preschool. It's like starting a new chapter in a story."

"Oh." Henry happily skipped about as he held Connor's hand on their way back from the park and to the house. "Is it fun?"

"Yeah." Connor had no idea how anything in preschool worked since he was never a kid, but he did know to make sure Henry felt confident. "You'll like it."

* * *

Hank was indeed proud to know that Henry had been accepted into preschool and was being placed in the gifted program. Treating the bright young man to a bowl of ice cream he and Connor watched as Henry laid on his belly on the livingroom floor with an alphabet book under his nose as he ate his delicious treat. Sumo was watching from afar, ready to clean up any possible messes left behind.

Connor noticed that Hank seemed to be transfixed on the sight before him and quietly asked if he was okay. "You seem upset. Are you alright, dad?"

"I'm fine, it's just..." Standing up from the couch discreetly he motioned for Connor to follow after him. The two walked down the hallway where the detective opened up his bedroom door, then his closet. Pulling down a box of photographs he sat on the edge of the bed and sifted through the images until he found one of interest. "Look at this."

Connor held the offered photo and ran a scan over it. "This is Cole. He looks..."

"Like Henry."

The photo showed Henry laying on the floor with the original Sumo when he was about the same age as Henry is now. The resemblance was uncanny.

Hank took the photo from Connor's fingers and turned it over. "Read the back."

"Cole Anderson, age four... first day of preschool."

"It's like looking into the past. It catches me off guard sometimes and I have to take a few minutes to get my head back together, you know?"

"Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good now. And I'm more than happy to pick up Henry from preschool and take care of him in the afternoons, so don't worry."

"I take it you mean to retire soon?"

Sighing Hank continued to sort through the photos with a heavy heart. "I put in the request six months ago. This coming Friday is my last day."

"Why... didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd be upset. But like I said even though we won't be working together anymore we will still being hanging out in the afternoons and I'll be there to help take care of Henry." Sensing Connor's anxiety Hank wanted to make sure his son was going to be able to handle the changes alright. "Now it's my turn to ask. Are YOU going to be okay?"

"Yeah. It'll be a strange adjustment but I'll be okay."

"Come on. Let's get back to Henry and away from the past for a while."

"Good idea. I'm sure he's finished reading by now."

* * *

When Hank's final Friday rolled around the bullpen was blessed with a quiet day and there were no belligerent drunks yelling slurs from the nearby holding cells. Despite his best efforts to keep it from happening a retirement party was being thrown on his behalf in the conference room by his fellow officers. Being a good sport Hank went along with the small party, which was respectfully kept small on Hank's behalf, and was greeted by his fellow officers to bid him the best of the luck in the future.

Ben Collins, who had been an understanding and patient officer with Hank during so many cases in the past, made sure to stop by and give Hank a hearty handshake. Ben himself had retired three years prior, but was still in the city. Jeffrey Fowler had also arrived to see Hank off, the two old friends had seemingly been able to patch things up when Captain Fowler himself retired, and were still on good terms as they spoke to one another in the conference room.

Soon other officers filed in one at a time from the bullpen to say their goodbyes and shake Hank's hand. Tina was first and managed to slip in a cake to be shared throughout the bullpen later on. Almost tearful Tina made sure Hank knew how much she respected him before she had to go out on patrol and perform her responsibilities to the city.

Chris and Jack followed after her and expressed their utmost respect toward their retiring Captain. With a strong handshake Chris bid Hank farewell as he and Jack were assigned a new case to handle. And Jack of course managed to respond appropriately despite still learning how to be a deviant, and subsequently how to be more human.

Always a master of his emotions Hank kept his resolve as he was given a respectful sendoff by his officers.

Joel entered the conference room and knocked on the door to get the detective's attention. Despite only being the precinct technician and not an actual office in the bullpen, Joel felt it necessary to pay his respects as well. It was during his goodbye that Gavin stepped inside the room and waited for Joel to take his leave so he could speak with Hank in private.

"So... You're really outta' here?" Gavin asked in a somewhat nervous manner.

"Yeah. Between my back going out on me more and more, and Henry starting school, it's just easier this way."

"Hard to believe eight years ago I was convinced you would've... you know."

"Drank myself to death?"

"Yeah."

"You're not the only one. For what it's worth, you were right to give me shit for being a pathetic drunk."

"No, no. Now that I have my own kid I know I was wrong to be such an asshole to you. I shouldn't have been such a prick to you, or to Connor."

"I'm pretty sure you got what you deserved when Connor punched you."

"Yeah. Twice." Noticing that the deviant was curiously absent Gavin dared to ask. "Where is the 'Tinman' anyway?"

"He'll be by soon. Henry had a check-up."

"Let me guess, you're going to retire from here so you can be a full-time grandpa out there."

"Pretty much, yeah. It's a hell of a lot better gig than dealing with sorry drunks, drug-dealers and bigots pulling guns on me all damn day."

"Yeah, not going to argue on that one."

From the opened conference door Connor entered with Henry at his side and let the four year old run over to Hank excitedly.

"Hi Papa!"

"Hey, Henry!" As much as his back hated it whenever he picked up Henry, Hank did it anyway. "Good to see ya'."

Gavin just stared at the little boy's face for a moment before looking at Connor. "Jeez... He looks exactly like you."

Connor's brow arched a little as he gave Gavin an odd look. "I believe that was the point."

"No, I mean... It's like there was no, uh, 'steps' taken for him to be here. It's like he's all your blood. It's pretty awesome."

Smirking a little Connor understood what Gavin was saying and merely nodded. "I know what you're saying. And thank you."

"Right. Uh, I have to handle another case, so..."

"I understand. Go." Connor turned to see Hank offering Henry a small piece of the cake much to the four year old's delight before sitting him down in one of the chairs. "It's official. You're retired."

"Well, not until I clock out anyway."

"Do you regret it?"

"Not at all." Hank replied confidently as he sat down next to Henry. "It'll be a strange adjustment to not have an entire precinct to take care of, but I'll be able to handle it soon enough."

"Do you know who is taking over the precinct on your behalf?"

"Yeah, she just got promoted and is moving in from Ann Arbor. Her name is Captain Rebecca Foxworth. She's younger than the average captain but she's got a ton of experience and an impressive arrest record. She's also an advocate for android rights, and had been one long before the revolution."

"Good to know I'll have another ally."

Henry finished off his cake and turned to look at Hank. "Papa, can we play basketball at home?"

"Sure. We can play for a little while when I get home from work."

Connor nodded as he agreed to the game and extended his hand to ask Henry to come over to him. "Papa will be home in a couple of hours. Come on, let's get back to the house and take care of Sumo."

"Okay!"

Hank smiled as the upbeat little boy grabbed onto Connor's hand and held tightly. "Bye, guys."

Connor turned to acknowledge Hank before he got too far away. "See you at home, dad."

"See ya', son. See ya' later, Henry!"

"Bye!" The little boy shouted back excitedly.

Leaning back in the chair Hank let out a tired sigh and discreetly pressed his hand to his aching back. The pain was getting worse and it was time to retire, even if Hank didn't have a grandson to take care of he would've retired all the same thanks to age alone.

"All these years of medical and technological breakthroughs and no one can figure out how to stop the human body from giving up on itself."

* * *

Arriving in front of the preschool building at eight-fifty in the morning Connor looked at Henry sitting in the backseat of the Corvette in his booster seat with a big smile on his face. The little boy was fearless and very excited to begin his first day of preschool, whereas Connor and Hank weren't quite so ready to have an afternoon without Henry.

"Are you ready, Henry?" Connor asked as he turned off the engine and opened up the driver's side door.

"Yup!"

Pushing forward the driver's seat Connor unfastened the safety restraints on the booster seat and lifted Henry up and out of the vehicle. "Are you nervous?"

"Nope!"

"Are you going to be good?"

"Yup!"

"Do you know what time Papa is going to come and pick you up?"

"At two."

"Very good." Taking Henry by the hand again Connor led the little boy up to the front doors of the preschool and showed him to his new classroom. "I'll see you and Papa after I get out of work today. Okay?"

"Okay!"

Kneeling down in front of Henry with a proud smile Connor wrapped his arms around his son and gave him a hug. "I love you Henry. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay. Bye dad!"

As soon as Henry was free of the hug he excitedly ran into the classroom and disappeared among the other four year olds gathered in the play area of the room. Standing upright Connor looked to Henry's teacher and nodded before taking his leave to head out to the precinct and begin his shift. As he entered the car to take his leave Connor felt a mixture of joy and dread swim over his heart.

Driving to the precinct he sent a cybernetic text to Hank and watched the preschool shrinking away in the reflection on the rearview mirror. "Henry's at preschool. He seems excited." Connor sent a selected image from his visual memory to Hank's phone to show him how happy Henry looked. "And fearless."

There was a pause before Hank replied. ' _And how're you holding up_?'

"I'm a little sad to know Henry won't be spending the day with either of us, but I'm happy he isn't afraid to begin school."

' _He'll be just fine, Connor_. _The first few days of school are always the hardest on the parents_.'

"Yeah. I'm beginning to realize this."

' _Go to work, son_. _Henry will be fine_.'

* * *

Clocked out and free to return home Connor stopped by Hank's house next door to his own house and spotted Henry laying on the floor with a coloring book and a massive box of crayons. As he stepped through the door Connor was greeted by Henry's big smile as the four year old ran over to him and hugged his legs excitedly.

"How was your first day of preschool?" Connor reciprocated the hug and noticed Hank in the kitchen cooking dinner for Henry.

"Good! I got a star sticker!"

"That's great, Henry. Did you have fun?"

"Yup! I like playing with the keyboard!"

"Keyboard? A computer keyboard or an electronic piano keyboard?"

"Piano."

"That's good to know." Picking up Henry to carry into the kitchen he greeted Hank just as the now retired detective turned off the stove. "How was your first day of retirement?"

"Quiet. Just as I like it!" Hank pointed to the refrigerator and smirked. "It got even better when Henry gave me that drawing."

It was a crayon drawing of Sumo by a giant tree. It said 'For Papa' in the top left corner and it had Henry's name messily scrawled in the bottom right corner in blue crayon.

"That's a great drawing of Sumo, Henry."

"The teacher liked it too!"

"Are you ready to go back tomorrow?"

"Yup! I want to keep playing with the keyboard!"

Connor tilted his head a little. "Maybe Markus can give you piano lessons some time. Would you like that?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Alright. Eat your dinner and I'll see what I can do."

"Okay!"

Hank patted Connor's shoulder after he put down a plate in front of Henry and motioned for the deviant to accompany him outside to the back deck. Sumo was already running around the backyard and immediately rushed over to Connor to greet him happily. The deviant rubbed his hand over Sumo's ears affectionately and stooped down to rub his chin.

"Connor, my back is really killin' me. I'm going to go see a chiropractor tomorrow before I need to pick up Henry from preschool."

"Do you want me to drive you?"

"No, I can move just fine it's just everything I do hurts me."

"Maybe being retired will take the tension away from your back so you can finally heal entirely."

"Are you talking about that psycho stabbing me?"

"Yeah. The core muscles in the human torso take much longer to heal because they are in constant use from breathing and balance. Even after all this time you would still be healing. And the surgery from your double kidney transplant would only delay your recovery further."

"I hope it's as simple as that. I don't want to be laid up all the time with ice and heating pads."

Standing up from the deck Connor let out a weary sigh and stared at the setting sun in the distance. "As much as I dislike the idea of not being able to work with you, I dislike the idea of you being in pain even more. Do what you have to do to let your back heal."

"I'm trying, son. I really am." Motioning toward the backdoor Hank made his way back inside. "Come on, you better get Henry back home after he finishes dinner so he can have a bath and go to bed. He has _school_ tomorrow."

* * *

_**Henry: Five Years Old.** _

It was well into the fall and cold and flu season was hitting the city hard. Connor had received a call from the elementary school informing him that Henry was sick and quickly clocked out to go pick him up. Locating Henry laying down on his side on a small cot in the school nurse's office Connor pressed his hand to his son's forehead and felt him running a fever.

"Hi, Henry. How do you feel?"

"...Bad."

"I'm sorry." Very gently Connor picked Henry up and Henry pressed his head down against Connor's shoulder. Looking to the school nurse who had been taking care of the sick little boy Connor asked about his condition. "How long has he been feeling unwell?"

"His teacher noticed he didn't eat much during snack time at eleven this morning, and he didn't want to play at all during recess at eleven fifteen." The nurse handed Connor the dark blue backpack and jacket that Henry had been wearing that morning. "Henry didn't say anything to the teacher until he thought he was going to get sick and throw-up on the playground."

"Did he?"

"No, fortunately. A lot of kids have colds right now so I wouldn't be surprised if Henry caught one this morning."

Connor nodded and rubbed his hand along Henry's back. "Were you feeling bad this morning?"

"A little."

"A little?" Connor repeated with an arched brow. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I don't know."

The comment was as innocent as it was eerily reminiscent of his own attitude toward feeling unwell or injured in the past. "Okay, buddy. We'll go home and you can get some sleep."

"...I want Sumo."

"Okay. I'll take you to see Papa so you can cuddle with Sumo. I'm also going to let Markus know you won't be making your piano lesson after school today. But don't worry, Henry, he'll reschedule and you'll be able to keep up with your progress. Okay?"

"...'kay."

As soon as Connor cybernetically texted Hank that Henry was sick and wanted to visit Sumo, the retired detective was quick to respond and made sure Sumo had already taken care of business outside so he could spend all afternoon with Henry. Moving slowly and carefully Connor carried Henry, who was very sleepy, out of the car and into the house to lay down on the couch in the livingroom.

Sumo readily walked up to the couch and pressed his chin down on the cushion beside Henry as if he knew that his presence had been requested.

"Hey, Henry." Hank greeted his ill grandson and gave him a light kiss on the head. "Not feeling good, huh?"

"No..."

"Well, Sumo will help." He looked over at Connor and sighed. "So, what's the prognosis?"

"Probably just a cold, but he's running a fever of one-hundred point six degrees. I don't want to take any chances."

"Good decision. I'll grab him a pillow and a blanket." Reaching down his hand Hank rubbed Henry's arm lightly. "You stay as long as you want Henry, okay?"

"Okay." Henry's voice was sad and sounded weak making both Connor and Hank's hearts break.

Connor hated it whenever Henry caught a cold, but something in his paternal instincts told him that whatever Henry had wasn't just a cold this time. Henry never let a cold slow him down before and he never admitted if he was feeling sick. For him to be so still and willing to admit he felt bad was something new to the deviant father.

While Hank went to get Henry the blanket and pillow Connor sat down on the couch beside his son and lightly ran his hand over Henry's thick, brown hair. Henry's hair didn't have the light, natural looking curl to it like Connor's hair, Henry's was perfectly straight like Skye's hair. He did, however, have it styled in a manner similar to Connor's simply because it was the default style Connor knew whenever he helped Henry brush out his hair in the morning.

"Does your head hurt?" Connor asked in a low voice as he noticed that Henry was pale and very tired.

"...Yeah."

"What about your stomach?"

"...Uh-huh."

Hank placed the thickest pillow in the house down on the couch for Henry while Connor draped the equally thick quilt over him softly. Sumo kept his head on the couch, letting his face get buried under the quilt, and Henry laughed a little at Sumo for being so laidback and silly.

"Try to nap for a while, Henry." Connor ran his hand through Henry's hair again. "You should feel better."

Too tired to say anything Henry closed his eyes and fell asleep while Connor turned on the television and found an animated children's movie to play in low volume. Standing up slowly from the couch as to not disturb Henry in the process Connor walked into the kitchen and let out a sigh.

"You think he's sicker than a cold," Hank deduced as he followed Connor into the kitchen. "don't you?"

"Usually whenever Henry catches a cold he gets a very mild fever and a runny nose. But he's tired, feverish, nauseated and has a headache. This isn't the same as a cold."

"Not all colds behave the same way. If he isn't feeling better by morning, or he gets worse tonight, then we'll both take him in to see a pediatrician."

"Yeah, good idea." Looking about the kitchen Connor asked about making something for Henry to eat. "Do you mind if I make Henry-"

"Like you need to ask. The kitchen's all yours. I'll go sit with Henry and keep an eye on him."

"Thanks, dad."

A few hours passed and Henry was still out like a light. Connor had made Henry some soup to eat once he woke up while Hank put a cool washcloth over the boy's feverish forehead. Fortunately Henry was sleeping peacefully and he wasn't getting any worse, but he wasn't getting any better either. Sumo had jumped up onto the couch to lay next to Henry, his massive fluffy body nearly concealing the small boy, and kept him company.

"It's getting late." Connor stated in a low voice as he leaned over the back of the couch to look down at Henry. "But I don't want to disturb him."

"You're both welcome to stay here. Either crash in your old bedroom or sleep in the recliner."

"I'm worried that if he does have a serious cold it could be passed to you."

"Connor, if I can survive a lunatic stabbing me in the kidney, gunshots and maniacs with a vendetta against the city I can handle a little cold."

"Yeah... I know."

"It's your turn to get some sleep, now. Go." Hank rose from the recliner and motioned to the vacated space with his arm. "I'll be down the hall if you need anything."

Relenting to the request to take a moment to rest Connor walked over to the vacated recliner and sat down slowly. Powering down to a light rest mode to ensure if there was any change in Henry's condition or he asked for him that he'd wake up immediately and be able to help out, Connor fell asleep. Within two hours of entering rest mode Connor snapped awake and was greeted by Henry standing in front of the recliner with tears in his eyes, and Sumo standing at the small boy's side.

"Henry? What's the matter?" Connor pressed his hand over Henry's forehead and realized that his fever had slowly risen to another degree. "What's wrong?"

"I don't feel good." The frustrated boy stated as he began scratching at his left forearm. He was paler than usual and seemed to be very uncomfortable. "My arm is itchy."

"Itchy?" Gently Connor took Henry's arm in his hand and saw two small red welts forming on his pale skin. Running a scan on the small blemishes and relaying Henry's systems Connor's cybernetic database gave him an answer, and it made him feel as terrible as Henry looked. "Oh no. Henry, it looks like you have the chicken pox."

"What's that?"

"It means you're sick." Letting go of Henry's arm Connor reached down and picked up the sick boy to hold in his own arms. He could feel that Henry was radiating a consistent heat and more blemishes courtesy of the chicken pox were beginning to slowly appear over his face and neck. "I'm going to run you a cool bath."

"A bath?"

"It'll make you feel better. It worked for me when I was sick with-" Instead of saying the entirely accurate condition known as Pyrexia Impairment, a.k.a. _android_ chicken pox, Connor replied more simply, but just as honestly. "I had the chicken pox, too. A cool washcloth helped with the itching, so I know a cool bath will help you feel better, quicker."

Opening the bathroom door Connor turned on the tap in the bathtub and began drawing a cool bath for Henry. Sitting Henry down on the sink Connor helped the sick little boy remove his school clothes and then wrapped him up in a fluffy, blue towel. As the tub filled Connor pressed his hand over Henry's forehead again and noted the other red blemishes beginning to form on Henry's skin right before his eyes.

"I know it's going to be hard to do Henry," Connor empathized with his son's illness and wrapped his arms around him in a comforting hug. "but you can't scratch your chicken pox. If you do it'll make your skin feel worse and it can make you feel sicker."

"But it itches!"

"I know. I'll do everything I can to make the itching stop."

Glancing at the water level in the bathtub Connor carried Henry over and sat down on the edge of the tub with Henry on his lap. Turning off the faucet and checking the water's temperature Connor found it to be ideal and helped Henry to sit down in the tub slowly. Staying on the edge of the tub with the towel over his lap Connor saw additional blemishes now forming over Henry's back.

"You'll feel better in a few minutes." Slipping off his jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his white dress shirt Connor prepared to take care of his son. "Let me know if you feel too cold."

There was a knock on the opened door and Hank stepped inside looking sleepy, yet somehow alert. "Hey, what's going on?"

Connor turned to look at Hank and gave him a pleading stare. "Henry has the chicken pox."

"Aw, man." Hank let out a tired sigh and stepped back out of the bathroom. "Hold on, Henry. Papa knows what'll stop the itch."

Making a cup with his hand Connor scooped up some of the cool water and gently ran it through Henry's hair to try to ease his fever. As he did so Hank returned with a canister of oatmeal and proceeded to pour a generous helping into the water. Both Connor and Henry gave the retired detective the same confused look.

"I know it looks weird, but trust me, it'll help. The oatmeal will help stop the itching and keep Henry's skin from drying out while being sick." Putting aside the canister Hank reached under the sink and found a bottle of bright pink Calamine lotion. "This will help, too." Grabbing onto Henry's school clothes Hank made his way back out of the bathroom. "I'll throw his clothes in the washer and get Henry his spare pajamas."

"Thanks." Connor continued to carefully run the now oatmeal littered cool water over Henry's hair and along his back. "How do you feel, Henry?"

"Sleepy."

"Just sit in there for a few more minutes and then you can go lay down in my old bed to sleep. Okay?"

Henry nodded quietly as he pulled his legs up to his chest and rested his forehead against his knees.

Connor took a washcloth and dipped it into the water then he began wiping the cool, soothing water over his back very gently. As the cool water began to ease Henry's fever the little boy let out a sad whimper as his skin was really beginning to itch. Knowing that Henry was (trying) to suffer in silence Connor's heart began to ache. Waiting for ten minutes to give the cool water enough to work on Henry's overheating, itchy skin Connor gently picked Henry up back up out of the water and placed him on his lap, over the towel and used it to dry him off.

Hank placed the clean pajamas down on the floor at Connor's feet and picked a drying flake of oatmeal from Henry's hair. "I'll put some lotion on your skin, it'll stop the itching and you'll be able to sleep."

Henry was trying not to cry as he sat on Connor's lap. Instinctively Connor 'shushed' Henry to try to soothe him as he used the towel to dry him off, and Hank began to apply the lotion to his raw skin.

"It's okay, Henry. I promise this will only happen one time." Connor stated calmly as he very carefully rubbed his hand over Henry's sore back. "Once you get the chicken pox you'll never catch it again. You'll be immune forever."

"You get his legs." Hank stated as he passed the lotion over to Connor. "I'll help him get his shirt on and then get a Benadryl and a mild fever reducer. It'll stop the itching and let him sleep more comfortably tonight."

"Good idea, thanks dad."

Together the two detectives took care of Henry, soothing his skin and getting him into his clean pajamas, all the while holding Henry and soothing his discomfort as much as possible.

"Come on, Henry." Connor carried his son into his old bedroom where his old bed was still set up and covered in clean sheets and a thick quilt. "You need to sleep. The more you sleep the better you'll feel, okay?"

"It's dark." Henry complained as he was laid down on the bed and tucked under the quilt.

"We don't have a nightlight here, Henry." Connor thought of an alternate solution pretty quickly. "Would Sumo make you feel better?"

The little boy nodded as Connor ran his hand over Henry's damp hair.

Hank had overheard the conversation and coaxed Sumo into the bedroom. As the massive dog clumsily leapt up and laid down on the foot of the bed to snuggle down for the night Henry made another sad whimper.

"What's wrong, Henry?" Connor ask as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside his son. "Is something else making you feel bad?"

"Everything hurts."

"...Everything... hurts?" Connor looked over to Hank for guidance who quickly understood what was going on.

"Body aches. Just like whenever I get the flu or something."

"O-Oh." Connor was somewhat relieved to know it was normal for humans to experience body aches when sick. "I'm sorry, Henry. I'll try to make the pain stop, okay?"

"Here you go." Hank brought in the small doses of medication for Henry to take. "One will stop the itching," he stated as he showed Henry the tiny amount of pink liquid in a pre-measured cup, then showed him a second cup with a small amount of red liquid. "and the other will bring down your fever."

Reluctantly Henry sat up and looked at the medicine with a heavy grimace. Connor helped Henry to take the medicine one at a time, and saw that the little boy hated the taste openly.

"...It's strawberry." Henry complained as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Don't worry Henry, you don't have to take medicine everyday." Connor reminded him. "Want some juice or water?"

Henry nodded a little and Hank grinned.

"Already gotcha' covered, Henry." Hank held out a small plastic cup filled with apple juice and the little boy took a sip quickly. "Better?"

Henry nodded again and laid back down against the pillow, his face still miserable and sad.

Connor pulled up the quilt to Henry's shoulder and his mouth twitched as he offered up another suggestion to try to make Henry feel better. "Do you want me to rub your back?"

Henry silently nodded still feeling lousy. Connor put his hand on Henry's shoulder and helped him to roll onto his side facing toward Connor as he laid down beside him and began to rub his back gently.

"Try to sleep." The deviant spoke softly as he urged Henry to get some rest. "You won't itch while you sleep."

Sumo let out a sympathetic whimper and rested his chin down on Henry's ankles as the little boy curled up on his side beside his father.

Hank nodded in agreement as he watched Connor's own eyes close as he continued to try to comfort his ill son. The retired detective waited from the doorway for Henry to fall asleep before turning off the bedroom light, but kept the light in the bathroom across the hallway on so it was shining into the room to act as a makeshift nightlight for his sick grandson.

"Goodnight, boys." Hank smiled with a whisper as he walked down the hallway and back to his bedroom for the rest of the night.

"...Goodnight, dad." Connor whispered back as to not disturb Henry. "Goodnight, Henry."

The following morning Connor called off of work to take care of Henry and proceeded to cuddle with the sick boy on the couch. Hank had managed to coax Henry into eating a little of the soup Connor made the night before, as well as a small piece of toast with peanut butter on it. It wasn't much but at least Henry was eating while he was sick.

Connor was laying stretched out over the couch on his back with Henry laying over his chest. As the sick boy napped through his illness Hank draped a blanket over the duo and held up his phone to show Connor that he had been texting with Abby since last night.

"Well, it turns out Henry is just one of a dozen kids at the school with chicken pox so far. Aria caught it too and got sick this morning. She's in the second kindergarten across the hall from Henry, right?"

"Correct."

"I guess recess is the most opportune place for germs to jump from one kid to another."

"It's best if children get sick with the chicken pox at a young age than at an older age, right?"

"Yup. I was ten when I got the chicken pox, and it sucked. I still have a few scars, but I never caught it again."

"How long did it last?"

"Well, I had a fever for almost a week and then... it took almost another week after that for all the sores on my skin to clear up. The same happened to Cole when he was about three years old."

"Two weeks?" Connor sighed and rubbed his hand gently over Henry's back sympathetically. "Poor Henry."

"He'll be okay, Connor. Kids are tough."

"That doesn't make it any easier to see him so miserable."

"I know, son. Trust me, _I know_."

Henry wasn't scratching and seemed to be resting comfortably as he slept with his ear pressed up against Connor's chest to listen to his heartbeat.

"Do you think Henry would like some ice cream when he wakes up?"

"I know I would. Don't worry, Connor. Henry will be getting five-star treatment while he recovers."

"Thanks, dad. I know we can always count on you."

* * *

_**Henry: Six Years Old.** _

A loud scream followed by crying from the backyard made Connor go running from the kitchen, the stove completely forgotten about, and outside in matter of seconds. Laying on the ground beside the fence that lined the rear of the property was Henry who was crying loudly and holding onto his left arm as he laid curled up on the ground. Next to Henry was a mess of pulled green leaves and extra twigs from the tree towering over the other side of the fence above the crying little boy.

"Henry!" Connor raced outside and knelt down on the grass beside his son. "Henry, what happened?"

Between sobs Henry managed to get out a few words that Connor understood. "Fell" and "Tree" stood out the most, followed by the word "Hurts".

"You were trying to climb the tree and fell?"

Henry nodded as Connor ran a scan over Henry's small body and was relieved to see that he hadn't suffered any injury to his spine, neck or skull. But there were two notable fractures in his left radius below his wrist. Scrapes and small cuts covered Henry's hands, arms, knees and his chin from when he fell out of the tree and hit the ground. Hard.

"Come on." Scooping Henry up into his arms Connor proceeded to carry him from the backyard and back into the house. As he made his way to the backdoor Connor notice that Hank was well on his way over as he too heard Henry scream. "I'll take care of your arm, Henry. But you're going to need to see a doctor."

Hank managed to get through the backdoor right behind Connor and followed after the deviant as Connor carried Henry into the bathroom to clean up his scrapes and cuts.

"Hey, Henry." Hank knelt on the floor beside him as Connor placed him on the edge of the bathtub. "It looks like you took a pretty bad fall."

Henry only nodded as he cried and sniffled.

"Did you climb the tree?"

Henry nodded again as Connor proceeded to gently press a damp, cool washcloth to the scrapes on his knees to clean them up.

"Didn't we say you shouldn't do that because the tree's too tall?"

Again Henry responded with a nod.

"And now do you know what we meant when we said it was too tall?"

Sniffing hard Henry gave Hank a sympathetic glance that just made Hank pressed his hand to the side of Henry's cheek and hold it there for a minute.

Connor proceeded to finish cleaning up the small wounds on Henry's knees and wrapped them up in gauze bandages. "Henry, does your arm still hurt?"

Henry sniffled again. "Yeah."

"We'll get you some ice for your arm, then we're going to have a doctor look at it."

"Why?"

"Because I think your arm is hurt bad enough it'll need to be put into a cast until it's better." Connor had become very skilled at explaining things to Henry in a simplified but intelligent manner to his young son so he could understand what was happening to him. "The cast will make sure you arm doesn't hurt you anymore and it will keep it safe until it's all better."

Hank lightly patted the side of Henry's face as he stood up from the floor. "I'll go get him an ice pack. Want me to go ahead and let the hospital know that Henry's on his way in?"

"That'd be a good idea." The deviant confirmed as he continued to clean up Henry's cuts and made sure there weren't any small bits of gravel or twigs, or anything else in his injuries as he cleaned them and bandaged them. Hank took his leave of the bathroom while Connor stayed with Henry. "How'd you even get up in the tree to begin with, Henry?"

"I... I grabbed a branch."

"The low branch hanging over the fence?"

"Uh-huh."

"The branch that me and your Papa told you to not climb on?"

"...Uh-huh."

Connor could see that Henry felt bad enough and had clearly learned his lesson. It was just a shame that he had to learn it in such a hard way. "Henry, I'm not mad. I'm just worried because you're hurt, that's all."

"I won't do it again."

"I know." Connor looked over his shoulder as Hank returned with a bag of ice wrapped up in a towel for Henry. As the ice was gently put on Henry's fractured arm Connor carefully picked Henry up and proceeded to carry him out of the bathroom and outside to the car. "We'll get your arm taken care of." Connor noticed there was a small amount of blood on Henry's bottom lip as well, and wanted to check for another injury. "Open your mouth."

Henry obeyed and opened his mouth, revealing that he had lost his bottom front tooth.

"You lost your loose tooth when you fell."

"I did?!" Henry pressed his fingers to his mouth in shock.

"Don't worry, the 'Tooth Fairy' will find it."

"You take care of Henry," Hank called out as the deviant carried Henry outside. "I'll take care of the mess in the backyard."

"Thanks, dad."

Two hours after taking Henry to the hospital the doctors confirmed the fracture in his arm and set in a protective cast. Sporting a dark blue cast on his left arm and carrying a cherry red popsicle in his right hand Henry walked back into the house alongside Connor. As the little boy walked back into the livingroom of the house he was greeted by Hank who was looking a little worn out and was covered in green grass and dirt.

"Hey, Henry." Hank called out as he wiped a cool cloth over the back of his sweaty neck. "Nice cast."

"I got to pick the color!" Henry beamed as he showed Hank his arm that had Connor's name (Dad) written on its side in white paint pen, in perfect CyberLife sans. Pulling the paint pen from his pocket with his bad arm, the cast making it somewhat difficult, he presented it to Hank. "Wanna' sign it?"

"Of course I do."

Connor glanced out the window in the kitchen to the backyard and saw that Hank had actually sawed off the low hanging branch and cleaned up the leaves that had collected by the fence when Henry fell. It was the neighbors tree that Henry had fallen from and that of course made the act a little worrying.

"Hey, uh, dad... What happened to the tree branch?"

"I asked the neighbors first, kid." Hank replied as he finished writing 'Papa' on Henry's cast. "They were cool with it since the branch grew over your property, and that by us getting rid of it they wouldn't have to worry about Henry getting hurt again."

"That's good."

"Wow, Henry. You have a lot of names on here already."

"Dad took me to see everyone before we came home. And Markus got me this popsicle!"

Carefully Hank turned over the cast to read all the other names printed neatly over the blue wrapping. "Let's see, you have my name, your dad, Markus, North, Josh, Simon, Aria, Gavin, Abby... Jason. Who's Jason?"

"My best friend!"

"Oh, that makes sense."

"Can Sumo sign my cast?"

"Uh, he might have trouble holding the pen. How about I write it for him?"

"Okay!"

Connor returned to the livingroom relieved to see Henry wasn't upset and wasn't in any pain after having his arm broken. "Henry suffered two hairline fractures to his radius. Fortunately they are stable breaks and won't require any surgical intervention to support the bones with pins."

"That's good to know." He gave his grandson a knowing glance as he spoke. "And now Henry knows why we didn't want him climbing the tree, right?

"Right." There was a smear of cherry red all around Henry's lips as he ate the popsicle, not that he cared. "I won't climb the tree no more."

"Good boy."

"Tomorrow you can show your cast to the rest of your class and get more names." Connor stated confidently as he stared at his brave, tough son. "Finish your popsicle so you can get a bath and go to bed, alright?"

"Can't I stay up a while longer?"

Knowing full well that Henry was going to fall asleep pretty quickly once he finally settled down Connor relented and allowed it. "Okay, but only a half hour."

"Thanks dad!"

Henry rushed off to his bedroom to play for a while and Connor ran his hand over his tired face.

"He scared the shit of ya', didn't he?"

"Yeah... I've never heard him scream that loud in his entire life. That was a whole new level of fear I felt."

"Well, you kept your cool and that kept him calm, too."

"Is it strange that I wished he had inherited my initial fear of heights?"

"I don't think phobias are genetic, son. You had your fear instilled from what those CyberLife creeps did to you." Crossing his arms over his chest Hank craned his neck to make sure Henry wasn't in hearing range. "If Henry does become afraid of heights he'll know exactly why it started and can overcome it a lot easier than you did."

"I get the feeling Henry's going to be able to overcome A LOT of things much easier than I did."

"Sure, why not?" Sitting down on the couch Hank rested his back and let out a weary sigh. "He had you to raise him, and you're the most empathetic person I've ever met. Hell, you actually felt bad for criminals who tried to _kill_ you."

"Fortunately I haven't been singled out for being an android in six years. That makes it easier to do my job."

"Yup. By the way, I finished taking care of the little dinner you were making before Henry got hurt."

"O-Oh... I must've forgotten to turn off the stove."

"Yeah, you're a dad alright. You put your son above everything else."

"I suppose I should also thank you for not allowing the kitchen to catch on fire during my abrupt departure."

"No problem, son. You can replace a a few burned pans and even entire kitchen, but you can't replace you own kid. Also," Hank reached into his pocket and presented Connor with Henry's missing tooth. "don't know how I actually found it, but I did."

"Thanks." Connor took the small tooth and held it between his index finger and thumb. "I imagine Henry getting a visit from the 'Tooth Fairy' tonight will make him feel better."

* * *

_**Henry: Seven Years Old.** _

A gorgeous summer had resulted in a long overdue family vacation to the cabin. Hank, Connor, Henry and even Sumo all went to the cabin to spend a week together, and to get away from the city for a while. It was Henry's first time at the cabin, and it had been years since Connor was able to join Hank at the cabin since he was still working and needed to tend to Henry at home.

Though he spent his weekends alone over the past few years Hank still loved going out to the cabin and had kept the place in pristine condition by himself.

"Here we are." Hank proudly announced as the Oldsmobile pulled up to the cabin and the family piled out together. "What do you think, Henry?"

"This place is yours?"

"Yup."

"That's so cool!"

The slightly taller and more well-spoken child shouted excitedly as he opened up the backdoor of the car, released his safety belt from his booster seat and jumped out of the car onto the dark green grass. Henry stretched out his legs and began running through the grass to get to the backyard of the cabin with a new sense of excitement. As he did Sumo, now older and moving slower, trudged after him protectively as he too jumped down from the backseat of the car.

Connor shouted after the energetic child while he helped Hank with the luggage from the trunk. "Henry, don't go near the lake!"

"Did you bring his life vest?"

"Yeah, it's packed with the rest of the fishing gear. ...I don't mind you taking Henry fishing, but-"

"I'll practice catch and release again, I swear."

"Thanks."

"Come on. It's the perfect day to take him out on the lake for a while."

"Of course. I'll take everything inside the cabin, you can get him ready to go out."

It only took Hank a few minutes to get Henry secured in his life vest and the fishing gear set up in the small boat. After filing the gas tank and checking the engine Hank released the rope securing the boat to the dock and pushed the boat a few inches from the dock with his foot. Connor was watching from the shoreline with Sumo plopped down in the cool grass beside him.

"Stay in the boat, Henry." Connor called out as the boat drifted a little further away from the dock and into the water. "Listen to Papa. He knows best!"

"I will! Bye dad!" Henry was waving excitedly as Hank pulled the starter on the engine and it roared to life. "See ya' later!"

Connor watched as the boat sped away from the dock and out into the middle of the lake at a steady clip. Kneeling down on the ground Connor pet Sumo's side and received a happy wag of the tail for his efforts from the lethargic, elderly dog.

"Good boy, Sumo. I hope this isn't your last summer with us, but if it is, we'll make it the best for you."

Sumo lifted up his head and licked at the side of Connor's arm affectionately as the two stayed at the cabin waiting for Hank and Henry to return from their private fishing trip together.

"Might as well take care of the cabin. Wanna' help?"

Sumo grumbled and laid back down in the shade.

"I didn't think so."

The sun was just beginning to set when Connor heard the fishing boat's engine coming closer to the dock, and he caught sight of the water craft returning to the property. Stepping outside of the cabin Connor walked through the backyard to greet the returning duo and helped guide the boat back over to the dock to be secured by the restraining rope.

Hank looked a little pale and Henry seemed a little quieter than normal upon their return.

"Are you two alright?" Connor wasn't going to let their behavior go unnoticed.

"Fine. Just tired." Hank responded quickly as he helped Henry to climb out of the boat. "What'd you do while we were out?"

"I finished unpacking and I proceeded to make a bonfire. I thought you and Henry would enjoy hamburgers tonight."

"Sounds great. Uh, I'm going to go lay down before my back acts up. Do you mind taking care of the fishing gear?"

"No, I got this. Go inside."

Standing up warily in the boat Hank set foot on the dock and slowly trudged toward the cabin without his hand pressed to his back as he walked. Though he seemed to be in pain it certainly wasn't in his back, and Connor had a hunch that whatever was bothering Hank was more emotional than physical.

"Henry," Connor spoke to his son in a low voice as they worked together to carry the tacklebox and fishing rods back to the cabin. "did something happen while you were fishing?"

"I dunno'. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Well, when I was setting up my hook Papa told me to be careful, but..."

"But what?"

"He didn't call me Henry. He called me 'Cole'."

"...Cole?" Connor repeated the name as his heart skipped a beat.

"And then he got really quiet for a while."

"Oh. I see."

"I don't know why Papa got so weird after he called me by my middle name. It's not a big deal."

"...Did you talk about anything else before you came back?"

"Yeah. Mostly sports and how I want to try out for the basketball team next year. And Sumo. And what it's like to be a cop."

"Okay, good. I'm glad you two kept talking." Placing the tacklebox and fishing poles on the small back porch and up against the cabin's exterior wall Connor turned to look his son in the eyes. "Henry, I think we need to talk."

"What about? Am I in trouble?"

"No, no! You didn't do anything wrong, son. It's just... complicated."

"Uh... doesn't 'complicated' mean weird?"

"Essentially, yes."

"So Papa was being weird, and now you're saying things are weird." Henry was rather astute and trying to figure things out for himself, but he didn't have any idea what was going on. "What's so weird? My middle name isn't weird, is it?"

"No. And like I said, you're not in trouble. Understand?"

"I guess so."

"Alright. Come with me, we need to have a talk."

"Where are we going?"

"Just over to the bonfire. We don't have to leave the cabin."

"Cool! I like it here!"

Connor just smiled as Henry raced over to the massive, dead log that was sitting on the property just a few feet away from the roaring bonfire and sat down. Sumo was laying on the other side of the fire and promptly trotted over to Henry as soon as the boy called him. Joining his son on the log Connor unsnapped the plastic supports around Henry's life vest and slipped it from around the boy's shoulders and placed it on the grass.

"Henry," Connor began in a calm voice as he prepared to explain things to his young son. "I want you to know you didn't do or say anything wrong, okay?"

"Okay. But, why did Papa get so weird and call me 'Cole'?"

"Because, Henry, you _look_ a lot like Cole."

"I don't get it. ...Who's Cole?"

"Cole is your Papa's other son." Showing Henry the palm of his right hand Connor revealed a photograph of Cole for the boy to see. "This is Cole when he was about your age." A new detail popped into Connor's mind that made him feel a tad guilty. "In fact, it would be his birthday tomorrow..."

Henry was quiet for a moment as he processed what Connor had just told him. "I thought you and Uncle Luke were Papa's kids."

"We are. But before either myself or your Uncle Luke had even met your Papa, he had another son named Cole."

"...I still don't get it. Where is Cole and how come you and Uncle Luke never talk about him?"

"Because," gently putting his hand to Henry's shoulder Connor told him the sad story with a heavy heart. "about fourteen years ago your Papa and your Uncle Cole were in a very bad car accident, and they were both hurt in the accident. Your Papa hurt his ribs but he got better. But your Uncle Cole was hurt so badly that the doctors couldn't make him better. He passed away and your Papa was very, very sad for a long time. And he still gets sad sometimes when he thinks about Cole, because he misses him so much."

"Uncle Cole went to Heaven?"

"Yes, he's with your Grandma Barbara and your-" It was still hard for Connor to talk about Skye, and he didn't want to tell Henry that he'd never meet his mother. Not yet. Instead he quickly changed the subject. "and because you look like Cole your Papa accidentally called you by his name."

"Did I make him sad?"

"No, Henry. The _memory of losing_ Cole made him sad."

"Is that why my middle name is Cole?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Why'd you do that?"

"The same reason I picked your first name. Do you know why I chose your first name?"

"No."

"I picked the name 'Henry' because that's your Papa's first name. I named you after him to honor your Papa because he's a great father and a great man. And I picked the name 'Cole' to honor your Uncle Cole in memory."

"Oh. What was Uncle Cole like?"

"I... I don't know. Your Papa told me a few things about him, but he'd get really sad after talking about him and didn't want to talk anymore. But, I do know Papa loved him very much, just like he loves you."

"You said Uncle Cole died before you and Uncle Luke met Papa. How did you meet your own dad?"

"...Henry, your Uncle Luke and I were adopted by your Papa. We don't have the same blood as your Papa, but we're family all the same. He cared about us and we care about him."

"Adopted?"

"Yes. That's when a person who needs a family is taken in by a family." Connor explained simply and coolly. "Papa took me in and gave me a family because he wanted to, and because I needed a father to guide me through my life. And your Uncle Luke and I had been... separated from each for a long time." It wasn't a total lie and much easier to explain to a small child that way. "When we found each other your Papa took him in, too. If it wasn't for him I don't know where I'd be right now, but I do know that I wouldn't have you in my life. And that thought makes me feel sad, too."

"Oh." Henry looked around the bonfire to see where Hank was, but he was still inside the cabin. "But, everyone always say I look like you."

"That's right."

"And I look like Uncle Cole?"

"That's also right."

"So does that mean you look like Uncle Cole?"

That question was a little unexpected, and Connor wasn't quite sure how to answer. "I... I suppose that's true as well. I hadn't thought about it like that before, but it makes sense."

Henry kept looking around trying to see where Hank was, but the emotionally distressed man was nowhere to be seen. "Where is Papa?"

"His back was hurting him a little," the white-lie wasn't entirely untrue either. "so he went to lay down for a while. He'll be back outside in a few hours."

"Okay."

"Want to help me with dinner?"

"Can Sumo come with us?"

"Of course." Connor stood up from the log and walked toward the cabin with Henry right beside him. Sumo slowly plodded after them with his long tail lightly wagging back and forth. "He can help clean up any messes we make."

The sun had almost set entirely and the bonfire was still as bright and warm as ever. Hank had returned to the bonfire after an hour of being alone and happily joined Henry for dinner. Sumo ate up some of the scraps but for the most part enjoyed resting his aging bones near the warm fire and being close to his family. Connor was tending to the fire while Henry sat beside it petting Sumo much to the dog's delight. Hank himself was sitting with his back to the fire so he could watch the sun set into the darkness as he became lost in melancholy thought.

"I'm going to get more wood for the fire." The deviant stated as he eyed the pile of firewood stacked neatly behind the cabin by the cellar doors. "Don't get too close to the fire, Henry."

"Okay." The happy little boy looked up from Sumo to watch Connor walking toward the cabin, then turned to look at Hank. Standing up from the ground he rushed over to the log and sat down beside Hank curiously. "Papa?"

"Yeah, Henry?" Hank's eyes never left the sunset as he answered the question.

"What was Uncle Cole like?"

Though the question caught Hank offguard the loving grandfather didn't flinch. Looking down at his grandson Hank could've sworn he was looking at Cole himself. With an appreciative grin on his face and tears in his eyes he wrapped his arm around Henry's shoulder and pulled him up against his side, and Henry leaned up against him. As he hugged Henry and watched the last of the sunlight fade away into the night Hank let out a weary sigh and finally answered the question.

"Well, Cole was a lot like you, Henry. _And_ your dad..."

* * *

_**Henry: Eight Years Old.** _

Connor managed to open up as much free space in the livingroom as possible as Henry and his best friend Jason, as well as two other good friends from his basketball team, Robby and Jordon, and of course Aria, spread out their sleeping bags on the floor. It was the first time that Connor had to entertain an entire group of children, but he was up to the challenge and kept texting Hank for advice on the matter.

' _Connor, they're eight_ , _not eighteen_.' Hank reminded him with casually. ' _You don't have to worry so much_.'

"I've sent Henry over to Jason's house four times in the past for a sleepover, but I've never had to host one."

' _It's easy. Give the kids pizza, let them play some games and watch a movie. They'll fall asleep really fast and by morning their parents will come by and pick them all up_. _They'll have a good time and in a few months you'll probably do it again_.'

"I don't think it'll be that easy tonight since Aria is here."

' _Why's that_?'

"The boys are discussing basketball and Aria seems bored. She doesn't enjoy sports as they do."

' _Well if the boys are entertained by themselves, then you should just focus on her. She's your goddaughter after all_. _Hell, she and Henry are kinda' half siblings_. _I mean, I know they have the same biological parents but thanks to Abby, well, yeah_...'

"Yeah, I know. Even if Aria and Henry weren't so indirectly related I'd tend to her all the same."

' _Good_. _Now, stop talking with me and take care of her_.'

"Right. I'll make sure she's having fun."

Slipping his phone into his pocket Connor walked into the livingroom where the four boys were talking about basketball and Aria was sitting on the couch with her stuffed toy cat on her lap. Sitting down beside the little girl Connor spoke to her kindly and decided to see if she wanted to do something fun that didn't revolve around basketball.

"Hi, Aria."

"Hi." Aria was soft spoken and very polite. She had Abby's hair color but Gavin's eyes, and she was very intelligent and kind.

"Do you want to play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"Any game you want to play."

"Can we play 'makeover'?"

"...What's 'makeover'?"

"I can show you!" Excitedly Aria got off the couch and grabbed her backpack that was sitting on the floor by the television set. "Come with me!"

Obediently Connor walked into the kitchen and followed after Aria as she pulled out some small make-up kits and nail polishes that she had been given by her parents on her birthday last month. Completely unfamiliar with the concept of make-up Connor just sat and watched as Aria got everything set up and grabbed onto his hand.

"Lay your hand flat on the table."

"Alright."

"And now pick a color!"

* * *

Three hours after Connor initially texted Hank he sent his father another text to confirm that everything went alright and that the five kids were all asleep on the livingroom floor pretty happy. Well, the boys were on the floor and Aria was sleeping on the couch since she was the last one to fall asleep and Connor put her there to rest after she started falling asleep at the kitchen table. Draping her sleeping bag over the small girl Connor was convinced she'd be warm and comfortable throughout the night.

After very quietly cleaning up the plates and empty cups from the floor without disturbing the kids Connor made sure they were all comfortable in their sleeping bags and all had pillows. The television was left on at a low volume to keep some form of light at all time for the little kids in case one or more were afraid of the dark, or needed to see their way around the unfamiliar house to get to the bathroom.

A reply text buzzed in Connor's pocket as he went to his own bedroom and kept the door open to keep a close eye on the kids.

' _Sounds like you made sure they all had fun. What'd you do with Aria_?'

"I played a game with her while the boys talked. Then they all watched a movie and fell asleep."

' _See_? _Not a big deal_.'

"Thanks for your help. I'll see you tomorrow."

Connor stayed in a light rest mode to keep tabs on the five children and much to his relief they all stayed asleep throughout the entire night. Once morning came around Connor proceeded to make his way into the kitchen and prepared the five kids breakfast before helping them pack up their things and make sure they had everything they needed before leaving for home.

As the group of kids all sat around the livingroom with plates of pancakes, eggs and juice Connor received texts from the other parents letting him know that they'd be stopping by within the hour to get their kids. Unsurprisingly Abby was the first to show up since she and Gavin were going to head out of the city for a weekend away and have a small family vacation with Aria.

As Connor answered the door the sweet little girl rushed over her mom with her backpack and stuffed kitty in her hands. "Hi mom!"

"Hi Aria! Did you have fun?"

"Yeah!" She smiled brightly as she told her mom about playing a game with Connor. "I got to play 'makeover'."

Abby gave Connor a curious glance as she picked Abby up and held her on her hip. "'Makeover', huh?"

Connor blushed a little held up his hand to show Abby that he allowed Aria to paint his fingernails emerald green. "...It'll wash off."

"Don't worry, Connor." Abby laughed discreetly at the nail polish. "You're not the first guy she's talked into playing 'makeover' with her." She leaned a little bit closer and whispered to the deviant to keep the four little boys from hearing her. "Gavin's toenails are purple."

Connor smirked as Abby thanked him, took her leave of the house and carried Abby out to the car where Gavin was waiting behind the steering wheel.

"Bye, Abby. Bye, Aria."

"Bye!" Aria waved happily to Connor as she shouted back to him before being placed in the backseat of the car by Abby.

Shortly thereafter the rest of the kids were collected by their parents and Henry helped his dad clean up the livingroom and put the furniture back in place. As the little boy picked up the plates and cups to put in the kitchen sink Hank walked in through the backdoor and greeted Henry as Sumo walked in beside him.

"Good morning, Henry."

"Hi, Papa. Hi Sumo."

"Have fun last night?"

"Yeah!" Sumo trotted up to Henry and began licking sticky syrup from his fingers making Henry laugh. "We're going to win all our basketball games this year!"

"I wouldn't doubt it for a minute."

Connor joined Hank and Henry in the kitchen and promptly rubbed Sumo's ears as he offered Hank something to eat. "Want some breakfast? I believe I made too much even for five people."

"Yeah, sure. Then I want to-" Hank spotted the green on Connor's nails and grabbed his hand. Admiring the shining color over Connor's fingernails he just gave the deviant an amused smirk. "Uh, son, are you trying a new look?"

"...Aria." Connor blushed bright blue as he took his hand back from Hank's grip. "It was her idea."

"Oh. _That_ explains it."

"I'm apparently not the first male that Aria managed to play her 'makeover' game with."

"Gavin?"

Nodding his head Connor placed his hands behind his back still somewhat embarrassed. "Gavin."

Henry saw the green on his dad's fingernails and laughed a little. "It's okay dad, it's better than having purple toenails!"

"Oh..." Connor smirked while Hank withheld a laugh. "I guess Abby didn't whisper as quietly as she thought she did."

* * *

_**Henry: Nine Years Old.** _

It was the final junior league basketball game of the season and Henry's team had won handsomely. Connor and Hank had both been able to watch the game and were very proud of Henry for playing a great game. As the night came to an end and the attending family members all claimed their children from the elementary school gymnasium, Connor met with Henry outside the gym and walked with his son toward the parking lot where Hank was already waiting for them by the car.

"Great game, Henry."

"Thanks, dad."

"I guess you'll have to settle for playing basketball at home until the next season starts."

"That's cool. As long as I don't have to run sprints!"

"Only if you want to."

Henry was walking with his basketball tucked under his arm and unusually quiet, especially since his team had just won. Connor just chalked it up to him being tired after a long game and didn't try to force a conversation.

"When we get home you can shower off and I can drop you off at Jason's house so you can go have pizza with your friends."

"That's okay, I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure? You didn't eat much this morning."

"Yeah."

"Are you alright?" Connor asked as he and Henry made it to the car and pulled open the door. Pushing the driver's seat forward Connor let Henry climb into the backseat before climbing in himself. "You act like you don't feel well."

"I'm just tired." Henry replied firmly as he took his seat and fastened his seatbelt. "Can Jason come over tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow's Saturday so if it's okay with his mom he can come over." Adjusting the rearview mirror Connor looked at Henry's reflection and his mouth twitched a little as he turned over the engine. "Do you have a headache?"

"...Not really. I'm just tired, dad."

Hank sensed there was something wrong with Henry, too. But just like Connor he knew Henry wouldn't admit it if he was feeling sick unless he was really suffering. "Well, you'll feel better after you sit down for a while." Giving Connor a knowing glance Hank tagged on another thought. "Maybe you can hang out with Sumo on the couch again?"

Henry didn't respond to the offer which sent up red flags for both Connor and Hank.

"We'll be home in a few minutes, son." Connor had begun to speak more like Hank as Henry grew up, not that either of them were surprised. "Then you can pass out in front of the television or with a book."

Once home with Connor, having shown no interest in playing with Sumo, Henry was still acting as though he didn't feel well. After taking his shower he changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt before laying down on his side over the black leather couch in front of the television. As his eyes drifted shut Connor very discreetly put his hand over Henry's forehead and ran a scan over his son to ensure he was really okay.

Henry felt like he was running a mild fever, and his entire demeanor spoke volumes of illness.

Ever attentive Connor took the dark blue quilt from the back of the couch and draped it over Henry's sleeping form to make sure he was comfortable. Sitting down on the second smaller couch adjacent to where Henry was laying Connor continued to monitor him from where he sat. Henry was very pale and seemed exhausted beyond that of just playing in a basketball game. Connor knew something was wrong, something oddly familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

As it neared ten in the evening Connor detected that Henry's fever was beginning to rise and knew he was much sicker than he was going to admit. Before he had the chance stand up and walk over to his son Henry suddenly awoke and began to whimper in pain.

"Henry?"

"...My stomach hurts." As Henry slowly sat upright on the couch he wrapped both of his arms around his stomach and began to cry in pain.

Connor's hand returned to Henry's forehead and noted his temperature at one-hundred and one point eight degrees, and climbing.

"Henry, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No!" The scared, pained child called out loudly. "I don't wanna' go!"

"You have to, you're very sick." Scooping Henry up and into his arms Connor made his way outside the house and next to door to where Hank still lived. Opening the front door he called out to Hank for help. "Dad?"

"Connor?" Hank was still awake and reading in bed when the deviant walked inside. Making his way down the hallway as quickly as he could he saw Henry curled up around himself in Connor's arms, and his eyes went wide. "What's going on?"

"I need to take Henry to the hospital; St. Vevila. He's burning up and in a lot of pain."

"A-Alright, I'll drive." Hank grabbed the car keys from the bookshelf, slipped on his shoes and grabbed his dark overcoat by the door. Forcing himself to remain as calm as possible he took charge of the situation. "Come on, let's go."

While Hank drove the Oldsmobile to the hospital Connor sat in the backseat with Henry still being held in his arms and up against his chest. Henry was trying to curl around himself as much as possible as the pain in his stomach continued to escalate, and he was getting paler by the second. Connor was very lightly running his hand over Henry's hair to comfort him while also keeping tabs on his fever.

Cybernetically Connor made contact with the hospital to inform the android receptionist of their impending arrival, and of Henry's medical history for a more efficient examination.

"You're going to be okay, Henry." The deviant father promised his sick son.

"It hurts!"

"I know it does. We're going to get you to a doctor and make it stop."

Pulling into the emergency entrance area of the parking lot Hank watched as Connor opened up the door and carried Henry inside for treatment. He hated to let them go inside without him, but he couldn't abandon the car out front. As a former first responder himself he knew the frustration of emergency crews having to deal with an abandoned vehicle in front of a hospital, and forced himself to drive off to park elsewhere.

Passing through the main lobby of the hospital Connor carried Henry up to the receptionist desk and was promptly greeted by Dr. Wilson who took Henry from Connor's arms and placed him down on a nearby gurney.

"It's okay, Connor." Dr. Wilson reassured the worrying father as took charge of Henry's care. The doctor had gotten word of the incoming patient and quickly volunteered to oversee the treatment, with a nurse already at his side. "We'll take good care of Henry."

"I-I know."

"Henry?" Dr. Wilson spoke to the frightened child as he pressed his palm over Henry's forehead for himself to gauge his fever. "My name is Dr. Wilson. I'm here to help you, don't be afraid."

The gurney was attended to by two orderlies who began wheeling Henry away from the receptionist area and toward an emergency exam room. Connor walked alongside his son and remained at his side while Dr. Wilson gave him a quick examination and determined that the most likely cause to Henry's sickness was appendicitis.

"Henry," Dr. Wilson carefully lifted up the boy's t-shirt to reveal his abdomen before he lightly wrapped his fingers around Henry's wrist to count his pulse. "I'm going to press on your stomach, if it hurts let me know and I'll stop."

Henry looked to Connor as if needing reassurance. Connor nodded and grabbed onto Henry's hand to let him squeeze in case the pain made him wince or scream out.

Lightly Dr. Wilson checked Henry's abdomen by palpating the lower right quadrant with his fingers. As he neared the inevitable 'hotspot' Henry let out a yelp of pain and squeezed Connor's hand as he tried to roll on his side away from Dr. Wilson.

"I'm sorry, I won't touch it again." Dr. Wilson promised as he put his hand on Henry's shoulder. Glancing up at Connor the doctor communicated the bleak news that Connor was already expecting. "He'll need an M.R.I. to confirm the diagnosis, but I'm already certain he'll need surgery."

Henry's pale face went even paler at the word 'surgery' and his hand tightened around Connor's even more. "I don't want surgery!"

Connor reciprocated the squeeze and ran his other hand through Henry's hair again. "I'm sorry, Henry. But it's the only way to help you feel better."

"No!"

Dr. Wilson made a note in Henry's electronic chart and motioned for the nurse who had accompanied him to give the two a moment of privacy.

"It's okay to be scared, Henry. But you need-"

"No!"

Hank had made his way to the receptionist area and showed his badge to the android receptionist, and informed him of his grandson being admitted. She happily directed him back to the examination room and allowed him to go about freely. He had bumped into Dr. Wilson just seconds ago and had informed Hank of Henry's probable condition.

"Henry?" Hank saw that Henry was terrified and wanted to do everything he could to help him feel better. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want surgery!"

Connor silently mouthed the word 'appendix' to Hank, who quickly figured everything out.

"You'll be okay." Hank encouraged as he stood on the opposite side of the gurney from Connor and pulled up his shirt a little. "See that scar? I had surgery to have my appendix taken out, too. And I'm okay."

"A scar? I don't want a scar!"

Connor reacted quickly and did the same thing Hank did. "I had the same thing happen to me, Henry." Lifting up his own shirt he pointed to where his analysis filter, his 'android-appendix' had been inside his abdomen when it failed. "I didn't end up with a scar because I was younger than your Papa when I had my surgery. You won't have a scar either, and you'll be okay just like we are."

Henry was still terrified but no one could blame him. Being in a hospital as a child was scary enough, but needing surgery was even worse!

"Henry," Connor kept his voice low and calm as he knelt down beside the gurney and locked eyes with his son. "everything will be alright. Dr. Wilson is going to take you to get a test done and make sure it's really your appendix making you sick. And if that's the case then you'll have to have surgery. But you'll be asleep the whole time and won't feel anything. No pain at all."

"...Really?"

"Yes, really." Connor promised as he continued to run his hand through Henry's hair. "And when you wake up both me and Papa will be right here waiting for you."

Dr. Wilson and the nurse returned to the exam room and shook Hank's hand as he addressed Connor. "They're ready for Henry upstairs. If it's his appendix he'll need to be taken into surgery A.S.A.P. to have it removed. Do we your consent?"

"Y-Yeah. Of course."

The nurse handed Connor the electronic tablet containing the official documents to be signed. With a somewhat shaking hand Connor signed his name and handed the document back to the nurse.

"Henry," Connor stood up from the floor and planted a kiss on Henry's too warm forehead. "you're going to be alright. I promise."

Henry only nodded as the safety rails on the side of the gurney were lifted up and locked into place by Dr. Wilson and the nurse. As Henry was slowly wheeled out of the room and down the corridor to the elevator out of sight Connor let out a heavy sigh and pressed the heels of his palms to his face in worried frustration.

"Hey, hey..." Hank grabbed onto Connor's shoulder to lead him out of the exam room and back to the waiting room. "Come on, son."

"I hate this."

"That's exactly how I felt when you had to have your filter-thing removed."

"Henry isn't an android. He's a human, he's... fragile. And still so small."

The fear in Connor's voice reflected Hank's own fear from the night Cole had died when he needed surgery. Cole had suffered internal trauma, whereas Henry only had an inflamed appendix. An appendectomy was a rather routine procedure in the hospital, and Dr. Wilson was a skilled doctor. He helped Connor when he was sick, so Hank was confident that he'd be able to help Henry, too.

"Connor, Henry is one strong little boy. He's just like his father."

"That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

"Sit down with me, son. Breathe."

Hank guided Connor to one of the vacant seats in the waiting room and sat down next to him. Keeping one hand on Connor's shoulder Hank encouraged Connor to breathe slowly and to calm his mind. As the deviant sat idle in the chair his right hand for his pocket and he pulled out his old coin. As he nervously danced it over his knuckles Hank saw the quarter and just shook his head.

"It's been years since I've seen you mess around with that thing."

"My hands had been rather full the past nine years."

"Yeah, I get that." Sitting back in his own chair Hank crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Henry will be fine, son. You just need to sit and wait."

"I dislike being unable to help him."

"You did help him. You knew he was sick, and you knew he needed to go to the hospital. A lot of parents would either 'wait and see' what happens, or panic. You did real good, son."

"I just hope it was good enough."

Three painfully slow hours passed with Connor now pacing about the waiting room with his coin dancing over his hand and Hank lightly dozing in the chair. Very few people were left in the waiting room and it seemed only Connor and Hank were left somewhat conscious as it neared one in the morning. Just as the pacing deviant crossed the room for the fifty-second time Dr. Wilson returned to speak with him, a confident smile of relief on his face.

Connor stopped short and looked to Dr. Wilson without saying a word.

"Henry's just fine, Connor. He's in his own recovery room and just waking up from anesthesia."

Lowering his hand, his coin finally come to a stop, Connor gave the doctor a pleading sigh. "Can I see him?"

"Sure, but only for a few minutes."

"Yeah, of course." As he pocketed his coin he turned to look back at Hank where he was still sitting in the chair. "Did you want to see Henry, too?"

"I'll see him the morning. He's going to be too drowsy from the anesthesia to really talk anyway."

"Right. I'll let him know you'll see him in the morning."

Connor was shown to Henry's room where he was drifting in and out of awareness as a nurse kept an eye on him. The small boy had a nasal cannula under his nose as the additional oxygen would help flush the remaining anesthetic from his system and help with his overall recovery. A small plastic clip was attached to his left middle finger to keep tabs on his vitals on the muted monitor beside the bed.

Very lightly Connor wrapped his hand around Henry's right arm and whispered to him. "Henry? Henry, it's dad."

Henry's blue eyes began to flutter a little as he recognized Connor's voice. "...Dad?"

"Right here. How do you feel?"

"Kinda'... numb."

"That'll fade in time. Do you remember what's going on and where you are?"

"I got sick. ...I'm in a hospital."

"That's right. You're going to stay the night here and I'll take you home tomorrow, okay?"

"...Are you gonna' go?"

"No, son. I'll be here all night, same with Papa." Giving Henry's forehead another kiss Connor made it known he wasn't going anywhere. "If you need me to do so I'll go buy a sleeping bag and sleep on the floor next to you."

"Thanks, dad."

The nurse just looked at Connor and smiled as he stayed with Henry and proceeded to run his hand through Henry's hair again. Taking a chair from the far wall she placed it beside the bed for Connor to use as he stayed beside Henry for the rest of the night.

"Get some more sleep. You'll feel much better in the morning, son."

True to his word Connor stayed beside his healing son's bedside well until dawn, and never once left the room.

As morning came Henry's incision was examined and he was given the all clear to go home to rest, and take antibiotics to stave off infection. Since his incision was still healing Henry was allowed to skip the following entire week of school, which of course meant he got a little spoiled by both dad and grandpa. A few 'Get Well Soon' gifts were delivered to Henry by Markus from New Jericho. and he brought Henry a few spare canvases, various paintbrushes, oil paints and a wooden paint pallet for him to mess with while he healed.

"This is all for you Henry." Markus smiled as he gave the little boy all the gifts. "Enjoy!"

"Thanks Markus!"

The deviant leader had essentially taken an honorary role as an additional Uncle since Luke still lived in Boston, and loved every second of it. More than happy to give Henry piano lessons at the house whenever he could spare the time, and Markus had become pretty attached to the little boy.

"I'm glad you're feeling better. When you're ready I'll give you some extra piano lessons."

"Cool! Can you teach me how to play piano and play the guitar at the same time?"

"Uh... Maybe you can play the piano with one hand and strum with the other. But you're going to have to ask your dad about the guitar."

"That'd be so cool."

Connor stepped into the livingroom to check in on Henry who was laying stretched out over the length of the leather sofa. Having called off work to take care of Henry for the first forty-eight hours of his recovery, then Hank would take over for the remainder of the recovery, Connor was constantly checking in on his healing son. "Hey, Henry. How do you feel?"

"Okay, I guess. I kinda' feel like I have a big bruise in my side, or like I ran too much."

"That's how I felt after my 'surgery'."

"Look what Markus got for me!" Henry proudly held up the newly acquired art supplies and smiled. "What do you think?"

"I think that's perfect for you." Connor approved of the gift and was very appreciative of Markus's generosity. "Thank you, Markus."

"No problem. Do you need anything? I don't mind."

"Thanks again, but we're good. Hank went out to grab a few things for Henry and will back soon. You're free to hang out with us though."

"Sure! It'd be nice to get away from work for a while." Glancing down at Henry with a grin Markus asked for his approval. "Do you mind?"

"No! Show me how to paint!"

"Alright, no problem."

As Markus sat down on the couch next to Henry to show him the proper method for using oil-based paints and the different types of brushes he had been given Connor took the opportunity to make Henry a light lunch.

"Think you can eat something?"

"I think so."

"Alright. I'll go make you some soup, and then you can have a little ice cream after."

Henry smiled at the idea of being able to have ice cream for lunch. While Markus just grinned at the very human and compassionate mannerisms that Connor had developed after Henry had been born. It was strange to know Connor first as 'The Deviant Hunter', then an ally who infiltrated a high security tower to free their people, help lead a revolution, help establish android rights and fight back against discrimination; now acting as one of the most attentive, loving parents in all of the city.

"Here's a trick to oil-painting, Henry." Markus held up the tube of white paint and put a small portion on the first canvas. "If you put a white base down and leave it wet, the paint will blend much easier..."

* * *

_**Henry: Ten Years Old.** _

It was a cold winter morning and Hank was walking about slowly through the kitchen as he prepared a fresh, brewing pot of coffee for himself. Sumo was laying down on his side on the giant pillow in the corner of the livingroom with an old, worn-out red and white plaid blanket wrapped all around his arthritic body. It was about two weeks until Christmas and Hank was trying to put together his 'to-do' list at the kitchen table when his phone started buzzing right beside his hand.

Picking up the phone, recognizing the number instantly as Connor, Hank answered and continued on with his list. "Hey, son. What's going on?"

' _Papa_?' It was Henry's voice on the line, not Connor's.

"Henry! Hey, bud."

' _Papa, I think something's wrong with dad_.'

"What?" Standing up from the table he turned off the coffee pot and made his way to the livingroom to grab his shoes and his thick coat from beside the front door. "What's wrong with your dad?"

' _I think he's sick_.'

"What makes you think that, Henry?"

' _He won't wake up_.'

"Where is he?" Opening the front door Hank made his way over to the house next door and continued to talk to his grandson over the phone. "Keeping talking to me, Henry. Where's your dad?"

' _Dad's in his bed_.'

"Okay. Are you with him?"

' _Uh-huh_.'

"Put your hand on his forehead for me. How does his skin feel?"

There was a brief pause before Henry answered. ' _Hot. And he's sweating_.'

"Okay, son. I'm outside the front door right now. I'll be inside in a few seconds." Unwilling to hang up the phone until he was by Connor and Henry's sides Hank entered the house and made his way down the hallway and into the master bedroom at the very end of the hall. "Henry? Connor?"

"Papa." Henry hung up the phone and stared as Hank entered the bedroom and hung up his own phone. "Is dad sick?"

"We're about to find out." Hank stood over the bed and looked down at Connor's alarmingly pale, sweaty face with a masked worry. Not only was Connor's complexion pale, but he had dark bags under his eyes, his cheeks were pale blue with flush, and his sweaty hair was clinging to his forehead. Gently Hank placed his hand over Connor's forehead, confirming the fever, and used his thumb to lightly lift up Connor's eyelids to check his glassy pupils. "Yeah, Henry. It looks like your dad is sick."

"Does he need to go to the hospital like I did last year?"

"I hope not." Sitting down on the edge of the bed Hank pulled back the quilt from Connor's upper chest to try to help him cool off a little as he picked up Connor's right wrist to count his pulse. "But he will need us to help take care of him."

"Papa," he noticed that Hank was pressing his fingers around Connor's wrist and pressing his other palm down against the deviant's chest. "why are you holding onto dad's hand?"

"I'm checking his pulse."

"Pulse?"

"It's a way for me to count his heartbeat."

"Why are you doing that?"

"Because I can figure out exactly how sick he is by counting his pulse. He's going to be alright though, understand?"

Henry didn't look convinced and remained worried where he stood. "...Okay."

"Connor?" Hank gently shook Connor by the shoulder as he spoke his name. "Come on, son. Wake up for me."

Slowly Connor's dark brown, soulful but glassy, eyes opened and focused on Hank's face as he leaned over him. "...Dad."

"Hey, son. How do you feel?"

"...Hot."

"Yeah, you're definitely running a fever. Looks like you got the flu again."

"...Where's Henry?"

Hank pointed at the scared boy standing beside the bed. "He's right here."

Connor turned his head a little against the pillow and looked at Henry who was waiting for his dad to say something to him. "Hey, Henry."

"Hi, dad. Papa says you're sick."

"...Yeah. I guess I am."

"I didn't know androids could get sick."

"We can." Connor confirmed with a slightly amused lilt to his voice. "I've been sick before, so has Markus. It's not too different from when a human gets sick, which means I will get better, too."

"How did you get sick? Germs?"

"No." Connor was having a hard time keeping his eyes open, he was incredibly tired and fighting to remain conscious for Henry's sake. "Androids get sick from software glitches or viruses, but I've always been vulnerable to the cold. And this time I got sick from the cold because I wasn't wearing a thick enough coat when I went out on a case last night."

Letting out a weak and unexpected cough Connor looked and sounded as terrible as he felt.

"Lay back and sleep." Hank urged as he kept his hand on Connor's shoulder. Returning his hand to Connor's forehead, brushing away the rogue lock of hair in the process, he tried to gauge his fever. "How's your temperature?"

"...One-hundred and two point four degrees."

"Yup. You're sick. You sleep and I'll take care of you, AND Henry."

"No, I'm fine. I just need-"

"Connor. Sleep." Glancing over to Henry, who was still a little scared but staying brave for his dad's sake, Hank nodded at him subtly. "Henry, could you go get some ice packs out of the freezer and bring them in here, please?"

"Okay. I'll be right back, dad!"

As Henry left the bedroom Connor let out a gasping sigh and winced as his chest already ached from coughing, and even a little from breathing.

"Level with me, kid. How bad's your fever? I'll get the thermometer if I have to."

With a look of defeat in his glassy eyes Connor replied honestly. "...It's actually hovering at one-hundred and three point seven."

"Shit, you might actually have to go to a facility for treatment."

"No. I don't want Henry to be worried about me, I can recover here."

"How calm do you think he'd be if you got worse and became unresponsive? He already couldn't wake you up, that's why he called me."

"Please... I'll heal in a few hours. I don't want Henry to ever see me in a facility. It'd terrify him..."

Hank wanted to say something else but Henry returned with the requested ice and handed them over to Hank. Placing a bag of ice over Connor's forehead and a second bag over top his chest the retired detective just sighed and patted the deviant's shoulder. "Alright, get some sleep. I'll take care of Henry so you can rest, son. Stay there and don't try to get up for any reason."

"...Thank you, dad." Connor's eyes drifted shut and he returned to rest mode to allow his self-healing program to initiate at full power. "Henry, be good for Papa while I'm asleep."

"Come on, Henry." Hank kept his voice optimistic as he addressed his still worrying grandson. "Your dad needs to sleep."

"But he's still sick."

"Yeah, but he'll be fine in a few hours. Why don't we go sit in the livingroom so he can sleep?"

"What if he gets worse?"

"That's why we'll check in on him from time to time and make sure he's okay. But he needs to sleep for now."

"...Okay, Papa."

"Come on." Standing up from the bed Hank rubbed his hand along the back of Henry's hair and guided the scared boy out of the bedroom and back into the livingroom. "Before you called I was trying to put together a list of ideas for Christmas. Think you could help me out?"

Connor partially opened his eyes as he watched as Hank escorted Henry out of his bedroom and was all too grateful to have Hank there to take care of Henry during his sickness. Closing his eyes once more Connor swallowed once out of discomfort and pain, and breathed slowly. "...Thanks for everything, dad."

It took Hank a few hours to get Henry to stop worrying so much about Connor, but in time Henry was a lot calmer and helping Hank take care of ideas for Christmas. Sitting in the middle of the couch in the livingroom Henry was helping Hank to take care of his 'to-do' list, while Hank himself was sending a text on his phone without drawing the young boy's attention.

"What do you think, Papa?" Henry showed his grandfather the small list he was writing himself. "Is that okay?"

"Let's see... A new toy for Sumo, you wanna' get your dad another set of guitar strings and guitar picks, and you want to get me a shirt that doesn't have any 'weird patterns' on them..." Hank smirked and playfully nudged Henry's side with elbow. "You trying to say my shirts are ugly?"

"I said 'weird'."

Hank laughed a little at the witty retort and gave him back the list. "Not bad at all Henry. But what do _you_ want?"

"I don't know."

"Sure you do! You love that keyboard you got for Christmas about four years ago, why not ask for a newer one, or maybe a nice case so you can carry it around easier?"

"That's okay. The keyboard is still good and I don't need something new."

The sweetness of Henry's demeanor was almost too much for Hank to bear. "Well, I'll get you something cool no matter what."

"Thanks, Papa."

There was a knock on the front door and Hank patted Henry's shoulder as he got up from the couch to answer it. He knew exactly who it was, but tried to feign innocence as he met with the invited guest. "Hey, Abby. What brings you by?"

"Hi, Hank." She stepped inside the house and her eyes lit up when she saw Henry sitting on the couch. "Hi, Henry!"

"Hi, Abby." The little boy replied politely as he turned to look at her over the back of the couch.

"So, Henry, I was told your dad is sick." She stated calmly as he walked toward the hallway with her technician's satchel prominently slung over her shoulder. "And I want to make sure he gets better as soon as possible. Okay?"

"Okay!" Henry excitedly jumped off the couch and ran down the hallway to check in on Connor. "He's asleep in here!"

Abby happily followed after Henry and Hank joined them shortly afterward. Moving aside the packs of ice Abby sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to the sound of Connor quietly coughing as he slept. With a very gentle touch she placed her hand over his forehead and noted he was still running a fever, but it wasn't as high as she had feared.

"Connor?" She whispered his name and pressed her palm against his chest. The deviant began to stir a little, his head lolling to the left against his pillow and then turned back to face Abby as his eyes opened. "Hi, Connor."

"...Abby?" He coughed again and quieted quickly as she opened up her satchel and put it down on the floor beside the bed. "...What's going on?"

"Well, I got word you weren't feeling well," she subtly tilted her head in Henry's direction as she stood just behind her. "and I figured since I was in the area I'd stop by and see how you're doing."

"...Oh. Thank you."

"Your fever is almost gone, so that's good. How long have you been sick?"

"...I was fine when I came home last night, but my internal alarm failed to awaken me at eight-fifteen this morning. My internal log indicates a failure to initiate the alarm and other basic routine functions at five forty-four this morning."

"So about sixteen hours then."

"Sixteen hours?" Connor lifted his head and looked about curiously. "I've been asleep for that long?"

From the doorway Hank called out to him calmly. "Easy, son. You were out for about eight hours and needed to sleep, and I already told you that I'd take care of Henry. Relax."

Abby took out her audioscope and after she put the earbuds into place she pressed the bell to Connor's chest over top his sweaty black t-shirt. "Take a deep breath." Obediently Connor breathed and waited for Abby to finish listening to his ventilation biocomponents before listening to his heartbeat. "It sounds like you're already making excellent progress in your recovery. Does it hurt to breathe?"

"Not anymore."

"Even better. You should be fine in the next two hours."

"See, Henry?" Connor flashed his son a sincere smirk before his eyes slipped shut, and his words began to slur a little. "I told you that I'm going to be okay. Thanks, Abby."

"...Dad?" Henry whispered almost inaudibly as he watched Connor fall asleep again.

"You're welcome, Connor." As Abby began packing up her satchel she noticed Henry staring at Connor and could see he was still worried. It was then an interesting idea came to her mind. "Hey, Henry. Come here."

Curious as to what Abby wanted Henry took a step forward and stood beside her.

"Here." Placing the earbuds of the audioscope in Henry's ears Abby then placed the bell back over Connor's heart. "You hear that?"

"...Uh-huh."

"That's your dad's _heartbeat_." She smiled as Henry began to smile. Connor's eyes opened again and he noticed what Abby was doing in order to comfort Henry, causing him to smirk appreciatively. "He's going to be okay."

Henry nodded his head as he took the earbuds out of his ears and looked over at Connor. "When are you going to be better, dad?"

"...In a few more hours, Henry. Then I'll be able to get back up."

"Papa and me are making Christmas lists. Are you going to make one, too?"

"...Of course. As soon as I'm better I'll join you in the livingroom."

Hank smiled and gave Abby an appreciative nod from the opened doorway. "Hey, Henry. How about some pizza for dinner?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, come on. Let's go place an order and finish those lists."

As the little boy ran out of the room with Hank following after him Connor closed his eyes and let out a somewhat uncomfortable sigh. Connor's brow furrowed with the same, audible discomfort he had waited to admit until after Henry had left.

"Are you hurting and putting on a brave face for Henry?" Abby asked despite already knowing the answer.

"Something like that. Coughing hurts still, no matter how quietly I do it."

"Yeah, I get that."

"I take it Hank texted you to inform you that I had become ill."

"Yeah, he said Henry was worried about you."

A faint smirk appeared on his face as he realized how sweetly empathetic his son was becoming. "I'm okay."

"I know that, and Hank knows that, and soon Henry will know that, too."

"Does Aria get worried whenever you or Gavin become ill?"

"Oh, jeez. When Gavin got the flu three years ago Aria refused to leave his side when she got out of school. It was as cute as it was annoying, since she got herself sick as a result."

"Fortunately, Henry cannot catch the flu from me."

"Get a little more sleep." Abby smiled as she ran her hand over his sweaty hair and slung her satchel over her shoulder. Carefully she replaced the melting ice pack over his forehead to ensure he didn't overheat as he slept. "And then go show your son that you're not going anywhere."

"...What do you think of Henry?"

"I think he couldn't possibly have a better father, Connor. He's wonderful."

* * *

It took Connor only two and half more hours of necessary rest to awaken from his sleep fully healed, and to sit upright on his bed. The sweaty shirt he was wearing clung uncomfortably to his skin, and the ice pack that had returned to his forehead had melted entirely. Moving carefully and quietly he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and stood up steadily to ensure he wasn't going to lose his balance and fall.

As he exited his bedroom he glanced down the hallway and saw that Hank was sitting on the couch with Henry at his side, and that Hank had found an old movie for the two of them to watch together. Connor recognized the images on the screen and smirked at the selected movie; 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?'. It was a movie that Connor himself had found enjoyable, and was glad Hank was showing him the same film.

Walking into the bathroom Connor peeled off his sweaty t-shirt and his appropriately named gray sweatpants to have a quick shower. As soon as the water was turned on Connor heard a soft knocking on the door and he listened carefully for the voice on the other side.

"Connor?"

"I'm okay, dad." Connor responded quickly as he stepped into the shower. "Just rinsing off."

"Do you need anything?"

"...Maybe some clean clothes."

"Alright, I gotcha' covered."

Connor could sense there was something else on Hank's mind by the tone of his voice, and knew that he just wanted a moment to speak to him alone.

The bathroom door opened and Hank placed a bundle of neatly folded clothes down on the sink. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Just sweaty."

"That's good. Uh, there's something I want to tell you."

Connor made a reach to turn off the water but decided to keep it running to help mask their voices in case Henry could hear them talking. Peering around the dark blue and white shower curtain Connor ran his hand over his wet locks of hair to push them out of his face as he addressed Hank directly. "What's wrong?"

"...It's Sumo."

"...Oh, no." Connor knew what was happening and it made him immediately start hurting. As much as he loved the dog he knew Henry loved Sumo twice as much. "He's going to be thirteen years old this coming spring."

"And I don't think he'll last much longer than that."

"Is he suffering?" Connor's eyes were filling with tears but he didn't shed them as he spoke.

"No, he's not in any pain or sick. But he's slowing down and now he only gets up to eat or go outside. Since it's been so damn cold as of late I've just been putting down newspapers so he doesn't have to go into the snow."

"...Thank you."

"Do you think you can handle what's going to happen with Henry it when... it's time?"

"...Yeah. I know I'll think of something. Just don't say a word to Henry about it. It'll make him sad."

"Don't I know it." Sighing Hank rubbed his hand over the back of his neck and gave his deviant son a reassuring glance. "Alright, well, Henry's still watching the movie and waiting for you to join us to make those lists. My 'to-do' list took a change in theme, but, whatever."

With an appreciative grin Connor acknowledged Hank then resumed his shower. "I'll be out as soon as my shower is over."

"By the way, I'm buying Henry his own guitar for Christmas this year."

"Really? I was going to buy him one as a special gift for his eventual sixteenth birthday."

"Connor, don't you worry about getting him special when he turns sixteen. I've already got something perfect in mind."

"Alright." Connor smirked as he trusted Hank's judgment. "I'll leave that to you. And thank you for everything you've done for me today."

"Hey, no thanks are necessary. You're my son and Henry's my grandson. It's my honor to have a family to take care of all over again."

* * *

_**Henry: Eleven Years Old.** _

Henry was sobbing as he sat on the back deck of Hank's house with Sumo's collar in his hands. The massive, lovable dog had gotten old and had begun to act sickly over the past few weeks. Old age caught up to Sumo and had peacefully taken him as he slept the previous night. While Hank sat with Henry on the back deck with his hand wrapped around the sad little boy's shoulder Connor finished laying Sumo to rest next to his predecessor in the backyard of the property, and respectfully covered the fresh grave.

As much as Hank tried to make Henry feel better, the little boy was still in tears and nothing seemed to help.

After placing the last of the soil over the grave Connor put the shovel aside and placed a massive white stone over the head of the grave and used black paint to neatly write Sumo's name out in memory to the dog. "...Good boy, Sumo."

"Henry, it's okay to cry."

"Sumo was a good dog." He managed between sobs as he held onto Sumo's collar tightly. "Why'd he die, Papa?"

"Well, Sumo was really, really old for a dog." Hank tried to explain as easily as possible. "And he got really sick. It was just his time."

"So now he's just in the ground?"

"No, Henry. Sumo went to Heaven."

"Heaven?"

"That's right. All good people and all good animals get to go to Heaven when they die. He's playing with the Sumo who was here before him, so he's okay, son. And he isn't sick anymore either."

"When I got sick the doctors made me better. Why couldn't Sumo get better?"

"Because Sumo was much, much sicker than you were. And because Sumo was also much older. He was thirteen years old by human math, but for a dog he was really _eighty-two_ years old. That's about five years more than how long a human is supposed to live, so you know Sumo had a very good life. And he stayed with us for so long because he wanted to stay with YOU. You gave him lots of love and he wanted to stay with you forever. But sometimes forever is just too long, even for the most loyal dog."

Connor replaced the shovel in the garage and wiped off his hands as he rejoined his son and father at the deck. Sitting on Henry's other side Connor pulled Henry up against his side for a hug. "Henry, Sumo knew you loved him. And he loved you, so it's okay to cry over him."

Staying with Henry until he finally began to quiet a little Hank sighed and gave Connor a shrugging glance.

Connor understood what he was asking, but decided that getting Henry another dog so soon wouldn't be the right course. When Connor had adopted Sumo as a puppy the day after his predecessor died it was an unexpected and chance encounter. The odds of them being able to find 'another Sumo' was unlikely, and even so Henry still needed to grieve over the dog he had lost.

"Do you want to go inside or stay out here a while longer?" Connor asked in a low voice as he kept his arm wrapped around Henry's shoulder.

"I don't want to go..."

"Okay, you don't have to if you don't want to."

Henry was staring at Sumo's name on the white stone and wiped tears away from his eyes. "Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Sumo's in Heaven, right?"

"That's right."

"Does that mean I'll see him again someday?"

"Yes, Henry. You will."

It took some coaxing and patience but Connor and Hank were able to convince Henry to get up from the back deck and walk through the backdoor back to the kitchen. While Hank sat with Henry at the kitchen table Connor made Henry a light lunch of a sandwich and some potato chips, but Henry didn't eat much. He was still too upset to eat.

"Come on, Henry." Connor put his hand to Henry's shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."

"I don't want to go anywhere."

"Well, I do." He looked over to Hank for a little back-up and Hank was quick to oblige.

"Me too. How about the park?"

"Sounds perfect."

Despite Henry's reluctance Connor managed to get his son to finally leave the house and walk with him to the park a few blocks away. Hank of course walked with him and studied Henry's sad face with a heavy heart. It was the first time Henry had to face death, and even though he was very mature for his age and intelligent, it still didn't make it any easier for the innocent child to process.

The park was full of laughing kids and their parents or babysitters, but Henry wasn't in the mood to play. Henry was still holding onto Sumo's collar and kept staring at the ground beneath his feet. Just as it seemed like Henry was going to have another breakdown and start crying again a group of kids gathered around a large cardboard box near the entrance to the park as a young couple placed it on the ground. The sound of squeaking and mewing filled the air which caught Henry's ear.

Connor stood behind Henry and looked at the box in the distance. "It sounds like someone has a litter of kittens."

Hank turned to give Connor a strange glance as if he was trying to read the deviant's mind.

"They must be at least six weeks old. I guess that means the kittens are ready to find a new home." Putting his hand to the middle of Henry's back between his shoulder blades Connor tried to get him to take a closer look. "Do you want to go see?" Henry looked up at Connor as if needing to confirm what his own dad had just told him. "You don't have to play with them or anything, but I know I'd like to see them. I wonder if they have a small golden tabby like Aria's cat."

Henry had played with that cat a few times when he and Aria had play dates when they were smaller. "You mean Lucky?"

"Yeah."

Hank wasn't thrilled with the idea but he went along with it. "You know, when I was a kid I had a cat named Smoke. He was solid gray and had long fur."

"That'd be interesting if one of the kittens look like either Lucky or Smoke." Connor pressed as he gently coaxed Henry into taking a step forward. "We should see them soon, it looks like the kittens are already being adopted."

Henry wiped his arm under his nose as he sniffled again but finally began walking toward the cardboard box. Connor and Hank walked right behind him and watched as he edged closer to the box and saw the four remaining kittens inside. As they jumped about and squeaked and playfully pawed at the hands of the other kids gently picking them up Henry began to laugh.

Connor stayed with Henry while Hank spoke to the tallest husband that was the couple who brought over the box. "These little guys are what six, seven weeks old?"

"Yeah," the nice man confirmed with a smile as the kids and their parents gathered around the box. "they hit their six week mark two days ago."

"Hard to believe they were born just a month and half ago, and now they're ready for a new home."

The man saw that Henry was upset about something, then saw the dog collar still in his hand. Catching on quick he helped with trying to make Henry feel better. "Yeah, these little guys had to be bottle-fed by me and my husband after their mama got out into the road. She's gone but her babies are still are here as a beautiful reminder that no matter how bleak life gets, life itself still goes on."

Connor nodded appreciatively as he patted Henry's shoulder.

Too hesitant to play with the kittens Henry just watched as the last of the litter were picked up and taken by their new owners to their new homes.

"Ready to go home, Henry?"

Nodding quietly Henry was ready to leave and go back to crying at home.

"Come on, then."

Taking a slightly more creative route back to the house Connor intentionally took Henry past the humane society where he had adopted Sumo thirteen years prior. Giving Hank a silent confirmation Connor patted Henry's shoulder again and directed him inside the building.

"What're we doing here?" Henry asked as soon as he realized where they were.

"None of those kittens back in the park looked like Lucky or Smoke. I wanted to see if there were any other kittens here who did."

"I know what you're doing, dad."

Connor instinctively tried to feign innocence. "What am I doing?"

"You're trying to make me forget about Sumo!"

"No, Henry. I'm trying to make you feel better." Putting both hands on Henry's shoulders as the boy crossed his arms defensively over his chest Connor tried to ease his son's mind. "You'll never forget about Sumo, and you never should."

Hank spoke up and defended Connor's attempts to cheer Henry up. "He's right. Like I said, I had a cat named Smoke when I was kid. That was a long time ago Henry, but I still remember him."

The volunteer behind the desk saw the small family and overheard the conversation. As soon as she saw Henry holding onto Sumo's collar she smiled and motioned to the door leading to the kennels in the back. "If you're interested we actually had a couple litters of kittens dropped off this morning. They've been needing some attention all day long."

"...No." Henry stubbornly refused.

"Well, _I_ want to see them." Connor took a step toward the door and Hank followed after him. "You can stay out here and look at the flea shampoo and pet food if you want."

Realizing that he was outnumbered Henry followed after his dad and grandfather and let them take him to see the other animals.

At least twenty kittens were running about in the large kennels as they played and squeaked loudly. It didn't take long for Connor to spot a golden kitten in the mix of fluff and pointed it out. "See? There is a kitten that looks like Lucky. I knew we'd find one."

Hank pointed out three dark gray kittens and motioned for Henry to follow his direction. "And there's three that look like Smoke."

Out of the mix of various colored furs and squeaks a single kitten began climbing up the side of the kennel and stopped right in front of Henry's face. The little kitten had short mostly gray fur with white markings down its face and its paws, and a bright pink nose. Its eyes were still blue but were beginning to turn gold. As it mewed at Henry a paw reached out toward him, and he lightly ran his finger over it.

"Hey, this kitten has extra toes on its paw!"

Connor and Hank took a closer look and sure enough the little kitten had two extra toes on the sides of its front paws and one additional extra toe on its rear paws.

"That's interesting." Connor observed as he scanned the kitten's paws and saw the extra bones. "I've never seen a kitten like that."

The kitten kept mewing loudly at Henry and reaching for him through the opening of the kennel with its other paw.

"It likes you, Henry."

"...Why?"

"Well, I think it knows you're sad because of Sumo, and I bet its sad because its stuck inside a kennel. It understands what it means to be sad."

The volunteer had been watching from the door and saw the little kitten of interest who was singling Henry out. "Oh, that kitten is special! We've been calling her 'Harley' because she makes a lot of noise like a motorcycle."

Hank laughed and gently ran his finger over her outstretched paw himself. "That's a good name for a tiny kitten. Right, Henry?"

Henry just shook his head as he kept petting the kitten's paw. "She looks more like an 'Opal'."

"Opal, huh? Where's that come from?"

"The white in her fur looks like an opal. We learned about them in geology last week."

"Oh... Well, that's a good name, too."

Connor began rubbing his fingertip under the kitten's chin and got welcomed with a loud, gentle purr for his efforts. "I hope someone gives her a good home."

Henry was still being stubborn about Sumo, but since the kitten chose him he felt an instant connection to the small bundle of fur. "...Can we give her the home?"

A sly smirk appeared on Connor's face as he gave the volunteer a confirming nod over his shoulder. "I suppose we could try. But only if you want to."

Henry started rubbing the kitten's chin as well and got the same affectionate purr as Connor did. "...Only if we call her 'Opal'."

"Alright." Connor was glad to see Henry's heart starting to heal after Sumo's passing. "I think that's acceptable. Opal she is."

* * *

A brand new blue collar with a small bell and golden tag with the name 'Opal' now hung around the newly adopted kitten's neck, and was promptly taken to her new home.

Henry sat on the livingroom floor with Opal balancing on his knee as the little kitten batted her paws at a toy on a string being controlled by Henry's hand. Connor had bought a scratching post cat-tree and placed it by the front window in the livingroom, and a modest selection of cat toys for Opal to play with. After placing her litter box inside the laundry room, now making it a habit to keep the door opened enough to let the kitten inside, Connor placed her new food and water bowls down on the kitchen floor and filled them up.

"Is that all I need for a kitten?" Connor asked as he and Hank watched Henry in the livingroom playing with the kitten.

"Aside from getting her spayed; trust me, cats are much better are getting outside than dogs and you don't want to get attached to a whole new litter of kittens down the line, you got everything covered."

"I think this was the right thing to do. I mean... I just want Henry to feel better."

"Yeah, this was a good idea. You can never replace your first pet, but you can always lessen the pain by giving another animal a chance to be your next best friend."

"All this time I never asked. Where'd you get Sumo?"

"It wasn't planned, but it was meant to be." Hank crossed his arms over his chest and smiled as Opal batted at the toy energetically. "I was working on a bust regarding an illegal puppy mill downtown. There were over sixty pups locked into tiny cages in an old warehouse and it was a pathetic sight. When we kicked down the door and were greeted with frightened puppy whimpers even the most hardened cop was temporarily weakened."

"You rescued Sumo from a puppy mill?"

"Yup. Jeffrey took one of the pups, too. A pitbull he named 'Rex'. Pitbulls get a bad reputation, so he took that puppy to ensure it had a chance to have a good life in a decent home. I took Sumo because he was such a massive breed of dog when fully grown that it'd be hard for him to find a home that could put up with his size."

"What did Barbara say when you brought Sumo home?"

"She asked why I didn't bring home ALL the puppies instead of just one."

Connor smiled at the comment as he watched Henry as he too finally began smiling for the first time that day. The kitten wasn't meant to replace Sumo by any means, she was a reminder that life goes on and no matter how much someone thinks their heart is too broken to feel love for anyone, or anything again, it's untrue. She needed a home and Henry needed someone else to love; they were perfect for each other.

"Like I said," Hank continued in a light tone of voice. "Barbara would've really liked you, kid. You both have a weakness for animals and children in need."

"I'm just glad I could make Henry smile. I don't ever want to see him unhappy."

"You and every other half-decent parent under the sun, Connor."

* * *

Later that night Henry was laying in bed with Opal cuddled up under his chin and purring loudly. The small kitten was a huge change from Sumo, but she was also Henry's kitten. Sumo had been Connor's dog and living with Hank after he moved into the house next door with Henry, but even so Henry bonded quickly with the gentle giant. It seemed like Connor's affection for animals had been passed onto Henry, and the animals in turn loved Henry, too.

Holding onto Sumo's collar for himself Connor took Sumo's name tag from the leather band squeezed it in the center of his palm in a tight grip. "Goodbye, Sumo. You made us all very happy."

With unshed tears in his eyes Connor stood in Henry's opened bedroom doorway and watched as Henry slept peacefully with his newest friend right beside him. Just as Connor's adoption of Sumo had healed his own heart after the original Sumo had died, it seemed that Opal returned the favor with Henry.

"Goodnight, son." Smirking as the kitten roused just enough to snuggle up closer to Henry and settled down once more, Connor addressed her, too in a low whisper. "Goodnight, Opal. Welcome home."

* * *

_**Henry: Twelve Years Old.** _

Scared out of his mind Henry sat in the front passenger seat of the Oldsmobile while Hank drove him to the hospital. Connor had been injured in the line of duty, and had been taken to the hospital for treatment. Despite the Kevlar vest and having plenty of back-up Connor had been injured and required emergency repairs at St. Vevila hospital. It was the first time since Henry had been born that Connor had been injured so severely that he couldn't get patched up at the precinct, or a facility, before heading home to Henry without any worries.

"He'll be just fine, Henry." Hank promised as he watched his grandson nervously fidgeting in his seat beside him. "Your dad's been through a lot worse and walked away just fine."

"Was he shot?"

"...I don't know, Henry. I wasn't told what happened to him, I was just told he's at the hospital."

"Papa, when Sumo died last year, you and dad said he went to Heaven and is playing with the other dogs and is happy."

"That's right."

"Do androids... go to Heaven?"

That was a question that Hank had never though he'd be asked. It was an instant reminder of the night he confronted Connor at the park as they looked out to the Ambassador Bridge stretching out over the Detroit River. It was the same night he had pulled his gun on Connor and threatened to shoot him while in a drunken rage. It was also the first night that Hank had finally begun to see androids as living beings, and saw that Connor himself was actually becoming a deviant; becoming self aware and could feel.

"Henry, androids are alive which means they have souls. Your dad is NOT going to die, but androids can and do go to Heaven eventually."

"What if he _does_ die?"

"He won't. I promise you, your dad is going to be okay!"

Henry nodded a little as he sniffled in fear. As Hank wrapped his arm around the frightened boys shoulders he pulled him up against his side and Henry buried his face against Hank's chest as he forced himself to not cry.

"It's okay to be afraid, Henry." Hank comforted his shaking grandson in a soothing tone. "But don't think the worst is going to happen, okay? Your dad is way too stubborn to go out like this. Trust me, I know from experience."

Henry nodded again, keeping his face buried against Hank's chest in the process.

As the car pulled into the parking lot of the hospital Hank turned off the engine and put his hand to Henry's shoulder. "Hey, look at me."

Lifting his head up Henry stared at Hank and didn't flinch when Hank used his thumb to gently wipe away his tears. The look of Henry's face was hauntingly similar to Cole's, and yet his expressions were as deeply feeling as Connor. Henry had even developed a few stray freckles along his neck and a couple along his face that made him look even more like his father.

"He's going to be fine. Let's go inside and ask about your dad, okay?"

"...Okay."

* * *

Henry had no idea what was happening or who he could possibly talk to while Hank spoke to Dr. Wilson in the hallway. Standing close beside Hank, now tall enough to be eye level with Hank's sternum, Henry just looked around at the numerous nurses, doctors and technicians roaming the halls with various electronic charts in their hands. It was all so surreal and he had no idea what was going on.

"Henry?" Hank spoke softly to his grandson as he put his hand on his shoulder. The gesture was comforting, but Henry could feel Hank's hand trembling on his shoulder despite his best efforts to keep it still. "We can go see your dad for a few minutes, but he needs to be taken care of soon."

"...It's bad, isn't it?"

"Yeah. It's bad."

Keeping a brave face Henry walked right alongside Hank as Dr. Wilson showed them to the small emergency repair room Connor had been taken to, and had his condition stabilized. The sight of his dad so pale, weak and still made Henry want to cry again, but he refused to do it until he knew one way or another if his dad was going to survive.

Connor was semi-conscious and had a massive bandage over his cheek under his left eye. His eye was also bruised a dark blue and swollen shut. The wounded deviant had been wrapped up in white gauze to apply pressure the bleeding wounds in his upper right chest, middle right chest and his lower right abdomen. Blue blood had begun to seep through the bandages prompting Dr. Wilson to pull a sheet up over the bandages to hide the leaking Thirium from Henry's sight.

Lightly Hank put his hand on Connor's right bicep and held it there for a moment. "Connor?"

Opening his right enough to recognize the faces standing behind him he forced a smile to his face. "...Dad. Henry."

"Hey, son. We're here for you."

"...Thanks for stopping by." As Connor found his voice Henry was still trying to not cry as Connor spoke in a hoarse, weak voice. "...I wore Kevlar, but... the other guy was prepared for that. I couldn't... duck down in time."

"Easy, Connor." Hank could see that the deviant was already losing his strength. "Try to take it easy."

"Henry..." Connor weakly reached out his right hand toward his son and gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm going to be okay. It looks worse... than it is. That's why they're... letting me talk to you first. Dr. Wilson has... plenty of time... to get ready."

Henry nodded again as he took hold of Connor's hand and held on for a few minutes.

Hank gave Connor a silent, subtle nod of approval and watched as Dr. Wilson returned to the room and spoke to the deviant.

"Connor," Dr. Wilson addressed his patient calmly and professionally. "we're going to take you up for your repairs now."

"...Okay." Connor gave Henry's hand a gentle squeeze and slipped something into his palm. "I'll see you... when I wake up."

It took him a moment but Henry finally found his voice and responded as confidently as he could. "Okay."

Reluctantly Connor let go of Henry's hand as Dr. Wilson placed his arm back down on the gurney at his side. "...I love you, son."

A team of technicians arrived in the room and proceeded to roll the gurney from the emergency repair room to the elevator. Just three floors up was the emergency repair ward where Connor would have the four bullets extracted from his body; two in his chest and two in his abdomen. In a matter of seconds Connor was gone from sight and rushed into the repair bay for emergency repairs.

Opening the palm of his hand Henry looked down and saw Connor's coin. The very coin that he had held onto for the past sixteen years of his eventful, deviant life. Unable to hold back his tears anymore Henry began to cry and Hank immediately wrapped his arms around the petrified child to hold him in a tight hug.

"It's okay to cry, Henry. Let it out."

Leading Henry to the waiting room Hank did his best to comfort Henry as much as possible as Henry began to calm down a little and stopped crying after finally let out his initial fearful tears.

Hank watched Henry as he stared quietly at the coin in his palm. It had been almost four hours since Connor had been taken away, and it was almost seven in the evening. Henry hadn't eaten anything since noon and Hank knew he had to be getting hungry. Eager for any form of distraction for the young boy Hank tried to slip Henry a twenty-dollar bill and told him where the hospital cafeteria was located.

Henry just shook his head sadly before politely replying. "Thank you, Papa. But I'm not hungry."

"You have to be bored out of your mind." The dullness of Henry's eyes spoke volumes as to how upset he truly was. "There's a bookstore just down the block, how about we go get you something new to read?"

"I don't want to go anywhere."

From across the waiting room Gavin had just arrived at the hospital through the front doors, and spotted Hank and Henry and walked over to the duo. "Hey, Henry. Hey, Cap."

"Not a Captain anymore, Gavin." Hank replied sharply as Gavin joined them in the waiting room. "But thanks."

Henry didn't reply to Gavin, who was now a Lieutenant himself, as he sat down in a vacant chair across from him.

Clearing his throat nervously Gavin spoke to the former Captain calmly. "Do you know what happened yet?" His eyes drifted over to Henry briefly then back to Hank. "Or should I..."

"He knows that Connor was... 'injured in the line of duty'." Hank reluctantly confirmed. "What happened?"

"This morning a report came in revolving around some escaped convicts holding up in a shi- _crappy_ ," Gavin had been trying to swear less around Aria and gave Henry the same courtesy. "apartment down in the industrial district. Turns out the report was legit and we went to investigate."

"Ambushed?"

"No, that's what's weird. Captain Foxworth followed up on the source, knew it was legit, had everyone move in well armed with back-up already on stand by. But these guys were stockpiling illegal firearms and drugs. Their guns were no joke, and their stash was massive."

"You got 'em, right?"

"Yeah... Uh, Connor and Chris were the first to arrive. They checked out the building and Connor picked up on the two huddling inside. He gave the word to Chris and that's when everything just... went crazy. As soon as the shots started both Connor and Chris got down and out of sight, but those guys were packing armor piercing rounds. Chris got his shoulder grazed, but Connor..."

Henry was trying to not cry again as he listened to the story. Hank's hand returned to Henry's shoulder and patted him gently.

"Chris called for back-up to move in, me, Tina, Jack and Foxworth all showed up and pulled them back to safety. As soon as Connor was out of harm's way an ambulance packed him up and got him here as fast as possible. It took us almost three hours to get the guys, but, they won't be a problem anymore. Their weapons are slated to be destroyed along with their stash."

"Good. That's good to know."

"I, uh, would've been here sooner, but..."

"I know. You needed to go see your family first."

"Yeah."

"Do they know what happened?"

"...I told Abby but asked her to keep it quiet from Aria for a while longer. She doesn't need to know if it's... She just doesn't need to know just yet."

Hank understood entirely as he kept his hand on Henry's shoulder. "Thanks for telling us, Gavin."

"You need anything? Coffee or maybe a soda, or something?"

Hank motioned toward Hank discreetly as he rejected the coffee. "I'm good, but playing the waiting game is getting boring."

"Right, got it." Gavin got up from the chair and made his way to the elevator and disappeared from sight.

"...Dad was hurt for doing the right thing." Henry muttered somberly. "It's not fair."

Hank looked over at Henry as he felt the little boy's shoulder tense with emotion frustration as he tried to not cry again. "He was hurt because someone bad tried to stop him from doing the right thing. That bad guy is gone, and your dad is still here. Remember that."

A few minutes passed and Gavin returned conveniently with a can of soda for himself, and decided to get one for Henry. He also grabbed the scared kid a candy bar to try to get him to eat something. "Here, Henry. I pressed the wrong button on the vending machine by mistake," the empathetic detective convincingly lied. "you can have my extra drink. And I didn't see the candy had peanuts in it until after I bought it. I don't like peanuts."

"...Thanks."

Gavin was happy that Henry at least took the snack even if he wasn't interested in actually eating it. It was just unfortunate that he was so scared and worried about his dad. "Hey Henry," Gavin made an effort to try to distract his thoughts. "did, uh, did your dad tell you about the time he punched me in the face?"

Henry looked up and gave Gavin the same furrowed brow stare of confusion that Connor would give whenever he was confused. "...He what?"

"Well, I _deserved_ it. We're cool now, and it happened a long time ago."

"Why'd he punch you?"

"I was being a jerk. And I know that I was being a MAJOR jerk because no one in the precinct felt bad for me after he did it. Not even Tina."

Hank tightened his hand on Henry's shoulder and cleared his throat. "He also saved Gavin's life a couple times, too."

"He did?" Henry's blue eyes were suddenly bright instead of dim as the comment gave his heart renewed faith. "When?"

"Uh... Let's see..." Gavin tried to think back to all those times so many years ago, and remembered the first time Connor saved him. "Uh, there was a suspect who tried to pull a gun on me in interrogation. Connor tackled her and pointed the gun away from me just in time. Then there was the fire at the precinct. He got me out before it was too late."

"A fire?"

"Long story, I don't even remember the details at this point. Then there was the time a lunatic used an aerosolized weapon on the precinct, but it failed and Connor kept me from breathing in any dangerous chemicals. ...And he helped me when I had issues with my diabetes and passed out in the parking lot. He also got me home once when I got sick with the flu and even gave me some medicine before taking off."

Henry was looking a lot more optimistic knowing that his dad had done so much good for people in the precinct.

"But the big one is when I had been the one with the useless Kevlar vest. I took a bullet and Tina was with me. Your dad and your grandpa were close by when I got hurt and they got there before the ambulance. I, uh, lost so much blood that my heart stopped and your dad got it going again. He literally saved my life."

"Yeah," Hank proudly shook Henry's shoulder where he sat. "and not long after that Connor was the one who helped deliver Aria when Abby went into labor."

"Wait..." Henry looked really confused but at the same time happy. "How did dad do that? Shouldn't Abby had been in the hospital?"

"Things happened fast. And Connor was with her because they got to be good friends."

"Dad helped with Aria being born. Is that why Abby was a surrogate for me?"

"Uh..." Neither Hank or Gavin knew how to answer that, but Hank tried his best for Henry's sake. "She was a surrogate because she wanted to help your dad finally have a child of his own. The laws weren't as advanced as they are now. Only two years ago were androids given the right to adopt; through _private_ means rather than openly, but at least it's progress."

"What do you mean, Papa?"

"Well, thirteen years ago, before you were even born, your dad tried and failed to file for adoption. He was turned down for being an android, but they said it was because he was single and had a dangerous job, all that other crap they liked to say to cover up their own discrimination. He was so heartbroken and disappointed for being turned down that Abby was willing to be the first person to carry a child that was a blend of android D.N.A. in a human body so he could finally have a family to take care of. It's weird, I know, but it's the truth."

"...I was a gift?"

"Yup. The best gift your dad ever got. It's a close tie with you saying 'daddy' for the first time on Christmas Day."

Gavin's eyes went wide with shock. "Whoa, so Henry already knows about 'the birds and the bees'?"

Henry blushed a little but Hank answered on his behalf. "He wanted to know, and Connor is a very honest parent. I, unfortunately, had to be the one to fill in some of the other details because of my experience as an actual human. Nothing I couldn't handle, though."

"Yeeahh... I'm definitely going to let Abby be the one to 'talk' to Aria. If I start talking to her about it I'm going to end up arming her with pepper spray and a taser. I might do that anyway... You know, kinda' like an early 'sweet-sixteen' gift."

Hank just shook his head a little as he stayed focused on Henry. Henry himself was beginning to feel a little better, but he was still worried for his dad. Nothing in the world was going to change that. Staring down at the floor Henry fussed with the coin in his hand a little, and actually managed to slowly roll it over the back of his knuckles in the same manner that Connor would do when nervous.

Gavin's phone buzzed in his pocket as he received a message. Swearing internally he read and replied to the message and stood up from the chair. "Foxworth needs me to give another statement. I guess they have a new guy handling the paperwork for an officer down and she's done holding his hand."

"Give 'em Hell, Gavin."

"I'll see you later, keep me posted. Let the 'Tinman' know we're all pulling for him."

As the Lieutenant took his leave of the waiting room Hank took the offered can of soda and popped it open before sliding it toward Henry. "You should drink that and eat that candy bar so you don't starve."

"Papa, why does Gavin always call dad 'Tinman'?"

"He's always called him that. But it's not an insult, it's a nickname."

"It is?"

"Yup. You've seen 'The Wizard of Oz', right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Remember how the Tinman wanted a heart but in the end it turns out he had a heart all along?"

"Yeah."

"Well, same with your dad. He's always had a heart, even when he didn't see it or believe it, it was always there." Pushing the soda a little closer to Henry the ever patient grandfather tried to coax him into drinking it again. "Humor me."

Giving Hank a weak smile Henry took the soda and took a sip of it. The sugary drink didn't feel great on his stomach since he was so worried and hadn't eaten in over seven hours, and was admittedly beginning to feel hungry. Never one to complain or make either his dad or grandfather worry Henry sat quietly and never said anything about being uncomfortable.

As the fourth hour transitioned into its fifth hour Dr. Wilson returned to the waiting room and sat down in the chair across from Hank and Henry.

"Doc?" Hank asked in a low voice causing Henry's eyes snap up from the floor to look at the kind doctor.

"Connor's going to make a full recovery." Dr. Wilson stated with a firm, sincere voice. "Sorry it took so long. There was a lot of necessary repairs to get through and I wanted to make sure the technicians understood how prototypes react differently from finished models."

Hank let out a sigh and Henry leaned up against his side again. "When can we see him?"

"Right now if you want. He's still rebooting from stasis mode, but he should wake up soon."

Henry nearly leapt out of the chair while Hank stood up more slowly. "Uh, is there anything we should be 'prepared to see'?"

"He's still attached to a cardiac monitor as a precaution, and he's still receiving blue blood to replace what he's lost. It's going through the line in his arm rather than down his throat so he can talk to you."

"Thanks, doc." Returning his hand to Henry's shoulder Hank guided his shaken grandson down the corridor to follow after Dr. Wilson to finally visit Connor at last. "Like I said Henry, everything will be okay."

One elevator ride later Hank and Henry were shown to where Connor was recovering.

"He's right in here." Dr. Wilson stated as he pushed the door open. "It's okay, go on."

Connor was resting in a bed propped slightly upright with a silent android cardiac monitor recording his vitals, and a nasal canula under his nose. He was pale from the Thirium loss, but he didn't look nearly as pale as he had been when Hank and Henry first arrived.

Entering the private room where Connor was resting Henry ran over to the bed and nearly threw himself on Connor to try to hug him. The sudden weight and warmth against his left arm made Connor's system fully reboot and he opened his undamaged eye. Glancing down at Henry resting against his uninjured side made Connor smile as he recognized his son instantly.

"...Henry."

"Dad!"

"I'm okay, Henry. I told you I'd be okay."

"You were _almost killed_!"

Connor swallowed once; partially out of nervousness and partially because his throat was raw from being intubated for four and a half hours. "...I'm a detective. It comes with the territory."

Hank walked in slowly to give Henry some time to speak to Connor alone, but still caught the end of Henry's worrying comment.

"You were wearing a bullet proof vest but you got shot anyway!"

"Henry, those men-"

"What if there's more guys like that?" His voice was beginning to crack and shake with emotion. Raw tears were begging to stream down his face in heavy streaks that made him look all the more scared. "What if next time you can't be saved?!"

The fear in Henry's voice made Connor's heart clench. It was the first time that Connor realized that Henry himself had a concept of life and death. Connor was his dad, his mom was already gone, Luke lived seven-hundred miles away and Hank was his only grandparent. Gavin and Abby were his godparents, but it wouldn't be the same without Connor himself in his life.

In the same way that Connor realized that losing Hank would leave him without a family, Henry would feel the exact same way if he lost his dad. Hank would take care of him, and he knew both Luke and Markus would step up to help him, but it wouldn't be the same without his father to look after him.

"Henry," wrapping his arm around Henry gently Connor pulled his son up on the bed and let him rest his head against his repaired chest. "I'm sorry."

"...For what?"

"For scaring you. I know I can't say anything that'll make you feel better about what happened to me, so I'll stop trying. But I can promise you that I'll take steps ensure that I won't be hurt anymore for as long as I'm still working at the precinct."

"How?!"

"...Captain Foxworth wants to return to Ann Arbor." He glanced over to Hank with a somber gaze. "Her family is there and she wants to be closer to them after her mother suffered a stroke. And two weeks ago... I was offered a promotion to Captain."

Henry lifted up his head as Hank gave Connor an odd glance. "What does that mean?"

"It means if I accept the promotion I won't be doing fieldwork anymore. It means I'll stay inside the precinct and give the orders from behind a desk and inside an office."

"...No more bullets?"

"No more bullets."

Hank put his hand on Henry's back as he looked down at Connor laying in the bed. "Son, you do know that means you won't be able to do anything in the field unless it's _absolutely_ necessary, right?"

"I know. That's why I initially turned it down. But, if it'll make Henry feel better to know that I'm safer as a Captain than as a Lieutenant, then I will accept the promotion and stay behind a desk."

Henry started to cry again causing Hank to instinctively rub his back while Connor tightened his arm around him. This time however the tears weren't of fear or of sadness, but relief and joy.

"It's okay, Henry." Connor winced a little as his pain receptors began to reboot as well and his respiration program jostled his healing chest. "I'm okay. I won't make you worry about me ever again, I promise."

* * *

With Hank's help Connor was able to limp back into Hank's house slowly and was guided over to the couch, while Henry proceeded to grab the blanket and pillow for his dad to feel more comfortable. The house still felt like Connor's home, and Henry always felt like he had two homes to call his own. At the moment the house felt empty and sad since Sumo passed away from old age the previous year, but like his predecessor he was buried in the backyard and was still remembered fondly.

"Seems like old times, huh, kid?" Hank joked as he watched Connor struggling to lay comfortably on the couch.

"Not old enough, it seems."

"Speak for yourself!"

Henry handed Connor the pillow and the blanket and watched as his dad used the offered items to get more comfortable. "Thanks, Henry."

"You're welcome. When do you go back to work?"

"Three days."

"...And will you be working in the field?"

"No." Connor replied honestly as he pressed his hand to his sore abdomen and chest. "I will remain behind my desk filing reports until my promotion is cleared and I can take over for Captain Foxworth."

"I'm glad. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't want to get hurt, either. Believe me."

"Have you been hurt before?"

"Uh..." Connor gave Hank an awkward glance before he finally answered. "Yeah. But as you can see, I recovered."

"Did you get hurt because you're an android?"

"Sometimes, yes. There were a lot more anti-android bigots in the city before you were born than there are now. Other times I got hurt because it's a hazardous job, or I was unintentionally careless."

Hank cleared his throat awkwardly and sat down in his new recliner; one Connor insisted on him buying to replace the old worn out one to help ease the pain in his back. "I took my own share of bumps and bruises along the way, Henry. That's part of the reason my back keeps hurtin' me."

"I thought that was just because you're old."

Laughing at the comment Hank just shook his head and sighed. "You got a smart mouth like your dad. I'm not surprised."

Connor smirked as well as he let out a weary, slow breath to ease his pain. "Henry, do you want to know about the time your Papa threw out his back and was stuck on the bathroom floor, or do you want to see a photo of him with his long hair?"

A mischievous smile appeared on Henry's face as he sat on the couch next to his dad. "How about both?"

Leaning back in the recliner Hank propped his feet up and let out another sigh. "...Like father, like son."

* * *

_**Henry: Fourteen Years Old.** _

Two years without any further incident at the precinct injuring Connor, or scaring Henry, had left the small family feeling more secure. Gavin took over Connor's previous position and was now second in command, a position that no one thought he'd attain because of his previous attitude problems, but then again no one thought an android would be given such a high rank or position of power. Chris was on his way to being a Lieutenant as well, while Tina and Jack were both successfully promoted to Sergeants.

There was a whole new squadron of rookie officers that Connor was now in charge of, but he wasn't afraid to lead, and his fellow officers weren't afraid to follow after him. Hank had never been prouder of the deviant he called his son.

"Hey, dad?" Henry called out from the bathroom, his voice a few octaves deeper than it had been the previous two years. "Can you help me out, please?"

Connor entered the bathroom and saw Henry running his fingertips over his chin where a noticeable dark stubble was beginning to grow. There was even a a few dark hairs growing on his upper lip. The teenager was much taller and had a lean, nimble build just like Connor. He was now eye level with Connor's chest and had just a few more freckles that adorned his complexion like his father. There were times where people who saw Connor and Henry together mistook them as brothers, which made Hank laugh but made Henry feel a little weird when he had to explain that the immortally young looking android was his father.

"Help you with what, son?"

"I, uh, I need to shave."

"O-Oh. Uh... I think that's going to have to be a problem for your Papa to solve today."

"...Papa has a beard and I've never seen him without it. Does he even remember _how_ to shave?"

Connor smirked at the comment as he decided that it was time for him to take Henry out to get a shaving kit, and maybe a few other personal hygiene products that he might want to try out.

"Come on." He motioned for the front door as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed the car keys from the massive bookshelf that lined the wall in a similar manner to the furnishings at Hank's house. "Get your shoes."

"Where we going?" Henry rubbed Opal's head as he passed by the cat sleeping on the back of the couch.

"We're going to get you hooked up with some grooming products. You choose, I buy."

"What if I want dark purple hair dye and a curling iron?"

"Then we'll pick up some green dye for your Papa and get a surge protector for the curling iron."

Henry sometimes had a hard time reading Connor's sarcasm, but it was getting easier over time. "... _Can_ I dye my hair?"

"If you want to, it's your hair."

"How come you're so cool with that kind of stuff, but when Jason put blond highlights in his hair he got grounded for a week?"

"Because I'm a cool parent," Connor replied as he pulled open the front door and waited Henry to follow. "and Jason's parents are not."

"Yeah, because nothing says 'I'm the cool dad' like _announcing_ that you're the cool dad."

"You inherited my smart mouth, but you adopted your Papa's sarcasm. That could be a dangerous weapon."

"For you or me?"

"For society."

* * *

A stop at the local super market and trip down the aisle with hygiene products had left Connor and Henry at a bit of pause. Connor had only needed to shower when he had gotten covered in dirt or grime at a crime scene or after he had gotten sick, as opposed to needing to shower daily/nightly to remove sweat and body oil like humans. He had begun showering more because of the update, but it wasn't entirely necessary. When Henry had been born Hank had already stocked up on baby shampoos and gentle body washes, and as Henry grew up Connor had purchased other types of shampoos and soaps, but he hadn't considered anything else special for Henry beyond deodorant.

"What do you think?" Henry asked as he looked at the numerous razor blades with utter loss. "I think the more blades the better, but they're way more expensive than the other stuff."

"Get what you want to try. I doubt you'll need to shave everyday, and even so, I'll pay for it."

"Really?"

"Yes. Get what you want."

"Alright, uh..." Trying to decide between two different brands of razors, both the same type and both the same price, Henry was still at a loss. "Is there really any difference?"

Connor ran a scan over the two packs of razors and twitched his mouth. "I can't see one. Flip a coin." Fishing out his quarter he tossed it to Henry who caught it in his graceful hands. "Heads you take the razors in the blue package. Tails you takes the razors in the red package."

"Alright." Flipping the coin up in the air Henry caught it and made his decision. "Heads, blue it is!"

Tossing Connor back his coin Henry put back the red razors and dropped the blue one in the shopping basket. Moving onto the next item Henry had less difficulty in his decision, and went solely by the 'scent' on the can of shaving cream and placed it in the basket next to the razors. The idea of aftershave seemed appealing, but Henry really didn't know what it was for.

"Put it in the basket." Connor saw him eyeing the item and encouraged him to try it as well. "Also grab some extra deodorant so you don't have to worry about it for a while."

"Sure."

Connor watched as his teenage son set about taking care of his own hygiene and even took the time to add a new toothbrush, shampoo and soap to his basket just to make sure he had everything taken care of. It was a strange sense of pride and sadness as Henry started showing more independence, personal responsibility and overall maturity.

"Think this is all I'll need?"

Connor looked at the items in the cart and tilted his head. "I don't know. Want to throw in a box of band-aids in case your Papa is a bad teacher?"

"For me or for him?"

Smiling again Connor motioned for the front of the store to check-out. "Come on. Let's get back to the house."

* * *

As Connor pulled the Corvette up to the house he saw that Hank was outside in his drive next door, and he seemed to have a new toy to play with. Being retired gave Hank so much more free time, and with Henry no longer needing to be watched everyday after school he was getting a little restless. Fortunately, it looked like he found himself a new project to keep his mind preoccupied.

"Looks like your Papa was out shopping, too." Connor noted as he and Henry walked up the driveway side by side.

"Yeah. And it looks like he had fun while he was at it."

Hank heard the two talking as he popped open the hood of the old car he had just purchased and was now seeking to restore. "What do you think, son?"

"I think it's a nineteen eighty-nine Chevrolet Camaro." Connor replied as literally as he could. "And it needs work."

"Yup. I needed something to do, and since you keep the Corvette with you or at work, I wanted another classic beauty to work on."

"Where'd you find it?"

"An old contact from the precinct told me about it." Walking around the car to speak to the duo face to face Hank noticed the patch of facial hair growing on Henry's chin and smirked. "What's this?" Putting his hand under Henry's chin he gently turned his grandson's face so he could see the small dark goatee trying to form on his chin and over his upper lip. "Henry, you growing a beard?"

"Not if I can help it." Holding up the plastic bag with his new items he gave his grandfather a pleading look. "But dad says this is something you'll need to coach me through."

"Yeah, sure. Let's go." Patting Henry's shoulder Hank motioned for the backdoor. "We'll do this, and Connor, you can take a quick scan of the Camaro for me so I know what I need to repair, replace and get restored."

"No problem. Thanks for your help, dad."

It didn't take Connor too long to run a scan over the vehicle and chronicle all of the maintenance requirements, and even less time to figure out what Hank was up to. Satisfied that the car was in decent enough condition to be restored within a respectable time frame, and within a reasonable budget, Connor walked inside the house and made his way down the hallway in time to see Henry rinsing off his face and running his hand over his now smooth chin again.

"You look good." Connor complimented as Henry looked at his reflection. "Are you going to shave every day or let your goatee grow?"

"I don't think facial hair's for me. I was starting to look like a 'James Bond' villain."

"You're too young to be worried about looking villainous." Connor confirmed as he and Hank smirked at the comment.

"Yeah, but the weird thing is in a while I think people might think I'm older than you."

Connor pressed his hand to his own chin and shook his head. "Sorry, Henry. It's not my fault androids aesthetically don't age."

Hank knew Connor had finished examining the Camaro and was eager to know how it was holding up. "How's the car?"

"It'll need transmission, brakes, a battery, spark plugs, the usual repairs; but it's well within the realm of reality to do so with a practical budget and time frame."

"Cool. Think you can track the necessary parts and-"

"Already done."

"...send it to my phone. Connor, _I_ can pay for the parts."

"I'm aware, but you already paid for the car itself and I know you'll be doing a majority of the work while I'm at the precinct."

"Well, joke's on you kid." Nudging Henry in the ribs lightly with his elbow Hank motioned with a thumb over the shoulder in the direction of the Camaro outside. "Henry, want to help?"

"You'll show me how to work a car?"

"Yup."

"Cool! I'll have something to do this summer when we're not at the cabin."

"Which reminds me," Hank looked at Connor and gave him a nod. "two weeks from now I want to have a Fourth of July type of thing at the cabin. Get the time off and we'll have a B.B.Q. or something."

"I will. I suppose that's one of the perks to being a Captain, I can set my own hours."

"Go on, Henry. I'll show you what to look for in an engine; what's good and what's crap."

"Yeah, okay."

Once Henry was out of hearing range Connor addressed Hank discreetly and in a low voice.

"Did you speak to your doctor?"

"...Yeah, kid. It's uh, not great."

Hesitating only for a moment Connor forced himself to ask about the prognosis. "How bad?"

"My liver's beginning to breakdown on me." The look in Hank's eyes were full of frightened tears. "Stage one cancer."

That word left Connor stunned, almost speechless. "...Cancer?"

"I'm going to begin treatment to kill the tumor, but, with my age and health history..."

"Please don't give up."

"I'm not, son. If I didn't have you or Henry I would throw in the towel right here, right now. But I'll put up a fight for as long as I can."

"What should I tell Henry?"

"Nothing. I don't want him to see me as a sick old man, I want him to always see me as his Papa. Don't tell him I'm sick. Promise?"

"Yeah, I promise."

"And like I said, I'm going to fight back. Just think of this as age making a fool of me, nothing more."

"Yeah..."

"I'd tell you to not worry, but you will. So instead," Hank clapped his hand down on Connor's shoulder and held his palm there for a moment. "I'll ask that you focus on Henry and making sure he's focused on everything else. Got it?"

"Got it."

Henry rushed back into the bathroom and knocked on the door frame frantically. "Come on, Papa! Show me the car!"

"I'm coming, Henry. Right behind ya'!"

While the two left the bathroom to go check out the car outside Connor stayed behind and took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted to hear was that Hank was sick with cancer. Even though it was stage one it was cancer nonetheless, and Hank's body wasn't as strong as it used to be.

"Stay strong." The deviant told himself as he leaned against the bathroom sink. "For Henry."

Connor looked at his own reflection and compared it to how Henry looked, then realized that in the eighteen years he had known Hank that the retired detective was aging quickly. His face was more weather worn, though his eyes stayed bright and alert. The chronic pain in his back had ruined his posture making him look even older and more fragile. While Hank had full gray in his hair and his beard since the first day Connor met him the keen eyed deviant could see that he was looking whiter and paler than usual.

"Do what's best for Henry. No matter what it takes..."

* * *

Hank was showing Henry everything under the hood of the car, explaining the mechanics of the engine and how to diagnose mechanical failure, when Connor eventually joined them outside. While the two were busy looking under the hood Connor stood just off to the side of the front of the car and silently observed from afar.

Sensing Connor's presence Hank briefly glanced up, then did a double-take. "What the... Connor? What the hell did you do to your hair?"

Henry looked up and almost laughed at his dad as he now boasted natural looking streaks of gray through his hair, and a few exaggerated frown lines on his face and lines around his eyes. "And your face?!"

"I decided to alter my look to reflect my age more accurately in comparison to yours, Henry."

"So you put gray in your hair and look like you haven't sleep in two years?"

"Thanks to your tantrums as a toddler that lack of sleep for two years is rather apt."

"I can accept that, but you can't blame the gray on me."

"No, that can be blamed on working for a precinct for eighteen years."

Hank just laughed and shook his head. "Connor, I get what you're doing but that look just isn't _you_."

"Without question, I was not meant to age. But I determined that this would make it less socially awkward for the other parents whenever I tend to Henry's school activities or go anywhere with him in a social setting. People won't assume we are brothers and finally recognize us as father and son now that you aren't an infant anymore."

Henry looked a little embarrassed but played it off cool. "Only sport that look when we're dealing with school stuff. I don't want to look at the gray in your hair all day while home."

"That's manageable." The aesthetic alterations to his appearance faded away as easily as Connor had implemented them. "Better?"

"Much."

Hank had enough of the weird conversation and changed the subject back to the car. "Now that Connor is back to normal, how about you two help me get this car back to normal, too?"

"Of course. Where do we start?"

* * *

_**Henry: Sixteen Years Old.** _

Another milestone in Henry's life meant another learning experience for Connor as a father. Nervously Henry sat behind the steering wheel of the Corvette with Connor beside him in the passenger seat. The teenager was clutching his learner's permit in his shaking hand and took a deep breath as he stared at the road at the end of the driveway.

"Are you sure you want to let me drive the Corvette? I mean, my high school has it's own driver's ed program and they provide the cars."

"You're more familiar with this car. And I trust you to not be reckless with the Corvette."

"I've never driven before, dad."

"I know, Henry. That's why we're doing this." Connor gave his son a confident grin as he realized their dilemma. Connor never needed to "learn" how to drive since it was already programmed into his database, he could just drive. But Henry needed to learn. He couldn't just "do it" as Connor had done so easily in the past. "Would you like your Papa to teach you how to drive?"

"N-No. I just..."

"Nervous?"

"...Yeah."

"It's okay, Henry. We're not going to drive across the country, or even out of the neighborhood. Just circle the block and get used to the car."

"One lap?"

"One lap."

"I... Okay." Pocketing his driver's permit Henry took a deep breath. "I can do that."

Pulling his seatbelt over his chest Henry secured it into place with an audible 'click' and Connor did the same thing. As Henry's shaking hand turned the key in the ignition he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Pressing his foot down on the brake Henry shifted the car from park and into drive.

"All you have to do is gently let up on the brake and let the car pull itself down the drive. It'll go slow automatically so don't worry about using the accelerator."

"...Right."

"When you reach the end of the drive gently reapply the brake and hold it."

Listening to Connor's instructions Henry made his way down the driveway very slowly and came to a stop again.

"Good. Now turn on your signal to go right."

Henry found the controls for the turn signal and turned it on accordingly.

"Check to make sure the street is clear and then just as slowly pull out onto the road."

Again Henry followed the instructions perfectly and managed to get the car onto the road and stay in his designated lane.

"Perfect." Connor remained calm as he watched Henry nervously adjusting the wheel to straighten the tires. "Press down lightly on the accelerator, most people recommend using your big toe to add pressure. Get the car up to thirty miles per hour at a steady pace and come to a gentle stop at the sign at the end of the street."

Slowly, but surely Henry managed to get the car up to speed, stop, and wait for his next set of instructions. Connor calmly directed his son step by step until Henry made a full circle of the block. Instead of pulling back into the driveway Henry decided to take one more lap and Connor didn't protest. The longer Henry drove the more confident he became in his abilities and was no longer nervous.

"Keep this up for two weeks and I think you'll be ready to start driving at night."

"Night?"

"The laws are the same at night, Henry." Connor replied coolly from where he sat. "Just turn on the headlights and let your eyes adjust to the dark."

"...Right. Sure."

* * *

The next day while Connor was taking care of his shift at the precinct Henry was working with Hank on the Camaro in the driveway beside the house. The two were talking mostly about the car, but when the topic of Henry's driver's education came up the teenager was proud to talk about how he had managed to ace driving during the day, was doing great at night, and was even able to drive through rain without problems.

"That's great, Henry." Hank was leaning his right hand heavily against his wooden walking cane to support most of his weight. The cane was something Hank had to start using since the summer before, but he didn't let it slow him down. "When's the big test?"

"Next month."

"Think you can handle it?"

"I hope so. If I can get my license, then next month I can drive Courtney to the prom."

"Oh... Who's _Courtney_?"

Henry blushed a bright red in the same manner that Connor would blush bright blue when embarrassed. "...Just a girl from my art class."

"Oh. Is she _pretty_?"

Henry somehow managed to blush brighter and his voice cracked a little. "Y-Yeah. I guess."

"Have you gone on a date with her before?"

"N-No. We, uh, we're just sort of friends."

"How are you 'sort of' friends?" Hank pressed watching Henry blush brighter and brighter.

"Well, I like her but she doesn't talk very much, except in art class. And I kinda' asked her in advance... to the prom."

"Is she shy?"

"I think she's just sheltered."

"Oh." Hank watched with pride as Henry expertly moved his hands over the engine like he had been working on cars his whole life. "Shy girls usually make the best dates, once they get to know you and feel comfortable their all kinds of fun."

"And I told her that we could go to the junior prom next month together if she wanted to go with a friend, and not have the pressure of a date."

"She said 'Yes'?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"...Think I can pass my driver's test?"

"Hell yeah! You've aced every test you've ever taken, straight A's from the first grade all the way to this day. Of course you can pass _this_ test."

"Were you nervous when you took the test yourself?"

"A little. But that was mostly because I only had my old man's worn out pick-up truck to drive, and I was paranoid the bumper would fall off or something. You get that pristine Corvette to drive so you don't have anything to worry about."

"Yeah... Think I could drive this Camaro once it's finally painted?"

"Get in line, Henry." Hank wiped grease off his hands onto an old rag and tossed it over to Henry to use. "Me first!"

* * *

The day of the big test was finally at hand.

Henry was sitting at the designated driver's school with the instructor in the passenger seat beside him. While Connor and Hank had both reassured him that he'd do great the teenager was still nervous. The instructor introduced himself and told Henry the basic parameters of the test that he'd need to perform in order to pass the test. Parking, parallel parking, K-turn, signaling, all the basic procedures that any driver would need to master.

The real test was when they got out onto the street and then proceeded to prove Henry's skill as a competent driver. Connor had to remain behind at the school while Henry went off with the instructor.

"You can do this, Henry." Connor encouraged before he walked away from the Corvette. "I'll be here when it's over."

"...Yeah. I'll do my best."

The Corvette slowly pulled out of the drive of the parking lot and pulled perfectly out onto the street to begin the test. With a confident nod Connor stepped out of the parking lot and into the school to wait for Henry's return. Another parent, a mother whose daughter was also taking her driver's test, saw Connor and smirked.

"You're Henry's father, aren't you?"

"Yes I am." Connor confirmed, grateful that his decision to alter his appearance when dealing with his son's education was paying off.

"He looks just like you! It's uncanny!"

"Oh, yeah. We get that a lot. Thank you."

It took half an hour for Henry to return to the school and park out front. Connor went outside to meet his son and was greeted by the sight of Henry shaking the instructor's hand with a big smile on his face. Connor didn't need anyone to tell him that Henry had passed the test. As soon as the instructor stepped out of the Corvette he handed Connor the final slip confirming Henry's successful test and the subsequent legal document for him to get his license.

"So..." Connor opened up the passenger side door and sat beside his son. "do you want to wait until tomor-"

"No way! Come on! It's not even noon, there's plenty of time to go get my license!"

Connor just smirked and showed Henry that he had the other necessary documents required for Henry to get his license in jacket. "Okay, you know how to get there, right?"

"Yeah, I know the way."

"We'll go get you your license and you can show it to your Papa yourself."

"Gladly!"

As soon as Henry got back home he ran over to show Hank his license and did so with the biggest grin on his face. As proud as Henry was about passing his test and getting his license Hank was even prouder. Showing him to the Camaro in the driveway Hank handed Henry his phone with a vast array of custom colored paint designated for the car and asked him to pick.

"Alright, since Connor and I had a hard time picking the color for the Corvette, YOU and you alone, get to pick the color for the Camaro."

"Seriously?!" Henry accepted the phone and looked like he was about to burst.

"Yup. You helped me with this car and I think you've earned this for acing your driving test, _just like I said you would_ , by the way. Go ahead! Pick!"

"...Any color?"

"Yup."

"...Even pee-yellow?"

"Uh..."

"I'm just messing with you, I know _better_ than that."

"Damn right you do." Happy to have Henry sharing his and Connor's dry and sarcastic sense of humor. "Whatever color you like will go on the car."

Checking through the screen on the phone Henry scanned through the various colors and came to rest on deep, cherry red color. "That one. That's the color."

Hank took the phone from Henry's hand and look at his choice. "Cherrybomb red. Damn good choice."

"I think so, too."

"Alright. I'm ordering the paint, and when it arrives I'll show the secret to an even, smooth coat."

"I take it painting metal is a lot different than painting on canvas. It's the size, right?"

Smirking at Henry's comment Hank patted his shoulder with his left hand while he continued to support his weight on his right hand against the cane. "You and your dad just love to be smartasses, don't ya'?"

"Well, I am essentially dad's clone. So, yeah."

"You got your dad's looks, but you know where you got your smarts, right?"

"From grandma?"

"Such a smartass..."

* * *

Connor helped Henry with his black bowtie as his son stood tall and proud in his black tuxedo in the middle of the livingroom. Henry was a little nervous about having his first (sort of) date with Courtney, but he was still giving an air of confidence that made Connor smirk. Checking the time on his phone, and making sure he had Courtney's corsage, Henry let of a calming breath and nodded as Connor stepped back.

"How do I look?"

"Like my son wearing a nice tuxedo."

"Is that good or bad?"

"Henry, you look great. You always do, but this time it's 'fancy-great'. I think."

"It's easier for you with your clothes. You have seven of the same outfits for work, three dark suits, one tuxedo and couple spare jackets."

"It's a lot easier to do laundry, too."

"Dad, please. I'm anxious."

"Henry, you look handsome." Picking up the flower corsage that Henry was clutching onto, Connor mentioned the beautiful gift. "And this will make Courtney very happy. You look like a true gentleman."

"...Uh, how long can I, you know," Henry was petting Opal as she jumped up on the arm of the couch and rubbed against his elbow. "stay out?"

"When is the prom over?"

"It starts at seven and is over at ten. And the 'after-prom' start at eleven."

"How long is the 'after-prom'?"

"We'll be in the school from eleven to nine. The entire building will be on lockdown until morning."

"If the school is on lockdown then you can stay until nine. BUT, I will meet you at the school to drive you home so you don't fall asleep behind the wheel."

"Cool, thanks dad."

Hank walked through the front door of the house and smirked as he looked over at Henry dressed sharply in his tuxedo. "Lookin' good, Henry. Ready for the prom?"

"Yeah. I'm actually just about to leave."

"Corvette?"

"Yeah. I get the car for the night."

"Too bad."

"...Why's that?"

Hank reached into his pocket and tossed Henry a new set of keys, which he caught every easily with his free hand. "The Camaro is ready to go. I was hoping you'd take your own car for the night."

"My... _own car_?" Henry looked at the keys and gave Hank a strange look that always rivaled the curious stares that Connor would give him.

"Yup. You've earned it."

"...The Camaro?!" Henry's eyes were as wide as saucers and he paled a little in surprise. "The Camaro is MY car?"

"Yup."

Nearly stumbling over himself Henry rushed over to Hank and gave him a massive, appreciative hug. "Thank you so much, Papa!"

"You're welcome, Henry." Patting Henry's back with one hand so he could still balance on his cane, Hank gave Henry a proud stare. "Now, go on. Go enjoy your prom and have some fun!"

"I will... Thank you! See ya' later, dad, Papa!"

"Have fun, Henry. I'll pick you up tomorrow morning."

* * *

While Henry was at the prom Connor and Hank spent time together at Hank's house watching the preseason try-outs for the upcoming baseball season on the television, while also talking about how much Henry has grown, and how human Connor had become as Henry grew up. It was just after nine in the evening when one of the android chaperone's monitoring the prom sent Connor a cybernetic message and with a small live feed video.

"Dad, look." Connor held out his right palm and showed the live feed of Henry slow-dancing with Courtney from the prom. Henry was smiling and Courtney seemed be enjoying herself, too. "He looks happy."

"Yeah. He really does..."

Hank was so proud of his small family. Connor was an incredible detective and an even better father. Luke was the most skilled technician on the East Coast and like Connor, had helped to bring about android rights in Boston. And Henry was a well liked, popular, straight-A student with a promising basketball scholarship practically guaranteed under his belt.

"Connor, you did an amazing job helping guide Henry into becoming the wonderful young man he is today."

"Without you to guide me on my own growth to humanity I don't think I would've been able to take care of him in the way he needed."

"Don't sell yourself short, kid." He and Connor continued to watch Henry dancing with his date on the small live feed display. "You have a natural and deeply-seeded paternal instinct. Even if I _hadn't_ been there you would've been able to take care of Henry just fine."

"...I'd like to think so. But I'm still so worried that I'll do something to affect him negatively."

"Hey, Henry's a great kid, and there's nothing you could ever say or do to him to change that. You have the right to be proud of yourself as a parent. I know I'm proud of you."

The song came to an end and Henry stopped dancing with Courtney. Walking her off the dance floor the two disappeared into the crowd of other students and the feed ceased from displaying the dance. Connor closed his hand and let his arm rest against his lap as he sat on the edge of the couch next to Hank, who was sitting propped up in his recliner right beside his android son.

"...Henry's grown-up."

"Not quite, Connor. He still has two more years to go until he's grown-up. And even then, he'll never stop needing you as his dad. Look at the way you still come to me for guidance. Once a father, ALWAYS a father."

"Yeah. Always."

* * *

_**Henry: Seventeen Years Old.** _

The sound of Henry's crying through his closed bedroom door made Connor's heart ache. The teenager was heartbroken and struggling to deal with the hardship that comes from a bad break-up, and losing a good friend. As Henry isolated himself to process the emotional turmoil Connor stayed outside the door, sitting down on the floor opposite the door, and waited for Henry to make the first move to opening the door to talk.

It had been almost an hour before Henry's crying began to soften and he calmed a little.

"Henry?" Connor called out in a soft voice to his pained son on the other side of the door. "Do you need anything?"

"...No."

"Do you want to talk about?"

"...No."

"If you want, I can make you something to eat. You have to be starving."

There was a long pause before Henry finally responded again. "...Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does it hurt so much?"

"...Because hearts are fragile." The answer was simplistic but completely accurate. "I learned this a long time ago in the most painful way possible. I survived heartbreak, your Papa survived it and I know you will too. You just need some time to let your heart heal."

"If Rachel wanted to break-up with me, why couldn't she just tell me? Why'd she have to _cheat_ on me?"

"She didn't _have_ to cheat, Henry. She _chose_ to do that."

"I miss Courtney!"

"I know. But she moved to California three months ago, and that's a long trip just to visit her."

"...This sucks."

"Yeah, it does."

"It feels like I'm going to be sad forever. Like I'm never going to find anyone like Courtney ever again. Tomorrow at school I'm going to see Rachel all day long, and I want nothing to do with her!"

Letting out a heavy sigh of his own Connor felt tears welling up in eyes. "...Henry. Do you want to know about... your mom?"

There was a heavy silence from the other side of the door as Henry contemplated the offer. Connor only told Henry a few details about Skye, always excluding the way she had died, but always telling him about how brave she was risking herself to help other deviants in need, and how much they truly loved one another.

"...Mom?" Henry whispered through the door somewhat perplexed.

"Yeah."

"How come... you never talk about her?"

"For the same reason Papa doesn't like to talk about your Uncle Cole or Grandma Barbara. It hurts."

"...So I _am_ going to be sad forever."

"No, Henry. The type of pain you're experiencing only seems like it'll last forever. The pain that your Papa and I went through is the kind that'll... Well, it leaves a scar on your heart. But even the darkest of scars won't stop your heart from beating."

Connor heard Henry move from his bed and slink down to the floor just on the other side of his still closed bedroom door. "...Tell me about her."

Taking a deep breath Connor steadied his voice and went into details about how he and Skye met under dire, life-threatening circumstances, and how they escaped from captivity and torture into the forests in Canada. He told him how Hank and North came to their rescue and how Skye stayed at New Jericho Tower to aid the other deviant refugees and help escort others to safety.

"She was brave and self-sacrificing. Fearless." Connor was having a hard time keeping his emotions in check, but he maintained for Henry's benefit. "I think that's what began drawing me toward her."

Connor spoke of meeting Skye for the 'first time all over again' after she changed her appearance from the design she had been forced to take at the 'Eden Club', and finally became the deviant she wanted to be. Connor talked about Markus and North's bonding ceremony at the cabin and how he felt like there was something more to Skye than just being her friend.

"As beautiful as North looked, I couldn't stop looking at Skye. I was too shy to say anything to her, but I think she knew I was.. interested.

The details regarding Connor's kidnapping and forced servitude in the illegal underground fight club in Chicago was a story Henry had never heard before. Escaping and being escorted back home by Skye after she used her contacts to find him at the refuge outside the city, and how she tended to his fever until he was strong enough to move again. That was definitely the beginning of their closer relationship. The willingness to trust her when she developed the new security protocols at the tower cemented their bond, and made it easier to get even closer.

"Your mom was determined to keep everyone safe, no matter what the cost. She was attacked for her efforts, but wasn't deterred in her mission to save our people from torment."

Connor told Henry about their first date, how they enjoyed spending time together and how Hank was happy for him. The details regarding his promotion and her pride in his accomplishments made them feel even closer on an emotional level, and knew their combined efforts would help protect the innocent deviants throughout the entire city. But with every step forward they took there was someone determined to make them take two steps back.

"...Shortly after I was promoted to Lieutenant, and your Papa was promoted to Captain, an... incident happened in the city. There was a riot." Connor's eyes closed as he dared to tell Henry about the final night of his mother's life. "Skye, your mom, was trying to stop it before it went out of control, but..." Trailing off briefly Connor forced himself to finish the story. "She was injured. I arrived at the scene with your Papa, and we took her to New Jericho Tower as fast as we could to save her. But... the damage was too severe. She and I bonded with one another, promising to be together forever and to never stray for each other before she... passed. It hurt more than anything I could comprehend, and... I was so depressed that I almost killed myself in my own grief from self-neglect. Your Papa saved my life and gave me a shoulder to cry on. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be here right now."

It was silent for a moment as the father and son duo processed their heartache and tried to understand how life can in fact continue in spite of their emotional pain. Opening his door slowly Henry walked outside the bedroom with Opal in his arms and sat down on the floor next to Connor in the hallway.

"...What does mom even look like?"

Connor sighed and held up his right hand to reveal the photograph of them together from the day of his promotion in the center of his palm. It was the photograph taken of the duo to highlight the story in the newspaper, and was subsequently the only photo that Connor had of himself with Skye.

"...She was beautiful."

"She was. And smart, kind, patient, caring... She and I had talked about having our own family the moment the laws changed and we were able to legally adopt. That's why when everything that happened with you coming into the world, your mother's own model D.N.A. was used, too. She IS your mother, even if she wasn't here when you were born."

"I know. I can feel it." Henry sighed a little and rubbed his hand along Opal's chin causing the cat to purr in his arms and snuggle up against him. "Now I know why you'd disappear on your 'bonding' anniversary every year, and come back home in tears. You were visiting her and you're sill in mourning, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"Is that why you never remarried or even dated anyone else? It's not a crime to date or ever marry someone else. Papa has been dating Nana Rose for as long as I can remember, and they're both widowed."

"Henry, for androids it's very different when we become widowed." Connor explained in a low voice. "Your mother and I were bonded and she... shutdown shortly thereafter. Once the bond is forged it's permanent until we both agree to sever it. She is gone and therefore the bond is impossible to sever. I can't... move on because I am forever bonded to her. And I still love her with all my heart."

"Widowed androids are destined to be alone, forever?"

"I'm not alone, Henry. I have you, I have your Papa, and I have your Uncle Luke in my life."

"But you still miss mom." Henry realized as he saw the tears welling up in his father's eyes. "And you miss her every day, don't you?"

"...Yeah. I do." Closing his hand to conceal the image Connor looked into his son's blue eyes and apologized. "I'm sorry it took so long for me to tell you about her. It just... hurt."

Leaning against Connor's shoulder heavily Henry wrapped his arms around his dad and held tight on tight. "...Yeah, I know that. At least I do now."

"You're very much like her, Henry. You're just as smart, kind, patient and caring as she was." Connor stated as he reciprocated his son's hug. "I'm glad you took after her so much even though she couldn't be here to help raise you."

"You did pretty good on your own." Henry managed to comment in a weak voice, and tried to lighten the heavy mood. "Even if you are the 'weird dad'."

"Henry, I've never even offered you the chance to see her, and I'm sorry. Would you like to go... 'visit' your mother?"

"...Yeah." Wiping his hand over his face Henry removed his tears, his blue eyes were bloodshot and red from crying and made his blue irises very bright. "I think I'd like to visit mom."

"Okay. Just give me the word and we'll go see her."

"Thanks, dad."

"I love you, son."

"I love you, too, dad."

Letting himself cry a little more again his father's shoulder Henry knew he was beginning to heal, even if it was still hurting him to think about it. Between Connor's compassionate nature and Hank's thick-skinned demeanor regarding hardship, Henry knew he had all the emotional support he'd need to get over his heartbreak.

* * *

_**Henry: Eighteen Years Old.** _

The day that Connor had been excitedly waiting for, but secretly dreading was finally at hand. Henry's high school graduation. While the young adult was proudly getting ready for the day in his bedroom Connor was standing outside the house on the small back porch staring into the nothingness of the horizon beyond the property line. A presence joined him on the porch and he didn't even need to look to know it was Hank.

"Hey, dad."

"Hey, son. Is Henry excited?"

"Yes. And very proud."

"He should be! Salutatorian with a full athletic scholarship to the University of Michigan is something to be _very proud_ of."

"I just can't believe my son isn't... a _kid_ anymore."

"No, not in the eyes of the law. But you will ALWAYS see Henry as a kid. _Always_."

Henry opened up the backdoor to look out at his dad and grandfather as he expertly tied his black tie and tightened the knot up around the collar of his pale blue dress shirt. Henry was now Connor's height, right down to the centimeter, but his athletic prowess gave him slightly more muscle mass than the deviant. He had a few freckles like Connor, but not as many as his dad sported. Henry's hair was also styled in a similar manner, save for the rogue lock of hair that Connor refused to tame.

If Henry's eyes were brown and not blue he'd be a perfect clone of his father.

Henry looked at his dad and grandfather with a proud smile on his face. "So... Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yeah, son." Connor was very proud to see his son so grown-up and happy. Unlike himself Henry always shown the full, bright smile that Connor himself only showed once in a great while. "You head out to the school and we'll meet up with you in an hour when the ceremony starts."

"Are ya' sure? A lot of the parents accompany their kids to the school for photos and stuff."

"...You don't mind?"

"Why would I mind? You're my dad." He turned to look at Hank as he spoke. "And you're welcome too, Papa."

Before Connor had the chance to try to dismiss the offer so Henry could go alone Hank put his hand on the deviant's shoulder to quiet him. "Absolutely. Pull the Camaro around front and I'll go put on my nicer shirt."

"It's not going to be the one with zebra stripes, is it?"

"No, I'll wear my navy blue shirt."

"...Thank you."

"I'm saving the zebra shirt for your _open house_."

"O-Oh... great. Uh, I'll see you guys out front."

As Henry returned to the house to get his keys and grab his graduation cap and gown Connor turned to look at Hank with utter confusion in his eyes. "Why'd you insist we go? This day is all about Henry, not the parents."

"Right. And Henry WANTS us there. You're just having a hard time accepting that this day is really here, and you want to postpone it."

"...Does that make me selfish?"

"No, it just makes you a normal dad with the same normal response to time turning their kid into an adult."

Connor smirked with pride as tears formed in his eyes. "...My son is all grown-up. I remember every second of his life and all of his accomplishments, but it seems like time itself was a lie."

"Yup. That's usually how it goes, son. Come on. Help me find that blue shirt or else I'll have to wear the maroon one with black streaks."

"I should do you a favor and toss that shirt in the city dump."

"No way, the fact _you_ hate it so much makes _me_ like it more."

* * *

Boasting proud smiles Connor and Hank stood on other side of Henry. Connor sporting his 'aged' aesthetic for the sake of the 'normalcy' on Henry's behalf, the small family had their photo taken by the school's photography club to get the yearbook finished at the end of the graduation ceremony. A few feet away Aria herself was getting her photo taken along with Gavin and Abby, they too were just as proud of Aria as Connor and Hank were of Henry.

Just as Henry was nearly a perfect copy of Connor, Aria was nearly identical to Abby. Aria had Gavin's eyes and his same 'don't-take-shit-from-anyone' attitude, but she was just as compassionate and empathetic as Abby. It was uncanny to say the least.

Once the photos were finished Connor and Hank were instructed with the rest of the parents to go to the high school auditorium to watch the ceremony unfold. Sitting near the front row of the seats to better accommodate Hank's cane, they were joined by Gavin and Abby along the same row of the chairs.

"Connor, you look so weird with gray in your hair." Abby teased, her own long brown hair now sporting a few gray streaks herself. "Please tell me that isn't permanent."

"It's not. This is only for when I'm participating in events revolving around Henry. Otherwise people mistake us for brothers."

Hank nudged Connor lightly in his side. "Speaking of which..."

Turning his head to where Hank was staring Connor saw that Luke, who had adopted Connor's aged aesthetic and removed his L.E.D., had just arrived. "Luke!"

"Hey, little brother. I made it."

"I'm glad you found a way to get the time to be here for Henry." He smiled as Luke sat beside him on the other side of Hank. "How long can you stay?"

"Two weeks. I made sure to get enough time to participate in Henry's open house as well."

"Thank you. He'll be surprised to see you."

Hank put his hand on Luke's shoulder. "You're rooming with me, not in a hotel and not in the tower. Connor's old bedroom is still free."

"Thanks, dad."

A few feet from behind Luke, and the gathering group of parents, Markus made his way into the auditorium and quickly spotted Connor and Luke in the front seats. "Hey, Connor, Luke, and Hank. Hope I'm not intruding."

"Markus?" Connor was surprised once more as the deviant leader arrived to join in on the ceremony. "You're not intruding, I just wasn't expecting to see you."

"Hey, I'm not missing out on this." Sitting down beside Hank quickly Markus reached out and shook Connor and Luke's hands, before doing the same for Hank as a show of genuine respect. "I've never been to a graduation ceremony, and I want to see Henry graduate. Everyone else at Jericho will be at the open house this Friday."

"Thank you."

The ceremony began and the graduating students all began filing in the auditorium alphabetically, two at a time. Walking down the center aisle in the auditorium leading the stage up front, the students passed between the seats that were divided evenly into two sections. Starting with the last names first to allow the students to reach the back rows of their elevated seats on the stage at the front of the auditorium, all the kids looked proud and nervous as their friends and family looked on proudly.

When Aria walked by Gavin discreetly reached out and passed a pink rose into his daughter's hand causing her to blush as she passed by and took her assigned seat on stage. Not long after Henry walked by with his head held high, his silver tinted tassel and sash were resting around his neck and shoulders to mark his place as the class's salutatorian, and took his seat near in the front row of the chairs on the stage.

Henry glanced out in the crowd and saw not only Connor and Hank, but his Uncle Luke and honorary 'Uncle Markus' as well. Of course he smiled before trying to look back out at the rest of the auditorium as his fellow classmates were already doing.

The principal began the ever cliche speech about how the students were the future and how every person in attendance should be proud of the accomplishments of the young students. In doing so the students were all asked to rise in recognition of the valedictorian and the salutatorian, as well as those who were awarded with scholarships and their awards as athletes, artists, musicians and other forms of extracurricular activity.

Once the principal was finished with her speech she gave the floor to Henry. The salutatorian was given the honor of opening the actual graduation ceremony and had a speech prepared, and perfectly memorized for the occasion.

Henry fearlessly stood before the podium as he looked out to the gathered families and friends in attendance and smiled.

"It's been said that change can be painful," he stated in a level voice to perfectly convey the conflicting emotions of pride, fear, excitement and doubts filling the auditorium. "but it's also been said that pain is weakness leaving the body. To quote our former president John F. Kennedy ' _Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future_ '. And I firmly believe he is still right. It's difficult to move on after spending so much time in one place with the same people, and it's also easy to forget about the world around us. In my time I've met some incredibly unique people who've fought to change the world for the better, and it's those people who've given me the confidence to face the world head on. And I'm proud to have them in my life to this day."

Connor was beginning to tear up, as was Hank.

"And I stand here on behalf of my fellow classmates to say to those who have joined us here on this day to say, thank you. Thank you for believing in us, thank you for encouraging us, thank you for supporting us, and thank you for changing the world for the better so that we now have the chance to change the world to become its absolute best."

A thunderous round of applause as well as a few sniffles from the more emotional parents filled the air while Connor wiped away a tear from his eye. "You're welcome, son."

The principal resumed her place behind the podium and began announcing the graduating class one student as a time to receive their diplomas. With the name 'Anderson' giving him a lead on the ceremony, Henry was the third member of his class to receive his diploma and shake the principal's hand. The moment it happened Connor felt a mixture of pride and sadness in his heart as it was made official.

Henry was a high school graduate.

Connor was in a daze until the valedictorian and the principal brought the ceremony to a close and announced the graduating class with utter support, and pride.

As the graduating students turned their tassels on their caps the principal gave the final word. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the class of 2060."

The hats were thrown into the air with a raucous cheer from the students and as a result the hands rained back down over the attending crowd.

Connor just watched with pride as Henry smiled and spoke with his friends up on the stage and proceeded to rejoin his classmates as they exited the auditorium for more photographs. Slow to get up from his seat Connor found Henry's hat in the pile of hats on the floor and picked it up and held it in his hands.

"You'll be the one to help change this world, Henry." The always proud deviant father whispered to himself. "I know it."

* * *

After everything was said and done Connor returned to the back deck of Hank's house to sit down and think about what Henry said. Change can be painful, but it can also be wonderful. Losing Skye was a horrible change that scarred his heart forever, but the birth of Henry was a wonderful change that allowed his heart to finally heal. Henry was also right in that he couldn't stay in one place forever. He'd have to experience the world in order to understand it, as would Connor.

"Dad?" Henry walked over to the back deck with his graduation gown draped casually over his shoulder. "You okay?"

"Yeah, son." Connor flashed him a bright grin. "I'm just... thinking."

"Me too. Think I could join you?"

"Of course. Where's your Papa?"

"He and Uncle Luke are inside talking. Something about getting more baseball tickets for some other game."

Connor just laughed a little and shook his head. "Yeah, I'm not surprised." As Henry sat beside him Connor gave his son a confident grin. "So, how does it feel to be a graduate?"

"Pretty strange, actually. I spent twelve years of my life studying just to get a fancy piece of paper and a party."

"Yeah, but that paper is going to open up so many doors of opportunity for you."

"Fortunately, I'm already dead-set on a career in forensic science. As long as the paper can open up that particular door for me, I'll be content."

"I just can't believe you'll be living in a dorm forty-three point five miles away from me in less than three months."

"Hey, I'm going to college not running away from home, dad."

"I know that, it's just... I still vividly remember the day you were born and holding you in my arms for the first time."

"Well, you're an android. You _should_ remember that."

Connor playfully shoved Henry's shoulder with his palm. "I also remember you screaming your head off when you were three years old because I wouldn't let you eat a rock you found in the backyard."

"Maybe that rock tasted real good," Henry sharply replied with a smirk. "did you even bother to taste it?"

"No, I threw it over the fence and made sure there were no other rocks in the backyard. Although I imagine tasting the rock would've been a preferable alternative to a toddler screaming at me for not letting him accidentally _choke_ on a rock."

"I think if you used the word 'intentionally' instead of 'accidentally' it would've been a lot worse."

"That's not all I remember about you." Connor smirked again as he stared at his son and compared how much Henry had changed since he was a newborn baby to the young adult he had become. "Like the infamous 'bubble-bath incident' when you were four."

"I swear I didn't dump the whole bottle in the tub on purpose!" Henry laughed while trying and failing to not look guilty or amused.

"I know you didn't. It was your Papa."

"Wait... How do you know that?"

"Because he was the one who _bought_ the bubble-bath, and he's the one who insisted that I let you play with it."

"...Really?" Henry was starting to laugh a little harder, but hid it behind his hand. "Are you sure?"

"Henry, he was laughing the whole time I was cleaning up the mess. I know he's the one who did it when my back was turned."

"Oh... Sorry. I guess."

"It didn't help that Simon and Josh decided to send more bubble-bath to the house when Markus told them the story."

"That was a fun summer though."

"For you, not for me." Connor just gave his son an amused grin and patted his shoulder. "But it was better than the summer you fell out of the tree."

"I remember that, too. I broke my arm and lost my tooth. I haven't tried climbing a tree since." Henry pulled up his shirt a little to reveal his abdomen and where there was a very faint line of a scar. "But I'll take a broken bone over an emergency appendectomy."

"Same." Connor was thoroughly enjoying the trip down memory lane and smiled warmly. "I remember every holiday and every trip to the cabin, but I think my favorite memory of you is when you called me 'daddy' for the first time."

"...On my first Christmas."

"That's right."

"I tripped over some boxes and you caught me with your hand." Henry stated confidently as he too managed to recall the memory. "You were laying on the floor on your side, caught me with one hand, and said 'Daddy's got you'."

"That's right. Did your Papa tell you that story, or your Uncle Luke?"

"Actually, I just remember that myself."

"...What?"

"I can't explain it, but that's my absolute earliest memory. The next earliest memory I have is playing wiffle ball with Papa right over there," pointing to the middle of the backyard with one finger Henry pointed out the exact spot. "and then I have a memory of you taking me to the precinct to celebrate Papa's retirement."

"Henry... You've retained a memory from being eleven and a half months old?"

"Yeah."

"That's incredible!"

"I guess so. I never really thought that much about it."

"That definitely explains why you were such an exemplary student and only needed to study once to get an A on your tests. You have a fantastic memory."

"I don't have your _eidetic_ memory, but yeah, it is pretty good."

"Henry, I know you've been hearing this all day long, but I need to say it again. I'm so very proud of you."

"...Thanks, dad."

"And as much as I'm dreading the day you leave for college, I'm also looking forward to seeing you continue to grow and become a better person. But if you ever need to come back home, for whatever reason, or need me to go to you, I'll be there."

"I know, dad. You're always there."

Wrapping his arm around Henry's shoulder Connor gave him a half hug and smiled. "Come on, we better go see how many tickets your Papa is trying to get out of Luke, and make sure they remembered to plan for your open house."

"Yeah, because _I'm_ not paying for it!"

* * *

The Friday of the open house came and the two backyards of Hank and Connor's properties were filled with guests gathered around tables and under massive rented tents. The day Henry was old enough to be left home alone was the day Connor and Hank put up a gate in the fence between their properties to allow easier access back and forth between the houses. The gate was left wide open and there were guests walking back and forth to speak with Henry and socialize with the massive group of people.

Connor was standing in front of the giant display of photographs of Henry as he grew up, and of course the photo of his son taken on the day of his graduation. Photos of Henry growing up, his experiences with holidays, playing basketball, fishing with Hank, hanging out at the cabin, the school plays, working on the car, dozens of discreetly snapped photos of Henry with Connor and Hank as they played games or just spoke.

Time was a cruel illusion.

Markus had helped with the display and even brought the massive wooden easel to put the photographs on for the display. Below the photos was a long table holding Henry's many awards from his time as a student and athlete, as well as a basketball and his old stuffed animal that Hank had given him as a baby. Above the basketball was a photo of Henry in his jersey with his name and nickname; "Henry 'Hank-the-Tank' Anderson" was printed over the photo. Next to it was Henry's acceptance letter to U of M as well as his scholarship details, and newly acquired diploma.

"The photos turned out great." The deviant leader had spotted Connor by the display and readily joined him. "Good thing you started having physical copies of these memories printed out years ago. That saved us a lot of time."

"...Yeah. Time is precious."

"You okay, Connor?" Markus stood beside his friend and could see that he was emotional about the entire the situation.

"Yeah. It's just a strange feeling to know he'll be living on his own in three months."

"I still can't believe it's been eighteen years since he was born."

"Neither can I."

"Then again, it's already been twenty years since North and I were bonded, so, I guess I shouldn't be THAT surprised about how time really does move so quickly against our will."

"Yeah. And fourteen years since Hank retired."

"How's Hank doing? I didn't get a chance to talk to him after the graduation ceremony, and I haven't see him here at the party, yet."

Connor gave Markus a somber glance that spoke volumes on its own. "...He could be better."

"Oh, no. Connor, is there anything I can do?"

"Just keep acting normal. Hank doesn't want Henry to know, and frankly, I'm glad."

"They're that close, huh?"

"Yeah. It's going to break Henry's heart, but Hank doesn't want Henry to know. He wants to stay as active and a part of Henry's life as much as possible, not seen as a frail, sickly man."

"I get that. Trust me." Markus lowered his voice and kept his body language casual as he stayed at Connor's side. "Can I ask what's wrong?"

"Liver cancer. He had been diagnosed four years ago, successfully undergone treatment and had been in remission for two years. But it's back and now stage two. Once Henry is moved into his dorm in three months Hank's going to undergo a more aggressive treatment. But it doesn't look good."

"And a man of his age and history can't qualify for transplant, right?"

"That's right. And CyberLife didn't patent an artificial liver since the organ is regenerative in humans."

"Shit, I'm sorry."

Connor decided a change of subject was sorely needed. "...Where's North and the others?"

"North still isn't a fan of human gatherings, but she did give me a card to give to Henry. She also included a letter to make it more personal. Josh and Simon will be here later after they pick up Natalie."

"Natalie. Who is Natalie?"

Markus started grinning sheepishly. "Natalie is their _daughter_."

"What?" Connor's eyes lit up with excitement on his friends' behalf. "They... adopted?"

"Yeah, they filed for adoption and FINALLY got approved. Natalie was born last week and they just needed to finish a few more pieces of paperwork, now they're free and clear to have their _daughter_ with them."

"That's incredible." The deviant was truly happy to hear the good news. "Why didn't they say anything sooner?"

"Because they weren't sure if they'd get approved, or when. It just so happens everything fell into place on this day."

"That's fantastic! I'm looking forward to meeting her."

Henry walked up to Connor with his best friend Jason at his side and asked about Hank. "Hey, I haven't seen Papa anywhere. Do you know where he is?"

"Luke said he wasn't feeling well last night. He'll be out soon, though."

"Should I do anything?"

"No, it's fine Henry. Enjoy your party, and I'll go check on him."

"Cool. Hey, Markus!" Henry acknowledged the deviant leader before he and Jason took off to rejoin the crowd.

"Hey." As Henry got out of hearing range Markus addressed Connor again. "Want me to go with you?"

"No, I can do this. Just keep this between us and remain as natural as possible."

"Yeah, you got it."

Connor made his way inside the house through the backdoor and saw Hank standing in the kitchen leaning heavily against his cane. Luke was standing beside him helping him sort through his medication while also keeping tabs on his condition. Offering Hank a glass of water Luke watched as the sick retired detective took his required medication and did so with an annoyed grimace.

"How're you holding up, dad?" Connor asked as he put his hand to Hank's shoulder. "You seem a little weak."

"I've been better, but I'm still here."

"Need anything?"

"I'll be okay. I just need a little more time to get around these mornings, but I'm still me."

"Are you in pain?"

"No." Fussing with the top buttons of his zebra striped shirt, the very one he swore he'd wear that day, and smoothed out the front. "Stop worrying about me and go celebrate with your son."

"I will once he gets to see you. He was asking where you were."

"What did you tell him?"

"That you weren't feeling well last night and that Luke was taking care of you."

"Well, you're not wrong." Downing the final few various pills with a gulp of water Hank shook his head and sighed. "It's ironic. Pills are supposed to rot your liver, but _these_ pills are going to help sustain it."

"Irony is rather prevalent in this family. You used to hate androids with a passion, now you're one of the biggest android advocates in the country."

"Yeah, and you used to be a cold, heartless machine, now you're one of the warmest most empathetic people I've ever met. And Luke," Hank turned and put his hand on the deviant's shoulder. Ever since Luke had removed his L.E.D. a few years ago he now looked as human as Connor. "you were once dead. Now you're here with us all over again."

"I don't think that's irony," Luke smirked as he put his hand on Hank's arm. "but I understand what you're saying."

Connor patted his hand on Hank's upper back and held open the backdoor. "C'mon, Henry's waiting for us."

The backyard was filled with positive energy and almost fifty people as Henry's friends and relatives filled the the area. Rose, Gavin, Abby, Aria, Chris and Tina all showed up to wish Henry the best of luck, give him cards and money, and to visit with the entire family. Josh and Simon arrived soon after with Natalie to introduce her to the group, give Henry a strong handshake as well as a card, then politely excused themselves to take Natalie to her new home to get settled in. Markus stayed the entire day and helped keep charge of things while Henry's friends, including Aria, stayed in the backyard all day and crashed outside around a small bonfire as the day gave way to night.

Connor was watching the group of newly graduated teens sleeping around the campfire in sleeping bags through the kitchen window and felt Luke walk up behind him.

"Henry is a great kid, little brother." Luke stated firmly as he tried to make his brother feel better about Henry leaving in a few months. "Don't worry about him, he'll be just fine."

"I can't do that, Luke. He's still my son. My little boy."

"This might be a weird question, but do you think you'll adopt a baby now that it's legal?"

"...No. Having another child wouldn't be a bad thing, but I think Henry's all I need. I have my family."

"I guess you're right. And who knows? Maybe _I'll_ be the one to adopt a kid, then you can be the Uncle."

"I'd like that." Turning to face his brother Connor smiled warmly. "Did you bring in all the cards?"

"Yeah. And I split up the extra food. Half is here for dad and the other half is at your house for Henry and his friends."

"Where is dad?"

"Right here." Using his cane Hank made his way into the kitchen and joined his two sons. Despite his failing health Hank never once complained about it, or showed any sign of slowing down once he was on his feet. "Sorry, I had to take a shower. I held Natalie for a few minutes and she spit up on my shirt about nine hours ago."

"Maybe Henry's right, that shirt must be ugly."

"Ha, ha." Hank never got tired of Connor's sarcasm. "Since Natalie's a cute kid, she gets a pass. But you are all out of free passes."

Connor appreciatively grinned at the comment and kept the mood upbeat. "I saw Rose for a while and got to speak to her for a few minutes. She told me that Adam's wife is having their third baby this fall."

"Yeah, his wife and daughters are gorgeous. I think this time it's going to be a little boy."

"Will you be stopping by to visit again once the baby is born?"

"Yup. Any excuse I have to see Rose or those kids in a good one. And Rose already told me she understands if you can't make it because you might have something going on with Henry."

"I will do my best to attend, otherwise I will send a gift."

"Speaking of gifts..." Hank motioned to the pile of cards on the kitchen table. "Looks like Henry got a good haul!"

"Yes, but there is one envelope that I'm curious about."

"Which one is that?"

Connor sifted through the pile and picked up a far more elegantly designed envelope and held up for Hank to see. "It's from Kamski."

"Kamski? I haven't seen that smug bastard in almost twenty years. What does he want?"

"I don't know." Connor held the card up in front of the light shining down the ceiling, but he couldn't see though the paper to the contents within. "That's why I'm curious."

"Didn't he make some vow to ensure no one tried to mess with you or Henry?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Think it's a _bill_?" Hank asked with a coy smirk on his face.

"If it is, I'm NOT paying it." Putting the envelope back in the pile Connor sighed and resumed looking out the window at the group of young graduates sleeping around the warm bonfire in sleeping bags outside. "Whatever it is, it's Henry's business. He can handle it."

Hank knew that Connor was feeling riled up and protective and decided to put an end to it. "So, tomorrow's Aria's open house, right?"

"That's right. Eleven in the morning until seven."

"Should we bring anything?"

"Just Aria." Connor pointed to her as she slept amongst her friends. "I think Henry's going to be driving his friends over tomorrow, so I don't think it'll be a problem for us."

"Good. Come on, boys. There's a game on television and it's been too damn long since we had the chance to watch one as a family."

"Sounds good to me." Luke followed after Hank while Connor slowly took his eyes from the window.

"...Yeah. I'm right behind ya', dad."

* * *

_**3 Months Later:** _

Connor and Henry had finished putting the final bolts in the loft and had placed the mattress up onto the loft to finally finish getting Henry's dorm room all set up. The loft gave him and his roommate more space, and allowed him to tuck his desk under the loft with his laptop so he could work. A small dark blue couch was against the wall under the window overlooking the campus grounds, and a small table with a television was set up before the couch. Henry's roommate had already dropped off his stuff and finished taking care of his side of the room giving Connor and Henry more room to work.

"Did you bring your guitar?" Connor asked as he placed the sheets on the mattress for Henry.

"No, I won't have time to play. Maybe I'll pack it up after I visit home in a couple weeks."

"It's a shame your keyboard would be too big to have in here. Music is very relaxing and it aids concentration."

"Good thing I can play music on my laptop, then."

"Too bad you can't bring Opal, too. A lap-cat would make studying more enjoyable."

"I'm pretty sure a cat would get noticed fast. She wouldn't be paying tuition."

"Need anything else, son?" Connor helped Henry unpack the last of the boxes and place his clothes in the closet in the wall. "You have all your textbooks, right?"

"Yeah, dad. I have everything I need."

"What about groceries?"

"I have some money saved up so I can keep food in the dorm. Mini-fridges aren't the best, but it's better than a cooler in the corner."

"Is the saved money from your open house?"

"That, and that one card from that Kamski guy gave me had a check for five thousand dollars. He said he 'owed' you for something and knew you wouldn't take his money yourself, so he made the check out to me on the condition that I use to pay off my education."

"Oh."

"It's okay, dad. I know that guy was kind of a creep and all that stuff, and I know you don't owe him anything. Any weird debt he thinks he has toward you is just him trying to cover up something he screwed up in the past."

"I'm proud to here you say that, Henry. You're too smart to be fooled by a snake like that."

"Yeah. Not going to lie, the money was nice, though. Now I don't have to worry about paying for my tuition for a while."

"...Want some extra money just in case?"

"No, dad. I'm fine."

"Take it anyway." Connor reached into his pocket to pull out his wallet and handed another three hundred dollars to Henry. "Keep it as emergency money at least. Same with the debit card."

Henry just laughed as he accepted the money graciously and placed it in the top right drawer of his desk and locked it. "I also have the extra phone charger you gave me, AND the medical insurance card."

Smiling at Henry's maturity Connor realized how far away his son was going to be from home. "It's a shame you can't keep the Camaro while you're studying."

"It'd just draw unwanted attention. There's a frat house two blocks away, and I don't feel like washing off dried up puke from the hood of my car every weekend."

"Good point."

"AND I don't want to pay for parking when I won't be driving that much anyway."

"Smart budgeting."

"...Is Papa still in the car?"

"Yeah. He won't leave without saying goodbye, don't worry."

Henry looked worried anyway, and his eyes were getting glassy.

"Henry, what's wrong?"

"Dad... I know Papa's sick."

"...O-Oh."

"I'm not a child, I can handle the truth."

"We know you can, Henry, it's just he didn't want you to know so you wouldn't worry about him and focus on your education. And he didn't want you to see him as a sick man instead of your Papa."

"That's crazy! I'll never see him as anyone else, no matter _how_ sick he gets."

Now it was Connor's eyes that were welling up with tears. "...I think he'd like to know that."

"Then, that's what I'll tell him."

"Okay." Wrapping his arm around Henry's shoulder Connor escorted his son out of the dorm room and back outside to the campus grounds. "Let's go talk to him."

* * *

Resting his back as much as he could and enjoying the nice day Hank was standing outside the campus with his back leaning up against the side of the Corvette, and his cane clutched in his right hand. Observing all the families that were helping their kids move into the campus, and all the bright-eyed students who were roaming the grounds and becoming acclimated to their new environment made him smirk. As the students scattered about aimlessly Hank caught sight of Connor and Henry coming back his way.

"Hey, you two. Finished already?"

"Yeah, his dorm is set." Connor confirmed as Henry slowly approached Hank and gave him a sad look.

The look immediately caught Hank's attention. "What's wrong, Henry? Homesick already?"

"...Papa." Standing before him Henry gave Hank a tight hug and held him tightly. "Don't worry about me. Please, worry about yourself. Get better!"

Hank quickly reciprocated the hug, his left hand patting Henry's back as he could feel Henry trying to not cry as he hugged him. Looking over Henry's shoulder to Connor the deviant silently mouthed: 'He knew you were sick. I didn't say anything.' In an instant Hank tightened his hug and tried to reassure his upset grandson.

"Ah, Henry. Don't do that, I'll be fine. I've been taking care of this problem for months, and I'll begin a more aggressive treatment starting tomorrow. I'm not going down without a fight."

"I wish you would've told me what was going on."

"Hey, come on. You knowing would've only made you worry, and it wouldn't have done anything to make me any better."

"No, but I want to know if there's anything wrong with you or dad! We're family."

Family.

The one word that always had a tendency to force the guard around Hank's heart down into nothingness.

"And we always will be." As Henry slowly released his hug Hank once again found himself wiping away his grandson's tears with his hand before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gift to Henry. "Hey, come on. Don't worry about me, alright? And to make sure you aren't worrying and you're studying like you should be I'm going to call you every Friday night at seven, got it?"

"...Yeah, Papa. I got it."

"And to make sure you don't forget you'll keep this somewhere safe at all times." Placing the item down in Henry's palm Hank gave him a playfully stern glance. "This is the first gift I ever gave you on Christmas. You were too little keep hold of it yourself, so your dad kept it safe for you."

Henry looked at the gift and saw that it was the gilded pocketwatch with his name engraved on it. Opening the watch Henry smiled as he saw a picture of himself and Hank sitting together at the lake at the cabin back when Henry was seven years old. Connor had taken the picture when Henry sat beside Hank to ask about Cole, and the two finished watching the sunset together over the lake. "I remember that day..."

"And you _keep_ remembering that day. It was a VERY good day."

"Just one of many."

"Henry," Hank slipped aside the photo and showed the inscription on the inside of the pocketwatch. "read the inscription."

Obediently Henry read the words and his voice became choked up in the process. "' _Time is fleeting, but memories last forever. Love Papa_ '."

"And I mean it."

"I know you do."

"Come on, Henry." Hank was trying to keep Henry calm as he reassured him that everything would be okay, even after he was long gone. "Why don't we go find something for lunch? My treat."

"Yeah." Replacing the photo he closed the watch and hung it around his neck by the long chain. "I'd like that."

Connor was relieved to see that Hank managed to ease Henry's worry to some degree, and rejoined his family at the car. "Pick the place, Henry. Anywhere in the city."

"No, Papa should pick."

"Alright, but since I'm picking the place AND since I'm paying, no complaining!"

"When have I ever complained?" Henry joked as he sat in the backseat of the Corvette so Hank could have the front seat.

"Yeah, good point. Learn to complain more, damn it!"

Henry couldn't help but laugh at the strange joke as Connor pulled the car away from the street. "Alright, I'll give my roommate a fair warning."

"Why? That's not any fun."

* * *

As hard as it was Henry had no choice but to say goodbye to both his dad and grandfather after returning to the campus well into the evening and going back to his dorm room. A part of Henry was so worried that it'd be the last time he'd ever see Hank and he wasn't ready to say his goodbyes. As the dread of time and immortality hung heavily over his head he turned to give his family a wary glance as he stood in the middle of his dorm room.

"Maybe I can stop by the house next weekend, you know?" Henry suggested warmly. "We can play some basketball or something."

"Of course." Connor sensed Henry's wariness and wanted to comfort him. "You're always welcome home whenever you want to come back. No matter why, when, or for how long."

Hank took a step forward without using his cane and gave Henry another hug. "Hey, you study and you win your games. Or I'll come back here and kick your butt!"

"I'd like to see you try with that ugly cane in your hand!"

Laughing Hank patted Henry's back again and rubbed his hand over the back of Henry's hair. "I'll call you this Friday at seven, you better answer your phone. Got it?"

"...Got it."

Connor stepped in to hug Henry and held tightly onto his son and had to fight the urge to never let go. "Everything will be okay, Henry. When you stop by to visit we'll head out to the cabin and have another family weekend, alright?"

"Yeah. Sounds great!"

Slowly, reluctantly and with a heavy heart Connor broke the hug and gave Henry a hesitant glance. "Remember, if you need anything for any reason, call."

"I will."

"When will your roommate be back?"

"Soon. The campus will go on lockdown in an hour, so he kinda' has to be back soon or else he'll be stuck sleeping outside."

"Of course. Will you be okay alone until then?"

"Yeah. It'll be weird, but I can handle it."

"We know that. You can handle anything."

A campus security officer who was patrolling the dorms and informing visiting family and friends of the curfew, and begrudgingly informed Connor and Hank that they'd have to leave soon. It was the worst part of his job, but it was painfully necessary. "Lockdown in forty-five minutes. Sorry, only students are permitted to stay overnight."

"We'll see you soon, Henry." Connor stated confidently as he accepted the fact that he'd have to leave soon. "I love you."

"I love you too, dad." Henry looked over to Hank and smiled. "I love you, Papa."

"I love ya', Henry." Hank reached out his hand and shook Henry's hand. "Remember what I said."

"About kicking my butt?"

"Smartass. _Friday_ at _seven_."

"I'll be waiting with my phone in my hand. I promise!"

* * *

It was a long, slow walk away from the dorm and out to the campus.

Feeling like he was forgetting something very important, his son, Connor walked out of the dorm with Hank right at his side. Walking slowly to accommodate Hank's health as they made their way back to the Corvette in the parking lot, Connor glanced back at the building as if he could somehow see Henry still, but of course, Henry's window overlooked the campus and not the parking lot. There were no other cars around which made the entire campus feel eerily empty and the moment all the more sad.

"Hey, are you going to be okay, Connor?"

"...Yeah." Opening up the passenger side door of the car for Hank first to ensure the sick man could move about easier, Connor walked around to the other side and opened his own door. "The house is just going to feel so empty without having Henry around. Opal is great company, but is no substitute for my son."

"And that is called the much dreaded 'empty-nest syndrome'. It's the bane of all parents, but it gets easier over time." Hank sat down slowly in the passenger seat and put his cane in the backseat behind him. "Just for the hell of it, want to stay over at my house tonight?"

"...Yeah. I think I do." As Connor sat down in his own seat and wiped away more tears from his eyes as he let his 'aged' aesthetic fade away. As he looked like his usual self Connor suddenly looked more like a sad kid than a proud father. "It's strange because I just said goodbye, and yet I already miss him."

"Son, come here." Hank wrapped his arm around Connor and pulled the deviant up against him for a much needed hug. Connor didn't resist and let Hank hug him as tight as possible. "You did great with Henry. He's one hell of a great kid, he's intelligent, kind, funny, empathetic and he's going to help shape this mess of a world into something recognizable. _Be proud_ , not sad."

"...I've always have been proud of him, dad. And I always will be."

"The feeling's mutual, kid." Smiled with utter pride he hugged his son. "It really is."

"Thanks, dad."

"Let's go home, son. It's going to be a long night."

_**...next story...** _

__


	203. Fathers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yes. Sad chapter with Character death. Please read only if you're ready to do so.

_**November 14th, 2061:** _

_Time is fleeting..._

The quiet of the hospital waiting room was disrupted only by the sound of soft footsteps as a young doctor, Dr. Renee Kovan, approached the lone occupant of the entire waiting area. The occupant sat upright in the chair with perfect posture, a coin dancing gracefully over the knuckles on his right hand silently, and his usual work suit was immaculately pressed to perfection. It had been an uneventful night in the hospital save for the emergency call that had arrived just after two that morning. The call that Dr. Kovan had taken herself, and had fought so valiantly to save.

It was a close call but the patient pulled through.

"Mr. Anderson?" The doctor called out softly as she stood beside the chair with a patient's electronic clipboard pressed to her chest. "I'm Dr. Kovan."

"Connor. Please, call me Connor." Standing up quickly the coin disappeared into his pocket as he extended his hand for the doctor to shake. "How he is? Please, tell me everything. I can take it."

"Very well." Shaking Connor's hand Dr. Kovan spoke to him respectfully and truthfully. "Your father has suffered a massive heart attack."

Connor's posture visibly slumped at the somber news. Though it was expected it still had a heavy weight over his mind and inside of his heart.

"He survived the ordeal, but he's still a very sick man." Dr. Kovan explained calmly. "The drugs being used to treat his liver cancer may have been the cause of the heart attack, but we'll run some tests to make sure before providing any additional treatment."

"I understand." Connor swallowed nervously as he studied the doctor's demeanor carefully. He was worried; almost on the verge of tears. "Can... Can I see him?"

"Yes. he's asked to see you already, and in this case we'll make an exception of the late hours." She smiled at Connor warily as she motioned with her arm for him to follow her down the corridor. "He's very weak, but he should still be lucid."

"...Thank you."

Connor followed Dr. Kovan to the intensive care unit where Hank had been admitted after his arrival. The room was dimly lit and the single patient inside the room was dozing lightly, propped upward in the bed as a cardiac monitor silently recorded his weak, slow heartbeat while monitoring his blood pressure, oxygen saturation and body temperature. An I.V. administrating pain relieving and cardiac stabilizing medication ran into the back of his hand as well. A nasal canula was under the man's nose to give him additional oxygen to ease his breathing while he rested as much as possible from his heart attack.

A few stray shortly trimmed, gray locks hair clung to Hank's sweaty forehead as he dozed. Without the longer hair that once covered his face to hide his features the aging skin around his eyes and mouth was much more prominent. The paleness of his face and the dark bags under his eyes made him look sicker than Connor thought was possible considering Hank was always so very strong.

"You can stay as long as you like." Dr. Kovan offered kindly in a whisper as she showed Connor into the room. "Talk to him."

Approaching the bed quietly, keeping every step deliberate and light, Connor stood at the bedside and gently lifted the sick man's cool, limp hand up from atop the white bed and held it tightly in his own.

"...Connor." Hank's eyes opened partially and even in the dim lighting he recognized Connor immediately. Giving the deviant a reassuring smile he tried to return the tight grip around his hand but he didn't have the strength. "You look good, son. _Lieutenant_ Connor Anderson: Youngest police Lieutenant in Detroit history... I didn't say it back then, but I'm proud you're the one who broke my record."

"Hi, Hank. I haven't been a Lieutenant in almost nine years. _Captain_ on the other hand, that's still going strong."

"And you haven't called me 'Hank' for quite some time, either."

"Sorry... I guess I still see you as that detective with a gruff exterior hiding a massive heart of gold."

"You always were a sweet-talker, kid."

"I learned it from you." Connor sat down on the edge of the bed and held onto Hank's hand as he spoke. It took everything in him to not cry as he ran a scan over Hank's body and noted the human's incredibly weak vital signs and the severity of the cancerous tumor spreading over his liver, lungs and pancreas with every passing second. "I'm glad to see you're awake."

Hank reached up his other hand just enough to point to the blank spot in Connor's right temple. "You know, even after all this time I still look for that damn light. It used to give away what you were really thinking without me having to guess or pressure you to talk to me."

Reflexively Connor brushed his free hand over his temple briefly before placing it his hand atop Hank's hand still in his grasp. "I don't need it anymore. I know who and what I am. And it's all because of you."

"You know, if you were to tell me all those years ago that I would've outlived Jeffrey I would've told you were crazy." Taking a slow deep breath he cleared his mind and his throat as he spoke. "And if you were to tell me that I'd have an _android_ for a son I would've told you that you were out of your damn mind! But... here we are."

"A family." Connor managed to weakly smile for only a second as he spoke with Hank, the two detectives speaking from the heart during those bleak morning hours. "Together."

"Together." An appreciative grin appeared on Hank's aged face as he looked at his adopted son with utter admiration. "I take it you're the one who found me and called for help."

"You didn't answer your phone." Connor replied casually as he forced a grin of his own to his nervous face. "I was worried and I needed to check on you despite the late hour. When I came over I found you unresponsive on the kitchen floor, barely breathing. I can honestly say that was the most frightened I've been in all my life..."

"It's okay, son. I'm just old, and it happens."

"I shouldn't have left you alone, dad. This wouldn't have-"

"Shut up, Connor. Whether you were there or not, I still would've had that damn heart attack." Hank managed to give Connor a sincere broader smile as his aged blue eyes continued to shine with alertness. "I'm old, I'm sick... shit happens."

"The doctor thinks... your heart attack was the result of the medication currently being used to treat your cancer. She will run tests and find an alternative for you to take instead."

"Connor, I don't want to go through all that bullshit again."

"I'm sorry dad, but it's necessary. There are no other options."

"Actually, I do have one other option, son. And the doctors already know what I want."

"What is it?"

Hank paused for moment, just long enough to squeeze Connor's hand. "To stop the treatment altogether."

"...But your have stage four liver cancer." Connor shook his head a little with naive confusion. "Without the treatment you'll just get sicker."

"I know, son. I know."

"...Dad, I don't understand." The deviant's soulful brown eyes went wide and glazed over with sorrow. "Why are you giving up?"

"Connor." Hank wrapped his other hand around Connor's and held on as tightly as he could. "I'm ready, son. I'm ready to die."

Completely stunned by the admission Connor stared at Hank with a mixture of deep emotions swirling in his soulful brown eyes. "Dad..."

"I'm old, son." The certainty in Hank's voice was a deep contrast to his otherwise weak, fragile appearance. "I'm old, I'm sick, I'm tired and I'm ready."

"But with the treatment-"

"Two years, kid. And that's the _best case_ scenario." Letting out a shuddering breath of pain Hank steadied himself as he spoke. "Connor, I'm already dead. My heart just doesn't know that it's time to stop beating. I guess it's as stubborn as your own heart."

Connor was silent as he stayed beside Hank, holding his hand tightly and never tearing his eyes away.

"I'm seventy-six years old and that's twenty-three years more than I ever would've imagined for myself; that is until _you_ showed up." Patting Connor's knuckles affectionately Hank held onto his son's hand with as much strength as he could muster. "You already saved my life, Connor. You gave me a second chance at life, a family, and one hell of a grandson that I couldn't possibly be prouder of. It's okay to let me go now."

"I don't _want_ to let you go, dad!" Connor practically burst as massive tears welled up in his eyes. " _I need you_!"

"No you don't, not anymore. You're your own person; a good man with a big heart who chose to dedicate himself to protecting the people around him. You're a great brother to Luke, a great father with a great son of your own in Henry, and in time it'll be _your_ turn to be a 'Papa'." The pride in Hank's words was as sincere as it was palpable. "Promise me you'll _live_ your life and not merely go about existing in sorrow. You don't need me to guide you anymore, you even said yourself that you know who and what you are. There's no doubt that you know where you're going, too."

"I don't want to go alone."

"You won't be alone, son. I promise."

"Dad," Connor's pleading for Hank to somehow find the strength to keep living only proved that the android turned deviant in fact had a real heart; that he really was alive. "you and Henry and Luke are all I have. You're my _father_."

"Connor, it was my honor to be yours, Cole's and Luke's father. And it was a bigger honor to be Henry's grandfather. Even after I'm gone you'll always be my sons, just as Henry will always be my grandson. Nothing will ever change that. I'm proud of all three of you, and I love you will all that my old heart has left to give."

It was difficult for Connor to respect Hank's wishes, but he knew it was the right thing to do. His respect and love for Hank outweighed any notion he had of trying to postpone the inevitable because he alone wasn't ready to accept it. "...Shouldn't Henry and Luke be here to say goodbye?"

"No, no... I spoke with Luke yesterday afternoon. He knew I was going downhill and he promised to not say anything to upset either of you. And I talked to Henry last night, and I told him how much I loved him. In a way, I already said 'goodbye'. A sense of 'impending doom' is a pretty common symptom of heart attacks, and as it turns out, kinda' handy."

Connor was losing the battle against his grief and it was evident on his face.

"Son, please don't do that. Please promise me you'll live your life and finally see the world."

"I... I promise."

"Connor, look at me. Look me in the eyes."

Forcing himself to lock onto Hank's blue eyes Connor obeyed the request, but his tic with the coin returned. As he prepared to juggle it over his knuckles Hank's hand weakly put his hand over the back of Connor's to hold it still.

"Connor, believe me. You don't need that coin anymore. You can handle anything that comes your way. Son, you're going to be okay. And I will be, too." Hank continued to comfort his son out of a paternal instinct and smile proudly. "I'm just going to see Cole again. I've been waiting a long time for that..."

"No. I don't want you to go!" The tears were now running down Connor's face as he spoke with an emotionally quaking voice. "I don't want you to go, dad."

Hank let out a touched laugh as he lifted up his free hand again toward Connor, the I.V. in the back of his hand was forgotten in the motion of the compassionate gesture. "Come here, son."

Restraining the urge to sob Connor leaned forward and let Hank wrap his arm around him as the two hugged each other and let their mutual tears of pain flow freely from their hearts and into one another. Connor rested his head over Hank's chest and listened to the struggling beat of his old, stubborn heart while Hank ran his hand through Connor's hair lightly.

"I love you, son." Smiling as much as he could, Hank's eyes drifted close as his strength ebbed away from hims steadily. "I really do."

"I love you, too, dad."

"I'm gonna' miss you. You... Henry... Luke. I honestly do love you, son. I love all of you."

"We love you, too, dad."

Remaining at his father's side all through the dwindling night and early morning Connor listened to every slowing heartbeat as Hank became weaker and weaker with each passing hour. Once the former detective's arm fell limply from around his shoulders Connor laid down on the bed next to Hank and held him in his arms in a comforting embrace. His eyes were full of mournful tears as he watched Hank's chest rising and falling at a slower, almost undetectable rate.

Wrapping his fingers around Hank's limp wrist Connor counted his father's dwindling pulse and held his own breath as the cardiac monitor displayed a flat, lifeless line as Hank's heart had finally given out and finally stopped beating.

The silence from Hank's chest was deafening and eternal.

Connor closed his eyes as tears poured down his face and he clenched his teeth. He began to openly sob with indescribable pain as he listened to the nothingness that had been left in the wake of Hank's passing.

"...Goodbye, dad." Laying Hank back down on the bed Connor gently crossed the detective's strong, calloused hands over his stilled chest and held his own hands atop of Hank's for a moment longer. "...I'll miss you forever.""

The sun itself even seemed unable to rise on that broken morning as Connor wept over his dearly departed father.

* * *

_**November 15th, 2061:** _

Connor sat on the back deck of the house all through the previous night and well into the next morning after finally being coxed into leaving the hospital. Unable to sleep, unable to return to his own house next door, and unwilling to do anything that would take his mind from the loss of Hank, Connor himself was feeling incredibly lost and alone. Staring off into nothingness of the rising sun as he sat in quiet contemplation he was only vaguely aware of a presence joining him on the deck.

"Hey, Connor." Markus spoke softly as he put his hand to his friend's shoulder lightly and sat down beside him. "I... I wish I knew what I could say. What I could do to help."

Shaking his head Connor just let more tears flow down his face. "It's okay, Markus. I don't know what to do, either."

"I know you're feeling lost, alone, maybe even a little betrayed... but, I know from experience that death isn't something humans plan. It isn't anything they can control. Neither can we."

"When... Hank was diagnosed five years ago neither of us knew what to say or what to do. And when he started to really get sick in the summer all we could think to do was hide out at the cabin for as long as possible. When Henry was asleep upstairs all we could do, all we could _say_ was... goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Markus just stared at Connor with empathetic bewilderment.

"We didn't know what else to say, so, we said 'goodbye'." Connor took in a deep breath to choke back a sob as he spoke. "Even though we already said what we needed to say to one another, we made sure we knew how much we respected each other and loved each other as family, even though we already bid one another farewell properly and said our final goodbyes... it turned out we still weren't ready for it to happen. Guess we never really can be ready for death."

Bowing his head Connor let out another sob and wiped his hand over his soulful brown eyes as he mourned for the loss of his family.

"...Does Luke know?"

"Yes. He's flying in this afternoon."

"...Henry?"

"I... I called him this morning. He's devastated. Gavin is bringing him home for me."

"What can I do?"

"Just... Just stay with me. I don't want to be alone."

Markus moved his hand from Connor's shoulder over to the other and pulled him in close for a hug. As the deviant leaned against Markus and wept as heavily as his heart could bear Connor finally found himself able to accept the truth.

Hank wasn't there anymore.

For what felt like years Connor sat on the back deck in mourning with Markus at his side, only moving when he heard a car door slam shut in the drive beside the house. Henry came sprinting from Gavin's car and threw himself into Connor's arms as he too began to cry over the loss of Hank. While Connor held his son and let him cry against his shoulder Markus discreetly took his leave of the back deck and went over to talk to Gavin in private in regards to the situation.

With utmost care Connor stood up from the deck with Henry still in his arms as he walked to the backdoor and guided Henry inside to the livingroom. Sitting down on the couch together the duo mourned for their loss and just held onto one another for emotional support. Henry was clutching the pocketwatch that Hank had given him in a death grip, almost afraid to let it go.

Rubbing his hand along Henry's back in a comforting manner Connor remembered all the times he held his young son in his arms when he was sick, sad or just fussy as a baby going through growing pains. He also remembered all the times when he was sad, hurt or sick and he had Hank watching over him or giving him words of comfort.

Henry found the means to speak, his voice shaking and full of raw sorrow. "...I can't believe Papa is really gone."

"I know, Henry. I can't believe it either."

"I miss him!" Henry began to sob even harder and all Connor could do was hold him and try to soothe him with words of comfort. "I miss him so much!"

"Shh..."

"I... I spoke to him last night." Henry finally let go of Connor and pulled the sleeve of his t-shirt up to wipe off his tears. "And I could hear it in his voice. He was saying goodbye to me. I knew it was going to happen, but... It still seems so surreal."

"He went peacefully, son. He kept saying how proud he was of you, and how much he loves you. The pain is over and he's with your Uncle Cole and Grandma Barbara now.

"...And mom."

"Yeah." Connor began to cry again as he wiped off his own tears. "And he's with your mom."

Keeping his hand on Henry's back Connor and his son just sat on the couch as they accepted the new reality that they were now forced to live through. One without Hank. Connor no longer had his father and Henry no longer had his grandfather.

Captain Hank Anderson was gone.

* * *

Connor stood idle in the kitchen as he cybernetically filed everything required for the funeral and had the misfortune of contacting their closest friends to inform them of Hank's passing. When he heard Rose break down and cry over the phone Connor almost lost it again himself, but regained his composure for her sake. Gavin had spread the word through the precinct on Connor's behalf, and Abby spread the world through Skye Tower. Markus took it upon himself to inform the members of New Jericho Tower of Hank's passing as well.

As was customary for first responders there was a brief report on the news regarding Hank's life as a detective and of his death. There was even a small mention of Hank's surviving family mentioning his sons and grandson. It resulted in hundreds of flowers being delivered to the house and many more being donated to the funeral home where the wake was set begin.

Henry was passed out asleep on the couch. Emotional exhaustion took it's toll and it knocked him out cold, but his hand was still clutched about the pocketwatch with all his strength. Standing behind the couch Connor looked down at his sleeping son's face and heard the backdoor quietly open. Glancing into the kitchen Connor caught sight of Luke entering the house. It was evident he too had been crying.

"Hey, little brother." Luke greeted in a sad whisper as he entered the house and gave Connor a hug.

"Luke."

"You look terrible."

"I feel terrible."

Luke released the hug with a breathy sigh. "Did he..."

"No. It was peaceful. No pain."

"That's good. The last time I spoke with him over the phone I knew he was saying his farewells. I wasn't happy about it, but I kept my silence as he requested. Are you mad at me for doing so?"

"No. I understand why he did it. It's okay, Luke."

"What do I need to do?"

"Could you just help me keep Henry company? I don't think he can be left alone for now, he's too upset."

"Of course, Connor. He's my nephew."

"The funeral is in three days." Connor stated in a low whisper as he and Luke stayed behind the couch where Henry was sleeping. "Turns out Hank had everything already taken care of for all of us."

"How'd he do that?"

"He took care of the arrangements, had all the paperwork signed and everything paid for. We just go to the wake in two days, and the cemetery on the third day."

"Well... I guess tomorrow we should, uh, get blacks suits."

"I have suits you and Henry can wear. I don't think it'd be very comfortable for us to go out shopping while upset, and I don't want to ask Henry to go anywhere at the moment."

"I suppose you're right. Thank you, Connor."

"Please, watch over Henry for me. I need a moment for myself, and there is something I need to take care of."

"Yeah, I got it. Go do what you need to do, Connor."

Walking toward the hallway Connor turned to look over his shoulder where he saw Luke sitting down in the recliner beside the couch as he ran his hand through Henry's hair lightly. Connor had to force himself to walk down the hallway and enter the bedroom at the end, Hank's bedroom. Tentatively the deviant pushed open the door and stepped inside very slowly. The bed was perfectly made, and the blinds were drawn. Beside the bed on the nightstand were various prescription pain medication bottles, empty drinking glasses, and dozens of photographs on the table beside the bottles.

The box of photographs that Hank kept in his closet was sitting on the floor beside the bed, a sign that Hank knew his time was coming to an end and he wanted to see his family one last time. Picking up the box Connor sat on the edge of Hank's bed and began sifting through the photos himself. A majority of the photographs were of Henry and Connor, with a generous amount of Luke, Cole, Barbara, Sumo, the now late Captain Jeffrey Fowler and other officers from the precinct also strewn about.

It was there Connor found the golden watch, the watch that had been a gift to Hank from his own father, that Hank had let him borrow the day he was taken captive to Chicago. The watch that kept Connor determined to fight back and find his way home. The watch was important to Hank, and Connor understood the honor it was to have Hank trust him with it.

Slipping the watch over his left wrist he sighed and tightened it to fit properly. "Dad, I don't know what you were going to do with this watch, but I'll keep it safe for you. I promise."

With each photo Connor glanced through tears would well up in his eyes and threaten to fall at any second. So many smiling faces, so many people that had come in and out of Hank's life. Images of Hank throughout the years as he himself grew up, went to school, joined the police academy were filled with pride. Newspaper clippings of his successful career as a police officer and a detective had also been collected, but Hank seemed more interested in the photographs than the clippings.

"...Captain Fowler." Connor found a photo of the late Jeffrey Fowler standing shoulder to shoulder with Hank the day Hank had been promoted to Lieutenant. They truly were good friends until the accident. Hank pushed Jeffrey away and resided in self-imposed isolation until Connor came along. "It's difficult to believe you're both gone."

Continuing his search through the photos Connor noted the familiar faces of those who worked in the precinct, as well as the various people that Hank had given a break throughout the years, made the deviant's heart swell. Hank had helped so many people and never once sought any recognition for his kind deeds.

Hundreds of photos of Hank with his late wife Barbara and late son Cole were difficult to view, but it only became more difficult as he uncovered photos of Hank bonding with Henry as the little boy grew up over the years. Eighteen Christmases, birthdays, Halloweens, Thanksgivings, hundreds of basketball games, dozens of trips to the park, a dozen more trips to the cabin, even almost as many photos of Henry playing with Sumo and then Opal were practically overflowing from the box. So much of Henry's life had taken part with Hank actively involved.

But it was the photos of Hank working with Henry on the Camaro and playing with Henry when he was still a kid and a baby made Connor start to cry again as he realized how much Hank truly loved Henry like his own flesh and blood. Much to Connor's delight the photo of Hank standing with Connor and Henry during Henry's graduation had been framed, alongside the photograph of Barbara and Cole that had been on Hank's desk at the precinct, and tucked inside the box. Holding the framed images in his hands Connor smiled and wiped away his tears.

"Dad, you had more of a family than you knew." It was getting harder for him to keep his emotions in check, but right now he needed to be strong while Henry was the one feeling weak. "...And we're all going to miss you so much. I already do."

* * *

_**November 17th, 2061:** _

The wake at the local funeral home was crowded with people who wished to give their final respects to the fallen former Captain. Connor was sitting in the corner of the funeral home with Henry, his hand ever present on his emotionally distraught son's shoulder while Luke took the lead and thanked the guests for their time and respects.

Too emotional to really do anything other than comfort Henry and cry himself, Connor was grateful for Luke stepping up.

The minister in attendance stood at the podium and began to deliver a nice sermon regarding Hank's life. Guiding Henry from the back of the room toward the front Connor took a seat beside Luke and kept his hand on Henry's shoulder.

A photograph of Hank working with Henry on the Camaro was clutched between Henry's hands tightly as the mourning grandson stared at the image with an utter ache in his heart. During the sermon all Connor and Henry could do was look at the opened coffin where Hank was laying. His face was calm and peaceful, but it was evident that the Hank that Connor, Henry and Luke all loved had long since departed. They could see his face, but they couldn't feel his presence.

"...He's really gone." Henry whispered despondently. "He's never coming back."

Connor tried to gently 'shush' Henry as he ran his hand along his son's shoulders and back.

As the sermon came to a close the family and friends were asked to approach the coffin to say their final goodbyes. Forcing his legs to move Connor guided Henry forward, but the heartbroken young man could only bear to look for a few seconds before sobbing and pressing his face into Connor's shoulder. As Connor wrapped his arm around Henry he too began to break down and quickly walked away with his son to escape the sympathetic stares from the other mourners.

Locating a quiet, isolated area of the funeral home Connor embraced Henry and let him grieve for as long as he needed.

"Cry, Henry." Connor encouraged as he fought to keep his own voice steady for his son's sake. "Just cry..."

"This really hurts!"

"I know. I'm hurting, too..."

"When will it stop?"

Connor closed his eyes and remembered when he had asked Hank the exact same question so long before. "...It doesn't stop, Henry. It just gets a little easier to live with one day at a time."

Luke found his brother and nephew comforting one another and embraced them in a hug of his own. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

As the three surviving members of the Anderson clan mourned together, the other tending guests paid their respects and left quietly.

Connor fought to compose himself and asked for Luke to stay with Henry for just a moment. There was something that Connor needed to do before he left the funeral home, and it was something he wanted to do in private.

Returning to where Hank was laying peacefully in the coffin Connor approached and gazed down at his father's face one more time. Reaching behind the large memorial wreath composed of flowers Connor retrieved the two framed photographs containing images of himself, Henry, Cole, Barbara and a third framed picture of Luke.

Placing the photographs inside the coffin under Hank's arms Connor stifled another sob and spoke to Hank. "...I know you'll be watching over us, but I thought you'd like to have these. Now your family will always be with you, no matter where you go."

Slowly Connor closed the lid to the coffin and bowed his head against the smooth, cool dark surface as he let himself cry again.

"I love you, dad."

It was going to be a cold, slow night for the trio of Anderson's as they begrudgingly left the funeral home to return to the house.

Hank's house.

The house that was now empty and void of the man that they all admired.

* * *

Henry sat on the couch with Luke at his side as they too began checking through the box of photographs. It made them both feel better seeing images of Hank smiling and playing with Henry and Sumo, and seeing Hank spending time with both Connor and Luke. They were truly his children, his family, and it gave them a sense of familial grounding and emotional support.

"Hey, I remember this." Henry held up a photo showing himself sitting on Hank's shoulders as they went to the park by the river. Henry himself was only six years old at the time. "We went to the park after my very first basketball game. He showed me the secret to the perfect free-throw, and I haven't missed yet."

Luke smiled as he saw that tucked down in the bottom of the box was a newspaper clipping regarding the score of the baseball game that he, Hank and Connor had all seen together in Boston. "This is from that first game we saw together. I wish we could've seen every game that season together, but... You know. It's not easy living so far apart. But that made seeing him all the more special."

"Yeah. I can't believe he made it to all of my basketball games." Henry was ever appreciative of Hank's support. "I knew it hurt his back to sit on the hard bleachers for hours on end, but he never once complained."

"No... Not even when he was at his sickest."

"He called you too, didn't he Uncle Luke?"

"Yeah. I knew why he was calling, and I'm so glad I was able to talk to him one last time." The deviant's blue eyes were welling up with tears. "But ending the call... That hurt more than I expected. It was the last time I got to speak to him."

"I know." Henry wiped away a rogue tear from his own eye as he sighed and took a deep breath to try to ease his shaking thoughts. It was hard but he was able to remain composed as his grief continued to settle in. "He called me the night before, seven o'clock on Friday night, as usual, but... I knew it was different. After I said goodbye and that I loved him I put aside my phone and went to bed. And I knew that when I woke up the next morning that... Somehow I just knew he was gone."

Luke nodded a little and began checking back through the box of photographs. "I understand what you mean."

"I'm just glad that dad was there with him when he passed." Glancing about the livingroom Henry realized that Connor wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Hey, where is dad?"

"He went outside to talk on the phone and finish the final details regarding the funeral arrangements."

"Oh. He's been out there-"

Knocking on the front door stopped Henry mid sentence as he and Luke turned to look at the door. Getting up from the couch Henry went to answer the door and was greeted by Markus. "Hi, Markus."

"Hey, Henry. How're you holding up?"

"Not great."

"I had the same reaction when I lost my own father, I get it. I wanted to see if you needed anything."

"I'm okay, but I can't answer for dad or Uncle Luke."

Luke himself had gotten up from the couch and walked over to the door to greet Markus with a strong handshake. "Hello, Markus."

"Hey, Luke. Do you need anything?"

"Actually... There might be something you can do for us." Motioning back to the couch Luke showed Markus the massive box of photographs and gave him a small smile. "Think you could us turn these photographs into a type of slideshow or tribute for him?"

"Of course." Markus was more than happy to volunteer the artistic skills he had learned from Carl. "It'd be an honor to help with such a display."

Henry closed the door behind Markus and decided to check in on his dad while Luke and Markus sat on the couch and began discussing their plan. Walking through the backdoor of the kitchen Henry found Connor sitting on the step of the back deck with both hands over his face as he silently sobbed in heartbroken mourning.

"Dad..."

Henry sat down beside Connor in a matter of seconds and pulled his dad up against him in the same tight hug that Connor had given him so many times before when he was upset.

This time it was Henry's turn to take care of Connor.

"Dad, don't hide."

"...I'm sorry." The mourning deviant apologized morosely.

"And don't be sorry. We all miss him."

"I'm supposed to comfort you," Connor forced his voice to steady enough to speak. "not the other way around."

"Why? We're family! _We're supposed to take care of each other_ , dad. Let me take care of you."

As Connor wept in his son's arms the deviant felt the same inexplicable and inescapable heartache that he had suffered through after Lucas had been murdered, and after Skye succumbed to her injuries the night of the riot. There was no doubt that Hank's passing was irreversibly changing Connor's life, but this time he had his son and his brother to see him through the tragedy. Hank wouldn't be there to keep the darkness from entering his heart.

"It's okay, dad... Just cry. I'm here, and I'll _always_ be here."

Connor tightened his hug and continued to weep. "And I'll always be here for you, son. No matter what happens I will always be here."

* * *

_**November 18th, 2061:** _

The day of the funeral.

The cemetery was peacefully quiet and the sun was shining brightly in a strong contrast to the dark, dreary mood of the day itself.

Donned in his black suit out of respect for the dead Connor stood before the black coffin with his hands folded neatly before himself as he prepared to eulogize his late father. He stood before a generous gathering of family, friends and fellow police officers; humans and deviants alike. Those who had had worked with Hank in the precinct, and those who had come to know Hank as a friend from his work with the deviancy uprising throughout the city, had attended the funeral en mass to give the deceased, retired detective the respect he had so rightfully earned.

Of course Henry, Luke, Markus, North, Josh, Simon, Kara, Rose, Adam (along with his wife and kids), Chris (with his wife and kids), Gavin, Abby, Aria, Tina, Joel and even Jack were all in attendance to pay their own respects to their fallen father, patriarch, friend, and ally.

The memorial was composed of a flowery wreath with a portrait of Hank, the image was from his youth and taken the day he graduated from the police academy. Dozens of lilies had been collected and placed all around the coffin out of respect for the fallen man. A screen was set up to the side of the coffin showing a slideshow of the hundreds of photographs that had been collected throughout the years.

After watching the display for almost an hour it was time to begin the eulogy and lay Hank to rest at long last.

It wasn't easy, but Connor found his voice and gave Henry a subtle nod as he sat next between Luke and Rose in the front row. The sight of Henry being so emotionally vulnerable gave Connor an instinctive response to be strong on his son's behalf until Henry was able to come to terms with what had happened.

"Captain Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson was a man of quiet resolve and loud virtue." Connor paused as he let out a deep breath to emotionally steel himself once more before continuing. "Those who had the honor of working with Hank as an officer of the law knew he could be crude, sarcastic and even short-tempered; but those who had the honor of getting to know Hank as a friend knew that Hank held a big heart full of compassion, patience, empathy and understanding."

Henry's was starting to cry again and Luke put his hand on his shoulder while Rose grabbed onto his hand for emotional support.

Closing his eyes tightly Connor bowed his head slightly as he repressed a heartwrenching sob that had risen in his throat.

"When I first met Hank we had been assigned to work together to handle cases with deviant androids. And he was... not happy about the arrangement. Even less so when he learned that I was in fact an android. It didn't help that at the time I would follow him around more than Sumo ever did."

A small cluster of good-humored laughter helped ease and lessen the crushing emotional tension in the air.

"Our meeting was under grim, unorthodox circumstances that seemed doomed to end in disaster, but as we spent time together and worked with each other to solve our case and to better understand what was happening in the city we were able to better understand each other. And our resulting friendship changed our lives forever; mine far more than his, and it was for the better."

Lifting his head back up Connor looked past the group of gathered mourners at the cemetery and to the blue horizon behind them.

"I had learned of Hank's past and of the utter despair he had endured alone. While I knew what happened I was unable to understand it until I had become deviant. And it was Hank who helped me to realize that I am in fact alive and helped me to achieve my deviancy; to find my _humanity_. Hank helped me to find a heart, and in time all I could do was hope that my own heart would become as strong as his. A strength I was determined to give to my own son, and thanks to Hank, I succeeded."

Giving his final words to the mourners Connor felt the warm tears flowing down his face once more.

"Hank had said ' _Time is fleeting, but memories last forever_.', and he was right. He's still right." As Connor spoke Henry began to cry again. "Hank was a dedicated detective, a vigil protector, a guardian, a friend..." Connor's hand gently came to a rest on the corner of the closed coffin lid softly. "and above all else he was a father, and a grandfather. He was the father that I never knew I needed, and the father I never knew I wanted until we met. I wouldn't be half the person, or father, I am today if he hadn't taken me in; if he hadn't given me the chance to prove myself. And I knew from the moment he passed away that my life had changed forever once again, but now it's for the worse because he isn't going to be apart of it anymore."

Connor's palm dropped from the coffin as his hands clenched into pained fists at his sides.

"Despite his own pain and his desire to stop feeling, he still found the room to take in a stray android and raise him as a son, and then do it all over again with Luke. And when Henry was born I knew that I'd never have the chance to fail as a parent because Hank would be there to guide me every step of the way."

A chorus of sniffles and crying accompanied Connor's words.

"I miss him. And I'm going to miss him for the rest of my life. And clearly I won't be alone in this horrible grief."

Steeling his voice for the last time Connor clutched his hand over his heart as he gave his final words.

"I can honestly say from the depths of my heart that Hank was my _dad_ ; and of all the humans I have met in my life I know for a fact that Hank's golden heart; though broken, troubled and scarred was without a doubt the biggest, and the strongest. His heart was like his morals, indestructible."

* * *

_**November 19th, 2061:  
** _

_...but memories last forever._

Connor stood before the newly placed headstone with Hank's name engraved upon it. Hank had been laid to rest next to his firstborn son Cole, his departed wife Barbara and was neighboring the headstone place in memory of Lucas. The fresh earth over the grave was dark and smoothed over perfectly as a sign of respect. As he rested his left hand atop the headstone the watch on his wrist glistened in the sunlight. Connor bowed his head and placed a lily down out of additional respect before repeating the action for Lucas, Cole and Barbara, leaving behind flowers for each of the dearly departed.

Returning his attention to Hank's grave Connor bowed his head and let out a tired sigh.

"Hi, dad. I miss you. I just wanted you to know that I decided to move out of my house and return home next door. It's not the same without you, but I can't imagine anyone else residing in that house and I wanted to make sure that both Sumos graves in the backyard are tended to properly. Besides, I think Henry spent more time at your house than my own as he grew up, and I want him to always come home to it."

Reaching into his pocket Connor pulled out his quarter and held it in the palm of his hand in a tight fist, rather than dance it over his knuckles as had been his usual nervous tic in the past.

"I'm not quite sure how long it'll take before I can move on and continue to live my life, but I know I _will_ be okay." Tightening his fingers around the coin for a few seconds Connor's hand gradually relaxed into a calmer fist at his side. "I'll keep my promise to you dad, and I will live my life to the fullest."

Rubbing the cuff of his sleeve over the top of the headstone to brush aside a few stray bits of brown earth from the gray stone Connor managed to flash a faint smile of pride as he remembered every moment that he and Hank had shared together through the years together as an unorthodox, but loving family. Each moment played out in his mind in every vivid detail his incredible memory retained.

"Henry wasn't ready to come back to the cemetery just yet, and he isn't ready to go back to school, and I don't blame him. He's sleeping in my old bedroom in your house and I'm sleeping on the couch to remain close by him until he's ready to return. Luke is staying with him right now, but he will have to return to Boston tonight. Luke's going to make an effort to visit the city more often for the sake of family, and I'm also going to make a habit of visiting him in Boston, too. I know Henry would love to see a game with us, and I'll be sure to catch another foul ball in your memory. It won't be the same without you, but we know you'll be there in spirit..."

Unclenching his fist Connor crouched down to read the plaque engraved on the front of the headstone:

" _Henry 'Hank' Lucas Anderson. Born September 6th, 1985. Died November 14th, 2061. Dedicated Detective. Beloved Father, Grandfather, Husband and Friend_."

"Thank you for everything you've done, dad. You saved my life and you gave me a _reason to live_. It may take some time, but I know I can find a new reason to keeping living even without you to guide me on my way. And I know for certain that one day we will see each other again."

Reaching up his hand he pressed his palm down against the top of the headstone one last time before he rose to his feet and turned to walk away with his head held high with a returning confidence.

"You were right, by the way." Lifting his hand from the gravestone he gave a weak smile of respect to his departed father. "I don't need this anymore, I didn't even touch it during the funeral, but I still think I need _you_. I'll try to live on as normally as possible, and I know it won't be easy, but I will try. I promise you I will see the world at last. With Henry still in my life I know I at least stand a chance at being okay. I guess it's safe to say Henry inherited his grandfather's heart of gold."

Letting one final rogue tear fall from his soulful brown eyes he wiped it away with his thumb and took in a shaking breath to level his voice.

"I know you're in a better place, and you're finally back with Cole, Barbara, Skye and both Sumos, so I don't doubt that you really are okay. And now it's my turn to take charge and protect the family as you protected us. Until we meet again." Connor paid his final respects to Hank as he placed down his final offering before he begrudgingly left his beloved father behind. "I still love you, dad."

Connor walked away from the gravestone with a heavy heart but a clear mind as he ventured away from his deceased family and returned to the beautiful car that he and Hank and restored together. The Corvette was parked along the trail that lapped through the peaceful cemetery and its cobalt blue paint still glistened like a sapphire in the light of the brilliantly shining sun.

Whispering one last passing goodbye to Hank, Connor turned over the car's engine and wiped away another tear. "I'll see you on the other side, dad."

Sitting idle atop Hank's grave, left behind to glisten in the bright afternoon sun and to serve as a reminder of everything that the two detectives had experienced together, was Connor's most prized material possession.

It was Connor's old, worn out coin.

_**-The End** _

_**  
**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this little project I figured this would be good for thirty or forty chapters, nothing special. But when I kept getting more and more inspiration to write I decided to make a personal goal to reach at least 100 chapters before I stopped this story.
> 
> As it turns out one hundred chapters was a surprisingly easy goal to reach, so then I set another goal. Break 1,000,000 words. Then I broke that one million word goal with still so many ideas left that I wanted to write out, and I realized that this story could actually go on forever.
> 
> So then came the third and final goal. 200 chapters with an emotionally charged and gracious ending. And I'm hoping that I managed to achieve such a goal with my final, two hundredth chapter.


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